Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Guest: Michelle Bounfiglio

Welcome the lurvely Michelle Bounfiglio to the convertible today. Hold on to your hats, ladies, this chick just turned the radio up to eleven and is shakin' those hips...


24 Things I Promise Not to Tell You About Myself

If you’re a facebooker – in addition to being a groovy Topdowner! -- you’ve probably been tagged at least once by a facebook friend affording you the honor of being one of the 25 Chosen Readers of their “25 Things You Don’t Know About Me” list.

Now, oftimes, one is tagged by someone one cares about deeply. In this case, it’s cool to learn the things that surprise us, make us giggle over or give us the warm fuzzies when our friends fess up to ‘em. Sometimes, someone we thought we knew well (we’ll call them, em, family members) leaves us jaws all waggin’ agape at the stuff they choose to admit – or for some unfathomable reason choose to lay bare before two dozen of their closest cyber friends.

But the Tag 25s that bewilder me most are the ones that happen when somebody I haven’t seen for a couple decades – and had to research to figure out from whence I knew them -- tags me, and reveals things like, “I work out so I look good naked,” and, “I never really went all the way with Jimbo, even though I wanted to.”

Then, after I’m the first-and-often-only one to comment into the cricket-chirp-laden digital void, TaggerFriend proceeds to IGNORE my comment that seeks to say something (anything!) that can possibly validate the double-baker’s-dozen-minus-one train wreck he just gacked forth in perpetuum facebookiensis.

Don’t worry. I’m not talking about the list you tagged me on.

Thing is, I like you. So I’m not going to tell you 25 things about me you never wanted to know. Besides, what could I write about that I haven’t revealed already in that, oh, how do Hauf and Greiman put it…

Hauf: She seems to have no sense of –
Greiman: Decorum? Propriety?
Hauf: Yeah. She seems to say the first thing that comes into her head –
Greiman: Just after she’s figured out some way to reference length, girth or various euphemisms for the male member…

So as not to bore Mizzes “Too much sex talk makes Buonfiglio a dull girl,” I thought I’d reveal to you one thing about me that I kinda just figured out about myself in the last six months or so, something I think is kinda cool:

I’m a hard-core hard-rock light-skirt.

I find the artistic pulse and creativity of the music energizing, and the youthful exuberance and kinda naïve lense through which some of the young guys writing the stuff view the world sweet in a grungy kind of way. And, frankly, I love the deceptively simplistic exploration and in-your-face poetic treatment of good ‘ol fashioned sex-and-drugs-and-young-men-breaking-loose culture. It’s loud and exciting and awe inspiring and ridiculously naïve and -- when the riffs and mics are in the hands of the today’s most wicked-talented musicians -- I feel hopeful that Madonna and Britney Spears and Kid Rock haven’t ruined for ever the genius that was and is and ever shall be bona fide rock ‘n roll.

But that doesn’t mean I’m gonna’ be dressing in leather hip-huggers and draggin’ the Topdowners to any rock clubs anytime soon, not the way we hared off to see Chippendale’s a while back. Well, not unless Kathy Eagle learns all the words to Buckcherry’s “I’m Too Drunk to F*ck Ya…”

What surprising thing about yourself do you just find pretty gosh darn cool?

I’ve got a 6-pack of new romances for one randomly chosen commenter. And, since I’m pretty sure after this post I’ll never see the inside of the convertible again, grazie for letting me visit today. Hope you’ll all visit me at my new/old “In the Pink” digs, www.RomanceBuyTheBook.com. Please sign up for my new newsletter by 2.28, and you’ll have a shot at a $25 Borders gift card.

Michelle

68 comments:

Michele Hauf said...

I'm right there with you, holding the lighter high, for the rock music. Love it. But who's the dude in the pic? An ex you're not telling us about? ;-)

What is surprising yet cool about moi? Hmm... Gotta think on that a bit.

Playground Monitor said...

About ten years ago my son was playing his guitar and asked if I knew what he was playing. There was a smug look on his face I wanted to slap right off. So I opened the cabinet where I kept my 33 rpm records, pulled out one, put it on the turntable and proceded to play him the vinyl version of the song he'd inquired about. He was positively dumbstruck. He looked at me, looked at the record album, looked back at me and asked, "Were you at Woodstock?"

