So basically I've realized that my life has changed quite significantly in the last year. This might have seemed natural upon starting my first year of college, but living at home and commuting to a university that's less than 10 miles from my house really preempted any huge changes from happening. Instead this change started on July 12, 2008, when Amanda invited me to come along to Chain Reaction to see our childhood friends play a show with their band, The Bolts. I had never heard of this place, nor had I ever been to a concert before [not even one]. I had also never met this girl with the same name as me who happened to come with us. I'd definitely heard about her before and knew she did gymnastics with Natalie, but at that point she was just some random chick who stole my name. [Yeah, well, a year later we're Dolores/Laura#1 and #2, LauraBlonde and LauraBrown/The Lauras. Never would have seen that coming.] In the coming months we went to countless more concerts, thus contributing to my now fairly well-developed sense of direction [at least in SoCal...]. In October we decided to start a business of sorts [Listen&Love], and although we're not exactly making millions here, it does serve as a nice way to contribute to the music community while also fueling our mutual interest in video production/editing. Unexpectedly, through L&L we have made friends from all over the country, something I wouldn't trade for the world. [I have also met some really incredible people through CRU at school, and in the fall it will be interesting to see these relationships develop more.] Something I've been noticing more and more is the fact that the world really is shrinking and seems to implode a little every day. It is baffling to see how simultaneously expansive and interconnected the music industry is. But anyways, my life does not even remotely resemble what it looked like one year ago. If I had been asked back then what I thought the next year might hold I would NEVER have though I would be:

- a concert addict. let's just be honest here...however my show frequenting has significantly declined with the shrinking of my wallet. hey, I'm just more picky now ;)
[From absolutely zero concerts in my entire life to 86 in a year [over half of which were free. win!]]
- connected to some really awesome people across the country
- recognized as 1/2 of The Lauras anywhere from Sacramento to San Diego...not gonna lie, it's a little trippy sometimes
- willingly guest listed [no bribes necessary] to Warped Tour [and other shows which need not be mentioned so as to emphasize the excitingness of the fact that I was on the ataris' guest list]
- the survivor of a most excellent california adventure during which I...Slept on 2 couches / Stayed in a million + dollar house / Saw 17 friends / Met 15 people ...and 2 cats / Went to the Shine Drum Co / Ate Indian food for the first time / Threw plastic darts at a 7 year old / Watched 9 movies and 4 tv shows / Drove 1,500 miles, only filling up the tank 3 times
- On Twitter
- or Myspace for that matter... I had always regarded it as a cesspool of creepers and child abducters. I have yet to be creeped upon or abducted. Fingers crossed for another year of safety!
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- Incredibly more open minded and willing to meet new people


In reality this list is much longer, but my brain is mush and incapable of recalling every detail of the last year which deserves to be mentioned. Maybe I'll add later. The long and the short of it is I've done some growing in the last year. A lot of growing. I'd like to say that for the most part I'm the same person, but in all honesty I know I've changed a lot as a result of all of the above. In a way I think I've become addicted to all this change.


I'll say right now that a year from today, if all goes as planned, my life is going to look even more different. I don't know, something about living in another country for 4 months just speaks change to me.