Soon To Be Turkey & Mistletoe Time!

It's definitely right around the corner, isn't it? I can totally just about feel it in the air, can't you? Christmas is getting close!!! Turn on The Weather Channel and whaddya see? Snow, snow, snow, everywhere there's snow!!! It's that white stuff that falls from the sky, you make snowballs out of it to throw at cars and school buses. Snow forts. Snowmen. Sledding. Let it snow, baby! Okay, well, I guess all that snow's just up there in the hinterlands: North Dakota. They never really show Alaska on The Weather Channel but there's snow there, also. If you're dreaming of a White Easter, that's definitely the place to go.

Easter? Jelly beans!!! Christ. Christmas.

Hmmm... I wonder if Christ would approve of spending gazillions of dollars on pork and banks and car companies and other Congress & President-approved idiocy, all very much to the detriment of future generations. Kids right now, when they're older, won't be able to enjoy Christmas because they're getting the holy hell taxed out of them to pay for all that debt that's currently being run up. What a jip!

Ahhh well, depressed about the economy or flooding or blizzards or that even though the New York Mets will do good to great for the first five months of the season they'll still completely blow first place come September 1st? Just forget about all of that and listen to some good music! Yah? Yah!!! Pass the eggnog... extra nog, thanks. Merry Recessionmas!!!

Only 268 Shopping Days Left!!!

Have Yourself A Jazzy Little Christmas (Verve, 1989)

A Child Is Born - Oscar Peterson
Christmas Medley - The Swingle Sisters
(Carol Of The Bells, Melodies Of The Day, O Sanctissimo)
Jingle Bells - Jimmy Smith
The Secret Of Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald
We Free Kings - Roland Kirk
Christmas Eve - Billy Eckstine
I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm - Billie Holiday
Ole Santa - Dinah Washington
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town - Bill Evans
White Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald
O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Sister Rosetta Tharpe
The Christmas Song - Mel Torme
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - Jimmy Smith
Silent Night - Dinah Washington
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas - Ella Fitzgerald


Have Yourself A Jazzy Little Christmas
320 kbps




mp3 download

17: Stellar or Still Sucky?

I achieved another milestone on my run this evening. A sort of milestone -- up to (and a little past) 17 minutes. Is it even significant? In a way it is. A year ago I never imagined running for what to me is so long. But now in my not-that-serious quest to be able to run a marathon, 17 is still pretty lame. All I want is to be able to run exactly like this at least a few times a week in order to help maintain a healthy heart, etc. Within the long range scope of desiring to be able to finish a marathon in about 240 minutes, well, LOL HAHAHAHA I'm a wicked long way off so 17 isn't significant at all. Perhaps I'll just keep on adding on little by little and think about 20 being the next milestone...

75 minutes on the trail...

Running Time -- 17 minutes & 7 seconds (up 12)



Sammy Kershaw

Don't Go Near The Water (debut album from 1991)

Anywhere But Here
Every Third Monday
Don't Go Near The Water
What Am I Worth
I Buy Her Roses
Yard Sale
Real Old-Fashioned Broken Heart
Kickin' In
Cadillac Style
Harbor For A Lonely Heart
+
some Sammy Kershaw tunes for Christmas...
Up On The Housetop
Christmas Won't Be Christmas (Without You Here)
We Three Kings
Winter Wonderland
&
Billie Holiday -- Fine and Mellow [Jazz Lounge Remix]
One For My Baby (And One More For The Road) -- Sinatra
+
Jerry Garcia & Merl Saunders -- I Second That Emotion

Sammy Kershaw's debut album is pretty good early 90's Nashville country. Cadillac Style, I believe, still has radio play today, maybe one of his biggest hits. But the music kinda stunk for running to at least in part due to the fact that I blindly chose -- or chose without first hearing -- songs to run to that were too slow for my pace. Around the halfway point I nearly pulled up 'cause I wasn't satisfied by what I was hearing; the tunes didn't give me enough to concentrate on to take my mind off the seemingly uselessness and boredom of jogging. Almost felt like I was crawling along and a fast-paced hike woulda been just as good plus a hundred times more enjoyable than running. But I pushed on and succeeded once again. I'll revisit Mr. Kershaw's music again someday but to run to, the best thing will be to choose faster paced songs ahead of time!

Almonds? Cashews? Peanuts!

I think I've forgotten what it feels like to wear my hiking boots! I've been so caught up in running that it feels like weeks since I've gone for a "hike." Of course, being on the trail for 93 minutes means I do a significant amount of hiking . . . but it's in my running shoes vs. lacing up my hiking boots for strictly a hike. Anyway, nice afternoon today. I didn't progress by my usual 20+ seconds 'cause I didn't have ready the playlist that I originally wanted to take. Still I went again a little bit longer, a little bit further. I'm in no rush.

time on the trail: about 93 minutes

running time -- 9 minutes, 47 seconds (+16 seconds this time)

listened to:

* from the album:
Marlo Thomas & Friends: Thanks & Giving All Year Long
(a benefit for the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital)

* Teeny Meany -- James Earl Jones & Marlo Thomas
* The Little Stuff -- Marlo Thomas
* (I'll Give) Anything But Up! -- Hilary Duff
* Unsung Heroes -- Wayne Brady

Body And Soul -- Billie Holiday
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas -- Frank Sinatra

Wynton Marsalis & Ellis Marsalis -- Joe Cool's Blues

Linus & Lucy
Buggy Ride
Peppermint Patty
On Peanuts Playground
Oh, Good Grief!
Wright Brothers Rag
Charlie Brown
Little Red-Haired Girl
Pebble Beach
Snoopy & Woodstock
Little Birdie
Why, Charlie Brown
Joe Cool's Blues (Snoopy's Return)
and finally
Russian Lullaby -- Jerry Garcia & David Grisman

With this outing I have reached my maximum limit (1) for Hilary Duff songs this decade. (It's actually not a bad song.) My run to Billie & Frank was nice and mellow followed by my first time ever hiking to jazz. Can't go wrong with Wynton Marsalis. Really good music. And once again Jerry to finish up.

I've got so many playlists for hiking ready, plus Dead shows. Maybe tomorrow . . . if I can break free from this temporary addiction for pushing my run times up.