Keane

(My roommate Chelsie said, when she saw this photo, "You did not take that." And I informed her (as I am you) that yes, yes I did.)

Alright, I said before that I loved Keane and they are my favorite...but they've officially jumped into another league that will never be beaten. They sounded fantastic live and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. And Keane did as well! On Twitter after the show, they posted, "Salt Lake City wins best gig of the tour!" They came out for 3 encores because we were singing and screaming! Tom was like, 'you guys deserve more songs!' (In a British accent.)


Prepare to be insanely, insanely jealous of how close I got to them. I seriously took all these photos by myself (except for the ones Im in...). We, my roommate Katie and I, started out sitting on the ground waiting for the concert to start, then we got up and made our way to the front. We went from the 5th row back, to the 4th row, to the 3rd, 2nd, and finally for the last few songs...the 1st row!!!

Yea, that's my hand, practically touching Tom. And also, you will notice....he is totally looking at me! I caught our eye contact on camera! You know if he weren't married, he would have jumped off that stage, taken my hand, and kissed me right there. First of all because I am one of Keane's most devoted fans and secondly because I was lookin like hot stuff (see 2nd picture and the one below). Honestly, Im surprised I didn't pass out at this moment. You are looking at one of the longest dreams of my life coming true! :)

And here we are at the end of the concert, totally happy and fully satisfied with our evening!

I love you Keane!! <3

Muse...

(picture taken in Scotland)

"Sometimes you need to step outside, get some air, and remind yourself of who you are and who you want to be."

My week in photos...

Hello friends! Here's how I spent my week according to Instagram. I hope yours has been just as great!

1. Homemade sushi night with friends. We watched a 1962 samurai movie called Sanjuro to compliment the Japanese food.  Sushi is so. Freaking. Delicious.

2. Walking around my 'Provo Historical District' neighborhood in the hot afternoon. Yes, its true. I live in the historical district!

3. One of my roommates is a great artist and she did a bit of her own on me in the form of a henna bracelet. The perfect summer accessory? I think so.

4. Many of my afternoons have been spent watching Euro 2012. I love it. (Not quite as good as college football but it's doing well enough to curve those football cravings.) Oh, and keep rockin on England. I love you and miss you.

Happy weekend!

Music...

{Music}
-The art or science of combining vocal or instrumental sounds (or both) to produce beauty of form, harmony, and expression of emotion-

I'm beginning another series. Every once and a while I will share a song, or songs, that I can't get enough of. This week Keane is my focus.

I have loved Keane since I was 11 years old when their first album, Hopes and Fears, came out. Three guys- a singer, a piano player, and a drummer. Perfection. Oh, and they're British -- perfection times perfection! I grew up with Keane, so much so, that every one of their songs reminds me of a different time in my life, a different memory. They've added a band mate in the past couple years and their music has evolved a little since Hopes and Fears but they're still the Keane I know and love. And this next Tuesday I finally get to see them in concert! I could not be more excited! I will probably be hyperventilating by the time they come out on stage...at which point, I really hope I don't pass out because I want to actually see and hear them live.

Sovereign Light Cafe is a single from their new album that came out on May 12th. So very good. I would write you a list of my favorite Keane songs but I literally love all of them. Definitely go check out a few more.

Summer concerts are fantastic, but to me, this is going to be the best of them all!

Muse...

(picture taken of Bucktown by me, in Chicago)

{Muse}
-To consider something thoughtfully-

And so begins a new series where every Monday, I'll share some sort of inspirational thought. Mondays need this sort of thing, I think. 

“Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

This is certainly something I will be thinking about this week. Too often I let my problems be the main focus of my life. I let them determine how I plan my days; how I act in different circumstances. But no longer! It's time for a change. From now on, I will work on planning my days around things that make me feel appreciative, breathless, and captivated. And I will focus on the positives. Because there are many. I will live in the moment and be led by God, my personal values, and my passions.

The hand that signed the paper...

The hand that signed the paper felled a city;

Five sovereign fingers taxed the breath,

Doubled the globe of dead and halved a country;

These five kings did a king to death.

The mighty hand leads to a sloping shoulder,

The finger joints are cramped with chalk;

A goose’s quill has put an end to murder

That put an end to talk.

The hand that signed the treaty bred a fever,

And famine grew, and locusts came;

Great is the hand that holds dominion over

Man by a scribbled name.

The five kings count the dead but do not soften

The crusted wound nor stroke the brow;

A hand rules pity as a hand rules heaven;

Hands have no tears to flow.

~Dylan Thomas

This is one of my favorite poems. And Dylan Thomas is one of my favorite poets. (That is a picture of his poetry workspace above).  Don't worry, I'm not going to go all 'English class' on you. Poetry, in a general sense, is not my thing. However, I do have a few favorites: Dylan Thomas, John Clare, William Wordsworth, and William Blake.

The poem above is a bit different from the others that Dylan Thomas has written. Its more direct rather than abstract, meaning that more people are able to grasp its meaning. Which I believe is very important because this poem is about something very important.

I loved this poem even before I discovered my intense passion for politics and governments. And, I think this is one of the best poems written about politics. It's just as applicable to the political situation now, as it was when it was written. The best line is (in my opinion) "Great is the hand that holds dominion over Man by a scribbled name." Thomas reminds us what a great responsibility it is to hold so much power over others. These days, I think it's almost impossible not to abuse that power in some way. Some countries just do it more obviously than others. And whether the world is going to change for better or for worse, I think its important to be aware of the consequences of our actions. So please, dont just read this poem:  remember it.