Soundtrack of my Life #24

#24- Your favorite cover song:  Take on Me- Reel Big Fish

Enjoy the Silence- Sonos

Kudos to Micah for tuning me into them!

1.  Your favorite song.
2.  A song that makes you cry.
3.  A song that makes you dance.
4.  Your favorite male singer.
5.  Your favorite female singer.
6.  Your favorite band.
7.  One band/singer you're ashamed to admit you like.
8.  One band/singer whose popularity you will never understand.
9.  A song that reminds you of an ex.
10.  A song that reminds you of your father.
11.  A song that reminds you of your mother.
12.  A song that makes you want to have sex.
13.  A song you sing in the shower.
14.  A song from the year you were born.
15.  A song you liked in high school.
16.  The first song in your mp3 folder.
17.  The last song in your mp3 folder.
18.  An instrumental song that you like.
19.  Your favorite love song.
20.  Your favorite break up song.
21.  A song that makes you want to break stuff.
22.  Your favorite song from a movie.
23.  Your favorite duet.
24.  Your favorite cover song.
25.  Your favorite song from 2010.
26.  Your favorite music video.
27.  One song in your mp3 folder you're pretty sure no one else has.
28.  One song that never needs to be played again.
29.  One song that gives you the creeps.
30.  A song you'd like played at your funeral.

Quickie

Short & sweet blog today, for I have two beautiful, energetic children to entertain and chase endlessly around the house.

my beautiful hellion!

my beautiful nephew!

Unexpected spontaneity is fun. (Is that redundant?)  I met some fun people last night through Angela.  Slight change is nice every now and then.  I'm curious to see where these new friendships will lead.

I have been on an itunes song-purchasing frenzy lately.  My new interests?  Sonos, Adele, and Margot and the Nuclear So & So's, and a country song called Wagon Wheel, originally by the Old Crow Medicine Band.

Speaking of music, Friday I will be in Tuscaloosa with Tyler seeing the Avett Brothers and Band of Horses!  I can't wait!  Also, yesterday I bought my tickets to the Crawfish Boil!  And last but not least, Deftones at the end of May with a few close friends!  I am ready.

I went through a Facebook friend-purging session this morning.  I deleted about 60+ friends and intend on deleting more.  "Never apologize for showing feeling.  When you do so, you apologize for the truth." - Benjamin Disraeli

What are the top 3 features you're looking for in a car?

I'm looking for a more reliable car since I'm moving to Birmingham.  This week is the annual Credit Union Car Sale, so naturally now would be a good time to start checking out cars, right?  Except that I've never been car shopping before (I bought my Firebird from Casey when we split; before then it was family cars for this girl).  Car shopping makes me nervous:  edgy salesmen, steep prices, etc. etc.  You know how it is, I'm sure.  Add in the fact that I'm too nice and don't know how to stand my ground and say no, and before you know it I've signed my life over to a $50,000 car.

I was talking to Angela yesterday and she offered to go with me to look for cars.  So today Angela and I went to check out the car sale, and OMG!  I want that Hyundai Elantra!  And that Honda Crosstour!  Oooooh, what about that used BMW?!  A used BMW could be in my price range, right?  Wrong.  I lied to every salesman that came up to me, telling them that I was waiting for my all-knowing, car savvy father before I made a decision.  Right before I left I did actually entertain a salesman from Hyundai.  He asked me, "What are the top three features you're looking for in a car?"

Angela laughed.  I hesitated....

"Well, to be honest--and it's quite funny you asked that--I want: 1.) an air conditioner, 2.) a cd player, and 3.) automatic windows."
 "Don't forget about the sunroof," Angela said.
"Oh yeah, and a sunroof!"  I laughed.

He wasn't wearing sunglasses. I could see him trying to hold back his laughter.  I'm sure I probably made that guy's Facebook status update, if not becoming the laughing stock of the day for his co-workers.

Car shopping is so intimidating!  Someone help me!  Pretty please?

Soundtrack of my Life #29

#29- One song that gives you the creeps:  Tomb of Liegia- Team Sleep

This song doesn't necessarily give me the creeps, but it is very eerie in a sexy way.  I like it.  Good band, also.

