Checking it twice

This week has been a much needed reprieve after two months of hit-the-ground-sprinting-madness. Our director of bands gave the kids an entire week off from marching band practice, giving us an extra three hours each afternoon to catch up on our growing to-do lists.

Yesterday, I knocked three very important items off of mine:

Yes, friends. I got threaded.

After six years of watching my St. Louis friends get their hair ripped from their faces by very skilled Indian women, I finally mustered up the courage to try it myself. It took at least 3 gulps of wine and a valuable coupon....but at least I did it! Anyway...I'm definitely hooked. It didn't really take that long and the pain was minor. Definitely better than attacking my face with a pair of tweezers in a poorly lit bathroom, which had been my method to date.

And.....

I don't have a picture for this one...but we found the best gluten-free pizza here. I'm always a bit skeptical anytime a restaurant claims to have gluten free items...especially pizza...and especially when the waiter casually claims that it will most definitely knock Shakespeare's "out of the park". I did take the risk, however, and boy am I glad I did. It was deLIcious. Even Tom couldn't taste the difference. AND it was only $10 for a 12" pizza which is outSTANding. Pi, a pizzeria we enjoyed in St. Louis, offered gluten free pizza for around $17 for a 12". We scored a better deal here, and the quality wasn't compromised in the least. The location adds to the appeal as well. All we had to do was walk down the street! I'm starting to really love this place:)

And last, but certainly not least.....I biked the MKT Trail

image credit

This trail is literally steps away from the building where we work, and I've been desperately needing a cardiovascular escape in the middle of our long days. Since I already have my bike on campus to get to my classes, it made perfect sense. In addition to providing a great workout and a beautiful scenery, it really helps me deal with my anxiety when I'm in Wind Ensemble rehearsals. Somehow, I auditioned at the top of all the flutes here...which means I'm first chair....which means I get the lovely pleasure of playing all of the crazy solo passages...in front of all these people I don't know...and did I mention it's been SEVEN years since I sat in an ensemble like this?? At any rate....it's super anxiety producing. And after Wednesday's episode of shaking like a 6th grader when it was my turn to play (did I mention the director decided to record rehearsal that day? AND put it up on Blackboard?!? Oh...the horror...), I decided I needed to take serious action. And, apparently it worked, because I felt fine during rehearsal yesterday.

I do have to give Tom some of the credit, though....I made him glare at me while I played all of my solos for him the night before. What a nice guy:)

Today, I will be occupying my little nook in the library--happily researching my year-long project topic:

BLUEGRASS MUSIC

I really hope you're excited...

because I sure am!

Happy Saturday, everyone.

Who needs sleep?

It's the end of another busy week here at ol'Mizzou and we are gearing up for our second home football game this Saturday. Lucky for us, the weather should cooperate. The crisp air is a welcome change---especially on the marching band field!

I'm still trying to figure out how to be a student again...it's a lot more challenging than I thought it would be. Even just figuring out how to organize all of my homework and notes has been a pretty darn big issue! Oh, and don't get me started on trying to find time to shop. Seriously. NOTHING in my closet fits me. I bought a pair of black pants a month ago because my other ones were getting too baggy...and they already don't fit! I spend at least 20 minutes each morning trying to find an outfit that doesn't look ridiculously huge. I get home in the evening to find the tornadic wreckage of clothes I left as I was desperately trying to get out the door on time...This body has NEVER seen a size 6 and I really need to figure out how to dress it!

Ok...well I feel like I'm just whining about stupid things and I'm too tired to come up with anything valuable to offer you...so I'm going to look at flutes I can't afford until it's time to go to bed.

:)

Happy early Friday!

Friday Wisdom

I have learned one thing so far in grad school.

I take myself WAY too seriously.

Suprisingly enough, this does not suprise me.

Oh...and that I don't really know much about music.

AWESOME.

Happy Friday!

Don't worry...it ain't Boone's

Wine and Gregorian Chant.

I knew I missed school....

:)

Who needs sleep?

"But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like the tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green, it has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." Jeremiah 16:7-18

No time for updates or pictures, but hopefully I will soon. School starting has been a major life change and a difficult transition. Thankfully, the struggle is intermittently interrupted by blessings of the divine sort...a gorgeous stroll from class to class...an encouraging word from a professor...a cheeky grin from a new friend...a much needed call from an old one.

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement as we begin this new adventure! I will post more when I can!

Adam Sandler--Worthy

Well..

We moved! And yes, I survived. I know this is terribly shocking.

I've been frustrated, confused, elated, stressed, teary, blessed, distraught, thankful, and most of all...prayed for. Thank GOODNESS!

Moving to Columbia one day and then starting work the next day was quite the wake-up call. Seeing how disorganized everything is in the band department was another. Realizing that our parking passes had us in Virginia Parking Garage (affectionately referred to as VAG...) at the complete opposite corner of the campus than our work building was yet another. That 20 minute walk with our instruments, books, and laptops was the biggest wake up call of them all.

Back to Schoooooool!!!!

Thanks to an amazing music dept. secretary, we aren't parking in VAG anymore.

Women everywhere are cheering, I'm sure.

I know I am.

Right now, I'm completely spent and I still have two more history chapters to outline. Oh...and I have yet to practice for the day. And I really want to make this awesome gluten free pudding cake mix I found at the farmer's market on Saturday.

And I wonder why I got fat the first time around....

Back to Schooooool!

Go to bed already!

My eyelids are globbing shut....my body is silently pleading for cozy pj's...my ears are absorbing the faintest peep and magnifying it into dolby surround sound...

Trials of the day slurring through my memory so fast I can barely hold on...

I think it's time to rest.

To give up...

go to bed...

and start anew with the early morning light.

Well....

Maybe the semi-early light.

"I remember my affliction and my wandering,

the bitterness and the gall.

I well remember them,

and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind

and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

For his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;

therefore I will wait for him.”

Lamentations 3:19-24