Open Windows and Doors, and 70's Music

Yesterday was a gorgeous day in Northern California, the kind of day that promises that summer picnics, vineyards full of grapes and trips to the beach are near. The sky was a deep blue and all the doors and windows were open. Neighbors were walking their dogs, working in their yards, washing cars and readying their barbecues for a season of grilled chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs.

The two young men across the street were fixing an old automobile. The front car door was left open so they could listen to the CD player while they worked. I recognized all the music playing. It was the music from my life...from the 60s and 70s - Van Morrison, Creedence Clearwater, Buffalo Springfield and the fabulous Bob Marley. Now I am quite sure that neither were born in the 70s. They were probably not born until the mid 80s or maybe even the early 90s. It's their parents house so I am guessing it's also Dad and Mom's playlist. I love it when there's music in the air and I know the words to all the songs. And yes it definitely got me up and dancing.

The Playlist...

Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress - The Hollies 

Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison 

Spirit In the Sky - Norman Greenbaum 

Brandy - Looking Glass

Swingtown - Steve Miller Band

Bad Moon Rising - Creedence Clearwater Revival 

Up Around the Bend - Creedence Clearwater Revival 

The House of the Rising Sun - The Animals 

For What It's Worth - Buffalo Springfield 

Get Up, Stand Up - Bob Marley and the Wailers 

So what gets you up and dancing around the house?

More Music to Get You Up and Dancing

Update - Cool....This post is featured on the GenFab blog!

Lola and I Danced Today

Lola loves to dance with me. If I am busy and don't get around to it, she bugs me until we go into the kitchen or living room to dance. She knows a bunch of steps...conga, shimmy, the twist, flamenco and salsa. The girl has rhythm. Today we danced for twenty minutes. It improved my mood by 20%. Lola was all out happy from the words..."Lola, do you want to dance?"

Our Go To song... Koop Island Blues 

I Danced Today

This Morning I Danced in my Kitchen and Living Room for 20 minutes
Mood before - 5.5
Mood after - 7
Go to Song: Hey Eugene by Pink Martini 

Keep On Dancing

Fifteen minutes in my little dance world and I am a new woman... happier, more energetic, and feeling ready to take on the world and any problems I am trying to work out. How does that happen? I don't know but it works EVERY SINGLE TIME, and I have been doing it for years. The dancing doesn't have to be pretty. It just has to be enthusiastic. As a matter of fact, sometimes I think the uglier and sillier I dance the more it improves my mood. Dancing in the kitchen is not to be taken seriously.

The right music makes all the difference in getting me up out of my chair, away from my computer and dancing around my house. Here are 10 songs that are guaranteed to get me dancing. They are oldies but put a shimmy in my spirit, a strut in my walk and rhythm back into my soul! Guaranteed.

1.   Respect by the Queen of Soul - Aretha Franklin 

2.   Shake, Rattle and Roll by Joe Turner

3.   Born on the Bayou by John Fogerty

4.   Boogie Shoes by KC and the Sunshine Band

5.   Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham

6.   Louie Louie by The Kingsmen

7.   All Shook Up by Elvis Presley

8    The Shoop Shoop Song by Betty Everett

9.   The Clapping Song by Shirley Ellis

10.  Smooth by Santana

I Danced Today - Improved My Mood A Lot!

I tend to wake up a bit on the down side. There is nothing like dancing to improve my mood. Today I danced 20 minutes. I started out as a mood 4 (see mood scale in left column). By the time I was finished I was a 6. That 20% improvement in my mood has made a huge difference in everything I have done the rest of the day.

Today's go to dance song... Respect...in honor of the queen of soul's birthday.

Dance

Evolution of the Mom Dance

I so love this...just in cased you missed it.

Dancing In My Kitchen - Makes Everything Better

Haven't danced much lately. Haven't done much of anything exercise-wise except walk my dog. So today I did a 15 minute Legs Up the Wall yoga stretch/meditation and then danced around my kitchen and living room for 15 minutes.

Legs Up the Wall reduced my stress and the dancing improved my mood by 20%. Works every time. It's silly of me not to do this every day. It changes everything for the better.

Have You Tried Zumba?

My style of dancing tends to be shake as many body parts as possible as I move around the kitchen and living room. After reading this article about Zumba in Harper's Bazaar, I am thinking maybe it's time to find a group. Do you Zumba?

Freestyle Dancing Reduces the Onset of Dementia

I just read a terrific article in Psychology Today by neuropsychologist Jenni Ogden, Ph.D. She describes a research study reported in The New England Journal of Medicine. The findings of the study suggest that freestyle dancing (as in the kind I do in my kitchen and living room) is one of the best activities to "stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia."

