February 20, 2008
I was contacted by Deborah Crooks about reviewing a CD. The CD is called Skinny Songs. I reviewed the website and was under-whelmed. I know the whole bit about not judging a book by its cover but there is so much shtuff out there and we have to have some parameters with which to choose. Having standards is, after all, extremely handy and important. I’m a big believer in having standards: standards for ourselves, for the people in our lives, for all the things we let into our life. Food, music, art, relationships, everything. Even more so in an era that proclaims that having standards and minimum requirements is unkind, unfair, uncompassaionate. I disagree wholeheartedly. Sorry, but without standards, we are just floating through life in a vacuum.
Anyway, back to Skinny Songs. Despite the unappealing website (and not to sound too superficial, but really, a frumpy smock is a frumpy smock even on the hottest chick at the party), I accepted Deborah’s offer to review the CD. Truth be told (and to possibly sound even more superficial), I accepted because her site is quite sensitive, introspective and beautiful. And her own music amazing. She obviously has good standards for herself, so, I concluded, she’s not likely to be pedaling something entirely lack-luster.
Yesterday I received the CD in the mail, promptly downloaded it onto my iPod (love love love my iPod), and listened to it at the gym this morning. Twice.So… here it goes.It’s fun. I felt sort of secretive listening to it: a guilty pleasure, like I’m enjoying something sort of dorky, bordering on the uncool, very much for girls only, but still really enjoying it. It is fun and motivating and upbeat. And funny. I can’t imagine any woman out there who has struggled with her weight not being able to relate to just about every song. Some of the songs border on Country, some are HipHop, some Pop, all are fun. It struck me though that these are not only motivating for workouts (the right music can certainly get me to run further and faster). These would also we motivating in more relaxing moments: driving home, hanging out with girlfriends, getting ready to go out. The messages are empowering: about transformation and succeeding. There is a real sense of picturing yourself reaching your goals. And that’s a key to succeeding at anything. The song titles are:
Skinny Jeans
Thin!
I’m A Hottie Now
Use It To Lose It
Incredible Shrinking Woman
Think I’ll Go To Saks
You Da Boss
Objects in the Mirror
Who The Hell Is That?
Blowin’ You Off at 8
There are very relatable lyrics: from loving the feel of wearing our skinny jeans, to seeing, really seeing, ourselves overweight for the first time (in a photo or the mirror), to how it feels to run into the man who hurt us when we were a size 16, and how it feels to blow him off at a size 8.So yes, I say “Get your Skinny Songs!” You’ll smile. And you’ll see yourself as a woman evolving, capable of achieving her fitness dreams. As you evaluate the standards for your life, you should definitely set the bar for things that make you feel good about yourself, help you believe in yourself, make you smile. And things that maybe help you run that extra mile.
