The Adventures of Samantha in an Airport

Of course, something that was supposed to be a simple 6-hour endeavor would turn into 14 hours of ambiguity with ~6 additional hours than planned hanging out in the Philly airport...so I may have bought myself a sweater while trying to waste some time... hehe! (Let me tell you, that is a boring airport! Only thing really was to sit and read and resist the temptation of the wine bar located at my gate.) It wouldn't have been a day in my life if something absurd and ironic didn't happen...my flight was cancelled even when there wasn't any snow! Ha! Go figure. However, I made it home a few minutes before midnight on Wednesday. So much for paying extra to fly into the local airport...I was re-routed, and my grandparents had to drive 2 hours to come get me. Oh, well. C'est la vie. At least, I didn't have to sleep in an airport like many people that evening. ;)

I also noticed when I opened my At-A-Glance in the Boston airport waiting for my first flight that I somehow managed to book 16 days at home! How I pulled that one off, I don't know, but we'll go with it. (We'll also see if I'm not ready to pull my hair out by the end of that time...haha!) I am going to have to make sure I don't neglect the piano too much over the next two weeks, though...this soprano can't go back to Boston out of shape. Not allowed. And unfortunately, I was not booked for Christmas services this year. :-/

I promise pictures and holiday festivity reports to come early next week. :)

Merry Christmas Eve!

Thought.

Last night, I finished reading Eileen Farrell's autobiography...good and entertaining read! She certainly had one heck of a career and lived in the moment all the way. At the end of the book, she quotes the song "It Was Worth It," saying,

"'All in all, it was worth it -
Oh, that's what I'll say
To the ladies the very first day
They discover my first bit of gray.
All in all, it was worth it...'
Well - yes. It sure as hell was."

What a wonderful philosophy on living life to its fullest. :)

Off to the airport...see you on the dial-up side! ;)

Cheers! 

I AM alive! ;)

Why, hello! I have been absolutely terrible at keeping up with this blog this semester. I think my New Year's Resolution is going to be to be better at documenting my life! haha!

Well, I'm here now and much better than before! Ugh...being sick was an absolute nightmare and honestly couldn't have happened at a worse time in the semester. :( It took two weeks, two doctor appointments, and an antibiotics to get back to being myself. I think the sinus infection isn't entirely gone, though... :-/ All I have to say is that I still hold to my feelings that I HATE doctors and that I NEVER want to be sick EVER again. =P Not a fan. These past 3 weeks have been not my grandest.

My first semester of graduate school is complete (just submitted my final essay!) and [hopefully] with great success. Apparently, I don't actually receive my grades till the first week of January, which is totally lame, but whatever. I feel pretty good about all my exams and my work this semester. I have learned so much, and honestly, I feel like I struck gold coming here. I am so grateful for my wonderful voice teacher and professors, to be in such a wonderful city, and to be doing what I love. :) When I was so sick I was barely functioning, I saw just how caring and supporting my colleagues and professors are, and I am so blessed to have such people in my life. They were constantly checking on me to see how I was feeling and knew just how ill I was because I really wasn't myself and wasn't bouncing around. My diction professor wouldn't even let me climb the stairs to get a paper from his office...he made me sit downstairs, and he brought it to me! Being "miss independent," I told him I wasn't an invalid! haha! Then, because I wasn't feeling the holiday spirit because I was so out of it, he randomly started playing Christmas carols on the piano for me in diction class the next week. Oh, that crazy man! I have to thank him for that, though.

I'm certainly in the holiday spirit now, though! hehe! I am like Buddy the Elf...I walk around with a bag full of Christmas candy, which I have insisted on calling "Christmas cheer," and passing it out to people. Yes, I am totally ridiculous. But it makes people smile! And that makes me smile. :)

I have to say, though, that Christmas shopping seems to be giving me the Christmas grumps this year. :( Why is it so stressful?! It's supposed to be fun! I'm the type of person that wants to get just the right gift for each person, though, and that is actually so hard! I have been looking for Eiffel Tower stationary all over this city, and everyone looks at me like I asked them to put the moon in a jar for me. Seriously. I didn't think that Paris-themed notebooks were that bizarre of a request...they are always EVERYWHERE...except when I want them for a gift.

I fly home in TWO DAYS for the holidays!! EEEK! I really love Boston, but after these rough past few weeks, I am ready for a bit of country time, where I don't have to do everything myself for at least a few days. My stuff is almost packed...as soon as I get back to Beantown, I am moving into my new place! HALLELUJAH! (No more crazies in my life, please!) Coming back is going to be a little nomadic and probably a bit tense, but I think it will be worth it. ;) For now, though, I need to practice, copy music for my new pianist (oh, yeah...my wonderful pianist is leaving me! AH! Sad day! But, we are going to continue coaching language and such over the phone, which is really sweet of her. Plus, I also snatched up another wonderful pianist, so life is still good.), finish my Christmas shopping (fingers crossed!), and go to work tonight. Tomorrow is laundry, finishing up my packing, voice lesson, dinner with my friend Rachael, and then I am trying to persuade my friend Francesco into going to the new Muppet movie with me. Muahaha! ;)

Also, I have been dying to post this photo...

I love it! And I want those gnomes!!! hehe!

Back in Bean Town.

I had a nice holiday at home, away from most things electronic and internet. Sometimes, it's good for us to drop the gadgets and live life not glued to a newsfeed and continuous stream of emails. Now, it's back to that thing called school, work, and making a career.

I flew home last Saturday (I love Boston, but extended times away from "home" can take their toll, too...), and this morning, I caught the train back to Massachusetts. I always loved riding trains in Europe, but I'd never ridden one in the States. It's cool...but not so cool traveling for 14 hours while sick. :( Yes, unfortunately, I woke up yesterday with a fever. Ugh. Fever seems to be gone, but I still feel like crap and totally drained. However, I feel myself already pushing myself to swim through the pile of work I've neglected and ignore what my body is telling me. Good thing and also a very bad thing.

I've got a crazy next 3 1/2 weeks before my Christmas holiday. From the get-go, I am facing: sneezing, endless nose-blowing, a voice on the brink of taking its own unapproved holiday, fatigue, exhaustion, 10 songs to memorize, other misc. homework, reading assignments, and a semi-up-in-the-air work schedule. And...cue after-break panic attack. ACK! NyQuil working its way into my system, so I'm going to go pass out now...

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Since going off to school, I kind of forfeited my room at home, so I have sort of been a couch surfer (and let me say that we have one of the comfiest couches!). When I got home last week, though, my mom and little sister had created a little "room" for me under my sister's loft bed complete with a "marshmallow bed," nightstand, lamp, musically-ornamented tapestries and bedding, a "complimentary gift basket," and a section of the closet with my clothes organized by style! (I didn't realize I still had that many clothes at home...haha!) Thanks. :)

Second star to the right and on till...HOME!

