Blessed Unrest

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. … No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer, divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others."

--Martha Graham

Just remember this whenever you doubt yourself.  It will make you feel so much better.  Thank you, Martha Graham, for such wise words.

Instagram for Brands: Infographic

I made this and just thought I'd share it!

When Comfort is a Bad Thing

I'm sitting in my cozy office, roughly the size of the bedroom I share, and it occurred to me why I don't like this office.  I loved it for a minute, and then it stopped quite suddenly.  The temperature of the office seems just a little colder every day that I'm in here, and I start to realize that I hate being comfortable.

From the office, to the temperate Nashville weather, to the daily expected 30 minute storm, to the southern comfort and hospitality that's shoved down your throat with the gallons of sweet tea, I hate how comfortable I am.  The last few months have been so easy to deal with, it hurts.

I learned from a young age how to grow from challenges in life, and I'm finding myself ready to jump into the unknown and do things I'm not entirely sure I can do just to feel important and alive.  I'd give anything for just a hint of self-doubt every now and then, just so that the prize is that much more satisfying.

If you don't have any hard edges in your life, then what's so great about the successes?  How do you appreciate the little things?  I didn't know how much I needed to be challenged in life until right now.  Give me something to work with here, people.

--

Life Lessons I've Learned in the Last 48 Hours

Remember that time in your twenties when you did something stupid?  That's right, it was about every other day.  Here are some stupid lessons I've learned this week:

Don't close yourself off to opportunities.

It's nice that you have a full-time job, but applying for something doesn't hurt anyone.  It might be the right move for you.

Honesty counts the most.

Even if everyone around you is dishonest at work, being honest and getting fired for it is better than screwing someone over.

Real meals are delicious.

Don't just eat a bunch of salads because you're trying to be healthy, and don't just eat a bunch of ramen because you're trying to save money.  Balance is the key.

Too much coffee CAN be a bad thing.

Just because you feel tired, doesn't mean more coffee is the answer.  Unless you want to shake uncontrollably.  

ALWAYS dress for success.

You never know who is going to be where and when you may run into someone important.

Go for it.

Make your mistakes now.  Face your fears.  The consequences just get more serious as you get older.

Really?!

We all know these people, right?  The mama's boy who "doesn't eat vegetables."  The girl who thinks reading isn't cool and therefore "doesn't read."  The list is endless. They don't watch the news, they don't study, they don't want to move more than a block away from their parents' house.  I have a few words for these people.

REALLY?! When was the last time you ate vegetables?  Do you think your opinions haven't changed at all?  Isn't there ONE out there that you like?  When was the last time you read a book?  The last time you were transported to another world in your imagination.  There aren't ANY books that you like? NONE? REALLY?!  What about when the Boston bombings occurred?  You didn't turn on the news for a MINUTE?  Did you hear about the explosion in West, TX? ...REALLY?!  Aren't you A LITTLE curious about what's out there?  Don't you get sick of this bubble you've created for yourself?

Maybe it's the family I grew up in or the fact that I didn't grow up in the Midwest.  I'm not sure what, but there's an endless world out there of possibility.  To close yourself off to any part of that just seems strange to me.  Why is it not cool to be smart or different?  What do we have to do to make this generation see that these things are important and that it's okay to know things.

COME ON.

Trusting Your Gut

Well, I've got two weeks left of undergrad, and I keep having to reassure myself that I know what I'm doing.  There comes a point in your life where you don't rely on anyone else to make decisions about your life except yourself.  For me, that's right now--when my parents no longer finance my life.  So how do I know what's right for me when my parents have been influencing my decisions for the past 22 years?

The answer is, of course, that there's no way to tell for sure.  You just have to trust your gut and know that no one else had their life figured out at this age either.

I'm someone that's always striving for more and pushing harder and never settling, and it's hard to grasp the concept that I've settled...for now.  I've dreamt of New York City for a long time, and to have closed that door for now wears on me every once in awhile.  I'll make it there someday.  I know it in my gut.  I also know that if I'm going to get a job in my field, I need to be in Nashville.  I need to work my way up in Music City, pay cheaper rent, pay off loans, and my path to New York will carve itself out somewhere down the road.

I love Nashville to death, but my soul will always wander to New York until I can be there.  Wait for me, please.

The Job Hunt: 10 Tips For College Grads

Well, it's that time of the school year: Senioritis is in full swing, and you need to apply for jobs until you get one.  This means applying to any job you might be qualified for in your field, but you certainly don't want to waste your time.  So, what do you look for when you're picking which jobs to apply for?  Here are some tips to maximize your time when job hunting

1. Spotting Scams
Some posts out there are really just too good to be true.  There are many scams out there for entry level positions at fake companies.  If it sounds like a cookie-cutter posting, or if it just sounds too good to be true, do a web search with the word 'scam' and the company name to see if anything comes up.  There are more out there than you'd think.  For more tips on identifying scams, go here.

