The Ice Skating Playlist

So on Saturday, the Forever Fiancee says she has to return some clothes at Countryside Mall in Clearwater. I can either (1) stay home and watch my daughters, Kid Lulu and Mai-Mai or (2) stuff the brood in the car, chase the kids around the mall and maybe get an Orange Julius. So I say sure, why not, let's go to the mall.

We're not there five minutes when we discover, lo and behold, a giant ice rink amidst the bustling consumerism. Instantly, 5-year-old Lulu turns it up: "Can we go ice skating, Daddy? Please! Please! Pleeeeeaaaassse!" I was born in Massachusetts, so I've laced up the blades a few times -- but that was 25 years ago, and I sucked then, and I haven't exactly acquired Boitano-esque skillz in the interim. But I also have lingering Northerner-in-Florida guilt. My daughters have never made snowballs or gone sledding or wizzed their names in the snow. And that's just wrong. 

So I say sure, why not, let's go skating. The FF and Mai-Mai take off to shop, and Dad and his oldest hit the ice. Lu was pretty good -- she landed on her tuchus a few times, and clung to me for dear life. But by the end of an hour she was getting her footing, getting some speed. I, on the other hand, was like a gin-soaked Tin Man, wobbly yet kneecapless, my bending ability kaput. Couple that with the fact I was dressed in crummy shorts and a ratty Guns N' Roses tee -- plus I was the only dude on the ice -- and the moms in the gallery were keeping their kiddies close.

But you know what? Lulu loved it. And my Northerner-in-Florida guilt subsided. And before we left the ice and pulled the skates from our throbby feet, I bladed up some ice for my daughter, bent down...and made her a snowball. She smiled and threw it at my head. I'd never been so proud.

So in honor of my parental derring-do, today's Ultimate Playlist Challenge is all about skating and ice and snow. Here's a few cold ones to get us started...

Cold as Ice -- Foreigner
Slip Sliding Away -- Paul Simon
Crashing Down -- Mat Kearney
Running on Ice -- Billy Joel
Great Day for Skating -- Satanic Surfers
Shiver -- Coldplay
Snowball -- Devo
River -- Joni Mitchell
Skating -- Vince Guaraldi Trio