Breathe. Step. Repeat.

An actual playlist on my Ipod - called, Breathe. Step. Repeat.

Songs that stop me dead in my tracks.

*** Sorry - for some reason the "embedding" screwed up and one of the songs disappeared, while the other repeated.. Not sure what happened...

Ever find yourself going about your daily business when suddenly... a song comes on... you have to stop what you are doing, tell everyone to be quiet, turn the music up and start singing in the most dramatic way. You don't care what anyone thinks... this is YOUR song.

I have a few. Today that happened to me, I was watching TV and suddenly The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" came on... and suddenly I was swept up to another time, another place.

That song meant something to me at one time. I totally connected with it. I was lost, inside the melody.

Since it is Sunday, and I am full of Edy's Limited Edition Soft Churned (Light) S'more Ice cream, and laying on my bed... listening to music... I thought I would share the songs, and perhaps the scenarios that caused for a "moment."

Of course, I have to kick off with The Cure's "Just Like Heaven." Reminds me of the 11th grade, hanging out with friends in High School. (Hmmm.. come to think of it, Heather Barth probably..) Enjoy this song.. the words... are quite romantic actually, but such a great song to sing with friends, arms stretched out like you are a lyrical song bird!



Next- George Michael's "Careless Whisper." I still remember my exchange student, Mina and I, walking through a convenient store late at night, and we were paying attention, but both of us walked around the corner of an aisle singing this quite dramatically. We started laughing...

Also, my old room mate, Keli and I would sing this at the top of our lungs whenever it came on. Don't even get us started on the car choreography!


Here is another one, no matter where I am - I belt this one out. My friend Crystal and I sang this at the top of our lungs on one of our road trips.

It's Liza Minelli's Caberet.

There is another song my husband (yes the egyptian ) and I play along and sing to. One of the first phrases I learned in arabic was ana bahabak aktar. (Which means I love you more.) He introduced me to this song. You can't help but want to belly dance around your living room. Also - Amr Diab is Egyptian.



Here's one I get super dramatic with and will insist on if there is some Karaoke going on. (Granted, the karaoke has to be in someone's home. LOL)


Here's one (back in the 90s) I would belt out from time to time. Still love it, still crank it up when I hear it. ;-)


Now this is one, I don't know a single girl that does not pause to belt this one out. LOL



This one reminds me of road trips (and crazy drunken nights) with my friend Lynn. LOL We would always sing this one...



Finally...

This one is always on my play lists!

High School

Okay - enough with the day-to-day... I want to have a little fun in a post. You know how I get on these kicks?
Ok.. I was listening to some music tonight. Just some good-old fashioned songs from my High School Days.

To the left you see my senior picture. This is the one you would see in my High School Year Book. Oh yeah. Prairie dress - Big Hair and all.

Cracks me up.
Just so you can reference the time frame, I was in High School from 1987 -1991.  Middle School 85 - 87. Elementary School - 79 - 85. Oh yeah... good times and even better music with fabulous style all mixed together!!
I thought I would share with you a few (only a few) pics of me from that time period of my life, as well as some of my absolute FAVORITE songs. I know these were my favorite, b/c I popped open my diary from then. 

Enjoy!

9th Grade - (87 - 88)

That's me - second from the left - at school.. I am thinking either 10th or 11th grade.

10th Grade - 88-89

10th Grade Year Book Picture

11th Grade 89-90

















12th Grade 1990 - 1991









That's just a minor example of goodies.. some I saw that I documented in my journal. LOL

What about you - what were YOU listening to in high school??

Lovely

A great song to start our day off with. Push play - scroll below for the lyrics. :-)





I don't wanna be her


I just wanna be little old me

I shouldn't have to think

Who am I supposed to be today

And what gave you the right

To tell me who I should be

Who gave you that right



Cuz, I feel LOVELY just the way that I am

Yes, I feel LOVELY the way that I am



I know you want the best

Yeah only good things for me

But you have to realize

I can't be all these things you project on me

Cuz I'm beautiful to me

Doesn't that mean a thing?



I feel LOVELY just the way that I am

Yes I, I feel LOVELY the way that I am



I need that to be enough for you

I need that to be enough for you

Cuz it's enough for me

It's enough for me



Am I supposed to give up everything I am

Just to make you happy?

I thought I was the one you always wanted me to be

It turns out

I'm just little old me

I'm just little old me

And that's fine by me



Cuz I, I am LOVELY just the way that I am

Oh yes I am

Yes I, I am LOVELY the way that I am



I am LOVELY, LOVELY

I am LOVELY

Evanescence - Energize

Musical Artist #3 of all time fave and have every single CD is Evanescence. I absolutely LOVE the lyrics of the songs and the music is very intense. If you have not taken a moment to actually listen to the lyrics, you should.. you will be a huge fan!

