In a stunning upset, the Andersons come back after last week’s loss to the Bartletts to triumph – with the elder Anderson taking on his daughter and the brothers-in-law going head-to-head. Keyshawn was overheard after the final scores had been recorded by Yahoo as saying, “C’mon Man!” after his trademark ESPN segment.

The Bartletts will spend the day licking their wounds, but then step up for the week ahead where the Bartletts and the Andersons take on their own. Only week 12-13 will tell if the Andersons can maintain their hold over the Bartletts

In other news, the 49ers travel to the frozen tundra this week in hopes of finally catching their unicorn and winning at Lambeau. Not since the days of Steve Young have the 49ers beat the Packers, and this game will be the one to watch. While the 49ers are finding themselves, the Packers continue to struggle behind Aaron Rodgers, the most sacked QB in the NFL.. If Alex Smith can connect with Crabtree and Davis, watch out! It could be time to celebrate with reservations in the end zone. Also, Gore is coming off another 100+ yard game against the Bears and looks to repeat his success up north. Stay tuned sports fans, this week could be a BIG one!

Recently, I was jotting down “25 Random Things About Me” for Facebook and, one of the random things I listed about myself was that I am addicted to music. I am unsure how I ever survived without my iPhone – and will never buy another car that does not have the capability to sync with my iPhone. I crave music. I can listen to just about anything, if it has a good underlying beat. So how did that turn into something worthy of being posted on According 2 Robin? Well, here’s the thing. I recently re-read Stephenie Meyer’s book New Moon and actually read the acknowledgments. Among other things, Stephenie lists the music that inspired her while she was writing. I was already thinking about music and when I added this new tidbit of information to the mix I just couldn’t shake it loose.

There are certain songs that when they are played instantly trigger a memory for me. Boyz to Men – Motown Philly, is the song that was playing when I walked into Winter Ball my sophomore year in high school. Steppenwolf – Magic Carpet Ride, will always take me to any Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity party of my college days. Savage Garden – Truly, Madly, Deeply, is the song that my husband and I danced to at our wedding. Mountain – Nantucket Sleighride, is a song I am actually named after (the first line of the song is “Don’t cry little Robin Marie” <– that’s me!). More recently, 3oh 3 – Don’t Trust Me, puts me walking the Vegas strip with friends after driving all night to get there. All these memories that come flooding back just because a certain song is played. Makes Me Wonder (Maroon 5) if there are other things in my life that trigger memories as powerfully? I can’t think of anything, at least not anything that is as unplanned as the shuffle on my iPod.

I also find it amazing that the right kind of music can get me to do stuff. If I can get the right mix pumping out of my iHome … I can get all kinds of laundry and house cleaning done. A mix of old Rat Pack Crooners, like Frank, Bing, or Dean works miracles for making dinner for my family. Classical music is the perfect compliment to curling up in a chair and reading for hours. While others just make my feet itch to dance!

Why? Why is music so powerful? I think that the underlying drum beat of the song has the ability to work within us – kind of like a heart beat. In doing so the rhythm inspires that which is hanging out in our sub-conscience, and >>poof<< dishes are done! So why the flash backs? I think that Hollywood has done a really good job in teaching us that special moments in our lives should be overshadowed with music. Theme music for our lives? Yep! That is what I think anyway, and since this is According 2 Robin I must be right. ;o)

Whatever the reason, I love music. I love that it makes my life more colorful. I love that it motivates me. I love that it stirs my blood to make me want to dance. Music rocks!

You would think that after 12 years of marriage I would know my husband better than anyone else… and you would be right.  However, it is only recently that I came to this knowledge.  Now, please don’t misunderstand me, everything I know about my amazingly smart, witty, handsome, and tech savvy husband I have collected over the years.  However, I recently watched something that made it all make sense.  It was like discovering a magic key that unlocked all the secrets & suddenly made sense of them.  Are you intrigued yet?  Want that key?  Are you ready for it?

Okay, so boxes is the answer.  That’s right boxes.  The mystery behind your husband/boyfriend’s behavior can all be boiled down to one thing…  boxes!  Let me explain…  A boy’s brain consists of millions and millions of boxes.  Each one labeled with one specific thing.  His job, his car, money, in-laws, girls, sex,etc.  Now are you ready for the kicker?  He can only access – or rather is only comfortable accessing one box at a time.   Also, boys have a “nothing” box – where believe it or not they can actually think about nothing!  Insane right?

So I had seen this video on Facebook/YouTube and I thought I would test it out on my husband.  I didn’t do anything over the top, I just tried to pay attention to what he was doing and figure out which box he was in.  I also made sure that when I needed his attention on something I walked over to where he was and looked him in the eye prefacing my comments with “can I borrow your attention for a few minutes.”  Thus, giving him the time to put his work box away and access the box I needed his attention on.  You know what?  It totally worked!

Like all couples we’ve had our squabbles.  I get my feelings hurt if it feels like he isn’t spending enough time with me, or if we aren’t sharing our interests with each other.  So we chatted about boxes and spending time with each other and I learned something.  He IS interested in spending time with me.  Even more amazing, he would rather sit next to me and work in his “Job Box” than sit further away at his desk.  Even if he can’t focus his immediate attention on me, just occupying the same space makes him happy.  By extension this thrills me!

Okay, here’s the next key…  This same guy, Mark Gungor,  was also talking about asking your boy to do something more than once.  I was so ready for him to say something like, boys don’t need you to nag them to death to get something done.  Right?  Wrong!  He started explaining that if you only ask your boy to do something once (especially if he is in another box) there is literally no way he will remember it.  Now, I don’t think that this means we need to over state our requests, but I think it means if you ask your boy to do something and after a few days go by, he still hasn’t done it – well it doesn’t mean he is upset with you and has opted not to fulfill your request.  Rather, the request didn’t get into the right box.  It seems to imply that all these years of thinking my husband was secretly passive aggressive about certain tasks was all in MY head.  It was simply that the information didn’t make it to the right box.  Who knew?

By the way, this guru of boy’s brains also had some insight on our thought process.  He compared it to a massive ball of wire where everything is connected.  Further, the reason we  girls remember details of certain things better than our boys is because we stamp it with the emotion associated with it.  Whereas, boys, don’t have the same memory because they are far less emotional than we are.  Shocker!  It was interesting to learn about the things my husband had stamped with emotion.  While not as plentiful, they were certainly more meaningful.  He may not remember what I was wearing the first night we met (a black & white knit dress my mom made for me – that I was in love with because it had a great slit up the side), but he can tell you exactly where we were when he told me he loved me for the first time.  It made me see him in a whole new light.