Morning gospel

This morning, I awoke to find my talented cousin, Glenn, had posted a fabulous video of himself singing a Mavis Staples cover.  While I'm not sure whether he did this on purpose, he is wearing what reminded me of Joseph's technicolor dream coat.

Jacob blesses his son, Joseph, with the Coat of Many Colors
Source: Wikipedia

(I have now decided to look up more about the story of Joseph because I don't remember it as well as I'd like.  Thanks, Glenn, for the inspiration!)

I love Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat because my church put on this production when I was in fifth grade.  Because we were both in the choir, my brother and I participated.  Occasionally, those songs will still randomly pop up in my head.

So now this song put a smile of my face this morning, and I hope it makes you smile, too.  All voices are Glenn, and he mixes the music as well.  Such a talent he has, and I am blessed to have watched him grow up, as we are about 6 years apart.

Please enjoy!

Also, please keep Glenn in your thoughts and prayers, as he is studying abroad this semester in Cuba.

Spring Awakening

I totally missed the first day of spring a couple days ago! So I'll celebrate today with this Oscar Wilde quote:

"Some cause happiness wherever they go; others whenever they go." 

Something about that makes me think of the coming of this great season. Spring totally brings me joy and happiness as the sun shines longer, and I can comfortably sit outside in a T-shirt, jeans and flip-flops without getting too hot so I can soak up some Vitamin D (with sunscreen... most of the time!). At this point, winter leaving also makes me happy!

Two weekends ago, the musical Spring Awakening came to Raleigh. I was lucky enough to win tickets from the nOg Running Club I've mentioned. I'd heard about this show years ago (and really wanted to go when it came through Atlanta while I was still living there), but I honestly knew very little about it besides the fact that the Broadway production (which won several Tony awards) starred Glee's Lea Michele... that's why Jon Groff played the special Glee guest role as Jesse... Lea and he were lovers in the show.


Anyways, I was blown away by the music (by Duncan Sheik - remember him and "Barely Breathing") and especially the lighting and the set! It was only in town for Friday and Saturday nights, and we went on a Friday, and I was a little disappointed that there were so few people in the theater.


My two guesses as to why that was:
1. No advertising. I had no idea this show was in town, so if I hadn't won tickets four days before, it would have come and gone, and I'd have never known.
2. It's got some adult content... but so does Rent and that definitely sold out many shows in Raleigh.


Here's a clip I found of the original Broadway cast performing three mash-ups from the show for the Tony awards in 2007.





Again... I'm so happy spring has sprung!

Luck of the Irish

This holiday always makes me think of my grandma, Ruth, who (according to my mom) loved playing up her Irish side on March 17. I kind of like to do the same thing. I love the color green and pinching people who don't wear green today... so look out if you see me!


I'm also going to throw in an Oscar Wilde quote since it is Thursday. This feels like something that could be said in Ireland:

"Every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future." 

--Oscar Wilde

Other Irish things I love:

• Books: Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt (a great memoir)
• Movies: The Boondock Saints and The Departed (ones about Irish people in Boston)
• Drinks: Guinness (Fun fact: It really is good for you! Low calories and high protein!)

• Music: The Dropkick Murphys (also featured on The Departed soundtrack)

I'll always love you, New York

I've had a great long weekend in the city. I should be in the airport right now boarding my flight, but it was cancelled, and I was put on the next one out. So instead of all that, I'm still in my friends' apartment. I feel this happens to me a lot on my flights home from New York. I've had a great time, but I'm ready to be home now.


Here's what I've been listening to on my walks through Central Park: Ryan Adams' "New York, New York."

One less lonely girl

That's right. I am quoting from a Justin Bieber song of the same name because it's been running in my head all week as I think about the new addition to my family. (She's little, so she's allowed to have Bieber fever.)

I've had my hands full the past several days because I've adopted a 10-week-old puppy! I imagine I have a lot to learn from her. Patience will be the number one thing! I am so happy to have her, but my life has changed dramatically in ways I actually had thought of... but when you're thinking of how things will be and how they are when they actually play out in reality is so much more intense.


I imagine I feel how a new mom does. I'm tired and nervous and overwhelmed. But happy too! I haven't been up on a Saturday at 6:45 in a long time, but it's what we did today, and I bet it's what we'll do tomorrow. Though it wasn't my choice of timing, I did get a lot more done today since I was up so early.


I am so thankful to have a great support system. My mom came over today and watched the Tar Heels play Clemson with me but also kept her eye on my pup so I could get some work done.


Anyways, I hope to mesh my new puppy routine with my pre-puppy routine. I already miss playing guitar.

The Immortals

What is arguably my favorite band, Kings of Leon, released its new (fifth!) album, Come Around Sundown, yesterday. 


Quick anecdote: I throw the little fact about the fifth album in there because last month I was talking to my friend, W, about how I was seeing KOL in concert (yesss, they were amazinggg). I thought it was strange their show was on a Monday, but figured it might be to control the level of belligerency when people left the venue. She suggested it was because they're a newer band so maybe they wouldn't draw as large a crowd as a Friday or Saturday show would. So you see (fifth album!), they are not new. When I started loving them in the summer of 2007 thanks to my friend James playing Youth & Young Manhood in our shared office space at work, that album (their first) was actually released in 2003!


Anyways, I hadn't gone to a store in years to actually buy an album. Seriously, I think the last time I'd bought a hard copy was John Mayer's Heavier Things when I was a freshman in college. So I bought the Deluxe version of the album and was so giddy getting in my car to put it into my CD player and listen immediately. I then brought it home and played it through my BluRay player so I could hear it as loud as possible. I listened to every song while reading the lyrics that came with the album.


One song particularly touched me. It's track 6, "The Immortals." I saw a video interview with lead singer Caleb Followill, and he said he wrote the song imagining what he'd like to tell his future children. His fiancee cried the first time he read the lyrics to her. I didn't cry upon hearing it or anything, but its message resonated within me.


To me, the song is a reminder that life is fleeting. You don't get much time as it is here, so why waste it being fearful? If something isn't working for you, keep moving. Don't spend time trying to fix something that's not fixable. Or maybe it is fixable, but it's really not worth your time to fix it anyways. Prioritize.


I'm going to hope to make my priority in life this line: "Don't forget to love before you're gone."


Here's the song on YouTube if you want to give it a listen: