My Little Concert Universe

My favorite band, Depeche Mode, is getting ready to hit the road on a world tour in support of their latest album, "Spirit." And for the first time since 2009, I'll get to see them live! I can't wait! I know I'm slightly biased by my love of this band, but if you've ever seen them live you can understand my absolute excitement. If you have not seen them live, I do believe you should make time to at least watch some live performances on YouTube.

Between watching live feeds of pre-tour shows DM have been doing, along with a recording of a live Siouxsie & The Banshees show from 1981 the other day, I started thinking about my experiences with seeing bands in concert. When it comes down to it, from my first live show (alone, without my mom) at age 13 to now pushing my mid-40s, I really haven't been to many concerts. But I'm ok with that. Why? Because I have had the pleasure of seeing most of my all-time favorite bands. I can't ask for much more than that.

For someone who lives and breathes music, who finds solace, escape, happiness, and pleasure in music, and who finds more importance in music as therapy than anything else, it seems a little odd that I haven't been to more shows.
But I haven't gone to, and don't go to, many live shows for a handful of reasons:
1. Lack of money.
2. Time and cost of travel.
3. The overwhelming sense of over stimulation from the crowds and noise.
4. The tug-o-war between Pleasure vs. Responsibility.
5. I don't want to bore you with more reasons.

In my 33 years of DM fandom, I've only been able to see them live 6 times (plus an additional 2 solo Dave Gahan shows), which seems incredibly lame compared to stories of fans that have traveled the world and have seen them 20, 30, 40 times or more. But I've cherished each one of those 8 shows.

If I were to make a list of my Top 10 all time favorite bands, it would probably look something like this (in no particular order, other than DM being #1): Depeche Mode, Cocteau Twins, Dead Can Dance, Queen, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Joy Division, Kenna, Io Echo, The Airborne Toxic Event, and OMD.
And guess what? I've seen each of them live, at least once, except Queen and Joy Division. I did, however, get to see New Order (Bernard, Stephen, & Gillian) in 2014 and Peter Hook & The Light in 2016, each performing JD songs - so kind of close. Close enough for me, at least, since I was only 7 when Ian Curtis left this world.

So, while I sometimes feel envious of people who can, and do, go to show after show, I feel more content that I've managed to make the relative few shows I've gone to special ones and events that I will always carry with me.

If you've made it through this rambling little post, congratulations! And Thank You. There wasn't a real purpose to it other than I just felt like writing. Now I just need October to get here so I can experience the joy that is DEPECHE MODE!!!

Tour on ladies and gents! And we'll see you next time! ;)

Shy Socialites

Shy Socialites is the union of the graphic design and illustration passions of sisters Barbara and Tricia Wilson. They create custom invitations for all occasions, along with other special treats like cards, party kits, and custom illustrations of people, pets, and more!

I have been friends with Tricia for some time now and have followed Shy Socialites on Zazzle, Etsy, Facebook, and their own site for years. I adore the work that they do and think you will too! 

I recently had the opportunity to order a custom illustration as a Christmas gift for my best friend and her husband. The process is simple and the Wilson Sisters are professional, quick to respond, and easy to work with. And the end result is something that will be cherished forever. 

I chose the Custom Cartoon Drawing option. Here you can choose to do a single, double, or family portrait. You place your order for the option you want, then receive an email with a "Custom Character Illustration Questionnaire." If there is more than one person in the illustration, you fill out a form for each character. The questionnaire has questions about the person's personality, hobbies, interests, and favorite things, as well as the basics - eye color, hair color/type, height, etc. There is also a spot for you to include anything else you'd like to share about your subjects.
I submitted the questionnaires, along with photographs of my friends. Then Tricia did her magic. She asked me questions. We discussed the direction I wanted to go with the illustration. And what came from that was a gift that I fell in love with. And I think the recipients did too. She captured their likenesses perfectly. The extra design aspects (colors, border) were incredible. I knew the talent that this woman (both of these ladies) had. I have seen her illustrations of people before. Yet I was still surprised at just how amazingly accurate the characterization of my friends was! 

Here is the final product:

Taking their love of tropical flowers and travel destinations, as well as a love of Disney, my friends are surrounded by beautiful flowers and hidden Mickeys!

Please check Shy Socialites out! If you're getting married, if you're having a baby, if your son or daughter is graduating, or if you are looking for the perfect gift for your best friend - THIS is the place to go! Not only will you be receiving a special keepsake for your special occasions, but you will be supporting two amazing women and a fabulous small business.

