#highly recommend just screaming bummer at the universe

[hellospriggan]

*steeples fingers in front of face and exhales slowly*

I'm just going to present this story time in bullet points, because it's pretty clear how rubbish this day has been without extra embellishment.

Woke up with a migraine (took medicine, felt better eventually)

Got kids breakfast; Griffin did not like the banana bread, took some time to find a substitute. Eventually got him fed.

Had to rush through getting ready for school due to second breakfast.

Got outside early for the school bus, because it was five+ minutes early yesterday and we nearly missed it.

School bus was not early

School bus was not on time

School bus was late

This mattered more than usual, because Gwen had an eye appointment at 9:45; the plan was to get Grif on the bus, go back inside to grab our stuff, and immediately leave.

Bus is 10 minutes late, I call it. I can get both kids in the car and drop Grif off at school on the way.

Right??

We get inside, Griffin has a meltdown over missing the bus. I assure him he's still going to school.

Gwen needs the bathroom.

I realize we are not going to have time to drop off Grif, or we'll be late for the appointment. What do I do? Do I reschedule it for the second time (because we were sick two weeks ago) and Get Griffin to school on time?

Meanwhile the school bus rolls up fifteen minutes late, opens its doors, and waits. And waits. Then it meanders off on its way again, while I seethe at the window.

I have a small panic attack. Gwen asks me if I'm sad and I actually cry, and she gives me a cuddle. Okay, I'm good.

I tell Griffin he's going with us, and I'll drop him off at school AFTER the appointment.

Griffin cries. Get him calmed down, get all our stuff, get outside.

Realize the car is locked. Where are my keys?? OH FFS they're locked inside the house.

We're going to be late to the appointment now, too. I try to call the office, but there's no cell reception at our house, ever, so it will not connect.

I get the emergency spare and get in the house and get my keys.

When I get back out, Griffin is crying because he has decided this whole thing is somehow his fault, and that he's "the problem". My heart breaks and I tell my son he is NEVER A PROBLEM. We both cry.

Get the kids in the car.

Half a mile down the road, the car sickness sets in, and I spend the next 30 minutes wondering if one or both kids is going to barf.

Maps app is on in the background, but not actually working. Luckily the directions are simple and I remember the way.

Have my husband, who's at work, call the school AND the office to let everyone know we're late.

No one barfs. We get there fifteen minutes late.

Gwen has her eye test. She's wearing glasses right now to correct eye crossing due to nearsightedness, and there has been little enough improvement that I now need to have her wear an eye patch.

Griffin shows the optician the page in my sketchbook that he's covering with multiplication; I take a deep breath and remind myself that he's missing a morning of kindergarten, a week before summer break, ie board games. And that he can fucking multiply. It's going to be fine.

We eventually get out. Everyone needs the bathroom.

Get out to the car, check the time, and realize that we'll make it back to school halfway through his lunch IF we're lucky, and he won't have time to eat.

I make the executive decision that we're having donuts for lunch, because we fucking deserve them. Well look, there's a Dunkin right across the street! I can even do drive through and not have to get them out of the car seats again! (It is amazing how much of a consideration that becomes, but it adds so much time.)

We do drive through, and the person keeps asking me over the intercom what I want, even though I keep begging for a moment to look at the menu.

We order donuts, lemonade, and coffee. Pay, tip handsomely as an apology for my (I think understandable) lack of organization, pull into a parking spot to feed everyone. We have no straws.

I jog over to the window and ask for three straws.

He gives me two. I ask for another. I get four total.

I spill coffee on my foot.

We eat donuts, and they are splendid. I hope no one barfs on the way home now.

No one barfs. It's close, again. (If he does throw up, he's not allowed at school. Understandable, but another thing to navigate.)

We get Griffin to school, right at the end of his lunch period. He's very cranky about how this day has gone. I have also forgotten to pack him a snack, and donuts are not very sustaining. Hope he makes it.

Gwen and I stop at the produce stand down the road to buy fruit, and go home. I think more about car seats, and if there's a way to calculate how much of my life as a parent has been spent dealing with them.

At home I refuse to stand in the sun blowing bubbles for Gwen, and she gets mad. We have another discussion about how we're a team but at least half of this team is very tired. We go inside and watch TV instead.

My new notepads arrive, a bright moment. My website is still kind of broken, but cute stationary helps!

We were planning on going to the fireman's carnival tonight. Tomorrow is the last day. I really hope everyone is up to going tonight and that it's not the last straw in a busy day.

