Hang the Blogging DJ As We Stagger Through A Working Friday

Four days of falling/slogging through another week in the rabbit-hole that is the Albuquerque Public Schools, and the (healthy) mind turns away from the insanity, and towards any shiny, diversionary object possible. What are weekends (at least for today's public school educator) but short respites out of the chair Alex sits strapped-in with his eyes clamped open in Kubrick's "Clockwork Orange"?

So instead of forced viewing of educational pornography and violence, let's get an early start to the weekend by rummaging through YouTube and finding some solace, nostalgia and wisdom.

Oh, but we're still angry about the work week this early Friday morning, and now fixated on things British after the mental image of Alex strapped into that chair. So...here's the Smiths singing "Hang the DJ" about 93 times...



Hang the DJ indeed...

Let's escape Britain (it is a silly place, after all) and get back home with some John Prine. The song "In Spite of Ourselves" is really more about love than work, but the title fits public school teaching circa-2009 to a big-ass T. Plus this song has the wonderful Iris DeMent and a funny intro by Mr. Prine.



Okay, that put us in a much better mood. Nothing like being resigned to the many foibles of our loved ones to smooth out the rough edges of life. Now let's really get ready for the last call of the work week and the first call of "Happy Hour" with a very appropriate, wild combination of fun, Jimi Hendrix and references to gun violence. Here's Jimi playing guitar behind some guys named "Buddy and Stacey" doing a cover of Junior Walker and the All-Stars "Shotgun" broadcast by some Nashville TV station in 1965.



Wow. Jimi in a rhythm section line. And to save you the trip to the real Jr. Walker version (and I think this isn't too lip-synched), here's the All-Stars on "Hullabaloo" in 1966.



Okay, that's better. I don't know about you, but I think I can make it through the last day in the rabbit-hole now. For those menaced to the point of wanting to get an actual shotgun during this working Friday, it is suggested you play the John Prine above over and over and over and over (especially the Iris DeMent parts).

Have a livable Friday everybody, and a good weekend.

P.S.: For those already in the tentacular clutches of APS schools, apologies for the fact the YouTubes above are probably blocked from view. Just know that they are, and it might to hum the line to yourself over and over and over "In Spite of Ourselves...In Spite of Ourselves....In Spite of Ourselves...."