It's Almost 2020

At the beginning of 2019 I was really uncertain about how my year would go.

I spent the last few weeks of 2018 caring for my sweet sheltie Gracie. She passed away on January 2 so the start of the year, and the end of 2018 was quite sad for me.  I mean, you'd think I'd be use to sadness and loss, given that I'd dealt with the loss of Mark in 2015 and Sam in 2017.

Not quite half way through the year, something quite remarkable happened. I reconnected with a dear old friend and many things started to shift in my life. I'd first met this friend almost 30 years ago and we hadn't seen each other since the late 1990's. Because of email and social media, we'd always sort of stayed in touch. He was someone I'd always had a crush on but never told a soul. Apparently, he'd felt the same way about me and finally had the guts to tell me this year. Over the years, until the past couple of years anyway, we had never both been single at the same time so there wasn't much reason to confess our feelings I guess. He's the reason I made 3 trips to British Columbia this year. It's funny, we're both in our 50's now but inside, I still feel a bit like the indie rock girl I was back then, and he still feels a bit like the punk rock boy he was. Life is weird but you can find happiness at any age if you're open to it.

I'm looking forward to spending tonight with him, saying goodbye to 2019 (which turned out to be a very good year for me!) and welcoming in 2020. Finding a new love with an old friend is a wonderful thing kids.

Wishing you all the best things for the New Year, health, happiness and so much fun xo

Don't let go of my hand

Now darkness has gone

This will be our year

Took a long time to come

Merry Christmas to You

The older I get, the less caught up I am in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season.

In fact, I get more annoyed (and earlier every year) when the flyers appear in my inbox from Black Friday to Boxing Day.

I'm not religious at all but I like the holiday season for a couple of reasons. First of all, cookies. Second, it's so great to have a reason to get together with friends and family when the days are dark and cold. Seriously though, it's so easy to want to just hide away and hibernate and some folks will do just that. Third, mini lights.

I'm wishing you all a very Merry Christmas from beautiful British Columbia. This is the first time I'll be celebrating Christmas outside of Ontario, away from my family. I'm sure the day is going to be a little bit different from other Christmas days but I'm excited about spending time with some very special people and experiencing the holiday in a different place. This year, I did almost no holiday shopping and have focused my attentions on spending my time with some wonderful people.

As is now my custom, on December 25, I share with you my favourite holiday song.  Here is what I posted last year about it.

The final song in my holiday top 3 is no surprise to folks who have been reading my blog for years.  Of course, in my opinion, the very best Christmas song ever written and recorded is, was and forever shall be "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues with the namesake of this blog, Kirsty MacColl.  Originally released in 1987 (can you see a theme here, I'm such a child of the 80's), this song, with it's accompanying video (beautifully shot in black and white) instantly appealed to me.  I wasn't the only one, in the UK, it is apparently the MOST played Christmas song of the 21st Century.

Some folks find the lyrics offensive.  Those folks can just fuck off.  It's art, it's a song, it's a story about a messed up couple, trying to drag each other through the holidays when they are down on their luck and not too sure what the future will hold.  I think it's a lot more honest portrayal of what some families go through at Christmas than any Norman Rockwell picture might.  Don't get me wrong, I like Christmas just as much as the next person (although I really just like the acts of charity, the spending of time with loved ones, the lights, music, food and fun stuff, as you know, the religious elements are lost on me) but it's a really tough time for some people and we shouldn't forget about that.



Happy Christmas to you and yours xo

Not Guilty Just Pleasure - San Francisco

This may be my last "on theme" post for 2019.

Not sure yet, it might not be.

Guess you'll have to check back on Tuesday to see huh?

Thing is, today is my last working day of the year and tomorrow, I'm heading out of town for the holidays.  At the moment, I haven't decided yet what I want to do here. Truthfully, I anticipate that I'll be too busy having fun to really want to post but there may be moments where I find myself just really jonesing to share a song with you so... you never know I guess.

Today's not guilty just please song is a gem by Foxygen - San Francisco - from their 2013 album, We Are the 21st Century Ambassadors of Peace and Magic. Not only is it a beautiful song but it has a wonderful video (see below). I hope you enjoy it and, in case I don't post here again before the New Year, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

You swimming upstream or just tuning into new sensations

I was broken and we're broken

Cancon Thursday - Rum Tape

Today's Cancon Thursday son is "Rum Tape" by Ocean Potion (Mike O’Brien from Zeus and Jason Haberman from Yukon Blonde).

Ocean Potion in Kingston
November 2019

I recently saw them in Kingston. They were opening for Dan Mangan (with the amazing Don Kerr on drums) - actually they were also Dan's touring band. Anyway, when it was announced in the summer that they would be playing, I didn't know anything about them.  Immediately, upon finding them online, I fell in love with their self-titled album.  They are as terrific live as they are on the record. I'm not sure how you'd describe what they sound like, it's a sound that I like and I think that they would fit in perfectly with the "Dent May Radio" playlist I found recently. Anyway, it's a really upbeat, dreamy record and I have enjoyed spending more and more time with it.

