Post #683: God Help The Girl - "God Help the Girl" - Soundtrack

I have two (2) splurges in my life at this current time: Sirius satellite radio in my vehicle and the DVD option through Netflix.

I had added the film, God Help the Girl, to my queue quite some time ago, and it finally made its way up the long list and arrived at my mailbox at the beginning of the week. However, I held off on watching the film until last night.  All I could think was: "How did I miss this one in the theater?!?!?"

It was so awesome!! I almost couldn't believe it!!! It was written by Stuart Murdoch of the band, Belle & Sebastian.  You might recall that I covered Belle & Sebastian for my birthday last year when I wrote about Sylvia Plath sharing the same date with me.

So today, I'm going to share two (2) of the songs from the film --- "God Help the Girl" and "Come Monday Night".

I also have to mention that this film includes one of my new favorite lines EVER: "I don't mind people; I just can't stand collective idiocy..."  If you watch "Come Monday Night" up through the very end of the video, you can witness for yourself!!

Until next time...

XOXOXO
Anastasia

There is no way I'm looking for a boyfriend

There is no way I'm looking for a scene

I need to save some dough

I'm a working girl, you know

I'll fend attention off I keep to myself

I love my room, I'm getting used to sleeping

Some nights I really like to lie awake

I hear the midnight birds

The message in their words

The dawn will touch me in a way a boy could never touch

Their promise never meant so much to me

You have been warned, I'm born to be contrary

Backward at school, I wrote from right to left

Teacher never cared for me

Preacher said a prayer for me

God help the girl, she needs all the help she can get

I sit for hours just waiting for his phone call

I'll eat the chocolate hidden in the fridge

I'll play his messages

Analyze his intonation

Please stop me there, I'm even boring myself

I think of him when I'm doing the dishes

I think of him while looking in the sink

This ain't no play on words

My love for him's absurd

If he gave me a sign I'd think about it for a week

I'd build it up and then I'd turn him down

You have been warned, I'm born to be contrary

Backward at school, I wrote from right to left

Teacher never cared for me

Preacher said a prayer for me

God help the girl, she needs all the help she can get

Post #682 - Social Distortion - "The Story of My Life" - Social Distortion

I recently finished a book called The Synchronicity Key, which was recommended to me by a kind individual with whom I had been corresponding on the meditation app that I've been using lately.  To say that the book was enlightening would be the understatement of the century, and I'll be more than happy to explain why...

You see, ever since I decided to stop drinking, I have had this feeling that the Universe has been speaking to me through the method of meaningful coincidences.  Now, before you roll your eyes at me, just give me a chance to explain.

Right before I decided to give up alcohol once and for all, life was just utterly pitiful for me.  I remember crying out to the dark abyss one day and begging whoever or whatever was out there to please show me that I was supposed to be here and that I had a purpose.

Within the next few days, I got a callback for an interview at none other than a Catholic school... and no joke, when they opened the blinds to what would eventually become my classroom, the view that I would be looking at for the next decade was that of the church doors.  Chills consumed my entire body because it was almost as if I was being called home since I too was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school.  I remember saying to myself: "Thank you, Universe!"

I have many, many, many more tales such as the one above, but I have always just kept most of these to myself for fear that people would think that I was "losing it" since mental illness does run in my family.  However, The Synchronicity Key taught me that the Universe does speak to us and that there are patterns and sequences and a lot less randomness than I once chose to believe.

What I really enjoyed was the opportunity to put a term to what I once just referred to as coincidences... I'll now call it "synchronicity".

So now I'll tell you how today's song plays into this idea of "synchronicity"... After I wake up and meditate, I always listen to Pandora as I am getting ready for work in the morning. For whatever reason, one of my former students popped into my head.  My next thought was: "Huh, wonder how he is doing?" Immediately after that, out of the millions of songs that Pandora could have selected, the song, "The Story of My Life", came on.  It just so happens that the student that popped into my head had selected that very song to include in his poetry portfolio project.  I always remembered when a student would choose an awesome song since most of them picked teeny-bopper radio tunes.  I don't know if that actually means that he is doing well, but it felt like it deep in my soul.  I smiled to myself and once again said: "Thank you, Universe!"

Another concept that the book touched upon was the idea of energy vampires.  I am very sensitive to my surroundings, and I can often feel my energy being sucked out of me by negative individuals.  I do incredible amounts of work to keep myself centered and grounded and positive, but there are so many individuals out there who don't for whatever reason. Those people have an uncanny ability to drag me down if I'm not careful.

Holy smokes, and as I wrap this up, I am listening to Pandora.  The other song that I intended to include for you this evening is their cover of "Ring of Fire".  Guess what's playing right now?  Yep, none other than "Ring of Fire"... here's a screen shot in case you don't believe me:

Until next time...

XOXOXO

Anastasia

High school seemed like such a blur,
I didn't have much interest in sports or school elections.
And in class I dreamed all day,
Of a rock 'n' roll weekend

And the girl in the front of the room,
So close yet so far y'know she never seemed to notice
That this silly schoolboy crush
Wasn't just pretend.

