"MUSIC IS LIFE" THIS PAST WEEK

THREE SONGS THAT I HAVE BEEN INTO IN A PERSONAL WAY OVER THE PAST SEVEN DAYS:

1.  LOWER DENS-TO DIE IN L.A.

2.  UNKNOWN MORTAL ORCHESTRA-MULTI-LOVE

3.  DAN DEACON-FEEL THE LIGHTNING

As 37% of my students say in their Facebook profiles, "Music is life."  This is the music that's giving me life*.

*first time using that phrase TBH

I like my work!

Narayan on 35mm, double exposed

PUT THIS ON YOUR FACE

Oh, and I re-watched Twin Peaks!  Even though I say The Wire is probably the best, this one might be my favorite.  It's just so up my alley, and Agent Cooper is kind of a religious figure for me.  I aspire to follow his mix of optimistic perseverance, mystic wonder, and instinctual yet informed decision-making.

Speaking of good TV, I've been re-watching The Wire, and it's seriously probably the best show ever.  Incredible.  Really.

Not only are Parks and Recreation and Girls (and Portlandia (and It's Always Sunny...)) back on tv, but so is my main squeeze:

BROAD CITY.  

ILANA IN A FLAMINGO SHIRT.  

YOU'RE BACK!!!

Ex-Women members started a band called Viet Cong, and their debut is a monster!

Sleater-Kinney came back to kick all kinds of butt.  What a welcome return!

Panda Bear put out the first essential album of the year.

FIVE YEARS LATER, I'M BACK!

Here's what I did from May 2010 to today, January in the year 2015:

-Taught high school English at Henderson County High School in Kentucky for two years.  Not gonna lie; kind of sucked!  But that didn't mean my life sucked.  It was pretty cool!  During this time, I had an almost year-long relationship that ended terribly...but I don't even think about that anymore.  Had great friendships in Evansville, and my family is tight, so I was feeling good back home.

-After two years, I left Henderson County (!) and had a great summer (all of my summers in Evansville were remarkable truly).  Then, I somehow landed an unexpected and last-minute job at Signature School, which was a bike ride away from my (pretty big) apartment.  Did that for a year.  In many ways, it was great; in others...not so much.  

-Over these three years, I developed a love for portrait photography, and by my final year of teaching, that love had bloomed to a point that it was often in my periphery.  I had also started to realistically consider my mortality as I neared 27 (life is short, and I don't believe in an afterlife, so I really wanna go for it with this brief time to be a human).  So I thought, well, it might be time to make a bold decision and see what happens.  Because the thing is, you've got to make sure your spirit is nourished.  And I was starting to worry that my inner flamingo was no longer reaching maximum pink plumage (s/o to Karina, a best friend I gained during these five years).  

-So I moved to New York City in October of 2013.  

-Highlights: I devoured the city in the beginning (felt like London again).  I had a nice 5 1/2 month long relationship that ended nicely.  I did an internship with Chris Buck, an amazing professional photographer (!).  I was invited to a creative retreat in Joshua Tree, CA called Phoot Camp, and it was extremely life-affirming. 

-And now I'm fired up in the new year.   Excited about what's to come.

Now...back to the things I like!

Geocaching is my new obsession.  It's so cool!

Florida Vacation

Why are you reading this and not listening to Janelle Monae?  Well, I guess you could be doing both at once, but if not, LOOK HER UP.  She's the real deal, kids.

Everyone needs to watch Community; it's amazing!  The finale was wonderful.

Sweet potato fries are one of my prime interests!

My going away present from Mrs. Rolley.  One of my favorite gifts EVER!  It's an edible arrangement, and the chocolate-covered bananas were brilliant!

Cloud shadow make an island nation on the fabric of this terrain.

LOVE these lyrical lyrics from the opening track of Wolf Parade's "Expo 86".