The album was Iron Butterfly's Inna Gadda da Vida and I had to answer "No, but I did hear them perform it live at a rock concert on campus my freshman year." He rifled through my albums which also had Crosby, Stills and Nash, Crosby Stills, Nash and Young and various other combinations of those musicians. It was quite an eclectic mix of music really. I just know it impressed the heck outta him.

Unfortunately I lost touch with the music world after about 1978, which coincides with the year he was born. One of my writing friends wants to have an 80's themed birthday party for herself. I had to laugh because I was raising kids in the 80's and have no clue what happened in the music world in that decade.

Do you think maybe some of the new artists like Chris Daughtry and David Cook might bring rock back around again?

Marilyn

Playground Monitor said...

LOL at the lighter comment. I've heard you can't do that anymore, but a friend has an app on her iPhone that's a Zippo lighter you can turn on and hold up. When you wave the phone back and forth, the "flame" goes from side to side. Very cool.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

LOL about the zippo app! My son was telling me, as only a disgusted nerd-boy who thinks all rules are black/white, that some kids at school have that. he thinks it's So inappropriate. :) PLay, I remember my bros playing the Iron Butterfly for me. I grew up w/ Jethro Tull and Led Zep,etc and was a big rock fan in hs, even though I was a classical student. I kinda forgot that for a lotta years, I guess. Then I had kids and Barney became the music du jour. Now, I spend time alone inthe car, and just got back into the loud nasty stuff. It's so soothing.

'chele! I so knew you'd be the same. The pic's the lead singer from Seether. He's a very big man with a gorgeous voice. Verra dirty. I kinda wish her were an old boyfriend. I always had crushes on skruffy guys w/the long hair, but they scared me, too...

I'll be waiting on that info, 'chele!

Anonymous said...

I definitely revert back to some earlier version of myself (or tap into a hidden persona) when riding in my Mustang. Top down, volume up, hair flying. Depends on my mood, but 60's and 70's rock (a little more mainstream than your choices, M, but Zep and PF do crop up every now and again) is usually what gets my blood pumping and the rubber burning. Heart is a fav, Golden Earring, Bad Company, Doors, War, Joplin.

Of course, I could also go into my funk collection. Sometimes the situation calls for some vintage George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic... Then there's Ella, Dinah, Etta and Billie. Cruising musts.

We have those "you don't know sh*t" convos with our sons along the funk, R&B, even rap line. Sweet to score points in areas they designated as strictly their rebellious own.

Keep rockin'!

Cindy Gerard said...

Madam M - You? Preoccupied with sex and male members? Why, I never would have guessed....

Secrets about me. Hum ... The only secrets I have I don't dare tell. you all will think I'm a bad girl...

Kathleen Eagle said...

I'm too drunk to...
Oh, behave, young lady!

Kathleen Eagle said...

Of the many things you don't want to know about me, one of the most painful is the fact that I know all the words to all the songs. You can't know that unless I start singing to you, at which point you will feel your own pain.

amy kennedy said...

I'm still laughing about Kathleen Eagle learning the lyrics...

I turn on some random album--Nat King Cole, Del Amitri, Sergio Mendes & Brazil 66, the Boss and dance all around the house--jazz hands and everything...no matter what anyone says though, I've never done it naked.

Kathleen Eagle said...

I've never heard of Buckcherry. Does that date me? If not, this will: I went to a live Chuck Berry show when I was in college. We thought he was pretty old then. He didn't. He thoroughly enjoyed himself rocking out for an all female audience. Talk about sexual tension! There's a reason he's the Father of Rock 'n Roll. (Chuck's lyrics are so much more exciting than "I'm too drunk to f*** ya." Who gets her groove on to a line like that?)

I'm with you, Bella B. Give me that ol' time rock 'n roll! (Yeah, yeah, mine's ol' time-ier than yours, but who's counting?)

Debra Dixon said...

Michelle-- Do NOT get my husband started on the state of rock 'n roll. Yaiyaiyaiyaiyai! He is a guitar guy and just shakes his head.

