fall concerts roundup
November 19, 2017 • featured, life, musings, personal
My first concert was when I was 14. It was in a Macy’s parking lot and I went with my cousin, mom and sister to see Ashley Tisdale perform 3 songs off of her then new album, Headstrong. Since then, I have lost count of how many shows I’ve been to and who I’ve seen. But the one thing I remember from each of these shows is how good I felt.
The thing about concerts is that there’s this feeling of unity in there. We’re all in one place to see artists perform some of our favorite songs. Songs that we listened to for hours, singing to ourselves or with our friends. My dad said to me the other day, “What’s the point of concerts? Just listen on your phone or on your computer.” The point is, there’s a whole other joy to singing these same songs with the artists who created them. I’m sure I’m not the only one, but when I enter the venue before a show, I leave everything that’s bothering me at the door and spend the next 2 to 3 hours just enjoying. There’s something liberating about that.
This past fall, I have been to three shows and each of them are unforgettable. Here’s a look back so I can cry and indulge myself.
Harry Styles: Live On Tour (September 28)
Everything about this show was like a dream. Getting the tickets last May, the build up to it, and the actual show itself. I saw so many of my friends that night, smiling and so excited for Harry to perform. The actual performance comes back to me in flashes. I just remember a lot of screaming, a lot of dancing, and Harry being a complete psycho (in a cool way.)
Ed Sheeran: Divide Tour (September 30)
I’ve tried to see Ed consecutively every tour since first seeing him perform in an intimate session back in 2012. He is one of the few artists I will never tire of hearing live. That night, I obnoxiously sang along to every song, stole friends’ snacks, and nearly got into a fight with a lady at the parking garage in Brooklyn.
Niall Horan: Flicker Sessions (October 31)
I was attempting to sell this show’s ticket up until the morning of the show. I was fully prepared to let it go, too exhausted to go out. But something in my heart just told me I couldn’t let it go. Somehow, I convinced my parents to drive me to the city for just Niall’s set. I snuck from the back to 6th row where my friends were and pretended like I knew every word of all the songs even though the album had only come out the week before.
Today I turn twenty five (25) years old. A quarter of a century.
The thought of it is extremely scary and daunting. It just sounds like such an old age? Like, when did I get here? How did it happen this fast? Why is my life passing by so quickly?
In hindsight, life has always felt that way. Every birthday I wonder how a year has gone by as fast as it did, and as always, I reflect over everything I’ve experienced and learned.
Before I get into the year of twenty four, I would like to say that as of recently, my way of perceiving things has changed a bit. I never overlooked the good, but I did ponder over the bad even though it shouldn’t even cross my mind anymore. In a way, bad things happen to everyone. We all go through difficult situations and bad moods, but once we get through it, it should be in the past. We shouldn’t dwell, or revisit, or give it a second thought. It’s not important anymore other than the fact that I had to go through it to get to where I am. Of course there were tough times this past year, many of which was documented on this blog, but I don’t want to talk about them anymore.
With that being said, twenty four was an amazing year.
I have so much to be thankful for and happy about, so bear with me as I indulge myself a bit. First and foremost, my sister had a baby and he is the light of my life. Anyone who knows me knows that I love babies and to have a baby in the house is so exciting! He’s just so happy that any of us could be in a bad mood and he can fix it. I feel so lucky to be able to watch him grow into a bundle of energy and loving person. Second, I finally graduated college, something that has been a long and grueling battle. It was a day filled with love, everyone coming together to celebrate my achievement and making me feel over the moon.
In terms of other achievements, I interned at SiriusXM and absolutely loved that experience. It was so fun and interesting. I hope to someday go back and work with them again. Soon after that (really, like, six months) I got a new job -- a permanent one where I’m learning and getting comfortable in a whole new setting. I feel like a true adult now that I’m sleeping on time, eating three square meals a day, and actually working on a daily basis.
Another big source of happiness in my life are my friends. I’ve got friends in different states and countries, all through a lovely thing called the Internet. But I’ve also got friends from work and those who I’ve kept in touch with over time, and after this past year, I’ve started to understand who I really want to keep in my life, who’s important, and who will treat me fair and with love. My current friends are gems. I’ve had so much fun meeting and hanging out with them. From screaming Taylor Swift and One Direction songs in the car, talking about feelings over delicious meals and coffee, going to our favorite singer’s concerts, meeting celebs just for kicks, browsing bookstores, to group chats where the memes and the drags are endless.
Saying goodbye to the wonderful year I’ve had is hard. There are so many memories, moments, and tidbits that I want to hold on to. It’s just unreal to me how many milestones I’ve crossed and that the end result has been so sweet. I’m big on dreaming and I’m happy to say that several of my dreams have come true.
I hope that this upcoming year treats me with the same love and care that twenty four has.
goodbyes and hellos
November 5, 2017 • life, musings, personal, work
Photo by Matt Hoffman on Unsplash
Last Monday, I said goodbye to my old job where I spent the last two and a half years. It was home, a place where I’d gotten extremely comfortable with those around me and what I was doing. When time came and I accepted a new job, I couldn’t believe that I only had a number of days left with the people I’d grown so close to. I spent my final day at work with a big smile, appearing positive, and my goodbyes were lovely. There was so much love, but it was with a heavy heart that I left. It was with promises of keeping in touch and visiting, but I knew deep down how hard that would be.
Goodbyes have never been easy for me. Maybe it’s a Scorpio thing, but I tend to get attached and have difficulty letting go. It’s the finality of it -- the feeling that once I let go, I will never get it back again. What if I regret it? What if I shouldn't have let it completely go?
This is where I try to remind myself that life evolves and change is inevitable. After all, a new job is what I’ve been wanting, screaming, and fighting for for the past 5 months. Now that I finally got it, I was hesitant at first. I thought that I wasn’t ready and needed more time. But that’s just the thing, isn’t it? We’re never going to be 100% ready for anything. We just have to jump all in and hope for the best.
Last Thursday, I said hello to my new job, a place where I’ll be for the foreseeable future. Walking in on my first day, I was immediately welcomed by people who I could see myself getting comfortable with and close to. And then after spending my first two days there, I have a gut feeling that it’s going to be home.
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