Day 07: A Song that Reminds You of a Certain Event

Hello, hello, hello

I can no longer address the blog to non-followers, less-than-friends, etc. Because I have 3 followers!! [We are going to ignore the fact that two of those followers are the same person. Love you, Mark.] I am also not going to apologize for the long period of absence I took on this blog. It's the holidays, so you'll have to forgive me. But I'm back, greetings. Today is a song that reminds me of a certain event, which was kind of a tricky one. But I settled on the cheesy, sappy, overly-emotional...

"Butterfly Kisses" by Bob Carlisle. This song [I'm going to warn you, this is almost as sappy as the song.] reminds me of the Daddy-Daughter Dance my senior year in high school. This song played every year at the dance, but my senior year it really got me. I bawled, got my dad's suit all snotty [oops]. For some reason thinking about what my parents went through when I left for school makes me even more depressed than thinking about what I went through. I can't imagine saying goodbye to your first born [of course, I will eventually go though it, so I'll find out].

I knew that this song would worm its way into this list [as embarrassing as that is]. It's my dad and my song. It's probably every father-daughter couple's song, but... it's ours too. My dad gave me butterfly kisses when I was little. [The kind on the cheek, not the kind that goes from eyelash to eyelash.] Despite it's value in our relationship, I refuse to play this song at my wedding; it's so cheesy, and so contrived, and so manipulative, I'm not sure I could handle it. [Note: It will probably play at my wedding.]

I'm tired. That may have been an entirely lame post. I apologize. Here's too cheesy songs [I feel like I've toasted cheesy songs a couple of times...], daddy-daughter relationships, and the combination of the two on my wedding night. Happy New Year!

Day 06: A Song that Reminds You of Somewhere

A shout out to my three known readers!!

This is going to be a quick post, I didn't want to fall behind another day, but I'm tired and it's early. I'm writing to you about a song that reminds me of somewhere. I selected...

"Just to Hear You Say that You Love Me" by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. My mom and I sang this song together on the way to my aunt's house the day before she dropped me off at college. I guess this song reminds me more of a moment than of a place. But I can't hear this song without going back to sitting in the car next to her, knowing that she'd be going home, and I wouldn't be. I have never been so terrified, watching my parents drive away. 

But I survived. And here I am. Here's to singing in the car, knowing when it's time for bed, and parents. Good night.

Day 05: A Song that Reminds You of Someone

Hello, hello, hello,

I have officially talked to 3 people who have read this blog [embarrassingly happy happy dance]. If there are more out there who are reading this and haven't talked about it with me, let me know! I hypothesize that there is a direct relationship between the amount of people who have read my blog and the embarrassment level of my happy dancing.  Today's theme [Yay! I'm on time!] is a song that reminds me of someone which just so happens to be...

"Stained Glass Masquerade" by Casting Crowns. This song reminds me of a shitty point in my life. It takes me to the end of eighth grade right before my Confirmation. This song was playing during a candlelight ceremony on my Weekend of Decision [the weekend before my Confirmation when I decide whether or not I would like to become a member of the Presbyterian church]. I remember sitting on the stairs, crying, not really sure why, but I was crying. And during this song, a sophomore [as far as I was concerned, she was the coolest person on the planet, remember I was in eighth grade] sat down next to me and put her arm around my shoulders. She didn't say anything, she just held me and we cried.

I sincerely doubt that she remembers this, but I do. I felt like shit and she was there for me. I decided to get confirmed that weekend. I wanted to be a part of a community that would be there for me when I was at my worst. Since then, I have lost much of my faith and much more of my connection to the church. But I spend every moment of my life trying to be that sophomore who held me when I felt like a nobody. Thanks, Melanie. You will probably never read this, but I appreciate it.

With Christmas only a few days away, try to help somebody out. You don't have to change a life, but people really do appreciate the little things. Here's to helping that mother of four pack up the groceries, here's to putting a dollar into the bell-ringer's bucket [God knows, they are freezing their asses off.], and here's to being the one to make a difference. Good night and merry Christmas.

Day 04: A Song that Makes You Sad

My dearest less-than-followers,

I apologize [again]. I officially suck at challenges. My last post was on Thursday, today is Sunday [Yikes.]. In my defense there were finals and travel and sleep involved in those few days, but that's no excuse for being so far behind. However, I think with a little perseverance we can make it through this little set-back. Forgive me? Great. Today's [Friday's rather, but I figured I'd pick up where I left off.] theme is a song that makes me sad, and after much thought I have decided on...

