2014: A Special "Thank You"

With 2015 around the corner, I took some time to reflect on all the changes I went through this year: A LOT. My life has gone through so many ups-and-downs this year, and I am so excited to see what 2015 is going to throw my way. If I could sum up 2014 in one word, it would be: learn. I have made so many mistakes and have seen so many obstacles, and the biggest and most valuable lessons I have learned this year have been through reflection and forgiveness.

I was going to make a list of all the life events that happened in 2014, both good and bad, that changed me. But, I feel like most of you know what happened, and if you don't, then we will save it for a time when we're sipping on coffee or beer together.

I do want to take this moment to highlight the most important people in my life, who have been there for me when I was too weak to get back up. Whether it was providing me with gas money or a place to rest my head, reading my blog or listening to my mixes, or simply reaching out to see if I was okay, the people below helped me in same way the past year. I would not have been able to survive 2014 without you:

Aaron Rogers // Adam McDorman // Adam Vitcavage // Alec Tucker // Alex Regan // Alli Dodt // Ally Kimes // Anthony Fama // Anthony Gabuzzi // Ashley Abbey // Ashley Taylor // Austin Plott // Autumn Lewis // Aziz Hussein // Becci Jenkins McPherson // Bill Taggart // Blake Mitchem // Bob Roman // Brad Kleeman // Brandee Sullivan // Bret Bender // Brian Clemence // Bryce Clemence // Carolyn Jenkins // Casey Kimes // Chanelle Sinclair // Chelsea Johnston // Chuck Morriss III // Cody Cruse // Colten Samsal // Corey Coole // Corey Gomez // Courtney Marie Andrews // Danie Plott // Danny Torgersen // Danny Zelisko // Dario Miranda // David Kleinebriel // Deb Stelzleni // Derek Cooper // Derek Powell // Devon Adams // Diana Deaver Gudeman // Drew Dunlap // Drew Swaine // Dylan Pratt // Ed Masley // Ellyn Heald // Eryn Wise // Ethan Baxley // Evan Bisbee // Febian Perez // Frankie Carreno // Fred Reyes // Freddie Paull // Gabe Hernandez // Gabe Williams // Gabriel Gonzalez // Georgie Chadwick // Grace Campbell // Hannah Minkner // Hannah Paasch // Hayden Blue // Henri Benard // Henry Lizano // Jacob Johnston // Jaelene Smith // James Johnston // Jared Cox // Jared Kolesar // Jason Shoff // Jem Millett // Jenn Bangerter // Jeremy Berini // Jim Adkins // Joan Price // Jon Lewis // Jon Pesu // Josh Morin // Julz LaMantia // Justin Moody // K.C. Libman // Kenny Mitchell // Kinseyallyn Heath // Kit Pope // Krystal Rose // Laila Baddour // Larry Gast III // Larry Jenkins // Liam Deaver // Luci Davis // Luna Aura // Lydon LaJoie // Madeleine Miller // Maria Padron // Maria Sais de Sicilia // Mariam Neyens // Mario Yniguez // Mark Gabriel // Matt Thompson // Megan Murzyn // Melissa Hawks // Melody Michelle // Mia Sorensen // Michael Carter // Michael Cook // Michelle Traficano // Mick Treadwell // Miles Tippett // Mitchell Hillman // Nate Tucker // Nathaniel Walberer // Nicki Hughes // Noah Stone // Omni Rutledge // Pat Stuckemeyer // Paul Stovall // Perry Czopp // Randall Pettit // Robert Soares // RosaLee Ward // Ryan Heilman // Ryan Kluge // Ryan Scott // Ryne Norman // Sarah Johnston // Sarah Murzyn // Scott Krueger // Sean Harper // Shalome Patrick // Shaunte Glover // Stephen Dunegan // Tayyler Finney // Taylor Tolmachoff // Ted Jachimowicz // Terri Lawson // Tiffany Egbert // Tiff Heath // Tim Mohn // Tobie Rash // Tommy Smith // Travis Alxeander // Travis Tolmachoff // Trevor Hedges // Valerie Moreno // Vivek Tiwary // Willy Johnston

Also, special thanks to all of the people involved with CAPSLOCK MONDAY, the Phoenix music scene, and anyone who has extended a hand in prayer towards me.

23 Things to Leave Behind in 23

Spotify Playlist: 23 Things to Leave Behind in 23

1. Being under the impression that no one likes me
2. Allowing people to handle my finances
3. Matt Klassen
4. Working a customer service job
5. Feeling used or taken advantage of
6. Going to shows alone just to fit in
7. Procrastinating deadlines
8. Treating my car like it's not important
9. Nail biting and face picking
10. Not being compensated for the work I do
11. Living paycheck to paycheck
12. Assuming people read my blog
13. Running away from issues that require immediate attention
14. Selling my possessions for gas money
15. Allowing one person to ruin my day
16. Making promises I can't keep
17. Dealing with personal issues at work
18. Thinking I'm not worthy of anything
19. Showing up late
20. Leaving without saying goodbye
21. Comparing my life to others
22. Feeling pressure to settle down and get married and have kids
23. Pretending everything's okay, when really it's not.

Singin' the Blues

I'm not doing okay today.

I've been really struggling over the past few weeks. Struggling in different areas in my life.
After typing out each of my struggles into the following categories, I have come to a realization I have been afraid to confront: I am depressed.
It's hard for me to sleep, and when I do sleep I have nightmares of ghosts that haunt me. I barely eat, and it's hard for me to finish a meal. I am skipping out on concerts and plans with friends because I don't want to face people. The idea of being around large groups of people suddenly frighten me.
I don't like this. I don't want to be this person anymore.

To accurately express my fear and sadness, I have opened myself up to you, the people of the internet. Here's my heart, my mind, my soul, my emotions: all of me.
The first step towards healing is recognizing the hurt.

FAMILY
Since the person who stole my identity is someone in my family, it's been really tense. Talking to certain members of my family has been tough because it feels like people are starting to take sides. It's not about taking sides; it's about working together to fix our issue and move forward in erasing the debt, both financially and emotionally. However, the other person isn't willing to work with me and it's killing me.
I am especially not looking forward to the holidays. This person has expressed to me that they are not coming to family Thanksgiving dinner, which leads me to be concerned for Christmas and my birthday (December 26th). As much frustration as this person has caused me, I don't think they should spend the holidays away from the family. I don't want this person to continuously run away from the issue. And the holidays are going to be especially difficult without them there.