Pain and Suffering in Various Tempos

On March 6, 2017, I got to do something I haven't been able to do for 8 years. I bought tickets to see Depeche Mode.

DEPECHE. MODE.

For the average person, this may not seem like a big deal.

But to me, this is a huge deal. This is me, getting to see my favorite band in concert. And not just any favorite band - my favorite band for the last 32+ years.

For me, Depeche Mode is about music.

About meaning.

About feeling.

About love.

About life.

Music has always been a huge part of my life. I grew up listening to everything from Abba to Queen, John Denver to Luciano Pavarotti. I still do, to some extent, though I caught the New Wave bug at an early age and have yet to shake it.

I was 12 years old when Depeche Mode caught my eye - or ear. I had been a huge Duranie when I was 10 and 11 years old. At 12, things started to change. I listened to KJET and KYYX, early 80s new wave based radio stations in Seattle. I was introduced to artists like Kate Bush, The Cure, Siouxsie & The Banshees, and Depeche Mode.

"People Are People" is the first song I remember hearing. And I loved it. When I saw the video? I loved it even more. I became an instant fan. Soon, Duran Duran started disappearing from my bedroom walls and 4 lads from Basildon quickly took over. I bought "Some Great Reward". Not long after, I added "Speak & Spell", "A Broken Frame", and "Construction Time Again" to my collection. In listening to those other albums, I realized that I had heard "Dreaming of Me", "Just Can't Get Enough" and "Everything Counts" before. I figure that they weren't the right songs at the right time, though, because it wasn't until "People Are People" that Depeche Mode stuck in my head.

By the time I was 16 years old, both "Black Celebration" and "Music For The Masses" had joined the family. At 15, I got to see DM live in Seattle on the MFTM tour. It was magical and made me love them even more. But it would be a track from Black Celebration that would quickly become the most important song in my life - and would continue to guide me through good and bad, happy and sad so many years later.

When I was 16, I began to suffer from depression. It wasn't the 'woe is me I'm a moody teenager' depression. It wasn't the 'you listen to depressing music, how can you NOT be depressed' depression. 

(For the record, I have never found DM's music depressing, and I loathe the nickname Depressed Mode)

I was always the shy, quiet girl. In school I had friends - good friends; great friends. But I still often felt like I didn't fit in or belong. This is something I still struggle with on occasion, well into my 40s - but I'm working on it. I was different from some of my friends in the music I listened to, the way I dressed, the ways I wore my hair. And though I know they liked me, there were still moments where I felt unsure. I began a spiral of feeling like if I never existed, it wouldn't matter. If I were in the hospital, no one would come visit me. If I ceased living, no one would miss me. Let me say this - I never hurt myself. I never even really considered doing myself any true physical harm. 

This was purely mental for me. 

In one of my 'moments' I was listening to Black Celebration. "But Not Tonight" came on. I always liked that song. But it wasn't until that moment, 2+ years after its release, that I truly LISTENED to that song. That I truly began to appreciate that song. And found an absolute true love of that song. Like a brick wall, it hit me and left an impression so deep that I carry it around with me today. I don't know why it was that particular moment in time that it struck me so deeply. But it did, and I will forever be thankful that it did.

"And I haven't felt so alive, in years..."

Things started to get better for me by the time I started my senior year of high school. I have continued to cope with depression throughout my life off and on - some bouts worse than others. 

"But Not Tonight" is not always the solution when I am down. But it does help and will forever mean something special to me and will always hold my hand when I need it.

In the years since, albums have been released, and over and over again I fall head over heels in love with certain songs, each meaning something important to me for one reason or another. There is something very special about this band. They have been a part of my life longer than most anyone else, other than family and a few friends. Martin Gore (and now Dave Gahan) writes for people like me, people like you, and people who want and need to feel like they belong somewhere. The lonely. The popular. The young. The old. The jaded. The optimist. We're all welcome here. And through this fandom, I have met some amazing people. The online DM family is full of excitement and friendship. In person, the family bond is even stronger. 

I may get geeky about Depeche Mode - at a level normal people can't understand. But it's a way of life that got me through awkward teenage years, through relationships, through friendships, through pregnancy and motherhood, and continues to get me through the world we live in and life in general.

40 Reasons to Love Stephanie

On February 17, a very special person had a very special day.

