Favorite Christmas Carols

Do you have some favorite Christmas carols?  I know I do....it's a great time of year.  There are classic ones, hilarious ones, cute ones.....

There are 3 all time favorites that I like......Ave Maria, O Holy Night and Mary Did You Know.....

I hope that I can find them on YouTube....

 

 

Andy Williams does a great rendition of Ave Maria by Schubert.  His vocal style is so sweet and soft....not strained....and very melodious.  I have heard several different versions of this song, but this is my favorite.  Ave Maria means Hail Mary in Latin.

 

O Holy Night....when I hear this song I remember my elementary school days when we practiced singing Christmas carols for our parents.  This was one that we did and there was a student in my class that had a beautiful voice that sang the lead and we all provided back up.  I don't remember the name of my classmate, but it was the first time that I had heard this song..and it was sung so beautifully!

 

 

I know that there is another singer that has a better rendition, I want to say Harry Connick, Jr.....but I could be wrong and alas....YouTube had limited selections.  Josh Groban does a great job singing this song because his voice is just so wonderful....he could sing Baa Baa Black Sheep and make me swoon!

Here is what I believe should be a classic....Clay Aiken sings this song which became a huge hit for him.  The words are so captivating and simple, yet speaks volumes!  Mary Did You Know.....

Now here are some wacky hilarious ones that just stick in your mind....again....I hope that YouTube has captured them....

Yep....Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is fun to sing...especially if you add the twang in this hillbilly ditty.

Oh...the Hawaiians are not to be outdone....YouTube don't fail me now. 

Frank DeLima is a local comedian.  If you get the chance to see him live....don't miss the opportunity.  He is too funny!  He makes fun out of all the nationalities.  What you just saw is his take on the Filipinos.  When Shirley and I saw him in Hawaii at the Noodle Shop many many years ago, he singled us out because he told us our eyes were so slanted we could see through closed venetian blinds.  We laughed so hard we almost "peed our pants!"   I especially loved his rendition of Tina Turner's Proud Mary.  I couldn't find that one....but I did find another one that you will like Adullah Fataai, a Samoan football player.

Oops....I'm digressing.....back to the work at hand!  Cute Christmas carols.....well there's Alvin and the Chipmunks singing Christmas Time is Here. 

I also liked the Hawaiian pidgin version of the Twelve Days of Christmas.  It is called Numbah One Day of Christmas.....it was written by Ed Kenney, Eaton "Bob" Magoo, Jr., and Gordon Phelps.  Sadly, I couldn't find a good version of this on YouTube, but I can remember the words to the Hawaiian version and not the English version.

Well...I hope that you enjoyed my selections of Christmas carols.  To all of you out there....have a great holiday.  As we Hawaiians say.....Mele Kalikimaka and Hauoli Makahiki Hou....if I haven't screwed it up...it means Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Oops....back up....rewind....there is yet another Christmas carol that I love....it is a duet featuring Bing Crosby and David Bowie.......singing a combination of Little Drummer Boy and Peace on Earth.

Merry Christmas to all....and to all a good night!







 

 

 

 

 



Tis the Season

Someone who has been having a bad few days told me today that there is only nine days left until the end of the world according to the infamous Mayan calendar......what a concept.  I tried to read up on it but it's far more than my brain can handle.

If the world is coming to an end....what would I do?  I don't know that I would do anything different.  I am doing what I am supposed to do.  There isn't a "last wish" that I can honestly say I must do before the end is upon us.  Living everyday at my age is already a blessing.  What more could one ask? 

At work I am surrounded with the "Aloha Spirit".....my company has hired a total of about 5 people from Hawaii.  It is like old home week at the office.  The pidgin English is music to my ears.  If you would have asked me about 20 years ago about speaking pidgin....I would have frowned.  I tried so hard to overcome it....now I find myself embracing it.

My favorite cousin and her family were in town this past weekend.  One can really feel the love when we greet people and give them a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  There is so much Aloha in just the greeting alone.

