I guess I'm old fashioned

In this age of Facebook and Twitter most people don't bother to really keep up with anyone's birthday. Most people rely on those little notifications that let you know that your friend's birthday is coming up. People very rarely have to do more than write out the generic "Happy birthday" on their friend's wall and that's it. Unless it's a family member or a very close friend, most people wont even both with a text message let alone a phone call. All of the social niceties and etiquette seem to be falling away and long forgotten.

Maybe I'm alone in this thought, but I think there is something special about receiving snail mail. I know that I very rarely receive anything in the mail that I actually want. It's mostly bills, advertisements, and junk catalogs. But, occasionally, I'll get a card min the mail and they always bring a smile. I noticed this most recently right after I found out about the whole cancer debacle when someone sent me a card just with their general well wishes and letting me know they were there if I needed them. It was just a few days prior to my first procedure and I was terrified. When I received that card, it was just a nice reminder that no matter what, people are there for me and worried and they care. It was exactly what I needed.

Ever since then, I've made it a point to send cards more often. I've found that I really love to send out birthday cards for people. Most people don't ever actually expect to get one in the mail any more, except maybe from your mother or grandmother, and I think it's just a nice little touch to show people you care. Especially after planning a wedding when your head is filled with all of the proper ways to handle social situations so all family members are happy, I've noticed that I want to do my part to bring back all of these little social niceties. After sending out over 300 hand written thank you notes, I don't mind sending out the occasional thank you card when someone hosts a dinner party (or poker night). If I know a friend is going through a tough time, I'll send them a card or small gift to let them know I'm thinking of them. And after a wedding, I've realized it really is quite easy to send these little cards since I have so many people's addresses.

I don't know, people seem a bit surprised that someone as young as I am likes to follow such etiquette rules, but I really do like to do little things like that for people. I even have a planner where I write everything down and keep track of upcoming occasions in my friends and family members lives so I can be sure to acknowledge it. And since I don't have Facebook to keep me up to date with birthdays, this is my responsibility to take care of and keep updated. I think thank you cards and birthday cards and get well cards and such things should make a comeback. At the very least, I'm doing my part to assist the US Postal Service and card companies everywhere.

I hope I can keep my sanity through the next several weeks

I'm really hoping that I don't lose what little is left of my sanity in the next several weeks. My spring semester is going to be ending in three weeks, finals will be in two weeks, more hours in the studio for the upcoming recital, more responsibilities for the recital, my little brother is graduating high school in a little over a month, registration for my summer semesters are soon, planning the next several months of classes... The list can go on. I know it might not seem like much to some of you, but this is just going to be a lot of added stress for me on top of work and all of my doctor's appointments.

With my spring semester drawing to a close, I've got to be ready to register for my two summer semesters as well as the fall semester. Hopefully I'll know exactly which classes I will be taking and my class schedule so that this is one less thing I will have to worry about until December. I'm actually not too stressed about my finals this semester, I know English wont be a problem and there really isn't a final in my French course. History is the only course that I'm a bit worried about because not only do I have to worry about the final, but also the Departmental Development Exam which will be an exam set by... someone important I guess. I don't know why this test is worrying me more than the final other than the fact that History (especially US History) is not my strong subject. Not only do I have to make sure I pick classes I know I'll still like at the end of December, but I need to make sure I have the funds for these classes and the books. I was a bit shocked to learn how expensive textbooks are... I don't really like that I've had to pay four times more for a book than I did for the entire course. Something about that seems a bit wrong. But alas, there isn't anything I can do about that aside from try to find books from other people. 

I'm also trying to make sure that I have time and resources available to watch my little brother graduate in mid-May. I honestly can't believe that he's already a senior and turning 18 (on the 25th of this month no less!). It seems like only yesterday he was a little boy that wouldn't seem to ever leave me alone. That little brat would follow me everywhere and I never could seem to get rid of him... I just can't believe he's not a little child anymore! The last time I saw him was three years ago and he was already taller than I am. I'm sure he's only gotten taller...

With ballet, the studio is now in the midst of perfecting our dances. This means several more hours spent at the studio, hours spent at home working on not only moves and parts of the routine, but also working on exercises that increase flexibility. Not only will I be part of the recital, but backstage I'll be a "ballet mom" meaning it will be my job to help all the younger girls get dressed, hair done, makeup done, and soothe nerves. I don't know if I'm up to the job but my dance instructor seems to think I am. I'm just trying not to think about what happens if I do something wrong backstage with the younger girls... 

With work, it seems to just get more and more stressful in the summer months. Several construction projects have been started which means that everyone here is on edge. Construction in the building is always going to have problems and issues and contractors not doing things properly and people not following the rules. Lately, some companies have been causing a lot of trouble and stressing the entire office out. I will never understand why people that have worked here before still seem to have such a hard time following the building rules! I guess that's just part of dealing with contractors..

Well, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I can manage to stay sane through all of this madness. I'm also still working on a big something that I'll know how it's going to turn out by the end of the summer. I don't want to say too much about this for fear of jinxing myself or something, but I'm not going to let it fall to the back-burner even with everything else in life.

Music Monday: Ed Sheeran's + (Plus)

Several of my friends from across the pound have been telling me about the greatness that is Ed Sheeran. Recently, I made the very wise decision to download his entire discography. Ed Sheeran’s latest album + is a brilliant work of art.

Ed Sheeran is well known for his take-all lyrics. In his previous albums, he has made it quite clear that he feels that he can make it as a musician without succumbing to the major labels. He went so far as to say he doesn’t need someone else to write his lyrics for him because his lyrics are great in one of his previous songs. Sheeran knows that he has built up his fan base on his own with the help of social networking and Youtube. If he built up all of his fans as much as he has without the help of a major record label, he knows that he will not have to make major secessions to a record label and compromise who he is.

