Just Say It

Today I heard Alicia Keys' Tell You Something, which is a beautiful song about her desire to express how she feels about a loved one before they're gone. I think she wrote it for her grandmother, but obviously it can apply to anyone. The main message is that you shouldn't sit around waiting for the right moment to tell someone you love them, because the right moment might never come. But Alicia tells it better than I do, so see her lyrics here and listen to the song here.

The song reminded me of one of my favorite movie scenes of all time, which is in My Best Friend's Wedding. If you haven't seen that flick... um, where've ya been? Just kidding. In the film, Julia Roberts' character Julianne is best friends with Michael, who's played by Dermot Mulroney. And he announces that he's getting married to a gorgeous blonde named Kimmy (Cameron Diaz). At this news, Julianne suddenly realizes that she's in love with Michael. So she spends the rest of the film awkwardly trying to get him to call off the wedding.

There's one scene where Julianne finally gets to spend some time alone with Michael, and she has a chance to tell him how she feels, but doesn't. Check it out...



Just a couple of reminders that life is too short to hold back on how you really feel. If you love someone, you say it, before the moment passes you by.

Christmas Song Gone Wrong

When I was a kid, the song "I saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" made me want to cry. At that time, I didn't know that Santa = Daddy. So it really bothered me that the mommy was seemingly cheating on the daddy, AND that they were making a song about it! Weren't Christmas songs supposed to make you feel warm and cozy? Gosh.

I stopped believing in Santa when I was 7 years old, I think. (Which seems young, does it not?) And I'm ashamed to admit that I STILL didn't "get" the song until I was about 12! I don't know why it took me so long; funny how that happens sometimes. But all of those years, I would shake my head in indignation, disturbed and slightly terrified that they were playing this song about a two-timing mother.

I'll never forget the day I realized that the Santa she was kissing was the kid's dad dressed as Santa! It somehow just clicked—finally—and I instantly felt stupid for not figuring it out five years earlier, and ashamed for judging the mom so badly when all she was doing was loving her husband.

I can't believe I just told you that story. I really do have some intelligence floating around in this brain of mine, I swear.

I found this video of an adorable little girl singing "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus." I wonder if she's as bothered by it as I was. I'm guessing probably not.

Dance Your Heart Out

One of my favorite shows is So You Think You Can Dance, and one of my favorite dances this past season was performed by Mark and Chelsie, to the song "Bleeding Love" by Leona Lewis.

This dance was choreographed to tell the story of a workaholic husband and his frustrated wife. You can definitely see that struggle in this creative and emotional routine.

Check it out...

Slow Dancing

I was thinking today about slow dancing. Is there nothing better in the world than slow dancing? It's the best and most innocent way to get close to someone you care about, in public, and you're brought there solely by the means of sweet music.

The slow dances of junior high were stiff and awkward, yet exhilarating. (I have stories. Ohmagoodness, do I have stories.) And remember in high school when you'd look forward to the school dance for a whole week, because you knew you'd be dancing with your latest crush? Then there's college. I don't know if other colleges have dances, but mine did. Like every weekend. They got old after a while. They became so mainstream that we'd go to the dance with a date and end up dancing with some other random person. (Alcohol had something to do with that, I think.)

But after college, the slow-dancing possibilities kind of come to an end. With the exception of the occasional wedding, there just aren't a lot of opportunities to slow dance in a public setting. I honestly can't remember the last time I did. That makes me sad.

On the other hand, now that slow dancing is a rarity, it has this incredibly romantic stigma. Kind of like going on a tropical vacation. I hardly ever get to do that, but I will never stop wanting to, and when I do I'm going to enjoy every minute of it.

R&B artist John Legend—whose voice could convince me to do something illegal—has a song called "Slow Dance." It's one of those pure, old-school tunes that brings you right back to the dimly lit, streamer-decorated high school cafeteria.

Here's the video. You must watch it because it will make all of the problems in your life fade away, I swear. (Ladies, pretend he's singing to you. That's what I do. Then I melt into a pool of butter.)

Stolen

One of my favorite love songs of all time is "Stolen" by Dashboard Confessional. Between the simple but compelling lyrics, the melody that pulls on my heartstrings, and the stunning good looks of lead singer Chris Carrabba... I'm sold.

Here's the video. It paints a pleasantly romantic picture of a lifelong love finally realized.

And girls... Chris Carrabba. Am I right?

Kissing Frogs

Last night I went to a Carrie Underwood concert. I found that I can really relate to Carrie. Except for the whole hot-blonde-superstar thing. But she and I seem to have a similar track record regarding the kinds of men we date. Except for the whole hot-famous-athlete thing. (Speaking of... a very reliable source told me that Carrie is NOT dating Michael Phelps like everyone is saying. Rather she has been seeing some Travis guy from The Bachelor. Apparently he was at the concert last night but I didn't see him. I know you were all losing sleep at night, thinking about Carrie Underwood's love life. I'm happy to be of service.)

Carrie has a song that best explains this track record that she and I share. It's called "The More Boys I Meet" and it comically expresses the frustrations of dating one dud after another. 

Here are the lyrics:

This boy here wants to move too fast
He sees my future as having a past
Well, I don't think so
I don't think so

That guy there, well he's playing a fool
He thinks he's funny and he thinks he's cool
We'll I don't think so
I don't think so

Cheap date, bad taste, another night gone to waste
Talking about nothing in so many words
It's not like I'm not trying
'Cause I'll give anyone a shot once

And, I , I close my eyes
And, I kiss that frog
Each time finding
The more boys I meet the more I love my dog

Here's this guy, thinks he's bad to the bone
He wants to pick me up and take me home
Well, I don't think so
I don't think so

Cage fights, PlayStation, X-Games, Raider Nation
Oversize pants with an ego to match
It's not like I'm not trying
'Cause I'll give anyone a shot once

And, I , I close my eyes
And, I kiss that frog
Each time finding
The more boys I meet the more I love my dog

Why can't they be like the ones that mean everything to me
The warm and loyal, open and friendly
It's not like I'm not trying
'Cause I'll give anyone a shot once

I close my eyes
And, I kiss that frog
Each time finding
The more boys I meet the more I love my

I close my eyes
And, I kiss that frog
Each time finding
The more boys I meet the more I love my dog

The more I love my dog

I hear ya, Carrie. You and I are on the same page. Except for the whole I-love-my-dog thing. Don't even have a dog. But I'm working on that. Right after I get a multimillion-dollar record deal and an Olympiad boyfriend.