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TAG: easthampton

• songspeak

  Nothin’ better to do except buy a used dresser

  posted by matt | 11.13.08 | permalink | comment?

  Back in August of 2007, I had a garage sale. I was still in my old apartment in Easthampton at the time. Kristen and I were each getting rid of some items in preparation for me moving into her place in Holyoke. One of the items for sale was a very used beat-up dresser. I really thought there was no way we’d sell it, based on its condition. The drawers didn’t really shut properly, it had cat scratch marks all over it, and it was kind of a big item to haul around. Anyway, it didn’t sell for the first couple of hours, and I was starting to dread having to deal with it post-tag-sale.

  As if on cue, a young woman in a white Toyota Corolla pulled up rather quickly, blocking the driveway. She seemed to be in a bit of a hurry. She got out of the car and I think the only word she really said was “dresser”. She had a 5 dollar bill in her hand. SOLD! She opened the trunk and side doors to her rather small car. Her car had a lot of junk in it, and she wasn’t making much effort to move things out of the way. It was slightly awkward. Kristen and I put all the drawers in the back seat. The dresser was slightly wedged in the trunk and hung out the back while the trunk lid was completely open.

  I offered to go get rope but I’m not sure if she heard or understood me. Once the dresser was in the trunk she got in the driver’s seat and prepared to drive away. As Kristen and I were walking back to the garage, I turned around and witnessed the woman put her car in reverse and accelerate quickly into the telephone pole next to my driveway. This not only dented her bumper, but because the dresser was hanging out the back, it broke it even further, and wedged it even further into the trunk. It also dented her trunk lid I believe. Anyway, even though she obviously did damage to her car, she drove away as if nothing had happened.

  Why is this songspeak-related you ask? Because this entire ridiculous experience was made more ridiculous by the fact that she was ABSOLUTELY BLARING Nothing Better To Do by Leann Rimes the whole time on her car stereo.

  Ever since, whenever we actually have nothing better to do, Kristen and I will start singing “nuthin’ better to do got nuthin’ better to do”.

  The dresser wound up costing the woman a lot more that 5 dollars, that’s for sure.

  Tags: 00s music, corolla, country, crash, easthampton, garage sale, holyoke, leann rimes, nothing better to do, nuthin better to do, tag sale, telephone pole, toyota, used dresser

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• songspeak

  Oh, What a feeling! Toyota!

  posted by matt | 08.19.08 | permalink | comment?

  This past Saturday, August 16th, there was a big picnic at Nonotuck Park in Easthampton to celebrate mine and Kristen’s recent nuptials. For a photo project, Kristen’s friend Kelly suggested a group of us jump in sync while she set her camera on a timer. We must have jumped twenty or thirty times in order to get this shot.

  My wisecracker cousin Chris came over and said, “What… did someone just get a toyota or something?”. He was referring to the Toyota commercials of the mid-80s, when Toyota’s slogan was “Oh what a feeling!” and commercials featured excited people jumping.

  Does anyone besides me and Chris remember these?

  

  John Cena played football for Springfield College in the late 90s with my cousin. Click to enlarge the pic.

  Speaking of my cousin Chris, he attended Springfield College and played football there with WWE star, John Cena. You can’t see him? He’s top row, third from the left, number 57. My cousin Chris is bottom row in the middle, number 78.

  Did you know that besides all the WWE stuff, and the Subway commercials John Cena has been in, he recorded a rap album with his cousin, Tha Trademarc in 2005? The first track, “The Time is Now” was even used by Cena as his entrance music.

  My cousin Chris and I, however, have not yet recorded OUR rap album. Here’s to hoping it ‘drops’ soon, y’all.

  Tags: 80s tv commercials, easthampton, football, john cena, jump, jumping, monday night raw, nonotuck park, nuptials, oh what a feeling, springfield college, subway, tha trademarc, toyota, wwe, you can't see me

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• songspeak

  Destiny is a fickle bitch, Locke. One day you’re the chosen one… the next day you’re not

  posted by matt | 06.11.08 | permalink | 3 comments

  The Others are a band from Easthampton, Massachusetts (hometown represent, yo!) that writes and performs songs about the ABC tv show, Lost. If you’re a fan of the show, you’re in for a real treat with their songs. They combine a love for the Lost plotline, a keen sense of detail, and witty lyrics.

  Some of my favorite lines from their songs:

  “Destiny is a fickle bitch, Locke. One day you’re the chosen one… the next day you’re not.

  “I was told by the Other woman about your other guy.”

  “Will you marry me, Kate? I hope it’s not too late. We can start a family… you and Aaron and me”

  Here is a song by The Others called “Primary Objective”:

  Here’s another one of their songs, “Flash Forward”

  There’s something amusing about how seriously the songs are sung, and yet the lyrics are just really about Lost. I wonder though, if non-watchers will find the same joy in these songs as I do. Regardless, Shannon Purcell, Eric Lee, Blake Girndt, Tommy Foster, and Gabe Sullivan who also make up their non-Lost band, The Thungs, seem to be cranking these songs out like nobody’s business. Each song is for sale on their myspace site. More videos of their songs after the jump. (more…)

  

  Tags: 00s music, 00s tv, easthampton, lost, lost band, the others, the thungs, tribute band

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