Gonna Make You Sweat

5/31/2016 and May ended in a hot and sticky day.  The 152nd day was not THAT hot, it was so humid.  I was fighting the sweats all day.  Expecially at Alexa's soccer game this evening.  It was as she was playing in a swamp.....All I could think of was this gem from C&C Music Factory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2pPJywRGTk

Taps

Day #151, 5/30/16 and it was Memorial Day today.  And it does not matter how the BBQ went or how much sleep we got, or what we did to pass the time today.  What maters is that we all stop, MULTIPLE times during today (and, frankly, most days), and honor those that have fallen protecting and serving.  So, this is the only song that could be the song of the day, today. God Bless those who have served (and are still serving!), as well as their families.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn_iz8z2AGw

Eternal Father, Strong to Save

We've reached the 150th day of 2016, 5/29/16 was the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend.  SO, after Church, we spent the rest of the day with family, friends, and food.  But, as with the theme of this weekend, I do not want my song of the day to focus on anything but Memorial Day remembrances, SO, I found this poignant video from the US Navy Band, and they are providing my Song of the Day/Hymn of the Week.  We must always remember those who gave up so much fighting for our country.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzo5yVL_myA

Remember Then

5/28/16, Day #149 of 2016, was a quiet day, with no mandatory activities.  It was nice to be able to relax and catch up on things around the house.  But, for a song, I wanted to continue the remembrance theme of the Memorial Day Weekend.  And this 1960s classic is the song I think of the most when I think of remembering....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgyxhFVz6Uc

I Will Remember You

5/27/16 was the 148th day of 2016 and the start of Memorial Day Weekend.  It was a very productive day at work and then a very nice evening at home.  But this is really about Memorial Day today, and remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country.  So this Sarah McLaughlin song is the Song of the Day!  Thanks to all who have and continue to serve!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSz16ngdsG0

Summer in the City

OK, in all reality, the 147th day of 2016 was not THAT hot.  But, honestly, 5/26/16 broke the 90 degree mark for the first time in a LONG time and, considering the heat was on a few days ago and now the A/C went on last night, it just seemed hotter because of the relative change.  Watching people on Walnut Street, as I walked between meetings, made me think of this song....Summer in the City indeed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLIg8DGR06w

The Heat is On

The 146th day of 2016 gave us a summer preview.  After a pretty cool and rainy May, 5/25/16 provided us with a day of sun and warmth.  And, even though I am not always a fan of the hot weather, I have to admit it was nice to feel a little hot today, nice to see people playing softball (Summer Rec season got started - Home RNs are 1-1), nice to have people buying drinks, ice cream, and Slushies at the Snack Stand (thank you April for running it tonight).  And. now, as I turn in for bed, I feel tomorrow's humidity coming on.  It'll be in the 90s and hot and sticky.  Summer is coming and the Heat is On!  With apologies to Mr. Frey for this video (the guy calls him Gleen Frey, sigh), here is the song of the day, the 80s classic!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCoP2W4v2v8

With a Little Help From My Friends

After a long day of meetings on the 145th day of 2016, the evening of 5/24/16 was shaping up to be a busy one.  Snack Stand, Little League games for Alexa AND Anna, umping.....it all was a bit overwhelming.  But Des got Anna to her game, Kathy got Alexa to hers, Sarah was amazing and made all of one game and part of another, Sarah and Kristen handled the Snack Stand with the team mom in attendance, and I got to ump......So, once again, I got by with a little help from my friends!!!
Sing it Joe (apologies to the Beatles, but Joe Cocker is amazing!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCrlyX6XbTU

Happy Together

So, did you know that 5/23/16 (the 144th (ewww, gross) day of 2016) is World Turtle Day?  Well, until I got on FB tonight, I did not know either.  That made me smile at the end of another long, tiring, rainy day, so I thought of the group, The Turtles, and here is my favorite song of theirs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhhcHMkmyF8

