Corri's Post-Christmas Naughty & Nice (Play)List

Hello friends, and Merry Christmas to you!

Since Christmas Day is officially behind us, one of my favorite radio stations has ceased its nonstop December Christmas music marathon.  Sad face.  Hearing many of the same, quintessential holiday songs in different arrangements made me nostalgic for my Christmas post in 2014 where I rated the top 10 best/worst holiday songs.  I re-visited the list today and noticed that not only do I have additional songs to add to both lists, but that I disagree with my past self on a few of the items.  Go figure.  Here is my 2017 version of the top five best and worst Christmas songs.  Enjoy, and let me know what you think!

Worst:

5) Winter Wonderland - The Eurythmics
I heard this song on the radio several times this season, and I found myself wanting to pull over out of fear each time the intro played.  The rest of the song is ok, but humor me for a second, and imagine this introduction without vocals.  The 80s synthesizer of death is beyond terrifying, and needs to go.

4) Step into Christmas - Elton John
I don't actually mind this song all that much.  I think it's clever, catchy, and kind of fun, actually.  Much like it's predecessor on this list though, I have a huge problem with one part, and it ruins the song for me completely.  After the first or second refrain, each time he says "The admission's free", it sounds like you just lost a life in a game of Number Munchers.  Who sat in the mixing booth and decided that should remain in the final cut?  Yuck.

3) All I Want for Christmas is You - Vince Vance & The Valiants ft. Lisa Layne
Maybe it's just because I am not a huge country fan that I don't like this song, but every time it comes on, it feels like a low budget dirty movie soundtrack to me.  Her voice is just so rugged and out of control that I don't enjoy listening to it.  I do feel badly that the title of their song got hijacked and ultimately ended in much more popularity than the original, but I would contest that the Mariah Carey song which shares this title is much better.

2) I Like a Sleigh Ride (Jingle Bells) - Peggy Lee
If you can get past the 14 "I Like a Sleigh Ride" repetitions to get into the meat of the song, it's actually not too bad, but anytime the children come back in with that horrific part, any progress made is irrevocably undone.  Did she lose a bet?  Did she owe someone a favor?  Who is thinking that these children ADD to this holiday song?  Not I.  Not I, indeed.

1) Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas - Christina Aguilera
I hadn't ever heard this arrangement until a few days ago, and about halfway through the first verse, my husband and I could not stop laughing.  While Miss Aguilera is arguably one of the most vocally acrobatic of singers, her interpretation in most of her music makes the resulting song un-singable.  The only thing worse than not being able to sing along to a song on the radio is not being able to sing along with a Christmas song on the radio, and Xtina makes that goal absolutely impossible to meet.  A lot of times less is more, and by oversinging every phrase to the point of hilarity, it almost makes the song feel like a mockery.  Oversinging might drive the point home that you are capable of incredibly difficult melismas and runs, but it also highlights your inability to think musically and to put what enhances the song's meaning above what enhances your vocal abilities.

Best:

5) I Love the Winter Weather - Tony Bennett
This song is soon underrated!  I don't remember hearing it prior to this Christmas season, but I heard it several times and it just made me so jolly.  His voice has such an easiness to it that I find incredibly relaxing.  The way the piece ties in with "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" also doesn't hurt, since that is one of my favorite wintertime songs as well.

4) Winter Wonderland - Jason Mraz
I think we can all agree that this is one of the most coveted of carols to cover (pretty good alliteration, amiright?), but as is the case with most songs with a high quantity of covers, most are average at best, and few are high quality and different enough to both separate itself from the original, while still doing it homage.  This song, in my opinion, does a fantastic job at both.  His plucky and rhythmic accompaniment suits his voice impeccably, and changes the piece in a really fun way without making it unrecognizable.  Kudos, Jason Mraz.  Ya done good.

3) Sleigh Ride
While many re-makes of this song are great, this recording is my favorite.  Some songs are, well, just perfect the first time around.  While I don't mind re-imaginings of this classic piece, this one will always be the best for me.

I am mildly annoyed, though, that someone decided to add lyrics, because now I sing the lyrics in my head when I hear the instrumental version and I feel like it is overshadowing my attempt to hear the story from the instrumental perspective, which may have nothing to do with the chestnuts going "pop pop pop!".  It's sort of like seeing the movie before the book, and being unable to visualize the characters in a way other than the appearance of the actors or actresses.

