frontman friday: halloween

i LOVE halloween. i hate scary things but i love halloween. it was a big deal in my growing up. we lived in the middle of my sleepy little town and everyone did halloween during my younger years. my town was only 3,000 people strong and each year we'd get at least 500 trick-or-treaters. everyone around town decorated their houses and passed out candy and it was awesome.

in addition to the usual carving pumpkins and dressing up (which meant group halloween costumes with my friends during my teenage years. everything from the cast of the golden girls to disney princesses to characters from various pauly shore movies, yep we were the coolest teens you will ever meet) we also ate chili every year. my body craves chili on halloween.

i was supposed to do a group costume again this year...me and a few friends were going to go as the spice girls. i was thisclose to convincing them to go karaoke bar hopping performing 'wannabe' at each one but then i realized that october 31st is the day before november 1st and i'm moving on november 1st so that really wasn't going to work. gah.

so now instead of pretending to be posh spice all night (she was the worst spice girl but in the end she married david beckham so it really worked out alright for her) i'm going to be cleaning my apartment in preparation of hauling all of my earthly belongings across the city tomorrow.

and i will be eating chili from wendy's because some halloween traditions are not allowed to die.

i promise i'll be back with an actual frontman next week!

xo

if i had a million dollars.

"what would you spend it on if you were given a million dollars?" 

as a dreamer these kinds of questions make your mind jump to a thousand different places; open a coffee shop, travel the world, start a record label, pay off my school debt (okay, that's the pragmatic side of me thinking and probably what i would actually do)...

...but today i think i would start my own music festival.

i would plan the whole thing myself (because i'm a bit of a control freak, except i'd hire someone to look over contracts because that's a boring job) and basically just bring in bands/artists that i love. and since it's my festival i'm allowed to stand wherever i want and eat backstage food and i would get my own golf cart and it would be awesome.

obviously the most important part of any festival is the line-up. amazingly, all of the artists that i would want would be free on the same days (we'd start small with a 2-day festival) so i wouldn't have to worry about someone not being able to make it (how fortuitous). here is my dream line-up in no particular order:

• switchfoot
• needtobreathe
• paper route
• parachute
• colony house
• judah & the lion
• mat kearney
• the classic crime
• ed sheeran
• ellie goulding
• one republic
• lights
• imagine dragons
• ben rector
• green river ordinance
• the wedding
• dave barnes
• pink? (i feel like i need more ladies)

maybe this list would get no one excited but me but frankly i don't care about your feelings, this is my festival so shut it. 

i told myself all of these bands had to be current because if i put reo speedwagon on the list i'd want old school reo not current day so yes, somewhere in my heart of hearts i believe this could actually happen someday. 

and of course i know that to bring in the bands alone would be over a million dollars which leaves nothing for staging or sound or lights or security or whatever but why are you trying to kill my daydreams?! 

what would you do with a million dollars?

xo

is there such a thing as post-travel depression?

it's monday and i'm back at work. insert sad face.
africa was amazing. i miss it and want to go back. like right now.
london was so much fun to revisit. great showing my mom around.

posting was weird while i was gone. i wrote posts in advance and tried to schedule them but clearly my technological illiteracy won out because only some of them posted. so if you follow this jumbled corner of the internet sorry that i suck at the internet.

i'm moving in 5 days so all i can think about is how i need to get my house packed up. and when i can afford to go back to africa. i also have virtually no food in my house because i was just gone for two weeks and i don't want to go buy food because i don't want to move it. and i can't stop looking at this shiny blister on my finger, i got it when i grabbed a plate with my bare hands that i had just pulled out of a 400 degree oven. i blame it on jet lag.

so all of this to say, HEY! I'M BACK AND I'LL PUT UP A POST WITH SOME PICTURES SOON AND I'LL MAKE SURE THAT I'M BACK ON THE FRONTMAN FRIDAY TRAIN AT SOME POINT AND I'M SURE THERE ARE SOME KILLER ALBUMS THAT RELEASE TOMORROW BUT I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE DATE IS TOMORROW AND MY BOSS WAS NOT THRILLED WHEN I TOLD HIM I'D BE MISSING OPENING NIGHT OF THE FALL PLAY BECAUSE I ALREADY HAVE TICKETS TO SEE JUDAH & THE LION AND WHY IN BLAZES IS SOMEONE PLAYING CHRISTMAS MUSIC WITHIN HEARING DISTANCE OF MY OFFICE AND WOULD ANYONE LIKE TO COME PACK FOR ME?