Holy, Holy, Holy

It was a musical Trinity Sunday on the 143rd day of 2016.  5/22/16 found us, as we often are on Sunday, in Church, but we were blessed this morning to have such amazing music in our service.  I loved the hymn that the youth performed and the songs that we sung in Choir were awesome too. But for the Hymn of the Week/Song of the Day, I want to pick a hymn we did not sing today, but we often sing on Trinity Sunday.  I love this hymn and I hope you enjoy it as well!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCnRYj3lMlQ

Poetry Man

Well the 142nd day of 2016 is in the books.  5/21/16 was another rainy day, but Little League got its games in and Alexa played a soccer game (albeit on a sloppy field) and we made it to all of our evening events even though the roads were wet and visibility was low.  But the significant part of the day was actually spent on FB providing haikus (upon request) for a friend who is recovering in the hospital post "routine" surgery (is surgery EVER routine??)  And I had a lot of fun creating these haikus for her and I hope I made her smile and feel loved.  Because that is what you need when you are lying there in that hospital bed, to smile and feel loved.  Made me feel like listening to this class 70s song.  "the poetry man makes things alright!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1T5gcCXhcg

You Have Made a Difference

5/20/2016 was day #141 of 2016.  And it was a great day - work was filled with tasks that were completed.  Then the evening has been filled with family time relaxing and also enjoying prom pics from a lot of my FB friends.  It's been a long, long week (and a long month so far) and I am looking forward to a relaxing weekend.  This is also the end of Teacher Appreciation Week.  Kind of fitting that the National Junior Honor Society Induction is during teacher appreciation time this year.  I love looking at all of the pics of the table in the teacher's lounge as parent teams fill it with food and other goodies.  I appreciate the care and consideration that teachers provide.  It's a hard job and teachers are not always compensated enough, but hopefully they feel appreciated all weeks of the year, not just now.  And I am glad I found this song for the occasion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwsKWiXlA78

Sunshiny Day

We finally got a really nice weather day in May on the 140th day of 2016.  And, on 5/19/2016, Alexa and a lot of her classmates were inducted into Oaklyn's Chapter of the Junior National Honor Society. And, honestly, even if it had been raining, Alexa and her friends and their honors would have been enough to make it a sunshiny day for me.  I feel glad and I feel blessed that she is in such a nice cohort of kids, and I feel the same that we are in with a really great group of parents.  Sunshiny indeed!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z57BnppcQ3M

Echos in the Rain

Another long work day on 5/18/16.  The 139th day of 2016 was filled with twists and turns.  And then a meeting at Church (a good one, but still got done late).  Walking to my car, it started to sprinkle.....so, being in the rain made me look for this song....and Enya makes me relax so, why not?!?!?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DDHulO485k

Unanswered Prayers

First day post-Commencement, Day #138 of 2016, 5/17/16.  And, today, work was really intense. Week three of the new job and I am learning to roll with the punches on the daily issues.  But, you know what, it was intense, but it was really fun and I am loving it!  There have been bumps and bruises in my life and my career, but it's nice to be where I am now.  In work, in life, in family, in community, etc.  I loved what Bill Shore said to the College Grads last Sunday.  He detailed some of his failures in life and his career and how the path to success is never a unending stream of successes. Things happen.  Sadness is experienced.  But Mr. Shore's message was to pick oneself up and move on, keep moving towards goals.  An excellent message for sure!  And one that makes me think of this awesome Garth Brooks song.  We all must be thankful for "unanswered prayers."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GuA5PZx3K4

Pomp and Circumstance

Day #137 of 2016 was one of my favorite days of the year.  5/16/16 was Commencement on Penn's Campus.  I love Commencement.  Not because I love students leaving campus (no, that makes me a bit sad), but because these are people who are achieving a goal, in many cases a life-long one.  And, as Penn employees, we get to help make it happen.  I mean, in no way am I trying to take these graduates' achievements away from them but, along the way, maybe we were able to right the course, or lift them up, or give them the push they needed.  And, as they walk across the stage, I feel like we can share in their achievement.  It's what keeps me going on, even in hard days.  Today was long, but not hard at all.  And now, having attended or assisted with three Commencement Ceremonies in 24 hours, I go to bed, exhausted but content, and will hear this Elgar song (this is the actual original form) in my sleep.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moL4MkJ-aLk

