A Bed of Songs & Stories

"Music and Me" - Michael Jackson Today marks a day of mourning...Michael Jackson, our King of Pop, passed away. I was at work. Dumbfounded by the news. Thinking that the reports haven't been confirmed and people, being the pessimists that we are, were already jumping to the worst case scenario: death. So I did what any logical person would do. I googled it. All that was stated was he was rushed to the hospital over a cardiac arrest. And then Google malfunctioned. I checked other sites. No headlines, no definite answers, no nothing. I had no access to TV. So I turned on the radio... No Michael songs, no confirmation...but then after the commercials the DJ announced the breaking news and my heart stopped. Michael Jackson was gone . So, I wanted to blog here in his memory. He was a legend. He was my childhood. And he will be missed. Lyrics: We've been together for such a long time now Music, music and me Don't care whether our songs rhyme Now music, music and me Only

"Only Time" - Enya 22 days later... Hello dear blog. Life got in the way again, but this time sorry is not enough. So instead of apologizing, I decided to just write. I chose this song because it's very calming. It takes me away from the crap that's happening in the world and pulls me back in time when I had my own space to sort myself out. Complete with a warm cup of Lipton tea and more Enya playing in the background. I don't understand how most people work so hard for so many years, only to have it taken away from them in one, single day... Last Thursday, a few of my good friends got laid off from a company I just left this passed October. This security blanket in knowing there was always some place to go, something to do, others that rely on these services all of a sudden pulled out from under them. All because of money-hungry mistakes that a few made and can no longer be responsible for is it now being forced upon those who tried to prevent it. I could have be

"Happy Birthday" - NKOTB I had to! Especially on a day like today, my birthday . The big 3-0. So much to say... but it's 1:00am and all I feel like doing is going to sleep. Lyrics: Happy Birthday to you This is your day On this day for you We´re gonna love you in every way This is your day, your day Happy Birthday to you, to you Happy Birthday to you You´re still young Age is just a number Don´t you stop having fun This is your day, your day Happy Birthday to you, to you This day only comes once every year Because you´re so wonderful With each and everything you do Hey Happy Birthday to you You´re still young Age is just a number Don´t you stop having fun This is your day, your day Happy Birthday to you, to you This day is only for you 'Cause you´re so special in every way Happy Birthday to you http://www.lyricstime.com/nkotb-happy-birthday-lyrics.html http://www.event-source.com/esimages/P_1489972_H1.JPG

"I Will Not Forget You" - Sarah McLachlan I found a CD with just one word scrawled across it: "Breathe." I don't remember anything about it even though I knew I gave it its title. I kept thinking about when I possibly made it and for what reason, but nothing really came to mind. Maybe I just threw some songs together for myself to play for fun or to unwind. I used to do that before I decided to make compilations with a purpose, whether to say "I love you" or "I hate you." So, I decided to give this another go to figure out the message behind it. This was the first song. But...I guess I did forget after all. Lyrics: I remember the nights I watched as you lay sleeping Your body gripped by some far away dream Well I was so scared and so in love then And so lost in all of you that I had seen But no one ever talked in the darkness No voice ever added fuel to the fire No light ever shone in the doorway Deep in the hollow of earthly desires

"Kissing You" - Sade I was experiencing song-block and knew far too well that if I just selected whatever came to mind without any real heart behind it...well, I wouldn't be able to write. So I typed in a few of my favorite artists like Sia, Anna Nalick and Jimmy Eat World, but although I love a lot of their music, their art just didn't quite call to me tonight. So then I thought, "Ok, just put the one song from Sade that you hate to love because it reminds you of a sad time in your life..." But of course at that very moment, the title left me. Figures... So as I searched through Sade's list of songs, dreading the one I've been avoiding to write about for so long, I ran into this. My, my how I let myself forget this I can't say why... but how lovely it was to find again. I first heard this song from the movie re-make of Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes. It makes me laugh a little thinking about it because I was so drawn

"Goodbye to You" - Michelle Branch I've been playing an old compilation in my car the last few days. I called it the Final Goodbye and although I remember quite vividly who it was for and why I sent it out the way I did, I couldn't remember exactly what songs I put on it. You can imagine my surprise at a few selections I made as it played... Movie tracks, old 70's classics and even the pop songs you wouldn't figure would be on a such a sad little burnt CD echoed in my mini and reintroduced itself to me. Some I forgot, others I couldn't stomach anymore...but most were like seeing an old friend again and getting a chance to catch up with more than a simple, "Hello." This was the second to last song out of 20! And its familiarity hit a tiny little nerve in the back of my brain, opening a memory drawer I shut tightly in what feels like ions ago. It made me realize that even when I tried hard not to think about it, a moment that seems too unbearable t

