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A pretty damn self-explanatory post of tunes, if I ever saw one.
For a bit of diversion, my sister and I were once forced to participate in a debutante ball ritual called Sixteen Roses, together for the first time, as we had very different sets of friends. She is three years behind me and got the prettier first name. My hatred in having to join such things was only exceeded by my loathing of humid weather, which is saying much. So there I was in a queue of sixteen girls in garish makeup and hideous gowns, scheming my line of the evening, for when it came my turn to hand the debutante a rose and then say well wishes on the microphone. I was pissed and wanted to sabotage the party, or to the point, parents who made kids go through with these rituals. When my turn came, I said: "Now that you're 18, I wish you freedom so you may discover rock n' roll and the joy of saying no." I stepped away feeling happy with myself, overhearing gushes, and then it was my sister's turn. She said: "I wish you all the sadness in the world for I don't know how it's possible to feel happiness otherwise." Louder gushes.
"But the word is overrated, underused.
What's the difference if we both remain amused?"
(At least I think this is what I'm hearing.)
Enough distraction by words, now listen.
Comments (25)
pardon me if i'm posting too much lately. i have all this pent-up energy that i don't know what to do with. i suppose i can spend it on more productive things, but where's the fun in that?
my headphones just went bust and i am listening with one ear. this has got to be the lowest point of the week.
been soaking in My Teenage Stride's 2008 release, the 5-track EP Lesser Demons. heads up on it another time.
Oh poe. Whenever I've seen such a ball (in the movies, that is), I always think of ways that one could mess it up. I've gone from throwing wet paint or/and dog pooh around, to naked appearances. You and your sister went for the verbal shock treatment, which is even better! I'm very proud of you both. And intoxicated by the song.
Anna - "throwing wet paint or/and dog pooh around, to naked appearances" - aw these would have been more gratifying. i think the lesson i learned that night is that i'm nowhere near as rad as my sister. (8
wait, by "movie", you mean you never had to do that whole Roses ordeal? lucky ducky, consider your childhood better.
Lucky my chair has arms or I would have fallen off laughing at that shining example of sisterly love. You know, if I was making a film of your life, and I most likely will, I'd struggle to pick the right genre. That story was probably a fish-out-of-water teen horror comedy (with subtitles).
Superb song, too. I listened to it with one ear out of sympathy.
Nah, we're Greeks, we don't do roses and shite ;)
I'd pay to see that film! (although I'm assuming that I'm on the guest list cough cough).
I don't know, I think you and your sister are both pretty rad. Those were both excellent, if mischevious, bits of advice.
Let me also add that this is another of the blessings of being male: no weird debutante rituals. :)
Liking My Teenage Stride, very much.
Colin - with subtitles, no less! we're three sisters, all with a disposition in life best described as glum. when you see them, you will know that Zooey Deschanel and Emily Blunt get to play them, and nondescript middle child me will probably be played by, oh i don't know, Amy Lee, if i'm lucky.
thanks for the sympathy. depending on where you stand on the subject, think about which side of the bed you're at before deciding which ear gets the working earphone. ;p
Anna - like i said ... darn lucky Greeks!
if you're in that movie, you get to be played by you. ;d
Dale - and now we're parents (she is, anyway) and regretting all that mischief.
i know! all the boys had to do was wear a tux and lead the dance, didn't even have to actually know how to dance.
on MTS, some songs are channeling The J&MC, and at least one, The Smiths.
...and New Order, it goes without saying.
Too much? - never!
I think you need to:
1. Start a Grrrl band.
2. Join a gang.
3. Get hip to a rewarding career in explosives.
I want to say I am shocked. I can't, cause I'm not.
Another 10 point post Ilay. Setting them up and knocking them down.
Never heard this band, I guess it'll do. I can see the New Order .
Never had to do the debutante bit... thank god... but loved your story.. viva la revolution!!! lol... and hey mog all over the place... I am a guilty overmogger but like you find its a great way to release.... I have way too much energy, which is why i am writing this at 5.55am...
Really, you're Sister's go-for-the-emotional-throat counter is no where near as purely creative as your authenticity...really. Such traditions had long passed the boy-folk in my parts, but the young ladies may have been up to something like that at the local "Rainbow" meetings...I never knew what all those gowns were about.
And I never heard much of Bowie in the Cure so I may have learned something else today....
Wait, you're APOLOGIZING for another great post? WTF?
I second the grrrl band thing. You would so kick ass.
you posting too much? i don't think so.
words? what words. ;) Those were some kickin tunes. I enjoyed both of em.
Amiel - i had to wade through the muck i wrote up there to find the reference to "too much". alrighty then, i'll take that as a "oh, we're too bored out of our skulls here so post away" so thanks for the vote of confidence. (;
Chris - 10 points? aw do i need to get an abacus at some point? do i get any prize when i hit 50 points? an alarm clock, at least?
three irresistible offers. boy, you would make a good telemarketer. explosives especially tickle my fancy, i hope it comes at a pre-Halloween discount.
bloggerbabe - 5:55 am and no typos. girl, you are an expert overmogger. viva la revolution - i love that, i shall ring my sister up and invite her to burn a bra with me.
Scott - i tell ya, when the chicks get together for those local "Rainbow" meetings, something's gotta be up. check for any subtle differences in your meals and lemonades.
"go-for-the-emotional-throat counter" - omigod, seriously, have you met my sister? that's her! she's a Gemini and the "princess" of the family and she beat me to most of our hair-pulling fights when we were kids.
Chuck - an even bigger question than "WTF" is why the f you cool cats of MOG turned up to put your 2 cents in on 16 Roses and debutante balls. i don't think i got this many comments when i posted about, oh, oil price hikes and sweatshop economies. oh, wait, i never made such posts...
Bill - coming from you, i'll take it, believe it, own it. like many, i flirted with the college rock band idea. unfortunately, my boots were more credible than my strumming skills, and shouting lyrics out to an audible level was an ability lost to me. so i guess i'll stick with the kicking ass part.
Mike - oh, finally, a guy who's talking about the tunes, not the ball gowns. ;d not that it isn't always fun to slag prettily dressed women...
Ilay--why did we comment? Because this is a great story. Plain and simple. And I think a lot of us have an inner desire to tell the rest of the the civilized world exactly what we think of it. Some of us have done just that, and some of us have yet to. Sadly, I'm mostly in the latter category. At least using words. I think my life, desires, interests, and tastes speak for themselves on how much care I place in the conventions of others, though.
And, gosh darn it, we like you.
Chuck. okay, you have my heart today. (gosh darn, i'm easy.) don't fret, it's metal (and has tentacles, apparently) and i have 8 more to spare. but hey, this one's yours.
I simply adore that you and your sister would have the nerve and the wit to say such things and at such a young age. That is FABULOUS!
I do think it is say, however, that just because she's a parent now, that she regrets the mischief. Sometimes I think it's only the mischief that makes me interesting. :)
and I meant SAD, not say. Typos are my life.
nah, i don't think she actually regrets the mischief. at least i think she doesn't because she is still mischievous to this very day.
"Sometimes I think it's only the mischief that makes me interesting." - Amber, you have to take that back or i'll, i'll pinch your cheek or something! (yeah, i'm no good with threats...)
nope...you aren't very scary. But I love you anyways. :)