dirty projectors on jimmy fallon

ive blogged about how much i love the dirty projectors before but this video is incredible.

the girls vocals are so freaky and amazing and dizzying and perfect.

hey marseilles

leave forsaken towns
to see the world go round
routine is rapidly pounding her post

"from a terrace"

whaaaaaat

suuuuch an overplayed and overcovered song but his faces from about 1:08-1:20...

all i want for christmas

this is the only thing on my christmas list:

lovely is the only word i can think of to describe it.

although i imagine i would be extremely happy to receive this amazing looking blanket too:

how is it that anthropologie is able to do nearly everything right?

jonsi birgisson

sigur ros' frontman is releasing a solo album march 23 and i got you the first single:

here you go.

herman melville

"There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes his whole universe for a vast practical joke."

andrew wyeth

"I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the
 landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter.
 Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show."

did i already blog about this?

i found this band, the paper raincoat while i was interning this summer but all they had on itunes or anything was a little 4 song ep! well their self-titled full length came out on itunes three weeks ago and i haven't stopped listening to it since. so just in case i've never blogged about them, check em out (my fav is sympathetic vibrations):

myspace.com/thepaperraincoat

also this won't disappoint you...at 3:33 it's so lucy in the sky with diamonds-y

first day of my life

Remember the time you drove all night
Just to meet me in the morning?
And I thought it was strange, you said everything changed
You felt as if you just woke up

And you said
"This is the first day of my life
Glad I didn't die before I met you
Now I don't care, I could go anywhere with you
And I'd probably be happy"

So if you want to be with me
With these things there's no telling
We'll just have to wait and see
But I'd rather be working for a paycheck
Than waiting to win the lottery

what i would like right now

right now, what sounds perfect is this:

• to live in this cottage by myself in europe in cold fall weather
• it would have a wood-burning stove
• piles and piles of heavy handmade quilts
• my bible and journal
• a few instruments
• quotable, relational books
• a big dog
• willow trees out in the yard and more vines that grow up the front
• only james taylor, sigur ros, and sleeping at last on vinyl to listen to
• thick fleeces
• and warm things to drink.

bye.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you,

for my power is made perfect in weakness."

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses,

so that Christ's power may rest on me.

i'm very impressed (and very sick...hence a million posts already today)

Amazon released their Top 100 Albums of 2009 yesterday, and paired it with the Bestselling Albums of 2009. I am seriously so impressed with Amazon's choices:

Here's the list.

Thanks for not being all mainstream-y/top 40ish and giving other music a chance. Neko Case vs. U2 for #1? I love it.

here, enjoy this cover. especially if it's raining right now.

but wait it out cause she makes it more brandi-ish at like 2 minutes.

also, her new album give up the ghost is really really good.

also!

the paper raincoat is finally on itunes! if you don't listen to them, do.

norah jones + ryan adams

"Light As A Feather" November 17!

Additionally, 48 days until Christmas. That's all.

this happened.

have there ever been two cooler people?

"shit i made the yankee hat more famous than a yankee can"

sorry for the cursing, i just think jay-z is kind of a lyrical genius and this one is funny.

tiny world.

i am so so happy about this...

you know how the other day i blogged about fanfarlo? the band i really liked from this summer? well, like 2 minutes ago i discovered the band Freelance Whales and after hearing one song LOVED them so i went to their myspace and guess who they're on tour with? fanfarlo! what are the chances? tiny world.

anyway, please listen to and spread freelance whales.

so thankful (and warm)

so yesterday (early) morning my landlord came over with the most wonderful gift: the delonghi space heater. i fully realize how unattractive it is, but i may never have been more thankful for something considering the state of my room. my room was an add-on to my really old house and because of that, has no air registers in the floor. additionally, i have seven floor to ceiling windows and an exterior door right by my bed.

my bed used to involve:

• 2 sheets
• 2 blankets
• 2 quilts
• a down comforter
• and another really thick comforter

under all of this, there have already been mornings that it was too cold to get out of bed and go to class. thanks to travis and the delonghi, i'll never skip again.

(what a joke.)

additionally, this does not at all compare to the warm morning at the fessfess.

"My sore throats, you know, are always worse than anybody’s."

