Cathedrals in my Heart

     Since I haven't dropped a music post on you guys for a while, I thought I would come back to them in style. Not only have I been a Coldplay fan ever since Parachutes but I've liked every album more and more when they come out with a new one. Although technically it's not a new album, their newest release is probably one of the closest songs to my heart they have ever released. I've come back to songs and applied my own meaning on top of them from past albums but Every Teardrop is A Waterfall could not have come out at a more perfect time.

     I can remember hearing this song about a week before I left for my trip in Seattle. I was still in quite a good amount of pain from the huge ordeal that went down at the end of April but this song came to my rescue , literally. To this day I still hang on to every word that this song sung to me that first night I heard it. Lines like "You can hurt, hurt me bad, but still I'll raise the flag" and "Cathedrals in my heart". Words that simply spoke to me and told me all of the tears I shed in pain and suffering can now be tears of joy. Listening to it on the plane right before flying over the Emerald City was simply one of the most incredible things I've ever experienced.

     After landing and seeing scenery like this above, I literally could not shut up about how beautiful everything was. After the first cigarette since Philadelphia everything was perfect and I think that's literally why I fell in love with Seattle. I guess you could say it was love at first sight and I am now truly a believer in it. I don't think I'll ever forget that experience and the way I felt when I landed. I was exhausted walking through SeaTac airport and almost fell asleep sitting on my suitcase at the arrival pickup area but once I saw that car pull around the corner and we were off on the 405, I was instantly recharged with love and a sense of beauty. I leave you with a little advice that I saw on a church sign. Sometimes good things fall apart so that better things can fall together. 

A Few Simple Rules...

      One of the legendary nights out in Seattle ended up with a hangover the size of the entire state of Washington. The best time for philosophy is easily when you are half alive and attempting to make food while still intoxicated from the festivities. The best hangover activity is closing all the blinds, sitting in the dark and watching a movie. Shutting the world out and tuning into a wonderful film. Our choice, The Dark Knight. One of the Joker's more profound lines was talking about living by rules. It instantly sparked a conversation about the rules we live our lives by. I thought I would share with you kids my rules of life.
      To start, my first rule is never lower your standards. Settling for work that is simply not up to par will never get you anywhere in life. I like to put all my effort into the things I work on until I am satisfied with my work 100%. It took me a while to learn this simple rule and I learned the hard way. I've taken advice from some great people but this one comes from my old man. Simply, never lower your standards in any aspect of your life.

      My next rule isn't really a rule just a simple guideline for living. It's not about where you come from, it's about where you're going. Too many people look back into their past and simply shutter at the thought of things that happened in the past, happening again. Life begins a new each and everyday. No two days are ever the same. The past can only repeat itself if you want it to repeat itself. Thinking about how you don't want something to happen will only force you to think about what happened and, naturally, it is most likely to happen again. This rule also plays into the first rule about keeping your standards high. If you don't think about what happened in the past and only think about where your perfect future lies, simply make it happen. It's really not hard to dream, the hardest part is doing all the work to realize your dreams.

     My last rule is pretty cheesy but it's always done the job for me. Follow your heart without a doubt, your brain will do all the thinking once you get there. Life isn't calculated, it moves on the currents of wind called change. Change is a fickle beast but once you learn how to accept that winds come and go and learn to ride those winds, Life becomes a lot more simple. Your brain is wired to keep you safe and making safe decisions will never push your boundaries and let you grow. I can't tell you how many people I've met that fear change. I hate when things stay the same because new things don't come into my life and possibly light things up for a while. Confidence is key for this rule. You must be confident enough that you have the strength to pick yourself up if you happen to fall. Remember, things never change when you're staring at the ground.

     One of my favorite sayings has always been that "Nobody said that life is easy but they always promised that it would be interesting." It rings true no matter what stage I've been in. The last thing you should remember when making your own rules about life is always try to bring a positive light to the people you meet. The world already knows enough pain and suffering and you never know what kind of day someone is having. If you're the one person who throws them a casual smile or even a friendly hello, you might just save their life. Keep your standards high kids, no one ever lowers the bar. Jump for the moon.

The Switchblade Soundtrack Vol. 4 - Seattle State of Mind

      So if you've been keeping up on things. Seattle was absolutely incredible and I usually don't use that word so I'm sure you can understand how good a time I had out there. It was everything I expected and even a little bit more. Things might have been done spur of the moment but everything turned out like we planned it.
      We all know how much traveling sucks but good music and something to be excited about makes the hours of suffering in the air a lot more pleasant. The Switchblade Soundtrack Vol. 4 - Seattle State of Mind  was literally composed on a Boeing 737 in the air above the Mississippi river, the Rocky Mountains and the hills of Montana. Once I shut my computer off and watched the plane cruise over the Emerald City, I knew I had created something great. When I arrived to good friends and in good hands, life was simply sublime. Here we go guys, once again, you know the drill.

     The Switchblade Soundtrack Vol. 4 - Seattle State of Mind

           01. Go Outside - Cults

           02. West Coast - Coconut Records

           03. Wordless Chorus - My Morning Jacket

           04. Riot Rhythm - Sleigh Bells

           05. Levels - Avicii

           06. Changed the Way You Kiss Me - Example

           07. Not Giving Up On Love - Armin Van Buuren feat. Sophie Ellis Bextor

           08. Sun & Moon - Above & Beyond

           09. RetroSuperFuture - Rick Ross feat. Wiz Khalifa

           10. Sandwitches - Odd Future

           11. All Around The World - Mac Miller

           12. Hip Hop Saved My Life - Lupe Fiasco

           13. Unrequited Love - Lykke Li

           14. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall - Coldplay

      I have special relationships with all of these songs since they are what kept me sane on the plane but these songs will forever remind me of the wonderful times I had out there. Maybe I'll have a chance to listen to this album when I move out to the Pacific Northwest. I fell in love a few times out there and nothing can stop the power of love. The city of Seattle stole my heart and I wouldn't have it any other way. Hope you guys enjoy.

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Take You Downtown

     It's my last day out and I'd say we took it to a whole nother level out here in Seattle. We truly left our mark out here and we'll be back to show Seattle some love like it's never been loved before. I'm from Philadelphia so I know a good deal about that brotherly love. Seattle, you are officially now one of my brothers for life.

We Out Cheyah

    So if you haven't been keeping up on twitter, I made it out here in one piece. Once I got here is when I got dismantled. If you didn't know, the Seattle nightlife is quite a party. Although It was well deserved, my friends at American Airlines did a decent job at getting me out here.

     For some reason I find the airport poetic. People constantly coming and going. Nobody can really call this place home. For some strange reason I feel the most at home when I am between two places. Call me a vagabond but home is where the heart is and my heart is somewhere up in the sky.

     It's been an amazing trip so far and it wouldn't be a stretch that I might call Washington my home state sometime soon. It's been good to me so far and I think only good things can come in the future. I'll post up the rest of the trip tomorrow when I edit all the photos I took in downtown Seattle. Take it easy family.

State of Emergency

     Tomorrow is the big day ladies and gentlemen. Tomorrow at 11:10 am, I will be taking my talents to Seattle, Washington to see two members of the Electric 11. If you're interested to see how my trip goes tomorrow I will be tweeting the whole experience. Follow me @patmcpeak. Hopefully there won't be too many delays and the weather looks really decent this weekend out there. I'll make sure to drop a couple of posts with all the photos I'll be taking out there. It's going to be a wild ride team and I'm sure it will be entertaining.

     We're about to take over the Seattle/Tacoma Area. Philadelphia, I'll be back but I have worlds to conquer out there. Til next time guys, I'll be at my post on the West Coast.