FROM THE WORLD

I can not even begin to express how much I love this song. It is amazing! It's one of those songs that when it comes on the radio you just have a spaz attack and turn the radio up, then you listen to it on the internet and you just keep pressing repeat. Then when you stop listening to it, it just stays in your head like a cold, it never seems to go away. Like ever. I really hope this song will appear on the American iTunes soon, I am so addicted to this song. Literally, anything by this band is awesome, and it will always be awesome. Thanks to Youtube, I know that the official music video just makes the song explode even more than it already does. It's like an epicenter of amazing goodness. Already today I've listened to this song a good six times, just since starting this blog post. If that rant about listening to that song doesn't make you want to go listen to it, then I'll just tell you to go listen to it. You won't regret it, at all. My theory stands-some amazing, groundbreaking music comes out of the UK. The Script are three good looking Irishmen from Dublin.

Hopping across the pond, Sugarland has released their new CD, "The Incredible Machine." So far on the CD my favorite song is "Incredible Machine." It's a catchy little song that's stayed with me since they performed it back in May at the concert. It's just a powerful song. The piano is there, the drums, and her vocals all combined just makes it a good song. The live performance of this song is just plain out cool. It has a very creative, almost industrious sounding beat, it reminds me of a train. Like one of those old locomotives, don't ask me why, it just does. Then the lyrics take you on a journey. They're pretty fantastic. The documentary "Living Liner Notes" shows you how they recorded the song, it's only four minutes, and it's interesting. Sugarland is one of my favorite bands so I can't help but like whatever they do.

In other news, last night on SNL was downright hilarious at some parts. The weekend update was wondeful as always, that being my favorite part of the show. Emma Stone was this weeks host, and Kings of Leon being the musical guest. I don't know how many of you people watch SNL, but last night I don't know which was funnier Kristen Wiig's portrayal of a overly excited saleswoman type or Seth Meyers and Bill Hader cracking themselves up and the latter constantantly covering up his face. Then Emma Stone's monolouge was pretty awesome, but I don't think any monolouge will compare with Taylor Swift's. Then anything Justin Timberlake does on that show is hilarious. Andy Samberg is the Adam Sandler of the 2000's in my opinion. Who is in Jack Johnson's new video. Which is quite hilarious. (For all you Jack Johnson fans-the video's for "At or With Me.") I like this show if you can't tell.

One more song from the world then I'll let you be. "This Ain't a Love Song" by Scouting For Girls. I heard this on Radio 1 a few weeks back, and was all like 'I really like this!" It's an upbeat little ditty. They are native Londoners, with a pretty cool sound if you ask me. It's a piano soaked tone, and another one of those songs that you listen to once and it's stuck in your head. Plus, the official music video was filmed in an airport, and I really like airports. I know, weird, but I do.

OK, a week ago it was so hot you didn't need a jacket, but now it's raining, and so cold it kind of feels like January. It also doesn't help that when you walk through a store certain parts smell like Christmas. Yes, Christmas. We haven't even finished with Halloween yet. That's life, though.

Hope those songs brighten your dreary days, and you now have addicting songs to listen to through your headphones and get stuck in your head.

till next time

shelby

ART!

What does art mean to you?

That question flashed across my brain the other day. Whether it was the painting in my room that inspired it or all the art books I was looking at in the bookstore, I don't know. Back to the question at hand. The definition of art according to the handy dandy dictionary on my computer goes as follows: art 1 |ärt|

noun

1 the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power

•works produced by such skill and imagination

•creative activity resulting in the production of paintings, drawings, or sculpture

2 ( the arts) the various branches of creative activity, such as painting, music, literature, and dance

3 ( arts) subjects of study primarily concerned with the processes and products of human creativity and social life, such as languages, literature, and history (as contrasted with scientific or technical subjects)

4 a skill at doing a specified thing, typically one acquired through practice

From that definition art is anything from poetry to paintings. I consider poetry to be art, it's a form of expressing yourself, isn't it? Poetry is an application of imagination and human creativity, more often than not they hold emotional power, and they are beautiful in their own right. I guess what art means to me is that it's practically a gateway to your soul and your inner creativity. Every painting, poem, sculpture, song, dance has so much heart and soul in it, you just have to look deep enough to find it. They are all beautiful in their own right.

I asked Bettye Hamblen Turner, who is an artist and an amazing one at that, what her answer to that question would be and this is what she said, "The short answer is that for me, art is all about the process of creating."

Sculpture is a very creative form of art. To me it seems that it just may be the hardest form of art out there. Whenever Bettye tells me about all the different tools that she uses, or what she would like to have it just all seems so complicated. I mean there are certain mechanic tools to bend the metal, so it becomes a swirl. Then the sheet metal is really thin, and really sharp. Then, in Bettye's case, you weld it all together so you're under like five layers of clothing using a torch to weld hot metal together. It just seems complicated. Her paintings are awesome because they're just an explosion of color, shapes, and just tons of ideas. Just to show you what she does for a living......

