Mile Markers

There are certain moments in everyones life that have a profound effect on shaping who they will become in the future. These moments are mile markers on the the winding highway of life.

Your asphalt might lead you through beautiful valleys only to turn a switchback corner onto a desolate stretch of road with only the horizon in sight. But you can trust that along the way, there will always be solitary metal or wooden signs skirting the road that will act as breadcrumbs to remind you of where you came from.

My earliest, most significant crumb came in a shape of a thick brown paper square, it felt sturdy and smooth, the artwork was abstract and almost childlike and it sounded, my gosh it sounded like a stand-up bass and a weeping cello. It sang about the misconceptions, tribulations and harsh honesty of a floundering relationship.

What I am to you, you do not need.
What I am to you, is not what you mean to me.
You give me miles and miles of mountains, and i'll ask for the sea.

Damien Rice's album "O" changed my life at the age of 13. The song volcano sank me deep into a solitary space of beauty and wonder. Being too young to fully understand the intricately woven poetics of the songwriting, I was simply drawn to the raw melancholic honesty. The easiest way I could ever explain the experience was that the music spoke to me in a language that I neither fully understood, nor needed to understand.

Each track off the record is an earth shattering emotional blow directly to the center of your soul. & 7 years later, the sound of the timid oboe opening on "Cheers Darlin' " still makes me yield control of what I am doing - only to make me close my eyes and smile.

This record also gracefully introduced me to the smoky, soft voice of Lisa Hannigan. In a seemingly perfect marriage, Damien and Lisa vocals have a undeniably magic to them.

I am still dumbfounded and left speechless at the effect that music has on me. Ok Go's lead singer, Damian Kulash said it best

"Music was the perfect bottling of lightning: A powerful experience could be packaged in plastic and then bought and sold."

I can't say that this record will have or has had the same effect on you, only you can feel what makes your soul ache in the most perfect way. I am just forever thankful for the time, effort, heart and soul that was generously poured into this work of musical art. I would not be who I am today if it weren't for that solitary mile marker.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

*This rambling of my brain was inspired by the music and grace of Amy Seeley, who's beautiful song "Mile Marker" is linked at the beginning of this post.

Insert Title Here.

Have you ever titled something before it was fully written? Or tried to fully develop an introduction to something that has yet to be completed?

I sometimes find it odd that we have been taught to be able to title something before we have even fully understood what it is that we have as a whole.

At the tender age of 20 {soon to be 21} I feel as though the rest of my life is dependent on every single choice I make. Maybe not menial, daily decisions {ie: Do I order this third coffee?} But as each day speeds past, I feel as though there is this immeasurable weight pressing down on my shoulders, tapping on my cheek saying : "when are you going to make things happen?"

. . .

I once read somewhere:

"Some of the most fascinating 40 year olds I know still don't know what they want to be when they grow up."

It isn't so much that I don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

I know who I want to be.

Some days I need convincing that those two things will always be intrinsically tied together. But I am still trying to figure so much of it out.

I find a lot of the figuring for me comes from pianos, guitars, drums, basses, violins, strings and voices. I'm off to another show.

Peas, Luhv & figuring out,

Brieanne

A Place Built To Carry Voices

As I drove home, there was a warm orange aura that seemed to be hugging Calgary. In actuality, it's the combination of the light snow dust falling all across Calgary and the thousands of twinkling house lights that turn our sky a soothing shade of orange. Metaphorically, I think the city is being hugged by this warm aura because of the massive amount of love radiating out of Knox United Church.

The pews of the United church creaked and cracked while mitten, toque and winter jacket clad Calgarians filed their way into their seats. For some, this would be their first time experiencing a live show from the wooden seats of the holy establishment. However, for me, I was lucky enough to know just what the old vaulted ceilings had in store for me.

A three-piece band named The Crackling began the flood of amazing music. The band actually consists of 3 of the 4 members of Mangan's backing band. His drummer took the position of lead guitarist and sang songs about sorrow, love and staying drunk with a beautifully full and clear voice. Dan Mangan joined them onstage only to sit behind the drum kit and show us how many years in the music industry can make you very ambidextrous in terms of instruments. Anyway, by the end of their set, they had the entire venue singing to him {a very common occurrence this night}.

Walking onstage after a brief intermission was another 3-piece band that goes by the name of The Burning Hell- I'm quite sure that by this point, everyone in the church was aware of the fantastic irony. They filled the half hour with ukulele, glockenspiel and cello filled songs about the tragic (fictional) death of a friend in the Yukon, dinosaurs and love and loss. Needless to say, The Burning Hell had me smiling from ear to ear and laughing all night with their incredibly witty, dry-humor-esque, pun-filled lyrics. {I'm convinced Mangan's pure love for the art of puns was a huge deciding factor as to why they were added to the bill}. The lead singer, Mathias Kom, was pure charm in a hilarious self-deprecating type of way, that was endearing instead of annoying. I strongly suggest you listen to their music.

Having already been filled with so much fantastic music already, I was shaking with anticipation to hear Dan play. If you want to read about how I first fell in love with this man {and his music}, you can read this.

There was so much about his performance that had my mind reeling at how I was going to write it down and tell you lovely people about it.

He opened with an energetic, fast, hard-hitting version of Sold. Which was followed by an introduction to a new song called Post-War Depression, a heart pulsing song about the causes and repercussions of war. I was surprised to hear a new edge in Dan's voice and music. Throughout the night he played favorites like the humble love song You Silly Git, a robust version of Road Regrets, the ode to his hometown Vancouver Tina's Glorious Comeback and the beautifully simplistic The Indie Queens Are Waiting - which was dedicated to local Calgarian and avid arts supporter Trevor Smith. The show wouldn't feel complete without the band leaving the stage for a short time to allow Dan to sing Basket. There is a sorrowful sincerity that Dan evokes when he sings this live. The recorded version of the song doesn't quite evoke the same personal story telling as it does when it's solely Dan and his guitar.

As he crooned the crowed with his delicately rough voice, I couldn't help but notice a new maturity to the way he was performing these songs. I'm not saying that in his previous 26 years that his music has been immature, just that there was no longer a younger urgency to the music. It felt like the songs had grown and matured into their own and become these full bodied four minute masterpieces.

