I used to be funnier

This Woman’s Work // 3 of 3 // A Series for the Face The Fear group
Originally uploaded by Lady Vervaine

So to celebrate the fact that I'm still free of tumors I went back and read my blog from the beginning. And the weird thing was that it was pretty funny. Sure you could pick up on the frustration but you could also pick up on the engagement. I was noticing things. I was meeting new people. I was thinking about life - rather than thinking about how to convince people that any vodka is better than the next.

So I've decided to do that again. To listen to conversations. To take buses (there is no subway here). To get in touch with my inner Alan Bennett and attempt to find warmth in bleakness.

That said this ain't the funniest of posts - is it?

Oh Idol. I get more hits when I talk about American idol than when I don't and I'm a hits whore. So here we go. Last night was Rock and Roll Hall of Fame night. Which I think translates a "we can't get a celeb" night. Instead the four remaining contenders were asked to pick two songs each from the big old Cleveland jukebox which they'd then murder.

David Archuleta - the singing Bobblehead in the magic pants was very good by all accounts. I can't really remember what he sang. Other than "Love me Tender". I actually liked this choice of song as it was cast in a new light by the fact that he seems obsessed with masturbation. Want proof? Check out his favorite quote on the Idol site - "You'll never be lonely if you learn to befriend yourself"... I tell you the boy is only a week away from "The man with the child in his eyes", "Feel it" and "Turning Japanese". Oh he did "Stand by me" too - doubtless some kind of Mormon Circle Jerk reference.

Syesha Mercado went from cut priced Whitney to low rent Tina with her copycat "Proud Mary" though her "Change is gonna come" was a lot better. I'm actually warming to this girl, even if she's all varnish and no nail.

Jason Castro was truly appalling. First he believed that having dreads qualified him to stumble through Bob Marley. He stuttered, he swayed, he looked ashamed, my Marley span fast enough to plow a furrow in the field in which he is buried. Then he decided that as a follow up he'd forget the words to a Bob Dylan song. If only he'd forgotten his way to the stage he'd have saved a remarkably lucid Paula from having to grope for a positive thing to say about his heart, his spirit and his authenticity. Watching Castro you had to feel for Carly the bat winged bruiser and lizard spouse -- she was in the audience with "I lost to this?" written all over her face. I'd not be surprised to see it tattooed there tomorrow.

Finally David Cook. His Hungry Like The Wolf was off key, shouty and rather dull. His Baba O'Reilly was much better. And he seems to be losing weight. Which will be good practice for losing the final.

Okay - so noy funny but the hits will be up and I'm already hanging out at the water cooler in search of inspiration.