One Dove

This song reminds me of times listening to music with Tom in the wee hours of the night/morning. Such a good time of day to listen to Antony...



Antony and the Johnsons - One Dove




<3 you

Cathrine

Sea Of Love

Walking home, listening to this song and smiling. It's a tender little thing. Sad and sweet.



Cat Power - Sea of Love





Life can be so disappointing at times, I keep looking for the grey clouds rather than the silver lining. But it's not exactly the best habit in the world. I'm learning to see the good and not just the bad in where I am. I'm also seeing the need to be kinder to myself and others, though that's a really hard thing to do.

Later,

Cathrine

Happy Birthday

So today is my baby's birthday. Happy Birthday Tom! :)


The Beatles - Birthday





<3

Cathrine

La

I had a nice day at work. Got lots of work done and I got to really appreciate working with my coworkers and kids a many points during the day. I love that we all just pulled together and worked so well as a team to get the centre clean after the massive dust storm yesterday. And it was a girl's bday a couple of days before and we hadn't had anything come from home - no muffins or whatever to celebrate - so we baked for her with the children and had a nice party at afternoon tea. :) So charming. Getting all the kids together to sing happy birthday and for the birthday girl to sit at the front with a friend is one of our special rituals.

Also, I got some thrilling news! I'm able to take heaps of holidays! I might be going overseas with a friend in addition to going to the Philippines at the end of the year. I can come back to work on Jan 28, I discovered. Oh incredible luck! Oh amazing bliss! I can't even begin to imagine how many dreams will come true if I can travel to England/France at the start of next year. How lucky am I???

And lastly, I had a two hour driving lesson after work today and I learnt so much. Really, lots and lots! I think of myself as a slow learner and someone who needs to practice things a lot before I get them but he kept teaching me things and pushing me and I kept learning more things and adding them in to what I was doing. For serious! This teacher is just that good. So good that he has me thinking that I'm good because I'm a good learner. LOL It's a half truth. I'm teachable and he's an awesome teacher. So I'm very lucky in that regard also.

On the bus I was listening to this song. I hated it when Tom first sent it to me. I said it was too cheerful... but today, this song is perfect! lol :)



Old Man River - La




Night y'all,

Cathrine

I Was Young When I Left Home

Could you believe that I left this off the list of 'home' songs for my mix? I know it's not upbeat but it's so beautiful and powerful and it carries meaning in that I introduced Tom to it and then later found out it's a Bob Dylan cover.



Antony + Bryce Dessner - I Was Young When I Left Home





I had such a crazy day. I kept estimating how long it would take me to do things so I could try and pack in as many errands as I could before 6pm because I had an asthma training inservice at work. What an appropriate day for it too. Such crazy weather to wake up to! We had a dust storm of epic proportions making everything this garish red/orange colour. It was such fine red dust too, I've seen nothing like it. If you're not from Sydney, check it out here.

Anyway. I ramble. Today I packed in lots of things... most importantly I was able to meet the owners of the property I'm moving into. They're a nice old couple and I think it'll be fine living below them. I move in as of the 1st of October. :) It's so soon... it's like when I got a car, I couldn't believe my luck! Someone pinch me, is this really happening? :) I'm sorry/sad things didn't work out with Kat but I think our friendship will be better for having our separate spaces. So I'm excited.

Got work tomorrow... as always... but keen to go back and see my kids and think about re-arranging the room/furniture and how everything will work together. :)

Night,

Cathrine

>>> And yes, I blog almost every day. I seem to always have something musical to say. :P

I Want You Back

I called the real estate agent on the bus coming home and they told me I am their first preference and I pretty much have the place, the owners just want to meet me before I sign the papers. I don't see why they'd say no after meeting me so I all but have a new place! I'm so very excited! I was listening to music on the way home and danced to this song in my room...


