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Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Music Monday #2

Yesterday I was super busy, so lets just pretend that today is in fact monday ;)


1. Electric Feel - MGMT


I just love MGMT's vibe, ya know? Very summer-y, blasting through the speakers kind of thing. 


The chorus is incredibly intoxicating, how can you resist?! "Said ooh girl, shock me like an electric eel. Baby girl, turn me on with your electric feel." 


Now the video is a little trippy. No doubt MGMT is on some sort of drug when they write songs or come up with the music videos. Either way, awesome song.

2. Brackett, W9 - Bon Iver
Okay, okay. I know I posted a song by Bon Iver the last Music Monday, but I just can't help myself. They just give me goose bumps! Especially this song. Oh my goodness. This comes from the Dark Was the Night album, a wonderful cause in raising awareness for HIV/AIDS. There are some pretty fantastic collaborations and perhaps some of the greatest alternative/indie artist represented on there. I encourage you to take a listen.
3. Comptine D'un Autre Été: L’après Midi - Yann Tiersen A breathtakingly beautiful song. Sometimes music is more beautiful without lyrics, and I believe that this is the case with this song by Yann Tiersen. I really need to pick up on my french again, but I could translate most of the title: Rhyme of Another Summer - Afternoon. Yann does the majority of the music from the soundtrack of which this song is found, Amélie. I have yet to see the film, but I'm told that it's equally has beautiful as the song.  I chose this video (which my friend used to introduce me to this song) from youtube because I think the animation adds a wonderful element to the song. I think that the interpretation is quite lovely. Just watch:
4. Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love) - Conal Fowkes I recently watched Midnight in Paris again, and I think every time I do, I fall more in love with Paris. Such a magnificent film. Oh Woody Allen, you just get me.  Anyways, this song always stood out to me when watching the movie. I like the idea that falling in love is a choice, or perhaps this is the response from a lover that is already head over heals. And I adore the utter simplicity of this tune :)  "Birds to it, bees do it, even educated fleas do it, let's fall in love." <3
5. Lua - Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch  Ohmygoodess. Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and Gillian Welch - best collaboration ever? I think yes. Another pick from the Dark Was the Night album, forgive me, but I couldn't resist.  I love love love Conor Oberst. He's simply fantastic. That ever-so recognizable voice as the lead singer from Bright Eyes. His voice just makes me happy :)
Those are my picks for the week, hope you liked them! heart, taylor :]

Sunday, July 29, 2012

PostSecret sundays

Hi there, blogger world.

I've been gone for the past week at church camp (which was the best ever, by the way. Post about it to come soon).

I love sundays. 

One of the many reasons I do is because I get to read a new batch of secrets from PostSecret. (And if you don't already know about PostSecret, read about how it came to be here.) Actually, most of the time I rush to my computer on saturday night and read them, as I live on the west coast so for me they are posted at 9 pm.

I especially like the postcards from this week, so I thought I'd share a few..


I love this secret because it reminds me of my little brother, Jacob. Jacob is eight years old and he's adopted. I honestly can't imagine my life without him. Yeah, we fight a lot, but I love him nonetheless. It doesn't matter that he isn't biologically my mother's, he was just meant to be apart of our family <3


The backside of this postcard reads, "The only time I've EVER cried in THERAPY was when I was MOVING away from my THERAPIST. I could not express my thanks.

I see a psychologist, and getting professional help is nothing to be ashamed of. My psychologist is wonderful, and I really connect with her. I feel as though I can tell her things I can't tell even my closest friends, and I might cry too if I found out I couldn't see her anymore. I can definitely relate to this secret.


I have certain artists and songs that don't remind me of someone who has died, but rather my ex-boyfriend. Sometimes it makes it very difficult to listen to my favorite music without bringing up both pleasant and unpleasant memories. 


This one kind of saddens me. I know what it's like to be on both sides of this secret. I think it's easier for us as humans to tell others that they are beautiful the way they are than to accept it ourselves. What's easy is focusing on the parts of ourselves we hate, be it physically, mentally, etc. Coming to terms and loving the way we are is probably one of the hardest endeavors one can face.

Ending on a lighter note:


This just makes me happy :) That's all.

heart, 
taylor :]

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

a poem...

I'm currently working on online school right now, doing credit recovery for junior english (it's a long story). One of the recent assignments was to write a poem about an experience or memory you have. 


The assignment guidelines were pretty broad at first, but then they were like "blah blah blah, write it this way, write it that way." So I'm thinking, "Girl, please. I'll write it however the heck I want to."


Writing comes pretty easily for me. And although I haven't written a poem for quite some time, the words came pretty naturally to me. 


I wrote about a specific experience in my life, one that was about a broader theme and major stage/period in my life. I think you can get a pretty good idea of what it was that I was going through, but it's not like, in-your-face obvious. Poetry shouldn't be like that anyways. 


So before I turn in a final draft, I would very much appreciate some feedback/suggestions/critiques... if anyone out there is reading this...


 In a Hospital Bed


It wasn't until then that I fully understood
the gravity of it all;
Sitting in a hospital bed,
inspecting the newly printed wristband.


Hours before my life 
could have been considered normal.
But that was before,
that was before.


Were things really that bad?
How did I end up here?
Monitored at all times, I wasn't a carefree teenager anymore,
I was their patient.


Worried eyes examined
my hollow face that morning;
Rigid, yet frail bones
poked out from my ghostly skin.


But that was before,
that was before.


I remember the dinner of chicken and tortillas
I had ingested that night in my room;
While the nurse made subtle glances
to make sure I was eating.


It took everything out of me 
to keep from breaking down
and crying.


