As summer winds down and everyone gets ready to head back to school, we turn the page to August with a pair of pictures of Angelina with signs. First, she poses with her Nana beneath the sign for the now-closed Ida’s Restaurant in Boston. In the other photo, her and Danny find themselves below the marquee for Mercury Theater from our visit in November to see the stage production of Clue.
Tag / Clue
2022: The Year In Live Performances
During 2022, I managed to get out three different times, taking in my first post-pandemic concert and play and my second comedy show.
In June, I attended my first concert since 2019. Garbage was opening for Tears for Fears at the Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre and I made a last-minute decision to attend. I hadn’t been to this particular venue since 2017, despite it being the closest to my house. After a nice set from Garbage, I stuck around for the first part of Tears for Fears’ set. The songs I knew from them were evenly split between the beginning of the show and the end, so I stayed for the first five songs they performed, hearing Everybody Wants to Rule the World and Sowing the Seeds of Love before leaving. Without the crowds, I was able to get from my seat to my house in about a half hour.
For my birthday, I received tickets to the stage version of Clue. In November, the night before Thanksgiving, Angelina, Danny, and I headed into the city for what was my first trip to the theater since 2018’s trip to Broadway. The production of Clue is based on the movie, which is one of my favorites. A good time was had by all.
To wrap up the year, I headed to the Chicago Theatre to see John Oliver on New Year’s Eve. It was the perfect New Year’s Eve for someone my age, with the show starting around 7:30, wrapping up by 9:00, and allowing me to drive home and be in the house by 10:00.
FB8 – Week 44
A week of vacation plus warmer weather led to improved numbers. The week got off to a better week on Sunday, registering 4300 steps. My step total rose by 33 steps on Monday. A trip to the movie theater and the store turned into a decrease, as I finished 7 steps shy of 3500. Wednesday was a busy day, picking Angelina up from the airport and taking her to doctor before going out to see a stage version of Clue with both her and Danny and leaving me 15 steps away from 5900. Thanksgiving festivities on Thursday led to the week’s low point, finishing with just 2300 steps. Friday saw a big improvement, coming 18 steps short of 4300. Saturday fell off again, just barely surpassing 3000 steps.
Total steps: 27,731
Daily average: 3961.6
Top 200 Albums: #41 – 50
We last counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library four years ago. Since that time, the world has literally changed, and my commute has decreased from 1+ hours each way to 25 steps. So, despite the decrease in potential listening time, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through the morning of January 1, 2022.
Today, we kick off the final quarter of our countdown with the next batch of ten albums that I have listened to the most over the last 15 years, breaking the triple digit total play plateau with three compilations, and music from the 60s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.
#50: The Beatles – The Beatles
iTunes stats: 182 plays
Previous Ranking: 48
Colloquially known as The White Album, the band’s ninth studio album, released in 1968, garnered a nearly 52% increase in plays.
#48: George Carlin – You Are All Diseased
iTunes stats: 183 plays
Previous Ranking: 79
The comedian’s eleventh HBO special, recorded in 1999, added 102 listens to jump 31 spots in the rankings.
#48: Various Artists – Monster Ballads
iTunes stats: 183 plays
Previous Ranking: 55
This compilation of love songs from hair bands, featuring artists such as Warrant and Cinderella, added 74 new plays to the five different tracks in my collection.
#47: Garfunkel and Oates – Secretions
iTunes stats: 188 plays
Previous Ranking: 79
The latest offering from musical comedians Riki Lindhome and Kate Micucci saw a 132% increase in listens.
#46: Van Halen – The Best of Both Worlds
iTunes stats: 190 plays
Previous Ranking: 56
This greatest hits compilation saw an increase of 83 listens thanks to eight tracks, split between David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar.
iTunes Top 200 Artists: #41-50
It’s been 4 years since we last counted down the Top 200 artists in my iTunes library. Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at the artists that have entertained me the most based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2021.
We start the final quarter of the list today with the next batch of 10 artists, with ties at 50th, 48th, and 43rd.
#50: Queen
iTunes stats: 176 plays
Previous ranking: #35
A big 15 spot drop for the band from England, due mostly to their dropping off the White Sox victory playlist now more than 10 years removed from their 2005 World Series title.
#48: Boyz II Men
iTunes stats: 177 plays
Previous ranking: #49
The stars of my first concert added 80 new listens from their 9 tunes in my collection, inching them up one spot in the rankings.
#48: Klaus Badelt
iTunes stats: 177 plays
Previous ranking: #30
The composer dropped 18 spots in the rankings due to the White Sox no longer using his theme from Pirates of the Caribbean as part of their pre-game routine.
#47: Snoop Dogg
iTunes stats: 181 plays
Previous ranking: #45
The ganja-smoking gangsta rapper, a somewhat surprising 14-time Grammy nominee, added 71 additional listens, dropping him two spots in the rankings.
#46: John Morris
iTunes stats: 182 plays
Previous ranking: #88
The composer of the score from the best movie ever made, Clue: The Movie.
#45: Purdue “All-American” Marching Band
Continue reading →
iTunes Top 200: #112 – 125
4 years ago, we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library. Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2020.
We march forward today with the next batch of songs tied with 32 plays and the first batch with 33, dating back to late 2007 according to my iTunes stats.
#125: Darling Violetta – Angel Main Theme
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 6/13/2019
Previous ranking: #56
The band performed 2 songs in a third season episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer before being tasked to perform the theme to the spin-off.
#125: Crew Cuts – Sh Boom
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 10/27/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked
A nice debut for the version of the song that was #1 on the Billboard charts for nine weeks during August and September 1954 and most closely resembles the one used in Clue: The Movie.