My best friend hit a milestone birthday!

I had to think of a gift fitting of a woman who is one of the kindest, most generous people I know. She's always going above and beyond for me when it's my birthday. And while I always try to do something great, I knew this year had to be really great.

This is an insight...into my mind. My crazy, crafty, jumbled up, full of ideas mind.

Initially I came up with the idea of "40 Reasons to Love Stephanie" to do as a card. I would come up with 40 reasons and list them on, and in, the card. I started a list of reasons. When it comes to Stephanie, it's easy to think of reasons to love her. The more I thought about it though, the more I didn't like that idea. I'd need more room than just a typical card size. 40 Reasons needed to be a gift, not a card.

But what could I do? 

My first thought - write out all of the reasons on individual pieces of paper and fill a clear glass jar with them. Stephanie could reach in and pull out a reason whenever she needed a smile or pick-me-up.

But I have horrible handwriting. Ok, I'll type out the reasons, cut them up and toss them in the jar. I went window shopping, looking at all types of jars. Twist off lid? Or flip top lid? Round? Square? Tall? Short? I put WAY too much thought into it and stressed myself out.

Next thought - Oh! Hey! What if I make this about more than just my relationship with Stephanie? We have a bunch of mutual friends! Why not ask for their input? They could make this an even greater gift. I sent out a message to our mutual friends asking if they would be willing to give me a (fully credited) reason why they love Stephanie. They didn't know how their Reasons would be used, but there were definitely some willing participants. I started getting some great responses and I knew this was the way to go.

While trying to find cute papers that would make good Reason paper, and look good in a glass jar, I saw some scrapbooking paper that had a road map design. Eureka! That was it! I was getting Reasons from friends all over the U.S. I even had Reasons from Canada and Greece. I would put these Reasons on maps. Not just any maps, though. I took maps from each city/area our friends lived. Voila! It was perfect!

But. Oh, there's the BUT again. 

I still didn't have a vessel to put these reasons in.

Well, you're doing maps, I thought to myself. You need a globe! Or at least a round bowl/container/something. I bought a thick, almost card stock paper in blue and green with craft paper brown veins through them. In a clear glass container, it would be like looking at the land and water of a globe.

I typed out each reason on each map - using different colors and fonts. 

I printed them out and cut them into rectangles.

I used a heavy duty crafting glue stick to bond the maps to the thick blue and green paper. 

I folded each into little cards.

They were ready to go!

But here comes another but.

I couldn't find anything to put the cards in. I went to craft stores. I went to home stores. I went to department stores. I went to little bit of everything stores. I started to give up. 3 more stores in one evening with nothing that fit my vision. I quit. For the night at least. 

My husband and I ran to a grocery store for a few groceries before heading home. I was grabbing some fruit when my husband, staring at the floral department, suggested they might have something there. Oh, sure, let's get a container at a grocery store. Nothing says love quite like that. My frustration was getting the better of me.

He was taking awhile, so I walked over there to see him holding it. The perfect "it". The perfect vessel. And the perfect 'so far out of my thought process' item I could have ever hoped for. The floral department had these amazing mini travel trunk looking boxes. There were two sizes. The larger one was way too large for my 40 little cards. But the smaller one? The smaller box was IT! Excitedly I bought that box and went home with a renewed sense of purpose. I emptied the bag full of Reasons into the box and it was kismet. They fit perfectly. And the colors of the cards worked with the color of the box. 

I quickly jumped on my computer and created a vintage postcard design to complete the travel theme I had started with the maps. It was like a suitcase that had been around the world collecting stickers of all the places it had seen. I loved it so much. 

The only problem? Having to wait for Stephanie to arrive home from a much deserved vacation the week of her birthday. The wait, however, was worth it as the gift resulted in her being "a speechless puddle of happy tears."

 

Happy Birthday my friend! And here's to many more days and many more Reasons to love you!

 

Kenna - Taking a Journey With Songs For Flight

Once upon a time, I discovered a singer by the name of Kenna. I formed an instant love for the music that this man made. 12+ years later, I still have a deep and intense love of his music, his talent, his words, his meaning, and his cause.

With a new album in the works, I considered doing a Throwback Thursday-type post about Kenna's first two albums, "New Sacred Cow" (2003) and "Make Sure They See My Face" (2007). These are both incredible albums that mean a lot to me. I could write an analysis of each album, of the songs, and why they matter. Instead, I encourage you to find them, listen to them, and form your own opinions. While you're at it, check out the "Land 2 Air Chronicles" series and singles. In the meantime, I'm going to focus on the NOW in Kenna's musical and personal journey.