I think I'm going to take cute photos of the new notepads, work on my website, and honestly just let Gwen watch as much TV as she wants today. I struggle a lot to balance screen time for my kids, but I also try really hard to think about what I would need/want on a rough day, and not hold them to a higher standard.

I tried so hard to keep a positive tone on things today, and I was really open with them about the fact that sometimes things go wrong and it's no one's fault, but that DANG it's tough when it all seems to happen at once! We took several minutes in the car just all shouting "BUMMER!!" as loud as we could, and that helped.

[patricksilvrrozartistry]

Current Music Obsessions: March 16 - 31, 2017

I’m FINALLY sharing my obsessions for the last two weeks of March! ALSO, there’s A LOT of honorable mentions because I PURGED my watch later playlist, and here they are!

Svart Crown - Orgasmic Spiritual Ecstacy Vitja - Heavy Rain Semi Precious Weapons - Magnetic Baby GOTH - Only One Aeternitas - Falling Star Last Leaf Down - Ghost Trails Downcast Collision - Overthrown Erdling - Absolutus Rex Vitas - Opera No2 The Silent Wedding - Silence Memoira - Medusa Adna - Thoughts Lost in Grey - Road to Styx Ray Noir - All Alone feat. Mariann Rosa Parasite Inc. - The Pulse of the Dead Last Leaf Down - Purple Skies String Theory - At the Edge of Universe Midnight Sorrow - Lost for Eternity Symfobia - From the Ashes Arthemis - Undead Aeverium - Vale of Shadows Doxa - The Spring in You Sinheresy - My Only Faith Carach Angren - Song for the Dead Lorelei - Gallows Hymn Mycelia - Drop the Baby Valhalore - Voyage into Eternity Synaptik - The Incredible Machine Alcest - Les Vogages De L'Ame Thallium - I'm Death Avelion - Fading Out Distant Landscape - The Change N.O.M. - A Guys Kobra and the Lotus - You Don't Know

Now for the obsessions!

1) Skies Collide - Run Wild

I came across these guys a few years ago and have been really into them ever since. This is their latest release and I'm really digging it. It's absolutely gorgeous and a bit softer (riff wise) from what they've released in the past, so it's nice to see something a bit different from them. Can't wait to see what else they bring.

2) Black Mirrors - Funky Queen

If you're a fan of psychedelic rock and/or rock n roll, DEFINITELY give this song a listen. This was one of those unexpected gems you find from a sponsored post from a page you like on Facebook. So glad I decided to give them a listen. It's so fun, catchy and such a great song to jam to.

3) The Charm the Fury - Echoes

I've known of these guys for a minute, but I haven't listened to that much from them yet. But out of everything I've heard from them, this is by far my favorite track. It has a great sound, a lovely sounding chorus and is just a badass hard rock track. Got a new band to add onto my Dutch favs list.

4) Sunburst - Symbol of Life

This is a song I rekindled my love for all thanks to it being a recommended video. Sunburst are an EPIC progressive power metal that I discovered sometime last year. Fragments of Creation (the album this song is taken from) is such an amazing album and was a contender for my top 20 list. The lead singer has this powerful and unique voice and you can tell he puts his whole being into their songs. HIGHLY recommend this track!

5) Moondust - Our Fantasies

I discovered this song MANY years ago through a channel named "theabt" and have loved it ever since. Randomly one day in the middle of the month, it popped into my head and I rekindled my love for it. It's such a beautiful gothic metal track that is so underrated. It's such a huge bummer these guys didn't last long. They really could've evolved into something really epic.

6) In Flames - When the World Explodes feat. Emilia Feldt (live)

This was a video that popped up on my recommended videos one day and I immediately got interested because I never knew that In Flames had a song that featured a female singer. I'm so glad I decided to check this song out because it is so beautiful. I also wasn't expecting her to be an opera singer, so when them soprano notes started to come out, I was shook. So good. So good.

7) Bare Infinity - In Desertis

This song is such a ball buster! I never thought I'd ever say that when talking about Bare Infinity, but it's true! This song is aggressive, very proggy and symphonic, but it's still very them and atmospheric. I'm so hyped for this album. I can't wait to listen to it in its entirity because I know it will blow me away and send me to another world.

8) SubRosa - Troubled Cells

If you are into very chill and easy going post rock/metal, DEFINITELY give this song a listen! It's so lovely and relaxing. Post rock/metal like this is my ASMR (the real thing give me terrible anxiety and literally makes me ill). You just feel the music and the ambiance float around you and you feel as if you're part of the atmosphere. It's so wonderful.

