John Gay, in The Beggar’s Opera, uses many airs, or songs, as vehicles of communication. In particular, the relationship between men and women is heavily explored in song throughout the drama. Specifically, airs two, twenty-six, and forty-five, illustrate a type of relationship in which women are deceivingly coy as they take advantage of and ultimately ruin their males.

Air two, sung by the minor character Filch, begins by stating that “woman…seduces all mankind” (2615). The beginning idea is furthered when we learn that “her very eyes can cheat” as “she tricks us of our money with our hearts” (2615). The most interesting aspect of the song, however, is the notion that women are “won by pay,” not love (2615). In essence, Filch describes male-female interactions in which the woman uses her charm only to cheat and take advantage of her men. Thus, as Filch ironically points out in his simile “like wolves by night we roam for prey,” the archetypal depiction of men conquering the helpless female prey is comical in context of all the obvious messages of female seductive influence over men. The roles, as we know them, are reversed and, as Filch suggests, only money can fee’d feminine beauty into the arms of men.

In act two, Macheath, one of the play’s protagonists, gives his own opinion on the matter of relationships, an opinion well weathered through many personal experiences. Originally, Macheath describes a relationship almost opposite to the one presented by Filch. In air twenty-one, Macheath tells of how a woman instantly dispels depression of the heart and how “she sweetly, sweetly / raises the spirits, and charms of our ears” (2629). Upon arrival in Newgate, however, Macheath quickly revokes this romantic ideal and switches his message in air twenty-six to one more reminiscent of air two. In fact, Macheath goes further than Filch as he claims that women do not merely seduce mankind; they ruin it. In Macheath’s new outlook, woman’s eyes, rather than charm, eventually kill in the likeness of a basilisk. This revolution and quite depressing outlook on relationships is explained, perhaps, by Macheath’s situation as he finds that his love of women has led to his downfall.

In act three, air forty-five, Lockit acknowledges the dangers of women and that they are “easy prey” for male temptation; however, Lockit differs in that he blames men for their own ruin, not women. In essence, he is saying that men must take the bait in order to be exposed to ruin, ruin which they would then deserve. Lockit’s viewpoint, understandable for his age and status as a father, reflects the maturity of one who has seen and learned from many ruined inmates. Basically, with the knowledge that women will always be dangling a hook, ready to betray, Lockit argues that men most take it upon themselves to protect from the inevitable ruin that accompanies the indulgence of female temptation.

The three airs, two, twenty-six, and forty-five, follow the evolution of the play’s exploration into the realm of male-female relationships. Starting with the notion that women want to cheat and steal, progressing into the idea that women want to kill and ruin, and finishing with the culmination of these observations into one of male responsibility, the songs detail relationships that are focused on superficiality and devoid of love. Even when true love seems to appear, as in Polly’s case, it is never genuinely reciprocated. Thus, Gay displays relationships as greed and lust centered enterprises which ultimately end in disaster.

Alice, Aurelia, Beatrix, Clementine, Clover, Celeste, Dorothy, Evangeline, Freya, Gloria, Gwyneth, Hazel, Holly, Hermione, Inez, Isadora, Lila, Maeve, Madeline, Orla, Polly, Simona, Tallulah, Willow.

Abraham, Avery, Ambrose, Atlas, Barnaby, Bartholomew, Baxter, Dashiell, Ezra, Evander, Fletcher, Felix, Frank, Grant, Guy, Hugo, Henry, Harvey, Ivor, Julian, Jasper, Jude, Leon, Orlando, Phineas, Rafferty, Remy, Samson, Sebastian, Sullivan, Solomon, Theodore, Thatcher, Willoughby.

Aimee & Lily

Kate & Tom

Ben, Tom & Ed

Calaise & Finley

Oberon & Dacasocos

Samuel & Lucy

Baha, Hana & Yara

Amelia & Ollie

Tomas & Oliver

Tom & Charlie

Lisa, Melanie, Amy & Amber

Emily & Tom

Rocco & Jay

Phoebe & Heidi (twins)

Libby & Rosie

Nathan, Martha & Luke

Holly, Tilly & Chester

Luke, Zakk, Kara & Isabel

Teagan, Jed & Tate

Ben & Dan

Hermione, Jonathan & Margaret (twins) & Lottie

Killian & David

Phoebe, Joel & Jude

Tommy & Benjamin

Fin & Bay (g)

Luc, Jordhan & Darcy (g)

Ellie & Brooke

Holly & Leah

Georgina, Jamie & William

Lewis & Owen

Angel & Bella

Scott & Carley

Alex, Jonah & Eva

Patrick & Polly

Alfie & Freddie

Jasmine & Kelsie Leigh

Amy Rose, Henry & George

Emily & Annie

Javier & Angelo

Roman & Jewel

“I say, what a funny name!” said Polly.