Kenna's goal is to become the first One For One Artist.

A One For One Artist? What is a One For One Artist?

From Kenna.com:
"The spirit of being One-For-One is about being a person who is for the well being of themselves and others. We are all one and as brothers and sisters we can look out for each other. 

A “One-For-One Artist” is an artist of any genre who agrees with the above statement and makes a commitment to improving the world through the daily sales and business of music.

I am committed to give up to 50% of the money I personally make to the causes and social issues that my fans and I care about." 

While writing and recording new music for the upcoming album "Songs For Flight" Kenna is giving his fans an insight into his world and his processes. He's also crowd funding to help support the making of the album.

I could continue on, but I'd like you to hear about the mission from Kenna himself. I kindly ask all of you out there to please visit Kenna.com. Read. Listen. Get Involved. Share. Spread The Word.
You can also follow Kenna on Facebook & Twitter.

Thank you for reading.

2014 - My Year In Review

2014, like every year prior, was a year of highs and lows. We saw this as a country, and as a world. And it was the same for me personally. I'd like to close out 2014 on a positive note with a look back at some of my personal highs. 

2014 started off with a stellar Seattle Seahawks football season coming to a close. A regular season record of 13-3, and a NFC championship won in spectacular fashion led to something Seahawks fans had been dreaming of for nearly 40 years ~ on February 2nd we won the Super Bowl! I've watched this team through good and bad since I was a young girl. To see the city finally welcome a football championship was incredible. Now to get a baseball championship to follow in 2015...Let's go M's!

When my husband and I put our minds to something, we can usually achieve it. 2014 took us on a journey to home ownership. When we moved back home to Washington after 5+ years in Colorado, we knew we wanted a house; we wanted to establish new roots at home. And that's what we did. At the end of May we got the keys to our new home. Home ownership can be a scary thing, but to have our own home again is amazing.

In June, I participated in what I thought would just be a fun challenge. It was to create a design for Derrick Coleman's (fullback for the Seattle Seahawks) No Excuses Foundation. He challenged his Facebook followers to submit a design. The winning entry would be turned into a t-shirt to be added to the selections he had on his foundation website. My design won. It was an overwhelming moment for me. Fast forward to mid-July when I received an email from Derrick's mother informing me that they were going to incorporate my design into their foundation further by making it their logo. That email came on my birthday. What a birthday present that was!
For more information about the logo and Derrick's Foundation, please see my blog post about it here:
All Heart/No Excuses

Another July birthday treat was getting to see one of my favorite bands of all time live for the first time, thanks to two of my favorite people of all time. My dear friends Stephanie and Dale took me to see New Order on July 6th for an early birthday night out. What a night! And one I still think of whenever I hear a New Order song now. I will never be able to thank my friends enough for that incredible night.
For my original thoughts, please see my blog post: Bucket List Band - New Order 

September is a always a special month for my husband and I, as it's the month we got married. In 2014, however, it was a little more special as it found us celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary. 20 years!?! How did that happen? It has been a quick 20 years. And it has been an absolute honor being married to my best friend for so long. We have our differences now and then, sure. But to be able to call this man my husband, to have him as the father of our son, it's a journey I wouldn't have wanted to taken with anyone else.

When we moved back to Washington in 2013, we decided that I wasn't going to get a job - at least not right away. With the money I make from Zazzle, we knew we'd be ok, not great, but ok financially if I chose to be a stay at home mom. Yes, we've been ok. But 2014 was tougher on us financially than we expected, especially after we bought our house. I started looking here and there for a job. But because of certain restraints we set, jobs are not easy to come by around here. I end 2014 now as an employed person (though I don't officially start my new gig until January). I was recently hired to be an agent assistant - at the same office I worked at for 6 1/2 years prior to moving to Colorado! I'm going home again and it feels great. I can't wait to get started!

That pretty much sums up the big moments in my year. There have been other milestones here and there (my son hit the double digits when he turned 10 in March), along with other positive notes and events. There were also lows ~ financially, in my family when we lost my Aunt in March, and personally (friendships ending, stress, depression, etc). But overall, this was a good year and one I can look back on fondly.

