Music lessons with my brother

I was 14, I think. I was sitting in my bedroom, or cleaning, or something.

Marc Anthony was singing “You Sang to Me” on the radio.

My brother walked in.

“Bailey,” he said, after approaching the stereo. “As your big brother, I have to do this.”

He turned the stereo off.

And then he exited my room.

Apparently he wasn’t much of a fan.

I’ve had several educational moments with this particular brother (who I won’t name because sometimes he gets weird about me mentioning things about him, and I’m not sure if his love of pop music would be on that list) regarding music over the years. And by “educational” I mean sometimes educational, sometimes just bonding.

There was the time he explained to me why Britney’s “Oops I did it, Again” was not wholesome – though this conversation was encompassed by our main conversation which was about how we both liked the song.

We both loved Vitamin C’s “Smile” around the same time, though he may have feigned additional interest on my behalf, for the sake of sibling bonding. I bought the single and he let me play it in the car.

But there are certain songs – Marc’s “You Sang to Me” being among them – that, generally without fail, make me think of this particular big brother of mine. Every time I hear these songs. Below is our musical, sibling anthology.

First up we have Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now.” Brother bought me this CD in 2004, upon discovery that I didn’t yet own All the Way: A Decade of Song. He felt my not owning it was inappropriate for my life.

CD was purchased and immediately played in the car.

A melodramatic rendition was sung by us both, but the moment I remember in particular is centered around the lyric: “but you were history with the slamming of the door.”

After “door,” there is a barrumph sound to indicate a door -- yes, you guessed it -- slamming.

During our melodramatic singing of a melodramatic song, Brother took a hand from the steering wheel to do a sweeping motion with it, and used his voice to really get at the drama of the moment --

of the slamming

of the door.

Barrumph.

In keeping with our diva segment, let’s now move on over to our favorite country belle (who I want to see in Vegas, pretty please, anyone who wants to join me), Shania.

Brother introduced me to the song I’m about to mention, because he first owned her greatest hits album before I (I purchased a copy along with a Celine magnet in Vegas earlier this year, and was so distracted by singing along with it on the way back to LA that I drove five miles in the wrong direction).

The song is “The Woman in Me.”

There’s a line that goes:

The woman in meeeeee
Needs you to beeeeeeee
the man in my arrrrrrrms
to hold tenderleeeeeeeeeeee

Now, Brother takes his own take on the “tenderlyyyyyyy” portion of the song, and by this I mean he mocks Ms. Twain’s way of uttering it.

When I first heard this song, with Brother, of course, I was thinking, “Nice song,” when suddenly I hear over Shania’s “tenderleeeeeeeeeeee”

Brother’s “ten-DUH-leeeeeeeeeeeeee”

Emphasis on the “duh.”

It is just very nearly impossible for me to hear this song and not also imagine my brother singing it. And while I think it’s a beautiful, sentimental, romantic ballad, I can’t help but laugh – at least a little bit on the inside – while trying to mimic Shania’s pitch in a sort of serious manner. It’s one of those inside jokes that just never dies.

While I love the ten-DUH-leeeeeeeeeeeee thing, I think this last song may be my favorite among all the Brother musical educational moments of history so far.

Or at least it’s one I think about a lot, because he pointed something out to me about a song that I really hadn’t thought about until he said something. And now I can’t help but think of the thing he pointed out, so I really owe that to him.

First thing’s first – we’re all familiar with the basic concept of the Backstreet Boys’ “The Call,” yes?

If not (shaking my head), watch this video and then join us again, please. We’ll wait.

So, to recap, for those of you who are missing out and decided not to watch the video (you know who you are), the aforementioned song, "The Call," involves a guy (or, five guys singing in harmony) telling his girl (five girls, listening in harmony?) that he’s going out to the club, so he ain't available to talk to his girl(s), when the dirty truth! is that he’s cheating on her and he's acting like his phone is about to die, but it is working just fine!

[ANGST]

So, as I mentioned before, I never really realized a small detail to this song until Brother pointed it out with classy and humorous mockery.

This educational musical lesson took place while I was in high school, again in my bedroom, radio playing (because this was before the Christmas when he bought me The Hits -- Chapter One).

Brother started to pontificate about not so much the song or the concept of the song itself, but – and he got really deep here, guys, so mentally prepare yourselves for this – rather about the career of one of the BSBoys and his assigned part in the song.

