Haulin' Oats

Today, I had the distinct honor of being the only friggin' person in the carpool. With Madd Dogg taking the day off, and with Sparky and Mumbles teleworking, I had plenty of leg-room in the old Civic.

Unfortunately, I didn't need leg-room; I needed company. Instead, I had the radio.

Well, let me tell you, the radio bites. I spent the entire drive (today, 1:15 minutes) hitting the "scan" button, trying in vain to hear a song -- any song -- that didn't suck ass. At the end of it all (when I wanted to end it all), I had heard only two:

First, I heard I Can't Go For That (No Can Do), by the unstoppable duo Hall and Oates. Man, those guys kicked ass. After turning the volume up to a level at which even a teenager would say, "ok, that's a little much," I remembered hearing that Hall and Oates had met at the highly acclaimed Juilliard School of Music. But having just checked Wikipedia, I can tell you that it is not true. (They really met at Temple University, in an elevator.) My favorite all-time Hall and Oates song: A tie between Say it isn't So and Kiss on My List

Then, I heard All This Time, by Sting. Well, what can you say about a song with lyrics as wonderful as the following:

Teachers told us
The Romans built this place
They built a wall and a temple on the edge of the Empire garrison town
They lived and they died
They prayed to their gods
But the stone gods did not make a sound
And their empire crumbled
Till all that was left
Were the stones the workmen found

Simply beautiful. Makes me think of jolly old England (see photo).

[Lyrics by Sting]