My Greatest Discovery Yet

"Hi, my name is Sasha."

"Hi, Sasha."

"And I'm a Mraz addict."

This is what I look like, in case you were wondering who I am. :)

Now that we seem to all be re-introducing and introducing ourselves to all the members of this wonderful community that has done nothing but grow and spread the love, I wanted to pitch in how I discovered the Mraz Man. I honestly sometimes wish I was older when his CDs started coming out, because I would have been able to be a fan from earlier on—when I was younger, I had no music taste, it’s really sad—but either way, I’m more than happy to have discovered him in 2009, because look what it’s lead me to…some pretty amazing friendships with even more amazing people. Early 2009, when “I’m Yours” started playing and replaying on the radio, I would always blast it until the volume decided it was loud enough, and get really excited when I heard those opening notes. I didn’t even know the lyrics then, so I’d make some up! I really liked the whole mellowness of the song and upbeat rhythm. When I first heard it, I didn’t even really pay attention to what it was saying, and after really reading/listening through the lyrics, you get the great message behind the “little hippie song.” [Side note: At the 09.27.09 concert I went to in Portland, when Mraz said the phrase “little hippie song,” gosh did I freak out. My heart raced, my hands shook, my voice trembled, I yelled with excitement, and I started crying. The song has really helped me get thru some tough shit.] Anyways, I had a bunch of Mraz songs on my iPod from his WSWDWST CD, not even the whole CD. I subtly shifted from listening to the trash I used to, to Mraz and fell in love with IT ALL. Over time, I’d scroll down my list of songs, and pick “Make It Mine” or “Live High” instead of that random song by the other group. I loved all of them, and the last one I discovered on the WSWDWST CD was “Butterfly,” strangely enough, it’s the song he closes his shows with. And from there, I went backwards. I got the CD with the DVD at the Highline Ballroom, MR. A-Z, Tonight, Not Again—Jason Mraz Live, Waiting For My Rocket To Come, Jason Mraz—Live and Acoustic 2001, and lastly, Jason Mraz’s Beautiful Mess—Live On Earth (his best DVD yet!). And as far as the blog goes, I honestly have no idea how I came across it. It was just an accident, I guess. But the greatest accident, yet. I’m sure we all know this, but that blog is the funniest/cleverest/most inspirational thing that’s ever met my eyes. Glad that everyone here gets it.

Grateful for each and every one of you,
And thank you Mraz, for everything, and for being my hero,
Sasha Brigante

[Second side note: My brother told me today that in his “Junior Scholastic” magazine that the school provides his class with about once a month, there was an article about “We Are The World 25 For Haiti” and there was a picture of Jason in it! He drew an arrow to Mraz’s head sticking out of the crowd, and above it, wrote, “Jason Mraz / Mr. A-Z.” Oh, how he knows me all too well!]

Let's continue to Be Love Y'all.