Together By This Christmas Tree

Christmas time is here! While having a white Christmas is low in south Texas is not likely to happen, that does not stop me from enjoying me some hot chocolate and singing Christmas songs. Seriously the only thing that beats Christmas time is Halloween only because I enjoy the feeling of being scared way too much. Oh Christmas music. It all takes me back to my days in choir. We would begin learning our Christmas songs around October. A weird time to sing Christmas carols, but you can bet that I never failed to leave choir feeling all giddy and light. Isn’t Christmas music the best?

Over the six years of choir I’ve developed a list of my favorite Christmas songs, as well as the songs that bands put for the holiday season. Ho ho hopefully you guys enjoy these following tunes as well.

1. Carol of the bells, sung by The Jubilation Singers

Ever since we sung the full chorale piece in my senior year, I’ve been head over heels for this song. I attended the Christmas concert at my school last year and I was all giddy like a little kid who got what they wanted for Christmas.

2. Ho Ho Hopefully by The Maine

It’s The Maine! Reason enough. Plus it’s December the first…

I would put the compilation of  …And A Happy New Year, but I wanted some nice mix to my Christmas list. Thus I choose this one, a plus it features Justin and Alex from Brighten. Oh and the video.

3. It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year, sung by Amy Grant

Expresses my sentiments.

4. Sleigh Ride, sung by Ella Fitzgerald

It’s a classic. Simple as that.

5. Baby It’s Cold Outside, from Elf: Music From The Major Motion Picture

If you can’t recall this one I suppose Zooey Deschanel and shower would suffice. Honestly I love this song as equally as other Christmas songs, but it wasn’t in my tops until that scene from Elf. I believe this was also the beginning of my girl crush on Zooey.

6. Angels We Have Heard On High, sung by Sixpence None The Richer

My favorite Christmas song to sing. I’m serious. I love belting this beauty, so of course I need to have it on the list. I prefer the full choir version, but this cover of it is nice too. Look it up.

7. Jingle Bell Rock, sung Bobby Helms

Yes, this is the one from Mean Girls. No that’s not why I like it. I remember singing this at a choir concert back in elementary. As I recall my bestie Joanna was in the choir group as well, and so was Cecilia. She should have totally gotten that solo instead of Cristela. Eh, but that is in the past.

8. Silent Night, sung by Nat King Kole

What’s Christmas without some Nat King Kole and Bing Crosby…

9. White Christmas, sung by Bing Crosby

Every Christmas playlist needs it some Bing Crosby, if not it’s not legitimate.

10. Santa Baby, sung by Eartha Kitt

I remember hearing my sister practice this song for choir when I was younger, needless to say I stubbornly sat and listened, much to her annoyance.

11. All I Want For Christmas Is You, sung by Michael Buble

I love Buble and this is from his current Christmas album. I rather stomach this one than Mariah Carey’s version. Yeah…not much of a fan of her music, but nothing to do with talent it’s just not my cup of coffee.

12. Somewhere In My Memory, from the Home Alone Soundtrack

My first year of choir my choir director made this song the star of the program. Since then I’ve been in love. Remind me to thank him for this song and Guitar Man. Memories!!

The minor fall, the major lift.

-Nessa

P.S. It’s Decemeber, and we all know what that means? 25 Days of Christmas on ABC Family. Dude the highlight of my life, well after 13 Days of Halloween on ABC Family.

My Mixtape

So I recently did a challenge on Tumblr that got me thinking it could become a good playlist. After all, playlists are a good representation of ourselves if we do it with good enough thought.

Track numero uno: A track that best represents who I am

Hmm? Embodies my ridiculous quirks and personality you say. Something that speaks to me? Well as you can imagine for a music addict as myself this is a difficult task. However after literally five hours I finally wrestled with all parts of me and agreed that Nine Day’s Absolutely (Story of a Girl) best represents me.

This is the story of a girl
Who cried a river and drowned the whole world
And while she looked so sad in photographs
I absolutely love her
When she smiles

Now how many days in a year
She woke up with hope
But she only found tears
And I can be so insincere
Making her promises never for real
As long as she stands there waiting
Wearing the holes in the soles of her shoes
Now how many days disappear
When you look in the mirror
So how do you choose

Your clothes never wear as well the next day
And your hair never falls in quite the same way
You never seem to run out of things to say

Obviously this captures my hatred for taking pictures as I seem to never smile enough or end up sporting some creeper smile that get ridiculed by the family. Yay for awkward photo-taking! The camera hates me! I swear it does. Oh insecure self. The truth is I have a genuine smile that is warm and inviting but pull a camera and try to capture it and it get creepy and awkward…just like my personality. Not to mention the last verse from my quote just perfectly says how most women see their daily appearance. It’s me every single morning.

Track numero dos: Best Represents My Philosophy

Now you got to go all philosophical. Okay how do you find a song that showcases your ideology. Simple go to your quotes and find a song that build around those ideas. Wrong again, Vanessa. Oh boy.
This is how it works
you’re young until you’re not
you love until you don’t
you try until you can’t
you laugh until you cry
you cry until you laugh
and everyone must breathe
until their dying breath

Well Hallelujah to you my dearest Regina Spektor! The excerpt from Regina’s On The Radio explains itself, so I shall leave the music to do the talking.

Track numero tres: Best Represents Where You Feel Comfortable and What Makes You Feel Good

Super easy to figure out this track. Answer. Concerts. Which leads to The Classic Crime’s song, 5805.

We were more than just useless stupid kids
The music it moved us, we shook our fists
as we sang along at the top of our lungs

Seriously. I want to go to a freaking concert this very moment and get lost. Oh what a heavenly get away. My piece of heaven. My moment where my mind shuts up for once and my heart takes over. Truly the best feeling in the world.

