What am I Doing with My Life?

Paris Trip

2011-06-20T09:37:00.001-07:00

http://ohhappyday.com/2011/06/goes-to-paris

Junior Piano Recital

2009-09-25T21:39:00.000-07:00

I'm Happy to announce that the day of my recital is rapidly approaching.

Info:
Date: Monday October 5, 2009
Time: 7:30pm
Place: CSUS - Capistrano Music Hall in Room 142A -MRH
Afterwards you are welcome to come back stage and if you have time I would love for you to join me at "Hot Italian" Pizzza on 16th and Q after the performance.

Cheers!

Bolzano Trip...

2009-07-19T05:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday we went to Bolzano, the big town about 30min drive away.
We started out at about 9:30 in the freezing rain, couldn't get on two buses because they were full so we took a stomach churning taxi down the mountain to Bolzano.
After we finally got out of the taxi trap we had a great time shopping and taking pictures. Bolzano is a really great city and has tons of shopping and great views.

~Freezing at the bus stop~~Trying not to puke in the Taxi~

~Scott Trying to advertise his Tagheuer Watch...~

~Dayvin Trying to Scare Kosumo with her doll pose~

~Sitting in the crowded bus on the way back~
So many people!

~Cool Bike~

~Street Perfomer~

~Fountain in the Main Square~

~Streets of Bolzano~

Scherln Friends

2009-07-19T04:54:00.001-07:00

~Liza and I with 5 kilo of Nuttella bewteen us...~~Eating at Tchaffon~
Tyler,Dayvin, Paulo, Me, Jon-Jon, Ben~

~Master Class~
Me, Dr. Rickman, Gene, Alessandro

~My favorite Maestro Khokhlov~

~Me and Liza~

~Me with Dr. Rickman's Studio~
Plus Liza and Kim

An Amazing Performance

2009-07-19T04:43:00.000-07:00

Last night, there was a a performance here at the town church. It was probably one of the best of the festival.
Ilan Schneider and Anna Balakerskaya performed the Carmen Fantasie by Franz Waxman and it was amazing. I happened to record it and I'm so excited to have it to look at again.
Ilan is probably the most amazing violist I've had the honor to hear.
A few days ago we were able to sit and chat over cappucino's in the town square and have a great time getting to know each other.
I think that going to these types of festivals offers more than just performance experience, it also allows the students to get to know some of the world's most renowned musicians.
After the Carmen, a 24 year old tenor got up and sang like Pavorati. It was simply amazing!

~Sergey Romanovsky~~Romanovsky Singing in the Church~

~Ilan and Anna~

~Ilan and I~

Town Folks

2009-07-19T04:31:00.001-07:00

Since today is my last day here in Schlern I tried to get pictures with all the people I've made friends with here in Schlern. Here are just a few.

~Lisel and I~

~Fabrizia the Barista at the Cafe I get Cappuccino every day~

~Simon, the Mayor's Nephew~

~Paulo, the Pizzeria owner~

~The Cafe Owners~
Diego, Giovanna 1 & 2, Ferdinando

~The Cafe~

~Paulo's Pizzeria Tchaffon~
We go here almost every night. Pizza Marguerite with garlic sauce is the best.
It's just cheese with garlic sauce...mmm

Schlern Kids

2009-07-19T04:23:00.000-07:00

Here at Schlern there are a couple of Kids.
Masha and Peter. They are so cute and outgoing. They run up to me and give me a hug every time we see each other in the street or wherever.
Peter is the son of the festival coordinator and Masha is the granddaughter of one of the Piano faculty.

I'll definitely miss their cute faces and vivacious personalities.

The Cute Little Piano Tuner

2009-07-19T04:18:00.000-07:00

His name is Pasquale and he moved to Schlern from Verona and tunes piano's for the festival.

One time I was playing for him in the town church and after he came up to me and said "molto buene" and gave me a little kiss on the cheek.

Every time in the lunch hall he brings wine and always offers me some. He's very cute and so very nice.

Ciao Bella Pasquale!

My Performance

2009-07-13T01:26:00.001-07:00

Last night I performed in the most beautiful church. The acoustics were amazing! One of the pieces I played was Ave Maria and the singer was just spectacular.
This was one of the most memorable concerts I have performed.

Hiking in the Alps

2009-07-13T01:19:00.001-07:00

Saturday my teachers and I took a gondola up half the mountain and hiked around for a few hours. It was amazing!

~A really amazing View~

~The Mountains~

~Me with Mt. Schlern behind~

~A stop on the trail for refreshments...if you wanted some~

~Mt. Schelrn~

The People!

2009-07-08T04:37:00.000-07:00

Ok, I've posted enough pictures of what it looks like here and now I'll introduce you to some of the people.
Note: I performed last night for the first time at the Festival and it went wonderfully, unfortunately the video is to big so I'll just have to show you pictures.

Mr.Cionco - My Teacher at CSUS {pron: Chon-ko}
Natsuki - My teacher here at festival and Wife of Mr. Cionco {pron: Nawt-ski} {I also take lesson from her in Sac}
Scott - Pianist/Friend
Meredith - Roommate
Dr. Brister - Voice teacher
Me! - In the church I performed in
And: You've already met Kosomo and Mandy, two other pianists.

~Natsuki and I after my performance~

~Mr. Cionco and I after performance~
Yes, I have a cheesy grin on my face, but I was very happy.
{the performance went well}~Mr.Cionco and Natsuki~

~Me and MY most favorite Teacher :-)~

~Natsuki and I~

~Me practicing in the Church I performed in last night~

~Meredith and I~

~Scott and I~

~Dr. Brister and I~

Venice!

2009-07-04T15:22:00.000-07:00

Saturday we went on a trip to Venice for the day. It was really cool but extremely crowded with tourists and shoppers. As a result we three took off for our own tour of the city which turned out to be the best experience ever.
We started out at Saint Marco's Square and walked to the Grande Canal to have lunch on the River. It was really beautiful and relaxing.
After lunch we went on a search for a Gondola to ride. Halfway across the city and a few pictures later we arrived at a little waterway off the canal and met Angelo De Rothenfeld and he took us on a beautiful ride as you can see in the pictures.
Dear old Angelo wanted to marry one of us and spend half time in the states and then the rest in Venice, BUT we politely told him there was no hope.
I had a lot of fun there so enjoy my pictures.

~The Docks~~Mandy, Kosomo and I in the Ferry~

~Venice from the Ferry~

~Actors~

~Bridge of Sighs~

~Grand Canal~

~Lunch on the Grande Canal~

~Just a cool Pic~

~Manican Outside a Mask Shop~

~Mandy and Kosomo~

~Gondolier~

~Kosomo and I~

~Gondola Ride~

~Vivaldi's House~

~A Guy Playing Accordion in a Square~

O Little Town of Schlern

2009-07-04T14:52:00.000-07:00

Since the time change and Jet Lag, I've been getting up at very early morning hours. Friday I woke up at four and decided to go out and explore the town and take a few pictures closer to dawn. Here a just a few.
~The View from my Hotel Window~ ~My Hotel~
~The Church in the Main Square I'll be performing In~
~The Fountain in the Main Square~
~The Seating Area for the Gelato Shop~
~View from the Gelato Shop~
~Special Delivery~
~The Five Star Hotel~ ~The Post~

~Telephone Booth~

~ Trash can and a Bench~

~ Schlern ~

I'm Here!!

2009-07-02T06:47:00.001-07:00

On the way to Schlern we stopped off in Austria at this quaint little B&B/Restaurant.

While there I saw this sign... anyone want to got to Oslo?? ;-)

~The amazing Italian Alps~

Inside the town of Schlern, there is water fountains everywhere where you can fill up with the world's most cleanest and tastiest water. Well that's it for now, the food is great and the weather is incredible. I love it here!! tata

Traveling is a Bear!

2009-06-30T22:36:00.000-07:00

~My Mom and I at SF Airport~

So I'm in London right now at the airport awaiting my flight to Munich then the Bus ride to Schlern. After a day and a half travel and still a few more hours to go, I'm beat.

