Here are some pretty good covers of Laid Back's 1983 single 'White Horse'.

Mp3 Laid Back-White Horse

Mp3 Pomomofo-White Horse

Mp3 Bunny Lake-White Horse

Jason Mraz's hit single I'm Yours has been featured in an Australian Coca Cola commercial. This has soon stirred up a heated controversy all over the internet. Apparently his diet consists of only all natural and non-processed food thus this endorsement of Coca Cola makes one wonder (Remember Jenna Jameson for PETA but carries a huge leather purse?) . Yet Mraz's laid back style matches Coca Cola (and Australia!) perfectly. I don't know, I love Jason Mraz and I love Coca Cola...

FS Green - Chancletas

Other participating producers/dj’s:

Lefto (De Hop, Appletree, BE)
40 Winks (Little-D Soundlab, Project Mooncircle, BE)
JLS (Little-D Soundlab, NL)
Infinitskills (Laid Back, Citywurl, Rushhour, BE)
Erjee (Drop, NL)
Dyno (Citywurl, Rushhour, BE)
Lowman (Drop, NL)
Ame (After Hours, BE)
FLO (BE)
Versatell (Flowlife Bumz, BE)
Florre (BE)

fs+green

(this post has been written since Monday (by that I mean LAST MONDAY, the 23rd), but somebody *cough*ALETHIA*cough* didn't email me lake pictures...)

This past weekend, I went with Alethia, her other half (henceforth to be known as Fuzzy), and another friend to Fuzzy's house on one of the Finger Lakes. I was especially excited for it because we're not getting to go to my favorite place in the world, my mom's family's house on Birch Island on Lake Winnepesaukee (of What About Bob? fame).

It was glorious. We waterskied, wakeboarded, and tubed:

PICS

PICS

PICS

We took the Glen Walk, which is basically walking up a stream that goes down several waterfalls which we had to climb up.

PICS

PICS

And somewhere along the way, I realized something - I think I've obtained a quality that I've admired in other people for a long time: I would describe myself as laid-back. I can pin down this transformation to the past year or so, but no more precisely. I've always loved and admired people who could be spontaneous, easy-going and fun-loving, and up for anything. I think, at least to some degree, I've obtained that.

I won't hesitate to say that I used to be rather uptight. About lots of things. Stupid things. I mean, I still am a it - but I've loosened up a lot. I've never embarassed easily, but if somebody teased me, I used to get all defensive and irritating, but now I'm better about that - I can laugh at it. Or, I used to have a firmly preconceived notion in my head that I didn't like hiking. But when we went for the Glen Walk (I capitalize it because it just seems to sound like that when people say it), I was more open-minded for some reason and instead of realizing halfway through that I was enjoying it, I had fun pretty much the whole time.

There are other examples that I won't bore you with, but this realization is certainly a bit of a self-confidence boost.

The secret to this transformation? I think it is that I've confined my minor obsessiveness to less obtrusive aspects of my life - namely knitting. Also beasting sudoku puzzles and such...but mainly knitting. ;)

Now to knitting - the Mystery Shawl continues! I chose chart B for Clue 2, and I've gotten through the first few rounds finished the entire clue in one day, although I'm guessing this will be the last one with which I'll be able to do that:

P.S. Other developments during the LONG period between writing this post and getting the rest of the pictures for it:

• My spinning wheel (Lendrum DT) has been named Lenny
• I'm attempting to spin sock yarn I finished a skein of sort-of sock yarn which turned out to be 207 yards and a bit heavier than sock weight - I might be able to get a pair of socks out of it...
• I've developed a slight obsession with socks due to the Knitter's Magazine contest
• My summer is essentially gone - summer in the sense of sleeping in and lazing about, that is - music camp for a week, seven-week internship, week-long trip, then school again...

