nostalgia | + recent reads

Yesterday morning I went to visit my old coworkers.  Since leaving, I don't often go back.  And it's a shame really since the town holds a lot of memories for me.  It was where I rented my first apartment, had my first big girl job, paid my bills, lived away from my parents, started dating the now husband, and learned to enjoy running.  I used to sit on these benches and read during my lunch break or write my case notes.  It was nice to spend a few hours with old friends and in my old stopping grounds.  Reminded me that I need to return more often.  I miss it.   

There is beauty in nostalgia. 

Speaking of nostalgia, I cannot help but bring up - yes, i know, again - the death of Robin Williams.  As with the rest of the world, I cannot stop thinking about him  and his family.  For some reason, his sudden death has affected me much more than any other celebrity deaths.  Maybe it's because I grew up watching Mrs Doubtfire, Aladdin, and Hook?  I really don't know why.  I just know that it has.  My stomach aches whenever I think about what his family must be going through right now and all of the questions that will continue to go unanswered.
Below are some of my favorite posts written about his death:

1 // While the death of celebrities do make me said, Robin's death is, at least for me, different than any of the others.  I am always annoyed by people's Facebook statuses or Twitter posts about how sad they are that so and so died.  I just felt like it was another effort to post another sob story and make it about them.  However, this post from Adam made me think differently.

2 // Working in the field of psychology for 6.5 years helped me to understand Depression and it's effects on the daily life of the person suffering from it.  This post written by Tyler is spot on.  Hollywood has been demonizing mental illness for decades.  Let's make something positive from his suicide and take the opportunity to discuss mental illness with your loved ones to help them instead of stigmatizing it and making them feel even more alone. 

3 // I am a huge of Raven.  She may come off as brash to some but I appreciate her brutal honesty.  The older I get the less patients I have for bullshit.  Anyway, she writes about how important it is not to judge someone's actions unless you have walked in their shoes.  No, I cannot imagine leaving behind my loved ones by my own doing.  But then again I have never been so depressed that I cannot imagine any other option but to take my own life.  Remember, "everyone has a story." 

And because nothing else seems appropriate today, a little Genie for #backthatazzup Friday. 

What makes you feel nostalgic?

What was your Robin Williams movie?

Linking up with Aimee and Caitlin, Whitney, and Amanda today!

music that speaks to me

In case you haven't already figured it out, I love music.  I love discovering new music and get just as excited when I hear an oldie that i haven't heard in a while.   What  I love about music is how much it can take you back to a specific time as though you are living it all over again. 
Today's prompt is to list 5 songs or pieces of music that speak to you or bring back memories.  Since the prompt only asked for 5, I am going to stick to that.  Otherwise, this post could get really long.  Serious. 
Walking on Broken Glass by Annie Lennox This one reminds of me car rides in the back of my parents' suburban when I was a kid. 
Moondance by Van Morrison. This reminds me of Summer nights in our old backyard, jumping on the trampoline to the smell of my dad cooking on the grill. 
Crush by Dave Matthews Band. or really any DMB song.  
Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol.  This was our wedding song.  The husband and I started dating the summer this song was popular.  So it definitely takes me back not only our wedding day but those initial butterflies i had when we first met:)
The Ludlow Song from Legends of the Fall.  If you know this movie then I know you understand the emotion I feel listening to this.  I actually chose it as the song to walk down the aisle to on our wedding day.  And yes, this was when my Brad Pitt obsession began.  I mean, look at him! (you only need bother yourself at 1:48)
     

10 things + Musical Monday {Domino}

10 things that are bringing me happiness of late (in no particular order):

1. The weather predicted for the rest of this week is 70s and sunny!

2.  The feel of freshly shaved legs (even if I did miss a small section of my knee).

3.  I just got back from what started out as 1 mile walk around my neighborhood turned 2+ mile walk. I was having too much fun taking photos:) 

4.  Daydreaming of our trip to Palo Alto in June to visit one of my sisters for a week.  I have never been to that part of Cali and cannot wait. 

5.  The kids I nanny for make me laugh every single day.  

6.  Coffee.

7.  Discovering new music from another blogger. 

8.  Husband. 

9.  That Selena and Justin are possibly back together.  Yes, I said it. 

10.  MY NEW BLOG DESIGN by ItBritt!!!  How cute is it?!  I am absolutely in love with it!  What do you think?  Thanks again, Britt!!!

