LSS: If The Love Fits Wear It by Leslie Pearl

Whenever someone asks me about my favourite music, I can never give a specific genre. It's always a little bit of this and that with a few hard passes. This is because as long as the melody of a certain song catches my ear, chances are I'll be obsessed about it. Bonus points if the lyrics speak to moi.

Leslie Pearl's gem of a song If The Love Fits Wear It is one of them. Much like The Four Seasons' Let's Hang On!, what caught my ear is the melody of this song's chorus. I loved this song even more after being able to really listen to it.

I have been hearing If The Love Fits Wear It on the radio over the years without knowing the title. Even if I wanted to search for the lyrics online, the noise level in public transportation makes it difficult to do so. I remember actually searching for websites that can recognise a song just by humming. The most applicable one I could find was Google Assistant that's found on newer phones. 

Oh, well. I have lasted decades here on earth without having the pleasure of knowing what the song is except for the melody so I gave up for the meantime.

Last week, I bought a new phone since my old one had (still has) storage issues. Tinkering with it brought about a fresh realisation.

The new phone has Google Assistant. 😍

And so at long last I was able to search for the song by humming it on the app on the new phone, resulting in a 13% chance of it being a match. I tapped on the first result and oh my goodness. Call me mababaw but I felt so triumphant finally learning the song's title and the singer. As of this writing I can already declare that If The Love Fits Wear It will be one of the top songs in my Spotify On Repeat playlist by yearend.

Yep. TALK. ABOUT. OBSESSED. HA.

A Top 40 hit, If The Love Fits Wear It was written by Leslie Pearl and is one of the tracks of her second album Words and Music in 1982. It is no surprise that this song enjoyed a good 16 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 in 14th August that same year, peaking at number 28 and at number 7 on the Adult Contemporary chart. The word play in the song's chorus is brilliantly executed. The tune is more than catchy; it has that mellow, feel-good quality to it. As a whole, If The Love Fits Wear It keeps it simple, yet is straightforward and unpretentious. 

As anyone's approach to romance should be. But we all know that's not the case. 😂

Hit play, as always!

Lyrics:

You say you're not sure about love

If this thing we got together is real

But I say what are you afraid of?

You're a man now and you know how to feel

Look to your heart

And the answer will be

Such a very simple thing

But if the love fits wear it, baby

And if it feels good, put it on

And if it's not right then just maybe

You'd be better off to leave it alone

But if the love fits wear it baby

And if it feels good, put it on

And if it looks right then just maybe

This love we have is where you belong

Baby you've got nothin' to lose

You can try it on and see if it suits you

And maybe, if it's not right for you

You can turn and walk away if you choose to

I want you to stay

Cause you feel good to me

But I'll leave it up to you

And if the love fits wear it, baby

And if it feels good, put it on

And if it's not right then just maybe

You'd be better off to leave it alone

But if the love fits wear it baby

And if it feels good, put it on

And if it looks right then just maybe

This love we have is where you belong

I'd like to hold you for I love you a lot

And try to make you understand

We got a good thing and it fits us so tight

But what can I do?

It's up to you

But if the love fits wear it, baby

And if it feels good, put it on

And if it's not right then just maybe

You'd be better off to leave it alone

But if the love fits wear it baby

And if it feels good, put it on

And if it looks right then just maybe

This love we have is where you belong

LSS: The Kat Edmonson Show

Music has been and always will be an important part of this old girl's life. Next to reading, I cannot go a day without listening to music. Sometimes it's just one song for the whole day or even a week, but nevertheless, listening to music really hits the spot. 

It was especially helpful last year when emotions were just all over the place, being cooped up in the house for so long with people with different temperaments and all. So I play whatever music that suits my mood for the day and just relax whenever I have the chance to be by myself. 

One of the singers I listened to the most would be the amazing Kat Edmonson, who I've been a fan of since 2014. It was in February 2020 that I came across her new song "In a World of My Own", one of the tracks in Kat's latest album Dreamers Do. 

Kat was touring with her band to promote Dreamers Do around that same time and come March, they, along with everyone else around the globe, were told to go home because of the pandemic. People who have 9-5 jobs have it easier in terms of making ends meet since they could work at home. But for Kat and other artists out there who depend on live shows and such, it was a blow financially.  

Not long after quarantine started, Kat came up with the idea of doing a livestream from her living room. It was something that she reluctantly approached. Good thing she eventually embraced it as it was a fulfillment of her shows that she put up for visitors as a kid! How awesome is that? 

I was especially excited for the show because not only is it on a "pay what you will" basis, it also streams at a decent time given the time difference between Manila and New York, which means I'll have the opportunity to see Kat perform live. On 19 April 2020, The Kat Edmonson Show first streamed on Facebook. It was a shaky yet a fun beginning to what would become a weekly live show streamed on several platforms every Sunday at 7pm ET, enjoyed by fans from around the world. 

