music suggestion music suggestion music

I just found a new favorite song

that I wanted to recommend that everyone listens to!

it's really beautiful and mellow. A great song to relax to.

Plus, the singer was a girl that I went to high school with.

now she's in Nashville trying to start a career.

Haley Shaw, you are so talented!

So, without further adieu

Check out "SING ALONG" (& other songs if you want):

http://www.myspace.com/haleyshawmusic

photo taken from Facebook

The "Other" Blog

Dear (personal-use) Blog,

Please do not get mad, but I have "another" lover blog. It's not as much fun as you, but still, I thought I should come clean. I use it for educational purposes to document my field experiences each semester as an early childhood education major in grad school. You see, I'm in the process of earning a Master of Arts in Teaching degree, and well, bloggering is required for various assignments. I hope we can work this out peacefully.

Love (and forgive me?),
Samantha

p.s. To see this other blog in which I speak of (if for some odd reason you feel like reading about why I want to be a teacher and what goes down in my field experience classrooms...& to see if I am capable of teaching lessons to 30 six year olds without hyperventilating), here's the link to: The "Other" Blog

pinkchampagne&snowflakes

Hey, there! So, my best friend came over to my house to hang out a couple of weeks ago and let's just say...it was much needed girl-time! We split a bottle of pink champagne and had an amazing conversation (mostly about boys, of course).

p.s. How much do you love her scarf?!

Plus, she was able to give me my Christmas present (and omg omg omg) - I loved it! Martini glasses with hand-painted snowflakes? Um, yes please! Thank you so much, bff! Naturally, I took pictures, so you can see these pretty things for yourself:

Resolution Update

Learn Guitar? CHECK! (um, if by "check" I mean: has taken 2 lessons and practiced the G Major scale a few times.)

Keep Room and Car Clean? CHECK! (You honestly would not beliiieve what my bedroom looks like 349.8261774 days of the year and I  w i s h  I had taken a "Before" picture, but alas, I did not so here's a picture of my beautiful (and clean!) (and vaccumed!) room which I vow to maintain for at least another 3 days...)

As for my other resolutions?! Ah heck, who am I kidding? I'm lucky my room got cleaned. All in due time...

Crash and Burn

Black Screen of Death?

So, my laptop decided to commit functional suicide last weekend leaving me internet-less for four whole days. Hence, why I haven't been able to publish any new posts...despite really wanting to. It was tragic! And though I haven't taken my computer in to get fixed yet, I'm using my old laptop for the time being...

Oh, and for everyone else feeling sick right now. Cheers!

...a chaser is so key when taking medicine. ugh, cherry flavoring.

QUESTION/CONFESSION/FACT

Question: How could anyone ever not want to live near the beach?! Yes, I like the mountains for their hiking adventures and think it'd be fun to spend the winter season snowboarding and drinking hot chocolate by fireplaces in log cabins (idealist, much?) but ultimately, the beach is perfection. It's so damn pretty and relaxing and casual and and.....I don't know that I could ever move away from it!

Confession: I live very much in the future, meaning I'm constantly planning and waiting for things to happen rather than enjoying the present moment. In fact, I think the year I turn 25 is going to be my favorite. Why? I have no idea, I just decided that a few years ago and have been waiting for it ever since - I think it's because I'll be out of school, beginning my career, living in an apartment with a puppy, etc...my life will really be starting. Independently, at least.

Fact: The Notebook is the greatest love story of all time! Hmm...technically, that's an "opinion" but it's my blog so I get to make the rules. Fact! p.s. It was on DirectTV this week. Double Fact: I could watch it an infinite amount of times and would still cry  e v e r y  single time.

Bulls-Eye...Pow!

Dear readers,

If there's one thing my friends know about me, it's that I love Target! I repeat, I love Target! In fact, on my days off from work over the summer I almost always went there, despite my total and complete lack of need for anything - I just like browsing the new clothing and checking out the on-sale movies. and buying eyeliner. and nail polish. and knock-off Frye Harness boots. Ooohh, and rhinestone studded snake rings...which is quite possibly the best purchase I made in 2009. and it was only $10! but I'm obsessed with it and get compliments all the time! (If you don't know which ring I'm referring to, it can be seen in my previous blog entitled "Fave Rave" - swingset at the beach picture...ch-ch-ch-check it!)

Anyways, I made a random trip to Target tonight in the attempt to delay going home and ugh! I would be mad at myself if I didn't love my new stuff so darn much. You see, I have a problem. It's seems as though I cannot NOT spend money when I go to Target. I walk in the store and fall in love with everything. So anyways, despite wanting to save my money, my random & spontaneous trip to Target cost me $60.99.

But look what I got(!):

Black Boyfriend Blazer, Fitted V-Neck Tshirt, Knit Hat,

Picture Frames (Set of 10 for $6.25!), & Soup (for dinner)

How cute is this shirt?! Love the tiger!

I've been looking for a cute hat forever...it fits really well, is an interesting color, and has pom-poms! woo!

Love, S

...to bang or not to bang?

I don't have time for a real post right now, but I suddenly have the urge to get a new hairstyle. The problem is...I never get my hair cut because I don't know where to go! Have you ever seen Tabatha's Salon Takeover?! There are some really shitty hairstylists out there...

I've been contemplating bangs for months&months&months and think I'm finally ready to try them out. See, I have a long, oval shaped face which is said to be compatible with any type of bang, but I've always been nervous about them, seeing as how I don't know what they'll look like until it's over. But you know what? It's hair. It'll grow back. & I'm 22 - still young enough to experiment. Now the question is...blunt bangs or long, side-swept ones?? Hmmm...