Through the musical ups and downs of the songs off of Nice, Nice, Very Nice; Dan and the band performed new songs to our ears like Leaves, Trees, Forests, Rose of Houses and the aforementioned Post-War Depression. It was impossible for any of the concert goers to not notice how the walls of Knox United Church vibrated with Dan's vocals. In Dan's own words:

"You would almost think that this place was made to carry voices..."

The night ended with Mangan performing his most popular song "Robots". Never the shy musician, at one point walking out into the crown and standing on top of the wooden pews. As usual, the entire venue became Mangan's own personal backup choir singing along to the chorus.

A loud, persistent standing ovation enticed Mangan and the band to return to the stage and play a couple more songs for us. Now, ever since seeing him the first time at The Gateway, and having him venture out into the middle of the crowd to sing a completely acoustic version of "So Much For Everyone" I was hopeful that we might be lucky enough to have it happen again. It was just my luck, that with a venue that was built to carry hundreds of voices, my wish came true.

Dan first asked the sound technician to cut all the PAs and the monitors and then invited anyone in the crowd to walk up to the stage and to support him with the Ooouus of the chorus of So Much For Everyone. To hear 800 people singing in magical harmony to this song is nothing short of other-worldly. There is an undeniable connection that happens when people from all different walks of life, meet together over a 4 minute song and share an experience together.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

Tiny Cameras in Our Mind.

Shot with: Polaroid Pronto! SX-70

Film: Impossible Color Shade PX-70

Location: Okanagan Valley, BC

August 2010

Excuse me miss. Your eyes are leaking.

In a previous thought. Which I deemed important to enough to extract from my brain and write down. I wrote that emotions were in fact just that. Motion. Meant to move you.

In our society, we label anyone who allows liquid to spill from their eyes as weak. We associate them as less than who they should be. Simply because they have tears falling down their cheeks.

What a twisted mentality.

So how can we call it a moment of weakness when something affects us so strongly, that our body - a wondrous, fascinating creation; spills that emotion from our eyes.

We walk, jog or run to a location that is isolated from any other prying eyes to ensure that this moment is hidden from anyone else. Maybe we do this because in society, crying publicly certainly deviates from the normal concept of behavior. Maybe we hide because we fear the inevitable question: "Is everything alright?" A rhetorical question of sorts.

Some people would answer the first question with a false: "Yeah, I'm fine." A response that would seemingly release the person who posed the question from any self-imposed responsibility of caring. In my experience, normally if someone is feeling an emotion strongly enough that their body can't contain that feeling anymore, they normally need to release something more than just tears.

Cross My Fingers and Hope For The Best.

"Then all of a sudden

I heard a note

It started in my chest

And ended in my throat

Then I realized

I was swimming."

Fall Into Change

Shot by Alaina Rescky

The bond between trees and their leaves is becoming weaker.

Weather men and women are replacing words like bright and sunny with brisk and windy.

Scarves and boots will soon replace shorts and sandals.

Mittens will soon be grasping a rainbow array of coffee and tea filled mugs, for people who crave that warm fuzzy feeling in the frost filled mornings.

Fact. Fall is my favorite season. For oh so many reasons. The poplar, birch and maple trees all somehow figure out how to express their brightest colors before they fall to the ground to be forgotten. It's almost like an art exhibit showing for a limited amount of time. Before any crisp winds begin to blow, it's those little guys that tip us off of change to come.

Fall is synonymous with change. It's everywhere you look. The change of colours, the change of mentality, and the change of priorities or goals. For many, shifting from the easy relaxed nature of the summer months, to the down to business mindset of the cooler months is a routine reality. Although, at times I do wish I could live in an endless summer. The fact of the matter is fall brings about a sense of "do" in people.

It is often said that the only constant in life is change. In a constantly shifting world, the only thing we can be sure of is that we are sure of nothing.

It's best to simply fall into change, after all, you can't control it anyway.

Much Love,

Brie

Hello.

How are you doing?

I often wonder how such a loaded question became a meaningless greeting. One which only gains value when asked with the preface; "no, but really..."

An acquaintance of mine once told me about a social experiment he conducted - when asked the question "how are you doing?" he would honestly and truthfully reply. Whether he was having the best of days or the worst. Either way, he was going to be honest and truthfull.

This sparked me into thinking about how so many of our interactions have become devalued. Our words lack meaning. A conversation between two people can become just a matter of going through the motions. Why put so much effort into it when you can find out how that person is by typing their name into a search bar.

Conversation leads to knowledge. Knowledge leads to understanding. Understanding is what we crave.

I will, from this point forward, ask "how are you doing" with the most sincerity.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

pour me another glass

Four letters that are usually associated with things like alcohol & drugs. Or, the word is attached to things that people are too embarrassed to like out loud. That horrible reality TV show, the most recent No. 1 on Ryan Seacrest's Top 40, copious amounts of chocolate or the fact that you like to eat pickles with peanut butter. Hey, no judgement here...

Vice. It can be such a dirty word.

My vice? Mine doesn't require ice or a twist of lime, rolling papers, a tv remote or a radio station. Heck, mine doesn't even involve a fridge. Nope.

My vice lies in small inconspicuous objects, simple sounds, familiar smells. The sharp corner of a photograph, the feeling of a lived in fabric. These are all my vices. Combined, they culminate to one thing. Nostalgia.

I can be paralyzed by the smell of pomegranate. I feel high when I hear Don Henley sing the words "On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair. Warm smell of colitas rising up through the air". I smile at the sight of old journals from when I was eight years old. And my closet is filled with ticket stubs, wristbands, bus, plane and boat tickets.

Precious memories are tied to all of these things. What makes it my vice, is the fact that I am consumed with visiting with them quite constantly.

A small part of me nags that I should make room for the new. Freshen things up to clear my mind. But the better part of me silences that other voice and reminds me that this clutter and these valueless objects have shaped me into who I am until this very moment.

For example, my unwashed sarong from Thailand still smells like sunscreen and the sand on Chaweng Beach and reminds me of the new friendships that were made there. My grade six exercise books inform me of how much I wanted to be an Egyptologist and my infinite wonderment with things buried away from time. & my blue beaten up CD case holds mix cds made for broken and obsolete CD players. But those songs remind me of awkward doubt, fleeting crushes and innocence.

