2013 - Favorite Shows

Looking back... I can tell I it'd been a over a year since my friend and fellow music lover, Pastor Bock passed away.  I can also see how much my job and my stress levels prohibited me from branching out from my go-tos.  But there were some epic shows in my 2013...shared with some pretty incredible people.  The ones in bold are my top 10.  Boom!

The XX; Austin, ACL-Live, with Kelly and Angie

Billy Joel; New Orleans, JazzFest w/ Misa

Dave Matthews Band; New Orleans, JazzFest w/ Misa 

Atlas Genius with The Neighbourhood; Austin, Emo's w/ Aaron

Milo Greene; Austin, The Parish w/ Nicole

Pearl Jam; Chicago, Wrigley Field (first set) w/ Nicole & Owen

Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z; Chicago, Soldier Field w/ Nicole

Public Enemy and Ice Cube; Austin, Stubbs w/ Aaron

DMB; Austin, 360 w/ Kelly, Kim, Jane, Aaron, Mandy, Jaime, Amber and Lolo

DMB; Irvine, Meadows w/ Holly, Jen, Diane, Sven, King, Garret and Maya

Phoenix; Austin, ACL-Live w/ Kelly and Uma

Muse; Austin, ACL with Matt & Mike

Queens of the Stone Age; Austin, ACL with Nicole

STS9; Austin, AMH with Kelly, Amber, Dawn and Kim

Kings of Leon; Austin, ACL w/ Nicole

Pearl Jam; Phoenix, Jobing.com Arena w/ Owen

Willie Nelson; Phoenix, Celebrity Theater w/ Ian

2013 - Favorite Memories and Moments

I’m a little late to the game… but I’ve been fighting off some crazy bug that invaded my body.  While a lot of my year had an ugly gray cloud hanging around, it’s not hard for me to remember the happy moments.  The moments that brought light and laughter, those are the moments I want to carry with me.  In the spirit of remembering and honoring some of my favorite memories and moments of 2013…

1.  Meeting wonderful, new neighbors in Phoenix on the Sunday before Christmas and being invited to their family breakfast on Christmas morning. I thought I’d arrived too soon because they were still opening gifts, they then let me know Santa dropped some things off for me too.

2.  Reuniting with my mom, best friend and lifelong family friends at Big Star Lake this summer.  My soul needed that laughter, Oberon and time on the boat. 

3.  UT Football Saturday fun with Kelly, Amber and Lolo – my heart is more full because of you three.

4.  Exploring Portland with Katie – twas the perfect amount of fun, adventure and restful sleeps. 

5.  Being chased by birds and rainstorms in NOLA.  Along with the easy, meaningful and caring conversations I got to have with two people who span 20 years in age difference and whom I both adore so much for the impact they’ve had on my life. 

6.  Vegas – Who is Bobby English Edition:  The last breakfast.  I'm convinced we need a show.

7.  Reuniting with my Gorge crew in California – My soul is forever tied to those friends.  Their laughter.  And our shenanigans. 

8.  Breakfast in bed, because it was too cold to get out from under the covers, served by my boo-friend’s incredible husband.

9.   Girls day with Kamilah and Jasmin – pool time and pedicures.

10.  Any of my evening wine, reality tv and conversations with Nicole.

11.  Hiking Red Rock Canyon with Big Whiskey.

12.  Telling the baby to “sssshhhh” whilst in The Woodlands to see DMB with Kelly.

13.   Walking in to a sold out Pearl Jam show at Wrigley Field.  That’s what a little bit of whiskey and some confidence can get ya in the Windy City. 

14.  Michigan Basketball in the Sweet 16.  Being down with 2 minutes to go, and Trey Burke banging the impossible 3 point shot to tie the game.  Thank you, Ryan for being the only Hoosier in attendance! 

15.  Wine tasting with my girls.

16.   Going away bunch, cocktails and hugs from my favorite Austinites.

17.  Laughing so hard it’s impossible to take a picture during the Kentucky Derby party.

18.   Knowing that people are thinking about you… but being reminded that they care when you get an unexpected card in the mail. 

19.  When I got home that Friday afternoon, squatted down to put Whiskey’s leash on, and she put her front paws on my shoulder and rested her head there.  She knew I needed a hug, and wanted to the first one to give me one. 

20.  My goodbye hug from Kelly.  It was that hug, in that moment, that I knew the decision I was making was right…but it was in that hug that I felt the love that surrounded me in my entire time in Austin.

Thanks for being the light, laughter and love in my life friends... you made a pretty miserable year...fantastic!