Saturday 9: Ordinary People

ORDINARY PEOPLE (2005)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, John Legend sings that both he and his girl have "room to grow." What about you? In what areas would you like to improve?  There's always room to grow in every area, but right now I'd specifically like to improve my eating and exercise habits.

2) He sings that when he hangs up in anger, she calls him back. Are you quicker to anger, or quicker to forgive?  It wasn't always the case, but I'm probably quicker to forgive these days. Things have to get pretty bad before I get angry.

3) "Ordinary People" was John Legend's first big hit. He originally wrote it for The Black Eyed Peas, but -- happily for him -- recorded it himself. Have you ever purchased a gift for someone else but then decided to keep it yourself?  I'm sure I have, but I can't think of what it might have been at the moment.

 

4) Ordinary People is also the title of an acclaimed novel by Judith Guest and an Oscar-winning film. Are you familiar with either the movie or the book?  I remember the movie. I think I saw it once years and years ago.

5) John is married to Chrissy Teigen, who gained fame as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. When is the last time you dove in? Were you in a pool, lake, river or sea?  Last summer in the pool in my own backyard.

6) John unexpectedly proposed to Chrissy on vacation, but he was afraid airport security would ruin the surprise when they went through his carry on very thoroughly. He worried she would see the ring box and he'd have to drop down to one knee right there at the airport! Tell us about one of your flights: your first, your most recent or your most memorable.  I made a few trips back and forth between Orlando and Pittsburgh by myself with our infant son. Those were great trips! Either the airline moved me to first class so I'd have more room and be more comfortable or some very nice older business men would take me under their wing...fussing with the baby, carrying my bag, offering to buy snacks and drinks. I'm sure it wouldn't be the same with how the airlines are now, but those were great trips.

7) John is currently a coach on The Voice. The other coaches are Nick Jonas, Kelly Clarkson and Blake Shelton. Of those four singers, which is your favorite?  While I'm not a fan of his personal choices and behavior, if we are going just on voice and songs, I like Blake Shelton.

8) In 2005, when this song was popular, Johnny Carson died. After he retired from The Tonight Show in 1993, he traveled extensively and discovered he especially enjoyed photographic safaris in Africa. If time and money were no object, where would you go on vacation?  If those two things and safety were not a problem, I would be on the first plane to Egypt and Israel that I could arrange!

 

9) Random question -- In your typical day, what's the longest you usually go without saying a word to another person: all day, a few hours, an hour, or five minutes?  It's never more than a few hours.

Thanks as always to Crazy Sam for the music and questions! Play along here.