“It isn’t half as funny as Polly,” said Digory.

(C. S. Lewis, The Magician’s Nephew, 1955)

POLLYANNA COWGIRL RECORDS PODCAST

SHOW #56

January 27, 2010

Direct Link to Mp3:

http://m.podshow.com/media/17171/episodes/208702/pcowpodcast-208702-01-20-2010.mp3

Podcast Feed:

http://www.mevio.com/feeds/pcowpodcast.xml

01 – ASOBI SEKSU – “Lions and Tigers”

02 – THE PAINS OF BEING PURE AT HEART – “Come Saturday”

03 – SCHOOL OF SEVEN BELLS – “Connjur”

04 – CEUMAR – “Feliz E Triste”

05 – SEA RAY – “Sister Gone”

06 – OLIVIA BROADFIELD – “Don’t Cry”

07 – THE FLOORSHAKERS – “Working Man”

08 – BEN LEE – “Blue Denim”

09 – NEKO CASE – “People Got a Lot of Nerve”

10 – GIDDY UP, HELICOPTER! – “The Life and Death of Aurora Montgomery”

11 – ROGUE WAVE – “Lake Michigan”

12 – THE SWEAR – “January”

PLEASE SUPPORT THE ALS CHARITY CD FOR PATIENT CARE AND RESEARCH, “SONGS FOR JENNY” @ WWW.SONGSFORJENNY.COM 

ALL THINGS TONY PUCCI @ WWW.TONYPUCCI.COM  

ONE MAN’S PERSONAL/ARTISTIC JOURNEY @ WWW.FATALINTERVIEW.COM  

THE POLLYANNA COWGIRL RECORDS PODCAST: “DIGGING FOR MUSIC YOU’LL DIG!”

(promos played in this week’s show): 

“65 Below” Audiobook by Basil Sands @ WWW.BASILSANDS.COM

I love you babygirl <3 Even though you pee/shit everywhere.

Polly Perez
Currently living and working in El Paso, TX

Print media and packaging from various cultures and eras, political propaganda, historical and scientific drawings, pop art, industrial design, and recycling are my influences. Examining consumption of the visual as a unique commodity is my curiosity. I approach it like a scientific process, with results depending on chains of small experiments.

I favor the use of recycled and found objects, especially old slides, books, advertising, and used fabrics in my current work. The shortened life cycle of goods in the global marketplace begs intervention – after being sold, bought, and used – things can become something different in their afterlife. With a sewing machine, tape, and intuition I test how feasible it is to intervene.

I feel like I straddle an invisible fence between cultures and histories; soaking in what I see in the world at large, mainly through print media, hybridizing it to my specs, and then turning it loose upon itself. It is either adulteration or making with what is at hand when there is lots at hand. Seeing things being thrown away as a byproduct of the current mass digital conversion of libraries, print media, and photographs is the perfect way to have lots at hand.

Contact Information
veggiecat@juno.com

POLLYANNA COWGIRL RECORDS PODCAST

SHOW #55

January 20, 2010

Direct Link to Mp3:

http://m.podshow.com/media/17171/episodes/208701/pcowpodcast-208701-01-20-2010.mp3

Podcast Feed:

http://www.mevio.com/feeds/pcowpodcast.xml

01 – GENTLEMAN REG – “How We Exit”

02 – BLONDE REDHEAD – “Spring and by Summer Fall”

03 – SOLILLAQUISTS OF SOUND – “Look”

04 – PHEONIX – “1901”

05 – THE CHURCH – “No Certainty Attached”

06 – THE CHURCH – “Hotelwomb”

07 – HITCHCOCK’S REGRET – “Ink Stain”

08 – SOJO GLIDER – “Distant Lovesong”

09 – COSMICRAY – “1000 Years”

10 – BINGUI JAA JAMMY – “Congo Natty”

11 – LEIGH GREGORY – “Sweet 15”

12 – ROBYN HITCHCOCK – “I’m Falling”

PLEASE SUPPORT THE ALS CHARITY CD FOR PATIENT CARE AND RESEARCH, “SONGS FOR JENNY” @ WWW.SONGSFORJENNY.COM 

ALL THINGS TONY PUCCI @ WWW.TONYPUCCI.COM  

ONE MAN’S PERSONAL/ARTISTIC JOURNEY @ WWW.FATALINTERVIEW.COM  

THE POLLYANNA COWGIRL RECORDS PODCAST: “DIGGING FOR MUSIC YOU’LL DIG!”

(promos played in this week’s show): 

THE ICE PODCAST @ WWW.THEICEPODCAST.COM

I doubt we’ll ever have a third child.  There are dozens of practical reasons.

