Lana del wonderful life

Lana D. 

...This could also be titled "Why I am so incredibly jealous of Lana D."

Lana is my other big sister (remember my big sis Hatley?) Lana travels all around the world... There's nothing I want to do more. I love traveling. I love going through her pictures, because they're amazing, amazing, amazing!  She came to Paris last spring, and we had the best time! I love when people come visit me in Paris. 

Lana's family has a place in Australia. To be honest, I'd love to go visit her there. She did invite me! And, I love traveling! Plus, her pictures of Australia are awesome. But but buuuuut... I am deathly afraid of spiders and sharks... and I know that there are millions of them there. I'm so serious... I have nightmares about sharks and spiders. Nightmares! Sometimes, I think of them and start shaking. If someone makes sure that there are no spiders in my room, in my bed, in my food, in my seat.... all the time... I'll consider it.

As you can see, she is friends with my 'big sis' Hatley:

She came to visit me in Paris last year: 

And, I have a tooon of pictures... care to guess where each picture was taken? All around the freakin' world. That I can tell you! Some pictures aren't of her, they're pictures she herself has taken. Lana is also an outstanding photographer! I think she took a class once back at home in California... 

It would be super fun to do a photo shoot with her, I'm sure! I wish I could this summer, but she's going back home, I believe! Come visit me at Smith, Lana! God, she makes me want to travel like crazy. 

Lana, you're a wonderful person! I miss you. 

Everyone else: Don't you wish you could just take off and discover the world?

Love, Freedom & Truth, 

V.

HUNGRY GHOST & GOAT'S CHEESE

So, I did most of the things I said I would. And I have some pictures to prove it!

Right now I'm hanging out with Kady. We were talking earlier, and I asked her what the point is in engagement rings. Don't you take them off once you put on your REAL wedding ring? Her eyes got all big while she explained "diamond diamond diamond" (Those weren't her exact words, but almost.) It seems silly to me. At least it seems silly to get an expensive ring. Why not just do the whole claddagh ring thing? Also, why big diamond rings and all? I would be afraid of it getting caught in things. Or scratching people. I don't see why a gold claddagh right wouldn't suffice. Aren't rings also ridiculously expensive? They're not even as pretty as claddagh rings! Sorry, I have a claddagh ring, that's why I like 'em so much! I love the different meanings! And the fact that they're Irish. Anyway, engagement ring rant over. If you care to explain, please do! 

My neighbor is playing the banjo so I opened the door. I very much enjoy when she plays the banjo. It's soothing.... Kady is at my desk doing her French homework... I'm on my bed - was doing psychology homework, but I got tired and closed my eyes for ten minutes. Can't wait to start bread + goat's cheese feast! Can't wait. We also have yummy olives. And orange juice.

I seriously can't wait for it to be summer. I can't believe one year at Smith has come and gone! (almost) 

I still have to do some things... Can't wait for this next week to be over. Anyway, want to see some pictures from today? Here they are!

What a lovely day indeed! Smile!

Love, Freedom & Truth, 

V.

SATURDAY IS ALL RIGHT FOR SMILING

Hello folks!
Well, I've got some blog posts lined up, but I just don't seem to be finishing them lately! This is my last week of classes, so I will get back to blogging very soon! No worries. Here's a short post to let you know what I'm up to...

PLAN FOR THE DAY

1. Take a shower
2. Tidy up room + take out recycling once and for all...
3. Go to Serio's, pick something up
4. Text Kady to see if she will join me at the café to study (Woodstar or Haymarket)
5. Go to café: Study for Psychology test. Start thinking about project + Final paper for Education class. Take journal, write a little!
6. Stay positive all day! Smile!
7. Ask Kady if she still wants to buy Hungry Ghost bread + goat cheese for dinner
8. Text Alex to see when she wants to practice the violin song.
9. Skype my mom or have her call me on my cell (since I will be out most of the day)
10. Play songs on ukelele, guitar and mandolin. Have fun with melodica!

Hope you're having a lovely weekend! 

Love, Freedom & Truth,

V.

[Photo: My friend Nikki and me]

[ LATE NIGHT POST ]

        .

I am tired. I am exhausted. I am sleepy... 

I do NOT want to do this stupid homework - but I will... I feel overwhelmed... 

I didn't wake up in time for breakfast, 

I had 3 small pieces of pizza and coffee for lunch

a piece of bread + jam and an apple for dinner... and now another apple. 

I'm in the study hall with Bing Bing and Crysta, and  I was going to eat Doritos as a late night snack

 but I decided that eating something unhealthy would make me feel worse. 

I haven't been posting about my diet lately. It has been going well.. Not well enough. Not fast enough.

What am I happy about...?

I'm really happy I got to Skype a dear friend of mine today, 

and I talked to Steven from the Kopecky Family Band.

I need happy music.

Weirdly, listening to Kopecky Family Band is making me sad right now because I really really want them to come back, and I will do my best to bring them to Smith next spring, but I'm afraid of being disappointed if I fail. There's nothing I can do about the budget, etc. 

I want to be in Italy, in Paris, and in Ireland. 

I'll be happier when all this homework is done. When it's officially summer.

