My 20th post in one month. I feel like I have no life. 20 blogs in 31 days? Have mercy. But for someone like me that's not weird. So I don't feel weird. It's that easy.
Tomorrow is April. That is completely whack. I remember what I did April 1st last year. I was home for Easter, and I was reading The Atonement Child by Francine Rivers. I even remember what I wore that day. I remember how my hair was too. You think I'm joking. hah... no but for real. It was so nice to be home. So nice, so nice indeed. I went to help out with a drama practice for The Comedy of Errors.
Tomorrow... to be honest I don't feel like thinking about more things I have yet to do in the near future. I feel like taking a shower and reading and going to bed. So I think I'm going to do that.
So the point of me blogging right now... just the fact that I can. That's about it.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
My lips are sealed
I'm reading a book called "The Rewards of Fasting" right now, and it's rocking my world. Which is a very good thing. My world was becoming a little too mundane, and my walk with God a little too "normal."
Naturally, I feel challenged very easily. I want a better, nearer relationship with God. As soon as I'm in a place to hear, I hear really well. I hear the things people tell me, or the things I read. I'm moved rather easily.
So something that I never really considered, was how much fasting is really a lifestyle. Fasting food is only one way to fast. That I already knew... times I've fasted before I haven't always fasted food. Some things in my life I view as a fast. Some things I deny myself of, even though I want it. Things I won't go into, but things I consider worthy of being called a "fast."
Something I didn't consider before, was fasting words. Literally refusing to speak idle words, and fasting those words in order to bless someone my flesh aches to condemn. Whether someone hurt me, or spoke against me, or lives a life outwardly condemnable, it doesn't matter. Choosing to remain silent is a fast.
Ok, I know what some of you must be thinking. "Shaina Williams talking less would be a fabulous thing." And you're right. Yes I love to talk. I love to converse with people. I love to have relationship with basically anyone and everyone I come in contact with. It's a fire in me to be close to people I meet and know. Because I like to talk, I've considered how to monitor the things that come out of my mouth. But I never really accepted that kind of lifestyle of choosing to remain silent as a style of constant "fasting."
It was interesting in the book I'm reading to gain perspective. Something the authors mentioned was how fasting is more than just petition and stuff like that. It is putting us in our place. It's denying ourselves pleasures and stability and assurance in the world we live in, and recognizing that our only stability and assurance comes from God.
Denying myself stability of other people "taking my side" about something when I talk is actually a really true battle for me.
Talking with some of my best friends even, and sharing how I feel about something, something or someone that hurt deeply... choosing not to even say anything to bash anyone at all, even in the least... even if that rewards me with absolutely no partnership and affirmation from people around me. To deny myself the affirmation of others so that I may recognize that the only affirmation I truly need comes form the Lord.
I have no problem making my own struggles known. Yep. I'm blogging publicly about what I struggle with. Sure I talk too much sometimes. But you know why I don't care that I'm open about it? Because it's the truth. And I think that exposing the truth, no matter what kind of truth it is, is never wrong. It's always good.
I'm going to blog again sometime soon. I want to keep hashing out my thoughts on this book. It's good.
Naturally, I feel challenged very easily. I want a better, nearer relationship with God. As soon as I'm in a place to hear, I hear really well. I hear the things people tell me, or the things I read. I'm moved rather easily.
So something that I never really considered, was how much fasting is really a lifestyle. Fasting food is only one way to fast. That I already knew... times I've fasted before I haven't always fasted food. Some things in my life I view as a fast. Some things I deny myself of, even though I want it. Things I won't go into, but things I consider worthy of being called a "fast."
Something I didn't consider before, was fasting words. Literally refusing to speak idle words, and fasting those words in order to bless someone my flesh aches to condemn. Whether someone hurt me, or spoke against me, or lives a life outwardly condemnable, it doesn't matter. Choosing to remain silent is a fast.
Ok, I know what some of you must be thinking. "Shaina Williams talking less would be a fabulous thing." And you're right. Yes I love to talk. I love to converse with people. I love to have relationship with basically anyone and everyone I come in contact with. It's a fire in me to be close to people I meet and know. Because I like to talk, I've considered how to monitor the things that come out of my mouth. But I never really accepted that kind of lifestyle of choosing to remain silent as a style of constant "fasting."
It was interesting in the book I'm reading to gain perspective. Something the authors mentioned was how fasting is more than just petition and stuff like that. It is putting us in our place. It's denying ourselves pleasures and stability and assurance in the world we live in, and recognizing that our only stability and assurance comes from God.
Denying myself stability of other people "taking my side" about something when I talk is actually a really true battle for me.
Talking with some of my best friends even, and sharing how I feel about something, something or someone that hurt deeply... choosing not to even say anything to bash anyone at all, even in the least... even if that rewards me with absolutely no partnership and affirmation from people around me. To deny myself the affirmation of others so that I may recognize that the only affirmation I truly need comes form the Lord.
I have no problem making my own struggles known. Yep. I'm blogging publicly about what I struggle with. Sure I talk too much sometimes. But you know why I don't care that I'm open about it? Because it's the truth. And I think that exposing the truth, no matter what kind of truth it is, is never wrong. It's always good.
I'm going to blog again sometime soon. I want to keep hashing out my thoughts on this book. It's good.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Floor fallout
Hello!
Today was the choir's home concert at the Free Methodist church in Greenville. It went so well. I sang for Down to the River, and it was such fun.
It was so sad though... this was the last tour program concert. My last real choir concert. We're now just getting ready to sing the Bach Magnificat and the Chamber Singers are singing a Cantata as well for April 17th with the American Cantorae (or however you spell that) out of St. Louis.
I'm in a funny mood. I feel like it's Spring. It just feels like it is. Even though it snowed yesterday. Maybe It's a turning of seasons spiritually rather than actually making judgements off the stupid midwest weather patterns. Yup. That'd be stupid to attempt that. I've just been getting excited for what God is doing and yet to do in my life.
Don't get me wrong. I keep freaking out. What the heck... I'm graduating in less than two months people. I'm 20 years old. I'm most likely moving to Nashville in August. Yeah. Kinda scary.
My life has been a series of identity crises. I was a junior in high school and a freshman in college at the same time. A senior in high school and a sophomore in college at the same time the following year. Then upon coming to Greenville, I was junior in College, but 18 years old, and placed with all the freshmen for a while because BCC (home community college) sent my transcripts late. And so I felt sort of at odds with life. And now, I'm a senior, about to graduate among all these other seniors who are 2 or 3 or even 4 years older... many of which are married and engaged, or at least seriously dating. Keep in mind I go to a small Christian Liberal Arts college. Half of my friends are married. Many even younger than I am. And it's not weird. I take it back... it's very weird. But not uncommon. Sometimes I'm jealous. When I was a kid I thought I'd be one of them. Life takes you by surprise sometimes though.
So now this point of my life isn't so surprising, though I have no idea what to do with myself.
I'm used to a fast pace. I'm used to doing things somewhat off the wall. I like living life with the full on unexpected charging full speed ahead. I like excitement. I enjoy change. When things get to be too predictable, I get bored.
I'm a firm believer that having the rug swept from under you is a way to keep in good shape. However, when the entire floor pops out, I get a little clueless.
So I guess you could say that's where I am right now.
Sure the sky isn't falling, but the floor is gone.
The joys of being me. Not a thing makes sense. Or cents. I feel so broke right about now. That was off topic.
Anyway! There really isn't much going on, even though I feel overwhelmed at some points. I've been working (teaching), and going to classes and all of that normal stuff. I have a lot more time to just hang out with people, which has been grand.
I've also been writing a lot. I wrote a whole song last week, and a bridge for the song "Belong" that I wrote about a few weeks ago. I love the song. I actually may rewrite a line. I want it to be perfect. And I've been actually enjoying the rewriting process lately. I usually hate it. I feel like crucifying my hands when I have to rewrite something. I just can't do it sometimes. But it's been good. So in addition to writing a whole new song called "That's the Way," and nearly finishing "Belong," I wrote a Bridge to another song called "In the Eyes," and rewrote nearly the entire thing for a song from December called "My Side." It's been a good writing week, and I'm looking forward to having more time to write this week too.
On Friday I went Swing dancing! Yes. Yes I did. And it was entirely grand. The next day, Yesterday, a few of us got together and just used youtube clips and learned a ton of new flips and dips and aerials and had so much fun. I am so sore today. Last night I couldn't sleep. It even hurt to lay in bed. Haha the best part is I would have danced again if you asked me to. I took some tylenol and went to sleep. Woke up and took some more. Cracked my neck, and I'm good as new. So far.
My room is full of posters of dancing couples. I just love to dance. I quite literally pray that God will bring me a man who likes to dance. Even if he doesn't already dance, that he'll learn. He'll learn and he'll like it. Or else we may have some problems. Because I love to dance. And I don't wanna give it up because he doesn't like to dance. Yes, I am a diva in some ways. I agree.
So hopefully some time soon i'll post a video or something with some swing stuff some friends and I have been learning. Ahhh how I love to dance! Ok, that's all. Time for bed.
Today was the choir's home concert at the Free Methodist church in Greenville. It went so well. I sang for Down to the River, and it was such fun.
It was so sad though... this was the last tour program concert. My last real choir concert. We're now just getting ready to sing the Bach Magnificat and the Chamber Singers are singing a Cantata as well for April 17th with the American Cantorae (or however you spell that) out of St. Louis.
I'm in a funny mood. I feel like it's Spring. It just feels like it is. Even though it snowed yesterday. Maybe It's a turning of seasons spiritually rather than actually making judgements off the stupid midwest weather patterns. Yup. That'd be stupid to attempt that. I've just been getting excited for what God is doing and yet to do in my life.
Don't get me wrong. I keep freaking out. What the heck... I'm graduating in less than two months people. I'm 20 years old. I'm most likely moving to Nashville in August. Yeah. Kinda scary.
My life has been a series of identity crises. I was a junior in high school and a freshman in college at the same time. A senior in high school and a sophomore in college at the same time the following year. Then upon coming to Greenville, I was junior in College, but 18 years old, and placed with all the freshmen for a while because BCC (home community college) sent my transcripts late. And so I felt sort of at odds with life. And now, I'm a senior, about to graduate among all these other seniors who are 2 or 3 or even 4 years older... many of which are married and engaged, or at least seriously dating. Keep in mind I go to a small Christian Liberal Arts college. Half of my friends are married. Many even younger than I am. And it's not weird. I take it back... it's very weird. But not uncommon. Sometimes I'm jealous. When I was a kid I thought I'd be one of them. Life takes you by surprise sometimes though.
So now this point of my life isn't so surprising, though I have no idea what to do with myself.
I'm used to a fast pace. I'm used to doing things somewhat off the wall. I like living life with the full on unexpected charging full speed ahead. I like excitement. I enjoy change. When things get to be too predictable, I get bored.
I'm a firm believer that having the rug swept from under you is a way to keep in good shape. However, when the entire floor pops out, I get a little clueless.
So I guess you could say that's where I am right now.
Sure the sky isn't falling, but the floor is gone.
The joys of being me. Not a thing makes sense. Or cents. I feel so broke right about now. That was off topic.
Anyway! There really isn't much going on, even though I feel overwhelmed at some points. I've been working (teaching), and going to classes and all of that normal stuff. I have a lot more time to just hang out with people, which has been grand.
I've also been writing a lot. I wrote a whole song last week, and a bridge for the song "Belong" that I wrote about a few weeks ago. I love the song. I actually may rewrite a line. I want it to be perfect. And I've been actually enjoying the rewriting process lately. I usually hate it. I feel like crucifying my hands when I have to rewrite something. I just can't do it sometimes. But it's been good. So in addition to writing a whole new song called "That's the Way," and nearly finishing "Belong," I wrote a Bridge to another song called "In the Eyes," and rewrote nearly the entire thing for a song from December called "My Side." It's been a good writing week, and I'm looking forward to having more time to write this week too.
