Best Christmas Songs

I'm a huge fan of Christmas music.  I usually try to avoid Christmas anything before Thanksgiving, but I listened to my Christmas CD two days before Thanksgiving this year. So I'm ranking my ten favorite Christmas tunes, which is a lot cooler than ranking Christmas movies. 

10. Do You Hear What I Hear?

In third grade, I played the star in the Mt. Washington Elementary Christmas play.  By that, I mean that I wore a sweatsuit with stars on it and carried the Star of Bethlehem on a pole.  This was the song playing when I walked out, so it holds a dear place in my heart.

9. Mary, Did You Know?

If you have ever seen the Christmas play at First Baptist Church in Mt. Washington, then this may be one of your favorites, too.  Every year, I looked forward to Eric Rouse singing this song. They stopped doing the Christmas play last year, so I will probably never hear his wonderful rendition again. :(

8. Merry Christmas from the Family

I was listening to the Dixie Chicks version of this song before I was even old enough to be allowed to hear it.  It's hilarious and sort of reminds me of my extended family.

7. O Come All Ye Faithful

This is another song I learned from being in the elementary Christmas plays.  I also loved when Hanson sang it in a Christmas medley. Anything that Hanson sings is okay in my book.

6. I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day

This song says the word "peace" a lot. I like peace.  I also like Casting Crowns singing this song.  

 

5. New Again

I'm not really sure if it's a Christmas song, but it's on Sara Evans' Christmas CD and on the radio this time of year.  The message is amazing and it's a beautiful song.  Also, I sang it at Calvary's Christmas 10:55 with some incredibly talented musicians, so that was awesome.

4. Little Drummer Boy

This has been a favorite since I was super young.  I love when Josh Groban sings it.  It is also Angela's (The Office) all-time favorite song and my mom's favorite Christmas song.

3. Breath of Heaven

This song is just so pretty and another favorite from First Baptist's Christmas play.  The Jessica Simpson version is horrible, though.  Always go for Amy Grant.

2. O Holy Night

I almost always get chills from this song. The Barlow Girl version is amazing, but I like this song no matter who sings it.  

1.  Carol of the Bells

Nothing gets me in the Christmas spirit like Trans-Siberian Orchestra's "Carol of the Bells". When I hear this song, I know I'm ready for Christmas.  Nothing can beat this one.  Except maybe hearing it live.  Hopefully that will happen next year.

Trying to be a rational consumer

I'm contemplating an investment that I never thought would cross my mind.  I might buy a bicycle. But here's the deal...I didn't even like riding bikes as a child. Also, I don't even know if I could still ride one.  As of late, I've been thinking about this investment every time I see a bike (which is pretty often on a campus the size of UK's).  And since most aspects of my life involve some sort of list-making, of course I made a pro/con list. 

Pro

1. I HATE driving.

2. I could get to class much faster.

3. CO2 emission from cars is bad news.

4.  Bikes are 2/3 more efficient than cars (Yes, I looked that up).

5.  I can skip a lot of Lexington traffic by riding a bike.

6.  I would get more exercise.

7. I will save a ton of money on gas.

Con

1.  I don't know if I could still ride one.

2. I don't understand the bike laws.

3.  I don't think I could make it up the hill on Rose Street.  Seriously. 

4. Those tiny bike lanes sort of terrify me.  Streets without a bike lane would be even more terrifying.

5. It will mess my hair up.  

6.  I would have to spend a considerable amount of money to purchase a bike. 

I guess the pros outweigh the cons, just barely, but I'm still a little uneasy about it.  If anyone wants to give insight regarding my possible investment or wants to take me bike shopping, please feel free to do so.

Never thought I'd be on a boat

     In a few hours, I will be heading to the airport to catch a plane to Fort Lauderdale to board a cruise ship.  Many of my friends went on amazing mission trips or worked Christian camps this summer, but I'm spending a mass amount of money to take a cruise.  I'm okay with that, though.  I've never been on a cruise, nor out of the country, so it's an opportunity that I've always missed out on.  Also, I've worked really hard in school and at my job this summer, and a relaxing break is definitely in need.

