#16

#16 on my 27 before 18 List was "make someone something special."

I've been working on this one for a while, trying to come up with something, until I realized that I'd done that. The panels I made for my best friends for Christmas totally fit that bill so I've crossed it off. Still working on a few other items, but consider it done.

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Early Morning Blues

Sometimes even the most sane of us do some crazy things.

I've been going through this quarter-life crisis of sorts (about five years late or so), realizing that I did so little crazy things when I was younger. So little. Part of it was fear, part of it was just not knowing, but a lot of it was me just not doing it. So here I am, at 27, finally starting to do things.

I assumed when I added 'see a concert in another city' to my 27 Things Before 28 list, I'd be flying to DC to see Boys Like Girls with Eye. Turns out that they are still working on that new album and thus, no concert tour yet. Or at least no where that isn't Brazil. (Seriously would be tempted if I knew anything about Brazil).

But all was not lost. My favorite member of BLG, Bryan Donahue, has spent his time off from touring working on a few songs of his own and eventually recorded and released them off under a solo gig/band thing, Early Morning Blues. So while he was mucking around it he managed to get his little band a show, in Rhode Island, just outside of Providence (think, near Brown University). I got excited about a month in advanced and looked at my work calendar. No traveling. A quick check of google maps said it was an hour and a half from where lil brother is living in Connecticut.

Josh (lil brother) was not as on board and plead that he might have to work, etc etc. About a week before the show he realized, nope, no work. Which meant he had Tuesday night off. In a moment of eagerness, I bought us tickets, offered to help pay for gas and demanded he pick me up so we could go see Bryan play.

Super excited, I tweeted off a message to Bryan and shockingly enough he retweeted my tweet and hit me back with a response (freaked out in the airport a little folks)



Cut to the concert. Fly up to CT, spend the day with brother, drive to the concert which is a little hole in the wall. As soon as we walk in, there's Bryan, chatting on his cell phone, looking adorable and real. A little while later the drummer shows up, hugs his best friend and then Josh and I realize that there are very few non-friends and family at the show. When Bryan is at his merch table, talking to an older woman (old enough to be say... a mom) I swallow my pride and wander over, looking at stuff.

The conversation goes like this:

Mom (turns out to be Bryan's mom): You should get something from this side of the table *points at Bryan's merch*
Me: Well I was planning on it. I came all the way from Georgia to see him so yeah.
Bryan: *looks up* You came from GA?
Me: Yup
Bryan: Oh hi! I'm Bryan *shakes my hand*
Me: I'm Katy
Mom: You came all the way from Georgia to see him play? That's great. He's excellent isn't he?
Me: yes, yes he is

Seriously. I thought this was the end of the night. But no it gets better.









Bryan's set was amazing. The whole lot of them were great. And he was great. Even with just four songs (yes I traveled that far for FOUR songs), he was awesome.

After I wander towards the merch table again where two other fan girls (and mom) are chatting him up. Josh is adamant that I'm "more important" because I came farther and when there's a chance to chat with the fan girls (Bry's run off) they ask me if I'm from Mass/RI and when I say no the next question is "Are you from GA?" So apparently I'm psuedo fan famous.

I chatted with them for a while, had someone else introduce me as the girl from GA and Bryan grinning about it again. Still, no real face time with him, but it's okay, I'm having fun. Josh meanwhile is chatting up the guitarist, Danny, over at the bar. Danny's stoked about being complimented and when Josh explains that he's there with his sister who came from GA, Danny freaks.

The story goes that the EMB guys (or at least Danny and Bryan) were together when Bryan got my tweet and it went very much like "holy shit some chic is coming from GA to see me play" and then there were high fives.

Danny came over to us later after Josh came back and Josh was like this is her! My sister and Danny practically tackled me with hugs and love and adoration. "You coming means so much to us."

By this time it's getting late, still no real face time with Bryan but he's outside grabbing a cigarette and the other fan girls are very much like "tell him goodbye." So I stopped told him I had to head out and he reaches for me immediately, giving me a big hug. "So glad you came, it means so much to me." I got him to sign his Venture Guitars flyer and got a picture with him as well.


(look at him grinning!)

After we wound up chatting in a group that was mostly me and him chatting with people listening in. I got to meet his brother who was just stoked that I came that far (and I figure out was the guy staring at me half the night. Awkward). Best of all Bryan says "You're a story I'm going to tell for the rest of my life. I do my first solo gig and a girl comes all the way from GA to see me play." He hinted on a tour with EMB, hopefully coming through GA. I promised to be there with everyone I knew if he came (still waiting).


So scratch off #9 "Go see a concert in another city" Done and done.