My flight to London was interesting to say the least.... I once again received a Gold Medal award for sitting next to the loudest speaking chap on the plane {and he didn't stop talking}. My gold medal wall is growing rather rapidly, since I always seem to sit next to the "interesting" people.

I've spent the last 9 hours here at Heathrow Airport trying to sleep and make the most of my time. I found a great lounge area where I slept a bit with my nice travel pillow and an airplane blanket I pilfered off the plane....shhh.
I'm ready to get into the Hotel and take a shower and a nice long walk WithOut luggage in tow.

Bye for now and I'll be posting more as soon as I can get internet access in Schlern.

As they say in London - Cheerio!

New Addition

2009-05-12T07:10:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone!

I'm excited about this year and the next as I will be performing more and more solo Piano recitals!

I have added a new list called Concert Appearances. This will help you know when I am performing and where.

If you are unable to make any of the dates listed, I will be doing some pre-performance performances in August so please feel free to shoot me an e-mail or comment and I will
give you more information.

Kindest Regards!

Who Knew...

2009-04-21T21:44:00.000-07:00

She said she wanted to blow her audience away... You be the Judge.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luRmM1J1sfg

Richard Cionco in Concert April 25th

2009-04-12T22:31:00.000-07:00

Please come here my teacher play this month at the Memorial Auditorium!

He's an amazing Pianist as well as a really great person, you can buy tickets at:

www.camelliasymphony.org

Italy, Recital and Kissin...

2009-03-15T15:51:00.000-07:00

Wow great things are happening for me this year and I'm excited to tell you about them.

First: I'm Going to ITALY!!! This summer I'll be gone for three weeks to the beautiful Italian alps for the International Music Festival in Schlern. I sent out my application a few weeks ago and found out I was not only accepted but they granted me a scholarship to attend. This is going to be an amazing life experience and I can't wait.

Second:
I'll be giving my first ever piano recital!!! In April I have my Junior recital scheduled {I'll let you know the date soon... It's still a secret}
Please make plans to attend as I want everyone to be there!

Third:
I saw Evgeny Kissin live in concert this past week!!!! I bought a ticket for literally the back row since it was the cheapest and during the intermission I jetted down and sat on the front row!!! I was like five feet from this master Pianists. He's only 37 years old and started playing at the age of two. You can read his Bio here http://www.kissinmusic.com/ This was one of the most amazing concerts I've been to in a while. He's a prodigy! I was so honored to be able to hear him play!

Well that's it for now I'll give more updates soon!

Going Green

2009-02-26T22:05:00.000-08:00

I've officially gone Green and I'm riding my bike to work! {house cleaning} Yes it's true, and no you won't see a mop and a broom slung over my back because I've thought ahead. About a month ago I supplied all my clients with everything they need, so all I have to do is show up! Nice eh? Starting tomorrow I ride my bike to work and school until the weather goes bad.

Well... One of the other reasons why I'm riding my bike is cause I'm letting Misha and David borrow my car while they are here. Yup there back! {only for No Limits} :-(
Here's some fun we've already had...

This One is for the Great....

2009-02-01T23:52:00.001-08:00

New Year's Determination's

2009-01-04T21:13:00.000-08:00

Resolution = The act of determining
Determination = Firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end
End = The ultimate state; an outcome worked toward.

So many times in my 24 years I've heard the phrase "I've made my New Years Resolution" or something to this effect. So, being the curious person I am I thought it would be quaint to look this word up in the dictionary. Sure enough my suspicions were right, determination has a lot to do with resolution.
This year I think I'll coin a new phrase - 'My New Year's Determination's'... catchy eh?
2008 has been one of the most integral stepping off points in my life, I've had to make decisions I never thought I'd have to face and also I've grown in so many areas of my life that I never new needed growth. Thankfully with the help of a few trusted folks and Jesus Christ, I got my self on a right track for the rest of my life.
My eyes have been opened to so many things such as family and friends, priorities and responsibilities and most of all, God. Trust me things haven't been easy but then again who said that life was a piece of cake?? I might like cake but to much is harmful and to little is pure torture. :-)
This year I'm determining this one thing to myself and that is to put God and Family first. I read something to the effect that emotional cravings lead to unwise decisions, so my biggest weapon against this symptom is to surround myself with the best of the best, God, my Family and Friends.

So here's to a New Year's Determination! Are you on board?

Christmas in the City!

2008-12-25T08:29:00.000-08:00

Greetings and Merry Christmas from New York City!
Short synopsis of my traveling so far

Left Sac at Midnight - the plane was so hot, everyone was asking for ice and water because we were all literally suffocating. Thankfully the flight was only 4 hours long. Boy was I ever glad to get off that plane.

Landed at JFK international 7:45
Got Luggage 8:20
Air Train 8:30
'A' Train into the City - Long time
Transferred to a local subway in the city and got off at the right stop....

Here's where my real adventure begins.
First I have to tell you that I rented an apartment here in the city instead of a hotel room because it was cheaper and in the area I wanted to stay in {Upper East Side}

Just imagine....One girl, Two suitcases {one 50lbs} walking alone down the street in the very cold winter weather of NY.
Without any trouble I found the street and building the apartment is. Well, I walked up to one of the doors, hauled both my suitcases up the front stoop and found out my keys didn't work. {Wrong Building}
I went to the next door hauled both my suitcases down the other stoop onto the next one, and Hey the doors just opened and I went right in! Happily I again hauled all my stuff up 3 flights of stairs and got out the keys....{this is really cool, I've done this all by myself, I'm in NY and I about ready to get into the apartment I rented!} ....the keys didn't work!
What!?!?!?! I went up to the fourth floor, nope didn't work either....Now what do I do?
Call to Misha's Dad who lives on Staten Island: "
Me: "Ben, the keys don't work."
Ben: "Don't worry call the guy who rented you the apartment and let him know whats going on."

Call to Adam:
Me: Hey I'm here at the apartment and the keys don't work. Am I in the wrong building?
Adam: "Probably, the apartment should have a 4R on the door and you'll know your in the right place."

Haul number four, down three flights of stairs and out the front door down the stoop and out back on the sidewalk where I started.
It's now been about a half hour and I'm sweaty and out of breath wondering where this silly apartment is! I look down and in between the two stoops that I just recently vacated is the correct door. Yes! I've finally arrived.
I get in and the key works to open the outside door. I go up and get to the apartment, {I carried my smaller luggage first} at the door once again the key fits and for the next five minutes I try to figure out how to open up the silly door. There are two locks that have to be opened but one has to be unlocked before the other.....so it took me a while to figure it out.
Finally I'm in! After getting in I went back downstairs and for about the fiftieth time hauled the fifty pound luggage up four flights of stairs and I literally dropped onto the couch with exhaustion.
Now, after getting cleaned up and out of my traveling clothes I'm writing this little saga to tell you to enjoy the time with your families this Christmas and give the gift of love to everyone you meet. You never know who around you needs something special that only you can give.
In about an hour I'll be seeing my Sister, Brother in law and my little niece and nephew. I would go through that entire trip again just to see my family and be with them because I love them so much!
Have a wonderful Christmas and spread the cheer! Seeing my family is the best Christmas present I could ever get!

Another Reason for Giving Thanks! A New Baby!

2008-11-27T17:35:00.000-08:00

Welcome Romalise Kelbatyrov into the world at 7lbs 6.5oz.
Born 12:04 Thanksgiving Morning.
What a precious way to start out the day.
I love you little Roma!

She's definitely a Kelbatyrov...

Who Says Science Isn't Cool?

2008-11-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

Take a look at this really cool experiment in a space flight simulator.

More Music!

2008-11-01T19:08:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, Just giving you an update.... I've been super busy as of late. Next semester is my Junior recital and I've been in the practice room everyday and night of the week except for Sundays. Here's me today in the practice room practicing Chopin at 7:00 at night. I'll be here till bout midnight then the time change and I'll have an extra hour of practice! Yippee!! Well if you don't see me a lot then you know why.

