Jennifer Lopez-"A. K. A." Review

"A. K. A.", the opening track to JLo's eighth studio album, immediately states that "This is not the girl you know". "Same Girl", the closer to the deluxe edition of the album, proclaims that "I'm still the same Jenny from around the way". So, which is it? It seems that Ms. Lopez is at a loss for an answer with her new record, vaguely titled "A.K.A.", coincidentally released the same time as reports of her breakup with backup dancer Casper Smart surfaced. Then, of course, there was that split from Marc Anthony in 2012, following the release of JLo's comeback album "Love?". All three subjects are streamlined somewhat into another dance-pop record that's heavy on hip/hop influences mixed in with a couple of power ballads that detail that messy divorce. So that part is still Jenny from the Block, but there are new avenues that she also explores. There's the straight-forward pop of "First Love", helmed by Max Martin which features a more vocally confident Lopez. "Never Satisfied", a song co-written with Chris Brown, is what Lana Del Rey would sound like if she ever sang glossy pop productions. The closer to the standard edition of the album, "Booty" (her umpteenth collaboration with PitBull), boasts a middle-eastern flair, sure to ignite the clubs within the next few months. But the 'risks' that JLo takes with "A.K.A." are far and in between, since the songwriting is still too literal, too lackadaisical to grate, the productions good but not fantastic as they could be, and Lopez's vocals have definitely improved, but to hear her strain for glory notes she could never hit is still distressing now as it was fifteen years ago. Of course, the glitz and glamour have always defined Lopez's style, not the emphasis on lyrical grace or songs that rise above background club music. Still, in an era where every artist is vying to be the best, most progressive act in music, it would have been nice to see JLo step up her game a bit; not only in theory or in words, but in actual practice. That sentiment could wrap-up "A.K.A." as a whole, as there are definitely good ideas here, and some songs are truly captivating (the great ballad "Let It Be Me" and the Detail-produced "I Luh Ya PaPi", which single-handedly destroys the Enlgish language, and is all the better for it), but when the last beat clicks, there really just isn't alot of substance here. It's all gloss, sheen, and sex appeal, with a few great singles surrounded by some iffy filler. Or, in other words, it's a JLo album that's neither great nor poor, it's a middle-of the-road pop record. 

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. AKA                         2. First Love            3. Never Satisfied

4. I Luh Ya PaPi    5. Acting Like That    6. Emotions

7. So Good                  8. Let It Be Me        9. Worry No More

10. Booty

Lana Del Rey-"Ultraviolence" Review

Back in January 2012, when Lana Del Rey's debut LP "Born to Die" first made its way to listeners, it seemed that the considerable amount of hype she created prior to its release doomed it to be a record of all promise but no actual substance. At least that's what the critics said anyway; LDR's fans rewarded her hard work by keeping the record on the charts for over two consecutive years (and it's still lingering in the US Top 40, a feat unseen in the 2010s since Adele's "21"), and granted her a top-ten Billboard hit with the Cedric Gervais-remixed "Summertime Sadness". Obviously, listeners want this woman to succeed, and in the generation of nostalgia, why shouldn't she? Her 60s-influenced trip-hop/pop aimed to please audiences of both genres, as well as all generations. "Born to Die" and "Paradise" pretty much achieved this; hype or no hype, there was something about LDR that was special, and her star power has only since increased. The unfortunate side effect of this success is now there comes an even greater sense of suspense with her second album "Ultraviolence". Most artists would be terrified of trying to top an album as career defining as "Born to Die", but Lana Del Rey has already proven herself to be a unique talent. Upon hearing "Ultraviolence" for the first time, you already can tell that changing her approach to music is not a major priority. In fact, all she really did this time around was take every element of "Born to Die" to an extreme: the songs are much longer, the atmosphere much dreamier, her extremely smoky voice finds many a way to wring emotions out of the clumsiest of lyrics ("He calls me poison/Like poison Ivy", she coos in "Brooklyn Baby"). Most importantly, though, is that the subtlety quotient has increased astoundingly. Now the string arrangements only add a layer of pathos to the already poignant production, instead of being the only thing driving the album. The trip-hop beats are long gone, and in their place are gentle, sometimes raggedy drum-set loops inspired by the good ol' days of Frank Sinatra. Electronics are still present, but also take a backseat to the shining star here, LDR herself. "Born to Die" was a good record that showed enormous amounts of potential, but not once did it feel like LDR was settled in her role of wasted hippie vixen. "Ultraviolence" finds her in full control of her artistic abilities, and feels much more concept driven than its predecessors. Which is a very good thing, since 2014 was dying to have an album like this: a tortured, dark, anti-pop affair that prides itself on its musical coherence and consistency. Nothing here is as immediate as the singles on "Born to Die", simply because "Ultraviolence" is not a singles album. Sure you have the standout "West Coast", but even so, its dramatic tempo changes and trippy nuance don't quite mesh well with other singles on the radio. You'll have to be patient with this record, as it will take quite a few spins to fully appreciate the masterpiece LDR has constructed for herself. But that's okay, the difficulties that come with "Ultraviolence" are rewarded with marginally higher dividends. 

