Category: Life

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My Favorite Christmas Songs

Those who know me, know of my love for all things Christmas. This includes Christmas music which I start listening to October 1 since my collection is massive and takes time to get through. Plus, it helps me prepare my heart for the season.

Over the years, I’ve amassed a mental list of favorite Christmas songs.  And since I tend to focus on the sacred side of the holiday, you won’t find a lot of popular secular songs or artists on my list. But you may find certain trends in my song choices, such as my affinity for orchestral arrangements as well as for the nostalgic sounds of the classic crooners.

In sharing my list, I hope you find some new favorites yourself, and maybe share some of your own. Continue reading “My Favorite Christmas Songs”

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Hiatus Announcement

Due to an unexpected personal tragedy, I am taking a break from posting on this site.  I just do not have the emotional or mental capacity to devote to writing at the moment. I hope to return once I figure out my new normal.

Thank you all for your visits and comments over the past couple of years.

 

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Morgan Library & Museum -New York

Confession time: Don’t let this blonde hair fool you, I am a geek at heart. I love to learn, am fascinated by history and can usually be found with my nose in a book. All of this may contribute to my thorough captivation with museums. When I was younger and travelling with my family, my dad and I would always prefer visiting museums over my sisters’ choice of the closest shopping malls. And if we got our way, we would then have to be dragged out of said museums after hours of poring over each exhibit and their placards.  I have visited museums all over the States and Europe, from the big and famous like the Getty, Smithsonian, Uffizi and Rijksmuseum, to the lesser known and smaller ones like The Titanic museum in Branson (a personal favorite by the way).

Although, I appreciate the plethora and diversity available at the larger museums, I have found I almost prefer the smaller, more focused ones because often times the experience feels more personal than viewing art and artifacts in the more massive spaces of the larger collections.

It’s been over a year since I visited the Morgan Library & Museum with my sister and yet the memory has stayed with me. It is housed in what was once J.P. Morgan’s private library and study, which was separate from his home. Continue reading “Morgan Library & Museum -New York”

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Christmas at the Tulsa Symphony

I recently spent a weekend with a good friend of mine in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her sister-in-law who plays violin with the Symphony gifted us with free tickets.

I have to tell you, we already had plans for another Christmas concert the next evening with two of our favorite artists, so although I thought the symphony would be a nice experience I wasn’t as excited about the evening as I could have been. Plus, although I love live performances of all kinds, I was under the mistaken impression that the performance might become a little dull after an hour or so just listening to musicians playing their instruments.

Boy, was I wrong. This was one of my favorite experiences this year. The show was kept lively by the variety of the performances. At various times, the symphony was joined by The Tulsa Chorus as well as children from both local choirs and students of stringed instruments. You could almost imagine seeing these child singers and musicians as part of the professional symphony itself once they become adults. Continue reading “Christmas at the Tulsa Symphony”

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Jordan Smith -Tis the Season

I recently saw two of my favorite Christmas music artists in concert. I had to get Hamilton Theater tickets right after the event because the event right after that was purported to be as riveting as the one before it.  I don’t think anyone is more prolific in putting out Christmas albums than Amy Grant and Michael W Smith. I have seen them both individually and together in concert many times. But this time, I was in for a surprise. And that surprise was Jordan Smith.

I watch very little reality television. So, I wasn’t familiar with Jordan Smith (of The Voice fame) when he came out to share the stage with Michael and Amy. All I can say is…wow! This guy can sing! And not only can he sing, but he is an entertainer who more than held his own on stage with these seasoned performers. He had great stage presence and rapport with both the audience and his fellow singers and even tweaked Michael a little bit which made the audience laugh.

Needless to say, after hearing him perform several songs that evening I knew I had to check out his Christmas album. Continue reading “Jordan Smith -Tis the Season”

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Welcome

Well hello there! Welcome to my site. I’m so happy you are here. Let me introduce myself. My name is Brittaney and as indicated on my About page, I’m a thirty something blonde from Texas who loves stories.

I have been blogging somewhat, okay very inconsistently, over the last decade. I’ve always loved to write but have had trouble finding something I was passionate about, something that inspired me, to write. There are several things I am passionate about in my non-internet life, among those being reading voraciously, watching classic (and sometimes not so classic) films, travel and a few other things. I have toyed with writing about each one of these topics as a singular focus, but just couldn’t get excited about it. And then one night as I lay in bed thinking about everything I love a spark was lit within me.

I realized that the common thread behind the things that interest me, the things I can’t seem to live without, is that they all transport me to a world outside of myself, a world that moves me, that makes me think, causes me to grow (sometimes by living in another’s shoes) and always leaves me wanting more. In essence, the common thread is that they tell, create or envision a story.

So now, I had my theme. But, I wanted to write about stories, not as a professional or a critic. I wanted to make it clear that I write from the basis of being a fan, not an expert. I want to write about the things I feel, that are stirred up in me by a good story. I want to write uplifting, positive entries that find the best in the stories that find me. And so, the Story Enthusiast was born.

My plan is to post at least twice a week about books and movies with hopes to post occasionally about travel, music, memories, musings, and/or anything else that resonates with me.

So, please join me here where we can celebrate good stories in every form. I thank you in advance for your support.