January playlist: fresh tracks

Been a little while since I’ve done a playlist!  What better way to spend the $10 iTunes gift card that I got in my stocking on Christmas?  Eight new (to me, anyway) songs to power though a quick winter workout:

1) Rolling In The Deep – Adele: I love this song and its bluegrassy-pop fusion-ness.  Potential for overplayment: high.  But for now I’ll enjoy it!  [listen]

2) That’s All She Wrote – T.I. feat. Eminem: Great beat, perfect amount of Eminem anger. [listen]

3) Right Through Me – Nicki Minaj: I sort of love this chick.  In spite of her ridiculous hair.  Besides, I’m a sucker for songs in 3/4 time. [listen]

4) F**ck You – Cee Lo Green: This song is infectious without being annoying – truly a pop music miracle.  Opt for the clean “Forget You” version – which is just as good – if constant F-bombing offends you. [listen – dirty] [listen – clean]

5) Loca – Shakira: True story – When I’m running with Shakira in my earbuds, I fantasize about my alternate life as a sexy latin dancer.  (Hey, it could happen.) [listen]

6) Stereo Love – Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina: 75% generic dance beats, 25% Russian-sounding accordion refrain that is actually pretty rad. [listen]

7) Cameras – Matt & Kim: A song that is bound to end up as the backtrack of a UPS commercial or something like that, but fun nonetheless! [listen]

8) All of the Lights – Kanye West ft. Drake and Rihanna: Yes, it’s Kanye and he’s a douche.  But I like running to hip-hop and struggle to find songs that aren’t so overplayed that they make my ears bleed.  This one isn’t.  (Yet.)  [listen]

Not the most cleverly themed or creative playlist, but it’s nice to get some new blood flowing through the iPod once in a while!

Today’s EAT: When I lived in NYC, I used to write a lot more about restaurant food.  Now, I write less…because, sadly, I eat out less.  But also because I’m not sure how many Raleigh people there are actually reading this?  (Are you there, Raleigh people?  If so, please let me know!)

Anyway, on the off chance that I am reaching some locals, I have to share my favorite new lunch discovery:

Sono is a rather fancypants downtown sushi place, but their lunch special is a great deal.  Big thing of miso soup, big salad and any roll for $10.  (The rolls alone are usually $12+, and they’re pretty big!)  My Tuna Ecstasy roll was piled high with fresh chunks of spicy tuna tartare.  It was wonderful, and a nice break from the normal leftovers or PB&J that I make myself for lunch.

Today’s DRINK: Nothin’.  I wanted a beer when I got back from running tonight, but nothing in the fridge sounded good. I settled for water.  Yawn.

Today’s RUN: I must apologize to anyone who follows me on Twitter for my mini-tantrum this afternoon.  I did NOT want to go running.  I whined about it for a solid 90 minutes.  It was pretty pathetic.  Sorry.

And it was a crappy run.  I dragged myself through five sloggy miles.  And hated every one of them.

Oh well.  It happens.  Sometimes easy runs are hard.  Sometimes hard runs are easy.  Running can be weird and irrational like that.

Today’s QUESTION: What new song are you enjoying right now? I actually tend to enjoy most top-40-type music when it first comes out, but holy hell.  That shit goes from fun to overplayed SO quickly.