On nights when I feel I have nothing to say, I sit back and count my blessings, knowing this is a sign that things could be much worse than they are.
Sometimes silence is nothing short of pure bliss.
Excuse me while I leave you to go soak it up, now.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 26, 2012
My musical adventure list
Being the music lover I am, I thought it may be fun to make a list of all the bands that I've seen in concert to date. I will do my best to remember all of them, although I have a feeling that may not happen as completely as I wish.
Smashmouth (front row, first concert ever)
Trick Pony
Grits
DC Talk (one of their last shows as a band)
Plus One
Toby Mac
KJ 52
Jeremy Camp
Stacie Oricco
Jars of Clay (twice)
Newsboys
Kutless
Audio Adrenaline
SuperChick
Stellar Kart
Skillet
Alan Jackson
Martina McBride
Hawk Nelson
Run Kid Run
Disciple
Danyew
Seabird
David Crowder Band
Chris Tomlin
Bone Thugs N Harmony
The T Club
Tullis (on several occasions)
Brandt Walker
Kayleb James
Hanson (three times and counting)
Meiko (twice!)
Eclectic Approach
A Rocket To The Moon
3RP
Kalo Roots
Alyssa Sivaivai
Common Kings
Buddy
Joe Diffie
The Lovin' Spoonful
Hands For Battle
Ambrosia
Gin Blossoms
Rebirth Brass Band
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Justin Young
Anuhea
System and Station
Paul McDonald
Kye Kye
Brooke Waggoner
Augustana (best!)
Twin Forks
Artists I've interviewed:
Justin Young
Last of the Wildmen
System and Station
Ignite the Red
Dan Layus
Jason Dunn
I'm already hard at work in an attempt to get this list growing. As of now, I have no shows waiting in the wing, but you can bet next year will bring at least a Hanson show, and who knows what else!
Smashmouth (front row, first concert ever)
Trick Pony
Grits
DC Talk (one of their last shows as a band)
Plus One
Toby Mac
KJ 52
Jeremy Camp
Stacie Oricco
Jars of Clay (twice)
Newsboys
Kutless
Audio Adrenaline
SuperChick
Stellar Kart
Skillet
Alan Jackson
Martina McBride
Hawk Nelson
Run Kid Run
Disciple
Danyew
Seabird
David Crowder Band
Chris Tomlin
Bone Thugs N Harmony
The T Club
Tullis (on several occasions)
Brandt Walker
Kayleb James
Hanson (three times and counting)
Meiko (twice!)
Eclectic Approach
A Rocket To The Moon
3RP
Kalo Roots
Alyssa Sivaivai
Common Kings
Buddy
Joe Diffie
The Lovin' Spoonful
Hands For Battle
Ambrosia
Gin Blossoms
Rebirth Brass Band
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Justin Young
Anuhea
System and Station
Paul McDonald
Kye Kye
Brooke Waggoner
Augustana (best!)
Twin Forks
Artists I've interviewed:
Justin Young
Last of the Wildmen
System and Station
Ignite the Red
Dan Layus
Jason Dunn
I'm already hard at work in an attempt to get this list growing. As of now, I have no shows waiting in the wing, but you can bet next year will bring at least a Hanson show, and who knows what else!
Friday, February 24, 2012
As of late, I've been taught many an important lesson:
1) Don't ever tempt fate and say things cannot get worse
2) It's funny how small your world can get when something goes wrong
3) It's also funny how unselfish you become when someone you care about is in need
4) Feeling helpless to "fix" someone you care about is an awful position to be in
5) We are all proof that we can do nothing without God
6) In the face of emergency, you may be surprised how amazingly strong you can be for those who need you
7) As soon as you walk away from being needed in an emergency, it's ok to crumble- and it WILL happen
8) Emotional stress is as taxing as physical stress
9) Give somebody a chance to prove your bad first impression about them wrong, they may surprise you
10) You must advocate for those you love
Heavy lessons learned in the span of 10 days. But life doesn't stand by and wait until we're ready to handle the big, scary stuff. It just moves right along and drags us with it. The best we can ever do is to be ready for whatever is thrown at us, take it in stride, and enjoy every great moment we have- to compensate for those that may not be as great.
