#whati'mlisteningto

Bear with me. Some of these aren't exactly easy to find on YouTube, and I decided that audio quality was more important than video quality. If they don't work because embedding has been disabled, watch them on YouTube. It doesn't make sense to me either, but trust me, it's worth it.

Some are old favorites, some are new loves, and mostly I hope that you enjoy them all.

1. "This Side" - Nickel Creek

2. "Brand New Shoes" - She & Him

3. "First Single" - The Format

I have no idea where this video came from, and I'm 99% sure it has nothing to do with The Format, but it was the best audio I could find. The milk cartons are hilariously ridiculous, though.

4. "I Woke Up in a Car" - Something Corporate

Old-School Andrew McMahon. Can we please talk about his hair? Is that an eyebrow ring I see? Is it bad that I can't help but love him? No, not at all. You'll see why.

5. "Swim (Music Box)" - Jack's Mannequin

I told you you'd see why I love him.

That's a wrap!

Ok, one more for good measure...

austin.

Some kid called me “lady” at the pool last week. Raise your hand if you saw that one coming. Yeah, me either.

Then again, a day later a woman asked me if I was in high school. Go figure.

None of that has much to do with my life right now, but I digress.

I just moved to Austin and due to my surprising lack of internet access, I’m a little behind on the blog updates. Here’s my feeble attempt to catch up.

Two weeks ago when I packed the bare minimum of things I thought I’d need in Austin, I’ll admit that I had mixed feelings. I was excited to be moving to a new place (where I knew only one person, who I hadn’t spoken to in four years), starting a new job, meeting new people, and starting the next chapter in my life. I was also terrified. Terrified of the future, of being a grown up, of uprooting myself to a city I didn’t know with people I didn’t know and having to make it on my own. But I think all of that is part of taking chances in life. There’s no excitement without a little bit of fear, just as there is no real joy without the acknowledgment of pain. At least that’s how my mind works.

Now that I’m here, the fear is gone. I’m genuinely happy in this city. Sure, it’s not perfect. Yes, there’s some traffic on my way to and from work, but it’s nothing compared to Houston, and the worst part about the city for me so far is how terrible the drivers are. And yes, I’ve gotten lost on numerous occasions despite the GPS my dad bought for me. But even when I’m lost, I’m more upset at how my GPS is shouting directions at me as I pass the street I’m meant to turn on than I am about being lost in the first place. Even when I don’t know where I am, I’m just happy to be there. Except for the time I ended up near the Travis County Correctional Facility in East Austin. That one wasn’t as much fun. But I had been driving for so long, I’m not even sure I was still in Austin, technically speaking.

Did I mention I’ve made some new friends? The girl I’m living with is one of the most genuinely nice people I’ve ever met. She and my one friend mentioned above have been carting me around introducing me to new people, who I’ve subsequently become friends with. And all of these friends have been nothing short of wonderful. The same goes for the people I work with. I remember starting my job wondering if I was going to be lonely for a little while until people warmed up to me. After all, most of them had been there for a long time and the rest had all started the week before me and had already gotten to know each other. But everyone has been nothing but nice to me. I haven’t had to eat lunch by myself, and we’ve even hung out after work. It also doesn’t hurt that my office (I know, I have an office. With a door. With my name on it. I think it’s weird too) is in a high traffic area, so people come by and talk to me a lot. Plus, the interns (who are mostly in grad school or law school, and are my age or older) sit within earshot of me, so even if we’re not technically in the same room, we may as well be. I’ve listened to more conversations about the World Cup in the past week than I ever have before. And I joined a slow pitch softball team with the rest of the people on staff! We had our first two games on Thursday, I got lost on my way to the park so I missed most of the first game (cue the Travis County Correctional Facility), but I had a lot of fun hanging out with the rest of the staff, even if I feel like I’m twelve years old around them. Keep in mind that they’re not much older than me, but I lack the life experience that they have. Who knows. I’ll catch up. In the meantime, I’m just having fun. I’m enjoying my life and the people I’m sharing it with, and I’m enjoying all of the things Austin has to offer. A few of the interns and I went on Wednesday to Blues on the Green in Zilker Park, and it was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. There’s also an Irish pub downtown (I thought of Liz), a delicious coffee place down the block from where I work called Little City, and I even heard about a Glee-along at the Alamo Drafthouse (Jenna, mark your calendar for July 29th).

