Music

Sep

2010

China

I’m in China most of this month for work. This time I brought my family. So far it’s been great. I love working so closely with the team here. They are talented. As for what my wife and son are doing while i’m at work…I think they are just exploring the wonderful city of Beijing. And spending money on knock-off stuff. :) I’m super happy that my family can be here with me.

I wish I had more time to post updates like last time here. But it’s go go go and any free moments we have we’re exploring the city…

Here’s the music playlist i’ve been listening to lately. This has absolutely nothing to do with anything but I figured i’d share.

Me/Music View Comments

Feb

2009

MC Hammer & Vanilla Ice. Together. Wow.

An epic night. Been 20 years since these two shared the same stage. They decided to do it one night. One night only. Happened in Orem, Utah. Mckay Events Center at UVU. Packed house. Below is a video of some of the highlights. It was all shot from my iPhone so I apologize if the quality isn’t the best (I used Cycorder). Sound is loud cuz we were right in front of their speakers.

Your video guide:
0:24 – Hammer and Ice chilling at the front of the stage together.
1:03 – Hammer does some sick moves right in front of us.
1:36 – Vanilla Ice sees my hot wife &gives a handshake, or whatever that was.
2:00 – A chubby girl goes and gets freak nasty with Vanilla Ice. Kinda funny.
2:27 – You see Rachel and I for a sec. I turn the phone around.
2:44 – I have a bunch of Hammer’s moves, edited to just capture the good stuff
3:40 – Too Legit to Quit. One of Hammer’s classics
4:10 – Old School “Too Legit” choreo.
4:48 – One of Hammer’s background dancers looks like Sanjaya from American Idol a few seasons ago. Gotta pause it exactly on 4:48 to see it.
5:05 – Vanilla Ice doing his “Ice Ice Baby.” It was dark, so quality isn’t very good here. But you get the idea. I edited this…taking out all the really poor quality segments.

It was a friend of ours who hooked us up with the tickets. Thanks Matt Anderson. We appreciate it. Anyway, the concert was alotta fun. I knew Vanilla was gonna be entertaining cuz I had seen him perform at a house party while I was Princeton (I was front and center there too, believe it or not, giving him high fives left and right). And Hammer was awesome too. He brought a crew of dancers (including his son, very talented) and brought some moves of his own as well. We ended up at the very front of the stage after a lot of pushing, shoving, elbowing, wiggling our way up to the front of the crowd. It took a lot of angry people, looks, and murmers by the people around us…but we finally got there. It was well worth it.

Vanilla Ice was talked about how family/friends were the most important thing in the world; He also gave a huge shout out to soldiers who had recently returned from Iraq. Hammer told us that prayer was the solution to the world’s problems…and he did a nice song to it. Hammer also gave a Twitter shout out. I didn’t like it. I like how Twitter is not mainstream yet. I feel special on it. The underground party ya know.

Dance/Day to Day/Music View Comments

Aug

2008

I owe my life to The Hoff

I first met Rachel’s family in San Diego while we were all there to see Rachel run a marathon a few years ago. As her brothers and I were in the car chasing Rachel around the marathon course (cheering her on, etc), only one song was played. The Song was “Looking for Freedom” by David Hasselhoff. Rachel’s brothers put the song on repeat. We put the windows down, sang along like maniacs, and for four hours (yes, that’s how long Rachel’s marathon was) we found ourselves acting like Baywatch-worshipping German girls on the verge of puberty.

I heard more Hoff there than most people hear in an entire lifetime.

The day after the marathon, Rachel and I had our first kiss on Coronado Island in San Diego. The flame was ignited. We fell in love. Long story short, I’m now happily married to Rachel.

Having reflected on the experience and really taking a close look at what happened, I realize that I owe it all to The Hoff. He absolutely, positively put me in “the mood” the day before. His words were ingrained in my soul and for a while there, I felt like I could be just like The Hoff. Rachel would drool at my feet and beg to swim through my chest hair. Hoff gave me the confidence I needed, the inspiration I desired, and the Mojo every man spends a lifetime pursuing.

Hey Hoff, this post is for you. I couldn’t have done it without you.

Here’s the song that put me where I am today.

And here’s a Do-it-yourself posable paper to play with…complete with a built-in chest-hair clip-on.

Better Half/Love/Music View Comments

Mar

2006

The dancing angel is pretty much my buddy.

Ya know what….this is kinda random…but I feel like waltzing right now. I’m listening to some Italian music (some mob hits…word) and this song called Tarantella Napoletana just came on. And seriously folks…I feel like waltzing right now. Anyone up for a nice midnight waltz? Oh how I crave a nice waltz right now. Darnit folks. Where’s my mom when I need her? Bummer. That’s a serious bummer. Now the song already ended and I switched my playlist to the “love songs” before I go insane due to the lack of a heart-warming waltz.

Yeah yeah yeah……word to all your guys’ mothers. Check this! We got the love songs in da house! Oh yeah….oooh la la. The good stuff: Kci & JoJo, Frankie J, Ryan Cabrera, Boyz II Men, Alan Jackson, Faith Hill, Marcos Hernandez, Temptations, Marvin Gaye, Backstreet Boys, N’Sync (yes…I like boy bands too), Usher, Babyface….etc. I got it all. Shaggy’s “Angel.” Al Green’s “Can’t take my eyes off of you.” And of course…how could anyone forget Andrea Boccelli’s “Ama credi e vai.”

