Is this Love?

Valentine's Day 2013

The DQ 4-Piece Chicken Strip Basket included four nice-sized chicken strips, fries, and their special toast and gravy. There was Ketchup but I didn't use it.  I liked this meal very much and had it brought to me since I was still sick.  The dog got close and really too close for comfort, so I won her affection by giving her a few small pieces. She has a love for chicken, and I'm chicken when it comes to love. Not really, that just sounded poetic or something, and could attract the kind of gals who like the shy type, even if that isn't me. 

If not, I know what I like, and that chicken strips. This should be an annual, lonely guy and hungry dog Valentine's Day chicken-strip basket party.  I like monthly better but we need to eat other fast foods, too. 

Table Topic

instead of real dating...  "Pleasantly Plump Dog seeks Chicken Strip Basket for FUN!!!"

Fun = Eating

Fast Food Notes

McDonald's Cherry Pie was one of my favorite fast foods of the month.  At a local McDonald's, the pies were 2 for $1 and I bought 4 for $2.  But when I went to Meridian, Idaho McDonald's last week, the pies were .79 for 1 pie (same as the local McDonald's)  but 1.58 for 2 pies, so I said told the guy, I'll just have one.  I wanted to check it out further so I went to another McDonald's on the way home. It was the same as in Meridian:  there wasn't a special of 2 pies for a dollar.

Next, I went back to the local McDonald's, in Ontario, Oregon, and they still had 2 pies for a dollar, so I purchased the 2 pies and also some large fries.  And not because fries and pies rhyme.  I was hungry because I hadn't eaten much and wanted to eat fries. "The fries were a perfect golden color and the flavor was the best I've had in a long time. Great!" I just decided to quote my own notes.

I wrote about Burger Time in October 2012, but there was a problem because I couldn't upload the photos.  I went back there on Thursday and had another milkshake, again choosing the Huckleberry flavor.  They use a syrup to make that flavor shake.  It's a soft, smooth shake (no pieces or fruit), so it was exactly what my stomach needed. This is the Large size. 

Some snow is on the ground and perhaps some ice/slush is visible in the photo. I stayed inside the car and snapped this photo with the window open.  The photo was cropped on one side because the back of a sign was in it and would have taken away from what is important in the photo.  The drive-thru is not in the photo because a vehicle was there at the moment I took the photo.

McDonald's Cherry Pie tasted great on a cold day

Here are more photos from Sunday.  I ate this McDonald's Cherry Pie while it was very warm and it tasted great! I had another one a couple of hours later. It wasn't warm then but still very good. I went to McDonald's again, on Tuesday, and ate two more cherry pies. 

I'd like to order one tropical beach, please

There's a lot of ice in the parking lot between Burger King and McDonald's on Sunday, January 20. I stopped to get a photo before I went over to McDonald's drive-thru. I can see the Burger King sign in the mirror. Can you?

McDonald's Cherry Pie: Hot, sweet, delicious

As I promised myself, I went to McDonald's on Sunday, and as it turned out I bought 4 Cherry Pies because they were 2 for $1 and she said I could get 4 for two dollars. I'm still good at the easy math, but don't know all the fast food definitions of "hot".

Now, before I go any further, this little "baked pie" really can be quite hot in temperature, so please be careful!  I had mine out for a minute or two, or heck I forget exactly how long but you understand I didn't bite right into it immediately.  That's because I'm careful and also usually take photos of my fast food, but not necessarily because I think it will slow down my fast food.  haha

I did handle with care and when I ate my first pie (in photo), I had waited until it was very warm, not hot. The cherry pie tasted very good and I liked it very much.

However, "hot" also is one way to describe what is going on in the artwork or image on the little pie box.  I guess it's another fast food definition to make a point and made me wish I had some of that hot stuff.

More photos will be posted.

Circling, craving fast food is not enough

I was circling Taco Bell yesterday morning and wishing I could eat one of their specials they show with pictures, but I still was not feeling up to eating any spicy food or much of any food food, as I was sick during the week starting last weekend. I ought to cover the last sentence with a thick patch of ice and snow.

