Hello readers,
Please go to Be Still for my new blog location. Thanks!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Hill City Bride :)
So.
I'm getting married in 295 days.
...this may come as a huge surprise to many of my readers, considering I haven't posted in months. Needless to say, lots has happened since my last blog entry. But I'm positive we will have considerable time to go over all of the details.
...for now. I've compiled a variety of websites to help me in this process from betrothed to wife.
Hill City Bride is one of those resources.
Their current giveaway, a book entitled "When Me Becomes We", will help my fiance and I with a huge hurdle:
Decorating the love nest. [muffled giggles]
Wish me luck! :)
Here's the link:
Hill City Bride Giveaway
I'm getting married in 295 days.
...this may come as a huge surprise to many of my readers, considering I haven't posted in months. Needless to say, lots has happened since my last blog entry. But I'm positive we will have considerable time to go over all of the details.
...for now. I've compiled a variety of websites to help me in this process from betrothed to wife.
Hill City Bride is one of those resources.
Their current giveaway, a book entitled "When Me Becomes We", will help my fiance and I with a huge hurdle:
Decorating the love nest. [muffled giggles]
Wish me luck! :)
Here's the link:
Hill City Bride Giveaway
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Beware the Allure of Spring
It was a ripe 85 degrees today.
I live in an area where the weather tends to be a bit unpredictable. Tomorrow may be clammy and peaking in the 50s. You never know. Regardless, it is definitely spring time. My college campus is filled with bright eyes and colors, shorter dresses and Docker cargo shorts. The general sense of well-being is higher, because the climax of spring gives hints to the coming of summer. My peers and I wanting to track star through finals, sell the tattered couch in our apartments that we're soon to be leaving, and prepare for another summer adventure.
Love is definitely in a challenging mode. People are either planning summer weddings or looking to get out of their current situations. For those of us who aren't at least engaged, being single during the heightened time of the year is promising. No one wants to be held down during the summer, right? The last thing you want is for your boyfriend to call you every night the week you are para-sailing down in the Cape with your Ladies Bible Study group. Freedom is a beautiful thing, isn't it? And for every one person that clamored near Thanksgiving to find a Winter boo to exchange hellos under mistletoe by Christmastime, two are fleeing love in the opposite direction, towards the call of summer's heat and sense of adventure.
Can't say that I blame these track stars....Summertime is usually a tough time for relationships.
Maybe I'm paranoid. It has been my experience that I will return to routine in late August with a new betrayal to deal with.
...anyway...I digress...
I encourage adventure. I have a deep, gut feeling that my life is destined to be an adventure. And I wouldn't dare desire to keep this kind of existence from anyone.
But, I want to give a word of caution, whether you are single or taken. Be cautious of the pull of this season. Make sure that your desire for adventure doesn't lead to you hurting someone who stuck with you through hard times. If you think it is a good time for a clean break, then do this sensibly. Know yourself.
Remember that people, although sometimes undependable, are not to be like seasons, because seasons are always changing.
I live in an area where the weather tends to be a bit unpredictable. Tomorrow may be clammy and peaking in the 50s. You never know. Regardless, it is definitely spring time. My college campus is filled with bright eyes and colors, shorter dresses and Docker cargo shorts. The general sense of well-being is higher, because the climax of spring gives hints to the coming of summer. My peers and I wanting to track star through finals, sell the tattered couch in our apartments that we're soon to be leaving, and prepare for another summer adventure.
Love is definitely in a challenging mode. People are either planning summer weddings or looking to get out of their current situations. For those of us who aren't at least engaged, being single during the heightened time of the year is promising. No one wants to be held down during the summer, right? The last thing you want is for your boyfriend to call you every night the week you are para-sailing down in the Cape with your Ladies Bible Study group. Freedom is a beautiful thing, isn't it? And for every one person that clamored near Thanksgiving to find a Winter boo to exchange hellos under mistletoe by Christmastime, two are fleeing love in the opposite direction, towards the call of summer's heat and sense of adventure.
Can't say that I blame these track stars....Summertime is usually a tough time for relationships.
Maybe I'm paranoid. It has been my experience that I will return to routine in late August with a new betrayal to deal with.
...anyway...I digress...
I encourage adventure. I have a deep, gut feeling that my life is destined to be an adventure. And I wouldn't dare desire to keep this kind of existence from anyone.
