Music To My Ears

Looking for Christmas tunes? I don't have an effing tree up in my living room yet, so go carol yourself some where else. Because while I love Bing Crosby's "Mele Kalikimaka" as much as the next person, I'm having a hard time getting "into" the Christmas/holiday spirit this year. Perhaps it's the weather (pretty balmy until yesterday). Maybe it's the fact that I'm shopping for jeans and boots and bras and a goddamn Crockpot for my kids this year (seriously . . . Jordan wants a Crockpot). Or it just could be that there's a bajillion and one things to get done before saying, "Ho, ho, ho," doesn't send me into a fit of prostitute joke giggles.

A little bit every day . . . helps keep me sane

So what's a girl to do? If you're me, you listen to music and knit and read. Sometimes all three at the same time, but more likely just two of them. Trust me, it's probably not the two you might be thinking of. Last year, my friend Tricia created a sublime Advent scarf pattern, which consisted of a nice lace pattern every day (about twenty rows). By the time Christmas rolled around, I had a lovely scarf that was about 60 - 70 inches long. This year, she decided to do the same thing. Today is day eight, but I'm on day five . . . which is fine, but I'll have to catch up over the weekend.

I'm using the Cascade Heritage Silk sock yarn in a really beautiful raspberry color. It wasn't the yarn that did it for me (rarely is) but the color. Perfect color for a dull winter day. So, I've been knitting a scarf with texture on a size 3 needle. Nothing like adding to the holiday stress level. But overall, I'm really chuffed with the choice that I made. It's a lovely color; it's knitting up like a breeze; it's relatively easy to follow. Holidays be damned . . . this will keep me sane.

With the holidays in mind, I will leave you with a video. Thankfully, a friend posted it on Facebook last night, and I've listened to it about five times since.



Cheers,
Jill

When All Else Fails, Make a Playlist

Seriously, when I feel like procrastinating or putting off stress or decompressing in anticipation of the coming weeks, I make a playlist. I've always done that. During my certification classes, I had the best iPod going . . . it was chock full of the latest songs, deep tracks from the "chill" genre, classical music so obscure that it couldn't really be defined. You name it, it was on there - with the possible exception of country music save for Willie, Johnny, and some Dwight.

So, this playlist started off the same way that others have: from a commercial. Usually, I'll hear a song on a commercial and think, "Hmmm . . . I love that song! Who sings it?" and I traipse off to AdTunes to locate the artist. That little side venture brings on more songs that I didn't know I liked, and by the time I'm done, I have a brand new set of music to listen to. Plus I can't put off what I was putting off any longer.

This time around, I'm putting off the coming school year. I can't really put it off, but I can try and banish the thought from my brain for a while longer. I look forward to the beginning of the school year (always have, always will), but it's always with a certain amount of dread. This year is no exception. Will the lessons that worked last year work this year? Will the kids "get it" when we are writing? Will they know how to write a paragraph? Will I worry about them when the day is over? And the list goes on. We have a new group of kids with us this year, the gifted and talented crew, so that's a whole new list of "Will theys" to add to the rotation. And it doesn't help that this summer was spent translating what I do in a classroom to what can be done with just a computer.

So, what's a girl to do? Create a playlist . . . School's Back. Feel free to listen/watch as much as you want or make your own.

1. "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People ( in Fright Night and at Subway yesterday with Lisa)
2. "One Week of Danger" by The Virgins (in a Honda commercial)
3. "I Follow Rivers" by Lykke Li (in the latest trailer for Columbiana)
4. "Introducing" by Snake & Jet's Amazing Bullit Band (in a Honda commercial)
5. "We Turn It Up" by Oh Land (in a Honda commercial)
6. "Rescue Song" by Mr. Little Jeans (in a Honda commercial  . . . so I like Honda's commercials)
7. "Our World" by My Morning Jacket (from the Muppets soundtrack . . . moved me to tears)
8. "Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 (heard it on the radio . . . yes, the radio)
9. "You Make Me Feel" by Cobra Starship featuring Sabi (heard it on MTV in one of the brief moments they were playing videos)
10. "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" by Coldplay (heard it on Pandora)
11. "Walk" by Foo Fighters (just bought it because I like them)
12. "Double Trouble" by Jack and White (free on iTunes . . . kind of fun)
13 "I Follow Rivers" by the Glee cast (if there is a Glee cover, I usually buy it . . . can't explain why, I just do)

Off for more work related stuff . . . but at least I have my tunes to make it fun.

