A Lot to Cover

The countdown is on. We are one week away from Election Day, so I must be here to talk about politics, right? Right? Bueller?

Nope, I'm taking a break to write about something a little lighter. The past month has been rough. In addition to all the election BS everyone is dealing with, my dad was in a motorcycle accident and has been in the hospital for over two weeks. Add some extra personal stress and anxiety and... Well, it's just not been a great time for me.

There are a few things in life I can always count on to make me feel better. My hubby. My friends. My family. My pups. And music.

I love music.

Lately I've been focusing on covers, largely thanks to a trial of SiriusXM during which I could listen to their online stations, including the new Covers channel. I fell in love with that channel. Hard. My trial ended just over two weeks ago and I'm still not over it. I'm mourning the loss of my channel. I've tried creating sort of a covers station on Pandora, but I don't think it understands what I want (though it, too, has shown me some awesome songs).

I've written in defense of covers before, thanks to Glee. I've even written about Christmas covers. So it should come as no surprise to anyone that I'm obsessing over cover songs yet again.

Today I want to share my five most recent cover obsessions. (FYI, just because they're recent obsessions doesn't mean the covers themselves are necessarily recent. I say this so no one goes, "Pfft, that's not new!" Yeah, I know it's not. Shut up.)

So, in no particular order...

1. KHS, Sam Tsui, Madilyn Bailey, Alex G - Send My Love: This collaboration of awesome Youtube artists Kurt Hugo Schneider, Sam Tsui, Madilyn Bailey, and Alex G is one of MANY Adele covers out there, yet it stands out to me as one of the very best. Not only are the vocals amazing (a cappella is my weakness!), this is probably the craziest game of patty cake you'll ever see.

Favorite Moment: The vocals drop out around 2:22 for some intricate hand clapping. When they come back around 2:38... Perfection.

2. Disturbed - The Sound of Silence: I'm a big fan of oldies, and I have a hard time with a lot of modern covers of songs I fell in love with as a kid. However, this Simon & Garfunkel cover is a definite exception. David Draiman's voice and delivery really bring out the intensity of the lyrics, stirring up visceral emotions and rekindling my love of this 60s hit.

Favorite Moment: Hard to choose, but I'll say right around 1:48 when Draiman starts belting out the words. His voice is so beautiful it hurts.

3. Twenty One Two - Love Yourself: Twenty One Two consists of a drummer and a singer/guitarist, both from Sweden. I'm a huge fan and all of their covers rock (in fact, their cover of Lukas Graham's "7 Years" just won MTV's best cover of the month), but this one holds a special place in my heart. I hate to admit it, but I love this song in general. If you're like me, you probably got into it on the radio and then found out it was Justin Bieber and sort of hated yourself a little. Well, fear not! This cover means you can love the song without having to love the Biebs. Also, it was the first of their songs to come up on XM's Covers station (and you always remember your first love).

Favorite Moment: Probably the first time they start the chorus (1:13-ish), just before you find out about a slight modification in the lyrics. The impact is greatest when it's unexpected.

4. Pentatonix ft Jason Derulo - If I Ever Fall in Love: I've been a fan of Pentatonix since they were on The Sing-Off, and I've been following Jason Derulo since the days of MySpace (you know, when people still used it and thought Facebook was a "ripoff" of it). When I showed Hubby the carpool karaoke clip with Jason showing off his training, he was amazed to learn that he can really sing (not just "pop crap"), so I had to share this song with him as well. Shai's original is... well, it's something. Don't get me wrong, the vocals are pretty sweet (holy falsetto, Batman!), but the style of the early 90s didn't do the original any favors. This is a rare case where I think the cover is way better than the original.

Favorite Moment: 2:36. Falsetto FTW.

5. Postmodern Jukebox ft Haley Reinhart - Creep: Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox is a thing of wonder. "We take pop music back in time," says their Facebook page. Sounds simple, but the arrangements are anything but. PMJ takes a song and gives it a makeover, a whole new life. (I can't explain it any better than that, so just check out their Youtube channel, OK?) This Radiohead cover is a fan favorite, thanks in part to the incredible voice of Haley Reinhart, who I have a HUGE music crush on. (If she sounds familiar, you might have heard her version of "Can't Help Falling in Love With You" from the Extra Gum commercial. Oh, and I guess she was on American Idol. So. Yeah.)

Favorite Moment: I truly love this entire song, and if I could wrap myself inside Haley's voice like a burrito, I probably would. But my favorite part begins at 4:03. Not only is Haley singing her freaking heart out, but listen to the instruments in the section that follows. Scott Bradlee is going nuts on the piano (his arrangements are insane!), and the whole thing just comes together in the most spectacular way. I adore it.

Covering Christmas

You might recall that I'm a bit of a music freak. You might also remember that I've already written a post about cover songs and how they aren't necessarily as terrible as everyone assumes. And it's also possible that you've read that I love me some Christmas music. Yes? OK.

Because of the nature of Christmas music, there are a LOT of covers out there. Most traditional songs don't really have an identifiable "original" version, and newer songs are still covered left and right because... well... Christmas! In other words, you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a Christmas cover. And that's OK. 

Personally, I think there are some songs that are just meant to be covered, especially in the world of Christmas carols. A  new take on a song can be a wonderful thing, and in some cases, it might make a less tolerable song something you actually enjoy listening to. 

That being said, here are a couple of my favorite Christmas covers and what makes them so delightful.