I keep these things, these worthless things because they are my vice. I cave to these sights, smells and feelings. So, coming to terms with it, might as well mix all these things in a bottle and pour myself another glass of nostalgia.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

Ninety Three Kilometres

93 Km is roughly the distance from Calgary to Canmore. More specifically, to the Communitea Cafe.

The highway was paved with a darker shade of black thanks to the afternoon rain, but the cold precipitation wasn't about to dampen my spirits. Allowing myself to sink into one of Community's bean bag chairs, sipping a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon it was impossible to not let the feeling of happiness wash over me and let a smile tug at my lips. I was about to be a part of an incredible night of amazing music courtesy of David Vertesi, Colleen Brown and Hannah Georgas.

The Communitea Cafe has been the setting for many memorable shows these past 5 months. Many times have I chosen the intimate setting of this cafe over the venues in Calgary. There is something about the mini roadtrip out to Canmore mixed with a palpable "home away from home" feeling. It could be the beanbag chairs, or the colossal puffed wheat squares like your mom used to bake. Either way, the warm, easy going atmosphere seems to make everyone feel like family.

David Vertesi whom some of you may know as the tall, dark and handsome bassist of the wonderful band Hey Ocean! has recently been strumming a guitar on his own and man oh man is it ever good. Vertesi is a talented songwriter, guitar player and with his honest baritone voice it's no wonder he caught my ear when he played the song All Night, All Night, All Night, the first time I heard him open for MBF. Since then he has continued to peak my musical interest with the lyrics "when gentleman say, treat her like a lady, they mean break her heart." from his song Gentleman Say. If you know what's good for you, you will move your mouse and click here.

Colleen Brown is from Edmonton, and has a voice that is incomparable to any other. Smiling genuinely as her hands moved back and forth across the black&white keys of the Nord keyboard, I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Singing songs about love, loss and gardens she stole everyones heart in the crowd. After her set I was so spellbound and awestruck by her gift of music and by the fact that she had just willingly opened her heart to a room full of strangers, all I could offer her was a heartfelt handshake and my simple thanks. To give you an idea of this woman's talent move your mouse and click here.

Hannah Georgas. I fell for Hannah's music when I first heard her song "The Beat Stuff". The charming lyrics and Hannah's incredibly unique voice had me singing in the shower almost immediately. She fed my hunger for great music with the release of her single "Thick Skin", a hauntingly beautiful tribute to sibling tribulations.

While on tour with MBF I was incredibly lucky to get my hot hands on a copy of her latest album "This Is Good" and at the risk of sounding extremely cheesy... damn is it ever good. To fall for Hannah yourself move your mouse and click here.

So, my tip for the day. Go out and find those experiences that make your heart smile. The ones that make you truly love life and everything about it. You can be surrounded by friends or alone. Be prepared or unprepared. The only thing you need is an open heart and mind and a your beautiful smile.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

How To Fall In Love Again.

Ahh love. It can move you, change you, make you cry and make you laugh. Oddly enough, a city can do much of the same. The sunset from the top of 17th Ave can move you. The destitute sight of the King Henry on 9th Ave can change you. Traffic on Crowchild can make you cry. & the sight of white tufts of snow in the middle of June can make you laugh... and then maybe cry... again.

I have had the pleasure of being introduced to some pretty incredible people over my short 20 years on this planet. I have always been one to believe that certain friendships happen for specific reasons.

One friendship reminded me of just how incredibly beautiful Calgary is. Sure, you might say that she isn't as romantic as Montreal. Or, you might mention that she isn't as intellectual as Toronto. You could even say that she doesn't have the stunning landscape of Vancouver. I might even agree with you about some of those things. I guess it's all about what you fall for in a relationship.

However, like many long-term relationships, sometimes you need to just pack a suitcase and put some distance between you and your loved one. Once your feet leave familiar ground there is an incredible feeling accompanied by setting your gaze on something your eyes have never blinked at before. That feeling is my absolute favorite. I would pass up strawberry rhubarb pie, the croaking of frogs, the smell of lilacs and and Momma B's homemade soup for 20 minutes with that feeling of discovery every day.

You can imagine now, how hard it is to return home after some solid time spent courting that fantastic feeling. Coming home to the same roads, the same street signs, the same trees and the same masses of concrete can be heartbreaking. When you are gone you begin to think that your familiar relationship with that city has probably changed. In essence though, you find out that your city hasn't changed. Oh no. It has sat there, like a little puppy dog, waiting for your return. Never even batting a lash. What has changed is you.

Now, this doesn't spell disaster. This isn't the end of that relationship. There aren't going to be any lonely nights where you lay thinking "I wonder if he/she is thinking about me now." But it might take some time for you to acclimatize your new eyes to your familiar city. It's a relationship right? They take work.

What you might not realize is that your city is begging you to make memories in places you have never been before. Your city is open for making memories in places that are hidden in plain view. Maybe it's that lush green park you discovered while you were trying to find a launching point to float down the river in the balmy days of summer. Or, it could be the time you got lost in the South East and stopped to notice the rough, simplistic beauty of the train tracks. Either way, I encourage you to really look at your city with those fresh eyes. You can't change the fact that you have numerous memories in familiar places. But you can trust that there is still so much to get out of your relationship with your city.

Photo Credit: Kelly Wilson

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

12:03 a.m.

About this time is when the various illuminated tiles of my internet browser no longer hold anything for me. There is no status to be updated, no random fact or favorite song to tweet. Just the deafening silence of nature outside of my window and the sweeping calmness of Debussy's "Reverie".

It's times like these that I find my brain more active than it ever was throughout the previous day. In the pure darkness of night I find myself seeing things that were blurred or unclear in the light of day.

Emotions are just that. Motion. They move you. Move you to curl up the corner of your lips, or move you to close your eyes in the hopes of stopping tears from being shed. We can't stop the inevitable ebb and flow of the rise and fall of our feelings. But how do we find the middle?

For those of us that believe in fate, destiny or kismet. The concept that everything has a purpose and a reason for happening would seemingly almost soothe the constant flux in emotions. However, just because I believe that everything happens for a reason doesn't mean that I will understand it.

This is wherein lies the problem. Understanding.

As naturally curious creatures, we constantly strive to understand things that escape us.

I have found myself wishing that life was like watching a film. Some of us will ask "I don't get it. What does that mean?" in frustrated confusion half way through the movie, but there is a small comfort in knowing that if you just wait another 70 minutes, everything is explained.

