Interesting morning.
[Indulge me here — this might take a minute, but it’ll be worth it by the end.]
The brakes on my Jeep are doing something odd right now, and I had an appointment to take it in this morning. This was thwarted by the expected deluge falling, instead, as snow last night.
It’s not that sensible to take a Jeep in to get the brakes checked on snowy roads. Especially when said roads are leading down a mountainside. So I’m hoping to wait the snow out and go later.
Compounding this problem is the fact that I left my phone in town yesterday, at the counter of the local grocery story. I know, I know.
So, no car, no phone.
While I should have been running errands, I am instead…running. And while running, I began to contemplate the names of those who are in my head with me as I run, and those who have been there for the last [ahem] few years.
I started running when I was 19 or so, and have been at it to some small degree [with a minor 10 year exemption for young-motherhood thrown in] ever since.
I came of age at the time of the Hair Bands, almost all populated by boys. A decent power ballad can still bring me to my knees. When I started running, walkman in hand [I know, pathetic, isn’t it?] almost none of the songs I ran to were performed by women. A few of ’em crept in here and there, but big, rocking female voices were just not the norm. I had Tina Turner, of course, and the sisters Wilson from Heart, and half of Fleetwood Mac. Joan Jett and Pat Benetar. But, you know…I think that was it. Debbie Harry, maybe.
However, slogging away at it today, I was struck, and then delighted, by how things have changed.
So I decided to hold an imaginary thank-you dinner for all of the ladies who have run in my head with me over the years. Care to set the table with me?
First — the guest list.
Well, looking at recent favourites, I’d have to start with Adele, of course. On either side of her I’d put Rihanna and the shade of Amy Winehouse. Katy Perry, but only if she’d leave her fireworks bustier at home. Amanda Palmer would hold court, likely, so she’d want someone interesting to sit with… How about Alannis? She’s seems a lot less angry lately — the two of them could get really zen together.
And, back to the old school, there’d have to be a spot for Bette Midler and Madonna, but I think maybe quite far down the table from Lady Gaga. I’d seat _her_ with Cher — yeah. They’d love that. Pat and Joan could rock the black eyeliner again and reminisce of a time before Stephen Tyler. [Would Aerosmith count? They _were_ pretty girly…. but I think not.]
No, let’s be purists here. Tina Turner gets the seat at the head of the table, of course. And Patti LaBelle, but again — she’d need to be over with Bette and Madge, because of the whole Gaga thing. Annie Lennox can fit in the middle — think she’d enjoy a talk with Kate Bush, or is the Scots Independence movement a little too hot a topic these days? Maybe I should put them with Tracy Chapman, to convince her to put out a new record.
There’d have to be a whole Canadian section, too, with Sarah McLaughlin and kd lang holding court beside Alannis. Maybe we’d let Feist in, though it’s a bit early to say. Amanda Marshall could sit with MIA, since she married a Canadian, after all.
To finish with a little colour, I’d team Pink up with the Indigo Girls and let ’em go wild.
I’ll tell you something, that would be SOME dinner. And if I stayed true to form and made it mostly vegetarian, I bet no one would object.
I would close the evening by thanking each of them, for all they have brought to music … as well as the help their voices gave me in getting me through every last brutal kilometre. Then I’d hand around the best chocolate cake ever for dessert — made with a little espresso. They’d love it.
I bet you anything, they’d all offer to help with the dishes, too. But I wouldn’t let them. Steve Tyler could handle it — he’s got enough dishtowels tied to him at any given time to do the job right.
Guess what — you’re invited too.
Who would you like to sit beside? Name me your choice of rock goddess. I’ll make sure there’s enough cake for everyone!
More soon, of course….
~kc
Site Title 