Jackson 5 - I Want You Back





Now I'm making a mixed CD to play at my new place. New place needs good music to welcome it. :D I told Aisha that I was making a mixed CD with Tom and I impressed her with the new heights that my geekiness reaches. Yes, making a mixed CD to celebrate is naturally the most important thing to do after finding out you've (all but) got a new place to live. :D



New House Mix


The Animals - We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place
The Animals - House of the Rising Sun
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Sweet Home Alabama
Bedouin Soundclash - Gyrasi Went Home
The Lucksmiths - If You Lived Here, You'd Be Home Now
Charles Manson - Home Is Where You're Happy
Simon and Garfunkel - Homeward Bound
Bob Dylan - Shetler from the Storm
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - Home On Ice
Sam Cooke - Bring It On Home To Me
Antony and the Johnsons - I Was Young When I Left Home




I'll work out the sequencing and add a few more songs... but it's looking nice. I'm considering adding Les Miserables - Bring Him Home at the end, though it's completely not the upbeat kind of song I'm looking for. It's so painfully beautiful. Check it out.

Going to sleep now because today took a lot out of me. :)

Cathrine

Perfect Day

I made a mobile at work today using sticks and string and while tying the sticks together to make arms the children were asking me what I was making. I told them it's going to be a mobile and once it was done and hanging up with their pictures strung on it, one boy asked me "How do you hold it to your ear and say hello?". It took me a while to realise he thought I meant mobile phone but when I did I cracked up laughing. I love kids. :D They're such a product of this generation...


Anyway. Monday was a Monday... I'm exhausted... but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I'm waiting for the light. I'm sure things will be okay soon. I'm choosing to distance myself from a lot of who I am/was. This is my choice, I keep reminding myself. I'm moving out because things aren't what they should be and it's not working. I'm not who I should be at church and it's impacting those around me. Yet, who I 'should be' isn't me. And isn't going to be me either. I feel unwelcome and I'm wearing that by walking away. I nearly cried on the bus coming home and I don't know why. Am I sad to leave? I guess so, but I'm not happy staying either. I hope I can find happiness where I end up. Or more simply, peace.

I am striking out on my own now. For so long I've been under the wings of someone else - namely a certain Benedictine. Sigh. Who am I without those around me moulding me? Who do I want to be? I only have a semblance of maturity and not the real thing. I don't think as things stand I'm much use to any body, not until I figure out who I am and what I want.


....


This is a pretty average recording of Darren Hanlon covering Fischer-Z's Perfect Day. I really like the song though. I heard it live when I went to The Lucksmiths concert. Darren was opening for them. :)


Darren Hanlon - Perfect Day




Love,

Cathrine

See No Evil

Paul, Paul Dempsey, I love you. Truly! His gig last night was tight. He played a lot of songs from his new album and I enjoyed the couple of tracks he played from older albums because the crowd just responded so well. We all sang along and we were all so pumped to be there! However the encore performance made it for me. He played Television's "See No Evil". I *heart* that band. Their music is intricate and fun and fast and full-on. I stumbled upon their music years back and fell in love. They're obscure and so there's a sense of pride in knowing their music, in being in on an amazing secret. So yeah, this is them playing that song. Win, baby, win!



Television - See No Evil





Paul rocked it out so hard. A friend of mine (who Tom and I met there) said Paul plays music so you're constantly in a state of tension and release. I agree. Live music is euphoric and my emotions definately like being lifted the way it does.

Gah. So this weekend has been full on and awesome. It's not even over yet. I had a driving lesson today for 1.5 hours. My first professional lesson in a manual car. So much excitement! I really like my instructor, he reminds me of Dr Cox from Scrubs with the wit and none of the scathing humour.

Love,

Cathrine

Psalm 131 / The Wolves (Act I & II)

I have spent the time on the bus to work reading/praying for so long that it's habit now. Even if things aren't awesome, that habit is a relief. I forget how gentle and good God's word is. I am constantly cut down by my judgemental nature and the people around me. I read this psalm this morning and it's just three verses. I spent some time just considering the first sentence. I'm torn up inside and I'm trying to mend the tears and pride is such a large rip in the fabric of me. I see the love and gentleness in those around me and I am humbled but not brought low enough so as to repent and change. Pride is such a large tear. I want to make real repairs but I fear good intentions won't make good.


