To Ashley, my music soulmate.

Ashley and I became friends in the third grade. We bonded over Family Feud and Pringles on a Washington D.C. trip in elementary school and since have always remained close. As time moved on, of course, we drifted apart from different social aspects, school, sports, etc.

I had recently gotten VERY into a band called Panic! At The Disco. I was talking about how I bought tickets to see the second part of the Death Of A Bachelor tour in Spanish my sophomore year of high school. Ashley overheard (we were both in the same class) and asked me what my favorite song was, which I replied, "Nearly witches."

Now Ashley is normally a somewhat quiet and well-maintained person but she yelled, "Shut the f up." Which at the time scared me, because I thought she was going to school me on what the correct answer should've been to that question. But she actually admitted that that was her favorite song too. Ever since that moment in Spanish, we have been inseparable.

Ashley and I ALWAYS share new music and old music with each other. It's how we have our special connection as friends. Multiple times we've told each other how happy we are that we have someone in our lives to have the same exact music tastes. Our favorite music to talk about is, of course, Panic! at the Disco. Analyzing old music and the new release of Pray For The Wicked. We actually went to see the Raleigh show, on July 28th, together. I enjoy how excited we both get while talking about music considering it's a major part of both of our lives. Ashley encourages me to get creative and think and elaborate more on how I interpret music. Music in my life is basically what's shaped me to be the person I am. It's poetry that molds me and helps shape my morals and beliefs. It makes me happy and it makes me sad. It's the art form that I consider the be the most influential.

We both agreed that both of our favorite albums from Panic is, Too Weird To Live Too Rare To Die. That album theme revolving around LED lights and Las Vegas. All of the songs audio on Youtube is set to a recording of the Las Vegas strip at night and listening and watching the visuals give it a special aesthetic/nostalgic feeling that has its indescribable meaning to someone's self. This album carries so much meaning to me that I don't even know where to begin to describe. Every song is worth a thousand words. I associate every song with a different experience and memory in my mind. Some songs make me think of people that I've lost and some songs make me yearn and look forward to loving more.

Recently we've made a promise that once we graduate college, we would fly to Las Vegas and spend any amount of money just to drive up and down the strip while listening to the entire album. This promise means more to me than anything. I actually am anticipating this trip more than graduating college itself. Waiting in Nevada is an experience that I will never experience but am antsy to witness and feel.

I'm so happy to know that it will be with my best friend too.

I encourage you and your close friends to go and do something you've always wanted to do. Perhaps even plan a trip to visit a place that you have bonded over with someone too. It's like rekindling your friendship flame and you remember things that make you appreciate why someone is in your life.