I spend an embarrassing amount of time working on my music playlists and other not so profound revelations

Oh sure, I could try and come up with some well-thought-out intro that justifies my narcissistic need to show off the music I listen to, specifically the playlists which I spend way too much time crafting and editing to my fickle satisfaction; but it’s my blog and I’ll kvetch if I want to. Although in this case, I’ll be bragging, not complaining.

Thus, every once in a while — starting with this post — I’ll be introducing a playlist from my iTunes and will attempt to explain the theme I was going for (if the playlist title isn’t self-explanatory enough) while pointing out tracks of particular significance.

Shamelessly self-indulgent, you say? Well I say: Hi, you must be new here. First up:

<<Dork>>

Rather than showing off the cool, knowledgeable hipster side of my taste in music, I think it would be more fitting to start with the playlist which really speaks to my dorkiness. I’d like to have fit the first 50 tracks, but I couldn’t figure out how. Frankly, you’re lucky to get any screen shot, so deal with it.

The songs which fall into this list are the ones that are awesome, but also kind of weird and embarrassing (I like to think of it as me in playlist form). Some of these tracks started out in more classifiable categories but were put in here because they just didn’t fit in properly from whatever context they started. For instance, “You’re the Best Around” by Joe Esposito strikes me as a late 80’s montage song, but I find it’s too much associated with The Karate Kid to take seriously as a song to stand on its own. The same applies to Queen’s “Flash Gordon”; as much as I dig it, it stands out as almost a novelty in a 70’s playlist.  Both songs fail to capture the zeitgeist of their respective times, but I like them enough that I want them on regular rotation.

In contrast, “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor is more than just the Rocky III song and remains in my 80’s list (incidentally, “Eye of the Tiger” replaced “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen in that soundtrack because Sylvester Stallone couldn’t get the rights), while “Hearts on Fire” by John Cafferty might as well be called the Rocky beats communism track and is placed in my Dork list.

Lest you think only movie soundtrack songs are on here, I’ll move on by pointing out that, apparently, the most played track on this list is “Waka Laka” by Jenny Rom Vs. The Zippers (credited to DDR on my iTunes). To be honest, I was never much of a Dance Dance Revolution enthusiast (I don’t dance so much as boogie, which is a charitable way of saying spazzing out). The way I got around to discovering this song is, a couple years back, I accidentally got into the anime Azumanga Daioh. See, I was never much into anime (and I’ve always felt I missed out) but there was this running gag of animated gifs on the internet where this schoolgirl would kick her shoe into the air and something random would happen because of it. It’s hard to explain. But the point is, I tracked down what cartoon it was, just so I could finally get some context as to what was going on in that scene:

The scene charmed me enough that I looked up episodes and, I gotta tell you, it’s pretty entertaining.

Anyway, while looking up said episodes, I discovered a fan video titled “Waka Laka for Osaka” which, admittedly, I probably would have found to be hypersugary, ADD-addled, girly weirdness before I got into the series. It’s still all those things, but it also works on so many levels. It syncs to the lyrics in random but fitting ways, and recognizing the episodes where some of the clips come from it adds another level of fun to it. While I didn’t literally become addicted to the song, I did figuratively and exaggeratedly become addicted to it. While we’re on this tangent, this also explains why the second and third most played track on here is the opening and closing theme to the show (“Soramimi Cake” and “Raspberry Heaven” respectively). Again, I emphasize that these songs irritated me the first few times I heard them; but now I can’t imagine an existence without them.

The shortest song on here (clocking in at 36 seconds) is the cameo bit The Ramones did on The Simpsons. It’s a classic bit known to all Simpsons fans, and it’s still pretty funny even if you’re not familiar with the show.

I have it precede with The Ramones’ rendition of The Amazing Spiderman song. Yes, it’s essentially a TV theme song, but it rocks, and I like it. To the Dork list!

One of the more disturbing tracks on here (aside from Cher and some Grease songs) is “Hog Bitch Stomp” by Buckethead. At first, I only knew him as the weirdo who was supposed to replace Slash in the ever-changing Guns N’ Roses lineup back in 2001. As with most of the stuff on here, it sounded kinda repellent at first. Here I wanted coke-fueled blues-metal guitar riffs like Slash, and Buckethead delivers these avant-garde post-metal shred licks that sound less like music and more like R2-D2 having an orgasm. But what won me over was seeing him get on stage and perform this country-fried, chicken-picking instrumental which made me realize he wasn’t just weird for the sake of being weird; he can fucking play.

