But today’s a bit of a slow day in the office, so I thought, “Why not?”

Oh, what’s that you ask, reader? What office? Andrea, are you a working woman now? Do you have an actual job? Are you — dare we ask — no longer an intern?

To that I say, I AM A REAL-LIFE JOURNALIST NOW! Aca fans, I am now a staff writer for the St. Augustine Record and the main reporter for the St. Johns Sun, a weekly community paper focusing on the news and happenings of Northwest St. Johns County. I did it, you guys! I have a job!

That should pretty much cover WHY I haven’t taken a gander at this site in so long. Every week I’m writing stories, shooting pictures, trying to get the St. Johns Sun up-to-date technological and meeting with school principals. As it turns out, my dreams of becoming a celeb  are slowly coming true: Pete Ellis, editor of the Record, said officials in the northwest are calling the Record offices constantly asking if they can receive the Sun at their place of business or school because of all the great stories the new reporter is writing. YAY!

Because of all this work, my a cappella group has really been put on hold. I’ve hardly talked to Erin lately, although I’d really like to speak with her again. But between work and moving into a new place (not to mention dealing with my little baby PotterBunny!), a cappella has truly moved to the back burner.

But now that I’m starting to get back into a normal routine, I’m going to try starting this group up again. This is something I love and miss so much. Every time I go back to Gainesville or I talk to anyone from NSA, it just reminds me of how important singing is to my life and, honestly, my sanity.

For the time being, I’ve replaced singing with violin, which is great. I’m learning “Romance Op. 11 in F Minor” by Dvorak, and I am now obsessed with learning it. I missed playing so much, and when I told my parents I was learning something new, it really made them happy, especially my dad. It’s encouraging, you know?

So I’ve got violin, but I need a cappella! I’m at a loss, readers. I don’t know what to do. I feel like I need to start all over again. I need to make new fliers, make a new Craigslist ad, start talking to Erin again and get another ad on the RARB board, get Christopher to FINALLY make an announcement on “Mouth Off!” Maybe someone will understand and want this just as much as I do. 

There HAS to be a group out there for me. I refuse to believe there is no one is St. Augustine who doesn’t want to obsess over syllables, syncopation and the strength of the human voice. And I’d like to share my love of hemiolas with someone around here.

So I need ideas. Come on, guys, I NEED YOUR HELP! Give me ideas on how to get St. Augustine people to join my a cappella cause. Please comment, e-mail me (andrea.asuaje@gmail.com) or tweet me (@aasuaje) your suggestions. Every idea counts!

Thanks guys. ‘Til next time, keep singing, aca peeps!

Let’s all cross our fingers and hope that this works out! We had such great responses; why wouldn’t this work out for us? Keeping my head up and hoping for the best, as usual.

Now on to awesomeness.

Do you guys know my friend, Christopher Diaz? Yeah, he’s ridiculously good looking and hilarious. He’s also one of the most talented men in the a cappella world. And he’s my hero.

Well, he and I are helping my beloved No Southern Accent with their upcoming CD by providing some cooool new arrangements, so we’ve been chatting here and there about the CD and our songs. Former prez and current MD Chris Rienas (also my BFF) approached me about a new song recently, and after much discussion, Christopher Diaz and I decided to join forces and create…a Driaz Arrangement.

That’s right: We’re co-arranging for the first time. Get excited because we’re ready to melt faces and blow minds with this jam:

The song is stunning and we’re planning something really unique and raw for this song. Basically we’re psyched.

On another note, I sent an e-mail to RARB/CASA extraordinaire Benjamin Stevens hoping to get involved with my most favorite fall activity (aside from Gators football, of course): SOJAM!

If you are an a cappella enthusiast or a part of a collegiate group, you MUST attend SoJam. It is such a fun weekend filled with workshops, master classes, professionals and college groups and experts from all areas of the a cappella world. It’s also a great bonding experience for those trying to find a retreat-type event for a group. Definitely look into it if you’ve never attended.

I will keep you all updated on my SoJam status. For now, I’m — once again — crossing my fingers.

