Seven's take on songs

Seven has two particular quirks which make this sort of post difficult: 1. the way her mind categorizes things, and 2. social anxiety disorder.

1. I don't have single 'favorites'. I have tiers in which the things I like are sorted into. So, I don't have one 'favorite' - I have a whole genre of 'favorites'.
The other thing about having mental tiers is that there is a different tier for each genre of music. So I don't have 'favorite' songs from all music - I have to be specific about which genre it is my 'favorite' in.

2. If you don't know anything about social anxiety disorder, go read about it here.
One of the areas in which social anxiety disorder affects me is listening to music when other people can hear. Often, if there is a time coming when I will be choosing the music to listen to with someone else, I will have to make a new playlist/cd specifically for that occasion.
I cannot play a song with lyrics in front of someone, unless I have observed them to listen to the same song on their own time. I don't understand lyrics myself, so I am clueless as to how someone else will interpret them.
This is why several of my playlists are labelled 'safe' or 'S'. Yeah, it's dangerous to play music... social anxiety disorder is ridiculous. If you don't have it, be grateful.

One's Top 10 Songs/Artists

1. Amazing Grace with/on Bagpipes. Such a timeless song. I feel connected to those who have gone before when I listen to it. It reminds me of this verse:"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders us and the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perserverance the race marked out for us."(Hebrews 12:1) To me, the cloud of witnesses are those who have gone before, who know how hard it is and who are watching us and cheering us. Sometimes, I feel their presence and it comforts me.
2. Forever and For Always by Shania Twain. Shania Twain is on my top ten lists for artists and this song is one of my favorites. When I listen to it I imagine that Jesus is singing it to me and I feel loved.
3. Beautiful Day by U2. This was the song we played at our wedding just as the pastor introduced us as a couple and we walked back down the aisle. "The heart is a bloom that shoots up through the stony ground......the bird with a leaf in her mouth, After the flood all the colors came out" Redemption, pain leads to growth and beauty, hope, it's a theme for me.
4. Stay For A While by Amy Grant. When I listen to this song I feel warm and sunny in a nostalgic way. It reminds me of times past and treasured friends who were so important to me at different times of my life.
5. Pat a Pan by David Archuleta. A slightly different take on my all-time favorite Christmas song, the little drummer boy. It's not the same song, but it shares elements. I love David Archuleta's voice. I also like his song Riu Riu Chiu.
6. Frou Frou. This is one of my top artists to put on repeat. Their songs are so mellow and beautiful. Favorite songs: Hear Me Out and Let Go. "Let go, jump in, it's so amazing, it's all right 'cause there's beauty in the breakdown" Love to find beauty in the breakdown. ;-) "such boundless pleasure there's no time for later" Living in the moment, I love it. This song is boundless pleasure. Music therapy.
7. I Love You by Donna Lewis. This song just makes me happy. "out of the stillness, soft spoken words: I love you, always, forever..." and one of the best lines in a song ever: "You've got, the most Unbelievable blue eyes I've ever seen""As we lay there under a blue sky with pure white stars, exotic sweetness, a magical time". Romance, Magic, Wonder. Sofia calls this her song.
8. Far Away by Nickelback. After ten years of marriage (or as best friends or sisters), we all probably at one time or another need to hear "I love you. I've loved you all along. I forgive you." While forgiveness is a popular theme, not many songs actually say "I forgive you" in the positive. I find it powerful. Also love their song If Everyone Cared. "And I'm singing Amen... I'm Alive!!"
9. Pocketful of Sunshine by Natasha Bedingfield. I have read that you should focus more on your strengths than your weaknesses. Having a rich inner life is a strength for me, while relating to people publicly/socially causes me the most stress. This song helps me celebrate what I have. I HAVE a beautiful inner place where I can go and rest. I HAVE a pocketful of sunshine that I can access whenever I need it. I love it! Nice imagery.
10. Beauty For Ashes by Crystal Lewis. I am so thankful for the promises that God has given us and that God is good. These twelve words I would like to make into a necklace or bracelet and wear with me: Beauty for ashes, strength for fear, gladness for mourning, peace for despair.

Honorable Mention:

• Will You Be There by Michael Jackson. Michael Jackson was so talented, a genius in music and dance. And so wounded and sad. His life was an amazing triumph AND tragedy. I hope that he found forgiveness both before and after his death. I loved his music.
• Fields of Gold by Eva Cassidy. Eva Cassidy is a new find for me. I love her voice and music.
• Para Continuar by Sara Valenzuela. Brand new find. I'm digging it.

Music Therapy

I prepared my post on music, in which I list my top 10 favorite songs/artists and commentary on each of them but it's too personal for me to post while this blog is still connected to my other google blogs. I've got to separate it and get a new google account. I wrote it with you guys in mind, but not for everyone I know! (Not that anyone checks those blogs as I haven't written them for a while, but it's theoretically possible.)

Anyways, I really enjoyed doing it. Listened to all my favorite music and had some music therapy. Just what I needed!

Four Loves Water!!

Water, water, water!  What would I do without it?  I love to drink water, cold water, warm water, hot water, it's all good!  I like to drink it a lot, and I like to drink a lot of it!  Water is cool and powerful, destructive and nurturing!  Very, very cool!  I love to swim and ice skate, and the smell of rain.  One of my favorite memories of rain was when three and I went out singing in the rain.

