This Sunday is the long awaited St. Pete. Rock ‘N Roll Half Marathon. I’m not expecting any great PR (personal record) or PB (personal best) because I haven’t trained as hard as I would have liked. I’m just going to get out there and run.
As long as I finish around 2:15 (my last half marathon time) and before 10:00 a.m. to see Flo Rida perform at the finish line, then I’ll be happy. I’ll get a good feeling. Yeah.
If I don’t make it to the finish line in time, then I’ll be sure to crash the after race party.
Ever watch Ancient Aliens on the History? I’m a bit obsessed with the show. On New Year’s Eve, the History channel aired an Ancient Aliens marathon and I was glued to the TV.
For the most part, it’s complete science fiction, but there are some interesting theories about ancient civilizations and their possible connection to extraterrestrial beings based on stone carvings, cave paintings and other artifacts. The Mayans are mentioned in nearly every episode.
I suppose the powers that be at the History channel felt airing a back-to-back episodes of Ancient Aliens seemed appropriate since 2012 is predicted to be the end of the world. After all, the Mayan calendar stops on December 21, 2012, which means the end of days, of course.
Should we take cues from a civilization that is completely extinct or should we not even give a second thought?
I liked Ricky Gervais’s view on it all.
In the meantime, I’m just going to keep on running and enjoy each day as a gift and not worry about ice caps melting, Armageddon or aliens collecting people.
I am blessed with three beautiful, brilliant children, who constantly make my smile.
I love the little people they are growing up to be, but the true blessing is that I get to watch it happening before my eyes.
Every day, they amaze me.
And every day, they give me another reason to celebrate whether it’s making honor roll…
or a little man who picks up after himself.
I am so thankful for the laughter and joy they bring, the tears I get to kiss away and the cuddles that my children continuously give me.
I am so truly thankful for each one of them in my life.
Last week, I let my blogging buddies down when I didn’t share an 80s tune, per my request to Xmas Dolly. Although I missed the memo, everyone else played along with 80s tunes for Music Monday. To redeem myself of my epic blogging fail, I shared an 80s tune today while giving thanks. All better! We’re good now, right?
For the next four Music Mondays, I’ll be counting my blessings through song. Each week in November, I will be singing my praises and giving thanks by sharing a song that symbolizes one of the many blessings in my life. Come count your blessings with me and link up while you’re here. What a blessing that would be!
The meteorologist lied. She said that Hurricane Irene would pull of the moisture out of our atmosphere in our area as the hurricane traveled along the eastern coast. We had 2 days with little to no humidity, but on Saturday morning the air was so saturated it felt like I was running in a sauna.
The heat is so unbearable right now, I’m afraid I may spontaneously combust during my long runs.
Every time this Kings of Leon song plays on the radio, my husband loves to share an interesting lesser know fact about it. Well, since I’ve heard his trivia countless times, it’s not so lesser know to me.
The lyrics to Kings on Leon’s Sex on Fire is really this “set is on fire”. As the story goes, a producer walked into the studio and heard the song as the band played. The producer commented about the lyrics he heard, “sex on fire”. The band thought his twist to the lyrics were funny and it stuck.
Speaking of twists and other dance moves, this week I’ve been selected as a spotlight dancer for Monday’s Music Moves Me by Xmas Dolly and the gang. Yay!
And while I’m sharing randomness (And it’s not even Tuesday!), next Monday is Run DMT’s Music Monday one year anniversary. I would LOVE for you all to celebrate the occasion with me by linking up and sharing your favorite party song. After all, we have to keep the party going strong for another year because Music Monday sets me on fire is like sex on fire.
A few days ago, my girls and I were talking about school starting up again. We got to talking about their teachers which led to me sharing stories about teaching days.
I told my girls how I would sing to my students my own version of Smash Mouth’s All Star when they made their reading goals associated with our computer-based Accelerated Reading program. I explained that the words to my revised version of the song hung on a wall in my classroom and every Friday, we celebrated the students who made their weekly reading goal by singing the song and had a small party. And then, I busted out the tune to my girls:
Hey now!
You’re an A.R. star
Get a book and go read.
Hey now!
You’re an A.R. star.
Get the points that you need.
All that reading is bold.
Strengthens your mind.
Make that goal.
“You sang that to your students?” Allana asked with a sneer. “What grade did you teach?”
“I taught third graders,” I replied.
“Oh my God. They must’ve have thought you were such a dork.”
