Sunrise over Philly. I wish I could take credit for this photo.

Ok so I was a little blown away that anyone actually reads this...
But for those of you who do, every time I mention a band or song, the name is a link (usually to YouTube) where you can listen to it. Maybe it'll set the scene a little more for you. Ok or maybe it'll just be a song you listen to 30 seconds of. Either way, check it out. Hmmm...what to listen to now...something laid back for the morning like Pusher Love Girl - Justin Timberlake

Just sittin'

For those of you that immediately associate Philadelphia, Temple, or North Philly with dirt, grime, murder, and other various horrible things, I beg of you, look at this picture. Have you ever seen a more beautiful intercity day? You haven't. You're welcome.
Just so you know, there's a guy around the corner selling one of the most diverse collections of posters I have ever seen - all while playing some of the best music to accompany and enhance the atmosphere of this incredible day.
Satisfaction - The Rolling Stones

Home

Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros

There is something to be said in making a new home. What exactly differs home from just a place you reside? While sometimes I have found adjustment to a new location difficult, once settled into a routine the feeling of home is almost instantaneous. If I hadn't mentioned this before, I'm a student at Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A transplant from rural Pennsylvania, the culture shock for me was more intense than being abroad.
In Germany, it took but a few days to completely settle in, get used to not hearing English, and sleep with all of the windows open thanks to the lack of air conditioning. While the language barrier may be intimidating to some, I was thrilled to have it and even more thrilled to watch it disappear as my German language skills progressed. Furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, I was with my family. My German "Opa und Oma" loved me as if I was their own granddaughter, and likewise I felt as though I had known them all my life. 
That was then. While I can't wait to scrape together the money for another plane ticket to the "homeland", this is my new home here in Philadelphia. Not just a place of residence, but home. The photo above is probably one of the most common sights for me during the day; sitting in the cafe of Presser (the music building) chatting, doing homework, listening to music. My new life is here. Good? Bad? This is not my kitchen table back home, nor my couch with my cat curled up next to me. But, I'd say it's a good thing that I'm here instead. I'm sitting on a bench of sorts surrounded by some of the most artistically and musically talented minds in the world; a peer to each and every one of them. How amazing is that? This room has an entire wall made of glass so natural light floods the room giving it a more natural feel than simply a cafe in the middle of Filth-a-delphia.
Home is where you make it, and I'm making mine here at Presser, 1200 Broad, and my practice room on the third floor with a view of the campus. This is home for me - I have a kitchen for god's sake.

Here we Go...

After keeping a pretty regular blog abroad, I have decided to continue writing here at "home" in Philly.  As a college student, the term home I find rather vague.  After class, I go home to my second floor apartment. My parents live at home - but a line begins to form between their home and mine. I won't even begin to go into the "homeland" interpretation. Some things to ponder there.

Some background on me. I grew up in a small town working in my family's restaurant, enjoying the outdoors as most of us in rural areas do. I love cooking, (which has proved very useful to both myself and the rest of the hungry people on my floor). I did well enough in high school to acquire a partial scholarship for the university I now attend, but instead of taking a more academic route, I decided to pursue my lifelong passion and study music. This shit is not easy.

So, in the next few months (maybe years, who knows at this point) this blog will serve as an outlet to tell some ridiculous North-Philly-style anecdotes, tidbits on my experiences in the city, and heaven knows what else. Stay tuned all. I like to write.