Tuesday Tunes

Today I have a few songs for you. They are pretty mopy but still great.

1. Empty by Ray Lamontagne

I think this song is beautiful. It's about someone who feels sad and empty, and cannot always look at the blessings in his life. I love all the lyrics to it, but these are my favorite: 

Well, I looked my demons in the eyes 

laid bare my chest, said "Do your best, destroy me. 

You see I've been to hell and back so many times, 

I must admit you kind of bore me."

2. Kindness by Ryan Adams

Unfortunately I couldn't find his version on youtube to put on this page so I put in a cover. Definitely check out the original though. This song reminds you that even a small gesture of kindness to someone can make such a difference, even though it can be hard sometimes with those you are close to. 

3. Heavy in Your Arms by Florence and the Machine

A few days ago I put the Kelly Clarkson version on this page. Definitely check out Florence's for comparison purposes. This song is so addicting. It makes you think about how someone's love can be too much for someone in a relationship and make them feel trapped like they are being dragged down by it.

4. Set Fire to the Rain Adele Cover by Tyler Ward

I know I should be sick of this song by now, but I'm not. I like this acoustic cover a lot, I think he sounds a little bit like Finn from Glee and who doesn't like that?! 

Kelly Clarkson is a Goddess!!

Thursday, January 26th, my sister and I went to see the Kelly Clarkson tour at the Wang Theater in Boston. We had so much fun as we were sitting next to this guy who was obsessed with her and was hilarious. The audience stood the whole time and sang along to everything. She seriously might be the cutest person ever as evidenced by her funny conversations with the audience. She also has good taste as she admitted that she wants the Patriots to win the Super Bowl. (I believe she is singing the national anthem at it). Below is her setlist that she had the fans help put together. She is such a fan friendly artist and wanted to put together a tour where she sang everyone's favorite songs. I can't even pick a favorite Kelly Clarkson song because there are so many that I love. She now has five albums and they were all represented in some way. I have no idea how she can sing this many songs every night and make them all sound incredible, but she achieved it.

SETLIST

1. Dark Side
2. Behind These Hazel Eyes
3. Since U Been Gone
4. Gone
5. You Love Me
6. Heavy In Your Arms (Florence and the Machine cover)
7. What About Love? (Heart Cover)
8. Medley: The Trouble With Love Is/Walk Away/How I Feel/I Want You
9. I Know You Won’t (Carrie Underwood Cover)
10. Don’t You Wanna Stay (With Jason Aldean)
11. Let Me Down
12. I Forgive You
13. Already Gone
14. Breakaway
15. You Still Won’t Know What It’s Like
16. What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger)
17. My Life Would Suck Without You

Encore18. Never Again (iTunes Session Version)
19. Because of You
20. Mr. Know It All
21. Miss Independent 

Here are videos of my favorite performances of the night. Everything she sang was amazing so I picked the ones that were a little different sounding or some special covers I hadn't heard before.

1. Never Again

Kelly listened when one of her fans advised her to sing this song with a piano. The result sounds much better than when she released it as a single. A lot of the audience picked this as their favorite song of the night.

2. Heavy in Your Arms (cover of Florence and the Machine)

I love Florence and the Machine but I had never heard this song before. I guess it is from the Twilight soundtrack. Anyway, both versions (Florence and Kelly's) are amazing so if you haven't heard this song before either, I suggest you check it out.

3. I Know You Won't (cover of Carrie Underwood)

I adore this song from both singers but I love hearing a new take on it. Kelly's version is a bit bluesier than Carrie's. She said that the second she heard Carrie sing it she wished it had been her song. Both versions are lovely.

4. What About Love (cover of Heart)

Kelly said she likes to make each concert a little bit different and surprising, so she takes one fan request per show. For our show, a fan requested this song on Twitter and Kelly delivered. Give it a listen.

Mia's Story

Today my adorable niece Mia came over and wanted to share a story with everyone. Isn't she a cutie??

State of the Union Address

Ooh oops, I'm not talking about that State of the Union address, I'm talking about Ellen DeGeneres' state of the Union.

She has a lot of valid concerns about our country, none of them being political. For example people really shouldn't say "liberry" and 3 year olds should stop with "pisghetti." I'm just saying.

Watch the video below:

Poetry Snippets

Sometimes I like to live in my own little world of romantic poetry and fantasies. Below is a beautiful one.

She Walks in Beauty

Lord Byron

She walks in beauty, like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellow'd to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,

Had half impair'd the nameless grace

Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face;

Where thoughts serenely sweet express

How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,

So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,

The smiles that win, the tints that glow,

But tell of days in goodness spent,

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent!

This poem was published in 1815 as part of Byron's volume Hebrew Melodies. There are a few theories regarding who the subject of the poem is. It may be about a beautiful woman Byron met at a ball or about his half-sister, Augusta. Either way this is an elaborate compliment, and I think that guys should bring back the art of romantic poetry writing. No one would mind receiving a poem like this.

