"singin Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna!..."

Last Saturday I went with a group of people to The Hare Krishna Holi Festival Of Colors. The Hindu Temple looked like the castle on Aladdin. It was pretty amazing... There was sweet hippie music from live bands, and everyone just danced by each other and threw colorful chalk at each other. (Which really smelled pretty bad...it's scented kind of like incense, but lots of different ones mixed together creates quite a smell, especially when you're rinsing it off afterwards.)

I learned a lot about the festival in a couple of my world religion classes, but for those unfamiliar with the festival of colors, here is a brief summary from wikipedia. ha ha.
 "Every year, thousands of Hindus participate in the festival Holi. The festival has many purposes. First and foremost, it celebrates the beginning of the new season, spring. Originally, it was a festival that commemorated good harvests and the fertile land. Hindus believe it is a time of enjoying spring's abundant colors and saying farewell to winter. It also has a religious purpose, commemorating events present in Hindu mythology. Although it is the least religious holiday, it is probably one of the most exhilarating ones in existence. During this event, participants hold a bonfire, throw colored powder at each other, and celebrate wildly."


A few times during the day they had a countdown and had us all throw our chalk at the same time after we chanted along with them, and all you could see was a cloud of chalk around you...until you started coughing to death and trying to spit if it got in your mouth. Ha ha. All in all I would highly recommend it. Just keep your mouth closed!

I met up with my cousins in the crowd accidently and saw a couple other random people I knew, but my favorite was listening to the songs the band kept playing. "Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall. Humpty dumpty had a great fall. All the kings horses and all the kings men started singing- Hare Krishna! Hare Krishna!"
 You can sing along with any song if you know those two words.

According to theology, one's original consciousness and goal of life is pure love of God(Krishna)."Hare" is another name of Vishnu meaning "he who removes illusion". The mantra is repeated, either out loud, softly to oneself, or internally within the mind. This sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness - namely sensual,mental, and intellectual.

 Bravo, it was sunny and messy and fabulous. :)

To get a better idea of how it all goes, here are a couple sweet videos:

"music is reflection of self..."

"There are more love songs than anything else. If songs could make you do something we'd all love one another." -Frank Zappa

Music has a ridiculously huge impact on my life. It's amazing I don't write more about it, but then again... it's hard to write about something you feel so passionately about. I'm not sure why that is. Throughout my life I've had certain bands and certain albums that have influenced me greatly, and it's interesting what songs can bring back what memories. I've always wished life had a soundtrack. I guess maybe mine does. It would be hard to choose the most influential albums throughout my life, but if I sit down and think about it, I can trace back which albums stick out to me most.

1. The Goo Goo Dolls- A Boy Named Goo. This is the first CD I ever bought myself, and the first of my addiction to the Goo. Every time I listen to it, it calms me down, makes me laugh, makes me cry, makes me jam out, and makes me love.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. The Wallflowers-Bringing Down The Horse. This was actually my brother's CD, but I stole it somewhere down the line and it was a soundtrack to my mornings for a long time in high school.



3. Blink 182- High School was different once I discovered Blink.




4. Third Eye Blind- This CD got me through the first summer of Nauvoo.




5. New Found Glory- self titled. This was my first official introduction to the type of music I know and love today. The album was introduced to me while working in Nauvoo, and I switched between this and TEB the whole summer.




6. Bob Marley & The Wailers- Legend. The first time I really appreciated Bob was my Senior year of high school when Melinda's roommate had the CD and we'd play it for all of Campus Plaza to hear. Loved it. Totally rocked my laid back way of life.




7. The Foo Fighters- In Your Honor disk 2. I'd always loved the big hits of the Foo, but this album spoke to me more than any had in a long time. I was immediately hooked. That, and it inspired my only trip to Seattle, when BJ took me to see their acoustic show for my birthday. Seattle + The Foo= Amazing.




8. Our Lady Peace- Gravity. This album got me through my rough times.




9. Taking Back Sunday-all albums. This was love at first listen and I couldn't get enough of it, and I can still listen to every song and never get sick of them. It's the most memorable soundtrack playing from my road trip from CA to FL with my friends during Spring Break, and probably what I remember listening to most when I lived alone after that.