2. Basic Qualifications
Before applying to something, look at the basic qualifications.  If they say that a college degree is not necessary, it may be below your level, and you may not get great pay.  Try to apply to jobs that require a college degree.

3. Administrative Assistants
Beware of Administrative Assistant jobs.  Yes, they sound like great entry-level jobs.  The problem with many of them is that there isn't any room for promotion.  Pay attention to the list of assigned duties for the job.  If it is strictly clerical, stay away.  You'll be stuck in that job for a long time.

4. Do Your Research
When you apply for a job, make sure you research the company.  If you don't know anything about it, you may not know if you would even like the job.  The company will most likely hire the candidate that knows the most about what they do.  If you can't name some basic facts, don't bother applying.

5. Cover Letters
ALWAYS do a cover letter.  Unless explicitly stated, always send one.  If you don't send a cover letter, you may as well not apply.  Your application will get thrown out simply because you didn't take the extra effort that everyone else did in your application.  Make sure that you talk about your skill set and how they can help the company in each letter.

6. Aim High, Then Low
Start by applying to jobs that are slightly out of your reach.  If you only have a few months of experience, apply to jobs that ask for 1-2 years.  Find jobs that you know you could do if they gave you the chance and make a case for yourself.  Even though it's unlikely that you get the job, you never know.  If that isn't working, THEN apply to the hourly jobs that are below yoru skill level.  Don't be afraid to apply for some internships either.

7. Location, Location, Location
Always think about the pay rate versus the cost of living.  If you apply to a job in New York City, make sure that you would be getting paid enough to live in New York.  Don't apply to hourly jobs in those locations.

8. Follow Ups
Only follow up on jobs that say calling is okay.  Many job postings ask that people don't call.  If it doesn't say anything, it's always better to follow up with a phone call, if possible.

9. Interviews
In your interviews, be sure to come in with questions.  In addition, you should research the location and job to have a salary range in mind.  If they plan to hire you, they will ask, and they will expect you to have an answer.  It's hard to know how much you should make, but if you don't have any idea, chances are that you'll get screwed over.

10. Stay Calm
The most important tip is to stay calm.  A lot of things in your life are about to change, and most everything is uncertain.  Try to focus on what you can control, and don't worry about the rest until you can fix it.

Good luck out there.

Senioritis at its finest

Well, here we are again, Fairly Straight University.  My fourth and final year in a town with 3 main roads, four bars, too many Amish people for my taste, and 45 minutes away from any civilization (shopping malls, casinos, and Targets, oh my!).  Needless to say, these next 7 months can't fly by fast enough.  Yeah, yeah, savor the college years, best time of your life, blah blah blah.  I really just want to go to the mall without spending $20 on gas.

I can definitely say that my "Senioritis," as it's called, is in full effect.  What are the symptoms, you ask?

• irritability
• procrastination
• watching television
• skipping class at least once a week
• new-found levels of procrastination
• not doing homework, even if the subject interests you
• watching several hours of television in a row
• beer
• Tumblr
• Facebook is suddenly interesting
• New low levels of disapproving of Freshmen behavior
• Wondering how you could somehow not take those last 5 classes
• sweatpants all day every day
• beer

I think that about sums it up.  

"Command authority by doing your job well, not by telling me how to do mine."

I don't know if I originally came up with this phrase yesterday, or if it's completely unoriginal, but it does completely and accurately describe my situation.

Anyone that I have ever looked up to professionally has had the following things in common:

1. They love their job.

2. They care about other people, especially those below them.

3. They work really hard to do an excellent job.

If you don't have these things, then I have a hard time respecting you as a professional, especially if I have to answer to you.  So, let's talk about these things.

1. You love your job.

I understand if you work at a job you don't like to get by for awhile, but I then assume that you are working hard to find a job that you like or are figuring out what it is that you want to do.  If you love your job, your quality of work is better and your attitude is better.  Nobody wants to hear you complain about your job, and nobody can respect you if you're not trying to get yourself out of this job that you hate.

2. You care about other people, especially those who work below you.

Everyone cares about the opinions and feelings of their boss, but it takes a really good person to care about somebody that works underneath you.  Without those people working for shit money doing shit tasks, you would have to work and extra 40 hours a week doing those shit tasks for no extra money.  Paying attention to them and letting them know that they're appreciated will help them remember that they're important to the company.  They will respect you so much more if they know that you respect them.

3. You work really hard to do an excellent job. 

I don't understand the people that are more obsessed with other people doing their jobs correctly than doing their own job correctly.  If you aren't doing your job, no one else is going to do it.  Trust in your co-workers and make sure to converse with them appropriately if you feel like they may not be doing their job.

What does that entail, you ask?  For instance, if you feel like they didn't do something they were supposed to do, ask them if they did it.  Then, ask them if they knew that they were supposed to do it.  Then, if they answer the questions accordingly, go ahead and tell them off.  90% of the time, it was a misunderstanding.

