Not really must-haves for the running playlist, but good stuff to listen to

LOVE. THIS.

Seriously. I think I may have possibly wore out the replay button on You Tube. Great stuff. Watch it. You won't be disappointed.

I've liked other stuff by this artist. His name is Jon Schmidt. And because I'm a bit short on running-related news tonight, I'm just going to link to You Tube videos.

There's also his amazing arrangement of Pachelbel's "Cannon in D" which he calls "Pachelbel Meets U2." The old-school, traditional version was - and still is - one of my favorites to play on the piano when I go to my parents' house. I have the sheet music for this version sitting on the piano. Now I just need to learn it.

And finally a piece called "Love Story Meets Viva La Vida." Just what it sounds like, a mash-up of Taylor Swift's "Love Story" and Coldplay's "Viva La Vida." Once again. Amazing stuff.

And that's it for today's music lesson. I'll be back tomorrow with running news. Because there's a few races I've got in the upcoming future that I haven't mentioned to you yet!

My night as one of Lady Gaga's Little Monsters

There was a car with a keyboard under the hood, a flaming piano, so many costume changes I lost count and a beheaded Tinkerbell whose stuffing ended up being used to stuff a bra-top.

And the music? Wow. In short, I was really glad my Dad wanted to go see Lady Gaga Thursday night and took me along with him. It was one of those concerts that I don't think I ever would have wanted to go to on my own. But now that I've gone and sat through the 2-plus hour show that Lady Gaga put on telling the story of a trip to The Monster Ball, I'm glad. Overall it was a great show. The lights. The stage set up (seriously, two dozen semi-trucks to haul all of the stuff that appeared on stage? Crazy!). The costumes. The dancers and choreography. The message she tried to convey, about how we should accept everyone, regardless of their beliefs and that we shouldn't be afraid to be different. And you can't forget the music. It had me (and my Dad!) dancing in the aisles. So much fun. I was almost disappointed to see it all end when the clock struck 11:15 p.m.

Highlights?

• Lady Gaga sat and played a piano that was on fire during "Speechless" and a new song that will be on her upcoming album. I guess sat is the wrong word. Because for at least half of that time, Lady Gaga was standing on the bench, bending down and playing. There may also have been a chunk of time when she was using her stiletto black boots to play in addition to her hands.
• Fire returned during "Alejandro." This time it wasn't the piano in flames. Rather it was an angel statue.
• I wasn't disappointed. I got to hear all the songs I was hoping to hear. And yes, I almost wanted to start running when she belted out "Poker Face," mostly since that's right at the beginning of my running play list. Other musical highlights? "Just Dance," "Telephone," "So Happy I Could Die," and "Paparazzi."
• Speaking of "Paparazzi," there was this large, creepy looking piranha on stage. Guessing that was supposed to be the Fame Monster or something. Whatever it was, it's eyes glowed and it was trying to attack her.
• And Lady Gaga saved the best for the encore. After an entire show, I was super excited to hear her bust out "Bad Romance" for the encore. Lots of dancing. Lots of jumping. The Little Monsters that packed the Bradley Center were going crazy. Me included.

So glad my Dad wanted to go see Lady Gaga and took me with him. It was quite the experience. And I didn't even touch on the clothes that the concert goers were wearing! If you want a peak, take a look at the photo gallery the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel put up (which is where I got the picture in this blog post since I neglected to take my own camera with me). While you're over at the JS, take a moment to read their concert review.

The late night was worth it (I would have been able to sleep in the next day had my landlord decided to not cut the grass right outside my bedroom window at 7:30 a.m.). And if any of you ever have the chance to be one of Lady Gaga's Little Monsters and see her show in person, GO!

Three Things Thursday

1. I'm heading down to Milwaukee tonight after work to go to Summerfest. A friend and I are going to see O.A.R. play on one of the side stages. It's a band we both really like and we you factor in the fact that I got my hands on a pair of free tickets for admission and I don't have to be to work until early Friday afternoon, it's something I can't pass up.

2. I need a vacation. Actually I just need some days where I don't have to go into the office. Good thing it's a 3-day weekend. And my actual vacation? It starts July 9 when the clock strikes 5:30 p.m. Not that I'm counting down the days or anything.

3. This weekend starts a string of 3 races in a 13-day period. I've got the Firecracker 5K on Sunday, the Trek Women's Triathlon in Pleasant Prairie on July 11 and the Scheels Sunset 5K on July 16. Should be a good stretch of races. Although it's always been blistering hot for the Sunset 5K.

