Musical Inspiration-The Script

"Soul is not a black thing or a white thing, it's a human thing"

--Mark (member of The Script)

My life would not be the same without music. It is an art form that has the power to change my mood, to give me the energy to wake up each morning (yes my alarm clock tone is Tik Tok right now...), and great lyrics can even make me take on a new perspective. My roommate Telli recently introduced me to this Irish band, The Script, and I am obsessed, so I wanted to share their artistic talent on this blog. Take a listen to "The Man Who Can't Be Moved" during your lunch break and see if you agree! I am definitely biased based on my love of the Irish, but I think the lyrics are great.

"'Cause if one day you wake up and find that you're missing me 

And your heart starts to wonder where on this earth I could be 

Thinkin maybe you'll come back here to the place that we'd meet 

And you'll see me waiting for you on our corner of the street 

So I'm not moving, I'm not moving"

<3

Mardi Gras!

I can't believe it's already the start of Lent! My, my how time flies. But before deciding what to give up or, even better, what kind act to do each day, Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras MUST be observed :)

So this time last year, as you can see, I was being attacked with silly string by crazy French people on the streets of Nice at the real Carnival... And although that's pretty difficult to live up to, I did have a rather indulgent and truly American Mardi Gras this year nonetheless.

Let's just say it involved a late-night dinner at In-N-Out with Miss Nicole Fait, and it was delicious!

For all you vegetarians who don't like cheese out there (yeah that might just be me but you never know), here is how to make In-N-Out vegetarian friendly:

STEP 1: Grill a Morning Star Marsala Veggie Burger to perfection in the comfort of your own apartment

STEP 2: Place grilled veggie burger in a ziploc bag

STEP 3: Drive as quickly as possible to the nearest In-N-Out

STEP 4: Order fries, a chocolate shake, and a "veggie burger" (essentially a hamburger without the patty)

STEP 5: Upon receiving your food, insert the cooked veggie burger patty into the In-N-Out style "veggie burger"

STEP 6: Eat to your heart's content leaving no fry behind!

So that was my Mardi Gras, what did you do to celebrate??

Hi My Name is Alyssa and I Am a Klutz...

So let's just admit it, not ALL lunch breaks can be wonderful and inspirational and relaxing and delicous...as much as we wish they were.

Case in point: my lunch break at my internship yesterday. I brought my lunch (fantastic frozen veggie enchiladas from Trader Joes) and as the time neared noon I began to anxiously anticipate my meal. Of course, at exactly 12:00 I clocked out, brought my lunch into the kitchen and patiently waited my turn for the microwave. After cooking this heavenly mexican feast for 3 minutes, I went to take it out (bare handed) and was quite unpleasantly surprised to find that the temperature of the container had become MUCH hotter than my hands were able to handle. So in true survival mode, my hands released the container and the veggie enchiladas spilled out all over the kitchen floor and the sauce burned my hand in the process...

So I was left lunch-less, with a huge mess to clean up and a burned hand... Luckily the other people eating in the kitchen at the time were so sweet and helped me clean it up and even shared their lunches with me! Just proof of how compassionate people can be, even when they don't know you very well :)

I suppose the French would say that's my punishment for being lazy and bringing a frozen meal for lunch, and trust me French food experts if I had time I would most certainly make a fancy homemade meal. Let's just hope I can get through tomorrow's lunch break without quite so much embarrassment...

Here's to all you klutzes out there!

Hidden Art at Super Bowl Sunday

In addition to the fact that the Saints dominated the game (props to Tracy Porter for that incredible interception!!), being a PR/Advertising major encouraged me to pay particularly close attention to the multi-million dollar advertisements. Perhaps it's the bias my major causes, but I am inclined to believe that some advertisements truly qualify as art.

So...which artistic advertising attempt won the position of #1 Super Bowl Commercial in my book?

Parisian Love -by Google

French-inspired and an adorable concept--so perfect for my blog :) Cheers to the creativity of advertising and the tradition of a great American sport.

My Memory...

To practice what I preached in my previous post, here's a fond memory I share with one of my loved ones, Miss Alexandra (aka Ma Petite Coloc). As roommates in France we became great friends and traveled to many a foreign country together. We were fortunate enough to stumble upon 10 pound tickets to see Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet performed in The Globe Theater itself during our second trip to London in May 2009. Although we had to stand for three hours straight, seeing Shakespeare's most renowned play, performed mere inches from us in the theater he set it in, was absolutely incredible! I have never appreciated the true beauty and flow of Shakespeare's prose and the fantastic talent of actors until this performance. It is a memory I will always cherish. 

Share yours! 

Quote of the Week

"Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like a thorn"                

                        -William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

      

 With Valentines Day quickly approaching, who better than Shakespeare himself to remind us the love is never as simplistic as we all wish it was. Love all too often leads to heartache and suffering, however it is my opinion that our most lasting contribution to the world lies in the relationships we develop with those we love--those few treasured friends, family members, and lovers that will stand by our side no matter what the circumstance and keep a picture or letter or memory of us with them at all times. To quote Moulin Rouge,

"the greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return"

So to all you star-crossed lovers, rather than dwell upon the rough, rude, and boisterous moments your loved ones cause you, recall a fond memory and share it, either here or with the person or just in a journal, to remind yourself that love is most certainly a tender thing.