I love you in the morning and in the afternoon.

Brooke Fraser

2010-05-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

For those of you unfamiliar with this woman.

I highly recommend her.

She is a prolific songwriter who understands the craft of story and writing much greater than I do.

The following is some of what I've read recently on her blog. To see more of what she is doing and what she has done please type your way to the following

www.brookefraser.com

all love friends. Enjoy.

CLIMATE

In this blog I’ll discuss the foundation on which your songs are built. Whether you like it or not, there is one, and it’s you. Your worldview, your motives, your ‘issues’ are indelibly marked on everything you create in your life – whether it’s a song or a conversation or a Tweet. Being aware of your headspace and internal-environment goes a long way to understanding why you are or aren’t writing the type of songs you’d like to.

Over the past few years, many of you have written to me and said you would appreciate it if at some point I could share a little about songwriting. It isn’t something I’ve written about before, and as much as I enjoy blogging about everything non-music related, for some reason now feels like the right time to bring this wee series to the table. This certainly isn’t an objective study on the theme – what I write here will be subjective, personal, completely taken from my own journey as a writer. I’m in no way attempting to table a thesis here or pretend I’m some sort of expert, which I absolutely am not. So with that cleared up, on we go.

You Are What You Eat

In songwriting workshops I’ve been involved in in the past, I have often said (partly to get a laugh but partly because I believe in the metaphor) that songs are like poo. Songs are like poo because:

1) You get out what you put in. Many people are naturally gifted-songwriters, but many successful songwriters are people who aren’t naturally musically gifted but have worked really hard at their craft. Read Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers”… it brilliantly dissects the “myths” behind success – culture and opportunity have a lot to do with it… but the truth is, people who excel at anything usually work really, really hard. The 10,000 hour rule.

2) It is a product of what you feed yourself. If you feed yourself rubbish, what you output will be rubbish. I you feed yourself nutritiously, what comes out will be healthy. It’s the same with what we feed ourselves emotionally and spiritually. (I’m not going to get all weird on you, don’t worry – this is pretty logical.) If you’re listening to music with lots of minor chords and cynical lyrics about how the world is an awful, desolate hell and where no one can be trusted, reading depressing books, watching depressing films… it isn’t unlikely that your worldview* will reflect the negativity and cynicism you’re dwelling on/putting into yourself through your eyes and ears.

*“1. the overall perspective from which one sees and interprets the world. 2. A collection of beliefs about life and the universe held by an individual or group”

I’ll expand on this a little now. If you’re an artist or creative person of some kind, your artistic “digestive system” is your heart, mind and senses, your soul. So if something affects your soul, it affects your art.

Example.

Last year we introduced my music to the Americans for the first time. We toured extensively, did press/promo and achieved some exciting results. We substantially increased our touring base in the U.S. and by the end of 2008 were playing to audiences up to eight times the size of those I played to when we first did some showcases at the end of 2007. Thanks to U.S. iTunes selecting Albertine as Editor’s Choice for a week in June and putting a banner on their homepage, the Albertine record reached #5. You amazing people that came to shows sponsored swathes of precious children through World Vision and raised a ton of money for development work in Rwanda through the light-bulb t-shirt we introduced on the September tour. This was huge for us.

But behind the scenes a whole bunch of other stuff was going on and by the end of the year I was emotionally exhausted and the long period of sustained high stress had wrecked my body. I was forced to pull out of my last scheduled tour of the year and spent the month of October in bed on aggressive antibiotics. In November I took off to Africa, a place that is always challenging and healing for me. I didn’t want a bar of being Brooke Fraser. It took me a while to be able to pick up a guitar again.

Now it’s July 2009. I’ve picked up my guitar again, opened up Garageband and poised my pencil and I’m ready to be a conduit of the songs I’m trusting will come. But I’m more aware than ever of how my internal environment will affect the songs that come out of me. So to be honest, the way I’ve been writing so far is by dealing with all the “stuff” on the inside that I do not want to colour what I write and more importantly, how I live and hope and trust. Before I pick up the guitar or sit at the keyboard, I’ve been “writing” by feeding on the stuff I do want to mark my life and my art… hope, grace, forgiveness. Don’t get me wrong – I will write this next record very honestly and it won’t be all rainbows and butterflies – but I’m aware of the ‘aroma’ I want my songs to have, and it’s not one of bitterness, but one of grace. Grace doesn’t deny a wrong suffered or pretend it wasn’t that big a deal, but forgives it and loves in spite of it. I’ve received it so now I’ve gotta learn to give it, even though I’m not always the best at this and I’m still angry about some things. I am human.

Humanity and Art

“[Picasso] said this one thing I really did like, he said “good taste is the enemy of great art” which I think is very true. Good taste has all to do with being cultured and being refined and if art has to do with anything, it has to do with being human.” – Rich Mullins

Therein lies the guts of what I’ve attempted to unpack a little today. The humanity behind our art. Our struggle to navigate the world and society with all the infinite uniqueness of our personality, family background, emotional and genetic heritage, temperament, talents, mistakes, triumphs, preferences, IQ, sexuality, spirituality, language, birth order, addictions, allergies et cetera. Finding our place in the beautiful brokenness that is humanity and observing and recording what we discover along the way. I think the greatest art will always come from honest descriptions/depictions of our experience in the great in-between of being human.
Here’s to your humanity and mine, and the art it shall make
PROCESS

This blog will be about the actual writing process, with all its peaks and valleys, frustration and elation. I’ll cover inspiration, beginning a song and crafting a song .

I originally had elements such as melody and lyric as part of the ‘craft’ section of this blog, but in getting to it discovered there was so much I wanted to cover that I realised they were asking for their own blog (I plan to post that one within a day of this, so you won’t have to wait another six weeks!).

The creative process differs hugely from person to person, and even varies from work to work, piece to piece. I am not theorising about everyone else’s process, I’m simply trying to unpack my own for the amusement of any who may be interested. Happy reading (hope you’re in a comfy chair!)…

1. INSPIRATION– “Spark / Seeing”
Bloody inspiration. I think it’s every lazy journalist’s default fallback question. “Where does your inspiration come from?”. Stepping back a bit though, I think the question used to irritate me so much because I really didn’t understand what they were asking, let alone how to answer it. For most of my songwriting life, I’d always just “feel” when a song was churning around in my belly and I’d go to an instrument and it would come. Or I’d be at an instrument mucking around, then a song would turtlehead and I would get to work chipping and carving and coercing and bribing it out. But which aspect of that was “inspiration” and how it had come to me – I find that impossible to pin down and I certainly don’t think it’s necessarily anything I did in that moment to have it come. If we speak of inspiration as the spark that lights the fire, I suppose much of what we do as songwriters or artists is like banging stones together – preparing, being aware of our internal ‘climate’ (see previous blog), reading, writing, scribbling, sitting at an instrument and playing and fiddling and noodling – and hoping furiously that if we bang our stones together for long enough, a spark will eventually come.

