Stuck in Our Heads - Vol. 18 - September 2008

Last night, I watched a show on the History Channel about George Washington's experience as the Continental commander-in-chief during the American Revolution. (If you have the opportunity, I recommend it.) While I learned much, the most pertinent information concerned the practice of 18th Century European armies to close up shop for the winter, even in the middle of intercontinental war. I suppose it stands to reason: given the state of transportation technology and infrastructure, it was awfully difficult to get your well-dressed soldiers and their weapons, ammunition, food, shelter, and various other accoutrements to whatever field they were going to stand in, even under the best of circumstances. I imagine it was lethally difficult to attempt such complex and arduous maneuvers when their flesh sloughed off after 30 minutes of exposure. That said, in this age of 24-hour cruise missle strikes and battlefield target-imaging systems, it never occurred to me that there was a time when wars had intermissions.

"I bid you fair even, esteemed General. Don't forget to bundle up. See you after the thaw. It should be a lovely bombardment."

It seems, however, there are still some warriors who adhere to a variety of such genteel and outdated practices. This morning, I woke up, made some coffee, collected my Sunday Post from the front step, and settled down on my back patio to indulge in my accustomed Sunday morning ritual. Not fifteen seconds later, a half-dollar-sized glob of what must have been, nauseatingly recently, a few beakfuls of berries appeared on the masthead of the front page. Although I did not myself see the courier, I can only assume it is a message from my longstanding backyard nemeses, The Sparrows.

Those of you who keep score at home (and I know who you are because you tell me so) can attest to the fact that I was a few days late in sending out this month's call for submissions to the Playlist. It wasn't an intentional lapse. It wasn't even strictly laziness. Rather, the first Monday of September fell at the end of a long holiday weekend for me (and for much of the world that celebrates the struggle of the Labor Movement in this country). I chose to bask in the task-free atmosphere inspired by that holiday and heightened, I should admit, by a week-long vacation I took, immediately prior, visiting numerous friends and family on the road between Our Nation's Capital and The Crown Jewel of the Midwest. After an extended stretch of timeline-free meandering and delighting in pleasant company, I rudely found myself enmired in a small lake of competing obligations.

Alas, the Playlist is numbered among those for which I do not get paid and, as such, fell by the wayside for a few days.

I testify here before you today, brothers and sisters, my neglect did not end there. No, after taking one small step down the path of righteousness, I backslid as I watched the self-defined deadline for posting the results pass me by. Oh, sure: I rationalize it. I seek solace in my claims that I would rather post nothing than just throw something up for the sake of having something up. Indeed, what's the use of doing something if I'm not going to do it right? Thus did another full week pass by in shameful silence.

However, this morning's unprovoked attack sounded a clarion call throughout my backyard. Gone are the lazy summer days. Gone are the days when I have the luxury of waiting for inspiration, of soiling myself and my surroundings with my own excrement. No, today and the days, weeks, months hence must be days of action, for my enemies have decamped from their summer quarters and are on the offensive. I cannot pretend otherwise, lest they shit on me again.

Sorry for the delay.


Title - Artist

Boston - Augustana
Remote Control - Beastie Boys
You Don't Know Me - Ben Folds Five
When the Stars Go Blue - Bono and The Corrs
One Fine Day - David Byrne and Brian Eno
The Story - Brandi Carlile
Nasty Dan - Johnny Cash feat. Oscar the Grouch
Lollipop - The Chordettes
All I Wanna Do - Sheryl Crow
Feel the Love - Cut Copy
Non nobis domine - Patrick Doyle
Forget Myself - Elbow
Big Time - Peter Gabriel
Great Expectations - The Gaslight Anthem
Barracuda - Heart
Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker
Singing in the Rain - Gene Kelly
On Call - Kings of Leon
Sex on Fire - Kings of Leon
At the End of the Day - Les Miserables
Stars - Les Miserables
Dead Weight - Lieutenant Marscapone
Brand New Key - Melanie
Blame It on the Rain - Milli Vanilli
The Garden - Mirah
Beautiful - Moby
Party All the Time - Eddie Murphy
That Was a Crazy Game of Poker - OAR
Candida - Tony Orlando and Dawn
Don't Laugh at Me - Peter, Paul and Mary
Amos Moses - Jerry Reed
Nearly Lost You - Screaming Trees
Family Affair - Sly and the Family Stone
Drown - Smashing Pumpkins
Gin and Juice - Snoop Doggy Dogg
How to See the Sun Rise - Ben Sollee
Maybe Tomorrow - Stereophonics
Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
Hawkmoon 269 - U2
Poison Cup - M. Ward
Squeeze Box - The Who
Hold On - Wilson Phillips
Too Shy to Say - Stevie Wonder