Red Room Sessions

Introducing Fictionist's RED ROOM SESSIONS: Volume 1

This rocks, seriously.
Besides the whole thing, my favorite part is at 4:20 till 4:30... mostly with Robbie's awesome moves and the awesome jam. yeeeeah.

Music = Love

Music is love. Love is music.

My suspicions that a well-thought-out, expertly-organized, inspired mix is one of the greatest gifts a friend can give to me have recently come true. There's something about inserting that disc into the CD player and sitting back, awaiting the musical journey where you are able to discover new sounds, new bands, new lyrics, new memories.

Within the last 2 weeks I have received 3 new mixes from some amazing friends of mine. New music to a music lover is like... a new Prada purse for a Shopaholic, or something. One friend in particular, my lovely friend Cathy who lives in Seattle, is affectionately referred to as my "music friend" to all who don't know her. Even though we connect on many levels besides music, that one element sets the relationship over the top. Since we have been apart during college we have kept in touch mainly by sending each other mixes of music we have discovered or have been into. These mixes are literal, tangible pieces of our hearts.

Call me corny, but who cares. Here are some of the new bands I have recently been exposed to:
* Bon Iver
* Son Volt
* Kings of Leon
* Beck (his new CD.... "Sea Change"... very unlike his old stuff)
* Josh Ritter
* John Butler Trio
* Ingrid Michaelson
* The Weepies
* Ben Solee

So thank you, my dear friends, for this gift of music. It means so very much.

Twist and Shout

Shout out to Matt! Thanks again for coming out to the great state of Utah and experiencing the magic of Snowbird 2 days in a row. There's nothing like a sunny day on the slopes.

Adios Espana, Hello America

MAY THE WORLD WELCOME MS. EMILY REDD BACK TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!

That’s right. Emily Redd, one of my best friends in the world, has just returned from her 18 month mission in Bilbao, Spain. She got back last Thursday. After a month of planning with her mom I flew into LA on Saturday, totally catching her by surprise. I… LOVE… SURPRISES! She had no clue, and the look on her face was priceless.

I had such a fun weekend with her and her family, plus the added bonus of seeing Kim Paul, another old friend who may be one of my favorite people in the world. You know the mark of a good friend when you can get together after almost 2 years (in Emily’s case) and 4 months (for Kim) and it’s like you picked up where you left off. I am so lucky to have such good friends.

Some highlights of the trip:
• The DMV in Wittier county, receiving a wonderful cultural diversity lesson.
• Eating out – Panera, Chipotle, Ruby’s Diner. Yum.
• 2 Sacrament meetings… twice the blessings. Yessssss.
• Catching up.
• Shopping.
• Lots and lots of laughing… mostly at old memories, and a few at new ones.
• Walking around Huntington Beach at night. (see pic below)

And last but not least…

• DISNEYLAND/CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE… for free! (Thanks to Emily’s dad’s sweet hookups)

The classic Disneyland photo-op
I couldn't resist

Called to Serve

Congratulations Jace! You will be an amazing missionary serving in

Kobe, Japan

Those folks won't know what to do with themselves.
And no, it's not Kobe Bryant.

Mes livres...

A house without books is like a room without windows. ~Heinrich Mann

And with that it's time to divulge my new hobby to the cyber-world.

Despite my right-brained tendencies that have created the accountant/mathematician inside of me, one of my biggest passions is creating new things. I've never been a painter, but I do like creating other forms of art--like this summer, for example, when I randomly decided to make a mosaic for my mother.

Well last semester I really got into BOOKBINDING. That's right, I make books. I love the possibilities book making provides -- you start with a stack of large papers, some binders board, PVA, and the random tools required. There's something about letting those creative juices flow--for me it happens late at night with the right music... like last night, I stayed up till 2 am finishing a book while zoning out to Sigur Ros. mmm... now that's what I call a happy place.

Here are some of the books I've made. I have given some away as gifts, so my collection here is not complete, but it tells enough.

LEFT: my first book ever.








RIGHT: my final project. It's a compilation of pictures from my four years of college. Sentimental, is what it is. (below is a shot of one of the inside pages).










LEFT: My all-time favorite. It's a rounded spine book, with inserts of that flower printed Tibetan rice paper throughout. I especially love that paper because I got it at a mega hippie shop on Haight & Ashbury street in San Francisco.


RIGHT: The newest edition. I'm loving the vintage outside fabric combined with organic looking red paper spread throughout. A true gem.

What happens in Vegas... is on my blog?

My celebration of America's presidents this weekend occurred in the city of sin. Yep, the one and only Las Vegas. My parental units met us there, along with my lovely grandparents who live in San Francisco. I think the highlight was seeing "Phantom of the Opera." -- I had my hesitations about the Vegas production, thinking it would be gaudy and overdone. But I was totally and completely impressed. I highly recommend it!

All in all, it was a fabulous weekend with lots of food, sleep, shows, lights, and laughter. Thanks again Mom and Dad for everything... you're the best.

