Big it up for Notwork Rail (calling themselves "Network Rail" is just asking for trouble).
Their spectacular incompetence has once again given me a week of working at home as the overhead train lines between here and London are currently laying on the ground in bits.
This comes in the same week as they announced six-figure "productivity" related bonuses for the bosses of the company who have presided over the most catastrophic decline in railway standards in human history.
But then who am I to complain? I'm sitting in my comfy chair, necking Cuban coffee; the sun is shining, the early summer breeze off the sea is blowing cool Heaven through my windows and I didn't have to get up at 4:40AM this morning and suffer the commute from Hell.
Tomorrow you will have to endure another track from the prehistory of Dive, but today - as I have absolutely nothing worthwhile to say - it is time to continue my meme theme of "songs that are shaping my summer".
At the top of my most played tracks on the iPod, there are always a few dozen (okay, a couple of hundred) Steely Dan songs. I've been a rabid and unapologetic Dan Fan since "Do It Again" in 1971. They appeared just after The Beatles split up and ever since that moment I have gratefully suckled at the teat of Dan.
I could have chosen any one of a hundred Dan tunes to kick off my summer, but for today I'm heading back to the tragically unhip days of back-combed hair, rolled-up jacket sleeves and Miami Vice. This is as close to disco as I get so make the most of it.
I like the home-made video, too, even though he gets a few words wrong.
So, cut yourself a line of blow and chill out to "Glamour Profession"; a glorious slice of typically cynical Dan sleaze. Rub it on like suntan lotion (make sure and smear it into all of those awkward, hard-to-reach crevices) and let the incomparable groove carry you into summer.
If anybody on the planet doesn't own a copy of "Gaucho", go buy it now. The übercool guitar on the outtro is by guest guitarist Steve Khan in case anyone other than me was wondering.
21 comments:
I couldn't get into that one, Dive. I tried. I did. Nice montage though.
Very glad you have a sunny day and a warm sea breeze. It's blowing a gale here and its cold, cold, cold.
Scrivens! There's somebody on the planet who's not a total Steely Dan fan? What a weird world we live in, Mme. Hee hee.
Things will get much, much worse tomorow.
Dive, I am with Mme on this one. I tried, I clicked, I listened and I reclicked to shut that shit off. I don't think I have ever heard a Dan song I liked enough to listen all the way through and you know my love of music. I have tried but nope! Exponentially looking forward to tomorrow.
Ye Gods, is there no hope left for the world?
Hee hee.
If you don't like the Dan then Heaven knows what you'll think of the rest of the stuff I have on the list.
And tomorrow is truly awful, believe me.
Well as you know i've not got sound at the moment, but since it's Steely Dan....I'm kind of glad.
Breezy and sunny here too. Bliss.
Ha! Another Dan-hater.
I should have expected this, really.
Asking a woman to appreciate Steely Dan is like asking a man to sit through Sex and the City.
Or go shoe-shopping.
Sigh …
Huh. I guess I like them just fine. Fairly soothing they are. Wow! home this week eh? I guess that is probably a mix a good and bad for your work load. Hopefully you don't have any huge deadlines coming up. Have a good and relaxing evening Dive!
Hoorah for sanity!
Thank you, Shan.
Working from home is okay as I have my office cloned here and can access the servers in London and do just what I can in the office, without having to endure the commute and the girly gossip about crap TV, so I'm not complaining.
The only bad bit is that in the office it's David M's birthday today so I'm missing out on cakes and booze.
Hey ho.
I was bummed I couldn't get the video to play! (I thought it was a Steely Dan filter here at work, but I see everyone else had problems too.) I really like their music; it totally transports me back to happy days. I saw them live in 2000 or so. I love that they look like insurance salesmen or something. By the way, my sister works in the alumni office of Don and Walt's "my old school". I'll have to ask her if they ever visit. Don't work too hard at home today. Maybe go get your own cake and booze to feel closer to the office.
Coll, Katie! The original "My Old School!" Woohoo!
I'm currently waiting impatiently for the new Walt album to pop through the letterbox.
In the meantime I'm flicking through their live clips on Yahoo.
Yes, they do look kinda old now, but they still groove.
Wow, they used every filter in the Photoshop filter box. I like Steely Dan, but I'm afraid I have to stand with a few of the others—I wasn't interested in listening to the whole thing. maybe I was just distracted by all the filters.
Ah, the attention span of you youngsters. I blame food colourings.
You bring back some very sketchy memories for me with this one. I did have a copy of Goucho but it was on cassette and it wore out on my twenty years ago. But funny you should bring up a line of blow - ahhh the good ole days.
Hee hee, Rich.
i.love.steely.dan.
thank you very much, sugar!
(isn't working from home absolutely delish? btw, i was kidding yesterday about missing meetings, but cake and booze that someone else provides? that i truly do miss!!!)
xoxxo
I asked my sis about the college's graduation last month, and she said Donald was there. She didn't introduce herself to him though, but said that "he's gained a bit of weight." Hope Postman Pete arrives soon with Walt's latest.
You just insulted all of your women readers, Dive, despite the fact that some following women readers actually like 'The Dan' as you call them! .....tut.....Men! HA!
Woohoo! Thank you, Savannah.
Yes, the free birthday stuff is a pretty good thing. With 62 people in the office we get cake (and sometimes booze) at least once a week and only have to buy it once a year. What pigs we are.
Katie: Wow! I am so jealous of your sister, getting to see fat old Donald!
I'm consoling myself with listening to Walt's new tracks on his website.
Lynn: Hee hee hee.
Weemen! Huh!
See? If I were able to work from home (like some people), I would be able to listen to it on the spot. But, no. I'm stuck at school, which wraps a handy firewall around my fun-spots. I'll give it a listen at home tonight. The words "Steely Dan" haven't crossed my lips in many years...
They're still going strong, Kate. I find it amazing that they've been at it since 1971.
I hate that office firewall thing. It stops me from watching videos at work too, which is one of the nicer things about working from home.
I felt sort of like laying on bed and looking out the window...just to groove.
And hey...I ADORE Cuban coffee...I jones for it when I run out.
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