Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Happy Holidays or Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

 Despite the darkness of this year, I had one of my happiest Christmases this year, my Mom and I went to Beaverton, OR, to visit my brother and sister-in-law.  I watched my Church's Christmas Eve YouTube service on their TV and got to talk openly and honestly with my immediate family.  I got CDs of Bon Jovi 2020 and Miley Cyrus' Plastic Hearts, as well as an external CD Drive/DVD player so I can import those CDs and many others onto my computer's iTunes.  Yesterday, I began this process and got to hear in what felt like the first time in years, the Ian Gillan as the lead singer of Black Sabbath concert and Ozzy Osbourne performing in 1989 with Zakk Wylde, Geezer Butler and Randy Castillo.  I look forward to putting these on my phone and creating new and fun playlists.


Speaking of, since we saw Wonder Woman 1984, I've revised my Best of 2020 list to include tracks from favorite moments of the movie.  Again, though, I have to say if I do this next year, I'm going to wait until the end of the year (or close to it) to decide which songs I liked the best overall.


1.)    I Love Me-Demi Lovato

2.)    Okay Not To Be Okay-Marshmello and Demi Lovato

3.)    Commander in Chief-Demi Lovato

4.)    Diamonds-Normani and Megan Thee Stallion

5.)    Joke’s On You-Charlotte Lawrence

6.)    Danger-Jucee Froot

7.)    Experiment On Me-Halsey

8.)    Lonely Gun-CYN

9.)    Bad Memory-K.Flay

10.) It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World-Jurnee Smollett-Bell

11.) My Arms-Ledger

12.) Straight to Hell-Ozzy Osbourne

13.) Eat Me-Ozzy Osbourne

14.) Ordinary Man-Ozzy Osbourne and Elton John

15.) Under the Graveyard-Ozzy Osbourne

16.) Scary Little Green Men-Ozzy Osbourne

17.) Holy For Tonight-Ozzy Osbourne

18.) Take What You Want-Post Malone, Ozzy Osbourne and Travis Scott

19.) I Don’t Know (Live On The Blizzard of Ozz Tour)-Ozzy Osbourne

20.) Crazy Train (Live on the Blizzard of Ozz Tour)-Ozzy Osbourne

21.) Suicide Solution (Live on the Blizzard of Ozz Tour)-Ozzy Osbourne

22.) Carried Me With You-Brandi Carlile

23.) Who Ever Said-Pearl Jam

24.) Dance of the Clairvoyants-Pearl Jam

25.) Superblood Wolfmoon-Pearl Jam

26.) Quick Escape-Pearl Jam

27.) We Will Rock You-In This Moment, Lzzy Hale, Taylor Momsted

28.) As Above, So Below-In This Moment

29.) Holy Man-In This Moment

30.) STFU!-Rina Sawayama

31.) Comme Des Garcons (Like The Boys)-Rina Sawayama

32.) Love Me 4 Me-Rina Sawayama

33.) Tokyo Love Hotel-Rina Sawayama

34.) Who’s Gonna Save U Now?-Rina Sawayama

35.) Lucid-Rina Sawayama

36.) Last of the Street Survivors-Lynyrd Skynyrd

37.) I’m Ready-Sam Smith and Demi Lovato

38.) Together-For KING and COUNTRY, Tori Kelly and Kirk Franklin

39.) You Are The Champions-Queen and Adam Lambert

40.) Don’t Stop Me Now (Live)-Queen and Adam Lambert

41.) Who Wants To Live Forever (Live)-Queen and Adam Lambert

42.) We Will Rock You (Live)-Queen and Adam Lambert

43.) Simmer-Hayley Williams

44.) Leave It Alone-Hayley Williams

45.) Over Yet-Hayley Williams

46.) Zen-X Ambassadors, K.Flay and Grandson

47.) July-Noah Cyrus

48.) Young & Sad-Noah Cyrus

49.) Lonely-Noah Cyrus

50.) For Once In My Life-Noah Cyrus

51.) I Got So High I Saw Jesus (Live)-Noah Cyrus and Miley Cyrus

52.) Don’t Give Up-Alice Cooper

53.) Blackened 2020-Metallica

54.) Nothing Else Matters (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

55.) Moth Into Flame (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

56.) The Ecstasy of Gold (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

57.) For Whom The Bell Tolls (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

58.) Confusion (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

59.) The Outlaw Torn (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

60.) Scythian Suite (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

61.) The Iron Foundry (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

62.) One (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

63.) Enter Sandman (Live)-Metallica and San Francisco Symphony

64.) Climb to Glory-Billy Ray Cyrus, Mark Plummer, Eddie Raven and Lee Roy Parnell