[Chorus:]
Life goes by so fast
You only want to do what you think is right.
Close your eyes and then it's past;
Story of my life

And I went down my old neighborhood
The faces have all changed there's no one left to talk to
And the pool hall I loved as a kid
Is now a Seven Eleven

I went downtown to look for a job
I had no training, no experience to speak of.
I looked at the holes in my jeans
And turned and headed back.

[Chorus]

Good times come and good times go,
I only wish the good times would last a little longer.
I think about the good times we had
And why they had to end.

So I sit at the edge of my bed
I strum my guitar and I sing an outlaw love song.
Thinkin' 'bout what you're doin' now
And when you're comin' back.

[Chorus]

Post #681: Indigo Girls - "Galileo" - Rites of Passage

I had to laugh at myself a bit as I admitted to a friend that I am fairly certain that I had been attempting to multi-task relaxation.  It sounds ridiculous... I know that... but just read my little tale.

You see, I have been practicing guided meditation ever since January when this same friend told me about a fantastic meditation app.  I have also been doing yoga for a few years now.

Anyhow, I would typically come home from work and do yoga, and then I would complete a guided meditation right before I went to sleep.  One evening, however, when I arrived home extremely late from work, I had this brilliant idea to listen to a guided meditation whilst doing yoga.  

Although meditating and yoga go hand-in-hand for the most part, sometimes it would become quite the task to focus on the movement and the breath and the concept that was being covered during the meditation.

The other night, as my mind was all over the place, I finally admitted to myself that what I was attempting to do was not all that enjoyable.  So I have gone back to completing my yoga routine and then meditating.  It's made all the difference in the world!!!

I couldn't help but think of the lyrics from today's song that go: "How long 'til my soul gets it right; Can any human being ever reach that kind of light..."

I'll also include another little treasure of theirs called "Closer to Fine"... Enjoy!!

Until next time...

XOXOXO
Anastasia

Galileo's head was on the block

The crime was lookin' up the truth

And as the bombshells of my daily fears explode

I try to trace them to my youth

And then you had to bring up reincarnation 

Over a couple of beers the other night

And now I'm serving time for mistakes 

Made by another in another life time

How long 'til my soul gets it right 

Can any human being ever reach that kind of light

I call on the resting soul of Galileo king of night vision

King of insight

And then I think about my fear of motion

Which I never could explain

Some other fool across the ocean years ago

Must have crashed his little airplane

How long 'til my soul gets it right 

Can any human being ever reach that kind of light

I call on the resting soul of Galileo king of night vision

King of insight

I'm not making a joke

You know me I take everything so seriously

If we wait for the time 'til all souls get it right

Then at least I know there'll be no nuclear annihilation in my life time 

I'm still not right

I offer thanks to those before me

That's all I've got to say

'Cause maybe you squandered big bucks in your lifetime

Now I have to pay

But then again it feels like some sort of inspiration

To let the next life off the hook

Or she'll say look what I had to overcome from my last life

I think I'll write a book

How long 'til my soul gets it right

Can any human being ever reach the highest light

Except for Galileo, God rest his soul

King of the night vision, king of insight

How long (until my soul gets it right)

How long (until my soul gets it right)

How long

Post #680: Pearl Jam - "State of Love and Trust" - Singles Soundtrack

So as I was flipping through my Sirius stations on my return to work this morning, I heard Madison mention something on Lithium about the song, "State of Love and Trust", by Pearl Jam. She didn't actually play the song, and I had to make a mental note to listen to it when I got home because I hadn't heard that one in ages!!

As Eddie Vedder sang this tune to me once again, of course it took me back to the film, Singles, which I still happen to own on VHS (and yes, I still own a VCR on which to play said VHS tape).  It also took me back to a time of innocence when I still believed in romantic love... back to a time before I had been burned so badly over and over again... back to a time when I knew in my heart that there were a ton of "good guys" left and one was waiting for me... back to a time when I still had hope...

Life does sad and strange things to a person, but at least there are songs like this to take me back to a simpler time... back to a time of "love and trust"...

Until next time...

XOXOXO
Anastasia

State of love and trust as I busted down the pretext

Sin still plays and preaches, but to have an empty court, uh huh

And the signs are passin', grip the wheel, can't read it

Sacrifice receiving the smell that's on my hands, hands, yeah

And I listen for the voice inside my head

Nothin', I'll do this one myself

Lay her down as priest does, should the Lord be accountin'

Will be in my honor, make it pain, painfully quick, uh huh

Promises are whispered in the age of darkness

Want to be enlightened like I want to be told the end, end, yeah

And the barrel shakes aimed ah directly at my head

Oh, help me, help me from myself

And I listen from both sides of a friend

Nothin', I'll do this one myself

Myself, myself

Hey, na na na na, hey that's something

Hey, na na na na, hey that's something

Hey, na na na na, hey that's something

Wanna back, back it away, yeah

And I listen, yeah, for the voice inside my head

Nothin', I'll do this one myself

Oh, ah, and the barrel waits, trigger shakes

Aimed right at my head, won't you help me

Help me from myself

State of love and trust, and a

State of love and trust, and a

State of love and trust, and a

State of love and yeah yeah