Hooray!! I've made it through to...HOLIDAY TIME!! (Okay, I probably shouldn't speak too soon, because I still have 5 hours at the school for my assistantship tomorrow before I can head to the airport, but still.)

It was a crazy week but went pretty great. Sleep has been minimal, but I can catch up on that in the coming week. Somehow today, I had the energy of the Energizer Bunny or something and was just bursting with giddiness. I was hyper-focused or something in the afternoon. (It may have been that Christmas Blend coffee I grabbed on the way to school...hehe!)

Friday school days conclude with Art Song Repertoire class, and I just love that class! I definitely confirmed my nerd-ship today in that class! haha! I just love the coaching sessions, the poetry, the music, the piano-voice collaborations...so cool to me! (I am positive my coach thinks I'm crazy or actually a 5-year old because I am so overtly bubbly sometimes and was definitely more so today than in diction earlier in the week!) Unfortunately, I got the shaft today when we ran out of class time for my coaching time, but I was promised we'd make that up when we meet, again.

Now....it's time for a week of rest and repose in the countryside... ;) Well-deserved and much-needed. I'll try to check-in from the dial-up side!

Cheers!


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Fabulous voice lessons AND BOGO Starbucks holiday lattes...what's not to smile about? ;)

Ta-Da!

Look at this girl go! I just got a job at The Gap. (Can anyone say, "new wardrobe"? hehe!) I am officially moving to a new apartment after the New Year. I am s-l-o-w-l-y conquering my fear of the French language and singing in it. AND I'll be flying home in 2 1/2 days! (Not that that means my to-do list and schoolwork pile disappears during that time...but it will highly possibly be somewhat neglected... Oy! So much work to do...)

Also, my diction coach told me yesterday, "Samantha, she is saying this half asleep...you are singing it like you've already had too cups of coffee. It'd probably be really hard for you to play a depressed person." Apparently, he noticed my bubbly-ness. ;) I think that was the highlight commentary of the week.

And then there was the creeper cashier at Dunkin' Donuts very blatantly giving me the up-and-down... Boy, is that a story for the books! Just ask my friend Edwin, who was with me, all about it. ;)


P.S. Those beautiful red trees I posted I photo of last time have now painted the sidewalk in red and yellow. Still beautiful! :) 

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As seen on a bus stop sign on my commute to school one morning. :) 

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Most beautiful Autumn trees I've ever seen! 
All the other trees in the park are jealous, I think. ;) 

Wow! I seriously promise that I haven't actually fallen off the face of the earth or left this blog to cyber junk! Hopefully, I have some exciting updates to come soon, though... Stay tuned and keep your fingers crossed! ;)

Home for Turkey Day holidays in only 10 DAYS!! :) I get 6 WHOLE DAYS at home! YAY!

New Photo: Revealed!

Yes, I finally decided, and here is the finished product: 

Thank you, Susan, for such beautiful photos! :) 

*Photo Credits: Susan Wilson Photography

On Cloud 9

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Ah! I have been so giddy the past 36 hours! Why, you ask? Because this lucky girl got FREE tickets to Dawn Upshaw's song recital last night! :) AND THEN...the lovely Ms. Upshaw came to my school this morning, and we chatted. ACK! Amazing. :)

Dawn Upshaw is not only a brilliant musician with a gorgeous voice and shimmering high notes, but she is also the sweetest, most down-to-earth person ever! She's the "real deal," and both her musical intentions and her personality reveal this. I was in awe just to be in her presence. (...but don't worry, I kept my cool this time...unlike the Audra experience! haha!). Some of us voice majors had a lovely chat with her for part of the morning. She kind of reminded me of my mom. ;) And seriously, that recital last night was exquisite! 

I am SO inspired right now! And the inspiration and moments of musical beauty just keep coming at me this weekend...Tonight was a concert by guest artists Alan Darling and The Mirror Visions Ensemble at the school, and tomorrow night, Haydn's Creation at Jordan Hall with the stunning voice of soprano Amanda Forsythe. Going to be FABULOUS!! (However, she is pregnant and due in a few weeks, so...say your prayers that baby doesn't come early! haha! My voice coach said that he told that baby to "stay right where you are and don't come out yet!" Oh, man!)

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Found on the wall in the room in which I was practicing this afternoon:

I definitely needed to see that today.

Today I...

...Frolicked in compound meter, was made a "queen," waltzed with the "king," learned to "draw" the score for Prokofiev's Romeo & Juliet (okay, Adriana, my professor, did it, but still...haha!)...

...practiced German pronunciation with Wolfgang Brendel's son (and a very cute one, if I may had!! Whoa!), took a walk and saw every gorgeous historical mansion I ever want to live in, ate a cookie (okay...several...), fought a case of the grumps, and ended the day wearing a feather boa with stray feathers pinned in my hair. This is what I do in a day of grad school. haha! And have I mentioned yet that I have the most wonderful teacher in the world? ;) I love my life...but HATE it when I get the grumps!! :(

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I love to watch people watch other people sing or play. I just love to watch their reactions. NOT in a bad way, but in a positive way. Sometimes, I get more enjoyment out of watching someone else enjoying the music than just listening (or singing) myself. After all, that's what this work is all about, isn't it? ;)

Also, we have the nicest security guards at my school. There are just a handful that rotate shifts, one for each building each evening, but they seem to love being a part of the work of this community. Again, it may just be me liking to make people smile with a simple, cheerful hello. :) I believe that giving cheerfulness, courtesy, and kindness will return the same to you. ;)

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

It was a bit of an up-and-down day. C'est la vie...When we stumble (literally or figuratively!) or run into some not-so-ideal moments, we learn to set ourselves back right-side-up, tidy ourselves up, and walk forward, again, with a smile, knowing life goes on and all we can do is our best. :)

I may have forgotten for a moment that I have a blog...

Oops! I assure you that neglecting to post has not been intentional. I have just been busy, busy, busy! And loving (most) every moment! I am seriously such a blessed person to be in a beautiful city, at an incredible school, and surrounded by such wonderful people.

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Genuine giggle fits. ;)

I have much to update, but I will have to hold off on that because I need to be sleeping right now! For the moment, just know that I am living and loving life! :) Also, choosing a final photo from my recent photo shoot is totally agonizing! Ack! Which to choose, which to choose?! Haha! At least, I have it narrowed down to about four...but final decision deadline is creeping up on me... :/

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Apple "picking" from the apple tree on Harvard's campus...and fabulous hair days that actually happen on photo shoot days! :)

This afternoon, I had a photo shoot for my new headshots! Yay! It went well, and I am very excited to see the contact sheets...supposedly, I should receive them in the next day or two! Thinking that choosing one is going to be rather difficult... ;) The photographer Susan was so fun, and we had a blast!

Glitter and Be Gay!

Tonight, my friend Christiana and I went to see Bernstein's Candide. So good!!! :)

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The conductor of the show was just loving on life! He was so into the music, and you could tell he was loving his job. I saw that across the whole stage, too; those people were having such fun. It was so fantastic. :)

Insomnia.

