Abduct Yourself!

On April 25th, Invisible Children is asking everyone to go and be a part of the Rescue.  Invisible Children is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing the abducted children of Northern Uganda from Joseph Kony's rebel army, the LRA.  These innocent children are taken in the middle of the night, and are forced to fight in a twenty-three year long war.  Please, watch this video, sign up for the Rescue, and be the change you want to see in the world.  Three-thousand children remain un-rescued, and hundreds are abducted by the minute. Help Invisible Children reach their goal of Peace in Uganda.  There are many places in the world where the Rescue is taking place, from Ireland (cough cough molly) to many cities in the United States, so please do your part.

http://therescue.invisiblechildren.com/en/#/watch/

Multi-Sensory Aesthetic Experience

In a small room glowing with christmas lights, and cluttered with bodies, and vintage knick knacks, mae begins to play.  They do not disappoint. 

This weekend was one I will remember forever, for many reasons.  

On friday, Rachel, Courtney and I left the dorms with nothing but our luggage, a three pound bag of gummi bears, and the hopes of hanging out with Mae.  We were told by our friend Matt to take a candle to Mae, and drop his name, and that we were guaranteed to hang out with them.  We were thrilled, and could not wait.  We bought a candle, decorated it, and bought a card because it was dave's (the lead singer) birthday the day before.

         

Courtney Seto and her gummies      The candle we bought (it smelled like apple)

 

  (yea no explanation needed)

We arrived in Waterbury CT around 3:30.  Her mom had ordered us pizza, which has to be the most delicious pizza I have ever had.  We talked with her mom, grandma, and sister.  I felt comfort, it was nice to be at a home, even if it wasn't mine.  

We ate, got ready, and hoped in Rachel's explorer, Ponce De Leon, and drove to The Space.  It was a pretty easy drive, except for that dreaded servoss street.  Google maps said it would be two miles down the road, but it happened to be five.  After a few turn arounds we finally found servoss street, and were even closer to our destination.  We arrived at The Space, and ran inside, away from the rain.  Oh yea and don't worry, the three pound gummi bears came with us...everywhere.

The Space had so much charm, but it was crowded with teeny boppers.  We tried to ignore that fact.  There were three bands that played before Mae.  The first was tired and true.  They were good. Typical local band, but they had the hottest, shortest drummer I have ever seen.  Next was The Ghost Sonata.  Very unique sound, amazing singer, I really enjoyed them, but they are way better in person than on their myspace.  Then Forget Paris came on.  They are really catchy and good.  I like, especially the eye candy of a lead singer.  Sorry Kory.  

Tired and True     The aforementioned drummer

The Ghost Sonata

 

Forget Paris

Then, finally the moment we all were waiting for, Mae took the stage.  I was literally one person away from Dave.  They were amazing, just as good if not better in person.  They played an amazing set.  A good mix of old and new.  They opened with their new song, "the house that fire built," which is basically their mission statement for their new project- 12 songs. 12 months. 1 goal. Make a difference.- in which they are raising money by releasing a new song every month which can be downloaded for one dollar.  Every dollar made will go straight to their fund to build a house for habitat for humanity.  

But what more can I really say.  I wish you all were there.  I'm going to shut up now, and let you listen to some videos (their not much for the eye, but they are nice on the ears, and good for the soul.)

 

 After the show we gave the candle to dave.  He seemed confused at first but then it clicked.  He got side tracked with some fans, we waited patiently, and after most of the place cleared out we got to talk to them.  We took some pictures with mae, oh and rob from tokyo (which is also an amazing band!)

Jacob- drummer from Mae Zack- guitarist from Mae

Dave- lead singer and guitarist of Mae 

oh and rob from Tokyo, who accompanied Mae on the piano.

We left a little bummed that we didn't get to eat dinner with them, but excited that we got to see them, and talk to them in person.  I mean how many chances does anyone have to meet and talk face to face with as big a band as Mae, let alone see them in such an intimate venue.  It was an amazing weekend.  

"Did you know how you would move us, did you know? When the lights first came upon us, and we saw the everglow, and the moments magic swept us away."

-Mae

Oh and guess what? I get to play on the same stage as Mae on june 11!  I'll keep you posted.