Spirit of Gentleness

The 136th day of 2016 found me in a familiar seat.  Row 1, Seat 1 of the White Line Section at the College of Arts & Sciences Ceremony on 5/15/16.  It was a really inspiring (albeit) cold ceremony, the speeches were especially good.  It capped off a long day for the Sherr Family that started with Sarah and Alexa leaving at the crack of dawn for a early morning FH tournament while Anna and I went to an inspiring Pentecost service at Old First (even included a baptism).  Then, after four FH games, Alexa played soccer and softball, while I headed to campus for the ceremony and Anna went to a concert at St. Marks with her grandparents.  All on a windy day, which I could not stop to think was the breath on our faces that Michael was referring to this morning.  A great day, an inspiring day, a tiring day.  So this is a fitting hymn of the day/week.  And looking forward to another long day tomorrow!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9IpJ_S0ueo

If You Want to Sing Out

Day #135 was a glorious day.  Although I did miss Alumni Day at Penn (my 26th reunion), I was able to work during our town's Spring Fling (rescheduled from last week, due to rain).  The weather and the event was excellent and Anna and Sarah even won baskets at the auction.  Then, the day got even better (even through the rain) as we all went to watch Anna and her group (ChildrenSong NJ) put on an amazing concert.  We were lucky to be sitting at a perfect angle to watch Anna during the whole concert.  She really enjoys this group and it was obvious watching her sing out.  And when I Googled "sing out" this amazing Cat Stevens song came up.  So, it is now the song of the day! <3 Anna and her singing!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hh-1Lag3BV8

Lucky

5/13/2016 was both Friday the 13th and the 134th day of 2016!  But I was not unlucky today, it was an interesting day filled with calls I never thought I was going to have, but I had a lot of laughs and smiles too.  Then I got to come home to my amazing family and a nice evening at home!  Not to harken back to the 2013 theme, but I sure am LUCKY!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vvBAONkYwI

Superman Theme

Day #133 of 2016 was a SUPER day!  A lot of meetings on 5/12/16, but they went well and were productive.  And then, opening the Snack Stand tonight (my meetings went late into the day) were the Super Sisters.  They were joined by their mom and then their brother and father's baseball game got moved to Oaklyn too!  All FIVE SUPERS in one place at one time!  This calls for another John Williams song, excerpts of which we played in last night's OPS Band Concert, joining yesterday to today for a connected theme that harkens back to last year's theme!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9vrfEoc8_g

Movin' Out

After a mildly stressful day at work on the 132nd day of 2016 (nothing bad, just a LOT going on and only one of me!), I found myself stuck in traffic, even at 6:15PM.  Why??, I thought.  Oh yeah!  5/11/2016 was Move Out Day.  Wow, that academic year went fast, and all of the students moved on out and went their different ways for the summer.  And, I am not sure Billy Joel was singing of college students, but here's the song I think of when I think of movin' out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8Z6Yi_tlhs

Join the Circus

Day #131 of 2016 was fabulous in all of its palindromicness.  5/10/2016 capped off a long workday with one of my favorite Senior Week occurrences, The Senior Picnic.  For the past two years, this has been a Carnival Theme on College Green and today's event was a lot of fun!  There were jugglers, a guy on stilts, and Ben was even dressed up in a clown nose and wig.  All it made me think of was this awesome song from Barnum and, given today's closeness to Alumni Day and how I think of alumni from Quadramics and the Glee Club when I hear this song, it is appropriate!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hc-9KiBRYps

Here Comes the Sun

Day #130 and the sun finally made an appearance in the sky for a weekday.  Hence, even with the afternoon and evening clouds on 5/9/16, we got in our afternoon of softball and Little League. Alexa's last regular season Middle School softball game (she played SS had a triple and three runs scored in a 12-8 win!).  Time marches on and it's easier to handle when the sun is out, even if only for part of the day.  But, as the Beatles sang. "it's alright!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgiQD56eWDk

