Where Not To Look For Freedom

Every so often a song comes along that just "gets" it. The Belle Brigade has a whole slew of them, an album full really. I've heard this album a number of times now, I'd been waiting for it to release months before it actually did. But last night I went to see them play at Amoeba Records in Hollywood (one of my favorite places on earth), and it was one of those moments where the song and the time and the place all collide at exactly the right time that awakens something inside of you. Maybe something as simple as a realization?

Last night, "Where Not To Look For Freedom" was that moment.



The past few months have been rough, hence the no posting. I haven't been able to get out of my head enough to put my thoughts into words or to really accomplish much of anything. I've been simply going through the motions, which if you know me even a little, you know is a bad sign. I'm an adventure seeker. I'm always looking for the next adrenaline rush, the next exploration of a new place or experience, the answers to questions I don't even know. So, for me to just stop everything almost sent me over the edge. I would sleep, work, and fill in every last second with social activities so I didn't have to face what the real problem was...I have no idea what I want. And that makes it really hard to get it.

But the truth is, I know what I want, from myself, from life, from others. It just became too hard to get it. Freedom is a big concept with me, I use the word a lot in my daily life. Freedom to be where I want when I want, to be who I want at all times, to think, speak, write and listen to whatever I want how I want. And instead I've been trapped. Trapped in financial constraints, age barriers (or dreads), and in the box I've placed around my life. The issue became that I couldn't move forward because no matter how hard I looked, I couldn't find anyone's life that I want to mirror mine after. I believed that these dreams I have, idealistic visions of the way life and the world should be could never be realized because they don't currently exist.

I was wrong.

"You cannot find your wisdom in someone else's story."

Unfortunately, writing your own story is, to put it lightly, difficult. It's easy to go through the motions, to live a cookie cutter life, and to be successful at it. What's not easy, is having a vision in your head, a deep desire, and having no idea how to achieve it. And that's where the change in my life has begun. I don't know the big steps, how to get from where I am now to where I want to be. However, everyday I can pray for direction for that first step, and then take a flying leap. And as soon as I land, I take another one. The path isn't clear, but my belief in the destination is. In Swahili, there's a saying "Pole Pole" (pole-ay, pole-ay). It means slowly, slowly. That's me. I'm a slow and steady person, that's how I achieve almost anything. It's not ideal as I would love immediate results. But it's how I thrive. One step at a time, but those steps never stop. And I get to enjoy the journey a little more. Because as I've learned many times, the view from the summit is breathtaking and worth every step, but you can't stay there forever. There are too many mountains to climb to just stay at the top of one for the rest of my life. Some I'll enjoy more than others, some will be harder, some freer. But each a new adventure, a new piece of the picture. A new answer, and a new experience that makes me...me.

XO-
EBG

Last Day of Our Acquaintance

It's been awhile since I've posted. And that's not because of the lack of music in my life. SXSW has come and gone, and I do plan on doing a post about the amazing bands I saw there. But, funny enough, the reason I'm posting today is because of the below song. It came on KCRW this morning during Morning Becomes Eclectic, and it just doesn't seem to want to leave me now.

Two years ago today I lost someone I care very deeply about. The lyrics to this song don't necessarily mirror our frienship word for word, but it does embody the sentiment and the feelings that come with today more than anything else I've found.



I miss you, CJ. XOXO-
EBG

New Songs You Should Probably Listen To Now...

TV on the Radio - Will Do





TV on the Radio - Will Do by 1077 The End

Adele - Rolling In the Deep

Middle Brother - Me, Me, Me

Middle Brother ♦ Me Me Me from Brandon Tauszik on Vimeo.

XOXO-
EBG

Contest: Romany Rye on the Cover of Rolling Stone!

