Songs I Like

Here I made a list of songs that I love. Most of them I will love forever.

I've compiled this list over a period of time as I have been reminded of the songs that I have come to love... I'm hoping to get a better idea of what my style of music is...

Loves:
*#1* The Way You Look Tonight - Frank Sinatra*

Hey ya - Outkast

You and Me - Lifehouse

Sober - Kelly Clarkson

Sittin' on the dock of the bay - Sara Bareilles

*(really, anything Kelly C or Sara B)*
Ooh! Another! Many the Miles - Sara B

Anything with a lot of soul and groove

(I'm listening to Adele right now...)

*Jesus Lover of my Soul - Alex Boye*

Jason Mraz.

Jon Mayer
(Mmmm...)
Frank Sinatra

(I especially love "Waiting on the World to Change")
OOH! and Dreaming With a Broken Heart!!
Hey Alli - Runner Runner
(They spelled my name right :)
Train.
(everything Train.)
(Mmm... Drops of Jupiter...)
Gravity - Sara B
Everything - Michael Bube
Smile - Uncle Kracker
Just Give Me A Reason - P!nk
Sweeter - Gavin DeGraw
Good Life - One Republic
Not Over You - Gavin DeGraw
Just Give Me A Reason - P!NK
Pentatonix.
Chasing Pavements - Adele
Little Lies - Dave Barnes
According to you - Orianthi
A Thousand Miles - Vanessa Carlton
Put Your Records On - Corinne Bailey Rae
(That one comes from my good friend Melissa Wilson :D)
Sweet and Low - Augustana
White Houses - Vanessa Carlton
Song for Sienna - Brian Crain
Shake It Out - Florence + the Machine
Brave - Sara B
Redeemer - Paul Cardall
Let Me Be Your Star - SMASH
Fix You - Coldplay
Bruises - Chairlift
One of those days - Joy Williams
Sweet Pea - Amos Lee
Easy - Rascal Flatts and natasha beddingfield
**Black Baloon - Goo Goo Dolls**
Broken Strings - James Morrison
Mercy - Duffy


**********

New Finds:
(Which means I like them now, but may get tired of them)

Golden  - Justin nozuka
Something I Need - One Republic
Love Runs Out - One Republic
Carry On - FUN
Lemonade (ukelele) - Jeremy Passion
(Super cute!!!)
Imagine Dragons
Lego House - Ed Sheeran
If I Lose Myself - One Republic
(Dude, I'm loving that whole new One Republic album....)
What I Know - Parachute
All We Are - Matt Nathanson
Sad - Maroon 5
Endlessly - Green River Ordinance
If You Ever Come Back - The Script
Phillip Phillips (Gone Gone Gone, Raging Fire, Home)
Build Me A Girl - Andy Grammer
Love Love Love - Andy Grammer
When I was Your Man - Bruno Mars
A Drop In The Ocean - Ron Pope
Story of My Life - One Direction
(Remember their days of What Makes You Beautiful?? They're growing up!!)
everything has changed - Taylor Swift
Elle Me Dit - Mika
Wake Me Up - Avicii
The Woman I Love - Jason Mraz
Distance - Christina Perri
Peter Bradly Adams (though he does remind me of an ex-boyfriend)
The Edge Of Glory (acoustic) - Lady GAGA
Rude - Magic!
Stay With Me - Sam Smith
Latch (acoustic) - Sam Smith
Am I Wrong - Nico & Vinz

**************

Love songs I love:

I won't give up - Jason Mraz

You and Me - Lifehouse

Falling Slowly - The Frames ? 

Lost - Michael Buble
For You I Will (Confidence) - Teddy Geiger
(Apparently there's a rock version... I'm not a fan. Stay acoustic.)
A Thousand Years - Christina Perri
Collide (Acoustic) - Howie Day
Come on, get higher - Matt Nathanson
Marry Me - Train
She Is Love - Parachute
I'll Be - Edwin McCain
Marry You - Bruno Mars
Oooh!!! And that song from Enchanted... So Close - ???(Jon McLuaghlin?)
I've recently come to love "To Make You Feel My Love - Mick McAuley and Winifred Horan
[Recent Find:] Never Stop (Wedding Version) - Safetysuit
The Blower's Daughter - Damien Rice
I Choose You - Sara B
Endlessly - Green River Ordinance (New Find :))

(I know there's so much more here... I am easily swooned... :)

(Also I LOVE Peter Bradley Adams, but he makes me think of an ex... silly, I know, but you should check him out anyways, cause he's great!!)



*Keep in mind, this isn't a complete and comprehensive list, but rather a small sampling of the sort of music I like... It would probably take much too long to write up everything.... :)



What do you like? 
If you think I should add anything to my repertoire, I am totally up for expanding my horizons!

Dating Problems

So I just got home from a two-year excursion in France where I immersed myself in sharing the Restored Gospel to everyone I came in contact with. It was BLISS!! And I've realized that one of the things I loved while I was there was the predictability - a luxury that I do not now enjoy.

There is a lot of unpredictable things in my life. The two major ones include my major/career (as I think I've mentioned before), and... marriage. And what's the precursor to marriage? As I am repeatedly reminded by my grandma, my mom, and most anyone I come in contact with - the anything-but-predictable-predicament of DATING!!!

I've actually been fortunate enough to go on a bunch of dates since my mission. Nobody I'm terribly interested in yet, but I've met a lot of really nice people. Then one fateful night I crossed paths with a tall and handsome young man. We talked. We laughed. I enjoyed my fifteen or twenty minute exchange that I had with him. As I walked away I realized how much I liked talking to him. I was extremely tickled when he added me as a friend on Facebook,  and the next day invited me to a movie night. I was probably more excited than I should have been, but I just felt like he was a really cool person, and I was excited to get to know him better. During the weeks to follow we talked almost every day. But he never asked me out. I saw him a few times in between. I felt extremely insecure, especially since I had felt that I had been very forward in my online conversations with him.  So we never got to really talk like we did x weeks ago.

