Date: 6-14-2014

Due Date: 6-14-2015

Resolution: While at work today, completing some monotonous task to the soundtrack of the almost as monotonous music that broadcasts through the store's PA system, I snapped out of the escape from reality that I was enjoying in my head as I thought of a joke to post on my Facebook page based on the song that was playing at the time.

Luckily I had my notepad on me because of yesterday's resolution and was able to jot down said joke to use at a later date. Or never, the joke wasn't all that funny but it did lead me down a train of thought that brought me to this resolution. 

You know how I watched the same movie every week for an entire year and wrote a brand new movie review following each of my viewings? That same type of logic kicked in as I started to wonder whether or not it would be interesting to rank the same 50 or so songs into a top ten list to be posted every other week.

I'm pretty sure that I'll come up with a new theme for each list and I doubt there will be any change in the store's playlist so this should be pretty interesting.

Who knows?

Maybe I'll become the next Billboard!!!

Stay tuned for Wednesday, when I will be posting my first list and buying more resolution supplies!!!

Result #165: It Turns Out That The Music Played At Work Blurred Into The Background More Than I Thought… Making It Hard To Come Up With More Than A Couple Of Lists…

Update #1: Top Ten Earworms Of Walgreens…

Date: 6-20-2014

The fact that these songs get stuck in my head has absolutely nothing to do with whether or not I like them. For the most part, I tune out the songs that play over the PA system while I'm at work. Then I'll be walking home and catch myself thinking, "Why is I'm Like a Bird by Nelly Furtado stuck in my head?"

I still don't have the answer to that one. That song’s not even on our store’s playlist but that song still does get stuck up in there.

Below are the top ten songs that get stuck in my head on any given day due to some crazy marketing person who felt they were the perfect DJ for people on the hunt for laxatives and pregnancy tests.

Here we go with...

#10: My Life by Billy Joel

This song would be higher on the list if I was actually annoyed by it. The theme song to Bosom Buddies will eventually get stuck in my head at some point in the day whether or not I end up hearing it at work.

#9: 99 Time by Kate Voegele

I've never heard this song before I started this job. I don't like it, but it's repetitive and catchy enough to break me from my retail trance long enough to question, "Why the fuck am I singing along with this?"

#8: Long Walk Back by The Rembrandts

I kind of liked this song at first because I thought it was Bowling For Soup, a band that I really liked for their name and didn't mind for their music.

#7: Big Red Neon Love by Mandy D???

I could only find the video with the name of the song. I don't even know how to explain why this song gets stuck in my head. I could like horrible music or the music being played over the PA system is that bad that I look forward to this one.

#6: Amy covered by Counting Crows

This one’s an easy one. Our playlist sucks, Counting Crows has always been one of my guilty pleasures, I had a big crush on an Amy in High School, and when I first started writing all my stories were about Bob and Amy, one because of this crush but mainly because I didn't know how to type so I made my main character's first names three-letter words because I knew I was going to have to type them so much I didn't want their names to be too long.

(Too bad I just saw they spell it, Amie)

#5: Grenade by Bruno Mars

Again, not what I seek out, but I have to say this guy makes some catchy music. I also think of Meatloaf's I Would Do Anything... 

#4: Nobody's Home by Avril Lavigne

I like this song. Of course, I like it for a weird reason but here you go. I like that she rhymes home with home. I LOVE that she rhymes home with home because this was a discussion. I applaud the gutsy bastard that had the audacity to say, "Yeah I know they're the same word, but that's the way I want it, and it's going out that way!"

#3: One Night Only by Beyonce

This song always seems to come on while I'm walking down the laxative aisle. The framing of the shelves makes me feel like I'm making an entrance to some sort of ring to fight for my life, then I'm swept up like the Dude floating down the bowling lane while people disco dance like maniacs as I float out the door and home towards my bed.

#2: Brickyard Road by Johnny Van Zant

This song is so douchie I can help but get swept up in the lameness. It seems like a failed attempt to be like the Boss or Bon Jovi hometown Merica pride. I want this song to be playing every day as I walk out of the store in slow motion and just before leaving, turn back to the crew and give them a big thumbs up as we all then turn to the American flag.

#1: Rocksteady by Marc Broussard

It doesn't matter where I am in the store, this song just makes me laugh. I look at each customer picturing that they're in the story because they are on a quest to buy something specific whatever they throw in their basket is the item they promised to return with and this being their excited cellphone call as soon as they get out of the store.

Update #2: Top Ten Walgreens Songs That Triggered A Reaction Of… "Oh Yeah… I Have To Make A List…" And/Or… "You Know I Actually Like This Song!!!"

Date: 7-3-2014

I didn't forget about this resolution, but I did forget what day it was. When I saw that my paycheck went through I realized I need to put together a top ten list and I need to do this today.

I didn't have a theme in mind so I decided to just try to listen for songs that I like and write them down and try to figure out a theme after the fact. 

It was a busy day so it was easy to forget that the music was even playing, let alone try to decipher a pattern. It seemed like every couple of hours I would have to force myself to remember to pay attention to the music being broadcast.

I'd find a song here and there that I didn't mind and a pattern eventually appeared. 

Every song that caught my attention was an older song I didn't mind in the past that I now look forward to hearing on this retail playlist, but mainly these were the ten songs that I heard today that triggered the reaction of, "Oh yeah, I have to make a list," and/or, "You know I actually like this song."

And here they are.

#10: Just Like Paradise - David Lee Roth

#9: The Sign - Ace of Base

#8: I Found Out About You - Gin Blossoms

#7: Sell Out - Reel Big Fish

#6: Love Stinks - J. Geils Band

#5: Fooled Around and Fell in Love - Elvin Bishop

#4: I Would Walk 500 Miles - The Proclaimers

#3: Lovesong -The Cure

#2: You May Be Right - Billy Joel

#1: The Break Up Song - Greg Kihn Band

Update #3: The Conclusion…

Date: 6-14-2015

Back when I was working at Walgreen's, even though I had my notepad, and I had a few ideas for top ten lists I wanted to make this resolution just kept falling through the cracks.

There are two big reasons why this challenge failed.

First, the music playing through the store P.A. system becomes background noise way more than I thought it did. Even on the days where I told myself that I would listen with enough intent to create a list, the songs became nothing more than white noise.

Second, it turns out that the same 20 or so songs seemed to be the only ones to break through the white noise so this whole list idea seemed like it would be nothing more the reordering the songs above to fit into a theme. Sure there may have been several more in the rotation but it just became too hard to work and put that much effort into caring about such sucky music.