Baby, It's COLD Outside!!

We're finally back up to double digits here (10° counts!), but with a wind chill that's still below zero, I'm finding it hard to take comfort in that.  Add to that the snow that's been falling for the past few hours and I'm more than happy to stay in my nice, warm house, thank you very much.

At least it's warmer than yesterday, which was, as Hubby confirmed, booger-freezin' cold.  The only reason I left the house was to venture to Chipotle for dinner with some friends.  If not for the idea of tasty foodstuffs, I would've hidden under the covers and refused to show my face again until spring.  (Oh, if only that were an option...)

Instead, I must be content with the knowledge that we are 44 days away from a week of warmer weather in beautiful Florida.  Until then, I'll use music as a distraction/escape from the weather.

1) The Beach Boys - "Kokomo"  Who doesn't want to go to Bermuda or Bahama (come on, pretty mama!)?  It's easy to get lost in this song and imagine yourself on a beach, relaxing and listening to the waves rolling in, and that's definitely where I wanna go.  (Of course, The Muppets do a super fun version of this song, too!  Though, I find myself giggling more than relaxing during their version.)

2) David Lee Roth - "California Girls"  OK, so, it's sort of a terrible song (and yeah, I could've gone with the Beach Boys version, but this video is just too hilariously horrible), but it does make me think about warm Cali beaches and bikini-clad women.  Whatever you gotta do to keep warm, right?

3) Bowling For Soup - "Ohio (Come Back to Texas)"  I can appreciate the sentiment.  Like Ohio, there's nothing wrong with Wisconsin... Except the snow and the rain.  And the cold.  And crazy political shit.  But I digress... 

Sorry, kids, but I only have time for 3 songs today.  Go ahead and tell me what songs help keep you warm when it's cold out so I can add them for extra warmth!  I just may need it...

The First Time Ever.

We watched this week's episode of Glee last night (man, I love DVR) during dinner.  I loved it, and all the songs were just great (OK, "Summer Nights" was a little hokey, but, it's Grease; what do you expect?).  But the highlight of the episode for me was when the girls sang "The First Time Ever (I Saw Your Face)" for Will.  In fact, I even cried a bit.

You see, I'm a lucky girl.  I got to grow up in a house where not only were my parents still married, but were still very much in love.  My dad traveled a lot, but he would bring home flowers for my mom randomly.  They often went on date nights together and when they were both home, they were usually together, even if they weren't doing anything at all.  I really had the best example of what marriage should be like.

I'm not saying their marriage is perfect.  Of course it's not.  My dad has always had a pretty short fuse and is pretty OCD about certain things, but my mom's the most patient person on the face of the planet (my husband being number 2 on that list), and somehow, it works out.  I remember once as a kid wondering why Mom put up with him, why she didn't divorce him.  It seemed like such a simple solution to me, but I was probably 7 or 8 and really didn't understand divorce anyway.  

As an adult, I understand that she "puts up with" Dad's quirks and temper because the good she sees in him outweighs the bad.  I understand that she's not about to just leave him for an offhand comment he makes while he's upset about something completely beyond her control.  It makes sense.

When they met, my mom was 15 and Dad was 16.  They started dating just before Mom turned 16, I think, and got married about 5 years later (1976).  Last month they celebrated 35 years of marriage, and despite the fact that they met over 40 years ago, and that my dad can't always remember why he just walked into a room or what he had for breakfast that morning, he can still tell you exactly what my mom was wearing the first time he saw her.

So, it should be no surprise, then, that Roberta Flack's version of "The First Time Ever" is my mom and dad's song.  I can't imagine a better song for them, and hearing that song reminds me of how lucky I am to have such amazing people to call my parents.

Here's hoping that Hubby and I can follow their lead and be as happy as they are when we've hit the 35 year mark.  :)

Yummy, Yummy, Yummy

I've got love in my tummy.

Well, okay, not really.  Unless Banana Nut Cheerios count as love.  Those things are so good.

I'm actually just psyched because Hubby is going to grill us some chicken for dinner tonight.  Mmmmmm...  Nothing like chicken thighs/drums marinated in some Sweet Baby Ray's.  Now that, my friends, will put love in your tummy.