Re: Tagging
This is something I've never done. I can barely get a shower each very-full day lately. Forget trying to answer someone else's 25 questions. I'm busy trying to answer 25 more emails from authors or my business partners. (g)

Unknown said...

Man, I miss you so much!! Why did you ever leave us? Discussing male body parts will never be the same without you.

One thing people don't know about me...hmmmm...not much...I was absolutely a good girl...ahhh, my wasted youth. :) Return to us and teach me your sinful ways.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

I'm laughing so much right now! I LOVE it! Kathy, I SO can see (and hear -- fortunately or unfortunately, I dunno) you toolin around the house, singing all the words to every Donny Osmond song ever written. :) Didn't you lose the ability to remember lyrics w/ the first pregnancy? I did. It used to drive Dave crazy that I could hear a song once and remember it forever after. Now, he doesn't have to worry; I can't even remember titles.

Hiya, Lori and Tony!! I LOVE that you torture your sons by scoring those points! Like Playground Monitor with her sone and the Iron Butterfly music. :) Is your convertible awesome? It always seems like that must be the coolest thing in the world on a gorgeous, sunny day. Any you must really have to crank the music, too, so that's totally even cooler.

And I love that you know the rap/funk/randb stuff, too. I get totally jazzed cause there's so much hybrid stuff with rock now, so much funk and rap mixed with metal. The other day I heard this incredible sampling of Queen's 'we will rock you' in this new song [Cindy, cover your eyes] called "Pornstar Champion.' Frankly, I think it's titled that so young guys'll buy it. But the piece was so awesome and creative. It made me remember being in middle school when the Queen song came out, plus how my kids love the song now, and so on...

And, you know what? I love knowing this about you now. When I see you at Lori Fosters -- as I chase you down for a piecs of baklava -- I'm gonna feel like I know you even better. :) But I'm still gonna tackle you and pry the dern baklava out of your hands if I have to. Even if it's the last piece.

Cindy, you are the goodest of the Good Girls. Really. Now, tell ALL!!!!

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

Geiman, are you going all girly on me? I'm gonna start thinking you actually, no, like me? See, the things I'm looking for don't have to be naughty things. They can be, like, "I always pet stray puppies." "I never miss a 'MacGuyver' rerun." And believe me, if I could move back, I would.

Ames, I've seen your jazz hands. I've seen them at the Harlequin party. 500 people - and one art director in a kilt -- saw them at the harlequin party. This is not news.


Yup. Me, too, Debra. Sometimes my friends tag me and it's really cool to learn neat stuff. Like Playground mOnitor. But then the others happen where I feel pressure. And then it's so clear that these folks never have been on a romance blog, cause they have no sense of good manners. I mean, you're supposed to respond to everybody. It's not like I wanted to write anything. I just felt bad cause nobody else was. Then, it's like they were just waiting for their 'real' friends to respond, and then they reply to those friends. And i'm like, hey, I didn't wanna be tagged inthe first place! (My heart goes out to your husband. I can only imagine his pain as a real musician). :)

Kath, the song is so vilely sophomoric, it's marvelous. so, repeat after me,

"I hit the bottle in the morning
In the summertime.
I quit my job 'cause it gets in the way.

I find a party by the ocean,
Buy the cheapest wine,
Call up my friends to come and waste the day.

I got a dime bag,
Corduroys, and colored sleeves,
A bindle and some LSD.

Now I'm just lookin' for a girl to meet
To help me to forget my name. Oh, I'm gettin drunk all night, I'm gettin drunk all day, I'm gettin drunk all night, I'm sorry but I have to say I'm too drunk to..."

Well, Kath, you get the picture, no?

KylieBrant said...

Welcome to the convertible, Michelle. I'm not sure there is anything cool about me, ooh except for my new hip Samsung Delve, which is the coolest phone you can have if your phone provider doesn't support iPhones.

But my kids and their friends think I'm cool. God knows why. Perhaps because I can party with the best of them allllll weekend. Of course they don't see me go home and collapse for five days afterwards...

amy kennedy said...

