Sometimes I don't sleep ....

Blue October is a rock band from Houston, Texas. The band was formed in 1995 and currently consists of Justin Furstenfeld (lead vocals, guitar), Jeremy Furstenfeld (drums, percussion),Ryan Delahoussaye (violin/viola, mandolin, piano, backing vocals), Matt Noveskey (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Julian Mandrake (lead guitar).


Justin Furstenfeld has battled with bipolar disorder through most of his life. He has his condition under control, saying in an interview that "I'm not a danger to myself [anymore]."


I saw Blue October in concert several years ago and was mesmerized by the experience. I have been to very many concerts, but something about how the music was presented was so powerful. I actually cried during parts of the concert. It hit a of of personal tones with me also. 


If you have ever heard of them - it was most likely their songs "Hate Me" or "Into the Ocean" both of which got quite a bit of radio play. 


I love all of their songs. A lot of my friends think that they are too depressing or "whiney" ... sometimes dealing with a mental illness, you need to let out that depression or whiney-ness. It can't stay bottled up inside of you forever. And how brave to let it out and remind other people battling the same thing that they are not alone, someone else has thought the exact same things as you, has stood at the same place you are standing and felt the same feelings. To me its reassuring... 


When I can't sleep, whether its insomnia or nightmares or just feeling down, I find that these 3 songs tend to be the ones I flip on to kind of help me zone out and try and figure out what is going on with me.

18th Floor Balcony

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiOM0R3Dh8U&feature=related

Black Orchid

Come in Closer 

Now, they do have quite a few really upbeat songs - Drop is actually one of the songs I listen to when I'm fully awake and bouncing around. But tonight these are the songs I turn to trying to get my brain to slow down a bit so I can get some sleep. 


Enjoy - or don't. Just sharing something that means a lot to me. (P hates Blue October and I still love him)

"Fallen" Lauren Kate

Another book post... lol, can you tell I need to keep my mind busy lately? 

Ok, so I started reading this book a few days ago and at first I was almost ready to just give up - it was kind of creepy. I found myself laying in bed all alone at 2 am trying desperately to read it - cause the moment I set it down I kept thinking about it.

I felt there was a places that it was missing some detail, but this is also the first book in a series so I am sure there is more to come that will fill in those questions that I had. 

VERRRRY surprising to me. I honestly thought that I had it all figured out and knew exactly what was going on but I was SO wrong. And actually, I really enjoyed what was really going on more than what I had thought. 

A fun read, make sure that you have a night light if you're reading in bed. Spoooky at times.

Last Sacrifice - Richelle Mead

It was SOOOO good!!! 

Ok I finished it this morning (yes gave up sleeping in to finish the last 4 chapters) And I am SO impressed with it. So many twists in the story line and things happening that you didn't dream were possible to happen. 


Love story of course - but not over the top details or anything which is always nice (it is a teen/young adult book after all) 


The best part I think of this book is the fact that it is not a happily ever after completely everything tied up nicely with a little bow on the top. It reflects real life in how sometimes even tho you try your hardest and do everything you can, there are some things that you cannot change, or there are consequences to the choices that you make.


I read on her website that Richelle Mead is going to be continuing the Vampire Academy stories with different characters that we somewhat know about. Very excited for that to happen let me tell you, I will definitely be reading those as well. They are just purely entertaining and good reads. Nothing that keeps me  up at night (altho I want to finish them at 7 am!!) 


So I would recommend this entire series to everyone ~ enjoy! 

The Vampire Academy Novels

Written by Richelle Mead

#1 - Vampire Academy

I started reading this book because my sister Katie told me that it was amazing. At first I had a bit of trouble getting into it, there are a lot of strange words that I ended up just googling how to pronounce them (even when I read to myself I HAVE to know how they would be said aloud, its just one of my weird quirks)  But, the story did start to really draw me in once I kind of figured out what was going on. I think it was clever of the author to keep you a bit in the dark at the beginning just for that hint of mystery.

 #2 - Frostbite

 Good action in this one. A bit more teenage romance that I normally would be into, but there was enough vampire stuff to keep me interested. I was a teenage girl so you would think I would be more into their drama. but usually I'm not.   My sister missed reading this one and went right to the next one and she didn't even realise that she had missed an entire book so I guess not a lot really happens as far as character development. Or the next book seems to fill you in enough. lol. I personally think something pretty major happens to Rose - but I won't give it away.

