well. a new decade is upon us (in approximately seven hours, central time).
so. i should sum up the oh's. if i can.
2000
i was sixteen. got my driver's license, bought a blue '91 pontiac 6000 from my brother. i remember thinking i was such an adult for going on a shopping trip with sara and abby 45 minutes away from our hometown. i still worked at dairy queen.
2001
graduated high school. went to community college. i started working in a church office as an assistant to the secretary. i loved that job. 9/11.
2002
finished up my first year at communtiy college. traded the pontiac in for a '93 toyota camry. left home for anderson. made many dear friends.
2003
finished up my first year at anderson. all of my closest friends from that year didn't come back that fall, so i had to start over. but that brought me to even more friends, most of which are still some of my closest friends. my roommate was from japan, which was a fun experience.
2004
year three at anderson. it was a good year, living with two of my good friends. classes were tough, but it was exciting. i started going to a brand new church - the mercy house. changed.my.life.forever. ended the year in jamaica.
2005
started the year in jamaica. also went to london. interned at the mercy house. that internship was my first glimpse at real community. i realized i no longer was interested in my major, but decided it was too late to change it. i learned how to make the journals i now sell. i met stacy, who is still one of my closest friends. thought for sure i'd be moving to boston in 2006 (however, i still have never even visited that city). ended the year in italy.
2006
started the year in italy. went to japan, and was able to visit my former roommate. finished up school at anderson. moved to nashville. big changes.
2007
started the job i'm at now. slowly fell in love with nashville.
2008
a tough year with lots of changes. but an amazing year with more new friends. i also traveled a bit around the country. for the sake of live music.
2009
the best year yet. by far. i just summed this up yesterday, so for details, clicky.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
my life in oh-nine.
i guess it's time for ye ole obligatory year recap. here we go.
january
there isn't much i remember about january, other than knowing that at that point, i made two major decisions: (1) i was not going to move away from nashville. (2) i was going to move out of my apartment. i also took on a hefty student loan payment for '09, and i feared it would result in me not having a life. not that i had much of one at the time. this was primary motivation for moving out of my apartment. i needed roommates to save money. i also needed roommates to save my soul. i was lonely.
february
i found a house to move into. february also began my obsession with local coffee shops. i mean, i had loved them for years, but at this point i became a frequent fido customer. i turned 26. i started to find community through a few friends at church. i resurrected this here blog. old faithful needed a new transmission. i saw ben folds live for the first time. i was introduced to the wonder that is andy davis. i became a tweetaholic.
march
the biggest event of march was moving into my current home. which.i.love. i went from a one-bedroom apartment in the almost-ghetto to an old 4-bedroom house with tons of character, nestled between my two favorite nashville neighborhoods. many of my favorite coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques where i can't afford anything are within a one-mile radius.
april
let's see. i met some girls from australia who were in town for a few weeks. my favorite band came to nashville for a music festival. i went to wisconsin for the first time. joined a small group at my church, which was long overdue since i've been going there since i moved to nashville in '06. and i finally gained something i had been missing for awhile: a life. i was hardly ever home in april.
may
biggest and best may event: tulsa road trip. some friends and i loaded up the car and headed west to see our favorite band. they had a special event in an intimate setting where they recorded, live, some new songs that were later put onto an ep. the show was amazing, the songs were incredible, the jokes and memories from the road trip? priceless. now i feel like a master card commercial. moving on.
june
i met a few new friends in june, which have turned out to be some of my closest friends here in nashville. i volunteered with ellie's run. finally joined mocha club. saw andy davis again. celebrated two years at my job, which is just weird to think about. i hosted a walk to raise money to build water wells in africa. i discovered a new coffee shop - one that is only two blocks from my house and now quite as hipster-run as fido. frothy monkey. it's just so cute and adorable and everyone there is friendly. and let's face it. the location couldn't be any better.
