When The Cold Wind's Blowing Snow Drifts Through The Pine Trees

All That I Want - The Weepies 

There's something in the air. Can you feel it? It's that tingling buzzy buzz feeling I get every year at the end of November . . .

It starts with my birthday, followed the week after by American Thanksgiving. Then you walk into a mall and boom! Trees! Ornaments! Twinkle lights!

Because guess what? In a few short weeks . . . it'll be Christmas - my most favourite holiday of the year. The atmosphere in the city becomes electric. Mix that in with family gatherings, get-togethers with friends, the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships, and feeling like you're on the verge of something.

Then a short week after that? The New Year.

This year, the feeling will last even longer. You better believe it will. Six weeks into the new year, Vancouver will play host to the whole world at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

I, for one, am looking forward to this winter like none other before. Here's to winter!

Stopped Dreaming Of Your Face, Now I Don't Dream At All

Somedays - jacksoul

Heard some news from the Canadian music scene today and it made me very sad. And unfortunately it happened on my birthday.

Haydain Neale, frontman for Juno-award winning R&B/soul group jacksoul, passed away at the age of 39 after a seven month long battle with lung cancer. Like many Canadian musicians, jacksoul kind of got lost in the shuffle, trying to compete with their counterparts from our neighbours to the south. How could they compete with acts such as K-Ci & Jojo and all of their financial backing?

Luckily, because of CanCon, jacksoul got a decent amount of airplay within Canada and some of us were privileged to know their music. When thinking about the type of male voice I find attractive, Neale's was always amongst the ones I'd pick out. What a strong, masculine baritone he had. But unfortunately, Neale has passed just a few short days away from the release of a brand new album.

jacksoul's song "Somedays", from the 2000 album Sleepless, was the particular song I had on repeat when dealing with a certain heartbreak back in the day. It's still one of my favourites. For your listening pleasure:



If you don't know jacksoul or had forgotten about them during their recent hiatus, I urge you to take a journey into their world. They just might touch your soul.

Rest in peace, Haydain Neale
09.03.1970 - 11.22.2009

Stacks On Deck, Patrón On Ice

Whatever You Like - Anya Marina

It's officially the DAB [day after birthday] and this particular birthday did involve the nasty Mexican evilness called tequila. And if you're going to have tequila, you want it to be Patrón.

Makes me think of this song I discovered while watching a recent episode of Gossip Girl. Apparently Anya Marina had wanted to cover a hip hop song for awhile and when she heard TI's chart-topper, she knew she just had to do this particular song.



She has an interesting voice with an innocent quality to it, which makes for an interesting juxtaposition with the subject matter of this song.

I actually prefer the work she's done in her own genre. Reminds me a bit of the popular-after-Apple-used-it-in-an-ad song "Bruises" by Chairlift. Her latest full length album is sophmore effort Slow & Steady Seduction: Phase II, released late '08/early '09, depending on the source.

Take a listen:
Vertigo
Two Left Feet
Waters Of March [Águas de Março]
Cowboy

You'll Make Me Work So We Can Work To Work It Out

Haven't Met You Yet - Michael Bublé

I am failing epically at keeping this blog updated. Apologies . . . though I'm sure I've lost a few readers with inconsistent posts.

Excitement around the corner. My nearest and dearest know what's up. But I can't quite announce the news yet. Though if you pay close attention, maybe you can figure it out? I'm in a countdown, you know. Less than 100 now.

In the meantime, my nephew Colby has started hockey lessons. Regular skating wasn't really working out for him. He's now enrolled at the Hong Kong Academy Of Ice Hockey, which is run by Vancouver native and former NHLer, Barry Beck [LA Kings, NY Rangers].

He's just in beginner lessons for now and it's only him and another little boy named Justin. Two of them to one instructor is pretty good. Halfway through his first lesson he came off the ice whining that it was hot. My sister had put him in jeans under his hockey gear. I don't know what she was thinking. Colby seems to like it though. I will nickname him CoHo and try to score an endorsement deal with Koho . . . Draft class of 2023?

I will see you soon . . .