Thursday, October 16, 2014

Not So Bro Country, But Feel Good Country: Maddie and Tae's "Girl in a Country Song"

Thanks to Sprint I got a six-month free premium subscription with Spotify (Check out my Spotify profile here and follow me).

One of the playlist I created was my “Country Feel Good” list made up of country pop hits I personally feel good about listening to - mostly songs about committed love, family and patriotism. One song I recently added was Maddie and Tae’s “Girl in the Country Song.”

The song was a breath of fresh air because it calls the "bro country" and machismo-driven "frat boys" of country music to man up and respect women in their songs.

Country music is known for its recurring themes of pickups and breakups. But the last few years, we’ve seen an almost endless stream of what my colleague from BreakPoint calls, “bro country.”

In an article in The Atlantic, Gina Dalfonzo describes how country music has become a frat boy’s fantasy set to acoustic guitar.

“You could play Country Radio Bingo,” she says, “with all the references to...beers, driving in trucks on dirt roads, and dancing on tailgates in the moonlight…women are referred to simply as random...collections of scantily clothed body parts...” And they’re typically just called “girls.”

The new young country duo Maddie and Tae are challenging bro country’s monopoly and denigrating theme.

“Bein’ the girl in a country song,” they sing, “How in the world did it go so wrong?/Like all we’re good for is looking good for/You and your friends on the weekend, nothing more.”

Kudos to Maddie and Tae! Hear and check out the video and judge for yourself. 


(Adapted from The Point)

Friday, October 3, 2014

Filipino American Daddy Blogger is a Healthy Dad #HealthyDad

http://instagram.com/jasonebruce

I weighed exactly 200 lbs. 12 months ago. I’m now down to 183 lb. just by diet alone (see video below and contest to win $100). I’m happy with my weight loss but my next goal, now that I just turned 40 years old is to gain muscles. I know I cannot develop a chiseled body by moderate food intake alone. So I need a workout program to carve my body and give it some manly form.  

This month, I started the Body Beast workout program – a muscle defining, resistance training program designed to gain me some muscles in 90 days! You heard it right… 90 days. Yes, it sounds like Tony Horton’s P90X program but it’s not. You may or not be a fan of these intense workout DVDs, but you can agree with me that becoming fit and healthy is an important requirement to being a good dad.

http://instagram.com/jasonebruce
Fellow Christian dads and new friends Andy Neher (Fitness Redemption) and pal, Brian Chaffin (Elite Systems Training) got me into the program (read Andy's fitness journey and story here). I’m two weeks into the program and so far so good. Well, not all the time. I’m wiped out and sore everyday. Some of the routines are hard to love and enjoy because I struggle with it - specially the cardio. But I’m pressing on. My wife and kids are always in my mind. They are my motivation. I want to live longer and healthy for my children and I want look good and desirable for my wife (wink wink).

Anyone who is starting a new workout program should consider the health disclaimer, “Consult your physician before beginning any exercise program.” Who has time to do this? Sometimes it’s tough to get to a doctor. But Anthem Blue Cross Blue Sheild’s (who happens to be my family’s health care provider) LiveHealth Online App may have the answer. With LiveHealthOnline, you can connect with U.S. based, board-certified doctors within minutes by two-way video chat in the privacy of your own home. Available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Doctors are available to handle acute conditions, worsening of chronic conditions, triage, refills and general advice. Ideal to give anyone the medical consultation they need to start a workout program.

To learn more about LiveHealth Online, visit www.livehealthonline.com. You can register by downloading the app from iTunes or Google Play store and signing up in one quick step. 

The first step to taking care of our families is to take care of ourselves.

Follow and join my health and fitness journey: #HealthyDad

 http://instagram.com/jasonebruce

CONTEST ALERT: Make your own #HealthyDad video 
via Vine or Instagram. Post it on the Healthy Dads
Facebook page and you could win a $100 Amazon gift card. 
Click here for more details.


(Thanks to Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, who sponsored the campaign, for including dads in this important discussion about family health care. My views are based solely on my experience as a parent, and not as a medical professional.)