taste of spring

When will the polar vortex end? The tease of spring this past week was the best. The snow that is currently falling outside is the worst. 

Until the sun comes back here is a piece of it from Nashville last week. 

forever young

There are few things I love more than the Shenandoah Valley and Parenthood. 

This combines them both. 

down in the valley

Some days you just have to get in your car and drive towards the mountains. 

And some days you see this and hear this song and realize it's true. 

(lord have mercy on my rough and rowdy ways)

a simple kinda life never did me no harm

Super cool Photoshop trick that somehow never got taught to me- match color. So fun, I took the colors from another painting and it turned my farm picture into this vibrant beautiful thing. 

(please listen to this while scrolling)

i'm only good at being young

I was incredibly obsessed with John Mayer in middle and high school. I thought he was a genius and when Continuum came out I was like, "Oh my gosh. John Mayer is inside my head and has let out everything that I'm thinking." 

I was in 8th grade and that was completely false, but now that I'm graduating college I can honestly say that he has put my thoughts into words better than I ever could. So way to go JM- you're kind of an a-hole but at least you're able to express a quarter life crisis well. 

(keep me where the light is indeed)

i'm not a princess, this ain't a fairytale

The other day when driving home from getting ice cream at 10:30 on a Wednesday night (as college girls do), my housemates and I were debating which Disney princesses best fit our personalities (as college girls do). We figured out most of them -- we had a Belle, a Jasmine, a Repunzel, a Merida, a Pocahontas, a Snow White, a Mulan, and a Cinderella. But we couldn't come to a decision for me. "Ariel," they said. "You're totally Ariel." 

"No, Ariel is way too dramatic."

"Plus, Laurissa is way more of an Ariel." 

I was stranded. Princessless. Nameless. Identityless. 

And then I realized it. I'm not a princess, I'm a sidekick. And that's okay. I'm a Mushu or a Pumba or a Sebastian. I'm the one who's always there to provide a bit of comic relief, but at the same time, where would the princess be without me?

So Mushu can occasionally be more of a hinderance than a help, and he wasn't even really supposed to help Mulan, but he's totally everyone's favorite character in that movie. And Pumba is a little bit gross and farts a lot, but there's no way Timon or Simba could survive without him. 

So here I am, putting it out there for all of the internet to see. I am not a princess, and I'm okay with it. 

(no worries for the rest of my days)

we drive until the city lights dissolve into a country sky

I've never hated winter as much as I do this year. 

Bring on summer and driving with the windows rolled down and never wearing shoes and sitting on the roof. 

erosion can't stop their being

Once upon a freshman year, I went on a roadtrip and discovered many unforeseen lands like a place called Farmville, and the road between Charlottesville and Farmville. And on this journey my traveling companions and I realized how perfect this song was for the drive we were on. And then I took this picture because the best thing that could describe how we were feeling in that moment with that song were these colors. 

Now whenever I hear this song, I see this picture in my mind and feel the warm saturation of the green and the mild gloom of the grey and the hope of the lightest blue. 

fall on your knees

My grandparents library is the perfect place to celebrate Christmas (as you can see in the picture). That tree has the perfect glow of warmth and the ornaments, some of which may or may not be wine glass charms because my grandma insisted on us putting them on the tree. Sheer Christmas perfection. 

It was probably my last Christmas in this place, but this room where I have spent so much of my time and read so many books will not be forgotten soon. 

three things thursday!

some things I'm loving this week...

standing 27 hours for the 27,000,000 slaves in the world today! 

want to know more? click here.

image via google

the veronica mars movie is happening, and dreams do come true. 

somehow these gold shoes have become a neutral in my eyes. i can't stop wearing them.

repeat, repeat, repeat: mumford & sons

As a flannel wearing, indie-movie-watching, Young-Life-leading, 20-year-old college student, it's pretty much required of me to be in love with Mumford & Sons. Thankfully, their folk-rocking British selves give me a lot to love. I think Mumford, along with the Avett Brothers, are the only quasi-mainstream band that everyone is allowed to love. No matter how big they get or how many Grammys they win, it's still totally acceptable to constantly have them on repeat in your car, home or headphones.

www.washingtonpost.com

I got the chance to spend this Valentine's Day with them and 7,000 of my closest friends. One of my housemates had gotten us tickets, which we came to realize were separate because all of the seats together were sold out. I don't know if you've ever been to a concert by yourself, but I was pretty skeptical about it. Did I mention it was Valentine's Day? Somehow we had managed to get one ticket that was directly next to the stage, and one that... wasn't. After a lot of shuffling around between seats and people, Mumford came on around 10:00 and being by myself wasn't really a problem any more.