1.  Your favorite song.
2.  A song that makes you cry.
3.  A song that makes you dance.
4.  Your favorite male singer.
5.  Your favorite female singer.
6.  Your favorite band.
7.  One band/singer you're ashamed to admit you like.
8.  One band/singer whose popularity you will never understand.
9.  A song that reminds you of an ex.
10.  A song that reminds you of your father.
11.  A song that reminds you of your mother.
12.  A song that makes you want to have sex.
13.  A song you sing in the shower.
14.  A song from the year you were born.
15.  A song you liked in high school.
16.  The first song in your mp3 folder.
17.  The last song in your mp3 folder.
18.  An instrumental song that you like.
19.  Your favorite love song.
20.  Your favorite break up song.
21.  A song that makes you want to break stuff.
22.  Your favorite song from a movie.
23.  Your favorite duet.
24.  Your favorite cover song.
25.  Your favorite song from 2010.
26.  Your favorite music video.
27.  One song in your mp3 folder you're pretty sure no one else has.
28.  One song that never needs to be played again.
29.  One song that gives you the creeps.
30.  A song you'd like played at your funeral.

Pieces

I'm starting to feel like this year is blurring together, much like last year.  Make it stop.  Please.

St. Patrick's Day last year was so...exhilarating; it keeps bulldozing its way into my thoughts.  This year was memorable in its own way.

Casey went to Florida last weekend, so I spent the entire weekend at home with my hellion.  It was nice.  It was relaxing.  It was a feeling I wish I had had more of in 2010.  I mean, wouldn't you want to spend every waking moment with this beautiful child?

This weekend I spent Friday night with my hellion.  We had a fun time and were in bed--a little later than our normal bedtime--by 9:00.  I didn't get off work until late Saturday night, so by the time I made it home Casey had already picked up the hellion for the weekend.  I was sad.

Saturday night and all day today I helped Dara move into her new apartment, which is an absolute gem of a studio apartment.  Cleaning out her old apartment and piecing together her new apartment was so much fun (I'm a nerd).  Not going out and wasting my money and energy at the bar for two weekends in a row is actually not so bad.  I don't know why I ever thought I wanted to do that constantly, or why I did do that constantly last year.  And this upcoming weekend my ride or die will be in Austin for a business conference, so I'm feeling like the new book I started reading today, Still Life with Woodpecker (thanks Lauren!), will probably be on my To Do list all weekend.  I'm looking forward to it.  If anything else pops up, bring it on.

After lunch today Dara and I were talking about our lives (which happens quite often) when she said to me, "Well at least you're learning some lessons, Crystal."  I hate learning lessons the hard way.  Who doesn't?  I don't like the way it makes me feel.  I have this annoying, consistent urge to DWELL on every single thing.  I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry for those lost connections.  The things that were going so very well that I had to mess up for my own selfish reasons.  I don't know what I was thinking then, but I know now that what it was I was thinking then was/is complete bs, and now I'm paying for the consequences of my actions; paying very, very dearly, and not so happy about it, might I add.  I just wish I could find some resolution, for your sake and for my sake as well.  I need that resolution.

On a much different note, I've discovered that I have an absolute disdain for the period, as in the punctuation.  (.....)  I find that it is overused and misused.  I've also discovered that I use parenthesis, semicolons, and dashes way too much, and probably incorrectly sometimes.  Yuck.  I'm also probably the only one nerdy enough to realize this.  Yep.

Also, I got a new tattoo on Monday.  Kind of.  Ask me the story sometime and I'll be glad to tell you.

Soundtrack of my Life #12

#12- A song that makes you want to have sex:  Reptile- Nine Inch Nails

Note:  Having sex and making love are two different acts.  That being said, it has been way too long.

 You've Seen the Butcher- Deftones

Neighbors Know My Name- Trey Songz

1.  Your favorite song.
2.  A song that makes you cry.
3.  A song that makes you dance.
4.  Your favorite male singer.
5.  Your favorite female singer.
6.  Your favorite band.
7.  One band/singer you're ashamed to admit you like.
8.  One band/singer whose popularity you will never understand.
9.  A song that reminds you of an ex.
10.  A song that reminds you of your father.
11.  A song that reminds you of your mother.
12.  A song that makes you want to have sex.
13.  A song you sing in the shower.
14.  A song from the year you were born.
15.  A song you liked in high school.
16.  The first song in your mp3 folder.
17.  The last song in your mp3 folder.
18.  An instrumental song that you like.
19.  Your favorite love song.
20.  Your favorite break up song.
21.  A song that makes you want to break stuff.
22.  Your favorite song from a movie.
23.  Your favorite duet.
24.  Your favorite cover song.
25.  Your favorite song from 2010.
26.  Your favorite music video.
27.  One song in your mp3 folder you're pretty sure no one else has.
28.  One song that never needs to be played again.
29.  One song that gives you the creeps.
30.  A song you'd like played at your funeral.

