Musical kvetching

Complaints choirs have been popping up all over the world, but I still come back to the best complaints choir around – Helsinki’s.

Nothing like it.

The yule log for all

If you grew up in the NY city region, you may remember the WPIX (channel 11) yule log. Especially if you did not have a fireplace, like most city dwellers (except for those really rich classic 6 dwellers – and I have never been invited over for Christmas by millionaires.)

So, yes, it is corny as hell, but you could always turn on WPIX and watch a picture of a blazing fire in the fireplace while holiday music plays. On the TV. For hours. This was the yule log.

So, while tooling around online this morning on an un-focused search for Christmas present possibilities, guess what I found?

A Yule Log DVD!!!

“Christmas Classics by the Fire.”

Here is a link to a clip from the DVD, it is at National Public Radio, which is recommending this on its 11th Annual Director’s Cut’s Gift Guide for 2009.

Watch the yule log. [Yes, that is Dean Martin! Some great cheesiness!]

[P.S. I happen to have 2 gas fireplaces now, which tend to set off the smoke alarms. I am liking this yule log thing.]

Media overload

I have been watching a lot of movies and listening to a lot of music over the past few days.

Music first.

I am disappointed in the Adam Lambert album, For Your Entertainment.  [I am/was a huge Adam lambert fan, btw.]  And not because he acted like an immature a-hole at the AMA awards. [Smack. You are not Madonna yet, Adam, you need to earn your stripes before attempting shock-value.]  Many of the songs on the album have similar beats that blend into each other. Only 3 songs stand out as good to me – and that is because they showcase his voice.

This is the best song – in my opinion.  It showcases his voice and is reminiscent of Queen.

I received the Susan Boyle CD the same day Adam’s CD arrived. I really like it. Her voice is wonderful. And her album has sold more than double Adam’s in the first week – she’s up to 675,000 vs. his 250,000.

Remember her?

Then -

And now – from her new album. You go girl!

Also, today I tumbled upon a stream of Allison Iraheta’s new album – Just Like You.

You know what? It is way better than Adam’s.

So, all these albums from reality TV shows? They may be good, but none hold a candle to what we watched last night on HBO.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame concert. Man! This is a total must see.

I am not even going to name all the stars on this. Okay. Here are some – Jeff Beck Band, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Aretha Franklin, Metallica, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkel, Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, U2 and Stevie Wonder. Billy Joel. Sting. Jackson Browne. Many many more.

If you missed it, it will air again,  here is a link to the schedule.

Movies – next time. Tired.

Thank you

So today is about turkey and stuffing and football. Really?

If you have family and friends.

If you have your health.

If you have food and shelter.

If you have a job.

If you have love.

And you love.

Then.

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.” – Meister Eckhart

Happy Thanksgiving to all.

Love, Michele

Convo with mom

So, the phone rings, I answer, it is my mother.

Mom:  What do I do if I can’t move my mouth?

Me:   What? Go to the hospital!

Mom:   What?

Me:   You can’t move your mouth?

Mom:   [cracks up] – My mouse!

Me:  [sighs] – Oh! Reboot. I thought you said your mouth.

Mom:  [still cracking up] – If I couldn’t move my mouth I wouldn’t be talking.

 

Dancing in heaven

We went to see “This Is It” yesterday, the rehearsal footage for the Michael Jackson concert that sadly never came to be.

He danced and sang as good as he ever did. There was no lip-synching while he danced, either.

He was spectacular. Even the night before he died.

It was so enlightening to see how much work went into the preparation
for this show.

The choreography, music, special effects, including 3D, and the music videos.

The note by note, step by step, detail that Michael paid attention to. He was in charge of this show, and he was very excited about it.

It is ironic how much work went into this, how much excitement there was around it. They were close to done rehearsing, and everything was coming together. And then. The horrible shock and sadness.

But this movie does not go there, to the sadness. This movie is pure joy. And love.

Curb takes on the middriff

Last week’s episode of Larry David’s Curb Your Enthusiasm, with guest stars Jerry Seinfeld and Julia Louise Dreyfus, had me convulsing in laughter.

Here’s …. the middriff girl…

[watch this until the end - the end is classic!]

My Saturday backyard

A hefty groundhog eats leaves in the backyard. Raises up on its hind legs to glance around between bites.

A gray fuzzy caterpillar wriggles its belly across my screenporch.

2 deer sleep under the trees.

A pair of voices echo through the woods. Boys. Snapping wood. A tree in our forest falls down, dead. The boys cheer. They are stoned out teenage boys knocking down dead trees with sticks.

Butterflies are free to fly

When we decided to go to the “Butterflies Live!” exhibit with friends the other day, I had not exactly registered the “live!” part.

The exhibit was at the botantical gardens in a greenhouse-like room loaded with plants and water-misters and – free-flying butterflies.  

They were so beautiful and so fragile-looking. Some perched on plants and flapped their wings, some nibbled on fruit, some fluttered past my face, some rested on the ground (careful not to step on them, man!).

We spent at least a half-hour with the butterflies that day.

Sad

I didn’t know Warren Schor, the 20 year-old Cornell student that died from swine flu a few days ago.

But – I went to Cornell. So, I have been reading about him, and about the 520 students there that have contracted the H1N1 virus.

He walked and lived in the same places I did at that age, on the beautiful, but sometimes cold, stress-inducing Cornell campus. He lived in the same dorm I did. He majored in the same major I did. Studied in the same buildings I did. He lived in ZBT last, a fraternity where I spent some time. And I cannot imagine that fate befalling this guy as I cannot imagine this happening to any student walking through this 4 years of Cornell life. 

But – he didn’t get 4 years. And, I feel really sad. For him, because he was a nice young man in his prime. For the family and friends who loved him and were worrying about him during the 9 days he was in the hospital and who are now grieving.

For the loss when there should be dreams of the future.