Friday, December 10, 2010

Jingle Bell Rock Friday Five


RevGalBlogPal friend, Mary Beth, posted the Friday Five today.

For today's Friday Five: What lifts you up when you are low or troubled? Who helps you remember that you are not alone, it's getting better all the time, etc.? Your five responses can be people you know, people you DON'T know, music, places, foods, scripture, surprises, something you do for someone else. It could be a pair of slippers. It could be a glass of water. Bonus: Do you like the song "Jingle Bell Rock?" If you do, who do you prefer to hear sing it? Bobby Helms, Brenda Lee, Mean Girls, Stephanie Smith, Chubby Checker, Billy Gilman, Brian Setzer, Hilary Duff, Thousand Foot Krutch (I am not making this up), oh, there are so many more! I am currently partial to my friend Marco.

Wow! Okay, I'll take the bonus first. I do like the song Jingle Bell Rock because it reminds me of my two sisters wearing bobby sox, black and white oxfords and poodle skirts with lots of crinoline petticoats beneath. And of course this means I like the Brenda Lee version. It's a dumb song, of course, so why have so many people sung it? Dumb but cherry. Maybe that's the secret.

On to the five things that lift me up when I'm down.

1. Rest. I have finally come to realize that sometimes I am down when I am just in serious need of some down time. So a cup of tea, a book, and SOLITUDE are a key. It isn't that those things make me cheery. They just make cheeriness possible!

2. Music. Nothing cheers me up like music. What type, how loud, etc. all depend on lots of variables, but music is a necessity in my life. Sometimes, it's true, music can make me sad, lonely, or too nostalgic for my own good. Especially since I'm still grieving some multiple losses, so if the goal is to cheer myself up, I need to choose carefully. In a few minutes I'm going to put my "Straight No Chaser" Christmas CD on. They are a great vocal group (thanks to son Josh for giving me the CD a coupld of Christmases back). I'll try to find a version of their song "Christmas Can Can" to post. It always makes me laugh. Especially when they get to the Dredel pat.....and screaming Christmas carols all the way...lalalalalalala....well I found it. Here you go.





3. People. One must not hole up (see number one) for too long. People, especially the positive ones, are good for lifting our spirits.

4. Counting my blessings. Sounds sappy, eh? But it is true. Sometimes I just need to stop and reflect and say thanks to God for the good things in my life.

5. Cooking. I don't know why cooking cheers me up, but it does. Nothing like making a big mess in the kitchen to get me in a better mood!

9 comments:

Sandy said...

Cooking and rest (especially when the happen close to one another!) are definitely soul-lifters for me as well!

altar ego said...

Cooking is what saved me during seminary. The creative aspect of it, and the total switch of gears from academics to gastronomics was a delight.

Cody said...

We have one tiny, teeny, itty-bitty kitchen on my floor. Needless to say, I am often in it working on something or another. I get to relieve stress and the fellows on the floor get to eat. We both win. Oh, the joys of being an English/Theology-type and being forced to take sciences.

Mary Beth said...

Right now I am very annoyed by cooking. Hope it will change soon, we are getting hungry (but not thin, darn it!) :)

thanks for playing and glad your computer finally came through.

Terri said...

ok....that just may become my favorite Christmas video! What delight and fun!!! Thank you.

Lori said...

I love Straight No Chaser! They are wonderful.
I sure hear you about the rest.

Wishing you a blessed and very Merry Christmas!

Sally said...

funny I used to love cooking, now it seems a chore, not sure what happened there...

Gilly said...

Lovely post! ! and 5 are definitely me, and I ought to do 3 and 4!

By the way, I love your header pic! Especially those little fat sheep!!

Truth said...

Did I mention I ended up getting this Christmas CD after you posted it? The Christmas can-can, lol.