I’ve always identified with the Michelangelo quote: “I saw the angel in the marble and I carved until I set him free.”

As it relates to songwriting, the “seeing” is the inspiration (the churning in the belly, the spark, the thing that fires you up so much that you cannot keep it in) and the “carving” is the craft, the tools with which we set our “song” free.

2. BEGINNING
Finishing a song can sometimes feel like an insurmountable task, but beginning can often be just as daunting, sitting around waiting for a spark. Here are some ideas that might help you get off the blocks:

Beginning with Harmony (Chords)
The most common way for a song to begin for me is actually by finding some kind of harmonic bed (chord progression) which feels good to me… I will play around with capo positions if I’m on the guitar (for some reason I have a penchant for frets 3 and 5), different voicings, emphases and sometimes tuning (but I’m no guitar maestro so much of the time I don’t really know what I’m doing, which can often be helpful believe it or not). Often a melody will come to me when I find a chord grouping that resonates with me. “The Thief”, “Hymn”, “C.S. Lewis Song” are examples of this. I find the chords often can indicate to you where the melody should/could go, too… but I’ll expand on this in the next blog specifically dealing with elements of song.

Beginning with Melody
Sometimes a melody will come to you and lead off an idea. Some little line pops into your head in the car or in the grocery store or the shower, and with a little encouragement and context (chords) you can find a flow and follow it. Deciphering Me and Love is Waiting were like this. Lots of writers I know have that little mic attachment for iPod that they record ideas with. I’m not so advanced – my recording tools are my phone and Garageband (comes pre-installed on Macs). When a melody line pops into your head – RECORD it a.s.a.p.! I cannot tell you the number of times I’ve had great melodies come to me at an inconvenient time and I’ve thought to myself “I’ll remember that later”. And I don’t. Also with garageband, make sure you press ‘save’, not ‘don’t save’ when you exit the programme. Last week I got a chorus melody to a song I’ve been working on for ages, just as I was running out the door to a meeting. I quickly put it down in Garageband, quit Garageband, shut down my laptop and ran out the door. I came back to the file later and the chorus WASN’T THERE. Devastation.

Beginning with Lyric
Carry a notebook with you. Sometimes I’ll use the ‘memo’ function on my phone to jot down a lyric idea, but I find that a bit soul-less. I’m a pen to paper, lo-fi, kinda gal. I would be mortified if anyone ever saw the contents of the various notebooks I’ve carried with me over the years. They are filled with all kinds of notions, thoughts, phrases, quotes and crazy stream-of-consciousness weird stuff… but some of that stuff will spark a song later on, so I write it all anyway.

Beginning with Rhythm
One of the reasons I started playing the guitar at 15 (late starter) was because I was sick of writing slow piano songs (piano is my first instrument). It’s a rare night you’ll see me play without a guitar in front of me… part of it is a muscle memory thing, part of it is just that I love rhythm – it’s how I feel part of a song. Because melody lines/sung parts often flow over staccato rhythms (and I’d get quite bored with just participating in a song like that I think) I love being able to smash my guitar and be right there in the action of the song. Rhythm has been the founding factor of songs like “Hosea’s Wife”, “Lifeline” (off WTDWD) and “Albertine”. Have a play around with different rhythms and strum patterns and see if it helps a new idea emerge. Listen to music with rhythms that are different to those you might normally start with when you’re in autopilot.

Beginning with Story
I can’t say I do this a lot, but I have friends who write the majority of their songs by using a story (true or imagined) as a frame and then musically/lyrically filling it in, using narrative or first-person. My friend Ben says that he does this because then he doesn’t have to come up with a lot of clever one liners, he can just lyrically illustrate a character (really he is a genius and he’s just being modest). A lot of artists I admire use this method and it’s not something I am naturally very good at so I will probably experiment with it some more in the future. It’s good to work on your weaknesses. If you just work from your strengths all the time, you might start to think you’re awesome, which none of us are, and your songs will sound ‘samey’ and eventually you may hit a dead end. Plus you’ll be arrogant, which is never attractive. I think part of being a good anything, whether it be a writer, a musician or a good mum, is to develop and sow into the areas we struggle with.
(NB: People who are good at this: Joni Mitchell (my hero), Bob Dylan, Brighteyes, about a million other people who aren’t me)

3. CRAFT – “Carving”
Once you’ve begun… what do you do? Here’s where the chasing, sitting and distinctly unglamorous hard work kick in.

For me personally, once I’ve begun, I set about the task of getting to know the song. It probably sounds quite odd, but nowadays I see my songs as people. Once I meet them via ‘beginning’, I must set about asking questions – trying to “see” the song in order to “carve” it out (that Michelangelo quote again).
Does the song feel like a lullaby, a dirge, an anthem, a waltz, a power-punch, a ballad? It may be sweet at the beginning, but does it have a dark twist at the end? Or does it want to stay sweet all the way? I try not to impose my preferences on the song – I don’t want to make it someone it isn’t. This part is pretty much all instinct. Listen to your gut.

Part of the reason I am averse to co-writing is because often you find yourselves in situations where you are pressured to “finish an idea” or “find the killer hook” in a day or even a few hours. This may be good for commerce but I think it does art a disservice. Songwriting for me is only satisfying when it is personal, intimate and costly. There is the mystery and then there is the labour. They go hand in hand. We’ve dealt a little with the mystery/inspiration, now here’s some thoughts on the labour aspect of things:

3.1 Getting Stuck
Frustration is virtually inevitable, but so is elation once you’ve found the path around your obstacle.
Here are a few things I do when I get stuck:

Move to another instrument
I find a change of how I see the chords, i.e. moving from guitar to piano or vice versa can help me get past an impasse. If you only play one instrument, or don’t play at all, take your idea to someone who does play another instrument and see if that helps. However, I recommend to anyone who wants to write to take the time to learn some basic chords on a piano or guitar and use them! I have a friend who can’t play to save herself, but went and learned some basic chords and plays around with different voicings and variations of them. She has gone on to become an incredible writer, and I’m so grateful that she took the time to equip herself, because I as a listener am benefitting from the fruits!

Do something else for a while
Whilst writing with my friend William Fitzsimmons recently, I twittered this: “Warning: If you ever ‘co-write’ with me, it will involve long bouts of doing nothing, lots of cups of tea and pauses to enjoy youtube. It may seem at first like we are doing nothing… but we are simply tricking the song into thinking we are not paying attention so that it will quit its shyness and come the heck out.” Maybe that’s a little bit of insight into how I work, but I find getting stressed and throttling a song by the neck has never helped me. As with passing a bowel movement (refer to first blog ‘Climate’), you just have to relax, read a magazine, pick at your cuticles, ‘ped-egg’ the dry skin on your feet, whatevs. Go fishing or something, then come back and have another crack.