1) Don't ever tempt fate and say things cannot get worse
2) It's funny how small your world can get when something goes wrong
3) It's also funny how unselfish you become when someone you care about is in need
4) Feeling helpless to "fix" someone you care about is an awful position to be in
5) We are all proof that we can do nothing without God
6) In the face of emergency, you may be surprised how amazingly strong you can be for those who need you
7) As soon as you walk away from being needed in an emergency, it's ok to crumble- and it WILL happen
8) Emotional stress is as taxing as physical stress
9) Give somebody a chance to prove your bad first impression about them wrong, they may surprise you
10) You must advocate for those you love
Heavy lessons learned in the span of 10 days. But life doesn't stand by and wait until we're ready to handle the big, scary stuff. It just moves right along and drags us with it. The best we can ever do is to be ready for whatever is thrown at us, take it in stride, and enjoy every great moment we have- to compensate for those that may not be as great.
Monday, February 13, 2012
Music is life
Somehow, some way, everything in my life comes back to music. It's a never failing reality that I'm blessed with every day. I guess I should have seen this coming, you know, it's not like it fell on me like a flash flood or anything. Music's always been there for me, right from the beginning.
From the time I can recollect, I have always been exposed to art, movement, and the reality of music. I wasn't raised with musicians per se, but I grew up every day with the sound of rhythms and harmonies flooding my ear canals. It turns out, I've got a bit of the beat in my blood, as well. To this day, I am endlessly thankful that the tunes I was subjected to as an ignorant child were well selected and unique pieces of art by my parents. I'm still one of the few twenty somethings that I know of that can sing all the lyrics to Crimson and Clover or Young Moon. Sure, these aren't music history's most prized possessions, but that's just a sampling of the greatness I got to be a part of. Everything from Three Dog Night, CCR, Elvis, and the Beach Boys, to Boston, Journey, Chicago, Gloria Estefan, and Madonna was in my family's musical library. Not to shabby if I do say so myself.
As I aged and felt the necessity to delve into my own musical adventure, I'm sad to say I lost sight of what was really important in the experience- the connection music makes with your soul. Corporate sell outs with matching outfits and less than fantastic songs themes replaced the musical fiber I was raised on. There is something to be said for the nostalgia even the worst of songs can create decades later, however, and I've gotten plenty of that.
There will never be another era like the 90's, of that I'm sure, and a bit saddened by. For all of the garbage that came out of that blur of a decade, some true jewels were polished and shown off for the first time. Unfortunately some of the brightest faded before the world knew what it had. Thankfully, we've been left with a small sampling of the best talent of my childhood.
One thing that did begin to change as I aged was the necessity to be at the origin of this magic. I HAD to be around instruments and vocals and organic musical happenings. I had a few friends that dabbled in rap culture and I (the very whitest of white girls) was enamored with it. I would lay around for hours listening to the artistic poetry of Tupac's lyrics and slowly fell in love with a culture I would never experience firsthand. For the first time in my life, I was exposed to the reality of life much harder than my own and appreciated the struggles from afar.
I remember creating fake usernames and commenting on my friends' work in their music forums with really sincere comments, because it would have been weird-if not completely invalid- coming from me in person. It seemed so prestigious to create something as absolute and beautiful as music. The fluidity and need for on the spot creativity made me really develop an appreciation for rap. For some reason that was untouchable in the best way to me.
And then I opened my eyes and looked around me. I realized that the music is everywhere, in everyone, to some extent. All we have to do is dig deep enough to feel something real-because that's where it's born. Music isn't an action or a process, it's a feeling that's been given audible flight.
Now entering my mid twenties, I've long since come to realize that I am not below those that choose to express their musical interests and talents. In fact, I finally took the liberty to set mine free and dove into professional vocal lessons. Somehow, in a matter of a month, part of me was born through that experience. I've expanded my listening repertoire to literally every conceivable "genre" of music there is, only to find that there is no such thing as a genre, only music that fits your mood or not. I'll never quit singing and listening, nor will I give up on the quest to expand my knowledge about one of life's greatest adventures. Music is in me and with me always. In a way I guess it defines part of myself. In my journey to find the roots of this beautiful thing, I've discovered fragments of me, littered along the way. Little did I know that as I traveled along, I was recovering pieces of history, left by those who have been lucky enough to know all that I have found and have yet to retrieve. May the musical conquest never end.
