• I love how when Cole reads, he uses something to help him follow the lines.
• "WHAT IS THAT? MOOOOM! HELLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEE!"
(Aidan, it's called the SUN and it warms certain parts of our planet… possibly even Minnesota by May.)
• I didn't tell you this story: my new sweet little camera? Aidan broke it. Well, at least she and I have both agreed that it was broken on her watch, though we aren't sure exactly how it happened. I sent it back to Kodak. Kodak fixed it. Now I can take really AWESOME photos of myself again. YES!
•EGGS, Y'ALL!
And one final note:
I was in the basement this morning at 8 a.m., folding laundry while the kids ate breakfast, because I like to multi-task like that, and I was watching VH1, as I will often do while folding laundry in the basement.
I guess I'm always hoping for a glimpse of something good. Or new. You know, like maybe the musical mainstream has decided to pick up on the fresh new sound of Liam Finn who has more indie buzz than anyone out there (and I legitimately LOVE his new album, his musical pedigree aside). But I never see anything good during the 15 minute chunks that I occasionally catch. Just the same old lackluster musical offerings.
Although I did see a new Matchbox 20 video. (WARNING: If you are a Matchbox 20 fan, STOP READING NOW! Because no matter how much I comfort you afterwards, you're still going to think I'm passing judgement on you, and you'll be correct.) And I watched Rob Thomas, sing (and don't get me wrong, he CAN sing) his way through another mindless, pointless over-crafted stupid pop song. And I thought, he could record himself in taking a crap in a bathroom, and VH1 would air it. Seriously.
And I don't get it. I mean, don't I fit firmly into the VH1 demographic? Or not? Maybe I don't. Maybe I'm WAY older than the new VH1 target audience. Whatever the case, I always turn off VH1 with a sigh. Longing for the good old days. Remember shows like MTVs 120 Minutes? You know, where you'd see SOMETHING…anything… that was new or interesting.
Then the video credits come on and I see the name of the new Matchbox 20 album: Exile on Mainstream.
Oh. My. God. Are you kidding me? Liz Phair pulled off that play years ago, when she was still a cool artist and was paying her homage to the Stones. But Matchbox 20? Seriously? Are they kidding?
Why not just called it: Entrenched in Mainstream?
Then I realized my special time is due any minute and I took a deep breath, grabbed my freshly folded laundry, and found a life.
Have a great weekend.
Jennifer says
I have also always hated Matchbox Twenty AND Rob Thomas. Rock on.
Sharon says
I LOVE 120 minutes! But that’s when MTV was still MUSIC TV. (Don’t get me wrong, I watch it more than I’d like to admit…who can resist a good train wreck or Rob & Big?)
Jen says
Who is matchbox 20? Guess I turned off the radio too many years ago to know or care. (Ok, yes, I know who he is. I know maybe one song. And I liked it for five minutes, and then promptly got sick of it)
However, you can get into a debate with me any day over weather the acoustic version or the album version of Sinner is better. I debate it by myself some days.
I feel hopelessly out of touch with the real world, I have no idea who is popular these days, and I don’t care most of the time. Although my kids are entering “Hannah Montana” fever… so I guess I’ll soon be getting a lesson in who is who. Joy.
Have a great weekend!!
Amy Sorensen says
I miss 120 Minutes, too. That show is all wrapped up in comforting adolescent angst and freedom. Yeah, I miss it like I miss size 4 jeans and sleeping in till 1:30 in the afternoon.
Sharon says
I don’t even try to watch MTv or VH1 these days. I miss the videos.
Cameron Yates says
Oh, Cathy, I adorea you for so many reasons. Including your opinions on music. And I CAN’T WAIT to meet you at INSPIRED! 🙂
Cameron Yates says
And also, I hate typos. 😛 Sorry!
katie scott says
i’m thinking they probably need a new vh1 type show / i can’t even watch mtv anymore and i so used to totally love it. i can barely watch vh1 anymore – i like it but some of it (ok actually a lot of it) is too raunchy for my preschoolers. maybe oprah’s new network will have a music show or somthing / i miss videos on tv, i know we can now watch them on you tube but i wish they had a youtube for my regular tv so i could watch it in the kitchen (while i fold laundry – which after today i’m no longer doing!)
cheez-its are so dangerous (saw them in the background) if our family opens a box they are gone w/i 5 minutes. have you tried the white cheddar ones? super yummy.
Festi says
“special time” – love it. LOL Don’t love “IT”, but love your name for it. I do, however, love when my crank assed mood alerts me to its coming. Cracks me up.
Festi says
Just realized I thought Cole was using a Social Security card as his reading guide. Yeah, ’cause you always leave those laying around, huh? Dur.
lisa tanner says
Rob Thomas sings??? I usually just look at him and think ‘oh nice song playing in the background!’ – I mean he is nice to look at, right?