If you've ever seen videos of the band playing, you know that they play with everything they have. With a fairly plain set consisting mostly of lights, they opened with their sophomore album title track, Babel, and from then on I was pretty much mesmerized.
 I don't understand how Marcus Mumford, the band's frontman, can sing and play with as much power and energy as he does and be able to do that multiple nights in a row. Their passion was tangible and their joy overtook the arena. I've never seen a band who seemed to actually like each other more and who completely loved what they were playing.

The set list included favorites from both of their albums; strangely though, the set didn't include "Sigh No More," the title track from their first album. I keep trying to pick highlights but then I remember another one and I add that to the list too. Regardless, "The Cave" and "Roll Away Your Stone" were amazing; it felt as if the whole crowd was being swept away by the hopeful strains of guitar and banjo. Hopeful. I don't think that's a word often used to describe Mumford's music, but that's exactly how it sounds. I can't think of an instrumental break that gives me more hope than the one in the middle of "Lover of the Light."A good band is one that can make you feel something, anything.

After a quieter acoustic and a capella section, Ben Howard, the second opener of the night, joined them for the last song of the night, a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "Atlantic City." Jake Clemons, sax player in the E Street Band, happened to be there as well. It felt like I was just sitting in on a jam session, and it was awesome, and I never wanted it to end.

If at any point in your life you're wondering if its worth it to see Mumford live... it is.

repeat, repeat, repeat : haley reinhart

Watching American Idol became pretty much unbearable once Simon left, but occasionally there will be one or two people who make it worth your while. Case in point: Haley Reinhart. Full of sass, jazz and nonchalance, Haley won over pretty much everyone but the (completely insane, ridiculous) judges in 2011. I've sung my praises of her before, but she has prompted this post with the release of her awesome debut album, 'Listen Up!'.

I love everything about this from its' old school vibe to B.O.Bs guest appearance. Her voice is so extensive and there isn't much she can't do with it. I am all for the reviving of female artists who can actually sing well, and Haley is absolutely helping make advances in that field with her music. Another revival that I'm totally digging is the retro sound that people are moving more towards. This album has a whole lot of that, and a whole lot of tambourine, which is awesome. 'Keep Coming Back' is a sweet 70s throwback while the track 'Wonderland' sounds very 60s Supremes-esque and relies heavily on horns. She has a voice that is awesome for sad songs and showcases that quality on 'Undone' and 'Free' which is one of my favorites. I'm so glad that Haley wasn't another Idol castoff to fall off the radar, and I'm so glad that she's proving J.Lo wrong.

If you like Haley Reinhart then check out: The Supremes, Adele, Casey Abrams (another AI contestant and awesome duet partner of Haley)

three things thursday : olympic edition

here are three things i'm still obsessing over in this past week of London 2012 coverage...

  USA vs. Canada Women's Soccer match. This was one of the best games I've ever seen, and I was relegated to watching it on my phone (NBC Olympics app, I love you.) but it was absolutely worth it. This picture is from after Alex Morgan's 122nd minute goal, they really know how to make something nerve-wracking don't they? But it all culminated earlier this afternoon when they got redemption over Japan from last year's World Cup final (I got to watch this game on a giant HD TV!). 

 

Michael Phelps swam what he says was his final Olympic race, and I for sure cried. I loved Michael during these games especially because he seemed so much happier and relaxed, and still managed to rack up the golds for the red, white and blue! I'm sad to see him go but am really glad that I get to say that I watched the reign of the greatest Olympian of all time. Also, this. You're welcome.

 

 

EPKE ZONDERLAND. This high bar routine is the absolute most ridiculously awesome thing I've ever seen. I love him. This was nuts. I don't even care that the US didn't medal here (I still love you Johnathan Horton and Danell!) if he didn't get the gold, I would have boycotted the Olympics from now on (yeah right).

three things thursday : olympic edition

okay, so it's friday... but let's pretend. here are three moments from London 2012 so far that I can't stop replaying in my mind.

Jordyn Wieber's floor routine during the team finals. She was so happy and it completely showed during that routine. I so hope that people will show this picture (or a video which isn't readily online yet) of this when speaking of her Olympic journey from now on instead of one of her crying. I am still so beyond happy about them winning, and a shoutout to Gabby Douglas (a Virginia native) for totally beasting in the All Around! And to Aly who I know has the bronze in all of America's eyes!

Ruta Meiluyte from Lithuania winning gold in the women's 100 breast. She's 15 and she won the first medal ever in swimming for Lithuania, and it was gold! Her face was awesome when she realized she won and she was crying from the moment she stepped out for her medal ceremony.

