Musical Pick Me Up

Here's a little mid-week music boost to lift your spirits.

Sweeney Todd (no not the play) was a classic 1970's "glam" rock n' roll band who first became famous in Canada before coming to the US and exploding onto the glam rock scene.

Here is my favorite song of theirs entitled "Roxy Roller".

Enjoy!

I found a new artist I'm simply crazy about!

Her name is Charmaine Olivia and her work is totally feminine, beautiful, and intriguing.

Charmaine is a native Southern California girl who grew up in Encinitas (my old stomping grounds) and currently resides in San Francisco.

Her blog profile description reads-

"Drawer, painter, tea-drinker, bare-footed, San Franciscan artist."

Yes, I love her.

Good Morning!!

The sun is shinning, the breeze is blowing, and the smell of spring fills the air.

What a beautiful Saturday we have on our hands.

Lets enjoy this day God's given us!!

I can't wait to see what this magical Saturday will hold.....

A Few Favorite Things...

1. Meandering the isles of Costco and sampling yummy little treats at every sample table.
2. Singing in my car with the windows rolled down.
3. Watching Tirzah (my pup) do speedy and frantic laps around my apartment after she gets a bath.
4. Worshiping with my shoes off so my feet can feel the ground beneath me.
5. Wearing yoga pants and my worn men's Hanes t-shirt around the apartment while I clean (AKA read, watch tv, and download new music)
6. Eating hummus- creamy, delicious, melt in your mouth hummus.
7. The feeling of inspiration.
8. Getting random notes of encouragement from family and friends.
9. My rough and callused fingers from playing guitar
10. OH! Why my guitar of course! Its pretty, its old, and best of all- it was my dad's.
11. Rice milk- its my latest and greatest beverage obsession.
12. Honey facial masks... especially when it drips and a little drop of honey falls into my mouth. Yum!
13. And finally, reading and writing poetry. It somehow makes my world feel more beautiful.

With all the hustle and bustle of this busy frantic life, it can be hard to remember the things that bring you joy- I encourage you to make a list. And please feel free to share it with me!! I'd love to know what brings you happiness.

Tempting Teal Tuesday!

I love the color teal, so here are a few items I found deliciously tempting....

Nail polish in any color is fun, but teal just screams summer.

Now I dont have the guts to pull off teal hair, but if I were this girl- I'd totally rock it!

Everything about this room makes me drool!! Isn't it beautifully inspiring?

The Indian fabric worn here is the epitome of teal perfection.

Can't have too many rings...

This bathing suit puts me in the mood for summer! I love the retro feel of it too!

Not Me Monday

Not Me Monday

A good dose of denial does the body good!

1. I did NOT spend my entire morning at the doctors office finding out my splotchy, red, bumpy and itchy face is due to a yucky skin disorder I have called Perioral Dermatitis.
2. I then did NOT spend hours on end arguing back and forth with the Walgreens pharmacist who refused to fill a simple prescription. And I did NOT literally consider reaching over the counter and strangling him with my bare hands until he handed over the drugs.
3. I did NOT spend my afternoon lounging in sweat pants, a Flogging Molly t-shirt, my hair in a pony, with smelly face cream on my face while watching Kirstie Alley's new reality TV show "My Big Life".
4. I did NOT convince myself that eating almond butter right out of the jar was totally normal.
5. I did NOT go spend money I dont have on the new Joan Jett movie "The Runaways" this weekend simply because I'm obsessed with Joan and her kick butt guitar skills.
6. I did NOT get caught in the car singing on the top of my lungs to Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" by the creepy old man who pulled up next to me.
7. I did NOT finally finish my box of frozen organic chocolate oreos that I swore I would save for when my niece and nephew came over.
8. And finally, I did NOT leave the house wearing jeans that were so stretched out it looked like I was carrying a load in my pants simply because I was too lazy to do laundry.

**What did you NOT do today??**

Today is beautiful.

There's absolutely no reason for why I feel such a deep love for this day- but if God has put it on my heart to simply sit back and breathe in the life around me, then gosh darn it I will.

Gone is my compulsion to incessantly change myself and my surroundings.

I am content with today.

Bring it on world.... I'm ready for you!

I am sooo in love with this tattoo!

Time for another one perhaps??

Quote of the Day

This quote struck me like a bolt of lightening....

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." ~Plato

We all have our own demons we fight- lets be understanding and supportive of others as we continue to battle in this broken world.

.... just cuz sometimes its hard to remember.

Girls and Guitars

They inspire me.....

A New Book

I've been inspired, and so I must share.

As you know, my love for literature runs deep. And while I'm most passionate about classic literature, I also refuse to put myself in a box. After all, what makes one book "classic" and another just "regular". The concept is nonsense if you ask me. I desire to love and embrace all literature. I want to learn, grow, and challenge myself through the written word. And so my journey begins.