One Admires Water

Have you ever observed water without thinking of it as water? I like watching its' viscosity as I jiggle the glass or slowly pour it. It holds together so nicely. If I was on an alien planet, I would wonder what it is and if it has a life or form of its' own. When it comes out of the faucet or hose it seems so wet, but when you observe it in glass all things are possible. Usually I take it for granted, like oxygen and dirt, but when I stop to look at it I find it impressive.

Water is responsible and/or a part of some of the Earth's most beautiful things. Rainbows, flowers, snow, ice crystals and patterns, the ocean, rivers, popsicles in the summer.

I don't think about water very often, but when I do, I admire it.

Seven likes water

I'm a bit picky about drinking tap water, but bottled water is typically okay.
Cold water tastes good, warm water tastes bad, and hot water tastes horrible.

I like to swim, but pools are usually crowded. I don't like swimming in crowded pools. I also don't like the process of leaving the pool, being wet, and drying off. Adjusting to the temperature of a non-heated pool isn't as annoying as either of the previous two things, but it is annoying. Aside from those things, I really like to be in the water. I like to go underwater and half sink, half float as long as I can. I also like how it looks underwater.

I really hate it when my socks get wet [while I'm wearing them]. Really really really haaaaaaaaate it.
Once I poured water in my cereal by mistake.
In grade school, there was a place where rainwater would come out of the gutters. The water would trickle through this gravelly area and we'd make little dams and puddles.

I like it when it rains. I don't really like excessively hot or bright weather, though.

Is it time...

for one of the randomized topics?

Bizarre Awakening

by One.
Early this morning, 5:45 ish, I jerked awake to the sound of singing "I know you, I've walked with you once upon a dream...." I jumped up and went looking for the source of the noise. Everyone was asleep so I ended up downstairs where I found Percy frantically trying to get in. He likes to spend these summer nights out on the prowl but he likes to get back for breakfast. On the way up to bed I noticed Sofia's Sleeping Beauty doll sitting on the edge of the bathtub, with her legs dangling over, politely, with the very nice posture you would from a doll. I laid in bed for a few minutes trying to figure out what happened while simultaneously trying to ignore Percy and go to sleep. Percy was sitting on my nightstand with his face about two inches from mine (as Four might say..he was pulling a Liz) meowing. Sigh. So I waved the white flag and got up. About ten minutes later, Sleeping Beauty misfired again, loudly. I raced up to the bathroom, grabbed her and flipped her to the off switch. I was not fast enough and a moment later Sofia came down the stairs excitedly exclaiming about the doll. I guess the doll went off because Sofia put her in the bath? It was a strange morning. But it was fun to come down early and find that you all had posted.

Description of Contributors from a Four perspective

One: She's amazing, a force to be reckoned with!  She has all of this energy and drive.  She's very passionate about the things she believes in.  She has a green thumb and I believe would spend all day in her garden if she could.  She's kind and supportive and is very fun to laugh with!  She loves eating and cooking and -awesomely enough  for me- feeding people.  I love that she wants to help people find their true calling/passion.

Three: I just love her!  She's artistic and fun and doesn't freak out.  She has dimples when she smiles and curly hair.  She has this amazing random fact recall, like what DNA stands for and stuff like that.  She really is Superwoman.  She's tough, but still feminine.  She's someone who's always ready to help if you ask.  I respect her faith, which is strong yet not judgmental.  She's still my favorite person to sing with.

Four: That's me!  I'm fun-loving and love to laugh. Maybe those are similar.  I'm very loyal to and protective of the people I love.  I have volume control issues, I never really know how loud I'm speaking and tend to be way too loud at time, and way to quiet at others.  I have a big heart and a short fuse.  That's probably enough to get started...

Seven:  Ah MDSG...  My Dear Sweet Girl.  She doesn't like when I call her that, so I shorted it to "MDSG".  She defines the word unique!  I love it!  She likes bright colors and displays them in how she dresses.  She like big dangly earrings.  She is one of the people I can tell anything to without fear of it leaking out.  She is logical and likes to think things through.  She's cool and has a unique view of the world.  She loves Japan and wants move there someday.

On the subject of: the authors

By Seven.
Seven isn't really very good at describing people, even the people she knows well.
One has kind of the opposite way of thinking as Seven, who thinks very logically. But that's not a bad thing.
You know, the four of us are all artistic, each in our own way.
I don't really know what to say about Three, though I do have fond childhood memories of singing, "Oh, where is my hairbrush?" and similar songs.
Four and I have a lot in common. We're both picky eaters, for one.

Umm, yes, I understand numbers better than people [in general], so I'm not very well equipped for this post. I mean, I know my sisters. I understand them, to an extent, but I can't translate that understanding into text very easily.

three = superhero

Description of Self; Description of Other Bloggers

Ok. Let's see. Blogger Seven is colorful and unique. She hears and sees the world in ways that I admire and can't completely comprehend. In patterns, in sounds, in color, in designs. She follows her own path. Blogger Four. Her favorite color is red. She's good at reading people and good at loving people. She loves numbers and puzzles, skydiving and tattoos. Her best friend married her favorite brother. Life is kind of perfect that way. Blogger Three. The superhero sister. Strong and coordinated with the curvy figure to match and cool response in times of crisis. Complete with an alter-ego as mom of three who works and keeps her knowledge of cars up to date via her husband who is a mechanic. And, sometimes hidden behind all that, a talented artist and poet. Blogger One. That's me. Harder to do. I guess I don't like being defined, either, Four. Well I do. But I don't.

I'm One

One, such a basic number. You can make computer programs with it. Umm. About tattoos I don't have much to say, except that I look forward to seeing yours. xoxo.