In honour of the show's first anniversary, here are five reasons why I love watching The Kat Edmonson Show, listed in no particular order:

1. Music education. I love listening to old songs. The older, the better. TKES features a lot of old songs ranging from the early 1900s to the 1950s. Not only are viewers in for a treat with Kat's beautiful renditions of these songs, we also get to learn some fun facts about the song and the artist who sung it. There's even a giveaway or two if you could answer a question correctly. Unfortunately I can never answer the questions since I still have a long way to go about vintage American movies and songs. 

2. The Kat Gang. Kataholics. Dreamers. Or whatever we Kat Edmonson fans would like to call ourselves. For some time people simply shared their thoughts on the comments section but as time went by, people have begun interacting. I myself have shared some good-natured ribbing with the other viewers and have looked forward to seeing them at the show as well. We may not be together physically but there's that sense of comfortable companionship as we tune in to Kat's show. Not too long ago a fan asked what should the Kat Edmonson fans be called. The three I have mentioned above are just some of the many witty suggestions given by fans. Up until now there's no official name but if there would be a poll, I'd go for Kat Gang or Kat Pack. (edit: there's a poll now and happy to see my choice there!)

3. Kat's stories. In relation to #1, I enjoy listening to her stories about how she came into the music scene as well as the backstory of each song that she wrote/co-wrote. Basically anything she shares that gives people a sneak peek into her life. Hearing them makes me feel like she's a great friend to have. How Kat tells stories is also quite hypnotic to be honest. She could totally do voiceovers if she wants. 

4. Kat's team/friends. They may be behind the scenes but they can be definitely felt all throughout each episode. There is Tyler who is her tech support at the show along with Aaron (percussions); the other band members Matt Ray, Roy Dunlap, Bob Hart, Matt Munisteri, and Al Street who provide wonderful accompaniment to each song; and special guests Christina Kulick, Duchess, Milton, and Michael Arthur, among others who have been featured alongside Kat in several episodes. 

5. Kat herself. Need I say more? But of course. Everyone knows how much she loves her supportive mum Sue, who is always present at every show. And everyone knows when Aaron is skating on thin ice. 😂Kat's aim for the show is for it to be an intimate time with close friends. Seeing how she interacts so naturally with each fan as if we're all together in the same room physically, I'd say she totally nailed it. Someone even said that it's like being with a group of friends sitting by a fire. Which is totally true. I have only interacted with Kat online, but I and everyone else who has tuned in to the show week after week had gotten to know her more on a deeper level somehow. 

Here are also some of my favourite memories of the show:

1. The fireside chat back in November. That was so cosy and even if Kat had a stiff neck that time, she went through with the show and chatted with us over cider and other drinks. I really enjoyed that even though I had no idea about the daylight savings time and therefore was late in tuning in.

2. Christmas special. I made sure to watch this on TV, and it was a good decision. Many of my favourite Christmas songs were sung and that night/day was such a festive time that I didn't realise that two hours had already passed. This is also the episode when Duchess made a special appearance, singing Mele Kalikimaka along with Kat. 

3. Valentine's special. There was a promo for the Valentine's show then, buy a Kat Edmonson tote bag with a free song dedication. Of course I bought one and dedicated the song Go to Sleep to my superduperultramegaover cutie nephew. Showed that segment to my brother and sis-in-law since the nephew is still too little. Good thing he's not too little to appreciate great music when he hears one. On a side note, the tote bag didn't just come by itself... a handwritten note from Kat arrived with it as well!

A year has now passed. So many memories have been made through the show and there are more to be had in the future. With 47 episodes behind them and 47 million more livestream shows to go (ha!), I can say that The Kat Edmonson Show is definitely one of the best things that came out of this pandemic. It has definitely been a light that calms the soul in all the madness that surrounds us in the present. 

Happy first anniversary, TKES! Cheers to a year and more! 🍸

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Access to all things Kat Edmonson can be found here.

la musique

it's the phantom of the opera's 34th anniversary! the 25th anniversary special was shown again on youtube this weekend starting october 9 and i couldn't be any happier. i was able to watch that in the cinema in 2011 and i must say, what a spectacle indeed the 25th anniversary performance was. it was every bit as colourful as the one i watched on broadway back in 2002, with all the pizzazz elevated a thousand times worthy of a 25th anniversary production. and yes, i so loved sierra boggess as christine! 

my love affair with this musical started during a vacation in the states just a little over thirty years ago. i could distinctly remember my cousin playing a cassette of the phantom of the opera in her car stereo and she was singing along with sarah brightman with the high notes and all as we drove on a freeway. it was those high notes that really got me and i never forgot that. not long after returning to manila, my cousin was kind enough to send me the two-cassette (yeah i'm that old so what lol) original cast recording. the ribbons on those tapes should have been torn to shreds from the countless times i've listened to them in my walkman. so many times i've listened to the recording that i've practically memorised every line. so yeah. i know which lines have been changed in the songs! ha! which makes me also... one of those people who have memorised lines of a favourite show that i couldn't help but sing/speak along with the actors. in this case, while watching the musical, then the movie version, then the 25th anniversary production. but being the ever-conscientious audience that i am, i mouthed the lines for the most part. but now i am watching the show by myself so i don't care if i sing out loud. ;p

the phantom of the opera opened last friday, october 9 at 7pm uk time and is available for 48 hours everywhere else save for the uk. it is still showing on youtube in my time (gmt +8) as of this writing so do head over there and let the spectacle astound you. :) this is also for a worthwhile cause so do check the links in the video's description.

here is my absolute favourite part. 