Love, Freedom & Truth, 


V.

Music for the Soul

Hello folks!

One paper done, ten thousand more to go! Still doesn't stop me from coming to the library and listening to music for an hour...

Here is some magical music. As you may have seen on Facebook lately, I've developed a major crush on the Kopecky Family Band.

Flowers :: Lisa Hannigan

Angry Eyes :: Kopecky Family Band

\

 Birds :: Kopecky Family Band

Oh Undone :: Lisa Hannigan

 My Way :: Kopecky Family Band

Love, Freedom & Truth,

V.

PS. If I can get the Kopecky Family Band to read this, that would be great: Please let me bring you back to Northampton for a small concert at Smith College! You will have a sure place to stay this time. 

SUNDAY THOUGHTS

• I can't wait to be done with all this homework. 
• The other day I got my first negative comment on YouTube. It said "Nice cankles, even Lisa Hannigan would be jealous >:)" At first I was hurt. Then I thought: Waaait a minute, I don't have cankles. My ankles are noticeable and fine. What the hell. Then I told some friends. They all said the same thing. I obviously deleted the comment because I am very opposed to spreading negativity in the world. I've also been thinking about getting rid of the "Like/Dislike" option on my videos. I haaate when people dislike my videos. You know, it makes me feel bad. The only way to feel better is to go on Mumford & Sons' channel, or Lisa Hannigan's channel and see that they too have dislikes. I say, ok, some people are just mean or just don't like this kind of music... But again, I hate the "dislike" option on YouTube. Spreading negativity... Just hate it! [If you have an account, go check out my videos and officially like them if you can! It makes me happy to be liked. ♡ ]
• I've got a serious music crush on Kopecky Family Band. Can't stop listening to them! I want them to come to Smith. 
• Last night I had my first paid photography/filming job! Filming The Noteables a capella group. It was great. I'll probably put up videos once I'm paid. 
• I really want that banjo-ukelele! and a harmonium. 
• Woke up at 6AM this morning... what the hell? Then fell back asleep, thankfully. 
• Can't wait to be in Italy! 
• The diet is going well! It's been really hard finding protein dinners. Also, they ran out of feta, so I can't make my usual salad for lunch. 
• I can't wait for this week to be over! (Yes, the week that hasn't even started...) 
• I love Family Guy - especially Stewie 
• According to Pandora, Iron & Wine sounds like everything. It comes up on every single one of my channels! 
• Spread the LOVE, people!

Love, Freedom & Truth,

V.

Music for the Soul

Hello folks!

Please take 4 minutes to listen to this song. It is truly amazing! I think I've listened to the song at least three times today. And it's only 10AM. I'd love them to come play at Smith... then I could open for them! And we could play the who-has-more-instruments game.
It is still just as amusing to see the cellist/tambourine man look just like my friend. I'd like to see Daragh playing the tambourine hahaha. This is never going to stop being funny.

They opened for The Lumineers. Here's their famous song.

Love, Freedom & Truth,


V.

Music for the Soul

Tonight was the best night since The Ballroom Thieves came to Smith last month.

If you read my last post (about my turquoise highlights), you know that I went to see The Lumineers tonight... Guess what? It was fantastic. Amazing. Brilliant. Mostly because they had an outstanding opening band:

Kopecky Family Band

I got to talk to Gabe (the singer) after the show - very nice guy - and I asked him some questions for the blog. I found out something about myself... Apparently, being an interviewer is not my calling, because I could only jot down words (on a receipt, ok? Didn't bring paper...) and it's all a mess. I guess that's ok, because what I want is to do music (as you all know by now). 

I probably am not going to put down what he said in an "interview" form... What I know is that they like all kinds of music. They're all songwriters, so they inspire each other. They like Fleetwood Mac (he mentioned other bands, but I couldn't write that fast... Told ya, I'm not born to ask questions). Their best show so far was in Chicago. He said Northampton was fun too. Damn right, we Northamptonians (that's probably not a word...) are a very fun bunch! His favorite songs to sing: Angry Eyes and Wandering Eyes [let me know if I got the names wrong!] Gabe's favorite instrument? Guitar (or tuba, but he doesn't own one). How do they prepare for a show? Yoga... and they have been listening to Jay-Z and Kenye West. 

One of the things I loved the most was that they had a thousand instruments and kept changing up... (You remember this - and how I'm going to be broke because I want too many instruments. Still very much in love with the Banjo-ukelele by the way) It was amazing. I loved every one of their songs! Kady was having fun too. We were so happy to discover a new band. 

Oh my god... The funniest thing was to find out that the cellist looked a lot like one of my dearest friends... From certain angles, at least. I just kept looking up at him thinking "Jesus, that's Daragh up there!" hahaha 

So to conclude... Kopecky Family Band = worth seeing. worth listening to. worth a lot... Every single one seems nice. Thank you Steven for saying my turquoise highlights were pretty!

Listen to their NPR Music: Tiny Desk Concert

Listen to this song

Go like their page on Facebook

Follow them on Twitter

Love, Freedom & Truth,


V.

PS. Being able to order a Guinness or a Margarita during the show would have been nice, though. I can't wait to be back at home... Home, sweet Paris.