"Music is the medicine of the breaking heart"

Excuse me while I ramble on

As I look at the clock in front of me, I realize that it is 8:37 pm and I have accomplished absolutely nothing today. I had grand plans for this Friday August 26 but somehow I got sidetracked and talked into doing things for someone else. I started out sticking to my plan: wake up, shower, have coffee. However, when I got out of the shower one of my friends asked me to come over and wait with her while the plumber was working on something. I didn’t mind doing that at all because I know I probably would’ve asked her to do the same thing if I was in her place.

-BUT-

What I didn’t expect was to waste half of my day sitting in the dark (apparently the use of a light is too expensive to pay for but the tv, computer, xbox, etc are important) waiting on a plumber. When I was asked to come over I thought I was going to be there for like an hour, tops. I arrived around noon, which was when the plumber said he would be there, and low and behold he didn’t show up until 2:30 pm and was there for TWO HOURS! I was going stir crazy because I thought it was going to be a quick visit (I had my own things to do!) so I didn’t bring anything to do. So let’s just say my phone battery went from 98% when I got there to about 23% when I left.

When I left around 4:30 I went to Target and accomplished one of my to-do list activities, which was actually the least important. Once I came home I made a delicious fruit smoothie (blackberries, raspberries, strawberries and blueberries all blended together! No yogurt, ice cream, juice or anything - just pure fruit!) and sat down to work on my online course for the semester and I realized I was way behind on reading some of my favorite web sites and blogs that usually lead me to other web sites and blogs. I successfully wasted 2.5-3 hours catching up on everything on bjgofficial.com (Bethany Joy Galeotti’s blog - Haley from One Tree Hill) and chelseakane.com. I felt so inspired in every sense of the word. Fashion, art, cooking, baking, writing, reading, you name it I now want to do it and like, NOW! The fashion inspiration led me to online shopping, which led me to remember I have all of about twenty bucks and I quickly got discouraged.

So here I am rambling on about my waste of a Friday. I really want to say tomorrow is going to be different but I have a feeling a shopping trip may be in my near future (thanks mom and dad in advance if that does happen). This leads me to my next order of business which actually was on my mental to do list just not the physical one…I’ve decided to start reviewing random albums by some of my favorite bands. They may be old, semi-recent, or brand spankin’ new. Regardless of the shelf life of these records they are ones I think are worth recommending/reviewing. I haven’t decided yet but I may also start with trends I like as well - musically, fashion-wise, or culinary (don’t get me started on self-serve yogurt places…it’s just not sanitary). Tomorrow, or later tonight depending on how productive I decide to be, I’m going to start with an album review of All Time Low’s “Dirty Work” record that came out earlier this year. It’s such a fun record it made me go back and purchase some of their really old stuff.

Random ending/side note: Am I the only person who finds the fact that the logout symbol looks like a power off button extremely entertaining and awesome? If you don’t know what I’m talking about look in the upper right corner of your web browser right now!

BLAME IT ON september

“We hope when our fans listen to this record, they feel adventurous, scared, sexy, in love, heartbroken, and rich in life with an empty bank account.”
- Zach Porter (Allstar Weekend)

~ If their upcoming record, “All the Way”, reflects anything from this quote I will be a happy camper. Zach Porter, you have a way with words that makes me tug at my hemline, twirl my hair around my finger, and smile as if I’ve been told I’m royalty. Your words are heavenly divine and I can’t wait to hear the lyrics, melodies, harmonies, guitar riffs, drum beats, and everything else on the new record. I’m not gonna lie, I’m even excited about the album artwork ;)