Well said, Jane. And I'm choosing to live by those words while I have this little sinus infection.

listen!

i discovered fanfarlo this summer at work and now their album is out!

i love love love it.

and i like their style.

may my mind stroll about hungry

remember that time i lived in north hollywood and there was an amazing used bookstore up the block in the noho arts district called Iliad that looked like this

and one afternoon i found this

and then tonight i read this

and was unable to ever stop loving the things estlin cummings said?

may my heart always be open to little

birds who are the secrets of living

whatever they sing is better than to know

and if men should not hear them men are old

may my mind stroll about hungry

and fearless and thirsty and supple

and even if it's sunday may i be wrong

for whenever men are right they are not young

and may myself do nothing usefully

and love yourself so more than truly

there's never been quite such a fool who could fail

pulling all the sky over him with one smile

Sometimes, I feel like this:

Damn me to hell or take me to heaven, but for God's sake,

do it now.

willa

Although I admired scholarship so much in Cleric, I was not deceived about myself; I knew that I should never be a scholar. I could never lose myself for long among impersonal things. Mental excitement was apt to send me with a rush back to my own naked land and the figures scattered upon it. While I was in the very act of yearning toward the new forms that Cleric brought up before me, my mind plunged away from me, and I suddenly found myself thinking of the places and people of my own infinitesimal past.

I always love quotes by Willa Cather (especially this one...so true) so yesterday I went to the Fayetteville Public Library and got one of her books and now I can't stop reading it. I feel like my reaction to so many things she says is like, "Ah! Exactly! Thanks for being so much better at verbalizing things than me!" So if you feel like it, look up some of her quotes or check out one of her books.

My Antonia, so far so good.

this should've happened today.

on rainy days in college we should be forced to:

• sleep in
• have all classes cancelled
• wear ridiculous looking, yet perfectly comfortable clothes all day (like leggings and huge, oversized sweatshirts or something and uggs, because there's no shame in uggs on this day)
• eat at The Waffle at sunset & vine
• have a screened-in porch with a couch on it
• watch too many movies (or shameful amounts of grey's or felicity episodes)
• lay under quilts and read perfect books
• with people we love.

flightless bird, american mouth

once you figure out this song, these are the most amazing, metaphorical lyrics ever.

and the music is incredible, too. (pretend it wasn't in twilight.)

I was a quick wet boy, diving too deep for coins

All of your street light eyes wide on my plastic toys

Then when the cops closed the fair, I cut my long baby hair

Stole me a dog-eared map and called for you everywhere

Have I found you

Flightless bird, jealous, weeping or lost you, american mouth

Big pill looming

Now I'm a fat house cat

Nursing my sore blunt tongue

Watching the warm poison rats curl through the wide fence cracks

Pissing on magazine photos

Those fishing lures thrown in the cold

And clean blood of Christ mountain stream

Have I found you

Flightless bird, grounded, bleeding or lost you, american mouth

Big pill stuck going down

sorry for 3 posts in one day...

but can we just talk about this band of horses cover real quick?

Her ep of covers is going to have:

The Funeral - Band Of Horses
No Air - Jordin Sparks
Slow - Kylie Minogue
Ramblin Man - Hank Williams

I can't wait. November 3.

the dirty projectors

click: 'bitte orca' has been called the greatest record of 2009. that might be taking it a little far in my opinion, but i do love the dirty projectors.

'two doves' and 'no intention' aren't on their myspace, but they're my favorites...give em a whirl.

e e cummings

I thank you God for this most amazing day,

for the leaping greenly spirits of trees,

and for the blue dream of sky,

and for everything

which is natural, which is infinite, which is yes.

cormac mccarthy

People were always getting ready for tomorrow.

I didnt believe in that.

Tomorrow wasnt getting ready for them.

It didnt even know they were there.

bounce

I feel like they could be really fun to hang out with:

breakable

Have you ever thought about what protects our hearts?

Just a cage of rib bones and other various parts.

So it's fairly simple to cut right through the mess,

And to stop the muscle that makes us confess.

And we are so fragile,

And our cracking bones make noise,

And we are just,

Breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys.

You fasten my seatbelt because it is the law.

In your two ton death trap I finally saw.

A piece of love in your face that bathed me in regret.

Then you drove me to places I'll never forget.

And we are so fragile,

And our cracking bones make noise,

And we are just,

Breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys.

And we are so fragile,

And our cracking bones make noise,

And we are just,

Breakable, breakable, breakable girls and boys.

ingrid michaelson

Burglary in Ponca

Yesterday, about 10 friends and I drove down to Ponca, AR to go caving. After an hour and a halfish of driving on 412 (my favorite because it's so so windy and hilly) we got to the cave, and made some friends who were on their way out of the cave and who had a rope that went down into the cave entry. We decided that it would be a little hard to free climb out, so we set a time when we would be done so that they could come back and get their rope after we had climbed out. Anyway, we got into the cave and I can confidently say that it was my favorite cave to date. We were caving upstream through a creek nearly the entire way, a bat flew right past my face and through Maddy's legs, we made a makeshift slide inside, and all the while we knew that once we got out we had "50 cent grilled cheeses" waiting for us. And this starts the story that is the actual reason for this blog post.

