So it finally caught up with me :) I didn't fit my musical blog post in today. I got up early to run, cleaned my bathrooms, ran a bunch of errands, spent almost two hours with the kids at the park in the most glorious weather we have ever had in the month of September, went swimming, cooked dinner and went out for ice cream. My day was action-packed, Pee-wee! But I won't fail you tomorrow! I am working on my list of Top 5 Musicals. And I am pretty sure at least one of my picks will surprise you. If you know me well, you already know what I will pick for #1, but come read it anyway.
In the meantime, I give you:
4 RECENT CAT PHOTOS FROM MY CAMERA!
Annie is such an orphan that she will crawl in the dishwasher when I am loading it and lick the food off the dishes. And that is yet another reason why I refuse to ever pre-wash my plates.
I came home and found the cat asleep on my sofa like this. She is truly a cat of leisure.
Annie also sleeps in my fake plant. Yet again, her orphanyness is showing through.
And on the very rare occasion that she is tired at night, Annie will sleep in bed with Cindy. Unfortunately, Cindy has no idea :)
As you know by now, yesterday was not the splendiferous display of BYU football superiority I was hoping for. Not even close. My Cougars! Oh, Cougars! Do I have to get out this picture again? Hmmm?
So, okay, BYU got their trashed kicked and it was pretty hard to watch, especially being surrounded by thousands of good ol' boy FSU fans. However, it wasn't all bad :) When I told you I got some sweet free tickets, I wasn't whistling dixie. We were actually in one of the skybox suites, so even though we watched BYU lose and got made fun of for being part of the Cougar Faithful, at least I got some free food, a fantastic view and had air conditioning. A few pictures...
First stop: Whataburger! I had never eaten there before, but my burger was GOOD! Loved the chopped onions. We even ran into some BYU fans from South Carolina in there. Awesome!
So here is our view from the box. Yeah, it was not too shabby.
I just want to say that this is now one of my all-time favorite pictures of me and Jacob. Here is proof that he has facial muscles that allow him to smile. AND, proof that he can be just as silly as me sometimes. Something really awesome was actually happening on the field when we took this picture. I think BYU gained yards on a passing play. Wait, that never happened the whole game. Couldn't have been that....
Ma and Pa Bingham enjoying the game.
GO COUGARS! Check out the sea of BYU Blue!!!! WE ROCK!
Okay, well, we were slightly outnumbered. Kinda....
Going to that game as a fan of the visitng team is actually something I haven't really done before. I am usually in the home crowd. Of course BYU had it's own little contigent of fans there, but that stadium had at least 70,000 of it's own. It was a little intimidating. And walking through the tailgating section outside the stadium in my BYU shirt was like walking through the bad part of town wearing the Hope Diamond on a gold chain around my neck. (And not because they wanted my BYU shirt, I am making the analogy of the danger. But you got that, right?) Overall, the fans were 'tolerant' of us. Not gonna lie and say I didn't hear some derogatory things being said in my direction, ALL of which had to do with "Mormons". Even when I got my ticket scanned at the entrance the lady said to me, "Hey I got a friend that is 7th Day Adventist. Ain't that like ya'll? " I just stared at her and walked away. I guess I just still don't get it. What is the prejudice against us? I mean, we are different religions, I get it, but I don't go out of my way to make comments about Baptists or Methodists. What exactly is it that we "do" that offends people? Are we recruiting terrorits? Do we leave our shopping carts in the parking lot instead of taking them back to the corrall? Do we answer our phones by saying "Yello?" Do we constantly confuse the usage of their, there and they're? Seriously, what IS the horrible offense? Do FSU fans really think we ALL traveled from Utah to be at the game, beacause OBVIOUSLY Mormons don't live in Florida. DUH! Do they actually think we have several wives and child brides? BECAUSE WE DON'T! We are just like you without the beer and swearing. But I just don't see why it matters!!!! Okay, getting off the soap box......now.
Anyway, we drove up that morning, came home that night and had a pretty good drive both ways. I did forget about the fact that I get carsick as a passenger in the front seat, so we got delayed a solid 15 minutes on the way home while I regained the color back in my face and tried not to hurl. I didn't, thankfully :)
And of course I will relate this to music! So now I give you....