“My students LOVED me! And you would have thought I was cool too if I was your teacher instead of your mom. So there!”
Boy, kids are tough these days. Glad I’m not going back into the classroom again this year!
So with my girls returning to school today and ready to worship their cool doughnut-giving teachers while continuing to poke fun at their dorky, very uncool only-feeds-us-healthy-stuff former teacher mom, I thought this song only seemed fitting.
Emmalynn began taking ballet last fall, but we took a break during the holidays. Once we recovered from the holidays, we resumed classes at a new studio, but missed registration for the recital. Even though she wouldn’t perform in the recital, she still learned the steps for her class’s number.
One evening, Emmalynn asked me, “Mommy, do you know the Airplane song that goes I could use a wish right now. Wish right now. Wish right now?” Then, she began spinning and flying around the room demonstrating what she claimed to be her recital routine. Her interpretative dance included several spins, a landing and chopping some vegetables for a soup she prepared in her home. I thought this seemed like a very bizarre ballet performance, but so be it.
Later, I learned that her class was not dancing to Airplanes, but rather Fly Me to the Moon. That’s my Emma, my free spirit. She dances to the beat of a different drum.
“If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away.”- Henry David Thoreau
And speaking of airplanes, Little Lion Man loves to feed himself. Typically he’s double-fisted with a spoon in each hand, but he’ll drop those boring ol’ baby spoons for his big boy airplane spoon. Vroom!
It’s Xmas Dolly’s birthday this week and she requested Monday’s Music Moves Me participants to select a song just for her. Of course, y’all know I love my Broadway tunes, so I couldn’t resist sharing this song just for Xmas Dolly.
But perhaps Hello Dolly seems a bit silly because not everyone likes show tunes. So how about a song that is a bit more upbeat and contemporary?
After all, Xmas Dolly’s birthday falls on the same weekend as the two 5K races I just finished and finished strong. When it comes to my running, I’m on the right track, baby. My times just keep getting better and better and it makes me want to dance. In fact, I think I will do the Gaga dance across the finish line at my next race.
So, let’s celebrate who we are because we were Born This Way!
The names for the NYC Marathon have been drawn and I wasn’t one of them, but it’s all good. Es no problemo.
Now that the selection process is over, I can redirect my attention onto the other races I have coming up like the Crazy Sombrero 5K this Friday.
To get into a Cinco de Mayo mood and into the Crazy Sombrero spirit, I’ve been downloading some Mexican dance music. Hey, whatever it takes to be a Speedy Gonzales for this race. ¡Ándale! ¡Ándale! ¡Arriba! ¡Arriba!
This Wednesday, names will be drawn for the New York City Marathon lottery. Running in the NYC Marathon this November would be a dream come true for me and I know it would make my NYC native parents proud to see me running through their home turf.
I’ve got my fingers, toes and running shoelaces crossed hoping to be picked. This obsession with the NYC Marathon has caused me to preform spontaneous and random interpretive dance moves during my runs to a number from A Chorus Line.
God, I hope it get it.
I hope I get it.
How many people does NYC need?
God, I hope I get it.
I hope I get it.
How many boys, how many girls?
How many boys, how many…?
Look at all the people!
At all the people.
How many people does NYC need?
How many boys, how many girls?
How many people does he…?
I really need this jog.
Please God, I need this jog. I’ve got to get this JOG!
On Wednesday, I’ll be watching the lottery live at noon. Until then, excuse me if I seem a little distracted this week. I can’t help it.
Our good friends Julie and Jason decided to move back to Tennessee and we all went to the World of Beer to say our farewells over a few pints.
You would expect a farewell fanfare to bring on many tears, but quite the opposite was true. We laughed more than ever. Our faces hurt from all the laughing and smiling and it was a great way to say goodbye to some fabulous friends. The five years in Florida definitely ended on a high note.
But the celebrating and the beer flowing doesn’t end just yet, thanks to St. Patrick’s Day. I am looking forward to another fun night with my friends this week. And if my liver allows me, I’ll drink a whiskey drink. I’ll drink a vodka drink. I’ll drink a lager drink. I’ll drink a cider drink.
And then, I’ll erin go barf.
So, here’s to great friends, getting into the St. Patrick’s spirit and preparing our livers for all the festivities!
Cheers to being Irish for a day!
Who’s ready to get your drink on for St. Patrick’s Day?
The names for the NYC Marathon have been drawn and I wasn’t one of them, but it’s all good. Es no problemo.