Is that you, Hope?

I've been in a funk since last Friday.  Nervous about my move.  Sad about failed relationships.  I thought it was just my crazy, premenstrual hormones, but the feelings still linger, relentlessly taunting me to exhaustion.  I needed (still need) some alone time.

So this morning after I dropped my hellion off at daycare I spent some time with my dad.  He helped me check the tire pressure in my car and observed while I checked my oil and poured what was needed down the oil filter.  It was a pleasant five minutes with my dad at 8:30 A.M.  I think it makes him happy to know that someone still needs him for something, even if it is just using a tire gauge.

After my car inspection I drove to Birmingham/Montevallo/Alabaster with my new Garmin in tote, windows down & hair a complete mess, singing along with my ipod at the top of my lungs the entire way there.  Montevallo's campus is beautiful.  I drove through & around it for a good 25 minutes, staring at all the historic homes, trying to imagine if the neighborhood was much different when occupied with students riding bicycles and on foot, or at night when students are out being college students.  I imagined riding my bike to class every day, killing two birds with one stone--exercising and soul-easing.  Yes, Montevallo is much like Jacksonville.  It's practically nothing; the college basically is the town, but it is so peaceful that I don't think I would mind living there.  Knowing no one might make it easier for me to transition.

For the past two weeks I've been nervous and anxious about my move.  I want a house.  I can't afford a house.  I don't even know if I can afford a nice apartment!  Where am I going to work?  Will the money I've been saving be enough to keep me afloat until I have a job?  What if I don't like it?  I'm sure every one who has ever moved has had those same thoughts.  It's almost April.  That means in TWO months I'll be living on my own for the first time EVER.  Which is what I've always wanted, but now that it's almost here I can't stop the butterflies in my stomach.  All I know is that I will NOT get cold feet.

I intended to spend the majority of the day checking out the area for apartments and jobs, but I got called into work.  I was a bit disappointed on the drive home, but that feeling only lasted for a few miles before I realized that I am one step closer to making a better life for myself and Logan.

Hope, I think I can hear you knocking.

Drake White Band with John Player

So last night Dara dragged me out to a bar in Gadsden to meet up with some of her friends.  There was a country band playing, and while I'm not a big fan of country music, they started to grow on me after a drink or two (or three).  Maybe it was the awesome violinist.
This morning at work I went through my phone and noticed that I took some pretty awesome pictures of the band.  I thought I'd share them here with you.  I didn't get any pictures of the drummer though, as he was behind the lead singer.

I loved the stickers on his guitar.

 

So much talent!

I must admit that I did have more fun than I thought I would, but alcohol may have been the contributing factor, or at least it looks like the guilty party according to this picture:

Soundtrack of my Life #8

#8- One band/singer whose popularity you will never understand:  The Lonely Island

I'm on a Boat

I mean, really?????

 But..... I do like this version:

1.  Your favorite song.
2.  A song that makes you cry.
3.  A song that makes you dance.
4.  Your favorite male singer.
5.  Your favorite female singer.
6.  Your favorite band.
7.  One band/singer you're ashamed to admit you like.
8.  One band/singer whose popularity you will never understand.
9.  A song that reminds you of an ex.
10.  A song that reminds you of your father.
11.  A song that reminds you of your mother.
12.  A song that makes you want to have sex.
13.  A song you sing in the shower.
14.  A song from the year you were born.
15.  A song you liked in high school.
16.  The first song in your mp3 folder.
17.  The last song in your mp3 folder.
18.  An instrumental song that you like.
19.  Your favorite love song.
20.  Your favorite break up song.
21.  A song that makes you want to break stuff.
22.  Your favorite song from a movie.
23.  Your favorite duet.
24.  Your favorite cover song.
25.  Your favorite song from 2010.
26.  Your favorite music video.
27.  One song in your mp3 folder you're pretty sure no one else has.
28.  One song that never needs to be played again.
29.  One song that gives you the creeps.
30.  A song you'd like played at your funeral.

