Sweatin' To The Newbies (and some Oldies)

Since I was diagnosed with diabetes I have really kicked my walking up a notch. I had never walked more than a mile and a half at a time. In the past 7 months I have worked up to 3 miles. There are 2 essential elements to this...

The first is my new NIKE cross-trainers. They are much more comfortable than either walking shoes or running shoes. The second is my beloved green iPod. The walk goes so much faster and I can pace myself with my playlist 

This is my current playlist. It starts out with some slow stuff and works up to songs that make me walk really fast and break a sweat. Then I cool down.

1. CRUSH by the Glee cast
2. COWBOY CASANOVA  by Carrie Underwood
3. RHYTHM OF LOVE by Plain White T's
4. DOG DAYS ARE OVER by Florence + The Machine
5. BUILD ME UP BUTTERCUP by The Foundations
6. MY LIFE WOULD SUCK WITHOUT YOU by the Glee cast
7. STAND UP by Sugarland
8. AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG by The Temptations
9. LIVIN' ON A PRAYER by Bon Jovi
10. F%$# YOU by  CeeLo Green
11. IN THE AYER by Flo Rida
12. JUMP by Flo Rida
13. RIGHT ROUND by Flo Rida
14. CLUB CAN'T EVEN HANDLE ME by Flo Rida

(Take if from me...Flo Rida will make you SWEAT!! At this point it is a true POWER WALK)

15. WHO KNEW by Pink

16. STUCK LIKE GLUE by Sugarland

17. MORE THAN A FEELING by Boston

18. VIVA LA VIDA by Coldplay

19. GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN by Cyndi Lauper

20. I'M YOURS by Jason Mraz

21. DAYBREAK by Barry Manilow

This is about an hour's worth of music. Sometimes I mix it up and do a whole BLUES WALK with Delbert McClinton and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. Other days I walk to all my favorite QUEEN or BILLY JOEL songs.

I'm off to eat a little lunch and tie on the Nike's.

Happy Birthday John. All You Need Is Love.

I took one of those internet quizzes, WHICH BEATLE ARE YOU?

I'm not at all surprised at the results. I AM JOHN LENNON.

In honor of his 70th birthday I'll share a few of my favorite Lennon quotes.

~When you're drowning, you don't say "I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me", you just scream.

~ I'm not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I've always been a freak. So I've been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know. I'm one of those people.

~I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It's just that the translations have gone wrong.

~ All you need is love.

I Want An Alien For Christmas!

Every time this song comes on at work, I start dancing around the store.
I'm 52 and overweight. It's not pretty. But it makes my co-workers laugh.
At least the ones that have a sense of humor.

Enjoy!

My Life According To Elton John

My daughter found this quiz on facebook.

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Try not to repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think!

Are you Male or Female?
Little Jeannie

Describe Yourself:
Island Girl

How Do You Feel?
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues

Where Do You Live?
Driving To Universal

If you could go anywhere, where would you go?
Made In England

Favorite Form Of Transportation?
Let Me Be Your Car

Your Best Friend?
Amy

Describe you and your best friends:
Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters

Describe The Weather:
Thunder In The Night

Favorite Time Of Day?
Someone Saved My Life Tonight

If they made a TV show of your life, what would they call it?
I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top

What is life to you?
The Big Picture

Describe an ex-relationship:
Don't Go Breakin' My Heart

Describe your current relationship:
Blessed

Describe your job:
She Sold Me Magic

Your Fear?
And The House Fell Down

How would you like to die?
Dancing In The End Zone

What is the state of your soul right now?
Heart In The Right Place

Best Advice?
Turn Out The Lights When You Leave

Thought Of The Day:
Are We Laughing?

Motto:
I'm Still Standing

The 6 Day Manager-Induced Vacation

When hours had to be cut from the payroll at work, I found myself on an unplanned, unpaid, unexpected 6 days vacation.

There are things I can do to fill the time. That's never a problem with me.

I need to freeze the newest batch of blueberries I brought back from the farm yesterday, find a decent Tuna Casserole recipe that doesn't involve Cream Of Anything soup.

I plan to write an email to my nephew who is spending his summer semester in Australia. I'd like to do a blog post on the last few books I've read.

