Sleepy Saturday - Only ten more sleeps

Like a bear who hibernates, I like storing sleeps in case I need to stay up late some nights. What is funny about this is, you can't really store sleep, can you?  Lately we have been waking up really late, like 1030 am.  Last weekend my daughter was wondering why I was sleeping in that late.  It was not sleeping in, we have been going to bed late, sometimes till after midnight and then waking up late.  I am blaming this to the winter months when the sun sets at 430 pm.  We kept saying that we will try to wake up earlier, so I set my alarm for 900 am and I would turn it off and go back to bed and pretty soon I am sleeping again.  The good part about getting enough sleep is that I am very productive for the rest of the day and do not require my normal half an hour naps.  What is exciting about today is that I can start my countdown to Christmas, that's right - only ten more sleeps.  While we are into counting here are the top ten Christmas songs that I love to listen to.

1. I wanna a hippopotamus for Christmas
2. Baby, it's cold outside
3. All I want for Christmas is you
4. Give love on Christmas day
5. Christmas (baby please come home)
6. Grown up Christmas list
7. Christmas Waltz
8. That's Christmas to me
9. Last Christmas
10. Mele Kalikimaka (Hawaiian Merry Christmas)

Sing-a-long Sunday - Song stuck in your head

Do you have those moments when a particular song just get stuck in your head?  It could sometimes stay there for days and then you forget about it.  Then there are songs that it won't matter how long you spend time trying to remember that particular song, and it just too hard for the brain to recall.  So lately I have the Justin Timberlake song stuck in my head and our Alexa has this song on repeat.  Lucky for me, Jeff is pretty easy going with the type of songs I play, just don't play hip hop, rap and too rap.  I am actually not too bad trying to recall songs from the past even knowing the lyrics, the artist and what year the song was release.  I am sure some of you remember that game show "Name that tune".  Before my son passed away, he use to take me with him to a particular bar that has this game.  People play in groups against each other and whoever has the most points win something.  His particular team comprised of different age groups that covers almost all the decades.  I remember all the great times we've had, just hanging out with his buddies.  That is what so nice about my son, he was cool with having his mom hang out with him and his buddies.  Anyway I am sure if he was alive today, he would love some of the songs I have listed.

• Can't stop the feeling - Justin Timberlake
• All of me - John Legend
• Uptown Funk - Bruno Mars
• Happy - Pharrell Williams
• Hypnotised - Cold Play
• 7 Years - Lucas Graham
• That's what I like - Bruno Mars
• See you again - Charlie Puth

"can't stop the feeling" is from this movie.  My son would have loved this movie too.

Melodious Monday - Sing Off

With all the different singing competition that I have been watching through the years, my all time favorite is the SING OFF.  It is my favorite for several reasons, it's truly all about being able to carry a tune, the ability to be creative without a musical instrument, and being able to make an old song sound so new.  Although it's a very short season, each episode is filled with amazing songs and colorful outfits.  Of course the host and the judges are also amazing and they all have extensive musical backgrounds.  When they give their critique they will go to the extent of taking the whole musical piece apart.  Their comments are from the heart and even if it is negative, it is meant to ensure that they learn from it in order to get to the next step.  If you love music, you definitely have to check this one.  It starts on Wednesday, December 17 at 9 pm on NBC.  Here's one of my favorite from one of the previous show.

Soulful Sunday - Favorite Christmas Songs

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love send to me - ten drummers drumming or if you like the one done by the Mackenzie Brothers - there was no day 10, it skips from day 8 to day 12.  This is not one of my favorite songs.  Anyway, eh, my top ten songs for the holidays are:

1. Have yourself a merry little Christmas - Little Big Town
2. Give love on Christmas day - Jackson 5
3. Merry Christmas darling - Carpenters
4. I'll be home for Christmas - Rascal Flatts
5. The Christmas Song - Michael Buble
6. It's Christmas Time - Train
7. White Christmas - Martina McBride
8. Let it Snow - Boyz to men
9. Merry Christmas Baby - CeLo Green/Rod Stewart
10. All I want for Christmas is you - Mariah Carey

Do you have a favorite Christmas Song?  Do you have one that makes you homesick? Do you have one that makes you cry?  I don't mind listening to one song per day but not for the whole day or even when I am driving, I listen to a station that plays a song every now and then.  Are you ready for Christmas? Are all the shopping done?  Are all the gifts wrap?  Is there anyone out there that hates Christmas? 