Food, while tasty, makes a somewhat strange topic for songs.  It's hard to imagine a ballad about cheese or a pop hit that goes on about pickles, right?  In fact, a lot of food-related songs seem to be parodies ("My Bologna" anyone?) because it's hard to take songs about food seriously.  

So today it's time to get silly and sing about some tasty (and maybe some not-so tasty) treats.

1) Save Ferris - "Spam"  It's pink and it's oval, but I sure wouldn't buy it at the mobile.  Hubby wondered the other day if the company responsible for the infamous meat-in-a-can thought about suing over the song.  My response was probably not.  I mean, no one really takes Spam seriously... Probably not even the manufacturers themselves.  So it's better to just embrace the goofiness of the song and be impressed that they found a decent rhyme for Chernobyl.

2) I Voted For Kodos - "Pastaroni"  Maybe the only 'serious' food song on the list, "Pastaroni" will always have a special place in my heart, even if I don't believe I've ever actually eaten pastaroni...   

3) Jimmy Buffett - "Cheeseburger In Paradise"  Jimmy's appreciation for cheeseburgers is commendable.  Sometimes it's the simple (and delicious) things in life that we take for granted.  Heaven on Earth with an onion slice?  Count me in, Mr. Buffett. 

4) Aqua - "Lollipop (Candyman)"  This one is probably the most loosely food-related song of the group, but I thought we needed something sugary to sweeten things up, and I just wasn't sure "Sugar, Sugar" was any more relevant. 

5) The Aquabats - "Pizza Day"  If you ever had to suffer through hot lunches as a kid, this song really hits home.  It's as true as it is silly.  The first thing I always did when the month's lunch calendar came out was check when pizza day was.  It really was the best day of the week!!

And though it doesn't get credited as a song very often, "Yeah, Toast!" has to be one of the coolest food-based songs ever created.  The man is playing a toaster, FCOL!  

Oh, Summerfest

Well, we made it to another Summerfest and lived to tell the tale.  Honestly, it wasn't very eventful either night we went, but it's part of the summer experience in Milwaukee.  

Hubby, K and I went last Friday night to check out Michelle Branch, who is adorable as ever.  I had only ever seen her perform as part of The Wreckers, and K hadn't seen her since before The Wreckers, so we didn't know a lot of the songs.  But, every time an older song got played, we sang along and had some fun trying to make Hubby dance.  The rest of the time we made observations about those around us and asked rhetorical questions like, "Why the hell would you wear stiletto cowboy boots to Summerfest?"  (Not even kidding.  Jason Aldean was headlining that night, and all the cowboy hats and boots were a bit overwhelming, if not completely ridiculous and unnecessary, particularly because no real cowgirl is going to wear spiked heels and miniskirts.)

We spent most of our time there just wandering the grounds, but we also caught a small part of the Goo Goo Dolls set and we ended up running into one of Zach's coworkers for a bit.  Unlike last year, we didn't see any drug deals go down this time around, but we did still get our Leinies-battered cheese curds (YUM!!) and saw some entertaining drunks (including a girl who got on the kid's stage - it was late, so nothing was going on there - and tap danced for a few minutes).  

The real clusterfuck was trying to get out.  Evidentally, we decided to leave just as the amphitheater was getting out.  This wouldn't have been so terrible except that we were heading the opposite direction (we had used Hubby's parking pass and were in the far lot).  It was a lot like fish swimming upstream, but with more beer and elbows.  

On Saturday, Hubby and I were going to see Pat McCurdy and Buckcherry, but we skipped out on both.  Instead, we met up with my friend L and her boyfriend B and just hung out for awhile.  We got some ice cream and listened to some random bands.  The worst part was no matter where we went, the scent of pot just kept following us.  I'm not trying to be all, "OMG, I can't believe there were drugs there!!"  Of COURSE there are drugs there, but usually you can move elsewhere and escape it.  Nope.  Not Saturday.  It wouldn't be so bad if it didn't make me nauseous, but trying to eat/enjoy ice cream while your stomach is turning really doesn't work well.  And no, I don't know why it makes me feel that way.  It didn't used to bother me when I was younger, but I think a few bad experiences may have ruined it for me.