THE HOLIDAYS
I would just really not like to do the holidays, which makes me really sad because this is my favorite time of the year with Christmas and my birthday and the New Year and cold weather and starting over and everyone coming together. But lately, I've lost that.
I used to love my birthday. It's a very unique day, I always had the day off from school, it was right around Christmas so everyone was in a good mood. It was around high school that I really started to dislike my birthday. I'd have to rearrange days for my party because my friends would either be out of town or they'd have family in town or still had some holiday events going on. My birthday was always celebrated in January when school let back in.
My family always did a good job differentiating the days: we celebrated Christmas on the 24th or 25th and I opened Christmas presents, then on the 26th we celebrated my birthday and I opened birthday presents. My friends, not so much. Sometimes I would get combined presents: ""here's your Christmas/Birthday present". Or a Christmas card with "Happy birthday!" written in it or vice versa. Or a birthday present wrapped in Christmas wrapping.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the effort, but it's bullshit. My birthday is NOT Christmas, so don't treat it like it's an inconvenience for you. It's been an inconvenience for me for almost 24 years now.
I have now gotten to the point where I do not look forward to my birthday. Plans always get cancelled, people always bail, and I'm left celebrating alone. Since 23 has been the shittiest year for me, I want to end with a bang to welcome 24 with open arms. All I ask is that I'm surrounded by love and people who will be there to celebrate me. I get one day a year, and I hate to get to this level of diva, but I feel like I deserve it.
You know who you know when you've transitioned into adulthood? When you no longer look forward to the holiday season. I am an adult and I hate it and I wanna go back to liking the holidays and my birthday again.

HOME
I live in Chandler with my dad and stepmom and baby sister and three boys. Talk about culture shock. It's a huge adjustment going from living on my own in the city to living with a bustling family in the suburbs. My baby sister has her own set schedule of crying, eating, pooping, needing attention, etc. and my step brothers are messy and loud and don't know what it's like to live with a girl (toilet seats don't go up, clothes don't always end up in the hamper, etc.) I know it's how preteen boys live, but I've never lived in that environment, so it's a huge adjustment.
My parents have been more than great to me. I have moved in with them while I try to get my shit together, and they have been a huge blessing to me. I wish I could spend more time with them. But work and concerts and meetings get in the way.
And because I work a lot of shows in Phoenix and work in the office the next morning in Paradise Valley, occasionally I will stay with my boyfriend to save gas and spend time with him. Sometimes, I end up staying for a few nights in a row, and don't go home until I run outta clothes or need to do laundry or have overstayed my welcome and need some family time.
I basically live in a suitcase. I'm constantly packing my bag and heading to Phoenix. When I'm home, I try to put together my room and make it my own space, but it's so hard when I'm barely home. That, and I don't wanna make myself too comfortable if I don't plan to be in their home for a long time.
I have constantly lived my life in boxes. I have lived in a total of eighteen homes now, so I have not been able to allow myself to get comfortable. I just want to find a place where I feel at home, where my records are playing and my clothes are hung up and my food is in the fridge and I rest my head at night. Hopefully one day I can find my home.

RELATIONSHIP
Even though my relationship with my boyfriend has been struggling a bit lately, I have to give him kudos: he has stuck by myself for the past three months and has carried me through the storms. He has driven me to work when my car has broken down, pulled a bee stinger out of my finger when I got stung, allowed me to cry on his shoulder when I wanna run away and hide, and has supported me in everything I have done with my crazy life.
That being said, he is an extremely busy person too. He owns and operates his own video production business, so it's a lot of pre-production, filming, editing, post-production, etc. When we both get into business mode, we tend to cut each other short. We've also struggled with where we are at in our relationship, being that we have now dated for three months and it's approaching a stressful time of the year and we're launching a new project in January (super excited...that's all I'm going to say).
He's so sweet to me and treats me like a special lady. And I look forward to where our relationship can grow from here.

WORK
My one-year anniversary of working with this company is approaching, and it's so surreal. A year ago, I was a college graduate looking for a job while slaving away at restaurants. Now, I'm a full-time social media and marketing coordinator for a concert promotion company and I love it.
Having been here for a year, I have been given a lot of tasks and have taken on a lot of responsibility. Just because I love my job doesn't mean it's not work. It's definitely work. I have deadlines, meetings, people to work with that require some patience. There are some days I look at the busy day ahead of me and consider staying in bed. But, if I didn't have a busy life, I'd be bored. A busy life is one that I thrive for.

SPIRITUAL
I haven't been to church in three years. I cannot fathom the idea of going back. But I have fallen short in my relationship with God. I can't bring myself to surround myself with Christians because of the dark past I have had in church. Maybe one day I can learn to see the light again, but for now, I will privately worship and adore my Father.


I hope one day I can feel better again.

Who Am I?

Right now, I don't even know.

It has officially been a month since my life rapidly changed from doing okay to doing terrible. After a month of keeping secrets and shutting people out, it's time I let you guys know what's been happening.

It all started Monday, August 11th.
My car has been having a few maintenance problems, and on this particular morning, I walked out to my car to find that all of the oil had leaked onto the driveway. I asked my parents what I should do, and all had agreed it was not good to drive. So, my boyfriend drove me to work, my stepmom picked me up and took me back to my car where we met my dad. He filled it up with oil, took it to a garage, and my stepmom left me with her car for the next few days.

At this point, I thought my only stress was my car.

I wrestled with the decision to repair my car or retire my beloved Nissan Altima and purchase a new car. The damage was a broken time belt, which would require the entire car to be taken apart to fix, causing a price of around $2200. Before I could consider buying a new car, I had to run my credit report and see what my credit was like, as well as plan a budget. Since I had never gone through this process before, I asked my parents for help.

After running my credit report, they sat me down with worried looks on their faces.
Shit, they found out I paid rent late. I'm screwed, I'm so screwed, I thought.
Instead, it was something far worse.

My identity was stolen, against my own will, and used to take out loans with my information.

I've heard about it all the time through commercials about identity theft, but I never thought it would happen to me. And I hope it never happens to anyone.
It's incredibly hard to have to explain to debt collectors that it wasn't me who withdrew thousand of dollars towards a loan. Or that I have no idea how my name and social security number is attached to any of it.

The worst part about all this isn't the fact that my financial state is messed up. That will eventually get fixed.
It's not even the fact that my car is messed up. My grandfather generously paid to have my car repaired, and I'm making payments to him for his loan to fix my car until I can get a new one.
It's also not the fact that, on top of dealing with work and deadlines, I now also have to deal with debt collectors, lawyers, and filing a police report to fix this.

The worst part about this whole situation is that I know who did it.

This was a person who betrayed my trust, who lied to my face, and reassured me that one day everything will be okay while I was struggling to make ends meet.

Things will get better. My bad credit will be erased. My loans will get paid off. I will eventually get a new car. I will eventually be able to not be afraid to answer my phone.

But one thing that will be very difficult to get better is not a thing, but a feeling.
Security, trust, honesty. A relationship with a person I used to trust and still to this day love.
That relationship is now damaged. And it's going to take going to hell and back to fix this.


So, if I have been ignoring you, neglecting our friendship, or even been a bit difficult to be around the past few weeks, please know that it is absolutely NOTHING to do with you and EVERYTHING to do with me. If you would please send prayers, good vibes, love, hugs, anything my way, I would so greatly appreciate it. But, just so everyone knows, while I am hurting, I am working on fixing my life:
 - I am currently seeing a therapist to help with the mental and emotional strain this has caused me.
 - I am moving back home with my parents to save some money, as well as surround myself with people who love and support me.
 - I am staying busy with work and writing to keep my mind focused and off of the situation.
 - I have filed a police report to continue the investigation process that I don't have the time or energy to complete.
 - I will soon be meeting with a lawyer to figure out how I can protect myself, for the present situation and future security against identity theft.