I'm terribly fatigued, and yet, sleep seems to be evading me. :-/ It was a rough day. (And by rough, I really just mean a frustrating singing day and a few can't-seem-to-do-anything-rights thrown in there for good measure.) I feel like I was living deja vu of Sarolta's methodology class in Hungary. Nem jo. (For those of you that have been reading the "chronicles of Samantha" since the beginning, you may remember mention of that. If not, it's besides the point and really doesn't matter. Being thrown to the sharks by your colleagues and looking like a total idiot doesn't exactly make for the highlight of my day, though.) Ugh. My timing is just impeccable. Ha! What a mess. It's all done and forgotten by now...except for the constant replay going through my head. :(

Up in 6 hours...tomorrow will be a mess, too, if I don't get some sleep. And certainly won't help get the voice back in line!

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Here.

The Story of What Happens When This Soprano Meets A Famous Soprano in Harvard Square

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So...last night after a concert at the school, a few of us took a walk to Harvard Square to go for a beer at a pub. While walking across the square, we were walking on the sidewalk behind a small group of people that turned out to include...Audra McDonald and Norm Lewis. Yes, this really did happen. (Even though my brain is still having trouble registering it as fact!) The pre-Broadway run of Porgy & Bess has been taking place here in Cambridge (and I have been secretly hoping I'd have a chance encounter with them!).

At first, I didn't realize that's who it was until my friend Brian asked if that was her. Then, of course, when I did realize it, I started giggling uncontrollably because I couldn't believe that this was actually happening. Apparently, I do get star struck. haha! Ridiculous! I managed to pull it together long enough to introduce us as music students and that we were just so excited to see/meet her. Audra was so sweet and let us take a picture. :) I was still giggling for hours after...and cursing myself for acting like a blibbering idiot! haha! Oh, man...  Tomorrow, some of us are going to go try to nab some standing room tickets to the matinee. (It's been sold out for weeks, so it's our only option to see the show...I stood to see Juan Diego and Diana Damrau at the Met, and I'll stand to see this show, too! hehe!)

As for that update I promised, I've kind of lost hope that I will actually catch up that far back. Just know that I seriously have a wonderful life, I am such a lucky/blessed girl, I love my school, I totally love my teacher, and they are keeping me busy, busy, busy!!!  =D  Things have been a little stressful this past week, but all will be well. ;) 

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This morning, as I was trying to juggle my messenger bag, a large box of music, and a travel mug of hot coffee in order to get it all from one building to the next, this kind man walking his dog carried my coffee for me. Sounds silly, I know, but it was the kindest thing he could have done. We had a lovely chat over the half-a-block walk to the other mansion. Thank you, Mr. Coffee-Carrier! It's the simple things in life that make it wonderful. :)

Also today, I was thrown into hot water to conduct a choir rehearsal. Say what?! Yes, the director took the boys downstairs to teach/rehearse the new pieces and left me with the girls upstairs to do the same. (For those of you that do not know, one of my graduate assistantships is to serve as assistant to the choir director for the Community Programs on Saturdays.) When she told me that's what she was going to do, terror struck my face, and I kind of wanted to go hide in the copy room next door! (Conducting and teaching a class are two things that are not my forte.) BUT...I survived and conquered! I took control of the situation and ran with it...and not to gloat or anything, but I am rather proud of myself. ;) Go me! hehe! Zoltan, my conducting teacher in Hungary, would be proud.

The rest of the afternoon/evening was spent falling over with laughter (quite literally) with my friend Christiana as we dawdled around Boston. Ridiculous! I'd blame it on the mass amount of candy corn consumed, but really, that is just life with Christiana! haha! I told her people were going to think we were drunk or that the cops were going to pull us over walking for public intoxication. It was a lot of fun, though. And have you ever seen out the front window of the subway car as it goes through the tunnels?? It's kind of creepy...reminds me of that crazy Hungarian film Kontroll that we watched in Hungarian culture class! 

I love my life!

Ack! I have over a week of a million things to catch up on...and I think there may even be some photos that are in line to be edited and posted! I will get to this at some point! Just gotta figure out when... Promise soon, though!

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Autumn is peeking in the window! Soon, the world will be painted with color, and the weather will crisp as the crunching leaves beneath my feet. AH! This is my favorite season. :) This morning, I was just bursting with happy bubbly-ness! I had a pumpkin spice latte in hand (a rare treat that the crisp weather warranted), candy corn stashed in my lunch, a pretty pashmina wrapped around me...what more could I ask for at that moment?? ;)

I am just overfilled with joy! The to-do list and work load is only piling on more and more by the day, but my life is just wonderful. My voice teacher is beyond words fantastic (and adorable!). And...yesterday, I discovered that my snazzy new ipod records my lessons with total clarity! Yay! This ipod is probably one of the best $300 I've spent; it's pretty much keeping my life together, and it's ridiculous features are helping me accomplish tasks when you think you wouldn't be able to...like practicing Italian, reading books, drafting emails, making my grocery list, making flashcards that won't fall out of my bag ans scatter everywhere, playing and hearing notes/chords/etc. on the piano...I could even learn a song if I needed to...and all while on the bus back and forth from school or whatever! (And, of course, the occasional Scrabble game...hehe!)

A "Speedy Gonzales" run-through of the past week's events to follow super soon...

Happy Birthday to Me!

A voice lesson, chocolate croissant lunch, a showering of well wishes and Facebook posts, 2 Birthday-in-a-box packages, and dinner and cupcakes with my new Boston crew. :)

Posted to be filled in with details later...it's off to bed for the birthday girl...life resumes tomorrow! ;)

Marriage Proposal.

I seriously need to be in bed because I am exhausted and didn't sleep well last night, but today was just too ridiculous to not write about it.

Today was the official first day of grad school. I woke up not feeling the best, but tea, water, neti pot, and a dose of DayQuil pushed me through the day. I was so proud of myself for being 15-20 minutes early for class, and wouldn't you know it that I would end up sitting in the wrong room. Of course, I didn't realize this until two minutes before class started and no one else was there yet. Go figure! haha! So I went upstairs and asked a random student where my class was supposed to be, since I clearly thought wrong. Turns out, it's in a hall that I didn't even know existed. And why didn't I know this? Because of course, it is inside the church down the street and not in either of the actual school buildings. Naturally. I never would have found that on my own! And my 15 minutes early turned into 5 minutes late, but all was well.

Dalcroze Eurhythmics is awesome! Adriana, the professor, is from Transylvania and is such fun. Lovely voice, too! :) I think this class is going to be really good for me.

Diction class is going to be just ridiculous. haha! Oh, man. It started off with my name being mistyped as Elizabeth, which obviously is not my name. I gave him the benefit of the doubt because there are actually quite a few Elizabeths in the incoming class, some of which are in Diction classes, but I'm not one of them. We got that straightened out, though, and although it's nerve-wracking to be coached in front of your peers, it's going to be great.

