Happy, Leona Lewis

This past work week has seemed to be filled with disgruntled customers. I am still crossing my fingers that we do not "ruin anyone's Christmas" like we have in years past....


So after speaking with several disgruntled customers, I asked myself,

"What does it take to be happy?"

I don't think that one can be entirely happy 24/7, although one can remain somewhat positive/optimistic through various seasons of life. *Let me make note that if we were happy all the time it would get old really fast, and being emo would be the new happy. *

I believe that Happiness can come from almost anything, and can be kicked to the curb should we let it.

I have decided that my new goal is to be a little bit more happy until Thanksgiving. No longer are lame classes, bad mannered customers, weather-related problems, and other problems going to influence me... but horrible drivers or repeating songs on the radio might ;)

So to begin on my journey, here are some things that makes me happy:

• Watching television by myself, and laughing aloud... like shampoo I then rinse and repeat.
  
• People falling... It just is funny.
• Spending time with my family (in small doses)
• Watching movies and remembering something special about it. IE Every time I see the updates Parent Trap I am taken back to the Villa Theatre where a friend and I sat front row watching the love filled voyage of the QE2.
  

So What makes you happy? What puts a smile on your face?

Where Are You Go Go Going To, Lonely Dear

In everyone's life there
is
the
question
of
what

should
I

do

next?

Sometimes we know,
sometimes we don't.



Always Remember

that I, and


a Person above,

will always be there to applaud, or

help guide you back.

What Hurts the Most, Rascal Flatts

To: Summer

From: Small/Pebble/Uncovered

Date: September 22, 20098

Subject: Can't Wait to See You Again!

Oh my long lost friend!

I can't believe that some people have "500 Days" of you, but I only get 90 (if you are on your best behavior). I miss you, and it has only been a few days since I last saw you. Society calls that love. When someone leaves you, there is the emptiness that one has to fill. I guess I will just have to do that by filling the hollowness with memories.

I was just thinking about the good times we had as I sat outside and read. You sat by me, and when I began to feel alone, you always had the sun tap me to remind me you were there. Thanks for that! We read a lot of books together. Whether it was about a former boy who lived in the world of Polygamy, the first couple books about Narnia, the "this novel is based on my life, which is a reality show in LA," and a story about a son finding his dad in Katrina aftermath. There was also the hilarious life of a singer, being a Christian in Hollywood, and several magazines about technology and music.

I must apologize to you. As much as you wanted to get together at the pool, we only met twice. :( I am a bad friend I know. Perhaps I was just getting revenge because the best Sno-Cone place closed its doors for the summer. I have to say that really put a damper on how much tigers blood I could load myself on.

So what are your plans next year? Will you still be stopping by about the same time? I hope you can get here a little earlier... because the delay that you took with your friend Rain N. Crummy, really was bad. Several people thought you would never show, but after a few Facebook status updates and hope, you came around.

In closing, I just wanted to thank you for always being there and for being perfect in several situations. You were perfectly behaved for my two best friend's wedding, you were dancing along to Good Girls Gone Bad, and singing to Waking Up in Vegas. We even ran into each other a few times at the movie theater and watching Felicity growing up in college.

I wish you the best as you venture on your journey around the world! Please keep in touch and I hope that you will always remember the time we had together!

Thanks for being you!

Best,

C.

If We Were a Movie, Hannah Montana

Saw this on a friends blog and it looked fun:

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Would the Soundtrack be?

How to do it:
1. Open your music library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc).
2. Put it on Shuffle.
3. Press Play.
4. For every question, type the song that's playing.
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button.
6. Be honest.

OPENING CREDITS
Paper Planes, M.I.A.

WAKING UP
The Christmas Waltz, Kristin Chenoweth

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
Misery Business, Paramore

FALLING IN LOVE
Umbrella (cover), Taylor Swift

FIGHT SONG
Vanity, Lady Gaga

BREAKING UP
One Man Show, Jonas Brothers

PROM
Breakin' Dishes, Rihanna

LIFE IS GOOD
Santa Clause Lane, Hilary Duff

DRIVING
Rooftops and Invitations, Dashboard Confessional

MENTAL BREAKDOWN
Time After Time, Ashley Tisdale

FLASHBACK
Closer, Neyo

GETTING BACK TOGETHER
Wake Up America, Miley Cyrus (Is this the scene when I move back from Canada and back to United States?)

