Things I Loved in June

June wasn't exactly a favorite month of mine. It was a bit overwhelming, I was sick through most of it, Seether broke my heart, and I've been extremely stressed due to some issues at work and life itself. But no one likes to read all of those things which is why I haven't been posting lately or commenting on many other blogs. So let's just jump into the positive things, shall we?

Favorite Things In June by sammyjones57 featuring printed bags

Ryka shoes
$56 - dsw.com

Hollister Co. beach shoes
$9.30 - hollisterco.com

Cooperative printed bag
$28 - urbanoutfitters.com

Going to church and reading more of my Bible.

Short road trips.

Summertime starting and craft making.

Cupcakes! Cupcakes! Cupcakes!....I think I may have an addiction to wanting to make them.

New running shoes! So I can ya know, get off my butt and loose weight.

READING some awesome books:

A Need So Beautiful by Suzanne Young
Don't Stop Now by Julie Halpern
Dead Rules by Randy Russell
Want to Go Private? by Sarah Darer Littman

Jotting down writing ideas.

Wearing flip flops.

Chine Glaze Crackle Nail Polish. ♥ Loooveee this ♥

Catching up with Pretty Little Liars and apparently becoming a bit obsessive with it.
(Have y'all seen this show?! I love Caleb, and Toby has became less creepy to me.)

Going to the Hard Rock Casino in Tulsa, Oklahoma with my mama and sister. Bonus: Got to hang out with one of my best guy buddies who I hadn't seen in MONTHS!
 (We won't discuss how much money I lost.)

Seeing Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Adeiltas Way in concert for $5 - holla!

Falling in love with an old story, The Unexpected Clash of Strangers, and having the itch to really write on it.

Annnnnd.....the most important thing which I don't have a picture of: MY NEPHEW IS IN FOR THE SUMMER!! YAH!!!

Mid-Year Goals Check-In

I saw this just a bit ago on Busy Bee Lauren's blog, and I thought: Hey! What about all those goals you made in January, Amber? Are you holding them up any?

*squirms in seat, checks old blog posts, and chews on pen*

Write: My writing has slacked, slacked, slacked, and then slacked some more. I started one more new story idea, wrote a bunch on Fairy Tale, redid some of Gus, and have currently been working on The Unexpected Clash of Strangers. While sure, that does seem like a lot, I think I may have written under 50K in the last 5 months. That is sad, y'all.

Get healthy: My healthy train has been a roller coaster and I'm starting to get sick. No seriously. Because of all this back and forth of doing really well then eating crap, I have screwed up my stomach majorly (more so than it already was). I've still got the bruised arm and hand where they had to draw blood to make sure nothing else was wrong with my stomach last week. Good news: My labs are normal. And now it's up to me to start taking the right meds and eating healthy if I ever want to not wake up with cramps, bloating, or on the verge of throwing up. Good times.

Try new things: Hey, I've done this! I've tried new recipes. I've gone out to places I normally wouldn't go out to. I've opened up to more people, and have spent less time cooped up in the house like a hermit. I may not still be as outgoing as I used to be, but dang it, I've improved!

Get another tattoo: Not yet. I'm still debating on what to get. Thinking of Jeremiah 3:19 on the wrist, but then again, not so sure. Maybe Forever Young on the back of the neck. Then again I think I want to redo my foot - see! This is why I haven't gotten one yet.

Keep up my GPA: Yeah.......we won't touch that subject.

Go to more concerts: I'VE DONE THIS!! And I plan on hitting up a few more before fall gets here :)

Dress more girly: Church counts, right? I'm trying....kind of.

Don't let it get to me: *deep breath* This has been a back and forth deal. Some days I remember when things get worse, don't get worse with them. Other times, I flip a witch and freak the crap out.

Enjoy life and be more productive with it! I haz! I haz! More time with friends and family: loving every minute of it.


So how about you? How are you doing six months into the year?

