jocelyn rimbey

State of Being

rimbey — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 10:17:28 -0400

About two weeks ago, I was in Nashville. I took a ton of pictures and planned on writing about my trip the day after I got back. SO MUCH TO SHARE!

But life, as always, has a way of being like “Nope, you’ve got work and friends and a full calendar and when you aren’t running about like a mad woman, you are falling asleep on any seated place.” So with that being said, I haven’t written a single darn note about my time in country music land. In fact, I haven’t written much of anything.

But I needed catharsis this morning. I needed to tell you guys that hi, I am here, and I have things to say sometimes. I needed to tell you guys that lately, coffee has been tasting funny, and that’s pretty much worse than anything else I can imagine. I also wanted to say that having bangs is the worst sometimes. The absolute worst! When they don’t cooperate, your whole face looks bad. In other words, today my face looks bad.

You know what helps these things? Yummy smelling candles. A fresh queue of blog posts. Carole King (on suggestion of Natalie Holbrook). A man who loves me despite my bad banged hair days. And buying ridiculously expensive makeup from Sephora.

I digress. Happy Monday.

This. This song right here. Oh Lord. Promise me that you will...

rimbey — Thu, 30 May 2013 09:20:34 -0400

This. This song right here. Oh Lord. Promise me that you will listen to this. Make sure it’s at night after a long day well spent with someone you love. Make sure the air is a hint too warm and your skin feels soft. Make sure that you tear up at the end because this song is just oh so beautiful.

Your Will Be Done

rimbey — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:40:50 -0400

Mark Driscoll on praying “Your will be done” …

The truth is I don’t think any of us really want to pray that. I think deep down we believe we know what we want and need. And we’re not wanting God to disagree with us. Deep down, I think we really doubt whether or not God is good. And if we tell him that we think it’s okay if he does whatever he wants, he’ll fail us. He’ll hurt us. He won’t take care of us. Being a pastor gives you a front row seat to the most devastated moments of people’s lives. And they always want you to pray. What do you pray? Well I told you it’s two things. You pray your desires and your will be done. It’s devastating. Sin is real. Death is real. Evil is real. Injustice is real. Pain is real. Abandonment and betrayal. Suffering. All real. Christianity is not a religion that necessarily gets you around it. It’s a relationship with God that gets you through it.

Rachel on Blue.

rimbey — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:10:41 -0400

Rachel on Blue.

Life in photos.

rimbey — Sat, 11 May 2013 15:48:48 -0400

Life in photos.

Things you should try out sometime soon: drinking beer in a...

rimbey — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:24:00 -0400

Things you should try out sometime soon: drinking beer in a random person’s huge home while watching a seasoned pro play gritty guitar riffs and sing songs from his yet to be released album.

That’s exactly what I did this past Monday.

The lead singer of Califone (one of Kyle’s favorite bands) was embarking on a living room tour of the States. The idea is to visit homes of fans and invite a small crowd of people for an intimate evening of beer and music. And Kyle, being the music fiend that he is, was able to buy tickets for us to go.

After a quick drive through Baltimore, we pulled up to this beautiful, old home and I was actually feeling a little nervous. Was it going to be fun? Was it going to be awkward? Are we going to fit in with all these cool people? As we got out of the car and walked to the door, we met Scott, a longhaired middle aged dude who seemed famous in his own right, and I realized that we ourselves were now part of the cool kids club. The three of us walked in together (power in numbers, right?) and kicked the night off with a cold beer and introductions to a crowd of people.

After small talk (What’s your name, where do you work, where are you from, how did you hear about this evening), we all filtered into the living room. The set was small and modest, unassuming: a few chairs, a line of four guitars, and a piano set against a window looking out onto green.

Around 8, Tim started playing and it was immediately magical. I closed my eyes and breathed in. The music, the setting of the sun behind the large windows, the beer that was loosening my mind, and Kyle sitting close next to me… if only every Monday could feel like that.

Lately, I’m realizing that I live a pretty cool life. I don’t mean to sound entitled, but it’s slowly becoming a life I am proud of. I read great books, eat at delicious restaurants, go to museums and parties, travel to New York on a whim, and hang out in someone’s house on a Monday evening listening to Califone. It’s almost like I’ve missed out on all the amazing things I’ve been doing because I’ve been so hungry for the next experience.

