Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Guest Guilty Pleasure #15 - Margaret Ethridge Sings the Songs..




There are a few other bloggers that are doing these Guilty Pleasure posts as well. It all started with C.J. Duggan and if you want a bunch of smiles, circle back to her site and see the comments to read other pleasures. Love to have you join the fun.

Once again this week I am giddy about turning over my Guilty Pleasure post over to a guest. This week I am welcoming the witty and talented author Margaret Ethridge as she talks about a pleasure that a lot of us can relate too. Well I know I am guilty of it for sure. 





I Sing the Songs…


When Michelle said she was going to open her Guilty Pleasures spot to guest authors, I jumped at the chance to spill my dirty little secrets all over her blog. I thought this would be a natural for me. I was born and raised Catholic, so I am nothing if not guilt-riddled, and confession is second nature to me. 


There are more than a few indulgences I find pleasurable, so all I should have to do is pick one and babble away, right? Wrong.


Don’t get me wrong, I am not a traitor to my upbringing. Each day, my free will is almost crushed under the weight of the guilt pressing down on me. I have not updated my own blog or finished the scene I promised myself I’d have done last week. I haven’t scrubbed the tub, corralled the dust bunnies that chased me down the hall this morning, or sorted the massive pile of socks on top of my dryer. I didn’t spend nearly enough time trying to coax my teenager into conversation this weekend, and we throw away way too much food. These are the things that give me guilt.


My problem is; I don’t feel guilty about partaking in the things I love.


The fact that I sang every word to ‘Drive’ by the Cars at the top of my lungs on my way back from lunch? I don’t feel the teensiest bit bad about that. It felt too good. To quote another hit by the same band: it was just what I needed. 


My name is Margaret, and I am a car singer. Not just a car singer, but a hedonistic, retro-lunch-hour, loud and proud, car singer.
They dare to dust off ‘Hungry Like a Wolf?’ I’m in. Oooh! What’s this? ‘Rock This Town’ by the Stray Cats? I know every word, and I’m not afraid to use them. Cyndi Lauper hit the nail right on the head. I am a girl, and I just want to have fun.


This wouldn’t be such a bad thing if I didn’t know that I am a horrible singer. I mean it, really bad. I have no middle range. I can sing very high or very low, but nowhere in between. When I was in college, my sorority song mistress actually told me I could mouth the words. No lie.




That’s why I only unleash my inner Celine Dion when I am all by myself. (Yes, I went there. I couldn’t help it. Rest assured Celine fans, I only sing along with the Eric Carmen version.) Well, it’s mostly when I’m by myself. I have been known to serenade the hubby and kids when a particularly kitschy song pops up on the radio, but I’m sure to ham it up so they think my wretched warbling is all an act.


So, yeah. That’s one of my little pleasures in life. Singing along with the radio. Seems harmless enough, right? Well, you might think so, but you better hope you’re not in the vicinity when they dig out the Barry Manilow classics. I do love me some Barry…


I guess I should talk to Michelle about writing another post about my latent Fanilow tendencies.


How about you? Do you perfect your Idol audition while your engine idles? What songs rev your motor? Are you a Fanilow? Tell me every little thing. You know I’d never rat you out—I’d feel too darn guilty.




Margaret Ethridge can be found posting the funniest Tweets here:
@MKEthridge
Her Facebook Fan page is here:
Author Margaret Ethridge




11 comments:

Unknown said...

Margaret thank you for stopping by today. You crack me up as always. I love to belt out Abba, ACDC and Radar Love when I am driving. Sometimes an old song for the 80's comes on and transport back in time and rock like a teen again. I love and I dont care who sees it!

Julie said...

Margaret, I happen to know you do a mean Neil Diamond and your Huey Lewis is frighteningly good. I won't even mention The Righteous Brothers. ;)

I'm a university student living about 2.5 hours from the town I grew up in, and every time I hop into Forrest (my soccer mom van even though I don't have kids but I will someday) for the drive home, I spend the first few minutes riffling through my incredible collection of tapes. Yep, Forrest runs on tapes. No CDs allowed.

My entire trip is spent singing songs from my favourite musicals, oldies, my stellar 80s anthology, the cool, cool 70s, and a crazy mix of everything in between. Do passing motorists look at me strangely when I'm belting out 'My Favourite Things'? Sometimes. Do I get several double takes when I sing at the top of my lungs 'I Wanna Kiss You All Over'? Uh-huh. But I like it. :D

Awesome post!

Jennifer Johnson said...

This is scary. Obviously we cut our teeth on the same songs. I, too, sing enthusiastically in the car when I am by myself. Why? Because no one appreciates how good I can sing or my 80s music.

L. Blanchard said...

What a great post. I embarrass myself at stop lights by belting stuff out all the time. The kids in the cars next to me will look at me like I'm an idiot.
Anyone can be taught to sing though. I took lessons for years and it made such a huge difference.

Sabina said...

Well, it seems I'm not the only one singing in my car :-) And honestly,singing in the car is the BEST stress reliever EVER!! :-) No, I don't sing very well, but I still do it - 'course I enjoy it!! :-)

Laurie said...

I always sing in my car. The radio is on a mix station so I sing along to Maroon Five to Gaga. When I'm with my friend in her car it's more oldies, which I also dig. I may have been known to crack up the Journey. When the lights go down in the Cit Teeeee.

LKF said...

I am a car singing junkie. My family knows my radio stays on LOUD to either enhance my wonderful range or just drown me out. I am one of those drivers that you pass and wonder, is she enjoying her music or talking to herself. Either way I rock, and I'm the next american idol in my car! Oh and I am also a born and raised catholic and to eleviate some of todays guilts from everyday life I rely on my smart phone. There is an app for The daily Mass, and even an app for confession! I love it. I can indulge then phone in my confession! Love your site. mine is still a WIP visit and let me know what you think.


http://www.lyndafrazier.blogspot.com/

Anonymous said...

I am totally a car idol singer...love it - it's so relaxing and carefree... I've also been known to enjoy Karaoke...hehe.. once you get the microphone - ohhh it's you get swept into another world... awesome guilty pleasure:)

C.J Duggan said...

Oh I nearly blogged about this very thing!! I am totally a car singer, absolute Guilty Pleasure. I have an hour commute each day and boy are there some greatest hits. Some of my fav's (and speaking of Eric Carman!)
"Turn the radio on for that sweet sound, hold me close never let me go" At the top of my lungs. OR! *Looks around* I do love that Barry Manilow song "Ready to take a chance again" Such a great driving song.Awesome hilarious post!! Thanks so much for bringing all us car singers out of the wood works!

Here's my G.P for the week.

http://can-duu.blogspot.com/

Maude Lynn said...

"Hungry Like the Wolf?" I'm there!

Julie said...

Great post! LOL