I love to sing. That won't ever change, it's not something I will ever STOP doing. I can't. BUT, songwriting, although I've done it since I was a 5 year old, bored, only-child is something that has always come and gone with the winds of inspiration. Lately, I've been writing again....which gives me this huge sense of accomplishment when I get somewhere with a song. Now, to be fair, stepping back from my latest songs I'm not hugely thrilled with the amazing creativity of them, but just the mere fact that I'm taking time to write excites me. The song I'm most proud of lately is a song commissioned by the planners of this 6th grade retreat that Nick and I are leading next weekend. The theme of the weekend is "Transformers" but they didn't have a theme song! Enter Kelsey. Ever since I penned the wildly popular "Go the Extra Mile" for Lifeway's Centri-kid camp of the same name, I've prided myself on my children's-theme-song writing (notice a hint of sarcasm). But seriously....there is something so fun about writing kids songs! My song "Transforming" is the latest.....it's great fun to sing and play....I hope they like it next weekend!
This writing spurt has happened because Nick and I are trying to be intentional about getting an album recorded THIS YEAR. He has a studio for an office and we rarely take advantage of it for ourselves. Mostly because we haven't been writing like we should be...but now we are! Hopefully sometime in the near future we'll have something to show for it.
Which brings me to band names. If you have any suggestions please let me know. We cannot just be Nick and Kelsey Jones. That is lame. AfterJune was our original thought, but we're not so thrilled about that anymore. Anyway....
New songs, new duo, new band name. Yay for songwriting, singing, recording, and a husband who can do all of the above with me!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
I have six minutes
to write until my piano student gets here.
I got my hair cut today. It's very liberating. I've been feeling like change is in the air....like it's coming. A new job? A new town? Something. I got impatient waiting for it so I just made it happen a little bit on my own. Today. By cutting my hair...six inches of it, off.
Change is good, scary when you like where you are, but good. Keeps you on your toes. Reminds you that the only home we'll ever know comes later. Not here. Not earth.
I am happy with the life I've been given. It's wonderful most times. Even when it's horrible it adds color to the canvas. Gotta have the dark to appreciate the light.
I've been writing more songs lately. I made a New Years resolution to start journaling again and I haven't. I've been writing some song ideas down and working on those a bit....IN my journal....but no real entries. Why is getting alone with my thoughts so hard? I know it's rewarding AFTER I do it, but it's like pulling teeth to do it. Maybe I'll start tonight.
I hear little voices outside. Time for some music.
I got my hair cut today. It's very liberating. I've been feeling like change is in the air....like it's coming. A new job? A new town? Something. I got impatient waiting for it so I just made it happen a little bit on my own. Today. By cutting my hair...six inches of it, off.
Change is good, scary when you like where you are, but good. Keeps you on your toes. Reminds you that the only home we'll ever know comes later. Not here. Not earth.
I am happy with the life I've been given. It's wonderful most times. Even when it's horrible it adds color to the canvas. Gotta have the dark to appreciate the light.
I've been writing more songs lately. I made a New Years resolution to start journaling again and I haven't. I've been writing some song ideas down and working on those a bit....IN my journal....but no real entries. Why is getting alone with my thoughts so hard? I know it's rewarding AFTER I do it, but it's like pulling teeth to do it. Maybe I'll start tonight.
I hear little voices outside. Time for some music.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Kelsey and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.
It has a happy ending though....
When I was in elementary school we read this book called "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day."
Ever had one of those? I did, last Friday. Now, before I rant, let me tell you that today, three days removed, I am in much better spirits and I fully recognize how petty and superficially "bad" last Friday was (I mean, no one died)....but nonetheless it was one of THOSE days.
Since I got married I have changed my name on all my bank cards, social security card, etc etc.....except my license. Now, I DID make one attempt around August to try to get a new license in Alabama with my new name on it. Currently, I have a Tennessee-issued license with my old name on it. Since my first attempt to get a new one sent me on a wild-goose-chase to three DMV's in the greater Birmingham area I was in no rush to try again. But, with a new year comes new resolutions and I had resolved to try once again for an AL license.
So, I woke up at 7AM on Friday morning (we all know it's best to be early to the DMV....at least that's what I learned on the first attempt) and my sweet husband even offered to go along with me to keep me company during the expected long wait. When we got there I went to the appropriate door, showed the lady my passport, old TN ID, and new social security card, I explained that the name-change thing and she gave me a number and told me to have a seat. So we did. We waited....
........and waited
..................and waited
And finally, 1 hour and 45 minutes later, my number was called. I walked in, handed another lady my stuff, and she asked if I had my marriage license with me. I said "no, I was told last time that I didn't need that." She rolled her eyes, pushed herself up from her seat and dragged into the office next door. When she came back she said "we have to have your marriage license. How are we supposed to know you didn't just change your name on your card wah wah wah wah...." To which I replied "ok, i have my OLD social security card, I have MR. JONES sitting outside, AND this is the SECOND time I have tried to do this! If I need to have FOUR forms of ID put it on your website!"
"well maaam, I've never even pulled up our website, people get a lot of conflicting info from it I think" she replied.
