Well, Where Have You Been?

I recently received some new music from my cousin. Though we have similar taste in music, she often has music I have never heard of and for the most part would never come across. She's kind of like a hipster in this way that she always has new music but could care less if it's popular or everyone knows. So, I guess she's nothing like a hipster. Instead, she's just someone I'm related to that likes good music and is always happy to share.

Yeah, that's it. 

Though I could list the 20 or so songs I received from her, the one that stood out was "Between The Raindrops" by Lifehouse featuring Natasha Bedingfield. I like Lifehouse. I have one or two songs of theirs and they have a good sound. I do not however LOVE them to the point I feel a need to find more songs. One or two will suffice. This song stands out, however, because of Natasha Bedingfield.

She happened into my life in my first year or so of college around when the song "These Words" came out on the radio. The song was energetic and lively and clever. I fell in love immediately. I bought the album Unwritten, which is where you'll find that song among many others that I loved just as much. One by one, more songs from the album were put on the radio and released as singles. I loved them all.

Then she came out with another album near the end of my college career and I bought that too. Listened to it from start to finish and though I didn't love them all, there were a good many that still became favorites, but it just didn't capture me like the first album. And that's okay. But with the second album being a bit lackluster, I didn't really follow her much after that.

Then this new song with Lifehouse was brought into my life.

Her voice brought me back to my first year in college when she was still so new to me and the music world. Her voice in this "Raindrops" song is strong and filled with personality just as I remember it to be. It also has an energy and positive chords that are very much associated with her for me.

I don't mean to make this seem like a love letter to Natasha or even her music; rather it's a love letter to music in general. It can transform your emotions or make you recall not only a memory of a different time but also of a different self. Of course, I've changed in many ways from my first year in college, but it's amazing how much of that same girl/woman/person is still inside me somewhere that is no longer on the surface. It's amazing that the simple act of hearing Natasha's voice brought me back to that person, even if only for a moment. It was a wonderful feeling of home that has changed in many ways. The feeling of home has changed just as it should. Seasons change. Cities change. People change. Relationships change. Change is not a bad thing, but that doesn't mean it can't be difficult.

There's a wonderful image I was told once of a clever way to think about your past. Imagine you're in a boat, rowing across a lake to the other side; you are facing the shore you left behind, but moving toward a new shore. That is how I visualize my past. It's not bad to look back at your past, the good and bad, while still always moving toward to the future. Do not stay stagnate in the past but instead, remember everything while moving on.

Hearing Natasha's voice brought into focus a time in my life that made me smile while recalling many different emotions: sadness, friendship, frustrations, fear, excitement and love. It's a wonderful gift to have been given! A chance to remember everything while continuing to move on.

It's fun to glance back!

Monday is Quote Day

This isn't as much a quote as it is lyrics, but no matter; take them in and never forget them. You can be reminded on a clear, Summer night when the moon is full just how beautiful our world is and how "The Best Things In Life Are Free". Or even when the sunbeams come shining through the clouds and sprinkle their rays on the ground that....well you get the picture. The version I have on my iPod showcases the incomparable Lena Horne. It's a wonderful rendition and I highly recommend it!


The moon belongs to everyone. The Best Things In Life Are Free.
The stars belong to everyone. They gleam there for you and me.

Flowers in Spring. The robins that sing.
The sunbeams that shine; they're yours, they're mine.
And love can come to everyone. The Best Things In Life Are Free!

Few and Far Between

Other than the "Monday is Quote Day" posts, I have not posted about anything in quite awhile.

Without sounding too "hippie", my interests and behaviors have always been pretty organic. I've never been the type of person to force an interest or behavior in my life. If I want to like this or that, I will. If I want to act or not act like this or that, I will or won't. It's pretty simple. I try and surround myself with a minimum amount of stress, so simple is my mantra.

Of course with that being said, my behavior for this blog is to go in and out of posting many entries to barely anything at all. The frustration in this for me is that I genuinely want to write more but it goes against my organic way of facing life. In order to write a blog post, most days, it will involve me forcing myself to sit down and write. And as I described, this goes against my natural inclination. However, when it comes to writing, I long to go against my natural inclination of just "going with the flow" and instead write until it becomes a natural behavior.

Growing up, I always wanted to be an actress or a singer, just like all the stars I loved. I mean who wouldn't want to be Doris Day or Julie Andrews! They always made everything seem like such fun that, naturally, I wanted to do that too. They always seemed so happy!

