New Music Tuesday - Tuesday August 27th, 2013!

These are new songs that I'm 'trying out' in my car ;)

Berserk - Eminem

11 - Cassadee Pope

Two very different, yet by the first listen only, very good songs :).

-M.

All We Want is a Little Applause

So about a week ago I started a new exercise DVD program.

It's called TurboFire!! Woot!!

Love this lady!

It's from the same beautifully awesomely chipper lady named Chalene Johnson who did TurboJam!

So anywho!

I was getting all ready to perform my daily exercise (putting on my workout clothes, my shoes, getting my POLAR watch set up and just setting things up).

And I have my iPhone going so that I can listen to music and get ready, which I love! 

One of the newest downloaded songs came on and it just gave me a great boost!

It was the newest Lady Gaga :)

Called Applause!!

She sings about doing it for the applause which of course we all do! Right ;).

Just got me really motivated and upbeat in order to start my routine!

And the DVD itself has AWESOME music!! It's why I love it I think! It's current music!

Britney Spears is on it. P!nk is on it! Love it!

Anywho! 

Live your life for the applause! Whether it be self applause or peer given :).

-M.

And if you're into fitness follow my Instagram: mariogal6831

A Long Time Coming / Life in Pictures / Slash?

I had an amazing weekend! It was full of activity, full of laughter and full of awesome! :).

It started on Friday after work, when I met up with my amazing friend Elise :). We got to our amazing hotel, which was more like an apartment, and unpacked our things.

The Head and I

Following that we made our way around downtown cowtown and stopped at Earls to eat! I love Earls! Especially on an outside patio!

Raspberry Mojito :)

Yam Fries, Sushi, Mixed Field Green salad and Calamari

Following that was a view from our balcony with complimentary red wine! (I could end this blog entry right there and it would be awesome!).

Mmm red wine

Our view at 5:30 am (don't ask lol)

After a night's sleep we had Cora's (mmm), then went to the Calgary Zoo and walked around the open areas :). Saw, and petted, a skink too! :)

Blue Tongued Sk

Hehe Penguins

Then it was nap time to charge up for the NIGHT RACE. The 5k race that started at 9:25pm and had us decked out in everything 'glow'. It was an awesome race, yes we had some rain but it helped to refresh us! I felt so proud of myself afterward! Runner's high I was told. I loved going into Denny's for dinner too and having face paint and glow in the dark bracelets still on me!

While we waited for the shuttle

Us in the dark 

Us in the kinda light

After that amazing day, we followed it up with a trip to Taste of Calgary. I've actually never been to a Taste of... event so this was awesome! Tried some yummy food and drink!

My Black Russian Fudgesicle

After that busy weekend, I came home to camp for a much needed nap and chill time in my wilderness home away from home :).

Also! Elise got me hooked on this song! I have been playing it non-stop since she played it for me!! 

Hope you had an awesome weekend too!!

-M.

Point At You

I just want to start off by saying that coming up with the title for some of these blog posts is hard somedays! If you have any suggestions for what this one should've been called, I'd love to hear it :).

This post is going to be a look at men appreciating their women!

Ever since I saw this photo of Will Smith and his gorgeous wife Jada on meme sites, I couldn't stop thinking about it. I put it in the safety of the back of my mind and knew one day I'd have inspiration to talk about it.

And today is that day my friends!

Don't you just LOVE what he's doing????

Rather than just posing together and sharing the spotlight, or taking it for himself, Will is showcasing his amazing wife! 

I think this is awesome! 

After seeing this photo, I heard two songs that showcased what is going on in this photo.

The first one is a Justin Bieber song, but it's not the Biebs at all that is sharing the love, but a guest appearance by Big Sean where he utters the lyric:

 'Cameras point and shoot (shoot)

Ask me what's my best side, I stand back and point at you'

(this lyric is at about the 4:00 minute mark of this song:))

Love this! The first time I heard it, I thought about this exact photo! 

And recently, on country radio, Justin Moore has the aptly named song:

Point at You

Definitely loving the trend of both of these lyrics. 

In relationships, people are supposed to be partners, but showing your partner off can't hurt, can it?

-M.

Love at First Listen

I have a confession to make:

I'm in love!

...with a song, of course ;).

You go Luke!

The first time I heard it, it was played live as a sneak peek into an upcoming album.