Work on a different idea
I am always working on a bunch of ideas at once. If I get stuck on one, I’ll move to the next, and the next, then come back to it, then onto the next, etc.

3.2 Perseverance
Oh how underrated is this virtue in our generation! iPods, iPhones, myspace etc… it’s all about me and what I want right this minute. But nothing of value comes for free. What’s true in life is true in art… PERSEVERE.

I started writing songs at 12 years of age. I can say with confidence that all the songs I wrote between then and ‘Better’ when I was 17 were utter crap. And there were hundreds of them. If you want to feel better about yourself, go look up some of my early B-sides. Absolute shockers. BUT those absolute shockers were the stepping stones to the better, acceptable-for-public-listening songs I would go on to write. Even now I’m still utterly embarrassed by a bunch of songs from my first record, but you know what? I’m grateful for them. Every song you write helps you become a better writer and find your own voice as an artist. The evidence of my journey so far is now immortalised on CD and hard drive, and as much as my pride would like to destroy the embarrassing stuff, hopefully it’s a testimony to perseverance and time.

3.3 Hard Work
I wrote “Albertine” in a morning after my return from my first trip to Rwanda in 2005 (it’s arguable that I’d already done the groundwork for the song with my eight straight hours of journalling on the flights home). Yet “Love, Where Is Your Fire?” was written in various hotel rooms in Tokyo, L.A., London & Australasia and took me more than two years to complete. “Love is Waiting” took about the same and was completed about 30 seconds before I had to go in and sing the final vocal on the record (and we left it until last). I am still not totally happy with the lyrics even today and wish I could have given it more time. It’s not my best.

Leonard Cohen’s famous 1984 song “Hallelujah” has been covered by over 200 artists – the Jeff Buckley version being perhaps the most widely known (Rufus Wainwright’s is impeccable too). It is still being covered in studios, bars and cafes the world over today. It sounds effortless, but the story goes that Cohen penned a massive EIGHTY (yes, 80) verses before he came to the verses that became the song.

Charles Wesley, the famous hymnist, wrote 6000 hymns. Six freakin’ thousand.

No shortcuts. Give your songs the chance to be excellent. Shove that in your cultural ADD and smoke it. (No offence to people with actual ADD intended.)

CONCLUSION:
Write and write and write and write! Spend the time, listen to lots of music, read about how other people create, talk to other people about how create, work hard, have fun, enjoy the journey!

Here.

2010-05-16T10:37:00.000-07:00

I've been learning a lot about the present lately. Being present. It is a task that has proven to be quite difficult.

Im currently thinking about a million things that need to get done for whatever reason that life merits. Laundry, Cleaning,
Errands, Apts, Work, Coffee dates, Emails, etc.

However there is a subdued longing in me that really wants to be here. in this little coffee shop, with my thoughts, the cloudy day outside and the contrast of the bright green on the trees against a subdued sky.

So here I will sit.

Hope you are having a wonderful Sunday afternoon friends.

Check Out My Friends!

2009-12-16T11:51:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to do this for awhile, but some friends of mine are making some pretty awesome art... please go check out their stuff, especially if you are in Nashville, they are extremely talented and its a privilege to know them and to share their art with other people.

Alva Leigh

I met Allie in our freshman dorm (Hail Hall) 5 years ago at Belmont. I noticed a pair of converse shoes she was wearing and she noticed mine and we decided to trade shoes without exchanging names. She made a record a couple years ago under the name Allie Peden titled "With This Love" and is preparing the release of her new record in 2010. She's an exceptional songwriter and her songs have a voice to them that is all her own. Her music is a mix between Nashville indie love and Mississippi truth with pop thrown in along the way. You will love it.

www.myspace.com/alvaleigh

Jake Ousley

This boy can write. Hes got a couple songs up on myspace but a whole lot more he hasn't even unveiled yet. A couple months ago he invited me to go to a YoungLife leaders retreat weekend and one of the nights we were there he played a show of just his music. The atmosphere he created was like being in a living room .... He's got a lot of stuff going on so check him out.

www.myspace.com/jakeousley

Kaiti Jones

I've known Kaiti for a couple years and everytime I hear her stuff I'm continually blown away. She is one of those artists that you wish played more shows because her live performance matches the quality of her recording. She recorded an Ep with Mike Odmark( Nashville producer and engineer) called Arise Child. You can buy it on itunes or get it from noisetrade.com.

www.myspace.com/kaitijones

Lindsey Jones
Lindsey is a singer/songwriter who is always doing great projects. I met her last year and heard her self titled Ep (produced by Andy Osenga of the Normals and Caedmons Call) She is part of a duo called This & That. They have just made their grand entrance into the Nashville scene with a killer Ep. She will be doing big things, keep an eye on her.

noisetrade.com/thisandthat
myspace.com/lindsey jjones

Frothy Christmas?

2009-12-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

I have to say.... I've lived in Nashville 5 years now and I haven't always been a fan of Frothy Monkey mainly because whenever I showed up they were closed or I thought their coffee wasn't that great. However, today I with a full stomach and a warm drink in my hand completely satisfied with my decision. Good job Frothy, I may come back and visit. No worries Portland Brew... you're still my main squeeze.

Get ready because I'm about to post some Christmas Playlist suggestions as well as an actual post....totally depending on my battery life and my attention span.

Open your itunes library or your friends and search for the following....

1. Sara B and Ingrid Michaelson - Winter Song
2. Leigh Nash - Last Christmas
3. Fiona Apple - Frosty the Christmas
4. Mindy Smith - Follow the Sheperd Home
5. Mindy Smith - I Know The Reason
6. The Choir At Your Door/ Nathan Phillips - Through the Snow
7. Sufjan Stevens - That Was The Worst Christmas Ever!
8. Rosie Thomas - River
9. Jars of Clay - Winter Skin
10. Katie Herzig - Silent Night
11. The Choir At Your Door- Its Christmas Eve I've Lost My Job

This isn't your average Christmas Playlist I mean I didn't even put Amy Grant Tennessee Christmas because we all know you are already listening to it.

Merry Christmas!

Peter Bradley Adams

2009-11-06T18:20:00.001-08:00

Couple tings(like things but better) people....

1. I don't write to much on here anymore
2. I wish I did
3. I've decided to do a couple of music recommendation posts for the next couple of weeks. Starting tonight....

Drumrolllllllllllllll please.....

I found this record last night and I'm giving it a shout out.

Peter Bradley Adams

He is a genius with lyrics and his instrumentation is absolutely brilliant, its a mix between nickelcreek mandolin glory and traveling to the mountains in winter, or a good cry maybe.

Hear it, Love it, and share the love.... like butta.
However, he is probably a starving artist, so pay for the butta.

Cheers.

Portland.

2009-03-10T16:22:00.000-07:00

I write to all 4 or 5 of you from Portland, OR. I am currently enjoying my last spring break and I can't tell you how great it has been to sit and enjoy not doing much of anything except to drink coffee, take pictures, read, watch movies, and have good conversations with old and new friends.

