the Haley's comet

that one time my life felt like Pitch Perfect

5:20 AM

Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Billy Joel

4:41 PM

I hope to make these kinds of posts a regular thing. Because I've learned lots of things from lots of places (???? Whatever.)

I grew up listening to Billy Joel (thank you Dad), and he - both Billy Joel and my dad, just to be clear - taught me some very important life lessons.

Anyone named Davey should always be in the Navy.

-"Piano Man"

Can I just say I love that this song is about his pre-fame life? Because I really do.

Other than that, I didn't learn much from this song. Other than the fact that I love Billy Joel and everyone on the planet loves this song, too.

Finding the person that inspires you is a magical thing. Also that Billy Joel might be a creepy stalker ghost.

-"For The Longest Time"

"I'm that voice you're hearing in the hall" Really? Why am I hearing you in my hall? Did I invite you over? Did you break in? How long have you been there for?! Are you dead?! Because the only weird invisible voices I've ever heard of come from ghosts... Can you walk through walls, Billy?!?! What's going on here!?!?

But the rest of the song is adorable. He's been hoping and wishing for me? He doesn't care what the consequences are? He intends to hold me forever? Aw.

Relationships are a two-way thing. So are breakups. And man can they be rough.

-"And So It Goes"

Whew. This one is a doozy.

I'm almost tempted to just post all the lyrics to this song. In my opinion, it's one of the most lyrically beautiful songs ever written. He just gets the human emotion involved with love so well and explains it perfectly. I think everyone who's ever been in love (or wanted to love) can relate to a line or two from this song.

My favorite line: "So I would choose to be with you - that's if the choice were mine to make. But you can make decisions too, and you can have this heart to break."

Gaaaaaaaaaaahhhh. Such beautiful vulnerability.

Bonus: Our Chamber Choir sang this song for our Pop Concert when I was a junior in high school. The same year a quartet of boys sang "For the Longest Time." It was fantastic.

... Just go listen to this song. I can't even explain. Just do it. Please.

You should never argue with a crazy man.

-"Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)"

This was my favorite song from approximately ages 7-11. My sisters and I would make my dad play it over and over and over again. We thought the lines where Billy stutters (aka - "Workin' too hard can give you a heart attack-ack-ack-ack-ack-ack") were hilarious. They kind of still are.

Other life lessons learned from this song : Get out of your parents' basement because they don't want you living there anyway. Buy that Cadillac (-ac -ac -ac -ac -ac) you've been eyeing forever. I'm grateful I'm not Italian.

Girl, you can be as bat-crazy as you want, but someone out there will still fall in love with you.

-"She's Always A Woman"

So this gal has (metaphorically) stabbed him, lied, stolen, wounded and killed people!! She's like the female version of Katy Perry's "Hot and Cold," but on a wayyy more violent level.

If I had to guess, I'd say Billy may be in an abusive relationship.

This may not have been the best lesson for me to learn.

Maybe I should be looking for a lunatic??

-"You May Be Right"

"You may be right - I may be crazy - but it just may be a lunatic you're looking for."

I don't really know what this means, but Billy told me to think about it, so I'm now considering it.

Basically all of American history from 1949-1989

-"We Didn't Start The Fire"

I learned SO much about history from this song! Like Sputnik and Disneyland and Buddy Holly and Wheel of Fortune. Or more obscure things like who Bernie Goetz is and what Thalidomide is.

Or maybe I just learned a list of random events and people that were important before I was born.

Never ask Billy Joel anything.

-"Don't Ask Me Why"

He'll give you great advice all day long, just don't ask him why.

Vienna is the most beautiful place (or state of mind) in the world.

-"Vienna"

This song seems to have a special place in my heart now that I 1) am super young for my ward, 2) am SUPER young to have a basically full-blown career, and 3) have a tendency to set incredibly unrealistic expectations for myself.

I may or may not get teary-eyed every time I hear the line, "Slow down, you're doing fine. You can't be everything you want to be before your time."

Beautiful stuff, Billy.

Side note: To help me remember that I needed to take the Orange line to Vienna to get home from work when I was living in DC, I would sing this song to myself. Vienna was always waiting for me.

Idea for this post stolen from the Hello Giggles EINTKILF ("Everything I Need To Know I Learned From...") post series - like this one - Everything I Need To Know I Learned From Home Alone.

6 things I want to happen 2013 (that probably won't)

4:03 PM

Family

what Christmas means to me

3:00 PM

Since Christmas is only 15 days away (can you believe it????), and since I get to read what Christmas means to others all day long at work (I know, I have the most fulfilling job on the planet, you don't have to tell me), I thought I'd take a minute to share what Christmas means to me.

Christmas is my favorite of the year.

December means I get to enjoy Christmas lights, gingerbread houses, The Polar Express movie and soundtrack, mistletoe, presents, hot chocolate, snow (sometimes), the excited laughter of children and the long-missed laughter of old friends, Santa Claus, beautiful window displays, sweaters and boots, White Christmas, baking with my mom and grandma, our cat nesting under the tree, an excess of Mariah Carey, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Michael Buble and Josh Groban, candy canes, hectic shopping malls, Charlie Brown, parties, caroling, holiday specials on TV and putting my birthday presents under our Christmas tree.

Christmas time is best spent with family and friends. There's nothing quite like being home with the ones you love and the ones who love you during the holidays. I love my family more than anything else in the world, and it's always a hoot coming home for Christmas. At our house, it always ends up being a collaboration of baking, sharing our favorite YouTube finds from the last year, eating way to much, poorly acting out the Nativity and sleeping in the same room on Christmas eve.

But more importantly, Christmas is a time to remember the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It's a time to reflect upon His life and love for us. He willingly and lovingly lived a perfect life on Earth, suffered for the sins and sorrows of all mankind, died on the cross and rose again - all so that we might be able to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again. The Christmas season is a wonderful opportunity for the whole world to come together in love and friendship to worship the Master and contemplate the magnitude of His sacrifice and love for us.

And that is why I love Christmas.