Matt Corker » Music

This Is What Our Love Looks Like – Jason Mraz

Matt Corker — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 22:12:36 +0000

I have come to be the one to stand beside you when the sun decides to bow its head. I’ve come to be your friend. I’ll share with you my secrets til there’s nothing left to hide. And if you’re feeling darkness, I’ll remind you of the Light you have inside.

Yah this is what our love looks like.

- Jason Mraz

Pick of the Post: Jason Mraz – I Won’t Give Up (another teaser of the new album)

Christmas Tunes to Add to your Playlist (v. 2)

Matt Corker — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:42:59 +0000

Two years ago, I started sharing my favourite songs from my (continually growing) Christmas playlist. Seeing as tonight will be my first Danish Christmas party, I wanted to get in the spirit with some tunes and thought – what the heck – why not share these ones too. Sorted by mood, just for you.

Pump it for the Party:

Whether they be used for getting ready for a fun night out or for adding a little beat to your party playlist, these tunes will not disappoint.
Mariah Carey (ft. Justin Beiber) – All I Want For Christmas
Chris Brown – This Christmas
Adrienne Pierce – Making Angels
Michael Buble – Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
Mariah Carey – Oh Santa!
Glee Cast – Let It Snow (thank you for releasing the album before the episode airs!)

Pour Me A Glass:

A glass of glogg? A pint of julebryg? A steamy mug of warm apple cider? Press play on these ones when you need to feel a little hygge as you curl up by a fire, snuggle with your lover, and drop another marshmallow in your hot chocolate.
Jason Mraz (ft Tristan Prettyman) – All I Want For Christmas, Is Us (*le sigh*)
David Ian (ft Acacia & Andre Miguel Mayo) – Christmas Time With You
Parachute – Winterlove
Todd Carey – Perfect Christmas Day
She & Him – Christmas Wish

Created for Commuters:

Time to add in a little Christmas cheer to the morning commute. Rockin out to these guys on two wheels through a bustling city is pretty darn rad. (Tested and approved!)
Joy Williams – More Than I Asked For
Michael Buble – Cold December Night
Justin Beiber – Christmas Love
The Ready Set – Wishlist
Nat Jay – Green Trees Red Hearts

Reason for the Season:

Always remember to give credit where credit is due.
Francesca Battistelli – You’re Here
David Crowder Band – The First Noel
Needtobreathe – Go Tell It On The Mountain
Taylor Swift – Christmas Must Be Something More
MercyMe – O Holy Night

My favourite holiday tune, that’ll have the honour of being today’s Pick of the Post, still has to be Straight No Chaser. (Obviously!) What’s yours?

Unique Ways to Stay Connected From A Distance

Matt Corker — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 19:22:49 +0000

If the, now finished(!!), banking saga taught me one thing, it is the power of staying connected. Staying connected to my faith, to the principles I live by, and also to the rad people in my life that make challenging times enjoyable. Besides the e-mail and Facebook updates, we’ve found some fun ways to stay connected from a distance. I thought I’d share some of my favourites:

1. Playing Scrabble
Board games and best friends. It’s hard to find a better combo. Zoe and I rock out games of scrabble together via the Scrabble Free app for iPhone. My joy of just finding a word amongst the letters has now turned into valiant attempts at composing saucy seven letter words to keep Zoe on her toes. I’m learning – and am currently in the lead in one of our games. (I’m going to intentionally leave out the fact that she has won ALL 9 games we’ve played back-to-back.) I think my Dad would have a hay-day with this app if he ever traded in Zach Morris’ phone for an iPhone.

2. Lose It! Weekly Summaries
If there is one thing that tops the chart of “things that are important to me” – it’s health. As part of a friends goal to run a half-marathon, he started tracking his food intake and exercise regime via the Lose It! app and added me to the weekly summary report to help hold him accountable. Every Sunday I got an update on how he was doing. This usually provoked a conversation about exercise tips, healthy snack ideas, or about how he was feeling about his progress to date. It’s cool to watch someone go after a goal. It’s even cooler to be a part of it.

3. YouTube Cover Video Showdown
YouTube is one of the many sources I find new tunes for my Picks of the Post. In my quest for new tunes, I’ve discovered some really rad cover songs that I think need to be shared. Enter in the YouTube Cover Video Showdown. My friend Woo selects a song, I find a cover of it and post it to her Facebook, she posts another cover of the same song in rebuttal, and our pal Darran gets to decide who found the best cover. The stakes are tied at 2-2 right now in true showdown fashion.

You can join in to if you want. Comment section – best cover of “Moves Like Jagger” – go! Here’s my entry:

4. Podcast Commentary
Felicia and I used to go to the same church in Vancouver. Now, she still attends and I listen to the podcast version of the sermon. Instead of talking about the service over brunch afterward, we’ve made a weekly Skype date to talk about what we got out of the message. It gives us an opportunity to engage in dialogue about something important to us AND get a weekly update all at the same time.

5. Breakfast Together
My favourite way to wake-up is to see a smiling face staring back at me. At 6:30 in the morning, I grab a bowl of cereal, my friends grab a bowl of ice cream (its dessert time on the west coast of Canada), and we laugh and update each other in between bites. It’s a perfect start to the day and a great reminder that even when they’re miles away, they’re still here.

Great friendships know no geographic boundary.

Pick of the Post: Mat Karney – Head Or Your Heart

I Was Here – Beyonce

Matt Corker — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 08:26:07 +0000

“The hearts that I’ve touched is the proof that I need.”

