hijack a snowplow

i continue to be incredibly drained, but i figure that writing here is one way to pass the time, keeping me from doing the two things i really, really need to do - my thesis and modeling (yes, modeling). i can tell a story, share a few things, and go to sleep, then work on stuff tomorrow.

so i'm trying to decide whether the eternal wisdom i'll share tonight will involve my thoughts on religion or on sports. i think i might put off religion for another day, but sports should be interesting enough. i was eating and talking about sports with my grad student colleague, and more particularly about how one can approach learning new activities/games/sports, how to act regarding others in various situations, that sort of thing.

and i guess the thing i found most remarkable about my own view of sports involves how i coach. i made the comment to him that if someone (teammate or someone i'm coaching) ever screws up while in a game situation, i never tell them that - it's not the time or place for it. i will only tell someone what to do before something comes up, and afterwards, it isn't the time or place for it. if anything, i'll tell them to get whatever mistake they made out of their head, at least until after the game and hopefully before the next practice session. and they should only replay the mistake in their heads a few times, but should replay the situation in their minds many times, along with what they could have done better.

so i was wondering how that would translate into teaching other things. but that involves making a distinction between a game and practice (the kind of distinction i find valuable in getting better at sports). what is the practice and what is the competition when someone is learning how to think, research, read, and write? it gets a lot harder, but i don't think it's a bad distinction.

and i also decided in class today that i'm going to have them read some from daniel quinn's my ishmael, particularly about education, in order to contextualize what we've been doing in class this semester. i'm actually excited to see how they react to the readings. we'll see.

this was my playlist/cd for september. i have one for each of the last few months, and i'm most proud for this one - it certainly shows what i was listening to then, but i also think that the inclusions fit together rather well. it was a good enough cd that i could keep it in my car for multiple listens in a row. and i continued loving it - still do. i don't know why exactly i decided to start posting my track listings, but it seems like a good enough thing to do right now, especially for those of you whom i don't see enough.

Us by Regina Spektor
Absolut Camus by Rebels Victorious
Vito's Ordination Song by Sufjan Stevens
The Execution Of All Things by Rilo Kiley
As You Sleep by Something Corporate
Different Names For The Same Thing by Death Cab For Cutie
Bad by U2
New Hampshire by Matt Pond PA
I Will Follow You Into The Dark by Death Cab For Cutie
Samson by Regina Spektor
Our Composition by Rebels Victorious
Chicago by Sufjan Stevens
Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) by The Arcade Fire
Autumn Sweater by Yo La Tengo
carolina by Ben Gibbard
Always by Rilo Kiley
Casimir Pulaski Day by Sufjan Stevens


well, i always like to write the lyrics of interesting songs that i'm liking and listening to. in this case, there isn't one website that had the lyrics to this song, which is somewhat surprising. some bloggers listed it in their christmas playlists a year ago, but no record of lyrics is available. i guess i'm fine with that, except that i don't know whether i got the lyrics right that i wrote down, and i'm missing some. so what i'd like from anyone who wants to listen to this song is an email telling me what you think the lyrics are - then maybe i'll repost/edit what i have so there can be at least one place that has the lyrics. and in the mean time, you'll enjoy listening to one of the best christmas songs ever.

**update** my brother and his friends helped me with a few of the lyrics, but we still don't quite have them in full. please email me (use unintruder@yahoo.com if you don't know another email for me). thanks guys.


come on! let's boogie to the elf dance by sufjan stevens

tie up your boots
jump off the ladder
pack up your clothes
nothing's the matter
mistletoe hangs up in the bedroom
your sister's bangs, she cut them herself

santa is here
sleigh bells are ringing
twenty one elves
they are all singing
kmart is closed
so is the bakery
everyone's home watching tv

santa claus is coming
hear the banjos strumming
santa claus is coming
hear the banjos strumming

chestnuts and fire
holly and hay
jesus and mary
what a great day
evergreen tree covered in snow
tower of babel tower of glow

there's a m_______????
and there's a ________????
they give us good gifts
like mittens and socks

hijack a snowplow
clear out the streets
tell all the neighbors
there's cookies to eat

get up off the floor and get in the shower
there's a lot to shout about
santa claus is coming to town
he's got the greatest gifts around

away in the manger
no crib for a bed
little lord jesus lay down his sweet head
the stars in the sky look down where he lay
the little lord jesus asleep on the hay
the cattle are lowing the baby awakes
little lord jesus, no crying he makes