created by pix_e_stixx



My journal is now friends-only, and I apologize for not making that clear to before. I decided to friend-lock because of various different reasons, but send me a message and/or comment on this post if you want to be added. You must let me know if/how I might know you, and please don't friend first if I don't already know you. If you want to read my fic, it's all available over at mixtape_fiction. Otherwise, thank you for stopping by, and I look forward to getting to know you more.

The question in my title is also the title of an article in the most recent issue of 'Paint' profiling Kacey and her music. I feel like there'll never be enough words to describe how amazing Kacey is for the wrench she's thrown into country music. The comparisons to Taylor Swift are valid whether you're a fan or not: both are young songwriting prodigies with unusual insight into life much more fitting someone older than 23-24 and there hasn't been this much buzz surrounding a female country debut since Taylor's back in 2006. Also, Kacey is no Carrie Underwood in terms of vocal ability, but obviously neither is Taylor (though she's gotten better in the last couple years); she's good, not great, but that's okay. The real draw of both girls is their songwriting, but that's where the similarities both begin and end. I'll always love Taylor, but Kacey has definitely seen darker sides of life that Taylor probably never has or ever will and it shows in her music.

Kacey is a wordsmith, turning well-worn phrases and cliches upside down and manipulating language to create an entirely different conversation. The opening lines of "Merry Go 'Round" (if you ain't got two kids by twenty-one, you're probably gonna die alone, at least that's what tradition told you) and "Follow Your Arrow" (if you save yourself for marriage you're a bore, if you don't save yourself for marriage you're a horr...ible person) hooked me instantly. One of the best examples of her way of turning phrase is the bridge of "Step Off" (sticks and stones may build a throne, but you'll be up there all alone), plus keeping up with all the lyrically layered meanings of Mary/marry/merry in "Merry Go 'Round" will make you dizzy in a wonderful way. She sounds quite a lot like a young LeAnn Womack on "Dandelion," examining a more melancholy side of the girlhood game of 'loves me, loves me not,' and "My House" is a fun country road-trip tribute to living on the road like a gypsy just to be with her love. "Keep It to Yourself" depicts the beautiful sorrow of trying to get over a relationship when the other person won't let go, while "It Is What It Is" paints a surprisingly poignant portrait of casual sex and friends-with-benefits relationships. "Blowin' Smoke" is a more tongue-in-cheek look at trying to make ends meet in a dead-end job that fits well within the story song format legendary in Nashville. Admittedly, my favorite songs are when Kacey is at her most snarky and cynical, like "Stupid" and "Step Off," both of which would fit right in with your old Loretta Lynn records in style and substance. In that vein, I'll echo a few other reviewers asking about "The Trailer Song." It's Kacey at her most snarky and bitter and it's honestly the funniest song I've ever heard, so I'm extremely disappointed that it didn't make the album. If you're wondering what all the fuss is about, search the Grand Ole Opry's YouTube channel (named OpryLive) and you'll find an excellent video of her live performance of that song.

"Follow Your Arrow" is set to become my generation's country anthem, and I can't think of a better one. Whether or not you agree or condone those particular lifestyle choices, you cannot deny how brilliantly the song twists modern hypocrisy into social commentary. The examples she cites are extreme but valid, as anyone who's ever been the victim of southern small town gossip can attest. Her affinity for turning phrase is again evident both in how she deals with it (can't win for losing, you'll just disappoint 'em, just 'cause you can't beat 'em don't mean you should join them) and in her flawless execution of the multiple uses and meanings of the terms 'straight', 'narrow' and 'arrow'. However, I think the real hidden gem of this song is the bridge. Listeners might miss it because of the ample other material, but the bridge (say what you think, love who you love 'cause you just get so many trips 'round the sun, yeah you only live once) connects it all together, giving the song's message a personal urgency and making people think, like any good country song. Essentially, the message of "Follow Your Arrow" isn't whether or not it's acceptable to kiss both boys and girls or roll joints; it's the message that life is too short to live in the shadows of others' judging eyes, that the best and only way to really live well is to be yourself and allow others to do the same.

Overall, the album is fabulous. It does not represent perfection and neither does Kacey herself, but I think she likes it better that way. What it does represent, however, is the idea that change is a-gonna come (in the words of Dylan) and that she and her cohort of songwriter friends fully intend to be on the front lines to usher it in. I personally cannot wait to see who this girl will be five years from now, as she is already incredibly fun, open and personable live in front of dozens or thousands. Here's to many more years of hearing Kacey's name all over country radio.

So leobrat pretty much demanded I create an entire post for this, so here goes. I got floor tickets to see Taylor Swift at Cowboys Stadium last weekend, October 8. Simply put, it was amazing.

( Warning! Very, very image heavy!Collapse )

Sorry it took forever to get this posted; it took a week to find my camera cord. Now I can go back to searching for jobs and watching football...while being utterly appreciative of anyone who makes posts like this on a regular basis. Props to you!