Love you all and thanks for the support. I'll be sure to post an invite for my Recital when I know the date.

My Newest Venture

2008-10-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I wanted to share with you what I'm doing in my world at school. Many of you don't know much about my major or what I'm doing so here's some info.
I'm completing my BM in Music at Sacramento State and then after that I'll move on to my Masters...where ever that may be.
I wanted to show you one of the composers I'm playing. His name is Sunny Knable, a CSUS alumni, is an incredible Jazz/Classical composer as well as being a drummer, singer/songwriter. He lives in NY and just recently wrote a piece for my Instructor Richard Cionco called 'American Variations'. The first time I heard it I fell in love with it and had to learn it.
Sooo... here is a link to his webpage where you can hear my teacher at the Steinway series in Florida playing one of the variations I will be learning.

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=292558182

Enjoy!

I've Been Tagged

2008-09-27T22:26:00.000-07:00

6 unspectacular things about me:
1. I haven't lost all my teeth {13 still in there from birth}
2. I love to play age of Empires computer games. {I own all four...}
3. I get nervous speaking in front of people. {my leg starts shaking and I get sick}
4. Sometimes I look like I just ate a rock but really I'm probably spacing out.{that's my blank look}
5. I'm beginning to like the color red.
6. I just redid some things in my room. {testing my decorating skills

Rules:
1. link the person who tagged you
2. mention the rules on your blog
3. list 6 unspectacular things about you
4. tag 6 other bloggers

Christy lee, James Small, Vera Kelb, Jessica Kelb, Chelsey Scott

Philippines Trip

2008-09-16T03:53:00.001-07:00

Well I'm finally home and I want to say 'I'm Glad to be an American!' and I'm glad to be back in the USA!
I am happy to be able to drink un-bottled water, use the bathroom properly and not live with a bottle of hand sanitizer in one hand and a handkerchief in the other.
Aside from the comforts of America that I didn't have, the experiences were unforgettable and I wouldn't trade it for anything else. I wanted to stay a little longer just to be with the people there and be apart of their culture, but of course I couldn't.
Every time I turned around I experienced a lifestyle unknown to me, unthinkable circumstances and impoverished living arrangements. My eyes were once again opened to the world outside of 'me'.
I have so many moving stories about the people in Bohol that will never be forgotten. I want to be able to express in words what happened but it's almost impossible. You have to be there to 'feel there'
One of the most impacting things that I can remember was praying with these precious people on Wednesday night so hard that my body was literally racked with sobbs I couldn't control. I didn't know their language or circumstance, I couldn't even say anything to encourage their alter experience. All I could do was pray the power of God down into the lives and watch God do the rest. What a powerful experience of how God can move.
We sometimes go to church by rote and don't think twice about the amazing power God has when we are willing to accept. Many times we can't wait to get out of church because of our own personal agendas or intimidation of going to the alter to seek out God's ways.
What if we put aside the 'me' factor and let the God factor reign? What would happen?
I'm not perfect nor do I claim to be but let's all try to be better 'Him' Christians than 'me' Christians and watch what God will do.

Here is a day to day picture diary of all the things that happened from Monday to Sunday. Enjoy!

Welcome Wednesday!

2008-09-16T03:34:00.000-07:00

~Welcome to Tagbilaran Bohol~

Thursday

2008-09-16T02:39:00.001-07:00

~Pastor Young Preaching hard in the AM Service~

~The Rockstars~

~Choir Practice Thursday afternoon~~Thursday night Worship Pilipino Style!~

Friday

2008-09-16T02:27:00.000-07:00

~These next few pics courtesy of Ryan Hammonds~

~The Crowd~

~Late night water baptism in the Ocean~

Saturday

2008-09-16T01:57:00.000-07:00

~Saturday was our day of rest. We had a beautiful Island tour of Bohol~

~The oldest stone church in the Philippines~

~Lobaq River Cruise~~Can you see him?~

~Me and Courtney Pound~

~Bye for Now~

There;s one more day, click on the 'Coming Home' link in the arcives.

Coming Home!

2008-09-16T01:25:00.000-07:00

~Us waiting at the Tagbilaran Airport in Bohol to go home~

~The Dusi Thani Hotel we stayed at in Manilla~

~Mani!! He was our tour guide that took us around Manilla Monday~

~Fort Santiago~

~United States War Memorial and Cemetery~

~Say Hi to the walking 7-eleven's~

~Our first Wendy's all week! And SB's!~

~Take a look at this wiring job...~

Philippines!!

2008-09-11T15:34:00.000-07:00

After almost two days of travel we finally made it to the beautiful Island of Bohol! The minute we stepped of the plane it was like walking into a sauna with all your clothes on. We literally landed in an airport so small it was in the the backyards of the City's main street. The island itself is pretty large but mostly uninhabited making the city very crammed with people and buildings.

~Kyle and Joey wearing there neck rests...~ After landing we went straight to Bohol Tropics where we were greeted by the precious Philipino people holding a banner and singing welcome and worship songs.

The people here are so precious and full of pure love and servitude it's amazing. The question arises again how can people be so poor yet be so happy? We americans have everything and more than these people would ever dream of in a lifetime and still we are selfish and rude {speaking to myself here too} about what we have and who we are. This definitely made me think again about who I am as a person and who I want to be.

While in service Thursday morning I looked over and saw these beautiful children all in their best clothes sitting together without parents and all of them were staring at us. The children clostest to me were really precious so I gave them some candy. After they were finished they kept staring at me, staring at my purse {where the candy came from} back and forth, back and forth. Finally I got the hint that they wanted more candy...sooo I gave them more. Well they kept looking at me and I thought to myself, 'they have candy, what else do they want?' Out of the corner of my eye I caught the little girl trying to mouth the words I was saying and she was also clapping just like I was and was basically imitating whatever I was doing. I leaned down and told here that I was saying 'halelluah' and after that she started yelling it really loud everytime I did. It was the most precious and heart warming thing I've ever seen.

Well I will post more things soon, but it takes a long time to upload any media.

Signing off.

I'm Pumped!

2008-09-08T00:40:00.000-07:00

~I wish!~

Well today is a momentous day in the life of me!

List of things to do today.

-pack
-get my car out of the shop
-call the insurance guy and tell him I've taken my car out of the shop and when I get back I'm requesting a new agent. And, I will take my car to two different shops to get more estimates to make sure I'm getting the best deal out of the accident. {I have a feeling he won't like this...oh well, it's my car!}
-school, last minute stuff
-last minute shopping
-possibly return my car rental
-somehow get to the Young's to get a ride to SF to leave for the Philippines!!! Yup that's right! It's finally the day!

How would I rather spend my birthday than going and doing something for the Kingdom of God! In spite of all the devil has tried to do, I've gotten where I'm at today because of the long suffering grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. Where would I be if not for his grace?

I count it a privilege to be counted as one of his children. I can't wait to see what's going to happen this week. For the past two weeks it's been one thing after the other, so I know that God is going to do something powerful, and I can't wait!

Thank you to all my friends and family that came and joined me at one of my favorite restaurants for my birthday! I love you all.

P.S. It's Ben's birthday tomorrow but since we are crossing the time line he will lose his birth day...:-( Every one give him a birthday text so he doesn't feel left out.....Don't tell him I said that! hehe

New 'News'

2008-09-02T15:42:00.000-07:00

Here's an update as to what's now happening with this accident incident....

~My new rental car!~

I got my car to a body shop today as well. While at the body shop I had the owner explain to me everything I needed to know about the estimate and what wasn't included.....which was a few things. The estimate has to be completely redone and the insurance company doesn't like it very much.
I am however very satisfied with the body shop I chose. It's family owned and they are behind me all the way! I have had the worst experience with the other ladies insurance company. They have been rude and customer care is not there first priority. Right now I just want to make my car as brand new as possible and make them pay! I really am not a vindictive person but they really brought it out in me this time.