It wasn’t really until I started working at a business journal in my twenties that I really started thinking about the moving parts of a business or working group of people, but I owe it to Brother for opening my eyes about the individual players in a boy band.

Thank you, Brother. Thank you for that.

So. We were listening to this song, and he started chuckling, laughing at the line in the song: “My battery is low.”

You’ll note this line at about 1:45 in the video above, in which one of our BSBoys adds a point to his cheating message to us naïve girls who were listening at home.

Homestar in the song goes on and on about how he’ll be out late tonight with “the guys” (sure) and so she (we) shouldn’t expect to hear from him.

Then another homestar, subtly – but surely – jumps in for his big SOLO MOMENT and tells us, “My battery is low,” to inform the naïve teeny boppers that his phone is supposedly going to die and so “Don’t even bother trying to call back, lady.”

Whoa, pause. I just had a vision of a BSB & Beyonce/Gaga mashup of the former’s “The Call” and the latter’s “Telephone” – whoa. That would be epic. All royalties better be sent to me, y’all, since I had the idea on this one.

Phew. Give me a sec.

Oh my goodness. Sorry, not done. This idea is burgeoning in my mind and I must get it out.

The premise for the audio/video mashup would be a girls against guys medley, where they’re singing at and over each other, like they’re in a fight. She’s all over here at the club dancing, can’t hold her drink and phone and dance all at once, brother. Meanwhile they’re over there trying to pull a fast one on her and girl don’t even care!! Cause she be dancing.

She’s k-kinda busy.

This is the best idea I’ve had all day.

OK, back. Where were we? Ah, yes. “The Call.”

So Brother started laughing at this battery part. He said, “Can you imagine? This guy just stands in the background for the whole song, then” (and here Brother took a step forward) “steps forward and sings, ‘MY BATTERY IS LOW!’ and then” (Brother steps back to original position) “his part is over.”

This is thought provoking stuff, it really is.

So much so, that 15-some years later, I’m still thinking about it as The Hits -- Chapter One blares in my Corolla as I cruise (crawl) down the 405.

Log

Adult things I did today:

Exercised.

Made garlic chicken w/pineapple and couscous for dinner (right? Delicious!).

Did some dishes.

Did NOT spend money.

Cleaned snow off my car without whining.

Teenage things I did today:

Got out of bed after noon.

Ignored the rest of the dishes.

Hid out from the snow and didn't go outside until after 4 p.m.

Surfed the internet and watched TV.

Umm...watched more TV.

My next plan of attack is to paint my fingernails dark blue (closest I have to black at the moment), preparing myself for attendance at a punk rock concert tomorrow (with my former editor on vocals and tambourine!!!). Now, do I need to log that in the teenage category??

Home Alone!/Episcopal recap

Raise your hand if you have free reign of an apartment!

What should I do, friends, while Nick and Jeff are out?

Paint the walls?

Introduce myself to the neighbors?

Switch the contents of their sock drawers?

Hmm...

I've gotta say, I've been here less than 24 hours and they've already left me behind. Some hosts they are.

Just kidding, they're delightful, and we're well on our way to starring in the reprise of Three's Company. I even brought along three Starbucks aprons for us to wear during our morning coffee. Jeff suggested we take a shot of Bailey's Irish Cream each day that I'm here. Sounds good to me. Perhaps we can sip while Nick reads us a nightly bedtime story (Nick has a wonderful storytelling voice. My college roommate Claire and I used to charge him "rent" in the cost of a bedtime story when he would come visit us).

Nick had to work this morning--seriously, Nick--so my new friend Matty took me to church with him, where we were very badly behaved. A little too much giggling, and I may have spilled coffee on the hymnal.

In place of a sermon we had a "hymn sing," where people raised their hands with hymn numbers and we would sing a verse before moving onto the next suggestion. Matty dared me to find a really obscure hymn, and I suggested to him that I raise my hand with a Lenten hymn, perhaps from Good Friday.

I later told Matty we should never be allowed to attend church together again, or at least not sit next to each other.

"We got fewer looks than I thought we would," he told me this afternoon.

Airport Celeb Sighting

I have a shirt that says, "Pour Que Tu M'Aimes Encore" on it in hot pink letters. For those of you non-Celine freaks, that is the name of her all time biggest French hit.

