MelaniedeJonge.com » Barenaked Ladies

New Christmas Music – Listen to Christmas Music Online!

melanie — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:48:12 +0000

Get ready, people. I have a truckload of new Christmas music for ya!

Christmas is by far my favorite time of year. I’m a HUGE Christmas nerd. In fact, this is the first in a series of Christmas-themed toplist posts I have planned for this season. Oh, yeah. I’m spreading Holiday Cheer. Whether ya like it or not!

The first in the series of Christmas list posts is this one, new Christmas music. Of course, I’m taking a rather loose view of the term “new.” I’m going to adopt Stephen Merchant‘s definition of “New Music,” which is – “Music you’ve not heard before.” :s)

So, here we go.

Jd Webb – Everything I Need This Christmas
Of course Jd is first! He’s my boy! Besides that, he’s also come out with the catchiest and most singable Christmas song in the history of ever.
Everything I Need This Christmas by Jd Webb

Barenaked Ladies – Elf’s Lament
It’s a Christmas song. About Organizing. How social justice-y awesome is that? ELVES UNION NOW!

The Weepies – All That I Want
This was the JC Penney commercial Christmas song last year, so you may have heard a snippet of it. I’d be willing to wager you haven’t listened to it as a SONG, though, and it’s really gorgeous.

David Ryan Harris – The Little Drummer Boy
I can’t even talk. It’s David. Just…beautiful, hilarious, touching, moving, amazing…it’ll give you goosebumps. But that was summed up when I said, “It’s David.”

Winter Song – Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson
I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest Ingrid fan. Nothing against her, just…meh. But Sarah B? Frickin’ amazing. And the harmonies are really pretty.

Kat Parsons – She’s a Nutcracker
Just hilarious. Watch it. I’m not wrong.

Jd Webb – Mary Did You Know?
OK, I’m gonna start with Jd and end with Jd. Like I said, he’s my boy!

Michael Buble - Christmas (CD,2011,New, White Christmas, Jingle Bells)

US $3.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Monday May-21-2012 16:53:46 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list

Bye Bye Matty :(

melanie — Thu, 16 Dec 2004 12:29:07 +0000

WHAT I’VE BEEN READING: In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner. I’m only on the second page. I love only being on

the second page of a book. It’s such a feeling of anticipation.

WHO I’VE BEEN LISTENING TO: I heard Todd Martin opening up for Matt a couple of weeks ago in Massachusetts

and I thought that he was good stuff. He’s very muscular, too. Like…the guitar looked small when he held it.

WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON: Well, I flew out to Mass to see Matt Nathanson play and visit my crazy friend Mark a

couple of weeks ago. He is one funny kid! I had so much fun. Mark picked me up at the airport (JFK) with his friend Lou and

we went and and picked up Zuzana and got on the road. A few hours, a diner meal, and a staunch refusal to listen to Barenaked

Ladies later…we arrived in Shelburne Falls. We ran into Sherilyn and chatted for a while, then went and talked with Megan

and Emily at Megan’s restaurant.

We checked into a hotel, chilled, got ready, ate, and got in line for the concert. It was a CCCOOLLLDDD couple of hours, but

it was broken up by a lively discussion of mark’s sexuality which random people jumped into with interesting results.

The show was THE SHIT! People were so quiet and respectful. I gave Matt the second part of my Christmas gift, the cast

recording of The Last Five Years (the first part having been an inscribed copy of Marc Acito’s How I Paid for College: A

Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship, and Musical Theater).

Then last weekend, I drove to San Francisco for Matt’s final show for a while. The length of the “while” has not been

specified by Matt’s team, so I am assuming it is a long while. I am preparing for the eventuality that I might not get to see

Matty play again until The Rock Boat. So sad. Not for Matt, of course, I’m sure he’s doing a happy dance. But sad for me.

Happy, also, for my bank balance, as I am not a sucker for throwing down cash for a cross-country trip for anyone but Matt.

The show in San Francisco was SSSOOO good. I am going to copy and paste my reviews from Matt’s board:

FIRST ONE:

awwww…what a great show! i loved it. so cool running into friends i haven’t seen since april. noreen, sarita and

ro…and noreen and i went to this very cool 24 hour diner after the show and had eats.

so, on the subject of “age ain’t nothin’ but a number” noreen was telling matt that her birthday was on tuesday. (HAPPY

BIRTHDAY!) naturally, he asked how old she was going to be. she told him. he couldn’t believe it. (without getting into

specifics, let’s just say that noreen is VERY young and hottie looking for her age ). matt was like, “no way. there is NO

WAY.” and noreen says, “it’s true. ask mel.” i confirmed, and matt says, “yeah, but melanie lies…”

so, i was telling my mom this story this morning (i took the opportunity of being in norcal anyway to come visit the fam),

and at the point in the story where matt says that i lie, she says, “yeah, but how does *he* know that?” HAHA! God. I’m like,

“MOM! He was joking! And I *don’t* lie!”

So my mom starts cracking up, and she says, “oh, no, that’s hilarious…i just thought…you know…you WILL lie to people to

make a joke funnier, you’ll go along with a joke. that’s all i meant. not like you’re some pathological liar.” haha.

and since i had, just previous to noreen chatting matt up, been trying to convince her to use her new haircut to fool him by

adopting the persona of a stripper named regina…well, i guess i can’t really argue with that.

