Sally's New Punishment
My sister actually took this video and sent it to me, but I just had to share it here.
Instead of her old punishment box, Sally's now gets her timeouts by being put on a bar stool in the kitchen. It works because the stool is high enough where she's afraid to jump down.
Haha, I love how she just looks around with a perplexed expression on her face. I miss that little B...
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
July Unwind
Once again, it's hard to believe that another month flew by. The month of June was another whirlwind experience which in many ways, was one of the most awesome times of my lif. But on the down side, it's also been so busy that I've barely had any chance to sit down and unwind at all.
At this very moment, as I'm scanning through my personal "blog notes" file where I scratch down ideas and thoughts for blogs, what I see are a lot of half-written entries scattered throughout the past few weeks. I have literally not had the opportunity to finish one single thought, before something else pops up and diverts my attention to the next thing.
As someone who really loves to take time to reflect on life as it happens, I do feel a little bit dissatisfied with the lack of opportunities to do that lately. Hopefully, I can still complete some of those entries and post a few of them here sometime soon, but for now, I'll let Taylor do some talking:
Never would have expected to get this from a country music song titled "Tim McGraw", but I really love some of these lyrics. Another perfect example of words capturing that certain unique feeling:
"September saw a month of tears
I'm thanking God that you weren't here
to see me like that
But in a box beneath my bed
is a letter that you never read
from three summers back
It's hard not to feel a little... bittersweet
but looking back on all of that
it's nice to believe
that when you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think my favorite song
the one we danced to all night long
the moon like a spotlight on the lake
when you think happiness
i hope you think that little black dress
think of my head on your chest
and my old faded blue jeans
when you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think of me"
Once again, it's hard to believe that another month flew by. The month of June was another whirlwind experience which in many ways, was one of the most awesome times of my lif. But on the down side, it's also been so busy that I've barely had any chance to sit down and unwind at all.
At this very moment, as I'm scanning through my personal "blog notes" file where I scratch down ideas and thoughts for blogs, what I see are a lot of half-written entries scattered throughout the past few weeks. I have literally not had the opportunity to finish one single thought, before something else pops up and diverts my attention to the next thing.
As someone who really loves to take time to reflect on life as it happens, I do feel a little bit dissatisfied with the lack of opportunities to do that lately. Hopefully, I can still complete some of those entries and post a few of them here sometime soon, but for now, I'll let Taylor do some talking:
Never would have expected to get this from a country music song titled "Tim McGraw", but I really love some of these lyrics. Another perfect example of words capturing that certain unique feeling:
"September saw a month of tears
I'm thanking God that you weren't here
to see me like that
But in a box beneath my bed
is a letter that you never read
from three summers back
It's hard not to feel a little... bittersweet
but looking back on all of that
it's nice to believe
that when you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think my favorite song
the one we danced to all night long
the moon like a spotlight on the lake
when you think happiness
i hope you think that little black dress
think of my head on your chest
and my old faded blue jeans
when you think Tim McGraw
I hope you think of me"
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Miami + Caribbean Cruise
As some of you know, I recently took a weeklong vacation in Miami and the Caribbean. And the bylaws of this blogspot clearly state that I have to write recaps anytime I go on long vacations, so here goes.
This was my first time to Miami, and we actually spent pretty much the entire time we were there in the South Beach area. As you might expect, South Beach is a very different experience than Chicago (or the Midwest in general, for that matter). Palm trees, sunny weather, hot girls, and flashy cars everywhere - it's somewhat of a shock to the system when you first get there of how "beautiful" everything is.
However, if I had to describe my impression of Miami in one word, it would be "superficial", and not really in a good way. As pretty as everything appears to be at first, I left the city feeling a bit empty and unsatisfied. For example - at first, it sounds great to have sunny weather and 80 degree temperatures every day, but for some reason it didn't really feel as comfortable as I would have expected. Maybe it's the humidity, or the lack of shade and breeze, but it seemed like the same description of "80's and sunny" was about 10x more pleasant when I went to San Diego, than in South Beach. I'm pretty sure "80's and sunny" in Chicago is nicer too, if we ever get there.
