Potential Breakup Song.

"Now all I want is just my stuff back.

Did you get that?

Let me repeat that.

I want my stuff back."

- Aly & AJ.

Potentially the best song of 2007 and I'm not even kidding right now. 

Definitely bringing back the 7th grade versions of ourselves tonight with the junior high generation of Disney stars i.e. Jonas Brothers, Vanessa Hudgens and Hannah Montana. And yes, they all still rock our world.

Here We Go.

"Oh yeah, alright.

Trying to make sense of it all tonight.

Oh no, here we go.

It won't be the last time."

-Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors.

Drew Holcomb brought Tennessee to London for a night and all was right in the world.

Working merch for an artist at their show may not sound all too glamorous. By no means is it hitting the VIP section. But for a musician like Drew, it's like doing a favor for a friend. It's all too familiar and yet, a new experience to do a table like that in a foreign land. 

Although I made an absolute fool of myself over the phone when Drew called (let me make it clear: I had NO idea it was his number ringing my cell), he welcomed us into his venue home for the night with open arms alongside his guitar mate and fellow Belmont student/alum, Nate. Is this world smaller than small?

We jammed along to the classics of Good Light and grooved to newer stuff from Medicine. One of the best of the night was this song I'm mentioning today purely because he got the whole room chanting the words back to him. It was the best drunken pub choir you could have ever found and I was glad to be a part of it. The choir, not the drunkenness. 

Drew told some stories about his wife and his life and gave us a solo encore without a microphone. Intimacy like that between an artist and their audience is so rare these days that when it happens, it makes for a golden moment.

Tonight will definitely go down as one of the best here in old Londontown. Not solely due to the fact that Drew is beyond talented, but because it was again one of those nights that made me feel like I'm meant to be here.

And I am. I have no doubt about it.

Firework.

"You gotta ignite the light

and let it shine.

Just own the night

like the Fourth of July."

-Katy Perry.

Right now, I think I'm realizing I really do have the best of both worlds.

As those two worlds collided within the midst of a short weekend, I remembered how appreciative I am for everything I get to experience while across the pond. This two-day agenda consisted of: first English football game, Superbowl and a traditional Sunday Roast.

If you know anything about me at all, you know that I was born and raised on the game of soccer. From age six, it became my life and developed into my love of so many other sports. Soccer was always number one in my heart though. Returning to a somewhat professional soccer setting made me want to tie up some cleats and sacrifice smooth skin for bruises and shinguard marks along my legs. I think it's the combination of my competitive edge and the release you feel when you kick a ball that makes my heart bleed for the sport. Although the team we were rooting for lost (by a stupid PK, for that matter), I still was completely enthralled with every action on the field. I couldn't take my eyes away from the game no matter how hard I tried. I guess that's just a part of this continuum of love at first goal I have for that sport.

To follow up with all that Britishness, Kelly and I took tube after tube after tube to wind up in a tiny lemon car driving through the narrowest of backroads. You see, outside of London lies the outskirts. In the outskirts comes the country. And that, my friends, is different than any other dark dirt roads I've been on. Anyways, we spent the night out in the "boondocks" with Kelly's family and of course, we had to have pints in the pub and tea for dessert. We even got the personal tour of the village on Sunday morning (rain was not falling contrary to the lyrics of Maroon 5) and walked through spooky graveyards to mud-suck fields. To top it all off, Sunday Roast was on the menu. Roast beef. Yorkshire pudding. Fried potatoes. YUM.

And when we said goodbye to those quiet streets of whereverweweretown, we fell back into our American roots and stayed up until almost 4am watching America's crown jewels of sporting events, the Superbowl. Shout out to the Patriots for being awesome and winning because now I can taunt Kelly about choosing the winning team. BOOM TOWN.

Although it seems like the cultures differentiate themselves from each other, both made me feel like I was right at home. I mean a Sunday Roast was essentially the British version of tri-tip dinner. I saw both kinds of football, representing both of my home nations in a sense. I lived with the English family we have here, but it only made me think of my own back in California.

I'm proud to be an American. I'm proud to be living in the United Kingdom. I'm proud to be a girl exploring all of her options and loving every minute along the way.

PS Katy Perry rocked the Halftime show. Don't even begin to argue with that. It's a fact. Let's be real. She's the best and those sharks were so lol-worthy that it made EVERYTHING better.

Sugar.

"There ain't no other way.

'Cause girl, you're hotter than

a southern California day."

-Maroon 5.

As of late, Maroon 5 has made some really stupid music. But this one is a jam and I cannot get enough of it. Especially the music video. If you like surprises, weddings and party crashers, you are in for the treat of a lifetime.

While I may have been productive today (seven internship applications DONE), I spent all my time inside. It's kinda weird sitting and looking out at London life in the midst of doing tasks that are nonetheless important. But then it hit me: I do the same things at home and in Nashville and it doesn't make the place I'm in any less great. Sure, I should probably go explore when I have a completely free day. But sometimes it's nice to sit and watch your favorite Netflix shows and be at ease.