Hope you dig it xo

Way Back Wednesday - Yes (Means It's Hard To Say No)

As you can tell if you're paying attention, I'm a big fan of power pop and the Odds do a might fine job making songs that fit into that genre. I still listen to Odds on a regular basis and lucky for us, they are still out on the road, making fun, awesome music for us.

I woke up the other day with this song in my head. Couldn't shake it, not that I had tried too hard. Eventually, I just thought, "well, guess it's your brain's way of saying that you haven't listened to Bedbugs in a while." Somehow, I had a cassette copy of Bedbugs and I remember listening to it a lot (like over and over again) when I first got it. Eventually I picked up the CD and listened to it a lot too.

So, rather than say too much about it, I'm just going to leave you with "Yes (Means It's Hard To Say No)" for your listening enjoyment on this Way Back Wednesday (and it totally qualifies, Bedbugs was released in 1993 - yikes).

Happy Hump Day kiddies xo

After writing down my darkest thoughts

I should feel just fine

Anyway, would you wanna hear me whine?

Because It's Tuesday - week of December 10

It's Tuesday so it's another cover!  I may have shared this song before. Goodness knows it's been covered, a lot. It's also a great song by the dynamic songwriting duo of Burt Bacharach and Hal David.

Originally made popular in 1968 when it was recorded by Herb Alpert (well the "boy" version) "This Guy's In Love with You," I've always preferred the "girl" version, particularly Dionne Warwick's. Today, I'm sharing a more recent version by She and Him. Recorded for their 2014 release, "Classics," this version stays pretty close to the original. It's very smooth and pretty and I hope you enjoy it.

Happy Tuesday kittens xo

Not Guilty Just Pleasure - Chivalry's Not Dead

As I write this, I'm feeling a bit bleary-eyed and fuzzy. It's been a long few weeks. I've had a lot on my plate and it's starting to catch up with me.  There is a lovely light at the end of the tunnel however. Next Friday is my last day in the office for 2019. For the first time in my entire life (and I'm old!), I'll be spending the Christmas break outside of Ontario. I'm returning to British Columbia to spend the holidays with some pretty wonderful people and I feel very lucky to be able to do that.

Alas, that holiday in Summerland is still a week away and I need to get through the next few days with my sanity (ha!) in tact. Music helps, always. Regular readers will know that I'm always looking for new music that speaks to me. Happily, I can report that my ears were recently treated to some great new music by a singer-songwriter from California, Michele Audish.  I don't know Michele in real life but we became "facebook friends" after we both joined the Father John Misty Fan Club (Can Flub!) page a few years ago. We follow each other on IG and I've enjoyed watching her social feed over the past many months as she's been sharing the story about her songs and her budding music career.

Recently, she released her first self-titled EP. It's SO good. 5 songs of fab! Her voice is just beautiful and the songs are clever and thoughtful. Michele is fantastic and you should definitely check her record out. She's streaming her music everywhere you stream stuff and you can buy it at Apple Music for $5.49 CND! A bargain at twice the price!! My favourite of her songs is called "Hypothetically" but I'm sharing "Chivalry's Not Dead" today. She released a video for it and it's SO good. It's funny but also not funny, far too many of us have met guys like the one she portrays in the video.

Hope you enjoy it, great song, super video, it's Friday. Life is good (even if you're fuzzy and bleary-eyed)!! xo

Cancon Thursday - Hup Two Three Four

Happy Cancon Thursday to you all.

Some of you may be thinking that now that December is here in full swing, I might start sharing some holiday music. At the moment, I'm thinking that everyone is just inundated with yuletide tunes everywhere so I'm going to hold off for a little while longer.

As it's Thursday, I'm sharing a song today by a Canadian band. A pretty amazing combo hailing from Calgary, Albert. Today's Cancon song is "Hup Two Three Four" by The Ramblin' Ambassadors (check out their bandcamp page if you haven't already).

If you're a fan instro surf/garage music, you're going to love the heck out of this song. Enjoy xo

Way Back Wednesday - Country Death Song

The holiday season is fully upon us it seems. In keeping with the spirit of the season, my Way Back Wednesday song for this week is "Country Death Song" by the Violent Femmes. This live version, recorded at the mighty KEXP is fantastic.

As you venture into the thick of things, the shopping, the gatherings, the traffic, I wish you luck and hope that you can navigate the next few weeks without throwing anyone
down a well.

Happy Wednesday kiddos xo

Gather round, boys, to this tale that I tell

You wanna know how to take a short trip to Hell?

It's guarenteed to get your own place in Hell

Just take your lovely daughter and push her in the well.

Because It's Tuesday - week of December 3

Here we are, it's December again.

As the year draws to a close, I know folks start talking about best of the year lists. I don't usually get too caught up in that stuff. I'm enjoying watching the whole is 2019 or 2020 the end of the decade arguments on Twitter.

Anyway. as it's Tuesday, I'm sharing a cover today. This one was recorded at CBC by Father John Misty in honour of Arcade Fire being named Best Canadian Band of all Time. It's his cover of "The Suburbs"

Hope you enjoy it and happy December kiddos xo

So can you understand

Why I want a daughter while I'm still young?

I want to hold her hand

And show her some beauty before this damage is done