BOOM!

No related posts.

History of Songs Lyrics That Aren’t Lyrics

Matt Corker — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 11:02:45 +0000

When we do what we love, it doesn’t need to “make sense” to make an impact.

Pick of the Post: Michelle Branch – Loud Music

Re-Writing History: En Route to the Vancouver Marathon

“The World As I See It” – Jason Mraz

Matt Corker — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 21:19:48 +0000

Tuesdays make me smile REAL hard. It’s when the music industry releases all their new tunes for the week and when I go on a downloading rampage! For me, new tunes = a balanced life. Living overseas means I have access to the new tunes released both in Canada AND in Denmark. Random dance parties just got a whole lotta love (and euro-pop)!

Regardless of where I am, Jason Mraz always finds his way to the top of my 25 Most Played iTunes playlist. His new song, released today, is exactly what my bike ride to campus is looking for. Take a listen to hear what I mean:

The world, as I see it, is a remarkable place.
Every man makes a difference and every mother’s child is a saint.

A Song About Gratitude by Jason Mraz

Matt Corker — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:17 +0000

When I was up in Whistler last weekend, I was able to catch the Jason Mraz concert with some of my best friends. Telling you it was remarkable would be an understatement. Front row. In the sun. Surrounded by great people and fantastic music. It was entirely consuming.

Jason played about 6 new songs in his set – one being “They Shaped My Life.” I had to find a version of it to share with you. Sit back and enjoy who you are today. You’re not living this life (or reading this) by accident.

What Happens When I Put My Goals Out There

Matt Corker — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 05:00:54 +0000

1. People come out of the woodwork to help me achieve them.

As I have written in my goals, I spend a weekend with Jason Mraz on his avocado farm by Sept 2020. It was recently announced that Jason Mraz is performing on Aug 5th in Whister (more info). Within 2 hours of the announcement being released to cyberspace, I received 4 e-mails telling me about this performance and wishing me luck in meeting him. What surprised me the most was 2 of them were folks I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet. They were readers of this here blog. And they genuinely wanted to help. What a blessing!

2. Others are able to learn from me.

When I share my goals, and then go off and attack them, I am able to share what worked and what didn’t work for me. This way others don’t need to make the same errors that I did. On another note, my great colleague Jer recently took on revamping lululemon’s goal setting practice. On his goal worksheet (download here), he used one of my goals! I actually had to pinch myself to see it being passed around at Wanderlust this past week. People are learning correct goal formatting from a goal of mine! Amazing!

In reality, I have no idea what great things will come my way when I put my goals out there. I simply share them with a faith that great things are already en route.

Pick of the Post: The Naked and Famous – Young Blood

Free From Limitations

Matt Corker — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:00:15 +0000

A friend passed this video on to me as a reminder of what can be possible when we redefine what we can do with what we’ve been given. When we redefine our limitations.

What would happen if all these things I let hold me back were the source of inspiration to others?

My limitations would become a liberation. Not just for me – but for those around me.

Pick of the Post: Corinne Bailey Rae – I Wanna Be Your Lover

The Highlights of 2010

Matt Corker — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 16:38:27 +0000

The end of a decade deserves some time for reflection. Each year, I have written about the most memorable moments of that year. It’s amazing to see how much my life and my self has changed since writing the highlights of 2008 and the highlights of 2009. With a ton of gratitude, I share with you the best parts of this past year:

January

Got accepted to be a performer and volunteer for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games
Warren Springer and I presented at the SFU Leadership Conference

February

A month of rehearsals and performances for the Olympics! I welcomed Team Canada into the Opening Ceremonies on stage and gave out glowsticks to athletes to get the dance party going in the Closing Ceremonies
Watching Canada become more proud to be Canadian – especially after we won that gold medal game

March

Jigging with great friends on St. Patrick’s Day – a great night as always!
Celebrating 4 years of Mr. Vanier

April

Traveling to Hong Kong to visit Rob
Driving to California with 3 of my best friends on a whim
Singing with Will Blunderfield in the recording studio

May

Reminding my Mom that “she’s got this” as she finished her first marathon

June

Starting to teach spin classes at the UBC Birdcoop
Emceeing the Vancouver Special Olympics with Dan Naiman
Watching brigs bring down the house in Vancouver
Celebrating the marriage of Matt & Casey Murray with everyone at Table 4

July

Moving into a new apartment and having one heck of a pad broiling to break it in
Dancing to Nelly & Kelly with Melinda on her wedding day
Starting my role at lululemon athletica and beginning to love the life I lead
Running around the streets of Vancouver for the Underwear Affair – 3rd times the charm

August

Creating my 100 before 100 list
Setting my goals with Haas & Zoe in Whistler
Singing goodbye to the best roommate as he headed off to Calgary
Camping, camping, and more camping!

September

Making a shift after attending the Landmark Forum
Emceeing SHIFTED for Chloe and the team

October

Dropping the story to create myself as a possibility after attending the Landmark Advanced Course
Doing Nia with Susanne Conrad at the lululemon athletica leadership conference
Doing downward dog with my sis, at sunset, on her birthday

November

Leading the volunteer team at TEDxVancouver
Surfing in Tofino with Doug, Steph & Zoe

December

Hiring a rockstar staff member to join our team before jumping on a plane to visit Yale University
Spending a week in Ontario laughing with family members (new and old) and great friends

Thanks for a great year. Time to create a year of greatness!

Pick of the Post: Ash Koley – Don’t Let Your Feet Touch Ground (official music video)