Imperfet.

I recently wrote a "Tip of the Day" on my whiteboard outside my room in Muir Hall that turned out to mean more than I originally purposed. As the RA of third floor, I have the opportunity to challenge the girls everyday with something. I wrote, "You don't need to be perfet."

As I completed the phrase, a resident walked by and said, "Oh, I get it!" I was confused and then she pointed out that I had misspelled the word "Perfect."

I laughed at the irony.

I've been recently listening to an artist by the name of Bon Iver. He is a musician and his story is very interesting - it involves things like a band breakup, a relationship breakup,and a cabin in the woods. I encourage you to visit his myspace page to hear his music and his story.

His life story is pretty interesting, however, the thing that struck me most about this artist is that some of his most powerful work is EXTREMELY raw. The quality of his recording and even the quality of his voice is just - imperfect. But it's wonderful.

Another artist with a similar imperfection-vibe is Damien Rice. Please look at "The Blower's Daughter."

By these references, I certainly do not mean to belittle these musicians. On the contrary, I honor them for illustrating the power of heartfelt music.

I've always believed that true beauty in music does not come through a perfect melody or incredibly well-crafted lyrics, but through a heart that is passionate for the sound - a sound where the message is more important than the words that carry it, the passion more important than the pitch that moves it, and the listener more important than the musician.

Music in the raw.

So I've been inspired to produce excellent music, but not to worry too much about its perfection. Sometimes the most beautiful things in life are imperfet.

I'm an RA-in-training!

RA stands for Residential Advisor. When I moved all my stuff into my single room on the third floor of Muir Hall, I kind of forgot that one day soon, all these rooms to my right and left will be FILLED with girls!!

I can't believe we only have a week before residents move in!!

My staff here at Muir Hall is pretty awesome. I'll give you a little run-down:

Patrick - Crazy curly haired man. He is tall and awkwardly really funny. He likes to mountain-bike and scare girls.

Jeff - Returning RA in Muir Hall. Very nerdy (he will admit to as much) in classical ways - Star Wars, Zelda, HPV (which does not stand for what you think it does... it's Human-Powered Vehicle)

Gaylen - A little more shy than the rest of us, but just as funny. He also enjoys the nerdy things in life and is also a musician like me!

Kristi - Lovely, solid Christian girl. I am so lucky to have her as a fellow RA and friend. She and I never met before this, but it feels like we have been friends forever and will be friends for a long time.

All five of us get along super well together and it is SO much fun exploring the Math and Science geekiness that is inevitable in a Math and Science Hall.

Our theme for opening is going to be Space. And I'm stoked about it. We're going to have Mars and Venus Bathroom signs, Planetary names for each wing.... and PATRICK came up with these awesome sketches for space dinos. They're pretty epic.

So, that will be happening too.

=) I'm loving it.

MUIRONS UNITE!!!
- Jessica

Shout-Out to my Sibs

Tonight is my last night in familiar land for a while. FamiliaL, familiaR, tomato, tomato. The sibs and mom and I are taking the trip to San Luis Obispo tomorrow morn to invade the city!

Just kidding, they’re taking me back to school. In the Suburban. Which gets nervous going over 65. Good thing we in the car like each other. 10 HOURS. mm.

But I have absolutely treasured this trip home. I am so lucky to have the brothers and sister that I do!!

Jourdan, Zachary, Noah:

I have loved every moment.

FOR example:

Blasting NKOTB in Camo
Lil’ Marky’s third nipple
Candy at BAS-Has
*I’m immersed in an underground Alabama Lab-R-inth*
The Sketch Record Store (oof)
Cabelas Fudge.
Still Frauesssh

Now, that’s just to name a few... =)

I JUST love you guys and am SO glad you’re in my life and I’m in yours. It’s an honor.

And thank you Daddy for these wonderful people. Ur tight.

- Jess

Dreams of a Melody

I've been doing hours upon hours of research on musical recording equipment! This is my wish-list that I've come up with:

Blue Bluebird Microphone package (mic, pop filter, shock mount, cable)

TC Electronics Konnekt 8 Interface (Connects microphone/keyboard to computer)

Logic Express 8 by Apple (Recording Software: a step up from Garageband on the Mac)

One step at a time, I hope to build my recording "studio" =) Right now, I'm just singing into my computer, recording into Garageband -which is SO much fun - but I'd like to invest in some components that will help create a better sounding, better quality song! A piece of art.

It's gonna be fun. =)

Shout out to all the musicians out there! Tell me what your favorite pieces of recording equipment are! I'd love to hear.

Peace, joy, and happiness
- Jessica

A Fresh Word From God.

I was recently forwarded an excerpt from a book by A.W. Tozer. Some things stuck out to me.

One, that current Christianity is kind of in the same boat as Judaism was when Christ came. It is comfortable and preachers know how to talk about it. But what we really need is a fresh word from God. We need leaders with eyes to see what the Spirit is doing NOW.

"Another kind of religious leader must arise among us. He must be of the old prophet type, a man who has seen visions of God and has heard a voice from the Throne. When he comes (and I pray God there will be not one but many) he will stand in flat contradiction to everything our smirking, smooth civilization holds dear. He will contradict, denounce and protest in the name of God and will earn the hatred and opposition of a large segment of Christendom. Such a man is likely to be lean, rugged, blunt-spoken and a little bit angry with the world. He will love Christ and the souls of men to the point of willingness to die for the glory of the one and the salvation of the other. But he will fear nothing that breathes with mortal breath."

Two, that now, in order to cooperate with what Heaven is doing and what God desires so wholly to do with us, we need to have voices for him.

"What is needed desperately today is prophetic insight. Scholars can interpret the past; it takes prophets to interpret the present. Learning will enable a man to pass judgment on our yesterdays, but it requires a gift of clear seeing to pass sentence on our own day. One hundred years from now historians will know what was taking place religiously in this year of our Lord; but that will be too late for us. We should know right now."

Read the full article here.

What do you think?

- Jessica