july
july. july will be one of those months that i will never, ever forget. i finally decided to start making journals again. i got drenched on the 4th, and loved it. however, i feel as though the best details of july will have to remain a mystery to you blog readers. so you just have to trust me when i say it was a good month.
august
in august i celebrated my 3-year nashaversary. and my mom and i travled to orange county to visit our cousin. it was easily the most relaxing vacation i have ever had. usually my vacations are go-go-go. while i got to see quite a bit of orange county, la, and the surrounding areas, there was much time spent in the pool and hot tub, sipping mojitos. it was just what i needed.
september
september was another good month. i spent a lot of time making journals, which stirred up the creative and more introspective side of me, the part of me i had ignored for far too long. i had the opportunity to catch up with some old friends. i realized, for the 320948209438th time how incredible 2009 was turning out to be. i realized, for the 320948209438th time that i had finally found the community i had ached for in 2008. i embraced autumn and everything that it stands for.
october
october was my travel month. indianapolis. chicago. charlotte. myrtle beach. atlanta. why? because i love my favorite band, my friends, any excuse to travel, and i'm a little bit crazy.
november
i thought a lot in november. i thought about the whirlwind of 2009. about god's grace, and his promises. about hope. about myself, my story, god's story. about what the next chapter will be.
december
here we are. the past few years have had a trend, where each year is better than the one before. though every year i'm blown away by how that could even be possible. but there's something about 2010. i just have this feeling that something big will give birth in 2010. and that's what's been on my mind the most this month. i guess i just feel like a lot of the events from this year have lined up in a way to prepare me for what's to come. i guess we'll see.
january
there isn't much i remember about january, other than knowing that at that point, i made two major decisions: (1) i was not going to move away from nashville. (2) i was going to move out of my apartment. i also took on a hefty student loan payment for '09, and i feared it would result in me not having a life. not that i had much of one at the time. this was primary motivation for moving out of my apartment. i needed roommates to save money. i also needed roommates to save my soul. i was lonely.
february
i found a house to move into. february also began my obsession with local coffee shops. i mean, i had loved them for years, but at this point i became a frequent fido customer. i turned 26. i started to find community through a few friends at church. i resurrected this here blog. old faithful needed a new transmission. i saw ben folds live for the first time. i was introduced to the wonder that is andy davis. i became a tweetaholic.
march
the biggest event of march was moving into my current home. which.i.love. i went from a one-bedroom apartment in the almost-ghetto to an old 4-bedroom house with tons of character, nestled between my two favorite nashville neighborhoods. many of my favorite coffee shops, restaurants, and boutiques where i can't afford anything are within a one-mile radius.
april
let's see. i met some girls from australia who were in town for a few weeks. my favorite band came to nashville for a music festival. i went to wisconsin for the first time. joined a small group at my church, which was long overdue since i've been going there since i moved to nashville in '06. and i finally gained something i had been missing for awhile: a life. i was hardly ever home in april.
may
biggest and best may event: tulsa road trip. some friends and i loaded up the car and headed west to see our favorite band. they had a special event in an intimate setting where they recorded, live, some new songs that were later put onto an ep. the show was amazing, the songs were incredible, the jokes and memories from the road trip? priceless. now i feel like a master card commercial. moving on.
june
i met a few new friends in june, which have turned out to be some of my closest friends here in nashville. i volunteered with ellie's run. finally joined mocha club. saw andy davis again. celebrated two years at my job, which is just weird to think about. i hosted a walk to raise money to build water wells in africa. i discovered a new coffee shop - one that is only two blocks from my house and now quite as hipster-run as fido. frothy monkey. it's just so cute and adorable and everyone there is friendly. and let's face it. the location couldn't be any better.
july
july. july will be one of those months that i will never, ever forget. i finally decided to start making journals again. i got drenched on the 4th, and loved it. however, i feel as though the best details of july will have to remain a mystery to you blog readers. so you just have to trust me when i say it was a good month.