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Cruel World                    2. Ultraviolence                  3. Shades of Cool

4. Brooklyn Baby                    5. West Coast                      6. Sad Girl

7. Pretty When You Cry         8. Power Money Glory        9. Fucked My Way Up to the Top

10. Old Money                      11. The Other Woman

Miranda Lambert-"Platinum" Review

Enough with the frat parties already! Between Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan, and Florida-Georgia Line's total domination of the country world in 2013, it had begun to seem that country music was shifting to a pop-happy, hip-hop influenced sound that had the feel of a non-stop celebration of testosterone in the summertime. Sure you had your Kacey Musgraves, The Band Perry, Ashley Monroe, and Pistol Annies-frontlined purists, but all of their truly amazing records got lost in the sea of guest rappers and assimilation into the mainstream world of country-fied party-pop. This was perhaps also due to the fact that Miranda Lambert waited three years to release the follow-up to her phenomenal marriage album "Four the Record", a country album that transcended beyond country and struck a chord with a broader audience (even scoring Lambert her first Top 20 US hit ever in "Mama's Broken Heart"). Its singles were so sporadic over those years, that Miranda Lambert, the singer, failed to project over Miranda Lambert, the wife of Blake Shelton and constant lightning rod for the press and media scrutiny. Obviously, being the insightful songwriter she is, Lambert attempts to rectify all this hooplah with a 16-track album complete with guest appearances from Little Big Town and The Time Jumpers, and covering every subgenre of country in vogue right now, from Americana to Bluegrass, from neo-Traditionalist to Shania-style country-pop. Naming this record "Platinum" might seem a bit precarious (especially when given the album's length and star-studded writers and producers list), but there's a perfect balance here between swagger and softness, which makes the whole enterprise all the more interesting--and accessible. "Platinum" continues the ideas presented by its predecessors, but now aims to please about every audience imaginable. Impressively, it all works. Even more impressively: it all works well. Miranda continues to experiment with electronics (the synth in "Automatic" is clearly audible, ironic though it may seem, and "Little Red Wagon" follows suit with some clear synth overlay), and she pushes country into the pop about as far as it can go with without losing its feel or form (her duet with Carrie Underwood "Somethin Bad" being a pretty good example). But not once, however, does "Platinum" feel like a desperate bid for higher sales or airplay. Even if it is pop-py in the sense that it can satisfy a large amount of people, Lambert is not about to give in and go against what made her a star in the first place. Her refusal to pander to modern trends is as strong as ever, and it shows that sometimes just going back to the basics can go a long way in making an impact. She heavily succeeds in that goal, and she created not only the best album of her career, but the best country album released thus far in the 2010s.

Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Girls                                   2. Platinum                 3. Little Red Wagon

4. Smokin’ and Drinkin’        5. Priscilla                   6. Automatic

7. Bathroom Sink                   8. Old Shit                9. All That’s Left

10. Gravity’s a Bitch           11. Babies Makin’ Babies       12. Somethin’ Bad

13. Holding onto You             14. Two Rings Shy     15. Hard Staying Sober

16. Another Sunday in the South

Summer Music Preview

As I formulate more interesting topics to talk about, why don't I go through a brief list of LPs and EPs expected to drop from late May to late August? I will obviously be focusing specifically on the albums I'm most excited to hear. Let's get to it!

May 27-
Mariah Carey: "Me. I Am Mariah...The Elusive Chanteuse"
This album was originally supposed to be released last year, but it went through numerous delays. Surely, it's to make sure that it meets the Mariah standard of great R&B-pop albums.

Cher Lloyd: "Sorry I'm Late"
Say what you want about her, I think she has the potential to make some pretty great, fizzy pop music now that she's officially put The X-Factor and "Want U Back" behind her.

