family...

I am thankful for my family. They may not get me at times, but I'm they are my family.

snow tires...

I am thankful that I FINALLY have snow tires on my car. I've been pushing my luck way too long (I usually get them the end of October, not the end of November). Also, I'm thankful this semester is almost over (though I could use a few extra weeks with all the projects I'm juggling). I'll get there...eventually.

angels...

I have been thinking a lot lately about the people in my life, both in the past and the present. I look back and I've had angels with me as I've struggled through life. Angels who have been there for me, supported me, helped me not to give up or do something that I would later regret. There really are angels, and they may be someone we least expect...but they are real and they are there.

my counselor...

I'm thankful for my counselor. She has been a real big support for me while I've been going through this "crisis" of mine for the past year and a half. I've been to other counselors before and never felt like I've really connected with them, let alone be able to talk to them. For me, it's a BIG deal to be able to feel comfortable and trust someone enough to talk to them (it doesn't happen often). I am able to talk to my counselor (for the most part), and I'm glad to have that support in my life right now. So thanks...

thankful for music...

I am thankful for music...all kinds of music. There are several bands that I love that have created touching, uplifting, or inspiring music. One band that stands out to me is the group Fireflight. They are a Christian rock band, and a lot of their songs (well, the ones that I like) focus on hope, faith, and relying on God. Here are some songs of theirs that have really helped me in my life, just to focus or be reminded of things that I need to be reminded of.


Forever is also another favorite song....I just love their music!



The last one I want to share is You Gave Me a Promise....again, great lyrics.

got home...

I'm thankful I got home alright today. The snow was crazy, especially at my house. The closer I got to home, the worse the snow got (and I still don't have snow tires on my car yet). My tires were barely gripping, and when it came to turn into my driveway, I turned the wheel and just kept on going straight. Fun... Oh, the joys of winter driving. I'm so looking forward to all the driving in the upcoming months (hint of sarcasm).

keeping warm...

I'm thankful that I have several things to keep me warm in winter (because I hate being cold). I'm thankful for the heater in my car and that it works (one winter it didn't work...brrrrr). I'm thankful to have a nice winter coat to keep me warm when I walk around campus or go feed the horses in the morning. I'm thankful to have a roof over my head to keep me safe from the winter elements. I am thankful for blankets to keep me extra warm in my room at night (it gets really cold in my room). Yes, I'm thankful that I am able to keep warm.

rain

I'm thankful for rain. I love rain: the sight of it, the smell, the sound...I just love rain!

my car

I said I was going to make another post about something I am thankful for. I am thankful for my car. It may not be the best car in the world, but hey, it gets me from point A to point B (and it keeps me warm in the winter and cool in summer while getting from point A to point B). It has been a good car, just had the usual wear-and-tear expenses (particularly this year). It gets pretty good gas mileage and has survived being buried in snow drifts two winters in a row. And it has gotten me home in some not so pretty winter storms. Yes, I'm thankful for my car.

not snowing and the little things...

I am thankful that it is not snowing right now. I still need snow tires for my car and have not been able to afford them (and won't be able to until my next paycheck). So I am thankful that I haven't needed them yet...but I don't want to press my luck too long.

I'm also thankful for the little beauties of nature. Being a photographer has really helped me to see beauty in even the most unlikely of places. It helps me to notice the little details that make up the whole of what we see every day. We get so used to the world around us that we don't notice the little things. I'm thankful photography taught me that.

i am thankful for...

So I was on Facebook this morning and someone made a post about saying what they are thankful for every day from now until Thanksgiving. I'm going to give that a shot on my blog.

Today, I am thankful that my photo assignment is done and ready for the critique today. I'm thankful for photography and that I can use it as a creative outlet.

flyleaf news article

As part of the communication major at my school I have to be a staff member for the school newspaper. Now me, I'm not into journalism whatsoever...but while working on the staff of our school newspaper I've become more tolerant of it. It also, recently, has had its perks. For the newspaper all the staff writers rotate through different sections. My last section was Arts and Entertainment and I chose to write an article on the band Flyleaf, their new album, and upcoming tour (which will come to Salt Lake Nov. 6).

