February 2012
3 posts
It’s days like today when I feel like I don’t have enough time in the day to be the musician I want to be.
My jazz/pop ensemble hosted a jazz vocalist today, giving a scat-singing workshop/demo. As we talked briefly about the history of jazz, and some of the foundations, I realized that I wish I knew more about it. Now, I have jazz recordings on my laptop (mostly vocal), and I played...
January 2012
4 posts
So, I realized this morning that the times I feel blah the most are the times I go for longer periods without church, or choir rehearsal. I hadn’t been to church since Christmas Eve, and I had a bummer of a week. But this morning, thanks to an especially wonderful service, I feel less mopey.
New Years resolutions. I usually don’t make them, because lets face it I don’t keep...
December 2011
4 posts
2011 in retrospect
Today, of course, is New Years Eve. So it’s time to reflect on the past year, as I like to do.
2011… you sure were interesting. Started off the year with the best NYE celebration I’ve ever had… apples to apples and a jug of sangria with a few close friends. Celebrated my 28th birthday with a silly dance party with the undergrads. Dealt with drama and gossip and immature...
Thinking of happiness
So, I’ve been thinking a lot about happiness lately. For the past few months, I’ve been trying to actively take stock of the good things I have going for me, and to count my blessings. A lot of the posts in this blog have been about that; the more I openly remember all of the good, the easier it is to not dwell on the bad.
The last few weeks (since returning from my wonderful trip to...
Perpetual Anticipation
So, here I am three days before Christmas, up to my eyeballs in projects, and totally loving it.
I’ve given my choir some challenging music over the past few months, and it kind of comes to a culmination for the Christmas Eve service. I’m so proud of them, how they’ve risen to every challenge I’ve presented. I can’t wait for the glorious music we’ll make on...
It’s just a blog-tastic day for me! (I started a blogger about directing Company, and wrote in it this morning)
But for this baby, I’m writing about my future as I see it. Funny, because as it’s the season of Advent, it’s definitely the ultimate season of waiting. As for myself, I’ve seen the past four months as a waiting period. Although I have work now, and...
November 2011
5 posts
Turning bummed feelings into a positive outlook.
Long and short of it is, coming home has been hard. I’ve been very welcomed by friends and family, but this does not negate the fact that I’m having a hard time figuring out where I “fit.” My jobs keep me very busy, but unfortunately these jobs don’t provide me with replacement friendships for what I’m missing....
So lately, due to several different people and different events, I’ve been thinking a lot about entitlement.
It’s Stewardship season at church, and the theme is “Count Yourself Blessed.” This month, I’m really trying to focus on this… because really, every day I thank my lucky stars for what I’ve been blessed with in this life, especially in this crazy...
October 2011
6 posts
Last night I had more than one person tell me “I’m glad you’re home.”
To me, home isn’t just where I’m from, it’s where I belong. Now I’m sure people get tired of me constantly talking about how GREAT Lansing is… :-) I’ve also had people ask what I’m doing here with a Master’s Degree. Sigh, this question gets old. I...
So I’ve been thinking a lot about myself lately, and I’ll tell you why.
Moving home to Lansing a few months ago, I was transported into the land of couples. My friends have gone all Noah’s Ark on me, and while I knew this coming home, I didn’t realize how DIFFERENT it would feel. Back at school, we were mostly singles, and I just got used to that dynamic I guess.
At first...
“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle…Stay hungry, stay foolish.” - Steve Jobs
So today Steve Jobs passed away. And while I’m not an “apple...
Thoughts for a Monday:
I really really like teaching voice lessons. I need to work harder (and smarter) about getting my name out there— and not for the extra income (well, not only for the extra income) but for the artistic release it gives me. And I think I’m kind of good, too— especially as I’m getting better at piano :)
Sang through the stuff I’m doing on my...
September 2011
5 posts
9 tags
So here’s my rant for tonight:
I am so tired of people thinking that because I got both of my degrees in music, that it wasn’t hard work or that I’m not smart. This is probably one of my biggest issues with moving back to Lansing. I have a lot of smart friends. Which I LOVE. I prefer to surround myself with intelligent people (and that doesn’t only mean book smart, good...
Fashionista?
So for Chicago this past summer, I did my own hair, and wanted to try a 20’s style bob with fingerwaves. So, I did as any internet junkie would do, and googled the crap out of it. I ran across an awesome tutorial on this blog:
http://mymovingfingerwrites.blogspot.com/
I’ve gone back and read most of the posts to the blog, which made me realize two things: 1. Does this girl not look...
August 2011
5 posts
So last night I was wearing my approximately 6 year old fish & chips t-shirt (you know, cause I’m awesome), and the guy behind the counter at 7-11 said “hey that’s from Central!” which I thought was cool. Then he proceeded to say “I have a friend in the group, you might know him… how long have you been there?”
Dude, I graduated five years ago. Heh....
Kind of hitting a slump here. Too much downtime. I start training at Red Robin this weekend, that should help… start rehearsing with the choir next week, that will definately help… thinking of auditioning for LCC’s fall show, which I think would be good for me.
I’m surprised at how much I’m missing school and the people right now. Probably just because it’s...
I was up in my room practicing piano, when my dad knocked on my door saying “Come on, fang-banger, it’s time for True Blood!”
… welcome home….
Things I took for granted at school:
Singing. I want a lesson. I want a studio class. I want a performance to look forward to.
Having all of your friends be about a five minute drive away from your place. And having single friends.
