Summertime...

...and the livin' is easy.

For reals, I love that I get to do whatever I want. I've been working on craft projects (ribbon flowers for headbands, crocheted blanket, painting, cardmaking) spending time with friends and family, writing ukulele songs, and whatever else. I'm looking forward to going on some trips (bluegrass festival, visiting my mom's family in Utah) and who knows, maybe even the moon. Actually, that might be a little expensive.

Anyways, this summer is going well so far. If anyone asks me what I did last summer, I really don't know. Minus my Utah trip, it wasn't really anything too exciting. So, to combat the "what did I even DO for two months" feeling, I've been keeping a diary of sorts of what I do every day, so that at the end I'm sure not to feel like a life waster.

Because I am determined not to be a life waster.

One thing about summer - I'm so used to being busy and having stories to tell from school/work, that when people ask about my day, and I reply "[insert reply]", sometimes I feel just a little silly. Because they go to work and do "important" things, and I mostly stay home. and do... things.

One thing that is relatively new - I have a new little sister. That is, I'm mentoring a young 10 year old girl through Big Brothers Big Sisters. She's a little shy, but she is warming up to me (I think) and we have a good time. Plus, she really likes doing crafts, so I'm hoping she will help me use all of the superfluous beads/paper/materials I have in my house.

So far, so good. Hope you are enjoying your summer also!

Acoustic Night

To celebrate all things ukulele and acoustic music in general, I invited a bunch of people over to my house Saturday evening for an acoustic night. What I thought it would be and what it ended up being were two different things, but it turned out 10 times more fun and awesome than I could have anticipated. Instead of going around in a circle and people playing one song at a time, we hooked up the laptop to the TV and surfed the internet for chords for songs, then played along as we all sang. Lisa Loeb, Dixie Chicks, Weezer, The Darkness, whatever came to mind. It was kinda like play-it-yourself karaoke. Then we proceeded to create our own songs about Nachos, Nacho (a different kind), Ikea, and various ladies in the room. One of the best parts = We recorded the silly songs we made up. Wanna listen? (Be sure to listen to the Nachos and Ikea Song - those are two of my favorites)

http://soundcloud.com/jabrook

(They were all 1st run, on the spot recordings. Nothing was planned - except for the chord progressions)

Instruments: Ukuleles, guitars, a mandolin, keyboard, small keyboard (with beats), glockenspiel, bongos, saw, egg shaker, small handbells, and ... I think that is all.

It was so much fun. I can't wait till next time. Oh, and I think we could use a new name - Maybe something like Acoustic Karaoke Creations? Thoughts?