You Can Sleep When You're Dead: Blog by Colleen Miniuk

My Mom, Jacque, kayaking in Warm Creek Bay during our recent trial run on Lake Powell in preparation for our trip next week (taken while standing on my SUP).

Today marks T-7 days until the start of what will no doubt be a memorable SUP/kayak trip down the 150-mile length of Lake Powell with my mom, Jacque (in case you missed my previous blog post, visit “What’s SUP? An Epic Adventure Awaits” at youcansleepwhenyouredead.com/wordpress/whats-sup-an-epic-adventure-awaits).   I can hardly sleep at night, and that’s not only due to all my last minute preparations for our two-week adventure, but rather my overwhelming excitement to get this party started!

One of those last minute details calls for me to load what I’ve called the “Lake Powell Paddle Playlist” (try saying that three times fast!) onto my iPhone.  Now, when I put out the call to all of you to provide favorite inspirational song, I had no idea what to expect (other than I know they’d all be fantastic, of course).  But, I was completely blown away by the wildly diverse and incredible ideas you sent to help us paddle to when times get tough out there on the water and we need some positive vibes.

Thanks to those of you who sent musical recommendations in, I now have over five hours (!!) of sentimental, calming, heart-pumping, thought-provoking, and inspirational music to keep paddling along.  What I loved most was seeing each of your personalities shine through in your suggestions.  I also appreciated hearing from many of you the inspirational backstories of why the song(s) meant something to you.  I appreciate all who shared their heartfelt stories and songs with me.

As promised, here’s the current playlist with the Song – Artist (and my friend who contributed it) in no particular order:

