Fun. [is an understatement.]

I just got done writing a review of this show for Ticketmaster, so I thought I'd write a blog while it's all fresh in my mind. The Fun show goes down on my list of the top 10 best shows ever (and I've seen hundreds, upon hundreds of live shows). It was SO much fun. I actually ended up going by myself as it sold out quickly and none of my friends were able to get in. Next time I'll be sure to buy some extra tickets so I can make sure my friends get to experience this!

The energy that filled the room was incredible. From the second Fun stepped out on the stage, the whole room shifted into a contagious vibe of happiness. People couldn't help but to dance and sing along to every word. This was my first time seeing Fun live, and while I was nervous about all the harmony and fun auto-tuned parts on the new album, they did a great job translating those songs to the live show. Nate harmonized with the audience a few times, and made each song unique for the live set without taking away from the original elements of the song. I was so impressed with this show, I cannot wait to see Fun live again! If you ever get a chance to see this band, don't miss it :)

My favorite moment was listening to "At Least I'm Not As Sad" live. This is the song that got me into this band, and I've been waiting for years to hear it in person. It was amazing.

Here is some video that I took and edited on my iPhone... I'll be watching this regularly until I get to see them again! Enjoy.

28 and feelin' great!

As you can tell, I don't do much blogging these days. I spend most of my time on Twitter and now, Tumblr... but I couldn't resist my annual birthday post on my blog!

I had such a great birthday this year... a rather routine Monday was filled with non-stop text messages, phone calls, Facebook messages and even the occasional e-card. It was an overwhelming day that ended with dinner with my mom and a few drinks/deck-time with some friends. It was exactly what I wanted.

I feel really good starting my 28th year. I no longer wish for the days of turning 21, and I've changed a lot since then. I eat and live healthier, I'm more centered spiritually, I have a greater understanding of life and the universe, I'm smarter... or at least I think I'm smarter ;).

I love the person I've become, and honestly, there is no other time I'd rather be living in, than the time right now.

Exciting things are happening on this planet. The information age is exploding all over the internet and in documentaries, even on TV. People are shifting into higher levels of consciousness and experiencing awakening and enlightenment. I remain optimistic that we can live in a peaceful world despite all the greed, hypocrisy and lies that have recently been uncovered and exposed in all industries. These are exciting times and I'm proud to say I've come a long way these past few years!

Read posts from my 25th, 26th, and 27th birthdays. Thanks for reading, those of you who are still out there. Cheers.

Happy Valentine's Day!

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.

I recently learned this poem and I absolutely love it...enjoy :)

I cheat you of your God-given destiny…
because you demand your own way.

I cheat you of contentment…
because you “deserve better than this.”

I cheat you of knowledge…
because you already know it all.

I cheat you of healing…
because you are too full of you to forgive.

I cheat you of holiness…
because you refuse to admit when you are wrong.

I cheat you of vision…
because you’d rather look in the mirror than out a window.

I cheat you of genuine friendship…
because nobody’s going to know the real you.

I cheat you of love…
because real romance demands sacrifice.

I cheat you of greatness in heaven…
because you refuse to wash another’s feet on earth.

I cheat you of God’s glory…
because I convinced you to seek your own.

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
You like me because you think I’m always looking out for you.
Untrue.
I’m looking to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but don’t worry…
If you stick with me you’ll never know.
-Beth Moore

ask. and you shall receive.

When I was living in Norwood, I had a nice studio/one bedroom apartment in a 4 family house. It was close to work, the gym, church, and the neighbors didn't mind me blasting music, at midnight, on a Tuesday.

It was a great place.

I loved the little deck that overlooked the corner of Willams and Smith. I had a view of a parking garage... that happened to have a fountain going down the side. And, I used to think... half joking... "my next place will have a real view. A view of actual water. Something real to look at". While this thought was vague, I thought it often. BUT, I didn't really give much thought to it. It was always like this... "I love this place, where I am now, but in the future, I'll have a place with a view." The key was that I was completely happy and satisfied with my place in Norwood--but I vaguely planned for the future. It was all positive.

