josh groban diaries part II

I pulled out my old journals again today and guys. 

I've got another gem for you. 

The ever-so-evil-Amanda

"Sunday February 2, 2003

So I was on the web* today and I was reading more things on Josh Groban. He apparently had a date to the AMA's!!!! :( It showed a picture of them hugging!!! :( I about cried when I saw it. He's supposed to be single!!!! Her name is Amanda, and I guess she sings too. Do you know how many people on his forum* want him and her to do a duet together?!?! They were all trying to be nice and supportive about it, but me, no!! I'm just thinking "I saw him first Amanda. Buzz off!" Now I know that is mean.... But I love Josh for pitys sake!!!! There was also a thread on a Groban forum about everyone's favorite Josh songs and if you will turn the page..... (page turn)....."

This is followed by another full page of explaining my favorite Josh Groban songs and why. I will spare you. 

You should know, however, that I signed this entry as GROBANGURL, surrounded by a gaggle of hearts. 

Naturally.

You should also know that a few entries later I get even classier by signing
"GROBANORBUST"

Heaven help us if our teenage girls are anything like me.

*apparently I didn't know it's actually called the internet

* what website was I looking at that was purely forums?! Such the noob.

this is beyond rich

In case you didn't know...

I have had a profuse obsession with Josh Groban for the last 11 years of my life.

His 6th album comes out in 12 days. 

And I'm stoked out of my mind.

Almost as stoked as I was at my first JG concert. 
Minus the braces.

In honor of the new album, I am going to share with you a journal entry from those early years.

12 year old Brooke and her new found love.

And I mean.... LOVE.

Y'welcome.
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December 21, 2002

Dear Diary,

       Holy crap!!! I am in love!! N/J! I am seriously in love. (The "o" is actually a heart in the journal. way to go 12 year old Brooke!) W/ who? Josh Groban. Don't be 2 surprised if you don't know him. He just a blossoming young musician. He's also got the most incredible (seriously) voice I have EVER heard. It's absolutely chilling and magnifecant. I think he's really handsome too. My friends would probably think I'm so weird because his music and looks are pretty different from what they're used to (didn't know I had such disdain for my lower class friends). There are only 4 songs on the c.d. that are in English. The rest are in Italian. And there absolutely beautiful. Josh grew up in L.A., and still lives there and I SWEAR if I have to walk there, I will meet him someday. There's going to be a concert of his on Christmas eve and I'm SOOOOO watching it. I wish I knew him!!!! That'd be so excellent! My mom and dad think it's funny (frowny face). It's not! I'm in love (again, with the "o" heart....), for pete's sake!!!!  I wish I could be like, 20, or somethin'. He's 21, you know. Great marriage (sp?) age, except he's not LDS (SUCKS!), so he did not go on a mission (but that's the ONLY reason why we're bumed he's not LDS amiright?!). The chances of me meeting him, let alone marrying him are very slim. But, you know, if you can dream it, you can do it! Oh! I'm listening to his cd right now!!!!! I love (heart) it!!!!!!!!!!!! (heart heart smiley smiley). Josh, if you're out there (which you are), I love (heart) you!!!!!! Be my hubby!!!! Pleeeeze!!!!!

Anyway, I'm so lovesick, and the best song is on now. BYE!!!!

love always,

Brooke

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(I should add that it was from this point on that I signed my journal GROBANGURL. I know.)

So basically I think I need to do a series of posts in which I divulge more of the details of my obsession, because let's be real...... this shiz is just WAY too funny not to share. 

Here's just a glimpse at what you have to look forward to:

- The time I kissed one of his pictures so much, his face smeared.

- The time I wore a locket with his picture in it for like a solid year before I wore it in the shower at girls camp, and I was so sad it smeared ANOTHER picture, and my friends found out and judged me.

- The time I was in HIS FREAKING CONCERT DVD!

And before I overwhelm you anymore with my awesomeness, 

THE END. 

Tales from my childhood: the playground

When I was in 4th grade, my family moved to Arizona.
It was at my brand new school that I had one of the funniest experiences of my life

Sadly it was at the expense of another....
...but he used to call me Big Bird and the Jolly Green Giant, so I actually don't feel all that bad.
Consider this my revenge.
Anyways.