10. The Used-all albums. This was possibly the first band where I loved the raw craziness of his voice. It transitioned me, and also inspired a great road trip from Rexburg to California for Warped Tour with my roommate.




11. The Spill Canvas-Sunsets and Car Crashes. Every song tells a story that moves me.




12. Kings Of Leon-They are the soundtrack to my summer when I longboard.




13. Angels & Airwaves- We Don't Need To Whisper. This might possibly be the first CD I ever listened to straight through and really appreciated the music to. Normally I'm a lyrics kinda girl, but the music soothes me. I can listen to it for hours and days.




14. Weezer-Pinkerton. Most under-appreciated Weezer album by too many people.




15. Hootie and the Blowfish- greatest hits. I love Hootie, happy or sad.

funny funny

• BJ:
  you know, this whole depression thing is hilarious to me
  this is the richest i've ever been


• *special k says:
  we're not in a depression anyway. maybe a recession. maybe.
  
• BJ:
  i'm making plenty of money, spending more than ever, buying tons of cool stuff


• *special k says:
  and i've been livin for a year off 3 months pay, so i'm thinkin it's been a pretty good year


• BJ:
• i don't know what everyone else is doing
  they need to stop being depressed

• Jonny:  WHAT?! NOOOOO!!!
•  I think you underestimated my persistance
• Jonny: Nu uh...those ones you bought are actually fake!
•  Huh....they sure TASTE pretty real...
• Jonny: Ok I'm just jealous and in denial
• Wha? Oh I'm sorry, I was distracted by these delicious zingers...
• Jonny: you can't see me cause i'm in Springville...but i'm glaring in your general direction pretty hard right now...

• BJ:you blogging about me?
• *special k says:hahaha no, should i be?
• BJ:if you want to
• *special k says:about what?
• BJ:will you marry me? there you go. some kid proposed to you online
• *special k says: how unromantic
• BJ:probably wasn't the first time it happened to you
• *special k says: well i didn't wanna say anything...

• don't blog me!
• *special k says:yep. there's no backing out now
• you shouldn't have told me. now i have to try and be funny all the time

"This is gonna sound a little impulsive. This is gonna sound a little insane. I know you don't know me yet..."

So I decided to break down and buy some groceries, and I just came back from Smiths. On the corner of State Street and 800 where I turn to go home, I pulled into the turning lane and saw a car pull up next to me on my left. I didn't pay much attention, until I noticed it slowly inching forward to line up with mine. Oh, great...that can only mean a couple things.
1. This guy wants a race. Alright. Sebastian and I can take him.
2. Someone wants to talk. ( ...Don't make eye contact....)
Now...as I mentioned before, today is a gorgeous day. When this happens, I can almost always be found driving with my window down and my music up. Unfortunately for me, I live in Utah. Among other things, this means strangers like to make friends with you at stop lights.
"HEY!"
(Ugh. What's worse? Pretending I don't hear this car full of guys that are an arm's length away, when it's so obvious I can, or actually looking over there?)
"HEY! What are you listening to?"
I glance in their general direction, and toss my hair. Ha. I don't have to talk to anyone.
He grins. "Distuuuurbed?"
I half smirk that he thinks he's so cool.
"It was, wasn't it? Yeeaaaah, it was..."
I just shake my head and wonder what the world is coming to. I reach over and turn up my stereo which has just switched to "Under Pressure".
"Where are you going?!"
(I'm sorry, does that really work? Did you really think I would tell you?)
I stare him in the eyes and simultaneously stomp on the gas as I see the light turn green in my peripheral vision.
Sebastian wins again. Not even close. Poseurs. This is the state I have chosen to live in....(for now)

"I've got one hand in my pocket- And the other one is givin' a high five!..."

I'm in a good mood today (despite the awful painful experience of subjecting myself to laser treatment again this morning) because it's sunny and gorgeous outside...and actually warm. I hate it when it's deceivingly sunny and then you walk out and it's still freezing. What is that about?
I'm still a little concernicus about bustin out my shorts cause I don't wanna jinx anything..but soon enough. It's coming. When that day comes, I'm taking Sebastian, and we're going to the musical road. That's right, I said it. Also, as a side note- I'm a little sad 'concernicus' isn't a real word.

"they're magically delicious!"

Hi there.



Here you go:














Have a lucky day