I feel like I’ve spent most of this post gushing about how awesome my life is, and let me assure you that it hasn’t been perfect by any means, but I feel like for the first time in a long time I’m more than just content. Maybe it’s because it’s all so new. Maybe some of it comes with the fact that I didn’t expect to like it so much here. Being an Aggie, I never really thought I’d move to Austin. Not only that, I never thought I’d move to Austin and find so many Aggies here with me. I figured I would at least learn to like living here, but I definitely didn’t think I’d love it so much.

IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN LAST NIGHT'S SERIES FINALE OF LOST, DON'T READ THIS POST.

As I sat down to watch the series finale of Lost, I had mixed feelings. I've been faithfully watching this show for six years. Through mindblowingly awesome times, and some not so much (I'm no quitter), I have loved this show with my whole heart. It's sad to see it end.

Some say there are two types of Lost fans. The first type watches for the mysteries of the show. They love the puzzles and questions that have been characteristic of the series from the first episode, and spend their time theorizing and guessing at the meaning of the Island, its inhabitants, and everything in between. The second type watches for the relationships. They care more about the people on the Island than the mystery of the Island itself. Neither is better than the other, they're just different. Personally, I'm a mixture of both.

When I began watching the show, I was the first type. I cared about the people, but mostly in the context of what the Island was doing and how it effected them. I would even argue that the Island was a character in itself. I theorized and wondered and, like many others, watched the show to get answers. But somewhere along the way, I started to care deeply about the characters. I loved Boone (I know, but he's just so pretty), Jack, Sawyer, Kate, Sayid, Mr. Eko, Hurley, all of them (except Ana Lucia, I second Jimmy Kimmel in thanking Harold Perrineau, a.k.a. Michael, for killing her in Season 2). Eventually, I even came around about Juliet.

Which is why this finale was particularly puzzling for me. The type 2 fan in me was satisfied that everyone was together and happy again, bittersweet as it was (come on, they DID all die in the end, how is that not sad). The type 1 fan felt cheated. I still have questions, and while I realize that some don't need to be answered, some do. Most notably, about the final scene of the plane wreckage on the beach. Initially, I took that to mean that they all died in the plane crash in the first episode, and I felt outraged, hurt, and a host of other feelings that I couldn't put into words. I didn't cry the entire episode (tearing up doesn't count), but when I saw that wreckage, the tears came in full force. I realize now that it could've just been the wreckage as it stood when the show ended (after all, even if the castaways wanted to clear it, they'd have no where to put it), but still, it's how I saw it. Then came the questions. Did I really just waste six years of my life following a show in which all of the characters died in the first episode? But then what about Juliet, Ben, and Desmond? They weren't on Oceanic 815. Yes, Desmond could've died when his boat crashed, bringing him to the island, but that still doesn't explain Ben, Juliet, and the rest of the Dharma Initiative who apparently came by boat or submarine. And am I the only one who remembers the producers saying that the island WASN'T purgatory?! Until the very end, I clung to that fact and was comforted by it. That being said, maybe sideways-world was purgatory. I can get on board with that theory. At least that way I don't feel like this was all for nothing. Operating under that theory, everyone didn't die in the first episode, and the island was real. And can I just say that I was incredibly happy that Hurley ended up being the protector of the island? And when he asked Ben to be his number 2, I'll admit that I teared up.

I'm proud of the characters and who they've become, and in that I feel good about the end. I just want some sort of reassurance that I didn't waste the past six years of my life watching a show in which every character died in the first episode.

Needless to say, I'm excited to hear what others think of it.

taking chances

So there's this show Glee, perhaps you've heard of it.

If you're friends with me, chances are you have. It's only one of the best shows on TV right now.

On another, somewhat related note, I've recently been having a semi-existential life crisis. I have spent the better part of the last 21 years of my life doing exactly what was expected of me, and one day I woke up and decided I wanted more than that. And while I don't exactly know what that looks like, I'm excited about figuring it out along the way. I know I won't always get things right, but life's about falling down and picking yourself up again, brushing the dirt off of your knees and moving forward.

I'm graduating in less than a month and literally have no idea what I'm doing, and am surprisingly okay with that. For the first time in my life, I don't have a plan. It makes me feel like the sky is the limit.

This brings me back to Glee (I know, this seems erratic). They're having an open casting call, and I've decided to give it a shot. So I made an audition video, uploaded it to myspace (yes, myspace. I know. I haven't been on myspace since high school either), and now it's time to wait and see what happens. If you really love me, you'll go to the website, find me (don't worry, there's a search bar), and give me a gold star. But if you think I suck, please don't tell me. I'd rather not know, and if it's not too much to ask, give me a gold star anyway, just because.