Fatt rapport fran dem nere i Miami. Verkar ha riktigt kul! Se till att fortsatta med det tjejer! Onskar jag kunde vara med!! :D Aja, next time :P

Traffade Linda o Linda ikvall. Sen stack dem och jag akte o hamtade min bil o korde tillbaka till Starbucks. Satt o snacka med Chris, som kommit tillbaka fran Guatemala nu, och Liam, Mike o deras tjejkompis som va riktigt nice :) Hahaha.. Satt o snackade om heeelt udda grejer. Sant jag alskar med att vara har! Alla ar sa laid back.. Ja, forutom hypermanniskor som Marcy ;)

Haha. Ska fortsatta kolla roliga bilder som Jim lagt ut. Ni skulle se dem! Vet inte vad de har haft for sig, men kul ser det ut iaf :D

(DirektneuerMusikpart)

Das ursprüngliche Video könnt ihr auch hier anschauen.

The story of Mingering Mike is one of legendary status and I think will forever stay with me as a source of inspiration.

Between 1968 and 1977 Mingering Mike recorded over fifty albums, managed thirty-five of his own record labels, and produced, directed and starred in nine of his own motion pictures.

In 1972 alone he released fifteen LPs and over twenty singles, and his traveling revue played for sold out crowds the world over.

All of this in his imaginary world, recordcovers handpainted, titles and tours pure fiction. 

Until two collectors came accross his lost collection of fake albums on a flea market, tracked him down (one of the two was a detective) and decided to tell his story to the world.

A book was compiled, showcasing Mike’s work.

A first 45 single was released, two of Mike’s songs finally seeing light. (give this to The Roots and Cody Chessnutt, ft. Andre3000 and it’s a hit!)

And now Laid-back got Mike to select a solid bunch of his favourite tracks.

Download the mix and find out why ’The Soul Superstar You’ve Never Heard Of’ selected these specific tracks, since Mike included some fascinating hand-written liner notes, on Laid-back’s Mingering Mike page. 

Be sure to visit Mike's website.

via On-Point.be (nice one Alex!) and laid-back.be.

Lately, I've been feeling the pull of all the seemingly contradictions and trying to find the balance.  After a month of living alone and doing things how I want, I am feeling the pull of not liking all the changes, embracing and loving having people to live life with, and the desperate urge to earn the approval of people.  I desperately want to leave, go on an adventure, do something new--I feel trapped and in a lease until next May.  Plus, I always come back to the thought...if I did leave where would I go and I wouldn't want to go alone.  At the same time, I see all the things I can partake in here such as Antioch Community Church, work, roommates, and the like.  So, I'm at a loss and unsure where to go from here or what to do.  Until I find some direction, I'll continue with what I've been doing.

Vi frågade lite försiktigt om man såg vad det var, (det spelar absolut ingen roll, vi är bara hemskt nyfikna) men den lilla krabaten är tydligen lite blyg/pryd av sig för hon/han knep ihop benen ordentligt och vägrade visa oss. Så vad det blir får bli en överraskning! :)

Chief amongst these is probably the starter comment "As you know, I'm fairly laid-back, babes..." - which is a frank and honest admission that neither one of us is in the least bit "laid back". It stems from an occasion on which Old Friend At Work described herself (in her view, truthfully) as "laid back" only to be met with sustained gales of laughter from all around her. Subsequent enquiries into whether or not people thought her "laid back" drew a similar response: incredulity and mockery. She has now accepted that she is not laid back, and has grown to embrace it. I never dreamed that I was...

However, I have had a laid back experience! Last night, we had eight adults and eight children for a supper party. During that party, the children dug up a sizeable section of the lawn, and a couple of wine glasses were smashed. And I truly didn't care. I shall re-seed the lawn, and buy some new glasses, and that will be that. The fact that I was as smashed as the glasses is no reason to think that this isn't some kind of turning point, and that a new, more relaxed me is on the horizon. I am, however, slightly unrelaxed at the thought of putting out all the recycling: it looks like the aftermath of a Guns 'N' Roses backstage party...

They say that the 'WA' in Western Australia stands for Wait Awhile. And this I have to say is most definitely true. Life simply goes at a much slower pace here, and whether you are sitting at the traffic lights (which incidentally have to be the slowest I have ever sat at) waiting for a coffee or at the checkout in Coles, there simply seems to be no urgency to get stuff done in anything that resembles a hurry.

Depending on what side of the bed you got out of that morning or whether you actually have anything important to get achieved that day before sunset, this can either be quite a calming experience, in a laid back living kind of way, or just downright bloody annoying.