Now that I'm in my late 20's, I've recalled that childhood dream. I'd still love to try my hand at acting but I have also longed to become a writer; which is why I began this blog. I figured it would give me a chance to write about anything I'd want, when I'd want, with the hope that people would enjoy it. As you may have already noticed, I love to watch movies and then talk about them. I wish that I had more interests that I want to put to paper write on my blog, but I truly LOVE to write about films. But my point is this: sometimes, you have to write about other things and you may even have write when you don't feel like it. That is what makes you a writer. You actually have to write. It's quite simple. It's common sense.

So not every blog entry will be a grand slam, home run, or even me getting on base. Maybe it will mean I strike out but as I recently read as advice for writers, "fail magnificently". So with that, I will write and fail sometimes but I will do it with charm and pizazz. And hopefully, you'll still come back for more! 

And if you don't........I will still write. 

Monday is Quote Day

"It is the mark of an educated mind to entertain a thought without accepting it."

-Aristotle

Thanksgiving 2012

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

It's not only fun to make a list of all the things you're thankful for but it's also a good thing to sit back and think of everything you may not realize you're thankful for or forget to mention.

"Living is like tearing through a museum. Not until later do you really start absorbing what you saw, thinking about it, looking it up in a book, and remembering - because you can't take it in all at once." - Audrey Hepburn

With that said, here is my list of things after taking time to remember and absorb everything in my life for which to be thankful.

Megan's Thanksgiving List:

Family - I wouldn't be here without Family and the love we all share
Friends - They've shown me love can be from people that aren't family and they kept me sane when my family is crazy!
Apartment - Decent priced and has truly become HOME
Garage - Necessary for MN or Midwest in general, especially in the winter
Job - Both for funds and to have something to do and new people to meet
Car - To get from A to B like work, visiting friends, visiting family, etc
Money - pay bills and still have a little fun
Clothing - keep me warm or cool and still be a little stylish
Silk Milk - making the fact that I'm lactose intolerant that much better
Cellphone - Keeps me in touch with important people in my life and can be helpful in emergencies
Movies - For entertainment and learning purposes
Books - To find new worlds and meet new people
Music - there's nothing that makes me happier than dancing and singing
Coffee - to make me a better person in the morning
Food - so I don't die!
Water - so I don't die!
Letters - I love getting real mail from friends and family *hint*


Megan's Other Thanksgiving List (list of random, silly things):

People who are willing to be President - quite a job
Toilet Paper - well, you know why.
Cursive Writing - Making me look like a classy dame
TV Shows - Helping boring moments pass 20 to 40 minutes at a time (Bones, Modern Family, 30 Rock, Parks and Rec)
Bowling League - There's nothing like getting a strike or a spare to make your day.
Old Movies - I seriously think I would go crazy batty if I didn't have classic films and musicals to watch.
Smartphone Apps - It's pretty great that on your phone you can have both Cribbage and a Flashlight. Both of these I use quite often.
White Elephant Gifts - I know these are silly and just gather dust, but the immediate silly joy I get when I receive one.....Priceless. ALSO, they're good to save so you can bring that same joy to someone else in the future.
My VHS Player - 'Cause I still rock the VHS tapes. Why? WHY NOT!
My "Big Girl" bed - I had a twin bed up until a few years ago. I now have a queen bed. I'm a better person because of this upgrade.
"Blondie" Lobby Cards - I have 12+ lobby cards from various "Blondie" movies. Google it.
My Judy Garland signed photo - This is something that I could totally live without but since I own it, I will be forever thankful for it and happy I bought it!
Inside Jokes - You don't need to know someones middle name, or first name for that matter because when you share an inside joke, there's an instant (though temporary at times) bond.
Jokes in General - "I LOVE to laugh. Ha-ha-ha-ha. Loud and Long and Clear! I LOVE to laugh. Ha-ha-ha-ha. It's getting worse every year! The more I laugh, the more I fill with glee. And the more the glee, the more I'm a merrier me."

I know there are many, many more, but that's all I can come up with right now.

What are some things you're thankful for?

Share them with family or write them down and then post them somewhere you will see them on a regular basis.

Thanksgiving is the time we are given to stop, remember and absorb everything we have and experience on a day-to-day basis for which we are thankful.