MGMT - Electric Feel

Because 115 plays (not counting the ones in the car, on CTV, or on YouTube) and 5 months later, I am still obsessed with this song.

(I don't know wtf is up with this video but I couldn't find a version of the actual one that would let me embed. Here's the real one... it's like LOTR + LSD... and almost as addictive as the song itself haha.)

Snow Patrol - The Golden Floor

Back! Tired. Love new roommates already. Nearly spent the last twenty-four hours in bed. Nervous about school. MAC this weekend aaaaaaaaah.

Songs with clapping in them = yay.

Death Cab for Cutie - The New Year

Only three resolutions this year...

1. Look beyond myself: in relationships and friendships, in my very spoiled and privileged life, but most of all when it comes to family matters.
2. Be dedicated, passionate, and focused about the things I do. This not only includes being a good student but also sticking to my word when I decide to achieve something.
3. And the obligatory but futile: don't be a fatass.

I can't believe I'm returning to Philadelphia. The entirety of last year's Spring semester was spent holed up in my room researching and applying and studying so I could escape this place--and after all that, I'm finally going back. I'm nervous as fuck. The escape that my parents and the engineering school mercifully granted brought me to the other side of the world and back, made me mature more than I thought possible, and gave me the best year of my life thus far. No amount of thanks could fully express my gratitude for the opportunity I had to experience white sands, southeast Asia, Meeting the Parents, Spice Girls, Kiwi hospitality, endless green hills at the edge of the ocean, friends across the globe, Darling Harbour, night market labyrinths, becoming a New Yorker, all this time at home. I am grateful I was given a clean slate and the chance to figure out how to be happy--four years ago, my defeatist self never ever thought it possible. It's been a mind-blowing, life-changing six month vacation... and now the vacation's over.

Going back to school, I feel like I have to repent for all the mistakes I made in frosh and soph years, as well as work extra hard to make up for all the money I spent jetting around the globe. I'm so nervous I just popped an entire sheet of bubble wrap. But I'm excited too. Yeah, there still stands that crippling fear that my moodiness was situational and as soon as I come back to the stress and competition of school it'll become clear that nothing has really changed and I'll go back into hiding, but... I'm determined not to let that happen. Hope it won't. I guess I'm mainly excited to see how this semester plays out, even if I fail miserably.

This is even more affecting than my first step back on U.S. soil (I spent two hours afterwards chatting cheerfully to my parents like I returned from a week summer camp) or even New Year's (despondent and so out of it I only remember 2 of the last 10 seconds of 08). So even more than November 15th or January 1st, today is the beginning of my new year. Things are gonna be different whether or not I want them to be.

Doves - Caught By The River

Top Ten Winter Moments (in no particular order):

1) Covering Switchfoot, Taking Back Sunday, and The Spill Canvas songs late into the night with Mike and Kev. Thinking up vocal arrangements and harmonies to Kevin's guitar, then recording and performing them for our parents the next day. My childhood friends/two extra bros! We've known each other since before we could talk. TRY.

2) Discovering our retard alter-egos in an epic game of Psychiatrist. Aid... us? H...... H.... rocks! Zoo! Platypus! Shunnnnn. Hitting on Alex and dying when he didn't give us enough attention. Horrible impressions of each other. Everything having to do with cocks. And let's throw Bill Clinton in for good measure, too.

3) The real life version of Lou Reed's Perfect Day was pretty much like this: quest for Magnolia cupcakes, panda porn in the Museum of Sex, ice skating lessons in Central Park, DIY noodles in Chinatown, talking over crappy bubble tea.

4) New Year's Eve, which I hardly remember.

5) Sporadic midnight McDonald's runs: fogged breath and french fries on the hood of Tom's car. Yes we're going to get fat off the Dollar Menu. Yes, it's all about the h-o-n-e-y m-USTARD. Yes, the frozen fingers were extremely worth it.

6) A deep conversation with Eric in Red Lobster. He never fails to amaze me with unwavering support, meal-utensil clumsiness, and sage advice. The cow brunch place, Speed Racer, bululup! ahhh I'm going to miss my big bro.

7) Mistakes. Honesty. Revelations. Growing up a little bit. All at the hands of a little device that I'm told could give me brain cancer, but that's okay.

8) Talking about boys and nude photography with a certain relative of mine over The Princess Bride. And then cuddling because her shoebox of an apartment isn't large enough for a guest futon. My (second) cousin is basically the older sister I never had--she even curled my hair before work!

9) That moment I looked around at our ragtag group of friends and realized how much I'm going to miss them and our fun times on this boring island. Some of these friendships are eight years and going, some feel like they barely started, yet when somebody says Remember that time...? we ALL remember and it's too hilarious to handle.

10) Visiting Penn and realizing I didn't feel as out of place as I thought I would.

OneRepublic - Say (All I Need)

I said, all I need is the air I breathe and a place to rest my head.

