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I'm Back!: Ecuador Recap + Photos
I honestly have no idea how to begin this post- I was serving in Ecuador for the last week, and while I genuinely missed writing and posting here, it was an amazing time of getting away from “real life”, doing some good work, and spending time with genuine, loving people.
We did SO MUCH within the space of seven days that each day felt like an entire week. We did a lot of work- painting walls, digging canals for a trout farm, gardening, and teaching & caring for kids in the church community. But there was plenty of fun to be had as well- we played a lot of music, both American songs in English and traditional Spanish songs, built relationships with the Ecuadorians, and enjoyed the amazing hospitality and community provided for us down there. It was a very tangible reminder that the Christian church community is universal- no matter what the language, region, time zone, or altitude is, our faith was the thing that united us all.
I feel like me typing out some words on a screen isn't going to do the experience any justice, so I'm going to let the photos do most of the talking. Enjoy!
Views of the lovely property that we stayed at during the first half of the week. High in the Andes Mountains in Lasso, Ecuador, this is where the American couple, Steve and Sandy, live and do their mission work full time, educating young people and families in order to prepare them to lead churches all over Ecuador.
The boys being put to work, digging and lining a new pond for Steve and Sandy to raise trout in to provide fresh food.
...while the boys dug a trench, us girls got to trim shrubs, harvest lavender, and bundle it to be dried and made into natural air fresheners!
Awwww, what a cutie. And the dog, too. It's Peter! My boyfriend! He's adorable and he was a champ at staying positive, even while doing the dirty work!
Just chillin with the boys.
Listening to Steve tell inspiring stories of faith and the wisdom he's gained throughout his life of service.
The music team practicing for a concert we put on for a large group of local Ecuadorians. From The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkle to traditional worship songs in Spanish, the musical abilities of this group really ran the gamut.
The few brave members of the team who were able to climb up Cotopaxi, the world's highest volcano!
Our wonderful, bubbly, silly, and smart guide, Gaby. She somehow kept the whole team and the whole week under control, not to mention constantly translating between Spanish and English- she's very good at her job.
We visited a group of native Quichua people VERY high up in the mountains... it took almost two hours of winding a bus around a narrow mountain road to get up to them. We helped fix up their small school buildings and did some activities with the small children.
They ended our morning with them by serving us a traditional, simple meal: potatoes, fresh cheese, and habas beans, dumped out of a pot onto a table! Needless to say, it was a bit surprising, but tasty nonetheless.
The sun setting on an evening of interacting (and playing lots of soccer) with the members of a home for young boys who came from living on the streets.
We spent the second half of our week in the city of Ambato, which had beautiful views at every turn.
We performed a skit retelling the Bible story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho falling down... it was pretty funny with the flashy costumes and over-dramatic evil citizens of Jericho.
Our sister church in Ambato, Iglesia Filadelfia.
The aftermath of a huge water balloon fight with the kids of Iglesia Filadelfia
The lovely, generous family that hosted me and Suzanna in Ambato! Carlos and Anita, and their two little daughters, Valentina and Sofia.
I could not get enough of these two cuties, they had so much energy and were so sweet. They make me look like a giant, since they're so small and I'm 5 foot 8!
Breakfast with the host family: eggs and ham, fresh bread, freshly blended fruit juice, and dulce de leche to spread on the bread. Delicioso!
Singing at the weekly 5am prayer meeting... that's right, 5am.
One of my favorite events of the entire trip was spending time with kids at the local high school, talking with them in English for them to practice learning our language. We had so much fun talking about music, TV shows, and just learning about the others' culture. I'm in orange in the middle!
The night we left for the airport for our flight home, we realized that almost every girl was wearing burgundy... so naturally, we had to capture it.
The cutest couple at the outdoor market: our pastor, Jim, and his wife, Susannah.
Another cute couple... Peter and I :)
I'm SO thankful for the opportunity I had to visit this gorgeous country and experience God's love through the people there, as well as the people on our own team. I might post more about the later, since there is SO much that we did and saw there. But for now,
Ecuador Trip!: A Brief Hiatus
Buenos dias, Coil!
Unfortunately, you won't be seeing any posts from me for the next week because I'll be out of the country, serving on a mission trip down in Quito, Ecuador!
My church has a relationship with an American couple, Steve and Sandy, who have lived in Ecuador for the past 20 years, educating people, providing basic needs and housing for them, and demonstrating the love and hospitality Christians are called to. Their ministry is called Compassion Connection, and their areas of service include:
- Mercy ministries to the poor and oppressed
- Bible training for indigenous leaders and pastors
- Church planting in unreached areas of the Napo jungle region of Ecuador
- Short term missions trips for church groups and individuals
- A missions training and discipleship school for English speaking adults
My boyfriend and many of my friends & acquaintances have gone on this trip in years past, but this will be my first time. I'll be helping fix up Steve and Sandy's buildings, participating in educational activities for children in the community, and enjoying the incredible scenery of the Andes Mountains. The images in the header of this post are from last year's trip, up on the crater lake of Cotopaxi, the world's highest active (but currently dormant) volcano.