On Friday I went Swing dancing! Yes. Yes I did. And it was entirely grand. The next day, Yesterday, a few of us got together and just used youtube clips and learned a ton of new flips and dips and aerials and had so much fun. I am so sore today. Last night I couldn't sleep. It even hurt to lay in bed. Haha the best part is I would have danced again if you asked me to. I took some tylenol and went to sleep. Woke up and took some more. Cracked my neck, and I'm good as new. So far.
My room is full of posters of dancing couples. I just love to dance. I quite literally pray that God will bring me a man who likes to dance. Even if he doesn't already dance, that he'll learn. He'll learn and he'll like it. Or else we may have some problems. Because I love to dance. And I don't wanna give it up because he doesn't like to dance. Yes, I am a diva in some ways. I agree.
So hopefully some time soon i'll post a video or something with some swing stuff some friends and I have been learning. Ahhh how I love to dance! Ok, that's all. Time for bed.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Hmmm
This verse just struck me, and I wanted to share it:)
Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. Hebrews 6:7
Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. Hebrews 6:7
Sunday, March 20, 2011
I cannot
My life flows on in endless song
Above earths lamentation
I hear the sweet though far off hymn
That hails a new creation
Through all the tumult and the strife
I hear the music ringing
It finds an echo in my soul
How can I keep from singing
What though my joys and comforts die
My savior still is living
What though the shadows gather round
A new song Christ is giving
No storm can shake my inmost calm
While to that Rock I'm clinging
Since love commands both heaven and earth
How can I keep from singing
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart
A fountain ever springing
All things are mine since I am His
How can I keep from singing
Without getting too into it, this song has been an anthem of mine lately. Especially the line about how no storm can shake my inmost calm while to that Rock I'm clinging. My heart has been heavy, and I've been broken in my spirit in a few ways. And every time we sang this song on tour, I was just overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. To sing it, is one thing. To sing it because I believe it, is entirely another. And I do believe every line, and every line is now my own. So listen to it, and reach each line. This is the choir singing on March 6th at a Presbyterian Church in St. Louis. I can't stop listening to it... my voice is rather exhausted at this point. I'm thankful for the little sneaks who record and put our videos up on Youtube for such times as these:)
Day 9
Today was our final day of Choir Tour 2011. We sang at the United Methodist Church in Brentwood TN, around Nashville. We checked out of our hotel, and went to the church, and sang for the 10:30 service. It was the last performance of choir tour ever for all the seniors and juniors who are student teaching next year. It was a good performance though, it being in the morning and after 8 days of seemingly nonstop singing.
The ride back to Greenville was sweet. I sat with Jay Yousef, one of my best friends I have here at Greenville. There are some people that just make life so much better to live, even when life is already sweet. He is one of them. A few seniors gave a few sentimental words that got me seriously nostalgic. I can't believe it's all drawing to an end. Choir tour is over, which means choir itself only has a few more shots left in the semester, aka my entire college career. It just dawned on me in a thicker way than it had before. Things really are shifting. And shifting strongly.
We got back to Greenville, and we all hauled our things into Whitlock to stand on the stage and hold each other's hands to sing our Alma Mater. I started to tear up... yes I'm "that girl." But it was a sweet moment. Especially when we forgot the words:P
And so was Choir Tour 2011, my last tour with the Greenville College Choir. It was completely wonderful, and I had the time of my life. The choir means so much to me. We've been through so much together. I can hardly describe it through simply blogging. And the times we spent on the bus were beautiful, though often smelly times.
I loved every single Limerick written and read... we have a tradition for choir tour. We write a "limerick" or a poem or song or story of some sort for someone in the choir. We draw a name from a hat, and that is the person we write or sing to. We have all week to write it, and then we go up to the front of the bus and use the microphone and present our limerick to our person during the last few days of tour.
I have to say I had a hard time singing mine... I was laughing so hard. I had Jay Wilde, and since his last name is Wilde, I rewrote the song "Wild Thing" with a bunch of hilarious things about him in it. I had no idea he'd be sitting literally RIGHT in front of me when I had to sing it. Have mercy. I hardly knew the guy and was singing this song to him, which I called "Wilde Thing" with all these things about how he's "easy on the eyes" and it was just a funny time yesterday. I tried to give a disclaimer at the beginning, and an apology for following him around a few times this week because I didn't know him very well. True he stands behind me in our scrambled formation in choir, but I still didn't know very much about him. So I'm not sure if operation "convince Jay Wilde I'm not a Creeper" was a success or not, but he liked the limerick. As did the whole bus. My favorite line is "Smoother than Martin Luther King." Fun fab fantastic!
And so concludes Choir Tour 2011!! Perfect and sweet success. I'll remember it for the rest of my life.
The ride back to Greenville was sweet. I sat with Jay Yousef, one of my best friends I have here at Greenville. There are some people that just make life so much better to live, even when life is already sweet. He is one of them. A few seniors gave a few sentimental words that got me seriously nostalgic. I can't believe it's all drawing to an end. Choir tour is over, which means choir itself only has a few more shots left in the semester, aka my entire college career. It just dawned on me in a thicker way than it had before. Things really are shifting. And shifting strongly.
We got back to Greenville, and we all hauled our things into Whitlock to stand on the stage and hold each other's hands to sing our Alma Mater. I started to tear up... yes I'm "that girl." But it was a sweet moment. Especially when we forgot the words:P
And so was Choir Tour 2011, my last tour with the Greenville College Choir. It was completely wonderful, and I had the time of my life. The choir means so much to me. We've been through so much together. I can hardly describe it through simply blogging. And the times we spent on the bus were beautiful, though often smelly times.
I loved every single Limerick written and read... we have a tradition for choir tour. We write a "limerick" or a poem or song or story of some sort for someone in the choir. We draw a name from a hat, and that is the person we write or sing to. We have all week to write it, and then we go up to the front of the bus and use the microphone and present our limerick to our person during the last few days of tour.
I have to say I had a hard time singing mine... I was laughing so hard. I had Jay Wilde, and since his last name is Wilde, I rewrote the song "Wild Thing" with a bunch of hilarious things about him in it. I had no idea he'd be sitting literally RIGHT in front of me when I had to sing it. Have mercy. I hardly knew the guy and was singing this song to him, which I called "Wilde Thing" with all these things about how he's "easy on the eyes" and it was just a funny time yesterday. I tried to give a disclaimer at the beginning, and an apology for following him around a few times this week because I didn't know him very well. True he stands behind me in our scrambled formation in choir, but I still didn't know very much about him. So I'm not sure if operation "convince Jay Wilde I'm not a Creeper" was a success or not, but he liked the limerick. As did the whole bus. My favorite line is "Smoother than Martin Luther King." Fun fab fantastic!
And so concludes Choir Tour 2011!! Perfect and sweet success. I'll remember it for the rest of my life.
Day 8!
March 19 2011
We left North Carolina and began the long trip to Nashville TN. We stopped at the Billy Graham Library which was really awesome. It was so inspiring, so so cool.
We sang at the Contemporary Christian Music Center (CMC) in Brentwood. It was great to see Mike Tulimiero again, who is there for the Spring semester. He sang Superhuman with me in my senior recital. Miss that guy.
Our performance at the CMC was pretty hilarious. In Lucis Creator Optime, the dog (I think his name was Henry?) that belongs to the guy in charge of everything there started barking and going nuts. It made all of us smile in attempt to keep from laughing. All in all I think that helped our pitch:)
Another funny moment was when someone turned on their disco ball in the middle of Credo. Hilarious moment! Again, it was just a fun short performance of 6 songs.
Afterwards Walter Fenton (VP of Advancement) mentioned something about how that was the first time he's seen a dog led to the Lord after hearing the choir sing. We laughed:)
After the CMC gig, we went to our hotel, and walked around outside in the crispy warm air trying to find food, and had no luck. So we went back to the hotel and just hung out and talked. It felt wonderful to be in a bed after the past few days!
Things began to slow a bit, and for that we were all pretty satisfied:)
We left North Carolina and began the long trip to Nashville TN. We stopped at the Billy Graham Library which was really awesome. It was so inspiring, so so cool.
We sang at the Contemporary Christian Music Center (CMC) in Brentwood. It was great to see Mike Tulimiero again, who is there for the Spring semester. He sang Superhuman with me in my senior recital. Miss that guy.
Our performance at the CMC was pretty hilarious. In Lucis Creator Optime, the dog (I think his name was Henry?) that belongs to the guy in charge of everything there started barking and going nuts. It made all of us smile in attempt to keep from laughing. All in all I think that helped our pitch:)
Another funny moment was when someone turned on their disco ball in the middle of Credo. Hilarious moment! Again, it was just a fun short performance of 6 songs.
Afterwards Walter Fenton (VP of Advancement) mentioned something about how that was the first time he's seen a dog led to the Lord after hearing the choir sing. We laughed:)
After the CMC gig, we went to our hotel, and walked around outside in the crispy warm air trying to find food, and had no luck. So we went back to the hotel and just hung out and talked. It felt wonderful to be in a bed after the past few days!
Things began to slow a bit, and for that we were all pretty satisfied:)
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Day 7!
Day 7!
Day 7, March 18, 2011… today we ate breakfast at the hotel, and headed north to North Carolina. It was a seemingly uneventful day, since most of it was spent on the bus. We performed at John Davis’s church, and Trina, Kirstie, Gwyn and Haley and Dr. Burge and I are all staying with this sweet older woman named Hilda. She and I talked about gluten intolerance for a long time, since her husband was gluten intolerant too. He passed away a bit ago.
Tonight I had a really good time singing. I have to admit I’ve been getting super sad that I only have a few months left of being in college. During our concert, I had a moment where I just loved it. I mean, don’t get me wrong… I basically always love it. It just gets mechanical to sing the same program. I spend most of my time concentrating on simply getting the pitches right after being on a bus all day. Things like that. But tonight, in that beautiful sanctuary, I felt like I fully existed in the moment.
It was one of those moments that I realized I’m still in college. Enough of this sudden sadness when I realize the days are numbered. I’m still here. I’m still on choir tour 2011. I’m still singing all these gorgeous songs.
We surrounded the audience and sang O Vos Omnes, and I listened to everyone sing around me. It seemed to me like each voice was a hand raised, grasping above us. Maybe it was how high and lovely the ceilings were tonight. Like there was this vast expanse over our heads. But when I started singing my part, I felt like I was raising my hands too. I know it may seem like a weird analogy, but it really felt like that. And it felt good to sing.
And so was day 7!
Day 7, March 18, 2011… today we ate breakfast at the hotel, and headed north to North Carolina. It was a seemingly uneventful day, since most of it was spent on the bus. We performed at John Davis’s church, and Trina, Kirstie, Gwyn and Haley and Dr. Burge and I are all staying with this sweet older woman named Hilda. She and I talked about gluten intolerance for a long time, since her husband was gluten intolerant too. He passed away a bit ago.
Tonight I had a really good time singing. I have to admit I’ve been getting super sad that I only have a few months left of being in college. During our concert, I had a moment where I just loved it. I mean, don’t get me wrong… I basically always love it. It just gets mechanical to sing the same program. I spend most of my time concentrating on simply getting the pitches right after being on a bus all day. Things like that. But tonight, in that beautiful sanctuary, I felt like I fully existed in the moment.
It was one of those moments that I realized I’m still in college. Enough of this sudden sadness when I realize the days are numbered. I’m still here. I’m still on choir tour 2011. I’m still singing all these gorgeous songs.