If there's one thing I can tell people about this whole situation it's that do everything in your power to protect yourself. Keep a close eye on your finances and if something looks off, say something. Speak up. Don't hide. And not just financially, but in relationships, too.Protect yourself from those who will do you wrong.

I will not allow my strength to become a victim of theft.
So, if nothing goes right, go left.

One Year Post-Graduation: Time to Freak Out

Today, I had crazy emotionally-draining day. I had spent all day in my car, stinky and sweaty because of the heat. I had spent all day crying and wiping snot from my nose and trying to find the air to breathe and put words together. I was the epitome of a hot mess.
I had made friends to meet with a friend later, and I was in his part of town for most of the day. I didn't want to drive home and then drive back, so I was looking for somewhere to campout momentarily until he was finished with his tasks to hang out with me. Since he lives near Mesa Community College, I figured I would go to my old stomping grounds and hang out in the coffee shop to use the WiFi and maybe score a coffee from Austin. I pulled into the parking lot and noticed the whole lot was entirely packed. What the hell was going on at MCC tonight?

GRADUATION.
(By the way, I got outta that parking lot fast.)

Had it already been a whole year since I graduated college? Where had the time gone? What had I accomplished with my life since walking across the stage, accepting my degree, and bowing before the principal?

Well, if you remember my first blog post, I had quite a whirlwind of a first few couple months of 2013, and an even crazier rest of the year. 2014 hasn't looked promising either.

Yet, in my failures and despairs, I have to remember the great things:
   I found a job in my field of study. A paying job. People keep asking me how my internship with Danny is going, and I always tell them "No, I get paid for my work, sucker." Sure, it's still part time and I never know what to expect when I walk into the office, but that's half the excitement of my job.
   I moved to Phoenix. I live in a fast-paced city where music and art and culture are thriving. I'm constantly meeting new people who have fascinating projects going on, and most of them live near me. Sure, it's more expensive than living in Tempe, but it beats living with other people and dealing with Tempe hoodrats.
   I have established Mixtape Mandi. Nothing makes me more proud than my project, which I love showing off and telling people about. I have a thing, I do things, I blog things. Music things. And I love what I do. Sure, it's all free work, but I hope to change that soon. Mixtape Mandi got some bills to pay and music to buy.
   I have the best family in the world. Well, maybe in the entire world, I'm sure you're family is great, too. But my family is perfect for me. They have always been my constant support system and have been there for me for every blog post, every laundry night, every late night getaway, every bill I have gotten behind in paying, and every last minute emergency. I could not ask for a better combination of people to be my family.
   I have some truly awesome people as friends. In the past year, I've managed to keep old friends, lose friends to unfortunate but necessary circumstances, and gain new friendships. I'd say in the past year, I've met so many new people that I can't even begin to count all the new friendships I've made.
   I'm still alive. It's true, I have to thank God for every day I wake up, every meal I eat, and every breath I take. Without Him, I am nothing. Without Him, nothing I do matters. He put this fire in me to pursue music and touch others' lives and to inspire others to chase their dreams. I'm by no means successful, but I'm a child of God, and that's more precious than riches.

So, why was I so emotional earlier? I was behind on a bill, and my family came together to help me. Looking back, I really didn't need to freak out. It's been a year since graduating college; did I really think I'd have it all figured out by now? If anything, twenty-three is harder than twenty-two.

I just gotta keep tellin' myself the same thing:
Keep your head up, Mandi. There's a lotta people out there rootin' for you.

Seattle, Here I Come!

When I graduated college a year ago, my dad and his girlfriend gifted me with a $250 Southwest Airline credit. Finally, a vacation! I was so excited to use the credit that I made a list of places I had wanted to go, and the list was long! Over the past year, I constantly found ways I could go on vacation, but something always got in the way. Actually, last summer at Liberty Market, everyone took a trip over the break, except for me. I spent my entire summer working, which was nice for my paychecks, but sucked for my sanity.

A few weeks ago I had my wisdom teeth pulled. I don't know if it was the combination of the medicine I was taking, the lack of food in my tummy, or the sheer boredom of not being able to do anything, but that weekend I booked my flight for Seattle for Thursday May 22 through Sunday May 25. STEP ONE WAS COMPLETE!

Now comes the reality: What am I going to do in Seattle? I have never been, but I knew I wanted to scope out the music scene. I want to check out record stores, a local show at a cool venue, hip coffee shops where I can blog. What are some Seattle "must"s for this music lover?

Also, another big wake-up call: Where am I going to stay? I have a few friends in Seattle, but most of them are musicians and almost always touring. If you know someone who wouldn't mind a petite redhead on their couch, hook a soul sister up. I'm also trying to spend as little money as possible.

And another thing: How am I going to get around town? Living in Phoenix, everyone drives, or if they don't own a car, they ride the bus, the lightrail, or a bike. Since I've never been to Seattle, I'm not sure what their big form of getting around town is. I'm not old enough to rent a car, so public transit is my only option.

I cannot wait to explore new territory and get away from Phoenix for a weekend. This vacation has been a long-time coming and I want to enjoy every minute of it. If you can help in anyway with this trip, please let me know. Any help is very much appreciated!

Marriage is a Scary Thing

Yesterday, at 1:30 in the afternoon on one of the most gorgeous days Arizona has blessed us with, my boyfriend took me to a park where we would discuss our future plans. Instead of what I had hoped would happen (that is, our plans aligning), it was brought to both of attentions that our plans are, in fact, different.

Let me back up.

From September 2008 to February 2012, I dated my high school sweetheart. Being together for over four years starts to raise concern: is our love the same now when we started dating? Is he ever going to propose? Does he even want to be with me? Or is he with me because it's "comfortable" and to break up would be a bother? Eventually, our relationship became tense and we grew angry with each other and he broke up with me because we changed so much over the course of four years, and our plans no longer aligned. He didn't want to marry me, and all I wanted was a future with him.

Three months later, I meet Matt. If you remember my blog posts and Instagram pictures, you'll remember how hard I fell in love with him. The first month was the best: we went to concerts, introduced each other to new places, listened to music we both loved (and hated). It was summertime and the heat was rising and the sunsets were beautiful and I was on fire. I knew meeting Matt was something special.

It's been over nine months. We were stuck with the realization that those people are gone and it's time to move forward. Where are you gonna work next year? Where are you gonna live next year? What are your goals--musically and career-wise? And then the big one: do you see a future with me?

He said no, he didn't.

I don't understand. I was just here last year. Why do I keep getting "stuck" in these relationships that don't go anywhere? Am I not marriage-material? Do I not possess "wife" qualities?

Then I thought about something: what is marriage? Why did I hold it so important in my head? Why is marriage my ultimate goal?

Maybe it was the way I was raised. My parents divorced when I was ten years old. My mom has since remarried and tried to make things work, while my dad will never remarry again and has a new baby girl with his girlfriend. Now, I understand my family life is the furthest thing from normal. Maybe I was exposed to the downfall of marriage early in life. Since elementary school, I was stuck in the middle of divorce, custody battles, switching between houses for weekends and holidays and birthdays.

Maybe I wanted to get married to prove something to my family.

