myspace.com/amandaclemensmusic

Thanks,
The friendless Amanda

His songs are so amazing, and he translates well live. If any of you ever get a chance to see him, you should!

Seeing Teddy play made me think about all the concerts I’ve seen - and which one I think I enjoyed the most.

I would have to say that my fondest memory is seeing Edie Brickell perform at The El Mocambo. I missed my chance to see her with The New Bohemians when I was younger. Some of my friends skipped school to drive to somewhere in New York state (I think it was Rochester) but I was leaving on a band trip the same day so I couldn’t go. (Yes, I was a band geek, and proud of it!) When they got back, they had tales of hanging out with her and the band on their tour bus and playing hacky sack with some of the band members. All I got was a stinking concert t-shirt! When I heard she was playing in Toronto, I dragged Jenny with me to see her. I was so excited, I ended up standing on a chair near the wall and singing along! Edie noticed me and seemed to enjoy my enthusiasm. The only downfall of the evening was that Jenny leaned too close to a candle and set her hair on fire!

Whenever I smell burning hair, I think of that wonderful night…

We started out at The Drake, to see an Austalian band called ‘Women In Docs’. They were really good! I’m glad they made their way here to play. We ended up sitting with a couple of girls from Ottawa who were in town for the event. They were complaining about the cost of wine, so when I found a nearly full glass of red wine under my seat, I couldn’t resist…I offered a loonie to one of them if she would chug the glass down. Immature of me, I know, but my instigating ways got the better of me! Needless to say, in the true Canadian way, she was a sport and took me up on my offer. What a brave, brave girl!

Next we went to The Horseshoe to check out The Aweswome Team and Magneta Lane. They were also great bands to see live. Boths groups were really tight. If any of you get a chance to see them, you should really catch their shows.

At the end of the night, we raced to Clinton’s to see The Cliks.

This band is truly amazing! Their cover of Justin Timberlake’s ‘Cry Me A River’ was very original and in my opinion better than Justin’s version. They had a groupie dancing by herself in the front by the stage. (There’s always one person at any show I’ve seen who really gets into the show and dances by himself/herself!) At one point she stopped her impression of a swaying tree and started blowing bubbles! Ah, the beauty of it all, lol.

I can’t wait to see what transpires tonight…

I won’t be playing at any venues, but I plan on checking out lots of new and upcoming bands!

Tomorrow night is the Indie Awards at The Docks…I’m looking forward to seeing that.

My friends and I will be out and about, listening to various bands. We’ll also be at the Aussie Showcase on Saturday, so if any of you guys happen to be there, look for me and stop by and say hi!

I Don’t Want To Be Me

I’m not feeling so bold
Can’t you see I don’t want to grow old
And my photograph’s an epitaph of parody
I don’t want to be me.

I’m not feeling so sure
It would help if you offered a cure
If I wait, it’s too late for the remedy
I don’t want to be me.

You won’t save me ‘cuz I’m not the fortunate one
So don’t blame me if I decide to go hide
Or instead to just run.

I’m not feeling so well
Maybe we could just sit for a spell
And make amends - it depends on my injury
I don’t want to be me.

You won’t save me ‘cuz I’m not the fortunate one
So don’t blame me if I decide to just run
You won’t save me ‘cuz I’m not the fortunate one
So don’t blame me if I decide to go hide
Or instead to just run.

OK, maybe I’m being a tad melodramatic, but my weekend did not go as planned.

Friday night was fun - I went to Monte Carlo Night at the Wiarton arena (part of the Groundhog Day festivities) and gambled my quarters away on the Rotary Club’s ‘Crown & Anchor’ game. I knew I had to leave the table when I told one of the volunteers I wasn’t going to lose any more money to the Rotary Club’s crooked set-up, lol.

It was quite the sight to see people buying 6 beers at a time - and having them served in a 6 pack of cans…with the plastic binding still on them. It felt a bit like an indoor bush party. I got to see a lot of people from high school, which was weird. All in all, it was a fun night.

Then Saturday came.

A massive snowstorm swept through the region and ruined my plans. I was going to go skating on the duck pond - then visit some cousins at their place for thier birthday night of drinking. Instead I spent the night with my parents and the neurotic dog in a blackout.
I’m glad that I had lit the wood stove before the power was lost! We sat around and listened to the AM radio (ugh) while I used a flashlight to find my supply of beer. Stella (Artois) and I sadly toasted the arrival of winter.

Damn you, Wiarton Willie, for predicting an early spring just two days before!

Power is still out in the Bruce.

(Picture taken during a break on the weather…)

One day, I’d like to be the Grand Marshal of the Groundhog Day parade in Wiarton.

Yet another dream to strive for.

My older sister had a dog that did the same thing in her final years. She used to freak me out by walking around the house in the same pattern for hours at a time. Every lap, she’d stop and look at me as if to say, ‘Excuse me, but do you happen to know where I am?’ To be honest, it gave me the creeps. I could only handle her staring for a short time before I had to get away from her sad and confused eyes.

My mother says that she hopes to be senile by the time she gets too old to take care of herself.

I am also hoping for happy senility to take me over when the time comes for me to be shipped off to a place like Gateway Haven in Wiarton.

I just hope that I don’t wander…

In school, I used to always wish for snow days. I grew up near Lake Huron, where lake affect squalls were quite frequent. Most of my family still lives in the area so my nephews are blessed with the same ‘bus cancellation luck’. I think there have been times already this winter where they have missed more than one day in a week! And winter hasn’t really shown itself yet this year, in my opinion!

As adults, I wish we could listen to the radio every morning, with baited breath, praying that all transit buses going to our workplace are not running due to bad weather.

In honour of my weather rant, here’s a pic I took while showshoeing.
Does it look like anything to you??

I’ve been trying my hand again at painting.
The pictures may not be pretty - or look like anything remotely realistic - but they sure are fun (and therapeutic) to do!
Perhaps I’ll take a photo of one of them and post it for you guys to see.

P.S.
I got a call from my mother yesterday, letting me know that she found a couple of Christmas presents in her closet for me that she forgot to wrap and give me! My mother sure knows how to keep Christmas (and the spirit of gift giving) last all year long!