We surrounded the audience and sang O Vos Omnes, and I listened to everyone sing around me. It seemed to me like each voice was a hand raised, grasping above us. Maybe it was how high and lovely the ceilings were tonight. Like there was this vast expanse over our heads. But when I started singing my part, I felt like I was raising my hands too. I know it may seem like a weird analogy, but it really felt like that. And it felt good to sing.
And so was day 7!
Day 6!
Day 6!
Day 6, March 17, 2011… We went to a Christian school, where we performed during their chapel. Afterwards, we went to the beach!
Ok, I have to complain. It was the Gulf of Mexico. It wasn’t the ocean. Not to me. And it seriously threw me off that the beach was towards the West. I felt silly, but it was confusing because there weren’t even waves. Not real waves. Not waves that you could ride back to shore if you wanted to. Sure it was wonderful to feel… a fabulous temperature… but not a real, true beach in my perspective.
But it was fabulous all the same. I went in 3 times. Some people didn’t even go in once. I didn’t understand.
My favorite thing was that I did not get even a spot of burn from the sun. The UV rays were 9 out of 10, meaning that intense. And I loved my Italian skin yesterday, when I used spf 30 once before basically washing it off in the water within seconds. It’s really sad though actually, because half the choir became lobsters. Like, some people are legitimately sick because of it.
Speaking of sickness… Olivia and I apparently ate gluten at some point in the day… the gluten intolerant ones… when we were on the bus, I started feeling heartburn really badly. I kept holding my breath… breathing deep, and trying to beat the waves that seemed paralyzing. It was so stupid. I didn’t understand it. Then Olivia, sitting behind me, I asked her if she felt ok. She told me she was having trouble breathing. She told me she thought it was her allergies. But then we connected the dots. We had eaten the same things for the most part that day and the previous evening. Her host home had made her and I some bread and muffins, which they said were gluten free. Well, that was all I had eaten that day at that point. We came to the possible conclusion that maybe they used gluten free mixes, and nongluten free ingredients along with it. Something like that anyway.
So we suffered a while, and we both felt awful. We both took 5 tums each by the time we just started drinking a freaking ton of water to try to flush it out of our systems. We drank tea, and didn’t warm up with the choir… I mean, breathing was not an easy thing at the moment…
We felt better by the time of the concert.
That night, without even showering, we performed a concert back in St. Petersburg, where we were the day before for breakfast.
Our host from the other day, “Sally,” actually came to the concert. She was really sweet. She was really sweet to us, and we were really happy to see her.
I still had heartburn, but I felt so much better by the end of the concert.
After the concert we headed to Jacksonville, where we stayed in a hotel. It was so wonderful. We showered finally, getting the Gulf water out of our hair at last!
And so was day 6!
Day 6, March 17, 2011… We went to a Christian school, where we performed during their chapel. Afterwards, we went to the beach!
Ok, I have to complain. It was the Gulf of Mexico. It wasn’t the ocean. Not to me. And it seriously threw me off that the beach was towards the West. I felt silly, but it was confusing because there weren’t even waves. Not real waves. Not waves that you could ride back to shore if you wanted to. Sure it was wonderful to feel… a fabulous temperature… but not a real, true beach in my perspective.
But it was fabulous all the same. I went in 3 times. Some people didn’t even go in once. I didn’t understand.
My favorite thing was that I did not get even a spot of burn from the sun. The UV rays were 9 out of 10, meaning that intense. And I loved my Italian skin yesterday, when I used spf 30 once before basically washing it off in the water within seconds. It’s really sad though actually, because half the choir became lobsters. Like, some people are legitimately sick because of it.
Speaking of sickness… Olivia and I apparently ate gluten at some point in the day… the gluten intolerant ones… when we were on the bus, I started feeling heartburn really badly. I kept holding my breath… breathing deep, and trying to beat the waves that seemed paralyzing. It was so stupid. I didn’t understand it. Then Olivia, sitting behind me, I asked her if she felt ok. She told me she was having trouble breathing. She told me she thought it was her allergies. But then we connected the dots. We had eaten the same things for the most part that day and the previous evening. Her host home had made her and I some bread and muffins, which they said were gluten free. Well, that was all I had eaten that day at that point. We came to the possible conclusion that maybe they used gluten free mixes, and nongluten free ingredients along with it. Something like that anyway.
So we suffered a while, and we both felt awful. We both took 5 tums each by the time we just started drinking a freaking ton of water to try to flush it out of our systems. We drank tea, and didn’t warm up with the choir… I mean, breathing was not an easy thing at the moment…
We felt better by the time of the concert.
That night, without even showering, we performed a concert back in St. Petersburg, where we were the day before for breakfast.
Our host from the other day, “Sally,” actually came to the concert. She was really sweet. She was really sweet to us, and we were really happy to see her.
I still had heartburn, but I felt so much better by the end of the concert.
After the concert we headed to Jacksonville, where we stayed in a hotel. It was so wonderful. We showered finally, getting the Gulf water out of our hair at last!
And so was day 6!
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Day 5!
Ahh, so Day 5 of choir tour!
We left from St. Petersburg, and headed out to Lakeland Florida. We got to the church in the afternoon that we'd be singing at later that night, and unloaded. We were all exhausted. I slept a lot on the bus, hardly remember a moment of it, besides everyone putting their snappy hands in my face as they walked by because I wouldn't wake up. Oh yeah. Love that.
We ran through the program and got used to the acoustics in the church. It was really cute. Very bright, with white walls and sunny windows. It helped that the weather was exactly what I think heaven will be like. Yeah, it was that heart-wrenchingly gorgeous.
Soon the hosts showed up to take us home for a few hours that afternoon before we had to be back for the concert that night. Kirstie, Trina and I were a little nervous. We were in a retirement community, and all of the people from the church belonged to the community. I'm talking trailer homes and gold carts here. The rather typical Florida retirement community deal. We were a rad nervous after the previous night...
So this woman named Elizabeth greeted us, and we loaded our things into her mini van. She was absolutely adorable. So sweet, and so happy. She seemed younger than a lot of the other people Kirstie mentioned how she assumed her to be a widow, since most of the other hosts were a husband and a wife pair. The wives typically brought their husbands since there was usually luggage involved.
We got to her house only a few streets away as we rose in the sunshine that was so very fine.
We walked into her double-wide, and met a man who had oxygen around his face and nose. He told us his name was Walt. He was her husband. He was crouching over, holding on to the table, and I think he had his cain then. He seemed older than his wife, who we later found out was 18 years younger.
Liz led us into a room down the hall, that had a sitting room in it, with a closet and bathroom. One queen bed, and one single bed. They gave us their room! They took the guest room! Ahh they were so gracious to us. So precious.
Liz told us we could settle in a bit and relax and come out if we felt like it. We laid around for a while, and Liz brought in food every time she came in which was about 3 times in an hour. Thee. Cutest.
Trina had a few things to do, so Kirstie and I went out and said hello to Liz and Walt. They gave us the keys for the golf cart and told us we could use it. We could hardly contain our excitement. We went out and video taped, and saw a ton of choir people out riding their hosts' bikes and driving their gold carts too. It was unreal. It felt like camp. We were all staying within seconds of each other. All 52 of us (including Doc and Burge). Kirstie and I ran into Jake and Spencer on a cart, and we stopped and video taped, and then sped on ( at about 5 mph) and yelled "SPRING BREAK!" With our fists held up in triumph.
Obviously, this was the life.
The thing is-- I'm entirely serious.
We went back to our host home, and got ready for the concert, after picking up Olivia and Gina and driving back, since they were staying next door.
The concert went so well, even though we felt out of it. It was not by any means our best, but we were thrilled that the church was literally packed to the max. Every row was filled. It was a beautiful sight to behold.
Afterwards, we had a reception at the building next door to the church, and Walt came in, and sat with me and Kirstie. Trina was being social elsewhere at first. He kept joking that we were his granddaughters. We decided to play along, and introduced him to everyone else at our table as our grandpa. Soon Liz found us, and Walt insisted she was his daughter, like he had said when we first met him. "Oh, I see you've met my daughter, Liz." He was such a nut. It was wonderful.
He ordered me to get him some sweet tea form the table, and Kirstie to get him some desserts from the other table up front. I, being gluten-free, could not indulge in the spread. We came back, and he approved of our servanthood towards him, our grandpa.
At one point, he had said to Kirstie, "Hey, who's that boy over there?" While pointing behind her. While her head was turned, he stole her napkin under her plate and wiped his mouth. I was laughing so hard and Kirstie had no idea what had just happened. She found out later, and another round of laughs went around.
Walt told us how he is actually 92 years old. I would never have guessed that old. The man was hilarious and seemed much younger then, than he did early that day with his oxygen on. He didn't have it on then.
He told us about his first wife, to whom he had been married to for 60 years. He said she was very quiet, and didn't make him talk much. Then he looked at Liz across the table, the bubbly little adorable lady, and said, "But Liz... that woman won't stop talking, and makes me talk all the time, and now I need oxygen. " Liz giggled adorably at his silly tactics, and he continued to say, "Yeah, Evelyn was quieter, and eventually she couldn't take it anymore... she couldn't handle anymore of me..." Just when we were sympathizing with him, catching on to his tone of voice, he said flatly, "So she died." As if to shrug his shoulders. We all laughed and Trina, who had come over and sat with our little family at that point, said, "That's horrible!" As she laughed. Liz was laughing and making faces at Walt, and he was just acting like the whole world was his. It was fabulous!
We headed back to their home, and rode in their gold cart, while they took the van. We all decided we needed a family picture of the 5 of us when we got back. I'll have to copy that picture on here soon.
Then we all gathered around and "Grandpa" told us a bunch of stories.... more than half of them weren't even true. He'd tell us after we bought them and laughed and gushed at how cool he was. That man was an absolute hoot. And his little Liz would go along with him, and even suggest stories to tell... stories that weren't even true. But absolutely hilarious.
It only made us laugh harder.
It started getting late, and we had stayed with Walt and Liz instead of going out with all the other choir people. We honestly had no desire to leave theses precious people. Ahhh they were amazing!
By the time we were about to get ready for bed for the night, it was after 11, and we had been talking for hours in the living room, still in our concert black dresses.
He had joked about how it was boring that we were all single, and he wanted to know why we were single. I'll be vague to protect privacy, but we each gave a status update on the love life. Mine is seemingly empty, so I didn't say much. When we were all done our laughter and giggles, he started making jokes about when and where we'd find our future husbands. He told us he could go next door and grab a choir boy for each of us if we wanted. It was so cute.
Walt said to us, "Now I know I can be a bit of a pain sometimes, and joke around a lot and all that... but I'd like to pray for you girls tonight before you go to bed if that's alright...." And so he did.
Ok, by the middle of his prayer, I was in tears. This man blessed us so much by praying for us... as if he and Liz hadn't done enough to completely overwhelm us in their kindness towards us already! Walt even prayed for our future husbands. What the crap. This man was the most precious man we'd met all choir tour long.
Ahh, just how much of a blessing Walt and Liz were... gosh I cannot even say it. We did not walt to leave. They asked for all of our contact information, and we all want to keep in touch. Ahh they were the cutest!!
And so was Day 5:) The best day, and the best host family we had stayed with yet.
We left from St. Petersburg, and headed out to Lakeland Florida. We got to the church in the afternoon that we'd be singing at later that night, and unloaded. We were all exhausted. I slept a lot on the bus, hardly remember a moment of it, besides everyone putting their snappy hands in my face as they walked by because I wouldn't wake up. Oh yeah. Love that.
We ran through the program and got used to the acoustics in the church. It was really cute. Very bright, with white walls and sunny windows. It helped that the weather was exactly what I think heaven will be like. Yeah, it was that heart-wrenchingly gorgeous.