This school had a really sweet playground with one of those tube slides, that everyone loved of course. 

One boy in my class, a rather chunky fellow whom we will call Kevin, loved it a little too much. 

When it was time to go inside, we got in our line, and looked around in search of the one missing student.
You guessed it.
It was Kevin.

And there was no sign of him anywhere. 

Then in the distance we heard a quiet plea for "heeelllpppp".
After scouring the area, we found Kevin....

....Stuck in the slide.

I am so serious right now.
I don't remember much of what happened at this point.
I'm pretty sure my teachers ushered us away, while they commenced the task of retrieving Kevin from the jaws of the tube slide.

After about 10 minutes they succeeded, so naturally I led the class in a thunderous:
"HIP HIP, HUUURRRAAAYYYYY!"
(Little did everyone know, I was cheering because the big mean bully had been stuck in the slide for so long, NOT because I was happy he was free.
This was back during my darkest days, OBVIOUSLY)

That went on for about 30 seconds before we got our Harry Potter reading time revoked, and we had to go to lunch late.

And yes, it was completely worth it.

tales from my childhood: the titanic

If you were in elementary or middle school during the 90's, I'm sure you remember the tremendous hype that surrounded the movie "Titanic".

I was not spared from that phenomenon. 
Which actually makes no sense to me in hindsight.
Did I know ANYTHING about the Titanic, except for that it sunk?
Did I know who James Cameron was?
Did I yet appreciate the music of James Horner?
I mean, did I even know who Leonardo DiCaprio was?

The answer is a resounding NO to all the above.
I just knew all the words to "My Heart Will Go On"
(because literally 40 kids sang it that year at our school talent show.
also, didn't everyone know all the words?)
and that Leo was so dang handsome that my 7 year old heart throbbed at the sight of him.

Thus, I was determined to see the movie just like the rest of my friends.

You guys. 
I just have to tell you the depth of my obsession.
I remember one night going to bed crying because my mom wouldn't let me see the movie with my cousin Natalie. So instead I just listened to the soundtrack on repeat.
(Still jealous, Nat)

this is how old young I was when that happened. Such the emotional baby! Literally I was like 7!

Also maybe sometimes I would even wear red tights on my head and pretend I was Rose, because I thought she was the most beautiful woman ever.
(That was before I knew Kate Winslet was actually blonde. All I can say is RUDE hollywood.)

AND. 
When the Titanic exhibit came to the Arizona Science Center when I was in 6th grade, my best friend Nicole and I were the number 1 and number 2 people in line.
Our life long dream was now coming true.
WE COULD BE APART OF SOMETHING TITANIC RELATED EVEN THOUGH WE STILL HAD NEVER SEEN THE MOVIE AAHHHHH.

The best part?
She bought a Titanic chocolate bar and I bought the Titanic board game at the end of the exhibit.
Which we proceeded to play immediately upon our arrival home.
All while listening to the soundtrack.
And pretending to write letters to Jack.
While holding a fan in front of our faces so the "wind" would blow our hair around dramatically.
Other times, we would put on an old wedding dress and butler clothes and pretend we were actual travelers on the Titanic.
(Sorry for always making you be the boy Nicole. It's about time I apologized for that)

But this was also coming from the girls who played with Mary-Kate and Ashley Barbie dolls until they were in 8th grade, so maybe that's not surprising at all.....

tales from my childhood: the grudge

The summer before I turned 15, my family  moved to Florida. 

It was a hard move, but it ended up being one of the BEST and most influential events in my life. 

I made some wonderful friends, who I still adore, which is a good thing because guess what?
This summer, my family moved back to that EXACT SAME PLACE.

Of all the weird, right?

Anyways, a few weeks ago, a funny discussion on facebook reminded me of one of the most, ehm, INTERESTING, experiences I had while living there.

After our church Halloween party one night, it was suggested that we go see the movie "The Grudge" with a group of the young women.
And boy was I gung ho!

(this is as big as I will post this picture... any larger and I will probably have nightmares....)