65.) Mama Said Knock You Out-Billy Ray Cyrus

66.) I am…I said-Billy Ray Cyrus

67.) Rain on Me-Lady Gaga and Ariana Grande

68.) Evil-BPMD

69.) Saturday Night Special-BPMD

70.) D.O.A.-BPMD

71.) We’re An American Band-BPMD

72.) Dear Mr. President-Kiana Lede

73.) Fortunate Son-The Dead Daisies

74.) What’s In The Eye-Grey Daze

75.) Sometimes-Grey Daze

76.) Soul Song-Grey Daze

77.) In Time-Grey Daze

78.) Morei Sky-Grey Daze

79.) I Cry-Usher

80.) Save Me From Loving You-Echobats

81.) A Change Is Gonna Come-Los Coast with Gary Clark Jr.

82.) Fall For That-Suzanne Santo and Gary Clark Jr.

83.) Patience-Chris Cornell

84.) Nothing Compares 2 U-Chris Cornell

85.) Watching the Wheels-Chris Cornell

86.) Trust Love-Jeff and Casey Lee Williams

87.) War-Jeff Williams feat. Casey Lee Williams, Adrienne Cowan, Erin Reilly & Dawn M. Bennett

88.) Fear-Jeff and Casey Lee Williams

89.) Nevermore (Peter Jones Remix)-Jeff Williams feat. Casey Williams and Adrienne Cowan

90.) Out In The Rain-Cory Marks and Lzzy Hale

91.) Prisoner-Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa

92.) Midnight Sky-Miley Cyrus

93.) Midnight Sky (Remix)-Miley Cyrus and Stevie Nicks

94.) Heart of Glass (Live)-Miley Cyrus

95.) Zombie (Live)-Miley Cyrus

96.) Prisoner-Miley Cyrus and Dua Lipa

97.) Night Crawling-Miley Cyrus and Billy Idol

98.) Bad Karma-Miley Cyrus and Joan Jett

99.) WTF Do I Know-Miley Cyrus

100.)                  Never Be Me-Miley Cyrus

101.)                  Plastic Hearts-Miley Cyrus

102.)                  Gimme What I Want-Miley Cyrus

103.)                  Stop-Anthony Ramos

104.)                  Maybe It’s Time-Sixx AM feat. Corey Taylor, Joe Elliot, Slash, AWOLNATION, Brantley Gilbert and others

105.)                  Use My Voice-Evanescence

106.)                  The Hope of Jesus-Hope Darst

107.)                  Strange Fruit-Bettye LaVette

108.)                  Megitsune (Live)-BabyMetal

109.)                  Shanti Shanti Shanti (Live)-BabyMetal

110.)                  Karate (Live)-BabyMetal

111.)                  Kagerou (Live)-BabyMetal

112.)                  Distortion (Live)-BabyMetal

113.)                  Headbangeeeeerrrrr!!!!! (Live)-BabyMetal

114.)                  Found/Tonight-Ben Platt and Lin-Manuel Miranda

115.)                  Space Trucking-Ace Frehley

116.)                  I’m Down-Ace Frehley

117.)                  Manic Depression-Ace Frehley

118.)                  Lola-Ace Frehley

119.)                  30 Days in the Hole-Ace Frehley

120.)                  Good Times, Bad Times-Ace Frehley

121.)                  Let There Be Peace-Carrie Underwood

122.)                  Sweet Baby Jesus-Carrie Underwood

123.)                  O Holy Night-Carrie Underwood

124.)                  Silent Night-Carrie Underwood

125.)                  Mary, Did You Know?-Carrie Underwood

126.)                  Away in a Manger-Carrie Underwood

127.)                  Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee-Carrie Underwood

128.)                  Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-Carrie Underwood

129.)                  Favorite Time of Year-Carrie Underwood

130.)                  American Reckoning-Bon Jovi

131.)                  Unbroken-Bon Jovi

132.)                  Lower the Flag-Bon Jovi

133.)                  Blood in the Water-Bon Jovi

134.)                  Beautiful Drug-Bon Jovi

135.)                  Luv Can-Bon Jovi

136.)                  Do What You Can-Bon Jovi

137.)                  Do What You Can-Bon Jovi and Jennifer Nettles

138.)                  Mary, Did You Know?-Dolly Parton

139.)                  Christmas Is-Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus

140.)                  Christmas Where We Are-Dolly Parton and Billy Ray Cyrus

141.)                  Where Is Our Love Song?-Stevie Wonder and Gary Clark Jr.

