senselessness

According to the Keirsey Temperament Sorter (which I stumbled across via Facebook), that’s what I am.  It’s kind of dead-on, so I’m copying and pasting the results.  I’m building up to an actual entry sometime soon - once my class ends, I’ll get right on it!

Architects need not be thought of as only interested in drawing blueprints for buildings or roads or bridges. They are the master designers of all kinds of theoretical systems, including school curricula, corporate strategies, and new technologies. For Architects, the world exists primarily to be analyzed, understood, explained - and re-designed. External reality in itself is unimportant, little more than raw material to be organized into structural models. What is important for Architects is that they grasp fundamental principles and natural laws, and that their designs are elegant, that is, efficient and coherent.

Architects are rare - maybe one percent of the population - and show the greatest precision in thought and speech of all the types. They tend to see distinctions and inconsistencies instantaneously, and can detect contradictions no matter when or where they were made. It is difficult for an Architect to listen to nonsense, even in a casual conversation, without pointing out the speaker’s error. And in any serious discussion or debate Architects are devastating, their skill in framing arguments giving them an enormous advantage. Architects regard all discussions as a search for understanding, and believe their function is to eliminate inconsistencies, which can make communication with them an uncomfortable experience for many.

Ruthless pragmatists about ideas, and insatiably curious, Architects are driven to find the most efficient means to their ends, and they will learn in any manner and degree they can. They will listen to amateurs if their ideas are useful, and will ignore the experts if theirs are not. Authority derived from office, credential, or celebrity does not impress them. Architects are interested only in what make sense, and thus only statements that are consistent and coherent carry any weight with them.

Architects often seem difficult to know. They are inclined to be shy except with close friends, and their reserve is difficult to penetrate. Able to concentrate better than any other type, they prefer to work quietly at their computers or drafting tables, and often alone. Architects also become obsessed with analysis, and this can seem to shut others out. Once caught up in a thought process, Architects close off and persevere until they comprehend the issue in all its complexity. Architects prize intelligence, and with their grand desire to grasp the structure of the universe, they can seem arrogant and may show impatience with others who have less ability, or who are less driven.

What does it take to get me to write a blog?  It’s not inspiration, though that helps.  It would seem blogging happens in the face of unpleasant alternatives.  I should be writing and practicing the presentation of a speech.  Yesterday was the first meeting of Fundamentals of Public Communication (CMJ 103).  In the past, I was in majors that didn’t require the public speaking course - not requiring CMJ 103 was how a few of my majors were selected in the first place.  With only two semesters left until I finish my degree, I don’t have much longer to put it off.  It’s better to take it as a three week course and get it over with, right?  Maybe there’ll be other, older non-traditional students to make me seem less matronly?  Kind of.  On the second count, I’m one of the young old people.  That’s confusing - I’ll put it this way: of the four of us in a class of twenty that raised our hands to admit being over the age of 25, I was the youngest, I think.  But the work load is heavy.  Over the next two and a half weeks I will give five speeches.  Three of them involve formal research.  The one I’m presently not writing is supposed to be about a person or event that made me who I am.  Because if there’s nothing I like more than addressing large groups of strangers, it’s divulging personal stories.  But now that the complaining is out of the way, the instructor is pretty cool and the lecturing is surprisingly interesting.

I wish I felt like talking about what’s been going on from February until now.  I wrote A LOT of essays, read a lot of journal articles, drank a lot of smoothies (I’ll have to talk about The Abs Diet sometime), and watched a lot of Dancing With the Stars.  That was pretty much it.

Okay.  One episode of Frasier, and then I’m going to write a speech.

 

The laptop isn’t the best place to compose blog entries (WordPress doesn’t seem to be a Mac fan and requires lots of re-formatting) - but I have time and desire to jot useless thoughts down.  In the meantime, let me refer anyone who might be interested to the only known copy of The Torkelsons theme anywhere on the internet.  That, and I’m thinking this might be a fun and productive thing to do (while you’re there, I recommend perusing the rest of the site.  I’ve slowly but surely become a Simple Dollar addict).  Brace yourselves for the forthcoming inanity!  

Put your music player on shuffle.Post the first 40 songs that come up. You can repeat artists if you want. If you have any repeats, skip to the next track. (From there, answer 38 questions about your 40 songs).

