Music is my life. Everything can be expressed, handled or just felt more deeply with the right chord or phrase. I have been blessed with some amazing friends and am still at that point where my life is an open book. If you’d like, stick around for a bit and help me write a few chapters…Just received this email… hoping it’s not true.
Laurel,
I know you don’t want to admit it, but I think you have a problem. Please please please get help! Talk to your parents, they are your best support and I’m sure they will understand. Also, I’m always available to talk about anything, good or bad. Just get help, professional help.
With this link.
I love birthdays. I love singing happy birthday, making birthday cakes, wearing the silly hats, and the whole shebang. This past Friday was one of my student worker’s 23rd birthday, but due to the boys’ all-consuming desire to desktop game (and a previously scheduled all-you-can-eat spaghetti CaresTeam dinner I was hosting), we decided to wait until Saturday to kick-off Corypalooza. The night of geeky debauchery began with a handful of us checking out the movie 21 (which I don’t strongly recommend paying more than $3 to see.) After the movie we headed out to Cory’s dinner of choice, Thai food.
Life is funny. Five months ago when I started this blog-a-day adventure I struggled with what to say each day. I’ve been spell checking my life in front of you and finally feel as if I’ve lost my sea legs. Recently I’ve taken a few days to stop and reread my life, and I’ve realized I no longer struggle with my original ‘what-to-say’ burden. Instead, after 150+ days of welcoming you into my daily world, my issue is that I have so much to share that many times things I really want to say get tossed aside for spontaneous posts of the moment. It’s not as if they are any less important than what gets posted, but sometimes there aren’t enough hours in the day to diligently write like I’d like to. What a silly place to be… too busy living to write… but longing to share the joy in those busy moments with you.
My dad has joked with me for years that I’m the Queen of Absolutes. It’s always black or white with me, yes or no, right or wrong. I’m sure in real life and reading my thoughts here you’ve noticed that. Take music, for example. Songs are always the greatest songs ever. I’m pretty sure if you counted up how many times I’ve said ‘This is my favorite song’ I’d have about 4,584 favorite songs, and that won’t change anytime soon. I’m not just a loyal fan of my favorite sports teams catching the game highlights on Sports Center. I watch them in the moment with crossed fingers and a hoarse voice. Nothing in my life has ever been done on a small scale. I don’t know how to not live with arms stretched out wide. To give it everything and hold nothing back.
For me, life is meant to be treasured and experienced. I’m not suggesting that everyone should scale Everest or ditch reality to live in the rain forest. I’m sure to some I have too much passion. I’ve heard you say I’m larger than life, intimidating, too much to handle, but no one ever doubts where my heart is. Nothing in my life is frivolous or without meaning. You see, if you’re in my life… you’re a part of my life. And if you’re a part of my life… I care about you immensely and would offer you a ride, a helping hand, a hug or a kidney if you needed it. Even though I know we’re all unique, I don’t understand people who act as if they are ok being an island… living alone and letting no one in. Yes, I probably offer way more of myself than most think is smart. But, where is the joy in walking alone? Isn’t life supposed to be about the people and the experiences and not just existing?
What does all of this have to do with blogging??? To me, everything. This space isn’t one that is filled with a theme or a thought process. It’s me offering up my life and who I am. For the longest time I wondered if my blog had less value because I wasn’t talking about politics, world affairs, or some other ginormous topic. But being real here means instead of putting a belief or cause on the line for your ridicule or judgment, I’m putting something much more precious, me. So despite the days where I’m too exhausted to bring my A-game, I’m going to keep coming here and offering you a huge chunk of who I am. I’m going to say what I need to and share even if that means 2-3 posts in a single day. But most of all, I’m going to keep living big. Keep loving big even if that means losing and hurting big. I’m going to keep being me and giving everything I have because, in the end, being on the sidelines of my life will never be enough for me.
Zac is finally blogging. Be ready to sigh, roll your eyes, groan, and hopefully laugh.
Take a five minute stroll around campus and you’re bound to find something written in pastel chalk on the sidewalks. For the past few months someone or group (I really have no clue) has been leaving words of encouragement and uplifting sayings for all to experience. Being the sappy, feel-good girl that I am, I love the unassuming happiness scrawled out in bright colors on the cold slab. I was quite surprised to find today’s message to be not only of the political slant but in the opposite direction as one would assume in Flagstaff. By Monday something new will be there for all to see, but at the end of a long week, it’s nice to see that I’m not so alone.