Yesterday, there was ice on the streets and the parking lots, which of course isn't much fun at all, though I wanted to see what else is happening in fast food right now so I decided to drive around. Burger King has a special this month on chicken nuggets and I wrote this down from what I read on their sign which advertised 20 piece chicken nuggets for $4.29 and that sounds like a good deal.  I'm not sure I can eat that many or at least it wouldn't be a good idea.

I was having a problem with the pen running out of ink, and if my notes are wrong, blame the pen. No, I think my notes are right.  I have no idea what the prices are at other locations. Moving on to the next suspenseful scene, I drove some yards (and I'll measure it in yards because this month's the NFL playoffs) It was too darn cold and icy in the parking lot to get out and walk, not that I ever do. Not much more than a chicken nugget's throw, I mean a football's throw from Burger King is a McDonald's and I could see that cherry pie was advertised on their drive-thru menu... however, I didn't get into the drive-thru, therefore I don't know if it's a special on the small cherry pies I have come to love, especially when I'm alone (meaning no girlfriend). Actually, I don't eat those cherry pies often and didn't know I even had special feelings for them, but I'm trying to make some sort of point, I guess.  Well, I did wind up with a Jack in the Box strawberry shake and liked it.

Hmm...I don't know why but I'm craving the cherry pies again today and since today isn't yesterday, I just might get over there to McDonald's and get one or two or three, or more, and pass them around.  

Happy New Year!

Krispy Kreme holiday doughnuts

Krispy Kreme Gingerbread Cake Doughnuts and Red Velvet Cake Doughnuts

Both kinds are moist and delicious. The gingerbread doughnuts do have a nice holiday-spice flavor, while the other doughnuts may be too fancy for a guy like me, though I can live the high life, sorta, but it does make me feel like something I'd eat if I were getting married.  Who said that?! Don't say that word here! LOL

Maybe I'll do a list of my favorite 'M' words if I can think of all of them.  Maybe.  Oh I'm not saying Maybe is one of those words, but why not! Maybe is a better word than commitment, which isn't an 'M' word except it does have three M's in it. Heck, I had insomnia last night, also not an M word but it's why I can't stick to one topic. What's wrong with commitment... well nothing if we're talking about eating doughnuts because I am committed to it though I did need some help to eat up all the doughnuts.

Right after I went through the drive-thru to buy these doughnuts, I just had to snap a photo.

Some pre-holiday cheer for me began on the Saturday (before Christmas) when I bought these doughnuts. There were lots of shoppers out and some looking for something sweet to eat.  I wanted to share the doughnuts in the box starting with a full dozen, so I bought another doughnut and munched it down quickly. 

Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread Cookie Shake at Burger King

The Burger King Gingerbread Cookie Shake was featured on October 31, so please go back and read that review. I had this shake (in photo) again tonight, and I'm still drinking it now but decided to upload the photo so it shows up here to same calendar day I am drinking it.

Oh and tomorrow (Dec. 21) the world ends? If so, maybe the aliens will be the only ones left to read this and wonder what Gingerbread Cookie Shake at Burger King tastes like. haha

In other words, they'll be sorry if they mess with us humans, and then they will never find out. haha

Don't be upset! The world probably will be here on Saturday, unless we all party too much Friday, or something. Please have a happy day and a happy day after that day too, and so on.

Eating Ice Cream Never Looked So Good!

This is a McDonald's commercial from a few years ago. I don't put the title on videos when I show videos from YouTube, it's probably a title by the person who uploaded it to YouTube. I also don't know about the description on YouTube and have no responsibility for it. It says she's making faces at a baby and that makes sense, but I don't need a responsibility, just a pretty Asian girl or young woman to make me feel good.

I just know this makes me feel happy and maybe it will make someone else happy too. It's a very cute Asian girl or young Asian woman and I think she's being funny here. Someone said she's a South Korean actress but I don't know because I don't know her. haha I realize that I shared it before but can't find it on my blog, so it must have been from my previous fast food blog. This uplifts my spirits when I'm feeling down, and I'll enjoy it!

It was a long ride for these doughnuts

(a few years back) and oh well they were beautiful when I left Portland.

If this were a low-budget horror flick

they would have gotten even with me, but these are just doughnuts

and, as you know, doughnuts are for eating.