SONGS:
1. The Laws Have Changed – The New Pornographers

2. Silence is Golden – Frankie Valli & Four Seasons

3. A Summer Song – Chad & Jeremy

4. Sorry Signs On Cash Machines – Mason Jennings

5. Come To View (Song for Neil Young) – Arthur & Yu

6. Oblivious – Aztec Camera

7. Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand – Detroit Cobras

8. Indianapolis – The Bottle Rockets

9. Sherry – Frankie Valli & Four Seasons

10. Rehab – Amy Winehouse

11. Solitary Man – Neil Diamond

12. The Fake Headlines – The New Pornographers

13. Que Onda Guero - Beck

14. Anyway, Anyhow, Anywhere – The Who

15. I Wanna Talk About Me – Toby Keith

16. Flathead – The Fratellis

17. If Looks Could Kill – Camera Obscura

18. Dressed For Success - Roxette

19. Shuffle Your Feet – Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

20. Happy Birthday – Weird Al Yankovic

21. Freedom – Wham!

22. You Were On My Mind – We Five

23. The Needle Has Landed – Neko Case

24. I’m The Man Who Murdered Love - XTC

25. One Thing Left To Do – Del Amitri

26. Favorite – Neko Case

27. More than a Feeling - Boston

28. Juke Joint Johnny – Red Sovine

29. Only The Good Die Young – Billy Joel

30. When You’re Next To Me – Mitch & Mickey (Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara)

31. Young Pilgrims – The Shins

32. Me & Mia – Ted Leo & The Pharmacists

33. Tried So Hard – Yo La Tengo

34. Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me – The Pipettes

35. Swingtown – The Steve Miller Band

36. Temptation Waits - Garbage

37. What Am I Doing Hangin’ Round – The Monkees

38. I’ve Got Spurs That Jingle, Jangle, Jangle – Tex Ritter

39. Go With the Flow – Queens of the Stone Age

40. Judy Is A Punk – The Ramones

QUESTIONS:

1. Which song do you prefer, #1 or #40?
#1 – “The Laws Have Changed” is one of my favorites. It was the song that confirmed for me that I loved this band.

2. Have you ever listened to #12 continuously on repeat?
“The Fake Headlines”, by the band I claimed to love one question ago, is not one that I’ve listened to more than twice, three times maximum. Not that it isn’t good.

3. What album is #26 from?
The album from which this version of “Favorite” came is called “The Tigers Have Spoken”, a live album of hits and covers. It’s one of my FAVORITES. HA HA HA.

4. What do you think about the artist who did #15?
I think it’s hilarious that the artist I have to pontificate on was the one I least wanted to acknowledge. I can’t help being thoroughly entertained by this song. When we lived in Portland we often woke to country radio. Nine times out of ten, the song playing when the alarm went off effectively startled us into consciousness. It was easy to make fun of Toby Keith’s “I Wanna Talk About Me”, but mocking turned quickly into genuine enjoyment. All I can say about Toby Keith is that two of his songs are very good.

5. Is #19 one of your favorite songs?
I like “Shuffle Your Feet” quite a bit, but I don’t know that I’d call it a favorite.

6. Who does #38 remind you of?
“I’ve Got Spurs That Jingle, Jangle, Jingle” reminds me of the Brunswick Target parking lot. It was a warm, sunny day, and I’m sure we bought something. We regularly drove to that particular Target store when we lived in Jay. Maybe we registered for wedding gifts that day? Funny that I can’t clearly remember registering for gifts, but can vividly recall the soundtrack of parking the car.

7. Does #20 have better lyrics or music?
Weird Al’s “Happy Birthday” was one of the first of his songs that I sat with a notebook and played the cassette, stopping after every line, to furiously jot down the lyrics. I knew I needed to memorize it, and that was the most efficient way to do it.

8. Do any of your friends like #3?
Sure, why not? “A Summer Song” was on the Rushmore soundtrack, and who doesn’t like that?!

9. Is #33 from a movie soundtrack?
Yo La Tengo’s “Tried So Hard”? I don’t believe so.

10. Is #18 overplayed on the radio?
“Dressed For Success” is never on the radio these days. Radio’s loss!!

11. What does #21 remind you of?
“Freedom” reminds me of being young and inspired. I never paid much attention to lyrics (even now that tends to be true), but the chorus sounded beautiful and important. It’s a song I wanted to pound my fist in rhythm to while making a “begging to be understood” face.