I was wearing this shirt at the airport today and the barista at the Starbucks who waited on me looked at it and began to read it aloud.

"Celine?," he said.

"Yes, I love her!"

And he says, wait for it...

"You look like her."

I said to the guy, "she's not exactly blonde," and he said, "no, but your face looks like hers."

NO I DO NOT look like celine dion, but if he wants to hit on me by saying it, I will take it! Perfect start to my day! I called my dad and woke him up at 6am to tell him. Needless to say, HIGHLIGHT of my day.

Collage Morissette

Today I began my mandatory creativity time. Every Thursday from 3-6 it is written in my calendar to do arts or crafts. Today was day 1. It went pretty well. I made a collage of the lyrics to "You Learn" by Alanis Morissette. Fantastic song, agreed?

You live you learn

You love you learn

You cry you learn

You lose you learn

You bleed you learn

You scream you learn

You grieve you learn

You choke you learn

You laugh you learn

You choose you learn

You pray you learn

You ask you learn

You live you learn

So true, sister, sing it! The song also includes the lyrics, "I recommend walkin' around naked in your living room," which I agree with, but these lyrics did not make the final collage cut.

If I were technologically savvy I would take a picture of this collage for you with my digital camera and post it here. But I am not. So you will get a picture of Miss Alanis instead. Love you peeps, night!

Pillow Prayers

I am listening to Foo Fighters at 6 am.

That is because I did not sleep last night. Again. I finally gave up at 5 and got out of bed. This is the second time in 1 week that I haven't slept all night. I also just realized that I haven't eaten more than 2 little pieces of pizza and half a donut since around noon yesterday. You know when my neighbors say they worry about me, I usually roll my eyes, but sometimes I think they have a point.

In other news, Michael Jackson. Go ahead and judge me if you have strong opinions on the matter, but I am super sad about this. I don't care who you are, premature death is always going to cut me straight in the heart. Heath Ledger, Natasha Richardson, I still think about them and just have to stop in my tracks for a moment to fathom God's timing, His hugeness, His control, not ours.

I said a few real hard prayers this morning before deciding to call it quits in the snooze department, telling God I don't understand why he allows me to be deprived of sleep sometimes but asking me to trust Him. I know that probably sounds ridiculous to some of you, but guys, some days that is all I know. I guess I'd just rather go through it all, the sleepless nights, the angry days following, with someone else in charge. I never have been (to my knowledge) much of a control freak. Which works to my advantage, I think, in the believing in God department.

I am what we call an ENFP, for those of you Myers Briggs fans, which means I am extroverted, intuitive, feeling, and perceiving. For those of you who are not fellow M.B. freaks like me, ENFPs (along with other personalities, I won't steal all the thunder here) have a pretty rough go of it sometimes. For instance, our minds will not. shut. off. sometimes and we can't sleep. Then, because we're extroverts and friendly and addicted to people (yet here's the catch: we need time alone), our friends see us the next day and treat us normally. [Oh good, Bubbly Bailey's here, let's chat about her earrings, or the book she's reading, she's always so excited to chat.] So we have to be friendly in return, yet I'm not going to lie to you guys--we're gritting our teeth on those days, trying to keep it together, praying for a return to bed. And you know what's funny, just hilarious? Sometimes when you are free to return to that bed, after 36 hours of awakeness, you're not gonna believe this but it's true: you still can't fall asleep. Because you have new things to think about first.

I remember being in high school Sunday School class and we were talking about silence as a spiritual discipline. I asked, "what's that like?," and my youth director gave me a look of grave concern. Which is comforting at the age of 17.

So, my point (something ENFPs don't usually have nor feel the need to have, btw). While on the surface we may seem all together and happy-go-lucky, there is a lot going on under the surface there. Constant brainstorming, meditating, rethinking, evaluating relationships, examining of self. So go easy on the ENFPs, please.

Also, I hope this brief little bit of insight into my brain helps you understand why I have conversations with God at 3 am about sleep, instead of world peace, war, politics, issues of the church. Sometimes there is enough turmoil and dialogue in my head alone that I don't have room for the rest of the world. Which is why I pray for stillness, and silence. I pray you all receive the same.

