Betty Homemaker...

I should be in Aruba right now.

Why do I say this? Because my family is in Aruba, I was supposed to go, and instead I'm house-sitting. Granted, I willingly bowed out of the vacation so I could work and enjoy some alone-time (which I haven't been able to get since the Residence Halls closed...). So while I could be on a beautiful sandy beach enjoying equatorial weather... I'm playing Betty Homemaker here at the house when I'm not working. Maybe my grandma will bring me back something cool? Either way, I've been cleaning or napping, much like a cat, at random points during the day. I think I've caught up on a lot of the sleep I missed this past semester and couldn't get caught up on.

So, despite my theoretical tan being in jeopardy, I feel more relaxed than I've been able to feel in a long time, and I think that this has been a good mini-vacation for myself this weekend.

I think I'm going to make cookies for the family for when they get home. A clean house and a batch of cookies? I think those are two of the most awesome things to come home to after a long week out of the country... and on beaches... parasailing... why didn't I go on this trip again?!

Photoshop: The Most Successful Tool in Procrastination.

Words cannot express how much love and affection I have for Stumbleupon.com. I found an awesome tutorial in colorization, and I figured, "Hey it's summer break and I'm just sitting here watching TV... Why not?" So I tried it out! Now, the person who posted the tutorial was obviously super skilled because their photo looked legitimately like it was meant to be in color instead of black and white... my attempt was not nearly as good as the tutorial, but I think it was a successful first attempt at colorization, considering the photo is meant to be black and white.



Hope you all like it! I have no idea what it's from and I plan on taking more time to be more detailed and make it look more realistic. For now? Well, for now, I'm very proud of my work. :D

The summer has been a whirlwind so far, and I keep trying to catch my breath, but I don't seem to be able to. As of May 27th I turned in all of my work for my INC and now am just awaiting the grade change. I'm also changing my mind on this community music thing and want to just go back to Music Ed. I'm two courses and student teaching away from getting certified, and I can't do another year like this past one... It's burning me out.

Since school ended I've done nothing but work, work, work or sleep. Occasionally I'll do housework or yard work as well, or run errands, but it's mostly work. Working in Westford isn't really working out how I wanted it to either...I'm s

pending more money on food because of the lack of kitchen than I anticipated and being poor is getting old fast... but I'm learning how to budget my money, I suppose.

My birthday passed, and I have to say, as far as birthdays go, this was a very low drama, fun-filled birthday! I saw NKOTBSB at FENWAY on my birthday!!! It was epic. Seriously epic. We decked ourselves out in 80's garb (made our own shirts!) and did ourselves all up with hair and makeup and set out, and did nothing but scream and be littl

e girls for 4 hours of amazing concert!

Now, I don't usually go to a lot of concerts (I value my ears too much, but this concert was seriously awesome! I mean, I was never a big New Kids on the Block fan, but they were fantastic, and the Backstreet Boys were incredible as well! Such a tight, awesome concert with my girlfriends from home!

I'm also looking for some new books to read for the summer. I got a nook! Well, I got my grandma's old nook because she got a new one... either way, I need books to download and read. My theory is that if I have something portable that isn't cumbersome in my hands I might just read more. We shall see! I think my first books is going to be Chuck Klosterman's "Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs". :D

Grades..

I am one half of a paper and a whole lot of tree-killing printing away from being completely free for the summer... I wish I were done now, but alas... I have to complete my INC.

However, I do have my grades for most of my classes!

Structure, Context and Style... B+

Seminar in Music Education... INC

Opera Workshop... A

University Choir... A

Once I turn in this last project I'll have my Seminar grade and I'll be off the hook for the semester! I can't wait to shut my brain off for a month or two...

Spring Break!

Spring Break is supposed to be a vacation...right? Well, this break is a break from classes and an opportunity to be thrust right into homework for after break... *sigh*

Either way! I've been fairly productive! More productive than I would be if I had classes and rehearsal every day.

Here's the list of things I wanted to accomplish by the end of break!

• Apply for Passport
• Get Car Inspected
• File Taxes
• Go to my Doctor's appointment, FINALLY
  
• File FAFSA
  
• Get Car the once over at the shop
• Second Interview in Westford
• Figure out tech week class conflicts
• Read first 6 chapters of Bridging the Gap
• Read Experience and Education (Dewey Book) - Started.
  
• Catch up on blog posts and discussions for Seminar
• Timeline and transcription of All Along the Watchtower
• Find the Context of Berlioz score and start analyzing for presentation
• Send out education outreach emails to local schools for RENT
• Write a large majority of the Program for RENT
• Get costume pieces from Storage unit
• Work on Lines and blocking for opera/Get off-book

So you can see from what's highlighted in red that I've been very productive, just not as productive as I would have liked to have been by this point in the week. I'm hoping to get through a LOT more work tomorrow... I miss when vacation was vacation. The last two weeks burnt me out so much I couldn't even start doing my homework right away, because I kept falling asleep and taking naps, just to let my brain recharge... I can't wait until life settles down a little. I've always been a fast-paced person, but this is getting ridiculous.

My doctor told me I needed to make more time to relax because I didn't want to be one of those Type A, constantly stressed people who has a heart attack at age 27. She's right. I'm going to try to do a yoga video once a day to de-stress and focus. Hopefully it helps.

I also, once I'm caught up for good on my schoolwork, want to spend at least ten minutes a day writing. I keep saying I miss writing, and I am not kidding. It will happen, I just need to keep reminding myself to write...