June 3-
Miranda Lambert: "Platinum"
The word means many things to the current reigning queen of country music, and if lead single "Automatic" is any indication, it will surely become her fifth album to be certified platinum as well.

June 17-
Jennifer Lopez: "A. K. A."
She's released five singles so far ("Live It Up", "Girls", "Same Girl", "I Luh Ya PaPi", and "First Love"), only three make it on to her eighth album, but that will hopefully leave more room for fiery dance-pop and smooth R&B/Hip-Hop.

Lana Del Rey: "Ultraviolence"
She's released two singles from her second major-label full-length, each one presenting a different spin on the core foundation of Sinatra-era jazz-pop with some modern trip-hop influences. Let's see how the rest of the record holds up.

June 23-
Ed Sheeran: "x"
His first album was named "+", so it's kinda clever how he named his second LP after another math operation. His Pharrell-produced lead single "Sing" is enough to make you wonder how his sophomore album will differ from his first.

July 8-
Sia: "1000 Forms of Fear"
Of all the albums to come out in 2014, this is the set I'm the most excited for. Lead single "Chandelier" is AMAZING, and I know that this Australian music maestra won't disappoint.

July 15-
Jason Mraz: "Yes!"
After more than a decade of being in the music biz, Mr. Mraz has proven to have some serious staying power with his low-key singer/songwriter pop. This album should offer another fine addition to his already sturdy catalog.

August ??-
Ariana Grande: TBA
All I know so far is that Ariana Grande is releasing a new album exactly a year after her debut, which was solid, but flawed as well. After hearing "Problem", I am more than excited to see what she has the second time around!

And of course, Owl City has promised to release several EPs throughout the year, and it is more than likely that he will start the chain in the summer of 2014. Question is, what month?? I hope you're all as excited as I am, because I seriously can't wait!

Musical Obsession-Kelis

"I hate you so much right now, UUUGGGHHH!!!"

Those were the words that introduced the masses to the R&B/Hip-Hop chanteuse Kelis Rogers, known mononymously as Kelis....

*Facepalm* Okay, alright, HERE are the real words that introduced Kelis to a mass audience: "My milkshake brings all the boys to the yard, and they're like 'it's better than yours', damn right, it's better than yours, I can teach you, but I have to charge".

Obviously, the second set of lyrics is from Kelis' 2003 single "Milkshake", the song that blew up faster than an AIDS epidemic back in the winter of 2003-2004. It's since remained her biggest hit, reaching number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The first set of lyrics, however, are taken from her actual debut single that was released in the winter of 1999, "Caught Out There". The accompanying debut album was titled "Kaleidoscope", which featured an artwork that seemed that Kelis was an alien from another planet. And she didn't do anything to dissuade that image with the opening intro to her debut, which features Pharrell explaining how they 'found' Kelis from another universe and took her back to Earth. I guess it's fitting that he took those liberties when describing her rise to fame, because it's not nearly that supernatural. Nope, Kelis was an ordinary girl from Harlem who was born to a minister father (who was also a jazz musician) and a fashion designer mother, both of whom encouraged Kelis to pursue a singing career at a young age. She also played the violin, saxophone, and piano in high school, before she was kicked out of her parents' house at 16 (citing bad behavior as the reason why). A friend of hers introduced her to The Neptunes (Pharrell and Chad Hugo), and together they created "Kaleidoscope"; Kelis was 20.

That album was comprised of mostly R&B and soul, with hip-hop dabbled throughout (though never really emphasized). She took a much more urban approach with her second album, 2001's "Wanderland", which was once again all produced by The Neptunes and featured more soul and alternative hip-hop. It flopped (miserably), so after another two years, Kelis decided to do something more unconventional and started her foray into pop. Come 2003, she sought out other producers like Andre 3000, Dallas Austin, and Raphael Saadiq, who created a new, neo-soul sound for her, in the electronic vein, of course (we already had an Alicia Keys at this time, mind you). The Neptunes were still around, and they helmed "Milkshake", but there were other gems on her third album "Tasty". We have the pop/rock sound of "Keep It Down" and the hip-hop/pop of "Trick Me". Kelis ventured into many different styles with that masterpiece, that she decided to unify her sound when the follow-up came in 2006: "Kelis Was Here". That album featured her comeback single "Bossy", which was a minor hit, but its parent album reached number 10 on the Billboard 200, her highest charting LP to date. That album featured a strictly urban sound, phasing out the pop elements of "Tasty" and will.i.am served as the main producer behind the project.

