Song of the Day: "Pure Imagination/Candy Man"

Hello, everyone!

Again, it's been awhile since I've blogged anything. Honestly, I attribute this drought to a lack of inspiration. I find myself trying to find content to fit the theme of the blog, and I am sadly drawing blanks. Thus, I've decided to just write about whatever I am feeling or thinking about in the current moment. Most of it will still fit the blog's theme, but I am going to use this space as more of a creative outlet for me personally too!

I was just re-listening to the album Songs I Heard performed by Harry Connick Jr., and I fell in love with it all over again. He sings songs from my childhood like "Edelweiss" and "A Spoonful of Sugar" but adds a jazzy twist to them. By now, you all are probably well aware of my love for jazz. My favorites on the album are the songs he has re-done from The Sound of Music, but today it is the song, "Pure Imagination/Candy Man" that has really captured my heart. 

Have a listen:

I don't usually describe songs as being sultry or sexy, but I find this song to be the definition of those adjectives. That is what I love so much about this rendition. Nothing about the original song was sultry or seductive at all. What Connick Jr. has done is taken an innocent song from a children's movie and created something far more mature and sensual. Utter bliss.

What do you think? Do you like this mature version? Have you ever heard this album before.

I hope everyone is having a great start to the week! Cheers xx

Rest in Peace, Mr. Wiesel

"We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."

Yesterday we lost a very beautiful and inspirational soul, Mr. Elie Wiesel. For those who are unfamiliar with him, Mr. Wiesel was a Holocaust survivor and Nobel Laureate. He also penned the famous and eloquently written Night trilogy.

I read Night when I was a ninth grader in high school, and I distinctly remember being extraordinarily impacted by the words coming off of the page. The way that Elie Wiesel described his traumatic experiences and emotions left me wondering how it is possible that a tragedy like the Holocaust ever came to pass. Investigating further into Mr. Wiesel's life gave me an answer to my question: by people standing by and doing nothing. 

This is the most important lesson that I learned from Mr. Wiesel. When people chose to be silent and remain neutral, they are essentially helping the persecutor and not those being persecuted. We help evil win when we explicitly chose to not use our voices out of fear, selfishness, or both. 

History tends to repeat itself when we don't revisit these crucial lessons like the ones taught by Elie Wiesel. Currently, my country is facing a crisis in that we could be electing a president who spews racist comments and believes in dividing us dependent on our culture. If I have learned anything from Mr. Wiesel, it is that I cannot stand for that, and I will do everything in my power to prevent this from happening. We all have voices, and we cannot be afraid to use them, especially when times become difficult.

I wish that I had had the opportunity to hear Mr. Wiesel speak, but it is unfortunately too late now. Regardless, we can all manage to preserve his story and memory by always remembering to take a stand and be brave, even in the hardest times. 

Rest in peace, Mr. Wiesel.