Strawberry Sundays: Musical Friends and Getting Work Done

Every Sunday, I recap the prior week and recognize the beautiful things in my life, or the "strawberries" as I like to call them, because strawberries are my favorite fruit.

Mon, Jan. 5 - After two weeks of holiday break, I returned to work. Even though I was getting too used to sleeping in and not having an agenda, it was time for me to get back into the swing of work. I love my job, and my job treats me well, and I'm thankful to begin another year with this company.
Freddie and I run a video-based music blog called Underground Alt, and for 2015 we proposed to publish a new video every Monday. For our first Monday, we released a video of local acoustic duo Vinyl Station covering a song from local rockers Snake! Snake! Snakes! and the outpour of support for this video was abundant!
After work, I headed to Crescent Ballroom to work on Underground Alt work with Freddie. While we were there, acoustic singer-songwriters were playing in the lounge, and we enjoyed soulful tunes from Brian Chartrand. He even gave us his album for free.
Strawberries: I have a job that I love, I am working on a project with my best friend, and the music scene in Phoenix never ceases to surprise me.

Tues, Jan. 6 - After work, I went to Crescent Ballroom (again) to see my friends in Speak Easy play music. This was their first show with my friend, Ryan, added on bass. They played such a great show and they make me more proud with every performance.
At the show, Blake, the lead member of Speak Easy and dear friend of mine, asked me to act as band manager for them. I was ecstatic! As their manager, I help book them shows and maintain a social media presence, as well as help put their album together once they're finished recording.
After the show was finished, Freddie and I went back to his home to work on more Underground Alt. As the hours dragged on, we got sleepy and he let me stay the night so I wouldn't have to make the long drive home on such low energy.
Strawberries: Friends who make beautiful music, bands that put their trust in me for their future success, and friends who let me sleep in their home when I'm too weary to sleep in my own.


Wednesday and Thursday were uneventful

Fri, Jan. 9 - After work I went to Normal Diner to work on Underground Alt stuff. I wrote up so many proposals and updated the calendar. I felt so productive making so many plans for the future.
After the diner, I headed to Phoenix to see my friend's show. On the way there, I noticed my friends in Bogan Via recorded my favorite mash-up cover: "Hallelulaj / Crown of Love". This song made me weep in the audience when they played it live last month, so I'm very happy to see they recorded it.
Just like Tuesday, I saw my friends Speak Easy live, but this time at Last Exit Live. They played a great set, and I got to talk with them afterwards.
Strawberries: Being productive, having my favorite recorded by friends, and seeing my friends perform live twice in one week.

Sat, Jan. 10 - I started my day with my dad making me homemade French toast. I love having breakfast at home, because it's made with love...and I don't have to change out of my PJ's.
After taking a nap, I came downstairs and took my sister outside to walk around the back patio. Jaelene and my dad were out back and Madeline was running around and giggling. Now that she's walking she wants to explore everything!
I needed to get out of the house, so I packed up my laptop and headed to Normal Diner to work on some writing. I've been drafting a short story, so I worked on that until Freddie joined me and we switched gears to work on Underground Alt projects.
Strawberries: Homemade French toast, playing with my sister, and escaping to a diner to work on personal projects.

Sun, Jan 11 - After spending most of the weekend in bed, I crawled out of bed and noticed on the baby monitor that Madeline was sitting up in her crib and was attempting - and succeeding - to take off her sleeper onesie. I went upstairs and got her out of bed and noticed both of my parents were outside cleaning my step-brother's Jeep. I put Madeline's shoes on her and we took her outside. She was screaming with excitement, and laughing and trying to run. She loves being outside and exploring the new world now that she can walk.
After that, I went to the nail salon with Jaelene. She rewarded me for quitting my nail-biting habit with a manicure. After 24 years of constant nail-biting, it feels like such a relief to not have to look at my bloody fingers.
I met some friends at Cornish Pasty for lunch and to play Cards Against Humanity. The group of people I met with were four guys who are members of the CAPSLOCK MONDAY group on Facebook, which is a group that posts only in Capslock, mostly on Mondays, but always about shitty situations in our lives. The group has really brought me out of my shell and made me realize that sometimes my life isn't so bad.
Strawberries: Seeing the world through a one-year-old's eyes, freshly-manicured fingernails, and CAPSLOCK MONDAY hangouts.

Strawberry Sundays: Road Trips & Helping Friends

Every Sunday, I recap the prior week and recognize the beautiful things in my life, or the "strawberries" as I like to call them, because strawberries are my favorite fruit.

Mon, Dec. 29 - After a weekend of celebrating birthdays, accomplishments, and going to concerts, it was time for me to jump back into the work grind. I headed over to Normal Diner and plugged in my laptop and headphones. After ordering lunch, I worked away for about five hours and got so much done!
I met up with my friend Ryan to talk over drinks and cigarettes (his, not mine). I've known Ryan for a couple years now, but it wasn't until this year that we really bonded and I helped him find a band they he loves playing in. We both have had a tough year, so we got together to exchange stories and advice.

