New

Everything in my life is new right now. I'm settled into my new home in Baltimore. I finished an insanely exhausting week of trying to test out of review classes, trying to make new friends, and trying to figure out how to register for all the classes I need to take this semester at Peabody.

And I miss my family so much that it hurts today.

A few things are not new: the old intimidation of wanting to do well in school. Wanting to prove myself in the new opera department (of 115 students). The exciting/somewhat stressful fun of being in classes again. That feeling of "oh man, I forgot that I had that thing to do today".

But the weather here in good ol' Balmer is so lovely this week. Yes, it's still thick with humidity, but the winds are nice and the evenings are perfect. I love being down at the harbor. I know, I know, I'm such a tourist. But I love the people busy with seeing sights alongside me- they like to be there, and I like to be there. So I don't mind being touristy. I'll say it: I like it :)

Another new thing I've discovered, is that it's very easy to be negative here: The humidity, the city smog, the danger of living downtown, that singer who looked at me funny, the amount of classes, the lack of internet availability, the lack of close friends who really love what I love, the competition. But I've also discovered that, be it just my personality or my age, it's pretty easy so far to just be myself here. I love pretty things. I drinking tea from tea cups. I love walking outside (good thing, 'cause I don't have a car...). I love meeting new people. I love learning new things. I love to look at the brighter side of things, even if others are looking at the negative. And I love singing. I love the music. I love being able to sing it into people's souls, whether they realize it or not. I love acting with the music and words. I love being able to like the fact that I like these things, and I love being able to try my hardest to not let that change just because I'm in a new place. I love to try and use nice language, when no one else is. I love knowing that I have some really, really good heart friends, even if they're not here with me now. I hold onto you, just so you know. You get me through the day, even though I don't get to talk to you as much as I'd like.

I hope that none of this changes during my stay here at Peabody. I really hope that I can maintain my seemingly lighter outlook and somewhat simpler loves and likes.

Sorry for the randomness of this post. It's kind of all I've got in me right now.

Love you.

A

SIX

I've been tagged by my

cute pregnant sister Caroline to list

of my favorite things.

So here goes, but in no particular order.

UN:

I love kid's music.

I love all kinds of music,

but I still listen to tapes I've had since I was little,

and teaching for the past two years, I've accumulated even more!

And I love Disney.

Anything Disney.

Thus the particular song selections in my music-shuffle.

I figure that someday I might grow out of this,

but by then I'll probably have kids of my own and they'll listen to it,

therefore I'LL have to listen to it, so what's the point? :)

DEUX:

My family.

I love them.

Even more now that I live in Balmer, and they're so far away in Tejas.

They're grrrrrreat! (Tony the Tiger) The Best!(Nacho Libre)

TROIS:

I love quoting.

Movies ("Good, because I was gonna take them out."),

Oddessey's ("Oh Brandon, oh he's such a nice guy"),

Radio("heeeeheaewaer"- only Chason would get this.. the horse),

Tv ("Bears. Beets. Battlestar Gallactica.),

Commercial Jingles (800-588-2300, emPIRE),

Commercials ("How's it going, mom?" "mmm GWAPE!")

Now, I'm perfectly capable of carrying on a decent,

mature conversation,

but nothing adds to a sentence like a good quote,

complete with the proper voices.

QUATRE:

Kohen.

He's just the funniest little thing.

I can't wait for the next two little stork bundles to get here!

;)

It's gonna be fun.

Check this out:

CINQ:

Adventuring.

I enjoy going new places

and, for the most part, meeting new people

(though some are very grumpy and rude)

Today, I plan on taking my bike and doing a little city-seeing!

Here's a new place for you to see:

My new little appy.

(apartment)

SIX:

I enjoy rapping in opera.

Never heard it?

Ok, try this.

Think of any rap-ish sort of song you know,

or it could be any song with poorer diction,

and sing it with impeccable diction, and clear tone.

Try as an example:

Rap:

"I won't tell you that I love you,kiss an' hug you

'cause I'm bluffin' with my muffin

I'm not ly'n, I'm just stunnin' with my love

glue-gunnin'.

Opera-Rap:

I will not tell you that I love you, kiss and hug you

because I am bluffing with my muffin

I am not lying, I am just stunning with my love

glue gunning.

BAHAH

I laugh every time.

Maybe you have to hear it.

My family sure loves it.

;)

And there are my six for today, my peeps.

Holla' if you're feelin' it.

You're never fully dressed...

without a smile!

