bonnaroooooooo

Last week, 7 friends and I packed up our cars and drove to Manchester, Tennessee for one of the happiest places on earth- Bonnaroo!  It was 4 days of music and beautiful people all bonding over the experience.  It truly was unlike any other time and place.  I wish we could always live in Bonnaroo Land where everyone smiles and makes friends.  There’s no judgement or anger.  What is there to get mad about?  Live music is constantly playing around every corner.  And not just any music– some of my favorite bands! Radiohead, Bon Iver, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Phish, City and Colour….. ah I want to still be there!

Here’s most of our crew

beautiful sunset on the first night (Source)

Jami and I

at Childish Gambino

Bon Iver

the giant heads- our meeting spot

 

 

Lately

The countdown begins… 6 days until we head to Tennessee for BONNAROO!! It’s a cliche but I’m amazed how fast this summer is already passing me by.  I’ve been out of class for a month and just started summer courses.  Everyday is just one thing after the other… I’ve been very busy with spending days on the beach by Lake Ackworth, wasting time on the river, playing Mellow Mushroom trivia and surrounding myself with friends I love.  Very hectic and stressful.

Aside from all these things,I want to read and paint and write as much as possible.  I picked up a few books last time I was at the thrift store and I want to read each of them.

I finally worked on a painting I started a while ago… it’s still a work in progress.  Also it’s on cardboard because it was all I had.

 

Here’s a clip from an old favorite movie that I have misplaced so therefore want to watch it more than ever- Almost Famous.  I love it when they all sing together.

missing my Siena

It’s almost been exactly one year since I left on my study abroad trip to Siena, Italy.  I pulled a few of my favorite pictures of the town.  I wish I was there now but don’t worry- I’ll return one day soon!!

I just wanted to share my favorite scenes of Siena-

Travels

It’s Easter weekend and I am with my whole family in Augusta to be with my little niece.  She’s not even one year old and we can’t wait for her first Easter egg hunt. We are staying at my oldest brother, Josh’s house.  Every time I’m here I look through his bookshelf for something new to read.  I’m always finding something I want to borrow.  Josh has been a big influence in my taste in books and music since I was a kid.

I picked up Travels With Charley by Steinbeck, with my upcoming road trip in mind.  Two friends and I are planning a cross country trip in a few weeks, and I’m getting so excited for the semester to be over and we’ll be on our way.  Travels is a recollection of a journey across almost 40 states, and I am enjoying it a lot so far.  I was hooked after the very first line:

“When I was very young and the urge to be someplace else was on me, I was assured by mature people that maturity would cure this itch…”

We were at the beach- panama city- for the weekend. This poem was inspired by the many hours we spent on the boat fishing in the  mornings. We watched the sunrise through the clouds and the dolphin’s playfully stealing our fish off the line… it’s hard to write a poem about the beach that isn’t all clichés but I did my best.

 

Little brown spots appear across my cheeks

little blacks blurs in the sky circle

big blue mounds are created in the water

waves form in my hair

thoughts form in my head

of nothingness.

the day empties

my mind empties

inspiration stirring

Drifting, rolling, floating

bare shoulders

bare feet

sun’s warmth

sun’s energy

salt drying

wind blowing

Spring

So, basically in the last week my time has been spent approximately 60% outside, 30% in class 10% sleeping.  It’s been glorious.  Also, I of course did go see The Hunger Games premiere!!  Which was, in my opinion, pretty perfect.   But this is an Etta James cover done by Alex Clare, who I’ve just discovered I like quite a bit.  Enjoy.

Italy is my boyfriend

I dream about you

Pretending we are together

Talking

My tongue wants to speak your language

Walking

With every step I am on your streets

I think I smell you

And my heart pounds

A piece of me is there

Some day soon

I will go

And just be

Take you in

Breathe your air

Feel your world

And be happy

(A presto!)

St. Patty’s in Savannah

On Friday Amanda and I drove down to Savannah, Georgia to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with friends… I had not been to Savannah in years and we were staying with a friend on Tybee Island.  Savannah’s parade is one of the biggest St. Patrick celebrations in the U.S.  We went to the beach, walked around the city, and sat in a square with 300,00 others that traveled there for the parade.  I will take up any chance to travel, especially when it’s cheap and with friends.

(source)

green, green everywhere

downtown Savannah

Road home in Amanda’s car

Us in the City

These are my favorite pictures of my friends and me in Chicago.  This is my last post about Chicago I swear.  We got to do a lot and I’m so happy I was able to go on this trip.  We took pictures all over the place.  One day we just walked around the city for hours.  And all the people we ran into were incredibly nice.

one of the few cabs we took

reflection in the Bean

We look like a band here or something… definitely a favorite

cute longboarder

walking down one of those beautiful allies

reflection in the elevation to the top of the skydeck

SKYDECK! so pretty- we came at the perfect time

Chicago Pizza

Waiting in line for the Aquarium

buongiorno

“Great things are not accomplished by those who yield to trends, fads, and popular opinion.”

-Jack Kerouac