After hanging out with Ryan, I headed to North Scottsdale to meet up with Freddie and meet my new friend Ellyn, an old friend of Freddie's who was visiting town. Ellyn and I had been in contact through social media, but it was so great to meet her in person. Our friends Drew and Jon joined us, and we had a night of laughter.
Strawberries: Focusing on work in a friendly environment, meeting up with old friends, and meeting new friends.

Tues, Dec. 30 - After sleeping in until 1:30pm (whoa!) I took care of a sick Freddie by stopping by the store to stock up on soup, tea, Gatorade, tissues, and then bought myself a pizza to enjoy while Freddie was blowing his nose and chugging soup.
After taking care of him, I headed home and wrote up some blog posts and prepared for the festivities that lie ahead of me in the next few days!
Strawberries: Sleeping in, taking care of friends who need your care, and packing for an exciting trip.

Wed, Dec. 31 - I packed up my car with my overnight bag, sleeping bad, pillow, Beatles blanket, portable record player, some records, and all my warm jackets and met up with Freddie to pick up our friends Noah and Autumn and head to Payson for the New Year! Freddie's family has a cabin in Payson, so a big group of friends were going to celebrate the New Year there.
On our way up, the highway was closed for plowing, so we had to stop on the side, but we eventually got back on the road and beat the snowstorm and made it to the cabin. It was freezing cold!
Our friends Gabe, Sarah, Zach, Taylor and her brother Michael and his wife Jackalyn joined us later, and we enjoyed lasagna and salad dinner and shared our resolutions for the New Years and drank delicious wine. After dinner, we played in the snow and waited for our friends Jon and Matt to arrive. They showed up at 11:30, just in time to ring in the New Year at midnight!
Strawberries: Road trips with friends, playing in the snow, and ringing in the New Year with some of your favorite people.

Thurs, Jan. 1 - After eating a delicious breakfast prepared by Freddie's family, our friends Austin and Danie joined us in Payson and we bundled up and headed out to go sledding. We spent a couple hours on the hill going down in pairs, going off ramps, racing, going down slides, and swinging on the playground. It was like all us twenty-somethings became ten-years-old again.
After sledding, we all met with Freddie's parents and enjoyed a very delicious lunch. It was just the thing we needed after working our bodies sore for about two hours in the cold. When lunch was over and we went back to the cabin, I laid down for a nap and ended up sleeping for three hours! A nap was definitely needed.
After the nap, we played video games, ate pizza, and played Cards Against Humanity while we spun some records. Most of us were anti-alcohol from the night before, so we filled our bodies with water and soda and exhaled laughter and warmth for each other.
Strawberries: Sledding, delicious food, and playing games with people who understand your weird sense of humor.

Fri, Jan. 2 - I didn't get very much sleep the night before, so I ended up staying in bed and sleeping until around noon. While I was sleeping, all of our friends had left, so just Freddie and Noah and myself were left with Freddie's parents. We went to lunch with them at a country club and enjoyed another delicious meal.
When we got back to the cabin, we loaded up the car and headed home. On our way home, Freddie stopped along the side of the road to snap some photos of the mountainside. We listened to Fleet Foxes and I sang harmony at the top of my lungs. We got back into the valley and dropped Noah off at his home and then Freddie and I went back to his home. He worked on editing photos, I worked on blogging, and we got dinner at Paradise Bakery.
Strawberries: Sleeping in, singing along to Fleet Foxes, and watching your friend do something he loves.

Sat, Jan. 3 - Freddie and I got brunch at Butterfield's. I know I've been raving about food this post, but I've seriously been enjoying some delicious food so far this year and Butterfield's didn't disappoint. We talked about ideas for our business and discussed ways that we could make those ideas happen.
After brunch, we headed back to his place so I could help him clean. Freddie has a LOT of stuff, so we went through and decided what to keep and what to get rid of. We throw out expired food, old clothes he was never gonna wear again, and cleaned around the house.
After cleaning up Freddie's place, I headed out to hang out with my friend Mario. Mario is in a band that I am helping out with shows, so it was cool to hang out with him and talk music, life, and what it's like to be eighteen for him and twenty-four for me.
Strawberries: Brunch with your best friend, helping a friend de-clutter their home, and visiting a new friend.

Sun, Jan. 4 - After a hectic week of not really being home, I spent the day mostly in my room. I did laundry, so all my clothes were clean and folded away. I organized my records, cleaned up my desk, and put away all my Christmas and birthday things that were lying around.
One thing I noticed today is how long my nails have grown. I have been biting my nails for twenty-four years and I resolved to stop biting this year. Since taking anti-depressants recently, I haven't felt the urge to bite. It is such a relief to look at my fingers and actually SEE fingernails!
Strawberries: Having a place to call home, tidying up to prepare for the busy week, and kicking an old habit.

Strawberry Sundays: Birthdays & Concerts

Every Sunday, I recap the prior week and recognize the beautiful things in my life, or the "strawberries" as I like to call them, because strawberries are my favorite fruit. For the first "Strawberry Sunday" I am starting three days ago to my birthday.

