The Music in My Life

            Time to blog again.  I'm gonna find a way to fit blogging (even sort of regularly) into my already cramped schedule. I'll figure it out.  I'm writing this at 6:30am when only one of my little guys are awake and although he keeps trying to break and ruin dvds and I may lose my train of though 10 times before I finish...at least I'm writing!

            So what inspired this post happened yesterday, for the first time in about 8-9 years I pulled out some of my favorite music from high school.  As I sat their uploading the music to my computer I thought to myself, "why haven't I pulled this music out in 9 years?  Not even once?"  And so I kind of paused and pondered for a few moments...and then I came up with some reasons.

            One big part is some of my most favorite music was from my Osmond records I got for Christmas one year when I was about fifteen.  I started to be really into the Osmonds before than and loved their music (which says a lot because I hate 70s music in general hah!) and so my parents got my scores of records and my mom already had a few and I bought a few more off ebay (which was newish and sooooo cool back then haha!) Anyhow, I listened and sang and imagined in my room pretty much all day when I wasn't at school and I just loved all those songs so much.  But then a few months before I graduated from high school my family left Washington state and moved to Colorado and I stayed behind at another family's house to finish I no longer had my cherished records.  And then once I finally joined them...everything was in transition while they lived in a small townhouse and looked for a house and I prepped for college there wasn't time to find and unload my record player. 

            So then I hopped off to college and didn't have my music for like 9 months.  Once I got back to my parents new house for the summer, I pulled it out (I think) and listened to it again.  And then my dad bought my mom this cool record digitalizing machine and we digitized all the records so I had them on CDs!  So I think I probably brought those back to college with me, but then I had some really mean, cruel roommates and started dating "Charming" so I didn't really spend a lot of time at my apartment and so I couldn't listen to my music again.

            Then we got married and were pretty much transient every few months with college and summer jobs until April 2009 when we moved to Denver. Well, then my record play was in storage, I was prego and tired and never put my CDs on the computer knowing it was old and would probably die soon anyway, which it did.

            By this point I had pretty much forgotten the music I loved back in high school.  I had a baby and life just got busy.  Plus I was always a little distrustful of the computers and the idea of doing all that work only to lose it when the computer crashed kind of seemed like a lot of effort.  Now we use external harddrives and move our stuff off so that's not the hugest deal anymore (thank heavens for a computer savvy husband!)

            Another reason for the lack of music I think is because I really don't have time these days to just sit and listen and sing and even when I do I'm so exhausted and it sounds like a lot of work. But I've learned something which I will touch on in a bit that has to do with this.

            The last, and possibly (however subconscious), biggest reason is that music really moves me.  It really touches me and I think sometimes I invest much too much emotion into the music and attach a lot of feelings to it.  So I haven't pulled it out in that long partly because I was afraid it would make me melancholy and make me miss my teenage years and family etc. And it's probably a bit true.  But it helps now that I live only a mile away from my parents. So that is a big help.

            But I starting thinking about that music the other day and told myself that I really needed to pull it out and start listening to it again.  And I'm so glad I did. And for about 1-2 hours I uploaded, sang, and just let the music fill me and move me and while I was signing a favorite song I thought to myself, "this is soooo ME!  Why do I not take even 15 minutes to listen to three songs and just get fully into my musical love for even just 15 minutes??"  It's such a huge part of me I always knew was missing but was too tired to focus on.

            I think my whole round-about point here is that...I've felt lost for a while and don't feel like myself sometimes.  I think mostly because I'm a mom and tired and worn out all the time.  but I think it's also because life and time made me leave big pieces of myself behind.  So at least I've discovered how amazing I feel listening to much loved music and just totally singing and immersing myself in music even for a short little period every day. Apparently it's more important than I ever realized.  I wish I wasn't too tired to sing all day like I used to...maybe that can be my next goal, but for now, I'm so glad that this big piece of me is back!

            So if you are a tired, worn-out, exhausted mom and feel like you've lost touch with yourself...think about when you felt the most you of your life and stand back and see what you are missing and make a little time every day to be that person again.  I think it's important...and we mom's can get so selfless and put so much into our kiddos that I think we forget that we need a little TLC sometimes too!  So that's my little challenge to you!  Go find a missing piece of yourself--however tiny--and remember.  Or if you still feel like yourself just go immerse yourself in something you haven't had time to do for a long time...even if you're occasionally interrupted by the kiddos.  Find a way.  It's worth it. 

14 things you may not know about me...

1- I'm terrified of the roots that potatoes grow--like seriously terrified.

2- I was allergic to beets as a child...yes, beets...I'm not sure who experimented with those on me.

3- I think Bing Crosby and Donny Osmond have the best singing voice ever.

4- I’d much rather look at a beautiful New Mexican mesa than a mossy, completely green forest in Washington state.

5- I've written a murder mystery novel...but I've only allowed about 5 people to read it.

6- "Charming" says I could be a hand model, and so does every person who has ever given me a manicure.

7- I once had a pet horny toad...that is until he peed on my bed...then I was soooo over him.

