> Recent Entries
> Archive
> Friends
> User Info
> A Fabulous Diva in the Making
> previous 20 entries

August 5th, 2008

12:31 am - Well, it's been a while... forty-three weeks according to my LJ home page. That's just 2 months shy (okay, 2 months, 1 week) of a year...a long time for me I suppose. I don't know why I haven't felt the need to write. Maybe cause I thought I was doing fine on my own (and with just venting to my bestie and my biffle when I needed it, which is often, I suppose). Anyway, thus begins another rambling entry. Probably should start with the updating. Okay, here goes: School - I am proud to say that in early April, I was offered (and accepted) a spot in the Masters of Music program in Voice Performance at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusets (class of 2010). I am also proud to say that I will be studying under the amazing and wonderful Ms. Carole Haber. In case you don't know, NEC is the top (as is Ms. Haber). It's very highly regarded as one of the best schools for voice in the country...and they picked me. I'm still in awe of it. And even though I've been sent my preliminary orientation packet and even though I showed my Mom around the school when we went to look for an apartment in Boston in late May...and even though I'm currently planning how to move all of my crap up there...it still hasn't hit me yet. I am leaving Orlando, FL. I've lived in this city since I was SIX years old...almost twenty years! And I'm leaving. Hopefully, I won't be back...generally, I don't really like FL. I hate the weather, the heat, the humidity, the tourists, the old people, the bad drivers, the traffic, etc, etc, etc. You get the picture. But I'm leaving...and best of all? I'm ready. Things have changed...which brings me to my next update: Love Life (I have one!) - First a quick backstory. In April, I started rehearsals for a production of Gilbert & Sullivan's The Mikado, in which I was slated to play Katisha. I played Katisha opposite this older gentleman named Bob (who was my Koko...but is NOT my boyfriend lol). Performances began in early May, and soon I met Bob's son, Arthur (bingo!). Kinda reserved, but exceedingly intriguing. The exact type of person who absolutely begs one to get to know him better. We struck up a friendship, talked on the phone once or twice, and then he came to my house one Sunday afternoon to hang out. By 10 pm that evening, I'd conveyed to him my intentions (with just a little bit of awkwardness...cause those who know me know that sometimes I have difficulty asking for what I want). He left the next day at 1 pm in the afternoon. Two weeks later, I met more of his immediate family. By three weeks, I'd met the whole clan. They're a weird, goofy bunch...exactly like my family (and dare I say, most families)? So, summer has flown by, and Arthur and I just had our 2 month anniversary. Not much, sure, but this one's real. I don't think I've ever been in a relationship that has meant something like this to me. Or perhaps it was just SO long of a time period between relationships for me. I don't know...I'm happy. I'm even a little giddy. You know how it goes...you want to find any reason to mention 'your boyfriend' in any conversation...doesn't matter who with...cashiers at Publix, the security guard at your subdivision gate, passersby. It's bliss. And for those of you who even think about raining on my parade, just don't. I'm happy, damn it! I feel incredible! And the sex is mindblowingly amazing but that is totally a side note because... I asked him to move to Boston with me. I know...oh my god, scary, right? Yeah, me too. But it's a good thing...and I have it. And he's amazing. And, look at it this way, rent will be cheaper! Which brings me to: Living Situation - So my mom and I visited Boston the last two days of May (and coincidentally, the day before my relationship with Arthur began), and while we were there, we looked at about ten different places. After getting some various offers from students of various Boston schools, and even being contacted by a future NEC grad student, I decided that I'd prefer living on my own (oh, but had I only known...). So, I signed a lease for a small studio on St. Botolph St in the Back Bay area of Boston, a 7 minute walk literally down the street from my school (which will be fabulous in the wintertime). It's 200 sq feet, and for $1025 per month, I get heat, hot water and electricity in addition to such built-in amenities as four burners, an oven and a bathtub! All I need in the world, right? It's actually quite a deal, I'm told. I'm really happy with it anyway. And with Arthur there, rent will be about half that, maybe $50 more once I get Internet installed. So my lease starts Sept. 1. I'm going up there on August 20th for orientation and stuff (I booked my plane ticket today). I'm excited. Anyone have any good moving tips? Or any really good space saving tips? That brings me to my last section, appropriately entitled: How Am I Going to Live Without You? My darling Orlando friends. I've been here so damn long and met so many freaking people, I have quite a few friends. Hopefully I won't come back from Boston talking funny...hehehe. I am thinking of throwing a small going away bash, probably just a few days before I leave. Details will follow. But my Tiffy and my Ellis and my BriPie and my darling Robbie...friends like that don't come easy (or maybe they do...I don't really know...do I?) Even though I've been somewhat estranged from BriPie and Robbie, it doesn't mean I don't care or I don't still love you...because I do. You both have a high place in my heart. Please don't hesitate to come and visit...or at least keep in touch. =o) And to my bestie Tiffy and my biffle Ellis, you two are the best. You two BETTER come visit...or throats will be punched. Hehehe, I know it doesn't translate well, but that was a joke. End...for now. So thats it for now. Happy Birthday Lorris (Momma Wepps)...you're 60 today, but in light of your recent face-lift, you look more about forty-five. Congratulations Mommy! I love you! Maybe I'll make an effort to update this thing more than once every forty-three weeks. Because maybe some of you guys actually still care. But we'll see. Love and fabulousness (always)... Current Location: The Castle Weppelmann Current Mood: thirsty Current Music: Boy in Static - Bellyfull Tags: summertime! 2008

(6 comments | Leave a comment)