But, I want to give a word of caution, whether you are single or taken. Be cautious of the pull of this season. Make sure that your desire for adventure doesn't lead to you hurting someone who stuck with you through hard times. If you think it is a good time for a clean break, then do this sensibly. Know yourself.
Remember that people, although sometimes undependable, are not to be like seasons, because seasons are always changing.
Friday, January 21, 2011
And the Beat Goes On...
You know the feeling.
You hear a song for the first time, probably one you’re driven to listen to because it’s by your favorite artist/band. The song is amazing. It’s a great marriage of harmonious melodies, beats, and personally meaningful lyrics. For approximately 2 to 3 minutes, you’re one piece of a musical bond. You wade through the song’s second verse, bridge, and hook; automatically preparing yourself for the ending of the song. You’ve already made up your mind that you’re going to put the song on repeat to enjoy it again. And then it happens…
The singer’s/band’s vocals drop out.
The volume doesn’t fade, but steadies at its current pace.
The instruments spread their wings and soar across your heart, leaving an incredibly warm, resounding feeling behind. It’s as if they were using the song as a mere warm up.
And it’s beautiful.
And surprising.
And nourishing.
Even after the fiftieth time you’ve taken this journey.
It’s like the artist has given you a gift. As if he/she trusts the song’s melody enough to turn away the steady, watchful eye of their voice and allow it to roam and reverberate. The listener undergoes a tiny bit of sadness when approaching the end of a song.
But here, the melody is like a lingering kiss before the goodbye.
I love that feeling. It’s one of the things that I live for in music: when the beat goes on.
Here is a list of my favorite songs that do just that…
1. Do I Do – Stevie Wonder
2. Woman – Maroon 5
3. Papa Was a Rolling Stone – The Temptations
4. Got to Give It Up – Marvin Gaye
5. When Everything Is New – Little Brother
6. Kings and Queens – 30 Seconds to Mars
7. Waking Up – OneRepublic
8. Surrender Saved My Life – This Beautiful Republic
9. Don’t Wait – The Foreign Exchange Feat. Darien Brockington
10. Red Letters – DC Talk
11. Dangerous – Michael Jackson
12. Moment In Life – Musiq Soulchild
13. Love Stoned/I Think That She Knows – Justin Timberlake
14. I Keep/Still Here – Jill Scott
15. Umi Says -- Mos Def
15. Umi Says -- Mos Def
Me, Me, Me, Me, Me...
More ramblings of things I am figuring out about myself.
2011 is going to be a doozy, I can already tell....
1. My heart beats for quality time. If you don't like to invest your time in me, it is the equivalent of a slap in the face. My true friends seek to spend time with me, not just tolerate having me around.
2. I get annoyed really, really easy. And even though I am working on not showing it outwardly, I will always have an inner reaction. Kind of like rolling my eyes at you in my head.
3. I'm still waiting on my BIG MOMENT. Not sure what that means yet. I really feel there is something significant that I haven't done yet. But I know its coming.
4. I enjoy being hospitable. Like, really enjoy it. It's important to me for people to enjoy being in my home; comfortable, well-fed, and entertained. I want to have a night where people lose track of time and are at my house until the wee hours of the morning. I'm scared I'm not that interesting yet, though.
5. My need to get in shape has become more about livelihood and vitality and less about my figure.
6. I have quite an ear for music. I appreciate actual instruments and harmony in a song...which is why I'm so picky of what I listen to...
7. I'm tapping into my "go with the flow" mode. I'm planning on taking a lot of chances this year, and bounce back 100% times faster if they don't work out.
8. Two things give me a headache without fail: Stress and Not eating.
9. I don't want anymore close friends right now. I need to cultivate the relationships I have.
10. Last year, I struggled with really wanting to get married. I haven't had a single thought like that so far this year. Now, I am thrilled I'm not getting married anytime soon. Thrilled, I tell you.
11. Three things I love right now: Books, Welch's Concord Cherry Grape Juice, Big singing voices
12. Above all things, God has been my counselor. I've had a pretty lonely road, so I'm glad I had/have him to release my pain to.
2011 is going to be a doozy, I can already tell....
1. My heart beats for quality time. If you don't like to invest your time in me, it is the equivalent of a slap in the face. My true friends seek to spend time with me, not just tolerate having me around.
