Classic Christmas Songs

As promised here are my favorite Christmas songs from the classics. You'll find a link to a Grooveshark playlist at the bottom of the post. Enjoy!

 Mistletoe and Holly

 The Christmas Waltz

It's a Marshmallow World

Baby it's Cold Outside

I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm

Sleigh Ride

Home for the Holidays

Silver Bells

Mele Kalikimaka

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Happy Holidays

I think that's more than enough for one blog post! I've created a Christmas playlist over at Grooveshark for you, it includes these songs and some others that I love.

Which were your favorites? Did I forget any?

Sherlock Holmes: my new favorite fictional human.

via TV Kade

via The Futon Critic

So lately I've been super into Sherlock Holmes. I've been watching Elementary (CBS) and Sherlock (BBC). I love them. The characters are so well done. Especially Sherlock!

(Have you watched either of these shows? What do you think?) 

Next step: read the books! So this is what I checked out from the library today:

Let the reading begin!

(Have you read the books?)

"Is that what you really want? You want to be Joey Bishop?"

I adore references to things I love and this one had my mom and me cracking up! Thank you Psych!

PS: I read some of the comments on the video and people had no idea who this was in reference too... hopefully you've been reading my blog enough to know, but just in case it's the Rat Pack. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Joey Bishop. Below they are pictured with another member of the Rat Pack, Peter Lawford.

via sitcomsonline

Modern Christmas Albums You Should Listen To

Let's just clarify that when I say modern I mean anything post 1970.

Note that there is a link to listen to the album on Grooveshark and a link to the Amazon listing below each album cover.

Favorite tracks: All I Want For Christmas Is You and Holly Jolly Christmas
You can listen here and purchase here.

Favorite tracks: Santa Clause Is Comin' To Town and Reason For The Season
You can listen here and purchase here.

Favorite tracks: The Christmas Waltz and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
You can listen here and purchase here.

Favorite tracks: Winter Wonderland and Auld Lang Syne
You can listen here and purchase here.

Favorite tracks: We Three Kings, This Christmas Morning and Silver Bells
You can listen here and purchase here.

Favorite tracks: Skating and O Tannenbaum
You can listen here and purchase here.


You can add anything from Mannheim Steamroller or Trans-Siberian Orchestra.

What do you think? Do you like these albums? What are your favorite Christmas Albums? I'll be posting about some of my classic favorites later. 

Same Instrument, Different Sound

Below are my three favorite trumpeters; Louis Armstrong, Herp Alpert and Harry James.

via Forty Two Times

via Fotki

via flickr

They all all very talented, and they each have their very own sound. Can you tell the difference? (I wanted to do the same song for all of them so you could really hear the difference, but Herb isn't in the same era as Harry and Louis. So here are some great videos of each of them.)

What do you think? I love being able to tell an artist or band by the way they play their instrument. It makes me feel like I really know them.

Sammy Davis Jr. - Holy Talent

via coolmag

We all know I love the Rat Pack - specifically Frank, Dean and Sammy. I've already done several posts on Frank and Dean (and I'm sure there will be more), but I've been neglecting Sammy. So here you go! My favorite Sammy songs. The man is talented.

via arts-wallpaper

via sammydavis-jr

What do you think? "What Kind of Fool am I" is my favorite. It's too good!

Thanks for stopping by fellas!

via martin/sinatra tumblr

These two showed up in my dreams last night. It was pretty magical. They seemed to really like me. Especially Dean. That's all I can really remember. They were just like they are when they are being filmed - hilarious and charming (although I realize this isn't really the case based on books I've read, but hey, it's my dream).

That's pretty much how it felt. Delightful. I wish it was a marshmallow world here in Wapello!

via film maker iq

Sweet dreams!

PS- Perhaps Sammy will show up tonight!

Lincoln (2012)

via inside movies

I saw this movie last night and enjoyed it very much. I was really well done. It's two and a half hours long, but it didn't feel like it at all.

via iconocast

via national turk

Daniel Day Lewis did a beautiful job portraying this mild mannered and humorous man, who can really make a point if need be.

via ny times

via film review online

I read a review (I wish I could remember where) that didn't like the way the movie focused on Lincoln politically and personally. It said that the family problems were distracting. I completely disagree. I think that by balancing the plot to show both the political and personal aspects of Lincoln's life we are able to identify with him. The movie was very good at showing Lincoln as a human, he is not put up on some pedestal. He is shown as a man trying to do what is right, whatever the cost.

via beyond hollywood

The movie was also very beautifully shot. The color tones in the movie were mostly browns and blues. It really gives you the right feeling.

via movie line

via imdb

Also Tommy Lee Jones was awesome. He was definitely my favorite character.

via beyond hollywood

via aceshowbiz

via aceshowbiz

via ctv news

via black film

This movie was surprisingly humorous and witty. I really enjoyed it! You should go check it out and let me know what you think!