[Forgive the sappiness.] "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt. What can I say? It's a cookie dough ice cream favorite. It's also a sing-as-loud-and-as-poorly-as-I-possibly-can-in-the-car/shower favorite. Bonnie's heartbreaking ballad, pleading the man she loves to love her back, gets me every time. Every girl knows what it's like to love a guy who doesn't even know your name, or worse, knows your name but could not care less about you. Crap, now I've stumbled into the land of Taylor Swift. Well, you've caught me, I am a sucker for a well done love song. 

Before the bitter T-Swift fans bring out the pitchforks and label me a hypocrite, [If you have no idea what I'm referring to with the whole Taylor Swift thing go back a few posts to my Day 02.] I will say this: Love songs have their place. For me, love songs, whether sad or happy, should be the crown jewel of an album, the best song for the best subject [love is the best subject, if you're not following me], not every song on the same subject. Taylor Swift [and I suppose Bonnie Raitt as well] seem to occupy every song with love. Male artists don't write every song about females, so why do we ladies tend to obsess over our men? But all criticism aside, Bonnie and Taylor, I can't deny that I love a good love song. 

Whether you could understand that last paragraph or not remains to be seen. I'm not sure if I even understand what I just wrote. I guess I'm a hypocrite. But here's to Taylor Swift. Here's to Bonnie Raitt. And here's to songs that make us love. 

Day 03: A Song that makes You Happy

Howdy friends,

Miraculously, I have successfully made it to Day 03 of the 30 Day Song Challenge without any further screw-ups. Today is going to be the best because the theme is a song that makes me happy! And what could be better than a happy Rachel? I'll tell you, peanut butter. But, today, that's beside the point. The song that makes me happy every time it comes on is...

"Dog Days are Over" by Florence + The Machine. Without fail, the chorus of this song makes me get up out of my chair and dance. And I'm a bad dancer. In fact, I have recently made this song my official theme song of the 2010-2011 school year. [Last years theme song was "Weightless" by All Time Low.] I like to think that I have entered a new and better stage of my life, [thus the "New at Life" blog] and this song just oozes freshness. My dog days are over, and thank God. On to bigger things, a bigger me. So thanks, Florence, for the fabulous song. It makes my day every time I here it.

Obviously this is not the only song that makes me happy. I have multiple "Smile Song" playlists on iTunes that I listen to when I'm the happiest and when I want to be the happiest and when I don't think that I can be the happiest. So, I listen to it all the time. "Dog Days are Over" is a part of my most recent "Smile Song" playlist. Other songs from that playlist and Honorable Mention Happy Songs are: "King of Anything" by Sara Bareilles, "Walking the Dog" by Fun. and "Rockin' Robin" by Michael Jackson.

I'm off to study now, procrastinating as usual, one more final and I get to go home. Wish me luck, friends. Here's to songs you love after finding them randomly on iTunes, awkward jiggle dancing, and music that can make you the happiest.

Day 02: Your Least Favorite Song

Greetings Followers-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,

Welcome to Day 02 of the 30 Day Song Challenge! I know it's been a rough road, but with a little perseverance I know we can make it through together. So today's theme is my least favorite song which just so happens to be...

"Teardrops on my Guitar" by Taylor Swift. As a former and sometimes current fan of Miss T-Swift, I have given myself permission to say that. I find the lyrics to be more cheesy than normal, the melody to be the usual Swifty sweet lines, and I have a whole lot of trouble relating to the song. [This is a real problem, considering that is often her only goal.] I also have a problem with the overused boy troubles theme. Got it, honey, you love him, he doesn't love you, but he'd be better with you, or wait are you better off without him? Yea! You're too good for him, you know what? F&%# guys. Let's sing about it.

I will admit that I have danced around in my socks to Taylor's "Our Song" and waited for the day that I find my "Mary's Song" kind of boy. However, I can only be delighted by so many male-oriented songs. Sometimes, I'm selfish, sometimes, I like to sing about me. Or other things. Like fried chicken.

Sorry to any non-followers that I've offended. What do I really know? I'm just new at life. [Haha. You see what I did there. That's the blog name.] But here's to crying over cheesy [but less than musically inspiring] love songs, the perfect or not-so-perfect male subjects of said songs, and other songs about things like fried chicken.

Now, I'm going to let you finish... [Sorry, couldn't resist the Kanye joke.]

Day 01: Your Favorite Song

Dear Nobody-Who-Cares,

I have already failed at the 30 Day Song Challenge. [Head slumps in shame.] Technically it is Wednesday, not Tuesday when I should have already posted my Day 01 song. However, I have not slept yet so, in my own little head, it is still Tuesday! [Overly enthusiastic thumbs up.] So on this Tuesday-night-Wednesday-morning you will be granted the honor of reading my favorite song! Ready??

