Recommended for a blitz weekend!

I'm heading up to Chattanooga this weekend for a quick trip to visit my sister and attend my first Running of the Chihuahuas.  I'm not really sure what to expect, but I'm excited!

I haven't gotten to spend much time on writing this week, but I wanted to send you off with a song I've recently added to my Misty Morning playlist.   The Atlanta weather brought us a cold snap this week, so I've been feeling very cuddly, and this song fits with my hot tea and blankets while still letting the chilly sunshine make sense, too.  I hope you enjoy!

I've mentioned a couple times that my parents moved to Norway last summer to be international missionaries.  Here's an update they wrote recently about surviving their first summer.

The future is here.  This 15-year-old kid just joined MIT after using their free curriculum for both middle and high school.

These brothers convinced their sister of the zombie apocalypse.  This made me laugh so much!

I just heard about The Bee Cause Project, which brings healthy bee hives to schools in Charleston and Savannah for some super hands-on education.  Awesome!

A deeply moving video encouraging what are called "leftover women" in China.  This is a concept I saw played out in Korea, too, and I think some of the pressure also lies in the West.  Check it out.  What do you think?

This song made me laugh.

Aha!  What a smart way to remove spiders from your home!  And without having to even get close!

Last but not least, a pop-up in London where beer is served by dogs?!

Recommended with "Awake"

Happy Easter weekend!  Caleb and I just got back from helping friends move, and now I'm taking a short break from cooking David Chang's ramen 2.0 recipe from 2010 to get this post published!  What are you up to?

I want to share with you one of my best go-to songs.  I heard "Awake" by Tycho play just briefly between radio segments on NPR one morning and looked it up when I got into work because I loved the little bit that I'd heard.  

"Awake" is the song I go to when I need to calm down, when I need to get work done, or when I want a gentle morning.  It has an energy to it, but it's a steady energy, a peaceful one.  When I was in the middle of my last big event I was planning for work, on the very stressful Day Of, I took five minutes to sit by myself on a couch with this song playing in my headphones.  "Awake" is my reset song.  It's interesting looking back over the last year or so and seeing how much it's helped me through.  I hope it helps you, too!  Enjoy!

And now, recommended with "Awake," here are some links for your Saturday and Sunday!

I'm so excited for the warmer weather for many reasons, and I've just found another reason to add to the list.  Ripenear.me is a site built to help crowdsource and find local produce!  Brilliant!

Both I and my husband work in the tech field (never thought I'd say that about myself!), and I've been learning more and more over the years as to just how impactful technology and code are to the world.  Here's a short video explaining a bit about why programming is important, why it's everywhere, and why tech companies have silly things like scooters.

How to overcome worry and be a friendlier person and How we sabotage our own happiness  (#4 and 5 are high on my Learn How To Do List.)

In the same vein, What to do when you feel like sh*t.

What an awesome Disney Pixar short.

I've watched this short happy video 5 times in a row.  Make that 15 times in a row.

I just discovered this insane Atlanta mansion this week.  Presidential security, a huge maze garden, indoor theater and a closet as big as my bedroom!  I can't believe this is just 15 minutes up the road from me!  I am so curious about who it was built for!

Instagram Husbands.

Love this.  The warning labels that should come with Myers-Briggs personality results should come with.  I'm an INFJ, and Caleb is an INTJ, and the warnings are pretty spot on.

Where to shop besides IKEA.  I've been a fan of H&M and Urban Outfitters' home departments for a long time, but I had no idea about Muji!

What are you up to this weekend?

Recommended with Art Angels by Grimes

My friend Brit recently recommended I check out the album Art Angels by Grimes because he heard I liked K-pop.  He gave me the caveat that "she makes some weird stuff, though.  Some really weird stuff."  The music wasn't as weird as I expected to be, but a lot of it is unusual.  I think that's one of the reasons I ended up enjoying the album so much, though.

