20 Years in Review

I've been gone for a bit but I am back now. maybe. Got this fun survey from Caron.

20 years ago I . . .
1. was in 3rd grade
2. wrote a 6 verse song about the Chronicles of Narnia
3. may or may not have helped start a no-boys-allowed club that met every day at recess

15 years ago I...
1. read books all the time for fun
2. was on the swim team at the YMCA
3. quit taking piano lessons

10 years ago I . . .
1. joined the judo club
2. met one of my really good friends Dan!
3. always loved wearing this shirt i had that said "me so thorny!" and had a little hedgehog on the front

5 years ago I . . .
1. got dumped and decided to stay in GA for my ph.d.
2. was just starting to play open mics in Atlanta

3 years ago I . . .
1. passed my qualifying exams on the second try

2 years ago I . . .
1. played a mini-tour in Seoul

1 year ago I . . .
1. met Imogen Heap

So far this year I . . .
1. went to my 10 yr high school reunion
2. defended my ph.d. research

1 week ago I . . .
1. cooked for my housemates
2. ate a lot of airheads candy things

Yesterday I . . .
1. watched Shaolin Soccer for the first time
2. got to be around lil kids
3. cooked dinner for the bf

Today . . .
1. edited my thesis
2. hopefully will get to paint a little bit! most of the day has been spent on the first item

Tomorrow I will . . .
1. shower!

In the next year I will . . .
1. start a real job
2. go to europe finally :)
3. get a doggy

Irony

The Ironic Item of the Day:

No, not the fact that there is major renovation going on down the hall and we have been hearing this all day.

It is actually the fact that I can send emails to everyone everywhere, on the internet, except one of the professors in my department from whom I need to get to join my committee so I can defend and therefore graduate and therefore not get in trouble with my scholarship sponsors and therefore move on with my life.

AAAAuuuughHHHH!

In other happier news:
puppies!

Friday Foto: Rock down South

Waaay down south.

here.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 30

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 30 - Your Favorite Song at This Time Last Year
"Summertime" - MB

Yay more girlypopacoustic.

This is the end of the 30.. NOW what will I do when I need a break from my werk??!

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 29

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 29 - A Song From Your Childhood
"Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes"

those are the lyrics...
i used to know how to sing it in Spanish too!

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 28

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 28 - A Song That Makes You Feel Guilty
"They" - Jem

sometimes I wish I would have continued breakin.
i could have been a lot better by now!
take it away bboys

Remixed:

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 27

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 27 - A Song That You Wish You Could Play
"Sonata Pathetique" - Ludwig van Beethoven

First Movement:

Second Movement:

Third Movement:


I have tried to learn this many times and have never finished.
Beethoven was a genius.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 26

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 26 - A Song That You Can Play on an Instrument
"Happy Birthday to You" - for the jumbled mess that is the author information click here .

Give me a few minutes and I can play this song on probly most instruments. :)
If you don't know this song perhepps it's time to stop living under a rock. Unless you've immigrated or are visiting from another country, in which case I guess you're off the hook.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 25

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 25 - A Song That Makes You Laugh
"Winter" - Saturday Night Live - The Lawrence Welk Show

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 24

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 24 - A Song That You Want to Play at Your Funeral
"Wildflowers" - Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers

a) this one took me awhile to figure out..
b) i dunno if i'd be physically capable of actually playing this at my funeral
c) but it would be a good song to be played, perhaps by someone who is not me...

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 23

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 23 - A Song That You Want to Play at Your Wedding
"Until You" - Dave Barnes

I dont know that i would want it during the ceremony. but it'll have to be in the reception mix somewhere. The first time I heard this I was at one of DB's concerts and I spent the whole song with my jaw dropped open because the song was so lovely. he definitely saw me halfway through and smiled at my astoundedness.