A friend of mine, and now a fellow blogger as well, recently wrote a post about a piece of literature she read- one in which I'm sure you've all heard of before, entitled "Eat, Pray, Love".

Ok I know what your thinking- that is NOT a Christian book. And your right, its not. But for months now I have continually been intrigued by the title and the pages beneath the cover. It wasn't until I read my friend's blog that I decided I needed to read it for myself. I'm excited about this journey, but mostly I'm excited to challenge and make stronger my own spiritual beliefs.

So here I go!

And I'd also like to leave you with the link to my friends blog post so you can read her beautifully written thoughts regarding this fascinating book.....

CLICK HERE

(Thanks KK for the inspiration!!)

I've officially decided I love the band Bon Iver.

I have to be in a certain frame of mind to listen to their songs, but when I feel a sense of inner contemplation coming on, I can't hit the play button fast enough.

I'm not sure I can explain what it is their music does to my soul- but it's as if their melodies have a way of untangling my thoughts and allowing me to think clearly. I can almost breathe it in like I would fresh clean ocean air.

I know what your probably thinking....

"Oh great here comes another video she's going to upload of a band she wants me to hear."

Nope- not today.

Today I'm going to let you make the choice to explore the world of music if you so desire. I encourage you to surf the web, find new artists, get inspired, and learn to tap into the sounds that move your spirit.

What a wonderful God we have to create for us something as beautiful as music. Secular or not- God's fingerprints can be found on every note played.

So listen to a song and simply let it be. Let it exist and linger on without judgement or resistance. Let yourself feel whatever emotion is conjured up. And remember to always listen to what it is you like- not what other people tell you to like. At the end of the day its far better to be yourself than be a fraud.

I've learned this lesson the hard way.

Happy St. Patricks Day!

Wow is it really already St. Patricks Day?!?

Crazy how the time seems to fly by these days.

Although I may not look Irish (those darn Italian genes are just so freakin' strong!), I am proud to say I do have quite a bit of Irishness in me thanks to my green eyed, freckly, Irish mother of mine. So to all who celebrate this holiday- which I honestly still dont know what exactly it is we're celebrating- Happy St. Patty's Day!

And dont forget to wear green and drink lots of beer..... sigh it is a great holiday indeed.

In spirit of St. Patricks Day, I'm including in this post some of my current favorite GREEN things.

Loving the green nail polish- its strikingly unexpected.

I never start my morning without my cup of hot green tea. Delicious and good for you!

Although I almost never wear heals anymore, the girly side of me still lusts over a good pair of Christian Louboutin pumps... and this is quite simply a perfect shade of green.

Hello- cant get much better than green colored cupcakes.

Call me strange but I'm in love with this green gypsy caravan. I would totally live there!

This abandoned ferris wheel takes my breath away every time I see it. Its definitely quite magical!

Oh and How could I forget?!? St. Patricks Day wouldn't be complete without a little Irish music. Here is a clip of one of my many favorite bands, Flogging Molly.

I was privileged enough to see them in concert last summer, and yes- the concert and audience was just as crazy and lively as in this video....

Artist of the Week:

Jenny Lewis

While I'll admit that my musical mood continues to remain in the Janis Joplin realm, you'll be happy to hear I've branched out and recently discovered a new artist I wanted to share with everyone. Her name is Jenny Lewis and everything about this girl- from her look, her sound, her guitar skills, and her moving performances- makes me want to live the life she leads. Jenny is both a solo artist as well as the lead vocalist and guitar player in the indie band Rilo Kiley. Previously a child actor, Jenny has been known to wear many hats in the industry, but perhaps her greatest is that of singer/songwriter. Her seductively mesmerizing and feminine vocals have captivated audiences world wide, while her often movingly honest lyrics make you feel as if she is bearing her soul to only you.
Here are two clips- one is a live performance of her hit single "Acid Tongue", while the second one is of her band Rilo Kiley singing "With Arms Outstretched".

So sit back and let Jenny's melodic sounds flow over you......

Curry Is My Enemy

Remind me to never again eat anything made with curry sauce.

Last night as I searched my fridge and cupboards for something edible to eat for dinner- I stumbled across what looked like a yummy jar of curry sauce I had totally forgotten about. I tried looking for the expiration date, but after failing to find one I figured if it smelled fine chances are it was still good.

Bad assumption!

My entire night and whole morning have been filled with nothing but food poisoning hell. My poor stomach feels like its being ripped outta me.

So its official- I now have an intense aversion to anything made with curry- yuck!!

All I can say is thank goodness its spring break and I can lounge on the couch feeling barfy all day if I need to.

But on the bright side, day time tv is quite fascinating and totally amusing to make fun of. And hello- why oh why is the Jerry Springer show still on television?!? It should be made illegal.