LSS: Scarlet Thread by JJ Heller

I am a mess of stitch and string

There is a scarlet thread woven through me

When everything's unraveling

There is a scarlet thread woven through me.

- Scarlet Thread, JJ Heller

Lyrics: 

I am a tapestry

Life left a stain on me

Where would I be, if You're not with me?

You see the beauty in broken things. 

I am a mess of stitch and string

There is a scarlet thread woven through me

When everything's unraveling

There is a scarlet thread woven through me.

Beneath the flaws and worn-out heart

You're turning tangles into a work of art

Where would I be, if You're not with me?

Where would I go? I don't wanna know.

I am a mess of stitch and string

There is a scarlet thread woven through me

When everything's unraveling

There is a scarlet thread woven through me.

Bind the broken places

Fill the empty spaces

With Your peace

All I need is You

I am a mess of stitch and string

There is a scarlet thread woven through me

When everything's unraveling

There is a scarlet thread woven through me.

I am a mess of stitch and string

There is a scarlet thread woven through me

When everything's unraveling

There is a scarlet thread woven through me.

There is a scarlet thread woven through me

There is a scarlet thread woven through me

There is a scarlet thread woven through me.

:)

sharing the first two songs that have made it into my 2020 playlist: desperado and a bridge by inara george.

i first heard the song desperado on my way home last january 2nd. it was sung by a woman and upon checking, there are a LOT of versions of desperado. and so just like what i did with let's hang on! by frankie valli, i listened to several covers of the song and came up with four favourites: diana krall, susan wong, the carpenters, and kristin chenoweth.

sharing kristin's version here because i just love her so much. :)





now this may sound too shallow, but was happy that i had the tv to myself this morning. was able to watch a back-to-back rerun of the tv show new amsterdam's second season. inara george's a bridge was used in the eighth episode called what the heart wants. what i like about this song is that it's a capella. it also sounds like a lullaby, and it fits the scene in what the heart wants very well. don't ask how many times i've already listened to a bridge today. i'll expect it to pop up in my on repeat playlist on spotify soon. a bridge is the fifth track in the album dear everybody, which i must say is a stunning album. needless to say, i just found my newest fave singer!



A Bridge - Inara George

Are you lonely?
You're never alone
Are you counting every breath?
Aching for some time?
Just a little more time
Just a little more time
Are you lonely?

Can you hear me?
I'm talking out loud
Trying to understand just how it is you feel
But I don't wanna say too much
I don't want to say too much
I just want to be here

Let's build a bridge from your window to mine
String a can to a can
You could call me anytime
Let's make a river and take it down to the sea
Let's build a bridge from your window to me

A wish for you
It's just a simple thing
I wanna see you everyday
I wanna hear my children say your name
It's more a wish for me

Will you tell me?
I want to hear all your stories
You're always grabbing at your life
You're never missing what you need
Oh, that's always how it seems
You open up to anything
Will you tell me

Let's build a bridge from your window to mine
String a can to a can
I could call you anytime
Let's make a river and take it down to the sea
Let's build a bridge from your window to me

sunday currently vol.43

Currently...

reading: nothing yet although i just finished reading neverwhere by neil gaiman this morning. a review from san diego union-tribune states how it's the stuff of dreams and nightmares. i totally agree on that. it's a very descriptive book that reminds me of my own dreams and how i narrate it to my brother, much to his consternation as he got older and eventually sick of listening to my tales of my vivid dreams ('how can you remember every single detail???' he often says in disbelief). i also like the cover from the 2016 edition, which is illustrated by robert mcginnis. it's what caught my eye in the bookstore many months ago. the copy i have on hand with that particular cover was graciously lent to me by an officemate who also shares my love for fiction.

writing: oh dear me. i've been stuck in the writing rut since forever.

listening: to stone cold by demi lovato. oh my heart, how i love this song. it's the first song of demi's that i really took notice of back in 2016 because of its melody. it is described in wikipedia as a soul sentimental ballad. much like my strange affinity for the melody on let's hang on's line 'got a lot o' love between us', i love how demi sang the line 'if happy is her, i'm happy for you'. the song is just fairly new that it doesn't have a lot of versions/covers like let's hang on or else i've had created a playlist dedicated to it. i do have a favourite live version of stone cold which is the one from billboard's women in music. there is so much emotion in how demi sings it, the listener would have to have a heart of stone not to feel all that pain in the song. and let me just say that this is one of the songs in this millennium that i don't need to check out the lyrics websites for, well, the lyrics. the song is just that good, and demi slays it every single time, may it be live or recorded.

thinking: of vacations in faraway places

smelling: nothing.

wishing: on nothing.

wearing: sleepwear. duh.

loving: the song stone cold. lol.

wanting: i don't know what i want at the moment. maybe just a restful sleep.

needing: stone cold has replayed ten times already but i really have no idea what i currently need.

feeling: cold. literally. nothing to do with my current ultimate lss, thank you very much.


oh. will i end this post without sharing the video of my latest (old) favourite song? of course not. hit play!

official video



billboard women in music

weekend playlist: sam cooke

so i got the nth warning text from the ndrrmc due to the torrential rains brought about by the combo of the southwest monsoon and tropical depression. accuweather reports 26 degrees celsius tonite. photos and videos of flooded areas are shared all over fb all day. endless traffic in several districts. in a nutshell, it's just another regular stormy day in the metro, with everyone trying to cope the best they could.

