Enjoy your holiday and be happy.

Actually it’s a well deserved day of rest. Yesterday involved skiing and a whole lot of walking. As much as I’d like to think I’m in great shape, it still takes a lot out of you to do too much in a single day.

I’m relaxing in the comfort of mom’s home today. Chatting with family. Watching movies and doing a little typing.

I’m gonna leave ya with a little ditty for the holiday. It’s about going somewhere else for your Christmas time. It’s a fun tune that was originally written by a friend of mine Harold Payne. Pay particular attention to the lyrics, you’ll laugh your butt off I’m sure. Enjoy and have a great Christmas Eve.

Generally at this time of year Park City is crowded with so many people that it’s a royal pain in the butt to get around town. It also means that the ski area is crowded as well. Skiing has gotten to the point where there are too many people in the past couple of years. So many people that it’s somewhat disappointing to ski – and that’s saying a lot because I’m a skier at heart.

However today we got on the hill and there was hardly anyone around. That’s a great thing. The town is not packed out. The resort is not packed out. Ahhh, a less stressful holiday. I’m sure the people running and owning the resort at Park City don’t feel the same way. I’m quite sure they love having too many people around.

One thing I’m thinking is that it’s likely that skiing is getting too pricey for a day of skiing. Park City has a couple of things working against it right now. The most insane thing is that they raised the price of skiing yet again. A full day pass is currently $87. Sadly they don’t have enough snow at the moment to justify this price. Additionally, despite all the media reports of the economy starting to rebound, I’m pretty sure that that cost of $87 for a single day of skiing is probably causing a lot of people to say, no way.

Anyways, whilst I’m spending time on the road, you ought to be enjoying some holiday music and such.

Here’s a little tune for today called: Joy To The World. This is cool version done by Jewel. Lots of orchestration and of course a nice smooth vocal that sails over the top of all that music. It’s a really cool version of this holiday classic. If you don’t have it, add it to your collection legally.

Enjoy your dwindling time before Christmas. Hopefully you’ll get all wished items on your list. Should you not have this song in your library, it’s time to add it for your annual traditions.

A trip to Trader Joe’s is usually a quick trip. This time it unfortunately took a second trip. The checker somehow managed to not pack the butter I had purchased in the bag. Of course I didn’t check it. I’m betting most people don’t notice if all the food they purchase makes it into the bags they go home with. Then when you get home you notice it and realize you have to go back.

Anyone that has been privy to me cooking for them, or that I’ve dated, has discovered that I love butter. I can’t explain why other that I love the taste and it makes a great source of cooking material. It’s very versatile. I am really partial to real butter. Not margarine. Not standard butter. I mean real organic butter. There is a difference. Thus I really need to have the real thing when it comes to how I cook and eat. There’s no getting around it.

Now you can understand why I had to run back to the store to ask for the butter I had purchased. The thing I like about Trader Joe’s is that the people that work there have a good sense of humor. When I mentioned to the manager that something I had purchased did not make it to the bag and home, he mentioned that they had already eaten it and enjoyed it. I believe he may have been thinking about ice cream or deli meat or bacon or something. When I mentioned it was butter, he replied that it probably had melted before they got to it.

What this has to do with music is exactly ziltch. Though once I got all that over with I did spend time in the studio creating a new track that is sorta a cross of RnB and Pop for a cat that has cuts with some pretty major RnB peeps you’ve likely heard of. He wants to co-write and requested I come up with a track. We’ll see how it goes tomorrow. I’m looking forward to it.

And now for something completely different…

A song that is a bit of a trace down memory lane for me whilst growing up in New York City. There’s a certain air, a certain vibe that is Christmas in New York. Snow, Central Park, and Rockafellar Center are all part of that vibe and I think I wrapped it up pretty well in When Christmas Lights Up.

Enjoy your holiday time and may this song become a part of your cherished Christmas songs.

I’m learning that feelings get hurt pretty bad if you don’t check your social network page much. I don’t get it. I’m much more inclined to go hang with a friend and have fun. That’s not to say that I haven’t had moments where I hung on every min-oot-e detail of digital friends. Alas, I think I’ve gotten over it. Much to my chagrin it now comes back at me with others who get upset without the full picture going on. People love to fill in the blanks when there’s no blank to fill in.

Maybe it’s because I’m not feeling so tied to the digital world anymore. I see it as a tool rather than a means to the end. In this time of giving, I’d say I’m giving my time to people I want to see. How are you keeping up with the spirit?

All that makes me think people need to spend some time unwinding. Shouldn’t that be a priority all the time, but if it isn’t it definitely should be during the holidays. That brings me to a little ditty I came up with for that very thing – Unwinding at Christmas. Oddly enough it’s called Christmas to Unwind.

Relax. Grab some popcorn. A cup of hot chocolate. A good friend, or lover. A movie, fire or book and chill out.

If you’re having trouble getting unwound, then add this to your library and let it sink in.

So I gots ta git a move `n` git ta it. wif dat in mind I’m gonna leave ya wif a li`l ditty I did a cover of. da fun thang about dis is dat da original writer/artist actually liks my version mow than his. dat’s mighty powerful werds fer a songwriter ta say. Enjoy Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer `n` may yore kin not git marred by an experience lik dis durin da holiday season.

Turns out, he’s also a songwriter as well. He’s had some success, that’s a great thing. Might have to attempt a co-write to see how it goes.

Aside from the meeting I’ve been holed up in the studio finishing the edits on the library. I’m getting near 50% finished with the new edits. I should finish by Sunday. I suppose I’m not missing too much in the weather as it’s been raining and should be raining tomorrow too. Oh how I’d like to see some snow.

Gotta get back to the editing. Time have some more Christmas cheer with Jolly Ol’ St. Nick. I’m sure there’s a lot of kids and people wanting to see him being extra generous this year despite the economic nuttiness this year. Enjoy the tune and I hope you get a pleasant visit from your favorite holiday spirit.

To put it midly, Heath Ledger is amazing in the film. It’s really a shame he is no longer with us. Additionally Terry reworked the film in a really interesting way to film without him and still make it work. The main reason behind going to the screening was to hear the music and what a score it is. It’s a fun work there is no doubt. The kind of score that I would find fun to do. Though I’m sure the process of getting it done wasn’t as fun as the music came out to be.

Late last night another piece came across my plate. A project I’ve been working on with my friend Robert. It’s getting very near to being done. I have to rework a couple of parts to a few songs and once it’s done, we’re ready to rock and put it away or rather give it to the company that it’s for.

Today will be a bit of running around to replace a hard drive in the studio. Then getting back on the edits. The edits of the songs I just mentioned and the songs in the library. Lots of edits. Lots of edits.

So on to the song for today…

Because I’ve been hearing about snow from each parent, I’m thinking it’s time to let it snow! Here’s a cool version of Let it Snow by Chicago. Rock on and have a great day!