So Kohen has a new "smile"- NO idea where it came from, but it's hilarious, and he mostly uses this new smile when looking at my dad- dad doesn't know what to think of this. 

But isn't it such a winning smile?!

Gals after my own heart

I love writing and sending letters.

But I think that I love stationery even more.

I watched "Last Chance Harvey" for the first time,

and when Kate is being set up on a blind date with a man "in stationery"

and she says "I love stationery," I yelled "ME TOO!" 

A gal after my own heart.

Why, walking through the Dollar Spot at Target is a dangerous thing-

There's always a perfectly perfect little set of notecards positively calling my name.

And of course I answer the call.

It's the Dollar Spot.

How can I not?

Ingenious bit of advertising they've got going on at Target...

And as I bought a new cell phone last week 

and the salesman plugged on and on

about different text messaging packages I could get,

I couldn't help but think of how nobody writes letters anymore!

People spend hundred's of dollars per month 

to have internet and texting capabilities on their phones so that

they can message anytime they want,

but I bet if you asked every single one of them,

they'd tell you how they get excited when checking the mail everyday,

even if all they get is bills, and that they'd be 

THRILLED to get a letter from anyone.

How personal and thoughtful is it to receive a letter!

The picture above is the "stationery wardrobe" of a woman who wrote

this article.

Ahhh, another gal after my own heart.

And did you know that 150ish years ago and before,

 letter writing was a predominantly male art form?

Of course, I shouldn't have been surprised to read that, 

since practically everything back then was ruled by men.

I must say that I'm glad times have changed,

although I would not mind at all a guy who could wield some power with a pen,

and have stellar handwriting.

Keep in mind, oh future man o' mine.

So now I'm off to make a plate of cookies to go alongside

a nice spot of tea, 

and watch Lost in Austen

while I dust off my fountain pens.

Here's another link to an interesting site:

The art of Manliness

My favorite boy

My nephew is the most adorable little boy in the world. 

I love him so much.

And I hate him a little bit, since I think

that whenever I have my own kids,

they might not be as cute.

It's hard to imagine :)

Enjoy his then-newfound game of peek-a-"doo".

Birth Day.

 I was born to this song:

Dad was watching the movie in the hospital,

and mom was rethinking their marriage.

Spend two minutes and listen to the very end.

Just imagine it...

Do I maybe make a little more sense, now? ;)

HA

Update!

So, it's been a while, and so much has been going on!

In the Family:

Caroline turned 23 in March- we're getting so oldish! crazy....  

Fun cake with feisty napkins, 

and we got Mom to play some Nirvana 

on Guitar Hero Rock band.

Drums are all in the family now, right, Uncle Young?

(and notice Caroline's crown....)

Kohen will turn ONE next week! I can't believe it's been a whole year! 

He's walking, talking (okay, just four little wordies), 

and working on growing two more teeth!

He likes to discover new sounds to make with his mouth, 

and he LOVES to play with his soccer ball. SO cute!!

A few days old: Almost a year old!:

In the "professional" life:

I had my last rehearsal with my kid's church choir. 

We had a party :) I'll miss those kids!

I had my debut on the opera stage! 

Singing with Fort Worth Opera, I had the small solo role

of Mrs. Charleton. My line: 

"I can't tell you how I've praaaaaaaaayed for ooooone, Sister Catherine."

Yes, about a pot holder.  Count on me to get one of the only Lucille Ball lines of the whole opera.

And CHECK OUT my costume. Please, hold your selves back. I know it's just about too much attractive to deal with in one person.. The frizzy ponytail, the jean skirt and shirt that looks like wallpaper peeled from the walls of cheap hotel, both 4 sizes too big... too bad I didn't get a picture of the shoes. Those babies were stellar.

Here's a picture of me with my cousin's boyfriend: 

We didn't meet until our first rehearsal- such a small world!!

And a picture of the set from backstage. 

Seriously. One of the coolest things I've done up to date.

It's amazing. I can't wait to do more.

And on a Final Note:

The decision's made- I'm MOVING TO MARYLAND!!!

I'll be attending the Peabody Conservatory of Music

to get my Master's in Voice Performance! Woohoo!

A few pics of my to-be stomping grounds:

snowing! :

workers "working":

If you come visit me, I'll take you to the harbor and we'll visit the aquarium!

Yes, I'm bribing you. I miss you already. 

But we WON'T eat this: promise. Worst Valentine's Dinner EVER.

The latte was good, though. :)

And that's about it for now! Lots of new, exciting things going on! :)

Have a great day, peoples!

Cheers