(There COULD NOT be a better thumbnail for this video)

2) Carol of the Bells - Pentatonix
I know I mentioned in my post from three years ago that any Pentatonix Christmas arrangement is a contender, but I feel this one needs to be called out on its own.  Is it lovely?  Yes.  Is the arrangement equal parts complex and yet recognizable?  Also yes.  But let's focus for a moment on a part that I think is utterly brilliant, and most likely unappreciated: the magic that is 2:18.  What is Mitch even doing?  It's not really human.  His accuracy and delicacy with a run that is both lengthy and very complex is astounding to me.  I'm not naive enough to believe that he sang it through the four or five times it is played in this recording, as I'm sure it was recorded and replayed, but the fact that he can do it even once that well is enough to make me a lovely shade of holly green with envy.  Well done, indeed!

1) We Need a Little Christmas - Johnny Mathis
So, after those accolades, what could top that?  None other than Johnny Mathis, of course!  What I love specifically about this rendition of this song is the same thing that I love about The Drifters' version of White Christmas: the unabashed, full throttle passion of the singer.  While this song is fantastic in its own merit, and I love the bouncy joviality of it, just do me a favor and listen to the last 15 seconds.  Johnny Mathis slays that note, and there's absolutely nothing half-assed about it.  Plus, this was likely recorded in a time (also like the Drifters' piece) where they weren't necessarily able to stop and re-record in the middle of phrases, and I respect them so much more for having to do complete takes with crazy accuracy.  Nowadays, singers can go measure by measure, hell, even beat by beat until they get it, or just slosh their way through a piece and correct it with auto-tuning later.  Props to you, Johnny Mathis, for killing it on probably the first take, and not backing away from a crazy powerful high note ending, despite having likely exhausted yourself singing the whole song with unmatchable gusto.

Thanks for reading, and again, let me know if you have others you think I missed!  Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!

Wrapping up Christmas - 10 Tips for Gift Wrapping Success

As Christmas draws near, I actually find myself ready for the glorious gift-giving extravaganza.  Having been a consistent December 23rd shopper in the past, this is kind of a big deal, a lot of which I attribute to the wee one that is now a part of my life.  Something that has always been special to me, though, has been gift wrapping.

Back in the day, the reigning Miss Thousand Islands was invited to wrap gifts at Borders Book Store in the mall (God, I miss that store...) and even in the years where I wasn't the winner, I found myself there helping.  I take the role of third wheel to an alarming degree, I suppose.  Anyway, it was those experiences and people that taught me a lot about the efficiency needed for the basics, and how to gift wrap some obscenely large and obtuse gifts.

Another thing my memory draws upon this time of year is the creativity my father exhibited while wrapping gifts.  Tissue paper, curling ribbon, bows, spacial awareness and symmetry were all cleverly put to work in any given one of my father's gifts to another person.

I guess I felt, with the big day being tomorrow, I would share some of the things I have learned in hopes that it might make your holiday a little more festive.  Without further adieu, I present ten pieces of advice for wrapping, and decorating, your gifts this holiday season.

1) Invest in the best.
I learned this the hard way this year as I was re-using some of the wrapping paper I had purchased last year.  While the roll had a lot more paper on it than other rolls I had purchased, it wasn't labeled "heavy duty" and therefore ripped when a heavier package was being maneuvered.  I have since purchased some heavy duty wrap, and while it is a bit pricier and may not go as far, it certainly looks cleaner and doesn't tear as easily.  It's sort of like toilet paper; you can go cheap and 'get more', or you can invest a little more for the two-ply brand and have a softer, cleaner bum.

While we're on the topic of purchasing, it's hard to wrap gifts properly if you don't plan ahead.  It's sort of like when I go grocery shopping without a list, and get a bunch of food items that have no business going together.  Planning out color schemes for ribbons, bows, and paper is important, so taking an inventory of what you have already vs. what you need will help you to plan ahead and not purchase things that have a low probability of being used.

2) Measure.
Many styles of wrapping paper now come with a grid on the flip side, which assists in this step greatly.  A lot of the time, especially with bigger packages, you can merely count how many squares occupy the long end, double it, and then do the same for the width, which saves moving a large and heavy parcel that could tear the paper if you're not careful.