Meanwhile, make sure that everything you are asked to do is done efficiently and excellently.  Making sure other people do their jobs well still doesn't reflect well on you if you aren't doing your own job well.



The main reason I love working at Taillight so much is that I can genuinely respect almost every person that I work with.  I wish more offices ran the way that this one does.  Have I run into a few people that I don't respect as professionals?  Yes.  However, you would think that it would be more than the two I can think of, especially being in the entertainment industry.

I've never met so many humble, hard-working people that love their jobs and love everyone they work with.  Even though I'm an intern that does those shit jobs as described earlier, I love coming in to work every day.

I just hope I can work in a office like that when I need to find a grown up job.

"Troubles are inevitable, but misery is optional." -Joel Osteen

Ever have one of those days?  It's National You're Going To Fail At Life Day, and you were not forewarned.  You woke up late, didn't eat breakfast, dressed for the wrong weather, and as soon as you get to work, it gets worse.


I had a similar day this week.  The copy machine, stapler, printer, desktop computer, DVD burner, etc. did not like me.  Lunch took a half hour longer than I had time for.  Then, I got sent on a 4 stop run.  How can I screw that up?  Don't worry, I'll find a way.  It is, after all, National Amanda Fails at Life Day.


I had to go outside of town to pick up a hard drive.  I waited about 20-25 minutes for the guy to finish up when I got to the studio.  I took the hard drives across town (in some nasty traffic), took those discs back downtown to CMT, almost got a parking ticket, moved my car to where I could park for free (because why would I have change the one day I need to pay for a meter?), walked 3 or 4 blocks to the post office, and saw that two hours after I had left to go on this run, I still wasn't done, had 3 missed calls from my supervisors asking where I was, and ended up an hour late for my second job after driving back to my internship and across town again in rush hour traffic.


Needless to say, they weren't happy that I took so long.  Nothing that day was my fault, it just happened to fall on me.  After about 5 and a half hours at Bar Louie (which was insanely busy because of the NBA game), it slowed down enough for me to actually think about what all had happened that day.


My day started off terribly at 8:30am, and it took me until about 10pm to actually get mad about what a failure the day was.  I've always been a person who dwells on my mistakes.  I still remember getting detention in 6th grade for passing a note with Amanda Do about how we hate Language Arts.  


I can, however, be proud of how I handled those mistakes.  You can only give your best, and if the universe sees fit to screw you up, it will, regardless of your attitude.  So why not just smile through the day anyway?  


Nothing stresses me out more than other stressed out people, so why spread that around? 


Basically, after trying so hard to do everything right, my motto for the day became, "Bucket.  I am doing the best I can."  Well, not 'bucket.'  It rhymes with bucket though...

Time Management: 4 Rules to Go By

I'm not saying I'm great at time management or that I follow this all the time, but here's what I've found to be important:

1. You can never do anything perfectly.

No matter how hard you try, someone will always be able to do the work better.  Don't waste too much time trying to make it perfect.  Settle for excellent.

2. Prioritize:  What is the most important for your future?

When you're juggling so many tasks and projects, you have to figure out what is most beneficial for you to do well.  Work on those first, and then move on to the less important things.  Right now, I'm on internship, working part-time, and I'm in an online class.  First comes my internship. That is the most beneficial thing to my future.  Next comes my part-time job because, well, I like eating as opposed to starving.  Last comes my online class.  All I need to do is pass that thing.  My GPA is high enough to take a hit from one class.

3. Set goals for yourself.

If you write down your goals, you are statistically more likely to actually achieve them.  If I had written down that I wanted to get an A in my summer class, perhaps I would've been trying harder.  Writing it down serves as a constant reminder as opposed to just a mental note.

4. Always do quality work.

There's no point in doing anything if it isn't quality.  Don't ever rush through something to get through everything.  Work with your priorities.  That's why you have them.  I wouldn't rush through a project at my internship to get to my part-time job on time.  They understand that I'm here to intern, not to work for them.

Ambition vs. Motivation

I just saw this on Tumblr, and I thought that it didn't really ring true for me.  I always seem to have motivation to make something happen for myself.  I think these two things go hand in hand.  You can't have motivation if you don't have ambition.  You can't have ambition without motivation either.

If you truly have ambition without motivation, I don't think your ambition is aimed correctly.  Maybe it would be better placed somewhere else.

I thought I wanted to play music for a short period of time.  It turns out, I never had the motivation to practice.  I just want to be able to magically play my favorite songs.  So, I changed my ambition.  Music Business.  Now I have motivation.

How I got my internship: Summer 2012

I recently accepted an internship at Taillight TV in Nashville, TN for this summer, and I thought I should share my story of how I got this internship.

