Christmas Spirit

This blog is for my English class and we were told we could write one blog off our main subject. I chose Christmas spirit, because for some reason, this year I have none. I can't seem to pinpoint the exact reason I have none, but I do have many theories. Christmas to me is about being with family, friends, and giving instead of receiving. I have always had Christmas spirit, until this year.

My first theory is because I will be spending this Christmas alone. When I say alone, I mean I don't have a significant other to share getting a Christmas tree, Christmas tree decorating, hanging the stockings on the fireplace, and all the other Christmas joy that a significant other brings. What makes it a little better is thinking of all the family and friends I have to share the Christmas holiday with.

The other theory I have, is the weather's bringing me down. What's Christmas without snow? To me it just doesn't seem like its Christmas without snow. I truly dislike snow, but it makes Christmas so much more enjoyable, for me at least. I don't know how people do it in the warmer climates, I guess they're used to it. Everyone should have the experience of snow on Christmas, it completes the story of Santa Clause and his reindeer in the North Pole.

I am hoping before Christmas is here, I can find the Christmas spirit I'm in badly need of. Decorating my apartment today has helped a little. Maybe taking the step of getting a "real" Christmas tree will do it, I know my cat would enjoy it, she likes playing with the ornaments. Tomorrow, Christmas tree shopping.....starting to feel that spirit! Hope everyone has a safe and very Merry Christmas and of course a Happy New Year! I'm dreaming of a white Christmas!

Christmas Music

It is Christmas time, yet certain radio stations have been playing Christmas music since the day after Halloween and department stores have had their Christmas decorations out since then too, if not before. I enjoy Christmas but, I think it is completely ridiculous how early Christmas music is being played and decorations are being displayed. Thanksgiving is actually my favorite holiday and I think it is looked over by a lot of people who just can't wait for Christmas, it is rushed. Time goes by fast enough, people should not rush it.

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all the blessings we receive each year. To me Thanksgiving is about spending time with the ones you love and enjoying their company. Christmas is all about that too, I would rather be blessed with my family and friends all around me, then be surrounded by presents, those are just materials and have no meaning to me.

Back to the Christmas music, I enjoy it when its December and not a day before. One month of Christmas music is plenty for me. Some people, like one of my good friends the minute they start playing it on the radio it is on, she gets so excited for it. It is on at work way before I am ready to even think about Christmas. My all time favorite Christmas song is "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree", its upbeat and can get me into the spirit of Christmas. Another one of my favorites is "Christmas Shoes", even though its a very sad song, it is all about a little boy trying to get these shoes for his mom who is dying, but he doesn't have quite enough money. It is about giving, which is what Christmas is all about, giving to the less fortunate.

Alanis Morissette

Alanis Morissette was born on June 1, 1974, in Ottawa, Ontario. She began piano at age of six and wrote her first song at age nine. Alanis Morissette's 1995 release Jagged Little Pill sold more than 25 million copies around the world and won her four Grammy Awards. Its slew of hit singles, kicked off with the vituperative "You Oughta Know," made Morissette an alternative music star overnight. "Hand in My Pocket," "All I Really Want," "You Learn," "Ironic," and "All I Really Want" -- kept the album in the Top Ten for an astounding 69 weeks, and Alanis Morissette was nominated for six Grammys in early 1996. She won several of those awards, including Album of the Year and Song of the Year.

I began listening to Alanis at the early age of eleven, my best friend intorduced me to her. At the age of eleven I had no clue what she was singing about, I just absolutely loved her voice and that she played the harmonica. I borrowed my friends tape and began listening to it at home. Big mistake, as soon as my mom heard what I was listening to, she immediately confiscated it from me, listened to it for herself, and then demanded I return it to its rightful owner. Apparently it wasn't appropriate for me to be listening to, my parents were very strict about what music I could listen to as a kid. My mom ended up liking Alanis so much she went out and bought her tape, which I thought was totally unfair.

As I got older and more mature, I bought her CD, and realized music is way better when you understand what the artist is singing about. Alanis puts all of her emotion behind her songs, which is why I enjoy listening to her so much. She has an amazing voice and talent. When I'm having a bad day I pop in my Alanis CD, Jagged Little Pill, crank it up, and sing as loud as I can. Her music can always put me into at least a better mood, if not great mood.

Kris Kross

Kris Kross was an American rap duo from the 1990s. Kriss Kross was one of my very first cassette tapes, I loved them! They had the silliest names Chris "Mac Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mac" Smith, cracks me up so original. I became fascinated by them because of their music mostly but also because of their unique fashion style, they wore their clothes backwards, how odd I found this as a little girl. I thought it was so cool I actually wore my clothes backwards one day to school, I learned its very hard to go to the bathroom when your pants are on backwards.

Most people know Kris Kross by their hit 1992 song "Jump", it was number one on the Billboard hot 100 for eitght weeks and was certified double platinum as a single. My favorite song by them was "I Missed the Bus", haven't heard this song in a long time. It is definitely old school rap, love it!