After everyone was out of the cave (we were thankfully not bamboozled by our Conway/Waco friends, and their rope was still there when we wanted to climb out) we started to drive back towards the little town square that Maddy had been to before. On our way to the cave Maddy realized she had been to the Bed and Breakfast on the square and excitedly remembered their 50 cent grilled cheeses. We're all hungry and excited and I walk into the B&B and ask,

"Do you still have grilled cheese!?" cause it had been a while since Maddy had been there.

Her reply? "No. And even if we did, our grill is closed."

My thoughts replied, "Thanks for the sass and also, it's 4:00...how is your grill closed and what does that even mean??" But my mouth replied, "Oh okay, well can I have a large Diet Coke then please?"

"A dollar sixty," she said.

I open my Hobo. Only $1.26 to my name!! And I can't justify putting $1.60 on my credit card! "Sam (the little brother) do you want anything? Or do you have 34 cents?"

Maddy came to my rescue with "Emmy, it's fine...I'll get it."

"Thanks, sister."

I tell the sassy teenager working at the B&B that my friend will get my drink and head out the door. After about 25 minutes I find out that there is some serious eye-rolling and under-the-breath-cussing coming from the girl in the restaurant when everyone else is ordering milkshakes. Everyone is getting kinda tired of waiting, so we just load up and start driving back to Fayetteville. I'm driving Maddy's car and after a couple minutes on the road I see a police car pull behind me.

"Dang it...no speeding on these fun, windy roads. There's a cop behind me!" I say. Maddy looks at me wide-eyed and says, "Oh no! I forgot to pay for your drink!"

Then I start to semi-freak out, thinking that the girl who did not like us realized my thievery and sent him after me! I try to rationalize, "It was only $1.60! But still, $1.60 that I owe! But surely it's not that big of a deal! But wait, I'm a thief! I'm a burglar! I stole this drink! I need to turn around! He's coming to take me to the slammer!" I consider turning around. I consider scrounging through my car for 34 more cents and throwing the $1.60 out the window. All the while, the cop is in hot pursuit of me. (Not really, but he was tailing me and I felt like such a hoodrat.)

And then it happens. The lights come on!

I pull over and prepare myself for my sentencing. He walks up. I roll down the window.

"Hello ma'am. The reason I'm pulling you over is because you've got a tail light out. Can I see your license?" Sweet relief.

After a couple minutes the cop comes back, hands me my license and says (this is the real quote), "Welp, I called in your license and you're not a criminal!" He smiles and hands it back to me.

My insides are screaming, "Yes I am! I am a criminal! Cuff me! I'm a burglar!" The real words that come out are, "Thank you! We'll get the light fixed! Have a good day!"

So that's it. I'm a thief.

please don't stop the rain

Me sharing this little nugget of joy needed to happen almost two days ago, but it made me so happy it's worth a late post.

I can't tell you how many times I prayed for rain over the course of my 86 days as a Californian. Easily, rain is my most favorite weather.  However, the Lord never saw fit to bless me with the cool, refreshing droplets and atmosphere and attitude that accompany it.

and THEN...

Tuesday morning, 5 am, sound asleep on my real mattress (three months on an air mattress in LA was enough) under my real covers and sheets that tuck in (another issue with the air mattress), I was woken up by the soft sound of raindrops on my window.  What started out as a gentle rain quickly became a thunder-you-feel-in-your-bones, lightning-you-see-through-your-eyelids storm.  I literally couldn't fall back asleep because I couldn't stop thanking Jesus.  I also kept saying, in the words of my man James, please don't stop the rain.

ALSO!  Tonight the littlest Lutz put PANDORA on my BLACKBERRY!  What!?  It is one of the greatest things you can imagine.  Pandora to go?  Yes please and thank you.  William Fitzsimmons Radio, thank you for bringing joy to my soul.

The monthly wrap-up

So it's been a while since a post...I haven't been feeling wordy.  (Saying that makes sense to me.)  BUT lots has happened over the last few weeks in Lala Land.  I'll inform you up to last weekend because it deserves it's own post.

Here's the general specific(s) (points to you if you caught that reference): 

