"I love you, mom. Your gift will be a little late..."

Mother’s Day is fast approaching and I am old enough to understand I’ve used and abused doing the whole buy-her-a-card-and-make-her-’free backrub’-coupons bit. And as much as I would love to buy my mom concert tickets and backstage passes to Bon Jovi, my income is just not going to allow that kind of spending. Not to mention, I’ve been so busy drinking my face off for the last week of my college career busting out finals week, I had totally forgotten this Sunday was Mother’s Day until right about…now.

If, like me, you’re scrambling to finish all of those countless research papers and haven’t gotten to brainstorming about that perfect gift for mom, I’m here to help. No, these gifts won’t be ready quite in time for Sunday, but they are so awesome they are totes worth the wait. Just send mom a homemade card (or an e-card….it’s the thought, right?) and then wow her with one of these when you’re done with those dreadful exams.

1. Mom’s Mixtape
Most moms out there are a little challenged when it comes to technology, so this is the perfect (and cheap!) gift. I know my mother’s appreciation for ’80s rock is congruent with my obsession with techno dance parties on a Friday night, and it’s really simple to throw together a great mix CD with all of her favorite songs. It’s thoughtful, it’s easy, and it will make her really happy when she’s driving around town in that SUV running errands for you and the sibs. If you need inspiration, make a few radio stations on Pandora with her favorite artists to find some other artists she might love. And if you want to go big, make her a 6-CD box set with her favorite jams from all the decades.

2. Digitally Organize All of Her Photos
This is such a fab idea. I’m sure everyone’s mother has a cherished collection of dusty photos in their basement just waiting to be shared. Now that it’s so much easier to share photos digitally, you can send her old photos to this website and they’ll scan them all for you and turn them into a digital collection! It’s really simple, and if your mom has a Facebook account (bless her heart), she can share them with her friends. The Internet: what a wonderful thing.

3. A Framed Collage
Like to get crafty? Why not make her a beautiful collage? Head over to TJ Maxx or Marshalls and pick up a frame (they have really pretty ones that are really cheap), then start crafting. You can scan old photos from your baby books at home and mix them with fabulous new photos from when you weren’t in your awkward “I have braces and poodle bangs” stage. You can even edit them into Picnik and make them vintage and artsy. Moms LOVE memories and she’ll love this one even more when she knows how hard you worked on it.

And if cutting and pasting isn’t for you, you can do all your collage-ing online. Hell, with this website, you can work on that Mother’s Day Gift while you should be listening in that review sesh!

4. Make Her Something Pretty
Making mom something cute and pretty is easier than you think. I am not a very crafty person and even I can see myself doing all of these for my mom! Is she a fashionista? Make her a hair clip, or glam up her flip flops. Is she the next Paula Deen? Make her a really great apron (trust me, you only need basic sewing skills). These are only a few of the purty things you can throw together for her (and there are a million and one other awesome ideas out there – check out PS I Made This for creative inspiration!) and no matter what you make, she’ll be overjoyed at your creativity.

5. DVD Her Home Videos
My aunt recently did this for my Dad and I was able to see videos made in the ’60s on DVD. It was awesome. I don’t think my family even owns a VCR anymore so we never watch home movies. But that’s sad, because watching old dance recitals or seeing what your parents looked like in the early ’90s is fun. And hilarious. And your mom definitely misses the days when you were in diapers. And now, thanks to these people, you can bring all those home movies into the new millennium. You can even add theme music in the background! It’s all too sweet for words and your mom will totes agree.

Normally for the Weekly 10, I find myself counting down things that piss me off. You know, like phrases that suck and uninspired Halloween costumes. So I’ve decided to give you a mix tape for putting up with me airing my grievances Letterman-style.

However, this mixtape is extra mixy. I present to you: my top ten favorite mashups. Wikipedia defines a mashup as, “a song or composition created by blending two or more songs, usually by overlaying the vocal track of one song seamlessly over the music track of another.”  Basically smushing two songs together to make an even cooler one.

Yeah, I was inspired by last week’s episode of Glee; how could you not be? That show is so. damn. good.

Let me know if I missed any other greatness.

10. “Womanizer” Britney Spears & Lily Allen
Even if she “retired from music,” I still  heart Lily Allen and Britney will always have a special place in my heart. Mixing a little Lily with a lot of Womanizer lyrics? Spice Girls have nothing on fierce duo.