I interned in Nashville last summer at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium.  It was a wonderful internship where I got to answer phone calls, learn Ticketmaster, manage social media accounts, and even design a new sales kit for the managers to use.

One day, I answered a phone call when no one else was in the office.  The man that called is named Brandon, and he is a music video director.  He said that he had shot a video in our exhibition hall once, and he was considering doing it again.  He wanted to come by and take pictures.  I told him that I could save him a trip and E-mail the pictures I already had saved on my computer.

So, I sent Brandon an E-mail with some pictures attached.  Then, I took a risk.  I've been working very hard to correct my shyness, realizing that that behavior will get me nowhere in the music industry.  I introduced myself as the intern and asked if I could help out on his video shoot, and I sent my E-mail.

HE SAID YES.  

That's right.  Just because I took a risk and asked to work and learn on this shoot, he said, "Okay."  That was something I could honestly say I didn't expect.  

Brandon sent my contact information (conveniently placed in my E-mail signature) over to Leah, Taillight TV's Production Coordinator.  She got me all set up to work on set.

Here's the Randy Travis "Everything and All" video: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBJNWGBH0YU&ob=av2e

(I would've embedded the video if Blogspot were working correctly)

The day after I worked on this set, I sent a Thank You E-mail to both Brandon and Leah for being gracious enough to let me work on their set.  They completely took a risk by letting me do that, and I am forever in their debt.  It only takes one awesome person to trust you enough and open a door for you, and I wouldn't be where I am now without them doing that for me.

Again, I E-mailed Leah as soon as I saw the music video on YouTube.  I asked her about an internship, and she said to send my resume to her.  I waited until after Autumn aLive, our fall concert, to E-mail Leah again.  I told her about our show and asked about my resume.  She responded enthusiastically, but she also asked me if I had any experience in Final Cut, shooting, editing and Photoshop.

Well, the Photoshop I had down, but the rest, not so much.  I made it my mission to learn Final Cut and learn more about making music videos.  For our spring concert, Turn Up the Good, the planning committee made a video about sticking promotional stickers on personal items versus public property.  I jumped to edit this video and learn Final Cut.

Here's how that turned out:

 The day after this went up, I E-mailed Leah again with a link to this video.  She called me the week after and told me that I had put in so much leg work already that they would love to have me intern at Taillight.

It all started with a chance phone call and taking a risk.  After that came a lot of hard work, first on set and then months after.  

What I've learned from this:

• Be grateful when someone gives you something they didn't have to, and SAY THANK YOU.
• Just because you think you'll get a position, doesn't mean you shouldn't work hard for it.
• Be persistent when pursuing a job, but have something new and relevant to say.  
• Be someone that sets you apart from the crowd.
• Take those risks.  The worst they could say is NO.
• If you really want it, you'll make it happen.

This was something I really wanted, so I did everything in my power to make it happen.

P.S. That video was NOT shot in our Exhibition Hall at the Municipal.  But, the studio we were in had guitar toilets.  and guitar tables. WAY COOLER.

See you in May, Nashville :)

Why Fall Semester is draining

The desk is my life.  I’m having the best weekend though.  I made a good life choice and gave up my night shift on friday night so I could take a night off from my life at school and visit some of my good friends in Kalamazoo.  I met my friend’s new boyfriend, who is really nice, and we all watched a really cheesy Halloween movie that was made in 1987.  It was so nice not to care for one night and just relax with good friends.  I don’t ever go to parties at school, and me and my friends don’t drink.  I like being focused on my future at school, and aside from that, when you have to work at 2:30am every night on the weekends, it’s really stupid to drink.  

Being focused all the time gets tiring, though, and I really needed that one night to not focus on school.  I didn’t even bring my laptop to kzoo.  Now, I am drastically behind.  I have a test on Monday and another on Tuesday.  When I’m not in class this week, you can find me doing promo for Autumn Alive (which is on Thursday).  After Thursday, my motivation (which is already running low) will plummet.  Once you work a cool show like that, you don’t want to go to class anymore, you just want to graduate so you can do that every day (and get paid for it).

So, I’ve had my night off, and I came back to school just in time to work a couple hours this afternoon.  I then proceeded to sleep from 4pm-7:45pm.  I now have to be at the desk until 7:30am, so I guess that kinda worked out?  Welcome to my sleep-deprived life.  One can only hope that I can be somewhat productive tonight.  It's already been 4 hours and all I’ve done is watch the new Big Bang Theory episode.  

My motivation levels require a fall break (like that’ll ever happen).  Regardless of my hatred of Fall semester and its lack of breaks, I’m still having a good weekend.   :)

The End or the Beginning?

A lot of things have changed since my last blog post.  I haven't moved, quit my internship, changed my major, changed my outlook on life, or dyed my hair (although I can't wait to put that purple streak back in my hair when I go back to school).  But somehow, everything is different.