What is vacation again?

The past two weeks have been hell on Earth. Rehearsing 6 days a week, full time school, and grad work that never seems to end...it's been miserable. Midterms are not helping either. This semester of graduate school is miserable. Last semester I managed to balance everything while working three times as many hours of work, an internship, and being sick all fall. For some reason this semester is kicking my ass. I'm just praying I make it through by the skin of my teeth to next year.

I still miss writing... I still want to write. I still plan on writing. I just need to keep my sanity in the process. Thus, I will try by getting the energy to write in between the mount Everest-sized pile of homework I was assigned this spring break.

Hopefully you see something interesting from me this week! Happy Spring break everyone!

I really need to start writing again... I miss it way more than I should, considering how busy I've been, and I want to re-hone my skills.

All THAT being said... I've never had one thought that happened in order in my life... so, we'll see how this goes. I want to at least be able to write short stories again... I miss devising characters. Characterization was what I loved doing in high school.

Wish me luck!

Brevity is the Soul of Wit...

I'm getting very tired of feeling pathetic...

Wake up before Dawn...

So, it is the start of the new semester, and Seasonal Affective Disorder is running rampant throughout South Campus. I'm not sure if it's the snow, or the cold... or maybe a little bit of both, but everyone seems just a bit grumpy, myself included. I can't speak for everyone else, but I know I'm trying to pull myself out of it. Here's to optimism and being chill from now on!

As for the new semester starting let me give you a breakdown of my course load.

1. Choir = Same as usual, only with world music this semester.

2. Opera = Awesome! It's going to be epic.

3. Seminar = Your average Dr. Greher class amped up because I will actually have to get through the readings thoroughly, and I will have to find time to do live, in person research for my final project, which doesn't sound too painful, except that it'll have to be after school and that's usually when I have class... The projects we do for class, however, are always fun, so I'm remaining optimistic. Dr. G's classes are always awesome.

4. Structure, Context, and Style = Well... It's the class that will be my downfall. It's truly going to show me what grad school is all about... but I'm going to learn an insane amount of information in analyzing scores and how music functions... if I can remember the basics from Music Theory 3 years ago.

On top of this I'm hoping to be in RENT on campus, finish up my internship with creating some sort of education outreach with RENT and writing the program for the show. Good God, save me now. It's going to be interesting to watch me twitch as the semester progresses...

In doing all of these activities, I'm going to have to take better care of myself... so I'm thinking of goals I can have to start on January 31st. Start of the new week, start of the new regimen I say.

1. Go to the gym for at least an hour Monday - Thursday. I just want to run on a treadmill or hit the elliptical and do crunches and stuff for an hour. Maybe 2. I want to work up to 2 hours at some point.

2. Start doing yoga. I love yoga, and always have, so I never understand why I can't get myself to even do a yoga tape on a regular basis.

3. Cut soda out of my diet entirely. I lived without caffeine for a long time, and I can do it again. Diet soda may have zero calories, but it doesn't make it good for you.

4. Stop eating red meat. Red meat is bad for you anyway, and I want to cleanse my body out for good.

If I sucessfully do all of the above, I hope to drop at least 20 lbs. I'm not fat, but I need to live healthier, and take better care of myself. It can only help me. Plus, I'm tired of being unsatisfied with myself. I'll be in a better mood, I will sleep better, and I will feel healthier if I can stick to this.

Here's to a healthier life and a successful semester!

for Auld Lang Syne...

Everyone takes the new year to start fresh, making New Year's Resolutions and all of that. I tried not to make resolutions this year. I'm terrible at keeping resolutions. Like, I'm beyond terrible at keeping resolutions. Instead I made goals, and realizations. Goals, because I can keep a goal slowly over time. A goal I don't have to be perfect with. I can make mistakes and have lows and highs as long as I try my hardest to ultimately achieve my goal over the course of 2011. Resolutions have always seemed so very black and white to me, and thus, they set people up for failure. I like to keep my options open.

In all of my backward-sounding logic, I was able to make a few "goals" that I'd like to keep over the course of 2011.

1. Live Healthier.

This one isn't going so hot at the moment because winter break and my insane commute to work prevents me from being near kitchens long enough to make healthy food. I've made strides, however the mall food court can only be so healthy. I am just very tired of gaining and losing weight depending on my stress level.

2. Loosen Up!

I've spent too much of my life following rules and trying to do what is "right." Granted, this has kept me out of trouble, however, maybe I shouldn't be out of trouble. Maybe I should just... live.

3. Learn when to shut up.

I'm doing better with this one. Not quite perfect, but better. End it before there's a conflict. Shut up before you get upset. Don't bother getting upset. It's not worth the stress anymore.

There's also been a lot of reflection happening in my life right now as well... I learned a few good things from both my breakup this summer, and a good friend of mine, helping me figure my shit out, whether they meant to or not. They know who they are, and will remain anonymous as a result. I'm sure they'll appreciate it.

1. I need to learn when the hell to shut up.

2. I need to loosen the hell up.

3. I am attractive and talented.

4. My eyes are my best feature.

5. I am way stronger than I've given myself credit for.

There were more that I can't remember right now, but those were the biggies. I know they were things that I should have known, but I'd let myself get so dragged down I had forgotten. Either way, 2011 is a year of discovery and (hopefully) fun. So here's to 2011. May our goals be met and may we never forget who we are and what our strengths are.