Come on Kathleen, you have to admit those are some pretty profound lyrics.

So what do you want Buonfiglio--in my 20s I would go out to bars with my girlfriends and pick up random guys, is that what you want?

No? Oh, sorry. I can't watch Wheel of Fortune, because I always want the old person to win...and they never do.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

I LOVE that you love your phone, Kylie. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Something that just makes us giddy with joy or makes us smile because it's almost silly how much we enjoy it. I appreciate it because I only know how to dial my cell and save numbers. Sounds likeyou know a lot. And it's always awesome when your kids'friends think you're cool. Once, my son's friend laughed and said to me, "You're evil!" and I said, "That's Mrs. Evil to you,..."

Ames...empathy for old people...very sweet. And not a'tall naughty. (and can't you just see Eagle at home trying to memorize those words!)

Helen Brenna said...

I'm not cool. At all.

What's a bindle?

Anonymous said...

Okay, although Tony's a little under the weather this a.m. (he never gets sick so double the baby factor - priceless!), he's miffed that I didn't mention that he was a drummer in a previous life. (I bought him a set a few years back for Xmas. The childlike expression on his face was worth the price of admission! I think it's the only gift I've ever given him that he's loved.) One of his favorite songs when he was a teen in late 60's Greece? "I'm Black and I'm Proud," by none other than the King of Soul himself James Brown.

He shared the story with members of a black soul band we found ourselves on a plane with once. I thought they were going to invite him to sit in with them.

Reminds me of the movie The Commitments. Now *that's* a band I would love to see play.

My ultimate goal is to get a candy apple red '65 drop-top Mustang, but right now I'm doing all right with a candy apple red, drop-top '99 35th Anniversary Edition GT named Lucille. She's one hot mama and makes me feel like one when I punch the accelerator. Can't wait to strip back the cover she's been hiding under for the past five months and feed her a long stretch of road and reacquaint myself with my summer playlists. (What in the hell would I do if we moved to warmer environs where it's always summer? I ask when I catch Tony surfing Florida real estate. I don't think it would be the same, somehow. The denial. The anticipation. The foreplay. Mmm...)

Dunno if we're going to make Lori's great to-do this year. Schedule's filling up fast and we have to be careful we factor in enough time to meet all our deadlines...especially since we don't plan on doing a single thing for the entire three weeks we'll be 'home' in Greece this summer.

But I'm sure our paths will cross somewhere. We'll be sure to have plenty of Tony's Famous Baklava along for the ride. (He just groaned across the office from me. He made a huge batch for a tea our local RWA chapter hosted last Saturday. He left with an empty sheet pan, and a nose full of germs.)

Okay, ladies, ante up! We want to hear those bad girl stories...

Portia Da Costa said...

I think I'm a bit uncool when it comes to music, and maybe generally too. :)

I like a weird mix of 80s pop, classical, jazz divas, 50's classics, funk, movie soundtracks, Ibiza house music and a few other bits and bobs. I hardly ever listen to any current music at all...

Unknown said...

I am a bit uncool myself because I like rock music but I like the rock music from back in the 70's and 80's. I hate todays music. You will have to give me the oldies.

amy kennedy said...

Wow, Toni was a drummer, how cool is that? My husband used to be the lead singer in a local band here, he still can sing a mean acdc.

Michelle, do you think Buckcherry took their name from Chuck Berry? And I'm gonna memorize the lines for goodness sakes.

Kathleen Eagle said...

Donny Osmond! Puh-leez, MB. That's not OTR'R--that's Bubblegum. Turn it off before a wad of it gets stuck under my skull!

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

geez, ames, next thing ya know, yer gonna tell us you used to be a bartender.

Listen everybody! This isn't about being 'cool!" I kinda didn't get that right. What I meant by "cool" was, "cool 2 ME or Cool 2 YOU because I/YOU enjoy it so much in a blissed out kinda way."

So maybe think of the question that way...

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

brenna! it's a, and, well, I only know this, em, not cause for nuthin just cause, but it's, like the little envelope, like, powdered, you know, drugs come in, and stuff.

It's not like I'm listenin to this stuff in front of my kids or anything. Heck, I don't even listen to it in front of Dave.