8- I used to be the biggest social butterfly in high school and college and could talk your head off...now I actually have a bit of a social phobia and am shy. I'm doing better and can handle up to 2 people in a group, but big groups literally freak me out and my head spins and I start mixing up who's who even if I know everyone well.

9- But true self is this in a nutshell. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRYU4cqUAUs No seriously. Ask my family and close close friends or people who knew me when I was younger--it just takes me a little longer than it used to be myself in front of people.

10- I miss high school choir. I haven't sang in that kind of choir since and I don't think I'll ever be singing in one again. In fact I hardly get to sing anymore at all. I miss singing.

11- I LOVE food...like REALLY love food. Dinner is my favorite meal and it must be large. I could never diet seriously. I can't give up food. And I love baked goods. If I ever wanted to lose weight I'd have to exercise like a mad woman instead so I could continue to enjoy my food.

12- In college random people that I had never met knew me as the "pumpkin cookie girl". Apparently I made them frequently and strangers would show up for a taste-- didn't matter the semester/season.

13- When I love shows and get really into them I always dream about them. But not just about them. I dream I'm a part of the character ensemble. I've had some awesome "Psych", "X-Files", "The Mentalist" and other show dreams.

14- Tall people (especially good-looking ones) freak me out. Seriously. I just realized this a few weeks ago, and it's been a life-long issue...doesn't matter if they are friend or stranger...if they are more than 2 or 3 inches taller than me I just feel short, frumpy, and intimidated. But realizing that is the first step to recovery, right?  Now all you tall people know why I stutter like a weirdo around you. 

Movie Review: "Romance on the High Seas"

A little intro:

I have always loved Doris Day...ever since I first watched "Calamity Jane". I love her voice and just think she is too cute and adorable! Wish I could sing and act just like her! Anyway, during high school I discovered a fun little song by her from a movie I had never seen. The song was called "Put 'em in a Box, Tie it With a Ribbon". I loved it. It had attitude and although an "anti" romance song (obviously she got broken hearted or something) I loved it! It had awesome lyrics!

Below you will find the lyrics and a video with the song. I still to this day want to sing it for something.

You can take the moon
Gather up the stars
And the robins that sing merrily
Put 'em in a box
Tie it with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea

You can take the flowers
Down in lovers lane
And that sentimental poetry
Put 'em in a box
Tie it with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea

Not for me, all that stuff
The dreams that ruin your sleep
Not for me, had enough
Love is one thing you can keep

You can take the plans
And the wedding bells
And whoever sings "Oh Promise Me"
Put 'em in a box
Tie it with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea
'Cause love and I we don't agree

(Bridge)

Hansoms through the park
Kisses in the dark
All the promises made faithfully
Put 'em in a box
Tie it with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea

And you won't go wrong
If you take a song
Sung by Frankie Boy or Mr. C
Put 'em in a box
Tie it with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea

Not for me, all that stuff
Not for me, had enough

You know what to do
With good old "Tea for Two"
And the girl for you, the boy for me
Put 'em in a box
Tie it with a ribbon
Throw 'em in the deep blue sea
'Cause love and I we don't agree

Now onto the review.

So finally the other day I spotted that the movie that this song was from was going to play on TMC. Do I DVRed it and it took me about a month to watch it, but while recovering from my surgery I did. So as always here is a brief synopsis from wikipedia:

"Elvira Kent (Janis Paige) and her husband Michael (Don DeFore) suspect each other of cheating. For a wedding anniversary, Elvira books an ocean cruise to Rio de Janeiro. When her husband claims that unexpected business will prevent him from going, Elvira pretends to take the trip alone, sending in her place singer Georgia Garrett (Doris Day), a woman she had met at the travel agency. This will give her the opportunity to find out if Michael is indeed sneaking around behind her back. Meanwhile, Michael hires private detective Peter Virgil (Jack Carson) to check up on her.

As part of his job, Peter becomes acquainted with Georgia (believing her to be Elvira). They gradually fall in love, which makes reporting to Michael very uncomfortable for Peter. By chance, Georgia's boyfriend, Oscar Farrar (Oscar Levant), is also aboard. When Peter spots them together, he thinks he has discovered the identity of Elvira's lover."

And it only gets more dramatic! For a movie that only got 2.5 stars from Dish Network's rating system, I totally thought it deserved more! The songs were fantastic and I thought it was so cute and hilarious! There was some fantastic one liners and moments! I really do recommend this one! It is super enjoyable! Doris Day really cracked me! She has to pretend to be a social elite, but she really is just an average girl so she is just stinking hilarious! She does a fantastic job! Her former boy friend Oscar also his hilarious! I loved almost every line out of the guy's mouth! And then the new man, Peter Virgil was also funny and played the part fantastically! I seriously am not the best movie reviewer, cause all I can ever say is I loved them or something--but it's true!

One more note...I also just read this was her first big part in a movie! Wow! She did great!

A favorite line:

Georgia Garrett: Oscar! Aren't you going to kiss me?
Oscar Farrar: I don't know how. Will you show me?
[she kisses his cheek]
Oscar Farrar: You don't know how either!