WEDDING
The Heart of Life, John Mayer

FINAL BATTLE
Unwritten, Natasha Bedingfield (Some battle, unless I fight with Lauren Conrad with Paper Rock Scissors?)

DEATH SCENE
Another Brick in the Wall, Pt 3 - Pink Floyd (The Wall, Disk 1)

FUNERAL SONG
Bottle It Up, Sara Bareilles ("Only one good thing trying to be, and it's love love love. I do it for love)

END CREDITS
Cold Hearted, Paula Abdul (He's a cold hearted snake... look into his eyes

Actors to play the part as me:

MyHeritage - free family trees, genealogy and face recognition" target="_blank">


So it sounds like my movie will be a Hallmark/Lifetime Movie... Which makes me really concerned. What do you think the plot is?

Chasing Lights, The Saturdays

I recently saw (500) Days of Summer, and loved every minute of it. It's one of those movies that is filled with quirky honesty about love ( not to mention a good soundtrack). I highly recommend seeing it.... and if you need a reason see it because Zooey Deschanel is in it. I have yet to see one movie where I did not like her.

For your enjoyment watch this video filled with dancing, singing (Deschanel's band She & Him), and pure ecstasy.

Postscript... This is not a scene from the movie, but the two leads got together and filmed a music video for the song. The video's story draws upon a bank teller and a bank robber.

Collide, Howie Day

Every summer has a hit song that is always on the radio, is really fun to listen to, and everyone can identify it in someway. Past SOS (Songs of Summer) have included Rihanna's S.O.S. and Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis (a song I am still not sick of), JT's Sexyback, Nelly Furtado's Promiscuous, and Rihanna's Umbrella.

This summer's song could be one of the following, but not sure which:
Boom Boom Pow, Black Eyed Peas
Waking up in Vegas, Katy Perry
Goodbye, Kristina Debarge

Well new music is good especially when it's free to download! Take a look at the listing below for some new songs to dance, sing, or jog to:

• The New Amazing!! Whitney Houston single "I Look to You" just by entering your email. The song is pretty good and please promise to buy her album August 31st... Still in love with her! LINK

• People Magazine's Country Summer List (Gloriana, Collin Raye, etc... 10 songs. Right click the link indicated) LINK

• Coldplay's Leftrightleftrightleft album. (Many live tracks, including Vida La Vida, that expose the reason for their success and talent!) LINK

• "You're So Good For Me!" Yes you have heard the commercial for Lagoon, now get the song. Click on the "I want to get Sonnet's Song!" LINK
  

Your Melody, Greg Laswell

Music on the turntable is turning,
As of late my music choice has been slow and thoughtful,
less danceable.
Melodies of climbing, falling, reaching,
everlasting secluded isolation.
Notes of the needle scratches against my tired scrawny legs,
as I try to stand,
but crash against the vinyl pavement of subdued independence.

Sunlit stars open my blind eyes
to realize I cannot implode any longer,
but must explode the generosity of lava filled inside my artery edifice.

I grasp my heart but the touch is numb
Years of emotional debt has taken over
I can only reach out to find that I am

alone.

...Music on the turntable is turning...

You Rock My World, Michael Jackson

The news of Michael Jackson's passing came today as I sat at work, and a music-lover co-worker (Thanks!) called to notify our office. I felt my heart stop and hoped it was not true, but sadly it was. I instantly felt sad and here is why:

Michael has had some issues and media frenzied-controversies the past few years. It seemed that lately anything he did was deemed as "crazy" or questionable. I can see both sides of the story, but as we all know, one cannot know the whole truth until you have walked in their shoes. Anywho it seems that Michael had gotten the resources necessary for his huge comeback, his UK concerts. I was excited that he was going to once again show the world of his talent and innovations, but sadly he will never get to show that. This then leaves his name tied to recent events and he was never given the opportunity to prove otherwise. For now he will entertain the masses in heaven and finally receive some peace.