October 8th, 2007

06:01 pm - Life and all that fabulousness. So yeah...school's been in for almost 2 months now, and things are trucking right along. Josh and I broke up (in case you didn't hear...but it doesn't really matter too much cause we weren't that far along anyway)...but yeah, we were just at different places, and we still are. And I asked him if we had been in the right place did he think it would work, and I know as well as he does that there's absolutely no way to answer that question. But oh well...why would I have time for that right now anyway? Even so, we remain pretty close friends, and he definitely wants to go to graduate school and we are tentatively planning to go on auditions together...so that'll be exciting. Lots has happened at school of course...I am making new friends and being the best mother hen I know how to be. You know how life's lessons just kind of get thrown your way? You never know when you'll learn something new. I don't understand why i can't just listen to these little lessons. It's almost like you see so much more with your eyes half open. Or maybe that you don't see more, but you see things differently. Example, I overanalyze EVERYTHING. I know this...it's just a fabulous little quirk of my woman-ness. Anyway, I've always wondered what it would be like if I didn't. If I let people make mistakes...if I let them learn it for themselves instead of thinking that I'm the best teacher in the world, and if they don't learn it from me, then their whole lives will be ruined. I often wonder if my flair for melodrama will ever come in handy...oh wait, that's right...what am I? An actor. More specifically, an operatic actor. Figures. Don't get me wrong, I'm not upset about it or anything. It just would nice if I allowed the world to flow instead of attempting to manipulate everything and everyone all the time. More thoughts for the grinder, I suppose. Oh yeah, so I competed in the Concerto Competition a few weeks ago here at school...for those that don't know, the competition is for solo instrumentalists and vocalists who compete for a chance to perform in mid- November with the Stetson University Orchestra (which is a pretty darn fabulous orchestra). Well, the results came back and I actually placed in the competition! I don't get to sing with the orchestra, but I do something nice to put on my resume and I have already recieved lots of wonderful praise, which is always nice...cause I listened to my recording from the competition and I thought it was definitely less than fabulous. Oh well...I guess the judges felt differently...which is totally fine with me, by the way. I also did a Schubert masterclass at the beginning of the semester and that went really really well...the piece was a total beast to learn...but I had fun with it, and I sang well, so yay for that. The other major thing going on is that I am getting ready to apply for grad schools...scary stuff. I have picked five: New England Conservatory, U of Maryland, Binghamton U (may decide to not do this one), Manhattan School of Music and Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. I am trying to do complete one application per week, and it's only Monday, so I'd say, so far, so good. I just have to get letters of recommendation from Drs. Maddox, Raines and possibly Dr. Bobb Robinson, cause he got his doctorate at Maryland and he loves me, so therefore, he can probably write me a really good letter. I also have to record a graduate school cd, and some schools are even asking for a DVD...so we'll have to figure out how that is going to work. I really just need to relax. I know that I am so ready to leave Stetson and get away and go spread my wings and sing and perform and be fabulous in all the ways that I know God knows I can be. I really need to not stress out about all of this crazy stuff. Things will work out exactly the way they are supposed to. I wouldn't be at Stetson if they weren't, and I wouldn't be meeting the people and making the friends that I am right now if God didn't intend for me to be here. That's the other thing...God has been speaking to me a lot lately. I have two church jobs, and both of the sermons/messages that I heard this weekend I felt spoke directly to me. One was about loving life and appreciating the gifts that God has given me and the other was about having respect for yourself according to the gifts you've been given. I took both to quite clearly mean that I should start taking better care of myself. It's so funny the way God speaks all the time, and you have to do is listen. Concerning relationships, most people have heard others say that you have to love yourself before loving another person...well, this weekend, I heard a priest ask, 'How can you possibly love God if you do not love the greatest gift he ever gave you?' I really love that. It makes sense. Along the same vein, I was talking to my friend Benjamin and he was talking about these depressed moods I've been getting in lately and I was explaining to him that for me, it's all about figuring why I get into them...and he wanted to know why I just simply worry about getting out of them and not dwelling on why exactly I get into them. Sometimes it's so simple. Like I said earlier, eyes half open and you see things simply and in a completely different way. This is really long, and I really appreciate you sticking with me if you have thus far... I'm really proud of myself right now because I am financially supporting myself for the first time in my whole life. I am paying for everything except my classes at Stetson. I was so worried that I wasn't going to be able to support myself, and I totally am! Yes, sure, I have six(!) jobs, but it's cool...cause I make enough money to have a little extra every month and I have money coming in at least every two weeks. But yeah, I have two church jobs (a Catholic church on Saturdays and the Presbyterian church on Sundays), I do children's theatre (for $40 a performance and those performances are based on bookings, which can be a little sporadic), I was hired by the Orlando Opera Company for a chorus position this year (which won't really pay anything until I do Turandot in the spring...but that's going to be a really lovely check), and then I teach voice and piano lessons, both privately and for the Stetson University Community School of the Arts...privately pays better, but the Community School does indeed pay, and money is money, so why not? I can't really afford to be picky with being offered a job that doesn't take up too much of my time... Finally, it's nice living with my landlady, mostly because she's often not there! She works as an expert witness and is gone to various places on various cases most of the time. Right now, her middle daughter is home for a month from the Navy, and that's a tad vexing cause Liana always leaves the lights on and she keeps the thermostat at 74 all day long...whereas I would always turn it up during the day...I will be really unhappy if the electric bill significantly goes up this month. But yeah, that's pretty much it...and I think this is the longest entry I've ever written. Hehe. I hope all is well in everyone's lives and that everyone is hanging in there. That's all we can do, right? I love you all! =o) Current Location: the Presser Music Library! Current Mood: stressed, as always Current Music: Josh Groban - February Song Tags: stetson

(5 comments | Leave a comment)