Another four years passed, and in that time, Kelis had a child with Nas, who she had divorced before she gave birth. Feeling liberated, she took a complete departure from her old material and created "Flesh Tone" in 2010, an epic mix of EDM, pop, house, and yes, some soul for good measure. It remains one of her best efforts to date, even though it didn't yield high sales or many successful singles. Today, that streak would seem to continue with her current album "Food". As I've already reviewed, it sounds exactly like what you'd expect: a hearty mix of straight-up soul, with some country, R&B, dance, and hip-hop flavors to flesh it out. She once again chose one collaborator to bring her vision to life: TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek. It was an interesting choice, but a fruitful one, as it produced Kelis' best album in over ten years. But then again, all of her albums retain some sort of excellence, so it's not even that fair of a comparison.

You see now why I felt the need to bring her up in a "Musical Obsession" segment? An artist of her immense talent cannot go unnoticed, and I think it's quite a shame that the US has never given her the credit she so clearly deserves. She's a great, classically trained singer, who performs like her urban roots know no bounds. She's relatable, likeable, and she never once lets image overpower her music (even though her style can become pretty eclectic). And the further her career moves on, and the more independence she has with her music, the better it gets, the more technically brilliant it becomes. Her biggest strength though, is that she not only can pull of any genre of music (pop, soul, hip-hop, dance, R&B), but she pulls it all off well; for real, this girl can make you like any genre of music. And you know an artist is good when they do something, and everybody else's output fails in comparison (I don't think I've heard a better dance record in the past decade than her "Flesh Tone"). 

One thing I will also bring up is her speaking voice, which is as smooth as buttered silk. Really, it's amazing, and when she sings with that tone, it's absolute magic. Even if she doesn't sound as 'hood' or as 'ghetto' as one would expect, her sheer amount of personality and sass can transcend past all the stereotypes and molds and she can create a public figure of her own uniqueness. She can also flip personas, from angry ex-girlfriend to sultry vixen of the night to your best friend cheering you to dance the night away at a club. There really is nothing to hate about Kelis, and all of her songs are AMAZING (if you ask me). I recently just started getting into her, so I know even I'm guilty of not always giving her the credit she deserves, but now that I know all about her music and what a great musician she is, I can't help but spread my love for her to you all. Hopefully after you read all of this, you will check out some of her stuff (besides "Milkshake"). 

Personally, I recommend you start the Kelis journey with "Flesh Tone", then move to "Food", and then backtrack all the way back to "Tasty", and then "Kaleidoscope". These are all albums where she is working at her creative and commercial peak (Beyonce's "Beyonce" ain't got nothin on these masterpieces). So, which one will you listen to first?

Good Kesha Songs

Now that I'm thinking about this, I don't know why I didn't cover Kesha sooner. She's officially dropped the $ from her name, so to respect her new-found self-image, I won't use it in her name from now on, either.

Okay, so why in the world would I ever feel the need to bring up ten songs from Kesha that are actually good? Maybe it's her overuse of auto-tune? Thinly scored music? Repetitive four-on-the-floor beat patterns and an attitude with a capital A? All are points made by the Kesha haters, that and the proclamation that she can't sing and has zero talent as a singer and songwriter. 

Maybe that's true with her singles, but I can assure you, there are other gems on her albums that prove she can write a dynamite pop song and keep the trashy image to a minimum (but still there all the same. She's bratty not classy, get over it). I have to tell you, though, with so many catchy and ear-wormy songs in her catalogue, it was hard to narrow her best songs down to ten, but I was able to keep her absolute best material here for you to see. And later hear. Wink Wink:

1. "Kiss N Tell" from "Animal" (2010)
Why it's good: The trashy party girl image is still here, but in a shocking turn of events, its her boyfriend that was the slut last weekend. Over a dance-pop beat, Kesha effectively dumps her cheater boyfriend and harshly gives him the deuces. 

2. "Party at a Rich Dude's House" from "Animal" (2010)
Why it's good: Aside from the title, the musical content of this song is about as Kesha as it gets: pounding basslines with a single guitar riff and a bunch of synth noise to flesh it out. And some lyrics about having a party...at a rich dude's house. It's gloriously dumb fun.