Well, I feel as though I must defend Matchbox 20 because I harbor a deep love for Rob Thomas – but honestly, I haven’t heard the new song, or the CD so I can’t really say anything. I also haven’t turned on VH1 or MTV in longer than I can remember. I’m a CMT kind of girl – yee haw!! 🙂
kelly mccaleb says
amen
Emily Hoadley says
Gotta agree with your comments about the lack of decent music. I’ve found that when I’m actually ambitious enough (doesn’t happen often) to get up and work out at O dark thirty there’s decent music on vh1. any other time it’s crap.
Ruth in OZ says
Oh Cathy, yep, I should have taken your advice and stopped reading but didn’t – I love their music, but also love Crowded House too as well as the big O, and a squillionothers but I am able to take your judgement passing, because girl, I owe you big time, it is because of you and your freakin awesome blog that I bought an iPhone on my last trip to the USA and nearly put my dh in the looney bin as he tried to unlock the thing so I could use it on the Australian phone network, and it works a treat, so honey, you express any opinion you like, you’re OK with me, and just for the ‘record – its 3am here’ so that seems a good Matchbox twenty link! Cheers Mate, Ruth in West OZ.
kribss says
*sigh* me too. i soo miss those 120 minutes days……when cool music was really literally cool.
Michelle says
I totally agree that matchbox 20 ripped off Liz Phair’s title. I like VH1 for “Pop Up Videos” and “Metal Mania,”‘ which gives my 8-year-old a chance to hear the “Guitar Hero” songs played by the original artists.
kendra says
Ok, I have to say that you are totally right about Rob Thomas looking constipated while singing. I told my husband last week (while watching VH1 Top 20 Countdown) that he looks like he’s in pain, like the metamucil is not working for him. Since then, I cannot stand to watch or listen to him. Ever notice that the songs are beginning to sound alike? So, thank you for making me feel like I’m not the only one to notice bad facial expressions on popular musical artist!
Trisha Wood says
Oh Cathy how I love thee and I should have stopped reading, but alas your words are like an elixer that cannot be put down, and I had to continue forth. Did I say elixer? I meant poison! How could you insult my boys? The way you are addicted and have become the older than average groupie for the awesome Finn, I am a devoted MB20 groupie. Just go to one concert and they will change your mind. Rob Thomas is my God. His facial expressions show how emotional his lyrics are and he sings them with the same emotion. Music videos never capture the true artists. They are just overproduced 3 minute glimpses of what they think you want to see. Give them another chance!!
Laura McG says
Interesting that you should be blogging about the state of music today as I just had a similar conversation with my local Borders Book associate. I could purchase any number of crap cd’s the record industry is trying to push as “new music” but try to get you hands on Neil Finn or The Finn Brothers. Good luck. Gone are the real artist, lyricist, musicians. In their place all we are left with are the generic digitally enhanced pop bands posing as true musicians. It’s a sad day when your kids know all the words to The Jonas Brothers but ask who Pink Floyd is and which one is PINK!!!
Kathleen says
Are you kidding! I listen to Matchbox 20, Blink, Barenaked Ladies,and 311 just so I can feel like I’m back in those days! I’d rather sometimes go back than face the reality of what is mainstream today! Yikes!!!
Christine Campbell says
Thanks for making me laugh today!!
Trude says
Hear, hear. I AM the target audience, and I still can’t stand to watch either VH1 or MTv (which I might be a bit old for now anyways, but still, haven’t watched since I was 15)! Crap is crap. Viva la indie music!!
rubberbandgirl Cami S. says
120 minutes…ah, I’d stay up late every Sunday night just hoping for a glimpse of Robert Smith or some new alternative something or other.
Odd question…singing “Don’t Dream Its Over” today and thought I’d ask you: At the end of the song Neil sings Don’t let them win? Who do you think ‘they’ are?
Bree says
Ah Cathy, I luv ya, but those who watch Rock of Love cannot cast stones at MB20 🙂
MB20 is about the lyrics, less about the sound. Some really great performers can do both (BNL, The Carpenters come to mind). I still like MB20, but I’m lyrically driven.
In order to appreciate music, I need to block out the other senses so I can focus on the emotion. I stopped watching “music” television years ago
Stop wasting your time on VH1 -the pre-packaged studio hype overshadows the lyrics and the sound. 🙂
tracy f says
omg, bring back 120 Minutes! Dave Kendall! Blur! Oasis! UK synth pop! sigh.
Maggie says
ah yes…..120 Minutes….loved that!
Barb says
I don’t watch videos, but I love RT!
daphne says
Ok, you used to be one of my favorite blogs. Ok, you still are but I’m going to have to find a way to forgive you for dissing on my man. I LOVE Rob Thomas!!! What is not to love about him?
BLo says
VH1 is playing the Foo Fighters video which is pretty funny. Have you caught that yet? It’s on every morning. Check, check, check it out!