I get to go to a friend's birthday party at a swanky bowling alley. She's a little bummed about turning 36.

I need to do some exercising in the pool, in between vegging out in a pool chair.

I really want to visit an old family friend. She has been dealing with her husband's Alzheimers for a few years and now has been diagnosed with cancer.
She lives 2 hours from here, so the visit would be possible, if she is up to it.

I have a stack of CD's to be downloaded into my iTunes....James Taylor, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Credence Clearwater Revival, Norah Jones, George Michael and Sacred Ritual Music of the Tibetan Monks.

Will I get the whole list done in 6 days?

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Time

I went to Costco today. After I grabbed a bucket of Antacid and a 40 pound box of Pain Patches, on my way to the bushels of edamame, I passed the book and music section. I spotted this for $6.99 and added it to the GIANT SHOPPING CART.


I'm so old that any Simon and Garfunkel I've ever owned were on vinyl. I decided I'd like some on my new iPod. I popped it into my CD player and was instantly transported back to my Jr High School years of 1970 and 1971.

Saturday mornings (after I made my bed, dusted my room and practiced piano) were spent in my friend D's bedroom, teaching ourselves how to smoke cigarettes and play guitar. We figured we would be really cool if we could do both of those things. We bought some sheet music and learned I Am A Rock, The Sound Of Silence and Scarborough Fair. We were in the Geek Glee Club and our cool teacher taught us Scarborough Fair to sing in the Spring Concert.

After lunch there were two possible activities. Sometimes we took the bus downtown, tried on jeans at Sawyer's Campus Shop, had dessert in one of the coffee shops, visited D's grandmother in the high-rise apartments, then walked over to the Beauty Salon where her Mom worked and waited to get a ride home.

Other Saturday afternoons were spent at the Roller Rink. We skated in circles for hours...and hours....and hours. We were pretty groovy looking in our scoop-necked bodyshirts (Onesies for teenagers?) and EXTREMELY low-cut jeans with VERY wide bell-bottoms. How low cut, you ask? The zipper was only about 2 inches long. I used to be thin *sigh*

The "couples only" songs were a good excuse to hold hands with boys who were potential boyfriends or really and truly "just friends". I wonder what ever happened to Frank L?

And I bet D doesn't know I grew up and married her ex-boyfriend!

What's In Your Music Rotation?

It's been a long time since I cleared out the CD holder in my car, so today I tackled that item on my To-Do list. Here's the current selection for my driving pleasure. Since I work one mile from home, this should last for the summer!

John Mellencamp-Cutting Heads
Aerosmith-Big Ones
Augustana-all the stars and boulevards
Three Tenors in Concert
Josh Groban
Pottery Barn Summer Fun mix
Pottery Barn Road Trip mix
Bob Marley and the Wailers-Legend
Leona Lewis-Spirit
Wicked Soundtrack
Jimmy Buffet-License To Chill
Beatles-1
Best Of Queen

Sorority Girl makes me mix CD's and gives them appropriate names like
Mom's Mission To Miami, Trip To The Beach.
The 2 that I currently have in rotation are
Girly Music and
Buzz Ballads Ain't Got Nothing On Me (the 90's mix

Photos: Giant Guitars!

It's not COWS. It's GUITARS! It's Orlando GuitarTown!
The City of Orlando has 10 foot tall replicas of Gibson Les Paul Guitars that have been painted by artists, inspired by musicians.

We went downtown last week to photograph a few. The light wasn't great because we were surrounded by tall buildings and it was late afternoon. There are about 30 of them and we found about 12.

You can click on the pics to see more details. We'll go down again and find a few more.

The Eagles

Matchbox 20

Jimi Hendrix

Guns N' Roses

Dave Matthews

Counting Crows

Bon Jovi

DOOBIE BROTHERS!!

I'd like to hear some Funky Dixieland, pretty mama come and take me by the hand.

Last night was Night 3 of The Best Weekend Ever (I'll blog the rest tomorrow). The wife of Mr's co-worker works for a radio station and gave us comp tickets to see the Doobie Brothers in Daytona Beach.
This was the 3rd time we've seen them, but it had been a REALLY long time.

