Twelve Days of Jeanie Day Twelve: "To Be With You"

There wouldn't be a 12 Days of Jeanie without my wonderful husband because there wouldn't be a Jeanie. He's the knight who rescued me out of a tower guarded by an evil witch.

Way back in 1992, we were still dating. We met April 1991 and instantly hit it off. I believe in love, but love at first site was too much, until I met my husband. Now in the words of the Monkees, I'm a believer.

He proposed to me with this song. He didn't mean to. This is one of our songs, and he learned not only how to play it on his guitar, but he practiced it until he could sing along as well, something he rarely did. The moment was so emotional, it was the perfect time to bring our relationship further along. I was crying before he even asked me. My first reaction was "Are you sure?" When I realized it was for real, words were no longer possible. I just smiled the biggest smile and nodded emphatically and cried and hugged him.

So I give you, Mr. Big's "To Be With You."

Lyrics
Hold on little girl
Show me what he's done to you
Stand up little girl
A broken heart can't be that bad
When it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
So come on baby come on over
Let me be the one to show you

I'm the one who wants to be with you
Deep inside I hope you feel it too
Waited on a line of greens and blues
Just to be the next to be with you

Build up your confidence
So you can be on top for once
wake up who cares about
Little boys that talk too much
I've seen it all go down
Your game of love was all rained out
So come on baby, come on over
Let me be the one to hold you

Chorus

Why be alone when we can be together baby
You can make my life worthwhile
And I can make you start to smile

When it's through, it's through
Fate will twist the both of you
So come on baby come on over
Let me be the one to show you

song
To BeWith You

Sorry, but I couldn't find the video.

Twelve Days of Jeanie Day Eleven "Let's Get Rocked"

Day 6 I said I had two key chains. The other one I obtained at a very special concert. What made it so special wasn't just the amazing band playing, but the company I went with. I went with John and our two daughters. I mentioned Collective Soul was their first concert. This is the first one they actually remember. It happened three summers ago, shortly before we moved to Delaware.

Picture this, a young child, age 6 sitting on her daddy's shoulders with little rock hands shouting "We love you Def Leppard!" then believing the band could see and hear her all the way back in the lawn seats.

Today's song was easy to pick. I choose Def Leppard because not only is it one of my favorite bands, but it is one of my daughters' favorite bands. If we can't find one of their CDs, I know its either in the car or in one of the girls' rooms.

I thought it would be difficult to pick a song. Today, I asked both girls what their favorite Def Leppard song was. They each gave me several songs, but one song was on both lists. My husband doesn't like this song, but today isn't about him. It's about two girls who not only can sing along to most of Def Leppard's songs, but can tell you what album songs are on.

The Older in particular has an amazing ear for music. She can tell you who the band is for songs she's never even heard. Give her a few notes, and she'll tell you what song it is, if she's ever heard it before. She works hard at the clarinet and for fun decided to pick up the flute as well. She's learning guitar from her dad.

And before I continue, yes the band is still together, still making new albums and still touring. And yes, Joe Elliot and Rick "Sav" Savage were all over my walls in high school.

So I give you the song which I play in my mind to get myself out of bed, "Let's Get Rocked."

Lyrics
Do you wanna get rocked?
Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked

I'm your average ordinary everyday kid
Happy to do nothin', in fact that's what I did
I got a million ways to make my day
But daddy don't agree
Cause when I try to get away
He says he got plans for me
"Get your butt right out of bed"
Stop buggin' me
"Get up and move your sleepy head"
Don't shake my tree
He said "Mow the lawn" - who me?
"Walk the dog" - not my style, man
"Take out the trash" - no way
"Tidy your room" - c'mon get real
Sorry dad, gotta disappear
Let's get the rock out of here

Seven day weekend, up all night
In at the deep end, hang on tight
It won't take a minute, it won't take long
So get on in it, come on, come on, come on

Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked
Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked
Let's go all the way
Get it night'n'day
Come on, let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked

I'm your average ordinary everyday dude
Drivin' with my baby to get her in the mood
She's dialin' through my radio
And I'm ready to make my move
But what she got ain't rock'n'roll
And it really blew my groove
It was Chopin, Mozart, Beethoven
It makes me wanna scream
Bach, Tschaikovsky, violins
Turn it off, that ain't my scene
Well I'm sorry girl here's my confession
I suppose a rock's out of the question

Seven day weekend, up all night
In at the deep end, hang on tight
It won't take a minute, it won't take long
So get on in it, come on, come on, come on

Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked
Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked
Let's go all the way
Get it night'n'day
Come on, let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked

All I wanna do is take a ride into the blue
Every time I want to love you
I get stuck inside my room
Heaven knows I'm sick 'n' tired of dancin' with this broom

I feel lucky today
Hey look at that, man
Do you wanna get rocked?
Do you wanna get rocked?

It won't take you a minute
It won't take that long
So get on, get with it
Oh, come on everybody

Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked
Get on top baby
Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked
Do you wanna, do you wanna?
Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked
Get on top of it
Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked
Love to rock your body baby
Let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked

Let's go all the way
Let's do it night'n'day
Let's get out and play
Rock the night away
Come on, let's get, let's get, let's get, let's get rocked
Do you wanna get rocked?


Song
Let's Get Rocked

Video
back when MTV played video's Def Leppard was a staple.

Twelve Days of Jeanie Day Ten: "1985"

To say music is important to my family is an understatement. When we got our new car, we spent more time learning about the audio system than anything else. Today we spent way too much time programming the radio for our favorite XM stations. My favorites are 1st Wave (Classic Alternative, read: New Wave) and Alternative Nation. That isn't to say, I didn't like hard rock. I did and do, but Hubby already has those programmed, so I didn't have to.

My bedroom walls in high school could be divided into two sections, the OMG hot guys from the Brat Pack and the OMG hot guys from rock, especially Duran Duran.

So today, I give you Bowling for Soup's "1985"

Lyrics

Debbie just hit the wall
She never had it all
One Prozac a day
Husband's a CPA
Her dreams went out the door
When she turned twenty four
Only been with one man
What happen to her plan?

She was gonna be an actress
She was gonna be a star
She was gonna shake her ass
On the hood of White Snake’s car
Her yellow SUV is now the enemy
Looks at her average life
And nothing has been alright since

Bruce Springsteen, Madonna
Way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV
Her two kids in high school
They tell her that she’s uncool
Cause she's still preoccupied
With 19, 19, 1985

She’s seen all the classics
She knows every line
Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink
Even Saint Elmo’s Fire
She rocked out to Wham
Not a big Limp Bizkit fan
Thought she’d get a hand
On a member of Duran Duran

Where’s the mini-skirt made of snake skin
And who’s the other guy that's singing in Van Halen
When did reality become T.V.
Whatever happened to sitcoms, game shows
(on the radio was)

Springsteen, Madonna
Way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV
Her two kids in high school
They tell her that she’s uncool
Cause she's still preoccupied
With 19, 19, 1985

She hates time make it stop
When did Motley Crue become classic rock?
And when did Ozzy become an actor?
Please make this stop
Stop!
And bring back

Springsteen, Madonna
Way before Nirvana
There was U2 and Blondie
And music still on MTV
Her two kids in high school
They tell her that she’s uncool
Cause she's still preoccupied
With 1985

Song
1985

Video

Twelve Days of Jeanie Day Nine: "Death, Death (Devil, Devil, Devil, Devil, Evil, Evil, Evil, Evil) Song

Above all those books about Christianity is a vampire, You press his stomach and his red eyes light up and he screams a scary scream. I love it. He's ugly and his black hair is a mess.