Not Me Monday

Since I'm on spring break and essentially have nothing to do and no where specific to be (thank the lord!) I thought it'd be the perfect time to bring back some of my old blog post favorites.

Which can only mean one thing......

Its time for.....

Not Me Monday!!!

1. I did NOT wake up at 2am this morning and wander into my kitchen for a midnight snack of frozen organic chocolate Oreo cookies- and I do NOT insist on using the word "organic" to make myself feel better when talking about my oreo cookie splurges.
2. I did NOT scream out loud at my guitar this morning when attempting to play Angel from Montgomery for the millionth time!!
3. I am NOT considering going to see a movie alone this afternoon in order to check off another item from my "To Do Before I Die List"
4. I do NOT currently have a fridge full of nothingness due to my laziness when it comes to grocery shopping.
5. I am NOT currently reading 3 different books at once because of my inability to choose just one and stick with it.
6. I did NOT get extremely impatient and literally start tapping my foot at the old man in front of me at Dunkin Donuts who insisted on ordering coffee for what seemed like an entire army.
7. And last but not least, I am NOT looking forward to watching Real Housewives of New York as the highlight of my week.

Magical Saturday

It's Saturday!!!

And what a glorious Saturday it was. I managed to fill my day with nothing but friends, literature, music, and movies until my heart was content.

I started off the morning by attending a poetry club at an adorable coffee shop in downtown Phoenix called "Hob Nobs" (and yes it is now officially my new favorite place to hang out!)

Any coffee shop that resembles an eclectic living room, contains walls covered in local art, has killer chai tea lattes, and live music every Friday and Saturday night, is considered a little slice of heaven in my book.

After Hob Nobs, Kalie and I ventured into our favorite used book store where we picked up an arm full of books to purchase and wept over all the ones we had to leave behind. I walked away with three fabulous finds, including-

1. A beautiful old hard cover version of Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. To top it off, this specific copy is of Emily Bronte's unedited original version.... I couldn't contain my excitement when I laid eyes on it.

2. An even older hard cover version of Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, which includes two alternate endings Dickens originally wrote before deciding upon the ending he would eventually publish.

3. And finally, a copy of Dubliners by James Joyce.

But before I left the store, something in the corner caught my eye, and behold it was love at first sight! What was it you ask??? Only the single handed greatest collection of music to ever exist-

Yes, thats right I'm talking about the incredible 25 year anniversary box set of Woodstock 69'. Not only does it include a book of pictures from the epic concert, but it also contains four discs of every live song played at Woodstock, plus a disc of previously unreleased material!!!! Ahhh!!! I almost cried. And to top it off I only paid $20 when it retails for approximately $130.

(This is the only picture I could find of the outside of the box- it doesn't do it justice!)

After my adventures at the used book store, Kalie and I settled into our comfy clothes and watched a few movies while lounging on my couch. It was a glorious day indeed.

Spring Break

Wait what?!?

It's what??
SPRING BREAK YOU SAY!?!?

That's right, Spring Break is officially here, and I for one am stoked to have 9 whole days off of school and work! I have absolutely no idea what I will do with my time, but I have a sneaking suspicion most of it will be spent reading, playing guitar, hanging with girlfriends, and sleeping. And to kick start this glorious break, I'm spending today with a few very special people-

~At 11:00 my lovely mentor is coming over for a cup of tea and some catching up.

~At 3:00 my fellow guitar playing and music loving friend is comin over for a little jam session.

~And this evening my girlfriend Kalie and I are going to have a much needed all girls night sleep over at my apartment- wine, movies, music, and laughter all included!

I am so very blessed to have such great friends in my life- all of whom consistently inspire me and challenge me on a daily basis.

Oh and I almost forgot- here's a special little shout out of thanks to my mom who for no reason at all, bought and shipped me my dream pair of rain boots I had been lusting over for weeks now.

Aren't they incredible?!? I'm totally in love.

Can you say "guitar lust"?!?

I love this guitar so much it hurts.

One day I'll own the Gibson Melody Maker- but for now, baby steps....

Practice Makes Perfect... I hope

Ok so I'll admit it, I'm currently a bit obsessed with learning how to play the guitar- after all I do have somewhat overly ambitious goals in mind (but I'll keep those to myself for the time being). Playing guitar is like a roller coaster- there are multiple highs and lows to contend with on a daily basis. Some days I love it and could practice for hours on end, yet some days I hate how much my fingers hurt from incessant chord changes that don't seem to improve. But despite it all, I'm absolutely in love with my guitar, and so I press on. I try to remind myself that even Joan Jett, my female guitar rocking idol, was self taught and eventually improved with practice. Today I stumbled upon a quote of Joan's and it was just the encouragement I needed, so I've decided to share it with you....