After Diction, I had a few hours, so I thought I'd come back to the house, maybe nap, get some food. Well, it took forever for the bus to come, and when it did, I ended up sitting next to this crazy old Italian dude. (You already know this is going to be ridiculous, don't you? Well, you're right!) He started to chat it up. Nice guy. However, at one point, he basically offered to be my sugar daddy and said that he'd take me to Vegas like yesterday and marry me. Say what? Wow. haha! He kept calling me "bella," and the best part, he even gave me his number and offered to buy me drinks. So now I have this random dude's number and a great story. Oh, man. I almost didn't go back to the house because the bus was taking so long, and just think, if I hadn't, I wouldn't have that hilarious moment. He did offer to pay my bills, too...why didn't I accept this offer? haha! ;)

Spent a half hour in the rain waiting for the bus to go back to the school for Cabaret class after the bus tracker told me it'd be there in 6 minutes. (What was their deal today?!) Then I asked myself why I subjected myself to Cabaret class. Adriana is also teaching it, and I'm sure stepping outside my "classical comfort zone" is going to be very good for me and even help my classical stuff. Nonetheless, I may die from all the French. I was handed two French pieces and told to be ready to sing them by next week. ACK! Guess it's time to suck it up and face my fear of French...because apparently, I can no longer run from it. This may take a miracle...

Oh, and I got a fabulous package in the mail today from composer Robert Saari! A stack of beautiful scores. He wrote songs that Lynn sang for him, and I sang some of the pieces while I was studying with her. I wrote to him asking for original copies, so I could continue to perform them, and he sent the cycle I asked for and then two others WITH a note giving me full copyright permissions. :) Super cool! I haven't ever met the guy in person, but that was so nice of him!

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A tweet by one of my friends:

"Rain is there to wash away your sadness...like a rebirth of soul." -bus conversation with a girl with down syndrome. Made my day. :) 

A beautiful weekend...and I'm stuck in bed! :(

Well, I feel like crap. I don't know what it is, be it allergies, a head cold, or whatever, but I don't care. I just want it gone NOW. :*( Instead of having an adventurous weekend exploring more around the city, I am still in bed with a terrible fogging headache, watching (or more so listening) to the Met Opera HD marathon on PBS. The only really positive thing in this whole scenario is that I do not have to do anything or be anywhere till Tuesday, but I can't start the semester in compromised shape. ACK! This is not cool.

I have quite a lot of catching up to do on events of the past week, too! Tuesday was the first day of orientation, which meant meetings basically from 10:30 to 5 and lots of meet-and-greets and small talk. My brain was on information overload, but it is all very exciting and lots of new people were/are being met.


Wednesday brought meetings for my community programs assistantship, a voice dept. meeting, and the first of the proficiency exams...music history, which I can officially report that I passed with flying colors! YAY! (I received the results just the other night.) I had felt pretty good about it, but I wasn't counting my chickens yet. haha! Oh, yes, and my voice lesson was that day...

Ah! Jayne is out-of-this-world AMAZING!!! We clicked from the moment she walked into the room. Such a sweet, effervescent, and extremely talented woman! I am honored to have the privilege of working with her and cannot wait. In the hour we spent together, a large part of which was spent discussing my vocal past, present, and future, I can only imagine the wonderful things we will accomplish. :) She is just as ridiculous as I am, so the two of us together is kind of hilarious; we both get excited about the littlest of things. hehe! 

Thursday held meetings on my favorite subject...finances and loans. NOT! Ugh. Needless to say, they just gave me a terrible headache for the rest of the day. Theory proficiency exam...never seen nor taken an exam hat difficult! Wow. Don't have to results on that one either. (And as for the second theory exam on Friday morning...oy vey! I'm proud of myself for remaining calm the whole time, though!) There was a social event at a bar a couple blocks from the school that I popped in for a bit on my way home.

Friday was the last of the exams and my diction placement audition. Nice planning to have a very tense exam right before having to sing. It went alright, though. I was not the happiest with my performance, but it's main purpose was to hear my language pronunciation, so I am not fretting too much about it. There will be a million more times that they will hear me, the good and the bad included. I also registered for classes, and unfortunately, was shut out of my Alexander Technique class. :( Lame! I'll just have to find a way to fit it in another semester. For now, I get to take European & American Cabaret instead. That should be fun! And the professor is a Hungarian-Romanian! ;) She will also be teaching my Dalcroze Eurhythmics class, as well. 

I had a few hours after all that to go back to the house and change and sort through the boxes of books Mom had sent. Then...

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It was off for an incredible evening on a private Boston Harbor cruise! :) So gorgeous! I love this place! No better way to conclude the week than seeing the skyline all lit up under clear skies with a glass (or two) of wine. Such fun! (Friday was also Xander's 3rd birthday...Happy Birthday, mister!)

Yesterday, I ran a bunch of errands, trying to ignore my sinuses and the impeding migraine I felt they were creating, until I felt like a Mack truck had smacked me upside the head. It's not a migraine and doesn't appear to be a sinus infection...but it feels the same as all that. I just want it to go away!!! Praying it's gone tomorrow...or at least by the time I wake up on Tuesday. I cannot begin the semester with illness!!!!

All smiles. :)

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Meeting my incredible new voice teacher yesterday. It is going to be amazing working with her. Just makes me smile. :)

I have to get ready for my full day of orientation meetings, events, etc., and sorting out more things for the coming semester, but I will soon catch up the crazy-packed past few days. So many wonderful things are already happening. :) I seriously already love this place and am just where I am meant to be.

Cheers!

Thankfully, Irene did not eat me.

I figured I just drop a line or two to let everyone know that Irene did me no harm. I am perfectly fine, and now, it is perfectly lovely outside, again. I got off with just some rain and gusting winds, but nothing drastic. My heart goes out to those that actually had to deal with crap dealt by her (and to the poor sea turtle that got washed up on a road by the coast! :( ).

I was stuck inside all day, though. So what do I decide to do? Bake cookies, of course. Naturally! haha! However, it did not end up as wonderfully as I had planned. I do not like the oven that I have to work with one bit, and it ruined my cookies. :( They taste okay, but they are no longer the same cookies I set out to bake. *Sigh*

I also spent the day reading Jane Eyre. I am hooked! Why have I waited so long to read this book?! (It could be that I hated her sister's book, Wuthering Heights, about as much as I am enjoying this book! ha!) I can't say that I wasn't doing something intellectual, but it did distract me from studying for my exams...ugh. I am probably subconsciously (...or consciously...) avoiding it, because of the daunting amount of info and the reality that I most likely will have to take the review courses. Not a terrible thing. C'est la vie. But it will add to my workload, despite their zero credit status. Oh, well. All will be as it was meant. ;)

Orientation begins tomorrow...ACK! The madness is about to really begin... Nervous, excited, ready for it, not ready at all, happy, overwhelmed, slightly daunted, not sure what is really to come, but knowing there is a bigger purpose driving me to continue this path, which some say I've chosen...and I sometimes feel has chosen me. (Only time will reveal that one.) Let's do this!

