Music

Hello Friends!  How are you all?  Did you have a wonderful weekend?  

I worked Friday and Saturday, but today I got to spend time with one of my best friends and the four kittens that she rescued and is trying to find a home for.

Last night at work was the first night I closed the restaurant since I started this job.  And, sparing too many details, I loved it.  I spent the night dancing along to music with co-workers I love, and still managing to work.  Even at 3am when Amber picked me up and we headed to the local Giant for some midnight snacks, I was still dancing to Hey There Delilah, because in my head I was hearing Tao Cruz.  

And all day today, I've been listening to my iTunes, and downloading new music.  

Music fuels me, and that's not to say that I am a musical person in even the slightest sense.  I'm not.  I'm completely tone-deaf, despite three years of piano lessons.  In grade school, I ended up joining the Hand-Bells Club because it meant that all I had to do was hi-light my notes and remember when to shake my particular bells.  The "instrument" really didn't require any sort of skill on my part.  

But I love music, and I suppose that really goes without saying because frankly, who doesn't "love" music?  Music is an enormous part of our culture that could not possibly be removed.  It's not even just our culture, more like human-kind on a very basic level.  People have been creating music for as long as our existence has been recorded, and I'm sure for longer than that.

It is honestly one of the few things that ties all of us together, that we all have in common.  When you meet somebody new, one of the first questions they ask you is "what kind of music do you like?".  I've even seen the question pop up on job applications.  It has almost become like a judge of character, or personality.  The music that we listen to speaks as to what type of person we are.  The idea of a person who doesn't "love" music is almost inconceivable, to the point where it has been used as a point of interest in the movie Superdad   as a descriptive factor in a character's psychosis.


We have websites, such as Pandora that are entirely dedicated to the spreading of music.  Concerts attract millions of people, and raise even more money just from the sale of tickets.  Most of the posters we hang in our rooms are of bands we love, and the iPod was one of the most lucrative electronics ever invented.  There are newspaper columns and even entire magazines dedicated to the discussion of popular artists.  We listen to it while we drive, and there have been movies where there are no words - only music, but never visa versa.  When we're angry, we listen to our favorite song ridiculously loud, and when we get together to have a party, people feel uncomfortable without music playing.  The type of music that people listen to can go on to define a generation, and Michael Jackson is likely more celebrated than Ronald Reagan.  

We all love music, to the point where it is an ingrained part of who we are and of what defines us.

So here's my question for you guys.  What music do you love?  The other day, Tara guest-posted about Maroon 5, a band that the two of us love.  I'm sure you all have a favorite band, a song that is special to you. So tell me about it!  

Music is one of the first things we learn about a person, and I want to know about you guys.  So tell me, what shows up on your Most Played list on iTunes?

<3 Kiersten

Tara: Guest Post

Hey guys!  

So I know the weather outside is terrible right now (at least where I am, it's pouring and thundering), so why don't you curl up, and read Tara's from Green-Eyed Opinions guest-post that I promised!

Tara is one of my favorite bloggers, and yesterday I was lucky enough to guest-post on her blog.  Today, it's her turn.  And personally, I think she wrote a great piece!

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Hey! I'm Tara and I blog over at green-eyed opinions.  I'm so glad that Kiersten was kind enough to let me guest blog on her blog. :)

So, if you've read both Kiersten and I's posts, you can tell that we're both Maroon 5 fans. She even listened to the group when they were called Kara's Flowers. I didn't even know that that was their original name, but let's just say that I like the name Maroon 5 better. Anyways, I first started getting into the band (although my mother was somewhat a fan before) when I was watching American Idol and one of the contestants performed This Love, one of my favorite songs of theirs. I immediately went on iTunes and checked out some of their other songs, such as Makes Me Wonder and She Will Be Loved. It took a little while for me to get adjusted to them and check out their songs, but I fell in love with the band, fast.

Although I used to play piano and clarinet (briefly), I really don't have much technical music knowledge. But, I do know the difference between what a guitar and a bass sound like, and lemme tell you, the bassist in this band is pure genius. If you listen to songs like Misery (in the chorus), you can hear the bass jammin' away. And besides Adam Levine, he's probably the mastermind behind the band. But, the background music isn't the only reason why I like the band. Adam Levine's voice is one of the most unique ones I've ever heard. It's kinda like Adele, (whom I love as well!) just in a male form. It's very smooth, like butter or honey. I know that's a cheesy comparison, but if you listen to some of the songs, you can definitely hear what I'm talking about.

