Currently....

Anticipating//Today is the big day!! Today is the day I get my new tattoo!! I am quite certain there shall be loads of updates on both Instagram or Twitter should you wish to follow along. Otherwise you'll need to wait until next week for a proper post.

Reading//On Monday, I received a signed copy of Rock Island Rock from the author himself, Eyre Price. I've only just started the book so I'm reserving all judgement until I've completed it.

Listening//While Paradise Valley (John Mayer) and All People (Michael Franti & Spearhead) are still in pretty heavy rotation, this week I've been listening to A LOT of Free the Universe (Major Lazer). It's not an album that typically falls into any category of what I would "normally" listen to, but I dig it. I've been perfecting my dance moves all week.

Hooking//The production of crocheted animals has been in full force again! I have more unicorns and moose to make. I also just bought a pattern to make a minion that I am DYING to try out.

Organizing//I broke down and bought a fancy Moleskine planner to keep track of, well, my everything. If I'm going to make school work with a full time job and this here blog, organization is going to be uber important.

My body is my journal

and my tattoos are my story. --Johnny Depp

I love tattoos.

I love looking at them. Talking about them. Picking out designs for them. And hearing the story (if there is one) behind why someone decided to get one done.

I always have.

Every couple of months or so, I get the itch to get another one done. Most of the time, I'm able to ward off the urge to get more ink. In fact, the last time I had one done was 2009. The reasons for not getting one range from not having the extra cash to do so, not being able to totally commit to the design and/or location and not having a regular tattoo person to visit to get the work done.

Lately, that itch has been a little too hard to ignore and it's time to get a new one! And that is happening tomorrow. I'm so excited but ya'll will just have to wait until it's been completed.

One of the things I love the most about tattoos are the stories they can tell. And even in some cases, not tell. My tattoos fall into both categories.

Ladybug: This was my first tattoo. It's small and I tend to forget that I even have it. I got it done when I was 19 in my "I'm free and I'm young!" phase shortly after my first piercing. It's not the greatest--I went to a guy who actually had a really good reputation and had done previous pieces for friends but wasn't thrilled with having been asked to do "a little $40 job".

Flowers & Butterflies: Ahhh, yes. The dreaded "tramp stamp". I do love this one. When I had it done, I just wanted something girly and pretty. Not that you can tell from the black and white photo, but it's done in my favorite colors-blues and pinks. There are days when I think about trying to incorporate into a larger back piece but most days I am happy just the way it is.


Star: I got this one done when I was in New York back in 2001. My bff at the time (we are not longer bff's or even just an f anymore) and I had matching ones done. But it wasn't on purpose. I picked it out as it was going to eventually be colored and turned into a compass and she followed suit. But, like the one on my lower back, the longer I've had it "plain" the more I can't bring myself to change or add to it.

Peacock: This is the tattoo everyone loves, and I mean LOVES to touch. I am no longer phased by folks pulling on the straps of my tank tops or the neckline of certain shirts to get a better look at it. It is my favorite as well, so who can blame them. The decision to have this one done was pretty much a no brainer. I had been wanting to get a peacock done for awhile, but at the time didn't want a full color done (now of course, every time I see one that is done in full color a little part of me wishes I had taken that route). When I saw this design, I knew it was exactly what I was looking for and had it done.


And now I'm just a day away from having my next piece done and I can't wait. I'll be sure to share my next tattoo story as soon as it is done and healed, which thankfully shouldn't take long. This one is just a little something to tide me over until I work on my next (big) piece.

Do you have a tattoo story?

Music Monday: Michael Franti & Spearhead

I am super excited about all the positive responses I received here on the blog and also on Twitter about yesterdays post. Unfortunately, I'm feeling a bit like today's post is going to completely contradict everything I wrote. But hopefully I am wrong.

Q: What do you do when one of your favorite bands comes to your (figurative) backyard?

A: Freak out and send an email to your friends asking if they want to take a chance on your musical preferences and join you for the concert.

Remember the other day when I said I didn't write album reviews because I'm not all that good at it? The same goes for reviewing anything and mostly because I don't think about trying to "review" it until well after the event, which is why there aren't many photos other than Michael Franti & Spearhead (holy run-on sentence, Batman). Why I even try I just don't know, but here goes nothing.

**Editors Note**
Please keep in mind that while writing this, I am grinning like a damn FOOL.

Friday night, I, along with a couple of friends headed to the Traverse City Summer Microbrew & Music Festival in (obviously) Traverse City. This was the first time I had attended the festival and it was a blast! I am a huge fan of supporting local businesses, breweries and charities--throw in one of my favorite bands and this event was near perfection.

The festival was held at the Village at Grand Traverse Commons which used to be the Old State Hospital. This place is a photographers dream! And yes, someday I will actually get out there with my camera.

The Old State Hospital//Dinner from Seeds: Wood fired shiitake mushroom pizza with an Acoustic Mead//The evenings musical itinerary

We sampled a couple of the breweries and local foods. I opted for the shiitake mushroom pizza which used mushrooms from a farm in my hometown. And I of course had to have an Acoustic Mead while we were there. The Harmonic BzZz is my favorite, but the Cherry BzZz and JazZzBeRi BzZz are really good, too.

Me, Jen and Brittany before the show!

Obviously, the highlight of the evening was seeing Michael & Spearhead. This was my sixth show and they did not disappoint! They always put on a high energy show that keeps you jumping and dancing and moving the entire time they are on stage. They played a couple of my favorites and quite a few songs from the newest album, All People. It was an amazing night of live music!

