Song(s) of the Moment: Old School Mraz!

Greetings from the MrazGal!

I know this was supposed to be a daily (or weekly, at least) blogging effort on my part, as a way to reinforce my writing chops, but certain things have happened since my last post that have caused me to momentarily abandon my MrazFan responsibilities:

1. I got married.
2. Too many shows to catch up on.
3. New hobbies are underway.
4. Yeah, I've been watching too many shows lately.

Anyway, more on that in my other blog soon, which I have appropriately renamed to reflect my blogging behavior.  For now, I would like to share this wonderful, 49-minute show that I rediscovered on Youtube.

 

 The set list includes a lot of my old favorites.

1. I'll Do Anything
2. Unfold
3. Details In The Fabric (which was still named Sewing Machine during the time of performance)
4. Life Is Wonderful
5. Did I Fool Ya
6. After An Afternoon
7. Gypsy MC
8. Plane

I love the fact that this video features a much younger Mraz, before his long hair and fedora days.  I also love the fact that he sang at least one song from each of his studio albums (back then, he probably had no idea Details in the Fabric/Sewing Machine would be in his third album, but the coincidence is AWESOME). I love how he based his set list on the requests made by the audience.  What a great moment for fandom!  If I were there, I would have died of happiness.

I won't be quoting the songs sung in this show.  You will have to watch it yourself and drink it all up.  However, let me end this post with this:

I'll Do Anything to be able to Unfold the Details In The Fabric, for they convey that Life Is Wonderful.  Did I Fool Ya into thinking that this life isn't?  I'm a Gypsy MC, one who will forever be glad to have gotten on a Plane so she can have her happily ever after with the man she loves. ♥

Song of the moment: I Won’t Give Up

Happy New Year everybody!  I haven’t posted anything for a while ever since I’ve gone away for the holidays, but I’m making an exception today.

Jason has released an official lyric video of his first single for 2012 entitled I Won’t Give Up, and it’s one of my new favorite songs of his.  I was so blessed to have heard him perform it live during his concerts in San Diego (I know, I know…I need to blog about that soon).

I love this song.  There’s something incredibly painful and incredibly beautiful about it.  As I listen to it, I feel all these emotions going on simultaneously, and the way the song does this is just remarkable.

Forget that it’s probably directly related to his breakup with Tristan Prettyman (who also has a new breakup song that’s brilliant)…Jason Mraz of 2012 is raw and full of emotion and I love it!

Song of the moment: Lucky

Today is our last day in San Jose before we fly out to J's parents' house in Pennsylvania.  Right now, I'm in his office and we're the only ones here...I guess everybody left for the holidays already.  He's busy working on some last-minute stuff, while I'm acting like an idiot stealing glances and checking him out when I'm supposed to be writing for money.

Thinking about my relationship with J is always a butterflies-in-my-stomach moment, and I'm just hella glad that I am where I am now.  I'm very happy.  Very grateful.  Very lucky.

 

Note: I was actually at this concert back in 2009 at the Pearl in Las Vegas.

Song of the moment: I'll Do Anything

I pretty much have 100% free time to do whatever I want to do.  When I want to work, I have a couple of people I can contact for some writing gigs.  If I want to do some art, I've got paper, I've got Sharpies, I've got my laptop and Photoshop.  If I wanted to Sleep All Day (hehe), I could.  If I wanted to brave the cold weather and go for a walk outside, it's always an option.

I would if I could. I'd do anything spontaneously. You know I would, if I could. I'll do anything spontaneously.

This song reminds me of just that...and the truth that there's more to life than just staying indoors and watching shows on your computer.  So yes, I'mma get off my arse and do something productive.  Life's may be short, but it can be anything I want. :)

Song of the moment: Live High

Ever since I first heard of the phrase, I've always believed in Carpe diem-ing the crap out of my time in this world (Note: If you haven't seen Dead Poet's Society, find time.).  To me, nothing is more effective as an energy booster in the morning as a kiss or hug from a loved one, a good cup of iced coffee, and a self-motivating mantra that propels your insides to make something of yourself today, whatever that something may be.

Live High is by far one of my most favorite Mraz songs from We Sing, We Dance, We Steal Things.  In fact, I even made a poster of it and put it on my inspiration wall back home in Manila:

I love how those three sentences serve as an effective reminder.  There are things that happen in life that may cause you to feel negative, but if you are able to will yourself to see the bright side in all situations, then you will know in your heart that everything happens for a reason (yes, even the bad things), and the simplest would be to teach you some sort of lesson that will arm you with better understanding for things to come.  

Actually, the underlying message can be further summarized into one, simple word: Live. :)

How I would have loved to have been there when they taped this. ♥

Song of the moment: No Doubling Back

I find it funny that when I woke up this morning, this song was playing in my head.  It's been a while since I've heard it, and I didn't even really think of the lyrics immediately.  I have a habit of letting the beat and the rhythm roll around in my head for a while first before I try to remember the words.  And it usually comes back to me slowly.

I know this ain't the way I planned it / I guess I ain't the great romantic / And I'm not doubling back now


If you listen to the entire song, you can pretty much conclude that it's about wanting to break up and trying to muster up the courage to let the other person know.

To me, today, it means something else.  It just so happens that I've been giving myself mini-pep talks to try and reclaim the creative fire that is within me which I think is slightly low on gas.  So hearing this song in my head is like telling myself to just...suck it up and do something about it.



Or maybe I am breaking up...with my self-doubt.

History of MrazGal, Part 2

Ever since I found out that Jason Mraz was an avid blogger, I made it a point to always read what he had to say.  I used to religiously follow his now defunct blog, Freshness Factor Five Thousand, an online portal he maintained for years before calling it quits.  I also follow him on Twitter and watch his Facebook fan page.  Add to that my community of MrazWomen, I’d say I pretty much covered a lot as a fan, don’t you think? :)

Anyway, back when he still updated his FF5000 blog, he used to have regular weeks of accepting questions from fans on Twitter and he would answer them on his blog.  I was lucky enough to be chosen (out of probably thousands and thousands of hopeful fans) for the day August 17, 2009.  I posted a lot of question tweets for that day, and because another twitter user re-tweeted another question I originally came up with, I got two questions answered!  I was so grateful I wrote him a lengthy blog comment (which I hope he reads).

View Full Album

A full year later, Spin Magazine launched a similar Twitter campaign.  They were going to interview Jason Mraz for their website and they were taking questions in from fans.  I was again chosen:

To end this part of my history as MrazGal, I provide you a screenshot of back when Jason didn't have full control over his Twitter yet...my tweet, marked Favorite! (August 4, 2009)