• Fourth of July:  I got to spend the fourth with my favorite people in LA-Jake and Lesley Roberts!  I went to their place in the Palisades and cooked and out and spent time with friends and then when it got dark (which California takes FOREVER to get dark at night!) we went up and sat on the roof and simultaneously watched the firework shows in Malibu, Will Rogers, and Santa Monica!  Once we saw all those finales, the started shooting them off 2 blocks in front of us at Pali High.  Even though I felt like a traitor to the lake (the general lake...doesn't matter which one), it was so fun to spend this holiday here, with some of the greatest people LA has to offer.
• Later that week I was at Caffe Etc. (one of THE best places to eat in Hollywood) with my boss and he saw Joel Madden walking in.  They're friends (Joel has a studio in our office building) and he came over and I met him and we all talked for a while.  Something really respectable about Joel that my boss told me is that never in his life has he had one drink of alcohol or used any drug.  W2G, Joel.
• The next weekend I finally saw some people I have known for more than 2 months!  My mom's best friend and husband came to LA and I got to take them to church and go out to lunch with them.  (Sidenote: at lunch, Whitney Port and I had a mild staring contest)
• THEN, the next weekend, Mer and Dave came!  After spending-no exaggeration-45 minutes driving 4 miles on the 405, I floored it, spent some time illegally in the HOV lane, and made it to LAX to pick up my mom.  She and I had such a great weekend doing things that I haven't gotten to do all summer due to my lack of funds...and just spending time together.  (But really, if you're looking for a good day of meals in LA: The Waffle for breakfast, The Ivy for lunch and maybe some In-N-Out to round off the day.)
• On Sunday, we went to pick up my dad from LAX, took him to Jake and Lesley's to meet them and have lunch and then went down to Orange County!  My parents had their 25th anniversary in June and were going down to celebrate in the OC and I got to come and spend 2 days with them.  It was a MUCH needed break from the crazy, fast pace of the city.  I also got to take off work Monday and Tuesday...my first days off all summer.  PTL for that and for being on a beach that is not Santa Monica.
• This post is long and the following weekend was one for the books, so I'll get around to posting about it soon.  Let's just say it has to do with a great friend, lots and lots of ridiculous things to laugh about and COLDPLAY.

Okay that's all!  KC, see you in 6 days and 23 hours, respectively.  (We're going off central time, here).

A-A-A-R-K-A-N-S-A-S

As my second chunk of world-traveling friends have recently departed for exciting countries for the second half of the summer: places I’ve sung about a hundred times in that country’s language but have never actually been to before, it makes me think back on my Arkansas days, when we were all together.  Before coming out to LA, I was pretty much ready to be done with Arkansas.  Three years was enough, four would be more than plenty.  But after spending the last two months of life in the Golden State, I’ve come to miss a few things about the Natural.  In my infinite amount of free time as an intern at Job #2 (Universal Music Group), I’ve decided to write an acronymic ode to Arkansas and the things I miss about it (might be a little difficult considering all the A’s and S’s).   

Any relationship that doesn’t involve schmoozing.  People survive and make their living by networking and name-dropping out here. I just want to spend time with someone because I enjoy being with them!

Rain.  It has “rained” count it: ONCE since I got out here 59 days ago.  And by “rained” I mean the sky spit a little bit (not even worth using windshield wipers) and people freaked out.  It was the same response people in Fayetteville have to snow.  Everyone forgets how to drive, how to think, how to breathe… I love rain so much, I just wish I could have one thunderstorm. 

Kampish clothes.  I accidentally wore Nike shorts on Rodeo Drive one afternoon and have never felt like more of an outcast in my life.  (I wouldn't normally refer to Nike shorts as "Kamp clothes" but K was hard, so we're making that term work.)

Average prices for parking.  Honestly, $3 per 15 minutes?  I need to get a Segway and/or stop complaining about the parking situation in Fayetteville.

Normal driving speeds.  Office #1 is 7 miles away, and I’m on the highway for about 6.8 of those.  And it takes me 35 minutes to get to work.

Sonic and Chick-fil-a that are closer than 20 and 30 miles away.  Chances are good that if you’re reading my blog, you know of my love for a good Route 44 Diet Dr. Pepper easy ice from Sonic.  You might also know that after camping out for 52 free Chick-fil-a meals, I’ve come to really really love their sandwiches (which I’d never even had before I camped out.  In January.)  Of these two heavily-frequented places in my life in Arkansas, I have had ONE Chick-fil-a sandwich in the last two months and ZERO anything from Sonic.  Perfect corner of Sixth Street, I’ll be back soon.

Activity/Walking: It took a while to realize this one, but I hardly even walk in LA.  Here’s my day:  Leave my apartment by taking the elevator down to my car (the stairs don’t take you out to the level I park on), drive to the parking deck at one of my offices, take the elevator from the 5^th floor down to the street, walk to the office, take the elevator to the 4^th or 5^th floor (depending on where I’m working that day), and then do it all in reverse to get home.  The only time I walked all day was from the parking deck to the building and around the office!  PTL for the little tiny workout room in my apartment that I have shockingly come to love.