August 16th, 2007

09:15 am - Captiva! I'm up entirely too early, but I drank a bit last night and couldn't sleep for too long, so Tiffy and i found ourselves awake this morning at 6:30...so natural conclusion, go watch the sun rise, right? It was gorgeous...really worth it. But here's the worst part, Tiffy's dad stole her camera, and even though I brought a ton of batteries for mine, I actually didn't put it in my bag, which pisses me off royally...even though there's really not too much I can do about it. My dad has his camera, but he won't let me use it cause he thinks I'm incompetent. Whatever. Oh well. I'm sure there will be some pictures that will be taken. But anyway, sunrise was gorgeous... The house in which we're staying is really beautiful. It's 5 stories, wrap around porches on every story, with a rooftop sky lounge...incredible. AND we have our own pool and a whole bunch of floating stuff...yay! It's so nice to have Alex and Teddy's girlfriends here with me and Tiffy. The camaraderie is really nice and Sam and Eleanor are hilarious. Plans for today include walking on the beach, laying on the beach, driving around in the golf cart, an afternoon nap in the pool and maybe laying out on the roof. This is going to be so fantastic! Ooh, and I brought beach reading with me...right now, it's Lolita, which I've been wanting to read since I saw Jesse reading it on choir tour. I got a used copy of it off of Amazon for $1.50...love that! I also have with me I am not myself these days and The Eyre Affair...got those used too...and they're in much better condition than I thought they would be in. I think I need to find out where Tiffy has gone to. Alex and Sammy aren't even up yet...and it looks as if Teddy and Ellie have gone back to bed. My parents are about to go for a walk, so maybe I could persuade Tiffy to go for an early morning spin around the island in the golf cart. It's her turn to drive it today...should be fun seeing that the steering on those things is absolutely shot! Love it! Hope everyone is well! Love! =o) Current Location: The Island Queen on North Captiva Island Current Mood: relaxed Current Music: Parents talking and doing the dishes... Tags: post college, summertime!

(Leave a comment)

August 7th, 2007

10:55 pm - Woooo....TIRED. So I don't have much to say...I found a place to live in Deland and thanks to Tiffy and Edward, I got the heavy stuff in there on Monday, and now I have rehearsal tomorrow morning, and thus the opportunity to bring more stuff to my place, but I'm at a loss for what to bring...I guess I can just take some clothes and stuff...I'm waiting to do a massive amount of laundry, but I guess I should prolly start on that tomorrow too. I'm really pretty happy...Josh called today and I'm going up to Jax to see him this weekend...it will have been almost a month since I last saw him, so that works out pretty well. He's such a fun guy. Dance class is kicking my ass, but it's so nice just to relax. I haven't been out in over a month or so and Little Shop of Horrors just closed, so it's really really nice to relax. My faith is stronger than ever...it's the little things that happen ever day that strengthen it. I love it so much. Yay for God! And now, off to read Harry Potter (five, after reading six and seven...i'm so backwards, muahahaha!) Love ya'll! =o) Current Location: The Castle Weppelmann Current Mood: exhausted, but good! Current Music: Ellis talking =o) Tags: post college, summertime!

(Leave a comment)

July 16th, 2007

07:04 pm - LOVES IT! I thank you God, I thank you God, I thank you God! I am blessed and it is only because of his glory!!!! YES!!!!!!!! =o) Current Location: the Castle Weppelmann Current Mood: overjoyed! Current Music: Tantric - Mourning Tags: post college, summertime!

(Leave a comment)

July 14th, 2007

10:02 pm - hehehehe I'm SO happy!!!! My birthday was fabulous (more about that at a later date)...but I went swing dancing last night at UCF...SO much fun and i got to hang out with Lara and Will and Josh came to stay with me! Wonderful wonderful! Going out tonight with Chris and the gang...and I look hot! Hehehe...with all this weight I'm losing, when do I not lately? Oh, and another fabulous thing! I am soon to be employed by the ORLANDO OPERA COMPANY!!! Yeah, it's just chorus, but getting paid for my singing is not something that happens everyday...so YAAAAAAAAAY!!!! Hope you kids are all doing as well as pigs in a trough...where did that come from? lol...crazy me! Love ya'll! =o) Current Location: The Castle Weppelmann Current Mood: ecstatic Current Music: The Killers - Mr. Brightside Tags: post college, summertime!

(3 comments | Leave a comment)

