J.V.

"If you work really hard, and you’re kind, amazing things will happen." -Conan O'Brien

Listening to:

Helena Beat - Foster, the People

Ditmas - Mumford & Sons

Someone Else - Miley Cyrus

Lean On - Major Lazer & DJ Snake

Background story. Jac Vanek is a girl who I used to envy. She was a simply a girl who got out of the Orange County bubble of cheerleader bows and popularity, and got to live a life fueled by her love of music. She started out as a photographer, blogger, writer, designer, really anything she could think of to get involved in the male-dominated world of music business. She made her big break starting her own clothing company that all began with simple rubber bracelets with a word or short saying printed on it - I had two - "Trainwreck" (Demi of course) and "Stalker" (a gift from my good friend Taylor, my fellow band stalker). Basically she got into the music business and became friends with all the bands that I wished I could hang out with. As I said... envy. Anyways, she posted this the other day on her blog, and I wanted to share it.

Now I envy her for her words and her wisdom. Jac has a blog, that she doesn't update too often, but when she does she says some pretty neat things. This stuck out to me the other day. I saw her post it on her Instagram and I instantly took a screenshot. I don't write this blog to get all ooey-gooey deep thoughts blah blah bloggy on you. I really keep this thing going so that I have something to do when I'm bored or want to give my online-self/resume a personality. I don't even care if people read this - these posts are something for me to look back on and remember moments and thoughts. But I just wanted to share this passage that Jac wrote, because for me there's something about it that's so true and essential to the way we are as humans. The past is a terrifying place to be stuck in. It's full of memories, both good and bad, and when we get stuck dwelling in those memories, we just end up stuck in a place we were, unable to get to where we are supposed to be. No lie, I've been stuck. I'm guilty of creating this "distorted version of reality," holding on to that one little twisted tale that led me right back into the past. And there's nothing wrong with holding onto a good memory, but the best part of a memory is that it's just that, and there are so many more to make if we can get past the past. I love these words - "The only way to let go of this self fulfilling black hole of shit is with a burning desire to chase the good around us with brave eyes and a kind heart."

This chick is smart, and has a great taste in music. And she has really cool handwriting. So before I get all ooey-gooey on you, just check out her website and blog. There's some pretty cool clothes and goodies on there too. But really, J.V., I don't think you could have put it any better, so thank you for being so wise and cool and stuff.

Back & Better Than Ever

I'm only freaking out a little bit. Mumford released this song to the public and I can strongly say that I love it. It is soooooo different from their old stuff, which is super obvious, THERE IS NO BANJO. But I am digging the style, and I am counting down the days until the new album is released (MAY 4)! So glad Mumford is back...




So I'm at a huge point in my life where I have a bunch of choices to make - what I want to do for work, where I want to live, who I want to surround myself with, etc... I was so lucky in school to make the friends I did, both in college and in high school, because I know these people will have my back forever, but it gets hard when we are separated all over the state/country. It's been a tough, rough few months, but I am excited and feeling like I'm back and ready for whatever is coming my way. I am really pumped to start this new chapter of my life and start meeting people that are going to help me grow in the professional world. I'm still trying to figure everything out, but all I can do is go up from here and I couldn't be more excited!

Rush Hour Shuffle

So today I was driving home from work, I left at 5:00, setting myself up for an hours worth of sitting in traffic. People keep saying "you'll get used to it" or "it's not that bad." Those people are psychos. I would rather be doing so much more than sitting in a never ending line of cars and people who don't know how to drive them. Anyways, the only way I can breathe and calm myself down to keep from clawing my eyes out on this daily commute is to put my iPhone songs on shuffle and see where it leads me.