august
in august i celebrated my 3-year nashaversary. and my mom and i travled to orange county to visit our cousin. it was easily the most relaxing vacation i have ever had. usually my vacations are go-go-go. while i got to see quite a bit of orange county, la, and the surrounding areas, there was much time spent in the pool and hot tub, sipping mojitos. it was just what i needed.
september
september was another good month. i spent a lot of time making journals, which stirred up the creative and more introspective side of me, the part of me i had ignored for far too long. i had the opportunity to catch up with some old friends. i realized, for the 320948209438th time how incredible 2009 was turning out to be. i realized, for the 320948209438th time that i had finally found the community i had ached for in 2008. i embraced autumn and everything that it stands for.
october
october was my travel month. indianapolis. chicago. charlotte. myrtle beach. atlanta. why? because i love my favorite band, my friends, any excuse to travel, and i'm a little bit crazy.
november
i thought a lot in november. i thought about the whirlwind of 2009. about god's grace, and his promises. about hope. about myself, my story, god's story. about what the next chapter will be.
december
here we are. the past few years have had a trend, where each year is better than the one before. though every year i'm blown away by how that could even be possible. but there's something about 2010. i just have this feeling that something big will give birth in 2010. and that's what's been on my mind the most this month. i guess i just feel like a lot of the events from this year have lined up in a way to prepare me for what's to come. i guess we'll see.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
i barely recognize my own home.
i moved into this house in march. at the time, the front and back yards were both somewhat jungle-esque.
in april or may some landscapers came and spruced it up. it looked lovely.
this summer, they came and planted some new shrubs.
this fall they took away one of the shrubs.
about a month ago, they took away everything on the left side of the house. so many trees and bushes that they had JUST planted earlier this year.
today, i came home to find a new, rather large, tree. and big trench.
i'm so confused.
in april or may some landscapers came and spruced it up. it looked lovely.
this summer, they came and planted some new shrubs.
this fall they took away one of the shrubs.
about a month ago, they took away everything on the left side of the house. so many trees and bushes that they had JUST planted earlier this year.
today, i came home to find a new, rather large, tree. and big trench.
i'm so confused.
Monday, December 28, 2009
i'm not big on resolutions.
i've never been big on new year's resolutions. i feel like every day is equal opportunity for a new beginning.
so, my today's resolution? i sort of stole this idea from libby. she said one of her new year's resolutions is to make better use of her mornings. and i would like to do that as well. and better use of my nights.
instead of just getting up, getting breakfast, checking twitter, and going to work, i want to take time to wake up my mind, my body, and my spirit. i want to take time to stretch. read a chapter of the bible or offer up a simple morning prayer.
at the end of the day i usually just throw on my pajamas and hop into bed. i want more of a nighttime routine. i think this will help me sleep better at night (though i haven't had problems lately, i have in the past). time to unwind. read a little before bed. stretch. relax. i also want to try to teach myself to sleep on my back, as i've heard several times that it's the "healthiest" position. (currently, i'm a stomach-sleeper.)
so. there we have it.
so, my today's resolution? i sort of stole this idea from libby. she said one of her new year's resolutions is to make better use of her mornings. and i would like to do that as well. and better use of my nights.
instead of just getting up, getting breakfast, checking twitter, and going to work, i want to take time to wake up my mind, my body, and my spirit. i want to take time to stretch. read a chapter of the bible or offer up a simple morning prayer.
at the end of the day i usually just throw on my pajamas and hop into bed. i want more of a nighttime routine. i think this will help me sleep better at night (though i haven't had problems lately, i have in the past). time to unwind. read a little before bed. stretch. relax. i also want to try to teach myself to sleep on my back, as i've heard several times that it's the "healthiest" position. (currently, i'm a stomach-sleeper.)