I decided to keep this doughnut from another Voodoo Doughnut shop in Portland, Oregon

Did waiting give this doughnut good or bad voodoo?

Other photos will answer this question. You can wait for me to post those photos, but I'd recommend coming back in a few days.

This photo is from the same day as the other doughnut photo but another one of their doughnut shops. Their doughnut creations are different than other doughnuts I've seen (and eaten) and one may have a slightly obscene name especially to certain people, so don't ask me unless we're a very close couple.  Otherwise, I'll just refer you to their website, which anyone can find online. Voodoo Doughnut is on YouTube, too.  Also at other locations on the web.

The giant size photo below is just if they want me for a Thanksgiving day parade balloon.  haha  I'll put a better size photo above. 

Wish I could GO UP to Portland, Oregon and to a Voodoo Doughnut shop

In September (2008), I felt like
I could lift off, coz there was
blue sky in Portland, Oregon.
Actually both of my feet were planted firmly
on the sidewalk, outside of the doughnut shop.
The doughnut is a creation by Voodoo Doughnut
which an employee said they called the Orangutang as it
has some orange-flavored Tang on it.

Note:  Most of the writing was done in 2008 and was going to be put on the blog in December 2008 but I gave this post a title and wrote the note on Friday afternoon and now it GOES UP blog, which I wish could fly me to Portland.  Oh yeah, blogs can't fly, yet. For people who don't understand me, stop being so uptight and use your imagination.

Extra doughNote: I have no idea how they spelled Orangutang, the doughnut.  This photo was cropped then made much smaller because it's blurry.  What the heck, I'll put up the larger photo too.

Adding to the last post...

I would like to say thanks to me, I'm not giving up no matter who tries to pick on me.  And I guess it's been over more than 2 1/2 months that the writing about that one day of fast food took place, on and off, and back on, off, and on, off, on, off, on, and you know, off and on.  I really don't like to stop writing about that day, so maybe I can talk about how I had five hot dates in between all those fast foods and drinks.  They were very, very fast dates. Blinked and I missed them. No, I'm kidding.  No fast dates or slow ones then. I'm much better at writing than dating.

Not the typical before and after pictures

During the afternoon, BEFORE

that long sorta-like-a-fast-food soap opera,

starting with Starbucks iced coffee. That was

back in August, but my write-up kept going for 

almost two months. Bravo, I'm strange! haha  

In the above picture, I'm not holding in my gut and

if anything I'm pushing it out.  I did my weight loss,

diet thing five years ago and basically have not gained it back,  I want

to encourage everyone that is dieting to keep up the

good work of dieting and you will reach your goals.

AFTER I went through the drive-thru and bought

a large Starbucks iced coffee

Burger King Gingerbread Cookie Shake makes the holidays appear closer and more delicious than usual

Yesterday I went to Burger King and got the Gingerbread Cookie Shake.  That was the second time I've had that shake.  It's a holiday shake but I'm not sure which holiday I am supposed to celebrate right now.  Oh yeah, it's Halloween!  And that's good but almost immediately--tomorrow-- I know in America we'll be seeing much more of the Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations at stores, so Burger King is just getting a good early start helping us get into the holiday spirit, and I'm glad they did.

The shake is a big step up from common and ordinary shakes and so far it's the best shake I've had at Burger King. I think it's a delicious shake! However, I'm not sure what the ingredients are or what's the exact flavor of the shake.  Instead of guessing, I'll look it up online and maybe the Burger King website will tell me.  I do sense that the Gingerbread Cookie Shake has the flavor of holiday spices, but as I already pointed out, I don't know.  I only know that I want it again.

Same day I ate the Krispy Kreme Doughnut

which was the day of me pictured holding Starbucks iced coffee in my hand (refer to a Sept. post) and this is another picture of the same iced coffee... now skip ahead in time to Jack in the Box chicken nuggets (please see an earlier post in Sept.)...then I picked up ice cream shakes (not for me) at Sonic drive-in and this is after I pulled into the garage. These shakes didn't melt in the time it took to get back because I did my best to keep 'em cold.