Today, or rather this past week, marks a lot of new beginnings.
I'll start with last Sunday, July 3rd.

I've blogged before about a girl named Taylor Meriwether.

She was a very special girl.  That's right, I said "was."  She passed away last weekend when her heart failed, and her parents decided to pull the plug in the hospital.  The good news?  She was better.  She was no longer suicidal, and she was on her way to being a new person.  She didn't get the chance.  Mentally, she may have been healing, but not physically.  I never got to meet her, but she was and always will be an inspiration to me.  No 16-year old should ever have to endure what she did.  Sometimes, I'm not sure that it's hit me yet that she's gone.  Her story will always remind me of the power of one person.  It took one person to post her suicide note on Tumblr, and another to reblog.  It took one person to stop Taylor from killing herself.  And it only took Taylor to help inspire hundreds.  You may not think you matter, but you do.  It was the end for Taylor on Sunday, but just the beginning for all her friends and supporters.

Another ending I'm dreading is the end of my summer in Nashville.  I've never loved a city so much (although New York and San Diego are still up there).  I'm currently sitting in a Starbucks in Hotel Indigo, my favorite building downtown.  I wish I didn't have to leave when they close in a half hour, and I am dreading leaving this city in 3 and a half weeks.  If you love music, you'll find this to truly be a magical place.  I am finally working my first concert tomorrow at the Auditorium, and I am beyond excited.  I really can't wait to soak up every bit of knowledge I can, and watch some magic unfold.  I think the most amazing noise is a crowd of screaming and cheering people, and there is no more gratifying feeling than knowing that you had something to do with this.  These people will remember this night for years to come, and you played an important part in making it a success.  I love that feeling.  I love that someone could simply stand on a stage and people go wild.  That someone could affect someone so positively to bring them to tears.  The power of one, the teamwork, and the most gratifying payoff.

Something else soon to end, is something very near and dear to my heart.  Harry Potter.  I've just finished watching hours upon hours of footage from the London Premiere of the final movie in this incredible series.  And it's all about to end.  It really dawned on me today, watching everyone at the premiere.  If ever there were a book series to recommend to someone, it would be this one.  The amazing thing about this series that dawned on me today was that there was not a single unimportant character in this story.  Every one of them had a purpose, and every one of them had something likeable about them.  Even the villains.  I don't know about you, but there is something about Bellatrix Lestrange that is just enthralling.  I love that character.  And I could say something to that effect for every single character in the book.  The uniqueness of this ensemble of characters really astounds me.  There is no other series in books or movies that I could say the same thing.  To J.K. Rowling (because I'm SURE you're reading this):  Thank you for the magic.  I would not be who I am today without Harry Potter.
This is such an important part of my childhood, and saying goodbye to it is almost like saying hello to adulthood.  I don't really feel like it, but I guess it's about time.

I think Starbucks is closing soon, so that's all for now.  But I feel like all of this is leading up to the beginning of something...I can feel it.

-AK

Most Bizarre Day EVER.

One of the first things I stumbled upon in my morning Facebook/Twitter/Tumblr check was this incredibly inspiring article, written by the lovely Jennette McCurdy.  Read it here: 

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2011/06/11/off-camera-my-moms-fight-with-cancer/

I’ve been thinking about this article all day.  It just really stuck with me.  I was in the most interesting mood for the rest of the day.  I drove to downtown Nashville for CMA Fest (actually hoping that Jennette McCurdy didn’t cancel her appearance, as she is an aspiring country singer as well).  On my drive, all the songs I normally skip on my iPod, I wanted to listen to.  I was weirded out by myself (oh, the things that happen when you spend too much time by yourself…)

I couldn’t stop thinking about Miss McCurdy and her mother’s unfortunate battle, and how that must feel being in the spotlight all the time while everyone is expecting her to keep her smile wide and crack some jokes.

I showed up to Nashville to indeed find the absence of Jennette McCurdy’s name on the schedule for the Lay’s Stage in the Bridgestone Arena plaza (she’s been canceling several appearances recently to spend more time with her mom).  I was bummed out, and it just got me thinking more about what she had written in that essay.

I had driven a half hour, so I stayed for a couple of performances, including Sarah Darling and Hunter Hayes.  Sarah was absolutely adorable, as was Hunter Hayes.  Hunter played this song that I ended up recording on my camera.  It was called something like “I’ll Cry With You,” and it just seemed fitting that I record it for some reason.  At the time (less than 6 hours ago), I thought it was because of the article I had read that morning, still very prevalent in my thoughts.

Later, I got home and found that one of my friends had posted a song by Ke$ha on their Tumblr page.  It’s called “Goodbye.”  If you haven’t heard it, I urge you to listen to it RIGHT NOW.  It’s such a beautiful song.  I first heard this song I think around October, and it is still one of the most honest and beautiful songs I’ve heard in awhile.  

