EDIT: Musical Wednesdays

Sometimes it's not until the seventeen thousandth time you here a song that it's lyric grabs and shakes you and others zap you the very first time. These lyrics grabbed and shook me this week for different reasons:

EDIT: After receiving a couple of comments, it occurred to me that perhaps I should have offered an explanation for each lyric and why it grabbed me this week. So, explanations added!
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Step out the front door like a ghost into the fog,
where no one notices the contrast of white on white.
And in between the moon and you the angels get a better view,
of the crumbling difference between wrong and right.
I walk in the air between the rain
through myself and back again.
Where? I don't know.
-Counting Crows, 'Round Here
It's beautiful and swimming in imagery and I never took the time to really listen until driving to work one rainy morning.

________

I will always love you, so go easy on yourself.
-Ryan Adams, Go Easy
So simple and yet such a profound statement of true love. I heard this song for the first time only a few days ago and immediately thought of my Siddy.

________

No one laughs at God in a hospital.
No one laughs at God in a war.
No one’s laughing at God,
when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor.
No one laughs at God,
when the doctor calls after some routine tests.
No one’s laughing at God,
when it’s gotten real late,
and their kid’s not back from the party yet...
But God can be funny at a cocktail party
when listening to a good God-themed joke, or
when the crazies say He hates us,
and they get so red in the head you think they’re ‘bout to choke.
God can be funny when told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way
And when presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini,
or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus.
God can be so hilarious.
Ha ha
Ha ha
-Laughing With, Regina Spektor
You have to hear this song to appreciate why I love it. The sarcasm in the "ha ha" gets me every time. Our nation is becoming so anti-religion it's scary, but mocking God isn't so funny when you really need him, now is it?

________

I like it in the city when two worlds collide.
-Hometown Glory, Adele
I love the build up to this line in the song - it's really powerful - and I DO like it in the city when two worlds collide. Diverse cultures, old and new, skyscrapers and trees.
________

I was walking down the street one day,
Being pushed and shoved by people trying to beat the clock
Oh, no - I just don't know. And I said,
Does anybody really know what time it is?
Does anybody really care?
If so I cant imagine why,
we've all got time enough to cry.
-Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is, Chicago
I listened to this song on my way to work Monday and for some reason traffic was heavier than usual. Not slow, just really heavy. And if you know Dallas, you know the Tollway is a racetrack. If you're going the speed limit or a mere 5 miles over, be prepared for someone to ram you to the sidelines and take pleasure doing it. I had to laugh as car after car zoomed past me in a rush while I eased my way to work, rocking out to the most appropriate lyrics for a Monday morning.
________

Pray twinkle again.
Pray that I don’t wish on you too hard,
'Cause clovers don’t care about me.
And I can’t afford to lose you, star.
Oh, I can’t afford to lose you.
-Star, Kate Walsh
Because sometimes dreaming and wishing is enough.

What lyric grabbed you this week?

Baby Ryan Turns One

My baby nephew turned one. I can't believe it. A whole year flew by and I didn't even realize it until I watched Ryan (Mommy) blow out the candle on his cake.

Highlights of a year:

• Ryan was born.
• Christmas in New York with Colin and Amanda.
• Sid hits the big 3-0.
• Sid starts his new job and adores it.
• I hit the road in MA, VT, NH and ME and visit Chicago for the very first time.
• Makenzie graduates from kindergarten.
• The one year anniversary of my Granddad's death.
• Alaska & British Columbia with my parents and the Redish family.
• I start my new job.
  
• Ryan turns one.

Wow! We sure were busy, it's no wonder I didn't take notice of the pages furious flying off the calendar, but what a wonderful 12 months it has been and we are so so thankful for precious baby Ry-Ry. Sid wasn't able to join us for the party because he was busy helping his parents move, and while Makenzie was sitting in my lap, she asked with a heavy heart why Siddy couldn't come. I told her how very very sad he was that he was couldn't be there and how much he missed her and that he promised he would see her soon. She perked up and said, "That's okay. Tell him to send me a postcard." Guess what Sid plans to do this week? (For the record, she says so many precious things that I always swear to myself I'll remember but I guess I need to carry around a notepad and a pen!)