Now take your regular 2 hour feature film and expand that approximately 80-90 years and add multiple intertwined story arcs, difficult character development, various antagonists, protagonists, villains and heroes, and of course love, loss, comedy, horror, sadness and ultimately happiness. However, unlike Paramount and Disney's finest, you are met with the fact that it just might not all be explained and understood at the end.

So, I am left just as confused as I was at the beginning. Who knows if this even makes any sense. After all, it is just the ramblings of an overactive mind in the quiet night/morning.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

How Do You Say Stripper in French?

Montreal - the land of horrible drivers, incredible shopping and the best poutine to ever touch your lips.

Montreal for me also meant a reunion with my dear friend Molly. So, I ditched the boys to hang out with a girl for the first time in about a week. Naturally we sat down to devour some decent poutine. After walking down St. Laurent, Moll directed my navy blue keds into the most amazing consignment/vintage store on St. Catherine’s Street, which was packed to the roof with amazing clothing. The owner offered us a free espresso and gave me an opportunity to use my very rusty French. I came away with two beautiful scarves and a huge smile on my face.

The boys were booked to play a show at the Just For Laughs Museum and it went fantastic. It was the first time I had ever seen a conga line done to Movie Life… that I wont soon forget. The boys closed out the night with Marry Me Mary and a compilation of everyone’s favorite top 40 hits.

Travel Alberta was amazing and put us up in a five star hotel in downtown Montreal, “Hotel Le Crystal”. (Google it. Seriously.) Although it took us 20 minutes to drive maybe 5 blocks, (thanks to the habs game that just ended as we left) the boys had just played a great show, we sold a fair amount of merch, and again, there was an open bar. What do we do to celebrate? … Strippers? Of course.

The next morning meant I was extremely sad to say “Au Revoir” to Molly and Montreal, but we were off to Ottawa.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

How to Not Sleep for 46 Hours

Remember when I told you about the time I was awake for 24 hours in a van with 8 other guys? Well… I have now sat in a van for upwards for 45 hours. We drove from Calgary to Toronto. In one shot.

We had the van packed with eight people. Seven Macbooks. Eight iPods. Three blackberries, four pairs of bose headphones and all I can think is; where the hell would we be without all of this technology? Bored as fuck.

Anyway, this isn’t supposed to be about how many hours I have logged in the Heavy Chevy. It really is about the ridiculous happenings of Michael Bernard Fitzgerald’s Spring Tour.

Thousands of people make their hatred for Toronto known. But, of the 4 days I spent in T.O. I loved every minute of it. Maybe it was because I spent it with six amazing people, or because every night was spent playing a super cool venue. Either way, I found the streets charming, the people fascinating and the atmosphere invigorating.

Our first night in Toronto we were playing the Tattoo Rock Parlor. This meant two very important things. A wicked rider, and free alcohol. The boys killed the crowd with Michael’s new song “Runaway”, which I haven’t been able to get out of my head for the past 19 days. We took advantage of the open bar and headed back to the hotel. Parked our loving van (ensuring we asked the parking authority whether or not we could.) alongside the hotel and got changed.

Do you know what is better than a nice, crisp run at 9:30 p.m? A nice, crisp, drunk run at 9:30 p.m. in downtown Toronto. The fuel for my desire to run need not be explained. If you know me well, I bet you could take 3 guesses and have it. Either way, the run was amazing. The looks Robbie, Bruce and I got were hilarious. Not to mention a 25 year old “baller” that tried to hit on me while I was running. To which he realized with a swift hand to the chest that I was in fact running with two guys.

Running at night when drunk takes care of two things.

1} It helps shed those unwanted calories you just accumulated by double fisting beers all night. 2} It also takes care of your potential hangover by sweating out all the alcohol and forcing you to pound water at the end of your run.

9 a.m. the next morning brings us all down to the lobby, bright eyed and incredibly well rested. Remember, previous to this we had spent two ENTIRE days in a van together. No real beds, sheets, bathroom or showers. I would have welcomed any type of flat surface, but it just so happened to be a queen sized bed with a glorious white down comforter.

So once again, we are all in the lobby, fueled by a solid 7 hours of R.E.Ms and Starbucks coffee only to venture out to the street to see we were missing something. The van. Apparently, the parking authority really didn’t give a shit and told us we could park somewhere, where in fact, we couldn’t. Fast forward 30 minutes and $300.00 later and we were on our way to Montreal!

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

West is Best

So, what did you do last week? Oh really? That’s sweet. My week involved one van, 7 guys, and me. Any girl’s dream right?

Road trips have always been a favorite of mine. That would be because one of my most cherished places to think is in the car. Preferably with the windows rolled down and the music turned up. I am that girl with my hand out the window letting my hand float up and drop down according to the wind. Michael and Robbie call it “hippie hand dancing”… Whatever.

Driving from Calgary to Penticton is one of my favorite 9-hour trips. It’s fantastic because depending on the time of year you venture from majorly crappy to absolutely fantastic in what almost seems like a snap of your fingers. You enter a land where trees are green, water isn’t a skating rink and fruit stands aren’t boarded up.
Highlights you ask? Well…

-Penticton offered us some awesome weather and the chance for me to buy yet another pair of Cochymela’s Rancho Relaxo pants. (They are made with bamboo which means they are the softest thing your hand and bum will ever touch.) The Pen also brought to us a homemade dinner and getting to listen to Jean-Paul De Roover.

-Then, we had the idea of driving to Vancouver directly after the show. At midnight. Michael was driving, I was sitting shotgun. For the sake of keeping Michael awake we started to sing cannons. Isn’t that what everyone does? Hits included: Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Disney classics.

-Vancouver and a hotel allow us to shower and change and head to UBC for their AMS Block Party. Featuring Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, Hey Ocean!, The Barenaked Ladies and 3000+ drunk university students. All the ingredients for a rain-dancing, beer-drinking, great time. Hey Ocean! Is great. Ashleigh Ball is a total babe, I have a major girl crush. Hey Ocean!’s new CD is going to be stellar. Mark my words.

-Kelowna has a hotel with great beds, a super rad radio station called Q103.1, Free beers and burgers and lovely 20 degree weather. We got a little silly, played Frisbee, went to the beach and rode the Ogopogo. Phil has the best iPod ever and is a fantastic DJ.

