'Mazin Music Sundays . . . LADY ANTEBELLUM

So, while I wait for my homework to download to my computer (why are all of my teachers so internet-obsessed these days?) I decided I should at least keep up this daily bit of music for all of you.

This song is called 'Dancin' Away With My Heart by the wonderful Lady Antebellum. It's a song of young love and the one who got away, or at least that's how I saw it. It's such a sweet song, and from such a great, new album.



Go buy yourself their newest album, Own the Night, and listen to the other wonderful songs! Hope you all have a good week, and I'll see you next weekend when the smoke clears!

I'm still alive . . . somewhat

High school is tiring. It's that tired that clings to your eyelids from the second you wake up to the moment you lay your head down that night. With my alarm clock going off at six every morning and volleyball ending at five, it's a long, nonstop eleven hours in between. Then there's homework, dinner and of course, I've got to socialize with my family at the very least.

It's not all bad, though, I guess. I feel a lot more freedom in high school than I did previous years. It's just a long day, you know? You can feel the past changing and the future looming ahead a lot more. People change, and so does life. It's one of those things that happened to sneak up on me.

This post is mainly to let you guys know that I won't be posting as often. I'm really sorry, but it's just not possible. Once things calm down, I'll be back to my usual schedule and I'll make sure to get my "Dear Friend" letter up and going and keep the "Mazin' Music Sundays" alive!

For now, you can expect a post per week, at best. Comment on my posts to let me know you care if you read this, by the way! I'd love support from fellow high-school go-ers. Until next week, though, I must say ciao!

By the way, check out Lady Antebellum's newest album "Own the Night"! My personal favorite off the album is "Cold as Stone", especially the musical bit at the end!

I'm back!

I realized today that I've been missing since August 27 . . . so sorry about that guys! I started high school on the sixth of September and it's been a whirlwind week since then. In my four days of school, I managed to get only one late so far! I'm hoping that's an achievement on my part.
So, today is September 11. I'm sure that, wherever you are, whoever you may be, you know what happened on this day ten years ago. A terrorist attack on the United States led to the falling of the World Trade Center (Twin Towers) and ended so many lives too soon. Even in those moments of sorrow, our country came together to save those that were still breathing, mourn for those who weren't.

When I see videos of the towers collapsing and burning, my heart breaks. Those tiny dots you see hurtling out of windows and to the ground below? God, it's just so, so sad.

We all have different views on 9/11. Maybe you lost someone, maybe you didn't. I didn't lose anyone I knew, but I was only in kindergarten. What about you? Where were you the day the Earth stood still?

While you dwell on the past for just a few moments, here's a favorite song of mine by the wonderful Toby Keith.

Stay free, Americans. Live happy.

A Letter to a Friend

I just made the decision that once a week, I'll write a letter to someone and post it on this blog. Of course, I'll change names and such. The letter may not always be to a friend, too. This week, I'm writing to someone I met and can't seem to get out of my head . . . if you know what I mean.


Dear Nathan,


Remember when everyone thought I liked your best friend? At first, I did. It wore off, though. He could be annoying, in all honesty. The time I spent with both of you . . . people thought I was trying to get close to him, but I wasn't.

I started to love your quirky little facts and gorgeous eyes. You made me laugh and smile more than I had in awhile. We started hanging out more and more, with our friends, of course. Still, though, you made me feel like we were in our own little world. It was a magical feeling.

When we went to that camp at the end of the school year, everyone was having fun. We played tag in the pool, snuck off to the gazebo and spent the day together. When you risked detention to sit next to me on the bus (boy-girl seating was frowned upon!) my heart fluttered.

Was I just a speed bump? Something to stop at and pay attention to, but only for a moment? I really thought we were going somewhere, thought we were becoming something.

And then, a week later, my friend was texting me to tell me you asked her out. I played the role of a good friend, patching up your arguments and letting you two be happy. It broke me inside. It broke my heart into pieces that nothing could put back together. When she broke up with you, I waited. I gave you time.



We were at your friend's house the other day, and I thought of telling you. It's been months since you dated her. Would it be too soon for me to tell you how I really felt? We were talking when you looked at your friend and then at me. You pointed to me, made a heart and then to your friend.

Can't you forget about him? I don't love him, and I never will. I want you to be my friend again, Nathan. Can't we please be friends, like we were before I liked your friend and you dated my best friend?

Please,

Ashley

It's Friday, Friday, Friday!

Yeah, who would've guessed? I'm a closet Rebecca Black fan.

No, not really. Although, her songs are catchy.

Anyway, I decided to post today about what's been going on. The blog's been updated. I took away a few widgets, changed the template and switched a few things. What do you think? Does it look better now than before? If you have a scroller along the bottom of your screen, you can view my whole blog by changing your zoom percentage to 80% in the bottom right-hand corner. It won't let me change it, so sorry for that.

I'm glad that my twenty followers are nice enough to check in on my blog every now and then. Tell other people about this random blog of ramblings, too, guys! I'll be reviewing books, giving advice and showing you the latest in the music world.

School's starting soon for me, but I hope to be on often. Don't forget to stop by and tell me how your first days are going, no matter what grade you're going into.

It's time for me to go, but I wish you a good last weeks of summer and the best of luck in school!

And the storm rolls in . . .

Isn't that picture gorgeous? I like to think so, seeing as I took it. The sunset was really pretty that night in Jamaica and I just couldn't resist capturing it.

Well, that's pretty much the happiest part of this post. These last few days have been eventful and chaotic in my house. I started volleyball on Monday and had a good time, but during practice yesterday I got my foot caught in someone's open duffel bag and twisted my ankle.

It was a lovely trip to the doctor and then to get x-rays done. Turns out, my ankle was sprained, and now I get to wear a lovely little ankle brace for the next week or so. I guess I really shouldn't be running without looking down every few seconds, right?

My sister had to go to the doctor today for what looked like a tick bite. She was diagnosed with lyme disease, but she'll be all right. It just needs a good dose of medicine every day for the next two weeks. She doesn't seem to mind too much, so I'm guessing she's feeling the same as she usually does.

The icing on this wonderful cake of pessimism? There's a hurricane heading for my state, and it's supposed to be pretty bad. I hope it's a little better than expected. I'm crossing my fingers and the toes I can!

Hope all of you are having a better week than me, but hey . . . after every storm comes a rainbow!

By the way, what comes after a hurricane? A firework/rainbow/unicorn explosion? I hope so!