Psalm 131

A Song of Ascents. Of David.

1 My heart is not proud, O LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.

2 But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.

3 O Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.



I've recently learnt that I shouldn't say what I think all the time. Especially when those things are hurtful and unhelpful. Apparently lots of people knew this already but I guess I missed that lesson. I used to think people will just have to deal or cope or get over whatever it is, because hey, it's true. But when people do it to me? I'm less than thrilled. It's less than helpful. I was told to first think of how I'd like it if that were said to me before speaking - a good enough standard, I think. It made me think "Do unto others as you would have done unto you."

I wouldn't need this lesson so much if I was loving those around me as God commands. It's something I know I need to do but fear to start because of how much damage I've already done and must therefore undo. I also fear to start because I know I will make mistakes again in the future and go through the whole process again. If it were just God and I, I know He'd forgive me but people are different. All excuses really, excuses for pride to grow and stubborness to feel justifed. I'm sorry y'all. For being insensitive, for not calling you, for not listening, for not caring, for not wanting to know, for walking away, for blaming you for my mistakes...

I like Bon Iver. I hadn't heard this song by him... I like it. Seeing a camp fire in the video clip makes me want to go camping.



Bon Iver - The Wolves (Act I & II)




Night,

Cathrine

James Brown

So turns out Tom likes James Brown. Nice!


James Brown - Night Train






and I introduced Tom to a Beatles song I heart.



The Beatles - And Your Bird Can Sing





:)

Cathrine

Real Love

Tom showed me this song yesterday. It makes my heart ache in the perfect way... it fits me and sings back to me my own song. You know those songs that just click? I can't stop listening to it, singing it, feeling it. I sang it at work today at different points (softly, more to myself) while out back with the kids.

I love the little trill in Regina's piano playing. It makes me ache for piano keys. It makes me miss playing so much. It's been years but I miss having a piano in my bedroom and dancing over the keys and making my own music. I miss pounding the keys, and those little trills. I miss rubato.

I once said to myself that I want to control my emotions... and that when I'm upset, I won't turn to music and wallow. I'll sort myself out by using that other side of my brain and not indulging the emotions. You know, use the analytical side of my brain. I guess the problem with that is that while you're in the grip of that... your emotions are not exactly going to let you go.




Regina Spektor - Real Love (John Lennon cover)





Goodnight,

Cathrine

Carbon Monoxide

Life is hard at the moment, so Regina is keeping me company.

Work today was barable. I enjoyed seeing my kids. I can sometimes get lost in them... they're so precious. One of my children has really started to bond with me and I love how he's coming out of his shell and playing more with the kids as I encourage/invite him to join in. I am getting swamped in cuddles and "I love yous" at the moment too. Perhaps because last week I made such a big deal about giving cuddles and caring for each other when another child was pushing.


Regina Spektor - Carbon Monoxide




Come on daddy [x8]

Carbon monoxide
Soon we'll go to sleep
No one will notice we're gone
Cause we don't have a job to keep
They'll just say that we're being lazy
Sex crazy, sex cra-zazy
They'll just say we're living our whole life in bed
And we'll be in bed but we'll be oh so very much
Dead-a, dead-a, dead-a, dead-a, dead-a
Dead-a, dead-a, dead-a, dead-a, dead-a
Dead-a, D-dead
Yeah
But we're so cool, we're so cool, we're so cool
Dead-a, dead-a, dead-a, dead-a, dead-a
Dead-a, dead-a, dead-a, dead-a, dead-a
Dead-a, D-dead
Dead
But we're still cool, we're still cool, we're still cool





Cathrine

Between The Bars

I just filled in an application for a passport. Yeah baby! Life is going at a million miles an hour and I'm trying to keep up... I'm excited but nervous. I'm going to the Philippines with mum at the end of the year for 2 weeks. :)

It's already getting to be mid-September. This years feels almost over. Blink and it'll be gone. I was listening to this song yesterday... I like it. Another Elliott Smith cover.



