Home, Sweet Home

Considering the fact that so many holiday songs are centered around the theme of "home for Christmas" or "home for the holidays", along with the fact that my family is currently in the process of buying a vacation house upstate (pictured above), I've been thinking a lot about what exactly constitutes a home. The Longman Dictionary defines home as "the house, apartment, or place where you live." Indeed, if you ask most people to describe their homes, you'll probably get information about a physical place. However, other definitions of home are a bit more broad and abstract.

In his song "You're My Home", Billy Joel says:

Home can be the Pennsylvania Turnpike 
Indiana's early morning dew 
High up in the hills of California 
Home is just another word for you 

If I traveled all my life 
And I never get to stop and settle down 
Long as I have you by my side 
There's a roof above and good walls all around 
You're my castle, you're my cabin and my instant pleasure dome 
I need you in my house 'cause you're my home 

For the narrator of this song, home is not necessarily a specific location. Rather, it is any place or situation in which he finds a sense of comfort and belonging. On a similar note (pun intended), Marc Cohn's song "Already Home" describes how the narrator searched for a home only to find that he was already there:

Why'd it have to take me so long
Just to find a place that really feels
This must be where I belong
Thinking about it, all I had to do was click my heels

This is where I lay my hat
This is where they know my name
This is where they show me that
A man's not so alone, no
Maybe I'm already home

Again, the lyrics give the impression that home is not a physical place as much as it is a feeling of acceptance and belonging.

Here's hoping we all find our homes, wherever or whatever they may be.

Vocabulary

To be centered around (phrasal verb) - to be interested in or based on

Constitute (verb) - to be the parts that form something

Abstract (adjective) - existing only as an idea rather than something real that can be seen or touched

Turnpike (noun) - a large road, highway

Dew (noun) - the small drops of water that form on outdoor surfaces during the night

Lay my hat (noun) - the place where you "lay your hat" or "hang your hat" usually refers to the place in which you live

Impression (noun) - the opinion or feeling you have about someone or something based on the way it seems

Acceptance (noun) - in this case, acceptance refers to the process of allowing someone to become part of a group or society

Vocabulary Practice

1. After many years in the United States, I finally felt that I had gained _________ into American society.

2. In order to drive on certain _________, we must pay a toll.

3. A mother, a father, and children _________ a family.

4. When I left my house this morning, there was _________ on my car. It had formed during the night.

5. This book is ___________ the war in Iraq.

6. My house is the place where I _________.

7. His unfriendly facial expression gave us the _________ that he was not a nice person.

8. Love is an __________ idea. It is not something we can actually see or touch.

Grammar Point

 In the vocabulary section, you learned the word abstract. There are some nouns that we classify as abstract nouns because they refer to things or ideas that we cannot see or touch. Some examples are love and happiness.

Grammar Practice

Think of five abstract nouns and write a sentence containing each one. If you cannot think of five abstract nouns on your own, choose some from the list at http://www.yourdictionary.com/grammar-rules/Abstract-Nouns.html.

Not So Silent Night

The stores are packed, holiday decorations abound, and there's a cheery spirit in the air. Another holiday season is in full swing!

One sure sign of the upcoming holidays is the fact that holiday music is blaring over the airwaves. In fact, some radio stations are even playing it exclusively. These radio offerings consist in large part of classic recordings by singers such as Bing Crosby, but several contemporary musical artists are also helping us get into the holiday spirit this year with new holiday-themed recordings. These artists range from relative newcomers like David Archuleta to well-established acts such as Bob Dylan, Neil Diamond, and one of my favorite bands, REO Speedwagon.

When I heard that REO Speedwagon was making a holiday album, I had some trepidations. Although I very much like the band, I was not sure if their sound would work well with holiday songs. I am happy to report that my doubts were unfounded. The album, which is called Not So Silent Night, features fresh, upbeat versions of several classic Christmas songs. These new arrangements, along with REO Speedwagon's excellent musicianship, make for a fine album.

