Sunday Songs

You either love them or hate them. Sure maybe you can respect and tolerate them, but in my experience it's either love, or hate. I happen to love them. Not only do I owe them alot for liberating my life, but also they kinda sorta rock. I'm talking about U2. I know. Alot of people I know just don't understand why I love them so much, but here's a short answer to that question.



Aside from the fact that U2 is actually an amazing band, and even if you don't like them you have to admit they know how to write a song, I really honestly do owe them alot personally. I "discovered" U2 at the end of my Junior year of High School and Rock'N'Roll was still fairly evil (my parents, while nutty were never quite as nutty as some). It was Christmas 2004 that I sneakily asked my unaware grandmother for U2's new album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. My unaware grandmother got me a Best Of Album. At the time my family was stuck in a sort of limbo between being nutters and being normal. The previous 6 or so years we had been decidedly nuts and filled with our own self-righteousness. It was a (humorously) bad time and spaghetti straps were evil. Long story short, I started listening to U2 every chance I got, much to my father's chagrin. However I happen to have a mother who wanted to be a punk singer as a teenager (I just love that so much), who loved U2 when she was a younger despite the fact that Rock music was evil (her dad was a Baptist Pastor in the 80's. Yeah.). So my mother confided in me that she actually really loved U2 and then went and bought How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. She also stole my Best Of album and I still have no idea where it is. Surprisingly my dad liked the music as well. And this led to our liberation and ended up with my mom going to the Vertigo tour 8 months pregnant. When Grace was born, she would fall asleep at the sound of Bono's voice. We're pretty sure it's because it was a sound she heard alot while in my mother's womb. Also my graduation songs were both U2 songs (we had a senior slide show of pictures of our life and played songs with it.), which was a very classically Ashley way to go out. Playing Love and Peace or Else is quite humorous when played for a bunch of nutty pro Army types. So no matter what you think of them, U2 will always be close to my heart (plus their Irish!). And yes I do in fact like their newest album. Shut up about it.

So you can imagine my utter delight when I stumbled upon the Pride single on vinyl at a thrift store. I gave it to my mom technically, but she doesn't have a record player, and I do, so until I move, I'm going to listen to it. So here is the single it'self and a few other of my favourite songs from early U2, which is my favourite time for The Edge. Gotta love the long hair. (And Larry Mullen, if you read this, call me. I love you, you sexy beast.)

Highland Mint

When I was about sixteen or so my family had annual passes to the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park. You need only know me for about ten minutes before you learn of my deep and burning hatred of zoos. I cannot abide them. Like, at all. They are smelly, it is always hot, I always get a sunburn, and there is a 99.9% chance you will get pee'd on by an Elephant (my claims to fame in life are that I have not only been pee'd on by an Elephant, but also a cow. Someday I'll tell you about them). if all that weren't bad enough, there is nothing you actually do at a zoo. So in lue of being pee'd on by smelly animals who mostly just lay around doing nothing, I would look through the shops. During my times in these shops (we went alot, because, y'know, the animals change so very much from week to week.) I discovered Badger Balm. They had a pots of these lip balms as well as sticks and there were samples. Being a lip balm fanatic (seriously it looks like I collect the stuff) I tried all the ones they had there. The company sold really pretty sounding scents/flavours like Chai Rose, Cinnamon Bay, and Highland Mint.

At this time in my life I was obsessed with two things: Scotland, and a Scottish actor ( don't even ask, cuz I'm not telling you) who happened to think that badgers were the strangest animals ever (His website was called something like The Roaming Badger and he frequently referred to himself as a badger and it was all weird, but he did have very pretty blue eyes). I had giggled when I saw the name of the company, and when I saw the Highland Mint, I giggled even more. then I tired it. My life was forever changed. As far as lip balms go, this stuff takes the cake! It is soothing, and makes my lips so soft, and had just a hint of that tingling mint feeling. Beyond that it smells incredible. I'm not joking, this is the best lip balm on the plant and I'll put my right eye on that. So I bought a pot of it. I think the pot lasted a week or two. So I bought another the next time we were there. Same story. Then our passes (thankfully) expired and while I was so happy about not having to stare at yet another lion sleeping anymore, I did lose access to my favourite lip balm.

