SYTYCD...

I never understood why exactly the winner of "So You Think You Can Dance" is called "America's Favorite Dancer."  Shouldn't it be "America's Best Dancer" or is that just a silly question?  People audition and make it to "Vegas Week" and sometimes into the Top 20 because of their skills and technique and ability to dance, not because they're well-liked as a person.  I feel like the whole aim of the show is sometimes off, and this season makes me question it even more.  Sometimes I think the show is rigged to give those contestants who have struggled in their lives the chance to "make it" or "be somebody" or something.  That's fine, and reputable, but I've really only seen 2 winners (Sabra from Season 3 and Jeanine from Season 4) who encompass everything; they have "the whole package," if you will.  We'll talk about Season 6, for example.  Jakob Karr.  Need I say more?  Maybe to those of you who don't watch the show (and shame on you for that; the world of dance is under-appreciated, but this show brings to light how important and incredible an art form it truly is... I'm off my soapbox now... kinda), but the winner of Season 6 should not have been between Jakob Karr and Russell Ferguson.  And Russell Ferguson should not have been the winner.  I mean, I'm sure he's a great guy and all of that, but Jakob clearly should have won.  His technique, his humbleness, the way he's always there for his partners, his technique... I could go on for days about him.  Well, maybe not days, but longer than I just did.  Anyway, the winner should have come down to Jakob and either Kathryn or Ellenore.  And I would have been completely satisfied with either of those 3 winning (Ellenore was actually my favorite all season, but that's neither here nor there).

This season, the 7th season, has blown me away.  I questioned the decision to only do a top 10 of contestants and include contestants from past seasons (rightfully dubbed the "All-Stars"), and, not wanting to disappoint, the producers decided upon a top 11 to include Billy Bell (who is just too good).  I feel like they should have also included Ryan Ramirez to make a Top 12, and keep the number of girls and boys equal, but whatever.  I think that the people who vote are blind.  Aside from all the injuries that have happened (which has been ridiculous), I don't understand how some of the contestants made it as far as they did (i.e. Jose and Adechike).  My favorites from the beginning, Lauren and Kent, are still on the show, obviously, and it's going to come down to either of them.  Quote me.

Lauren's solo from the Top 6 Performance show this past Wednesday (the 28th) is posted below for you to see.  I literally yelled in my kitchen while I was watching this.  She is so amazing and if she isn't Top 2, I will be dumbfounded.  I also am going to post her audition solo and her Vegas Week solo.  And I'm going to post the video of a piece she danced with Kent because my heart melted and it was just so perfect.

Top 6 Solo

lauren solo 62 @ Yahoo! Video

Initial Audition


Vegas Week Solo


Contemporary Piece with Kent (Choreographed by the AMAZING Travis Wall)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-2yaqxcVzM
(The embedding for this dance has been disabled by request, which is irritating, so I apologize)

SO YEAH.

I went to DC for the first time EVER 2 weeks ago.  It ruled.  There is a slideshow of some of my favorite photos below (I recently got the Nikon D5000 DSLR camera, and I may or may not have ended up taking 500 pictures in a 4-day time span... I don't hate it!), so feel free to peruse through them. =)

Thanks for reading! =)

Jar of Hearts...

Sounds kind of morbid, no? Well, maybe it is, but I've recently become an avid listener of the song "Jar of Hearts," by Christina Perri, and by "avid listener," I mean that I play it on repeat... a lot.  The sad news about Christina Perri is that her album is yet to be completed, but the good news about her is that she is making one and I just know that it's going to be fabulous.  She has a really dynamic voice, and if you're ever on youtube look her up; she has some self-uploaded vids of her strumming on her guitar and singing songs that she's written in the past, and they shouldn't be ignored. =)

I first heard portions of this song on an episode of "So You Think You Can Dance" (sytycd, for short) 2 weeks ago, and instantly had to look her up. "Jar of Hearts" is her only song on iTunes at the moment, so it's all that's holding me over right now! Here is the video of the piece, choreographed by one of my favorites, Stacey Tookey, and it is beautifully danced by Billy Bell (season 7 contestant) and Kathryn McCormick (season 6 contestant; season 7 all-star):

And here is the whole song:



I feel like I can connect with this song. I've had my heart broken, quite recently in fact, and the culprit played around with that for a little while; I feel empowered after listening to this song, and it helps me not to dwell on my bitter feelings and those of sadness as well. My favorite part of the song is this:

"And it took so long just to feel alright

Remember how to put back the light in my eyes

I wish I would have missed the first time that we kissed

'Cause now you broke all your promises

And now you're back

You don't get to get me back

And who do you think you are

Running around leaving scars

Collecting your jar of hearts

And tearing love apart

You're gonna catch a cold

From the ice inside your soul

Don't come back for me

Don't come back at all..."

It's kind of like a big "FUCK YOU," but I dig it. It makes sense to me. It helps to keep me together. I really am thankful for the world of dance; many of the artists I've been exposed to in the past couple of years have a lot to do with SYTYCD. Choreographers bring to light pressing issues or stories that portray real emotions that allow the audience to connect with it on a deeper level. Artists and creators of all kinds support each other, and I really admire that.

Pic of the Day:

From Casperson Beach in Venice, Florida. June 2010.

Doesn't Matter What Comes Crashing Down...

