Thursday, May 15, 2014

low @ the sh*tty barn sessions

I'm excited to finally have something worth sharing with you. I should have posted this last week but I've been in a bit of a creative funk. What's new, right? I won't go into it now, I can talk about creative blocks another time, and besides I don't want to give it anymore energy. Instead, I just want to share with you the awesome time that Ebert and I had at The Shitty Barn Sessions.

Last Wednesday we left work early and adventured up to Spring Green, WI to see one of our favorite bands, Low, play in a shitty barn. Actually, it wasn't shitty at all. It was intimate and serene- there was a simple casualness of just listening to great music.

Before the concert started we sat on the grass enjoying some Beef and Vegan Burgundy from Enos Farm, a local Spring Green farm. They served it with a side of bread slathered with delicious homemade butter, which you can see in one of the pictures below. Seriously, it was so good I could have eaten a whole loaf of just bread and butter. Our dessert options were either a chocolate chip cookie or macaroons, so, of course, we got both. And there was a pretty good selection of beer and wine for our drinking pleasure.

The show began around dusk so we made our way into the barn and sat on our camp chairs in the last row, which was only 8 rows back. There was this magical sense of community that you don't experience at typical concert venues. People weren't texting or taking selfless, only the occasional photo of the band. They were really just experiencing the music, being in the moment. The night air was cool and crisp so we huddled under a blanket. We could smell the campfire as Low played one favorite song after another. And, at one point, a bat flew in through the open barn doors.

All of these moments made this evening one of my all time favorite music experiences, especially since I was able to share it with this guy.








Check out these official photos from the evening and then watch my favorite Low music video.


Wednesday, April 23, 2014

good advice

I've been absent from blogging for way too long and I'm sorry that my first post in a while is all "woe is me" but it's been one of those weeks. The really frustrating part is that it's just one thing that has made this week kind of miserable. I know I could choose to let it affect me differently but sometimes one thing can just ruin everything. It really sucks that instead of empowering others that people (or, in my case, a certain person) can selfishly take power from you- feeling helpless and weak is not a good feeling at all and that's how I'm kind of feeling right now. I know it will get better which is why I had to just put it out there. Sometimes saying (or writing) things out loud makes you feel so much better. It's true. As I'm finishing this post I feel a huge sense of relief- I'm doing what I have to do until I can do what I want to do. This situation isn't permanent, it's just for right now. As long as I keep taking action and creating my happy things will get better.

Ebert is out of town, so tonight I'll be enjoying some solitude, drinking a gin cocktail, ordering Thai food and creating some happy!


Monday, April 7, 2014

the harmonica

I have decided, for whatever reason, that I want to learn to play the harmonica. I'm not really sure why, maybe I want my life to be more musical like Harold Crick or maybe I just want a distraction from writing and creating other things. Regardless of the reasons, I ended up buying this harmonica. It's a cheap beginner harmonica but I can already, kindof, play one song. It's very exciting!

It's been awhile since I've learned something new. I mean, sure we learn lessons every day and are always learning from our mistakes and expanding on what we already know, but to have no knowledge of something and now to know a little bit about it is…well, it's thrilling. I'm liking being a beginner. As soon as I have some free time I'm going to take lessons too.

Today felt dismal and I was unenthusiastic about the ordinariness of it, but once I came home and practiced my harmonica I was reminded how easy it can be to turn everything around. Crossing one more thing off the list and creating my happy!