Well, maybe not all of them.  No offense, but I would be happy if I never heard “Feliz Navidad“, especially the Jose Feliciano version,ever again.  But that one song aside, I start listening to Christmas music and holiday tunes at the start of November and stop after the twelve days of Christmas are over on January 5th (where do you think “Twelfth Night” came from folks?).

My moniker came from my days working at Dayton’s/Field’s/Macy’s and every time a song came on the Muzak I could name not only the song but singer in just a few notes, Bill Cullen would be proud.

I can tell the difference between Bing Crosby, Andy Williams, Tony Bennett and Perry Como singing the exact same song.  Now with all the modern & country singers jumping into the holiday music pool it has become more difficult and my skills have begun to wane, especially since I no longer work retail, but my holiday music collection will still rival many.

Combined cassette, vinyl and CD there are over 200 albums in the collection. Perhaps the most prized is the ”Merry Christmas with the Brady Bunch” Original Vinyl (we three sisters wore similar robes). You haven’t heard anything until you have heard Cindy Brady sing “Frosty the Snowman” with a lisp.

Then there is the Fred Waring Singers with Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby 12 Songs of Christmas with my favorites “Go tell it on the Mountain” & a fantastic duet “We wish you the Merriest” with Frank & Bing.  Then there is the Columbia Records “Magic of Christmas” 3- record boxed set which I loved,  and all the Dean Martin Christmas albums, those are mum’s, but we kept the old Soundesign stereo turntable just so we could still play them.  And get this, we even still have a Bing Crosby White Christmas 8-Track somewhere! 

As for modern CD’s I think I like the Barenaked Ladies “Bare Naked for the Holidays” (includes some Hanukkah songs) and Harry Connick Jr’s “Harry for the Holidays” or his more recent “”What a Night.”  Brian Setzer Orchestra’s “Boogie Woogie Christmas” or “Dig that Crazy Christmas” are the two I own but he has also released several more including a live two CD set “Christmas Extravaganza.”

Leonard Slatkin Conducted Minnesota Orchestra Nutcracker Suite

Check them out!

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I learned recently that the jazz trio will not be playing this Thanksgiving weekend.  To make matters worse, no one knows when or where they will play next.  By the way, If you have never listened to Happy Apple you should take the time to treat your soul and discover them.  

A few weeks ago I wanted to check on the details of their next show.  With no concert dates on their website or  myspace, I became deeply concerned and was in a foul mood for days.   I eventually decided to stop thinking about it and that perhaps they just hadn’t taken the time to update their websites in a while, it happens.

Then the following Friday, I saw saxophonist Michael Lewis out and about in Minneapolis.  I just had to ask him whether I was being paranoid or if in fact there were no upcoming shows.  He confirmed the latter and I returned to my sad state of mind.  

This isn’t to say the world is doomed never to hear Happy Apple live again, but simply that the group is comprised of three very busy and talented musicians with many places to go and things to do.  This Thanksgiving will not be quite as magical as it could be.

Reflection

SOTC has NEMAA Fall Fine Arts Show and an interesting conversation about the light rail, Gentrification Via Light Rail.

Minnpost has a must read with the judges talking – Small-fee case explodes: Minnesota justices direct judicial anger at Pawlenty and Legislature

the most remarkable piece of the package is raucous, angry concurrence by Justice Paul Anderson. Anderson sides with Magnuson, which makes his the deciding vote in favor of the deal. The license fee is necessary for the maintenance of “a civilized society,” Anderson says. But the price he exacts for his vote is a fierce lecture about how government ought to function. He ratifies the deal, then denounces it as necessitated by the “unfortunate impasse” between Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the DFL Legislature. But “unfortunate impasse” is pale language compared to what happens when Anderson gets warmed up.

Seriously, read the entire article and the links.

Derusha has a great read on What is and what isn’t terrorism. Did you know there are 109 kinds?

Though, I don’t think cancelling interviews is one of the 109, nor is Friday the 13th, but Sanden of InTheLoop fame doesn’t need Friday the 13th or terrorism to feel the effects of a tough week.

Can we reschedule?

Well, it looks like today isn’t that unlucky for the IntheLoop’ers after all as they have a Joa Cao song going viral in Louisiana

What are you talking about?

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Image hands of a princess- autumn day in the park Uploaded on November 8, 2009 by cichlee {novella}

Amazing detail in tatoos. I love that even without much English, she understood I wanted a closeup of her hands. So beautiful to a midwest girl like me. I’ve lived abroad and had people talk at me in languages I didn’t understand. It was interesting to do this here.

Mayor RT Rybak declared today Suicide Commandos Day.

You get to pick out a handmade bowl (donated by local artists), make a free-will donation, enjoy homemade soup and leave with your bowl — now empty. It’s a reminder that there are bowls that need filling in the area, and that you’ve done something to help.

The proceeds will benefit organizations who literally fill bowls…the food shelf at the Division of Indian Work, Sisters Camelot and the Powderhorn Park kitchen upgrade.

Has anyone gone before? What was your experience?

I think this next item is really cool, Bob Collins and Mary Lucia have put their 5:15 segment online. I know with many folk Bob and Mary can inspire a love’em or hate’em situation, well you can put me in the love’em camp.
MPR News Cut: Fresh Eye on the Radio
Give it a listen.

*Update*Speaking of MPR,if you haven’t seen David Brauer’s, of Minnpost, piece on MPR Executive Pay check it out, especially the comments.

While Secrets of the City has art The Affair
AND
scandalOnline Protest Promotes Viewer Interaction

Citypages trys to help out Snoop, who was in town last night, with Advice for Snoop Dogg on getting high in the Twin Cities

My only advice to the Snoop Dogg would be don’t exhale, but I’ll bet he knows that already.

Since Crazy stays crazy

I’ll close it out with: Smart went crazy

Lake Harriet Bandshell uploaded by cichlee {novella}

Just the other day I was contemplating, much like the above image, about bringing on even more authors.

Unlike the beautiful image above I wasn’t enjoying the serene beauty of our lakes, I was being tossed out of a car at 50mph for not paying a debt in a timely fashion. ( Grandmas, what are you going to do right? )

That’s when it hit me, the road. Just kidding, it was the car behind us. No really, I think it was Bob Dylan on a motorscooter.

I digress.

What I really mean to say is more awesome writers!

Jon will be covering local outdoors, biking, and whatever else catches his interest.

Meghan likes to write about music and set things on fire. She can actually burn down a rock pile with just an ice cube and flynt.

And last to the party will be, Kara who will be starting mid-November and is going to take up the helm of fashion and intrigue . You may know Kara from MnDaily where she’s been rocking the fashion scene.

Please treat the new authors right, they are friendly, but armed and extremely dangerous.

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Image uploaded by Minneapolis Institure o Farts errr misread that Minneapolis Institure of Arts

The Doryphoros
120-50 B.C.
Pentelic marble
78 x 19 x 19 in. (198.12 x 48.26 x 48.26 cm)
Greece, Europe
The John R. Van Derlip Fund and Gift of funds from Bruce B. Dayton
86.6
On view at the MIA

HOW To Install Wallpaper on Your iPhone:
1. In Flickr, go to the screen that gives you the option for ‘medium’ or ‘original image’ sizes. Click ‘Original Size’
2. Tap and hold your finger on the image. When you see a pop-up box, choose ‘Save Image’
3. Go to your iPhone’s Camera Roll, choose the photo, tap the Action icon, then tap ‘Use As Wallpaper’

[Ok, I'll grow up now]

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