The Social Network

I get chills every time I see this movie preview in theatres. I'm pumped about the movie, but it's mostly just because the song and the trailer are so well put together!

How good is that?! It's exciting because we were at the perfect age when Facebook came on the scene. I was at a large university that was one of the select few to have early access to Facebook, before it opened up to the entire world. In that regard, I think that this movie will sum up our generation and the past decade perfectly.

I'll come clean here; I am a choir-junkie. I started kids choir at church as a mere babe and continued on into every school choir, youth choir, select ensemble and musical I could audition for. It's a lifetime devotion...I'm just waiting to get old enough to join a big Baptist church choir without any awkwardness about being the youngest person there by a few decades.

All of this confession to emphasize how I can't get over the creepiness and the awesomeness of the song! Turns out, the new take on Radiohead's "Creep" is by a Belgian girls' choir that covers all kinds of famous grunge and hard rock hits. As soon as you click on to their website, you immediately hear their cover of Metallica's "Nothing Else Matters"...are you kidding me?! They've got it all from Nirvana and Muse to U2 and The Police.

Hi - my name is Alyssa, and if you're looking for an additional member, give me a call.

Mr. 152 Insights Into My Soul!

As I sat on the lawn taking in the cool breeze and the steady scream of the guitar, I tried to add up how many times I've seen John Mayer live and when this whole torrid love affair began. The number I came to is 6, but I swear that seems low...

Believe it or not, I'm aware of the absurdity of my obsession. Most people want to label him as a womanizer, a douchebag, or a sell-out, but the truth is that he's a musical genius. And when you take all the tabloid headlines and supposed character flaws away and evaluate the work aside from the person, it's easy to understand how a dreamer like me could fall into this trap.

In my defense, I'm not the screaming girl in the tiny "I heart JM" tee holding up suggestive signs to get attention. I much prefer to revel in the moment quietly, take it all in and sing along. There's just something about someone who has that much passion poured into so much God-given talent that is hard to look away from.

Why is talent so attractive? Why do these types of people seem impossibly untouchable? And why on earth are these the only people I'm attracted to? I have no answers to these questions and I seriously consider that this may be my #1 character flaw and the reason for my single life. I cling to the hope that I was made this way for a reason...

Here are a few excerpts of some of my favorite lyrics. All kidding aside, it is its own kind of Shakespeare.

When Autumn comes, it doesn't ask

It just walks in where it left you last

You never know until it starts

And then there's fog inside the glass around your summer heart

I never liked this apple much; It always seemed too big to touch

I can't remember how I found my way before she came around

I tell everyone, I smile just because I've got a city love...

and I can't remember life before her name

You're not the perfect hand but I don't hit on 19...

and I don't need another kind of green to know,

I'm on the right side with you

Once in a while when it's good, it'll feel like it should

And they're all still around, and you're still safe and sound

And you don't miss a thing, til you cry when you're driving away in the dark

singing stop this train, I want to get off and go home again

I can't take the speed it's moving in

Change Of Pace

The blessed cool front that has blown through Texas this past week has shifted the dead of summer attitude to a revived readiness for fall. I think September just might be my favorite month. Besides the literal breath of fresh air, it also has the US Open, the start of college football, the launch of fall clothes and the start of the new TV season. Yes, I believe it is my favorite month.

This past weekend, a great group of college girlfriends traveled from afar to commence our last summer hoorah like pioneer women. Don't be fooled, we were not roughing it. Quite the opposite, really. We had 700 acres, a ranch lodge, 2 mules and a zebra-painted safari vehicle all at our disposal for the best Texas weekend getaway. We rode horses, we bass fished; some of us learned to shoot skeet, and like true city slickers, we all walked away saddle-sore.

We also discovered that there's no better time to reignite your love of the Dixie Chicks like a 6 hour car ride with your best friends! It's amazing how even 10-12 years after they came out, you can still sing every single rift to every single song. There was also a smattering of other old country songs as we confessed our favorite childhood stars: John Michael Montgomery, Doug Stone...Diamond Rio.

But with the close of the weekend and with the temperature returning back to tolerable from stifling, my heart is fully set for the fall. If you're not quite there yet, here are a few things to help set the tone for you:

Arcade Fire's new album Suburbs is amazing, and I haven't really taken it all in yet! I'm the worst about picking 2 or 3 songs and keeping them on repeat (Suburbs, We Used To Wait, & Modern Man). And if you haven't participated in their interactive video, you're missing out on a convergence of musical & technological genius.

www.thewildernessdowntown.com

Fanfarlo is also on my shortlist for fall. I've had the cd since May, but had only listened to Fire Escape because it was the only song I knew. Now that I've broadened my horizons, I'm a big fan. My favorites so far are Ghosts and Harold T. Watkins.

And for your sneak peek pleasure, check out Chris Martin's debut of a new song that he claims may never see the recording light of day. Happy September!