"Atlantic City" The Band

The older I get the more I feel the need to be closer to the people and things I loved when I was young. As things change, I need them to stay the same too. People change, places change, but music never does. Music has that crazy ability to bring back a memory or a feeling so strong that you'd swear it was yesterday.

If you're looking for my heart you'll find it in a dive ba

Every time I hear "Copperhead Road," by Steve Earle I'm driving down the back roads in a pickup. When "Don't Stop Believing," by Journey comes on I'm dancing at the hometown dive bar with my childhood best friends. I can tell you every detail of those moments, and the way that I felt while I was in them. I had one of these moments on my recent trip to Nashville where I ended up at a house party with a group of musicians who casually played every song I ever wanted to hear. I requested "Atlantic City," the version by Levon Helm/The Band, on the off chance that they knew it. And while I listened to them play my own private concert I found my own little piece of heaven, that tasted a lot like cheap vodka and smelled like Marlborough Golds.

"Let It Lie" - The Bros. Landreth

Proof that I attended an OUTDOOR winter event 

It's not very often that I  blog about a local band.  It might be because I haven't heard many local bands that I'd like to write about it,  but it's really probably because I'm too lazy to go out on "the scene" scoping out bands like I"m a middle-aged, cigar smoking talent scout about to give someone their big break by writing about them in my semi-shitty, self-serving music blog.

"EmmyLou" - First Aid Kit

Sorry Jack.. only room for one on this plank.

So. I'm getting married.

I'm excited, slightly terrified and mostly in love. It's kind of frightening to imagine choosing one person to stick with for the rest of your days, all at the young, still idiotic age of 28. I love my future err.. husband (panic), but I've realized it's more of a best-friend, retainer-in, bra-off type of love. Meaning, I can't imagine my life without him but I don't know if I'd take it as far as Rose and Jack did, Ala Titanic.

"Dolphin Center" - The Donkeys

Good times at the condo always

Lots to tell, but I barely know what to say.  I've been extraordinarily happy for seven months now (yes, I'm counting). It's weird because I wasn't even looking for happiness, but I guess that's how these things work. My job is challenging and great, my friends and I make mature, yet ghetto, attempts to throw dinner parties, I met someone, we bought our dream house, and it's all been very grown up.  

I sold my condo today. I've lived here for six years, by myself.  Everyone is congratulating me, and smiles all around. I'm mostly relieved, but  feel a little bit panicked. What have I done? No one really warns you what growing up feels like, but this must be it. It's great in many ways, it's a new kind of  happiness. But it's a different kind of happiness.Previously, happiness to me was; cuddles with my dog, a beach day with high UV, or getting wasted with my best friends - waking up on a boat, and then crawling home at 5am.  

"All For You" - Sister Hazel

The French have an interesting expression, "le coup de foudre." Literally it means "a bolt of lightning" or "thunderbolt", figuratively it means, "love at first sight."  There has been one instance where I've experienced "lightening", but other than that, my skies have remained relatively calm. Lightning always follows thunder, and thunder means unstable weather.  I have learned, that although unstable weather can be exciting, dangerous, and makes your heart race, it never lasts.

90's long hair - don't care, Sister Hazel

The more that I love, and lose, or leave, the more I think that maybe there's something more to it.   Maybe being successful in love, is less about finding someone that loves all of the great things about you, and more about finding someone that loves you, despite all of the not so great things.  What if in the long run, it matters less that someone will buy you flowers and write you love poems, and more that you can wear your retainer to bed with them, and that they'll take the dog for walks when it's cold out?

"Wake Me Up" - Avicii

I'm going to re-enact this pose on my
birthday every year for the rest of my life

Fall is here, and with that comes my Birthday. After the age of 25, birthday's stopped being as much fun. I remember being younger, and looking forward to my special day all year long, now, instead of excitement, I feel something akin to depression.  Now my Birthdays serve as a reminder, that despite protestations.. I'm getting older.

I've previously referred to my "quarter-life crisis", which began shortly before my 26th birthday last year.  25  is a perfect benchmark age; a time to reflect, and look back on all that you've accomplished (or not).  It's enlightening to compare what  I thought I'd be at 25 with what I am. 

"Untitled (Love Song)" - Counting Crows (The Romany Rye Cover)

Yup, pinned this one

"Don't stumble over something behind you."  One of the many "past is past" type quotes I have pinned to my Pinterest board (yup, I'm that girl).  But as much as I try to leave the past out of my present, there is always this one part.. (person) that I can't seem to let go of.  Said "past", was actually one of the reasons I started this blog.  I figured if I wrote it down, I could leave it there and move past it. 

"Hasn't Hit Me Yet"- Blue Rodeo

Lawrence Harris "Afternoon Sun Lake Superior"

I love art.  I would have been an art history teacher if not for the large amount of schooling required, and the not-so large income that accompanies.  Art is similar to music in so many ways.  An incredible amount of passion and emotion goes into both, and many have underlying stories.  The most famous group of Canadian artists is The Group of Seven. The group originally included A.Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, J.E.H. MacDonald, Edwin Holgate and LeMoine Fitzgerald.  The group of Canadian landscape painters was also associated with Tom Thomson and Emily Carr, arguably the most well known of the bunch.  The group travelled across Canada creating works of art and initiated the first major Canadian national art movement.

"Everybody Hurts' - R.E.M.

I've had an article waiting, flagged in my inbox, for at least a month.  I couldn't find a song that would suit it.  Usually I find the song first,  and then inspiration comes - but sometimes it's vice versa.

