I've noticed that over the past week, I've been added by quite a few new readers who are yet to tell me anything about themselves. So, I've decided that we are going to play a little game - a game I like to call "Fill This Out". And the rules are easy - you fill it out.

I'll go first:
( You know you want to see )

1. Go to your profile and copy your list of friends.
2. Bold those you've met in person.
3. Italicize those you've spoken to on the phone.
All doubles have been removed.
( Dr Horrible is here )

OK, so, to be like the cool kids, I'll post my feeling on Act III and the project in general....

( Under this crazy random cut )

I, too, have now seen The Dark Knight - which also gets 10.10 for awesomeness.

OK, seriously people - if you haven't been watching (and I fully expect ALL of you to have been watching already), then what the balls has been keeping you. Acts I and II are already up and the long awaited Act III goes up tomorrow.



And remember, if you aren't watching, it's curtains for you. Lacy, gently wafting curtains. Or Bad Horse will make you his mare.

Or Captain Hammer will throw a car at your head.

AH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.

(And for the 0.0001% of you who have no idea what it is - Joss + Nathan Fillion + Neil Patrick Harris + MUSICAL = a status that is not quo)

For the record, it looks like ass on my charcoal grey background.

My body is tired, but my brain doesn't want to sleep. I've been feeling out of sorts for reasons I think I know, but don't want to go into here.

So here I am, bone tired, brain on overdrive and to make matters worse - it's torturing me, not with overthinking, but with Land Of Confusion and I Can't Dance...curse your melodious pop, Genesis.

I know what I need to get rid of it all, but it ain't happening.

So, yeah...

What you do: Go through every year of your life and list the best album (or 3 - but no more) in your own humble opinion.

Mine:

1975: Kiss - Alive/Nighthawks At The Diner - Tom Waits
1976: Station To Station - David Bowie
1977: Peter Gabriel - Peter Gabriel
1978: Parallel Lines - Blondie
1979: The B52s - The B52s
1980: Heartattack and Vine - Tom Waits
1981: Beauty and The Beat - The Go Gos
1982: Night and Day - Joe Jackson
1983: Murmur - R.E.M
1984: Reckoning - R.E.M/Human Racing - Nik Kershaw
1985: Hunting High And Low - A-Ha
1986: Life's Rich Pageant - R.E.M
1987: The Joshua Tree - U2/Document - R.E.M
1988: Green - R.E.M/Operation:Mindcrime - Queensryche
1989: Electric Youth - Debbie Gibson
1990: The Hit List - Joan Jett/World Clique - Deee-Lite
1991: Out Of Time - R.E.M/A Different Story - Deborah Blando
1992: Automatic For The People - R.E.M/Gordon - Barenaked Ladies/Little Earthquakes - Tori Amos
1993: Zooropa - U2/The Cd Version Of The First Two EPs - Bikini Kill
1994: Monster - R.E.M/Day For Night - Tragically Hip
1995: Shame Based Man - Bruce McCulloch/The Freedom Sessions - Sarah McLachlan
1996: New Adventures In Hi Fi - R.E.M/Boys For Pele - Tori Amos/Reject All American - Bikini Kill
1997: Aquarium - Aqua
1998: From The Choirgirl Hotel - Tori Amos
1999: Mule Variations - Tom Waits/Play - Moby
2000: Nickel Creek - Nickel Creek/Music@Work - Tragically Hip
2001: 200K/ph In The Wrong Lane - t.A.T.u
2002: The Beginning Stages Of... - The Polyphonic Spree
2003: Give Up - The Postal Service
2004: Funeral - The Arcade Fire
2005: Blue Scholars - Blue Scholars
2006: We Are The Pipettes - The Pipettes
2007: Bayani - Blue Scholars/Neon Bible - Arcade Fire
2008: Accelerate - R.E.M

For some strange reason, all the mobile phone services are down on the coast.

Methinks Skynet is taking over.

If anyone needs me, I'll be hiding in the bomb shelter.

Hey folks - PHOTOS!



( Shane Has A Camera )

Ok. So I was going to do this last week, but got distracted - but now, on this lazy Saturday afternoon, I will.

And, lo - I present to you my Top Ten Of 2008 So Far. And, as is my way, I'll link to the clips wherever possible.

( MUSIC! )

So, as you know, yesterday - I got a new camera to replace my old one that died from overuse. And just now, I decided to do a brief test of what it can do.

