Tuesday Randomness

Welcome to my brain. It's a big mish-mash of thoughts today, so I thought I'd empty my head into this little blog. And while I'm at it, here's a random photo to go along with it. I snapped this high-quality mirror picture while in Flagstaff this past weekend while battling snow, ice and insane winds...but thankfully I packed for it. So grateful for that scarf right there- its warmth was my saving grace.

- I want to have a million babies. Hank will cringe while reading this- he is in the two-will-compromise-at-three camp and I am in the eight or nine camp. Uh what? Totally kidding. But really, to me there is nothing better than being a Mom and I'd love to have a whole house full of wild little things. Three I think. Maybe four. Although perhaps we should start with two...

- I don't like peplum tops. Maybe my shoulders are too broad but they look ridiculous on me.

- I don't know how I was ever vegan. Today shredding cheese for Henry's lunch turned into eating cheese straight from the block and I think a little part of me died from happiness. I'm so obsessed with Gouda cheese and I can't imagine life without it.

- I constantly go through this weird thing with the internet, maybe everyday, where I feel like I share too much. Then I don't care. Then I feel like I should share even more in order to be 100% genuine. Then I kind of do, then I feel uncomfortable because it's strange to have so many people read what you write. And then I write something like this and feel totally boring because really, no one cares. Make sense? And on a side note, any and every time I write about blogging I tell myself not to do it again...but then I inevitably do. 

- I think about getting pregnant with a second baby all of the time. I'm so, so excited for this to happen but then I think about having another c-section and I have this strange fear of of that needle in my back. If I think about it too much I get the chills and feel like I'm going to throw up. Weird that the needle is scarier to me than the surgery but that's where my mind goes.

- Recently I've realized that I need certain simple things to make me feel my best. I have no idea why it took me this long to really get it, but whatever, at least I now know, right? Specifically, I need to get at least eight hours of sleep, drink water all day long, avoid sugar, do straight cardio a few times a week, and read more than I watch television. It's so interesting to look back on periods of my life when I felt out of whack physically, and I was always missing one of these components. It can be hard to be successful in every single area but the more I focus on it, the better I feel.

- I've been writing this post on what makes me truly happy after being inspired by The Happiness Project and it's seems like the most simple thing but it's SO eye opening. Hank and I had the longest discussion the other night about what makes us happy, both separately and together, and I think it was such a good "couples" thing to do. I've been with the guy for over eight years so it's kind of rare to learn something totally new, but I feel like they're the best little surprise gems ever and doing this I got a couple of them. Maybe I'll share more about this later.

- I find Calliou to be insanely annoying. This is a bold statement, but he just might be the most annoying kid's TV character to ever exist. Dora is a close second of course, but Calliou takes the cake, at least in my book! Not in Henry's though, the kid LOVES him!

Perfect Albums

The other day I was talking with Shirley and her husband Nate when the topic of the "perfect album" came up. I'm sure we all have some of these in our lives- certain albums that we love from start to finish. No skipping songs, no getting tired of the beginning or end- just a perfect album with an ideal grouping of songs.

I love all kinds of music, but for some reason when Fall hits I always seem to get a little more nostalgic and listen my favorite records more than usual. Maybe it has something to do with that familiar feeling Autumn brings, or remembering going back to school in late August and September, but whatever it is I always seem to gravitate to the music I loved most in high school and college.

And as far as perfect albums, I have a few. Here are the four that came to my mind right away when thinking about it.

1. Jimmy Eat World's Clarity

I can still remember when I first heard this album. I was a freshman in college, dating a guy who was super into J.E.W. He played this album for me one night while we were hanging out and I fell in love with it upon first listen of the song "Table For Glasses." From there it was on my car's CD player and in my Discman (ha!) every single day on the way to class, and every night before I went to bed. I also have a vivid memory of driving home in a blizzard with Shirley, maybe sophomore year up in Flagstaff, listening to "Ten." I can still remember how quiet it was as we drove through all of that white, the music just barely in the background.

2. The Gaslight Anthem's Sink or Swim

This is probably my most favorite album of all time and it's another one of those bands I heard so much about but didn't listen to for one reason or another. One summer before my family and I left for our East Coast trip (I think it was 2007), Erin told me I just had to download some Gaslight Anthem to listen to while traveling.  She had been trying to get me to listen to them for a few months and always told me how much I would love them. From being from New Jersey like me, having meaningful lyrics chock full of literary and Springsteen references, and dreamy vocals, she said this would be my new favorite band. She was right. I downloaded Sink or Swim and turned it on once we got on the plane...and was enthralled for the entire six hours. And I still am today.

3. Jets to Brazil's Orange Rhyming Dictionary

I had been a Jawbreaker fan in high school and really liked them, but they weren't my absolute favorite. I did love Blake's voice though, so when they formed Jets To Brazil it was as if a tiny little musical wish of mine had been answered. When I first heard Orange Rhyming Dictionary I was also in college and hanging out a lot with an old friend of mine who shared similar musical interests. Our main group of choice was Sunny Day Real Estate (The Pink Album is forever a favorite) but when he put on "Sweet Avenue" one afternoon I was sold. That song remains as one of my all-time favorites but the entire album in particular is definitely one of my "perfect album" choices.

4. Modern Life is War's Witness

Oh, Modern Life is War. Such a good band, but this is really the only album from them that I love. It's perfect to me though, and from beginning to end it totally speaks to me. It reminds me of being younger and driving around with Hank- we both just related to this album so much during that time. I still listen to it now and again, and it never fails to make me feel a bit of happy-nostalgia, but at the same time it also makes me incredibly sad. Two years after it was released one of our best friends passed away and this was the album I listened to non-stop during that time. It's a little hard to listen to some days, but it's also therapeutic to me and I'm so appreciative I had it during that time.

Some other albums I love from beginning to end: Dr. Dre's 2001, Broadway Call's self-titled album, and Third Eye Blind's self-titled album.

How about you? I think it's fascinating to see what others call "perfect albums." Feel free to post about it in your blog (be sure to leave me a link so I can check it out), or share a list in the comments! xoxo