Credit goes where credit is due for the pictures. First picture is titled "Pele," second "The Joy Ride," that one spins around(!!!), third "Renewal, fourth "Marathon." Pictures used with permission.

till next time

shelby

this is what makes me me

i’m not an angel

but i’m definitely not the devil

i’m kind

gentle

forgiving

and thankful

i’m obnoxious

nerdy

loud

sarcastic

and care free

i’m anxious

worrisome

cautious

quiet

and boring

i’m a wanna a be rebel

though i have no cause

i’m an honor roll,

student leadership,

teachers pet kind of kid

i know what my opinions are

they could always change with time

i spend time wondering

waiting

wishing

dreaming

hoping

but i don’t do anything to make those things come true

i’m a small town girl

that has anxiety issues

and a mind that wanders

my laugh is loud

and my sense of humor varies

i’m moody

hopeful

determined

and scared

i’m a sister

i’m contemplative

i’m a daughter

i’m weird

i’m a niece

i’m a grandaughter

i’m deeper than you think

and think differently than other people my age do

i get upset when people treat me like i’m four

i have self-esteem issues

i know a lot

but i don’t know much

i tell myself it doesn’t matter what people think

but deep down it really does

i’m a procrastinator

a leader

a writer

and a teenager

i’m not perfect

i’m still young

and all these things make me

well, me

I'm Me

My cheeks are sore

my visions blurred

tear streaks on my face

a strange feeling is in my head

stomping my feet

waving my hands back and forth

embarrasment eludes me

but overwhelms my companions

they say silently "I'm not with you"

but they're sitting right next to me

I burst out in fits like this

no reason why

it just happens

these fits make me, me

written after way too much caffiene and ten times too much obnoxiousness.

Love On The Inside (just look deep enough)

As much as I want to get out of here, I can't help but love it here. Contridict much?

On a very different note......

I went to a Sugarland concert back in May where I took tons of pictures to document the experience. These are my favorites.

How about that decade? 1980-1989

I read a post on Sugarland's website yesterday, that seriously inspired me to go crazy with the Youtube watching and a need to watch movies. That post was about '80's teen movies. I know, I know that was forever ago, but I will not deny the fact that some of my favorite movies and songs come out of that decade. Thanks to that post I searched the web looking for the song that's at the end of "Sixteen Candles" and the full parade scene from "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." Both amazing movies, and both by John Hughes. John Hughes is wonderful. While alive, he did so many of the coolest movies, and provided many of the movies that are my favorites and that I love watching. In fact, I don't rememeber if I've shared this yet(if I have, I am very proud of the fact), I can watch "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and say all the lines before the actors do. I saw "Pretty In Pink" for the first time a couple months ago, and I absolutely loved it! I mean every girl wishes the really hot, popular guy would fall for her, when she has the biggest crush on him. Then throw in the eccentric best friend who likes the girl, and you got a winning movie right there. John Hughes is the epitome of 1980's teen flicks, to me. How many of you have seen the movie "Easy A?" Now, I know that it is not an '80's movie, but there's this one scene in that movie that really stuck with me. If you've been reading this post at all, you probabaly know what scene I'm talking about, even if you haven't seen the movie. Yep, you guessed it. 1980's teen flicks, and John Hughes. Well, the line that she says during that scene goes like this-"Whatever happened to chivalry? Does it only exist in 80's movies? I want John Cusack holding a boombox outside my window. I wanna ride off on a lawnmower with Patrick Dempsey. I want Jake from Sixteen Candles waiting outside the church for me. I want Judd Nelson thrusting his fist into the air because he knows he got me. Just once I want my life to be like an 80's movie, preferably one with a really awesome musical number for no apparent reason. But no, no, John Hughes did not direct my life." Anyway, I just really like that line, because I am a nerd and in love with anything '80's. The big hair, the music, the movies, the fashion, just everything. Plus, how would you like to hijack a parade float and sing "Twist and Shout" to the city of Chicago? I even kept the page from USA Today announcing John Hughes death of a heart attack at the age of 59. It has a giant picture of "The Breakfast Club" on the front.

Now, how can I top what I just wrote above?

That's right, a playlist! What better way to compliment a entry about '80's movies than with a '80's playlist?

Here we go!

"Voices Carry"-'Til Tuesday

"Take On Me"-a-ha

"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic"-The Police

"Fast Car"-Tracy Chapman

"With or Without You"-U2

"What's Love Got to Do With It"-Tina Turner

"In a Big Country"-Big Country

A lot of the '80's stuff that I like are heavily influeneced by my parents. Then there are several songs from the '80's that they hate, and I just love, but I hate some of the songs today that are played way too much, the same reason my parents dislike those songs. I also have a couple awesome memories to go along with a few of those '80's songs. Example:winning a dance/costume contest to "Karma Chameleon" by Culture Club, my cousin hitting the highest note in "Take On Me" when I was absolutely sure that he wouldn't be able to, just that kind of stuff. That's a small playlist compared to the amount of great '80's songs out there. Let me just get this out there, a song that's covered in synthesizer and awesome vocals and lyrics is just a sure hit to be a good song.

Oh, and happy birthday John Lennon!

till next time

shelby