Once again, it just seemed to fit the tone of today: Weirdly Sad.

I’ve cried several times today, and I didn’t really know why, until about 30 minutes ago.

My mom called me, and after I answered I heard a monotonous voice on the other end say “Hi Amanda.”

My mind automatically went to Oh my god, something’s wrong.

Turns out, my grandmother had a heart attack today.  She’s brain dead. Her heart is beating, but she’s not breathing on her own. They’re pulling the plug as soon as my aunt gets there.

So thanks, I guess, to whatever angel up in heaven was preparing me for this.

Thanks for making me realize that there are worse things than suddenly dying at an old age.  You could be slowly dying at a young age.  Thanks for making me realize that I can always turn to music to help me sort through my problems.  That’s why we have sad songs.  And thanks for making me realize that all those old songs that I’ve heard too many times are kept on my iPod for a reason.  They’re the songs that can cheer me up, no matter how hard life gets.

When one of my grandmas passed away in the fall, I was surprised at how little I cried.  I was more relieved than anything to know that she wasn’t in any more pain.  Once again, I am surprised at how little I’m crying.  I should be crying more.  However, I’ve cried a lot today, and I feel a new understanding of…well, life (to sound incredibly cliche).

I will now spend my evening watching iParty with Victorious, because kids shows make me laugh.  They make me forget my problems and think about how simple childhood was.  And more than anything, Jennette McCurdy seems to be the center around this incredibly bizarre day, and she’s in this show.

Nashville

So I've been in Nashville for a little over two weeks now.  I thought it might be time for an update, eh?

I'll just start out with this city.  I'm currently listening to Taylor Swift's "Enchanted."  It's kind of how I feel about this city.  I love it so much.  I don't ever want to leave.  The people are so nice everywhere you go, and there's such a sense of community that I didn't know was possible in such a big city.  I love that I can walk anywhere downtown and hear music come from a box on the corner of the street, coming out of a bar or a store on Broadway, or coming from a guitar player sitting on the sidewalk.  This is indeed The Music City.  I haven't taken many pictures, but here's a few really cool ones:

1st Avenue and Broadway

1st Avenue and the river

This is my favorite picture.  I walk over here almost every day, and I stumbled onto this view completely by accident.  I like to explore new parts of the city a little bit every day.  I just happened to walk behind City Hall a few days ago, and this is what's on the other side.  It looks much more beautiful in person.  My favorite view of the city, for sure.  And that building right in the middle if the picture is my favorite building.  It's called Hotel Indigo.  Really old and classy looking, and they have a Starbucks inside with lots of nice seating (need I say more?).

So...what's next?

Well, considering that this is The Music City, I've decided that I need to take advantage of as much live music as I possibly can.  So last weekend, I did exactly that.  I kicked off my summer by heading down to the Bridgestone Arena to see Taylor Swift's "Speak Now, Help Now" dress rehearsal.  In case you were wondering, it was a fantastic show.  I would highly recommend seeing her on tour.  Here's some of the best pictures from the show:

The outside of the Bridgestone Arena, with one of the four Taylor Swift trucks on display.

I just had to put one picture of the crowd in here.  Audiences at any show always manage to take my breath away.  One of the coolest things ever is a crowd going wild with anticipation to hear some music.

Taylor and her hearts <3 

C'mon.  It wouldn't be Taylor Swift without some hair flips...

She only came over to our side of the stage once.  I got this AMAZING picture from it though!

And lastly, of course, my INTERNSHIP!

I've been interning at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium for a week and a half so far.  When I work in the office, I answer the phone and manage the Twitter and Facebook feeds for them.  I've also been reading a bunch of Pollstar magazines.  Highly recommended for anyone looking to go on tour or work in a venue.  GREAT information.

I've also been assigned to create an online brochure for them to use for people who want to rent out the venue for their events, as well as a video to post on YouTube.  That stuff I've been doing from home.

It's been really great so far.  The staff is really fantastic, and they are as determined as I am to help me make as many connections as I can while I'm down here.  

Right now, we are hosting Keith Urban and all his people as they rehearse before they go on their US lag of his World Tour.  My goal for the next week?  MEET HIS PEOPLE.  I am determined. 

In the next couple weeks, I am going to see Idina Menzel perform with the Nashville Symphony, seeing as many free performances during CMA Fest as I possibly can, and after that going to see Mat Kearny with Owl City!  June shall be a blast and a half.

And with that, I leave you with Taylor Swift's "Long Live."  I've decided that there really isn't a song on her album that I dislike at all.  

-AK

Summer, The End of School, and the Beginning of Other Adventures

I haven't posted a new blog in a LONG time.  I thought it was about time.  If you follow my blog, you're most likely more updated on my life than what this blog would reflect.  However, just in case you aren't, I'll update you anyway!

I finally have a breather since I just finished my last test for the week.  (only one left next wednesday!)