Kathleen Eagle said...

Marvelous, my aching head!
Just reading those lyrics gave me a hangover. Blech!

Please pass the Jimmy Buffet.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

Sorry, K. The DeFrancos?

Virginia, I loved the 80s in the 80s, then I got kinda embarrassed about it, cause I remembered how I dressed and wore my hair back then. the Madonna head-wrap thing never looked as good on me as I thought it did, I'm pretty sure. But, really, 80s is totally cool right now!

Hope Tony's feeling better soon, LOri! Wish him well for us! Although I just can't imagine a guy acting like a baby when he's sick. They all usually just cowboy us so beautifully at times like that! :)

I had a big smile on my face reading about your car and your dream car. Talk about blissed out. Then I couldn't stop laughing about Tony and the James Brown song. There's something so sweet and funny about young European guys who love American rock music. Actually, that whole phenomenon of how young people worldwide are influenced by 'western' rock and pop music and clothes is really fascinating. I'd totally love to visit Greece. HOw cool that you visit so often. Must be pretty marvelous.

Portia! What's ibiz house music? bits n bobs. love it. Sounds a little naughty, though...

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

lol, k. :) But it does have a nice beat u can dance 2.

Unknown said...

Like I believe that, Buonfiglio. When have you ever cared is someone pets puppies. Snort!

Unknown said...

Hi, Michelle! Great to have you back with us in the convertible!

I confess to being a lyrics gal, too. I know the words to zillions of songs that nobody can stand to hear me sing. I did miss out on a few songs in the late 70's (young kiddos, must be a phase lots of young mothers endure). But by 80-81 I was back in the groove.

I do John Mayer, Sheryl Crow, Nellie Furtado, Pink, some Coldplay and Nickelback, Christina, Beyonce, and Shakira. Have even grooved to Metallica and Korn and Queen. I'm still crazy about Janis Joplin, Simon and Garfunkel, Jimi Hendricks, Iron Butterfly, the Eagles and Led Zepplin and Chicago and Crosby, Still, Nash, and Young, and Blood Sweat and Tears. The Dubie Brothers. . . somebody stop me!

So, Marilyn, I had a similar collections of 33's-- including that great Blind Faith album! My kids were fascinated in high school and early college. They couldn't believe that I listened to such stuff back in the day. I can't remember which of them took my vinyls. AGhhhhh.

LUV good old fashioned rock and roll. And I confess, there are a few rap songs and hip-hop songs that get me goin' too. Say, that may be my biggest confession yet!

Unknown said...

I’ll listen to almost anything, but I’m really bad about keep up with what’s new.

And I don’t do guys in bands anymore (excuse the pun) they can make great friends, but are horrible to date :o) I used to love going to concerts. I’m surprised that my son isn’t hard of hearing considering all the concerts I went to while I was pregnant with him.

Playground Monitor said...

Okay so I had to go to YouTube and search for the Buckcherry video for "I'm Too Drunk." Uhm... interesting.

I always get my DH's hand-me-down cell phones. He got an iClone and I got his old one that opens one way for phoning and the other way to display a qwerty keyboard that makes texting easy. I think text messaging is nifty. I use it sparingly and appropriately, but it's a great tool.

I sold my vinyl collection when we moved 4 years ago. We didn't have a turntable and with iTunes you can download just about anything so...

traveler said...

Welcome Michelle,
I am not cool but when I hear oldies from the 50's and 60's I imagine I am at the sock hop or else travelling the roads without a care or worry.

Helen Brenna said...

Now, you guys, don't be dissing my Donny Osmond. Or Bobby Sherman for that matter.

Michele Hauf said...

I'm with you, Helen! Don't diss the Donny! I remember when I finally got my first pair of purple socks...sigh.

Anyone for some Adam Ant? Hee. My iPod has a lot of AntMusic, a little Metallica, some Disturbed mixed in with The Monkees and Nickelback.

Kristi Cook said...

See, your post perfectly illustrated why I'm one of the Facebook hold-outs who's NEVER done the 25-things thing (how's that for eloquence?!). I positively refuse, no matter how many times I'm tagged! Mostly because I'm pretty sure I couldn't come up with 25 interesting factoids.