July 11th, 2007

02:39 am - Happy Birthday to MEEEEE! So I'm supposed to be asleep, cause I have to get up in about 5 hours...okay, 6 hours...I really have to go to ballet at 10 cause Eliza prolly misses me, and my legs need to get bigger (in that totally good way...lol)...my thigh muscles are HUGE...it's all that ballet and jazz and grand plies...i'm telling you...dance works! So I'm pretty much better and over my sickness...that cold that I had was really nasty...5 days long. Sucks, but it's all good cause I've been taking my vitamins - Omega 3s and a whole bunch of B12s and some more green stuffs too. Mommy took me shopping today for my birthday and I got a really cute bathing suit from Target...it's polka dot...go figure. I'm on such a polka dot kick lately! I kind of love it. I had the worst audition of my life yesterday...it's a whole convoluted mess, but I went in to audition cause Jeffrey said that i could only audition for the Broadway Revue (that the Sands Theatre is doing) yesterday because that was the only day that the director was going to be there...and I really want to be considered for the show, so I went and did the audition, sick as I was, and royally sucked. Sang the Parade piece (cause it's one of my best), cracked at the climax, apologized, took a second, resumed from the measure I dropped off and finished the piece. After that, I was dismissed without so much as my monologue! How rude...seriously. The stupid Sands Theatre can go fuck itself, really. I'm excited about tomorrow...or rather today, after I get some sleep...I'm gonna do ballet at 10 and then come home, swim and tan for a bit, then go shop for a bit, then it's off to dinner with the fam and home for drinks and some merriment/revelry with friends! LOVES IT! Hehehehe, I'm totally addicted to icanhascheezburger.com and I've kinda starting sending IMs in that fashion of typing...part of me wants to further analyze the grammar schemes to exactly find out how that speech is different from normal English speech, but another part of me thinks that might take the fun out of it. Hehe, I love being a nerd. Oh, so the whole point of this entry was that I was looking back on entries from around my birthday last year and I was remembering the city and being in NY and being at CAP and all of my teachers and all of my friends. I had said in those entries last year that I was going to move to the city this summer or next...but once again, the plans have changed. I want to go to graduate school for opera, get my masters and then settle in to a company and start a career. I still want to move to the city someday, cause there's no place like it...and every moment there is thrilling (in one way or another). I sound like such a sap...but I love it. There's no place like New York City. I learned this ridiculous combo in jazz this evening...it was kind of short cause Carlton wanted to work on pirouettes and I'm SO glad he did, cause I think I really got somewhere with them...I even got a double on the outside right, which NEVER happens...when I start pulling doubles on the inside, then I'll be really impressed with myself. But yeah, this combo...to Cold Hearted Snake...we went total 80s and it was deliciously delectable...it was only maybe 6 or 7 eight counts at most, but it was a lot and it moved. Really awesome stuff. And I must find thicker socks to wear with my jazz shoes...it doesn't allow me to turn as well, but my feet were dying tonight. Loves it. Anyway, I think I should go to bed now. Hopefully, I'll take some pictures tomorrow, as is the birthday custom. Love ya'll! =o) Current Location: the Castle Weppelmann Current Mood: jubilantly joyous! Current Music: Cake - Short Skirt, Long Jacket Tags: post college, summertime!

(3 comments | Leave a comment)

July 6th, 2007

11:34 pm - Touching lyrics and recent upstarts. From "Dreaming With A Broken Heart" by John Mayer When you're dreaming with a broken heart, The waking up is the hardest part... You roll out of bed and down onto your knees, And for a moment, you can hardly breathe, Wondering: Was she really here? Is she standing in my room? No she's not...cause she's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone. So here I am...life is kind of awesome...and presenting its' wonderful stresses as it does. I am currently desperately seeking a (reasonbly cheap) place to live for next year...and I think I might have found one...but until I nail it down, I'm worried about it. Same thing with a job. In the mean time, I've been drinking too much and I think it's finally catching up with me...I feel quite unwell at the moment, but it's fine. I'll just take a day or two and recoup and relax...and my ballet classes start back up next week, so that's good. It's amazing what a week away from ballet can do to you (in that slightly negative way...). This is my first night not going out in over a week, I think...it's good. I'm getting to ready to settle down in my bed with one of my favorite books and my down comforter...mmmm. I've made some fantastic new acquaintances in the past week or so. Most of them showed up at a party I attended last night...lots of good clean fun had by all. >:o) I put some pics up on facebook if anyone's interested... I ordered a bathing suit online from oldnavy and it came today. Navy blue one piece with polka dots...really cute...and what do you know? It fits purty well. What can I say? I'm pleased. I never find bathing suits that fit and actually look cute, so yay for that. I've talked to Ellis quite a bit today and he sent me this choir piece that he found...it's an arrangement of 'Hard Times Come Again No More' and it's really really beautiful...i think i'm going to be listening to it continuously for the next week or so. Or maybe I'll just alternate that piece with the John Mayer song i listed earlier. I really wish I had some ice cream right now, cause my throat is killing me...but I really don't feel like going anywhere and plus, my car's almost out of gas...too much work for right now. I guess it's just off to bed with me for now...I really wish I had someone to cuddle with... QQ Loves you guys! =o) Current Location: the Jungle Room at Castle Weppelmann Current Mood: throat-hurty Current Music: Stephen Foster arr. Craig Johnson - Hard Times Come Again No More Tags: post college, summertime!

(4 comments | Leave a comment)