As 2015 approaches, I look forward to seeing what the universe has in store. I am excited to start my job. We are in the very early stages of planning a family vacation (our first since the summer of 2012 and much needed) that, fingers crossed, will take us to the happiest place on earth. I love watching my son grow physically, emotionally, and personally. And who knows, maybe a few other dreams will find the light of day. I also look forward to some peace and healing in this world of ours. Mother Earth and her children could use it. 

Thank you 2014. And welcome 2015!

Thank you for reading.

Bucket List Band - New Order

I love New Order. I love Joy Division.
I was only 7 when Ian Curtis died, so ever getting to see Joy Division live was not an option. New Order, on the other hand, was an option, it just never came to be. You know, those bands and moments that just don't line up and for one reason or another you don't get the opportunity to see live? For me, that ended on Sunday, July 6, 2014, when I saw New Order in concert at The Paramount Theater in Seattle.
I won't bore you with my back story with this band. How they came to be a part of my musical world. How I grew to love them more in my 20s and beyond than I did in my teens. I will jump to the point at hand - THE SHOW!

First ~ I was given the great honor of attending this show by my dear friends Stephanie & Dale. They graciously took me to this show as an early birthday present/celebration. If it weren't for them, this incredible night would not have happened. So a quick THANK YOU to them for sharing and spending this special night with me.

The Paramount is such a beautiful venue. I've never been to a General Admission show there, however, so I wasn't sure what to expect. But we were able to get in and stake our spots on the floor - pretty much dead center, 3 people away from the rail. Umm, YEAH!

The opening act was a band called Run Run Run, out of Los Angeles. They came on at 8pm and put on what seemed like a good show. I say "seemed like" because their instruments were so loud, we couldn't hear the vocals. I'm not sure if it was just our being so close, or if the vocals were hard to hear for everyone else as well. I will say, the music was great! And I will definitely check them out to see if the vocals are just as good.

Just before 9pm, New Order took the stage. The energy from the crowd as the band walked out was electric. And it didn't lighten up. Opening up with "Elegia" turned into an emotional experience for me. We were seeing New Order, sure. And that in itself was magical. But as I watched Bernard Sumner playing his guitar, my eyes gazed back upon Stephen Morris at his drum kit and the reality of what, or rather WHO, I was looking at hit me. Here were 2 of the 4 members of Joy Division, right in front of me. These men who once backed up Ian Curtis. That realization, along with the beauty of the song, brought tears to my eyes.
Or course they were joined by the incredible Gillian Gilbert, along with Phil Cunningham and Tom Chapman.

Throughout the show, the band were ON. They sounded great ~ vocally, instrumentally, they were on point all night. They had video screens behind them that showed, at times, short movies made to go along with songs, as well as, clips from the videos for songs they were performing.

The crowd cheered along, clapped along, and sang along. The big hits, like "True Faith," "Blue Monday," "Bizarre Love Triangle," along with some others brought the biggest cheers and crowd participation. Once they broke into Joy Division songs for the encore, the crowd once again erupted, particularly during the closer, "Love Will Tear Us Apart."

For me, the highest points of the night were "Elegia," "Ceremony," "Your Silent Face" (the performance and the video that accompanied it, which mentioned amFAR), "True Faith," "Temptation," and watching Bernard Sumner dance. The Joy Division high was when they performed "Atmosphere." That song is my all-time favorite JD song. It is amongst my all time favorite songs from any band. It can put me in tears if I'm in the right mood, and hearing it live - even if it wasn't Ian singing (Bernard is an incredibly close second if someone else is going to sing it) put me in that teary mood. I. LOVED. IT.

Performing a mix of big hits, cult classics, and even something new, New Order came to entertain, and entertain they did. I, personally, could not have asked for a better night. I don't go to many live shows anymore, so when I do, they are always pretty special. I have to say, though, that this show was one of the greatest I've ever been to. I don't know that I will ever see New Order live again and I'm ok with that. This show was the perfect introduction to NO live and will always stay with me as the perfect little package it was.

Thank you again to the wonderful friends I got to share this moment with. And thank you to New Order for giving me a night to remember.

Here is the official setlist:
Elegia
Crystal
Regret
Singularity
Ceremony
Age of Consent
Your Silent Face
Californian Grass
Bizarre Love Triangle
5 8 6
Plasic
True Faith
The Perfect Kiss
Blue Monday
Temptation

Encore (all Joy Division songs):
Transmission
Atmospere
Love Will Tear Us Apart

Thank you for reading.