We ate a lot, laughed a lot....heck....we even went bowling - although liftiing a bowling ball would have really broken this camel's back, because I was suffering from a pain in my back.  Nevertheless, it was fun watching everyone bowl.  After that we went to......wait......can you hear the drum roll????

You guessed it, we went to a buffet dinner.  There were a total of twelve of us.....now the adults got in at half price and the children got in at full price....why?  Because adults can gamble and children can't....so the casino made this rule.  There are actually bean counters that think up these things.

Anyway, I got to eat my daily quota of fresh veggies.....and for dessert....there was Spumoni sorbet!
Wow, my favorite!!!

We had such a great time and they are coming back in March!  I really look forward to their visits!
Needless to say....my dance card was pretty filled up.....and I danced (not literally) the entire weekend away.  I was pooched!

But.....tis the season....right?  Wow I haven't even started my Christmas shopping.....last minute Nellie huh?

I'll have to be creative and get my butt in gear.....Oh WAIT......STOP THE PRESSES!  The world is gonna end 4 days before.....if anyone is left alive after December 21....well then shut my mouth....
Boing.......there you have it....what can be better than to be alive for Christmas!

Let's all get down on our knees and give thanks!  Christmas shopping complete?....check...check!

Black Friday?

For the past 2 weeks,, all I've been hearing on the internet are ads about Black Friday.....you know, the day after Thanksgiving.  That's when all hell breaks loose and stores are giving these stupendous deals on merchandise.  People are standing in lines awaiting stores to open.  I avoid this kind of craziness like the plague!  This is the kickoff for the Christmas gift giving time.

Well, today being Wednesday, I want to tell you that I really scored HUGE!  I'm gonna call it Black Wednesday!  Here's what happened.....I get a call from a friend this morning.  She is in town visiting from Hawaii.

She invited me to dinner at Steve Wynn's signature hotel.....the Wynn.  I met her at the crap table as instructed.  At first I couldn't see her.  Then I heard her voice.  Well there she is with a flower on her hat, sitting at the table.  She asked if I would like to have Chinese, Japanese or a Buffet dinner....well if you've read my latest posts, you might say Buffet...right?

#@!#@! Wrong!  After a couple of lucky passes by 2 men at the table, she was able to retire a marker and we were off to?????.....a Japanese dinner at Mizumi.  Check it out!

 



 

 

This is the view we had at dinner.  The waterfall in the background was gorgeous!  I was one little country bumpkin....it started with the bathroom....I didn't know how to turn on the water to wash my hands.....My friend had to show me.  Then we go to our table and the waiters pull out our chairs for us to sit.  Once we are seated, they unfold our napkins and place them in our laps!  WOW....it's been a while since I've felt soooo pampered!

 

 

We ordered Miso soup, Edamame, Unagi (eel) sushi, Butterfish, Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura and to top it off we had Sorbet....I had pineapple and pomegranate...it was topped with mint leaves, blueberries and boysenberries.  It was scrumptious....and so delicious.  The presentation of the food was just amazing!

 

 

By now you must be wondering why I call it Black Wednesday???? Well, between the 2 of us....we managed to rack up a tab of about $300.  The best part about it.....the hotel picked up the tab.  My friend paid the tip and treated me for my birthday. 

 

After the meal we went up to her suite so she could give me some macadamia coconut chocolates and the makeup I ordered from her.  She had a double suite - it had 2 bathrooms!  One had a shower...the other had a bathtub....so luxurious!

 

 

I had fun playing with the remote that controlled the air, the doors, the drapes and a multitude of other things.  I even walked away with spa slippers that the hotel provides to their guests.

 

 

What a wonderful evening....I hugged my friend and then headed home.  So what makes this like a Black Friday...only it happened on a Wednesday?

 

 

Well, funny you should ask.....

 

          The deal - FREE dinner!

          Standing in line to wait to get in - well on the way home I was caught up in a random DUI inspection for the holiday.....I know it's a bit of a stretch.......but oh well....just indulge me!

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  May your day be filled with family, friends and great food!

 

Oh, BTW....I get to spend the rest of the weekend eating!  My date book is full!  How fun is that?

