As my cousin says, the most important thing to do before you take off in the car is getting the right jams. I’d completely have to agree. Well it’s been a while since many things have last happened.
It’s been a while since I’ve fallen in love with a song, and I do mean really fall in love none of that having it stuck in my head and randomly sing the chorus. I mean the kind of adoration that makes you memorize all the words and have the song on repeat. Despite it being a while since a song has spoken to me, it’s been an even longer time since I last listened Jamie All Over by Mayday Parade without cringing about all the awkward memories it brings.
All it took was the drive home from my aunt’s house. I increased the volume and belted all the lyrics I knew so well. No second guessing why I was listening to the song. Guess I have moved on and finally let the song play without letting myself associate it the past. Yay!!!
I haven’t heard the song Jamie All Over in years. This is no way a shot at Mayday, it’s a good song, but the memory that I associate it with just give me the creeps. Till this day I cannot listen to it. However, I don’t have the heart to delete it from my music collection. I really can’t. A shame really. It’s just there, occupying space, but not necessarily a waste of space. Curse me and associating memories with music.
It all started when this guy, we’ll name him Zander, who was awkward and nice. He was smart, got my humor and we liked the same music. As we spent more time together my senior year he began to develop some feelings for me. I however, well I always felt awkward around him. Yes we had many things in common, but with my previous interactions with him he always seemed to overly analyze my innocent actions. If I were to ever get in a relationship I’d like to feel comfortable and not as to seem like I’m walking on eggshells. Zander didn’t help with his constant asking of questions that made me feel awkward. After a while the “Would you ever go out with me?” and “Could you ever see yourself with me?” just put a damper on the friendship. I never wanted to string him along so I would say no and that we were friends and that’s all we would ever be. I felt like an evil person for that, but it would have been worst if I gave him hope, false hope is the worst.
Among the questions that made me feel weird he’d always sing Jamie All Over to me in 8th period, and always text me lyrics to Jamie All Over. It got creepy when he’d text “…we made love by the ocean as the waves crashed around you..” At the time I really loved that song so I guess that’s why he’d text me the lyrics, but it made me feel weird when he would text those certain lyrics. Why? Now, two years later and the song sits there, not played and unappreciated.
Maybe I’ll get the courage to play that song again. I’d like to think that one day I’ll put my music on shuffle and it will be the first song it plays. I’ll smile and belt the lyrics out without a second thought, as if I had heard the song just the day before. I won’t think about how weird it makes me feel, I will not associate it with him, and I will be able to listen to it without freaking out when I hear the first notes and quickly change it to the next song.
I suppose that’s why I haven’t deleted it. I’m waiting for that one day.
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.
So here’s a random post of how awesome it is to find music. The other day I decluttered, trashed, displayed the hell out of my stuff in my room. Anyways, on this cleaning day I neatly displayed the books I’ve gotten in the past years as well as found a cute way to display CDs and DVDs. Not to mention proudly display all my jewelry on a shelf. Woot! Aside from dusting and trashing and finally putting something so that my sister’s many “colorful” belts and my growing scarf collection are nicely put away and not left to gather in a corner or nicely adorn the floor (mostly my sister’s belts). Sharing a room with a teenager is hell on Earth.
Anyways, although cleaning a room by yourself is such a drag especially since most my stuff were boxes due to moving back home, I had to trash many things to feel settled and at home. However, among the junk I found an old CD holder, this misplaced CD holder is the reason for my sudden leap in joy and for the post.
Finding long-lost CDs is a momentous event for music junkies all over. Now I’m left to rediscover and add to my extensive music collection. The additions, you ask. Well Shania Twain’s Up! and Come on Over start off the re-exploration. I remember that both these CDs were the soundtracks of carpools to school. My mother loved them and would listen to nothing else. I remember by the time for our Thanksgiving break my cousin had these songs stuck in his head. Let’s face it a teenage boy doesn’t voluntarily want those songs stuck in his head. My apologies.
Next was The Offspring’s 2003 album Splinter. Oh the memories. Yvonne and I would sing the chorus of Hit That while walking out of school in our eighth grade year. Oh we were such BAMFs. Rebels I tell you what with us belting, “I know you wanna hit that, hit that.” Damn straight. Then there’s Green Day‘s Kerplunk. In the words of Garrett Nickelsen, “Fuck you, I’m punk!”
Lastly, and odd mix of music made in 2007 by yours truly entitled, My Favorites. The CD included Daughtry, Kiss, The Eagles, Poison, Avril Lavigne, Ozzy Osbourne, Five For Fighting, Howie Day, Pink Floyd, Lynard Skynard, Natasha Bedingfield, and Papa Roach. Well isn’t that a cluster of randoms. Still my beating heart is not.
Combine this with my uncle letting me borrow he’s box set of Nirvana live recording and the such, I am going on a music overdose. I’ll tell you all about the trip.
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)
Well, It’s no secret about my love for music, so I have a lengthy the list of musical acts I’d love to see live. Oh boy to narrow it down is the hardest. If I must…
First and foremost, Yellowcard or Switchfoot. These are the first bands that I feel in love with. You could say they were the beginning of it all. My start of my very own musical journey. They were the fuel, well technically I was already addicted to music but it was them that catapulted the obsession to so much more. It’s because of this that I’ve always loved lyrics.
Secondly, ugh once again a tie between Blink 182 and Fall Out Boy. While Blink is more of a possibility since they are back together again. Yay! Yes I was heartbroken when I found out that they were on break. I still have my fingers crossed for FOB, because technically it’s a hiatus.
Lastly, Avenged Sevenfold. This is purely because I promised a friend of mine that we would see Avenged Sevenfold, and we would see them together. So seeing A7X with Sara is the goal especially since I have a strict no promise-breaking policy.