On my first outing to a supermarket I stood in line with my trolley load of shopping and waited to pay. I picked up one of those conveniently placed magasine's to skim (not to be confused with read, as that involves actually paying for it) and by the time I had read that Britney had done a Britney, Nicole was too thin and Misha too fat, the line still hadn't moved on. Starting to feel slightly pissy at the very idea of having to reload, move and re-stack in another lane, should the till roll be empty, I looked to see what was taking so long. That, I was to find out, would be the methodical teller, placing each tin, bottle and packet into a bag, one at a time and with all the urgancy of a cat sleeping in the sun.

When I eventually dusted down the cobwebs and moved forward in the line, I offered to pack my own things, hoping that I might make it home before the food went past it's 'Best Before' date. Not an unrealistic proposition you might think, considering that packing your own bags is a legal requirement in Tescos. But not here and not a chance. Don't worry I was told, they were in no rush, they would do it for me. So very friendly and helpful, but oh my God, so painfully slow to observe. I have since learned that there is nothing to do in a situation such as this, but watch and wait... and eat your way through the packet of Tim Tams you have yet to buy.

Another example of this snails way of life came about yesterday, while trying to order something to eat in Dome. 40 minutes it took before the piece of cake made the long trip from the chiller to the plate to the table. Another 10 minutes before the hot chocolate followed suit - unfortunately 9 minutes too late to wash the cake down with. Now, though I am admittedly an impatient person to say the least, I'm not totally unreasonable. Had the place been heaving with a load of starving people all clamouring for service, or had the coco beans just been freshly ground by a singing Umpa Lumpa out the back, then I probably wouldn't have cared about the wait. However, there were only 6 other people in Dome, all with a drink in hand. The bean in question was more Cadbury than Wonka and I had just over 5 minutes to drink up and be somewhere else.

Of course I suppose it was really my fault and I should have known better. I was afterall redeeming my drink with a voucher previously given to me as an apology for bad service. Once bitten and all. On that occasion, when ordering a 'fresh' risotto in Subiaco, it took 40 minutes to turn up and then closely resembled something that would be used to plaster a wall, only with slightly less flavour. When asked if it were meant to look like festering gruel, the insulted chef informed me that it had only just been removed from it's packet and freshly microwaved before it came out to me, and that is how risotto was meant to look.

Hmmmmm, what can I say, you just can't beat that fresh, home cooked taste...

Th

: : : : : : : : : : :

Th

Today we were full of nerves as we would be planning for our charla our group would be giving to the business volunteers today, and that nervousness was elevated by me having a class to teach in the afternoon.

A volunteer who is finishing up her service came to Masatepe to help us do our Charla. We’re basically treating it as teaching a real class, and will be giving the class to our fellow trainees. Since we’re the most advanced Spanish group, once again we’re the ones who have to do things first. The girl who came to work with us lived in the same house that I’m living in now. She was the first volunteer my family ever hosted – so she walked back with me to come visit after we threw together a presentation for tomorrow. She chatted it up with my host padres while I sat around for an hour trying to figure out if I was nervous about teaching a bunch of 10^th graders or if I wasn’t.

Eventually, the hour of truth was upon me and I made my way to class. I had the ingenious game plan of taking a mototaxi to the school so I wouldn’t be sweaty after walking through the sun to get there. However, for whatever reason, this was the first time I’d never seen a mototaxi on my way to…anywhere really. So I had to walk the entire way there (I don’t know why I’m whining, it’s only a 4 minute walk). We were told that some head honchos from DC were going to sit in on our classes. Peace Corps Nicaragua gets evaluated every 5 years…and this just happens to be that year. So we were anticipating that they would watch Jordan’s class that she would teach, then would leave afterwards to evaluate other parts of the program.

Jordan’s class went super well. Her students expressed all the creativity, motivation, and participated like any other American class would have. Or in other words, it wasn’t what we expected. We expected no creativity, no participation, and tons of noise. Due to the lack of distraction in her class, Jordan flew through her class and finished 20 minutes early. Her class finished and we were all just surprised at how her class was and extremely pleased with how smoothly everything went – next was my class.

