Ultimate Workout Playlist

Music is the ultimate motivational tool for me at the gym. My workout playlist has different songs for warming up, lifting, running, walking, etc. If I'm not taking a class with a preset soundtrack, I usually put my workout playlist on shuffle and just skip around based on what I'm doing.
I've starred my very favorites in terms of motivation for me. Be warned - I always get the clean version and you may prefer to do the same. These songs do get me going, though!
I trained for my half marathon a few years ago using Ashlee Simpson's entire Autobiography album. I'm pretty tired of it by now, but it was great for me then so I'm including it below.
Take a look and let me know what your favorites are as well. I'd love to add some new music to my workout mix!
Autobiography - Ashlee Simpson
Pieces of Me
Lala
Little Miss Obsessive
Boyfriend

*Single Ladies - Beyonce
*Diva

Baby One More Time - Britney Spears
*Circus
*Gimme More
*Womanizer
Me Against the Music
Toxic

Summer of '69 - Bryan Adams

How I Could Just Kill A Man - Charlotte Sometimes

*Forever - Chris Brown
Kiss Kiss

Ain't No Other Man - Christina Aguilera

*What You Got - Colby O'Donis

*Gotta Get Thru This - Daniel Bedingfield

Mercy - Duffy

American Boy - Estelle

Leavin' - Jesse McCartney

Irresistible - Jessica Simpson
I Think I'm In Love With You

Green Light - John Legend

After Tonight - Justin Nozuka

FutureSex/LoveSounds - Justin Timberlake

Jesus Walks - Kanye West

Whine Up - Kat DeLuna

Over It - Katharine McPhee

*Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

Since U Been Gone - Kelly Clarkson

***Let It Rock - Kevin Rudolf

*Mr. Brightside - The Killers

Red Blooded Woman - Kylie Minogue

**Just Dance - Lady GaGa

I Will Love Again - Lara Fabian

The Right Kind of Wrong - Leann Rimes

Lollipop - Lil Wayne
A Milli
Got Money

Get It Shawty - Lloyd

In My Pocket - Mandy Moore

Harder to Breathe - Maroon 5
Through With You

Come On Get Higher - Matt Nathanson

*Closer - Ne-Yo

**So What - Pink
Sober

New Shoes - Paolo Nutini

*Fuego - Pit Bull
*When I Grow Up - Pussycat Dolls

Don't Stop the Music - Rihanna
Breakin' Dishes
Pon de Replay

*Magic - Robin Thicke

**Live Your Life - T.I.
Whatever You Like

Lolli Lolli - Three 6 Mafia

Shut Up and Let Me Go - The Ting Tings

Love in This Club - Usher

Nolita Fairytale - Vanessa Carlton

Take Me on the Floor - The Veronicas
This Love
*This is How It Feels
4ever
Untouched

25 Random Things About Me

I was tagged a number of times to do this on Facebook, so I thought I'd repost it here. I'd love to learn 25 new things about each of y'all on your own blogs!

1. I was born in England, where my dad was opening a UK branch of a South Carolina-based company; we flew home when I was six months old. As a result, I can't donate blood - something about Mad Cow disease?

2. My first name is after my maternal grandmother, who was German. Watching a teacher's face as she tried to pronounce it on the first day of every school year was terrible! Thankfully Anne is a lot easier to say.

3. I don't sing in the shower but I do sing constantly in the car.

4. I'll reread a well-loved book until it falls apart.

5. I'd rather change a diaper than a tire. I sincerely hope that doesn't make me a stereotype.

6. I believe 2009 is the year of the scarf.

7. More than two years after I got it, I still stare at my engagement ring well more than anyone should. I got a new ring for Christmas, so now I'm staring at both hands and looking straight crazy...

8. I have never smoked a thing.

9. The only beer I'll sip is this delicious raspberry Belgian concoction, Lindeman's Framboise. I think it's 1% alcohol and 99% juice, but it's fabulous!

10. I don't drink coffee but love Diet Coke and Diet Dr. Pepper. Nothing helps me get through a work day quite as effectively as popping open a cold DC.

11. I don't eat cheese except on pizza.

12. I wish I was Italian; pasta and gelato are two of my favorite things!

13. I eat everything plain. No ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, relish, sauerkraut, salad dressing, alfredo or other heavy sauces. Essentially I'm a preschool eater in a grown up's body.

14. I used to wear way more pink and green than you can imagine. I'm broadening my accessory choices these days, though, and leaning towards a lot more purple. (And orange, of course. Go Tigers!)

15. My dog Blue is one of my favorite people (yes, people) on Earth.

16. A DVR has been both the best and worst thing ever to happen to my free time. I follow way too many TV shows - Mad Men, LOST, The Office, 30 Rock and The Bachelor.

17. My favorite places in the world are Paris, Clemson and Charleston - or any South Carolina beach. I'd rather hang out at home with friends than alone anywhere else, though. I'm a total extrovert and a believer that who you're with matters more than where you are.

18. I could sleep 10 hours a day if left to my own devices. During the week I aim for eight.

19. I've spoken at my college and high school graduations, plus a few other big events that left me more excited than scared. Speaking in front of a small group of people, particularly those who mean a lot to me, gets me much more nervous than 11,000 people in Littlejohn Coliseum ever could.