Van Morrison - "Domino"

Don't want to discuss it
I think it's time for a change
You may get disgusted
And think Im strange
In that case I'll go underground
Get some heavy rest
Never have to worry
About what is worst and what is best

Oh oh domino
Roll me over romeo
There you go
Lord have mercy
I said oh oh domino
Roll me over romeo
There you go
Say it again
I said oh oh domino
I said oh oh domino

There's no need for argument
There's no argument at all
And if you never hear from him
That just means he didn't call
Or vice versa
That depends on where ever you're at
And if you never hear from me
That just means I would rather not

I said oh oh domino
Roll me over romeo
There you go
Lord have mercy
I said oh oh domino
Roll me over romeo
There you go
Say it again
Oh oh domino
I said oh oh domino.

   

   

nostalgic

Dave Matthews Band - "Grey Street"

DMB takes me back to the excitement of the upcoming Summer break, late nights with friends spent outside, crushes, and of course amazing great Dave shows at Starlake with even better company. 

Driving home from work today I turned on my Spotify "DMB favorites" playlist, blasted the volume and jammed to great music with the windows rolled down, sunroof open and my hair blowing in the wind. 

As far as I am concerned, it is not truly Spring or Summer without some Dave blasting through the stereo.

What about you? 

What takes you back?

Are you a fan of Dave? What are your favorites? 

they dye the river green!

In honor of my favorite excuse-to-day-drink day of the year, I thought I would share with y'all my favorite St. Patrick's Day, circa 2009, to date

Ever since I learned that Chicago dyes it's rivers green for St. Patrick's Day it was something I wanted to do and see.  So, while husband and I were in town visiting family and for the Chicago Half Marathon the previous September, we started slowly plan how we could make that happen.  

I love my extended family.  We try to make a point to see each other at least once a year, even though it has gotten harder over the years.  We all get along really well and have always have a blast when we do get together.  So I figured this would be a great excuse to get the family together for a mini family reunion and to celebrate the small percentage of our Irish blood.  

As I expected, and foggily fondly look back on, it was a great day of dancing, green beer, and laughing with some of my favorite people. 

Sisters. (from L to R) C, Me and M. 

Cousins.  (from L to R) Me, M, C, Kristin and KDKA. 

Us in the bean:) 

Cousins in the bean photo for Grandml 

Uncle Bobby!  And yes, he is wearing jeans with a jean jacket.  He is still one of the coolest adults I know though:) 

Waiting for the train. 

Post day drinking festivities dance party late into the night

Hands down, my favorite St. Patrick's Day.  However, most nights end like this when we are visiting our family in Chicago.  And I wouldn't have it any other way:)

Throwback

Husband and I spent Christmas in STL again this year.  Even though it started off rather stressful, we spent most of the time relaxing, playing games, drinking and catching-up.  And looking through old photos.  Grandmal (dad's mom and that is how we pronounce it so that is how I am going to spell it) had to recently sell her house and move into an apartment.  With downsizing comes going through boxes and boxes and boxes and deciding what to keep and what to throw away.  My dad met up with his two brothers, after they sold the house, to go through the various boxes and to decide what goes home with who (or whom?) or what went to the curb.  And much to my surprise he actually came home with a few bins full of old photos and other various items.  Needless to say, Christmas day was spent in front of the fire place going through all the bins.  It took us a couple of hours but it was well worth it just for the many laughs we had over amazing outfits and my mom's awesome hairstyles.

Mom & Me, Christmas circa 1984.  I don't look too sure about Santa (who looks kinda confused by the way) but appears I was bribed with a candy cane.  Good work, Mom.  Good work. 

Shootin' hoops with Dad.  For those who know me, this may come as a surprise but I am actually pretty athletic.  I may trip and fall a lot but I do so with an athletic grace (HA!).  

Me Christmas circa ??  What. Is. That. Pose.  How on earth did I ever find that to be comfortable?  

I look like I may be constipated in the first one and a bit shocked/frightened in the second one.  Sometimes I wish my mom was more of a pack rat.  I bought a sweater t-shirt thing similar to this just this fall.  She could have saved me $15!   

I think this was in Orlando.  I am actually happy about taking a photo and don't have that awkward/half smile/confused look on my face. 

My twin sisters.  M is on the left (she had more hair) and C on the right.  And can you spy my chubby leg and Nike kicks in the background?  And see that car?  It was my mom's first car and the color of puke green.  Gross. 

I think we are at the Memphis Zoo here.  Look at our shorts!  Again, Mom what I would do for those shades.  You should have recycled your clothes to us kids at an earlier age.  Hey KDKA! 

M on the left and C on the right.  I am not sure what is going on in this picture but they both look concerned.  Maybe C is concerned about that itch she has?  

