Having a large Raffi collection even when supplemented by Sharon, Lois, and Bram and Trout Fishing in America, is overrated. Nineteen years ago I made my first purchase of children's music to play in the car: Raffi's More Singable Songs for the Very Young, that started with "Six Little Ducks" and finished with "New River Train." That move eventually led to an almost complete abdication of control over drive-time listening.
Even after the kids didn't need "children's music" per se, they had grown used to choosing, and so I listened to The Beach Boys, The Beatles, Jerry Jeff Walker, Warren Zevon, Pink Floyd, and Paul Simon, ad nauseum. Not bad choices in and of themselves. As you can tell, I had some influence over their tastes, yet I wasn't the one who called the shots. . .ever.
Now my van has Sirius Radio with twelve preset stations:
- The Sixties on Six
- The Seventies on Seven
- Classic Vinyl
- Classic Rewind
- Deep Tracks (lesser known cuts of better known artists)
- The Spectrum (my effort to keep up with a bigger variety of music and artists)
- The Coffeehouse (acoustic and singer/songwriters)
- Margaritaville (totally relaxed with an attitude)
- Outlaw Country (because I live in Texas)
and three news stations:
- POTUS (politics)
- CNN
- BBC
I cycle among the twelve and can always find something decent to listen to. In fact, one day recently (I can't remember whether it was last week or sometime this week as I crossed northern Louisiana, northern Mississippi, or northern Alabama--believe me those miles are all a blur), I was listening to Press Room on POTUS, waiting for Robert Gibbs (not an original Bee Gee) to come on and do his daily press briefing from The White House. As I waited, listening to the filler drivel, the show host suddenly switched to breaking news: live coverage of President Barack Obama ordering hamburgers for himself and the reporters that went with him at THE FIVE GUYS hamburger joint. He paid for it himself: 80 bucks worth of burgers and fries.
Guess what we saw when we pulled up to our hotel yesterday? Across the street from our Courtyard Marriott was Five Guys . Guess what I had for dinner tonight: a cheeseburger and fries, just like our President, except he had his with mustard, tomatoes, and jalapeno peppers, and I had mine with mayonnaise, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles.
That may be as good as it gets!
ReplyDeleteOH Vicky you have my mouth watering at 5:49 am for one of those cheeseburgers.
ReplyDeleteOK, OK...two questions:
ReplyDelete1. Was the hamburger good? Please add a reference point--Wendy's, Burger King, Chicken Oil will do for starters.
2. Does Serius have 50's music?
Answer to two questions:
ReplyDelete1. The burgers are good (juicy and flavorful). They are a little bigger than a burger from Chicken Oil, but not as big as Koppe Bridge. You can have it "your way" with mushrooms, grilled onions, etc. The french fries are real cut potatoes (not frozen). The decor is plain, sort of like a diner. I'd say the burgers overall, are in the top ten percent.
2. Of course Sirius and XM have 50s music, the fifties on five. They also have the forties on four. I dabble in both those stations, as well as the eighties on eight. I just don't use a pre-set button for them. I never listen to the nineties on nine (I am too ld to have a clue about them.).
I've never tried Five Guys. They put one in at our mall a couple years ago. Think I'll need to head to the mall and give it a try. Thanks for the idea! :)
ReplyDeleteI love 5 guys!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAlso - your description of the music your kids liked reminds me of my childhood - my sister and I grew up listening to Simon & Garfunkel (who I eventually saw in concert - amazing!), Cat Stevens, Billy Joel, Beach Boys, Elton John, etc. We also listened to Raffi - but absolutely loved listening to the music our parents love!
Hope you guys are having some better weather than we are experiencing - it's been pouring for 2 days straight! :)
Classic Rewind and Deep Tracks are 2 of Matthew's favorite stations as well, Vickie! Of course so are Hair Nation, and Rock at Random. If he is in the mood for what he calls a "buuutiful slow song" we have to switch to Pink, Love, or the Blend.
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Oh, I didn't think to suggest that you take the interstate across Tennessee on your way to DC. It takes about the same length of time as 20 to 95 in Atlanta, but it is so much prettier! Also, 95 is a beast in the summer, and you get to skip it if you go through TN. The Holiday Inn (or was it the Hampton?) on Stateline Drive in Texarkana is nice. Knoxville and Little Rock are also good places to spend the night on that route. It is also a fun 2-day detour to cut through Kentucky and follow the Bourbon Trail on your way back.
ReplyDeleteHow could you forget... the Elvis channel?
ReplyDeleteHair Nation is good, too, though as Moo would say, it is a bit in the "wheedely, wheedely" vein.
Miss you lots. Look forward to seeing you next weekend!!
The 80's were an awesome decade for music and the 90's weren't bad either. You're not that much older than me! I turned over control of the TV channels but never gave up the radio dial to the kids. They like "old" music just fine. Chicken Oil and Koppe Bridge are just about as good as burgers come, so 5 Guys is in pretty good company I'd say.
ReplyDeleteWell, I have written MANY times about this topic. As much of a music lover as I am, to be honest, sometimes I just don't listen to anything. Silence. Ahhhhhh.
ReplyDeleteHey! I want to ride somewhere in your car! I feel a song coming on....I think it is probably from the 70s.......
ReplyDeletea) we have similar tastes in music.. although i don't listen to margaritaville.. instead i really like show tunes, broadway!
ReplyDeleteb) gonna wear my erin lanyard at the pride march tomorrow (with my cross from jerusalem hanging from it) - i'm enjoying the idea of having a little angel activist inspiration along with me at the march. from everything you've written and what you've shared about your politics, it sounds as though y'all would appreciate my wearing my erin lanyard at the pride march as a small way of honoring her memory (if i've read y'all wrong and it would be dishonoring, please do let me know and i won't wear it to any other lgbtq events).
i hope you continue to enjoy your time in d.c. and that the rest of your travels continue to be safe.
On your trip back, try The Bridge on Sirius. It combines all your favorite decades.
ReplyDeleteI eat my burgers like you - with the exact additions except I do a ketchup dip before each bite.
ReplyDeletePOTUS - does it stand for PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES? Or something else?
Think of Erin often - she is a gem. My son goes for his checkup next month - Hodgkin's Lymphoma. God bless...L in Alaska