And it started to feel like october.

"I recall drivin' home, this ain't gonna hit me till God knows when
You know I feel it in my bones and I wear it on my skin
But there is no use in right or wrong
When a heart must go where it belongs

I remember thinking, boy you must be dreaming
So hold on, hold on, before it's all gone
And I do remember thinking
That your world will go on spinning
Without me now, so c'mon, c'mon please"

So at the end of January if not earlier, this girl is moving out of the state to the east coast. Here is where you're asking "but why Aubrey?" I'm finally graduating and moving on with my life and becoming an adult (I know scary!) Why to the east coast? Well there are many reasons but the main one is my family. The east coast is where my family lives, I've missed out in almost 3 years of their lives going to school here. Don't get me wrong I loved my time here but I love my family a lot. They're kind of a big deal.

I have a little big brother who I have to see graduate from high school and enjoy spending time with before he starts his own college experience. I have a little brother who needs a sister in his life so he can have someone to bring to 4th grade show and tell. I hear big sisters who lived where Brett Favre did and have experienced a few feet of snow is the cool thing to bring to show and tell down in North Carolina. I have a mom who is fighting a harder battle everyday with cancer who needs a little help, maybe a lot from her only daughter. My 4 plus years of college have lead me to believe that shopping is a very good form of therapy and she will be doing this. Then I have a over stressed dad who is traveling everywhere, he needs his little girl to come make sure he's relaxing every once in awhile. Oh and there is a old dog of mine that needs a playmate, this is where my puppy Lucy comes in.

So once I graduate and the holidays are done I am moving to North Carolina. I'm excited and scared all at the same time. I am going to miss you all terribly, especially knowing you aren't a car drive away. This means we have less than 4 months to enjoy being friends and possibly family. This means you need to call me, make plans with me, hang out. Come check out the new place, come visit me in Green Bay. Or hey maybe just maybe I'll get time off of work to come visit you. Consider this your warning. I want to make sure I get to say goodbye to all of you in person before I leave. Although I do suck at goodbyes so maybe not those... This may be hard but I think we can do it. I may be a 16 hour car drive away when I move but it doesn't mean you can't come visit me. I have beaches and mountains less than 3 hours away from me in both directions. I also will be back here to for a certain best friend of mine's wedding and other cool occasions.

Things that have been on my mind....

• I feel as though I'm not able to get past being sick, I don't have time to take care of my body. I'm thinking that my body is not liking that and shutting down. This is not a very good thing.
• I have met my neighbors upstairs, they are army boys getting sent to Iraq in the end of January. They are just loving their time they have here as much as they can. It's weird how life brings people into your life that you will have taken out of your life just as quick. Because of these boys I have not gotten to bed until at least 2 am the past 3 nights.
• Lucy is not listening recently to me....this is not a good thing
• The words I miss you and I love you have very powerful impacts. I think it is great but some people can abuse it.
• I love being able to catch up with friends that you haven't spoken to in ages as though they didn't miss a second of your life. It's probably one of the greatest feelings.
• I'm ready to move down south, but I'm also not prepared to say goodbye to everyone.
• My finger got slammed in a door and it hurts, a lot even 2 days after the event.
• I haven't been sleeping properly, my medication for my sleep walking is screwing up everything. I don't like it very much
• I'm excited, very excited because there is a Panera Bread opening on the 20th of October, Baked Potato soup is almost here!
• What I'm really excited for is that I get to go home for 4 days. I'm getting to take a vacation from work. (even if it means I have to work my butt off) I get to see them the 24th through the 28th.
• My car's check engine light is still on after over a month and a half. I'm thinking that I should get that looked at...but when?
• I get to go on one last epic road trip to see Jason Mraz with Icky on the 20th of November. I really am excited because I've missed him terribly. It might be the last time I'll get to see him.

....goodbyes are the hardest thing for me. I'm not ready for them, I never will be. I don't know how I'm going to be able to do it.

mmmmm....AMAZING

I remember the first time that I got to see Jack's Mannequin play... It was a hot day in Milwaukee at Summerfest a few years ago. I was a big fan of the band for awhile. I planned to grab seats and chill in the sun with friends until the show at 10 pm. Well....there was sun, lots of it. So much so it was high humidity and lots of heat in the 100's. I was toasty but excited for everything that would happen that night.
Well all of a sudden I notice on my trip to the bathroom a man hiding behind shades walking towards the stage. I was almost positive, it was Andrew McMahon, but I wasn't sure. It took a second glance, and sure enough it was him. I was able to grab a pic and have a quick chat about his health before we were mobbed. Andrew had recently been diagnosed with cancer 3 months before releasing Jack's Mannequin "everything in transit" album. He was looking healthy after beaten the hardest battle people fight. i couldn't have been happier with the meeting of this amazing musician and the up and coming show that would be performed.
Well what little all of us knew what that there was a very severe thunderstorm brewing and planning on throwing off all shows. It decided to roll through around 5 pm. We decided to stick it out, luckily enough I brought my rain jacket. The things I saw, torrential rains, guys using the rain as a shower with their axe body wash. It was great, bands weren't able to play because of the thunder lightening and crazy rain. I wasn't even thinking of the possibility of getting hit by lightening while standing on metal bleachers. As the rain kept coming more people kept leaving, meaning we got an even closer seat, GO TEAM. As the night progressed, so did the storm. i was waiting until we got the word we would be missing Jack's Mannequin. right around 9 the storm cleared and there seemed to be some action on stage. There were no announcements, just lights and a piano.

A single piano on stage....I knew I'd be in for a treat. sooner than the 10 pm show time out came the man I had met at a time that seemed like ages ago. The experience was amazing and worth every second. Come to find out that night was the last night he had to take his chemo medication for his cancer. The cancer that went into remission. It was a perfect moment, dark blue was being sung and as the words, "this night's a perfect shade of dark blue, dark blue....we were boxing the stars you were swinging for mars." Right as those words were said the storm passed and all of a sudden you could see half of a moon shining down and stars so bright. After that concert, you can't resist being a fan of the band (even if my cell phone was full of water and wasn't working) and the man who has gone through more than any 23 year old should.

So you could only imagine the excitement I had when I saw that face I met a few years ago on the cover of AP magazine this January. I had to buy it even if it was super expensive at an airport on my way home. It gave me hope for the future of my music playing through my headphones, there was a new album released, at some point, hopefully by summer.
Summer came and went without a new Jack's Mannequin album in my car....

Finally a month ago I found out that 9.30.08 would be the release date. I have officially listened to it numerous times and downloaded every EP possible related to it....I'm a happy kid.
The chorus from the song “Lullaby” says, “Give me something to believe in, a breath from the breathing, so write it down I don’t think I’ll close my eyes cause lately I’m not dreaming, so what’s the point in sleeping” and it grabs my attention every time. This collection of songs that make up ‘The Glass Passenger’ is that breath from the breathing, these songs are so alive and contain so much life which is part of what makes this record so good.

So what it all comes down to is taking a leap, holding out until you can't possibly hold on. Without this holding on we wouldn't have this amazing album. Go grab the The Glass Passenger, run don't walk to the stores to buy it. Or if you're too lazy go to itunes and fork over the 9.99, you will love every second of it. I promise, you can thank me later.