For the record, I can’t remember the last time I felt this optimistic. But I think it’s good for me.

I hope all is well with you, dear readers. Feel free to drop me a comment about anything you’ve read in the blog or shoot me an e-mail if you’ve got any ideas for me. I appreciate every word I get back from a reader!

‘Til next time!

It’s gonna be this song:

But it’s gonna be sung in this style:

Eh? I’m into it. I think it’s gonna be cool and sexy and very Andrea-and-Erin friendly. I’m pretty much sold on this idea, but I’m curious as to what you all think.

And don’t worry, No Southern Accent. You guys will get your arrangements, too!

OK, so the aca search is SO ON. Erin and I got together a few weeks ago and we decided what we wanted for our group.

1. 6-8 people, including ourselves
2. Mixed is preferred
3. People our age; our limit is 30
4. People who have some singing experience, not just singing for fun
5. Awesome people

Erin put an ad on the CASA/RARB boards and a Jax Craigslist ad talking us up and guess what?

IT WORKED IT WORKED IT WORKED!

So far we’ve got  responses from three guys and two girls (I think.) All of them have experience, with one guy being a music major and errthing. Guys, these people are legit. Or so we hope.

Since that meeting, Erin and I have talked pretty sparingly because of my ridiculous schedule. But we’ve decided what we’re gonna do next.

It’s time to meet these suckers and listen to them sing!

We’re not technically going to have auditions, but we’re going to listen to our people sing a verse and chorus of a popular song, perform some sing-backs and pitch-matching, and maybe sight-read.

All right, tiny audition. But we want to sing with good people we like, so why not, right?

Honestly, I can’t believe this is really happening. I think I started to put it off or in the back of my mind because I never expected it to happen. I wanted this so bad, but so much initial rejection can really break a girl’s heart, despite the thick skin she puts on every day when she walks in a newsroom.

But now it’s happening. I’m gonna get to sing again. I have all these ideas for songs that I want to arrange and perform and jam to with people who want to do the same.

This is it!

I may not update this thing very often, but I’m going to try to update more regularly, even if it’s just a little bit here and there. Maybe a video or a picture at the least. Stick with me readers; I’m just a tired old intern.

‘Til next time!

On a sadder note, my dog of twelve years, Cleo, passed away last Monday. It’s been really tough trying not to think about her, but I’m keeping busy at work and also decided to head to Tallahassee for the weekend to spend time with my best friend Jess. I miss Cleo. She was such a wonderful dog. If you want to check out a little tribute I wrote to her, click here and it’ll take you to my other blog. I like that picture of her.

So that’s all for un-aca news. BUT here’s an awesome a cappella update: THE TIME HAS COME! Tonight, I’ll be heading north to Jacksonville to meet Erin Shults, the former president of Ithaca College’s Premium Blend. She and I seem like we’ll get along, especially since we’re just excited to find someone else with whom to sing. That’s what I want! I’m really excited to meet her and to start singing again. After an emotional week, I need to just belt it OUT!

I already have a few song ideas to discuss with her. Christopher Diaz suggested a few weeks back that I start trying to record myself singing and layering on Garage Band, so I figure Erin and I can do the same thing. And maybe we can be off sheet music. And maaaaaybe we’ll become a cappella sensations. Maybe. Basically that’s my dream soooo. Yeah.

I will DEFINITELY be updating either tonight or tomorrow, so keep checking back to hear about my first post-grad aca rehearsal.

Keep singing, aca fans!

I’m making a comeback!

As a quick catch-up for the past couple of weeks, I’ve been busy at my internship at the St. Augustine Record, writing tons of stories, including ones about shipwrecks, jellyfish and a giant Christian symbol veterans memorial. Pretty good stuff. You should read it. It’s good for you to read the news. Good for your brain and good for your soul — it’s science.

Also, I’ve been dealing with some dramz attached to my collegiate group. Typical. That’s definitely one thing I do NOT miss from a collegiate group, but hey, it’s just a part of the aca life. In the end, I think it’s just important for everyone to remember that they love each other and that these people are their best friends in the whole wide world. At least that’s how I see it.