2. I get annoyed really, really easy. And even though I am working on not showing it outwardly, I will always have an inner reaction. Kind of like rolling my eyes at you in my head.
3. I'm still waiting on my BIG MOMENT. Not sure what that means yet. I really feel there is something significant that I haven't done yet. But I know its coming.
4. I enjoy being hospitable. Like, really enjoy it. It's important to me for people to enjoy being in my home; comfortable, well-fed, and entertained. I want to have a night where people lose track of time and are at my house until the wee hours of the morning. I'm scared I'm not that interesting yet, though.
5. My need to get in shape has become more about livelihood and vitality and less about my figure.
6. I have quite an ear for music. I appreciate actual instruments and harmony in a song...which is why I'm so picky of what I listen to...
7. I'm tapping into my "go with the flow" mode. I'm planning on taking a lot of chances this year, and bounce back 100% times faster if they don't work out.
8. Two things give me a headache without fail: Stress and Not eating.
9. I don't want anymore close friends right now. I need to cultivate the relationships I have.
10. Last year, I struggled with really wanting to get married. I haven't had a single thought like that so far this year. Now, I am thrilled I'm not getting married anytime soon. Thrilled, I tell you.
11. Three things I love right now: Books, Welch's Concord Cherry Grape Juice, Big singing voices
12. Above all things, God has been my counselor. I've had a pretty lonely road, so I'm glad I had/have him to release my pain to.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
SoulPancake (Yeah, I know...)
I've owned this book for about 5 hours and it has already started to change my life. It's fresh and successfully unhinged the glob of mortar that caused my writer's block.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
When You Believe (My Go-To Inspirational Playlist)
It's funny how a single song...3:34 minutes of music...can change your whole perspective of a situation. That's the beautiful thing about music: it can mold, as well as express, a mindset. Most of the time, this is a negative thing, but I like to think that music was meant to inspire.
Inspire well-being, peace, and determination.
Granted, I do get in those moods where I only want to listen to Coldplay, James Blunt, and Sam Cooke. My deep melancholy is expressed in the music playlist of my choice. As it is when I'm in a romantic, praise-oriented, or thuggish mood. So, I figured I'd share my all-time favorite inspirational tracks. God knows with the cold, frigid weather we could all use a little warmth.
1. When You Believe - Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston (Prince of Egypt Soundtrack)
2. World's Greatest - R.Kelly (Ali Soundtrack)
3. I Believe - Yolanda Adams (Honey Soundtrack)
4. Hero - Nas (The N Word Album)
5. I Believe I Can Fly - (Yep) R Kelly (Space Jam Soundtrack)
6. Declaration (This Is It) - Kirk Franklin (The Fight of My Life Album)
7. Stand Out - Powerline/AKA: Tevin Campbell (A Goofy Movie Soundtrack)
8. Not Afraid - Eminem (Recovery Album)
9. Tightrope - Janelle Monae (The ArchAndroid Album)
10. In the Light - DC Talk (Jesus Freak Album)
11. Warm It Up (With Love) - Brandy (Human Album)
12. Black or White - Michael Jackson (Dangerous Album)
13. Lovely Day - Bill Withers (The Very Best of Bill Withers Album)
14. Dare You To Move - Switchfoot (The Beautiful Letdown Album/A Walk to Remember Soundtrack)
15. It's My Life - Bon Jovi (Crush Album)
16. Good Life - OneRepublic (Waking Up Album)
17. I Believe - Fantasia (Self-Titled Album)
18. River Deep, Mountain High - Celine Dion (c/o Tina Turner) (Let's Talk About Love Album)
19. Optimistic - The Sounds of Blackness
Honorable Mention: Whip My Hair - Willow Smith
Did I miss any?
Inspire well-being, peace, and determination.
Granted, I do get in those moods where I only want to listen to Coldplay, James Blunt, and Sam Cooke. My deep melancholy is expressed in the music playlist of my choice. As it is when I'm in a romantic, praise-oriented, or thuggish mood. So, I figured I'd share my all-time favorite inspirational tracks. God knows with the cold, frigid weather we could all use a little warmth.
1. When You Believe - Mariah Carey & Whitney Houston (Prince of Egypt Soundtrack)
4. Hero - Nas (The N Word Album)
19. Optimistic - The Sounds of Blackness
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