Music 101

It's no secret that music is a big part of my world. I mean, I can't handle silence at all...I need music in the background just to stay focused.

However, it's hard for me to find new music that I enjoy. I attribute this to the fact that I live under a country music rock. And really only get out it to enjoy some Southern Gospel now & then.

Lucky for me I have friends who are more well-rounded in terms of music and are willing to educate me in the ways of great music. And lucky for you, I'm willing to share. =)

So, just for your enjoyment, here are the Top 5 best musicians I've been introduced to this year and that you also should love....(in no particular order):

3. Tyrone Wells: Jason Segel may need to move over as my celebrity BF. Minus the fact that he's married and famous, Tyrone is perfect. =) But this guy's vocals are killer and even his covers are astounding. PLUS, he's a Washington state local. Gotta love 'em homegrown (and bald) =) This is my current fave Tyrone jam:

5. Dierks Bentley isn't necessarily "new" to me, but this new album of his is. And it's seriously awesome x's infinity. This is for lovers of Bluegrass and all things Appalachian.

Watch the YouTube vid here!

(sorry YouTube was dumb and wouldn't let me embed it, but still totally worth it)

2. NeedtoBreathe: if you like Kings of Leon, you'll enjoy this band's sound. Seriously good driving music. Here's my personal fave, "Girl Named Tennessee."

4. Family Force 5: some friends have been trying for 2 years to get me to listen to FF5; however, they are very nearly "scream-o" rock and I said Nyet! But, at a music festival they played at, I was actually digging most of what I heard. I was totally down with them until they had robots on the screen dancing. So I had to bail...BUT! They are still good and worth listening to if you can handle loud and raucous music that isn't country-based. Well, except for this song. =)

(best part of this: the mullet-as-weapon beat-down at the end)

1. JJ Heller: Christian indie folk-esque. Like Ingrid Michaelson with a Jesus slant. =) Her songs move me. Especially this one.

Alrighty Sports Fans!

Well, I bought my first set of Discs yesterday. No no...not compact discs or clay discs...Disc Golfing Discs. I've officially joined the ranks of those who would rather spend their sunny afternoon tramping through a forest so laced with the scent of marijuana you get a contact high from a tree rather than those who would rather spend their sunny afternoons getting a tan in the backyard. I'm not sure yet how I feel about that...contact highs or melanoma....


Anyway, I bought 3 discs - a Fairway Driver (Leopard), a Mid-Range (Shark!!!), and a Putter. I'll be real with you fine folks: I'm not good, but I'm FAR from terrible. So there's hope yet.


Jon Acuff says that Disc Golf (or Frisbee Golf) is God's favorite sport. Which would make a lot of sense since it was played all over our small Southern Baptist college campus. Or not a lot of sense....? But everyone in our church plays. And we're only Southern Baptist by affiliation, not practice. Maybe Frisbee Golf isn't God's favorite sport, but rather it was Dwight L Moody's? (I know I get those two confused sometimes too.) =)





So let me ask: do ya'll play disc golf? Do you even care about disc golf? Are you going to slap me in the face for interchanging the words Frisbee and Disc?





Happy Spring, kids!

Talk Thursday // New Things

If we're friends on Facebook, you've probably noticed the many postings about my new apartment and my moving processes. Which I am sorry for, by the way.

If we're not friends on Facebook, that's weird and we should be.


Anyway, as of Saturday, I will be a new resident of Maple Valley, WA. Federal Way will sadly be short one loud laugher.

But it's a new change...a big change. I won't be living with my parents, I'll be living on my own, I'll have to actually cook meals rather than just live off Easy Mac and cereal. (Who am I kidding? Of course I'll live off Easy Mac and cereal...)

There are lots of big changes going on for a lot of people. So share yours. Are you excited? Are you nervous? Do you think you're going to chuck? (Maybe that's just me...) Let us know. Nothing is too small or dorky to share. If it wasn't for the move to the MV, my change would be my underwear. And yes, I would share that with you all. ;)

The Murtaugh List

If you don't watch CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" you are missing out. Not only is it a delightful batch of hi-larious fused with random and awesome, sometimes it even makes you think. 

Which is what happened last night. 

Last night's episode, "The Murtaugh List", was surprisingly thought-provoking. Ted, one of the main characters, has kept a list of things that he is "too old to do." The list is based on a character from the movie "Lethal Weapon", in which Danny Glovers' character (Murtaugh) says "I'm too old for that sh**." Because of Ted's list, another HIMYM character, Barney, retaliates with a list of things that you should be "too young to do."  

And it made me think: what are the things that I'm too young/too old to do? Is there anything? Should there be anything? And I think it's subjective. Your list is going to be different from my list. Which is great!

So therefore I ask: What things are you too old to do? What things are you too young to do? Let's compare.

At 23, "I'm Too Old For This Stuff" (The Murtaugh List):

- Using the phrase "That is legit"

- Dating someone 21 or younger

- Failing to take responsibility for my actions

- Failing to plan for moments beyond the present

- Thinking I know it all

- Thinking other people "have it together"

At 23, "I'm Too Young For This Stuff" (The Mickey Mouse Club List):

- Being stuck in my ways

- Knowing what I want to "do" with the rest of my life

- Feeling like I "need" to be settled down

- Dating someone 31 or older 

- People thinking I could have a 16-year-old kid (...Vladimir...)

- Tapered or pleated jeans

Here's to life - at any age. =)

Less Like Scars

it's been a hard year
but i'm climbing out of the rubble
these lessons are hard
healing changes are subtle
but every day it's...

less like tearing, more like building
less like captive, more like willing
less like breakdown, more like surrender
less like haunting, more like remember

and i feel You here
and You're picking up the pieces
forever faithful
it seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
but You are able
and in Your hands the pain and hurt
look less like scars and more like Character

less like a prison, more like my room
it's less like a casket, more like a womb
less like dying, more like transcending
less like fear, less like an ending

and i feel You here
and You're picking up the pieces
forever faithful
it seemed out of my hands, a bad situation
but You are able
and in Your hands the pain and hurt
look less like scars

just a little while ago
i couldn't feel the power or the hope
i couldn't cope, i couldn't feel a thing
just a little while back
i was desperate, broken, laid out,
hoping You would come

and i need You
and i want You here
and i feel You
and i know You're here
and You're picking up the pieces
forever faithful
it seemed out of my hands, a bad, bad situation
but You are able
and in Your hands the pain and hurt
look less like scars and more like Character

Thanks Sara Groves, for verbalizing exactly where i am...one year from removed from everything i knew at the time. Thank You, God for your faithfulness and Your wonderous love that i can't begin to fathom.

Even if God nor i wanted the scars in the first place, at least they are proving to develop hopefully godly character in this long-dormant heart.

Freedom. Beauty. Truth. Love.

I hate to tell you all this, but I signed us all up for something. You didn't really get a say. I'd apologize, but I'm not really sorry.

Starting next Wednesday, September 17th through September 24th, we're doing something different.

Something big.

Something awesome.

When I find out new details, I'll let you know.

But if you want to hear the "skinny" now, visit this guy's blog.

Let's rock this interweb for the glory of the Lord.

It's gonna be cool. You won't want to miss it. I promise.

=)

~S~