June 8th, 2007

01:05 am - Long time, no ______... Haven't written anything in a while...but I guess since I'm becoming reacquainted with several different previous facets of my life, why not add LJ back into the mix? I mean, seriously, old friends, the Rich Weirdoes, driving aimlessly around Orlando, staying out late, going to clubs...all things I've experienced recently that my previous college life didn't really allow me to do. But I'm pretty happy for it. I like all of the people I've reconnected with, the new friends I'm making and all of the activities that I am taking up once more. I joined Overeaters Anonymous recently and I think it's really going to help me stop eating so compulsively. But I also realized this past weekend (while doing a bit of compulsive shopping) that if I am going to stop eating compulsively, then I probably need to stop all of the other compulsive activities in my life...the main ones are eating and shopping, but I really also need to reign in my shopping because I can't exactly afford it. So that's what I'm dealing with right now. Everyone at OA that I've met so far is really really nice and they all want to help and they all want me to call them and set up a food plan and they want to help me get my life in order...that's all wonderful and such, but I'm tarrying, and I don't really know why. It's not that I don't want to lose weight, not that I don't want to stop my compulsivities, not that I don't want to get my life in order, it's just that I'm lazy? Or that I have some sort of a deep-seeded fear of change...which could be true. I don't know. This is the idea that I am exploring at the moment. It's all psychological, truly it is. I mean, it's true that I have items on my desk that have been sitting here since I was 12 years old, and this desk itself, I've had since I was 12 or so. On another point entirely, everything on my desk is covered in dust! So I guess that further proves the point of laziness. But it's weird. I don't think I'm lazy, rather I'm just apathetic and ambivalent about certain facets of my life...at the same time though, I HATE staying inside all day...but whenever I ask my mom if she wants to go 'do something', I typically am thinking about shopping, which leads me right back to the whole compulsive shopping thing. Dead end cycle. Hmmm. But yeah, that's that. More ruminating still to be done on that one. I have, however, recently cleaned up my room and put all of the boxes from my college apartment in my little storage room. I also moved around my room, like put a couch where the bed was, and then the bed where the piano was, and then the piano where my blue comfy chair was. The blue comfy chair, subsequently, has been moved to the balcony, where it provides a bit of comfy furniture. But overall, the room looks great. It's a lot more inviting now and it has a lot more room for entertaining if I decide to have people over or whatnot. I also put some attractive pictures on the walls (a collage my dad did of pictures of me over the years and a photo mosaic of me in front of the Eiffel tower)...I also put up a small mirror shaped like a star, a bigger gold gilded mirror that I got from Barron a few years ago and the decoupaged canvases that Loren made for me for my birthday a few years ago. I hung the canvases diagonal to one another, but they're off-center of the wall, so Tiffy and I are going to make a third one to add to the set...it's sheet music decoupaged on the canvases and we've got Beethoven and Haydn so far, so we figure Mozart will add nicely to the collection. The whole point of this 'I cleaned up my room and put it in order' story is that I think it speaks well to me 'fixing' my life and trying to cure myself of these compulsive habits. I know I'm crazy, but the other night I was at Pulse for karaoke night and I ran into Kerry, and we hadn't seen each other in forever, and I remember in our 'catching up' banter, he asked me who I've been hanging out with, and I said, well, no one really. And it's funny, cause it's true. I mean, I hang out with Tiffy all the time, and I love me some Tiffy and I am so appreciative of our friendship and the wonderful times we have being 5 year olds together, and about once a week I get to Robbie, which is awesome too, cause he's my oldest friend and they say that oldest friends are the best (and they really are...) but other than Tiffy and Robbie, I don't really hang out with anyone...just me! And that's okay I guess, but I love people and I love friendships and I wish I had more people to hang out with. And I wonder if some of this not hanging out with a lot of people has to do with my laziness and not wanting to leave the house, which is crazy cause I stated above that I really kind of hate being in my house all day long. So there's a puzzle to figure out. I don't really get that one. Oh well, more mysteries! But I've recently gotten back with the Rich Weirdoes and last weekend they premiered Little Shop, which was really great and a total blast and a breath of fresh air from Rocky (which I know every one gets sick of now and then)...but I have to say, thank God for the Rich Weirdoes and BriPie and Ada and Stravid and Logan and Kevie and Louie and the people I used to hang out with so long ago. It is so wonderful to come back to a place and know that certain things really haven't changed. Thanks my loves! Anywho, I still devour books and I broke into a new one yesterday and it's great so far...Little Children by Tom Perrotta...apparently, they made a movie out of it, which as soon as I finish the book, I must see. I read the Chronicles of Narnia two weeks ago and it was utterly fantastic. I cried and I can't believe I hadn't read it before. Oh yeah, funny to mention, I graduated from Stetson. I have a degree in Communications, which is weird, cause I don't know that I'll ever use it. But I also have plans in two years to go and get my MM (Masters of Music) in Opera, which should be absolutely glorious cause then I can be a real working singer...hopefully. I don't want to get ahead of myself. But for the next year, I'll be taking one class at Stetson, working at 9 to 5 job (hopefully a secretary or something) and working at building my resume (hopefully by doing chorus for Orlando Opera and doing operettas at the Sands Theatre) before it's time to apply to grad school, which will probably be at U of Maryland or SUNY Binghamton...but we'll see. One step at a time, right? =o) Current Location: the Jungle Room at Casa de la Sweppel Current Mood: pensive Current Music: Dave Matthews Band - Ants Marching Tags: post college, summertime!

(5 comments | Leave a comment)

January 30th, 2007

03:21 pm - good news! so first off, it's cold outside and i'm done for the day and i'm sitting in my cute little room with my window opening and the sun and the cold coming through. i'm so happy that all i can do to just sit here and enjoy... secondly, we worked quite a bit on Water Night today in choir...now anyone who knows me well knows that: 1) i'm totally in love with Whitacre, and 2) that Water Night is my original favorite choir piece EVER...it made a HUGE impression on me the first time i heard and i've probably listened to it several thousand times since then and every time i notice something new...such hott music. However, Raines is withholding the climax of the piece from us right now and it's kind of the hugest tease ever...not fair. anyway...good news for today is that after choir, Raines called about 15 of us to his office (i was one mentioned) and we all think that he finally picked people for the sightreading choir he was going to use for the conducting class, but no...we all cram in there, and then he proceeds to tell us about a recording gig he needed a small choir for, this Thursday night which will pay! SO exciting...he told us not to feel honored or anything because this gig is something he would bestow on any of the choir kids, but i can't help feeling just a little excited, just cause this is my first paying gig (not counting church choir)...but yeah, i'm happy. yay. i didn't do as badly on my french diction test as i thought i would, which is also kind of happy. movement was a little bit brutal because we did ballet and i worked through my feet really hard and now my arches are sore just cause i'm not used to doing it. Oh, and sautes ('jumps' in French ballet terminology) make my calves sore too, but i guess that's the point, yeah? it was cute too, because we got to partner up with the boys (who had to take multiple turns to accommodate all the women in the class) and do balances across the floor holding hands...elementary, but still cute. so yeah, not much planned for the rest of the day...i have to go pick up music for Thursday's gig around 4:30 and then i have an Alexander Technique class at 6 pm with Dr. Maddox and the rest of the studio. Those are always fun. It gives us a chance to bond more and it's just generally kind of laid back, which is what school needs to be more often. i think right now i'm going to lay down for a bit, read, chart some vowels and figure out what i'm going to sing for my lesson tomorrow morning. Love you kids! =o) Current Location: Village Apartments 412 Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: Nick Drake - Pink Moon Tags: 5th year, stetson

