Joanna’s posterous

Apparently when a man tells you that he is very near to falling completely in love with you... what he really means is that four days later he will tell you that despite you being amazing and having everything he wants in a woman, he can never actually love you. I'm still kind of confused. But I don't really care anymore. I cried that night, and now I'm fine. I'm back to being Joanna. I'll admit... he had me feeling preeeetty badly about myself that night. Pretty bad. I've got my ego back now and rightfully so. A man capable of such a facade is very opposite from what I'd say I want in a man.

You know what I find funny though? Just how... weird all the things in my life are. I heard an amazing new song on the radio the other day by The Decemberists. The Decemberists are easily one of my most favorite bands ever. They also happened to be one of his favorite bands. They're releasing a new album soon called The Hazards of Love. Isn't it awesome when your favorite band does that? Releases an album so appropriately titled. You know what's even more awesome?....

When the release date chosen for that album is his birthday.

I've been doing an ass ton of spinning lately. I've almost completely neglected my knitting. The last two nights are the first in a while where I actually sat down and did some knitting. Doing nothing but creating yarn is dangerous when you don't stop to knit some of it. I'd really like to try to finish the cowl I'm working on. It looks gorgeous and it'll be great once it's finished... I just haven't had the desire to touch it lately. I made a promise to myself to not buy anymore fiber than I already own. That's two batts, four mini batts, and the rest of the fiber that came with my wheel. In other words... not very much. I just have to hope I receive some randomly if I want any. I'm going to wait until the first weekend in May to purchase any new fiber. If only I weren't such a spinning maniac I might have more left. This is good, though. I really need to work on some of my projects that have been sitting around and I'd also like to finish a sweater before it gets warm outside again.

I'll be sure to let you know if I cave.

         

Click here to download:

Just_keep_spinning.zip (547 KB)

Last Saturday I went to an open house at DC Glassworks with my girlfriends (though one of our very necessary parts was missing). We had a great time laughing at each other, and trying our hand at some glass work. I won't say glass blowing because all of us only made paperweights. Mine turned out a little effed up (it has butt dimples), but it was an experience and I had a lot of fun watching the guys show off during the open house and trying something new. I wanted to share some amazing pictures that were taken. Thanks to corporatemonkey for these. I don't think I'll ever be able to take pictures like this woman. She's a picture taking goddess.

                     

Click here to download:

Glass_blowing.zip (4029 KB)

I found these pictures of myself the other day while at my parents house. I forgot I had them on our old computer there. Most of them are from when I was pretty little but the others were from my senior year of high school. One is of my prom with my date Andy and the other was my senior portrait. I don't think I look all that different. It's kind of weird to remember these memories. Finding those pictures created the need to sort through all of my photos I have stashed in my bedroom. Those pictures went as far back as 8th grade and freshmen year homecoming. THAT was weird. I found pictures of my ex boyfriend Mike that I stopped my 17 year old self from throwing away thinking my 22 year old and older self would appreciate it in the future (and I do).

I actually have a pretty good past with little regret. I've lived a decent life filled with amazing people though some have come and gone. As happy as my past makes me I'm even happier when I think about what my future will hold. I spent a good hour today looking at jobs and I'm getting excited to start applying. I have a new wonderful relationship. I'm about to start the last 9 credits of my college career. And I have five of the best girlfriends ever. Things are crazy and I've never been happier.

             

Click here to download:

Feeling_nostalgic.zip (2506 KB)

I'd totally go gay for Jenny Lewis. So gay. Unbelievably gay. She is amazing. Rilo Kiley has been one of my favorite bands for a long time now. I've seen them live twice and hope to see them when they come back to DC again. I'm assuming I'll have to wait till a new album drops.

Regardless... I have to share this song with you. It's been one of my favorites for a while. The album it comes from is truly one of my all time favorite albums. Every single song on the CD is amazing. Amazing. There are few CDs that I can put on and listen to every single song and be completely content. Rilo Kiley is a band I can do that with, and so is their lead singer Jenny Lewis.

When I first heard this album I loved it. I never quite fell out of love with it as much as I cheated on it with other new favorites. However, thanks to a recent reminder I'm back and more in love than ever. So to share my rediscovered love I'm going to give you all my favorite track on the album. The Next Messiah from the album Acid Tongue. The song is about Jenny's father and was written in collaboration with her boyfriend Jonathan Rice. Her father was absent for part of her life and she always wondered who he really was. He recently came back into her life and even makes an appearance on the album. This track also features vocals from Zooey Freschanel and Chris Robinson.

Again... AMAZING.

Click here to download:

03 The Next Messiah.mp3 (16083 KB)

I was humming the song in my head today and realized I only knew about two verses so I checked to see what the words to the rest of the song were. I don't know if I just found a goofy website... but this is not what I expected:

You Are My Sunshine
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away

The other nite, dear,
As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you in my arms.
When I awoke, dear,
I was mistaken
And I hung my head and cried.

You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.

I'll always love you
And make you happy
If you will only say the same
But if you leave me
To love another
You'll regret it all some day;

You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.

You told me once, dear
You really loved me
And no one else could come between
But now you've left me
And love another
You have shattered all my dreams;

You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.

Louisiana my Louisiana
the place where I was borne.
White fields of cotton
-- green fields clover,
the best fishing
and long tall corn;

You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.

Crawfish gumbo and jambalaya
the biggest shrimp and sugar cane,
the finest oysters
and sweet strawberries
from Toledo Bend to New Orleans;

You are my sunshine,
My only sunshine.
You make me happy
When skies are grey.
You'll never know, dear,
How much I love you.
Please don't take my sunshine away.



It's like the writer went from sweet, to depressed, to sweet, to hungry. Annnd repeat. I still like the song. I think I'll write my own verses.

I have some more new music to share. I heard this song the other day during my lunch break on my indie satellite station (per usual). Every day at noon they hand the airwaves over to a popular music blogger. It's a great way to hear about truly new, indie music. Monday is Hipster Runoff's slot. He's quite monotone and weird sounding at first... annoying even. But after listening for a while he's actually kind of clever. He played this song and dedicated it to someone special. Me being the sap I am lately paid attention. It's not really romantic but Hipster said it best: "This song is about wanting to wake up next to someone. And that's what everyone wants really... someone to power nap with." Quite true. I love naps. I love waking up next to someone. I love this song. The song is called Rise by Josh Rouse (and it's live though you can't exactly tell).

Click here to download:

Rise_Live_.mp3 (6945 KB)

This is what my desktop looks like right now. I can't get this DAMN data to sort, either. I'm in a baddddd mood and really want to be back home in bed.

I heard an awesome cover today done by Hot Chip and Peter Gabriel of Vampire Weekend's Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa. It's a great cover. I actually laughed out loud at the part when Peter Gabriel says "But this feels so unnatural, Peter Gabriel too. And it feels so unnatural to sing your own name".

The only disappointing part of this song comes from my confusion over song lyrics. I just checked what they were on three different sites, including Vampire Weekend's own. This part:

As a young girl
Louis Vuitton
With your mother
On a sandy lawn

I would've SWORN that "sandy lawn" was "sandy loam". Sandy loam is a type of soil for you not dirt nerds out there. And hearing something like that in a song got me weirdly excited. Too bad. I think I'll keep singing "sandy loam" when I'm in the car. No one (except for you all) really knows what the lyrics to this song are anyway, right?

Click here to download:

01_cape_cod_kwassa_kwassa_vampire_weekend_cover_1.mp3 (4953 KB)

This semester is over. Christmas is over. Things are winding down. I feel so completely relaxed it isn't even funny. Life is how it should be.

I had my best semester yet ending with a 3.5 (3 A's and 3 B's). I don't know why I took 19 credits. I just did. I wanted to push myself and see if I could. I didn't have to take 19 this semester. People think it is crazy... and it kind of was. There were time where my sanity was barely there. But I did it. I worked harder than I ever have before in my entire life. I know that sounds lame... but true. I kept up with my job, went to school, and still managed time for family and friends. I explained this to my father. He's the only one who didn't ask me why I took 19 credits. Instead he told me a story about how when he was building my family's home he would sometimes work alone on days when the workers weren't scheduled to come. He would put up walls entirely by himself. He would come up with ways to move the project forward alone. It isn't easy to build a home by yourself. He understands challenging yourself just for the challenge. I needed this challenge. I needed to prove I was still as kick ass at school as I used to be. School, learning, reading, knowledge... those used to be passions of mine. They're passions I sort of lost while trying to find my way in college. I've now found them again and feel more of a woman now than ever before.

And now for more cheese...

This Christmas was absolutely WONDERFUL. For a long time now (probably since I've been IN college), Christmas never really feels like Christmas. It's just a motion and something I had to do. This year, after classes ended and I finally forced myself to go shopping (which admittedly wasn't as bad as I thought it would be), I finally got into it. I had so much fun wrapping presents this year and spending time with Amaya. My family was so happy and everything was right. I laughed a lot, comforted my family, shared moments with them that I'll definitely remember forever. My family is a lot like I am. Some examples: I wrapped my sisters new clothes for my mom. I wrapped whatever she gave me. Well. Mom gave me an old bra of Katlyn's. She didn't realize. I definitely didn't realize. But Katlyn opened it and her face was amazing. "Thanks... for an old bra?". When we were about to leave to head to my grandma's... "SHIT. I didn't cook the corn." So mom threw it on. "SHIT. I forgot to wrap Sara's present.". I threw it in a bag. I told my mom that I loved how we were and those funny moments we shared. She agreed.

I'm happy to be where I am. I'm on the cusp of so many amazing things in life. Sure, there are bad days and problems. Huge problems. The problems I've had are nothing compared to the problems I'm sure to continue to face.

This past semester just gives me the comfort and power to know I can deal with all and any of them.

And now for AWESOME Christmas pictures.

                         

Click here to download:

The_aftermath.zip (4633 KB)