Christmas Music

Last night, Operaboy and I started talking about Christmas music and what some of our favorites songs were. As it should, the name Bing Crosby came up and I said something akin to, "It's just not Christmas without the sound of Bing's voice. He and Nat King Cole really make it feel like the holidays."

Sure, there are others that top that list, and not even because of their status as "classic" crooners or even "standard" holiday music, but more because as children we used to listen to the same scratchy Christmas Collection LPs every year as we decorated the tree.

Nat, Bing, Gene Autry, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis, et al would fill the house as we blew the dust off of Christmas decorations and gently smoothed out the faded wreath made of contstruction paper with our names ("age 5") carefully written on the back.

Even now, when I hear a certain version of "Amazing Grace" that was on our record, I laugh because I expect the 5th verse to skip over and over until someone adjusts the needle.

These songs and this music gets more poignant to me the older I get. It doesn't make it any easier after having experienced what seems like loss after loss and setback after setback, with moments of joy and relief also peppered throughout the years.

Being musicians, it shouldn't surprise anyone that we had this conversation (well, the beginning of this blog was in our conversation...the rest has just been me rambling on the internets) about how music affects us and brings back such strong memories.

I told Operaboy also that the emotions I feel at Christmastime always surprise me with their strength. I wouldn't even call it "sad," necessarily, just "emotional." I find myself brought to tears much more quickly than usual, and at the most random times. I think I may have figured it out. It's not because my Nana died near Christmas last year, or because this Christmas is spent with a bit fewer relatives that have gone on to Heaven to wait for us. Those feelings intensify the emotional tide, yes, but they are not the cause.

I think it's because every time I hear a certain song, or hear a choir singing "Silent Night," 26 years of Christmases are firing in every synapse of my brain, and my heart, much like the beloved Dr. Seuss character, swells to several times its normal size. Every Christmas morning plays in fast-motion in my head and random postcard images play of smiling children, mugs of eggnog, and the laughter and tears of family members. I think of how I understand now how many sacrifices our parents made to make sure we had a memorable Christmas, and I can't help but think of what it will be like when we have our own little Diva (or Divo) to make memories with.

It doesn't seem like all of that can fit into a mere moment of time, but it occurs mostly as a sudden surge of emotion or even an uprising of goosebumps when I hear the first organ chords of "O Holy Night." Certainly I don't think of all of these things every time, but I think it's my way of defining what I do feel at those times.

So, before I ramble on any further and bore you all to tears, let me share with you two of my favorite Christmas song moments, courtesy of YouTube. The first is from the movie "Holiday Inn," starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, and the second is just an awesome (and a bit surreal) moment between Bing (again) and David Bowie. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

***ETA: For a WONDERFUL story of giving, please see my comments section and follow the link provided by Suldog. You'll be glad you did.***

New look for the Holidays

I thought I'd give it a shot. What do you think of the holiday look here at Music and Baseball?

Vote for Pedro...ia

Great news!

First? Rookie of the year last year.

Then? Gold Glove Second Baseman, Silver Slugger award, then AL MVP

Now? He's staying with us, baby.

Woo hoo!! I love you, Pedey!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Tonight is the 20th Annual Holiday Lighting on the Square in my hometown. Operaboy and I will be singing with the Bach Society at one of the participating locations. Luckily we're only singing for 2 hours of the 4-hour event, so there will be at least an hour and a half of walking around, drinking wassail, and shopping to be done in my favorite part of town.

I love that it's FINALLY cold enough in Texas to make this a festive event!! I haven't really felt the holiday spirit yet just because, until we're finally settled in the Operahaus, we feel a bit like a man and a woman without a country. I think tonight will help.

The square in downtown is truly my favorite part about this erstwhile small college town. I even had my bridal portraits done there because I feel like it's such a part of who I am. Case in point:

And if it's that pretty in the day time, one can only imagine how gorgeous it will look when covered with thousands of lights, and surrounded by lit lampposts adorned with holly and garland.

I'm looking very forward to singing beloved carols, walking around in the crisp winter air hand in hand with my husband, seeing friends, and kicking off this holiday season with a real bang, courtesy of Brave Combo.

Hope to see you there!! Come by the Bayless-Selby house from 6-8 to hear our dulcet tones, then enjoy the rest of the festival!

Hominahominahomina....

Just found this gem courtesy of PerezHilton and YouTube:



This is a heart-throbbing duet between X-Factor winner Leon Jackson and my future extramarital affair (I kid, I kid) Michael Bublé.

You're welcome. It's Ear Candy AND Eye Candy!!

If Operaboy loves me, he'll take me to see Michael Bublé in concert the next time he's in our area.

Movies: Prince Caspian

Susan Pevensie: Why didn't I see Aslan?
Lucy Pevensie: Maybe you weren't really looking for him.

Last night, Operaboy and I watched "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian." I don't know why I waited so long to see this movie.

Much like it's predecessor, "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe," this movie humbled me and brought me to tears with it's symoblic representation of God's love. Normally, I don't like when movies or books throw blatant symbolism in my face, but with C.S. Lewis, it's done so tastefully that I don't mind how obvious it is. He intended it to be an allegory, and I'm fine with that.

I'm not going to summarize the movie here, because a) most people have likely already seen it, and b) nearly everyone I know has read the books. However, I will say that this movie is beautifully done. There is just enough action to make it exciting, but the violence is understated enough even for small children to be able to handle.

I'm happy that they used the same 4 actors for the Pevensie children, and that even the younger ones were still good actors even out of their "I'm young and cute, so people are bound to like me" stages.

I love that Eddie Izzard was the voice of Reepicheep, the mouse with an inflated sense of bravado.

What I love best about this movie, though, was the simple and true faith of Lucy Pevensie. It never occurs to her to doubt that Aslan will always come through, and that he's always there whether or not we actually see him or feel his presence in a physical way. Her lines, delivered with the innocence and simplicity of a child but loaded with the faith of a mature, God-fearing woman, touched my heart and reminded me that it's not really so hard after all.

I highly recommend these movies for your personal collection. I'm hoping to own them all very soon.

Lovely, lovely...

I have always had a tiny girl crush on Kristen Chenoweth. Ever since her Sally Brown days in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" and even more as I was introduced to some of her more classical repertoire. This is a BEAUTIFUL version of "Do You Hear What I Hear?" that is on the diva's new Christmas CD. Enjoy: