Hello Hello

I truly don't enjoy neglecting my blog for too long....

At the moment I don't have internet at my new place, so it's been difficult to keep .rapt current. Life has been rather repetitive for me... I work more often than anything, but it's been paying off well. I'm in love with my new apartment. Just the fact that it's mine and I make the money to pay for it. It's different... I've never done anything like this before. It's an exciting new chapter in my life.

I rung 2013 in with high spirits... I think that this will be a good year for us all. It's about time for good to come our way. 2012 had this feeling of untimeliness.... Everyone seemed to question whether or not the apocalypse was near. Now that we have that concern out of our systems and we know that the world won't be ending anytime soon, I think we can let ourselves breathe a bit easier and allow better thoughts to fill our minds. I would hope, anyway.

Coachella 2013, anyone? Although I can't state my claim on a pass just yet, I do plan on attempting to go. The lineup, although quite nice, was slightly disappointing for me this year. It seemed that many of the bands were repeats from previous years....and it was surprising that there weren't bigger headliners. I wasn't jumping up and down right away, but after taking a closer look, there are several sets that I am eager to witness. One primarily being Red Hot Chili Peppers...They've always been on my 'Must See List' and I'm ecstatic to potentially check them off. I'm also keen on seeing Blur...as any Gorillaz fan should.... There are a few others whom I've always wanted to see....such as Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs, Tegan and Sara, Band of Horses, Grizzly Bear, and La Roux. Bands that I've already seen, but would like to pay homage to include Modest Mouse, Bassnector, Passion Pit, Metric, Yeasayer, Franz Ferdinand, and Vampire Weekend. I'll certainly give some of the other sets a go, but it was a shock to me that other bands and artists that I had been anticipating aren't going to be in attendance. I had hoped very highly that The Naked and Famous would be there, as well as a certain Deadmau5. But you can't always get what you want, yeah?

While I may still be without a Coachella pass, I do possess tickets to dearest Ellie Goulding's Hollywood Palladium show on February 12th. It was a gift from the boy. It's our 3 year anniversary (dating) this month, and he was kind enough to buy tickets for us both.

 I last saw Elena Jane live in early April 2011 at Seattle's Neumos venue (highlight above). Her set was spectacular and did far more justice to her music than her recordings. I except nothing less this time around. I may be seeing her in a much larger room with a thousand more people than in the previous small venue of collective fans back in Seattle nearly 2 years ago, but I'm certain that she will still deliver a show well worth seeing. I'm proud to say that I've been a fan of hers from early-on in her work. I can hardly wait to see her again.

While I'm sure I can sit here and ramble on about other going-ons in my life, I'll end my post here. Happy 2013, lot! Let's make this year an amazing one ~

xx

On this the eve of the end....

I'm sitting here watching the on-screen yule fire on Netflix, wondering to myself why I haven't updated my blog and how on earth I'm to expect myself to face Dec. 21st, 2012 without at least posting one last entry to .rapt.

.....

Although the only thing that might cause the world's end tomorrow is that digital Pegasus springing to life and turning murderous from last night's butchered rendition of Ellie Goulding's Anything Could Happen by newly established Fifth Harmony girls on The X Factor. God, save us all from that mutiny....

It is unsettling to consider what may happen come daybreak tomorrow morning, but I have very little doubt that things won't be fine. What I've come to believe is that the Mayan's intended tomorrow to be the ending of an era rather than the end of the world....and whether that's correct or not, I'm standing by it. Despite how hopeless society might seem sometimes, I still have faith in this world. Even if I'm the only one that feels this way, I refuse to give up on something so overwhelmingly meaningful and life-giving. There are too many unexplainably beautiful and tremendously soul-swelling things about planet earth to simply lose faith in it. I know there's still good people out there....and I know that I try to be one of them. I know that there's a God, no matter what or where he is, and I trust that he still recognizes us and our endeavors.
Whatever happens tomorrow will simply... happen. And it's important to remember that every ending is followed shortly by a beginning. In light of this, I'll be treating tomorrow as a clean slate. It's never too late to try harder at being better to ourselves and to others; to live fuller and appreciate more. I'm going to wake up in the morning with these things in mind.

