What I’m about to say may make some of you dislike me for a minute or two. I don’t like holiday songs. Specifically, I don’t like the holiday songs that are played, nonstop, on mainstream radio. They are awful, irritating and annoying. That applies to all of them, regardless of artist, and with a specific emphasis on Winter Wonderland, Baby It’s Cold Outside (I think this one is the worst offender), and anything sung by Mariah Carey.

That is not to say all holiday songs are awful. Dominick the Donkey is acceptable. The original version of The Hanukkah Song is fine (only the original version. The rest might as well be sung by Mariah Carey). And the only one I actually enjoy and will actively listen to is Do They Know It’s Christmas by Band Aid.

What I like about this song is that it was written, produced, and creative to bring awareness to a real issue and to raise money for that cause. This song, to me, is what the holiday spirit is supposed to embody. It also reminds me that when a lot of people come together to help, it makes a huge difference but as individuals, we can help, too. And while the song was intended to bring about awareness of hunger in Africa, let’s not forget that it’s an issue here in the United States and around the world.

I’m including this song for Money Tune Tuesday because of the fact that the proceeds of this song went to the cause it was created to help and the fact that the cast of Glee has rerecorded the song with 100% of the proceeds going to charity as well. I like when celebrities (or, in the case of the Glee cast, quasi-celebrities who are sure to end up on Dancing With the Stars) actually take part in a cause without expecting something back.

Also, the mullets in this video are AMAZING!!! I think Bono’s is my favorite.

Side bar: If you’re in the mood for giving, head on over to DollarVersity. Tragedy hit close to home for Eric when the sister of a high school classmate was murdered by her husband who then committed suicide, leaving their 2 young children with no parents. A fund has been set up for the girls, and the information to donate is available on his site.

Five years ago, my life completely changed because five years ago, my daughter was born.

My whole life is different now because I am a mother to the beautiful little girl that lives in my house. If it were not for her, I would never have taken charge of my finances. If it were not for her, I would still have relationships with people that take advantage of me and use me at their own convenience. If it were not for her, I would still work in job I hated. If it were not for her, I would not be pursuing the job of my dreams. If it were not for her, I would not know the wonders of seeing life through a child’s eyes.If it were not for her, I would not know the what it’s like to have someone look at you and say “I love you, Mommy” (which are probably my 4 favorite words). If it were not for her, my life would not be what it is and for that, I am eternally grateful to her.

I am not a big crier. I can count on one hand the amount of movies that I’ve cried at. But when I was pregnant, I cried at everything. One song in particular made me cry. All. The. Time. I would literally sob every time this song came on that it bordered on embarrassing. But when you’re pregnant and this verse is part of the lyrics, crying is understandable:

Anytime you need someone
Somebody strong to lean on
Well you can count on me
To hold you till the healing is done
And every time you fall apart
Well you can hide here in my arms
And you can count on me
To hold you till that feeling is gone

I guess I should probably tell you now that this song is Default’s Count On Me. I’m using it for today’s Money Tune because, although it has nothing to do with money, it’s meaningful to me because of my daughter. And my daughter is the reason I’m almost completely debt free and financially secure.

Happy birthday, my little E-Bug! I love you!

Years ago, my favorite radio station was Y100. It was an alt-rock station based out of Philadelphia and it was pretty much the only station that I listened to. It’s since been replaced with a format I don’t listen to but I have very strong, fond memories of that station.

One of the most vivid memories I have was a promotion they ran around the time Everclear’s I Will Buy You A New LIfe was popular. If you won the promotion, the station would pay for an apartment, a car, a cell phone, cable/internet and spending money for an entire year. It was a pretty amazing contest (which I did not enter because I have, and had, no desire to ever, ever live in Philadelphia). Every time I hear that song (which is today’s Money Tune, by the way), I think of that contest.

A few weeks ago, I watched a documentary “Waging A Living” which followed the lives of 4 working class people throughout the country. One of them, a newly divorced mom of 2 working as a waitress, was listening to the song on her car radio. She was singing the lyrics and I heard them in a new light. I had never before realized how profound and almost sad the lyrics actually are.

Listen for yourself:

I don’t know that I’ve adequately expressed just how excited I am that The Muppets are going to be back in movie theaters tomorrow. I have been a huge fan of The Muppets for pretty much my entire life and when I found out, almost 3 years ago, that there was going to be a new Muppets movie, I almost threw up with excitement. I actually published an article about my excitement on my essentially defunct Examiner parenting column (publish date: January 27, 2009). I wish my vocabulary was expansive enough to express how excited I am for tomorrow.

I have actually taken the day off of work tomorrow not to prepare for Thanksgiving but to take my daughter to see The Muppets (OK, fine. She’s taking me). I don’t care how much it costs. I don’t care how long of a line I need to wait in (make no mistake, there will be no line. I will get there 4 hours early if I have to. Which I’m hoping I won’t because most normal people will still be at work and/or school). I have been antsy with anticipation since the first trailer aired a couple of months ago. Yeah, it’s that bad.

For today’s money tune, I wanted to feature The Muppets. With so many good videos and songs, it was so hard to pick. But then, as if Jim Henson himself intervened, I found a song, sung by Dr. Teeth (the leader of Electric Mayhem. You know, the Muppets house band…the band Animal is the drummer in), entitled “Money Song”. Could this have worked out any better?

I often say that I wish I had a soundtrack to my life. I would love to have appropriate and poignant music playing during sad moments, crazy, upbeat music playing during the fun moments…you know, just like you would hear in a movie. So far I’ve had that happen twice. One time was at my wedding and the other time was with Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle”.

For reasons that I cannot explain, “The Middle” has been on the radio at very important and specific moments in my life. It came on after I was hired after a stint of unemployment. It came on after a therapy appointment. It came on last week after I finally decided that maybe I might be able to make a little bit of money from blogging. I have no idea why but I think that the song is trying to tell me something.

So I’m sharing it with you for today’s Money Tune. Because right now, that’s where I am. The middle. And I hope I don’t go squish like grape.