First Day at Millersville=Success! Granted, I only had one class, but still. I had to run all around campus to get things figured out and I still have more running to do, but I got where I needed to be when I needed to be there and I think everything is going just fine so far. More later, for now I need to go to bed, class at 9:30 means I'm up at 6:45 so I can leave by 8. Sleep is beckoning.

Goodnight

Dean Martin-Evening In Roma

You can't go wrong with Dean and in this song his effortless, syrupy voice will sail you off to a mini Roman Holiday. Enjoy.

My my my, my my my

I don't think I am alone in the emotional rollercoaster I ride from day to day. I can be in one mood, and a series of pictures or a song stumbles upon my way and I become very anxious and envious, sad and alone or filled with a lovey, fuzzy feeling.

Music can motivate us or stop us where we stand. Correction--powerful music can motivate us or stop us where we stand. You know, those songs that seem to steal your soul for three to five minutes? They end and you feel moved, to a different state of mind. I remember the first time I heard Bon Iver's Skinny Love; I was away at my first semester of college in St. Augustine sitting in my dorm room. I listened to that one song over and over again and let myself be carried away as my heart beat seemed to sync with the deep rhythm of the song. I feel for my roommate at the time, who eventually suggested I put on headphones as Skinny Love's play count rose to over 40 in one night and over 60 in the next week.

These songs invade our brains and those moments spent listening to that particular tune can transport us to those last few moments of a dramatic movie or television show when the producers really pour the emotion on thick. We are the ones caught up in a love triangle or moving to a new place and leaving the old behind, or whatever the plot of our imaginary drama culminates to. And so, the song I recommend today, if you haven't yet heard it, is Bon Iver's 'Skinny Love.' Turn it up loud, close your eyes, and get all caught up in the power of the melody.

Who will love you. Who will fight? Who will fall, far behind?

2nd recommendation, in honor of Chuck tonight--Last week on the premier, this song was playing with Chuck sees Sarah again after he left her at the train station or something like that, I'm new to the show. ANYWAYS, it goes along with the emotional pull of a song.

--Imogen Heap's 'Wait It Out' (the beginning is the best part, perfect a cappella harmony)

I Am Terrible

I am terrible. I haven't been keeping up with this thing. So, my hiatus is over and I'm back. Not much to report on this end, other than I am starting school again! I start classes at Millersville this Tuesday. As more time passes since I stood on St. Augustine soil, I must confess I am starting to miss some things here and there. Yes, everyone is telling me it's sunnier and warmer in Florida right now and, yes, I know. Believe me. I still have the weather forecast for St. Augustine in my laptop's dashboard. Right now it is 69 and sunny in St. Augustine and 36 and raining here in m little corner of the keystone. I was scrolling through a wedding photo blog the other day, as I often do, and I saw a Florida wedding under some live oaks. My heart ached when I saw the Spanish Moss and right then and there I felt a pang of longing. There was a beauty in those humungous, gnarled, old trees and the way the breeze blew the Spanish Moss so gracefully. It was tranquil and slow, a small metaphor for the whole of the town I was in. And so, for anyone possibly reading this, enjoy the Spanish Moss while you can.

The photo I leave you with today was taken on Magnolia Street in St. Augustine, walking distance from my college and actually about a block away from the famed "Fountain of Youth." National Geographic named this one of the most beautiful streets in America and it really is something to see in person. The long, straight street is framed with live oaks and tunneled with spanish moss hanging from the oaks. The photograph can't do it total justice, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

The First Day of My Life-Bright Eyes

I know I haven't kept up very well, and today I really don't have much to say other than this: SONGS. I recently was gifted an cd from the wonderful Sara Moran and it woke me up. Isn't it great when we get new music that is totally different and interesting? If you are intrigued, here are some of my favorites from the cd. Some of them give me goosebumps. Please, please, look them up and even if you don't like them, at least you tried. There's no fault in that.

Tightrope- yeasayer

toothpaste kisses the maccabees

embers- just jack

chinese translantion- M. Ward

down river- the temper trap

poor boy- M. Ward

a shot to the stars- whitley

Happy January.