(Leave a comment)

January 29th, 2007

11:43 pm - happiness So i know i don't post on here as much as i used to...i'm so busy with everything, and i guess my ADD is really bad and sometimes i don't have time to check anything else besides facebook...i guess i should try harder...yeah? i'm at a really good place with life right now...i'm happy and really awesome people are intriguing and challenging me in new ways that i hadn't previously explored. Ellis and i are superclose and Carlos and i are close as well...and i really love them...quite a bit. Singing is going well. I'm on student recital this week and i'm singing a Handel aria from the Messiah and i'm singing a short Barber aria from Vanessa. Good stuff. Also, i have my whole semester planned out, right down to what i'm going to sing for NATS and for my CLOC audition and also what i'm singing for my Senior Recital...that date finally got finalized and settled...my recital will be Saturday, April 21, 2007 at 7:15 pm in the Elizabeth Hall Auditorium of Stetson University. woot! come and bring all of your friends! I can't belive the first month of school is just about over. things are moving so smoothly and i'm trying to be as un-stressed as possible, and would you believe it...i think it's working! Mmmmm, i have a very small bottle of chambord sitting on my windowsill. I'm saving it for a special occasion...I wonder if that special occasion will occur before dust can settle on the box? Knowing Stetson and how incredibly dusty this place is, dust will probably collect on it before I drink that bottle...or share it with a friend. Hehehe. Speaking of which, well, to be honest, I don't know. I have thoughts whizzing through my head and I'm so intrigued by life at the moment. Make sense of that one if you can... It's really quite cold outside. I love it so much. There is nothing better than walking outside in the morning and breathing the cold air into my lungs and feeling alive...being alive...lol, Sondheim moment there, sorry... So I'm supposed to be going to bed right now, cause I have to wake up at 9 am, and i'm kind of nuts about getting a full 9 hours of sleep cause I'm always a better person for it in the mornings, but I'm not really tired at the moment. I'm actually quite awake and I'd like to stay this way for a few more hours...so I think I shall. so Ellis got me this manicure set for christmas from bath and body works (along with some rose balm, which is incredible), and since i recieved it, i've become almost obsessed with taking care of my nails...cleaning them, letting them grow out, and trying my darndest to try and stop biting them...i think it's working out quite well too... i wish my apartment was in a safer area in DeLand, so that i could go walking the streets at night and not feel there was a chance i might be mugged or something...especially on a cold night like this...cold nights are just kind of sexy and...well, cold. it's hot, if you will pardon the irony... not much else to say for the moment...does night bring its wetness to beaches in your soul? lots of love... =o) Current Location: my lovely room, gaudy pink duvet and all... Current Mood: pensive Current Music: Ryan Adams - The Shadowlands Tags: 5th year, stetson

(Leave a comment)

December 28th, 2006

01:34 pm - christmas and other funky stuff so here I am at the car place getting my car seat fixed...hehe, kinda makes it sound like i'm a baby...waaaah. lol. yeah, the driver's side seat started wiggling around, i guess the bolts got loosened up, but whatever, it's easy to fix, and i'm still under warranty and they're washing my car...yay for that. so yeah, christmas was pretty cool. i got a whole bunch of stuff that will help me to look outwardly more fabulous...some bags, some clothes, some makeup, some shoes...girl stuff, really...i also got some alcohol from my brothers, a headlamp from my dad and a dvd from my brothers. good stuff. i've been spending a lot of time with Rob and Tiffy, as i always tend to do over winter break. they are fabulous company, and i love them dearly. something different i've been doing this break is keeping my church job and driving up to DeLand once a week to sing and make some extra money...yesterday, i went up and sang a funeral and that was nice...Cedric was there this week and it was good to see him, cause i don't think i've seen him in at least 3 years...yesterday, after the funeral, Hector, Ced and i all went out to eat at Boston coffee and that was nice too cause i hadn't eaten yet and it was at least 4:30... not much else to do but wait on my car. i'm tired and all i want to do is read, even though i really should be practicing, cause i have a ton of new rep to learn and old stuff to work on. i mean, i've been singing and keeping up my technique, but i really don't feel like practicing...i would rather just not get dressed and lay around reading all day. oh yeah, and my Undressed dvds came! the video quality really isn't that good, but it definitely could be worse...so, look sometime in the future for an Undressed party coming soon to an apartment near you! i'm thinking scantily clad people and plenty of drinking games...fun fun fun! anyway, there's not much else to say. Ellis had a tonsilectomy yesterday and i hope he's recovering well...i don't expect to hear from him anytime soon...when i had my tonsils out, i don't think i really called anyone for almost a week. anyway, keep him in your thoughts and wish him a speedy recovery. i'm excited for New Years, cause i'm having a small get together at the Castle...some drinking, some possibly hot tubbing and this and that. should be a good time. hope everyone is well and healthy...take care! =o) Current Location: Coggin Honda on South OBT Current Mood: bored Current Music: the theme music from Superman Returns Tags: 5th year, stetson

(Leave a comment)