Go ahead little guys 

Now, I'm the kind of chick that stops traffic to let baby ducklings cross, and rushes injured baby rabbits.. pigeons (yes), etc.  to the local Humane Society. The kind of chick, that loses my shit watching Marley and Me.  So,  when I found this article while at work one day - you can imagine how I tried desperately to wipe the mascara tears off my face, and exclaim to my co-workers, "wow, it's so dry in here, my eyes won't stop watering!"  The article is about a whale named 52 Hertz, otherwise known as, "The Loneliest Whale In The World."

"Don't Stop Believing" - Journey

Hey girl, I heard you like birds.. so I got you this cake!

How did I miss this? My 3rd Anniversary of my blog (February).  Sadly, this only foreshadows my future maternal skills, (Oh I forgot the kids Bday? No worries yo, I"m sure the gas station sells some sort of ice cream cake).

Wow.  It's hard to believe that 3 years have passed.  In light of this momentous event and show of commitment on my part, (told you I could do a long-term relationship..)  I spent some time reading through my archived blog posts and thinking about how the times they are a-changin" (It wouldn't be a successful post without at least one Bob Dylan reference)

I loved (alot), I lost, I learned and I laughed (probably more than I should have).  Some things never change though,  I still have a mild animal obsession, prefer my vodka straight, wear a retainer to bed, and crave good music like a junkie craves a fix.

"Wish It Was True" - The White Buffalo

Never has smoking looked so good

As I may have mentioned in previous posts,  I've developed a crush (read: obsession) with bad boy biker character, Jax Teller (Charlie Humman from Sons of Anarchy)  The show is based on a hamlet-esque father/son story about a motorcycle gang. Between drooling and gazing lovingly, I've noticed the show feature many solid songs. One in particular I've been listening to on repeat is, "Wish It Was True", by The White Buffalo.

At first when the song came on I had pegged the vocalist to be Eddie Vedder ala his solo "Into The Wild" days, so was surprised to learn otherwise.  The lead singer, Jack Smith looks and sounds like a character worthy of SOA, with his deep growl and grizzly bear beard.

"You, Me And The Bourgeoisie" - The Submarines

(Sigh) those were the days..

Sometimes life sucks.  Sometimes it's hard.  As much as it  seems enticing to be perpetually happy, consider this,  if everything is always great,  nothing is great.  Life has ups and downs for a reason.  The "downs" exist to make you stronger, and to make the "ups" that much sweeter.

I'm 26 now.  I'm on the wrong side of 20, and beginning to notice that I feel (slightly) and look (barely) old-er.  I seem to be becoming more (ugh) responsible...  It's terrible.  I'm thinking things through, making less bad decisions and contemplating my future.  Previously, my "future" hadn't extended past the next morning.

"Stubborn Love" - The Lumineers

Sorry too busy doing things like this to blog!

Sorry I've been a bad blogger again but I was off enjoying Europe.. and Mexico.. and life!  Good news is I picked up some new songs in between here and there and have a list of to-blogs. I started listening to The Lumineers before my Euro-trip, as a couple of friends had suggested songs to me.  Most people are probably familiar with their single, "Ho Hey", probably not as many with "Stubborn Love."  That's OK, I never mind taking the road less travelled.

"Daughter" - Loudon Wainwright III

Quarter Life Crisis Exhibit A

Now that I've reached my quarter life crisis point (I've already been through the piercing/tattoo/leather phase so it can't get much worse),  I find myself reflecting a lot this past year. Being an over confident 20 something year old, I usually think that everything I say is gospel. There is one thing that I've learned, that most would agree with, that family is the most important thing in your life.  No matter how much you fight with them or they irritate you, at the end of the day they're blood, and these are the people that will always care most and be there for you. This post reminds me of a quote from another song, "Everybody's Free To Wear Sunscreen" by Baz Luhrmann.

"The Shell" - Rose Cousins

The human body has an amazing ability to adapt. We can survive extreme temperatures, (which is why us Canadians still exist), and situations. For example; when we feel threatened our body goes into "Fight or Flight" mode. We release hormones that speed up our heart rate, open our lungs and increase blood flow and pressure to our muscles in preparation to run or defend ourselves. Adaptation is how people overcome disease or sickness, severe operations like organ transplants, or even simply gain muscle.  In the BBC series, "Inside the Human Body", they "show how existence is a struggle and how, minute by minute, from your first breath to your last, your body performs countless small miracles to keep you alive." The series interviews a man who can hold his breath underwater for 9 minutes, a man who swims in glacial lakes so freezing that they would kill a normal person, and a woman who has lived for 10 years on nothing but potato chips.

"Little Talks" - Of Monsters And Men

Imma show you how proud I am

Remember back in the old days when people used to marry within their heritage to keep the bloodlines pure?  I guess you probably don't remember, because you'd be 700 years old now, and dead instead of reading this blog. Anyways, I like those days. I am annoyingly proud of my heritage (hey son, check out all of my foreign tattoos).  I am half Icelandic and half Ukranian.  Don't tell my Baba (Ukranian Grandma), but I might just be a little more proud to be Icelandic.  Come on, really though - even pierogi can't compete with Vikings!

"I Wish I Was The Moon" - Neko Case

Sting uses Tantric Sex to relieve stress

Wow I've been out of the loop for awhile now hey?  This is the longest I've gone between blogs since my blog first came to be.  In many ways I find blogging therapeutic. Yes, there are some of us freaks out there that actually ENJOY writing.  It de-stresses us in the same way chocolate, yoga or Tantric sex might work for other people (although I wouldn't say no to the latter either).