"then get the administrator to FIX IT!! OR put it on one of the 15 hand-written signs you have up on the door!!! This is ridiculous."
I grabbed my ID's out of her hands and stomped out.
Nick and I walked to the car....i was shaking....I let out a couple of words I wouldn't want Jesus to hear me say and then I started crying.
Now, I usually don't get THAT mad....or say the words I said that morning but I think my anger was really the tip of the iceberg of dealing with a few things like frustrations from getting my name changed, living in Alabama, living in Alabama, dealing with stupid people, dealing with stupid people in Alabama, seeing our US government be the most poorly run operation in the country.....you know....
SO...I will be keeping my TN ID until I move out of this state or until 2011 when it expires.
But this is not the end of the story.
To make myself feel better I thought I would go shopping. I grabbed a Bed, Bath and Beyond gift card and headed out the door. As soon as I pulled in to park I realized I had left the 20% off coupon at home....not a big deal to you maybe, but to me, yes. So I turned around and went back home.
It gets worse, when I got out of the car, I hit my head. Hard.
This began another crying fit and the feeling of "I give up, this day is trashed, I am going to go plant myself on the couch."
Enter Nick.
"It's only noon! You still have half of the day left! Let's hang out and do something fun!"
After some more convincing, we went on shopping attempt number two. The day got better. Nick bought me some new wine glasses and offered to make me dinner. When we got home he made me a bath and filled the bathroom with candles! He made pecan encrusted chicken for dinner, got a bottle of my favorite red wine, and then rented "Once" and brought me some milkduds from the movie store (my favorite!). ("Once" is awesome too, btw, if you haven't already seen it)
All was not lost. The day got better. And I am still Kelsey Lynn Howard in TN at least :-)
When I was in elementary school we read this book called "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day."
Ever had one of those? I did, last Friday. Now, before I rant, let me tell you that today, three days removed, I am in much better spirits and I fully recognize how petty and superficially "bad" last Friday was (I mean, no one died)....but nonetheless it was one of THOSE days.
Since I got married I have changed my name on all my bank cards, social security card, etc etc.....except my license. Now, I DID make one attempt around August to try to get a new license in Alabama with my new name on it. Currently, I have a Tennessee-issued license with my old name on it. Since my first attempt to get a new one sent me on a wild-goose-chase to three DMV's in the greater Birmingham area I was in no rush to try again. But, with a new year comes new resolutions and I had resolved to try once again for an AL license.
So, I woke up at 7AM on Friday morning (we all know it's best to be early to the DMV....at least that's what I learned on the first attempt) and my sweet husband even offered to go along with me to keep me company during the expected long wait. When we got there I went to the appropriate door, showed the lady my passport, old TN ID, and new social security card, I explained that the name-change thing and she gave me a number and told me to have a seat. So we did. We waited....
........and waited
..................and waited
And finally, 1 hour and 45 minutes later, my number was called. I walked in, handed another lady my stuff, and she asked if I had my marriage license with me. I said "no, I was told last time that I didn't need that." She rolled her eyes, pushed herself up from her seat and dragged into the office next door. When she came back she said "we have to have your marriage license. How are we supposed to know you didn't just change your name on your card wah wah wah wah...." To which I replied "ok, i have my OLD social security card, I have MR. JONES sitting outside, AND this is the SECOND time I have tried to do this! If I need to have FOUR forms of ID put it on your website!"
"well maaam, I've never even pulled up our website, people get a lot of conflicting info from it I think" she replied.
"then get the administrator to FIX IT!! OR put it on one of the 15 hand-written signs you have up on the door!!! This is ridiculous."
I grabbed my ID's out of her hands and stomped out.
Nick and I walked to the car....i was shaking....I let out a couple of words I wouldn't want Jesus to hear me say and then I started crying.
Now, I usually don't get THAT mad....or say the words I said that morning but I think my anger was really the tip of the iceberg of dealing with a few things like frustrations from getting my name changed, living in Alabama, living in Alabama, dealing with stupid people, dealing with stupid people in Alabama, seeing our US government be the most poorly run operation in the country.....you know....
SO...I will be keeping my TN ID until I move out of this state or until 2011 when it expires.
But this is not the end of the story.
To make myself feel better I thought I would go shopping. I grabbed a Bed, Bath and Beyond gift card and headed out the door. As soon as I pulled in to park I realized I had left the 20% off coupon at home....not a big deal to you maybe, but to me, yes. So I turned around and went back home.
It gets worse, when I got out of the car, I hit my head. Hard.
This began another crying fit and the feeling of "I give up, this day is trashed, I am going to go plant myself on the couch."
Enter Nick.
"It's only noon! You still have half of the day left! Let's hang out and do something fun!"
After some more convincing, we went on shopping attempt number two. The day got better. Nick bought me some new wine glasses and offered to make me dinner. When we got home he made me a bath and filled the bathroom with candles! He made pecan encrusted chicken for dinner, got a bottle of my favorite red wine, and then rented "Once" and brought me some milkduds from the movie store (my favorite!). ("Once" is awesome too, btw, if you haven't already seen it)
All was not lost. The day got better. And I am still Kelsey Lynn Howard in TN at least :-)
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