The album begins with a relatively simple arrangement of "The First Noel", which features lead vocalist Kevin Cronin in great form. The second song is a blues-influenced version of "Winter Wonderland", complete with a fine guitar solo by Dave Amato. Mr. Amato also provides a soaring guitar melody on next song, "Silent Night". In addition, this song features strong background vocals which complement Mr. Cronin's lead singing.

The fourth song is a rocking version of "Deck the Halls", which showcases the powerful guitar sound that REO Speedwagon is so famous for. Next comes "The Little Drummer Boy". The entire band shines on this song with powerful vocals, excellent guitar work, and great drumming. Other highlights include rocking arrangements of "Children Go Where I Send Thee", "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen", and "Joy To The World". There is also a beautiful version of John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (Was is Over)" which I think would make Mr. Lennon proud.

Anyone who is a fan of REO Speedwagon or who enjoys contemporary holiday music will surely find something to enjoy on this album. Check it out, and enjoy your holidays!

Vocabulary

Abound (verb) - to exist in very large numbers

Blare (verb) - to make a loud noise

Exclusively (adverb) - only

In large part (idiom) - very much, mostly

Contemporary (adjective) - belonging to the present time, modern, new

Newcomer (noun) - someone who has recently arrived somewhere or who has recently started doing something

Trepidation (noun) - a feeling of doubt, fear

Unfounded (adjective) - wrong, not based on facts

Vocalist (noun) - singer

Highlight (noun, can also be a verb) - an interesting or enjoyable part of something

Vocabulary Practice

1. Lions, tigers, and bears _________ in the forest.

2. Steve Perry is a great singer. He is one of my favorite __________.

3. Car horns __________ on the busy highway.

4. Bob is a _________ to our school. He just arrived here yesterday.

5. Seeing the Grand Canyon was the _________ of our trip.

6. This product is available _________ in this store. It cannot be found anywhere else.

7. This war was due _________ to the president's actions.

8. The police investigated the rumors and discovered that they were _________.

9. I didn't know who was knocking on the door, but I opened it with some ___________.

10. I enjoy the _________ art that has been produced in the past few years.

Grammar Point

Discourse markers are words and phrases that are used to transition from one thing to another. They often clarify the relationship between things, and they can be used to show order and sequencing. In this blog entry, I used discourse markers like first, second, third, and next to help you understand the sequence of songs on the album.

Grammar Practice

a. Write a paragraph explaining what you did yesterday. Use at least five discourse markers to demonstrate the sequence of events.

b. Imagine your paragraph without these discourse markers. What would change?

A Hanukkah Tradition

As of last night, the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is now upon us. Hanukkah is one of my favorite holidays because my extended family celebrates it each year with a big party! This party is probably my family's longest-running holiday tradition, and I look forward to it every year.

Our Hanukkah party tradition started back in 1955 when some members of my family decided to celebrate the holiday together. That first Hanukkah party had just six attendees: my grandparents, my father (who was an infant at the time), my great aunt and uncle, and their three-year-old son. They continued to celebrate Hanukkah together every year thereafter, and the number of attendees grew considerably over time. Dozens of family members now attend the party each year, and many of them travel long distances just to come to this great celebration.

As you would probably expect with any holiday party, our Hanukkah celebration includes lots of food and gift-giving. We also conduct an informal ceremony in which we light the menorah, recite the prayers, and talk about the meaning of the holiday. Some other aspects of the party are more unique, such as our annual children's talent show and the improvisational skit that my great aunt directs. The skit is typically based on a well-known children's story, and this year's skit will be a reenactment of Peter Pan. Because the skit is improvisational, it is always very entertaining and incredibly funny!

Here's hoping the Hanukkah lights burn brightly for many years to come!

Vocabulary

Extended family (noun) - a family group that consists not only of parents and children but also of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.