To make a long story short… my mom is sick. Her gallbladder has decided to become a rogue agent and turn on the rest of her organs (or so we assume). While the doctors have ruled out almost all other probable causes of her debilitating back and abdominal pain, they have yet to (with confidence) gather enough evidence to charge her gallbladder with the above crimes. Even today, when discussing her ultrasound results with her doctor, the sonogram technician seemed more concerned with her ‘missing kidney and cyst-like mass in its place’ than the actual gallbladder. (FYI – My mom still has both of her kidneys, and she and her doctor have no clue what the tech is talking about. CAT Scan, here we come!)
Anyway… in order to help her manage the pain they have presented her with the gift of Vicodin until they can fix her. I’d like to believe that Vicodin was the reason that she wore two watches to lunch on Easter. Otherwise, all I can say is… “Look at my pretty mommy who really likes to tell time.”
Nothing like pulling into Sonic with the windows rolled down and praying nothing painful comes out of your car speakers. I love her but have no idea why this song is on Lauren’s ‘country music’ playlist. As she would say… it makes you wanna punch babies.
It should come as no surprise to those who know me that I’m a HUGE early Michael Jackson fan. My parents tell a story of a lil curly-haired, chubby-cheeked girl who couldn’t quite say her R’s and L’s walking around saying… “It wiw tewwowize your naybohrhood.” (Oh, yeah. I was adorable.) I won’t lie I can sing a long to all of his songs, and while I’ve never been one to scream and sob when I see him, I do whole-heartedly enjoy and love all Michael Jackson music back from when he was black… and a boy. It’s been 25 years since Thriller was released, and while MJ isn’t really exercising his musical genius as of late, others have been reinventing some of his best efforts. Here are a few of my favorite covers off of Thriller. I promise it’s ok to sing-a-long to them. I know you know all the words, too.
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Irish balladeer Foy Vance – Billie Jean. For once, take the time and truly listen to the emotion in this song. This version truly lets the story be told.
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Why, why, tell em that is human nature Craig David…where did he go?
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Death Cab For Cutie frontman Ben Gibbard slows the dance-classic Thriller down a beat or two.
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Fall Out Boy and John Mayer… 90% of the time this combo should make you shutter, but this is pretty freakin’ badass.
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One of our favorite kid’s activities every year is our complex-wide easter egg hunt. This year we had over 300 pieces of candy and 100 prize eggs to hide for our kids. After corralling the group in the apartment while Keri hid all of the loot, we let the little monsters loose on the complex. Chaos ensued for the next hour as each of them raced to find their 14 prize eggs. I’m not sure who had more fun… the kids or the adults.
The highlight of my day had to be when my favorite 3-year old, who was sitting in my lap, told me to close my eyes and pretend to be asleep. I complied with her request and closed my eyes while continuing to chat with her dad. Out of no where she pulled back and slapped me across the face. Holy, crap did it hurt! My eyes teared up… my teeth hurt. That lil ‘angel’ throws quite a punch. Her dad was horrified but it was difficult to not laugh at her. She seemed surprised that she hit me as hard as she did, and after a hug, all was forgiven. Of course I did walk around for the rest of the afternoon with a small red hand print on my right cheek…oops!
You have to be pretty ’special’ to pull of this type of footwear. Good thing I’m up for the challenge.
(Plus, $15 Target shoes are the things smiles are made of.)
After having family here for the past 2.5 days, I’m too tired to think coherently enough to post except to say… Happy Easter! I truly hope that you find joy in this special day.
Nothing like finding lil hidden treasures like this mug at Savers (my dad’s favorite place to shop in Flagstaff.) Plus, you get the added bonus of everything smelling like mothballs and urine. Oh goody!
It’s that time of year again… March Freakin’ Madness! Holy crappamoly, am I excited! I wait all winter and early spring for the greatest 19 days of college men’s basketball where boys become men and athletes become legends. I remember being a lil girl and going with my dad and Uncle Jeff to see the first two rounds of the tournament and being completed enamored with the thrill of the game and getting to watch some of the future NBA stars vie for an NCAA championship. Of course, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve pondered if part of the reason they brought me along was because it was hard to refuse an autograph to a freckled, chubby cheeked girl. But, who am I to complain?!?!
Beyond calling in sick to watch my favorite teams play and screaming at the tv during those nail-biting, overtime upsets, one of the best parts of the tournament has to be the office bracket pools, and this year is no different. (Click here if you’d like to join in the fun.) I’ve seen men (and women) take longer to pick their 64 game winners than to do their taxes, study for an exam, or even buy a car. Should you choose your favorite team to advance further than they logically should or will that 13 seed upset that favored 4 seed? This is serious business, people. Click To Continue Reading…
