Life...

...sucks sometimes. Thankfully I have music in my life to help me get through it. Mad props to one of my favourite new artists, Missy Higgins, for her unbelivably soothing voice, heart wrenchingly relatable lyrics and for letting this song be on "So You Think You Can Dance" this season for me to hear it. 

Take a listen and let yourself truly hear these beautifully painful lyrics.

My Bucket List

Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman stole my idea. Or at least the writers did.

I think I was 14 when I wrote down number 1 on a scratch piece of paper and stuffed it in my sock drawer. Today, I wrote down my 27th in a journal that a college roommate gave to me, which has since been designated my official journal for keeping track of the list. It's not an extremely long list as of now, but I know that it will continue to grow as I do. I entitled it "Before I Die, I Will..."

So far I have fully completed 13 items, which is actually a very high percentage...even though most of the 13 are the more easier tasks or acts to complete. Here's a quick glimpse, in no particular order, with those that are accomplished in italic:

-Travel to at least 5 of the 7 continents (North America, Europe)

-Travel to at least 5 of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World

-Visit all 50 U.S. states & DC: (Alabama, Alaska, Arizona (2006), Arkansas (2007), California (often), Colorado, Connecticut (often), Delaware (2005/2007), Florida, Georgia (2006), Hawaii (2001), Idaho (often), Illinois (often), Indiana (2006), Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine (2007), Maryland (2005), Massachusetts (lived), Michigan, Minnesota (2006), Mississippi, Missouri, Montana (2006), Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire (2006/2007), New Jersey (often), New Mexico, New York (lived), North Carolina (2007), North Dakota, Ohio (2006), Oklahoma, Oregon (often), Pennsylvania (often), Rhode Island (lived), South Carolina, South Dakota (2006), Tennessee, Texas, Utah (2006), Vermont (2006), Virginia (2007), Washington (lived), Washington, DC (2005), West Virginia, Wisconsin (2002/2006), Wyoming (2006))

-Live in 5 countries for at least 1 year (United States, Canada)

-Be a television show audience member (Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith, 2006)

-Ride in a hot air balloon

-Drive across the U.S. (July, 2006)

-Visit Anne Frank's secret hiding place

-Visit Lizzie Borden's House (June, 2008)

-Attend the Olympic Games (2004 in Athens, Greece)

-Go sailing (July, 2008)

-Go kayaking (July, 2008)

-Go scuba diving

-Go skydiving

-Go snorkeling (April, 2001)

-Ride a Gondola in Venice

-See a play at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London (July, 2004)

-Own a beach house

-Get my Bachelors Degree (April, 2005)

-Get my Masters Degree

-See a musical on Broadway in NYC (Wicked, August, 2006)

-Live on the East Coast (May 2005 - present)

-Go to Fenway Park (first - April, 2006)

-Get a meaningful and significant tattoo (July, 2004)

-Adopt a child (maybe)

-Fall in love: true, deep, unconditional, selfless, never-ending love.

-Convince a man that women's sports are valuable, worthwhile, entertaining and exciting to watch.

Well, there you have it - my bucket list as of July 13, 2008. Judge it as you wish, but these are things that I have a deep desire to do in my lifetime. Some are simple and cheesy while others are more complex and meaningful. Be that as it may, it's my list. I love it. I look forward to adding to it as well as crossing things off of it (or in this case, italicizing them).

I suppose I can't really judge the writers of The Bucket List too harshly since I'm sure numerous people before me and after me have done something along the same lines. Still, it excited me to see the concept on the big screen and encouraged me to go to my bookshelf, pull out my journal for the list and put a little bit of time and effort into mine today. 

So, thank you, Jack and Morgan. You've inspired me to keep my list (and my dreams) alive.

Current Musical Obsession: "HEY LADY" BY THRIVING IVORY

A Much Needed Getaway

Friday I will be departing work early and taking off for one of my most beloved places - New York City! I haven't been there since Thanksgiving, so I am elated that the time has come for me to return. This weekend will be my first entire weekend off in quite some time, so I decided to make the most of it and head down to The Big Apple to visit my sister (who moved there back in January and I have yet to visit her), visit my dear old friends and just have a nice and relaxing weekend in the place that I truly fell in love with while living there.