#3 - Shadow Kiss

A lot more information is given in this book about the relationship between Lissa and Rose. Tons of action and fighting in this one. And some sadness. I actually did cry at one point. And I think Dimitri is hot (in my head anyways) 

#4 - Blood Promise

Rose is a lot more grown up in this one - in a sad sort of way that only loss can really make you grow up. Lissa is a bit more absent from this book but I enjoyed getting to know Rose on a deeper level and what actually makes her up. And reading about Russia always makes me happy :-) 

#5 - Spirit Bound 

Kind of hard to get into this one at first because it seemed like a return to high school - which I guess in a way it was. But soon things happen that brings the intensity up! The ending really shocked me and I didn't want to wait to read the next one ... but of course I had to... 

#6 - Last Sacrifice

FINALLY!!!!  I got it out of the library the day that I finished The Gargoyle so it has just been an awesome book week for me!! YAY!!! So I will keep you posted on how it turns out! 

The Gargoyle

"The Gargoyle" by Andrew Davidson

[Andrew Davidson was born in Pinawa, Manitoba, and graduated in 1995 from the University of British Columbia with a B.A. in English literature. He has worked as a teacher in Japan, where he has lived on and off, and as a writer of English lessons for Japanese Web sites. The Gargoyle, the product of seven years' worth of research and composition, is his first book. Davidson lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba. http://knopfdoubleday.com/thegargoyle/]  - See link for more information about the book

I just finished this book and I am blown away. 

Ok, truth be told, I only got it out at the library because when we were kids my baby sister would wrap a towel around her neck and proceed to leap from one piece of furniture to another proclaiming "WE ARE GARGOYLES" (Thank you Disney for that animated program that once a week brought more material for my family's entertainment) 

So I took the book home, settled on my couch and opened the pages and was IMMEDIATELY mesmeorised by the imagery conveyed by Mr. Davidson's words. I could hardly put the book down, it completely sucked me in. I felt some sort of connection with this book - perhaps the tortured artist in me or just the fact that I sometimes think I've lived a hundred lifetimes...

Word to some of you readers out there, some pretty graphic language and imagery. (my baby sister won't be reading it anytime soon, she no longer wears bath towels, but she is still my baby sister and I try to protect her from some things even if she is growing up way too fast)

"You are mine, I am yours; you may be sure of this. You've been locked inside my heart, the key has been thrown away; within it, you must always stay."

Chapter XXXIII - The Gargoyle 

http://knopfdoubleday.com/thegargoyle/

fingers itching to draw

There are these odd times that I suddenly feel that I MUST have a pencil in my hand within a few moments or I will simply lose my mind. So, I sit myself down with my sketch book, I pick up a pencil and I begin to draw. Sometimes what comes out is just random doodles that don't really mean much, just swirls on the paper. 

Random doodles - no date for all 

Other times, I have seen/heard about a cool tattoo design and I want to re-create it. 

"Aug 2009"  (new nail polish btw that I ADORE)

And sometimes, I just find myself sitting on the couch with a headache and think that the angles of my arms would make an interesting sketch ... then I suddenly notice that maybe my body language means a bit more. I think I express more thru art than even I realise.... 

"May 5 2011" A rough 1/2 hour sketch...

Purple pillows

Have been trying to get our place a little cute the past few days. Its actually kind of fun. I haven't had full range of a house for a few .... years? Is that right?  WOW. That is kind of shocking to think about. No wonder this is kind of exciting for me eh!? So yes, I have been having a lot of fun looking at stuff - that really is the MOST fun I think. I haven't really even BOUGHT anything, except... 

PURPLE PILLOWS!!!!!! 

Oh - the vase and purple potpourri are also new - smells amazing! 

So this is the "new" living room. There are also new pictures (in frames!!!) on the walls! My family photo from Easter, one with me and my nephew and 2 really big ones of me and P. I LOVE PHOTO'S!! 

Eventually the whole house will look great I think. (well I hope)  I think I'm getting it there. Like I said, I have SO much fun going to places and looking at all the wonderful stuff I could buy (and then finding even cheaper stuff at a different place! sneaky girl eh?) 

So now, I am going to tidy up my adorable living room and get ready for bed - hoping that tomorrow is less rainy than today - always seems to bring my mood down just a touch. 

Love D