"Work through your calluses. Practice to your favorite records. Find some friends to play with just for fun. Practice, practice, practice! Even if its just mindless strumming, I do that all the time. Just keep your hands working!"

I'll get it- someday I'll get... just you wait and see!

What I did Today

It's raining here in Arizona today, so I've decided to take this opportunity to mess around on my guitar and let the creative juices flow.... but then I got frustrated and needed a break so...

I checked my email- boring.

I flipped on the TV- super boring.

I drank some home made hot coco- yummy!

I stood in the middle of my living room admiring the eclectic home I live in- it made me happy.

I pulled open all my blinds to watch the down pour of rain- beautiful... for like 5 minuets, then I got bored again.

I dug through all my old jewelry and put on 4 bracelets, 5 rings, and two different earrings- so pretty!

I got hungry so I ate hummus and fresh veggies- surprisingly unsatisfying.

I turned on a little Cat Stevens and got the urge to paint- but I have no supplies.

I checked my favorite website (The Selby) - and decided I wanna be her...

...and then I remembered how much I like being me.

So what am I doing now??

I dunno- my day is filled with endless opportunities, and I kinda like it that way.

Lets just say if all bus stops look like this one, I would be all about taking local transportation!

On second thought- buses still freak me out, so I might just hang in the bus stop and read... yes that'd be fun.

Artist of the Week

Artist of the Week:

Suzi Quatro

The only thing I love more than classic rock n' roll, are women who can actually play classic rock n' roll! There's something empowering about a woman who isn't scared to pick up an electric guitar and jam with the boys.

If you dont know who Suzi Quatro is- you should! When Suzi came onto the music scene in the early 70's, she rocked the world like no woman had before. Suzi quickly became an idol for women aspiring to make their mark in the music world- including Joan Jett who as a teenager used to sit outside Suzi's hotel hoping to get just a glance of Suzi passing by. Joan eventually became notoriously known for copying Suzi's signature look of performing on stage in all leather- something no woman before Suzi had ever done.

What I admire most about Suzi is her grounded and down to earth perspective on life. In an recent interview Suzi was quoted as saying,

"My father instilled a professional attitude in me, that this is a job, so I'm able to leave it all up there and come off the stage and be normal. This is what a lot of people get wrong. You dont need to live the rock star life off-stage, it's boring. Leave it where it belongs and be normal."

Some of Suzi's greatest hits include:

Can the Can

48 Crash

Wild One (my personal favorite)

Devil Gate Drive

Here is a clip of Suzi playing "48 Crash" in 1973.

Re-vamping

Things are a changin' in my life.

Instead of fearing the change, I've decided to embrace it.

I'm taking this opportunity to start over fresh.

There is no limit to what I can do.

So in an effort to bravely face this new journey, I've decided to make a few life changes....

one of which is my apartment.

I have a tendency to get bored with things rather quickly.

You see, I'm rapidly approaching my one year mark of living in Arizona, but one whole year of the same apartment is starting to wear on my nerves. So in an attempt to mix things up, I've been hard at work re-vamping my apartment.

Nothing too big or drastic- just a few changes here, a little sprucing up there, and maybe a couple new touches sprinkled all around.

But while I'm knee deep in cleaning and redecorating, I figured I'd post some pictures of a few homes I find rather inspiring.....

(FYI- I am totally lusting after this incredible home library!!)

Hmmmm.... I think I'm totally digging COLOR right now!
Pictures of my new and improved apartment coming soon...

Photo Shoot

I may be a bit biased, but in my opinion my sister is the greatest photographer on the planet. This weekend Bri did a photo shoot with me and my two best friends- It was beyond a magical experience, and the pictures turned out better than I ever thought they would.

I'm planning on doing a post of this photo shoot sometime soon, but until I can get the hard copies of the photos to upload, here is a link to the site where you can view them

http://www.briandersonphotos.com/blog/2010/03/magical/

ENJOY!!!

Alice

I've been on the countdown to the premier of Alice in Wonderland for months now, and the time has finally come!! This Friday the crazy magical world of Wonderland is coming back to life in a more theatrical and fabulous way than ever before. It simply does not get better than Tim Burton when it comes to creating a world of outrageous fantasy that often dangerously borders on creepy and frightening. Burton's sense of darkness juxtaposed with a lighthearted flounce, are the perfect combination for a story such as Alice in Wonderland.
Oh how I wish we could all escape life for but a moment in time and fall down the magical rabbit hole. Wonderland is my ultimate fantasy.... I want to explore it.

And in honor of such an event, I've decided to take it upon myself to explore Alice's world of wonder by reading Lewis Carroll's classic novels, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. I couldn't help myself from buying the book when I laid eyes on this beautiful copy-