The McLaws kids with Grandma Pedie. She's my hero.
This picture makes me laugh. But it's with my brother, whom I love. Also, it's in front of the Beatles, so it might be the best picture ever.
We went on a dam tour. The Hoover dam--pretty dang cool.
Featured: Jace and I with the one and only Grandpa Bob.
I love them.

PS. This is a shout out to Mike. I hear you're pretty cool and I'm looking forward to meeting you someday.

The world must see this

Brittney I love you. I love this picture. I love that you were a vampire (I think?) and I was Little Bo-Beep who lost my sheep (that I apparently found?). Apparently our halloween character choice had developed in a strange direction from the previous year, as depicted HERE.

Here's to the days.

PS. If you would like to see this gem a little larger (which I highly recommend), just go ahead and give it a little click with the mouse.

hey man, slow down.

Recently I've been listening to this Radiohead song called "The Tourist." It's psychedelic, mellow, and incredible. And what's more, Thom Yorke is singing this song to me. Ok, maybe he's not saying "Camille, here's your song," but I do feel like I could learn something from it.

Sometimes I get overcharged,
that's when you see sparks.
They ask me where the [heck] I'm going?
At a 1000 feet per second,

hey man, slow down, slow down.


We live in a world where everything moves at "a 1000 feet per second." It's go, go, go all day long. Well, not for me these days. I have never had so much free time on my hands. It's pretty nice to finally not have to worry about tests, papers, recruiting, etc. and have FREE TIME. But honestly? I've kind of been having a hard time with it. I feel BAD about not being busy every minute of the day... and today I realized that that is a sad thing. I think the Lord has given me this period in my life to force me to sit back and contemplate, to meditate, and to just SLOW DOWN.

And this week I have finally accepted it. I have been able to reflect on all of the things in my life that I am grateful for, that I would like to improve, and how I can help everyone else around me in the meantime. And you know what? I AM SO HAPPY. I have never felt so content and at peace with everything. I just keep thinking... life is too beautiful... why not be happy? Yes, I am getting slightly stir-crazy, antsy, anxious, whatever you want to call it, to start the next chapter of my life and move to San Francisco, but until that chapter comes, and I know it will be sooner than later, I am going to enjoy the moment I have to just SLOW DOWN.

The Ultimate Jump

Skydiving - check. Next step: THIS.
(Mom, you better not watch this.)

wingsuit base jumping from Ali on Vimeo.

That Thing You Do

What did I do Friday night? Oh, let me tell you. I drove up to Salt Lake City with girl Erin and boy Aaron and went to Studio 600. I know what you're thinking, "YOU went to Studio 600?" I know, right? For all you non-Utahns, Studio 600 is this huge dance club up in Salt Lake... TOTALLY not my scene. But I went, and I will openly admit I had the time of my life.

This little random evening on the dance floor got me thinking. This is a shout out to my roommate Erin, the one in the boss-awesome headband. She is a dance education major, and quite honestly, dance is her life. When she is performing she looks like the happiest person in the world. Complete bliss. I asked her about it later, and she went on to say how when she's dancing she doesn't have a care in the world.

So... as most deep questions lead... I thought, "what's my thing?" What is it that I love? Well let's see. I love snowboarding, skiing, yoga, rock climbing, camping, biking, running, etc. Then I thought, the tying factor of all of my favorite hobbies involve being in the outdoors. I realized the times I am outside is when I am most content and at peace with my life. Everything that matters becomes a little clearer, and the things that just aren't that important fade. In a sense, I don't have a care in the world. I am reminded of how I have a Heavenly Father who loves me enough to have created this beautiful earth and give me the cherished moments when I can enjoy it.

So my friends, what is that thing you do that makes all your cares in the world fade, even if it's for just a short time? Don't be shy, this is a blog of sharing and caring.

Just a thought

Think about the people you have in your life. Of course your close friends and family members come into mind... but think outside the box, about your other friends you work with, serve in your church callings with, or interacted with today at the grocery store.

Do you believe that every single person we come into contact with in our daily lives was put there for a specific reason? In other words, are all of these people divinely placed into your life at certain times and circumstances? This question gets even more mind-boggling when you bring in the concept of free agency, because we know that each of us has our own free agency to think and act how we choose. That girl in the grocery store who needed a hand out to her car could have chosen to linger a little longer in the bread aisle so that your paths never crossed, and thus, she would never have been in your life. What then?

I, for one, truly believe that people are placed in your life for a reason. Perhaps not every single person you talk to throughout the day is there for some "greater reason," but I do believe that more people than you may first suspect are meant to be there for reasons we may yet to discover, or better yet, never really know.

This string of discombobulated and somewhat confusing thoughts has caused me to analyze some of the people I interact with. Why did I sit next to that guy from Minneapolis on the chair lift while skiing today? Why was I randomly placed with these particular roommates? Why did that quiet guy who didn't talk much get assigned to the cubicle next to mine during my internship? What was/am I supposed to learn from these people?

Anyway, just food for thought on a late night rambling spree.
Insights or other random thoughts are greatly welcomed.


