So...instead of making my first post INCREDIBLY long, I just decided to do two posts.

So my weekend was...packed.   We did Lacrosse Friday night, cleaning like ALL DAY Saturday, and Basketball and the Oscars yesterday.

Just let me say first, our women's lacrosse team kicks ass!  We play in shorts (I don't know how I feel about this but whatev.)  We're ranked #1 in the Inside Lacrosse poll.  We look fuckin' awesome!  It's still not soccer.  Nothing will ever replace our women's soccer team in my heart but it is a lot of fun.

Also, I've determined that I need new icons.  Yeah.  I've got lots of fandoms in lots of different arenas but I don't have icons for them.  Say I'm talking about soccer...or basketball...or lacrosse...or Harry Potter (which may start showing up more)...or BAM (my new canon ship...I'll get to it in a bit?)  Seriously, I need to make myself more avatars.  It's going on this huge list of things I need to do.

Also, it's officially begun.  I've started on the journey of full length fan fic.  I posted my South fic intro.  I say South fic because I honestly don't know if it will be Spashley centric or not.  For me, I can't imagine a world, show-wise, in which Spencer and Ashley don't work out.  Mostly I just don't want to.  However, in my world, I'm not sure they will.  They don't start out together and I don't know that they'll end up together.  Right now I'm working on my first chapter and it's certainly not a happy, cheery one.  I guess we'll just see where she goes.




And now...it's Monday.  I hate Mondays but at least this Monday means that my boss will be gone for the rest of the week. YES!  She's got training in Kansas City tomorrow through Friday so Christa and I will be on our own.  The week may not be so bad.

The BAM board is down...which makes me sad because I finally found an awesome fic that I was completely enjoying and now I can't read anymore of it.  How can you exceed bandwidth on a fucking board?  ARGH.

Today...I don't know.  I'm still finishing up those damn assessment packets.  Otherwise...probably more BAM clips for me.  I'm addicted.  Hey...there are way more than Spashley clips and, to be frank, South isn't exactly inspiring right now. 

OH!  We officially got renewed though!  Sixteen new eps hopefully starting in August but by Sept for sure.  I miss my good Spash.  I want them back.

Since I love supporting indie artists (in music and film) I thought I'd take this opportunity to present a few people to you. (Especially since I'm listening to them this morning.)

Check out Colbie Caillat. She's an amazing singer/songwriter from CA. Voice like honey I tell you. Nice, easy sound. Makes me think of the beach. Smooth. Mostly happy songs, all real.

Check out Sara Bareilles. A personal favorite of mine. She's quite the accomplished pianist who writes very catchy songs. With a deep, rich voice, this girl is hard to resist. Gravity is an amazing song.

Secondhand Serenade...just go check him out...NOW. Seriously, amazing singer/songwriter who writes beautiful songs.

If you like jazz, even a little bit, you must listen to Madeleine Peyroux. She sounds JUST like Billie Holiday. Really. Just like. Vocally anyway. The music is soft, wafting jazzy soul.

I'm not a huge folk/bluegrass fan so if I'm recommending a folk/bluegrass band, this should tell you something. Give The Wailin' Jennys a try. They have a very unique sound. Three Canadian chicks who do all of their own music. Yes, some of it is quite traditional but it's gorgeous none the less.

One final artist for you. She's not indie by any stretch of the imagination but she doesn't really get played here much and music this good deserves to be heard. Missy Higgins is simply lovely. Amazing lyricist. Australian, which is part of why she doesn't get carried here as much. All For Believing...just an incredible song. Give her a try.


Just a couple of films that profoundly affected me:

Paradise Now takes a look at Palestinian suicide bombers through the eyes of two men who would have themselves counted among their ranks. It's their story but it's the story of a nation in conflict as well. It doesn't proport to express the views of all or even many. It's just an honest, unflinching look at the lives of two men and one woman affected by the war that's be raging between Israel and Palestine for years. It was nominated for Best Foreign Film of the Year in 2006 at the Oscars and won numerous other awards at film festivals all over the world.

Dirty Pretty Things tells the story of two illegal immigrants living in London. Chiwetel Ejiofor and Audrey Tautou give breathtaking performances in a film that takes a look at what life is like for illegal immigrants just trying to survive in a country that is not their own. It is not so much a commentary on policy as one on human beings and how we treat and deal with those around us. It is, at its heart, a story of the resilience of the human spirit and the courage we can find in ourselves.