But as fate would have it, my favourite vintage/thrift shop (that is sadly no more) started carrying the sticks. I was thrilled and overjoyed and happily bought them every time I went in there. Well the next summer I went to the UK and Ireland and carried my Badger Balm. It was stolen by some girl on the trip when we traded sweatshirts one day, and I demanded it back. I got it back on the day we went repelling off the side of a castle (which by the way I am terrified of heights and did everything I could to not appear so as we leapt off the side of a castle. While it was fun, I did land squarely on my hiney and will probably never do it again.). It had been two days that I been without that stupid lip balm and it was like Christmas getting it back. Sadly the stick lasted until the last day of the trip and I had to fly home sans lip balm. Oh well, I thought, I'll just buy some more when I get home. So get home I did, and off to Dee Lux I went, and guess what? They had gone out of business in the time I had been gone. Life as I knew it was over.

I have been searching high and low for this stuff ever since then. It's an organic brand, so health food stores and the like should carry it right? Oh no. They carry badger brand hand and foot balm, but no lip balm, and no Highland Mint. I could order it online, but then I'd have to pay shipping and when the sticks are three bucks a pop, I'd rather not. About two weeks ago I was in Sprouts buying toothpaste and there I saw it. Badger Balm Sticks!! I literally ran to the display only to find they did not have the Highland Mint. At that point I decided I would break down and just order the darn stuff online. So yesterday I ran over to Clark's across the street. Clark's is a health food store and carries 99 cent Arizona Ice tea, which by the way, I am addicted to. I got my tea, bought the refill to my facewash, bought some rose scented Witch Hazel, and went to check out. I had searched the toiletries section of the store for that stupid lip balm as I do every time I'm in there. But alas, nothing. So there I am standing in line and an organic raspberry dark chocolate bar was staring at me tauntingly. I told the chocolate to go away and looked up one row as if to let it know it did not have any power over me. And that's when I saw it. It was unmistakable. The green cap, the purple swirly label, the cute little fuzzy creature holding an orb. Could it be? I squealed and grabbed a stick hoping my eyes did not deceive me. They did not. I had finally found my lip balm! I bought the thing and ripped off the seal, opened the cap, and breathed in the smell. Oddly enough I was instantly back to that day of abseiling (repelling). Every time I use it now I'm back there. All I know is that I am delighted to have my lip balm back. I highly recommend it. Your lips are in for a treat.

This Message is not Approved by Jill.

But She's at Disneyland so she can't really approve it despite the fact that I was told not to post this without her approval. I was also told not to link to her. I love you Jill, but only "this much" _____.

Last night Jill hosted a girls night out at BJ's Brewery. (BJ's had the best coffee ever and I am so not kidding about that)It was a ton of fun, and I was thoroughly mocked (in a good way). We laughed, and talked, and had good food, and good drinks, and awkward conversations, and came up with ridiculous inside jokes, and had a really lovely time. I only took a few pictures (while Jill mocked me about how they were all going to end up on the blog) but here they are for your enjoyment.

(Jill, someday I'll actually draw you a graph for dicifering what exactly "this much" really means in Ashley Crushland. It will probably be very large and include a timeline of my phases of stupidity.)

Today I posted some status on facebook about Ke$ha, and was being mocked by someone about said status and I kinda went off on a rant (which of course I will now repeat for all of you).

I have heard of this girl, but hadn't listened to her music, or paid any attention until this morning. This morning I ended up on her website watching her orgasm set to bad electronica and dying inside a little. IT WAS HORRIBLE! Y'know that my smallest complaint was the fact that she can't sing? It's THAT bad. I was horrified. Absolutely horrified.