I arrived to my class where all the students stood up upon me entering, greeted me with a good afternoon, and I had them sit down. At first, I was a bit nervous and talked a little fast. What I ended up doing was completely deviating from my game plan to read my plan to read what I had written on my papelografos (I seriously can’t think of the word for them, they’re big pieces of paper), and just verbally gave all the directions to the class. I flew through the first activity, which was an icebreaker where the students had to change 5 things about their appearances. It got a little rowdy from the activity, but they were pretty receptive to me yelling at them to be quiet and to listen. My Spanish facilitator criticized me for not coming up with other ways to keep the rowdy ones quiet, but I thought I handled it pretty well. I had bought a bunch of candy to get the students to participate…but participation was really a non-issue. My main activity was for the students to talk about what their life was going to be like in 10 years and most of the students had something to say. The whole point of the activity was to teach them to think ahead, and think of what will happen in the future/what they’ll need to do to achieve certain goals. To kill time/embarrass the students, I made them come up to the front of the class and share their lives in 10 years with the rest of the class. Then I subjected them to an interrogation by questioning them about their plans and how they’d achieve them. It mostly went well when I had one girl (who I figured out is my best student) present her life. It was this gigantic 1 page description of her life. I had absolutely no idea what she said, so I just said, “Wow, that was really good, give her an applause.” I got the class done, reviewed the class, and told them to think about the theme for the next class and finished everything 5 seconds before the bell rang. It was pretty great. However, the PC/government big wigs that were supposed to show up to Jordan’s class ended up watching my class for 20 minutes. So if Peace Corps ends up pulling out of Nicaragua, you know where it all started.

May 23^rd

Today was a sort of “day off” as I only had to go to training in the next town over. We all met up at 7:30 to take the bus to Olla de Barro to meet up with the other volunteers for a full day of training. This was another training session where I didn’t start drifting off in the middle. However, this probably could be attributed to our group having to give a charla to the other volunteers since we’re in the higher Spanish group. We kind of slacked off and didn’t prepare as much, but we got our point across, and the only thing lacking was our organization as well as grammatical errors from a lack of practice.

Our charla was followed by rabies shots and a charla from the head PC doctor in Nicaragua. We learned about Malaria and Dengue fever and prevention tips/steps to take. As long as we take the malarial drugs, we won’t get it, and as long as we get to the hospital to be hooked up to artificial nutrition, we’ll survive dengue fever. Nicaragua only has a handful of people get the most severe strain of Dengue fever, and there’s never been a PC volunteer that has got it, so I’m not too worried.

It’s always good to see the fellow people in our small business group if only to share stories about the week – what illnesses we got, how our bowel movements are going, the latest dish we got, the newest unknown vegetable we’d eaten, and how many times we’d eaten gallo pinto recently (the answer is we eat it pretty much every meal).

The afternoon session flew by pretty quickly and was full of breaks, which made it even more laid back. Even though it’s job training, it’s more like sitting in info sessions that inform you on ways you could approach things. The training sessions are like classroom survival skills. More than ever though, you’re expected to be creative – really creative. It’s absolutely imperative that you teach a class that complements every learning style. If you don’t appeal to them, you’re going to lose the attention of some of your students.

Regarding my class, I’m going to have to be more of a hardass on Monday to let them know I’m not screwing around. However, it’s only a 33-minute class because they’re taking final exams, so I don’t have to plan as much. In addition to kicking up my disciplinarian side, I have some students that are the ones that don’t pay attention and just don’t bother to do the assignment, nor care. On Monday, these are the students I’m going to make do everything. They’ll be no slacking in my class! I won’t let them be lazy and not pay attention – I’m dynamic and mean. Good luck 10A.

I got back from class around 3:30, which was amazing. It was the first day I arrived home where I didn’t have to plan a class, go to a youth group, meet up with somebody, run errands, or anything. I wanted to relax, so I started fixing my host Dad’s bike. It makes tons of noise so I fiddled with the brakes and got them aligned. I took the bike for a spin around the block to find the source of all this damn noise to discover that not only did the bike make a lot of noise, but it is totally beat to sh*t. Everything is bent big time. However, with everything being made out of iron/steel, I’m not too concerned about the bike falling apart. I’ve initially diagnosed the wobbly crankset as a bottom bracket that isn’t secure (Jon – ideas?). I’ve got to pore over my PDF bike manual to get a better idea of what the issue is and what I can do to fix it.

