Moving day is a week away...

I’m supposed to move soon. Actually, I was supposed to move a month ago. I’m half packed with boxes everywhere but just can’t find the time to move in to my new place. I’ll be sharing a house with a few other girls and I can’t wait to go and get settled! But as I watched “Jon and Kate Plus 8” last night I realized that no matter how organized I am, moving probably won’t be the most fun I’ve ever had. The idea overwhelms me, so I just decide to push it off another week. The thing that I’m most concerned about is my clothing. My new closet will be about half the size of the one I have now. And I’ll admit that I have a LOT of clothes. I love to go to thrift stores and buy stacks of sweet clothes for $10. But those $10 stacks add up. Since most of my clothes hang I want to keep them on hangers instead of folding then unfolding them all. Maybe I should just give them all away. Then I wouldn’t have to move them. (Just kidding.) But really, leaving my home for a new one is going to be hard.

Very hard…

DT

Magic Cereal and Marry Poppins

My cereal made my morning this morning. But not for why you’d expect.

It started out pretty uneventful. I was eating Kix for breakfast and drinking coffee. But once I got down to just a bit of cereal left I found something strange. I noticed that no matter what I did to try and break apart the pieces from each other they would always stick back together like magnets. I became infatuated with this. I would run my spoon through the group to push them all throughout the bowl and then I would watch them swim back together and become different shapes. One of the times it started out looking like a really big strong man with his arm out straight to his side. But then as I watched, his arm actually curled upward toward his shoulder like he was flexing! It was fantastic. And it made my morning.

Then I sat down to watch the newly re-mastered Marry Poppins with the two little tikes I watch. It’s a great movie! Julie Andrews is incredible. But truth be told, I found it a little intimidating. I’m a nanny myself and I can’t fly, nor do I have a magical bag. But I suppose I can sing made up songs off the top of my head. That’s got to count for something!

Keep listening and voting for my music! And thanks again for every time that you do!

DT

Hats and Creatures of Habits

Yesterday I was talking about the cold of MN. But the truth is that it also gives you sledding, skiing, snowmen, and a good use for 4 wheel drive. Not to mention I get to put my super sweet collection of winter coats to use. And then there’s my hat. I wear it all the time. I’m wearing it right now in fact. It’s fuzzy and grey. And it’s my favorite- my absolute favorite- even though I have a LOT of hats just like it. It makes me realize I am a creature of habit. I have too many pairs of jeans to count. Yet more often than not I wear the same pair over and over again- for days at a time. I also have this pair of socks that I love. So I went and bought 6 other pairs of them. And I only wear that kind now. I will search for, try, and test run as many toothbrushes, shampoos, heels, flavors of ice cream, etc. until I find the one I love best. And then I only ever get that kind. When my toothbrush needs to be replaced I buy the same one I had before. I get the same thing at the coffee shop, the same exact sandwich at Subway, and go to the same websites in the same order all the time, every time. I am predictable and like to know what’s going to happen before it does. What a strange thing to realize as I’m writing a blog. I have to say though: Every day is on a different schedule for me. I never wake up at the same time, shower at the same time, or get to eat at the same time. So maybe that’s why I try to maintain a level of regularity everywhere else in my life. If I can count on a good toothbrush and my favorite pair of jeans to keep me comfortable in my world of craziness, then so be it. Having written about Subway makes me want a sandwich. And I’ll probably stop and get one on my way home from the coffee shop for lunch. And I will get the same thing I always do: A meatball marinara on wheat with American cheese and green peppers, toasted. But hey, at least I know I’m going to like it. DT

Coffee Shop Love

This morning I decided to try and find some quiet time away from the house. I thought maybe it would come in the form of a quiet coffee shop and a good cup of joe. (And truth be told, some cute boys come through this said coffee shop. So what could it hurt to stop in for a while? Maybe put a smile on my face?!)

You see, I’m at the tail end of a cold right now, so my head still throbs on occasion from all of the sniffling. And I keep finding myself zoned out ever few minutes. In an effort to shake it off I decided to get out. But I’m not sure it’s helping: because here I am, sitting at the largest table in the coffee shop (which sits six people) - by myself. And I can tell a few people are wondering what my deal is. To drown out the noise of the mixer I put my headphones in my ears and thought a little “Hello” might up my mood. But what I found is that it actually reminded me of how cold it is here (according to my internet thermometer it’s only 5 degrees out.) And I wish I were somewhere where I could “feel my toes on the wet lawn” without getting frost bite.

It would be nice to be in the warmth of California… And if you Vote! Vote! Vote! Maybe I can get there sooner than later!

Got to bolt! But more tomorrow!

DT

A Mucky Rut I Like to Call "Habbit"

[Day two- Jan. 27th]

So last Tuesday was day number two in the studio. We focused solely on completing "Hello" in hopes of getting it to Disney in time to use for the N.B.T. contest. (Which YAY! We Did!)

The guys nailed down some awesome guitar parts earlier in the day and I started on vocals at about three. I was super pumped to get started because "Hello" is a song like none other I've written. It embraces a bit of the delighted fool in me. And THAT is a side of myself I could not wait to share with people! But when I began singing, I quickly hit a snag.

You see, the song is a very British-Pop style song. So it seems I naturally- in the 6 month course of time in which I had been singing the song- began to sing it with an accent. Whoops! So, Joel and Aaron- gently coaxing me out of my British-Pop rut- began to try and help me back into the Vibey-Pop sound I'm known for. And boy where they in for a surprise!

I was stuck. And man I mean stuck. Way down in a mucky rut of a bad habit. And it seemed no matter what I tried I couldn't remember what I would sound like if I didn't sound British. I mean, how hard is it to know what you sound like?! I was bumming at this point. Seriously bumming. But not because I couldn't seem to get it. I was frustrated because I knew I could! I was psyching myself out- having a silly mental block. Because the longer I tried to get it right, the more I made myself believe I was only going to get it wrong again.

I knew this was ridiculous. But I couldn't break the cycle- or so it seemed. As Joel and Aaron kept encouraging me and I kept sucking it up and trying over, and over, and over again... I finally heard it. There was this one line that my voice- MY voice- snuck out for just a moment. I had let my guard down and stopped thinking about it just long enough to find my own voice again. Even though only for a moment. I could tell they were both holding their breath as they instantly started the take over again. And then it happened.

It was the sweetest moment after I ended that next take. I was watching Joel and Aaron through the window in front of me as I let go of my last note, and I saw them both throw their fists in the air as to say "Thank you God for helping her find that!"

After that oh-so-very-sweet take, I had caught fire. I was ready to attack that song, and so I did. I stayed at the studio until I was sure it was as perfect as I could make it. And I had a blast seeing what I get my voice to do.

I kept the tears at bay on day two. Although they were close at hand: Already aimed and ready to fire. I kept my chin up and found my vocal niche again. And it sure felt amazing.

I heard the first mix of the completed song today. And it's incredible. I am so in love with the way the song has come alive. Joel and Aaron encouraged me until I succeeded. They nudged a vocal performance out of me that I wasn't sure I had.

And I can't wait for you all to hear it!!! It will be up on myspace.com/daniellethrush TOMORROW! FEB. 3RD!

So much more to share tomorrow!

DT