A Small Holiday Blag

I have been a little sick the past couple of days, but I was trying to think of a little fun holiday blog. And I've been stuck on what to do. I kinda wanted to make this into a 'gift' for those who read this. My way of saying Happy Holidays to those who take time to read this.

So I've decided to make a little top 10 list of some of my Favorite Holiday songs. Some of these are for Humor's sake, or for nostalgia, but most of them genuinely are some of my favorite Holiday songs.

Even though I don't believe in a supernatural being that seems to be the focus of "Christmas" or quite a few of the Holidays around the winter solstice, does not mean I am a Scrooge. That being said, let's get to the List.

10. The Smashing Pumpkins - Christmastime



Now, I kind of hate Billy Corgan. His voice is a bit nasally for my tastes, but somehow, it works with the Pumpkins. And this song kind of reminds me of how my parents must have felt Christmas morning; with me as a kid. After all the hustle and bussle of the holiday season, sitting down and watching a child's eyes light up as they open gifts... it could be nice on some level.

09. Bob Rivers- I am Santa Clause


There is something so wonderful about a well done Christmas parody. Using Black Sabbath's main riff from Iron Man is great. And I have an image of Santa sporting "C-H-R-I-S-T-M-A-S" across his knuckles like Ozzy has "O-Z-Z-Y'. My cousin Miles showed me this a few years back. I'm glad he's more into Black Sabbath and Ozzy more than Santa now, but I thank him for hipping me to this.

08. Danny Elfman - What's This?



So being a former little Goth-y boy, and still being a huge Tim Burton fan, and to a lesser extent a Fan of musicals, this ranks up there as one of my top Christmas songs. Danny Elfman's voice as Jack Skellington is delivering an enthusiastic of wonder is a major turn for the character from "Jack's Lament" earlier in the Film. Burton's creation, the music and clay-mation make "Nightmare Before Christmas" one of my go to Holiday movies. Macabe at times, sure, but Disney has done much worse Christmas Specials/movies. "What's This" is just a fun song, and if it doesn't make you smile, like it Christmas town does for Jack, I have three Ghosts of Christmas that will be paying you a Visit tonight.

07. My Chemical Romance - All I Want for Christmas Is You


This is a recent find for me. I remember the frigging Mariah Carey original, and I loathe it. But Gerard and Co. put a nice little 'pop-punk' spin on it, that makes the unbelievably sappy lyrics a little more palatable. If you really want to torture yourself, go on youtube and see some of the horrendous fan made 'music videos' for either version. I kind of want to stab my eyeballs out due to the one I watched.

06. The Used - Alone This Holiday



Another 'punk-lite' Holiday song. I apologize for the crappy audio on this, but I'm not the one who uploaded the video. The original is on Maybe Memories CD, or iTunes. This is more of a Nostalgic song for me; The lyrics are depressing, but it's a fun song. Good when you're pissed over the holidays. Or just using it when taking a walk out in the snow alone. I actually prefer the version without Kelly Osbourne (Ozzy's daughter) but that's hard to come by.

05. Blink 182 - I Won't be Home for Christmas


This is usually how I feel around the holidays until about a few days before Christmas. I mean, I PROBABLY won't attack someone around Christmas with a baseball bat and get butt-raped in jail for aggravated assault. But one can only have their buttons pushed so much as the days get darker, and drearier. If I end up in jail, please, post my bail.

04. The Vandals - My First Christmas (as a Woman)


What can be more awesome at Christmas than getting what you want? The Vandals, what can I say, I love Josh Freese. A fun upbeat, probably not to serious song about wanting Santa to make you the opposite sex for Christmas. But then again, it is the Vandals. You can never be sure.

03. Spinal Tap - Christmas with the Devil


YouTube does not have a decent recording of this, so I had to get a piano/bass jazz-y version of it. You can find the original on iTunes, I think or any respectable filesharing site. There's a REALLY crappy VHS era of Spinal Tap playing on the Arsenio Hall show. And there is just something hilarious about the lyrics and/or the music in it. Metal + Christmas... it's odd, isn't it? I mean this was released in 1992. A good 4 years before Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Coincidence?
Yeah, Probably.

02. Nine Inch Nails - 28 Ghosts IV



Something about this song reminds me of snowfall or walking in snow. This is not my video to the song, but gives a nice representation of what's in my mind when it plays. Off of Nine Inch Nails instrumental album released in March of 2008 Ghosts I-IV this track has been one of my favorites for this year. at over 5 mins, it's one of the longer pieces on the album. Give it a listen, it's a $5 download off of nin.com.

01. John Lennon - Happy Xmas (war is over)


Street Drum Corps. Featuring Bert McCrakin

The Three Tenors

Maroon 5


This song was originally a protest song about the Vietnam war; although in recent years, I feel it has lost it's meaning. Or it has changed at least. I don't want to preach here (but it might come off as such); It's not what I do well at all. I take this song to be reflective on your year, and if you're working to help this planet, and help and love those around you. I try to, so much and I'm sure you do to. This song is to promote the ultimate ideal of this holiday season, peace on earth and love for your fellow person. Peace can come from a messiah that is to come; or one that has come, died, and will come again. Peace can be simple as extending a hand to someone in need with out thought of getting something in return. Peace is possible, if we hold ourselves accountable for our actions, and we take care of ourselves, and take care of our neighbors.