It promises to be a challenging trip, full of service and hard work, but also plenty of opportunities for spending time with friends, eating together, playing music, and experiencing the culture of Ecuador. I'll miss posting on here for sure, but I'll be right back to it the second week of March! Adios!
Coil subscribers, keep scrolling for some fun photos from last year's trip!
Social Queues – Demo EP Review
LISTEN HERE:
https://soundcloud.com/peter-dare-341056952/sets/social-queues-ep
I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to finally be writing this review! Social Queues is a two-piece band, with my boyfriend Peter playing drums and producing, and our good friend Keegan providing the vocals, guitar, and piano. The guys have been performing their original songs at local coffee shops and venues since the spring of 2018, and their songwriting has only gotten better and better. They recently finished recording these four demos, and while they are not completely polished, finished tracks, they still capture the interesting lyrical and musical stylings of the Social Queues.
Raven kicks us off with an upbeat, acoustic tune, with catchy melodies, and plenty of “oh's” to sing along to that are sure to get stuck in your head. The song almost sounds like it came out of a storybook, with references to hidden treasures, monsters, and not a black bird as you may think, but a girl with “golden eyes and raven hair”. Elements of this song inspired the logo graphic:
This Song Is Not Named Tokyo is next, and if you listened to Raven thinking that Social Queues was just like any other indie rock band, this track will prove you very wrong! A haunting piano/synth line and hip hop drum samples accompany this song, as well as the entire second section of the song having Keegan jump up to falsetto vocals. Just when you think it's over, they're not done yet- it ends with a rapid-fire rap verse, Peter's one vocal feature. The different effects and production on the instruments make this demo an intriguing listen, but it's just as good when they perform it in a coffee shop setting, with only a piano and minimal percussion.
Third brings us into some good old rock-and-roll territory, with a bouncing electric guitar riff and BIG choruses. It's a lighthearted-sounding look at unrequited love, realizing that sometimes you've got to let people go in order to love them best. The song opens up at the end to a resounding finish, and it's an overall fun song to listen to.
Strand brings the EP to a close in a beautifully grand way. Keegan wrote the lyrics based on the Chronicles of Narnia book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It compares the secure feeling of love and peace to strands of music, strands of shoreline, and strands of golden light. It's a simple, theatrical piano ballad, recorded all in one take, and the vocals really shine here. A powerful song bringing me to tears is a normal occurrence for me, but this is a really special one.
You can follow the guys on social media here:
Monthly Mixtape – February 2020
No Time To Die – Billie Eilish
https://open.spotify.com/track/73SpzrcaHk0RQPFP73vqVR?si=9SQXHH2GSp-1fKYoBAN3XQ
Just when you think Billie couldn't get any bigger, she gets the Bond theme. THE BOND THEME! She adds her signature, haunting flair to the tune, while still making it a grand, theatrical track. I can't wait to hear it on the big screen when No Time To Die comes out, hitting theaters on April 10th in the US.
Golf On TV – Lennon Stella feat. JP Saxe
https://open.spotify.com/track/5xROgo35i9a9IbQgN56Clz?si=8ELCafyCQAiV4R_NkfmpeA
This is hands down my favorite release this month. Lennon Stella sings about a happy, comfortable relationship that feels like home. The phrase in the title comes from the statements in the chorus:
Some people want to switch it up, like just one love could never be enough
Some people watch golf on TV, and neither of those things make sense to me
I really love the sweet message of the song- if you've found the one that makes you happy and treats you amazingly well, why would you want to continue “shopping around” in dating rather than settling down with them?
Allergic – Post Malone
https://open.spotify.com/track/1YscJ7yVTlFxW3eF6pv5ba?si=wBeqPJ4eQLmyW5yt2fJ7ew
Now, this track comes out of left field for sure- but after becoming a fan of a couple of Post Malone's songs like Stay and Circles, I decided to throw him on shuffle and give him a fair shot. This song has got a super catchy pop beat, and the chorus has an almost Beach Boys, bouncy feel. I'd be perfectly happy if this was the next Post single that got overplayed on Top 40 for the next two months!
In A Stranger's Arms – LÉON
https://open.spotify.com/track/5Tl8bvgo5shLODXiT9ckva?si=N2huIlLeSpqUaEYt2Eo_rA
Let's get one thing straight... I LOVE LÉON. Her vocals and musical style just speak to me somehow. This track is much more scaled back than her usual 80's inspired songs- an acoustic ballad about going through a breakup, but knowing that she'll learn to live alone and the heartbreak will eventually heal. The layered vocals are beautiful and it's such a lush, calm song.