3. "Animal" from "Animal" (2010)
Why it's good: This is perhaps the best track on Kesha's debut, because it's actually tasteful and doensn't assault the senses. It has some of her most confident vocals, and there's more going on beneath the surface than just a beat pattern and singular note chords.

4. "C U Next Tuesday" from "Cannibal" (2010)
Why it's good: Once again, the title of this song is just...lolololol. But for cereal, this song teases and taunts, but never goes for the tacky or gross. Well, at least not as much as you'd expect. And the music is distant, cold, and reserved, the perfect chill this song needed.

5. "Warrior" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: It's her best album to date, so we might as well start from the beginning with the title track. It's a P!nk-styled underdog empowerment anthem that features Kesha's vocals in full force, and the music borders on electroclash. I like it already.

6. "Wonderland" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: This song proves that Kesha can sing. That's one reason why it's good, the other is that this is the most classy, tasteful, and musically rich song she's ever made. She dabbles in some roots and country-rock while keeping the foundation undeniably pop.

7. "Love into the Light" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: Kesha wrote all the lyrics herself and even came up with the melody, producer Greg Kurstin just provided the stark, chilly background music that gets under your skin. Its another plea to ditch the hate and embrace the light of life.

8. "Last Goodbye" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: There's an acoustic version of this song somewhere that really proves Kesha's vocal prowess, but the dance-pop version works just as well. It's another bluesy, folky song that fuses dance elements with its pop ambience. And the lyrics are pretty good too.

9. "Gold Trans Am" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: Kesha was born to be a rock star, and this song proves it. It's what Joan Jett would sound like if she were a blonde in the 2010s. It's nasty, hard-rock that keeps the mood light and the profanities abundant. It's also insanely catchy and promotes feel-good times.

10. "Out Alive" from "Warrior" (2012)
Why it's good: Kesha saved the best tracks on her sophomore album for the deluxe edition, and this is perhaps the best out of all of them. It's straight-up electronic dance music with her fierce vocals mixed with Dr. Luke's hooky, abrasive production. Simply marvelous.

Obviously, you should get yourself a copy of "Warrior" if you're down for the classy, artistic Kesha. If you want the soundtrack to the best and biggest dance party of your life, get "Animal" and "Cannibal". If there's one thing Kesha can always achieve, it's making some pretty kick-ass pop.

My Shout Outs-Sophomore Year

Well that went by fast! It seems like just yesterday I was thanking people for making my freshman year of college a blast! Since I just completed my sophomore year, I'll obviously have plenty more people to thank and give a shout-out to. With all the people I have to mention, let's dig right in!

As always, we'll begin with the mellophone section of the Blugold Marching Band!
Their names are:
Megan Schuknecht
Amy Greathead
Alex Herrera
Kaci Hoverson
Shane O'Neil
Andrea Ranzau
Ashley Sukhu
Elizabeth Brunner
Lexi Meier
Nikki Hug
Kyle Launderville
Shelby Moore
Nicole Densmore
Kristina Mienke
Lucas Brawdy
Robyn Gehri
Lynzee Bath
As the first people to come into contact with me as I entered the new school year, they made this season quite the interesting one! Good luck to Megan, who'll be student teaching in the fall!

Next up is the UWEC Symphony Orchestra 1st violin section!
This included:
Linda Bagley (concertmaster)
Hannah Kennedy
Grace Wilgus
Ella Keenan
Ariana Van Parys
Peter Tha
Jake Brunquell
Amanda Niemann
Eli Webb
Jessa Quick
Crystine McGinley-Adams
Nathalie Burmeister
Special thanks to Eli, my stand partner of two years!! Here's to another one! And to the rest of the section: our sectionals are the best around, not gonna lie.

My Chamber Orchestra Peeps!
Also known as the Baroque Ensemble:
Hannah Kennedy-Violin (concertmaster)
Grace Wilgus-Violin
Bryce Sanville-Violin
Linda Bagley-Violin
Rose Mish-Violin
McKenna Heintz-Violin
Laura Severson-Viola
Michelle Miller-Viola
Kaity Witherspoon-Cello
Rosie Moua-Cello
Chelsea Caldie-Bass
Congrats to Grace and Chelsea for graduating this semester, I hope you go far in life! And to the rest of the ensemble: it was a great first year, so let's have an even better second one!