...I'm still gonna stand my solid ground. - lyrics taken from Mat Kearney's "Won't Back Down"

Lately I've been making really great playlists. Here is one I made when I was in Florida last week (it doesn't have a title... there could easily be one based on my song choices, though, I'm sure):

.Carry Me Through - Dave Barnes
.Almost Honest - Josh Kelley
.Wheel - John Mayer
.The High Road - Broken Bells
.Let It Be - The Beatles
.Won't Back Down - Mat Kearney
.The Promise - Tracy Chapman
.Cello Song - Nick Drake
.Skinny Love - Bon Iver
.Elizabeth - RuRu
.I'd Rather Be With You - Joshua Radin
.Come On Get Higher - Matt Nathanson
.Bloodline - Matt Morris
.Dancing Shoes - Gavin DeGraw
.The Thief & The Heartbreaker - Alberta Cross
.The Story - Brandi Carlile

When I'm feeling blue, or tired, or chill I really enjoy listening to this playlist. I happen to be listening to it as I write, and that's because I'm all three of the moods I previously mentioned.  When I'm sad, it doesn't necessarily make me feel any better; I can just kind of get lost in these tracks and not think about anything. The sadness usually seems to come back though. Oh well.

Today I saw "Toy Story 3" with my dear friend, Vanessa, and it was really wonderful. I mean, all Pixar movies hold quite the reputation, and this one definitely did not disappoint.  There was humor, action, and adventure, in addition to some really endearing moments (which may or may not have made me cry), and, as always, morals that hold true from childhood through adulthood.  If you haven't seen it, you really should, just like you should see Toy Story 1&2, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, Wall-E, UP, etc.  Bring tissues to have on hand for some, though, especially if you happen to be more of an emotional person, as several of these tend to tug a little bit on your heart strings.

So there were some CRAZY storms in Chicago on Wednesday the 23rd.  Here is a video of one of the most amazing natural wonders that I've ever seen:

Lightning strikes three of the tallest buildings in Chicago at the same time! from Craig Shimala on Vimeo.


It's pretty incredible if you ask me. Especially how he (Craig Shimala) took the time to show us several slowed-down versions to see how it all plays out.  I love it so much... nature is so cool!

So I went to Florida, as I mentioned earlier. It was a really great trip. I won't bore you with details, but I'm including a couple photos that I took in a little slideshow below for your viewing pleasure. Because of the slideshow, which you can enjoy at your leisure by clicking the arrows on the right or left of the photo, I'm foregoing a Pic of the Day portion of this entry because I can't just choose 1-3 to include here.  In my posts to come, I'll definitely add some just by themselves so that you can see them better. If you have questions about any of them, feel free to ask in the comments below. Or feel free to leave comments if you have cool things to say about them. Because that would rule! And, I won't lie, I'm pretty excited about the majority of my photos from this trip. =)

Florida 2010

Sorry I was so absent from posting... =(

...Annnnnd okay, I lied. Here's one photo I really really reallyyyy had to share:

This was taken at Myakka River State Park in Sarasota, Florida. I can't believe I spotted this little guy as I was just walking down the trail. Amazing! Lovely! Beautiful! Caterpillars RULE! =)

The Best Things In Life...

...are free? Or do you go with the saying that ends with "aren't things" because I'm really not too sure about either.  I'll give you my 2 cents about each, so bear with me here.

"The best things in life are free," is a saying that has been around for ages.  I'm not taking it from the song "Money (That's What I Want), as I only picture the Tiny Toons characters singing this song in cartoon form.  Regardless of where the saying actually came from, I disagree with this statement completely.  Not only can you use money to purchase your most favorite things (for me it might be shoes, or a camera, or some other material item... does that make me a horrible person?), but there is also the fact that every action taken or every thing in general has some sort of cost to it.

For example:
-Say you are sick one day and can't possibly make it to work or school or whatever other obligation you may have.  Sure, you're helping to not spread your illness around to everyone else, but you could miss a deadline, or an exam, or a dance recital or some other really important sporting event.  Face it: you're screwed at work because you can't make up your deadline or your test at school and there was only one show for your dance recital or it was the championship game and the team really needed you.  Sucks, right?  The best thing for some people is to work, or to go to school, or to dance, or to play football/basketball/volleyball/etc. and not only did you miss out on something that could have been really memorable and great for you, but now you're stuck with the constant reminder that you couldn't be there because of something that was basically out of your control.
-Or maybe you, for some reason, are one of those people who lives your life thinking that one of the best things in life is love.  I mean, that's fine, but are you stupid?  You have to be!  Sure, love can be a great thing, I know that, I've been there when it's been really wonderful.  But you really have to be completely naive to think that love in whatever form is free.  I know you might be thinking "wow look at you, ya huge cynic," or "okay, so since it's not free, what's the cost?"  This is the cost of love: everything.  You give yourself fully to someone (or something, if it's like a dog or a pet or whatever) not really weighing the possible outcomes until you've put it all out there.  Then suddenly, it's like BOOM!  Here's the other party ripping out so much of your soul, the soul you've worked so hard to protect for your whole life because your soul is what makes you you.  Even if it's not someone breaking up with you or cheating on you, you probably love your pet and then it inevitably dies because that's life.  You aren't expecting to feel the way you end up feeling and it's really just a huge load of bullshit.  If we as humans are supposed to love others the way that we do, why are we cursed with knowing what the opposite feels like?  Is there really always a need for balance in all areas of life?  Am I completely in the wrong and/or insane for feeling or thinking this?

Now, some people may go the other way and say this: "The best things in life aren't things," and fine if you think so, but I'm not so sure about this one either.  Everything is a "thing."  Feelings and emotions are things.  Nature is made up of things (like flowers, trees, the sky, the dirt, etc.).  I mean, maybe I'm just not completely understanding the magnitude of this quote, or maybe I'm too literal, or something, but I feel like this saying was also said and believed by someone completely naive or ignorant to his surroundings.

I'm just now realizing how much of a downer I was in this post, but I had a long day.  People, well, one person in particular actually, really got under my skin today, I had my first day at my new job, I'm sore from working out yesterday, and my dog farted something fierce in my face while I was watching TV earlier.  I'm sorry if I brought you down; it's obviously not my intention to change the mood of my readers for the worse.  I just needed to vent, and it was too late to go running, and I'm better with my words than anything else.

