minor interlude for a moment stolen

dear mary anne, 

i hope you're pardon me for a moment as i share your picture.. because i'll be honest, it's so beautifully wonderful, that it brings tears to my eyes when i look at it. 


from, me

Amanda+Cleaning/Organizing=Total Chaos

I decided today was the day.. Since moving to Washington, I have yet to "move in." On Whidbey, I was in total limbo land. What if I end up moving next month? Lots of what if's and possibilities. So most things remained in their boxes and bins. Now I'm here, (in KIND OF limbo land) potentially where I could remain for at least a while, and I still am living out of my bins. Dumb dumb dumb. The main thing I'm sure to unpack every time? The books. (shaking head)

The problem with this feat is my method in cleaning. I could start with a perfectly clean room and it erupts into madness.. But there is a method to my levels of crazy.. Kind of. For the most part. I could be lying. I'm not telling, you decide.

So for the time being, I mostly have my closet clean.. I have a mound of garbage to be thrown away (which is great, it means I'm getting rid of stuff) 2 bins I've emptied into said pile of garbage, clean clothes on my chair and a letter to Christine strewn across my floor.

And while I look at it with an eye of embarrassing horror that it has hit this level of crazy, I have a map in my head to strategically and successfully accomplish my goal. It will be done.. I will conquer, and it already shutters at the thought.

evil laughter commences. 

February Awesome Part 2

Oh the tunes! THE TUNES! 

I love new music. I love old music. I love going to shows and experiencing these things live and in living color. This last weekend I went to TWO, count it, TWO shows. 

First was TCC show: 

 Bonus of these awesome shows, is that I get introduced to new music. This time it was Moneta (as seen below..) 

They were great, my ears are still ringing. Maybe not.. But. 

TCC show was of course awesome! They never disappoint. And I think I appreciate going to do something that I know will be fantastic. 

 Rinse and Repeat.. 

 They did a new song.. they did some old songs.. I sang at the top of my lungs and my voice continuously cracked as I left. I was freaking stoked that they did Four Chords, as well as others, but I did a little jig in my heart when that one started. And Seattle.. That one just makes me chuckle every time. 

I didn't go alone this time, my friends Maddie and Ronnie went with me. I think they had a good time. TCC mentioned a potential cd release show in a few months. Yes, I will be in attendance. 

What's funny is when I start recognizing some of the people there. That I find strange. 

Although I got to see Kristie and her baby Praise, who was the cutest thing in a tutu and these big pink noise canceling headphones. It squished her face. She was adorable. 

And Kristie gave me the HP Valentines that Bekki accidently sent to her. 

Oh sister, you're such a riot. 

AND SATURDAY! Man oh man.. 

I headed over to Ballard way way way too early to go to the "Where's the Band" show...  (lead singers of various groups) It started at 9. I hate being late. I hate being lost. I got there at 7. Yea. Problem. My intent was to see Anthony Raneri of Bayside. My intent was to NOT have my legs broken by my brother. I have seen Bayside twice, and they were brilliant. I was kind of stoked to see an acoustic set. 

 Started with: 

Evan Weiss: Into it Over it 

Ace Enders: The Early November and various projects. 

I actually called Derek during this one, and after proclaiming that I was a jerk because he loved that song, he was glad that I did. 

(Ace may have been my favorite.. Seriously. I have maybe 4 of his songs that I've since put on repeat since the show. I-need-more... It's a bonus that he was really nice.)

 Chris Conley: Saves the Day. It was basically a request session. Whoever shouted the loudest got to hear their song. Not that anyone was disappointed with the choices. They all cheered for whatever was chosen. 

Matt Pryor: Get Up Kids

 Last and certainly not least- Anthony Raneri of Bayside. 

He couldn't play his guitar because of an infection that has taken over his hand, but the other guys on the tour learned his songs and played for him. Considering they learned these songs in a day so that Anthony could continue playing with them is pretty much fantastic, not gonna lie. He did comment that he didnt know what to do with himself just standing there. It was equally strange during the guitar solos. 

Derek- the set list: 

Ghost of St. Valentine

Sandra Partial

Blame it on Bad Luck

Landing Feet First

Megan

Don't Call me Peanut

(All 5 at this point) 

Rainbow Connection (cover) 

Linoleum (NOFX Cover) 

Boxcar (Jawbreaker Cover) 

 This may surprise, but I don't like talking to the musicians after shows. It makes me anxious. I think my hands were shaking. But for you, brother.. I pushed through. 

I hit a point at this second show.. Maybe at TCC too, that I just remembered when Derek introduced me to these various bands. Random mixes followed by random stories. The ones that had stories behind them were always more appreciated than others. But I love my tunes. I love the possibilities they create. Seeing the band perform always ignites an appreciation for their talent and said music. I don't feel like I fit the scene, potentially sticking out like a sore thumb, but alas...

So here's a funny story from me to you.. I went to this show, because of my love of the music and need to see this solo show. So glad I went. Right? Right. I ended up wandering Ballard 2 hours prior to the show, by myself. 

Why didn't you go with anyone, Amanda? 

Because I'm a crazy person, and for whatever reason I opted that going alone is better than not going at all. Since I didn't know WHAT to expect, I'd hate to drop someone new to the Amanda experience. Once again, easier to do alone. 

Please note: I'm a paranoid WACKO! PARANOID-WACKO! Why do I do this to myself? 

Does this stop me from doing these things? Absolutely not. 

Do I have pepper-spray IN HAND, of course.. 

my actions still surprise me. 

However.. I was talking to this guy yesterday, and he HAD TICKETS to a Silverstein show this last weekend but opted to NOT go because of the dodgy people that were outside.. 

I was dumbfounded. I went to a bar by myself to see this show. (note, i don't frequent bars..) 

Were the dodgy people there/around? Potentially.. 

Did that stop me? No.. 

Weird boy. 

Part 1 of February Awesome

I got the book and finished this morning at 2 am. Yea. I'm absolutely that person. I hit that point and I couldn't just STOP! It was ultimately a highly amusing sequel to the Austenland which also had a "Northanger Abbey" feel to it. For whatever reason I kept comparing the character of the first to this one, and they're fairly different... There were some characters that came BACK from the first, which I highly appreciated and a few twists that I guess I just wasn't expecting. The problem with the twists, is that I have a chunk of book left, so I know something is happening that I just haven't anticipated. 

All and all, I finished wanting to re-read it just so I could catch what was laid out through the story. Well done, Mrs. Hale. Well done. 

Next up: 

I start a new job tomorrow at Outdoor Research. 

What will I be doing you might ask? 

Working in the warehouse picking shipments. My cousin is training me. 

It's in downtown Seattle, 2 miles from Pikes. 

It's something.