Month in Music: February 2015

Each month, I make a Spotify playlist with songs that I'm feeling for the month. Follow me on Spotify to see these lists as they are made. At the end of the month, I'll post the playlist here, with some explanation for the songs that have been filling my speakers, and how they relate to my life.

Wake up, it's March! This year is one sixth over; this is no time to be slacking. February was a short month, which means it's so much more motivating to set February goals than New Year's resolutions. For me, the second month of the year is when I set my goals. You saw my post about my blog goals, and I had also been trying to get a job like a madwoman. So my music needs to help me out -- by pumping me up and making me sing out loud.

Let's have some fun this month with my February playlist!

Hitting That High
Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons - Stay
Misterwives - Reflections
Borns - Electric Love

Baby you're like lightning in a bottle. I can't let you go now that I've got it. - Borns

Hitting super high notes is kind of a challenge, but these songs are just way to much fun to not sing along to. Singing gets my mind off whatever challenges I'm facing, and this month these songs definitely distracted me from my job hunt and a rough ground delay before flying to Florida.


Girl Power
Kelly Clarkson - Heartbeat Song
Katy Perry - Firework
Florence and the Machine - Shake it Out

I can feel it rising, temperature inside of me. Haven't felt for a long time. - Kelly Clarkson

Motivation! This month was all about buckling down and really setting my mind to getting things done when it came to job searching. And guess what? It paid off! I start a new job next week. What better place for that motivation to come from than some fellow women who are really showing us all how it's done?


Get Up & Dance
Mark Ronson - Uptown Funk
Simon & Garfunkel - Cecilia
Michael Franti & Spearhead - I'm Alive (Life Sound Like)
New Politics - Harlem

Everybody wants me to who they want me to be except you. All I wanna do is be with you. - Michael Franti

Most of the time, I listen to songs that I like to sing along to. This month, with the chilling temperatures and crazy cabin fever, I picked some songs that really made me want to grab my puppy's little paws and dance with her! So put these tunes on and really jam out.


Lighthearted Love
Us the Duo - No Matter Where You Are
Thurston Harris - Little Bitty Pretty One
Betty Who - Somebody Loves You

Somebody misses you when you're away. They want to wake up with you everyday. - Betty Who

The relationship between me and The Boy has been taking a slight hit with my unemployment. We're not sure how my new job is going to affect things, especially with his weird hours. In February, these songs reminded me of The Boy when he was out of the house working or we were traveling separately. However, the happy and upbeat nature of these particular love songs kept my head in a good mood, even when we had to be apart.


Calm & Happy
The Avett Brothers - Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise
Corinne Bailey Rae - Put Your Records On
Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox - Shake it Off

If you're loved by someone you're never rejected. Decide whatt to be and go be it. - The Avett Brothers

After long days of job searching, cover letters, resume editing, and interviews, I just wanted to relax and unwind. These slower jams definitely helped me do that, but their positive nature sent me some good vibes. Now, I don't know if it was the music, but I did get offered that job, so it certainly didn't hurt!



Full Playlist

Month in Music: January 2015

Each month, I make a Spotify playlist with songs that I'm feeling for the month. Follow me on Spotify to see these lists as they are made. At the end of the month, I'll post the playlist here, with some explanation for the songs that have been filling my speakers, and how they relate to my life.

Oh January. To most people, you symbolize a fresh start. In musical terms, you represent finally getting The First Noel unstuck from my head. Between the Holiday Season recovery, winter weather warnings, and going into hibernation mode with far too many carbs, I like my January music to be relaxed, but not so much that it makes me want to crawl back into my cozy bed.

Only You - The Platters
Such Great Heights - The Postal Service
5 Years Time - Noah and the Whale

"I'm always pretty happy when I'm just kicking back with you"


This year, the first month has represented a bit of a change for me, but not exactly in the resolution sense. For the first time, my boyfriend and I are actually living together, without traveling every other weekend for holidays, family, and sporting events with friends.

We are trying to mesh our lifestyles together, and sometimes that's harder than we make it look. We grew up in very different families, and it's time for us each to decide what aspects of our childhoods we want our lives to include. And we're also making those decisions together. It's easy to forget why, so a few love songs can put my mind back in place.

Super Rad - The Aquabats
Get Ready 2 Rokk - Freezepop
Hand in My Pocket - Alanis Morisette

"And what it all comes down to, is everything's gonna be fine, fine, fine"


Finances are a big part of our lives right now, along with budgeting. While I'm unemployed, we don't want to spend any unnecessary money. One paycheck in this part of the country is just not enough for luxuries. However, we find ways to treat ourselves when we have to.