PoD:

 

Story:  Taken in Australia, these three photos were among my favorites from the two-week trip I was fortunate enough to go on (thanks, Mom!).  The first picture is of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which I was obsessed with by the way, and I love it so much because of how I can still see part of it inside of the lamp, even though it's warped.  I think that's what makes it so great!  The second one is of the cutest little seal I've ever seen in my life.  My mom and I took a two-day tour of this island (Kangaroo Island - cliche kind of) and I saw this little girl when we were at Seal Bay.  Tourists from all over come to Seal Bay, and the amazing part about this little park is that you aren't allowed to touch the seals or feed them or anything, and you have to stay on the boardwalks at all time.  You can go down onto the beach, but usually the seals stay away from people because they are scared.  This little girl was modeling for me and I got this amazing shot.  And then the third photo is one of my all-time favorites.  This little kangaroo is just so adorable.  Still on our tour of Kangaroo Island, the tour group stopped at a honey farm (we tried honey ice cream - omg amazeballs!) and this little guy had kind of domesticated himself and became a part of the family of one of the honey farmers.  He was hopping around outside the gift shop and he wanted me to pet him and when I stopped, he gave me this face.  Perfect photo.  So incredibly charming and lovable... but my mom wouldn't let me bring him home with me.  Talk about a Debbie Downer (wah wahhhhhhh)...

It's not "Goodbye..."

It literally has been 2 months and 5 days since my last post.  I suck!  But I haven't been inspired to write much of anything anyway, so I guess it's not so terrible.  I promised myself that when I re-vamped my whole blog awhile back, I'd only write when I felt compelled to or if something really moved me and pushed me to write about it, which is why I've been lacking on the posts.  If you're an avid reader of my blog, I apologize for not providing you with anything new to read, but I'd rather read something that's important and personal over something that's just written to take up space.  But that's just me.  =)

So I'm moving.  To Fort Wayne, Indiana.  It's really not all that exciting, except for the part where I have 2 big closets in my room (!!!!!!) and that I have a job!  Hooray me!  It's been a year since I graduated college, and I'm finally doing something with my life.  I didn't think it would take this long, but when one doesn't really apply herself, it should probably have taken longer.  Oh well, better late than never, I suppose.

People keep asking me if I'm sad about leaving.  And some people are much more self-centered than I had remembered, too.  About leaving, I'm not completely torn up about it.  There are people that I wish I could take with me because I love them so ("I could eat you up, I love you so," --Where the Wild Things Are), and these are the people I will miss every day (I won't name names, but these people know who they are) and these are the people about whom I'm sad to leave.  But then part of me is excited.  And then I realize that I'm also nervous, scared, anxious (in both a bad and a good way), and sometimes I just want to lay in my bed and cry.  I never thought that I could feel so many feelings all at the same time.  When it came time for me to leave for college, I wasn't sad one bit.  Maybe that's because I knew I would come back.  This time, I still know I'll come back, but it won't be the same.  I've changed my address, moved all of my clothes, hung pictures and other things on the walls, opened up new bank accounts, I'm in the process of transferring my medical records to new doctors, and I'm about to get an Indiana driver's license.  My mom is happy for me, but it's getting harder for her to cover up her sadness over me leaving; her random hugs keep becoming longer and more secure.  This hurts my soul.  I mean, it makes me feel kind of good because I know that she loves me, but it's making it more difficult each day before I leave to actually make that leap.  But I'll get through it.

Several of the people I told about me moving gave me this response: "You're moving?! NOOOO how could you do this to me?!"  I thought it was a joke.  I thought it would be followed with something similar to: "Haha, just kidding! I'm so happy for you, congratulations! That's so great!" but no.  No congratulatory hug or anything.  I mean, sure, it's okay to be sad that a friend is leaving.  But obviously I have to think of myself here.  Am I right?  Or is that too selfish to want to start my career and begin making money and working to become independent?  Help me out here if I'm completely in the wrong...  (Sorry for the rant.  I was just really taken aback when those actions played out.)

I'm not sure if there is anything else I could write about me leaving.  I'm still really confused in my head and my heart, and I still feel like crying a lot.  I feel like this happens to a lot of people.  Obviously it wasn't an easy decision to make, but it's not like I'm trying to hurt anybody by leaving either.  And it's not like I'm moving to someplace really far away, like California or Florida or something.  I'm about 3 1/2 hours away via car, and pretty much anyone has an open invitation to come visit me.  =)


As promised, here's a pic of the day (actually, here are several):

  

Story: I love tulips.  They are my favorite flower, well, one of them, and I can't ever get enough of these beauties.  Not only are they so perfectly simple and amazingly pretty and have a vast array of petal colors, but they are really the first flowers to bloom in the spring, which makes me so happy.  The first two I posted really show my favorite part of the flower, which is the inside.  It has such a cool design with the black against the pretty pink and/or orange or whatever color the tulip may be.  The last photo, the one of the bud just about to open, is probably my new favorite photo I've ever taken.  If you can't understand why, then shame on you.

(...it's "I'll see you later.")

What's your favorite type of sandwich?

I used to think that I liked peanut butter and jelly the best, which, I'll admit, is still one of my faves, but I also am drawn to peanut butter and banana, too.  The peanut butter must be Skippy though, none of this Jif nonsense (and don't even say "Well, choosy moms choose Jif," because it should be "Cheap, stingy, or careless moms choose Jif" - JIF IS TERRIBLE!).  But then you can never go wrong with a turkey and muenster cheese sandwich, or a classic BLT.  Lately, I've really gotten into turkey rueben sandwiches, with coleslaw instead of sauerkraut, and obviously turkey instead of roast beef, as I don't seem to like sauerkraut or roast beef.  Call me weird, or simple, whatever, but I like what I like. =)