But here's one--back in my younger days, I applied to and was accepted into the FBI. I had a date to report to Quantico. And then...the month or so before I was set to go, my doctors found a brain tumor in my stupid skull and that was that. Instead of going to Quantico, I had brain surgery.

As to music, I'm usually more of the pop type, as pathetic as that is. I drool over Adam Levine of Maroon 5. But recently I surprised myself by becoming a MUSE fan.

robynl said...

I like the older Rock n' Roll music as someone else mentioned. Forget today's.
I am into Country music but still dig the Beach Boys, etc.

Jessa Slade said...

Is it the version of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida that has the 10-minute drum solo? I had a dj friend who played it when he had to go outside to... well, we already discussed the dime bag :)

If you want to be cooler than your kids, go indie. North Pole Records out of Portland, Oregon has a great selection the munchkins have never heard of so you can just smile wisely and put your ear buds in.

cheryl c said...

If I can't think of anything cool about myself, does that mean I have low self-esteem? :-)

Jane said...

Hi Michelle,
I wouldn't say I was cool, but I know a bit about sports, comic books, celebrity gossip and other useless information. I hear that they play Buckcherry's "Crazy B*tch" all the time at the strip clubs. Not that I would know.

catslady said...

My first rock concert was the "Yes" and the "smoke" was so thick you could hardly see lol. I was old enough to go to Woodstock but was already married and working and just too scared for something that big.

I still try to keep up with the music and having kids late helped but some of the new rap is just too much.

Myspace is enough for me - forget facebook lol.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

wowza! hauf and betina are nickelback fans! I mean, who doesn't look so much cuter with sumthin in her mouth, right?

LeeAnn, my friends took their 9 year olds to a mosh pit in Minneapolis and their some of the best parents I know. So your kid must be brilliant, I tell you, brilliant!

Helen, guess I can't dis the DeFrancos, neither, huh?

marilyn, you'll have to text me at rwa this year. dern carolyn linden forced me to get with that program and even though I can barely see the buttons on my phone, I actually can type a message in under seven minutes. Now that's cool.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

traveler, that fills my definition of blissed out!

I avoid the 25 things for the same reason. BUT: "ooo, I had to have brain tumor surgery..." Really, Kristina. Is that the best you could come up with?

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

Frankly, jane, I think it's cool that you know that! I love strip=club trivia! Well, I'd like to know more of it, anyway...

Well, cheri, when you say it like that, it means you're funny.

hi, catslady!!! long time! How awesome to see yes. I can't imagine that mammoth woodstock either. little secret: I don't understand myspace. I know it's the big music area. But i was really relieved when I heard facebook was the thing o the future for social networking. that's why i joined. just worked out great that i actually could figure it out. :)

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

robyn, when i hang w/one of my bros, we always listen to 'oldies' rock. and i'm like, wait! i'mnot that old! and country's great, too.

I'm classically trained and it kind of gave me this appreciation for how all music's related. i just kinda dig it all -- unless it's got harsh, ugly mean-spirited lyrics. Although there's this song "Death to All But Metal..."

Maureen said...

A couple of weeks ago my son, who's in high school, is telling me he downloaded something on his itouch and starts playing it and it is this awful high pitched sound. I tell him to stop that noise at once and he gives me this shocked look and tells me that it is some misquito noise that people over thirty can't hear.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

yeah, play. interesting pretty much sums it up... But you also gotta check out Seether's "Breakdown" vid (he's the guy who's piccie's on my post here and he's got a great voice) and Shinedown's "Heroes" )this guy's amazing) Hollywood Undead's "Renegade" (metal melded w/rap)... "Too Drunk's" just one of my fave train wrecks.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

loflippinl, maureen. I can't stop laughing.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

Jessa, my son's just getting to an age where he's torn between being proud of me and mortified by me. Maybe indie would be the great equalizer. And don't you mean that dj was a friend of a friend? (just in case your kids are listening...) :)

LizbethSelvig said...

