Music Festivals

Have you ever heard of Woodstock? While I am only 22 years old and have never had the privilege to experience it, I imagine it was very similar to music festivals today.  Festivals such as SummerCamp, SummerSet, Electric Forest, or (my most recently experienced festival) Bonnaroo.  Have you ever experienced being a part of a commune? As strange as it sounds, it is one of the most comforting feelings for a weekend.  Rather than thinking about the individual, each individual has the uncanny reflex to consider everyone first.  If you are eating food, it automatically becomes your first instinct to consider if anyone else is hungry and could benefit from eating the food that you are. You can’t help but share everything you brought, and everyone around you is experiencing the same thing.  You set up your campsite, revert to the shade your canopy provides, and take the opportunity to meet you neighbors while waiting until your favorite artist performs later in the evening.  With the sun as your only clock,  your best option is to hydrate, a lot.  

Have you ever experienced a music festival? I mean the music part.  Not a concert, or a festival that you don’t have to camp at, I mean a full-fledged camping festival.  One in which you are scorching hot in the day and constantly hunting for shade; at night you are dressed as though it is still 100 degrees outside, searching for the next warm area.  You’re best options are deep within the thousands of peers around you crowded in front of the stages.  The heat coming off of the other bystanders is warming your skin, while you wait for the blanket of bass to warm your soul.  That sound, the one that digs into your core, the one your ear buds long for, your skin gets the goosebumps at the thought of, and the one your head cannot help but to bob to.  You dance, you feel the warmth of the bass blanket take you over, and you find yourself lost in the music.  There is no other feeling like it in the world.  

It is a sense of fullness, of belonging.  You and your peers all have the privilege to discover this new world.  This commune, this redefined society.  No longer do the social norms of independence, of stranger danger, or of theft come into play.  What belongs to everyone belongs to you, and to you everyone.  The greater concern is the well-being of everyone.  Everyone should feel the music.  It is your drug.  You feed on it and find new meaning in it.  It defines you, while you define it.  

When your shows end for the night, sometimes at 11pm and others at 5am, you head back to your tent and always hope for 3 hours of sleep.  This allows you to complete 3 hours of REM before heading to early morning yoga.  There, your mind and body wakes up to enjoy the (sweltering) heat and avoid baking in your tent like Christmas cookies.  While you wander the grounds exploring and meeting new people, you think to yourself, am I in the 1970′s? Is this what a commune feels like? Why can’t modern society think of the greater good and acceptance like this micro-society of a festival can? 

The Ultimate Road Trip

So here’s my situation, and what I’ve got.  I have a boyfriend, his dog, a car, and some friends.  To me, these ingredients are all I need to adventure anywhere my car can go, and then some.  With our personalities and lust for adventure, we decided to plan a road trip out west to explore national parks (and stop near Denver to see a show at Red Rocks, because you cannot go west and just skip Red Rocks, I think that’s a cardinal sin or something).  

What else I am working with includes a tent, a cooler, some sleeping bags and pillows, a camelback water backpack, some hiking shoes, and a few clean pairs of gym shorts.  So, camping it is.  

Of course we will be starting off the trip by going to Red Rocks, as this is top priority.  From there, we will travel to Colorado Springs, Breckenridge, and then down to the Grand Canyon.  While there, we will be hiking the 10 mile trek to the ‘secret waterfall’ where we can camp.  There, we can swim, eat, sleep, and cuddle up under the stars.  Don’t let anyone ever tell you “don’t go chasing waterfalls”.  The only people who say that are those who do not go and hunt waterfalls, they only look at pictures of waterfalls and later deem them to be underwhelming.  They don’t know what they’re talking about, mark my words.  

After spending at minimum 5 days exploring the Grand Canyon, we will venture onwards to Zion National Park.  From friends of mine, I have heard it is nothing less than breath-taking and that it is easy to get lost: challenge accepted.  While it is important to note that for many national parks, you do need to purchase a permit in order to be there and especially to camp or have a dog with you.  I advise not ‘cheating the system’.  Get your permits.  If you don’t you can be charged with heavy fines.  

After leaving Zion, we will be in desperate need of showers.  Therefore, because driving is fun, we will make our way down to New Orleans.  There, we can eat beignets, muffalettas, gumbo, and even some fresh crawfish or jambalaya! We will absolutely purge.  Also, there we will be taking a cemetery tour, an airboat to see some crocodiles, and be venturing out into the night on Bourbon Street.  This obviously includes going to the oldest bar in America.  After that is explored and we have been on the road for 15 days, we will return home to watch a movie and sleep for at least 2 days.

The key to any successful road trip (at least for me) is ensuring you have some bomb-diggity road snacks.  Some of my personal favorites include beef sticks, Cheez-Its (however you spell it), raspberries, and some sunflower bites.  I also think it is a good idea to at least have one water for each person, as well as other options such as lemonade to keep your tastebuds excited.

