up until now.

solo.

Going by a new name; Her Lovely Trees.  I've been writing a few new songs, and thanks to the encouragement of some close friends, I've decided it's about time to start what I came here to start.  This Wednesday is the day!  I'll be recording at Studio X (Studio Ecks?) with Micah Anderson.  The two of us finally met last week, and I am convinced that he is the man that I have been looking for to help me get this project done at last.  The basic plan (so far) is to record three solid songs in order to have a demo to put in a press kit.  I don't know what I'm doing.  However, my good friend and mentor Jacob Ingram has graciously been willing to help me in the process.  Eventually I will put these three songs on an e.p. that I can sell at shows and online.  I've lately been wondering if I should record more songs while I'm down here, but the best I can do is take it one step at a time.  

So, three songs, guitars, mandolin, voice, and hopefully an organ, too.  Crazy, yah?  Devin Powell, my fellow band mate and I, have been working hard to create just the right sound that we want.  It's been way too much fun.  And man alive, have I been the luckiest girl ever to get to work with this dude.  Brilliant.  

And while this is down the line a bit, I am still thinking of who I would like to do some album artwork for me.  I really don't have any ideas here, I was not blessed with an artistic mind.  But I know a lot of people out there that do have good ideas, and I love you all.  Help?  Also, I need a name for my e.p.  I'll totally give you credit for your sweet ideas.  And a free CD.  Righteous.  

band.

Burning Olympus has been my life for the past 6 months.  Devin Powell, Chris Cooper, and Mike Perry are three of the best people I have ever met.  I am sure I have found the equation to guaranteed blissful memories.  Practices every Thursday, followed by The Office and 30 Rock, tacos every Tuesday, Saturday morning shirt making, Muse Music on a weekly basis at times, and Velour Live Music Gallery with the fog machine onstage.  Which I have been told that they use only for the bands that they really like.  Also, the recent practice space some have dubbed "The Crotch."  It is cramped, dark, and sweaty.  It is pure love energy.  And we can play as loud as we want, whenever the hell we want.  My majority of summer nights will most assuredly be spent here.

We had a band meeting a month or so ago, and decided it was time to put out a recording as a band.  The process begins this Saturday morning!   We are recording with Al Deans of Quasi-Stellar Radio and we are dang excited about it.  We're going to be recording three songs with him and learn all we can about recording during this.  The next step after that is to buy the equipment ourselves and record the rest of our album with our freshly squeezed knowledge.  We figure this way, we get to record however we want and as often as we want, and learn all about it, too.  No complaints there.

Holler to our band manager, Charlotte Coleman.  She is the best.  No one liked Frank, anyway.

Ohh, also!  I like.  Bought an amp.  A Fender Frontman 65R.  I will do great things with this I feel.

utah.

Why am I here?  I ask myself this every day.  Originally, I was planning a road trip last June to visit Charlotte and to record a short album.  I decided to take a chance and try my luck living here.  I packed up Bernice to the fullest and made the trip down with my cousin Michelle last September.  And you know what?  At first, it really was as bad as everyone told me it would be, which I was not ready to admit then.  Things took a turn for the infinitely better in January after I returned to Utah from Washington.  Some of the better times in my life.  I attribute that to actually making new year's resolutions.  It really is a good idea to have goals, apparently.  So I made new friends, learned how to snowboard, learned how to not ski, substitute taught until I couldn't afford to anymore, joined the band, fell in love with an engaged man named Ian, went to California, and acquired by far the worst job I have ever had.  

I'll be here until August 25th.  That's just when my lease happens to end.  But while I'm here I'll be recording like crazy, and mentally preparing myself for fall classes in Washington.  Home, sweet home.