Three Things Thursday

1. I've got my Dropkick Murphys CD on constant repeat in my car right now. It replaced a Dave Matthews Band CD that was in the disc player for a few days. But tonight Waterfest, a weekly concert series down at the amphitheater by the river started (and I had to miss week one) and that totally reminded me that next weekend is Oshkosh's version of Irish Fest. Looking forward to listening to some Irish tunes, so I figured the Dropkick Murphys, an Irish-punk rock band, would get me in the mood.

2. Speaking of music, somewhere between a trip to California and running a half marathon I forgot to tell y'all about another event in Badgergirl's summer. I've got tickets to go see Lady Gaga. Now I didn't see the concert listing and go "OMG I NEED to go see Lady Gaga." Actually those were the words out of my Dad's mouth. OK, maybe not "OMG" but he was adamant about needing to go see her. See, my dad (who's 59 years young) LOVES Lady Gaga. And being the good daughter I am, I said I'd drive him down to see her in Milwaukee if he really wanted to go. So Dad bought the tickets (a cousin of mine is also coming along) and I've got driving duties and the following day off. Looks like Badgergirl's becoming one of Lady Gaga's "little monsters" on Sept. 2. Should be an interesting time, but one I'm actually kind of looking forward to.

3. I go into work late Friday. I'm considering squeezing in a run before I head to the office. And while I'd love to do it outside, the weatherman is calling for rain. Which means I might wuss out and head over to the YMCA and the treadmill. Hey, as long as I get in a run I'll be happy.

I danced the night away

Runs can be skipped when musicians beckon.

I had tickets to go see O.A.R. last night in Madison. So I pulled one of those days where you eat lunch at your desk to sneak out the office earlier. When the hands on the clock pointed at 4 p.m. I was out the door. On my way to Madison.

The concert was at the Overture Center, this great venue downtown used for performing arts. Usually musicals, symphonies and other theatrical productions.

But last night O.A.R. took the stage. And it was amazing.

It was general admission, so first come first serve for seating. My friend Amanda and I got there about a half hour before the show started and staked out a pair of seats on the outskirts of the main level. But it was nice. Because it was in the upper level of the main level, so we were actually sitting above everyone on the main floor, so when the show started and they all stood up, we could still see the stage without having to stand.

Of course, I couldn't resist. I couldn't make it through an entire show siting down. About four songs in, I was out of my seat, dancing the night away as the boys jammed on stage. So I'll count that as my "workout" for the day.

Like I said, concert? It was amazing. Good mix of tunes. We had some newer stuff - "This Town" and "Shattered" off their new album - as well as some older stuff - "About Mr. Brown" and "Dareh Meyod." Midway through the set they sat down in a semi circle and busted out an acoustic set with "I Feel Home" and the opener Brett Dennen sat in on a rendition of Paul Simon's "The Obvious Child." Good stuff.

And it wouldn't be an O.A.R. concert without the crowd (and one of my) favorite "That Was A Crazy Game of Poker." Good closer before coming back out on stage for a 2-song encore.

So fabulous concert. Well worth the ticket price, the 2-hour drive to Madison and the late night. Unfortunately I forgot my camera. So no photographic evidence. But trust me. It was good. Both to listen to and look at.

Even though I woke up this morning with sore legs from the dancing, I did manage to crank out a mid-morning 2-mile run. Hoping to sneak in a short one tomorrow morning before I take off for some Labor Day weekend fun. Have a good one!

* Photo courtesy of Wisconsin State Journal

Take a few minutes to enjoy this

The following has nothing to do with running, swimming, biking or other triathlon stuff. It also has nothing to do with books or Badgers. Or even the life of me, Badgergirl.

It's just something I stumbled across tonight while I was putzing around on the Internet. I'd never heard of the guys, Jon Schmidt, before. But I watched this video, loved the music and wanted to hear more. So I checked out his Web site.

Good stuff.

Take a listen. You won't be disappointed.

RIP LeRoi

The Today Show shocked me yesterday morning.

LeRoi Moore. Dead.

It took me a few moments to fully comprehend what they had just said. And it still seems odd to me. I can't imagine the band without LeRoi. It'll seem strange.

But for now, my sympathies go out to LeRoi's family, his friends and his band mates.