I get overwhelmed trying to understand all the nooks and crannies of the whole Bible, so I often just hang out in the Psalms, where it's poetic and musical and cushy:

"Be still, and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10)

Write! Braden Braden Braden Braden Braden Braden Braden Write!

Brad has decided to enter the world of songwriting. He wrote his first hit a few weeks ago, entitled "Purple Rain." It goes, "purple rain comin' down, rain rain comin' down, comin' out of the sprinkla system."

Tonight he wrote "Dance Kitty:"

Dance

Kitty kitty kitty kitty kitty kitty kitty

Dance

Kitty kitty kitty kitty kitty kitty kitty

Dance

Purr, purr

No no!

Dance

Kitty kitty kitty kitty

Let's all support Braden in his new career endeavor.

Me Sexy Elders

Let's hear it for amazing KC Irish music!

Tonight was bittersweet, in that I had to say goodbye to Kimberly who is heading to the Peace Corps :( , but oh boy did we have a good time before the sad hugs, at our little rockin' Irish concert!

The Elders are these cutie pie middle aged men who play these crazy, amazingly original Irish rock tunes. Let me just put it this way. Do you play the fiddle? Because it might be a turn on for this girl.

http://www.eldersmusic.com

Five O

Friends. Today is the day. This is the 50th post on The Daily Bailey! Thank you so much for reading! Someday when we are at post 8,000 you can say "I was a follower way back at post #50." To celebrate (and perhaps bore you a little bit), I am offering 50 random thoughts/things about me. Ciao until tomorrow!

1 I never get sick of the “Little Women” soundtrack.
2 Lynn’s daughter Claire gave me a kiss on the cheek today (and then ran away). She had been drinking apple juice so it was sticky. I had never realized how much she looks like Lynn until she got right up in my face to give me a kiss.
3 In fourth grade I put peanut butter on my armpits (and then ate it) in front of the whole school.
4 I look almost exactly like my brother Riley.
5 I have considered joining the ministry.
6 I secretly want to be on America’s Next Top Model.
7 I only like peanut butter about 2% of the time, and can only eat about a tablespoonful before I have to stop.
8 Green is my favorite color.
9 In middle school I wanted to be a dairy farmer in Canada.
10 I hate toffee nut flavoring.
11 I love lima beans, beets, and black jelly beans.
12 When I tell people I have three brothers, most of them immediately ask if I am the youngest (I am not).
13 I am terrified of peacocks and belly dancers, both for their sexual forwardness.
14 My favorite book ever is Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott.
15 I hate to carry things or have things in my pockets.
16 I have never been stung by a bee.
17 I am extremely lazy. Truly. I sort of embrace it, but I’m also ashamed of it. Ironically I can be a very hard, tireless worker.

18 I lose my appetite when I'm scared, but gain one when I am bored.

19 I wish I could get lost dancing in a crowd of people every day.
20 I love to dance with my dad.
21 I hate the word “hubby."
22 I love the words “chevron,” “pedigree,” and “beleagured.”