Some of my favorite photos from his jammin' party:

Musical Wednesday

I don't think we'll ever fully wrap our tiny brains around the enormous power of music. X is equal to negative b, plus or minus the square root of b squared minus 4ac, all over 2a. The quadratic equation. I still know it and do you want to know why? Because one the the greatest teachers I've ever known set it to music in high school algebra class. Music. How on earth could we even hope to survive without it? It fuels us, slows us, makes sense of things for us, inspires us, let's us remember. Here are a few songs that make me remember:

Highschool Heartbreak: Hamburg Song, Keane: SAMPLE
Don't laugh and don't you dare pretend that you don't have a "heartbreak" song. The funny thing about this particular song is that I didn't know it when the business of breaking Leigh's heart was taking place because it hadn't been written yet. In fact, it would be years later that the words would knowingly float into my ears for the first time and when they did I was hilariously thankful that teenage Leigh had never heard it because there is no doubt in my mind she would have identified with the lyrics and probably hoisted a boombox on her shoulder as she sung the words to the heartbreaking criminal of a boy back then and then HE would forever associate this song with ME but in a shamefully embarrassing way. I don't think it's possible for anyone to hear this song and not relate to it in some small way. What grown up Leigh knows that little Leigh didn't is that the timing of the break, not the boy himself, is really what made it so legendary: graduation. As I hugged the neck of so many in my senior class (including his) I would never see again, it hit me like an atom bomb explosion to the heart: this is it. If boy doesn't love girl then this isn't just goodbye emotionally, this is goodbye goodbye. The ultimate goodbye. The "I'm moving away in three months never to live in this town again" goodbye. The faces, the friendships, the awesomeness that is high school - over. Until that night, I hadn't allowed myself to process all the things that had reached their end. The happy ending? I fell in love with Sid that summer. When one door closes.... Oh - and this songs makes a pretty awesome Jacob/Bella song, Twilighters!

Longest detour in the history of mankind: Reminiscing, The Little River Band: SAMPLE

After an overnight adventure to Moab, Utah, two adventurous travelers decide to take the long, scenic route back to their Colorado home-for-the-week in their band new Jeep. At a pretty little lake, they see a tempting dirt road detour that the map indicates will shave some miles off the drive while promising breathtaking views of Colorado's majesty. Fast forward two hours and watch the two make the (near impossible thanks to mud, ice and snow) way back the main highway after an 8 foot tall bouncer of a snowbank refused to let them pass. They shake it off, laugh even, and are relatively oblivious to their miscalculations of drive time for at least another 2 or 3 more hours. And as they twirled their way around mountain after mountain after mountain they became more and more delightfully delirious, breaking into fits of laughter each time they pass a mile marker sign. And then the song that would forever freeze that moment of time whirled itself out of the stereo speakers - And Leigh hit "record" on the video camera and we sang and danced and giggled and had no idea that the moment in time would be iconic. That we would recall it years later, blog about it even. Every time I hear the song, I laugh. Out loud. And if Sid isn't with me, I call him. And leave sing song messages on his voicemail if he doesn't answer. Ironically? The song we reminisce about is called Reminiscing, and for the record, that short little three hour drive took about 8 in the end.

"Now as the years roll on each time we hear our favorite song, the memories come along. Older times we're missing, spending the hours reminiscing. "


My Favorite City in the World - Take Me Back to Manhattan - Rosemary Clooney: SAMPLE

So, I love New York (who doesn't?) and if you know ME, you know THAT. On the plane from NYC to Dallas after my first ever taste of the Big Apple, you might not have guessed it by looking at me but if you'd somehow drilled a little tunnel into my heart you would've thought I'd left my child behind in Central Park. I was devastated - like entering the gates of heaven only to see God throw up his hands and shout, "Oops! Sorry, sweetheart. You took a wrong turn." Okay, okay. I just sped past dramatic at 1000 mph with that analogy but you get the point, right? The city changed my life. Opened my eyes. Awoke my senses. Inspired great dreams. And the cravings for NYC were so intense that I convinced Sid to go back 3 months later. And 12 months after that. And I've been expertly working him for another trip sometime this year, but he's on to me. And for months, I tried to convince him that moving to New York would be the best thing we'd ever do and a few times I even caught glimpses of churning gears behind those magic blue eyes but for now, it's Tinytown, TX. But thank you Rosemary Clooney for understanding my Manhattan hunger pangs and thank you for providing the soundtrack to so many reels of memories I play in my mind.

