Tag: life is beautiful

2020 New Beginnings

Happy New Year! I thought I would start my first post in 2020 with a little life update. Maybe even take you on a little journey in my personal UFO if that’s okay with you? Throw in a little spicy storytime. Who knows.

So, what is this all about? YOUR GIRL GOT A NEW JOB. I have kept everyone in the dark about this situation, except for my close friends, up until very recently. I just wanted to marinate in the moment, okay?? I didn’t want to wake up and have it all be fake. If you are attentive, I briefly mentioned in my post about Life Is Beautiful, I quit my job to be there. Aren’t I so fun and dramatic? In all reality, I quit my job, and THEN went to have my own celebration at the festival. However, I never really touched base on anything after that. You want to know why? Finding a job was hard as hell that’s why. 

Let me backtrack quickly for a second. Upon graduating college, I thought with my thin paper degree, I was set. However, I was brought back to reality, shortly after that thought crossed my mind. For some, finding a job in their career path was actually simple. They had their minds made up in college, and stuck with it. While I always truly knew where my heart was heading, I constantly teetered on if it was “doable.” This is why in college, I didn’t think to look for internships or simple music jobs. I was ignoring my heart and my gut. So, that just meant I was going to have to bust my ass from that moment forward. Which is exactly what I have been doing for the last 2 years. I took a small break after graduation and was ready to grind. I took a small part-time job at a bar in Orange County, which I still hold very near and dear to my heart. While it was only a marketing and promotions position, I figured this title would look great for an entry level music job. I got settled in the job, and continued to look elsewhere. My heart could not rest. I loved the bar and I loved the family that it provided me, but I still felt restless. Coming home from music festivals I was sad, almost like I was longing for more. I MEAN I WAS. I just didn’t know what. 

Now, we’re approaching Fall 2019. Life Is Beautiful is around the corner, and my heart is starting to become unhappy. It is becoming increasingly obvious to the people around me. I am no longer where I need to be. While at one point, this job was the first step in the right direction, now it was time to put another foot forward. So, I quit. Didn’t even give my parents more than a 2 weeks notice, like my boss. I set my last day to be right before the music festival, so I could have one last chance to dance. Not forever, c’mon. Just ya know, before I cried every night applying to jobs. If you know me, you know that’s exactly what my sensitive ass did. 

I mean, it wasn’t all bad. I did spend countless nights crying in frustration. Wouldn’t you?? If your initial thought was “no,” maybe sit at your computer for 8 hours a day, emailing the void. Now occasionally those emails did produce a response. However, the majority of the response was negative. This is what differentiates 2019 me from 2017 me. In 2017, I would see the rejection, get mad, and quit. This time, I saw the rejection and used it as a fire to spark my next move. Don’t get me wrong though, I still cried…A LOT. All the tears eventually paid off. In early December, I got an interview that would set the tone for my new decade. Upon leaving the interview, I went to visit my best friend at work. I remember telling her I HAD TO HAVE THAT JOB. I have never left an interview feeling like the perfect fit, until that moment. Like everyone should do when looking for a new job, follow up. Seriously. Be annoying. I emailed the company, and almost immediately got a response. It was good news, and he wanted to call me that Friday to finalize everything. This is where things come full circle for me.

Friday rolls around, and I am going on a girls trip to San Diego, for my friend’s birthday. We arrive a little early, so I can take my call in one of the rooms before the festivities begin. I got the job. At the time it still didn’t feel real, still doesn’t. However, this is where it all comes looping around. I quit my job a few months back, and had my last moment of stress-free bliss at one of my favorite music festivals. In San Diego, I started my NEW stress-free bliss dancing at Gryffin! See what I mean, full circle. What’s meant to be will be. 

All this had me reminiscing on what my life has been like in the past two years. All the music festival moments, random vegas concerts, and spontaneous trips to go see my favorite artists. At the time, those were all the moments that inspired me the most. They still probably will in this new chapter of my life. All the “too drunk” moments at Coachella, blisters on my ankles, and post festival comedowns. Those were the memories that kept me working hard, and dreaming bigger. 