Here is some photos.

( Cut for bigness )

Tomorrow, I will mostly be taking copious amounts of photos and getting myself familiar with what this little puppy can do.

So, it's time for one of my patented "in brief" updates of what I've been up to these past few days. Hold on tight.

Friday
Supposed to be muscle for a show from Saffron and Morri, only Morri is uncontactable. Saff manages to rope Kiki in to being her partner, but the show still had to start an hour late, not that the boys minded, especially since they got a bona fide porn star doing an impromptu signing for them to make up. Turns out she was dehydrated and all but passed out in bed. M turned her phone off while she was asleep, so she was quite upset that she'd missed the show, but noone really gave a poop about that - more that she was OK.

So, after the show, Kiki and Saffron went off to girl it up (shopping, not sex, you fucking children). I go home and have a slow night - so slow in fact, that I can't remember what I did. I'm sure I spent a chunk of it messaging back and forth with Jess, though.

Saturday
Spent the morning doing stuff, then sat down to listen to M's show (being as though it was the first Saturday afternoon in weeks that I had free), only to realise that the was on holidays. Ended up going shopping and then coming back home to read until it was time to go collect Saffron for the show, only to be told that Kiki was going to drive her, so I had to call Morri poste-haste and tell her to come to mine instead. After she got here, we hit the shows and got them done, ending up back here at around 1AM where we crashed out after watching a little Futurama.

Sunday
The morning was spent asleep, since we didn't get to sleep until around 4 (not like that, you children), and the afternoon was spent eating sushi with Jess and being internet nerds before we went to see Saffron's routine at Hollywood. After dropping a very regretful Jess off at her house, Morri and I headed up to Saffron's where the gals spent a good hour or two getting ready and being goofy, and I alternated between standing around and being Mark Cohen for the evening. After the gals prettied up, we headed into Surfers for dinner and were joined by yet more of the Saffron crew.

After letting Saffron and Kiki go get ready for the show and a brief snafu, involving a lack of ID, Morri and I hit Hollywood, just in time to see Kiki hit the stage with not a bad little routine, considering she'd only decided two days prior to enter the contest. Saffron, however, had been talking about this thing for weeks, and damn did it show - and damn, did she ever look hot. This thing had everything, including a 12 foot death drop in a cape. If there is any justice in the world, she's going through to the final.

After that, Morri and I headed back here to crash out with some more Futurama.

Monday
While Morri was asleep, I took in the season finale of Doctor Who. A lot of people didn't like it, but I dug it heavily - and really, this whole season has been fucking perfect. I never thought I'd say this, but Catherine Tate was brilliant for the show. Only one bit made me facepalm - fucking fangirls and their need for closure.

Once Morri woke up, we chilled for a while, and waited for Jess to come over, because I said I would take some test photos for her to send to more professional photographers. Thankfully, my camera decided to give me one last day - but between Saffron, Morri and Jess; it managed to die completely. We did manage to get a bunch of outdoor shots done, then moved to the bathroom to get some indoor shots as well. Morri, being Morri decided to strip off and jump in the tub too, leading to some very playful and very cute duo shots. No, you'll not be seeing any of them - at least not unless I am given permission to show (they aren't naughty, but that's the way I roll). After a few hours of this fun, and a battle with far far too many soap suds, the girls cleaned up and we headed downstairs to internet and watch a little TV, then Jess had to away again.

Morri and I spent the evening watching movies, where I introduced her to Idiocracy (and yes, Jess and I spent the evening messaging lines back and forth to each other, because our shit is all fucked up and retarded). Then we watched Josie and The Pussycats and finally tapped out with some Futurama.

Tuesday
We woke up around 1pm and headed up to Surfers to the ONLY Jewish food store on the coast, only to find that it was closed for the day (and closed at 1pm on the days that it did open) and thusly headed back to my place, with a stop at Pacific Fair to buy me a new camera. Only, just as we pulled up the the car park, Morri got a call reminding her of an appointment that she had that afternoon, which she'd convinced herself was the day after. So, the shopping trip was scuppered as I drove her back here so she could leave (postscript to that - she made it in time).

