A militia of stars.

Well…I always say I’m going to try to be consistent in blogging more, but that never happens. So rather than say that again, I’ll spare you and say that I probably will blog just about as often as I do now.

The reason I’m writing tonight is that I just realized something about music and the way I’ve gone about acquiring it over the last couple years. I never used to download, but once I didn’t have enough money to support the artists I love through buying their music (though that’s not really where their money is made) I didn’t really have a choice. I had forgotten what it was like to hold the product in my hand and appreciate an album for everything that it was worth. The artwork, the packaging, etc… It’s a beautiful thing and it bums me out that I stopped caring about all of that. As long as I could get the music free of charge, I didn’t care. But what’s the fun in that when you don’t get all of the amazing things that come along with it when you actually buy the album?

I’ve discovered this about myself because for Christmas this year, I was given a record player. It is hands down the best gift I have ever received, and it has completely revived that part of me that cared about actually owning the product of the bands that I love’s music. And not just the music, but seeing all of the artwork and actually having something tangible…something I can attach a memory to. I can’t say that I really remember downloading any one album and thinking, “Oh wow, I’m so stoked that I finally have this!” It’s also made me appreciate the process of looking for music in record stores, and discovering new things by myself rather than reading the latest Pitchfork article and saying, “Oh I bet this new band is awesome because Pitchfork says they are…better go download it and see…” Not that they’re always wrong, but damn it feels good to have my own say in it again, and actually trying to find new stuff on my own. Sure, it is a little more expensive, but unless my apartment burns to the ground (knock on wood), or I lose them I’ll have these records forever. Every one of them is a new memory, or a reminder of an old one. This is literally one of the most satisfying and beautiful feelings in the world. 

becapecax3:

bankaaa:

best-bitch-doin-it:

I know everyone used to watch these shows if you never did…WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU!

Cartoons have changed soooo much.

I still watch most of these. :)

I don’t know why, but I always forget that I have a tumblr and then don’t post on it for forever. So I’m going to attempt to change that starting…now!

Since my last post was like 3 or 4 months ago, I suppose I’ve got at least a little to talk about. 

First and most important…the album is coming along great. It was a bit of a tumultuous start, but we’re on the road to success now. Since the last time I posted, we’ve added a drummer who is also our producer. And it’s been one of the best decisions Journals has made thus far. So keep an ear to the ground for the release that’s looming in the future. And if you’re reading this blog entry and you haven’t gone and liked our page yet:

facebook.com/journalsband

Go like it. That gets updated more often than my tumblr does.

I also interned at a church this summer, and that was a really great experience. It kind of got me back into what I left behind when I left the worship band I used to play in. I played guitar at a church, helped run the sound board, and hung out with the missions teams that would come through from Arkansas, Georgia, and Kentucky. It was just really cool to get to know all these kids and see their passions being put to work.

So all this aside, life is good. Friends are good, family is good, God is good; Everything is good.

Until next time.

This week has been great. I’m in my final week of my first semster at IUPUI and I have 3 finals left. Everything about that just feels like a success to me. And on top of that, this coming Friday I’m headed in to the studio with the friends that I’m privileged to call band mates to begin work on our first full length record. This summer is going to be one of productivity, the creation of art, and the cultivation and growth of my passion. But as for everything else, everything is in it’s right place. But as for now, I’m going to enjoy riding around in a car and listening to The Pixies with my roommates and neighbor. Simple life. Simple love. Simple brotherhood.

It’s been a little while since the last time I posted on here, so I guess it’s time to play a little catch up…

In January, I moved away from a school where I spent just about 2 years in order to pursue something that was more fitted towards my own liking. So I moved to Indianapolis to live with a close friend of mine, Brandon Lowry. Through this, I gained another close friend because Brandon was living with Matt Potter already. So through the past 3 months I’ve been learning how to live with new people and it’s been awesome!

I started going to school at IUPUI, pursuing a degree in Communications with a minor in music. It’s been quite the transition from a small school to one as large as IUPUI is. Not necessarily difficult, but it has still been a transition. I’ve slowly been accumulating new friends, and getting to know my professors. And that has been one of the strangest things to me about this school so far. You would think that it would be hard to get to know your professors at such a big school, but I’ve had an easier time doing it here than I ever did at IWU. I don’t really know why it is, but it’s just been easier.

Other than all of that, like always, I’ve been working on music. One of the many great blessings of moving in with Brandon is that music is as big of a part of his life as it is mine. So I have the privilege of getting to play music with him.

All the jamming in our living room aside, I’ve been hard at work trying to produce some new songs on my own with my acoustic project that I’ve been doing for the last couple years. But the problem is that I haven’t been able to come up with any songs that I really cared for for the last year. But last night, I finally finished a song that I’ve been working on for months! So I’m hoping that in light of that, I’ll be able to kick out a few more so I can get started on my record.

Life is good. Things have changed but they were for the best, and the road ahead is going to be a long one. But I’m excited to see what’s in store.

Love, Sam

I’ve been in a very large period of transition the last month or so. I’ve been getting myself ready for the things to come thinking about how great it’s going to be to start over. 

But now that this change is looming and mere weeks away, I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous. It’s starting to dawn on me that I’m about to uproot myself from a very extended amount of time of growth, and friendship. 

I know that it needs to happen, though. And I know that these friendships aren’t going to crumble up and blow away. IWU has taught me a lot about who I am, and that it is possible for me to be genuinely loved. This is something that I didn’t know until I got here and I am unbelievably grateful for it.

Despite all of this though, I can’t wait to move in with the people that I’m moving in with. One of these guys is a very close friend of mine and me moving in with him is something that’s been a large subject of joking is now becoming reality and I couldn’t be more excited to start this chapter in my life.

This all seems like unconstructed thought and I may sound like an idiot, but I just felt like I needed to write something down. But Brandon, I’m stoked to start living together and writing music constantly. All my IWU friends, I will be around, and you can hold me to that. I love you guys all very much.