Being a Child of the Radical 1980's - Tiffany - I Think We're Alone Now: SAMPLE

Oh Tiffany, how I adored you. I would spend hours in my room recording fake radio shows on my boombox- I was the DJ, the singer, the "listeners" calling to request my songs. I was obsessed and I just knew I was on track to be the next "Tiffany." Isn't it wonderously magical how a song can recall not just moments in time, but an entire frozen world of the past? I remember my room back then. The color of the carpet. My (totally awesome) record player. The (hideous) couch and the feel of the fabric. The house and the garage where we'd play on rainy days. The neighborhood pool and the cool of the water on my skin. My radical purple bike and the envy it inspired. The faces of my friends and the billion games of "house" we played. The culdesac baseball games. The smell of the air around the porch swing. The trees I climbed. The race from fence to trampoline before my friend's dog could catch us. The countless socks of mine that ferocious golden retriever ate while I jumped on that trampoline. The soar of adventure as I moved from that street to a new street in a new town. Who'd thunk it that a terrible 80's mall singer could do all that for me?

I could spend all day listing songs, so I'll stop and ask - what songs make YOU remember?

Let's talk about Last Weekend THIS weekend!

Last weekend Sid and I road tripped it to La Grange for a weekend of family fun. In a nutshell it looked something like this:
Thursday - take 6 hours to drive a 4 and a half hour route, detouring for Luby's (my fav) and 17 billion dog walks.
Friday - Schiltterbahn - from the moment the doors opened until they shut the joint down.
Saturday - Family time with all the kids except Sam, Shelly & Maya, who were busy packing for their move (totally understandable but missed them oodles).
Sunday - Church and lunch with Granny and Mary and another 6 hours to get home.
I took a billion photos but these are my favorites:

1. Dixie: [exasperated] Do you people not see my giant floppy ears with exceptional hearing power? I totally heard you say I am a scaredy cat and can't swim.













Dixie: [annoyed determination] I CAN swim, you useless humans, I just happen to be 70 years old in your so called "dog years." I'm old, hot and tired but too dignified not to prove you wrong.













Dixie: [gracefully paddling without blinking an eye] Oh, and I'm a DOG not a stupid scaredy cat. Idiots.













2. If this Slip N Slide business wasn't a competition, no one alerted Makenzie. She pours her entire heart and soul into everything she does, from a slipping and sliding afternoon to a sweet, heartfelt hug. She is my hero.

Ready?



















Set?



















GO!



















3. Slip N Slide was such a girl's activity until he got too hot or too bored, and then Jack was ready to dominate.

He destroys:



















He introduces back-sliding:













He claims victory:



















4. More Slipping and Sliding


















































5. "It's fashion!"

I'm not sure if she invented the declaration or heard it on Hannah Montana, but Miss Makenzie is all about being fabulous. "It's fashion!" means looking marvelous while rockin a fierce outfit, and shouting to the world how "fashion" you are is even cooler than simply looking cool. When Kathleen arrived on Saturday, Makenzie was more than excited to have another budding fashionista to model with. And let me just tell you, Kathleen totally knows how to rock a runway, not to mention the only assistance she needed to put together some pretty stinkin' awesome outfits was reaching the hangers in the closet.


























































6. The Random:

I like to think Gauge is practicing his moves for the Slip N Slide.













The girl loves to fish but has very little patience for it. The moment she gave up and went inside, Sid caught a catfish. Oh well.



















Ryan: You know what girls? I'M the boss here and I say let's take all these puzzle pieces and roll around in them!

I shutter to think what would've happened had he been able to see his plan through without interference from Aunt Leigh Leigh. He managed to get the water turned on, but didn't know I was peeking around the corner.