9. “Bittersweet Dirt Off Your Shoulder” Jay-Z & The Verve
Cruel Intentions finale song plus my fave, Jay? I’ll take it.

8. “Live Your Life, Punk” T.I., Rihanna & Vampire Weekend (Mixed by Party Ben)
Vampire Weekend and T.I.? Please tour together. I’d go. And I’d be very, very happy.

7.“Love LockDown Day N’ Nite” Kanye West & Kid Cudi
For the conflicted scenester/rapper in all of us.

6. “Halo and Walking on Sunshine” Performed by the cast of Glee.
The very song that inspired me to spend 6 hours searching for other mashups online and create this splendid list.

5. “Every Car You Chase” The Police & Snow Patrol (Mixed by Party Ben)
Unexpectedly amazing.

4. “Hotel Room Game” Lady Gaga & Pitbull
Yes, Lady Gaga is a crazy biatch. We love her anyway. We also love Pitbull. And he loves us back. Two super catchy pop songs, one even catchier mash-up.

3. Anything off the Grey album
Black Album (Jay-Z) + White Album (The Beatles) = Incredible. I guess that’s what happens when you put two music legends together. I love the song, “What More Can I Say” with “As My Guitar Gently Weeps,” but the whole album is simply amazing. Gotta love Dangermouse.

2. Girl Talk
Every song rules, can’t pick just one; Gregg Gillis is all kinds of brilliant.

1 and a half. “Stand Up and Ring My Doorbell” White Stripes and Ludacris (Mashed by DJ Riko)
Because I couldn’t narrow it down to just ten, especially when Ludacris is involved. Sick beat.

1. “Can I Get Get Low” Lil’ Jon and Junior Senior
Okay, so I may be a little biased because “Get Low” might be my song if I were to do a wedding “Forever” style. Kidding. Sorta. But seriously, blend this throwback Lil Jon with the bouncy Junior Senior and you get perfection. Not to mention it makes Lil Jon slightly more tolerable for people who don’t understand his artistic genius.

So while we all tried to make it through the night without going hysterical, I started to think about how absolutely crazy it is that in just a year, ALL my friends and I will be splitting up. Last night was just the first of many goodbyes…and that is terrifying.

But, then, the rational side of me kicked in and I remembered that I have a whole year left before I have to actually deal with that prospect, so I should actually relish in the fact that this time, I’m only saying goodbye for the summer. I will survive in my five bedroom house alone for four months. I think.

So I made a playlist that is perfect for listening to while you and your girls spend one last Saturday afternoon getting sh*tfaced before saying goodbye (and good riddance!) to the last school year (and hopefully not each other). Oh, and since this weekend is a holiday, I thought I’d be nice and include some extra songs so that the mix can double nicely as a Memorial Day BBQ playlist, too.

And if you really are graduating and saying goodbye for real, I just feel bad for you. Good luck, may the force be with you, yada, yada, yada.

Celebrate the wonderful fact that you’re still in college here!

Finals are killer and, really, the only thing keeping me going right now, besides multiple grande caramel frappucinnos, is imagining that in a few weeks I will be dreamily grillin’ poolside while sipping strawberry margaritas and donning sparkly flip flops.

So, even if summer is a miniature blip on your radar right now, I hope this playlist of chill tunes will keep you sane. Seriously ladies, summer is so close I can almost feel the peeling, dry skin on my uber pasty shoulders. Oh summer, you can’t come soon enough.

Summertime..and the livin’s easy at CC. Listen here.

But then, I was driving home from a concert and heard a gem from the past on the radio (“My Neck, My Back” by Khia, anyone?). This led to a conversation with my friend about songs that we used to listen to in middle school that we definitely shouldn’t have.

Seriously, it’s amazing how many songs somehow slipped under my Mother’s radar in middle school and managed to taint my twelve year old ears.

So, I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to make a playlist with all those little ditties that we all LURVED in school, even though we most likely weren’t 100% sure what the lyrics really meant.

My Neck, My Back – Khia. Obvi. But seriously, WTH? I know they didn’t play the unedited version on the radio, but this sh*t was just NASTY. I don’t really care to hear about your penchant for having your you-know-what licked, Khia. Thanks.