1) "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as performed by Straight No Chaser. I previously wrote that the only version of this song I can listen to more than once a season is John Denver & The Muppets. Since that was written, though, I have discovered the magic of Straight No Chaser. (In fact, Hubby and I just saw them live this week for the first time! What an epic show they put on, too!) If you're looking for a traditional version of this song, then this isn't the version for you. But, if you're looking for a fun, goofy, new spin on it, you need to give it a listen. Now. On a related note, their version of "Wonderful Christmastime" with Sir Paul is also a great cover; not that I don't love the original, but there's something about a capella that just gets me, man.

2) "The Little Drummer Boy" as performed by Bing Crosby and David Bowie. Hubby and I were in the car last weekend and I heard the beginning of this song and went to turn the radio down, saying, "Yeah, I just can't get into this song. It's not one of my favorites." And then I realized it was the Bing and Bowie version and turned it back up going, "Except for this version, because this version is epic!" Hubby laughed and told me I couldn't even hate something right, which I decided to take as a compliment. Anywhoozles, before this special existed, if you had told someone that Bing Crosby and David Bowie would be doing a duet together, most peoples' heads would have exploded from the sheer insanity of the idea. And then it happened. I'm pretty sure some heads did explode, but the song that resulted from this strange pairing is beyond what anyone could have imagined.

3) "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen/We Three Kings" as performed by Barenaked Ladies featuring Sarah McLachlan. OK, this is technically two songs, but whatever. The point is that BNL took a couple of fairly traditional (and maybe a bit stuffy) Christmas songs and made them pretty freakin' cool. Partnering up with Sarah was a pretty genius move, too. Her vocals give back a touch of the traditional feel without going completely backwards. I love it.

4) "My Grown-Up Christmas List" as performed by Michael Bublé. I'm pretty sure he just makes everything sound dreamier. Other versions tend to get on my nerves, but Michael can bring it home like no one else. 

5) "All I Want For Christmas Is You" as performed by Mariah Carey featuring Jimmy Fallon & The Roots. Is it still a cover if the same artist is performing it? Whatever. The point is that this version makes my heart happy and makes me feel warm inside. If this doesn't say Christmas, I don't know what does.

And there you have it! 

What Christmas covers make the season merry and bright for you? Let me know so I can add them to my Christmas playlist! :)

It's Alive!

Yep, I'm still alive and kickin'. Why has it been so long? Suffice it to say that I'm a bit busy these days.

This semester I'm taking a 4-credit research methods course for Psych, which is really interesting and I'm learning a lot, but it is time-consuming to boot. Thank goodness that it's what I want to do with my life and that I really do want to learn the material, or else it would be reaaaaaaaaally boring.

In addition to that, I'm taking a history of rock and roll class, which I thought would be a less intensive class to pair with psych. I was wrong. <rant> This class is tedious and annoying. The grading is not only entirely subjective (on papers, anyway), but we are graded against one another. Seriously. Here's an excerpt from an email our instructor sent:

"[Your papers] are read and graded subjectively based on the stated expectations listed in the Syllabus. INART instructors are not obligated to furnish graded papers, which would be nearly impossible given the time constraints. 

Additionally, your writing is graded on its own quality along with how it stacks up compared to others in this section. You may write a perfectly acceptable paper on Chuck Berry. Many other students might write one on that same subject. The better versions will get the higher grades. There are not a lot of A+ papers. They have to be REALLY GOOD and I know them when I read them. The median grade is usually B-/B+ for acceptable, but not especially memorable papers. Those papers make their case but may not offer especially interesting or thought provoking support. I usually hear from students that tell me they put effort into the writing, answered the question, and followed my instructions. That may be true, but it does not necessarily guarantee the highest grades. Someone may have said the same thing better."

So, I don't get any feedback on my paper (I can ask for a "quick recap" of why he graded the way he did), and I'm graded against everyone else. So if there happens to be another paper that chose a similar argument to make (these are primarily position papers) and our instructor likes that paper better, I get a lower score, even though I followed all instructions and met all criteria. Grand.

Oh, and how could I possibly forget that some of the quiz questions are subjective, too? I got a True/False question wrong on my first quiz. The question read something along the lines of "Rock and roll is clearly the combination of blah, blah..." I marked it True, because our book said that several music historians and experts believed that it was a combo of whatever. It was supposed to be False, apparently, because it wasn't "clear" enough. Really? Pretty sure that's subjective, and if a bunch of experts in the field believe it to be true, that's "clear" enough for me. But hey, that's cool. Feel free to completely brush me off when I write an email about this and asking whether or not future questions would also be subjective.

OK, OK. I know I'm being a whiny bitch. But I was really looking forward to this class. Don't get me wrong... I do enjoy the music we get to listen to and I love learning the history behind certain songs or musicians, but I don't feel like the quizzes (2/3 of my final grade, BTW) really measure what I've learned, or that the papers (the other 1/3 of my grade) are graded to reflect my understanding of the topic and material. This isn't a writing class; the syllabus specifically says that. And yet... Ugh. </rant>

Anywhoozles, any "free" time I have that doesn't involve work or school has pretty much been taken up with Uncharted 3 (a game on the PS3), reading (I'm on the third book of the Game of Thrones series aka "A Song of Ice and Fire" series) or sleeping. I've gotten out to do a few fun things. Like last weekend we went to the Pet Expo and I got to meet Wallace the Pitbull. And later this week we're going to a hockey game. And before the semester started, Hubby, Maxine and I went up to Door County for a long weekend (you can see/vote for some of my pictures from that trip at Capture Door County).

Spring break is in 3 weeks, and while we're not doing anything so exciting as last year's Disney trip, it will be so nice to have a whole week without homework. Hubby and I are even taking a day off of work together. Partly because we're getting a new fridge delivered (YAY!), but mostly because my weekends are pretty full of homework, so we need a day together to just relax. Can. Not. Wait.

Well, I suppose I should get back to my busy life. 