And one reason that’s trivial for him, dead serious for me: we could never agree on a name.

We do have a few candidates, scraps from the cutting room floor.  I’ve mentioned them in comments from time to time, but I thought a round-up was in order.  

Our girls’ list is first; I’ll post the boys’ list later.

1.  The frontrunner: Rosemary, nicknamed Romy

My grandmother was born Maria Rosa and known as Rose Marie.  I adored my grandmother and miss her constantly.  Rosemary/Romy works with the kids’ names, too – Alexander, Claire Caroline and Rosemary.  Alexei, Clio and Romy.  Aly, Clio and Romy.  Alex, Clio and Romy.

The only trouble?  We’d have named two daughters after my female relatives, while Arthur’s side of the family is out in the cold.

2.  Grace Genevieve, nicknamed Gigi

This was our long-time second name for a daughter.  It mirrors the pattern of Clio’s formal name and honors Arthur’s mother, Grazyna.  (It’s a Polish name that sounds something like this – grah JZIN ah.  My mother still can’t say it.  I’m not sure that I can, either.)

Trouble is?  I don’t much care for Grace.  Neither does my mother-in-law.  When she first came to the US she actively resisted others’ attempts to Anglicize her name as Grace.  I love Gigi, and instantly think of the musical with Maurice Chevalier singing “Thank Heaven for Little Girls.”  But I can see it is the kind of diminutive that you’d want to shed before, say, clerking for a circuit court judge.

I’ve also toyed with Hanae or Hannelore on the theory that they mean grace, but that’s a stretch.

3.  Helena, nicknamed Laney

This is another name plucked from Arthur’s family tree, but this time far enough back that we weren’t even aware of it until Arthur’s mother mentioned the name.  It works nearly just as well as Romy with the other kids’ names – Aly, Clio and Laney.  Alex, Clio and Laney.  Alexander, Claire Caroline and Helena.

4.  Penelope, nicknamed Polly

It’s a name I’ve long loved, and a way to connect to another family name – Paulina, Arthur’s cousin and Aly’s godmother.  But somehow Clio and Polly don’t sound like sisters to me.  There are also two little Pollys in our ‘hood already.

5.  Georgia, Olwen

George is a family name on my dad’s side, as is Olwen.  I’d probably reserve Olwen for the middle spot, and I don’t think Georgia pairs well with Clio.

6.  Margaret, nicknamed Daisy or Marguerite, nicknamed Daisy

Arthur’s aunt is Małgorzata, the Polish form of Margaret.  I like Marguerite much better than Margaret, partially because I had a Great Aunt Griet.  (I assume she, too, was baptized Margaret.)  So yes, I’m using a Polish formal name and a Dutch nickname (that I can’t explain, because no one in my family is Dutch, at all, though there was a pair of wooden shoes in my grandmother’s house) to arrive at a French name.  Which we’d put aside in favor of a botanical nickname anyhow.

8.  Diana, nicknamed Daisy or Anya

My eye-poppingly strange maiden name was Niadna, which can be anagramed to spell Dianna.  Arthur wouldn’t go for a variant spelling, but he likes Diana.  Neither nickname follows naturally, but I think both work well.  Anya also reminds me of my great-grandmother Anna.

9.  Cordelia, nicknamed Delia, Adelaide or Avalon

My nickname for Arthur is Del, and so I’ve long looked for feminine names that incorporate the element.  Adelaide was an early front-runner, but could we really have an Abby and an Addie in the same house?  Plus I’m convinced that Addie is going to supernova by 2012.

Cordelia is another option, one I like quite a bit, especially with the nickname Delia.  Alexander, Claire Caroline and Cordelia.  Aly, Clio and Delia.  Alex, Clio and Delia -  hmmm … it does raise the question of whatever happened to Baby B.

In Arthurian legend, Avalon is paradise.  It’s a subtle connection to Dad’s given name, but one that I quite like, especially in the middle spot.

10.  Isabeau

I’ve long loved this medieval variant of Elizabeth.  My little sister answers to the nickname Bo, so Isabeau seems like a fitting choice.

Once upon a time, I toyed with incorporating Boadicea, the first century warrior queen of the Iceni, in a child’s name for the same reasons.  But the more accurate spelling is probably Boudica, and there’s debate about whether the pronunciation begins with a boo rather than a bo.

11.  Iris

For my grandmother Irene, though it doesn’t sound great with our last name.  Too bad, because Clio and Iris sound like sisters, and I think she works with Aly and Clio nearly as well as Romy.

12.  Ellery

For my stepgrandfather, Irene’s husband, a thoroughly good egg.  I’ve considered it in the middle spot for a daughter or a son.