Portland is a strange city. I flew in over a sea of lights that strangely had the ability to comfort me through my bumpy flight. Its odd to be introduced to a city and further more want to stay in that city when it changes its weather pattern more than I change my mind about what profession I want to pursue. But somehow Portland has the ability to make me love it despite the weather.

For some reason I've always wanted to see Reed College (which is in Portland). I had this idea about what it like was ever since I read Donald Millers Blue Like Jazz book. Today my friend Erin and i drove over to see the campus and it was so small. maybe a couple of city blocks long and there wasn't anything that really stood out about it. I kept imagining the huge festival that happens there every year, the one that everyone hears about... if you haven't heard about it, Reed has this weekend festival where all of the students get high, or try out different drugs. They even bring in a special emergency response team called the white dot that helps treat people that are having bad "drug trips." Anyway, I had a hard time picturing everything that Don talks about. It seemed so quiet and intellectual that a lot of the things he describes in his books... I couldn't quiet picture it for myself.

Yesterday, we went downtown and I was able to get some pretty good pictures, I will post those later this week if i remember. I also saw some pretty cool shops that were so original and made the city feel unique. Tomorrow, Erin and our friend Matt are heading to the coast. I think its going to be really fun, both of them have heard of some great places to check out while we are out there.

I hope everyone is doing well and check back in the next couple of days because I should have some other posts up for you guys to read about somethings I have been working on for a little while. Love as always to all of you.

Last semester of college.

2009-01-13T17:34:00.000-08:00

My last semester of college starts tomorrow. I can't say that I a thrilled to begin this semester because I'm not sure what it actually marks for myself. I will be completing time I've spent working on a degree but other than that tangible measurement I am unsure of what life will look like come May. Its kind of odd to think that life will not be measured by the times that I have classes or free time determined by the number of hours I have left to turn in a paper.

It seems that there are always people you meet before undergoing a transition that seem to depart a word of advice about the change you are about to experience, whether you want to have it or not. When I was about to start Middle School, I was warned that other girls my age were sometimes mean and unkind towards one another. When I started high school I was told that I would encounter many opportunities to "party" as well as when i graduated I was told I would never have it as easy as I had it during my high school days. Entering college I was told that I should take the time to find the right campus for me and that it was fine if I changed my major because everyone changes it at least once. Now as I prepare to leave college, everyone has told me I will miss it and will never have a time like it again. Its almost like signs on the highway that tell you how many miles away you are from something. Or the signs that say " Now entering (insert city of choice here)"

While I am writing this I am watching planet earth, the one produced by BBC. Its wonderful. God is freakishly funny and beautiful in his creativity. They should just let kids watch this in school and we would all grow up to be strong willed environmentalists.

Well friends, I am off to continue watching planet earth. Rent it, watch it, Recycle and plant trees.
later.

Favorite Christmas Music!

2008-12-06T11:25:00.000-08:00

Favorite Christmas Records

1. Sufjan Stevens : Songs For Christmas
2. Mindy Smith: My Holiday
3. Rosie Thomas: A Very Rosie Christmas
4. Nsync: Home For Christmas
5. Yo-yo-Ma: Songs of Joy and Peace
6. Frank Sinatra: The Christmas Collection
7. Ella Fitzgerald: Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas
8: The Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs

You cant find these on itunes but check out myspace for...
9. Nashville friends doing christmas songs ( http://www.myspace.com/bigbeardchristmas)

10.The choir at your door (aaron roche and winston jazz routine) these myspaces haven't been updates since myspace only let you have 3 songs... so thats why they are all on 3 different sites.... this might be my favorite christmas record ever so don't let the number of myspaces turn you away.

part 1 http://www.myspace.com/thechoiratyourdoor
part 2 http://www.myspace.com/aaronynathan
part 3 http://www.myspace.com/aaronn39natdogpt3

20 mins to do this.

2008-12-06T10:50:00.000-08:00

There have been at least 20 times in the past month that I've meant to get on here. Right when I sit down to right a million things come into my head that I need to be doing. I keep going back and forth in my head, trying to decide if I should close this window and start working on my to-do list.

Its finals season here in Nashville. This next week will decide if I make it to May graduation. Mainly two classes decide that future, accounting two and business finance. If you get the chance and want to pray that coffee kicks in and that I find good study places on and off campus, I wouldn't hate it.

Anyone want to trade?

I'm also heading home next monday so that will be fun to hang out with the fam for a couple of days before coming back to Nashville. I work at an apple retail store in Nashville, I started working in september and have really liked it, the only downside is that I have to work during christmas. However, I did get some time off after finals for a couple days and I'll get to go home and see my family and friends for a little bit. So if you are in Nashville after the 21st let me know cause I would love to hang out with ya.

okay later friends.

Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T19:50:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday. Everyone in my family comes together and hangs out for two days. It usually starts with my dad cooking breakfast for everyone. He has the worlds best eggs benedict. He started cooking today around 10 and didn't quit till around noon. They are so good. Then Mom takes over and begins cooking everything you dream about in a thanksgiving meal. The Aunts and Uncles come over and it seems like everyone rotates doing jobs while watching the football games and playing with the younger cousins.

Coming home for me is always an odd ritual. After 4 years of college I've thankfully become a different person and every time I go home its like a constant battle to not return to the role I played growing up in my family. By that I mean I remember the dynamic between my siblings and myself. The way all of us can get along, how their personalities drive me nuts and at the same time make me laugh. Its so easy for me to change into someone that took me 4 years to break away from. I know a lot of my friends struggle with that. I think in a way its a part of some hope we have to return to what we knew as children. When we still believed in a place that was home. Its not that I don't love my family, I just think in some ways we have all grown up in different directions from each other and every time we get together its like we are learning how to be who are now around each other. Maybe the transition gets easier as we get older, at least I hope so.

I was reading earlier and I thought I would leave you with this Freddy B quotes

"Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace"

I am waiting for hot water.

2008-10-31T06:51:00.000-07:00

I woke up. stumbled to the shower. Walked in felt water on the floor. thats right lukewarm water.... which means....

someone already took a shower..... which means I have to wait for 30 minutes while the hot water tank heats its bad self right on up.

yes. In the meantime I thought I would glance around facebook and blogs, turns out not a lot of people are on it before 9am.

surprising? not really.

Anyway, not much has been going on here. I am in my last year of college and I honestly wish it was may, I hate going to class. Moreover I have homework. I love writing papers and i love discussion and actually learning things but I hate the pressure of 2 tests and a final to decide my grade which may or may not determine if I graduate... oh wait it does. awesome. Did I mention I'm awful at multiple choice. I mean a baby has a better chance or choosing the right ones. Anyway, so school is not one of my favorite things at the moment ....