You see, I used the THINK I like scary movies.... until this night, when I was proved embarrassingly wrong.

But I think we should backtrack for a minute, because
HOW COULD I EVER THINK I LIKED SCARY MOVIES?!
Here I was, a 14 year old girl who had spent most of her life doing things like watching animal shows, practicing the piano, and being obsessed with Josh Groban.
I mean for crying out loud, I didn't even know what "Baby got back" meant until like my junior year in high school! And I thought I liked scary movies?!
Oh Brooke.
Dear, sweet Brooke.

I don't need to go into the gory details of the movie, but let's just say by the ending credits,
I was literally bawling because I was so terrified.
And seeing as how all other memories escape me, I had probably peed my pants too and was just unaware.
It was SO. BAD.

And now I'm just looking back and dying over that experience, because we did it as a church group!
And not just a church group, but a bunch of girls!
With our mothers!
Ah, definitely one of my better moments in life, for sure.

tales from my childhood: knee problems

I ran cross country when I was in high school. 

And by "ran", I mean jogged most of the time, but then ran the last 5 minutes of each race. 

But who's keeping tabs right?

Anyways. I've had knee problems since about 6th grade, due to my exceptionally flat feet. 

(This girl wouldn't have ever been successfully drafted in the army, HA!)

So at the beginning of my cross country season, my doctor gave me orthopedics for my shoes, as well as knee braces. Yep. One for each knee.

This was also about the time i considered changing my name from Brooke to Gertrude. 

Old lady to the max. 

Also, these weren't just any knee braces. 

They were bright cobalt blue. 

With velcro. 

Classy as they come guys.

 And I decided that I needed to wear both of them to my first day of practice. After about 15 questions and lots of stares, I decided that I would never EVER do that again.

Poor Christian also has very flat feet, aka our children are doomed. 

Sorry in advanced, chilluns.

tales from my childhood: I'm athletic and stuff

When I was 13 years old, my parents got me a gym membership.

Something about wanting to teach me the importance of staying healthy or something??

My dad used to wake me up at the buttcrack of dawn and haul me to cycling classes.

I never really felt out of place because let's be honest, when I was 13 I looked like I was 21.

Also, I am a natural born athlete. 

Joking.

Also, what 13 year old is actually cognitive and paying attention to things at 5:30 in the morning?

That's the most important question.

Needless to say, after many hours of painful classes and a very sore tush, my parents instilled within me a love for physical activity at a very young age.

Also, one of the few times I was allowed to go to the gym with a friend WITHOUT adult supervision, 

the number 3 funniest moment in my life happened. Allow me to paint the picture:

I walked into 24Hour Fitness like I owned the place. 

Promptly decide that the stair master looks like a good idea.

After about 3 minutes, I became ultra bored with my meandering pace.

What goes through my head?

"I will turn it to the highest level for optimum workout success!!"

Or something like that.

In no time, I was sprinting and feeling awesome.

There was just one problem.

I was now moving so fast that I couldn't get close enough to the buttons to slow down.

Aka I was trapped on the stair master.
For a good, and very frightening, 2 minutes.

Thankfully, my friend was on the ball and reached over to stop the machine before I was exercised to death.

That would have been awkward.

So there you have it.

Thankfully I have mastered the art of going to the gym without it being a troubling experience.

And it only took me 10 years to do it.

 Also, if you really wanted to by me this retroawesome Cannondale, I wouldn't even be mad about it.

That's all.

those awkward things you try to forget

Everyone has them.

Some more than others 

*cough me cough*

One in particular has been haunting my brain this morning.

Rewind, to sophomore year of high school. 

*insert flashback noise from LOST*

I don't know why, but I had this thing for UBER comfy clothes. 

Don't get me wrong, I loved cute clothes. 

(cute-ish . I don't think Old Navy polos could neccessarily be defined as "cute" these days.). 

I just loved comfy clothes a little bit more. 

Which is why I developed this weird habit of wearing the same outfit EVERY Friday. 

You heard me. 

Every. Friday. 

Queue description of stretchy black yoga pants and an "I heart NY" t-shirt. 