Here's some styles that I like:

In other words (or lack of words, how 'bout..."in lieu of the photographs") KRISTEN BELL HAS PERFECT HAIR! Yep, I think she just became my hair role model - straight, curly - her bangs are versatile...but blunt or side-swept, blunt or side-swept...the indecision is overwhelming. I mean, she looks bangin' with both. Side-Swept. No, Blunt. There, I did it. Phew...

Inspiratiiion: LIGHTS

I'd like to feature certain people that I admire in my blog from time to time. The first one being: LIGHTS, a Canadian singer/songwriter. Though her electro-pop music is pretty awesome, watching her play acoustic guitar and sing with no editing is what makes me respect her the most...heck, part of the reason I want to learn how to play guitar is because of her (it may also be a little bit of Taylor Swift's fault).

Why I think she's amazing & should switch lives with me (or at least let me be her best friend):

1. She's talented. But not just talented, EPICALLY TALENTED. Jealousy-Inducing-Talented.

2. She plays Keytar and is an avid fan of video games, particulary World of Warcraft.

3. She has seemingly the most unique, genuine, sweet, warm-hearted personality ever.

4. She loves beef jerky. That's just a random fact, but it's endearing somehow.

5. She wears combat boots like no other and cites Lara Croft as her fashion inspiration.

6. She has a weapon wall in her apartment (covered in laser guns and swords) - badass.

7. She has multiple tattoos and long straight black hair that makes me envious.

8. She rocks this whole intergalactic, space theme that reminds me of wanting to be an astronaut as a kid.

9. She's gorgeous!

Basically, I have an immense amount of respect for her and everything she does inspires in me some way. She's not afraid to be herself and doesn't care what others think. She's one of those individuals in life that make you want to strive to be a better person. I don't want to sound dramatic, it's just, she makes me want to embrace what's different about myself instead of trying to fit/blend in with others, create and experience music on a personal level, and so much more that I don't want to list so as not as not to sound like an obsessed fangirl. (but I am. Shhhhh)

Basically, just do yourself a favor and check out her music on these pages:

myspace.com/lights

iamlights.com

youtube.com/lights

 

and then watch this video of her performing "Romance Is" (a cool un-released song played acoustically)

Lights - Romance Is

Luckily for me, she's touring with Owl City in Charleston in February! It's sold out, but I bought tickets during pre-sale, so guess who's going? ME! (crossing my fingers so so tight that I have the opportunity to meet her & get an autograph and picture)

Cupcakes & Glowsticks

This past weekend my sister invited me up to her apartment for a King's Day celebration (aka: justifiable excuse to have a party). I was scheduled to work that evening but found someone to cover my shift so that I could make the 2 hour drive to Columbia to see her. The trip was last-minute and spontaneous - seeing how I usually like to make lists and plan out everything - I was quite impressed with myself for deciding to go.

The dinner my sister cooked for us - Tilapia & Vegetables & Salad

Playing Pong Together

Meeting New People

Having Fun (and yes, that is a glowstick necklace I am wearing)

King's Day Cupcakes

My sister looking comfy while eating breakfast the next morning

So why was this trip significant to me? First, It was my 2nd attempt this year to be more spontaneous and fun-seeking. & secondly, I got to see my sister living on her own in an apartment - cooking healthy meals, cleaning, drinking V8 juice...it was just so inspiring to me. Though jealous of her (I am the older sibling after all, living at home because I go to college in Charleston - which is much more expensive to live in), I can't help but be so so proud of her! She's really got her life together and has such a bright future ahead.

I  l o v e  h e r  s o  m u c h!

New Year, New Goals

So, it's a tad bit late, but I'm finally ready to create my new year's goals. For starters, I feel like I've deprived myself the pleasure of being wild and crazy as a young adult and have decided I want to go out more and not always be so responsible. Therefore, to start the year off right my friends and I went downtown to celebrate at midnight.

Though we all had a lot of fun, my hangover the next day reminded me why I don't drink often, so perhaps next year I'll do something more low key like having friends over. The party must have: crackers & fancy cheeses & flavored champagne & confetticonfetticonfetti.

So what do I want in the year 2010?

• Keep a Blog (and Post Consistently)
• Learn How to Play the Guitar
• Get in Shape (Complete the P90X Workout Program...twice)
• Learn to Dance (Ballet & HipHop. Learning Videos are Fine)
• Keep My Bedroom and Car Clean (instead of them always looking like a level 5 hurricane just hit)
• Improve My Shoe Collection (this one's gonna be fun!)

Wish Me Luck! Love, S

Fave Rave

FACT: No one likes taking pictures of themself more than me. It's true. Which begs the question - What the hell would I do without 10 second timers?!

You see, while visiting my mom for Christmas Break, I stumbled upon a new favorite outfit. Obviously, photographic documentation was necessary so I went on down to the beach and proceeded to stage my very own makeshift photoshoot. (Insert wandering eyes scanning the sand for any approaching humans...all clear? POSE.)

Though quite a basic outfit, I've never really worn a short skirt with tights & boots in the winter (though winter in SC isn't much of a winter at all)...readers, I loved it. Wearing skirts with tights is going to be my new "thing" this year. In fact, I've since bought a fun pair of black patterened tights and even some purple ones.

Also, you may sleep well @ night that if I ever become President, my first act as leader of the country will be to propose a new law making swingsets overlooking the beach m a n d a t o r y. Yes Please and Thank You! Oh what a world it would be...

Love, S