Tag Archives: Queen

Love is…

Love is… a lot of things. Love can be demonstrated through big, extravagant actions, but I tend to think that the small, quiet actions can often speak the loudest. Why? Because those small things show how well we know our partner, how well we see the little things that make their heart happy. Before I get into the heart of this post, you need to know a few things about Kenn and me: when it comes to music, our tastes are very similar – until they’re not. I like John Mellencamp; Kenn does not. Kenn loves Sting while Sting is the musical equivalent of nails on a chalkboard to me. I like what I call “fun” music. (Think Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham! and Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off.) I’m also old enough to have lived through disco and am not ashamed to say that I like it.

Kenn’s former guitar teacher provided him with a musical library on CD; it covered a wide range of decades and genres. On a recent trip to South Carolina to visit the kids, Kenn pulled up his library and said he had created a playlist for me; he set it to “shuffle” and hit play. I knew he had nailed it with the first song. As the music played, every couple of songs I pulled up the notepad on my phone and scribbled some notes. Kenn eventually asked what I was doing and I told him that I was making a list of all of the songs. When he asked why, I told him “because I want to remember; this is one of the sweetest things you’ve done for me.” I think he was surprised I felt that way, but I stand by my statement.

The songs on the playlist are (in the order they played):

  • YMCA by the Village People. Kenn does not share my love of the Village People, but he grinned as he drove while I did the arm motions for the song.
  • Annie’s Song by John Denver (IMO there are two singers who make singing seem effortless. One is John Denver, the other is Karen Carpenter.)
  • Somebody to Love by Queen
  • Disco Inferno by The Trammps
  • More Than A Woman by the Bee Gees
  • Wild Montana Skies by John Denver
  • That’s the Way (I Like It) by KC and the Sunshine Band
  • Killer Queen by Queen
  • Trying to Get The Feeling Again by Barry Manilow
  • Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Queen
  • Can’t Smile Without You by Barry Manilow
  • Open Arms by Journey
  • All Out of Love by Air Supply
  • I’m Sorry by John Denver
  • Calypso by John Denver
  • In the Navy by the Village People
  • Looks Like We Made It by Barry Manilow
  • Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees
  • Lost in Love by Air Supply
  • How Deep is Your Love by the Bee Gees
  • Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
  • Making Love Out of Nothing at All by Air Supply
  • Don’t Stop Me Now by Queen (My favorite Queen song)
  • Back Home Again by John Denver
  • Another One Bites the Dust by Queen
  • It’s a Miracle by Barry Manilow
  • Don’t Stop Believin’ by Journey
  • Still the One by Orleans (This is “our song.”)
  • Saturday Night by the Bay City Rollers (In my early teens I was a die-hard Roller fan. The walls of my room were covered with BCR posters.)
  • Mandy by Barry Manilow
  • Brandy (You’re a Fine Girl) by Looking Glass
  • Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen
  • Daybreak by Barry Manilow
  • You’re My Best Friend by Queen
  • Get Down Tonight by KC and the Sunshine Band
  • (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty by KC and the Sunshine Band
  • Evil Woman by Elecric Light Orchestra
  • I’m Your Boogie Man by KC and the Sunshine Band
  • We Will Rock You by Queen
  • Even Now by Barry Manilow
  • Who’s Crying Now by Journey

We discussed the list and I told him he could remove Disco Inferno, but that there are a few artists I’d like to have added such as the Carpenters and the Eagles. We also agreed that Elton John and more ELO would be good. Then I told him that I’m indifferent to the Bee Gees; I don’t hate them, but I don’t go out of the way to listen to them either. I told him that I wasn’t sure why he had recently decided that I’m a big Bee Gees fan. He just looked at me in stunned silence and finally managed to say, “It’s not just recently. I’ve always thought you like the Bee Gees.” Nope.

Originally this post would have ended here. However, Kenn came home from an estate sale last weekend with these gems for me.🥰

I will be investing in some album frames so I can hang them on the wall in my game room. Side note: I did not know until I read the album covers that the Village People had recorded Just A Gigolo/I Ain’t Got Nobody so I looked it up. David Lee Roth did it better.🤷‍♀️

What is your favorite type of music?

Large Headed Ladies

I think the time has come for a new song in the vein of Queen’s classic, Fat Bottomed Girls. The new song should be titled Large Headed Ladies and I volunteer to star in the music video. I look in the mirror and I see a normal, average human being. However, looks can be deceiving and I’m apparently a living chibi or Funko Pop. (Both are characters with large heads.) I generally don’t wear hats for the simple reason that most don’t fit. One size fits all? Ha! Not hardly. Between a large head and extremely thick hair, most “one size” hats just perch precariously on top of my head.

During our visit to Wall Drug, we found a western wear store that sold hats that came in (gasp!) actual sizes. Since that day, I have been the proud owner of a genuine Stetson cowboy hat.

Yee haw!

When I started my part-time job, I needed a sun hat. It took two attempts to find the one pictured in the linked post. I bought the first hat based on a Facebook ad with reviews which mentioned the hat fitting larger heads. Ha! It was so small I gave it to my nine year old grandson. Fortunately, the next hat was a success. Not only does it fit, but the vivid orange makes me easy to find when I’m working out in the orchards.

The most recent hurdle has been trying to find a bicycle helmet. Several months ago, Kenn purchased collapsible bikes for us to take with us when we camp. Sadly, we have yet to use them. We decided a few weeks ago to remedy that situation but that meant finding helmets. Of course it was a cinch for Kenn but for me, not so much. I carefully measured my head and made sure to purchase an appropriately sized helmet. Guess what? It didn’t fit. 🤦‍♀️ So, it was back to the drawing board. Thank goodness for LtMacDaddy and his amazing Amazon review. I purchased the same helmet and he is correct; the helmet also fits my fat head!

Success!

It’s a shame that adults don’t get to wear sparkly multi-colored helmets like kids do. (I’d wear a unicorn helmet in a heartbeat.) While the red is nice, it’s boring. I may apply a coat of my Lisa Frank nail polish to give it a little sparkle. Another downside to owning a red and black helmet as a resident of the state of Georgia is that it will be assumed to have been chosen in support of the University of Georgia Bulldogs. Spoiler alert: it was not and I am not a Bulldogs (or any other team) fan.

So, are you a member of the Large Head Club? If not, what is it like to be able to purchase hats off the rack (so to speak)?