good day sunshine

With piles of snow on the ground, I thought it would be a good time to remember my trip to Hawaii. Warmth and sunshine sound good right about now, but maybe a day skiing down a mountain will cure me of my winter blues.

The waterfall where scenes from Lost were filmed

 

feel good drag

I like going to concerts. I especially like going to concerts by up-and-coming bands at small venues. I like to concerts best of all when I'm able to get my picture taken with one or more band members. It makes me kind of giddy. This happened a few weeks ago with two bands, Civil Twilight and Crash Kings. Both were the opening acts for Anberlin, and both totally outperformed the headliner. I actually didn't even stay for all of Anberlin's set, I can't stand when bands feel they have to have everything turned up full blast instead of finding the right balance. They were definitely the drag of the night.

The third time was the charm for me to see Civil Twilight. I had attempted to see them two other times, but neither worked out. I was pleased with their set, even if it was a little short, but wish the venue was better. Who ever thought a warehouse with no modification for sound was an idiot.

Crash Kings are amazing live because they play with such energy and enthusiasm. I think I'm a sucker for a three-member band, especially when one of them plays the piano. Who ever created a keyboard with a whammy bar that sounds like a guitar was a genius.

Civil Twilight

Richard Wouters and Steven McKeller from Civil Twilight

Crash Kings

Tony Beliveau from Crash Kings

Mike Beliveau from Crash Kings

good grief

Sunday was one of those days, the one where I hurt myself quite a bit. I really don’t mean to, but for some reason Sunday was a klutzy day.

It started at my friend Christy’s new house. The roommates and I decided to keep her company on her first night sleeping there. Sunday morning, Christy and I were carrying the spare mattress I had slept on upstairs to the storage room when I bashed my left shoulder on a very pointy banister.

After returning home to get ready for church while doing my hair I burnt my finger on my flat iron (or hot styling tool for the person I told this story to who didn’t know what a flat iron is).

The next hurt me moment came as we were driving to church. I was eating an apple and bit the inside of my lip not just once, but three times.

For the grand finale, I was getting ready to go to my parent’s house for dinner when I heard Christy come to the door. I had left my shirt at her house and she was returning it. I was excited to see her and tell her thanks so I quickly put on my heels, grabbed my purse and rushed down the stairs. I made it down to the first landing just fine, but as I rounded the corner I lost my footing, scrambled to catch myself, and slid down the rest of the stairs in an awkward position while watching the looks of terror on my friends’ faces. As I came to rest at the bottom I burst out laughing. It was the only thing to do because I wasn’t hurt at all, well except for the bruise that showed up on my arm the next day.

it's gonna be so good

After years of wanting to go to there
I get to go to here

in October.

With these lovely ladies.


And hopefully operation Hot Bod For Hawaii (HBFH) is successful so I can look good in one of these


Yep, an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini
It's Hawaii, not a ward swim party

and i'm feeling good

It is going to be difficult to top the excitement and exhilaration I felt on Monday night. The anticipation had been building for about five months. The deliverance surpassed the hype. No concert will ever compare. Muse, those rock gods from across the pond, put on one mind-blowing show. Take away the lights, the lasers, the smoke, the hydraulic platforms, the giant screens, and the glass piano and leave just the music and it still would have been the best concert I have ever been to. Matthew Bellamy, Christopher Wolstenholme, and Dominic Howard have truly perfected their art. This was a once in a lifetime type experience that I hope to repeat.

 
Muse--Feeling Good

color me good

Despite the fact that I live in Utah and there is snow on the ground on April 1^st I have officially welcomed spring. Last Saturday a group of people (friends and friends-of-friends) traveled to the Holi Festival of Colors at the Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork. This was my first experience at the FofC and I regret nothing and would do it again.

This is what happens when it gets into your eye and tears stream through layers of color.

be good to yourself

I have a tendency to bottle up all my emotion. I let all the little disappointments and difficulties along with some big things build until I have an emotion explosion and it all comes out is one big, wet mess. The strange part is some little thing that on a normal day is not a big deal triggers the explosion. It’s like the little pebble that starts the rockslide. Why it has to happen in the middle of church I do not know.

I tell myself to stop crying you big baby, but it doesn’t help at all. It also doesn’t help when someone tries to comfort me; it actually increases the tear flow exponentially. Luckily, there wasn’t any sobbing, just quiet tears. The good thing is it doesn’t last very long. I’m fully recovered within a half hour, 45 minutes tops (at least from the tears).

The saying “don’t cry over spilled milk” is generally good advice. Letting all the little disappointments and a few big difficulties build and build and build until I explode at the most inopportune times isn’t good advice either.

collection of goods

I really love Collective Soul. When anyone asks me who my favorite bands are, Collective Soul is the first out of my mouth. I know I have liked them since their beginning and I know my older sisters had something to do with it. I distinctly remember my sister's copy of "Hints Allegations & Things Left Unsaid" because of the cover art. I liked "Shine" but really didn't get hooked until I borrowed another sister's copy of "Dosage."

As of Thursday night, I have seen Collective Soul in concert five times and I would go see them tomorrow if I could. Each of the five concerts have been in different venues of varying sizes.

#1 The Huntsman Center--2001
They were promoting the "Blender" album. I went with my younger brother and the place was packed. They did the usual walk off the stage and come back out to perform an encore, but after that the crowd was still cheering and the light came up and they came back out and performed one more song.

# 2 The Canyons--2005
Shortly after the Tsunami, Collective Soul play a "free" concert at the Canyons, but asked for donations. Outdoor concert in February, good but cold.

#3 Grand Junction, Co--2005
About a week after I saw them at the Canyons, I went to Grand Junction to visit my sister and see them perform in an old movie theatre that had been converted into a concert venue. I had already purchased tickets for this event when I saw them at the Canyons. I enjoyed this particular time because we were so close to the stage and I hadn't ever been that close before.

#4 Peppermill Concert Hall, Wendover--2008
This was a second try on this particular venue. The first time we drove the two hours from Salt Lake to Wendover only to pull up the venue in time to see "Collective Soul Has Been CANCELLED due to Illnes" flash on the marquee (yes I did spell illness wrong, but only because they did). I wish I had video of our faces when we read that. So instead of seeing the concert, we ate at a terrible buffet and drove the two hours back home. They did refund the tickets, so we were only out the money for gas and the stomach pain from the food.


Six months later the concert was rescheduled and I checked multiple times before we drove the two hours to Wendover that it was really happening this time. This was the first concert I have attended without an opening band. So while I enjoyed the concert and the venue, it was short.

# 5 The Rail--January 21, 2010
Despite the poorly organized process of getting into the venue, I think this is one of the better places for a concert. It is less than a year old, so everything is clean and shiny. The layout is very open with an 21+ balcony area surrounding the entire space. We were about three people back from the front and I took way too many pictures and lots of video. I'm sure the people behind me were annoyed with the crazy girl and her camera, but I didn't really care because among all the terrible pictures I was able to get some pretty cool ones.





I know I'll see Collective Soul again, so here's to next time.