Thanksgiving Spirit, Day 5

This song isn't exactly a Thanksgiving song, but then again "My Favorite Things" isn't exactly a Christmas song. I mean, it's a welcome addition to the Christmas Music Canon, but it's origins aren't really "Christmas."

Whatever. Anyway, this is a Tom Waits song, performed by one of my favorite artists, Norah Jones. It's just got this lovely feel to it. It's feels like the season, you know? Check it out.

Today's Song:
"Long Way Home"
Covered by Norah Jones

Thanksgiving Spirit, Day 4

A classic, on all counts. Vince Gauraldi Trio did some amazing things for our favorite holidays. If you have some time this Thanksgiving, be sure to snuggle up with the family and watch "A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving."

Today's Song:
"Thanksgiving Theme"
Vince Gauraldi Trio

Thanksgiving Spirit, Day 3

I'm tired of people skipping over Thanksgiving because it has no good music. Take a listen to this gem, then tell me again how Thanksgiving has no good music.

Today's song:
"Thanksgiving Prayer"
Johnny Cash

*this recording is from and episode of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman

Thanksgiving Spirit, Day 2

Today's song is a soulful, funk-fest. Just makes me want to boogie as I baste that turkey and bake that pie. Mmmmm...

Today's song:

"Pass the Peas"
The JB's


 

Thanksgiving Spirit, Day 1

Hey all you cool cats and dogs and turkeys out there. Halloween is now over, which is totally wild. It's NOVEMBER ALREADY! I know there are many in this world, many of my closest friends, who see November 1st as the first day of the Christmas Season. And to them, I say "more power to ya!" Enjoy that special season.

Personally, I hold off. I feel like November is home for a unique and special season called the Thanksgiving Season. It's so closely related to the Christmas Season that it is often times overlooked. People often forget that Thanksgiving has so much to offer us, even it's own music!

That is why, this year, I've decided to help Thanksgiving out a little. I'm going to be posting a Thanksgiving song, once a day, until Thanksgiving. I hope that these songs bring a little Thanksgiving Spirit into your life.

Today's song is a classic:

"I've Got Plenty to Be Thankful For"
Bing Crosby

The Next Thing

"Hey Carson, how is it going?"
"Good! Just getting everything done!"
"I know! Gosh, I have so much to do this weekend."
"Seriously, between work, school, and my show I'm not sure how it's all going to get done."
"Sheesh. I know. I'm going to be at school today until 10 o' clock tonight. I got here at 8:00 in the morning."
"I hate those days. Well, I gotta run, I'm late for class!"
"Oh man, me too! Maybe I'll see you!"

This is a conversation that I have nearly every day. Perhaps this conversation sounds similar to one you've had. I think it's a pretty common one--especially for students and theatre folk. Sometimes it seems like our success is dependent upon how much we are getting done; we aren't doing it right unless we're doing it ALL the time.

I came across this talk given by President Uchtdorf at General Conference in October 2012.

"Isn’t it true that we often get so busy? And, sad to say, we even wear our busyness as a badge of honor, as though being busy, by itself, was an accomplishment or sign of a superior life. 

Is it?" 

I think I've worn this badge my whole life. I'm always moving on to "the next thing": I finish this paper and I start my reading, I finish my reading and I go to rehearsal, I finish rehearsal and I send e-mails. I find myself parroting my favorite fictional President:

What's next?  On to the next meeting, the next paper, the next obligation. It's the way many of us, myself included, live our lives and to tell the truth, I'm exhausted. I'm drained. President Uchtdorf continues:

"I think of our Lord and Exemplar, Jesus Christ, and His short life among the people of Galilee and Jerusalem. I have tried to imagine Him bustling between meetings or multitasking to get a list of urgent things accomplished. 

I can’t see it."

I can't see it either.

President Uchtdorf goes on to make an important point that I've been thinking about a lot:

Do we listen to beautiful music waiting for the final note to fade before we allow ourselves to truly enjoy it? No. We listen and connect to the variations of melody, rhythm, and harmony throughout the composition. 

We should be enjoying what we are doing, as we are doing it. We should appreciate the beauty of this life and, I think, simplify it to make the most of it. Otherwise, we get stuck in a rut of constant complaint. I know I get there all too often, and I am quick to explain to whoever might ask how busy I actually am. I

To avoid some of the deepest regrets of life, it would be wise to make some resolutions today. Therefore, let us:

• Resolve to spend more time with those we love.

• Resolve to strive more earnestly to become the person God wants us to be.

• Resolve to find happiness, regardless of our circumstances.

I think there is much to be enjoyed in life. I think we are not as busy as we seem. I think we can find time each day to appreciate our circumstances AND, dare I say, relax a little. This is something I'll be thinking about as I continue into student teaching next fall, and ultimately throughout my life as I seek balance between the many facets of my life.

What do you think?

11 Things You May Know About Me

1. I tear up every time I listen to David Bowie's Space Oddity ("Tell my wife I love her very much." "She kno-oh-oh-ows!" etc.)
2. I think that the navel part on an orange is gross and it makes me feel weird.
3. I used to love lists of things, but with the rise of BuzzFeed and other similar list-websites, I find that I hate myself for loving lists. But seriously, I liked lists first, you big, fat, Internet-jerks.
4. Since the installment of Chick-Fil-A in the Cougar Eat, I crave it fortnightly.
5. I have cried watching the series finale of the following television programs.
• Lost
• The West Wing
• Chuck
6. Karen Carpenter's voice is butter to my soul.
7. I am constantly bothered that I have to turn my shirts right-side out after doing the laundry, but continue to take them off inside out at the end of the day.
8. I believe in the story-telling potential of video games, and I'm excited to see how we take advantage of it.
9. Claire Danes has the ugliest cry in all the world . . . and I love it.
10. I'm in Education for the money--getting paid to do what I love is kind of like stealing.
11. I have a Christmas music collection that could play non-stop for the entire month of December