I didn't even consider moving out of Norwood, until my ex and I decided to move closer to his work. So, we moved into a place, with a view, of the city of Cincinnati, the Ohio River and Covington, KY. It's a fun place... that has lizards on the deck in the summer, a view for the fireworks, a yard for the dog, a laid back vibe. It's exactly where I pictured myself living next when I was in Norwood. I love it here.

What you put out to the universe, shows up. Put out what you want, good vibes, positive thoughts and you'll get what you want most in life. Or, at least, what you currently think you want ;)

The universe is listening, it's flexible and it moves quickly... take full advantage. Ask and receive.

Luke 11:9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

Note from the Universe

What if, Sarah, from now on and forevermore, people stopped using the word "evil" and replaced it with "ignorance"?

Yeah, less fear, more better; global transformation.

Let's, 

The Universe

Dear Universe,

That sounds like an excellent idea. Otherwise, I've lost all faith in humanity.

Peace,

Sarah

this is where we used to live...

Well, it's safe to say I've abandoned blogging for the time being.

However, writing is an outlet for me. I can only type so many "journal entries" on my laptop before I sound like a broken record. At least if I publish my random thoughts online, someone can hold me accountable...which makes me a lot less likely to repeat the same mistake over and over... you know, for eternity.

Tonight I found out, that the home I lived next to in LA, burned down... in the recent arson attacks. The home belonged to Jim Morrison. The home was not only historical and beautiful, it was inspirational. It gave off vibes that only "homes-of-former-legends" can give off. I'll never forget the first time I stepped foot in the house and felt the presence of Jim Morrison... decades after he had passed. It was the same feeling I had when I visited his grave. It was a connection... with a missed decade, a time I feel I should have lived in. I don't know what is so alluring about Jim Morrison's time, but there is something romantic... something inspiring, something monumental.

I'm all about living in the present moment, but sometimes I can't deny the feeling that I also live in a past-present... a simpler time. Who knows, maybe I live in both. Life never ceases to amaze me...one minute I'm standing at Jim Morrison's grave in Paris and the next I'm living next door to where he used to live in Los Angeles. (ok, there were like 3 years in between)... But, there is never a dull moment in this life. Ever. Today I'm sad that some idiot ruined this place.

Video of Jim Morrison's house, post-fire. 

Article about the fire and damage.

I'm an Aunt!

I am so happy and proud to announce that I am officially an aunt! My sister gave birth (via c-section) to a perfect baby boy on November 16th. He weighed a small 5 pounds, 6 ounces. I got to fly out to Denver to help my sister and visit my nephew when he was 4 days old! I couldn't believe how little he was. It had been a while since I had seen a baby that new! He's absolutely perfect. I miss him so much and can't wait to visit again!

Ryland Michael Leigh

Stay(ing) Strong

Crossroads, the church I attend has what they call "all church journeys". Basically everyone in the church is encouraged to get into a small group of 6-12 people, attend the weekend service, complete tasks on your own and then meet with the group to discuss. I did my first journey back in the Spring of 2010 and this year I've decided to host a small group at my place! This year's journey is called the Strong Challenge. There are over 50 churches in the city and 50,000 people participating! It's a 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week commitment to complete challenges that will bring us closer to God. Here's my challenge today (you can pick which ones you want to do from a selection of 9 challenges).

REST FROM WORRY Spend a whole day free from the burden of worry. Keep this card with you today, and whenever you get anxious or uneasy, read and take comfort in this verse: What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. (Matthew 6: 31-33). WHY? Putting your trust in God on a daily basis frees you from the wasted energy of worrying.