Today also started a new semester of school for me!! And next week I leave for the missions trip I mentioned in a previous post.

Well all in all things are moving ahead. Ta-ta for now!

"Prais'm"

2008-08-26T12:28:00.000-07:00

Here's my rental Car!!!! Finally!! I was going retro for a few days...."Mom can you give me a ride?" as well as asking others {thanks Rachel and Amanda} for rides and waiting to be picked up. Thank You Jesus for this car!

!!!CRASH!!!

2008-08-23T12:02:00.000-07:00

I am officially without a car to drive as of 4:26 yesterday afternoon. That's correct, no car... Zinko, Zanko, Zadda!
While leisurely driving home from work yesterday afternoon on Capitol Ave, think about the rest of the day and planning my evening routine, I looked over to me right....
This lady comes out from the cross street and accelerated into the right rear end of my car!!! Can you believe it!! She hit my car so hard, I lost control and veered off to the right side of the street, hit the curb, Jumped the Curb! Landed onto the sidewalk and someone's lawn and finally was stopped by the lovely fence that dented up the FRONT of my now poor little car!
Wow what an experience that was....

Now I've spent all morning on the phone in constant communication with the other insurance company trying to get them to get me a rental car, and boy has it been hard. They keep putting me on the back burner and I keep telling them I NEED A CAR!! Of course I said it in a nice way but you can understand my dilemma.
They keep telling me that they need to talk to the other lady...well they never called her. So I called back an hour later, they never called her... I call back again and finally the nice lady I spoke to said she would take care of it as soon as she got off the phone with me. What a morning!

I don't recommend getting into accidents but if it's not your fault, it will turn out to your favor. Hallelujah!
I might be able to get a new car out of this depending on the cost of the repairs. In my estimate the entire front end and front tires need to be replaced as well as the entire back end and then some. There could also be damage to things I can't see like denting of the undercarriage from impact or something like that. Thankfully my Uncle is my insurance agent and advocate so he will make sure that I get the best possible end of this whole situation.

Although the lady was nice that hit me, she didn't even say sorry! All she said is that she didn't see me and that she was going to file a complaint against the city about the foliage that was blocking the view of the street.
Umm....I take the 'nice lady' part. I just got off the phone with the insurance company and they told me that the 'lady' can't remember what happened and now we have to wait till the police report comes out in about ten days!

This is rather frustrating, I'll keep you updated. In the meantime here are pics.

~Her Car~

~My Car~

PEAK

2008-08-19T12:30:00.000-07:00

Wow what an amazing conference PEAK was! I had the most fun with friends and of course God moved in so many powerful ways I can't even begin to tell you everything that happened. All I can say is that God definitely changed my life this past week.

Here are some of the few pics I took while there. This is all from the last night, I forgot to charge my camera...again...so here they are!

~Brad and I before service~

~ I tried going to P.F Changs with the girls from Canada cause I didn't want to be a bus kid anymore so we all squeezed into someones car and Sarah was lying across everyone for the very unfruitful ride. Thanks girls for taking me with you!!!~

~Chantelle and Me~

~Gentry didn't want to take a picture...~

~Me and Jared~
~Me and Sheramy~
~Most of us girls~
~Me and Beau D.~
~Me and Pauline~
~Oh and we can't forget Dusty....~

Meet Walker

2008-08-19T12:08:00.001-07:00

On the way home from PEAK, I had an experience of a lifetime with the young gentleman I sat next to.... To say the least about the experience, everyone in the rows around me received complementary alcohol and I got some free chips.

Near the end of the flight, after I kept reminding him his promise to the stewardess to be quite if she gave him some chips, this conversation happened between 'Walker' and the little girl in front of him.

W: Why aren't we in California?
Girl:{starting to sing and talk to herself just like walker had the entire flight}
W: Be quiet
W: I think we're landing!
Girl: No we're not...
W: Yes we are....
Girl: No we're not!
W: {very animated}Yes we are! Just ask some one you little brat!
Girl: No we're not!
W: Yes we are and if you don't stop I'm going to get out Mr. Fisty....

Well this was just some of the dialogue that frequented this rather interesting flight.
He finally fell asleep near the end of the flight...how cute! {very relieved}

Excite!

2008-08-01T23:08:00.000-07:00

Excite - Definition from Websters Dictionary

"to raise (as an atomic nucleus, an atom, or a molecule) to a higher energy level"

Anxious - Definition from Websters Dictionary
"ardently or earnestly wishing"

My atoms are at a higher energy level right now and I'm super anxious!

Yup it's for reals...I'm going on a missions trip!!!!!! Oh my word, AHHHH! I'm way scared out of my mind and really excited at the same time. {how can this be} Sometimes I even wake up in the middle of the night just thinking about how scared I am then I laugh cause...well what do I have to be scared about?

Just as of late I'm feeling a sense of expectancy around me, I can't place it and I couldn't even begin to pin down what it is I'm expecting. There's something great 'bout ready to happen and I'M EXCITED!!!!!

Who's Excited with me!??!?!!?

Man I feel like I have so much more to say but no words to say them with. Well folks I am literally speechless at this point. All I can say is I LOVE YOU JESUS!!

SHOES!!!!

2008-07-31T09:10:00.001-07:00

Anna this is for you!! Who votes I actually buy these and wear them to church?

I don't think Marc can figure out where to put his heels....

Blooper

2008-07-25T12:33:00.000-07:00

In a non-personal email to someone this past week I was talking about a blog and instead of writing 'Blog', I wrote 'blob'..... I fell out laughing at myself after finding out my mistake and for being such a funny person. hahahaahaha
Remember to look over your e-mails or posts for misspelled words!

Did You know This?

2008-07-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

~Did you know that there is a new Bible Man??~J/K ...haha

In my daily Bible reading, I came across these scriptures that made me chuckle and ponder a little bit.

Sleep
Psalm 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early,...for so he giveth his beloved sleep.
The Bible says we can sleep in!!!

Appearance/Cars??
Psalm 147: 10
He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man.
Psalm 144:4
Man is like to vanity: his days area as a shadow that passeth away.
Hmmm....

Complaining
Psalm 144:14
...that there be no complaining in our streets.
Wow what a revelation! I need to work on this one...

Wisdom
Psalm 111:10
The Fear of the Lord is the is the beginning of wisdom...

Praise
Psalm 134:2
Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.
Psalm 150:1 ...Praise him in the sanctuary...
If anyone tells you otherwise show them these verses.

Face Melting Skills
Psalm 147:18
He sendeth out his word, and melteth them...
God's got some mad face melting skills!! woohoo

Got any more???

When I Grow Up

2008-07-18T13:51:00.000-07:00

~This is me as a little girl~

As a little girl I can remember always wanting to sing or play the piano. I always told myself I would be a musician when I grew up. Sometimes I would just sit at the piano for hours a day just writing music that no one would ever hear. And with the help of God, Family and friends, I have been able to accomplish my dream and maybe one day I can help others in achieving their dreams as well whatever they may be.

I may not be the best at what I do but God has given me a talent that I have learned to cultivate and share with others. I have not taken for granted these things that God has given me but I have been able to learn so much that applies to daily living.
Perseverance
Concentration
Time Management
Motivation
Patience
Self Confidence
Self Control
And the list goes on. Who would have thought that being schooled in music could teach you all these things. Well, it may not be the music part that taught me these things but rather the venue in which I learned them. Aside from Church, getting a college education has been one of the most important things I've done in my life. I will be receiving my Bachelor's in Music soon and I'm very excited about what doors will be open for me to walk through once I've completed the degree.
I just want to encourage everyone who reads this that no matter what you choose to do in life, Get Educated! Either through Church or University's, take time to cultivate what God has given us, A Brain!
A wise man once said the best way to get to know something is to study it with a deep passion. Take time and prayer and find out what your are meant to do and jump into it feet first! Then watch what God can do.