Hey Michelle and RWTTDers,
Thanks for inviting us newbies here! I love this subject -- I'm with most everyone here and am a HUGE rock fan. For me it started with the Beatles -- I am that old, I was an actual fan. I admit I followed the pop side of things after that -- The Monkees and (thank you Helen!) Bobby Sherman. Today, though, I have a 25-year-old son who's a production recording engineer and a member of a rock band and he keeps me very up-to-date. The band practices every Saturday in my basement and I absolutely love it. I get to hear fabulous covers of so many current, mostly alternative rock bands: Green Day, Weezer, Lit, White Stripes, 3 Doors Down, Dredg and, yes, Buckcherry.
My son loves that I grew up loving rock music, and he loves keeping me current. Plus, I'm getting reacquainted with the original classic rock icons and finding faves of my own: Maroon 5 and Lifehouse for example.

BTW, for anyone in Minnesota (or you can go online) Minnesota Public Radio's "The Current" at 89.3-has the wildest collection of new, indie and classic rock EVER.

And what do I find cool about myself? I LOVE the music loud and driving and I love that all the guys in "my" band think I'm the coolest band mom ever even tho' I still love the Beatles and Neil Diamond too!

Cool topic! PS - I love to pet puppies (and kitties and horsies) too!

Kathleen Eagle said...

I've always thought the cool thing about me is that I'm so not cool. I've worked at it all my life, and I'm pretty sure I have it down.

I'm scared of Spacebook and My Face.

Helen, Donny Osmond AND Bobby Sherman? "The Andy Williams Show" meets "Shindig"--ah, the good ol' days.

Kellijo23 said...

The thing I found about myself that I think is pretty cool is, even though I don't know how, I know (& LOVE) 70s Rock. My mom says she didn't play it (she listed to 70s Easy Listening - Cap'n & Tennille, Olivia Newton John, The Carpenters - and I love that, too!).

The kids used to hate our music until Rock Star came along and suddenly our music is Amazing (their word). They are amazed at the songs we know. Still can't convince them that without 50s & 60s Rock, Jazz, Blues, even Country, the crap they listed to wouldn't exist.

I listed to most everything. Loved Nickelback until they sold out and went mainstream. And my first concert was Bobby Vinton.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

Hey kellijo! Awesome for pointing out the sellout! it's a little sad. cept, everybody wants to make a penny. Anyone who says differently ain't tellin the truth. Or hasn't thought it through. And ther Rock Star story is so funny. You're doing the right thing, telling from whence their music came.

Kathy, I remember watching Andy williams...

Hey lizeeee!!! I'm so glad you're listening to Lifehouse still. I'm hearing their new stuff. And don't worry: You make Neil Diamond cool. But I never knew you liked the Beatles. Hmmm, I must have missed that. Next thing, you'll be telling me you liked Paul McCartney or something. :)

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

btw, bobbijo. "She wore bluuuuuuu velvet (ahh ahh ahh)..."

Estella said...

I must be a lot older than all of you. My rock n roll included Fabian, Bobby Vinton, Richie Valens, the Big Bopper and Frankie Avalon.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

Estella, rock wouldn't be rock without those guys!

Linda said...

Hey Kathleen, I saw Chuck Berry in concert too, at William and Mary back in the 60's. That was cool.

Hmmm, the thing about me that's kinda cool is that I play the Celtic harp. Admittedly, not very well, but I love it.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

Linda, that's so awesome! Celtic music is so lovely and pure. Few people know how it influenced our 'mountain' music. How ever did you pick up that instrument! Good for you for finding that bliss. :)

Cheryl said...

One surprising thing about me is that although I'm in my late 40s, I think I love Guitar Hero more than my two teenagers. Course they're not so happy when I sing along with the songs cause I know all the words. I so cannot carry a tune. I'm also horrible at the drums in Rock Band - I can't concentrate on both hands simultaneously in addition to worrying about the foot pedal too.
Great having you here in the convertible, Michelle.

Cheryl S.

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

Thanks for the welcome, cheryl. Awesome that you rock at RB, and that you recognize it's a blissy thing. :) Do you do the bass? That's my fave.

Anonymous said...