Whenever there’s dramz, I think about this picture, and it makes every fight, every petty comment and every eye roll so pointless.

Pure, unadulterated joy (By Sarah Hsu)

But back to the purpose of this blog: me!

Alright, so in the past two weeks I’ve gotten two responses. TWO. Not enough for my liking, of course, but two is better than none. The first came from a guy named Brodderick, who was very interested in my cause. He seemed like a good candidate, but then informed me that he was underage and didn’t have a car. That was a maaaajor downgrade. To be a part of my group, I need you to be an adult. Too much drama if you can’t enter a bar. Sorry, Brodderick.

A week or so passed. I, again, was feeling down about my search. Instead I worked hard and tried not to think about it all that much, but lack of music and performance really starts to bog down a music-and-performance-inclined person.

And then it came. An e-mail. From a girl who not only loves collegiate a cappella but has…experience. Like real-life collegiate a cappella experience. And not just a little bit of it — she was the president of her college group. A real-life, overachieving, aca lovin’ singer who listens to “Mouth Off” and arranges. She wants to be a part of a group, and she’s willing to join my search to create one right here in northeast Florida. What else could I ask for? I won’t say her name yet (just in case she’s not cool with me fawning over her on da intrawebz), but her e-mail completely made my Fourth of July kick so much ass.

I e-mailed her back this morning telling her how excited I am and all about my search. She lives in Jacksonville, so it’s a fairly short drive. Honestly, I don’t even care at this point. I just wanna sing. I want someone I can sing with and who loves to sing just like me.

Bottom line: I am finally feeling like this is going to work out. And because I’m feeling totes better about this, I’ll be writing more consistently!

So, dear readers, keep your fingers crossed for me. This whole deal is gonna happen! Stay tuned for more…

I haven’t written in a few days because I’ve been busy and pretty down about my mission. I thought I would start getting some e-mails or comments on this thing after awhile! No such luck.

I just want to sing, and I want other people to hear me.

Singing in my car isn’t enough because there’s no audience. Seeing the words in my head as the melody flows through my headphones while I’m writing a story isn’t cutting it. And trying not to think about just makes it worse.

Lately, all I’ve been feeling is that I need more than what I’ve got. Like there’s a whole inside of me that I need filled.

I can’t even concentrate on my work properly. I put off writing because all I think about is running away and becoming the next Aimee Mann, singing cross-country in bars and clubs — just an acoustic guitar and me. And cute hipster clothes, of course.

Alas, I have responsibilities, but my internship, my family and my friends can’t help me shake this feeling.

You know that feeling when your mom gives you a hug and you bury your head in her neck and she smells just like she always has — how you’ve always remembered her smelling — and she holds you against her and you feel totally safe?

That’s how I feel as the very first syllable escapes my lips during a performance.

It feels like home.

When I told my mother that I would cover downtown St. Augustine with my face, she was worried about my safety. Others just thought I was weird and/or crazy. I, however, saw this as a brilliant idea. And I hope it works!

Yesterday, I set off to complete my mission of spreading the good aca word with the people of St. Augustine. I brought along my Canon Powershot and my roommate Katie Huber for some moral support and visual documentation. My mission turned out to be a fun adventure of making friends and visiting bar bathrooms.

Showing off my fliers at Office Max (Photo by Katie Huber)

Our first stop was at Office Max, where I made some copies of my super-cool flier. The guy working the copy desk like it so much that he printed them on nice paper and offered to give one to his singing friend! Score! I bought some tape and grabbed my brown baggie of fliers and off we went downtown.

After we parked by Flagler College and Katie showed me a bit around the school (which is GORGEOUS, by the way), we headed toward St. George Street, where tourists and locals shop, eat and hang. We stopped at J.J’s Heritage Cafe, where I got to put a flier on the window.

Adding my flier to the decor of J.J's Heritage Cafe (Photo by Katie Huber)

After I taped up my flier, Katie and I met some guys outside, including one named John who said he was completely interested in a cappella! He said he and his friends had been fooling around with syllables and the like recently and since he sang through all four years of college, he really wanted to get back in the scene. I handed him a flier and urged him to contact me. He hasn’t yet, but I’m not giving up hope!