Soon the hosts showed up to take us home for a few hours that afternoon before we had to be back for the concert that night. Kirstie, Trina and I were a little nervous. We were in a retirement community, and all of the people from the church belonged to the community. I'm talking trailer homes and gold carts here. The rather typical Florida retirement community deal. We were a rad nervous after the previous night...
So this woman named Elizabeth greeted us, and we loaded our things into her mini van. She was absolutely adorable. So sweet, and so happy. She seemed younger than a lot of the other people Kirstie mentioned how she assumed her to be a widow, since most of the other hosts were a husband and a wife pair. The wives typically brought their husbands since there was usually luggage involved.
We got to her house only a few streets away as we rose in the sunshine that was so very fine.
We walked into her double-wide, and met a man who had oxygen around his face and nose. He told us his name was Walt. He was her husband. He was crouching over, holding on to the table, and I think he had his cain then. He seemed older than his wife, who we later found out was 18 years younger.
Liz led us into a room down the hall, that had a sitting room in it, with a closet and bathroom. One queen bed, and one single bed. They gave us their room! They took the guest room! Ahh they were so gracious to us. So precious.
Liz told us we could settle in a bit and relax and come out if we felt like it. We laid around for a while, and Liz brought in food every time she came in which was about 3 times in an hour. Thee. Cutest.
Trina had a few things to do, so Kirstie and I went out and said hello to Liz and Walt. They gave us the keys for the golf cart and told us we could use it. We could hardly contain our excitement. We went out and video taped, and saw a ton of choir people out riding their hosts' bikes and driving their gold carts too. It was unreal. It felt like camp. We were all staying within seconds of each other. All 52 of us (including Doc and Burge). Kirstie and I ran into Jake and Spencer on a cart, and we stopped and video taped, and then sped on ( at about 5 mph) and yelled "SPRING BREAK!" With our fists held up in triumph.
Obviously, this was the life.
The thing is-- I'm entirely serious.
We went back to our host home, and got ready for the concert, after picking up Olivia and Gina and driving back, since they were staying next door.
The concert went so well, even though we felt out of it. It was not by any means our best, but we were thrilled that the church was literally packed to the max. Every row was filled. It was a beautiful sight to behold.
Afterwards, we had a reception at the building next door to the church, and Walt came in, and sat with me and Kirstie. Trina was being social elsewhere at first. He kept joking that we were his granddaughters. We decided to play along, and introduced him to everyone else at our table as our grandpa. Soon Liz found us, and Walt insisted she was his daughter, like he had said when we first met him. "Oh, I see you've met my daughter, Liz." He was such a nut. It was wonderful.
He ordered me to get him some sweet tea form the table, and Kirstie to get him some desserts from the other table up front. I, being gluten-free, could not indulge in the spread. We came back, and he approved of our servanthood towards him, our grandpa.
At one point, he had said to Kirstie, "Hey, who's that boy over there?" While pointing behind her. While her head was turned, he stole her napkin under her plate and wiped his mouth. I was laughing so hard and Kirstie had no idea what had just happened. She found out later, and another round of laughs went around.
Walt told us how he is actually 92 years old. I would never have guessed that old. The man was hilarious and seemed much younger then, than he did early that day with his oxygen on. He didn't have it on then.
He told us about his first wife, to whom he had been married to for 60 years. He said she was very quiet, and didn't make him talk much. Then he looked at Liz across the table, the bubbly little adorable lady, and said, "But Liz... that woman won't stop talking, and makes me talk all the time, and now I need oxygen. " Liz giggled adorably at his silly tactics, and he continued to say, "Yeah, Evelyn was quieter, and eventually she couldn't take it anymore... she couldn't handle anymore of me..." Just when we were sympathizing with him, catching on to his tone of voice, he said flatly, "So she died." As if to shrug his shoulders. We all laughed and Trina, who had come over and sat with our little family at that point, said, "That's horrible!" As she laughed. Liz was laughing and making faces at Walt, and he was just acting like the whole world was his. It was fabulous!
We headed back to their home, and rode in their gold cart, while they took the van. We all decided we needed a family picture of the 5 of us when we got back. I'll have to copy that picture on here soon.
Then we all gathered around and "Grandpa" told us a bunch of stories.... more than half of them weren't even true. He'd tell us after we bought them and laughed and gushed at how cool he was. That man was an absolute hoot. And his little Liz would go along with him, and even suggest stories to tell... stories that weren't even true. But absolutely hilarious.
It only made us laugh harder.
It started getting late, and we had stayed with Walt and Liz instead of going out with all the other choir people. We honestly had no desire to leave theses precious people. Ahhh they were amazing!
By the time we were about to get ready for bed for the night, it was after 11, and we had been talking for hours in the living room, still in our concert black dresses.
He had joked about how it was boring that we were all single, and he wanted to know why we were single. I'll be vague to protect privacy, but we each gave a status update on the love life. Mine is seemingly empty, so I didn't say much. When we were all done our laughter and giggles, he started making jokes about when and where we'd find our future husbands. He told us he could go next door and grab a choir boy for each of us if we wanted. It was so cute.
Walt said to us, "Now I know I can be a bit of a pain sometimes, and joke around a lot and all that... but I'd like to pray for you girls tonight before you go to bed if that's alright...." And so he did.
Ok, by the middle of his prayer, I was in tears. This man blessed us so much by praying for us... as if he and Liz hadn't done enough to completely overwhelm us in their kindness towards us already! Walt even prayed for our future husbands. What the crap. This man was the most precious man we'd met all choir tour long.
Ahh, just how much of a blessing Walt and Liz were... gosh I cannot even say it. We did not walt to leave. They asked for all of our contact information, and we all want to keep in touch. Ahh they were the cutest!!
And so was Day 5:) The best day, and the best host family we had stayed with yet.
Day 4!
Ok! Well I have some catching up to do!
Day 4:) Tuesday! March 15!
Our day off! We left for Busch Gardens and got there right when it opened. Kirstie, Jay, Wes, Diana and I set off for some roller coasters, and we screamed a lot, even though we’re on a CHOIR tour, and supposed to be saving our voices… why we went to an amusement park on a day off is beyond me, but ahhh what a wonderful day it was!
Eventually Izzy, Trina and Jonee met up with us, and we went to some acrobat show, which was amazing. We went on more roller coasters, and had basically the time of our lives. We goofed off and had so much fun. Pictures will be on Facebook soon I’m sure.
When we left Busch Gardens after a long and full and fantastic day, we went to eat. Zach, Michael, and Josh met up with Trina, Jay, Haley, Jeff, Jonee and I for dinner, since they’re spring breaking in Tampa as well. It was just so funny that people from all over Greenville met up for even just an hour and a half.
We left and went to the church where we met out hosts for the night. We were in St. Petersburg last night, but only to meet our hosts. We actually don’t sing there till Thursday, the 17th.
Alright. Every tour, you can expect at least one “bad” host home experience. And it wasn’t exactly that it was bad. It was just really awkward, and very uncomfortable at times. And I’m going to refrain from using names, just for the sake of possibly being a little kinder if at all possible.
Let’s call “her” Sally. Ok, so Sally shows up when our names are called for who is staying with who for the night. Realize that most of this area are retirement communities. Sally didn’t seem very old at all. She seemed sweet, and kinda fun. She helped us get our things in her car, and we were on our way. When she was outside the car walking to the front seat, I whispered to Kirstie and Trina that I think she was gonna be a host we would stay up talking and joking with all night. We hadn’t really had one of those, besides Diane the night before. Ahh, Diane and Greg were hilarious. Loved. Them.
So, on our way to her house, she started talking about her fiancée. Let’s call “him” Henry. Sally told us about Henry already, saying he was from Illinois. It gave the impression he was still in Illinois, for whatever reason. She mentioned a few things about him, and we realized Sally was kinda quiet, and besides quiet, a little timid. We tried to warm up to her, and allow her to warm up to us as well, and tried starting more conversation in the five-minute drive to her home.
Right before we pulled into her house, Sally blurted out that her fiancée lives with her. While this is obviously something the three of us wouldn’t exactly claim to be “right,” we tried to cover up the awkward reaction by saying we were excited to meet him and things like that. Sally seemed genuinely awkward, and almost apologetic. Obviously we were 3 girls from a Christian college… most people know it typically isn’t “accepted” to live with someone if you’re not married. We tried to be kind and a blessing to her though.
We small talked with Henry when we walked in, and he helped us get our bags up the stairs. We had a choice between 2 rooms. One room had bunk beds, and another had a queen-sized bed. The night before, Trina didn’t exactly love sleeping all three of us in a queen bed. So we figured we’d split between the two rooms with the 3 of us.
We took showers, and noticed it was a little dirty in the bathroom. The towels had some weird stains on them. We aren’t exactly complainers, though we did take notice.
Kirstie and I went downstairs and talked to Sally and Henry for a little while, while Trina was in the shower. We noticed right away that Henry knows EVERYTHING. Or thinks he does. Or at least speaks as if he does. Sally was extremely subdued, and hardly said a thing, and kept looking down the whole time. They got us some juice and a soda can and we eventually moved into the living room and chatted. Trina came down, and got a glass of water and we chatted for a little while longer.
The conversation has several awkward pauses, filled with “yeah…” type of sighs that attempted to cover any uncomfortable-ness.
When we retreated to the bedrooms, we all agreed we needed each other, and didn’t want to be alone. We all felt a sense of unrest in the house. Like something was slightly amiss. Something just felt odd, and we didn’t want to be apart.
So yea. We all 3 slept in a queen again.
There was just something rather odd about the manner that Sally hardly spoke, and acted really odd when Henry was around. We figured it to be the fact that they were not married and living together tied with the fact that we came from a “conservative” (as she told him in front of us) Christian school.
Another odd thing was that they didn’t feed us. Now that may seem childish to mention that, but it’s choir tour. Host homes feed and feed and feed. She didn’t know I was gluten intolerant. The host homes get descriptions about us to be ready, but we guessed they didn’t see that or something.
It was weird that they had this huge pool in the back yard and a hot tub, which Henry was out by roasting marshmallows before he came inside. It was just sort of odd that they didn’t invite us to do anything, and just sort of sat there and sent us off eventually. It was just a different experience.
When we went to bed, we noticed weird stains on the pillows, and a kinda gross smell on the sheets in the bed. Whenever anyone moved we got a whiff of whatever it was. We were glad to get back to the church the next morning. And so was Day 4!
Day 4:) Tuesday! March 15!
Our day off! We left for Busch Gardens and got there right when it opened. Kirstie, Jay, Wes, Diana and I set off for some roller coasters, and we screamed a lot, even though we’re on a CHOIR tour, and supposed to be saving our voices… why we went to an amusement park on a day off is beyond me, but ahhh what a wonderful day it was!
Eventually Izzy, Trina and Jonee met up with us, and we went to some acrobat show, which was amazing. We went on more roller coasters, and had basically the time of our lives. We goofed off and had so much fun. Pictures will be on Facebook soon I’m sure.
When we left Busch Gardens after a long and full and fantastic day, we went to eat. Zach, Michael, and Josh met up with Trina, Jay, Haley, Jeff, Jonee and I for dinner, since they’re spring breaking in Tampa as well. It was just so funny that people from all over Greenville met up for even just an hour and a half.
We left and went to the church where we met out hosts for the night. We were in St. Petersburg last night, but only to meet our hosts. We actually don’t sing there till Thursday, the 17th.
Alright. Every tour, you can expect at least one “bad” host home experience. And it wasn’t exactly that it was bad. It was just really awkward, and very uncomfortable at times. And I’m going to refrain from using names, just for the sake of possibly being a little kinder if at all possible.