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Finding this in the archives: Wisdom....and, of course, this.

Cheers!

Off in Massachusetts...

...The sun shines, but sometimes it rains...and there is the occasion threat of an oncoming tropical storm via the lower East Coast.
...Even if you obey pedestrian crosswalk laws, you may still be nearly murdered by a careless car that plows through without mercy at 80mph.
...There are a million things to do and amazingly lovely places to see, although your map may lie to you as to what some particular places actually are, so you will be momentarily disappointed...and then end up inadvertently on the lovely Harborwalk.
...You meet tons of wonderfully nice people...and some not so nice that you just must ignore.
...Everyone and anyone takes the T, so you certainly meet a diverse crowd of characters.
...It is like Ivy League sea out here between all these smarty pants schools...sometimes I feel super intelligent to be amongst them...and sometimes the complete opposite.
...It is interesting to observe the various reading material each person carries on to the train/bus, with the range being from the newspaper/magazines to kindles/books...today, while I was reading Jane Eyre (something I admittedly have not read yet and finally decided to pick up after many friends' recommendations...very good thus far!), the girl next to me on the train was reading Tina Fey's new book...and then the guy next to me on the bus pulled out The Picture of Dorian Gray (which I actually also have never read...we'll leave it at my high school was not exactly the keenest in curriculum, sadly).
...Every day I pass the Harvard Law School, my first thought is always of Legally Blonde...I think this may be a sad example of Hollywood's influence on our lives! haha!
...Encountering freshman move-in day in Harvard Square makes you laugh at the overheard conversations of crazed parents...and crazed yourself when walking amongst the wall-to-wall traffic through all of Cambridge. (Wouldn't you loved to have done that for me, Mom and Dad? Ha! I think my dad would've died!)

The list of things could go on forever. Boston is seriously amazing, and its possibilities seem endless. So much to see, do, observe, and be a part of. I feel almost like an "expat" living in a new culture at times; I fit in, but there is always that objective perspective that appears when one is observing the newness and/or oldness around them.

Unfortunately, this has been a fairly rough week, but all will be well. Since my last post, I've explored Back Bay, the Public Gardens, Boston Common, Beacon Hill, a bit of the waterfront, a strolls through North End, along Esplanade/Charles River, and over much of Mass Ave. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! Back Bay with its colorful, vibrant streets is filled with life and fun little shops to browse. Newton Street, Commonwealth, Beacon Street...they are like a step to another world almost. Same in the North End and Charles Street on Beacon Hill; even the Starbucks signs are tailored to create a facade like another time era. I am in love with the green spaces scattered liberally around the city, places of rest and repose, picnicking and leisurely strolls. Yesterday, I decided against a grand exploration and headed for Boston Common, where I laid for a few hours reading, listening to music by Sara Bareilles and Jack Johnson, and cloud watching. :)

Then today, with the imminent threat of thunderstorms, I thought I might be stuck inside, but alas, I ventured to the Charles River and meandered a bit on the Esplanade and settling on an Adirondack chair on a dock while the winds created a lovely mix of cool and warmth. It never did storm, although a few sprinkles ended my lounging and persuaded me back across the river.  Even rainy days bring a bit of sunshine, though. :)

☼Sun Drop☼
I continually keep running into this design everywhere and in various forms of products bearing it. I very much like it. :) 

☼Sun Drop☼
The street I live on is between two bus stops, and if I get off at the first one, I see this:

Even when it rains, there are blue skies somewhere in Boston. ;) I so would live in this house! Just for the amazing terrace, alone! hehe! (I miss my balcony...)

Today, I ran into Alex while I was on my way to the school. (He is the admissions director and also a main recruiter in my being here...he met me for coffee to talk about the program/school/etc. while he was on a business trip in Ohio last year.) It was a welcome face to see. I am stressed about the exams and the overwhelming amount information about to be thrown at me, but I am so excited to begin school! Here we go adventure (and butt-kicking, meaning they are going to kick mine!)! Also, have I mentioned yet how much I seriously love Boston? ;)

This all still seems so surreal; I feel like I am in some alter-universe or something. I've been here a week now, and it seems like it's been much longer. In a good way, of course! I have settled in quite quickly. I thought there would be a huge "adjustment" period, but I feel like I have just fallen in step (a la Mary Poppins's "Step in Time" haha! ...and I've definitely been doing A LOT of walking!). Still lots of stuff to figure out and much more orienting to be done in my brain, but life is good. God is good to me, and I feel very content about this decision. :) Now, I just need to make some new friends in this place...

After practicing, my plans to explore Back Bay and the South End were thwarted by a sudden torrential thunderstorm. At first, I was slightly irritated, but then, I found myself laughing as I ran through Cambridge in the rain. It was actually a welcome relief for the cool water to splash around because it was extremely hot! Unfortunately, it stopped raining just as quickly as it began and became steamy heat. :-/ Oh, well. It was fun while it lasted. :) More melty heat tomorrow... Blech!

In other news, my friend Anthony may be coming to visit on Monday and Tuesday...crossing fingers!! And according to a photocopy of a computer printout that was mailed to me a month or so ago (tacky, right?! yikes! That so would not fly on Project Runway! haha!), tomorrow afternoon is my 5-year high school class reunion...at an aesthetically unpleasing park pavillion. Oh, boy! Am I saddened to be missing it? Ha! That'd just be a hot mess! Don't have a desire to go to any...although I think it would be highly amusing to show up to a reunion one day dripping in jewels, a kick-ass outfit, and a gorgeous man on my arm (a la The Wedding Date...real or hired would do the trick!) Muahaha! Perhaps... ;) 

Lastly, I'll leave you tonight with a smidge of wisdom that I saw quoted on someone's bag on the T this afternoon: "Do something every day that scares you." :)

A Sunny Day in Harvard Square

☼Sun Drop☼

Just one reason why I love Harvard Square...coming up out of the T and seeing this. :)

I only stopped at Harvard Square to grab a bottle of water on my way to the Museum of Fine Art, but that image has made me smile ever since that moment.

The museum: awesome! Sadly, the Chihuly visit ended the day I arrived in Boston. :( So lame! However, I did get to see the Monet Cathedrals series on loan from Musee de Orsay and some absolutely stunning van Goghs, Renoirs, and other Monets! It also always blows my mind when I see things that were created in 200AD or whenever that are still in incredible shape! I mean, I understand that there is restoration and preservation involved, but still. The impeccable details are still there despite the wears of time. Basically, if you want something to last thousands of years, make it in marble (and just pray that limbs and noses won't be lost! haha!)!