Madeleine Peyroux - Between The Bars





I wonder where people get the bravery to travel overseas - backpack on their own through foreign countries, where you don't know the people or the customs. I was talking with a friend about going to work in England as a light-hearted kind of idea. I could never really do it. I'm not brave enough. But it would be nice if I were that adventurous.


Anyway, better get ready to head out... big day ahead.

Cathrine

(500) Days Of Summer

I saw (500) Days Of Summer tonight with Kat... and I loved the soundtrack. This Regina song hit me where I lived. Especially the line, "I'm the hero of this story I don't need to be saved"...


Regina Spektor - Hero





The scene in the movie where You Make My Dreams Come True was used cracked me up! Love, love, love! It shows the main character (also named Tom) dancing to work after having got the girl. :) I remember when I first started dating Tom life was seriously just that golden and glorious! haha I remember when walking felt like dancing and I was constantly singing/humming/whistling "Good Day Sunshine". Bliss!



Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams Come True





Today was pretty fantastic. I bought Paul Dempsey's new album and bought The Beatles Rock Band for Guitar Hero. Then met up with Tom and we went to his Shakespeare lecture. :) Afterwards I had an afternoon that makes me laugh to reflect on it. Tom and I climbed a tree in Victoria Park, splashed seagulls while eating lunch on the grass, listened to Shelter In The Storm on my iPod while walking around Central station, bumped into an art gallery in China Town, drank coffee in a Starbucks... Action packed.

You make me happy. :)


Night,

Cathrine

Ljósið

I love music with beautiful, meaning-filled lyrics. I love music that tells stories, that captures moments. I try and string them together to create my own soundtrack. I try and find the perfect song to fit my mood or current situation. However, there are times when words get in the way and they detract and distract. In these times I take refuge in my lyric-less music, my jazz and classical music. When I'm on my own, I sometimes sing in the shower... not words... but just sing melodies that are sad or reflective or contented. I let my voice go where it will. It feels like a dance sometimes... not being bound by words means you can sometimes say something deeper.


That's how I see it anyway. :) Tom shared this with me this morning. I think it's beautiful.



Ólafur Arnalds - Ljósið




Love,

Cathrine

Betty Davis Eyes

It's a Wednesday - my day off. :) But I have Friday off too for Tom and my six month anniversary. Three day week bliss. I have gone through the wringer lately but I'm seeing the light. The weather is warmer, days at work are settling into a outdoor start which is lovely, and I'm looking at what I have and I'm remembering to be thankful.

I have a few errands to run today and in the evening I'm going to watch a movie with Kat called 500 Days of Summer. It looks like a lot of fun. I'm also looking forward to seeing Paul Dempsey at the Manning next week. So in honour of him, this:



Paul Dempsey - Betty Davis Eyes




:)

Cathrine

God On Our Side

So I was walking to Tom's place yesterday and listening to my iPod. It has such a wealth of songs that I don't know since Tom gave me a random selection of his music. Anyway, I've been curious about who Manfred Mann is and then this song came on. I was moved despite myself. And I found out today it's actually written by Bob Dylan. Haha. He keeps doing that... writing amazing songs that people cover.



Manfred Mann - God On Our Side





In other news, car insurance is sorted out... now for a place to move out to.

Cathrine

Gamble Everything For Love / Amateur

So I've been putting this off because writing about the Aimee Mann concert would be hard to contain properly in words. However, I'm going to put on my "give it a go anyway" hat and see what happens. ^_^


I had to meet Tom's family at the Enmore Theatre at 7.45pm, which gave me around 20 mins to get ready after I got home for work. :D In a mad rush I showered, washed and blow dried my hair, and got dressed! I ran to the station in 6 minutes and made the train with 2 minutes to spare. Mad skills. I was so excited that when I saw Tom I did this 'tarded run and jump thing... good thing he was quick enough to pick me up. :P Sometimes a hug hello isn't enough, you know?