Smiling.  Really, people don’t smile out here.  Here’s a story that gives proof to that point:  One night I was sitting outside of a Panera next to the window, just reading and listening to my iPod.  At one point I happened to look up from my book and accidentally made eye contact with a guy in there and just as a natural reaction, smiled.  I thought literally nothing of it, and looked back down at my book.  A few seconds later I was startled by  a tap on my shoulder.  It was him, with a HUGE smile on his face.  He stuck his hand in my face, wanting me to shake it and when I did he said, “Hi! I’m Ray!  You smiled at me in there and I just wanted to come out and say thanks.  If I ever see you again out here, we cool, aight?”  What?  I just smiled!  I’ve also been pinned as a Southerner three times because I “never stop smiling”.  All right…

 

It’s not that there’s not a ton of great things about LA, but there’s some aspects of it that make Arkansas look pretty good.  Fayetteville, see you in exactly one month.

Seriously, foreign vacationers?

Today I was walking to my car from the Beverly Center, and I saw this mom, dad and son. They nervously approached me and this is the conversation that we had (I quickly figured out that they were from somewhere in Europe):

"Uh, escuza me? Escuza me?"

"Yessir?"

"You know ver Et Hotty ees?"

"Um...excuse me?"

"Et Hotty? Zee Et Hotty store?"

"Um, Ed Hardy?"

"Ya!"

"Yeah. Actually if you just keep walking around this side of the building you'll get to the entrance and I'm pretty positive there's an Ed Hardy store in there."

"Ees dee flagsheep?"

"The flagship Ed Hardy store?! I have no idea, I'm sorry!"

"Ya the flagsheep Et Hotty store ees on this street or that?"

"Yeah...I don't actually know. But if you go to the store inside I bet they would tell you!"

"It's eenside?"

"Sir, I think there's an Ed Hardy store inside the Beverly Centre, I'm not sure if it's the flagship store or not, but I bet they could help you figure that out. Just go inside and up the escalator!"

"Okay, sank you. Sank you so, so much."

They were so precious and SO concerned about finding the flagship store.

The Ed Hardy flagship store. What!?

Then I was in another store and a man from Israel started a conversation for me and offered to buy me a pair of jeans in exchange for my phone number. What?

Only in LA.

Cecilia

So at work, we are all obsessed with this band: Local Natives.  My bosses tried to sign them a year-ish ago, but apparently they're pulling a Bon Iver and keeping it indie for a while.  Their original songs are great, but I'm in love with this Simon & Garfunkel cover.  I hope you are too:

pattycakes

Three nights ago I saw one of the most amazing concerts ever.  One that had been on my life to-do list and exceeded my expectations.  

On Wednesday night I saw PATTY GRIFFIN in concert.

On Wednesday night I saw PATTY GRIFFIN in concert with Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Buddy Miller.

On Wednesday night I saw PATTY GRIFFIN in concert with Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Buddy Miller at The Greek Theatre (the greatest venue ever).

On Wednesday night I saw PATTY GRIFFIN in concert with Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Buddy Miller at The Greek Theatre (the greatest venue ever) AND snuck my camera in so I have secret, contraband photos and video.*

On Wednesday night I saw PATTY GRIFFIN in concert with Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Buddy Miller at The Greek Theatre (the greatest venue ever) AND snuck my camera in so I have secret, contraband photos and video AND had VIP wall passes.

On Wednesday night I saw PATTY GRIFFIN in concert with Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Buddy Miller at The Greek Theatre (the greatest venue ever) AND snuck my camera in so I have secret, contraband photos and video AND had VIP wall passes for FREE!

Now let me give you some details:

The Greek Theatre is this amazing amphitheater tucked away in a forest (basically) in Griffith Park in LA.  It was the greatest, most intimate, amazing concert.  Patty, Emmylou, Buddy and Shawn all sat in a semi circle with their instruments right next to them and each just had one microphone in front of them.  All night, they just went around and around, one person at a time playing their music.  For example, Patty would be sitting, leading one of her songs on guitar and vocals, Emmylou right next to her would be playing this little miniature djembe or shaker, while Buddy sitting next to her would be playing cool riffs on his acoustic and Shawn was singing harmony.  This went on for 2 hours with everyone accompanying each other on their songs and laughing and telling stories in between.  It was amazing and made my heart so happy. 

I also saw my first pair of Chacos since I've been in LA.  The people there were so granola and perfect. :)

*pictures to come

hi world.

Was that arrogant of me to title this "hi world."?  Like, people all over the world read this?  Probably.  (Probably arrogant, not probably people all over the world read this.)  Anyway I apologize for snubbing this b as of late.

In other, more urgent news: like one second ago Regina's new album dropped.  PTL, "Laughing With" wasn't actually the best track from "Far".  In my opinion, the track that really brought home the bacon is "Eet," with "Dance Anthem of the 80s" and "Two Birds" following close behind.  Give me a few more listens to the album I actually bought* and then I'll humbly offer a more extensive opinion.

*this whole working in the music industry thing is super convicting when it comes to treasures like zamzar.com.