13.  Noor/Nora/Elinor and Lucy/Lucia/Luca/Lucienne

Claire means light, so names that share a similar meaning have always appealed.

14.  Veronica or Frederica

Do all name aficionados worry about naming twins, up until the ultrasound confirms that there’s only one baby on the way?

Had Alexander had a twin sister, two possible names were Veronica or Frederica, both to honor my dad, Eric, without poaching the name from my brother, Eric Jr.  Erica was also a contender, but seemed a little too close – even though my brother answers to Rohn.

15.  Sofia/Zofia/Sophie

My mother-in-law’s first middle name is Zofia.  In Polish, it gets a two-syllable pronunciation – ZAWF yeh – but I’ve heard Polish-Americans say it more like Sophia with a Z.  Zofia nicknamed Zoe was a contender for a while.

16.  Josephine, Catharine

Both choices from my mother’s family tree – Joseph was her grandfather, Catharine her aunt.  I don’t remember Joseph, but Great Aunt Catharine was one of my favorites.  Because her Manhattan apartment overlooked the Hudson, her grandson nicknamed her Grandma Boat.  Years later, Aly misunderstood Aunt Bo as Aunt Boat, so there’s a story there.

I’m fairly certain Catharine’s spelling is a nod to the Italian Catarina.  In any case, it is my favorite spelling and the only one I would consider.

Both names offer nicknames aplenty, but none of them sing to me.  That’s probably why they’re down here at #16.

17.  Anna/Anya, Anneliese nicknamed Anya

For the great-grandmother mentioned in #8.  But any of the Anna choices would make Clio the only family member without an A- name.  Too bad, because Anneliese Olwen would honor three of my dad’s relatives in one swoop.

18.  Linden and Sarai

For my aunts, Linda and Sarita.  (Sarita was named after her maternal grandmother, my great-grandmother Sara.)  I love both names, but again, there’s something awkward about skipping my husband’s family entirely.

Rosemary Linden Beau was long a favorite combination.  But I’m not wild about Beau on a girl, and two nature names is far too botanical for a family that ventures no closer to camping than shopping REI.

19.  Amalia, Kester

Amalia is from my husband’s family.  It’s a great name, but again, we can’t settle on a nickname and she’d be the fourth A, leaving Clio out in the cold.

Kester is also – in a very roundabout fashion – from my husband.  His mother’s maiden name translates to Christopherson.  My husband’s middle name is Christopher.  I don’t care for any of the feminine variants, though Christabeau is one that I’ve considered.  Kester is a medieval diminutive for Christopher, and reminiscent of my beloved Hester.  Of course, Kester also brings to mind Jester.  So never in the first spot.  But maybe in the middle.

20.  Hermione nicknamed Minna, Octavia nicknamed Tavy, Harriet nicknamed Hattie

Three names we just plain like.

1300 words later, you’re probably thinking what I’m thinking: yes, we could name a daughter, possibly three. 

But there’s an equal chance we’d have a boy, that’s where we are truly at sea.

My mom’s okay… kinda. She will be, though.

As for the rest:

Too darn keyed up.

Polly

A humongous THANK YOU to Polly, in Tacoma, WA, for she is the best tattoo artist ever.

Mine was light and faded looking, and I went back in with only the descriptor of “more dynamic, please!”

And she rocked it.

Lovin’ the new, improved tattoo:

I just made myself realize something.

I should cut the crap about how lonely I am, how I don’t fit in, have nobody to talk to, nobody who really understands me, how I want a normal life.

I don’t think my life is meant to be normal. Maybe I am meant for greater things; pursuing my dream, staying focused for the real important things like my dream and what I need to pursue it. Since I chose a profession in the spotlight I have to lose weight and I know it, and I will have to maintain it. Sure you need a lot of other stuff, too, but I think I have it already or will get it by studying and my looks is the one thing I have control over completely myself. So since this is probably the hardest part, I should be happy to not be distracted by boy- or friends-trouble and I should the hell stop wasting my energy on this bullshit.

I technically am more of a loner, anyways. My fave thing to do is watch movies by myself cause I always talk during them, I am not the biggest fan of physical contact, except for sex (it’s true) and friendships I am part of often don’t last because I simply don’t care. I lack the ability to truly care about others. I’m happy to help whenever I can, but in the end those things are not my problems.

I think I should just accept this and focus on the important things: My dream and my weight. Period.

An enlightened

Polly (also known as the super-egocentric bitch)

So what’s new?

I’m grateful to David Skelton the Prospective Conservative Candidate for North Durham for pointing out the patently obvious, Labour doesn’t care for those in it’s heartlands, places like the north east where Labour MPs have to expend little effort in being re-elected time after time.