From the time I can recollect, I have always been exposed to art, movement, and the reality of music. I wasn't raised with musicians per se, but I grew up every day with the sound of rhythms and harmonies flooding my ear canals. It turns out, I've got a bit of the beat in my blood, as well. To this day, I am endlessly thankful that the tunes I was subjected to as an ignorant child were well selected and unique pieces of art by my parents. I'm still one of the few twenty somethings that I know of that can sing all the lyrics to Crimson and Clover or Young Moon. Sure, these aren't music history's most prized possessions, but that's just a sampling of the greatness I got to be a part of. Everything from Three Dog Night, CCR, Elvis, and the Beach Boys, to Boston, Journey, Chicago, Gloria Estefan, and Madonna was in my family's musical library. Not to shabby if I do say so myself.
As I aged and felt the necessity to delve into my own musical adventure, I'm sad to say I lost sight of what was really important in the experience- the connection music makes with your soul. Corporate sell outs with matching outfits and less than fantastic songs themes replaced the musical fiber I was raised on. There is something to be said for the nostalgia even the worst of songs can create decades later, however, and I've gotten plenty of that.
There will never be another era like the 90's, of that I'm sure, and a bit saddened by. For all of the garbage that came out of that blur of a decade, some true jewels were polished and shown off for the first time. Unfortunately some of the brightest faded before the world knew what it had. Thankfully, we've been left with a small sampling of the best talent of my childhood.
One thing that did begin to change as I aged was the necessity to be at the origin of this magic. I HAD to be around instruments and vocals and organic musical happenings. I had a few friends that dabbled in rap culture and I (the very whitest of white girls) was enamored with it. I would lay around for hours listening to the artistic poetry of Tupac's lyrics and slowly fell in love with a culture I would never experience firsthand. For the first time in my life, I was exposed to the reality of life much harder than my own and appreciated the struggles from afar.
I remember creating fake usernames and commenting on my friends' work in their music forums with really sincere comments, because it would have been weird-if not completely invalid- coming from me in person. It seemed so prestigious to create something as absolute and beautiful as music. The fluidity and need for on the spot creativity made me really develop an appreciation for rap. For some reason that was untouchable in the best way to me.
And then I opened my eyes and looked around me. I realized that the music is everywhere, in everyone, to some extent. All we have to do is dig deep enough to feel something real-because that's where it's born. Music isn't an action or a process, it's a feeling that's been given audible flight.
Now entering my mid twenties, I've long since come to realize that I am not below those that choose to express their musical interests and talents. In fact, I finally took the liberty to set mine free and dove into professional vocal lessons. Somehow, in a matter of a month, part of me was born through that experience. I've expanded my listening repertoire to literally every conceivable "genre" of music there is, only to find that there is no such thing as a genre, only music that fits your mood or not. I'll never quit singing and listening, nor will I give up on the quest to expand my knowledge about one of life's greatest adventures. Music is in me and with me always. In a way I guess it defines part of myself. In my journey to find the roots of this beautiful thing, I've discovered fragments of me, littered along the way. Little did I know that as I traveled along, I was recovering pieces of history, left by those who have been lucky enough to know all that I have found and have yet to retrieve. May the musical conquest never end.
Tonight I need to shed my skin. To be cleansed of all of my insecurities. Within me there is a need to be free of myself, and devoid of tainted influence. Right now is a blank slate. From square one I'll rebuild the fortress of my soul's core. Tomorrow, I start anew.
But tonight...
I just need to shed my skin.
But tonight...
I just need to shed my skin.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Legacy
The age old question reigns: What is the purpose of life? One could ponder this for the rest of their existence without coming up with a valid answer, because there is not one.
What may be a better question, however is this: What mark do you want to leave upon this world?
I was approached with this concept today, as I watched an encouraging video of a man who has dedicated his life to using his perceived disability as a means to encourage and change lives. It was after watching this amazing man exude passion about his goals for the future, that I realized I have never really sat down and decided what I want my legacy to be. In truth, that's a heavy subject. Only in my 20's and in the second year of my career, the idea of formulating what it is I want to be remembered for in decades, maybe even centuries, to come is one that takes some serious thought.
So here I am, considering everything in my life that I feel is important now and who I want to impact in the years to come. It's funny, I feel like I'm filling out a resume. Highlighting my projected legacy is like establishing a personal mission statement. Come to think of it, that seems a pretty legitimate and organized way to tackle this project. Read on to discover my lifelong mission statement.