That is all. We are now driving east. Sup Saskatchewan? I haven’t seen you in a long time. It’s kinda the way I like it, but you will offer rest stops and bathrooms so we can be amicable.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

If we've both got the same diseases, it's irrelevant girl.

I first opened my ears to Frightened Rabbit two years ago. They are a band from Selkirk, Scotland that I think are just fantastic.

The first song I heard by these boys is called "Keep Yourself Warm". An unbridled and truthful track about love&sex.

I really dig them. I hope you do too.

This is their record "The Midnight Organ Fight"

{Where you can find the previously mentioned track}

And this is their brand new record called "The Winter of Mixed Drinks"

Music is lovely. So are you.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

PostScript. Yes, it is just a coincidence that their CD's seem to flawlessly match the color scheme of my blog. :)

Riding in Vans With Boys

April 13th - Fernie, BC

April 14th - Penticton, BC

April 15th - Vancouver, BC

April 18th - Wolseley, Sask

April 19th - St. Catherine's, ON

April 20th - Toronto, ON

April 21st - Montreal, QC

April 22nd - Ottawa, ON

April 23rd - Toronto, ON

April 24th - Burlington, ON

April 27th - Saul Ste. Marie, ON

April 28th - Thunder Bay

The only thing Penny Lane and I have in common is curly hair and going on tour with a musician. I'll take it. I'm super stoked.

Frame: 3 1/2" x 4 1/2" Photo: 3 1/8" x 3 1/8"

I have gladly noticed a shift towards things that are old lately. By this I mean youngsters are really digging things that are old. We just call it "vintage" cause that makes it way cooler.

But for a month or so now I have been really really hell bent on getting this.

Isn't she lovely?

Mainly it's because I'm a pretty horrid photographer and that little beauty makes everything look splendid.

The catch?

Camera = $30.

Film = $30 {And that is only for ten exposures} yikes

But maybe it's a blessing in disguise? Our culture has become an instant culture. Instant notifications, Instant coffee {thx SBucks}, Instant money, Instant access to the internet.

So maybe, with this amazing Instant camera, by only having 10 exposures I will think more careful about what I use them on. And make these Instant moments memorable.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

Dear ______,

An empty white page is daunting to say the least. Maybe you're writing a research paper, maybe you're writing a song or maybe, just maybe, you are writing a letter to a friend. But, I have found the black keys of my laptop are getting much more of a workout than my cursive writing.

I don't know about you, but I never had a pen pal when I was a kid. But, what I did do was write notes in school. Lots and lots of notes between best friends. Pink and green pen covered teared off sheets of coil notebooks. Dear Stephanie, Dear Sophie, Dear Maryse, Dear Rachelle are generally how they started.

Do you remember the excitement you would get when your parents brought home the mail and there was a thin little envelope addressed to you? You would find it tucked between the Sears flyers and the various bills? The feeling was like christmas morning.

So, I have taken it upon myself to bring back that feeling. My hopes are that by giving my friends that little excitement of getting a hand written letter in the mail will push them to start writing their own letters.

Maybe they have a shoebox full of memories, and perhaps my letter will fill it up just a little bit more.

So my friends, get out some lined paper, your favorite pen and start writing. You don't have to profess your deepest secrets, you can just say "Hey, I was just thinking about you." or, "Hey, remember that time we sang karaoke at 2 in the morning? That was amazing." Then, grab yourself an envelope and lick that disgusting postage stamp and send some love.

Peas, Luhv & Handwritten goodness,

Brie

Let Me Clean My Teeth, And I'll Be Right Down

Yet again, the desire to blog has taken over when in reality I should be acting studiously and writing my Women Studies paper.

This time I bring to you a Kelowna bred, three-piece band called We Are The City. Three best friends make up this splendid progressive-indie rock band. They are - Cayne McKenzie on vocals and keys, David Menzel on guitar and Andy Huculiak on drums. While reading this blog I encourage you to Google them but please, don't dare let yourself be fooled by their fresh and young faces. Their debut CD In A Quiet World is a pleasure to listen to from track 1 to track 11 and has a maturity and cohesiveness to it that a first glance might not give away.

I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Aidan Knight and We Are The City perform this past Wednesday at The Gateway. A venue not new by any means to Aidan {Who has played here 6 times!} I was rendered speechless by the end of the night. Not a simple task if you ask any of my friends. The piano, drums, vocals and guitar are woven together intricately. Each melody feels brand new, but like it's just what you expected. Even with a crowd of only 20 or so people, both performances were beyond words.

Andrew, Cayne and David are so incredibly talented it makes me shiver! They are so rehearsed and in sync with each other. Maybe it has something to do with 9 hour van rides across the prairies, but either way it makes for the most incredible live show I have ever seen. And not to mention that the three of them are the nicest and most humble guys you will ever meet.

So, if you ever overhear of a We Are The City show taking place close to you, do me a favor. Hell, do yourself a favor and grab a handful of music loving friends and get your little keisters to that show. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed and leave with at least a smile on your face and a high five.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

Power Leopard

Have you ever heard of Christian Hansen & The Austistics?

...No?

Well, that's really too bad for you. And it's a good thing you are reading this blog. Because your bones are about to get out of your chair (or couch, or bed, or... where ever you are reading this blog) and start dancing.

Click Here. Right now.

This super awesome, magical, wicked band will be stopping by Calgary on March 19th at the Marquis Room.

Go, buy a drink, and dance.

Peas, Luhv & Booty shaking,

Brie

I Told You So

This morning I woke up earlier than I have in almost a year, pressing the snooze alarm at 5:36 a.m. As I sat in the Calgary Int'l Airport at Gate 45, waiting to board my flight to Victoria, British Columbia, I started a new game called "How many Team Canada jerseys can you spot in two minutes?" After my attention span tired of that game I shifted tired weight from one foot to the other and waited in line at Starbucks, (Soy Vanilla Latte. You saved my life) I listened to a lovely woman two people behind me offer a girl on crutches to carry her coffee, a task not easily done when both arms are tied up. The injured woman smiled broadly and said, "that would be awesome. I'll buy you a coffee if you can carry mine!" Made me terribly proud of being Canadian, I mean, where else would this happen?