"I'll Be Seeing You" - Billie Holiday I came home today knowing that I had absolutely nothing to do. And for the first time, I didn't mind it at all. I guess it's true what they say...it doesn't hurt to have some time to yourself. Even if it's just to surrender to the day and relax (I'm still trying to learn the beauty in this, but I did let it get in a little). The sun was setting as I pulled up the driveway. Nobody was home so the house was quiet when I stepped inside. I sat on my bed contemplating what to do next and suddenly had this urge to put on a romantic movie (aka: chic flick ). So I glanced over at my growing DVD collection searching for something that would fit my mellow mood. And then it hit me: The Notebook. No matter how I'm feeling, this movie always hits the spot! The lines, no matter how cheesy somehow makes me "aw..." The romantic gestures like dancing in the street as he hums a familiar tune in her ear or having her ri

I have been neglecting you dear song blog and for that I am sorry. I am sorry for allowing work to overcome my desire to write in you. I am sorry for making lame excuses not to log onto my slow computer. I am sorry for letting songs slip in and out of my mind without a care in the world and a pen and post-it to jot it all down. I am sorry for the days that have gone by without a new entry to mark its passing. I am sorry for being: too busy, too lazy, too sleepy, too tired, too overwhelmed, too stressed, too disorganized, too careless, too impatient, too angry, too sad, too bogged down, too emotional too distracted, too preoccupied, too scatter-brained, too restless, too moody, too lost in thought, and just too... too . Lately, I have been scrummaging through a big, black case full of burnt CDs looking for a compilation I haven't heard in a long time. Something that will inspire me once again. And with that, I will return with some new memories, the good, the bad and the unfor

"If Wishes Came True" - Sweet Sensation I didn't wake up to this song nor did I fall asleep to it, but as I was walking back to my corner office with my re-heated cup of coffee, I started singing it quietly to myself in the hallway. It has been a hell of a Tuesday morning so I decided to lock myself in, close the blinds and take a mini-break from it all. This song takes me back to 6th grade. I was such a headstrong 11-year old when I had my first real "boyfriend." I remember those days when my biggest worry was what to wear to school and how in the world I would survive another day in P.E. class with him watching me across the track field as I attempted to do a pull up. And no, I never succeeded and yes, it was mortifying to say the least. But hey, I had someone who wanted to hold my hand so things weren't all bad. He gave me teddy bears and a cute little watch, wrote me silly love poems in pencil so he can erase his mistakes (even though I could still make

"Last Night" - Keisha Cole feat. P. Diddy I woke up Thursday morning with the beat of this song in my head. At first, I had no idea what it was, but I had this sudden urge to clap . I started humming along to something, but I couldn't make it out for the life of me. It was right at the tip of my tongue while I was getting ready for work, but it became pretty frustrating when I still didn't figure it out by the time I got in my car. But...I just went with it even without any lyrics. I was driving down the good ol ' 110 freeway skimming through my old cds with no luck. I tried the radio even though they rarely play music in the mornings! So I shut the whole thing off and began to think, "How silly it is that I get worked up over a single track!" But I couldn't dismiss it for the life of me so I kept on trekkin' . Suddenly, a line came to me: "Last night I couldn't even get an answer..." I found it ironic that this entered my mind sin

"I Hate This Part Right Here" - Pussycat Dolls I know, I know. Of all songs... This is one of those guilty pleasures that I hate to admit actually grew on me over time. It's kinda like Britney. I may not like the artist, but damn their songs are catchy! I have to agree that they do play this song out on the radio so there really is no need to download it with all the hoopla it's been getting, but I can't help but let it play when it pops up for the millionth time (that is if my bf isn't stuck in the car with me since he wouldn't tolerate such noise ). Go figure the kind of crap men listen to, but put on a sappy sad song with heartbreaking lyrics and of course they turn it off. If you've ever been hurt before and stuck in the middle of ending something you invested your time, money, and of course heart into...well then this song pretty much nails it right on the head. It may not be the easiest thing to do, but if you've ever loved and hated then yo