Concert Edition: Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Adelitas Way

If you didn't read my sadden blog post last Monday, I didn't get to see Seether. While I'm still kind of bummed out, it really doesn't surprise me. No seriously. There is just some curse when it comes to them. Somehow I always manage not to be able to make their show. And even though I had those VIP tickets, this time the boys cancelled out on me.

And sure I may have boycotted them for a full week, but maybe, just maybe some day I will be able to see them live. Even though they cancelled on everyone, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Adelitas Way was still in the area and wanted to put on a show for fans. BONUS: Only $5 at the door!

Shell, Me, and Ash

Last Tuesday night, Shell, Ash, and I headed up to the Outland Ballroom to get our rock on. (Did I mention that the lead singer of Red Jumpsuit Apparatus added me and Shell to Facebook just to tell us that the show was still going on? Yeah, true freaking story right there!)

Anyhoo, we get to the place, get some H2O going on and wait as this local band that completely slips my mind takes the stage. They weren't that great, and the bassist was freaking me out with this weird intense look he was trying to give the crowd. After they exited the stage, Red Jumpsuit came on. They were fantastic! I've always liked the band, but never really gotten into them, but they had the best crowd interaction I've ever seen! The lead singer, Ronnie, always had these quirky looks on his face. Since the guys didn't even know they were still doing a show, Ronnie announced to the crowd: "So uh, what do you guys want to hear?" There were tons of shouts and he announced, "Okay besides Face Down because we're gonna play that."

I mainly got shots of Ronnie because TALL people kept standing in front of me so I would just stick my camera up in the air and snap. Here are some shots:

This was during the request moments which ended up with him saying "What song did you say?"

After they left the stage, we made a B-line to the bathroom. The only thing I hate about concerts is the fact you get so freaking hot you practically have to peel your pants off to pee. What? Is that too much TMI? Since there was a nice little mosh pit going on during RJA, us girls decided to take the side stage for when Adelitas Way came on. I have really only heard a handful of songs, mainly ones that Shell has suggested I listen to back when we first found out they were opening. I may not have been a fan before the show, but I am definitely one now! Those guys KILLED it! So, so, so good live.

After they were done, the lead singer jumped off stage and said hi to us and shook all of our hands. It was after midnight so we decided to go ahead and head out because we had an hour long drive ahead of us. I'm sure if we would have stayed we probably could have talked to the guys. The Outland was so laid back and small (there was maybe 150 when we first got there), you'd randomly see band members just throughout the place. It was a really great show, and even though I didn't get to see my boys play, it was still a great night!

Happy Father's Day!

My dad is my hero. 

Thank you, Padre, for always being there for Brandie and I.

For your "words of wisdom".
Never letting us give up. 
Never letting us get away. 
Long drives.
"High-signs".
Crazy nicknames.
And of course, for your excellent taste in music.

Most importantly, thank you for reminding us that no matter what life gives us, you can always come out on top of it with strength, love, and the support of family.

That time I was supposed to Seether but then they cancelled their show.

Yeah.

Found out at work today that my show got cancelled. THE DAY BEFORE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!

They said it was because there wasn't enough ticket sales. I know it's a small venue. And I do know that a certain amount of tickets need to be sold because putting on a show is expensive. But ya know what? As much as I love my Seether, I can't help but feel like they just crapped on their fans. And really, there couldn't have been a better notice than the day before?

Now excuse me while I go kick a wall or something.

It's Just Another Music Monday

Tomorrow is a huge day guys because tomorrow I'm going to go see FREAKING SEETHER!! I would go into my big spill of why I love this band so much, but I'll just save all of that after the concert after I MEET THEM!! That's right. VIP passes, baby!

(And when I say tell you the big spill, I'm pretending here that y'all care so deeply about why I love them.)