Probably the hardest song to explain on here (and perhaps most fitting) is Les Paul’s rendition of “Goofus.” I’m a bit of an R. Crumb fan. In one of his stories dealing with his obsessive record collecting and constant searches through yard sales for said same, he mentions stumbling upon a recording of “Goofus” by some obscure band he loved. He explains how too good to be true it seemed. He tries buying the record, but he can’t keep his cool and the lady figures out that the record is more valuable than she suspected, and ends up not selling it. Years later, he wonders if maybe he didn’t imagine the whole thing, because there remains no record of that song ever being recorded by that band, but he could recall the record label and the words so vividly nonetheless. The story intrigued me enough that I sought out the song. I’ve heard a bunch of different versions, but there’s something silly and charming about Les Paul’s version that I find it very reassuring. It kinda sounds like it ought to be the background of old-time TV bloopers and outtakes. If I had to pick a theme-song, I’d be tempted to pick something badass like Megadeth’s Hangar 18, but Goofus would be way more fitting.

I spend an embarrassing amount of time working on my music playlists and other not so profound revelations

Oh sure, I could try and come up with some well-thought-out intro that justifies my narcissistic need to show off the music I listen to, specifically the playlists which I spend way too much time crafting and editing to my fickle satisfaction; but it’s my blog and I’ll kvetch if I want to. Although in this case, I’ll be bragging, not complaining.

Thus, every once in a while — starting with this post — I’ll be introducing a playlist from my iTunes and will attempt to explain the theme I was going for (if the playlist title isn’t self-explanatory enough) while pointing out tracks of particular significance.

Shamelessly self-indulgent, you say? Well I say: Hi, you must be new here. First up:

<<Dork>>

Rather than showing off the cool, knowledgeable hipster side of my taste in music, I think it would be more fitting to start with the playlist which really speaks to my dorkiness. I’d like to have fit the first 50 tracks, but I couldn’t figure out how. Frankly, you’re lucky to get any screen shot, so deal with it.

The songs which fall into this list are the ones that are awesome, but also kind of weird and embarrassing (I like to think of it as me in playlist form). Some of these tracks started out in more classifiable categories but were put in here because they just didn’t fit in properly from whatever context they started. For instance, “You’re the Best Around” by Joe Esposito strikes me as a late 80’s montage song, but I find it’s too much associated with The Karate Kid to take seriously as a song to stand on its own. The same applies to Queen’s “Flash Gordon”; as much as I dig it, it stands out as almost a novelty in a 70’s playlist.  Both songs fail to capture the zeitgeist of their respective times, but I like them enough that I want them on regular rotation.

In contrast, “Eye of the Tiger” by Survivor is more than just the Rocky III song and remains in my 80’s list (incidentally, “Eye of the Tiger” replaced “Another One Bites the Dust” by Queen in that soundtrack because Sylvester Stallone couldn’t get the rights), while “Hearts on Fire” by John Cafferty might as well be called the Rocky beats communism track and is placed in my Dork list.

Lest you think only movie soundtrack songs are on here, I’ll move on by pointing out that, apparently, the most played track on this list is “Waka Laka” by Jenny Rom Vs. The Zippers (credited to DDR on my iTunes). To be honest, I was never much of a Dance Dance Revolution enthusiast (I don’t dance so much as boogie, which is a charitable way of saying spazzing out). The way I got around to discovering this song is, a couple years back, I accidentally got into the anime Azumanga Daioh. See, I was never much into anime (and I’ve always felt I missed out) but there was this running gag of animated gifs on the internet where this schoolgirl would kick her shoe into the air and something random would happen because of it. It’s hard to explain. But the point is, I tracked down what cartoon it was, just so I could finally get some context as to what was going on in that scene:

The scene charmed me enough that I looked up episodes and, I gotta tell you, it’s pretty entertaining.

Anyway, while looking up said episodes, I discovered a fan video titled “Waka Laka for Osaka” which, admittedly, I probably would have found to be hypersugary, ADD-addled, girly weirdness before I got into the series. It’s still all those things, but it also works on so many levels. It syncs to the lyrics in random but fitting ways, and recognizing the episodes where some of the clips come from it adds another level of fun to it. While I didn’t literally become addicted to the song, I did figuratively and exaggeratedly become addicted to it. While we’re on this tangent, this also explains why the second and third most played track on here is the opening and closing theme to the show (“Soramimi Cake” and “Raspberry Heaven” respectively). Again, I emphasize that these songs irritated me the first few times I heard them; but now I can’t imagine an existence without them.

