[DAY 9] 30-Day Song Challenge (and buttstuff)

I’m feeling good today, great considering the circumstances. I have to leave in two hours to head on in for a colonoscopy and endoscopy. The prep this time was so much easier than the first time I went through this. I guess it’s been about seven years now. Geez. A lot has changed in my life between 35 and 42 (the meaning of life, the universe, and everything). Excepting the need for probing. I’m guessing that will never change.

I may go further into some things that have been going on at a later date, but for now, I will say this. If you have colonoscopy prep in your near future, I have some unsolicited advice for you: For the 2-3 days leading up to the prep day, alter your diet to things such as protein shakes, fruits, and soft foods such as mashed potatoes. No beverages aside from water and clear liquids. No fast food. No junk food. No fried/fatty stuff. (Believe me, I fully comprehend what a tall order that is.) Do all of that prior to your prep day, and things may just go much better for you as they have for me. The first time I went through this, my diet was abominable. I can imagine I was full of fast food and soda and sweets prior to the prep day. And when I say that day was a nightmare I’ve been dreading reliving, it’s a massive understatement. This is obviously never going to be a pleasant experience, but it is certainly possible to lessen the extreme pain and discomfort of it. This time around, I’ve had no pain aside from temporary bloating because of the requisite consumption of excess fluids. But that passes quickly if you’ve prepared your body in advance. So clear the runway, and things will fly more smoothly. (You’re welcome for that awful visual comparison.)

Now, let’s get to some music, shall we?

Day 9: A Song That Makes You Happy

Today’s theme is a pleasant one, as is the epic sleep I’m sure to have post-anesthesia this evening. Seriously looking forward to that! So! A song that makes you happy. Let’s infuse some cheer and optimism in this bitch!

This one is difficult. Not because I can’t think of one, but because there are so. fucking. many. I mean this first one is a no-brainer. It’s the damn name of the song, and if it doesn’t at least brighten your mood to some teeny tiny degree, you probably need to be on stronger meds than I am. Not that you have to like it, mind you. But it’s so damn … happy.

Another happy song with a similar vibe:

Up next, because we all need Prince in our lives:

For a completely different sound and musical vibe but similar impact, the (almost) always happy-making Bill Withers:

I’m gonna end today’s Happy theme with Lizzo, because damn if that strong woman doesn’t make me happy. And I’m feelin’ good as hell.

What songs spark your happy?

[DAY 8] 30-Day Song Challenge

Day 8: A Song about Drugs or Alcohol

Today’s theme is drugs or alcohol. The first thing that pops to mind for me is Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb”. Seems an obvious choice, at least in my musical lexicon. Pink Floyd can be difficult for me to listen to, because they can remind me of my father. A terrible specimen of a person, he was. But I’ve been trying to “reclaim” them, as it were, because I love Floyd. Their music can speak to a lot of different things a person can (and does) go through. Besides, that person I referenced above was mostly into albums of theirs that aren’t my favorites (i.e. Ummagumma and Animals). Are they not favorites because of how I know them? Or because of my own personal tastes? I suppose I’ll never know the answer to that. But I do claim this song as my own personal choice for today’s theme.

What song(s) make you want (or not want) to partake in illicit substances?

On a completely unrelated note (although, I wish I were comfortably numb just about now), I am undergoing a colonoscopy and endoscopy tomorrow. That makes today the delightful prep day and tomorrow procedure day. I’ve written about my experiences with this in the past and do still encourage you all to tend to your health needs. The point of bringing this up now is there is a chance I’ll not be able to post tomorrow because of it. But that won’t signify my vanishing from the blogosphere. At least not yet.

Now, send tunes, because tomorrow I will be under anesthesia. Which is drugs. So give me drugs music. Today’s theme demands it.

[DAY 7] 30-Day Song Challenge

Day 7: A Song To Drive To

Holy shit, I have tons of songs on my road trippin’ play list. But this first one, I always. Always. Begin every road trip with this song. It’s been the first song on every road trip playlist for years. For my upcoming road trip next month, for the first time in twenty-some years, I’m considering changing that. But for now, that first road-trip song is “Road Trippin'” by RHCP. Now, I realize this is the second RHCP song I’ve used in seven days of a thirty day challenge. But, hear me (them) out:

There are so many great songs to drive to, road trip or not. What are yours?

[DAY 3] 30-Day Song Challenge

Day 3: A song that reminds you of summertime

There are a lot of obvious choices for today’s theme. There’s “Summertime” by Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong. Then there’s the other “Summertime” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. There’s “Boys of Summer” by Don Henley, and “Summer of ’69” by Bryan Adams. “Hot Fun in the Summertime” by Sly & The Family Stone or “Summer in the City” by The Lovin’ Spoonful, anyone? Or “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper? Seriously, the list of “summer” themed songs are seemingly endless.

Clearly, there are oodles to choose from, and I didn’t have an easy time of it on this one. It honestly feels impossible to the point where I’m just gonna choose one (the choice of which I am sure to lament later, and think of something I should have selected in its stead). I was gonna go with Beastie Boys’ “Fight for Your Right”, because that reminds me of summer for some reason. But “(Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay”, by Otis Redding wins the day. This feels like my kind of summer.

Enjoy.

[DAY 2] 30-Day Song Challenge

Welcome to day two of my gimmicky posts, a/k/a Day 2 of a 30-day song challenge ripped straight from google images. I have a hell of a day ahead of me, so let’s get right to it.

Day 2: A song you like with a number in the title

Today’s theme was a bit more difficult for me to narrow down into one selection. But I ultimately decided on Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds”. It’s just what the doctor ordered to set an intentionally positive tone for my day. And hopefully for yours as well. Enjoy, “because every little thing is gonna be alright”.

So I Skipped Another Day (AKA 5-Day Song Challenge: Day 4)

Yesterday was insanity at work. Mostly good insanity. I love when I get to not do my job and do something completely different. (Not even sarcasm.) I interviewed several people for a management program we’re kicking off in about two weeks, and then the dreaded meetings (which I actually like when the people are normal, productive and cool).

So yeah, no posty. And now today, some fucked-up I hope it’s not a medical emergency shit going on with me. But I’m posting anyway, because damnit I’m trying to be here.

And since I’m in a fuck society punk rock place at the moment, I’ll share some with you.

The Song:

Smallpox Champion – Fugazi

A nice, solid, damn-the-man punk rock song.

The Lyrics:

Smallpox Champion of the U S of A
Give natives some blankets warm like the grave
This is the pattern cut from the cloth
This is the pattern designed to take you right out

This is the frontier with winter’s so cold
Greed informs action where action makes bold
To take all the cotton that’s cut from the stalk
Weave in the the disease that’s gonna wipe you right out

What is good for the future
What is good for the past – won’t last

Bury your heart U S of A
History rears up to spit in your face
You saw what you wanted, you took what you saw
We know how you got it- your method equals wipe out
The end of the future and all that you own
Under the blankets of all that you’ve done
Memory serves us to serve you yet
Memory serves us to never let you wipe out

Cha-cha-cha-champion you’ll get yours
Wipe out

~

So this is a heavy one and more than a bit “political.” I wrapped that word in quotation marks, because I think it’s a cop-out to dub genocide a political issue as a justification of sidestepping uncomfortable topics.

If you’re into punk rock, you’ll dig it. Love me some Fugazi.