Category: Music

Last Five

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Songs I downloaded from iTunes.

1. Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars. This one is hard to resist. Who doesn’t want and need some uptown funk in their lives? I heard it on the radio when I was waking up one morning and I knew I had to have it. This is going on the cooking music playlist for sure. Best lyric: “I’m too hot, I make a dragon want to retire.”

2. We All Want the Same Thing by Rixton. This was a Pandora find. It came up the other day and I thought it was catchy. These guys have had one medium radio hit recently, but I don’t know if this is reaching the Top 40 at this point.

3. Cross my Heart by Marianas Trench. Another Pandora find. I downloaded three songs by Marianas Trench this summer and I’m still listening to them constantly. Their sound is very similar to Fall Out Boy, and I love Fall Out Boy, so it all makes sense. It’s a great gym song.

4. Never Had a Dream Come True by S Club 7. I heard it randomly, and I needed it immediately. S Club 7 is good stuff from the middle school era of my life.

5. Hark the Herald Angels Sing by Pentatonix. My first Christmas song of the season! This version is an interesting combination of traditional, a cappella, and gospel. Their whole Christmas album is pretty solid, but I didn’t go crazy, because my Christmas repertoire is already pretty full of the songs they selected. I can’t make a mix with my five favorite versions of “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” I wish they put out a few more songs.

pentatonix-christmas-album

PS- I’m seriously considering downloading Dangerous by David Guetta featuring Sam Martin, because I’ve heard it on the radio about 20 times in the last couple days and I like it (the video takes about 4 minutes for the actual song to start).

Third Time’s the Charm

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Last weekend I ran the Richmond half marathon, which was my third half marathon ever. It was a lot of fun! I got to spend some time with great friends, and had a great run! Turns out I just keep getting faster! My first half marathon was the 2012 Richmond half and I finished in 2:04. Then in February of 2013 I finished the Colonial half marathon in Williamsburg, VA in 2:02. Last weekend my goal was to break the 2 hour barrier, but my expectations were low because I really only ran once, maybe twice a week this fall. I did a lot of cross training, but I didn’t think it was enough to improve my time.

My brother and I posing with the Governor pre race!
My brother and me posing with the Governor pre race!

On Saturday it only took me 1 hour and 57 minutes to run 13.1 miles! I was so excited!

I had a terrible night’s sleep the night before, and I wasn’t feeling particularly well. But I took a few tylenol and suited up with the expectation to try my best. Once I started running I actually felt great! I was running pretty fast (for me) and I just kept pushing because it felt good. Here’s how the race played out in terms of splits and some of the songs I remember that came up on my shuffle.

1: 9:20- Weaving through the crowd at the start. Lips are Movin by Meghan Trainor- I got this at the beginning and towards the last couple miles.

2: 9:01- Found my pace. Irreplaceable by Beyonce- This was a short uphill. Beyonce=motivation.

3: 8:58- Gold Digger by Kanye West feat. Jamie Foxx- This one got me through mile 3, and reminded me of senior year of college!

4: 8:55- So Emotional (David Morales mix) by Whitney Houston kept me moving.

5: 8:57- Call Me Maybe by Carly Rae Jepson came on- It’s a classic.

6: 9:06- I think this was a little uphill. Stutter by Marianas Trench got me through.

7: 8:56- I’m surprised my splits were that consistent for 6 miles straight. If I Could Change Your Mind by HAIM.

8: 9:14- This is a rough mile (for me at least) because you’ve run 8 and you still have 5 more. You need to refresh that motivation! Rich Girls by Down With Webster definitely made me laugh on the inside at this point.

9: 8:50 This was when I really decided I could push it and make sure the tank was completely empty at 13. Amazing by Kanye West feat. Young Jeezy came on, I think I listened to this 3 times in a row in mile 9.

10: 8:37- Killing it. Shake it Off by Taylor Swift- Obvi.

11: 8:36- Killing it. Bailando by Enrique Iglesias feat. Sean Paul, Descemer Bueno & Gente de Zona, because Enrique is the pinnacle of inspiration.

12: 8:42- Killing it. Dancing On My Own by Robyn, because Robyn is awesome running music.

13: 8:23- full disclosure: the last half mile of the race is downhill. I have no idea what songs finished the race for me. I was just so happy to be finishing!

This unflattering look says I'm freezing, tired, and ready to take a shower asap.
This unflattering look says I’m freezing, tired, and ready to take a shower asap. My brother is just happy he’s still in one piece. My dad is clearly elated with our accomplishment.

The Divine Miss M.

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I asked my grandmother about six months ago: if you could be any movie star, who would you want to be?

Guess who she said: Bette Midler.

So I guess this is hereditary.

When I was in middle school and my family got our first CD player (am I dating myself?), we used to check CDs out from the public library. My favorite CD to checkout from the library was Experience the Divine- Greatest Hits. I will never get enough of that album.

When I heard that Bette Midler put out a new CD, It’s the Girls, covering some of the greatest girl group songs of all time, I felt like the stars had aligned. I could write a review on the album without even listening to it. There is no way I would not like this album.

Bette

She covers a couple Carole King songs, the Ronettes, the Supremes, TLC, and so many other classics. I love a good cover of “Will You Love Me Tomorrow” and she does a great one.

This could not come at a better time. I am definitely in the market for cooking music for Thanksgiving.

Bingo!

And guess what. Nana will be there too!