My Real Life

On October 16th, I left home.

I got in my car and drove away from my house.

No kids.

No husband.

Just me and the open road.

And, five minutes later, I arrived at our local I Just Want to Pee Alone Ladies Night Out.

We met up at End of Elm and chatted the night away.

Representing the ladies of I Just Want to Pee Alone were myself, Kim from Let Me Start by Saying, and Anna from Random Handprints.

We met up with my friend, Jean, who I was so grateful to have there.

Then, in walked a lovely lady named Jennifer, who blogs at Outsmarted Mommy, which I now love.

We all just sat and chatted and had a lovely, lovely time.

I don’t know why I wait for special occasions to get out and hang with the ladies.

It’s always much needed and I always feel so relaxed afterward.

And I know I’m not alone in this.

Moms are notorious for forgetting to take care of ourselves.

It’s crazy, really, because when I finally do get around to doing something for me, I am reminded of the stewardesses on airplanes telling the adults to take the oxygen first so that they are then able to take care of the children in their care.

A mommy who is breathing easy makes for a family who is breathing easy.

Breathe deep, friends.

You deserve it.

I know what you are thinking.

She hasn’t written in forever, and now she is going to show us a picture of a razor and call it a post???

There is a method to my madness.

I promise.

In May of 2006, I went shopping.

In March of 2007, I submitted the story of that shopping trip to Refund Cents magazine.

If you can read PDF files, you can click below to see the whole story.

Refund Cents Article

In that shopping trip, I bought 24 razors.

I went back and bought 24 more.

This week, I used the last of those razors.

It is, my friends, the end of an era.

I can’t believe that when I go to the grocery store, next weekend, I will have to buy a razor.

I feel like a fish out of water.

Has razor technology changed in the past seven years?

Do they even make this razor that I have loved, anymore?

Will I ever get a deal like that again?

Wish me luck, good deals, and smooth legs, my friends!

So, my parents got a puppy.

Her name is Bea and she’s so sweet.

Bea has her biggest fan in Tiny.

BFF’s for sure.

Peas and carrots.

Peanut butter and jelly.

And the best part is that he gets to grow up with a dog without me having to take care of a dog.

Win-win, because, let’s be honest.

I think we’re all full.

He’s born.

And you hold him in your arms and you can’t believe how little he is or how sweet or how utterly, utterly yours.

He’s a baby, and even though he is growing, he is your baby.

He gets bigger, and does bigger boy things, but he still wants to snuggle you every second he gets and you love him up every chance you get.

Because babies are your babies no matter what, I convinced myself.

And then yesterday…

This…

…turned into this…

…and you began to see the man that he will become.

He was so proud, and I was, too.

I was.

But a little piece of my heart broke, as well.

So, the rules for today are:  I wouldn’t love these songs so much if they weren’t part of a Soundtrack. Your favorite songs from soundtracks, could be anywhere from pop music you love to original scores, you decide. 

So, I get the rules, I do…however, when I love a movie…really love a movie, I fall in love with the entire soundtrack.  The music makes the story, and I can remember every scene that was punctuated by music.  So, I think I may need to just do my favorite soundtracks.  Because I can.

(The links in each item on the list are to the Amazon page where you can sneak a listen to a bit of each song)

#1 St. Elmo’s Fire

http://www.amazon.com/St-Elmos-Fire-Original-Soundtrack/dp/B002GKRX6Q

I was in 7th grade when “St. Elmo’s Fire” came out and I bought the cassette tape and listened to it so many times, I had to replace it.  I loved the music.  I loved the movie.

There are certainly songs on there that I may not have loved as much if they weren’t part of this movie I loved, but it’s hard to pick out one, in particular.

Every song on there makes me remember how I felt when I watched the movie, a 7th grader, wanting to grow up and lead an adult life, like the characters on the screen.  They were bigger than life, to me…so sophisticated, so exciting, so beautiful.  And every song on that soundtrack makes me feel young again.

#2 Pitch Perfect

http://www.amazon.com/Pitch-Perfect-Soundtrack/dp/B0099G6Q5E/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1381000687&sr=301-1

It’s okay…you can say it.

This is not the thinking girl’s choice.

However, I love vocal music, particularly creative vocal music, particularly creative vocal music that is performed well.

This is.

This soundtrack makes me happy.

I saw “Pitch Perfect” with Erin and Michaela, and I think they can tell you that I was completely into it.

Not the story, per se, although it did make me chuckle, but man, I just love watching people sing and perform.

It’s one of the few DVD’s that I actually own, and I watch it all the time.

While I do laundry, make dinner, etc.

I just fast forward to all of the performances and sing along.

Can’t help myself.

#3 Les Miserables

http://www.amazon.com/Original-1985-London-Cast-Recording/dp/B006UMBUUG/ref=sr_1_10?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1381002484&sr=1-10&keywords=les+miserables+soundtrack

Not the movie soundtrack, but the original London cast from 1985.

It’s the CD that I own and know every single word to every single song.

I’ve seen the show on Broadway six times and sobbed my way through each time.

This time, the story played a huge part, but oh my God, the music.

