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Our upstairs neighbors don’t really make much noise. Truthfully, with ourselves and the two dogs, I am certain that we make a lot more noise.

That being said, I am not complaining. I am simply making note of the fact that nearly every week our upstairs neighbor rocks out to some Kenny Rogers. Namely, the song “You Decorated My Life” seems to be a big fave.

I, personally, am not a huge Kenny fan. I do like some of his stuff, but the ‘decorating my life’ song just doesn’t do it for me. It doesn’t stop me from singing along with it, though…if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em! I would never go complain to them for wanting to rock out to the Kennster, they don’t complain to us (or about us) and I wouldn’t want them to start.

I had a neighbor once upon a time ago that was fixated on one particular artist. Dave Matthews Band was her choice of music to blare so loud it filled every crevice of my flat. There was nowhere to escape Dave and the Band. Initially, I recall thinking that it could be a much worse selection of music and that it was okay since I happened to like Dave Matthews. Eventually, it became a nuisance on the weekends, more and more frequently waking me from my hangover slumber (those were my party days, right Heather??) to a pounding headache and me (or Heather, my hungover roomie and BFF) yelling angrily to ‘TURN IT DOWN!’.

Well, the lesson here is that, more often than not, you get what you wish for (we just don’t always recognize it as such at the time we get our wish).

You see, that neighbor moved away and with her she took the too loud, too often played Dave Matthews Band. However, in her place I received a new neighbor that wasn’t such a big fan of Dave and the Band — but she did bring roaches and reckless drunkenness with her.

So, I got what I wished for, my annoying neighbor moved away (being replaced by crazy, drunk neighbor) and I learned to be more specific when I wished for things.

That, my internut friends, is why I will never complain to the neighbors about too much “You Decorated My Life” being piped into our flat from above.

Well, we are heading to the airport soon enough.  The fuzzy kids are all accounted for and probably don’t miss us nearly as much as we (meaning me) miss them.

I have prepared a little something with which to bid you all farewell and a Happy Holiday season.  It is a little recording I made of me singing two of my favorite Christmas songs.

I will try to update as much as I am able to while I am traveling during the next month, so keep checking in and I will try not to disappoint.

This is the first song, it is titled “Carol of the B Doos” and is what I walk around singing to my cat.  Clearly, it is a parody so bear with me and get a chuckle:

carol-of-the-bdoos.mp3

The second song is my rendition of O Holy Night, my favorite Christmas carol of all.  I have a head cold, which is a fact more than an excuse or apology, so it may not be my best voice but it is still my voice.  I thought I would do something unlike myself, I will not apologize for the quality of the recording or my voice.  So here it is, enjoy:

o-holy-night.mp3

**To the tune of “If You’re Happy and You Know It, Clap Your Hands”**

She has needles in her butt – she is nice!
She has needles in her butt – she is nice!
She has needles in her butt, and they make her butt feel good!
She has needles in her butt – she is nice!

TA DA!!

I have always had the inclination that if I were to pick up a violin, then I would just be able to play it. I did this with the piano when I was about 4 yrs old, so this never seemed odd to me.

I have never, in all my life actually picked up a violin until January of this year. Turns out, I was right. I did need someone to tell me how to properly hold it and how to prep the bow. Oh, and I did need sheet music – but I can play it!

I think I may have been a musician in a past life. It just came with me into this one. If that is how it works, after all.

The violin and the lessons were my Christmas present (2006) from Cybr. I really wanted to give it a shot while I have (had) extra time on my hands so that someday I don’t look back at my life and regret not trying it. I took my first lesson in January or February, can’t remember. The instructor, who is so very talented, plays about 6 instruments very well, has conducted, and composes music. She is awesome. The first thing she did was show me how to care for my violin, how to prep the bow and how to hold it. At this first lesson, she also taught me ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’ and ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’. She was very pleased that I could play them before she finished writing the music into my book.

She has said from the beginning that I am a natural and really feel the music. Even though I am paying her, I do still believe her. She jumped ahead from Mary and Twinkle, Twinkle to more complicated music…Yay, ME!  Don’t get me wrong, I am only playing at the skill level of about a level 5 student which clearly isn’t much better than a beginner, but I do play with feeling and accuracy of tone.

So, currently, my repertoire includes:

1. Mary Had A Little Lamb
2. Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star
3. Happy Birthday Song
4. Home, Sweet Home
5. Jingle Bells
6. Deck the Halls
7. The Can-Can (Orpheus in the Underworld)
8. Spring
9. Love Story
10. It’s A Small World
11. Auld Lang Syne
12. Greensleeves
13. Love Me Tender

I recently stopped taking lessons at the beginning of September. My package of lessons came to an end and I have too much going on right now to continue. I may go back for more, I may not. I haven’t decided yet, I figure I will see where I am at with it later this year. I can read sheet music, so I may just continue on my own.

The important thing is that I did something I always wanted to do while I had the time to do it.

I have been listening to Lily Allen for a while now…but the more I listen, the more I like her. I can’t get enough. I thoroughly enjoy her style. She is a real person in the sense of not being so ridiculously full of herself, as most celebrities are. She is funny, she is talented and her lyrics are entertaining. It is not very often that I find an artist that I enjoy all of their music.

I do likes me some Amy Winehouse, too; however, I can eventually get enough of her musical style.

I have been dancing around our flat (sometimes in just my underpants, pretending to be Madonna) listening to some Fergie-ferg-ferg lately. Some of her songs lyrics are annoyingly ridiculous, but the music makes my booty shake. I just can’t help it, music literally moves me sometimes…like it or not.

So, this is a rather pointless entry other than simply sharing and caring.