So today, I'll be carrying this card with me. I'll set it at my desk. I'll read it on my iPhone while I take a walk and I'll do whatever it takes to not worry. I feel relieved all ready!! p.s. if you are interested in completing some of these challenges yourself, they are all listed here: http://www.strongchallenge.com/

Breaking up is....haaaard to do.

I don't like to air my dirty laundry on the internet... I try to keep things positive. However, I have included Kevin in several blogs, so I thought I'd inform all my readers that we have decided to go our separate ways. It was a hard decision to make, however, it's for the best.

Welcome Fall

Fall is on it's way, again...and like every good summer, it has come to an end. I'll miss the sound of lawn mowers and the feeling of 95 degress beating down on my skin. I'll miss the sunshine that lasts until 9pm and the even the humidity. I will miss the lizards that are scattered around my deck. I will miss having the windows down and letting my hair air-dry on the way to work. I'll miss sitting in my deck at night. (Although I have been known to plug in a space heater outside to enjoy the outdoors even in the coldest of temps). The only thing I won't miss are the mosquitos that think my skin is a Thanksgiving feast. Summer, I will miss you.

I welcome Fall with open arms. I look forward to the new TV shows, the football games, the apple cider and the changing leaves. I will enjoy the cooler temps and embrace cardigan season (or hoodie weather as most Cincinnatians call it). I look forward to that fall smell that makes you want to cozy up around a fire. Fall is on it's way and I can't wait to enjoy it. I hope to start blogging more as my time outside dwindles. I feel a renewal coming this season and I can't wait to embrace it. Happy Fall :)

An Evening with a Music Legend...

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While walking out of the Paul McCartney concert at Great American Ballpark last week, my dad overheard a teenage boy with his arm around his mom’s shoulder. He said “thanks for bringing me Mom, this was WAY better than I expected!” While this was a younger kid who probably didn't know The Beatles too well, I have to say I agree with him. I knew seeing Paul McCartney would be awesome, but it wasn't until he took that stage that I realized just how amazing this experience was going to be. 

My dad picked me up on his motorcycle and we rode across the beautiful Roebling bridge into downtown Cincinnati. There we were met with thousands of Beatles and Paul McCartney fans shuffling into the Reds Stadium. We still had to buy tickets and made our way to the ticket window where we waited to see if the last pair of “good cheap(er) tickets” sold online or not. Turns out they sold, so we got the best cheap seats that were left (there weren’t many!). Dad and I made our way up the escalator and grabbed food and drinks and made it to our seats (which had an awesome view) just in time to see the Sir Paul McCartney take the stage.

I could instantly feel the energy start to circulate around the stadium. I hate to say this, but I started to understand why so many people (women) used to cry at The Beatles shows. As soon as Sir Paul started to sing Hello, Goodbye, an overwhelming sense of happiness and joy filled my body. 

The songs sounded great and the stories that Mr. McCartney added in between songs really made the set phenomenal. One of my favorites was about the song I Will, his story went something like this: While watching the Royal Wedding with his daughter, he told her that he wrote a song called I Will and said to his daughter “ you know Daddy wrote a song called I Will I think it would be cool if people said "I Will" at weddings instead of “I do”, then sure enough, when Prince William and Kate said their vowels, they both said “I Will” instead of “I do”.

The first time I remember hearing The Beatles was on a mixed tape I stole from my dad at age 2-3. The song was actually a cover, the Hippy Hippy Shake. My earliest "real" memories of The Beatles come from my dad playing Here, There and Everywhere on the piano.

I also remember listening to Hey Jude and Yesterday on the keyboard they were programmed into that once belonged to my grandpa. I remember hearing stories about The Beatles rise to fame, the intensity of their live show and tragic death of John Lennon. As I got older I started to listen to more of The Beatles archives on my own. I fell in love with the movie/musical Across the Universe and I've enjoyed learning more and more about The Beatles in recent years. (Read about my 6 degrees of separation from the Beatles here).