I also factor in that I am 23 years old and all my girlfriends are at the age where they are either engaged, married, having their first child, and, for some, their second child. And I look at where I am in my life: living in a small apartment in Phoenix, running a music blog that doesn't generate any income whatsoever, barely being able to afford all my bills, and spending my free time at record stores or concerts or coffee shops. Am I still stuck in college? Is there a deadline for when I need to settle down? How am I gonna catch up to these ladies who seem to understand life better than I do?

Maybe I wanted to get married to fit in.

If there's one thing I planned for my future, it's that I wanted to marry Matt. Not even last a year or two, move in together, take a vacation together. I wanted to marry him. But, is that really what I wanted? Or did I want the Klassen last name? Did I want the fancy wedding to invite all of our friends and dress up nice and exchange vows and have one wicked party? Did I want the joint bank account and the tax benefits and the sharing of everything?

Because, honestly, once you're married, nothing (romantically) changes. We would still watch Battlestar Galactica together. We would still go to concerts and buy records. We would still go to work, come home, eat dinner at one of our favorite restaurants, and go to bed. As far as our dating life is concerned, marriage isn't anything special. It's the same two people, just with rings on their fingers and a marriage license, and a different last name for the girl.

Maybe I didn't want to get married at all.

Maybe I just wanted to look forward to the fact that for, at least a little while longer, I could still enjoy our favorite things together. For just a little while longer, we could have each other. That is, until he decided what his plans were and moved on.

To all of you who loved me and Matt as much as I loved us, know that I never expected this to happen and that I wish I could fix this. But there's really nothing I could do, and that's what kills me. I'm sorry we didn't work out. I wanted so badly for us to work out. I'm really going to miss him and getting over him is going to be tough.

But maybe this is my wake up call. Wake up, Mandi: you're 23 years old, you're in the beginning stages of your career, and if there's one thing you learned in the last year, it's this.

Don't build your current happiness and future plans on someone else.

I did that with Austin. I did that with Matt. And now here I am: no man to call my own and I am a mess. I invested too much in my relationships and lost a bit of myself in trying to be what he wants me to be so he can keep me. But, what I really need to do is find the things that make ME happy, without anyone else around. Make future plans that are specific to ME, and if no one agrees with me or my plans, then they don't need to be there. I need to focus on Mandi again. It's going to take time and a lot of music to get over this breakup. But, I will rise again.

2013: A Look Back

With 2014 around the corner, I took some time to reflect on all the changes I went through this year: A LOT. My life has gone through so many ups-and-downs this year, and I am so excited to see what 2014 is going to throw my way. If I could sum up 2013 in one word, it would be: grow. I grew so much. This was the year I transitioned from a child to an adult, a girl to a woman, a student to a graduate. 2014, bring it on. Here's what you have to compete with:


January - Moved to Tempe
With my mom moving to Rio Rico, I needed to find a new place to live. After searching for a roommate and a place to live, I finally chose an apartment complex in Tempe with a friend of mine from high school, Frankie. I packed up all the contents in my room and moved across town on a rainy weekend. Of course, I had to juggle playing a show that night and working all weekend along with the moving process, but we finally got everything moved in and arranged in time for our housewarming game night the next weekend.

January - Started music business internship at Yucca Tap Room
I was finally beginning my last semester of college, but I needed to complete an internship before graduation. I finally decided to go with Yucca Tap Room, a music venue and bar that is literally walking distance from my new apartment. While I was interning at Yucca Tap, I booked bands to play shows, input data entry for show statistics, offered hospitality to bands on show nights, and did a lot of networking. But the bulk of my internship was spent on foot/my bike traveling around Tempe and Phoenix to distribute show flyers. I gained an understanding of the city and its culture, as well as met people along my route.

February - Ended relationship with Austin
After four long years, Austin and I decided to call it quits. We tried to make things work, but we just grew apart from the people that we were in high school when we started dating. Breaking up was one of the hardest decisions I have ever had to make, but it was definitely one of the best...I just didn't realize that until later.

April - Started my new tattoo
I had three small tattoos before, but now I was ready to embark on my quarter-sleeve tattoo that was custom-designed just for me. My friend, Corey, did an amazing job! Just one more session to go.

May - Left internship at Yucca Tap Room
After five months of brutal intern work, I was ready to complete my hours and get my degree. Near the end of my internship, it became apparent that I was no longer needed, so I decided not to continue my internship there past my necessary 160 hours.

May - Graduated from Mesa Community College
I DID IT!!!!!I went through four brutal years of double-majoring (eventually dropped one of my majors) and graduated from Mesa Community College. I studied my ass off and worked extra hard to make sure I graduated on time. I had to retake public speaking and accounting because I failed, and I also lost some classes because I was dropped a few times. But, eventually, I earned my good grades and blue gown and walked across the stage towards my Associates in Music Business.

May - My grandmother passed away
After a long and painful struggle, my grandmother took her last breath and entered heaven to be with The Lord. She battled liver, lung, and breast cancer all at the same time, and it was devastating to watch her in pain and not be able to help her. I am happy that she is pain-free and with God.

May - Met and began a relationship with Matt
Seriously, the highlight of my year.
I've written on my blog about Matt, and I can go on and on and on about how much better my life is with him in it. He picks me up when I'm down, supports me, goes on adventures with me, and is there to offer tough love advice when I need it. We agree (and also disagree) on music, watch Battlestar Galactica together, go to shows together, karaoke together, flip through vinyl together. It's just so nice to be able to do things together. I love him, he loves me...and that's all that matters.

June - Left Emby Alexander
I had been performing in Emby Alexander for over a year. It was fun, but when Austin and I broke up, things got weird. Things got weird fast.
I tried really hard to be professional and not let emotions get in the way of band practice and shows. But when I ignored Austin, more problems ensued. Michael and I would argue about the direction of the band. I wanted to sing more and get more involved in the band, and he didn't want that. I wanted to perform without my bandmates throwing a fit and yelling and acting like immature hooligans. So I left.
This was another hard decision. I loved performing, and some people would come up to me after shows and tell me over and over how much they loved my voice and my performance. I didn't want to leave performing, but I needed to leave this band.

July - Started Mixtape Mandi
After leaving Emby, I was going to more shows and listening to more albums and meeting more people involved in music. I wanted to create an outlet for all my music stuff, without flooding my feed on my personal Facebook/Intstagram. So I created a music account called "Mixtape Mandi" where I can talk about all my favorite music without bugging my friends who could care less.
After that was born, I started collaborating ideas with other networks. I work with Radio Adventure Club to produce podcast episodes every Friday. I work with The Spec Blog to produce album reviews and artist interviews. I work with AZ Music Matters to produce album reviews and concert calendars.
I'm excited to see what will happen for Mixtape Mandi in the future and all the people I have yet to meet.

November - Started working at Danny Zelisko Presents
After six months of graduating and not having a job that fits my degree (which is pretty good, if you ask me) I finally got a job in music business. Currently, I am a part-time office assistant for Danny Zelisko Presents, a music promotion company here in Phoenix that specializes in national touring shows. Even though I am an office assistant, I am learning so much about the business just through all the paperwork I handle. I do tons of emailing, filing, copying, scanning, shredding...and which each document, the ladies in the office have been really helpful with explaining how important each document is to each show. My goal is to be hired full-time soon, but, with everything in life, you gotta work to get the things you want in life. So, that's what I'm gonna do.