During my job search, motivation is extremely important. It's easy to get distracted by the internet, and it's tough to face rejections. I'm finding motivation in my music, either by listening to the words, or singing along. When it comes to these songs, I'm not looking for something that will get me up and moving, like a workout playlist, but just some tunes that get my mind into the right frame

The World Spins Madly On - The Weepies
New Slang - The Shins
1,2,3,4 - Feist

"I watch the stars from my window sill, the whole world is moving and I'm standing still"



I spend a lot of time with myself out here. Days when the Boy works, it's mostly just me, Tessa, and my computer. I find myself with a lot of time to think, write, and work on projects. I also find that there are times when I don't want to do any of those things, and I am just trapped in my own head.

These relaxed, and somewhat sad, songs give me company. They exist on a plane that is the same as mine, and in that moment that I am listening, they are a friend. And really, isn't that what music is supposed to be overall?

But wait, there's more ...

That's not the entire playlist, just the songs that are really resonating with me. I'm always listening just for the sake of good music as well. And I'm constantly trying to expand my musical horizons. Check out the entire playlist below:


Please leave me music suggestions: What have you been listening to this month? Any particular reason?

White Honey Milk Bread

Have you tried stress baking?

I have to highly recommend it, especially when you're unemployed and just having one of those days where the job hunt is not working at all in your favor. In college, I used to make cupcakes around finals. Not only did mixing the batter and frosting ease my mind, but I also got to eat cupcakes.

Today, I wanted something a little more cathartic than icing miniature cakes, though. So, it was time to bake some bread. A lot of people think making bread is hard, especially when you can buy a loaf for $1.50 in the grocery store, presliced and everything.

It's not hard. It's hard work, but it's not hard. Bread is a lot of waiting. Mix. Rise. Punch. Rise. Separate. Rise. Bake. Cool. Three of those steps involve actual doing, while the others are just waiting.

But the waiting is fantastic. Your whole house starts to smell like yeast, and that is just perfect. The smell of yeasty rising bread is never a bad thing.

I have three favorite parts of making bread:

1. When you're mixing with a spoon and adding flour, the dough suddenly becomes too difficult to pull the spoon around the bowl. This is when you flour your hands and get them in there and messy. Consider it a bonus if someone else is around, and you get to wiggle your doughy fingers in their face saying, "Mmm dough!"

2. When you leave the bread to rise and don't peek for an hour, when you come back, it will have doubled in size. What once fit in the bowl is now overflowing it. So you punch it down, and you can feel the air bubble compressing and collapsing. So relaxing.

3. Obviously, eating the bread.

I based my bread on some generic recipes for honey milk bread, but found that they called for far too much flour. I used six cups measured and mixed in before flouring my hands and throwing in little bits until the texture was right. My recipe is below.

White Honey Milk Bread
Makes 2 loaves, Bake at 375 for 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups milk, warmed in the microwave for 1:30
2 packets (or 4 1/2 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup (or half a stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon of salt
6 cups flour, plus up to 2 cups extra for kneading
Oil for greasing

Instructions:

1. Mix the yeast into the warm milk until mostly dissolved in a very large bowl. Then add the honey, butter, and salt and keep mixing until smooth
2. Add the flour, one cup at a time, incorporating it completely into the wet ingredients. When it gets difficult to mix with a spoon, flour your hands and begin mixing with those instead.
3. Continue adding flour a little at a time until the dough is stretchy but not overly sticky. Knead any excess flour from the bowl edges into the dough
4. Grease the top of the dough with a little bit of oil and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and a clean kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm, dry spot to rise.
5. After the dough has doubled in size (about an hour) remove the towel and plastic wrap and punch it down.
6. Break the dough into two halves, and place each in a greased loaf pan. Grease the top of each loaf, and cover with plastic wrap and a towel.
7. After the dough has double again (about half an hour) bake at 375 for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and dry on the top.
8. Remove loaves from oven and pan, cool on a cooling rack and place covered  in a cool, dry place until ready to serve.
9. Cut yourself off a slice and spread some honey butter or strawberry preserves. Mmm. 

Friday Five Things [08/16/13]

1. Well, I got offered a job and I'm moving to Arizona! It's going to be quite a change for this northeastern girl, but hey, it could be exciting and fun. It's definitely going to be an adventure, right? Moving will be better than being stuck subletting and crashing on couches while looking for work.

I Love New York

I was offered a job this past week that involves me moving clear across the country.