I stood/sat staring at the impressionist paintings for probably a half hour. I am just in awe by them. Here are a couple of photos I took that turned out well. (I look anxiously forward to the day when I can afford one of those lovely Nikon digital cameras with a manual zoom lens... *sigh*)

I seriously love this city! I am so meant for this place. Sometimes, I forget that I am still in the U.S. That may seem silly, but it is true. It is at once a quintessentially "American" city and seemingly not on this continent. It feels so "European"; my senses forget that I am still on this side of the world...the languages I hear surrounding me, the city squares, the green spaces sprinkled all around the buildings, the old architecture, the T/subway, the museums! The only times in my life I've seen all these things in one place have been in my travels overseas. (My brain also wants to slip into "foreign language communication" mode...which is sometimes true between East Coast English and Mid West English! haha!) Additionally, I love how there have been numerous occasions when I have been asked for directions/information. My favorite game...fool the locals that I am a local! Muahaha! I think I've got this place under control. What do you think? ;)  (Although, I, without fail, get lost in the streets around Harvard Square. It's not like it's difficult, either!)

I am so tired lately, so it's off to bed now. Plus, I need to start inching my schedule up so I am not a zombie once school begins, and I have to be up at dawn! Studying for these entrance exams are stressing me out, too, so that is wearing down my alertness, too. (Prayers I pass the proficiencies please!) New mattress foam came this afternoon, so hopefully that will give me a better night's sleep and pull the kinks out of my neck!


Tomorrow: grocery shopping...and hopefully my throat will be doing better, so I can practice!

Oh My Smurfs!

I think I may have jinxed myself by putting a "Singin' in the Rain" photo with my "Sun Drops" intro...because it's been raining here nonstop since before dawn. I don't mind it per say, but I hope that's not a sore throat I feel coming on now! That just will not be acceptable! Nonetheless, the rain has given me an excuse to wear my pink floral rain boots, again. ;)  (I am definitely going to have to get me a bigger umbrella, though!)

This afternoon, I bounced my way over to the school for a bit of practice. The "pipes" are feeling a little squeaky right not, but I am sure they will be fine once I get acclimated to the new environments and weather patterns. I wanted to do some exploring, but the rain hindered that, and then my throat started feeling scratchy. (Plus, I almost died crossing street! Literally. I was almost 80mph road kill. Dude, Mass drivers are the worst I've ever seen! I'm thanking my lucky stars right now and going to be looking 17 times before I cross anymore streets!!!) On my walk back to the house from the bus stop, however, I did venture into a couple really cute little shops on the block. :)

☼Sun Drop☼
I love moments when I find myself witnessing courtesy amongst total strangers and also returned smiles even when the first smile was never directed at anyone. :) 

Revealing my next "project"...

"The sun itself sees not till heaven clears." ~Shakespeare

  

Sun Drops

Here it is! I am calling my new project "Sun Drops." Kind of cutesy/cheesy, I know, but I think that makes it all the more appropriate. Plus, I really like it. :) (Yes, I am also aware that it is a soda brand...and a candy, but I don't care.) Each post, I am going to post something that makes/made me smile. It could perhaps be a quote, a simple photo, a piece of art, a story, a website...basically anything. I am also hoping to incorporate more photography into this new theme (mostly my own, but I'll be snitching some others along the way). I suppose it isn't too much different from my gratitudes project, just a bit broader in the scheme of things. I haven't decided on a "quota" for this one yet...I suppose I'll just go with it till I come up with another brilliant idea! ;) 

"Count your smiles instead of your tears. Count your courage instead of your fears." ~Annonymous 

Here we go, bluebird...

My sincerest apologies for ignoring the blog this past month! Life has been pretty overwhelming, and besides a daily email check, I tried to take a sort of hiatus from the connected world while I was at home. Additionally, I have decided to "reveal my new project" in the next post, and I am sorry for extending the anticipation.

My time at home always seems so brief. There are days I wish that wasn't so (and others when not so much! haha!). I spent the days watching too much Project Runway with my little sister, playing with my nephew, random gallivanting, and getting my stuff together for this move. Our campfire was rained out and too many mosquitoes or overcast skies to lay out stargazing, but nonetheless, I appreciate my time at home...always makes it hard to leave, again.

Xander says "Happy Mother's Day" to everyone and for anything and even has a song now:

I am sorry to say I did not take very many photos, but I guess I lived the moments anyhow. Mom took lots of great pics, which I'll have to nab from her sometime, but here are a few I took:

And now, I am officially in Boston. Here we go, bluebird, on the "great Boston adventure". Let's see if my wings will carry me. ;) I arrived on Thursday afternoon via our neighbor Larry who was on his way to New Hampshire. (We won't talk about the drama of packing the car's trunk the evening before...oy!) New experiences are certainly overwhelming to begin, and I cannot deny a feeling of homesick, surrounded by everything new and uncertain...always the hope of finding a familiar face among the strangers but never finding one. Just takes some adjusting. Yesterday, I took a trip to Trader Joe's...nothing like a trip there with such nice people working there to set you upright a bit, though. ;)

There is a reason God put me here in this place at this time...I just don't know it yet. I can only hope that He will reveal it to me in due time. The lady I rented a room from is very nice but rather particular about things, and the room is fine, too. Shower sucks and no cable. :( Guess I'll have to "make it work," as Tim Gunn would say. haha! All takes time to be comfortable, though. I was certainly spoiled by my placed in Columbus. (Definitely missing that wonderful apartment!) Yet, when I step outside to the street, I somehow know just how to do what I need to...like I "belong"...or maybe I'm just growing up and learning to better spread my own wings. It took three stores to find salt for my neti pot, but I found it. I even got off at the right bus stop! Go me! ;) I opened the door for the older guy behind me at the last store, and he looked me in the eyes, said thank you with a big smile, and then said it, again, when we passed at the counter. Maybe it's the "mid-western, small town girl" influences in me, because that's just what we do, but it made me smile that he smiled. Now that is what life is supposed to be like. (All that sort of leads to the idea of my new project...not to hint or anything. hehe!)

I experienced a sense of calm within when I was here during my audition for some reason, and that odd sense seems to return when I set about on my way. I don't understand it, but we'll just call it feeling God's presence. Plus, it is very beautiful here. :) For now, it is one breath at a time and lots of prayer! I think the tears I didn't shed the past few months are catching up with me. Perhaps, (okay, certainly) I am overreacting; that's just my melodramatic nature. However, this has been a huge move for me, and that must be a point of understanding.