The last two times were in arenas that hold over 12,000. Last night was an auditorium that holds 2,500. It wasn't sold out and we were in Row 20.
This current reincarnation of the band is AWESOME.

Here are my notes:

• OLD DUDES ROCK! Simmons and Johnston are 60 years old!


• TO THE RIGHT- Elderly people looking miserable. Why were they there?


• TO THE LEFT-Large group of College Students (?-there are 4 Universities in the neighborhood) having a BLAST and dancing in the aisles.


• ALL AROUND-People our age (who went to college in the 70's) dancing. Some of them were dancing without even standing up. You looking at ME?


• Hubby was impressed with the guitar playing. I was too busy having a little crush on Skylark. I have a soft spot in my heart for Bass players.


• They played many favorites from the pre-Michael McDonald years.Hubby tells me the Michael McDonald years were shit and MM ruined that era of the band.


• They only played 90 minutes. Old Dudes need their rest.


• ENCORE after people lit up their cellphones and held them up to the stage.Whatever happened to matches and lighters?

Come and dance with your daddy all night long.

Picture of the Doobies is from their official website http://www.doobiebrothers.net/

The Soundtrack Of My Life As A Movie

IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?

This can be either really lame or super f'in hilarious!
I promise I DID NOT CHEAT!!

So, here's how it works:

1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. When you go to a new question, press the next button
5. For every question, type the song that's playing
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool.

Opening Credits: Anticipation-Carly Simon (wow)

Waking Up: Someone Saved My Life Tonight-Elton John (must have been some kind of nightmare)

First Day At School:One Day- (a song my husband has been writing)

Falling In Love:Dock Of The Bay-Otis Redding(...and this lonliness won't leave me alone.....)

Fight Song: The Worst That Could Happen-(Brooklyn Bridge) (...and this is the end, you say you really mean it)

Breaking Up: Blackbird -Beatles (....take these broken wings and learn to fly.....)

Prom:Strong Enough-Sheryl Crow (are you strong enough to be my man?)

Life: Anyone Who Had A Heart-Dionne Warwick

Mental Breakdown: Boston- Augustana (Oh dear, you look so lost, eyes are red and tears are shed. The worlds you must have crossed)

Driving: Walk Away-Kelly Clarkson (from a few accidents I've had)

Flashback: Spooky-Atlanta Rhythm Section (yep this is spooky alright!)

Getting Back Together:Foolish Games-Jewel (hmmmm)

Wedding:Redemption Song-Bob Marley(I don't get it)

Birth of Child: Karma-Alicia Keys

Final Battle: Cristofori's Dream -David Lanz(kind of a dramatic piece of New Age piano music)

Death Scene:That Was The Worst Christmas Ever-Sufjan Stevens (OH MY POOR FAMILY!)

Funeral Song:Young Girl-Gary Puckett and the Union Gap (hahaha too late for that!)

End Credits: Over The Rainbow-Eva Cassidy version (one of my 5 favorite songs!)

Tunes for Tuesday

I ran out of a Very Important Prescription so I'm feeling slightly undermedicated today. Add in the back spasms and this other weird thing.
A few weeks ago, at work, a heavy shelf fell off the 2 supports holding it into the wall. It landed on my shin, right above the ankle. It was achy for about a week. Now this week it is starting to swell and hurts more than it did a week ago.

I needed to sing the blues. And some Rock. Out Loud.
And some Over The Rainbow. It's my Theme Song.

Today's Playlist:Women Who Rock and Other Fabulous Females

R-E-S-P-E-C-T.......Aretha
Leave The Light On.....Beth Hart
Closer I Am To Fine.....Indigo Girls and other fabulous females
Piece Of My Heart.....the Melissa Etheridge version
I Run For Life......more Melissa
Break Your Heart.....Natalie Merchant
Silent All These Years......Tori Amos
Not Ready To Make Nice.....Dixie Chicks
Total Eclipse Of The Heart....the Tori version.....Live
Mama......Beth Hart
The Story.....Brandi Carlile
Over The Rainbow..... the Eva Cassidy version
Wake Up With You.....Julia Fordham
If It Wasn't For Your Love.....Heather Headley
Dear Mr President....Pink and The Indigo Girls