Explore, adventure, and make some memories:)

Adventuring with Furry Friends

Ingredients:

a dog a leash poop bags drawstring bag tupperware bowl dog treats oranges hammock/book small towel (optional)

How do you hike with a dog? It’s easy! But first, you need a dog. Keep in mind, IT IS OKAY to borrow. I use my boyfriends dog, Shyla.

So what now? You found your dog, you know you want to go on a hike, so into the wilderness you go, right?? WRONG. I highly recommend packing a bag first. Your baby is coming, and he/she needs supplies. First, it is imperative that you remember a leash. Even if your dog is good about sticking close by, it is always a good backup just in case there are lots of dogs out, a bunny jumps across the path, or you hear coyotes howling. Next, remember dog bags. I recommend using the biodegradable doggie bags that break down and decompose (have a heart, think of the planet).

These simple supplies will get you to a lookout point (or the halfway point of your hike). But what happens when you stop? Your dog is panting, you are exhausted from trying to keep up with your four-legged friend, and it is HOT outside. Bring a jumbo water bottle or two. Also, bringing a small tupperware dish with a lid works wonders, trust me. You can pour water from the bottle into it for your furry friend to drink, and then put the lid on it when you are ready to hike again so your bag doesn’t get soaked!

So now you’re at the top, feeling accomplished and hydrated, and realize you need a reward. No, YOU DESERVE a reward. So does your dog. You both just stuck close together and depleted your energy. Pack some oranges for yourself (as you can just throw the peels) and some treats for your dog. These can be a bone, some rawhide, or even a small amount of peanut butter to refuel their protein levels!

At the top of your hike, it can be very relaxing to set up a hammock, read a book, or take a nap with your furry friend. To do so, bring a small towel for your dog and loop their leash around one of the trees your ‘mock is hung on. This keeps them close and in the shade. The hard part is over, and the relaxing doesn’t have to end until you go back to your reality, work, responsibilities, etc.

When it’s time to leave, simply cover your water tupperware, throw all of your supplies back in your bag, and enjoy the hike back:) Go ahead, have your proud parent moment. Your baby did amazing. You did amazing. You got a good workout in while exploring nature, fully prepared. And best yet? your K9 sugar plum loves you even more for it. You bonded, made some memories, and learned to breathe in the fresh air from a new viewpoint. You left no mess and let your free spirit wander alongside your body this time. Brava.

Social Drinking is Good for You

Why is social drinking good? To start, it ‘loosens people up’. Now don’t take that the wrong way, I mean breaks people free from shyness. It allows you to be yourself in situations that you would otherwise find uncomfortable. It opens yourself up to new experiences, interactions, and conversations. To define this now, I mean catching a buzz, not getting drunk. The state of inebriation in which you are still in full control. It helps you open up, carry on a conversation you would otherwise find pointless, and perhaps meet someone special. Personally, I met my boyfriend at this buzzed state of mind. And now we are happily together. Great things happen to those who are social drinkers.

Currently, I am sitting on the deck at Freight House with my roommate as my server and my good friend Matt across from me. As Matt’s mom always say, “the next person you meet could be your best friend. So keep a smile on your face, a good attitude, and a positive outlook on the possibilities of each day.” As we are sipping our wine, eating our $3 cheeseburgers, and listening to the live music, I realized something. Life is all about the small moments. It is all about the in betweens, the moments you think are insignificant. That’s what matters most. The daily talks, the afternoon hikes, and the night in crafting sessions. So why drink and socialize?

It isn’t about the alcohol. It is about the atmosphere. Have you ever tried to have a large gathering of friends at a college apartment or house? It’s not easy. Let me tell you. It is something that can only be done if you are in a public place. Whether this place is a park, a yard, a bar, the bluffs, or a restaurant, it is always easier if no one lives there. Drinking (so long as no one is an alcoholic) is a social experience. Not only does it deepen your friendships, but it opens you up to new experiences.

You could meet your person, your numero uno, your go to friend after a drink or two. Without the atmosphere and the alcohol, this would not have been possible.

I do not consider myself an alcoholic. Yes I love wine. Yes I have had an apprenticeship on a vineyard and winery before. But yes, I know my limits. It is fun. It is enjoyable. Catch a buzz and go have a good time. Meet new friends, deepen relationships with new memories and conversations that are long and deep and pointless. This is what this point of our lives is all about. They say it is all about who you know. Currently I am getting to know my friends better. Matt and Sarah. We are enjoying wine, live music, and chatting up a storm. Who knows, maybe one day one of them will be that connection I need to get my dream job?

As Miss Frizzel from the Magic School Bus liked to say, “take chances, make mistakes.” But more importantly make memories. So cheers to all of us, and cheers to us growing as individuals, as a group, and as friends! :)

Using a kitchen table as a year-long art project is #goodforthesoul

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