Also for halloween I am going to be a cloud... or a sheep in wolves clothing if my friend amanda doesn't use it... one of the two.

pictures to come... well maybe.

Hot water is ready. I'm out.

Tragedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale

2008-10-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

weird title. I know.

not so weird if its the title of a book. especially if its the title of my man freddy b's work. (fredrick buechner, check him out.)

this book is divided into 3 chapters as almost all of buechners books are. he talks about the gospel in three different ways

a fairy tale
a tragedy
and a comedy...

shocked aren't you.

I'm on the tragedy part, and i love it. there is something in me that loves finding out that I have something tragic in my making. you might not agree but let me explain. with tragedy comes hope. maybe its small, maybe we don't say it out loud or even think about it very long because to hope in the midst of tragedy is well...dangerous. Its also powerful and something in the deepest part of who I am loves these huge redemptive words, these exciting yet incredibly scary words. Its the same deep feeling I love when people talk about my version of holy things such as adventure, traveling, conversations that remind you how human we all are, and your general breathing in and out of life, the good and bad.

So I regress, back to the book. Buechner has some pretty great thoughts on the gospel and how somewhere in our understanding of it, the tone of tragedy must be listened to.

Disclaimer: these quotes tie together but are better in their entirety in the book.

That being said, i proceed...

The preaching of the gospel is a telling of the truth or the putting of a sort of frame of words around the silence that is truth because truth in the sense of fullness, of the way things are, can at best be only pointed to by the language of poetry- of metaphor, image, symbol- as it is used in the prophets of the Old Testament and elsewhere. Before the gospel is a word, it is silence, a kind of presenting of life itself so that we may see it not for what at times we call it - meaningless or meaningful, absurd, beautiful- but for what is truly is in all its complexity, simplicity, mystery.

To think of nakedness is to think of how we hide it from each other and ourselves, I speak of clothes not just as hypocrisy and disguise, though sometimes its that for all of us, God knows, but of clothes as essential to survival because we cannot endure too much nakedness any more than we can endure too much silence, which strips us naked.When Jesus says " Take up your cross and follow me," I think that he is saying before it means some special mission or sacrifice of responsibility, it simple means take up the burden of your own life because for the time being anyway, maybe that is burden enough. Take it up in the sense of ...touch it and taste it and listen to it, look at yourself and your own life and smell the smell of your morality and nakedness.

When they brought Jesus to the place where his dead friend (Lazarus) lay, Jesus wept. It is very easy to sentimentalize the scene and very tempting because to sentimentalize the scene is to look only at the emotion in it and at the emotion it stirs in us rather than at the reality of it, which we are always tempted not to look at because reality, truth, silence are all what we are not much good at and avoid when we can. To sentimentalize something is to savor rather than to suffer the sadness of it, is to sigh over the prettiness of it rather than to tremble at the beauty of it, which may make fearsome demands of us or pose fearsome threats. Here as he stands beside the body of his dead friend he has no form of comeliness about him that we should desire him, as one from whom men hid their faces we turn fro him. To see a man weep is no comely sight, especially this man whom we want to be stronger and braver than a man, and the impulse is to turn from him as we turn from anyone who weeps because the sight of real tears, painful and disfiguring, forces us to look to their source where we do not choose to look because where his tears come from, our tears come from too.

Jesus has shared with us the darkness of what it is to be without God as well as showing forth the glory of what it is to be with God. He speaks about it, and perhaps that is much of why, although we have not followed him very well these past two thousand years or so , we have never quite been able to stop listening to him. To speak out of the darkness and to weep as Jesus wept, maybe only then can the reality of the other word become real to us, the word which to the darkness upon the face of the deep is "God said let there be light, and there was light." which to all those who labor and are heave laden is "i will give you rest" To preach the word of human tragedy, of a world where men can at best see God only dimly and from afar, because it is truth and because it is a word which must be spoken as prelude if the other word is to become sacramental and real, too, which is the word that God has overcome the dark world....

Basement postage.

2008-10-11T19:44:00.001-07:00

I think there are moments when you realize that you are growing up.

maybe I'll experience them the rest of my life. I dont really know.

I do, however, know that life is composed of these moments that show us the fabric of our making.

When I was a senior in high school, my best friend had a boyfriend who was one of those guys that you thought might be really kind and nice but as it turned out he was an ass. He was a year older than us and changed when he went to college, he broke her heart and the breakup happened around may. I remember I picked her up and we drove around our small town in oklahoma. We listened to Barnes first version of graces amazing hands(on repeat) the whole night and when I hear that song today I still think of that night. We went to this park and sat under a Gazebo and talked about it for a couple hours and then we started laughing till our sides ached. A couple friends of ours came by and we sat there in the dark together. Eventually everything got pretty quiet and we all sat with our own thoughts and kind of let the silence settle between us.

My first year in college was like a thunderstorm, loud and quiet, peaceful and unnerving all at once. My second semester more than anything. I lived in a girl dorm and became good friends with a lot of the girls on the first floor. Everyone was kind of going through hard things and there was this one time when one of my friends and I went on a walk together just to get a breather. There is a street in nashville that runs past belmont. Its lined with houses with these huge trees, its a perfect walking street. I remember we both didn't know each other that well and we kind of exploded with these stories that were going on in our life and on our way back we stopped inside a church that should have been locked, but wasn't. We went inside and sat in the pews. We must of stayed there for a couple hours playing on the piano and talking about Jesus and how we really didn't understand him half the time. I remember not feeling alone for the first time in a really long time and it was this warm feeling that reminded me what it means to be a human.

The other day I was visiting my friend. She has a small child, a little boy. He was running in and out of the house; to the kitchen then to the porch and back again like his actions were on repeat. we were talking casually in the kitchen and he fell coming into the house. It was really sad actually. She didn't quite see his face because her back was to the door. His little eyes looked at me and quickly filled with these huge alligator tears and as soon as she heard him fall....she quickly without finishing her sentence walked over, sat on the ground... at his level and scooped him into her arms. She rocked back and forth began talking to him in a voice that only he could hear. He just laid there for a few moments and let her hold him. Then he opened his eyes and smiled at her and went on playing. She picked up her sentence where she left it and we kept talking. That night, I was driving home and that image kept replaying in my head. It was as if some hope inside me believes that God is like that.

Moments just happen to us. They shape us in the weirdest ways. They can come while you are standing in line to get coffee or while your brushing your teeth at night. It can be in a word or a hug, and something inside you shifts. Its like a constant shaping. All of a sudden our eyes are open to the humanity inside of us and we can feel these movements going on, its really weird, painful, and beautiful... all at the same time.

I hope they keep coming.