NEXT ONE:

oh, i also wanted to point out how incredibly cool the crowd was at this show…they were very quiet and respectful

during the solemn, emotional songs, but at the rowdy parts, they were so rambunctious and funny!

my favorite part was this: a girl in the front row had requested “new coats & new hats” and matt said he would play it,

but that it had to wait a few songs. a little bit later, this guy in the back with a growly voice yelled loudly,

“VANDALIZED!” and matt stepped back from the mic with this startled look on his face like it scared him. then he says,

pointing out the girl in the front row, “I was supposed to play a song for you. but you’re not as angry as he is.” people

laughed and as it was dying down, she says, “I can be,” in this semi-threatening/semi-seductive tone of voice that was just

HILARIOUS if you heard it. And matt starts cracking up, and he’s all, “that’s kinda hot. i won’t lie to you and say that

didn’t turn me on.”

We love you, Matty Nay! Enjoy your rest but know we miss you.

I’m Zany – And Brainy, Apparently!

melanie — Thu, 20 Nov 2003 10:47:35 +0000

WHAT I’M READING: Under Cover of Darkness by James Grippandi, Endangered Species by Nevada Barr, Four Blind Mice by James Patterson.

WHAT I’M LISTENING TO: Everything to Everyone by Barenaked Ladies, OF COURSE! Not going to miss the new release by my all time favorite band! Can I be a little disloyal, though, and say that I was a bit disappointed? Man, I feel like such a traitor even voicing that, and especially on such a public forum, but this is the first of their CD’s EVER that there isn’t even one song that I say, “GOD! I love that song!” And on ALL of their other CD’s there have been at least five or six of those.

WHAT’S BEEN GOING ON: Well, I got a part-time job at Zany Brainy, which sells educational toys and other things like that. It should be pretty fun and interesting working there, hopefully, and I can make some extra moolah for paying off bills and saving up for the big move to LA. The sad thing is, if I’m working on Saturday nights, no more post-whoring with my MSM girls. Too bad.

Evie is coming out to visit me this spring. She’s never been to Northern California before. I’m going to show her San Francisco, Napa and Lake Tahoe. My own personal Top 3. I’m such a nerd, I’m already planning everything out to the Nth degree…I’m practically planning it out by the minute! ? There are so many special things. Cable cars, definitely, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39 (touristy, but still ?). The Indonesia Restaurant. The Golden Gate, Golden Gate Park…oh man, it’s so exciting to be able to show someone all that for the first time! And then Napa, I definitely want to take her to Mondavi and take the tour…Sittui, the museum, Domain Chandon, the cooking academy…everything! And Lake Tahoe…The Forest Room, driving around the lake, that art gallery by the marina, gambling and partying till late in the evening LOL. I might even take her to Virginia City, I doubt she’s ever been to anything like that…anything Gold Rush or “Old West”-ish.

I’ve been SO into working out and going to the gym lately…I LOVE the gym. I love the feeling of industry there…everyone is there to do a job, and everyone is there to better themselves. Tanning and going in the spa also feel good, and I like the steam room. So I’m taking advantage of the pampering aspects of it, as well.

I’ve also recently discovered the Grilled Chicken Salad at the Mexican Food restaurant in the Food 4 Less parking lot down the street from my school….aaaahhhh!!!! Heaven! Oh, man, it’s such a good salad! And Cost Plus has a decent little low carb section, too. Low carb chocolate…yum! So I’m feelin’ pretty good about my diet lately! LOL In San Ramon, there is a whole low carb STORE called Greenbeanz, but things in there are hella expensive, and I can’t afford to be shopping there all the time. Or ANY of the time, for that matter! Haha.

Write more later!

My First Journal Entry…AKA…Welcome to Melanie’s Life

melanie — Tue, 19 Nov 2002 01:05:03 +0000

What I’m Reading: City of Bones by Michael Connelly, The Murder Book by Jonathan Kellerman and Sudden Prey by John Sanford. I’m such a multi-tasker!

What’s Going On: Well, I have been inspired by my college roomate Evie to begin keeping an online journal. I know that, most likely, the only reason she will be reading it is to see if she is mentioned, so I’ll just start off there. Hi Evie!

I’ll start out by telling about myself…a little crash course in Melanie for the uninitiated.

I am a fourth grade teacher in Northern California. Click below to view my professional portfolio:

http://fcpages.auntiemel.com/portfolio

I have a niece Mya and a nephew Joey, thus my handle, auntiemel. That’s what my nephew calls me, and it stuck as a nickname. My niece calls me Mimi.

I went to Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. Life is rough! My favorite band is Barenaked Ladies, followed closely by Ben Folds Five (They broke up! ARRGGGHHH!). My favorite author is Caryl Rivers, followed closely by Elizabeth Berg. My favorite TV show is Trading Spaces. Largely because my favorite celebrity hottie is their carpenter, Ty Pennington. Check out my personal website, www.auntiemel.com, if you’re panting to know more.

I spent a semester studying abroad in Florence, Italy. I also visited Egypt and Greece. I really want to go back to Europe. I plan on doing so as soon as I can pay off my student debt and get a little money together…considering the massive nature of my student debt, that could be YEARS from now, but hope springs eternal.

As far as current events, I am “off track” right now, which means I’m on vacation from school. I teach at a year-round school, which means that rather than a traditional summer vacation, I get the months of November, March and July off. I do go back to work on Friday, though, so my idyllic month will be over.

I’m driving a new car…a Cranberry Saturn Coupe. I love it! I drove a used Infiniti during college that was a nice little car, but it had a LOT of miles on it. It was pretty nerve-wracking, wondering if it was going to work from day to day. I don’t have to wonder any more. Woo Hoo!

I think this is enough for my initial entry. More will be forthcoming.

Thanks for reading.