PS. This picture by Monet is here because he is an artist that seems to convey far more than first meets the eye, a good picture to look at when thinking deep thoughts.

"Change is Good"

So we have a new president, right? This new president of ours won over the hearts of America with the infectious slogan of "CHANGE." I totally agree with Mr. Obama that change IS good. It's a necessary thing in one's life every once and a while. So, that's why when I told my mom I was thinking of getting bangs she said "awesome! Go for it! You can be an Obama-ite and get Barack Bangs." So, take them for what you will, I got bangs today. So I now present my new "do" to the blogging world, or the few who may actually read this:

Here, my friends, are my new Barack bangs.

A hodgepodge really...

Tonight's one of those nights where I want to write something... something that is worth reading. But for some dang reason nothing really worthwhile is coming.

Except for the fact that I think I found one of my new favorite movies. I saw "Ghost Town" last weekend for the first time, and tonight I wanted to convince my friends how amazing the movie was... so yes, I went for the second time in one week. It's THAT GOOD. I cried--twice. It's one of those funny movies that also has a message to it... maybe comparable to "Dan in Real Life" or "Stranger Than Fiction." Also, the soundtrack is incredible. Anyway, the point is go see it. It's worth the three bucks at Blockbuster, or even better, the $1.25 at Movies 8 for you Provo-ites.

Also, I found my new favorite song. For anyone who knows me, even a little bit, this is a BIG deal. Music is my breath to each day... its seriously how I get through most things in life, no matter what it is. I was in my friend Spencer's car last weekend and it came on. "Shadowlands" by Ryan Adams stopped me in mid conversation. I went home and bought the album on iTunes. It's an oddly comforting, beautiful, mellow, and incredible song that I have had on repeat ever since. I would include a video for easy listening, but the only YouTube version cuts out the best part--the last two minutes. So please, take my words as being truthful and valid, that this song rocks and spend $1.08 to download it off iTunes. You won't regret it.

Meanwhile, life is really good. I feel really blessed and lucky to be where I am, interacting with the people I interact with, and learning the things I am learning. It's kind of an awkward interim period of my life as I am in the middle of two really big things, but I know I am here doing what I'm doing for a reason. It will be exciting to see exactly why someday. Isn't hindsight the best?

PS. One of my least favorite things in the whole entire world is a cold shower. brrr.......

The weather outside was frightful, but the fire was oh so delightful

Christmas rocked. Honestly, it was a great break. I got to be a lazy bum for 2 weeks, catch up with some old friends, and spend some quality time with the familia. After being in Spokane for a week and a half (where we got like 5 1/2 feet of snow!!!!), we drove down to McCall, Idaho to meet up with Brittney and Stuart at a cabin. It was a blast, let me tell ya.

Snowmobile races across a frozen lake = Not your average family vacation

We can't even sled like normal people

A ski resort = My happy place

I've got a bad case of Nostalgia

I once read a quote that goes like this:

The world is full of people whose notion of a satisfactory future is, in fact, a return to the idealized past. ~Robertson Davies, A Voice from the Attic

Nostalgia is a funny thing. In some respects it is important to always remember your past, the people you were so fortunate to come across, and the lessons you learned from the many adventures and experiences you encountered. On the other hand, you need to live in today, and not in the longing of what once was or what could have been.

My mom has always said I am an extremely passionate person. Yesterday she again brought home this point when she commented how I love deeply. This passion can be conveyed on anything really--music, hobbies, people. Whatever it is that I decide to love I love with my whole heart. I don't think this is a bad thing, in fact, I consider it one of my talents in life. The only time it becomes a burden is when I am caught up in a flood of memories and can't quite get my feet to touch the ground.

Like tonight. Tonight I went to a movie with a friend, (we saw the "Curious Case of Benjamin Button," which I looooved, for your information) a friend whom I feel like we never got to finish our story due to the different paths our lives were meant to lead. When we get together it's like we are just continuing our conversation, only to be put on hold for who knows how long, or possibly, forever. Why were people like him put in my life? I don't know. I do know, however, that everyone is in our lives for a reason, and further, everything happens for a reason. And for that I am grateful.

Stay up and make some memories with me...

I got to see one of my best friends in the whole world last night. We haven't seen each other for over a year, but the minute we get together it's like the time or space between us never even existed. I guess that's the mark of a true friend.

When everything in your life is changing a million times a minute, it's refreshing to know that some friendships will never fade. Mr. Dave Matthews sums up our friendship with one line, the title of this post.

I love my Catherine Jhung.

J'adore

I miss this place. That's all.

Done and Done.

I did it. I GRADUATED FROM COLLEGE!

After a crazy hectic finals week that I thought would never end, I took my last final EVER on Thursday. After a two-day long process of getting home due to inclement weather, I am now sitting inside my cozy home in Spokane as I look out at the -2 degree, snowy Washington weather that is, in my opinion, beautiful.

Anyway, the point is that I am going to revel in having absolutely nothing to do for a few weeks. College was SO two days ago...