I headed out to the local mall to pick up a camera, which I didn't as they didn't have the model that I wanted, and some foodstuffs for dinner. While picking up things, I suddenly got in the mood for pizza, so sent a message off to Jess wondering if she'd be in for the same idea - which she was. Came home and prepped things - veggies, cheese, sauce, pesto, spicy chicken, the usual; then went and picked up Jess, some soda and a tonne of chocolate to snack on afterwards.

While we ate and cooked, we watched some of the delightful animated programs on FOX. Following the feed, I started up our long talked about Kevin Smith marathon. Alas, we didn't go chronologically, as she'd never seen Clerks 2, so we started with that. And both loved it - it's still one of my favourite movies of recent years...who doesn't love a donkey show, really? After that, the first 3 eps of Clerks: TAS, which Jess loveded also. But alas, after that, she needed to head home, so I drove her back then came back here, watched a little Sarah Silverman live, then crashed out.

Wednesday
Done this. And tonight, it's Singstar at Roo's.

I was going to give you my Top 10 Songs Of 08 (So Far), but I realised that I don't think I can do that. So, instead, I'm going to do something much harder.

First of all, comedy is a big part of my life - standup, sitcom, movies, whatever. Hell, I was raised on Python, for crying out loud. But what I love more than anything in the realms of the laugh is standup comedy. So (and partially inspired by a recent 411 column), I'm going to give you the list of Shane's Top 11 Standups of All Time. Why 11? Well, anyone can do ten, it takes a real bastard to do 11.

Keep in mind - regardless of how much standup I have seen, I have not seen it all. And also, this is my list. So, if you think I have forgotten someone, by all means say "yo, how about so-and-so" - hook a brother up with a performance or two if you can as well.

Oh, and I don't feel I need to explain my top 3, either. If you don't know why, then you are beyond help.

Firstly, a few names who fell just outside my 11:

Don Rickles, Sarah Silverman, The Smothers Brothers, Tripod, Greg Fleet, Maria Bamford, Richard Pryor, Steven Wright, Lewis Black, David Cross, Patton Oswalt

And now, here goes....

( Shane's Top 11 )

So, in lieu of presents, my family learned long ago to just pile on the cash and let me get my own things. This stems from two places - the first being that I am an impatient little prick, and generally go out and buy what I want as soon as it is released; and secondly, other things that I want generally come from obscure websites around the world, and by the time that the fam has come and asked for present ideas, it's too close to the day to get things to me in time. So, yeah - giving Shane some money is easiest, and then I usually bank it or make a trip to JB Hifi and buy things that I didn't know were out...which can lead to some interesting purchases indeed.

Case in point, today - where I spend the lion's share of the money on:

The Distinction Series: Director's Collection - The Films of Andrei Tarkovsky. 9 discs, 5 films - Ivan's Childhood, Andrei Rublev, Solaris, The Mirror and Stalker. Also featuring a doco on Tarkovsky's life and work.

and...

Get Smart, season 1. I don't have to explain to you all what Get Smart is, do I?

So, a brief rundown of my jaunt to Sydney.

I got down there on Wednesday afternoon and headed on out to Green Square station, for to pick up the keys to the house from Jess. On the way to her work, I realised that I'd gone and left my jacket on the sofa at home, thus leaving myself pretty much at the elements of a bitch cold Sydney winter. Oh well - exposure to the elements makes me a man.

After getting the keys, then bussing and walking to her place. I poked my head in to Tako's room and said a brief hey, before depositing myself on the sofa which was to be my bed for the next few days, and knocking down a few crosswords on the DS. Once Jess got her booty back, we headed into Newtown (my home away from home) and downed a few tasty, tasty sushi rolls. After that, we trekked back to hers and called it a night (she had work, and I was a bit tired myself).

On the Thursday, I arranged to meet Miss Becbec for lunch in the city, so toddled my way into town a bit early for the lunch, but managed to kill time with the new issue of Death Ray (my new magazine of choice). I also picked up an early birthday gift for myself - a DVD copy of Wim Wenders' criminally underlooked Until The End Of The World, and My Boring-Ass Life by Kevin Smith. After meeting up with Becbec and feeding ourselves with some yummy vegan Thai food, she headed back to work and I took in the new Get Smart film. It ain't half bad, well cast, decent (but not surprising) story, all the classic lines - what more do you want for a popcorn flick? After that, I trundled back to the house to deposit my purchases and then back to the bus stop to wait for Jess - only to be faced with a call, informing me that she'd got a lift home with a workmate, and to get my ass back to let her into the house. After that, we went to the Zanzi for trivia (as it turns out, trivia is a big passion for us both). Following the meeting of some of her peeps, we got stuck into the game and ended up coming second by HALF A DAMN POINT. Considering that they came butt ass last the week before, it was quite a fun eve. After a drink or two more, we headed on back to the house to wrap up for the day.