The one area that probably most effectively represents Miami in my mind, is Ocean Ave. As Anuj put it, walking down that street is like going to a exotic car show. All you see are Maseratis, Bentleys, Rolls, Ferraris, Lambos - to the point that BMWs and Mercedes almost seem ordinary in comparison. Now, I'm a car lover as much as any other guy, but even I felt a little sickened by seeing that parade of excess roll by.
I found it to be especially ironic to think that all of these expensive cars are built to be capable of top speeds in the hundreds of mph - yet at most given times on Ocean Ave., the average speed on the road is probably under 5 mph - slower than some of the pedestrians walking along the sidewalks. Obviously, the drivers of these cars aren't there to get from one place to another in the shortest time, but that in itself just seems to sum up the culture of South Beach right there. Lots of show, not much substance.
In fairness, I was only there for a couple days, so it's not enough to form a complete opinion of a place. Sorry if I offended any Miami lovers with my evaluation. On the plus side, I did enjoy the food in Miami a lot, and I was particularly impressed by the Lincoln Ave area. Overall, I would say it's a great place to vacation for a weekend, but I would never want to live there permanently. In that way, I think it's kind of like Vegas, except with more beaches and less gambling.
Right after the Miami leg of the trip was our 5 day cruise in the Caribbean. Something you don't see every day is 11 guys getting together on a boat to celebrate a bachelor party, but that's exactly what our group was up to. It seems like these days, everyone else does the Vegas thing for bachelor/bachelorette parties - but most of the guys in our group have already been to Vegas plenty of times, for other occasions. I definitely liked this idea of doing something different, and now that we're back, I can say that it was really a blast for everyone that came. I'd go so far as to call it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Lots of memories that will last for years (mostly positive ones, haha).
The unique thing about a cruise with your buddies, other than the fact that you're living on a boat, is that pretty much everything is only a short walk away. At times during this trip, it almost felt like being back in college for a week. I'd forgotten the convenience of having all of your friends living just down the hall in the other cabins, like we had in the dorms at U of I. And I really enjoyed being able to just walk around the ship and find the other guys scattered in random places - whether it was the buffet line, pool area, nightclub, or the most likely place, casino.
On a side note, it was also a reminder of how much we have come to depend on cell phones these days. I really wonder how people ever managed to find each other and meet up for things before we had cell phones? Especially speaking as the main planning lead for this trip, it was a logistical nightmare on some days just to round up all of the people so that we could get something done.
Anyways, I have to say, being on a cruise is one of the most "efficient" ways to vacation. As I mentioned before, everything is pretty much right there on the boat. You live in a room that gets cleaned twice a day by the staff, there's plenty of activities during the day (pools, waterslide, mini-golf, workout room, ping-pong tables, casino), shows to see at night, bars/clubs/lounges for late night, and most importantly, all the food you can eat. When they drop you off on the islands in the morning, all you need is ready to go at the dock. Beaches are always just a walk or quick bus/taxi ride away, shops and restaurants were usually not far either.
In other words, you never really have to think much about what to do on a cruise. We didn't spend much time (if any) planning on places to tour, fiddle around with maps or travel guides, worrying about transportation, converting foreign currency, finding restaurants, hotels, etc. Once you step onto the boat, it's basically 5 straight days of entertainment, escape, and relaxation.
However, the one main drawback of the cruise experience kind of goes hand-in-hand with that same advantage I just described. With everything planned and laid out for you, the whole trip does become a bit too tourist-y as a result. It's nice that they provide shopping on the docks, and offer pre-arranged "excursions" on the islands, but for me, that kind of takes out the excitement of traveling to new places.
