Dirt Chic

Today's Garage-Saled Items: Music and Glamour

My neverending quest to a) have record players/stereos that work and b) have them in multiple rooms in my apartment has perhaps drawn to a close.  For now.  Until something breaks.  Mom and I, in yesterday's garage-saling, came across one of those awesome sales that is pretty much just somebody cleaning out everything they have from the 70's-80's.  I spied a record player and speaker set (from Sears, heh heh) for $5, and I asked the lovely elderly proprietor of the sale if it worked.  He told me it did, and he told me I could bring it back if it didn't.

I told him I'd take it, and then he bagged it up.  After we paid and were driving away, Mom asked me did I know everything was half off?  Nooooo!  Yesssssss!  So it was $2.50!!!  I went home and set it up.  It did not work.  *sob*  I waited for Dad to come home - he is the retro stereo master, so after some fiddling with it he got it to work.  Awesome.  Dad is why I love music.  Dad and I like to sit and listen to and talk about music.  We did this quite a bit yesterday.  I find it necessary to life.  And to my writing projects.

In other garage-saling news, I got a Caruso roller set for $3 (I went a bit over on my "allowance").  I have a thing about hot rollers.  I'm kind of lazy about using them a lot, but my hair is getting really long, and I don't know what to do with it a lot of the time.  After finding this set (I used to have one and got rid of it, like a dummy), I decided that I really do need to just curl my hair more.  It lasts through at least one more day and I always feel glamourous and happier when my hair is curled.  

Glamour and happiness = yes.  

I need to spend as much time feeling glamourous and happy as possible.  It helps to have my hair flowing in the wind.  It helps to be wearing sunglasses.  It helps to be on a tire swing.

Rialto, Orpheum, Majestic... Sufjan.

Movie palaces and I belong together.

I also belong at a Sufjan Stevens show.  

Good thing I can have both.

I kind of like it I have an assigned seat.  Should I bring opera glasses?

TTI: Stereo Receiver

So I'm minding my own business, "thrifting", (looking for a copy of The Great Gatsby for my little sister), and I go to leave, and there in the furniture section, on an end table, is the exact same stereo receiver I have at home.

Been looking for a receiver.  Emphasis on "a".  Because I have only been interested in a thrifted one, and a well-priced one at that - I expected some old-school brushed-steel deal with an 8-track.  Not this.  Not for $15.

I love it when I'm minding my own business.  I mean thrifting.

Music: Paradise. Depending on How You Define It.

I just felt compelled to listen to Styx tonight.  I have Mr. Roboto or Kilroy Was Here or whatever it is on vinyl, but that's not where my heart lays.  (Lies?  Which one is it?  My dad would know.)

My dad introduced me to this album.

(Note: fruit that isn't fruit)
I wouldn't say that this album was my entry into any heavy long-term musical influence, but geez, in terms of concept and long-lasting general influence, I can rank it up there in the top 10 major aesthetic moments of my life.  Maybe even top 5.

Question: Which came first for Arwen?  A latent love for historic decay, or Styx's Paradise Theater?  (Does that even make sense?)  I dwell on this very so often (more often than not when ill, when my brain has little ability to dwell on much else).  Did the album beget the love, or did the inclination beget the fascination with the entire concept and thus the lifelong aesthetic/mythical preoccupation?  (Oh, the concept is about this theater.)

 
I don't know.  I'm living the answer, either way. ;)

Yep.  :)

Music: Peter, Paul & Mary.

Note: if you're interested in my follow-up to listening to the entire albums I post about, I'll just add comments.  I don't want to overburden everybody with my non-concise thoughts about my own tastes.  :)  (But for this particular entry, I will overburden you, then stop in this format.)

I was printing copies of RPM to submit (finally got on that), I realized I needed to listen to PP&M's "Album".  Nice album title, huh?  (I'm trying to write about this while the neighbor is playing crappy music.  Makes it tricky.)

 
There are 3 songs I like on this album.  I mean Album.  "And When I Die", my all-time favorite; "Pack Up Your Sorrows", which makes me feel like I'm taking a drive through some ferny, limestoney dells in Indiana, with my head out the window; "Kisses Sweeter Than Wine".

The latter is, I think, one of the best song titles of all time.  It's a decent song, but it really just makes me think of "Sugar and Spice" by The Searchers, which is even better, because then, I am driving through that same ferny dell in a Ford Galaxie.  Undoubtedly on my way to a diner to eat mashed potatoes and dessert. :)

TTI: The Lonely Bull.

This doesn't fall under my record-listening project.  Yet.

 
I thought I had all Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass.  I was wrong.

I love Herb Alpert.  He's a master of bricolage.  Sure, he brought us the Carpenters, and I forgive him for that, because I like "Song For You".  But he just appeals to me on so many levels - like the mariachi level.  And the "I'm coming off the elevator in the Hotel Bristol" level.  Like, the barroom in Mrs. Robinson's house level but, you know, with the addition of joy and stuff.

And it's just obnoxious sometimes.  See (my favorite song): Plucky.  And next time you're riding your bike for leisure, let it play in your head.  And you will understand.

'S Marvelous Update

S' Marvelous 's just marvelous.  K?  K.  Yay Ray Conniff (and his orchestra) Will listen to it next time Henry Mancini/Dave Brubeck isn't available.  And when I need to apply cosmetics sitting on the floor next to my record player, looking into a compact, wearing a cardigan over my shoulders.

(No I won't do that.  I'm not Grace Kelly.)

Blog Changes, and Something New

Being frugal has shifted.  For me.  I was teaching myself it, before, for a long time.  Now, I have a Master in Frugal Arts.  (Now, on to my doctorate.  I'll let you know when I get it.  It'll be a lot slower going.)

Anywho, what I'm saying is that I'm expanding Dirt Chic.  It was my blog before, with some consorts, and they might consort with me again (bless you, Carra and Mary), but now I'm just making Dirt Chic synonymous with myself.  (Don't start calling me by Dirt Chic names, though.)  It's not just going to be about the moments in my life that are about frugality.  It will be about my life, as I continue to do frugal things.  I've definitely achieved the frugal mindset.  I think.  Maybe.  Yes.   

So not much has changed, but additionally, I'll post about my life: teaching, Illinois, family, interests, writing.  Etc.  In addition to the usuals: clothes, Lucite, pugs, clothes, Bakelite, clothes.

Ok then.

Moving ahead. :)

***

We are a two-record player house; I have a small portable one (with pretty crappy sound, unless you use earplugs, but it's ok), that I originally got for hubby to take to thrift stores if he wanted to check stuff out.  Now, it's in my office.  For a long time, I've been meaning to listen to more music in here, maybe even when I write.  This has taken a long time to process, apparently.  I don't know why it's been so drawn-out, just dragging records in here - why that is so hard.

Actually, I do know why.  Because all has been lying in wait for this day: I had a revelation; I'm going to listen to at least 1 full record a week.  At least.  No matter what's on it.  If I want to listen to 6 dozen records in a week, so be it.  But at least one.

Inaugural selection: Queen - Greatest Hits.

I know that I need more Queen in my life.  I've thought this for a long time now.  This album is a good kick-starter, though it's already stupid on a level, in that it doesn't have GREATEST Queen song of all time - "Don't Stop Me Now".  

 

This is a profound loss.

Maybe it'll be on some other albums - I would certainly hope so.  Maybe I'll find a new additional greatest song.  That's my hope in this new undertaking - new greatest songs.  I'll keep you posted.