Unfortunately, the school buildings are closed on the weekends during the summer and by 6pm during the week, so I won't  be getting back to my practicing till Monday. Not sure what nonsense persuaded me to take a room where I cannot practice... Wow, I didn't think I would miss my old apartment so much! I begin orientation at the school on the 30th, so till then, I have lots of studying to do for my entrance exams, so hopefully that will occupy me enough to lessen the homesickness. As I learned when I was living in Hungary, distance doesn't really mean anything, whether I am 225 miles, 500 miles, or 6000 miles, it all becomes the same. Thankfully, hi-speed internet will be coming to my home in PA (aka the land of dial-up), so Skype will finally be a constant reality soon! :)

Off to walk to Harvard Square, get a T pass, and scope out a bit. It's about an hour's walk, but I think it'll do me some good to clear my head. :)

The Final Boxes and Tying Up the Last Strings

The day has come...it's moving day! Mom will be in town later this afternoon, and we'll start loading it up. (Praying it will all fit in the car! ACK! A little nervous about that...:/) I turn in the keys at 11am tomorrow morning. My dear, sweet balcony!! *sigh* (haha! I am so over-the-top about that silly balcony! I just love it, though!) We'll have one last evening out there for pizza, music, and chats...and maybe the skies will be clear for a bit of star gazing.

I was just chatting with my boss's sister Gwyn about how exciting it is and how you just go for it...basically, how do you do it? You just do...and think later! haha! Next stop: Boston...via a few weeks in PA, of course... ;) Let's do this ridiculousness! And hang on to your hats, everyone; this is going to be quite the adventure in the book of this soprano's life! :)

And so it is that here we are also at the end of my Project 365: A [Representative] Year in Gratitudes. (Some of you may remember when I started it...if not, the link will lead you back to my introductory post on the project.) It only took me...nearly three years...haha! I did put a disclaimer that it wouldn't literally be completed in 365 days!

My timing is quite good, though, as I finish one chapter of my life and enter a new one. Now, it is time for my next project. (Don't worry! You're gonna love it! I know I do...) Stay tuned! I'll reveal it in my next post! hehe!

Gratitude 365
This morning, Noni took me to breakfast at Tommy's Diner. So adorable and fantastic! 1950s-esque "dive" dinner that is just perfectly kitsch. Fabulous food, great service, and great company! She got me the cutest little gifts, too. These people just spoil me to bits! ;) Thanks, Noni & co.!

In addition to the last gratitude in the project, I am immensely thankful for what these past 5 years in Columbus have been/done for me. It's been a great (and occasionally bumpy) ride full of thousands of memories, friends, and lessons lived and learned. It's been exactly what was meant and needed at that point in my life, and I've grown in countless ways. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this episode of my life. (((hugs)))    (Sorry for the ending sap, but I wanted to add a quick word of my overall gratitude for this chapter of my life!)

The Social Butterfly's Recent Flight

Gratitude 364
It's been a full few days of social activities! Love it! Tonight, Chad and I went to dinner at Level...awesome! And then spent two and half hours chatting and sharing a bottle of wine and dessert. Then, my friends Jennie and Kristin came over...we dragged my little TV out on the balcony and watched La sonnambula with Natalie Dessay, Juan Diego Florez, and Jennifer Black. Yes! What could be better than late night opera watching on the balcony?! Only one more night with my beautiful balcony...*sigh* :/

Tuesday night, I spent the evening with Barb, Tim, and the girls. They baked a cake, we had dinner, watched Despicable Me, and then I read them some last bedtime stories before heading home. I'm going to miss the random times at their house. I told Barb that I have adopted myself to their family...every time I go there, I spill water on the floor, and as my mom would attest, she has the cleanest floor in front of the couch from my ever-spilling clumsiness...or stupidity! haha! ;)

"We'll have some more sangria in here, please!" ;)

The Fourth of July this year went from zero plans to the best plans ever! First, Noni's, and then, Barb's cook-out. I wasn't exactly in the "picnic" mood when I got there; my mind was just overwhelmed with life. But it turned out to be such an awesome time! It was too hot to stay outside, so we kept the quaint party indoors. Just a few family friends of theirs. Last minute, a couple that had just gotten back in the country from ten months in Vienna came. Little did I know that Tony and Christine Gonzaga were opera singers...and Tony is a member of the Volksoper Wien. Awesome! He told me he had also sung at the Budapest State Opera, too! So cool!

Gratitude 363
We had lovely appetizers, steaks, pasta salad, peach sangria, coffee, ice creams, cakes...all super delicious! Christina and I were at the corner of the table giggling, chatting, and joking away. She was fun. Everyone was! After all that yummy food, little Gretchen entertained us on her violin, and Barb played a bit of piano. Then, Tony asked if I was going to sing for them. Say what? After sangria and all those other terrible things for your voice? Plus, I haven't been feeling very grand vocally.  I somehow got coaxed into singing some Baby Doe. Maybe it was the sangria...or the fact that I didn't actually know how big a deal he was...but my high notes were suddenly much freer than they have been! After I was finished he said, "We'll have some more sangria in here, please!" so I'm going to take that as he enjoyed it. ;) Then, he sang an aria from Tosca, while sitting in an arm chair across the room, and basically blew the roof off the house! :)

*  *  *  *  *  *

Five more days in Ohio! ACK! I'm kind of frazzled by the craziness and overload of logistics that moving your entire life to a new location requires! Social events practically every evening (some evening even more than one!) till I pack up the car. I don't mind that, though...that's the fun part. ;) Thursday, my cousin Renee and her husband who live here came to go to dinner and ice cream. She's having a baby, too, so I got to see her cute little baby bump! hehe! Last night, it was "diva night" with Sarah...dinner and escapades...that was interesting but definitely fun! Tonight, may actually be a quiet night in...but not certain that will be the luck. The apartment is quite bare and too quiet now...maybe this evening calls for movies on the balcony... ;)

Escape to Apple Valley

Gratitude 362
This afternoon, Q and I drove up to Noni's (Gloria) house in Apple Valley for a visit. The short afternoon of rest and respite was much loved. :) Wonderful chats, great food, wine and tea, lovely countryside, a gorgeous log home!, and simplicity. My only wish is that our visit did not have to be so brief...

On our drive up there, the roads were long stretches of winding paths through the countryside. Simply beautiful on a sunny day (and HOT!). We passed row upon row of wild tiger lilies...and suddenly, we found ourselves pulling over to the side of the road and myself running 1/4 mile back (of course, Q couldn't have stopped closer!) to leap the bank and grab a handful. Seriously, this is the stuff of a movie scene or something. I am certain it was quite the sight for the passersby with my pink floral skirt flowing in the breeze and all! haha! So ridiculously whimsical! ;) Love it!

*  *  *  *  *  *

Yesterday, my roommate came by to load up some furniture in the early morning. (She took away my beloved balcony furniture! The horror! Sad day.) So, that spun me into a 5 or 6 hour spree of breaking down and starting that packing bit. Ugh. It honestly isn't bad. Moving is always the beginning of a new adventure. Nonetheless, it is harder than I thought it would be to leave this beautiful apartment. I just love it, and it has been a wonderful home for the past two years. And my balcony!!