Hearing 69 year old Paul McCartney play such historical, and influential songs, live... was absolutely amazing. A buzzing energy remained present throughout the entire set and while I shared this experience with some 50,000-60,000 people (Dad, can you give me a more accurate number?)...it was a truly unforgettable night and nothing will ever compare to this concert. Since it's nearly impossible to sum up with this experience with words alone, here are few videos (taken and edited with my iPhone):










Set list:

1.            Hello, Goodbye

(The Beatles song)

2.            Junior's Farm

(Paul McCartney & Wings song)

3.            All My Loving

(The Beatles song)

4.            Jet

(Paul McCartney & Wings song)

5.            Drive My Car

(The Beatles song)

6.            Sing the Changes

(The Fireman song)

7.            The Night Before

(The Beatles song)

8.            Let Me Roll It / Foxy Lady Tease

(Jimi Hendrix cover)

9.            Paperback Writer

(The Beatles song)

10.            The Long and Winding Road

(The Beatles song)

11.            Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five

(Paul McCartney & Wings song)

12.            Let 'Em In

(Wings song)

13.            Maybe I'm Amazed

14.            I've Just Seen a Face

(The Beatles song)

15.            I Will

(The Beatles song)

16.            Blackbird

(The Beatles song)

17.            Here Today

18.            Dance Tonight

19.            Mrs. Vandebilt

(Paul McCartney & Wings song)

20.            Eleanor Rigby

(The Beatles song)

21.            Something (on ukelele)

22.            Band on the Run

(Paul McCartney & Wings song)

23.            Obla Di Obla Da

(The Beatles song)

24.            Back in the USSR

(The Beatles song)

25.            I've Got a Feeling

(The Beatles song)

26.            A Day in the Life / Give Peace A Chance

27.            Let it Be

(The Beatles song)

28.            Live and Let Die

(Paul McCartney & Wings song)

29.            Hey Jude

(The Beatles song)

30.            Encore:

31.            Lady Madonna

(The Beatles song)

32.            Day Tripper

(The Beatles song)

33.            Get Back

(The Beatles song)

34.            Encore 2:

35.            Yesterday

(The Beatles song)

36.            Helter Skelter

(The Beatles song)

37.            Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End

(The Beatles song)

The times…they are a changin’….

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Change. So many of us resist it with everything we’ve got.

While I’ve never understood why people are so afraid of change, I’m guilty of the fear myself. Since this has happened on more than one occasion, I decided to dig deeper.

I’ve learned that the kind of change I’m most uncomfortable with is the kind that I’m not confident about making. I’m also uncomfortable when I AM confident in my change and I can’t understand why people aren’t more supportive or anxious to get on board.

If my blog reflects anything, it’s that I’m not the same person I was a year ago and I hope I’m not the same person a year from now. I used to think that people who constantly change their beliefs, ideals, lifestyle and interests must be insecure, unreliable, fickle and not really know themselves.  Lately I’ve learned that those people are really open-minded, learners, idealists and more secure than a Swiss bank account!

Being able to change yourself with confidence is one of the most amazing qualities a person can have. It’s also good to remain open-minded and tweak your changes throughout life.

As I make a lifestyle change to be healthier, I find myself frustrated with those around me who aren’t immediately inspired by my recent motivation. I find myself feeling threatened by those who want me to fail. I feel dragged down by those who find comfort in their ways and don’t want to listen to me. I am saddened when people aren’t as interested in this change as I am.

I realize that while I’ve begun to lose my fear of failing at change I’ve taken on a lack of patience. I want to change myself now and I want everyone to change with me. Let’s be realistic, the world never has and never will work that way.  So, I’m determined to change my attitude about change. I’m working on not trying to change anyone, but to rather share my

--> experience and hope that someday, somewhere, I inspire someone.

Until then, I’ll follow the age-old advice: the best way to change this world is to change yourself. I believe this to be a true statement that applies to everything in life from eating and drinking habits to love and relationships. 