Missy Franklin, pretty much anytime she comes on the screen. She's 17, still in high school and has been training with the same coach since she was little. She is constantly smiling and so positive towards her teammates and opponents. She swam (will soon have swam) 7 races in her first Olympics and has won her fair share of medals already. My favorite was when she finaled in a 200 semi and came back 10 minutes later to completely dominate and win a gold medal.

I can't wait to see what epic moments next week will bring!

obsessing over : the olympics

There are very few things in life that I enjoy more than the Olympics; every time the olympic torch makes a new stop I am glued to my couch for the next two weeks. During which I am more of a sap than I ever am the other 50 week of the year. Seriously, I cry like a baby whenever 1) an athlete's parents are interviewed 2) an American wins and the national anthem starts playing 3) a story of overcoming obstacles is told. I love the triumph and pride that comes with simply competing, don't even get me started on people winning.

When my mom and I visited the Olympic Training Center in CO Springs last year, where I might or might not have seen John Orozco training!

Being the Anglophile that I am, London being the host city only makes me even more pumped. I was supposed to be in London right now soaking up the awesomeness that is a country hosting the games and I guess taking some classes, but sadly (really sadly, I cried for like a week when I found out I wasn't going) the program was cancelled due to some scheduling conflict. So instead I'll be back on my couch, as per usual, which is fine I'm not still bitter about it. Kind of. I won't let my intermittent pangs of sadness damper my Olympic spirit though! I will yell and cry and survive heart palpitations along with the rest of the country.

Rumor has it that the opening ceremony will include a 40-foot Voldemort battling an army of Mary Poppins, James Bond, and of course ending with a sing-along to 'Hey Jude'. And the Spice Girls are reuniting for a closing ceremony performance. Be still my platform loving, girl powering, 90s heart. Oh yeah, and Rupert Grint carried the torch today. SO GREAT.

Here are some of my favorite Olympic Moments:

 Beijing (2008) Men's 4x100 Freestyle Relay

 a.k.a- the day Jason Lezak became a beast. remember sitting on my grandparents' couch freaking out while watching this. I'm not sure I've every been more excited about something that I was in no way involved in.

Athens (2004) Paul Hamm Horizontal Bar Routine

Comebacks seem to be a theme... If you don't know what happened, Paul had fallen on a vault attempt and landed in 12th place. After the next rotation of parallel bars he had made his way back to 4th but the chances of a gold seemed out of reach. He scored a 9.837 on this routine, nabbing the gold and also my love.

Beijing (2008) Men's 100m Final

INSANE. Just like I don't believe the Chinese gymnasts are over the age of 7, I don't believe that this being is a human.

Atlanta (1996) Kerri Strug Vault

Duh, does it get any better or more tissue-worthy than this?

2008 Beijing Opening Ceremony

The Opening Ceremony is an awesome way to integrate culture and creativity into the games, and Beijing complete upped the ante with this one. It was so cool. Danny Boyle is going to bring it this year.

This is but a smattering of the Olympic moments that take up valuable space in my mind, and I am so looking forward to see what London will bring me. Phelps-Lochte showdown. Misty May and Kerri Walsh spiking the competition. Gabby Douglas dougie-ing all the way to the podium. Voldemort trying to figure out how a muggle like Usain Bolt is using magic to run that fast.

Don't miss anything, keep this schedule open at all times!

repeat, repeat, repeat : ed sheeran

Ed Sheeran first caught my attention when he released his video for "Lego House" which featured Rupert Grint as a ridiculous, obsessive fan. As my friend Kara said when I told her about it, "Now I understand why you love him." It's true, I do have a special place in my heart for the miniature pig raising, ice cream truck driving ginger, so his connection to Ed certainly helped.

But what kept may attention after that was how every song on his debut album "+" is great. I am a sucker for an acoustic guitars and for the British, so the red-head was already pretty high in my book. But the album is a perfect mix of jaunt ("Gold Rush","Little Bird"), heartbreak ("U.N.I", "Small Bump"), and attitude ("You Need Me, I Don't Need You"). He's got a way with words that reminds me a little of Jason Mraz (except 50x better), he can spit them out like rapid fire but with an awesome fluidity. On the flipside there are times, such as on "Wake Me Up", when he's pretty much just talking and still manages to keep me hanging on every word. Call me a softy, but the line, "See I could do without a tan on my left hand, where my fourth finger meets my knuckle" gets me every time. His gentleness is conveyed in the former, but the he evokes such power on "Give Me Love" that it gives me chills.
Needless to say, I'm slightly obsessed with him right now. He not only writes all of his own music but also has a writing credit on One Direction's first album and has recently been writing with Taylor Swift. I am real pumped about the latter.