 

 

December - Baby sister was born

It's crazy to think that I would become a big sister again at the age of 23, but it happened! Just two days after my birthday, Madeline Elizabeth Kimes was born on December 28 at 12:17am. I cannot wait to watch this beauty grow and show her all kinds of awesome music. My dad and stepmom sure do make a great team and a cute baby.



2014 New Year's Resolutions

HEALTH:
 - Do you work the next morning? What time? Go to bed ten hours before you have to clock in to work. Sometimes when you don't get enough sleep, you get cranky. And you stay up late blogging or hanging out at Lux or at a show, when you really don't need to. In bed, lights out, and phone away ten hours before your daily grind begins.
 - Since you don't work most evenings, those might be good times for you to go to the gym you signed up for then forgot about. Even if you don't make it to the gym, you can still do some workouts at home.
 - It might be a good idea to only save alcoholic beverages for the weekend. You really don't need that vodka-cranberry on a Monday evening after a "long day at the office" or because "Matt's having a beer, I should drink too". Drink water, or coffee, but let your hair down and unwind on the weekends with your cocktail.
 - I'm not saying you're fat, but you've put on some extra, uhm...love. And we all know you can't stick to a diet for more than a day without getting cranky and demanding pizza. So, just be aware of what you eat and make healthy decisions: upgrade to a salad instead of fries, try the burger without a bun, eat more greens, etc.
 - Remember when you were in high school and you took that one yoga class and you really liked it? Remember when you stopped doing yoga and life got hard? Sign up for a yoga class and attend at least once a week, to get your crazy and busy schedule and plans out of your head for just one hour.
 - When was the last time you got a checkup for your eyes, ears, teeth, spine, lady parts, etc.? Schedule a doctor's appointment during January to see all your doctors to check up on your body and make sure everything's running the way it should be. Go back whenever they advise you to.
 - Your parents got you a really sick bike two Christmases ago. You should ride your bike every Sunday. Get some fresh air and ride it to the coffee shop, to the record store, to check the mail. Just get some exercise and let the wind hit your face and wake you up from your blogging slumber. Plus, you got that sweet phone mount for your bike so you don't have shove your phone in your pocket. Use it for map, music, or texting while you ride.

BEAUTY:
 - There have been a couple times last year when you let your hair get really ratchet. I know, you didn't really have money to touch up those gorgeous red locks. So let's try this: schedule a hair appointment every 6-8 weeks. This gives your hair enough time to fade from bright red to that natural orangey-red color that people assume is real, before it goes all "Ooh, sweetie, you need your roots done."
 - You know you're pretty...now dress like it! You're a big girl at your big girl job, so let's look like a professional. No more T-shirt and jeans to the office. Dress nice, but not fancy, to work. This shows that you're not a college graduate searching for a job anymore, but you're not yet the CEO of the company. Plus, you never know who's gonna show up to the office.
 - Remember when you used to be a girly-girl? Ah...those were the days. Let's bring back those girly days and maybe try wearing a dress at least once a week. You always feel so pretty and confident when you wear dresses.
 - You started this in 2013, now let's keep it up: wash your hair every other day, between 24 and 36 hours after the previous wash. When you wash your hair too much or too close together, your red fades, your ends split, and your hair frizzes often. Allowing your hair to "get dirty" gets the natural oils into your scalp for healthier hair.
 - I know this past year has been an up-and-down battle with biting your fingernails and letting them grow out. Please, for the love of God, don't bite your fingernails! Get your nails polished every six weeks, maybe even the same day you get your hair done. Just don't bite your fingernails anymore. You're done with that.

RELATIONSHIPS:
 - You have a beautiful relationship with Matt. Everyone can see it. If it fits your guys' schedule and budget, try to go on a date with Matt once a month. Sometimes life can get busy and it's nice to take some time away from the hectic plans and just spend time together. Go to show, go to a movie, go ice-skating, do something new, try a new restaurant. Just spend some time with that handsome man of yours. You both deserve it.
 - I know it's hard to see your family. Your parents live in Rio Rico, your grandparents and sister live in Gilbert, and your dad and his baby momma live in Chandler. It's difficult to meet with them when you're trying to work and pay bills and go to events that will build your portfolio. See them as much as you can, which can differ month to month, week to week. But always: communicate with them every day. They deserve to know what's going with you, and you to know what's going on with them.
 - Your friends are important to you. You've got a lot of awesome people who care about you. Most of them you only see/talk to on Facebook now. Schedule time to see your friends. Whether it's over coffee or lunch, catch up with those who support you in all that you do.
 - Continuing that last note: remember those awesome game nights you used to host all the time and how awesome they were? Host more events that your friends can come to. Do more game nights, do more mixtape exchanges, do movie nights, do clothing swap parties, do photo shoots, do bike rides, do bible studies.
 - You have a great relationship with Nicki and her growth in the Lord. Keep it up. See Nicki every other week. You guys are both busy (like crazy busy), but you both have some spiritual growing to do, and it's better together.
 - The most important relationship to maintain: God's. Read your Bible every day. If it's not the Bible, then a spiritual guidance book, such as those written by Rob Bell or Donald Miller. You don't go to church anymore, so you need to get your spiritual fuel on your own.

HOBBIES:
 - You are 23 years old and you don't know how to cook. YOU'RE PATHETIC. I'm surprised you've been able to maintain boyfriends for as long as you can without providing delicious meals not from your own kitchen. Learn to cook. I know it scares you: what if I cut myself? What if I burn myself/ What if the food sucks? Don't worry: if you're not failing, then you're not learning. No one said you had to become a gourmet chef, just learn the basics of cooking and make a meal every now and then. You spend way too much eating out anyways. Go grocery shopping and make dinner for yourself.
 - Remember those times your parents wrote you letters? Or when Liam sent you a letter? You got so excited. Write more letters. Send mail to your friends, especially those not in Arizona anymore. There's so much excitement and personal sentiment when you write a letter. Plus, you almost embarrassed yourself at work when you couldn't figure out how to put the stamp on the envelope.
 - You started Mixtape Mandi six months ago and it's been working out really well for you. Continue doing a podcast episode every week like you have been doing, but do more Mixtape Mandi stuff: make more mixes, write more reviews, host more music events. A year from now, I want you to be earning money off of this crazy awesome idea.
 - This one's simple and you'll do it no matter what: keep listening to new music. Go to more shows, buy more albums, meet more bands.
 - This past year kinda sucked when it came to money. Let's fix this: keep a budget. Make a note of when you spend money and get money, put some money away in a savings account, and make sure you pay your bills first before you run off to the record store.
 - You love taking pictures and watching people grow through pictures, so it's time to start your own selfie project. Take a photo of yourself everyday in whatever situation you are at the time. Keep a journal of your photos and post them to your selfie project blog.