My ASTA (American String Teachers Association) Friends:
Laura Severson
Brittaney McCarthy
Jordan Jenkins
Rachel Burtman
Rose Mish
Bryce Sanville
Linda Bagley
Bill Callaway
Cassie Venske
Kaity Witherspoon
This organization just keeps getting better and better. And more fun. We must do this again sometime.

My home slices at the National Band Association:
Megan Schuknecht
Garrett Aalfs
Meredith Enjaian
Zack Bartsch
Jon Asmus
Ben Warrichaiet
Kara Metzger
Alex Herrera
Nathan Rakow
The best is yet to come, I'm sure of it!

My Speech Class Buddies:
Amy Schick
Gabe Gale
Luke Smrecek
Jack Heruth
James Buytendorp
HOORAY. We're outta this God-forsaken class. WOO!

Of course, my amazing professors:
Nobu Yasuda (violin professor, orchestra director)
Tulio Rondon (cello professor, chamber orchestra director)
Randy Dickerson (BMB director, U-band director)
Gretchen Peters (music history professor. The BEST music history professor)
Karen Mumford (conservation of the environment professor, and an AWESOME lady!)

And now the biggest list of random people ever. Well, maybe not ever, but there's still alot more people I wanna holla at!
In no particular order:
Christi Ladwig
Becky Olson (for saving my butt during band camp. You da best, gurl!)
Rachel Battles
Amanda Koval
Karen McGregor
Bobbi Freagon (I got my eeeyyyyeeesss on YOU)
Katie Fischer
Sarah DiPiazza
Kelly Noltner
Mariah Sands
Sean Theusen
Anika Reinighaus
Kristen Heller
Courtney Walin
Courtney Yeager
Adam Wysocki
Brielle Cummings
Mary Rodberg
Ted Marris
Tiffany Kostuch
Aaron Grindemann
Paul Soulier
Dani Schmalz (the nicest, best person around!)
Emilie Zamarripa (Perhaps I should've mentioned you first...)
Matt Strom (the best caf. worker ever, just sayin)
Rachel Schmidt
Madeline Reilly
Andy Michor
Joe Poncelet
Grace Luebben (I like your...EVERYTHING. lol)
Megan Skrbec
Nick Junker (director of the Pep Band, letting me arrange music and, what not)
Miles Plant (still the best)
Michael Dellutri
Emily Bacon (for trekking around Chicago with me!)

Before I reveal this year's "Big Four", I have four Honorable Mentions!
Alyssa Gorrel-You made Conservation of the Environment all the better! Thanks for sitting by me, and working with me on projects, and helping me out with homework!!

Teresa Wolfe-My music history studdy buddy! For staying up with me many nights to prepare for our quizzes, tests, and that monster of a paper! I don't think I could've stayed up until 3am with anybody else! 

Carlee Schneider-Your love of Disney and Christmas is seriously the best. You're the best, like for real. So nice and funny, and so full of pep. Which I usually hate, but it works on you!

Hannah Steig-Really for just listening to me when I needed it. You really helped me alot, and I can't really express my thanks in just these words. Well, maybe I just did, but still, the thoughts are real!!

Ok, now onto the Big Four. These are the people that really tried their darndest to keep me grounded and sane!
Briana Buchholtz-That's right, even though she was only here a semester this year (she's currently studying abroad in Japan), she still gets a big shout-out because of just how supportive she is, whether it be in person or overseas! 

Rosie Evans-For a second year in a row, your humor and sarcasm really just makes me feel at home. I can relate to you more than a lot of people, and you listen to me bitch about my problems. That's like, the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me! 

Andrea Ranzau-I know I have alot to thank her for, but the biggest thing would be staying on my side when things got a little too crazy. In BMB and thereafter, she was my voice of reason, and it really helped keep things in perspective. So, we've had two awesome years together, let's keep going strong!

And now, the best person of all: Alex Herrera! I don't think I've ever run to someone so often to help me with my issues as much as I ran to her this past year, so she's a really awesome gal for doing that! But not even just that, but for also being a great guide through this crazy life, like Andrea. She's been supporting me all throughout the year and she's given me plenty of wonderful opportunities to prove myself, so I give her the biggest thanks I can muster from the top hair on my head to the nails on my toes!!! (what, a little too specific?). 

That wraps up year 2! Junior year will probably bring more of the same, but hopefully it won't be NEARLY as stressful as this year was. This was one of the toughest years of my life, so I thank not just these people, but for every soul I came into contact with that convinced me to fight on. THANK YOU ALL!!