I'm mostly bummed with little glimmers of hope here and there over the dumbest things.I keep having those moments of -- Does he like me? Maybe?! Oh... maybe not. Wait he talked to me! ... oh, he ended the conversation...  Over and over and over again. It's driving me NUTS!! Is he interested or not? Am I being played? Is he keeping tabs with me just in case the girl he's actively pursuing doesn't work out? And HOW DO I KNOW?!?!

This long anecdote boils down do a point - Dating is in no way what it used to be. Nor what I personally believe it should be. I have gained so much more respect for those sweet guys that take the time to ask a girl on a date, spending some time with her to get to know her. No need for games. No need for social media intermediaries. Straightforward one-on-one time.

What I'm finding is that most people rely too heavily on "hanging-out." Don't get me wrong, I love hanging out with other people. I'm always game for a good party! But I don't think it should replace dating. Too many people play the game of hanging out with someone long enough that they eventually hold hands, kiss and start dating. Just saying, I'm personally not a fan for the following reasons:

1. Impersonal. I see that it's a really easy way to test the waters when you're trying to figure out if you're interested enough to ask them on a date, or to get to a place where you feel comfortable asking them on a date. But use it as a stepping stone please and not as your main source of transportation. When you know you'd like to get to know that one person better, just ask her out! If she rejects you, she's not worth it, move on.

2. The ultimate lack of commitment. One date does NOT mean it has to go anywhere. It does NOT mean you are automatically put in a committed serious relationship. But at the same time you should not be focused on a quick bit of action. In my opinion, the goal is not the hook-up, but rather it's looking for someone that you want to be with, that you want to know better. Ultimately, you're looking for someone you want to add into your life. That doesn't come with the quick girlfriend, but rather with the amount of quality time spent with a person.

3. (Last one for the night) Things are WAY MORE COMPLICATED THAN THEY SHOULD BE!!!
It turns into this huge game of "Does he love me, does he not?" On BOTH sides. Does that look mean she likes me? Or was that a friend-zone look? He asked me to hang out again, does that mean he likes me? Or am I just his friend? Or was it so he could invite my roommate that he thinks is cute?? The thing is you NEVER KNOW because so often both sides of the party are swimming in their own ideas of whether or not there could be something happening. Or one person tries to pursue an opportunity and is disappointed to find that the other person never felt the same way the entire time. On the contrary, if you ask her on a date and she accepts, there is a mutual understanding that you both would like an opportunity to get to know each other a little better. If she accepts the second date, then you know she's interested to look into it a little more, etc. You stay on the same page as the relationship progresses, without the guessing games!!

So a quick shout-out to all those guys that had the guts to ask me on a date. It takes courage to do that, and I am grateful that you took the chance. I'm sorry that I wasn't interested - I can't always help that. But I'm grateful that you took a chance.

Can we recommit right now? Guys - I've given you my mouthful. Girls - make it easier on the guys. Take a chance on the first date - you never know what might happen! But don't be quizzing him about where the relationship is going on the second date either.

And for heaven's sake people - JUST LEARN HOW TO DATE!!!

I like to write. I think.

Hello blog.

... It's been awhile.

I'm not much of a blogger... OBVIOUSLY. I have another blog about my adventures in Paris. Wouldn't you think you'd have a million posts about your adventures in Paris? No. I have like three. One of which is focused on my toe being cut off by a french doctor named Doctor Casanova (no really, true story, click here to see the post). Nothing about the rich culture, the fabulous architecture, the decadent food, the gorgeous language......

Super odd since I have the most ridiculous love affair with all things French.

Also odd since I grew up thinking I was going to be a writer.

I used to love to write. My grandma would joke that I have a pen as an extension of my hand. I even thought for a long time I would be a writer. I remember marching in a parade where all the kids dressed up as what they wanted to be when they grew up. There were dancers and police men and all sorts of stuff. My super creative mom dressed me up in a huge floppy sweater (that I still have... it's still huge ha!), with messy hair filled with pens and pencils, glasses and a notebook in my hand. Because that's what I wanted to be. That's what I was good at.

Right now I'm going through lots of different career options.... what do I want to be? I've looked at Public Relations, broadcasting, journalism, advertising, music, music education, elementary education, accounting, physics, engineering, French, dance, theater... I just really don't know what to do with my life. What I'm trying to do is observe my skills and see how I could best apply them into society... As I've done this I've noticed how terrible my writing skills have gotten... and I feel kind of sad. That used to be my forte, and alas with lack of practice comes a loss in talent.

But in that same sense.... shouldn't I be able to practice writing and get it better again? Maybe I could readjust myself to expressing my thoughts and feelings in a fluid and reasonable manner like I used to, maybe throwing in some fun words here and there. (My favorite word is juxtaposition... it's so cool!).

So I'm going to try to re-train myself to write.

I almost kept a journal, but then I realized how amazing the marvelous ambiguity of an invisible blog audience is. I can write like people are going to read what I write. True, I do realize that no one will read this. But at least it feels like I'm talking to someone. One way conversation skills aren't the best skill to practice, true. But I'll feel more of a sense of purpose and reason to write. And maybe will drive me here more often to write.

So I guess this is my open journal.... Hello world! Take a look into my head, I don't mind!

I guess that's the reason I started this blog in the first place....

So I guess this is more of a Welcome Back post, a re-commitment to my non-existing fans that I will never fail you again, or at least not until my time is taken with things like work, school or a real social life. But fo the moment I am back to post the mindless jabberings of Ms Alli Kae.