To celebrate my anti-ci-pation (saying it like Dr. Frank N' Furter) of FINALLY being able to see them in concert (I've only been trying to do this for the past three stinkin' years), here are my Top 10 Seether songs that I've been jammin' out to for the past few days:

10. Jessie's Song 
(Cover - Full Throttle Garage Show): 

From a phone booth in Vegas, Jessie calls at 5 A.M.
To tell me how she's tired of all of them
She says, "Baby I've been thinking about a trailer by the sea
We could go to Mexico, you, the cat, and me
We'll drink Tequila and look for sea shells,
Now doesn't that sound sweet?"
Ah Jessie you always do this every time I get back on my feet

 9. Pass Slowly
(Holding Onto Strings Better Left To Fray)
I think it’s time for a change
Cause things feel out of touch
And I watch you walk away, again
Well this feels like too much
(Can you take it away?)
And things won’t go my way
Now I’ll have to fade away, my friend

8. Walk Away From the Sun
(Finding Beauty In Negative Spaces)

Walk away from the sun, come slowly undone

I can see in your eyes I've already won

I could bleed for a smile, I could cry for some fun

Walk away from the sun, and tell everyone

7. Gasoline
(Disclaimer II and One Cold Night)
Last night I saw that beauty queen
Watched her paint her face on
I wanna be that magazine
That she bases life on
I wanna waste her monthly blood
Wanna get some on my love
Wanna get some gasoline
And burn the house down

6. Dead Seeds
(Holding Onto Strings Better Left to Fray)

Hey I wish I could find a way to turn this around
But if I play God than everything just goes to seed
And as I say this I hope that you can hear me bleeding out
Oh God I hate this I'm all alone and beaten down
So turn that focus back off me now
And go get your broken mirror

5. Fine Again 

(Disclaimer II and my favorite: iTunes Session)
I feel the dream in me expire
and there’s no one left to blame it on
I hear you label me a liar
‘cause I can’t seem to get this through
You say it’s over, I can sigh again, yeah
Why try to stay sober when I’m dying here

4. Yeah
(Holding Onto Strings Better Left To Fray)

Don’t go gently into the night

But keep on fighting as the light dies

A wise man knows that the dark’s right

But will keep on coming, keep on coming on

Some will tell you that it’s all right

The sun is burning in a dead sky

But you can’t keep living in a broke mind

So keep on running, keep on coming on

3. Cigarettes
(Disclaimer II)
They suck you in like cigarettes
While hanging you out to dry, yeah
Making you feel like a hypocrite
because you cannot lie, yeah
You are the reason we will never be set free
We wanna be like you- we wanna be so cool
Just like you

2. The Gift 
(Karma and Effect)

And I'm out of reason to believe in me
I'm out of trying to get by
I'm so afraid of the gift you give me
I don't belong here and I'm not well
I'm so ashamed of the lie I'm living
right on the wrong side of it all

1. Sympathetic 
(Disclaimer II and One Cold Night)

The same old feelings are taking over 

and I can’t seem to make them go away 

And I can’t take all the pressure sober, 

but I can’t seem to make it go away 

The same old feelings are taking over 

and I can’t seem to make them go away 

And I can’t take all the pressure sober 

(I can’t make it go away. I can’t make it go away)

Wannabe Writers #53

It's been a while since I've done Wannabe Writers! I've been trying and trying to get back into the groove of writing. One thing I was scared was that school and work were going to get in the way of writing, and it has. I shouldn't let it be my excuse, but I am straight up exhausted most of the days to figure out how to form a sentence.

I've pretty much dropped Fairy Tale and The Unexpected Clash of Strangers for now. I'm not for sure what it is about Gus's story that makes me so hell bent on finishing (almost 3 years now!), but it's taken over my brain so I've been plotting it out once again. I think I may have a solution for a big part of why the story wasn't flowing right. There is so much back story that is essential so I'm really, really wanting this idea to work so it doesn't lag the entire novel down. But when I talk about Gus, she gets stubborn on me so mum is the word or however that saying goes for a while until things start to move along.