After that, I wasted a couple hours watching TV, and ate some dinner (gallo pinto with some chicken/rice soup if you care). Then I went over to one of my student’s houses, Javier, to grab him to go running with me. The great thing is, he always says he’ll do something, no matter what it is. Chess? He’ll go grab the chess set and a table and bring it down the block. Running? He’ll just drop everything and go right then and there. Youth group? Just let him drop off his stuff at his house. Reliability.

During the night, my host mom hosted her bible study/singing/whatever group while William and I worked out in our kitchen. He never wants to run, so I try to make it as hard as possible on him since he never worked out before I showed up. I made him do 200+ rowing exercises until he was totally exhausted. In the end this kicked me in the ass because when I went to do exercises next, the resistance bands just broke. So through creativity and innovation, we spent 2 hours fixing the bands. We still haven’t finished, but we’ve got time to pull it all together.

I have to go to Managua for a short 4-hour training session on whatever. I’m not a huge fan of Managua, but I don’t have much of a choice. To top it off, PC decided that our training group (once again because of our high Spanish level), is going to go to some conference in Managua next Thursday to learn about ways to work with youths. PC will take us out to lunch and pay for our transportation, so it works out in the end.

Part 1:

I don't understand how my phone cord at work ALWAYS gets tangled.

I don't understand why steep and cheap can't have more deals that I want

I don't understand why Facebook is still so appealing and easy to waste time on

I don't understand why I like blogging so much when I don't know who is reading

I don't understand how I can get so lost and involved in a book in no time

I don't understand why bugs freak me out and other animals don't

I don't understand why I live in this dichotomy of sporty clothes and girly clothes

Part 2: 

I understand that I'm emotional and yet hate showing it

I understand that I am laid-back, flexible and a people-pleaser

I understand that I love to exercise and look sporty

I understand that if I buy something it better be "happy"

I understand I love listening and helping people

I understand Microsoft Access 

I understand that I love making desserts

zB zu empfehlen wenn eine externe harddisk auf den boden fällt, verursacht durch das verschieben eines schreibtisches. mann will doch nur ein loch bohren: die leute wollen nämlich keine bohrmaschine, sie wollen ein loch!

Personally, I like Nell and Rosie for my daughters, and Gus and Mack for my sons. Most of these would have formal versions (Eleanor, Rose, and Augustus… I think Mack would stand alone), but they would always go by the nickname.

Well, since that time, the values of Gus and Rosie have taken a bit of a hit, as has the whole formal version concept. I still like Gus, but I'm a little concerned that its scruffiness sounds a bit forced. Mack on the other hand is holding strong and has inherited the top spot as a result as its more effortlessly scruffy feel. As a stand-alone name, it was in the top hundred boys names for the first decade of the 20th century (it hasn't appeared in the top 1,000 since 1989), making it appropriately vintage. Also, it was rarely used as an independent name outside the U.S., making it unlikely to appear on popularity lists in England (often a pre-requisite for staging an American comeback), so it could very well be overlooked in the wave of laid back retro names.

That whole "climbing the charts in England" problem is also the cause of the Rosie deflation. It's a shame -- Rosie is a good name. But where I had been thinking "the riveter," now I'm thinking, "oh no, the next Lucy." Brimming with charm, but a candidate for tomorrow's quintessential yuppie name. Nell has a little bit of that, but I'm betting on it escaping the ranks of caricatured yuppiedom (as Caroline was in the '80s, Emma in the '90s, and Isabelle this decade). Plus, Nell is nice and compact, with the option of the free-wheeling, equally old-fashioned Nellie. I have also scrapped Eleanor as the full version. The argument that at some point she may want something formal to put on her resume has actually backfired with me. I don't want anyone mistaking my child for a future CEO, and I'd rather not do anything to help that frame along.

So, Mack and Nell for my favorite names... and a whole new set of secondary names...

Now I'm kinda digging Bess for my second daughter. Like Nell, Bess is turn-of-the-century, and also like Nell/Nellie it's compactness can be easily adjusted to Bessie. Bess had always been around the periphery of names I liked, but I hesitated because I didn't like Elizabeth as a full name. Wow, scrapping the concept of formal versions sure has been freeing...