this is my brain. this is my brain after international travel. (that was supposed to be like those anti-drug commercials with rachel leigh cook and the egg that she smashes with the frying pan. did anyone get that or am i the only one who was impacted by those commercials?) 

xo

frontman friday: harry styles.

this post is coming to you from the past. oooooohhhhhh. (that is supposed to be a spooky ghost noise)

i'm currently halfway around the world so i wrote this two week ago. don't be freaked out, this is the wonders of modern technology. 

okay, now that that's settled, don't hate on me for today's frontman. i know he's 8 years younger than me and the product of simon cowell (who i think is an absolute genius) but he can actually sing and the hair, i mean come on. not to mention that i grew up in the era of boy bands and he's like a nick carter or justin timberlake 2.0, so lay off. 

you get the hair right?: harry styles

dimples and tattoos don't hurt either.

photo credit: um....

he is ,who i would consider anyway, the frontman of 1D...i'm guessing legions of teenage girls would disagree with me. 

no clue why you'd wear that hat with that jersey but it's fine. 

photo credit: 1D

1D is going on a big tour in 2015 and if someone wanted to buy me a ticket i wouldn't say no. i promise i won't fangirl more than necessary. probably during 'little things.' and maybe more if he ends up playing guitar. 

he's already working on his guitar skills in this pic.

photo credit: 1D

dumping taylor swift worked out pretty well for her (heard of a song called "i knew you were trouble"? yeah, that's about him) and it clearly didn't dampen his appeal at all. just more proof that if you've got great hair, a killer accent and can sing you can basically do anything you want. doesn't hurt to be friends with ed sheeran either. 

i would pay hard-earned money to be in the middle of that selfie.

i wasn't kidding about that concert thing.

hope your weekend is everything you want it to be. 

xo

you'll need coffee...

this has been my cover photo on my facebook page for almost a year because it talks about all the things i love; music and traveling and coffee and people. especially people. i would shrivel up into the most depressing ball of human if i didn't have people surrounding me that i loved and cared about and who made me who i am today.

be that person for someone else. that living, breathing, screaming invitation to believe better things.

xo

frontman friday: david duffield

eeeek, i leave tomorrow for AFRICA.
yep, it has made this week painfully slow and i have made some poor choices (like making sure to get travel snacks before getting necessary things done like packing and printing off travel documents, etc. etc.) but i think i am finally ready to go. or as ready as i'll ever be.

i'm also ready for today's frontman's band to release their new album. it's been in the works for awhile.

i'm guessing he's ready too: david duffield

hello fisheye lens

photo credit: i got nothing

david is chief vocalist and songwriter in we are leo

andrew, david, david, jonny, doug = we are leo

photo credit: we are leo

fun facts: my uncle once tried to set up my cousin with david's brother, jonny (he was unaware that jonny was married). it was actually through my uncle that i met these dudes over 4 years ago and we've been friends ever since. they've stayed at my house when their van broke down. we've had talks about music and Jesus. i've sold their merch so they could talk to fans instead of worrying about making change. they were recently signed to dream records. they're wonderful people. 

they've been working on their new record fightback soundtrack for the past couple of years and it releases next week!!! so stoked for these fellas. since they've been working on the record they haven't recorded any new videos lately, so here's an oldie to tide you over 'til a new one comes out.

if you're the praying type, say a prayer for my travels would ya? you know, for safety and open hearts and willing hands and to see God moving in a different part of the world and that i don't kill us in a car accident. 

xo

ed sheeran + dancing = everything i want in a music video

watched this three times at work and then cut myself off because i'm supposed to be working. i really hope someone learns this and does it as their first dance at their wedding. i will pay you $10 american dollars if you do it. scratch that, someone marry me and we'll do it (but i'm forewarning you, i will not be nearly as graceful as the chick in the video). 