Weeeee.

Happy Happy, Joy Joy!

Nov. 13 - Yesterday I was thankful for...

Disney!!

That may sound silly to you, but I am thankful for all things Disney. Growing up, I was always begging for the latest Disney video (I actually screamed when I got Beauty & The Beast from my Mam-maw for Christmas). I never missed a Disney movie in the theatre. In fact, I saw Aladdin in the theatre 3 times on its first go. I've seen Nightmare and Nemo twice each; once the first time around and once in 3D later in life. My room as a baby through age 3 or 4 was Winnie the Pooh themed. I've been to Disney World 5 times and already have WAY in advance plans for a 6th trip (our 5th anniversary in 2015) and a first trip to Disneyland with my bestie after that.

In college, I was known for my love of Disney. My roommate bought me Finding Nemo the very day it was released on video, and friends would bring me little toys from McD's or from cereal boxes if they were Disney related. I watch the Disney Channel (no, I don't care that I'm 28) and have an entire piano book full of Disney songs. I'm working on a Disney wall for our bedroom and looking around the living room, I can see at least two Perrys (from Phineas & Ferb), a Fantasia hippo, Mickey & Minnie ears, Disney Trivial Pursuit, and more.

Now, my love of Disney pales in comparison to my bestie. (Thankfully, this isn't a contest; I would lose.) But compared to most people I know, I'm a bit of a fanatic. Everything I've listed above makes me so genuinely happy! I know there are a lot of people who dislike Disney (or downright hate it), and there are people who think it's just for kids. They're entitled to believe that, but they are TOTALLY missing out on something that brings so much joy to so many people. I can always count on something Disney to lift my spirits, and for that, I'm thankful.

Nov. 14 - Today I am thankful for...

Antidepressants.

If you've read my blog before, you know I've struggled with anxiety, depression and some tendencies of OCD. It's not a super fun topic, but these things are very, very real and very, very serious. It's a little different for everyone, I suppose, but I would imagine most people would agree that living with a mental disorder can be hard and lonely.

Thankfully for me, my medications make life much nicer and more manageable. I'm personally on fluoxetine (Prozac) and bupropion (Wellbutrin), and these two little drugs have made a world of difference in my life. I will probably always need them, and that's OK. I'd rather my quality of life be better than be too proud to be "dependent" on pills.

Am I 100% with the pills? Of course not. I still have my days and my quirks (like not being able to make phone calls without feeling like I'm going to vomit the whole time), but when compared to life without the pills, things are a million times better. And for that, I'm thankful.

A little behind...

Sorry about that. I'm working on it though!

Nov. 9 - On Friday, I was thankful for...

Music.

I love music. There isn't a day that goes by without music in some way. I listen to it while I work, sing it in the shower, rock out to the car stereo... I was in choir in high school (two choirs my senior year), and have played piano, oboe and violin. In the car with my mom, I grew up listening to Carole King, James Taylor and Peter, Paul & Mary (whom I saw perform live not once, but twice). My dad taught me to love the Beatles and Queen, two bands that I hold in the highest regard. I love musicals and pop, rock and hiphop, and even some country (though, it took awhile; I used to whine about country all the time). Music lives inside me and I couldn't kick it out even if I wanted to.

On Thursday night, Hubby and I went to Madison to see Pentatonix perform. For those not in the know, Pentatonix is an a cappella group. They won the last season of The Sing-Off, an all a cappella competition on NBC (which, sadly, has since been canceled; Heaven forbid we have a show that displays actual talent...). To say they're amazing is an understatement, and they certainly didn't disappoint the other night. 

For those who watched The Sing-Off, they performed the Britney medley, Born To Be Wild, Let's Get It On, Dog Days Are Over, Love Lockdown, OMG, Stuck Like Glue, Video Killed the Radio Star and Telephone (which was their audition piece). For those with their album, they performed Baddest Girl, Aha!, We Are Young, and Somebody I Used To Know (but they didn't do "Love You Long Time" - booooo!). They did a few other songs as well (check out their Youtube channel if you're interested; if you love a cappella, you should fall in love pretty quickly), and were on stage for a surprising amount of time! We even got to sing with Avi and Kevin for a bit while the core trio took a little break. Sooooo fun!

PTX is just one of many concerts I've been to in my life (check out my Musicality page for a taste), and I am so grateful that talented people like them (and their opener, SJ) are willing to travel all across the country (and even the world) to share their musicality with other music-loving folks like yours truly. I'm thankful that music is so prevalent in my life and that if I want to listen to some, all I have to do is open iTunes or head to Youtube and I have a plethora of music to choose from. I'm thankful for music that relaxes me and music that energizes me. I'm thankful for meaningful songs that touch my heart and I'm thankful for catchy pop tunes that just make me feel good. 

All around, I am thankful for music and everything it does for me. In fact, I think I'll go listen to some now. :)

Here Comes Valentine's, Here Comes Valentine's, Right Down Valentine Lane

How come there aren't very many Valentine's Day songs?  I mean, are there any that are specifically dedicated to the holiday?  I know, all love songs are applicable on V-Day, and it gets mentioned in some songs, but Christmas gets a bajillion songs.  Halloween gets some pretty awesome ones.  Hell, even Thanksgiving gets "Over the River and Through the Woods"!  Best I can come up with is "My Funny Valentine" and if you really listen, it's actually kind of a mean song.  "Well, you're not very pretty or smart, but dammit, I love ya!"  Gee... Thanks.

Anywhoozles, it seems that in last year's Valentine's-related post, I neglected to share my awesome Heart Day traditions with you lovely people!  What was I thinking??  CLEARLY you're all on the edge of your seats, so here goes.

