The above picture was done digitally using Painter software. A couple of years ago I went through a brief mermaid period. I couldn't stop drawing or painting them. For now it has subsided.

Since this is my blog and as far as I can tell no one is reading it other than me. I thought I’d list my top favorite cd’s that I’ve been listening to at work. These are the ones that have been a real me pick me up.

Top Music of the Week

1 Rhett Miller...The Instigator
2 John Eddie...Who the Hell is John Eddie?
3 Joe Jackson...The Collection
4 Bob Marley and the Wailers...Legend

Explanations for the List

1 Rhett Miller ... The Instigator cd. This is a cd that I’ve owned for about month and have just now started to listen to in it’s entirety. I admit that the reason I’ve been reluctant to listen to it is because of the cd cover it, freaks me out. It’s a picture of Miller with this creepy doe eyed expression that I find downright frightening. I can’t bare to look at it for too long.

My favorite songs on the cd are, Our Love, This is What I Do, Come Around, Things that Disappear, Point Shirley, The El, I Want To Live, and Terrible Vision. I have to admit that whenever I hear Come Around I almost want to reach through the radio and give him a hug. That song really gets to me.

Jimminy Crickets!! I just checked out Amazon.com to see what they would recommend for someone who likes Rhett Miller’s music and Ryan Adams is mentioned. I own Ryan Adams cds! That is so spooky and dead on.

In closing Rhett Miller is a very talented singer/ songwriter but looks kind of scary in a strung out junkie, homeless person kind of way....

2 John Eddy ... Who the Hell is John Eddie? cd. I have the Advance copy of this cd. This is the version that they send out to radio stations. It even has the release date on it, May 20, 2003. I got the cd on the strength of one song, Let Me Down Hard. It’s rare for me to buy a cd based on one song. I usually wait until there are at least 3 hits on a cd before I’ll buy it. It has to be a damn good song before I would ever consider throwing down my hard earned cash. Well, as you might have guessed I considered Let Me Down Hard a damn good song worthy of the risk.

When I got the cd I didn't know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised. I suppose one could describe Eddie as a kind of a smart aleck version of John Mellencamp. My favorites on the cd are the aforementioned, Let Me Down Hard, Family Tree, Low Life, Nobody’s Happy, Shithole Bar, Forty, and Play Some Skynyrd.

. One track that I really, really love that will never get radio air play is his hilarious 40 song. It has a refrain that goes, “Well, I guess I’m Fuckin’ 40.....” When I turn 40 I want that song played at my birthday party!!

From the info I found about him on the web I had no idea that he is considered by some as being a country act. This man does not sport a cowboy hat or look like he line dances. He sounds roots rock to me ala like John Mellencamp or Bruce Springsteen.

Yikes! Again, Amazon recommends a cd I already own John Hiatt’s, Beneath this Gruff Exterior

3 Joe Jackson ... The Collection cd. This cd is only available as an import. It’s more of an old reliable for me. It’s basically a best of cd. I only wish that the cd included Sunday Papers and I’m the Man. Two tracks that I’ve rediscovered are Be My Number Two and Another World. All in all this is a very upbeat happy cd.

4 Bob Marley and the Wailers ... Legend cd. This is another compilation cd. I only play this one towards the end of the day as I’m winding down. Reggae doesn't rev me up it makes me feel mellow. Mellow is just the mood I want as I’m heading home. All the tracks on this cd are classic. However, my all time favorite Marley songs are No Woman No Cry, Stir it Up, and One Love.