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If you just believe


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Sunday, May 31, 2009

Be Not Afraid

You shall cross the barren desert, but you shall not die of thirst.
You shall wander far in safety, though you do not know the way.
You shall speak your words in foreign lands, and all will understand.
You shall see the face of God and live.

Be not afraid. I go before you always.
Come, follow me, and I will give you rest.

Blessed are your poor, for the kingdom shall be theirs.
Blessed are you that weep and morn, for one day you shall laugh,
And if wicked tongues insult and hate you all because of me,
Blessed, blessed are you.

Be not afraid.
I go before you always.
Come, follow me, and I will give you rest.





Monday, April 13, 2009

Mish-Mash

I am so incredibly boring. I just updated myself on everyone else's blogs, and feel completely behind. Of course, what do I really have to say? dot dot dot

Well, this week has been QUITE a long one. I have been to church literally five times. The church in question is located in Brooklyn, a mere 1.5 hour ride from my apartment. Were it not for the la
rge sums of money being acquired, it may not be deemed worth it. This is an Episcopalian church, which I don't believe I have ever attended before. After a few weeks of this, I now see why. It is quite long and monotonous. We basically spend an hour and a half (at least) going through the repetitive motions of tradition and listening to a priest attempt to sing. Growing up Presbyterian, this is quite different, and honestly not as enjoyable. It ends up being less inspiring and moving, and more tiresome. It has, however, been very nice to spend so much time in a church and worshiping one way or another, especially with all the nice MSMers who I have come to enjoy quite a lot. I have spent a lot of time withe Jesus lately, and it feels really nice and refreshing. He is awesome. Don't let me move on, though, without stating that on Saturday night, we had a 2.5 hour service. If you crave a good laugh, ask for details.

On Tuesday next, aka 2 days from now, I shall be traveling to Chicago. I have never been there that I can recall, and am quite excited. Not so much for the city itself, as for the idea of travel and the visiting of Olivia. We shall be partaking together in the communion of health and getting-better-ness and the paths to amazing singing. It will be wonderful. And fun.

What else is occurring. . . . .well, I'm still waiting for a divine answer to what I will be doing this summer. I have four options: 1. Travel to Italia and sing scenes from my favorite operas on the Amalfi Coast, while taking lessons with my wonderful teacher,
2. Stay in NY for June and do the MSM Summer Voice Institute, entailing two lessons a week with my wonderful teacher and work with the opera department, 3. Become wealthy and do both programs one after the other, or finally 4. Do no programs, commute for lessons in June, and spend the remainder of the summer working and sunbathing. I trust I will get an answer to this dilemma soon, as deadlines are approaching! I honestly don't know what the right answer is at this point, or what I even want it to be.

In other news, as anyone interested/understanding of the subject knows, I have been hilariously toying with the idea of becoming a mezzo. It is the first time since I switched out of the hell hole that was contraltodom that I have not been completely offended and put off by the suggestion, but when Ms. Hoffmann made it, I actually gave it some thought. Of course, not helping the fact is that the most likely way I would get casted as something here is to be a mezzo, since they're often in favor of casting soprano roles lighter than average, and there are plenty of lighter sopranos than I, but regardless, it has been fun to play with the thought. I am not convinced of it, though, and almost definitely am a soprano. Alas, it was fun while it lasted. But what world would it be if I weren't singing Puccini?


So now, I s
hould probably enter into the land of slumber. It is Easter, so I shall depart with some Bible love.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son,that whoever believes in him should not perish
but have everlasting life.For God did not send His
Son into the world to condemn the world,
but that the world through Him might be saved.


- John 3:16

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Dream a Little Dream

Wow. So it took a few days, but this semester is finally off to an amazing start! I'm finally in Cynthia Hoffmann's studio, which I wanted originally, and I've realized that this really makes all the difference. You have to know that you're in the right place and on the right track, or nothing else matters. Something was just off last semester (slash the entirety of last year), but I am incredibly excited to get it back on! Start of a new year! I'm already so much happier to go to school every day, and little things that seemed so tedious before now seem perfectly fine! And I've been so much more productive this week! I finally got a locker at school so I don't have to carry my coat around all day. That is quite nice.

Ok, I just breaked to watch The Office. Nothing really happened this week. . . but I LOVE the show now! hahah!! Thanks to Corey, I'm completely caught up and obsessed.

So any other news? Oh! I saw Benjamin today! We got coffee, and it was amazing. We'd seen each other twice randomly in the city, but today we finally met and caught up! It was so wonderful. It's been four summers since our beautiful summer in Italy, so I am quite proud that we have stayed in touch! He started his own theater company, so I'll be going to see them perform at some point next month. How exciting for him!!!

Oh, and Olivia, thank goodness, is ready to buy New Moon, meaning she has become at least a little bit hooked on Twilight!!! Which really couldn't make me happier. It is perfection in a bottle. Except it's not actually in a bottle.

