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My Gen X Playlist: Panic – The Smiths

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A few years ago, we received an Instant Pot for Christmas and it’s been sitting in our pantry collecting dust. Over the years, we have added other appliances that have been put to good use. A Vitamix for smoothies. The Air fryer for salmon or to make guilt free French fries. The Nespresso is pulled out if I want to be a little fancier with my cup of coffee in the morning. For some reason, the Instant Pot has totally intimidated me and remained in the box.

We recently met with friends and they swear by this gadget. My first question, which is the most important for me: How easy is it to use? They have assured me that even a novice like me can use it. I remain skeptical. They clearly haven’t seen me in the kitchen before. I read a blog the other day about someone who burned water and wondered how on Earth could this be possible. The more I thought about it, you probably could swap the author’s name out for mine because I’d find a way, too.

I’m pretty sure I can probably fumble my way through it. I’m lame in the kitchen, but functionally lame. In all honesty, the reason I hesitate is I secretly I don’t want to have to clean up the mess when it all explodes on me and the kitchen floor. That may be the real reason for my hesitation. Best to keep that to myself for now. Nobody needs to know that bit. Instead, tomorrow I may open the box and peruse the instructions. A few Google searches for a few recipes can’t hurt. Baby steps . . .

With me at the helm, it’s not a stretch to imagine the possibility of a disaster of epic Instant Pot proportions and the panic that ensues. So naturally, the soundtrack of this indie disaster film includes Panic by The Smiths. It turns out, Panic was indirectly inspired by the Chernobyl disaster that occurred in 1986.

But it wasn’t that incident itself which caused Morrissey and Marr to write “Panic”. Rather it was how right after breaking said news on BBC, a prominent English DJ by the name of Steve Wright followed the story up by playing Wham!’s “I’m Your Man” (1985), i.e. a frivolous pop song.

– SongMeaningsAndFacts

Panic appeared during Chernobyl. Morrissey and I listened to a Newsbeat radio report about it. The story of a shocking disaster comes to an end, and then all of a sudden, Wham!’s I’m Your Man is turned on. I remember I said, “What the f*** does she have to do with human lives?” We hear about Chernobyl, and then, literally in a second, we’re supposed to be dancing to I’m Your Man.

– Johnny Marr

OK, yes – my situation is definitely not the same, just with a dash of hyperbole. The Instant Pot explosion will not reach epic proportions. At the same time, Wham! will not be playing anywhere within a 100 mile radius. I am allowed to be overly dramatic sometimes. After all, I’m only human.

–

For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Panic on the streets of London
Panic on the streets of Birmingham
I wonder to myself
Could life ever be sane again?
The Leeds side-streets that you slip down
I wonder to myself

Hopes may rise on the Grasmere
But, Honey Pie, you're not safe here
So you run down to the safety of the town
But there's panic on the streets of Carlisle
Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
I wonder to myself

Burn down the disco
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music that they constantly play
It says nothing to me about my life
Hang the blessed DJ
Because the music they constantly play

On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down
Provincial towns you jog 'round

Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ, hang the DJ
Hang the DJ, hang the DJ

24 thoughts on “My Gen X Playlist: Panic – The Smiths”

  2. I bought one of those once. I love to cook and I had heard good things. But, like you, I had some major hesitations about using it. To be honest, I was a bit intimidated by the air fryer at first and now I use it all the time. I remember the first time we pulled it out though. I was so nervous! I thought, somehow, that we were going to get the timing wrong and the whole thing was going to erupt in flames. I mean, even the name… “air fryer” sounds sort of menacing, doesn’t it? Anyway, the brand new Insta Pot did eventually make its way to Goodwill. And now that I live in a tiny house with an even tinier kitchen, I probably won’t buy another one. But I wish you luck with yours. 😉 Who knows? Maybe it will be the best thing ever.

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    1. Thanks so much for sharing! It’s comforting knowing I’m not alone, even with everyday challenges such as this. After writing this post, now I’m a little determined to give it a try. I appreciate the words of encouragement! Much appreciated!

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  4. Last year, I had a bunch of kitchen appliances. Now I have one. A coffee maker that makes single cups of coffee, and a toaster oven. I don’t use the toaster oven anymore, so I’m thinking of ditching it. I never used the other ones, so we donated them to Goodwill. Like, I think I used my Insta-pot once just to see what the fuss was all about. Eh… whatever. ^_^

    Maybe if I was still cooking for a family it would be different, but I’m just cooking for me, so all of those things are superfluous. In my humble opinion, of course. I hope you find your Insta-pot more useful than I did. ^_^

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  5. I used to have an Instant Pot and struggled with it, so I understand completely. But because so many people rave about theirs, there must be something to it that I’m overlooking. I wish you the best of luck with your Instant Pot adventure! If it doesn’t work out, maybe we can form a secret club. 🤣

    (PS- I love The Smiths)

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    1. Glad to meet a fellow Smiths lover!
      Everybody raves about theirs, right?! Thanks for the best wishes. Yes, we definitely will form the secret club if I manage to bomb. It will have the secret handshake and all!

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  6. Great background research on that song! I remembering hearing about the Chernobyl disaster in a sociology class called “Contemporary Soviet Society.” The professor learned of it during class and went pale. He was so upset. I don’t think I would’ve understood how bad it was otherwise.

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    1. I knew it was bad, but didn’t really understand until later. The background on the music has been interesting. It’s given me a little more depth about the music – a totally different take – it’s been fun

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  11. I also bought an Instant Pot because my sister-in-law raved about hers and used it all the time. I tried it out. I discovered that it cooks chicken really well, tender and juicy. So, now that’s all I use it for! Haha! Good luck for your Instant Pot adventure!

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