That's all, folks!

New Addition to Your Wednesday Lineup!

It's my blog and I'll do what I want to, and I've decided Wednesdays are now musical blog days! I might blog about my favorite song, most cherished artist, lyrics I can't get out of my head, songs that should be banned from the radio - whatever! Cool? Cool.

Yeah, it's been done before on this blog but today I'm hitting shuffle and listing the ten songs that pop up and why I like/love it. Note: songs I hate that I'm too lazy to delete and songs that I have never listened to but ended up on my playlist somehow (I share Napster with Sid) are getting skipped! Deal? Ready? Set? Go!

1. All I need - Mat Kearney: SAMPLE

Such a beautiful, haunting song (written for a couple who were forced to leave their lives, their home, their keepsakes to escape Hurricane Katrina) - I'm always thankful for my Sid after hearing it, knowing he is mine and I am his no matter where we are or what storms we're running from.

"If everything we've got is slipping away, I meant what I said when I said until my dying day. I'm holding on to you, holding on to me. Maybe it's all gone black but you're all I see."

2. You're Not Sorry - Taylor Swift: SAMPLE

Not my favorite song of her's on my playlist but I still love it. She is, surprisingly, one of my favorite artists of the moment. I think she is so talented, so universal, and in an age devoid of role models, she is so pure and honest and even this grown woman can look up to her. And I love that line - "You're not sorry." How many times have we wanted to say that to someone as they deliver an empty apology?

3. Rainin' You - Brad Paisley: SAMPLE

If this song doesn't make you melancholy you don't have a heart. Because is there anything worse than a rainy gray day when you're missing the one you love? I love love love this song and I truly think when Brad Paisley is at his best (sure, the cutsie songs are...cute...but if that's all you've heard him sing, you're SOO missing out on his best work) he is as good as our other country greats - George Strait, Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash. He is country when all rest are just faking it.

4. Brown Trout Blues - Johnny Flynn: SAMPLE

Hmmm. How do I put this without sounding like a loser. Um? You know Robert Pattinson, right? Sure you do. He put out a playlist of his favorite songs and I had to listen to the ones I'd never heard because I love him and I love all things he loves and one day when we meet I'll be all, "Yeah, that Johnny Flynn is really boss. Have you heard of him?" And he'll be all, "Heard of him? We're best buds and I'm going to kiss you now because we have so much in common that I have to marry you!" But seriously? This song is greatness.

5. Shadow on the Wall - Brandi Carlile: SAMPLE

With Brandi Carlile, it's not the lyrics alone, or the melody, or the voice - it's everything combined. When I'm not in the mood for any of the music on my S-pod, I can flip to Brandi Carlile and listen for hours. Shadow on the Wall is so soothing and yet, so real and vulnerable. Love it.

6. Knocked Up - Kings of Leon: SAMPLE

Let's see. Should I tell you why I really like Kings of Leon and probably the reason Sid threatens to rip his ears off if I play them in the car? Well, should I?

They are sexy - the music, the men. Sexy with a capital S. SEXY in all caps. Like, if someone forced me to be a groupie for any band of my choosing, it would be Kings of Leon. Totally. Even this song is sexy. I heart them.

7. Saturday in the Park - Chicago: SAMPLE

Ha - Kings of Leon to Chicago. If you don't love Chicago, you aren't American. And if you love Chicago, I know you love this song. It's summer in a nutshell! "Can you dig it? Yes I can!"

8. It's Too Late Now - George Strait: SAMPLE

Oh George. Timeless, beautiful George. I love you with all my heart but I love your OLD music with all my heart AND soul.

And this album? "If You Ain't Lovin' You Ain't Livin?" Totally my favorite George Strait album of his 17 billion to choose from.

9. Ordinary World - Duran Duran: SAMPLE

If this song was played on the radio today - for the first time ever - we would all love it just the same. It's so captivating and yet so calming. I listened to it on the way to my first day of work Monday - sorta fits, right? "But I wont cry for yesterday, theres an ordinary world somehow I have to find. And as I try to make my way, to the ordinary world, I will learn to survive."

