I could get a broken jaw from being in a fight/I know its evening when day turns to night

I don’t have anything new to share. A lot of the other blogs are saying exactly what I am feeling, but much more articulate.

Dear Everyone in my Office,
Swear. To. God. If one more of “youse peoples” come up to me and say “Hee hee, what about that Santana trade, eh?” I will head butt you in the chest. Don’t test me. To quote one of our irate clients “Go to hell and stay there you bitch!” Okay, that was a little extreme but I was just looking for a way to incorporate that quote in my blog today!

MOD
Once upon a time, about 18 years ago I was riding in a Dodge Horizon with Stacy heading up to her parents cabin. I was just a young lass of 10 years old. This was the first time I heard The Proclaimers and their album “Sunshine on Leith” on cassette. Last night I relieved the memory (from the comfort of my living room” and bought the album on iTunes. After a ten year lapse in listening to their music all the words came back to me and I can now rock out again!!!
The Proclaimers

And the wait is over…

And the blogs are rolling!

Hot off the electronic press (and yet to be 100% confirmed, pending multi-year contract negotiations.)

Twinsbaseball.com
Santana dealt to Mets for Four Prospects

The next few days will be filled with boos and jeers regarding the trade (and a few Woo Hoo’s thrown in from the Mets fans, you know who you are) but I just wanted to put it out there.

Santana, 2x Cy Young, Fan favorite, Ace, Clubhouse leader traded to the New York Mets for:
Carlos Gomez (outfielder)
Phil Humber, Deolis Guerra and Kevin Mulvey (Pitchers)
Out of those four players, Gomez actually spent about 58 games in the majors and Humber had five appearances.

Let the judging, ramble-rousing, and muttering begin!

It’s a wonderful night/You gotta take it from me/It’s a wonderful night/Come on and break it down

Here is my Top 10 Things That Happened Regarding Baseball (Top 10 TTHRB)

10. I got autographs from six rookies/minor league players that I will probably lose in the next day or so. (Sorry Curveball, that must make you shudder.) Maybe I’ll be a responsible autograph collector and put it somewhere safe.
9. Met up with Jolene (which doesn’t seem baseball-like) who was working at the booth next to where Mike Redmond was sitting. Jolene, thanks for prodding me to take his pic and not just stand there.
8. Told Those Girls where to drink in Minneapolis (hope they found a few good places)
7. TBL took me through the Rookie/Minor League/Down on the Farm (free) line twice and patiently explained the routine so I wouldn’t look too stupid. (Shout out to Denard Span for being super charming to everyone.)
6. Came to the realization that Kevin Slowey is cute! Amy has been telling me this since the beginning but I had just brushed her off.
5. Was shocked by the lack of pink Mrs. Joe Mauer t-shirts in the crowd (and a little saddened not to have them to mock.)
4. Ooh-ed and ahh-ed over the new stadium display (see you in 2010)
3. Listened to my co-worker (who doesn’t know shit about baseball, mind you) audition for the National Anthem contest thingy.
2. Bought Minnesota Twins (baseball) home opener tickets (see you at the dome on March 31, behind home plate, upper level, 30 breath-taking – literally – rows up.)
1. Had my first Dome Dog and Beer at the Metrodome for the 2008 season!

MOD
I made a mix to use for when I have to run tons of errands (and usually dread it.) Now before you start doubting my sanity, I know that a lot of these are the top songs I have been talking about the last week or so but…they are just that damn good!
Run the Damn Errands Mix
Carry On Up the Morning – Babyshambles
Delivery – Babyshambles
You Talk – Babyshambles
Intervention – Arcade Fire
Rootless Tree – Damien Rice (you all know I only like this song because of its use of the word “fuck”
Wonderful Night – Fatboy Slim
Walk Away – Franz Ferdinand
Baby Fratelli (acoustic from Budhill Singles) – Fratellis
Cigarello (acoustic from Budhill Singles) – Fratellis
You Held the World in Your Arms – Idlewild
She’s Crazy – The Kelly Family
My Doorbell – White Stripes
Dry Your Eyes – The Streets

Whoops, looks like I need a swear count: 4

By and by the way of an explanation/Cast a drift of the shores of shotter’s nation

Twins Fest or bust
See you all on Saturday!!! For the first time I will be in attendance NOT as a babysitter. I plan on wandering aimlessly, chitchatting, taking obscure photos that I won’t remember why I took them later and catching up with some baseball bloggers! This is the start of 2008!