When I go on vacations, of course I love beaches, the ocean, sunny weather, entertainment, all that good stuff. But a part of me definitely wants to also take the opportunity to actually dig in and immerse myself in the place I'm visiting. I love to observe the culture and lifestyle of a place and compare it to the other places I've been to. I enjoy the randomness of being in a new setting, and encountering things I didn't expect or plan on. I appreciate having quiet moments on my own, to unwind and reflect on my thoughts, while getting away from the routines of home.
Honestly, I didn't really get to experience much of that on this trip. We'd get dropped of at an island, and then do pretty much only "tourist" kind of stuff while we were there. The only contact we ever had with locals was when they were hosting or serving us as visitors. I never felt like I was anything other than an outsider, and never got to know and understand the subtleties and nuances of each place. Especially considering the fact that we were never at a given place for more than a few hours before moving on. And while it's nice to have all the amenities provided for you at the beach (towels, people bringing you drinks, chairs and cabanas), it also takes away from the feeling of escape and isolation that I like the most about being near the ocean. It's kind of hard to have a peaceful moment, when you are surrounded by hundreds of other people on the same beach and waitresses coming by to take your drink order ever few minutes.
Having said all of that, I hope it doesn't sound like I'm complaining or that I didn't love this trip. It was, after all, a bachelor party for Anuj, and for that purpose, I think it was about as much as anyone could've asked for. I had an awesome time and I think it was worth every bit of effort and money put into planning. If I were taking a vacation with a gf or wife, then of course I would want things to be much different - but this cruise was the perfect setting for 11 guys to party and celebrate together, and I would do it all over again the same way in a heartbeat.
In closing, I know I say this every time I get back from a trip with the boys, but I always value these opportunities more and more as we all get older. Life continues to change constantly, and over time it only gets harder to stay in touch with your friends. In a matter of a few months, some more of us will be moving away from Chicago, a couple of the guys will be getting married (no, not to each other), and people continue on with their lives in different directions. I can't say enough about just how much I appreciate getting to spend that week with the 10 other brothers on this trip. Pirates forever!
As some of you know, I recently took a weeklong vacation in Miami and the Caribbean. And the bylaws of this blogspot clearly state that I have to write recaps anytime I go on long vacations, so here goes.
This was my first time to Miami, and we actually spent pretty much the entire time we were there in the South Beach area. As you might expect, South Beach is a very different experience than Chicago (or the Midwest in general, for that matter). Palm trees, sunny weather, hot girls, and flashy cars everywhere - it's somewhat of a shock to the system when you first get there of how "beautiful" everything is.
However, if I had to describe my impression of Miami in one word, it would be "superficial", and not really in a good way. As pretty as everything appears to be at first, I left the city feeling a bit empty and unsatisfied. For example - at first, it sounds great to have sunny weather and 80 degree temperatures every day, but for some reason it didn't really feel as comfortable as I would have expected. Maybe it's the humidity, or the lack of shade and breeze, but it seemed like the same description of "80's and sunny" was about 10x more pleasant when I went to San Diego, than in South Beach. I'm pretty sure "80's and sunny" in Chicago is nicer too, if we ever get there.
The one area that probably most effectively represents Miami in my mind, is Ocean Ave. As Anuj put it, walking down that street is like going to a exotic car show. All you see are Maseratis, Bentleys, Rolls, Ferraris, Lambos - to the point that BMWs and Mercedes almost seem ordinary in comparison. Now, I'm a car lover as much as any other guy, but even I felt a little sickened by seeing that parade of excess roll by.
I found it to be especially ironic to think that all of these expensive cars are built to be capable of top speeds in the hundreds of mph - yet at most given times on Ocean Ave., the average speed on the road is probably under 5 mph - slower than some of the pedestrians walking along the sidewalks. Obviously, the drivers of these cars aren't there to get from one place to another in the shortest time, but that in itself just seems to sum up the culture of South Beach right there. Lots of show, not much substance.
In fairness, I was only there for a couple days, so it's not enough to form a complete opinion of a place. Sorry if I offended any Miami lovers with my evaluation. On the plus side, I did enjoy the food in Miami a lot, and I was particularly impressed by the Lincoln Ave area. Overall, I would say it's a great place to vacation for a weekend, but I would never want to live there permanently. In that way, I think it's kind of like Vegas, except with more beaches and less gambling.