The New Southern Belle

One of my friends from out of state was in town for six weeks for a school/training program, and I made the two hour drive to visit a few times within those six weeks.  Last night was the last night out before the school was over, and a few of us went out for drinks.  Of course everyone in the U.S. likes to make fun of the south, particularly AL and MS, and the conversation eventually steered towards stereotypical southern girls.  My friend was appalled that I:

• have never ridden a 4-wheeler (so what's the big deal?  I just don't see that as something I would like to do when given the chance.  Sure, it'd probably be fun & I'm down for trying new things, but it's just that riding a 4-wheeler isn't at the top of my Bucket List.)
• had never been hunting OR dated a guy who liked hunting (Um, sorry?  Not really justifying this one.  I'd rather not, thank you.)
• do not like fishing, and have only been fishing once in my lifetime (and that will also be the last time I go fishing:  I was 9 and we were in a huge cow pasture with cow dung everywhere, fishing at this little pond.  While I was the first person to catch a fish, it was a minnow and had to be thrown back.  Not to mention I left the pond with malaria, as mosquitoes love to feed on me.  NEVER again will I go fishing.)
• have never been to a Nascar race, what with me living near the Talladega Super Speedway.  (Yeah, never have, never will.)
• don't listen to country music.  (Apparently my friend is an avid Kenny Chesney fan and was astounded that I only had ONE Kenny Chesney song on my ipod.  And then he was more shocked to learn that I listen to rock/alternative/metal, and would rather crowd surf at a concert than sing sing-a-long songs with 5000 other country fans.  Not that I've ever been crowd surfing at a concert, mind you, but head banging is much more appealing to me than swaying.)

The Kenny Chesney thing is what was the most hilarious to me.  I feigned like I only knew a few songs (when of course I knew more), and was shown that, "I have more Kenny Chesney songs on my ipod than ANYONE!"

We asked the waitress about all of the above-mentioned points, and of course she had done all of them:

1. "You've NEVER ridden a 4-wheeler?! Are you from AL?"
2. "I've never been hunting before, but I have dated a few guys who like to hunt."
3. "I take my kids fishing all the time!"
4. "You live an hour from Talladega and have never been to a NASCAR race?!"
5. "My favorite male country artist is Garth Brooks.  I also like Zac Brown, but he's in a band, so that's not really an artist..."

I mean, this is hot:

 

But isn't this hotter?

Needless to say, it was a pretty entertaining evening.

So I'd rather go skydiving and white water rafting.  I'd rather see TOOL and Deftones and Alice in Chains than Kenny Chesney or Zac Brown Band or Jason Aldean.  I would rather read than fish.  I consider working out at the gym more fun than getting a sunburn from watching cars race in a circle all day long.  I'd rather go zip lining than watch my dinner die before my eyes.  And I still find time to be a great mom and keep my GPA up.


 I guess I'm just a new wave of Southern Belle.  But I don't mind; I think I'm pretty freaking cool.

Glad it's you and not me.

OMG, this cracks me up.

Ice cream cones & bubble baths.

Fruitless day at work today.  So I thought to myself, I will take Logan to Party Central tonight, and we will play and eat pizza & ice cream afterward!

Despite a crappy day, I get off work, excited about my upcoming date with my hellion.  I send a mass text out to my friends asking who wants to join us, all of whom reply no for some reason or another.  My sister decides to bring her son, and I am excited despite the somewhat nerve-wracking car ride to the place.  Get there around 6:30, and the parking lot is packed.

This is going to be great!

Except that when we go in we are informed that they only do birthday parties on the weekends, and only have "free play" on Thursdays.  So because Logan & Riley weren't invited to one of the four birthday parties they had scheduled tonight, we couldn't play.  Logan was so disappointed. 

Well, no need in wasting a night.  We will go somewhere else.  Oh wait, there isn't much to do in this town, especially anything indoors since the wind is piercing tonight and outdoor play is impossible.

"Logan, do you want to go to McDonald's?"
"No, Mommy, I just want to go home and eat ice cream."