I, Danielle, was born to change lives. I am a dreamer, believer, and a giver. My heart bleeds for those in need and is touched in the little moments that others may overlook. By some divine intervention, my passion for medicine was turned into desire to help disabled individuals live lives that are full and happy. I have no choice other than to succumb to this profession, for it chose me and is where my heart lies. In the years to come, I hope that among these things, I can live up to and be remembered as a...
* Woman of faith that lived for God
* Loving wife, daughter, and sister
* Best friend and lover of many years to the most amazing man of my life, my husband
*Hopefully as a mother,and even grandmother, that committed everything to the well being of her family
*Person of integrity at all times
*Friend that worked hard to maintain her friendships (something I need to start on now)
*Lover of music and art
*Woman that was strong in character that didn't compromise her values
*Woman with a heart for humanity and helping those that were in need
* Person that, despite her personal inner struggles, was never afraid to be brave in the face of fear
* Woman with an open and loving heart
* Person who was willing and able to overcome adversity
* Servant in all areas of life where there was a need to be met
* Person that labored to make the world a better place, one action at a time
* Lover of animals
* Woman that wasn't afraid to try, even if it meant facing failure
* Fair and honest supervisor
* Someone who worked hard to provide for herself and her family, but never sacrificed important events to be a slave to employment
* Woman who made a difference in one life
Although I believe, and even hope, that this mission may change in the years to come, I feel this is a good place to start. It's a great feeling to know what it truly is that I'm striving for in life. Trudging through the daily grind can be monotonous and is often a strain, leading to the next day that is exactly the same. That is why I'm seeing that there is so much validity in the need for personal goals, so that there IS something to fight for everyday.
What do you want YOUR legacy to be?
What may be a better question, however is this: What mark do you want to leave upon this world?
I was approached with this concept today, as I watched an encouraging video of a man who has dedicated his life to using his perceived disability as a means to encourage and change lives. It was after watching this amazing man exude passion about his goals for the future, that I realized I have never really sat down and decided what I want my legacy to be. In truth, that's a heavy subject. Only in my 20's and in the second year of my career, the idea of formulating what it is I want to be remembered for in decades, maybe even centuries, to come is one that takes some serious thought.
So here I am, considering everything in my life that I feel is important now and who I want to impact in the years to come. It's funny, I feel like I'm filling out a resume. Highlighting my projected legacy is like establishing a personal mission statement. Come to think of it, that seems a pretty legitimate and organized way to tackle this project. Read on to discover my lifelong mission statement.
I, Danielle, was born to change lives. I am a dreamer, believer, and a giver. My heart bleeds for those in need and is touched in the little moments that others may overlook. By some divine intervention, my passion for medicine was turned into desire to help disabled individuals live lives that are full and happy. I have no choice other than to succumb to this profession, for it chose me and is where my heart lies. In the years to come, I hope that among these things, I can live up to and be remembered as a...
* Woman of faith that lived for God
* Loving wife, daughter, and sister
* Best friend and lover of many years to the most amazing man of my life, my husband
*Hopefully as a mother,and even grandmother, that committed everything to the well being of her family
*Person of integrity at all times
*Friend that worked hard to maintain her friendships (something I need to start on now)
*Lover of music and art
*Woman that was strong in character that didn't compromise her values
*Woman with a heart for humanity and helping those that were in need
* Person that, despite her personal inner struggles, was never afraid to be brave in the face of fear
* Woman with an open and loving heart
* Person who was willing and able to overcome adversity
* Servant in all areas of life where there was a need to be met
* Person that labored to make the world a better place, one action at a time
* Lover of animals
* Woman that wasn't afraid to try, even if it meant facing failure
* Fair and honest supervisor
* Someone who worked hard to provide for herself and her family, but never sacrificed important events to be a slave to employment
* Woman who made a difference in one life
Although I believe, and even hope, that this mission may change in the years to come, I feel this is a good place to start. It's a great feeling to know what it truly is that I'm striving for in life. Trudging through the daily grind can be monotonous and is often a strain, leading to the next day that is exactly the same. That is why I'm seeing that there is so much validity in the need for personal goals, so that there IS something to fight for everyday.
What do you want YOUR legacy to be?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)