     Besides the luxury of tanning all day and eating at buffets all day, I'm really excited to spend some  alone time with God.  I know I'll have two other people with me, but I really want to devote a lot of time to God and prayer, and hopefully I'll get some alone time to do that, because I really feel like I need it right now.

     We have wireless internet on the boat, so I will possibly get a chance to write about any exciting adventures.  If not, I will return in five days, hopefully relaxed and spiritually rejuvenated. 

So, what kind of music do you like?

     I was talking with some people about favorites the other day.  My friend, Ben, loves favorites.  He ranks everything into Favorite lists.  If you asked who is favorite band is, he could tell you.  He could tell you his top 20 favorite songs of all-time.  He could even tell you the list of his favorite professors from UK.  

     That isn't me at all.  I have trouble choosing one thing over another and I like way too many things to have favorites.  I do know that music is one of my favorite things in the world, though, so I've really been trying to create rankings of my favorite music.  Here's what I came up with:

Top 10 Favorite Artists:

1. Joshua Radin

2. Shinedown

3. John Mayer

4. Billy Joel

5. Bed Light for Blue Eyes

6. The Beatles

7. Nickel Creek

8. New Found Glory

9. Dave Barnes

10. Ron Pope

Top 25 Favorite Songs

1. Winter-Joshua Radin

2. Glycerine-Bush

3. Dear Angel-April Sixth

4. Hallelujah-There's 100 covers of this, but I like Kate Voegele's or Rufus Wainwright's

5. Unchained Melody-The Righteous Brothers

6. Slow Dancing in a Burning Room-John Mayer

7. Mighty to Save-Hillsong United

8. The Fear You Won't Fall-Joshua Radin

9. Fireflies-Ron Pope

10. Dulcimer Street-Vaughn

11. Samson-Regina Spektor

12. You Don't Know Me-Ben Folds ft. Regina Spektor

13. White Houses-Vanessa Carlton

14. Here Comes the Sun-The Beatles

15. Best Days-Matt White

16. Tonight-FM Static

17.  Burning Bright-Shinedown

18. Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows-Brand New

19. Nineteen Stars-Meg & Dia

20. River of Dreams-Billy Joel

21. Two Princes-Spin Doctors

22. Wish You Were Here-Pink Floyd

23. You and Me-Lifehouse

24. Here's Looking at you, Kid-Corey Crowder

25. Unwinding Cable Car-Anberlin

Top 25 Favorite Albums

My Favorite Albums Ever.

1. New Found Glory-Catalyst

2. Beatles-Abbey Road

3. Joshua Radin-Simple Times

4. The Starting Line-Say it Like you Mean it

5. Shinedown-Sound of Madness

6. Bedlight for Blue Eyes-The Dawn

7. House of Shakira-Lint

8. Corey Smith-Hard Headed Fool

9. Emanuel-Soundtrack to a Headrush

10. Hanson-Middle of Nowhere 

12. Ron Pope-The Bedroom Demos

13. Signal Fading-Patiently Waiting

14. Breaking Benjamin-Phobia

15. Flyleaf-Flyleaf

16. Lifehouse-Sick Cycle Carousel

17. 21 Guns-Salute

18. Emerson Hart-Cigarettes and Gasoline

19. Alterbridge-One Day Remains

20. Lil Wayne-Tha Carter III

21. Kate Voegele-Don't Look Away

22. Yellowcard-Ocean Avenue

23. Meg & Dia-Something Real

24. Incubus-Make Yourself

25. Jason Mraz-We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.

My Blackberry saved the day.

I've gone to the dark side. Or maybe I've just caught up to speed with our fast-paced world.  I had a pretty miniscule dilemma this week that reminded me of how technologically dependent America has become. 

Call me old-fashioned, but I like to be simple.  Even after CDs were the norm, I still bought cassette tapes for some time.  I have an Apple MacBook that was a gift, but have no idea how to use 75% of its features. I never type notes or assignments, always pen and paper. I don't read the news online; I still read the newspaper every day. I don't keep a task list or reminders in my phone; I write to-do lists in a small notebook that resides in my purse. Recently, however, I have found myself succumbing to the evil known as technology.  

I bought a Blackberry last month in hopes that I would finally learn how to use one of those silly Smart Phones.  I haven't really succeeded, but this so-called intelligent phone did come to my rescue on Saturday.  

My monroe piercing must be taken out for work, but I usually put it back in place immediately after my shift is over.  On this particular night, I forgot about my piercing that I love so much.  As I pulled into a parking lot to go to a friend's apartment, I remembered my monroe ring, grabbed it from the console, and decided to take it inside and put it in when I had access to a mirror.  When I was locking my door, I dropped the ring onto the parking lot. I crouched down to search, but its silver gleam was nowhere to be found.  When I was leaving the apartment two hours later, I had an idea.  I went to my car and downloaded the Flashlight application for my Blackberry Curve.  After patiently waiting a few moments, the application was installed and I stepped back onto the pavement to test out my big idea.  Within 10 seconds of shining my phone on the parking lot, I found my monroe ring! After going home and washing it and securing it into place on my face, I realized that I had completely relied on a cellular phone to fix my problem.  This wasn't a big deal at all, but I saw how dependent I'm becoming with technology.

Technology isn't bad.  That isn't what I'm getting at in this post.  It has done many, many great things for this world, but some technology is simply for those who have become lazy.  When I get Dunkin Donuts coffee, I want to pour in the cream and flavor myself; not push a button that dispenses a determined amount of cream and flavor. I don't want a phone that will fulfill my every day needs.  I want to do it on my own. 

Maybe a break from my laptop and hours of television is in order.  Maybe I'll blog about this experiment when I return to the internet. Or maybe I'll enjoy living simply so much that you'll never hear from me on Twitter or Facebook again. But probably not. 

The Day UK Stole My Heart, with special thanks to Myron Pryor

Kentucky Sports Radio is holding a contest known as "Who wants to be a blogger?" for one lucky fan to win the chance to write for their blog. I didn't enter because I would be a lousy sports writer, but I did think about it for a hot minute, simply, because I love KSR and competition.  I took a look at the application and read the writing prompts for the 750 word essay required for entry.  I must say, they were much better writing prompts than any I encountered in my college/scholarship application process.  

There was one in particular that I enjoyed:

Best UK Football Personal Experience

And here is what I think  I would say:

     I have been a University of Louisville Cardinal fan my whole life.  Please don't give up on me after that statement.  

     The truth is, I owe my existence to the Cardinals.  My parents met on the night of the 1986 National Championship.  It was actually the last time UL won the National Championship, so maybe that was a jinx.  But...if UL hadn't been in the championship that year, the party where my parents met would not have happened; therefore, I wouldn't be on this earth.

     I grew up wearing a little UL cheerleader uniform and despising UK fans. Then, a day finally came when all of that changed.

     My decision to attend the University of Kentucky was based upon the college's academic superiority over UL (and also, the hefty scholarship I was offered.)  I knew that I would cheer on my school, but had assumed I would always be a UL fan at heart and just keep that fact about me in the closet.  I was mistaken.  My heart found a new love within the University of Kentucky.

     It happened on the day of UK's first football game of the 2008 season, which happened to be the UL game.  I traveled home to Louisville and headed to a friend's house to watch the game, only a mile away from Papa John's Stadium.  I wore a UK shirt to support my school, but my mind would be subconsciously saying, "C'mon Cards!" 

     But as the game started, I found myself whole-heartedly cheering on my Wildcats.  Every ounce of me wanted UK to win.  When Myron Pryor picked up that fumble and ran 72 yards, it seemed as if the red blood running through my veins instantly changed into a brilliant shade of royal blue (or UK blue as they call it in the Bluegrass).

     I found myself doing things I never thought I would do that night: trashing Hunter Cantwell, texting my embarrassed and disappointed UL friends after the Cats claimed victory, and even more Card bashing at the after-party. 

     During that one defensively dominated game, I became a true UK fan.  I not only have pride in my school, but in my team, as well.  I wake up earlier for ticket sales, wear Wildcat apparel daily, attend all home games,  make sure I get on TV cheering for my Cats, sing the fight song, do The Claw, and read KSR daily.  What can I say? I bleed blue.