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Music on Repeat

I've had my new ipod stuck in my ears since the day I managed to get music on it. I used the old one quite a bit but there's something bulky about it that kept me from using it all the time like I use the new gold nano. When I have to walk the 900 steps from my car to my office? I shoot through three songs or so. When I'm sitting at my desk, fighting off another afternoon slump, I've got the volume cranked up to keep me awake and functioning.

Even more so now that I've started traveling for work all the time. I've got the thing shoved in my ears through the airport (step, step, step) on the bus to the car and then back again. Not to mention the battery life and play times I crank out while on the flight.

Funny thing? It took me weeks to actually put music on the sucker. Months even. Of course, that's not all my fault. There was the computer fiasco and the fact that none of my music was on a computer, but it was all on the old and dying old Ipod. At first all I got on the sucker was 141 songs, which included the Boys Like Girls Love Drunk album, some random Glee tracks (I don't even like that show) and the Cranberries album. Like the Cranberries album with "Zombie" on it. Yes. That one.

Now I've got it fully loaded with all my favorites, but I keep skipping back to the same tracks and I sort of love what it's been saying of me lately to be repeating this music over and over again.

Boys Like Girls - yes the Love Drunk album, but I've got the old stuff on there too. I realize that I'm obsessing about these boys, but their talent continues to blow me away.

I read all this talk about Taylor Swift and just how damn talented she is, which is all fine and dandy if you like you're music all breathy and sounding the same over and over again. Everyone talks about how she writes her music and she's only 19 or so. Everyone (ok maybe just him) talks about Justin Bieber doing the same thing, but I'm of the belief that he just sort of tosses some words out there and Usher makes it work.

I give you "Thunder" by Boys Like Girls. Martin claims in their DVD that this is the first song the band put together as a band. He says he wrote the song at 18, and it came together once Paul joined the band (which was about a year later). You can tell he wrote it without a lead guitarist to work with because it is very heavy on his acoustic. Compare that to "Love Story" which was Taylor's later work and tell me what's better. That's right. He still plays this song at shows, mostly just him and a guitar until the end and it's epic. Talk about a song straight from the heart.

Martin also swears he's been writing music since he was a kid, like seven. He's always been writing his own songs. We're not giving him huge props though are we? We just sort of expect it.

"Go" has given me ideas for new tattoos, including having "believe your body can mend" on my arm in some way (though in script up my side is tempting as well). It just screams to the part of me that's been through so much with my own skin. If you watch the end of the video I linked he explains the song, how it came from losing a friend, about getting out of something that's holding you back. He's gone through a lot himself, drugs, hurting himself and he's made it through and wants others to as well.

Of course, the rest of their catalog is fantastic. Everything is worth listening too, especially the tracks that make you want to get up and dance.

The Summer Set - I can't remember how I found out about these guys but I blame one of my internet friends because I feel like that's where it might have come from. Either way, I'm sort of in love with their catchy tunes. I forced them on a friend, Dave, and though I could almost feel him rolling his eyes through AIM (he's been doing that to me for 9+ years so at this point I'm used to it), he did admit that he found himself tapping his feet with it.

It's a bit angst-ridden, just like BLG, but at the same time it's peppy and fun to dance to in your cube while you're losing your mind in the afternoon doldrum.

My current favorite is Sing it Out, which sadly I couldn't even tell you what it's about but I know I love the way it sounds. "Count it out on the kick drum 3, 4,"

Something Corporate - I know they've essentially disbanded, but I'v never really stopped listening to them. I go in waves sometimes, focusing only the music done by the group or I'll be exclusively listening to Andrew McMahon's side project Jack's Mannequin, but I'm always going back to the sound of his voice.

I got to see them in concert a few months back and was just floored. They call themselves "piano rock" and really, that's what they are. The focal instrument was a piano. And when Andrew wasn't banging on it he was climbing on it. It's the kind of music that gives you chills and fills you up until you might burst.

"She Paints Me Blue" is must. Andrew wrote it while sitting in a parking lot in Atlanta, and the sky opened up. It really did start raining on him.

Check it out and let me know what you think, I'd love to know.

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A fresh start

New Year's turned out to be the best yet. Champ and I wound up at a makeshift party with our best couple friends (Dave & Jacki and Dan & Gina). We watched the newest Family Guy Star Wars installment, yelled at the television because none of us like Ke$ha and rung in the new year with champagne and Rock Band 3. Of course Dan and Gina hadn't downloaded anything by Boys Like Girls so I opted not to sing (and am now curious if I can get that for Guitar Hero...).

I've taken on a new challenge for the new year, in addition to the rest of my lists. I've joined up Ali Edwards' online One Little Word course. The plan is to spend the year with monthly prompts, exploring how one word can incorporate itself into your life.