Art Angels introduces you to a lot of different sounds. "Scream" is feminine, ferocious and dangerous.  "Flesh Without Blood" reminds me of Russian techno, actually.  "In the Belly of the Beat" is the one I'd recommend to everyone, because I think has a beauty that's easiest to appreciate.  Those three are my favorite songs from the album, but I've been listening to the whole album on repeat for half a week now.  You can listen to everything here on Spotify.  I'd love to hear your thoughts!

And while you're listening, check these out!

I'm definitely a dog person, but wow is this cat lovely.

Okay, not just on principle I need to give you a dog picture, too.  :)

I love wrapping up in cozy warm outer layers.  This sweater looks so comfy and chic!

Since I have a new terrarium (and since it needs new plants (RIP other plants)), I've started a terrarium board on Pinterest for pictures of and inspiration for the lush and fern-filled variety.  I'm a total beginner, and if you know of any other resources I should be checking out, please send them my way!

In case you didn't know, this is how you're supposed to tuck in your sheets.

One day I'm going to take on this challenge.

I have a feeling this phone could change lives.  I'm 100% serious.

Recommended with Marian Hill

About two months ago, Caleb came across some YouTube videos of West Coast swing dance, and he started digging.  We now have West Coast scheduled for at least once a night where we spend an hour or two going over the moves we're learning in our living room.  (West Coast is actually my annual response to #36 on my 101 Goals list!)

I don't know if you're familiar with East Coast or West Coast swing, but I started learning East Coast in college and am pretty comfortable on the floor with a big band.  West Coast dances to different music, very different music, in fact.  There's a lot more freedom in the songs you can choose, and I've seen a lot of hip hop being used online.  As we've branched out looking for new music to dance to, we've come across Marian Hill.  Her music actually isn't a great tempo for us, but we've found that we like her anyway.

Marian Hill sings with a dj/keyboard fellow who does a great job with the music.  He gets really into it, which you can see on some of their videos.  The music is very sexy and fun in a grown up way.  I haven't come across anything ribald, I mean that listening to her makes me feel like an adult having a good time, even if I have her music playing while I'm just vacuuming or making dinner.

You can check out more of Marian Hill's music on her Soundcloud profile.  Some of our favorites are. "Wasted" and "Lips," and you can hear "Got it" in the video below.  Check out how the musicians move with the music.  I love the dj!  What do you think?

And now some things from around the internet that I recommend with Marian Hill...

Some very important advice: How to Set Boundaries at the Office

I was stopped in my tracks when I saw this picture.  This is the little girl that lives inside my soul.

Look at this amazing and crafty product!  I watched the video explaining what sugru is and does, and I'm pretty sure I already have 5 things I'd like to use it for.  How cool!

This shirt is like a kangaroo pouch for human mommies!

A guy takes his dog traveling with him all over the country.  Pretty sure that dog's one of the happiest on the planet!  

What happens when you give cameras to London's homeless

My new favorite Twitter account, WeRateDogs

Recommended with "Happiness"

One fun thing before I start with recommendations, one of my blog posts was featured on Pro Flowers' blog this week!   I'm always honored when someone notices my work and shares it with others.  I'm so glad the folks at Pro Flowers enjoyed reading about my Japanese dinner party!

This time, for your listening pleasure, I want to share "Happiness" by Jónsi and Alex.  This is one of those painfully beautiful songs, to me.  The kind that wraps and grips something deep within you so tightly, and you don't even really know where it's coming from, but it brings you to tears.  Ugh, this music.

And for the rest of our links...

My Inner Anthem

Imagine if, every time you walked into a room, one particular song would play for everyone to hear.  What would your song be?

I'd like to think that "End Credits" from the Serenity soundtrack would be my song.  It's adventure, excitement, confidence, and rugged beauty--a lot of what I imagine my life to be (even when it isn't).  My real inner jam, though, is "Speaking Japanese" by Shiny Toy Guns.

First of all, I love how all the vocals are female and they're all in my range, so I can sing my heart out on every line.  I love how the sounds of the girls' voices along with the music is unapologetic bad assery paired with the strong femininity; this is all woman going on here, but it's not a caricature of any kind.  I love the subtle Japanese in the background, and finally I love the line "I will arrive on a dragon."  Pure awesome.