so. there we have it.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
i've never been a big football fan
and tonight, i'm even less of one. i left michigan at 8:30am eastern time. the snow followed me all the way down through mid-kentucky. i had no problems with traffic or anything, i was making good time considering the weather. it was also foggy and hard to see, so at times everyone was going about 5mph under the speed limit. no big deal. but then i get to tennessee. two miles before hitting the border i'm stuck in traffic going 5mph. there were three accidents within the first 15 miles of tennessee. i blame good ole tennessee drivers [sarcasm], but i mostly blame the traffic from the music city bowl. darn you football!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
long drive home
i have a 500-mile drive from michigan to nashville. i've compiled a playlist for such an occasion. here we go:
1. blue sky christmas eve - andrew ripp
2. kiss it goodbye - andy davis
3. where my head is - andy davis
4. passing trains - andy davis
5. new history - andy davis
6. hard to believe - andy davis
7. sentimental christmas - tyler james
8. you don't know me - ben folds
9. free coffee - ben folds
10. raise the tree - trent dabbs
11. prelude - the decemberists
12. the hazards of love 1 (the prettiest whistles won't wrestle the thistles undone) - the decemberists
13. a bower scene - the decemberists
14. won't want for love (margaret in the taiga) - the decemberists
15. the hazards of love 2 (wager all) - the decemberists
16. the queen's approcah - the decemberists
17. isn't it a lovely night? - the decemberists
18. the wanting comes in waves/repaid - the decemberists
19. an interlude - the decemberists
20. the rake's song - the decemberists
21. the abduction of margaret - the decemberists
22. the queen's rebuke/the crossing - the decemberists
23. annan water - the decemberists
24. margaret in captivity - the decemberists
25. the hazards of love 3 (revenge!) - the decemberists
26. the wanting comes in waves (reprise) - the decemberists
27. the hazards of love 4 (the drowned) - the decemberists
28. white christmas - ben rector
29. finding grey - stephen kellogg
30. colorado songs we've sung - stephen kellogg
31. the rock in the crossroads - stephen kellogg
32. when she leaves - stephen kellogg
33. lady sunflower - stephen kellogg
34. chasm and cross - stephen kellogg
35. pain comes - stephen kellogg
36. over fortunate - stephen kellogg
37. protected by angels - stephen kellogg
38. watching grace collide - stephen kellogg
39. who am i? - stephen kellogg
40. samuel samantha - stephen kellogg
41. uninspired gambling - stephen kellogg
42. such a way - stephen kellogg
43. livin' on a prayer/the politics of religion - stephen kellogg
44. little drummer boy - erin mccarley
45. until you - dave barnes
46. when a heart breaks - dave barnes
47. on a night like this - dave barnes
48. i wanna be your christmas - andrew allen
49. wake up - everybody else
50. always - everybody else
51. ten bucks - everybody else
52. the kill - ben rector
53. the sophomore - ben rector
54. associated - ben rector
55. the feeling - ben rector
56. ready for change - ben rector
57. need you tonight - ben rector
58. after all - ben rector
59. early morning riser - ben rector
60. when she comes around - ben rector
61. thank god i miss you - ben rector
62. untitled - ben rector
63. hank - ben rector
64. all will be well - the gabe dixon band
65. merry christmas baby - hanson
66. what christmas means to me - hanson
67. at christmas - hanson
68. christmas time - hanson
69. silent night medley - hanson
70. white christmas - hanson
71. here i go again (whitesnake) - madi diaz
72. dark hotel - k.s. rhoads
73. the gentleman - k.s. rhoads
74. dead language - k.s. rhoads
75. the bayonet and the cigarette - k.s. rhoads
76. new york in winter - k.s. rhoads
77. could this be love - k.s. rhoads
78. turn me on, turn off the light - k.s. rhoads