For my article I got to interview Sameer Bhattacharya (in the picture he is the 2nd guy in from the right), one of the guitarists from Flyleaf. It was pretty cool...and let me tell you, it was hard not to act like a crazed-fan. I was really excited and really nervous when I interviewed him. He was really polite, though, and gave me a lot of good information to use in my article. Out of all the articles I've written, that one was probably my favorite. I got to write about something that I was excited to write about, and I think that's reflected in my writing.

Here is the article that I wrote for the school newspaper. It was published Oct. 27 and the issue runs for two weeks. Enjoy and let me know what you think.

“We are not here very long and it’s very important to take advantage of the time you have now to live the life you’ve always dreamed of living,” said Flyleaf’s Sameer Bhattacharya. That is the message that alternative rock band Flyleaf hopes to spread with their new album “Memento Mori” and upcoming tour.

“Memento Mori,” which will be released Nov. 10, is the follow-up to Flyleaf’s 2005 self-titled debut. Working again with producer Howard Benson (known for his work with All-American Rejects and my Chemical Romance), the band produced an album that shows their mindfulness of mortality.

The theme of the album is summed up by the title, “Memento Mori,” which is a Latin phrase that means “be mindful of death.”

“Whether you live to be 12 years old or 90, you’re going to die,” said guitarist Bhattacharya in a phone interview. “We only have so long to live the life we were called to live. Any moment in your life you could make that decision to live that way or not live that way.”

After going through their own life and death experiences the band has learned to appreciate the time they have been given. Bassist Pat Seals says that Flyleaf has grown and matured a lot over the past six years and that growth has contributed to “Memento Mori.”

“We grew up a lot since the first record, and I think that particularly shows in the selflessness that each of us now brings to Flyleaf,” Seals said in a press release. “We’re vastly different people, but we’re united in what we want to say and how we want to say it.”

Their message is to remember that death is just around the corner. But in all that there is still a purpose and a meaning to life and people need to take advantage of the possibilities.

“That’s exactly what ‘Memento Mori’ means,” said vocalist Lacey Mosley in a press release. “Life is important, and it’s brief. You never know when it’s going to be over for you or the people around you. You have to make the most of every opportunity you’ve been given.”

This message is prevalent in each song in the “Memento Mori.” Bhattacharya said it is reflected in different ways throughout the album. “Sometimes you have to look for it and sometimes it’s just right in your face,” he said.

After six years of writing, Flyleaf looked over the 13 songs that would become “Memento Mori” and saw how they came together to form a parable. Mosley described the songs on the album as chapters in a story. She said the story serves as an example of the life lessons the band has learned over the years and they hope to pass those lessons on.

“We have learned to be more grateful and purposeful with the time we are given,” said Mosley. “Perhaps someone will come away from the story and be more grateful and purposeful with their own life.”

One of the songs in the story, “Again,” focuses on not wasting time worrying about the things in life you cannot change or don’t have control over, but to let them go and trust that good can come of it.

“We take those big things we can’t handle and surrender it, and it’s a relief,” said Mosley in a promotional interview for “Again.” “We keep walking and live as good as we should so that we are helping, not hurting.”

To promote the album, Flyleaf will embark on a tour which kicks off Oct. 29 in Los Angeles. The tour will arrive in Salt Lake City on Nov. 6 at the Murray Theater. Flyleaf took the “fans first” approach and chose to perform in smaller venues there they are hoping for more intimacy with the audience said Bhattacharya.

The concert will include a song set featuring hits from Flyleaf’s first album, such as “I’m So Sick” and “All Around Me.” They will also perform songs from the new album.

Touring with the band will be Paper Tongues, a band that fuses elements of rock, funk, rap and soul. Bhattacharya describes them as a “really amazing” band with a strong message.

“It is like the Flyleaf message, which is that hope is real and love is real,” he said.

Flyleaf describes the theme behind “Memento Mori” as timeless and is a message for everyone. “We try to reach everyone,” Bhattacharya said. “This is a record that transcends all genres and demographics.”