OHMYGOSH, right?!

xo

weekend recap...super original, i know.

i leave for africa in 5 days.
there is still a list a mile long of stuff to get done before i leave. so what did i do all weekend? go watch live music obviously. because laundry and organizing all my work stuff and cleaning the house and booking a moving van (did i mention that i'm moving apartments 6 days after i get back from my trip? yeah, i'm an idiot) seemed like no fun at all and live music is tons of fun so i chose that instead. sometimes i'm really not the brightest bulb in the box.

before we get to the concerts, saturday was national taco day (i wish every day was national taco day) so i had some very authentic mexican food (from taco bell) with one of my favorite furry-four-legged friends ever. his name is wonderdog and he LOVES tacos. he was supposed to be patiently waiting for his taco while i took this picture, but who can sit still with a taco in front of their face?

he demolished this taco in approximately 5.8 seconds.
then he sat and stared at me with those big beautiful brown eyes 
until i caved and gave him some of mine.

saturday night there was a benefit concert at my church and my coffee catering buddy and i were asked to do coffee at the event. so we set up our espresso bar and doled out decaf (because it was night and no one wanted regular) lattes, mochas, and americanos while our ears feasted on some local goodness. 2 bands played and they both did a stellar job. proceeds from the evening went to a couple of churches working in the dzalaka refugee camp in malawi africa so definitely a worthwhile cause. and my friend kept making eyes at the drummer in one band. i think they're going to fall in love and have little brunette babies. total win overall for the night.

sunday night i went to see caleb chapman and co. also known as colony house. i had high expectations for these gents...2 of them are the sons of christian music royalty, steven curtis chapman. they used to play with their dad so they've played in front of huge crowds and should know how to put on a decent concert. probably not a fair standard to hold them to but life's not always fair, right? 

their opening acts were decent; they sounded good but the first band was a total snooze fest in the performance department. the second band, knox hamilton, seemed a little more relaxed and confident on stage but i was definitely ready for colony house to take the stage by the time 9:45 rolled around. 

to say i was not disappointed would be an understatement. 

it's really not good to walk into a concert with high expectations and knowing less than a handful of songs (because concerts are always more fun when you can sing along). but these guys brought it. they sounded exactly like they do on their album. they were vulnerable (caleb told the crowd he fears opening his eyes when he's singing and seeing no one listening). they were entertaining. they write meaningful songs. i literally could not think of one thing about the show that i wasn't impressed by.

terrible picture but it was the best one of the ones i took. 
maybe i should invest in a real camera instead of just relying on my phone.
THEY DID SO GREAT.

and now we're back to reality. i need to go pack some boxes and swing by the bank and make copies of my passport (you know, so i can't be stolen or stranded in south africa or whatever people get so concerned about passports for).

xo

frontman friday: gary levox

the weatherman used a 4-letter word to describe today: snow.
ugh, it's only early october! snow should not be a part of the forecast yet. i know it's not going to stick and we've got a slight warm-up around the corner but dang. we had such a terrible winter last year i was really hoping we'd get a year of reprieve...guess not.

so today's frontman is a fella that makes my insides feel warm and happy. mostly because he was a frequent spin when i was younger and just listening to those old songs bring me back to simpler times, the days where your biggest concern was your biology test and who you were going to sit next to at the basketball game.

he brings me back: gary levox

yeah, he's not my typical style frontman but boy can he sing
also, i love that he holds his mic like a comedian 
photo credit: people's choice awards

gary is the spot-on vocals in rascal flatts

i am going to go ahead and assume that all of their eyes have been digitally enhanced
photo credit: rascal flatts

the very first time i heard these gents live was at the good ol' mall of america. one of the local radio stations brought them in for a short (like 3 songs short) acoustic set and mini-interview. they were HOURS late due to inclement weather (these are the reasons i'm not excited for winter). we sat holding our space for at least 7 hours but it was worth it.

we were just told they had gotten to the mall. mixture of excitement and boredom
photo credit: jesse but it was princess helga's camera

the second sighting was just one of them. joe don rooney in a cafe in nashville. and it's nashville and you're not allowed to act like a fan there so there was no picture. and then they came to the MN for the state fair last year but i was too poor to go so my roommate and i found a spot behind the grand stand (not even in the fair grounds, we were that poor/cheap) and listened to the whole show. i don't know how it looked but it sounded fantastic!