Why My Life is Awesome Pt. 103782665

Holy wow, guys. So many awesome things happening for me. Let's take a moment to reflect and rejoice:

1. Yesterday marked the six-month anniversary of my relationship with Matt. It's crazy to think how fast the time has flown by. I still distinctly remember the moment we met and how I felt that night and wondering if I was going to see him again. Now, we're in a committed relationship, we've met each other's friends and family and have gone on plenty of dates and adventures. I don't see him as much as I used to when we first started dating, but when we are away from each other, we are busy working on things that will help us grow as individuals. I've got my jobs and Mixtape Mandi, he's got work and his band. We still go to concerts; in fact, we're going to see Michael Buble this Friday night on a date night.
I'm sure it's very evident, but I'm a much happier person since he's entered my life. He makes me feel confident, adventurous, and like I can conquer the world. He is my constant source of encouragement when I'm feeling down, and can always brighten my day with a simple "hello". Matt Klassen, thank you for the last six months.

2. In January, my lease at my apartment will end, forcing me to move out. Frankie has been the best roommate and I will miss seeing him all the time. However, moving home is perfect for him. He and I have been each other's support for the last year and it's time we support others. I am currently on the look-out for the next perfect roommate and little cozy place for us to live, hopefully in Phoenix. Stay tuned for updates!

3. Mixtape Mandi is blowing up! Since its launch in July, my podcast has a few-hundred listens every week, my blog has an average of 50 views per day, I have almost 100 followers on Facebook, and I have legitimate fans who constantly encourage me to keep doing what I'm doing. It's so inspiring to know that people listen and read and care about the project I do in my free time. I'm hoping that eventually I can turn this into a project when I earn some income, but for now, I enjoy spending hours on Mixtape Mandi.

4. Through Mixtape Mandi, I have met SO many awesome people. It's amazing to think that I could have so much in common with a stranger. Just by handing out my business card, I have talked about music and shows and mutual friends and other stuff with people I meet at work, the coffee shop, the record store, etc. I just went to a networking event tonight and met some talented creative artists that I cannot way to work with.

5. The reason why I am writing this blog and why I am so happy: I got a job.
I have had PLENTY of jobs since I started working at McDonald's when I was fifteen years old. For the past five years, my jobs have involved customer service in the restaurant industry. I'm very good at my job and (some days) I like what I do. But, it's not my passion. I live for music.
Since graduating in May, I have been looking for a music job. I had a couple of internships, but I can only drive so far without payment for so long. Today, I received a call from Danny Zelisko Presents, a local music promotion company, offering me a part-time office assistant position, with the potential to work full time.
(!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
This is exactly what I went to school for! I have dreamed of marketing, booking, and promoting shows for a living, and now is my chance. And it's not an internship; IT'S A JOB. I am getting paid to promote shows.
I feel so immensely blessed to receive this opportunity. I start next week, while also working limited hours at both restaurant jobs I currently have.



Readers, let this be a lesson: TO NOT GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAM. With hard work and the determination to succeed, I got a job six months after graduating. Trust me; if you want something bad enough, you need to work hard to prove that you and no one else but you deserve it. It's worth it, I pinky-promise you.

Now go out there and get 'em!

The Adventures of Matt & Mandi: Our Second Month

We did it, we survived another month! If there's anything this month has taught me, it's that life isn't always fabulous, but it can be if you have the right person by your side. Not only did I experience some bumps in the road of my life, but so did Matt. But, we were able to help each other through them, and it made it so much more easy.

We have also become a couple that, while we still love going on adventures, sometimes it's okay to do the ordinary. We enjoy going to Trivia Nights at Crescent Ballroom every Sunday night, breakfast together every Saturday morning, drinks at our favorite bars, going to shows, and coming home at the end of the day to listen to some music together.

I won't go into detail about every moment I spent with Matt this last month, because we spent quite a lot of time together. But, I will highlight some of my favorite days, some monumental days in our relationship, and some of the days where we truly felt like we were on a crazy and wild adventure.

THE ADVENTURES OF OUR SECOND MONTH:

6/18 – We celebrated our first month together by embarking on our first date! He brought me flowers (my favorite flowers!) and even dressed up all spiffy. We went to dinner at Cibo in Downtown Phoenix and then went to the She & Him concert at Comerica Theatre.  There is one song of theirs that I put on his mix CD called “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me”. When they played the song, he and I swayed back and forth, and then he grabbed both my hands and we started dancing. It was beautiful! After the show, we went to SideBar and grabbed some cocktails and relaxed. Our first date was definitely my favorite date I’ve ever been on. And I am excited to go on more dates with this wonderful man. 

6/19 – We attended Open Mic Night at the Little Woody. We started our set with Radiohead’s “Nude”. I think this song is one of those songs that I would call “ours”. After that song, we covered “Fever”, which, I’m not gonna lie, totally brought the house down! I think we sound very good together.

 

6/20 – We went to the Duce for some karaoke, shared a milkshake, I hula-hooped for the entirety of Michael Jackson’s “P.Y.T.”, and we witnessed some hilarious performances. After karaoke, we hopped into Matt’s car and went to the Crescent Ballroom to grab a drink. After hanging out at Crescent for about an hour, we decided to head home. Matt drove me back to my car at the Duce only to find out that after closing hours, they lock their parking lot shut with a huge gate. My car was trapped! He was kind enough to drive me home, even if that meant that he had an even longer drive home.

 

6/21 – Our adventure for this evening: Meeting his family. I had already met his dad and brother, but this evening I was meeting his mother, sister, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nephew (both of his siblings are married). His mom had prepared a delicious build-your-own taco bar with pork, beef, and bison meats, veggies, and salsas. After dinner, we ate cupcakes that his sister had baked. She made a chocolate cupcake with Nutella in the middle that was to die for! After some of his family, we played a dice-game called Farkle with the rest of the family, in which I am still not very good. I enjoyed meeting his family. They were so loving and accepting and making sure I was welcome and comfortable. And they raised a wonderful man. I look forward to seeing them again.

6/28 – Matt's car broke down at Crescent Ballroom, so I had to go pick him up and we went to a housewarming my friends, Jon and Nick, were hosting. Matt and Jon played “Quarters” and shuffleboard and we went swimming.

6/29 – WHAT A DAY.

We got brunch at NCOUNTER in Tempe before we headed over to Crescent to attempt to fix his car. After trying to start his car and failing, we drive around South Phoenix trying to find the tools and a car battery. Driving through town in the heat made me feel sick and my stomach started to hurt. I ended up throwing up in the parking lot while Matt was purchasing a car battery. I had to go to work, so I dropped him off at his car and left. When I got home, I threw up again. My boss told me to stay home and not come into work. After Matt spent about an hour in the heat, walking to the nearest hotel to use their tools, and finally fixed his car, he came over to take care of me. He brought over a strawberry banana smoothie, the movie HighFidelity for us to watch, and the Blood Bank vinyl from Bon Iver. SWOON! We watched High Fidelity (definitely one of my favorite movies now) as well as Pirate Radio (he had never seen it!).  After watching two movies and starting to feel better, we went into my room and played my new vinyl. After listening to Blood Bank (it’s a short album), we listened to Courtney Marie Andrews’ For One I Knew on vinyl, as well as some Crystal Gayle. It was the first time I had really used my record player, and I’m glad he bought me that vinyl. I think I will start collecting vinyl now.