11 Song Titles that describe the BYU/FSU Football Game Experience:
Heartbroken Girl by Beyonce Knowles Crying by Roy Orbison I will Survive by Gloria Gaynor It's Not Right but It's Okay by Whitney Houston Shattered Dreams by Johnny Hates Jazz Kind of a Drag by the Buckinghams Oh What A Night! by the Four Seasons Why Can't We Be Friends? by War Rockin' That Beer Gut by Trailer Choir Hicktown by Jason Aldean Pretty Good at Drinkin' Beer by Billy Currington (because their fans ARE)
As you are reading this today, I am headed up to Tallahassee to watch Florida State play BYU in college football. My father-in-law got some sweet tickets through his work and has graciously invited Jacob and I, as well as my parents and brothers (and their wives too) to go to the game. A HUGE thank you on that one! :) So what better way to combine today's music post and Cougar football than a rousing rendition of the official BYU Cougar Fight Song. I have so many fond memories of singing this while at the games while in school there. Ahhh, good times. Brian, here is your tutorial, have it memorized by next game...
I was meaning to record my own version of what follows, but years and years ago my Dad wrote a parody of this song. I will pause while you get back up because I know you just fainted with surprise at hearing that. A Bingham writing a song parody? What? Anyway, go ahead and hit the replay button up there on that song and sing these words instead :)
Rise all loyal co-eds And hurl your challenge to the foe: We will date, Long and late, Rain or Snow.
Stalwart men and true, We’re coming after you! While we sing, Go buy the ring There’s no other hope for you.
Oh, rise and shout Our cries will ring out “We all want re-turned missionaries!” Rise and Shout, There’s really no doubt Don’t want no lazy bums or fairies! Just for you the strip will turn blue, We all want lots of sons and daughters.
As we join in song In praise of you, Our love is strong, We’ll tell the ugly girls at the U We found our husbands at BYU!
Remember being a kid and making up songs about pretty much anything and everything around you? This is a talent that Cindy definitely has. Whether she is out in the garden or the backyard playing, she is singing some sort of song she made up. Mostly her songs have words like "I am playing in the garden and this plant is so lovely, but I think it needs water, and I will save you!" These songs always make me laugh. She loves songs so much that the other day she talked with her cousin Michelle on Skype for almost 2 hours and most of that time it was the girls singing made-up songs back and forth to each other. Cindy even wrote down about 6 pages worth of "songs"- one was all about the laundry room and daddy working with tools, but my favorite one was about how I am the best mom ever. What can I say? It's easy to get inspiration from real life :) Anyway, I wasn't sure if Luke would have this talent like Cindy, but yesterday was his first official soccer practice of his life, and when we got him all suited up in his gear, I heard him singing a song about "super soccer shinguards" and how they are "so great and amazing" and how they help him "kick it super hard." Yeah, he really, really loves those things :) So here are the pics from day 1 of what is to be a long and illustrious soccer career:
He actually went in to put his cleats back on a little closer to practice time, but it was too much for him. He crashed and slept til it was time to leave. Not the best plan, as he woke up at Grouch Level 10....
He finally snapped out of his nap-induced anger when I promised him we would go on the swings at the park across the street when we finished practice. Then we actually had a pretty good time.
Luke and the classic squinty-eyed, I'm-not-looking-in-the-right-place pose. But man, he is CUTE in that outfit :)
I am not a liar, we did go to the swings and he was pretty happy about it. I have a feeling this will be our new Thursday routine; soccer and swings. But hey, whatever keeps him playing!
(By the way, I put that Summer of 1999 Soundtrack on last night while Jacob and I worked on the laundry room and by the second song Jacob asked me "What play list is this? I love this music!" Shared memories are the best :)
OK, so commercial jingles are so great, aren't they? They are catchy, they give you information, they brainwash you into buying things you otherwise wouldn't- I love them. Ever had a jingle in your head and couldn't remember the exact words? I have two clips from the TV show "The Office." Here is Andy, the Office 'musician' having a brain freeze during a staff meeting trying to remember the ending to what he thinks is "the best commercial jingle ever." The second clip came at the very end of the show where he finally figured it out! And no matter how many times I see the show, I will forever make the conclusion that Jim (the guy in the blue shirt trying to help Andy remember) is my brother Brian.
ONE THOUSAND apologies for the poor quality of the video. I scoured the Internet looking for the right clips and these two really bad recordings were the only ones I could find, but hopefully you get the gist. And turn up your speakers to hear it better....
I think I am going to go buy some Fancy Feast right now! Seriously, with two cats, I need some. But THIS right here is the best commercial jingle every written in my opinion:
I love the part where the cat says "Meow." So classic!