I'll never stop loving DMB

You would think it would start to get old after the number of times you've seen a band in concert reaches double digits.

But there's something about the Dave Matthews Band. Each time I venture to a concert, I'm prepared to witness something amazing. Something new. Something that's so much more than a CD full of songs.

I wasn't disappointed with my 11th Dave Matthews Band concert.

My friend Amanda from the 'burg and I took our yearly trek to Alpine Valley Saturday for the DMB concert. We left early and arrived at the parking lot with plenty of time to enjoy some pre-show food and adult beverages. Sadly, our food was the sandwich variety since my little grill is still dead. Next year.

After enjoying our food and beverages and people watching, we headed towards the amphitheater and down the hill to secure a spot on the lawn. Then it was time to wait.

The Black Crowes opened and I have to admit, I wasn't impressed. The hour they played was kind of long for me, especially since they didn't play one of the three songs I knew. Maybe it was because those three songs are also on their Greatest Hits album from 1990-1999. I dunno. All I know was that was a long hour of music that didn't really appeal to me.

Then after a short break, there was Dave Matthews strolling onto the stage. Followed by the rest of the band. And they were ready to play. After hearing the first few chords of the opener, "Dancing Nancies," I knew it was going to be a good night. And when they followed it up with another old-school number, "Seek Up," my thoughts were confirmed.

They slowed it down with a couple of mellow tunes, but then pumped up the crowd with "Bartender," and kept the energy high with "Corn Bread."

Later in the night, after playing the intro to "Too Much," I was totally caught off guard. I seriously thought DMB was going to continue on with the intro and play "Too Much." And they played a few chords. And all of a sudden I realized what they were playing. "Halloween." No way. One of the Coolest.Songs.Ever. Dave screaming. Passion. One of the few songs I haven't heard live. Amazing.

A little while later, I got to see something I've never seen before. The stage hands pull out this piano to center stage and Dave sits down. First he's a bit chatty. Telling a story about how he once had a a bunny, a box turtle and a third animal (it started with a "B" but I can't for the life me remember what it was) and how they'd all died and were inside the box. Maybe you had to be there to find the story amusing.

But then he started playing the piano. "Out of My Hands." I've never seen Dave at the keyboard before. And it was just him. And Carter was back there on the drums, providing a little bit of a beat. Nothing else. And it was cool.

They finished out the set with one of my favorites, "Ants Marching." Then the stage went dark and they disappeared. But a few minutes later, they were back for the encore and treated us to "Don't Drink the Water," and an amazing version of "Two Step."

Like I said, this was my 11th show and they never get old for me. There's always something different. In addition to the music, this year Dave was really chatty on stage and busted out some cool dance moves. It was an amazing three hours. Well worth it.

And for those of you who care, the set list. One that I'm sure had many fans wishing they were sitting on the lawn at Alpine Valley just like me. Because seriously. "Spoon." "Halloween." Throw in the covers of "Burning Down the House," and "Money" and it was a good time.

Alpine Valley
Aug. 9, 2008

Dancing Nancies
Seek Up
Proudest Monkey
Satellite
So Damn Lucky
Bartender
Corn Bread
Spoon
Eh Hee
Water Into Wine
Burning Down the House
Louisiana Bayou
Anyone Seen the Bridge?
Too Much Intro
Halloween
Water Into Wine (Reprise)
Out of My Hands
Crush
Money
You Might Die Trying
Ants Marching

**

Don't Drink the Water
Two Step

This was the song that never started

When I run, there's two things I need.

My running shoes and my music.

I must have both. Without one? Running is a bit difficult. Seriously. Running barefoot? Not so fun. And the music? It keeps me going and makes the time go by quicker.

Today I was given a reminder of just how important that music is. As in, I ran today WITHOUT my iPod. Not on purpose of course. It was more along the lines of, I got to the locker room at the YMCA and had one of those "Oh crap" moments when I realized that my iPod was still packed away in my work bag, which was sitting in my car. And I was just too darn lazy to go back to get it.

So I decided to run without the tunes.

And it was hard. And I didn't like it.

But the triathlon didn't allow me to use my iPod on the run and I survived that, right? Yes. But see, there were people to talk to. Fellow athletes to cheer on. People standing along the course giving you high fives and words of encouragement. In other words, there were distractions and other things that kept me running.

