The Obligotory end of year post

Have a safe, warm, happy, fun night tonight and an amazing, peaceful, and healthy 2013!

Saturday Happy Song - Christmas Edition

It's Saturday, it's Christmas weekend. It's been lazy, but not in ways I was wishing for. Tree trimmers were outside my apartment building at 8am...I was so pissed, I so looked forward to sleeping in. Are you all ready for Christmas? All the shopping done? the presents wrapped? the cookies baked? Yeah, me neither. This is going to be one busy, but festive and merry weekend.

Last year was a bit depressing and dark. We've decided to embrace the season this year, and I think it's a very wise choice. I couldn't deal at all last year, and while this one hasn't been all roses and chocolate, it's nice to be more festive. To create new traditions and memories. It's a vital part of moving forward with one's life.

On Tuesday I went to lunch at CityWalk with 2 work comrades. 2 I used to have regular lunch dates with, but haven't in a while due to my exercise routine, which has lapsed completely, but that's a different rant. Any-how we got to talking about Christmas Music when one said they hated it, and I agreed, and then we scrutinized this statement further and  realized there are a few songs we do like. I do enjoy Mannheim Steamroller, and Trans Siberian Orchestra, though the comrades didn't completely agree. I most enjoy Carol of the Bells by both bands, as that is my sole favorite Christmas song. I thought. As we wandered back to work we passed shops playing Christmas music the whole way, and The Waitresses " Christmas Wrapping" was being piped out of one place. Angie and I love that song we both said at the same time! I then mentioned The Kinks Father Christmas, which is currently being used in a Google Chrome commercial. I got to thinking that there a few, albeit more alternative, but still...Christmas songs I actually do enjoy. Listed below for your listening pleasure. Happy Saturday!

Waitresses - Christmas Wrapping

 

 

 

The Kinks -- Father Christmas

 

Dropkick Murphys - "The Season's Upon Us"

 

The Nutcracker Suite - Tchaikovsky - Disney's Fantasia

 

And of course:

Manheim Steamroller - "Carol Of The Bells"

(this video with this music is hilarious)

A life without storms

"I long ago abandoned the notion of a life without storms, or a world without dry and killing seasons. Life is too complicated, too constantly changing, to be anything but what it is. And I am, by nature, too mercurial to be anything but deeply wary of the grave unnaturalness involved in any attempt to exert too much control over essentially uncontrollable forces. There will always be propelling, disturbing elements, and they will be there until, as Lowell put it, the watch is taken from the wrist. It is, at the end of the day, the individual moments of restlessness, of bleakness, of strong persuasions and maddened enthusiasms, that inform one's life, change the nature and direction of one's work, and give final meaning and color to one's loves and friendships."  ~Kay Redfield Jamison

The Work

"I discovered that when I believed my thoughts, I suffered, but that when I didn't believe them, I didn't suffer, and that this is true for every human being. Freedom is as simple as that. I found that suffering is optional. I found a joy within me that has never disappeared, not for a single moment. That joy is in everyone, always." — Byron Katie

http://thework.com/thework.php

 

Matisyahu feat. Akon - One Day - Saturday Happy Song

Progress - Definition of:

prog·ress  (prgrs, -rs, prgrs)n.

1. Movement, as toward a goal; advance.

2. Development or growth: students who show progress.

3. Steady improvement.  as of a society or civilization: a believer in human progress.
4. A ceremonial journey made by a sovereign through his or her realm.

(link)

The cheerful are seldom attacked

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