Java Jane's Good Stuff

Music to Live By:

nobody@vox.com(Java Jane) — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 11:46:09 -0400

[This post stays on top of blog, new content below this!]

Really like Last.fm for a variety of reasons. If you are on Last, please feel free to add me as your friend if so inclined. This is what I've been listening to recently:

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QotD: Stop Me If You've Heard This One

nobody@vox.com(Java Jane) — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 11:02:42 -0500

What's the infamous story people tell about you?
Submitted by Cherney.

OMG, there are sooooooooo many, some I'll tease you with here! If you asked this question in the last 9 years, the answer would be "none", as post kids, I've turned into the model mom and have pretty much renounced my former infamy. I'm still "crazy mommy", but not "infamous" crazy mommy! Prior to my kids, I've been pegged with monikers that ranged from "dePunka", and "Dangerous Deb" to "Wild Woman", and I always gave my friends and acquintances a new tale or adventure to tell, although fortunately, I always knew where to draw the line. My long term friends always ask me to write a book journaling some of my best stories, and we love to laugh as we relive them! Maybe one day I will write that book.

If asked, I don't know which of the many stories any given person might tell. There was the time in high school when we were reading the Merchant of Venice and the teacher was reading aloud the "boil and bubble, toil and trouble" intro lines and out of the blue, I felt compelled to I let out my best witch cackle at the top of my lungs, reminiscent of the wicked witch of the West's, "I'll get you my pretty, nah, hah ha ha" in The Wizard of Oz. The teacher and class fell to pieces in laughter and we laughed the whole rest of the class period. There was the time when I was in college where my girlfriend and I were flirting with some guys at the diner after being out all night, had breakfast with them, and all of a sudden, when we exchanged information, I realized the one guy was my former 7th grade teacher (albeit, he was cute)! Yuck! Maybe they'd tell of the time I worked for the U.S. Courts in Washington D.C. and while going to work every day in a conservative suit I cut my hair into a full on mohawk.

Could it be the time I worked for SONY in Los Angeles and due to sheer moxie talked my way into an extra roll on the 80s TV hit "Hunter"? Maybe it was the seat of my pants move across country, leaving a great job in NYC to move to L.A. with no job and knowing no one. Could it be the time I spent in Spain and all my adventures there, including dating a pop singer? Possibly it would be the time I went camping with my friends all of us clad in black leather and how we were stalked outside our tent by a black bear and ended up sleeping in the ranger's cabin??? Yeah, we were true hardcore campers - all clad in clubbing gear!

There was the time my girlfriend and I jokingly (and rather innocently) passed out "MPS" coupons to cute boys vacationing at the summer resort we worked at in high school, and when they got the idea they might cash in while we were out on a boat ride/water skiing trip around the lake, we dove off like a shot into the lake and ended up having to swim more than a mile back to shore. (Talk about naive and stupid!) That brings to mind memories the mad Algerian who stalked me all across Spain and wanted to take me back to Algiers and have me tend to his aging mother while he went off to cabaret all day. Yeah, that's right up my alley, bud...

It could be the time when my girlfriend and I were convinced we were being sold into white slavery in a Valencia night club. THAT is a story to be reckoned with, but at least led it lead to meeting our rescuer, a native San Franciscan living in Spain, which turned into a relationship, and later, once the relationship ended became an enduring friendship. Matter of fact, his sister flew in from the Bay area recently and we booked a hotel suite in Times Square to give our kids a "vacation" in Manhattan for a week and we did the whole tourist thing, something jaded, native NYers rarely do! Another friend could tell of the time driving back from a beach vacation where during the whole trip back, guys in a neighboring car were holding up signs to meet us, etc. and we were holding them up back inside our cars driving. We actually stopped and had dinner with them! Man, that would be a scary thing to think of my daughter doing today... I have so many exciting, interesting and sometimes hair raising stories from many moons ago, I don't know which one any given friend might relay about me, as there are far too many, many, too many to chose from, and many I just wouldn't share with strangers in a public forum, in order to protect the guilty, even if names were changed. LOL.