The second time our hearts met, he was in my vehicle with me and followed me home. 

I dreamt about it, I get that goofy lovestruck smile on my face whenever I think about it. 

This song makes my heart melt.

What is that song you may ask?

I'll let you in on my newest love:

That's My Kind of Night by Luke Bryan

Ah I feel so free knowing that our relationship is open.

This song is just so up my alley, it's the bees knees, the cats claws, the be all end all. 

I love the upbeat nature, the hip hop influence (you know it's genius when T-Pain is mentioned alongside the great Conway Twitty).

To start off his newest album this way just makes total sense in my opinion. 

It's one of those songs that I could listen to again and again and well not again because I don't want to overdose on it. 

But I HIGHLY recommend this song! It's gonna be my song for the rest of the summer/fall!

Love it!

-M.

Band Together

Have you ever just instantly connected with a band? Heard one of their songs and then wanted to hear EVERY. OTHER. SONG. they have put out? Feel connections with each song and know each one lyric by lyric?

This is how I feel when I think about Rascal Flatts. 

They are 'my band'. (Ok, they are not my only band, but they are my band for the sake of this post. Some would say they are my country band, as Paramore is my rock/indie/top 40 band, but I digress)

I'm going to showcase a few lyrics off of their latest album "Changed" that speak to me when I listen:

So let it hurt, let it bleed
Let it take you right down to your knees
Let it burn to the worst degree
May not be what you want, but it's what you need
Sometimes the only way around it
Is to let love do it's work
And let it hurt
Yeah, let it hurt

Let It Hurt

I love the message of these lyrics. Sometimes life hurts, and it has to, in order for you to carry on and learn from it. It's okay to hurt, but know that you will always get back up and keep going. 

Sometimes you just need a little home
Some "hey mom and dad what’s goin’ on?
I’m just checkin’ in
No, there ain’t nothing wrong”
Sometimes you just need a little home

A Little Home

This song has spoken to me this summer when I've been away from my 'home' (the people and the actual physical building). Sometimes you just need to Skype with your parents, call them, or drive for 6 hours to see them. Heck even when I get an email/text from my parents, I can't help but smile.

But it’s hot, hot, hot in here
Ooh, so hot, hot, hot in here
Yeah, I can’t take her anywhere
It’s so hot, hot, hot in here

Hot in Here

This song reminds me of the Nelly 'Hot in Herre' song but with a country twist (and with Nelly doing this song with Florida Georgia Line, the connection isn't too far off ;)). I love the fun and playfulness of this song. And loved singing to it last year at BVJ!!

Thanks for reading!!

-M.

Moving Day!

Today is the day!

Today is the day where I move from a tiny roomed oilfield trailer set up back to beautiful Elbow!!

I'm so excited to be going back! Get back to my routine there and most of all...

GET A ROOM WHERE THE DOORS LOCK! :)

Change is always scary, but there is always some good in it or else it wouldn't happen.

I am quite excited to have my own, bigger space back so that I can possibly film some videos for YouTube :).

I am loving my life right now. I look at it sometimes and wonder how I got to where I am and how I, the girl who got voted 'Most Shy' in high school, am coping with being in a brand new city, with brand new people away from family. 

I am discovering that I love my own company and I get strength from myself (and others, of course!). 

Taking, and revelling, in every day, doing it day by day is really satisfying.

Now getting back to working on my training for my 5k in a week and a half is a different story. I'll be trying my best but am going to be realistic with myself and see this 'race' as a starter point to grow from. A lot of stuff has happened between when I signed up for this race and today. But then again, that's life! It's not consistently constant and controllable! It's ever-changing, and as people we have to adapt quite quickly. I admire people who do that so well, with poise and ease. I have to say I'm not the best at it, but I'm learning! Being honest with myself and not beating myself up too bad is helping. I have to be me and I have to be my best friend in order to get through. 

Can't wait to see what's upcoming!

-M.

P.S. - My 25th birthday is in less than 4 weeks!! :)

When I think of 'Home' ;)

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

So I wrote this post on the 26th of July and 'snuck' a contest in it. I checked this morning and only had 1 entry. So the $50 iTunes gift card goes to Miss Jessica for reading the fine print ;)!

Congrats Jess!!

PM me your address :) Thanks!

-M.