A Midwinter Day's Waking Dream

Do you ever wonder what it is to be normal? I don't mean in an oh-my-gosh-nobody-gets-me kind of way... but more of a look-at-that-person-doing-that-normal-thing-so-casually way. I have realized something just today: I really miss writing. 

There are a lot of things that roll around in my mind while I make art, and I generally hijack discussions about my art as a time to all at once unload the passing thoughts I've had over the course of weeks. Honestly, I blame Evan. I can think of at least three ways to blame him, my boyfriend/fiance/partner (I'm not really sure where this relationship is going, other than forward, so I'm leaving options). He'd tell me that if I can only think of three ways to blame him then I must be slipping up. 

In reality I don't actually blame him... I blame my ideas, or at least the ideas that have been supplanted in me, about blogging. In general I suffer from a condition called Listening Too Much. It's really serious. Sometimes it's misdiagnosed as Caring About What Others Think Too Much, but honestly people need to stop misusing that diagnosis. Some people believe that blogging, Twitter, Facebook, <insert social media of choice here> is just a way for people to put all of their thoughts out there that no one cares about. I can't think of any thought more hurtful to plant in someone's mind; no one cares what you have to say.

Then why write? Why make art? Why write a song? Why do anything that involves anything other than going to your job, doing what you're told, then going home and doing your duty by your wife?

I don't have any answer to these questions. I search daily to find the answers because I know they exist. Currently what it comes down to for me is that I really love communicating with people. I also like thinking. But your mind is a vast universe crashing through the cosmos with no direction sometimes, ya know? No? Maybe? I would just really like to start using my blog to get all this sediment flushed out. There are so many impactful things in our lives, and, as so many movie directors like to point out (thank you Into the Wild), why bother if at the end of the day you can't pass on your knowledge?

The world is exciting... and I'm excited to get excited again about the excitement of this exciting world. 

By the way, if you haven't seen Into the Wild, or if you haven't watched it today, or if your little sister stole it from you because she absolutely needed to have it at all times (sorry, Robert) then check it out: watch a clip here or watch the whole movie (at your own risk, because I'm pretty sure it's still illegal - 100% sure) here. 

Some Shakespeare for your enlightenment:

Oh, when she’s angry, she is keen and shrewd!

She was a vixen when she went to school.

And though she be but little, she is fierce.

Baby, I'm Coming Home

The New Year is rolling around and despite my resistance to make a resolution for the past few years, I'm trying to decide on a few for 2013. Currently those weighing most on my mind are drawing in my sketchbook more (maybe a 365 challenge) and creating a more organized plan for my posting.

2013 is a big year for me! I'm graduating from The University of Findlay with my first degree. I am applying to MFA programs at The University of Texas, KingstonUniversity, The University of Oregon, Washington State University, The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, The University of Colorado, and East Tennessee State University. There are a few more locations I am looking at but am up in the air about applying to a total of 9 masters programs.

There are so many ifs and buts floating around my head right now. What can I do but tackle each day that comes one at a time? I could be bogged down about the shear amount of work I have before me, but I'm excited about what all of that work means for me: new experiences!

In light of all this newness … here are some wonderful tracks to listen to as a reminder of the year on its way as you scroll through my roundup of Crafts I want to try from my Pinterest account.

White Winter Hymnal

Fleet Foxes

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve

EllaFitzgerald

Soon or Never

PunchBrothers

The New Year

DeathCab for Cutie

Here We Go Again

RayCharles featuring Norah Jones

Auld Lang Syne

TheCast

Travel Corkboard, found on Life Blessons

Sequin Wall, found on Oh Happy Day

Sesil Coasters, by The Space Between

Wine Cork rug from Crafty Nest

Organic Art by Paul Schick on Greige

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Summer {Music} Lovin'

I went through a lot of music this summer. A lot more than I can probably recollect. But I guess that's what happens when you constantly look for more music and buy albums. Here are some albums I bought and played the hell out of. There are several more artists I wanted to buy but music's expensive! Not as expensive as art though haha. I know not all of these are the newest, but good music isn't always the most recent (actually, it normally isn't)

Florence + The Machine's Ceremonials

Tegan and Sara's The Con

Maroon 5's Hands All Over

Fleet Foxes' Helplessness Blues

The Decemberists' The King Is Dead

Norah Jones' Little Broken Hearts

Neko Case's Middle Cyclone

St Vincent's Strange Mercy

Kimbra's Vows

And these are probably my favorite songs from each album:

Trying to pick up the pace, trying to make it so I never see your face again. Time to throw this away want to make sure that you never waste my time again.

