For those who love a good muffin top!!

Just found this today and I have only one thing to say...

LOVE IT!!

An alternative Poetry Day

I am living in a very interesting type of Hell today. I can not get my high-school grad song out of my head. Now, I am sure that some of you have a few questions, and so I will do my best to address them now.

1. Why, Jenny, do you have that song in your head? Gentle reader, I would give away almost everything I own (excepting my seasons of "Scrubs" and my time-share in the X-files DVDs...I need something to do with my time when I become a shut-in) to know the answer to that question. The song has dug its way into my brain, in true X-file fashion.

2. How is it that, Jenny, you remember your grad song when you graduated almost 15 years ago? Well, I was one of the two very talented members of the threesome who wrote the song (yeah, you read that right!)

3. What is the song like, Jenny? There is only one thing you need to know about this song: It is an absolutely terrible piece of music, and I take a small share of the blame for my participation. The story of how "Next Step to Forever" came to be starts on an evening in my grade twelve year at the Temple Street Chapel where 3 people met to create a song that would represent the class of 1995. The song started out as a pretty terrible instrumental piece by a girl in our grade, and it was to be adapted (lyrics and a melody added) for the grad song. Having no music writing experience, I was not a lot of help with the melody. However, being an amateur poet, I felt myself equal to the task of being a co-librettist.

For your enjoyment and mirth, I am going to give you some sample lyrics of "Next Step to Forever", a song that has been performed only twice. The first was a few selected classmates and myself, accompanied by piano (and, heaven help me, I think organ as well) with the utmost sincerity, in May 1995 at our graduation ceremony. The second performance took place almost 2 years ago, featured only myself and the Concert Mate, and was sung for the pure delight of Denise and Eric Garner.

You will see that the title is Next Step to Forever. There was much debate about which preposition to use, to or is. I personally still wish we would have titled it
Next Step: Forever

Next Step to Forever

Our time has come
and it's like we are one
We've made each step together
Our next step is forever

Our search is on
We must step to where we belong
Stand tall and let them see inside you
And show what we can do

Time will go on for us to dream
may our hearts be ever seen
Let us stand tall with esteem

Love's all around
We must step to where it is found
The best is right here inside you
Your heart will guide what to do

We will be strong as we ca--rry on
We'll meet each day that comes
Our next step is forever.

You're welcome.

Winter wonder

Announcement:




I am doing up Christmas this year...DOING IT UP!! I can't wait to decorate, sing, bake, eat, and generally annoy my roommate and work colleagues with an overload of Christmas cheer. To get all of you excited, here are some Christmas images that are bound to thrill...

Yes, this is a picture of my very favorite Christmas cd. I will be playing it quite regularly, but maybe I will keep it to my car as not to drive Denise too crazy!

O.k., picture number two. I like this one cause that beard is UNBELIEVABLE (I couldn't believe it!!) This is one Santa who looks pretty real. Awesome!

I love this one because Santa and the reindeer are really cool. (How cool are they?) They are so cool that they are wearing sun-glasses and they are doing the awesome poser rap-style fold arms and lean. Yeah.

So, I think that I have saved the best for last. Nothing says Christmas like a bunch of dolls in front of fake food that they wouldn't be able to eat anyway. They do look happy, though.

So, I invite you all to share in my endeavor which I have forth-with dubbed "Christmas Crazy". Unfortunately, at the College, I am not allowed to use the word Christmas which leaves me with two alternatives:

1. Say it anyway and risk offending all and possibly being reprimanded or fired

or

2. Come up with an alternate name like "Season's splendour" or "Holiday hub-bub"

Please let me know which one you think I should do...

Stuff

Here are some things that have been pretty great:



-achieving a perfect smoky eye



-Mint hot-chocolate from Esquires



-hanging out with beavers



-a really great balsamic vinegar from the most unlikely place



-classic-heart-breaking-can't get enough of it-can't stop singing it music



-a long-anticipated beard



-General Conference



-Thanksgiving a week early with a pretty amazing game of Trains!

Poetry Day!!!

For our dear Thursday, I have a poem that I know 2 musical settings for. The text is "I will make you Brooches" by Robert Louis Stevenson. I originally sang one of the settings by Winifred Bury in the Rotary Festival in Cardston!! The other setting is by Vaughn-Williams for his "Songs of Travel". I have only sang this version in my kitchen (quite apropos when you see the lyrics), but I am a bit more partial to it.

Enjoy!!

I Will Make You Brooches

I will make you brooches and toys for your delight
Of bird-song at morning and star-shine at night.
I will make a palace fit for you and me,
Of green days in forests and blue days at sea.

I will make my kitchen, and you shall keep your room,
Where white flows the river and bright blows the broom,
And you shall wash your linen and keep your body white
In rainfall at morning and dewfall at night.

And this shall be for music when no one else is near,
The fine song for singing, the rare song to hear!
That only I remember, that only you admire,
Of the broad road that stretches and the roadside fire.

- Robert Louis Stevenson