Singing itself.

I thought I should update this blog at least once in the month of July - just scooting in under the wire! Summer has been fun and frustrating in Wally World. Events really crank up for downtown, which means I'm working strange and long hours. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the family is off doing things without me, or waiting for me to get home. I love my job, and love putting these events on, but I miss being with my kids; when I'm home, I feel as though I should spend every waking hour with the kids and don't really spend enough grown-up time with hubby; and once again I feel as though I'm doing too much and not any of it well. Such is the dilemma of the working mother. Full-time, part-time, self-employed, stay-at-home - it's never perfect.

But enough whining! We've had many trips to the pool, the annual 4th of July Frankland Street Parade - featured on the front page of the local paper, no less, lots of tennis for Ben, some great kid-sitter experiences for Annalise with daily trips to the park and additions to her animal menagerie, a couple of thrilling camping adventures, two girl's night out at the movies (Sex and the City with 6 girlfriends, Mamma Mia with 11) a trip to Port Townsend (that's two ferry rides, thank you very much) and our big family reunion trip still to come.

And music - our lives are lived always with a soundtrack here. Two new mixes, from the usual sources: Paste, EW.com, Micah and Megan C., a few soundtracks (Veronica Mars, baby; Sex and the City), the iTunes "Listeners also purchased" list, etc. Cross-country distribution to the mail this weekend (I promise, Jill!).

In summer, the song sings itself. What a great quote by poet/author William Carlos Williams - no surprise that I'm not the first one to use it as a playlist title (entertaining Google search). Maybe not entirely original, but still a keeper!

Let It Out – Starrfadu (from that Kleenex commercial where people cry on the couch in the middle of the city)
My Only Offer – Mates of State
5:19 – Matt Wertz
I’m Yours – Jason Mraz
Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She & Him (actress Zooey Deschanel - remember her from Elf? with one-man-band M. Ward)
Bonafied Lovin’ - Chromeo
You Wreck Me – Tom Petty
Coming Home – The 88
(I’ve Got to) Stop Thinkin’ ‘Bout That – Edwin McCain
Little Toy Gun – Honeyhoney
Mystery – Ashleigh Flynn
Late Last Night – Robby Hecht
Falling In Love in a Coffee Shop – Landon Pigg
I Want You to Be My Love – Over the Rhine
I Know I Know I Know – Tegan and Sarah
Greatest Hit – Annie (with a sample from my first Madonna crush, 'Everybody')
Lost & Found – Adrienne Pierce
I Hear the Bells – Mike Doughty
Giving Up – Ingrid Michaelson
Clementine – Raining Jane (this sounds even better live - see them if you can!)

Talking Like Trash, Shakin' Her Ass

Sing Again – Chris Walla
This Girl – Jordan Zevon
Fancy Footwork – Chromeo
Mamma Mia – ABBA (in honor of the sing-along experience!)
Stop and Stare – OneRepublic
I Don’t Think So – Priscilla Ahn
I Idolize You – Lizz Wright
Message of Love – The Pretenders (some songs are just too good to leave in the past - consider it my token 80's homage; you know there's at least one on every mix)
Dirty Laundry – Bitter:Sweet
Lolita – Prince
Bottle It Up – Sara Bareilles
February Air – Lights
Explode – Uh Huh Her
Open Fire – Sarah Mac Band (like these folks a whole bunch - I'm such a sucker for girls with guitars)
It’s Amazing – Jem
Birthday – The Bird and the Bee
You Picked Me – A Fine Frenzy
Baby Wait – Jonatha Brooke (the title comes from these lyrics)
Steer – Missy Higgins

New music to fall for: The Watson Twins full-length album, Priscilla Ahn's A Good Day, and I just heard a sweet pop/r&b groove by Brit Nikka Costa, Stuck to You. Sweet summer confection!

In the summertime...

Summer arrives in Walla Walla, with 91 degrees forecast for the hight today. The kids are out of school - check out Anna's graduation picture from preschool - and Ben's from 5 years ago! Crazy. Next fall begins the only school year that they will be at the same school - Ben in 5th grade, Anna a kinder. Even more crazy!

Live music plays downtown all weekend starting today - local 'good time' band Vintage plays the Downtown Sounds concert after work. And the Foundation also has started a Sundays LIVE concert series; I'm particularly looking forward to seeing Vicky and the Velvet Tones this week.

There has been some great live music events in Walla Walla this spring - In May, Raining Jane played an acoustic set at one of my favorite restaurants, T. Maccarone's, then an electric set at the Whitman coffeehouse stage. Raining Jane is an LA-based group of 4 very talented and gorgeous women writing tight harmony and thoughtful music that you can dance and dream to. I love them. They were incredibly accessible and friendly, and they love Walla Walla. They opened for Guster when they played at Whitman several years ago, and try to come back every time they do a northwest college tour. They'll be back in the fall and I'll be in the front row. And in early June, and electronica/hip hop band performed at the Red Eye - I couldn't make the show, but I heard they were fantastic. On their way from Boise to Seattle, Walla Walla was a great stop to pick up another live performance.

We have entertainment options that we've never had before - Weekly live music with an accomplished jazz showman over Indian food at Backstage Bistro, the Piano Bar with a wide variety of area musicians at Sapolil Cellars, Sunday concerts - it's a little crazy, and a lot of fun. I wrote for the Foundation newsletter that when I graduated from Whitman and worked downtown the first time 17 years ago, it seemed as though our summer concert series and the symphony was about it for live music events beyond the occasional - now, there are things to see, music to hear, dancing to do nearly every weekend.

And I have to share that I have a new mixtape from Micah. Micah is the way cool Program Coordinator who works with me. All the tracks are delightful in their own way. And I must thank him for introducing me to Chromeo. He played me samples from their MySpace page and my immediate response was, "Disco!" I recommend a listen to my friends who, like me, can't really let go of the BEST DANCE MUSIC EVER.