#125: The Cranberries – Zombie
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 10/30/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked
Written about the IRA bombing in Warrington in 1993, the first single from the Cranberries sophomore effort also appears on Volume 15 of my mix tapes.
#125: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Coda
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 11/9/2019
Previous ranking: #36
The final bit of cast singing from the musical episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
#125: The Cast Of Buffy The Vampire Slayer – Under Your Spell
iTunes stats: 32 plays, most recently on 11/9/2019
Previous ranking: #79
Amber Benson performs the song which writer Joss Whedon called “pornography” and “probably the dirtiest lyric I’ve ever written, but also very, very beautiful”.
#125: Blur – Girls & Boys
Continue reading →
iTunes Top 200: #125 – 144
4 years ago, we last counted down the Top 200 songs in my iTunes library. Since my iTunes stats are still intact, across multiple PCs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones, I figured it was time to take another look at my most listened to songs, based on number of plays as of January 1, 2020.
We have completed the first quarter of the countdown and, today, we finish up the final batch of songs tied for 144th place with 31 listens and move on to the first group tied for 125th since my stats began in late 2007.
#144: The Cast of Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Dawn’s Lament
iTunes stats: 31 plays, most recently on 11/9/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked
Michelle Trachtenberg’s entry to the Buffy musical episode makes a strong debut.
#144: Biz Markie – Just A Friend
iTunes stats: 31 plays, most recently on 11/14/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked
An impressive debut for the song ranked #81 on VH1s list of Greatest One Hit Wonders and which appears on Volume 2 of my mix tapes.
#144: Bill Haley & His Comets – Shake, Rattle and Roll
iTunes stats: 31 plays, most recently on 10/25/2019
Previous ranking: Unranked
Featured in Clue: The Movie, it is considered the first giant rock and roll hit after, along with Joe Turner’s version of the song, selling over 1 million copies.
#144: The Beatles – I Saw Her Standing There
iTunes stats: 31 plays, most recently on 7/28/2019
Previous ranking: #118
A big drop for the B-side to the group’s first American single, it spent 11 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #14.
#144: The Beatles – A Hard Day’s Night
iTunes stats: 31 plays, most recently on 8/22/2019
Previous ranking: #96
A bigger drop for the title track to both the album and the movie.
#144: The Beatles – Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
Continue reading →
Top 200 Albums – #71 – 79
Nearly 4 years ago, we first counted down the Top 200 albums in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2018.
We continue with the next batch of 10 albums ranked between #71 and 79, including 5 studio recordings, 2 compilations, 2 movie soundtracks, and 1 live performance.
#79: The Lonely Island – Turtleneck & Chain
iTunes stats: 81 plays
Previous Ranking: 77
The second album from the SNL digital short maestros make the list thanks to 4 different tracks.
#79: Stone Temple Pilots – Purple
iTunes stats: 81 plays
Previous Ranking: 120
5 tracks from the sophomore album from STP make up this total.
#77: Various Artists – The First 1000 Years – Rock
iTunes stats: 83 plays
Previous Ranking: 68
7 songs, from artists like The Breeders, Everclear, and Jane’s Addiction, make up the total for this MTV sponsored compilation.
#77: John Morris – Clue (Original Motion Picture Score)
iTunes stats: 83 plays
Previous Ranking: N/A
A strong debut for the score from one of my favorite movies.
#76: Various Artists – Poplife
iTunes stats: 84 plays
Previous Ranking: 127
10 different tracks, from artists like Crash Test Dummies, Meredith Brooks, and Fine Young Cannibals, make up the total for this compilation album.
iTunes Top 200 Artists: #81-88
3 years ago, we first counted down the then Top 100 artists in my iTunes library. Since that time, I’ve successfully managed to migrate my music collection to a new PC with the stats intact. So, I figured it was time to take another look, expanding out the field to the top 200 artists, based on number of plays from late 2007 through January 1, 2017.
We continue our march up through the the top 100 with this next batch of artists, which includes:
#88: Soul Asylum
iTunes stats: 54 plays
Previous ranking: #70
20 new listens for the Minneapolis-based band causes them to drop 18 spots in the rankings.
#88: John Morris
iTunes stats: 54 plays
Previous ranking: N/A
The composer of the score from the best movie ever made, Clue: The Movie.
#88: Artie Lange
iTunes stats: 54 plays
Previous ranking: #76
The comedy stylings of Arthur Lange drop 12 spots despite 23 new listens in the past 3 years.
#84: The Cranberries
iTunes stats: 56 plays
Previous ranking: #80
A small 4 spot drop for the Irish band, who picked up 26 new listens to their 8 tracks over the last 3 years.
#84: The Beastie Boys
iTunes stats: 56 plays
Previous ranking: #91
30 new listens in the last 3 years bumps the Beastie Boys up 7 spots in the rankings.
#84: Gin Blossoms
iTunes stats: 56 plays
Previous ranking: #63
25 years after the release of their debut album, the Arizona group drops 21 spots due to a small increase of 18 listens over the past 3 years.
#84: Christina Aguilera
Continue reading →
30 Day Movie Challenge Day 30 – Your Favorite Movie Of All Time
As we wrap up the 30 Day Movie Challenge ( which started on May 9, 2011, a little more than 30 days ago), we get our one and only duplicate film. On Day 3, I wrote:
For reasons that I can’t explain, mostly because I’m not the teenage girl who created this challenge, it never asks for your favorite movie.
Well, apparently my reading comprehension wasn’t too good back then, since that question was the last on the list.
It’s been a few years now since I’ve watched Clue: The Movie. It’s quite possible that I don’t even remember all of the words now. I was thinking of watching the new Blu-Ray that was recently released, but there was a complete lack of new extras that would make purchasing the film for the third time a good investment.