I also love Amy's style and voice. She has such a strong voice, and of couse I think she is absolutely gorgeous! (A fellow dark haired, fair skinned and blue eyed dame!)

Enjoy the following songs.. again... I know it may be a little louder than some like, but listen to the words.. :-) I often joke that during the hard times (with my signifigant other) - these are the cds I turn to!

#1 - Call Me When You're Sober



#2 - My Immortal



#3 - Going Under



#4 - Bring Me to Life



#5 - Sweet Sacrifice



#6 - Everybody's Fool



#7 - Lithium



#8 - Good Enough

John Legend - Smooth

I am continuing my little tribute to my favorite music! The last post shared my love of Sting, and now - I want to share my love for John Legend.

Smooth as silk. That's how I would describe John Legend's music. His voice is amazing, and the lyrics.. lord have mercy. I think I need to do a post on my fantasy dinner party.. and there I see Sting and John Legend. LOL

Okay.. without going on and on.. let me share with you my absolute favorite songs by this amazing performer.

Enjoy!

#1 - Ordinary People



#2 - Everybody Knows



#3 - PDA (We just don't care)



#4 - Slow Dance



#5 - Green Light



#6 - Wake Up Everybody!



#7 - Rolling in the Deep (Adele Cover)



#8 - Heaven



#9 - Redemption Song (Bob Marley cover)



#10 - Pride (U2 Cover)



Again - just another artist I have EVERY SINGLE CD of his.

What do you think of John Legend? Which do you like the best?

Take me as I am

Another great song many of you can relate to! Great lyrics. You can find them below the video.



She's been down and out


She's been wrote about

She's been talked about, constantly

She's been up and down

She's been pushed around

But they held her down, NYC

She has no regrets

She accepts the past

All these things they

helped make to make she

She's been lost and found

And she's still around

There's a reason for everything



You know I've been holdin on.

Try to make me weak,

But I still stay strong.

Put my life all up in these songs

Jus so you can feel me.

so you can get the real me



[Chorus:]

So take me as I am,

or have nothing at all.

Just take me as I am,

or have nothing at all.



[Verse 2:]

Now she's older now

Yes, she's wiser now

Can't disguise her now

She don't need

No one tellin her

What to do and say

No one tellin her

Who to be

She's on solid ground

She's been lost and found

Now, she answers to G-O-D

And she's confident

This is not the end

Ask me how I know

Cause she is me.



You know I've been holdin on.

Try to make me weak,

But I still stay strong.

Put my life all up in these songs

Jus so you can feel me.

so you can get the real me



[Chorus:]

So take me as I am,

or have nothing at all.

Just take me as I am,

or have nothing at all.



[Bridge: 2x]

So it's all or nothing at all,

All or nothing at all

Don't you know I can only be me.

(I can only be me, yeah)



[Chorus:]

So take me as I am,

or have nothing at all.

Just take me as I am,

or have nothing at all.



Take me as I am.

Take me as I am.

Said it's all or nothing at all

Said it's all or nothing at all



Just take me as I am,

or have nothing at all. (This is me)

Just take me as I am, (take me as i am)

or have nothing at all.

Just take me as I am, (take me as i am)

or have nothing, nothing at all.

Take me as I am.

Personal Philosophy

** Another blog post suggestion - this time - my personal philosophy

When I asked for suggestions, who knew you guys were going to test me! NOW I have been asked to contribute my personal philosophy. I guess I would probably say, start reading my blog posts (beginning from August of 09.)

But since that is not necessarily what you want - let's see if I can give you the abbreviated version.

Before I begin, I want to thank Robby Watson, Dawn Ray and Nicole Smith for giving me so many amazing topics!

Here is the final one - my Personal Philosophy.

Since I am a product of my environment, I thought I would share with you where I get my inspiration and words "I wish I wrote."

For one - Let's read the best quotes in the world for the most awesome writers!

I adore Lao Tzu:
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage."

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be”

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

“A good traveller has no fixed plans, and is not intent on arriving.”

Confucious:
"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. "


"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."



"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. " ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” ~ Howard Thurman


"Given enough coffee, I could rule the world." ~Author Unknown

"Don't be afraid of death, Winnie. Be afraid of the unlived life." - Angus Tuck from "Tuck Everlasting."