A lot of times, I only measure for the length, because who wants to have to awkwardly cut a swatch to fill the gap in between the ends of the paper?  Having excess paper on the short ends of the packages, though, also presents its own problems, especially with folding.  You should always trim any excess off the ends to ease the folding process, although measuring beforehand will alleviate the problem altogether.

3) There's more than one way to skin a cat.
Yuck.  This isn't a literal piece of advice, thankfully.  For far too long, however, I was only instructed in my tried and true way of folding in the ends of wrapping paper, as evidenced below:

Eventually, one of my gift wrapping gurus showed me an additional way to wrap the ends of a gift, which I now use more frequently:

Upon further research, I think this is how most people are traditionally taught to wrap the ends of paper, but I will say having two methods is helpful in different scenarios.

4) I'm on the edge, of glory.
Speaking of edges, now is a good time to suggest that ALL edges of the gift wrap be folded before they are taped down.  Especially if you cut paper with scissors as horrendously as I do, this step serves to completely remove any evidence of scissors-related debauchery.  It also cleans up the look, as things will appear more parallel and less ragged.

5)  To see, or not to see.  That is the question.
This one is up to personal taste, but if clean wrapping and visual aesthetics are your goal, then it is a good suggestion to utilize the magic that is double sided tape, or my new favorite adhesive, glue dots.  It doesn't make sense to measure paper meticulously and fold edges for the sake of perfection if the scotch tape is going to be visible and disrupt the line you've created, or hidden, depending on the gift wrap.  I don't personally mind the tape being visible, as it's not easily seen, but I would encourage those of us who do err on the side of visible tape to place it "with the grain" or parallel to the wrapping paper, rather than perpendicular.  It is a more efficient use of adhesive, and is not as easily spotted.

6) Think outside the box.
Literally.  Sometimes, the gift is just too square a peg to fit the round hole you're trying to jam it into.  In cases like this, remember that gifts can be just as beautifully presented in a purchased box, or a gift bag, and saves you a lot of time and hassle.  Oftentimes, you can also wrap cylindrical gifts, as shown below, by having an excess of wrapping paper on one end that you can tie off with curling ribbon.  Keep in mind the implicit need for heavy duty wrapping paper, though.

7) Simple vs. ornate.
I don't necessarily feel that one gift wrap type is better than the other, as decisions for each are purely circumstantial.  The decor decisions needing to be made are pretty straightforward, though.  With ornate wrapping paper, such as flamboyant patterns, Christmas scenes, or characters, less is more with decor.  The paper itself is a statement, and needs little else to balance it out.  This type of paper is usually a better fit for bigger packages, which provide a larger canvas with which to portray the paper.  Simple colored ribbon matching a more subtle accent color within the design could be enough, but be sure to avoid having too much stuff, as it can often appear cluttered or tacky.

Simple, on the other hand, can be much more fun and malleable.  A simple multi-colored, or even single colored paper has so many possibilities.  Ribbons, bows, or a combination of both can work wonders in contrasting colors from the paper, or accented colors within it.  Should you have the paper without the measuring boxes on the flip side, using the opposite side of the paper to wrap (which is usually white) gives you an endless amount of color options to use for decor, giving you an opportunity to use less conventional and more unique hues such as purple. pink, orange, yellow, etc.

8) I've got a blank space, baby.
Or at least, I hope you do.  Filling up the entire canvas, much like a work of art, is visually confusing and very loud.  Consider a few things when analyzing your spatial situation: package size, type and location of desired decoration, type of paper, name tag size and shape, empty space (to allow the decoration design some breathing room).  Not EVERYTHING has to be in the center or in the top left corner, you know.  Mix it up a bit!  Put name tags in the center with bows above or below.  Put ribbons off center and to the left, and accent them with a contrasting shaped to/from tag.  There are endless ways to use your space when finalizing your gift, so make sure to map it out before making it permanent.

9) Spice up your life.
While waiting for my most recent dentist appointment, I was reading a christmas decor magazine, and found four really easy ways to add decor to your packages.  Tinsel balls, colored medallions, themed holiday shapes made from wire, or paper cone-shaped trees.  While I didn't elect to use the cone trees, and immensely struggled with the wire-bending, I felt that the diversity of the bow decor helped my gifts have more personality, and not look so same-y.  Even if my craft floor is now facing the unclean-able wrath of cut up tinsel shrapnel.