The reason I'm telling you this is because I have a new follower here on my blog (of which I am so ecstatic!) and Sam's blog is called "Sandwich 365," and it's all about gourmet sandwiches (Sam's Sammies).  If you have time, you should really check it out, but I'd advise you to do so on a full tank/stomach because the photos she (I think Sam is a she, but I still can't tell!) posts of sandwiches look and sound so simply delectable that you'll want to go make yourself one... or you might even become so desperate that you tear your computer screen apart trying to get that sammie.  Not only does she post pictures and descriptions of the "sandwich of the day," she also gives the exact recipe for it!  And there's tips for healthier sandwich ingredients, like other recipes for breads that don't use white flour!  So great!  Thanks for the follow, Sam! =)

Yesterday I bought my tickets for the midnight showing of "Alice in Wonderland," in IMAX 3-D, obviously.  Who else is as ridiculously excited as I?  Tim Burton + Johnny Depp + Helena Bonham Carter = brilliance, always, aside from "Sweeney Todd," but that's probably the only exception.  Make sure to check back sometime on Friday or Saturday to see my full, and hopefully very favorable, review of this supposed masterpiece of a film. I am quite excited!

Here's another playlist, but this one was compiled by a friend of mine.  He's been really great at introducing me to new music (well, music new to me, that is) lately, and I've listened to this playlist literally 17 times in the past couple of days, that's how amazing it is.  He titled it "Songs For You From Me," because he said that it "seemed the most obvious."

.Wake Up - Arcade Fire*
.Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots - The Flaming Lips
.Fireworks - Animal Collective**
.A Fond Farewell - Elliot Smith
.Windowsill - Arcade Fire
.Sea of Love - Cat Power
.Tire Swing - Kimya Dawson
.I Like Giants - Kimya Dawson
.Passing the Hat - Cold War Kids
.All I Wanna Do - Jaime Lidell
.Wayfaring Stranger - Jack White
.Down Now - Rob McHugh
.Two Headed Boy - Neutral Milk Hotel
.Stay Don't Go - Spoon
.My Body is a Cage - Arcade Fire

*I had never heard of Arcade Fire prior to my friend giving me their music, and I'm saddened that I'm just now getting into them.  They really are great!
**If you like this song "Fireworks," be sure to check out these other tracks of theirs: "My Girls," and "Chores."

Pic of the Day for March 2nd:

Story: These photos were taken at Casperson Beach in Venice, Florida, during May of 2007.  My grandma died suddenly of a heart attack on Mother's Day about a week before I took these, and although it was great to have had a reason for my family to get together, it wasn't under the best circumstances.  My grandma was the most amazing woman I've ever known, aside from my own mother, and anyone who has been blessed enough to have been able to meet her knows why.  The day I spent with my cousin at the beach was special because it was the first day in awhile that I wasn't sad; I felt my gramma with me, and she would have been proud of the fact that I wasn't there mourning her death, but rather celebrating her life.  Even though this will be the fourth year without her, and it doesn't get any easier, I will always remember her amazing sense of humor, the massive amount of love she had for every member of her family, especially my grandpa, and, most importantly, for her selflessness.  She was truly one of a kind, and I am so proud and honored to have known her.  Love you, Gramma. <3

Only one thing matters...

One thing; to be able to dare! (Fyodor Dotsoevsky - Russian writer, essayist, and philosopher).

Have you ever heard of "The Daily Love," or "TDL?"  If you're active in the Twitter world, you may have heard something about this project, and/or its creator, Mastin Kipp.  I chose to follow @TheDailyLove not just because I love inspirational and motivational quotes as much as the next cheeseball, but also because some of the quotations that are presented actually strike me as important or beautiful.  Here is the first paragraph in the "About" section on the website:

"The Daily Love was created by Mastin Kipp in 2005 under the original name "Thoughts for the Day". Kipp, who is also the CEO of The Love Yourself Company (www.LoveYourself.net), embarked upon a journey in 2004 to find his true purpose and figure out the techniques to best manifest Highest Potential. Along the way he figured there must have been other people who have come before him who've were met with the same challenges he was facing to find true happiness and inner peace."

If you have yet to check out this little gem of a website, click here: LoveMeTender... and while perusing the website, make sure to enter your email address to receive your daily dose of love in email form! =)


Apparently, my last post created quite a buzz with my readers, about which I am extremely excited!  I never thought that my ramblings would so much as make sense, but to have people talking with me about what they liked about and wanted more from me was something that I never even considered.  Dylan, of Something Kinda Wonderful, left me such a thoughtful comment on my actual blog, which is what I try to obtain from each post; it's nice to see that people care about what I have to say, so the "I loved reading your words," part of his comment really made me smile (thanks, Dylan!).  My girlfriend, Tiffany, made it a point to talk to me about my latest post, which was a topic about which we had never spoken.  She really appreciated the fact that I took time to share one of my iTunes playlists with my readers, which can tell a great deal about someone.  Because she has a hard time pin-pointing songs from her library that fit with certain moods or days or events, Tiff suggested I make it a point to provide my readers with more of my playlists, as it can be difficult to make one on your own.  Not only will I have my "Pic of the Day" portion of each post, but now I'll also be able to share another one of my loves with you... music, if you've already forgotten!  Like I said in my last post, the music one listens to can say so much about that person, and I only shared the primarily Indie songs that I listen to; I don't limit myself with the vast array of music that is out there, so sharing with you is a great way for you to learn more about me without me having to say too much. =)

Since I have playlists for just about everything (i.e. "getting ready in the morning," "workout," "partying," "morning drive," and one for driving longer than 3 hours), I thought I'd ask my readers what they'd like for me to share... and keep in mind that I can make one for you based on a mood you might have, what you might be doing while listening to this playlist, etc.  I'm open!  While I wait for your comments, here's a playlist that I made during a darker time in my life that I named "Blah," which I listened to when I was feeling blah (I understand that this may be a downer, but we all feel like this at one point or another, so I thought that one might be able to relate)...