His analysis of Polly Toynbee’s shifting positions over her support (or lack of) for Gordon Brown’s lamentable government exposes the sheer lack of empathy for those who put them into Parliament, their motives may well have been honourable at the time they sought our support but they never ever rock the boat or vote against their own governing party despite the glaringly obvious fact that no Labour post war government has ever left the economy in a better position than when it arrived in office. Labour always run out of other people’s money to spend and north east MPs appear unable to check their own executive when the constituencies they represent start to bear the brunt of their economic mismanagement.

Having noted Polly’s commentary of the unfair distribution of growth (whenever there was some) under Labour, Dave opines:

Labour have betrayed ordinary, working class people. They have betrayed anybody who dares to aspire. That is why so many people in North Durham, who have put their faith in the Labour Party for so long, are ready to vote for real change at the next election.

North Durham will not be the only north east constituency that is offered real change at the next election, and before people start to be brainwashed with the age old retorts that the Tories are only interested in class, riches, helping the more affluent etc., consider this question “How many Conservative members or financial supporters in Jarrow or South Shields (the two South Tyneside constituencies) are from the landed gentry, are millionaires, or were born in an apparent position of privelege?”

For a start, most of them have perfectly normal Geordie accents, and are as ordinary as you or I. It’s not where you are from that counts, but where you want to go to.

So consider Polly’s points (you may as well, she rarely makes such telling good ones);

“on Labour’s watch, class has become more rigid, destiny for most babies is decided at birth, and the incomes of rich and poor families have drawn further apart.”

“Growth in his [Gordon Brown's] time was profoundly unfairly shared – over half the population saw virtually no growth at all; GDP per capita is a fraudulent measure that disguises how almost all growth went to the top 10%, and most to the top 1%… Middle Britain did badly however hard they worked and “played by the rules”. Whose rules?… Brown cannot admit the monumental error he and Ed Balls made in their economic policies because there are some mistakes just too big to apologise for.”

You won’t be committing a major crime or betraying your roots by having the brass nerve to vote for change, nor will it harm the Labour Party too much in the north east to be given a bloodied nose, In Karen Allen (South Shields) and Jeff Milburn (Jarrow), the Conservative Party has found two very good local candidates with strong local backgrounds to offer a real alternative to the stale policies of heartless Labour, who have just about pre-announced another council tax rise in South Tyneside for us next year. Having totally screwed the national economy after thirteen years of spend and borrow, now it’s time to once again screw the people at the bottom of the pile, it’s this total arrogance which irks most, the feeling that come what may the daft buggers will still vote Labour.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

I have the worst hangover ever. Seriously. I feel like shit crammed into a dusty dark old smelly cupboard corner at the bottom of the sea. Or something like it.

Would have been even worse if I didn’t eat yesterday I don’t even wanna begin to imagine what that would have meant. Was the same as yesterday morning today, surprisingly. And of course I’m eating constantly today cause I just can’t bear the hangover otherwise. Tomorrow’s a new day . Yes.

Oh happy new year btw. The party kinda totally sucked. I don’t know what the problem is with me… Nobody ever hits on me. NOBODY. I’m serious, there was a bunch of hot guys there yesterday. I can’t hook up with most of them cause they’re bandmates and close friends of my best buddy and he specifically asked me not to fuck any of them. Cause that has happened before and it wasn’t pretty. But there’s this one guy who’s totally cute and stuff and I thought, hey, maybe… But he showed absolutely no interest thought I was a hot mess yesterday. Really. And suddenly he was making out with this girl… Well dwarf’s more like it. About 5″1″ and 250lbs. Wannabe-goth black hair, way too much makeup and a totally hideous punk-inspired outfit. WHAT THE HECK?! I don’t get it. I so don’t. I am intelligent, I AM pretty, I have a great sense of humor, yes I’m fat, but she was fatter, so what was the problem? I really can’t think of any other reason than my weight. And if it’s my weight that is keeping me from being happy THEN THIS BITCH IS GOING DOWN – the bitch also known as pounds I mean. Seriously I never really had like a long relationship, my longest was 3 months I think. But that was when I was thin or at least 20lbs lighter than I am now. I think that if I was thinner boys would more likely find my humor cute and not think I’m a total tramp. Think girls can’t ever be not cute. It doesn’t happen. Men want to protect skinny girls, they can lift them up without breaking their backs and thin girls look so much better in bed. God.

This time I’m for real. Today is the last day of my past. Tomorrow is a brand new beginning. And if that means no more drinks=no more hangovers=no more having to eat, then so be it. If that means fainting, so be it. If that means having to lie, so be it. I just want to be happy and loved again.

A disappointed but focused

Polly

Yess! Down again. Nifty. Lost two pounds overnight.