Almost like a Caffeine-powered time machine

Starbucks vs McDonald's

This is another photo I snapped in Seattle back in 2007 and was the same location and time as my last featured photo. The coffee competition (including iced coffee and espresso drinks) was quite interesting to me at that time.  And now I'm getting excited all over again. 

Photos

In addition to the coffee photo making sense now as it will be relevant to my writing about iced coffee, as coffee competition continues, more photos I took five years ago will be posted since that's when I ended Fast Food Yummy.  I brought it back almost right away with this blog address but didn't post all the photos from 2007 that I wanted to post.  I also started blogs about Fast Food Yummy from 2006 and 2007.  Articles there now are some of the articles that were published on Fast Food Yummy in those years.

Writing about Iced Coffee

There's an important reason why I posted the coffee photo from five years ago and that's because I'm going to write about coffee, especially iced coffee.  It's a 'drink', in my opinion, meaning we expect iced coffee to be a pleasingly delicious mixture of coffee, cream or what they usually refer to as cream, a flavor, for example vanilla, hazelnut, mocha, etc.  In other words, it's not just coffee with ice added.

I'm making decisions (for my reviews of iced coffee) based on whether or not I think the quality of the iced coffee is consistent which means I'm asking myself the questions: Do the iced coffee selling restaurants in a chain, for example, basically have the same in quality of the iced coffee?  Can customers rely on each restaurant and coffee shop in that chain, or are some of them not following the rules and keeping up the high standards of how the iced coffee is to be made and served to customers?

It's impossible for me to write about every time I've had iced coffee, and obviously it's an opinion as far as why the iced coffee is great somewhere one day and on another day it's lousy at that same place. But I will give my own opinion based on the many times I've had iced coffee.  Some individual restaurants served consistently great iced coffee, but that's only a few of them.

The Coffee Competition in 2007 was mainly between Starbucks and McDonald's

The window of a Seattle Starbucks Coffee shop in the Fall of 2007 had this view of autumn leaves on the ground, newspapers ready to be purchased, and a McDonald's across the street.  Only the sign of McDonald's is visible in this photo.

Almost Like a Period Piece, but not

It's Saturday and around 8 pm as I begin to write, so that's good enough reason to reflect on long ago...well, it seems like a long time since yesterday at around 9 pm (not really, I'm just trying to make this interesting) but I did go to a '50s type fast food place.  Actually, there wasn't a lot of action last night but I think tonight there's something going on and maybe I had gone through a time portal, a TV time portal...  I expected to see Fonzie (again, not really) though if it were possible, I'm sure he would have treated me like a nerd, which would have been cool.  Because I'd be on TV!

With my lead paragraph out of the way (way, way out that is), where I was was at Burger Time in Boise, and that's in Idaho for those who didn't know that.  I ordered a Milkshake listed on their drive-thru menu off to my right, with no light shining on it and not too close to me, I'm glad I didn't have to sign for my shake.

I did make out... no, let me rephrase that...I did see the word Huckleberry on the menu, so I chose that flavor and lived happily ever after.  Oh wait, that's too cliche, so instead, after ordering the shake, I began to drink it, parked there, not with a girl or woman beside me, or even wasting time thinking about what that would feel like.  Well, feel is just an expression, but taste that's something on a higher level. Taste a shake, that is. Looking at my notes, though, I did ask myself, hey where are all the pretty girls? Well, they weren't there.  But I must think about the shake.

The huckleberry flavor was very good but not strong enough, in my opinion.  This wasn't the Jumbo size of shake, it was Large, but of course you can't see it because I haven't uploaded the pictures yet.  I wanted to get Jumbo but was running low on money after getting some early presents for people because I'm a nice guy, though I also saw someone I wanted...haha I mean that I also saw something I wanted at a store.  Also saw someone but I'm willing to start off with a lunch date. The Fonz would be proud of me.

Krispy Kreme Glazed Chocolate Cake Doughnut

After Starbucks iced coffee (in photo posted Sept. 16), a little later I ate this doughnut at Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. I went there other times this year in the spring and summer.

I like to sit there, eat a doughnut, and prepare my stomach for more to eat, which is what I did when I went to Carl's Jr. for a big burger soon after this, except I only ate about half of the burger, though I ate all of the doughnut except some crumbs. That doesn't mean I didn't like the burger, part of it (just the meat part) was for some body else, some four-footed body.

