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Looking for some motivating music

By skookumchick on May 24, 2009.

i-f875c0b07d9b3cb6229668554781b35a-alice.jpgNow that the semester is over, I have no excuse not to do a lot of home-maintenance-y things, like:

  • installing a rainbarrel in my backyard
  • installing a dual-flush mechanism on our upstairs toilet
  • setting up the other dehumidifier in the basement (we had one in each house when we had 2 houses, and hadn't set up the 2nd one in WL over the winter. However, it will soon be the case I need to empty the 1st dehumidifier every 2 days, so time to press #2 into service)
  • picking up everything post garage sale, before the cleaners come tomorrow
  • sorting through boxes unearthed through garage sale prep and whose contents really belongs at my office or in the recycling bin
  • Deep cleaning the "clutter" spaces - where we dump stuff whenever we come in the house
  • breaking down boxes in the basement
  • non-critical laundry which is not in weekly rotation but still needs washing

and so on.

But I am not feeling the motivation.

In the course of my cleaning so far, I came across some iTunes cards that have not yet been used. So, dearest readers - what tunez should I buy to get myself grooving for cleaning?

(FYI: Currently what is coming across the house-wide stereo is Ben Folds, Way to Normal, just purchased just right now because he mentions our former hometown, Normal, IL in Effington... plus it is a groovy song, which is a requirement for me to houseclean...)

Tags
goal setting

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By MiddleO'Nowhere (not verified) on 24 May 2009 #permalink

some of my favorite upbeat songs (assuming you want song suggestions, not full albums):

Gardenia - Stephen Malkmus & the Jicks
Catherine the Waitress - Teitur
Can't Stand It - Wilco
Right Moves - Josh Ritter
I Don't Wanna Die in a Hospital - Conor Oberst
Moab - Conor Oberst
You Are the Best Thing - Ray LaMontagne
Nikorette - Conor Oberst
Long Division - Death Cab for Cutie

By nontrad undergrad (not verified) on 24 May 2009 #permalink

Personally, I like to listen to 'Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me' or 'This American Life' while cleaning. Both free! Once those are over, I usually run out of ideas though. A cleaning playlist is a great idea. Although I suppose these song choices will date me, I like 'Life is a Highway' by Tom Cochrane, 'Right Now' by Van Halen, and 'End of the Line' by the Traveling Wilburys. As albums, Shawn Colvin 'Steady On' and 'A Whole New You', Dave Matthews Band 'Recovering the Satellites', They Might Be Giants (I actually like their kid music too), Toad the Wet Sprocket 'Dulcinea', Tom Petty 'Into the Great Wide Open', and maybe a little Beastie Boys 'Ill Communication' or Harry Connick Jr. I also like a band Sonichrome 'Breathe the Daylight' and the 'Garden State' album from the movie is good.

I recommend:
1. In the Middle by Jimmy Eat World (my pre-tenure inspirational song)
2. The "I Get Knocked Down ..." song by ChumbaWumba. I think it's called Tubthumpin. I know it's about being a stumbling drunk, but in my mind I'm thinking about the tough days at work when I jam to it.

I also like songs by Vampire Weekend.

By Female Enginee… (not verified) on 25 May 2009 #permalink

These are great suggestions! I've downloaded some so far, and I have cleaned out the back porch and made it somewhat liveable, successfully installed the toilet retrofit, and made a hack of the basement. Now to tackle it again...

Sorry, no music recommendations...but can you tell me where you're getting the barrel for your rain barrel? Or are you driving to Wisconsin? I really want to put a couple in, but haven't found where to get the actual barrel from.

If you want to go bigger than a rain barrel, there is a guy in Indiana who sells 275 gallon food-grade tanks that work the same way as rain barrels. You just have to do a little engineering on the spigot and make an overflow outlet hole/hose at the top. You also probably want to build it a little patio to live on, since it will weigh at least a ton when full. We found that our tank fills up in just one major rainstorm, and we use up about 25% of the water in about half an hour's worth of soaker-hose time on the garden.