Random ramblings

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Me and my boyfriend, Jeff, are HUUUUGE music lovers (he, more so than I). We love listening to music, going to concerts, and even partaking in music festivals. He has been to multiple festivals all over the country - Bonnaroo about 5 times, Coachella 3, Moogfest 3 times, Wakarusa for a few times and a few others. He's always introducing me to new music and going shopping for vinyls.

Music Midtown is a local music festival that is a two day event and features some pretty amazing acts: Coldplay, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phoenix and more. Just a few stops on the Marta train away, we go to Music Midtown every year. In fact, it was our third date!

Our first year - 2011

Our second year - 2012

Our third year - 2013

For 2011 and 2012, we saw all of the acts on the lineup because they had just two stages with the acts playing every other hour or two. This year, there were more acts and an additional stage so we had to divide our time. We saw both headliners: Journey & Red Hot Chili Peppers, Queens of the Stone Age, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Phoenix, Weezer, 2 Chainz, Tegan & Sara, Arctic Monkeys, Black Lips, North Mississippi Allstars, The Neighbourhood and Reignwolf. Friday was gorgeous weather and the perfect temperature of about 73. Saturday was rain rain rain allllll day and it was probably about 65 degrees. Luckily, from our experience with the Shaky Knees festival earlier this year, we were prepared (that was cold, hard, nonstop rain, but an excellent lineup: pictures below). We got as many corn dogs and funnel cakes as we could and avoided the porta-potties for as long as could and danced all weekend long!

Us in the pouring rain

Meeting Breaking Bad's Aaron Paul, JESSE PINKMAN!

Shaky Knees Lineup for 2013

Back to Music Midtown. It was an incredible festival once again! My favorites were Weezer, Tegan & Sara and Phoenix & Jeff's favorites were Queens of the Stone Age, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Weezer. Can't wait for next year!

Monday, September 23, 2013

Post Secret (week of 9/22)

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Netflix & Lessons Learned from Freaks & Geeks

I am a major (ma-JOR) Netflixer. I love binge watching episodes of classic favorite shows, or discovering new gems. I am guilty of wearing PJs and T-shirts all day, with Ben & Jerry's clutched near the general vicinity of my mouth, watching "just one more" episode of whatever show I am currently obsessing over. I would say it is a somewhat sad way to waste time, but sites like Pinterest remind me that I am not alone.

This year alone I have watched some truly amazing shows, either by rewatching, watching for the first time, or playing catch up, I have spent hours upon hours of spending time and making friends with the characters I hold near and dear to my heart.

Ah, good old Breaking Bad. Who doesn't love a meth head? Jesse Yo-Bitch Pinkman & Walter Heisenberg White are classic characters, who will definitely live on, even when the show is long gone, which is sadly very soon. Jeff & I did not watch this show when it first came on, but we made sure of it to watch it as much as we could, as often as we could (we even rang in the New Year with binge watching this show). Now we're watching the final episodes with the rest of the world and joining in on the fun on various media outlets - Facebook, twitter, etc. as everyone posts how shocking the final moments are.

The Vampire Diaries! While I am no longer a teenager in body, I still am in my mid teens in heart, therefore I eat up these teen dramas like nobody's business. Elena needs to choose Damon once and for all. Stephan is too whiny and bipolar. Also, how cool would it be to be a witch like Bonnie? Or live forever like Caroline? But being a werewolf, no thank you, seems like too much waxing involved.

Grey's Anatomy - While I miss George, Izzie, and now Mark and Lexie "Little Grey", I still love the relationship between Meredith and Christina, and the patients who occupy the hospital melt my heart every single time. Shonda Rhimes is wickedly smart and witty and the writing onthat show is brilliant and applicable to everyday scenarios and also for life changing moments. This is, without a doubt, one of the best shows around.

Dawson's Creek - "I don't wanna wait! For our lives to be over!" Teen drama strikes again (and it's far from over, even on this list). I love love love Dawson's Creek, it is so quintessentially '90's in the greatest of ways. The clothes, the hair, the music, the angst. There is such a pattern of "who will the leading lady choose?" but that never gets old. I love Jen and her rebellious, yet good at heart ways, Jack for being the contradicting gay jock, Pacey for his wit and humor (who doesn't love a funny guy?), Dawson for having a mind that runs nonstop and for his sensitivity and Joey for being intelligent and beloved by all the boys. Who would I pick? It's truly a toss up between Dawson or Pacey, hell, even Jack.

Felicity! College life in the 90's in New York seems wonderful. Shy, softspoken Felicity views the city in wide eyed wonderment after following her jock, high school crush, Ben, (who barely knew her name) across the country to attend a New York university. There she meets sweet, quirky, charming Noel, down for a good time Julie, sassy Elena, hilarious goth Megan, crazy inventor Shawn and Javier, one of my very favorite characters. The age old question remains: Ben or Noel? NOEL 1,000%

Lady Grantham is such a perfect character - sassy, witty, rich and hilarious. Sybil is one of my favorites as well as Matthew, and well, if you watch, you'll understand my predicament. Still a great show!

Arrested Development has an exceptional cast! I could go on and on, but that would take up so much time and space. Buster and Gob may very well be my favorites. Oh, and let's not forget Franklin.

Parenthood is one of the realest, most heartfelt, perfect shows around. Wonderful writing, true-to-life characters, realistic scenarios and bittersweet moments make this show one of my favorites ever. Mae Whitman, (Amber), is an amazing actress. To me, she really stands out and evokes so many emotional responses. Lauren Graham, Sarah, is perfect, as always. She must really be like Lorelai/Sarah in real life, but don't even get me started on Gilmore Girls. Favorite. Show. Ever. Also, Dax Sheppard = fantastic.

Friday Night Lights - Tim Riggins. Matt Saracen. Eric Taylor. A trifecta of perfect male actors in this football dominant, small Southern town drama. What a perfect show. Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose. Remember that always.

Now this brings me to my most recent conquest: Freaks and Geeks. This show has definitely left far before it's time. Written, directed and produced by comical masterminds Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, 40 Year Old Virgin) and Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat), this show is not only hilarious, but it is a coming of age tale of two different cliques in high school - no, not the popular kids and the jocks in modern day times, but the nerds and the burnouts in the early 80's. The cast is filled with up and coming stars (at the time of its release), who are now big names: James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jason Segel, Martin Starr, Busy Phillips, etc.)

There are many valuable lessons to be learned from the only, lonely season of this gem and it goes a little something like this:

Never skip school:

Relationship advice:

On manners & nutrition:

On the dangers of getting a fake ID :

On romance:

On people not "getting" your sense of humor:

On saying "no" to drugs:

On self confidence:

On basing a relationship solely off attraction:

On your first kiss:

On the rudeness of interrupting someone:

On using humor during not so favorable situations:

On realizing "life isn't fair":

Advice on handling a dilemma under pressure:

And lastly, how actions speak louder than words:

Clearly, I am a fan girl of Freaks & Geeks and have become a loyal cult-follower of the show. Dealing with that all-too-common feeling of sadness and a void that cannot be filled after you have finished a favorite show, there is only one thing to do, and that is to move on.

Now onto this show:

Friday, September 13, 2013

Love, it will not betray, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free

Jeff, myself and my brother, David, ventured down to Atlanta on the good ole Marta train Tuesday night for some bluegrass, banjo pickin', grammy award winning, Mumford & Sons goodness. They were incredible live and Centennial Olympic Park was filled to the brim with fedora wearing, suspender sporting, hippie-esque faithful Mumford followers. The two bands that opened for them, Bear's Den & The Vaccines, were also very good and got the crowd pumped for the grand finale!