Music Monday - My Teenage Years?

Thanks to XmasDolly/Conductor & my girls, CALLIE/JAmericanSpice, Stacy/Stacy Uncorked & Lorie/The Shewbridges of Central Florida, Cathy/Cathy Kennedy for being the gracious hosts of this hop!

This week's theme is music we listened to as teens...

My Top Five Teenage Songs...

5. For a rockin' band even when they slowed it down a little, they were still awesome!

4. This was named as one of the greatest song of all times...

3. While this was not released while I was a teen, Pink Floyd - The Wall was constantly on my turntable.

2.  Do you remember the Travelling Wilbury's.  This could have been the greatest super group of all time.

1. How can one not love this song?

Monday Listicles...Top Ten Song

Thanks to Stasha and Cassie for hosting Monday Listicles.  This week's topic is top ten songs...  Except they did not say what type of top ten it should be.  So I am going to do a Top 10 Songs That Once Their into Your Head They Are Painful.

Top 10 Songs That Once Their Into Your Head They Are Painful.

10.  Mr. McFarlane  don't worry, this song still makes me kind of happy

9.  It is okay Snow, I won't do any informing...

8.  Why must you be played at every wedding?

7.  I wish someone would let you out...

6. Like the song above...if Disney makes a kids version of you - you are probably making this list.

5. I do like big butts and I can not lie...

4. It is Mmmmm Monday over at Heather's blog (www.actingbalanced.com) - that should get me some brownie points right (or perhaps even some real brownies which would even be better)

3.  Staying on the Mmmmm theme...(although this should be number one on this list)

2. When the band hates the song, you know it is painful...

1. This is the ultimate pain...

Sundays In My City - A Shell of a Good Time

Thanks to the Unknown Mami for hosting Sundays in My City...

Six Word Saturday - Diet

A special thanks to CallMeCate for hosting Six Word Saturday...

I really hate my new diet

I had a trip to the doctor this week that ended badly (at least in my world).  I apparently didn't study enough for my blood test because I failed it miserably (yes, that was a terrible joke).  According to my doctor, I now have to lose 25 lbs and switch to a low carbohydrate diet.  This diet will apparently help my body pass my next blood test three months from now and keep me alive a little longer - that is if I do not throw myself in front of a truck because of it.  

I fully acknowledge that I have a terrible diet to begin with and that I need to change it but this diet is a complete change of lifestyle for me.  The only green thing I would typically eat was the celery that came with the wings and they was dipped in blue cheese dressing - now green things are the majority of my diet.  I have never dieted in any way before and it is taking all of my discipline to get through it.  It is also making me quite grumpy.  I am however, going to give it to my next doctors appointment in three months to see what its affects are.  I have already lost some weight and my body does seem to be adjusting to the different number of calories.  

Beginning weight (as of last Tuesday)...I will update you on the progress next week.

Friday Fragments

Thanks to Mrs. 4444's for hosting Friday Fragments...

• This week my sabbatical went all of heck as I was in the office three out of the four days.  Doing presentations, covering classes and facilitating meetings was not on my agenda for the week.
• On a related note: I love my boss (he is a great guy) but if he phones me next week, I am going to pretend I am not home.
• I had a doctors appointment this week that didn't go as planned.  I have to thank my parents for inferior generics...then again, I also thank them for superior parenting.
• On a related note:  Welcome to Charleston to my parents.  It is always fun having you visit.
• As a result of my doctors appointment, I am now on this new special diet that really stinks!  No seriously, it is making me fart a whole lot.  
• On a related note: That was probably TMI wasn't it?
• Apparently football season has started.  My description of football, a game where men in really tight pants like to jump on top of one another in order to try and get strip the ball.
• On a related note: Not that there is anything wrong with that.

Friday Four Fill In

Thanks to Hilary at FeelingBeachie for hosting the Friday Four Fill In....

This week’s statements:

1. I wish I had the ability to foster world peace.

2. I stopped wearing leather ties in the 80s...

3. My favorite song right now is Pink Floyd's - On the Turning Away because it is a true love song.

4. I always sing while dancing in the rain.

Pondering With A Purpose - Getting Away

Thanks to Brenda for hosting this thought-provoking hop.  As a hospitality and tourism professor, this topic is near and dear to my heart.  It is about:
Getting Away?
I am a perfect example of that old say, "physician heal thyself."  I have studied and come to have a pretty good understand of why and how people choose to travel.  I have spent countless hours pondering the ingredients to a great trip experience.  The thing about it though, is that this has ruined vacations for me.  When I am in a hotel, I am thinking about how I could improve their customer services levels.  When I am at a festival, I am thinking about how they manage their sponsorship.  I start thinking about how they must be managing their budgets and profit margins.  In summary, vacations are really not that fun for me.  I know too much inside info that I actually care about and can not really turn off as a result.  My vacation then can easily turn into my work.  

The question is how do I get away?  In addition to my work problem, we also live in the number one vacation spot in the USA (according to Conde Naste).  There are very few times when I can not find what I want here as a result.  We have a ton of choices of beaches, restaurants and festivals.  We have beautiful landscape as well as a historic downtown that is simply gorgeous.  Heck, in the AM I am two minutes from watching the sun rise over the ocean and at night I get to see it set over a fabulous marsh.  I have all kinds of wild life that people pay big money to see within steps of my house.  Further, the customer service levels in this city are so good that I am often disappointed when I do travel in the service I do receive.  I am indeed spoiled.

The last component is that I have three kids.  Traveling with a sullen teenager, a five year old child with Autism and a nearly two year old bundle of energy is not fun in the least.  Someone is always crying (and it is usually me).  As a single income family, we do not have a lot of cash.  When we travel, it costs of six meals at restaurants, a suite room (if we do not want dead children on our hands) and stops at places that involve staff in costumes (cringe).  I can not in good conscious classify that as fun.  Now, if one of you wants to volunteer to give my wife and I a weekend getaway, we might be onto something, but as reality currently stands I will enjoy a Stay-cation thank you very much.