There's no "Down... To Go" because you get three songs from my iPod, anyway. (3 Good Things From 4/14/10)

I'm "working" from home today... and in a bizarre twist, I actually spent most of the day... pleh... working. Here's 3 Good Things from yesterday to help get me through that traumatic experience.

And just like yesterday, I'm going to deliberately shift my focus from the stuff I do with the family to other areas that also generate good things. Like good music.

I have an Upbeat playlist that I keep on my iPod, full of songs that put me in a good mood pretty much every time I listen to them. I use those songs, sometimes, on the way into work or when I get up or on the way home from work. There's 63 songs, total, on the playlist -- but here's just 3 Good (Musical) Things from that list; I've focused on songs that you wouldn't expect to be on there -- and three that I listened to yesterday, as it turns out.

1. Internet Love Song, Tom Milsom:



I stumbled across that song one day about two years ago, and was so entranced by it that I immediately went and downloaded his album -- Awkward Ballads for the Easily-Pleased. It's the only album I own that has a trilogy of songs about a maybe-dead cat.

I put this song on the Upbeat playlist for two reasons: 1. The ukulele, and 2. "Circumflex underscore circumflex."

2. Hell, Squirrel Nut Zippers:



This song makes the list because I'm not done with swing music, even if the rest of society is (for now.) And also because I used to sing along with it until one day Sweetie told me I sounded like Ricky Ricardo when I sang along with it. So now I don't sing along with it as much -- but when I do, I try deliberately to sound like Ricky Ricardo.

(Also, this is a superfun song to sing to the Babies! while you're bathing them.)(Chill out; they don't understand the words.)

3. Streamline, Newton.



There's no reason I should like this song, which I was introduced to via a Jimmy Fallon Pepsi commercial: both Jimmy Fallon and Pepsi make my teeth feel worn down.

But, the song just hooks me in. I don't even want it on the Upbeat playlist -- I added it and then regretted it because I don't want to like this song. Every time it comes on I try as quickly as I can to hit the next button but I never do it fast enough and then I end up listening to the song and spending the rest of the day humming it.

Curse you, Jimmy Fallon! (Also, he's pretty funny in his standup on his show.)