On Friday, Jess took the day off work (and, since we were leaving on Sunday, in essence quit) and Operation Packing commenced. But not before she introduced me to the new Charlie the Unicorn short, and I her to Salad Fingers - with him being deemed too weird even for her. The packing went, and went, and went some more. And before we knew it, it was lunch time, so I headed into Marrickville to pick up some food, only to find out that the directions she gave me were erroneous. So, I called up, taunted her and got the right ones - then came back bearing food, which was thusly eaten. Then back to more packing and some impromptu advice giving from me to her, followed by a delicious meal of pizza while we watched RENT and From Dusk Til Dawn. After a bit more packing, she got a call to go see a friend for a goodbye thing. I skipped out on that, to let her have some time alone with her peep and ended up crashing out on her bed while stealing her interweb.

In the morning we got back into packing and quickly found it kicking our ass, so much so that I had to cancel tentative plans with Becbec for lunch. An hour or so after that (and also after getting rid of the pesky bed that was NOT going to fit in the van), we got to the stage that seeing the room was making us a bit angry so we went to the movies and took in Kung Fu Panda - a Shaw Brothers flick done with anthropomorphic animated animals. Unlike other Dreamworks flicks, it wasn't packed to the gills with lame pop culture references, just a good story, well told and awesomely animated. After that, we headed over to some more of Jess' peeps for a goodbye dinner that she was cooking for them, during which we partook in a few adult beverages beforehand and watched the first half Eagle vs Shark afterward, when we were invited out for a few drinks for someone else's goodbye celebrations. Headed back and got the last of the packing done, when we were both invited back to the peeps to chill for a while. Again, I skipped on that citing the same reasoning as the night before, but made plans to meet up at Central to go to North Sydney and pick up the van in the morning.

After we met and got the van, we headed back to the house and spent far longer packing than we had anticipated, thus killing a goodbye lunch that her flatmates were talking about. With one thing or another, we ended up hitting the road at around 1pm, but due to the vagueness of the map, coupled with Sydney's inability to post decent signage, it wasn't until a tad after 3 that we left Sydney in vaguely the right direction (as I said to Therese when she asked if I knew how to get back up here - "go north and keep driving north until I start to recognise things"). By now I sort of realised that my plans of not being on the road for my birthday were all but scuppered, but didn't really mind because - hey, free roadtrip with the aceness that is Jess. We ended up on the road for about 400km, roughly halfway to the coast, when we stopped at a town called Kempsie and got some dinner and a motel room for the night. I guess we looked like a couple, because the desk clerk didn't even ask if we wanted two single, not that we have an issue sharing a bed. So we got into the room, got comfy and tossed on the TV, watching the last Doctor Who Christmas Special - Voyage of The Damned, followed by some Simpsons and Family Guy, and both basically passing out watching a David Attenbourough show about dolphins.

Upon waking and checking out, I discovered that my camera may well have shot its last shot. I picked up some batteries (as the ones I had were dead) and turned the thing on, only to discover that it had basically reset itself. And then it shut down, never to turn on again - if only the bastard thing had died a week prior, I could have asked for a new camera for the birthday. Oh well. Soon enough, we were on the road again, stopping only at the Big Bonana to take suitably bemused pictures and to fill up. A few hours later, we were back on the coast and pulling up to Jess' family's house to unpack and let her be hugged by her fam. Once it was known that it was my birthday, her mum insisted on cooking me a dinner, which was delicious. During my time, we popped open a couple of decent bottles of wine - one straight shiraz and one shiraz/viognier blend which was flat out delicious; and chatted mostly about film and TV stuff which was fun. They are good people, which is probably why I've been such good friends with Jess for like 6 years. After an impromptu duet from Jess and myself, though, I took my leave so she could get some sleep and headed back to mine to check what was waiting for me from my wellwishers. Got a couple of cards from relos, and a package from evolutionofjake, consisting of t-shirts bearing the likenesses of Delirious and Necro Butcher, and an Obama sticker (now on my fridge) and a lawn sign.