The shortest song on here (clocking in at 36 seconds) is the cameo bit The Ramones did on The Simpsons. It’s a classic bit known to all Simpsons fans, and it’s still pretty funny even if you’re not familiar with the show.

I have it precede with The Ramones’ rendition of The Amazing Spiderman song. Yes, it’s essentially a TV theme song, but it rocks, and I like it. To the Dork list!

One of the more disturbing tracks on here (aside from Cher and some Grease songs) is “Hog Bitch Stomp” by Buckethead. At first, I only knew him as the weirdo who was supposed to replace Slash in the ever-changing Guns N’ Roses lineup back in 2001. As with most of the stuff on here, it sounded kinda repellent at first. Here I wanted coke-fueled blues-metal guitar riffs like Slash, and Buckethead delivers these avant-garde post-metal shred licks that sound less like music and more like R2-D2 having an orgasm. But what won me over was seeing him get on stage and perform this country-fried, chicken-picking instrumental which made me realize he wasn’t just weird for the sake of being weird; he can fucking play.

Probably the hardest song to explain on here (and perhaps most fitting) is Les Paul’s rendition of “Goofus.” I’m a bit of an R. Crumb fan. In one of his stories dealing with his obsessive record collecting and constant searches through yard sales for said same, he mentions stumbling upon a recording of “Goofus” by some obscure band he loved. He explains how too good to be true it seemed. He tries buying the record, but he can’t keep his cool and the lady figures out that the record is more valuable than she suspected, and ends up not selling it. Years later, he wonders if maybe he didn’t imagine the whole thing, because there remains no record of that song ever being recorded by that band, but he could recall the record label and the words so vividly nonetheless. The story intrigued me enough that I sought out the song. I’ve heard a bunch of different versions, but there’s something silly and charming about Les Paul’s version that I find it very reassuring. It kinda sounds like it ought to be the background of old-time TV bloopers and outtakes. If I had to pick a theme-song, I’d be tempted to pick something badass like Megadeth’s Hangar 18, but Goofus would be way more fitting.

Adventures in Otolaryngology

If you hate:

• long stories
• surgical stuff
• gross oral fluids
• up close pics of infection

then move along, move along.

—

My lack of breathing due to throat-swelling had me pretty worried some weeks ago. After a visit to the emergency room, I figured it had all passed. Then, towards the end of August, it swelled up again; couldn’t talk, could barely breathe. I ended up back at LAC ER, back in the same ENT floor. After the same IV unit of saline and steroids, my throat felt a little better. The doctor recommended making a Peritonsillar incision to drain the pus. It was what I’d been dreading. Let me explain: some people have a thing about needles, it creeps them out; some people can’t stand the sight of blood. For me, I’ve always hated any medical thing involving the throat and mouth. My gag reflex is set off way too easy. So the idea of getting a needle and scalpel and some weird pair of scissors back there- well, that just seemed way uncool.

They gave me three choices, though. I could let the IV do its thing, let the swelling go down temporarily, and then have it likely come back because the pus and bacteria was still back there. I could merely aspirate the abscess with a needle, though there was a chance of some pus being left behind (and thus a chance of infection and swelling), or I could open it up and use suction to get it all out (the most painful route, but also the most effective). Never mind the pain (though that kinda worried me too), I was just hoping I could get my mouth open wide enough and keep it open without retching and dry heaving (or worse). Even so, I opted for door number three and signed the waiver for the procedure. The doctor blasted the back of my throat with Novocaine spray and gave me the suction wand to use myself as needed (fun). I somehow kept my mouth open. Lots of pain, lots of blood; but no freaking pus. The doctor couldn’t find the sweet spot, so I ended up going home with a cut-up (though relatively less swollen thanks to the IV medicine that would wear off soon) throat. As you can see here in this gratuitous close-up shot of the back of my throat (which I would advise not clicking unless you’re the morbidly curious type), all I had to show for it was an “R” shaped wound and still swollen tonsils.

