My Biggest Musician Crush:

It's gotta be this guy:

From here.

From here.

Mmmmm... Tim Kasher. Every picture I see of this guy looks different! He waxes and wanes between a slight scruff and a full-on I've-been-in-the-woods-for-far-too-long-eating-granola-and-such beard. Until it reaches Sasquatch proportions, I'm totally down though.

Facial hair aside, the man's voice is heaven and his song-writing skills are so far beyond anything that I can even fathom, I'm left stupefied and in awe after nearly every lyric I come across. I know he was raised Catholic, so there's one thing we have in common! Woot! Bad news though: his ex-wife and the subject matter of over an entire album happens to be named Kim. Shit.

His stuff with Cursive begs the question, "He's gotta be atheist, or at least apathetic, right?" His stuff with The Good Life makes me want to tell him that I've been there too, then basically proceed to tear off all of his clothes. He's just that yummy.

What I would give to pick this man's brain... Wow. Even though, knowing me, I'd be at a complete loss for words if I were actually able to meet him and end up looking like a crazed middle-schooler with a crush. One thing's for certain: I'd be telling him that I go by 'Julie'. Ha!

Here's a video of him in a silly cowboy hat being the wondrous musician that he is:



Sorry, Chris, but I'd totally leave you for this voice. :/

Best Relationship Advice I've Ever Heard:

Yup. Extreme. I went there.

I Forgot How Much I Loved This Song:

Advice of the Day:

I have a tendency to over-analyze things (shocker, I know)... especially when it comes to relationships. So, the follow lyric from The Format (yes, this is the third time I have referenced this band, so what?) is really helping me to keep things in perspective:


"It's time I forget the past
and just learn to love what I have,
'cause I love waking up to your laugh."


And that is my advice for today... for myself and for everyone. (Cue 'Mr. Roger's Neighborhood' theme music)

(Maybe I should quit sharing my disfunctionalities... I'm starting to look like a looney. Hmm...)

Five Favorites:

(I know, I know... I'm a sucker for the ever-so-obvious alliteration. So sue me.)

Anyways, I was thinking about doing a series of these, kind of like my "Random Things I'm Currently Wanting" Polyvore boards.

So here are five albums that I really love:

Jason Mraz. We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things.
-I've long been a Mraz fan, and this album totally justifies my uber crush on this sexy lyricist. This album did not disappoint, and it ended up playing for a month straight in my car.


The Good Life. Album of the Year.
-This is the most depressing album you will ever listen to. Listening to it all in one sitting is emotional exhausting, to say the least. If you've ever had one of those relationships that you wrapped your whole life around, just to have it slowly and painful crumble beneath you, you'll totally be able to relate to some of the sad tales Tim Kasher sings about.


KillWhiteyDead. Never Good Enough For You.
-I had to throw some metal in the mix... these guys put on a great show and are totally decent dudes. I still get jazzed when I figure out where one of the clips in their songs are from... Most recently I figured out that one is from the movie Seven. (PS- The girl on the cover is totally lame and annoying in person. And sorry about the boobies!)


Q and Not U. Power.
-It is too hard to pick just one of their albums objectively, so I totally picked this one randomly. Sometimes (okay, most of the time) the subject matter alludes me, but this album is just fun. This is the perfect thing to zone out and sing along to on long road trips.


The Format. Interventions & Lullabies.
-I've touched on the greatness that is The Format, but honestly I cannot say enough about this band. I was so upset when they broke up before I could ever see them live. Some of my all-time favorite songs are on this album... two of which are my current ringtones.


Are these my top five favorites? No, not really. Could I ever pick my five all-time favorites? Not a chance... otherwise I totally would.

Friday Foolishness:

It's Friday and there are very few people in the office, like usual. Have I mentioned that we're all a bunch of slackers here?

Just in case you've gone through your life without stumbling upon the greatness that is the George Washington song, here it is for your viewing pleasure. Extra points if you can pick out the Prince references! Even if you've seen this epic tale before, take a minute to celebrate Friday and giggle at it once more.



Chris and I quote this still. It's mildly ridiculous.