Back in 1999, I had an awesome summer. I was home from BYU, I met this guy from Church named Jacob, I was working in Orlando for Marriott with a group of friends doing really easy work that nobody seemed to explain to us, but we got paid just the same anyway- it was basically just awesome. It was turning out to be so awesome in fact, that I decided to complete a certain number of really fun things (think "30 New Experiences" only 20 years earlier) and then make a T-shirt and matching CD Soundtrack and call it my "Summer of Dreams Tour." The shirt listed all the "stops" and cities on the tour (as all good tour shirts do.) The stops were things like going to a Dave Matthews Band Concert, going tubing on a river, going to a baseball game- all the fun things I did back in the summer of 1999. I still have that shirt somewhere around here. I really ought to find it and see just what exactly I did during those months. Anyway, the Soundtrack for that summer was fantastic. In fact, I remember it was actually the first mix CD I ever made. (Thanks to the help of Marriott's computers :) Jacob also burned a copy of that CD for himself that summer too. I still have a copy of it. Here it is in all its glory, complete with album artwork:
And to this day it vividly reminds me of that summer. I confess that after not hearing it for many years, I put it in the car CD player this morning as I drove Cindy to school, and I was smiling the entire time. I had forgotten some of those songs, but the minute I heard them, BAM! I was back in that summer! It is amazing the power that music has when it comes to memories. So what other songs have the power to transport me to a specific place and time? Well, here are a few:
Name by Goo Goo Dolls- Seminary at Sister Butler's house, Sophomore year? Champaign Supernova by Oasis- Junior Year of High School Interstate Love Song by Stone Temple Pilots- playing girls soccer at Bartow High School stadium Two Princes by Spin Doctors or Stay by Lisa Loeb- EFY in Atlanta, GA The Train by Quad City DJs- Senior Year of High School Bittersweet Symphony by The Verve- the last few days in the dorms at the end of my freshman year at BYU Genie in a Bottle by Christina Aguilera or Bailamos by Enrique Iglesias- Summer of 1999, working in Orlando Angels by Robbie Williams- Saltair in Salt Lake City and dancing with Jacob Here's to the Night by Eve 6- being newly married living in Bountiful, UT Lazy Days by Enya- going on a helicopter ride in Kauai, Hawaii
Those are just a few songs that take me back. So what songs are your personal time machine and where do they send you? Do any of my songs have meaning to you? Because that would be kind of weird actually. Although, it would be fun to compare notes :)
If you know me, you know I am a huge country music fan. I love the songs, I love the singers, I love the sing-ability of Country music songs and I absolutely love, love, love their lyrics. Like I read this week, Country music is "three chords and the truth." So here for you now are some totally awesome actual country music song titles. I am not making these up:
Thank God and Greyhound She's Gone
She's Actin' Single, I'm Drinkin' Doubles
Did I Shave My Legs for This?
I Changed Her Oil, She Changed My Life
I Don't Know Whether to Kill Myself or Go Bowling
She Feels Like a New Man Tonight
She Got the Gold Mine and I Got the Shaft
Billy Broke My Heart at Walgreens and I Cried All the Way to Sears
Am I Double Parked by the Curbstone of Your Heart?
Hog Sloppin' Time in the Hollow
I Fell In A Pile Of You And Got Love All Over Me
I Gave Her the Ring, and She Gave Me the Finger
I Want a Beer as Cold as My Ex-Wife's Heart
I Still Miss You Baby... But My Aim is Getting Better
I Wish I Were A Woman (So I Could Go Out With A Guy Like Me)
If Love Were Oil, I'd Be A Quart Low
If You Can't Live Without Me, Why Aren't You Dead?
I Sold A Car To A Guy Who Stole My Girl,But It Don't Run So We're Even
Mama Get A Hammer (There's A Fly On Daddy's Head)
If The Phone Don't Ring, You'll Know It's Me
I Keep Forgettin' I Forgot About You
I Liked You Better Before I Knew You So Well
I Wouldn't Take Her To A Dog Fight, Cause I'm Afraid She'd Win
I'm So Miserable Without You; It's Like Having You Here
If I Had Shot You When I Wanted To, I'd Be Out By Now
Please Bypass My Heart
You Done Tore Out My Heart and Stomped That Sucker Flat
You're the Reason Our Kids Are So Ugly
Now whether these songs broke into the Top 40 Hitlist, I'm not so sure. But if you want my pick for best country song ever; and I mean, a real, country, Top 40 song that is fun to sing, tells a great story, has some classic lyrics and is true to life (just ask my brother Dave about the trailer in Quincy, FL he saw the other day that offers taxes and Tuxedo rentals- awh yeah!) well, here you go:
Dixie Rose Deluxe's Honky Tonk, Feed Store, Gun Shop, Used Car, Beer, Bait, BBQ, Barber Shop, Laundromat by Trent Willmon
And yes, I do know every word to this song. Turn up the sound, get ready to rock out.....
Friday night we had hot dogs with baked beans for dinner. Jacob asked Cindy if she would like some, adding, "After all, they are the musical fruit!" Cindy was totally puzzled. Jacob said, "Haven't you ever heard of that rhyme? Beans, Beans, The musical fruit! The more you eat them..." and then he trailed off, waiting for her to complete the rhyme. She didn't get it at all and then completed his riddle with a wild guess of "The more musical they get?" Clearly she does not have an older brother. And I am completely okay with that!