Doris Day and Gidget

It was a lazy day. They are alright, every once and a while, you know? Til about 2:30 pm I was still in my pajamas hanging by the fire. I got lots of things done, mind you, but in a lackadaisical way. Thankfully, Rachel B called me and we decided to do the cool thing that cool kids d0--go to Starbucks of course. So, over Chai Teas (Mine with one pump of chocolate), we chatted in the large orange chairs about lots of things. I always appreciate talking time with a good friend. Catching up over coffee, tea, water, whatever, is refreshing, is it not? A soul to soul connection wakes me up and when its with Rachel there's always lots of laughing which warms and cold winter drear. Upon the drive back from Jennersville, Rach and I joined my Mom and watched the season premier of the highly anticipated "The Bachelor-On The Wings of Love." Yes, that was really the title. The Bachelor, Jake, is a blonde pilot from Dallas, hence the title. While entertaining and intriguing, this show made me realize how thankful I am for the women in my life. Real women with real boobs and real smiles. This show is very popular with the ladies yet I wonder why, because it makes women look like irritating, caddy barbies. I can't say all the ladies fit this persona, there are a few crowd favorites with seemingly genuine hearts to match their cute faces. So it was entertaining but a little disheartening--is this the direction of the American Woman? Whatever happened to Doris Day and Gidget?

It's windy. Today the temperature will top out at 27 degrees with winds at about 25 miles an hour, but then again, if you live around the Lancaster area, you already know that.

Catherine the Great once said, "A great wind is blowing, and that gives you either imagination or headache." This ties in a little with the new year thing, but can be for any day, really. Each time we open our eyes there's a new day at our disposal with more possibilities than we often realize. Does that just sound like a snotty cliche? Maybe. But if it wasn't true, people wouldn't keep repeating it.

I often repeat Colossians 3:23 in my head during the day, especially at work. This verse reads, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not for men." As the end of the workday draws near and the site of one more loaf of bread, sticky bun or pumpkin pie makes me queasy, I remember, what if I was slicing and packaging this load of rye for the "Big Guy" himself? I would do everything in my power to make it perfect and pleasant. This is a lot easier said than done, of course, but it truly becomes a way of life after a while. I have by no means mastered this work ethic, but the times I feel I truly live it out, I am really pleasing God and therefore accomplishing what I am really supposed to. I wasn't put on Earth to package breads at Musser's Market Bakery, specifically, but to glorify and encourage God in every little thing I do.

As you and I go out today and tomorrow and the next day, may it be our goals not to just get through the day, but to truly thrive and give the glory of life to the one who supplied it in the first place. Wouldn't it be awesome if we remembered to ENJOY all His gifts rather than grumble and come up with a trillion and one excuses of why we are complaining?

Enough droning for today, time to get ready for my hot date tonight!

:)

Today, I recommend "Horchata" by the Vampire Weekend, there's fun percussion and a good beat to deter the winter doldrums. BONUS, you can download it for free on http://www.vampireweekend.com/.

Delight

Pork and Sauerkraut. Twice. What a happy day.

New Year, New Blog

Like many other people, I often imagine myself keeping up with a journal, allowing myself to capture moments and events in written form so that I could look back with nostalgia and appreciation for the recent and distant past. Harriet the Spy always intrigued me as a child, that introverted writer always capturing the events transpiring around her. While I never really became that, I promised myself in this new decade, this new year, that I would document more. I turned 20 this past October, I am entering those terrific 20's where lots of big things happen and so even if nobody ever reads these words, I can at least have a record of these exciting years. I am hoping this blog can evolve into something interesting and captivating, with music and movie recommendations and lots of pictures to boot.

Happy New Year to all! I pray God Blesses you in all your endeavors this year and brings you closer to himself this time next year than you are now.

A song I recently became interested is Fiona Apple's "Not About Love"

If you are at all interested in having a laugh, listen to the song first here

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/sy-5134792/fiona_apple_not_about_love_official_music_video/

(props to Peter Von Kahle for the video)