The Birthday Party – The 1975
https://open.spotify.com/track/3qZwJ1SiY32JW70JqgiFbY?si=6kCejGtPQfKUSNcbkluxqQ
You really never know what you're going to get with singles from The 1975, and this one gets a country flair among the chill, indie rock music. It's still a usual The 1975 song though, with references to cities, drugs, parties, and girls.
The God Behind The Pines – L'Indécis
https://open.spotify.com/track/7a4DjGpBzq9Yz33AQRoMzR?si=sNdYa2TYQ2-3DVWRTeYrcg
I've recently discovered lo-fi instrumental music, and I can't get enough of it. I love being able to put on background music that isn't too abrasive or distracting, and this entire album has quickly become my favorite. This track is interesting, upbeat, and there's just something about it that I'm still not sick of yet.
Old Me – 5SOS
https://open.spotify.com/track/5RUUkFNqH3GRKHg1xjprOb?si=LVboOMKoQ1qQUW_ClgisJA
The 5SOS boys pay homage to where they came from in their latest single:
Shout out to the old me and everything you showed me, glad you didn't listen when the world was trying to slow me
No one could control me, left my lovers lonely, had to f—– it up before I really got to know me
All of the mistakes I made, whatever the price I paid
Shout out to the old me and everything you showed me, had to f—– it up before I let you get to know me
They recognize that they didn't live the greatest lives in their younger days, but they know that everything they did back then has shaped them into the guys they are now.
Sleeping In – All Time Low
https://open.spotify.com/track/0FNPI9jhoho8rZL1J7WK1v?si=1hXiFtaPRL-jdZbqCuAuaQ
All Time Low returns to form with a carefree, maybe-a-little-profane tune about spending a lazy day in bed with your lover- seriously, every single album has a song like this, and it's become a joke among fans at this point. It's quick, catchy, and a little funny with lyrical quips about ordering Postmates and calling off work.
Coil subscribers, keep scrolling for more!
BONUS Single Saturday: Please Don't Make Me Leave My Couch – Riley Q
Single Saturday: 40/45 – The Timbre of Cedar
LISTEN HERE:
https://open.spotify.com/track/1fUzNqko18wj2u48TV4rbL?si=meNOTaOvQzC5AtPRO5DbhQ
I don't know about the rest of y'all, but in my neck of the woods (suburban Michigan), people drive like absolute MANIACS. The few times I have to drive home on 275 south in the 5 o'clock hour, I legitimately fear for my life. I always err on the side of going a little under the speed limit (for SAFETY), even though everyone around me on the road usually hates me and speeds every which way to get away from me.
Now, I have a song that understands me -
This new release from my good friends, The Timbre of Cedar, is a nice, lighthearted groove about taking life at your own pace, even among the pressures of life to hurry up. The song is filled with quips like “you ordered Prime but I took more than two days” and “been running 14-minute miles since 8th grade”. TTOC sings about looking at life through more patient eyes, and not spending time worrying if you're succeeding quick enough to impress those around you.
This weekend, take some advice from my friends and take some time to slow down, appreciate where you're at... and maybe not get mad at someone like me, driving in front of you going 40 in a 45.
Coil subscribers, keep on scrolling for a fun bonus video!
Cinnamon Has Its Own Theme Song?
internet influence: the new medium of advertising
Originally published March 20, 2019
Even though the Internet does not seem like a new, unexplored frontier in media anymore, the way that online content has changed the way that people communicate, perceive others, and make purchases is unprecedented. Along with this new way of advertising to consumers, fame and celebrity has taken on a drastically different definition in the last ten years or so.
Just about anyone can build an audience and become somewhat famous, even a graphic design student in their senior year at Oakland University in central Michigan.
Drew McHale has over 185,000 followers on her Instagram page, which features detailed, creative, and outside-the-box makeup looks that she creates in her spare time.
@mcdrew on Instagram.
McHale balances a successful online presence with college classes, and puts a considerable amount of time and effort into her creative endeavors. “I spend approximately 10-15 hours a week just creating looks, not including editing the photos,” McHale said. “I would say it’s a full-time work load with only part time available to get the work done, since I am a student.”
“I stay consistent and up to date by doing several looks in one day to save up and have them ready to post during the week.”
McHale has earned the support of many popular cosmetic brands, and has been invited to attend exclusive parties and events to celebrate new product launches and to network with other influencers in the beauty community.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xqtPaQ2yJc&feature=emb_title
A vlog recapping McHale’s experience being invited to a cosmetics brand event.
“It’s nice to have a community of supportive individuals to share my work with. I’m just someone with an audience to share my artwork with in my free time.”
@mcdrew on Instagram.