Let’s call “her” Sally. Ok, so Sally shows up when our names are called for who is staying with who for the night. Realize that most of this area are retirement communities. Sally didn’t seem very old at all. She seemed sweet, and kinda fun. She helped us get our things in her car, and we were on our way. When she was outside the car walking to the front seat, I whispered to Kirstie and Trina that I think she was gonna be a host we would stay up talking and joking with all night. We hadn’t really had one of those, besides Diane the night before. Ahh, Diane and Greg were hilarious. Loved. Them.
So, on our way to her house, she started talking about her fiancée. Let’s call “him” Henry. Sally told us about Henry already, saying he was from Illinois. It gave the impression he was still in Illinois, for whatever reason. She mentioned a few things about him, and we realized Sally was kinda quiet, and besides quiet, a little timid. We tried to warm up to her, and allow her to warm up to us as well, and tried starting more conversation in the five-minute drive to her home.
Right before we pulled into her house, Sally blurted out that her fiancée lives with her. While this is obviously something the three of us wouldn’t exactly claim to be “right,” we tried to cover up the awkward reaction by saying we were excited to meet him and things like that. Sally seemed genuinely awkward, and almost apologetic. Obviously we were 3 girls from a Christian college… most people know it typically isn’t “accepted” to live with someone if you’re not married. We tried to be kind and a blessing to her though.
We small talked with Henry when we walked in, and he helped us get our bags up the stairs. We had a choice between 2 rooms. One room had bunk beds, and another had a queen-sized bed. The night before, Trina didn’t exactly love sleeping all three of us in a queen bed. So we figured we’d split between the two rooms with the 3 of us.
We took showers, and noticed it was a little dirty in the bathroom. The towels had some weird stains on them. We aren’t exactly complainers, though we did take notice.
Kirstie and I went downstairs and talked to Sally and Henry for a little while, while Trina was in the shower. We noticed right away that Henry knows EVERYTHING. Or thinks he does. Or at least speaks as if he does. Sally was extremely subdued, and hardly said a thing, and kept looking down the whole time. They got us some juice and a soda can and we eventually moved into the living room and chatted. Trina came down, and got a glass of water and we chatted for a little while longer.
The conversation has several awkward pauses, filled with “yeah…” type of sighs that attempted to cover any uncomfortable-ness.
When we retreated to the bedrooms, we all agreed we needed each other, and didn’t want to be alone. We all felt a sense of unrest in the house. Like something was slightly amiss. Something just felt odd, and we didn’t want to be apart.
So yea. We all 3 slept in a queen again.
There was just something rather odd about the manner that Sally hardly spoke, and acted really odd when Henry was around. We figured it to be the fact that they were not married and living together tied with the fact that we came from a “conservative” (as she told him in front of us) Christian school.
Another odd thing was that they didn’t feed us. Now that may seem childish to mention that, but it’s choir tour. Host homes feed and feed and feed. She didn’t know I was gluten intolerant. The host homes get descriptions about us to be ready, but we guessed they didn’t see that or something.
It was weird that they had this huge pool in the back yard and a hot tub, which Henry was out by roasting marshmallows before he came inside. It was just sort of odd that they didn’t invite us to do anything, and just sort of sat there and sent us off eventually. It was just a different experience.
When we went to bed, we noticed weird stains on the pillows, and a kinda gross smell on the sheets in the bed. Whenever anyone moved we got a whiff of whatever it was. We were glad to get back to the church the next morning. And so was Day 4!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Day 3 Continued:)
We are in Plant City Florida this lovely evening. We got into the driveway for the church we were performing at around 5:30pm. The concert was at 7:30pm. Something to note about Doc… we never get out early. We always practice more than necessary. So, we had to get all of our luggage and all that loaded into the church, and then we started practice. Dinner was supposed to be at 6:30… some things were rushed, and we were all kinda out of it from being on the bus for 9-10 hours today. It was pretty chaotic. Finally the girls went to dinner while the guys changed and by some miracle, we were ready to go on time.
It had to be our best performance yet. We were so in tune. The acoustics were fabulous, and we could hear so well. We had a lot of concentration. It went so well. Kaitlin and I got to sing Down To the River again, and it was swell.
The audience tonight was probably the most receptive we’ve seen yet for this program. Mostly older folk, since the church is in the middle of a retirement community. I loved seeing this little boy go crazy clapping his hands during Credo when the choir claps. I saw his little arms flailing out of the corner of my eye. Oh, and something hilarious, is that Doc had to stand on a podium in the second row to conduct so that we could all see him well. So we had the first 2 rows reserved so that he could do that.
So, at the beginning of the concert, Doc introduces us, and he made his way to his little podium in the second row. There was a little old woman with glasses on in the third row, right in the center. I almost lost it when I saw her go, “what!” with her hands out in front of her, staring at Doc standing so high directly in front of her.
She seemed pretty ticked. She probably thought she had it made, sitting in the middle of the closest row to the choir. Sadly, she apparently did not.
I love little bonding moments the choir has. During intermission, we had a back rub train going on. Just little things like that genuinely make me happy.
Our host family is adorable. Greg and Diane. Their house is full of African stuff, and animals and things like that. Ok, something quite funny… and yet to remain funny (hopefully)… is that Kirstie, Trina and I will be sharing a queen bed tonight. What a change from last night!
Diane is a hoot. That woman is a riot. She and Greg seem to be somewhat middle-aged. This is Diane’s second marriage, and she has a few kids and grandkids. They fill their home now, with 3 dogs and a cat. Ok, I want one of those dogs. They are just as much of a riot as their mama. You’d think they were children. She certainly treats them as such.
We all sat around in the kitchen and chatted for almost two hours tonight. Diane made this fruit dip with coconut (I was in heaven), pineapple (I was in heaven again), and cream cheese with cool whip. We ate a whole flat of strawberries with some grapes with the dip. Greg is a manager at Applebee’s, so he brought home some chips and dip and salsa that I couldn’t have (thank you gluten for ruining my life), but it was ok because I went to town on that fruit stuff.
So afterwards, I announced that I would be taking a shower so we could get the ball rolling on the 3 of us taking showers in a timely fashion. Ok, I try to be good about not getting graphic or anything, so I apologize if I say anything considered inappropriate…
I was in a towel, getting ready to get in the shower when I noticed something moving on the inside of the shower curtain. Ok, if I’d never seen a roach before, I can sincerely say I have now.
I caught my breath, and felt like I was betraying all composer of being a girl who “can handle it, thanks.” Hey, I’m always up for a guy helping me carry my luggage in the door, but I’m typically a do-it-myself type of person, unless I really need help. But this bug was massive, people. I realized that in that moment I shrunk in size, and that all space I used to occupy seemed handed to that ridiculous insect. I opened the door a crack and called Kirstie in the bathroom. Kirstie saw it, and ran and grabbed a shoe. She came back in, and I turned on the shower so maybe it would scamper out of the shower curtain so we could squash it. But then we lost it. Yes, we lost the thing. So there we are, trying to whisper and not get too scared, or screamy like idiot girls. We moved around a plant, and a few things next to the shower, and then the thing ran across the rug and we screamed like the 1st sopranos we are. Yes, I was still in my towel. Then we heard a knock at the door. I was near tears. I think between the hilarity of the whole situation, and genuinely having the heeby-jeebys. I don’t like bugs.
So the knock at the door… Diane said, “everything alright in there?” “Yeah!” we still couldn’t catch our breath from laughing and screaming… “There’s just this huge bug! We can’t find it!”
So I threw my clothes back on, and we met Diane and Greg in the kitchen, and they laughed at us, and Greg went in to kill the little demon. Diane told us horror stories of a freaking frog jumping on her while she was in the shower before.
After the death of the roach, they welcomed us to Florida.
And we took our showers.
So this has been a lovely evening as well, with some funny moments. Greg and Diane don’t have wifi, so I’ll post this blog late, as soon as I can.
St. Petersburg tomorrow! We’re going to Busch Gardens for the day, and we actually get a break from singing! Tomorrow is our break day. It is gonna be grand!
Goodnight:)
It had to be our best performance yet. We were so in tune. The acoustics were fabulous, and we could hear so well. We had a lot of concentration. It went so well. Kaitlin and I got to sing Down To the River again, and it was swell.
The audience tonight was probably the most receptive we’ve seen yet for this program. Mostly older folk, since the church is in the middle of a retirement community. I loved seeing this little boy go crazy clapping his hands during Credo when the choir claps. I saw his little arms flailing out of the corner of my eye. Oh, and something hilarious, is that Doc had to stand on a podium in the second row to conduct so that we could all see him well. So we had the first 2 rows reserved so that he could do that.
So, at the beginning of the concert, Doc introduces us, and he made his way to his little podium in the second row. There was a little old woman with glasses on in the third row, right in the center. I almost lost it when I saw her go, “what!” with her hands out in front of her, staring at Doc standing so high directly in front of her.
She seemed pretty ticked. She probably thought she had it made, sitting in the middle of the closest row to the choir. Sadly, she apparently did not.
I love little bonding moments the choir has. During intermission, we had a back rub train going on. Just little things like that genuinely make me happy.
Our host family is adorable. Greg and Diane. Their house is full of African stuff, and animals and things like that. Ok, something quite funny… and yet to remain funny (hopefully)… is that Kirstie, Trina and I will be sharing a queen bed tonight. What a change from last night!
Diane is a hoot. That woman is a riot. She and Greg seem to be somewhat middle-aged. This is Diane’s second marriage, and she has a few kids and grandkids. They fill their home now, with 3 dogs and a cat. Ok, I want one of those dogs. They are just as much of a riot as their mama. You’d think they were children. She certainly treats them as such.
We all sat around in the kitchen and chatted for almost two hours tonight. Diane made this fruit dip with coconut (I was in heaven), pineapple (I was in heaven again), and cream cheese with cool whip. We ate a whole flat of strawberries with some grapes with the dip. Greg is a manager at Applebee’s, so he brought home some chips and dip and salsa that I couldn’t have (thank you gluten for ruining my life), but it was ok because I went to town on that fruit stuff.
So afterwards, I announced that I would be taking a shower so we could get the ball rolling on the 3 of us taking showers in a timely fashion. Ok, I try to be good about not getting graphic or anything, so I apologize if I say anything considered inappropriate…
I was in a towel, getting ready to get in the shower when I noticed something moving on the inside of the shower curtain. Ok, if I’d never seen a roach before, I can sincerely say I have now.
I caught my breath, and felt like I was betraying all composer of being a girl who “can handle it, thanks.” Hey, I’m always up for a guy helping me carry my luggage in the door, but I’m typically a do-it-myself type of person, unless I really need help. But this bug was massive, people. I realized that in that moment I shrunk in size, and that all space I used to occupy seemed handed to that ridiculous insect. I opened the door a crack and called Kirstie in the bathroom. Kirstie saw it, and ran and grabbed a shoe. She came back in, and I turned on the shower so maybe it would scamper out of the shower curtain so we could squash it. But then we lost it. Yes, we lost the thing. So there we are, trying to whisper and not get too scared, or screamy like idiot girls. We moved around a plant, and a few things next to the shower, and then the thing ran across the rug and we screamed like the 1st sopranos we are. Yes, I was still in my towel. Then we heard a knock at the door. I was near tears. I think between the hilarity of the whole situation, and genuinely having the heeby-jeebys. I don’t like bugs.
So the knock at the door… Diane said, “everything alright in there?” “Yeah!” we still couldn’t catch our breath from laughing and screaming… “There’s just this huge bug! We can’t find it!”
So I threw my clothes back on, and we met Diane and Greg in the kitchen, and they laughed at us, and Greg went in to kill the little demon. Diane told us horror stories of a freaking frog jumping on her while she was in the shower before.
After the death of the roach, they welcomed us to Florida.
And we took our showers.
