Easter Movie/Song

Wandering Stranger from Emily Brown on Vimeo.

I hung out in Provo last week.

It was fun. I don't take pictures.

Some things I did:

• Baraka with Scott and Maddison.
• Played music with Chris and Brooklynn.
• Salt Flats with Parker and Maddison.
• Les Femmes De Velour.
• Village Inn.
• Seviche with Collin and Jennifer.
• Hung around Utah Lake and downtown Provo.
• Sticky pudding with Pearl.
• Tacos, rainbow jello, playing music, and Rocksmith with BoTW and the Hansens.
• Walked to the Provo cemetery.
• House hunting with the Mads.
• Open Mic.
• O Brother, Where Art Thou? with Chris, Maddison, and Niels.
• Slept over at the Bennions.
• Lunch at Pei Wei with Scott and Maddison.
• Flew at night.

How I Joined Book on Tape Worm.

I just wrote a blog post about Valentine's Day and how I joined Book on Tape Worm on our blog. Read it here! I promise it's good.

And you never will.

Februarilist

1. Visit Huntington Gardens.
2. Celebrate Maren's first birthday with a blanket fort.
3. Finish my yearbook and mail it to Sam.
4. Submit my application for Ecuador.
5. Submit poetry to five publications.
6. Make Valentines. 
7. Start recording a new album.
8. Volunteer at CVRM or Martha's Village at least once.
9. Give 20 things to charity.
10. Finish at least one abandoned song idea.

From a letter:

PPS: Funny story about your music - All of us elders that serve in the Epsom Ward were in the car one day, and 'Somewhere' was playing in the background on shuffle. Elder Peach, my district leader, was talking about his teaching appointment that day, which was scheduled to take place at a train station in his area.

*music softly playing the background*
"Man, I'm starving," said Elder Peach. "Definitely should have packed lunch."

*music continues*
Elder Turner quipped, "Well, your investigator is Muslim, so won't he feed you?"

"Feed me at a train station? No way," said Elder Peach.
*TRAIN STATIONS ARRRREEEE NEVER FORGIVINGGGG*

All burst into hysterical laughter.
The end.

As promised, some church songs.

  Eine Kleine Churchmusik by Listen to Emily Brown

Eine Kleine Churchmusik

Will probably never forgive me for putting this on my blog. Good thing he never reads my blog.

I was in this ward just after he got transferred from it. HA.

Today I'm recording a bunch of hymns for some of my missionary friends, including but not limited to Sam, Mike, and (not pictured) the lovely Natalie. Surprisingly enough, my favorite one so far is "I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus."

Anyway, if you're going on a mission or if you just like church music, they'll be available on SoundCloud in a few days. FO FREE.

They won't let the blue boy down.

(Chuck Barry, The Promised Land)

We're recording!

And I love it.

Fast/Slow

Friday:

Helped Trevor put together his stands for All My Friends are Monsters.
Set them up at the Provo Town Square parking structure.

Ate the most authentic Chinese in Provo at Rice King.

Photo via How To Provo

Saw Meaghan Smith and Mindy Gledhill at the Rooftop Concert Series.

Gave them both copies of my album.
Talked to friends.
Took stands down.
Watched part of The Royal Tenenbaums.
Slept.

Saturday:

Slept in. Read books.
Worked on a yearbook zine for Sam (about my new friends).
Worked on a new song.
Rode bike to boyfriend's house.
Watched the rest of The Royal Tenenbaums.
Went home.
Slept.

Summer Bucket List Continued. (Additions from friends.)

6. Hike the Y one time.
7. Squaw Peak at night.
8. Lagoon.
9. Cupcakes.
10. Living room fort.
11. House show.
12. High and low tea.
13. Rooftop slumber.
14. Farmer's Market in SLC.
15. One weekend road trip.
16. Write a poem every day for a week.
17. Bike picnic.
18. Make a bonfire.
19. Watch a sunrise.
20. Go stargazing with a guitar and hot chocolate with Celeste.

Click here for the full list and give me a ring if you want to do one of these together!

This has to mean the world is a good place.

I love this video, and all of these people. It gives me chills.

Landmarks

I turned twenty last Friday and consequently, I've been thinking about landmark ages lately. I've been growing up more and more officially over the past few years (pictures when they apply).

In 2007, I turned sixteen at a family reunion. (Teenage dream, right?)

