Loggins & Messina

My son dug out an old cassette tape of The Best of Friends of Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina a few weeks ago. I was secretly pleased that he liked it and had even learned a few of the songs there. Realisation came when he played it in the kitchen radio, produced the accompanying lyric sheet and sang with gusto. Well I wouldn't let myself be beaten so I sang eagerly with him. Why oh why did I forget this great song writing duo when I was doing my music meme. I relived memories brought about hearing old favourites like Your Mama Don't Dance, Peace of Mind, Travelin' Blues, or Watching the River Run. If you notice my selection in that music meme, a lot of the songs are arranged with just acoustic guitars and vocals. I love those type of songs where it exposes the beauty of the words, melody, and the human voice. And Loggins & Messina have a lot of those.

In that tape of Loggins & Messina, my son have 2 favourite songs. One was about Winnie the Pooh (which I will blog later) and the other the dainty and refined Danny's Song - song about the joys of parenthood, the metamorphosis of an otherwise aimless young man to a responsible father, of his love to the mother of his son. So poignant.


Danny's Song
(Kenny Loggins)

People smile and tell me I'm the lucky one
And we've just begun
Think I'm gonna have a son
He will be like she and me
As free as a dove
Conceived in love
Sun is gonna shine above

Chorus:
And even though we ain't got money
I'm so in love with ya honey
And everything will bring a chain of love
And in the morning when I rise
You bring a tear of joy to my eyes
And tell me everything is gonna be alright

Seems as though a month ago
I was a Beta Chi
Never got high
Oh I was a sorry guy
And now a smile, a face
A girl that shares my name
Now I'm through with the game
This boy will never be the same

(Repeat Chorus)

Pisces, Virgo rising is a very good sign
Strong and kind
And the little boy is mine
Now I see a family where there once was none
Now we've just begun
Yeah, we're gonna fly to the sun

(Repeat Chorus)

Love the girl who holds the world in a paper cup
Drink it up
Love her and she'll bring you luck
And if you find she helps your mind
Buddy, take her home
Don't you live alone
Try to earn what lovers own

(Repeat Chorus)

Weighty Weight Week 5

As usual I'm late with my report on my current scale indication. I weighed myself last Tuesday and I'm now 14 stones and 9 pounds. Another pound off which is really nice considering that I've not been so virtuous this week. But I guess, unless I go on a whole day pig out, I'm relatively okay.

I can understand now the merits of eating with low carbs or with the right ones. The other day I was in the car with my husband and my youngest. Me and the kid were famished, really hungry. We were on the move and have no time to find a resto and sit down and eat. So the only option at the time was a McDonald's drive thru. I ate chicken nuggets and had some french fries. You know what, those little fries I had made me even more hungry. I now discovered that with processed or easily absorbed carbs I get hungrier and the feeling of hunger is more intense unlike the ones I feel when my food is primarily vegs, fruits and proteins. What a revelation. At least now I will know the warning signs when it comes. Unlike before, when I will indulge my stomach with every smallest little hunger pang I experience. The downside with this is when you go out to eat or shop. Almost every food or dish available is catered for fast consumption and absorption of the body. White bread, white rice, processed food. I don't mind having them once in a while but the choices for a low carb eater is certainly narrow.

*Currently Listening to: Virgin Radio playing - Tubthumping (Chumbawamba)

Weighty Weight Week 4

It's the start of week 4 and I should have blogged this 2 days ago. But I was (and still am) snowed under with work.

Weighing myself again, now I am 14 stones and 10 pounds. I'm 1 pound lighter. Well, that's expected. It says in the book that at phase 2 the shedding of weight will be about 1-2 pounds every week. Hopefully this continues on. I know what did me in last week, it's that darn Sugar High Friday event in the food blogging world. I tried to make some pain au chocolat and who else is gonna eat it afterwards? Of course waste-abhorring me! ::sigh::

Red is for Valentine ... or Bull's Eye

An unforgettable Valentine's Day happened to me eons ago. I was attending a local primary school which was within walking distance from my grandma's house where I was staying. That day I decided to do the full monty and dress up for the occassion. I put on my reddest dress and proudly walked to school. I was imagining in my 8-year-old mind the looks of approval or envy from my classmates.

As I was walking, I noticed there weren't many people or kids on the road and I realised I was already late. So I hurried on hoping I won't miss the flag ceremony so everyone could see my nice dress in all its red glory. I was just outside the school fence I did not notice that there was a bull (note: big bad cow with big horns) tied to the other side of the road. In the corner of my eye, I saw that it looked up from eating its breakfast. Stared at me. Saw my red dress and then charged me at full speed! It probably thought I was a matador's rag. I was pinned against the wire fence with the bull breathing down on me, its horns about a foot from my chest. Horrors of horrors!

cartoon courtesy of my BIL - Roland Mikey Ilagan

So there I was on my Valentine dress ready to be gored by a bull not exactly admiring my red confection. Knees shaking, tears were about to fall from my eyes. But I willed it not to, someone might see and I was more concerned with my street cred than my fear. I was rooted on the spot not daring to move at all lest the friggin' beast charge again and break free from its ropes. Luckily I noticed that the wire fence was broken at the base precisely where I was standing. I was able to wiggle in and make my escape to the other side. Whew! What a relief. You might understand now why no matter what incentive anyone give me I never want to wear red again on Valentine's Day. Even if it meant getting extra points from professors when I was in college. Who knows there might be a tethered bull just round the corner.