Coming in at a close second is this one:
"God Gave Me You" - Dave Barnes

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 22

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 22 - A Song That You Listen to When You're Sad
"Rain" - Patty Griffin

and

"Elevator" - Sheila Nichollsthis song blew my mind the first time i listened to it. it is heavy and trudges in the valleys with its weight. it's yet undiscovered by the youtubers.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 21

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 21 - A Song That You Listen to When You're Happy
"Parade" - Garbage


it's the 2nd Garbage song in a row but when i'm on top of the world it's this in my headphones.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 20

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 20 - A Song That You Listen to When You're Angry
There are actually two songs I listen to when I'm angry, depending on my mood.

shakey-fist, just-need-to-be-angry-for-a-second mood:
"I Think I'm Paranoid" - Garbage


just-breathe, calm-it-down mood:
"Strawberry Kiss" - Orien (Dub Police)

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 19

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 19 - A Song From Your Favorite Album
"Who Are We Fooling" - Brooke Fraser


(note: listen in HD, it sounds much better!) This song is from the album Flags. I don't really have an all-time favorite album - it rotates and changes from month to month, but I think this group of songs is amazingly written, and was probably my favorite album in 2010.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 18

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 18 - A Song That You Wish You Heard On the Radio
"Fallen For You" - Sheila Nicholls



When I played out more I used to cover this song a lot and the chord progressions always got my brain turned in knots. I love her songwriting and vocals. Weighty and daring at times. Thanks, Robert, for writing her name on the whiteboard in that room in ESM, oh i guess its been 3 or 4 years now since that day ...

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 17

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 17 - A Song That You Hear Often on the Radio
"Don't Turn Around" - Ace of Base



I really don't listen much to the radio except for 90s weekend these days. :)

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 16

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 16 - A Song That You Used to Love But Now Hate
Every song I wrote before I came to Atlanta...

I was stumped on this one for awhile.

There were a handful of songs that I wrote before I arrive in the ATL. One of them I even remember I used to play for everyone. I've grown a lot musically since then, and it's embarrassing to remember those tunes now. I don't think I quite hate them, but I would never listen to them now. At least not without making odd faces and whining.

I've erased them from my memory. Don't even ask!

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 15

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 15 - A Song That Describes You
"Amber" 311

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 14

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 14 - A Song That No One Would Expect You to Love
"Like That" Pantyraid

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 13

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 13 - A Song That Is a Guilty Pleasure
"Stronger" - Britney Spears



heheeeee
*dances and kicks chairs*

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 12

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 12 - A Song From A Band You Hate

The word "band" is used loosely today.
I'm not a fan of William Hung.
Also the word "hate" is a strong word.

You can look him up on youtube if you really want to hear/see him singing any songs...

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 11

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 11 - A Song From Your Favorite Band
"Ryan's Song" - Venice Is Sinking. and "What" - Odist





in this case favorite means that if i can go see a show by these guys, i will!
and in this case it was a tie between my two current favorite bands.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 10

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 10 - A Song That Makes You Fall Asleep
"instant gods out of the box" - Arovane



I have listened to this song and the whole album numerous times on nights when there are parties going on downstairs or roommate is doing late night cooking or etc. and it's helped me fall asleep every single time!!! The only time it didn't work was when we were sleeping out in the Wadi Rum desert and it was about 40 degrees out.

:)

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 9

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 9 - A Song That You Can Dance To
"Shake It" - MetroStation



And the Miley version:


:D Happy Friday!!!!

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 8

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 8 - A Song That You Know All the Words To
"Earth" - Imogen Heap



It's coming up on one year since this sweet awesome evening. :)

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 7

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 7 - A Song That Reminds You of a Certain Event
"The Sound of Silence" - Brooke Fraser covering Simon & Garfunkel

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 6

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 6 - A Song That Reminds You of Somewhere
"Lost!" - Coldplay

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 5

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 5 - A Song That Reminds You of Someone
"Like A Stone" - Audioslave

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 4

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 4 - A Song That Makes You Sad
"Canvas" - Imogen Heap



Maybe it makes me not so much sad as it does melancholy and descended into the darkened depths of my psyche...but I listened to this song and only this song for probably about a week or two after I first heard it.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 3

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 3 - A Song The Makes You Happy
"Something In the Water" - Brooke Fraser



This song makes me somewhat forget the fact that I spent the last hour cleaning up the overflowed toilet.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 2

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 2 - Your Least Favorite Song

Not even gonna link this one.

