I first started listening to Halsey on YouTube in the fall of 2015. By coincidence, her debut album, Badlands, was released around that same time. I was in a really dark place fighting depression and Crohn's disease and I found comfort in this concept album that was about people being trapped in a post apocalyptic society surrounded by desert land that keeps them there...knowing they should desperately try to escape, yet finding a weird sense of comfort there. Halsey created this world around the Badlands, which I used as a metaphor for my life. I've never felt more connected to music, nor have I felt so understood by music before.
This Friday, Halsey's new album Hopeless Fountain Kingdom comes out!!! In true Halsey fashion, this is also a concept album. She describes Hopeless Fountain Kingdom as a purgatory kind of like LOST. You know, my favorite TV show of all time! In the Rolling Stone Music Now podcast featuring Halsey, the Badlands are described as being the mortal realm above the Hopeless Fountain Kingdom. While I've listened to the songs that have been released from the album (I'll post links below), I am most excited to be able to listen to all of the songs on Hopeless Fountain Kingdom in order so that I can piece together the concept and interpret the story being told for myself. I've already got tickets for her HFK Tour and I can't wait to see her bring the Hopeless Fountain Kingdom to life! If you're looking for me, I'll be getting lost in the Hopeless Fountain Kingdom.
There are definitely Romeo and Juliet vibes in her "Now or Never" music video: https://youtu.be/kzQTc0-iBX8
No doubt she can sing in the stripped version of "Eyes Closed": https://youtu.be/joN23n_e5hk
"To be touched / To be loved / To feel anything at all" - Halsey ft. Lauren Jauregui "Strangers": https://youtu.be/e3hjpNuvapQ
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Monday, May 29, 2017
Kim is Leaving to Chase Her Dreams
I have a tissue box sitting next me, and it's not just because I'm fighting a cold. I know by the end of composing this post I will lose my composure and tears will soak my cheeks.
Kim leaves this week to move to Virginia to attend the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences. Her classes begin in one week! I have no doubt that she is ready for this next chapter. She has the drive, determination, and passion to make her dreams of becoming a physical therapist come true. She is super intelligent. She is willing to challenge herself to work hard because she expects the best out of herself. I have deep admiration and respect for the woman she is and the woman she wants to become. I believe her in her dreams!
Out of all of my sisters, Kim understands me the best. She may be younger than me, but there is a maturity to our relationship that I don't have with other family members. We can be brutally honest with each other and still respect each others' opinions and advice. We can disagree without raising our voices. More importantly, we can disagree and still actively listen to what the other one is saying. I value her perspective on life. We are always there to support each other. I love hanging out and talking with her and I equally love sitting in silence with her. She has the best smile and the most additive laugh I've ever heard. She makes me a better person. When I grow up, I want to be like her.
I'm going to miss her like crazy. I compare this feeling to mourning my good health and Taylor moving away. I know life will go on, but I also know it's going to be different. There's going to be a void, there's going to be an adjustment, and there's going to be a period of feeling lost without her.
I am so proud of Kim for being fearless in chasing after what she wants out of life! I think she is going to blossom during this next chapter of her life, and I'm excited to see her become the woman she wants to be! Go kick ass, baby sis! I love you and remember... https://youtu.be/5tepYJno7rU
Kim leaves this week to move to Virginia to attend the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences. Her classes begin in one week! I have no doubt that she is ready for this next chapter. She has the drive, determination, and passion to make her dreams of becoming a physical therapist come true. She is super intelligent. She is willing to challenge herself to work hard because she expects the best out of herself. I have deep admiration and respect for the woman she is and the woman she wants to become. I believe her in her dreams!
Out of all of my sisters, Kim understands me the best. She may be younger than me, but there is a maturity to our relationship that I don't have with other family members. We can be brutally honest with each other and still respect each others' opinions and advice. We can disagree without raising our voices. More importantly, we can disagree and still actively listen to what the other one is saying. I value her perspective on life. We are always there to support each other. I love hanging out and talking with her and I equally love sitting in silence with her. She has the best smile and the most additive laugh I've ever heard. She makes me a better person. When I grow up, I want to be like her.
I'm going to miss her like crazy. I compare this feeling to mourning my good health and Taylor moving away. I know life will go on, but I also know it's going to be different. There's going to be a void, there's going to be an adjustment, and there's going to be a period of feeling lost without her.
I am so proud of Kim for being fearless in chasing after what she wants out of life! I think she is going to blossom during this next chapter of her life, and I'm excited to see her become the woman she wants to be! Go kick ass, baby sis! I love you and remember... https://youtu.be/5tepYJno7rU
My Maid of Honor Speech
My Maid of Honor Speech went something like this...
Hello everyone!
Hello everyone!
For those of you that don’t know me, my
name is Lauren and Taylor is my best friend.