And now I am thinking heavily about heading off for the night, since I have been writing this thing for nearly an hour.

I am the bonana king!

I am the world's most ultimate human.

I am the same age that Chris Farley was when he died.

I am 33.

Wish me good tidings, ya bastards (except you, Jake - you already have).

I'll be in Sydney for the next few days. I'll most likely not be bringing my laptop with me, so don't expect many updates from me while I'm there (and even if I do, I've no idea what my internet access will be like).

So, don't worry, I'll not be dead or forgetting all you out there in interwebland. Nope, I'll just be getting poked with sticks.

Comedy owes you everything.

EDIT - Motherfucker, it's true.

Goodnight, Funnyman. And, shitpissfuckcuntcocksuckermotherfuckertits.

Poll #1208447 Curious
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: All

Which One - Song?

Which One - TV Show?

Clicky

Hey, folks - wanna do something nice for a friend of mine?

Aren't offended by a little bit of female nudity?

Well, if you answered "Yes" and "No" respectively, then could you swing by here and vote the lovely Miss morriganslayde a 5 out 5.

Go on - help a little girl's dream come true.

(Oh, and if you want to vote Ashlee Adams a 2 or 3, that would be cool too)

(12:44:02 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: http://petajinnathandersen.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/9/
(12:44:11 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: though we're having trouble with the url
(12:45:13 PM) Me: Hah hah, you are wrongly persecuted
(12:45:52 PM) Me: But surely everyone gets labelled as "satanic" if you don't follow that goofy Christian god
(12:45:59 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: heh
(12:46:00 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: http://petajinnathandersen.wordpress.com/
(12:46:05 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: The weird thing is
(12:46:55 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: that both Islam & the Baha'i Faith believe in the same God as the "Christian" God so to speak, so this whole thing is humorous on so many levels
(12:47:03 PM) Me: I know
(12:47:16 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: that's the funny
(12:47:18 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: i love the funny
(12:47:24 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: humans are just weird
(12:47:31 PM) Me: That's basically why I discount all that "my god is better than your god" saber rattling that comes from many so called Christians
(12:47:40 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: hehehehhe
(12:47:57 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: Alienation makes a note of that
(12:47:57 PM) Rouhahahahahahaha: hahha
(12:47:59 PM) Me: I say "dude, it's the same god, but with a different hat"
(12:48:08 PM) Me: The same as even the pantheonic beliefs
(12:48:43 PM) Me: It's belief, not Pokemon - you don't have to collect em all

And now, to wipe the taste from your mouths....



And ( warning - contains spoilers for s2 )

So, it seemed that every time Miss Morri and I would go to the movies, it would end up being shit - Rambo and Indiana Jones and the Stargate of WTFery being our two most recent trips into cinematic hell. And yesterday, we planned on another. We had several choices that could have fit the bill - The Incredible Hulk, Sex and The City, The Happening and Speed Racer were all playing. And all of them have had not a hell of a lot of positive words said about them. So, we chose Speed Racer for our shit film.

We lost at crap. It really was quite good. Sure, the plot wasn't going to tax your brain (but really, did the show ever do that) but it was much better than a live action cartoon needed to be. And speaking of the live action cartoon theme, methinks that the Warshawski Brother and Sister got the color scheme perfect. From the F-Zero/Rainbow Road acid trip of the racetracks to the outright anime inspired everything else, it's one massive feast for the eyes (unless you are prone to seizures, in which case - STAY THE BALLS AWAY). The colours were amazing, right down to the smallest details - in a scene in the Racer house, each character was wearing clothes that matched perfectly to everything else around them - the walls, the furniture, even the vases, posters and things out the window, everything.

And yes, the cast (which, outside of the main players, seemed to be made up of Aussies and New Zealanders) was near perfect in their casting - John Goodman was born to play Pops Racer as was, oddly enough, Matthew Fox as Racer X (HE HAS TO GET BACK TO THE ISLAND!!). And, hell, everyone else was good too, even Ricky Gervais as Chim Chim (sure, he was heavily made up and didn't use his real name, but you could tell it was him).

So, in conclusion and in summary - Speed Racer was actually good. Although, I think we have found something else to go and see, Eddie Murphy's new film looks truly awful.

And thus, I am taking and adapting something that evolutionofjake put up in his journal.