Music rant

It’s funny, sometimes I download songs based only on what they sound like in the 90 second iTunes preview. Other times I look up lyrics, and listen to it simultaneously. The thing that I find interesting is that some songs have that special quality that draw me back in for more. It may be one simple lyrics, it could be a certain beat or it could be an insane vocal run. Regardless some songs have an addictive power. The weirdest experience for me is when I purchase a song and it remains in my library for a while and I hear it from time to time never really thinking much about it probably skipping it more than actually listening to it and then one day I hear it in a completely different situation and it is suddenly my favorite song. I recently went on a date with this guy and when he asked me “what kind of music are you into?” I honesty didn’t know how to answer it because of issues like this. To me, music isn’t something you just put on in the background to drown out the silence. To me, music should be absorbed like oxygen. The music, the lyrics, the vocals, all of it should be all consuming. Whether that means you sing, play an instrument, write, produce, compose, or, like me, simply enjoy it, it doesn’t matter it should be a vital part of our daily lives. People don’t go around asking “what nutrients do you like best?” and wait while you sit there and contemplate whether or not you like vitamin C more than vitamin A or calcium or iron. Granted I know music has more choice than that but it’s the principle of the matter. I simply am in love with music. The organic nature of development is the most beautiful thing to me. That’s why I respect artists like The Civil Wars, Green River Ordinance, Adele, Miranda Lambert and many other of my favorites so much because they are true to themselves and the result is the most beautiful thing. Like Miranda Lambert’s recent venture with Pistol Annies. It’s such a cool vibe between the three girls and even though the sound is different from Miranda’s solo style it still fits. It’s sweet and sassy but it still has that badass feel that Miranda is so well known for (“Gunpowder & Lead” or “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” anyone?). Personally, I think currently in country music Miranda is the most authentic. Don’t get me wrong, I love Taylor, Carrie, Martina, Reba and all the other lovely ladies of country but I really feel that back when Conway and Loretta were topping the charts Miranda could’ve fit right in with them both as a solo artist and with Pistol Annies. Anyway, that was quite an extensive tangent but I’ve been bothered by numerous music related topics recently and I thought I’d share. Thinking back to my answer when my date asked me what I listened to, I’m realizing I didn’t answer in a way that truly reflects my compilation of artists but hey we never made it to a second date so who cares.

My music philosophy is this: if I like it, I like it. If I don’t, I’ll give it another try.

Nothing is ever completely out of the question for me and I’m not a music snob where I only like on specific genre or production style. However, I find my favorite bands/artists usually emerge when I go randomly clicking around iTunes. I have found some of the best artists that way. Also, another great way to discover great talent is to look into bands you currently like and then see either who influenced them or what music they listen to whether it be a friend who is unsigned or maybe an artist that’s popular in another country but not quite in yours. Like I LOVE simple plan, always have. And they were decently popular in the US but I find that they have had more longevity in Canada - maybe it’s the home field advantage.

Whatever the case music should be an experience. An all consuming, suffocating, unexplainable, unattainable, life-altering experience.

In the beginning when I mentioned getting a song, skipping around it blah blah blah, I was referencing most recently “Today was a Fairytale” by the lovely Taylor Swift. When I first downloaded it I admit it was an impulse buy and it never really grew on me but about a month or so ago it came on and I was listening and I heard the lyric “today was a fairytale, you’ve got a smile it takes me to another planet” and I felt like my entire world had changed because I had that experience. I saw a guy and I couldn’t get his smile out of my mind. I honestly never saw his eyes, he always had on sunglasses when I saw him but that smile took me a million miles away.

LOVE this Christina Perri song

I hope that you see right through my walls I hope that you catch me, ‘cause I’m already falling I’ll never let a love get so close You put your arms around me and I’m home

Speak now didnt work so well for me, but maybe it will for you.

“you were definitely not a headache at al…you were awesome and really played well”

An empty parking lot is all that separates me from the guy who said those words. Literally can see the back of his house. If only I would’ve spoken up. Remember: say what you need to say and don’t assume the other person already knows. Holding back only buries the sentiment deeper.

Age of frustration

So I’m realizing that as I’ve gotten older people are starting to treat me younger which is the opposite of how I grew up. On both sides of my family I have cousins the same age as me. When we were all little, I always got mistaken for being older than I was and the other kids mistaken for younger. I quit getting children’s menus at restaurants and people talked to me like I was older. However, now that I am almost 21 people in my family are treating me like I’m suddenly that little kid again. My cousin is getting married in a month. I technically wasn’t invited. My sister received her own invitation and my parents received one specifically addressed to them. My cousin, who is actually one month younger than me, received an invitation addressed specifically to her and a guest. Like what if I had a boyfriend or someone I wanted to invite that they didnt know about. Could he come? Can I even technically come? It’s just weird how people assume everyone understands. I know it’s stupid to be upset/semi-offended by something like this but it bothers me.

Basically, I just want my own damn invitation.