Warning:  There's going to be some talk about my lady parts.  If you're easily offended (and you'd have to be REALLY easily offended; I'm not going into great detail here), then skip this and have a great day.

On our very first Valentine's Day together, I had an appointment for a colposcopy.  Ladies, if you've ever had an abnormal pap smear, it's possible you know what I'm talking about.  For everyone else, it's a diagnostic procedure where they essentially stick a camera up your hoo-ha to get a look at your cervix.  The procedure itself isn't much different than a pap (a little more "personal" since they have to actually look around a bit), but if they don't like what they see, they might biopsy part of the cervix.  Because of this, they tell you that you might be sore for a day or two and should probably take it fairly easy (in other words, no sex) for about a week.  

Thankfully, they didn't deem a biopsy necessary in my case.  They did ask if I wanted to see what the camera was showing, but I declined.  I figured if it was all good, I didn't really need to see for myself.  They're the pros.  I'll take their word for it.

Even though there wasn't a biopsy, I was in some discomfort for the rest of the day, and was pretty glad to have taken the whole day off.  When Hubby got off of work, he drove the hour and a half to come spend Valentine's evening with me, knowing that I had to take it easy and wasn't feeling 100%. 

So how did we spend that evening?  We ordered Chinese food and watched "Breakfast at Tiffany's" together.  Every year since, we've had some variation on that, and we consider it our tradition.  Sometimes we mix it up and go out for Chinese, or maybe we'll go to the theatre to catch a flick, but more often, we order takeout and watch a DVD at home.  It's simple, but it's one of my favorite traditions.

Oh, and for that first V-Day 6 years ago, he baked me a cake.  OK, so it was sorta falling apart, but it was so sweet!  Yeah, I found me a keeper. 

P.S.  Look to the right of this post and you'll see an opportunity to donate to the Humane Society by voting for Miss Maxine.  Check it out! :)

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...

Happy Halloween!

Ahhh, it's here at last!  The wonderful day where you can dress up as whomever or whatever you want (although, hopefully within some bounds of reason), gorge yourself on candy (Pixy Stix are my addiction this year), and delight in a magical mixture of spooky and silly.  Yes, my darlings, this is Halloween!

As previously mentioned, our backwards little city held its "official" trick-or-treating yesterday afternoon.  It started out slow, just as it has in years past.  In the first hour we got about 3 groups of kids (so, MAYBE 8-10 children).  Hubby and I had decided to stop the show we were watching, in case things picked up.  They didn't.  In fact, it started to rain around 2 or 2:30.  Ugh.

So we decided to start carving our pumpkins, a tradition that I don't think I'll ever grow too old for (people might deny me candy if I tried trick-or-treating, but I'll be damned if a store is going to reject my money and deny me a pumpkin to carve).  About 10 minutes or so into carving, the doorbell rang.  Some kids were braving the rain to get their candy.  In fact, we seemed to get MORE trick-or-treaters in the rain!  That, my friends, is something I can respect, and to those kids, I tip my hat.

When we finished pumpkin-carving, we finished our show (American Horror Story pilot episode - perfect for Halloween).  Then it was time to choose one of my annual Halloween movies to watch.  We decided on "Young Frankenstein" (because Mel Brooks is always a good choice) and made a delicious chuck roast for dinner (which had been marinating since 8 PM the night before).  We watched a bit of 'Punkin Chunkin' to wrap things up before Hubby headed to the garage and I headed to my computer.

Today, I am sadly sans costume.  I was going to paint my face black and white, put on my panda ears and frown a lot (get it?  I was going to be a sad panda!), but it just seemed like a lot of effort when I don't plan on going anywhere.  Instead, I'm just calling myself either a stressed college student or a disgruntled employee, no costume required.

Alas, I will NOT let my lack of costume or the grey, cloudy day ruin my Halloween!  Tonight, we shall watch another of my Halloween movies (possibly 'Repo! The Genetic Opera') and toast some pumpkin seeds.  And in the meantime, there's plenty of awesome Halloween music waiting to be heard!  Need a few examples to get you started?

1) "Thriller" by Michael Jackson - Probably the most epic music video ever, "Thriller" is a perfect Halloween anthem.  Werewolves, zombies, and kick-ass choreography; what more could you need?  Of course, if you're looking for something a little different (or don't have time for the almost 14-minute long video), Glee's mash-up of "Thriller" and the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs' "Heads Will Roll" is also a ton of fun. 

2) "Purple People Eater" by Sheb Wooley - If you didn't grow up listening to the radio around Halloween, then there's a tiny chance you aren't familiar with this song.  Fix that.  Now.

3) "Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett - A staple of any good Halloween event.  I'm still not exactly sure how to do the monster mash, but I'm pretty sure any kind of movement will suffice as long as you're having fun. 

4) "Calling All the Monsters" by China McClain - If you have kids, or if you just love the Disney channel, then you're most likely torn between hating this song for being overplayed and loving it for being so damn catchy.

5) "This is Halloween" from 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (written by Danny Elfman, my hero) - Boys and girls of every age should love this song AND this movie.  If you don't, no sweat.  I'll just judge silently from afar.

Now go get your ghostly groove on and have a happy Halloween!

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!  

So You're Going To A Concert...

I was recently asked what my concert "rules" would be.  After some thought, the following are some suggestions I have to help make everyone's concert-going experience a bit better.