10. Let Us Break Bread Together - The Blind Boys of Alabama: SAMPLE (of Amazing Grace)

These guys are A. Ma. Zing. And speaking of amazing, their rendition of Amazing Grace will blow you right out of the chair you're sitting in. They formed way back in the late 1930's at the "Alabama Institute for the Negro Blind" and if you don't like true soul gospel music NOW? You will after you listen to them. I promise.

BONUS: Overture - Phantom of the Opera: SAMPLE

Think you don't know or have never heard the melody? Trust me, you have. It's bone-chilling, timeless even. I hear it and instantly I'm yanked back to October 2007, Phantom of the Opera on Broadway with my Mom and Sid, one of the most spectacular trips of my life and the greatest show I've ever seen. Sid and I still joke in really tense moments "Shh! Listen....the Phantom of the Opera is HERE!" We're dorks, sure, but we're okay with it.

Working 9 to 5

Starting over is the theme of the day. I haven’t “worked” in about 5 months, and for a year before that, I had the most kick job you can imagine – working from home for a company Sid and I owned. Uh huh. You know what that means, don't you? Easy peesy in the summer breezy! So this feels like my first job in over a year and half and it feels depressingly similar to the first day at a new school in my most geeky phase of adolescence. Sid even made me breakfast, started my car 5 minutes before I left so it would be nice and cool when I hopped in, and stood in the doorway, waving at me as I drove down the driveway this morning. I might as well have been sporting a battered backpack on my shoulders and pigtails as I waved back.

And how, you ask yourself, am I finding time to blog while on the new job? My boss had a crazy busy day, apologized profusely for not being able to properly train me the first day, and promised we would hit the ground running in the morning, as he flew out of the office on his way to some exciting meeting, leaving little ol' me to to man the (silent) phone and - well, stare at the wall.

So - “What is this new job?” - many of you have asked. I’m working for a small software consulting firm, 24 hours a week (any combination of hours and days is fine as long as I’m here Monday and either Thursday or Friday) as an administrative assistant/account manager. I will manage payroll for our employees and consultants who are busy integrating new software programs for various corporations all over the world, invoice clients and pay our vendors, manage banking functions, correspond with the CPA and immigration attorney (for our consultants who are from other countries, mainly India) and function as the main point of contact for our clients and employees. Pretty easy stuff and with a 3 day work schedule, this girl is feeling pretty lucky, considering I know first hand how difficult it is to find work these days and how extremely blessed those of us with jobs should feel in these strained economic times. While it was not easy (to say the least) to wake up this morning and drive to a job for the first time in 18 months, I am feeling much more like an adult instead of a lazy teenage slob on an endless summer break!

In a really cool twist, my office is in a beautiful executive suite in my favorite hotspot (about a 20-25 minute commute from home), managed by my former boss (who referred me for the position, as a matter of fact) and her office is two doors down. I also have a weekly lunch date with Amanda and our usual hangout happens to be two blocks away!

So, happy Monday, y’all, from my desk to your….wherever you are!

I Am.

It's a slow day, so I stole a blog idea from my gal pal, Amanda, titled "The I Am Poem."

I am: slapped in the face by reality when I learn the ages of our most famous celebs. In my head, Angelina Jolie is old enough to be my mother (hey - what's one more kid?) not my slightly older sister, and I couldn't audition for American Idol even if I wanted to because I'm past the age limit.

I think: my dog, Bear, developed separation anxiety overnight.

I know: "that my Redeemer lives and ever cares for me." Great ol' hymn!

I want: with all my heart to be lying in a hammock on a beach in Cozumel right now, with sand between my toes and chips and guacamole within hand's reach.

I have: always thought I'd make a darn good European, though I'm insanely proud to be American.

I wish: on stars and have since I was a kid.

I hate: being lied to, especially when the truth ain't so bad.

I miss: New York City, always.

I fear: irony so much it's crippling.

I feel: strangely fearful to enter the workforce again but exhilarated to become a financial contributor once more!

I hear: that the latest season of Lost is pretty out there and can't wait to get caught up.