What would your outer song or your inner song be?  What's been playing on your speakers these days?

P.s.  5 Songs that make me happy no matter what

5 Songs That Make Me Happy No Matter What

With the fall weather bringing in the bitter wind, it's much nicer staying indoors these days.  We just moved into an apartment with many large windows which let in the sun, and I love them.  When green and the warm sunshine take their winter break, it's easy for me to get into a funk.  I have a few ideas for staying positive and facing forward this season, and I think great music will be a big help.  I wanted to share some of my favorite fun songs, and I'd love to hear your recommendations, too!

5 Songs that make me happy no matter what:

Happy August, My Birthday Month!

Happy August everyone!

We're getting closer to Christmas, and we're very close to my birthday (August 17th)!

I hope you are all having great summers.  This is the busiest one I've ever had!  I never realized that warm weekends fill up so quickly until I had my weekdays filled by a full-time job.

Looking ahead at August, I have the Georgia Aquarium coming to me (you get in free on your birthday!), and you are more than welcome to join.  Caleb and I will be visiting Scott's Antique Market this Saturday, new episodes of Doctor Who start on August 23rd, and my Bible study will decide which series to do next.  September and October have their own presents, too, and I'm very excited to tell you about them later.

For the rest of your summer, may I recommend this excellent new-to-me song.  Great for road trips and for listening to at work.

"The Breach" by Dustin Tebbutt

One Way to Make Your Rainy Day Better

I've got another off the cuff, written in real time post for you.  I wanted to share this right away because it's relevant now.

Last week, Pandora suggested I take a listen to their Brazilian radio station.  I didn't know what I was expecting, but I know I was surprised by what I heard!

The relaxed, sexy, breezy sounds of this music makes me feel like I'm in a French movie.  I've played it while cooking dinner, and I feel more put together and more chic.  I'm playing it right now as I go through some very mundane tasks at work on this dreary day, and I feel a calm motion carrying me forward.

How I feel about Rainy Days:

Beautiful Music Alert

Remember when I cried during Jiro Dreams of Sushi?  This is the piece that played during that scene.  It makes something unknown course through my body, just underneath my skin.  Beautiful, melancholy, and full, this piece was the most gorgeous thing I've heard in a long time.  The entire soundtrack was excellent, but this, this one has the most ...mm.

Do you love it?

New Discovery: The 1975

Thanks again to NPR for the introduction!  I love you guys.

The first I heard of The 1975 was "Heart Out."  It reminded me of my very favorite part of the movie Drive (right after the kiss in the elevator).  That very favorite part was the song "A Real Hero" by College & Electric Youth.  I love that song.  I love it, and I want more of it.  Turns out, there are bands that really enjoy playing music that reminds me of the 80's I barely caught the tail end of.

So far I've listened to "Chocolate," "Girls," "You," and "Me."  It's not super often you listen to five random songs from a new artist and you like them all.  I think I can safely recommend these guys, at least to the people who are fans of 80's music, which I am.  Mm, I love it.  Bring it on!

K-Pop: Beyond "Gangnam Style"

You have by now most likely seen the internet sensation of PSY's "Gangnam Style" (of which Korea is very proud).  In fact, you've probably seen a couple parodies, too.  (See my favorites Here and Here.)

I've got twenty-eight minutes and sixteen seconds worth of music to show you what you're missing on if you haven't checked into more beyond PSY's (awesome) song.

Welcome to the world of Korean pop music, aka K-pop.
But first, I gotta tell you that the majority of the K-pop I hear falls into neat categories.  Either it's snazzy club music, cutesy cute music, slow sappy music, or pure catchiness with influences from either of the first categories.  I know that American pop has its own categories, too, but something about K-pop makes me feel like it's all created in a factory.  Granted, factories have become trustworthy for a reason, but there's also a reason why the idea of "K-pop" takes a while for me to swallow each time I think of it.

I want to show you some of the songs that are on the fringes of the factory boundaries.  I don't claim to know all about the music of Korea, but I keep my ears open, and I make notes of what I find enjoyable.

