From an Honest Soul

Music really is a wonderful thing. It can bring people together, mend hearts, change lives. It doesn't matter who you are; everyone can find music that speaks to them, evokes such emotions that nothing else could. There are some songs that I can honestly say have changed me as a person. There are so many artists and bands whose music has shaped the person I am today, yet I'll never be able to thank them for all they've done.

As much as I may have my issues with the town, I really am thankful to have been able to live in Pella. The friends I made, the thing I've learned, and all the many experiences I've gained, I could never have gotten anywhere else. Being in college, I've realized how lucky I was to have spent my high school years in a place that had an active music scene. I've tried talking to people about the towns they came from, and so many of them have said that they never used to go to concerts and see local bands, or see any local musicians.

Being able to do that created such a huge impact on me. It lit a fire in my that's been burning ever since; it created the passion for music that made me want to start making music of my own, which eventually led it's way into the creation of A Rainy Day for Jupiter (my old band). So many people talk about how they would love to start a band and play shows, or that they would love to be able to record an album. That's something that a lot of people talk about, but seldom do they ever actually follow through with it. 

I was able to do all of that before I was out of high school, and I want music to stay as much a part of my life now and in the future as it was back in those days, when my friends and I would get together in the basement every single day and work on our songs. So to all those musicians who've impacted me, both famous acts and aspiring local artists, I thank you, from the bottom of my heart. 

Up and Over We Go

Hoo boy, it's been a while since anyone posted anything on this thing. So now you get a nice post full of what's been going on in my life and my mind lately! I was supposed to do a bunch of updating over Spring Break, but things were honestly moving waaaaay too fast for me to get a chance to do much of anything.

On the bright side, though, it was the most thoroughly enjoyable times in recent memory. I got to see a lot of faces that I've missed, as well as a lot of new ones. It really felt like the beginning of a new time in my life. I got to see Patrick, and we literally talked the night away in one of the best discussions in the history of deep talks done in a tiny, dirty kitchen above a butcher's shop. 

I'm so unbelievably lucky to have friends that I can be serious with when I need to be, because it helps our relationship grow closer, and I cherish the friendships I have. Getting to hang out with the old group of friends again was amazing; seeing Kyle, Eric, and Brody never fails to put me in an amazing mood. We celebrated Eric's birthday and reminisced about the old days, which was an experience in itself.

Looking back now, I never realized just how much I've been able to experience with my friends in my life until we actually went and talked about all the stuff we've done. We've done a lot of things that most people never get to experience. People talk all the time about wanting to start a band and play shows and record music, but my friends and I actually got to experience it, which makes me proud beyond belief. The crazy nights, the insane pop culture discussions (especially involving which power from Avatar: The Last Airbender would be the best), the adventures and terrible ideas that we somehow convinced ourselves into thinking were good, which always resulted in hilarity.

I just nostalged so hard (yes, it's a verb now).