The Soundtrack for my Smiles

I have had this song running through my head today:

Yes, that’s right, Circus Theme Music.  I know you are jealous, admit it. Don’t you love days when you get a song stuck in your head and it lingers with you forever? Yesterday’s theme was Lady Gaga Raha HAHAHAHA, I don’t tend to leave the song in my head. I prefer to share it with the Universe. Be thankful you don’t work with me. I have a song for every occasion and burst into song at a moments notice. Luckily for me, my students find it fun and engaging, they often will join me until we reach frenetic levels and get out of hand. The other teachers in the room stare at me and smile at me in that pathetic way…you know what I mean, they look at me like I am certifiable, or worse.

Today was the kind of day that you had to sing or cry. I prefer to sing and laugh. Everything that could go wrong DID go wrong today. Then we had a fire drill. Not the fun “chinese” chaotic firedrill where you jump out of the car and run around 3 times at a stop light. The REAL kind, where you stop what you are doing and head outside. For the record, it has been fairly nice weather, no snow yet, but the kids lips were still blue while we waited for the go ahead to enter back into the building. We warmed up with a song and dance number, not quite the Hockey Pokey, but darn close to it. Then all was well again. But that Circus Music kept ringing in my ears.

It is well known that I practice cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Changing thoughts to motivate and alter mind set. I need to apply this to D.J. in my head. I need a quick little list that I can switch to when the current song gets out of hand. Last year I came up with a theme song for my life. Now I think I need a sound track. Songs that my brain can flip through to take away the lunacy of my daily life and keep me happy and smiling. So right off the bat, NO COUNTRY MUSIC on my sound track. Aside from the obvious reason of making my ears bleed, country music is often sad and depressing. I don’t need that in my day. I need songs that will transport me to another place and time in a moments notice, or remind me of a person who puts a smile on my face. My sound track needs 11 songs, because for those of you who don’t know, 11 is MY NUMBER. I love every thing about it, including the fact Mark Messier wore it. Searching for 11 sound trackable songs will be easy. Narrowing it down to 11 is the hard part. I think I have it covered though and the Circus Theme song DID NOT MAKE THE CUT! Ready? I have make a downloadable soundtrack list on iTunes for those of you wishing to share my soundtrack. You can find it here and join me on ping.

My list of music is not my favorite music by any means. That changes daily. It depends on my mood. My list has specific songs that remind me of places, people and times in my life that are significant to me. If you are close to me, you will recognize yourself in my list. Here it is!

The Edmonton Tourist Sound Track to make me Smile

1. The Muppet Theme Song – This pays homage to all my family but mostly my brother. We never missed an episode and could do every skit.
2. New York State of Mind – Everyone who knows me understands why THIS is on my list.
3. Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Not from the movie but about the movie. I hate Moon River, so this makes the list.
4. Music to Watch Girls by – Oh Andy Williams! I love you and so does my mom!! I remember watching her dance in our kitchen to this song. I thought I had the prettiest mom in the world! Still do…
5. Sway – by Dean Martin I danced with my Grandpa to this song, I was 14. Dino holds a place in my heart for many reasons.
6. When You Come – Crowded House. Can I just say, Neil Finn one of the most under-rated song writers of all time? This takes me back to the beach, camp and all great things that happened the summer of 1988
7. Wild Night – John Melencamp. Van Morrison is great, but I prefer this version. The summer of 1994 HUGE changes in my life, all of them good
8. This is My Life – Firewater. Always makes me think of my friend Square. I admire a bazillion things about her and she makes me think and of course smile.
9. Relator – Pete Yorn. This song was played constantly during my chrysalis stage.
10. Pink Houses – John Melencamp. He played this song at a concert before he released it. I was with my BFs from high school. I loved those gals and in many ways still do.
11. Linus and Lucy – Sunday dinners at Grandma’s surrounded by my family, with evenings filled with cribbage, smashes and roast beast.

Go ahead and critique it. Tell me what you would add, or better yet, make a list and ping me on iTunes. More music is always a good thing.