This is why I have such a huge problem with these major music companies. They are basically running brothels. People think, be a musician and make millions, and that is SOOO not what it is about. It makes me so angry to see this. It's not about your talent or ability or artistry. It's about weather you look good in clubbing clothes and are willing to put yourself on display. This girl represents everything that is wrong with the music industry. And frankly music is not supposed to be an industry. It's an art. You don't see an Artist industry anywhere do you? Or a Dance Industry? And I'm not against industries, or big business, or corporations at all. I believe that everyone has the right to make money and if they want to run a corporation, fine. But music is not a corporation. It's an art and when you corporate an art, you lose the art part of it. That's why musicians start their own recording companies, because they can't own anything that is theirs with the other companies. I love it when I see artist collaborations and there is some note about how So-and-So appears courtesy of _____. not they don't appear courtesy of a company. They appear by courtesy of themselves. They're the ones who are writing the music and performing and yet some company has the right to tell them when and where they can appear? I don't think so. It's MY music. No company has the right to own any of it.

Music isn't about making a million. It's about so much more and these trashy, future rehab dweller "musicians" are ruining all that. I mean Mozart died in poverty. Mozart! And yet Ke$ha, who can't even spell her own name correctly, can lay around in her bling and beer (classiest rhyme ever: "got no money, but I'm already here, got plenty of time, and plenty of beer." Have fun finding a new liver in five years Ke$ha.)? Does anyone else have a problem with this? Is this the legacy of music our generation wants to leave behind? And don't get me wrong, there are alot of popular artists out there who I really like, and respect. Even if they aren't someone who's genre I particularly like, there are many artists who are, golly, artists. They put thought, emotion, and golly, art into their music. But these are the same people who have said that as a musician you cannot be in this for the money, but for the actual craft. It's these fame and fortune seekers who give musicians, and music, a bad name.

Let's be honest, we'd all like to be rich and famous. We'd all like the attention, and the perks. I really have no problem with people honestly saying that's what they want. But if that is what you want then get on a reality TV show. Become a celebutante. Pull a stupid stunt that becomes a nationwide scandal. But don't pretend you are an artist. Don't get involved in an artistic outlet hoping to make millions. Your focus will only ever be on that, and when it doesn't come, you will live a horribly miserable, bitter life. I love music. I love listening to it, performing it, writing it, being surrounded by it, learning about it, feeling it, seeing it, I just love music. If I can make money as a musician, then great. I would love nothing more than to make a living doing what I love the most. But if I never get the opportunity to do that, I'm still going to love my music. My love of my art isn't co-dependant on my wish to make a couple bucks with it. I would be just as happy working in a job during the day and performing at night, as I would be performing full time. I'd love to perform full time, but I don't need to. I love the actual music. So when these stupid twits who write songs about people touching their "junk" and how they are going to brush their teeth with a bottle of Jack, it infuriates me. They are taking something I love so dearly and bastardising it. It's offensive. It's not even music anymore. It's some alcohol diluted, sex infused, cacophony of noise. All I know is that you Ke$ha, are making Mozart roll over in his mass grave. Good thing you probably don't know who he is.

Rant over.

(I felt I needed to compensate for yesterday's three sentence post. I'm all about balance y'know.)

An Outfit Post

AH! I wrote a whole long-ish post on this and the darn thing didn't save!! Here's the gist: Boring outfit, love my hair, would like my hair to decide weather it is red, brown, or auburn, watched Bright Star, loved the movie, going out tonight and very excited! This might be the shortest post in the history of my blog.

Monday Inspiration #31: Evidence of Spring

I lue of a legitimate post, here are some images of spring popping up around me.

This week and weekend were crazy! I haven't recovered from it at all!

But still I'm in the mood for a spring-ish adventure.

What about you?

NEW! NEW! NEW!

These last few days have been so lazy and yet crazy and just plain blah. I think this blasted heat is getting to me (anyone want to do a weather trade? I will gladly take your snow! Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?)! I need to get myself on a schedule and it seems like every time I try to plan things out, it just never happens. Oh well! Eventually everything will sort itself out! But in the meantime here are some pretty things I have added to my shop (Gasp! I actually did an update!).

I realized yesterday that nearly half my closet is taken up by things I need to sell. So if you would like to contribute to the "Ashley needs to mover her self to Portland" fund, I'd be much obliged! Not all these are listed yet, but a few of them are ( Some still need measurements taken which I will do tonight) So if there is anything you'd like reserved, let me know and I will be more than happy to do so! And I do ship worldwide. I've got some lovely Fall and Winter things to list later this weekend for anyone in the So. Hemisphere, so look for that post on Saturday. The items that are currently listed I've added a link to the bottom of the photo.

