So I figured I'd give a mini-life update.

I've had some exciting things going on this semester.  A couple weeks ago, I got a paid gig to be in the chorus for Aida with the Center City Opera Theater (it was crazy!)  Last week I sang  Mahler's Das Klagende Lied with the Philadelphia Singers (and Philadelphia Orchestra!).  After some serious work on my part, I made it work so that I can also sing Berlioz's Damnation of Faust with them.  This means I'll be performing at Carnegie Hall next month!!!!  Alongside that, I'm also going to have Recital Chorus and Graduate Conductor Chorus concerts, a Kimmel Center concert with Temple Choirs, and sing chorus for Le Nozze di Figaro.

The most exciting news though, I got this morning.  I got accepted into the Diamond Research Scholars Program.  Which means I'm going to get paid lots of money this summer for my project “Understanding Musical Expresssion: Child-Centered Music Interactions in an Early Childhood Music Class.”  This means... I'm going to get paid to watch little kids in music class and to interview the teachers and parents.  I'm setting myself up for the most ridiculous next two or three months ever... but financially, professionally, and musically, I think it's going to be the most rewarding few months of my life so far.

On a more somber note, mom had surgery Tuesday and is getting out of the hospital today.  She was only supposed to stay in one day, but that turned into three.  Please pray for her to fully recover (and quickly!)  It's been a crazy week and we all just want her home and recovering.

I should update this thing more.

I'm probably only doing it because I cut myself off from facebook.  Oh well.

How to tell that I'm stressed and/or overworked and/or under-slept....

- I'm drinking fresca by the liters.
- I have severe headaches from said fresca drinking.
- I am overly cheery at very small occurances or at odd times.
- None of my clothes are in drawers - they are artistically scattered throughout my room and apartment.
- I am missing vitally important things.  Some of which I may not have yet discovered that I am missing.
- I only listen to extremely mellow music.  Especially the following: James Taylor, Imogen Heap, Cary Brothers, Snow Patrol, David Gray...
- I actually don't have time to eat and am forced to eat while a) in class, b) en route to class, c) in meetings or other events.
- I sing more than usual to make myself appear calm for, more than anything else, my own delusion.
- I procrastinate.

Two reflections....

One. I have more boys that i know what to do with this semester. 
I don't know how or why, but the real question is.... why am I rejecting all of them?

Two. I love being Catholic.

haha, here comes the "this is what crazy stuff I'm up to this semester" post.

Classes:
Teaching General Music
Education, Individual, and Schooling in America
Music History I
Diction Skills
Choir
Voice Concentration
English Diction
Mosaic II
Recital Credit

ExtraCurrics:
Campus Rep for Philly Orch.
Advisory Board for Philly Orch.
Newman Center Music Ministry
Aid For Friends
TU Opera Theater - La Boheme!!
CMENC
Teaching at Our Lady of Hope
SAI - Service Chair
         Webmistress
Recital Chorus
Alto Soloist at Christ Church
PLC Worker
Apprentice in Early Childhood Music at TUCC
and Preparing my proposal for Diamond Scholars Undergrad. Research Grant


WOOHOO. I don't think I'm going to have a chance to stop and breathe this semester. But I still can't believe I got into the Opera... It's gonna be worth it : )

I don't think i've ever had so many fun times in one week  : )
... fantastic


now if i were to plan a beach trip for this saturday (maybe late morning) would any of you guys be interested? i have three guys from school coming up to visit and i figure with the beach, the more the merrier.

i bought shoes. i'm afraid i'm turning into a girl. really.

i've always thought of myself as at least a little bit 'anti-woman,' but the more i live, the more i seem to see women's point of view.  this, of course, relating to more than just shoe shopping.  the more i think, the more being a woman and empathizing with women makes sense.

it could be just a phase, but i don't think so.

good things that have happened recently:
- I secured 3 jobs for the summer (Children's Garden, Scoop This, and Bunny Village)
- I get to make lesson plans for the preschoolers and I'm having a lot of fun with it
- Our pool's new solar heater is fantastic and the pool is 87 degrees
- The Ultimate Fitness in Amity is now Planet Fitness which means I don't have to drive all the way to Naugatuck after work to go to the gym
- I am probably going to do Village Harmony next summer which makes me happy : )  and there's a minute chance that I could go to Tanzania to do volunteer work
- I've actually seen friends from home. I didn't expect people to be home at all so that's been a treat


bad things that have happened recently:
- I ran over a chipmunk today.
- A couple my parents know killed themselves. as in double suicide. that's not supposed to happen except on TV.
- Matt and I broke up
- I've gone to the State Police three times now and am no closer to getting fingerprints
- I have a TON of work to do for SAI service - plus assorted background checks/forms for teaching, ethics proposal related paperwork, and certification preliminary research... all looming waiting to get done.
- I had 4 dr. appointments this week. that's overkill.

6 of each to keep things balanced.  really, i just wanted to let everybody know about the trauma that was hearing the tiny-thunk as i ran over the chipmunk. it was bad. when i came back i drove by and his legs were up in the air. i've never run over an animal before.  and the rest was just because i was bored and felt like giving random life updates.

I thought I'd share two fun cat related events.....

last night i went to see matt's cat in a community play up in norristown.  the play was really entertaining, and the cat was fantastic. it just sat there while people held it and didn't move when people screamed (because it's deaf.... kind of the only cat that could handle the part without getting frightened away by all the noises).  and the cat had a bio in the program and head shots.  i also had rita's water ice for the first time ever.


and then today... i was singing at the episcopal church and the soprano soloist offered me a job for the week after school gets out.... CAT SITTING. and i mean serious cat sitting. she gave the me the funniest face and paused briefly before telling me just how many cats i'd be taking care of... ready? twenty six. twenty six indoor cats. 8 million litter boxes, two with meds, etc. and i'd stay at her house from thursday til sunday.  just try to picture me squiggling around in a house with just me and 26 cats. : )

Since when do police write up reports for crying?

That's what I'd like to know

i hate beer. just thought id throw that out there for everyone. beer tastes awful. i don't care - light, dark, draft, whatever. it just tastes awful.

first week of classes went well.
lower strings, guitar (will be once i catch up), and alexander technique are really cool.

trumpet... eh not so much. i can play two notes. it's not that i don't know more than that, i simply can't produce the damn notes. i can make awkward pitches that kind of change every time i try to play them. i'll have to post the picture of our living room. we lined up our instruments and it looks really cute.

this is gonna be a good semester, i can tell.

yay for having a genuinely fantastic boyfriend and great friends.

mmmmmmmm siren. i swear there's a siren every 10 minutes. i forgot how many there are when i was in CT. i came back and was like WOAH, but i'm starting to get reaccustomed to it. police chases are fun.