12. Which song do you prefer, #5 or #22?
Well #5 is new from a CD Lacy made for us and I’ve only heard it once; #22 is an oldie I heard on the radio every other day between ages five and fifteen. #22 wins for now.

13. What album is #17 from?
“If Looks Could Kill” is from Camera Obscura’s “Let’s Get Out of this Country”, though I have no business knowing that, as I learned of its existence from Last.fm or Pandora and downloaded it as a result.

14. When did you first hear #39?
I don’t know. Probably in Portland. Jeremy might’ve downloaded it first, but it’s possible I heard it on the radio. Queens of the Stone Age were more his band than mine.

15. When did you first hear #7?
I randomly downloaded “Baby Let Me Hold Your Hand” as one of a slew of Detroit Cobras songs I downloaded one day. A podcast I used to listen to on a regular basis had featured their songs throughout, and I immediately thought they rocked. They have better songs, but I wouldn’t shake a stick at this one.

16. What genre is #8?
The Bottle Rockets are alt-country! I almost said rockabilly, but that’s not completely accurate. They do rock, though.

17. Do any of your friends like #14?
Only the super-cool awesome ones. As I age I like The Who more and more.

18. What color does #4 remind you of?
I could say green because of money (in the cash machines?), but that’s a lie. A yellowy brownish red. This is a pretty song. Mason Jennings wrote this for his wife, or so I heard in an interview with him once.

19. Have you ever blasted #11 on your stereo?
No, but I should! Perhaps next time I’m feeling solitary. And mannish.

20. What genre is #37?
I’m going to say rock.
The Monkees are also kind of pop, but I don’t get that so much from this song.

21. Can you play #13 on any instrument?
I can play nothing on any instrument. I am useless to Beck in every possible way.

22. What is your favorite lyric from #30?
I love all of it! This was our wedding song. It’s the song that plays over the end credits to “A Mighty Wind”. Because of this song, I went from the movie theater directly to the music store down the street to purchase the movie’s soundtrack. Chills. Even still.

23. What is your favorite lyric from #23?
I don’t know “The Needle Has Landed” that well yet, certainly none of the lyrics. I tend to spend all my time re-listening to her old stuff.

24. Would you recommend #24 to your friends?
Only if my friends expressed an interest in it beforehand.

25. Is #2 a good song to dance to?
Nope.

26. Do you ever hear #16 on the radio?
Actually, no – just the iTunes commercial, then YouTube. I downloaded it shortly thereafter.

27. Is #32 more of a “nighttime” or “daytime” song?
Daytime.

28. Does #36 have any special meaning to you?
Not especially.  It was my favorite song on the disc, however. I took the CD out from Fogler Library many years ago, lost it, and was charged $30 to replace it. I eventually found it and have since re-lost it again.

29. Do any of your friends like #31?
I think they’d like it if they heard it.

30. Is #25 a fast or slow song?
“One Thing Left To Do” is slit-your-wrists slow. It’s the song you want to wallow in your misery with.

31. Is #35 a happy or sad song?
Swingtown is awesome. And yes, happy.

32. What is one of your favorite lyrics from #9?
I like the chorus. Overall, it’s not really a song I enjoy for its lyrics.

33. Is #34 better to listen to alone or with friends?
It might be fun to hear with friends, but to the best of my knowledge I’m one of the few who likes it or knows what it is.

34. When did you first hear #27?
I have no clue. A long time ago.

35. Name 3 other songs by the artist who did #29
Easy-peasy! “Big Shot”, “My Life”, and “River of Dreams”.

36. Do you know all the words to #6?
Not all, but many.

37. Does #28 have better lyrics or music?
I’ve heard Juke Joint Johnny all of one time. I’m going to guess lyrics, despite my inability to recall any of them.

38. What album is #10 from?
“Back to Black”, which I do not own, as I bought the song from iTunes. Lordy, do I love that song. The first time I heard it was while accidentally watching MTV Video Music Awards (or that other MTV awards show. I don’t know). It was one of those days where the weather sucks and there’s nothing else to watch, so I threw it on and did puzzles. I had never heard of Amy Winehouse, never heard any of her songs. That has since changed.

 This was my favorite part of the show.   