I'm a huge music junkie, and if you know me, you might call me a huge music geek. I love songs, the words, the music, the voices, all of it. It's just always kinda spoke to me and has always kinda said what I need to say when I can't (I'm awful with words, which is ironic because I'm blogging...) So anyways, I thought it would be fun to keep track of the songs that come on my shuffle. My personal rule is to try to not push skip too often, unless it's like Miss New Booty or something awful like that. But yeah, maybe this is a lame little mini post, but it's my blog and I can do whatever the heck I want. Here's my shuffle playlist from today:

Let The Good Times Roll - Ben Rector
Shiver - Lucy Rose
Stubborn Love - The Lumineers
Need Your Love - Ellie Goulding
I'm Not the Only One - Sam Smith
Clarity - Zedd
Arithmatic - David Ramirez
I Know Places - Taylor Swift
40 Day Dream - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Valley of Tomorrow - Needtobreathe
Burning Bridges - OneRepublic
Miss You - Foster the People

Recently Downloaded:

English Girls - The Maine
Sweetheart, What Have You Done to Us - Keaton Henson

I always know when a song is good by one of two things:
1. When a song makes me remember something that made me happy, those are my favorite songs. I remember certain moments, or people, or stories that go with certain songs, or
2. When you just want to keep playing it over and over on repeat and don't get tired of it because it's just so pretty/catchy/fun/different.

I don't know. I'm a loser. I just love songs & I wish I could sing them pretty-ly like all the pretty singers do.

I went back to highschool.

So, I went back to high school this weekend. To be more exact, I felt like I was back in high school this weekend, and I was the happiest I have been in like... a while.

If you knew me in my good ol' high school days, you should know that I lived at live local shows or at The House of Blues trying to sneak backstage or trying to find the line of vans that all my favorite bands practically lived in. I was a "band groupie," without all of the inappropriate-ness of being a groupie. I was in love with band boys. Obsessed in love. Specifically, the skinny, greasy-haired boys of The Maine. So I totally had a huge fangirl moment this Friday when I got the chance to see my old favorite band for the first time in five years.

My friend Kate and I chose last minute to go to South By So What in Grande Prairie, the knock-off Dallas version of SXSW. Not quite as cool but hey, it was totally worth saving the gas money and the HUGE amounts of money I know we would spend in Austin. So we spent our day at the Quicktrip baseball stadium filled with black hoodied, blue hair'd, way too much eyeliner'd people that we definitely did not fit in with. Kate in her pink flannel and me in my black jeans and crochet top with my flannel around my waist. Rockin' our Vans. We tried at least. But we made the best of it, considering it was sprinkling/raining all day, we just sipped some beers and listened to good music we had never even heard of before. The best part of the day by far was getting to by the meet and greet for The Maine and embarrass myself with how excited I got and my stutter-filled story of how my best friends and I used to be in love with them. They just laughed at me and told me to enjoy the show and my beer. So I did. I loved the whole set, even though I only knew the two old songs they sang. I havent kept up with their new stuff. I was jumping singing along in the rain, I was in high school Gable heaven.

I like high school Gable and the things that made her happy. She was so simple. Good friends, good music, good vibes. You know, there's just something giddy about the atmosphere and the sounds and the people that make these things fun and exciting. It's just different/ what I loved years ago, I just forgot. I want to keep this thing going, soooooo Edgefest (cough cough EScott)?!?!

The Maine (above) & Nick Santino (below)

this is what's cool right now, so..

Currently watching:
Broad City on Comedy Central via Hulu
I literally can't stop laughing. It's like Workaholics but set in New York City and follows two girls just doing whatever the heck they want. Every character (including all the minor ones you meet throughout) are spot on. Watch it.

Currently reading:

Cold Tangerines by Shauna Niequist

This book is "a collection of stories about God, and about life, and about the thousands of daily ways in which an awareness of God changes and infuses everything. It offers bright and varied glimpses of hope and redemption, giving us room to breathe, to break down and break through, calling us to our best possible lives."

-- I highly recommend it. Loving it so far.

Recently downloaded:

• Where Are Ü Now by Skrillex & Diplo Present Jack Ü (feat. Justin Bieber), thanks Brooke
• Lost Stars by Adam Levine
• Shiver by Lucy Rose, thanks Girls - Season 4 ep. 5 "Sit In"

Rediscovered and on repeat:

• Fear of Flying by A Rocket to the Moon; Take me back to highschool again, please.
• Get Back by Demi Lovato, always.