-Welcome to the blog pt.2-

Hi there my babes! I cannot tell you HOW happy I am to be sitting down to write to all of you. It has been WAY too long and believe me when I say I am sorry for the long hard pause on the blog. This past month has just been pure hell at work. Observations, contracts, the flu, you name it, we faced it. I am human and I just could not find the time to balance it all. Thankfully our boss babe is the most amazing and understanding person who lets me write when I feel inspired and post when the time feels right. Well I can tell you, the time is most certainly right. So I wanna tell you a funny story. Last week, I wrote up a blog because I found the time to finally get into the creative headspace and write. So I wrote it, sent it to the boss babe, got it approved, posted it, and then simultaneously in one second and one click deleted the entire blog and all the posts that have ever been posted on it. Nope, I am not kidding. That really happened. And no, it was not funny. I can’t even describe to you what emotions were going through my head. Besides sheer panic, I was sad, heartbroken, in total disbelief and about 100 other things. But there was nothing I could do except move along and start from scratch. So that brings us here. To this post. On our slightly different blog page. And I couldn't be more excited about it. 

So what is the Tribe Times? What is it’s purpose? How did it start? It is actually one of my most favorite stories to tell. This blog, Tribe Times, started about 2 years ago. I had been going to TORQUE for just about a year. I was in college and going through some really dark things. Life just wasn't bright for me unless I was at the studio. Which was a really big problem considering I was in my junior year of college at Penn State. I remember coming home on the weekends and spending a lot of time healing and learning about myself in the studio. Opening old wounds, sorting feelings, and breaking down high, high walls. When Sunday rolled around, I had a lot of new songs to listen to on my way back to school accompanied by a lot of new thoughts to think. Just me, spotify, and 3 hours of open road. Lots of things happened on those drives. A lot of healing took place. I would get back to my apartment and usually text Summer about my drive. I would tell her all the things I pieced together. All the clarity I had gained. All my goals and ambitions for the week. It was like clockwork. And one day Summer said, “Caroline, you need to write. Like actually write. Like stories or a book or something.” I, at the time, was so unsure of myself and purpose that I didn't believe her. But I knew one thing, I did love writing. I always loved how words flowed together and became these amazing thoughts and perspectives. So I took a leap of faith, and responded to her saying, “will you let me write a blog for TORQUE?” Let me tell you, those were the longest I don't even know how many minutes of my life. It was the first time I took a step totally outside my comfort zone. I had NO clue what she was going to say. The minutes went by and the doubt settled. I started to think, “why did I ever send that?”, “she is obviously going to say no!”, I’m just some broken college kid, who is even going to read this.” And then my phone buzzed. I knew it was her before I could even look at my phone. SO nervous to read the text, I unlocked my phone, and there it was. My smooth landing. She responded, “I think that would be amazing. You get it together and we will see how it goes. This is all you and I am excited.” So that night, I started.I stayed up the whole night. Figuring out websites. Trying different fonts. This that everything. I was motivated and excited. And it has unfolded to become one of my most prized possessions to this date. 

That’s how this started. A sappy text turned into an idea fueled with confidence and belief.So what is the point? Like I said before this blog was started when a lot of things were different. I didn't just mean the studio. The person behind this blog has changed a lot too. She went from a confused, broken, devastated college student to a first grade teacher who is in love with the love of her life and can clearly see her purpose. I give a lot of credit to time, music, spin, love, family, and friends for getting me this far, but I would be lying if I didn't mention this blog. This blog was the ear I needed to listen to my thoughts. It was the outlet that allowed me to free myself from my darkest fears. It was the 2 am phone call where I got out my thoughts. My travel buddy. It was a voice for me in a really dark time. And that will never change.

So this blog. Well in short, this is a place where we can come together and heal. It is a place where we can touch on those tough topics. The ones we don't want to speak of, but maybe can get ourselves to read. This is a place where we acknowledge we aren't perfect and that sometimes life sucks. This is a place where we shine a light on the amazing people of the studio and look closer into their lives and stories. This is a place where we heal. If you haven't read a blog yet, stay with me, I know it sounds like a bunch of fluff. But I promise you, these blogs, the togetherness that you feel when reading them, they have a way at pulling at just the right heartstrings at just the right time at just the right place. That is one thing I can promise you. This is raw and real. It is blunt and honest. It is simply sometimes what we don't want to hear, but know that we need to. So join me on this journey. There is no schedule. There is no planned posts. This is just simply a girl sharing her thoughts with the world. I hope you fall in love with this just as much as I have. I hope it can be that reassurance you need or the affirmation you are waiting for. I hope it everything you hope and dream it to be. This is the blog. This is me. We are TORQUE.

 As always, XOXO…

Caroline