June Music Recap

Well what do you know, I'm back again!

Today I thought I would do a little music-related update to show you lovely folks what I've been pouring into my brain via my ears as of late. I'll try to keep this short and sweet with 3 artists that I've been particularly into, but no promises. It is very hard to pick favorites, I tell you, but I will try my best.

So Bjork, right?!?
Oh goodness, Bjork is an amazing and wonderful person. My current favorite album of hers is Voltaic-Live in the Studio, which is songs from her Voltaic tour. Live. In the studio. (I hope you're not reading this blog to acquire new information from me, because it seems I am fresh out. Pitchfork this is not.)

These recordings are so beautiful and unique and I love them very much. I quite like the version of I Miss You on this album, but for the sake of its completely awesome video, here is the original:

Bjork is an idol of mine for various reasons. I mean, I like her music a lot, but I think I like her style and vision even more. Her appreciation of and downright happiness about both human interaction and hidden solitude makes me smile. One day maybe I'll be half as strange and wonderful as her.

I'd been listening to James Blake through this past year, but I had no idea that he had all of these awesome EPs out until, like, a week ago. Wow wow wow have I been missing out. He makes these soulful sounds that I never would have thought could come from electronic music. And it sure doesn't hurt that he has the most beautiful, sweet, melty voice that I've heard.

And I guess we should look at his face for a second too.

Here's his cover of Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You" from his EP Enough Thunder:

Hollllly smokes.

And here's a funky-fresh instrumental number from Love What Happened Here:

I have a friend who has been talking about FKA Twigs for quite a while now and all I thought when he told me about how she is cool and great and super incredible was Yeah whatever she's not my style so go tell someone else. I have since apologized profusely for this, as I have come to realize that she is the absolute shit. I love her delicate, eerie voice mixed with perfectly orchestrated drops and unexpected shifts.

I think my favorite track of hers is "Water Me"from EP2. Since I've seen the video, I can't sing it without bobbing my head back and forth:

I also really like "Ultraviolet" from EP1. It has such a full sound and the middle part feels like warm fuzzy stuff filling your brain. You'll know what I mean:

I am so excited for her first full-length LP (fittingly titled LP1) to come out in August. She just released a single from said album called "Two Weeks", but in all honesty I don't like it as much as the stuff she put out in EP2. That being said, I still have faith and a preorder in iTunes!

Okay yeah I can't narrow it down to just those three. Here is a slew of singles that I've been really feeling this June:

I could keep going, but I'll spare you... Maybe I'll do a playlist soon?

Have a good Thursday! Bye now

The Lost Photos of the Last Year

Well hi there!

It has been a while. Like, a super long while. Heh heh....
I missed you!

I kept thinking/talking about posting here over these past few months but, as you can tell, it never happened. Instead, I became super overwhelmed by the idea that I should post something and that it should be at least sort of good and that I should not only write one post, but, like, daily posts and that I should do some super cool big project and at the end of it all I was like, "nah, better not."

Which, in hindsight, was quite silly! SO, today (tonight?) I am going to write/worry about one post.

As you may or may not know, I graduated from high school a few weeks ago. May and early June were full of long, long days packed with various meetings, events, and (duh) exam stuff (so maybe I have a good excuse for not doing anything here? We just won't talk about March...)

Anyway, I was looking through random photos from this last year, and I have comprised a not-so-small album of photos that I took and then, for whatever reason, didn't do anything with. They are (queue some sweet Indiana Jones sound effects) The Lost Photos of the Last Year!

These photos may not be any good, and they may not serve as an accurate record of the things that I actually DID during my senior year, but I think that you might sort of enjoy them (?) I certainly enjoyed coming across them! Here we go:

A never-turned-in-assignment for my photography class

My messy, messy bureau. 

Please excuse the redundancy in these photos, this is a sloppy-joe operation. It's how I roll. (see above)

Fun with diffraction!

 Fun with food coloring!

Fun with THE COOLEST GLASSES IN THE UNIVERSE!

A doll head in a teacup!

Me and my buds on Halloween

Halloween-y self portraits

WHY IS IT SO EFFING COLD OUTSIDE self portraits

General fuzziness

In the window of that confusing and mysterious building next to the Silver Dollar

My Aunt Wendy's cat, Olive

MY cat Yaztremski and her BFF

My window, twice.

And shadows from my windows. I sure do love me some windows!

Maggie

Literally 4.6 seconds later.

Finger-painting aftermath

Some monsters that just want a hug.

Thanks for taking a look! Extra thanks for still being here!

I might I'll post here regularly now, I might not. I mean I love you, babe, but this stud was born to run wild and free. Maybe I'll see you around sometime.  ;)

Greece: Part 1

     I am finally getting around to posting some pictures form Greece! We (my family and 5 other family friends) went for two weeks starting June 16th and spent 4 days in Athens and the rest on a small island called Alonissos, about 50 km from mainland. We returned home yesterday (Jul.1) after a very tiring 25 hour commute home. It was a spectacular adventure and I am so glad I had the opportunity to go! Unfortunately my camera had some mechanical problems and I was unable to use it on the trip, but Maggie and I took tons of pictures with her camera, so there was no lack of documentation of our adventures. I tried to narrow it down to one or two pictures to post per day, but it was pretty much impossible so I am going to have to post multiple installments of the series over the course of a few weeks. Here is part one!

Day one
     After an exhausting series of flights to Athens, we arrived. A driver met us at the airport and took us to our Athens Studios, our hotel right in the historical Acropolis district.

 We took a walk around the area, and there were street performers and vendors everywhere

 A ruin at the foot of the Acropolis walls

 Maggie and Mackenzie being cute!

 We climbed a hill that gave us a great view of the city and the Acropolis. The sunset was gorgeous!

Tom. Maggie, and Athens! From above, the city looks very convoluted but handsome at the same time. All of the buildings are white, and I found myself wondering how anyone can find their way around when everything looks the same!

 Tom and Calvin being cute and tired at the café below our hotel





Day Two

 We climbed to the Acropolis, which was really cool to see. The columns and statues are absolutely beautiful and I find it incredible that ancient humans were able to accomplish such an amazing architectural feat.

 The Greek flag waving proudly at the Acropolis. Props to Maggie for such a cool photo!

 Tom and I taking a break to work on our funny faces

Day Three

We took a walking tour of the historical landmarks in Athens. It was really cool because our tour guide was genuinely excited to teach us about the history of the landmarks, and told us interesting little tidbits that I would have not known otherwise!

Greek salad for lunch. This is the way all salads should be: full of delicious non-lettuce vegetables and topped with delicious cheese!

An interesting installation in an alley. I love the way it looks!

     So there is a taste of the first three days in Greece! I will post more soon, and I promise they won't all be in three day sections, I am just very tired tonight because of jetlag! Sweet dreams, and see you tomorrow!