Maybe it’s just where I’m at in life or who I’m with now, but it’s all coming together for me. The big picture is finally a little less blurry and more filled with musical Mondays, a warm hand on mine, and a drive home giddy from a musical, spiritual experience.

Well

rimbey — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:42:18 -0400

How are you

she asks.

How are you

she repeats.

Her voice sounds strange.

Foreign to her,

And she hears her mother

Or her lover

In her vocal chords.

Whiny.

Small.

It is not of her.

How are you

she asks.

The answer lingers

And then flutters away

Like the last flicker

Of a candle flame.

On the tip of a tongue

But then battered away.

She thinks,

how are you?

She listens to the cry

Of the guitar strings

As the fingers slide.

The song drifts

and then dies.

How are you.

Really.

She can’t face that

her reflection doesn’t know

the answer to

this simple query.

Well.

She is, I am not well.

Daughter has continually proved to be one of my favorite...

rimbey — Mon, 06 May 2013 12:55:15 -0400

Daughter has continually proved to be one of my favorite musicians of the last year. She released a full length album recently and it’s perfectly somber, with soft and playful rhythms, drumbeats, and sticky guitar riffs.

Here’s one of my favorite tracks from the album. You’d be amiss to not check the entire thing out. Wait until late, when you are wide away but the rest of the world is sleeping, with a glass of wine in hand and a journal to pen, to listen to it in its entirety.

Yesterday was one of those most perfect days. Ya know, the ones...

rimbey — Sun, 05 May 2013 10:06:10 -0400

Yesterday was one of those most perfect days. Ya know, the ones where time just stands still, the sun isn’t too hot, and the company is effortless. Do you ever have those?

Well yesterday, you were it.

Kyle and I went adventuring to DC yesterday. My purse was full of books (just in case we wanted to plop down on the Mall and read until our eyes were sore) and my head was full of song. We metro’d in, which is charming in and of itself (if you can ignore the weird stains on the carpet) and arrived at L’Enfant Plaza ready to take on the Hirshhorn Museum of Modern Art.

We walked in, and after a quick purse check (“Sorry about all the books, ma’am”), we became wide-eyed little kids in a mansion of things we weren’t allowed to touch. It was all wonderfully quirky and strange and beautiful… but my favorite was the Clyfford Still room. Giant abstract expressionist paintings… ugh. Le swoon. Le major swoon. I loved them so much, I decided that I’m going to try to duplicate them on my own (on a much smaller scale, of course).

After walking in circles for an hour or two, taking in giant paintings and tiny sculptures, it was time to EAT. Oh.my.goodness, was it time to EAT! We headed up Pennsylvania Avenue (by metro, not by foot, because we are lazy) to Founding Farmers.

We’ve been meaning to go there ever since Kyle got a new job. It was supposed to be a celebratory dinner, but instead it turned into a “hey-so-glad-you-are-doing-so-great-in-your-new-job” dinner. Regardless, it was BANGIN’. We had cornbread with actual pieces of corn (who knew?!), a burger with these delicious, tangy sauce, and hot dogs with a variety of toppings. Sounds boring, but you guys… these weren’t just any burgers or hot dogs… they were oddly down home and gourmet at the same time.

*Cue tummy rumbling*

After stuffing our faces and sipping on classy cocktails, we headed back home. After an hour on the metro and a half hour in the car, we finally got home, perfectly tired and ready to chill.

We celebrated our day out with a bit of reading and a FRIENDS marathon. Spoiler alert… Rachel’s having a baby!

Oh, yesterday, you were just too wonderful. I didn’t want to fall asleep because I knew I’d miss you. You seemed but a dream.

Weekend Excursion… according to my...

rimbey — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:03:00 -0400

Weekend Excursion… according to my iPhone.

———————-

This past weekend, I tagged along with my good friends Rachel and Colleen to New York City and Virginia. Rachel had two gigs, so Colleen and I were here roadies. Life on the road… how glamorous!

I jest, but it was an amazing time. I die for New York… the shopping, the people, the smells (mostly ew), and the aura of the city. It has such a strong heartbeat. You just get drawn in! And Virginia… ugh! After a whirlwind of a city (less than 24 hours in NYC), we headed down to Virginia and sipped on chilled wine while Rachel played a 3 hour set of covers… twas magical.

Now it is back to real life in Maryland, and it figures that it’d start raining for three days right when I get back. Welcome home, right?

