Christmas | Aye Wonder

Time for an AWT Good News Edition

On 01.12.10, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

Every year for the past 25 years, I sustain from drinking during the month of January. It’s not a detox but rather a slowing of momentum from the holiday season. The Christmas parties, dinners and boys’ “board meetings” all invariably have a social element to them that includes drinking wine or the odd shot of holiday tequila. I’m not complaining but to make certain it doesn’t get out of hand, I kibosh the drinks for 30 days. It’s not a big deal, I just like to stay disciplined. But as I opened the newspaper this morning, there was nothing but bad news staring at me. I flipped through page after page of black and white, searching for a good “news” story and… there were none. Gulp. Even Simon Cowell is leaving American Idol, for God’s sake. Time for a drink? Nope. Time for the AWT Good News Edition. Slap on your Ray-Bans and lets roll.

☞I don’t know if you have ever noticed this but a sign o’ the times is always reflected in music. In the 00’s, you never saw a song entitled Celebrate or Sunny or We Built this City (on Rock n’ Roll)! Instead we listened to Misery, Misery Business and this from Tom Waits, Misery is the River of the World. No more, boys and girls. We need an new soundtrack. And today’s AWT song of the week comes from a 60’s icon, Ringo Starr. Ringo knocks it for six with Everybody Wins off his new album, Y Not. We should be off to a good start here because Everybody Wins is a wonderful song with a topical message. Listen and smile.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

☞I know this doesn’t seem like much but I think it is significant. Ford won the Car and Truck of the year in 2010 for their Fusion and Transit Connect. This is a big boost for the American automobile industry. Ford was the only Detroit automaker spared from bankruptcy and this award and recognition will raise their tide even a little more. If you’re looking for good news, this is a place to start.

☞I think Massachusetts has 3 solid picks (Scott Brown, Martha Coakley and Joseph Kennedy) running for Ted Kennedy’s US Senate seat even though they differ greatly on the issues. I like Scott Brown a lot though I differ with him on the issue of marriage and equality. I like Martha Coakley because of her tenaciousness and finally, I like Joe Kennedy because he makes a lot of sense on the issue of government spending. The point here is the voters have a real and viable choice on who represents them and that is very good news. If you are from Massachusetts, be sure to vote on Jan 19th.

☞If you like to cook as I do, the winter season presents a challenge for fresh ingredients. I found a handy chart for finding peak season ingredients. Have a look at this guide. For my friends in the UK, Leon Restaurants offers a similar chart that can be downloaded here. You can’t say we’re not a full service blog around here! By the way, Leon Restaurants offers a vision that other restaurant groups should emulate. It’s about sustainability, freshness and good nutrition. I really like what they are doing even though I have never had a bite there. Take a look.

☞Here’s a good news/bad news story. Jay Leno will no longer be on prime time television as of Feb. 12! The bad news is he’s going back to his old slot and ousting Conan O’Brien. Damn. See, you can find good news if you look hard enough.

☞The Rolling Stones announced that they were not going to be touring in 2010. Many think this is because the band wants to replace the troubled Ronnie Wood who is struggling with alcoholism. I think their decision not to tour is good news because it proves once and for all that a rolling stone can gather moss.

☞Today’s AWT quote is all about news and succinctly explains the world we live in.

For most folks, no news is good news; for the press, good news is not news.
~Gloria Borger

This explains why it’s so difficult to find something good to hang your hat on. Call your friends and family. Make plans. Celebrate. Sing. Dance. Laugh and love. Make your own good news!

Aye Wonder. Aye Wonder.

And I’m sure you do too.

Possibly Related Posts:

The Insanity Continues

On 12.24.09, In Music, By Mike

In the midst of my prep work for Christmas dinner, I thought of today’s song. It is an insane song that had a short shelf life in this country but did well everywhere else. You don’t have to understand it to enjoy it. In fact, it’s nearly unintelligible anyways, consisting of pig French and English and lord knows, probably a bit more. It is part T-Rex, part Garage Rock and part Beach Boys. Here is Plastic Betrand singing their quasi-big hit Ca Plane Pour Moi (which loosely translates as “this life’s for me.”)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Happy Christmas one and all. Ca plane pour moi.