• If you're going to show up late, make sure you do so appropriately.  At concert venues like The Rave in Milwaukee, it's not really a problem to show up late.  People often move around to visit the bars, check out merch and whatnot, so it's not much of a disturbance.  Just be aware that you may not get the best view of the stage.  If you're attending a concert with assigned seats or visiting a nicer/less informal venue, try to be a bit stealthier.  Or, at minimum, make sure your entrance doesn't sound like a herd of elephants running from a giant pack of rodents.
• Dress appropriately.  I remember getting dressed up (in some sense) for concerts when I was younger, so I get it.  But seriously?  Consider a few things when dressing for a concert:
• No matter what you wear, the likelihood that the artist is going to see you and fall madly in love with you is slim to none.  It's nice to dream, but reality has to kick in sometime, kids.
• You have to deal with whatever you choose to wear.  If it's 20 degrees outside and you're dressed up in a mini skirt and heels, I don't want to hear you complaining that it's cold.  (Of course it's cold!  Did you think you were going to be magically transported from your car into the venue?  Doubtful.)  Also, if you dress like a skank and get hit on all night, don't act surprised or grossed out.  You wanted the attention, you got it.  Basically, the moral is: You chose it, you live with it.  Period.
• Hats are OK if you plan to stay toward the back of the crowd, but otherwise, just leave it at home.  You might think it makes you look cool or fit in with the crowd, but odds are someone is going to secretly hate you because your hat is blocking their view.  This goes for big hair, also.  
• Being drunk is fine; being drunk and obnoxious is not.  I have no problem if you want to get a bit drunk and listen to some awesome music.  Have fun!  But once you reach the point of obnoxious, take my advice and stay by the bar.  If you start screaming, dry humping, bumping into people, etc, the likelihood that you're going home short a few teeth is going to increase.  Most of us paid to see the show.  If our experience is ruined because you just had to push your limits, we might just push back.  And if you're really so horny that you have to get it on RIGHT NOW, take it to your car.
• If you aren't interested in the show, shut the hell up.  Maybe you're bored because you don't know the opening act or because you're "forced" to be there as a chaperone for your teenie-boppers.  It happens, I get it.  But that does NOT mean that you should try to have a full-blown conversation above the music.  Here's a shocker: People around you might actually be interested in what's going on!  I'm not saying everyone should be silent, but shouting to one another about the mundane details of your life isn't going to endear you to anyone.
• As a side note to this, phone conversations at a concert aren't only rude, they're pointless.  The person on the other end of the convo probably can't understand what you're saying or hear you over the music/crowd/etc.  If your phone rings and you HAVE to answer, step into a stairway or something.  Shouting, "What?!  WHAT?!" into your phone is just as disruptive as shouting at the person next to you.
• Last, but not least: Be appreciative.  Don't take any concert for granted; you never know if you'll get the opportunity again!  Artists are busy, and they have a lot of places they'd like to (or have to) be, but right then and there, they are playing for you.  Soak it in!  If you can't appreciate the work that goes into shows, then you're better off watching DVD specials and youtube clips.

What are your concert-going rules?  Anything vital that I missed?  Let me know!

Cover to Cover

As we've already established, I'm a bit of a Gleek.  I have no issues admitting this, since it's part of who I am, and I can't really control what I like or don't like.

So while watching last night's episode, I couldn't help that I was practically drooling when Jesse showed up for a duet of Adele's "Rolling In The Deep" with Rachel.  Seriously.  My husband kept laughing at me because I couldn't take my eyes off the screen, and I was in my own little happy world of Glee-ness (which sounds dirtier than it is, I assure you).  

Of course I had to find the song on youtube this morning to indulge myself again, and found TONS of nasty comments on it.  "You have murdered this song, so let's murder Glee," one says.  Another says, "Ohh god..They Burned tortured and killed that song."  

Now hold on a minute, kids.  First, I have to tell you that I LOVE Adele and her original version of this song.  Her voice is amazing, and she rocks anything she sings in a big way.  But does that mean I'm not allowed to gush over the Glee version?

When I was a kid, I remember my dad telling me that if an artist or band did a cover of a song, they had better put their own twist on it, or else it wasn't worth doing.  Indeed, if all covers were done exactly like the original versions, there would be no point at all.  Booooooring.

And though the original version is better 99.9% of the time, remakes can be amazing, too (UB40's "Red, Red Wine" anyone?)!  The whole point of the cover is to take an already established song and breathe new life into it, or pay homage to it in some other way.  To compare an original and a remake is like comparing apples to oranges.  Sure, they're both tasty, nutritious fruits, but I love them both.  And there's nothing wrong with that.   

Are some covers crappy?  Abso-fucking-lutely.  Madonna's "American Pie" makes me want to gouge my eardrums out.  And while many have tried, there is no version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" that holds a candle to Judy's (though, I do love the version by Israel Kamakawiwoʻole').  It happens.

So when someone says that Glee has "ruined" a song, I just have to wonder how they figure it has been ruined.  It's their own take on the song, and while you don't have to like it, it's just not right to say that it's terrible because it's different from the original version.

  

Disney References, Molestaches & Mexican Wrestlers

As you can probably (not) tell from the title of this post, it was a most excellent/interesting weekend.  Allow me to explain.

Disney References: Friday night and much of Saturday was spent studying for my Meteo final, which I took Saturday night.  Now, as I may (or may not) have mentioned, I am not a fan of the professor/instructor for this class.  Within the first few weeks, he put me off by seeming unfriendly and unwilling to accept criticism.  He also didn't give great answers to questions when they were asked (he was one of those, "Well, what do YOU think the answer is?" kind of teachers), nor did he do much in the way of feedback.  Boo.  