23 I'm a definite advocate of seatbelts, sunscreen, and helmets.

24 I met Bob Dole in the second grade.

25 I love football. I dislike frisbee.

26 A kiss on the cheek (from anyone) makes me feel precious.

27 I am both a laidback free spirit as well as a contemplative crazy person.

28 I'm addicted to communication, but need my alone time every day.

29 I like when people are singing and the guitar stops playing and the voices continue a capella.

30 I find it fascinating that our toes naturally tap when we listen to music.

31 I think cows are beautiful animals.

32 I hate when I'm cold and have to pee at the same time.

33 I check people’s hands for wedding rings within the first 10 seconds of meeting them (both male and female).

34 I went almost 8 years without throwing up, threw up on Dec 19 2005, and haven’t thrown up since.
35 Beer is my preferred alcoholic beverage.
36 I feel off-balance if I don’t get a chance to read every day.
37 I have been on a rip-cord, jumped off a cliff (into water!), and ridden every roller coaster I have come across, but have not bungee jumped or gone sky diving.
38 My grandmother graduated from college at the age of 80.
39 I do not like to go to the doctor, but do not mind getting shots or getting my teeth cleaned.
40 I hope that the man I marry loves to cook.
41 I love children’s books. I also have a lot in common with the character Kristy Thomas in The Baby Sitters' Club series.
42 Rainy weather is my favorite kind.
43 I hope to live near water within five years.
44 In 2008 I threw away almost all of my jewelry and nail polish, then decided a few months later that I wanted them back.
45 I have worn makeup probably no more than 20 days of my entire life.
46 The song “Pomp and Circumstance” makes me cry. I hate attending graduations, but love to be the graduate.
47 I don’t know that I ever crave apples, but I eat them because I know they are good for me and I am not very creative with my produce selection.
48 When I was in preschool, my dad and I would recite our address and phone number, spell “SEARS,” and sing “There are Many Ways to say I love you” from Mister Rogers in the car.
49 The past few weeks I have changed bedrooms three times to accommodate for my guests, and Dibbs has found me each night to sleep with me.
50 I can’t believe I finished college almost three years ago.

Val-Kim-(b)er-(l)ie/ey (or something like that)

Two girls who are rockin' my world this week? Valerie and Kimberly.

Last night Ms. Valerie called me from Texas (yeehaw!) and it was a mega awesome surprise. She said, "I'm sorry it's taken me so long to call you on the telephone, Bailey." Totally 100% forgiven (and never judged beforehand, btw). Then tonight she sent me a little demo of her amazing tunes. Check out her myspace, she is one of the best musicians I've even encountered, truly. Love her (musically and personally, duh). http://www.myspace.com/valeriecochran

Second? Kimbee. Kim and I have freaky amounts of things in common, including precious fathers, choice of college, hometown, choice of continent to be obsessed with (Africa), model of parents' car. The list just goes on, really. I mean really. Kim just returned from her romps about Chicago and we had some delicious din din and got caught up for five months of apartness. Also she is leaving for the Peace Corps, so Miss Bailey is uber sad about this, and we were soaking up each other's presence before she goes. Up there in the little right hand corner is (I'm quite positive) the cutest picture that exists of me and Kim (drink in hand is the delicious Bud Select--holla!!).

(I would put up a pic of Valerie, but as many of you know beyond this blog I am technologically, um, uninvolved, so I have no digital pictures of Valerie and the only one I have of Kim I pirated from someone else. And besides, you get an audio aid for V. And in case you're wondering, Valerie is kind of a natural model, so it's unfortunate that there is no picture of her here. Okay that's enough out of me. Night, peeps!)

The Gym

I've seen this episode a hundred times. Monica: I am not smitten! Phoebe: Oh you are so much the smitten kitten. I can't help but smirk ever so slightly, because I'm a sucker for that line, but when the episode is over I click off the TV. I know it is sapping my positive energy. Mom calls us to dinner. We had a late lunch, so I am not hungry, but I eat a bit. We watch part of another episode of Friends over dinner. Again, I stay until the end of the episode, but then I head to the gym.

I don my sports bra and tank, but decide to tote along my swimsuit as well. I think some hydro resistance will be good for my mind. It is racing. Well not exactly racing, but distraught and back and forth. My best friend's family is going through a crisis, and she needs some space, which I understand, but it is hard for me to provide it, yet at the same time hard for me to run at her with open arms; I am childishly hurt by the distance, knowing I shouldn't be but am nevertheless. My mom is in town visiting, so I am not sleeping in my own bedroom nor using my own shower. The bedroom I am lodging in is a mess. I tried to start shuffling items in between Friends episode number one and dinner, to move my bones and my sludgy, negative thoughts. I need better pay, better hours, more hours. I need one book that strikes my chords, so I can finish and snuggle and meditate in it, take comfort. Small to big, you name it, I want it changed. At the library today I allowed myself only one chick flick to take home, knowing that watching kiss after kiss would not be good for my psyche.

I get to the gym and decide to swim. The lanes are full, so I pause in the hot tub. It is then that I realize how many thoughts I have had in the last hour alone. The lyrics to a song my friends Dan and Holly wrote join the rest of my thoughts. "My mind is racing, but you are keeping pace, Lord." I pray, "please quiet my thoughts." I don't ask that He make me numb, I've learned in the past that ignoring things makes them worse. I simply request rest for the evening.

