I ain't no hater... mostly

I have a complicated relationship with Christmas music (and Christmas in general to be completely honest, but that's a post for another day). Surprisingly, I am not the kind of girl that keeps the dial glued to lite FM 100 from the day after Thanksgiving on. No I'm more the type that seriously contemplates tearing off my own ears and flinging them on the first 8 bars of "Last Christmas" (I don't care if it's Wham!. It still makes me want to punch kittens).

Other songs on the ear-flinging list?
Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time (sorry Katie)
Baby, it's Cold Outside (also known as "Christmas Date Rape! Yay!")
The Harry Connick Jr. version of Most Wonderful Time of the Year. Blech.

Did that sound like a bah humbug? Sorry.

However, I do not hate Christmas music. I just hate sucky Christmas music. There's tons that I really love. Call me a sappy sentimentalist, but I'm into the pretty stuff. I could listen to Sufjan Stevens for hours. The Carpenters, and classic ones like "Have yourself a Merry Little Christmas" or "The Christmas Song" are great. I'm all about chestnuts roasting. But the hymns, and pretty instrumental ones are the best. Bring a Torch, Lo How a Rose E'er Blooming, and O Come O Come Emmanuel, and anything that is lovely.






This one. OH yes.
Just close your eyes and listen to it. The video doesn't really add anything to it.

See? I'm not a total scrooge. I just have standards.

I also like The Matches, December is for Cynics... but that has really nothing to do with Christmas. AND it's the Matches, so it doesn't count.

So what are your most favorite, or most hated Christmas tunes?


Did you enter the December Book giveaway yet? Do it! Nowish! You have till Friday, kids.

Trying to Explain

Have you ever been listening to a song, and just wanted to explode because it was so amazing?


And then you tried to tell someone about it and your best description sounded flat and boring and maybe even a little cliche.Even worse is when you hear (or read) someone talking about a song that is amazing to them, and it sounds like they are either A) exaggerating or B) crazy. Half the time you yourself have heard that same song and found nothing particularly amazing about it.


So I don't really feel comfortable getting on here and telling you about all the amazing music I've been listening to lately, as much as I would really REALLY like to. Maybe it's just because music has such a unique, and often deeply personal impact on a person. There is no way to convince someone to feel EXACTLY the same way you feel. And don't even get me started on headphones. I ADORE headphones.


But there is nothing in the world like listening to something that makes you tingle, makes your chest feel heavy and full, makes you want to run a race or do a cartwheel, makes you want to stand up and shout and sing and flip your hair around.

Don't get me wrong, I love words. I love language. But there is something completely untouchable about a song that just makes you go crazy inside (a fantastic kind of crazy).

And hard as I try, I can't make the words even come close.



But just in case you wanted to know? Here is what i've been listening to:

Angels & Airwaves - LOVE (headphones are recommended for these guys)
Owl City - Ocean Eyes
Motion City Soundtrack - My Dinosaur Life
Jimmy Eat World - Clarity and Bleed American
The Matches - everything they ever wrote.
fun. - Aim and Ignite
Something Corporate - Leaving through the Window

and the song "Summer in the City" by Regina Spektor.


Now go!

This Family . . .

Not to be outdone by my sisters-in-law, I'm jumping on the family blog bandwagon. Blair would probably say I've been all about bandwagons as of late. This is not the case. I liked Vampire Weekend the minute i heard them, popularity had nothing to do with it. Anyway, I've never been super good at journals, and i can't promise that I will be any better at blogging, but for the sake of those who care, I'll give it my best shot.