Now, this definitely isn’t the end. With this new job, you’ll get to see me thrive even more. AND I AM GETTING PAID FOR IT??? Imagine that, getting paid to do something you love. I think I’ve heard some sayings about that in the past. What I can say for sure, is you can expect to still hear me scream singing all my favorite songs, except more frequently. This blog will still be thriving, once I find time and content. There are definitely more interviews coming up, so keep an eye out for that. Also, more music festivals, so possibly more disasters?? You know it’s bound to happen with me. Maybe this time someone will actually steal my Iphone 6, so I have no excuse to not get my upgrade. So, until the next musical journey we meet on, I’ll be back soon!!

 

Life Is Still Beautiful

HELLERRRRRR. Yeah, maybe Life is Beautiful did happen 3 weeks ago, but I have finally recovered from the loss I felt of it being over. While people had many mixed reviews of the festival this year, I thought it was as beautiful as ever. Let me tell you why.

Let’s start with my journey to Vegas. We had a little rocky start arriving, but it quickly turned over for the better. While getting to the city was extremely breezy, I experienced a little shake up at the grocery store. Of course, right? Something weird has happened to me at every festival. So, I am about to be in the heart of Vegas, when I decide to go to the store just outside of the city. We are obviously on a mission to capture some White Claws. And bagels…always bagels. So, I am picking up my case of Claws. I set my phone down maybe a foot away from me. I turned around to put the Claws in my cart and when I looked back, my phone was gone. Me being me, I assumed I put it back in my backpack for safe keeping. As I start to walk away, I realize that is not the case. Who jacked my broken Iphone 6? And how? I was standing right there, not another soul in sight. I power walk to the front, and ask the woman about a lost phone. As I am speaking to her, the cashier tells me that the phone has just been turned in. Weird, right? It felt like the universe was playing a prank on me. Since I had gone on the outskirts of the town to the store, I would have had no idea how to get to my friends apartment. Let alone, I would not have a phone for the entire weekend! Any other time, this would not be an issue, but at a festival?? Not going to happen. However, I was extremely lucky to get my belongings back. Upon checking out, I proceeded to race to the comfort of Emily’s apartment and start getting ready.

It’s day one! Not to mention, Alana and I’s one year anniversary. Such a special moment, realizing you met one of your amazing friends at an amazing festival. Iconic, one would say. Obviously this is Alana’s night. Gryffin is playing and Alana is his #1 supporter and promoter. I had no idea who he was before she came into my life. I am hyped to finally get a chance to wear my hair in space buns, like I had been practicing for weeks. We walk into the festival, and there it is, that feeling you get when you’re finally where you need to be. As some people may know, I quit my job right before the festival. My whole plan was to leave after, but it just felt right to end my journey with live music. I had been feeling overwhelmed, but all of that immediately went away. We had about an hour until our first set, ARIZONA, and I was excited to get a Vodka Redbull. Would you think any less of me? Unfortunately, I was hoping for a cute souvenir cup, but this year that concept didn’t exist. Like all years, we just HAD to sneak each other into VIP for a little bit. Let’s just be real, the porta potties are nicer, and the grass is greener. So, we spent ARIZONA’s set in VIP, vibing with my Vodka Redbull. My favorite part of this entire set wasn’t even the songs. This is absolutely no shade to ARIZONA, they were phenomenal. However, at one point, the lead singer gave a mini speech. He said something along the lines of: if you aren’t where you need to be, with the people you want to be with, you have the power to change that. And while a little lump in my throat formed, Alana put her hand on my shoulder from behind me. In that moment, I really had no doubts about any of my prior decisions. I was going to be okay, actually I was going to be FANTASTIC. 

