So my dad died. I’m back home, many hours and two continents later.
Buck during better days. Spending time at the lake was our one family tradition.
I’m not a real sappy person and I don’t think it’s quite hit me yet that Buck’s really for real gone, but I’m waiting for it.
I was originally planning (pre-death thing) a “songs for my funeral” post just because, well, I think it’s very important to be ready for these types of events…. but what with my current situation and all, that has been on the back burner atleast until we figure out where we’ll find the money to pay for the services; however, as the official head of the “Buck’s Super Sweet Memorial Powerpoint Presentation,” the songs thus far highlighted include (as chosen by various relatives):
“My Heart Will Go On” (Celine Dion)
Apparently my mom and Buck watched Titanic like a billion times. Apparently Buck was secretly gay for Celine Dion.
“Holes in the Floor of Heaven” (Colin Raye)
They played this song at the funeral for Buck’s first wife. It’s very sentimental to all my step-sisters. Buck always turned the radio off whenever it came on.
“Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)” (Toby Keith)
Buck was a valued member of the VFW. He served 2 tours in Vietnam and was retired Navy. Obviously, this song is very important, because well duh. I chose this song. Since it’s funny and applies to memories of my grandpa and Buck.
“Proud to Be an American” (various)
To continue the trend of God Bless America, this was Buck’s favorite patriotic song.
And some song called “Daddy’s Little Girl” by someone that my sister apparently loves. She was NOT daddy’s little girl, nor was she his princess as she seems to believe – and as the fact that she stole $1,000 of Buck’s cremation bucks today proves.
I’m packing again. Not to leave Argentina (yet), but instead to move into a hostel about 20 blocks from here for my last Argentine week. As such, i.e. the end of an era, or sorta the end, but not quite since technically I still got a week here, I’ve been listening to all my old stuff like I always do when I’m moving on.
Basically, that means while cooking my dinner (woo! my illness is down enough that I can eat!), which basically means Bright Eyes, word to high school, and Guided By Voices, woo to freshman year. Word to winning my boy (although not really until the next year) by being the girl to write the lyrics to “Goldheart Mountain Top Queen Directoy” on our house adviser’s whiteboard.
GBV – “Goldheart Mountain Top Queen Directory”
Now I’m back to packing.
Oh, NPR. I do love you. Also, word to Google Alerts and comment sections. And, sorry to have upset you Rhett Miller. It’s just that you look like my little brother now, whereas back in the high school glory days (mine [maybe yours?]) you probably looked the same, but my brother hadn’t grown up yet. So the little infatuation was cool, not awkward and destroyed by Jonny hitting puberty.
And it’s real weird to think that people might actually read what I write since, I of course, don’t really plan for the event that that actually happens.
So to readers and celebrities/musicians I happen to write about, I will now offer some words:
Thanks and sorry if I offend, chances are I didn’t mean to…
And I’ll write about my trip with the girls or maybe music or some movies (fyi, Hancock was surprisingly really, really funny) later. Now I have to do more tourist stuff with the friends that will never, ever leave.
Woo! Happy birthday, America!!
(If you pretend really hard, it’s almost like it’s the 4th here in Buenos Aires!)
Filed under: Música, The New Deal | Tags: America, Sebastien Tellier, Toby Keith
I am so sad to be missing my first (and hopefully last) 4th of July in America. The one thing I’ve learned (outside of better Spanish/a love for dulce de leche/an appreciation of a favorable exchange rate) here in Argentina is that I love America. Like a lot. Like more than anybody else.
I always knew I was fond of America. I knew we had the best culture (we might produce a shit ton of crap [to put it poetically], but we produce more crap than anyone and for the most part our crap is a lot less shitty than the rest of the world’s), I knew we had the best history. I knew we had the best places to visit, the best food to eat, but I guess I just didn’t appreciate it enough. Now, 6 months behind me, there’s nothing more I want to do than take my Mega Jug of KFC root beer, my bulk size ranch dressing, some Kraft singles and Wonder Bread and sit all day in the movie theatre watching the shittiest of our shitty summer blockbusters which just happen to be way better than anything Argentina’s doing right now (obviously, I could be wrong).
What better way to honor America than by posting a Frenchman’s dance music?
Sebastien Tellier - “Divine”
But, I gotta rep what we got.
Toby Keith – “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American)”
One of my favorite memories of my grandpa was going to Thanksgiving dinner at Applebee’s together. We were riding in his truck (now Steve-O’s broken truck) listening to this song. So yeah, rock on America.
I’m thinking about grad school in New Mexico. For real. How does Eastern New Mexico University sound? ENMU, it sorta has a ring to it, no? Bilingual education, perhaps?
And man if I don’t love Hannibal Lecter.