The man himself, Michael Franti. 

     J Boogie!       One of the things I appreciate the most about Michael Franti & Spearhead, is that they are all genuinely nice people. At other shows I have attened, I've played photographer so my friends could say 'hi' to him and thank him for the music. This time around I was extremely fortunate to be able to be the one the say hello and thank them for the incredible music and memories. I was over the moon when we had a chance to shake hands, get a couple hugs and have our pictures taken with them.
Me (looking super sweaty) and Jay Franti, me and Jen And because it wouldn't be a Music Monday post without some music, here is one of my favorite songs. Sadly, it's not from Friday night but it's still a great version of All I Want Is You.



Happy Monday, ya'll!

Sunday Confessions: Pet Peeves-The Music Edition

Happy Sunday ya'll!!

Taking a little different route today with this post. This weeks confessions are all about Pet Peeves: The Music Edition. Ya'll have been warned before--I'm a music snob to the MAX so none of this should be shocking.

Groupie Status: I HATE the world groupie. If you want to insult me and wound our friendship beyond repair, call me a groupie. I dare you. It is one of the worst insults someone could hurl at me. I don't understand why there is an automatic assumption that if a girl (i.e. me) likes a male musician (let's say John Mayer as he is a favorite) it means I want to jump his bones and make sweet, sweet love with him all night long. Ahhhhh......no. But if I guy likes a musician, male or female they have an appreciation for the music and "totally get what the musician is trying to get across". I get it--there is always a group of girls vying for backstage passes to meet the singer de jour, they are the super giggly ones up front doused in glitter, squealing each time they "make eye contact" but that is a small percentage of female population. They are the minority, not the majority. The rest of us are there because of the music--the lyrics, the guitar, the drums, the bass, the feeling it evokes and the memories it creates. Oooohh....that sounds like a lyric. Quick---somebody call Mayer! I've got his next hit started for him.

Musician Hotness Rating: I will lose respect for you if you don't like a musician because "they aren't hot (visually appealing to the eye)". I'll never forget the day I asked a friend if she'd heard Matt Nathanson's new album (Car Crash) and the first words out of her mouth were "Well, is he hot?" Really?!--someones hotness factor directly correlates to ones ability to write/create good music. I had no idea. Can someone invent the sarcasm font already?! This post is in desperate need of it.

Musician Hotness Rating V2.0: I'm not faulting anyone for saying a musician is "HOTT!" Since this is a day for confessions, I must admit that there is a certain fella who makes me weak in the knees and who I spent a greater part of Friday evening staring at while he shook what his mama gave him. BUT my liking his music and prowess on the guitar has nothing to do with his sexiness. It was two live shows before I was close enough to the stage to see what he even looked like. And even though he held my hand and called me sweetheart, I'm not naive enough to think he doesn't say that to all the girls and that doesn't make me love or hate (depending on how you, dear reader, choose to read that sentence) the music any less.

Band Names: This one confounds me beyond no other, especially when people proclaim "O.M.G. *Insert band name here* is my absolute favorite band!!!" but then completely forget there are band members beyond the lead singer. Like, really?! I don't understand who they think the other three or four guys are standing next to him are. Maroon 5 is more than just Adam Levine. Mumford & Sons is more than just Marcus Mumford. Just like The Beatles were more than John Lennon. Show some respect--all those guys work really hard to produce the music we love so in turn, let's give them some love, too!

So there you are.....my shortish list of grievances.

What do you have to confess?

OOTD: Concert Wear

Fashion isn't really word that fits into my vocabulary. At. All.

And OOTD posts rarely pop up here on the blog. That is mostly due to the fact that I rotate six outfits at work and the rest of the time am either squished into my workout gear or pants free. I don't own the most exciting of wardrobes.

But today I am throwing caution to the wind because sometimes it is fun to do. And how fortuitous that Nicole at Gypsy in Jasper is having a link-up on What To Wear at a Music Festival which is kind of what I am doing today, going to a music festival of sorts-not hosting a linkup.

Oh silly universe, you work in such mysterious ways sometimes.

This evening I am off to a little microbrew festival to see one of my favorite bands, Michael Franti & Spearhead along with some of my favorite people. This will be my sixth Franti show and I can't wait! They always put on a ridiculously fun show.

At some point in my old age, I abandoned any need for looking "cute" at a concert and/or festival and have opted for comfort. There really is nothing worse than standing in the sun for HOURS before shaking your groove thing while your favorite band(s) perform on stage while wearing something uncomfortable.

For tonights festival, of food, beer and music, I'm opting for super causal and comfortable--my favorite shirt, my favorite cutoffs and favorite boots. "Why boots?! Why not sandals?!" you may be asking. I've had too many toes stepped on to go with sandals at a GA show.

And I suppose I must confess, that after taking these photos I will need to readdress my decision to wear these shorts. They have apparently grown in size (or I've shrunk) as they are about two sizes too big and won't stay put. The last thing I need is to be jumping around an inadvertently moon someone.
   

This is my faux-rockstar pose while I try and figure out what Sadie has dug up and is attempting to eat from the compost pile. Oh, the life of a dog owner.


And of course, shades. One can't attend an event like this without their sunglasses. How you doin'?


What's your favorite thing to wear to a concert or music festival?

EDITORS NOTE:
In the spirit of full disclosure, this is in fact what I ended up wearing to the festival!