Music Music, La la la
Babyshambles is my pick for M.O.D (Music of the Day)!
Yes, I know, I know, I know. A lot of people don’t like Pete Doherty. However I do like Pete, as a musician (not a drug dealer, not a boyfriend, or not someone to pick my granny up from the airport.) I received the newest Babyshambles album, Shotter’s Nation from our Astralwerk’s care package. E.V. won’t even give it the time of day (he’s anti-Pete, ever since the Libertine days.) Evidently (per their PR) this is the “album that Peter Doherty and Babyshambles have always promised to make.” Rumor has it Babyshambles will be doing a big European tour in 2008, here’s to hoping they let Pete into the U.S. so I can see them live. I mean, it has been a long, long, long time since I have seen a concert with a drunk, angry-at-the-Man, smoking, disorientated rock star.
Babyshambles webpage

Babyshambles Myspace (yes they are in my Friends also)

Babyshambles Wikipedia page

My two favorite songs off the Shotter’s Nation album
You Talk music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wrIAjeRYZhg
Delivery music video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nAtFA8rL3Qw

Coachella

The Coachella lineup has been announced and there are some fantastic acts on the bill. If I was going (which I am not but one year I will make the trek, it is just I am not an “outdoor music festival” type of person. I like flushing toilets and a roof over my head) here are the acts I would make a point to see: Raconteurs, Fatboy Slim, the Swell Season (from the movie Once), Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Minus the Bear, Jens Lekman, Vampire Weekend, Architecture in Helsinki, The Bees, Rilo Kiley, M.I.A, Flogging Molly, VHS or Beta, The Bird and the Bee, Roger Waters, The Streets, Sia, and Shout Out Louds. Most of these bands are ones that either I have seen, or friends have, in concert.

Hold on loosely, but don’t let go/If you cling too tightly babe/you’re gonna loose control

Baseball
Ah, baseball is addicting. Stacy called me yesterday morning to give me the scoop on Morneausey. You see, I was elbows deep in a dull-as-tombs spreadsheet (for work, of course) and hadn’t read the latest on MLB.com. So, Stacy knowing my addiction (and secretly loving it all as much as me) called to inform me that the Twins just signed a one-year deal with 2006 MVP Morneausey. Whew. The first thing out of my mouth was “One year? Only one year?” I guess beggars can’t be choosers. You see, I feel like I (well, the Twins organization) have given up enough for the start of 2008 season. What are two more years and 15 million dollars? Eh?

From John Heyman (CNN, Sports Illustrated)
The Twins have made it official on Kubel, Morneau…and Juan Rincon. The righthander has agreed to a one-year, $2.475 million deal to avoid arbitraton.
Rincon currently is closing for Lara during the winter league playoffs, and spent the early part of the offseason working out with Detroit masher Miguel Cabrera. He plans to work out with the same trainer right before heading to camp.
This may make you cringe but the Twins need Rincon. He should be motivated after posting a 5.13 ERA in 63 games last season. And they’ll need bullpen arms around in case Joe Nathan is dealt after Santana is dealt.
Yes, I think Santana will be dealt before camp opens. I have a trade thought involving the Mets that I’ll share with you over the weekend.

Non-Baseball
Used Music Store – You are what you listen to
I was cruising around the North East suburbs last night, in my old stomping grounds of Columbia Heights (Co-Ho) where I went to high school. I decided to stop off at Cheapo’s to peruse the Local and Modern Rock sections. I spent most of the time giggling and groaning over the selections and came to the conclusion that location does rule the used music market. In the Uptown Cheapo’s you find a wide variety of Modern Rock with a few “what the hell’s” throw in. Whereas in the CoHo you find two rows of Jessica Simpson, Backstreet Boys, Vitamin C, Nickelback, Staind, Creed, Puddle of Mudd, Poison and other similar artists. Where are the Arcade Fires, Kaiser Chiefs, The Shins?
When in Cheapo’s I sometimes find myself fucking around with their alphabetizing system. You see, I like to give props to my favorite bands and pull out a CD to put on the display. Now, before you go judging me, take in account I removed two Bow Wow, one Jessica Simpson, three (three!) James Blunts and one Marilyn Manson. I replaced them with Travis “Boy with No Name”, The Feeling “Twelve Stops and Home”, The Hives, The Frames and The Fratellis. So, I would like to say to the CoHo…You are welcome! Oh and stock up on some Romantica, 22-20’s and Sondre Lerche.
I did walk out with a Levellers album upon Nikii’s (Third Base Line) recommendation.