It is also a weird feeling when I realize that once I leave here in 11 days (ACK!), I won't be returning for an indefinite amount of time and most likely never again to live, though one never actually knows where life will place them. I was talking with my friend Haley today, and she felt the same...you think it'll be so easy just to pack up and go, but being in a place for five years, one inevitably makes ties to it in the form of people, places, etc. But I guess that's why there is Facebook...and airplanes! ;)

*  *  *  *  *  *

I got a call cancelling nannying tomorrow, so my Independence Day is open for leisure, a BBQ w/ Barb and her family, hopefully catching up on some neglected work, and the community fireworks that are set off on campus. I think I'm going to skip out on the "parade" in the a.m...unless it's the Macy's Thanksgiving or Disney Christmas, it's not exactly my biggest holiday fancy. Happy 4th of July!

Gratitude 361

Campus is glittering with the glow of lighting bugs. They are like little Tinker Bells. :)
(Probably connected to the fact that I love glittery things! hehe!)

*  *  *  *  *  *

Today, I applied for yet another loan to pay for my life/career/etc... One day, I'll actually be able to afford to pay them back...right? :/ On the plus side, I crossed another line off my "Boston" to-do list! Life is expensive.

Also, can I just add that last night I got the cutest (and most random!) email from the lady I am renting the room from in Boston: "I'll reply in a day or two. All's well. Will look forward to you staying here. .... Jason is a dear."  (Jason is a former tenant of her's that I spoke with last week about the room.) I'd confirmed the room literally a day prior to this. I haven't even met this lady yet, and she already cracks me up! These coming months are going to be quite the adventure! ;)

Destination: Boston -- Update

Attention, everyone! I have a very important announcement...

Gratitude 360
I HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE IN BOSTON!!! Indeed, it's true. I succeeded in the thought-to-be-impossible task of finding a place on a nearly zero budget in the third most expensive city in the country without actually going in person. It's not your "traditional" set-up, of course...it's a room in the house of a 72 year old lady who has some associations with the school at which I will be studying. This could be super great! ...or super not. I do know that, regardless, it's going to make for a pretty great story 10 or 20 years from now. haha! ;) It's not a "permanent" situation but a good move to get myself started in a new city, and later if I find a different place, I can move in 6 months or a year. Life adventure, let's go!

Approximately 2 1/2 weeks left in Ohio! ACK!

*  *  *  *  *  *

I got a message asking to go in and open the bakery this morning. Opens much later on Mondays, so I was okay with that. I got the email about the room after that. Then, I had to go nanny...in the first hour, the three year old peed his pants, which led to bath time, he hit his head the sink in the bathroom, then he threw a flailing temper tantrum while running around naked, and once calmed down and dressed, spilled juice. Oof! Thankfully, once he got that all out of the way in that hour, the subsequent hours were fine. Such is my life!

My friend Sarah came over for dinner and chats. Then we went to get smoothies across the street. When she left, I visited Sara (the other one) for a bit. Again, I didn't accomplish much after I got home today. So tired lately. :( Off to bed here in just a bit and hopefully more alert, focused, and energetic tomorrow. ;)

Xander, Butterflies, Slushies...and MORE sugar!

I've been going to write for several days now, but I've either not had the time or been too tired. I love writing, but anytime it's been a long time since the last post, I continually put it off because there is so much to catch up on. So many things to say!


Gratitude 358
Last Tuesday night, Jessi and Xander came to visit. They got in late at night, and we went straight to bed...that is, after we calmed X down! haha! The next day, he was up bright and early. We made carrot cookies...

...made telescopes out of empty paper towel and toilet paper rolls, went for a walk to the library, the coffee shop and the bakery, and then went to see the butterflies!

Xander throwing coins into the pond: "I make a veesh!" (wish)

He loved it! But he wanted nothing to do with them touching him! haha! Just like his Aunt Sam. ;) I worked up the nerve to catch one on my finger for him to see up close and personal. That was all fine...even when it was climbing on my arm...but then it got freaked out and went for my neck! ACK! I still get the heebie jeebies just thinking about it. *shiver*

After about an hour and a half there, he fell asleep practically the second we strapped him into his seat. Since he was asleep, Jess and I went for an adventure driving downtown looking for a couple of places she wanted to visit and then hit a thrift store before heading back to my place.

Getting this kid to eat anything but sugar is quite interesting. At breakfast, we sat eating Cinnamon Toast Crunch, and he pointed to a basket of fruit they had brought me and said, "Happy Mother's Day!" Apparently they taught him to say that, and now, he says it for everything. Hilarious! We got take out for dinner, and it took convincing him that he had to save the chicken nuggets from the Toy Story aliens to get him to eat...while he jumped an obstacle course through my living room! haha! He got a kick out of playing in a giant box I acquired for packing, though. ;)

Seriously, that kid is so intelligent. He knows everything and responds to everything. Were we that way when we were two?

They left late Wednesday night after we went to get ice cream. Xander was certainly sugared up on his visit to Aunt Sam's!

Xander named his friend "Fish".

*  *  *  *  *  *

Friday, there was a party, or rather a small get-together, at The Rossi (a kind of "classy" bar downtown) for my boss's boyfriend's 40th birthday thrown together by my boss's brother. After work, Quinton, my new friend Sara (I know a million Sara(h)'s!), and I headed over after closing the bakery for some wine and pizza. Good times! I love those types of things. :) ...But I don't want to even know what that tab looked like! YIKES!

I had to be up to open the bakery the next morning, too...Samantha does not do well on pretty much no sleep! I survived, though.

Gratitude 359
Saturday night, Sara and Q popped over to my place for tea, music listening, and chats on the balcony. Made my day. :)

Sunday morning, I was up bright and early at 6:30am because I agreed to sing for Chad at the church...both services. He took me out to breakfast at Bob Evan's in between services, too. He's such a good friend! I love making people's day just by merely singing a simple song. That is why I do what I do. The music was absolutely no frills and just a strophic hymn setting, but that didn't matter; all that mattered was the simple act of sharing it and using my voice for His good. Everyone who "gets it" in this career always says that it isn't about you. And that's real life. If you are doing it right, it isn't about you.

The rest of the day was very unproductive. I'd been battling sinus headaches and such for a few days straight, so I just sprawled on the couch till I had to go into the bakery for a bit. Two Tylenol and about a gallon of Pepsi later, I was feeling better. (I know, both terrible things for me, but usually, they're the only things that help.)

Side note: When Q was cleaning the bakery Saturday night, he found these sample packets in a box of flour bags of some sort of probiotics especially for nasal issues. Random. But I tried them, and I actually think they might be working...not really any issues today. Go figure...they are like $40 a bottle! ha! 

My friend Haley called up while I was working and asked if I wanted to go see a movie later, so we did. Yay! She's one of my favorites! We saw Bad Teacher...don't waste your money! Amusing but not good at all. Jason Segel was the best part of that movie. I don't think the two of us were the right crowd for that humor, either. :-/ On the bright side, it was great to see her. Now, our mission is to find her a music-related job in Boston, so we can find a place together and have even more crazy epic adventures together! ;)