I’ve been meaning to post an entry for awhile now.  Unfortunately, now is not the time for me to do so.  This semester I’m taking five classes (last semester I only took four, one of which was online).  No multiple-choice exams in lecture-type courses this time!  I’m writing a minimum of two papers per week, prepping for large-scale semester-long group projects in two classes, and alternating between class and work five days a week (last semester’s three days of work/two days of class schedule is ancient history).  I’m getting by, but with minimal sleep and even less sanity.  I’ve even had trouble making time for television, horror of horrors!  I’m starting to adjust, so soon enough I can resume normalcy.  To tide you over, enjoy this animated Japanese toilet training video! 

It’s a new year, a new semester, and everything is getting back to normal. I thought I’d do a lot more with my free time, but I managed to keep myself busy with work, travel, a feud with UPS.

What what?

Work: I worked almost as much as I anticipated over the break. Snow days and a need to spend a day staring at the wall kept me from a forty-hour work week, but I hit thirty at least once. It allowed me an opportunity to interact a bit more with the people in my office, which beats quietly observing all interaction from the corner. I got to enjoy Oprah’s favorite popcorn (which I’d link to if I remembered what it was…let me just say, Oprah knows her popcorn!) since the woman who received it couldn’t translate most of the flavors into Weight Watchers points. It would be cruel to elaborate on its deliciousness. Yum, though. Other than that, I scanned and linked, as is my job description. I imaged a lot of athletic eligibility records. Did you know that the most popular majors for UMaine athletes are (in no particular order) Business (BUA), Physical Education (KPE), and Child Development (CHF)? Interesting.

Travel: One of my Christmas presents to Jeremy this year (given at Halloween, because I can’t sit on a gift…as soon as I get the gift, I need to give it (a quality in myself I HATE)) was tickets to see John Prine in Troy, NY. Jeremy wrote an accurate, detailed account of the trip, which I encourage you to check out (if you haven’t already). All I can add to the experience is the route we took, which I plotted diligently over the course of an entire day (I came up with five route variations, none of which included I-90 through Massachusetts because 1) I don’t like it, and 2) despite having the shortest driving time, it was the longest mile-wise). Troy was pleasant, though somewhat deserted. It’s a college town, and I assume students were still home for break. Our hotel was a Best Western, located smack dab in the middle of town, putting us half a mile from the concert hall. We didn’t leave the room Saturday because we were tired from the trip, and Jeremy was confident that we would become casualties of gang warfare.  It was a fantastic weekend, getting out and staying in.  It was money I’d happily spend again.

Feud with UPS: I haven’t left myself sufficient time to get into much detail, which is probably for the best. It started with Twin Peaks, which I bought as Christmas present for Jeremy (and myself, by proxy). Inside the illustrious gold-box deluxe edition was an insert for David Lynch’s Signature Cup (if you go to this site, please click on all the tabs at the bottom - it’s quite informative), his coffee brand. “David Lynch has coffee?!” Yes! So Jeremy researched, finding the reviews to be favorable and the price to be only mildly unreasonable. It took me a couple days to order it, but I was hopeful that it would arrive in time for New Year’s Eve (or New Year’s Day). The shipping charges were outrageous. For an additional $9, however, I could still pay outrageous shipping charges and have the package within three days. If they weren’t talking business days, then that would be plenty of time. Even with business days, I would have it January 2nd. Anyway, the latter proved to be the case. I stayed home on the 2nd, spending most of the day plotting th Troy trip actually, waiting excitedly for the coffee. Nothing. A little after 6:00 p.m. the phone rang - it was UPS! I picked up between rings three and four, and no one was there. I immediately called the number back, and no one answered after twenty (or so) rings. I immediately went to track my package online, because something must be going on if UPS is trying to call. Something WAS up! Dated that very day at around 3:00 p.m. was a notice that a delivery was attempted, but that “recipient has moved.” I moved? I would have to disagree, and point out that I in fact did very little moving whatsoever that day! I ran back to the phone to try calling again, still with no answer (and no answering machine - grr). I sent them a terse, concerned e-mail about the message I had received. I went back to look at the tracking again, and there was a new entry - 6:18 p.m., confirming that I had moved and a postcard would be sent to me, having me pick the package up.  They ignored my call back to them to reconfirm my alleged relocation.  The rage I felt was new, unfamiliar. Anyway, I spent the next day trying to call Brewer UPS (the place with my package). No answer at the phone number I was called from at any point during the day. They had a different phone number listed in the book, so I tried that one - DISCONNECTED! All I had at that point was the e-mail. A corporate woman wrote back to me the next day with apologies, and said she’s have them make another attempt on the 7th. In the meantime, I received the postcard telling me if I didn’t pick the package up at UPS by the 14th that it would be sent back. The 7th was the day we drove back from Troy, so I worried the entire time that they would continue to think that I had moved. Upon our arrival home, there was a package sitting next to the door. YAY. I had hoped (and partially expected) to be refunded the additional $9 fee for three day select shipping. It hasn’t happened. I hold a bit of a grudge, but it’s done. And so am I, as I have a class to get to!