Kris Kross brings back so many memories for me as a kid. It is actually a big surprise my mom even let me listen to them, she was very strict on what I could listen to, at least when it came to rap. The thing about Kris Kross is they did sing rap but it was clean, no swear words, which in today's world it is hard to find a rap song with no cuss words in it. The memory that sticks out the most in my mind was meeting my best friend, she too loved Kris Kross, together we wore out clothes backwards to school and jumped around a lot. Kris Kross will always have a special place in my heart, it brought together a friendship that will last forever, and I have much respect for them for being ok with not using swear words in their music.

Wonderful Tonight

Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton is one of my all time favorite songs. Doesn't matter what kind of mood I'm in, if I hear this song it instantly puts me in a good mood. It is just an all around relaxing, easy to listen to, elegant song. I always request this song at wedding receptions, even if there is no one to dance with, that is how much I enjoy listening to it. This song would make any girl feel beautiful and good about themselves. The music in this song is amazing, especially the guitar.

My little brother is so sweet and thoughtful, he has this song on his I-pod and he always plays it for me whenever we are together. When I was going through my break-up he posted the video on my facebook, just because he knew it would make me smile. It is the little things in life that mean the most to me. He took time out of his day to make sure I was smiling. The last time I heard this song was at my cousin's wedding reception, I requested it of course. Although I didn't have a date for her wedding, I enjoyed a slow dance with my dad, which was priceless.

The song itself is basically about a husband and wife getting ready for a party, the wife is taking forever to get ready, she is obviously conscious about her looks. So when she asks him "do I look alright?" he replies by saying "yes you look wonderful tonight." He pretty much thinks his wife as beautiful and the need for make-up and all the primping is unneccesary. "We go to the party, and everyone turns to see, this beautiful lady, that's walking around with me." He is proud to be seen walking around with this beautiful lady and happy that it is his wife. I wish the world and marriages were all like this, it would make the world a better place. I hope one day I will find the guy to tell me I look wonderful tonight.

God Gave Me You

God Gave Me You is a beautiful song by Blake Shelton. When I hear this song it makes me think of my parents marriage and marriages that have lasted through the ups and downs. My parents have been married for 28 years; I have so much respect for them for staying strong through the ups and downs no matter what. It makes me know that it is possible to find your true love. Look at how happy and in love they still are, makes me so proud!

 Marriage is all about being there for the one you married, Blake's lyrics "You stay here right beside me and watch as the storm blows through" says it all. When you marry someone you take vows to be there no matter what, through any storm, in sickness and in health. To me those are very sacred words and need to be practiced in all marriages. In my opinion marriage isn't taken seriously by some, for example Kim Kardashian and her husband, getting a divorce already, they were together for two seconds and got married, they didn't even know each other. I guess I am kind of old school when it comes to marriage, you do it once! When you get married to the person you love, you become one, "on my own I am only half of what I could be I can't do without you we are stitched together", and still separate people but love binds the two people together into one. My favorite line in the song is "you will always be love's great martyr", how beautiful those words are.

Sure love is very hard work and to keep it strong, you have to be strong and willing to fight through all the ups and downs, because with life there are many. "God gave me you for the ups and downs; God gave me you through the days of doubt". My parents are the perfect example of how a marriage should be, of course they have their ups and downs but that's why God gave them each other. I would like to dedicate this song to my parents, and say how proud I am to be there daughter, thanks for proving that true love does exist.



Special Song

Every girl dreams of her wedding day, down to the very last detail. I've been dreaming of my wedding day since I was a little girl. The one thing I have figured out is the song I will dance to with my dad. I have chosen "Daddy's Hands" by Holly Dunn. It is an old school, country western song about a strict father who although very strict shows kindness and love in other ways. This song has always reminded me of my dad, who was very strict with me and my siblings growing up, but was kind and gentle if we were sick or sad. It is amazing how a song can remind you of someone that's in your life to the T. That is how "Daddy's Hands" is for me, it describes exactly how my dad is. Even though I have a long way to go before I get married, if I do at all, I have known since I was ten that this song is the one I am going to dance to with my dad on my wedding day. I can't just pick any song for this special event, I have thought long and hard about my dance with my dad on the day he gives me away to that special man and there's no other song I would want to use then "Daddy's Hands". Every time I hear this song, it brings tears to my eyes, makes me think of growing up as a little girl, and the woman I have become because of my dad. I may have thought him to be unfair as a little girl and mean because he was so strict, but today I'm very thankful because had he not been strict I would not be the woman I am today. Like the lyrics from the song "daddy's hands were hard as steel when I'd done wrong, daddy's hands weren't always gentle but I've come to understand, there was always love in daddy's hands."
No matter what I did or how much trouble I got myself into, there was always love in my daddy's hands.