I did some research about the poem and learned that when the first line of a poem is presented with no punctuation but is followed by a line that will clarify the previous statement, it is referred to as an "enjambment." Byron used this tool to emphasize the word "meet" which is the premise of the entire poem. Opposites "meet" in this woman (light and dark). Her face contains alabaster skin, yet she has raven hair. Her eyes are a meeting of white iris with dark eyes. 

Byron notes that her thoughts are pure and good, which makes her even more desirable. Uma Kuthakas notes that the reference to her angelic looks gives the reader a window into her morality as a person, and enhances her beauty all the more. The contrast of light and dark is used to convey the soft beauty of the woman, without overdoing it. 

Tuesday Tunes

I know these songs aren't exactly new, they are just the ones I've been listening to recently. I really like depressing or angry music just to warn you. 

Sara Bareilles-Gravity

This song is just so beautiful. It's like a dream. Favorite lyric: 

You loved me 'cause I'm fragile.

When I thought that I was strong.

                     But you touch me for a little while and all my fragile strength is gone.

Airborne Toxic Event-All I Ever Wanted

I know this is a very depressing song but at least it's upbeat. I love the way they can describe a situation. You can almost picture the narrator talking to this girl and saying all these awful things that are on his mind as she is sleeping. 

Kelly Clarkson-You Love Me

A Nice Tell Off song per usual Kelly.

Favorite Lyric: 

You say I'm not good enough, I'm not good enough

But what you really mean is you're not good enough, you're not good enough

You can't deliver so you turn it around

Florence & The Machine-Howl

I love Florence & The Machine's new CD Ceremonials, but this song is still one of my favorites. I remember jamming out to this in Nick Pick's car all the time. He was always trying to talk and be serious and I would just crank up the volume. (Maybe that's why he never wants to hang out anymore). 

Favorite Lyric:

The fabric of your flesh, pure as a wedding dress

Until I wrap myself inside your arms I cannot rest

My Favorite Look from the Golden Globes

My favorite look from the Golden Globes last night was Kate Beckinsale who wore Roberto Cavalli. If I am ever lucky enough to attend something as exciting as the Golden Globes, this is exactly the look I would wish to have. The floor length gown is classic and elegant, and I adore the nude hue.  

She kept her hair and makeup very simple and pretty. She chose a classic updo that had great volume and paired it with shimmering eyes and a glossy lip. I also really love her choice of jewelry because those earrings are gorgeous. 

Twin Appeal

For as long as I can remember, I have always loved television shows that involved twins, and I pretty much always love the evil twin. 


PAST:

Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen

I couldn't just pick one of their shows because naturally I have enjoyed all of their series and movies. I also could not pick a favorite twin here because they are both so perfect. Some of their classic movies include:

It Takes Two 

For a while my sister and I watched this movie every morning before school. Nothing grossed me out more than the sloppy joe scene though. 

The Case of Thorn Mansion (Funky Musicology)

For all of you interested readers, this was my favorite of the adventures of Mary Kate and Ashley series. They solved any crime by dinner time. 

The Sleepover Party

I seriously feel so bad for our middle school friends who we tortured with this video just because we thought it was the funniest thing ever. The worst acting, worst songs, and most annoying casting ever made it one of our favorites to watch over and over again. I seriously cannot stand that girl Kara's voice. 

Our First Video "Brother for Sale"

This video really made me and my sister want to sell our brother. We are still kind of wondering what we can get for him. 


Of course there are dozens more classic Mary Kate and Ashley videos, but I will stop torturing you for now. 

Sister Sister 

For those of you who may have missed this gem, it centered around the twins Tia Landry and Tamera Mowry who had been adopted by different parents when they were babies and accidentally reunite as teenagers. Since we started watching it my sister and I often address each other by singing the theme song. My favorite twin is definitely Tia. Tamera was too flighty and out of control for me. Below is probably one of my favorite episodes although most of you may find it to be torture:

 

  

PRESENT:

Ringer

Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as twins Bridget and Siobhan. I will give you a little background although it is confusing. Bridget is a recovering drug addict and prostitute who witnessed a murder and was in danger because of it. She heads off to reunite with her twin sister Siobhan whom she had been feuding with. Siobhan never told anyone in her new life that she even had a sister. Once they meet up Siobhan fakes her death and Bridget assumes her identity believing that she really is dead. You really need to see it to understand it better, but it is fast paced and addicting. My favorite twin here is Siobhan because of her style and glamour. I'm not sure what she's hiding up her sleeve but it's got to be good.