10) Curly is not your only option.
This year, for the first time, I purchased (yes, I'll admit it was accidental) non-curling ribbon.  The horror!  I really didn't know what to do with it, but I tried it with a few packages and I found that, much like the diversity in bows, the differences in ribbon really complemented some of the gifts I was wrapping.  I also had fun making some of them out of the ordinary, as shown below, with contrasting colors to really make a statement.  Is it a great statement?  Probably not, but it looks purty to me and I received a lot of satisfaction out of making it come to life.

In summary, I need to tell you that I am not the best gift wrapper in the world.  By FAR.  I think Shelby Cohen probably is.  She is the Obi Wan that taught this little Jedi-wrapper all her skills, but at the end of the day, everyone does it differently, and that's why gift-wrapping is so special.  Some gifts are casual, while some are more elegantly adorned.  Others are wrapped by that last-minute Tasmanian devil friend we all have with serial killer handwriting, and sometimes those are the best ones to see.  Whatever your gift wrapping style, know that it matters little what it is, and more that it is wrapped with love, and is a gift that is thoughtful and meaningful.

Happiest of Holidays, and Merry Christmas!

5 Tips to Ace Back-to-School Season

Hey, it's 2017, and welcome back to the goings-on of my brain.

As a teacher, going back to school triggers a lot of emotions that aren't present in my non-teacher friends' lives, and this is certainly not a complaint, as having the summer to spend with my family and baby has been incredible, to say the least.  It's more like a feeling of empowerment-and-readiness-to-take-on-the-world-which-will-likely-be-diluted-by-the-time-Christmas-rolls-around, but let's stay positive, people!

If you search the inter webs, which on any given occasion can be a dangerous thing to do, there are a lot of people out there with feels about back-to-school mayhem.  As I have a lot of experience with school (I mean, I AM going to be in school for the next couple of decades...) I figured this would be an appropriate time to share some advice with you, be you a nervous student, anxious teacher, giddy parent, or neutral observer.  Without further adieu, here are five things to keep mind of while preparing for this oh so magical time of the year:

1. Teachers are not the enemy.
Parents, this one's for you.  Thankfully, I have had few negative run-ins with parents over the years, but they exist, and trust me when I say they are more emotionally draining and sleep depriving than even the most obnoxious of students.

Something about this generation (no, Millennials, this isn't actually a jab at you) of PARENTS has me quite perplexed.  It seems that there is this notion that the teachers who are there to educate, inspire, and sometimes -GOD FORBID- discipline your perfect cherubs are somehow culpable when said child gets into trouble.  I know I am not a parent of a school-aged child yet, but I have been unnecessarily antagonized via e-mails and phone calls enough to be able to suggest a better way to go about student-teacher conflict.

• STEP 1 - talk to your child about the situation, and most importantly, know that this is ONE HALF of the story, and chances are, the least mature/honest half.  Not trying to diss your baby, it's just science.
• STEP 2 - Approach the teacher in a neutral and friendly manner.  While you are responsible for your precious baby (or two, or three, etc.) remember that they are responsible for dozens, possibly hundreds of students.  While your child is important to the teacher, they are not MORE important than any other student, or the greater good of all students, so try to at least understand that perspective when communicating with them.  Side note: the teacher is much less likely to get back to you ASAP if you appear rude, snarky, or aggressive when contacting them.  Speaking from experience here, people.  A concerned parent?  I'll hear you out.  Angry parent?  No, thanks.  I'll wait for you to simmer.

• STEP 3 - Make every effort to really listen to what the teacher is saying, and try to paint a picture of the full situation.  Remember, you know your child better than the teacher (I hope...) and you will have a better idea of what is going on, but only AFTER you get both sides.  Please know that the teacher does not hate your child, and does not wish them failure; it's just not a part of who we are or what we do (if you're in teaching for the right reasons, that is).  Keep an open mind, and try to listen more than speak.  You were given two ears and one mouth for a reason, use them in that ratio.

2. Be cool.  Be YOU.
This one's for my students.  I have found a new resurgence of the importance of this mantra after a recent school project was assigned regarding advice to your senior self.  After I shared an alarming amount of pseudo-embarrassing senior pictures of myself on social media, I found that it was just as relevant as it ever was that we need to care so much less about how we are perceived.  Social media, the news, cliques, magazines, advertisements and bullies all try to control how we feel about ourselves, and once you relinquish their ability to have that control, your possibilities are endless.  I know that it is much easier said than done, but I can't explain the liberation you will feel once you stop caring.  To put it in perspective: Do you know what sucks temporarily?  Insecure people making fun of you because, well, they're insecure and probably jealous.  Do you know what sucks permanently?