DOM ; Band of the Week Aug. 6th - 12th

That time again? Stop, I know I'm late.

I thought I would share with you lot a band that I discovered last year while at Seattle's Bumbershoot Music and Arts Festival. Since seeing them, I've purchased both of their EP's, finding that they are equally as good on track as they are in person. I feel like I always appreciate a band more when I discover them live.

This is DOM, ladies and gents. An indie rock quartet from Massachusetts who'll fool you into believing they hail from the sandy beaches of SoCal. Their music is reminiscent of a new-age Beach Boys... Perfect tunes for the surfing brood, and all beach bums alike. I don't regret getting dragged to their set that September day in 2011. DOM's become one of my favorites, but this goes without saying.

Dom, Bobby, Erik, and Dylan make up the foursome with the two EP's that captured PitchFork Media and Spin's attention over the past 2 years. Having formed in January 2010, DOM is fresh and ready to take flight. Songs such as Jesus from EP Sun Bronzed Greek Gods (2010) and Damn from EP Family of Love (2011) have reeled fans in by the thousands... and perhaps a few more after this post?

It's honestly difficult not the like these guys. They're fun, collective, and different. Although they characterize that typical indie rock genre, they also have unique ideas. I feel like they won't just be thrown into the ocean of lo-fi bands... they'll stand out. At least to my ears.

Enhance your final weeks of summer with an earful of DOM! .rapt's Band of the Week August 6th-12th.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Week Two ~ In love

Although it hasn't been easy...what with the many stresses and upsets, and of course a few tears... when I look out over the ocean, I feel a wave of happiness pour over me. I'm in love with the sea. I want to stay! And I'll do everything in my power to ensure that my life remains on these beaches.

Friday marked week two of my new-found life. It's still so strange to me that I'm actually living here in San Diego and not just visiting. I feel like I'm due to head back to Washington any day now. I have to stop and remind myself that I won't be going back, at least not for a long while. I think my brain is still a little confused though. My new reality probably won't set in until I get into a better routine.

It's discouraging when you apply to so many different jobs and not one of them gives you a call back. I've tried all over San Diego and yet no one seems to want to give me a chance! Several times a day I wonder what I'll do if I can't land a job. I have barley enough money to sustain my bills and rent for August and then its do or die come September. If I don't have some sort of a job figured out by then, I'll more or less be out of money and I'm not one to ask for hand-outs. But I don't want to leave. I feel so invigorated here; so alive! I barely remember what it was like before I moved. I feel like it's always been this way and I never once lived that dreary life back in Western Washington. It's a good feeling.
So I'm hoping for a miracle to happen so I can stay.

Life otherwise has been fairly laid back. Although it's frightening to not have a job, it's been nice not having any obligations. But I DO need to eat, so we'll see how things go with applications this coming week.

I'm trying to remember all of the things I've been doing during this second week....The only thing that really stands out in my mind is my horrible sunburn on my shoulders that I got in PB last Monday, which is currently peeling like mad. And also my bicycling adventure around Mission Bay, where I found myself riding a beach cruiser for the first time. I had an immense fear of falling off of it, for the seat on the bike was about half my height. I don't know how you beach bums do it.... I felt like I'd never ridden a bicycle in my entire life. I think I just need to find one that's the right size for me. What's the fun in riding a bike when it's a huge task to get on and off of it? I about died each and every time! My advise to you lot, don't ride a bike if you can't touch the ground when you're sitting on it.

Everything is so simple and fun here. Really, as long as you have a little cash in your pocket for food you don't need money to have fun. I'm enoying every minute. But I'll enjoy it even more once I have a yob!

Are any of you .rapt followers locals around these parts? If so, leave a comment and tell me what your favorite things to do here are! I'll try my best to follow suit and give your recommendations a try in the coming week.

Photos of my second week in the southwest are featured below!