So first,
SUMMER
This summer, I got the internship I wanted at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium!  I am so excited to be moving to The Music City for the summer!  It is such a beautiful place!  In case you were curious, here's an overview of what I'll be doing:

• Assist with the sales and marketing of a multi-purpose venue: 
• Answer the phone and provide administrative support. 
• Sell tickets on the Ticketmaster system. 
• Create a social media marketing plan for the NMA. 
• Update our Wikipedia listing, Facebook page, MySpace page and Twitter account. 
• Create an online press-kit. 
• Develop a plan to market the NMA to event promoters. 
• Explore the possibility of developing and maintaining a blog about the NMA. 
• Explore the possibility of creating a new marketing video to post to YouTube and our Facebook page.

This list was taken from my internship description. :)

Needless to say, I am so excited to move!  I cannot wait!

I would also like to add that social media is a big part of how I got this internship.  My entire interview comprised of questions about whether or not I have an active account on any number of websites, from Blogspot, to YouTube, to Twitter.  Also, another part of how I got this internship is that my social media sites are CLEAN.  They did check my sites, and I gave her the link to every  single one of my pages.

Moving On...

The End of School

This is my last week of classes for my second year of college.  It's extremely bizarre to think that I'm already half done.  It seems so daunting to have 4 or 3 years ahead of you still.  Then it hits you--you're already halfway done.  But it went by so fast...how did that happen?!  I feel like I've learned so much in some respects and learned nothing at all in others.  This week has proven to me though that my life next year will be extremely busy.  I always wonder with each passing semester how much could possibly be added to my plate, and it just continues to grow.  This week has tested to see whether or not I could take on so much.  I passed. :)  I complained a little, but I think that's more Spring Fever than anything else.  I'm just ready to be done.  

Watching all the seniors in MIMA sign the drum head as they stood in front of the organization today at their last ever MIMA meeting was surreal to me.  Last year, I didn't know any of the seniors really at all. This year, I can't say the same, and I know I will miss them all!  It's weird to think that in two short years, I will be doing the same.  It's also weird to think that only two years ago, I was a senior in High School.  Most of the time, it seems longer than two years ago, but sometimes it doesn't seem so far away.  The high school me was a lot different.

I think my brain chemistry (note my lack of science knowledge nowadays) has altered quite a bit just in the last year.  For one thing, I now SUCK at test-taking. I don't know what happened!  In High School, I would've begged for a test over a project.  Now, I would MUCH rather have a final project than a final exam.  I've been brainwashed by the College of Business.  Well, not BRAINWASHED, per say, just taught more applicable skills like presentations as opposed to test-taking.  I'm glad that I'm learning such great applicable skills and excelling in my program, but I feel really stupid when I study for several hours and get a B- on a test (it's happened more than once this semester).  That would've NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER happened in High School.  I got As. and a couple Bs.  B-? Oh no.

And Lastly....

Beginning of Other Adventures

So here's my exciting plateful of stuff for next year!

Firstly, I am the new Secretary for MIMA for 2011-2012.  I had my first meeting as an Eboard member today!  So much fun getting to be more involved!

I also get the privilege of serving as Co-Head of On Campus Promotions for Turn Up the Good 2012 with one of my best friends, Robin.  

Add classes and work on top of that, and it'll be a great year.  I honestly can't wait to get started on everything!  

BUT I have to do my internship first!

Peace Out!  Updates from Nashville to come!

-AK

Spring Break & Internships!

Ah!  I haven't updated in awhile!  So much has happened over break!  I stayed home for a few days (Friday through Tuesday) which was really great to relax and hang out with my great friends from high school.  I feel so lucky to have such great friends in my life, and I know that there's a lot of people who weren't so lucky to have so many wonderful people as friends from high school.  We had a lot of fun, and I spent way too much money in just 4 days.

Then on Tuesday afternoon I hopped on a plane and got to Tucson, Arizona where my dad lives around 10pm (12am EST).  I was so exhausted I went straight to bed, which was about 11:30pm by the time we got home.  I slept until 10:30 the next morning.  It was awesome.  Wednesday was great.  I got to just hang out with my sister Britni and my cousins Gemma and Hannah.  We played mini golf, and went to dinner with my dad and stepmom, and the best part was that it was about 75 degrees outside!  I even wore flip-flops!

Then on Thursday, I got to hang out with my sister all morning, which was nice, but perhaps a bit too short seeing as I woke up at 10am again.  People in Arizona like to get up early and go to bed early, but people in Michigan like to stay up late and sleep late.  See they need to utilize that time in the morning before the sun rises, especially in the summer where it's too hot to go outside by 9am.  That doesn't work for me.

Then at 1pm, my cousin Gemma picked me up so I could get to my interview at the Fox Theatre downtown.  While I was in the car, I had a phone interview with the Municipal Auditorium in Nashville!  Sharon, the lady I talked to was so nice, and the internship sounded so great to me.  I really hope that I get that one.  I think I can learn a lot from them and help them out a lot as well.