At the YMCA? People are all plugged into their headphones. It's silent except for the whirring of the cardio machines. The only thing that distracts me? The red numbers on the machine display that tell you how much longer you've got or how far you've gone. And those distractions? Not very motivating since the time seems to crawl by and the miles go by even slower.

Today's run? It was tough. I needed the tunes.

I needed Kanye West to tell me, "That don't kill me / Can only make me stronger" or even Eminem to give me advice about seizing the moment, "You better lose yourself in the music / The moment you own it you better never let it go, oh / You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow / Cuz opportunity comes once in a lifetime."

And while not all of the music I listen to while running has inspirational lyrics, they all have one thing in common. A decent beat. One that makes me put one foot in front of the other. One that keeps me running. And it helps that the lyrics and music distract me. Takes my mind away from thinking about how long the run is or how painful it is.

That's about all I thought about today. How long it seemed the run was taking. How it seemed like I was running eight miles instead of just two. And how it seemed like the little red numbers on the machine were never going to hit 22 minutes.

One thing is for sure, next time? The iPod will definitely be in the gym bag.

My time as a country girl wasn't so bad

The country music fans have come and gone.

And I did my part, spending two days with them, listening to the music, talking to the fans and trudging through the mud. I even did some work.

I've said it before, my music tastes? They're pretty varied. I like lots of different stuff, from rock, to pop. Soundtracks, both musicals and movies, hold a special place in my heart. There's a small space for rap and hip hop too. And yes, this Wisconsin girl does like a little bit of country.

Going into Country USA, I wasn't expecting a lot. Sugarland? While they're good, I wasn't going to be on the grounds the night they were performing. But I wasn't upset. Yes, I was disappointed when the radar turned red and orange on Friday and I decided to forgo my chance to see Kenny Chesney. My shifts? They included Brooks & Dunn for the headliner on Saturday night and Sunday was dubbed "Legends" day and the lineup included Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard and George Jones.

I was pleasantly surprised on Saturday though when Blake Shelton took the stage. He's one of those artists where I recognize the songs, but never really knew who sang them. One of the songs he performed, "Cotton Pickin' Time," was amazing. But maybe that was because I was blown away by his fiddle player. His set was really enjoyable to listen to though. And instead of wandering aimlessly around the grounds, I staked out a spot by the fence, near the back of the grass and just listened. And I was impressed. So impressed that today I logged on to iTunes and downloaded some tunes, "Cotton Pickin' Time" and "Redneck Girl." There were others that I liked, but I might just wait a bit before hitting download and loading them up on my iPod.

And a side note? I didn't actually get to see Merle Haggard perform. But I've seen him before. I just didn't realize it was him until he did the whole, "Thank you. I'm Merle Haggard. Have a good night." Then he ran off the stage and Bob Dylan, who I was actually there to see, took the stage. Luckily I wasn't the only one who didn't realize I had been listening to Merle Haggard for the last hour. My brother was also confused. That's my Merle Haggard story and I'm stickin' to it.

Photo credit: Oshkosh Northwestern photo by Shu-Ling Zhou

I didn't like the colors.

Yes, I wanted to go and listen to Kenny Chesney.

But the radar? There's a little too much red, yellow and orange on it for my liking. And it's heading straight for me. And considering the show started all of 10 minutes ago, assuming Kenny Chesney was running on time, those blobs of precipitation are going to hit.

And I don't want to get soaked. Or blown away. Or pelted with hail.

So no Kenny Chesney for me. Although I will see Brooks & Dunn tomorrow night and whoever is playing Sunday afternoon.

But tonight? It's time for me to head out to celebrate a friend's 25th birthday. And that should be a good time.

Yes, I am a little bit country

Country's come to town this week.

Yesterday was the opening day of Country USA. Five long days of music, food, music and fun. I admit, my music tastes? They're varied. And some country artists are among my favorites. Faith Hill. Shania Twain. Carrie Underwood. Toby Keith. Kenny Chesney.

So when I saw the line up for this year's festival, I was excited to see that Kenny Chesney would be performing. Then we got our work assignments and I'm scheduled to be on the grounds Saturday night, when Brooks & Dunn are playing. Not a bad assignment, but not as cool as if I had been out there Friday night when Kenny takes the stage.

But at the same time, the wheels in my mind are turning. I've already been branded. I have my pass to get in. I don't work Friday night. Maybe I should head out to the grounds, keep my co-worker company. Because being out there alone on a Friday night with all the drunks? It can be a bit frightening. And I'm sure she'd appreciate the company.