79. i wanna be your lover - k.s. rhoads
80. send a ship - k.s. rhoads
81. darkness, in the year of our lord - k.s. rhoads
82. a wonderful world - k.s. rhoads
83. the last goodbye - k.s. rhoads
84. closer to love - mat kearney
85. new york to california - mat kearney
86. never be ready - mat kearney
87. city of black & white - mat kearney
88. nothing left to lose - mat kearney
89. a little bit of love - joy williams
90. more than i asked for - joy williams
91. these walls - hanson
92. use me up - hanson
93. waiting for this - hanson
94. world's on fire - hanson
95. make it out alive - hanson
96. what child is this - matt wertz
97. make it right - seth philpott
98. nothing wrong - seth philpott
99. falling for you - seth philpott
100. heartbreaker - seth philpott
101. someday soon - seth philpott
102. lo how a rose e'er blooming - mikky ekko
103. heartbreaker - matt wertz
104. 5:19 - matt wertz
105. naturally - matt wertz
106. capitol city - matt wertz
107. everything's right - matt wertz
108. waiting - matt wertz
109. christmas time - andy davis
110. hold on - seth philpott
111. here with you - seth philpott
112. a world you're not in - seth philpott
113. only in dreams - mikky ekko
114. sedated - mikky ekko
115. sad eyes - mikky ekko
116. it's only you - mikky ekko
117. i love you (i always have) - mikky ekko
118. thank god the year is finally over - paper route
119. int he bleak midwinter - paper route
120. wish - paper route
121. she is love - parachute
122. should have known better - rob blackledge
123. early morning riser - rob blackledge
124. your city, my city - rob blackledge
125. cinnamon & chocolate - butterfly boucher
126. shelter - sherwood
127. maybe this time - sherwood
128. make it through - sherwood
129. you are - sherwood
130. hey guys! it's christmas time! - sufjan stevens
131. the winter solstice - sufjan stevens
132. santa's lost his mojo - jeremy lister
133. i feel weird - steel train
134. kill monsters in the rain - steel train
135. firecracker - steel train
136. quite often - trent dabbs
137. january lights - trent dabbs.
phew. 8.5 hours of music. and i'm sure none of this was a surprise to most of you readers.
1. blue sky christmas eve - andrew ripp
2. kiss it goodbye - andy davis
3. where my head is - andy davis
4. passing trains - andy davis
5. new history - andy davis
6. hard to believe - andy davis
7. sentimental christmas - tyler james
8. you don't know me - ben folds
9. free coffee - ben folds
10. raise the tree - trent dabbs
11. prelude - the decemberists
12. the hazards of love 1 (the prettiest whistles won't wrestle the thistles undone) - the decemberists
13. a bower scene - the decemberists
14. won't want for love (margaret in the taiga) - the decemberists
15. the hazards of love 2 (wager all) - the decemberists
16. the queen's approcah - the decemberists
17. isn't it a lovely night? - the decemberists
18. the wanting comes in waves/repaid - the decemberists
19. an interlude - the decemberists
20. the rake's song - the decemberists
21. the abduction of margaret - the decemberists
22. the queen's rebuke/the crossing - the decemberists
23. annan water - the decemberists
24. margaret in captivity - the decemberists
25. the hazards of love 3 (revenge!) - the decemberists
26. the wanting comes in waves (reprise) - the decemberists
27. the hazards of love 4 (the drowned) - the decemberists
28. white christmas - ben rector
29. finding grey - stephen kellogg
30. colorado songs we've sung - stephen kellogg
31. the rock in the crossroads - stephen kellogg
32. when she leaves - stephen kellogg
33. lady sunflower - stephen kellogg
34. chasm and cross - stephen kellogg
35. pain comes - stephen kellogg
36. over fortunate - stephen kellogg
37. protected by angels - stephen kellogg
38. watching grace collide - stephen kellogg
39. who am i? - stephen kellogg
40. samuel samantha - stephen kellogg
41. uninspired gambling - stephen kellogg
42. such a way - stephen kellogg
43. livin' on a prayer/the politics of religion - stephen kellogg