Chimney

2008-09-22T20:05:00.000-07:00

I have a friend, her name is Holly. My brothers wifes name is Holly but she is not whom I’m talking about. My friend is living in Ecuador for a year and keeps a blog that many of us, her friends, often read. They are short inlength but wonderful in depth and description. She describes her experiences and memories with beauty and honesty. I pretty much devour every word she writes. I don't think she would say out loud that she has a way with words but she is one of the few people I know that can tell a story that wraps around you like a blanket. Her eyes light up when she talks and she tells stories like she is on a merry go round spinning pass those who will listen. She tells the first layer of a story and when she passes by again tells the next and the next until you can hear the tones of peoples voices and see the lines in their faces. She has comedic timing that is very much her own and sounds cool when she curses. A dying breed if you ask me.

I met Holly a little over two years ago. She lived in a house with some other Vanderbilt girls she went to school with. They graduated in may and slowly left Nashville over the summer. I was a year behind them and as August approached I was unsure how to start the year knowing that they wouldn't be as frequent visitors in my life. They used to live right down the street in a house together. (Now we all know that in Nashville there can’t be more than 5 girls living in a house together or its considered a brothel, in other words its illegal.)

8 people lived in their house. It was amazing.

It was always full of laughter and conversation, I remember my first visit like it was 5 minutes ago. I walked in and could hear thunderstorms of footsteps going on upstairs, people were getting ready to go to the Justin Timberlake concert and at the same time gathering in someone’s room to watch an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. Further in the house I heard someone listening to Ludacris and rewinding the same verse over and over again, as if they were trying to memorize it. I was in love.

A friend of mine asked me the other day how I met all of these girls and at first I felt like I had always known them in some way because when I am with them it feels like that, but then I realize its been close to 2 years since I have really been getting to know them.

I also, have a friend named Kristen who has opened her life to us but on Friday she opens her home for all of us college folk to come by and to enjoy in some cookies and quality conversation. That’s where I met my chimney friends.I call them chimney friends as do others because that is what they named their house, which consequently did not/ does not have a chimney.

Fridays were my favorite day of the week. They were scheduled to start at 5pm but all of us would find our way to Kristens around 5:30. We were always greeted with the smell of fresh chocolate chip cookies and cold organic milk. After we all devoured the cookies we would gather on the blue couch in the living room and begin what others might call bible study but what I can only describe as tasting community. I could sit next to any of these women in the room and see truth in them when they spoke. I could also see heartache, suffering, passions, dreams, excitement, joy, hope etc. The only reason I could see that was because they allowed me to, they were the most transparent people I've met and I think might have the privilege to know. (If any of them are reading this, they are probably shaking their heads thinking they weren't... but to me, they were.) They are all out saving the world at the moment. One in Ecuador, Two in Nashville, One in San Antonio, San Francisco, St. Lewis, Fayetteville and lastly somewhere in South Asia. And I mean that they are saving the world. You would only have to meet them once to know I wasn't lying.

The tone of this blog is a bit more serious... but for me, part of saying goodbye to people is remembering what they mean to you. These friends helped me to believe and to hope in the fact that community is real and its around us whether we notice it or not, its one of the most important things in our life that lets us know we are loved and not alone. Saying goodbye to people you tasted community with is knowing that its not the end, its really just a pause until the next moment you see their face. I hope wherever my friends are that they remember mine and know that for all who knew and loved them here in Nashville, we remember them often and praise God for them constantly.

Top 5

2008-09-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

So I never got around to posting pictures. I know... I know.

However, I was talking with one of my friends today and I started listing things that I had read in the past year so I decided to make a top 5 list. But not just one good people. A top 5 list of Movies, Books, and Records. Here is the rule... anything you choose has to be something that you listened/read/watched in the last year.

Here I go...

Movies
1. Juno
2. The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (saw it for the first time in October or something.. I was obsessed)
3. Wall-e
4. Groundhog Day
5.The Bourne Ultimatum

Books
Fredrick Beuchner - Telling the Truth; The Gospel as Comedy, Trajedy and Fairy Tale.
Rob Bell- Sex God
C.S. Lewis- A Grief Observed
Anne Lammott- Traveling Mercies
Hannah Hurnard- Hinds Feet on High Places

Records
Coldplay- Viva La Vida
The Weepies- Hideaway
Katie Herzig- Apple Tree
William Fitzsimmons- Goodnight
Jon Foreman- Fall, Summer, Spring, and Winter Ep's
Matthew Perryman Jones- Swallow the Sea
Mindy Smith- My holiday
Aaron Roche-Travel *
Feist- The Reminder
Boniver- For Emma, Forever Ago
Jars of Clay - Closer Ep

*not on itunes, check myspace/aaronroche

I know I listed more on the Records than I was sappost to... but I just couldn't stop... I actually had around 20 down but decided to show some restraint. Also, these are no in order of preference... I would definately not put any of these records on the bottom of any list.

Senior or Freshman

2008-08-22T09:03:00.000-07:00

I am back in nashvegas. Its good to be home.

I don't know how faithful I will be to this as the year progresses, however I think a recap from the summer is appropriate. Of course there will be favorite pictures included. That will have to come later because I am using the Library computer as of right now because the internet at my house isn't working.

I really enjoyed my time in London because it was completely new and the first time I was really exploring a city and having an adventure. I mean coming to college is different. Your parents take you, Belmont parents you the first year and its so small that its impossible to not meet people. However, going abroad is different. New culture,food, transportation, customs, everything. Even though they spoke my language they didn't understand me half the time.

After London, I went to Italy with my parents. We had a fun time and visited places that I had always seen in books, the sistine chapel was one of my favorite moments as well as lake como. I didn't really go to southern italy but more so the central part and northern area. Despite all the adjusting i learned a lot and had time to think about this next year as well as my whole college experience. I feel very blessed for everything that has come my way, the good and bad and I can't wait for the next year to start. It all seems very overwhelming but what year hasn't since I've been here, I think its all going to be okay.

pictures to come.
love.

Last Day and a Thumbs down to Paris

2008-08-09T01:53:00.000-07:00

Its my last day in london and sadly I have more errands to run than time to see the last bit of things that I wanted. Its alright though... there will be a next time.

I ended up hating Paris. I had a bad experience with a taxi driver that I don't really want to go into, which ended with me braking one of my dads cameras. SO it ended up being kind of a downer. The first night there was really great though, we went on riverboat tour of the city and then we got some wine and went to the eiffel tower and watched it glow in its blueness. It was quite neat.

I haven't done tons of things since, because I've had a lot of homework and stuff to catch up on. However, I did have time to go back to Camden town and shop through the markets one more time. I bought this amazing Schruti box. I realize no one might know what it is, but its really cool. Its like a drawn out bag pipe/ organ sound. Its really great. Anyway, its my favorite thing I've gotten because they don't make a lot of them in America... I don't know if we even have them ... but anyway... its great.

Also, an instrument I would kill to get my hands on... its called the hang drum. Here is a video clip, of imogen heap playing one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElPHo40_6lg

anyway, thats all I have for the moment... I cannot wait to be back in America.

Recap

2008-07-31T14:24:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been a blur. Its so weird that time in London is almost over.