Anyway, there's a better Krispy Kreme photo from another time and when I can find where it is on the computer, I will show it on here.

Sonic Hot Fudge Shake

This photo makes me crave one more, except I've already had more than one more since June when I drank this shake. So I meant that I want one more right now.

Sonic Drive-In is a feel-good place to drink a shake while listening to music

                        Large Hot Fudge Shake at Sonic

I went to Sonic after 8 pm one evening in June (also pictured last time) to see if their shakes really were just half price after 8 pm. 

Well, shakes were $2 for large (which usually is $3.99 before the tax) and that's what I chose, but everybody in the area seemed to know about the half-price deal.

I had to wait a while to order my shake and then a little more time before I got it.  I wasn't in much of a hurry and just relaxed, listening to the music on Sonic radio or whatever they call it, and the songs were pleasing to my ears, including a song by Kiss, but I'm not sure it was the original version or even if it was them.

The shake is easy to drink since it's soft and smooth, not too thick or hard to get through the straw, and the flavor is a good one.  There's whipped topping and a cherry on top.  

Sonic Drive-In Special on Shakes and Malts

Sorry, this photo is from June. The most recent time I went to a Sonic drive-in (not the same location) was last Saturday and they still have the half price shakes and malts after 8 pm.

I asked the girl working there how long the special price after 8 pm will continue but she didn't sound sure, so I'm not saying.

Can you tell which band this is?

It's hard to see them in this picture and should spark some curiosity.
I like this CD.

Starbucks iced coffee

I need to look at my notes to remember how to order this iced coffee.

Ah yes, here are some of my notes... I wrote this down: I went back through and she said that was sweetened with our Classic Syrup. She said I can just say iced coffee sweetened with cream and that's what I'll get. She said she likes iced coffee with coconut syrup (or hazelnut syrup) I said I'd try those flavors too.

I decided to strike through it because that's how it appears on the paper I wrote my notes on, but maybe she liked hazelnut syrup too, but I wasn't thinking clearly at that moment.

On the paper with my notes, I wrote that it was about 5 pm on Tuesday, August 13, 2012 but I just looked at the calendar and it was Tuesday, August 14, 2012 so at least I got the year right. haha

It was the beginning of the day that didn't end with chicken nuggets and a shake at Jack in the Box. However, since this is almost like part soap opera and almost part like a great movie that backs up, goes head, then settles on the middle of the story for the closing scene, or something else that confuses people.

So then, backing up to before I got there... I went to Starbucks because I wanted iced coffee to compare to the iced coffee I've had many times at Burger King and McDonald's. That and I just wanted some iced coffee.

I used the drive-thru and asked her to make Venti Iced Coffee the way she normally does.

I wrote in my notes: I'd say it's equal to McDonald's and Burger King iced coffee but which one is most consistent I'll have to find out. It's the first time I had this iced coffee and liked it a lot.

More notes: I wanted to get what they normally make to see what each fast food and coffee restaurant normally or usually gives to serves to its customers.

Of course I can't (or won't) show the notes because they are sort of sloppy though I don't think I set an all-time sloppiness record for notes, if there is such a thing.

Well, I did go to there again since that time but didn't like the iced coffee the way I did before, though it could have been my fault for not saying the right words when I ordered. Sometime I'll try again.

(More from last time) After McDonald's

I went over to Jack in the Box in Meridian. Almost ready to head back for the night, I swung by this fast food restaurant, as I often do and this time saw that Jack in the Box had free five piece chicken nuggets with any drink, so I ordered a large OREO Cookie Shake and they gave me the chicken nuggets for free.

Wow! delicious. great

I underlined the words 'delicious' and 'great' and it's on the top of the receipt I'm looking at while I'm typing this in at about 7:30 pm on Sunday. I wonder how many people wanted to go back and buy more. I've bought JiTB chicken nuggets since then and plan to buy more again. They're hot (temperature) but not too hot, and I hope they still sell these chicken nuggets when it's cold outside in a couple of months. Or, better yet, sell them forever!