We kept walking and ended up at the Taco Shop on St. George Street, where Ant, a writer for Drift, was working the taco bar. He said I was more than welcome to put up a sign at the window.

Quien quiere cantar conmigo? (Photo by Katie Huber)

He also suggested I go to another bar down the street called Rendezvous where he said a lot of musicians like to hang out. So Katie and I headed over there, stopping only once to put up a flier at an empty storefront on the street.

Destroying public property, per usual (Photo by Katie Huber)

Once we arrived at our destination, I met the man with the dreads who Ant told me to go see and BAM! Another flier up at Rendezvous. He put it up at the perfect spot and everything, and he said that a lot of great singers like to hang out there. I hope I get some responses from the bar-goers of Rendezvous.

After Rendezvous we stopped at a couple of stores — The Closet and Second Read Books — and handed out a couple fliers to the friendly workers on our way to another super-popular bar: Scarlett O’Hara’s.

Apparently, Scarlett O’Hara’s is a place where musicians also like to hang out, according to J.J.’s John and his friends. Katie said Scarlett’s is a really cool hangout for people who like to chill, drink, listen to music and even do karaoke. I knew we had to get a flier up there. Unfortunately, the manager wasn’t in yet and no one could vouche for her, so I left a few of my fliers with the girls at the front, hoping that my silly black-and-white picture could convince her to put them up and hand them out during karaoke sessions.

After stopping at Scarlett’s we ended up walking toward the fort, which is one of the coolest areas in downtown St. Augustine. I don’t care who you are or how many times you’ve seen it: The fort effin’ rocks. Close to the fort are three places where I fliered: Crucial Coffee Cafe, the White Lion restaurant, the Milltop Tavern and the Bar with No Name.

First up was Crucial Coffee Cafe, a cool little free-standing coffee shop offering baked goods, candy and yummy, drinkable treats. The guy working the store was pretty hesitant at first, but after we got to talking and I told him the kind of music I arranged (“Yeah Yeah Yeahs? F*** yeah!”), he was totally feeling it. So much so that he took a few fliers for the store and a few for himself and his friends! I hope to hear from him soon as well.

Would it help if I said your pies look delectable?

Next we went to the White Lion cafe and pub — a favorite of both tourists and residents, according to Katie. Here we put up a few around the restaurant and by the bar. Some regulars at the bar were entertained by the idea and decided to interrogate me as to why I wasn’t singing right now. Why do you need more peeeeople, they asked. I answered them by saying without background, I’m just a crazy girl singing way to loudly for anyone’s good. But hey, I thought, if this doesn’t work out, that doesn’t seem like such a bad alternative.

After White Lion, we went to the Bar with No Name and the Milltop Tavern, where I also decorated the bathrooms and handed some fliers to amused bartenders.

My flier, Bud Light and the sword I lent Capt. Morgan ages ago that he has yet to give back (Photo by Katie Huber)

We finished our trek at Ann O’Malley’s, a relaxed Irish pub Chris and I enjoyed last Saturday night. The bartender here informed Katie and I that the bar has some very talented open-mic singers every week. He gladly took some fliers and suggested I come back the following Tuesday to check out potential prospects. After making a mental note, we headed home, just in time to beat the rain.

So far, still no responses, but I refuses to give up hope. I just know someone will contact me. ‘Til then, I’m putting these fliers up errwhere, including the Record.

My work station: where dreams come true

Any other ideas, aca fans? Help me out!

That’s right. I’m fliering.

Check out my InDesign skillz in this flier I created in a quick minute:

I can haz groop?

Yeah, I know, it’s not that high-tech. But I’ll be printing them in black and white, and I think they’ll do the job. I mean, come on — look at that face. How can you deny it?

Tomorrow (I guess later today, technically), I will be printing out and papering downtown St. Augustine with these babies. Maybe I’ll finally get some responses!

Here’s hoping, aca fans. I’ll let you know how it goes!

I will jump back on my search tomorrow. G’night, aca fans!