I should stop looking for theme songs, because every time I do I find something I neglected.  Valerie, for example…though looking back, I don’t remember the Valerie Harper episodes (yet somehow those are the ones, based solely on her theme clip images, that I want to watch now).  Once Sandy Duncan came and the name of the show changed a few times, that’s when it started to stick.  This sequence is the one I remember best. 

Until this very night - tonight, January 11, 2008, I didn’t know that the Valerie/Valerie’s Family/The Hogan Family theme was sung by Roberta Flack.  In fact, until this night I thought the song was sung by a man.  Um, oops?  I’m still not convinced, though saying that at this point is more blatantly derogatory to Ms. Flack.  Nothing but love, Roberta.  I loved Jeremy Licht (in the “he’s sooo cute!” way).  The pocket-sized brainy nerd-types with pretty faces struck my fancy as a youngster.  Okay…sometimes even still to older me (John Cage from Ally McBeal was an obsession of mine in the late ’90s)  I also want to bring attention to Danny Ponce at the end of the credits.  I always considered what he does there the apex of comedy.  Then, and now, I like my funnies simple and ridiculous.

And now, one for the people: Tour of Duty is not a show I know well.  I would probably go so far as to say I know nothing about it whatsoever.  Since the first television theme song post, however, I’ve received visitors by three individuals (or one desperate, hopeful individual on three separate occasions) looking for the Tour of Duty theme in particular.  I feel like maybe someone’s having a hard time finding what they’re looking for?  I’m not sure I’m going to be a huge help, since I’ve uncovered a few different versions.  For the sake of the one, or the three, here are two of them.   

In roughly 90 minutes I will be shot.  Not with a gun, but really you might as well.  Due to an outbreak of mumps on campus, the school has been closely re-examining immunization records.  Turns out I’ve only had one MMR.  I knew that students born after 1956 are supposed to have two, but within days of my first vaccination at the age of two or three, I contracted mumps.  Why should I be vaccinated a second time when I’ve already had it?  After receiving a letter from the school banning me from classes until I’ve proved second MMR immunization, I called Cutler Health Center to ask.  There’s a test they could do on me to determine whether or not I’d be immune to mumps (they offer this to those of us who have had it) at a cost of $42.  Thing is, the woman on the phone continued, it doesn’t always come back with the desired results (I guess having the mumps is no guarantee).  In the event of “failing” the test, not only will I have spent that money, but I’d then have to turn around and shell out the $55 for the shot.  Take a chance and avoid a shot/save $13 or waste $42, making the impending needle sticking a costly $97?  I’m not bothering - I’m just going to get the shot. 

When I was ten, I got a tetanus shot sprung on me.  I had sprained something (arm?  foot?) and the doc (technically a physician’s assistant named Karen, one of the few medical-types I trusted) determined that it was time for a tetanus shot.  This news was not well-received.  My previous tetanus shot came before I started kindergarten.  I screamed and cried, and took solace that I wouldn’t have to get another shot until I was 16…or so my doctor had said.  So when Karen told me she would give me a tetanus shot, I immediately started explaining what my previous doctor said to me - I did the math for her, recommended that perhaps it was too soon.  “It’ll be easier if we get you on an even ten-year cycle: ten, twenty…” etc.  Who wants logic when you’re about to relive the worst experience of your life??  I screamed and cried and struggled - all very attractive behavior for a ten-year old.  I embarrassed myself completely, but who cares!  It hurt like hell.  That was the last shot I received, almost twenty years ago.  I’m due for two tetanus shots!  And today, an MMR.  Which I have to pretend to receive like a rational adult - one who hasn’t been scarred by the betrayal of medical professionals wielding needles in the past. 

Time for work!