I'm goth, not morose-obsessed-with-death-because-I-want-to-die goth. I'm fun goth. I like the Urban Dictionary's definition

Someone who likes the darker side of things. They usually listen to death metal and goth music, such as Dismember and Bauhaus. Marilyn Manson is NOT goth. He's just...weird. Real goths are not depressing and suicidal like the posers you see at Hot Topic. Goths are fun to be around and aren't afraid to laugh at themselves every so often. They don't worship Satan and aren't evil despite what some ignorant people might say. Goths don't all dress alike either. They like to create their own unique style. Goths are also very intelligent and creative. A lot of them are writers and artists. Goths DON'T envy the popular people. They are what they are because it makes them happy. Goths would rather stay who they are and be among the so called "freaks" than be like everyone else and be popular. They understand that there are more important things in life than popularity, and usually succeed in life while the popular ones don't become much of anything.

Not so much with the death metal, but pretty much everything else are very Jeanie parts to being Jeanie. I write about vampires. There has to be at least a tiny part of me that's goth. With me, it's more than a tiny part.

Today, I give you a bonus. Victoria Frances is one of my favorite artists. With paintings like these, how can she not be?








To me goth is best illustrated by two people--Neil Gaiman and Voltaire.Voltaire is a singer/songwriter/animator/illustrator/graphic novelist/toy designer/writer (I think I got them all) extraordinaire. He has so many fun songs to choose from, this was probably my most difficult day. This song is my favorite, so I give you "Death, Death (Devil, Devil, Devil, Devil, Evil, Evil, Evil, Evil) Song."

Lyrics
My granny while on her death bed
She turned and said to me
"Why must you view life so morbidly?

I tried to teach you right
But somewhere I went wrong
'Cuz you sang those
Death death devil devil evil evil songs"

When six pallbearers put her down
And laid her body in the ground
My eyes were wet
My face was very long

The pastor said "son here you are
Won't you please take this guitar
Sing dearly departed Granny one last song"

And I sang death death
devil devil devil devil
evil evil evil evil songs
Hell you know that's how I get along

The world is full of tragedies
So how can it be wrong?
Singing death death death death
Devil devil evil evil songs

Well I was shopping at Hot Topic
And I was walking out the door
When two dumb jocks came up to me
They said "Hey fag it ain't Halloween"
And they kicked my lipstick to the floor

And I sang death death
devil devil devil devil
evil evil evil evil songs
Hell you know that's how I get along

The world is full of idiots
So how can it be wrong?
Singing death death death death
Devil devil evil evil songs

Well I went down to church on Sunday
I sat up front in a pew
The priest said "Jesus and Mary too
Son what the devils got into you?
Get up and sing a hymn or two"

And I sang death death
devil devil devil devil
evil evil evil evil songs
And you know that's how I get along

The world's full of hypocrisies
So how can it be wrong?
Singing death death death death
Devil devil evil evil songs

I was invited to the White House
The president pulled me aside
He said "Son sing us a song of peace
For those evil doers in the Middle East"
I rolled my eyes and kicked this rhyme

And I sang death death
devil devil devil devil
evil evil evil evil songs
And you know that's how I get along

The world is full of W's
So how can it be wrong?
Singing death death death death
Devil devil evil evil songs

Well then I died and went to Hell
I could tell right away by the awful smell
That this was clearly not the pearly gates
The devil said "come here young man
My wife and I are your biggest fans"
So naturally I felt I had it made

Well then he reached into an iron chest
And he picked a tool that he felt was best
Then he jabbed me in the shlong
With a pitchfork that had sharpened prongs
He turned to me and winked and sang this song

He sang death death
devil devil devil devil
evil evil evil evil songs
Yeah I know that's how you got along

I find your song hilarious
But now your soul's precarious
Singing your death death death death
Devil devil evil evil songs

I'm just kidding kid
Welcome to Hell
Enjoy the buffet

Death death
devil devil devil devil
evil evil evil evil songs
And you know that's how we got along

The world is full of sinners
So how can it be wrong?
Singing death death death death
Devil devil evil evil songs

Song
Death, Death....Song

Video

There are several vids of this song. I chose this one because it captures his humor well.