Tacky-ville much?

Things got out of hand one day when my friend Crystal noticed and commented on said outfit. 

It didn't bother me until the following Friday when she showed up wearing the exact same thing

Her response to my horrified look:

"I wanted to see if you really do it every Friday like I noticed. 

And you do!

And now we are twins!"

Needless to say, as much as I loved the girl, I stopped doing it after that.
Another super embarassing thing I did in high school involved eating lunch.... 

.....by myself.....

.....in the bathroom.....

.....for the whole first week of school sophomore year.

Rough year all around, right?

What do you expect?

I was the new kid for goodness sakes!!

The last unicorn, and other things

For the last week or so, I have been in ultimate Josh Groban mode. It's funny when that happens because Josh Groban was my LIFE when I was younger, so I always get super nostalgic. Listening to him for the last few days keeps taking me waaaay back. Which has, in turn, been making me think of other things that take me waaaay back. 

So la di da, here they are.

1. I loved Mary-Kate and Ashley. Like beyond normal loved them. I even had the barbie dolls. In 8th grade. And yes I played with them, all the time. Nicole may or may not have participated as well.

2. I am was OBSESSED with anything animal related. My friends will still tell me that I would MAKE them play animals all the time growing up. I even remember doing things like that at recess in elementary school. How was I NOT the coolest kid on the playground?? Speaking of animals...

3. I loved Zaboomafoo. Remember that show with the Kratt brothers and that stuffed lemur that talked REALLY loud and was super ADHD? I would spend every morning during the summer rushing to get my chores done so that I could watch Zaboomafoo, followed by Arthur of course.What happened to good television?!

4. I was also obsessed with Britney Spears. I remember when I got her first album for Christmas in 4th grade, I sat in my room for like 5 hours straight doing a puzzle and listening to it on repeat.

5. I had this weird fascination with Titanic. I never saw the movie, but I remember being so broken hearted when I couldn't see it that it sent me in to this frenzy where I felt like I had to love Leonardo DiCaprio more then everyone else just to prove that I didn't need to see the movie to be obsessed. Once, the Titanic exhibit came to the Arizona Science Center, and my family and I went. Naturally. At the end, I bought a Titanic board game. 

Yes I still have it, and yes it is super fun to play.

6. I was an artistic genius. *insert sarcastic laughter* Not to toot my own horn, but I was a bit of a prodigy. I actually placed in several national art competitions. The point of me saying this is as follows: I used to sit in my room for hours just drawing people and making up stories about their lives. And I am pretty sure I talked to myself while I sat there drawing. Which takes the goofiness of this obsession to a whole new level.... ANYWAYS...

7. I also had this minor obsession with the pioneers. I read the Work and the Glory series when I was in 5th grade, and that whole summer, I would make my brothers play school, general store, square dance party and crossing the plains with me on a daily basis. The funny thing is I am pretty sure they enjoyed it just as much as I did. They really got into the square dancing part at least.

8. The Kenny Loggins album "Return to Pooh Corner" was my soundtrack from ages 6-now, roughly. As goober-ish as it sounds, I still ultimately love it. Obviously seeing as how it is still my soundtrack.

So now that I have thoroughly embarrassed myself and exposed all my secrets, in other news.... aka thingsIamthinkingaboutmusiclately, because it's been a while since I said anything about music.... Minus the beginning of this post when I talked about Josh Groban, and then later when I talked about Kenny Loggins...

Iron & Wine put out a new album this week,  and I am so intrigued! It is really different from their other stuff, but it's still pretty good. I am interested to see how I feel about it as I keep listening.

Also. Check this guy out.

His name is Devendra Banhart. And he is a semi-weirdo. But I really love his music, 'specially the song Santa Maria de Feira. 

100% PLEASANT.

I am also way in to the Boston Pandora station today. Brad Delp never fails to make me happy. Except for when I remember that Boston is no longer together, and then I am sad. But that doesn't happen very often, so I'm not going to fret. 

But actually I will fret a little because the fact that they are no longer together means this girl will never ever see them live. BOO.

Anyways. 

It's a good day, 

the sun is shining, 

Felicidades!