Friday Fun: Lists & More Lists!

As I mentioned previously, I kinda like lists.  I'm not sure why - I guess they just seem orderly and I like orderly.  Over on another online community I belong to, Sploofus, we've had some recent conversations about favorite movies, books, and songs.  It's very difficult for me to pick only one favorite, so how about a list?  How about 3 lists?!!

Favorite Movies

1. Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure
2. Dead Poet's Society
3. Manchurian Candidate (The original, not that horrible re-make)
4. Johnny English
5. The Princess Bride
6. Clue
7. Rear Window
8. Dial M for Murder
9. Witness for the Prosecution
10. Star Trek (the new one)

Favorite Books 

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (there aren't a lot of books I re-read, but this one I periodically read again - it's just so good!)
2. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
3. The Life of Pi by Yann Martel
4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
5. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
6. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
7. The Passage by Justin Cronin
8. The Demon in the Freezer by Richard Preston
9. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
10. Everything Lee Child has written

Favorite Songs

1. Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin
2. Eyes of a Stranger by Queensryche
3. Animal by Def Leppard
4. Time by Pink Floyd
5. Kashmir by Led Zeppelin
6. Darkness, Darkness by Robert Plant
7. Killing the Blues by Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
8. Promises by Def Leppard
9. Cold Shot by Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble
10. Sign of the Times by Queensryche

What would be on your top ten lists?

For Angie

My best friend Angie is a huge Point of Grace fan.  She got to meet them recently at a concert and she was so excited that she called me on her way home just so she could share.  I love that she gets as excited about meeting her favorite singers as I have about meeting mine, though my favorites are a different style.

Angie shared this video with me one day and I thought it was a beautiful song, so I thought I'd share it with you.  I like this view of Mary in labor.  She was so young and in such a difficult situation, but she obediently and gracefully fulfilled her calling to give birth to the Messiah.  What a woman!

Hope you enjoy!

An Interesting Duet

This video is for my daughter, who's coming home this weekend.  It features one of her favorite singers, David Bowie.  However, the video also features a singer of a different generation, Bing Crosby.

This song was recorded for Bing's 1977 Christmas special, which was taped only a month before he died.  It was, even then, considered to be an odd pairing, but something about the mixture of these two great, yet different, voices has really stuck with people and the song has become very popular.  (Read the full story here.)

So sit back and prepare to be wowed by the musical stylings of Bing and Bowie.

Christmas Wishes for You

This video is of Amy Grant singing "Grown Up Christmas List."  The song was written by David Foster and Linda Thompson-Jenner and was on Foster's 1990 Christmas album, featuring vocals by Natalie Cole.  But it was Amy's 1992 version that popularized the song.

You can find lots of versions of this song online, but I like this one, and I hope you do, too.  And I hope you get everything on your list for Christmas.  

And Now for Something Completely Different...

My mom and I went to visit relatives this weekend in St. Louis and surrounding areas.  We stopped off at The Factory in Farmington on the way home to see my Aunt Rita, who was doing a book-signing. As we chatted away, she mentioned how much she enjoyed seeing Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli on a Christmas special recently.  So I thought I'd post one of his videos for my aunt.

However, as I perused through his various Christmas songs, all lovely, I found one that just really stood out.  Not because of the song itself, but for the pairing and the fun of the video.  

So here's a clip from a PBS special featuring Andrea Bocelli and some very special friends. 

Getting in the Spirit

I was digging out my Christmas CD's to put on my computer and I thought, "Hey, why not share some of my favorites on my blog all month?"  So that's what I'm going to do.  I'll try to share a video with you each day and tell you a little something about the artist and/or song.

Yesterday's video was from Harry Connick, Jr.  Harry is a New Orleans jazz musician and actor.  He has been recording since he was about 10 years old and does standards like "It Had to Be You" and his own, original songs.  He has appeared in movies like "Independence Day" and "Memphis Belle."  If you like Frank Sinatra or Michael Buble, you will enjoy Harry Connick, Jr.

Today's video is of Yo-Yo Ma and Alison Krauss performing "The Wexford Carol."  I have an instrumental version of this carol and it instantly became a favorite.  It is an Irish song, from County Wexford, and is one of the oldest carols from Europe.  This version features the Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Grammy-winning bluegrass-country singer Alison Krauss.  I hope you enjoy.

P.S.  What do you think of my red and green font?  Christmas-y, ey?

Christmas is Coming!

Can you believe it's December already?  I've been so busy with the classes I teach, that time has really flown.  Finals are almost upon us.

That means Christmas will be here before we know it.  Are you ready yet?  I'm not quite there.  Of course, we're waiting to put our tree until our daughter gets home, and then we'll also wrap presents and bake cookies.  I am looking forward to that!

I do have a few more home made gifts to finish up, but at least the shopping is done, which is good because trying to get into the stores this time of year can be a nightmare.  

I need to put all my Christmas music back on my computer (I had to do a system restore earlier this year) and start listening to some good stuff.  That Musak junk they play in the stores gets on my last nerve!!!

Speaking of good stuff, here's a video of one of my favorite Christmas songs being sung by one of my favorite artists, the wonderful Harry Connick, Jr.  Enjoy....and early Merry Christmas!