Possibly Related Posts:

Tagged with: Beach Boys • Ça plane pour moi • Christmas • Christmas Dinner • Garage Rock • Happy Christmas • http://www.ayewonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Ca-Plane-Pour-Moi.mp3 • Insane Song • Insanity • Midst • Pig • S Song • Shelf Life • T Rex

Two Days Remain

On 12.23.09, In Music, By Mike

Within three notes you will know this song and your head will be bopping, your shoulders twisting and your toes tapping along to the music. It’s an incredibly joyous song that tells the story of the power of music to make you feel better. And hell, that’s what this exercise has been all about. I present to you, Earth, Wind & Fire’s Sing a Song.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The countdown continues to Christmas. Day 15 is in the bin.

Possibly Related Posts:

Tagged with: Amp • Christmas • Christmas Day • Countdown • Earth • Earth Wind • Entertainment_Culture • Exercise • Hell • http://www.ayewonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/10-Sing-a-Song.mp3 • Human Interest • Joyous Song • Power Of Music • Shoulders • Sing A Song • Song Mp3 • Toes • Wind and Fire

The Decade in Review – The AWT version

On 12.22.09, In Aye Wonder Tuesday, By Mike

I never like wishing time away. I think I have mentioned this on numerous occasions here. However, this decade may be an exception. As a result, I thought I would spend this Tuesday’s AWT reviewing the decade from a DiCarlo family perspective.

One of my life policies is to get the bad news out of the way early. As a result, I thought I would disclose here that I am Tiger Wood’s nookie bookie. Tiger has come to me on numerous occasions (more than the currently disclosed fourteen) and asked me to secure willing women for him. The cue that sprung me into action was Tiger singing “I’m dreaming of a White Mistress.” While at the outset I took to my new job with zest, I quickly realized its baseness. As a result, the selection process suffered and my choices for Tiger most often came from the dregs of the gene pool. I offer my deepest and most sincere apologies for anyone I may have hurt along the way.

Since I am sharing bad news, there’s this. It was recently disclosed that Christine was notified that, despite her performance early in the decade, she will not be immortalized in the Shopping Hall of Fame (SHOF). Apparently, but unbeknown to me, Christine has not been putting up SHOF type of numbers over the past three years. She is taking this notification very personally and recently dented an old purse when she threw herself in front of a parked car. I know you will continue to lovingly support Christine, as I do, while she goes through this most difficult and challenging time.

Another member of our family – Grover, our beloved Brussels Griffon Terrorist, has been with us for the last half of the decade and has yet to really experience the high life. As a result, all he does is sleep, eat and lick himself. We are extremely concerned that this type of behavior may be habit forming and have scheduled a preliminary appointment with noted dog psychiatrist, Doctor Iwanna Bleedu-Dry. After consulting with Dr. Bleedu-Dry, we decided that the 100 session pricing on a per session basis was most economical. We’re hoping that soon Grover will be able to read and write. Wish us luck!

In 2oo7, we were hopeful that our Scotland project would bear fruit. It was such an amazing and unique project that even an idiot could make it a success. It turns out that we over estimated idiocy and the project failed famously. There was one benefit to failure, our reality TV series, Watching Wasserman Wallow, has been picked up by NBC to replace the Jay Leno Show. The pilot was an amazing success. We’re positively pleased as punch.

If everything goes as planned, Christine and I (and the sleeping, eating & licking, Grover) will finally relocate to our new mud hut in Jalalabad, Afghanistan on the Pakistan border. We have been talking about this move for the past 3 years and after considering, Flint MI, Bridgeport CT, Biloxi MS, Camden ME and Gary IN, we finally settled on Jalalabad because the name is so fun to say. (Djibouti came in a close second and Spitsbergen a distant third) The clincher for us was when we heard that Jalalabad has an active comedy scene. We will keep you apprised as we near the move date.

Early in 2000, I predicted correctly that the stock market would regularly go up and down. This incredible bit of prognostication has led me to consider some other new directions in life as I return from retirement and begin the job search. Offers to predict the weather are pouring in. Yesterday, Farmers Almanac came calling. With our impending move, I may have to tell them that it would be a temporary position.