Back by popular demand (not to mention a desire to force my likes onto others) is the next list of ten television theme songs.  If I had known I’d be doing this again, I would have put less work into the last list, or saved it and started with an 11 through 20 (as doing the opposite is a bit anti-climactic.)  On the right day, some of these themes could dislodge any of the themes from the previous list (well, any of the 6 through 10.)  For that reason I’m calling today’s list the Top Ten Next-Best TV Themes.

10 - My Secret Identity and Heathcliff - Yes, I’m starting with shameless cheating.  In putting together the lost of qualifying themes, I found myself unable to bring it in under 11.  Couple the facts that it’s my list and I can cheat if I want with the re-titling the list “Top Ten Plus One…” not being funny more than once, and you get a tie for the tenth spot.  It works out perfectly, this tie, as I don’t have much to say about either show.  I enjoyed both, was compelled to learn the lyrics to both themes, and the memory’s a bit fonder than the reality.  

9 - Bosom Buddies - I’m not sure how many people can say that this show is the reason they started listening to Billy Joel.  I remember my sister acquiring the Greatest Hits vol. 1 & 2 cassette set from Columbia House, eyeing it the way I eyed all her musical acquisitions, seeing the song “My Life” listed as a track and wondering if it was at all similar.  Of course, it was.  That was the first Billy Joel song I ever heard.  Though the song part of the theme was enjoyable, it paled in comparison to the spoken explanation of the premise that preceded every episode.  At one point I could speak along with it, perfectly timed and intonated.  Much like My Two Dads, you can enjoy the song on its own but it’s not the official theme without the talking.  

8 - The Greatest American Hero - There was a man who worked for Bangor Parks & Recreation who was often at the park near my then-home on Falvey St. that looked exactly like William Katt.  Of course I was never able to say anything about it, or ask if he was in fact the Greatest American Hero, since even at the age of five I recognized how improbable it was.  Anyway, he’d probably be forced to deny that that’s exactly who he was.  Quick note about Connie Sellecca: mentioning her over dinner with friends impresses everyone. 

7 -  It’s Garry Shandling’s Show - sure, I’m not thrilled that I can only find this “special” version of the theme sung by The Turtles, but it’s not that bad.  I mean, it’s The Turtles (some of them, at least), and they’re fairly true to the song’s original form.  I can’t comment on the show itself since as I think I might’ve mentioned last time that this show was on past my bedtime.  I was occasionally able to convince Mom to let me hear the theme though. 

6 - Amen - Oh yes I did!  My favorite part is watching Sherman Hemsley jump double-dutch.  

5 - Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper - Is it possible to feel disapproval before the entry has even posted?  I only occasionally watched the show, becoming never once they changed the theme completely.  I dare you to tell me this isn’t sassy.  That’s En Vogue you see there, singing with the two female stars of the show.  En Vogue IS sass! 

4 -  The Facts of Life - When was I not watching this show?  I’ll tell you: never.  I watched this show whenever it was on.  I remember the specials - like going to Miami and facing a hurricane, and guest Michael Damian singing to Jo something about a different world, or when they went to Europe (Paris I think, but it might’ve been London) and someone rode a motorbike.  That is more than I remember about most things.  I remember Facts of Life episodes more clearly than kindergarten.  Here, despite many options, is the season four theme, as the show was near, if not at, its creative apex. 

3 - Perfect Strangers - Who doesn’t get a chill at the “no matter what the odds are this tiiiime…” part?  I doubt I need to say much, other than to potentially defend why this isn’t in the top ten.  Don’t make me, I just don’t know.  

2 - Kids Incorporated - This one should be in my top ten.  I completely forgot about it when putting together the last list.  I only really got to enjoy this show during the season represented here, 1985-86.  We had just moved from Bangor to my grandparents’ house while Mom looked for work and housing.  Memere and Grandpa had cable, and as a treat for us briefly subscribed to The Disney Channel.  I decided that I most directly related to Renee, which worked out well as Lorrie decided she was Stacey.  Please note Martika in all her awesomeness, and Stacey Ferguson if you are so inclined.  And on drums, Mario Lopez! 

1 - Laverne & Shirley - The fact that there were two of them (Laverne, Shirley) meant Lorrie and I were forced to butt heads over which one of us was which.  At that time, Shirley was the one to be.  I deftly argued that the “L” on Laverne’s shoulder stood for “Lorrie,” meaning I was Shirley by default.  She didn’t like that argument at all, but she couldn’t refute it.