20. I'm trying really hard to learn to cook. It's a work in progress. My two favorite cookbooks are one devoted solely to breakfast and another to soups.

21. I eat grits as a meal any time of day. I have also been known to drink sweet tea with brunch. Life without those two staples is hard to imagine.

22. I've adopted Dolly Parton's mantra from Steel Magnolias - no one cries alone in my presence. That entire movie is pretty much quotable genius. I can't even discuss "two pigs fighting under a blanket" without laughing 'til I cry.

23. I generally refuse to cry in front of people I'm not extremely close to - so I guess that's a compliment to you if you've ever seen my splotchy, crying face.

24. I always carry hand sanitizer, Burt's Bees, lip gloss and a tiny hair brush. At work I usually stock Shout wipes, too. Don't laugh - everyone always asks to borrow my "grandma" supplies!

25. As loud and over the top as I can be, my husband Bradley and my friends are still the funniest people I know. Believe it or not, I tend to be silently sitting, listening and bent over laughing when we're all together.

I knew I wasn't alone!

I am not the only gal south of, well, anywhere who is on the hunt for addictive and budget-friendly accessories. It's difficult to have a closet full of options if they're all high end, n'est-ce pas? Let's save our splurges for the truly timeless...perfect jeans, amazing bag, vacation in the tropics. That's another post for another day, though.

Apparently some grown and girly bloggers have caught on to the Walmart scarf trend. Like Brandi below, I am also a Target girl through and through. But you can't beat $5 with a stick, even if you have to admit your super chic accessory is from the home of the Rollback smiley face!

Here is Brandi's suggestion for tying a scarf. While you're looking, you also need to get hooked on Bring the Rain, Angie's blog where the original query was posed. Big Mama, our first video tutor, is a great read as well. Enjoy, gals!


Scarf Conversations from Brandi Wilson on Vimeo.

Before you start another crazy week....

1. Tell me a few of your favorite gym songs. I am working on a fabulous new playlist and absolutely welcome your suggestions. I use it as a total excuse for all of the crap, um, pop music on my iPod. Britney, Three 6 Mafia, Rihanna, Lil Wayne, Kevin Rudolf, Kanye, Christina, Mandy Moore - whaaat? I know, I know. I keep it to the clean versions, but a girl's got to keep it exciting if she wants to tempt herself onto the treadmill. So add a little to my playlist... I promise to take your advice!

2. Be in prayer for a Clemson graduate and Columbia native who could certainly use them! This adorable girl is engaged to be married this spring and has found out she has two brain tumors. She's set for surgery this Tuesday the 27th to see if they are benign or malignant. I'm praying for beningn!!

3. Join me in hoping that the groundhog predicts a quick and sunny spring next week!!

4. Take a moment to (finally) learn how to tie a stylish scarf. Also, enjoy a good Southern accent, some lovely lady chatter and a bit of good insight into Bachelor contestants' fashion faux pas. This will totally be me in ten years - if I'm lucky, that is!! It goes to show that sorority-style gal pals never go out of fashion!


Scarf Tying 101 from Big Mama on Vimeo.

Fortunately, I can wear stylishly chic jeans, heels and scarves to work. I think I wore one every day last week. Newly acquired are hot pink, lime green and charcoal from (yes, you're reading this correctly) Wal-Mart. I walked by to grab some eye cream and what do you know - they've got cute pashminas!

Add to that my gorgeous orange gift pashmina from K.Dub, the purple one my friend Jennifer just forced me to purchase, a red one that got broken in over the holidays and a mauve one from my summer in Paris well before they were in style - well, you can see how easy it is to throw one on over a t-shirt and call yourself a fashionista.

Have a fabulous, fabulous week, y'all!

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To warm your heart...

...as you thaw your limbs. Had to share a few things that have made me smile in the middle of a long, chilly work week.

Valentine's Day sweets

The promise of summer - and adorable swimsuits

Any excuse to spend an evening celebrating!

This notepad and the very concept

Family

The whole house these pictures come from and the blogger who lives there.

Hydrangeas, stationery, porcelain and monograms.

A glass bottle for water-drinking cube-dwellers - green and genius!


Brightly patterned linens


Sweet folksy valentines



Grown-up paper art


A gorgeous blue door



A cozy orange reading nook



Roses and ranunculus


Patriotism - and a good set of shutters.


Even with all of these warm fuzzy thoughts in my brain, there's still one last thing to share:

Soup, anyone?

My very very favorite thing in the bitterly cold, gray and boring months of winter is a good batch of soup. (It's always better when Mom makes it, but I'm learning...)

My favorites are beef vegetable and (in the vein of Olive Garden's unbelievably addictive recipe) pasta e fagioli.

I'm dying for some new soup recipes. What are your favorites? And how easy are they? (No cheese, please. Y'all know me!)

This post should perhaps be titled: Old Married Lady Part Deux, but I'm hoping someone else shares my affinity for soup this time of year. Add a little cornbread, some super comfy pjs and a good movie and you've got the perfect night!