It’s dumb, because I did this one before, about five years ago. Except this time, I actually have work in my field in Lansing. So I’m very grateful and...
Let go and let God
So part of me feels like I’m too old to be writing blogs like this, like it’s a throwback to the old days of LJ, but at the same time I need to get thoughts on (proverbial) paper.
Life is crazy right now. For the first time in a really long time, I’m unemployed. Don’t really know what I’m doing with myself in the near future. Have a job lined up two months from now,...
March 2011
1 post
February 2011
2 posts
Goals!
So, Samantha and I have decided that we’re going to train for/participate in a triathalon here at SIUC on April 30. 2 mile run, 385 yard swim, 5 mile bike. I’m super excited, and pumped that I have someone to do it with. It’s gonna be interesting because I’m having a hard time running because of my heel (and lately running outside because of the asthma), but we can do it!
...
Yes!
I want to know who in their right mind would fall for something like this:
Dear Friend, I am Leong Tan,an attorney at law.A deceased client of mine that shares the same last name with yours,died as result of a heart-related condition in March 12th 2005.Leaving behind a deposit valued of $19 million dollars,his heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the tsunami...
December 2010
1 post
Seeing as how I always like to recap what’s happening in my life, ESPECIALLY at the end of a year, and how today is December 30th (I actually had to be reminded at work this morning that tomorrow is New Years Eve), here goes it.
2010 was an insane year. So good, so hard to get through at times, but so rewarding. What did I do? Well, I performed my first opera role, which while it might...
October 2010
1 post
So I think this might be a quote from Grey’s Anatomy— I found it in an old livejournal post, and like it now.
A couple of hundred years ago, Benjamin Franklin shared with the world the secret of his success. Never leave that till tomorrow, he said, which you can do today. This is the man who discovered electricity. You think more people would listen to what he had to say. I...
September 2010
2 posts
So I had a big day, and just needed to jot it down real quick.
Today, for the first time, I felt like a real actor. Or rather, felt I was this close to being a real actor.
Had our scene for acting, and for the first time I was able to let myself go into the scene. Be scared, be vulnerable. Now, as a musical theater character actress, these kinds of scenes don’t come out often. The...
My family
Mom (to dad): Want to run to Kroger with me?
Dad: I have to go to Autozone.
Me: Dad, she just wants someone to go grocery shopping with her!
Dad (to me): What are you doing?
Mom: She won’t go, she looks like a hooker from last night
June 2010
3 posts
Happiness is...
So usually my tumbls (is that a verb) are saddy, written when I’m depressed/lonely/stressed and trying to get it out of my head.
But today’s post is brought to you by the letter grateful and the number very lucky. Having a drink with a friend tonight, it sunk in that right now I’m in rehearsal for a professional show. I’m getting paid to do a musical. Now I know that...
Summer of Kelly...
So, since I was feeling so bored and stagnant, I decided that I’m gonna read as much as I can before MSP starts. I feel like it’s less of a waste of time than watching TV/stalking on FB, and I feel less depressed :o) So far, here’s what I’ve read:
* The Lovely Bones by Alice Siebold: I liked this book. Different than what I expected, and toward the end I was afraid...
May 2010
3 posts
When I grow up
So I’ve been wondering: at what point in your life do you get to call yourself a real adult? In a year, I’ll have a masters degree. Will that make me an adult? Or do I have to wait until (or, more likely if would be the operative word) I get married and have kids? Will it be when I stop having to borrow money from my parents? Or when I’m done working minimum wage jobs?
I...
I had two bizzaro dreams last night.
First I dreamt that I saw an amazing, real-life cakewreck and wanted to take a picture to send in. But Scott and/or Nick (I don’t remember if it was both of them, or just different brothers at different times— though I do remember more of Nick) wouldn’t let me take the picture. When I finally explained why I wanted to take it, they took the...
Signs I'm growing up...
I haven’t been home since New Years. By the time I go home, it will be almost six months. By far the longest I’ve been away.
I’m vomit free since December. This is the six month mark for me— for those who know me, this is a HUGE deal :o)
April 2010
2 posts
So I decided I’m going to blog about the perils of being a fatty.
First of all, I’m not a big fat fatty. Just a regular one. I know that in society at large, and especially the career field that I’m persuing, there’s a zero tolerance policy against people of thickness. I’m not expecting for the whole world to turn into chubby chasers, but these are two issues that...
“I’m a homosexual! We don’t fish, I don’t know how to use the...”
– Nathan Lane, on the Marriage Ref
March 2010
3 posts
Optimism
I just wanted to write down how good I’m feeling about things today. And yes, I do realize this mojo is 90% fueled by the sunny, 75 degree weather right now, but still, I’ll take it.
I’m gonna have a kick-ass recital here in a few weeks. Not necessarily one that I’m all gung-ho for, or exactly one I want to do, but since I have to, it’s gonna be good.
I heart my...
Home sweet home...
So I have to say that tonight I’m the most homesick than I’ve been in quite a while.
It’s this really weird thing. I miss Michigan. Lansing, specifically: not because it’s where I’m from, but because it’s where I really feel I’m supposed to be. Now I don’t regret coming down here for grad school for a single moment, and I have amazing friends here, but take tonight for instance: I was out at...
ATTN SELF RIGHTEOUS READERS
ridiculousroo:
wherescoachbombay:
BBC - correct or incorrect? The BBC believes most people will have read only 6 of the 100 books here. How do your reading habits stack up?
01 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen - 02 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien - 03 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte - 04 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling - 05 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee - 06 The Bible - 07 Wuthering...