If you like Ed Sheeran, then check out: Tracy Chapman, Of Monsters and Men, Birdy

three things thursday!

here are a few things i'm loving this week.

 finally getting into the millennium trilogy and loving it.

via google images

emmy nominations for new girl and best actress/supporting actor nods for zooey deschanel and max greenfield!

via google images

"Therefore as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."

-Colossians 3:12

five ways Hello Giggles ruined my life.

To say that I'm obsessed with Hello Giggles would probably be an understatement. I have tried time and time again to get others hooked too, but it just doesn't seem to be working. I post articles to my friends' walls... multiple times a week. I mention it in everyday conversation- while we're watching New Girl, whenever I happen to be mentioning my love for Zooey Deschanel. What else can I do? Maybe this will help to convince all four of the people in the world who read my blog (disclaimer: I am very content with that number) to follow the gigglers as blindly as I do.

1. They steal all of my thoughts.
Seriously, not a day goes by where I don't read something that has gone through my mind before. Somehow they manage to convey my thoughts better than I ever could. Everything I've ever thought about Call Me Maybe, right here. My thoughts on crafting (a.k.a my life)- here.  The truth about Melissa Mccarthy, this guy. I am now paranoid that every time I think a thought, it will end up on Hello Giggles within the next week, which leads me to...

2. They blog everything I'm going to before I do it.
A few weeks ago my suitemates and I made a fort, and I was going to write a blog about it. Because I like forts and think they're cool, so therefore I should blog about them obviously. I was in the middle of writing the post when I saw this- Fort Life. This is a true story, and also why I haven't blogged in quite a while. I literally think that they have implanted a camera into my brain and are watching the inner workings of my mind.

3. I now think that everyone thinks like me.
Since it has been affirmed that there are people in the world exactly like me, I now think that I am unoriginal. Okay, not really, but it does make me think that I can bring up things that pop into my head and that other people will understand. This is not so. Apparently not everyone is constantly thinking of how their life relates to episodes of Saved by the Bell or why ABC Family is genius like me and the ladies of HG.

4. I now realize that I will never be as awesome as Zooey Deschanel.
Hello Giggles was founded by Zooey Deschanel and her two BFFs Sophia Ross and Molly McAleer. Zooey participates in running this shindig while being hilariously quirky on TV, singing retro folky songs and hanging out with Joseph Gordon Levitt and Mindy Kaling. All I do is go to college. Lame.

5. I never look at anything else.
When I open my computer there are a number of sites that I check immediately, but I go to Hello Giggles last because I know that it will consume the rest of my day. In my many open tabs, there is always an HG article open for me to read next. I even have it saved as an app on my phone so that it is always accessible. I am not ashamed to say that I have a problem, because it is a disease that I wish would spread as girls like me take over the world. Too far?

it's a beautiful day.

Today is February 1. Today, it is also 61 degrees outside. I'm wearing a short-sleeve shirt with no jacket, and it's February. I can't decide whether I'm happy about this or not, because it's supposed to be the thick of winter. I should be wearing 20 layers and be able to see my breath. What if the flowers get confused and come out before they should and then winter actually does come and they all die? Why is this such a dilemma? I'm not sure, but I do know that I'm going to take advantage of this weather while it's here. Our campus is so pretty and there are a lot of things you can do when it's nice out, but these are the best:

just my friend Maria doing some "quadnastics"

Hang out on the Quad (duh). On the first nice day of spring, students are notorious for skipping classes to sit on the quad and do nothing. In the springtime, it's difficult to even walk to class without seeing someone you know and being tempted to stay outside with them. Whether you're playing frisbee, reading, or just staring at the mountains, it's impossible not to fall in love with the quad.

a peaceful nook downtown

Walk around Downtown. Our town may not be big, but it certainly is charming. Taking a stroll down South Main in the sunshine and passing The Yellow Button, Dave's and Cat's Cradle is a staple in the life of a Duke.

isn't it lovely? thanks google.

Go for a swim in Newman Lake.


...just kidding, I don't really want to die.

Now go outside and breathe some fresh air.

p.s- Something to help ease everyone's mind, T-Swift will NOT be playing Eponine. Who will, you may ask, be taking the part? Well that would be none other than Samantha Barks!  Thank you for coming to your senses Cameron Mackintosh! I dreamed a dream and it came true!

three things thursday!

here are three things that i'm loving this thursday:

it's awards season! thanks for the pic TLO

ingrid's new album!

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others."

-Philippians 2:3-4