All I can say is I enjoyed my youth to the fullest, and because I'm generally confident and outgoing and not afraid to approach or be approached by too many people from all walks of life, it's opened many a door to adventure and light hearted craziness which have lead to many an infamous tale to be told. Yep, there were some risks (albeit only a few) that I took, that in hindsight I realize were flat out stupid. Thankfully they ended up well. Overall, despite being outgoing, adventurous and at times a touch crazy, I have maintained rewarding, solid friendships, and have many exploits and adventures for those involved to recount from the 80s to the early 90s. I think, along with all the infamous stories my friends have to chose from and might tell, along with any given story, I fancy they'd mostly likely tell of a caring, compassionate, true blue friend who has never betrayed their secrets or trust and who cares about them like family over the decades and that is what makes me most memorable and infamous to the people I hold dear...

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APB: One Favorite Alternative Band

nobody@vox.com(Java Jane) — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 13:30:32 -0400

APB out of Aberdeen, Scotland is one of my all time favorite 80s alternative bands, although they are fairly obscure. They are best known for their song "Shoot You Down" off their "Something To Believe In" album, and although they never put out much material (two albums, one EP), I like just about every track they made. Here is a live sample of APB, although I think their recorded work is what really shines:

Rainy Day

A Little APB History:

During the'80s, one of the most popular underground alternative bands to make a splash in the New York Tri-State area was, surprisingly, not a local band. In fact, APB hailed from across the pond in Scotland. While most alternative bands of the'80s used chiming guitars and/or icy synths to get their points across, APB were an anomaly, as it was funk bass that led the charge (quite comparable to Gang of Four -- minus the political lyrics). In fact, their early work served as a blueprint for what the Red Hot Chili Peppers would follow on their first few releases. Formed in Aberdeen, Scotland, APB were comprised of singer/bassist Iain Slater , guitarist Glenn Roberts , and drummer George Cheyne , with a pair of percussionists added over the years ( Nick Jones from 1982-1983 and Mikey Craighead taking Jones 'spot from 1984-1989).

The group initially caused a buzz in Europe, which lead to several sessions for BBC Radio 1 between 1981 and 1984 (the John Peel Sessiontwice, and the David Jensen Sessionand Peter Powell Sessiononce apiece). Several singles were issued as well, which served as the basis for APB 's debut full-length, Something to Believe In , in 1985. New York radio soon embraced these singles (namely"Palace Filled with Love,""Rainy Day,""One Day,""What Kind of Girl?,"and especially the infectious"Shoot You Down"), which led to several U. S. tours -- including spots over the years opening for both the Clash and James Brown . Additionally, APB headlined their own New York gigs (including a performance at the famous venue the Ritz).

In 1986 a sophomore effort, Cure for the Blues , was released, as well as a four-song EP, Missing You Already , later that same year. The group would continue to perform sporadically for the remainder of the'80s, but would not issue any more new recordings. Interest in APB increased by the early 21st century, thanks to the emergence of countless new wave revival acts, which led to a double-disc reissue of their debut in 2005, Something to Believe In: 20th Anniversary Edition , as well as a compilation of their early radio sessions, The Radio 1 Sessions , a year later.

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80s Music Friday (Uh, a Day Early...Ooops...)

nobody@vox.com(Java Jane) — Thu, 03 May 2007 23:05:05 -0400

from Java Jane of Generation 80s Retro Radio

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The Cure for Getting Old

nobody@vox.com(Java Jane) — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 10:43:27 -0400

THE CURE- PLAY FOR TODAY

Can you believe how young (and HOT) Robert Smith looks? Geez, aging sure takes it's toll, huh Rob? I should know! ;) Thanks 'Cello!

**yesterday i got so old i felt like i could die yesterday i got so old it made me want to cry**

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