'She's Country'

It's true. I'm a hopeless country fan. There's just something about a good southern gentleman in cowboy boots and a great southern drawl that I've always loved.

For years, I resisted country music. I avoided it at every turn. I went through a short punk rock phase, followed by rap and hip hop, both of which came after I finally started to accept that NSYNC wasn't going to be doing a reunion tour any time soon. Of course, that's a reality I'm still not sure I'm fully prepared for.

Last night, all of my dreams were realized. We went to see Jason Aldean and Luke Bryan in concert, and let me tell you, it very well could be the second best concert I've ever seen. The best concert, of course, was NSYNC back in '01. Yeah, I'm still holding on to that one.

The scene outside the venue was everything I imagined, and then some. Plaid shirts, ripped jeans, pick-up trucks, cowboy hats, fake accents, and bad beer surrounded us. I was the opposite of a country girl as I made my way to our seats in my flats, skinny jeans, and an embellished top. Poor outfit choice aside, I couldn't help but sing along to the songs that played from the stage before the performers took over.

Once Luke Bryan hit the stage, my feet were ready for some dancing, and I very happily swayed and sang along with each song. Jason Aldean brought more of the same, and I even caught my hard rock-loving fiance tapping a foot.

All in all, if you ever have a chance to see these two in concert, TAKE IT! My ears are still ringing a little, and I can think of few other times in my life in which I have been quite this tired (after all, today was a work day!), but it was very well worth it.

Of course, if you get the chance to see NSYNC, take that too.

My Island of Happiness

Sometimes people really bug me. I mean really, really bug me.

You see, I expect a certain amount of decency, respect, and courtesy from everyone. In return, I display the same when I encounter other people. If I'm having a bad day, I make a conscious effort not to snap at people, or treat them with anything but a smile,  no matter how much I'm stewing inside. Why? I believe that no matter what is irking me, it's really not their problem and I'm not going to force them into dealing with it by treating them poorly. Needless to say, when I see people engaging in rude, short, or temperamental behavior, I become irritated quickly.

Also, I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "there are no stupid questions." I am here to tell you that, yes, there are stupid questions. In fact, there are very stupid questions. Those bug me too. Such questions include, but are not limited to, questions which have been repeated several times, not for lack of understanding, but for lack of listening to the answer when it was originally offered. It not only suggests the disregard for courtesy as I previously mentioned, but it is really just not smart to blatantly display the fact that there was no courtesy by asking the question.

People who argue incessantly about things that have no right, wrong, or mutually agreed upon answer drive me crazy. Things like religion, politics, music choice, or really anything involving opinion will probably never be subjects with a general consensus of opinion by the human race, so please, for sanity's sake, stop arguing about it. Come to a compromise and drop it so that I don't have to hear about it. This means everyone will have to give a little, but in the end, agree to disagree or find the least objectionable option for all parties and let the rest of us have some peace and quiet.

I've been doing some thinking, and I've decided I'm going to run away. Far, far away. Specifically, I will be running away to a lovely tropical island that has not been placed on a map...all by myself. There will be no bridge to my island, and I will spend my days in peace, alllll by myself. Happy. So happy.

I will have no visitors. I'll come visit you. I can't have people knowing where to find me, after all. That defeats the purpose of my island, which primarily serves as an escape from the mindless babbling of the human race.

I will come off of my island only to refill supplies and possibly to work just long enough to save some money in order to purchase said supplies. Otherwise, I will be on my island indefinitely. And boy, will I be happy.

It's perfect.

Dancing Through Decades

Tara is on the far right.

This Sunday, I had the opportunity to attend the Grand Rapids Ballet Company's production of Company B, a WWII era-inspired ballet choreographed by Paul Taylor and featuring the music of The Andrews Sisters. My good friend Tara is a real, live ballerina, and she's an amazing one, at that. She's been dancing ever since I can remember, and she's the only one out of us that stuck with it all these years. I quit somewhere around age 5.

Erica, Tara, and I have been friends since
we were just little tykes.

I am by no means an expert in the art of ballet, but I thought the performance was fantastic. Granted, I've always been fascinated by WWII, and I have a thing for big band music, but I thoroughly enjoyed Company B and I think I would have even if I wasn't able to sing along with the music. The dancers were perfectly in sync and they made the twists and turns look effortless. Tara had a flirtatious solo for the song "Rum and Coca-Cola," in which she uses her feminine wiles to transfix the men far from home in Trinidad.  

The ballet was a far cry from our days of prancing around onstage with the Dancin' Fun program from the Flint Institute of Music when we were kids, but those of us who have been lucky enough to know Tara since those early days are so proud of how far she's come (she's even danced in China!). 


Congratulations, Tara, on a beautiful ballet!

Next on my list of things to see is the Nutcracker, my all-time favorite ballet and one that I try to see every year just before Christmas. We've got under 100 days to go, and I'm prepared to start celebrating Christmas now! Is anyone else a fan of ballet? What have you seen or what do you want to see??

What Are You Listening To?

I think it's fair to say that I listen to a wide variety of music, minus heavy metal...that kind of scares me. I'm one of those people whose music must coordinate with mood. If I'm happy, I absolutely cannot stand listening to "Debbie Downer" music or music that's full of angry rockers... nope, it's just not for me. However, when I'm stressed out, rock is great, and I have to ease myself into a better mood by gradually increasing the tempo of the music I have playing.

Lately, I've been in a "coffee shop mood" as I like to call it. Mellow is my thing right now. Calm, soothing, "drinking a latte and reading a good book" music. Of course, that's when I'm not in a  "it's summertime, I need a good drink, a body of water, and bonfire on the beach" mood, which leads to country music (yes, I know, how could I? Trust me, it's new for me too).

Here are a few recommendations:
1. Stevie Wonder-- I love him. On vinyl, it's as if he were singing to me from the heavens. I'd like him to sing me lullabies as I drift off to sleep...right after Morgan Freeman reads me a bedtime story. My favorite: For Once In My Life, that or One Little Christmas Tree

2. Adele-- She's got such a strong voice, it's amazing. Her Pandora station is great, and I've been spending the majority of my days with that pulled up on my computer and plugged into the speakers. My favorite: Set Fire to the Rain

 3. Jason Aldean-- This is where the country comes in. He's a little hick, but in such a good way. The country twang could mesmerize me for hours... and it does. I can't decide on a favorite, but for now: Dirt Road Anthem

4. Duffy-- Like Adele, her voice is strong, but this is a little different. Her music seems more raw, her voice more raspy. My favorite song? Warwick Avenue.

What's on your playlist?? I love new recommendations!!