City Pages Concert Calendar
Maybe there is a lull in music news or concert announcements. After reading through 30+ pages of the City Pages paper I found the following concerts (new ones I haven’t already announced):
.38 Special with Zed Leppelin (cover band) – which I am contemplating
Lenny Kravitz
Hotel Café Tour 08 with Dan Wilson and Ingrid Michaelson
Jonas Brothers (their tour theme is “Your world is about to be rocked”)

Well, that’s not exciting at all (or a’tall)

I’m spinning in circles I can’t stop/I thought it was over but it’s not/I’m in love/With a fool

Baseball – a la Twins Fest
It looks like I will be attending on Saturday. The stars have aligned right and I get to meet up with another (non baseball) friend that has a booth there. Who else is going to be there on Saturday?

Non-baseball but no less important
Laser Eyes
Just last week the episode of SNL with the Digital Short of “Laser Cats” aired. Now, in my own home I have a slightly modified version of a Laser Cat (singular.)
Notice Lucy and Mo-mo jumping on Lucy’s new trampoline

Boy, don’t those kids look like they are having a good time. They have no worries. Wait! What is that in the lower left corner? Oh no! It is Laser Cat!!!!
Yep, that’s my cat, the one that shoots lasers from her demonic eyes.

Because now this is my “thing” – Music
I know, I know, enough with The Feeling already!
So my super uber fantastically awesome top-ten band, The Feeling just posted some new songs on their Myspace page and well…they are fantastic of course, but I think I am a little judgmental about the awesomeness of their first album (holy shit, did I not just channel the vocabulary of a 14-year old.) So, their first single, I Thought It Was Over (which I posted the video of a few weeks ago) has totally grown on me and I love it. Oh, and they finally launched their new site and it is very cool looking - The Feeling

I tried to be like Grace Kelly/but her looks were too sad/So I tried a little Freddie/I’ve gone identity mad!

Part I - Baseball
To fest or not to fest, that is the question
The Twins fest is fast approaching and I am still debating whether to attend or not. I am not one for autographs or paraphernalia. However, I am one for people watching and making my twins wish list. I think it would only take a small smattering of begging to get Amy to attend with me, so that’s not the issue. Also, there are tons of awesome bloggers that are going to be there. Hmm…I still have time to Pro-Con.

Part II – Damn Cute Kids
Lil’ Lucy is a freaking, tiny replica of a stylish and sassy Olympic swimmer. But hey, don’t take my word for it. Check the photos out. I can’t wait to bring her to Ryan’s pool this summer and let her go crazy (whilst properly watched so she doesn’t drown or anything.)




Part III – Music, of course
Just put a few new songs on my iPod
Grace Kelly – Mika
One (U2 cover) – Johnny Cash
Phantom Limb – The Shins
Okay, what rock have I been under that I didn’t realize the awesomeness that is The Shins? These guys are fantastic!

Yours truly (that would be me) is securing a hot date with this man…

Yep, you may have guessed it, Tom-fucking-Jones!!!
Jealous? Well, you should be.

In a coffee shop in a city/which is every coffee shop/in every city/on a day which is every day

I may be taking the leap
I have received a very tempting offer to go in on a 20-game pack for Twins season tickets. I am thinking about it but I am a little leery of such a commitment. This, coming from a gal who goes to about 40 games a year, I know. There are people out there telling me not to do it, especially with all these new players. I think it would be a great time to commit to the Twins. All I have to do it make the decision in my head and then talk Amy into joining me.

Since baseball is in hibernation let’s talk music!
Concerts I am interested in attending
The Hives @ First Ave – February 28
Mika @ First Ave – February 6
The New York Dolls @ Fine Line – February 24
TNT (AC/DC tribute band) @ sketchy sports bar – January 26

Concerts I am attending
Foo Fighters @ Target Center – February 27
Romantica, Alarmist @ First Ave – January 15
I really want to bring Lucy to see that band we caught at the Midtown Global Market. They are playing at a coffee shop later this month.