Right after the Miami leg of the trip was our 5 day cruise in the Caribbean. Something you don't see every day is 11 guys getting together on a boat to celebrate a bachelor party, but that's exactly what our group was up to. It seems like these days, everyone else does the Vegas thing for bachelor/bachelorette parties - but most of the guys in our group have already been to Vegas plenty of times, for other occasions. I definitely liked this idea of doing something different, and now that we're back, I can say that it was really a blast for everyone that came. I'd go so far as to call it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Lots of memories that will last for years (mostly positive ones, haha).
The unique thing about a cruise with your buddies, other than the fact that you're living on a boat, is that pretty much everything is only a short walk away. At times during this trip, it almost felt like being back in college for a week. I'd forgotten the convenience of having all of your friends living just down the hall in the other cabins, like we had in the dorms at U of I. And I really enjoyed being able to just walk around the ship and find the other guys scattered in random places - whether it was the buffet line, pool area, nightclub, or the most likely place, casino.
On a side note, it was also a reminder of how much we have come to depend on cell phones these days. I really wonder how people ever managed to find each other and meet up for things before we had cell phones? Especially speaking as the main planning lead for this trip, it was a logistical nightmare on some days just to round up all of the people so that we could get something done.
Anyways, I have to say, being on a cruise is one of the most "efficient" ways to vacation. As I mentioned before, everything is pretty much right there on the boat. You live in a room that gets cleaned twice a day by the staff, there's plenty of activities during the day (pools, waterslide, mini-golf, workout room, ping-pong tables, casino), shows to see at night, bars/clubs/lounges for late night, and most importantly, all the food you can eat. When they drop you off on the islands in the morning, all you need is ready to go at the dock. Beaches are always just a walk or quick bus/taxi ride away, shops and restaurants were usually not far either.
In other words, you never really have to think much about what to do on a cruise. We didn't spend much time (if any) planning on places to tour, fiddle around with maps or travel guides, worrying about transportation, converting foreign currency, finding restaurants, hotels, etc. Once you step onto the boat, it's basically 5 straight days of entertainment, escape, and relaxation.
However, the one main drawback of the cruise experience kind of goes hand-in-hand with that same advantage I just described. With everything planned and laid out for you, the whole trip does become a bit too tourist-y as a result. It's nice that they provide shopping on the docks, and offer pre-arranged "excursions" on the islands, but for me, that kind of takes out the excitement of traveling to new places.
When I go on vacations, of course I love beaches, the ocean, sunny weather, entertainment, all that good stuff. But a part of me definitely wants to also take the opportunity to actually dig in and immerse myself in the place I'm visiting. I love to observe the culture and lifestyle of a place and compare it to the other places I've been to. I enjoy the randomness of being in a new setting, and encountering things I didn't expect or plan on. I appreciate having quiet moments on my own, to unwind and reflect on my thoughts, while getting away from the routines of home.
Honestly, I didn't really get to experience much of that on this trip. We'd get dropped of at an island, and then do pretty much only "tourist" kind of stuff while we were there. The only contact we ever had with locals was when they were hosting or serving us as visitors. I never felt like I was anything other than an outsider, and never got to know and understand the subtleties and nuances of each place. Especially considering the fact that we were never at a given place for more than a few hours before moving on. And while it's nice to have all the amenities provided for you at the beach (towels, people bringing you drinks, chairs and cabanas), it also takes away from the feeling of escape and isolation that I like the most about being near the ocean. It's kind of hard to have a peaceful moment, when you are surrounded by hundreds of other people on the same beach and waitresses coming by to take your drink order ever few minutes.