This Holiday season, lets let the messages of hope, love, light and happiness really take hold. Promote it all year round, take a few minutes each day and do something kind for someone in need. Talk to strangers, make them smile, you might help them when they are having a bad day. Promote people to reach there full potential. Love everyone equally, regardless of race, ethnic background or religion.

Happy Holidays. War, Hunger, Illiteracy, Poverty, Disease can all be over. If you want it. Let's make it happen.

Consumerism, Stomach Sickness, Ice, Snow, and love.

So I finished X-mas Shopping for everyone, I think/hope. What I already obtained from websites, I think that everyone will like their gifts...

I think a couple of things might get here just in the nick of time. Mostly things from little independent shops. Like the xkcd merch, or the questionable content dot com merch.

I want to make a little mix CD to go with some the cards I'm sending out, but I'm not a huge fan of Crimmus music. If I do get a few more ideas (I want at least 15-20songs), I think I need to pirate/download from itunes (give suggestions in the comments section) some wintertime music, or music that reminds you of winter/holidays.

I have a couple of songs I'm putting on there for sure. But it's only like...5 song ideas. So go nuts in the comments section.
Anyway, shopping this year was done entirely online. And it is so much easier. Thinkgeek was amazing to me; and although I wanted to buy a metric-ass-load (it's a real measurement, look it up [also see the picture of birds to the left for an example]) of stuff for myself, I restrained. Various people got stuffs from there.

Amazon.com was a savior for a certain person, but it just wasn't cutting it this year for the most part. However, St.Helen's Bookstore was amazing for one awesome item... someone will have a very special x-mas gift. They were amazingly prompt and what I ordered from there is absolutely beautiful. I ordered something from another indie bookstore, and I hope they are as amazing as I've heard.

I added a few people on my list this year, with small stuffs. A book or a little plushy from thinkgeek. Mostly stuffs that one could put on a desk at their work.

The Onion's online store was a source of much hilarity between me and Jen. They sell fake gift boxes to put real gifts inside. A USB toaster, the iFeast Pet Feeding MP3 Docking Station/Stereo.

The best store that I encountered this year had to be The HungerSite. Not for shipping, or selection, or customer service. But for gifts that mean something more than their value/sentiments... It's good to shop there, and just to click on their links daily. Most of my family got stuff from there this year. They have artisan projects, and the food that you buy and get jewelry or clothing etc. goes to that village/country or to where the artists desire it to go. And if you prefer donating to another worthy cause, they have other sites in their network.

So for the past three days or so, parts of my body have not been feeling so well. I have what I think is gas. Like horrid, makes you want to stab your own small intestines with a spork and then strangle someone with them, kind of pain. Oh, and accompanying this wonderful sensation are two things I thought I'd never really have to worry about. The first is about my passage of feces; the second is about my urine. So if you dislike poo and pee talk talk quit reading now; I will have another bold text to tell you when it is done. So I've been having very loose passage of stool, and not in big quantities. Or sometimes, it's just a lot of gas. For how much the gas has been hurting, and how little poo is coming out, I'm kinda worried that I have the Byrus/'a Shitweasel' from Stephen King's Dreamcatcher. And then their is urination. Although it's not painful, nor an odd color for me, it's much more frequent than I normaly have pass through my body. The urine is my typical fairly clear, which is normal for me. I don't think it's a UTI or and Kidney/Bladder infection, there is no pain, no discoloration or odor change. I mean I know how to wash myself, and I'm surprised by the frequency of my urination, I'm usually a once or twice a day kinda guy; now it's every couple of hours. Just going by my own guestimates, but I think I'm passing about the same amount of urine per day. But it's just occuring much more often. I'm not showing any signs of Diabetes, no weight loss/gain. Oh well, my body just is deciding to freak me out, I guess. Idiotic body.

I am done talking about bodily functions. Now I talk about happy things.

It's been very pretty up here in N. Maine today, at least. I took a few pictures with my camera phone, which I'll post in a few days. Snow on the side of the road/railroad tracks. It's been a nice day. Although it is a bit different driving in compared to SW PA.

I miss Pittsburgh, a little. No so much in the geographical sense of the idea, but my friends and family. I wish I could just BS with JC or Erin for a bit. I want to have an all night coffee and work on music with Matt.

Jen and I are doing well. She's been trying to take care of me while I was a little sick (still don't feel 100%), and I'm a bit stubborn on that kind of stuff. It's one thing to pick up tomato soup for me, it's another to make it for me. It's appreciated, but I like feeling a little self-reliant, even when my body is staging a Che/Castro vs Batista Cuban-like rebellion in my intestines. She has the day off tomorrow, so it'll be nice having a whole day to ourselves. I'd like to just relax and do whatever. Anything but more crappy TV. Crappy movies would be fine, but one can only watch so much scrubs, mash, friends and discovery channel.

Sometimes when I'm here, it still feels like I have to head back to SW PA at some point. That I didn't move here. That sometime I'll have to pack all my shit back up and go back 'home'. Its an odd feeling. Being 1000 miles away from most of the people you know makes you appreciate people a lot more, and makes you appreciate the hell out of the people you have near you a lot more too.

Next time, I'll be more ranty, I promise. This was a pretty upbeat post. I'll be sure to be more angsty and angry.

EDIT: i don't think i said fuck in this entry at all. It's a sad, sad, sad, sad world...