"Blower's Daughter" - Damien Rice This song played in the movie, Closer . A story I thought would be a romantic one filled with relationships that actually thrive...obviously, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It started out with Natalie Portman walking in slow motion through a crowded street. Someone catches her attention and for a moment, they can't take their eyes off of each other. Then...she gets hit by a car. The story develops over one man's selfish quest to be with the woman of his dreams (even if it means cheating on someone devoted to him and stealing another away from a loving relationship). Apparently, the whole love at first sight is bullshit and the purpose of this plot is to piss people off by reinstating the fact that shit does happen, often. But damn, do I love this song... Lyrics: And so it is Just like you said it would be Life goes easy on me Most of the time And so it is The shorter story No love, no glory No hero in her sky I can

"Let Go" - Frou Frou You know how when you think you love a song so much and then you play it to the point where it wears out on you? Well, this is not one of those songs. I first heard it 4 years ago while watching Garden State on DVD. Sometimes when so much is happening all at once, it's the little moments that matter most that we tend to forget about. I loved this one in particular because I was genuinely happy just sitting in my cozy little couch feeling for once that someone felt strongly about me as I do about them. It was a surreal experience to say the least. One of those tingly sensations you wish you could store away in a jar somewhere. So...when you're feeling down and out, you can open it up and relive the whole memory all over again... This is definitely one of those days... I popped this compilation CD in my car last night and forgot this was on it. So this morning right before a stressful Monday at work, I made sure to play it out. Lyrics: Drink

"Ribbons Undone" - Tori Amos Tori travelled a long and at times, unsure path when it came to having children. But through her loss and grief, she found strength to keep on moving forward in a direction she knew will eventually turn for the better. I see the same strength and courage in my older sister. It almost seemed certain that motherhood may not be in her future, but she too felt the need to keep trying. I wanted to take some time to write about a special little someone who entered this big world on the morning of March 11th. She came in such a tiny package weighing a little over 6 pounds, but carrying with her the greatest gift of all: new life. Welcome Miss Amaya Janae , my older sister's precious daughter. My adorable little niece and the first baby girl in our immediate family. I just wanted to dedicate this song to my beautiful Ate and her angelic miracle. I love you both with all the power I have to love. I look forward to each day ahead. I look forward to watc

"Amber" - 311 Four years ago. my bf and I shared our very first kiss to this song. It was after having such a great conversation at a nearby Starbucks over a couple of frappucinos and a lemon loaf. He drove me in his ol' gray Mitsubishi Galant and parked in front of Wells Fargo (we met while working in their hellish call center). We didn't know what it was about each other that made us click. All we knew was, we just did. Now today, after watching a 3-hour movie to celebrate our anniversary we walked slowly to his new car, a blue Honda CRV. A couple of young teens were making out right in front of us so I thought it would be cute to do the same...then again we hate to draw such attention to ourselves and prefer to keep things private . The funny thing is the same song was playing in the background. Ya, it was a simple coincidence. But it was a beautiful one at that. And what'd ya know, I gotta another sweet kiss out of it. Lyrics: Brainstorm Take me away from t

"Sex and the City" - Theme music I can't get enough of this series and even though I have it on DVD, I still find myself watching it on TV, commercials and all. I admit that I don't watch every episode over and over again. There are some more intriguing than others (usually the ones filled with drama) and I have my favorite relationships to choose from: Carrie & Mr. Big Miranda & Steve Everything is a balancing act filled with multiple questions and difficult answers. Should we stay together or should we go our separate ways? Why do we chase the wrong guys and let the good ones slip away? How can we tell which ones are the good ones anyway? How many chances can a person get? Is there more to love than compatibility and being comfortable? Can we always have butterflies in our stomachs ? And why not? Should we forgive and forget? Can we forget? How do we know we found the right one? What does the right one even mean? Do we only want those we can't have?

"Honesty" - Billy Joel I have no idea how this song came to mind. It didn't play on the radio while I was fighting traffic during rush hour. It didn't play in the background of some movie that happened to be on TV. No one was singing it aloud to the point where it got stuck in my head beyond my control. I don't even own the CD or have it downloaded on my computer. And yet, here it is. I actually love Billy Joel, but there are so many other songs he sang that got to me so it's strange that of all the ones I've listened to, this is the one that made it to this site. But I did say that I'll write about the first song that enters my brain and exits my mouth. And this made the cut...honestly. Lyrics: If you search for tenderness It isn't hard to find You can have the love you need to live But if you look for truthfulness You might just as well be blind It always seems to be so hard to give Honesty is such a lonely word Everyone is so untrue Honest