Sitting down, I took out my iPod and cracked a book. Letting the caffiene and the sweet nutty taste of Soy slowly pull up my falling eyelids. As it would happen most times, my lovely iPod knew just what to play for me as I touched and illuminated the "Shuffle" option on the screen. Slouching back, my ears filled with the sweet sounds of Aidan Knight. Thirty minutes flew by and next thing I knew a snaking line of eager travellers formed in front of the gate.

A quick and painless hour and fourty minutes went by with only sparatic cries from the toddler one row back. I finally got the chance to make a dent in my most recent literary conquest - "He Died With A Felafel In His Hands".

As I landed, my purse across one shoulder, yoga mat on the other, I saw the friendly and loving face of my high school friend and kindred spirit Kat. For those of you who don't know her, she is my grounded, yoga practicing, composting, recycling, biking, smiling, giving, hippy friend. She stood at the arrival doors with a bouquet of 6 freshly cut yellow daffodils from her garden tied together with a blue silk bow. How on earth could I ask for anything more? I was already incredibly excited to be on a plane to somewhere foreign and fantastic. But, to be greeted by a warm, smiling, flower holding friend? Life is too good.

We stepped outside and I took the deepest breath of fresh, humid, rainy air which filled my lungs and seeped into my pores. Everything was green. The grass, the trees, the moss, the buds on the trees. Life was everywhere I looked.

I settled my things into Kat's vacant roomates humble abode and we trekked out to her second class. Earth and Ocean Science. By the time we crossed the street from Kat's house, I was suddenly in Fern Gully. The trees reached the sky and were cloaked in deep green moss, while the ground was wet and cool. Our footsteps; instead of making the rough "click, clack" on pavement made muted "thump, thumps" on the wet earth. After hanging out and learning about Paleolithic stone eras and the arrival of Oxygen on the planet we headed back home for a wicked lunch and an even better music swapping session.

Following tea we headed down to the beach. "To the beach, to the beach. After we climb up this mountain, we will go to the beach." (Jon&Roy, check out 5 or so posts down friends.) Even though the sky was overcast and the rain was drizzling, I couldn't wipe the smile from my face even if I had wanted to.

All my friends told me when I went to Victoria I wouldn't want to come home. Well feel free to say I Told You So whenever.

Tomorrow's adventures?
Breakfast, Yoga, Shopping, Dinner, Pubs, New Friends, Old Friends, Laughs and most of all, Love.

Peas,

Brie

Nostalgia

The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealized form.^[1] The word is a learned formation of a Greek compound, consisting of νόστος, nóstos, "returning home", a Homeric word, and ἄλγος, álgos, "pain" or "ache".

This. and This. Make my heart hurt.

"Was it something dangerous? Was it something marvelous? I don't get out that much.. need you to be my eyes."

Being a full-time student and unemployed can be wonderful. Until it comes to that small issue of cash/money. I am slowly driving myself further and further into debt not by buying textbooks, or paying for parking at MR.U, but by buying tickets to numerous live shows around Calgary. If this isn't an appropriate use of a student loan I don't know what is.

Most recently I went to see Aidan Knight perform with Dan Mangan.

Aidan and his red toque hit the stage at around 10:30 p.m. which by this time I had already consumed half a bottle of wine and two beers. Part On Wayne, Party On Garth.

Mr. Knight was noticably comfortable on stage, after all he has been performing in bands since he was 17. He chatted amicably with the crowd and made cute jokes about pre-pubescent voice cracks. Personally, I would have been happy if he was the only act. But I was in for so much more awesome-ness. His first solo album Versicolour is available for purchase on March. 2nd. For those of you who would rather cozy up to the warm sounds of Vinyl, pre-order Versicolour on 12" Vinyl at www.aidanknight.bandcamp.com.

Dan took the stage a shortly after and put a huge smile on everyones face as he opened with Road Regrets. Later on, his band consisting of his drummer, Aidan on electric guitar, and his stand up bass player, joined him to play tracks from his critically acclaimed CD Nice, Nice, Very Nice.

Getting closer to the tail end of his set he realized he had cut open his thumb. To which, a very nice concert goer took it upon herself to find the nearest first-aid box and grab him a band-aid. For that, the entire crowd was rewarded with a everyone's favorite sing-a-long song "Robots". Dan and the band had the 400 person venue on their feet, hands clapping in the air shouting how "Robots need love too, they want to be loved by you".

I was still anxiously awaiting for Dan+Aidan to play "Jasper" {Aidan had promised in his set that it would get played that night}. They ended up finishing the set with it. Dan's deep raspy vocals offered a thick backing to Aidan's clear melodic voice.

As if the show couldn't get any better, for the encore they returned to the stage briefly only to grab the bare necessities and then head out into the middle of the exuberant crowd for an unplugged version of "So Much For Everyone". The entire venue was standing on chairs and singing harmonies never wishing for the song to end.

Oh, and then we made Aidan do shots with us.

Sorry for that Aidan.

Peas & Luhv,

Brie

Sister.Act.2

I haven't willingly set foot into a church for almost 3 years. But give me an MBF concert and me and my new purple Keds were there.

The wooden vaulted ceilings of Knox United Church gave Michael's songs a new life and sound I have never heard before. With around 70 youthful, harmonized voices backing him up, the entire church was vibrating with such positive energy.

An incredibly cool add-on to the show was this incredible artist {whose name is completely escaping me at the moment. If someone reads this and knows who it is PLEASE let me know so I can give her props!} who was painting massive white canvases while Michael played. They were stunningly beautiful. To top it off, they were being sold after the show with half of the proceeds going to charity. Preettyy Freeeaakin Cooool.

I am convinced that Michael's idea of having a hundred-person choir perform with him was so he could simply re-enact a scene from his favorite movie Sister Act 2. :)

But for serial, for the 4 times that I have seen Michael live, I was completely blown away and speechless by the end of the night. With powerful&soulful renditions of Maxine, Black & White Phonetics and the most joyous version of Brand New Spaces I have ever heard; I think it's safe to say that everyone left that church happier than they arrived.

For anyone in Kelowna tonight, check him out at The Habitat. You won't regret it. And if you DO. Feel free to let Michael know. :)

Peas & Luhv.

Brie

Phuck Fog.

Tonight, I was so excited to go see Aidan Knight and Dan Mangan play at Communitea Cafe. I bought my tickets three days after I heard he was playing the cafe. And I'm sure anyone who follows me on Twitter was probably saying "O.K. We get it, your going to see Dan Mangan. Now Shut it!"

