Music Monday: Mumford & Sons

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Oh, Mumford & Sons you complete me, at least lately you do. I have been forcing a bit of a transitional period in my life, actually a bit is an understatement, I'm going for a full overhaul of everything. It might have a little to do with my quarter century birthday looming closer everyday but it also has a lot to do the fact that change is good and I'm ready for it—even if I have to force it. So, Mumford & Son's song The Cave has been my theme song for getting things done and making change real. Corny, huh?

Aside from all that, I have a soft spot in my heart for folk-y indie rock and they fit the bill perfectly. Also, they are one more band making the banjo cool and I'm all for that. 

 

Instax Photo Friday: Leah Beah

Leah is an all around great friend and recently an awesome freelancer who makes the projects I work on look pretty—if you're ever in need of a graphic designer she is your one woman powerhouse or as she would say "the bomb dot com".

Things I have learned from Leah:

• Papyrus is the worst.
• Bad kerning is just as terrible as Papyrus.
• Your hair can be your best accessory.
• Being camera ready at all times is necessary.

Things I love: Fro Yo

Image Via WeHeartIt

I am in love with frozen yogurt—otherwise known as fro yo if you happen to be enjoying it with me. 

I love that I can convince myself that it's healthy since the majority of the flavors I enjoy happen to be fat free and I like dressing up my cup with candy fresh fruit. Regular yogurt is usually a part of my lunch/snack time throughout the week but frozen yogurt always seems special. So special that I've made an eating schedule for it. Yep, I'm that neurotic and I have a schedule for eating fro yo. 

I have frozen yogurt nearly every Wednesday evening, it's my midweek treat to myself (sometimes I refer to it as my "date night" since it's the most consistent date I've had in nearly two years). I think it's nice to have something to look forward to every week and the more I buy the closer I am to getting a free cup. That yummy marketing scheme gets me every time!

Flash Mobs

I'm obsessed with the idea of flash mobs. To organize one would be my ultimate Guerrilla PR/Marketing fantasy come true. Unfortunately, that opportunity has not come up yet. Although, I am certain it will—to participate in and plan a flash mob is on my list of career "to dos", strange? But until that day arrives I will have to live vicariously through other people's fun guerrilla campaigns. Below are two of my favorites:


Frozen at Grand Central Station. This was done by an Improv group, not exactly a planned PR/Marketing campaign but it's a great example:



H&M Kids Fashion Flash Mob. This was executed beautifully. H&M happens to be just around the corner from Union Square in San Francisco making it the perfect location for a flash mob that garners lots of tourists and shoppers during the day. Who doesn't love kids dancing their little hearts out in trendy affordable clothes?

Gratitude Tuesday: Smile

It seems kind of silly, but I completely agree. A smile is the difference between a stranger and a new friend or a good day and a bad day. So, I'm going to smile at at least one random person today. It may not bring me a new friend or turn around that persons entire day but the simple act of smiling does make me feel happier. You should try it, you might be surprised.

Music Monday: Electric

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I made a mix of a few of my favorite bands that require extra outlets. My favorite on the mix is So Many Dynamos, they need to some back to California so I can dance. But until then I'll have to listen to this mix and swivel in my desk chair at work.

Gratitude Tuesday: Strangers

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Today I am grateful for the kindness of strangers.

On my morning commute to work I found myself doing what I do nearly every morning: listening to KROQ while driving with my windows down because in the summer months I consider an air dry commute to be the perfect solution for not blow drying my hair.

While stopped at a red light, I must have been laughing at something said during the Kevin and Bean Morning Show because all of sudden I heard someone yelling "Hey!". I looked to my right and there was a little old man in a pickup truck perfectly in line with my passenger window, I realized he was yelling at me and instantly thought I was going to get yelled at about my driving. But instead he said "Hey, you're happy aren't you?" I was confused since I had expected to get snapped at so I replied "Well, I guess so... yes, I'm happy". Then he smiled, laughed and said "You have the nicest smile so I hope you're happy".

I had no idea what to say to that but thank you. After that I didn't know what to do, what is the etiquette for red light conversations with strangers? By the time I ran through what may have been a nice reply the light turned green and we went our separate ways. I don't know what made him want to talk to me but I appreciated it and I thought about it for the rest of day, especially since a morning drive to work isn't always the happiest thing. Since I didn't get a chance to say something nice back to him I figured the next best thing I could do was pay it forward to a co-worker. So, I complimented the small detailed things that get over looked but are still very special.