This has become one of my favorite scriptures in the Bible
Psalms 68:19, 'Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah!'
What an amazing verse to read. WE know a God that wants to daily load us up with treasure and things we didn't even ask for! What more could we ask for than to be showered with gifts from above? Stay focused and persevere beyond your struggle and watch God do the rest!

Psalm 37:4 'Delight yourselves also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.'

My First Car...

2008-07-17T17:36:00.000-07:00

Does everyone remember my first car? It was a 1969 VW Bug. I had it for a while then it got squashed from a car accident :( My poor buggy. I miss it a lot it was a great car. Except sometimes I would go outside at the old church parking lot and my car wouldn't be in the spot I parked it....WHO KEPT MOVING IT!?!?!!? hahaha well the mystery still stands.

While everyone else wants Mercedes, Cadillac's, Acura's and BMW's....this is my dream car, vintage '69 VW...What's yours?

Happy Monday!!!

2008-07-14T10:11:00.001-07:00

So it's Monday and you're wondering "What am I doing?" or "I can't wait till Friday!" Well....here is some time wasters for you! Enjoy!

Mp3: Experiment Four

Grand Central Station

Mobelius

Megastore

Suicide Jumper

Hosanna

2008-07-10T17:55:00.000-07:00

~This is one of my favorite songs~

Blog Search

2008-07-08T23:23:00.000-07:00

I was looking around at different blogs the other day and ran across this one. This particular blog has a lot of cool pics that are rather amazing.
Check it out!
http://evelynmullerfotografias.blogspot.com/

oh, it's all in another language, but you can still look at the pics.

Happy Independance Day!

2008-07-04T09:19:00.001-07:00

We are set free by Jesus Christ no longer a slave to sin. Our Country was founded on this belief that we can worship freely and live a life for Christ. Now, so many Americans are enslaved to their own sin and different addictions. Are we truly free anymore? I've heard it said that character is formed through struggle, but when we let the struggle form our character negatively I fear that to many of us become a slave to struggle. Is it possible that we have lost our own personal freedom?

I say, Fight! Fight for your personal freedom! Don't give up and don't give in, for we are overcomer's by the word of our testimony. And only overcomer's will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. {Revelations} The next time you face that struggle that has formed your character negatively, turn it around and let your character deface and disarm the struggle. Let Freedom Ring!!

May God Bless this blessed day of Freedom!

Although this story to follow is a bit comical it has a message that I would like you all to see. Don't take the small things for granted and let them become big things that effect negatively your own well being.

European Commission has just announced an agreement
whereby English will be the official language of the European Union
rather than German, which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as 'Euro-English'.

In the first year, 's' will replace the soft 'c'.
Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy. The hard 'c'
will be dropped in favour of 'k'. This should klear up konfusion, and
keyboards kan have one less letter.

There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome 'ph' will be replaced with 'f'. This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be
expekted to reach the stage where! more komplikated changes are
possible. Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters
which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent 'e' in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as
replasing 'th' with 'z' and 'w' with 'v'.

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary 'o' kan be dropd fro vordskontaining 'ou' and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensi bl riten styl. Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in
ze forst plas.

A Testimony of My Family

2008-07-03T00:51:00.000-07:00

11 years ago today at the age of 58 years, my precious Grandmother passed away from oxygen deprivation. After years of hard life her lungs eventually turned fibrous and she was unable to breath without the aid of an oxygen tank. She made the decision to go rather than stay and have her quality of life become diminished having to depend on others to give it to her. Literally she went into the hospital on a Friday and by the next Thursday she had gone on to see the Lord. What an experience to have at such a young age.
My Grandmother was an incredible person in her later years. I knew the Grandma that would do just about anything for her family. In fact she gave me my first paying job and at 13 years old. I was making $7.00 an hour when min wage was still $4.25. Granted I didn't work that much but I was making money and learning how to run a business that later on in life would benfit me tremendously.
She taught me work ethic and how to love and bring together a family in spite of disfunction. She taught us how to have fun and have the biggest funnest parties ever!
Christmas and Thanksgiving were my favorite times of the year. I can remember staying in her custom built mansion on a private golf course where we would all stay at her house and stay up waiting until the last minute to get to bed and wake up super early on Christmas morning to open presents. We of course would be the first ones up and quietly sneak into our grandparents room and ask if we could 'watch cartoons' at 6am in the morning. Gram's house was always the funnest for 'we could do no wrong.' How we did these things I don't know, we would stuff ourselves silly with every kind of candy, junk food and various kinds of goodies that my grandmother would cook. She taught us how to put on a spread, thanks Grandma!
My Gram was an elegant woman that always presented herself at her best. She taught me how to become a lady. I can remember her taking me to my first 'real' restaurant and teaching me how to use all those forks and spoons that looked like a wreath of silver surrounding my plate.
She taught me how to make my eyes smile and sparkle and be a true person.
I love and miss my Gram super bad. What could she have added to my life at the age of 23? Where would I be in life if she were still here? I wonder sometimes Gram what would life be like with you here today, I think of you always and thank God everyday that one day I will be with you again. I love you dearly and hope to see you one day.
As a tribute to you Gram, I'm going to make the quality of my life better in dedication to you, one of the most wonderful people I know.

~Love your precious granddaughter

2008-06-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

~Circle of Friends~

I've heard it said that a person is lucky to have at least one good friend in their lifetime. Well I must be blessed beyond measure! Cause I have five! One time when I was a teenager I asked God to bring to me the friends he wanted me to have that would stick with me through thick and thin {literally haha} and be the friends He wanted me to have. As always God came through and so I want to take a few moments to brag about my true best friends, the friends God gave me.My best friends mean the world to me! I love them and they are all super great people! We can be real together and not worry about what other people say or think. Many times I would say to them "Thank you for being real and not putting up a front" The first thing I love about my friends is I can be myself when I'm around them, I don't have to change who I am to fit their requirements.I love my best friends even more because we always laugh together! What would life be like if we couldn't laugh! It would be miserable and boring. Thank you guys for laughing with me. I would not want to laugh with anyone else as much as I want to laugh with you.Sure we may not hang out everyday or call each other on the cell phone and run up our phone bills, but when we are together we are having the most fun that is humanly possible.

My best friends are dear to me cause we can share together. I can tell them anything in the world and know that if it's a secret they won't tell, if it's a problem they can give me sound advice, and if it's great news we can all celebrate together! We grow together in education, spiritually, in other relationships... and most of all over time we grow closer.I want to say thank you for being the best BFF's in the world!!!!! {And Now we will sing...}

Exclusive Niemann Ave 'Fun' Pics!

2008-06-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

Well the first ever Niemann Avenue concert was officially a success! Sure the sound was junk on the first night, but they played well and the second night God did a miracle with the sound! They were able to get a full setup with mics, chords, and everything else for just $50!!! Praise God!

I'm soooo proud of all you guys! You're the best and I love you all. Great job on Sunday night and props to Nate for getting a standing ovation for 'Pilots Song', that song was very moving, I don't think people were prepared for how well you guys sounded.

This weekend was one of the funnest ever! Everyone there had a blast and we all had a great time in Minden.

Here are a 'few'....haha 'a lot' of pics of us and the band. Where do I start!?!?!?

Day 1 and 2: Fun Stuff!

~Setting up~

~Nate being Nate~~I promised ____, I wouldn't put their faces in the pic!!~~The Girls made shirts too. Aren't these girls so beautiful!!~
~Clayton got jealous and hijacked Ms. M's shirt...haha~
~Clayton got more than a t-shirt at Starbucks....~
~Nate showing us how a polite man eats a Strawberry...hehe~

~Kermit the frog here playing 'Air Guitar'~~The Minchkins~
~The two coolest peeps on site~~Ms. M was feeling a little left out:)~
~Us Girls. Don't forget Chels is your 'Numero Uno la fano!'~~The Guys Looking Cool!~

~The Band Mom's. Aren't they Sweet!~

~Jon and his Mum~

Niemann Ave!!