.Down to the River to Pray - Alison Krauss
.Happy Everafter in Your Eyes - Ben Harper
.Ready, Set, Don't Go - Billy Ray Cyrus feat. Miley Cyrus
.The Story - Brandi Carlile (...I told you I loved her!)
.Hands Down (Acoustic) - Dashboard Confessional
.Landslide - Dixie Chicks
.Speeding Cars - Imogen Heap
.The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson
.Angel - Jack Johnson
.Comfortable - John Mayer
.Layline - Josh Kelley
.Stay (Acoustic) - Little Big Town
.Angel - Matt Nathanson
.Say It's Possible - Terra Naomi

I'm not extremely proud of this playlist; I was in desperate need of solace on the night I made this, so some of these songs were chosen from the anxious state I was in.  Melancholy... what a cruel trick the world plays on you.

Pic of the Day:

Story: This is my perfect little brother, my mini-me, my fake (but could be actual) son, Maxwell.  This photo was taken the day before his aunt got married in September of 2007.  He was considerably smaller than he is now, but still just as amazingly cute.  I discovered yesterday the amount that I miss this child right now, so I felt compelled to share my fave little guy in the world with the rest of you.  And yes, his eyes are very blue, just like mine! We have such a special bond, and I love him with my whole life. ♥ you buddy!

I Can't Believe How Strange it is to Be Anything at All...

It's been longer than I had hoped since my last post, and for that I apologize. Sorry team!

I want to start out my post by introducing a new blog on the scene! A friend of mine just recently began his blogging career, and I'm quite excited about it.  Although his posts are much less frequent than mine, what he has to say is worthy of being read.  Austin Francalancia's new blog (Francalancia's Take) is a compilation of all things entertainment; although it currently only consists of two posts, I see the potential in his writings.  =)  If you're ever interested in reading reviews of movies, songs, or anything in the entertainment and media world, be sure to check him out to gain a fresh perspective (and also because he's a really nice guy and he sends me pictures of the beach/cool things in SoCal!).

Lately, and when I say lately, I really just mean over the past week, I've been turning to music more than I really had throughout the majority of my life.  This whole kick with the music began over a conversation I had with a friend about a song which I had written in a status on Facebook, and I think it's been almost healing (the song I'm talking about is "Bloodline" by Matt Morris - if you have yet to listen to it and/or Matt Morris on the whole, you must MUST look into it...).  I never realized how much the music one listens to can say about him or her.  I mean, obviously I'm pretty certain I know who I am, but when you're not close friends with someone (because maybe you only get to talk to him/her when you're at work or something), it's hard to really grasp or understand the deeper parts of him or her.  That being said, I discovered how music is a great way to get inside someone's psyche.

For example, I once dated a guy who only listened to a certain genre of music.  That's fine, except for the fact that it showed me one facet of his persona; I, on the other hand, grew up expressing myself through music and the art of dance, and one genre of music definitely would not have provided me with many options with my creative outlet.  Through dancing, I learned to appreciate and connect with all genres of music, depending on the story of the piece and its choreography.  I find it so impossibly difficult to stay connected to someone who almost refuses to expand his or her musical repertoire because I feel like that person is almost refusing to make an effort to find other ways to connect with me.  Which I'm sure I'm reading into more than I should, but it could be a subconscious defense mechanism to protect for the potential of a broken heart, right?

Anyway, while participating in this music conversation, this friend of mine commented that I was previously perceived as liking only "euro-techno club beats," to which I took great offense.  Not only have I always prided myself on the fact that I am so open to all genres of music, but I instantly became worried: "Is this how everyone sees me?"  I'm not saying it's negative to enjoy techno, as I choose to occasionally "beat up that beat" with the best of them, but how could people think that I'm so one-dimensional as to only appreciate club beats?

Here is a list of the songs and artists (listed alphabetically by song title because I'm anal about that) included in the mix I compiled the other day of some of my most favorite tunes, which I compassionately named "Simplicity." =)
.After Afterall - William Fitzsimmons
.Almost Honest - Josh Kelley
.Almost Lover - A Fine Frenzy
.Been a Long Day - Rosi Golan
.Belated Promise Ring - Iron & Wine
.Bloodline - Matt Morris
.The Blowers Daughter - Damien Rice
.Elizabeth - RuRu (there is an amazing story about this song - ask if you're curious!)
.Free Fallin' - John Mayer*
.Hallelujah - Brandi Carlile**
.House of Cards - RuRu
.In The Aeroplane Over The Sea - Neutral Milk Hotel
.Melody - Kate Earl
.Paperweight - Joshua Radin & Schuyler Fisk
.Passion Play - William Fitzsimmons
.Problem of Pain - William Fitzsimmons
.Set the Fire to the Third Bar - Snow Patrol & Martha Wainwright
.Somewhere Over The Rainbow - IZ
.The Story - Brandi Carlile
.That Year - Brandi Carlile
.This Year's Love - David Gray
.White Winter Hymnal - Fleet Foxes

*I love John Mayer, and his cover of Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'" is really amazing and I love it so much.
**I have several versions of the ballad "Hallelujah," and I love all three, but for this mix, Brandi Carlile's cover meshed the best with the rest of the songs; I included hers because it kept with and helped to create the vibe for which I was going.

And here is my Pic of the Day for February 20th:

 

Story: Once again in Puerto Rico, I took these photos while walking down the beach.  It was my 22nd birthday, and I was feeling lost, sad, and in need of solace, which, I know, is not the way one should feel on her birthday.  But that's how I was feeling, and to find healing and that solace for which I was longing, I took a walk down the beach, camera in hand.  The first and second photos are just of shells on the beach with the waves lapping over them and receding back into the sea.  The last picture is different.  You may just see a jagged piece of glass on some sand; I see a jagged heart all alone.  My mom collects beach glass, and after living in Hawaii for 7ish years she has quite the collection.  She also collects stones and shells and sometimes beach glass that naturally look like hearts, so that compelled me to take this picture.  Looking back on it, I also feel like it completely captures the way I was feeling at the time.  Plus, I really like the detail of each grain of sand.