The last photo was at a McDonald's in Boise. That's Frozen Strawberry Lemonade with a large, brightly lit-up golden arch in the background. It was starting to get dark outside and was soon after I had eaten about half of that big burger at Carl's Jr.  The night wasn't over yet, and I went to Jack in the Box.

From My Best Photos

I finally ordered a burger

Carl's Jr. Guacamole Bacon Six Dollar Burger

Yesterday evening, I ordered this burger and also ate about half of it, give or take a few bites.  The burger was very delicious!  It had been a long time since I ordered a burger, and I decided to get it because

I can't write about a burger if I don't eat it. 

I love this Frappé way too much

This is for a limited time at 'you know where'. It's almost like this Frappé  is a new part of my life, so yes, I hate those two words together: limited and time.  I'm trying to make readers smile, too.

This is from yesterday evening, but maybe I'll go there again this evening. I put the straw in after snapping some pictures the way the it was when I got it.  Someone said to take a picture with the straw in so I did it just for that person.  But next time I'll show pictures without the straw and tell what kind of Frappé. 

Will This be the Comeback Shake of the Year?

Good with just about anything.  This was the Carl's Jr. shake

I drank while eating Lucky Charms, eating Sweet Potato Fries from

Burger King, and drinking iced coffee from McDonald's.

Can you guess the flavor (or name) of this shake?

In near Soap Opera style, this is still on that same Saturday morning (almost two weeks ago)

According to the front of the Lucky Charms cereal box,

"they're Magically Delicious!"  Well, I like the flavor, but can't

prove the 'magically' part of that statement?

I used the question mark, sort of like an inside joke rattling around inside my head, because single females kept sending me messages that were statements in a question form.  Like when I send them: I like you.  They send back: I like you?  Yeah, maybe I'm not getting a clue. On a more serious note, I've found my grunge songs really have helped me feel better.  Sort of.

Does anyone know which of the charms is luckiest of all?

My guess is the four-leaf clover but I'm a beginner

 when it comes to LUCK! 

Actually no, I've probably had some good luck but also I'm blessed

with struggling just to keep me grounded, or at least I'm close to the soil at times.

Note: I like Lucky Charms.  But I'm not promoting this cereal. I just wanted to mention luck and that I need some, or something.  I have no connection to anything (and if I were making money as a writer--and I'm not-- don't you think I'd buy some new jeans, well probably not because my faded jeans are my Grunge look), but some stuff has a connection to me, like food when it's in me.  LOL I liked these ragged-edged paragraphs so much I thought I'd use them again this time. 

Before going to Burger King (the same morning)

I ordered an iced coffee from the McDonald's drive thru, and this is what they gave me.

It's sloppy outside of the cup.  Hmm... Needless to say, I wasn't happy.

Did the Lucky Charms bring me good luck, even before

I opened the box, and keep the sloppy cup from being worse?

Don't know but glad I had the facial tissue to clean up the mess.

Later, I ate a bowl of Lucky Charms with Lactaid milk and at the same

time finished the Sweet Potato Fries, with iced coffee and a shake

from Carl's Jr.  That was some kind of strange meal!

This time I wanted the paragraphs to look as sloppy as the outside of the iced coffee cup.

Sweet Potato Fries

at the local Burger King.

Rock music makes me feel good and look better in pictures

Right before I snapped this very attractive picture of myself (in the post below)...   what happened, you ask?

Dave Grohl screamed really loud, of course because I turned the radio volume way up, partially because a Burger King worker was watering the plants and annoying me while I was thinking about how to do this picture.  So anyway, Dave was singing the Foo Fighters hit song "Monkey Wrench", and like just about everyone else, I know when his amazing rock-star scream is in that song.  Wow! I just saw their video for that song and like when he screams.  Has anyone watching ever fallen into that video?  Just thought that would be funny!

Morning note on what I haven't been doing:  I tried to upload my 'newest song' today but dang it, for some reason, perhaps because the file is too big, it wouldn't upload on my music site (errr blog) and I did do almost a scream in my song, sort of, near the end of the extro, which is like an outro, but it's kinda complicated based on what the song's about. 