Soooo...let me get this straight. If I dance around my house, I am having fun, exercising my body, losing weight, improving my mood by 15-20% and reducing the chances of dementia?!!!!!!!

On My Shazam

I have recently added a number of songs to my dancing playlist that I had forgotten about and have rediscovered with my Shazam App. Do you Shazam?

1.  Something's Got a Hold on Me - Etta James

2.  Achy Breaky Heart - Billy Ray Cyrus

3.  As - Stevie Wonder

4.  Boogie Shoes - KC & the Sunshine Band

5.  Do You Love Me - The Contours

6.  New Shoes - Paolo Nutini 

My New Year's Resolution - Just Push Play

I am keeping it simple. I have only one resolution for 2013...Every day just push play! If I have the right playlist, the music will take care of getting me dancing around the kitchen and house. The dancing around the kitchen will take care of everything else...

1.  If I dance for only 10-15 minutes I will improve my mood by 15-20%.
2.  If I dance in the morning, everything I do during the day is done with a significantly better mood.
3.  My creativity flows so much better after I dance.
4.  My problem solving is better after I dance.
5.  Dancing for only 15 minutes helps me maintain my weight.
6.  Dancing for only 30 minutes a day helps me lose weight.
7.  I build and tone muscles when I dance.
8.  I laugh more
9.  Life just works better.

New Year Challenge - Dancing In Our Kitchens

Dancing in the Kitchen While Making Hot Fudge

So today is cooking day. Making the annual hot fudge sauce that goes over vanilla ice-cream (and served with crushed candy canes). If you are looking for great Christmas songs for dancing around the kitchen, here are some of my favorites.

Christmas for You and Me - Drew Holcomb 
Boogie Woogie Santa Claus - Brian Setzer 
What Christmas Means to Me - Cee Lo Green

Merry Christmas Baby by Bruce Springsteen has been a favorite for years. Last year I found out that Elvis had a version too. This year there is a great duet with Cee Lo Green and Rod Stewart.
Merry Christmas Baby - Cee Lo Green and Rod Stewart
Merry Christmas Baby - Bruce Springsteen 
Merry Christmas Baby - Elvis
Gotta Be Good - Chris Isaak
Christmas in the Sand - Colbie Caillet
Santa Claus Baby - Joan Osborne

And for those who have been a bit naughty this year...
What Do Bad Girls Get - Joan Osborne
Maybe Next Year - Meiko

Please Come Home for Christmas - Grace Potter
Step Into Christmas - The Puppini Sisters
Señor Santa - Y La Bamba

Another two big favorites are Bette Midler's Cool Yule. You know it's going to be good if it's Midler. And I should warn you, once you listen to I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas you will be singing it for weeks!
Cool Yule - Bette Midler
I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas - Gretchen Wilson

Santa Baby - Pink Martini
Ain't Nothin' Like Christmas - Shelby Lynn
Red-Suited Super Man - Rod Stewart
Party Hard - Zach Gill
Children Go Where I Send Thee - Natalie Merchant

Love me a New Orleans Christmas...
Such a Night - Aaron Neville
Louisiana Christmas Day - Aaron Neville

Then there is classic Brenda Lee...
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree - Brenda Lee

Hope these songs get you and your family and friends up and rockin' around the Christmas Tree.

Dancing Around the World

I've seen Matt's dancing videos before and love them. This is a new one. Thanks Susan for sending me the link.

Dancing With Your Kids - From Ellen

I've written before and have had lots of people comment over the years about dancing around the house with their kids. In this case Ellen featured a woman and her grown son. Love this.

SoulPancake 60 Second Disco

We often only celebrate when there's a special occasion. But we don't always need a reason to stop and have a little fun. So, the SoulPancake team headed to a busy bus stop to throw people a surprise celebration—just because.

Dancing in My Kitchen Haiku

five ten twenty years
how long 'til I dance again
if not now then when

Losing Weight by Dancing in My Kitchen

I have been on Weight Watchers for several months now. When I stay on program I lose a pound or a little less each week. The weeks that I dance around my kitchen and/or living room for 30 minutes, 5x a week, I lose an additional half pound. Plus my mood improves a lot which helps me stay on my food program. Three months in and I am feeling very optimistic. I can keep doing this!

Dancing in My Kitchen Changed My Life

Dancing in my kitchen and around the house changes...
My body
My energy
My attitude
My outlook on life
My mood
How I feel about myself
How I relate to others
My problems
How I look
How I walk
How I think
How I create
What I dream about
How I feel about aging
How I age
My life!

I danced today in my kitchen
When - Afternoon
How long - for 30 minutes
Mood Before - 5.5
Mood After - 7.5
Go To Song - Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Joshua Ledet