*Warning: the following is a rant that may or may not make any sense at all.*

That's it. Call me Crazy. It's my new name. Instead of Autumn, it'll be Crazy B. Whippenheimer.

That's right, Whippenheimer. Say it just like it looks.

Okay don't. I lied. I'm keeping the Autumn, but I really am beginning to think that I'm cracking up.

I don't understand people anymore. I don't understand motivations for their actions, I don't understand how others can blatantly fail to reason, or just not give a rat's ass. It just astounds me. It makes me wonder if my conscience grew a new set of testiculars when I wasn't looking.

Example one, I had two sick kids this week. I mean SICK. Fevers of over 101.0, throwing up everywhere, it wasn't a pretty sight at this house. Of course they get sick on the day that I plan to go to the store. You can't go to the store with sick kids like this. So, thinking that I have family close by who would love to help me out (note the sarcasm in this sentence) I call them up and ask for help. This was maybe the second time this year that I've been in a bind and needed help. I get my sister. No, wait... let me rephrase that... I get... my sister *scowl* Who complains about having to help me after her LONG day at a travel agency office, and then complains about my list being incredibly long (Um, hello... don't know when I'll be able to get back out due to *points thumb behind shoulder at 2 sick kids on the couch*) And then says that she's not going to use my store "club card" which puts money you spend toward free gas, and instead uses her own. Nice huh? What the hell is wrong with her? What the hell is wrong with ME?!? I'm beginning to think my incredibly low expectations need room in the cellar.

Next, though not as detailed... I'm pretty sure that people are talking about me, behind my back, about things I haven't done... And I'm wondering why no one is asking me about it. If they'd ask, I'd be happy to tell them that who ever is feeding them bullshit, is a really crappy person. Which goes along with... what the hell is wrong with people?

Which leads me to my next rant... Why can't anyone mind their own business anymore? Why does everyone have to "muckrake" everyone else? So what if Penny tripped a blind guy downtown yesterday? She's probably a horrible person. Maybe she's PMSing. You don't know. Leave Penny the hell alone. So what if soccermoms are taking over social networking sites like locusts and updating their statuses with descriptions of thier children's feces/vomit/milestones. So. What. Drop the bitch off your my/face. Or click the little red X in the top right hand corner of your screen. OR better yet... turn off your computer. Quit paying your internet. (I, btw, am just using the soccermom thing as an example. Soccermom's do tend to annoy me on these sites.)

My point. *scrambles to find one* Oh yeah! Since when did it become okay to exploit people, make fun of, and harass people on the internet? Most people wouldn't have the balls to do so in real life to the person's face, so why hide behind a monitor and keyboard? It's spineless, tasteless and newsflash... doesn't improve humanity, it brings it down a notch. And well, I guess this is where I figure there's something wrong with me because I don't understand how that can be an actual intent when apparently it is.

Well, it's that time of year.

It's the time of year that the ol' music collection needs to be dusted off and revitalized with a little Orange Glo. OH, and some new music.

Here's some new/unmainstream songs and artists I've found in the past few months that I'm absolutely loving!

Ps. Song titles are links to youtube samples. ;)

1. Brett Dresden - Ain't No Reason
I like this guy. His songs are simple. The lyrics honest and earnest. His voice has this little hint of Dylan, but has a great timbre like a comforting old friend.

2. Iron & Wine - Boy with a Coin
I'll be the first to admit, I'm still not sure what this song is about. But I love the rhythms in this song and it's summer feel. I do like Iron & Wine for their other very mellow autumn like sounds. But this one gets me excited for my laid back summer days.

3. Zero 7 - Dreaming, Somersault, Destiny
I like Zero 7. A lot. Even more so than I did when I only liked one of their songs, these three songs are the latest and can be found on 3 different albums. I think their story is that Zero 7 is a brother duo, but the lead female voice is a friend. Either way, her voice is haunting and romantic. You never know if she's on the the brink of chaos due to complete bliss or heartache. I like the confusion.

4. Eric Hutchinson - Rock & Roll
I have an acoustic version of this song, and if someone were to ask me today what my favorite song is... I'd say this one. I love it. I don't relate to the song in any of it's literal sense. But I get it. And I think I get it because the singer does. Does that make any sense? When I've played this little ditty into the ground I plan to see what other goods this guy has.

5. Anya Marina - All the same to me & Move you
Both of these songs are from the album pictured above, her second album release. I don't usually like women singer/songwriters. But I like her. I like her voice which is a bit smoky but not overly pessimistic. I love the rhythms and different sounds that are infused into her songs. Best of all, she's got some catchy hooks. Worth a listen I think!

6. Ryan Adams - Down in a hole, Wonderwall, Desire
The first two songs I have listed are covers from Alice in Chains and Oasis respectively. These covers are magnificent. He strips down these songs and breaths new angst into them. Desire, from the album Demolition pictured here, is also a great piece of work. I can't imagine there's a person out there who wouldn't listen to this song and feel something. Oh, and in case you pull a "me" and drive yourself crazy wondering where you've heard this song before... it was featured on an episode of House M.D.

7. Ingrid Michaelson - Live Sessions (Itunes Exclusive)
Last one, I promise. This girl loves the bossa nova beat. Seriously. But instead of it being the bossa nova of your grandparent's time or the fixed beat setting on your electric piano... her's is light and airy thanks in part to her voice which never seems to take anything too seriously. I suggest the Live Session exclusive, because I favor the acoustic vibe. But most of the songs here are featured on her latest album pictured above. My favorite track off this offering is "Far away" and her cover of "Creep" which turns the Radiohead favorite into a completely animal. Something more tame, like a flamingo.

When I was younger and went through classes to get my driver's license and took my test and received my first hand-me down car to drive, I'll admit I was clueless. I had no idea the responsibility cloak that I would be donning would get so heavy... so financially heavy. I wasn't paying much attention when my parents paid for my driving classes, or the driver's license, or the license plates on the car I was driving, or the car or the gas or the oil or the repairs. This is all on top of the obvious responsibility, try not to hit anything or kill anyone.

I'm pretty sure I was so preoccupied with those two last minor details that I missed all of my parent's money flying out the window. I think if I had realized this back then, I would have said "No thank you" and walked my happy ass everywhere. *Oh what a fine ass it would be by now...*

But now that I'm older and I'm wearing several responsibility cloaks... for instance the "Keep your kids alive" responsibility cloak, I get to pay for everything. And today because my birthday was recent, I got to renew both my driver's license and my license plates. Then play the guessing game: "How many miles will my van get over 100,000 miles before the bomb drops and it dies?"

*Note to bloggerverse: Miles are currently 100,236.8

It's an older van, and we own it outright. We've had our fair share of problems with it, because it is older. But it hasn't been a bad van, just slightly rambunctious with a bit of ADHD mixed in. Still, I can't wait to purchase another vehicle and run it into the ground and bury with it the amount of money it took to be able to drive it responsibly.

Good bye money, hello freedom.