Lost in my thoughts, my eyes met the gaze
of a little old lady standing outside my doorway,
"I just wanted to tell you that you're very pretty."


I smiled and thanked her as she went on her way.
Why couldn't I see what she saw
when I stood in front of the mirror,
staring at the face and body I disgusted.


But that was before,
That was before.


Thoughts, comments? Please post below!


heart,
taylor :]

Monday, July 16, 2012

Music Monday #1!

A new addition I'd like to add to my blog! Music Mondays! Because I am obsessed with good music (indie, indie-rock, alternative, folk, etc. etc.).

I realize that other blogs have this installment, such as one of my favorites Little Chief Honeybee. However, I swear that the idea originally came to me from Urban Outfitters' Music Monday, so no hate. I think it's an awesome idea, especially because my favorite songs change every week!  So without further adieu, here is the first of many! Enjoy :)

1. Young Blood - The Naked and Famous

I originally found this song through Birdy, and absolutely amazing artist (and only 16!). She has such a beautiful voice, I'm often envious of her. Although I think her best cover is probably either Skinny Love or People Help the People. Check her out! 

Anyways, I loved her cover of Young Blood, so I looked it up on iTunes and found out it was by The Naked and Famous :) I had heard of them, but never actually listened to their music. Basically I fell in love. Put their CD on hold at the library! ;) 

[side note: the library is a great place to get music! It's free, which is pretty sweet considering that I'm usually broke, haha. Also, it's a bit more ethical than downloading from some site, which, I think we're all guilty of doing at some point. My guitar teacher is an artist, and she has an album, so I can understand that it's kind of not cool to rip off those who have worked so hard, to not only make the album, but establish whatever degree of fame they may have.]


Yay for being young and reckless! :]
2. Fader - The Temper Trap
I personally don't like to officially proclaim myself as a fan of any artist/band unless I have at least one full album by them. I don't know, I would just feel like a poser otherwise. So I found this song after I downloaded the whole Conditions album (from the library!), and I thought it measured up to my other two favorites by them: Love Lost and Sweet Disposition. 
It's a pretty fantastic song, give it a listen: 
3. Creature Fear - Bon Iver
Bon Iver is without doubt one of my favorite artists ever. And it's not HE is one of my favorites, it's THEY. Sorry, it bothers me when people say he, because it's not just Justin Vernon. Credit where credit is due.
I have nearly all of Bon Iver's songs, however, up until yesterday, I was missing this one. I love how it seamlessly transitions to Team, the next song on the album. I cannot get over Justin's voice, not only in this song, but all of them, really. 
I also adore the drama created in the song with the way it's all calm one moment, and the next it's upbeat. Listen, and you'll understand what I'm saying, haha:
4. Wake Me Up - Ed Sheeran
If you know me at all, you know that I'm nothing short of obsessed with this soulful ginger. I've actually contemplated what it would be like if we dated, and I mean, after listening to this song, how can you not?! But when you Ed's music, you'll soon come to the conclusion that I have that he would unfortunately be a terrible boyfriend. He has good intentions, but perhaps it's better just to fantasize about it.
I digress. This song is absolutely adorable. In one of his intimate live performances of this song found on youtube, he explained that he wrote this song while he was away from her girlfriend at the time, and how the distance from someone you love really makes you think about all those little things they do that are kind of weird, but you miss the most. 
I CANNOT wait for his concert in October! :)
Well, I think that's sufficient for this segment! Comment below, let me know what you think of my picks and share your own! 
heart,
taylor :]

Saturday, July 14, 2012

pretty please?

'PLEASE, God, let him telephone me now. Dear God, let him call me now. I won't ask anything else of You, truly I won't. It isn't very much to ask. It would be so little to You, God, such a little, little thing. Only let him telephone now. Please, God. Please, please, please.


If I didn't think about it, maybe the telephone might ring. Sometimes it does that. If I could think of something else. If I could think of something else. Maybe if I counted five hundred by fives, it might ring by that time. I'll count slowly. I won't cheat. And if it rings when I get to three hundred, I won't stop; I won't answer until I get to five hundred. Five, ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, thirty, thirty-five, forty, forty-five, fifty.... Oh please ring. Please.'

-Excerpt from "A Telephone Call" by Dorothy Parker

Ever feel like that? I know I have. 

But not for the longest time, which kind of saddens me, to tell you the truth. You, of course, being my pretty much non-existent readers.

Sometimes I think there's something wrong with me.. why can everyone else around me so easily find someone who cares for them, and I'm just sitting here, alone. And then at times I get truly spiteful in my mind, thinking that I would be a much better girlfriend, and they don't even know it. But that's mean, and I should be happy for them, right?

Well it's not so easy when you've been single (and oh-so ready to mingle) for over a year. And I realize that this post sounds very whiny and boo-hoo-ish. My apologies. But its been on my mind for a while now.

I can't really remember the last time I had butterflies fluttering around in my stomach, or desperately awaited a phone call, or even just a text. And the thing is, to be completely honest, to fall in love is perhaps the only thing I ever want in life. Seriously.

Okay, now I really sound like some whiny teenage girl.

But I'm not. Because, as hard as it is to remember it at times, I know that everything happens for a reason, and on God's time. I have to remember that just because I'm not currently in a cute, little high school relationship right now, doesn't mean that I'll never find love; that I'm doomed to be the little old lady living all alone. No. It means that God is preparing someone really really special for me, and I just need to be patient. 

In fact, if anyone else finds themselves in a similar situation, maybe God is trying to tell us that not only is He preparing someone wonderful for each of us, but that we need to start preparing ourselves in order to be worthy of what they are becoming. 

There is always room to grow. 

heart,
taylor :]