Then there is the other story that came to me last month that involves a cult. It's totally different from my normal type of writing. I blame it on the hype of the crazy guy who said the world was going to end May 21st and watching Criminal Minds (when the episode wasn't even about a cult, btw.) I'm kind of bouncing back and forth between the two. I dunno how anyone can stick to one story at a time though I kind of wish my brain worked that way.

And on top of all of this *waves hands around* I am contemplating taking an online writing course through Gotham next month, but I'm scared that it may just be too much on my plate. Some of the girls at work told me to wait until this semester is over since I'm having a hard time balancing things. (Hai there Pharmacology, A&P, Medical Transcription, and Medical Terminology.) I know that would be the smart move, but at the same time, I just have this itch that maybe this will help me big time in writing and I miss writing so freaking much!!

So yeah. That's my update on writing. My question this week for everyone is:

How's your writing going?

26 Things To Do Before I Turn 27

I like making goals. I like making lists. I'll sometimes even jot things down on a piece of a paper of what I want done. Sure I make New Years Resolutions, and a lot of them are huge. I don't always complete them. I don't even sometimes come close to completing them. But after thinking of many goals I've given myself, and seeing this on various blogs, I thought why not?

I've been 26 for a month and every day I think of new things I want done. They might not be life-changing or exotic, but they are still things I want done before I turn another year older which if you're wanting the countdown will be April 29th, 2012.

1. Add to my foot tattoo.

2. Finish Gus's story.

3. Decorate a two-stacked cake.

4. Spend more time with friends.

5. Loose 30 pounds.

6. See Seether in concert.

7. Get a new tattoo.

8. Put together a recipe book.

9. Make 12 different types of cupcakes from scratch.

10. Get my palm read.

11. Be able to run 1 mile without wanting to die.

12. Learn Medical Terminology like the back of my hand.

13. Buy a guitar.

14. Learn how to play said guitar.

15. Go hiking.

16. Read my Bible each day.

17. Take more pictures.

18. Scrapbook more.

19. Go on a mini road trip.

20. Crotchet a beanie.

21. Get into a better study habit.

22. Get a house.

23. Have aunt/niece days and aunt/nephew days and godmother/goddaughter days.

24. Host a dinner part at new house.

25. Less time on the internet, more time in real life.

26. To always remember: When things get worse, don't let yourself get worse with them

Things I Loved in May

Finding out I'm going to be a godmother again! 
Oh how I wish I would have saved the picture message my best friend Shell sent me as her way of informing me she was pregnant. I ♥ this chick!

Road trip with my sister to Tennessee.

 If you would have told us when we were kids that we would grow up to be best friends, we would have laughed then probably punched one another to prove you wrong. I'm still working on this series of posts but you can check out this one and this one and even this one to see what went down so far. 

Buying mah Seether VIP tickets! 14 more days, baby!

Getting back into church ♥ 

This place is a way different atmosphere in the churches I used to attend as a kid, but I really like it there. The pastor is very down-to-earth and he's real. He doesn't hold back. He doesn't sugar coat the mistakes he's made. He's just him. The people there are all super sweet, and I love the music! 

Cake decorating 

Posting more.
I know that might seem silly, but I do enjoy blogging. It's another form of writing so even though I haven't been 100% focused on my novel(s), I'm still writing. And that's what matters, right?

Spending less time doing things that don't matter. 

Knowing I only have 2 more semesters to go before I graduate!

New Novel Idea. 
If you know my writing style at all, you may think this is a horrible idea. But with starting this new story, I have come to the conclusion that some stories aren't meant to be told. Not every character is going to have their ending, and it's time I stop beating those that cannot be finished into the ground.

Discovering new recipes

I call this: 

What happens you try to make black-bean brownies and realize you lost the top for your blender, and the can of black beans is already opened so you've got to make something!

1 can of black beans

A good amount of organic brown rice

A can of Rotelle 

Throw together in a pan

Cook until it's good to go

Spread out some chips

Dump all the good stuff on top

Sprinkle with cheese

and Wah-la, you got yummy in you tummy!

What about you? What are some things you loved in May?