First up:
"1.2.3.4" by Lee Hi (이하이)
(Just came out this week!)

Lee Hi was a finalist on "K-pop Star" (similar to American Idol), and it's easy for me to see how she would have won so many fans to get so far in the show.  Her 16-year-old voice has a similar quality to others that the West is familiar with, but it's so different from the rest of what you hear here in Korea.  For further commentary on the music video and (which I have to agree with) and on Lee Hi's production company, YG Entertainment, check out this article at The Prophet Blog.


 

Click here for an English translation of the lyrics.

"UP" by EPIK HIGH
(Came out a month or two ago)

I have to own up to how I was first drawn to this song by Monster Woo's second-long special appearances (the first one is at 0:59), but after catching my breath again after watching Monster Woo's krump magnificence, I really liked the song, too.  It's a party song.  One to shout with the windows down.  And, it's very different from standard K-pop, so it's worth a listen just for that.

Here's the English translation.

"Black Rain + Break Out" by Younha (윤하)
(From 2009)

Not one to be heard walking through the streets of Seoul (it is 3 years old), this song is a welcome distraction from the mind-numbing cutesy K-pop.  It shows you Korean music touches other ideas.  I like the way it sounds.  Electric guitar solo?  Absolutely.  It reminds me of the fun times my dad and I spent listening to classic rock.


Here's the English translation.

"Venus" by Shinhwa (신화)
(Came out March, 2012)

One of the cool things about this song is that it's come from a 14-year-old K-pop boy band.  That's right, folks, 14 years.  This is their big comeback song from this year after a four year break (during which the members served their required time in the military).  And dang, isn't this song just a blast?  It sounds like something Enrique Iglesias would do.


And the English translation.

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And now deeper into the throes of the more traditional K-pop.  The fluffy stuff.  The stuff blared from Korean convenience stores and the clubs.  I'm giving you a collection of most of the best of 2011.  Korea's favorites.  And, yeah, quite a few of my favorites, too.

It's just over 12 minutes, but if you watch the entirety of this next video, I can promise that you will:

• taste the most annoying version of cute ever (#9).
• sample the melodrama Korea goes wild for (#8).
• see how popular cosmetic surgery is among Korean celebrities (#10-1).
• glimpse two dudes who made a cameo in "Gangnam Style" (#4).
• get a small punch of  the special blend of sexy+cute seen in K-pop (#3).
• gain a broader view of what influences young South Korea (#10-#1).

And I am not going to expound upon that last one this round...

If you find yourself completely turned off by the first few songs, don't flake out just yet.  I don't care for those ones, either.  I don't think the good ones start filing in till #7 with "Hands Up" by 2PM. (The kids like singing the chorus in class.)  Actually, besides #5, "Good Day" by IU, I really like all of numbers 7 to 1.  And if I wanted to make this post extra long, I'd make sure I pointed out just how much I enjoy these four songs in particular:

#6 왜 (Keep Your Head Down) by TVXQ

Man, I love this song!  It's got so much more oomph than what you find in the typical K-pop songs, but even separate from that comparison, I am so digging this song.  And did you check ou tthe video?  They've got some slick moves!  I am a huge fan.

#4 "Tonight" by Big Bang
I'm pretty certain this song could make it in the American circles.  It reminds me of summer hip hop.  It's a little lighter than what you hear in the States, but everyone's got their own flavor, right?

#3 "The Boys" by Girls Generation
I know it has the depth and sass of blue cotton candy, but this song is so dang catchy!  I've watched the video loads of times, and I've tried to figure out a couple of the moves.

#2 "Roly Poly" by T-ARA
Okay, here we come to the more guilty of my guilty pleasures.  I consider T-ARA flavor to be on the more annoying side of the K-pop scale, but... you gotta try the dance moves, man.  Then everything will make sense.  It's just fun.

Please, please, please, tell me what you think of these songs!  Hate them?  Love them?  Wish they weren't in some foreign language?  Wish you could move like that?  (That's what I think every time.)  I know how I feel about K-pop now that I've been in Korea for 16 months, but what about you guys?