Spinning circles, watch them run

Just some statements.  Christmas is not about who can buy more gifts for children.  It is not a competition between grandparents.  Or between grandparents and parents.  It is not a competition for attention.  It is not supposed to be about consumerism at all.  I will be the first to tell you I'm not a religious person but from what I remember from Sunday School back when I was a wee little 'un...the birthday of Jesus was not supposed to signify which big box retailer could sell more stuff no one wants nor needs.

I don't know if you can tell but this holiday sucked the life out of me.  It kills me a little each year.  I understand how people are grinches.  I can't help but hate this time of year.  I thought having kids would rekindle my love of the holiday but the stresses and pressures that my family puts on me make me hate the whole month of December.  Just saying.

I read an article the other day that talked about how the holidays have much more pressure and stress for women then men. How women feel the need to please everyone and make sure Christmas is "perfect" and create new traditions to make sure her children remember each and every Christmas as the best one ever.  I can barely hold my shit together and I feel these pressures.  I had a pretty stressful month at work in December plus I tried to force myself to be in a wonderful holiday mood.  In the end, I ended up breaking down, calling my kid a selfish ungrateful brat to his face and passive aggressively yelling at my MIL (I know she still doesn't get it and even if she does, she doesn't care).  And right after that, I went out and cried to myself in my trunk for a while (yesterday was a pretty emotional day).

Anyway....I can't do this again.  I want to have a nice time with my family and not hate them for the whole month of December.  I appreciate that they all want to treat my kids as if they were their own around the holidays but I wish we could spread this out around the whole year instead of micro-focusing it during 25 days of misery.  I was given a suggestion by a good friend that I really am going to heavily consider...travelling during the holidays.  Now...where to go...

Because everyone loves a good list

You know that there are a few things that the internet is totally in love with and they include cats, cats doing human things, posting pictures of what you ate last night and lists of things.  So many lists of things.  So....I am going to do these things.
 First....a pic of a cat.  My cat with a baby, that's a freebie.   So, we got that out of the way.  I don't have any pictures of what I ate last night but I ate at PF Changs, so you can imagine it looks like crappy American Chinese food.

And now....a list!  

It's a list of the best music to come out in 2013 in my esteemed opinion.  Let's get this list started, eh? Oh, by the way, this list is not in any particular order and does not have any rhyme or reason to it.  I just like this music and I want you to like it, too. 

10.  AWOLNATION, This kid's not alright

I love this song.  I recently discovered this band (because I am behind the times) and they have made it to one of my favorite bands of all time.  This song is super fun to sing at the top of your lungs in the car by yourself.  You'll find that to make it into my favorite music category, a lot of the time you should be able to sing it loudly and enthusiastically.  

9.  Closer, Tegan and Sara

I actually love the whole album this song headlines, Heartthrob.  It's soooooo good from start to finish.  (the extra "o"s in the word so stress how much awesomeness this album has.  If you haven't checked this album out or heard this song, it's pretty boss.. 

16.6a.  Lose Yourself to Dance, Daft Punk

Well, if you know me you know I do love me some disco. Lots and lots of disco.  If you asked me, I'm pretty sure that Daft Punk made this album for me.  Crazy, isn't it? 

1.5x + 2y.  Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke featuring Pharrell

So...yeah...was this song way overplayed?  Sure.  Does that make it any less fun and dancey?  Nope.  And obviously I like Pharrell....there's just something about this guy, you know? Was the song controversial for being sexist?  Yes.  Was it?  I guess that's your opinion.  I still like the song.  I think it's fun and I've heard lots of worse sexism in media so *shrugs*... Still a good song.  

XX.  Love Club, Lorde

So, I know that Royals was the big hit for her and still plays very regularly on the radio but I really think this song is much more fun and even though I enjoy both songs, I really like this one better.  It's just so....bouncy and fluid....I don't know how else to explain it.  

3.  The Last Dance, Limousines

Okay, this is not my favorite song on this album but this whole album is so freaking phenomenal that you are lucky I didn't just post the whole album.  The emotion that the Limos pour into this album is overwhelming and make this album 100% better than their first album which was amazing.  I really think this band is so under exposed that it's ridiculous.  

I can't get this video to embed.  FUUUUUUUU.  I can't get any videos to embed from the limos.  Did I hit the Youtube limit?  Here's the link.  

15. Try To Remember, Spacehog

I recently discovered that being a spacehog fan isn't a thing.  At least, none of my friends really like them, most of them say something along the lines of "who?  that meantime song?  I remember that...I think.  Maybe?"  Yeah....also, as I write this, they will be performing tomorrow at the Grog Shop and I can't see them.  I have no one to go with.  Because....I don't know.  Anyway, this is not my favorite song off their album there are no other of their songs from the new album on youtube that I could find in like two seconds of searching.  I have kids who are up my butt constantly, I don't have time to write quality blogs.  I won't apologize. Anyway, this album is solid and it's a nice comeback from their long hiatus.  Check it out. 

AEIOU. One For the Road, Arctic Monkeys

I held out on this album for a long time but it's a good album.  I can't help it, I never really paid much attention to the Arctic Monkeys before but they are a solid band.  Kind of Black Keys-ish.  But in their own way.  And I'm sure they are first, once again I haven't even bothered to check anything about them.  Sorry. 

1.15x. Spiderhead, Cage the Elephant

Thank you Borderlands, I probably would never have found this band without you.  And it's totally such a good band.  So worth a listen to if you haven't given them one.  This album is a bit more eclectic than some of their other stuff but it's nice.  Ry says it reminds him of listening to the pixies, so that's not a bad thing.  

I'm sure there is more music I loved this year.  Add your selections to the comments.  I have run out of time, my offspring are causing harm to themselves and others.  Thanks for reading and listening, and if you like it, you should buy it.