Conclusion:  Long story short, Dave Grohl is great, the guy watering plants at Burger King should do it earlier in morning, and the sun needs to take it easy on me when I'm sitting there, even though I turned the air conditioner to full blast.

Sweeeeeet!!!!!! Burger King Sweet Potato Fries could be the answer

What is the question?

If you guessed, does this have something to do with Burger King's Sweet Potato Fries, then you're very warm.  No, actually you're exactly right and I was getting warm with the sun beating down on the driver's side a little after 10 am when I was there. 

I'm parked in front of Burger King after using the drive-thru to buy a large-size Sweet Potato Fries. These fries are sweet, and Burger King is right about that. It's the second time I've gotten these fries there and I'm sold on the flavor.

Nicki Minaj's hit "Starships" Number 1 on half-year Pop 10

Nicki Minaj has the most interesting pop song so far this year.  "Starships" is a fun song to listen to and slightly better, in my opinion, than "Take Care" by Drake, with Rihanna. 

Drake's hit single is graced by the beautiful singing voice of Rihanna.  She is one of the best singers and maybe the very best of them all right now.  I don't think it would have been in the top 2 without her.

Another great song is "Leave You Alone" by Young Jeezy and it features the superb singing of Ne-Yo, which made the song even more impressive, and with a lot of feeling.

This brings up a question that is so hard to answer that I won't today: Who is the best pop vocalist of 2012 to this point?  I would have to say Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, and  Ne-Yo, whose his singing is brilliant on "Leave You Alone" and other songs, are the three main contenders. 

There are many others including Nicki Minaj, Mackinzie, Katy Perry, Demi Lovato, who came very close to getting on the list with "Give Your Heart a Break" and Carly Rae Jepsen, also with a fine song "Call Me Maybe".  My problem was identifying when that song was actually released.  I read that her single was released in 2011 and it could appear on my 2011 list (if I do one) or my 2012 (complete year) Best Pop Songs list, which won't be until after this year is over.  That will include some crossover songs by artists from other genres. 

My goal was to give all the new songs a chance to get on the list; hence most of the songs I considered were released this year, except (as far as I know) two songs, one by Britney Spears and the other by Nicki Minaj, which were released in December according to what I read.  My reason was there were large numbers of listeners to those songs on YouTube this year. Also, I don't recall hearing either song on the radio, which is another reason I allowed it, and that's to say what's getting played and what's not by radio DJs is all messed up.  If the songs on YouTube are better, then that's the way it is. 

However, my emphasis was on including radio singles, although the number a song got to on a hits chart didn't matter to me, and yes, I do my own thing here. I also listened to many songs by new(er) artists on YouTube and a large number are unsigned artists.  These days anyone can write, record, and release songs this way.  While I have a limited amount of time, I will spend some of my time listening to these songs. I hope to hear more of these artists. 

Pop 10

Top 10 Pop Songs list, first half of 2012

1. Nicki Minaj, Starships
2. Drake, Take Care ft. Rihanna
3. Young Jeezy, Leave You Alone ft. Ne-Yo
4. Kelly Clarkson, Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)
5. Mackinzie, Watch me
6. Britney Spears, Strangest Love
7. Nicki Minaj, Stupid Hoe
8. Katie Woodward, There’s Still Time
9. Nicki Minaj, Right By My Side ft. Chris Brown
10. Katy Perry, Wide Awake
　
*Note: This is my list (and my opinion) based on listening to many songs, comparing songs, reading, and research.  There were several other songs that were great, too. 

In case someone is waiting to see my pop songs list, I've chosen the Number 1 and I'm comparing the other songs now and the list will be on this blog this morning, actually before the light of day.  It's 1:30 am, so I do care about pop music and this serious project.  I will drink more iced green tea and keep thinking and comparing songs.

Hey, stay away from Mom's DQ Cake

I talked to Dairy Queen and ordered the DQ cake, Dad picked it up and paid for it, the dog smiled, and we the humans ate cake once it wasn't frozen solid.  Maybe my next song should be 'Let it Thaw!' Maybe that's taken but it'll be my own strange way of thawing, such as 'Let it Thaw, but Don't Melt Me Too Much Baby, Honey, Darling" and a bit kinky.  No, I'm joking.  The End!