A Sunday Morning in January

Everyone can take a morning to themselves. 

Cue the music... and we're off. I cannot write without something rich playing in the background. I've been known to listen to one song on repeat when I'm drawing or painting to capture the exact mood I dropped into when I heard the song. It's very easy to burn yourself out on a song that way too,  I might add. This morning I couldn't come up with anything to really get me writing. I tried Mree's newest "Winterwell" and just found myself relaxing into zero motivation. Then I tried the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack at the recommendation of Erin over at Chatting the Sky and, while I love her description of how she sees the music, it was just not hitting the right mood for me. So I went with my most recent discovery of "Too Weird to Live, Too Rare to Die" by Panic at the Disco. If you haven't listened to it yet, Spotify has it streaming. Go.

So. It's Sunday morning. In 2014. We've crossed the threshold of another new year all over again. I know most people have already moved on to other topics at this point and "new year, new you" stuff is so five minutes ago. I promise this isn't that. I felt the need to get some of the thoughts I've had around this exciting last month out so I could have them down on (digital) paper. It serves the major function of this blog as a record of my thoughts and musings through out the last nine years.

Yeah, nine years. I can't believe it's been that long.

I can honestly say that 2013 ended on an unbelievably fantastic note and that carried right over into 2014. This is one of the first transitions I can remember being this good in a long time. Sure, life has been all over the place just like it is for everyone else on this planet, and I've had good starts to the years past, but none that were quite this remarkable.

Last year marked the start of what I'm calling "Chapter 3: New York City" in the larger storybook of my life. I pushed myself over that cliff I'd been putting on the back burner for so many years and landed on my feet. I'm not going into it now since I've already beaten it to death elsewhere on the blog. What's important here are the many new things that have grown out of it whether it was the little adventures had all over this city or the larger mile markers in life that I've gotten a handle on. I've seen places that inspire me endlessly to be a more complex and expressive human being and I've now started a new job that does all that plus advance me along my career path. I've met people who fill out the whole crayon box of colors that I never would have interacted with outside of this city. I've watched less attractive parts of myself disappear and be replaced by new growth in my own character. I've seen my time spent on meditating and getting ahold of those fractured pieces of my mind increase every day, contributing to a better, saner me for once. The positives go on and on.


And that was how I ended 2013. Surrounded by close friends, in spirit and in person, with love and excitement and a healthy lack of fucks to give. At midnight on New Years Eve I made a conscious point to step forward into the new year on the right foot, giving tribute to the superstitious side of me that loves that kind of thing and reinforcing, psychologically, the direction and attitude I wanted to carry through the next year.

I have no interest this year in resolutions. They are very valuable to some. I want to take a different approach and focus on goals. I want this year to not be about resolving to achieve those goals but rather to enjoy the process of chasing those goals. I've spent the majority of this month setting goals at work and in my personal life and as the timing is right I will start each individual journey and focus completely on watching myself change and adapt and revel in the process.

So, I've gotten that part out of the way. Do you think shorter blog posts should be a goal for this year? Lol

Blue Jeans

Someday I will have someone special that I can put these lyrics to our relationship. Until then, I'll just keep listening to this song and thinking about the qualities I want in him when I find him.

Unknown Artist

I will love you 'til the end of timeI would wait a million years
Promise you'll remember that you're mine
Baby can you see through the tears
Love you more
Than those bitches before
Say you'll remember, oh baby, say you'll remember
I will love you 'til the end of time

- Lana Del Rey

Moonlight and a Faun

"...alles ist einfach, alles ist leicht, niemand wird lernen wenn niemand verzeiht..." (everything is simple, everything is easy, nobody will learn if nobody forgives)~ Faun~

So I have another new music obsession. One of so many here recently, I don't blame you if you think I've jumped off the deep end of music blogging and will never come back. I will come back. Eventually. Actually, I just need to get this stuff out there so I can free my tired old head from the nagging "Omgblogmusicomgblogmusic!"

Faun is a group I had maybe heard of before, but I don't know that I ever actually checked them out. They are a German folk music group who's sound has been referred to as "dark Enya." This is probably due to their classification as a goth rock band with a contemporary Celtic sound. As last week I received their CD Totem released just this year. Having now listened to their haunting tracks thick with the rich cultural flavor of ancient Germanic tribal sounds, I can say that they definitely are darkly Enya-esque but by no means do they copy the amazing singer. They have made a name for themselves. When knitting to this CD, I imagine sitting in a grove surrounded by a dark forest which hides all kinds of faerie folk, beautiful and airy, but also dark and shadow bound. Drumming puts me into a semi-trance where the simple repetitions of knitting move to flow to the rhythm. Definitely a highly meditative, and I suppose spiritual, soundtrack that appeals to that dark satyr in me. Makes me happy.