Of course, this means I had to pick a word which gave me a bit of headache for a while. I love words. That's a whole portion of the memoir I'm working on (words and tattoos), but for the life of me I was stuck.

Little did I know, I was stuck for all the wrong reasons. I'm still working on my canvas panel which of course I'd already picked a word for, but that word didn't even enter my mind until I walked into my creative space and saw the plain green panel sitting there. Go. (you idiot)

So GO it is for the year.

GO out there and do something.
GO and take that risk.
GO on (and on and on).
GO forth.

Of course inspiration also comes from this song, which is amazing. (I have no way to check and see if this version is any good, but it's acoustic and I feel like it might be amazing)



Martin, the singer, has been quoted in saying this about it:

"If you’re stuck, get out. Go do it. I’ve been stuck sometimes, and the best feeling in the entire universe is saying 'I’m going to have the confidence to go do this, I’m gonna have the confidence to take the chance.'"

and this (pull out your tissues)

"I’ve had probably 20-25 people off this record come up and say that I’ve saved their or their friends’ lives from writing the song 'Go' off this current record. It’s about really digging yourself out of depression, moving on and finding a way."

It's perfect. I love it. And the word for the new year. Look back for updates

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Ringing in 2011

I am not a fan of New Year's. I never really have been. I can think of maybe three parties I've been to in the past 27 years (that weren't parents' friends parties where I was a kid at an adult party), and only 1/3 was actually a lot of fun and even then it wasn't that much fun. When I was working shifts, this was the holiday I volunteered to work because it was better than sitting at home renting sappy girly movies.

Still it's coming, no matter how hard I'm trying to fight it and 2011 is bringing me quite a bit with it. There's the rest of the 27 before 28 list to finish (I don't have updates yet, but I did get a sewing machine for Christmas from Champ so there's step one towards finishing #7), there's concerts that I want to see, at least two weddings so far to attend, family to see, friends to visit, and so much more. There's a load of work that will have me jetting around like I'm some sort of important person.

I think I'm afraid of the new year.

The thoughts of resolutions come to mind and I shake my head, not interested. I've got the 27 before 28 list, which is plenty to work with for the moment. I still have that life list to finish putting together as well. Isn't that enough than to buy into the idea that I'm going to start something fresh in the new year? I have a hard enough time getting motivated to clean my desk off.

image source

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Canvas Panels

My girls got a special gift this year because I was feeling creative despite the fact that my new townhouse is a total mess. I have a half a room dedicated to scrap things, I just haven't had the time or the motivation to really get into setting it up. It's going to be a must though because Champ got me a sewing machine for Christmas this year (!!) and now I have to get things set up so I can play with it.

Back to the girls.

I tried something different because I wanted to try another medium so I went to Hobby Lobby and bought myself some 10x10 canvas panels and painted them. I've got five total, but the last one will be mine and I haven't done it yet. But the other four came out lovely!



Each of one of the girls got a different one. Gina's was Love with the quote "love conquers all" on it.



(sorry for the poor quality on the photos)

Jacki's was faith. Her quote was from St. Francis of Assisi. "All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."



Jesse's was hope, with an Albert Einstein quote. "Learn from yesterday, live for today and hope for tomorrow."



Kathleen's was dream with a Eleanor Roosevelt quote. Her's I didn't get a good photo of besides in the group shot. Everyone seemed to love them, which means I'm considering opening an Etsy shop again.

Shop or not though, I was pretty pleased with how they came out, very pleased.

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Here Come the Holidays

Image source

I can't believe Christmas is finally upon us. I've been, like last year, so out of the Christmas spirit. Last year I'm not sure what I blamed, but this year it was the move. Finally with our party on Saturday, I found myself into it, cooking up a storm. I got to use my new cookie press which apparently makes cookies in bulk which might not sound too intimidating, but you aren't the one with like fifty spice cookies chilling in your house. (I took them to work to make the boys there eat them.)

The new kitchen is nothing but love and glorious amounts of space. I've never been so happy. Gina did make fun of me and point out that of all people in the world to end up with a red kitchen, I have a red kitchen (not my choice).

The girls loved their gifts, and the last one goes to the last girl tomorrow night, hopefully she enjoys hers as well. I've got photos and post to go with those because it was something new I tried on the creative side and had a great time with.

The party came with an added surprise, our friends who we've been waiting for quite some time to get engaged got engaged that morning and came to celebrate with us. There was much gushing over her ring, much toasting and overall good cheer. So very happy for David and Jacki!

Christmas shopping is almost done. We marathoned it on Sunday, cruising through the mall, Target, Borders and Bed, Bath and Beyond. I dealt with jerks in line who called the store manager to request more cashiers and screaming children, all in search of the perfect gift. I just have one more thing to get for Champ and then I'll be done. Wrapping is about fifty percent done, which is an accomplishment. We've gotten things for the family, the friends and on Thursday we load up the car and head down to Champ's homestead to celebrate the holiday with his family.

