No, actually it's not ironic, if truth be told

(Things have been more than a little crazy - sorry for the huge delay in this.)

Today’s Desert Island Disc conversation is with my friend Cara. We've also known Cara for more than 20 years and she did not come from that incestuous gene pool called,  Bronx High School of Science (which makes her, out of the gate, a more interesting person.)  Cara  is the definition of a guy's gal; she loves sports, is a great cook and has one of the raunchiest senses of humor.  She literally can make a construction worker blush. She truly loves to cook and had her kitchen designed to facilitate her passion.

Cara and her husband, Matt (his turn will be coming up soon) are extremely generous people who open up their hearts and homes to their friends on a regular basis.  We have spent many a happy hour, stuffing our faces in their kitchen. 

Cara  is currently VP, Assistant General Counsel at JP Morgan (and one of the last men standing from the old Bear, Stearns & Co.)


Music (in no particular order)

Isn’t it Ironic - Alanis Morrisette -



I enjoy her breakthrough album Jagged Little Pill. This song fits my life and in particular, it would be ironic if I was stuck on a desert island, listening to this song. (editor's note - Cara clearly understands that most of the situations expressed in the song were, in fact, not ironic.)


Crossfire - Stevie Ray Vaughn -



Stevie Ray's playing is phenomenal. His vocals in the song are decent here, but his playing is really stellar - it's his true voice.


Friend of the Devil - Grateful Dead -



I basically ignored them during my  High School years.  The deadheads at my school (Music & Art) were a little annoying. I began to appreciate the band in college and by the time I started hanging out with Matthew (a major deadhead), I was hooked.

Now, every time I listen to them, I'm reminded of my 20s - all those good times and pre-kids.


Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked - 



I love this musical: the whole musical and any song sung by Idina Menzel and/or Kristen Chenowith.  I am no closet show tune lover; I am a bona fide one.  (editor note: while this is not a shocking admission from an alum of  Music and Art, it is a surprising aspect of Cara's personality.  It's similar to finding out that Jack Black is a big musical fan - it doesn't fit one's preconceived notion of the individual but it totally makes sense once you think about it.)


After the Goldrush - Neil Young -



I was introduced to Neil Young early in High School; first, when he joined CSN, but then I caught up with his individual music at 15, when I went to summer camp.  I clearly remember the first of his songs that had a special meaning for me, (Sugar Mountain) but I learned to play After the Goldrush on the guitar.  I love the imagery as well as his singing. Neil's voice on this track is heartbreakingly beautiful. 

I've found most of his songs are great and anyone can sing them (including Matthew).


Scenes From An Italian Restaurant - Billy Joel -



I've always loved Billy Joel and still do (I feel bad that his personal life and alcohol addiction have hurt him but what can you do).


I’m a Believer - Smash Mouth -



I like Smash Mouth (shoutout to Maya, her daughter). I came to this song through Shrek and I would pick the Shrek Album to go with me to the desert island. (A sidebar discussion came up, once again about the restrictive nature of choosing only 8 songs and not 8 albums. The rules of this exercise, as well as life, are caprious and arbitrary. ) This song makes me happy and I think I need a good frame of mind to keep up my sprits on the island. 


If You want to Sing out - Cat Stevens -



I love the early work of Cat Stevens; it makes me happy. I love that music and I can see me singing the song while I collect firewood on the island for meals and to keep me and Wilson warm.

I simply have no connection to his incarnation as Yusuf.



I've added a question not in the original Desert Island Disc,  How have your musical taste changed over the years?

My musical tastes have always been evolved or maybe not at all. I sang tons of classical pieces at Music & Art (generally made me sleepy though I still like intricate harmonies regardless of language of origin) and I had a chance to sing gospel in H.S (still gives me the shivers but never sounds as good to me recorded as it does live) but I know enough to recognize that I do not have the chops to sing it on a desert island. All the family music I was allowed to listen to was opera/classical (these were our car and living room mainstays,) Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey, Gilbert and Sullivan, Johnny Cash/The Carter Sisters, show tunes, folk (Joan Baez/Bob Dylan, still love them), Carole King, Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond. Needless to say I still have a softness in my heart for the ones I can sing too (yeah Neil, “Shilo”).


How have your children affected your musical taste?

My kids know that if any one of us can sing to it and it does not give me a headache, I am more than happy to listen to all kinds of music (where you can sing to it and not get a headache so perhaps the universe is a little smaller then they want). Maya has introduced me to some really fun artists (and a few depressing ones) and Cayne has generally played anything you can get pumped up to before you play basketball (big headache but I tolerate it as how can you stop someone from getting pumped up before a game). Both kids love to shock me and I do not shock easily (and of course if it is too shocking, Cayne loses his iTunes privileges for a month (like September 2012).


What Book would you take with you?:

 That's easy, SAS Survival Handbook by John “Lofty” Wiseman


Luxury Item?:

Luxury item- Does the largest Swiss Army Knife count?  I'd like to bring a solar powered refrigerator with ice maker. (I'll give you electricity, so you don't need the solar power.  What brand of refrigerator?  Do you want it stocked with anything?) Whichever fridge with freezer/icemaker and water on the door Consumer Reports says is the longest lasting without maintenance would be my choice. Preferably a Liebher SBS32S1 (31 cu.ft) or a Whirlpool WSF26C3EXW (26 cu.ft). I would like it stocked with cheese and white wine but if I have to choose one, it would be cheese as I am sure I can ferment (fruit/grain/sugar cane) something on the island (Hawkeye managed it) and cows/goats/sheep are probably harder to find.