Lets see, a recap is in order. I went to the national portrait gallery and the national gallery the other day. They were great. I really loved a lot of things in each place and even bought a couple prints. I also plan on going back before my time is up. I went to Brighton Beach with some friends last Saturday and it was lovely. Their beaches are composed of tiny rocks but the breeze and atmosphere of the little beach town was perfect. This last week on Tuesday I went to Camden Market which has been my favorite market thus far. Portabello road was cool but so expensive when I went with Brittany, and I didn't really enjoy it. Anyway, I bought clothes and jewelry, scarves and books to take back as well as a few purchases for some family members!

And....today I went to Cambridge. I enjoyed every part of it but I'm really mad because I didn't bring my camera with me. Our class walked through these huge fields to see the original inspiration for the narnian lampost was. It was beautiful. There were tall cypress tress all around and a waist high to over your head high wheat looking type grass... to the right, and on the left there was this little babbling pond that had lillypads and little purple flowers. I walked through it and just fell in love with it. Our whole class walked to a place called the Orchard and they had all sorts of teas and cakes and crumpets and such, I got a coke... duh.... my favorite drink of choice (thanks mom) and on the way back I decided to put on some songs by Thomas Newman, he did the new Walle movie as well as the Cinderella Man and Finding Nemo movies. So as I'm walking and looking around, my friend Austin is walking next to me and he starts singing Bob Dylan and if I haven't specified this before, there is one simple thing you need to know about Austin, he always wears a feather in his hair. I love it, I wish everyone wore a feather in their hair. So he's gotten really into this walk and has stopped and added flowers to his hair and even found a cool stick that he's carrying... he just got really into it. So we are walking and i'm ya know listening to this music and he starts singing this obnoxious Bob Dylan song and we both just started laughing hysterically and speaking in a British Accent, making fun of the Brits and talking about how we miss america. It was one of those moments that you are really glad you shared with someone else, even if they don't remember it the same way you do.

I might be heading to bed because I am very tired and am getting up early tomorrow to go visit paris. I didn't think I was going to go on this trip, but decided I wanted to go and get out of London because I've seen almost everything and still have a week left to go back and re visit things and.... i mean its paris.... I would love to see the louvre while I'm over here. I think it will be a lot of fun, I'll have to tell all of you readers about it... or just you mom.....

love.

I've been everywhere man...

2008-07-27T16:16:00.000-07:00

St. Pauls

Salisbury Cathedral

Brighton Beach

Stonehenge

Tower of London

I love these things....

Jack

2008-07-22T23:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I hopped on a train and went to oxford town.(please sing the bob dylan song as desired.)

The train was about an hour long and upon arriving, I wasn't so sure I was going to love this new place. Anyway, the group I was with started exploring the town a little and we went around to a couple of really cool churches and even went up into this beautiful building that Christopher Wren built.sidenote: I have become a little obsessed with this architect since I've been here. Mainly because he was an astronomer and all of his buildings somewhat tailor to the love of having a place to see the stars above the city. Smart man. So we explore oxford a little and then we were told that we needed to meet back at this bookstore at 12:30 to have a tour about the Inklings around Oxford. When we arrive I see this awesome old British chap wearing sweatshirt grey keds. not kidding they were the coolest shoes. He also is wearing what you picture older fellows wearing slacks, a white collared shirt with a tie. Anyway, he starts giving the tour and i love it because hes telling these stories about Lewis and Tolkein that I would have never known, and you hear the stories he's telling and seeing the places where they happened. It was all quite wonderful. Here are some of my favorite.

Back of the Church

Front Part of the back. Also, the place where Lewis gave his famous sermon "The weight of glory"

Front altar

outside of the church

Built by Christopher Wren, used by Oxford Graduates.

Tolkeins Room in College, some random student is living there now.

If you saw shadowlands, this is the bar where Lewis meets Joy Gresham for the first time.

Eagle and Child, favorite bar of the Inklings

Rabit Room Inside Eagle and Child

House where Tolkein edited the Hobbit and Lord of the rings

After the tour our group went out to a place called the Kilns. Which is where C.S. Lewis(Jack), his brother Warnie, and Joy Gresham(Jack's wife of 4 years) lived. It was really funny because at the time when Lewis lived there, there were not a lot of other houses but some have been built sense and as we're walking up many of the houses have been named Narnia or Caspian, at least... something to that degree. Anyway, we all went inside the house and walked into this amazing study filled with books and old chairs and pipes and all sorts of wonderful things you expect a c.s. Lewis room to be filled with. So we are sitting there and this man is telling us about Lewis and the stories are wonderful and he asks if there are any questions and I raise my hand and say "what in this room was actually theirs?" the man replies with well, just the flooring in this room. I was a little sad to tell you the truth. The man explained that when the Lewis brothers died another family bought the house and at the time when the brothers died many things were auctioned off or donated to salvation army, however, they did have many original photos of the house and the places that things were and the decorations that were used in the house when the brothers lived there. Furthermore, they did have some original furniture stored up in the attack of the house and warnie's original typewriter. Once we started going room to room in the house, I began to really love it. I mean I was sitting in the same space where lewis created and imagined his stories. The same space where he lived everyday and eventually died. I know it is just space but it was great to imagine for a bit what it might have been like.

The Kilns Then.

The Kilns today.

Jack and Joy Lewis

Warnie's typewriter

Jack and Warnie

The room was recreated to look like Lewis's room.

The famous Shrowd picture that Lewis always kept on his wall.

Room where he wrote most of Narnia.

The only real furniture that belonged to the Lewis or his brother

Austin sitting in the chair

Pathway to pond behind the house

Pond where Lewis would go skinny dipping.

Room where Lewis died

After the tour we went and saw his grave sight and eventually made it back to town where some of my friends and I ate dinner at the eagle and child. we sat in the same room where the inklings met every tuesday morning and thursday night to discuss among other things, their books.

grave site

Graveyard where Jack and Warnie are buried

V & A Museum

2008-07-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

So far this museum has been the most enjoyable to walk through. The Imperial War Museum is still my favorite but the V & A (Victoria and Albert) museum was so interesting. I had been once before but came back to see some of what I hadn't looked at yet. After I went to the museum I wondered around and found these really cool buildings that were near a park and then right next to them was this old tunnel that people used to sleep in during Air raids of world war two.

Here are some pictures

One of two identical carpets made in 1536 for the King/Emperor of Iran

Dress made during the 1700's. The description said that the girl actually had to walk sideways through doors because of her petticoat.

Plate from the Rennaisance

Lantern.

Crown for the Dutchess of Manchester.