I'll have to see what the weather's supposed to be like. Some of the weathermen, who are known for being wrong most of the time, are talking about bad storms, with lots of wind, hail, rain and possibly tornadoes. And as much as I like Kenny Cheseny, I don't want to get blown away.

The chicken was enjoyed by all

Another year's worth of Chickenfest is in the books. And a good time was had by all.

There was a lot of chicken.

And much dancing, both the Chicken Dance variety and other dancing. And lots of good food, especially this cheese-flavored kettle corn. Yum. And beer. And fireworks. And a parade. And good times with family and friends.

And lots of music. The bands were good, Boxkar, Hindsight and Half Empty. And Ryan Cabrera, who played Saturday afternoon to a mixed crowd of teeny boppers and other Chickenfest goers, wasn't half bad either. It was free. So I went down with my Mom, we pulled up some chairs and listened. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but he wasn't half bad. There were points when I found myself tapping my toes and kind of dancing in my seat. It was an entertaining hour worth of music.

Let the countdown begin until next year's Chickenfest festivities.

I've practiced the moves. My wings are ready to flap.

Elmo wants to be a chicken

Elmo wants to be duck

Cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck

OK, so those probably aren't the real lyrics, but you can be sure that I'll have the "Chicken Dance" running through my head. On the hour. Every hour. All weekend.

Because it's time for Chickenfest folks.

That two-day festival in Darboy where chicken is king. It kicks off tonight with fireworks, music, food and beer. And tomorrow? There's a parade and stuff like crafts and a pedal tractor pull. But there's also more food and music. And since I'll be at the park anyway, you'll probably find me somewhere among the throng of pre-teen girls who are screaming their hearts out for Ryan Cabrera when he takes the stage.

And did I forget to mention you do the Chicken Dance? A lot?

Yeah. It's a good time.

I was going to be dancing the Chicken Dance anyway

Chickenfest.

For the past three or four years, each summer I set aside a weekend in June where I plan to go to the festival held by my parents' house in Darboy.

Chickenfest. It's your typical summer festival. Food, music, beer, rides and fireworks. And of course, each hour you dance the Chicken Dance. It's fun. I even have the Chicken necklace, which I forgot to wear last year.

The music lineup has been announced for a few weeks already. It's mostly local bands. But they play good music and it's a good time.

But today? There's a new performer. Apparently Ryan Cabrera, the ex-boyfriend of Ashlee Simpson, will be making an appearance at Chickenfest. Not sure how this all happened. And while I know there are some tunes that Cabrera sings, for the life of me, I can't remember which ones they are.

Most likely I'll already be at the park for some kind of Chickenfest activity on June 21 at 5:30. It might be the pedal tractor pull or browsing through the crafts. Or dancing the Chicken Dance. So chances are, you'll probably find me somewhere near the stage, listening to a few Cabrera tunes.

Music gets me through the workouts

My iPod? The one who goes by the name Darth (thanks to Farrah for the naming suggestion!)? He's become my new best friend. I love him. And I get a lot of use out of him. At work. At home. At the gym. Me and Darth? We're BFFs.

The place where Darth and I get along best though is at the YMCA. The tunes he cranks out help get me through the nasty workouts. I'll be running on the treadmill to nowhere and the timer is counting down the last few minutes of my run and Darth will conveniently decide to play just the right song to get me through those last minutes or give me the energy to make it the last half mile.

And while I've got a semi-decent workout play list right now, I feel like it needs a bit of updating. There needs to be a few more songs that give me that energy. The songs that make me want to continue to run or bike even though it hurts like heck. The music that gets me to the finish line.

I've downloaded a few new songs from iTunes the past few days and they've helped. I don't listen to the radio much, but Sean Kingston's "Take You There" and Timbaland's "The Way I Are" were catchy. So I added them to the list. And I've heard good things about Paramore, so I clicked on "Misery Business" and "Crushcrushcrush." And I love them. And am seriously considering just shelling out the cash for the album.

And while we're talking about Paramore, I just have to say, my favorite lyric from "Misery Business" happens to be:

"I watched his wildest dreams come true
Not one of them involving you
Just watch my wildest dreams come true
Not one of them involving ..."

Not sure exactly why I like it so much, but I like it. And that's all that matters.

Back to workout tunes. Does anyone have any other suggestions? What music helps you get through a workout? I like fast-paced stuff, but I'm opening to trying anything.