The one thing I'm really sad about is that I never got a funnel cake.  It's a tragedy, I know!  Fortunately, the state fair is in about a month and I'll be able to get my yearly creampuff.  Man, those things are amazing.  Nom, nom, nom.  I'm not too bummed about missing out on Buckcherry, since I've seen them before.  And since I've never seen Pat McCurdy, it didn't really bother me to miss out (since Hubby says it helps to be a drunk college kid to really enjoy his shows).  Maybe next year...    

 

Talking To The Moon

Despite a frustrating day of work (my internet connection was spotty all morning and part of the afternoon), yesterday was a good day.  The hubs and I grabbed some dinner at Chipotle (where the best tortilla chips in the world come from) and then headed to The Rave to see Bruno Mars.  

Here are a few notes from last night's concert:

Janelle Monae

The opener for Bruno was Janelle Monae.  Janelle is a small, eccentric woman with a beautiful voice and a style lost on most of the Milwaukee audience.  Hubby and I agreed that the instruments mostly overpowered Janelle's vocals (and were effing LOUD).  While I could tell she was singing, and that she has a great voice, I couldn't make out her lyrics 90% of the time.  Also, a lot of her "singing" was mostly a-lyrical, as best I could tell.  It was meant to show off her voice, which is great and all, but hard for an audience to get into.  

One fun thing Janelle did was a fantastic cover of the Jackson 5's "I Want You Back."  Honest to God, she rocked the hell out of that song.  Not only was it a major crowd-pleaser, her voice was a PERFECT match for a young MJ.  She also did a cover of "Smile" as sung by Nat King Cole (or, as many people know it, the Charlie Chaplin song) that was...  different.  I appreciated her using such a beautiful song, but again, it seemed like the point was merely to showcase her voice, not to connect to the song itself. 

Janelle also did something I'd never seen before: she painted while she sang.  Yes.  Painted.  As in, created a painting.  Nothing spectacular, mind you, but it was an interesting experience.  It was almost like watching her in a non-performance setting.  You could picture her at home, painting and singing, lost in her own little world.  It was a nice break from reality.

Bruno Mars

Bruno made the whole concert worthwhile.  He is fantastic to watch live!  He engages the audience, and in watching him perform, you know you're watching someone who absolutely loves what he's doing.  It was breathtaking to say the least.

It was a mixture of emotions.  Bruno started things off (donning a Harley-Davidson t-shirt and a fedora) by getting the crowd rev'd up (which included a lot of hip thrusting, some of which was in "slow motion"), asked them to put down their cameras and dance along to songs like "Runaway Baby" and "Liquor Store Blues" (which, of course, few did because this is the age of digital media; capture whatever you can, whenever you can).  Along with his own songs, he also played the snippets of other songs he's known for, like the chorus of Travi's "Billionaire" and his part in B.o.B.'s "Nothing On You."

Later, he chose a girl from the front of the audience to sing the last bits of a song to.  She didn't get to go on stage or anything, but the camera was on her, and she was one happy gal!  He wooed the audience with "Our First Time" and wowed us with some amazing a capella harmonies with his backup singers (who were much more like "along-side singers" since they were by no means confined to the background).  

One of my favorite parts of the night had to be when he informed us that the gentleman on stage with him was the voice you hear on the radio and on the album saying, "Oh my God, that was great," during "The Lazy Song" (who may be the same guy in the video, come to think of it).  Bruno took such delight in our reaction to this news, that he kept cracking up a bit, and actually made the audience quiet down so they could re-play that part of the song as proof.  It was excellent.

He ended his set with "Just The Way You Are," which was definitely a favorite.  As people began to file out, I looked for the tell-tale signs of an encore (instruments left on stage, lights not fully turned on, etc).  Sure enough, he came out to do an encore of "Talking To The Moon," my favorite of his songs.  I was almost in tears!  It was a perfect ending to the night.  :)    

The Rave / Eagle's Ballroom

For the first time ever, I decided to spring for the "VIP Balcony" tickets.  My reasoning was that there were bound to be fewer people up there, and it wouldn't be quite as crowded.  While that was technically true, it just wasn't what I was hoping for.

