It's getting hard to be someone, but it all works out...

So. Did you all enjoy your September? Did you miss me? I hope so, because I missed you!

What have I been doing, anyway, rather than blogging for you lovely peeps? Well, Twittering of course, only because I have a sick love for mundane details, especially when they're my mundane details. I flirted with & then committed to being a vegetarian, which means I've been spending a lot of time staring at tofu and thinking, "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?" (Please send recipes, fellow vegetarians!) I went to a wedding in Wyoming, too, and proved I was a tourist by getting really excited about a deer sighting. (Apparently deers are the squirrels of Wyoming.)

Oh yeah. I've also been writing a new book.

It's funny to say it like that, only because to say I'm writing implies that I'm, y'know, writing, rather than procrastinating on writing. My awesome friend Dallas once asked me about my creative process and I listed it out in five easy steps:

1) Get a venti light espresso frappuccino at Starbucks.

2) Search for [insert current favorite band]'s concert clips on YouTube in the name of "research".

3) Realize that you're late for your manicure appointment.

4) Hate yourself for avoiding writing & doing steps 1-3 instead.

5) Grudgingly open Word document and force yourself to write 1000 words so you're not filled with self-loathing for the rest of the day. 

I'm joking (sort of)! The truth is that when I'm writing, I also have a lot of time to think, which led to some interesting thoughts after my brother & I discussed the question, "Can a song really change your life?"

I say yes. YES YES YES! My answer probably isn't a surprise for anyone who's talked to me/read my blog/seen me dancing while driving, but my brother wasn't convinced. He said that books have changed his life, but never a song. (My brother: giving me monthly heart attacks since 1980).

Of course my brain started spinning and I wondered, why do these things change our lives? Why can a melody comfort you during your worst times, or why can two paragraphs in a book make you quit your job and start an entirely different one? Maybe it was too much caffeine, or perhaps I'm just an overly weepy & sentimental person, but it made me think about the Red String of Fate, the idea that soulmates are tied together by a red string that leads them to one another.

Now that's all lovely and amazing and yay for soulmates, but what if there are other strings that tie us to music and art and words? What if every time we hear that song, or read that chapter, or see that film scene, it's like another string that ties us to the things we love? And the more books we read and music we hear, we keep connecting to a greater world, weaving a tapestry with the people around us?

I wasn't a philosophy major or anything, but I have to say, I kind of like my theory. (And yes, I'm totally & completely sober, so don't even ask. And no, my parents weren't hippies.)

So in honor of my idea, here are some things that are making me feel better about our crazy world. In a day where my panic level is directly related to the font size on CNN.com, it's nice to have something else to watch. I'm not saying we shouldn't pay attention to current events, but if we're going to make room for all the bad stuff, we should probably put some good things on the pile, as well.

I've watched the Sigur Ros DVD "Heima" about 7 or 8 times this past week alone and it somehow manages to be both soothing and massively inspiring, which is just what I need. I know Sigur Ros isn't everyone's cup of tea, but give it a try.

Sigur Ros, "Von" (live from the "Heima" DVD)

Sigur Ros, "Vaka (aka "Untitled #1)" (live from "Heima" DVD)

(If you must know, this was the life-changing song for me.)

And now I'm curious: what are the things that changed your life? Leave it in the comments--you know I love reading them!

Off to wrestle with some tofu...

Comments

[Chelsea]

Glad to hear you're writing another book! I loved Audrey, Wait!:)

I've been a vegetarian for over a year and a half, and I haven't TOUCHED tofu. The look and texture of it just grosses me out. But you've got to try veggie burgers. If you put some tomatoes and mayo, etc, on them, they taste amazing. Oh, and if you like blt's there's some fake bacon I use for those. Fake meat has a lot of the protein you need. Morningstar is the brand I always get, and they're always good. And peanut butter always does the trick for protein (PB and honey sandwiches are amazing).

[Stephanie Leary]

I am not a vegetarian, but I'm pretty sure I could live happily on felafel if ground beef disappeared from my life. (Wah, no links in comments! OK, Google for 'felafel cheap healthy good.') Bonus: my kitchen smelled great after I made it. I did the no-oil version with the tzatziki recipe she links -- it's amazing.

[Varsha]

OMGOMGOMG--I did miss you!! :D

NEW BOOK!! OMG! (Yes, sure, that was a step of the Fangirl Train for me...)Woot, woot.

Your train of thought really amazes me. I've heard several writers talk about their thoughts, theories and ideas...and all I can do when they tell me is just look at them in pure awe. Like I am right now. I think it's fascinating, seriously. Honestly, that's a great theory.

I love that you added that you were sober. Ha, when I start talking to my friends about fictional characters like they're real, or if I talk about my sudden epiphanies about life, I always get: "What did YOU drink this morning?"

Omg, omg, MUSIC (I really need some new acronyms. Or, actually, none at all...)! I'm ripping all of these off of my current untitled mix. I am in love with "The Resolution" by Jack's Mannequin. The lyrics are pretty awesome: "I just need light/
I need light in the dark as I search for the resolution...". It's simple, but to me, it's more about how music makes me feel that matters. I need to get their entire new album, "The Glass Passenger" ASAPs.

I'm not a vegetarian, but I've heard to stay away from Tofurkey. The word rocks, the food doesn't. Heh, "What the tofurkey!?". ..Okay, I have officially reached a new level of nerd.

Anyways, sorry for this crazy long comment. I apologize... Have an awesome day!!! :D It's great to have you back!

[Louis Vuitton Outlet]

Each region stretches the light by a certain amount as it passes though, and the cumulative effect produces the redshift we observe.