I smell: eggs, bacon and coffee and I'll instantly time travel to the family cabin in Bandera to find my Grandad on the front porch, my Granny in the kitchen, and my cousins all begging and pleading, "can we PLEASE go to the river now?"

I crave: even still, that old family cabin.

I search: prices for vacations I'll never take. If you want someone to plan your upcoming trip, look no further than right here - it's my favorite hobby!

I wonder: why some people neglect the present in pursuit of an uncertain future.

I understand: very little about string theory and physics and astronomy but I really wish I did.

I regret: lots of little things but no big things.

I ache: every time I read my favorite card from Makenzie.

I care: shamefully more about animals than I do some humans.

I always: lock the door behind me. Always.

I am not: a good homemaker but I think I'm a good wife.

I believe: the resolution of a mighty few of our nation's problems lies in the hands of it's citizens - that is, in hands reaching out to help themselves and others instead of grabbing for a handout.

I dance: to my own beat but constantly worry I'm out of rhythm with those around me.

I sing: like I have my own rock band but am fully aware I'd be booed off any stage before you can shout "Rock on."

I cry: when I see wild animals on roadways and pray furiously that God leads them back into whatever wilderness we haven't stolen from them.

I worry: that I'm not good enough for [fill in the blank].

I don't always: think about the consequences before catapulting myself into a new adventure. Exploration trumps responsibility!

I fight: dog hair daily - on the floor, clinging to clothes, drifting in the air, floating in the pool.

I write: less than the teenage version of myself thought I would at almost-30. I'm pretty sure that girl thought I would be a songwriter or novelist by now. Teenage Leigh overestimated her portfolio!

I listen: to a beautifully bizarre mix of music on my S-pod and am instantly connected to other's who share my diverse taste in music.

I never: thought I would be so blessed as to find my true love and soul mate at 18.

I need: a slice of cheese pie from Luby's.

I am happy about: dinner/movie night Wednesday, traveling to my parents on Thursday, Schlitterbahn Friday and family day Saturday and Sunday!

Now, who are YOU?

Snorkel Faces and 4th of July

Because you just couldn't help yourself from imagining it, here are the two original snorkel faces in Cozumel for Spring Break 2008. We make nerdy look GOOD!



























Happy Fourth of July, my dear free friends! Thank God for our abundant blessings and liberties, this special day and always!

Recent Happenings in Five

1. We gave in and bought a redneck pool. One more day thrown on top of a whole sweaty pile of oppressively hot and miserable days was the final straw and hi-ho, hi-ho, it was off to Academy we go (went doesn't rhyme -work with me). $200 dollars for the pool, $40 for leveling sand, 75 buckets of sweat, $TBD for 3500 gallons of water, $1.99 for a snazzy float and we've got ourselves a little backyard oasis. We even pulled out our snorkel gear for the first swim so we could "check the bottom for wrinkles" but we really just needed an grown up excuse to be goofy kids cannonballing themselves into the pool on the first day of summer. While I didn't get the appreciation from Sid I was seeking when through a giant face mask and snorkel I belted out a remake of Lady Gaga's Poker Face - "Can't read my, can't read my, no you can't read my snorkel face," I still had to look around my redneck paradise and my handsome goggle-sporting prince and grin.

2. I don't want to jinx anything, but I have a job interview tomorrow. More details to come!

3. Amanda and I saw the best movie last night, which really took my Sid-is-out-of-town blues and drop kicked them from my day. 500 Days of Summer is my kind of summer film - artsty, endearing, thoughtful with one heck of a soundtrack. It won't be officially released for a couple more weeks, but I give it two thumbs up! And I like, totally, have a crush on Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and while we're on the topic, move over Tina Fey, you've been booted by Zooey Deschanel as my girl crush. My evening company wasn't too shabby either - I love my girl time with Amanda and even better? She comes to the movie with a purse full of candy. Here is the trailer:

4. I'm going to Schiltterbahn, na na na nee boo boo! Not only am I going to my favorite amusement park on the planet but I get to share the whole day with my family! Even better? I get to spend the whole WEEKEND with the fam and all my nieces and nephews! Top THAT!

5. Did I mention I'm going to Schlitterbahn?

Happy Wednesday, y'all!