Lisa says
Ok, I too must say I am going to continue reading your blog everyday even though I am a huge MB20 fan! They completed their tour here in Las Vegas last week and it was a great show! Well worth the money and they played for a very long time! I am a big fan of Crowded House, Amos Lee, The John Butler Trio and Jack Johnson too! I can’t even tell you how many times I have forwarded your U-tube videos of Kansas and Journey to some friends…. your comments just make me laugh. I love your blog!
Carolyn from Vancouver says
How’s this for random blathering?
Our daughter makes the same face when the sun comes out. Oh wait, we live in Vancouver. And she’s only three. Who am I kidding? She hasn’t seen the sun yet.
I wish I’d bought a Kodak because Canon told me to shove it when my camera broke.
Oh, and I don’t like Cheeze-its or Matchbox Twenty and we have the same placemats as you.
Seacrest out.
Tonja Trump says
OMG..You are so comical! I am in hysterics here! Thanks for the giggles and as a former Minnesotan, I can relate to that warming up in May thing! Stay warm!
Jacquelin says
Love the sun face – my son claims he is avampire because sun “makes him melt” – excellent – I have always wanted to be the mother of a vampire. And unlike Carolyn of vancouver ( above) we do get lots of sun here in Victoria!!! But apparently not VH1 so I am so uncool and out of the loop – *sigh* I can feel my daughter rollin her eyes as I write. . .
Jacquelin in SUNNY Victoria, BC
http://www.groovyscrapbooker.wordpress.ca
lynn whelan says
hmmm, “your special time?”,
it’s 8AM,
you’ve had your coffee,
are you talking about…
wait, it’s 8AM, i’ve had my coffee…
be right back!
Kelly says
Funny. I loved liz, Divorce Song is still one of my favorites, why did she have to go to the darkside?
And as for Matchbox 20, I mean really, could nobody at the recording company notice the irony of that album title?
I wanted to mention more that I see Cole watching Spongebob. That is all we watch these days. We love the Kar-Ah-Tay episode :)!
Yvette says
Love you blog and I read it all the time :o) I tagged you with an award for making me smile. Thanks!
Shannon says
THANK YOU for noticing that Matchbox 20 is overrated and overplayed. I was starting to feel alone in my righteous indignation over the mere existence of Rob Thomas.
Carolyn from Vancouver says
Sorry to hijack your blog Cathy, but I must respond to Jaquelin in Victoria. I wanted her (and everyone else here) to know that I only complain about the rain in Vancouver in order to keep its true beauty and glory a secret so this city doesn’t get invaded by a crazed bunch of Mongol hordes one day. So far so good. Sssshhhhhhh.
Mel says
Just wanted to wish Aiden a Happy Happy Birthday. What a wonderful special age.
Mel
Christine says
Yes, I remember 120 minutes. It was the coolest show ever and I miss it.
I will forgive Matchbox 20 for thinking that their actually “against” the mainstream because Rob Thomas is a nice little piece of a$$.
Shannon says
I thought it was just me? I stare quizzically at VH1 all the time thinking, “what happened, did I take a Rip Van Winkle and everyone lost the ability to make music?” Ohhhh how I miss 120 mins, I would sit up with headphones plugged into the telly so mom couldn’t hear, and tape every moment of it praying for a glimpse of Peter Murphy.
I hear stuff now and use Aiden’s new phrase..”WHAT THE CRAP?” I am thankful however for the new Bauhaus and awaiting Love and Rockets with baited breath.
Cheers!
Shannon says
Oh yeah, sometimes, I try, like a pavlovian dog, to watch subterranean, and if you can resist poking your eyes out with all the ‘Death Cab For Cutie” (I will never understand them), sometimes a little gem pops up, that’s how I found the Yeah Yeah Yeahs about 3 years ago.
Random says
Love your blog and your style! Wondering if you’ve had Cole in for a full dilated eye exam (I ask b/c of the fact that he needs a tool to help him follow the lines). I suspect that you have and that the optometrist is good with his need for such a device.
Mary says
Gotta love Sponge Bob in the background of your photo, but since when does VH1 play music videos anymore? Remember when those stations were all just videos! But, then again…Cathy, will you stay in this house and continue to rock my world?
meeshka says
Hey Cathy –
I gotta question for ya’ not at all related to VH1 – I NEED to talk to you about your camera! Can you email me so I don ‘t have to post the whole darn boring thing right here?!
Thanks!
lizi says
you are too cool to be watching vh1!
tryshia says
love the Sponge Bob Square Pants is in the background on the TV!!! AWESOME!!!!
Jill says
As fun as that post was, now I am completely obsessing on Cheez-it crackers. They are in the background of a picture and I can’t stop thinking about them.
Tina says
Oh no my idol Cathy Z doesn’t like my other idol Rob Thomas and MB20… I must go and re think my life and all I thought I was… I’ll be back.