Well Then...

Hey everyone(All 4 of you C: )
Once again, I've decided to take another stab at this blogging deal. I found out I might get to blog for Cornerstone so I decided I better dust off my writing.
So where have I been? School. Church. New friends. IAC. Taking pictures. But all that in good time. I could write really long posts about all of those, and I'm sure I will in due time.
Tomorrow and Thursday are my finals for this semester. In light of that, I got home last night and wrote a list of summer goals. I'm giving you all permission to kick my butt into gear if I fail at these.
Summer 2011
-Write something, even one line, every day.
-Blog once a week.
-Read more books from Summit.
-Play violin at last one a week.
-Play piano at least every other day.
-Learn more about shooting with 35mm film.
-Build a TLR and a Battlefield.
-Organize great shows.
-Listen to two or more podcasts a week.
-Make something at least once a week.
-Shoot no less than one roll of film in my pinhole camera a month(May, June, July).
-Hand write one letter a week.
-Get prints made and start developing a portfolio.
-Start getting rid of excess stuff.
-Sight read/ear train (Music theory stuff) once a week.
-No less than 150 situps a week(Someone dared me to this, so thats why it's in here.)
-Celebrate my birthday, since I'll actually be home.
-Have a bonfire or two.
-Add to the collage on my bedroom wall.
-Meet more Arrows(I'll explain that later).
-Contact LPHS and OTHS about job shadowing(Guidance Counselor. Heck yeah, I changed my major again.)
-Save no less than 10% or every paycheck.
-Find an effective way to save digital photo files to hardcopy.
-Build Rodney's girlfriend.
-Street art(Huge rasterbated photos, knitted graffiti, etc.)
-Work on my pseudo-fiction piece at least once a week.
-Spend a day in Chicago.

Sounds pretty do-able, right? Only one way to find out!

Beauty, To Me.

3.11.10
You're probably going to think I'm weird for calling this beautiful, but it is.
Let me back up.
I go to a big music festival called Cornerstone, and 3 years ago, I fell in love with the punk rock scene/movement, and I identify myself with it.
Yes, the mohawks, spikes, studs, patches...I love it all. Even though its often looked down upon as a group with angst, hatred, and anarchism, there is so much more to it if you take the time to look.

I'm also a follower of Jesus Christ.
(Wait, what? You can be both?)
And I find some of the punk rock Christians to be some of the most passionate people I've ever seen in my life.
This is Nate from FBS, reading from the Bible, live on stage.

And this is their drummer, Andrew.

I was walking around at the fest and made my way to Fat Calf stage, where a church service had just ended. But it was far from over. Andrew was standing near the stage with a young man, and what I saw will stay with me forever. Andrew had one arm around the guy, and the other was emphatically gesturing to show his passion. Both of them had their eyes closed. I stood close and watched(*cough* eavesdropped *cough*)as Andrew prayed for this guy.
I can honestly say I dont think I've ever seen anyone pray with such fervor. I wish I could just replay for you a few seconds of the minute or so I watched God using a dirty, 'angsty' punk like Andrew to change lives. That was beautiful.

And this.

Flatfoot 56 has been so influential in my walk with God. I wait all year for these 5 minutes right here(There are 99 days left till this year's Amazing Grace sing-a-long)
Let me explain why I love it.

Its midnight, and you've spent all day in the hot sun and the dirt and the dust, but you've got enough energy left in you for this one show. You spend all night running in the pits and helping up the people who fall. You're sweaty and gross, and so are the other 200 people crammed in this tent. Then, you know its coming. You put your arms around the people next to you, and chances are, they're big, burly guys that you've never met in your life, and you're just a little 17 year old girl. Their sweat is mixing with yours, and dripping off your elbow. The the entire place goes quiet in anticipation. The bagpipes drone, and then the first few notes of Amazing Grace are distinguishable. And you sing. You, the guys next to you, the guys on stage, your mom who came to try to understand why you love this so much, and every punk rock kid that some "Christians" would say are going to Hell for that haircut. You sing from your gut, and you dont even care if you hit a wrong note, because there is such a presence of God right there, that all you can do its sing.

I cant help but nearly cry every time I watch this video, because in some way, I think that's really how God intended us to be. Close, intimate, passionate, and all for Him. Maybe the sweat isnt so cute. Maybe the heat doesnt make you look so pretty. But a close encounter with God?
That is truly beautiful.

The First of Many About Fishsticks & Milk

1.14.10
I'm doing lots of thinking today...I think.
Fishsticks & Milk has officially made me an officer of their non-profit organization. Along with that, they asked me to be in charge of a show. Today we finally got the date and one of the bands pulled out. But I'm getting off topic.
I love telling people the story about how I joined F&M, but every time I do, I'm afraid that I come across as bragging. I had the privilege of donating some money to them, and I love telling that part. Not because I want people to think I'm a good person! But simply because it felt so good to contribute toward something like F&M because they're doing what I want to be doing. I tell the story to share my joys and my passions. Not to boost how someone views me. It feels like a rock and a hard place. The other day Tyler asked me how they could ever thank me for what I do for them(Which honestly isn't much!) And this is what I said. "Give kids a place where they can be distracted from the pain in their lives. I place where they can just forget their pain, be happy, and be a kid."
That's why I support them, That's why I tell the story. I don't want the story to be about how I'm such a "great person." I want the story to me about a bunch of college kids who are giving kids a place to go. Who are giving back. Who are making real change. And that's something to be taken seriously.

Please Support Me?

So this Friday, the 13th, I'm playing a battle of the bands at the Total Rec in Streator. I'm playing against four other bands and i really need everyone possible to come out and support me.
I havent played a show since July, and if I make it through this round, I get to play another show on New Years which is honestly as good as winning! Please come help me!

Its not about the grand prize, I just want to play!

Show starts at 6:30!

So if you're coming...
-Be Ridiculous. Wear facepaint, dance, make t shirts(or buy one from me! I can make you one for about $10!), bring signs...whatever!
-Scream and cheer very loud after every song!
-Sing along! Even if you dont know the words, you can pick up on the choruses!
-BRING YOUR FRIENDS!


Thanks so much, everyone! I love you!