December 22nd, 2006

10:20 pm - and for the semester... Qual Theory & Methodology: B- Senior Research Project Proposal: B (but I got a 98 on my actual proposal!) Voice Lessons: A+ Stetson Opera Theatre: A Concert Choir: A+ General Astronomy: P GPA for the semester: 3.223 Cumulative GPA: 3.209 Honor Roll YAY! And I really worked my ass off for this one, so I think it's well deserved. And I'm going to Rocky tonight, for the first time in quite a while, but what can I say? It's the Christmas show and it's gonna be funny and plus, I really love seeing everyone. Btw, I don't think my brothers are getting Christmas gifts this year because they've been absolute arseholes, the both of them. Everytime I try to help them with anything, like Alex accidentally letting his cat out and then me finding it and him not thanking me, or Teddy calling me fat just because he saw me eating dinner, I'm really sick of it. *WARNING: TANGENT* Tonight I noticed myself worrying about my cholesterol intake and my fatness excessively, and I don't know what it's going to take for me to get myself under control. I keep saying that I'll do something about when I get out of school, because there are too many more things in life right now that I am concerned with and I don't feel like I have time enough to do all those things and try to manage my weight, which means changing my lifestyle and eating habits...I mean, thats a major overhaul. I try to do little things here and there, but it's not about that...it's about everything. I mean, yes, this is my body, my life and I only get one and I have to take care of it, but I really also need some more time and just a little bit more motivation. *TANGENT OVER* Okay, so now, I think I'm gonna go to Rocky and enjoy myself, cause I think I look cute tonight...yay for me! =o) Current Location: the Jungle Room at Casa de la Sweppel Current Mood: determined Current Music: Collective Soul - How Do You Love Tags: 5th year, stetson

(Leave a comment)

December 6th, 2006

12:27 pm - wow so i don't know how long it's been since i've updated, but here i am. what a semester it's been...so crazy. this is the last day of classes and i am finishing up my senior reseaarch project proposal, which has taken a lot of work and gone really really well...i got As on the separate sections of the paper and am fairly sure i'll get an A on the whole thing. Candlelight has come and gone...it was fantastic...last Friday night was almost perfect...it was incredible...there are no words other than that...seriously. i've been drinking a lot lately...i think while i'm at home, i'll take a break from that. sounds like a good idea. my personal relationships are good though...i've been hanging out with my little Rob more often, and Chris too, which is fabulous...and in doing that, i've been seeing more of Jon and Eric and Evan cause they all live near each other...Ellis and i have been hanging out quite a bit too, which i enjoy immensely. and Adrienne continue to solidify and strengthen our friendship, and of course, i enjoy that a lot too. speaking of Adrienne and Elllis...we all went and got manicures and pedicures on Saturday (well, Adri and i got manicures and Ellis got a pedicure)...i got a set of white tip acrylics and they're really really pretty and they look totally naturally, but its really difficult to type and it's ever so slightly annoying, and i have to be careful with everything i do. grr on that. they're cute, but i think once they fall off, i might just try to quit biting my nails and grow out my own nails. my senior research is due today at 4 and it's almost done, i just need to do a quick introduction of sorts...but i'm stalling cause i don't really know what the purpose of my project is...i think i'm gonna make up something about creating a definite concert etiquette for Stetson concerts...that should be fine. anyway, i'm off to finish this bullshit...after this, i just have my jury tomorrow morning and then a paper due Saturday morning, and then thats it! yay for this semester being one of the craziest rollercoasters ever. can't wait to be home...and love you guys a lot! =o) Current Location: Music library of doom Current Mood: chipper Current Music: Smashing Pumpkins - Disarm Tags: 5th year, stetson

(Leave a comment)

November 6th, 2006

06:10 pm - life in balance so i think that for the most part, my life is some state of balance...i'm turning papers in on time, i've decided to change my diet (because i am the heaviest right now that i have ever been and that's not really cool), start exercising regularly, and i am in a harmonious state with my friends...who remain awesome as ever. had a really good weekend...went to the party at Carlos's this weekend, had way too much fun, and stayed there until Saturday night when we all went to orlando for Robapalooza, which turned out to be not so fun, and i was really tired anyway...Sunday, i went home where my parents had a steak dinner for me and a massage this morning...which was pretty damn good, not gonna lie... i am consistently annoyed by the ever-rising level of stupidity among my college classmates...it's almost obscene...seriously. anyway, i have a paper to review and possibly re-write (but at least it's done) and a makeup astronomy test to study for...i also want to see Brandon tonight if i can, cause that would be radically awesome. Dr. Raines was wearing the most fabulous outfit today...i couldn't help but giggle when he walked into the front office of the music school this morning...and then i said, 'you look so fabulous!' and he just laughed...and then we proceeded to talk about bad B horror flicks, namely zombie movies...that pretty much made my day...oh, and breakfast with Jenn...that was HILARIOUS. really really hilarious. Jenn, i love you. so yeah, about that paper...no me mieras. =o) Current Location: University Village Apartments 412 Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: Incubus - Echo (i LOVE this song!) Tags: 5th year, stetson

(2 comments | Leave a comment)

October 28th, 2006

07:40 pm - mmmm so Regina Spektor is too hott for her own good...so incredibly yummy. i'm a little bit sad cause Brandon, due to a sewing machine catastrophe, was not able to make my costume...which was going to a banana gown, patterned after the infamous Rejected cartoons. oh so sad. but it's okay cause i'm going to Allison's Halloween party tonight with John and Ishtar, and i'm going to wear my corset and be a devil. lol...last year, when i went to Christine's, i wore my corset and was a Venetian party goer, with my crazy mask and whatnot. but this year, i bought a little devil set and i'm going to wear it with my corset and black skirt and heels. should be pretty cute. anyway, things are seemingly in my hands and under control...notice i say seemingly so...whether or not they actually are, however, doesn't really matter (even though i don't think that they are in my control). whatever. i've been trying to make it a new goal of mine to be blissfully aware (but uncaring, nonetheless). seems like life would be easier that way. i'll let you guys know how it turns out. i am officially (almost) broke. i have about $3.00 in my bank account. thank goodness it's October 28. i'm trying to decide if i want to audition for Rise Up or not. i have an appt. tomorrow to audition at 6 pm, but i don't really want to devote my time to something that i don't know...i mean, i did Seussical cause i love it...but where i am with my life right now, i don't know if i want to devote my time to something i don't know, like i said. anyway, we leave for the party in 2 hours...i'm going to spend these two hours getting ready and pregaming...yay for alcohol. my throat feels all scratchy...ugh, i hope i'm not getting sick. that would truly suck. oh well...i'm ready to deal with whatever life throws at me. so come on, throw me a curveball. =o) Current Location: University Village Apartments 412 Current Mood: chipper Current Music: The Lion King - Finale Tags: 5th year, stetson