Looking back, the one day I suckerpunched my success does unnerve me a little. It wasn’t even that delicious and I could have purged. Now, two days later, I’m still a little over a pound away from where I was that morning. Butttt, as I said, that is in the past and I don’t hate myself for it. I have 11 days left until school starts again, 11 days without holidays or feasts or anything. I will even have time to go the gym, yess.

Looking forward to tonight’s party, loads of dancing (I hope) and some hot guys from a band and I will look stunning in my little voilant skirt that makes my hips look real narrow. I will be eating throughout the day, though, preparing for the drinks, as I said yesterday.

Hope everyone has a great time tonight!

An excited

Polly

Today went really well.

Only had one 300cal chicken wrap (unfortunately wasn’t able to purge) and a Starbuck’s coffee with non-fat milk. Plus the laxatives finally decided to kick in and to be frank, I did spend some time in the loo effectively. Ugh, sorry.

I will have to eat a little more tomorrow evening, since I will go to a huge party and have loads of alcohol and I’m sick of hangovers by now. I’d rather spend one more day losing that weight than friday in a blur of pain, vomit and sleepyness.

I really wonder what the scale will say tomorrow. With all the laxatives, the two huge cups of coffee and the 300cals I might have lost. Should better have lost. Harr.

Nighty night!

Polly

Where am I from? Where do I belong?

I feel a certain rootlessness these days, and I think it stems from moving at a pivotal period in my life. When I moved back to Chicago, I lost my way back to familiarity, back to home. That first Winter I spent away from Texas was hard. My high school friends had come back home from college and I was stuck in a cramped apartment out in Lakeview, trying to reconnect with them via Facebook, dodging questions about when I’d visit.

I did end up visiting, and it was nice for a time, but there was a wall. I didn’t live there anymore and my friends had all stayed close, running around in packs in that old familiar way. I had known before I got off the plane that I had changed, but it wasn’t until I’d seen everyone that I actually felt it.

And I tried to be this magnificently transformed city boy, an artist, a sophisticated thinker. I wanted to show them all that I had broken the shell that constrained me, that I was fulfilling my high school ambitions.

But the truth was that the city had swallowed me whole. I needed a place to feel grounded, to feel safe, to recharge. A place that I could retreat to, where people that knew me before the change existed. I thought Texas might be that place. My old stomping grounds. A life before worry.

It wasn’t. I don’t know why. Maybe it was because of the change? Because I’d grown apart from them? A constant reminder that, in a way, I had turned my back on the city I grew up in. Not that I’d ever been much of a fan of the town when I was living there. In fact, all I wanted to do was get out. Irony I guess. Maybe a little too Alanis for my liking.

That place I’m looking for, though, it exists. I’ve felt it. I feel it through song. Three tracks off of Dillard & Clark’s Through the Morning, Through the Night (the title track, “So Sad,” and “Polly”) take me there. The harmonies are what do it. And the choruses. I’m transported back to my bedroom on Travis Court, overlooking our pool at night, the reflections from the water bouncing off my ceiling. I’m driving down Peytonville Avenue with the top down, on my way home from school. I’m sitting outside the Starbuck’s in Town Square with a few friends just before closing. I’m at the AMC, seeing Anchorman with Sarah, holding hands for the first time, our palms sweaty, dare we disturb them.

Country ballads like these, they have hooks that actually get you. I could go on and on about how I don’t hear that anymore, but I’d be beating a dead horse.

I’ll spend my whole life trying to write a song as good as “Polly,” because I’ve been trying to find that place for so long, and that longing always creeps up on me over the holidays. Because I’m not there yet. I haven’t found it. Maybe I never will. But that’s what the music’s for, to help me forget and to help me remember.

“Through the Morning, Through the Night”

“So Sad”

“Polly”

My mom will be 83 in January. She is slowing down physically, but still tries everyday to do the things she used to do. It frustrates her to no end to feel so worn out after just a few minutes of activity. She does funny things all the time and I usually write about them on face book, much to the delight to those who love to hear the next adventure from my mom. A recent example was when she tried to use the TV remote to call my sister. It was a hoot and those of us who laughed about it, laughed with her, not about her. Mom was leading the laughing.

I have had the idea to get her to tell me all about her life, so I would have a written or audio version. She told me she had begun to write out little stories she remembered. I took the one sheet she could find (mom loses stuff constantly….lol) and am beginning a new feature.

Her name is Lillian but has always been called Polly. So I am calling this “Polly’s Page.” Here is her first posting.

When I was a little girl in New Mexico, I use to put our landlord’s bird out on the porch while she was working. One day a rain storm came up while I was outside playing with kids. When I remembered about the bird and went to check on it, it was soaking wet. I brought it in our house and wrapped a dry towel around it, and sat it in front of the fire to try to get the bird dry.