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the nippy weather is no match for the warm fuzzies that's been raging in my heart lately however, thanks to sam cooke. in truth, the only song of his that i've listened to was you send me many years ago. the song made it into my ever-updating golden oldies playlist as i thought it was the sweetest sound i've ever heard. still do; it invokes lovely images of '50s and '60s soda fountains and diners, jukeboxes, poodle and balloon skirts, and such. i also think it's a good song to slow dance to, so...



twistin' the night away:
it was a fanfic i read recently that, well, brought me to this particular song of sam cooke's since it was mentioned there. i loved how it was written into the story. and because i'm such a sucker for oldies, i just had to search for it, and what do you know, i fell in love with it. so much so that i now sing and play it on my uke. 



(i love you) for sentimental reasons:
now this song i first heard in the movie the parent trap, where linda ronstadt's version was used in the yacht dinner scene. it's another romantic song worthy of a slow dance. then my heart did a million flips when i listened to sam cooke's version of it. sounds very much like you send me, with too many 'i love you's' and 'loving' for comfort. but it was sung oh, so, smoothly, like warm cream over whiskey. was actually lulled to sleep the other night listening to it. with a goofy grin, of all things.



y'all know already what to do with those play buttons on the vids, yeah? enjoy!

gosh all this rain is turning my brain to mush. just sayin'. good night!

lss: chega de ficar by aaron bingle

never thought i'd say something like this, but what the hey. once upon a time brought me here. ha.

this song was used at the pilot episode scene where emma entered the restaurant to meet her blind date. the first few beats of this song totally got me right away so of course, i just had to search for the title and artist. it was perfect for setting the scene before there was any interaction between emma and ryan. i thought also that it suited the restaurant's atmosphere really well. it reminds me of the upscale malls here in metro manila that play tunes like this. if i didn't know any better i might have heard this song already.

just hit play!

music video: her morning elegance by oren lavie

this video is such a joy to watch.


lyrics:

Sun been down for days
A pretty flower in a vase
A slipper by the fireplace
A cello lying in its case

Soon she's down the stairs
Her morning elegance she wears
The sound of water makes her dream
Awoken by a cloud of steam
She pours a daydream in a cup
A spoon of sugar sweetens up

And she fights for her life as she puts on her coat
And she fights for her life on the train
She looks at the rain as it pours
And she fights for her life as she goes in a store
With a thought she has caught by a thread
She pays for the bread and she goes

Nobody knows

Sun been down for days
A winter melody she plays
The thunder makes her contemplate
She hears a noise behind the gate
Perhaps a letter with a dove
Perhaps a stranger she could love

And she fights for her life as she puts on her coat
And she fights for her life on the train
She looks at the rain as it pours
And she fights for her life as she goes in a store
With a thought she has caught by a thread
She pays for the bread and she goes

Nobody knows
Nobody knows

And she fights for her life as she puts on her coat
And she fights for her life on the train
She looks at the rain as it pours
And she fights for her life as she goes in a store
Where the people are pleasantly strange
And counting the change as she goes

Nobody knows
Nobody knows

Nobody knows

LSS: I have a dream - Kalafina

The rains have abated somewhat, giving a much-needed respite from all the dank and wet atmosphere that pervaded the metro for two straight weeks. That did not stop me from socialising with friends, though. I guess it's to make up for lost time due to the happenings last summer. But upon coming home, I go plug my ears and play my current song by Kalafina on loop. Because I learned of Kalafina during the rainy days, well, the rainy days for me now aren't complete without bingeing on their music. (Still do on super sunshiny days, of course.)

Kalafina is a band from Japan formed in 2007 with Hikaru Masai, Keiko Kubota and Wakana Ootaki as its members from the time I learned of them in 2012. A fourth member, Maya Toyoshima, was only active with the band until 2009. Even so, they are such a joy to listen to and especially watch. I love watching their music videos as well as the live ones since they show several elements that are close to my heart: the classic, medieval, fantasy, and that gypsy-like atmosphere. I also find their costumes amazing as well.

More importantly, one can see that their passion for singing just emanates from them, pure and sweet. Each member has a distinctive voice that blends oh, so beautifully when all of them sing together. It is with this last thought of mine that I think how would Kalafina sound now that Keiko and her wonderful contralto voice has left the band just this April. I get bummed just thinking of it which is why for now my playlist consists mostly of Kalafina's songs. Still I wish Keiko well in her future endeavours as well as the remaining members.

