DadJack.com Blog

Lucy and Bing try their first ever Twinkies!

I have always been a huge music fan, it has always provided the soundtrack to my life.  Much like a smell or place can make memories and feelings return, so can a song.  The kids were messing with my iPod via the car stereo the other morning, a favorite activity when we are a few minutes early to school, and they stumbled upon a song I hadn’t heard in a long time, it instantly took me back to that period in my life for a brief moment.

I thought I would go back to the beginning of real music appreciation for me, the 80′s.  Prior to this I mainly listened to what my parents liked and Queen… They were by far my favorite band of the 70′s.  In 1980 I turned 9 and started making my own music decisions.

This was a hard list to compile, but I limited myself to my 8 favorite albums of the 80′s… So many records were excluded, so many great songs did not make the list, but I had to limit myself or I would have rambled for pages and pages.

These are my 8 from the 80′s in no particular order, please list yours below:

1. The Cult – Sonic Temple (1989) – This album is not their best, but it came at a time of transition in my life.  1989 was the year I graduated from High School, there is that excitement mixed with fear that comes when you realize your adult life in beginning.  This record was probably the most straight forward rock album they had released to that date and really was one of the last big hair type rock records before Nirvana broke with Nevermind in ’91.  For me it will always remind me of New Years 89/90, a handful of friends and I saw The Cult play the Long Beach Convention Center on New Years Eve 89, it was an amazing show and the start of a transition for all of us.

2. The Cure – Head On The Door (1986) – By far my favorite Cure record. I bought this at a record store in the Glendale Galleria on cassette right when it came out. I listened to it over and over again, and I didn’t have auto-reverse, I had to pop the tape out and flip it over. Again, I had already been a huge fan of the group, being introduced to them by the heavy rotation of the Let’s Go To Bed video on MTV. I don’t know why this album spoke to me, but to this day I can listen to it from the start of side one to the end of side two.

3. Depeche Mode – Black Celebration (1986) – Another band that has a large body of great works, but this album has always been my favorite. It’s probably the darkest of all the DM albums, there is a loneliness to it that spoke to a lonely teenage boy.

4. New Order – Technique (1989) – I picked this New Order/Joy Division record because it was the soundtrack to my first real date, I took a girl to see The Sugar cubes/Public Image Limited/ New Order at Irvine Meadows (Yes, it was still Irvine meadows back then.) We only went out once or twice after that night, but it is a powerful memory and I can’t hear Mr. Disco without thinking of it.

5. Devo – Freedom Of Choice (1980) – Devo continues to this day to make great music, I had this one on vinyl and I used to listen to it all the time in my room. Whip It was a huge radio and MTV hit, but I loved Girl U Want. You don’t get more 80′s than Devo.

Devo-Girl U Want by adiis

6. Suicidal Tendencies – Self Titled (1983) – This was another Glendale Galleria purchase, although on vinyl. This record really introduced me to punk and what was going on at the beach, at that time there wasn’t much of a punk scene that I was aware of in the valley. It opened a door for me to discover a bunch of other punk music from around the country.

7. Love and Rockets – Express (1986) – After the split of Bauhaus Peter Murphy went solo and the three remaining members formed Love and Rockets. I remember driving around with my friends listening to this on the car stereo, feeling that freedom you had when it was just you and your friends going nowhere and doing nothing.

8. Echo and The Bunnymen – Songs To Learn and Sing (1985) – This one isn’t really fair because it’s a compilation, but it was how I learned about the band, I bought the tape at the Warner Brothers Company Store when my Dad was working on the lot for my Uncle. They used to sell Warner/Sire records and Tapes for .50 cents and a dollar for a double record. This was another one that I wore out and then picked up on CD later in life and wore that out too.

OK, I hope that wasn’t too boring for you, it’s not easy for me to express the emotions that many of these song evoke, but it doesn’t really matter because they only work for me anyway, you have your own list, your own memories, your own personal soundtrack.

Rock on, Jack

Today was the last day of P.E. for the school year.  I have been volunteering as a P.E. assistant for the past year and it’s been fun.  There is something about interacting with your kids at school that gives you a different perspective.  You see them with their teachers, coaches and friends… you see them as people, albeit little people, but people none the less.  Sometimes you can get lost in schedules, discipline, homework and the million other things that are involved with raising kids and lose track that they are actually little individuals forming their own ideas and personalities.  When I see Lucy joking with her friends and trying to impress the coach I see a little lady and it’s kind of cool to see.

I hope I have the opportunity to volunteer again, I was very lucky to have the schedule at my past job that afforded me the time to spend at school, I can only hope that my future endeavours will allow the same luxury.

I have agreed to coach Lucy’s summer basketball team… Now if I only knew anything about basketball.  The good news is I have a few weeks to learn and they are 6/7 year olds so they aren’t expected to be Kobe.

Lucy’s newest interest is Yo-Yo’s.  Grandma has been teaching her tricks… which she has actually picked up pretty quick.

I’m looking forward to Farrell’s in Mission Viejo on June 22nd… The pod events are always fun.

Stench and I are still unemployed… I’ll let you know if that changes.

Don’t forget, Father’s Day is a week and a half away… Get Dad a nice tie and feed him some BBQ.

Rock On, Jack

Lucy kicked butt at her final game of this years tee-ball season.  Here’s a couple videos:

I have always enjoyed making my opinion known… On the radio, on the podcast and on the occasional survey.  I participate in one of those online survey companies which offer rewards for filling out surveys (I’ve been with the same one for about 5 years and it’s actually a pretty good deal… I’d give you the link, but they’re currently not taking new members).  The surveys always start the same way… How old are you, where do you live and relationship status.

The options are usually: Married, Widowed, Divorced and Single.  I have been clicking “Divorced”, but I am also “Single?”  Is there a mourning period where you click divorced and then get to transition to single?  And if so whats the time line?  I changed my status on Facebook to single long ago at the urging of friends, but seemed kind of like denial to me.  Although, there has to be a point where you consider yourself simply single right?  Although, I did come up with a plan to break the cycle… I need to get into a serious relationship and then break-up, then I’m technically single and not divorced because the divorce was not my last official relationship – But that really seems a lot of work, so I’ll stick with checking “divorced” for now.

Lucy has her “Spring Sing” today… Which is always fun, well if you can actually get into the auditorium.  We live in So. Cal. I’m not sure why they don’t do these things outside so everyone can see?

We announced on the Pod this week that we will be recording live in Orange County later this month.  Stench and I will be at Farrell’s in Mission Viejo on Wednesday June 22nd from 6-8pm.  I will once again participate in the ice cream eating contest (You can go head to head with me, it’s only $20 and proceeds benefit Children’s Hospital of Orange County) and experiencing the pain that is an extreme ice cream headache.

The job search continues… it has been very discouraging, I have applied at so many places and have had no response.  I need to find something quick!

Rock on, Jack