While I'm excited for the position, the adventure in a new city, and the chance to really start a life where I'm not worried about being broke constantly, I've come to love upstate New York as my home, and I'm truly going to miss many things about it.

Friday Five Things [07/12/13]

My Fourth of July look from last week!

1. By the time you read this, I'll be in San Francisco. The whole family will be here by tonight because it's time for B's wedding this weekend! The actual wedding is on Sunday afternoon, but there's family events all weekend and then a hop down to Disneyland for some of us. After California, I might be flying back to the east coast but heading to DC with the Boy instead of going straight home.

Outtake from an upcoming post on deviled eggs!

2. I've rediscovered SwagBucks, which is an easy way to earn points for gift cards by doing stuff you do everyday - like searching the internet! I'm working toward getting some money in PayPal, and I'm really close to my goal. If you need a little extra cash, you should sign up here, and I'll get referral points!

Little creek through a broken window in a friend's garage

3. I've been working on my novel, and I hope you've enjoyed what I've posted so far. If you haven't read it yet, be sure to click on the Camp NaNoWriMo tab above where you can read some of what I have written. Please leave comments and criticisms!

4. Most of this week has been all about prepping for being out of town next week. That means laundry, packing, cleaning out the fridge, cleaning up my room a little bit, and making sure all my travel plans are in order. It also means writing lots of extra blog posts to post throughout the week. So don't worry, just because I'm gone doesn't mean there's no posts - there might just not be as many!

Some dippers from our beer and cheese fondue

5. The job market still looks dismal for me. Even with local businesses when I ask if they're hiring, they just say to apply online and then I never hear a word. How does anyone get a job anywhere? As for a career job, I'm working on it - lots of cover letters every single day and usually no response at all, even if I follow up! It's just disheartening.

Friday Five Things [06/28/13]

Pretty much the summary of the weather up here. 

1. Wait, hold on. Is June already almost over? Wow! I hope the rest of this summer goes by that fast. Summer's not exactly my favorite seasons, but I've been keeping myself super busy with blogging and online classes and obviously adventures. There are more adventures to come: I'm going to California, down to DC, and maybe I'll finally learn to drive. (Yeah, yeah, I know).

Friday Five Things [06/21/13]

1. It's the First Day of Summer! Happy summer guys! That means it's also National Wear Your Lilly Day, so of course I am. I'm wearing my pink, lace Lilly Pulitzer skirt with a grey tank top and a white and pink polka dot (with hidden Mickeys!) scarf. My toenails are hot pink to match. Here's a picture of me wearing a similar outfit on a cruise ship this past spring.

May in Review

I know it's been a couple weeks since I've posted, but hopefully this quick review post will let you know what I've been up to and why I haven't been as attentive as I would have liked to this blog.

So, here we are at the end of May, which is honestly crazy, because I'm nearly positive I was pulling out my green Flogging Molly t-shirt to wear to the bar on St Paddy's like last week or so. However, a lot has happened since the middle of March, and much of it in this great month of May.

Friday Five Things [05/10/13]

My nails this week: Wet N Wild Ebony Hates Chris and an accent in Revlon Radiant and Sally Hanson In The Spotlight

1. A year ago, I was finished with my undergraduate studies at college. I didn't walk in my graduation, so I don't have that huge moment, but walking out of my last class on May 16, 2012 is pretty much that victory for me. I cannot believe it's been a year, and really what a wild year it has been. I might think of doing a year in review or perhaps starting up monthly reviews for this blog. Hmm...

Friday Five Things [03/29/13]

1. There are so many posts I want to make that I don't have pictures for. I sort of wish I carried my camera around and used it more. However, I also don't want to be that person who is always worried about taking pictures and less about living in the moment. It's all about finding that balance, which seems to be a pretty heavy theme in my life lately.

Cover Letters

My whole life, I've been writing the same cover letter.

You know what I mean - not the exact same word-for-word submission to each job. That would be ridiculous. No, I mean the same formatted cover letter. I've got it down to a science at this point, and I can knock one out in under twenty minutes.

A Cover Letter (In Animated Gifs)

Hi hiring manager!

I Do Work ... A Lot

Sometimes (read: most of the time) I eat breakfast at 1 pm.

Half of my typical breakfast. Sometimes I also have canned pears, classy.

Please don't read that sentence and think that I'm just a lazy bum, because after breakfast my day tends to get pretty hectic. My Google calendar has every hour of the day from 2 pm to 10:30 or 11 mapped out. Write a blog post here, apply for jobs there, do online class lectures and quizzes in between.