Hopefully they have crosswords, too.

Yes, three of them, plus Sudoku and Kenken. But no Jumble. Oh, and the bridge column!

 

Yes, three of them, plus Sudoku and Kenken. But no Jumble. Oh, and the bridge column!

 

Bridge seems very cliche of you...

 

Yes, three of them, plus Sudoku and Kenken. But no Jumble. Oh, and the bridge column!

I thought your brother was the bridge player? You too?

I thought your brother was the bridge player? You too?

He plays way better than me. I'm not even sure I could be a moderate player. I don't know all the lingo and conventions and just bid according to what I think I can take, so real players are annoyed with me.

 

He plays way better than me. I'm not even sure I could be a moderate player. I don't know all the lingo and conventions and just bid according to what I think I can take, so real players are annoyed with me.

Well, here's some more Christmas music. Annoyance is a thing best shared.

 

Why is it that the best Christmas music is from 50-60 years ago? Nobody's creative or good enough to usurp the classics from Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Sinatra? 

 

Why is it that the best Christmas music is from 50-60 years ago? Nobody's creative or good enough to usurp the classics from Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and Sinatra? 

I think you missed a couple of centuries.

 

I'm wrapping up production on a 5-song Christmas album right now. Quite a bit of fun. 

 

I'm wrapping up production on a 5-song Christmas album right now. Quite a bit of fun. 

Tell us more.

 

I'm wrapping up production on a 5-song Christmas album right now. Quite a bit of fun. 

A Very Dinger Christmas.... Can't wait to get my hands on a CD! 

 

A Very Dinger Christmas.... Can't wait to get my hands on a CD! 

PM me your address and I'll make sure you get a copy. 

I bought/downloaded the new Pentatonix Christmas album, but haven't played it yet.

I used to like Pentatonix a lot more than I do now....the early stuff was innovative takes, with reggae and other sounds. Now? Meh.....

 

Also, I'm so done with religious xmas music....

 

Tell us more.

It's all a big scam to take care of everyone on my Christmas list without spending a lot of money. But, I ended up putting a ton of time into it this past month and it actually sounds pretty good. Four original compositions and one cover. Jangly rock and roll. 

 

It's all a big scam to take care of everyone on my Christmas list without spending a lot of money. But, I ended up putting a ton of time into it this past month and it actually sounds pretty good. Four original compositions and one cover. Jangly rock and roll. 

 

On youtube soon? Pretty please?

 

On youtube soon? Pretty please?

Spotify maybe. 

 

Spotify maybe. 

 

cool!

I used to like Pentatonix a lot more than I do now....the early stuff was innovative takes, with reggae and other sounds. Now? Meh.....

 

Also, I'm so done with religious xmas music....

I bought it for their rendition of 'Hallelujah' which I find funny that people think is super religious because I don't think it truly is. But I was in a Christmas music mood, so clicked on the download album and not just that one track.

See, I'm an unbeliever but could (and have) listened to Gregorian Chants for hours. And Buddhist throat singing. Not because it's divine, but because it's human.

 

See, I'm an unbeliever but could (and have) listened to Gregorian Chants for hours. And Buddhist throat singing. Not because it's divine, but because it's human.

 

Agreed, but there is only so much xmas music I can take.....though I can only handle throat singing in small batches. I actually like some chants for sure also, but that's mostly for meditation. 

See, I'm an unbeliever but could (and have) listened to Gregorian Chants for hours. And Buddhist throat singing. Not because it's divine, but because it's human.

My massage therapists plays a lot of that stuff when she works on me. I do find it ... relaxing ... in some ways.

On my Facebook the last few years, I've started on the first Sunday of Advent and posted a song each day. They're primarily vocal groups, but I usually work in classics as well - Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, John Lennon's "Happy XMas", etc. I continue through Epiphany, so it's a good amount of songs to get there. I decided Tuesdays would be my "silly seasonal songs" day this year, and this was my first one:

 

https://youtu.be/oyWiDLMe2BU

 

I bought it for their rendition of 'Hallelujah' which I find funny that people think is super religious because I don't think it truly is. But I was in a Christmas music mood, so clicked on the download album and not just that one track.

 

It's Biblical, but it's not exactly the message many feel it is.

