What, like it's hard?

Having never really sang before (apart from being the queen of rocking out in the car, and the star of my 6th grade musical) I came to Bali in January of 2012 on a holiday.

Whilst strolling down the picturesque, quaint Goutama street, I stumbled upon the most brightly colored art shop I'd ever seen.  I stopped, admired, and had a chat with some people that are now some of my close friends (and ended up designing my ROCKSTAR album cover.)  They said they wanted to write songs... I had just written a bunch of songs!!! What, like it's hard?

They stared at me incredulously and I sang them a song that is now known the world over as "the orange peel song", or Charming Start and they immediately got excited! Having loved writing little songs and singing them for my friends over the past month to ward off the chill of Korean winter, additional support from other artists was just what I needed as fertilizer to sprout, and a dream was born.

My contract in Korea was up 2 months later and I was scheduled to start law school in the fall.  I had a few months to kill... Why not come back to Bali and make an album of my little song?  What, like it's hard?

It's been almost a year and a half since that dream was born.  The response has been OVERWHELMING!  So many people helped me along the way, from jamming to contributing to the album, to fundraising!  The album launch was so packed some people stood in the streets for hours!
During this process I've learned more than I could have ever imagined, worked with incredible musicians, written many more songs, made the best friends a girl could ask for, and now live in Bali indefinitely (that's a story for another day though.)

It's been a long road, but one that's definitely worth it (and maybe a little hard ;)

My album, Norma Jean the devilicious sessions  is now available on iTunes, HERE, and check out my facebook for all performances, new songs and musical happenings!

If Heaven Was a Jimjilbong

We took the path less traveled

and found it led to a magic Jimjilbong

of brown huts and hot coals.

The smell of smoke and clay

washed away our cares

as we lounged beneath

beneath the summer sky.

It was, 

in a word,

epic.

경기 평택시 포승읍 홍원리 266-85

Hidden Rachel.

A fire pit for cooking sweet potatoes.

Large out door shaded sleeping areas.

Wooden pillows.

A room with a view.

Heated rooms with stone floors.  They cost  little extra.

Cinderella's slippers

This is how they heat the rooms. Not the best summer job.

Iced green tea is perfect for an afternoon in the sun.

When it's all over, duck inside for a delicious lunch or dinner.

We are in love with this place.

The Day to Day

Things have come so far.

These days I spend my free time the Korean way,

with friends.

And that usually means lunch 

with Jennifer and Sue.

Missing The Important Parts

My sister Rebeqa is getting married
and I'm not there.

As can be expected, 

I'm a little devastated.

As sad as I am,

I can also look back on our lives 

and I know I was there 

when she needed me most.

And I know that our relationship

is wider and deeper 

than this ocean that separates us.

Ratings Always Ruin The Best Shows

This blog is not supposed to be useful.

It's with great hesitation

that I include useful information.

Like many long running dramas,

popularity often dilutes the storyline

as viewers opinions become more and more

influential in determining the plot.

It would be grand

if I never knew the ratings.

If I could just write 

and think 

and have opinions

and pretend that no one ever saw them.

However, that's not really how blogging platforms work.

Every time I log in, there it is.

A graph that declares the winners and losers

and it compels me to be helpful.

Like the devil on my shoulder,

it tells me to add links 

and maps 

and accurate information 

because people are searching 

and needing 

and requiring.

But really, I just write this for myself

and the others in this drams.

So that we can remember 

the best episodes 

once our time together 

has gone off the air.

None of this is meant to be anything beyond 

the memory of my Drama.