Half Moon Run - Unofferable

rimbey — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:01:03 -0400

Half Moon Run - Unofferable

Little Bird

rimbey — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:03:00 -0400

Little Bird.

You are red.

You stand defeated

Beneath the leaves.

Your wing,

Easy to spot

Against the green

And root of tree.

If I were you

I’d fly to Mexico

And have a drink

With Don Juan.

Or I’d make a home

In the tallest oak

And dream

While the sun warmed me.

Oh little bird,

What have you seen

With those tiny eyes

of yours?

Why are you low

when you could be high?

Take me with you

When you choose to fly.

Past few weeks… in pics!

rimbey — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:05:14 -0400

Birthday Dinner!

Le birthday gift from mi mama. It holds my phone, a few books, six lamps, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Another park day... Mmm.

Sometimes one needs to lay in bed and watch "Buffy" and eat chocolate.

Past few weeks… in pics!

Sometimes a song just sounds like I feel, regardless of the...

rimbey — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:52:28 -0400

Sometimes a song just sounds like I feel, regardless of the lyrics.

25 + 1 = 26

rimbey — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:07:00 -0400

Today is my 26th birthday and I never saw it coming.

That might seem strange, since birthdays tend to be an annual sort of thing. But it is true. 26 just kind of snuck up. It was almost that I was getting used to the idea of 25 and then WHOOSH it is gone. Or maybe it was more that 25 was getting used to me… who knows.

Sir Two Five, you have been a BRUTAL year, so I shant feel sad in saying FAREWELL to you old pal. It’s like we’ve been at war together and although we’ll be forever bonded over our joyous victory of survival, remaining together only brings up memories. We’ve faced quitting a job, getting a new job (in ministry, of all things), losing a loved one, finding new friends, falling in love, having surgery, and facing some pretty real, big scary moments that are yet looming in the distance. It hasn’t all been bad; far from it actually. But it has been a LOT and I sure feel like an adult.

So welcome, Two Six. It sort of has a nice ring to it, dontcha think? When I look at 26, I see maturity and sophistication, youth with a sense of accomplishment, style and a bit of savings and a full social calendar. Is that me? Gosh, I hope so.

Is it tacky to wish oneself a happy birthday? Regardless, happy birthday, Rimbey. Cheers yourself for making it another year. Two Six will be wonderful and beautiful and full of promise.

Great nighttime driving song - roll those windows down and do...

rimbey — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 10:01:00 -0400

Great nighttime driving song - roll those windows down and do the wave.

The backtrack to this is just light and yummy.

rimbey — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 11:00:00 -0400

The backtrack to this is just light and yummy.

The Soft Turmoil

rimbey — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 20:49:27 -0400

Tonight.

The wind somehow feels like velvet; warm and soft, but also slightly harsh, unnatural. The greens beyond my window look a little jaundiced, a little sickly, as if they are calling out for water.

Gasping.

The air is static; too warm and volatile. Suddenly it is skyblue.lightblue.darkblue.grey.

It’s the beginnings of a soft turmoil; a rumbling, an awakening. A love affair of elements that result in heartbreak, in clash.

Oh I can feel it coming.

One by one, the birds silence and the only sound is of breath rustling between the barely dressed, skinny trees. Their light branches float and fall, float and fall. The sun dips in and out of their vines as it makes its way home to the other side.

Bring on the rains.

This will be my summer.

rimbey — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:00:57 -0400

This will be my summer.

There is just something about sitting outside on a blanket next...

rimbey — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 09:56:00 -0400

There is just something about sitting outside on a blanket next to a lake with some delicious food, a crisp, non-dog-eared book, fresh horchata, and your man friend, right? This past week, I’ve been to the park twice - more than I’ve been to a park in years. The water, the breeze, the people jogging… everything is so chic, somehow. And with having been stuck in my house for what seemed like years, the breeze feels so fresh on my cheeks. I have been daydreaming of it ever since!

I’ve loved Maryland since the moment I moved here, but I’m falling even more in love with it lately. The little restaurants hidden among suburban developments, the friends who live north, the free parks and beautiful scenery… it all seems typical at first until you get the behind-the-scenes tour. This place is finally becoming my own. And this summer I am dedicating myself to discovering more gems: hidden bookstores or secret spots to look at the stars. It sort of feels like the life I’ve always wanted. :)