Can we say "been a while?"... Yes... yes we can...

So..... SO much has happened since my last post. I wonder if I'll ever find my groove again when it comes to posting more regularly. I hope so...because I enjoy going back and reading old things I wrote that have been completely forgotten. But alas..here we are... with a brief sum up of the past 5 months... *facepalm*

January:

My niece...being ADORABLE.

• I started doing a lot more ballroom dancing...and bought a few of their New Years deals... one of which included 2 private lessons. (I totally forgot that I have this...and need to use it!!!)
• Mom and I went to visit Rob.... it was like summer down there!
• I wrote an arrangement of Barry White's "Can't Get Enough of Your Love, Babe" for Classical Revolution. Unfortunately, I had rehearsal when the performed it (in February), so I didn't get to hear it... Rumor is it went very well.

February:

• I ended things with Scott and moved back in with my folks. It was past time.. We're still friends, but my life is heading in a very different direction...and it turns out that his "train" wasn't the one I wanted to be on. 
• Rob came up and built me the coolest "Cafe Corner" (as I'm calling it)... bed underneath, sitting area above. It's actually not finished yet...but it's still awesome.
• Jess came with me to work (Carver) for a few weeks to help out with the play and do some Q&A for the kids in the drama class.
• We had the Pacific Sangerbund at the Turn Verein hall...it was nice to not have to travel for it this year. We performed Am Fischerhaus again, which was a huge hit and a lot of the directs approached me afterwards wanting a copy..... Hmmmmm...now I need to write out an actual piano part.
• I joined ARC's JV2 group to help out again....and it was a fantastic group!

March:

• I CUT MY HAIR REALLY SHORT! :-D Well..... the shortest it's ever been. I donated it. I love it. I look mature and feel gorgeous. (Though... I already miss my long hair). It was also symbolic for me: to cut off the old and start anew. 
• I also got my ears pierced at an actually tattoo/piercing place instead of the mall. It hurt just the same...maybe less? And is *way* more effective since they take a chunk of your ear out. Hehehe. This is the first time in my life that I'm really enjoying having earrings... So much so, that I want another piercing. :-)
• I signed up for a David Deida workshop!!! HOLY CRAP! (More to come on that...)
• I got my bike working and all fixed! Now to get shoes so I can actually ride it.....
• Disneyland!! Always a good time. :-) Though this year something a little bit different happened. I was reading David Deida's "It's a Guy Thing" on the way down on the bus..... nearly the whole time, so that's 5-6 hours of reading. Needless to say, by the time we got down there, I was in a slightly different state and feeling very open....

...So the next day was our performance...and mid-way through the second piece (a lovely, flowing song in 6/8), the thought just popped into my head, "How could you play right now that would open the audience? Open your own heart?" I'm not sure what exactly I did, per-say, but I DID do something.... I could feel it.
Afterwards, I got a LOT of "You're amazing" comments...more than usual.... which I thought was a little odd, because I didn't think they were exceptionally difficult pieces.. at least not difficult enough to warrant such kudos.

Girl 1: "Is that a real duck?"
Girl 2: "Of course it's not a real duck!"
It was...

Then the next day, we go to California Adventure... I'm standing in the park, waiting for people and looking down at my phone, texting Steph..when I hear, "Oh my god! You're that fabulous pianist!" I look up to see one of the other directors who had been at the festival. I say, "You're that fabulous director!!" And we chat for a bit and he showers me with complements. Then Wendy comes over and he tells her to never let me go.

After we parted, I was thinking to myself, "No really... the music wasn't THAT spectacular or anything. I KNOW I've played more challenging stuff...." And then it occurred to me, the difference between all those other times and *this* time was me opening my heart, and opening the audience. Neat.....

April:

• My degree final came in the mail! It says 2012 on it, instead of 2011...but by this point, no one cares. I've been working as a musician for so long (even before I graduated) that it now feels about as important as a high school diploma. Well.... at least I have it so I can get my Masters! 
• By this point, I was really feeling the sting of not having a man in my life anymore and all that comes with breaking up. Even though it was gentle and easy... it still sucked. But Jess and Leah are pretty much the two most amazing people ever, and they've been helping me get through it... Including leaving me a smattering of "love' notes on my bathroom mirror. --->
• I got a music director and accompanist gig for Beauty and the Beast at Sac Country Day....which led to a few impromptu visits to the river and more David Deida reading. Really relaxing and it got more movement in my life..especially around doing something different, even if it's something like driving down a different road...or stopping by the river for lunch. :-)

May:

• During our final performance at ARC with the vocal jazz ensembles, I realized that I severely miss singing in an advanced ensemble...and decided that I would try out for Art's and move my life in that direction...with also a heavier emphases on composing and arranging. 
• Jess took new head shots of me for my business cards and whatnot. I'm very pleased. And I made my new cards *just* in time for Sam's musical theater class.....cause everyone wanted one. Phew!
• My platelets were 52 right before I left for the workshop. WHOOHOO! (I'm beginning to think that the 60's or thereabouts IS normal for me.....)
• The rest of May consisted of the usual teaching, and putting together Beauty and the Beast...which ended up being surprisingly good, all things considered. But the most exciting part was:
• DAVID DEIDA WORKSHOP!!!! :-D

For my drive down, I took a "ninja" route through the middle of nowhere and then through a fantastic national forest...with NO cars, and a 20 mile drive that required zero gas peddle. It was magical and just the thing I needed to ground me from the long drive. I was so refreshed by the time I got to the hotel, it was amazing.

The workshop itself was beyond incredible. I know everyone has their own take-a-way and experience of the weekend...but for me... I got everything I wanted and so much more... so very much more.

When I got back, the very next day I had a BV's concert to play for, so I practiced opening my heart and opening the audience (like I did in March). I had to bolt right after because of another gig, so I wasn't able to get any feedback or find out if anyone was opened.... But then 5 days later, in a grocery store parking lot, I head, "Oh my god! You're that fabulous pianist!" No joke.... the exact same thing from March....

I did a, "Wait what who me?" thing.... I seriously didn't know he was talking to me at first, it caught me that off guard. Then we talked...well.... HE talked, or rather GUSHED about how amazing I was... including randomly burst out with "YOU'RE A GODDESS!" I was so floored and flattered, all I could do was smile and say thank you. My heart was bursting open.

I have MANY stories from the workshop itself...but that isn't for online/public viewing..for multiple reasons. :-) But.... I will say: That weekend changed my life.

I also discovered a new cough remedy... which is honey poured over a chopped onion...then let to sit for a few hours....then collect the liquid that's made from it and drink a few table spoons as needed. I call it.... Honion!

And I've been eating WAAAAAY better and since being back from the workshop, have been exercising every day. I've got some cool plans for the summer....now I just need to make a schedule so I'll actually get them done.

Healthy cheesecake made by Leah! It was incredible.