Has anyone else already seen it?

PS I think a biography on Abraham Lincoln is in order.

To Kill a Mockingbird 50th Anniversary Screening

book cover via Crime Always Pays and movie poster via Doctor Macro

I could not be happier. To Kill a Mockingbird is my very favorite book and one of my favorite films as well. I swear you could open that book to any page and learn something. The movie is just as inspiring and educating.

Watching it on in a theater was perfect. And as always Harper Lee's story tugged at my heart strings, bringing tears several times.

Gregory Peck (Atticus), Mary Badham (Scout) and Robert Duvall (Boo) are my favorite actors in the film. Their performances are too real, they don't seem like actors at all.

Again, it was wonderful! I really don't know what else to say except "go read it!" and "go watch it!" Really you should.

And so I leave you with some lovely photos:

via Doctor Macro

via Doctor Macro

via Doctor Macro

via Doctor Macro

via Doctor Macro

via ew

via Film at the Paramount

via Parallax View

via UMBC

via My Life in Film

via Movie Clips

"But it's okay to hate Hitler?"

I have been reading To Kill a Mockingbird this week because I am going to see the movie tonight with some friends. I've seen the movie dozens of times and read the book more. I am really excited for this viewing because my friends have just finished reading the book for the first time. They've never seen the movie. We found out last week that today is the 50th anniversary of the film, so TCM is hosting viewing in theaters around the country. I am so excited that their first viewing of the movie will be in a theater! You can find out more information here.


As I was reading the book last night something struck me as extremely relevant. Here it is:

What do you think? Relevant?

PS If you are able to go see To Kill a Mockingbird tonight you definitely should! Take your teens and pre-teens. There are important things being taught in the film and the book.

It was a good Nalgene....

So today I opened the freezer to pull out my Nalgene (that I've had for at least 10 years) and this is what I found:

Now before you say I filled it too full of water, let me tell you that you are wrong. There was an inch of clearance from the ice to top of the bottle.

In my Googling I found out that Nalgene will replace the bottle and also that I might get a t-shirt that says "I broke my Nalgene." Let's be honest, I want them to replace my bottle, but I really want the t-shirt.

So I sent Nalgene customer service an email to ask if such things happened. They ignored my t-shirt reference (rude), but did say that they would replace my bottle if I'd just send them a low resolution photo of my bottle with the logo clearly visible. I just sent that email. Can't wait to see what comes in the mail!

PS Thank you

Gunn's Golden Rules: Life's Little Lessons for Making it Work by Tim Gunn

via Fashion Me Fabulous

Tim Gunn is a kindred spirit. I want to be his best friend!

This book is so wonderful. It's basically an etiquette, advice and self help book. I love it.

There are 18 Rules. My favorite rules are:

Rule 2: The World Owes You... Nothing - "Whenever I'm out in public, there are certain people who make demands of me as if I owe them a huge debt - even though we've never met."

Rule 5: Get Inspired If It Kills You - "Any genre, any film, any book can be the jumping-off point for amazing creative work." In this section he also mention that he finds The Philadelphia Story inspiring! That's my favorite movie. See what I mean? Kindred spirit.

Rule 16: Take Risks! Playing It Safe is Never Really Safe - "Risk taking in fashion is fun, but risk taking in our careers and in our education is essential. Ambitious people are more attractive and more fun to be with than people who maintain the status quo."

And my favorite Rule (and chapter) of all, Rule 10: Be a Good Guest or Stay Home (I Won't Judge You - I Hate Parties) - "Maybe this will be the year I actually start enjoying party giving... Or maybe I'll continue to put my gorgeous dining room table to a slightly less social use: doing crossword puzzles in my pajamas." Seriously. KINDRED SPIRIT.

I wish everyone would read this book. Society is slipping in terms of social graces and manners. It makes me sad.

Chico Marx on the Piano

I love the Marx Brothers. Best comedy group ever. Mostly I love Chico though. He can play the piano, and delightfully so! Here are some of his numbers from a few Marx Brothers films.

 A Night in Casablanca (1946) 

The Big Store (1941)

A Night at the Circus (1939)

A Day at the Races (1937)

Which one did you like best?

Bumpy Rainbow Blanket

I love this blanket. It is the first normal blanket I have ever made. They usually turn out like triangles because I stink at counting stitches. This one was too easy though. Can you see the little bumps in the blanket? Well there are 5 double crochets in between each bump. That made counting super easy. I can totally count to 5.

I found the tutorial for the blanket over at Three Beans in a Pod. If you crochet, you should totally make this blanket!

John Denver sighting!

via audiophileparadise

Okay, not really. But kinda.

Our waiter at the Boise Chili's looked like John Denver. He even had the haircut and glasses. It was awesome.

I should have told him that he looks like John Denver. I wonder if he gets that a lot? I should also have asked him for a picture and his autograph.

I'll do better next time.