I am an "Aching Quad" Series FINISHER! Whoo-hooo! I did it! I finished all four races in 24 hours. But it was not without its consequences, that's for sure. I am pretty sure it would be more accurate to call it the "Aching Quadriplegic" series, because that is what it turns you into. I was almost unable to use any of my extremeties by the time I went to bed last night. I really, really thought that I wouldn't be that sore at the end of all this and that I could possiblly beat my time on the second 5K. Ahh, sometimes my naivete can be a little cute :) I was DYING at last night's 5K! DYING. So here is how it broke down:
1 mile sprint: 8:33 (that is like lightning speed for me) 2 mile run: 18:05 (hill at the end that killed my overall time- d'oh!) 5K #2: I will never reveal what happened in those 3 miles :) That case of amnesia I feared is kicking in...darnit!
The side cramp I had on Friday night returned ALL DAY on Saturday, but I was able to get through the two morning runs really well. In fact, on the 2 mile, I even beat about 4 different girls that I know beat me on the Friday 5K. That was an awesome feeling, not gonna lie. And I am realizing that only running 2 miles at a time is fantastic! That really should be my race from now on. I am definitely taking a hiatus from Lake Hollingsworth 5Ks for a while- gonna switch to some weights, I think. Still looking ahead to the October triathlon and that should hold me til the end of the year.
And yes, Jacob ran the 5k with me and I was feeling somewhat okay about my run until he passed me nearing the end. I knew I had to be running slow at that point ;) I was just a little bit ticked off about that to be honest. However, we both huffed and puffed to the end where we spontaneously sprinted the last 25 yards and he beat me by a ladybug's eyelash. (Hmmm, I just made up that analogy. I kinda like it!) So in the battle of the Sweeney brothers, who came out on top? Technically, Jacob. But I hear that Nathan's 5K was full of hills, switchbacks and trees, so not sure how that equalizes with our flat Florida course. For now, no true bragging rights can be dispensed.
You are now thinking to yourselves, 'How does this all relate to music?' Well, here are 6 song titles (titles only) that describe the last 36 hours:
Runnin' on Empty- Jackson Browne Crazy- Patsy Cline White Flag- Dido What Was I Thinking- Dierks Bentley Everybody Hurts- REM
and to describe my Saturday 5K: The Longest Time- Billy Joel
My official 5k time for last night's run was: 27:43
My normal 5k time is: about 26-27 minutes Conclusion: Hard to say! I got the worst side cramp of all-time during this race. It was hideous. This race was actually harder on me than any triathlon race I have done. It was almost impossible to just keep going. However, I do think the song helped get me through it! Because even with a side cramp and the inner monologue of all the ways I was not going to live to see the finish line, I did feel myself picking up the pace a little when it came on. So I think it actually saved me from a time of 30 minutes plus, and in that case, it truly was Magic. Either way I think I am in great position to beat that time in tonight's rematch.
Thanks to my parents for coming to see me and taking pictures! Here I am before the race with my shirt:
HAPPY! (Or strangely surprised by something I was looking at...)
Here I am after the race:
SOMEONE KILL ME, PLEASE.
Isn't running so much fun? Don't you just look at that picture and think, "I want to do that!" Of course you do. Anyway, 3 more races today! I will be sure to tell you what happens. Unless I do terrible, in which case I might suddenly develop a strong case of amnesia :)
And now for the music post of the day:
Thursday night was the opening of the 2010 NFL season and before the Saints and Vikings duked it out, they opened with the singing of the Star Spangled Banner by Colbie Caillat. Now usually I am very traditional about the singing of the anthem; I don't like too much variation in the song and many times it gets really weird when it isn't done with enough respect. Having said that, I was really liking the version done by Colbie that night. She has a very bohemian/folk sound and I wasn't sure that would translate so well, but I found myself really loving it! Here it is:
So who does the Anthem the best in your opinion? Whitney? Faith? Jimi? Your imaginary friend Winky? Whitney usually gets my vote, but I was subjected to her version almost every morning for 4 years during high school, so I might be a little brainwashed. What say you?
Annie is such an orphan that she will crawl in the dishwasher when I am loading it and lick the food off the dishes. And that is yet another reason why I refuse to ever pre-wash my plates.
I came home and found the cat asleep on my sofa like this. She is truly a cat of leisure.
Annie also sleeps in my fake plant. Yet again, her orphanyness is showing through. 
And on the very rare occasion that she is tired at night, Annie will sleep in bed with Cindy. Unfortunately, Cindy has no idea :)
