Thursday

I am going to admit that I am paying for the super delicious potato chip binge last night. There is a large blemish right in the middle of my face. So that will teach me to eat things like that. Sigh.

As we all know (I hope), man cannot live by opera alone, and must indulge in a little pop culture now and then to feel hip, so I enjoyed some top-forty cheesiness last night. Not that you care, but this playlist made my drive fabulous last night, spanning a truly schizophrenic range of genres:

1. Stereo Hearts by Gym Class Heroes with Adam Levine
This is the essence of cheese.

2. Best Love Song by T-Pain, with Chris Brown
I am only just figuring out that all the references to a certain "nappy boy" in T-Pain's music are his way of describing himself. So there you go. Evidently, it's a really good thing I am only being entrusted with interpreting the great historical musical masterpieces of western civilization and not modern hip-hop.

3. Barefoot Bluejean Night by Jake Owen
Speaking of embarrassing, there really is an embarrassing line in this song-- something about the girls being hot and the beer being cold. But I like it anyway. It really is fun and reminds me of my 4-H days in Indiana.

4. Thinkin' About You by Mario

5. Where Them Girls At by David Guetta with Nicky Minaj and Flo Rida
You have just got to love a song with terrible grammar even in the title. You know it's going to be edgy.

6. Matt and Nat's by Natalie MacMaster
For your daily dose of Irish. And you should be having one.

7. One Day by Matisyahu with Akon
THIS is my favorite of the list. So soulful and beautiful.

8. Good Man by Raphael Saadiq
Apparently, a good man is someone whose "got no kids and loves the lord, never done time, well.. maybe just once."

9. Flower Duet by Luminaire
Thanks, Stu, for this fantastic remix of an opera favorite!!!!

10. Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey
The first strains of this song have the uncanny ability to alter even the foulest mood.

11. Your Love by Nicky Minaj

12. No Es Una Novela by Monchy and Alexandra
A throwback to my salsa club days.

13. The Lord is my Shepherd by Hezekiah Walker and the Love Fellowship Crusade Choir
From The Preacher's Wife soundtrack, you know, before Whitney Houston was a coked-out scary version of her formerly golden-voiced self. This song reminds me of when I was a little kid in Sunday school, completely baffled by the 23rd Psalm. I couldn't for the life of me figure out who Shirley Goodness and her friend Mercy were, and why I would want them to follow me all the days of my life. Ahhh those were simpler times.

14. Eskimo by Damien Rice
Good, good, good. With a little mezzo-soprano love in there too.