1. Thank You – Johnny Reid (Brian Hayward)
2. Ballad of Edward Abbey – Tom Russell (Jackson Frishman)
3. I’m So Glad – Cream (JP Bruce)
4. Old Man River – Paul Robson (Rick Jacobi, Mike Hayden, and Richard Penney)
5. Watching the River Run – Loggins and Messina (Lynda Holman)
6. The Mary Ellen Carter – Stan Rogers (John McCoy)
7. Happy – Pharrell Williams (Toru Kawana and Sheri Skocdopole)
8. Beautiful Day – U2 (Toru Kawana)
9. Miss Hesitation – Jesse (Robert Rader)
10. Ridge Top – Jesse Colin Young (Robert Rader)
11. Astronomy – Metallica (Robert Ford)
12. Move Along – The All-American Rejects (Jodi Stemler)
13. Learn to Fly – Foo Fighters (Jodi Stemler)
14. One – Creed (Jodi Stemler)
15. Steady as She Goes – The Raconteurs (Jodi Stemler)
16. If Today Was Your Last Day – Nickelback (Jodi Stemler)
17. Wherever I May Roam – Metallica (Jodi Stemler)
18. Every Day is a Winding Road – Sheryl Crow (Jodi Stemler)
19. Dreams – Cranberries (Jodi Stemler)
20. Linger – Cranberries (Jodi Stemler)
21. Pocketful of Sunshine – Natasha Bedingfield (Jodi Stemler)
22. The Time of My Life – David Cook, (Jodi Stemler)
23. Sweet Dreams Are Made of This – The Eurythmics, (Jodi Stemler)
24. Carry On – FUN, (Jodi Stemler)
25. Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz, (Jodi Stemler)
26. Good Life – OneRepublic (Jodi Stemler)
27. Paris – Grace Potter(Jodi Stemler)
28. Apologies – Grace Potter (Jodi Stemler)
29. Stars – Grace Potter (Jodi Stemler)
30. Closer to Fine by the Indigo Girls (Jodi Stemler)
31. Outshined – Soundgarden (Jodi Stemler)
32. Are you Ready – Creed (Jodi Stemler)
33. Cochise – Audioslave (Jodi Stemler)
34. Flies in the Vaseline – Smashing Pumpkins (Jodi Stemler)
35. Come With Me Now – (Wish I Could) by Kongos (Brett Prettyman)
36. Best Day of My Life – American Authors (Brett Prettyman)
37. But Not Tonight – Depeche Mode (Brett Prettyman)
38. Rolling in the Deep – Adele (Ron Niebrugge)
39. Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald – (Ron Niebrugge and Mark Berry)
40. The Moldau – Bedrich Smetana (Paul Vang)
41. Cheerleader –  Omi (Amy Novotny)
42. A Thousand Miles From Nowhere – Dwight Yoakum (Stan Burman)
43. Imagine – John Lennon (Katie Bond)
44. Dancing in the Dark – Bruce Springsteen (Kurt Repanshek)
45. Stronger – Kayne West (Kris Millgate’s son)
46. I Won’t Back Down – Tom Petty and the Heartbreaks (Kris Millgate)
47. Proud Mary – Creedence Clearwater Revival (Monica Halveka)
48. River Runs Red – Midnight Oil (Thomas Graham)
49. Gooey – Glass Animals (Floris van Breugel)
50. Feel Again – One Republic (Amy Minton)
51. Demons – Imagine Dragons (Amy Minton)
52. Stronger – Kelly Clarkson (Mary Gamble)
53. We are the Champions – Queen (Mary Gamble)
54. It’s My Life – Bon Jovi (Mary Gamble)
55. What a Wonderful World – Louie Armstrong (Mary Gamble)
56. Somewhere Over the Rainbow – Judy Garland (Mary Gamble)
57. 10,000 Reasons – Matt Redman (Mary Gamble)
58. Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) – Hillsong UNITED (Mary Gamble)
59. Night Rider’s Lament – Jerry Jeff Walker (Tim Mead)
60. Haiku – Doug Hammer (Carol See)
61. Sitting on Top of the World – Amanda Marshall (Sheri Skocdopole)
62. Where the Black Top Ends – Keith Urban (Sheri Skocdopole)
63. Against the Wind – Bob Seger (Carlene Drake)
64. Let it Whip – Dazz Band (Jacque Miniuk)
65. I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) – Proclaimers (Rob Miniuk)
66. The Final Countdown – Europe (Rob Miniuk)
67. The Valley Road – Bruce Hornsby and the Range (Jackie Klieger)
68. My Sweet Lord – George Harrison (Jackie Klieger)
69. I’ll Be There – Jackson 5 (John Penney)
70. Con te Partiro – Andrea Bocelli (Sue Penney)
71. Something’s Coming – Jim Bryant, Russ Tamblyn, Marni Nixon, & Natalie Wood (Sue Penney)
72. Quiet Your Mind – Zac Brown Band (Christy Schroeder)
73. Let it Go – Zac Brown Band (Ty Stockton)
74. Paradise – John Prine (Phil Bloom)
75. Spanish Pipe Dream – John Prine (Phil Bloom)
76. Everybody – John Prine (Phil Bloom)
77. The Bottomless Lake – John Prine (Phil Bloom)
78. Say Hey (I Love You) – Michael Franti and Spearhead (Jen and Michael Raffaeli)
79. The Sound of Sunshine – Michael Fronti and Spearhead (Jen and Michael Raffaeli)
80. I Like to Move It – Madagascar 5 (Jen and Michael Raffaeli)
81. No Scrubs – TLC (Jen and Michael Raffaeli)
82. Wagon Wheel – Old Crow Medicine Show (Mark Berry)
83. Muddy Water – Daniel Jenkins (Lynda Holman)