The Top Ten Artists Who I Listen To On An Almost Daily Basis

David Bowie - Well, why not start with the most obvious? Dude - it's Bowie. If you have any like of music and don't like at least one song by him, then you don't like music. I'm sorry, that's not me deciding that - it's a law. But seriously, the man has been everywhere for the last 4 decades and can flip genres like other people flip their hair. From dress wearing folkie, to space mutant, to well dressed man about town, to internet pioneer, to guest vocals on anyone who asks nicely - there is nothing that Bowie puts his finger on that doesn't ultimately kick your ass.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: Life On Mars

R.E.M. - What can I say, they are my favourite band of all time. I've been listening to them for almost as long as I can remember and will continue to listen to them for the rest of my life. Sure, they aren't as experimental as Bowie, but when they do flip genres, they perform quite admirably, as well - but when it all comes down - the boys from Athens just plain rock the house. Sure, the last ten years has seen more misses than hits, but even on the weakest albums I can still find at least 3 songs that are brilliant.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: all of Accelerate

Tori Amos - It's rare that an artist will change your musical outlook within the first 10 seconds of hearing them (at least, it is for me), but it happened with a little song called Crucify. As soon as my DJing partner (we were the DJs at my high school) played the song for me, and I knew I'd found a new fandom, before I even knew the word fandom. Yes, the woman exists in her own world - but what a world it is. Sure, she'll never be a chart darling (and to me, that is a good thing), but I'll continue loving her and her output for a long, long time.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: Spark

Blue Scholars - Like Jake said, there is a hip-hop explosion coming out of Seattle. But sadly, not nearly enough people know about it - which just means that those of us who do can treasure it like a hidden diamond. And I do - and if you know me, you know how much I rave about Geologic and Sabzi, the Blue Scholars themselves. Unlike most of the mainstream hip-hop acts, there's no talk of bitches, hos, bling or Supermaning anyone - just straight up social conciousness, beats, rhymes and life.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: Butter and Guns (Loyalty)

Mountain Goats - A relative newcomer to my list of musical likes, but by no means new to the world of music. It took John Darnielle's cameo on an Aesop Rock track for me to realise that MoGo (as they are known to no one) are quite good at making music. And don't worry about not knowing where to start in their 25+ album back catalogue - they have a little something for everyone...lofi or hifi, they got you covered. And really, you gotta appreciate someone who can link a story through 20 different songs on 8 different albums.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: Michael Myers Resplendent

Jenny Lewis - Be it her work as the front woman of Rilo Kiley or her offshoot project with The Watson Twins, if you don't fall in love with the broken angel innocence of Jenny's voice, then you just aren't listening. Jenny has the kind of voice that is equally at home getting down and dirty with the strippers as it is singing glory to whatever deity she choses, and manages to bring you willingly with her no matter where she choses to roam.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: Big Guns

The Pipettes - All I said above about Tori goes double for The Pips. Becki, Rosay and Gwenno harken back to the girl groups of the 60s (backed ably up by the Wall of Sound that is The Cassette), and really, I don't know what else I can say, since I've been pimping them pretty heavily for the past 2 years in this thing. Yes, due to the departure of Becki and Rosay and the addition of Ani and Anna, we'll get a whole new Pipettes sound - but I'm looking forward to what they can give us.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: Pull Shapes

She & Him - What happens when you combine an (admittedly) boring folk rock singer with an absolutely beautiful actress who has proven that she can sing just as beautifully? You get She and Him, that's who - Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward have combined their talents to give us a little project that flips effortlessly from classic style country to 60s girl group pop. They may not be around for a long time, but what they have given is enough to make me smile and be happy - and really that's all I want from pop music.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: Change Is Hard

Bobby Darin - Why yes, I do have a huge love and respect for the old school crooners. And while I do give respect to Mr Sinatra, my tastes tended to fall more towards Tony Bennett, Dean Martin and Mr Bobby Darin himself. Oddly enough, my love of him started when I heard one of my now all time favourites (Beyond The Sea) on an episode of The X Files - after that, I hunted down some more of his work and just plain dug what I heard. A promising career cut short, but what he gave us was gold, daddio.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: Goodbye Charlie

Magnetic Fields - What is essentially Stephin Merritt and whomever else he can pull into the studio at the time has been making fine little tunes for over a decade now, usually along whatever theme Merritt feels like. From an album that is dripping in over distorted pop to songs starting with the letter I to the seminal 69 Love Songs - it's all good and all amazing. And hell, the man Merritt has at least 3 other side projects to cover other genres - truly he is the busiest man in music. But when it comes down, my favourite will always be Magnetic.