i haven't super followed their career as of late but i was a big fan of this trio for many a year. i don't think there's a single of theirs i didn't like. this song, however, still remains a favorite.

it's friday and the end of my work week and holy balls i can't concentrate at all so this post ends here.

live it up this weekend, party people.

xo

ten days and counting.

i leave for africa in 10 days. 10 DAYS. TENDAYS.

i am seriously stoked. stoked to the point that work is d r a g g i n g and i keep dreaming about it. actually my dreams are pretty terrifying, i dream that my tooth keeps breaking off and i'll be in excruciating pain while i'm there (though it is important to note: one of my teeth is legitimately broken and my roommate keeps telling me that i'm going to have to have it pulled by a witch doctor while we're there so it's actually not that weird of a dream).

i have 2 concerns about this trip:
1. i have zero clues about what i'm going to wear. i'm going to be in south africa during their spring and london during their fall (thank you hemisphere differences). so i'm trying to narrow down my wardrobe and plan outfits that could possibly work in both because i only have so much room in my luggage. this is hard my friends. my go-to outfit is leggings and oversized shirts/short dresses which sounds versatile enough but i need to also pack clothes for days where we'll be playing soccer (futbal in SA, though it doesn't actually matter because i am terrible at sports) with the kids at lighthouse mission and potentially helping paint a home. and does climbing a mountain in leggings sound like a bad idea? because i think it sounds perfect. so yeah, packing. i'm probably just going to end up throwing a bunch of stuff in my pack and get there only to realize that i have 15 tank tops, 3 pairs of leggings, 4 pairs of underwear, no bras, no sweatshirts, no socks and i have conveniently forgotten all of my make-up on my sink. YOLO. (i never say that but it felt appropriate in this instance.)
2. driving on the other side of the road. i credit myself to be a pretty good driver and i really enjoy driving but i can guarantee that at some point during this trip i will end up on the right side of the road when i'm supposed to be on the left. it's engrained in me. luckily the pedals are still the same (gas on the right, brake on the left) or we would be in a world of hurt. i've also heard that capetown drivers aren't exactly the world's best. please take a minute and pray for the passengers in my car...that we don't get hit, that i'm aware and alert at all times behind the wheel and that they don't die of a heart attack. amen. praise the Lord i'm not driving in london, hallelujah.

i have some things that are no concern at all:
1. my travel partners. i'm going with my mom and one of my best friends. it's gonna be awesome and the experience of a lifetime. both of them have seen me at my best and my worst (i wish there was an "ugly cry" face i could put here) and they still chose to go on the trip with me. ha, suckers.
2. what we'll be doing. i get to see some friends that i haven't seen in 7 years and see the work they are doing and how they're impacting lives for the Kingdom. they're all rad people and i'm thrilled that they are letting me into their worlds for a few days.
3. getting ebola. everyone must think africa is tiny because whenever i've told people i'm going they're like, "what about ebola?" south africa is about as far from the countries with the outbreaks of ebola as minnesota is from mexico. and now there is a registered case of ebola in the states anyway so let's not live our lives in fear people.
4. safety. yep, i'm going to two very large cities. yep, crime happens in cities. but i promise i'll be smart; i'll always have a buddy and i won't walk in dangerous areas at night and i won't take candy from strangers in white windowless creeper vans. again with that not living our lives in fear thing. don't be stupid but don't let fear stop you from experiencing incredible things.
5. work. i'm getting ahead on stuff that i can and delegating stuff that i can't work ahead on to people i know will take care of it. i will not be easily accessible and i'm so okay with that. i think everyone needs to go off the grid for awhile, even if you're not traveling to a foreign country.
6. my jams. i've been scouring noisetrade and loading up my (borrowed) ipod with tons of songs to be the soundtrack to my countless hours of travel over those two weeks. i have a feeling there will be a lot of switchfoot, judah & the lion, needtobreathe, parachute and paper route being played directly into my ear holes. what can i say, i love listening to my favorites over and over and over and over again.

if you've got any good travel tips, lemme hear 'em!

xo