Norah Jones – Happy Pills

It's the Original Punk-Rock

Last night my friends and I went to country night at a bar in Bowling Green. Aside from how obviously fun it was, we ended up hearing a lot of country music. Go figure. Normally I would gag at the idea, because I hate listening to country music stations on the radio, even though I actually love the genre. I just can't stand most of the crap that gets played on the radio these days. Period.

However, in light of the fact that I do love country, here are some of my all time favorite songs mixed with some newly found loves. Any of these on your all-time-favorites list?

Country music is completely punk-rock. It's the original punk-rock. - Neko Case

We Listened to It Twice 'Cause the DJ Was Asleep

I'm a firm believer that you should strip the people around you for music. If you really love music, you love listening to new tunes. Here are a few examples of bands I fully appreciate and would never have found without someone else's direction (be prepared for a few blasts from the past):

my brother:

my dad:

my mom:

my exes:

other friends:

Quote about music: My music had roots which I'd dug up from my own childhood, musical roots buried in the darkest soil. - Ray Charles

Refuge Between the Notes

All I have for y'all today is some music. Sometimes music is all I have.

I like to listen to what I call Epic Music . . . and Airy Music . . . my idea is that I want to listen to the stuff that if ever a film was made about my life, THIS would be the soundtrack. I also say that my music is so epic you have to roll the windows down.

Here's a very small sample.

Quote about music: Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness. - Maya Angelou

Music Studio

I have been asked a surprising number of times what kind of music I listen to while I paint. Like... a seriously surprising number of times. So, I'm just going to let you in on a short sample playlist of what I put on in the studio.

A lot of people like to listen to popular music and there are even some people in the Art program at UF that put on techno. Let me just tell you... if you ever have to share studio space with other people and you are at all picky about music y'all should either agree on a joint playlist beforehand or both bring headphones. Whatever you do though, you must discuss the topic of music in your joint space before it becomes an issue.

Anyhow, here is the type of music I listen to:

Thoughts on music: If one plays good music, people don't listen and if one plays bad music people don't talk. - Oscar Wilde

If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On.

Music. It's such an awesome of a concept that it can stand on its own. I have met a lot of people in my life who say they love music, but few actually mean it. I am passionate about my music: I like it to build me up and to break my heart. If I can't feel some real emotion in the voice of the singer, they may as well not open their mouth. If I can't hear real passion in the guitar, they should have never strummed or plucked. Same goes with any other instrument. I also can't stand to go see live music where the whole group just looks bored with themselves. If you're bored with your music, what do you expect me to be? I can go watch a violist in the Toledo Symphony Orchestra with more vigor and passion.

I can honestly say that I listen to all music. Every type. I will admit though that I go through phases of what types I obsess over. I also know music dating back far before my arrival in this world, lost music (and otherwise), most of which could have stayed lost and no one would have cared. I remember several road trips with my mom where we sang The Carpenters songs, and listening to Aerosmith, Sheryl Crow and Jewel when I was little. In high school I went through an Outkast, Kanye, Alicia Keys and Beyonce phase. Currently I listen to Neko Case, Fleet Foxes, MirandaLambert . . just to name a few.

Today, however, I would like to share a few of my favorite jazz/blues songs. I love Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald and even though I don't listen to much of the instrumental pieces, I really enjoy the whole experience a jazz work can give you.

Oh, and who doesn't LOVE jazz drums!? Sometimes I like a song just for the drums. Check out these songs and let me know what you think. What kind of music are you listening to these days?