On a whim, I also snatched up Amethystium's new CD Evermind. I don't usually go for electronic/synth/heavy ambient since I figure that's better at a rave or far out club. But this one is so masterfully done I can't help but love it. It gives my apartment an "otherworldly feel." Almost like I'm sitting in the middle of The Dark Crystal or Pan's Labyrinth. The electronic sounds blend over and under each other on so many levels. To follow just one layer is tough since you will more likely find yourself distracted to a whole other level of the song. Each track fits its title so well. Click here for a sample of what I'm talking about. I usually am disappointed with how unlike the track title the music usually is that I ask "What? Did they just randomly slap on a name? Wtf, mate?"



These CDs didn't disappoint though. If you feel like walking into another world while going about your daily activities (i.e. cleaning, reading, knitting, working out) Evermind is a great CD for that. Enjoy the samples I left. Totem should help you get into your deep, dark otherself and fall away from the visible world and the brightness of all we call real. I appologize for the lack of material to play for ya from Totem, but check out the website, it's just as good.



I end this post on this day dominated by the darkened, new moon with a recommendation. Check out The AntiCraft. It's one of the coolest, goofy-yet-gothy sites I've found. They will be coming out with a book in November this year. Can we say excited! They put out a webzine that updates around eight times a year. It's very comparable to Domiknitrix. My favorite for a while was the End of Days Kit, but my love has grown for all their craziness! Sit back and enjoy all the twisted crafts they have given the equally twisted WWW.

Daughtry!!!

Wow! I'm still excited and I've already been to bed and back! Last night was the first actual rock concert I've ever been to, complete with an amazing light system and phenomenal speaker system. And what concert was I at? Daughtry!!


It was held at the Colorado State Fair in the events center and the festivities began at the early hour of eight pm. It was a massive setup. Not as big, I'm sure, as others, but by far the biggest I've ever been to. I've no idea how many people were actually there, but it was enough to fill the place up almost completely. It was an awesome crowd that sat there through an hour and a half of opening artist Day of Fire. I was no big fan, but their songs weren't bad. After the screaming headbanger music and a surprise appearance by Chris Daughtry, the lights came up and it was a rough half hour 'til the lights came back down and everybody pulled out their cell phones to catch the first appearances. The lights flared on revealing Daughtry's stage set with it's industrial back alley look, and the group walked on to a massive roar that rose from the crowd below. A little warm up, a little "we love you Colorado" and we settled into the concert that slowly built up this amazing energy. It was contagious. We knew the minute the drummer tore off his t-shirt, the music reached a frenzied crescendo, and Chris Daughtry pulled open his shirt that the party had truly begun!


From that point on it was one song after another of Daughtry's amazing talent and Chris' amazing voice. He is so much better in concert than any of his songs played in any car or on any stereo could ever let on. His voice has a real, masculine power that sucks you in and then blows you away on a wind of energy that is like flying out of yourself! The band members that back him up through it all have talent that is coveted and envied greatly as far as I am concerned. They complement his style and ability excellently. Chris' stage presence is a winning piece, too. He walks the stage reaching for his fans hands, not missing a beat or step in the whole song, and manages to put real emotion into his performance that makes you want to really feel what he feels. It was an amazing experience I can't wait to repeat!

There were, of course photos taken and video snapped, so I'll post all of that to the blog when I get it (Joanna has it). Check out all the stuff I've linked to below for Daughtry. It's so worth it. If you haven't heard these guys... SHAME!!




Daughtry Home

Daughtry Music Video- "It's Not Over"

Daughtry Playlist (opens new window)

Rufus Wainright Made Me Knit

I have a new love when it comes to music. His name is Rufus Wainright, and for some reason I keep mistyping his last name. Sorry, buddy. I also have some new news on our Mondays group and the stuff I want to implement. I'm gonna dish on Mondays first I think.


Our Monday night knitting group get togethers have been awesome thus far and have sparked interest from other Barnes & Noble customers. I've had four requests just this last week for info or about whether or not we teach and so on. Tonight I'm going to put an idea to the group for decision and polling. I think it'd be a smart move to make our group a sanctioned Barnes & Noble Event with all the perks and benefits. I hesitate to make this decision on my own only because I feel there are a couple of cons. One is that we kind of lose our anonymity and become public, which means anyone will be able to join. Now, while I'm not saying that we are a picky, bitchy group that chooses who and who not to let into our knitting "tangle," I think being that open may be a bit of a problem for some people. And so, a discussion. Two on the cons list is the censored approach we will have to take with new members since B&N will shut us down as an Event if we aren't "family friendly." I think this will be an easy one for everyone, but it does take some of the fun out of the bitch time we all love. We'll see. I've done up the proposal for B&N and will be handing out for vote tonight. For a looksee at my store and the hangout for our group, check this out.



One big change I would love to make is the ability to play our own music for our knitting group. With this option, as unattainable as it really is, we could share music that we like to knit and listen to during our groups. My current favorite is the handsome Rufus Wainright and his newest album Release the Stars. He is an out and fabulous performer/song writer/musician with a very unique style reminiscent of a seventies singer all with a modern mix of orchestral and rock music to back him up. As the hip Aussies say, "So flash!" I've left you all some links to his site and a popup playlist below. Listen to the boy's music. It's scandalous, heartfelt, and passionate. You will fall in love, guaranteed!

Click and Play!