I'm a little bit Country

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.....

Cindy's Musical Fill in The Blank

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!

It's Official!

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

Update...

So did my little experiment work?

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?

An Experiment

Okay, so later tonight I am running the first of 4 races over the next 24 hours. This is an annual event put on by the Lakeland Runner's Club called the "Aching Quad Series." (They are so clever with their double entendre!) So tonight is a 5k at 7:30pm, then tomorrow morning is a 1 mile sprint at 7am, followed by a 2 mile race at 8:30am and then another 5k at 7pm that night. Challenging? Yes. Something I might regret? Definitely. But I even convinced Jacob to run the Saturday night 5k with me, which will be twice as awesome because somewhere in Utah, his brother Nathan, is supposed to be running a 5K and I think there was a little smack being talked last week. So I am thinking there are some bragging rights on the line :) And speaking of Nathan, a while back he posted a song link on my Facebook page. It was to a song called "Magic" by B.O.B and the lead singer of Weezer (who's name I can't remember right now). Anyway, it's a great song, really catchy and as I have used it on my ipod while running these past few weeks, I have decided that it's absolutely hands-down the BEST song of all time to run to. It has the perfect cadence and rhythm. It makes me a run faster and push myself to keep up with the beat and even when I hear it at the end of the run and I am dead tired, I still have to run fast, the beat is just too infectious not to. So my experiment is this: I will put the song "Magic" on my 5K playlist for tonight 3 seperate times; then I can see if it improves my time. Hearing it once makes me pick up the pace, so three times really should be Magic, right? This is psychological warfare at it's finest. Film at 11...

Here is the song in question if you want to hear a snippet- I have checked the lyrics, they are clean :)

Musical Potpourri

A Far Side....




Couple of Quotes....


"I know [canned music] makes chickens lay more eggs and factory workers produce more. But how much more can they get out of you on an elevator?"
— Victor Borge

"I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.' "
— Bob Newhart


"I understand the inventor of the bagpipes was inspired when he saw a man carrying an indignant, asthmatic pig under his arm. Unfortunately, the manmade sound never equaled the purity of the sound achieved by the pig."
— Alfred Hitchcock


And finally...

A couple of enterprising bass players, unwilling to sit through a long, bass-less stretch of Beethoven's Ninth, sneaked off stage and into the bar next door. Beer flowed; time passed. "Look at the time! We have to get back!" said one. "Relax," said his partner, "I tied the last few pages of the conductor's score together with string. It will take him a few minutes to untangle it." They staggered back into the hall and took their places. About this time, a member of the audience noted that the conductor was breaking a sweat. "Of course," replied her companion, "It's the bottom of the Ninth, the score's tied, and the bassists are loaded!"


And on two completely musically unrelated notes- ha! Notes! Get it? I guess it's not totally unmusical- Jacob started to build my enclosed laundry room today:



(Wow, I just realized how horribly crappy our garage looks right now, sheesh! I can't wait until I am posting the after picture. Anyway, we have been talking about this for 5 years and finally, Jacob is making my wish come true :) Pretty awesome to have a handy husband, I must say.)



And Cindy finished her latest round of Ballet:







On to soccer!

When all else fails....

Go with a Top Ten :)


TOP TEN REJECTED PRIMARY SONGS

10. When We're Helpless We're Happy
9. I Have Two Little Handguns
8. I Hope They Call Me On A Cellphone
7. Liver Hanging From the Apricot Tree
6. Cheat as I'm Cheating
5. Steal, Said the Little Stream
4. Teach Me To Walk in the Lineup
3. Jesus Wants Me for a Misdemeanor
2. I Often Go Carjacking
1. I Am Child Of Doug

-Mike Bingham, © 1999

And now I will razzle dazzle you...

With this amazing piece of music trivia:


This is the famous band ZZ Top. The name of the guy in the middle who does not have a beard, is named Frank Beard.

I will pause briefly while your head explodes...


Wow, and to think you almost didn't check this blog today! You wouldn't have known that! And then where would you have been, my little friend? Ignorant, lonely, unemployed, in Greenland!!! Let that be a lesson to you. I will see you tomorrow :)

My Most Embarrassing Musical Moment

Well, this is definitely ONE of them anyway... This happened when I was DJing my very first time at a Country Night in Salt Lake City at Trolley Square. To say I was nervous is the biggest understatement of all-time. It's like saying Obama is a terrible president. You feel me? Anyway, somehow I managed to be making it through the dance and feeling okay about my efforts. Until the point in the night where I had one song going and all 500 kids dancing while I was listening to another song I had cued up the headphones. I started to listen to this next song so much that I was bobbing and lip syncing to it for about a minute or so. And that is when I realized that everyone had stopped dancing and was staring at me. And that is because the song that was playing through the speakers was skipping, and I was rocking out and completely oblivious. Finally, someone came up and pulled the headphones off my head and told me. Yes, it's a modern-day miracle I ever had the courage to DJ another dance the rest of my life :)

Favorite Sunday Songs

That is actually the title of the playlist on my computer for music I listen to on Sundays. And I admit, most of it is Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I love the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I know it is cliche- I mean, yes, I am a Mormon, isn't liking the choir kind of required? Well, no, not really, but I can genuinely say that I love their music. It is not just that they sound incredibly gorgeous or their music brings the Spirit in two nanoseconds, but their music fills me with overwhelming memories of watching General Conference with my family, lazy Sunday mornings and a huge sense of security, to be quite honest. I mean, if there is one thing that is absolutely constant in the Church, no matter who's the prophet or what year it is, it is the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. So I play MoTab every Sunday morning. Every. Sunday. Morning. (Yes, family, you have an awesome mom!) And what's funny is that my kids are totally being conditioned by it. In fact, a few weeks ago on a Thursday morning during the summer, I was editing some music on the computer and accidentally started playing a MoTab song thru the big speakers. It was only about 10 seconds into it when Cindy came running out of her room, leaned around the corner and asked me very worriedly, "Mom, what day is it?" I love how that works :) Anyway, if I had to pick one favorite hymn, it would be really difficult. But I narrowed it down- so when it comes to church songs, here are my top 5:

1. Redeemer of Israel
2. Baptism
3. God Be With You Til We Meet Again
4. God So Loved The World
5. My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

So tell me your favorite Hymns or Church songs. Do you have an all-time favorite?

I will leave you with #5 for your listening pleasure:



Happy Sunday!