Me and M.  I'm not sure why I am dressed up and she's not.  But don't worry, I don't have a case of early childhood acne.  Just chickenpox.  

Destin, FL.  See that awesome plastic bag on my arm?  Yeah, I broke my elbow when I was in kindergarden practicing a gymnastics move on our swingset.  FAIL.  

The fam checking out the new addition, Moi, in the hospital.  On the far right is great-gran, Honey's mom.  She was such an amazing woman and I was lucky to spend many of my younger years with her.  She smelled like peppermint and always had frozen Snicker bars in her freezer:)  

Mom bringing me to her mom and dads (Honey & Grandaddy) from the hospital.  I was the first grandbaby for Honey & Grandaddy.  Don't they look so happy?  

Perhaps my most favorite picture of my dad and I.  Check out my armpit fat rolls.  And please ignore that nasty brown splatter on my arm.  It's not a birthmark, just got dirty over the years.  

And by far, my most favorite photos I found were of Grandmal and Grandaddy's wedding day.  Don't they look so happy?  I cannot wait to find frames to hang them up.

Showing off her bling.  You go girl! 

Don't they look famous?!  Like someone you have seen before but you can't quite place?  Such a gorgeous couple!

I hope you have enjoyed this journey down memory lane.  Luckily the internet didn't even exist when I was young so this is the first time these photos are surfacing on the world wide web.  Phew! 

Cheers. 

Music Love

I love good music and am always looking for new music to listen to and add to my iPod/iPhone.  My favorite station to listen to in Pittsburgh is  91.3 WYEP.  Plays great music (mostly Indie Rock) with few interruptions.  On my drive to work during the week around 7:15, Cindy (the Morning Mix DJ, for lack of a better word) announces the Daily Feedback.  The Daily Feedback is a list of three songs that are played every day at 4:20 (giggle giggle) chosen by the WYEP staff from a category named that morning.  Today's category: "Songs you hated as a child, but like as an adult."

Cindy introduced the topic by saying how common it is for us, as adults, to hear music we loved as a child but cringe when we hear it now.  For me personally, I love hearing songs from my childhood.  Popular music played in my house during childhood were Wilson Phillips, Bonnie Rait and Van Morrison.  I don't necessarily cringe when I hear them but laugh instead at my parents' taste in music and what was once popular.  My first concert was Hootie & The Blowfish... with my parents.  Go ahead and laugh (but chances are you had their CD).  Even though I may be embarrassed by parents' (mine by default) choice in music I can't help but feel nostalgic and smile from whatever memory that song brings.

This morning I literally laughed out loud when the first song Cindy played after announcing the Daily Feedback:

Annie Lennox - Walking On Broken Glass

Holy flashback!  This song immediately took me back to driving with the fam to the Memphis Zoo in my parents' Suburban (so economical I know) circa 1992.  Amazing what a song can do.  

For those of you who are interested the three songs chosen for the Daily Feedback today were John Prine "Donald & Lydia," Joni Mitchell "The Last Time I Saw Richard," and Steely Dan "Green Earrings."  Any of those ring a bell for you?  Yeah, me either.  

With all that being said, what are your favorite songs from childhood?  Or are you too embarrassed to share;)???

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Friday Photo Dump:

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Heading to a concert tonight with Chris and some coworkers!  Hoping to have my camera with me to get some photos.  I'll be sure to share what I can with y'all later.  

Happy Weekend!

I Left My Heart In...

I was a little disappointed about this week's LensProToGo photo challenge.  Not because I didn't think it was a good idea.  But because I wasn't challenged to take a new photo as the category was "I Left My Heart In..."and it was acceptable to use an old image.

My original idea was to use a photograph taken at my parent's lakehouse in Drasco, AR.  The lakehouse represents relaxation, family, comfort, laughter and love for me.  It has been a great "go to" vacation spot when I've been in need of a little R&R.

But yesterday, as I was feeling nostalgic, I started to look through my good ole Webshots albums from 6 or 7 years ago.  As I was browsing I came across a photo I took of my family's house in Sewickley, PA on the first, last snow at the house (circa 2005).  Like I mentioned in this post my parents relocated in June 2006.  Moving around a lot as a kid I never really got attached to one house.  But spending 10 years in one home (the longest house we lived in) it is not hard not to get attached.  This house was just perfect.  Everything about it.

I left my heart on 622 Grove Street...

And doesn't the snow add that extra... something?  Seriously, perfection.  

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Happy Friday Photo Dump Day:

As you can tell, I had a LOT of fun with Hipstamatic this week:)

Hope everyone has a great weekend!  Chris and I have an exciting weekend of cleaning and organizing... 

Alyson