"Mad" - NeYo I've been trying to locate this song and for some reason, I couldn't find it no matter how hard I searched. I wanted to write about it weeks ago, but it wouldn't have the same effect without having it on my play list. So...I took a shot in the dark this Friday night just to see if I'll get lucky. It's kinda silly because now I don't even know what I wanted to say since before I was actually "mad" so I had the right thoughts in mind; I was able to relate to such drama. But since everything's going pretty smoothly at the moment, all I can do is have this on here so that I don't forget to put it on my list of songs I love listening to...A lot. And of course, to calm down when the time comes (and it will) when I get mad all over again. Lyrics: She's starin' at me I'm sittin', wonderin' what she's thinkin'. Nobody's talkin' 'Cause talkin' just turns into screamin' And now I&#

"Universe & U" - KT Tunstall I just moved into a new little office on the 2nd floor. It's quaint and tucked in a corner somewhere in the middle of nowhere (I have a view of tree tops and squirrels). Most of the other staff are stationed downstairs or close their doors to keep the cool draft out and the heat from escaping into the hallway. By lunch time everyone pretty much goes their separate ways so it often gets quiet. As I was unpacking a few boxes and rearranging the little furniture I had, I found my tiny MP3 player stuck in a bag of bags in-between junk I almost forgot about. So, I plugged in my ear piece and pressed play. To my surprise, a variety of songs I haven't heard in a while came tumbling out and as it went on, this song finally made its way back to me and I smiled and sang along. This is why I need music. It fills up the empty space that surrounds me so that I don't feel like I'm not the only one in the room, let alone in the building hidde

"Le Festin (The Feast)" - Camille (Ratatouille Soundtrack) I absolutely adore everything about this film and its beautiful theme song. The more and more I play it, the more and more it consumes me. Every appetizing detail just brings you in. From the storyline to the characters and just the way it unfolds so smoothly, leaving no hidden cracks and missing pieces. You learn why Remy "Little Chef" has such a passion for cooking...Even though he is a rat, you're rooting for him to succeed in the culinary world! You wanna smell the aromas, taste the flavors, and figure out what the heck is in that Ratatouille dish! I can't say much without giving it away, but what I enjoy the most about it is how it all flowed so easily. Just like the theme song, it's fun, light-hearted and simple. Camille's voice is so refreshing and childlike and French is such an intoxicating language that regardless of what is being said, it sounds charming and sweet. It's no won

"PYT (Pretty Young Thang)" - Michael Jackson I just can't help, but love classic Michael music. And after such a busy week, there's no other way to spend a Friday night than dressed in jammies, loungin' around the house, hangin' with my family without a care in the world. Of course playing one of his best feel good songs ever, always does the trick. I grew up surrounded by his songs, singing to Billy Jean and rockin' out to Beat It during huge family parties! I never really shied away from the attention. Even at the age of 5, lip-syncing to lyrics I didn't even know I still got up in front of a crowd! I loved watching MoonWalker as he danced to Smooth Criminal and The Way You Make Me Feel. He made me love and appreciate different styles of music because what he created infused all genres that until this day artists are inspired to follow. Even though he gets a lot of crap nowadays, we can't deny that he brought out the best in entertainment and

"Good Day" - Jewel I wanted to write about one of her songs tonight. I have to admit I really didn't know which one would come to mind as I scrolled through the many tracks on this play list, but I figured it'll come to me. I clicked onto a few of her classics: You Were Meant For Me and Foolish Games kinda stuck out, but didn't quite fit so I pushed them back in with the rest of 'em . I started skimming through her more recent releases even though most of them have been sadly ignored by the monotonous tunes of the radio world. And then it dawned on me: Good Day . I love the way it starts out because I somehow find myself doing the exact same thing when I'm alone with nothing more than my thoughts to keep me company; Talking to myself in hopes to get some shut eye, but only finding more reasons to kill time awake. The clock ticks on and even though I know I have to get up for work in the morning, all I do is sit and think. And with all the shit that's

"High and Dry" - Radiohead I cheated. This song didn't come to mind when I woke up yesterday morning. It didn't pop up before bedtime either, whenever I decide to go to bed... It's almost 1:00am, but I just couldn't leave well enough alone so I opened my brown, leather bound journal that I haven't written in for a while. It still smells new even if I had it for over 5 years. Scribbled behind the page of my last entry was the title and artist of this song. I must've known sooner or later that I would forget about it, but luckily I felt like jogging my memory for old time's sake. I trip myself out with this shit sometimes. Anyway, to let you in on a little history of my life, this song belonged to a long lost compilation. It had less than 10 tracks if I remember correctly, but each one was beautiful and fitting for what I was going through at the time. I played it so much I thought it would burn right off of the CD. Then one day I felt I had to let i