The Lying Game

This show is on abc family and no it is not just for teens. It follows the story of Emma and Sutton. Something shady occurred at their birth and they were put into separate foster homes. Sutton lucked out and ended up with the wealthy Mercer family. Emma became a child who did not leave foster care. Sutton goes on a quest to discover her biological parents, and in doing so, locates her twin Emma. She invites Emma to meet up with her. Once she does, Sutton asks her to take over her life for a few days while she investigates more. However, a few days has now become weeks and Emma and Sutton's old boyfriend Ethan have fallen in love. Sutton is very angry with her and it will be interesting to see how that plays out. My favorite twin here would have to be Sutton because she is so in your face and snotty, plus her character delivers the best lines.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day I decided to reread his famous speech given years ago. The full text can be found here: I Have a Dream Speech

Favorite Lines

The whole speech is so beautiful and moving. Although I cannot imagine what the world was like for African Americans in 1963, some particular quotes really stand out to me:

"In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men, yes, black men as well as white men, would be guaranteed the unalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."

These were the words from the Constitution and it makes you wonder if our forefathers did indeed intend equality for all men as they stated or if they were just referring to white men. Either way they wrote the words "all men." In college we were always taught from Professor Deasy that the most important part of history are words and the way that people interpret words throughout time. These words in American's most popular document fueled MLK jr's rationale. 

"We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force. The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to a distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone."

MLK jr is credited for having a great character and this is evident in his non-violent approach to revolution. He deemed Jesus and Gandhi as two of his role models. If all the citizens in the world could adopt these principles we would feel a lot safer. Rather than killing or hurting one another with our words and actions, people could discuss their problems and come up with viable solutions. People would also look a lot classier and more dignified than when they turn to injurious means. 

"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."

To this day this is such a striking quote. There are some people who continue to judge others by their skin tone but to me this quote means even more. Sometimes we are quick to judge people based on any facet of their physical appearance rather than giving them the opportunity to prove they are of fine character. This is something we all can continue to work on. 

"And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!""

Such beautiful words and beautiful imagery. 

10 Lesser Known Facts About MLK Jr. (Taken from Here)

1. In 1934, five years after his birth, his family discovered Martin's name had been recorded wrong on his birth certificate. The certificate said Michael King, so his name had to be legally changed to Martin Luther King Jr.
2. In 1939, Martin sang with his church choir in Atlanta at the gala premiere of the movie Gone With The Wind.
3. He skipped the 9th and 12th grades in school and entered Moorehouse College at age 15.
4. He had Bachelor degrees in sociology and theology. In 1955 he received his PH. D. from Boston University.
5. From 1957 until his death in 1968, he traveled more than 6 million miles. He gave over 2500 speeches during his travels. He also wrote 5 books and had published countless numbers of articles in newspapers and magazines.
6. In 1964, at age 35, he was the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
7. According to a Gallup poll, King is the second most admired person in the 20th century.
8. In a contest sponsored by the Discovery Channel, he was voted the 3rd Greatest American of all time.
9. Presently there are 730+ U.S. cities that have streets named after King.
10. King is 1 of 10 20th century world martyrs who has a statue at Westminster Abbey.

Trying Out Legwarmers

For Christmas my mom bought me a pair of Simply Vera gray legwarmers. They looked really cute on the model in the package they came in, but I knew I needed some pointers in order to wear them without looking too strange. 

Therefore I quickly googled leg warmers and came up with some great style inspirations. Today I tried to achieve this look below. You wear skinny jeans, leggings, or pants with the leg warmers just peeking out of your boots. It is a safe way to try out leg warmers, which is what I liked about the look. 



















Next time I want to try out the look below where the leg warmer comes down over the boot. This is a little more adventurous but it looks adorable.

Jason Wu for Target

Below are my favorite looks from the Jason Wu for Target line available February 5th-March 6th. Overall I really liked the entire collection. The looks I was really drawn to are the ones which were  really romantic-looking and girly. The price range for the entire collection is between $19.99-$59.99 which is very affordable. Hope you enjoy!!

Song Obsession

Promises, Promises by Incubus. I really can't get this song out of my head. I love Brandon Boyd's voice and this song has very relatable lyrics for anyone who is fearful of getting into a serious relationship because they are nervous or have been hurt before. That's my interpretation anyway.    Have a listen. 

Favorite Healthy Snacks

Just in time to shape up for the new year I put together a list of some of my favorite quick healthy snacks of the moment. 

1.) Hard Boiled Eggs

I know these really gross some people out but I love them as a snack or as my breakfast for the day. They are easy to make ahead of time and they can last in the fridge for a few days. One egg only has 74 calories, is filling, and packs in a lot of protein and amino acids. There are websites out there dedicated to the wonders of eggs.

2.) Canned Beets

Recently I've been on a beets obsession. I only have the canned variety because I would have no idea what to do with an actual, live beet. I'm also afraid of the pickled variety, but none of that matters because regular canned beets are so delicious. They have a lot of fiber and can prevent certain cancers, anemia, heart diseases and gall bladder problems. Frankly I think they are a very overlooked vegetable and I'm going to learn how to do more with them. 