This is without a doubt one of the coolest blogs I've read lately! What a riot and so many dialogues going on. Love all the music talk- I grew up with hippie parents and all the stuff that entails. My mom used to clean house to Clockwork Orange and we would dance and laugh:) Now I am trying to find that fine line between guiding my children in their musical adventures and outright banning the stuff that makes my ears bleed. My interests falls on opposite ends of the spectrum with NIN, Pantera and Marilyn Manson, skip the middle, and then end with opera and classical. I dislike pop and dislike it more when my kids want to hear it. But what can you do?

And thanks for mentioning Shinedown! I heard a song on the radio the other day and could not remember the band!

Anonymous said...
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Fedora said...

Chiming in late to say hi, Michelle! What?! No leather hip-huggers? ;)

Hmm... I guess my potentially surprising thing that I find somewhat cool is that I'm still taking ballet classes, and have been now for more than half my life. I didn't start until I was older than just about all the teeny-boppers in my current class (*sigh*) Anyway, yay for age and experience? ;)

Laurie G said...

Michelle,
I went to a Jethro Tull concert in college(UW-Madison)= Passion Play Fantastic show!! Ian Anderson with thattalented flute and his yucky, skinny legs...great costumes
Grew up with Cream -Love Eric Clapton, Layla's my favorite song!! I too have the Blind Faith album... Can't Find My Way Home, Sea of Joy, In the Presence of the Lord...
I also liked jimi Hendrix, Moody Blues, Procal Harum, Bad Company, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Meatloaf, The Boss and The Rolling Stones.
Now that all of my kids are off to college I don't have any ties to the newer music. I did like the Across the Universe with the new versions of Beatle songs. Like the Rent musical CD/soundtrack.

Laurie G said...

continued:I had to a accept that even though I love music. I especially like the acoustic guitar....
I can't carry a tune. I'm basically tone deaf. I tried piano & guitar lessons. I'm hopeless!!

Playground Monitor said...

We took our kids to a Beach Boys concert the summer John Stamos traveled with them and played drums. The audience was a nice mix of folks who remembered the BB from their youth and kids who were just discovering them.

I gave up on MySpace. Facebook is way easier and I've had fun connecting with high school and college chums. I've also found two couples who lived overseas with us.

Now somebody's come up with a 50 Things list. Nope, ain't gonna do it.

Marilyn

Unknown said...

I think the thing that surprises me most about myself is that I've led such a dull boring happy life and yet I write these incredibly edgy erotic romances about things I've never tried or would even want to try. How cool is that?

Michelle Buonfiglio said...

It's very cool, Kate. Now that Dave's hanging at RBTB a little, he can't get over how all these really nice, kind, sort of 'everyday' chicks write this totally hot stuff. it's such a wonderfl dichotomy. I lovethat about romance writers and readers.

I would read 50 things about you, play. I forgot about the j stamos thing. he's still a cutie.

laurie, just loving music is a gift. some people never listen and i feel kinda bad that they're missing out. but they could be finding music in nature or excersize or other things, ya know? have you tried singing in the shower? we all sound great in the shower. :) And I LOVE all the music you're mentioning. Tull flippin rocked. Do you remember the album packaging for Thick as a Brick? The kind of newspaper thing? It was awesome. I had such a crush on the moody blues singer, but I can't remember his name.

hi, flchen!!! so cool that you dance!!! and that you picked it up later than childhood. that's really hard. it's so awesome that you do that for yourself and do something so expressive. it must feel marvelous. good for you!

Hey, lunatic cafe! I think our music tastes are pretty similar! And i'm exactly the same w/my kids, although my daughter's not so interested in music as my son who's 11. We talk a lot now about lyrics, and he really wants to listen to Octane w/ me, but I can't expose him to the raw lyrics yet. He understands too much and feels stuff too deeply. Plus, he asks too many questions, and I'd never get any break in the action. :) But i totally see him as ending up into rock, too. I think it speaks to boys because they naturally have to go through that 'breaking away' period and nothing talks that more than rock. Clockwork Orange? What a blast from the past. Great influences. Cool that you're choosing to influence your kids w/ all this great music.