Spotted: Samantha watching Gossip Girl

I am a loyal fan of the show Gossip Girl. Not just because Penn Badgley is delicious, the Upper East Side setting is picturesque, or the dramatic lives of the elite are highly entertaining...but more because it's relatively mindless, unrealistic, and unexpectedly engrossing (considering the moments of seduction combined with beautiful clothing and beautiful people wearing them which is quite alluring for a girl studying fashion).

Whether Jenny Humphrey is crashing the posh benefit with her ultra cool fashion show, or Nate is (wrongly) choosing Vanessa, or Dan Humphrey and Serena Van Der Woodsen are feeling the sexual tension, the series is a lot of fun even though I've never ever thought of picking up one of the books that the series is based on at Barnes & Noble.

While I don't foresee a bunch of the heterosexual male population chatting it up about Chuck over lattes...I think the show is worth at least a one-time viewing sesh. I watched the show that has created a love affair with TV for the majority of my guy friends, Entourage, and I found it to be creative, intelligent, and witty. In the case of Gossip Girl, it just requires an open mind.

Besides, you can't fault me for enjoying a little bit in the way of guilty pleasures now can you?

There's Music in the Air

I've always wanted to play guitar, and I can play a few rudimentary chords on my brother's while reading the music sheets without sounding like I have no idea what I'm doing. I love being able to listen to songs and pick out the individual instruments within them. Hearing my bro play is refreshing as well; he has learned early on to focus on the beauty and the sound quality of the music, not the girl magnet factor...and it's pretty impressive considering he's only 11.

I thoroughly enjoy the way music flows, the way it makes my speakers vibrate with the bass, the way it pumps me up for a good workout. When I am out driving my car, windows down, and I get to blast my favorite songs on my ipod, there aren't too many things that I've experienced that are more freeing. And yes, I usually do start singing along with the music. 

It's amazing to me that people can write lyrics that touch other people, create melodies that become everlasting, and most importantly, make music that becomes a part of peoples' lives. I feel as if everyone's life has a soundtrack, an infinite playlist of songs that people either consciously or subconsciously tie to their invaluable memories.

Jet reminds me of one of my best friends and driving in his old Acura, pulling doughnuts in the high school parking lots on the weekends. The Killers remind me of summer nights and swimming under the stars, while Regina Spektor and "Come on Eileen" remind me of work and dancing around behind the counter. Country music reminds me of my roommate and how we laugh endlessly. Rap reminds me of school, because I hadn't really listened to it before I came to college. And Anya Marina reminds me of driving home from Santa Barbara and one of my best girlfriends from high school.

I cannot imagine my life without music, and I certainly don't understand those people who can drive without at least the radio on. To me, there's always music in the air, always a song on my mind, always that playlist flowing through the background of my day.

It's the little things.

For me, it has always been the little things that make me happiest. Sure, I wouldn't refute that having a lot of money to spend and a nice car wouldn't be awesome, but that's a different type of happiness.

It's a collection of the most random things, but each one makes me smile, gives me little bursts of happiness throughout the day.

It's the instrumental arrangement  behind Chris Martin's voice in "Life in Technicolor" by Coldplay that always makes me feel optimistic (you can obviously tell I like them...the title of my blog is the title of one of their songs after all). It's the fact that snow sparkles. It's the way my car revvs up when I hit the gas (and that I have a sweet candy apple red car!). It's the way I'll never forget the perfume my mom wears, or my little brother's ocean-colored eyes. It's the way I feel when I dive into the ocean water. It's receiving a text message. It's my favorite song serendipitously playing on the radio. It's a bear hug. It's a good laugh...the kind that forces tears out of your eyes and makes your stomach hurt a little. It's knowing that something new and exciting is beginning.

It's a million little things that brighten my outlook, a million little things that most people miss out on because they're too busy looking for something bigger.

For the love of Peppermint Mocha

Okay, so I realize that Peppermint Mochas are the product of a corporate ploy to coax people into buying expensive coffee (and not to mention, calories) in the spirit of the holidays...

But I happen to believe in Starbucks.

There is something about the smell of the peppermint and the gingerbread filling the room, the festive Christmas decorations and the gift packages and pastries all around that really does make me smile. I am a sucker for the holidays; to me, there is nothing better than walking through the Promenade (a shopping center with a movie theater and a Barnes & Noble...every city has one) with a Peppermint Mocha and gazing up at all the Christmas lights on the trees..not to mention the huge Christmas tree in the middle of everything.

My mom and I have always shared this sort of enthusiasm for the holidays (although I suppose I usually end up being more ridiculously excited) and it's a connecting thread for us when I'm away at school. The decorations will go up at Starbucks, the holiday cups will come out, and my mother and I are on the phone jabbering away about the incoming of presents, being merry and finally being able to enjoy a hot cuppa joe together instead of 3,000 miles apart.

So, I'll be spending my hard-earned cash on holiday-themed cups of coffee and gift cards with designs of kids sledding down a snow-covered hill...curling up in the cozy chairs and babbling about life with my mom or one of my friends :-)

Ahh...'tis the season.