Wednesday. It's the day that is smack bang in the middle of the work week. Good in many ways but the main reason why I love Wednesdays is you've already worked two days of the working week (good for you) and only have two days left after it. It's the midpoint. Neutral, neither agree nor disagree. You can tell I work in market research can't you...
Focus. See? Such an issue by Wednesday...
The Super Bowl was on earlier this week and whilst I haven't watched it, I bet Beyonce's performance was world class, and live. No lip-syncing in this one I assume. Another great thing about her performance (so I'm told) is the Destiny's Child Reunion. Yeah! Bring Michelle and Kelly back! I believe they're also releasing an album this year. I can't wait. They prove that even 10 years on, they've still got it. In spades.
This week is all about report writing. Meeting deadlines. Delivering insight. Which can be hard for someone like me. Someone that gets easily distracted, procrastinates and needs a little extra thinking time to write about brands and their personalities. I digress.
I am a person that is much more focused in the morning. I am, without a doubt, a morning person. I must admit, since moving to Melbourne I have become much less of a morning person but I think I've got my morning mojo back. My brain works really well until it hits about 3.00pm or 3.30pm, depending on the day. As soon as the clock strikes 3, it's like my brain tries to tell me "Camilla, I can't go on anymore...must eat chocolate to function further..."
Most days I avoid the temptation of chocolate, instead reaching for a pastry or biscuit. I'm not sure which is worse! It's the sugar I tell you... need. sugar. to sustain.
Again, I digress! Once it hits 3.00pm that's when you'll usually find me also reaching for my headphones and plugging in... to some music! So if like me, you're finding yourself somewhat lethargic mid week, using food as a means of procrastination or just in need of a midday / mid-week boogie, Little Red's Rock It does the trick nicely I say.
Last weekend I was looking through my limited CD collection that I brought with me when I moved to Melbourne. Most of it is "old music" - music from the 90's or early 00's. Feeling all ghetto, I wanted some old R'n'B. Not that new stuff they call R'n'B on the radio now. More electronic than melodic. I wanted some smooth tunes or fat bass lines, like old Usher, Boyz II Men, Bone Thugs & Harmony, heck 98 Degrees (do they count as R'n'B??)
I was ecstatic when I came across Usher's 2004 album Confessions in my CD collection. Who doesn't love singing along to Confessions, Burn (probably my favourite track on the album) and dancing along to Caught Up and of course, probably the most well-known song on the album - Yeah!
What I love about R'n'B from the 90's and 00's is that it is totally acceptable for middle class white or asian folk (actually anyone other than African Americans) to pretend to be all ghetto. It's ok to throw your hands up and go Yeah! and sing about shortys, boos, bootys, yell out rowl (yes, according to Ludacris, it is a word) and generally act like you probably never would normally. And can I just point out Taio Cruz, who likes to say his name in the beginning of almost every song on his album, you're not the first. Usher did it too. Way back when it was still fresh.
Groove is in the heart. Oh yes, I went there. I am pretty sure I first heard this song when I was six. My mum bought one of those compilation tapes (yes a mixed tape! One we didn't have to make ourselves!) for our neighbour's birthday and of course, we also had to have the same one. How was it fair that our little friend got to have a mixed tape with cool songs and my sister and I got nothing? (yes, we were very selfish, self-centred little girls. At times, not much has changed...) Anyway, if memory serves me well, it had all the great hits, Taylor Dayne, New Kids on the Block, perhaps also a little bit of Robert Palmer? My mind is a bit hazy. Looking back, it was about twenty years ago...
Right, back to the song. This song, without a doubt, always, and I mean always, puts a smile on my dial and a little groove in my step. How can it not with one liners like he’s not vicious or malicious, just de-lovely and delicious. De-lovely? Awesome. Ke$ha, sorry to break it to you but you didn’t start a revolution with neck-a-lace. So 2000 and late.
I also love that this song is a little bit naughty. Imagine lip-synching the chills that you spill up my back, keep me filled with satisfaction when we’re done, satisfaction of what’s to come with your best ‘come hither’ face, directed at a very attractive person of the opposite sex. Booyah.
Also, one word for the video clip: wow. It is that psychedelic I feel like my head is still spinning.
They sure don’t make songs or video clips like they used to. Happy hump day!
