Random Catch Up Time...

Yesterday was 80's and 90's day at the girls school, meaning they could wear fashion inspired by either decade.  Luckily, all the neon stuff girls loved 27 years ago is back in fashion, so both gals went 80's out.  That's all fine and dandy because I honestly can't remember 90's fashion outside of Doc Marten boots, t-shirts, and depending on your geographic location, flannel shirts...but I don't think either girl would have appreciated being sent to school looking like a member of a Soul Asylum tribute band (if one existed, Runaway Train would be a most predictable name for one).  But, as I'm fond of saying, that's another post for another time...

David Bowie is now 66 years old and he has aged rather gracefully all things considered.  His new single, 'Where Are We Now?', took me a couple of listens to really absorb.  By the third spin, I was hooked.  It's a good song, nothing earth shattering, but the kind of song written and performed by a man comfortable in his own skin, but fondly remembering a past life.  The video is pure Bowie, his face projected onto that of a motionless puppet.  A woman's face occupies the head next to him as they both seem to be sitting in a room filled with artifacts and mementos gathered in life.  The song gathers momentum as the bittersweet melody rolls along, reaching a fitting coda of 'as long as there's me, as long as there's you'.  Images of old Berlin flicker on a screen behind the puppets, scenes from a time when Bowie was hitting his stride as an artist.  He wrote his Berlin Trilogy of albums, 'Low', 'Heroes', and 'Lodger' during his time there, and lyrics from the new song make reference to some of his favorite haunts.   

It is a real rarity that a musician and writer that was as bold and daring as Bowie can glide into a new phase of their careers and life and not really miss a beat either way.  Sure, the Thin White Duke lived through his share of controversies, but unlike some of his peers, he never succumbed to them.  And his creative output, while suffering various starts and stops, has never reached the point of being embarrassing.  Even his work with Tin Machine contained moments of artistic brilliance ('Bus Stop' is a favorite of mine).

So, happy birthday, David Bowie...and I'm looking forward to you new album in March!

Hmmm, a new season of The Bachelor is on...and from the short bit I've watched, the women vying for the love of our boring as imitation vanilla extract bachelor have all ramped up the crazy...and all I watched was a small portion of the awkward exit the limo/meet the bachelor exchanges.  And this season we have our first amputee as one of the women is missing a portion of her arm.  Perhaps for the Bachelorette they will introduce the first lactose intolerant would be Mr. Bachelorette...that would be intense.

I had a Pet Peeve all queued and ready to go, but I shelved it for today so I can hit ya'll up with a double pet peeve tomorrow...try and sleep tonight knowing that's going to happen.  Boo ya!  Oh, and I've picked up some new readers in Australia (g'day, mates!), Belgium, and Canada (brown gravy!!!)...always good to have new readers I'll eventually disappoint!