I haven’t had all the time that I want to write lately. I’m under tremendous stress at work in a job I hate, so when I’m not at work or job hunting (shh), I’m trying to just relax. My personal life is also crazy for other reasons too, not the least of which was a car accident the other day in which some unfortunate soul decided to just ram her car into mine on the freeway.
But! There have been good things, too.
Quality time in the hammock
I saw Jonatha Brooke in concert again!
Want to be an OG on July 4th? Wear a glow necklace and drink apricot hefeweizen. FROM THE BOTTLE.
I saw Brandi Carlile in concert again, too.
I cuddled with a magnum of cava while my friend ... well, anyway.
I’ve had good times with great company this summer, including two amazing concerts, and more fun on the way. Here’s to more fun on the horizon – I need it to retain my sanity! And if you have the chance to see either Jonatha Brooke OR Brandi Carlile this summer, you should certainly do so. Both are amazing artists who make incredible music.
Oh, and the title of this post is from “Of Graves” by another favorite singer, Alexa Wilkinson:
I’ve been in a bit of a writer’s funk lately. I blame it mostly on the fact that I’m in the midst of a HUGE writing project at work, the kind that is causing me to work some 13-15 hour days in the past few weeks, in addition to some weekend work. That project is making my brain feel like mush, and the last thing I want to do when I finally get home is open up the laptop to write. If I can get a decent dinner made, some quality time with the kittehs, and maybe a bit of reading in before I hit the hay, I’d say that’s a good day.
But this type of post is usually pretty easy for me to write, and it actually cheers me up a little (I’ve had a very bad attitude for the past three weeks. So much so that my WBFF has given me an evil alter ego named Santiba, which he says he hopes goes away when my project is done). And if it helps me get back on the horse with writing because I love it and want it and need it, that’s even better.
Things I love. Go:
Phone calls and emails from far-away friends. Fresh raspberries. Barbecues. Turning my alarm off on weekend mornings. Hiking in warm weather. Joking around with my brother. Weekend getaways. Summer concerts. Getting home and finally relaxing for the evening. Happy hour. Shorts. Ginger ale + vodka + fresh strawberries. A cool breeze at night. Spending time with my best friend. Unexpected cards in the mail. Chips + salsa + handmade guacamole. Baseball. Collaborative creativity. Flip flops. My new favorite local market. My goddogs. Florence and the Machine.
I was thinking today that I’ve been enjoying a lot of music lately, and I haven’t been sharing it. It’s been too damn long since my last music post, and that’s not right. In fact, it’s unacceptable!
So hey, here’s the latest stuff that I’ve been digging. Not all of it is brand new; some of it is just new to me or something I’ve pulled out of the archives to listen to again.
(And when I have a free moment with nothing else to do, I try to update my Blip.fm playlist, too. )
All of the song links go to YouTube, so the music may start up immediately. You’ve been warned.
The people who know me well know that I love Jonatha Brooke. She’s an incredible singer, songwriter and musician. One of my favorites. So I might swoon a lot here.
I first fell in love with her when she played on Letterman back in 2001. Besides the fact that I thought she was hot in her Starsky & Hutch tee, I loved her music (I’m such a sucker for a woman with a guitar). If I’m on a road trip, her music is playing.Hell, her music is playing most of the time, whether I’m on the road or not.
But then I saw her play live, and I was really hooked. She’s wonderful to see in concert because her interaction with the audience is genuine and witty. She announced in one show that if Jennifer Lopez could change her name to J. Lo, then she could go by J-Bro. But she’s got soul, too. Her songs and lyrics are amazing to me, and she sings from the heart. Ah, that voice.
She is beautiful, charismatic, funny, and down to earth. Meeting her after a show is always a highlight, and I’ve had a few opportunities to talk to her (one of the few times in my life I can remember being truly flustered, and that’s saying something). Continue reading
NO, that’s not Alice Pieszecki from The L Word. It’s Leisha Hailey, and she’s much more than a character from a television show. She’s also a musician, rocking out in groups like The Murmurs and Uh Huh Her. She’s got that perfect mix of intellect, sexiness, quirkiness and charm. And I dare you resist those eyes or that killer smile. It can’t be done.
(And yes, dollface, I forgive you for the horrible yogurt ads you did to make ends meet.)
Welcome to the Swoon List, Leisha.
And hey, why not throw in a video, too? It has Leisha AND a unicorn!