According to a recent study, the term “influencer marketing” increased by 325% in Google searches over 2017, making this the fastest-growing online acquisition method of the year. Also, for each dollar spent on influencer marketing, marketers see an average of $7.65 in earned media value returned.
From a business standpoint, internet fame is extremely profitable. It works because an audience forms a somewhat personal connection to someone who shares a decent amount of their life online. Young people especially feel that they can trust someone their age who seems to be an honest and open online personality.
The concept of using a face and a person to market merchandise is not a recent discovery; using star athletes on the front of Wheaties boxes and famous supermodels wearing a particular brand of jeans has proven successful in the past several decades. Well-known actors and celebrities have been promoting watches, clothing, and even prescription medications on television commercials for years as a way to preserve the feeling that a consumer got a recommendation from a friend to try a certain product.
Tennis legend Serena Williams on the front of a Wheaties cereal box.
Influencers also have a narrowed-down, target audience. In order to grow a following in the first place, people quickly learn that consistency is key, and having a focus to an Instagram page or a YouTube channel attracts an audience that can expect the same genre of content with each post. For example, McHale’s posts focus primarily on makeup and artistry, with occasional ventures into fashion and skincare, but all of her content falls squarely underneath the creative, “beauty/lifestyle” category.
Brands seeking to advertise use this to their advantage. If they are launching a new colorful, glittery eyeshadow palette, McHale and other makeup artists will advertise that product to a demographic who is actually interested in it because of their pre-existing following. Likewise, if a brand creates a protein shake or supplement that they need marketed, they will reach out to influencers who post workout routines and promote healthy living.
@mcdrew on Instagram with the Anastasia Beverly Hills Amrezy eyeshadow palette.
Internet fame is a new frontier that businesses are learning how to capitalize on, and the future of advertising is by way of digital endorsements from influencers all around the world.
Some of McHale’s creations.
Podcast Corner: My Favorite Murder
Don't be creeped out by the title! My Favorite Murder is one of the fastest growing podcasts out there right now, and it's quickly become one of my favorites. It's been airing since 2016, so I am currently in the midst of binge-listening through the entire catalog. Learning about true crime gets real addicting real fast!
My Favorite Murder (MFM for short) was started four years ago by two California women who have many collective years of experience working in various aspects of entertainment. Georgia Hardstark hosts a show on the Cooking Channel, and Karen Kilgariff has worked in stand-up comedy and television for most of her life.
Georgia & Karen.
The pair bonded over a love of true crime, and the rest is history- they have achieved great success through this podcast, going on national tours and receiving praise from many other podcasters and celebrities.
This podcast takes you on quite a ride, with countless stories of true crime cases, both from long ago and present day, solves and unsolved alike. Karen and Georgia cover everything from high-profile serial killers and survivors of unthinkable attacks, to cult leaders and gravely mishandled court cases. Even amidst the oft-depressing subject matter of innocent people dying, the ladies pepper their stories with anecdotes about growing up in the lawless 1980's and plenty of humor to keep the mood (somewhat) light.
Some of my favorite episodes (out of hundreds!) are:
Episode 20 – 20/20
This episode covered Richard Ramirez, a crazed serial killer also known as the Night Stalker. The story of how he was finally identified, chased down (literally!), and caught was so incredible, my jaw literally dropped as I was listening.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6XmXvNEpPOdFHH8rU9L6A0?si=ejtRg8R0RSesrWq_aKbV3w
Episode 31 – Namaste Sexy
The cult-ish mentality of upscale retail is exposed in this episode, with a startling case of jealousy, murder, and shifted blame among Lululemon employees in 2011.
https://open.spotify.com/episode/65pYfQYG7g26UUUHk5us1l?si=jlCfd0ObQlKGVEBBrtSZ-w
Episode 33 – What About Mimi?
This episode contains one of the most shocking and unbelievable survivor stories I've ever heard thus far. Jennifer Morey was brutally attacked in an attempted rape and murder in her own apartment, and she lived to tell the tale. You'll NEVER believe who the would-be killer turned out to be!
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4SNWkmQZYZprGoc3sfQqja?si=csh0zY6NRQq9JPFvXw3gVw
Episode 49 – The Great Guy Law-Time New Years Spectacular
I was so sad when this episode came to an end; I could have listened to Karen, Georgia, and Guy talk for many more hours! Guy Branum is a stand-up comedian who, in his younger days, was a well-educated lawyer. The girls bring him in as a guest star to ask him all of their burning questions about these true crime cases once a perpetrator is brought to trial: What differentiates the degrees of murder in the eyes of the law? Is a life sentence in prison ever actually for life? And why in the world is attempted murder not treated as harshly as... successful murder?
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5zaHGDJYxtu8GTgzIDU647?si=fr3v8yIVQOKSLJjcWvVWBg