(My parents and brother will be here on Sunday as we head back to our place and spend a few days with us.)

Here's hoping the holidays find all of you happy and healthy as well as safe!! I will more than likely post some more soon, but hopefully I won't be too glued into the computer (yeah right).

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Checking Things Off the List

Well not completely checking them off but making progress.

I said 12 books before 28, and so far I'm three books in (I just finished another last night).

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Stieg Larsson)
I jumped on the hype and got these books for cheap with a coupon from Borders (I've stopped opening those emails to cut down on my spending) and of course got sucked in. I'm quite enamored by the Lisbeth character, though for the obvious reasons. Social pariahs always catch my eye, plus I still have a fantasy of being a Trinity-Level hacker as well as being okay to be tattooed in obvious places. The book is full of suspense and parts of the ending just blew my mind.

(The Swedish movie is also quite good and I'm very much looking forward to Rooney Mara in the American version.)

The Girl Who Played with Fire (Stieg Larsson)
Book two of the series starts off a little slower, but towards the end builds in ways that are barely imaginable. It focuses on the troubled and difficult (but lovable in her own right) heroine and her past. By the end I was breathing heavily and far too eager to turn each page.

(Book three - The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest - is on deck, but Champ was reading it first so I had to wait for him to finish. He's done, but I'd started another book and around and around it goes. I finished the other book last night, so I should start the third tonight.)

Can You Keep a Secret (Sophie Kinsella)
This was a little cheesy and I hate counting but I finished the second book before Champ finished the third of the "Girl Who" series and I was left searching through my Kindle for what to pick up that would take less than a week to read. By the end though I was rather sucked in, enjoying the cute story of what happens when you accidentally share all your secrets with a total stranger, who, of course, finds his way back into your life. It's adorable, but lame and nothing more than a beach read. Or a read between two other books read.

Progress has been made. I'm at 3/12 and if I keep having to travel for work I'll keep making progress.

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27 Things Before 28

I finished my first list!

Don't mock the fact that I'm really, really excited about this. Remember this list? I did mine even though my birthday was a few months ago. (If you're interested Elsie just posted her 28 before 29 list). So here's mine:



Since it's probably near impossible to read my handwriting even if you click through I'll type it out neatly here for you to read through. (I will never be one of those neat handwriting types. I won "best handwriting" as a superlative in middle school and almost cried because I knew it was a complete lie. Even at 12 my handwriting was just as horrible.)

27 Things Before 28
1. Finish writing my book
2. Re-design my blog (and become a real blogger)
3. 30/30/30 Challenge
4. Start (and maintain) a book club
5. read 12 books
6. Get a new camera
7. learn to sew
8. Finish my wedding scrapbook
9. Go see a concert in another city
10. Visit 3 cities. FOR FUN
11. See Boys Like Girls. Twice.
12. Finish 2 mini books
13. photo shoot with my friends
14. wrist tattoo
15. design my back tattoo
16. Make someone something special
17. Throw a killer bridal shower
18. Visit Meag, Dave, Bob and Aly in NYC
19. Get settled in the new house
20. train to row
21. Plan a getaway with Champ
22. Wrestlemania (I already have tickets)
23. Get good with photoshop
24. Tattoo photo shoot
25. Plan a killer dinner party
26. Go dancing
27. visit my family

Now it's just a matter of crossing things off before August 22, 2011.

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Little Ones

Alright, this is a little ridiculous but I want a kid.

Wait. Let me rephrase that.

I want someone I know to have a kid that I can spend time with and be involved with said kid's life. I don't actually want a child in my life. I'm very aware of the fact that children are something that I am in no way ready to devote the necessary time to and that they need to be fed more than once a day. I'm aware of all this.

But I hung out with some of my family last weekend and saw my cousin Brooke's kids Sophie and and Evan (and her stepson Asher) and I realized how much fun it must be to have an actual relationship with a child. To take their pictures and talk to them and hear what they have to say. Our new neighbors have kids but most of the time they look at me like I'm some sort of giant monster (which doesn't actually give me any sort of motivation for having kids again) and that's not really what I'm going for.

So now I'm trying to figure out who in my close circle of friends who could/should have a kid. And then convince them to do so. So far it's not working out so well. I've got two or three friends who are older than me (I can't go asking someone my age or younger right?) and they both looked at me like I was crazy.

Apparently I'm going to have to wait. Or find new friends. Or try not to be the scary lady across the street. (Really? What about me is that scary? I wasn't in a costume when I met these kids.)

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