So, I’m on the changing journey. I’m changing myself. And I’m confident in my change.

And I’ll remember, that it’s never too late to be the person you’ve always wanted to be.

(can't get this song out of my head!)

iPad Walking Challenge: the first 4 weeks

Well, I’m hanging in there in the iPad challenge. It’s a bit difficult to see where I place compared to others because both miles walked and preventative health care screenings combine to create total points. I have not turned in any of my health screenings yet, and I have 990 points (a good 400 points behind the lead).

I am doing a great job for me. I’ve walked 198 miles in the month of July. That’s an average of 50 miles a week or about 6-7 miles a day. I feel I can maintain this pace for a lifetime! (Although, I’d like to step it up a notch for the rest of this challenge!)

Two more months are left in the walking part of the challenge and the whole thing wraps up the end of December. I’m excited for August 3^rd because we get double points for miles walked that day! My goal is to walk 13 miles that day (my personal record so far). Wish me luck!

Read more about the iPad Challenge here >>>

juicing queen

Celery, lemon, red onion, cucumber, tomatoes,
carrots, green pepper and spinach.

In my quest to continue to eat what God put on this Earth for me, I got a juicer.

warning: I may become a health freak...

... this juicing thing, is amazing.

Last night I made my first juice: apple pear. So delicious! 2 apples, 2 pears. yum. Then, I decided to juice 2 peaches and drink those as well! I was feeling pretty full after all that fresh fruit juice! It really was the best tasting juice I've ever had. I'd say my Dad's fresh squeezed orange juice is a close second ;)

Tonight, I bought us some organic veggies. The idea was to make a salad for dinner and use the same veggies to make a juice. So far, I just made a juice. I haven't felt hungry for dinner yet! (Kev and I did have some organic cheese and crackers for a snack---but that's not unusual,  and I am normally still starving at this time of night). So, apparently when you eat healthy, you also don't starve!  I guess organic, natural, God-made nutrients really do nourish! Who would have thought?!

The verdict: This juice didn't taste great, but it's definitely did NOT taste bad. I think it's an acquired taste that comes with the desire to be healthy.

Cheers!

hr@emicmg.com

Homemade Peace Shampoo

Shampoo is a weird word. And all you have to do is turn a bottle of shampoo around to find more very weird words. Words you have never heard... words that are, in fact, chemicals...... words that have been linked......... to cancer. Words that we put on our heads, scalps, and skin every morning.

Once I "grew up" and realized I never really did learn what those words on the back of the shampoo bottle mean, I knew something was wrong. I mean.... seriously... I spent 15+ years reading those shampoo bottles while sitting on the toilet (I'm sorry, but when else do you ever read the back of the shampoo bottle?!) never knowing what those big long words meant. Why on earth would I want to put them on my head, daily?

I finally started to make my own shampoo and conditioner this weekend. I also used part of the recipes to make mouthwash as well. In [what seems to be] a never ending quest to rid myself from all man-made chemicals/toxins, I'm trying to "green" my home with organic food, beauty products, and cleaning supplies.

So tonight, after sweating a good 4 miles at the gym, I put my homemade shampoo and conditioner to the test.

It was the most peaceful, relaxing and refreshing shower I have ever had.

I inhaled the calming scents of rosemary and lavender. I was rejuvenated by the refreshing peppermint. I feel clean, refreshed and healthy. We'll see how my hair looks in the morning, but I think I'm finally getting the hang of this "healthy" thing.

☮ & ♥

(Recipes and pictures coming tomorrow....) Edit: I am not completely satisfied with my homemade shampoo, I'm working on tweaking the recipe and will get back to posting it when I'm happier with the results! My hair is almost too clean with this shampoo.

iPad Challenge

I’m up for the challenge: the iPad challenge! F+W (where I work) does various “get healthy” challenges throughout the year. While I’ve only participated in a few up until this point, and I usually lose motivation pretty quickly. However, they have upped the ante this time and I am in a competition to win an iPad! I would LOVE an iPad and I’m not sure I could justify spending my own money on one anytime soon. So, this will hopefully be the perfect motivation for me to complete a challenge!