2008-06-20T00:03:00.001-07:00

Presenting Niemann Avenue Live in concert for the first time ever in Minden Nevada!
Last year about this time, I took a few guys and over the summer we did some work on music. Now more of them have banded together and formed a group and went far beyond what anyone thought they could do. They are now officially up and coming talented singer songwriters! Wow, and their age range is from about 15 to 22, can you believe it?? These guys are extremely talented and great to be around, they all love God and put him first in their lives. You guys will go far! Love you all!!
This weekend is their first ever debut concert in Nevada and I will be going to cheer them on and give support along with all the mom's, friends and family. It's going to be a blast and I'll make sure to post stuff while I'm there so you can all see what's happening in 'real time'.

Here are some fun pics of us at practice and Nate and Jon's Grad party...

~ Kyle and Jon at about midnight~
~Yeah ...it was late~~Can't forget the Girls!~
~Oh and the funniest thing....who gets thrown in??~

~Me and Chels wearing Nate's Grad present form me~
~Me and the Boys~

To all my readers

2008-06-19T00:14:00.000-07:00

Hello to you out there in the blog land....
I just wanted to thank you for coming and visiting my dear little blog and getting to know me a little better with each post. Now I would like to hear from you! Some of you that frequent this blog, I've never even met!
So that being said, I would like to know more about my readers, their interests and their lives. For those of you that haven't posted or just ran across me through someone else, feel free to post a comment now and then just for fun! Tell me a little bit about yourself and share the wealth!

Thank you all my dear readers for reading, God Bless!

Faith Maria Lopez

My Lil'bro SKYLER!!

2008-06-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

Check this out... My little brother saw that all his big sisters had blogs of their own so he decided one day to make his own.
He posted for the first time a few days ago, check it out and leave a comment for him so he'll post again! Keep in mind he's only ten years old....hehe
{p.s. He was so excited about this new blog that he called my mom and told her he just posted his first posting and he did it all by himself with no spelling mistakes. In all reality....it's really funny and you have to read it.}
O BTW, he's in Pennsylvania visiting Misha for a month so he's talking about a campfire that happened in Misha's back yard. You can click on the link of Misha's blog to find out what really happened....haha

Sky's Blog: http://www.skylerizms.blogspot.com/

I love you Sky!!!!

How to get into a Train in China

2008-06-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

Life Changing Experiences

2008-06-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

Wow this weekend has been one to remember! On Saturday we were preparing for our Sunday Concert 'Evening of Worship' with Lia Mathews. The Concert was absolutely incredible, the power of God moved so strong, I was standing in awe of what was happening before my eyes. I saw people that didn't even have the Holy Ghost getting involved in the worship, clapping their hands, singing the words and sometimes even dancing in the isles. Wow, what an incredible evening of worship we had!

After rehearsal on Saturday the choir spent about an hour handing out over 1500 invitations all over the city of Elk Grove.
This is me trying to give some one an invite.
Me: Hello Ma'am how are you today!
Lady: {holding her kids hand, walking to her car} "Fine"
Me: That's great! I would like to invite you to a free concert at the Rock Church in Elk grove tomorrow night.
Lady: {Walking faster, dragging her kid by now trying to get away from me} "I'm Busy"
Me: Oh really well if you would like to know more about our church and where we are I would love to give you this card.
Lady: {Shoving her by now crying kid into the car} "Thanks" {She does take the card but was trying to evade anyone giving her anything}

How many times do we get this kind of response from adults in America about church and the revelation of Jesus Christ? Why does the rest of the world seem to get the revelation and grow exponentially in numbers and even having underground church just to be able to know the truth and be able to worship God? It made me mad to see this kind of response from Middle class American's, but maybe this prepared me for what happened Sunday morning.
This Sunday Morning for the first time in my life, I was blessed to be apart of the 'Bus Ministry'! As I woke up on Sunday {rather early I might add} I wasn't prepared for what was about to happen. This picture is of the beautiful little children we picked up on our route. They all live in Oak Park, one of the most dangerous places in Sacramento. They all live in one apartment complex and who knows if any of them actually have a two parent home or 'don't' know someone who does drugs. They were all so excited about getting on the bus! All the kids were patiently waiting outside with their breakfast of brownie bars and soda, {yeah made for a wild ride..SUGAR!!!} as soon as they saw the bus come around the corner, you could see these scrawny little legs jumping up and down with glee just waiting to get to Sunday School.

As I sat on the bus looking at these beautiful children, the thoughts of the previous day came into my mind of how a grown middle class American woman did everything in her power to decline God, while these sweet children who had nothing from broken homes were so excited they couldn't wait just to get on a Sunday School bus.
Tears started to come to my eyes, and a little embarrassed of anyone seeing me I put my sunglasses on and quietly let the tears fall down my face just thinking of how precious and innocent these little children were about accepting Christ even in the small way of Sunday School.
I will never forget this experience and how it will impact not only my life but the life's of these beautiful children. This has to have been one of the most humbling and eye opening things that has ever happened to me, and I will never forget this moment.

I challenge everyone that reads this to find your 'bus ministry' and commit 100% for the kingdom of God. What would happen if we all found that 'ministry' and let God take over. Something tells me that revival is just around the corner...

Continuing the weekend fun!

2008-06-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

Sunday Night after Church {Red,Red,Red,FUN!!!}
If you didn't get a chance to join in on the College and Career 'Breaking of Bread' Sunday, then you missed out big time!

'Breaking of Bread' Sundays are extreme Fun, Excitement and Fellowship. Every first Sunday of each month the C&C Group puts on this get together to bring together all the college age peeps and help us save money! For only $5!!! {yeah that's right $5!} you can eat till you can't fit anything else in there, laugh till your sides hurt and be the last one to leave...or maybe somehow I'm the one that's the last one to leave. hehe

Either way 'Breaking of Bread' is the new up and coming event you don't wanna miss!

The theme for this Sunday was 'Red Russia' everything was red and way cool! We had a great time doing the Russian Dance to the tunes Jessica Kelbatyrov brought. Here are some of the things we did...

~Did you hear joke about a Jew an Italian and a Black Guy?~

~Who Cut the Music we were just getting started!?!?!~

~HAHA James Gotcha~

~The almost Newly Weds~~BFF's....for reals I promise we aren't mad :-)~
~Ali Baba~
~The Real Russian Dancer~

~Oh and we can't forget the Family Pic!!~
Order: Grandma, Baby, Mom

Skyler flapped his wings and flew away...

2008-06-02T16:27:00.000-07:00

Saturday night my mom and I took Skyler, my ten year old brother, to the SF airport. Yup you guessed it, he flew all by himself to NY to visit my long lost sister Misha...hehe well maybe not so lost.
We had fun fighting in the backseat of the car while my mom put her hands over her ears, fall ing asleep along the way and eating dinner at Applebee's.
At the airport we said our goodbyes but before that we took some hilarious pics. Oh wait, here's some now...

Origins of Scandal

2008-05-30T23:18:00.000-07:00

Have you ever been involved in a confidential conversation with someone that was overheard by someone else? That person in turn takes the tidbit of info they heard makes it a reality and spreads the partial truth by repeating it to others. Then all of a sudden, everything seems to go out of whack and a story begins that is entirely untrue due to the fact that the person listening in only heard a 'partial' truth.

How many times has this happened to you or someone you know? Or maybe you have been the one to hear the half truth and 'spread the word.' Just take a moment to read the following story and by the end maybe we{myself included} can learn a few good tips about thinking before speaking.

Always remember to go to the source if you have questions or thoughts, it makes things a lot better for both parties. Or the other option would be to keep it to yourself if you don't know the whole story. When in doubt, do without.