Their song that enjoys heavy rotation in my earwaves as of late is I have a dream. It is the theme song of the animated movie Eva no Jikan (Time of Eve), and it is included in Kalafina's 2010 album Red Moon. I found a website on Kalafina that supplies English translations of their songs. Click here.

Now hit play for a watch and listen! This video is actually a surprise for me since all the ruffles and asymmetric gowns I'm used to seeing on Hikaru, Keiko and Wakana are toned way, wayyyy down. And those shirts! The girls rock them! :)

let's hang on! v2

it's been exactly a week since i first heard the song let's hang on! by frankie valli and the four seasons. exactly a week since it got stuck in my head and won't leave even after i've listened to several versions of it over and over and over.

not that i'm complaining, no, far from it. i just love the melody of the song that i actually made a playlist of it. please humour this old girl as she rhapsodises some more on her current lss that has no plans of letting up.

two of the first three versions that i posted in my previous entry (salazar and nancy boyd and the capello's) were released in the '80s while the one from shooting party was released in 1990. salazar's version came out in 1980 and to me it still has tones of 1970s style disco music. nancy boyd's disco version was released in 1987. i love that particular video of it on youtube since everyone seemed to be having fun especially the two backup singers. hahaha.

1990 saw the release of shooting party's version of let's hang on! and quite like salazar, this song sounds like it's from the 80s. yet among all the covers of the song that i've listened to, this one sounds very much like the original, from the vocals to the beat.

barry manilow's cover of the song is a nice surprise. another release from the 1980s, it has a very upbeat tempo and it has all the characteristics of most of the songs that were released in that decade. very 80s. i know, how profound.



the last version in my playlist is that of the manhattan transfer's. it is also the latest cover released in 1995. i enjoy listening to this as it has a latin flavour to it and best of all, frankie valli himself also sang with the group. my favourite line "got a lot o' love between us" sounds so melodious to my ears.



with all these awesome covers, i really would like to hear a version of let's hang on! in this millennium. i imagine the song should have tones of the current musical style.

a toast to the song that started it all.

lss: let's hang on! by frankie valli and the four seasons

i didn't realise that the video for sherry baby that i clicked on youtube last night was actually a mix for frankie valli and the four seasons' songs. i almost skipped this song since i haven't ever listened to it yet and to be honest i just have this thing that i tend not to listen to an unfamiliar song of any fave artist of mine. strange but yeah.

at any rate, my gut told me that i would be missing out on a great song if i moved on to the next video, so i stuck with it. thank you Lord for guts. now i have this awesome song playing over and over in my head since last night up until probably next week LOL.

i guess what got me hooked to this song is this very catchy tune in its chorus particularly in the line "got a lot of love between us". yes, yes, i'm really weird like that but who cares.

let's hang on! was released in september 1965. composed by bob crewe, sandy linzer, and denny randell, this song that was popularised by frankie valli and the four seasons reached the number three position in the billboard hot 100 singles chart. so far this is the only four seasons song i know that has been covered by several artists like jan & dean, barry manilow, and the manhattan transfer, to name a few. the videos below though are of other artists who did their own covers of this song, all released in the '80s.

no analysing the nitty gritty of each version will ensue here; simply hit play and enjoy!









but! i think somebody should go and make a version of let's hang on! in this millennium. if producers were able to do it with amy grant's baby baby with tori spelling, then this would be a possibility as well. it would be really interesting to know how it will sound like.

where did the first quarter of 2017 go?

is what i asked an hour ago when it was just 2012. ha. to say that time flies so fast is so the understatement of the millennium.

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planned to blog about something but for some reason could not remember what it's about.

so i will just leave this wonderful piece of music i've just discovered today, or rather, yesterday while testing out the new bose bluetooth headset. because melody gardot is simply, simply wonderful.



and i've decided to add one more cos this one just gives me such warm, warm fuzzies on this cool summer night.





if the world was mine i tell you what i'd do
i'd wrap the world in ribbons and then give it all to you
i'd teach the birds such lovely words and make them sing for you
i'd put those stars right in a jar and give them all to you

hihi

logged on to one of my old emails after doing the recovery thing. i was supposed to do something in there but i ended up doing something else, which was to read old email exchanges with friends. i laughed out loud at one such email exchange, where a friend told me that she thought i have published my very first novel, my email to her was THAT long. as a parting shot, she said she'll keep her email short and sweet as she doesn't plan to do a tolkien that day. hahaha!

come to think of it, i did write really long emails to my friends years ago whenever i travelled out of the country. i wonder what they thought of those, cos i just kept rambling and rambling about a lot of things. they must think i am a very trivial person. can't help it though, cos whatever i refrain from talking about out loud, i make up for it by writing long and i mean really long emails/letters/blog posts, no holds barred. i love sending postcards too, but they don't provide enough space for what i have to share so writing long emails/letters/blog posts it is for the most part.

the advent of social media meant lesser personal emails and blog posts, and more micro blogging and sharing others' posts. i must admit that even i fell into the maelstrom that i eventually abandoned blogging for a time. up until 2012 i managed a food and travel blog where i met many like-minded people and who became my friends on facebook; some of them i even met personally. but as aforementioned, blogging took a backseat to the social media platforms i am a member of until such time that i felt the need to blog again, and so this came to be. 

only a handful of my friends know about this blog, and i don't know if they even visit this. i hardly post here anyway and if i do, the posts are way shorter than what i used to write in my old blog. as for emails, i think the last time i wrote one was about four years back but i never got a reply for that. even so i am trying to write as much as i did before. after all, this is like riding a bike, once you learn how to, you cannot unlearn it even if you haven't done it for quite some time. that is why after some drought in here i started again with the sunday currently. again, baby steps. 

who knows, i might be able to bother my friends with long emails/letters again. maybe even with a very detailed blog post or two.

