Made in Oregon.

Yes. :)

Getting my hands back into shape...

I recently found the passion to play my guitar again. It's not like I haven't played it over the past few years... but just... not as much as I did when I first got it. At the age of eight... for my acoustic, that is. And 13 for my electric.

I used to kind of shrug it off, not enjoying playing it because I wasn't very good, I didn't know any songs, and I wasn't taking lessons anymore. But now... I'm taking piano lessons and bass lessons... and I realized that I don't need to take guitar lessons to learn guitar songs. I've had enough experience with guitar to be able to pick up songs on my own.

So I looked up a bunch of tabs on http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/ and now I'm working my hands out like never before.

Every night I come home, go down to my basement and practice both bass and guitar. I start out with a few bass scales and warm-ups, then I move to actual songs on the bass.

Once my hand is thoroughly stretched out and warmed-up, I take a short break.

Then it's on to the guitar.

:)

I'll do some scales, play some of my own songs, maybe I'll write a new one while I'm practicing... who knows? :)

Over the past three days I've learned all of these songs on guitar... (and aquired a painfully stretched out left hand... which is now taking a well-earned break)...

~Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne - I just started on this one tonight... and OH MAN... it is FAST. Fun though. :)
~Click, Click, Click, Click by Bishop Allen - I LOVE playing this on my acoustic. :)
~New American Classic by Taking Back Sunday - Beautiful acoustic song.
~This Photograph is Proof by Taking Back Sunday - Love the guitar.
~Time After Time(cover) by Saosin - Nice version of a classic 70s ballad.
~Falling Away With You by Muse - I love this song so much... :)
~Sing For Absolution by Muse - This is actually a re-learned song... I learned it about four years ago when I first got my electric guitar... but I hadn't played it in so long that I had to look up the tabs again.
~Your Guardian Angel by Red Jumpsuit Apparatus - A friend taught me this one. Great song. :)

Recently learned on bass:

~On My Own by Saosin - Awesome song.
~Hysteria by Muse - Probably my favorite bass line ever. :D
~Time is Running Out by Muse - Another favorite. :)
~The Distance by Cake - Driving bass line... love it.
~Crooked Teeth by Death Cab For Cutie - Okay... not really RECENT... I learned this about a year ago... but again, I hadn't played it in a while and had to look it up again.
~Summer Skin by Death Cab For Cutie - "

I'm playing guitar again.

And I must admit... I missed it. :)

Killing Him With Kindness

A while back, I was having a discussion with one of my best friends, about a friend of mine who I was mad at due to his weird off-on-off-on friendship patterns.

She told me that she was going to "kill him with kindness."

I love that phrase.

A lot.

Sometimes, people make you mad. Sometimes, they push your buttons. And the best way to deal with this... is to not get mad back at them. Oh. NO. That's what they want! The answer is to "kill them with kindness" !!!

After she told me that I tried to treat everyone really nicely all of the time. It didn't really work...

But I'm trying again. :)

This solution also works well with people you are NOT mad at. Then you can just love them like you wanted to love them anyway. They're happy. You're happy.

When you kill the enemy with kindness... it's because you're happy and they can't bring you down, no matter what. They can push your buttons, tell you you're an ugly cow (which, by the way, is a greatly offensive thing to saw to a real cow), and it does nothing. You still give them love.

"Smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave."

;)

Feeling Good...? ...BOO YA.

Well well well...

Now for something completely out of the ordinary.

Or not!

I have this terrible habit of listening to depressing songs when I get depressed. Which then pushes me over the edge of a swirling tempest of bitterness, resentment, anger and unbelievable sadness.

I realized this a while back... When I was going through some trying friendship/relationship problems and having weird random breakdowns every two and a half days.

THUS! I have come to the conclusion that the only answer is to listen to HAPPY music. And to say "I. AM. FEELING. GOOD. AND I'M NOT LETTING ANYONE BRING ME DOWN." when you're angry.

SO. The other day I said some stupid, STUPID things to a friend of mine... which I think both hurt them and made them very angry at me.

I realized how stupid and mean these things were and apoligized as best as I could... but I'm pretty sure they're still mad at me.

Annnd... I realized that no matter what I said or did... they were just going to be mad for a while.

Therefore, I'm listening to happy music and putting it behind me. I can't change how they feel. I can only try to be a good friend when they need me to.

Life is good. That is what I have to keep telling myself. And if I will it to be good, it shall be good.

So here's some music for you to listen to and FEEL GOOD.

Live, love and laugh! It's what we all need to be happy, and it's always there for us to grab. :)

Mary J Blige - Just Fine



Nina Simone - Feeling Good.