Ashley had a fun meme on her blog, and I thought I’d tag myself for it. The rules:

Step 1: Put your music player on random.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 25 songs that play, no matter how embarrassing the song.
Step 3: Post and let everyone you know guess what song and artist the lines come from.
Step 4: Strike out the songs when someone guesses correctly (No lyric hunting! That is cheating!)

1.    Got me on a short leash, tied to your screen door
2.    How soft a whisper can get when you’re walking through a crowded space
3.    All thru the day I me mine, I me mine, I me mine (I me mine - The Beatles)
4.    Operator, well can you help me place this call? (Operator - Jim Croce)
5.    Harry Truman, Doris Day, Red China, Johnnie Ray (We didn’t start the fire - Billy Joel)
6.    I can see why you think you belong to me
7.    Sugar, aw honey honey, you are my candy girl (Sugar sugar - The Archies)
8.    There must be some kind of way outta here (All Along the watchtower - Jimi Hendrix)
9.    I’ve paid my dues, time after time, I’ve done my sentence but committed no crime (We are the champions - Queen)
10.    Well I’m gunna raise a fuss, I’m gunna raise a holler (Summertime Blues - Alan Jackson)
11.    Oh the weather outside is frightful (Let it snow)
12.    She was in the backyard, say it was a little past 9 (Suds in the bucket - Sara Evans)
13.    Making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got (Theme from ‘Cheers’)
14.    I feel it in my fingers, I feel it in my toes (Love is all around - from Love, Actually)
15.    I backed my car into a cop car the other day (Float on - Modest Mouse)
16.    There’s a storm across the valley, clouds are rolling in, the afternoon lies heavy on your shoulders (Back home again - John Denver)
17.    She ain’t got no money, her clothes are kinda funny, her hair is kinda wild and free (Love grows - Edison Lighthouse)
18.    Para bailar la bamba (La Bamba - Richie Valens)
19.    Life is a mystery, everyone must stand alone I hear you call my name and it feels like home (Like a Prayer - Madonna)
20.    Bright light city going to set my soul, going to set my soul on fire, got a whole lotta money that’s ready to burn (Viva Las Vegas - Elvis Presley)
21.    I know you wanna leave me but I refuse to let you go - (Ain’t too proud to beg - Temptations)
22.    I got a new life you would hardly recognize me I’m so glad
23.    Blame it all on my roots, I showed up in boots and ruined your black-tie affair (Friends in low places- Garth Brooks)
24.    Turn it up turn it up turn it upside down (Turn the beat around - Gloria Estefan)
25.    Sing, sing a song, sing out loud, sing out strong (Sing a song - Karen Carpenter)
So come on, guess which songs these are! Don’t cheat, k? I’m not going to tag anyone but if you wanna do it, let me know so I can come over to your blog and guess your songs.

Meredith at Stretching a Buck has tagged me for this meme:

1. What is the one BIG goal you hope to accomplish this week? Taking care of the laundry mountain pile in my bedroom. Trust me. This is a BIG goal.

2. What is the one household chore you do NOT like to do? Washing dishes by hand. Good thing I have a dishwasher!

3. What would you buy if someone gave you $2,000.00? (all debts and bills paid) If I really got that amount, I’d put it toward savings. But, the question asks what I would “buy.” So…I’d buy an extra battery for my camera and go on a cruise! My husband and I would visit Hawaii and see my friend who lives there.

4. Describe yourself using one word. Funny

5. What is the one saying or theme that you live by? The great and mighty oak was once a little nut who held its ground.

6. What is the one household item you can NOT live without? Meredith said her dishwasher, and I wholeheartedly agree. I hope I never live in a place without one!

7. If you had one chance to go any where in the world where would you go? Europe, all over it.

8. List the one person you admire the most. Oh, I admire lots of people for lots of different reasons. My husband, my sister, many friends…too many to name.

9. What is one thing people may not know about you? I used to be able to hop on a pogo stick a lot. Up and down sidewalks. Without hands. It was strange.

