COACHILLEN

This past weekend I had one of the most amazing life-experiences to date -- I went to the Coachella Music Festival for the first time. Coachella is an event that I have been aware of and wanting to go to for about 4 or 5 years now, but never managed to make. Our group ranged from 2-20 at any given time, and there were about 18 of us sleeping in one beautiful house. The group was amazing, as always, and we had a splendid time.

I wasn't really sure what to expect of the weekend, but what I didn't expect was to have such a well-rounded experience. The performances ranged from different subcategories of EDM (electronic dance music), indie, rock, and more. I feared that my weekend would be completely filled with EDM and I wouldn't get my indie fix, but it was quite the contrary. Some of the highlight acts for me included The Black Keys, The Rapture, Madeon, Radiohead, Bon Iver, The Shins, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, SBTRKT, Sub Focus, Dr. Dre & Snoop, Justice, Modeselektor, arraabMUZIK, Nero, Minnesota, and Company Flow. Those are just some of the talent that performed over the three-day period at the 5 stages, and I'm sure there are many others I heard and loved, but don't know who they were.

Bon Iver is one of my all-time favorites, and the set did not disappoint! His voice is just as beautiful live as it is on disc, and they put on one hell of a show. "Skinny Love" and "Blood Bank" happen to be two of my three favorite Bon Iver songs of all time, and I was blessed enough to hear them both back-to-back while being held in a sweet, loving embrace. It was such a euphoric moment. I couldn't stop grinning and smiling and thinking, "I am one lucky gal!"

Each act that I saw brought some element of WOW to my life, and left me with such a sense of satisfaction in one way or another. The only downfall of the weekend was the 105*+ weather we faced each day. Drinking water, squirting ourselves with squirt guns, and blasting my face with my $2.99 hand fan could not eliminate the overpowering heat. I have never been so completely drenched by my own sweat in my entire life, or known it was possible to survive such heat. But, when the day started to burn off and the night creep in, the temperature cooled off so nicely, and the wind was warm and inviting.

When I think about the weekend I don't remember the terrible heat and slight bro-overdose, I remember the special and cherished times that I had with some of the most exquisite people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. I am unsure if I will return to Coachella next year, but I am so grateful to have been able to experience it once in my life. I suggest that everyone try and attend at least once, it is worthwhile.

Today's Quote: "Live the life you love, like you can't get enough" -"Give Me A Sign"

Awkward Moments Chapter 4: Trying To Look Hot, While Sweating

Now, I know that there are some people out there that are just not genetically programmed to sweat, and these people ARE NOT FROM HERE! Believe me, I mean that in the kindest way possible, and from the very deepest, darkest, most jealous corners of my heart. I cannot comprehend how some people will leave their waist-length hair down, wear skinny jeans, dance all night on the overly-crowded dance floor, and not have a single drop of salty moisture running down any part of their bodies. You people out there are so lucky, I can't even look at you. Because there I will be, bra completely soaked and weighing more than it should because Victoria's Secret can't make a bra without adding 10 layers of padding to it (sorry guys, it is NOT all natural, and THAT is Victoria's Secret), no trace of make up left on my face except for some smeared eyeliner and mascara (which I consider lucky because it shows I actually had some on at some point. Hmm..double-edged sword now that I think about it.), hair dripping like I just took a dip, and red in the face like I just ate a whole case of habaneros.

A.D.D. Drift: It's been a while since I threw one of these down, but I have to for this... "habaneros," according to Google Chrome, is not a real word. So it suggests that I change it to either one of two words I can't even begin to pronounce, "handovers," or "headbangers." Hahah. Sorry, I think I find this mostly hilarious because as of last summer, I dedicated my life and soul to dubstep, drum and bass, and all other music forms that are heavy on the bass, therefore resulting in my adopting headbanging as my move of choice. And now, back on track...