Rilo Kiley - Close Call

Posting a song is becoming a mini-highlight of my day. Throughout the morning I've been perusing my iPod and weighing my choices and now I finally get to post it woot. So. Close Call? I don't quite connect with the meaning of this song but the way it sounds totally matches how I felt yesterday. It's amazing to me that although I can't even begin to explain or categorize that emotion, a melody and a beat does it perfectly. I find that to be the beauty of music.

PS I hate olives. My liver hurts. It's my last day at work. I can't wait to get home.

Flight of the Conchords - Bret, You've Got It Going On

I woke up with this song stuck in my head. Anyways, totally random but I keep passing by or looking up these places but haven't gone... causing this list to pile up in my head:

- Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar (expensive but wine+chocolate=heaven)
- That Japanese place (on St. Marks that has after-meal self-serve cotton candy and a scary bear statue in the front... donno the name)
- Pinkberry (because I've been to Red Mango and was disappointed at the limit of only three!! flavors)
- Tacky Indian Restaurant on the top-left (cause out of the four TIRs there I went to Panna II on the top-right, pictured, and heard the top-left was tackier)
- Chinatown Ice Cream Factory
- Momofuku Noodle Bar (great ramen but has bad reviews?)
- Magnolia Bakery (again, to eat the heavenly white-chocolate macadamia cheesecake and because I didn't get to try the cupcakes last time)

Ryan Adams - Wonderwall

All the roads we have to walk are winding
And all the lights that lead us there are blinding
There are many things that I would
Like to say to you
But I don't know how

Because maybe... you're gonna be the one who saves me
And after all... you're my wonderwall

edit: i reallyreallycannot stop listening to this song. reasons for this would be (1) i'm learning it on the guitar :D (2) i keep flashing back to the seth/summer scene in season 1 (3) it's so damn beautiful yo

Umbrellas - Ships

1. Umbrellas - Ships 204
   
2. Stars - One More Night (Your Ex-Lover Remains Dead) 168
3. Goo Goo Dolls - Here Is Gone 162
   
4. Anya Marina - Move You (Slow & Steady Seduction Phase II) 159
   
5. Umbrellas - The City Lights 152
   
6. Stars - Your Ex-Lover Is Dead 139
   
7. Death Cab For Cutie - Photobooth 138
   
8. KT Tunstall - Other Side Of The World 137
   
9. Athlete - Tourist 132
   
10. Eagle-Eye Cherry - Save Tonight 132
    
11. Rilo Kiley - Dreamworld 132
    
12. KT Tunstall - Universe & U 128
    
13. Rilo Kiley - Portions For Foxes 127
    
14. Death Cab For Cutie - Summer Skin 126
    
15. Goo Goo Dolls - Slide 125
    

I've lost my blogging mojo for the moment--I think that until I figure out how to act with a little more care and consideration, this will become a boring music blog. Hopefully 2009 will be filled with fewer words and overcomplications, more singing.

These are the top 15 songs (and play counts) on my iTunes playlist. Observations: The only new entries since 2007 are #4/11/13. Ben Folds is strangely not on this list. This is heavily Grey's-influenced. #1 has unwaveringly retained its place at the top ever since I discovered it freshman year even though I could swear I never listen to it any more. Yay Umbrellas! Companion on late nights with bright screens--you're so lovably emo.

Just like ships, we float through each other's lives
Through the waters of beauty and grace
We will one day dock at the same port
And give rest to our weary legs
There is a light placed up in the sky
Like the stained glass, time slows down
I wish I could sleep, I wish I could dream
I love the sound of my feet against these empty streets
I saw the whole town burn down
I'm walking away
Nothing stays, these feelings have wings
Our arms outstretched, we are soaring

Goo Goo Dolls - Better Days

And you asked me what I want this year
and I try to make this kind and clear
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days
'cause I don't need boxes wrapped in strings
and designer love and empty things
just a chance that maybe we'll find better days

So take these words and sing out loud
'cause everyone is forgiven now
'cause tonight's the night the world begins again

Sia - Soon We'll Be Found

So come along, it wont be long
'Til we return happy
Shut your eyes, there are no lies
In this world we call sleep
Let’s desert this day of hurt
Tomorrow we’ll be free

Oasis - Live Forever

I am seriously re-obsessed with this song. Trying to learn a lot of Oasis songs on the guitar because I wanna be like Musical Cousin or CS-TA-in-NZ or the fabulous, godly Liam Gallagher.
Maybe I don't really want to know
How your garden grows
I just want to fly
Lately did you ever feel the pain
In the morning rain
As it soaks it to the bone

Maybe I just want to fly
I want to live I don't want to die
Maybe I just want to breathe
Maybe I just don't believe
Maybe you're the same as me
We see things they'll never see
You and I are gonna live forever

Mae - Breakdown

An old song I really like...