I'm still reading Pride and Prejudice, and really need to finish so I can watch the movie. It's been a while since I've actually read any of it. . . .woops. But now I can put a picture of Colin Firth on here, as he is quite gorgeous.
DREAMY!!!!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Back in the Saddle

So it is the start of another semester. I'm sitting in bed, listening to Franki Valli and the Four Seasons, and staring at my computer screen.
Today was my first day back at school. After the end of the last semester, I really needed to recharge, refresh, and "re-positize" myself. Going home is really the cure for this every year. After being home with my family for a few weeks, I'm grounded and happy and ready to take on the world! This time, however, when getting back to school, something was still off. I really can't put my finger on it. I'm still positive and happy, and making all efforts to do things to make my life full and exciting, but something is missing. I'm still in the process of adjusting a few things in regards to school, so perhaps this is what's subconciously affecting things. I'm hoping this is the case. I bought a beautiful new planner today to help with the excitement of a new year! It's 2009! We're growing up so fast, I can't handle it!
Jake came up with me this weekend to help because I had far too much stuff to bring up on my own. It was nice, though, because he hadn't been to visit yet! (Insanity, I know.) We got off later than we'd planned, of course, but we toured Broadway, ate at the very New York-ish "Chipotle," and saw The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at Lincoln Center, which was so beautiful. I loved it. Amazing story, not to mention Brad Pitt looked quite lovely. Then on Sunday we ate at Tom's Diner, went to Target to get some school supplies, and walked around the city some more. We were tired. Haha

Also, I am going home tomorrow night to be there when my mom has her surgery on Wednesday. I hope it goes well and she gets all better. Prayers are appreciated. :)
I realized today that being reminded why we're doing what we're doing and how much we love what we do is really the key to the world. No matter what hardships are occuring, or how boring school may be, or whatever the case, we need to remind ourselves how much we love what we do, and that we were given these gifts for a reason. Music is amazing.
"Music, once admitted to the soul, becomes a sort of spirit, and never dies." ~Edward George Bulwer-Lytton

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Twilight


Well, I have been stating in previous posts that I would write about Twilight. . . . it's just been so difficult to make myself do, as it is so far beyond words, and so far into my obsessive place, that I've been trying not to think about it. . .tahaha, but Caitlyn did write a beautiful tribute to it, so i suppose that could be inspiring.

So Twilight. . . . .as we all know, I began reading the first book one fateful day in November. My friend Art had given me his copy of the first one, and I was interested in finding out what all the hype was about. I mean, I didn't even know what it was until I unintentionally arrived at the release party for Breaking Dawn at Barnes and Noble. But alas, after the first 50 pages, I was hooked. I could not physically put the book down. I remember waking up at 4:30am due to a cough, and not being able to fall back asleep with my brain so awake with wanting to be in the story again. So I just started reading and finished the book before class. That night I went to Target to acquire book two. It continued like this for a week until I finally finished. And it would have been much shorter, had it not been for midterms week and an unexpected visit from Colin. The thing was, my brain was so alive, like I mentioned, that I was able to read at home constantly, study for midterms, and be at school all day (without reading), be completely deprived of sleep, not have much of an appetite, and still survive! I was surviving on the purity of my love for these books. It was an amazing experience, that probably won't happen very often in life. Don't get me wrong, at the end of the week I crashed. I was exhausted and starving, but it was like coming off of a high of some sort. It was amazing.

Now, there is so much to say about the glory of these books. I shall try not to get too involved. First of all, Edward Cullen. Perfect, obviously. I am really looking forward to the book she's releasing that will be book one from his perspective. I'm sure we will get to know him a lot better through that, but through Bella's eyes, he's such a perfect match. I mean, he is so entirely in love with her. His whole life is her once they meet. I mean, it really makes you wish life was like this. If none of us had the worries of every day life; money, jobs, stress. . . .you have everything you need, and you can devote your entirety to loving this one person. It's so amazing. And it just makes it that much better that she doesn't really have anything special in her life before him, so she doesn't need to give anything up, or abandon anyone. She finally has some purpose for her life: to be with Edward. It's glorious. And I really relate to Bella. I have a lot in common with her. Obviously not the fear of attention, or lack of relating to people, but the way she thinks. . . .I really relate to. I wonder if that is because the author and I think similarly. I don't just accept things as they're told to me, I need to know every detail of a story or a situation. My mother often gets frustrated by my endless questions about a non-important topic or happening. While reading the series, I was never left questioning things as I often am in books or movies or shows, because Bella always needed to find out as well. She always got the details or asked why? instead of merely accepting the information given. I really loved that.