In alphabetical order, I shall tag: Ashley, Bee, Brittany, Joanna, Sally Ann, Susan, and You! Feel free to participate or don’t, no pressure.

I’m joining Andrew at Everybody Loves Coupons and I’m going to list some of my 10 favorite songs that count as guilty pleasures–you know, songs that you love but are sort of embarrassed to tell others about.

I have to admit, I agree with him on a few of his choices, namely “I love you always forever.” He was not worried about his reputation with the store clerk when he bought Meat Loaf’s two most classic CDs. They’re among your guilty pleasures, too, (right?) so I don’t even need to name them.

I stand by these songs. They’re great, classic, and will survive long after I’m gone. So what if they’re cheesy/embarrassing/ridiculous/whatever.

“Don’t Stop Believin’”–Journey. For awhile, the opening chords served as my ringtone. Then, my phone died.
“Don’t Fear the Reaper”–Blue Oyster Cult. Is it just me, or do you think of the SNL sketch every time you hear this song? Hi-lar-ious.

“Total Eclipse of the Heart”–Bonnie Tyler. So intense.  I wish I could be her for this song.

“Saturday Night”–Bay City Rollers. Ok I’m LOLing at this one. This catchy boppy beat also has video connections for me–this time for the Disney movie “Heavyweights.” Remember when they were “saving the dance”? Lolz!

“More than a Feelin’”–Boston. Maybe I’m just a sucker for catchy guitar riffs, but I can’t get enough of this song.

“Crazy Train”–Ozzy Osburne. So what? This used to get me moving when I had to run for miles and miles.

If your train has derailed, you could always try setting sail on the virgin sea.

“Come Sail Away”–Styx. I have their greatest hits CD and I think the entire thing could be classified as a “guilty pleasure,” but this song takes the cake for me.

“C is for ‘Cookie’”–Cookie Monster. Speaking of cake…I’m just about addicted to cookies, and this song makes me think about them.

I have a song on this list that mentions one letter, so how about one that mentions three?

“ABC”–Jackson 5. It’s a catchy song, even though a certain singer in that former band is now a complete weirdo.

“Build Me up, Buttercup”–I don’t know why this is on this list, but it is. Back to the snack foods, I guess. I’m hungry. I should get a snack.

You want to make a mix tape of all of these songs right now, I know.

I saw this meme at Cuppa Cuppa Cuppa and I couldn’t resist! I’m putting up our Christmas tree and some other decorations right now, and this is certainly fitting. If you decide to join in, put your link in the comments below so I can see your responses.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift bags whenever possible (and I save all that I can reuse) or wrapping paper bought during an after-Christmas sale.
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artficial. Real trees are nice, but I can’t stand the pine needle mess or the expense every year. My $15 or whatever tree won’t fool anyone, but it does its job and fits in a relatively small box.
3. When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving or the first week of December–whenever I have time.
4. When do you take the tree down? New Years Day or so.
5. Do you like egg nog? Not really. It tastes like melted vanilla ice cream to me.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? A bicycle
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Two little ones
8. Hardest person to buy for? My parents
9. Easiest person to buy for?My sister
10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail
11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Muppet Family Christmas
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Usually in December
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?No (but that’s because I usually get presents I want to keep!)
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Everything! Especially cookies
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? Colored
17. Favorite Christmas song? O, Holy Night
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel: 8+ hours in a car
19. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeers? Yep
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?Christmas morning
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? When bad weather affects our travel plans
23. Favorite ornament theme or color?They each have special meanings
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Ham
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Safe travel there and back

Blue Sky tagged me for a meme. I’m supposed to post eight things about myself. Here goes!

1. I have a sharp memory. My phone number when I was little was 422-2293. My first meal that I had in our new home (when I was about a week from turning 3) was an Arby’s roast beef sandwich on the front porch. It’s still very vivid. I can remember all of my teachers from elementary-high school (though some of the college profs are more forgettable). Tell me your name and I’ll remember it, and tell me your birthday, and I’ll remember that, too.