PoD - February 8th

Story: Again, taken in my dad's backyard, these photos primarily center around this last picture.  This was the day that Max found that earthworm, the discovery of which he was so proud.  The first photo has been slightly edited, mostly just the coloring of the picture - the "antique-ing" of the flowers really brings out their brilliance, wouldn't you agree?  The second photo is of these same flowers, but this time with a hummingbird fluttering, and suckling their sweet nectar.  The bird may be hard to spot, as they move soooooo freaking fast, but Max and I chased it across the backyard to find it resting so comfortably in his swingset treehouse.  I didn't know that hummingbirds could stop flapping their wings; I thought that they had to always flap them in order to stay alive, but clearly I was wrong!  I can't wait for summer - I need more lazy days in the backyard!

PoD - February 7th

 

Story: These flowers are all over my dad's backyard.  I love them!  In their bud stage, they are still beautiful (see picture 2!).  The third photo in this bunch, which I've so thoughtfully named "Death," even still showcases the beauty of these flowers - I see a general progression of their life, as the one on the left is in full bloom, the one on the right is slowly meeting its demise, and, obviously, the middle flower is pretty much finished.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I do.  They really are just so lovely. =)

SNOW.MY.GOD!

It's snowing... profusely.  It's like the sky is puking down frozen drops of goodness, except it's really not goodness because I have to be the one to shovel all of this "goodness" away.  Thanks, Mother Nature... not!  I mean, as much as I love snow globes, especially the two that my mom got me when she was trying to start a new tradition each Christmas (which was extremely short-lived, by the way), I'm not trying to live in one today... or any other day for that matter.

I've been sitting on my couch for the past hour and a half trying to decide if I should shovel now, even though I'm going to have to later, or if I should just wait and do it later.  But then I realize that I'm going to have to shower and start getting ready for work in about 2 hours so I shouldn't be sitting here anymore trying to make this decision regarding the clearing of all this snow, yet here I am... still... woops.

I was lacking in my PoD posts over the past few days - I was out of town re-living some college days and put blogging on the back burner.  Hopefully you weren't too disappointed, so I'll upload three PoD's right now, and this one is for Saturday, February 6th:

 

Story: These three pictures were taken at the Garden of the Gods this past September when I went to Colorado with my mom to visit my aunt and cousins.  The Garden of the Gods is one of the most beautiful places I've ever been in my life; it's a park with brilliant scenery: natural rock formations are everywhere; the most brilliant blue sky; sparse, but vibrant, flowers and other greenery; etc.  If you're ever in the Colorado Springs area, I would completely recommend visiting this park, not just for the photos you will get, but mostly because it's almost healing.  I just was taken aback at the beauty of this place, and if I could live near here, I would hop on a plane in a second to begin my new life!

PoD - February 5th

So I'm about an hour late.  My bad.  I worked tonight so I didn't get home until about 11:45, which is why my post is late.  I feel like I let the whole team down! =(

 

Story:  I first saw one of these caterpillars caterpillar-ing around the pool deck on my birthday in Puerto Rico in October 2008.  I was instantly intrigued by this creature because a) I had never seen a caterpillar so large and b) it had such vibrant coloring.  Then, I spotted a whole tree of them that was conveniently located next to my lounge chair, and instead of sitting soaking up some sun, I literally spent the next 40 minutes watching, but not touching, all of these caterpillars.  They have this weird antenna thing on their butts and it moved around, so I was nervous that if I touched one it would poison me and I'd die.  So I was watching them munch on leaves and crawl around on the pool deck and other various surfaces, and obviously I had to capture a few great angles.  My favorite one is the second photo, where the little guy is inching along on the cement block because the angle of his head makes me laugh, and I also like how the details in the background are blurred.  The third one shows the true size of these critters, and that one wasn't even the largest that I saw that day.  Can you imagine if these caterpillars were this big in this stage of their lives, how big they would be as butterflies (or moths, for that matter)?  Like, I can picture such a monstrous butterfly post-chrysalis (or cocoon) stage...

What are your thoughts on these little guys?  I kind of wish I would have brought one home with me!

Ew.

Don't you hate it when you schedule an appointment with a company (i.e. gas) for a representative to come out and check your meter or whatever it is to make a house call, and then you're expected to stay home all day because they'll get to your house "between the hours of 11 and 6" and they always come right at the end of their given time frame?  Well, I do, and I call bullshit.  Obviously I'm unemployed, so it really doesn't matter if I sit around my house all day, but what if I want to go to the gym? Or to get lunch? Or go to yoga? Or go see a movie? Or just go somewhere so I don't have to sit in my house?  Why do these companies get to determine what I get to do or don't get to do during my day because you're too "busy" to give me an exact time at which you will be here?  It's so frustrating.

Now that my ranting is over (and thanks for sticking with me), I want to tell you how much prettier I feel when my nails are polished and my skin is tan.  Polished nails give me more confidence because, let's be honest, un-polished nails are ugly (on girls, not on guys - that's just wrong), and it also makes me feel more delicate.  I'm pretty rough on my hands, so the color on my nails reminds me that I need to act more like a lady.  And obviously being tan makes me feel warmer because it reminds me of summer, which is my favorite season.  =)

Lately I've been thinking of things that I want to accomplish before I die, which is strange since I'm only 23.  But it's better to start a bucket list now than remembering all these things I wanted to do throughout my life when it's too late because I'm on my deathbed.  Here are some of the events that I hope to experience in my life:

-go skydiving

-go bungee jumping

-ride in a hot air balloon

-ride in a helicopter

-learn to/become a certified SCUBA diver

-go on an African safari

-get married

-birth a child (or several)

-go whale watching

-go on a cruise

-travel the world (this includes: Europe [UK, Spain, France, Italy, Sweden, Germany, etc.], Alaska, Central/South America, Africa, Asia, India, Australia (again), New Zealand

-own an SLR camera

-write (and possibly publish) a novel

-star in a movie

-go to the Olympics (as a spectator)

-earn $1,000,000 (legally, of course)

-own multiple properties

-run a marathon (or compete in a triathlon)

...And the list goes on.  I didn't want to share all of my aspirations with you in one post!