UNK - Walk It Out

30 Songs in 30 Days: Song # 1

There's this thing. Called Facebook. A hot mess of social media madness. Sometimes it's tempting to just filter all of it away. But once in awhile a great viral video or hilarious status update comes through, or even better, people give you free virtual cupcakes. Whoaaaa

I stumbled upon a thing called 30 Days, 30 Songs. I love music so I think I will do it, but on my blog and not as a part of a fb group or community. This is day 1, and day 1 is your favorite song.

30 Songs in 30 Days: Day 1 - Your Favorite Song
"All You Wanted" - Michelle Branch


I'm not sure if I want to write too much about why each day I have chosen each song... I might every so often. For today I will just say that my "current favorite" often changes artist/band or genre even but I've always returned to this song and love hearing it every time. :)

x

Friday Foto & a little re-assimilation

More and more I've been realizing that to some, being able to experience other cultures, and perhaps even the desire to do so, is a tremendous blessing that not everyone is able to partake in. It may be the thing that finally breaks down this wall between "us and them"... Actually some people don't really even want to break it down like that. Which makes me really sad. There is so much more going on in the world, in the universe, even, that is bigger than decades of assumptions, ulterior political motives, discrimination, ostracizing, and a lot of other words that make your heart sad.

I made new friends who are absolutely amazing, and really wish I'd had a little more time to spend with them. All of the places we went and the sites we saw were beautiful, old, some, literally falling apart (the 4" bruise on my hip and my banged up knee are proof of this) but so full of history and heritage.

We took a day trip to see some old Roman ruins. While we were there it was time for the noon prayer.


We also were wonderfully serenaded one night by the local musicians. I could listen to it for hours. And I could have stayed there for weeks on end.


Happy Friday, and be the change this weekend, because it does start with you. :)
(and me)
s

Friday Foto: earth_Shift

The Lovely work of Katie Lee (find it on her flickr site here):


Wide Eyed and Media Free.

Click the links above to get more info about what is going on in Japan as well as how you can donate to help.

Mondoetry: Snippets & Tees

Ocean

her eyes don't smile
and her mind is somewhere else
at least i'm not the only one tonight

i know you need
to hear from me but i've
wasted all my energy believing you were right

in this calm calamity
while the nations watch
with sympathetic eyes
is this the web of my demise

and all of my tears
are drying me up inside
when all of my fears
are buried in this landslide
there is nothing we can do
we have nowhere left to climb
but these mountains
deep
deep
beneath the ocean

remembered by rhymes
or have we stepped outside of time

(c) 2011 Stephanie Mma

* tribute to the tsunami and earthquake victims from the past weeks, the latest being the one which happened in Japan.
* donate to relief efforts through the American Red Cross here: http://rdcrss.org/ekK3rr.

AND NOW...

for some not-so-somber news. I had the privilege and opportunity to help out the owner of a sweet t-shirt company, Sock Monkee, with their new 2011 spring designs via being in some shots for the Look Book. The shirts are sweet and have a nostalgic jetsons/retro/spacey comic feel to the designs and .. well .. they're pretty awesome. You just have to look and see. (psst that's not me in the pic but i think that shirt is my fave.)

Check out the new Sock Monkee designs here: http://www.sockmonkee.bigcartel.com/ and get you some Sock Monkee t-shirts!!!!!!!!!!

Friday Foto: Chow-woww

The best of the best, I guess! Some more fun photos from the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show from last month here.

Randomly. I think I miss having a dog sometimes. They are always good for company and leave you lots of presents everywhere! not always the good ones... I need to do a little more work before going to see friends and doing one last show before the guys head out to sxsw this year. Kind of wish I were going with them, but I would probably care more if I had less to do for school at this hour...

Have a good weekend kids!
x

Twenty-Six Things...

...that make me smile.

26. the beach
25. dubstep
24. the top of the mountain
23. downshifting
22. road trips
21. ridiculous sunglasses
20. dadgum good music (the latest being: Hank Hall)
19. wind in my face
18. rooftops
17. summer nighttime
16. humorous street art
15. visual texture
14. vintage guitars
13. an empty house on a rainy day
12. high ceilings
11. stargazing out of the city
10. references to old school video games
9. my favorite pants
8. puppies
7. chubby babies
6. people watching
5. rock climbing
4. long walks on the beltline when no one else is there
3. traveling off the beaten path
2. blank journals
1. being home

In other news... of the slightly creepy genre: one of my good friends has put together this short film... check it out.