THE ORIGIN OF SCANDAL

"Said Mrs. A.
to Mrs. J.,
In quite a confidential way:
'It seems to me,
that Mrs. B.,
Takes too much -- of something -- in her tea.'"
"And Mrs. J.,
To Mrs. K.
That night was overheard to say --
She grieved to touch
Upon it much,
But 'Mrs. B. took -- such and such!'"
"Then Mrs. K.
Went straight away,
And told a friend, the self-same day,
' 'Twas sad to think' --
Here comes a wink --
'That Mrs. B. was fond of drink.'"
"The friend's disgust
Was such she must,
Inform a lady, 'which she nussed,'
'That Mrs. B.
At half-past three,
Was that far gone she couldn't see!'"
"This lady we
Have mentioned, she
Gave needle-work to Mrs. B.,
And at such news
Could hardly choose,
But further needle-work refuse."
"Then Mrs. B.,
As you'll agree,
Quite properly -- she said, said she
That she would track
The scandal back
To those who made her look so black."
"Through Mrs. K.
And Mrs. J.
She got at last to Mrs. A.,
And asked her why,
With cruel lie,
She painted her so deep a dye!"
"Said Mrs. A.,
In sore dismay,
'I no such thing could ever say.
I said that you
But stouter grew,
On too much sugar -- which you do!'"

Memorial Day Picnic

2008-05-27T23:12:00.001-07:00

~The cutest kid on planet earth, introducing CYLAS!!!~

Memorial day in Sac Town was one of the most beautiful days so far this year and we got the chance to spend it outside at the park. I would post a bunch of pic's but apparently my battery died! I couldn't figure it out, I charged it the entire night and it died on me after taking only two pics!! Then this morning I figured it out...{drum roll please}the charger cable was unplugged. You can laugh now, I'm pretty smart sometimes but yesterday all the fries weren't in the happy meal...
I have some great pics from last years picnic so I'll post them.

~You've seen these guys before, James, Christy, me~

~Amanda be reckoned with...do you get it??~

Etiquette Everyday Tip #5

2008-05-26T01:55:00.000-07:00

Hey Guys even if you aren't out on a date, these are still really good tips to live by. {I don't think number 4 will work very well with large groups....}

#5: The Finer Points of Dating Courtesy—Gender Neutral

~Emily Post

Holding the door: Whoever gets to the door first holds it for others.

Getting off an elevator: The person closest to the door exists first.

Helping to put on a coat: Anyone having trouble putting on a coat or sweater should receive some help, regardless of gender.

Paying for a meal: Whoever does the inviting does the paying.

Standing: Getting up to greet someone is always polite—and this is especially important when the person is elderly or is a business superior or client. It’s also the thing to do when you are being introduced to someone.

Walking on the outside: The custom of a man walking between his female companion and the street was the custom in the days when carriages splashed mud and ladies’ finery needed shielding. These days, it doesn’t matter who is walking on the street side of the sidewalk.

Shaking hands: Used to be that a man was supposed to wait for a woman to offer her hand before he extended his. Today, regardless of gender, people should shake hands upon meeting, and it doesn’t matter who puts their hand out first.

Helping to carry something: A neighbor or coworker—anyone—who is overloaded with books or packages will appreciate an offer of help from whoever is nearby.

Relaxation

2008-05-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

On the first weekend I don't have to do any school work or have any responsibilities.... EVERYONE CALLS ME!!!{no rest for the weary}
I tried my best to stay in bed all day long but managed to drag myself out at about 2ish....in the afternoon! Ya I know I'm a bum, but I deserved it after all the hard work I did this semester. All A's and a B+, I'm such a great student! I had a lot of fun this semester and I plan on having even more fun this fall.
In my relaxation mode, I would like to post some of my favorite pics I've taken while on my many trips to New York over the past couple of years. I love to vacation in NYC, it's always very exciting and fascinating everywhere you step.

~Times Square~

~I love to take a picture of this Square every time I go~

~My Favorite Store in the City!~

~Empire State Building~

Finals Are Finally Over!!!!!

2008-05-21T22:34:00.000-07:00

This was me and a few of my friends during finals week....yes we actually stayed the night in the all night study area. Just not in a tent [found this pick online]

Ok so Finals are finally oooover!!!!! I'm so excited because I just got the phone call.... well let me explain. I am a Bachelors of Music Piano Performance major which means my finals are very much performance weighted. This means my final is performing in front of all the piano faculty of CSUS for a 'piano jury' You either pass or fail and you can't cram! I spent the past few months practicing piano several hours a day, listening to recordings, analyzing music, a 20 minute Jury!![Yes I played flawlessly for 20 minutes, very difficult] and it all paid off!!
My instructor called me at 8:31 tonight during choir practice and told me I 'passed my Junior Qualifying Jury' so this means I am now officially a Junior in my major and next year I will be giving an hour long recital to which all of you are invited. As soon as I get my computer to cooperate with me, I will post myself playing a couple pieces I've worked on this semester.

In the meantime, here are some more 'etiquette tips' from
~Emily Post

#2: A great handshake—at home or abroad

In North America and Europe, a firm handshake is an appropriate form of greeting. In Asia and the Middle East, where hand shaking is still relatively new, the customary grip is gentler; a too-hearty grip could be interpreted as aggressive. In Islamic countries, offering your hand to a woman is highly offensive. At the other extreme, it’s said that you can never shake hands too much in France, whre women shake hands as freely and as often as men.

#3: Beyond the handshake

Here’s when it’s okay—and not—to use more personal greetings:

The Peck on the Cheek: Men and women should refrain from kissing in business situations, since even an innocent peck might be misconstrued. The exception is when people know each other quite well, especially when they greet each other at a quasi-social event like a convention or a business lunch.

The Air Kiss: This cheek-touch with pursed lips that began as a way of avoiding smudged makeup can come across as insincere. Stick with the handshake

Etiquette Everyday Tip #1

2008-05-16T17:24:00.000-07:00

#1: 5 Ways to Combat Rudeness

Don’t take it personally. Perhaps the offender is having a bad day.
Size up your annoyances. Is it worth it to make a fuss over something small, or is it a waste of your emotional time?
Set a good example. Rudeness begets rudeness. If you speak sharply to the bank teller, don’t be surprised if you get the same treatment in return.
Count to ten. When someone’s behavior makes you angry, take a few deep breaths and ask yourself, “Is it really worth blowing my stack over this?”
Laugh it off. If you can’t come up with a friendly joke, just chuckle and change the subject.

~Emily Post

Yo-Yo

2008-05-15T19:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I'm trying to study in the Union at CSUS, and waiting for C&C peeps to get here, and I'm not having great luck. The reason being is there is this way rockin band strikin it up downstairs. So me being me decides to show you just how great the band really is. Incognito I went downstairs and filmed some footage....

OMW!!!! The singer lady and ohhh... they are singing "I'm a believer"
right now and man are they not the best sounding group in the world. It's making my skin cringe. Thank God for the great music we have at church! I don't know how we're gunna have C&C with all this racket going on. As soon as I get home I'll post the video but for right now here's some pic's of my family cause I was actually feeling rather familial earlier today.

AHHHH!!!!!#$%^^& Finals

2008-05-13T22:48:00.000-07:00

~ This is my Brain these next two weeks!@#%%^&%^

Did you ever stop to think how do college students survive and live to be old and decrepit with only a piece of paper and a lot of memories to show for all the hard work. Today I was thinking how do we students survive! After living on espresso and granola bars it's a surprise I'm still alive!
I know everyday I get up, I have to ask for God's help just to do all the things that I need to do {homework, practicing, etc} because without him I'm incapable of anything. Can you imagine the people that don't have Christ? How do they do it, what makes them successful?
I would have to say that hard work and perseverance is the key to success.

This week I'm preparing for finals and Piano Jury's {no it has nothing to do with court}. Yesterday I did a 12 hour marathon of making a presentation on keynote for my Music History class. It was so much fun and by 4 o'clock this morning I had to force myself to go to sleep. As a result of only ingesting coffee and granola bars for the past two days, I woke up with the jitters and was very energetic in my presentation, which went very well. Josiah A. and Jason G. were my presenting partners and I'd have to say that our presentation was top notch. Thanks MAC without you my presentation would have been on poster board and flash cards! hahaa

Good luck and Blessings to all of you that have to endure finals these next two weeks. You can do it!!