Once we head out on the No. 1 Highway to Canmore. There is a thin layer of fog - but I think, it will probably lift by the time we get down the highway.

I was wrong. So very wrong.

We were so beyond "fog lamp" territory. To the point where none of us could see what was directly in front of the car.

I know that we made the right choice to turn around and come back home. As lovely and talented and splendid as Dan is, he isn't worth 3 girls lives. But part of me thinks we probably could

have made it, and the fog would have lifted by the time the show was done. But that probably wouldn't have happened.

To add insult to injury, his show in Calgary (which I decided to for-go buying tickets for because I wanted to see him the small cafe atmosphere) is completely sold out!

Mother Nature and I are fighting

Ghostridin' The Whip.

Tight black pants? check. Black high top Keds? Check. Red plaid shirt? Check. Thick Rimmed Glasses? Double Check.

"Yeah, so I booked this gig a while ago, and it was supposed to be a solo, acoustic show... I decided to bring a six person band." -MBF.

This blog post brings us back to the wonderful and awesome Communitea Cafe in Canmore, AB.

Seven thirty rolls around and we finally stumble upon Communitea to an already small gathering of people waiting outside to grab seats.

Eight thirty brings us to "The Kiteless Flights" {as Steve #2 lovingly named them} who take the stage. They were basically a wicked little band where the oldest musician was pushing it at 16. They took hold of their instruments and completely shocked me with a great rendition of Glen Hansard's "Falling Slowly". After playing a few original tunes, the crowd; mostly filled with proud parents, applauded their little ones.

Nine o'clock or so brings us to the night's main attraction. Every seat is taken and Michael opens the show with himself, his guitar and his trusty loop peddle. Now, I will let myself indulge in a quick fan moment and say that when he opened with "Heroes" I was über stoked. First, I have never heard or seen videos of him playing this live before. Second, his layering of harmonizing vocals on top of one another made it impossible to focus on anything else. Throughout the night he got good use out of his loop peddle. Case&Point, he did a loop with the entire band for the first time which sounded glorious.

The song "Suzie (I Love You)" brought around a dedication to the "Suzie" in the crowd that night a.k.a. my friend Lizzie.

Shortly after Michael telling loving stories of the first time he played in Canmore, the band stepped in to bring "Maxine" to life while the horn section hilariously mimed the words to the song when their lips weren't pressed to brass.

The rest of the set included bringing out older tracks like "Mary Me Mary" and "Black and White Phonetics". Also, Andrew {drummer}, and Michael got all of Communitea to it's feet with Brand New Spaces' iconic - Stomp, Stomp, Stomp, Stomp&Clap. And not to forget the nights first MVP, who was an older gentleman whom Michael jokingly called out for getting up and walking to the bathroom by saying:

Where are you going, sir?

Give the guy about 5 minutes and he returns and replies with:

I was getting you a beer.

Well played sir, well played.

Overall, I can tell you that this "small cafe show" was none of the sort. With exuberant Saxophone and keyboard solos and hilarious crowd participation it was a night I won't soon forget. Sorry you had to miss it.

Next on the sched. Aidan Knight opening for Dan Mangan. Can't wait for some awesome "Robots" sing along.

Peas & Luhv.

Brie

LittleBitOfLove.

I went to see Jon and Roy; a musical duo native to Victoria, play in Canmore at Communitea Cafe. {Check their website out here}. The night started off with having dinner with a friend who I hadn't seen in about a year and a half. The Wine poured out and so did the stories.

For those of you who haven't

been to Canmore, but live in Calgary, to you I say. What are you waiting for!? It is awesome for the following reasons:

a. It's a million times better than Banff. (And slightly cheaper too.)

b. It is Incredibly beautiful because it is such a tight knit, friendly community.

c. It's surrounded by the Three Sisters - The most gorgeous mountain.

We found a table that was just off the right hand corner of the 'stage' and got a lovely kenya coffee press full of African Chai Rooibos (pronounced roy - bos). I knew that Lindsey had never heard of Jon and Roy before, but, I had an inkling that she would really dig them...

If you ever have a chance to see this duo play live, do it. Their warm BC vibe is worth it alone.
Next up? Dan Mangan Feb. 3rd. Cannot wait.

Peas & Luhv,
Brie

Pfft.

Word to the wise. School is for chumps.

Hey, 2010. You're pretty cool.

2010. So far, you have been pretty radtastic.

Ringing you in consisted of me being duct-taped to a full bottle of champagne and finishing it in just over 13 minutes. *(Sadly, I missed the cut off time of 10min.&20sec.) Then following this with painfully ripping the duct-tape from my skin. And changing into a bathing suit to jump into Flathead lake not only once. But twice.

And to date, it almost seems as though the karma gods are rewarding my horrible&wonderful torture of being incredibly hungover and bruised and cut from the ice.

The bounty of their gifts you ask?

-I am now taking Kickboxing classes.

-I have seen Jon&Roy live.

-I am going to Victoria for the not-so-big 2.0.

-I have seen a friend whom previously, I hadn't seen for almost a year and a half.

-I have been inspired to start my own "Buried Life List". For those of you who don't know about what that might be, click... HERE.

OH! And before I forget, I have been introduced (through various means) to some INCREDIBLE music! My ears have never been so happy!

+The Arkells. I know I blogged about them before. But they are just so fun to listen to.

+Do Make Say Think. Such awesome ambient, instrumental music.

+Dragonette. Her new CD "Fixin' To Thrill" is so much fun. Perfection for driving, or getting ready with the ladies.

+The Dudes. Just love these guys. Lyrically sound. Melodies that just make you grove wherever you stand. And, they're from my hometown.

+Florence + The Machine. The song "My Boy Builds Coffins" is fucking amazing. If you dig Laura Marling, you are guaranteed to love her.

+Hannah Georgas. Read two blogs down for the reasoning. Not that she needs any.

+The Kites. Their EP "The Kites Are On" is so splendid. It's raw like it was recorded in your garage studio. And I mean that in the best way possible. Download their EP for FREEEEE Here.

+Lykki Li. Her entire "Youth Novels" CD is a mix of catchy dance tunes, to spoken word love. "Love is the Harmony, Desire is the Key, Love is the Melody, Now sing it with me."