Well, the bird died. The lady was so crazy about that bird that I just cried and cried and cried. She bought another bird but it just wasn’t the same. Later that same year, at Christmas time, we had our tree but never had any gifts under the tree. This Christmas, the lady who owned the bird, got us all gifts. She wrapped them and put them under our tree. Boy, was that a thrill. We hung our socks up and there was fruit in them; we never got fruit!

All this from the lady who owned the bird I had let die months earlier.

Ive been looking forward to the dublish weekend for the past 2 months, when the floods started I was the one that said I would walk up if it was the only way. When I was told id have to get up at 5:30am saturday morning I didnt care, Ennis to Limerick train track is still closed, who gives a fuck. Sure theres me thinking that most trains are reliable, nearly on time. Well how wrong was I.

Right …Bus from Ennis station to Limerick station at 7:54. Arrives at 8:40 Train arrived at Limerick station at 8:55 leaves 3 min later, get to Limerick jr at 9:32. Board train from Limerick jr – Huston at 9:33. Find reserved seats at 9:35 discover that seats/table have been taken by 3 stupid fucks that wont move… so looked around.. theres no other seates so we end up on the floor for 3 hours.. my back still hurts..

Spend 45min looking for the hotel.. Went around dublin for a while bought converse.. blah blah come back at 4:30pm. Get changed and make our way the O2  que in the wrong line.. fine right line.. WHAT AN AMAZING GIG!!.. I can still hear there songs in my head! Now Now Every Childern.. Paper Route.. YouMeAtSix.. AND PARAMORE  were fucking SICK!! Paramore wore Irish jersyes what ledgens…  have to admit.. i didnt really like paramore that much before.. but now I fucking love them! Crowed was insane.. all my toes were brused! But it was the best saturday night of my life!

 I never knew pizza could taste so nice cold/as breakfast.. Ive never appericated the joy of a hot shower in the morning or my own bed so much ither.. better late than never I supose. Went around Dublin some more.. found the Irish hard rock cafe! Finally bought blue laces! Got back to the hotel and tryed to flag down a taxi to bring us back to Huston did get one.. after a while.. Borded the earlyer 3:25.. Direct from Huston to Limerick all going well for the first 40 min..  then the lights flickerd once.. fair enough.. then at 4:10pm the train stoped lights went out, heating gone., it turns out that both engins had failed… we were stuck on that god dam train for 3 and a half hours.. in Monesterevan station for another half hour.. back up train arrives.. at 8:45pm around the time that we were suposta be home,, First class it comfy.. free food for everyone!

Im glad we had no seats.. glad that my feet still hurt when I walk glad that the train bloke down.. because it made the whole thing better.. and defo glad that I shared it with Rosie and Polly…

That girl never knows whats happening

Ennis Station and the train that never came..

It really does hurt your neck to look at it,

The Liffy isent accualy that big..

Ive gone all art deco

It got a bit wild

Hard Rock Dublin!

Theres an upside down car hanging from the room.. Strange

These are a small few people from the train that broke down.

Thanks for reading… Kay =]

Greta Alison (Lily)

Olive Audrey

Alex Chloe (Jack)

Bess (Ella)

Haidee Elaine & Alyssa Rose (Lucas)

Iris Vita (Harriet, Phoebe)

Vivien Rosemary (Lily)

Helena Antoinette

Lauren & Honor ( Lucia)

Olive Elizabeth (George)

Elsie-May Ellen (Bailey, Ephraim & Marita)

Polly Frances

Aurelia Grace (Isabelle)

Portia Alice

Neve Jennifer (Rylee, Fletcher)

Penny Mary (Hamish, Felicity)

Sacha Tui

Kahlan Lillias (Hayden)

Maggie Iris Rosa (Ruby)

Freyah Lily (Tahlia)

Sabrina Mary

Elsie Olivia (Joel)

Milla Juno (Bodie)

Maeve Ellen (Cormac)

Sidney (Lennox & Munro)

Hugo John

Jasper Stan (Jonty & Tilly)

George Banjo (Hugo)

Tahere Hunter

Albie Murphy

Jack & Keygan (Thomas)

Wilhelm David

Josiah James

Jag Archie

Edward Montgomery (Benji & Samuel)

Wilfred Otis (Theo)

Deaths

Rosanna Jane, Adeline Anne, Sally Elizabeth, Grace Muriel, Margaret Winifred, Ruby Evelyn, Sylvia Winifred, Adele Mary, Violet Hope, Hazel Margaret, Beatrice Mary, Helen Adeline,

Hector Leslie, George Basil, Quentin Phillip, Henry Percival, Leo Charles, Archibald Ralph, Sydney Benjamin.

