The majority of people who think of themselves as creative/artistic types are mediocre at best (and yes, this may be coming from a place of jealousy as my creative/artistic spark is completely non-existent) and people like the girl who took this photo and especially that insanely talented rare bird Luxirare underscore that fact.

I love the internet ( Read more... )

January 2000

There aren't a lot of New Years celebrations that I remember, but I definitely recall 2000.  I spent it at Kristy's with her family and friends, and my first "real" boyfriend Jason.  At midnight, Jason and I excused ourselves and found a private, cozy couch in their upstairs den.  At midnight we kissed and I told him I loved him for the ( Read more... )

• I am going to read more
• I am going to buy (and more importantly, wear) grown-up ensemble appropriate shoes
• I am going to wear "ensembles"
• I am going to grow my hair out and wear it lusciously curly
• I am going to lose 40 pounds

Some of these songs I loved just as much as anything on my Top 25, but they didn't come out in 2009.  Hence the all important honorable mentions.

I have to state again, emphatically and with unwavering conviction, that 2009 was one of the single best years of music I have experienced personally in my 27 years of being musically active. For the first time in recent memory, my Top 25 can be filled entirely with music released in 2009. That speaks volumes about how amazing this year was.

Songs ( Read more... )

I love New Years. It's my favorite holiday. I love setting goals, I love starting fresh, I love tax season (well...money-wise...) and I love cycles ( Read more... )

When I was little I loved Christmas, like we all did, because my parents made it magical and because I got a lot of toys. When I was in my mid teens I hated it because it was never more apparent how broke my parents were. When I was in my late teens, early 20's I loved it because I had my first job and I got to play Santa for my siblings who hadn ( Read more... )

My third iPod in a little under eight years is out for delivery. Time for a little reflection.

• Remember when they only had 5 GB of storage (which was plenty) and cost $499?
• Remember how you couldn't afford one so your new boyfriend bought you one for Valentine's Day? Remember how you found it in the closet on accident and had to pretend you hadn ( Read more... )

I used to very much enjoy taking breaks from my regimented lifestyle. The freedom to eat and drink without having to give much thought to caloric intake and nutritional profiles used to be something I looked forward to. The joys of sleeping in and staying up late, of not having to make time for a grueling workout, of pure unadulterated rest and ( Read more... )