Shortly thereafter, the Harry Potter series ended. To understand the gravity of this in relation to my adulthood, you have to know that I read the first three Harry Potter books no less than nine times each, and the next several around four times each. The last one I read only twice. If Harry Potter was grown up, I was grown up. That was it.
My brother went to college. I started worrying about college (which, apparently, I was supposed to have been doing since freshman year.)
I went to prom.

I turned 18, to very little fanfare. (I don't even have a picture.)
I graduated and pulled my first all-nighter at a Disneyland grad night. At 5, before we got back on the bus, my friends and I were passed out on the grass.

I moved to Provo, Utah and started attending college at Brigham Young University. (And met one of my closest friends, Greta Ballif)

I also met Sam, and Mike.

I joined a band.

I turned nineteen.
I got kissed and broken up with.

My tiniest sister, Maren, was born.

I released my first album.

I got kissed by someone nice.

Photo Credit: Justin Hackworth

I turned twenty.

Photo credit: Trevor Christensen

Aaaaaaand this is my first post in about two months. Sorry! I promise there will be more poems/pictures/ideas coming your way. I will be  a good little blogger.

I'm in this band.

When I wrote my Bucket List for a class in Fall 2009, 14 was "Be in a band." I did not expect that this would happen anytime soon. Friends had asked me to join bands in high school and I'd never been particularly interested.

Also during Fall 2009, I met Scott Shepard at Open Mic night. Having enjoyed each other's music, we talked for a minute or two, left, and didn't speak for months.

In January Corey Fox asked me to play at an acoustic showcase. I agreed to, and a little later, he sent me an interesting email, saying that Scott wanted me to play piano with his band at the Velour Valentine's Masquerade. Again, I agreed. When Scott and I practiced for the first time, we worked on music for about an hour, and talked about books for two.

Clearly, it was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Velour Valentine's Masquerade, 2/13/2010

Credit: Kaneischa Johnson

We played the Valentine's show together along with my friend Dan on the cello and our friend Claire on the harp. It was a magical night. About a month later, we saw Ciera Black playing with some of her friends at Open Mic and asked her if she wanted to play with us. By March of 2010, Book on Tape Worm as it is today was formed, and 14 was crossed off my bucket list.

Slumber Party 1/12/2011

Credit: Jeff Cornwall

Book on Tape Worm, 3/12/2011

Credit: Trevor Christensen

Most recently, we're raising money for a full-length album on Kickstarter. Within the space of 4 days and 14 hours (7:28 on Saturday to 9:58 today), we've raised $5,005 dollars of our $6,000 goal. The influx of support has been so humbling, and we are so grateful to everyone who's helped so far.



If you'd like to support us, check out our video and visit bookontapeworm.com, or write a blog post and get your friends informed! If you do blog, leave me a link in the comments and I'll post it to our Kickstarter page.

Maren's Lullaby

Here's the lullaby, as finished as it can be for now. I got Madelyn and Melissa to sing on it, and I think putting this together was pretty neat to do as sisters. Madelyn is the lowest voice and Melissa is the inordinately high one. They made up their own harmonies. My favorite part of this song is about a minute in, when some cool harmonies come in and there are a few soaring notes in all the parts. Anyway, the song is the second track on this music player. Happy listening!

A Very Silly Christmas Song

Hannah and I wrote this in about an hour on Sunday night, and we are quite pleased with it! In other Christmassy news, our apartment is decorated and today I cleaned a bunch while singing to a Christmas karaoke CD that my mom sent me home with after Thanksgiving. Also, we are all reading/listening to A Christmas Carol together, courtesy of the lovely Courtney Perry and her awesome reading voice. And last but not least, I am putting together a Christmas box for my dear friend, Elder Sam Sonntag. Even if you don't know him, you're welcome to add a letter. :) And on that note, until finals are over and I can actually write something neat on this blag...

La Vie en Rose

Cosas

Today I am working on a poem in Spanish.
I am talking to friends about life and learning things.
I am being productive and getting work done.
I am writing a new song.
I am clipping all my fingernails.
I am playing silly songs on the guitar for my roommates.
And... sleep.

The Occidental Saloon

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! I recorded this video with The Occidental Saloon last June or so and it is finally up on Vimeo and on their website. Please watch it and if you feel inclined, share it with your friends. They did an incredible job and I'm super excited about it. :)

P.S. Shark Speed's video is also up as of last night and you should watch it, too.