A lane clears, I seize the opportunity before another buoyant body might. I swim the length of the pool only six times, with breaks between. Wow, I am less prepared for this than I thought. I take peace in the exercise, though, in the deep breaths, in the semi-stillness. I head to the steam room. I am the only one inside the dripping walls. Another man joins me. He moves to lay down in the corner he has chosen, moves and makes noises like a flopping fish. I smile to myself, not out of rudeness but thankful for the entertainment provided. He is precious. He says something like, "Excuse me? Bebe?" All I gathered from it was that he was apologizing for interrupting my steaming session. I offer a smile that says, "you're not bothering me." Another young man comes in, doesn't sit down, just stretches for a few. We can faintly hear his pump-iron iPod tunes while he communes with us. The older man begins doing sit-ups and I think, never seen that before. Hmm. Both men leave and so do I.

I consider changing clothes and walking or lifting before heading home, but decide to soak in the hot tub instead. I let my hair down, gather my things from the locker room, head for my car. My body is warm, like a glowing ember. My feet are red with heat. There is a woman walking to her car, she looks a little sad, perhaps. I look to see if there is a ring on her finger, wonder about her life, how old she is, hope that she will find love and be happy. Maybe she is just tired.

During the drive I switch the radio to the Christian station. Michael W. Smith is singing "God you reign." A second song comes on, the opening lyrics about God knowing the number of stars in the sky. I am reading a book about Abraham. God promised him descendants outnumbering the stars in the sky, and Abraham and his wife Sarah laugh at God, because they are old and barren. They each wonder and fight with God, "how do we become the parents of many nations if we have no child?!" Sarah even lets Abraham sleep with her maidservant to take matters into their own hands and attempt to create an heir. Time passes and God proves his truth by providing them with their own offspring, Isaac. I wonder about my own life, and relate.

One of my best friends is moving far away in August, another told me today he quit his job, is thinking of going back to Ohio or maybe Indiana. I laugh a little bit myself at God for the irony. I can't sit still for two minutes, have spent much of the last two years daydreaming about other places to live, yet He is asking me to be the pillar, to stand in place where I am until further notice. The adventure seeker, the girl who wants to have fish chew on her feet, has been asked to remain in Kansas. And her little cat, too. I know that God will provide the pieces to my creative future eventually, and in the meantime he provides my daily bread, just like he did for S & A. He is teaching me patience, this is becoming pretty obvious to me. Perhaps He wants me to be an example and a resting place for others, my friends running to and fro around the country and the world. A wise sage at the watering hole, available via telephone and email, who can prove that they can make it, since I've made it too. Some days it is just harder to remain at the bit and not charge ahead, is all.

I get home, turn off my engine but listen to the rest of a song. It is not until I close the garage door that I realize the other car is gone. Mom and Riley went somewhere, there is no note. I come into Riley's room to type this. I stop down the hall to give Dibbs a few finger strokes on the head. A few minutes later I realize he has relocated to recline on the floor behind me. Later he gets up to nudge the hard drive tower. Riley has a USB drive that is lit up on the end, red. Curious Dibbs moves his nose to it, and for a second he is Rudolph the Red Nosed CatBoy.

La Belle et La Bete

So you know you might be just a little bit anxious for love when you're watching Beauty and the Beast and reacting as if these were real people, hugging yourself tightly, wishing the Beast was yours. (Brad and Lynn, don't be mad I watched it without you, I'll watch it again in a second!!)

As I sat down to write this post, I was planning on writing about beer (my apologies for those who were excited for that story), but then the song "Wait for Me" by Rebecca St. James came on my Windows Media Player (NOT i-Tunes) shuffle. The song is about the man who she hasn't met, but who she will end up with.

"Darling, did you know that I

I dream about you

Waiting for the look in your eyes

When we meet for the first time

And darling, did you know that I

I pray about you

Praying that you will hold on

And keep your loving eyes only for me

'Cause I am waiting for, praying for you darling

Wait for me too"

Not only is this such a unique concept (I mean, we all fantasize about our unmet, future mates, but to almost have a conversation with him or her before meeting is so different), the song is rather delicious musically. Check it out, my friends, and give me a holla if you want to talk about people we haven't met but whom we'd like to make out with (celebrities can be included in this list). If you're desperate for love like me, fight the good fight, hold on to that charm, read good books and fill your mind with good things, vent your frustrations, keep helping others, hug those around you, and he or she will come along.

Love,

Bails