The challenge itself is a bit complicated to explain,  but basically we collect points and have to get at least 2,000 points to be qualified--the top 3 with the most points, win the iPad. Turning in proof of routine preventative health screenings (dental, vision, blood pressure, etc)…are worth 50-100 points, and then every mile walked between July-September is worth 5 points. I plan to turn in a few health screenings, but the majority of my 2,000 points will have to come from walking in the next 3 months. I did a little math, and to get 2,000 points by walking, I’ll have to walk about 5 miles a day. I know that doesn’t sound like a whole lot of walking…but when you sit at desk 9-5 and despise working out, it is a lot. For me, that’s at least 10,000 steps a day, which has proven difficult for me to do consistently in the past. 3 months of 10,000 steps a day will be very challenging for me! I am more than up for this challenge, I just hope my legs can keep up!

[The only thing that worries me is that I hurt my knee hiking a few years ago, and it still acts up from time to time. It’s been hurting a lot lately, so I am hoping to get a good pair of walking shoes and attempt to strengthen my knee.]

Wish me luck! I would love to be the proud new owner of an iPad that I worked hard at my health to win. It’s a long term goal and I’m not good at sticking with exercise routines, but I hope to find enough time and motivation to take a few more walks. The contest itself runs until the end of the year...so I won't know anything until Dec. 31. I'll update you as I get updates from HR and hopefully I can keep up with the competition!

27 will be heaven.

I turn 27 tomorrow and I’ve been dreading it. I need to really enjoy today…my last day in my “mid-twenties”. I don’t really have any reason to not want to turn 27 other than it sounds really old to me. Late twenties just doesn’t sound as much fun as early twenties or even mid twenties!

Kevin told me to be thankful that I’ve lived to 27, and so I’m trying to take his advice and be more optimistic....so here it goes....

I have a wonderful boyfriend, amazing friends and family, great job, loveable dog, and a beautiful view from my apartment… what more could a 27 year old want? I’m grateful that I don’t have the responsibility of children or a mortgage yet. I like not being completely tied down and having the ability to go out when I want. I’m thankful that my boyfriend works in the live music industry since going to shows is my favorite thing to do--it’s like therapy for me…live music keeps me sane. I’m glad I have great friends scattered all over the country, so no matter where I go, I can always find someone I know. I’m glad I’m in good health and not fighting any cancer or disease like more and more people my age seem to be doing these days.

Ok, so maybe turning 27 doesn’t suck so much after all. Cheers to another year of living the good life!

Can I write a blog about how I don't miss blogging?

This may be the most oxymoron-ic post ever, but I'm blogging about how I don't miss blogging.

[I really just hope this will get me in the blogging mood again. You know, where I think I'm witty and everyone must want to read about the simple things I do.]

Okay, as much as I want to ramble on about how I don't miss sharing a small part of my world with the rest of world...the truth is, I do. I like my blog because it's a place to document my life. I like to go back and read the silly things I thought a year ago. I like to see how much I've grown, changed and evolved in recent years. I like to see pictures and videos of family, friends, and of course, Bella. I like to remember the reasons I love this city, the reasons I love live music, and the reasons I love laughing so hard that I cry. I like to remember what the weather was like and what my yard looked like at the time. I just like to document life. I love photos, notes, cards, and anything else that trigger a happy memory and make you nostalgic...

now if I could just get back in the documenting mood!

[clearly, I got back in the blogging mood].

lizards!

We have lizards...on our deck. I'm SO excited. Pictures coming as soon as I successfully get a picture, they move fast! Lizards remind me of Florida and sun and palm trees and I love it. They are the perfect addition to the beach house feel.