Here is the Photo of the Day for Thursday, February 4th:

 

Story:  This is our puppy, Preston.  These pictures were taken this past November when he was only about 4 months old.  The second picture is of him tied to his little leash in the backyard, and he clearly hates it.  I was laughing so hard when I took it because he walked as far as he could and instead of moving so his neck wasn't being pulled, he sat there looking so uncomfortable and sad.  He's such a silly puppy.  Over Christmas he was beginning to lose his puppy teeth, and he actually spit one out onto my hand at one point when we were playing.  I, of course, was disgusted, while he just looked at me, smiling, and wagging his tail.  By next month, the vet said that he's going to be 75 pounds, and probably still as clumsy.  I love him so much, and he literally is the coolest dog I've ever known! I miss you, Preston! =)

My dear friend, Vanessa (Tangentssss!), is a very bad influence on me.  But only when we go shopping.  Not only does she never tell me not to buy anything, she always encourages me to get things that look good on me, no matter the price.  So terrible!  But I still adore her, even though my bank account suffers in her presence.  We went shopping today, is what I was getting at, and I only bought 2 things (at Gap... and 2 other things at Target...) and they were both on final sale clearance (or whatever) at Gap, so I guess that's okay... right? =)

Today, the Comcast man came to my house to determine the causing factor(s) of our faulty Internet connectivity.  Although it was awkward and uncomfortable having a strange man in my house walking around in surgical booties, I was overjoyed at the end of his visit because now our Internet works and it's so perfect and I could die happy now! But I don't want to die right now, so hopefully that won't happen (cross your fingers for me!).

I haven't gotten much more reading accomplished in my Eat, Pray, Love book of the week challenge because instead of sitting and reading, I choose to watch TV... woops.  I promise I'll get it done by the end of next week, so I hope you'll stick around until then to see my final review (which I'm sure will be awesome...).  I mean, I'm already completely in love with it, and wish that I could do what Elizabeth Gilbert has done, and traveled to where she has traveled.  I think I'll also start a bucket list as well so that I can actually have more concrete goals to accomplish in my life.  I did see that there's going to be a movie coming out starring Julia Roberts as Elizabeth Gilbert.  Coincidentally, Ms. Roberts is one of my favorite actresses, and always has been, so I am more than thrilled to see how this project pans out.

I also found who my doppelganger is, as it is Doppelganger week on Facebook and I was feeling left out.  I've been told that I look like Vanessa Williams, and I can really only understand that from our beautiful blue eyes, since, obviously, she is a Black woman.  I mean, I'm flattered, because she is completely beautiful, but our skin tones are just slightly off.  My friend, Tiffany, who has no blog =( , told me that I look like Rachel McAdams, which I could die about because she is my girl crush and so perfect!!  But I did a side-by-side comparison, and although we are both gorgeous (haha, just kidding), I just don't see the resemblance; her lips are much fuller than mine, and her cheekbones are more pronounced.  I'm not bitter that I don't look like her, but I still wish it were more evident.  So, with all that being said, I found a picture of Brittany Snow as a brunette and it was clear to me that we are long-lost sisters (...maybe):

So now, here is my PoD post for today, February 3rd:

Story: I miss my days at Starbucks.  This is just two shots of Espresso being pulled into two shot glasses... clearly. =)  I hope this encourages you to go to Starbucks and get a nice beverage... I know I will!

PoD...

I'm about 35 minutes late... Blame it on my craptastic internet connection all day! =(

Story: Photo 1 is of our cone flowers that line part of our driveway.  I love them about as much as the bumblebees! =)  Photo 2 is of the cone flowers in the dead of winter and when they are ugly. =(  In honor of the snow today, I thought it might be appropriate to post this photo, even though I hate all things winter (except for Christmas and New Year's Eve... durrr).
I can't wait until summer comes back so that these flowers once again bloom in all their glory, attracting bumblez and birds alike!

Leave some notes <3

Om Namah Shivaya…

Is the ancient Sanskrit mantra from India, which means: “I honor the divinity that resides within me.”

As I previously wrote, I am starting a, well, I’m really going to put forth a conscious effort to write a “Book of the Week” post (or BoW, for those in favor of acronyms).  I have finally dived into Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love, and although I’ve only gotten through pages 1-39, I am so completely in love with it already.  The way she writes is so easy to connect with, as it feels as though she’s having a personal conversation with you, the reader.  Before I even could get to the official first page of the novel, I decided to read all of the praise it has gotten – I mean, these reviews are almost impossible to ignore, and if I didn’t read them first, I definitely would have gone back to read through the page.  Once you appreciate what other people have said about Gilbert and her writing, the excitement you feel to submerge into the novel is at an all-time high.

In addition to that Sanskrit mantra, here are a few other beautiful words I’ve already stumbled across in these first 39 pages (and don't worry, I'm not giving anything away from sharing these passages with you, especially if you have some idea about this novel):

"I want to have a lasting relationship with God.  Sometimes I feel like I understand the divinity of this world, but then I lose it... I want to be with God all the time.  But I don't want to... totally give up worldly pleasures.  I guess what I want to learn is how to live in this world and enjoy its delights, but also to devote myself to God" (p. 26).

"To find the balance you want... you must keep your feet grounded so firmly on the earth that it's like you have four legs, instead of two... You must stop looking at the world through your head.  You must look through your heart, instead.  That way, you will know God" (p. 27).

"'Where did you get the idea that you aren't allowed to petition the universe with prayer?  You are part of this universe, Liz.  You're a constituent - you have every entitlement to participate in the actions of the universe, and to let your feelings be known.  So put your opinion out there.  Make your case.  Believe me - it will at least be taken into consideration'" (p. 32).