What’s Your Fantasy? – Ludacris. I thought I was the coolest girl on the bus in 8th grade when I used to blast this shizz on my Walkman (oh, those were the days). Everybody’s favorite part: “Rough sex, make it hurt…”

Too Close – Next. You’re makin’ it hard for me….enough said.

2 Become 1 – Spice Girls. I think I vaguely understood the meaning of 2 becoming 1 back in the day (Two souls coming together? Aw!) But, giving the song a second (okay, millionth) listen a good 10 years later changes everything. Those sneaky, sneaky little Spice Girls.

Nookie – Limp Bizkit. NO. clue.

When The Lights Go Out – 5ive. I remember handing out this single in the gift bags at my 6th grade birthday party. Bet everyone’s parents appreciated that.

Touch It – Monifa. Ima show your body what your tongues doin’ wrong…This boys shyness got me wet like crazy…I want it more and more when you call my name and spank me. Really, Monifa?! REALLY?

Nice and Slow – Usher. I just wanna take it nice and slowww….

No Diggity – Blackstreet and Dr. Dre I remember the DJ spinning this track quite frequently at “Teen Nites” at my junior high. Right along with..

Pony – Ginuwine. Can’t get much more direct than “I’m horny, let’s do it.” I remember telling my mom it was about dancing.

How Many Licks? – Lil Kim. Okay, Kimmy, now I know you weren’t talking about Tootsie Pops.

Listen to the entire dirty mix (besides Monifa – guess no one really cares about her) here!

Any songs you remember from your younger days that you can’t believe you actually were allowed to listen to? Leave them in the comments!

And I dunno if it’s just the spring sunshine (er, rain right now), but I am feelin’ a little frisky. Which sucks. Because I’m single…and plan to stay that way.

But, I do have ONE option at my disposal: Sex with the Ex.

Now, even though I won’t actually do it (…at least not unless I have a good two to three white russians in my system), it is still fun to think about. Which I did. Through my hour and fifteen minute lecture on Scriptwriting.

So, naturally all this thinking led to fantasizing, and this fantasizing inevitably led to me creating a “Sex with the Ex” mix chock full of songs that would totally make any ex fall to his knees, you know, just in case. Like my own little secret weapon.

So, I’m not saying you have to use this mix for it’s original purpose, but I won’t judge you if you do.

Next week, I’ll give you some songs to drink to. Promise.
Check it out here.

So this week’s playlist goes out to our BFF, money, which tops my list of Things I Hate But Can’t Do Without (right underneath Ryan Seacrest’s Top 40).

So until the refund checks come in the mail, you’ll probably still be sitting around listening to this mix while sipping a Bud Light and smoking an American Spirit. But that’s okay – your time will come.

We’re makin’ it rain right here.

So, in the spirit of doing things you know you shouldn’t do but probably will anyway, this week’s playlist theme is Guilty Pleasures.  You know what they are.  Guilty pleasures are those songs you really shouldn’t admit you like in a crowd and should probably only be listened to when you’re in the shower, or in your car alone…far, far away from campus and anyone you may know.

But since everyone likes cheesy songs when they’re drunk, I thought it’d be a perfect pregame playlist.

Just don’t tell anybody I made it for you.

Check it out here.

It’s finally feeling like spring outside. So this week I traded in my knee-high snowboots for flip flops,  my sweaters for tank tops, and my Bud Light drafts for margaritas with cute little plastic umbrellas.

When it hits 50 in March in Northeast Ohio, we pull out all the stops.

So, in celebration of springtime, I created a playlist of some good, old fashioned rock n’ roll favorites that you can put on while you’re lazily sipping (…or quickly bonging) your favorite beverage…outside. Without a jacket. Or Uggs.

Listen here.

This playlist consists of several covers – and some original versions – of an eclectic group of sweet songs. It’s your job to grab your closest music-savvy friends, a case of cheap beer (PBR, maybe?) and play the playlist from start to finish. Every time a song begins, the first person to name the tune and whether it’s the original or the cover version wins and gets to dish out drinks till the next song comes on.

Got it? Good. And I’m not gonna lie, some are a little tricky so you might have to put your Google skillz to the test. Good luck ladies!

Test your music knowledge here & let us know how you did in the comments!