3.) Steamed Broccoli with Garlic

Although I did just proclaim my new love for beets, broccoli has always been my favorite vegetable, particularly when steamed. It's so easy to do with a microwaveable food steamer. Back in the day I used to just sprinkle on a dash of salt until my grandmother taught me how to make broccoli even more delicious. She informed me that I should add a drizzle of olive oil and a few shakes of garlic powder. Now I just can't get enough.

4.) Graham Cracker with Peanut Butter

This is such a satisfying snack. Graham Crackers are typically very low calorie, so a nice thin spread of all natural peanut butter and a few chocolate chips make for a low calorie, decadent dessert. The peanut butter adds fiber, protein, and a variety of nutrients including niacin, Vitamin E, calcium, copper, potassium, iron, and magnesium. Sure those things don't sound too delicious but they are great for your body!! (I know I'm lame). 

5.) Turkey Salsa Roll Up

This is as simple to make as the name suggests. I just grab a slice of deli sliced turkey, spoon some salsa in the middle, and roll it up. I am especially enamored with the Archer farms brand of salsa that you can purchase at Target. Pineapple and mango salsa is so delicious (and who could turn down an excuse to go to Target?!).

6.) Almonds

Almonds are a superfood so there should be no surprise that they made the list. They are the easiest snack to grab on the go and they can basically do everything. They are good for the brain, regulate cholesterol, boost energy, regulate blood pressure, improve skin care, etc. The list goes on and on. If almonds were a person you would hate them for being so perfect and able to do so many things. 

7.) Raisins

I really haven't been into fruits recently. However I have been eating a fair share of raisins daily so it is only fair to include them on the list. They are obviously not my favorite use of grapes (compared to wine they are nothing) but they are filling and healthy. They are also packed with antioxidants and fiber. I also love that they come in a little box and don't need to be peeled or cut. Other fruits can be so high maintenance.

Book Review of Before I Go To Sleep

Before I Go To Sleep
S.J. Watson


I just finished reading this page-turning psychological drama. Below is a brief synopsis of the plot from amazon.com:


Every day Christine wakes up not knowing where she is. Her memories disappear every time she falls asleep. Her husband, Ben, is a stranger to her, and he's obligated to explain their life together on a daily basis--all the result of a mysterious accident that made Christine an amnesiac. With the encouragement of her doctor, Christine starts a journal to help jog her memory every day. One morning, she opens it and sees that she's written three unexpected and terrifying words: "Don't trust Ben." Suddenly everything her husband has told her falls under suspicion. What kind of accident caused her condition? Who can she trust? Why is Ben lying to her? And, for the reader: Can Christine’s story be trusted? At the heart of S. J. Watson's Before I Go To Sleep is the petrifying question: How can anyone function when they can't even trust themselves? Suspenseful from start to finish, the strength of Watson's writing allows Before I Go to Sleep to transcend the basic premise and present profound questions about memory and identity. One of the best debut literary thrillers in recent years, Before I Go to Sleep deserves to be one of the major blockbusters of the summer. --Miriam Landis


I must add that this book was so addicting that I completely lost track of time whenever I continued reading it. At one point I almost forgot to go to sleep because I was so engrossed and now I feel a strong desire to see the movie Memento. The book becomes most interesting when you take a turn as the reader to consider yourself as the main character. It is terrifying but thought-provoking to imagine a life where you wake up each day with no knowledge of your past days or the people involved in your life who know more about you than you know about yourself. It is a horrifying thought, and the truth remains that there are people out there who have varying degrees of amnesia. 

Although the premise may be considered rather unrealistic or unusual, the author does provide a clear picture of the character's thoughts and motivations throughout the novel allowing the reader to accept it as truth. I still had a few questions after finishing the book, but I like that I was left still wanting more.


Overall this was a very satisfying read, and I found it to be an entertaining departure from my current trend of reading nonfiction books. 

This Week in Speech

Coming back from break I didn't want to overexert the students, so for some of the language groups we played a game called Huggermugger. Prior to Thanksgiving I had never even heard of this game. However, my friend's boyfriend (the wonderful Scott "Elbow") was kind enough to send it to me as a Christmas present, and so I decided to put it to good use.

The point of the game is to ultimately guess the Five Letter Mystery Word. In order to do so, you must travel around a game board answering questions that fall into the following categories: Defining Words, Random Questions, Spelling Words, and Unscrambling Words. It is a great game for building vocabulary and talking about word associations. It is also a good exercise to improve oral comprehension of language. Too bad it is hard to find on the internet. I was lucky to have someone send it to me because now when I search for it on google all I can find are some yoga mats.