Well since moving into our little place on Halloween, I've not had internet at home. It is supposed to be coming eventually... but I'm wondering when that will be...
So I haven't had any time but lunch at work to be on the computer (and some occasional times at Corey's house). There has been so much I've wanted to tell the blog world... or more like I've wanted to write about to get things off my chest, but alas, the details have to wait for later.
A couple big things:
I am currently doing a "body balancing" diet because I have had stomach trouble for the last 8ish months and I've had several tests and there's "nothing wrong with me." Therefore, I have to eat what is just right for my body and keep it balanced and happy. So far, this means more raw foods (yucky veggies and yummy fruit), less meat (and NO red meat *sob*), no refined flours like white breads or hamburger buns, no caffeine, eating smaller dinners, NEVER snacking, nothing spicy... and that's all I can remember right now. I'm basically in a period of guessing what my body doesn't like and trying to fix it. So far it's been working (mostly) and my stomach troubles have been less... and I feel much better than I have for a while. Also my particular body type apparently needs vigorous exercise. Joy of my life.
I went to LA last weekend! I had a FANTABULOUS bridal shower with all the girlies I love, went to my favorite oasis in LA: the Getty, hung out with my maid of honor, went to see Opera Scenes (first time I sat through one), kept tradition and got a BJs pizookie, and had lunch with Dr. Plew. What? Oh, yes, I had lunch with Dr. Plew, and let me tell you "folks" - a little Dr. Plew is good for the soul. For those of you who do not have the extreme privilege of knowing Dr. Paul Timothy Plew, he is the music department head at The Master's College, a short, dynamic sort of man who loves Jesus so much and has a passion for choral music like none I've ever seen. I learned SO much from him in college just by watching him conduct and lead our choirs, and I had the honor of serving him as secretary in two choirs. I sat under his teaching, preaching, and worship leading and I can't describe the impact that man has had on my life. For those of you still at Master's, take advantage of what Dr. Plew has to offer you. Great men willing to pour their life into you are hard to find. Sure, you might have to seek him out, he is a busy man, but don't be scared. He's really just a big, excitable, musical teddy bear who can teach you how exude love for Jesus through your pores.
I don't have time for more... but it will come. :)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
Hollerween
Well, first of all I hate Halloween. I think it really sunk in a couple years ago with a 5th grader that I was tutoring. She told me how excited she was for all of the Halloween decorations they were going to put up and their nasty scary outfits and I was pretty much disgusted that a young person could get so excited about dead people and gory nasty masks, etc. Dressing up isn't bad in and of itself, carving pumpkins is not bad (although I've never done it), and candy is definitely not bad... but the evil that our society puts into all of these things is awful. And the extra spiders everywhere don't do it for me either.
I had a good Halloween last year, though. Turtle and Mr. Man came down to LA and surprised me at Dr. Plew's "Reformation Party." It was funny because I'm not a big party person, and I was working that night at Banana Republic, and I told Mr. Man earlier that week that I didn't really want to go. He told me that if he found someone to hang out with that night then I should go to the party instead of sitting at home alone after work, and I agreed. So he told me the day of the party that he was going to go hang with some friends, so after work I reluctantly went to the party. I walked in, meandered through the people and was talking to some people in the back yard when I heard someone (who sounded remarkably like my then boyfriend) said "Hello there" (quote from Hot Fuzz, I don't recommend the movie). I thought to myself, "what the heck, who at this party sounds so much like my boyfriend, I must be really really tired." I turned around to see two guys dressed in hazmat suits with hoods, glasses, and even booties, and I had no idea who they were. I saw the shorter, stockier man and thought, "man, AND this guy looks like Turtle, I am seriously going nuts." And as everyone stood there for what seemed like forever in awkward silence, the realization very slowly (and I mean very slowly) dawned on me. By the time I came to grips with the fact that the love of my life was standing in front of me, I was too embarrassed and with-it to scream or jump up and down or anything, and my urge to rush and hug him was checked by the fact that he was in a hazmat suit that covered basically his whole face and head, and it was a little strange. So the first thing out of my mouth (after at least a minute) was, "Um, do you think you could take that off?" HAHA.