 

7/4 – Happy Independence Day! Why was this day one of my most favorite days? Let me count the ways:

   1. Matt and I BOTH had the entire day off from work, which is really rare.

   2. We enjoyed a free breakfast at Liberty Market.

   3. We each got a new pair of sunglasses.

   4. We shared music with each other.

   5. We sang along to In Rainbows.

   6. We survived our first grocery shopping trip together.

   7. We went to a party with some friends and had a killer time.

   8. I did pretty damn good at Flip Cup.

I spent the whole day with him. We didn't have to share with work, family, band, nothing. I enjoyed every moment I spent with him.

 

 

7/8 - We went to FilmBar to see Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. I LOVE this film, and Matt had only seen it in theatres. It was fun to geek out with him.

 

7/14 - Matt and I experienced our first trip to IKEA together. He bough his mom a birthday present, I bought a desk. After trivia at Crescent, we came back to my house where assembled the desk, I did some laundry, and we played some vinyl.

 

 

7/15 - Today was Matt's mom's birthday, so we went over to his folks' house where he prepared a dinner for the whole family. It had been a few weeks since I had seen them, so it was all still kinda new to me. But I felt more comfortable this time. Matt's dinner was delicious, his mom received some pretty cool gifts, and I even met his grandmother from Alberta via Skype (who says she reads my blog!) So, Esther Klassen, if you're reading this: It was so nice to meet you. Maybe one day I will see you in person.

7/17 - OUR SECOND MONTH ANNIVERSARY. We spent the evening together by enjoying a delicious meal from The Vig (new favorite restaurant...so good!) and then performing some songs at the Open Mic Night at the Little Woody. We covered Al Green's "Let's Stay Together", ZZ Ward's "Lil' Darlin", The Beatles' "Don't Let Me Down", and we arranged a blues-version of Tears for Fears' "Mad World".

Here are some pictures from the last month.

Stay tuned for month three and more adventures!

Keep Calm & Feel Infinite

Around the middle of February, I fell into a deep pit of depression. Like, DEEP. I remained in this pit for three months. Three months of forcing myself out of bed to go to school and push my way to graduating, forcing myself out of bed to go to work, scheduling time out of my house so I didn't lay in bed and cry, going to church and Bible study with friends to give myself hope, and trying to find reasons to not kill myself. Trust me, guys: it was bad.

I'd say I got better after I graduated college. Not that I hated college. I loved it. I miss learning and challenging myself. But my last semester was tough. And, honestly, I just wanted to graduate and get my degree. After I graduated, I had so much free time. It was something to get used to. I have always been busy, always had an assignment, always trying to impress someone. Now, I was free.

Not only had I just graduated college, but I also ended a four-year relationship and quit my band. So many things in my life were ending. It was time for a new beginning. A new Mandi.

I can say now that I'm 100% better. I wake up everyday happy. This post is not too rub it in your face like "LOOK HOW AWESOME MY LIFE IS WHILE YOUR LIFE IS SO SUCKY". That is not my intention at all. This post is to remind me (and you) that these moments of pure happiness don't always last, so it's best to count your blessings while they're happening before they're gone and you've missed the blessing completely. Also, this post is for the people who had to sit and watch me suffer and stood by my side. This is to show you that I'm okay now, and it's thanks to you guys. You know who you are.

So, without further ado (adieu?), my list of blessings:


1. I am blessed with an amazing family. My family is scattered across the state, from Gilbert to Chandler to Rio Rico (and previously Prescott). I also have some family in California, Florida, Missouri, and Oregon. Even though my family is separated, I still feel the love. My parents in Rio Rico still support me even if they're three hours away. My sister and I are starting to become closer now that we don't live together. I have gotten closer to my dad and his girlfriend and her kids. Which brings me to my next blessing...

2. I am blessed to become a big sister once again. My dad and his girlfriend are now 12 weeks pregnant with a baby girl. I never thought that at 22 years old, I would have another sibling! It's so exciting, you have no idea. I know they have been trying for a child for a while now, and I'm so happy that it's finally happening. This pregnancy has also brought the two families together. We are now a family of "yours, mine, and ours", but we have fun. Babygirl Kimes is due early January, so stay tuned for more baby news.

3. I am blessed with a job that I love. Seriously. I know most people dread going to work or only go to their job for a paycheck and don't put forth much effort, but I legitimately love my job. I am a cashier/server at Liberty Market, a locally-owned urban bistro in Downtown Gilbert, and it is literally the best company I have ever worked for. I enjoy working with everyone, and I even hang out with most of my work friends outside of work. My bosses care about me. Like, for real. My bosses do whatever it takes for their employees to feel safe, welcome, and at ease. When I hit my depression, I wanted to work more and cover more shifts because that was the only place I found joy. I would go into work, put my phone away for seven hours, and just focus on my tasks and being surrounded by people who loved me. I could escape all of the drama at work. And, it gave me a reason to get out of bed. Liberty Market is and will always be a very special place for me.

4. I am blessed to be living on my own. As much as I miss my parents and the luxury of living at home, being out on my own again has really pushed me to grow up. I have matured in the last six months while living in Tempe. Also, living in Tempe can be awesome sometimes. I'm just down the road from Downtown Mill Ave, I have easy access to the 60, and I am just a five-minute walk from the Yucca Tap.

5. I am blessed with some kickass friends. This dark time really showed me who my true friends are. I had friends call me or text me just to check on me. I had friends come over and listen to me complain and then provide advice. Some friends I would personally like to thank for dealing with my sad, crying self and pulling me out of the darkness (alphabetical order): Aziz Hussein, Bob Roman, Brenda Eden, Brian Clemence, Brody Boren, Colton Haynie, Corey Coole, Diana Deaver Gudeman, Frankie Carreno, Jacob Evans, Jacob Johnston, James Johnston, Jessica Watson, Jon Pesu, Kelsey Garner, Kha-Le Desou, Krystal Rose, Liam Deaver, Lindsay Young, Mateo Bustamante, Matt Celaya, Meghan Augustson, Michelle Traficano, Nicki Hughes, Sam Greenhalgh, Sarah Sturgeon, Scott Krueger, Skyler Farr, and Stephen Dunegan.

6. I am blessed with a man who loves me. I mean, I could go on and on about how wonderful Matt is to me (oh wait, I already did). After my breakup, it was hard for me to get used to the fact that no one loved me anymore. I thought I would not find love for such a long time. When I met Matt, I wasn't looking for love. When I pushed around the idea of dating him, I had to think: "Am I interested in Matt or the idea of dating someone again?" Truthfully speaking, I love him. And the crazy thing? He loves me, too. He is the reason why I look forward to my day. He is the one always on my mind. I truly can't believe I am his and he is mine, but I love it.

7. I am blessed to be forgiven. I am not perfect. I am a mess, I have flaws, and I do not deserve the forgiveness that God gives me. His grace has redeemed me. I have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. I do not deserve His mercy, but He loves me like His daughter and I receive His mercy anyways. That's true AGAPE friends.



So, those are my blessings. And I know that life will not always be this awesome all the time. But, I needed to freezeframe this moment in some way, so I wrote it all out. I think Charlie said it best in Perks of Being a Wallflower:
"There are people who say all these things don't happen. There are people who forget what it's like to be sixteen when they turn seventeen. I know these will all be stories someday and our pictures will become old photographs. We'll all become somebody's mom or dad. But right now, these are not stories. This is happening. I am here, and I am looking at her, and she is so beautiful...I can see it: this one moment when you know you're not a sad story. You are alive. And you stand up and see the lights on the buildings and all the things that make you wonder. And you're listening to that song on that drive with the people you love most in this world. And in this moment, I swear: WE ARE INFINITE."