Fri, Dec. 26 - I had lunch with my grandmother, shopped at Urban Outfitters and Zia Records, visited my friend Jared at Handlebar, and then came home to prepare for my party.
When I got home, I found that my parents had gone ALL OUT on my birthday! They decorated the house with streamers and balloons, made a photo slideshow on the TV, made me a cookie cake, and my dad made homemade beer for the party. It was so sweet to know that they devoted so much time and care to make sure I felt special on my birthday.
A bunch of my friends came. We played Cards Against Humanity, drank drinks, listened to music, and stated our gratefuls. I got perfume from Mia, a Paul McCartney DVD from Ryan, a cassette tape bottle opener from Nate, some music from Jason and Ted and Gabe, some beautiful printed photos from Freddie, a drawn picture from Michelle, and a portable record player from my dad.
Strawberries: Parents who make you feel special, friends who let you know just how much they care about you, and celebrating turning 24 with some of my favorite people.

Sat, Dec. 27 - I started my evening by dining at the new Culinary Dropout in Tempe alone. Sometimes I enjoy dining alone so I can catch up on social media and emails without worrying about devoting attention to another person. This time was nice, because my server was actually someone I knew, so it made the experience more enjoyable.
After dinner, I headed to The Duce for my friend Ryan's graduation party. I've known Ryan since my second semester of college when we studied audio recording together. Now five years later, our friendship has grown (mostly over music) and it's so great to see him graduating college with his degree in journalism. He's worked really hard and to see this achievement warmed my heart.
After his party, I headed to Scottsdale to see my friends Jared & the Mill play opening night at a new venue called Livewire. The boys have been on tour for most of the year, so whenever they play in town I always try to go see them.
Strawberries: Dinners alone, celebrating a friend's achievement, and enjoying music made by my friends.

Sun, Dec. 28 - Today was my baby sister's first birthday. It's been such a blessing being able to watch Madeline grow up over the past year. She has brought so much joy to my life, especially now that I live in her home. Her first birthday party was filled with love and warmth and everyone who came radiated love for her.
After her party, I headed out to Crescent Ballroom to play trivia with Freddie, and then we enjoyed the music of Courtney Marie Andrews, a lady whose music I have loved since high school. She's another musician I try to see every time she's in town now that she lives in Seattle.
Strawberries: Celebrating my sister's first birthday, being able to watch her grow over the past year, and listening to Courtney perform live another time.

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.

24 Things to Welcome in 24

Spotify Playlist: 24 Things to Look Forward to in 24

1. More hugs
2. Taking care of myself
3. Finding a way to feel at home no matter where I am
4. Travel more
5. Walking away when I need to
6. People who encourage and support me
7. Knowing when to say "no"
8. Knowing when to say "yes"
9. Writing my own stories
10. Earning an income by building playlists
11. A new car
12. Learning to cook
13. Writing more letters
14. Recording more music
15. Getting closer to God
16. Rebuilding a vinyl collection
17. Teaching my baby sister music
18. Feeling loved and appreciated
19. Getting my identity and family patched together
20. Wearing more dresses
21. Being a hub for local music community
22. Taking more pictures
23. Coffee dates with friends
24. Being a person that is so blessed and happy, that I can inspire others to do the same.

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.

24WARD: Seattle

24WARD: Things to Look Forward to When I'm 24

Part Three: Seattle

Earlier this year, I made the crazy decision to travel to Seattle all by myself with no agenda, no plans to hangout with friends, and no place to stay. While it was completely abrupt and spontaneous, it was one of the best moments of my life, and really opened my eyes to the world outside the hot desert life in Phoenix.

Occasionally, I think of Seattle and yearn to go back and send more time and meet new people. My time there was short, and I want to do some more exploring. I just needed a good excuse to escape again.

Enter Kinsey.

Kinsey is a friend of Freddie's and has been in their friend group since junior high. She moved to Seattle a while ago, and has since kept in close contact with some of her friends, Freddie being one of them. When Freddie and I dated, he kept telling me, "You guys would get along so well. I really hope you can meet her someday soon."

Kinsey and I had begun messaging back and forth and she informed me she would be visiting Arizona for two weeks during the Thanksgiving holiday!  I was so excited to meet her and spend so much time with her.

There's no way to describe my relationship with Kinsey. I feel like we are soul sisters; like we were best friends in a past life and when we met, it was like we were catching up right where we left off. We love the same music, have the same sense of humor, think the same. Freddie was right.

As soon as we met, she asked, "So, when are you moving to Seattle?"
I wish it were that easy. I told her if I had a job, I'd consider packing up and living there for a year or so, just to escape the frenzy of Phoenix.

So, until I finally make the decision to move up north, I will visit.

I'm sitting at my laptop, researching flights to Seattle for the third weekend of January. And I could easily afford it, without stress of getting behind. So, I ask my parents, "Should I do it?"
And they told me not to hesitate. Book that flight!

So, it's happening. I will leave for Seattle when I get off work on Friday, January 16th and I will spend all day Saturday, Sunday and Monday there and return home Monday night.
And I will be staying with Kinsey. And we will explore record stores and go to a show and grab some brunch and play in the rain and drink coffee and alcohol and sing Hozier until the cops are called.

And I couldn't be more excited.

Here's to visiting my favorite city to visit my soul sister.