Zero, Zero, Zero

Since early January, I've been taking Mondays off. It's a way for me to actually take holidays without having to bring in a replacement at work (who just happens to f*** everything up royally while I'm away when he's there). And additionally, I like my long weekends with just me and the dogs and whatever I feel like doing all day. Usually that includes adding music to my iPod, and various household stuff. (Y'know... the glamour that is vacuuming, loading/unloading the dishwasher, laundry... the stuff that reminds you that life doesn't come without it's tedious necessities.)

Not once in this series of extendo-weekends have I written in my Blog. And today I'm determined to make sure I do, since I feel a lot of time I could've spent writing over the past Mondays has been squandered. Don't ask me why I feel this way. I'm a notorious time-waster and you'd think I've learned to subdue my conscience on the topic of things I should be doing. Heh, ...maybe that's what keeps me from turning into a complete couch-potato blob, and I shouldn't really try to overcome that nagging feeling as much as I should listen to it.

Right now I'm going through my collection of (Leslie) Sam Phillips CD's and downloading all my favourite songs from them. That'll be of particular interest to my friend Jerome and probably nobody else. Since Sam's never made much of a name for herself. She's just kinda bubbled-under for 20 years or so. It's both mysterious and understandable at the same time. She's a truly talented songwriter, but her voice is no-doubt an acquired taste in a "Stevie Nicks" kind of way. The closest I think she's come to success is a line-less role in the third Die Hard movie as one of the evil terrorists. (she's quite vicious in the part for someone who says nothing) and having one of her songs featured on Melrose Place and the Melrose Place soundtrack way back when. She also had a song called "Lying" around the same time that charted in Canada, but I think that was only on Much Music. That was from an album called "Cruel Inventions". After that she had one of those critical darling albums called "Martinis and Bikinis" which was highly acclaimed but didn't sell well. Thereafter she kinda torpedoed herself with a concept album that couldn't be considered anything but weird called "Omnipop (It's Only a Flesh Wound Lambchop)". I like it, but I truly can see why no one else might. I encourage you to Google her and take a look at the song titles. They're nothing if not unique. Anything else by Sam Phillips is quite good though. If you like indie simple "Beatleseque" pop-rock, she doesn't disappoint. I still have yet to pick up her two most recent albums (Fan Dance, & A Boot and a Shoe) because they're always so expensively priced. But I still have good intentions to do so.

Anybody catch the premier episode of Amazing Race last night? It's going to be a very, very fun season being that it's full of previous competitors. The "All Stars" edition if you please. Rob & Amber (reality show whores extraordinaire) are back and already hated by the other teams based solely on how they performed during their first time out. I'm already rooting for Uchenna and Joyce again. I love them, and met them in person after they won. Gracious and wonderful people I says. I'm also cheering for the not one, but two gay couples racing this time around. Wow - go Gay Power! I love the Amazing Race when it's not boring. Last season was boring, and the season before that was as well (the family edition - gaahh - couldn't handle it past the first episode.) This one looks very promising. Hey... there's a little person racing. I hear the last time she was on the show she was quite the spectacle hoisting a side of beef over her head that was almost bigger than her. Munchkins and gays and Rob n' Ambah... oh my. Bring on the hi jinx! hee

Of course you knew the song of the day was going to be a Sam Phillips song. "Zero Zero Zero" from Omnipop. Sam had the sense of humour-enough to make this the title of her "Best of/greatest hits" CD (song wasn't actually included on the CD). Aptly titled, considering none of the tracks charted. Gotta love someone who can joke about their status (or lack thereof).

"Zero Zero Zero"

big numbers go by
I close my eyes
I never count
a large amount
my lucky number
is below one
you never know
when you might need a zero

the zero
in my hand
is nothing to lose
it's hard to confuse
power with love
love with power
everything that I'm not
is all that I've got