Pump Up the Jams, Pump It Up: Vol 2

Last July, I told you all about some of my favorite pump up songs that I play on my way to work. And let's face it, if you've been reading this blog since last July you could have probably guessed that just the thought of stepping foot in my office made me jumpy/stressed out. So a good mix was muy importante to getting me out of bed in the morning.

I find myself needing music less and less to pump me up (which is awesome! and means I must like my job), however there is one week every two months out of the year that makes me want to stay in bed forever. That would be this week when the new hires descend upon our corporate headquarters. And lucky me gets to feed them breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as print out all their handouts, binders, make their hotel reservations and generally be their maid. Which requires me to get to work early and sometimes stay late. 

Enter my new WG pump me up mix. 

1. "Life is a Highway" by Rascal Flatts

This song has the ability to automatically put a smile on my face because it reminds me of road trips and great country concerts and summer and Coronas. Yum. 

2. "Don't Stop Believing" by the cast of Glee 

You cannot believe my disappointment when WG1 told me that this wasn't a summer show, and that the pilot they showed us was a teaser for the fall. This song will get me through the summer by reminding me of Jersey and just keep believing. 

3. "I'll Make a Man Out of You" by Donny Osmond (from the Mulan soundtrack)

And you think I'm kidding. Mulan kicked some major ass. Talk about a role model! 

4. "What Would Jay-Z Do?" by Ben Lee

Jay-Z would hire a personal assistant to do all this crap work for him. 

5. "Rockstar" by Prima J

Ever since this song was featured on Gossip Girl it makes me feel like I'm Blair Waldorf whenever I listen to it. Is it sad that I idolize Blair Waldorf who is a 17-year-old beotch on TV? I can't help it - she takes names. 

6. "Shine" by Anna Nalick 

She had that hit single "Breathe", which I loved and this song is empowering like whoa. 

7. "Do Somethin" by Britney Spears

This song reminds me of WG1 and I rocking out the summer after sophomore year in college while driving around campus in her car (probably when we should have been at work). Oh how chaotic. 

8. "Fight Like a Girl" by Bomshel

I just downloaded this song and it is sheer feminism in a song. Right up my alley. 

9. "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus

And I'm not even doing a #10 because I just realized that a) I look like a huge teenybopper and b) that's creepy since I'm 24.

But for serious, all these songs make me feel like I could take on the world (or at least that 4PM status meeting). Woohoo!

Pump Up The Jams, Pump It Up

Tuesdays are my most hated days of the work week. 

Tuesday is no man's land. Tuesday plops you down at the beginning of the week - but not at the middle quite yet - and what's worse is that you're not even close to the end of the work week. Depressing. 

I have devised a small, yet effective cure to my Tuesday Troubles and that is a pump-up, get-me-psyched for the work week mix. This combination of songs has just the right amount of gumption and spunk to get me grooving (and focus less on the stress that is piled on my desk waiting to get done).

1. "Believe" by Suzie McNeil. 

This tune really makes me think that I could "move mountains with dreams". Seriously. This is a secret, so don't tell anyone, but sometimes I blast this song when no one is home and I stand on my bed, belt this out, and imagine myself moving mountains. Just kidding. Or am I? 

2. "Push the Button" by Sugababes. 

I'll admit. This song isn't particularly inspiring. But it does make me want to dance, which makes me smile, which makes my day seem not as bad as it really is. 

3. "Believe" by The Bravery.

I hope we're not seeing a theme here. Apparently, I need to believe in things to make myself feel better. Honestly though, this song has a great beat, a great chorus, and makes me want to skip work and play Rock Band all day. Maybe I should quit my job and become a rock star. Just a thought. 

4. "Won't Keep the Good Girl Down" by Marie Wilson.

Please don't judge me, but I first heard this song while watching 7th Heaven. Seriously though, this song convinced Lucy Camden that she couldn't be kept down. Therefore, it is a shoo-in for my sick playlist. 

5. "Courage Is..." by The Strange Familiar. 

I'm a cheeseball, but I just love the lyrics of this song. "Courage is when you're afraid/ But you keep on moving anyway/ Courage is when you're in pain/ But you keep on living anyway". 

6. "Unwritten" by Natasha Bedingfield. 

The Hills. Enough said. 

7. "Find Yourself" by Brad Paisley.

I am a huge country fan so this had to be done. 

8. "Find a New Way" by Young Love. 

Find another way to dance. While I'm not a dancer, I really think the moral of the song (if there isn't one I apologize for reading too much into your masterpiece Young Love) is that don't let someone back you into a corner and if they do find another way out. 

9. "We Made It" by Busta Rhymes feat. Linkin Park. 

I love when rappers and punk rock combine. And this song makes me walk faster to work (it has serious magical powers). 

10. "So Much Better" by Laura Bell Bundy for Legally Blonde: The Musical. 

I may have just added this to the list because WG1 and I just watched the finale of MTV hit "The Search for the Next Elle Woods". Congrats Bailey! She achieved her dream! Woohoo! Working Girls unite! 

Now, please go download these 10 songs and instantly feel better about your 9-5.