So this has been a lovely evening as well, with some funny moments. Greg and Diane don’t have wifi, so I’ll post this blog late, as soon as I can.
St. Petersburg tomorrow! We’re going to Busch Gardens for the day, and we actually get a break from singing! Tomorrow is our break day. It is gonna be grand!
Goodnight:)
Day 2 and 3!
Ok! I am on the bus, and as promised, I’m gonna tell stories from yesterday.
First of all, the First United Methodist Church we sang at was absolutely breathtaking. Gainsville Georgia was in some ways, a no man’s land. But with the rolling hills, and beautiful weather it was wonderful.
We had a rehearsal in the afternoon, and instead of going around the lake outside and hanging out outside before dinner, Kirstie, Jay, Charlie, Aaron, Ben and I went down to where the youth group was, and led worship for them. That sounds like a really sweet and wonderful little thing to do, especially since so many of the 6 of us are worship arts majors. But we were so confused about what we were supposed to even do. We had a practice last week, because we were told we were requested…. They were supposedly getting home from a retreat and asked that some of the college students lead worship for about 15 minutes or so. We went down to the youth room (in our tuxes and long black choir dresses…) and were confused as to why there was already a youth band practicing. Anyway, they ended up leaving and we did a little bit of what one may or may not consider a sound check, and waited around awkwardly, because we didn’t even know the context of the night, or if they even were getting back from a retreat. Jay and I tried to socialize with some of the kids, and we asked how the retreat was, and they said they didn’t go on a retreat. Turned out that only the 6th graders did.
So, we joked around with each other from the choir, and prayed together, and went and sat with some of the youth. We led worship, and were blessed by it, and the youth. Even though we were really confused and had next to no direction for the entire thing, we all agreed once it actually comes time to worship with our music, it doesn’t even matter anymore, and it’s just a beautiful time.
Our concert went really well, but there are a few stories to tell from the performance. First off, Lloyd almost passed out. He stands next to me. In between Trina and I actually, in our scrambled (Alto tenor, soprano bass) formation. I saw him hold on to Nathanael in from of me, and thought it was funny. I thought he was just doing it to be silly or something. Think about it… Nathanael was in the front row. He couldn’t react. He couldn’t laugh. We were perfrming. I though Lloyd was just messing with Nate, Then after the performance, Trina told me how he had held onto her hand cause he thought he was gonna go down. And not down to the river to pray (it’s one of our songs in the program…). Another funny story was that during Credo, Trina got smacked in the head by Spencer when we were clapping during the end portion. That is just good fun. A most funny thing to have occurred.
Ok, before you think, “Ok wow, Shai way to be a lady…” about what I’m about to say… please try to see the humor in this. Because it really is simply hilarious, and though embarrassing for someone, it was so funny. In between songs, there is always a sweet, and almost intense silence before Jake blows the pitch pipe for our next pitch. It’s not usually awkward. It’s just a moment of anticipation, mixed with the emotion yet lingering from the previous piece. It’s part of the performance really. As one of our songs says, “Silence more lovely than music,” so is the space in between songs. Sometimes. Well, you may have guessed it, but someone uh, shall we say… let one go… in this moment. This lovely moment before our next song. To be honest, I heard, and then thought “Wow that would be funny if that really just happened.” And then the next thought was “That is thee funniest thing that could possibly happen in a moment like this.” And as it turns out, what I though may or may not have happened, did indeed occur. No one has confessed, but we’re all pretty sure it really did in fact, happen.
So. That might have been a little bit of a round about description, but it was hilarious.
So! That was the performance. Soon we were gathered up to our host family, and Trina, Kirstie, Olivia (A my gluten free buddy!), Gina and I put our stuff in the cars and drove through the rolling hills in Gainsville GA, to a MASSIVE house out in the country. I guess I just expect the houses we stay in to be, Oh I dunno, normal? Rich southern families don’t come to mind when I think of a choir tour and staying with a few families from a few churches. Well, this family certainly seemed to have money. We had 3 rooms to choose from to serve the five of us. Each with a queen or king size bed, and a bathroom attached to it. Kirstie and I took the king size, and Trina took a queen to herself, and Liv and Gina took the other queen. We all gathered in each other’s rooms and talked and laughed and told stories. Ahhh, I will never grow up, I am telling you right now. I will have slumber parties for the rest of my life.
When we first got settled into our rooms, we all sat around the bar table in the kitchen and ate ice cream with a ton of fresh, amazing fruit. Kathy, our host mom, bought gluten free bagels for Liv and I too. Which was amazingly exciting.
We got into some awesome conversations. We talked about the guys in our lives, or the lack thereof :P We relived the funny experiences of the day, or dreamed out loud. We were such girls. We took turns taking showers, and teased each other, borrowed each other’s razors and soap. It was just a really cute and fun night. Kirstie and I retreated to our king sized bed, and opened the window to look outside. The weather was incredible. So pure, and clean and cool. The hills, the far off lights of the other houses in the distance… it was just so pretty. We closed the window though, because the dog started barking obnoxiously. Pretty sure he had heard us open the window or something. Anyway, morning came too soon, and I remember vaguely in my waking dream mistaking my alarm as something in my dream. It was my alarm though, sadly. And I had to awaken to greet the morning, though the sun had yet to rise.
We ate breakfast, and headed back to the church to leave in the bus around 7:30 am. I slept on the bus till 11:30. It was somewhat painful, but felt more like one hour than four, so I guess all in all it wasn’t so bad!
We just crossed the border into Florida, and the weather is just unbearably beautiful. Trina and I walked around during our lunch stop, and I told her that weather like this just makes me want to be in love. Weather like this is too beautiful to be single in. She laughed at how hopelessly romantic I am, and we boarded the bus once again.
We’re watching O Brother Where Art Thou right now, and it’s funny, because this movie was the theme of As You Like It, a Shakespeare play I was in my junior year of high school. I sang Down to the Rover to Pray, and it became somewhat of a theme song for the cast and crew, even the year after when we were doing Romeo and Juliet. And now it’s somewhat of the same for the choir right now, since we’re doing Down to the River. And wouldn’t ya know it, I get to sing the solo for the soprano sometimes? There are usually about 3 or 4 soloist selected for each solo, and it depends on the formations we’re in , and who’s in good voice during each performance for who sings it. Anyway, it’s just funny that this movie is yet again, meaningful in some way.
Ok! I think I’ve covered about everything since yesterday. We’ve got a performance tonight in central Florida, so much more yet to happen today! Ta ta for now.
First of all, the First United Methodist Church we sang at was absolutely breathtaking. Gainsville Georgia was in some ways, a no man’s land. But with the rolling hills, and beautiful weather it was wonderful.
We had a rehearsal in the afternoon, and instead of going around the lake outside and hanging out outside before dinner, Kirstie, Jay, Charlie, Aaron, Ben and I went down to where the youth group was, and led worship for them. That sounds like a really sweet and wonderful little thing to do, especially since so many of the 6 of us are worship arts majors. But we were so confused about what we were supposed to even do. We had a practice last week, because we were told we were requested…. They were supposedly getting home from a retreat and asked that some of the college students lead worship for about 15 minutes or so. We went down to the youth room (in our tuxes and long black choir dresses…) and were confused as to why there was already a youth band practicing. Anyway, they ended up leaving and we did a little bit of what one may or may not consider a sound check, and waited around awkwardly, because we didn’t even know the context of the night, or if they even were getting back from a retreat. Jay and I tried to socialize with some of the kids, and we asked how the retreat was, and they said they didn’t go on a retreat. Turned out that only the 6th graders did.
So, we joked around with each other from the choir, and prayed together, and went and sat with some of the youth. We led worship, and were blessed by it, and the youth. Even though we were really confused and had next to no direction for the entire thing, we all agreed once it actually comes time to worship with our music, it doesn’t even matter anymore, and it’s just a beautiful time.
Our concert went really well, but there are a few stories to tell from the performance. First off, Lloyd almost passed out. He stands next to me. In between Trina and I actually, in our scrambled (Alto tenor, soprano bass) formation. I saw him hold on to Nathanael in from of me, and thought it was funny. I thought he was just doing it to be silly or something. Think about it… Nathanael was in the front row. He couldn’t react. He couldn’t laugh. We were perfrming. I though Lloyd was just messing with Nate, Then after the performance, Trina told me how he had held onto her hand cause he thought he was gonna go down. And not down to the river to pray (it’s one of our songs in the program…). Another funny story was that during Credo, Trina got smacked in the head by Spencer when we were clapping during the end portion. That is just good fun. A most funny thing to have occurred.
Ok, before you think, “Ok wow, Shai way to be a lady…” about what I’m about to say… please try to see the humor in this. Because it really is simply hilarious, and though embarrassing for someone, it was so funny. In between songs, there is always a sweet, and almost intense silence before Jake blows the pitch pipe for our next pitch. It’s not usually awkward. It’s just a moment of anticipation, mixed with the emotion yet lingering from the previous piece. It’s part of the performance really. As one of our songs says, “Silence more lovely than music,” so is the space in between songs. Sometimes. Well, you may have guessed it, but someone uh, shall we say… let one go… in this moment. This lovely moment before our next song. To be honest, I heard, and then thought “Wow that would be funny if that really just happened.” And then the next thought was “That is thee funniest thing that could possibly happen in a moment like this.” And as it turns out, what I though may or may not have happened, did indeed occur. No one has confessed, but we’re all pretty sure it really did in fact, happen.
So. That might have been a little bit of a round about description, but it was hilarious.
So! That was the performance. Soon we were gathered up to our host family, and Trina, Kirstie, Olivia (A my gluten free buddy!), Gina and I put our stuff in the cars and drove through the rolling hills in Gainsville GA, to a MASSIVE house out in the country. I guess I just expect the houses we stay in to be, Oh I dunno, normal? Rich southern families don’t come to mind when I think of a choir tour and staying with a few families from a few churches. Well, this family certainly seemed to have money. We had 3 rooms to choose from to serve the five of us. Each with a queen or king size bed, and a bathroom attached to it. Kirstie and I took the king size, and Trina took a queen to herself, and Liv and Gina took the other queen. We all gathered in each other’s rooms and talked and laughed and told stories. Ahhh, I will never grow up, I am telling you right now. I will have slumber parties for the rest of my life.
When we first got settled into our rooms, we all sat around the bar table in the kitchen and ate ice cream with a ton of fresh, amazing fruit. Kathy, our host mom, bought gluten free bagels for Liv and I too. Which was amazingly exciting.
We got into some awesome conversations. We talked about the guys in our lives, or the lack thereof :P We relived the funny experiences of the day, or dreamed out loud. We were such girls. We took turns taking showers, and teased each other, borrowed each other’s razors and soap. It was just a really cute and fun night. Kirstie and I retreated to our king sized bed, and opened the window to look outside. The weather was incredible. So pure, and clean and cool. The hills, the far off lights of the other houses in the distance… it was just so pretty. We closed the window though, because the dog started barking obnoxiously. Pretty sure he had heard us open the window or something. Anyway, morning came too soon, and I remember vaguely in my waking dream mistaking my alarm as something in my dream. It was my alarm though, sadly. And I had to awaken to greet the morning, though the sun had yet to rise.
We ate breakfast, and headed back to the church to leave in the bus around 7:30 am. I slept on the bus till 11:30. It was somewhat painful, but felt more like one hour than four, so I guess all in all it wasn’t so bad!
We just crossed the border into Florida, and the weather is just unbearably beautiful. Trina and I walked around during our lunch stop, and I told her that weather like this just makes me want to be in love. Weather like this is too beautiful to be single in. She laughed at how hopelessly romantic I am, and we boarded the bus once again.
