An Open Love Letter to the Bealtes

Dear George, Paul, Ringo, and John
        It's now year 2013 and i'm a basic 26 year old American girl attempting to live out her dreams in LA. I'm sad that I did not live during the revolution that was the British Invasion and subsequent tripped out days of the late 60's it totally would of been my jam. I wanted to send a letter of my deep appreciation for the amazing music you made together it is truly life changing. As a kid I always heard your music at the bars my parents dragged me to, blasting from the radio by the pool in the summer, and hummed by the random stranger walking by at the grocery store. It wasn't until my 20's did I really start to get into it more on my own. My best friend was a musician and we spent many a night at her gigs, friends gigs, and impromptu jam session by bonfires. When I backpacked through Europe I made sure to stop at Liverpool and check out where you lads grew up. Seeing instruments you actually played, walking down streets you traveled down, and spots your wrote about was exhilarating.

          When my Mom was dying of cancer my siblings and I would play Bealtes Rockband in our basement for hours. No one was allowed down and the C would couldn't be mentioned your music became our escape and our temporary joy. I always played guitar or bass I was super rubbish at drums. I got a kick out of trying to imitate your voices to try and get the perfect vocal score. We even did the day tripper completing the entire the game in one 24 period! We only slept 6 hours and our fingers had those insane gaming bumps on them.After she passed I would spend hours just listening to you music laying on my bed doing nothing but listening because I couldn't bring myself to do anything else.

          That Christmas I got the newly remastered entire discography that had just came out. My friend and I spent the next few days listening to the entire collection back to back leading up to new years. It was intense, fun, and at times mind boggling we both had really wanted to see the progression of the styles over time and boy did you guys really experiment and constantly explore your sound! I also listened to the entire collection (minus the Yellow Submarine Soundtrack that was only bearable once- sorry guys) on my way from Massachusetts to LA just me the long straight road west and your music. My first birthday here I ended up at a bar called Britannia where an Asian Beatles tribute band was playing and I was in heaven especially when they sang "Birthday" to me right at midnight. One older guy turned me as I danced and sang ALL the lyrics "How do you know all this" he asked. "I'm a super fan" I replied.

             The thing about the music is that there is a song for literally every mood and emotion you could be experiencing. Sometimes I would just hit Beatles shuffle and wait.... then a song would come on and I would be like "yes!" that's what I mean- those lyrics are incomparable.  "Here Comes the Sun" that first joy you feel after a long winter. "I Want You (she's so heavy) " that intense longing for someone you are so into. I could go on forever but those are my two favorites. Your sound changed so drastically over time and as you grew and changed so did the music and lyrics- the songs truly are masterpieces for the modern age. When I meet people from other countries they have Beatles stories as well and I'm enamored by the fact you have reached every inch of this plant with your music even so many years after the break up. I know if I ever have kids they will hear The Beatles as they grow and learn to love and appreciate the music as much as I do- it's a legacy I'm happy to pass down. George, Paul, Ringo, and John thank you for creating the most amazing music you've reached the heart of girl who could never thank you enough.
                                                                                                       All you need is LOVE,
                                                                                                                            Your fan Shannon ~S~

100 Blogs 100 Loves

I Love this Lame Graphic!

So this my 100th Blog- what to do with such a momentous event? I wanted to say something worthy of such a ranking but could only come back to the word love. I've often written about my experiences with people in regards to love but I'm going to write about what I love. Me as one person living my life and what matters to me excluding people (because obviously I LOVE you!).
Written in non ranking order:
1) Acting
2) Everything Irish
3) Flirting
4) The Ocean
5) Animals
6) Soft Sheets
7) Buddhism
8) Mountians
9) My Camera
10) Sunshine
11) Pilates
12) Peanut Butter
13) Jane Austen
14) Colors
15) Rock N Roll
16) Drive in Movie Theaters
17) Photo Booth Pictures
18) Adventures
19) Paris
20) Red Lipstick
21) The Sound of Rain
22) Blue Eyes
23) Humming
24) Dreams
25) Feathers
26) Sunflowers
27) Cranes
28) Psychology
29) Roller Coasters
30) French
31) Regency Era
32) Retro Styles
33) 20's music
34) Sunsets
35) British Mini Series
36) Boston
37) Doctor Who
38) The Beatles
39) Doing Shots
40) Fashion
41) Scarfs
42) Northampton
43) Road Trips
44) Postcards
45) Fans
46) Yearbooks
47) Romance
48) My Prom Queen Tiara
49) Spoon Ring
50) Sea Otters
51) Love Letters
52) Surprises
53) Swimming
54) Bananas
55) Collecting things
56) Scarpebooking
57) Painting
58) Teaching
59) Making Movies
60) Laughing till you cry
61) High Heels
62) The Hollywood Sign
63)  Secrets
64) Cosmopolitans
65) Grace Kelly
66) The Little Rock
67) My Cali License Plates
68) CIder Donuts
69) The Summit House
70) RENT the Musical not my bills
71) Skype
72) Lavender Lotion
73) Quirky Acessories
74) Hitting Snooze
75) My MAC
76) Giving Advice
77) Horoscopes
78) Mall Pretzels
79) Van Gogh Paintings
80) Elaborate Gardens
81) Articture
82) Live Jazz
83) Making Out
84) Campfires
85)  National Parks
86) Succulatns
87) Mocassins
88) Cashmire
89) Hot Tubs
90) Reading
91) Supporting Causes
92) Free Parking
93) Butterflies
94) Playing Bejewled
95) Telling Stories
96) Getting Unexpected Gifts
97) Netflix
98) Nature Walks
99) Drunk Dancing
100) Love
Can I use Love in a list about things I love? Sure it's my blog and I love to make my own rules... I also love to break rules too :) ~S~