So as I was saying, going to a club, or dance bar, or show for me is quite a stressful situation. Luckily there is always a little liquid courage to help me not think about how utterly disgusting I look, but that doesn't eliminate the fact that I am, in essence, a wet dog on the dance floor. It is such a shame to wear out some really hot, wonderful, utterly uncomfortable heels with a nice little skirt/top or dress, do my hair, actually put on eyeshadow, and head out the door thinking, "dang, I can really clean up when I want to," just to walk inside the humid establishment and start to sweat within the first minutes of my first dance. I do not feel attractive, I do not want to dance, and I do not want to think about or see how nasty the air inside is. And that, my friends, I think is the reason why so many college-aged people are black-out drunks. No one wants to think, see, or feel what they actually look like, are, and have become, so they continue to toss them back to get over any inhibitions and insecurities they have. I have seen it many times. To be a not-blacked-out-drunk at the bars or clubs is SO entertaining and I highly suggest that everyone try it (even for just half a night). Another little drift, I know.

All I'm saying is, it is SO awkward to try and look and act hot when you are so clearly in need of a shower. But will that ever stop us? Heck no! [DANCEPANTS4LYF<3] We will just continue to snag bar napkins and blot when we can, take frequent trips to the ladies' room to "touch up," and hope that you have consumed far more than us and don't even care, so long as you can escape the sausage-fest you came with and get a little estrogen in your atmosphere.

Today's Quote: "Beauty in things exists in the mind which contemplates them." -David Hume

Awkward Moments Chapter 3: Pulling Out

If you opened this with the expectation that I would be talking about something of a sexual nature, then I am sorry to have to disappoint you, but that is not what this chapter is about. When I say "pulling out," I am referring to when you are in your car. Those times when you are at a stop sign and no one seems to want to go, (even though we [should] all know that the person on the right goes first) so you all start going at once and do the gas-break-[dip;]-gas-break dance till someone grows a pair and decides, "I'll be the one, geez!" Or those other times when you are in your car and there is a pedestrian who can't make up their mind if they're in a hurry, can wait a few, or if they're even at the right intersection, so you usually end up almost hitting them because you decide to go at the same time. And there's also those times when you and another car are situated and they're waiting for you to pull out and make your turn so they can make theirs, but they're still in motion, so you can't really tell what's going on or what you're supposed to do.

This, like umbrella etiquette, is something that seems so simple and understandable, yet we all struggle with it and are forced to face these situations time and time again. I would like to pose some solutions to the aforementioned problems.

For instance, when you are at a stop sign and no one seems to want to go, WAVE to each other to signal one another. Some people just sit there and act like there's nothing going on, expecting you to read their mind or something and figure out what they want from you. If everyone would just pick their heads up and turn on their brains to a little higher level of functionality, we could probably avoid this frustrating scenario.

Next a note for all pedestrians: YOU HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY. If it is you v. vehicle, go ahead! Unless you are one of those horribly obnoxious people that thinks the world is your crosswalk and you can just mosey on across the street at whatever snail-pace suits you, with no regard for the people around you, then you need to get a grip and realize that it is not your world and I'm not just living in it, we share, and I am in something that could decimate you. Thanksss. And do not get mad and in a tissy at me because you waited so long to make your move that I decided to make mine, coincidentally when you finally begin to move, and we almost have a scene out of "Crash" on our hands. But again, here a simple wave or gesture of "no, you go ahead," would be quite suitable and alleviate many of the problems we have. It would probably save some lives in the process. Win, win? I think so!

And finally, for those people who expect you to make your left or right turn while they are still moving towards you in the process of making their right turn, even though there is clearly not a wide enough space for two cars to fit by, STOP. They're called breaks, and we could all benefit from an increase in their use. You can't look at me and wave me forward when you are still moving, we will never both fit. At least not in our non-Inspector Gadget cars.

Problems and solutions, people! We've all got em, and I am here to try and fix them. ;-)

I apologize that it has been so long since my last post, and that this one holds a certain sense of hostility, but I do live in LA now, and my writing tone is always influenced by what I am reading and watching. Which is currently Harry Potter #5 (no, not rereading, just finally reading), and since I spent my entire lunch hour yesterday watching Jenna Marbles videos on Youtube...... Well, you get where I'm going with this. And if not, Google her, watch her, laugh, and love.

Today's Quote: "A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs. It's jolted by every pebble on the road." Henry Ward Beecher