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i am still on my jess glynne streak, so i'll share one of her songs that touched a chord in me. it's definitely different from her happy dance tunes, from the melody down to the message of the song. the video? raw and powerful. there is the official video of the song but i like how this one shot version speaks to the viewers. i also like what jess wrote in her description of this particular video of take me home. i could have written it myself as i've been to that place where she's gone to, in another time, yet in a different situation. in other words, anyone can absolutely relate to this. when you're in the doldrums, you're in the doldrums no matter what circumstance put you in there. we could wallow in despair because of this, but still can choose not to. and whether we believe it or not, there is always somebody out there who will help us out of the mire we've got ourselves into. all we have to do is ask. 

lyrics: Take Me Home

Wrapped up, so consumed by all this hurt
If you ask me, don't know where to start
Anger, love, confusion
Roads that go nowhere
I know that somewhere better
'Cause you always take me there

Came to you with a broken faith
Gave me more than a hand to hold
Caught before I hit the ground
Tell me I'm safe, you've got me now

Would you take the wheel
If I lose control?
If I'm lying here
Will you take me home?

Could you take care of a broken soul?
Will you hold me now?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?

Hold the gun to my head, count 1, 2, 3
If it helps me walk away then it's what I need
Every minute gets easier
The more you talk to me
You rationalize my darkest thoughts
Yeah, you set them free

Came to you with a broken faith
Gave me more than a hand to hold
Caught before I hit the ground
Tell me I'm safe, you've got me now

Would you take the wheel
If I lose control?
If I'm lying here
Will you take me home?

Could you take care of a broken soul?
Oh, will you hold me now?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?

You say space will make it better
And time will make it heal
I won't be lost forever
And soon I wouldn't feel
Like I'm haunted, oh, falling

Would you take the wheel
If I lose control?
If I'm lying here
Will you take me home?

Could you take care of a broken soul?
Oh, will you hold me now?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home, home?
Oh, will you take me home?
Oh, will you take me home?

Hold My Hand - Jess Glynne

another artist has made it to my playlist: jess glynne. i liked her since two years ago when i first heard the song rather be, a collaboration with clean bandit. like two of my favourite artists, jessie j and christina perri, jess glynne also writes her own songs. she has striking vocals which i can't describe more except that it's striking. oh and yes, unique that you'll know right away that it's her singing. i say this because there are some singers who have similar vocals.

this week's LSS (last song syndrome) is jess glynne's hold my hand. funny, i thought that this song was just released this year but in fact it was released early last year. i love the dance beats of this song and so whoever stumbles upon this little blog i hope, nay, command you to hit that play button and enjoy this awesome tune. haha!

Hold My Hand lyrics:

Standing in a crowded room, and I can't see your face
Put your arms around me, tell me everything's OK
In my mind, I'm running round a cold and empty space
Just put your arms around me, tell me everything's OK

Break my bones but you won't see me fall, oh
The rising tide will rise against them all, oh

Darling, hold my hand
Oh, won't you hold my hand?
'Cause I don't wanna walk on my own anymore, won't you understand?
'Cause I don't wanna walk alone
I'm ready for this, there's no denying
I'm ready for this, you stop me falling
I'm ready for this, I need you all in
I'm ready for this, so darling, hold my hand

Soul is like a melting pot when you're not next to me
Tell me that you've got me and you're never gonna leave
Tryna find a moment where I can find release
Please tell me that you've got me and you're never gonna leave

Break my bones but you won't see me fall, oh
The rising tide will rise against them all, oh

Darling, hold my hand
Oh, won't you hold my hand?
'Cause I don't wanna walk on my own anymore, won't you understand?
'Cause I don't wanna walk alone
I'm ready for this, there's no denying
I'm ready for this, you stop me falling
I'm ready for this, I need you all in
I'm ready for this, so darling, hold my hand

Don't wanna know
That feeling when I'm all alone
So please don't make me wait, 'cause I don't wanna break
No, I don't wanna fall
When you're next to me
Can tell I'm not afraid to be
That you don't make me wait, and never let me break
You never let me fall

Darling, hold my hand
Oh, won't you hold my hand?
'Cause I don't wanna walk on my own anymore, won't you understand?
'Cause I don't wanna walk alone
I'm ready for this, there's no denying
I'm ready for this, you stop me falling
I'm ready for this, I need you all in
I'm ready for this, so darling, hold my hand

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and in other news.........

