Thursday Ten: The Taylor Swift Earworm Edition

1. Last week, I had to provide my guitar teacher with another CD of songs I wanted to learn and I decided to finally cave to my daughters’ requests that I learn some Taylor Swift. So, this week…. we started the first one and now I’m of the firm belief that if you are just starting to play guitar, you should probably start with Taylor because basically it’s all open chord downstrokes and so minus any really difficult chords or strumming patterns, it’s pretty easy to pick up. I’m working on “Change”, per The Princess’s request. Here it is. You can get it stuck in your head too.

2. I have spent all week not having a clue what day of the week it is. Apparently today is Thursday, though. Feels like a Tuesday/Wednesday hybrid, but I’m glad tomorrow’s Friday even if it doesn’t feel anything like Friday.

3. I finally downloaded “The Weary Kind” from that movie with the guy who was The Dude. Figured it was an award winner, why not? It’s pretty decent. Also added “Don’t” from Casey James on American Idol. I’m not a huge Shania Twain fan, but I liked what he did with the song.

4. Mother’s Day is coming up – is it a big deal in your house? Breakfast in bed, flowers, gifts? Or… just like any other day? We’re a combination of the two in our house – the kids like to make breakfast in bed for me – peanut butter toast is their specialty.

5. Speaking of toast. I’m curious if there’s a toaster that can have programmable settings for multiple people in the house. I wish my toaster would somehow sense, “This bagel is for Sarah – she likes a golden brown toasted bagel” versus “This is for The Princess. She basically just likes warm bread.” Boy howdy, when I put in bread and don’t realize my kid has turned the toaster down to “mushy warm bread” versus my “so toasted it crunches”, it’s one of those minor grumble, grumble moments. Oh? I can check the dial on the toaster first? Why didn’t I think of that! I know that I can totally check it out first – but I don’t. I apparently just want technology to compensate for my laziness.

6. I picked up this month’s book club selection from the library. Um, yeah. Cough, cough. I think I’m coming down with something in two weeks. Let me just sit here with my brainless beach fluff instead.

7. I MISSED THE SEASON FINALE OF PROJECT RUNWAY. Yes, I’m shouting. Originally the plan was to hit the road for NYC after the finale — well, we left two hours early. Fortunately, people responded for my desperate pleas for an update via Twitter at 11 p.m. Thursday night, but man… I’ll be looking for a rerun of that soon. I’m glad that my favorite designer of the bunch won, though.

8. And if I was anyone else on the planet, I’d just kick back on the sofa, feet up and watch Project Runway on DVR… but we don’t have it. I can’t think of a compelling enough argument for it (though having Glee and the RedWings playoff game on at the same time the other night was a clear instance of when DVR would be appreciated). Sigh. I kick it old school – waiting for reruns, watching commercials.

9. I enrolled Pumpkin in kindergarten. I know, I know – this should have been the FIRST order of business, instead of the whole Taylor Swift deal. It probably also warrants its own post. It’s kind of a big deal. But, yeah. Last week, I turned in forty reams of paper, an eye of newt, and a paint sample from my hallway (okay – that’s only partially true) and ENROLLED MY KID IN KINDERGARTEN. Where’d time go?

10. I am hoping to officially catch up with life by tomorrow. That whole “needing a vacation from your vacation” thing? It’s totally real.

Thursday Ten, Coffee is NOT A Food Group

1. Despite my consciously thinking, “I better eat lunch before guitar lesson, I better eat lunch before guitar lesson…”, guess what I didn’t do? Um, yeah. I hit the Starbucks on the way home, and I’m reasonably sure that cappuccinos aren’t anyone’s definition of healthy lunch (but it’s skim milk in there – so… dairy…?).

2. Obnoxiously Proud Mama Moment: Of the three groups established for reading in The Princess’s class, she’s in the highest one. Aw yeah. I’m insanely proud of her – I read constantly, and love that she’s loving it (Hubby hates reading, so there was a 50/50 shot there).

3. Project Runway last night. Sigh. Where to start? Well, you can read my recap here. Otherwise? Man. I wasn’t enthused with it – how about that? How come at this point in the game, no one can make a gown that doesn’t suck? Despite her generic dress last night, I’m rooting for Korto. Girl broke my heart crying on the Runway last night, and I’m usually immune to that stuff (Kenley, I’m talkin’ to you).

4. Soooo, the VP debates are on tonight. (And that’s all I’m gonna say about THAT!)

5. Latest music purchases: “Light On” by David Cook and Taylor Swift’s cover of “Umbrella”. First of all, skip Taylor’s “Umbrella”. It’s about 90 seconds – not the whole song – it’s cute, but… not really worth it because it’s not the whole song. The new David Cook single… it’s alright. Lyrics-wise, I love the verses but I don’t adore the chorus. Someone told me it sounds like an 80s generic ballad, maybe like it ran away from the Footloose soundtrack. Yeah, I guess I can hear that in it (it’s the chorus. Really. I don’t love that part).

6. I’ve gotten so few work emails today that I would think my email was broken if I wasn’t getting so much of the gobbledygook (Cooking.com? Why? And those crazy Red Envelope e-blasts… wait. I like those!). Oh, and the Systems Admin messages that keep reminding me I have until October 12 to change my password. Got it.

7. Just in case you were counting and keeping track – my birthday is two weeks from today. Add it to your calendars, and celebrate appropriately wherever you are. Don’t worry, there will be more reminders. I love my birthday. You should love it too.

8. Fall has come on hard here in Michigan. It’s been gray for days – with moments of sun through it all. When I left for guitar lesson, it was 57 degrees. Coming home, 54. So, no, it’s not warm. Not even a tiny bit.

9. Halloween is coming up. I hate Halloween. Pumpkin wants to be a dalmatian, and some awesome folks on Twitter have given me suggestions for places to check for costumes (I’ll be checkin’ Costco tomorrow) and even how to make one. I am not the crafty costume-making mom. If I actually make a costume, know the whole world will get knocked off its axis – it will be a life-altering experience. Seriously.

10. Still working on reading “The Story of Edgar Sawtelle”, which is one of Oprah’s picks. I’m about halfway through. I’m actually pleasantly surprised. I almost cried at one point in reading last night. But then I remembered my heart is made of rocks and I moved on without emotion. Really, it’s one of her better picks in awhile. Or so I’m guessing. I haven’t read one of her picks since they were a little lighter (“She’s Come Undone” by Wally Lamb is still one of my all time favorites). It’s definitely worth a try – particularly if you are an animal lover – as it has A LOT to do with dogs. Really.