"the tent goes up and the tent comes down"

[hermionesviolin]

I wasn't nearly as productive as I should have been during my reams of boredom at work today, but oh well.  I am now in possession of groceries and clean laundry.  And I made myself real dinner for the first time in a while.  I also straightened up my room some in preparation for sk8eeyore.  (It is way improved.  I am surprised -- and impressed, and pleased.)  Oh, and I did some of my handwash.  And did the dishes.  (OriginalRoomie's done the dishes a whole bunch recently, btw.  Yayness.)

The predicted "Scattered Strong Storms" have thus far been a lie and a tease, but it the cooler temperatures have very much arrived, so it is okay.

I'm considering this couch, though NewRoomie doesn't wanna go in on a couch without arms.  [At that price I don't really care about paying for it all myself, but I do feel a touch bad.  Hmm, this one on craigslist could be okay.]

OriginalRoomie doesn't wanna split her cable (tv/internet) three ways given her previous bad roommate experience's which I can understand.  NewRoomie doesn't want cable tv, so my proposition is that she get the cable/internet package and I pay 3/4 of it.  Bah on complications.  [Speaking of which, "To obtain a recycling bin, please visit the DPW yard at 1 Franey Road, Monday-Friday, 8:00AM – 4:00 PM with proof of residency. (This may be any document displaying your name and address in Somerville, such as your driver’s license or utility bill)." -city of Somerville]  This requires my leaving my house at like 7:30 in the morning, coming home with a recycling bin, and then promptly leaving for work.  Gar.  Why no Saturday service at all?)

Ani's new album comes out on Tuesday.  Any independent retailers I should be supporting with my purchase (i.e., where should I go to buy my copy)?  (I have no expectation of liking this album, but she has become the one artist whose albums I buy right when they come out.)

Ani is so the soundtrack of my angst.  I had forgotten just how much, but I was looking through old files recently, plus my current playlist is my Ani mp3 collection.

Listening to "school night" [read the lyrics, download the song] I am reminded that there is one line I don't get: "and I am looking for my door key, but you are my porchlight"
The whole section is about how this person has appeal but is not the best choice for the speaker ("you are a miracle but that is not all / you are also a stiff drink and i am on call / you are a party and i am a school night / and i'm lookin' for my door key / but you are my porch light") but a porch light is a good thing when you are looking for your door key, right?  Anyone have thoughts?

Comments

[elucidate-this.livejournal.com]

i totally misread 'are' for 'ate' and was all, 'well it's weird that ani is saying that someone ate her porchlight, but it would make it harder to find your key if the light was out cause someone ate it'

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

::cracks up laughing::

Thoughts

[theatre-pixie.livejournal.com]

but a porch light is a good thing when you are looking for your door key, right?

Perhaps Ani isn't being *quite* as metaphorical as you're taking it. Maybe the person she's looking for is her "door key." So the lyric kind of means "yeah, you'd be helpful in looking for what I want, but, honey, you aren't it."

Also, in the context of a party on a school night... if one had gone out on a school night (whether or not he/she snuck out) and came home late, you generally want to arrive unobserved and avoid getting into trouble for missing curfew. If a light is on, someone might be up and watching for you.

Re: Thoughts

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

Maybe the person she's looking for is her "door key." So the lyric kind of means "yeah, you'd be helpful in looking for what I want, but, honey, you aren't it."

Interesting idea. I don't think it quite works because the song implies that she ALREADY has her good fit person (the next verse is: "and you'll never know, dear / just how much i loved you / you'll probably think this was / just my big excuse / but i stand committed / to a love that came before you / and the fact that i adore you / is but one of my truths") but I do like the idea of that disconnect between two things, neither of which is necessarily bad but which you have to choose one of.

You're not alone in your idea about sneaking back in and a porchlight (see trekgirl55 below) and given the metaphors used in the preceding section of the verse, it certainly fits.

Re: Thoughts

[theatre-pixie.livejournal.com]

I'm actually an Ani virgin. I don't think I've ever heard any of her stuff, so I was analyzing out-of-context--just from the phrases/verse you gave me.

Not bad, eh? ;)

Re: Thoughts

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

Very good :)

I'd be happy to send you Ani mp3s and/or mix CD(s) if you were interested.

Re: I'm a poster girl with no poster

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I've grown fonder of Tori with time and exposure, but I'm still not super into her. For a few years, though, EVERYTHING spurred a quote from either Ani or BtVS. I quote Ani a lot for life stuff (see my UserInfo, for example) but she is also SO PERFECT for so much of my relationship angst.

And you're the second person to make that point about a porchlight. (See comment directly above you.)

Re: I'm a poster girl with no poster

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, your comments were posted two minutes apart, so I imagine she hit Post on yours while you were still composing yours.

It took a while for Tori to grow on me just aurally, and a lot of times I don't really get what the lyrics MEAN, which is frustrating for me.

Re: I'm a poster girl with no poster

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I'm so text/word-oriented that this is problematic for me. A lot of times I have difficulty even making out the words, which is always a source of frustration for me.

Re: I'm a poster girl with no poster

[theatre-pixie.livejournal.com]

Curious: how do you reconcile yourself with the silliness that is Barenaked Ladies, then? So many of their lyrics seem to be phrases that have little meaning strung together with other words and phrases. I would think that would drive you batty.

Re: I'm a poster girl with no poster

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I honestly don't listen to BNL all that much. And sometimes I can just zone out lyrics and let the sound of a song wash over me. Also, I often pull out salient phrases and make my own meanings, so I'll have a sense of a song meaning something and until I actually pull up the full lyrics (for whatever reason) I am content.

Nonsensical songs can be okay as aural candy (though sometimes I still get frustrated, especially when I can't make out the words whatever they are) but if someone wants me to actually value a musical artist beyond "they make pretty/aurally interesting music" the lyrics have to be worth it. This is part of my frustration with Tori, that people seem to worship her and I don't get the sense that there's a distinction of "she's a musical genius" from valuing her lyrics (though I can't say I've delved deeply into this, so perhaps most fans value her musical abilities and the lyrics are a far second).

[dawllyllama.livejournal.com]

fear not... the rain has arrived here in nyc and should hopefully reach you soon. i am so over the heatwave!

[hedy.livejournal.com]

Re the couches-Ikea?

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

Hmm. I met one of our new downstairs neighbors yesterday evening and she's furnishing from IKEA, so I should have thought of that. Pulling up the catalogue online of course I'm having flashes of Fight Club.

[hedy.livejournal.com]

Heh. They send a huge-ass catalog out with last Saturday's globe, and then we got one in the mail, so maybe your parents got one(?) (it explains all the different couchiness options they have.)

[hermionesviolin.livejournal.com]

I remember getting one recently, but it was addressed to DepartingHousemate, so I just left it with her mail. I'll be home on Tuesday for a joint birthday party, so I can ask the parentals if they got one.

From the paternal parental

[(Anonymous)]

Yes, we got one. It's in George's room now. He figured he was more likely to use it than we were. I'll ask him to save it for you.

Why no Saturday service at all?

One thought: A store that doesn't open on Saturday probably loses business and loses money. A government that doesn't open on Saturday may lose business but it doesn't directly lose any money. In fact, it avoids having to pay its workers for an extra day or half day (very possibly at time and a half rates).