ALMOST SUMMER!

The warm weather is finally here! And I couldn't be happier about that. I'm attempting to grow four sunflowers this year. They have sprouted and look rather happy so far. I will try transplanting for the first time in a week or so. Wish me luck!

I spent the weekend in Lynnwood for a bridal shower - the first of 9 wedding events to attend this summer! It will be a busy one! But also, one full of celebration.

In honor of the 19th Street gals I spent the weekend with (and my trip to the west side, during which I revisited my long-dormant appreciation for hip-hop), I'm posting 'Break Your Heart' for your enjoyment. I'm posting it without watching the actual video, though, so I apologize in advance for any offensive content it may contain. Aside from the lyrics (which did not line up in ANY WAY with the bridal theme of the weekend), the song seemed to encapsulate the energy of the weekend. Cheers!

Races, Pool & Music!

I ran Bloomsday last weekend! We had the biggest turnout since some time back in the mid 1990s. Over 50,000 I believe. I ORIGINALLY thought I had shaved 15 minutes off my time from last year. Hahaha... But I didn't. I did improve by three minutes, and any improvement is great, but it certainly isn't the glory of 15 minutes!

I lost my pool game again this week, and I was pretty bummed about it because I've been practicing outside of pool nights to keep my skills up. I did have a few killer shots, though. Mike and Charlie lost, too, but Sieg and Cheree kept us in the game by winning the last two. We lost overall, but not by a landslide, so we still should be in 2nd or 3rd place in the league. One more regular season game left!

And as for music, I thought I'd revisit a musician/band I mentioned earlier. A friend of my recently went to a Florance + The Machine concert and was blown away by the stage present, quality and general fantasticness of the whole thing. Check out his review of the concert.

It's STILL Raining...

You'd think it was Seattle. I'm getting awfully sick of this drizzle. Glum, glum, glum. That's what it looks like outside.

I lost my pool game last Wednesday. :( But! My team is in second place! So there is still some reason to celebrate. In all honesty, my opponent and I were pretty well matched, and he won fair and square. AND he was a good sport about it with a good sense of humor, which I respect greatly. I only lost by four points, and he got three in a row at the very end. Had he missed one of those shots, the game easily could have been mine. There is two more weeks of regular season games, then - if we're still seated high - we'll get to go to playoffs. I'll keep you posted.

Until then, here is one of my new favorite songs. Compliments of Kara.

Update on a Rainy Thursday

I WON my pool game last night! My recent practice has paid off. I think this makes it a four or five game winning streak now. Oh course, now that I've let the world know, I'm sure to lose the next six.

I took my derby skates out for a spin on the Fish Lake Trail the other day. I did end up eating it pretty bad on a piece of gravel, but I managed to skate four miles and get my ankles a little run for their money. I hope to do it often this summer.

Check out this fantastic song. You might think it's depressing... but I actually find it wonderfully cheerful - in a 'Bruce Springsteen - I'm going to sing about sad things in an upbeat way to choke out the sadness until only laughter is left' sort of way.
Ya... I know. I'm weird.

Back By Popular Demand!

So... since I only have about three people who check this blog, and ONE of them mentioned how nice it would be if I returned to posting personal updates, I feel like that's grounds for revising my blog's mission - "by popular demand." I can say that, right? :)

Well, first of all, I need to inform EVERYONE that I've crossed off one of my 'things to do before I die' items. I rode a motorcycle yesterday. Technically, I also rode it the day before, but it was only for six back-road blocks each way. Yesterday was a nice, long, healthy ride past Mini Ha-Ha along the Spokane River. Will took me to see the mountain biking area up there. Quite a hike, actually, but AMAZING! I hope to try it out some time this summer... the easy bits, that is. Some of the jumps/drops there are SCARY! But yes, back to the motorcycle... also scary and yet amazing. :)

As for pool, I've won about 3 or 4 games in a row, which is fantastic, but the most recent one was by the skin of my teeth (can we come up a phrase less gross? I mean really - there's got to be something better). I practiced a couple days ago and we'll see if it pays off tomorrow.

And, in keeping with my music-blog theme, please check out April Smith and the Great Picture Show. They're a fantastic band from Brooklyn. They "sound like The Beatles fronted by The Andrews Sisters." You'll love 'em!

Mumford & Sons

Kudos to my friend, Kara, for suggesting I looking into Mumford & Sons. They are a British band who formed in 2007. By 'formed' I mean a couple of friends got together and started playing in front of anyone who would listen. Since then, they've become a well-polished, FANTASTIC, FANTASTIC, FANTASTIC group of musicians. The video below illustrates their unique choice of instruments, in addition a sincere passion for their words. I've checked out a few of their other songs, and found most of them are not as upbeat as the one posted below. Still, an all-around great band. If you like this song, check out their website. I think you'll enjoy the commentary on 'Ben's Food on the Road,' Marcus' Book Club,' and the like.

Angels & Airwaves

This FANTASTIC band just released a new album. And the most amazing part of the deal is (well... besides the fact that the music absolutely rocks) that it is available on their website for free download. They accept donations, if you want to give them something for their talent/generosity, but at the very least - please spread the word! This music may not be for everyone, but it is definitely worth the few minutes it takes to download just to see if it's up your alley. I haven't been able to catch a ton of the lyrics yet, but their sound is incredible.