The romance of the book is my literal dream (well, except perhaps for the bruises and all that, but that's way later...). I love every second they are together. It's perfection. Every time he touches her or kisses her, or even looks at her. It's perfect. And the way it's written really is so personal. . .it's like you're experiencing these intimate things, and while reading them, it's amazing, but if you bring it outside that intimacy, it becomes like you're discussing something truly personal that no one else should know. The actor that plays Edward describes this well in an interview. The writing literally gets you into Bella's mind. I felt every single emotion she felt. I felt like I was her. And when she was torn between Edward and Jacob, I felt it too. Many of my friends who read it were not fans of Jacob at all, but I just can't feel that way, because I felt every emotion that Bella felt. It's very odd. And amazing. I cried ridiculous amounts when she was hurting. I felt the pain. And her mood affected my days. If she was unhappy, I had a long, hard day. If she was excited, my day was amazing. I'm telling you, this experience was like nothing else, and it was wonderful. Perhaps this partially due to my immensely empathetic nature, but regardless, it ruled.

So the movie? I mean, it's hard not to love it since I saw it four times. (Not entirely my fault. . .the fourth was because I promised Bevin I would go with her!!) But, I was determined to like it regardless. It really didn't matter how bad it was, because it stuck to the book, and it was TWILIGHT! Kind of like, no matter how bad the Harry Potter movies are, you still have to see them. No choice in the matter. The movie on its own is really fun and exciting. I mean, my brother saw it with me twice, so it must be relatable to those other than addicts of the books. Now, in relating it to the books, I must state that it did not evoke the same feelings. But can we really expect it to? Perhaps. . . .but as I said, it is hard to relate those intimate moments in any other setting than her unique writing style. And the leads both played the characters quite differently than the book. Bella was way more "too cool for school" in the movie, and had less of the sweetness and purity that Bella has about her. Of course, I still enjoyed her. And Edward. . . .well he played it more as this pained guy who hates himself and really doesn't have the control that he's trying to attain, whereas in the book, yes, Edward doesn't like that he's a vampire, but I feel like he's come to terms with it more, and is a very strong guy. He also has more of a parental nature in the book, as he has been around for quite a while, and is always in need of protectng Bella. The way he attempts to control what she does gets extremely frustrating to me in the third book, but it goes along with this protective, dominating nature.

Alright, so what do we think? Twilight is perfection, and I am extremely glad that I found this beauteous love to be obsessed with, because we all know I love being obsessed with love. Now if only I could find my Edward, then all would be wunderbar. Someday soon! :)

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

My Dream

So I have dreamed of making a movie version of La Boheme exactly like this forever. . . .and here we are. . . . .Anna and Rolando doing it. . . and it does look like pure beauty. . . . .too bad it's out in Europe and not here. . . . . .Stupid America.


Monday, December 1, 2008

The Giving of Thanks

Ok, sooo. . . .I have not written in a while. . .and I do have some ideas to write about, but I just haven't been able to! I didn't have reliable internet over the break. Alas, break was NICE! I really shouldn't be doing this right now, as I have an audition in 2 hours, but since when do I do what I should?

Oh Olivia, you will be happy to know that I woke up this morning, but it did take me 20 extra minutes. Oh, and I am listening to the piece you put on your blog. It is beautiful. And quite a sad topic! Whew! You could completely sing that, though. It's amazing.

So this past week was THANKSGIVING! It was quite lovely! I took a different bus than usual, but it was the one that I took when I came up here at 3:30am. I was really excited, because I love traveling and road trips and adventures. Not like it's a huge adventure driving home on a bus, but still! It was even better, though, when the bus was an hour late and we stood outside in the cold the whole time. We did, however, get back into town when I had expected us to. Then on Wednesday I basically did nothing but hang out with my brothers while my mom was at work. We watched Get Smart the tv show for a long while. David really likes it. I feel like we must have gone out somewhere or done something of concequence, but I cannot recall. Clearly it wasn't of very large concequence. Then, sadly, David had to go to my dad's for Thanksgiving, so I missed him. He always has to go when I'm home!! Jake was working at Starbucks that morning, so we ventured over there and got online, where I watched True Blood. In the middle of Starbucks. Quite. (I'm really over that show for the moment.) Anyway, then we went to Mimi's Cafe for Thanksgiving dinner and to see Twilight. There will be another post about Twilight, because it deserves some attention.

Then, of course, on Friday the "friends from home" as they're always called, got together. Mary said we had to go somewhere fun exciting, so of course we ended up at. . . . .the mall. Don't ask how this happened, but we are not those of creative minds, obviously. Nobody bought anything, but we did try on some potential purchases. I think Christine already bought that furry vest. Indeed, it was an enjoyable afternoon at the mall. Again, I can't remember for the life of me what I did after this extravaganza, or on Saturday morning. . . . Oooh, ok, so I went to Walmart to get the Twilight cd, and to Toys R Us with my mom. Then we met up with Jake at (you guessed it) Starbucks, and he and I decided to be REALLY cool and go to to the movies. It was the plan, though, to buy tickets for one movie, but sneak into two, sooooo, we saw JamesBond, and then snuck into Twilight again. It ruled.

Ooooh, but on the way back. . . . .our usual 4 hour bus ride took 7 hours! It was insane. Luckily Lauren and I were on the bus together. We partied. It was fun.

So, I posted. . .it's not very interesting, but I did it! I'll work harder next time, but I'm in a hurry. hahaha, CIAO! :)