The Fox Theatre was also really great.  The theatre has a great historical aspect to it, which I love.  It is also a great option, seeing as I can live at home and probably get a part-time job!  The people that I talked to there were so nice, and I would love to spend the summer in Tucson as well, with my family that I don't get to see very often.

Also, the high on Thursday was somewhere around 88 degrees.  Just wanted to rub that in.

Friday morning, my dad, stepmom and I woke up super early and got in the car to head to San Diego for the weekend.  I don't know what it is about San Diego, but I am always instantly relaxed when I breath in that ocean-fresh air.  It's also so refreshing to see a city where every morning is cloudy and foggy, but by 10am the skies are blue and the sun is shining.  Something that certainly never happens in Michigan.  If it's cloudy in the morning in Big Rapids, you can bet that it'll be cloudy all day.

On Friday afternoon, I had an interview at this little venue just outside the Gaslamp Quarter called 4th and B.  Where exactly is that?  Well, it's at the intersection on 4th street and B street.  Real tough to find, let me tell you.  The lady I spoke with there (her name is Natalie) was super awesome, and it sounded like another great internship!  She didn't have a lot of time, but it was so nice to talk to her!  There was just one problem.  The venue is 21+, and I am only 20.  My birthday is in January.  Turns out it isn't legal for me to work there.  Maybe next summer on that one, I guess.  Still great interview practice.

Then Friday night we were on a hunt.  Of the NCAA playoffs type.  To find the USC vs Arizona game. So we went to the Hyatt right down the street from the marina where my dad's boat is at.  Well, it turns out they don't get that channel (it was on FoxSportsNet), so we finished our drinks and appetizer and left.  We knew that the Hilton had a Fox Sports bar, and they would definitely have the channel, so we walked about 10 minutes over there.  Well, it turns out, there was a private party going on at that time.  Thwarted again.  At this time, we debated yelling to the people on the giant yacht if we could watch it with them since we could see the game through the window, but we decided not to.  We finally got to watch the second half of the game, and Arizona won (woot!).

I crashed hard again that night.  At about 9:30pm.  I was so tired.  and I sleep like a baby in that cabin on the boat for some reason.  It was awesome.  The next day, we took the boat out in the morning.  Man, that tsunami made the ocean swells crazy!  I had never seen the waters so rough before!  It was awesome out there.  Then we watched Arizona lose to Washington (bummer), even though they could've won the game.  It went into overtime, and was tied up at about 7ish seconds left in OT, and Washington had the ball.  So they bought a few seconds and made the winning shot.  Also, something was wrong with those announcers.  I think they would go gay for Isaiah Thomas.  That's all they talked about.  Derrick Williams is pretty awesome too, no?  We ended the day at Pizza Nova, ate way too much buttery garlic bread, and crashed again.

Then I got up early Sunday morning and flew back here.  And now Monday is over, and I wish I could go back on break.

Oh well.

I hope I get some phone calls or emails this week about internships.  I am anxious.

-AK

Generation Love

 This post is not about any professional matter of any kind.  It's about something so much more important than that.

I was on Tumblr last night, and my friend had reblogged something.  Huge font.  Automatically got my attention.  A girl named Taylor had just posted a suicide note on her Tumblr page.  The post that was getting reblogged was asking for help.  They wanted to find someone who knew this beautiful 16 year old girl and try to stop her before it was too late.  That's an automatic reblog, to me.

After I reblogged the post, I read the suicide note.  Talk about depressing.  I just felt so helpless to this girl in England, and I wanted to stop her.  I sent her a message on Tumblr, and started following her page.  I wanted her to know that people do care about her, including me who is a total stranger and that someday she will look back on this and be glad that she didn't do it.  She has so much more to do and to be.

I went to bed fairly depressed about this.  I woke up this morning at 6:30 and went to work.  I was studying for a test, so I didn't really go online.  I eventually decided to check my email.  Well, I got an email saying that Taylor followed me back on Tumblr.  Highlight of my week.  And a lot of cool stuff has happened this week.

Someone apparently interrupted her before she could even start swallowing the pills.  Today, she had over 1,600 messages, most of them from complete strangers.  She is saying that she will never consider suicide again, and she is doing her best to respond to each and every message that she received.  This makes me so happy.  I hope she does well in life. :)

If you want to feel a little extra happy today, here is her blog:
http://ihopesomebodyhears.tumblr.com

I came across a preview of a song this past week, which is off of YouTube now, but the song is entitled "Generation Love."  Here is the chorus:

"They call us Generation Lost
Or Generation Greed
Or the connected generation to the plasma screen
Or a generation why enough is not enough
Or maybe they'll call us
Generation Love"

I think this is a good start.

Thanks for reading <3 AK