Feels Good to Be Back

My family is all about music. We've got musical talent threaded into our veins. My dad plays an assortment of instruments. My Grandma sings and plays guitar. My granddad turns 90 this year, and he is still a pickin' his old mandolin. My uncles all sing and/or play drums, steel guitar, guitar, etc. My aunt sings. My brother plays drums. I however, don't do any of those things. Ok, well sometimes I sell the cd's or run the sound board. But musically speaking...I jam out in the shower... Or the car... but only when no one is with me. But when I say jam out....I mean air guitar, head shaking,...we should probably be concerned about my driving abilities. My show would definitely sell out if I allowed it. Good thing I'm not going pro. Celebrity status is rough.

My family and I were talking the other, while tailgating at an ECU game. There was beer, there was bojangles, PURPLE, GOLD....okay I'm probably losing you with the college football references. (Whatever, it's my blog) Anyways, my parents did a good job of instilling my brother and I, to absolutely love music. It didn't stop at one music genre. either.  Sure, I had Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Merle and Buck, but the Beatles were there too. As a child I ruined Yellow Submarine for myself. Never again will I play it. It forever be skipped. How on earth my dad survived "We all live in a yellow submarine...yellow submarine... yellow submarine" sung over and over again, by a 5 year old, I might add, is beyond me.

I had motown, and beach music. I lived "Under the Boardwalk." I heard shag music. I heard bluegrass, and I heard bluegrass some more. It stayed with me. I guess what I'm getting at is, I totally get music. I understand it. The feelings evoked are truer than any tv show. Sometimes it even beats conversations with people. I cannot fathom getting up in the morning and turning on the news. SO much depression, sadness, boring politics...ughh. I'd rather hear anything other than the news. I can read about all that stuff. Zachary and I have discussed this. Coffee goes much better in the morning, with the positive vibes that music emits. The news would just put a damper on not only my day, but, my coffee, as well.

So, I guess what I'm getting at is, God missed the memo  to give me any thread of musical talent. Sure, I love and appreciate it, but I can't play a lick of anything.  He gave me writing abilities instead. Totally fine by me. I used to be better about writing. Since joining the navy, I haven't been loyal to this blog, but I hope to continue to grow as a writer, even if I never make it a career.

I would say I am kind of crafty as well. The kind of, comes in when I decide to conquer a task a bit too challenging. Have you seen those pinterest fails? Yeah that's me sometimes. I hate to admit it but its true. I lack the patience that is necessary of a true artist. Paint drying...."Oh my god. I just want to finish it today!!!" "Maybe I can just, maybe its dry here....nope still wet... shit!!! I totally messed it up now."

People get into the holiday spirit in different ways but my idea of spreading Christmas cheer is making handmade gifts. Give me a cup of coffee, and Ed Sheeran and I'll fill the entire night up. This is a picture of me above. Instead thogh, it's Sam Smith. Shhh...don't tell Ed.

 Since returning from Japan, I turned into a grinch. Honestly, I mean, what can you expect, I've missed Christmas 3 years in a row and the first Christmas back, my fiancé is in Japan still. Forgive me for not being so jolly as I should. But I don't care much about celebrating Christmas without him. I put a tiny tree up (thanks mom) and I have some red accents in the apartment. I go through phases of painting canvases, wooden boxes, ornaments, etc. My hobby currently is wood burning.

I was working on this absolutely beautiful wood burned sign for a family member, and when I was finally finished I realized that I wrote a cursive 'S' instead of a cursive 'I' in the sentence. And I thought, (2 glasses of wine down) "Oh I can fix this. I'll just make the I look fancy." So, I attempted to put a swirl in the cursive S but it just ended up looking like half a fish. "Well it IS a bible verse, perhaps I can just, oh crap...it really looks like a fish now." I called Caroline (a true artist) with what I should do. "It's okay Danielle, from far away...you can barely even tell. Or maybe you can turn it into an eyeball" I appreciated her input, but, far away or close up...it still just looked like an I with a christian fish through the middle of it, which makes absolutely no sense at all. But then again, neither did turning it into an eyeball. Back to Michaels I went.

Question: how do you go into Michaels with one thing on your list and come out with three bagfuls? Do you do that or is it just me? That dollar row gets me every time!!! "Oh, stationary... do they have a D? Yes!!!! My initial, for a dollar...why not!?! And these cool candle votives are RED. Now that is so Christmasy. I MUST buy them. Oh this is a nice antique looking key. I could buy this for the tree that it will CERTAINLY NOT FIT ON....but it is only a dollar....." I think Michaels brainwashes you while you are standing in line.

I have absolutely no idea what to title this because it was suppose to be about music and here I am writing whimsically on Michaels and trying to be crafty. Sorry. I lost my creative side while I was stationed in Japan. And if this is my creative side...ramblings on the most random subjects that make no sense, I'll take it because I never feel more myself than during the constant clickings of the keyboard.