Love Letters: The Most Romantic Thing in the World

     Ever since I was little I have had a fascination with letters. I remember being taught how to write a formal letter in school and I was so excited! I was even more excited when it came time to learn cursive. Now at the ripe age of 25  I've realized that cursive writing and especially letter writing are a lost art form.  I think letters have a way of communicating ideas and feelings that an email can just not completely convey. When I was backpacking in Europe I wrote letters to my friends back home and it was actually fun not to mention the excitement of actually receiving a letter in the mail! Men make a mental note this can also be quite romantic... so next time your considering sending and email think about maybe sending a letter to the girl you like- she will adore it... trust me.
       One of my favorite books The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is written as letters. There just something about writing one that gives you a feeling of openness like you can say what you really feel.  I am notorious for writing letters when there is something that I really need to say but can't seem to say face to face. Persuasion, most likely my favorite book in the world, has one of the most amazing letters ever written:

"I can listen no longer in silence. I must speak to you by such means as are within my reach. You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever. I offer myself to you again with a heart even more your own than when you almost broke it, eight years and a half ago. Dare not say that man forgets sooner than woman, that his love has an earlier death. I have loved none but you. Unjust I may have been, weak and resentful I have been, but never inconstant. You alone have brought me to Bath. For you alone, I think and plan. Have you not seen this? Can you fail to have understood my wishes? I had not waited even these ten days, could I have read your feelings, as I think you must have penetrated mine. I can hardly write. I am every instant hearing something which overpowers me. You sink your voice, but I can distinguish the tones of that voice when they would be lost on others. Too good, too excellent creature! You do us justice, indeed. You do believe that there is true attachment and constancy among men. Believe it to be most fervent, most undeviating, in F. W.

I must go, uncertain of my fate; but I shall return hither, or follow your party, as soon as possible. A word, a look, will be enough to decide whether I enter your father's house this evening or never."

       A scholar write this about the letter http://www.utexas.edu/features/2010/02/08/love_letters/   Another popular love letter is talked about in Sex and the City from Ludwig Van Beethoven to his "Immortal Beloved" which reads :  Good morning, on July 7
Though still in bed, my thoughts go out to you, my Immortal Beloved, now and then joyfully, then sadly, waiting to learn whether or not fate will hear us - I can live only wholly with you or not at all - Yes, I am resolved to wander so long away from you until I can fly to your arms and say that I am really at home with you, and can send my soul enwrapped in you into the land of spirits - Yes, unhappily it must be so - You will be the more contained since you know my fidelity to you. No one else can ever possess my heart - never - never - Oh God, why must one be parted from one whom one so loves. And yet my life in V is now a wretched life - Your love makes me at once the happiest and the unhappiest of men - At my age I need a steady, quiet life - can that be so in our connection? My angel, I have just been told that the mailcoach goes every day - therefore I must close at once so that you may receive the letter at once - Be calm, only by a calm consideration of our existence can we achieve our purpose to live together - Be calm - love me - today - yesterday - what tearful longings for you - you - you - my life - my all - farewell. Oh continue to love me - never misjudge the most faithful heart of your beloved.
ever thine
ever mine
ever ours
From Jane Eyre this quote makes me cry:

"I sometimes have a queer feeling with regard to you - especially when you are near me, as now: it is as if I had a string somewhere under my left ribs, tightly and inextricably knotted to a similar string situated in the corresponding quarter of your little frame. And if that boisterous channel, and two hundred miles or so of land some broad between us, I am afraid that cord of communion will be snapt; and then I've a nervous notion I should take to bleeding inwardly. As for you, - you'd forget me.”

If you are a girl I am sure your heart must have melted by now but in this day in age can so much lovely sentiments really be appreciated for it's beauty? Watch this more modern love story here: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/sideshow/love-letter-finally-delivered-60-years-first-written-165305864.html?fb_action_ids=833708419975&fb_action_types=news.reads&fb_source=other_multiline&code=AQDs5OfLwWojenSg-RuINKuqklYSBBdz_6KQGNOBo7nFdkrbSjyOSzIF9sN3205m3zz0x7wFyB-ZhDwgkVIdC4m4Gl3w4_2E_OIohtvwaH53dODCccrGeWizNIk8SOzH-bO9m7SkJvzLNk2oRanpoKJ194r7ePp1RQvjGdTNWTX11LWWn1xxQI28c-xFLDHQtTA# 
In closing I must say throughout time the love letter is still the most romantic thing in the world and if you ever are lucky enough to receive one be thankful you got one of the good ones ~S~