Attendee (noun) - someone who is at an event such as a meeting, party, or concert

Thereafter (adverb) - after a particular event or time, afterwards

Considerably (adverb) - a lot, much

Informal (adjective) - relaxed and friendly without being restricted by rules of correct behavior

Menorah (noun) - a candle holder used during the holiday of Hanukkah

Recite (verb) - to repeat the words of something such as a song, poem, or prayer

Improvisational (adjective) - done or performed without preparation

Skit (noun) - a short humorous performance

Reenactment (noun) - a performance of an existing story or past event

 Vocabulary Practice

1. We light the _________ during the eight nights of Hanukkah.

2. The musicians didn't have time to practice, but their _________ performance was very good.

3. Next week, some local historians will perform a __________ of a Civil War battle.

4. In some cultures, it is common for _________ to live together.

5. Our parties are usually relaxed and _________.

6. The two brothers had a big fight and did not speak to each other for years __________.

7. Last year, our class wrote and performed a funny _________.

8. I am going to _________ a poem by Taylor Mali.

9. The president was an _________ at the meeting.

10. My new house is _________ larger than my old one.

Grammar Point

The -ee suffix is often added to verbs to indicate who is the object of the verb (receiver of the action), or the subject of the verb (doer of the action). The resulting words are nouns, such as attendee (note its use in this blog entry) and addressee.

Grammar Point

Write three sentences containing nouns with the -ee suffix. For each one, also indicate the original verb from which the noun is derived. If you need help finding words with this suffix, use http://www.worldwidewords.org/articles/ee.htm to help you get started.

Concerts

In one of his entries, Josh commented that perhaps he should change the title of his blog to A Blog About Snowboarding. Well, perhaps I should change mine to A Blog About Music. Music seems to permeate almost every aspect of my life, so I suppose it shouldn't come as a surprise that I've devoted so many blog entries to it.

One of my favorite music-related pastimes is attending concerts. A great thing about living on Long Island is that so many concert venues are in close proximity. We have large venues like Nassau Coliseum and Jones Beach Theater, as well as smaller places like The Theatre at Westbury and The Boulton Center. New York City is also home to a number of venues, including the world-famous Madison Square Garden and Carnegie Hall. I've been lucky enough to attend several events at these places, and they are always a lot of fun.

The only downside of going to concerts at the above mentioned venues is that tickets tend to be relatively expensive, sometimes even costing over $100 each. However, there are alternatives that are far less costly. Many local governments, including Nassau County, the Town of Hempstead, the Town of Oyster Bay, and the Town of Babylon, sponsor dozens of free concerts each year. These concerts often feature cover bands, which are bands that play music that has been made famous by other artists. Some people think of cover bands as being second-rate, but the reality is that many cover bands are well-respected for their outstanding musicianship. Even if cover bands don't suit your tastes, several of these free concerts feature famous artists. Within the past few years, I have attended free concerts by Lee Greenwood, Dave Mason, Dennis DeYoung (the former lead singer of Styx), and many others.

Enjoy the show!

Vocabulary

Permeate (verb) - to be present in every part of something

Aspect (noun) - one part of something that has many parts

Venue (noun) - a place where a meeting, concert, or event occurs

Proximity (noun) - nearness, closeness

Downside (noun) - a negative part or disadvantage of something

Second-rate (adjective) - inferior, not of the best quality

Musicianship (noun) - skill in playing music

Vocabulary Practice

1. An auditorium is a typical _________ for a theatrical performance.

2. Because I live in the suburbs, there are many other houses in close _________ to mine.

3. Eric Clapton is an excellent guitar player. He is known for his __________.

4. Verb conjugation is one _________ of grammar.

5. John is usually a great singer, but his performance last night was _________.

6. When the sun rises, the bright sunshine will __________ this room.

7. This book tells an interesting story. However, the __________ is that it is written in a boring style.

Grammar Point

Uncountable nouns are things that cannot be separated or divided, or counted. An example is water. We can count cups of water, ounces of water, or bottles of water, but we cannot count water itself. I used several uncountable nouns in this blog entry, including proximity and musicianship.

Grammar Practice

Write five sentences containing uncountable nouns.