i just have to let this tension out............

whoooooo, so i just got word that our class will have the rated drills this weekend........... whooooo here we go again...................... Lord please help!!!!!!!!!!

i really should be reading up but i've spent the whole day marinating in the heat doing absolutely nothing of value. methinks my brain is already overloaded with information accumulated for the past two years. but why, oh why does it feel like it's the first time? gahhhh

random thoughts

my unintended four-month vacation ended last monday, when my training finally began. it was with mixed feelings that i started it, yet judging from the past three days it looks like my worries were for naught. as i was telling my friend f last night, the general atmosphere of the training was light years  different from what i experienced before that it feels too good to be true. but it is true, and for that i am very thankful. the first three days simply zoomed by. what more on the following days. i feel that this will be exactly like when i took up tesol a couple of years ago: exhausting, brain draining, and huge loads of fun, fun, fun. :)

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since it's a holiday today, there's no training so i took my sweet time this morning to get up from my comfy bed. was too tired even to go boxing even if i planned to do so today. however, the call of lying down like a beached whale is too strong not to heed so yeah.

i still wish there's a way to lose all the unwanted fats in an instant, like instant noodles fast.

baby steps, girl, baby steps.

again.

oh, dear. 

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listening now to ta pa, one of the four finalists in the aldub songwriting contest and my personal favourite. ta pa is composed by maria salvi nuevo and karlo zabala and sung by aika zabala. it was interpreted by kitchie nadal during the grand finals. 

i think this song should have won! but still congratulations to all that made it to the finals!

normally i don't read the comments in any social media but for the video of this song i scrolled down for a bit. someone commented that the song sounded like it was something from a japanese anime. i agree, especially during the chorus. i like the voice of aika as well.

so as ever, hit, hit, hit that play button!!!

Stay Awhile - She & Him

If there is such a thing as love at first sight, there's also such a thing as love at first hearing. Or listening. Sounds weird, but I am sure that anyone who loves music can attest to this. Listening to She & Him's cover of Stay Awhile evokes such warm and fuzzy feelings. The  rendition of the melody and vocals slams you oh, so tenderly with a blanket snugly covering you on a cold night, or arms enveloping you in a warm embrace.

The music video also gives out the same vibes, plus more. Instead of She & Him's previous videos which features a lot of dancers, the focus is only on M. Ward and Zooey Dechanel this time. There is that '50s feel to it in the house where M. Ward is playing an invisible guitar and Zooey in a pretty blue balloon dress dancing around with somebody... or nobody. That second element gives the video an emotional quality to it. There is the feeling of longing for someone who is supposed to be around but is not entirely there at all. Zooey's expression on those embraces, that just did it. sigh.

Stay Awhile is one of the thirteen tracks of She & Him's Classics, an album of cover songs released back in December 2014. This song is originally sung by Dusty Springfield in 1964. I am so glad to have discovered a gem of a song.

And as always and forever, just hit play on these videos!

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Lyrics:

Stay awhile, let me hold you
Stay awhile til I've told you, oh
Of the love that I feel tonight, oh yeah!

Stay awhile, whats your hurry?
Stay awhile cause I worry, oh
Any time that you're out of sight

I hate to see you go
I tell you what I'll do, I'll be good to you
I'll make you glad that you are mine
So come on baby

Treat me right, must you run now?
For the nights just begun now, oh
Honey please, wont you stay awhile with me?

I hate to see you go
I tell you what I'll do, I'll be good to you
I'll make you glad that you are mine
So come on baby

Treat me right, must you run now?
For the nights just begun now, oh
Honey please, wont you stay awhile with me?
So, Honey please, wont you stay awhile with me?
Oh yeah, Honey please, won't you stay awhile with me?
Oh yeah! 

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In case you are wondering how She & Him's video was made, just hit up this link!

of sick days, kilig days, and so on

so. my body had finally succumbed to the persistent cough and colds i've had for over a week now. colds are the bane of every cabin crew's life because if left alone, it will wreak havoc on the eardrums when combined with the pressure during flying. more specifically, during the descent. i have felt it several times already and i thought my eardrums were going to burst. so the very next day i called in sick, the very first one since i started flying. i just have this thought of being superwoman that i really just had to wait until my joints have started aching and my sinuses have begun to throb so much that my face felt swollen. it looked very much like it, too. and i felt so miserable these past several days that i just wanted to curl up in bed and sleep the whole day. i wanted a back rub but nobody gave me one. i wished somebody would hold my hand before i went to sleep but yah there was no one. i have used several packs of kleenex already and it's like there is no end to my need of it. and i realised i was eating healthy food and pumping myself full of meds that i suddenly missed my lovely burgers, fries, and blueberry cheesecake. i don't like taking medicine! especially those huge tablets that always seem to get stuck in my esophagus. when i get better, i will head to my favourite resto and get all my comfort food to celebrate. but first, lemme take my meds. and apples and oranges. 

darn sickness makes me so dramatic i want to puke. so on to the lighter side of things...