Less than 36 hours later, my throat nearly closed up again like it had the first time around, it was back to the emergency room. It got so that the nurses and I were on a first name basis (quick aside: when I was finally able to eat again, I had fallen asleep through the designated hospital dinner time and there was no tray for me when I awoke. One of the nurses split her sandwich with me, which she brought from home, along with some of her Oreo cookies. Whether it was out of kindness or pity, I appreciated it very much, let me tell you).

So, the same script: paperwork, triage, waiting, more paperwork and diagnostics, IV unit, transfer to the ENT wing, more waiting; then finally, a doctor. Same three choices again, and I nearly relented on going through that ordeal again. But if there was going to be any improvement, it had to be that route. I signed the waiver again. The second time around, I had a pair of doctors perform the procedure- and it worked! They hit pay dirt and drained that sucker. I could feel the difference almost immediately. Within a few hours, my voice no longer sounded like I had a potato in my mouth, and I could eat solids again without worry. Even the new scar was something of a good sign (a triangular shape; my sister pointed out it looked like the triforce which simultaneously reassured me and solidified her awesomeness). I took my medication and went back for a check-up and they say I’m fine.

Not trying to jinx it- knock on wood or whatever- but the third time may have been the charm. The doctors and especially the nurses were all really nice throughout but if I never go back, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.

Adventures in Otolaryngology

If you hate:

• long stories
• surgical stuff
• gross oral fluids
• up close pics of infection

then move along, move along.

—

My lack of breathing due to throat-swelling had me pretty worried some weeks ago. After a visit to the emergency room, I figured it had all passed. Then, towards the end of August, it swelled up again; couldn’t talk, could barely breathe. I ended up back at LAC ER, back in the same ENT floor. After the same IV unit of saline and steroids, my throat felt a little better. The doctor recommended making a Peritonsillar incision to drain the pus. It was what I’d been dreading. Let me explain: some people have a thing about needles, it creeps them out; some people can’t stand the sight of blood. For me, I’ve always hated any medical thing involving the throat and mouth. My gag reflex is set off way too easy. So the idea of getting a needle and scalpel and some weird pair of scissors back there- well, that just seemed way uncool.

They gave me three choices, though. I could let the IV do its thing, let the swelling go down temporarily, and then have it likely come back because the pus and bacteria was still back there. I could merely aspirate the abscess with a needle, though there was a chance of some pus being left behind (and thus a chance of infection and swelling), or I could open it up and use suction to get it all out (the most painful route, but also the most effective). Never mind the pain (though that kinda worried me too), I was just hoping I could get my mouth open wide enough and keep it open without retching and dry heaving (or worse). Even so, I opted for door number three and signed the waiver for the procedure. The doctor blasted the back of my throat with Novocaine spray and gave me the suction wand to use myself as needed (fun). I somehow kept my mouth open. Lots of pain, lots of blood; but no freaking pus. The doctor couldn’t find the sweet spot, so I ended up going home with a cut-up (though relatively less swollen thanks to the IV medicine that would wear off soon) throat. As you can see here in this gratuitous close-up shot of the back of my throat (which I would advise not clicking unless you’re the morbidly curious type), all I had to show for it was an “R” shaped wound and still swollen tonsils.

Less than 36 hours later, my throat nearly closed up again like it had the first time around, it was back to the emergency room. It got so that the nurses and I were on a first name basis (quick aside: when I was finally able to eat again, I had fallen asleep through the designated hospital dinner time and there was no tray for me when I awoke. One of the nurses split her sandwich with me, which she brought from home, along with some of her Oreo cookies. Whether it was out of kindness or pity, I appreciated it very much, let me tell you).

So, the same script: paperwork, triage, waiting, more paperwork and diagnostics, IV unit, transfer to the ENT wing, more waiting; then finally, a doctor. Same three choices again, and I nearly relented on going through that ordeal again. But if there was going to be any improvement, it had to be that route. I signed the waiver again. The second time around, I had a pair of doctors perform the procedure- and it worked! They hit pay dirt and drained that sucker. I could feel the difference almost immediately. Within a few hours, my voice no longer sounded like I had a potato in my mouth, and I could eat solids again without worry. Even the new scar was something of a good sign (a triangular shape; my sister pointed out it looked like the triforce which simultaneously reassured me and solidified her awesomeness). I took my medication and went back for a check-up and they say I’m fine.

Not trying to jinx it- knock on wood or whatever- but the third time may have been the charm. The doctors and especially the nurses were all really nice throughout but if I never go back, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.