Pages

Thursday, December 12, 2013

My Favorite Music Lately

      I like to say that I like pretty much every genre. Seriously. One minute I can be listening to Christian rap the next classical music and then on to country. It really depends on my mood. I have listened to the Christian songs I grew up on, hymns, folk, indie, rock (very little of that), and many other types of music. However, in these past few months as I've made more and more finds of absolutely favorite artists, the music I listen to falls into only a few genres. While I still like most genres, I don't listen to all of them anymore, only occasionally touching in on something like country.
     Lately the music I listen to falls into groups of people/ a genre. The group of people I listen to the most is Jenny and Tyler, The Vespers, and Lyric Everly (if you're not counting my obscure amount of hours racked up by listening to Lord of the Rings/ The Hobbit soundtrack in the background of sleeping and school haha). In the category of Jenny and Tyler and The Vespers, I'm still trying to find artists I like. Other "categories" I listen to:
  • Sara Bareilles, Jason Mraz, Christina Perri
  • The Piano Guys and 2Cellos
  • Lord of the Rings Soundtrack (far too much than is healthy haha), The Hobbit soundtrack, Enya
  • Classical music
  • Taylor Swift- I'm falling back in love with her music. :)
  • And of course I listen to Jenny and Tyler, The Vespers, and Lyric Everly- a lot.
  • Oh, and I discovered Steam Punk Giraffe, which is really good. I was bummed to miss their concert in Michigan.
     If you have any other suggestions for music you think I'd like, let me know! :D Maybe someday I'll share some of my favorite music in lists. Just recently picked up some fun list journals, but sh.. more about that this weekend. ;)

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Living the Dreamy Life

     A year ago all I wanted was the awesome lifestyle of the artsy people. You know, the one where people listen to indie music, make some of their own, make art all day, and drink lots of coffee/tea. Maybe write some poetry, go to lots of concerts, and wear bohemian style clothes. Some things, like tea, I drank because I wanted that crazy eclectic lifestyle. Although, I must say tea was always in our house for when we were sick, but I have been drinking more often because I actually love some kinds of it. There's just something about drinking a cup of tea in the morning or when it's really cold that makes the day oh so much more romantic. So, drinking tea is something I actually like. As is indie music, but that's another story for another day.
     This past year has been a huge growing year of becoming myself and living a lifestyle that is amazing. I don't want to live a fun, eclectic lifestyle just to be different. I just want to be me without thinking of how others want me to be me, if that makes sense. I've noticed over the past few years that it isn't doing the things that makes life so dreamy. One can pass through life and not notice how amazing it is that we get to do things like drink tea while snuggled in a pile of blankets. ;) It's noticing those things and being thankful that brings the real joy. I've realized that though I've sought after all my life to live that dreamy life, I have one right here, right now!
     We just recently moved to a new house, and all those rooms I would dream of romantically are here in this house! We have a lovely cedar sunroom that is just a touch too cold right now, though I look forward to sitting in it lots come spring. As I wait for spring, I'm trying to use the sunroom as often as possible. I had devotions out there the other day when it wasn't quite that cold, and it was so quiet, set apart from the rest of the house. The sunroom is quite large (300sq ft!) with lots of light. :) It's exactly what I've dreamt of all my life.
     A fireplace room also adorns our house. It's so cozy down there, though the fireplace is gas so not much heat is given off. :( We could switch it to the original wood fireplace, if we wanted to, and my parents have talked about doing that. We also have a formal dining room. And I have my own room again! It's quite large, with a very big closet that stretches across an entire wall. The exciting thing is that I can have all my books in one room. All of them on display across one big wall. (sigh with happiness). So now I have the sunroom I always dreamed about doing devotions in while sipping tea, and a fireplace to read books by in the winter. Our piano is going to be tuned, and Christmas is coming up! :D
     A few months ago, I certainly felt like I was living the dreamy life, with the music I was listening to, and the art I was making. But I realize that even now I have so much to be thankful for! And I am indeed living a rather dreamy life. Homework has been going splendidly. Each night I get to curl up and read a bit more of the Inferno by Dante. I've been reading far more classics (says the girl that just took a few weeks break from them to read a bunch of YA romancs :P haha). In all honesty, I'm very excited for the coming months. My biggest focus is my school work, but I also just recently won NaNoWriMo (!!!!!!!!!!!), which I will talk about some other time. :) My job has been going splendidly. I'm slowly getting back into wearing dresses and skirts more often (I took a break from those as well, wearing jeans all the time :P).  I have been building new friendships, and spending more time with the ones that matter.
     I took a few short months break from everything I really love  (the music, thanking God for everything :(, wearing loads of skirts, doing lots of homework, reading good books, ect.), and became incredibly lazy just relaxed. It was nice, but now I'm ready to attack everything with far more vigor. It is much more exciting and enjoyable to be living with the mindset of thanking God for everything. Therefore, I will be continuing my forgotten list of One Thousand Gifts. I won't put them up here but do know that I am in the 800s, hence why I won't attempt catching up for the world (or my nonexistent readers haha).
     The biggest thing I've learned this year is that living a dreamy life isn't about doing all those things that are considered dreamy or romantic, but it's how we view life. We are so blessed, and if we only train our mind to look at life that way, then we would be rather happy. Of course, I slip up all the time and don't live according to how I know I will be happiest. Meaning I don't always live entirely for God, and as a result, when I'm not, I'm in a rather sour mood.

     So over all it isn't doing things differently, it's just the way you paint the picture, just the way you view it. :)