It`s funny how the words we never say, can turn into the only thoughts we know

I've had the thought of posting these songs since the first time I heard them.  I'm sure I've mentioned them but haven't yet given them the spotlighted they deserve.

Seriously, these songs do something to me each time I hear them.  Each and every time.  Part of it is that feeling you get when you first hear a song and it changes your life.  I seriously get that feeling each. and. ever. time.  And the other part is something I have yet to figure out.  It sort of breaks me and puts me back together, whatever it is.  

Andrew McMahon kills me every time he opens his mouth and sings.  I could literally listen to him sing the phone book and would actually pay money for it.  

Yeah, he's a ninja.  Or a Jedi Knight.  Just of music.  

And Awesomeness.     

"Restless Dream" 

Restless Dream lyrics

"Casting Lines" 

Casting Lines lyrics

I, also, love the fact that "Casting Lines"was written as a writing assignment to be the theme song for 'Parenthood'.  Damn Bob Dylan!  I love hearing "Forever Young" every time I watch 'Parenthood' but "Casting Lines" would have worked just as well.  Different feel but just as good.  Of course, I'd rather listen to Andrew over Bob any day.  I know, blasphemy to some but it's a truth to me.  


For those of you who have checked out  People & Things  but maybe haven't checked out the Deluxe version you need to!  Even if it's just for these two songs... 

iTunes Deluxe songs I LOVE from People & Things: 

"Broken Bird"

Broken Bird lyrics

"Dancing With a Gun" 

Dancing with a Gun Lyrics

Fill in the Blank Friday #18

Joining at The Little Things We Do

1.  Today is a great day because it’s Friday & I’m wearing new shoes.

2.  Tomorrow I will get to hang out with some of my most favorite girls.  We’re celebrating the April birthday’s  with pedi’s, lunch and shopping. 

3.  My favorite time of day is usually morning time  because  the day is new, it’s usually quiet and the sunlight is perfect.

4. Sometimes you just have to buy new shoes instead of groceries.

5.  A song that I just can't get enough of lately is  “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Goyte.  It has the added bonus of Kimbra, who I, also, can’t get enough of lately.

6.  My favorite accessory is my silver branch looking ring that I wear on the ring finger of my right hand.

7.  My favorite thing about this week was buying Jason Mraz tickets.

Love Is A Four Letter Word

Jason Mraz's new album Love Is A Four Letter Word is out today.  I bought the Live Is A Four Letter Word EP when it was released and needless to say I am in love.  I am sure I will feel the same way about Love...  


How can I not with songs like...


I Won't Give Up...which I posted here already.


and


"The Woman I Love"

I may be a little biased because I have been in love with this man's music since my ears heard the first words of the first song I ever heard from him (back when he was promoting Waiting for my Rocket to Come... it was some Pepsi Smash concert on the WB, I think...oh, the WB...those were good times.  Not that the CW doesn't represent it's origins cuz it does...).  It's been a 10 year love affair and it's one that I know will last a lifetime.  I have yet to see Jason Mraz NOT knock it out of the ball park on singing, songwriting, and performing.  


It doesn't hurt that he's sort of adorkable and a very vocal & active humanitarian.  He did break my heart when he broke his engagement to fellow singer/songwriter Tristan Prettyman, but that's another story.  So is his need for a good barbers trip...he's looking a little too granola for me but he does look more like an aged seasoned rocker now and who really cares what he looks like when he can sing and sweet talk a guitar like he does.


He's, of course, touring to promote this new album, so Saturday I procured two tickets for Karie & I to go when he stops in Phoenix on Oct. 2nd.  This will be our 3rd time seeing Mr. A-Z and I think I was just as stressed, nervous and excited buying these tickets as I was the last two times.  Okay, I may have been just a wee bit more excited the very first time, as first times are always just a little bit sweeter.  Karie and I went in 2008 & 2009.  I'm pretty sure there is an unwritten rule that we cannot see Jason Mraz without the other.  The sky may fall or something just as unlikely, weird and tragic.


He's playing at America West Arena US Airways Center (old habits & names die hard).  I haven't been to a concert that large since Tim McGraw or Madonna (Confessions Tour '06).  I'm not a big fan of huge concert halls.  Give me a "small" room where you are standing like sardines any day.  I don't know what it is about small concerts but I love them.  Maybe its the energy you get from being that close to the band and all the other fans who love every note and word just as much as you do.  Maybe it's being able to feel every base hit & cord played from the speakers right in front of you and the vibrations they send out all around you.  Really I don't know.  I just know that it's invigorating and no matter how crowd claustrophobic I am I still am in love with small concerts and the experience of it all.  


Not to say I don't love large concerts.  I've seen several (The Cure, Bush & No Doubt, Smashing Pumpkins...can you tell I was a teen in the mid 90's?!)  and had a great time at each but they just aren't as memorable as the smaller concerts.  Does anyone agree with me on this or am I some masochistic weirdo?  