84. River in the Rain – Daniel Jenkins and Ron Richardson (Lynda Holman)
85. Got to Give it Up – Marvin Gaye (John Divan)
86. I’ve Been Everywhere – Johnny Cash (Barbara White)
87. I Hope You Dance – Lee Ann Womack (Dawn Gould)
88. Dead Man’s Party – Oingo Boingo (Rebecca Wilks)
89. Too Much Stuff – Delbet McClinton (Rebecca Wilks)
90. The Happy Wanderer – Friedrich-Wilhelm Möller (Tom Rust)
91. River Road – Crystal Gayle (Lindsay Guthrie)
92. Alberta Bound – Gordon Lightfoot (Lindsay Guthrie)
93. Arizona, I Love You – sung by Rex Allen Jr. (Lindsay Guthrie)
94. Roar – Katie Perry (Carol Gray)
95. Hallelujah – Justin Timberlake(Carol Gray)
96. All I Ask of You – Phantom of the Opera (Carol Gray)
97. If I Had a Rocket Launcher – Bruce Cockburn (Bill Rau)
98. Hold On – Alabama Shakes (Marty and Shirley Hill)
99. Ends of the Earth – Lord Huron (Marty and Shirley Hill)
100. Going Up the Country – Canned Heat (Donna Drake)
101. Down by the Water – Decemberists (Donna Drake)
102. I’ve Got the World on a String – Frank Sinatra (Donna Drake)
103. Seven Nation Army – White Stripes (Donna Drake)
104. Where the Streets Have No Name – U2 (Donna Drake)
105. America the Beautiful (Ray Turkin)
106. The Red Tower – Ah-Nee-Ma (Harald Johnsen)
107. River of Creation –  Ah-Nee-Ma (Harald Johnsen)
108. Light from the East –  Ah-Nee-Ma (Harald Johnsen)
109. Canyon Dreams –  Ah-Nee-Ma (Harald Johnsen)
110. Sitting on the Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding (Chris Serjak)
111. Scatterlings of Africa – Johnny Clegg (Chris Serjak)
112. Cruel Crazy Beautiful World – Johnny Clegg (Chris Serjak and Marcia Fischer)
113. Mighty River – Vusi Mahlasela (Chris Serjak)
114. The Passenger – Iggy Pop (Marcia Fischer)
115. Go Your Own Way – Fleetwood Mac (Marcia Fischer)
116. Radio Nowhere – Bruce Springsteen (Marcia Fischer)
117. Ray of Light – Madonna (Marcia Fischer)
118. Trouble Me – 10, 000 Maniacs (Marcia Fischer)
119. Day Tripper – The Beatles  (Marcia Fischer)
120. A Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles (Marcia Fischer)
121. Wave – Antonio Carlos Jobim (Marcia Fischer)
122. If I Had A Boat by Lyle Lovett (Marcia Fischer)
123. Time To Move On – Tom Petty (Kim Vandenberg)
124. Free Fallin’ – Tom Petty (Kim Vandenberg)
125. American Girl– Tom Petty (Kim Vandenberg)
126. Ticks – Brad Paisley (Ena Flynn)
127. Online – Brad Paisley (Ena Flynn)
128. Mud on the Tires – Brad Paisley (Ena Flynn)
129. PM’s Love Theme – Craig Armstrong (Betsy Anderson)
130. A Wink and a Smile – Harry Connick, Jr. (Betsy Anderson)
131. The Magnificent Seven – The City of Prague Philharmonic, Paul Bateman cond. (Betsy Anderson)
132. The Aviators – Helen Jane Long (Betsy Anderson)
133. We will Rock you – Queen (Lynette Tritel)
134. Rodrigo Solo – Rodrigo Y Gabriela (Lynette Tritel)
135. Summer album – George Winston (Lynette Tritel)
136. The Sun in the Stream – Enya (Rick Beach)
137. Free Ride – The Edgarwinter Group (Judy Lovelett)
138. Here I Go Again – Whitesnake (Judy Lovelett)
139. On The Road Again – Johnny Cash (Judy Lovelett)
140. Running Down A Dream – Tom Petty (Judy Lovelett)
141. Send Me On My Way – Rusted Root (Carol See)
142. Soak Up the Sun – Sheryl Crow (Carol See)
143. Take on Me – Aha (Carol See)
144. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper (Carol See)
145. How You Live (turn up the music) – Point of Grace (Carol See)
146. We Won’t Give Up – The Afters (Carol See)
147. Carol of the Bells – Transiberian Orchestra (Carol See)
148. I Found You – Louis Landon (Carol See)
149. Family – Louis Landon (Carol See)
150. One – Metallica (Kirk Forbes)
151. Right Now – Van Halen (Kirk Forbes)
152. Stairway to Heaven – Led Zeppelin (Don Eden)
153. Sultans of Swing – Dire Straits (John Murphy)
154. Number 1-4 – Penguin Cafe Orchestra (John Murphy)
155. Start Me Up – Rolling Stones (Rusty Pinckney)

Isn’t it an amazing list?!  Thanks again, everyone, for helping to make this trip even more special to me!

A little later in the week, I’ll post some answers to FAQ’s I’ve received about the trip so far so stay tuned!

Colleen

Me paddling during our recent trial run on Lake Powell (photo courtesy of my Mom…wouldn’t you agree she did an excellent job placing me off-centered and looking into the photograph as well as keeping the horizon low to emphasize a cool sky, even if there were a couple contrails…not to mention the awesome reflection…all while trying to keep herself from falling out of her kayak…HAHAHA! Ma, ya done good!)