Secretarial School Blouse




Roses Are Pink Dress

Go-Go Dress

Shades of Envy Dress

A Little Bit Country Dress

Jessie Bag

Silver Slippers Clutch

The other bags that aren't listed yet will be listed by this evening so check back!

Monday Inspiration #30: Let's go to the Movies.

When I was a kid my parents were a little psychotic. It's okay because I turned out alright, but let me just say, they were a little nutty. They had some pretty funny ideas about raising us kids and secretly I loved it and fully plan on tormenting my own children. It'll be okay because I turned out alright.

One of their crazy quirks was that we didn't watch television. When I told people this, it actually made jaws drop. We did own a TV, we just only used it for watching movies. And watch movies we did. I have probably one of the best film educations a person could get. We watched movies ALL THE TIME. We had four movie rental places, and at each they knew us well. Long story short, I grew up watching a lot of movies. My dad loves classic films, my mom loves period pieces, Bri and I lived and breathed Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (and yes I have seen every single fiml they have ever made. Ever.), so there was always a healthy mix of movies coming and going in and out of our house. I realized rather recently how much I was effected by these films growing up. So today I have complied a list of the movies that inspired me the most as a kid- and still continue to inspire me today!

Alice in Wonderland: a little girl, who's curiosity and dreaminess gets her in trouble. Sounds very familiar.

The Secret Garden: In 1993 I got the chicken pox right after my mom finished eading this book to my sisters and I. I subsequently was rented every version of The Secret Garden because I loved it so much. A new version had just been released and everyone thought I was the girl that played Mary Lennox. Best week of my life. Though I honestly do not see the resemblance.

A Little Princess: Yeah, so basically I spent my entire childhood being Sara. I told tall tales a lot. I also secretly dreamed of being forced to be someone's servant and then finding out I was actually incredibly wealthy. Oh yeah, and someday, I will totally own those green shoes.

The Secret of Roan Inish: Duh. No explaination needed here.

And of course:

The Wizard of OZ: My Favourite Movie, and frankly just about the best thing ever.

What movies left a lasting impression on you?

Sunday Songs

I know today is Valentine's Day, but it is also Chinese New Year, so I thought it would be fun to work with this theme.

Today's record is the soundtrack to the musical The Flower Drum Song. The Flower Drum Song tells the story of Mei Li, an illegal Chinese immegrant, come with her father to San Francisco in the 1950's, to go through with an arranged marriage to Sammy Chong, a Nightclub owner who happens to be in love with his leading showgirl, Linda. Sammy is desperately trying to brake the marraige contract his overbearing mother and Mei Li's father have made without much success. Sammy sends Mei and her father to stay with his friend, Ta's, family. Ta is also interested in in Linda much to his very traditional father's chagrin. However upon seeing Linda's strip tease at the nightclub, Ta and his father are both upset and Ta soon comes to realize that he is in love with Mei, who now want's nothing to do with him. And now the Family Association has decided that the marriage contract cannot be broken and Sammy must marry Mei, even though both have realized that they are in love with other people. The end of the movie is delightful, charming, and classically musical-ish fun!

So here are some of my favourite songs from the musical:

I Enjoy Being a Girl (this was the first song I learned when I started taking voice lessons, and is possibly the best girly-happy song ever written. Thanks Rogers & Hammerstien. Also this is the best scene in the movie. Just sayin'. I have totally always wanted her apartment.)


A Hundred Thousand Miracles (I have always been facinated by Asian folk music. Semi tones, and eastern scales are so cool. I really love this song and how it blends that tradition with musical theatre.)


Love Look Away (Sung by Ta's love lorn friend Helen, it is one of the most beautiful and sad songs in the musical.)


The other song I was going to feature is no where to be found on youtube! It's the song Chop Suey, and is kinda the best song ever. So I highly reccomend renting the movie and enjoying all the silly musical goodness it has to offer!

Daydreamer

Wouldn't it be lovely to live on an Island eating fresh fish, surrounded by the salty air? Maybe someday....

What are you dreaming about today?