Having said all of that, I hope it doesn't sound like I'm complaining or that I didn't love this trip. It was, after all, a bachelor party for Anuj, and for that purpose, I think it was about as much as anyone could've asked for. I had an awesome time and I think it was worth every bit of effort and money put into planning. If I were taking a vacation with a gf or wife, then of course I would want things to be much different - but this cruise was the perfect setting for 11 guys to party and celebrate together, and I would do it all over again the same way in a heartbeat.
In closing, I know I say this every time I get back from a trip with the boys, but I always value these opportunities more and more as we all get older. Life continues to change constantly, and over time it only gets harder to stay in touch with your friends. In a matter of a few months, some more of us will be moving away from Chicago, a couple of the guys will be getting married (no, not to each other), and people continue on with their lives in different directions. I can't say enough about just how much I appreciate getting to spend that week with the 10 other brothers on this trip. Pirates forever!
Saturday, May 03, 2008
Mother May I
Can't believe it's May already. April completely flew by, but it was really an excellent month in more ways than one. I don't have time to cover all my thoughts here at the moment, but figured I'd still leave some thoughts and notes for the record.
- Leona Lewis - "Spirit" is a phenomenal album. She's got an exceptional voice and great songwriters behind the scenes. It's been a while since anyone on the pop scene has shown this much potential. I'm excited for Leona's prospects in the coming years.
- We strung it out longer than expected, but Sally's finally about to move out in a matter of days. For most of the past month, it has just been me and Sallzz at the townhouse, and I have definitely enjoyed these final weeks with the little bastard child. It's been a joy to watch her continue to grow and learn how to behave (even if she still needs a lot of PB time to keep her in check). I'm not sure what it will be like at the moment I have to say goodbye. I'm sure it will be sad, but knowing that she's going to a permanent home with good parents makes it more bearable in the end. I imagine it will be kind of like a father watching his daughter go off to college, or something like that.
- Attended my first Sox game of the year, a very wet affair against the Yankees. Despite the 2 rain delays, it was one of the best Sox experiences I've ever had. The game went back and forth before a Joe Crede single drove home the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. With a fair amount of NY fans in attendance, it was definitely the most exciting non-playoff game atmosphere I have seen in a long time. When it wasn't raining, the weather was actually really nice. And even during the delays, it just meant more opportunities to gorge on the food... haha.
- People say that gray hairs are caused by stress, and I always figured that it was just one of those things people say, but have no real basis. Lately though, I'm starting to believe it more than I did before. I found my first gray hair during one of the most stressful times of my life, and continued to find them occasionally over the years following that, which were also times when I wasn't in the happiest place. But since then, I realized that I haven't noticed any more gray hairs popping up in a while. When I stop to think about it, my stress level is actually pretty low right now and I'm probably the healthiest and happiest I have been in years. I'm eating fairly well, cutting down on drinking, working out/running semi-regularly, and getting good sleep. Granted, this is a very small sample size and far from a scientific observation, but I thought I'd mention it anyways.
Can't believe it's May already. April completely flew by, but it was really an excellent month in more ways than one. I don't have time to cover all my thoughts here at the moment, but figured I'd still leave some thoughts and notes for the record.
- Leona Lewis - "Spirit" is a phenomenal album. She's got an exceptional voice and great songwriters behind the scenes. It's been a while since anyone on the pop scene has shown this much potential. I'm excited for Leona's prospects in the coming years.
- We strung it out longer than expected, but Sally's finally about to move out in a matter of days. For most of the past month, it has just been me and Sallzz at the townhouse, and I have definitely enjoyed these final weeks with the little bastard child. It's been a joy to watch her continue to grow and learn how to behave (even if she still needs a lot of PB time to keep her in check). I'm not sure what it will be like at the moment I have to say goodbye. I'm sure it will be sad, but knowing that she's going to a permanent home with good parents makes it more bearable in the end. I imagine it will be kind of like a father watching his daughter go off to college, or something like that.