Now.. what about some lyrical inspiration? Of course I picked 15 videos.. I am sure I could think of dozens more.. however, I don't want to completely bore you.

I like the basic underlying message in these songs:

Music really is the spice of life!

I am sure my dear friend Nicole probably thinks I have forgotten about her post suggestion - but I have not!
Here idea was to describe each decade of my life with a song. Since some of our decades are extreme - and I think I change so much every 5 years or so - I am going to take it there - A song to describe every FIVE years. LOL

I have to admit - this is one of the HARDEST suggestions, but a fun one! I dare you to try the same.
Here is what I am going to do - I will state the age range - listen/watch the video - then hear why I thought that made the most sense. Clearly if I had more time, I would come up with a better idea - but for now.. let's go with it!

Up to 5 -



So I picked - Wonderful World - because I remember how much I LOVED life and felt safe, and loved and everything was good in my little world! My memories include bright colors, happy days and good times!

5 - 10 -



So sure.. I think this is fairly self explanatory. Trust me  - when it came to grades, they had to be As. When it came to Ballet - I had to be the best... when it came to ... oh... you get it. ;-)

10 - 15 -



Who didn't go through that awkward age - that Puberty - not so pretty stage? This would be mine. I think I put too much pressure on myself, and from trying to be "perfect."

15 - 20


Somehow.. someway - I found my niche - with friends, with boys, in ballet, in theater.. with my plans to work in tv.. at college.. oh yeah. My "glory" days! ;-)


20 - 25



Went through that typical "chill phase" of the college years. Sort of figuring yourself out.


25 - 30



Finally embracing my imperfections and kicking butt at what I choose to do well in.

30- 35



Transitions.... perfectly explained.

35 - Now



Heck - once you get past the weirdness of the video - it actually makes a lot of sense. Just classic embracing the good and bad... accepting.. moving forward... having hope.. etc.

Who knows what the future holds!

Of course I think the perfect song to wrap it all up with is the following... words I wish I wrote!

Songs that Inspire me for 2011

"Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." ~Berthold Auerbach

I spend probably 4 hours a day just listening to music. I might be getting ready for work, while driving, while blogging, while cleaning, while cooking... I listen. I am transformed by lyrics and sound.

As a former dancer and a current writer - the lyrics and the sound penetrates my soul and I am well.

The following songs contain the two elements I desire.. amazing lyrics that I can relate too - and a bit of rhythm that makes me happy.. or moved...

I hope you take a moment and listen to the lyrics. See if you can relate. If you have been following my dribble for the past year and a half, then you will get it. Most importantly you get me.

Some of these songs are about life, some are about hope, some are about obstacles and angst.. just enjoy!

Happy New Year friends... let this music transport you!




















Times to come.. ;-)

What I am Listening to

I was enjoying an evening of music - just relaxing with my cup of coffee. Then I realized, I tend to listen to the same thing over and over for a period of time, then I have to walk away from it. :-) Don't we all do that?

Sooo.. with my current situations/moods/life.. etc.. I thought I would share the top 10 songs I am giving a lot of play time in my home.

Hope you enjoy!


This one I tend to play late at night as I am going through emails, etc.


Recently learned a dance to this in my Body Jam class


Another song that I recently learned the choreography to in my Zumba Class - I love the beat!



Another great song I learned a dance to in Zumba! Plus, I just love the lyrics!



This one just puts me in a good mood!


Another one I like to turn up on the radio!



It's just catchy!



When I am in one of "those moods" I play this song over and over! :-)



I tend to sing this one a lot!



Finally... amazing!

Rocking' it on Wednesday

Truth be told - I am feeling a little melancholy, but I will use my whole "new attitude" to pull myself out of the funk.

It is mid-week (workwise) and it is time to pull our spirits up out of the muck and into the fabulous week that still lays ahead.

How do I do that? I am a big believer in MUSIC. This stuff is better than any drug you can take. Who needs meds when you have the sounds of an amazing voice, the pounding of a drum, the screeching of a guitar - it's all good.

Maybe it is the dancer that still lurks inside - but I can't help but stop and listen to music. Or maybe it is the writer inside, absorbing every well-thought out lyric. Whatever it is - it works. My plan for today will include making sure I have music on the entire day. Good stuff too. I will tune into Pandora.com and create a few excellent playlist for work. I will plug in my ipod in my car after work -(going, I HAVE to listen to NPR.)

I thought I would give you a "Best Of" in music for me. I always play these very song when I feel a little down - or need a little pick me up. Silly stuff, but I am into silly this week!

Positive Music, if you will - to get your day going. Take a moment and push play!