The Adventures of Matt & Mandi: Our First Month

This past month has been one whirlwind of an adventure. All in 31 days, I have met, dated, and fallen in love with one amazing guy. Here’s our story.

 

The day is Friday, May 17, 2013. My band, Emby Alexander, had a show at the Rogue Bar in Scottsdale. I remember thinking that not many of our friends were going and it’s pretty much a dive-bar, so I throw my hair up in a ponytail and threw on jeans and a plain-white T-shirt. I show up, sing my set, then load our stuff off of the stage. A friend of the band, Zac Fredricksen, was organizing the show. After our set, I saw Zac was talking to a guy and he motioned me over.

“Mandi, this is my friend, Matt. He really likes your voice.”

We shook hands. We talked music. I found out he is in a band called The Cold Desert. He loved my set.
Now, throughout the night, Matt and I would find our ways back to each other, whether it be at the bar, on the dance floor, or in the parking lot by my car. I felt a connection with this guy.

HOWEVER: Matt had come to the show with his friend, Lance, and a mutual friend of theirs, Brittney. Throughout the night, Brittney would show up next to Matt and stare at me. I was certain they were dating. Here I am, some girl coming on to this girl’s boyfriend. I felt like a huge bitch. So, I started to back off.

After the show was over, my band went to In n’ Out and invited us to go. I went, and Matt brought Lance and Brittney with him. Before they got there, I went into the restroom and as I exited the stall, Brittney came in. She looks at me and said, “Hey. I really like you!”

WHAT.

I was so confused. So I said, “Hey, thanks, you’re pretty cool.” Her response? “I have been bugging Matt ALL NIGHT to get your number. You guys are so cute together.” At this point, I breathe a sigh of relief because I knew she was right. I thought we had a connection, too. She grabs my hand and says, “Please, Mandi, PROMISE ME that you will not leave tonight without getting his number!” So, I agreed.

We went outside and ate our food. We had casual conversations over burgers and fries. Then, it came time for us to leave. We walk to our cars, but Matt tells his friends to go ahead. He comes up to me and asks for my phone number. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

It wasn’t until later that I found out Brittney had never said a word to Matt about me. He asked for my number genuinely out of his own interest.

That was the night we met. I never thought I would pick up a guy at a bar, let alone using my voice as the lure. But, this past month has been quite adventurous. And I am so excited to see what adventures we encounter in the future. We have gone to shows, played games, met family and friends, danced, listened to amazing albums together, and held hands the entire time.

 

THE ADVENTURES OF OUR FIRST MONTH:

5/18 - He came to my Last Exit Live show.

5/20 - We went to Gringo Star Street Bar together for the first time, saw the Appleseed Cast play at Crescent Ballroom, and then he introduced me to shuffleboard and one of his hangout spots: The Little Woody. He also introduced me to Cherry Ghost, a band that everyone should check out.

5/22 – We went to karaoke, where he sang Aerosmith’s “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” and dedicated it to “Mandi, on our 6-day anniversary”.

5/24 – We went to Cornish Pasty and then he introduced me to Sidebar in Phoenix.

5/27 – We went to Lux Coffee Shop where I kicked his ass in Beatles Trivial Pursuit, then we went to Crescent Ballroom to watch Vinyl Station play. On our way back to my car, we listened to “In Rainbows” and sang together.

5/29 – He played a show with his band at Crescent Ballroom. I met his band mates, and I think they approved of me. I got a CD and a cassette tape of his band.

 

6/1 – He played a show at Last Exit Live, where I bought one of his T-shirts.

 

6/2 – We went to the Rhythm Room and saw Marmalade Skies, which is a Beatles Tribute band. We sang, we danced, and we drank. After the show, we got some food and had a picnic in a park and had deep conversations about family, religion, and life. We finally left when a cop showed up. As we’re driving back to my car, we’re listening to “In Rainbows”. When we get back to my car, he gets out of his car, gives me a hug, and kisses me. It was very hard to sleep that night.

6/3 – We went to Crescent Ballroom to watch our friends in Bears of Manitou play an acoustic set.

6/6 – He introduces me to The Duce in Phoenix. We had dinner, a couple of drinks, and hours of conversation. We finally had to part when he went to band practice.

6/7 – I had my last show with Emby Alexander. Our first gig of the night was at a Latte Art Throwdown hosted by my friend, Perry. After that gig, we went to Yucca Tap Room for our second gig. He met most of my friends and my dad. He helped me calm down my nerves before my last gig. The funny thing is, this is the first show I played where I could look in the audience and see a boy look back at me with affection. Every other gig I played, I had a boyfriend on stage with me. It was a feeling I had to get used to. After our set, we did a strawberry vodka shot and he took me home.

6/9 – We grabbed some coffee at Lux Coffee and discuss meeting each other’s family. Later, we went to the FilmBar in Phoenix and saw “Ghostbusters”. The Arizona Ghostbusters were there raising money for diabetes research, so he bought a raffle ticket and we ended up winning Ghostbusters hot sauce.

 

6/11 – I introduced him to Liberty Market and the town of Gilbert. He loved it! I had to get him back to his car in time for him to get to band practice. He called me on his way to practice and told me he left his pizza at my place. How crazy am I? I brought pizza and a six-pack of Kiltlifter to his practice space at 75^th Ave and Deer Valley just to see him. That adventure alone won over his heart, and the taste buds of his band mates.

 

6/12 – By this time, it’s clear that we are both are interested in each other. People are beginning to ask about us. We decide to sit down and have the conversation of awkwardness: defining the relationship. We meet at The Little Woody and figured out that he already thinks of me as his girlfriend and loves being around me. I whole-heartedly agree.

6/13 - I introduce him to my mother, and he passed the test. She can’t help but think he’s amazing, and I don’t blame her. Later that day, I drove up to his practice space to give him a mix CD I made for him. We spent the evening drinking milkshakes in his car while listening to the CD.

6/14 - I went to his Crescent Ballroom show. I met his dad and brother for the first time. I could tell just from the first meeting that his dad loved me. He played a great set, I got pictures and videos, and even sang along. After the show, we went to the Little Woody for a little bit and eventually watched the sunrise.

 

6/15 - We got brunch the next morning at True FoodKitchen, which is delicious! I helped him pick out a Father’s Day gift for his dad before I had to leave for work.

6/16 – I had had quite an eventful and stressful day, so he took me to Gringo Star Arcade Bar to unwind with some drinks and video games. We played skeeball (I beat him) and then we played Ms. Pacman (I dominated). I love being able to play games with him. We get competitive and flirt and have so much fun.

6/17 – OUR 1-MONTH ANNIVERSARY. We spent the evening at Crescent Ballroom playing Bingo (we both lost every game). After the Bingo games, our friend Dylan Pratt played an acoustic set.

 

 

 

STAY TUNED FOR OUR UPCOMING ADVENTURES!