Birthday Shuffle Year V - Day 21 - Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)

I have a bunch of Kelly Clarkson music on my iPod, so it's interesting that after five years of doing this shuffle, this is the first time that one of her songs comes up... and, one of her newer songs to boot.

I've loved her music since that first season of "American Idol."  I remember her as the contestant that could sing anything!  No matter what was thrown at her, she could sing it...

And through it all, she was so humble and down to earth.  And still seems to be...

As for today's shuffle pick, like most people, I first heard this song on the Toyota Camry commercial.

I was immediately attracted to the beat and to the lyrics.  It's now one of my favorite cycling songs because just as I am feeling as though a hill is about to beat me this song comes on, and I feel like I can power through and go up and over.  And that holds true to anything else that life might throw at me... With inspirational music like this, you just keep going on and on.

Birthday Shuffle Year V - Day 20 - Our Song

All through out relationship, my DH and I have had a variety of "our songs." I've written about this before in another post, and the post has links to all the videos.

Initially, it was "My Heart Will Go On" from Titanic since we had established a long distance relationship while I was in medical school in Wisconsin and he was in Atlanta.

We had some difficulties, as any couple does, during the early part of our relationship.  When we finally sorted through those hard times, and he gave me a promise ring as I entered my internship year, our song became "Con Los Anos Que Me Quedan" which talks about basically spending the rest of your life making up for the difficulties which were caused by immaturity or pride.  This was our first dance at our wedding to this song.

Since our wedding, I can't say that we really have a song now.  Or, at least, not one that we identify with.  So, I like Taylor Swift's "Our Song" because it talks about finding your song in the daily things that happen.  And, it's those little things that continue to build the relationship.  "...'fore I said "Amen" asking God if He could play it again."

Birthday Shuffle Year V - Day 19 - It Takes Two

What can I say...? It's just a fun song, with a great beat, easy to dance to, which I did in 1988 when this song came out. Just more college memories...!

Birthday Shuffle Year V - Day 18 - Be Not Afraid

I've been riding my bike for several months now.  I generally try to ride every other day, and I always listen to music while I am riding.  On Sundays when I ride, I have a playlist of religious music that I listen to.  I'm Catholic, and I have to admit to lapses when it comes to going to Mass every Sunday, but when I ride on Sundays, I do take the time to meditate on God and my faith.

This is one of the songs in my playlist.  I've said before that I used to play in the church choir.  During that time, I played a lot of music and had a lot of favorites.  This is one of them.

It's a song that gave me a lot of comfort during my high school and into college years.  And, when I started to collect music on my iPod, I actually sought out and found some of those songs that used to make me feel good about and encouraged my faith in God.  This is one of them... enjoy!

Birthday Shuffle Year V - Day 17 - Sweet Caroline

I LOVE Neil Diamond...

His music has been a part of my life since high school.

I have a lot of his music on my iPod,

and today this song came up...

This year, I was lucky enough to go see him in concert,

and it was AWESOME!

We had great seats, center floor about row 10...

and, I drove my husband crazy singing along with most of the songs..

but then, so was most of the crowd around us

and I didn't feel bad at all about it...

Especially when he played "Sweet Caroline"...

I'd share the video I shot during the song, but there's a lot of

me singing "bham bham bham"

and 

"so good! so good!  SO GOOD!"

If you don't know what I'm talking about, then you need to watch this video

which was shot at Fenway Park in Boston after the marathon bombing.

They play this song at every game (I went to one while I lived in Boston),

and it's always great to have the crowd singing together...

Enjoy!  Sing Along!

Birthday Shuffle Year V - Day 16 - Hot N Cold

Who hasn't been in this situation in a relationship?  I remember several relationships in college that went along like this... then I met my DH.  And, we did have some early struggles, but then everything settled out.


I think my favorite line of the song is "Someone, call the doctor, got a case of the love bipolar."
So glad to not be in this situation any more.... but I do enjoy the song...!

Birthday Shuffle Year V - Day 15 - Low

Another one of those dance-until-my-feet-fall-off songs. I loved the beat from the first time I heard it, and then I heard the lyrics. Just a fun dance song all around. I then saw it in the movie "Step Up 2 the Streets" and I think that made me like it even more...

   

 I wrote about it in another post about dancing it out.  And, that's what it's really all about... taking the time to work off a little stress, have a little fun, and just recharge your batteries so you can get set to get the job done. That's why it's on my dance list favorites and on my cycling audio list. 

 And, why it should be on yours too...!