In his latest album +(Plus), Ed Sheeran continues to show off his superior song writing capabilities and his amazing story telling abilities. In “Small Bump” he gives you the heartbreaking story of an expectant father looking forward to the times to be had with his future child that is soon crushed when he finds out that the woman has miscarried. “A-Team” is a tragic tale about a young girl that has to prostitute for drugs and that is her only escape. “Drunk” is Ed’s heartbroken story that each of us have been through, a bad breakup. In his breakup, he is left behind and turns to alcohol for comfort. The story of “UNI” is about how he broke up with a girl he he truly loved and a girl that loved him because he chose to continue on with his life as a musician and she went to university.

Ed Sheeran’s latest album is touching and full of wonderfully written songs. He is one of the few people in history that has the ability of transforming his pain and anguish in life into something beautiful. Not only is Ed Sheeran a wonderful musician, but he has an amazing voice that is paired beautifully. 

Some say that this is just the latest pretty-boy-Brit that is gaining popularity with no real talent. All it takes is one listen of half of the songs on this album and you will see that this misconception couldn't be more wrong. 

And the End has Come

Well, a few days have passed since it was official that the Stars would not be making it into the playoffs yet again this year and I now feel like I can talk about this with a (fairly) clear head. I've heard several people talk about the fact that they're disappointed in the team because they didn't make the playoffs, but I'm of a different mind. I'm very proud of this team.

When the Dallas Stars opened the season in October, the team was going through the midst of bankruptcy proceedings and had no owner. The complete future of this team was up in the air. There was even talk about the team leaving Dallas altogether. With all of these doubts about the future of the team, it was pretty much a given that the Stars wouldn't do anything of consequence this season.

And yet, amazingly, the team went into November leading the entire NHL in points. This ragtag bunch of no-names managed to lead the entire NHL in points within the first month of the season! All with no owner and still in the midst of bankruptcy and with no future to speak of! How could any fan doubt this team's heart and drive at this point?! As the season progressed, the captain went out of commission for several months and the team lost several very important games. The team lost all of the footing they gained and greatly looked forward to the All Star Break when they could take some time to recoup. During the All Star Games, the entire NHL network was exposed to one of the team's biggest stars, Jamie Benn. After the All Star Games, the team was amazing, winning game after game and landing themselves a solid place leading the division. It seemed certain that the Stars were finally going to make it into the playoffs.

But, sadly, the Stars also have a habit of breaking down in the final weeks of the playoff push. This habit wasn't ready to be broken yet. And it happened. The team crashed and burned out.

Yet, I've grown quite tired of hearing people criticize the team and calling for the resignation of everyone of consequence for the team. Really? The entire coaching staff should be let go because teams that are better staffed beat the Stars? People honestly feel like the management needs to be cleaned out because the team didn't get to the playoffs? Do people just completely disregard the fact that Ryder and Souray and Benn and Fistric and Nystrom have all had amazing seasons like they've never had before. And really, you're going to continue to bitch and moan about this team when they just played their final game of the season and lost against a team that is one of the best teams in the NHL with 6 players that were called up from the AHL and this was a 2-3 loss? You're disappointed with that loss?

Just looking at all of these amazing things this team did this season, I can only watch and wait impatiently and wait for October to roll around. Big things are in store for this amazing Dallas Stars team in the coming team. With dedicated players, an amazing new owner, brilliant leadership, this team is going to do amazing things.

So all of you nay-sayers out there can just shut it.

Music Monday: Lucero's Women & Work

Lucero's latest album, Women & Work, is the Memphis group's ninth studio album. And what an album it is...

Women & Work is a great follow up to 1372 Overton Park. W&W keeps with the soulful rock vibe that 1372 created. W&W also has a great throwback to some of their earlier albums. Think earlier as in The Attic Tapes and their self-titled Lucero album. Some of the opening riffs just throw me back to their older, and simpler, albums. It also reminds me of the point in life I was at when I first listened to these albums. When you hear the opening riffs that remind you of songs from ten years ago, you can't help but remember where you were the first time you listened to the album. The first time that album was new.


Who but Lucero would be able to have an album described as "like Arcade Fire baptized in Joe Cocker and Leon Russell's Mad Dogs, then warmed with Don Nix's Alabama State Troopers." It only seems fitting that such a complicated band with such a distinct sound can only be described as such. When you learn that W&W is a love letter to the band's hometown of Memphis, you can see the love that these boys have for their hometown. Anyone that has ever spent any time in Memphis can see just how perfectly this cliche fits. Memphis itself is a blend of country, rock, and soul. Who better could have captured everything Memphis is and put it all into an album? From songs like "On my way Downtown" to the title track "Women and Work" to "Go Easy" you can almost see Memphis. The full gospel choir as backup vocals in "Go Easy" only emphasizes the fact that this is all in honor of Memphis.


W&W does return more to their country roots and is not nearly as rock 'n' roll as 1372, but it still rocks. The poetic lyrics that everyone loves from Ben are still there. The substance created by 1372 is still there. This is still the Lucero that we all love. Yet, something here seems to be a bit... Expected. And I don't ever expect Lucero to put out an album that leaves me wanting more, but I did after the closing track. There is something a bit generic that seems to have crept into the sound of W&W. It doesn't make the album bad per se, but I felt like this was a bit of a plateau and the beginning of the end of their more interesting and unique albums. Because that is one of the things I love about Lucero, no two albums are really alike.

I will still listen to this album and I still love it. I think it's an album that many people will love and will be loved for years. If you don't have it, definitely go out and buy it (or download it).