More on the music front:  AFTER WEDNESDAY NIGHT I CAN CROSS A DREAM CONCERT OFF MY LIFE LIST.  Patty Griffin herself will be blessing me with the sweet, sweet sounds of (hopefully) "Heavenly Day", "Moses", "Every Little Bit", and in my wildest dreams, "Rain".  I think it's safe to say you can expect a blog post devoted solely to this concert.  (Which also features Shawn Colvin!!! Emmylou Harris-what a miserable name, and Buddy Miller.  It's sure to be unreal.)

Another topic that is recently relevant to my life (and probably should've received it's own post) is none other than Bikram Yoga.  And by Bikram Yoga I mean voluntary, self-inflicted pain that I paid for.  What can $13 get you in Studio City?  An hour and a half of yoga in a 115° room with mirrors on all sides.  I'm not exaggerating about the temperature either.  That's the point of Bikram.  The only slight comparison I can make is this: take the sweat from every single day of my life that I've spent at Kanakuk or visiting my brothers in July at Boy Scout camp, multiply it by about 7000, and you're getting close to how much sweat jumps off your body during these 90 minutes.  If the sweat weren't enough, the yoga poses themselves were some of the most difficult things of my life (granted I've never done yoga once.  Ever.).  For instance:

 this one, I did-

this one, I did not.  Next time, right? (Yeah right, I'm never going back): 

Next: today in the ally of my office there was a movie filming going on!  Unexcitingly, I don't know what for or who it's starring cause I couldn't see but there were fun signs everywhere saying "Filming in Progress" and huge Warner Brothers and Paramount semi trucks with equipment and set stuff and wardrobe rolling racks everywhere.  Fun!

So that's the latest!

Praise Him for:

• Regina, Patty, the elliptical, six weeks left, skype
  

2 corinthians 4:17-18

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

a pearl for today

"To those with ears to hear and eyes to see, there will be very great release from unbearable burdens in the language of autumn trees, for example, when they dress most gloriously in preparation for death.  The red of the leaves is the sign of the cross.  Winter follows, when snow closes everything in frozen silence.  The trees then are skeletons, but wonders are being performed under the surface of things.  Spring comes, and the hidden wonders burst out all at once-tiny shoots, swelling buds, touches of green and red where all seemed hopeless the day before.  Miss Trotter shows the yellow blossom of the gorse springing straight out of last year's thorn.  Plain lessons for us, if we'll open our eyes.  

If the leave had not been let go to fall and wither, if the tree had not consented to be a skeleton for many months, there would be no new life rising, no bud, no flower, no fruit, no seed, no new generation."

-Elisabeth Elliot, from Passion and Purity

YALL!

Okay...I know I tend to exaggerate, but I think I just discovered a piece of what my Heaven is going to be:

The Vitamin String Quartet

I love music more than most things in life, but music with strings is the absolute cream of the crop.  Mere minutes ago I stumbled upon The Vitamin String Quartet.  I immediately youtubed them (obviously) and discovered that not only do they cover "Fire and Rain" (which is what I found first) but they also cover such musicians as:

The Beatles, Coldplay, Dave Matthews, David Gray, Death Cab, Depeche Mode, Dixie Chicks, Flyleaf, Norah Jones, Phish, Pink Floyd, Radiohead, Kanye, and a trillion more that aren't worth being listed because you should be listening to them instead of reading this!  Go!  Now!  Youtube "The Vitamin String Quartet" or conveniently click on the title of this post.

Praise Him for:

• Violin, Viola, Cello, Upright bass, the idea of covering a song

I wish I could put videos directly into a post

My current love.

Hold me. Like the river Jordan.

Today at work, out of nowhere, my boss started BLASTING this from the enormous speakers in our studio.  We all kind of chuckled at first and were like, "Is this the Free Willy song?"  And then, slowly, we all admitted that we actually LOVE the song and we continued to listen to it.  It's the most inspirational and triumphant sounding song.  

Also, my roommate is friends with Jason James Richter.  Yeah, that's Jesse.

Praise Him for:

• the greatest internship, good music, Michael Jackson's music (really.  before he got messed up), fellowship, exciting experiences

"I have had prayers answered-most strangely so sometimes-but I think our heavenly Father's loving-kindness has been even more evident in what He has refused me."  Lewis Carroll

The joy of being alone

Today I slept in late, woke up in a roommateless apartment, ate a big bowl of cereal, slowly got ready, and drove 20 miles by myself to Santa Monica.  I laid on the beach with my favorite music in my ears, read a book I'm obsessed with (it's like it was written for me alone) sent to me by a good friend, and had a Clif bar.  I drove down around the Pier just to see it, and enjoyed every aspect of this day by myself.  