A Feud for your Thoughts

So the past two weeks have been pretty crazy. In one part of my life things have started to clear up and at times I feel like I am moving into a place where I can breathe a little and focus a little more on the tasks at hand.

In another part of my life I have started to remember what it's like to be vulnerable to being hurt by the people you care about. Nothing that has happened per se, but it was one of those situations where, if I could speak metaphorically, you reach eagerly for the rose and feel a little thorn and it makes you extra careful in the future handling situations, at least until you get relaxed again and grab too quickly again... It's been awhile since I walked in this and it's difficult to not let myself shrink back when I think about the potential for wounded-heart whether or not you were wounded by another on purpose... I'm not one to rush into anything but I'm also not very casual about relationships, of any kind.



Is a "soul mate" is really what I think it is? Or is there a little naievete on my part needs to be dealt with?

In other, less-serious and less-introspective news, last week the local grocer was having the 10 for $10 sale on my favorite drink. I know you don't have to buy ten to get the discount but I did anyway. And I enjoy it so much I am willing to do some blatant product advertisement for it.


Also there is a new member of the family that I'll have to introduce very sooon. No not like that. This is the four-wheeled kind. :) And I am really liking the as-yet-to-be-named beauty. Hopefully i'll get a shot in time for the FridayFoto but we'll see. :)

Latest obsession (besides the car): Supakitch and koralie paint a freaking wall. Their websites are, respectively: here and here. I aspire to that level of creativity!!!!! *falls over* Thanks to Vmoney for showing me that!

Parting thoughts:
If you could only do one thing for the rest of your life what would that be (professionally, barring "im not qualified" etc. assume you are qualified and able.)?


toodles.

Mondangity-dangity

Really randomly found this. After an inspiring facebook ad, I suddenly had the urge to type in "watermelon house" in the google search bar. To redeem myself there will be a more lengthy post this week. :)

Happy Monday!

Friday Foto: Lantern Festival

Read more about where this festival originated here :)

Wikipedia hints that this in some places is like the Asian Valentine's day, a statement which I'm skeptical of, but perhaps some smart fellows figured out that there is nothing says romance like walking among floating lanterns and being around giant paper lanterns that you let float off into the night.

xx

Happy Valentine's Day

A belated Friday Foto. And an early Mondoetry.
Happy Valentine's Day, make your own cards and stick it to the man.

I've only just stumbled upon Danny Lyon's work via a friend's facebook post. And found that a) he does not have a website, and b) many of his works can be found on a random blog.


Who Loves You
---
Wayward eyes
Wandering
Wayside roadside

Paper bag
Shadows your sighs
Silver halo
Golden aura

Step
Step
In the darkening daylight

Do you have someone who loves you
Do you need someone

who loves you

Friday Foto: Iso

Ok ok. I just love watching this. It's not exactly a photo. It's like thousands of photos all put together and viewed one right after the other.

Friday Foto: John Kenn

John Kenn's blog can be found here.

A busy dad who finds time to make art on post-it notes. Love it.
Happy Friday!

And a special shoutout to my buddy Val. Have a sweet birthday this weekend!

Mondoetry: Fringes

I was always on the outside
For you, not strong enough
Maybe this explains the ways
I want to be so tough

Endless summer
Feeling number
I close my eyes and disappear
So you won't see me there

The tears are on the inside
more and more these days
Maybe now with growing up
I will transcend this maze

Endless summer
Falling under
You can't depend on me to be
Your savior in the thunder

You can't depend on me to be
Your savior in the thunder

Oh, the Snows that you'll see...

So we got hit by some snow/ice/sleet/whathaveyou this past weekend and the city is still shut down because, well...

A) This is what we need.


B) And this is what we have.


Neither of these photos are mine. But I took a couple photos outside and will get something up when I have the chance to upload to my compy :)