Album-wise, I have to say, they've done pretty well. A band's first album is always really shaky, because nobody really knows how it's gonna sell. But, the albumSongs About Jane (their first album) is really diverse and it's a great first impression to leave on someone if it's their first time listening. I would call Maroon 5 a band that sings about love 99.9% of the time, but in different situations. For example, Wake Up Call is a song that shows the trust side of a relationship, wondering if whether or not your partner is cheating. In the song's case, Adam's singing about him finding his partner/girlfriend/whatever with another guy. Hence his angry tone, the strong bass & guitar, and, well, the lyrics.

Hands All Over is the new album of theirs that came out last fall, and I have to say, it's pretty good. I'm not one to listen to raunchy songs, but most of the songs (you can judge it by its title, in this case) are somewhat obscene. Even when I went to an outdoor concert of theirs in my area, Adam was making some jokes in between songs that are most definitely not rated G. But all I really care about in the end is the catchy factor of the song, and I have to say, the album passes if judged on that. There are songs in there that you won't be able to get out of your head for days, Maroon 5 fan or not, like Hands All Over and I Can't Lie (one of my personal faves! love the R&B feel).

So, there's my little rant about Maroon 5. They may be inappropriate at times, but they're a great band on musical terms. :)

-Tara

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So what'd you guys think?  Let me know, and make sure to stop over at Tara's blog to let her know as well!!

<3 Kiersten

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Hey guys!  So in case you didn't know and haven't already seen it, I guest posted today over at Tara's blog Green-Eyed Opinions!  So go check that out ASAP - both my post, and her blog.  It's one of my favorites! :)  And look out on here too, because Tara's going to be guest posting here tomorrow!  I want the topic to be a surprise, but it's about something we both love, so look for that!

And if you're coming here from Tara's blog, thanks so much for visiting!!  Please comment and let me know you were here because that way I can follow you back to your lovely blogs, and well, to be honest, I just love comments!  So thanks again for stopping by - it really does mean a lot to me!  And while you're here - check out my giveaway that's going on right here!  

And while we're on the subject of awesome giveaways, check out Alivia's over at Alivia Thinks This:!!  Alivia's is another blog that I absolutely love to read, and this giveaway is so awesome!  She's giving away, to one lucky winner, an MP3 copy of the new Matt Nathanson album, Modern Love.  If you haven't heard it yet, go listen!  Right this minute!  I'll wait.  

The whole CD is wonderful, but I think that my favorite song on it (at least so far) is either Room at the End of the World or Drop to Hold You!  So go check that out ASAP, because the giveaway ends tomorrow!  :)

So that's all the real news for today, loves.  I do have one question for you guys though:  I've been reading Alivia's outfit posts lately (and I love them) and yesterday, I finally got a bunch of new summer clothes that I am in clothes-love with!  What would you guys think of me attempting an outfit post?  Yay?  Nay?  Let me know in the comment box!!!

<3 Kiersten

Fireworks

Finally, after three hours of large parties coming in for dinner one after the other and all of us running around like headless chickens trying to get everything done, the restaurant had emptied out.  Aside from a couple of people at the bar, the only people left were the employees.

My last table for the night had just left, and I was busy cleaning up before I could leave for the night.  It was almost 10pm, and the fireworks were about to begin down the street, a final celebration of Independence Day of 2011.  I loved fireworks, but I was in the back of the kitchen washing dishes, and couldn't hear them about to start.  

I was collecting the now clean silverware from the dishwasher when my manager walked in, and told me to go outside to watch the fireworks with the other server on duty.  So I finished up what I was doing, and left out the side door where she was already standing, staring up at the dark sky and waiting.  On the other side of the restaurant, a couple of police officers had set up sparklers as road blocks, and were standing outside of their cars also watching the sky.  

A couple minutes later, the first firework lit up the sky, and the bartender joined us outside.  We wondered what it would be like to be sitting on the roof of the restaurant, watching these fireworks, and I guess we must have looked kind of strange to the few people walking down the street.  But I loved everything about that moment - the people I was standing there with, the job I have, the fireworks going off just behind the trees and buildings across the street.  

So how was your 4th of July, loves?  Did you get to see the fireworks?

<3 Kiersten

A Giveaway!!

Has anybody here ever sat in their bed, reading blogs and eating McDonalds at 2am because they just got off work?  No?  Just me then?  Okay, well, that's what I'm doing right now.  

And in doing so (the blogging part at least), I've been inspired by fellow blogger Tara over at Green-Eyed Opinions to host my very first giveaway!