 

 

 

 



Oh What a Day I Had Today!

FYI, the title of this post is from the movie Funny Girl, starring Barbra Streisand and Omar Sharif.

Going back to work at my age is hazardous.  It's like a dog eat dog world now!  OMG!  some people are intimidated by my years of experience!

Ever try to....how does that saying go?......Ever try to hide your light under a bush or is it bushel?  Is that how the saying goes?  I don't know but....it sounds about right.

Lies, gossips about this person and that person.  A ridiculous dress code being imposed.  People in high places with short fuses!  OMG.....then there is also the.... I want to be a friend to everyone person.  Decisions made due to emotions rather than good judgment!

I feel as though I have fallen into a pit of snakes and am the only one speaking English!  Do you know what I mean?

Well....to add to the insanity, I had to wait 2 hours for the police to arrive because of a break-in.  On my way home I almost run over this guy crossing the street...now bear in mind it is dark and he is dressed all in black clothing and is not in the crosswalk.  He starts yelling unspeakable words to me....and I open the window and fired some right back at him....so not my style! 

After having a rushed Dim Sum lunch - another bad idea.....my friend Shirley calls me up to go to for a free dinner.  With my head throbbing from the day I had already, I'm trying to have a conversation with my friend and bless her heart...at her age....sometimes she says something but means something else.  I've learned to keep on the same wave length  as her....but I had to translate to the chef on why she returned her meal 3 times.

She ordered Clam Linguini - now this is her favorite dish...and we had it there just a couple of weeks ago.  She wanted to go back and have it again.  Well it wasn't the same.  She returned it and they redid the dish...it still wasn't right so she returned it again and ordered Shrimp Scampi instead.  It tasted very tart while my pasta tasted sweet!  Long story short, the head chef comes to our table and she is trying to explain to him that her Shrimp Scampi should be a white sauce...now she actually means her Clam Linguini....here's where my interpreting had to come into play. 

Well, he took her meal off the tab and we left the restaurant. We were chatting when all of a sudden Chef Henry walks up to us and wanted to treat us to free dessert because he tasted the garlic...and he admitted I was right....it had a sweet taste.  Now...pasta is my favorite food....I never turn away pasta....but sweet pasta?.....that's a whole other story!  Well, I was full from my dinner and my friend Shirley doesn't like desserts.

He told us to come back and we can have dinner on him the next time.  Shirley told him that we would be back only if he cooked the meal for us!  Well, at least that rounded out our day! 

Life is never boring here.....there's always some kind of drama going on....but the bottom line is.....it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick!  It's all fun!

Experienced Buffet Eaters

Have you ever tried an all you can eat buffet?  Well, usually I like to start off with a salad.  That way I'm sure to get my veggies in.  Then I go for the featured item....whether it be sushi or seafood....something that you can't make at home.  You know the drill....you eat slowly so that you can savor the taste and enjoy the company of whoever is with you.  Then to top it off you check out the desert bar.  Fruits...oh and if they have hot fudge to coat it....the more the better.

Well, today was a whole new experience for this buffet pro.  A couple of co-workers and I thought we would do buffet for lunch.  That in itself is okay....but our lunch break is for 1 hour.  This would be okay too....however it took us at least 15 minutes to get there and 15 minutes for the return trip.  That left us 30 minutes to grab our food and gobble it down. 

Here's where the rubber meets the road.  As an experienced buffet eater....I immediately served up 3 plates.  I had 2 kinds of noodles, seaweed sushi, octopus sushi and california rolls with caviar (fish eggs) on top...along with wasabi and pickled ginger.  I had green beans (my favorite), egg plant and tofu stir fry, steamed fish, chicken with jalapeno peppers and whole black beans (Chinese style) and vegetable tempura.  For desert I had jin dui, a Chinese mochi ball with sesame seeds on the outside and sweet black beans on the inside. 