C’mon folks…ya gotta admit…this might be the sexiest and most romantic playlist a single dorky christian boy can muster up in a small dorm room in the little town of Princeton, New Jersey. You can’t argue with that one!

Music is so cool. Wait. Scratch that. DANCING is so cool. I love to dance. It’s one of those things that’s in my bones. Now i’m not saying that i’m good at it. All i’m saying is that I really enjoy it. Once I sense/hear a beat somewhere…….my feet start moving. My insides start to do weird things. It’s uncontrollable. The dragon is unleashed and from that point to when the music stops…..i’m possessed by some dancing angel that enters into my soul and I TURN, TWIST, JIVE, SHAKE, BOUNCE, JUMP, SLIDE, and of course….smile. It’s nuts. It’s one of those natural phenomenons in life that I can’t explain. No one can. I become a puppet to the dancing angel and I just let it control me. It’s fun. You just gotta be loose. Ya gotta relax…get into the element and just…..flow. Feel the music. Feel the rythm. Feel the beat. And let the dancing angel do his thing…

Oh dancing angel. You pretty much rock my socks! Literally and figuratively. Thanks buddy.

It’s kinda weird being in an actual dance company (BodyHype). I love it. I enjoy it. But it’s different. This year is the first year that i’ve been in an organized group. I’ve never had to remember routines or choreography. Before it was all freestyle. At dances I would just let the dancing angel take over and i’d glide into the circles and just bust it on the homies who thought they were cool. I’d do what the dancing angel wanted me to do. And it always worked. It was fun. But with BodyHype I gotta learn routines and stuff. It’s fun. But it’s different. I just hope I don’t offend the dancing angel is all….that’s my only concern. But hey….i’m sure the dancing angel understands.

Sometimes I wonder if when I grow “older” i’ll still have such a good relationship with the dancing angel. It’s not one of those things where I only have a certain time to be his friend….is it? I sure hope not. I hope he’s my soulmate. I hope by now he’s trapped and he can’t get out. I won’t let him go. He can run but he can’t hide. I’ll find him. And i’ll let him know what i’m thinking. I’m thinking that the dancing angel is pretty much my buddy. Buddies don’t just leave. What kind of buddy is that? He’s been with me for almost 22 years. And all of a sudden he would leave? Oh please. The dancing angel is my buddy. He won’t leave.

I want him to be with me for even when i’m old…married….and bald. Late at night…when the kids are in bed….i’ll wanna sneak down to the kitchen in my PJs and 100% cotton socks. I’ll carry my wife down too as she just finished her late night reading of Sports Illustrated (haha…wishful thinking I know). We’ll put in some “classics.” At that time it’ll be Boyz II Men and other like bands. We’ll put the music on real soft….to not wake up lil’ mickey.We’ll both be in our PJs. It’ll be completely dark except for the shimmer of the microwave light along with the moonlight that’s sneaking in through the windows. We’ll get real close…and basically….we’ll dance the night away.

She’ll rub my bald head and tell me how much she loves me…even with no hair. I’ll then give her a big juicy kiss and tell her she’s the best thing that ever happened to my life. I’ll also tell her that i’ll start applying Rogaine first thing in the morning…just to demonstrate my undying love for her….haha…..

To end the night we’ll finish with Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” However…it’ll be instrumental. Yes that’s right….i’ll sing it to her….and it will be DEAD sexy…..oooh la la……

“Somewhere, over the rainbow, way up high,
And the dreams that you dreamed of, Once in a lullaby.
Oh, somewhere over the rainbow, blue birds fly,
And the dreams that you dreamed of, Dreams really do come true…..

….Well, I see trees of green and red roses too,
I’ll watch them bloom for me and you.
And I think to myself: What a wonderful world!”

Oh yeeeeeaaaaaah. I can’t wait. It’s gonna be good. But it’ll only work if the dancing angel stays true and loyal to good ole’ mickey boy. If you’re reading this right now dancing angel….please don’t leave me. Stay with me. I beg of you. I need your help. I need your bootyliciousness.

The dancing angel is pretty much my buddy. Boooo yah! If you are in need of a dancing angel…you can probably find one at any local Walmart.

Sweet dreams knuckle heads! And hopefully next time i’ll have someone to waltz with.

- Mickey Lee Hagen

OF THE DAY AWARDS…
Highlight of the day: Waking up early to get some homework done. Yeeee haw! (I know…that’s a really sad highlight)
Lowlight of the day: Going to the doctor and having him tell me that I can’t run for a couple weeks. My ankle is messed up.
Epiphany of the day: 1) Realizing that coincidences don’t exist. Some people just keep showing up in my life and i’m starting to realize that it’s not normal. 2) Realizing that I can’t live w/o my dancing angel.
Biggest Surprise of the day: Watching Sportscenter and seeing that Duke Basketball lost to FSU.
Sweet diggity Dog of the day: My history teacher. She has a passion for history. Princeton is a place for people who have a passion for something. Today we went to the library and I spoke with her on the way there….she really really really loves what she does. I admire that.
Crush of the day: See February 18th.
Random Quote of the day: “Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What’s a sundial in the shade.” – Benj Franklin

Dance/Love/Music/My Imagination/Princeton Days View Comments