- Attended my first Sox game of the year, a very wet affair against the Yankees. Despite the 2 rain delays, it was one of the best Sox experiences I've ever had. The game went back and forth before a Joe Crede single drove home the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. With a fair amount of NY fans in attendance, it was definitely the most exciting non-playoff game atmosphere I have seen in a long time. When it wasn't raining, the weather was actually really nice. And even during the delays, it just meant more opportunities to gorge on the food... haha.
- People say that gray hairs are caused by stress, and I always figured that it was just one of those things people say, but have no real basis. Lately though, I'm starting to believe it more than I did before. I found my first gray hair during one of the most stressful times of my life, and continued to find them occasionally over the years following that, which were also times when I wasn't in the happiest place. But since then, I realized that I haven't noticed any more gray hairs popping up in a while. When I stop to think about it, my stress level is actually pretty low right now and I'm probably the healthiest and happiest I have been in years. I'm eating fairly well, cutting down on drinking, working out/running semi-regularly, and getting good sleep. Granted, this is a very small sample size and far from a scientific observation, but I thought I'd mention it anyways.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Current Playlist
Haven't posted one of these in a while, so I thought I'd share some of the favorite songs on my top 10 most played songs of the moment:
Miley Cyrus - See You Again
"The next time we hang out, I will redeem myself..."
Sure it's a catchy song, but I think it's stayed on my playlist for this long because she says "I will redeem myself". I have no idea why that line cracks me up so much, but it does. I think it just reminds me of something me and the guys would say to each other while playing sports or video games or whatever.
Good Charlotte - Dance Floor Anthem
"Everybody put up your hands, say 'I don't wanna be in love, I don't wanna be in love'..."
No, I'm not gonna become a hardcore emo-rocker, but I have to admit some of their music is surprisingly well done. Quality song.
The All-American Rejects - It Ends Tonight
"When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight, it ends tonight..."
Some songs just have a strange way of capturing the feel of a moment in your life so perfectly. I can't speak for exactly what the band was thinking about when they wrote the words to this song, but I think they might as well have been listening in on one phone call I had in particular, not all that long ago.
Casting Crowns - Who Am I
"Whom shall I fear, whom shall I fear? I am Yours..."
The lyrics seem a little cheesy at first, but in my mind they sums up so well what it means to be a child of God. Recognizing how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of the universe, but at the same time realizing how much we are still loved and cared for in spite of our imperfections, is such an amazing feeling.
Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar
"He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar, the only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star..."
First Carrie Underwood, now Taylor Swift. Am I turning into a not-so-secret fan of country music? Hmmm... maybe I just love them country gals. Now that you mention it, I did like Shania and Faith Hill too. I must admit that I've always had a thing for girls with Southern accents.
One Republic - Apologize
"I loved you with the fire red, now it's turning blue..."
While I don't agree with the lyrics (I'd like to believe that it's never too late to apologize), this is still one of my favorite songs of the past year. It's another one that's managed to stay on my playlist a lot longer than most songs do. The music carries such a uniquely creepy tone, and I think one day we'll all look back at it as one of the defining songs of 2007-2008. I especially liked how it was used in one of the key moments of an episode of Gossip Girl. Haha - only half joking.
Commodores - Easy
"That's why I'm easy... I'm easy like Sunday morning..."
Had to include some old-school stuff. This song is a perfect example of the phrase, "oldie but goodie". I absolutely love this one.
Britney Spears - Break The Ice
"You got my body spinning like a hurricane..."
A completely mindless song with no meaning whatsoever, that I had trouble even coming up with a favorite line from it. Still, it was my favorite track even last year when I first got the CD. I thought I had listened to it to death at the time, but it's weird how when they start playing it on the radio as a single, it breathes new life and gets you back into the song again.
Flyleaf - I'm So Sick
"So you'll SHUT UP!! And stay sleeping... With my screaming in your itching ears..."
If you ever wondered what a female vocals version of Linkin Park would sound like, wonder no more. Special credit goes to Rock Band for bringing this group to the "mainstream".
Flo Rida & Timbaland - Elevator
"She got a nail kit, she got a hair kit, she got a Gucci bag, brand new outfit..."