+Jon and Roy. Jon's voice is like butter. Sitting in Communitea Cafe in Canmore, AB. I was so mesmerized by him. At one point I just closed my eyes and smiled.

+Mother Mother. The harmony of siblings Ryan Guldemond and Molly Guldemond with their keyboard player Jasmin Parkin is haunting. I guarantee you have never heart anything like them before.

+Selah Sue. This little self proclaimed "Reggamuffin" is a LOT of power in a small frame. When she really pushes it her voice mirrors Janis Joplin's. Plus, she can beatbox and rap. She's gonna be HUGE.

+Wild Light. If you're having a really shitty day throw on "California On My Mind". And replace "San Francisco & California" with wherever you reside.

Well, that's all for now I believe.

Peas & Luhv.

Brie

2009 Favs

2009 was a wicked year, filled with lots of firsts, lots of laughs and lots of killer music!

That brings me to my Top 20 Songs of 2009!

1} Ghosts - Laura Marling. This was a tough one because her entire CD "Alas I Cannot Swim" is so fecking amazing. It rocked my world.

2} Shelter - Ray Lamontagne. This track is currently sitting comfortably at 124 my iTunes play count. I plan to sing this song at my best friends wedding.

3} Bounce (ft. N.O.R.E) - MSTRKRFT. Dirty Bass. And lyrics that you can't help but belt out. "All I do is Part, Ha ha ha ha."

4} 1901 - Phoenix. Bust your speakers with this track. Great tune to wake up too as well!

5} Panama - The Cat Empire. Awesome, Amazing tune. If you need a little lift and some positive vibes. Crank this baby up real loud.

6} Sideways - Citizen Cope. Clarence Greenwood voice just makes me melt. Good baby making music too.

7} Violet Hill - Coldplay. Pretty much any song of this record is a shoe in for this list. But in the interest of diversity I will stick with just this.

8} Good Girls Go Bad - Cobra Starship. My vice. Guilty as charged. "I know you're type. Boy you're dangerous. Yeah you're the guy I'd be stupid to trust."

9} Funny The Way It Is - Dave Matthews Band. 12 hour drive to Washington's Gorge Ampitheatre. 1 birthday girl. 4 friends. 2 bottles of wine + beers. DMB @ The Gorge. Sleeping in the parking lot of a Shell Gas Station right off of the main highway. One of the best 24 hours of my life.

10} Grapevine Fires - Death Cab for Cutie. My favorite roadtrip music. Perfection for my 6 hour drive to Paradise in the Okanagan.

11} Reverie - Debussy. Got into a huge Classical kick this past year. Chopin, Debussy, Mozart. The usual suspects.

12} Mykonos - Fleet Foxes. Found out it's really good dinner party music.

13} Piano Man - Ghostland Observatory. You have to dance super weird to this song. It's just the rule.

14} Hands In The Air - Girl Talk. Whoop There it is!!! Craaaaank that shit YO.

15} No You Don't - Islands. Some good life advice in this tune.

16} Hit The Ground Runnin' - Keith Urban. Windows rolled down, music turned up. He is incredible in concert.

17} Day n' Night - Kid Cudi (Crookers remix). THE song for summer 2009. That dance alarm is just infectious.

18) Do You Wanna - The Kooks. Simple question. Simple answer?

19} Behind The Moon - Matt Costa. "I would shine just like a thousand suns if you would just love me baby"

20} Brand New Spaces - Michael Bernard Fitzgerald. The ukulele is so perfect for this song. "Dream about Brand New Spaces and Brand New Faces." Story of ma life.

PHEW! Well, that wasn't easy, I hope you enjoy the tracks and there will tons more for next year! I'll be posting a list of new chuunes that I am currently really digging.

Peas & Luhv

Brie

Hannah GORGEOUS!

Hannah Georgas.

Hometown: Newmarket, ON

Currently Resides in: Vancouver, BC

Musical Style: Indie Pop Awesomeness.

Claim To Fame: Her quirky indie voice, Her lyrics, The fact she's Canadian.

Most recently, the indie starlet has released her video for her song "Thick Skin" {Shot by Sean Wainsteim} Hannah shows you a slighter darker side than previous videos like "The Beat Stuff".

Check her out. I guarantee you won't be able to stop listening. Her ode to douchey ex-boyfriends "Mama's Boy" is at 21 on my play count and I just downloaded it 4 days ago...

Peas & Luhv.

Brie

IronMac?

Can't believe I haven't blogged about this earlier! My brosef was perusing Etsy.com and found these wicked Vinyl decals.

Ch-ch-ch-check em out!

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a school girl crush on Robert Downey Jr. (RDJ) as I affectionately call him. So this would be a perfect birthday gift (*wink, wink*).

My other favorite makes snow white look so B.A.

Dig it? Snatch these up riiiight HERE.

peas & luhv.

Brie

Oh Canada!

Today I spent the better part of my day sitting at my kitchen table downloading and listening to Canadian music. So much incredible stuff is coming out of Vancouver and my own home town of Calgary.

Call me late to the party, but I have always heard of these artists just never really opened the door to them.

So, for your listening pleasure. Please check out...

Jane Vain & The Dark Matter. Start off with + C'mon Baby Say Bang Bang

The Dudes. Start off with + Ghosts We're Buried on +Pretty Lies

Hannah Georgas. Start off with + The Beat Stuff +Mama's Boy (if you're looking to get over someone)

Arkells. Start off with +Pullin' Punches +Oh, The Boss Is Coming!

Peas & luhv.

Brie

Post.Script = Treasure Chest of all Canadian Music is CBC Radio3. Googlize that.

Love, Actually.

Apart from being a very cute movie, the idea of an airport being the best place to witness that love is all around us couldn't be more true to me.

A romantic comedy wasn't exactly what I needed at this moment in time. However seeing someone turn the corner and come into plain with view the look of shock, surprise and love is overwhelming.

Whether it's a husband and wife, daughter and mother, boyfriend and girlfriend, or just best friends.

I remember when I landed in Calgary after flying home from Australia and having been gone for 2 months. You have this expectation that everything at home has changed, but what you don't realize right away is that what has changed is you.

I think next time I'm feeling kind of down, I'm going to take myself the to Calgary Int'l Airport and watch some love fly around.

Peas.

Brie

Hahahahaha

Laugh lots. Life is very unexpected, just take it as it comes.

ha.ha.ha.