I want to take a moment to thank Taylor
for entrusting me to be her Maid of Honor.
When I first met Taylor in 2011 in
Meteorology class at Valencia College, I thought she was peculiar. I honestly
had no idea she was going to be as important to me as she is today. You see, I
had a free period before Meteorology, so I sat on the floor in the hallway outside
of the classroom listening to music while I waited for the Professor to open
the room. Along came Taylor, she walked
right up, sat down next to me, and started talking. Umm, hello… could she not
see I had headphones in listening to music clearly not wanting to be disturbed?
After rolling my eyes, I hesitantly took
out one earbud to hear her.
Once the
Professor unlocked the classroom, I found a seat. Guess what she did? In a classroom filled with empty seats, she
sat right next me. She didn’t even leave an empty curtesy seat between us. As
the Professor introduced himself and went over the syllabus, Taylor
persistently tapped me on my shoulder to get my attention to talk to me some
more. I didn’t know what to do, so I grabbed a pack of gum out of my backpack
and offered her a piece in the hopes it would get her to stop talking. It
didn’t.
A couple of
weeks later, she invited me to her birthday party at Blueman Group. At this
point, I thought she was a super friendly person that invites strangers to her
birthday parties. Although I still didn’t feel like I knew her, I accepted her
invitation because I wanted to see Blueman Group. I will never live down the fact that I didn’t
get her a birthday card.
We began
regularly eating lunch together at school and hanging out afterwards. We went
on adventures; we planked, went pumpkin picking, and paintballing. Before I
knew it, Taylor was my best friend. Now we are stuck like glue. It’s no secret
that Taylor and I are completely different and yet the same. It’s hard to
explain, but I’ll try. She’s a girly girl and I’m a tomboy, yet we both watch
“Say Yes to the Dress” when she has the remote control. She drives slower and I
drive faster, but we both get to where we are going. She’s married and I’m
single, yet we both used to have a cat.
Flash forward to
today. Taylor is the most amazing woman I know. She has a heart of gold. She loves selflessly. She’s ambitious; she
works hard to make her dreams come true. She’s dependable; you can always count
on her to be there whenever you need her. She’s also spirited; and Kenny I know you know
how incredible your beautiful bride is…after all, you put a ring on it!
The first time I
met Kenny was in 2012. While Taylor and I were roommates a super tall guy
visited. During his visit, the three of
us went to Universal Studios. A few
things stand out to me from that day. Kenny made Taylor smile, a lot. Throughout
the day at Universal they had stolen many glances at each other. It was
crowded, but they couldn’t lose me because thankfully tall people are where you
meet when you get lost in a crowd. Kenneth, I know you will take care of my
bestie. Remember, I know where you live.
I
know I’m supposed to offer up some relationship advice. But, I’m single and I
like cats, so… here goes nothing.
Kenny, never
stop being her prince charming. Pamper her and make her happy. When everything
else in the world is uncertain, be her rock. Challenge her to be a better
person. Don’t be afraid to compromise. Encourage her to step outside her
comfort zone. Love her unconditionally; you are the sparkle in her eyes.
Taylor, never
stop dating him. Spoil him and make him dinner. When everything in the world is
negative, be his positive light. Challenge him to be a better man. Don’t be
afraid to compromise. Be his best
friend. Love him unconditionally; don’t lose that sparkle in your eyes.
As
we raise our glasses to toast the bride and groom I’d like to ask Taylor and
Kenny to take a moment and look into each other’s eyes. Take it in and take a
breath. Remember tonight; remember tonight for it is the beginning of always. Here’s
to the Mr. and Mrs.
Sunday, May 28, 2017
Taylor's Wedding has Come and Gone
On May 20, 2017, my bestie married Kenny! If you're friends with me on social media, I'm sure you saw how incredibly beautiful everything and everyone was. It was held at The White Barn in Brooksville, FL. Amanda, the wedding coordinator, was amazing! She handled the wedding with poise and professionalism taking great care to turn Taylor's vision into reality. Nikki, Taylor's wedding photographer, helped make the day as seamless as possible. Nikki and her videographer worked hard to get great shots of the venue, wedding party, family and guests. They also re-worked the itinerary as the day went along like champs. Their passion certainly did not go unnoticed.
As for the ceremony it was the first wedding I've ever been in. I probably didn't pay as much attention to the actual ceremony as I should have. I had quite a few things running through my head, and I didn't want to forget what I was supposed to do. Don't trip. Make sure the other bridesmaids know their marks. Guide the flower girl, Bella (she actually ended up holding Taylor's veil as Taylor walked down the aisle instead) where to stand and when to help Taylor back down the aisle. Once Bella stood next to the bridesmaids, the veil was my responsibility until Taylor and Kenny walked back down the aisle. When you pick up the veil, bend with your knees together. Whenever Taylor turns or walks, pick up the veil and follow her. Fluff the veil a little before setting it back down. Pick it up and hand it to Bella before they make their way back down the aisle. And then there was my Maid of Honor bouquet and Taylor's bouquet. Thankfully, Cybelle, another bridesmaid, was a hero and held my bouquet once Taylor handed me hers. Cybelle also held Taylor's bouquet whenever I had to fix Taylor's veil. The ceremony lasted about 15 minutes, so it was a lot to remember and pay attention to in such a short amount of time.
