Tuesday, December 11, 2012

No Place Like Home For the Holidays

It's hard to believe it's almost been half a year since my last blog post, so I guess one could say it's been a while! Hi again!

After listening to "oh there's noooo place like hoooome for the holidays..." and watching E.T. last night, I found myself thinking about the word "home." E.T. seems to have a very deep understanding of what home is to him... he knows exactly where he wants/needs to go. What does home mean anymore...how has it's meaning changed and evolved since I was a child...does it's meaning still bring me peace or does it make me nostalgic for something that used to be...is it still safe...is it exciting to discover a new meaning...how is my definition of home different from those close to me...if home is really where the heart is, then does that mean that home can be more than one place?

In pondering these somewhat unanswerable questions, I find I still feel a sense of strength from the word...I know for certain that it has to do with love.

I hope all of you feel at peace wherever you find "home," especially this time of year, when weather just begs for you to be inside with loved ones holding a cup of hot chocolate. And while you're decorating for Christmas, or to be more politically correct, the "holidays," sipping (spiked) eggnog and wrapping gifts, add these amazing songs to your Christmas, oops, holiday song playlist. (Click on the links below). These are some of my favorite renditions of a handful of classics.

Merry Christmas everyone!!





"Oh Holy Night" - Mariah Carey

"Oh Christmas Tree" - Vince Guaraldi Trio

"Feliz Navidad" - Jose Feliciano

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" - Judy Garland

"The Christmas Song" - Nat King Cole

"Silent Night" - Sarah McLachlan 

"Christmastime is here" - Charlie Brown

"I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" - The Jackson 5

"Rockin Around the Christmas Tree" - Brenda Lee

"It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" - Bing Crosby

"Christmas Song" - Alvin and the Chipmunks 

"Deck the Halls" - Julien Neel

"Frosty the Snowman" -  from the movie

"I'll be Home for Christmas" - Frank Sinatra

"There's No Place Like Home for the Holidays" - Perry Como



Much love,

Genevieve

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Tuesday, July 10, 2012

The Trail

Some might argue this, but I think the greatest way to experience nature is to do it on foot. I am fortunate to have grown up in Colorado in a very outdoorsy family, spending summers on camping trips, riding bikes, backpacking, exploring, and so.much.hiking. (I'll add in swatting mosquitos and horse files, but that's neither here nor there). It was on these frequent hiking trails that I found, and continue to find myself feeling at peace. It doesn't always send your heartbeat skyrocketing, it's slow enough so you can look around and not just at your feet, and you get to fill your lungs with clean air and your ears with the sounds of outside.

That being said, depending on the hike, I might like to dive even further into the experience with some mood-enhancing tunes in my headphones. Try adding these to your mix the next time you find yourself out and about on the trails...

*...and if you own the iPhone app that allows you to play these quietly through the speakers as you plod along, (no headphones!), that right there is a match made in heaven.


"Daydream" - The Lovin Spoonful

"All My Days" - Alexi Murdoch

"Better Together" - Jack Johnson

"Hide and Seek" - Imogen Heap

"It's About Time" - Barcelona

"Bad Moon Rising" - Credence Clearwater Revival

"Some Nights" - Fun.

"Sunrise" - Norah Jones

"Lovely Day" - Bill Withers

"Boondocks" - Little Big Town




much love,

Genevieve
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

The Goodbye

Saying good-bye is hard. Every day brings something new and different and at times, it's necessary to say good bye....whether it's something familiar, a life change, something expected or unexpected, something you don't want to let go of, or someone.

Ultimately it comes down to love. It's hard to leave what you love.

We all know what it feels like...




"It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday" - Boys II Men
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b3mftcV0dY

"Danny Boy" - performed by Phil Beaudreau
DannyBoy by GenevieveMusic

"So Long, Farewell" - The Sound of Music
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UG9I752Mmdk

"Smile" - Natalie Cole
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhIyqtZ6fGQ

"Please Remember Me" - Tim McGraw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLyKEToqME0

"Don't You Forget About Me" - Simple Minds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdqoNKCCt7A


Much love,
Genevieve
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Monday, June 18, 2012

For our Parents


For all the sacrifices...

Today on Father's Day, because I didn't blog on Mother's Day, I'd like to thank both the mothers and fathers who read this entry... for all you gave and continue to give...


THANK YOU!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bj1AesMfIf8


and this short little movie clip is for you dad, and you mom:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p59nrGixAYY


Much love,

Genevieve
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Monday, June 11, 2012

The West

Hello everyone! It's been a couple months since my last blog post and I'm really excited to be back. This week is about something very close to my heart. In the past couple years there have been so many changes in the music industry, some good and some bad. One of the good things is the evolution of musical genres and the different styles people are enjoying listening to.

One particular style that I've heard lately (that I never imagined I'd hear on popular radio) is the indie Western-style music. And I'm not talking about Country. I'm talking Western....with an indie flare, making it unique and fun easy-listening. When I close my eyes and hear these songs I see pine-covered mountains, dry golden plains, tumble weeds and people on horse-back. Feels like home.

Click:

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros "Home":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHEOF_rcND8

Of Monsters and Men "Little Talks":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghb6eDopW8I


Much love,

Genevieve

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Monday, March 26, 2012

Harmonies

I dunno, there's something about harmonies that really make a song sound complete. Harmony finishes it. Done. Maybe it makes me a bit of a music dork but I find it incredibly frustrating to hear a song that begs for vocal harmony but doesn't have it. Of course in that case it's fun to make up my own and imagine what the song would sound like with what I've come up with, but to me something is always missing when a melody sails along all alone. Granted, some songwriters leave out harmony on purpose...maybe that's what they're going for, something incomplete, an empty vibe, unfinished. But in the end I shrug my shoulders because the song never remains that way when its being listened to, at least not by me or my vocally-talented siblings and husband, and believe me, we come up with more than a couple great-sounding harmonic parts. So either way harmony always wins.

Want to hear some songs with some fantastic harmonies?! Mmmhmmm...try listening to these without getting goosebumps.


These two songs are begging for harmony! They frustrate me but I love them so. Play these in the Lopez household though, and you get a room full of voices. Every time. :)


I'd love to hear your harmonically-superb favorites!

Much love,
Genevieve
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Monday, March 19, 2012

For The Men

Some things never change. No matter the age, guys always play with toys. When you're little you've got Legos, blocks, toy cars, and GI Joes. When you're a little older you've got tools, cars, and gadgets. Toys R Us becomes Home Depot, and pizza parties become, well...pizza parties with beer.

The desire to destroy things, and also fix them, being competitive, and always being interested in impressing, never goes away.

Of course, one thing that also doesn't change is how music affects the male's life. Here's some tunes to boost the ol testosterone and celebrate being a man:



Can you think of any quintessential manly songs I am forgetting?

Much love,

Genevieve
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