As 2010 beckons, Christine and I know that we can count on your continued support and love as we await the results of Grover’s testing, our impending move and the success of our reality tv show.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Dourly,

The DiCarlos

Possibly Related Posts:

Tagged with: Afghanistan • Bad News • beloved Brussels Griffon Terrorist • Bookie • Brussels Griffon • Christine • Christmas • Djibouti • Djibouti,Djibouti • Doctor Iwanna Bleedu-Dry • Dregs • Family Perspective • Flint • Gene Pool • Germanophobia • Grover • Hall Of Fame • Idiocy • Jalalabad • Jalalabad,Nangarhar Province,Afghanistan • job search • Life Policies • NBC • NBC Inc. • New Job • New Year's Day • Nookie • noted dog psychiatrist • Outset • Pakistan • Pakistan border • parked car • Political forgery • Psychiatrist • Rhetoric • Scotland • Selection Process • Shof • Shopping Hall of Fame • Sincere Apologies • Tiger Wood • Watching Wasserman Wallow • Willing Women • Wishing Time • Zest

Has Anyone Seen the Winter Sun

On 12.20.09, In Music, By Mike

It’s almost unthinkable that The Undertones of the 2000s are the same band from the 70s & 80s. Their brazen Northern Ireland rough and ready punk that landed them critical acclaim by uber DJ, John Peel has given way to an almost sunshine-y Beach Boys sound now. The difference is that their legendary front man, Feargal Sharkey, hesitated in rejoining the band when they reformed and the balance of the band decided to forge ahead without him with great result. In today’s song, The Undertones pay homage to a rarity in Northern Ireland, The Winter Sun. Have a go and cheer up on this snowy Sunday in December.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The countdown to Christmas continues.

Possibly Related Posts:

Tagged with: 03 Mp3 • 12 Mp3 • 2000s • 80's • Amp • Beach Boys • Christmas • Countdown To Christmas • Critical Acclaim • Dj John • Entertainment_Culture • Feargal Sharkey • Front Man • Homage • http://www.ayewonder.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/03-Winter-Sun.mp3 • John Peel • Mp3 Christmas • Northern Ireland • Punk • Rarity • S Song • Sharkey • Sun • Sunshine • The Undertones • Uber • Undertones • Winter Sun

Afishapa

On 12.10.09, In Music, By Mike

Osibisa is a Ghanaian term for “criss-cross rhythms that explode with happiness.” Apparently there is just one word for that. As a result, the band Osibisa is perhaps the most aptly named group in history. 3 men from Ghana and 3 from the Caribbean formed Osibisa in London in the late 60’s. With 21 albums and 40 years of performing, they might be the best band you’ve never heard of. Their one flirtation with Top 40 fame came in 1971 with the upbeat, worldbeat single, Sunshine Day. Your toes will tap and your mood will lift. Aye Wonder presents Osibisa and Sunshine Day. Happy Holidays & Afishapa (Merry Christmas in Ghana).

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Turn it up!

Possibly Related Posts:

Tagged with: Amp • Caribbean • Christmas • Christmas In Ghana • Cross Rhythms • Fame • Flirtation • Happiness • Happy Christmas • Happy Holidays • London • Merry Christmas • Osibisa • Sunshine Day • Toes

The Aye Wonder Advent Calendar…of sorts

On 12.09.09, In Music, By Mike

Yesterday’s AWT tune of the week got me thinking. If all of the news out there is bad maybe it’s time to circumvent the bad news with great music. And since I am having a difficult time writing more than once a week, I can instead present you with an uplifting song a day until Christmas. I know that this is all a bunch of convoluted thinking but I am sticking with it.

Today’s song for your enjoyment and mood shift is by Randy Newman. Newman is best know for his two hits, Short People and I Love LA but his body of work stretches 5 decades. Newman doesn’t possess a great voice but his songwriting craft is superb and his lyrics often exhibit a biting humor. Today’s song, the wonderfully uplifting I Love to See You Smile.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Have fun today.

Possibly Related Posts:

Tagged with: Awt • Bad News • Christmas • Decades • Great Music • Humor • Lyrics • Randy Newman • S Song • Songwriting Craft • Sorts • Wonder Advent Calendar

Steve Tyler Regains His Mind

On 11.11.09, In Don't Miss This, By Mike

I think I love music more than the average person. I listen to it all day long. If it is a choice between movie, television or music, I’d take music every time.

But the people who make music, and trust me I’ve been around them my entire life, are nutters.

Today, or rather last night, Steven Tyler announced that he wasn’t quitting Aerosmith after-all. That at least is a sane decision, though everything leading up to it was nuttier than Christmas at Glenn Beck’s house. Tyler may or may not be serious about this but last night he appeared at a Joe Perry solo show and performed what appears to be a conciliatory Walk this Way. For more info on the non Aerosmith breakup, read the Billboard story here.

I’m pretty certain he doesn’t read Ayewonder.com