Original Winnie the Pooh drawing

Peter Rabit drawing

Peter Rabit Textile

Banksy

Building One

Building Two

Tunnel

Field Trip

2008-07-19T01:37:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a C.S. Lewis Class and one of the requirements of the course is that the class takes field trips to places in London and even outside of london where Lewis and his friends spent most of their time. A couple of days ago, my class went to the British Museum and The Winston Churchill War Museum. Once we arrived at the British Museum, i immediatly found the Egypt wing. The Rosetta Stone was on display and while that sounds like something great to see, and it was neat to look at for a few seconds, it wasn't that cool. I know we can now read hieroglyphics because of this rock but it also just looked like an ordinary stone. Anyway, we walked through these ruins and it was great because they had taken parts of old tomb walls from the pyramids and put them on display. It was so detailed. I loved looking at it because it wasn't trimmed in gold and there weren't a lot of decorations, it was normal stone that had been carved and chiseled to tell a story about the king and the peoples history.

We went down to the Africa section and that might have been my favorite. The art being displayed was very bold. There was a chair that was made out of guns and knives and michetti's(sp?). The art has a lot to do with the genocide and the war that has gone on in that country and is still going on, but at the same time they had a wall of masks that people wore during ceremonial dances and when these people danced.... I mean they danced. They had videos of it and it was beautiful. It was tribal dancing but it wasn't at the same time. The way the people moved and the way their faces looked while they were doing it... I wish I could see it in person. I don't think I'm really giving it a great description.

After, the British Museum we went to the War Museum. I was with my friend Brittany and Austin and we walked down to the basement because they had displays of World War 1 and World War 2. The displays consisted of officers uniforms and weapons they used during the war, they also had letters that soldiers had written to their families and friends. There were a couple of displays that showed what rationing looked like, as well as what women and children were wearing during the time. We then went straight up to the holocaust floor, and spent about two hours in that wing of the museum. I've always been very fascinated about world war 2 and concentration camps. I don't feel comfortable saying I love learning about it because its a very sobering subject as well as violent. I also think that in America we tend to romantisize the world wars and we kind of forget that it was horrible until we see an exhibition like this. However, I could have spent hours in that museum reading every display discription as well as watching the video interviews with some of the survivors.

Here are some pictures.

Part of a tomb wall from Assyria.

Close up of some soldiers on a tomb from Egypt.

Mummy from
Mesopotamia

Mummy Decorations?

The War Museum

Part of the Berlin Wall

World War One Uniforms

World War One

Different types of Lugars.

Shoes collected at Aushwitz

Prison Uniforms at Aushwitz

An Exploration that led to a park then to a palace and so on.

2008-07-15T13:53:00.001-07:00

I woke up today with a whole afternoon of nothing to do but exploring. I decided it was about time I went to a museum, so I choose the Tate Britain. Which I now regret because I didn't really enjoy any of the wings I went to except for the hand drawn pieces. I took notes of the pieces I liked because I wasn't allowed to take pictures inside the museum which I thought was complete... how do you say it.... rubish? yes.

Anyway, I go to the gift shop and showed the man behind the counter the list I had made and asked him if he has any of the prints in stock. He doesn't. I ask them when they will have some, they say they don't know. I decided I should move on at this point because nothing in this museum is going to improve.

So I head out of the museum and stumble across Green park which is right next to the Ritz hotel. I'm sure I looked like such an American taking pictures of the hotel but I couldn't help it, I was looking at the real thing.

So I started going through the park and when I come out of the other side I'm in front of Buckingham palace. I mean who goes on a random walk and ends up in front of a palace. It was probably the best surprise I've had. Lets just say this Queen Elizabeth does not have it rough. when I was walking out the other side of this park I noticed there was a huge gate (I now know its called the Canada Gate) near the keyholes are huge E's with crowns and swords around it. I mean really? Her face is on the currency, does she really need to put her initials on gates? But I think I would do stuff like that if I was the queen, so I don't really blame her.

After that I walked along the walls of the palace that are about 12 feet tall with barbed wire and these huge log spikes attached at the top, every time I looked at the wall I was thinking in my head "God save the queen?", I mean it looked like a tad to much, but I'm sure its been there for hundreds of years so why not keep it?

It had been about 5 hours of walking at this point and I decided I wanted to sit down so I got on a double decker bus and road around the city for an hour, I ended up pretty close to where I was staying and decided I should head back for some dinner and homework. Here are some pictures from the day.

The Tate Britain

A random college I walked past. Chelsea School of Design.

The Ritz

The street where I found the Ritz.

The famous bar

Canada?

The Canada Gate. See what I mean about those "E's"

The fountain outside Buckingham palace.. I forgot the name.

Statue on the fountain

Regents Park. They Shot Finding Neverland here.

The Wellington Monumnet

Underneath the Wellington Monument

London Town

2008-07-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

London is splendid.

Most everything is beautiful to look at, even the ugly and the dirty parts. Their culture is similar to america but more polite and considerate of other people, the Subway(or tube as they call it) is clean and doesn't smell bad and everyone uses it. Even the tube stations are pleasing to look at. Its such a difference to be in a place where people seem to care about the places that surround them, I mean maybe there is a huge fine if you are caught littering but still theres a pretty huge fine in America if you litter and people still do it. I mean I've done it, not often but I totally have, everyone has. Anyway, People don't litter here. I have yet to see trash in the streets and at first I thought it was just in the tourist places that there wasn't going to be any trash but even at my college and the surrounding neighborhoods, its all clean.

I walked over to Westminister Abby yesterday and sat on the grass for about 20 minutes looking at this wonderful church, noticing the tiny details that made this place so big. I couldn't really take it all in. I think you can understand what I mean by looking at the photos.

I got lost several times and it took me over 40 mins to get back to where I was sappost to meet my friends. Not so much fun, but I guess somewhat necessary in order to become familiar with this city.

Today I went to church at St. Pauls Cathedral. It was built by a man named Christopher Wren in 1668, after it burned down like 3 or 4 times. It was the most ornate church I have even been in. I mean I haven't been to Rome yet so I better not say that, but I'm just going to say that those old catholics liked their churches.
Anyway, the london symphony played at church and all the songs were sung in latin which was awesome, but I really couldn't concentrate because they had us stand almost the whole time and My feet are so soar from walking around eveywhere, so all my concentration was going into not falling over. The main priest that gave the mass was a woman, which really surprised me... I didn't know that catholics were about that but she was so cool, she sang a lot during the service and with the acoustics in that church it sounded like something out of Lord of the Rings. I really could have listened to her all day.

I don't really have any more thoughts at the moment, mainly because I'm tired and in need of food. I'm now going to a store to try and find something cheap and inexpensive for dinner. I'll try and upload pictures soon, but I'm trying to not take a ton because I don't want to come off more american than my accent makes me.

Cheers.

I love you in the morning and in the afternoon.

2008-05-12T10:15:00.001-07:00

congrats, you found it.

The blog that will hopefully provide a good 5-7 mins of stories and pictures that will entertain or distract you from your job, class, homework, even uneventful day.

I haven't left for London yet, but the countdown has begun. Hope you are frequent visitors to this page.

Olms