Podcasts – once to start you can’t stop
Seriously, I am addicted to finding new podcasts. My local NPR affiliate, MPR (Minnesota Public Radio) has a rock station called 89.3 The Current (sorry, lots of back story there.) Anyways, they have a new podcast called Facemelter! Here is the description:
The Current is proud to launch its newest podcast Facemelter. Every week, Facemelter hosts Jill Riley and Brett Baldwin talk about the guitar solos that are so awesome, they melt your face.
You can check it out here: Facemelter

Our own not-so-Little Plastic Castle
Great, now I just put a song in my own head – Little Plastic Castles by Ani Difranco
Once upon a time in a castle, in our living room there lived a damn cute little girl…

You aren’t seeing things. There is a castle in the middle of the living room. The strange thing is it’s not that obtrusive. I can put my feet on the ledge, cram myself inside for a moment of peace and it really warms the place up.

What’s this feeling? / My love will rip a hole through the ceiling

Music Quiz thing floating around the blogs
List seven songs you are into right now, no matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they're not any good but they must be songs you're really enjoying now.
1. First Day of my Life – Bright Eyes
2. King without a Crown - Matisyahu
3. Goodnight and Goodbye – Jonas Brothers (don’t even ask)
4. Keep Your Hands to Yourself – Georgia Satellites
5. Devil in Me – 22-20’s
6. Fiona - Romantica
7. Welcome to the Black Parade – My Chemical Romance

MLB Headlines
· Nick Swisher (Oakland A’s) traded to Chicago White Sox for three prospects.
· Clemens crying on 60 Minutes will air on Sunday at 6:30. I will probably watch just for the sake of it.

Heyman’s (who I love/hate) 2007 Winners and Losers
For the actual article and not my loose interpretation click here.
Winners:
· George Mitchell – steroid investigator
· Bud Selig – commissioner
· Jimmy Rolins – Phillies SS, NL MVP
· Theo Epstein – Red Sox GM
· Frank “The Big Hurt” Thomas – Blue Jays DH, role model
· C.C. Sabathia – Indians P, CY Young
· Josh Hamilton – Rangers OF, recovering addict and comeback kid
· Hank Steinbrenner – Yankees General Partner and the Boss’ kid
· Jon Lester – Red Sox P, offered in Johan Santana trade
· Torii Hunter – Angels CF, just had best season with Twins
· Dontrelle WiIlis – Tigers P, leaving behind lackluster Marlin’s
· Troy Tulowitzki – Rockies SS, compared to Jeter
· Joba Chamberlain – Yankees P, evidently they made Rules for him
· David Soares – Albany D.A., going after steroid users
· Matt Holliday – Rockies OF, big numbers
· Dustin Pedroia – Red Sox 2B, fight for spot
· Magglio Ordonez – Tigers OF, always a great player
· Jorge Posada – Yankees C, consistently great (even at 36)
· Ryan Braun – Brewers 3B, exceeded 1.000
· Pedro Martinez – Mets P, recovered and got 3,000th strikeout
· Tom Glavine – Braves P, won 300th games at a Met
· Prince Fielder – Brewers 1B, youngest player to hit 50 homeruns, albeit having a hissy fit regarding dad
· Dan O’Dowd – Rockies GM, got his team moving up
· Fausto Carmona – Indians P, moved from closer to starter
· Dave Dombrowski – Tigers GM, smart trading
· Joe Girardi – Yankees GM, beat out Mattingly for dream job
· A-Rod – Yankees 3B, no need to fill in this spot
· Scott Boras – Agent, made a cool $15 million off of A-Rod
· Ichiro – Mariners CF, inside-the-park homerun at the All-Star game
· Joe Torre – Dodgers GM, left the Bronx Bombers for the west coast
· Rick Ankiel – Cardinals OF, lots of drama and still came through
· Trey Hillman – Royals GM, new manager
· Tony Reagins – Angels GM, new manager
· Troy Percival – Rays P, came back from retirement
· Brandom Webb – Diamondbacks P, 42-inning scoreless streak
· Carlos Silva – Mariners P, hee hee, turned a solidly mediocre season into a big contract
· Ed Wade – Astros GM, new manager with a little laughingstock thrown in
· Mark Buehrle – White Sox P, no hitter and big contract
· Daisuke Matsuzaka – Red Sox P, big money for being on a big team
· Mark Teixeira – Braves 1B, made the trade work
· Sammy Sosa – ex-Rangers OF/DH, 600th home run out of retirement
· Randy Levine – Yankees President, I am kind of sick of all the Yankee stuff
· Jose Guillen – Royals OF, called out for steroids but still made a good deal
· Jeffrey Loria – Marlins Owner, channeling Pohlad with tight budget but lots of cash in wallet
· Craig Biggio – newly retired Astors 2B, 3,000 hits
· Jim Thome – White Sox DH, 500th homerun
· Luis Castillo – Mets 2B, Achy man with $25 million over 4 years
· JJ Putz – Mariners P, solid except for brief moment in All-Star game
· Rusty Hardin – Huston Attorney, defending Clemens