Regret.  

Regret for not standing up for someone.  Regret for not pursuing a hobby.  Regret for hiding who you really are in favor of who you think people want you to be.  It sucks, guys, and high schoolers are right in the thick of it.  Kids are struggling to define who they are, and people are jumping down their throats left and right trying to manipulate and belittle their self-image.  If YOU are the champion of YOU, and can see that people only bring you down as a temporary high for themselves, YOU will overcome the negativity.  And probably be way cooler than them at your 10-year reunion.

3. A little goes a long way.
This is a shout out for my teacher friends.  Save for the year I was long-term subbing and living with my parents, I don't actually LOVE staying later than contract hours.  Once you have a spouse and/or children, it's hard to be apart from them any longer than needed because of work.  I get it.  Humor me, though, and think about the most inspirational teacher you had.  I know you have one, we all do.  It's why we've taken this burdensome task of educating with pride, and forged ahead.  Did that inspirational teacher leave every day at the bell?  Did he or she repeat the same exact lesson plans year after year, with no diversity or expectation of change?  Did they spurn creative questions and hinder any attempt at healthy, educational tangents and teachable moments?  Did they consider you "just another number", and never cared about your personal growth alongside your academic nourishment?  Chances are, the answer to most if not all of these questions is no.  That's why that teacher rocked.  What I'm getting at is, as I'm sure you know, we have the power to change the world.  To inspire.  To prepare.  To challenge.  Sometimes, the only way this can be adequately translated to student populations is to give a little bit more.  Stay a bit later.  Care a bit more.  Volunteer a few more times.  Attend a couple more school events or games.  You know your children and your spouse, and you know what they need and can live with or without, regarding your work schedule.  While always keeping a healthy family life at the forefront, try giving more to your students in ways that are meaningful to them, but doable for you.  I promise, you won't be disappointed.

4. Empathize.
This kind of piggybacks off of point #4, and is definitely for errbody.  When something goes on that is unexpected, usually unfavorably so, before you react, think: "Why is this person acting this way?"  Unfortunately, in the middle of a lesson, we don't get much time to think before we have to react to a problem until the entire class is derailed, so this might have to take some time, and pattern-scavenging before the answer is realized.  From my experience, people who consistently act out are desperately seeking attention.  Realizing that isn't very helpful, but understanding why can be.  When we put ourselves in someone else's shoes, we are able to better rationalize their behavior, which can make or break your relationship with a person.  From my perspective as a teacher, it's simple: it's not about power, it's about understanding.  As soon as you walk into a classroom intending to be judge, jury, and executioner, you've lost.

Let me be clear: the ability to rationalize one's behavior rarely makes their actions excusable, and you may still need to be firm and deal with consequences.  However, in going forward, you now possess information that will allow you to better control, and possibly event prevent future instances of the offending action, and that makes all the difference.

5. Checkpoint!
Say what you will about teachers and their "measly 180 days of work", but until you've walked a mile in our orthopedic shoes (usually it's about five trips to and from the copier for me) it's not a fair assessment.  It is a long and often arduous journey that feels like it will never end, and goes all too quickly at the same time.  My point?  It can be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel, so I try to pace myself and go month by month, sometimes even week by week if I need to, with various checkpoints of freedom.  For example...the first checkpoint might be (if you need it) Columbus Day.  "I've just got to make it to Columbus Day, and I'll be fine".  Checkpoint #2 is Veteran's Day or Thanksgiving break, followed by Christmas break, and by that time we've already put in four months and the year is almost half done.  Maybe this works better for some than others, but for me it breaks what is surely an unmanageably long year into manageable bite-size pieces, and that my friends, works for me.

I don't claim to be perfect.  I know I don't have all the answers, but I feel like I can view school from multiple angles, and offer what is hopefully some useful advice that provides some clarity and objective points of view as we all embark on this exciting, but surely exhausting, 2017-2018 school year.  Whether you be student, parent, or teacher, I wish you the best of all things this school year, and don't forget to get that b#^&% a yellow binder.  (see below if you're confused)