Smell of wine and cheap perfume

About a week ago, I walked out of my apartment to head to my humanities class, and right when I stepped onto my porch, I heard some music from somewhere. I looked around, kind of confused as to where it was coming from, when I realized that the guy walking down the sidewalk in front of my apartment had the song "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey playing full blast on a phone or something that had a speaker on it, so everybody could hear it. Honestly, I thought it was the coolest thing ever. It was almost empowering, to say the least. It was like he had is own theme music going down the street....like when Rocky goes running up those steps and the Rocky theme is blaring in the background, but not quite as cliché.

Then, today, while I was doing some procrastinated homework in the front room, the sound of the piano next door came through our paper thin walls (a common occurrence in our apartment...although the piano music is usually really pretty...much better than our loud TV that I'm sure they hear until 2 AM). I stopped what I was doing and listened closely, because I knew I'd heard the song before. After about three seconds of intent listening, I realized that it was none other than "Don't Stop Believing". Again...I thought this was freakin' awesome.

I've always had this special connection to the song. In my art class in 9th grade, my art teacher would play all sorts of music. Most of the time he played the scores to the latest epic movies, including Pirates of the Caribbean and Lord of the Rings. But, occasionally, he would pop in Journey. Now, growing up with all sorts of '70s and '80s bands (including KISS, Styx, Queen, etc.), I had heard Journey a few times, but I didn't really start liking them until that art class. "Don't Stop Believing" incorporated itself into my life as this pick-me-up song (I need those, occasionally, when I'm feeling really crappy about things). It also got more engrained into my soul when I had my little summer "romance" after the 10th grade, and then went to the Journey concert with my dad a few months after that (Coolest. Thing. Ever. We went to the concert in a limo because I have rich family that I don't ever talk to and he bought us AMAZING tickets and rented a limo. Rad stuff.).

Plus, this song just kind of hits me right now (ya, I'm going to get cheesy for a second...allow me my moment). I'm stressing over finals and assignments and all sorts of things, and in all honesty, I gotta keep thinking that things are okay. I can't stop believing that things are going to be okay (ya...I just said that...mock all you want, I don't care). On top of that, I just need to remember that I can't stop believing with other situations in my life as well.

So, here's to awesome songs from the '80s...here's to things working out in life (they always do...even if things take a while to work out, they always do)....and here's to not dying during finals.