It's Biblical, but it's not exactly the message many feel it is.

I think he's using Biblical imagery but for non-religious purposes. But whatever. I just kind of laugh to myself when my super religious friends play/share that song to spread the Good Word.

 

I think he's using Biblical imagery but for non-religious purposes. But whatever. I just kind of laugh to myself when my super religious friends play/share that song to spread the Good Word.

 

The story of David and Bathsheba isn't exactly a shining moment of religiosity, that's for certain!

Well, gang, here it is...

 

 

Gotta say, this was/is  quite a bit of fun.

 

We went right up to the deadline, so all the licensing rigmarole would push a Spotify release out to February. I don't have much interest in that at this time. 

 

I'll probably have a bunch of hard copies left over after the holidays, though, so if anyone's actually interested, I can bring a few to the Meltdown.  

FYI: Prince's music is now officially streaming on both iHeart Radio and Spotify! 

Let's Go Crazy! Let's Get Nuts on Price music! 

 

Okay ... top ten songs of all time. Or it could be your top ten favorite songs. Four just isn't any easy number to deal with, especially on a desert island.

Also, because our interests and enjoyment of music always evolves, my current top 10 in no particular order:

Cake - Never There

Incubus - Just a Phase

Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Blue On Black

Grouplove - Welcome To Your Life
NEEDTOBREATHE - Great Night

Weezer - King of the World

Courtney Barnett - Nobody Really Cares If You Don't Go to the Party

Wolf Alice - Moaning Lisa Smile

Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - Never Go Back

Kings of Leon - Red Morning Light

A friend of mine on FB recently asked for suggestions of music with various criteria. It had me going through my entire library and then some, refreshing my like, love or the opposite for various songs and artists. So much so, that I charged up the iPod and have been doing a lot of listening at work. One of colleagues today greeted me this morning when I came in this morning with my earbuds in place with the question, 'Are you going to wear those things for the rest of your career? I find it very rude and I am personally offended!' He was serious and incredibly confrontational and '*******-ish' in his manner. Keep in mind, we don't work on projects jointly and I'm currently doing a huge proof-reading project. Most of the time the three of us are at our desks working on our own projects in silence most of the time anyway with little need for true collegial interaction; if that were the case of course I'd remove them. Keep in mind also that I don't tune out the world like this often, but on occasion. And it does help me focus. Also keep in mind, I never have the volume very loud so I can still hear what's going on around me; and I don't keep them in during rehearsals. So, that's my music story of the day. But just after this happened (my response was that it wasn't my intent to offend and that listening to music like this helped me focus), two songs later was 'You Don't Own Me' by Leslie Gore.

 

But back to thre Facebook story, I've been listening to a lot of Amy Winehouse lately as a result. And my continued appreciation for these guys ... a bluegrass band from Finland doing rock covers ... enjoy:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e4Ao-iNPPUc

A friend of mine on FB recently asked for suggestions of music with various criteria. It had me going through my entire library and then some, refreshing my like, love or the opposite for various songs and artists. So much so, that I charged up the iPod and have been doing a lot of listening at work. One of colleagues today greeted me this morning when I came in this morning with my earbuds in place with the question, 'Are you going to wear those things for the rest of your career? I find it very rude and I am personally offended!' He was serious and incredibly confrontational and '*******-ish' in his manner. Keep in mind, we don't work on projects jointly and I'm currently doing a huge proof-reading project. Most of the time the three of us are at our desks working on our own projects in silence most of the time anyway with little need for true collegial interaction; if that were the case of course I'd remove them. Keep in mind also that I don't tune out the world like this often, but on occasion. And it does help me focus. Also keep in mind, I never have the volume very loud so I can still hear what's going on around me; and I don't keep them in during rehearsals. So, that's my music story of the day. But just after this happened (my response was that it wasn't my intent to offend and that listening to music like this helped me focus), two songs later was 'You Don't Own Me' by Leslie Gore.

 

But back to thre Facebook story, I've been listening to a lot of Amy Winehouse lately as a result. And my continued appreciation for these guys ... a bluegrass band from Finland doing rock covers ... enjoy:

We're friends? Cool. Or was that someone else, and my ego is too big?