Were these people conscious in the 90s?

I take 90s music seriously, and have noticed some glaring omissions on VH1's list of 100 Greatest Songs of the 1990s.

While I may not be a music expert, some of the songs I remember best from that decade weren't even listed! Here are my additions:


Boyz II Men - Water Runs Dry, Motownphilly, or End of the Road
Boyz II Men and Mariah Carey - One Sweet Day (This one baffles me)
Cardigans - Lovefool (I owned every Cardigans album)

Janet Jackson - That's the Way Love Goes, If, Together Again, anything really. Janet was still big in the 90s.
NKOTB - Step by Step
The Verve - Bitter Sweet Symphony
Bush - Everything Zen
Madonna - Take a Bow, Ray of Light
Blind Melon - No Rain
No Doubt - Spiderwebs, Just a Girl
R. Kelly - Bump n' Grind, I Believe I Can Fly
Foo Fighters - Big Me (you all remember the Mentos-inspired video), Everlong (my wedding song), or My Hero
Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
Smashing Pumpkins - 1979, Disarm, Tonight Tonight, or Bullet With Butterfly Wings
Blink 182 - All the Small Things
Savage Garden - I Want You, Truly Madly Deeply (this is for Caitlin)
Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) 
Snoop - Gin n' Juice
Nine Inch Nails - Closer
Garbage - I'm Only Happy When it Rains, Stupid Girl
Aerosmith - Cryin', Crazy, I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing (It also surprises me that this one wasn't listed)
Bone Thugs-n-Harmony - Crossroads
Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson - Scream
Mariah Carey - Fantasy

and last but not least...
Guns N' Roses - November Rain


WTF, VH1?

Awesome Takes Practice!

Matt's work had a book drive recently, and someone donated this gem: Anybody Can Be Cool...But Awesome Takes Practice. He and his coworker had a good laugh at the book's daily affirmations and the wannabe Zack Morris guy on the cover. When he pulled up the book on Amazon to show me, I nearly died when I saw the amazing reviews. This one is my favorite:

"For years, I struggled with meager coolness until I read this book. Now with my new-found knowledge and my "I am awesome" shirt, all the ladies want to get with me. It may look like they're just laughing and pointing, but I know that they truly find me irresistible. Since I've modeled my hair and clothes from the book cover, everyone thinks I'm Zack from Saved by the Bell. It just doesn't get anymore awesome than that. Oh yeah" 

The book sounds like something a teenaged Barney Stinson would read and put into practice. To quote Barney, "When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story." While Barney's statements may sound superficial, I think they are great reminders of how you should focus on your positive qualities, and try to be your best awesome.

I was astounded that someone would want to get rid of such an amazing cultural object, but then again I've been known to hoard strange books. Some people collect stamps or coins. I collect weird books. I am the proud owner of the following:


Official Guide to Disco Dance Steps
<--- A Michael Jackson picture book for children (Thanks, Aunt Claudia!)
A book about how to talk to your LDS teens about sex

Basketball for Girls, a very sexist book written in the 50s. In case you didn't know, girls can be ballers too! All of the illustrations show girls in skirts shooting hoops.

My Aunt Claudia also gave my mom an amazing book with a weird and insensitive title that I can't remember. It was either "My retarded brother" or "My brother is retarded."

For other great books, check out this site: http://awfullibrarybooks.net