Aurelia, Audrey, Beatrix, Cassia, Cordelia, Dulcia, Eulalia, Freya, Holly,  India, Imogen, Isadora, Imala, Inez, Kezia,  Lucretia, Mabel, Novella, Orla, Olive, Olympia, Poppy, Penelope, Polly, Phoebe, Rhea, Saffron, Saskia, Tatiana, Tuscany, Tallulah, Thora, Thea, Vivienne, Vienna, Vera, Willa, Wren, Willona, Zora, Ziva, Azura, Aviva.

Ambrose, Arthur, Barnaby, Baxter, Cole, Dexter, Emmett, Emilian, Felix, Gulliver, Harvey, Ivor, Jasper, Lucian, Lysander, Malachi, Moss, Oakley, Orlando, Perrin, Rowan, Rain, River, Sommett, Tybalt, Troy, Thor, Thorn, Tychius, Vincent, Wilbur.

MC300-MS12 York-Sunbury Historical Society Collection Description (page 127)

If you are interested in any of these files then please contact the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick.

“Benjamin Atherton was born December 9, 1736, at Lancaster, Massachusetts.  As a young man, he enlisted in the British Army, sailed from Boston in 1755 on the sloop “Victoria”, and served for a year in Nova Scotia under Colonel Winslow.  According to Lilian Maxwell’s History of Central New Brunswick, Lieutenant Benjamin Atherton took part in the expulsion of the Acadians.

In 1769, Atherton arrived in Saint John and became a fur trader with the firm of Simonds, Hazen, and White of Portland Point.  Atherton was placed as manager of a truck-house at St. Anne’s Point, in competition with John Anderson, who was established at the mouth of the Nashwaak River.  He refused to join the rebel movement in Maugerville during the American Revolution.  After the War, he served as Clerk of the Peace, Registrar, and later coroner for Sunbury County.  In 1788, Governor Carleton purchased land from Atherton as part of the property for Government House–land that Atherton had owned for almost twenty years.  Atherton died July 17, 1816, at Prince William, York County.

This small series encompasses the period 1771 to 1785 and provides information on Atherton’s business dealings and official duties.  It measures .5 centimeters.”

1  Invoice of goods on hand at St. Ann’s Sunbury County, Nova Scotia; October 31,1771.

2  Bill for consignment of goods shipped to Benjamin Atherton & Co. aboard “Polly” from Boston and Newbury; November 2, 1772.

3  Bond of guardianship of Samuel Peabody, John Smith and Alexander Tapley with James Simonds, Judge of the Sunbury County Probate Court, for Francis and Oliver Peabody, sons of the late Francis Peabody; June 23, 1773.

4  Invoice for fur pelts sent to Mr. Simonds; May 19, 1773.

5  Invoice of goods sent to Benjamin Atherton via Jabez Nevers from Simonds & White; October 21, 1774.

6  Affidavit of inquisition held at Maugerville before Coroner Benjamin Atherton into the death of Robert Lewis formerly of the Queen’s Rangers.  The twelve-man jury was composed of George Ormond, John Atcheson, William Desmund, Jeremiah Tracey, William Read, Benjamin Rix, Samuel Rix, William Broawn, Abraham Buscork (?), Jacob Barker Jr., Henry Link, and Benjamin Broawn; October 5, 1784.

7  Affidavit of inquisition held before Benjamin Atherton, Coroner for Sunbury County, into the death of Thomas Sever.  The twelve-man jury was composed of Jared Betts, Abraham Vanderbeck, John Gibson, James Taylor, William Bill, John Bailey, George Webb, Luthren Morris, Isaac Smith, Abraham Rottan, Ruloff Jacobus, and Thomas McEnnelly; March 26, 1785. 

My favorite part of this list is that the episode where the Cobras disguise themselves and toys and Shipwreck’s parrot Polly turns gigantic is only #6.

Source:
http://www.toplessrobot.com/2009/12/the_10_most_bizarre_gi_joe_a_real_american_hero_ep.php

Clara, Bathsheba, Bedelia, Caroline, Celeste, Cecily, Celia, Daisy, Eloise, Eulalie, Flora, Fenella, Genevieve, Hazel, Georgina, Helene, Imogen, Juniper, Jessamine, Louella, Lillian, Magnolia, Marigold, Olive, Orlantha, Polly, Penelope, Primrose, Rose, Tallulah, Violet.

Benjamin, Barnabas, Beckett, Barry, Cassius, Dashiell, Darcy, Edmund, Fletcher, Felix, Gabriel, Gideon, Harvey, Isaac, Ira, Jay, Jonah, Lucian, Leonardo, Orlando, Oxford, Octavius, Preston, Quentin, Raphael, Samson, Theodore, Tennyson, Willoughby.