I've been Tagged !

Mrs.Tweety and Baby Rambutan kindly tagged me in this music meme. Actually I felt sooo constraint by the second to the last question because I am allowed only 5 songs! 5 songs! I've got a lot of favourites and my taste is somewhat eclectic so I would have put easily 50 items in there under normal circumstances. But howell, never mind...

Update: I saw other posts on this and they have a 'Random 10'. Now I just have to add this because I feel a list of 5 songs is too limiting. Here goes:

Random 10

1. "No Woman No Cry" - Bob Marley (live version)
2. "Should I Stay or Should I Go" - The Clash
3. "Under the Bridge" - Red Hot Chilli Peppers
4. "Lady Marmalade" - Patti Labelle
5. "Beast of Burden" - Rolling Stones
6. "More Than Words" - Extreme
7. "Superstition" - Stevie Wonder
8. "Oye Como Va" - Santana
9. "Mais Que Nada" - Astrud Gilberto
10. "Tell Momma" - Savoy Brown

What is the total amount of music files on your computer?
1228 songs, a total of 4.55GB - most of them my husband's and kids'

The CD you last bought?
Beatle's Revolver and Abbey Road - to start my Beatle's collection

What was the last song you listened to before reading this message?
Benny and the Jets (Elton John) - I heard it over the TV

Write down five songs that you often listen to or that mean a lot to you.
"Do It Or Die" - Atlanta Rhythm Section - in my lowest times this gives me hope
"True" - Spandau Ballet - our song
"Peg" - Steely Dan
"The Joker" - Steve Miller Band
"R.E.S.P.E.C.T." - Aretha Franklin

Who are you going to pass this stick to (3 persons) and why?
*CaT of Now What, Cat? - I'm curious about the music taste of this funny and intriguing lady (meow!).
*Keiko of Nordljus - because she's one of my newest blogging friends
*Analyse of My Hideaway - I wanted to know what this young vivacious Pinay in France listens to.

Weighty Weight Week 3

So here I am at the start of my week 3. I am eager to move on, meaning eat other types of food. Last 2 weeks I was so vegged out, why I have vegetables practically coming out of my ears! I know it's healthy, makes me feel spritely and gives me nice smoother skin. But I can only eat veggies for so long I am dying for some fruits! Strange this diet, I thought I'm going to crave for carbs as in great mounds of rice or hot oil drenched chips (thick fries). What I found I'm craving for are sweets especially after a main meal. Just hope I can stick with this in the long run.

I weighed again as usual and I now tip the scales at 14 stones and 11 pounds - meaning I lost a further 2 pounds! I am mighty pleased. At least all the will power and self control I mustered to prevent me gorging on the fluffy mash my daughter made last night or the banana cake I baked last weekend or the disastrous egg tarts last Sunday, had not gone to waste. Roll on week 3 and hello to fruits and beans in my diet.

Three Angels

See my beautiful angels? That's one for each of my children. This is what my husband called 'katas ng blogging' :). They were sent by a very kind blogging friend. I believe in people encountering things and circumstances that they need at the time. Right now we need guidance, direction and strength. I believe help is on the way symbolised by these lovely angels. What exactly they bring I do not know but I believe we will be given exactly what we need to further our education here on this plane in a school called 'life'. Thank you very much dear CaT for your gifts. They are much appreciated.

Here is a song my family love to sing and recently hubby taught J1 to play it on the piano so our 'karaoke' sessions are becoming more lively.


Angels
by Robbie Williams

I sit and wait
Does an angel contemplate my fate
And do they know
The places where we go
When we're grey and old
'Coz I've been told
That salvation lets their wings unfold
So when I'm lying in my bed
Thoughts running through my head
And I feel that love is dead
I'm loving angels instead

Chorus:
And through it all she offers me protection
A lot of love and affection
Whether I'm right or wrong
And down the waterfall
Wherever it may take me
I know that life won't break me
When I come to call
She won't forsake me
I'm loving angels instead

When I'm feeling weak
And my pain walks down a one way street
I look above
And I know I'll always be blessed with love
And as the feeling grows
She breathes flesh to my bones
And when love is dead
I'm loving angels instead

(repeat Chorus 2x)

Weighty Weight Week 2

Ta-dan! It's the start of week 2 of my diet and have to report on my current weight. I used the same scale in the same mall in roughly the same clothes I was in before, and guess what - I'm now 14 stones and 13 pounds. That means I lost 4 pounds!! Wooohooo! (cue Blur's Song2 riffs) Ain't that great? I just hope they keep coming off 'coz I'm really getting the hang of it.

Years ago I did the Weight Watchers diet and I vividly remember in the first 2-3 weeks I was sooo hungry all the time. I did lose about 1 1/2 stones that time but it only lasted about 6 months and I was back to my old ways again. With this South Beach diet, I only feel hungry occassionally. Quite a strange sensation. We're supposed to be in a very strict no-carbs-no-sugar-diet in the first 2 weeks but I didn't follow it strictly. I eat a little amount of carbs when I'm feeling woozy probably from too low sugar level. But even then I lost weight. Great! Looking forward now to next weeks' weighing in.