The American Idols have been busy…  Today I heard for the first time (give me a break I’ve been on vacation and with no teens in the house I didn’t see the Teen Choice awards) David Archuleta’s Crush.  I’ve included the You Tube and the lyrics below for your enjoyment.   It seems to be true to his style of music… at least the style that I enjoyed from him the most when he was on the show.

I have also read that this song has made its debut on the Billboard Top 100.  Talk about whirlwind.  It hasn’t been that long since the show ended and the artists are already hitting the charts big! Remember Time of My Life – by David Cook is already at something close to 300,000+ sold.  I wish them all the best of luck… Take a walk over to the iTunes store and buy their songs! 

One of my favorites from YouTube and last.fm is We Walk in a Fog… It has an interesting lyric to think about -- perhaps wedding music -- and the a cappella is nice, smooth, and just plain ol’ pleasant to listen to.

We Walk in a Fog

We walk in a fog that forever surrounds us
and hark to the sounds of the moonlit nights
We tread on a treacherous moss that confounds us
and darkness of dusk human hearts does blight.

But two lonely hearts when join in singing
and calling each other in night’s confine,
two shadows entwining and lovingly clinging -
oh wouldn’t, oh wouldn’t that be divine!

This is the version I found on YouTube

www.youtube.com/watch?v=14VVW-QiXbM

I also found it on last.fm (this is from the album and much more professional) -- http://www.last.fm/music/Rajaton/_/We+Walk+In+A+Fog

Through the course of the movie, these hospital roommates, become friends.  Friends that learn they must face the fact that they are dying and perhaps some not so “joyful” other things in their lives.  

The concept of the “bucket list” -- the list of all the things you want to do before you “kick the bucket” --  is one that Carter (Freeman) shares with Cole (Nicholson) as a college philosophy professor’s exercise to his students.  I seem to recall a similar exercise and my results were actually pretty similar to what Carter remembers.   Money, family, happiness… they are all things that as a college freshman I thought were a long time in coming.  Now on the right side of middle age, my college bucket list is important and certainly has relevance to what and who I am today but I think with life experience there are a lot of other things I think I would add to that list.  Cole and Carter create the list and head off on this world adventure to see and do all the things they wish they could have in their life.  

There is an interesting side plot that I think the movie really glossed over rather poorly.   Carter is a married man and when he finds out he is terminal he makes a choice to spend a portion of his remaining days away from his wife and family doing the things that he wants to do.  I find the way the movie handled this to be very “light” as opposed to how it might play out in real life.

The power of the movie for me was not in the humor, or the very poorly done visits to some of the wonders of the world.  (You would think the digital additions of the pyramids, the Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, or the African Safari would have been better done.)  The power lies in the message.  If you know that you only have a specific amount of time to live what are the things that you would do in your life… what would be your “bucket list”?   Do you have relationships that need mending?  Places to see?  Experiences that you would like to capture?  Are there mistakes you made that need to be corrected?  When the eulogy is given…what’s going to be said?

While I wouldn’t call the movie “life changing” it is definitely one that I am not disappointed that I shelled out the bucks to view and I will purchase it when it comes out on DVD.  Definitely a thumbs up and a movie that I would wholeheartedly recommend.  

And I can’t help but ask… What’s on your “bucket list”?

I’ll start…   I want to learn to play the piano! 

Maybe we should all start Living Like We Were Dying?   

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNWg5DlWVa8

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdT4wfQO8d4

When I bought Josh Groban’s NOEL CD I read through the songs and thought it would be an awesome Christmas album.  The first time I heard Thankful it brought tears to my eyes.  Holidays have always been a time of reflection for me… and this year is no different.   What is different this year is that I was shaken at the foundation with the sudden passing of my Papa Carm.   The experience, the loss, has been very sobering, and eye opening for me.  We can’t take time back… and as each minute ticks by we lose it forever… that minute is now only available in our memories.  I get so busy sometimes that I forget what I am Thankful for…  Josh’s song helped me to remember.

This holiday season I would encourage each of you to reflect on the things that you have… the things that YOU are thankful for. 

When I first heard this song I was moved by the simple yet powerful lyrics.  Everyone wants to heard, everyone wants to be understood and everyone wants to be loved! 

We often times get so wrapped up in our day to day lives that we forget that there are people we come into contact with each day that are struggling and may be reaching out.  They need someone to listen, to hear what they are going through and perhaps even empathize with them. 

 I had someone tell me once that we are all like small pieces in a huge jigsaw puzzle we call life. As we try to arrange the chaos that surroungs us, we reach out to those near us and interlock our lives with theirs.  Gradually all the pieces come togehter…one after another OUR picture starts to form.

If you think about who you interact with, you will likely think of spouses, children and close friends but as the scope becomes larger, individuals become communities, communities become states, states become nations, and nations become the world.

Use this anthem as a reminder to reach out.  Reach out to those who need you, or do the reaching out if you feel you need a little help.

Don’t Give Up – You are Loved 

Don’t give up
It’s just the weight of the world
When your heart’s heavy, I
I will lift it for you
Don’t give up
Because you want to be heard

If silence keeps you, I
I will break it for you
Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you
Everybody wants to be loved
Don’t give up
Because you are loved

Don’t give up
It’s just the hurt
That you hide
When you’re lost inside, I
I’ll be there to find you

Don’t give up
Because you want to burn bright
If darkness blinds you I
I will shine to guide you

Everybody wants to be understood
Well I can hear you
Everybody wants to be loved
Don’t give up
Because you are loved

You are loved

Don’t give up
It’s just the weight of the world

Don’t give up
Everyone needs to be loved

You are loved

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Josh Groban
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Today I discovered in the DVD cabinet his concert DVD – Josh Groban – Live at the Greek (includes CD).   I must say I really enjoyed it!   I had seen bits and pieces here and there but watching the complete concert was a nice way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon… (better than mowing the lawn that’s for sure!).  His rendition of December on the DVD is great and it isn’t on the CD.

Listen to the song by clicking on the Play button in the Media Player above… would love to hear your comments.