(Leave a comment)

October 26th, 2006

12:16 am - wowzers so i haven't posted anything up here recently...i doubt anyone even reads my entries anymore...however, i started posting on livejournal shortly before i started college and i would like to continue posting on livejournal until after i am finished with college, so thats why i post, i guess... i heard the new Gwen Stefani song on the radio this morning...she sampled "Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music...it's really weird...no me mieras... i finished my Sr. Research Proposal Literature Review...to those of you who know nothing about sr research projects, know that it's a big deal. it was 8 pages or so, and definitely a good chunk of the puzzle. i can see graduation...it's in my future. and it's scaring the shit out of me. it's causing me to be more jealous of people than i ever have been. i'm really trying hard not to let it affect my interpersonal relationships, but it's hard, cause i've basically decided that i'm leaving after next summer. i keep seesaw-ing between leaving and not leaving or going to work on a cruise ship, or whatever. but Brandon spent the night on Monday and i extended an invitation for him to move to the city with me. and then i was talking to my favorite Comm professor (also my advisor) Dr. Irizarry, and she suggested that when i look for an apartment i look through the obits to get ideas. not bad at all. btw, Brandon's making me a really fabulous dress for Halloween...it will be fabulous. and i hope that most of you get the joke (those that see me, at least). i'll post picture, for sure. anyway, i'm singing in studio tomorrow and i need to get up early cause i have astronomy lab...btw, i've skipped astronomy a lot lately. i don't think i've been to class in a week...which, not gonna lie, makes me kind of happy. it makes me even happier that the professor doesn't give a shit whether or not we actually come to class. yay for that. we had scarf weather for about 2 days. i think it's going away tomorrow...which is really really sad. i almost want to cry a little. Mark's been dressing in drag a lot lately. he fits into everything of mine. he's actually a little bit smaller than i am, which makes me a little sad, cause i want to be thinner...funny, i say that, but i really haven't had time to do shit about it. i really need to start exercising or something. or else i will most likely die. my back hurts when i breathe. i think i'm going to include a massage and a hair cut in next month's budget. a good long massage, or two, would be really absolutely fabulous. hope i can hold out that long. oh, and i've been listening to an album of Lauridsen choir music for the past two days. it never ceases to calm me, keep me sane and make me just a little bit happy. right. bed time. i love you all...even if i haven't talked to you in forever. i promise i still love you. =o) Current Location: University Village Apartments 412 Current Mood: calm Current Music: Morten Lauridsen - Ave Maria Tags: 5th year, stetson

(5 comments | Leave a comment)

October 20th, 2006

06:47 pm - ugh so i wish that i didn't think so much...it really kills me. if i didn't think so much, i wouldn't have half of the insecurities i have... and i wouldn't worry about what other people think...i wouldn't need to care about what other people think. i need to be free of this wretched curse. okay, now it's time to go to the band concert. ugh. Current Location: University Village Apartments 412 Current Mood: okay Current Music: Robbie Simmons - I Tried Tags: 5th year, stetson

(1 comment | Leave a comment)

09:32 am - at this very moment i'm okay. i have a voice lesson in an hour and a half, and i just woke up at 9:10 am, so i hope that i can vocalize and get my voice in a good place. i was in a really good place last night when i left church rehearsal. i have checks to put in my bank account and that makes me really happy. yeah, things are okay. i have a paper to write this weekend. my parents are coming home and i'm going to see them (and taking the roomies with me) TOMORROW! yay for going to my house! so many good things are happening. i need to be able to slow down and appreciate them. i love you all! =o) Current Location: University Village Apartments 412 Current Mood: calm Current Music: Evening Primrose - When? Tags: 5th year, stetson

(Leave a comment)

October 13th, 2006

01:44 pm - i hate you senior research... so my senior research is killing me very quickly...i'm just kind of ready to submit and not do any more work...but i've made it this far, so i know i have to stick it out... plus, if i don't, my parents will have my head on a pike. Seussical is over, yay! it was a great run and a good experience...but i'm glad it's over...i get my weekends back to myself...so that i can bog down and read a bunch of shit i don't want to read. woot. yay. all that. i've been in excellent voice this week and i think thats the only thing that i'm really happy about right now. i've been practicing a lot and i think i'm making some headway. i have another lesson this morning, so i guess we'll see exactly how i'm doing. i feel pretty healthy too, which is really nice. not much else is going on. i'm trying to turn in work as soon as i can without dying or getting failing grades on everything...okay, so i'm being dramatic...there's a new one for ya...kidding. i want the weather to cool down...it's supposed to get to a low of mid-50s tomorrow, but i don't know when...probably at 6 in the morning, hehehe...i want it to be scarf season SO bad... anyway, i must get dressed and head over to Presser and do some warming up. love you kids. =o) Current Location: University Village Apartments 412 Current Mood: calm Current Music: Regina Spektor - 2.99 Cent Blues Tags: 5th year, stetson

(Leave a comment)