Autumn Playlist

Hi, all! I am currently sitting in front of the computer eating cookies and listening to music through headphones (and I have a baseball cap on - who knows why I decided to put it on when I found it in the bedroom while cleaning the house). And since I'm listening to music - one of my favorite things to do - I'm gonna write a post about what I've been listening to lately and why. 😄

1. "My Victory" - Crowder

(I saw Passion in concert a couple months ago, and they sang this song and I was so inspired by the lyrics and what the band talked about during the concert. Every time I hear it, I break into a smile.)

2. "If We're Honest" - Francesca Battistelli

(I first heard this song on the radio earlier this year during TeenPact, and it's so lovely.)

3. "La Esperanza Frente A Mi" - Danny Gokey

(It's the Spanish version of "Hope In Front Of Me." For some reason, I like listening to the Spanish version of the album, though I haven't taken Spanish in ages - want to, but haven't picked it up again.)

4. "Live For The Drop" - Capital Kings

(I don't usually listen to rap, but I really like Capital Kings. And I got the chance to meet them on the Air1 Positive Hits Tour. So it's kind of like a flashback whenever I listen to their music.)

5. "The List" - Matthew West

(I love how upbeat and inspiring this song is! One of my favorites!)

6. "Start Over" - Flame

(Honestly, I don't like any other song by Flame besides this one. But it's such a deep song about God's forgiveness, and I like the vocals.)

7. "No Turning Back" - for KING & COUNTRY

(I attended a for KING & COUNTRY concert a while ago, and this song was one of my favorites from the concert. I'm so excited for Priceless the movie! Can't wait to see it!)

8. "Love/War" - Jonathan Thulin

(This song almost makes me cry. It's beautiful.)

9. "Happiness" - NEEDTOBREATHE

(I like watching the music video because everyone is running, and then it slows down and I feel sad. But it's called "Happiness," so I should be happy-ish, right? I don't know...)

10. "Northern Sky" - Capital Kings

(I think of the Northern Lights when I hear this song. At the Air1 concert, KB wasn't featured in the concert version...and I like it better that way. I wish Cap Kings would release a live music album.)

11. "Live Like That" - Sidewalk Prophets

(A great song with great lyrics. It's actually one of the first songs I listened to when I first started listening to the radio. Funny how songs like that just stick with you.)

12. "I Am The Doctor" - Murray Gold

(I started learning this song on the piano. I have a friend who loves Eleven, and I used to not really like Eleven...then I did. And now I miss Matt Smith's regeneration so much. And to think I used to not like Eleven!)

13. "Love With Your Life" - Hollyn

(One of my favorite songs ever! It's awesome!)

So that's my playlist! I listen to way more songs than just the ones on this list, but these have been my go-tos lately.

Happy Fall!

Newsies On A Mission

If you came into my house this past week, you probably would have noticed me loudly singing songs from Newsies. Since last Tuesday, I've been singing and singing and singing "Carrying The Banner" and "Santa Fe." I really can't help it. If I'm not singing one of those songs, I can hear it playing in my head. I know for a fact that some of my siblings have been just the slightest bit aggravated or amused when I suddenly burst into song. The little boys laugh. Sunshine rolls her eyes. Super-K groans and wonders why I'm singing again.

But it's just that I looooove Newsies. It's one of my favorite musicals (and I've only seen it 3 times...and I'd never heard of it until this year). I don't quite know why, but it is. I thought it was awesome when I found out that Christian Bale played both Jack Kelly and Batman. :-)

Last Tuesday was my Special Night (Special Nights are a really cool thing at my house. Every Tuesday, one of us kids gets to choose one food and one drink and gets to stay up late and spend time with Mom and Dad.), so I stayed up and watched Newsies on VidAngel. I don't care if it was a box office flop - apparently there are more "fansies" than you'd think - I like it so much. I like Jack and Davey and Spot and, well, quite a few of them! I grin all through the movie because I love it so much.

I hope to see Newsies on stage sometime - that would be so cool. Though I think it would be different not seeing Christian Bale up there with his cowboy-esque outfit and smile where he sticks out his tongue between his teeth. But I'm super excited, and, if not this year, then someday I'm going to see the stage version.

I've heard that some people have tried at some point to do the so-called "Newsies leap." I can barely do the splits any longer than 10 seconds, so I'm not even going to try that. I'm bound to tear something. ;-) I wouldn't care to land in the hospital by trying it (oh, goodness, I'm so punny. Awful, I know).

The coolest things about Newsies, I think, is that the kids have dreams and don't lose sight of them, they take care of their own, and they don't give up. And they're awesome. And they're rebels with a cause. And they dance and sing and...oh, man, I'm getting all squeaky just thinking about it (my voice gets squeaky and I shudder when I'm excited...odd, yes)!!! So, I hope you can see how much I like Newsies. They're cool. Aaaand you can watch them on VidAngel for $1, which is cool too.

And you might like it, you might not. But I'll probably keep singing "Carrying The Banner" for at least another week or two or three before it fades...and then I'll watch the movie again, and the siblings will groan because they don't like it much, and I'll start singing again. Oh, well. At least I like it. :-D

Whenever I talk about musicals with my friends (I'm glad some kids still have taste for musicals these days, ya know?), I somehow fit Newsies into the conversation. They've never heard of it, so I'm thinking I'll have a Newsies movie night sometime...