One of those beats that gets stuck in my head during the day at work and helps me pretend like I work at a dance club. Only problem is, I can't tell if I'm actually bumping to this song or "4 Minutes To Save The World" by Madonna/Justin Timberlake. I think Timbaland decided his beats were so good, that he could make more than one song out of the same beat and release them at around the same time. At least it's a catchy beat though.
Haven't posted one of these in a while, so I thought I'd share some of the favorite songs on my top 10 most played songs of the moment:
Miley Cyrus - See You Again
"The next time we hang out, I will redeem myself..."
Sure it's a catchy song, but I think it's stayed on my playlist for this long because she says "I will redeem myself". I have no idea why that line cracks me up so much, but it does. I think it just reminds me of something me and the guys would say to each other while playing sports or video games or whatever.
Good Charlotte - Dance Floor Anthem
"Everybody put up your hands, say 'I don't wanna be in love, I don't wanna be in love'..."
No, I'm not gonna become a hardcore emo-rocker, but I have to admit some of their music is surprisingly well done. Quality song.
The All-American Rejects - It Ends Tonight
"When darkness turns to light, it ends tonight, it ends tonight..."
Some songs just have a strange way of capturing the feel of a moment in your life so perfectly. I can't speak for exactly what the band was thinking about when they wrote the words to this song, but I think they might as well have been listening in on one phone call I had in particular, not all that long ago.
Casting Crowns - Who Am I
"Whom shall I fear, whom shall I fear? I am Yours..."
The lyrics seem a little cheesy at first, but in my mind they sums up so well what it means to be a child of God. Recognizing how insignificant we are in the grand scheme of the universe, but at the same time realizing how much we are still loved and cared for in spite of our imperfections, is such an amazing feeling.
Taylor Swift - Teardrops On My Guitar
"He's the reason for the teardrops on my guitar, the only thing that keeps me wishing on a wishing star..."
First Carrie Underwood, now Taylor Swift. Am I turning into a not-so-secret fan of country music? Hmmm... maybe I just love them country gals. Now that you mention it, I did like Shania and Faith Hill too. I must admit that I've always had a thing for girls with Southern accents.
One Republic - Apologize
"I loved you with the fire red, now it's turning blue..."
While I don't agree with the lyrics (I'd like to believe that it's never too late to apologize), this is still one of my favorite songs of the past year. It's another one that's managed to stay on my playlist a lot longer than most songs do. The music carries such a uniquely creepy tone, and I think one day we'll all look back at it as one of the defining songs of 2007-2008. I especially liked how it was used in one of the key moments of an episode of Gossip Girl. Haha - only half joking.
Commodores - Easy
"That's why I'm easy... I'm easy like Sunday morning..."
Had to include some old-school stuff. This song is a perfect example of the phrase, "oldie but goodie". I absolutely love this one.
Britney Spears - Break The Ice
"You got my body spinning like a hurricane..."
A completely mindless song with no meaning whatsoever, that I had trouble even coming up with a favorite line from it. Still, it was my favorite track even last year when I first got the CD. I thought I had listened to it to death at the time, but it's weird how when they start playing it on the radio as a single, it breathes new life and gets you back into the song again.
Flyleaf - I'm So Sick
"So you'll SHUT UP!! And stay sleeping... With my screaming in your itching ears..."
If you ever wondered what a female vocals version of Linkin Park would sound like, wonder no more. Special credit goes to Rock Band for bringing this group to the "mainstream".
Flo Rida & Timbaland - Elevator
"She got a nail kit, she got a hair kit, she got a Gucci bag, brand new outfit..."
One of those beats that gets stuck in my head during the day at work and helps me pretend like I work at a dance club. Only problem is, I can't tell if I'm actually bumping to this song or "4 Minutes To Save The World" by Madonna/Justin Timberlake. I think Timbaland decided his beats were so good, that he could make more than one song out of the same beat and release them at around the same time. At least it's a catchy beat though.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)