Random Rants & Raves

This morning, during my 3.5 hour run, I had plenty of time to think about some really random things.  They all came out in little rants and raves...hey when you're stuck alone with your thoughts for that long, it's great entertainment.  

Raves

• I have to start off with this one...who wears short shorts?  Frank wears short shorts...and I was running behind him for a good two hours.  I'm just going to leave it at that.  
• My BAMF running playlist....it was the BEST yet.  I did a random mix so I had no idea what was up next and Deerhunter's "Nothing Ever Happened" just so happened to come up during mile 20.  The guitars at the end of this 6 minute song are serious...and build up...and build up...and next thing I knew I was at home base and had just ran my fastest mile.
• The Great Houston Blizzard of 2008 that we had on Wednesday...I kept thinking about how beautiful the snow was and how much fun we had that night!
• Having the guts to make the move to Mark's 3:45 group...and actually being able to keep up with them!!  
• The runners high...yes, it exists...but I think it may have made me hallucinate a bit.  Around mile 18 I started thinking about how I want to start swimming...and should buy a bike...because really, I need to get into triathlons.  As if the marathon thing wasn't punishment enough...I NEED MORE!!  Maybe one day I'll do a 1/2 Ironman!!
• Frank giving me his biscuit at breakfast...it really was worth sacrificing my two sad pieces of toast.  And the Barnaby's waiter that gave me my purple coffee mug...yeah he rocks!  The biscuit and purple mug saved my life...
• Chicken Soup...no, not for the soul...but good ol' Campbell's outta the can.  I had been told that it is the perfect thing to eat the night before a long run...the veggies and chicken provide the nutrients, it's light, the broth is great for hydration, and it's loaded with electrolytes.  I felt like a million bucks!

Rants

• Realizing at mile 7 that I forgot to put my Glide on.  If you're not a runner, I don't think you understand....but if you are, you know what kind of pain I'm experiencing right now.  My low cut dress for tonight's Christmas Party is definitely going to have me explaining my lovely abrasions. 
• Overpasses...
• Underpasses...
• Changes in elevation in general...
• Running loops around Memorial...I cannot even tell you how much I loathe loops of Memorial!!  It drives me insane...but I do enjoy the whole access to a bathroom thing.  
• People who try to run me over...and construction workers who make "hey baby" comments.  Seriously?  Unnecessary. 

I cannot believe the marathon is only a little over a month away!  Bring it....I'm ready!!

Top Songs of 2008

This list is by way of Mr. Scott Satchfield, my musical guru. Unfortunately I do not have the time to put together my own list, but our tastes are so similar that I agree with about 95% Of them and could not let his hard work go unshared. I'd like to wish those of you who do not have these tracks a happy downloading!!

1 Kids - MGMT
2 The Loneliness of a Tower Crane Driver - Elbow
3 Nothing Ever Happened - Deerhunter
4 Flume - Bon Iver
5 Black River Killer - Blitzen Trapper
6 Time to Pretend - MGMT
7 Mykonos - Fleet Foxes
8 Furr - Blitzen Trapper
9 Touch Me I'm Going to Scream pt 2 - My Morning Jacket
10 The Rip - Portishead
11 Lights & Music - Cut Copy
12 Saved By Old Times - Deerhunter
13 Crimewave - Crystal Castles vs. Health
14 On the Water - The Walkmen
15 DLZ - TV on the Radio
16 Herringbone - Department of Eagles
17 Folk I Farta - diskJokke
18 Willow Tree - Chad VanGaalen
19 Halfway Home - TV on the Radio
20 Skinny Love - Bon Iver
21 Wucan - Black Mountain
22 The Rat - Dead Confederate
23 Oxford Comma - Vampire Weekend
24 White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes
25 Top Drawer - Man Man
26 Recent Bedroom - Atlas Sound
27 Remember - Ruby Suns
28 Teen Creeps - No Age
29 Faerie Dance - Plants and Animals
30 You Belong - Hercules & Love Affair

Big Little Live Music Weekend at the Continental Club

This weekend, the stage at Houston's Continental Club will be blessed with the performances of two amazing bands.  Friday night New Orleans' own Big Sam's Funky Nation will be jammin' out with their funky selves and Saturday night, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights will take the stage.  These are two of my favorite surprise opening acts of 2008.  

I caught Big Sam for the first time in the middle of the day at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Jazz Fest to those in the know, and it was Dance Party USA.  In August, I had to drag some friends to see them at the Continental Club...and I had to drag those same friends out of the bar because they were having way too much fun!!  I also took my little brother to see them at the Blue Nile on Frenchman Street in NOLA, and he had a blast.  There were even random trumpet players coming into the club from off of the street to jam out on stage.  Big Sam looks is always stylin' and profilin' while dancin' around in his sunglasses, and playing the trombone...and the rest of the band definitely knows how to get funky!  If you're up for gettin' your dance on this Friday, that's the place to be.  I'm always a fan of hearing music from my beloved New Orleans in Houston!

Speaking of getting your dance on....Jonathan Tyler and crew are also a must-see at the Main Street venue.  I caught these guys before the O.A.R. show at Warehouse Live in April and was blown away by their performance.  We purchased their CD and its fun and funky....if you're a fan of anything with a steel guitar and you're a jammer...then you will most definitely dig these guys.  They will be opening up for JJ Grey in early 2009 at several House of Blues across the south, Houston included.  The tracks "Gypsy Woman" and "She's From the Other Side" are catchy and if you can't find a way to dance to them, then you need to get some boogie shoes.