Here's a little story to get your mind off of finals and all that hard thinking.

In 1986, Dan Harrison (pictured above) was on holiday in Kenya after graduating from Northwestern University

On a hike through the bush, he came across a young bull elephant standing with one leg raised in the air. The elephant seemed distressed, so Dan approached it very carefully.

He got down on one knee and inspected the elephant’s foot and found a large piece of wood deeply embedded in it. As carefully and as gently as he could, Dan worked the wood out with his hunting knife, after which the elephant gingerly put down its foot.

The elephant turned to face the man, and with a rather curious look on its face, stared at him for several tense moments. Dan stood frozen, thinking of nothing else but being trampled. Eventually the elephant trumpeted loudly, turned, and walked away.

Dan never forgot that elephant or the events of that day.

Twenty years later, Dan was walking through the Chicago Zoo with his teenaged son. As they approached the elephant enclosure, one of the creatures turned and walked over to near where Dan and his son Dan Jr. were standing.

The large bull elephant stared at Dan, lifted its front foot off the ground, and then put it down. The elephant did that several times then trumpeted loudly, all the while staring at the man. Remembering the encounter in 1986, Dan couldn’t help wondering if this was the same elephant.

Dan summoned up his courage, climbed over the railing and made his way into the enclosure. He walked right up to the elephant and stared back in wonder. The elephant trumpeted again, wrapped its trunk around one of Dan’s legs and slammed him against the railing, killing him instantly.

Probably wasn’t the same elephant!

All in a Day's Work

2008-05-11T01:01:00.000-07:00

Kate and I working way to hard....at being dorks! Wasn't long before we achieved!
Well... Did you ever stop to wonder what could happen in one day's time? Here is the answer according to me and May 10 2008.
First I had to get up way to early and take my little bro Sky to Baseball. Then I went over to Sis. Beth Ezell's house to make flowers for Mother's day. Well I didn't make any cause if I did..... we would have a lot of returns with no refunds, haha. I cut wire and made all the ribbons with the help of Sis. Beth.

Here's us girls before all the fun started.

Then the work began:
This is a way rad pic of Fayruz hard at work doing her thang! She made some awesome arrangements. Kim did some work too....

Then after making a billion flowers and a huge mess, I left and went to dinner with my Mom and little bro.
Then.... {get's a text from BFF Angel Lombardo} 'Hey watchya doing??' {Me} ahh nothing wanna hang out? Sure... The preceding is what happened. hehe
1) We went to midtown for 2nd Saturday and passed by these crazy traveling drummers

Then the hari krishna folks were singing for a long time, a long time, a long time {oh did I repeat myself?} the same song over and over that repeated hari krishna over and over. We passed by once and over an hour later they were still singing the same song. WAY WIERD!

Ok, enough of this wacko crazy scene, let's move on to the more funner stuff. No it doesn't involve getting our pictures taken from the Sharaton Hotel Security Staff.... {clears throat}
Angel's mom is in town for Mother's day and we dragged her around to all the art gallery's and finally...Crepeville!!! And then there was.....

Joey and I loved our Nutela Strawberry Crepe's sooo much we licked our plates clean as a whistle.

As Angel pushed the plate into his face a food fight broke out and whipped cream went all over her lovely green sweater, enraged she threw her water bottle at Joey, which missed, and hit the window upon which proceeded to explode and cover the window in water. The waitress came out and told us to 'behave this is a restaurant'. I was so appalled at the behavior of my table mates that I took my napkin and started wiping the window clean of water. Soon, Angel and Jessica {feeling guilty no doubt} were helping me and we fixed our little booboo. hehe Jessica was so excited about our random act of kindness she had to reward herself with a big glob of ice cream. Then after all the fun we went to Old Sac. I don't know exactly who's smart idea this was but we had fun anyways as you'll see shortly.

I don't know what happened my cam wasn't taking a 'picture' but it was taking something else... J/K it's a video!!! haha gotchya!

As the night was dwindling down, and we didn't want to be late for our dates with the bed we calmed down a little, just a little. The pixies had a great time leafing themselves in prep for Mother's day. Then we all decided to get in the pic with my handy dandy self timer.

Then on the way home we took some BFF pics just because that's what we girls do! I put my cam on this way cool setting and
it took some rad pic's. Well that's all for right now. Enjoy! Till next time.

Us Girls Havn Fun!

2008-05-09T18:00:00.000-07:00

Well, the college group at my church recently went on a road trip to Tahoe. Here are some crazy fun things we did.

Here's Amanda lookn chill...

Here's the Crew, Taken atop Amanda's car with my camera.
{Angel, Leila, Angie, Amanda, Me}

Can't forget the Snow Fight!!!

Most of the peeps that went....

I'm Doing Something With My Life...

2008-05-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

Well if you were to look at the title of my blog and then look at the date of my first post and only post and the date of this one.... it's been about 8 months! You could possibly come to the conclusion that, yeah I'm not doing much. Contrary to popular belief I am and have been doing things, I just forgot to write them down, well... I wrote them down just not where anyone can see. No, you can't read my little black book, otherwise you might find your name under the category 'Big Nosed People' {j/k, haha}

So, here starts the fun! I'm really excited because me, as I know it, have just been plodding along like a mule in a corn field content to do just what I'm told and to not tip the proverbial 'oxcart'. But I'm feeling armed and dangerous because 'praise is my wep'... ya you can laugh now at my dry sense of humor.

In keeping with my dangerous reckless abandon trend I've done something out of the norm for myself and posted this song I wrote on u-tube. At the urging of JDW I recorded the song and made it a little funky, funky and put myself as the producer, vocalist musician and publicist. Yeah it wasn't that hard but It was super oober Fun!!

Just because I don't like long posts {now that I'm a poster blogger person I feel as if I could write five more pages, j/k} I'll end now and let you hear my song.

Enjoy!

Your friendly friend...

What am I Doing with My Life?

Paris Trip

Junior Piano Recital

Bolzano Trip...

Scherln Friends

An Amazing Performance

Town Folks

Schlern Kids

The Cute Little Piano Tuner

My Performance

Hiking in the Alps

The People!

Venice!

O Little Town of Schlern

I'm Here!!

Traveling is a Bear!

New Addition

Who Knew...

Richard Cionco in Concert April 25th

Italy, Recital and Kissin...

Going Green

This One is for the Great....

New Year's Determination's

Christmas in the City!

Another Reason for Giving Thanks! A New Baby!

Who Says Science Isn't Cool?

More Music!

My Newest Venture

I've Been Tagged

Philippines Trip

Welcome Wednesday!

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Coming Home!

Philippines!!

I'm Pumped!

New 'News'

"Prais'm"

***!!!CRASH!!!***

PEAK

Meet Walker

Excite!

SHOES!!!!

Blooper

Did You know This?

When I Grow Up

My First Car...

Happy Monday!!!

Hosanna

Blog Search

Happy Independance Day!

A Testimony of My Family

Exclusive Niemann Ave 'Fun' Pics!

Niemann Ave!!

To all my readers

My Lil'bro SKYLER!!

How to get into a Train in China

Life Changing Experiences

Continuing the weekend fun!

Skyler flapped his wings and flew away...

Origins of Scandal

Memorial Day Picnic

Etiquette Everyday Tip #5

#5: The Finer Points of Dating Courtesy—Gender Neutral

Relaxation

Finals Are Finally Over!!!!!

#2: A great handshake—at home or abroad

#3: Beyond the handshake

Etiquette Everyday Tip #1

#1: 5 Ways to Combat Rudeness

Yo-Yo

AHHHH!!!!*!#$%^^&* Finals

All in a Day's Work

Us Girls Havn Fun!

I'm Doing Something With My Life...

!!!CRASH!!!

AHHHH!!!!!#$%^^& Finals