Me having too much time on my hands

The Morrissey Comparison by flutterby3 on Polyvore.com

What I thought I was going to wear!

2010 Sparkles by flutterby3 featuring Calypso

Items in this set:
Solid Slub Knit Top, $6.80
Pilar Jacket, $325
YMI Applique Back Womens Bootcut Jeans, $38
Granny Laced Heel Boot, $78
Envelope Clutch, $765

I say WAS because the weather has changed….as it tends to do in Florida. High of 68 low of 58 so I think I might wear a dark wash A-line jean skirt that is above the knee with my black textured tights. All the rest of the outfit should be the same.

Things That Make My Heart Flutter, the last one of the year!

Random Bits of Happy

*I found sparklers from 4th of July that we didn’t use…quite a bit of them, including a few giant sparklers.  Seems we over bought and lucky for me too!  I love sparklers.  Also champagne was brought over to the house in mass quantities (3 extra bottles) so we don’t have to buy any for tomorrow’s celebrations.  Those are major pluses since money is still tight.

*4 day work weeks!  Really, do I need to say any more than that.  A short work week makes it go by that much faster, and let’s face it, this year one of my goals is to find a real job that isn’t a contract job that gives me no pleasure, no respect, no paid time off, and barely enough money to get by.  Christmas and New Years are holidays for the entire company but contractors do not get paid for the time off.  I have never worked a contract job that didn’t pay me for company wide holidays.  It’s crazy to me, and yet just further proof and fire to get me moving in the direction of finding a better position for me in life!

*There is a special running over at Coilhouse and I was able to get issues 3 & 4 for a discount when bought together.  They showed up the other day and are uber gorgeous!  I am busy reading through issue #3.  It’s wonderful and dark and is as it in fact states on the cover: “A Love Letter to Alternative Culture”.

Quick Mentions:

*listening to Girl Talk, I forgot how much I love that big mash up of everything music.  *Glee!  I am such a Gleek! *Hightide Burrito goodness for last dinner of the year *talking to my girl in Japan on New Years Eve but here it’s not NYE yet…darn 14 hour time difference. *Super special alone time with T *Full Moon on New Years…a Blue Moon at that. *Plus size textured tights from Target. *Finding the perfect New Years outfit. *A sequined jacket that is perfect for all special outing!  *Bubbles! *An AbFab marathon *Warm weather on New Years…it will reach 70 degrees tomorrow!

This has been a very rough year but there has been good dabbled in with the bad and I created this blog to point out the positive and focus on the things in life that I am passionate about.  I think it has been a rewarding blog from my point of view and I hope that you have been enjoying the weekly doses of positivity as well as the posts on books, beats and baubles (my love for fashion & accessories!)  I am loving the new friends I’ve made through my blog and hope 2010 brings many many more!

Happy New Year readers!  I’ll be at a large party full of most of my favorite people.

Where will you be?

2009 Beats: Moved by Music

My 2009 Top 5 Albums    

I am pretty passionate about music, so is my husband for that matter.  We met at a club in 1996 dancing during Goth/Industrial night.  It has always been something we bond over.     

When I decided to create a blog with a purpose I knew music had to be one of the major subjects I covered along with my other major passions.     

So ending 2009 I want to leave you with my top 5 favorite albums.  3 out of the 5 I have already covered.  The other 2 albums were released earlier in the year before I started my blog and although the albums were on heavy rotation on my iPod, it just didn’t occur to me to go backwards and review albums that had been out for so long.     

   1. Patrick Wolf – The Bachelor   

My review is here.  I can’t believe it took me so long to realise his genius.  Oh boy, but when I did….I now own every piece of music he has ever put out.  I am over the top in love with his sound.  I cannot wait until the new album comes out slated for early 2010 – The Conqueror  

 

2.Florence and the Machine – Lungs   

What can I say about Florence that wasn’t already said here.  She is soulful and dark and I listen to her album nonstop. Really between her and Patrick Wolf they are always getting played on repeat.  I drive my husband crazy with them.  I am excited to learn from Wikipedia that she is heading to the studio in January to create album #2…get to it Woman! Hopefully a new album by late 2010 that is as brilliant as Lungs.    

3.Sunset Rubdown – Dragonslayer   

I didn’t really give an outright review of this super band.  I just gave a brief little shout out and told you to give it a listen.  I hope you did.  They are fun, their songs tell stories in an experimental way that makes me want to move in my chair when listening at work.  My husband is especially over the moon about them.  I think he made the music grow on me because of his constant playing of the album.  I think it was bound to happen anyway but T forced it faster.    

4. Passion Pit – Manners    

This album came out in May of 2009 and I consider it to be my happy music.  In a bad mood, in a down mood, put on some Passion Pit and it’s hard to not smile.  This is Indie Pop or Electropop at it’s very best.  You should at least know the song “Sleepyhead” if nothing else, it’s been featured in the Palm Pixi commercial on TV and was features as an iTunes discovery download back in February and I think that might even be the song that prompted me to download the album.  I challenge you to listen to this album and NOT be in a good mood!    

5. Fever Ray – Fever Ray    

I am not sure where to start with Karin Dreijer Andersson.  She is listed as Electronica, I don’t know that it is a correct explanation.  I would say Theatrical, Experimental, Alternative….hrm.  I love The Knife the band she is in with her brother and I flew to this album happy to hear a lot of the same sounds.  Distorted voice and strange noises with her accent make this such a different sound.  I love her uniqueness and have to say to give her a listen if you haven’t heard her before, she is hard to describe.     

Holiday Mention:   

Also I have to say Tori Amos had the most unusual Holiday album this year.  I thank her for putting herself to the challenge and coming out with such a beautiful album.  Midwinter Graces was reviewed by me here and I will surely listen to it for years to come.  I expect it will be my holiday go to!   

 

Merry Christmas and Happy Yule!

Hope you are spending time with family and friends and feeling full of love and laughter. xoxo flutterby3 (Shana)

Beats: Tori Amos – Midwinter Graces

Tori Amos – Midwinter Graces can only be described as a return to her roots.  Her infamous and beloved Bosendorfer makes a pleasant return to her albums.  It was descibed as a Christmas album but I think it’s more than that.  It isn’t a religious album, it feels more like a celebration of winter or a Yule album.  I love the gentle calm feeling that the album has.  You are put into her world but in a good way not the quirky way that her past few albums have given us. 

She jumps around with sounds, we hear songs that are traditionally classic (What Child, Nowell),  some have a little Tori twist, sounding a little MidEastern Folk (Star of Wonder),  some have a big band sound (Pink and Glitter), medieval (Candle: Coventry Carol), and music from the Dark Ages (Emmanuel).   It all seems to mesh together in a nice flow that just gives you a wintery feel. 

I think old Tori fans and people not looking for a traditional Christmas album will really love this.  I give it 4 out of 5 Butterflies!