Melanie & Me Pics!

Melanie Safka & Me!

Back in April 2005 I finally got to see Melanie Safka (better known as Melanie) live at Cactus Cafe in downtown Austin, Texas!

Here's how I became a fan (since I wasn't alive to attend the original Woodstock where she made her debut)...

I was in highschool at the time, driving somewhere with my mother when all of a sudden my mom decides to break out in song, "I GOT A BRAND NEW PAIR OF ROLLERSKATES, YOU GOTTA BRAND NEW KEY!"...and since I'm too cool to let my mom sing, I stop her with a diversion "What song is that?"

Then she explains that she always loved that song and it just popped in her head, then she makes an impulsive decision to take a sharp left into a shopping center where there's a local music store...and says "I've gotta get that CD!"

So, with a look of sheer confusion and surprise, I'm like, "okay...I guess...I don't understand what the big deal is...but I guess we're gonna find out shortly."

We walk into the store and low and behold there it is "Melanie's Greatest Hits" on CD. So she buys it and we leave. I'm like "whew, glad we got that all sorted out"...haha!

So she plays the song she was singing "Brand New Key" and I immediately fell in love with the song (I love all music, but in highschool especially loved cutsie songs, they fit my hippy/love everyone personality at the time)...haha!

Result: Mom never got her CD back, I officially ganked it from her collection before it ever had a chance to be hers...woops, sorry mom;)

So all of that happened back in like '96...and 9 years later Melanie shows up in Austin!!! So of course I call my mom to join me, and my good friend Heather (that heard me sing the song a million times throughout those nine years), and we packed up and went to Cactus Cafe to see her play.

She was AMAZING!! She sounds even better live!...she even has a good sense of humor during the show. She even explained how "Brand New Key" came to be. She originally wrote it with a cajun tone in mind (rough/raspy), but then the record label asked her to speed it up a bit, and that's when it became all cutsie - which she didn't like...isn't that funny...I love how it's cutsie!

Her son is also into music and has his own gig, but he was also her sidekick during the show. I kept getting chills throughout the entire show. Man, I loved every minute of it!

After the show of course I had her autograph my "Melanie Greatest Hits" CD cover, and a picture for a co-worker of mine that was also a fan. There's a small slideshow above with pictures from our autographing moments.

Here's to you Melanie - Please come back to Austin!!!

(signed) One of your biggest fans! The Tamster!

P.S. Just for the fun of it, I purchased an LP record 2 weeks ago - the "Gather Me" album and plan to get it autographed one day (if she'll come back) - her picture on the cover is beautiful! I think I was born in the wrong generation - frickin' luv the hippy look;)

P.S.#2 - I also got my little sister Kayla (12 years younger) addicted to the Greatest Hits CD, she's play it at night until she fell asleep - aww!

Jamie's 30th Bday Pics!

"My" Bucket List

I'm not a huge television viewer these days due to the chaotic schedule of trying to finish up school, but on a calm summer night a couple of months ago I decided to pick up the TV remote, click "Videos on Demand" and selected the movie "The Bucket List" - for a little light entertainment.

It really got me thinkin'...

Since I am definitely a dreamer or according to the Myers-Brigg psychology test - and idealist, it felt as though my brain was so consumed with ideas that I almost boiled over in the moment! All of my passions, thoughts, and ideas started to run rampid throughout my body and mind - I haven't been able to turn it off yet. One minute I'm a quilter the next minute I'm doing sales tax accounting.

Just for clarification, I've been this way long before I watched the movie, but the movie sort of turned on a switch and has forced me to organize every idea I had, and ask myself, "what is my bucket list?"

So basically I thought I'd share my list of things I'd like to do or achieve before I kick the bucket!

Enjoy!

1. Teach English Overseas (1+ years)

2. Get my Masters in Education

3. Live in a highrise condo downtown

4. Experience military bootcamp (interesting I know)

5. Create photo quilts to make a difference (for orphanages, melanie safka, etc.)

6. Start a school for children that teaches "life skills" (money mgmt, building credit, etc.)

7. Go to the North Pole (haha!) - I've always wanted to meet Santa in person;)

8. Interpret songs in sign language at a church

9. Get back my Irish heritage (long story...)

10. Play Comptine d'un autre ete on the piano! (and meet Yann Tiersen in person)

11. Teach special ed children (this is my retirement idea...)

12. Travel to Ireland, Poland, Australia, Italy, Greece, Spain...and so on

13. Drive a stock car on a full size motor speedway!! Living life in the fast lane!!!

14. Act in a horror movie

15. Read more...

16. Love more...

I could go on forever - but this is a good start;) I'll add more as they arise...

So, what's on your bucket list?