Anywhoozles, I started the exam on Saturday night after TONS of studying, and I actually had to give the prof some credit.  For one, the exam wasn't nearly as brutal as it could have been (it was cumulative for the whole semester, which made me think it would be the death of me).  Many of the questions were very straightforward (whereas questions on weekly quizzes had often been hard to follow or tricky), which was much appreciated.  But what really got me was one of the first questions.  I forget what the actual question was, but it was related to water, and it essentially asked, "The concept of blahblahblah relates to the idea that ____________."  Since all questions were multiple choice, I had 4 answers to pick from.  Fortunately, I knew the right answer, so when one of the possible choices was, "All drains lead to the ocean," I actually giggled.  All I could think of was Finding Nemo, and that helped me relax for the rest of the exam.  I got an A.  :-)

Molestaches: Sunday was a lazy day, since it was my first day being done with the semester.  I did almost nothing all day.  But last night was an event I had been looking forward to for a loooooong time.  Yes, my dears, I went to see Bowling For Soup!  They.  Were.  AWESOME!  Fortunately for us, Shank Hall is a smaller venue in the Milwaukee area, so it was a relatively small concert.  As such, a girl in the audience (near the stage) raised her hand.  "Um, we normally don't do Q&A, but what the hell!  What's your question?"  The girl then asked why the bassist had decided to grow a molestache (aka a mustache that makes one look like a molester).

Now, the poor guy wasn't feeling well.  He had almost no voice, but he didn't let it stop him from not only playing, but completely rocking out.  Instead of taking the blow of a potentially harsh insult, he actually retorted with, "Maybe you'll find out later."  I about pissed myself.  LOVED it.  

Mexican Wrestlers:  On our way home from the show, we went through part of downtown Milwaukee.  During this drive, my husband randomly said, "There's a Mexican wrestler over there."  I looked out my window and there was a group of 3 people walking, one of which had a Mexican wrestling mask on (along with the standard T-shirt and jeans attire of springtime in Wisconsin).  "Huh...  So there is!"  

Clearly, it was a fantastic weekend.  Well, aside from a whole day of studying on Saturday.  But still!  At least I got an A out of all that studying.  Booya!

Also, for those interested, Bowling For Soup was a great show to see.  If you get the chance, I encourage you to go!  Not only are their songs fun and full of energy, the band members themselves seem to have a great time on stage, which makes it even more fun for everyone involved.

Oh!  And before I forget, I am now one of a handful of people who can say that they learned of Bin Laden's death from Bowling For Soup.  Random, but awesome!    

Woohoo!

Not only is it Friday, but Hubby and I are getting ready for a mini-vacay with my family, and I am SO ready!  Sadly, we have to board Miss Maxine for the duration, but it won't be long, and hopefully she will enjoy the time with some other dogs (not likely, but not unheard of).  

In celebration and preparation of this little trip, here are some songs about getting away!

1) The Go Go's - "Vacation"  How could you NOT be pumped for vacation after listening to this song?  Oh, sure, it's about trying to get over an ex.  Who among us hasn't been there, am I right? 

2) Bowling for Soup - "Ohio (Come Back to Texas)"  So the singer of the song isn't going anywhere, but the subject is clearly on a bit of a break from the norm.  Although, if I was fleeing Texas, I'm not sure Ohio is really where I'd head...

3) Frank Sinatra - "Come Fly With Me" What girl wouldn't have taken Mr. Sinatra up on this offer?  Escaping reality with some booze in an exotic place with a gorgeous crooner?  Yep, count me in.

4) 33 West - "The Tijuana Song"  Oh, 33 West.  How I miss you.  Anywhoozles, this song's about the fun (and not-so fun) to be had in Tijuana.  An excellent song to dance to, and good for a bit of a laugh. 

5) Something Corporate - "I Woke Up In A Car"  Not exactly touring the most exciting places, but SC is definitely on the move in this song.  However, if you randomly wake up in a car, I'd suggest making sure you still have your wallet.  And your kidneys.

Enjoy the weekend, folks!  :-) 

A Simpler Time

So, things have gotten a bit stressful these past few weeks, with no intention of letting up until next month.  Oof.  Between a mandatory work meeting, an upcoming trip to visit my 80-year old grandpa in Mississippi and tons of work for my classes (including a paper, an exam, and several chapters of reading), I'm ready to go back to being a kid for awhile.  

You know what I'm talking about, right?  The hardest decision of the day would be shoes with laces or velcro.  Dinner would be on the table, already made and tasty to boot.  Homework would take 15 minutes (tops) and going outside was the fun part of the day.  I'm badly wishing I could do a reverse Big.

Since that's not an option (there's not a Zoltar machine in view), the only thing I can do is listen to music that takes me back to a simpler time.  Without further ado, here are 5 songs from my iTunes library that always make me feel like a kid again:

1) 4 Non Blondes - "What's Up?" I can clearly remember this song being played at every single middle school dance that I attended.  Whenever I hear it, I just find myself swaying back and forth and singing as loud as I can, "And I say heeeeeey-yaaaaay-yaaaaay-yaa-haaaay, heeeeeeey-yaaaaaay-yaaaaay.  I say hey, what's going on?"  (As a side note, this song also reminds me of my one night at Karaoke Kid...  someone did this song and the whole bar burst into song at the chorus; it was magical.)

2) Carole King - "You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman)" As my dad once told a boyfriend of mine (after a few drinks), "Picture this: 3-year-old Erika.  Flat-chested as a boy.  Belting out 'You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman)' in her carseat!"  Embarrassing as that moment was for me, it's all true.  Anytime I hear this song, I almost feel like I'm back in the car with my mom on the way home from one of dad's softball games trying not to fall asleep before we pull into the garage. 

3) The Jackson 5 - "I'll Be There"  When I was younger, there were only two movies in my life: Now & Then and Clueless (and yes, I have the soundtracks for both).  My best friend and I used to sing along to virtually every song in Now & Then, but we always had a thing for this song in particular.  "Just call my naaaaame-buh, and I'll be there."  No, I'm not sure why we added a 'B' sound to the end of name.  That's just how we rolled.

