Gotta get back to her somehow

"American Honey" by Lady Antebellum

oh how I love this song!!

Lady Antebellum More CMT Music More CMT Music Videos

My poor roommates might be going crazy as this is the only song I play

lately, but I can't get enough of this song! and the lyrics!

Trailbreaker Marathon

Some photos from the weekend..

Just another day in training for M!

Alumni Love

I love my school. And I love this video. And I love that my friend Kyle is goofy enough to make this a school-wide success, among many of his other entertaining videos. Thank you alumni for supporting our education, We Are Marquette! And check out the Spanish O'Donnells on youtube for more "hits."

"Growing up in Paris, we clap our hands like this..."

I downloaded Phoenix's "Live in Sydney" album today free from their website!

I was only familiar with their "1901" song, which has been featured on a lot of commercials lately (Yay Phoenix!) but I absolutely love the rest of the CD!

Check it out for yourself - it's free!

http://wearephoenix.com/observer/

Depends on Who You Ask

John Mayer has been one of my favorites since 7th grade. I finally saw him in concert last month and I now understand why girls start crying hysterically at their favorite concerts. ...I mean, I didn't shed a tear, but I get it now on a respectable level. Despite his lack of filter, he is extremely talented and this blog entry only makes me love him more...

Depends on Who You Ask.

I’m not sure if it’s a function of advancing age or just the times we’re living in, but it’s almost impossible for me to find complete external validation in any one thought, desire, instinct or vision anymore.

Who do you want to be exactly like? Is there anybody in this world who’s laid down a template for your dreams and goals that you’d copy and paste over your own life’s story? Maybe you want to go to a music college as I did when I decided to attend Berklee College of Music in Boston. Start asking some alums whether it’s worth it and you’ll get two distinct answers. One half of the control group will tell you it’s not worth it, that you might as well just start a band and hit the road. The other half will tell you that it was the flash point for their music career and that without it they’d be nowhere. The answer depends on the experience had by each person you talk to. Maybe the “Nos” spent their semesters curled up in a ball fighting with their boyfriend or girlfriend on the phone and never applied themselves to making the most of the time there. You’ll never find the answer you want, just information with which to build your own idea and chart your own course.

Take your favorite artist, the one you look up to and see as the perfect specimen of talent, values, output, whatever the case may be - and someone else has a reason why they’re not worth even a passing glance. Is “Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back” the documentary of a genius iconoclast or was he a self absorbed pseudo-intellectual bully? It depends on who you ask. Is Jay-Z the reigning king of hip hop or is he “all business” now? It depends on who you ask. I bring up both names because if you ask me, I put them at the top of my list of people who can do very little if no wrong at all, but it won’t take long to read someone’s opposing point of view. If you’re not sure of what you love, that means you can be talked out of it, and that’s a slippery slope.

Is your boyfriend cute? Was Hurt Locker the best movie of the year? Are you going to go out in those shoes? Should you take the promotion and move to Boston? Did I wear “Hammer” pants on stage in Houston or is Rick Owens a visionary clothing designer?

It all depends on who you ask.

Which is a pretty great reason to stop asking all together. Nobody’s life template will ever lay evenly over yours. And in those times when they clash completely, you have to walk alone, with confidence that you’re creating your own template, made out of your own instincts and your own dreams and your own goals. And if you do it long enough, maybe someone someday will look to yours as the life to model theirs after. Of course, some people won’t agree with them. It will all depend on who they ask."

check out his full blog here http://jhnmyr.tumblr.com/

Proverbs 14:23

"All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty."

I like to think that we're all a work in progress - every aspect of our beings are in a constant state of evolution. From relationships and careers, to our own hearts and inner faith. But it's important to not use that as our crutch. Situations and emotions change on a daily basis, and even though it's a "work in progress," are we really working? What are we doing to better ourselves and push this evolution along?

Within the past year or so I've come to know what it means to live as a Christian. I discovered it, I fell in love with it, and then it became a work in progress. Here I am, months later, still in the same seat I was before. Of course there is the ebb and flow of life, the ebb and flow of our progress, but the weakening state of my faith was not a result of that. I've forgotten that being a "work in progress" actually requires work.

This introduction to the Christian life also brought on many new and amazing friends that hold me accountable, that share their faith with me. When they ask how I'm doing, this "work in progress" became my automated response. Well, I got kicked in the face today when I passed out my typical response, and they opened my eyes to the lack of work that I was putting towards my progression. I was speaking the words and I wasn't backing it up. I wasn't including it in my new relationships, I wasn't making it a part of my daily life, a concept I recently learned that I needed.

My happiest moments, my happiest week in my life took place in a Navajo nation in the middle of nowhere, New Mexico. My faith had never been so strong, and I had never experienced a richer version of life.

Now as I am back in my own world as a 21 year old trying to enjoy my senior year in college, I am learning that this Christian life is pretty fricken hard.

I have a goal in mind and I haven't put the work in, continuing to be frustrated with the results.

Though the conversation was painful, I am so grateful to have those people in my life to hold me accountable, to wake me up, and to bring me back to my faith. And I am even more thankful for such a gracious God that never leaves, no matter how often I ignore Him.

A self-guided tour.

Today the campus was empty because of spring break. I got off work early but I was without running shoes, my laptop and my TV. So with such beautiful St. Patty's day weather, I decided to take my just-purchased-Puma's for a walk...

I saw so much of Milwaukee that I had never seen before. There are so many hidden little gems, and it only added to my mini Milwaukee/Marquette bucket list.

I saw the city from a totally new perspective, and there was such a feeling of content independence as I walked around all day by myself. I felt like I was somehow checking things off my bucket list with each step. My Puma's are amazing, and they walked me into all of my favorite places, new and old. I even ran into my sister on the street in time for some Irish celebration!

All of the exploring created one of my favorite days in a long time...

"Whose man is this!?"

Last night my family and I attended the annual ALS Ball, a black tie charity event for Lou Gehrig's disease. It is an amazing event complete with dinner, an auction, and of course dancing, in support of research for the cause and cure of ALS.

Each year my grandparents and aunts and uncles all come together to support our friends that are struggling with this disease, and it usually provides for a fairly emotional evening. There weren't as many of us this year, but as usual, once the serious business was over we had way too much fun.

There is always a band that plays everything from Earth, Wind & Fire to Michael Jackson - the perfect dancing music! I love that despite the seriousness of the cause and the fanciness of the event, people are getting down and dirty on the dance floor. The men were even called on stage for a dancing contest to determine who had the best butt...my boyfriend won. It was entertaining, to say the least!

Reflecting back on the night, our hearts are filled and our legs and feet are sore. I'd say it was a success!

For more info on ALS and last night's event, check out http://www.beatals.org/