"'I recognize that you are busy with wars and tragedies and much larger conflicts than the ongoing dispute of one dysfunctional couple.  But it is my understanding that the health of this planet is affected by the health of every individual on it.  As long as even two souls are locked in conflict, the whole of the world is contaminated by it... It is my most honorable request, then, that you help us end this conflict, so that two more people can have the chance to become free and healthy, and so there will be just a little bit less animosity and bitterness in a world that is already far too troubled by suffering'" (p. 32).

So beautiful and pure and amazing.  I already am feeling differently from reading only this small amount from this novel.  My day two of reading begins later this evening =) and I’m really hoping I’ll get an earlier start so that I can just sit and read and absorb.

And now, the PoD for Monday, February 1st:

 

Story:  I chose three photos for today, as I have an equal amount of love for them all.  And also because they are from the same carriage door I walked past while visiting one of the ancient forts in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, in October 2008.  The detail of the hinges and the locks instantly drew me in, and I couldn't help but imagine the magnificence of the horses that would explode from these doors when leaving for battle.  That may be juvenile, but I've learned to see into objects from the world around me a little more deeply than others might.

Drop me a comment... I'd love to hear what you have to say about this batch! =)

PoD

...Or "Pic of the Day," for those of you who are acronymically challenged.  I'm not sure if "acronymically" is a word, but I'm going with it because I feel the awesomeness of it.  Sorry for the lack of a post yesterday, but our internet has been going through some serious issues; my mom was monopolizing the cable cord for the better half whole day.  So here is my PoD post for yesterday, the last day of January (I still can't believe it's February! OMGZ).

Story: I saw this half-blown-away dandelion in front of this rusty pipe around the corner from my girlfriends' house down at IU (RIP Cottage Grove!).  I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this photo, so I won't go too far into it.
Throw some love my way with any comments you may have - I love feedback! =)

Oh...

...my God.  Last night definitely got out of control faster than I was anticipating.  If I could give you details, I would, but sadly, nothing is really coming to mind.  All I really remember was calling my mom from my front door because I couldn't find my key, and I vaguely recall my key falling on the floor once I was inside.  Becki was neither pleased nor impressed.  Sorry Mom. Love ya!  Being 21st birthday drunk is okay... on one's actual 21st birthday.  I need to learn to control myself.

I have to leave for work at 3:30 and it is now 1:45.  This night is going to be tricky and painful and just all around very terrible.  I've gotten out of bed once to pee, which lasted like 45 seconds (record time in my book) and then I immediately returned to "the love sac" feeling so so rotten.  I hope I can kick this soon - my stomach is almost back to feeling normal-hungry and not hungover-and-then-you-eat-and-then-you-puke-it-all-up-hungry anymore, which is a huge development.

It still hurts to open my eyes for extended periods of time, so I'm just going to post my pic of the day and sleep this off a little longer.

 

Story: Obviously this is the talked-about Bean in Millennium Park in Downtown Chicago.  No specific story here, other than the fact that I used iPhoto to do some color changes.  I took this picture in August, so it reminds me of the warmer days, that, hopefully, are coming back soon!  I hope you enjoy this photo as much as I, and can appreciate the sepia-ness of it without thinking of "Antiques Roadshow." =)

36

...is the number of days it has been since my last post.  I decided to take this brief hiatus from providing the public with my innermost thoughts and ramblings to allow myself to take a step back and figure things out.  And also to deal with an immense case of writer's block.  Like my fellow blogger, Jeff Wang (read: Wang... haha), I, too, have returned to the blogosphere more ready than ever to create some mind-blowing posts.

A lot can happen in 36 days.  For example: a cousin getting married; spending time with those rarely-seen family members (everybody's got some); Christmas/New Year's Eve; interviewing for an amazing position at an amazing company; not being hired for said position at said company; ending a long-term relationship; engaging in too many nights with lots of binge drinking (woops); visiting besties at IU; hating the current job; wanting more from life; etc...

The title of my blog, "Some Semblance of Sanity," if you've already forgotten, was wisely chosen with the help of another fellow blogger of mine, Vanessa Castellano (click this --> Tangent_City).  We both enjoy the occasional incorporation of alliteration, so why not use this literary device as the title for my blog?  I picked it because a) my life could be a little more sane, and b) all those s's remind me of snakes... and Severus Snape.

Obviously with my time off, I've conquered and triumphed over my hindering case of writer's block, hence me writing right now.  I have also decided to provide my audience, albeit presumably minute, with a photo of the day (taken by me because I've got some pretty decent skills) post, and, hopefully, a book of the week post.  Due to possible time constraints, I can't guarantee that I'll be able to do a weekly book post, but the photo post is completely doable.  Plus, that will make me get out and use my camera more than I have been as of late.  If you're wondering how I'm going to find all of these books to read, don't.  I went to this website that is so amazing and so perfectly simple; it is called The Book Seer, pronounced as "see-ur" (website here: BOOKS!), and all you do is put in the title and author of a book you've read and enjoyed, and, wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am, you've got a huge list of books with their authors that is brainstormed up from the title/author combination you just entered.  It seriously is so great, and I am so excited to start reading!  First up is Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert; I didn't get this book title from The Book Seer, though.  I've been wanting and needing to read this book ever since she was interviewed by Oprah.  =)

I'm out of here for tonight, but, as promised, here is my photo of the day:

 

Story: Max, my younger brother, and I were in our backyard, and this little man loves to garden, so he was watering plants and checking on his herbs (I know, stop it, he is too perfect).  He was so excited to show me this worm he found, and I completely adore this picture because of the dirt on his hands and how his hands are arranged.  I love this child with my whole life, and this picture just reminds me of how big his heart is, and how much he loves everything in the world. I hope you enjoy!