4) The Beatles - "Michelle"  This probably sounds like a strange one, but it makes sense to me.  Remember those Saturday morning classes that some of your parents probably made you take?  Well, when I was 8, my parents wanted me to sign up, so I picked French.  We really didn't learn much except the very basics, but it was fun.  One day I was listening to my dad's Beatles tapes and "Michelle" came on.  I recognized the phrase, "très bien" since this was something our teacher said to us when we got something right (it means "very good").  So I asked my mom (who had taken French in high school) what the rest of the line was.  Once I learned a whole sentence in French, I was on top of the world.  I still feel pretty cool when I sing along today.

5) Big Bird & Waylon Jennings - "Ain't No Road Too Long"  This one is classic.  I grew up on Follow That Bird (this has been brought up in the past, and will no doubt appear in later posts).  My sisters* (including my best friend) all baby sat for me at one point or another, and all were subjected to this movie multiple times.  I hear this song, and I can picture being in the basement at my parents' house, piling pillows and blankets on the floor to bounce on while singing along with Big Bird.  If that's not bliss, I'm not sure what is.

So what songs remind you of being a kid?

Hope everyone has a happy Friday and a wonderful weekend!  :-)    

*Technically, I'm an only child.  But if you ask me, I have 3 awesome big sisters (who are all actually sisters) that I grew up with.  We might not be blood-related, but we're definitely family. 

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.

          

First Impressions

The more I think about it, the more confused I get about first impressions. 

On the one hand, they're seriously important, right?  Especially in the business world.  If you miss making a good first impression, you can get majorly screwed (and not in a good way).  It has been found that some experts can size up your resume in 20 seconds to determine if you're a worthy candidate.  Talk about needing to make a good first impression!  And you're not even physically THERE!  It's easy to size someone or something up in a first impression and determine if you're willing to pursue that option, and sometimes it really is necessary to do so based on a brief encounter. 

But on the other hand, how many times are we mislead by first impressions?  Think about the people and things in your life that you misjudged at first.  Or maybe think of a time you know you gave a less than stellar first impression.  I mean, if you're having a rough day, or you're sick, or you don't realize a situation is important, it can be hard to give someone a perfect idea of who you really are. 

So I'm often torn on the subject.  Personally, I get pretty stressed when I know I have to make an excellent impression on someone new.  Makes me nervous and sweaty and jittery; in fact, I probably look like I need to switch to decaf in most situations like this.

Songs are no different, right?  It's hard to get into a song if it doesn't grab you from the very beginning.  So here are some songs that I think have epic beginnings and are bound to make a kick-ass first impression.

Deep Purple - "Smoke On The Water"  Maybe it's because I grew up with my dad randomly busting it out, but I believe that this song has one of the coolest beginnings ever.  Also, it makes for an awesome commercial.  Just saying.

Hootie & The Blowfish - "I Go Blind"  I have two words for you: Power chord.  I used to listen to the first part of this song over and over, just because it struck me as so epically cool.  Who am I kidding?  I'm gonna go listen to it right now...

Queen - "Somebody To Love" Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaan anybody find me... another song that has such an amazing vocal-based intro??  Good luck!  Not only is Queen just freaking amazing, this song is just too classic to be ignored.  Love it.

The Beatles - "All You Need Is Love"  I remember being in middle school French class, and when I heard 'La Marseillaise' (the national anthem of France) for the first time, all I could think of was, "Hey!  That's The Beatles!"  I would say I'm embarrassed by that... But... I'm not.  Also, I'm pretty sure my dad's response to that would've been, "We've taught you well."

Chumbawamba - "The Big Issue"  Most people only remember Chumbawamba for "Tubthumping" (or, as my mom loves to call it, "Thumb-sucking" by ChubbyWubby).  But my favorite track on the CD (yes, I had the CD...  in fact, I STILL have it) is actually this song, if for no other reason than the beginning.  I'm a sucker for a nice vocal arrangement, and this song had me at hello (er, at "there are those"?).  

There are a number of other songs with fantastic beginnings.  I could spend all day compiling an uber list for y'all, but these are the 5 I'm going with for now.  

I hope everyone's Friday goes as quickly as they want it to, and that the weekend is spectacular!  Me?  I'm looking forward to my hubby coming home today.  :-)  Yay!!!! 

A Loss For Words

As y'all know, I'm a Sconnie girl.  And as many of you also probably know, there is some insanity going down in my state right now.  (If you're unaware, check out CNN.com.  Or even your local news.  I heard we were featured on the local news in Vegas, so...)

For the most part, I have refused to take sides in this situation.  I try to remain fairly a-political in most situations these days, as it helps me keep what little bit of sanity I may have.  Plus, my hubby is political-minded enough for the both of us (and potentially a small country... Love you, hubby!).  

This situation is ripping us apart.  I have friends who are essentially disowning other friends because of their views or opinions on this.  I have other friends who will let you say whatever you want as long as it supports their cause, but aren't willing to listen at all to the other side.  In fact, everyone just seems to be attacking those who oppose them without even a second thought. 

In my opinion, if you want to be taken seriously and be respected, you need to do the same to others.  Just because someone doesn't agree with you doesn't make them a bad person or doesn't mean you can't respect one another, does it?  

At this point, I am at a loss for words.  Sometimes, though, words aren't needed.  So, here are a few wonderful "wordless" songs for this Friday.

