Winter Music - Part 2: Forgotten Song

Forgotten Song

I was reading an article about new Christmas albums being released this year, which caused me to listen to and purchase Mary J. Blige's new album, A Mary Christmas.  Soon to become a classic, and only $7.99 on iTunes right now!

A Mary Christmas by Mary J Blige

What really caught my eye in the article though, was a reference to a new album by an artist covering the song Old Toy Trains.  I don't care for the artist mentioned, but seeing that title brought back a small flood of memories about Christmas time while I was growing up.  I had forgotten that I had forgotten the song, it had been so long since I heard it, but I'm pretty sure I used to love it when I was little.

I'm not sure who used to sing it on the country radio stations we listened to back then - although it was written and sung by Roger Miller in 1967, Glen Campbell released a version on his 1975 Christmas album, That Christmas Feeling.  I would have been 5 at the time, so it was probably the Campbell version that was getting airplay.

I listened to the samples of both Roger Miller's recording and Glen Campbell's, then decided to purchase the song sung by a country artist named Joe Nichols.  I have never heard of him before, but he has a great classic country voice, and his version sounds clean, clear and traditional at the same time.  The album is called A Traditional Christmas, and the title is apt.  I highly recommend giving it a listen.  Also at only $7.99 on iTunes right now, it's well worth the price.

A Traditional Christmas by Joe Nichols

Winter Music

I'm putting together my Christmas/holiday/winter playlist, and two songs jumped out at me first thing.

Tam Lin (Child 39) by Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer from their album Child Ballads.  This is an amazing song from an amazing album.  Stephanie Coleman, writing for NPR summed it up as "...an epic ballad that clocks in at nearly seven minutes and has 27 verses.  It's the story of a young maiden who gets pregnant by a woodland shape-shifter named Tam Lin.  As he morphs from one fearsome creature to the next, his lover has to hold on to him until he finally becomes human."

This is not really a song for the holiday list, but it came up on shuffle while I was putting it together, and I could not believe that I hadn't already sung it's praises.

Tam Lin (Child 39) from Child Ballads by Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer

The second song is The Heartache Can Wait by Brandi Carlile.  This song is on the compilation album The Hotel Cafe presents Winter Songs, which was released in 2008, and is an excellent album for the season.

For me, this song combines all the mixed emotions that can sometimes come with the holiday season when the days are short, dark and cold, but filled with music and sparkling lights.  While there's always the hope of a magical, spiritual, and joyous winter and Christmas, all adults know that some years things just don't work out that way.  The Heartache Can Wait captures the feeling of the holiday season and a little winter sadness at the same time, which makes it a special and honest song in my book.

The Heartache Can Wait by Brandi Carlile from The Hotel Cafe presents Winter Songs

Black Friday, Shmack Friday

What a great day!

Breakfast at the in-laws, then into Fort Worth to meet Mom at the Omni IMAX theater at the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History to see Rocky Mountain Express.  Todd and I had already been talking about taking a Canadian rail journey - I think seeing this movie pretty much cinches it as a "must do" for a future vacation.

From the film's website:  "Rocky Mountain Express propels audiences on a steam train journey through the breathtaking vistas of the Canadian Rockies and highlights the adventure of building a nearly impossible transcontinental railway."  Photo © 2012 The Stephen Low Company. All Rights Reserved

After the movie we made a stop at the Vending Nut Company, a Fort Worth landmark (in my opinion).  They have a large, fresh selection of dried fruits, whole and shelled nuts, snack mixes, candies and gift baskets.  We bought small bags of Cajun Mix and Supreme Mix snack mixes, assorted sour balls, and dried cantaloupe.  In addition to their retail storefront, shown below, they also have a online store for quick and easy shoppin' and shippin'.  Check them out at www.vendingnut.com, or in person at the address below the photo.

2222 Montgomery Street
Fort Worth, TX  76107
Phone:  817-737-3071
Toll Free:  800-429-9260
Email:  info@vendingnut.com
Photo from www.fwculture.com

After stocking up on snacks, we went to Mercado Juarez in North Fort Worth for dinner before heading home.  Always fantastic!

Snapped this photo as the sun was setting behind the sign.  I could never get enough of this place!

So there you have it - a terrific day with no crowds, no fights, no gunplay, no drama.  Now I can sing my little Friday song:  "It's Friday, it's my day, oh how I love Friday!"  (Which, incidentally is a lot better than the other song I stumbled across today called "Papa Smurf Can I Lick Your Ass?" - you'll have to google it, because I'm not going to link it here.)  Have a great weekend!

Pecan Plantation

Lunch buffet today at the Pecan Plantation clubhouse in Granbury. Good stuff. Here's a shot of the lobby. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is a day for family, food, and football. It should also be a day to count one's blessings, no matter how great or small.  Every day we draw breath is a miracle - be thankful for being.