Anyway, Karie & I are in Section D, Row 3, Seats 4-5...which are floor seats.  I have that memorized.  Yeah, I'm THAT EXCITED!  I wasn't able to buy tickets during the pre-sale(s) so I was sweating that we'd end up with "bad" seats.  I didn't want to spend the highest ticket price for "nose-bleed" seats.  I'm a concert snob...there, I admit it.  It's probably somehow a backwards concert snob but a concert snob non-the-less.  


I loved seeing Madonna (during the Confessions tour '06) but ticket prices were INSANE (I can't remember because I blocked the cash amount out) and we very much had nose bleed tickets.  We weren't the highest ticket price nor were we the lowest ticket price but most of what we could see in detail of Madonna was on the jumbo screens.  It was still an EXPERIENCE and I loved every minute of it... I mean, it's Madonna but I'm going to be more excited about a $20 ticket concert at Martini Ranch to see Live Oak Revue or William Tell.   I would have said Jack's Mannequin or Jimmy Eat World but they are my MOST. FAVORITE. BANDS. EVER. so I'd pay whatever I have to and would watch them where ever I had to.  Which is the same for Jason Mraz so I'm not really sure how I got off on this tangent.  


Brain.  Focus.  Now.  Please.


PS...Concerts are probably the only thing I like smaller better than bigger.  Well, that and jeans.  I think we'd all rather fit in a size 5 than a size 13.  Sigh... I remember those days.  Vaguely.  

2012 Goal: Quarterly Update #1

With April here I figured I needed to check and see how I was doing on my 2012 Goals.


#1.  I am well into my goal to wear each pair of shoes I have (at least once).  I'm at 27 of 49 on my shoes and 1 of 23 on my flip flops.  I've actually worn more but some days I totally forget to document my "new" shoes. 


I've worn several pairs of flips but only have documented one.  Now that it's warming up I'll be wearing them more so documentation should be easier to remember.  It seems that I started making a collage but never finish uploading it.  It actually happens more than you would think.  I start, get busy, remember late in the evening, start again and then fall asleep during the process.  Guess it's a good thing I'm not getting paid for this sort of thing.  I'd go hungry a lot otherwise.  


Standing: Good.


#2. Get rid of things...sounds so easy but really when it comes down to it it's a lot harder than one would think.  I've cleaned out my closet a bit, as well as my dresser drawers.  I could certainly go through both a few more times (and probably will) but I have a good sized box of stuff I'm getting rid of.  I just need to start going through the part of my closets that aren't clothes.  The storage part of the closets is what really needs to be gone through. Man, I have to admit I dread that process.  


Standing: Ok.


#3.  Go on a date... Yeah.  Does thinking about it count?  What about talking about it?  It should count a little.  I whole heartily had the intention to follow through but circumstances beyond my control got in the way.  I could have been more proactive but... sometimes those circumstances kick the shit out of you and being proactive has less to do with follow up and more to do with survival. 


Could of.  Should of.  Would of.  Whatever. 


Standing: Bad.


#4. Sew a 50's style dress.  I've come to realize that this goal is going to be pretty hard.  See... I don't own a sewing machine.  I do, however, have a sister who owns a sewing machine.  One I am not allowed to touch.  It's a bit of a bummer and a bit of a relief.  I mean, the thought of me operating a machine that's main function is fast moving needles... I sort of shudder at the thought.   


I'm sure my sis would be happy to sew the dress for me and let me do all the other stuff.  Okay, really she'd have to help me figure out how to cut the pattern since I don't know how jack about sewing and patterns make about as much sense as when I look at a map...seriously how does that stuff make sense?!  She totally allows me to play with scissors...just not sewing machines.  It's probably a wise decision on her part.  


I'm sure if I paid to have her old machine fixed she'd show me on that one but we (my niece and I) are not allowed to touch her new prettypretty sewing machine.  It's really not a personal thing against me or my lack of sewing knowledge.  At least no much.


I...er...we did do a DYI dress I found on Pinterest though.

Georgie (my sister) my seamstress.

The dress actually needs to be fixed before wearing.  Try and learn, right?!  I didn't cut the tank short enough so it's a bit weird.  To fix the weird waist part we just need to make a thicker belt.  I just need to go get the fabric and have my sister sew it up.  I absolutely love the way the skirt feels though.  Even if it hadn't turned out I've only spend $3 on the dress so far.  Okay, $4 counting the elastic thread I bought.  I'd say another $1 for the additional fabric.  So in total $5, not bad right?!  Especially considering I would have thrown out or given away the tank I used.  


I'm actually excited to do another one in a maxi style.  I've been trying to find fabric to match purple or pink since I have a few tanks in each color but it's near impossible.  I found a black tank at Target on sale for $5 so I snagged it with the intention of using it for the maxi dress.  I would think black would make finding coordinating fabric easier but who knows.  


Standing: Good,  I did do A dress.  


#5. Finally making myself my no sew fleece blanket.  


Standing: Bad.  


#6. Get new glasses.  


Standing: Bad.  


#7.  Visit Bearizona.  


Standing: Bad but Bearizona actually just reopened this month.  


As first quarters go I'm thinking I'm not doing too bad.  I definitely needs to kick some of the goals into gear if I want to get anywhere with them by end of year.  Considering how crappy this year has been so far I'm going to give the overall standing of my 2012 Goals a Good though.