I will be helping my sister out with her wedding details and doing some shopping with her, Chrissy (another bridesmaid) and Autumn (Chrissy's 4-year-old daughter who will be the flower girl). It should be fun. Then Saturday night is devoted to a wild and crazy night in The City That Never Sleeps with some of my favorite people! I can't even wait to see what the night will hold - it's always a fantastic time with these girls, that's for sure :)

To top it all off, I found that a friend that I haven't seen since 2002 will be playing two shows the same weekend! I met Rachel Lynn during my first summer working at Mt. Rainier and since she has moved to L.A. and made quite a name for herself in the music scene. She is making her East Coast debut, so I am going to try my hardest to make one her two shows.

Hopefully I will be able to provide you with a lovely recap and some photos after my return.

The Beauty In Lyrics

I came across a song today that had some of the most beautiful lyrics I've heard in quite some time. I needed to share them with someone so I figured I would post them on here, and even if no one really reads this blog, I will at least have them here for myself in the future.

The song is called 'Come On Get Higher' by Matt Nathanson. I have been listening to Matt for several years, ever since I saw him open for Howie Day at a show back in Vancouver. The song starts out with...

"I miss the sound of your voice
And I miss the rush of your skin
And I miss the still of the silence
As you breathe out and I breathe in
If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget
and then it continues on later with...

I miss the sound of your voice
Loudest thing in my head
And I ache to remember
All the violent, sweet
Perfect words that you said
If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget


These two stanzas of words are truly breathtaking to me; so filled with love, passion and longing for special times that have been lost. With his smooth voice accompanied by a simple acoustic guitar, Matt makes this song an absolute must hear for anyone who has ever loved someone and then lost them.

I have included a video of Matt performing the song for your listening pleasure.

How Many Words?

Just two...BLAKE LEWIS.

This song is my newest obsession...and it's so great that I am posting a blog just to share it. Check him out....but until you do, here is a video for your pleasure:

19 Hours In The City That's Always Turned On

I finally had the opportunity to travel to Atlantic City thanks to our men's basketball team. The 2008 Atlantic 10 Men's Basketball Championships are once again being held this year at Boardwalk Hall. We were the 11th seed, set to meet the 7th seeded Charlotte on Wednesday night at 9pm. I knew going down we could be one and done and head home the next day...or we could go all the way and be lucky enough to spend 4 days there. Of course, I was desiring the later. Unfortunately, the earlier ended up happening. After a 5 hour drive down, we ended up spending a mere 19 hours in this spectacular city before we turned around and made a 6 hour trip back.


We stayed at Bally's Hotel & Casino and it was absolutely gorgeous. My room was quite lovely, with a massive flat screen HDTV and a bed that was to die for. The art was phenomenal, the shower was the largest that I'd ever seen and the views at night when this small city was lit up were breathtaking.

The Rams ended up losing to the 49'ers by 2 points in the final .3 seconds. After an extremely controversial offensive foul called on us with 8.3 seconds left, Charlotte took possession. We fouled them, the sank their free throws and our hopes of capturing the 2008 Championship were shattered. Our fingers are crossed that we at least make the NIT, which we will find out this coming Sunday.

A whirlwind day and a half that ended far from how I had expected, but nonetheless, I am excited that I can finally say I've been Atlantic City.

Current Musical Obsession: "WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER" - BEN LEE

The Power of Words

The past couple of days have proven to be rather difficult for me and today one of my interns said 7 words that put it all into perspective.

"all good things must come to an end"

Such simple words, but when combined and spoken to me at the time that they were had a tremendous impact on me. I've heard them before but never during a time in which they were so applicable. Stephen said them in reference to the hockey championship that his team had lost over the weekend (he plays for the URI club team), but despite the differences in context for which they were said and to which I applied them, they rang true and relevant and could not have come at a better time.

However universal words or sentences may be, it is always interesting to see how, at a time when you are desperately seeking guidance, they appear in the least likely of places. Sometimes they appear in the obvious places such as in the media or in a magazine, but other times they come in forms that you would never expect, such as in the form of an intern who had just lost an important game. God works in funny ways, and it may just be that he sends his messages through these least likely forms. Just some food for thought and encouragement to always keep your eyes and ears open for the nuggets of wisdom that He sends you that will help you through a tough time.


CURRENT MUSICAL OBSESSION: "TATTOO" - JORDIN SPARKS

"Isn't it fun being an adult?"