THIS Halloween, however, was also very momentous. I packed up all of my earthly belongings and moved into our little place in Penn Valley, where I will be living alone for the two months until we get married. Our little place has a lot of... character. and flies. There's cows across the street, and down the road is a large park with disc golf and all other park-like things, and further down the road is little quaint Penn Valley, with a laundromat and a market, and a couple other things I haven't explored yet. I s'pose you could call the town "hokey" if you wanted... but I already love it. Our little 600 sq. ft. place is surprisingly roomy with all the stuff in it, and I have a kitchen of my own. Some of the quirky things I have found so far during my two days of residence: the shower leaks onto the carpeted floor, and the shower head has to be pointed sideways or it goes over the top of the shower door; the only place in the house that you can go without being seen by a window is in the toilet "closet" that is covered only by a window shutter; you can hear the fridge noise while laying in bed; and the 20+ flies that moved in with me like to congregate on the ceiling fan and when you turn it on you feel like barfing. But I still love it. It is mine and it is Mr. Man's and we will be SO happy. I will try to post pictures soon-ish.
As far as the dressing up part of Halloween goes this year, we went to a costume game night at Jason and Christin's (future brother-in-law and wife) on Friday night. Corey dressed as a convict complete with tattoos and I dressed as his lawyer, using some of those clothes I don't wear anymore because I can wear jeans to work! It was fun, we ended up watching an older movie called Oscar (I do recommend this movie). Kaden (future nephew) is "one and a smidge" as Christin likes to say and he had a little monkey suit, and he was the highlight and star of the party. Turns out he likes his Auntie Crystal pretty well and that makes me dern happy.
I had a good Halloween last year, though. Turtle and Mr. Man came down to LA and surprised me at Dr. Plew's "Reformation Party." It was funny because I'm not a big party person, and I was working that night at Banana Republic, and I told Mr. Man earlier that week that I didn't really want to go. He told me that if he found someone to hang out with that night then I should go to the party instead of sitting at home alone after work, and I agreed. So he told me the day of the party that he was going to go hang with some friends, so after work I reluctantly went to the party. I walked in, meandered through the people and was talking to some people in the back yard when I heard someone (who sounded remarkably like my then boyfriend) said "Hello there" (quote from Hot Fuzz, I don't recommend the movie). I thought to myself, "what the heck, who at this party sounds so much like my boyfriend, I must be really really tired." I turned around to see two guys dressed in hazmat suits with hoods, glasses, and even booties, and I had no idea who they were. I saw the shorter, stockier man and thought, "man, AND this guy looks like Turtle, I am seriously going nuts." And as everyone stood there for what seemed like forever in awkward silence, the realization very slowly (and I mean very slowly) dawned on me. By the time I came to grips with the fact that the love of my life was standing in front of me, I was too embarrassed and with-it to scream or jump up and down or anything, and my urge to rush and hug him was checked by the fact that he was in a hazmat suit that covered basically his whole face and head, and it was a little strange. So the first thing out of my mouth (after at least a minute) was, "Um, do you think you could take that off?" HAHA.
THIS Halloween, however, was also very momentous. I packed up all of my earthly belongings and moved into our little place in Penn Valley, where I will be living alone for the two months until we get married. Our little place has a lot of... character. and flies. There's cows across the street, and down the road is a large park with disc golf and all other park-like things, and further down the road is little quaint Penn Valley, with a laundromat and a market, and a couple other things I haven't explored yet. I s'pose you could call the town "hokey" if you wanted... but I already love it. Our little 600 sq. ft. place is surprisingly roomy with all the stuff in it, and I have a kitchen of my own. Some of the quirky things I have found so far during my two days of residence: the shower leaks onto the carpeted floor, and the shower head has to be pointed sideways or it goes over the top of the shower door; the only place in the house that you can go without being seen by a window is in the toilet "closet" that is covered only by a window shutter; you can hear the fridge noise while laying in bed; and the 20+ flies that moved in with me like to congregate on the ceiling fan and when you turn it on you feel like barfing. But I still love it. It is mine and it is Mr. Man's and we will be SO happy. I will try to post pictures soon-ish.
As far as the dressing up part of Halloween goes this year, we went to a costume game night at Jason and Christin's (future brother-in-law and wife) on Friday night. Corey dressed as a convict complete with tattoos and I dressed as his lawyer, using some of those clothes I don't wear anymore because I can wear jeans to work! It was fun, we ended up watching an older movie called Oscar (I do recommend this movie). Kaden (future nephew) is "one and a smidge" as Christin likes to say and he had a little monkey suit, and he was the highlight and star of the party. Turns out he likes his Auntie Crystal pretty well and that makes me dern happy.
Monday, October 26, 2009
a little bit of this... a little bit of that...