After the set, we decide to head over to our favorite tent, and watch everyone before Gryffin. An act that caught me off guard, for the better, was Jonas Blue. I had always walked to class in college to his song, “Fast Car.” So naturally, I assumed the set would be more mellow. I was wrong. However, it was the perfect pregame to Gryffin. Of course, I just HAD to scream my heart out to the song, “Remember.” For those of you who don’t remember (lol), Coachella was the first time I saw Gryffin. On my drive home, I knew there was a song I loved, but I just couldn’t think of the name. Upon shuffling his music, I realized this was the one. So, since Coachella, I had been listening to “Remember” almost everyday. On repeat. After screaming my lungs out, and dancing like a maniac, it was time to close the night. We finished with Louis the Child. Who was obviously amazing. We decided, with a long weekend ahead of us, we needed to go home early tonight. Of course, not without a little pit stop to McDonalds. 

It is day TWO baby. I wake up a dusty, crusty mess, while Emily gets her booty up to go to SoulCycle. What a goddess. I went right back to bed. Let’s just say this day was the best for so many reasons. The first being, it was unofficial cheetah print night on the grounds. When we walked in, almost every person we encountered was in cheetah, including me. How did I get the telepathic memo?? We decided to walk around a little bit and check out the art. My favorite part about this year, were the notes to strangers posted all over. I think the movement has been in museums for a while, but for some reason, seeing them in person was super impactful. It was like all the notes posted, were meant for me to see. It was giving me a little extra pep in my step. However, here is where the REAL pep comes in. I had originally planned my trip to stay longer to see Loud Luxury at the clurb (not a typo). However, my friend’s hookup was no longer in Vegas, leading to a dead end for us. I was super bummed, just trying to play it cool. My friends get a text in the venue, Loud Luxury is playing the Bacardi Art Motel in 30 mins. I SCREAMED. We had to go. It was obviously a pop up, Bacardi Art Motel is teeny tiny. So we get there, and I cut the line. I cut about 70 people, absolutely no shame. In my mind, those people probably did not get the text, they were just waiting to go in and get their aesthetic photos. Not today! I still do not feel one ounce of guilt. While I was most excited for Jauz that day, the vibe completely changed. The song “Love No More,” is the bad bitch anthem I am always talking about. I am in love. So, obviously, the secret set was everything I ever dreamed. 

After Loud Luxury, we attempted to find our friends and go to Jauz. Unfortunately, one of our buddies was extremely excited to see Lil Wayne, who came on stage for one lyric, and then cancelled his set. So, with her night being essentially ruined, she decided to return home. We go to Jauz and make some really cool new friends, who later we go to the next set with. However, we don’t stay long before we decide it is time to hit the after party. Where do we go? Well OBVIOUSLY, Encore Beach Club. RL Grime was playing the after party, and I was not going to miss it. Let’s just say, he’s my new Beach Club crush. 

It’s day three. Emily still finds it in her soul to get up and workout, while I go right back to bed. It always sinks in on the third day, that it is ending. While I don’t intend for these sad thoughts to creep in, they always do. I just want it to last forever, ya know? So, I put on my favorite festival bodysuit, and we mob over for the last day. Of course, upon arrival, all sad feelings dissipate. Nothing extremely exciting happens, but we do get to end the night with Oliver Heldens, NERVO, and last, but certainly not least, POST MALONE. Can I just say, going into the night, I genuinely was under the impression that Post Malone heavily used autotune, even live. However, I was extremely surprised to find out that he is an AMAZING performer. He managed to put everyone in their feelings, but also hype them up simultaneously. The performance was so good, I have even considered seeing him on tour. 

I know I no longer have any wild fables to tell, like my first Coachella post on here. However, I think people enjoy reading about how festivals can actually be a fairytale, as opposed to a nightmare. I will say though, as you grow up, the festival disasters may lessen, but the party STILL is crazy. I mean, c’mon, not everyone can dance for 12 miles a day. This festival never fails to remind me that no matter how tough my life gets, or how overwhelmed I may be, life is still beautiful.