I didn't have any turkey photos, so here are some fall pics I took on a 2011 trip to the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC, and Dollywood amusement park in Pigeon Forge, TN.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Bad (Man) Songs

Bad Man's Song by Tears For Fears

Seeds of Love

Bad Man's World by Jenny Lewis

Acid Tongue

Mr. Bad Man (Isabel) by Tori Amos

American Doll Posse

and just because...

Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Live) by Indigo Girls

Rarities

First World Problems

It's official - I am a bad man.

It's extremely cold, and wet this morning.  I woke up early, watched an episode of Portlandia on Netflix on my iPad in bed, then bundled up and drove to Starbucks for coffee.

There was a line of about 10 cars in front me in the drive-through (can't make myself type "thru"), so I waited patiently, singing along to songs that I streamed from my iPhone through the Veloster's speakers via bluetooth while the interior of the car warmed up.

After a short wait it became my turn to order.  I placed my order for a venti decaf non-fat no-whip but yes molasses drizzle gingerbread latte and moved up in line.  When I got to the window I had my Starbucks app queued up on my iPhone and ready for the cashier to scan my virtual personalized Starbucks gold card.

I held out my iPhone to be scanned and the cashier handed me my drink and told me the gentleman in the car in front of me had paid for my drink.  That was unexpected, so while the cashier looked at me expectantly I said "Oh." and then "Well, thank you." and then drove off.

My thoughts while driving away were first about motive, as in that was nice but what drives someone to do it.  They were mostly self-centered:  Was it someone I knew, did he look in the rearview mirror and think I was attractive and that was his way of flirting, did he see that I was enjoying my music and my chipper mood inspired him to make my day a little brighter, or was he a mindless sheep who saw a tv commercial or an inane blog re-post ("Re-post this if you heart puppies" or "Re-post this if war makes you sad" or "Let's get 100,000 likes to show our support for people born with webbed feet - Webbies are people too" or some other silly message about paying it forward?

Then the guilt set in about me just driving away and not paying for the next person in line.  Then I started to resent the kind, anonymous stranger for causing me to feel guilty and giving me too much to think about instead of just being able to enjoy my $5 coffee and my bluetooth-streaming iPhone music.

Then I wrote a sorta jokey, sort of serious blog post about possessions, elitism and selfishness, and re-reading it now I see it hits too close to home for comfort and makes me burn in shame all over again.  I am a bad man.

Thank you kind stranger, whoever you are and whatever your motivations were.  The coffee was delicious.

Soylent Green May Be People, But Soylent Brown Is Delicious

Made a quick trip to the store on the way home today and saw these things on an endcap in the freezer section that I had to try:

Mmm...splotchy brown wafers

Thoughts On Lunch

I love you Mercado Juarez...will you marry me?

Forget gay marriage - what we need is legislation that allows a man to marry a Mexican restaurant.*

Lunch today - the start of something good

*Hopefully obvious attempt at humor.  The right to marry the person you love regardless of gender is still a pressing and important topic.  I don't need government or religion to bless my 17-year committed relationship to the one I love, but the legal and financial benefits afforded to married couples should be open to all couples, regardless of their genders.

Well It Was Saturday Night, I Guess That Makes It All Right...

It does not get much better than a Saturday night satiated with steak, a full moon floating through clouds, a glass of red wine in front of me (I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy), and Etta James in my headphones belting Take it to the Limit from her Live from San Francisco album.  One of the best albums I own, and amazingly, not on iTunes.

Buy this album - you won't regret it

Next up on the shuffle was Joanna Newsom singing Cosmia from her Ys album.  Also a great album, though of a different sort.

Plays the harp like Tori Amos plays the piano

And following that on shuffle (lest you think me a complete music snob) was Britney Spears Womanizer (Kaskade Mix) from the Womanizer (Remix EP).

Guilty pleasure - like eating hot-n-spicy pork rinds

Ok, so then it was The Night Flight from Houston by Laurie Anderson from Talk Normal: The Laurie Anderson Anthology.

This woman is a genius.  She was also married to Lou Reed, who's gone up to the sky like the Satellite of Love.  Goodbye Lou.

Before I bore you with too much of my Saturday night shuffle, I'll just tell you that the song that came up after Laurie Anderson was Light Speed by Dr. Dre from his 2001 aka The Chronic 2001 album.  My taste in music runs through all genres (which unfortunately can be expensive).

I need an adult!

Aw what the hell - after that was Stay by Me from Annie Lennox, Eyes by The Naked and Famous, then Viva la Juventud (Remix) by The Pinker Tones.

Ok, that's it.  The rest can just be whatever you want it to be.  I'm just going to chill with some more music and mellow with my wine.  Thanks for peeking into my Saturday night.

Hello and goodnight

Just dropped in to say hi.  I just finished paying bills while listening to a little music.  Think I'll just finish listening to Barbarella by Scott Weiland before crawling into my warm bed and reading.  I'm starting the Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin - good stuff so far.

Goodnight everyone.