It was ridiculously hard to get a good view of the stage.  Unless you get there uber early and snag some of the balcony seats (of which there are surprisingly few), you're going to be standing.  Since we got there around 7:15 (the show "started" at 7, but Janelle didn't go on until 7:30 or later), we were in maybe the 3rd "row" of standing, so to speak.  I picked a spot where I had a shot of the stage and figured it was good enough.  Until some woman decided she was going to stand right in front of me.  I couldn't even get a good view of the massive screens they had set up!

There was nothing "VIP" about the experience.  I felt they oversold the balcony, so it was almost as packed as the main floor (fewer people, but also less space to occupy); and I would've been able to see the stage better from the main floor.  Totally not worth spending the extra $10-$15 a ticket (or whatever it was).  

The worst part about the whole thing came about 2/3 through Bruno's set: the drunk sluts.  Now, you may think this is harsh, but allow me to paint a picture for you.  

Hubby and I are enjoying ourselves, loving Mr. Mars and all he has to offer, and suddenly there are these girls behind us in shiny shirts, short skirts, and drinks in their hands.  They're not steady on their feet, and are saying things like, "Grenade!  Do Grenade!" and "I don't feel good..."  (Thankfully, the one who said that went away shortly thereafter.)  Then while Bruno's singing "Count On Me," a great song about friendship and being there for people you love, they're saying over and over, "I don't know this song.  Do you?  I don't know it."  (Maybe if you bought his CD and didn't rely on the radio to tell you what to listen to, you'd know it, bitch.)  

"Grenade" finally comes on, and the girls go nuts.  Their screaming was louder than the entire concert itself.  I actually had to cup my ears to block them out and concentrate on Bruno.  I turn to look at my husband and one of the girls is now making out with a guy (who, dear God, I hope was with them).  Not just making out, though.  Hardcore making out.  He had her wrapped around his waist and I thought they might swallow each other or fall over (or both).  During the course of this, they kept bumping into Hubby, who hadn't turned around to see what was going on and was less than pleased when I told him later.  Needless to say, it was nasty.  I've said it once and I'll say it again: if you just want to get drunk and have sex, go to a g-d bar.  People pay good money to be at concerts for the music, not to see some amateur porn.

Anywhoozles, I've also determined that unless someone else extremely fabulous comes to The Rave, this was probably my last show there.  It's just not my scene anymore.  I prefer smaller shows; or at least shows with seats that I can default to or room to move away from loud, drunken bitches...

So that, my lovelies, is my account of last night's show.  Ta da! 

Money, Money, Money

I'm pretty sure most of us dream about being rich from time to time.  I mean, I don't think I can count how many times I've asked my hubby, "Can we just win the lottery?"  (Problem with that being one cannot win the lottery if one doesn't buy lottery tickets...)

What would you do if you had unlimited funds?  Or won a shit ton of money?  I'm really lame, but my first move would be to pay off our loans, mortgage, etc.  Being out from that debt would be magnificent.  I think after that I'd pay for my tuition up front, as well.  No more student loans for this lady!  (HA!)  Then I think we would buy a house with more space (particularly outside) so we could adopt a bunch of dogs and have plenty of room for them to run and play*.  

It would also seem necessary to blow some of the money on something ridiculous and fun and crazy and whatever else.  I'm sure a car or two (or six) would be part of that.  Maybe a hovercraft.  (Who doesn't want a hovercraft?)  Possibly a live-in chef.  Oh!  And all the camera equipment a girl could ever need.  :-)

The possibilities are seemingly limitless, and everyone has their own ideas.  In case you need some more ideas, here are some songs that might be able to help!

Travie McCoy (featuring Bruno Mars) - "Billionaire"  Mr. Gym Class Heroes has quite the list of things he'd do with all his money, including playing basketball with the president, having his own talk show, and giving away cars at random.  Some of the things are clearly self-motivated (being on Forbes, for example), but a lot of it is actually kind of sweet.  Bruno Mars lends his beautiful voice to serenade us between verses, which makes it totally worth listening to.  Even if you can't stand this song, you have to admit that he has some interesting ideas here... 