But come Monday, I have declared my free days as either adventure time or treat yo-self days. What I really mean is: exploring the museums and parks by myself in all of its glory or finding the best shopping/lunch places and taking myself on a date. WHY? Because, you know what. I am worth it and me time matters as much in Londontown as it would anywhere else.

BOOM BOOM SUPER BASS.

Title.

"You said that I'm a special kind of woman.

I'm loving what you got, 

but I'm hating what you doing."

-Meghan Trainor.

Pretty much I don't have much to say about my dull school day and this song has been keeping my attention for a solid 72 hours.

Break Up With Him.

"Hey girl, 'sup.

I know it's late, but I knew you'd pick it up.

Nah, I ain't drunk.

Okay, maybe I do have a little buzz."

-Old Dominion.

First, let me apologize for this. This song is ridiculous but has been stuck in my head for two weeks now. So that means it must be used at least once on here. I'm telling you, though: it's ridiculous.

But that's beside the point. Tonight brought me back to the pub life. Pub life is even better when it's sponsored by your school and they pretty much let you run up the tab for pints. And cider is 20x better here than anywhere on the planet. I promise you. 

We all gave a cheers to the two slam poets that joined us for the evening as well. Their flows were sick as ever and the rhymes...unstoppable.

School ain't too bad across the pond. I mean, I went from the classroom to the bar with all my classmates and my professors. This is the world we now live in.

Oh, and did I mention I HAVE A NANDO'S CARD NOW. (Choral singing in the background.) There goes all my food money...

Something Beautiful.

"In a daydream,

I couldn't live like this.

I wouldn't stop until I found

something beautiful."

-Needtobreathe.

Man oh man, Edinburgh set the bar at the highest level imaginable for trips to come. I don't think I've seen beauty like that in my life and it will be hard to live that one down. Wow. 

Let me tell you how deeply I love this new place. I cried TWICE due to being so happy by what I was seeing. TWICE, people. For only being there less than 48 hours, that's a lot of joy in one weekend. I still cannot even comprehend how lucky I am to have been able to view such beautiful sights Edinburgh had to offer. Like, I don't think I'll ever get over these intense emotions I hold for the Scottish city of the Lowlands.

Instead of continue my rant up here, I'll let the pictures paint a better picture while accompanying those thoughts with some words. Hopefully, I can make the land of green hills and bagpipes come alive...

I have climbed Malibu Hill and looked over the Pacific for miles. I have made it to the top of Runyon Canyon to see the veins of Los Angeles. But I have never seen quite a view like that which Arthur's Seat gave me. You have a panorama of beauty surrounding you from every single angle. There are grassy hills for miles and the water in the distance. Winds sweep your hair from your face as swift as your heart gets swept away by this place. (Should I mention this is one of the two places I broke down alone over my amazement? Alright,  I DID IT.)

When I thought of Scotland pre-trip, I thought of three things: kilts, haggis and bagpipes. Stereotype three proved! For all of day one, we could not escape the oddly, delightful sounds of this dude behind me. He was killin' the bagpiping game.

Point two of happy crying. This, my friends, is Calton Hill. A little less of a hike with an even more worth it view. To see the cobblestone-street city from a tall distance made me forget all about my immune system being on the brink of a cold (update: cough and fatigue have set in) and reminded me of how in awe I am of this world.

Hello, and welcome to our crib. Most people know it as either the coolest place on Earth or Edinburgh Castle. Nestled on the tippy-top of a hill over the little town it reigns upon, you can see the townhouses piled on top of each other and the streets that wind their way through every nook and cranny. But, in all seriousness, we live here. Or we want to, at least.

Even the random side streets and selfies made Edinburgh into the quaint city it is.

The face of a girl who was scared to death to try Scotch whisky and then died because of the alcohol content. I'm not kidding. Kelly has videos that prove how badly I took this stuff down. Scotland, I'm not trying to hate on you at all. But this is a DANGEROUS substance and I do not know how people consume this for fun. Not even to get drunk. No. Scotch whisky to me translates as beverage that burns your throat for an hour.

Because candids are great and sunshine is my favorite.

The inspiration behind Hogwarts aka I was fangirling and wanted to trespass.

The National Museum of Scotland. Making adults into kids again daily with its animal life displays and earth science. 

Does it ever drive you crazy just how fast the night changes...

(Of course I have to throw a One Direction reference into the post. How could I not?)

I may not be one to enjoy looking at plants, but this greenhouse in the Royal Botanical Gardens seemed worthy of a picture. I mean look at all the windows!

Hello Scottish Parliament. Thanks for taking my visit...I'll just be here waiting by the gate for you to let me in.

St. Giles Cathedral right here. We saw a traditional Scottish wedding in action and I stopped dead in my tracks over how gorgeous the bride looked. The minute she stepped out of that car and into the arms of her handsome husband, she became a showstopper dressed in white.

Another day, another cathedral. This one is St. Mary's and boy, is she a beaut! Stained glass windows and rustic charm galore.

HEAVEN IN A GLASS, NO JOKE. Thank you, Yelp, for finding us this five-star restaurant and allowing me to gain ten pounds off of this "chocolate honeycomb vesuvius" concoction. Bon appetit indeed.

EDINBURGH, YOU ARE THE LOVE OF MY LIFE.