momentary break from misanthropy or i luuuurrrrve eleni

i'll be the first to admit that, in part, my blog hiatus has been motivated by the seasonal misanthropy that descends upon me in february. february, the month of love, has been consistently disastrous for me when it comes to love (and like, and lust). all the way back to my first boyfriend (when i was, metaphorically, knee-high to a grasshopper, unschooled in the ways of love -- thanks uncle ted!), right through to the penultimate C---- (the evil, nasty one), ending most recently with the mangling of my heart in february of 2006, februaries have been months of horror. the relationship pundits claim that more break ups happen in january than any other month due to the post-holiday reality check that many experience. i can thus explain my february romantic disasters in only one way. i was born a month late ... literally. my poor mother was close on 4 weeks past her/my due date when i finally decided to arrive. i often use this little factoid to explain many things: my procrastinatory ways, my late blooming nature, and, it hit me today, my experience of februaries.

i've been clomping around lately with a giant black cloud of misanthropy hanging over my head. i felt the best course of action was to take a little break from spinning myself as an on-line commodity, because, well ... i just haven't been myself. today, however, kismet intervened and brought a little of myself back to me. after a work session at a coffee shop downtown, i was browsing through the CD section of indigo, and came across eleni mandell's new album miracle of five; some poor store clerk, not privy to the wonder that is eleni accidentally stocked the shelves full of her new release 4 DAYS EARLY! if G is nuts about the beatles, i have a similar relationship, perhaps on not so grand a scale, with eleni mandell. i was introduced to her by the penultimate C----, who gave me her first album, wishbone.it very quickly became the soundtrack of my life. when we broke up, i made the ridiculous mistake of returning the CD to him with the rest of the crap that one returns in fits of romantic pique. i've regretted it ever since, along with many other facets of that relationship.

ever since that fateful day, i've made a small career of collecting eleni mandell CDs, introducing friends to her music with an almost evangelical zeal, and i'm proud to say, corresponding with the wonderful eleni herself. her fan base is still small enough that she returns e-mails from fans. based in LA, she makes occasional forays into canada for concerts in montreal and TO. i kid you not, she lets me know when she's coming!

if disasters are associated with februaries, eleni is often the medicinal salve that helps mitigate the fallout.following the loss of wishbone, i stumbled across thrill in a CD store in ottawa one fateful february day. snakebite was released the week i was a victim of the federal government downsizing due to a round of budget cuts. country for true lovers came out the fall i started my PhD and experienced the shock and trauma of returning to grad school for another round of self-doubt.i found afternoon in a TO record store while there for a victorian lit and cult conference where a (one-time) good friend openly snubbed me and sent me to my hotel room in tears.

finding miracle of five today reminded me that my misanthropy usually lifts with a change in my personal barometer. the lyrics of "moonglow, lamp low" only brought that home to me once again.

Moonglow, lamp low
All I need is a rainbow
And true love just like sugar in my coffee

Moonbeam, sleeping
All I need is a sweet dream
And true love just like honey in my tea

The sky says goodbye with the wink of an eye
Bright blue yawning to the west
Windows are shining as the sun goes down fighting
And the houses on the hill are getting undressed

Moonshine, dream time
All I need is a goldmine
And true love just like sugar in my coffee

The sky says goodbye with the wink of an eye
Bright blue yawning to the west
Windows are shining as the sun goes down fighting
And the houses on the hill are getting undressed

Moonglow, lamp low
All I need is a rainbow
And true love just like sugar
True love just like honey
True love just like sugar in my coffee

Coffee
Coffee