I know that this is a long shot, but it's as my mom says, "it's a long shot for everyone, and someone's going to get it." So here's to me taking a chance. I'm glad I did it.

truly, truly, heaven must feel like this.

The best description I've ever heard for Spring Awakening is that it's about "kids growing up in a world where the grown-ups hold all the cards."

These grown-ups hold their cards particularly close to their chests.

Set in late-nineteenth century Germany, it follows a group of teenagers in their attempts to figure out life despite the fact that their parents and teachers have done everything in their power to keep them in the dark. Needless to say, some handle it better than others. But in the end, it's all tragic.

Despite my usual need for things to end with roses and butterflies, I loved this musical. It was incredible. In fact, my favorite characters were those with the most tragic stories. My heart went to out to Moritz (who was, hands down, my favorite). I hate giving things away for those who haven't had the opportunity to experience something firsthand, so I refuse to write about any major plot points. If you haven't seen it, I think you're missing out. Even if all you can do is watch the pirated videos uploaded on YouTube, it's well worth watching.

I had the opportunity to experience this musical live this past weekend in Dallas. The touring cast for Spring Awakening was, in short, wonderful. I even got to meet one of my celebrity crushes circa ninth grade, Jake Epstein. If you weren't a die-hard Degrassi fan, then you won't know who I'm talking about. He played Craig Manning, who was my favorite character (hence the ensuing crush). But in Spring Awakening, he was playing Melchior, and he did an incredible job. After the show, the cast stood around the lobby accepting donations for Broadway Cares. As I walked up to him with my measly four dollars, I'm not going to lie, I was a little starstruck. I nervously told him that I loved him on Degrassi. He thanked me, looking mildly surprised that I recognized him, seeing as it was a Canadian TV show that he was on over five years ago, and we're in Texas. I felt embarrassed, but in the end I'm glad I had the courage to go talk to him. I would have regretted it otherwise.

And here begins phase one of my obsession with Spring Awakening. No judgement.

T minus 10, 9, 8...

(410): Far right against the wall...hiding come find me. dont tell oyhers hahaha

I've decided that my last two months college will go like this. Although I have no idea where I'll be in two months, I do know this: it won't be here. And because my days are numbered, I've decided to enjoy the time I have left. It's time to freely live life with the people around me, to be silly without worrying too much about what the future holds.

Don't get me wrong, I'll do what I need to do. I'll be responsible, but I think it's time for me to stop taking life so seriously. At least for now.

sorry about my silence...

I had an Audit test, sue me. Not that that's really any excuse...I have an unreal amount of time on my hands. Essentially, I have a schedule that most college students only dream about. I just procrastinated for my test, so I was swamped. What else is new?

With this extra time, I've had the opportunity to read new books! I'm really excited about that, especially because the books I've been reading are incredible.

Let me start by saying that I don't typically read Christian books, and this was the first time I had read Christian fiction. To be honest, I really didn't know what to expect. But one of my best friends adamantly recommended it, and although we sometimes have differing tastes, I trusted her enough to give it a chance.

I'm so glad I did. The books are part of a series, three in all. Set in the first century in the aftermath of the Roman conquest that conquered Jerusalem, they follow a young Jewish girl named Hadassah and a German warrior named Atretes.

My goal for this post is to not ruin any major plot points for people who haven't read these books yet. I will say, however, that watching Hadassah cling to her faith in the Lord in the face of unspeakable tragedy is incredible to say the least. Taken prisoner when Jerusalem fell, she watched her entire family die and was then sold into slavery upon her arrival in Rome. Atretes, on the other hand, belonged to a tribe of natives in Germany and was captured while Rome was attempting to conquer their lands. He was then sent to the arena where he fought as a gladiator. That's the basic premise of the books, and I don't want to go beyond that.

As I was nearing the end of the second book in the series a few nights ago, I was on the edge of my seat trying to predict what was going to happen to one of the characters. Then it dawned on me. These books don't have to follow the rules. Being the kind of girl who usually sticks to the historical fiction genre, it's a general rule of thumb that love conquers all, everything works out in the end, and although I may not be able to see how that will happen, I can trust in the fact that it probably will. Those are the rules, and I like happy endings. But in this series, it's God's will that wins out in the end, whether that makes for a happy ending or not. That being said, I was literally at a loss as far as predicting the outcome of this book. I also knew that there was a third book of which I knew nothing about, and that didn't exactly help as I anticipated every possibility. Needless to say, I finished the book quickly, and can't wait to begin the third.

So everyone should read these, because they're some of the best books I've read in a while. These are the kind of books that you can't put down, with characters that you love until the very last page.