That little old man really made my day and all he had to say was "You have the nicest smile so I hope you're happy."

Music Monday: Mason Jennings

Whenever I listen to Mason Jennings I feel like a changed person. Not because his music is so powerful that it has caused me to become a different person but because I remember who I was when I first fell in love with his music and the difference between that version of myself to who I am today is infinitely different. I love that music can hold so many memories, his album Bone Clouds has become a time capsule of sound for me. If I ever choose to revisit myself I can always listen to Mason Jennings. In fact, his song Which Way Your Heart Will Go embodies that feeling. You never know where your heart will lead you and how much change (for better or worse) can come from it.

Wordless Wednesday: Bears, Oh My

{One amazing afternoon in Sequoia National Park}

Gratitude Tuesday: Bean

I'm so grateful for the unconditional love of dogs, specifically my little mutt mix. She's always happy to see me, a good listener, always willing to take walks & cuddle, makes me smile everyday and never complains. Now that I think about it she is akin to what I want in mi media naranja. Dogs, other half, same difference? In only the best way of course...

Music Monday: Gym Tunes

Instead of doing a usual MM post of one band and thought it would be nice to have a mix. I recently made a mix on 8tracks of songs I like to listen to at the gym. I really only listen to my iPod at the gym if I have shown up too late to join in on a class. Gym equipment (like the treadmill) and I don't really get along. I have to listen to something upbeat to distract me from my grumpy "I hate treadmills" attitude.

So, here it is in all its poppy, indie, eletro, sweaty glory:



Image via WeHeartIt

Gratitude Tuesday: Risk

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It's okay, try it. Risk it. You just might get everything you've always wanted.

Music Monday: Telekinesis

Coast of Carolina by Telekinesis reminds me of sun, ocean, flirting and first kisses. Perfect for summer, right?

Instax Photo Friday: Argyle Pimpin'

 Friends (they're all so cute) at an Argyle Pimps gig. Their shows are legit—catchy hip hop that doesn't objectify women and a jazz band supplying the beats. Unfortunately, they don't have too many live shows but if you're in the area when they're playing you'd be doing yourself a disservice by not checking them out.

Things I love: Summer

This week marked the first week of summer. Here are a few of my favorite things about this time of year:

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Ah, baseball how I love thee...

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The 4th of July is my favorite holiday.

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I'm not great at barbecuing but I am really good at eating barbecue.  

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I love soaking up the sun on my longboard.

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Roadtrips and car rides with the window down are the best.

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I turn into a fish when I'm at the beach, it's hard to get me out of the water.

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Bonfires under the stars are great, add marshmellos and you've got a party. 

Wordless Wednesday: I'm On Fire

{Car accident seen from my dash on my morning commute to work.}

Music Monday: El Ten Eleven

El Ten Eleven is a band that makes you wonder why they haven't gotten the commercial success they deserve. On one hand, I can be a bit of a music snob and enjoy keeping some of my favorite music to myself as if the band is my special secret only for me to enjoy. While at the same time you can love a band so much that you just want to show them off and hope others fall for them too. I feel both ways about this band. A part of me wants to be greedy and keep them to myself but I wouldn't mind being surrounded by others who think they're awesome too.

Wordless Wednesday: Office Window

Yeah, I get to watch people fish/play in the water/have picnics from my desk window. Bittersweet.

Gratitude Tuesday: Unknown

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I think everyone has heard the following:

"Everything that's happening is supposed to be happening" or "It's about the journey, not the destination". And we're supposed to take comfort in these phrases.

The more I think about those things the more I find them to be true. However, I use the universe as my reason for the unknown. I often think:

"The universe will bring it to me when I'm ready"
"The universe is trying to teach me a lesson"
"The universe must have brought this person or thing into my life for a reason"
"The universe is recongizing my karama" and so on...

So, what does that make me? Religious? Careless? Faithful? Unaccountable? Existential? Metaphysical?

I would like to believe that I am a universalist who takes trust and delight in the unknown. Which somedays is just a nice way of saying: I don't know what the hell is going on but I'll find some kind of humor in the unknown until I can wrap my head around my often strange life.

Music Monday: Phantogram

I saw Phantogram a few weeks ago and if you're even slightly into electronic beats you need to pick up their album Eyelid Movies. They're so great that after seeing them I bought it. I rarely if ever purchase CD's but they charmed me, although their set was a little shorter than I would have liked I think it may just be their way of letting me know I'm going to have to catch them when they're back in California.