So this is my attempt at a "year in review" I'm not sure why I'm even writing this since 2011 wasn't really what I would call a good year... or even an ok year... but here goes.
THE GOOD:
MUSIC-
This year I've had the great privilege to see many bands I haven't yet see among them were... HAWKBOY (YES!!!), UnderOath, Chicago Winter, To Speak of Wolves, Abel, Stillglow, The Great Commission, The Chariot, The Frozen Ocean, Brian "Head" Welch, Write This Down, Southbound Fearing, Cory Lamb, May Weather, Philip Haymaker, and others. Of course Hawkboy was my favorite, and yes flying to TN JUST for the Emery, Oh, Sleeper, Hawkboy show will always be a great memory (along with the baseball bruise on my ribcage). I was introduced to the wonderful sounds of Chicago Winter when the Logan's and I went to see Spoken play in Chatt while I was living there in early June, then a week later when I decided to come back to Maine I was able to see them again in another memorable show in Hagerstown, MD where I stopped for the night (just me and my cat) and went to the show at Right Choice Ministry run by 2 amazing people, Susan and Winston Herbst. They were such a blessing to meet and hang out with a little the next day when Spoken decided to chill in Hagerstown to do an acoustic show the following night. It was a great time!
I got to meet the infamous Philip Haymaker when he rolled into town with my bro, Scott Logan, to play some shows up here. Philip just happens to be into good music and recommended a band called We Came As Romans which has totally been a new favorite of mine. Other new favs from 2011 were Chicago Winter, a great band live and on disc and very nice guys too they kind of remind me of an older Emery sound, it's good stuff check it out! Stillglow was another new band I was able to discover when I flew down to Chatt for the Hawkboy show, they have a very unique but amazing sound, and a very nice and talented bass player!
My dear friends in Seventh Day Slumber had a new rock release this past November that everyone should go buy called "Anthem of Angels" they did an amazing job with this record!!! Oh, Sleeper put out yet another fantastic record this year called "Children of Fire" which you should all get because it is awesome! Emery put out a new one titled "We Do What We Want" and it's quickly overtaking "The Weak's End" as my fav Emery record. We Came As Romans also had a release this year entitled "Understanding What We've Grown to Be" which I would like to say is one of my FAVS this year. Chicago Winter had their first full-length release entitled "The Great Fire", a truly impressive record that totally makes me think this band will be a staple for years to come... I had a dream they played on the Letterman show, random but I can see it!
PEOPLE-
I've met MANY new people this year. I suppose I meet new people every year but this year I can say I feel truly blessed to have met the people I have met. I met a wonderful friend and coworker named Muffy, yes I said Muffy, who has a ginormous heart and has been a great friend for the past 3 months. EVERYONE at Calvary Chapel Ooltewah I miss terribly and thank so much for making me feel so welcome in Chattanooga! Then a whole bunch of random people who have influenced my life in one way or another this year including... Philip Haymaker (Ted Dekker bro... Ted Dekker), Winston and Susan Herbst (who showed the love of Jesus in their hospitality to a stranger in strange land), Talia Haughn, Chris Perry (in the band Stillglow and made me want to give up on bass playing forever) Amanda Weber, Linda Book, Jeff and Toni Fountain (who made me feel so welcome and wanted in Chattanooga), Lori Morris, Kyle Flood, Scott McElroy (who provided new music for me with Chicago Winter), Sampson Lopez, Roger and Jacqueline Ward, Gordon Hastings and Chris Ramos (who made my summer by asking me, at an UnderOath show, if I scream in a metal band). And that guy at the UnderOath show who hit on me and asked me out and when I asked how old he was he said "16" and I said "will your mom have to drive you?" and then said "eww" when I told him I was 25... he provided a good laugh for many months!
THE MOVE-
I put this under good because I needed to leave, even if it was only 5 weeks. It was absolutely amazing to be jobless for 2 months and just be. The time I was able to spend with my sisters and brothers in Tennessee was something so precious and so very, VERY needed. Getting to know my bro Brent a little better was so nice and being close to Liz again was a huge blessing not to mention living with Scott and Shanon for 5 weeks, they were so generous and I truly miss those four like mad crazy!
The first thing I did when I got back to Maine was drove to the ocean (even though it was 10:30pm) and the time I was able to spend at the beach was just amazing, the "tan" I got was more of a tan than I'd ever had in the past... I was still white though. I felt so much closer to God while at the beach, it was always so peaceful and head clearing... I hated to leave every time.
THE JOB(S)-
Only 2 things to mention here... I finally left the life-sucking job at Central Maine Pediatrics and after a few jobs in between got the job I had been longing for for the last 5 years... Back as a medical secretary at Coastal Orthopedics and it has been just as amazing as I would have hoped. This is one of the biggest blessings of 2011.
SCHOOL-
After fighting with the financial aid department at Liberty University for 5 months I was FINALLY able to start classes again in October which ended a few weeks ago. I'm very shocked and glad to say I got an A in both my classes and have been able to keep my 4.0 GPA. Crazy right?
THE BAD:
I missed the As Cities Burn reunion show...
THE UGLY:
I think I'll let Emery sum it up for me...
"I was never going to fall
But the smile and face have sealed my fate
So sweet, an addict of it all
I was blind for another taste
I have nothing left to give,
The veins are dry, you have drained me dry
The world has turned black and cold
And I can't catch my breath
You rehearsed your lines with rhythmic details
They match the pounding in my chest
The summer came and you left me with your words
The clever sounds from your mouth
That can make me feel so worthless
And you say that I am not enough
But though my heart is breaking open
Know that I will not be broken
The person you claimed to be,
is not who haunts me now
The careless lies, behind those brown eyes
That you swore were true more times than I can count
I know these words are weak and young
Spoken as I come undone
But while I drown in these mistakes
Your ego swells, but I can tell
You know that you're a fake.
You cried in front of your friends
Just to save some face
You didn't want it to end
In just a week I'm replaced
You wouldn't listen, listen to me
But can you hear me now
You're just a sickness and the cancer
The cancer is your filthy mouth"
---Emery "The Smile, The Face"
Come along now, 2012 and let this be a year of complete surrender to God's will.
Happy New Year To All...
~Jennanana
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