july music obsessions.

all month i've been hoarding some of my all time favorite listens. none of them are really even that new or obscure, they're just songs i know and love. but if you ask me, those make for the best playlists.so, here's what i've been listening to this  month:
song: all we ask
artist: grizzly bear
album: veckatimest

song: mercy
artist: duffy
album: rockferry

song: somebody that i used to know
aritist: gotye
album: making mirrors

song: jesus the mexican boy
artist: iron & wine
album: the sea & the rhythm

song: the ballad of love and hate
artist: the avett brothers
album: emotionalism

song: shape we made
artist: peggy sue
album: fossils and other phantoms

song: the luckiest, and annie waits
artist: ben folds
album: rockin' the suburbs

song: merry happy (listener's discretion is advised), mariella (listener's discretion is advised), and birds (listener's discretion is advised)
artist: kate nash
album: made of bricks

song: i and love and you
artist: the avett brothers
album: i and love and you

song: somewhere only we know
artist: keane
album: hopes and fears

song: animal
artist: neon trees
album: habits

song: glass
artist: ingrid michaelson
album: girls and boys

song: friends of friends
artist: hospitality
album: friends of friends-indie spotlight free download from iTunes

song: foundations (listener's discretion is advised)
artist: kate nash
album: foundations

song: fire
artist: jesse thomas
album: fire-indie spotlight free download from iTunes

song: falling in love at a coffee shop
artist: landon pigg
album: falling in love at a coffee shop-single

song: horchata
artist: vampire weekend
album: contra

song: love
artist: matt white
album: best days

song: harvest moon
artist: pepper rabbit
album: beauregard

song: i've just seen a face, and hey jude
artist: jim sturgess^, and joe anderson^
album: across the universe sound track

song: fall for you
artist: secondhand serenade
album: a twist in my story

song: someone like you
artist: adele
album: 21

i love summer playlists! what have you been listening to? please, i love sharing new music.

xx

my week of summer-ness: my summer playlist.

helllllo lovelies.
and so, the week of summer-ness continues. yesterday i talked about my summer wishlist. some of them had to do with summer, some of them didn't. but irregardless, i talked about them.
today i'm going to talk about the tuneage.
albums.
songs.
artists.
its all here darlings:

my week of summer-ness.

day two.

my summer playlist.

albums.

1.lovestrong by christina perri

all the songs on here remind me of summer. they are mostly light and simple songs that are really enjoyable to listen to.

aka perfect. summer. music.

and, oh! who knew she had good songs other than Jar of Hearts?

2.the family jewels by marina and the diamonds

she's got a great airy sound that is so easy to sing along to. i have no problem listening to her album over and over and over again. and her lyrics are crazy weird in the best way possible.

consider Marina if you're looking for some tuneage this summer.

3. 21 by adele

girl crush, anyone? everyone has been talking about her (which makes me laugh. i remember when i'd say "i love Adele!" and the response would be "...who?") but oh no, this little lady is no longer obscure.

she's everywhere. so why not summer with her?

4. lungs by florence and the machine

another lovely lady who's got a set of lungs on her. and she's way awesome. in that cool, indie sort of way. her music is so raw and beautiful and awesome.

awesome enough to be on repeat in on your iPod all. summer. long. 

artists.

jack johnson.

john mayer.

kate nash.

regina spektor.

taylor swift.

she&him.

owl city.

ingrid michaelson.

the beatles.

belle & sebastian.

the shins.

mika.

the beach boys.

the kooks.

ben folds.

jason mraz.

best coast.

mgmt.

colbie caillat.

vampire weekend.

the postal service.

rilo kiley.

cascada.

songs.

luckyby colbie caillat & jason mraz, wet hot american summerby cobra starship.

jump ropeby blue october, something like thatby tim mcgraw

summer loveby justin timberlake, beautiful dayby u2

summer moodby best coast, kids in loveby mayday parade

summertimeby bon jovi, teenage dream/california gurlsby katy perry

summer windby michael buble, every morningby sugar ray

a summer wastingby belle & sebastian

the great escape/five minutes to midnight/on top of the worldby boys like girls

firefliesby owl city, summer skinby death cab for cutie

what/who will you be listening to this summer?
share your summer playlist. link. it. up.

♥ ♥

never be ashamed of who you are.

so, i'm an aspiring writer.

right?

right.

and i love that about myself. i love the thought that someday i'll be a published author and someone somewhere in the universe will read my books and maybe even like them.

that being said, it may be surprising to know that i also struggle with telling people that i am a writer. i'm not sure why, but i'm always reluctant to discussing it in face to face conversations.

i'm scared of what people will think.

i'm afraid they wont like my ideas.

i'm afraid they will think i'll never achieve my dream.

i'm worried they will look down at me and laugh. "you? a writer? ha!" they'll say. and i, hanging my head in shame, will shuffle off quietly.

these are the thoughts that instantly spring to my mind when someone tries talking to me about my writing.

last night at work i was jotting down an outline for a story idea i had. while i was doing so, a co-worker of mine approached me and began asking questions about what i was doing. i was so reluctant to tell him.

it shouldn't be so hard for me to say "i want to be a writer." out loud.

yes. some people may look at me and think "yeah, right. she'll never write anything that sells." but that's not something that should stop me, right?

if writing is something i truly love and plan on doing, there should be nothing that should make me feel ashamed of that fact.

i realized that last night as the co-worker continued to ask me questions and i stumbled through my answers.

i realized that so what if he doesn't like my ideas. i'm not writing books for his personal enjoyment, am i?

so what if people think i'll never do it.

so what.

so what!

the only person that matters in this situation is me.

and i shouldn't be ashamed of wanting to be anything but what my heart desires.

i shouldn't be scared that i'll fail.

because i know i wont.

with that realization in mind, i'm begging all of you to please, never settle for less than what you deserve.

never be afraid to look someone in the eyes and with all the surety in the world express to them your dreams and aspirations.

and never, ever, EVER be ashamed of who you are.