I made the drive back to the Valley by myself and got a phone call from home.  I was put on speakerphone and at the other end of the line sat my mom, dad, brothers, and all my grandparents.  I got to just sit and laugh and talk with them and it was so good for my soul.

I love how well the Lord knows me.  I love doing things on my own, but I'm so thankful He knows every aspect of me.  Doing this whole summer alone is great for me in so many ways, but I'm learning that the comfort of familiarity is something I can't go without.

Praise Him for:

• knowing me better than I know myself, family, the blessing that is this summer, California weather, familiarity

"Our life is full of brokenness - broken relationships, broken promises, broken expectations. How can we live with that brokenness without becoming bitter and resentful except by returning again and again to God's faithful presence in our lives."    Henri Nouwen  (this has no relevance to this post, but I just love this quote.)

Crazy LA Happenings: Part II

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 is the most unreal day of my life to date.

Let me tell you why:

My co-worker of two days, Emily (confusing, I know-2 Emily's in one studio) is the greatest human.  In August she filled something out saying she would like to get tickets to the American Idol finale.  Lo and behold, 9 months later and 2 days before the show she was contacted and found out that yes, they do in fact have 2 tickets they would like her to have.  I must've really made an impact on her those two days that we worked together because who did she choose to invite to go with her?  Yes, it was me.

Fast forward to Wednesday.  Emily and I go into work from 10-12.  Rough, I know.  We quickly left work, went to her house, changed into wardrobe-requirement appropriate clothes (i.e. "if you wear jeans, we kick you out") and went to down to the Kodak at Hollywood and Highland.  After waiting in line for 2ish hours, we were let in.  This is where the fun began.

1.  I was seated on the front row.  Of the Kodak.  Next to Ruben Studdard and his wife and daughter.  In front of David Hasselhoff and family.  In front of Heather Locklear and daughter.

2. Aside from those three, I was amongst Kate Walsh, Amanda Bynes, Nicole Richie, Joel Madden, Jason Mraz, Gavin Degraw, Janice Dickinson, a million past contestants, all the judges, etc.

3. Which was fun, but the most amazing part was the 2 hour long concert which included: KISS, Queen, Lionel Richie, Cyndi Lauper, Keith Urban, Fergie, the Black Eyed Peas, Rod Stewart, Steve Martin, Queen Latifah, Lil Rounds, Jason Mraz, etc.

4. And then Kris Allen won.  Ruben's wife and I stared at each other after they announced it and were both shocked.  Both happy, but completely surprised.  

5. And then they shot off the confetti.  It was such a joyful, exciting moment and I felt like a little kid.

6. Emily and I busted outta there to beat the traffic.

7. I dropped her off to see Ben Folds.

8. And I went to see Milosh at the Hotel Cafe.  Again, for free.

It was the most eventful, crazy, amazing and inexpensive night ever.

I'm aware that it's been almost a week since I posted, but life has been so busy!   I hope this one was decent enough to make up for the lack of recent posts.  Be well and keep checking in for more posts. :)

Praise Him for: 

• Emily-my new co-worker and friend, free concerts all summer long, music, the Lord knowing my heart, and relationships
  

Crazy LA Happenings: Part I

Let me give you the top 4 highlights of my last 3 days in LA:

1.  My first "celebrity" sighting of the summer: Sally Field in the Palisades

2. My first earthquake: it was a 5 on the richter scale

3. Calling 911 for a homeless man who collapsed on the side of the road

4. Getting free tickets to the American Idol finale-see ya Wednesday sucka!

Praise Him for:

• God's goodness, fun memories and stories, God's relevance, the greatest roomies, a sick internship

Wal-Mart

A lot of people in California don't know what Wal-Mart is, and I love it.  

Take that Northwest Arkansas.

Praise Him for:

• Target
• Already knowing my way around the Valley
• Having taken Spanish for years and years and years
• The little exercise room in my apartment complex (how convenient)
• Not starting work for 3 more days

Coming to you live from the 101

So, after living in Los Angeles for nearly 3 days, I'm seriously considering buying a mannequin and keeping it in my car.  I want to do this so that I can make use of God's sweet, sweet gift to LA traffic: the HOV lane.  Honestly.  I've decided that my best bet out here is to shift into neutral and just roll to my destination as I watch the wise carpoolers fly by in the HOV lane.  Literally, I'm blogging from my blackberry as I roll down the 101 highway.  It's so ridiculous that when the traffic does clear enough to speed up a little, my rationality completely flies out the window.  I legitimately had the thought, "Who cares if I get a speeding ticket?  It's so great to remember what 55 mph feels like!"

Okay, it's not that bad.  But really, it is.

On a different note, praise Him for:

• No humidity
• No mosquitos
• Good gas mileage on the highway (I'm assuming)
• The tom tom GPS my dad gave me.  I would literally be lost without it
• Arriving at my apartment with 2 letters waiting for me in the mail :)

God is so good.

crazy crazy crazy

Today was my first day in LA and already so many ridiculous things happened. 

