I’m fond of the Coffeehouse channel on SiriusXM radio. It’s the station that plays acoustic versions of just about any song you could name. I’m not sure some songs SHOULD be performed acoustically, but for the most part I enjoy the offerings on Coffeehouse.
This week the station is playing only Christmas music, and I’ve become enamored of some of the songs.
I’d never heard of the group Civil Wars, but I really like their version of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. It’s a new take on a beautiful old favorite.
Likewise, Last Christmas by Denny Lloyd is a slower, sweeter version than Wham!’s.
And James Taylor’s Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas is as wonderful as ever.
Christmas at the Airport is hilarious. I have no idea who Nick Lowe is, but he had me chortling as he sang about the travails of being snowed in at an airport on his trip home for the holidays.
Coffeehouse is Channel 14 on SiriusXM.
(Lest you worry that I took these photos while driving, let me assure you I pulled over before snapping any of these shots. We don’t want Santa to think I’ve been naughty, right?)
Sirius/XM satellite radio might be the greatest invention of all time. If talk radio is your thing, they’ve got you covered. News? Covered. Traffic and weather? Covered. Sports? They’re all over that. But greatest of all is the quality and quantity of channels catering to music.
Remember the old days when your favorite song would begin playing on an FM station just as the family’s Chevy pulled out of broadcast range? Torture! Especially if Daddy was driving. He wouldn’t even attempt to tune the dial to reclaim the song, as opposed to when he lost the signal for a high school football game broadcast on an AM station. Then we were treated to static of varying quality in his search for a even hint of the game. Good times, but I digress.
Thanks to Sirius/XM I can listen to one station for the entire length of my journey, barring brief interruptions incurred whilst driving under overpasses or through tunnels. Truly, it’s a beautiful thing.
My favorite music station on Sirius is Coffeehouse, where only acoustic versions of songs are featured. Some of the offerings are quirky, but others hit it out of the park. One day this week I heard Imagine Dragons’ acoustic version of their hit, Radioactive. I do believe it’s a home run.
No bull! At the Houston rodeo. I’d have won my event, except that my bull wasn’t real.
Apart from the skirt pulled up way too high–Erkel style under my boobs and the dainty sandals on my pretty feet I look like a real life bull rider. Right? Right? Why do I hear crickets?
******************************
I own a ukulele now, purchased from a shop in Amarillo. So far, I know two notes, but the ukulele is small and my body is bulky. Together we look odd, like the instrument is being absorbed into my flesh. Like Jabba the Hut swallowing a little invertebrate whole. Gulp.
I’m not going to let appearances prevent me from learning to play the ukulele. Nossirree. But I might need to purchase a muumu just to complete the whole vibe.
****************************
Each day, the tattoo my nephew Russell bestowed upon me becomes prettier. I’ve tried to explain my feelings about it which go above and beyond anything I expected.
Having never been a particularly attractive woman, it pleases me more than I can say to have such a beautiful piece of art adorning my body. It makes me feel happy. And just a little bit special. I only regret not having it done sooner.
******************************
One friend asked what I’d listened to during my adventure. If I were to try and list my choices in some kind of order, it might look like this:Howard Stern on Sirius 100
John Fugelsang on INSIGHT Sirius/XM 121 Diane Rehm on NPR An audiobook by John Scalzi A V.I. Warshawski novel by Sara Paretsky
I also listened and sang along to the Classic Vinyl station, as well as the 60’s and 70’s stations on Sirius/XM. The comedy stations helped me cover many miles as well.
And then there were great distances without any sound other than that of my tires on pavement. Driving through the cities of Nashville, Kansas City, Dallas, and Houston required a great deal of concentration, and radio silence was a balm for my soul and a boost for my driving skills.
*****************************
Being home feels good. Today is a day for tackling mountains of laundry and snuggling cats, and for reading blog posts. I’ve been a terrible follower these past two weeks, clicking through blogs with nary a comment.
Thanks for all your positive vibes and support during my journey. Here’s a little Simon and Garfunkel to tie things up.
Praying for Eyebrowz 