My co-worker laughed when she saw me with 3 plates.  She had 1 full plate of crayfish, a bowl of melted butter and another plate with the egg plant and tofu and also a serving of steamed veggies.  She went back for a plate of sushi after she finished and then....on our way out.....she had a napkin full of jin dui.  Now how embarassing is that?  Everyone knows that you can't take out food from an all you can eat buffet.  Who does that?

My other co-worker....well you can tell she is a newbie at this.  She had one plate full and a small cup of wonton soup.  She went back for a second plate of food.  Slow eater.

So how can you tell the pro?  Well you won't feel as rushed if you know that you can eat 3 plate fulls at a buffet...so serve it all up at once....then you can take your time eating and enjoy the food without having to stand up in the middle to get another plate full!

Ta Dah! ~~~~~!

Well, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!    

Only in Las Vegas

Caveat:  I created this blog earlier this month....oops forgot to post it....anyway, here it is!

Last night Shirley and I went to Arizona Charlies Hotel and Casino and had a free meal.  We had prime rib which was just so tender...the melt in your mouth kind.  It came with a salad, baked potato and cooked veggies.  We both had raspberry teas to drink.  All of this was FREE!

The casino called her and said they hadn't seen her for a while and told her to bring a friend and have a free meal on them!  WOW they actually call you to come in!  Little do they know that Shirley has given up gambling since becoming a Jehovah Witness.  However we both had a great time!

We couldn't finish the meal and left with doggie bags.  On the way home,  there were 2 homeless people at the intersection and I left my doggie with them.  They were sooo grateful.  Luckily I had  buns in the doggie as well.  I should have listened to Shirley and taken the butters too....next time I will!

Very rarely am I a leftover person.  I usually don't like bringing home lefties because then they just pile up in the fridge and I have to toss them out after a few days.  This way worked out great because the casino got to feed the homeless in the process!

Well tomorrow is the big day.  The day that will result in a President.  Will it be Obama or Romney?  Inquiring minds want to know.  Literally....they want to know!  What happened to the confidentiality of voting!  I got stopped several times by campaign workers asking me who I was going to vote for this election.  I'm sorry but it is none of their business which party will win my vote.  I got stopped on my way to the library and the post office.  I had people knock on my door at night and people catching us in the parking lot after dinner.  They were also trying to recruit workers to do the same for pay!  What happened to the volunteering for your candidate?  Things have surely changed!

What did we learn back in school about how countries collapsed because they hired soldiers of war?  There was no vested interest on their part....Oh well....nothing surprises me any more!  It is what it is! 

Now for the next few days we will be bombarded on TV with election results and commentaries....WAIT!!!! I don't watch TV!!!!!  Hooray!

Que Sera Sera (What will be...will be)

 

Spots Before My Eyes

Who knew that there really is a medical condition connected to the phrase....I see spots before my eyes? 

It started yesterday when I could have sworn that there were flies or some similar insect circling my head.  I kept trying to swat them away.

Bugger!  The spots aren't really spots....but rather floating bubbles here and there.  I figure...gosh my blood pressure must be high.  I take some low dose aspirin to thin out my blood and to relieve the blood pressure.

I go online during my lunch break and find out that it is a malady of old age!  Double Bugger!

Then tonight I could have sworn that I saw light flashes.  Now I'm becoming paranoid.  I go back online and now it could be nothing or it could be my retina is tearing and the possibility of blindness.  Triple Bugger! 

Thoughts run through my mind....have I been watching too many Korean dramas?  Have I been doing too much computer work at the job to have this happen?  Oh Bugger Bugger!

So...I check my blood pressure at home and it's normal.  I ate a salad for dinner with some pasta....eating healthy could help this....am I closing the barn door after the horse has left?

Tonight I will go to bed earlier to rest my eyes.  In fact I am typing this blog with my eyes closed for the most part!

Is this a case of too little too late?  Only time will tell....Looks like I'll have to make an appointment to go see a doctor.  Ugh hate that!

In a few days I'll be 64 years old....wow.....this thought just came to mind.....if I am having a problem with my eyes....what is it that I don't want to see?

I'll leave you with that thought and go and rest my eyes and contemplate on the issue before me....or rather before my eyes!

Wish me luck!