And while I rinse dishes and put them in the dishwasher, I'll keep on singing "Every morning/we goes where we wishes/we's as free as fishes/sure beats washing dishes/What a fine life/carrying the banner/home free all."

And I object to not singing songs from Newsies...

...On the grounds of Brooklyn.

On Working at The Merch Table (and learning to use a card reader)

Hey, everybody! Can't believe June is coming to an end. I'm not too excited for the hot weather, but I'll survive. ;-) This past month has been pretty busy and crazy, in a good way, and I really want to share one particular day I had this month.

I worked at the merch table for a band in our city recently, and that was a great experience! One of the band members showed me how to work the credit card reader, shook my hand, thanked me for helping out, and left to get ready for the show. So, there I was, standing at the table, all by myself. I felt pretty awesome. A few people came by pre-show to buy CDs, and I got the hang of the card reader and counting change. After the show started, I was allowed to sit in on the show, provided I returned to the table just before intermission. It was a really cool concert, let me tell you! The band was like Piano Guys minus the piano. I ended up buying a couple of their CDs after the show, and they signed them for me. :-)

However, during intermission, I got back to the table, and I look up and all of a sudden there is a HUGE line of people in front of me. I'd memorized the "spiel," so when they asked me how much the CDs were, I'd say "Well, these 2 are $12 each, this one's $15, BUT we have a great deal - if you buy 2 CDs, it's $20; if you buy 3, it's $30." Most of the time, they raised their eyebrows in surprise and proceeded to buy 2 or 3. A pair of girls slightly older than me got to the table, picked up one of the CDs and shrieked, "Oh my goodness! Taylor Swift's on this one! We have got to get this one!" Then they glanced up at me, and I'm hiding a grin because I have no idea why they're so excited about Taylor Swift. "How much is this?" Proceed with spiel. Met with "Oh man! We can get two of them now! Which one?! Oh, this one! Yeah! It's got (name of song I've never heard before) on it! Yeah, we'll take these two!"

So, yeah, that was pretty entertaining to watch. And I upsold 'em. *mischievous laugh* ;-D I had no idea I was such a good salesgirl.

Then it got crazy. I mean crazy. I told you there was a huge line. And that I was all by myself. So here I was, sliding cards and taking cash and handing out change and shooting out the deal we had and answering questions and...Well, I was not prepared for so many people all at once. I have a new appreciation for the people at the merchandise tables at the concerts I go to.

Well, I got another volunteer to help me out, and together, we sold a bunch of CDs. It was a bit less hectic, although the card reader misbehaved quite a few times and some people had to pay cash (we did a little happy dance every time a credit card went through the first time!). After the concert, the band members sat at the table beside us to sign CDs, so that was a huge rush too. Everyone wanted to buy a CD (and 9 times out of 10, they ended up with 2 or 3). It was like a flood. It was loud. It was crazy. But we sold albums like nobody's business.

I'm really introverted, so that whole experience was pretty overwhelming for a while. I had to actually talk to hundreds of people. That was a feat in and of itself. I had to smile happily when the card reader didn't want to work, though inside I was going crazy hoping they wouldn't get upset at me. I had to count out change (we had to break a lot of bills, which was a bit annoying - I wondered how people could have such huge bills and not a single 10 or 20.) - and sometimes I counted twice since I didn't want to shortchange anyone. Thank goodness I didn't.

So, I had to overcome that whole thing. After the concert-goers had had their CDs bought and signed, I leaned over and told the other volunteer, "Hey, let's buy our CDs from each other!" So, I gave her the spiel and she bought two and I swiped her card and we laughed out loud since the card actually went through. Then she turned and gave me the spiel and I bought two and she counted out the cash and stuffed it into the bag, zipped it up. Then we went around the table, grinning from ear to ear, and the band members signed our CDs and thanked us for helping out. We shook hands, took each other's picture with them. Then they packed up their instruments, thanked us one more time, and left the venue.

And I was exhausted, let me tell you! I couldn't believe how many CDs we'd sold that night! And how many people there were! And how awesome it was that, as simple as it was, the band member taught me how to use a card reader. So, I went home a couple hours later, very happy and very tired.

But if you asked me to work the merch table at a concert, I'd do it again.

Even if the card reader misbehaved.

Merry Christmas Everyone!

December 25th.  The day when Dad reads the Christmas story, the kids open gifts, we laugh and have a good time.  I hope you all are having a wonderful birthday celebration for Jesus!

Merry Christmas!

~Piano Keys~

Saturday's Selections

Come To Me shows that God is always there for you. We'll always need Him, and He'll always be there.
It brought a smile to my face the first time I heard it and, since then, every time I've heard it!
"Come to me when
You're weary and
I'll give you hope when you're hurting
I'll give you rest from your burden"- Jamie Grace, Come To Me

♥

Saturday's Selections

I prefer this song more than some others because the lyrics inspire me to fear God even more!
"Though darkness fills the Night/It cannot hide the Light" :)
Also, the video has guitar chords on the side, so that is helpful when I play this on my guitar!