So we head home.  "That was a fun night," I say to my sister as we pull into the driveway.  "We should do it again next week."  She laughs.  We go inside.  I make two cones with two scoops of cookies & cream ice cream (one for Logan, one for me) and we devour our ice cream cones like there was no disappointment in our date.

Now I'm typing this blog, listening to Logan play in the bathtub and can't help but think that sometimes the simple things can make me smile.

Soundtrack of my Life #19

 #19- Your favorite love song:  Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me- Mel Carter

I love this song.  I always said it was going to be my first dance at my wedding.

(You're My) Soul and Inspiration- The Righteous Brothers

Chills every time I hear it.

 1.  Your favorite song.
2.  A song that makes you cry.
3.  A song that makes you dance.
4.  Your favorite male singer.
5.  Your favorite female singer.
6.  Your favorite band.
7.  One band/singer you're ashamed to admit you like.
8.  One band/singer whose popularity you will never understand.
9.  A song that reminds you of an ex.
10.  A song that reminds you of your father.
11.  A song that reminds you of your mother.
12.  A song that makes you want to have sex.
13.  A song you sing in the shower.
14.  A song from the year you were born.
15.  A song you liked in high school.
16.  The first song in your mp3 folder.
17.  The last song in your mp3 folder.
18.  An instrumental song that you like.
19.  Your favorite love song.
20.  Your favorite break up song.
21.  A song that makes you want to break stuff.
22.  Your favorite song from a movie.
23.  Your favorite duet.
24.  Your favorite cover song.
25.  Your favorite song from 2010.
26.  Your favorite music video.
27.  One song in your mp3 folder you're pretty sure no one else has.
28.  One song that never needs to be played again.
29.  One song that gives you the creeps.
30.  A song you'd like played at your funeral.

Temptation

I want a doughnut.  A glazed doughnut, which isn't my favorite, but it'll do.  Or hell, why not just go with my favorite?  Lemon-filled.  Mmm, I can just taste its lemon goodness on my tongue.  I just really want a huge fucking doughnut!!!  Is that too much to ask??  YES!  Because guys suck and don't want ugly fat girls.  Or the guys that do want ugly fat girls are fat themselves and don't have jobs and don't treat a lady with  respect and don't care what other people think about them and don't really care whether or not they have someone.  Which is maybe the way I should feel, right?  Well I don't.  Because I suffer everyday from worrying about my role in society and blah blah blah fucking blah.  So what if I gave into temptation and ate a lemon-filled doughnut?  What if I stopped caring about my health and didn't exercise any more and gave into temptation every day, in every way, shape, form and fashion?  What if I gained 400 lbs. and was happy because I eat and do whatever I want without worrying about the repercussions?  Only then would I be happy, right?  Wrong.  Because then I'd be fat and miserable and alone and everyone would make fun of me because I'd need help going to the bathroom because I wouldn't be able to get my fat ass off of the couch.  If only I had the metabolism where I could eat whatever I want and still regularly exercise and not gain any weight.  Why can't it be like that?  Why can't being healthy and fit have more than one reward?  I mean, yeah, it's nice to have a sexy body, but if you try and try and try and keep trying and you still have the belly flab, why keep trying?  I obviously don't have the money to get a tummy tuck, so why not just give in to what your body's been trying to convey to you the whole time?  Screw feeling pretty and great after a workout.  Screw depriving your body of the sweets it craves.  Screw watching skinny people eat whatever the hell they want, torturing you all the while (never mind the fact that their insides probably won't last them too much longer).  Screw you, temptation!  I won't do any of that because I'm afraid of being ugly and alone.  I want to be pretty enough and healthy enough to where I can choose who I want to date and not to where I'm just settling for whatever comes along.  Because I want to be that person who has the first pick.  I don't want to be the person that hopes just doing nothing will get them by in life.  Better luck next time, temptation.  You don't win.  Meanwhile I'll just sit here and salivate over the doughnut I won't be eating.

After all, beauty must suffer, right?

The Best Advice

Leave all your love and your longing behind, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive.
Leave all your love and your longing behind, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive.
Leave all your love and your longing behind, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive.
Leave all your love and your longing behind, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive.
Leave all your love and your longing behind, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive.
Leave all your love and your longing behind, you can't carry it with you if you want to survive.

 

Florence and the Machine- Dog Days are Over