As I got in my car to go home tonight, one of the saddest Broadway songs started playing on my satellite radio. I shed a tear or two as I reminisced of his impressive songs, dancing, and memories;

• In the 4th grade going to the local roller rink and skating to Black to White with my cousins. It was the highlight of the night since I hated roller skating
  
• Dreams of hosting a game show with a taped opening of "Wanna Be Starting Something"
• Saving my money so that I could go buy his most recent album... on cassette tape.
• On family vacations, my cousins and I would imagine Michael and Lisa Presley's conversations.
• Spending a summer night in junior high to watch The Wiz, just because Michael was in it. Even though some parts were super long, I told myself I could not fast-forward it because of his influence on it.
  
• Spend many moments having dance parties, and when his songs came on instant bursts of energy filled my soul, no matter how tired I was.
  

I will miss you Michael! Thanks for good times, tunes, and memories. May you and your family be comforted at this difficult time.

Black and Gold, Sam Sparro

So lately it seems that my life has been filled with concerts...I was able to see and meet the Ting Tings... Their music screams summer driving with friends.


I went to No Doubt, and I have to say it was a really good concert. There was no need to worry about Gwen singing live, or what to expect. No Doubt really are back, and provided good *dance* music. At one moment Gwen called out to this little girl who was dressed really cute and had her come on stage... It was fun to see.



*Towards the end I think I should issue an apology to the little one next to me.I think it was his first concert. I was really feeling it, and dancing pretty wildly, and he might have thought I was drunk... Don't worry I wasn't just full of nebula.


Taylor Swift....

Wow! I have to say she put on a dang good show. My cousin, and our mutual friend decided last minute to go and it was worth it. There was an opening band, Gloriana, who had a lot of trouble vocally. Perhaps it was because the brunette girl was jealous that the blond had an MTV reality show 4 years ago...

Then Kellie Pickler was supposed to open but was sick... BIG DOWNER because I really enjoy Kellie's songs.

Taylor opened with being a band member, and then had this video segment where Hoda (Today Show) interviewed her. Then Hoda magically appeared!


Then Taylor took two glorious hours that were filled with backup dancers, funny videos, sneaked into the audience for an acoustic set (all the while hugging her fans, signing things, and shaking hands), filled the audience with optimism, banged on drums (theatrically), played a Justin Timberlake cover and FINALLY DANCED IN THE RAIN WHILE SINGING. Simply amazing, and one of the top 5 concerts I have been to.




My favorite parts:
At one point after a song the crowd went crazy for a minute without Ms. Swift saying anything. It was evident that she stood facing the crowd with tears down her cheeks. The crowd then roared with our love for her, and with a hand to her mouth, she stood stunned and simply replied, "Salt Lake I promise you, I will never forget that the rest of my life!"

"If you break my heart," Swift said after playing 'Picture to Burn,' "or of you hurt my feelings, or of you mess with my friends in Salt Lake City, then I'm going to have to write a song about you." I laughed and pretended she was my new friend.

During the song change she showed various photographs that show hardships people endure (high school, loss of job, disability, Iraq War, funerals etc...), and then shared her message that, "There are a lot of hardships in life, and I promise you that someone is there to support you and things do change!" She then carried on her chorus of singing Hallelujah several times with everyone reaching out their hands in the air. It filled me with hope in regards to my life, and reminded me that things do change!

And of course singing and dancing in the rain:

The Best Day, Taylor Swift

So these pictures are part two of the California series:



Me and my favorite California friend! We had good times in the park and on the beach!

So the final ride was Space Mtn... I chose to ride alone by myself since I wanted to listen to Ne-yo's "Closer" while watching the stars. Probably the best moment of the day...
Santa Monica Pier, which is way fun and really pretty!
Splash + Running to ride from small world before the park closes in 2 min = FUN WET TIMES
Pinocchio (in Italian accent)!
America's Next Top Model Photo Shoot
No trip is complete without a Lady Gaga Pose... PO- Oh-Oh- KERFACE
So these transients decided to take the horse carriage, and I chose not to because I think it is overly rude to the animal to make it walk up and down the street all day. I guess that is just the animal lover in me...
The ghosts at the haunted mansion can be somewhat intimidatin'.
Ride I recommend for any age, is Casey Jr's Train... It is pretty fast and a crowd pleaser!
PLEASE DO NOT TEXT AND DRIVE...



SO much fun and I want to go back really soon...