Currently, I am mostly listening to: Drive On, Driver

Ten Random Songs That I Listen To On An Almost Daily Basis

Boston - More Than A Feeling
Scissor Sisters - I Can't Decide
Norwegian Recycling - How Six Songs Collide
Tripod - The Hot Dog Man
Imogen Heap - Hide And Seek
Ellen McLain - Still Alive
No Doubt - Spiderwebs
Celtic Legend - Ysolt Y'nin Gweinten
Mark Cohen - Walking In Memphis
Paul Williams - You Give A Little Love

Here they are.

1. There I go again pretending to be you, make-believing that I have a soul beneath the surface - Girl Anachronism: Dresden Dolls, guessed by spectralbovine
2. We can take on any old line, anywhere, anytime - The Goodies Theme by Bill Oddie
3. Hard to hold, it's burning cold, we make the jam - broke the mold so it can't be sold. Took the vic - Stolen - taken. Move to the groove. Dancefloor shakin' - The Cult Of Snap by SNAP
4. You're eyes can't see there's something wrong with you. It's sad to say I never wanna be like you - You Must Be A Witch by The Lollypop Shop
5. Hey, Hey, it's over and I don't want you around me. Hey, Hey, it's over but I just love when you're beside me - All The Time by All Natural Lemon and Lime Flavours
6. Darkness must go down the river of night's dreaming. Flow Morphia slow, let the sun and light come streaming into my life. Into my life. - There's A Light: RHPS Soundtrack, guessed by kiffany
7. Everything I'll do to you. I'll fuck you and your minions too. - Flower: Liz Phair, as guessed by gloomchen
8. Bad news comes don't you worry even when it lands. Good news will work its way to all them plans. - Float On: Modest Mouse, guessed by spectralbovine
9. Close your eyes, feel the white come over you. - Mojo Love by Lay Low
10. Jeg kløp meg selv og forstod omsider at det var håpløst å tro hun så så forbauset ut øyne og munn på vidt gap - Under Isen by Postgirobygget
11. My mother and my brothers used to breathe in clean in air. And dreaming I’m a doctor, it’s hard to be a man when there’s a gun in your hand. - Head Over Heels: Tears For Fears, as guessed by azure_shades
12. Dakishimete kowareru hodo ni tomenai de michitarita hibi - Everlasting Love from Katamari Damacy
13. You got yourself into your own mess letting your worries pass you by. - Hold On: Wilson Phillips, as guessed by azure_shades
14. Sing mercy, sing mercy, sing mercy on me. Let's pretend that everybody here wants peace. - Big Guns: Jenny Lewis, guessed by calm_blue
15. Eat your greens. Feed your head. Mind the doubts - they harvest them. - Posse Bonus by Tori Amos
16. Then count the stars and the ten million woes. Just you and the universe judging each other. - Explode by Nelly Furtado
17. Like a dog lying in a corner they will bite you and never warn you. Look out they'll tear your insides out. Common People, guessed by mikestuchbery: by Bill Shatner and Joe Jackson, guessed by resk
18. You look at me and you see your past. Is that the reason why you're runnin' so fast? - Break My Stride by Matthew Wilder
19. And they call this a riot? Nah, I call it an uprising. - 50k Deep by Blue Scholars
20. Mama told me what I should know, "Too much candy gonna ride your soul, if she loves you, let her go, 'cause love only gets you down." - Lollipop: Mika, guessed by kiffany</a>

First of all, next week most likely, I'll be posting my half year Top 10 - if I can find clips for all 10 tracks that I am thinking of. But for now, a little something that I haven't done in quite a while.

Guess The Song
The instructions haven't changed at all, but for those of you who need a little reminder, here's what you do

1. Fire up you music player of choice
2. Slip it onto random
3. Post your favourite lyric (no more than one or two lines) from the first 20 songs, making sure that the title of the song is NOT in there
4. You guess
5. The winner gets the satisfaction of winning.
6. Play fair - NO GOOGLE.

Righto - here goes.

( They's under here, Earl )

All