Faith of Our Mothers

It's MOTHERS' DAY 2016 - 5/8/16, Day #129 of 2016.  A great day spent with the family: Church, Soccer, Dinner Out, Home..so Blessed to have wonderful moms in my life.  Sarah Jayne for me and the kids and Bonnie Sherr, an awesome mom who taught me so much.  But there are so many other people who have mothered me in my life, family, friends, co-workers, bosses, community members, church family...the list goes on and on.  So, on this day for the moms, this hymn goes out to all those who mother others....even the dads who have to mother at times as well!  :-) <3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t65dAZSe4tk

Siman Tov! Mazal Tov!

The weather on the 128th day of 2016 changed our plans again, but this time, I am glad it did.  Since Anna and Sarah did not have to be at the OPS Spring Fling (moved to next week) on 5/7/16, they could attend the Bar Mitzvah of Kameron Forrest with me. We were all so proud of Kam and the service was beautiful.  I am not sure of it is because of my maternal great-grandfather's profession, but I especially enjoyed the Cantor, and I appreciated that I enjoy music in Jewish ceremonies as much as I do at my own Church.  In celebration of this music, here's a little ditty I am sure many of you have heard before.  MAZAL TOV, KAM!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3AHownn3dQ

The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow

5/6/2016 capped off a long week.  An exciting and exhilarating week, but also an exhausting week.  I think one of the reasons is the gloomy weather pattern we seem to be stuck in.  Cool and rainy, not typical for late April/early May.  BUT, driving home on the 127th day of 2016, I saw a ball of fire in the sky that I THINK might have been the sun.  I hear it may come out tomorrow, or a day after.  So, to encourage its arrival, here is a song from one of my favorite musicals, ANNIE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S71Fb-nJF8g

The Year of the Cat

A lot happened on 5/5/2016.  The 126th day of 2016 was Cinco de Mayo, a long day of meetings at work, a presentation sponsored by OMAYSC on the dangers of drug use by teens and a busy evening at home!  But, through all of this, let us celebrate the 2nd birthday of Talia, our cat.  She does not really like me that much (cats never do), but she makes Sarah and the girls happy.  So I will celebrate her birthday with an Al Stewart classic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvBfIdhG974

Star Wars (May the Fourth Be With You!)

As I do every May the 4th, I awoke on 5/4/16 and went to Facebook to wish my favorite High School Teacher Happy "May the Fourth Be With You" Day.  The 125th day of 2016 was no different.  In Leap Years, 5/4 is on day #125 which is 5^3 so it is an awesome number.  It was another good day filled with meetings at work, softball behind the school, and, of course, the snack stand.  For this "Star Wars" Day, I give you, for the song of the day, John Williams' Staw Wars Theme, extended version.  Great stuff!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_D0ZQPqeJkk

Caribbean Blue

5/3/2016 was another wall-to-wall day of meetings.  And the weather on the 124th day of 2016 was kinda gloomy too.  And, as with yesterday, I am pretty tired at the end of the day and expect to go to bed early so I can be ready for tomorrow's day!  So, to relax, here is another Enya Song.  The Caribbean in the title has NOTHING to do with the weather now, but maybe how I wish the weather would be!  Good Night!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1L8uRApYeQ

Movin' On Up

Well the 123rd day of 2016 was Day #1 in my new job.  I smiled a lot on 5/2/16 even though it was exhausting and filled with meetings and my head is filled with a lot of new information.  I need to go to bed early and get ready for tomorrow!  So, I am going to go for the easy, cheesy pick for song of the day, and sing about George and Weezy,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYcqToQzzGY

This is a Day for New Beginnings

The 122nd day of 2016 was May Day, 5/1/2016.  And, with sports getting all rained out again, it was another calm day with the family.  Good to relax before the new chapter starts tomorrow.  And, given that it is Sunday, I needed a hymn for the week, and this one is a perfect one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZO1eBbQ72Q