Ever since I started blogging towards the end of last year, I've noticed how all my favorite blogs host giveaways every so often.  And I'll admit...I was a bit jealous (Not the right word, huh?  Well...it's 2am, give me a break!).  I wanted to host my very own giveaway, but I just could not think of what to give away, if you will!

Well, the lovely Tara gave me the perfect idea!  Guest-posting is such a fun idea, and a ton of bloggers seem to be joining in on the excitement lately. 

 So here's what Tara (and now I) offered:

 The winners (I'm going to pick two) of this giveaway will "win" the chance to guest post over here on my blog.  Now, I'm giving you a few ways to enter:

1)  Comment on this post 

2)  Follow me :) 

3)  Reblog the giveaway on your own blog, 

and double back here with the ink to let me know.

4)  Post the link to the giveaway via Twitter, Facebook, or whatever,

and double back here to let me know.

I'm going to leave this giveaway open until July 14th, and I'll announce the winners on the 15th - so you have two weeks to enter!  

Sound good?  Okay!  Ready...set...ENTER!

<3 Kiersten 

Water for Elephants

It took me a little longer than expected, but on Wednesday night, I finished reading Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen.  And let me tell you guys, it was fantastic!  This may be my childish love of magic speaking, but I fell in love with this book.  I loved the protagonists, and right along with them I harbored a deep hatred for those characters who caused them trouble.  

I'm sure that plenty of you already know what Water for Elephants is about, that you've seen the movie or at the very least seen the commercials, but I promise - it's worth reading the book!  I started hearing about this book a few months ago at school when a friend of mine was reading it.  

So, in case you don't have a friend telling you to read the book, or haven't seen the commercials (they actually haven't been playing that many previews on TV...) the book is about a circus called The Benzini Brothers right around the Great Depression in America.  Although the entire story is told by Jacob Jankowski, the main character, it is told from two different points of view:  Jacob as a twenty year-old working for the circus, and Jacob as a "ninety...or ninety-three" (as he puts it in the beginning of the book) year-old man living in a nursing home and looking forward to a circus taking place down the block.  Both stories progress in a way that makes you excited to read both, unlike with many books told like this where you want to rush through one telling just to get to the other.  

Sara's writing makes everything in the book seem magical and exciting, and it's the type of book that I wish wouldn't end because I still want to be reading it!  Personally, I think that it is one of my favorite books, and definitely worth running out right now to get a copy for yourself!  (or logging on-line to download it if you have a Kindle)

So what are you guys reading, lately?  I'd love suggestions!!

Now that I'm finished with Water for Elephants, I'm working on another book on my list:  It's Kind of a Funny Story, by Ned Vizzini.  I know that I seem to have a trend going - books that are also movies, but usually when a book becomes a movie, it's because the writer created an amazing story.  

<3 Kiersten

The Beach

Originally, Amber and I had planned on going to Ocean City, Maryland.  

At around 2am on what was technically Sunday morning, when we finally Mapquested the directions and saw that it was a four hour drive, we decided to go to Ocean City, New Jersey instead.  A much more reasonable two hour drive which afforded us an extra hour or so of sleep.  

So after playing with the kittens that she found outside of her house for a bit longer, we finally went to sleep, and didn't wake up again until about five hours later when her alarm went off.

Adorable, right?

A few hours later, after stopping at Cumberland Farms to get gas and pick up a pack of ice, and stopping at Amber's parents' house for a cooler, we were on our way.  

The drive went easily, amazingly enough we didn't get lost, and we were on the beach by about 11:30 laying out our blanket and (at least on my part) covering myself in sun-tan lotion.  (Being Irish, Polish, Scottish, and Swedish means that I burn.  A lot.  Very easily.)

  Of course, the first thing that I did was climb on the rocks (apparently, I later learned, that's a big no-no) and take pictures of the ocean, which Amber later managed to convince me to go into (just my feet...just because it meant I could take more pictures).

Despite my undeniable fear of heights, I love ferris wheels.  And other boardwalk rides.  But I find ferris wheels beautiful.

That night, we decided to stay at a hotel.  (a decision which eventually became more of a necessity than a decision when her back windshield broke and we couldn't drive home at night with a tarp over the back of the car)

We stayed out on the boardwalk until what was technically the next day, and slept as late as we could the next day before we had to check out.  We spent a couple more hours on the beach, but left when it started to look like rain and we didn't to get stuck driving home in a terrible storm.  

It was such a great trip, and I miss the beach already!!  Of course, there are plenty more photos, but I didn't want to overwhelm the post with too many of them!

How were your weekends, loves?  Did you do anything exciting?

<3 Kiersten