I think I'm going to be obsessed with life this summer.

Prepare yourself for stories.

HE is good

Lucy: 

"Is he... safe?" 

Mr. Beaver: 

"Safe? 

Of course he isn't safe...but he's good.  

He's the King." 

the only thing i need to hear right now.

Everybody knows it sucks to grow up

Remember my 7:30 am Statistics final tomorrow?  (See my last post)  Me posting this is really just me following Ming-Hua's instructions.

Now that that justification is out of the way, watch this:

Still Fighting It

Good morning, son.  I am a bird

Wearing a brown polyester shirt

You want a coke?  Maybe some fries?

The roast beef combo's only $9.95

It's okay, you don't have to pay I've got all the change

Everybody knows it hurts to grow up

And everybody does

It's so weird to be back here

Let me tell you what

The years go on and

We're still fighting it, we're still fighting it

And you're so much like me

I'm sorry

Good morning, son

In twenty years from now

Maybe we'll both sit down and have a few beers

And I can tell you 'bout today

And how I picked you up and everything changed

It was pain, sunny days and rain

I knew you'd feel the same things

Everybody knows it sucks to grow up

And everybody does

It's so weird to be back here.

Let me tell you what

The years go on and

We're still fighting it, we're still fighting it

You'll try and try and one day you'll fly away from me

Good morning, son I am a bird

It was pain, sunny days and rain

I knew you'd feel the same things

Everybody knows it hurts to grow up

And everybody does

It's so weird to be back here.

Let me tell you what the years go on and

We're still fighting it, we're still fighting it

Oh, we're still fighting it, we're still fighting it

And you're so much like me

I'm sorry

I'm sure you've heard this song before but last Tuesday Ben Folds released the University a Cappella album that this version is from.  We are obsessed with it at my house right now.  Especially this and "Not the Same".  You need to buy at least these two songs, if not the whole thing.  If you get confused for a second while you're listening and think they cheated and used a drum or something at some point, you're wrong.  All voices and beatboxing.  It's really incredible.  AND!  One of my friends from high school sings on "Still Fighting It" and "The Luckiest".  

Anyway, the songs of this album have pretty much been on repeat ever since we got them and whenever "Still Fighting It" comes on, I get the most bittersweet feeling.  I've decided it's for three reasons:

"It was pain, sunny days and rain"

  Sarah, Bek and I have been listening to it a nearly non-stop as we pack our entire house and move out of this flawless little thing.  None of us are ready to leave the Oakland House, yet today we were making trips back and forth from my new house loading and unloading furniture, and taking pictures off the walls.  At least once an hour someone would yell out or mumble, "I don't want to leave this house."  This lyric is so good because a lot of really painful things happened during this last year living here, but I also think back on really happy sunny days laying on the hammock out front, and afternoons spent curled up on the couch on the front porch watching the rain.

"Everybody knows it hurts to grow up and everybody does"

  The other thing that we keep yelling or mumbling while we're packing is "We are seniors in college!!!"  Really, none of us is ready for that.  Life is moving way too fast and realizing that we're about to start year 4 out of 4 is a really upsetting thought.  

"We're still fighting it, You'll try and try and one day you'll fly away from me"

  The other thing on my mind is the fact that I'm moving to Los Angeles in nine days.  I'll only be there for 3 months and I'm sure it is going to be amazing, but it's weird realizing that what I want to do with my life is taking me so far away from everyone I love.  I keep trying to talk myself into being excited about this summer because my heart is with everyone else, not in LA, but now I'm just trying to stop fighting it.  The Lord has me there and He's going to be faithful to teach me and grow me.

Apologies for the emo post.  I'm just emo and reflective right now.  I know this song wasn't meant to be taken this way, but I am.  And I love it. :)

Ming-Hua Chung

I haven't been to statistics class in over two weeks and I have an exam today, a make-up exam tomorrow and the final on Monday.  So yesterday I went in to Ming-Hua (English name: Michael) Chung's office hours to try to learn all of this information by today.  He asked me what the last class was that I had been to, and when I told him I couldn't remember this is what he said (in broken English, of course):

"It will take too long for to teach you.  Don't try to learn or understand material, memorize practice quiz questions and answers."

I was really told that by my professor.   I was shocked/loved it.

All Along The Watchtower

So last weekend-the most perfect weekend of all time-I saw dave and tim with jason mraz opening at the vandy football stadium in nashville.

AND he closed the encore with watchtower. 

He also did this and I loved it.

He also played Blue Water and Cornbread which I also loved.  You should've been there.

That's all.  (It's okay to be jealous.)