Monday, September 30, 2013

lather, rinse, repeat

It looks like the same form.  It looks like the same program. It looks like the same country. It is the same country, but it isn't the same country.

It's finally official, I've re-applied to study abroad for another semester at the University of Stirling after my completion of studying for 2 further semesters at Westminster.

Yep.  I'm lathering myself with Scottish shampoo again.  I'm repeating the second wash that a lot of study abroad students don't bother with.  I'm actually going back to the same school, in the same country, more than a year after my first journey abroad.

Some of the biggest questions/comments I've received are as follows:

"Will it be the same?"
"So, who's the guy you're going back for?"
"But you'll miss the last semester of your senior year!!"
"Aren't you sad to be leaving Westminster?"
"You aren't gonna graduate on time, are you?"
"Why do you wanna go back to the same country? Couldn't you go somewhere else?"
"Why do you want to leave Wesminster?"
"Won't you miss us?"

And the answer is always "Yes or No. It's the last chance all of my friends will be in the same place in the UK, and the classes fit my interests better. I also might want to live there someday so I need to go back to decide if that's still the case."

Everyone is getting a little fired up about it, but I haven't even been officially accepted.  Yes, I will miss a lot from back home, that's always going to be the case.  But I have the rest of my life to live in western PA...I've already been doing it for 21 years, I think it's okay if I leave for 4 months again.

So I'm lathering, rinsing, and repeating. And it feels pretty good.

xx
Hills

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Artist of The Day

It's been practically eons since I last posted an "Artist of the Day" blog, but I couldn't resist after I re-discovered the Ryan Gosling band that sprang up in 2009.  Somehow I'd forgotten about their incredibly creative self-titled album.

Dead Man's Bones is a rock duo consisting of critically acclaimed actor Ryan Gosling and his friend, Zach Shields.  Gosling and Shields take turns on vocals and both switch up instruments for different songs on the album.  They met in 2005 and discovered they shared a mutual obsession with ghosts and a mutual love for music.  Because of this, they decided to write a love story about ghosts and monsters in a musical format but when that fell through, they made an album instead.  The album features the Silverlake Conservatory of Music's children choir.

So what is so great about Dead Man's Bones besides the beautiful face of Ryan Gosling and his attractive musical partner? Their creativity.  I haven't heard a track of music like this for quite some time.  Every song offers a different experience for the listener.  And as a fan of horror movies, crime novels and dark plot lines, the eeriness behind every track was pleasantly fascinating.  Each time I listen through the album I get something different out of it.  And not to mention, it's the perfect album to listen to on a dreary fall day with a cup of pumpkin coffee, a Bath & Body Works "Leaves" scented candle and a big, cozy sweater.


The above song isn't on their album, but this one is called "Name in Stone." I'm a huge fan of the film noir feel the video has.

I've been wanting to hear them perform live (and how awesome would it be to go to a Halloween-themed concert with a costume?!) but the only light I could shed on their touring situation was in the below article.

http://www.gigwise.com/news/83139/ryan-goslings-band-dead-mans-bones-asked-to-tour-with-gaslight-anthem

Cheers,
Hill xx