More Billy Songs

Becky reminded me--he also sang It's a Matter of Trust, and Honesty, which I really should have remembered given the number of times we used to sing that song as sophomores, but replaced "honesty" with "sodomy..." Try it sometime, it's really, really funny.

More Billy

Well, I just finished writing a whole long thing about Billy Joel in my family-proof blog, so I'll just copy and paste that in here.

Well, I decided to answer all questions and elaborate on my experience in a new post rather than in the comments. Yes, he can still jump up on the piano! Or, rather, he stepped onto it when it was still below the floor (they had it on a platform that could be raised up to the stage or lowered down under it), and then jumped off once it was all the way up. Then at the end he stepped up onto his chair, and then the keyboard, and then onto the top of the piano, to try to get the tech people to turn his mic back on! Hah. He wanted to talk, and they'd turned it off. And the cool thing with the mic stand was kind of like twirling a baton, only big... he spun it around, and threw it up in the air, and did all sorts of really cool tricks with it. Here's what I remember for sure that he sang, in the order I remember them (there are probably ones I'm forgetting, but maybe I'll think of them later):

The Entertainer (my fave Joel song EVER, which he sang right after some Philly radio personality came onstage to announce that Billy Joel had performed 46 sold-out concerts in Philly, which was a record, and they'd made him a banner that they hung at the top of the stadium with all the banners for the sports teams, so when he introduced the song, he said that he had no idea any of this was going to happen when he wrote it, and that it would now sound like bullshit)
Allentown (of course, since it was in Philly...)
Ballad of Billy the Kid
River of Dreams
You May Be Right
Still Rock & Roll
Only the Good Die Young
We Didn't Start the Fire
Innocent Man
Italian Restaurant (that has a different title, I think, that I don't remember...)
Goodnight Saigon (there were soldiers on the stage for that one...it was interesting.)
Captain Jack
Pressure
She's Always a Woman
Keeping the Faith
Piano Man (naturally, we knew he couldn't leave the building until he did that one, and of course it was the best finale ever.)

That's all I can remember at the moment, but I know for sure that there were more. The concert went about three hours, with no breaks, so obviously I'm forgetting some things! ;) At any rate, though he looks older, his voice is just as good as it ever was--it was truly amazing to watch him perform, and to hear him actually right there in front of me. Becky and I were almost at the very top of the stadium, nosebleed kind of seats, but we rented binoculars so that we could watch him closer up. His band was also really cool, especially this really energetic black woman who did lots of different stuff--percussion, sax, backup vocals, harmonica..... She was fun to watch, as well. All in all it was a fantastic concert, and I'm so, so pleased that I finally got to see/hear him in person! That's one more to check off my list of concerts I'm dying to see. :)

Billy Joel Rocks My World.

Dear Billy Joel,

You were AMAZING. Even though you are way too old for me, I really want to add you to my list of sexual trump cards. I especially loved it when you played The Entertainer, and Allentown, and We Didn't Start the Fire, and when you jumped on the piano, and when you did the cool thing with the microphone stand. You are my hero. More details when I am less tired.

Love,
Rachel

Weekend of Parties

Well, the caffiene must still be working on me, because I got about 12 hours of sleep this weekend and I'm still awake, posting photos online.... but as soon as that's done, I'll be crashing for the remainder of the day! New photos of the weekend are now online at Shutterfly (follow the link to the left), and I will shortly be adding them to facebook as well. Since I'm so tired, I'll stick to a list of highlights again:

Friday:
-I made a Quiltman pinata that looked remarkably like the real thing and took a remarkably short amount of time to construct, and even less time to tear apart with great excitement.
-The performances were fantastic! Becky wrote an amazing poem, Charlotte sang Happy Birthday to Dilexi in true Ian style (with dip instead of icing), Julia improvised a haiku, Crista played creepy things on the roll-out keyboard, and Alex and I put our weeks of rehearsal to good use and performed fabulously.
-During Alex and my performance, a random girl and her boyfriend came down to use the vending machine, and the boyfriend said it was the best rendition of "I Want it That Way" he'd ever heard.

Saturday:
-Alex got her tattoo finished! See the photos! It's AMAZING.
-I had the joy of trying a Cement Mixer, made in my mouth instead of in a shot glass. Hot stuff.
-I wore a tie for the second night in a row.
-Alex made a fabulous party music mix that we sang and danced to with complete abandon.

Sunday:
-I finally got to take a nap.
-I was woken up in the most lovely way possible--Alex came back from rehearsal nearly an hour early.
-We had Campus Corner!!


That's it for now... perhaps more details after I've slept.

Caffienated

Today has become an unexpected experiment in the effects of caffiene on my body. Don't ask how this situation has occured, 'cause I'm not exactly sure.

Variables: No food, thanks to dumb secretaries who take huge lunchbreaks and leave me stuck here in the office past the time when the lunch trolley is open.
Current coffee count: 5 (small) cups, taken black.
Physical state: My brain is speeding and my limbs all tingle like I've been drinking vodka, but I'm still yawning, and can't keep my eyes open. WTF?