Losers (or non-winners)
· Clemens – ex Yankees P, need I say more?
· Bonds – ex Giants OF, set records but may be a sham
· Jason Giambi – Yankees DH, sad
· Twins Fans – yep, we made the list. We have lost a lot except the new stadium
· Houston Astros – Tejada is making a mockery
· Tejada – Astros SS, steroid all over the place
· Bobby Cox – Braves GM, a lot of game ejections with little wins
· Scott Rolen – Cardinals 3B, fighting with his GM La Russa
· Tony La Russa – Cardinals GM, bad year plus an embarrassing DWI tape
· Levinson Brothers – 11 clients on the Mitchell Report
· New York Mets – a sad end of the season
· Omar Minaya – Mets GM, trading errors
· Don Fehr – Players Union Chief, admitted that maybe the union was slow to stop steroids
· Jermaine Dye – White Sox OF, bad season
· Andruw Jones – Dodgers CF, lost some money because of bad year
· Eric Gagne – Brewers P, evidently didn’t ear World Series ring and made a showing on the Mitchell Report
· Trevor Hoffman – Padres P, let the Wild Card go to the Rockies
· Mark Prior – Padres P, should retire
· Jay Gibbons – Orioles OF, 15-game suspension with a pasat
· Paul Lo Duca – Nationals C, Mitchell Report and fierce temper
· David Eckstein – Blue Jays SS, wanted a lot more than he was worth
· Paul Byrd – Indians P, laughingstock
· Gary Matthews Jr – Angels OF, claimed to buy the ‘roids but didn’t take it
· Mike Cameron – ex Padres OF, in big trouble mister
· Lenny Dykstra – retired Mets/Phillies OF, blatant ‘roid use cheapens the denials of the rest

Note that there are no Minnesota Twins on the Winners list...however, there are three 2007 team members on the list that are no longer with the MN Twins. Lovely.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup/And surely I’ll buy mine/And we’ll take a cup’o kindness/

for Auld Lang Syne

First, let’s get this out of the way
Happy 2008! Let’s see…I just got up (8:30 a.m.) and I am about to get my to-go cup of coffee ready and head out for shopping, movie (P.S. I Love You) and brunch/lunch with friends. I have to admit this is the first time, in a long time that I haven’t been hangover on January 1. Me thinks me will like mocking the hangover people that are out in public today.

Testing, Testing, Conor Oberst
I know of not one, not two but three people that went to the not-the-best-kept-secret Conor Oberst (of Bright Eyes) concert. I am can’t really be too jealous. (Thy shall not covet thy friend’s tickets to Conor Oberst when thy was too lazy/out of touch to by thy own)

Local paper’s top local albums of 2007 – Star Tribune Top Local Albums of 2007
1. Brother Ali – The Undisputed Truth
2. Dan Wilson – Free Life
3. Vicious Vicious – Parade
4. Fog – Ditherer
5. M.Anifest – Manifestations
6. Cloud Cult – Meaning of 8
7. The Owls – Daughters & Suns (tie for 6th)
8. Charlie Parr – Jubilee
9. Little Man – Soulful Automatic
10. Romanitica – America (see, what have I been saying?)
11. The Alarmists – The Ghost and the Hired Gun
12. Ed Ackerson – Ed Ackerson
13. Stook! – When the Needle Hit the Wax (tie for 12th)
14. Happy Apple – Happy Apple Back on Top
15. Big Quarters – Cost of Living
16. The Glad Version – Make Islands (tie for 15th)
17. Low – Drums and Guns
18. Mouthful of Bees – The End (tie for 17th)
19. Digitata – II Daggers
20. Fort Wilson Riot – Idigaragua (tie for 19th)
21. The Pines – Sparrows in the Bell


Overheard in Minneapolis (the website)
This one had me rolling

Now You Know You Drink Too Much
4 year-old girl: Are you and Mommy going to Whiskey Junction tonight? (Whiskey Junction is a bar in Minneapolis)
Dad: Unless Grandma's renamed her house - no.
Overheard at Christmas Eve mass at St. Peter's