Ingrid Michaelson - "You And I"  A bit on the sappy side, this sweet song still has some unique ideas for your new-found fortune, like providing people with sweaters and dancing lessons.  Especially adorable if you and your S.O. have your own dreams of getting rich together.     

Barenaked Ladies - "If I Had A Million Dollars"  Quite possibly my favorite song on the list, this song is more about buying things for someone else, rather than yourself.  From buying a house and furniture to animals and Kraft dinners to a fur coat and a green dress (but not a real green dress; that's cruel), this song covers it all. 

"If I Were A Rich Man" from Fiddler On The Roof  There are a handful of musicals that everyone must see at some point in their lives.  Fiddler is near the top of that list.  If you haven't seen it, shame on you.  Go get it.  Now!  Anywhoozles, this song is all about the things the main character would do and have if he were rich (as he says, "...it's no shame to be poor.  But it's no great honor, either.")  This song really puts some things into perspective, particularly compared to some of the ridiculous things from the other songs. 

Abba - "Money, Money, Money"  This one's not as much about what one would do with their money, but more about lamenting that it must be nice to be rich.  I'm sure most of us can relate.  Not that we're all whining about not being rich, but most of us have likely uttered, "Must be nice..." a few times.

A few that I didn't put on the list, but (at least loosely) fit the theme as well:

Gwen Stefani - "If I Were A Rich Girl"  Yes, this is a complete rip off of "If I Were A Rich Man" but it's still catchy. 

The Beatles - "Money (That's What I Want)"  This song has been redone to death, but The Beatles just make me smile.  

"Money, Money" from Cabaret  Another great (if not a bit odd) song from a wonderful musical.

Got any to share?  Leave a comment! :-)

Here's to a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!  Enjoy!

*See, Hubby and I have this dream of running a kind of haven for older dogs.  Older dogs are the last to get adopted (if they get adopted at all), which just breaks our hearts.  So we want to be able to adopt them, and give them a good home for the rest of their lives, whether that be a few weeks, months, or years.  Yes, I realize that this would be a bit heart-breaking, but we both really feel that all dogs deserve a good home and to spend their days happy and loved.  We're big saps like that.

          

I Can't Help Myself

For the past decade or so, I've admitted to having terrible taste in music (aside from The Beatles...  The Beatles are the best band ever, and if you disagree, you're wrong).  I have a love affair with awful 80s music.  I bounce along to catchy, repetitive pop songs.  I love music that some people wouldn't dare refer to as music even at gunpoint.

Most people, I suppose, would call this my guilty pleasure music.  But since I don't deny it or hide it, and in fact am more than willing to share about it, I just refer to it as "my crappy taste in music."

That being said, this week I've decided to share 5 songs from my iTunes list that I thoroughly love listening to, but really shouldn't.  

1) Ke$ha - "Blah Blah Blah"  Yes, I know she can't sing, her songs are full of references to getting naked and alcohol abuse, and no self-respecting person would put up with her grossness...  But dammit, her music is catchy!  And I love dancing around to it.  Never mind that none of it makes sense, as pointed out here.  Sometimes, all you need out of a song is a good time. And a really hot shower to wash the gross off.

2) 3OH!3 - "Don't Trust Me"  I should probably be utterly offended by the line, "Shoosh, girl, hush your lips, do the Helen Keller and talk with your hips," but instead, I just find it hilarious.  I love this song so much, I had it on the must-play list for my wedding.  Not even kidding.

3) Aqua - "Barbie Girl"  Obviously, we already know I'm a fan of Aqua, but this song should probably be banished back to the 90's and never heard from again.  Nonetheless, I will crank this song and dance around without reservation.  "Oh, I love you, Ken!"

4) Biz Markie - "Just A Friend"  Holy good God, this is probably the worst song ever made, but it is the BEST song to sing along to!  Especially when stuck in a car for several hours at night and semi-delirious from lack of scenery...

5) Mr. Mister - "Broken Wings"  Every now and then, you just need to clench your fists, close your eyes, and shout at the top of your lungs, "Taaaaaake, these broken wiiiiings, and learn to fly again, learn to live so freeeee..."  Seriously.  Try it. 

Have a great weekend, everyone!  GO PACK GO!!!