mental health day

today was a much needed mental health day. people have been extra ridiculous lately and i just needed to get out of that funk before the new week starts. i need to get my head straightened out.

on a weird note: i've had the urge to listen to obnoxiously bubbly club music.

bad books

courtney was down from portland for winter break and the night before she left bad books was playing a show at the troubadour in west hollywood. we decided to go, seeing as it is a side project of two of our favorite bands.

i briefly mentioned bad books here in a previous post when it was just a small idea in the works. bad books is a combined side project of manchester orchestra and kevin devine. it was never meant to be as big as it has become. the band is even surprised by the instant popularity it has gained. the two shows they played in california (hollywood and san francisco) sold out. the sound is infectious toe-tapping goodness mixed in with slower, heartfelt songs. the mix between the writing of andy hull and kevin devine has created a blissful monster that your ears will love.

the show was fantastic. the opening bands were gobotron and right away, great captain! gobotron is the side project of manchester orchestra band member robert mcdowell, and as mentioned before, right away, great captain! is side project of manchester orchestra front man andy hull. there was a relaxed feeling in the venue and the band shared lots of jokes and gag songs that people have grown to love and scream for at the shows. a couple songs by manchester orchestra and kevin devine were also played.

courtney and i waited after to chat with the band. kevin devine remembered us, again, which i'm not sure if that's cool or embarrassing...ha ha. andy talked with us for a while about all sorts of things and was really chill. it was a fun night, and a great way to say goodbye to courtney until the summer.

bad books - the easy mark & the old maid

taken with my new camera (which i love) at the show

rekindled

i've loved my favorite band since the first time i heard them. i had a strange connection with the music and the lyrics, a connection i have yet to find in another band. it just clicked. lately i've stopped listening to them, not because i don't like them, just because they haven't come up on shuffle. tonight my love for these men has been rekindled.

fght ff yr dmns

hey there 2011.

it's already the new year! i swear time goes so much faster when you're an adult. i have a hard enough time keeping track of what day it is. without summer vacations and winter breaks everything just blends together!

so the new year usually means resolutions that get ignored and forgotten by february- march if you're really determined. i don't believe in resolutions, but i do believe in improvements for the new year. my stance on things is that i can improve my life any time that i see fit or have the sudden motivation to do so. on top of not caring much for the idea, i don't like to share my improvements (resolutions, if you must). in my mind they are personal...and if i fail i don't really want people to know. hahaha.

this year is a little different. i'm turning 22, which is an age that i've been drawn to for a few years now. i don't know why, and i swear i'm not crazy. i feel like it's time to change some things that i've grown unhappy with over the past year, or two. there's things i know i'd be better without, and things i know i'd be better with. i want to call this the year of learning.

i won't post any of my improvements i'm working on, but i might talk about them eventually, we'll see. i just want to be somewhere i'm content and happy with. i know that place will change and morph, but i want to know i'm working at something better. i feel like i've become far too comfortable with my current situation, and a bit selfish. now is a time to learn and grow for the better. i just pray i will maintain the motivation. haha.