My current favorite song is "Far From Home" by the Gabe Dixon Band. I'm [relatively] sure you haven't heard of it, but it's awesome. Check it out. I'd marry this guy in a heartbeat simply because his voice causes me to melt into a quivering puddle of goo on the floor. [Extremely lame hyperbole, I know, but listen to the song and you'll understand.] The piano is absolutely lovely as well. All of their music is great, by the way, well worth the money. [Yes, money. I prefer to pay for my enjoyment of the music that artists work so hard to make. You should too.] Other Gabe Dixon Band favorites include: "Till You're Gone" and "Find My Way Home".

My mother actually gave me this song on a mixed CD right before I left home for college. She told me that I'd love this music. And, as always, she was right. Being the sap that I am, I listened to that CD constantly until I left for school that August. That CD has about three of my current favorite songs on it. Thanks, Mama. 

Well. It's officially quarter until 5:00 in the morning, and I still want to shower. So, here's to failing early in presumably easy challenges, early morning showers, and mothers who know you too well. G'night all.

30 Day Song Challenge

My imaginary friends,

[Read this post in your best cheesy announcer voice. Think Space Jam.] I have decided to take on the most difficult challenge in the blogging community, [Pretty limited to female journalism majors and Julia Child fanatics, but that's beside the point.] the 30 Day Song Challenge! [Ya'll ready for this da na na da da da da na na da da da. That's my attempt at the Space Jam song...] Actually it's not going to be that hard, [You may quit reading in an announcer voice now.] but I really wanted something to write about for the next few weeks. And I stumbled across this baby on Facebook.

Just in case you want to follow along with me. I will be following this list over the next month, answering the questions, explaining my answers, making silly jokes about my explanations, you know the drill.

Day 01: Your Favorite Song
Day 02: Your Least Favorite Song
Day 03: A Song that Makes You Happy
Day 04: A Song that Makes You Sad
Day 05: A Song that Reminds You of Someone
Day 06: A Song that Reminds You of Somewhere
Day 07: A Song that Reminds You of a Certain Event
Day 08: A Song that You Know All the Words To
Day 09: A Song that You Can Dance To
Day 10: A Song that Makes You Fall Asleep
Day 11: A Song from Your Favorite Band
Day 12: A Song from a Band You Hate
Day 13: A Song that is a Guilty Pleasure
Day 14: A Song that No One Would Expect You to Love
Day 15: A Song that Describes You
Day 16: A Song that You Used to Love but Now Hate
Day 17: A Song that You Hear Often on the Radio
Day 18: A Song that You Wish You Heard on the Radio
Day 19: A Song from Your Favorite Album
Day 20: A Song that You Listen to when You're Angry
Day 21: A Song that You Listen to when You're Happy
Day 22: A Song that You Listen to when You're Sad
Day 23: A Song that You Want to play at Your Wedding
Day 24: A Song that You Want to play at Your Funeral
Day 25: A Song that Makes You Laugh
Day 26: A Song that You Can Play on an Instrument
Day 27: A Song that You Wish you Could Play
Day 28: A Song that Makes You Feel Guilty
Day 29: A Song from Your Childhood
Day 30: Your Favorite Song at this Time Last Year

So, stay tuned in to New at Life to see the start of the 30 Day Song Challenge [tomorrow] and find out my current favorite song. Here's to silly Facebook notes, bad athlete-turned-actors, cheesy announcers, and music.

Ramen Noodles

1:59 AM. Ramen noodles and a coke.

Here's to the college life.

I Knew this Would Happen

Why, hello there, non-followers,

I owe you an apology. I have avoided blogging for nine days. I knew that I would forget about writing as soon as I got to school again. I knew that I'd put it off because "nobody is going to read it anyway," but then I knew I would pick it up again at an extremely inconvenient time. For instance, it is 8:41 PM and I have to leave for a meeting with my residence hall's committee in ten minutes. However, I am writing, so that's good. [I am also avoiding homework, but let's not speak of that.]

It's funny how one's motivation to do something will start out at 37 billion, and then drop to 0 over the course of two weeks. My own motivation has very similar qualities to that of an emergency flare: All of the sudden I have a sudden and insatiable need to do something [in this case, blogging], so my balled up undirected motivation shoots up into the sky screaming and blazing red. [It's kind of obnoxious actually.] But then fizzles out in a few short moments.

Perhaps it's the ADD that causes this, but I'm pretty sure that this happens to everyone. Whenever it's work to stick with something, we need more passion to stay motivated. When the passion doesn't match up, we end up fizzling. Kind of a bummer really. I guess when I find my true passion, fizzling won't be a problem and motivation will be an easily-accessible resource. But until them, be patient with my sparse blogging, I'm going to do my best.

Well, I have put off homework too long. It is time for me to bid you adieu. Here's to flare gun motivation, untreated, undiagnosed ADD, and patience with fizzling. Good night.