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one thing that makes me go all kilig lately is the alden richards and yayadub loveteam, fondly called aldub by fans. they're just toooo cute! and yayadub is just too funny she makes me laugh. those facial expressions! it's cool how she has literally dubsmashed her way into fame. i foresee more awesome things coming for her. 

alden richards? get outta here! he looks like a really nice person in real life. and yeah, ok, he's cute. look at his dimple. ah, yeah! 

grabe bagay na bagay talaga sila ni yayadub. kaya hindi pwedeng matuloy ang kasal ni yayadub kay frankie! yakie talaga! no way jose! heheheh.

si lola nidora kasi! babala... asawa ni babalu! rogelio, rogelio, rogelio, rogelio! nakakaloka! buti na lang nakatakas si yayadub kanina bwahahaha! malalaman na ng fans kung magkakatuluyan si yayadub at alden. bukas na ang tamang panahon!!!

hindi naman halatang excited din ang lola mo sa mangyayari bukas, noh?!

pinapatawa talaga ako ng segment na ito ng eat bulaga. kapag wala akong pasok or ang pasok ko hapon pa ito ang lagi kong inaabangan. galing lang talaga nila sa concept at execution grabe! hard to believe na three weeks pa lang pala ito. maraming salamat sa lahat ng mga bumubuo ng eat bulaga sa araw-araw niyong pagbibigay-ligaya sa mga pilipino! mwah-mwah, tsup-tsup! 

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recent reads:

love & misadventure and lullabies by lang leav 

these are the second and third books of poetry that i've bought. i am not much into poetry but lang leav's writing style really resonated in me. the covers, too. ms. leav is not just a wizard of words but in illustrating as well. her books are not meant to be read in one sitting, as i found out after reading love & misadventure. i didn't get to savour each verse as much as i should have since i wanted to get to the end right away, much like when i read anything prose. wrong move. so when i got lullabies, i took my time to digest each fascinating and captivating line, putting the book down when needed and even when i did not want to. and so i enjoyed reading it. i guess poetry should be read this way so that you can really feel what the writer is conveying through his or her verses. looking forward to lang leav's next book.

the pajama girls of lambert square by rosina lippi

this book i haven't finished reading yet but i find it to be a nice, light romance set in a small town where everyone knew each others' business. it's a story about a woman with a past and a man who never set roots in one place. i have read books with these kinds of characters before but what i like about this is that the characters are full of wit, no-nonsense and unapologetic for who they are. no corny or maudlin speeches, that's for sure. will finish the book once i get my butt off this seat. 

thirteen reasons why by jay asher

i'll say it straight up: i could not put this book down ever. i threw a mental tantrum when i had to do it because i had to do normal, boring, everyday stuff. that's how riveting the story is. every turn of the page is a page nearer to the reason that made hannah decide to push through in taking her own life, and where clay played a part in her story. the book speaks on how people could affect other people with the way they act towards them, and the possible consequences that may bring. an oft-shared quote on the net comes to mind: "be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about."

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lss goodness:

shut up and dance by walk the moon

style by taylor swift

love is your colour by leona lewis and jennifer hudson

the days by avicii

four five seconds by rihanna, kanye west and paul mccartney

cheerleader (felix jaehn remix) by omi 

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i want my blueberry cheesecake!

Oslo Gospel Choir - En Stjerne Skinner I Natt

So!!! It's high time to introduce the first song for my 2015 edition of LSSes: En Stjerne Skinner I Natt by the Oslo Gospel Choir. I don't speak nor understand a word of Norwegian, but the melody is just so beautiful and soothing like a lullaby that I just had to do a little digging. Thanks to Google, En Stjerne Skinner I Natt translates to A Star Shines Tonight. And with the annotations on the YouTube video, I am treated to this lovely Christmas song with beautiful lyrics that tell of the Hope that has come down on earth one night oh, so many years ago.

Oh yeah. I also have to thank my brother for tuning to Spotify(!) and inadvertently introducing this song and the awesome Oslo Gospel Choir. For maximum musical enjoyment, just hit the play button! 

oh honey - be okay

lyrics:

Fresh cut grass, one cold beer
Thank the Lord I am here and now, here and now
Summer dress, favorite park
Bless your soul, we are here and now, here and now

I'm wide awake, so what's the point of dreaming when your life is great?
Celebrate the feeling, celebrate the feeling

Can't complain about much these days, I believe we'll be okay
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh
Can't complain about much these days, I believe we'll be okay
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh
We're sleeping out, I believe we'll be okay

Sun kissed skin on my lips
Thank the Lord I am here and now, here and now
Fireflies after dark
Bless your soul, we are here and now, here and now

I'm wide awake, so what's the point of dreaming when your life is great?
Celebrate the feeling, celebrate the feeling

Oh! Can't complain about much these days, I believe we'll be okay
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh
Can't complain about much these days, I believe we'll be okay
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh
We're sleeping out, I believe we'll be okay

We'll be okay
We'll be okay

Can't complain about much these days, I believe we'll be okay
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh

Oh! Can't complain about much these days, I believe we'll be okay
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh
Can't complain about much these days, I believe we'll be okay
Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh
We're sleeping out, I believe we'll be okay