Useless progress

www.graphicpoetry.com

What my frustration boils down to:

connections

dreams

musicians

differences

school

I don't know why I'm letting it bother me. You meet amazing people in your life, and then try to pursue a connection. But for some unknown x factor, the connection is not taken to the next level, even though all compatibility points towards "go."  

Whether it be age difference, status difference, lack or proximity, or bad timing, things just don't work out.  

It has always frustrated me to no end...when you know you could be such great friends, such good companions with one person, but for some reason the other person just doesn't see it.  

I find it ironic and intrinsically sad.

How unfortunate it is that you will cross paths with people in your life, that you could have been really close with...but you won't, and your life will never be how you dreamed it could be, and who will ever know what your life could have been.

I'm afraid I'm only making useless progress.

but I'm fighting to move forward...I just don't want my doubts to stand in the way of my dreams.

Big Brother Is Watching Us

www.aclu.org/pizza/

Scary.  Let's hope Obama does not let this happen.

The Fear of apathy, the Love of everything else

www.graphicpoetry.com

Today I woke with fear in my mind, and apathy in my heart.  I'm afraid of my present, and my future.  I realized today of all the work I have to complete, of the essay I still have to write, and the application I still have to fill out.  I realized how apathetic I've been with my school work. And then I realized- what if I fail?  What if I don't write a good enough essay? What if I don't apply soon enough? What if I don't get accepted and I can't transfer?  What if I fail my classes here? What if I never figure it out?

Wake up call: What if all of this worrying I have been doing has been all for nothing, and I don't have a choice?  I stood at the bathroom sink and realized how helpless I feel.  I lost control, and the fear took over.

Does all this mean I care? Yes I do, but I have to find a way out of my apathetic heart, and stop being a bystander in my own life.

I need to wake up, rise above my urge to nap, and apply myself, so that whatever the outcome, I can say I tried to control whatever part of my life I am in control of.

I miss the days of being a child, laying in my bed under the soft light glowing off of my four dark walls, as my mom read my favorite book to me.  I miss the carefree days of spending hours with my sister doing everything, and nothing at the same time.  I miss the hours spent in school with my friends, and the feeling of walking through the doors of my house in the late afternoon, greeted by dogs, by my sister, by my mom and dad.  I miss the lazy summer days, soaking up the sun, and wearing nothing on my feet.  I miss the times when I had all the time to write in the world, and none of the ambition.  I miss those days that seemed to last forever, and would often complain of boredom.  I'd trade anything to return to those days, my past, my years spent in the comfort of my home.  If I could go back and give myself one piece of advice I'd say, "Hold on. What's the rush? Hold on to these moments, once you leave you can't go back."

I'm mainly confused.  I'm partly afraid.  I'm a bit apathetic.  I'm definitely exhausted.  I'm completely nostalgic.  I'm so in love.  I'm sick of growing older.  I'm really homesick.  I'm extremely independent.  I'm starting anew.  I'm two hundred miles away from my support system, but I'm determined to make it through this, even if it is on my own.

This is my battalion of truth...and it is only beginning.

“It couldn't have happened anywhere but in little old New York.”

This past weekend I went with my friend Rachel to New York City.  We met up with her friend Courtney who goes to Fordham in Brooklyn.

I took my first train ride into the city! I honestly don't know why I was so excited but hey now I can say I've traveled by train.  The scenery on the ride was so beautiful, but it was hard to stay awake, one- because I went to bed at four in the morning the night before, and two- because the smooth motion of the train lulled me to sleep.  Here is the pretty view from the train, and Rachel passed out next to me:     

             

We got to grand central and I of course immediately began taking pictures like an obnoxious tourist: 

We pretty much spent the day doing nothing, but that's the best part of New York City, you could spend all day there, do nothing, and never be bored.  

Only in new york city can you go into the subway and have your ears harassed by the sounds of an electric violinist covering britney spears's "Oops I did it again."  Only in New York City can you go to the Met and get in for free, and then get hit on by a middle-aged security guard.  Only in New York City can you see pre-teens obliterated off their asses in grand central station. Only in New York City can a girl survive on fifteen dollars. Only in New York City can you see all races, all social statuses, all ages thriving and surviving as one.  

"The present in New York is so powerful that the past is lost."

Thought:

"Realizing that you have your own problems and issues that only you can solve is half the battle- the other half is being able to have the mental, physical, and emotional will power to change what you need to change to feel good about yourself."