Saturday Nine: Voices Carry (1985)

This week's Saturday Nine:



This song was chosen because October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Please share this link to The National Domestic Violence Hotline. Let's spread the word that there's help out there.

1. In this song, a woman is "hushed" by her lover. When were you last told to "keep it down?" I don't remember, honestly. I'm not that loud a person. I usually tell other people to keep it down. Or if I'm talking to a friend or colleague about something private or confidential in a more public area, I'll make note for both of us to keep it down.
   
   
2. Her lover tells her tears are something to hide. Researchers tell us that crying can be good for us, because by releasing emotional stress, it lessens physical stress on the cardiovascular system. Are you comfortable crying in front of other people? Not particularly. Can't remember the last time I cried in public. It's just a hot mess — smudged makeup everywhere, swollen eyes, puffy face, runny nose… No, thanks.
   
   
3. In this video, the woman makes a scene by speaking up in a theater. Today theater goers are more likely to be disturbed by a cell phone ringing or its screen illuminating. Are you careful to turn your phone off in the theater, church, etc.? I never turn off my phone anywhere, but it's always set on silent (with no vibration) — whether I'm at work or at home or out with friends — so it doesn't disturb or distract me or anyone else. (Even on a plane, I'll put my phone on Airplane Mode. But I'll never turn it off.)
   
   
4. When this group, 'Til Tuesday, was still struggling, Cyndi Lauper was already a star. Cyndi offered to record this song, which would have brought the group some fast cash, but only if they agreed not to record it themselves. Obviously they didn't take the deal. Tell us about a time you took a risk on yourself, and it paid off. When I applied to my current work position in February. I was actually quite content with where I was at that point; with the location I was at, the position I was in, the pay that I got, and the people I worked with. But I wanted to continue moving up, so I applied to a higher position at a brand new location that was going to have a brand new team. And I got it in April. It's been more stressful but also more rewarding, and I've learned more about the makeup industry and business operations than I ever have before. Plus, I also get a much higher salaried wage now. So it literally paid off.
   
   
5. 'Til Tuesday's lead singer, Aimee Mann, went to Open High School in Richmond, Virginia. This charter high school is dedicated to helping students become "self-determined thinkers and learners." Do you recall your high school as permissive or regimented? Totally regimented. I went to an all-girls' private school. There was very little freedom there. Even our courses were strictly academic. The most "liberal" course I took back then was art and photography — the only subjects I loved and truly excelled at.
   
   
6. Aimee has been on the road through 2017 and, like most artists, sells tour merchandise. Her line includes reusable tote bags. Do you bring your own bag to the grocery store? As bad as it is, I never remember to bring reusable bags with me.
   
   
7. Aimee has tried her hand at acting and appeared on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. From Dracula to Barnabas Collins to Lestat, vampires are a popular culture staple (especially in October). What do you suppose accounts for their enduring popularity? I think it's because vampires in modern-day literature have the most human-like traits and sensitivities while still being monstrous or animalistic at the core. They have characteristics that a lot of people want to have: sexy, charismatic, seductive, wildly attractive, intelligence, maturity. They also possess super-human abilites like speed, agility, and immortality that make them incredibly powerful and dangerous, but there's this vulnerability to them that makes us empathetic to them. There's this constant battle of good vs. evil or right vs. wrong going on in their heads, and it's fascinating to see which one they'll choose or how they'll fight their instincts. And I won't even get into the whole fangs + oral fixation aspect of vampires.
   
   
8. In 1985, when this song was popular, Bruce Springsteen was at the top of the charts with Born in the USA. A massive commercial success, Born in the USA has sold more than 15,000,000 copies in the United States alone. Is it in your collection? Nope.
   
   
9. Random question: In which race would you do better — the Iditarod, with sled dogs in Nome, or speeding in a car at 200+ mph at the Indianapolis 500? I'm gonna say Indianapolis 500 because I like driving and speeding, and I know nothing of sled dogs.