I will say that Taylor was the most gorgeous bride I've ever seen. I may not have been to many weddings, but I've watched enough episodes of 'Say Yes to the Dress' with Taylor to know. I love how in love Kenny and Taylor looked when they gazed into each others' eyes. I am so grateful for Cybelle! She really helped a lot and I couldn't have done it without her. It seemed to be second nature to her. Whereas most of it was completely foreign to me.
After the ceremony, the photographer took some pictures. We ate dinner inside The White Barn. I drank some beer and made my way around to talk to the guests I knew and even some I didn't know. I gave my MOH speech, which I'll probably post in a different blog post. I recruited Cybelle and we worked with the DJ to request songs and encourage people to get on the dance floor. We did the Chicken Dance and we started a train. Once it started to pour, I went out of the barn to dance in the rain! Dancing in the rain was my favorite part of the night. It felt so good and it was liberating!
Cybelle, the groomsmen, and I packed up Kenny's car and pulled it around to the front of the barn for their exit. We danced a few more songs before their arm tunnel and glow stick exit. At this point it was still pouring, which I think made it perfect.
Once the bride and groom left, Cybelle, the groomsmen, and I loaded up Taylor's mom's car and helped clean up and pack up before leaving. I went back to the hotel for the after party with Taylor's family. It was my first time doing fireball shots! It was fun!
Overall, I still don't understand weddings. They are as baffling and mysterious to me as they were before. I just don't think the payoff for all the time, money, and work that goes into it is worth it. But, it wasn't about me, it was about the beautiful bride and her handsome groom having the wedding of their dreams. It made them happy, and that's all that matters!
As for the ceremony it was the first wedding I've ever been in. I probably didn't pay as much attention to the actual ceremony as I should have. I had quite a few things running through my head, and I didn't want to forget what I was supposed to do. Don't trip. Make sure the other bridesmaids know their marks. Guide the flower girl, Bella (she actually ended up holding Taylor's veil as Taylor walked down the aisle instead) where to stand and when to help Taylor back down the aisle. Once Bella stood next to the bridesmaids, the veil was my responsibility until Taylor and Kenny walked back down the aisle. When you pick up the veil, bend with your knees together. Whenever Taylor turns or walks, pick up the veil and follow her. Fluff the veil a little before setting it back down. Pick it up and hand it to Bella before they make their way back down the aisle. And then there was my Maid of Honor bouquet and Taylor's bouquet. Thankfully, Cybelle, another bridesmaid, was a hero and held my bouquet once Taylor handed me hers. Cybelle also held Taylor's bouquet whenever I had to fix Taylor's veil. The ceremony lasted about 15 minutes, so it was a lot to remember and pay attention to in such a short amount of time.
I will say that Taylor was the most gorgeous bride I've ever seen. I may not have been to many weddings, but I've watched enough episodes of 'Say Yes to the Dress' with Taylor to know. I love how in love Kenny and Taylor looked when they gazed into each others' eyes. I am so grateful for Cybelle! She really helped a lot and I couldn't have done it without her. It seemed to be second nature to her. Whereas most of it was completely foreign to me.
After the ceremony, the photographer took some pictures. We ate dinner inside The White Barn. I drank some beer and made my way around to talk to the guests I knew and even some I didn't know. I gave my MOH speech, which I'll probably post in a different blog post. I recruited Cybelle and we worked with the DJ to request songs and encourage people to get on the dance floor. We did the Chicken Dance and we started a train. Once it started to pour, I went out of the barn to dance in the rain! Dancing in the rain was my favorite part of the night. It felt so good and it was liberating!
Cybelle, the groomsmen, and I packed up Kenny's car and pulled it around to the front of the barn for their exit. We danced a few more songs before their arm tunnel and glow stick exit. At this point it was still pouring, which I think made it perfect.
Once the bride and groom left, Cybelle, the groomsmen, and I loaded up Taylor's mom's car and helped clean up and pack up before leaving. I went back to the hotel for the after party with Taylor's family. It was my first time doing fireball shots! It was fun!
Overall, I still don't understand weddings. They are as baffling and mysterious to me as they were before. I just don't think the payoff for all the time, money, and work that goes into it is worth it. But, it wasn't about me, it was about the beautiful bride and her handsome groom having the wedding of their dreams. It made them happy, and that's all that matters!
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