1) Mason Williams - "Classical Gas"  This is probably my favorite instrumental song of all time.  Also, it's rather fitting for this post.  Simpsons fans out there might remember an episode where the the plant employees go on strike ("Dental plan. Lisa needs braces!  Dental plan.  Lisa needs braces!").  While they're picketing, Lisa is there playing guitar and singing a song for the protesters.  When she has finished, Lenny (I believe) says, "Now do 'Classical Gas'!" at which point Lisa starts in on this epic song.  Awesome.

2) Booker T & the MGs - "Green Onions" Another wonderful gem from the '60s.  Many people probably recognize this song, but had no idea who performed it OR what it's called.  (It happens.  I mean, do you know how long it took me to realize that "stop children what's that sound" was actually called "For What It's Worth"?)  Anywhoozles, this is a pretty awesome song, especially for an instrumental.

3) The Surfaris - "Wipe Out"  Okay, so technically this isn't completely wordless, since they cackle and say, "Wiiiiiipe Ouuuuut" at the beginning and all, but this is still considered an instrumental and is still totally awesome.  Also, The Muppets did their own video for it, so how can you not love it?

4) Champs - "Tequila"  Again, there's one word in this song, but who cares?  Don't you just love being somewhere when this song is playing and everyone stops what they're saying or doing to yell, "Tequila!" at the same time?  Pretty sweet if you ask me.  Bringing people together a few syllables at a time.

5) David Rose - "The Stripper"  If nothing else, this song just makes me smile and want to dance around pretending (PRETENDING) to strip.  It also makes me want to watch "The Full Monty" but that's beside the point.  The point is that this is a highly recognizable song with no lyrics.  Excellent.

Here's hoping everyone has a great Friday and a wonderful weekend!  :-)  Cheers!

Missing You

Oi darling, I'm a wanker!  Sorry I've been absent, my dears.  Work has been a bit crazy, and school certainly doesn't make life any LESS crazy.  But here I am!  Huzzah!

It's Friday, but I have mixed feelings about today.  My hubby is gone on a brief trip until tomorrow, so it's just me and the puppers (who, of course, is making me jealous by sleeping the day away).  Call me a sap, but even though he just left this morning, I miss him already!

As such, today I feel it's only right to listen to some love songs.  But not, like, super sappy ones.  I'll save those for a non-Friday.  I need something to make me smile, not cry!  :-)  

So without further ado...

1) Never Shout Never - "Can't Stand It"  This may actually be the definition of a silly love song.  Regardless, it definitely puts a smile on my face.  The whole thing is just goofy and wraps you up in good feelings.  Huzzah!

2) Locksley - "Darling, It's True"  I suppose this isn't necessarily a love song in the truest sense, but whatever.  This is my list.  Anywhoozles, this is a GREAT upbeat song for a long, lonely Friday.

3) Carole King - "I Feel The Earth Move"  If the earth moving under your feet isn't love, I don't know what is.  This is probably one of my favorite songs of all time, and while you might argue it's more about infatuation or lust, I say pfft!  If you can feel the ground quiver beneath you, it's gotta be love.  ;-)

4) Queen - "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" I just can't get enough... of this freakin' song!  Yes, I am a Queen fanatic, so that might account for it...  Either way, love it.  LOVE it.

5) Katy Perry - "Firework"  Anyone who watched this week's Glee knows what I'm talking about.  If you haven't seen it...  Do it.  Now.

Hope everyone has a fantastic Friday and a wonderful weekend! :-D

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!!!

You Can Do It!

Ahhh, another Friday is here at last.  Huzzah!  :-)

Hubby and I are planning another Tropical Night this evening.  Looking forward to bumping up the heat, making some cool drinks, some fun food, and watching Lilo & Stitch.  :-D

I actually had a special request to make this Friday's musical selections about motivation.  Seems fair to me, especially since Friday is one of the hardest days to stay motivated!  I don't know about you, but my mind is already living the weekend life...

Anywhoozles, here are a few songs that help keep me motivated!

1) Rodney Atkins - "If You're Going Through Hell"  Yes, I know not everyone enjoys country, but the message in this song makes it motivational.  When you're in that dark place and the world seems like it's out to get you, lift your head and keep going through.  Stay positive and you'll make it!

2) Matthew Wilder - "Break My Stride"  Terribly 80s and terribly wonderful.  "Ain't nobody gonna hold me down, oh no, I got to keep on moving!"

3) Queen - "We Will Rock You"  My driver's ed teacher in high school used Queen a lot in his classroom (most notably he'd play "Another One Bites The Dust" anytime someone dropped the class, but I digress).  It doesn't matter if you're about to take a test, play the championship game, or just need to do some laundry, this song will pump you up!

4) Black Eyed Peas - "Let's Get It Started" Especially effective if you just need something with a good beat to get your day/night going.  Maybe "motivational" is a bit of a stretch, but I can't help but include it. 

5) R Kelly - "The World's Greatest"  A bit ego-central, but motivational nonetheless.  Just remember - YOU'RE the world's greatest!  P.S. I don't normally admit that I listen to R Kelly, but I'll make an exception just this once. ;-) 

And a few bonus songs:

6) Gloria Gaynor - "I Will Survive"  OK, admit it.  You've been known to belt this one out, haven't you?  I have.  This song may be best after a breakup, but really, anytime you need a lift, just remember that you will survive (hey, hey).

7) Timbuk 3 - "The Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades" The title says it all... I mean, if your future is that bright, wouldn't you be motivated to keep going?  

8) Journey - "Don't Stop Believin'" Whether you're a small town girl or a city boy, this song encourages you to not stop believing.  (Of course, there's always Glee if you're not a big Journey fan, but, I'm going with the classics.)  

Have some more songs to add to my list?  Got a beef with one I listed?  Let me know in the Comments!