Twelve Days of Jeanie Day Eight: "Prayer of St. Francis"

On my desk, to the left of my computer are the writing books I use most. To the right, are the reference books I use most. They are:

National Geographic's The Biblical World: An Illustrated Atlas
Rosemary Ellen Guiley's Encyclopedia of Angels
Ian Wilson's Jesus the Evidence
The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Gnostic Gospels
Susan Haskin's Mary Magdalen
Elaine Pagels' The Origin of Satan
The Essential Gnostic Gospels
and two Bibles (the NAB and the NRSV)

Those are just the books I use a lot for the series I'm currently writing. I also have books like The Bestiary of Christ, Father Boadt's Reading the Old Testament, The Oxford Companion to the Bible, EP Saunders' The Historical Figure of Jesus, A Short History of Christian Thought and The Catholic Catechism. I have a Guiley's Encyclopedia of Demons and Demonology on its way.

I tried, really tried, to write a simple vampire story. Somehow Judeo-Christian mythology found its way in. People love the premise of The Mark of Abel (a play on the Mark of Cain), so I'm glad it did. Writing became even more enjoyable when I stopped trying to hold back religion because I feared that the book would appear to be religious.

I am not Christian, haven't been for a long time, but I know Christian doctrine (especially its evolution), mythology and history very well, including its roots in Judaism and other earlier religions. It's sort of a hobby for me. I no longer want to be the first female Catholic Deacon, but I still love learning about Christianity. I will defend parts of it and love the beauty inherent in the mythology.

So to that end, I give you Sarah McLachlan's Prayer of St. Francis. Except for the whole God part, it is very much what I believe and shows true beauty.

Lyrics
Lord make me an instrument of your peace,
Where there is hatred let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
And where there is sadness, joy.

O divine master grant that I may
Not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love
For it is in giving that we receive-
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned.
And it's in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Song
Prayer of St. Francis

Video
This is a beautiful song, and there are many videos out there, especially since Joss Whedon used it to end Buffy Season 6 on such a beautiful note. I looked at many videos, but I like the imagery in this one best.

Twelve Days of Jeanie Day Seven: "Over the Rainbow"

There are many authors who have influenced me as a writer, four in particular: Mark Twain, Rudyard Kipling, Charles Dickens and L. Frank Baum. When I was a little girl, about the age of my youngest daughter, I would sit at my window and sing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow." Few things captured my imagination like The Wizard of Oz. It was the first "big" book I read. Once hooked, my heart belonged to speculative fiction.

In 1995, The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True came out. It was a benefit concert for the Children's defense fund and stared
Jewel as Dorothy
Natalie Cole as Glinda
The Boys Choir of Harlem as the munchkins
Debra Winger as the Wicked Witch
Jackson Browne as the Scarecrow
Roger Daltrey as the Tin Man
Nathan Lane as the Cowardly Lion
Joel Grey as the Wizard

If you would like to hear clips, you can go here. It's a wonderful production.

Lyrics
Somewhere over the rainbow
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullaby

Somewhere over that rainbow
All skies are blue, oh
And where dreams
That you dare to dream
Really do come true

Someday I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
And troubles mount like lemon drops
Way above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me

Somewhere over the rainbow
Bluebirds fly, oh
If birds can fly over the rainbow
Why, then why can't I?

Someday I'll wake and rub my eyes
And in that land beyond the skies
You'll find me
I'll be a laughing daffodil
And leave the silly cares that
Fill my mind behind me

Somewhere over that rainbow
Bluebirds fly
If birds can fly over the rainbow
Why, then why can't I?

If happy little bluebirds fly
Beyond the rainbow
Why, oh why can't I?

Song
If give you the opening song from the concert and the finale.
Jewel singing
Entire cast

Videos