Second son... okay, I know its common to the point of anonymity, but I'm having a tough time resisting the name Joe. Average Joe, Cup o' Joe... it truly is irresistible. On that, I would use Joseph, mostly because even as a formal name, it doesn't approach pretentiousness, and also because just putting Joe on a birth certificate might re-create that Gus-like forced scruffiness. Added bonus: you can have a city Joe and you can have a country Joe, but its hard to imagine a suburban Joe. They're all named Brian or Kevin or Alex or Jeremy. In twenty years, that's where you'll find all the Jonahs, Ethans and Julians. Y'know, soft names. Thankfully, I don't see a Joe fitting in there. Joe will also necessarily avoid the trendy bluntness of Charlie and Sam because the name never went out of style to begin with, so measuring a comeback becomes a bit tricky.

Still not thinking of having kids anytime soon, but that doesn't stop me from continuing to compile the list in the constant search for the perfect names. Nell, Mack, Bess, Joe. That's where that list stands now.

I’m kinda bugged out right now on how chill I am.  Like, the things that bothered me even a month ago aren’t even an issue to me because at the end of the day they don’t determine my ultimate happiness, I do.  I breathe slowly, I laugh, and I enjoy the good times and ride with the rough ones until the lessons reveal themselves, and then I keep it moving.  This year has been such a time of transformation and ascension to a better and absolute self. Then again I knew it would be for a lot of us.   Now that I have a taste of it, you know...(say it slick and slow) THE CHILLLLLL... I’m totally hooked. Haha.  I’ve been meditating and praying for inner peace and patience for some time now.  Glad the goods have finally kicked in.

Chick like me is prone to spontaneous combustion on yo azz if you push it far enough, like tryna to take my turn at the gas pump or taking the last of something in the kitchen and leaving the EMPTY package or pitcher right where you found it, lol.  Driving too slow in front of me or even simply telling me 'NO' when it comes to something I want.  Wanna see me trip?  Take and apply one or all of the above.   Believe it or not those small things would cause me to grow a wild hair in my arse and totally affect me like a mad woman some days!  Like a sprial downward that I didn't even realize I was on.  City girls move fast and don’t have time for the BS or minimal issues that can’t be tied back into their priorities in life.  We’re tryna to get it in, get it done, and get it on out with as little drama as possible.  So yea, sometimes the small things are sweated in a way.  Just human nature.   

Having minimal drama is sorta impossible in my line of work and in my home life with two daughters, mini me's.  Just picture myself as an adolescent, a teen and an adult and throw all of them under one roof.  Pure comedy!  And I wouldn’t necessarily call it drama, just really fast-paced with a need to move with urgency and intent. 

When I first decided to take on the ultimate challenge and push myself like never before, I was forced to adjust my life totally and ask my self how bad I wanted to be successful…because if I did want to attain my goals, it was not going to be easy under any circumstance.  That I was prepared for and the level of your grind is what ultimately separates the haves from the have not’s.  Being a 'have not' isn't an option. I realized, though, that stress and high-strung tension stems from a feeling of not being in control of whatever that stressor may be.  Situations, people, things, any external factor.   Gotta take charge of the inner you and guard it from the ever changing world outside.  I just had to get real and drop the weight proclaiming that, “I’m in control and the most high is my number one guide and protector so…why sweat it?”  I’m so on my chill.

For whatever reason, at this point in my life I feel in control and like I have choices and options.  For a while I didn’t feel that way because I felt I didn’t have the tools needed to empower myself and become that 360 degree black girl.  Eventually I said effit and took it back to my roots and made my own damn tools, rocks-dirt-sticks and all on some customized shyt.  lol I know that everything in my life is shaping and forming according to how it should be, and my only responsibility is to make the right choices while keeping an open mind and objective heart.  Hyped up clammor is for the ugh, 20 something’s. J *wink*  Today I am laid back, soft, feminine, relaxed,  but still handling business like every moment counts.  We have to remember what’s important and why we are here.  Realizing your purpose puts everything into perspective and that’s when you ultimately realize that there’s nothing to be tense about.  Just plant the seeds and the ones that are inteded to grow will do so.  It’s gonna be a fly azz summer!

Totally addicted to the “chill”.

-black girl.