2005-02-10 - 11:13 a.m.

I love NPR because I get to learn about swell things like the Slander of a Woman law. If someone had told me that there was such a thing, I wouldn�t have believed them. But Cokie Roberts wouldn�t lie to me. And, indeed, you can be fined for slandering a woman in Washington. God, that�s funny.

(I don�t think Cokie was actually covering this, but I love saying Cokie Roberts. Have you seen her picture? She�s adorable with her well-coifed hair.)

So, a survey torch was passed to me, and I will carry it! First it came from the lovely Lass (scurvy wench). But then a slightly different one came from Se�ora Roboto (wanton strumpet) and K. Maria (shameless hussy). (Just try and sue me. Slandering women is totally legal in California.) I�m mixing the surveys together; I hope this doesn�t anger the Survey Gods, for they are stern.

Here comes the survey hybrid. Look out.

I: Ten Random Songs
Instructions: Put your MP3 player on "shuffle" and list the first ten songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.

I suspect this will be weird�here I go.

"Ariel Ramirez" by Richard Buckner. Oh, I love him. He�s a giant man with bear hands, and he sometimes looks like Ted Kaczynski, but that doesn�t change my love for him.

"16 Shells from a Thirty-Ought Six" by Tom Waits. Another man I love!

"Vessel in Vain" by Smog. I�m certainly not going to sit through this song. Listening to Smog before 11:00 AM is unwise, unless you like to feel like binge drinking and crawling into a dark corner during daylight hours. I usually save that behavior for evenings. Actually, this is a cheerful Smog number, so what am I talking about?

"Swinging London" by The Magnetic Fields. My iPod loves the Magnetic Fields.

"I Am a Cinematographer" by Bonnie "Prince" Billy. It�s the hoe-down version from the Greatest Palace Music album. This makes me wish I was at my apartment alone so I could shimmy across the living room like a joyful honky.

"Joey" by Nick Drake. Yep.

"Pecan Pie" by Golden Smog. Yay! This song makes me so happy. It�s a perfect love song. Here is a taste of the lyrics: "Sometimes I get so hungry, I think about pie all day. Just a little whipped cream, and honey, I'm on my way. With a piece of pecan pie, and you that's all I want. Just a piece of pecan pie, and all I want is you."

"If I Needed You" by Emmylou Harris w/Don Williams. Purty.

"Don�t Believe that You�re Someone" by Split Lip Rayfield. I love this band. One of the best shows I�ve ever seen was them + Robbie Fulks + another Bloodshot Records band I can�t remember at the Abbey Pub in Chicago.

"But the Lids" by Town & Country. I love this band too.

That wasn�t weird at all.

II: Question and Answer Section
Read question. Answer question.

What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
I just crossed the 5600 mark on iTunes.

The last CD you bought.
I got a little crazy and bought three at Fingerprints the other day: "Emoh" by Lou Barlow (can�t say enough about the song "The Ballad of Daykitty"), that Superwolf album by the Bonnie "Prince" Billy/Matt Sweeny duo (new favorite song = "Bed Is for Sleeping"), and Flashpapr (self-titled).

The last song you listened to before reading this message.
I think it was that horrible "Sugar Pie Honey Bunch" song that everyone sang on American Idol last night. I know it�s my fault for watching; I should expect to be subjected to awfulness. But I have to watch.

III: Write down five songs you often listen to or that mean a lot to you.

1. "Post Prom Disorder" by Ida. Such a perfect blend of melancholy and hope.

2. "Have You Forgotten" by Red House Painters. This is one my favorite songs ever.

3. "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" by Neutral Milk Hotel. Well, of course. I do try to live by these lyrics: "But for now we are young, let us lay in the sun and count every beautiful thing we can see."

4. "If Not for You" by George Harrison. If Erik and I have a song, this is it. It just might be played at our wedding. And we just might have one of those.

5. "Not Dark Yet" by Bob Dylan. Another one of the best shows I�ve ever attended was Bob Dylan at the Hollywood Bowl on a perfect June night. When he did this song, I suddenly started bawling. But I liked it. And the next day, Erik and I embarked on a really great camping road trip to Boulder to visit one of my Semester at Sea roommates, who I adore. So, this song always reminds of all that June-time wonderfulness.

Who will you pass this stick to and why?
Stick Recipient #1: Gingeryette, because she�s America�s #1 Jimmy Buffet fan.
Stick Recipient #2: Ceildah, because she gives me a warm feeling in my trachea.
Stick Recipient #3: Oh Sweet Pea, because I can�t seem to get onto Audioscrobbler anymore, and I miss seeing her playlists.

Hooray for the stick!

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