We’re watching O Brother Where Art Thou right now, and it’s funny, because this movie was the theme of As You Like It, a Shakespeare play I was in my junior year of high school. I sang Down to the Rover to Pray, and it became somewhat of a theme song for the cast and crew, even the year after when we were doing Romeo and Juliet. And now it’s somewhat of the same for the choir right now, since we’re doing Down to the River. And wouldn’t ya know it, I get to sing the solo for the soprano sometimes? There are usually about 3 or 4 soloist selected for each solo, and it depends on the formations we’re in , and who’s in good voice during each performance for who sings it. Anyway, it’s just funny that this movie is yet again, meaningful in some way.
Ok! I think I’ve covered about everything since yesterday. We’ve got a performance tonight in central Florida, so much more yet to happen today! Ta ta for now.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Day 2!
Day 2! It is pretty much unreal that I'm still awake. We basically lost 2 hours between Daylight Savings, and the time change...
Today was long but so great. Trina and I woke up several times last night, shivering. I ended up with four blankets on my blow up mattress in Atlanta. It was crazy... we don't understand how it got so cold. So we didn't exactly have the best night of sleep.
We ate sausage, bacon and cheese omelets for breakfast which were wonderful, and then headed back to Chris Stoke's church to sing for 3 services. It was a serious battle to stay awake by the third service.
After we were done, we ate, and set out on the bus. Next stop, Gainsville.
I'll probably write a more detailed version of today while I'm on the bus tomorrow. I am seriously tired right now. So that's what I'll do. We have 9 hours on the bus tomorrow, for which I am excited for, because I'm zonked. Florida tomorrow!
Today was long but so great. Trina and I woke up several times last night, shivering. I ended up with four blankets on my blow up mattress in Atlanta. It was crazy... we don't understand how it got so cold. So we didn't exactly have the best night of sleep.
We ate sausage, bacon and cheese omelets for breakfast which were wonderful, and then headed back to Chris Stoke's church to sing for 3 services. It was a serious battle to stay awake by the third service.
After we were done, we ate, and set out on the bus. Next stop, Gainsville.
I'll probably write a more detailed version of today while I'm on the bus tomorrow. I am seriously tired right now. So that's what I'll do. We have 9 hours on the bus tomorrow, for which I am excited for, because I'm zonked. Florida tomorrow!
Saturday, March 12, 2011
A lovely evening in Atlanta (Day 1!)
We're in Atlanta Georgia! Trina, Dr. Burge and I are staying with a young couple from Chris Stoke's church. I can't remember the guy's name, but his wife's name is Jessica. We lose two hours tonight between going into the east coast time zone, and Daylight Savings... We plan on going to bed very soon:)
Today we spent all day on the bus. It wasn't terrible... painful at times though. Trina and I have it mastered though: As demonstrated by Zach and I in the past on our own family trips, Trina and I place a pillow between our heads, and and count to three, and jam our heads together to keep it there. Alas. Rest can be found. Sometimes after giggles about how silly we are, but that only makes the sleep all the sweeter.
We sang for an hour once we got to the church we'll be singing three services at tomorrow. I thought I had absolutely no voice to sing with. I actually did not feel like singing at all. Not a note. I sounded like a man who had smoked for 40 years. In my opinion. After getting only about 3 and a half hours of sleep last night (laundry and packing party! Whoo hoo!), and being on a bus for like 9 hours or something... what else could be expected? I kind of lost track on how long we traveled today. Losing an hour crossing time zones, and just in and out of uncomfortable sleep... again... what else could be expected? Anyway, after warming up, it was surprising how good it felt to sing anyway:)
It is noteworthy that I hardly did anything while on the bus. Some people would read, and do homework. I can't read on a bus usually. Car sickness. No good. I only occasionally listened to music.
Trina and I had several bonding moments. Sharing silly text messages, and often just coming up with some story to share that we hadn't yet. You'd think that since we live together we'd know everything going on in each other's lives... but life can get busy.
The weather here is unbearably beautiful. Makes me miss the Jersey shore. Like most beautiful things do. It's just so clean, and pure. Lovely.
Tomorrow morning will come fast, so I'm gonna end this here.
One more thing. I'm borrowing a suitcase from a friend. He dropped it off last night, and I thought, "Ok wow, I could just pack myself along with my clothes. That'd save room on the bus..." It's massive. But completely wonderful. Because Trina and I packed our stuff together. So it's totally awesome. We've gone through several people saying hilarious things about me or Trina being a huge diva or something, because of our HUGE suitcase. We kindly inform them we packed together, and that we are not in fact, divas.
Ok maybe we are in some aspects.
But we packed light. Thank you and good evening.
I say evening, because as Megan, Olivia, Trina and I discussed, evening has a sort of loveliness to it. And tonight is indeed a lovely night. So good evening to you.
Today we spent all day on the bus. It wasn't terrible... painful at times though. Trina and I have it mastered though: As demonstrated by Zach and I in the past on our own family trips, Trina and I place a pillow between our heads, and and count to three, and jam our heads together to keep it there. Alas. Rest can be found. Sometimes after giggles about how silly we are, but that only makes the sleep all the sweeter.
We sang for an hour once we got to the church we'll be singing three services at tomorrow. I thought I had absolutely no voice to sing with. I actually did not feel like singing at all. Not a note. I sounded like a man who had smoked for 40 years. In my opinion. After getting only about 3 and a half hours of sleep last night (laundry and packing party! Whoo hoo!), and being on a bus for like 9 hours or something... what else could be expected? I kind of lost track on how long we traveled today. Losing an hour crossing time zones, and just in and out of uncomfortable sleep... again... what else could be expected? Anyway, after warming up, it was surprising how good it felt to sing anyway:)
It is noteworthy that I hardly did anything while on the bus. Some people would read, and do homework. I can't read on a bus usually. Car sickness. No good. I only occasionally listened to music.
Trina and I had several bonding moments. Sharing silly text messages, and often just coming up with some story to share that we hadn't yet. You'd think that since we live together we'd know everything going on in each other's lives... but life can get busy.
The weather here is unbearably beautiful. Makes me miss the Jersey shore. Like most beautiful things do. It's just so clean, and pure. Lovely.
Tomorrow morning will come fast, so I'm gonna end this here.
One more thing. I'm borrowing a suitcase from a friend. He dropped it off last night, and I thought, "Ok wow, I could just pack myself along with my clothes. That'd save room on the bus..." It's massive. But completely wonderful. Because Trina and I packed our stuff together. So it's totally awesome. We've gone through several people saying hilarious things about me or Trina being a huge diva or something, because of our HUGE suitcase. We kindly inform them we packed together, and that we are not in fact, divas.
Ok maybe we are in some aspects.
But we packed light. Thank you and good evening.
I say evening, because as Megan, Olivia, Trina and I discussed, evening has a sort of loveliness to it. And tonight is indeed a lovely night. So good evening to you.
Friday, March 11, 2011
Choir tour eve
Tomorrow begins the 2011 Spring choir tour! We leave at 7 am, and have an 11-12 hour bus trip. To be honest, I'm looking forward to that. I love just being with everyone, and bonding, and doing whatever the heck I feel like.
I'm sure I'll be blogging, as I did last year. It's going to be wonderful. I'm excited to get away, and experience some crazy host families, and get to know people I haven't gotten to talk to very much yet in the choir. And! This year I even have Olivia as a gluten free buddy. God has blessed me:)
So, tonight, I have to pack. Have not even started. Oh well. So is the life of a senior in the month of March. Yes.
I'm sure I'll be blogging, as I did last year. It's going to be wonderful. I'm excited to get away, and experience some crazy host families, and get to know people I haven't gotten to talk to very much yet in the choir. And! This year I even have Olivia as a gluten free buddy. God has blessed me:)
So, tonight, I have to pack. Have not even started. Oh well. So is the life of a senior in the month of March. Yes.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Falling flowers
Ahh how life can get ya down. Tonight is just one of those nights. Tonight I was working on a new song called Belong. Yes, I am a bit dramatic at times with my lyrics. But this song, I believe I can say it is quite truthful right now. It's not about any one experience. It's like every day of my life I gather a flower to carry into my bundle I keep in my hands... eventually my little hands can't contain them all anymore, and my grasp feels like a rubber band stretched too far. It happens every so often... it gets to be too much. What I hate to see happen is just see an entire garden fall from my hands onto the ground. So, even when it takes everything I have, and even everything I don't have, I try to toss everything up in the air, so I can close my eyes, and breathe in the fragrance of falling flowers.
So Belong is a song written out of another shower of all those flowers that used to belong in my hands.
Maybe one day you'll hear it. It needs a bit more work. But I like it enough, I think I'll keep working on it until it's done.
Ah, I had been so dry with songs lately... when something is on my mind, I can only write about that. Most of the time anyway. You'd think that'd be great. But then, what about the times you just wish more than anything not to think anymore? Yeah. I'd call it writer's block, but it's no such thing. It's merely reluctance to spend yet another moment on the very thing that can drive me mad.
So, Belong might be a song that gets to the bottom line of everything that's been going through my head. No more zipping through the vines like Tarzan anymore. Doesn't mean I'm out of the woods though. Nope, still there.
I'm sorry if none of this makes sense. I could write songs all night I feel like. If only I had a piano in my room. Or if I could play guitar like a decent music major. Yeah. That'd be fab. If only.
Now, to bed. Yes please.
So Belong is a song written out of another shower of all those flowers that used to belong in my hands.
Maybe one day you'll hear it. It needs a bit more work. But I like it enough, I think I'll keep working on it until it's done.
Ah, I had been so dry with songs lately... when something is on my mind, I can only write about that. Most of the time anyway. You'd think that'd be great. But then, what about the times you just wish more than anything not to think anymore? Yeah. I'd call it writer's block, but it's no such thing. It's merely reluctance to spend yet another moment on the very thing that can drive me mad.
So, Belong might be a song that gets to the bottom line of everything that's been going through my head. No more zipping through the vines like Tarzan anymore. Doesn't mean I'm out of the woods though. Nope, still there.
I'm sorry if none of this makes sense. I could write songs all night I feel like. If only I had a piano in my room. Or if I could play guitar like a decent music major. Yeah. That'd be fab. If only.
Now, to bed. Yes please.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Lucis creator optime
Hello again!
This is another video of the choir singing Lucis Creator Optime. That's Latin for Creator of optimal light... and it's completely gorgeous, and one of my favorite songs to sing as a first soprano. It's one of those that just satisfies when you sing it.
This is another video of the choir singing Lucis Creator Optime. That's Latin for Creator of optimal light... and it's completely gorgeous, and one of my favorite songs to sing as a first soprano. It's one of those that just satisfies when you sing it.
As I went down
This is my choir singing Down To the Rover to Pray. Kaitlin and I got to sing the solos, which we were so excited about, because the although the acoustics in Christ's Church Cathedral were ridiculously difficult to hear the choir with, they were wonderful with only two soloists.
It was also really cool for me to get to sing this solo, since I sang this song my junior year in high school in As You Like It, with the 4-H Burlington County Players:) It's just so cool to get to sing it again:)
I should also probably mention we normally do this song processing down the aisles. So we were just swaying back and forth last night in that concert. A little less extravagant, but just listen. It sounds so pretty with all those harmonies:)
It was also really cool for me to get to sing this solo, since I sang this song my junior year in high school in As You Like It, with the 4-H Burlington County Players:) It's just so cool to get to sing it again:)
I should also probably mention we normally do this song processing down the aisles. So we were just swaying back and forth last night in that concert. A little less extravagant, but just listen. It sounds so pretty with all those harmonies:)
The time of my life
My recital is over! In fact, 9 days have past since. I kept meaning to blog after it was over, but kept getting distracted.