This was the question my mother asked me earlier today about halfway through our lengthy phone conversation. Despite the 3,073 miles that sit between my parents home in Washington and my apartment in Rhode Island, mom still always tends to get at least one sarcastic commment in that lingers in my mind and makes me think about it as reality for at least a few hours after the conversation.

Filing income taxes. Paying bills. Fighting with insurance companies. Dealing with sucky bosses. Only with adulthood do these always interesting and never straightforward topics emerge. As a child all I wanted was to be a grown-up. Now that I technically am one, with each passing day handing over to me a new and seemingly endless pile of difficult tasks that are required of me, I only wish that I had the uncomplicated life that I once held. The life where my biggest stress was what color to paint my fingernails so that they would color coordinate with my slouch socks and L.A. Gear hightops; when my largest financial requirement was the one I put on myself to place at least 50% of my weekly chore allowance into the bank; when my only fights and frustrations came with my sister when she hogged the bathroom or wouldn't get off the phone so I could talk to my BFF Stacy 24/7. Those were the days.

I guess there really is no way of going back to those days and in all honesty, I truly do enjoy certain aspects of adulthood and am eagerly anticipating what my future holds for me. However, it is difficult to not look back on those days with longing during times when my patience, perseverence and wallet are stretched to the limit.

Good thing I have those childhood memories of an easier time to hold on to...and a mother whose comments, despite their sarcastic intentions, make me think of life as it truly is.


CURRENT MUSICAL OBSESSION: "LOVE" - MATT WHITE

It's been 6 days since I officially moved to Rhode Island. So far, it's been great. Work is wonderful, my apartment is lovely, and I'm learning the lay of the land rather quickly. I decided since I will most likely be living here for a few years that I should do some research and learn a bit about this place that I will call home and I came across some extremely interesting facts.

For example, who knew that the official state name is "Rhode Island and Providence Plantations"? I am pretty certain Ms. Theel, my 8th grade American History teacher, never informed me or my rowdy classmates of this neat fact. It was simply taught to me as "Rhode Island" and that certainly just will not do. So, I delved into learning everything necessary, interesting, quirky, thoughtful, trivial, factual and even relatively uninteresting about this new home of mine. I thought I would share the best of the best with you.

...RI is the smallest state in size in the US, covering an area of 1,214 square miles, running 48 miles from North to South and just 37 miles from East to West...

...The first circus in the US was held in Newport, RI in 1774...

...RI was the last of the original 13 colonies to become a state...

...RI never ratified the 18th Amendment - prohibition...

...RI has no county government. It is divided into 39 municipalities each having its own form of local government...

...RI is home to the Tennis Hall of Fame...

...The world's largest bug is on the roof of the New England Pest Control building in Providence. It is a big blue termite, 58 feet long and 928 times the size of an actual termite...

...Rhode Islanders were the first to take military action against England by sinking one of her ships, "The Gaspee", in Narragansett Bay between Newport and Providence...

...Rogers Williams, the founder of RI, established the first practical working model of Democracy after he was banished from Plymouth, MA because of his "extreme views" concerning freedom of speech and religion...

...The era known as The Industrial Revolution started in RI with the development and construction in 1790 of Samual Slater's water-powerted cotton mill in Pawtucket...

...The White Horse Tavern was buillt in 1673 and is the oldest operating tavern in the US...

...Settled in 1642, Pawtuxet Village in Warwick lays claim to being New England's oldest village...

...The Redwood Library and Athenaeum in Newport is the oldest library building in the US...

...Portsmouth is home to the oldest schoolhouse in the US. The school was built in 1716...

...Since 1785, Bristol has the longest running, unbroken series of 4th of July Independance Day observances in the US...

...On May 4, 1776 RI was the first colony to renounce allegiance to Great Britain and declare independance...

...Pelham Street in Newport was the first street in the US to use gas-illuminated streetlights...

...RI is the primary center for jewelry manufacturing in the US...

...The first traffic law was created in 1678, when authorities banned galloping horse on local streets in Newport. In 1904, the first speeding ticket was also given in Newport...

Quite a bit of interesting things for such a small state, eh? If I ever come across anything else, I'll be sure to share it with you all. I'll close for now, but hope that your 2008 is treating you magnificently so far.

CURRENT MUSICAL OBSESSION: "HATE THAT I LOVE YOU" BY RIHANNA AND NEO