Category Archives: music

empty the skies out/bringing me one step closer to you

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Hi chickens. I have been away, and for that I apologize. There have been a lot of things going on here that I am not quite ready to talk about yet, but they are all good and happy, albeit busy.

In the meantime, days of this summer have been hot and long, and in the throes of the dog days Jeff and I both started new jobs and laid low, seeking air conditioning and relaxation. Through it all I have tried to keep up the blog at GMS, our house, friendships, etc., and also keep up on my running schedule.

We are running a half marathon in December, and though that’s now in only three months, I can say I don’t feel overwhelmed like I did when I agreed to do it. Be warned: I feel overwhelmed, for sure, but less so. I have been running, putting one foot in front of the other, all summer, taking off only when I had to for travel (or a sprained wrist) and when it just didn’t feel quite right. I’ve been trying to listen to my body, and I think that’s serving me well.

I’m headed out tonight for my first official half-marathon training run, and I am feeling tired of running at night already. I don’t know what the solution is (OK I do it’s run before work but I just don’t know if I can get organized to do that in the next few weeks) but for now that means 10 pm runs and eating light dinners so I can go out and pound pavement.

I miss this space, and I want to be around more to let you guys know what’s going on, and probably will be ramping up my posts now that I crave an outlet for running talk (especially since I haven’t done a ton of yoga since I injured my wrist!) so in advance, sorry/notsorry about all the running talk.

In the meantime – can you guys send me jams? I am SEVERELY lacking in tunes I love, and I have been listening to podcasts when I run, which is fine for long runs, but sometimes I need some serious motivation. I also need to really connect with a song to find it motivational, so this is sometimes exhausting.

Favorite running songs? Titanium, by Sia/David Guetta; Gone, by Kelly Clarkson; Maybe They’re On To Us, by Needtobreathe; Want to Want Me by Jason Derulo – if you can find the theme in these, and come up with a playlist for me, I swear to the earth I will make you dinner for a month.

In the meantime, I’m off to bang out three miles. Sleep well, chicks.

Take my hand and my/heart and soul

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I saw Ed Sheeran last week at the Hollywood Bowl with Megan and Monica and Monica’s sister Nikki and I have to say it was one of the best shows I’ve been to in a while. I love going to shows where I know every song, where the performer has an amazing energy, and where I can sing along with no qualms.

Ed performed solo, using a loop pedal set-up, which was amazing. He is truly a talented musician through and through, and his energy carried the entire Hollywood Bowl despite being a Wednesday and being 90 degrees out.

I don’t even care that I was surrounded by teenagers who are in love with the pop artist, because he’s just so good and because I think being embarrassed about the music you like is dumb. If it makes you shake your hips, it’s the right stuff, and what’s so wrong with that?

I love the Hollywood Bowl because I love being outside listening to live music – there is just nothing like it. Concert season is ramping up, again, and tonight we’re headed back to the Bowl to see Back to the Future with a live orchestra.

But back to Ed. He was amazing, funny, and just was having so much fun it was crazy. His mashups were just amazing, too. Our song for the wedding was Thinking Out Loud, and all his songs off of X really make me happy deep in my soul.

I’ve made a Spotify list for y’all so you can listen to the set list.

Next up, Needtobreathe in a couple weeks – another show I cannot wait for.
Happy Tuesday, folks.

for katie: happy 30.

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GUYS. It is my friend Katie’s 30th Birthday (hi, K, happy birthday!)

In honor of her birthday, I made her a 30-song playlist. It’s 30 songs or songs by artists that remind me of her and our friendship. We’ve been friends since I was 18 years old and she was 19 and we didn’t have our shit figured out but we knew we liked Law & Order: SVU and calzones and singer/songwriters and really big iced coffees.

Now it’s 11 years later and she’s turning 30 and has a couple of books out and a home to call her own and is married and still loves really big iced coffees and calzones, but maybe now with a side of wine and kale juice.

Happy Birthday, K. I am proud of who you are. And where you’re going. Enjoy the playlist.

xo

speak every time you stand so you do not forget yourself.

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MK570

Folks, the new Mat Kearney album came out this week (on Theo’s first birthday, what a sign!) and it’s really speaking to my soul.

When I was in college, I was in love with Mat Kearney. His album that came out in 2006 was my life album. The summer I came back from studying aboard my mom took me to Borders (RIP) in Ann Arbor to see him live and get my CD signed.

When I get my named signed on things (which I guess doesn’t happen as much anymore) I always tell people “Jen” because a) that is what my family calls me and b) I hate being like, “It’s Jennie. With an I-E.” So when Mat Kearney asked me what my name was I said, “Jen.”

He wrote “Jenn.” I still have that CD. I strongly considered changing the way I spell my name. (I didn’t.)

I love him and his music, and I am so, so happy that another album is finally here. It’s been a while, Mat.

Onto “Just Kids.”

First of all, the first song includes an excerpt from the above spoken word piece, which just is amazing.

This is one of my favorite parts:

This is for the benches and the people sitting upon them
For the bus drivers who drive a million broken hymns
For the men who have to hold down three jobs simply to hold up their children
For the nighttime schoolers
And for the midnight bikers who are trying to fly
Shake the dust

Second of all, Moving On, Heartbeat, Ghost, Los Angeles…they all are just beyond.

I suggest you take a listen on Spotify today. I’ve made a playlist of my fave Mat Kearney songs from over the years, in case you live under a rock and you don’t know who he is. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

whatever you got on, girl, stay in it.

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Happy Friday lovelies. I am in a great mood today and I am excited for this epic weekend that we have planned around these parts, so here are 5 good things to cruise into the weekend with:

1. This weekend is our famed Heart Cake shoot – we are making lots of crafts and getting lots of our friends involved (pretty much our MO for all things that seem overwhelming) and it’s one of the labor of loves that I really, really enjoy doing (especially surrounded by so many lovely friends!)

heartcakecollage-1200x800Here are some outtake photos from last year’s shoot – all the fun!

2. Guys, I have pretty much blown this up all over the Internet, but I am a headstand doing fool. I have been popping headstands all over the damn place, because I can. I am so excited to be getting stronger and doing more inversions, and it’s giving my confidence all over the place in things related nothing to yoga. Up next – forearm headstand, and of course I am working up to a pull up because killer arms, hello.

headstand

3. I am now in love with Sam Hunt, so I will be exclusive with him for a bit musically speaking. I had dabbled in him earlier, but he’s everything I love in tunes: singer/songwriter, a little R&B, a little rap, hilarious lyric, and he’s even a little country. Plus, that hair? I’m in.

4. Mat Kearney’s album comes out soon, and after my torrid love affair with Sam I will slide back over to Mat in February and then get to see him in March with a slew of great friends. Talk about lucky. This year is going to kill musically.

5. This baby and animal combo post makes me happy and smiley. Enjoy it as much as I did.

Happy weekend, y’all. I hope you have the best one yet, whatever you’re doing.