Only ten more sleeps before I get open my Christmas gifts.

Tone Tuesday - The Sing Off

They are back and they are more talented, lots of different sounds and even more dancing.  It's called the SING OFF.  The only acapella singing contest that involves real singing without instruments and great harmony.  Jewel has been added to the seat as one of the judges which makes the panel a much better picture.  One of the best treat of this show is that everyone has it's own talent on producing some of the variety of sounds of a particular instrument.  This year's group is a mixed of the young and the old, all girl or all boy band style, and the bigger groups from some of the best colleges/university.  We try to record this season because some of the episode is worth replaying the next day.  After the first show, I have picked my favorites already.  Here they are:

• Home Free - five male country group
• Filharmonic - six boy band style Filipino group
• Acoustikats - twelve college guys from Kentucky

 

I cant' hardly wait to watch the next episode and listen to their singing talent.

Soulful Sunday - Songs that tells a story

What I love about country songs is the story that it tells and if you really listen to each of the words, it will bring you back to reality and what is really important in life.  When I bought the first CD of Scotty McCreary, I listen to the whole CD while I am driving but was not really paying attention to the words.  One day, I picked the song Dirty Dishes as it was the most interesting song title out of the list.  I chose the video with the lyrics so you can see what I am talking about.

I would rather see all my son's clothes scattered all over the floor than a clean room without him.  I would rather listen to loud music than a very quiet home without him.  I would rather hear doors banging when he leaves and comes home late at night than nothing because he is gone.  I hope that my son forgave me when I would give him a hard time about cleaning his room or leaving the door open at night.  Actually he was an easy going son and I am thankful that I was able to have him live with me for two years before he passed away.

Maybe we can all learn from this song as we go through the different stages of our lives.

Soulful Sunday - Favorite Christmas Songs

The radio station started playing Christmas song the day after thanksgiving day.  Some only play a few songs per day but one station here started playing only Christmas Songs the whole day.  Here's my top ten songs with a couple of videos just in you wanted to listen to them.

Give love on Christmas day - Jackson 5

Merry Christmas, Darling - Carpenters

Grown up Christmas List - Natalie Cole

Have yourself a merry little Christmas - Tony Bennett

It's the most wonderful time of the year - Javier Colon
12 Days of Christmas version by Doug and Bob McKenzie

 I want a hippopotamus for Christmas
I'll be home for Christmas
Home for the holidays
Last Christmas

 

Soulful Sunday - My Top Ten Songs for this year

After reading my daughter's blog about end of summer, it made me think of songs that are going to make me remember this year.  It does not feel like end of summer here in San Jose as last week they had some of the hottest days.  But after checking out the weather, it seems like we will have the cooler weather coming, I guess this means Autumn is on it's way.  By the way, yesterday it was my first time to help out with yard work - first time since my move.  It was hard work specially since the sun was out and it was pretty hot.  And then a thought came to my mind.  It could be worst - I could be shovelling snow in the freezing weather.  So I continued raking leaves and trimming some of the ivy.  Now that I have covered all the seasons, it brings me back to songs.

1. Need you now - Lady Antebellum
2. Hey, Soul Sister - Train
3. Forget you - Ce Lo Green
4. California Girls - Katy Perry
5. Breakeven (falling to pieces) - The Script
6. Just the way you are - Bruno Mars
7. Where are you now - Justin Bieber
8. Perfect - Pink
9. Dynamite - Taio Cruz 
10. Only Girl (in the world) - Rihanna 

Does any of the above songs included in your playlist?  It took me a while to find some of the title and artists because I knew some of the lyrics but didn't even know the correct title or sometimes the artist.  Now it's stored in my memory just in case I have to play Name That Tune.