All I need to know I learned on Twitter?

I wish I was an avid blog reader.  As a journalism major, I yearn to know about the world and current events, but hate doing the work to learn of these things.  I have a friend who reads 64 blogs regularly.  I don't have the time or the desire to do that.  I would like to, but I just don't.  Blogs are really important in the media today, and I know I could learn a lot, and be more engaged in the intelligent conversations some of my classmates have that I often feel left out of. 

I think I have found what you could call an alternative.  I still don't know everything I want to know, and there are some things that I am just plain ignorant about, but Twitter has definitely made me more "in the know." 

Twitter is made up of statuses, statements, links, whatever you please of 140 characters or less.  One blog entry could be multiple pages of reading, and who has time for that in this fast-paced world we live in?  So here's what I've learned from Twitter lately from 140 or less characters per tweet.

1. This is the first time the Pens have won the Stanley Cup in 17 seasons.  Something else to think about: Pittsburgh Steelers were national champions in football, Pittsburgh Penguins in hockey...Will the Pittsburgh Pirates be the next World Series champions? Absolutely not.

2.  Al Mohler gives Southern Baptists a bad name. I mean, I already knew this, but a link on Twitter confirmed it even more.

3. I have seen at least 20 tweets about IT Lexington.  For the record, I still have know idea what it is, but still intrigues.  Check IT out.

4. Oregon state law apparently requires gas station attendants to pump your gas.

5. When Twitter was supposed to shut down for maintenance, the State Department tried to ensure that Twitter stayed up and running for Iranians to be able to communicate about the election.  Social networking could save the world one day.

6. Pharmaceuticals agree to reduce the price of prescription drugs for millions of America’s seniors.  That's great, but what about us youngins?

7. UK President Lee Todd's middle name is Trover.  Also, on the topic of Lee Todd, he isn't proficient in constructing sentences (at least on Twitter, anyways).

8. Not only did I learn from Twitter that LSU won the college World Series, I also learned that Shaq referred to the school as "Love Shaq University."

9. There is such a thing as Derby pie milkshakes. Where can one get this treat?  I haven't figured that one out yet.

10. A place called the Root Beer Stand is known to be the highlight of Corbin, Kentucky.  That's more than Mt. Washington has.

Maybe one day I'll have the time and patience to read blogs and be able to consider myself a well-informed human being.  For now, I'll continue to acquire knowledge through social networking sites.

A defining moment

College has changed me; not who I am, but what I know, and how I feel.  The odds have been against me. I have been absolutely pushed to the limits this past year; with tragedy, health issues, trust issues, and everything you could imagine.  People didn’t think I could overcome these things, but God has given me so much strength. When everything has come crashing down on me, He has been my provider, my Jehovah-jireh. 

Even through all the personal triumphs I had to overcome last semester, I’ve found everything I wanted in UK.  I feel like I have learned more in one semester of college than I have my whole life. And not just facts, but real knowledge. I feel confident to say that I’m a somewhat culturally literate person now. I love going to class and hearing good lectures. And walking on campus just taking in my surroundings. And listening to intelligent conversations. 

My faith has strengthened this year, too.  I feel like I just wasted so much time in high school partying and being crazy. Now, I would much rather enjoy a weekend of full fellowship and church on Sunday morning, than a crazy party back home. 

The people I’ve met are so humble and wholesome, and I have never felt betrayed by one friend here. They’re gracious and kind; not catty, nor manipulative.  At home, I don’t even feel like there’s anyone who has truly been a good friend to me in the last few years. 

Graduating and coming to college is always a "milestone" or whatever, but for me, stepping onto UK's campus was a defining moment in my life--a defining moment in my faith, my relationships, my independence, and my opportunities.  A lot of interesting opportunities have been presented to me recently.  I’ve never been a HUGE risk-taker, but I feel like I should try each and every one of these things.  UK was an opportunity that I almost didn’t take, and it ended up to be the best thing in my life, so I’m afraid to let anything pass me by.