9) Caleb Hyles and Jonathan Young - The Plagues (Prince of Egypt) cover

THIS COVER. GURL. It's so epic, powerful and just so good! It has this creepy and dramatic beauty to it, and the video adds to that feeling. It's absolutely amazing. And the cover they did of Savages from Pocahantus is also worth mentioning because it's epic and is how I came across this cover. Go check them out!

10) Emerald Mind - Astronaut in Her Space

I'm pretty sure I came across this song/video from a sponsored ad on Facebook and I'm so glad I checked it out! Symphonic, progressive power metal + sci-fi lyrical themes = HAPPINESS. I am a huge sucker for metal bands whose lyrics are sci-fi themed, and this song is that. This song is absolutely gorgeous and the video is so pretty. So much yes.

11) That Which Remains - Touch My Face

I came across this project while listening to Trees of Eternity one day on YT and learned this was one of Aleah's projects outside of Trees of Eternity. It has an alternative rock/shoegaze kind of feel to it and I love it. It's so interesting hearing Aleah's voice in front of something that isn't doom metal or some sort of ambient music. It's such a lovely track and I definitely plan on listening to more from this project.

12) We Butter the Bread with Butter - Klicks. Likes. Fame. Geil!

WBTBWB is a band I discovered back in the days leading up to my dreaded scene phase, but I only knew one song of theirs and didn't go much further than that one track. But a couple years ago, they came on Music Choise and I really liked what I heard, so I've sorta kept up with them ever since. They're still very much a metalcore band, but they have a strong electronic element to them that I LOVE and they also don't take themselves too seriously, which is EXACTLY what this song is and it is AMAZING! So catchy, fun and fun to blast through headphones.

13) Crimson Sun - Towards the Light

This was a song that I randomly came across in the recommended videos on YT. I wasn't that impressed at first, but I kept it on my watch later so I could listen to it a few more times till I developed a better opinion of it and I'm so glad I did. This is one of those songs that grows on you and sticks with you. Catchy tune with a great singer. Do recommend.

14) Persefone - Living Waves feat Paul Masvidal

I discovered Persefone through Facebook a few months ago when I saw an ad for a preview video (I think) for their upcoming album, AATHMA, that is to be released later this year. Let me tell you this: I have a strong feeling this is going to be one of, if not THE best progressive metal album of the year for me. This track is just so epic and experimental and powerful. This is some proggy epicness that you all need to listen to immediately!

15) Garbage - Magnetized

I saw this video pop up and decided to give them a listen as I've always heard about how good they were, especially when it came to talking about iconic 90's grunge bands. I need to listen to more from them because this song is EVERYTHING. So catchy and fun to jam out to. I so recommend this.

16) Voyager - Ascension

Guys. This song is epic. This is the first single Voyager have dropped off their upcoming album, Ghost Mile, and I am so excited for it! I LOVE the atmospheric nature to this track. Such an epic progressive metal track. Their lead singer's voice is so lovely and his hair is amazing. It's also the first track that I've heard from them that features growls. The bridge is my favorite part. It's so simple, but it packs such a wallop.

17) Ionnalee - Samaritan

This is a new project from the iconic artist iamamiwhoami. Being completely honest, I only know one song from that project, so I can't compare the two projects together, but I can say that they are both ambient/experimental projects. I am in LOVE with this song! It's so fun and catchy. And the video is so interesting and artsy af.

18) D-A-D - I Want What She's Got

Four words. Heavy. Metal. Drag. Queens. I had gotten a song stuck in my head one day and was snooping around through different record labels' channels and I randomly came across this video and thought "is that a drag queen in the thumbnail?" I watched the video and GAGGED. I LIVE for this video! They all look so polished in this video! I wish they were always in drag instead of only in this video. But hey, at least it's really great and catchy tune.

19) Gonin-Ish - Jinbaika

I randomly came across this song one day on YT. I was drawn in by the cover art. I mean look at it, it looks like a cross between Studio Ghibli and Tim Burton and I love it. I decided to give it a listen and I'm so glad I did because it's absolutely gorgeous. Japanese progressive metal. I've never heard a progressive metal band from Japan and now I'm seriously wanting to search for others! Their front woman has a pretty voice and has some pretty intense screams. HIGHLY recommend it just for the extremely beautiful intro alone!

That’s all for March! My lists are probably gonna be shorter for a while, since I PURGED my watch later list so much that now I only have less than 30 songs on it, so that will be nice.