Christmas Countdown: New Favorite

Zooey Deschanel was excellent as Jovie in the movie "Elf". Here's the rest of the shower scene, performed by her musical project, She and Him.

This whole album has this wonderful retro holiday vibe. Cocktails and mistletoe and sparkly lights galore. Very chill.

Baby It's Cold Outside - She and Him

Where You Are Is Where I Belong...

Heard this on the yoga studio playlist the other day while practicing.  Where you are, is where I belong. Where you go is where I want to be.



Where Are You Going? - Dave Matthews Band

All These Places Have Their Moments

Today is my 40^th birthday.  Holy.hell.

It once seemed so old.  Now that I’m here, and I don’t feel 40, and, by other people’s estimations, look 40 either, I’m wondering what the big deal is.  I will tell you this about 40; I am in the best place of my life, and it’s all in front of me.  My career, although currently frustrating, is fulfilling and challenging.  I’m surrounded by family and friends who love and understand me, and I’m in a relationship that has opened up my world.  If this is 40, I’ll take it.

Throughout this year, I’ve shared songs with you that have told you stories of the past, given you insight into what I was thinking or feeling at that moment, and sometimes just described my day.  By no means is this soundtrack finished, but this is the last song of this collection.  My favorite song, my message to you, all of you who helped me to this point, and those of you who will be traveling on with me.  I have loved every minute of this project, even on the days I struggled to find the right tune.  There is little I enjoy more than sharing music with my friends, and this has been my ultimate mix tape. 

Thank you, everyone. 

Though I know I’ll never lose affection

For people and things that went before,

I know I’ll often stop and think about them,

In my life, I love you more…

 


In My Life - The Beatles

Squint Your Eyes, And Look Closer...

I'll let Ani do the talking on this penultimate song on the countdown.

Folk rock primer on me.

squint your eyes and look closer
i'm not between you and your ambition
i am a poster girl with no poster
i am thirty-two flavors and then some
and i'm beyond your peripheral vision
so you might wanna turn your head
'cuz some day you are going to get hungry
and eat most of the words you just said

both my parents taught me about good will
and i have done well by their names
just the kindness i've lavished on strangers
is more than i can explain
still there's many
who've turned out their porch lights
just so i would think they were not home
and hid in the dark of their windows
'til i passed and left them alone

god help you if you are an ugly girl
course too pretty is also your doom
'cuz everyone harbors a secret hatred
for the prettiest girl in the room
and god help you if you are a phoenix
and you dare to rise up from the ash
a thousand eyes will smolder with jealousy
while you are just flying past

i never tried to give my life meaning
by demeaning you
and i would like to state for the record
i did everything that i could do
i not saying that i'm a saint
i just don't wanna live that way
i will never be a saint
but i will always say

squint your eyes and look closer
i'm not between you and your ambition
i am a poster girl with no poster
i am thirty-two flavors and then some
and i'm beyond your peripheral vision
so you might wanna turn your head
'cuz some day you might find you are starving
and eating all of the words that you said...

32 Flavors - Ani DiFranco

It Doesn't Really Matter What Chords I Play, What Words I Say, Or Time Of Day It Is...

One of my all time favorites, and the theme song to my all-music blog, which I'm saying good bye to at the end of this project. It's been silent for a while, and I have some great writing there, but I won't be contributing there anymore. It was a glorious time in my online life, and I enjoyed so much of what I was able to create by that collaboration.

So, in these last three days, I pay it tribute, and thank my co-conspirator for a few years of creativity and enthusiasm, and wish those words and notes well.

And I told you there's no one there...

Only A Northern Song - The Beatles