Tune in...whenever I have time over the weekend, to find out how long I last before utterly crashing.

Pandora Music Answers

Found this on Alex's blog, and decided to try it with Pandora, because my ipod is at home charging itself. So, these are mostly not songs I even know, but the answers may be interesting anyway....

Put your music on random. Answer the questions with the song title.

1. How does the world see you? "Cat's in the Cradle"

2. Will I have a happy life? "87 Sundays"

3. What do my friends think of me? "Jolene" (should I change my name?)

4. Do people secretly lust after me? "High Flying Bird"

5. How can I make myself happy? "Anticipate"

6. What should I do with my life? "Bottle of Smoke"

7. Will I ever have children? "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" (the most cryptic answer yet)

8. What is some good advice for me? "Black Diamond"

9. How will I be remembered? "Isn't it a Pity" (yes, it is a pity that's how I'll be remembered)

10. What's my signature dancing song? "This Girl is a Woman Now" (HAH!)

11. What's my current theme song? "American Tune" (really?)

12. What do others think is my current theme song? "Both Sides Now"

13. What shall they play at my funeral? "Everything Hits at Once" (um...)

14. What type of WOMEN do I like? "Instant Love" (haha!)

15. How's my love life? "Hello There" (another haha!)

Choose Wisely.

Is it the first day of spring? Or is it....Professor Dilexi's birthday??

Top 'O the Mornin'

The wee hours of the morning, that is! Becky and I went out to Pure, a gay club we'd been to once before right down the block from Woody's. I'm too tired to give a full run-down, but here are the highlights:

-I got many comments on my skirt, all from men (one was a transvestite...another came over to say his boyfriend wanted to know where I'd gotten it).
-There was a really hot woman wearing at tie and a cool guy who was twirling scarves around over his head.
-Becky got picked up by a probably-35-year-old Chilean man, who was nice, but not really in the right age range.
-I slapped a guy hard across the face when he continued to put his hands on me after I clearly did not want that from him (he was definitely on drugs).

Huzzah for clubs. Now I'm going to sleep, and hope that my pillow doesn't smell like cigarettes tomorrow.

Johari

Tell me what you think about me: Johari Window

Lazy Sunday Afternoon

There's nothing quite like a lazy Sunday afternoon, some smile-inducing music, and a comfy blanket. Just thought you all might like to know.

Though of course, there is one thing that could make it even better...

Brighter

I feel brighter!

Scared and Crying

Scared and crying is not the must fun way to spend your day.... Big hugs to those of you who are spending your day as I am. I love you.

I'm In!!

I got a letter from Hollins University today! I'm in! Admitted to the M.A. program in Children's Literature, starting Summer '06. In case you're one of the few I haven't talked about this to, the program is six weeks every summer (early June to mid July) for 3-5 years. So, basically, I can do anything I want along with this! I could work during the year, I could work for one year and then apply to art school and do that at the same time, I could do one of the PhD programs I applied to during the year (if I get into any...), there are so many possibilities! I feel...justified, vindicated, in my pipe dreams for my own future. It's a good day. Now I just have to fill out the financial aid forms.... ;)

Open for Target Practice

Or, that's how I feel. The BMC Listserv has been having a few threads of discussion about abortion lately, due to all the current press on the subject, and I just posted a huge and fairly passionate response to the thread that I cried while writing. How ridiculous am I? I'm sure that a bunch of Bryn Mawr alums, most of whom are significantly older than I, can be civil. But being in the minority makes me excessively nervous, because really all I want is harmonious discussion. I don't want anyone to tell me I'm wrong, or I'm a bad feminist, or not a feminist at all, or that I'm some sort of conservative maniac. I'm not. You know that, if you're reading this, but I feel the need to say it anyway. Why is it always so nervewracking to put yourself out on a limb?

Photos Online!

The bulk of my photos are now online! Check out the link in the sidebar! Go look at them! To be updated shortly: Uncut Pages Shows album (I'll be adding photos from Philly Dilexi).

Grad School Update

So... now, in addition to Cornell English, Brown has declined to accept my brilliant talent and enthusiasm into their program. They didn't put it as nicely as I just did, either. I think I'll take a nap on this lonely Saturday afternoon, and think about the five schools I have yet to hear from. ;)

Spring Break is my Nemesis.

Spring Break has taken away both my girlfriend and my will to continue going to work every day. Fie on Spring Break, fie!

My Personal DNA

Interesting.






My Personal Dna Report

Correspondences With Redheads

This morning is full of great emails from redheads! Okay, really just two, but I felt the need to post about it.

From Alex, just the closing, as she deemed the meat of the message too sketchy for the blog:

Love love love love love,
-alex

P.s. Big huge kiss attack!



And from my cousin Ann Marie, in the context of an email chain letter asking me to describe her in one word (I coined one for her, sarcastiquirkintelligent):

I am truly honored.

I feel as though I should reciprocate and coin a word for you as well; however, "unique" says it all. (in a good way, not like when someone says "unique" as a cover for "weird")




Now all I need is for Jenn to send me a wonderful email, and I'll have a redhead email trifecta.