142.)                  Positions-Ariana Grande

143.)                  34+35-Ariana Grande

144.)                  Just like magic-Ariana Grande

145.)                  My Hair-Ariana Grande

146.)                  Where do I Begin?-Slash

147.)                  Same Devil-Brandy Clark and Brandi Carlile

148.)                  A Beautiful Noise-Alicia Keys and Brandi Carlile

149.)                  In Love With The Pain-Black Stone Cherry

150.)                  Don’t Bring Me Down-Black Stone Cherry

151.)                  Push Down and Turn-Black Stone Cherry

152.)                  The Chain-Black Stone Cherry

153.)                  Live This Way-Black Stone Cherry

154.)                  When Angels Learn To Fly-Black Stone Cherry

155.)                  Keep On Keepin’ On-Black Stone Cherry

156.)                  Interstate 80-Tom Morello and Slash

157.)                  Make You Mine This Season-Tegan and Sara

158.)                  Only Time Of Year-Brandy Clark

159.)                  Somewhere Up Over the Rainbow Bar and Grill-David Lee Roth

160.)                  Amazing Grace-Good Shepherd Collective and Liz Vice

161.)                  Impulsive-Orianthi

162.)                  Blow-Orianthi

163.)                  Contagious-Orianthi

164.)                  Rescue Me-Orianthi

165.)                  Sorry-Orianthi

166.)                  Streams of Consciousness-Orianthi

167.)                  While My Guitar Gently Weeps-Peter Frampton and Eric Clapton

168.)                  Feed The Babies (Live)-Gary Clark Jr.

169.)                  Locked and Loaded (I Got My Eyes On You)-Gary Clark Jr.

170.)                  Pearl Cadillac (Live)-Gary Clark Jr.

171.)                  Layla (Live)-Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Doyle Bramhall II

172.)                  Snow-Leslie Odom Jr.

173.)                  O Holy Night-Leslie Odom Jr.

174.)                  Greensleeves/What Child Is This-Tina Guo and Leo-Z

175.)                  Scarborough Fair-Tina Guo and Leo-Z

176.)                  O Come, O Come Emmanuel-Tina Guo and Leo-Z

177.)                  The Fullest-Josh Groban and Kirk Franklin

178.)                  Take What You Want-Larkin Poe

179.)                  Seasonal Depression-Mary Lambert

180.)                  Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas-Mary Lambert

181.)                  Ave Maria-Mary Lambert

182.)                  Christmas Cookies-Mary Lambert

183.)                  Themyscira-Hans Zimmer

184.)                  1984-Hans Zimmer

185.)                  Open Road-Hans Zimmer

186.)                  Without Armor-Hans Zimmer

187.)                  The White House-Hans Zimmer

188.)                  Already Gone-Hans Zimmer

189.)                  Cheetah-Hans Zimmer

190.)                  Radio Waves-Hans Zimmer

191.)                  Truth-Hans Zimmer

192.)                  The Beauty In What Is-Hans Zimmer


As for my thoughts on the film itself, I enjoyed it.  It reminded me of Greg Rucka and G. Willow Wilson's work on the Wonder Woman comic, with Geoff Johns bringing a flavor reminiscent of his work with the character on the New 52 Justice League comic.  It also brought a good message of love and truth over fear, reminding us our perceived enemies are also humans with wants, desires, needs and fears.  Also, the villains are not killed, but given a chance to redeem themselves, which they take, something unexpected from Hollywood that I wish I could incorporate into my writing more.  My family was disappointed, and to be completely honest, DC is aiming more towards people who read their comics than the mainstream audiences this year, with Birds of Prey feeling like a Palmiotti-Connor Harley Quinn trade paperback on the big screen.  However, since I bought a generous portion of their trade paperbacks through Amazon in the last decade, I like the style that they brought this year.  


I'm not sure if I'm going to pay attention to their output next year, I haven't heard enough about it other that there's a movie starring the Flash called "Flashpoint," in which he visits a universe where everyone's a jerk, hates each other and Wonder Woman and Aquaman (two of the best characters in this franchise) are at war with each other.  There's also a Batman origin story that may involve a new Catwoman.  I simply haven't heard enough to invest my attention in the output.  The big movie next year I hope to see is, of course, Godzilla vs. Kong, which will pit the King of the Monsters against the King of Skull Island while the human characters learn about Titan origins and try to stop a plan to eliminate all the giant monsters.  It doesn't look as dramatic as Godzilla fighting his arch nemesis King Ghidorah, but a good crossover wrestling match that I hope Godzilla wins does sound like a promising movie.

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