Albums That Shaped High School:

It really wasn't until my senior year of high school that I started to really pay attention to music beyond the Top 40. My first true heartbreak lead to a long road of overall angsty-ness that I am happy to have behind me now, and music was a huge part of expressing the angst. For nostalgic purposes, let's take a trip down memory lane and take a look at the albums that played on repeat in my Jeep Grand Cherokee's after-market CD player as I drove all around Towne Lake:

Morning View. Incubus.
Favorite Tracks: Every last one. 11 am is extra awesome, though.
Memory: This was a burn from that infamous first heartbreak. One specific lyric especially reminded me when I would drive down to Statesboro just to see him for the day, "There's something about the look in your eyes. Something I noticed when the light was just right. It reminded me twice that I was alive, and it reminded me that you're so worth the fight." There is a story behind this. I will not be sharing that story.


Room For Squares. John Mayer.
Favorite Tracks: Love Song For No One, 3x5, No Such Thing.
Memory: This was something I could listen to with my mom in the car without hearing her complain. (Check out Johnny boy on the cover! This was way before he dated Jessica Simpson, then Jennifer Aniston, and was kissing Perez Hilton. Awww.)


Speakerboxxx/The Love Below. Outkast.
Favorite Tracks: Ghetto Musick, Dracula's Wedding, Behold a Lady.
Memory: I remember listening this on my way to work as a hostess at O'Charley's constantly.


Tell All Your Friends. Taking Back Sunday.
Favorite Tracks: Every damn one.
Memory: Ah, yes. Here is where that angst I spoke of begins to kick in. This was a frequent roll-all-the-windows-down-and-scream-the-angry-lyrics scenario. This album is so classic.


Waiting For My Rocket to Come. Jason Mraz.
Favorite Tracks: Absolutely Zero, Too Much Food, You And I Both, On Love In Sadness.
Memory: This was a favorite of my sister, Amanda, and I burned it from her. The sexual innuendos are plentiful and his play on words just never gets old to me.


Take This to Your Grave. Fall Out Boy.
Favorite Tracks: Tell That Mick He Just Made My List Of Things To Do Today, Grand Theft Autumn, The Pros and Cons of Breathing.
Memory: A co-worker burned my this album when he discovered my affinity for TBS. We used to always say, "I'm good to go..." and the other would respond, "But I'm going nowhere fast." I don't care what anyone thinks, this album is gold. Even their more recent stuff is usually catchy-as-shit and lyrically pretty damn good. Shun me if you so please.


Your Favorite Weapon. Brand New.
Favorite Tracks: Jude Law and a Semester Abroad, Seventy Time 7, The Shower Scene.
Memory: Just another one of those great pop-punk/emo-esque albums that gets you fired up inside.


I Am The Movie. Motion City Soundtrack.
Favorite Tracks: My Favorite Accident, Don't Call It A Comeback, The Future Freaks Me Out.
Memory: My good friend Elizabeth gave me this CD for my 18th birthday. It was a great gift, indeed.

War All The Time. Thursday.
Favorite Tracks: For The Workforce Drowning, This Song Brought to You By a Falling Bomb, Steps Ascending.
Memory: Mmmm, angst. (The opening track to this album used to escape me... now being a 9-to-5er myself, I find a whole new appreciation for it.)


I was 17. So sue me! (Which, in case you were dying to know, was over 5 years ago...)

Random Texts Are The Best Texts:

A friend that I haven't seen in almost two years sent me a very random text message the other night... come to find out she has an extra ticket to the Jack Johnson concert next week and wants me to go with her. Score!

I don't know any of his new stuff, but considering I have his first three albums, I should be able to keep up. Also, who could say "no" to watching this hottie all night long?!


Not me.

Note: Usually I loathe the word "concert", but when it is being held at an amphitheater, it's a concert. I can't remember the last time I went to a "concert" and not a "show"... 2003, maybe?

Inspiration:

With only a couple of people in the office today, I opted to play some music via YouTube. After playing the infinitely depressing "No Children" by The Mountain Goats, I clicked on their next video... the chorus saying, "I'm gunna make it through this year if it kills me." I'm going to let this inspire me to cheer up a bit and be a little more optimistic about the upcoming year.

(Yes, I have been fighting tears all morning at work. No, I'm not ashamed.)