everyone has a tiny whitney houston inside of them.

It’s concert season, around these parts. Last week, I went with C and T to see Hanson, where I was not disappointed by great tunes, lots of old songs to groove too, and an usually comfortable venue AND crowd. This was one of the best Hanson shows I’ve been to (and I’ve been to six or seven.)

hanson

Then this past week, I got to see Matt Nathanson, who is always a delight in concert, moving his hips and making us clap, asking us to judge people around us who aren’t singing along.

Matt posits that there is a tiny Whitney Houston in everyone, and tiny Whitney needs to DANCE, so we sang “Dance with Somebody” and generally bopped around the floor of the Wiltern, singing as loud as we could and waving our heads around. This was hands down the best time I’ve seen Matt (this was the fourth time) because he has so many new fun songs, and “Modern Love” as an album really just screams “I AM A BLAST SING ME.”

mattnathanson

I love concert season, because it means I get to get dressed up, go to a venue, sing and dance around and feel like I’m sixteen again at the Verve Pipe concert my Dad shuttled us to in Detroit circa 2002.

Up next, I’m hoping to see 3eb in December, and we’re going to Radio Lab Live in November, which while not a concert is still a live event that I can’t wait to be a part of.

Here’s to fall, concerts, live music, and tiny Whitney.

all you have to do in this pose is nothing.

Happy on-the-other-side of Monday, everyone! Things are looking up, up, up over here.

After a weekend that has sobering news from several fronts in the world, it is humbling to rediscover things to keep us grounded. Here, we’re having a wonderful day because there are new albums out, new websites and yoga routines to explore, and a new wilderness to explore on the other side of this work day.

I have checked out two new yoga routines this past week, and I am happy to report they’re opening me up and keeping me active (and present!) on the mat, which is welcome after a lull of love for yoga (gasp!) I discovered it was a combination of boredom (after all, I only have three DVD routines I’ve been cycling through) and the heat, so I have been heading to the studio once a week, finishing off a Groupon and making it last over the weeks by reinvigorating my practice once a week in-studio and the rest of the time committing to “hot” yoga in my non-air conditioned house!

Meanwhile, on the music front, you guys, Matt Nathanson’s new album! Every single one of his albums make me SO smiley, all for different reasons. I was in a music rut again, and I am happy that there are two new albums out to add to my “new” music, along with Hanson’s “Anthem.” Sara Bareilles knows how to speak to the heart, and for her and her talent, I am so grateful. Also up is a new single from Brett Dennen, with an album release in October. Rejoice!

I hope you’ll check out the new albums (below) and the yoga site to revisit the mat in a new way, yourselves!

78279-2_MattNathanson.LOTGP_ sara

i would steal enough to make my way into the night

Running Mix, 11/12/12

Blow Me (One Last Kiss)/P!nk
Barton Hollow/The Civil Wars
Never Gonna Leave This Bed/5 Maroon 5
For The First Time/The Script
22/Taylor Swift
Runaway Run/Hanson
Uncharted/Sara Bareilles
Breakeven (Falling to Pieces)/The Script
Faster/Matt Nathanson
When You Feel It/Brett Dennen
We Are Never Getting Back Together/Taylor Swift
I’ve Been Down/Hanson
Sydney (I’ll Come Running)/Brett Dennen
We Could Run Away/Needtobreathe
Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby/Counting Crows
Say You’re Sorry/Sara Bareilles
Come Around/Marc Broussard
Who We Are/Lifehouse
If Only/Hanson
Valley of Tomorrow/Needtobreathe
If I Am/Nine Days
Lost Without Each Other/Hanson
Devil’s Been Talkin’/Needtobreathe
Stay (Wasting Time)/Dave Matthews Band Love
The Way You Lie/Eminem Ft. Rihanna
Doin’ Dirt/Maroon 5
Watch Over Me/Hanson
Fortune Teller/Maroon 5
She’s On Fire/Train
Beating My Heart/Jon McLaughlin

no clouds in my sun

Tomorrow’s final playlist. Let’s do this.

Umbrella (feat. Jay-Z)/Rihanna
Adding To The Noise/Switchfoot
Mean/Taylor Swift
I’ve Been Down (Live Acoustic)/Hanson
10 Days Late/Third Eye Blind
Some Nights/Fun Some Nights
Which to bury, us or the hatchet/Relient k
Titanium (feat. Sia)/David Guetta
Carry Me Through/Dave Barnes
Sydney (I’ll Come Running)/Brett Dennen
Shake It Out/Florence + The Machine

Total time: 42 minutes (finishing roughly 1 minute into “Shake It Out”)