44. little drummer boy - erin mccarley
45. until you - dave barnes
46. when a heart breaks - dave barnes
47. on a night like this - dave barnes
48. i wanna be your christmas - andrew allen
49. wake up - everybody else
50. always - everybody else
51. ten bucks - everybody else
52. the kill - ben rector
53. the sophomore - ben rector
54. associated - ben rector
55. the feeling - ben rector
56. ready for change - ben rector
57. need you tonight - ben rector
58. after all - ben rector
59. early morning riser - ben rector
60. when she comes around - ben rector
61. thank god i miss you - ben rector
62. untitled - ben rector
63. hank - ben rector
64. all will be well - the gabe dixon band
65. merry christmas baby - hanson
66. what christmas means to me - hanson
67. at christmas - hanson
68. christmas time - hanson
69. silent night medley - hanson
70. white christmas - hanson
71. here i go again (whitesnake) - madi diaz
72. dark hotel - k.s. rhoads
73. the gentleman - k.s. rhoads
74. dead language - k.s. rhoads
75. the bayonet and the cigarette - k.s. rhoads
76. new york in winter - k.s. rhoads
77. could this be love - k.s. rhoads
78. turn me on, turn off the light - k.s. rhoads
79. i wanna be your lover - k.s. rhoads
80. send a ship - k.s. rhoads
81. darkness, in the year of our lord - k.s. rhoads
82. a wonderful world - k.s. rhoads
83. the last goodbye - k.s. rhoads
84. closer to love - mat kearney
85. new york to california - mat kearney
86. never be ready - mat kearney
87. city of black & white - mat kearney
88. nothing left to lose - mat kearney
89. a little bit of love - joy williams
90. more than i asked for - joy williams
91. these walls - hanson
92. use me up - hanson
93. waiting for this - hanson
94. world's on fire - hanson
95. make it out alive - hanson
96. what child is this - matt wertz
97. make it right - seth philpott
98. nothing wrong - seth philpott
99. falling for you - seth philpott
100. heartbreaker - seth philpott
101. someday soon - seth philpott
102. lo how a rose e'er blooming - mikky ekko
103. heartbreaker - matt wertz
104. 5:19 - matt wertz
105. naturally - matt wertz
106. capitol city - matt wertz
107. everything's right - matt wertz
108. waiting - matt wertz
109. christmas time - andy davis
110. hold on - seth philpott
111. here with you - seth philpott
112. a world you're not in - seth philpott
113. only in dreams - mikky ekko
114. sedated - mikky ekko
115. sad eyes - mikky ekko
116. it's only you - mikky ekko
117. i love you (i always have) - mikky ekko
118. thank god the year is finally over - paper route
119. int he bleak midwinter - paper route
120. wish - paper route
121. she is love - parachute
122. should have known better - rob blackledge
123. early morning riser - rob blackledge
124. your city, my city - rob blackledge
125. cinnamon & chocolate - butterfly boucher
126. shelter - sherwood
127. maybe this time - sherwood
128. make it through - sherwood
129. you are - sherwood
130. hey guys! it's christmas time! - sufjan stevens
131. the winter solstice - sufjan stevens
132. santa's lost his mojo - jeremy lister
133. i feel weird - steel train
134. kill monsters in the rain - steel train
135. firecracker - steel train
136. quite often - trent dabbs
137. january lights - trent dabbs.
phew. 8.5 hours of music. and i'm sure none of this was a surprise to most of you readers.
Friday, December 25, 2009
so here i am
i'm curled up on the couch at my mom's house. we're sitting by the tree, watching polar express. i love this movie. christmas is one of my favorite times of year, and today has been no exception.
i don't want to spend the evening writing up something profound, so let's just leave it at this:
merry christmas to all, and to all, a good night.
i don't want to spend the evening writing up something profound, so let's just leave it at this:
merry christmas to all, and to all, a good night.
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