He's got some moves

For a presidential candidate.

So long and good night

I want my funeral, when I have one, which will hopefully be 100 years from now, to be just like this:




Chunky little Gerard Way serenading me and all. Have I mentioned that they're from NJ? Sigh. I love them.

love is not a victory march

I've decided that "Hallelujah" is one of the most perfect songs ever. And it's amazing how many people have covered it. The first one I ever heard was Jeff Buckley's, so of course, it will always be my favorite...also because it's just obscenely beautiful. But I'm also kind of in love with kd lang's version, and of course Rufus Wainwright's. I can't say I'm crazy about Leonard Cohen's original, but he did write the song, so I respect him for that. I also wouldn't say I'm a huge fan of the Bon Jovi version, but it's not the worst I've heard, and I'll at least give them credit for having good taste in covers. Oh and last but not least, there's John Cale's version in Shrek. Which I love because hey, it's Shrek.

O Come, All Ye Faithful

Nothing has seemed less important over the last six months than updating my blog. But lately, I’ve been thinking about it again. Sometimes, I miss posting whatever YouTube video I’m obsessed with at the moment (currently: Finger Eleven, "Paralyzer") or some bit of randomness from my day. So here I am, trying to make a comeback.

My last post—which I have not even looked back on since I posted it, that I remember, but then, things have been a bit of a blur—asked for prayers for my mother and I am sure that all of them came through because in a few days, after just shy of four full months of hospitalization, she will be coming home. She will not be the same person she was; none of us will. But she will be home, and for now, that is an improvement.

I had the whole story of it typed out here, the details of what happened to her. But reading back on it, it just seemed too personal. My mother is charmingly lacking in social etiquette at times, and I’m sure would tell you at the drop of a hat about all that has happened to her. But I just don’t think it’s appropriate for me to do here.

The long and short of it is, she almost died. A few times over. But, she didn’t. She should have, and she didn’t. I thank God for that, because I know he heard my many, many prayers. I know that when I asked him to allow me to talk to her just one more time that day, he heard me. I know this because it happened.

This all may sound disjointed, but that’s just how it is. Some days, I am in tears because of the tragedy of it all, because everything has changed, and there will be no going back; some days, I cry because I feel so profoundly honored to be able to care for my mother, to be there when she needs me the most, to prove to her, myself and the world that I am loyal, reliable, a good daughter, a good human being. Some days, I cry out of frustration—with her for getting sick (irrational, I know), with the healthcare system for being so awfully disorganized and unhelpful, with life for not being easy. Occasionally, there are days when I smile and laugh, and feel as though everything is going just as it should be. Those, I haven’t quite figured out yet.

So that’s my story, vague as it is. Perhaps on another day, I will have more coherent thoughts about it all, and maybe I'll share them. I really would like to be able to convey just what an enormous spectrum my emotions, my psyche and my spirit have gone through since June 20, 2007. But right now, there are no words to suffice. One day. One day they will come.

For now, here: Have some YouTube.



(It's Jason Mraz, by the way. Recording gospel Xmas songs for his Nanny. Because he's that awesome.)

Gonna get to know you in a special way

The best song Madonna ever did. (And the best movie, of course.) Heard it on the radio on my way to work this morning and it significantly improved my mood, even for a Monday.

Checkitout...my first embedded Youtube video! I'm so 2006!

New Best Song Ever

And the video's good, too: Ima Robot: "Creeps Me Out".

All this love, girl, it creeps me out. Awesome.

Also, the video: it's a big game of musical chairs, which was one of my most-hated games I was forced to play in grade school. Seriously, even in like kindergarten, whenever I had to play it I spent the whole time thinking, Why do I have to compete like this for some stinking chair that I don't even want? I don't give a crap about getting a chair. This is b.s. What can I say--I was an angry toddler with a good understanding of the ridiculous.

Even so, I do enjoy the last "showdown" scene in the video. Is funny. Especially the winner's clapping and giggling.

Yes, I'm obssessed with YouTube

How come I never knew this existed? George Michael and Mary J. Blige's cover of "As". One of the best, most beautiful songs ever (bad recording of Stevie Wonder's awesome original here).

Back when I was doing wedding videos for a part-time living, I did one where they used that song (the Stevie Wonder version) for the groom/mother dance, and it freaking made me cry. It was so unusual (people usually used "Wind Beneath My Wings" or some Kenny Rogers song or some generic, DJ-suggested crap) (no offense, Bette Midler) and so beautiful and I still think of it every time I hear it.

And heck, here is Mary J. Blige's fairly heartwrenching cover (okay, cover featuring U2) of U2's "One," another one of the best songs ever written.

Oh no not me, I'm not too late.

Why did this song just pop in my head about 10 minutes ago? I have no idea, but god bless YouTube for providing me with a video of it to rock out to quietly, behind my desk:

Duran Duran--"Friends of Mine" Live 1999.

I remember that concert. Well, not that concert, but I did see them on the same tour. I remember Simon's cowboy hat. He was lookin pretty fine then...the middle aged spread hadn't yet set in...

While you're at it, watch this one, too: Duran Duran--"Burning the Ground". I remember listening to that one on cassette tape in my Walkman way back when...it was a rare single (Maybe a b-side? Okay, who remembers when there were b-sides?) that was never played on the radio (and I guess I never found it in any of the local record stores)...so somehow I'd managed to tape (VHS!) the video when it was on MTV once, and I recorded the audio off of there. Ahhhh I am so old! Cassettes and VHS and MTV playing rare single videos!

Speaking of old, Duran Duran is playing around here in a couple weeks, and I'm not going...because it's in Atlantic City (3-ish hours away) and the only tickets left are for the standing area in the back of the theater's balcony. I'm not driving that long to stand in the back of a balcony. I am just. too. old. Hopefully, they will make it back to NY sometime soon.

Okay, just one more: Arcadia--"Goodbye Is Forever". A good song by one of the Duran Duran offshoot bands. They were so goth.

And holy crap, for comparison? A super old "Friends of Mine" video. And a live version from 1982. Oh, the 80s-ness of it all.

Wow. I love YouTube.