Road Trip Music

Recently, we took a road trip.  I have always been a fan of driving long distances.  Some of our best bonding has come from pre-kid road trips. Sky King and I can drive for hours, enjoying the scenery, stopping for snacks, seeing the sights. 
I was concerned that my stupid health crap would impinge on the road tripping in our future.  However, for what we did, I did fairly good.  We took few breaks but I manged to move around quite a bit, changing position so I didn't get too stiff.  And, it was very conducive to napping. Our new Swagger Wagon has amazing seats that recline wonderfully.  Bring enough pillows and a blankie, and it's snooze time!

One important aspect is the road trip music.  This last trip I tried to introduce an audio book on parenting.  It was as if I suggested dental surgery.  The kids shall continue to run amok, because we blasted the tunes instead.  Here is my list of essential road trip music.  What would you add?  (No deleting, it's MY list, jackass.)

Shania Twain-Come On Over, even with her overuse of apostrophes in the song titles, I can't help but belt out Man, I Feel Like a Woman, especially after a particularly filling fast-food burger.

Steve Miller Band- Greatest Hits1974-1978.  Nothin' says "bonding" like Big Ole Jed with a Light On.  Or the Airliner one, whatever.  The details are NOT in the lyrics.

Madonna, Immaculate Collection-Holiday, Celebrate, need I say more?

Michael Jackson, Thriller-doing the dance moves from the video not only keeps other cars around us awake, but it helps with our motor skills.  By the time we get to bum-fuck nowhere, I am a much better dancer.

Red Hot Chili Peppers-Blood Sugar Sex Magik. I Got Stopped by a Lady Cop, in my Automobile....this song reminds me of the time when my stereo was stolen and Sky King and I had to sing to each other for a 2 hour trip.

Elton John-Pretty much anything, as long as it includes Benny and the Jets.

Billy Joel-Love me some Uptown Girl, and all the other shit that came out in the late 80's, early 90's.  Love.

90's music in general is perfect for a road trip-the inane lyrics lend themselves well to road-trip monotony.

Sir Mix-a-Lot-Baby's Got Back is just about the most perfect song known to man-it's got a catchy tune, the lyrics speak the truth (who DOESN'T like a big butt? Got me goin' like a turbo 'vette-musical genius, I say)


What music keeps you going on long trips?

Thanks Giving

Last year, I made a list of the things I was thankful for, and posted it on Facebook.  I added to it daily, and enjoyed coming up with things I was thankful for. It’s fun to look back, and remember what I wrote. I also enjoyed the writing of it itself. I have always enjoyed writing---lately, I have found that writing, even though it takes time and effort, along with my hand function on some days, has been very therapeutic for me. It has given a voice to my aches and pains, woes, frustration with my body that has given up on me in so many ways.

This year, I am doing a Top 10 list. Here they are, in no particular order.

Top Ten Things I Am Thankful For

10.          My job.  I own my own business, and it is running well enough for me to put only 5-15 hours each week into it. The lovely ladies I have working there make that possible.  Otherwise, I would be fighting the Disability office, just to get what I need to provide for my family.

9.            My husband.  He believes me.  He believes IN me. He is the yin to my yang, the salt to my pepper, the peanut butter to my chocolate. I can talk for hours about all his wonderful qualities, but it would wear me out, and then he would take over. As usual.

8.            My kids.  They are so fantastic, even when I want to choke them to death. They are goofy, silly, full of laughter.

7.            Being diagnosed NOW, rather than decades ago.  There are still doctors that don’t believe in Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  I still have people question me, I’m sure some of them don’t believe all my complaints. I would gladly trade with them for a day---but I am so thankful the ones that count believe me!

6.            All the wonderful foods that are available for those that should not have gluten and/or dairy.  Every few months, I get reminded why I can’t eat them.  I am especially thankful for the So Delicious brand, they make amazing creamers and “ice creams”.  Oh, and LaraBars.

5.            All the great resources out there, connecting me to people that truly understand my health issues.  I have found great people on Facebook and through blogging, and they help me stay sane.

4.            Humor.  If it wasn’t for laughing, I would be spending way more time crying!  The Bloggess, Flourish in Progress, my Girl Scout Pal Jen, The Oatmeal, the guy from Don’t Even Reply, Passive Aggressive Notes, Regretsy, Failbook.  All these wonderful things/people have kept me from throwing myself off a cliff, sometimes at their own expense.

3.            My family. I have an amazing group of people. My parents and awesome beyond belief-they come over and bring the trash to the curb when I am away, they return things from stores when I can’t stomach it. My husband’s family is fab, too, and there’s tons of them, which makes it that much greater because the statistics of them all being tolerable is astronomically against me. Then, ya gotta add all my friends, who are as good as family. One, because they sometimes drive me to drink, and two, because they love me despite my obvious character flaws.

2.            My husband. Yes, I know he was already #9. But damn, if you had to be married to me, you would want double-credit, too. Trust me. And, he thinks HE got the good end of the deal!

1.            Lastly, I am thankful that my health issues are mine, and not my husband’s or my kids’. I could not bear to know they were going through all this. They make going through it worthwhile, by being who they are, for loving me, for being just who they are.

Don’t fret. I will be back soon with more bitchy funny banter. I was nearly killed at an amusement park the other day, so there’s that. And, I have VERY strong feelings about individual salt packets, all of which I will share with you, soon.

Princess Pretend

My sweet Princess, enjoying being a kitty.
Sometimes it's fun to pretend to be something else. Today, I am pretending to be healthy.

This probably means I will pay for a week, but my kids are worth it.

What do you do, that you know you will pay dearly for?