Granny and the Grammys

ON New Year’s Eve, we had champagne while listening to U2’s “New Year’s Day”: “All is quiet on New Year’s Day/A world in white gets underway/I want to be with you/Be with you night and day/Nothing changes on New Year’s Day.” Which is about the Polish Solidarity movement that eventually led to the end of communism in Poland in 1989.

But 34 years later, on New Year’s Eve 2023, who wanted to learn about the song’s history? What mattered was, it has “New Year’s Day” in its lyrics.

Much like how “Love Actually” has become a favorite movie to watch in December because its setting is the Christmas season. My most favorite part there is Rodrigo Santoro and Laura Linney’s kiss. After which she hides behind a wall and excitedly shakes with glee. So cute.

For the Chinese New Year, since it’s the Year of the Dragon, the 1998 “Mulan” could have been the appropriate movie to watch since Mushu is there, insisting he’s a dragon, not a lizard. Haha.

All this talk about showbiz will somehow bring us to the fact that it’s awards season again in Hollywood, the most recent of which was the Grammys where Taylor Swift won for album of the year, thus, making history for winning that four times. She also won for best pop vocal album. Miley Cyrus got record of the year and best pop solo performance.

I don’t watch awards shows anymore because I’ve lost interest in knowing who wins. Besides, I’ve realized that a best picture is not always the movie I want to watch again and again. “Oppenheimer” was the Golden Globes’ best drama motion picture. Would that make me watch it again? Nah. And I’ve not even bought Swift’s “Midnights” and Cyrus’ “Flowers.”

And here’s one more challenge in the latest awards shows: I don’t recognize the young ones. I mean, Ayo Edebiri? She hosted “Saturday Night Live” recently, and I was like, Huh?

I don’t watch Netflix. I don’t watch TV anymore. I’m so old school. I go to the cinema to watch movies. And I read books. Ho-hum. With Big Bad Wolf Books continuing to sell discounted books till Feb. 18 at SM CDO Downtown Premier, that means more reading in my future sked.

I remember attending a PICPA—Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants—seminar where we were required to use Excel. Good thing my nephew was there to help his dear old-school aunt.

I use my laptop the way I use typewriters. Go figure.

The old-school trait is, of course, obvious in my choice of bands and songs. U2, Pearl Jam, Garbage, Duran Duran, Coldplay, Sting, The Police, Rivermaya, Annie Lennox, A-ha, R.E.M., Red Hot Chili Peppers. In the ‘90s, I went through a phase that included Matchbox Twenty, Soundgarden, The Smashing Pumpkins.

And here I am again, thinking the ‘90s was 10 years ago. Haha.

There are new artists now in the music industry, and as expected I’m not familiar with the young ones. But at least I know Billie Eilish. Her “What Was I Made For” from the movie “Barbie” won as song of the year at the Grammys.