Monday, December 6, 2010

Are You Brave Enough to Let Me See Your Peacock?

peacock mask [by chick] Years ago when I was first out of college an older woman gave me her favorite appetizer recipe for parties. As she passed me the hand-written index card she puffed up proudly and added in a hushed tone, “I actually gave you all the ingredients for this recipe since you live in another town.”

Apparently she and her friends had an unspoken habit of seeming like good friends who share recipes, but they would notoriously leave out one ingredient for fear their friends would make the dish dishier and show them up. Wow.

I wish I could say I was nosing around for recipes these days. I don’t have time to make the one I’ve got, and I’m desperately trying to spend more time exercising than eating. So do you know what I need more than recipes? MUSIC!

I am sick to death of my workout playlist. I am desperate for new tunes to get me going on the treadmill. I ask and ask and ask and find it hard to believe my friends don’t have more suggestions to offer. I post on facebook begging for ideas. I send emails. I ask in phone conversations. The best I get are some vague suggestions of artists like “Have you tried Black Eyed Peas?”…or “Nelly’s good!”

What gives? I need actual song titles ladies! I need playlists. Not sweeping genre suggestions or artists.

Could it be that withholding workout songs is our generation’s way of “leaving out an ingredient” so a woman’s friends aren’t dishier dishes in their little black dress?

I am left to my own devices, begging my 11-year old and her friends for song ideas. Clearly not viewing me as competition they are actually pretty helpful. They have introduced me to Taio Cruz and Katy Perry. When I tire of those tracks I scour Pandora channels and the Genius feature on iTunes to find similar songs. One of these late night musical odysseys led me to a Katy Perry title that caught my eye: Are You Brave Enough To Let Me See Your Peacock?peacock

Are you kidding me? That is a song title? Those are lyrics? That is vile! Unimaginative. Debased. But fine, I’ll take it. Download.

Then of course comes the questioning judgment of iTunes, “Are you sure you want to buy this song?”

Yes dammit! It’s 1am and I am a 40 year old woman buying a Katy Perry song about “peacocks” because I am that desperate to find anything that will inspire my fanny to get on the treadmill tomorrow. Or at least the next day, or maybe even the end of the week would be a success.

So what do you say ladies? Help a girl out?

Please please please share some blood-thumping, heart-pumping, rock-your-socks off songs for my super tired workout playlist. Don’t leave out the secret ingredient. Stand strong. Be bold. Share your tunes. Let us have a peek behind the curtain of your workout playlist. What’s the word thunderbird…are you brave enough to let me see your peacock?

peacock showgirl

3 comments:

Jennifer Dillard said...

Oh, I feel your pain! i went hunting a few weeks ago for new ones and found these, after exhausting top 40 stuff:

1) Stronger (Workout Remix) 5:00 Power Music Workout Top 40 Hits Remixed (60 Min Non-Stop Workout Mix) Fitness & Workout

2) Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now - Workout) 3:45 The Allstars Maximum Aerobics Megamix (Fitness, Cardio & Aerobic Session) "Even 32 Counts" Fitness & Workout

3) Get Ready for This (Calimocho Mix) 4:44 Power Music Biggest Loser Workout Mix - Sports Stadium Anthems (Interval Training Workout) [4:3 Format] Fitness & Workout

"stadium" music seems to be working for me--what i hear at Titans Games!

Good Luck! Jennifer Dillard (Magnolia's friend)

Anonymous said...

My playlist is woefully stuck mostly in the 80s but here are a few of my top players on my itunes list. Or copies of my 11 year olds.

Gin and Juice by The Gourds
Shake It by Metro Station
Smack That by Akon
She Bop by Cindy Lauper
My Own Worst Enemy by Lit
Supermassive Black Hole by Muse
Oops I Did It Again by Britney
In the Ayer by Flo Rida
Waking Up in Vegas by Katy Paris
Smooth Criminal by Alien Ant Farmer
And you can't go wrong with Glee

:) Stuart

Chick said...

these are FANTASTIC!! just what I am talking about. I did workout this morning and have also added some Bee Gees that got me going -- so believe me songs don't have to be current. just need some vareity!

THANK YOU BOTH!!

anyone else have something to share with the class?

this is good stuff