 

 

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year!!  I know think I have gone totally bonkers now. For as long as I can remember, September 1 has always felt like the start of the new year. It  has everything to do with the school year and nothing to do with my fiscal year-end. My house is buzzing with excitement, school bags are loaded and filled with crisp white paper eagerly waiting to be filled by a freshly sharpened HB. Flash drives are empty, waiting for those projects. Most importantly, phone calls are being made about what to wear, in spite of the school uniform rule.  The weather is cooler, the leaves are starting to turn, apples are fat and juicy and hanging on the tree. It is definitely a new year. So Happy New Year!!

Everyone does a New Years resolution, well almost everyone. I never have because I knew wouldn’t see it through. But this year is a little different. I just came off of a really difficult year on a personal front. A couple of things happened that made me turn inward and away from people. I am not going to get into it here other than to say, I am crawling out of it and can see the sunshine at the end of the horizon. Part of that is my decision to be a Tourist in my own life. So far so good! Blogging about it makes me accountable to myself, and I have some loyal readers that privately tell me they are with me for the journey because they need the encouragement too. Well people, its time we make our New Years list – not resolution!

Classic lists are 10 items long. Why 10? I listen to a podcast where his lists are a top 7. That doesn’t seem long enough. I am a little off centre, so I am doing a Top 11 list. Why 11? I hear my friends laughing already because they know. 11 has always been a significant number in my life. The biggest one of course is my not so secret crush on Mark Messier. 11:11 pm always seems to be the time when I look at my clock. The 11th month is when winter really starts kicking in here and I love the change of seasons. 7-11 is the maker of Slurpees and summer memories. I could go on but will just say 11 is my favorite and is my lucky number, so my list will be 11 items long. I shall call it:

The Edmonton Tourist’s Top 11 things that make her happy.

Now at this point I want to add that there is a Buddhist saying that goes something like this; if you want to be something else, act like you are something else. One day it will be true – or something like that. You know what I mean! Coming out of a tough year, I need to act like I am happy in order to be happy. You know what? It works! I have no idea when it happened, but I realized I was happy. Which is great news, because for so long I was not. The other side of the coin is true too. Only YOU can make yourself happy.  I also want to add that it is a given that my family and close friends (you know who you are) are not on the list because you don’t make me happy, you make euphoric and that is a different list. This is a list of  daily things I can do to make me smile. So here we go in no particular order!

The Edmonton Tourist’s Top 11 Things That Make her Happy 

1. Hockey Smack. Nothing is more fun to me then engaging in Hockey Smack with other hockey fans. Its fun, thought-provoking and makes me laugh.
2. Andy Williams.  As a kid my mom would listen to him all the time. His Christmas music puts me in the mood for Christmas preparations. His specials on TV were fun and so “retro old fashion family values” and his song Music to Watch Girls By just makes me want to shake my shoulders with happiness.
3. Diet Coke. It is more of an addiction really but the sound of the sffffffffft as you crack it open sends tingles down my spine. I love it!
4. Facebook. Whatever, you like it too! I have reconnected with old friends, made new ones, learned from strangers and laugh on it everyday.
5. Hidden Mickey’s. The attention to detail that imaginears use in theming at The Disneyland Parks puts a HUGE smile on my face! Disney Geeks need no further explanation. If you are not a Disney Geek, feel free to pat me on the head and continue to think I am crazy, My DisFriends get me.
6. Ink. The smell of a new book or newspaper brings back such strong and wonderful memories for me. My family knows why.
7. Tom Hanks. From Sleepless in Seattle to That Thing You Do and Woody. I love him. Enough said.
8. Singing. I love to sing always have and I am pretty good at it when I take it seriously. Beatles Rock Band with my family is one of the most fun ways for me to spend an evening. Karaoke with my sister is more fun then should be legal.
9. Smelling Flowers. I use to have a great big flower garden. I can’t be bothered anymore to take care of it. However, I will stop to smell flowers growing in your garden. So thank you for growing them.
10. Bubble Baths. I come from a long line of women who have perfected the bubble bath ritual. delightful!
11. My iPhone. If you own one, you know why. If you don’t, get one.

What is on your happy list? I would really like to know! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!