This song is on repeat this week. I’ve always been a fan of Ariana Grande’s voice. She has range but also a clearness to her tone that is refreshing. The song is pretty retrospective. It talks about spending more time in the rearview mirror instead of looking ahead. One thing that I like is that the words are honest. The song talks about acknowledgement for the good times but also a lot of regret. It’s not overly optimistic but still expresses hope for the future.
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Check your facts
My dissertation chair posted this link in our online classroom today and I have to say that I found it really funny. The truth is that “science” can say anything that you want it to say. There are numerous studies that are quoted as fact that really aren’t. It’s a long video and I didn’t think I would finish it due to my short attention span but it held my attention. A lovely reminder to check your facts before spouting out statistics. Side note: wouldn’t it be lovely if a glass of wine was the equivalent of an hour at the gym?
The light/Open your eyes
This song has been on repeat for the past few days. I was first introduced to this gem through the song by Common. I knew it wasn’t the original and after some digging I found the actual song. I love the old school groovy feel that it has. John Legend also did a great rendition of this one as well. There’s nothing like a timeless song that has been reinvented and remixed into multiple songs because it’s so good. Where are the songs like that today?
Loooooooooooove
So I was recently introduced to this guy’s voice though an awesome 15 second video on IG. I’ve been “youtubing” his stuff ever since. As somewhat of a music nerd, I’m always impressed with voices that sound flawless without artificial assistance. This video is a few years old but if you were to listen to his newer stuff you would see a change in the level of his control and the cleanness of his runs. First off, I love Musiq Soulchild but I honestly think that this rendition might be better than the original. It’s a GREAT song that pretty much anyone can relate to. I have such an appreciation for people with incredible voices like his that have such a clear quality.
The answer is yes!
So the hopeless romantic side of me definitely shed a few tears after hearing this but this song is amazing! It’s a tribute to true love and commitment and a reminder that both can still be found by some.
A really interesting prank
My brother was the one who first showed me this video. I must admit that I don’t know what I would do if I was an unsuspecting patron at this coffee shop. I do know that I would lean more towards running out the front door instead of trying to film it on my phone. I think that humans in general are very curious about things they can’t explain and that’s why most customers stayed in the coffee shop to watch. It caught everyone off guard and it was apparent that most people didn’t know how to handle something that most likely they had only seen on television or in movies.
Happy, Happy, Happy, Happy
So this song has been pretty popular the past couple of months. There’s a rumor that Pharrell tried numerous times to get this concept off the ground before the movie actually picked it up. The song is super catchy and the music video(s) involve people singing and dancing to the song at all hours of the day and night. There’s a website that plays the music video 24/7 and you can also watch it in one hour increments. While I am someone who gets easily annoyed after the first 5 minutes of a song (with the exception of classical music), I’ve actually listened to three hours of this song over and over again. We all know people who appear to be happy all the time. I don’t know anyone who actually IS happy all of the time (unless they are happily psychotic, but that really doesn’t count). While songs like this would traditionally be way too “happy” for me, it’s a song that can put you in a better mood. Despite the fact that in no way am I a poster child for being in a constant state of euphoric happiness, I’ve learned to genuinely enjoy and appreciate the moments where happiness sneaks up on me and surprises me. This song just talks about being happy without there being an apparent reason. Great concept. Good melody. Pharrell made a great song that embodies a feeling that most people want to have, and, (totally unrelated), he does NOT look 40.
Dear No One-Tori Kelly
One of the highlights of my year was going to Tori Kelly’s concert when she was out here. If you’ve never heard of her I definitely encourage you to check her out. She’s a phenomenal artist who is extremely talented. She did her entire concert with just her voice and a guitar. With all the artists out there who have absolutely no talent, she’s a breath of fresh air. Her songs aren’t over-run by too much instrumentation and her vocals are crisp and clear. And the added bonus is that she writes her own songs and they’re really good. I first heard this song when she did it at her concert and I really liked it. It’s optimistic but not over the top. Just a great articulation of where she is in her life. I can relate.
This Christmas
This song is one of my favorite Christmas songs. I usually only listen to Christmas music during the appropriate times (between Thanksgiving and New Years) but I think this one is good all year round. Growing up Christmas was a special day. We would semi-decorate the house and have a tree with presents. As I’ve grown older, those traditions have ceased and now are only distant memories. This has definitely cut down on the stress and the expectations that usually accompany the holiday season. For the past two or three Christmases (is that a word?) I’ve ended up working at my job. Now, working is definitely not a bad thing but it takes away from the “holiday” feel of having a day off. However, I’m not complaining. However, for next year, I want to be relaxing and someplace warm on Christmas.
My Favorite Non-Optimistic Song
I’m somewhat of a music nerd that occasionally holds personal emotional listening parties in which I listen to music that depicts the emotion that I’m feeling. Happy, sad, angry, content, tired, or even annoyed. I think that most people have a go-to song that they use for motivation. Athletes sometimes even have a certain playlist of songs that they play before they have to go out on the field in order to get them into the mindset they need. This song is my absolute favorite song for when I’m feeling overwhelmed or upset and I want some empathy and also motivation. This song is perfect for me. I think that we’ve all had a “you can’t win” day. It’s a part of life. Whenever I have a day like that, I play this song and I instantly feel better. While the message of the song may not be the most optimistic, it’s a great depiction of how I feel when everything is going wrong. There’s no “everything will be ok” feel to this song but despite this, I still find it to be encouraging. We live in an uncertain world and sometimes life throws us curveballs that require us to regroup and adapt to unexpected changes. I like this song because it doesn’t pull any punches. There’s no rosy assertion that the sun will come out tomorrow. It’s pretty blunt. And sometimes that’s nice to hear when you’re upset or frustrated. It’s just an acknowledgment of how you feel. For me, it’s just a therapeutic intervention that never fails to cheer me up and helps me feel a little better on those days where nothing goes right.
Alisha's Angle 