Five on Friday 3/27

Happy Friday, kids! Hope this has been a productive/lovely/positive/etc week for you. I have been busy...which is, in general, a good thing. But, I'm a touch tired. While you may be a believer in the philosophy that 'you can sleep when you are dead'...I am a believer that FEELING dead because you haven't slept is not living. So, outside of work, I have been a tad bit lazy this week...I only went to the gym one day, and my room is in desperate need of some cleaning attention. Although, I am a believer in 'you can clean when you are dead'...it isn't as commonly used a saying as the sleeping bit, but I like it. Friday Five...here you go:

1. On Saturday night, by good pal and musician, Ian McFeron released his fifth album and celebrated with a show at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard. Ian and the band, along with a few guest musicians, played two full sets- the first being the entire new album from start to finish, and the second being a sort of 'best of' set. The room was full and the fans had a great time. I sold a bunch of CDs and some of their new tshirts (one of which I am currently wearing right now). You can listen to some tracks on their myspace page, which is www.myspace.com/ianmcferonband, and you can purchase the album from itunes, CD Baby, or Amazon. My favorite tracks are: Life Goes On, Love Me Like You Should, Anna Behind the Veil, and Love and Faith.

2. I went to my first Book Club this week. I have been wanting to be in a book club for a forever long time, but it seems like everyone I know is already in one, or doesn't read, or whatever...I haven't been invited to join any. Sad, sad. My mom's book club was doing 'Twilight' and 'New Moon' this month, so I decided to invite myself along. I was feeling a tad bit intimidated about the whole thing, because most of the people in her book club teach or taught at my junior high. I mean, my honors English teacher was reading Twilight...oh dear. But all was fine. They spent a fair amount of time just catching up on each others lives, and then we talked about the books a little bit. It was interesting how I could tell a lot about each of their personalities based on how they reacted to the story. It is definitely one of those books that everyone has an opinion about. Whether it is love or hate. And speaking of my love for Twilight, I went over to my friend's apartment today to watch the DVD special features. I have been dying to see what they included since they released it, but I'm not letting myself spend any unnecessary money right now, so I have been patiently waiting. It wasn't all that exciting, sadly. And the director is a bit of a nut job. I hope the second movie is better than the first.

3. When I went to Disney last week, my mom bought me a book written/put together by the Disney Imagineers- they are the people that come up with the ideas behind everything at Disney. They are creative geniuses. And this book is about finding creativity in your life/work/etc. It is a cool book. Really motivating. They talk about how a blank sheet of paper is both the most exciting and the scariest thing in the world. The possibilities are endless...which is completely overwhelming. Their advice- get something on the paper. Anything. You can always change it- in fact, as the idea progresses, it should change...but you have to get something down. Which has been really helpful with my writing this week. I havent been able to write much lately because I am a little bit bored in the place where the book is. So I just keep staring. And then getting overwhelmed and feeling like I am ridiculous to think I can write a book. But after reading the imagineering book, it reminded me that the book doesn't have to be perfect right now. This is my first draft. I just need to write, get ideas down, try things out...I don't HAVE to use it. I also stopped typing the story (for more reason than one...my computer is being lame at the moment) and am writing- with paper and pen- in a notebook. And I have written 16 (written) pages in the last couple of days. Back on track...phew.

4. In addition to writing again, the imagineer book is making me look at different areas in my life where I can use creativity...make things more interesting. I have decided to go into each Starbucks day with a different kind of attitude...instead of a 'I'm just going to go in and make people's drinks for a few hours before I can leave and actually live', I am trying to think about each shift as an opportunity...to learn, to connect with people, to see what can happen...surprises, please. So that has made the week more interesting...as has my bright idea that I should rearrange my room. I read awhile ago that creative people rearrange their furniture and change things up often. I have never been a big rearranger...mostly because I have never had much in the way of furniture or room to move the furniture. And really, I still don't. But, I'm being creative. I decided I need an office space in my room, which means I need a desk. And I need to put motivational and inspiring things on the wall around my desk. Well, I rearranged, but as is often the case when cleaning or rearranging, the place looks worse before it looks better...and in typical Eryn fashion...I created the mess, but haven't really been intersted in cleaning it up. My room is a flippin disaster. My excuse is that I don't have the desk yet, so it is silly to try and put things away when it will be changing soon anyway. Yeah. I am hoping to get one this weekend though, so that means room cleaning. Again.

5. I was hanging out at Target one day this week...I was there to pick something up...but why just go in for what you need? It's Target...there are sure to be other important purchases to make! So I was browsing; aisle by aisle...when I decided I should call my grandma and see what she was up to. Turns out, she was just about on her way to Target as well. So I told her I would wait for her and help with her shopping needs (and prob things she doesn't need)...while I was killing time I picked up the book 'Skinny Bitch'- have you seen this book? It is pretty funny. And harsh. It pretty much says that you know that cookie/coffee/bread is making you fat...stop complaining about being fat and just stop eating the crap. Which makes sense. But then it goes into everything that is bad for you...which is just about everything. It is pretty much a pro-vegan diet book. And well, I would rather carry an extra few pounds that knock every enjoyable food out of my diet. And be a pain in the ass to eat anywhere with or cook for. Oh well, I'm getting used to the fact that I'll never be a skinny bitch...that's cool. So my grandma arrived, we shopped, we had lunch, she told me that I probably won't ever be happy if I don't get married (which led to me giving her one of my classic 'eryn' looks...to which she replied "get that stupid look off your face, you look like your mother" hehe), and that I should probably get a job that uses my college degree...or I also will not be happy. Ohhh, Grandma.

So that's it for this week...I'm heading out to babysit in a little bit, and have a big 50th birthday party of my dad's to go to on Saturday...I feel certain there will be stories to share about that in next week's installment.

Later skater...E