I’m getting goosebumps just typing this, and I’m not even listening to it right now.

The emotion in those voices.

The talent in those voices.

It’s beyond…It’s just beyond.

#4  Into the Wild

http://www.amazon.com/Music-Motion-Picture-Into-Wild/dp/B009H4WT9K/ref=sr_shvl_album_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381002705&sr=301-2

I almost feel like I don’t have to say anything other than “Eddie Vedder” to explain this choice because, OMG, Eddie Vedder.

However, for the uninitiated, I will elaborate.

Vedder’s voice is so…soulful and the lyrics paint pictures for me, despite the fact that I’ve never seen the movie.

Yep, I love the soundtrack for a movie I’ve never seen.

If that doesn’t sell this entry, I don’t know what will.

#5 Amadeus

Oh, how I loved this film, and oh, how I love this soundtrack.

I won’t bother leaving the link A) because I doubt many people who read this will click on it to listen to some Mozart, and B) Amazon doesn’t let you listen to the music from this one.  Just too good, I think.

The entire soundtrack is by Mozart, obviously, and classical music just feeds my soul.

If you haven’t ever seen the film, you should.

If you aren’t a classical music fan, you can still enjoy the movie.

However, you probably wouldn’t enjoy the soundtrack.

But, like most things, I don’t really mind if no one else agrees with me.

I think it’s amazing and that’s enough for me.

What’s goin’ on, what’s goin’ on…

A little Marvin Gaye, anyone?

Anywho…

It’s been busy around here, and it’s only getting busier.

I love October, but it always tends to be a very busy night.

Sports and dance and art classes are in full swing, Real Man and I celebrate an anniversary, we celebrate the birthdays of Real Man and my father, the school year is up and running which means that the monkeys are in full homework mode, and I’m in full Vice-Principal mode.

So, just like everyone else I know…we’re busy.

However, some exciting things are coming up that I’d love to share with you.

#1 My Walk to Stop Diabetes is coming up on October 19th and I am getting closer to my goal of raising $1000 to stop diabetes.

Thank you so much to all of you that have already supported me, whether through a monetary donation or encouraging words.

I will ask, once again, that if you have a minute, please take some time to visit my fundraising page, read my story, and hopefully donate, if you are able.

It would mean the world to me to be able to raise $1000 toward the fight against diabetes.

#2  I am currently involved in…

There is so much that we are giving away, and it is so easy to enter, that it would almost be criminal to not enter.

So, please follow this link, to my friend and co-author, Kim’s blog to see everything we are giving away and learn how to enter.

#3  October 16th is:

That’s right!

Nationwide, the ladies of I Just Want to Pee Alone (myself, included) are holding a National Night Out for women everywhere!

Again, you can visit Let Me Start By Saying to find out where the events are being held across the country and see if there is one happening near you!

Locally, I look forward to meeting everyone who shows up at our local event!

So, October is a busy month for us, but a good one, full of good friends, good works, and good times.

Here’s hoping we can share some of these activities together!

It’s been awhile since I’ve participated in Twisted Mix Tape, but I wanted to try to make a concentrated effort to come back.

So, imagine my pleasure when I found that the theme is the five seminal songs that made you who you are.  Songs that opened your eyes, changed your plans, made you better.

I take that to mean, the score of your life.

So, lets begin:

1.  Tubthumping by Chumbawumba

Overplayed on the radio more than almost any other song in the history of radio, this song originally caught my attention for the British guy listing the types of drinks he was drinking, which was ever so catchy.

But then I started listening to it and it just felt appropriate for my life.

I get knocked down.

A lot.

Not literally, but metaphorically, for sure.

However, as I told you in my Six Word Memoir, I believe that we all make choices.  So, when I get knocked down, I get back up again, brush myself off, figure out what I can learn from my mistake and move on.

2.  Ooh Child by the Five StairSteps

Sometimes, though…sometimes, I can wallow in my bad choices or my indecision or in the general tough time that I’m having.

Because, dude, I am tired.

I am tired all the time, and I honestly sometimes feel like this stage of exhaustion is never going to end, and then I hear this song and by the time it builds to the end, I am ready to take on the world again.

Because someday, we’ll get it together and we’ll get it all done.

3.  American Tune by Paul Simon

The lyrics just speak to me, and not just the part about being weary to the bone.

It’s always just made me say “Yep…Yep…I get it,” and I was able to relate at multiple times in my life.

4.  The Other Side of Me by Michael W. Smith

Not the story of my life, per se, but definitely the story of Real Man and I.

We’ve been in and out of each others lives since we were 16 years old.

He definitely is the other side of me.

5.  And So It Goes by Billy Joel

If I had gone with a single singer, instead of a band in my last Twisted MixTape post, I would have gone with Billy Joel.

You want to talk about the soundtrack of my life?

Soundtrack provided by Billy Joel.

In 1990, Billy Joel released And So It Goes.

In 1990, I graduated from high school and embarked on a completely new chapter in my life.

Whenever I hear this song, I think of the summer of 1990 and beginnings and endings.

So, there you have it.  Five songs that could make up the score to my life.  Hope you enjoyed it!