- Jill

It's Friday & I'm In Love "Music"

You can always tell when school starts up again because I go "blog silent" . . . things happen and the blog suffers. I took a bunch of photos last week, but it was either process them or grade some essays. Guess which one I picked? Happily, the essays are all graded, and I'm caught up. So that brings me to this week's "lovely" topic, and it's an easy one: music. Honestly, I'm shocked that neither one of us has tackled it up to this point because music is so integral to our lives.

Let's face it, we all have a connection to certain songs, certain songs that will rock you to your very core. You remember where you were when you heard one song. Another brings you to tears each and every time. Some will transport you back in time 30 years when you could, in fact, rock that ponytail. There's music to chill by, music to cook by, music to grade by . . . hell, there are a fair amount that you can fuck by, but who's counting (me . . . seven, but that's another Friday). Over the years, I would like to think that I've refined my taste into some respectable categories, but I would be lying. Case in point, I'm listening to Ke$ha's "Take It Off" right now because it's catchy. Do I honestly think it has artistic merit? Hell, no. But the chick knows who to spin a tune . . . or at least her producers do.

Instead of listing all the music that I like - and believe me, there is a ton of it - I'll focus on just ten songs that I don't think my life would be the same without. Yes, I could live without them, but I would be a bigger bitch than I already am (but I did try to find some nice videos for you so I can't be that big of a bitch).

1. "Breathe Me" by Sia - There is something about her voice, the way that she starts by asking for help. I've been known to watch a really crappy trailer for a movie if they use this song or not turn away from a super-depressing commercial about cancer research just to hear it. 
2. "California Waiting" by Kings of Leon - I'm pretty sure that if you've read a few posts, you might know that I love the Kings. I've officially seen them more in concert than any other band, including U2. It is happy, peppy, and, as an added bonus, you can kinda, sorta understand all the words (but I don't like this version that much).
3. "Show Me What I'm Looking For" by Carolina Liar - I love the end of this song, where the chorus breaks the normal pattern and the symphony kicks in and the bells chime. Not quite chill-bump inducing, but nonetheless, it's pretty brilliant. 
4. "Bad, Bad Leroy Brown" by Jim Croce - From the introductory plonk of the piano, I can tell you exactly how my dad would dance with me as a four-year old. Nothing makes me feel like a kid again . . . nothing. But then again, I wanted to be Dorris for the longest time.
5. "The Reflex" by Duran Duran - While we're on this trip down memory lane, let's visit the 80's. There's a special place in my heart for Duran Duran. I loved Simon LeBon and probably would have thrown my bra at him had I been to a concert in their heyday. My first time seeing the Double D's? Three years ago . . . where a co-worker and I nearly got popped for open container in New York City. 

6. "In the Sun" by Joseph Arthur - If you haven't heard this song, go have a listen . . . I'll wait. It was featured in Saved, which is an amazing movie, and pretty much makes the movie extra special. It's not a song that will always make me cry, but it pushes me over the edge. 
7. "Babylon" by David Gray - The first time I heard this song? Heading to Ohio on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, just about to crest the hill where they post the sign that you've left the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Dave bought me the CD on one of his trips to Canada because it came out three weeks earlier than in the States. 
8. "Thoroughly Modern Millie" by Julie Andrews - Yes, it's a show tune. Yes, I love it. No, I never got to see it on Broadway. I just love this song . . . and I have no explanation for it. 
9. "Life On Mars" by any artist - Prime example of the song being the focal point. I like it by David Bowie, Arcade Fire, Seal . . . hell, I even like it by Popshop and Seu Jorge. And the fact that it was the title of one of my favorite British serials doesn't hurt either. 
10. "Bad" by U2 - Honestly, I could have chosen several dozen, but that would have skewed the list a bit. "Bad" makes feel like I am 15 again, sunbathing on my grandparents' farm, wondering my a certain basketball player had yet to call me. Back then, I was probably moping while trying to look the part of a sunbather; now, I would say, "F**k You!" which is the name of the song by Cee Lo Green that is running on iTunes . . . his asterisks, not mine).

Happy Friday and enjoy the weekend!
- Jill, who just bought a Justin Bieber song . . . but don't tell Mom