2. I stink at spelling. And grammar. It’s rough, but it’s the way it is. I make mistakes all the time, and rely on spell check and my style books to get me through even mundane things.
3. In high school, I was on the track and cross-country teams. I ran long distance events primarily, from the 3200m relay to the open 800m, 1600m, and 3200m. There were several track meets where I ran all four of those. Yes, that’s about four miles of racing. Oy. I wasn’t the fastest by any means, but I often came away with a ribbon. My fastest 1600 (about a mile) was 5:49 and fastest 800m relay split was 2:32. I almost beat that time (at least, I like to think I would have) but someone from behind clipped my shoe and I fell. Hard. And dropped my baton. I got back up and finished my portion of the relay in 2:42.

I still have yucky scars from that. The previous autumn during cross-country sectionals, someone else knocked me down. That time, I fell on gravel. More nasty scars. I got up, finished and still qualified for the regional race. My time for the 4k was 13:51. It was my fastest 4k ever–and I fell! Yet, my running days were pretty much over. I fell out of love with it, and my senior year of high school, I decided not to run. Instead, I worked at Osco Drug to save for college.

4. When I was about 10 or so, I got a pogo stick for Christmas. I hopped on that thing all over the place. I could hop without using my hands, and hop up and down a sidewalk without stopping. It was fun, but I’m sure the sound was very annoying.

5. During middle school and freshman year of high school, I lived in the most amazing neighborhood on the campus of Purdue University: Married Student Housing. “MSH” as the kiddos called it, was campus housing for families affiliated with the University. It was mostly full of adults pursuing their doctorate degrees, nontenured professors or other University employees. The kids of the neighborhood played outside all day long. These were kids from all over the world. I could name at least 50 countries that were represented by my friends there. At my sister’s 8th birthday party, she sat at a table among 3 other girls. Four home continents were represented. How cool is that?

6. I love pranks. I don’t like it when people get hurt, either physically or emotionally. But I like playing pranks on people. One fond one was during senior year of high school. For some reason,  there was a light switch for the inside of the guidance office–but the switch was on the outside of the office doors.

After lunch, two friends and I would walk by, turn it off or madly flick the switch. We’d walk around the building, loop back and turn it off again a few minutes later. I think the office workers were annoyed. Eventually, they stationed a teacher to guard the switch during lunch, and she sat and graded papers. Once, one friend did a distracting dance for her as another one of us flicked the switch and off we went, blazing into the sunset. Lol.

7. When I was about four years old, I got the chicken pox. Not just any run-of-the-mill chicken pox, I got the mama hen version. Pox everywhere. In my bellybutton. Between my toes. On my girl parts. On my scalp. It was awful. My parents say I was a pleasant, happy child until that point, but once I caught it, I was just plain mean. I still have a few tiny scars from those days, and I can still remember how rotten it was. Oooh, I’m getting itchy just thinking about it!

8. I’ve always earned decent grades in school. Not straight As, but decent. Well, one quarter I got a C for my 11th grade honors English class. Whatever. The teacher was a lunatic, and I also didn’t put forth a valiant effort. Anyway, they tried to kick me out of the honors English program. I saved the “kick out” letter because I thought it was kind of funny. Turns out, I wasn’t on academic probation, as they stated in the letter.

I didn’t get kicked out of the honors program, and I got to take honors English 12 with the absolute best English teacher in the whole school. After high school over the next few years, I interned or worked at three newspapers, reported on about 150 news stories, was the editor-in-chief of an award-winning college newspaper, and took third place in a statewide feature writing competition.

I still have that “kick out” letter. It encouraged me to keep on fighting and prove to whoever tried to kick me out that I’m actually not that bad at English. I doubt he or she knows of my accomplishments, and I don’t really care. Take that, whoever you are!

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I’ll tag Bee and SA, if they wanna do this meme too. Anyone else wanna do it?  Go ahead and I’ll link back to ya!