Dear Yuletide Writer,

I’m so sorry this is late in coming up. I’ve had a lot going on lately, then got sick like whoa. Anyway, this is my first year to do yuletide, so please forgive any errors, mistakes, or lapses in judgement. I tend to be a big fan of femslash, and I typically write it as such too, but I’m also open to whatever, be it het, gen, etc. If something’s not okay, I’ll let you know in that category.

Baby-Sitter’s Club: I grew up reading this series and it was my first love as far as reading goes. I’m drawn to femslash pairings here, and I’ve written a few of them myself, but I’m okay with general friendship fics also if femslash isn’t your deal. I don’t mind more mature content, but if you do go that route, I do like more plot than porn, if you get my drift. My favorites are Abby, Anna, Kristy and Shannon, obviously because they’re part of my request form, but including the others is totally fine as well. I’m a big fan of the idea of the four characters I mentioned being a pack of friends throughout high school, regardless of any romantic goings on or not. I don’t mind M-rated stories with underage characters, but please not sitters/charges. If one character is sixteen and one is eighteen, that’s totally fine, but I think it’s too weird to have an age gap like that of the sitters/charges for a relationship with that age period, let alone sex fic.

Castle: This is a more recent obsession of mine, and it’s amazing how in love with this show I’ve become. I’m more of a fan of the main Kate/Rick pairing, and definitely want something written in that vein. I like the idea of an established relationship, or even just the typical “defining the relationship” moments at the very beginning of one. I love the Castle family dynamic and how much of a role they could potentially play (and really already do) with Kate in giving her the family that she so desperately wants and needs. Family fic is wonderful, whether it’s the main story or just in the background. I don’t mind mature with this fandom, but like I said before, I like a little more plot than porn.

Disney RPF: This is the fandom that I’ve really been the most active in for the past couple of years. I’ve written several oneshots and a big epically long chaptered story, so I’m quite familiar with it all. I tend to write femslash within this fandom mostly, but I’m also a big het fan too, so whichever you’re most comfortable with. Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Nick Jonas, and Miley Cyrus are my faves, and I’m okay with any combination of them. I’m also okay with general friendship stories as well. One idea that I would love love love is a fic that centers around the Jonas Brothers song “Black Keys” and who Nick could’ve possibly written about. If you aren’t all that familiar with this fandom and don’t feel like jumping into that quagmire, then just any story involving them. I don’t mind underage here, but just for the record, these four are now all officially eighteen, so that shouldn’t be too big of a deal.

John Mayer/Taylor Swift RPF: I got obsessed with them back in August when I saw a few performances and pictures and decided that something had either happened, or someone wanted it to. Imagine my shock when “Speak Now” drops, along with the song “Dear John” and the fact that we were right all along. To get a better read on these two, my friend leobrat has a master post with all the known fic of these two out there, located here. I personally would love an M-rated story (sexytimes and all), but if that is too weird or uncomfortable for you, just any story will work. There’s so little fic for these two that beggars can’t be choosers.

Okay, I think that’s about all. My journal is locked, but this post will stay open. I have a fic comm, mixtape_fiction, that is open and all my writings are posted there. Also, I tend to have a fairly lax friending policy, so feel free to friend me because I probably won’t be thinking about Yuletide and secrets with that. Hope you enjoy, and I just want to say a huge thanks for your willingness to write and share.

Hey guys! So I finally got around to making a comm for my fic. I didn't realize just how much I'd written until now, haha. You can now access all my stories together in one place at mixtape_fiction. I know you're probably wondering about the name...I originally wanted "loveandmixtapes" but some idiot chick who hasn't used her journal since 2004 still has it, and I'm still a bit bitter, not gonna lie. The word "love" is part of my Twitter name and it's more than just the cool thing, it's who I am. I'm the one kid who (despite being bitter and angry half the time) still believes that all we really need in this world is love, and that if we allow it to, can fix or heal most of what's slowly killing us. The mixtapes bit actually came originally from one of my favorite books, "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," and Charlie's love of mixtapes and their ability to capture song, emotion, and a moment in time. The original plot description on the back of that book talks about Charlie's struggles as an average high-school student through "the time of first dates and mix tapes," and that phrase just completely captured me.

I want to thank everyone for their patience as I've been preparing this comm and locking my journal and everything else. Thank you all for reading and commenting and talking about my writing and just everything, really. You'll never know how encouraging it is to see how well-received it's been, or how much it helps me to make it through another day when I wake up to six emails telling me that I have comments on a story that I posted just the night before. I hope you enjoy being able to find/read everything again and again, and I will be posting lots of new fic in the coming weeks. Oh, and if you friended me just to read my stuff, feel free to follow the new comm. I'll try to update my journal when I post new fic, and if you decide to unfriend, I will not be offended at all. Thank you all, and hope to hear more from you soon!