Track numero cuatro: Best Represents Something You Do Well

Well I do love to draw, or rather doodle. I’m a master and drawing trees, clouds and any of the planets. My go to objects, can’t deny the beauty of nature. However, I spent on to many minutes and easily gave up on finding a song to best signifies my talent, err I suppose we can call my doodles on the side of notes art. Right? Anyways, I decided to go with a second talent, and that is daydreaming.

Some may say living in dreams is not good, but I just think of them as my mapping of the future. Granted some daydreams or rather fantasies are far-fetched and only wishful thinking, but it is mapping how my schooling shall work out. I can get so stuck in my head so much, but it’s my curse to bear proudly.

My future is just A Daydream Away, as All Time Low says.

Track numero cinco: Best Represents (how I feel about) My Family

Simple I love them to death. I can bombard you how awesome and unique they are, recount a funny story that shows where I get my quirky side from, and describe each of my beloved relatives. However, I’ll stick with I love them. As Natasha Bedingfield puts it, “I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you. That’s all I got to say, can’t think of a better way, and that’s all I’ve got to say, I love you, is that okay?”

These words are not my own, but Ms. Bedingfield wrote the chords to go with it. Fitting that a song she wrote as a birthday gift to her brother would be used to represent how amazing my family is.

Track numero seis: Best Represents My Goals and Dreams

Happiness and breaking out of this small town. The basis of many songs, but of course I went with All Time Low’s Break Out! Break Out!, it’s the sentimental value that it hold that puts this song on the forefront of the rest of the contenders.

“Break out, break out,
Our time has come and we’ve got these big city dreams.”

Track numero siete: Best Represents The Type of Friend I am

I see myself as my friends protector and shoulder to cry on, a guardian angel. No better song than The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus’ Your Guardian Angel.

Track numero ocho: My Choice

I figure everyone has a bad day. Nothing like being reminded that you are built with a beautiful mind to promote self-love. (Get your mind out of the gutters.)

The minor fall, the major lift.

-Nessa

Wait for your time, it will come (you can call me)
And you will realize just how special you are (you’ve got no reason to hide)

There’s not enough hate in the world (you’re so lovely)
To bring you down (built with a beautiful mind)

Kiss Me Like an Over-dramatic Actor

Back for my second year of college and like all first weeks I try my best to explore different ways of getting to  a class so that wherever I am in campus I can find my way to my class. It’s warm and because it’s fall the College Station air lacks its usual humidity, and though it’s hot my investment in some shorts the previous year have come in handy.  With my music on shuffle I trek onwards to my Agricultural Communications class .

On rare occasions, shuffle really is in my head. How perfect a mix, for 18 songs straight I’m not tempted to press next, no I’m more along the lines of wanting to blast my music and dance my way all the way to the beautiful  Scoates Hall, one of the oldest building on campus.

Yes, less than a year ago I discovered one of the best mixes. While playlists I’ve made to group what I’ve had on repeat for past several days, they can never equal the love I have for this playlist. Divine intervention indeed. No matter it being nine months down the road I still go back to this playlist. It’s music oh so sweet music that I listened on my daily route, on the bus to my Animal Science Lab, on the mundane short trek to Harrington, and even waiting for my Music Appreciation group in the  Annex.

Slow down and escape into the airwaves.

Track listing:

1. Slow Down by The Academy Is…
2. Saturday by Fall Out Boy
3. The Middle by Jimmy Eat World
4. My Favorite Accident by Motion City Soundtrack
5. Friday I’m In Love by The Cure
6. Into the Airwaves by Jack’s Mannequin
7. Get Busy Living, Or Get Busy Dying  (Do Your Part To Save The Scene And Stop Going To Shows) by Fall Out Boy
8. Miss Delaney by Jack’s Mannequin
9. Snakes of Hawaii by Army Navy
10. Closing Time by Semisonic
11. Lovesong by The Cure
12. 99 Red Balloons by Nena
13. Naïve by The Kooks
14. La La Lie by Jack’s Mannequin
15. Switchblades of Infidelity by Fall Out Boy
16. Fever by Takka Takka
17. I Woke Up In a Car by Something Corporate
18. Saints by Army Navy

Playlist making is very addictive, and you can’t help but cut and paste the best out of your favorite albums to enjoy a collective mix that is sheer eargasm.  While most of my playlists are on whim, it’s in my experience that the best playlists are sent by some divine music being.

The minor fall, the major lift.

-Nessa

Dare Me! Dare Me!

My Playlist: “Dare Me! Dare Me!”

1. Fighting for Nothing by Meg & Dia
2. Feel Like Fame by Four Letter Lie
3. Broken Arrow by Pixie Lott
4. The Long Goodbye by Army Navy
5. Today is the Day by Tim Myers
6. Transatlanticism by Death Cab for Cutie
7. Rhythm of Love by Plain White T’s
8. A Daydream Away by All Time Low
9. Take Me As I Am by FM Static
10. Every Road by The Maine

Life should always have a soundtrack. I find comfort in music, whether you are in the darkest of places, or just want to rip someone a new one, or feeling like brightest rays of sunshine are illuminating you way, there’s always someone out there that knows how you are feeling. My soundtrack for the week for now is all over the place genre speaking, but topically inclined toward the theme of love, well most. Weird how I’m single as the proverbial cheese but I’m drawn to these songs. My mind is trying to tell my heart something it doesn’t know.

Let Meg and Dia‘s words hurt you, scar you, and then heal you. Hope that they get stuck in your head like a broken arrow left in your flesh, sway to the rhythm, listen and daydream your day away, take a short or long road trip, just take the playlist as it is.

Take my music and I as we are.

The minor fall, the major lift.

-Nessa