I got the ticket and Anna said that Ben Lee was opening for Aimee. I didn't really know his music but I was curious and excited. After a drink, we sat down and Ben Lee sang this song to open:



Ben Lee - Gamble Everything For Love





It made me smile. It still does. I like listening to it. Check out the location of the video clip. :) Ben Lee played a few songs that I hadn't heard that I liked also. He won me with his audience participation. I lovelove singing and singing legitimately during a concert? LOVE. Normally I'm singing along quietly to songs I like and hoping the people around me aren't too annoyed and can't hear me too much. But Ben Lee had us doing call and response songs, one of them being:



Ben Lee - Song For the Divine Mother of the Universe





Ben Lee was quite a goofy character. Endearingly goofy, though. He was clearly Australian and made a few cheesy references to Kerry Ann Kenley, Bert Newton and Neighbours. But he won me when someone from the crowd called out, "Sing Gamble Everything For Love" and Ben said, "I sung that first Mr Lateypants"! Nice. :) Aww, and instead of having a band to back him, he had his iPod. For serious. :P It made me laugh a lot.


Aimee Man's concert started on a slow note. I wasn't too keen on the bland flavour of the songs. She did warn us she wanted to play some songs she normally doesn't and then proceeded to sing a B-Side track. However, I really got into her music later into the performance. She had two people supporting her, two guys, and they played a wide gamut of instruments - electric keyboards that produce quirky sounds, drums, bass, piano, tamporine/percussion, recorder! In particular, of the guys on piano made my night by the way he jazzed everything up so much on the piano... it was so so good to hear live piano music like that again. I forgot how much I missed just pure awesome on the piano. I have too much guitar music at the moment. lol


So Aimee played a few songs that I really liked. She sang this on her own, about three quarters into the concert and it was haunting and beautiful:



Aimee Mann - Red Vines




When she sang Wise Up, it was perfect. It was one of those moments that clicks and all you can think is "I'm really glad I'm here, could it get better than this?" and you look over and an amazing person is holding your hand and it does. It's something you can't describe, a mixture of gladness and joy... love and music. I also really liked:



Aimee Mann - Amateur





I think half the awesomeness of the night out was that it was with Tom and his family too. I like his family a lot. It's really nice that they're awesome and go to concerts together. I'll just live vicariously through his family. Tom was all, "see what you're getting yourself into?" haha I love it. :)


I hope that post wasn't too painful for you. I'm not really in a concert-review frame of mind. I'm more focused on getting car insurance for my new car and looking for somewhere to move out to that I can afford on the North Shore. When it rains, it pours.

Later gaters,

Cathrine

Wise Up

I'm going to see Aimee Mann with Tom, his dad, brother, and sister tomorrow night. Completely awesome. It's very sweet of them to invite me. I'm excited at the thought of going to a concert with Tom and his family. I only know a couple of her songs but I love this song.


Aimee Mann - Wise Up





So yay. :)

Love,

Cathrine

Singing Cats

Saw this on a friend's blog and couldn't resist reposting.


Singing Cats!




<3!

Rap

So when I was in Primary School I had a friend who was obsessed with 2Pac. I listened to California Love until we both had it memorised. I haven't listened to 2Pac since high school (year 10) and Tom reminded me in a passing comment of his music. So I'm reminiscing. And there's this Kanye song... I heard it on my iPod and recognised it. Tom sings bits of it at different times. :P It made me laugh on the way home - "we want pre-nup". LOL!



Life Goes On - Tupac




Kanye West - Gold Digger





So way back when... when I was 16 and dating boys who drove cars and danced to RnB... who were charmers and playas... I liked this music, mostly against my will. Everyone listened to RnB/rap and so what choice did I have? Anyway, I still like dancing to this music. It's kind of the only thing I know how to dance to... but it makes me look kinda trashy. :P

But since Kat's not home, I can turn it up and dance and look like westie, wanna be nigga trash. :P

Laters,

Cat

It Don't Matter To The Sun

So I was walking home and looking up at the moon and sometimes songs just click. I never really heard this song before... but I did tonight.



Rosie Thomas - It Don't Matter To The Sun




:)

Cathrine

My Body Is A Cage

Today this song didn't leave my mind for long.... sang it so often with Tom at different points. :) It's catchy.


Arcade Fire - My Body is a Cage




:)

Cathrine