WE TAKE ALL KINDS OF PILLS
TO GIVE US ALL KINDS OF THRILLS
BUT THE THRILL WE'VE NEVER KNOWN
IS THE THRILL THAT WILL GET YOU
WHEN YOU GET YOUR PICTURE
ON THE COVER OF THE ROLLING STONE

My friend Luke (aka The Romany Rye aka an AMAZING musician/song-writer that you should listen to NOW) is one of 16 musicians/bands up to be on the cover of Rolling Stone! He just needs your help to vote. Now, unlike most of my friends that are in contests, this is one where I would actually vote for him if I didn't know him. Yeah, he's that good.

Below is an email that was sent out with the info of how to vote. So, go do it. NOW!

Okay, so as these contests go, there are loop holes as to how the votes are getting counted. So Rolling Stone is a shady crafty beast.

You have to click on the Bonnaroo link to win two tickets and give them a bit of information. Then step 2 is voting for the Romany Rye and then clicking submit. We are unsure that just clicking the five stars actually counts or if its just a fake count at this time they will not clarify so to be safe just do both. Also after seeing the Bonnaroo line up this year who wouldn't want to go.

Cover of Rolling Stone Contest

Anyway, Luke and the rest of his guys really appreciate all the time everyone is taking to help out. I sincerely appreciate it as well. Please pass this along, to your friends, family, or anyone that ever gave you their email address.

And here's a preview of the awesomeness you're voting for:



XOXO-
EBG

14 Love Songs

So, this is a little more mellow than most of my mix tapes, but I've been in a mellow mood. Still, love is something to celebrate...now I'm just going to celebrate it a little more softly than other years. It's a mix of new love, sustained love, pining love, and complicated love. Because if you've ever been in love, you know that all of those things exist...sometimes all at the same time.

1. Leather and Lace - Stevie Nicks & Don Henley
2. Rush - Ferras
3. Dance Me to the End of Love - The Civil Wars
4. The Chain - Ingrid Michaelson
5. First Day of My Life - Bright Eyes
6. Fresh Feeling - Eels
7. I Will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
8. If You Let Me Be Your Anchor - Dawes
9. Lovers' Waltz - A.A. Bondy
10. How the Day Sounds - Greg Laswell
11. Willing - The BoDeans
12. The Man Who Can't Be Moved - The Script
13. I Will - Alison Krauss
14. Wonderwall - Ryan Adams

XOXO-
EBG

Wow. That's all I have to say.

The new Fleet Foxes album comes out in May. If this song is any indication of what the rest of the album will be, I may have just found my top pick for 2011.

It's not even chills, it's more. This song literally made me go numb.

Listen. Love. Let it devour you.
Fleet Foxes - Helplessness Blues by subpop

XO-

EBG

Carpe Diem

I'm going on a trip, and therefore, a new mix tape is needed. But this one had to be special. I'm going to a Writer's Conference in NYC, and while being surrounded by 1200 other young adult/children's book writers can be very exciting, it's also extremely intimidating. Are they friends or competition?

Fortunately, last year I made a new friend. So, this "Carpe Diem" playlist is for us. We've spent the past year getting ready for this weekend, and now it's time to go after our dreams. It's meant to calm the anxious nerves and invoke confidence. After all, there's no better time to start living life to the fullest than right now.

Carpe Diem - SCBWI Winter Conference 2011

1. Zoo Station - U2
2. It's My Life - Bon Jovi
3. Brave New Girl - Britney Spears
4. Good Days Bad Days - Kaiser Chiefs
5. How Bad Do You Want It - Tim McGraw
6. I Won't Back Down - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
7. Fingerprints - Katy Perry
8. Dream On - Aerosmith
9. I Can - Nas
10. Do Your Thing - 'N Sync
11. Drive - Incubus
12. One More Night In Brooklyn - Justin Townes Earle
13. Born For This - Paramore
14. Invincible - Muse
15. Chasing Pavements - Adele
16. When My Time Comes - Dawes
17. The Climb - Miley Cyrus
18. We Are the Champions - Queen
19. Defying Gravity - Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth
20. Don't Stop Believin' - Glee Cast

Go team!
XOXO-
EBG