It was fabulous. When it actually came time to perform I had the time of my life. My best friend Bi came in Friday morning, February 25th. Blakeley and I ran to the airport to pick her up... my family got there later on Friday night during my dress rehearsal. I ran out to meet them with Bi and Zach, and my voice prof. My uncle Phil and Aunt Barbara came too, which was wonderful. I hadn't seen them in years, so it was awesome to see them.
The fam went out to eat, and came back to watch the last bit of my rehearsal. It was absolutely hilarious to see such a long train of people filter into the room.
I was such a diva, going to bed so "early" even though I had my sister and Bi in my room. I just had a jolly good time beefing up the Diva stuff.
Saturday finally came, and I tried to sleep in as late as I could. But to be honest, it was like I was a child knowing Santa had come. I could not sleep. It was hard falling asleep the night before Bi came. And now that my whole family was in Greenville, I wanted nothing to do with sleep.
A bunch of friends came over to Zach's apartment, which was such fun. And soon the primping started. Caleigh and Bi curled my hair, and Trina painted my toenails. Ali came later, and did my make up and last minute hair touch ups. I tried on my dresses again to make sure everything was alright, and headed over to Whitlock where my recital was.
Ahhhh what can I say? I was so blessed by everyone. Everyone I worked with, everyone who helped me and sang and played and ran sound.... gosh I had the time of my life.
I got to get all pretty, and wear pretty dresses, and sing some of my favorite songs for a few hundred people. Come on! Fab.
There were a few moments that I was really conscious of what was going on when I was performing. Some moments that stink in my memory. To be honest, I was a little bit mechanical. I had to concentrate on singing right so I didn't lose my voice by the 13th song or something. Gosh, it was so much, but went so fast!
Number one, I wore my black and white dress I wore for my Junior prom. Hilarious! But pretty fun to wear it again.
During Nur Wer, my German piece, also my favorite out of the classical pieces, I just felt like I was the only one who ever sang that song. Like it was my song. Like I was the one it was made for. I just felt solid in it, and enjoyed myself when I got to sing it. The kind of solid feeling when you just ate a really good meal, and the food is settling very very well, and you just drank a glass of water, and you definitely feel heavy, but very good about it. It's a good feeling when you're singing and the song is settling well:)
I also loved blowing out the candle after The Crucifixion. That was a fun moment, even though I wasn't totally sure if it was a beautiful moment to the audience or not.
Anyway, when the quintet sang It Is Well With My Soul... I just loved the moment in the last verse... we were so in tune, and so in the moment. It was beautiful.
Ahh, and when Jake and I sang Come What May and didn't laugh at all when we met in the aisle-- even though we had smiles that weren't exactly saying "I'm acting like I'm gonna love you till my dying day because we're acting right now and this is the real thing" and really seemed to say "Your mic is about to fall off your ear but it's still fabulous and this is fun so let's get er done!" Yes, my mic almost fell off... but that's because I had to take my earring off as I went behind the set to meet Jake in the aisle filled with rose pedals, because my earring kept banging into it making an annoying sound... but it was wonderful.
So that was the first half!
Oh! And it should be noted that my little sisters Olivia, Lena and Melodi were my "flower girls" and christened the aisle with bright red rose pedals at the beginning of the recital before my dad opened it in prayer.
So! Intermission. I changed into my red gown, and the crew changed the stage, and my sisters brought rose pedals onto the stage as well. Kirstie lit the candles that I borrowed from St. Pual's down the street, and it was go time.
Zach, Rob, Shannon, Blakeley, and Nicole came out on stage with me, and we started Because of You by Kelly Clarkson. Ok, candles lit and glowing, rose pedals on the floor, everyone in their red and black ensembles, and a string bass, viola and violin, guitar and cajon.... just kill me with beauty. Please. It was like a dream to sing like that. And I loved my dress. Sue me for being a girl who loves my dresses... and I went barefoot. It just seemed right to do that. I left my shoes behind, sat down, and sang the song, and had so much fun.
Then went over to the piano, and waited for my people to adjust and move their order around before we started.
I played the intro, and realized something so exciting, and so just utterly fabulous. A few hundred people in the audience... my people on stage waiting for their cue...
This was exactly how this song had to be played.
I was so in the moment, and appreciating every single aspect about it.
It could have made me laugh. I Dare the Rain. It was a song I wrote over a year ago. I was in the most romantic mood when I wrote it, and recorded it. And then there I was, in this long flowy red dress, with my hair all curled and make up done. Bare feet. Rose pedals. Candles. A gorgeous grand piano. An intimate strings section, a guitar and a cajon.
And I thought to myself, "This is exactly how I dreamed this song in my head."
And I got to sing and play that song the way it looked and felt in my head when I wrote it.
It was absolute bliss.
I was dying, having the best time.
Then singing Superhuman with Mike... a dream come true because I love that song, and because Mike came back to Greenville to sing with me. And I know he's going to be famous someday. For real. He's in Nashville this semester, so it was awesome to see him again.
The last set was full band... and I got to wear my red boots. That was reason enough to have a good time. But I got to sing some of my favorite songs. And Away with a full band made me just love life all over again. And with all the strings at the beginning! I was in La La Land.
And then... the finale... the song for which I saved every last ounce of energy and stamina I had left. Bring Me to Life by evanescence. I just sang as hard and well as I could. And I just had the time of my life.
Yes, I realize I said "time of my life" all together too many times, but that's because I don't even know what else to say. I really did have the time of my life.
And I learned a very important lesson after my senior prom, when I changed into normal clothes too soon after I got home. If you buy something you know you may never wear again, get your money's worth out of it Darlin'! So I kept my red boots on nearly all night. Even though they were slightly too big and very uncomfortable by the time I had them on for hours.
It was an awesome time though, hanging out with my family eating chips and dip and scrambled eggs and cheese with everyone and the friends that came over after the reception.
It was fab. And yes, I had the time of my life.
But. I'm glad it's over. My life can move forward now. Thank you.
Butreally... I did have the time of my life.
It was fabulous. When it actually came time to perform I had the time of my life. My best friend Bi came in Friday morning, February 25th. Blakeley and I ran to the airport to pick her up... my family got there later on Friday night during my dress rehearsal. I ran out to meet them with Bi and Zach, and my voice prof. My uncle Phil and Aunt Barbara came too, which was wonderful. I hadn't seen them in years, so it was awesome to see them.
The fam went out to eat, and came back to watch the last bit of my rehearsal. It was absolutely hilarious to see such a long train of people filter into the room.
I was such a diva, going to bed so "early" even though I had my sister and Bi in my room. I just had a jolly good time beefing up the Diva stuff.
Saturday finally came, and I tried to sleep in as late as I could. But to be honest, it was like I was a child knowing Santa had come. I could not sleep. It was hard falling asleep the night before Bi came. And now that my whole family was in Greenville, I wanted nothing to do with sleep.
A bunch of friends came over to Zach's apartment, which was such fun. And soon the primping started. Caleigh and Bi curled my hair, and Trina painted my toenails. Ali came later, and did my make up and last minute hair touch ups. I tried on my dresses again to make sure everything was alright, and headed over to Whitlock where my recital was.
Ahhhh what can I say? I was so blessed by everyone. Everyone I worked with, everyone who helped me and sang and played and ran sound.... gosh I had the time of my life.
I got to get all pretty, and wear pretty dresses, and sing some of my favorite songs for a few hundred people. Come on! Fab.
There were a few moments that I was really conscious of what was going on when I was performing. Some moments that stink in my memory. To be honest, I was a little bit mechanical. I had to concentrate on singing right so I didn't lose my voice by the 13th song or something. Gosh, it was so much, but went so fast!
Number one, I wore my black and white dress I wore for my Junior prom. Hilarious! But pretty fun to wear it again.
During Nur Wer, my German piece, also my favorite out of the classical pieces, I just felt like I was the only one who ever sang that song. Like it was my song. Like I was the one it was made for. I just felt solid in it, and enjoyed myself when I got to sing it. The kind of solid feeling when you just ate a really good meal, and the food is settling very very well, and you just drank a glass of water, and you definitely feel heavy, but very good about it. It's a good feeling when you're singing and the song is settling well:)
I also loved blowing out the candle after The Crucifixion. That was a fun moment, even though I wasn't totally sure if it was a beautiful moment to the audience or not.
Anyway, when the quintet sang It Is Well With My Soul... I just loved the moment in the last verse... we were so in tune, and so in the moment. It was beautiful.
Ahh, and when Jake and I sang Come What May and didn't laugh at all when we met in the aisle-- even though we had smiles that weren't exactly saying "I'm acting like I'm gonna love you till my dying day because we're acting right now and this is the real thing" and really seemed to say "Your mic is about to fall off your ear but it's still fabulous and this is fun so let's get er done!" Yes, my mic almost fell off... but that's because I had to take my earring off as I went behind the set to meet Jake in the aisle filled with rose pedals, because my earring kept banging into it making an annoying sound... but it was wonderful.
So that was the first half!
Oh! And it should be noted that my little sisters Olivia, Lena and Melodi were my "flower girls" and christened the aisle with bright red rose pedals at the beginning of the recital before my dad opened it in prayer.
So! Intermission. I changed into my red gown, and the crew changed the stage, and my sisters brought rose pedals onto the stage as well. Kirstie lit the candles that I borrowed from St. Pual's down the street, and it was go time.
Zach, Rob, Shannon, Blakeley, and Nicole came out on stage with me, and we started Because of You by Kelly Clarkson. Ok, candles lit and glowing, rose pedals on the floor, everyone in their red and black ensembles, and a string bass, viola and violin, guitar and cajon.... just kill me with beauty. Please. It was like a dream to sing like that. And I loved my dress. Sue me for being a girl who loves my dresses... and I went barefoot. It just seemed right to do that. I left my shoes behind, sat down, and sang the song, and had so much fun.
Then went over to the piano, and waited for my people to adjust and move their order around before we started.
I played the intro, and realized something so exciting, and so just utterly fabulous. A few hundred people in the audience... my people on stage waiting for their cue...
This was exactly how this song had to be played.
I was so in the moment, and appreciating every single aspect about it.
It could have made me laugh. I Dare the Rain. It was a song I wrote over a year ago. I was in the most romantic mood when I wrote it, and recorded it. And then there I was, in this long flowy red dress, with my hair all curled and make up done. Bare feet. Rose pedals. Candles. A gorgeous grand piano. An intimate strings section, a guitar and a cajon.
And I thought to myself, "This is exactly how I dreamed this song in my head."
And I got to sing and play that song the way it looked and felt in my head when I wrote it.
It was absolute bliss.
I was dying, having the best time.
Then singing Superhuman with Mike... a dream come true because I love that song, and because Mike came back to Greenville to sing with me. And I know he's going to be famous someday. For real. He's in Nashville this semester, so it was awesome to see him again.
The last set was full band... and I got to wear my red boots. That was reason enough to have a good time. But I got to sing some of my favorite songs. And Away with a full band made me just love life all over again. And with all the strings at the beginning! I was in La La Land.
And then... the finale... the song for which I saved every last ounce of energy and stamina I had left. Bring Me to Life by evanescence. I just sang as hard and well as I could. And I just had the time of my life.
Yes, I realize I said "time of my life" all together too many times, but that's because I don't even know what else to say. I really did have the time of my life.
And I learned a very important lesson after my senior prom, when I changed into normal clothes too soon after I got home. If you buy something you know you may never wear again, get your money's worth out of it Darlin'! So I kept my red boots on nearly all night. Even though they were slightly too big and very uncomfortable by the time I had them on for hours.
It was an awesome time though, hanging out with my family eating chips and dip and scrambled eggs and cheese with everyone and the friends that came over after the reception.
It was fab. And yes, I had the time of my life.
But. I'm glad it's over. My life can move forward now. Thank you.
Butreally... I did have the time of my life.
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