Where the Wild Things Are - I have never read the book, and Mr. Man and I went to see it Friday night. He had read the book as a child and was very happy to see it, and loved it. I, on the other hand, did not really enjoy it and I wouldn't necessarily want to see it again. Reasoning? The movie was entirely from a child's perspective. A child with a huge capacity for imagination and a child who uses this imagination to deal with hardships in his life. I was not a child with a huge capacity for imagination and I dealt (and still deal) with hardships in my life very differently. I was the kid that played grown up, hardly played with dolls, read books ahead of my years, and would rather be a secretary than a princess. I was always older than my age, responsible, and "boring." Thus, I could not relate to Max at all, and I contrive most of my enjoyment in things by relating to them. I appreciate the brilliant writing and filming that made it so truly like a child's imagination, but enjoying and appreciating is definitely different...
... kinda like how I appreciate Baroque music (in a very broad sense) and I enjoy Romantic music (also broad). That relating thing plays in with my classical music tastes as well. I relate to the emotion in music and that is where I find most of my enjoyment. The Romantic period (and following) of music is overflowing with emotional writing... the Russian composers... Puccini... Massenet... sigh. I went on Saturday to the NY Met Opera live HD broadcast of Verdi's Aida. That was amazing, because any live broadcast of opera that you can watch in your sweat pants in a movie theater is amazing. It was quite a spectacle, all of the Egyptian style sets and costumes. The music was also meant to be a spectacle at times, very huge and triumphant, representing the story of Egypt vs. Ethiopia in war. It was also very intimate (in the words of Renee Fleming) in the love and jealousy scenes. The mezzo-soprano that played Amneris, the jealous Pharaoh's daughter was very disappointing. Her acting was child-like and not fitting for her role or the time period, and she didn't open her mouth when she sang! I was sad because I love to watch the mezzo roles extra closely because I am a mezzo. But all that to say that I love opera! It was so refreshing to my soul to watch this amazing work of music performed by people at the top of their careers, singing for the NY Metropolitan Opera, and the camera brought me close enough to see the sweat on their faces. As soon as the orchestra started to play it was a wave of continuous goosebumps (maybe it was cold in there too). I miss music deeply.
This weekend we also found a cake lady and a flower lady (both named Barbara, ha!) AND we assembled invitations. Oh, and found a place for tuxes. I'm starting to feel a little more put together. And you should want to come to our wedding for the cake.
THIS Saturday I will officially embark on a 2 month journey of living by myself! I am moving to our little place in Penn Valley, me and my 5 boxes of belongings (just kidding, it's a little more than that). It will be a grand adventure! I can't have my mom make lunches for me anymore (which was a wonderful thing for the past 4 months... or is it 5?) and I might have to learn how to cook now. (ha!) Despite the fact that I will now have to get up at 6am, I think I will enjoy it, but I'm very glad it's only for 2 months... then Mr. Man will join me and I won't be lonely. (wait, I'm getting married in TWO months!! WEEE!)
... kinda like how I appreciate Baroque music (in a very broad sense) and I enjoy Romantic music (also broad). That relating thing plays in with my classical music tastes as well. I relate to the emotion in music and that is where I find most of my enjoyment. The Romantic period (and following) of music is overflowing with emotional writing... the Russian composers... Puccini... Massenet... sigh. I went on Saturday to the NY Met Opera live HD broadcast of Verdi's Aida. That was amazing, because any live broadcast of opera that you can watch in your sweat pants in a movie theater is amazing. It was quite a spectacle, all of the Egyptian style sets and costumes. The music was also meant to be a spectacle at times, very huge and triumphant, representing the story of Egypt vs. Ethiopia in war. It was also very intimate (in the words of Renee Fleming) in the love and jealousy scenes. The mezzo-soprano that played Amneris, the jealous Pharaoh's daughter was very disappointing. Her acting was child-like and not fitting for her role or the time period, and she didn't open her mouth when she sang! I was sad because I love to watch the mezzo roles extra closely because I am a mezzo. But all that to say that I love opera! It was so refreshing to my soul to watch this amazing work of music performed by people at the top of their careers, singing for the NY Metropolitan Opera, and the camera brought me close enough to see the sweat on their faces. As soon as the orchestra started to play it was a wave of continuous goosebumps (maybe it was cold in there too). I miss music deeply.
This weekend we also found a cake lady and a flower lady (both named Barbara, ha!) AND we assembled invitations. Oh, and found a place for tuxes. I'm starting to feel a little more put together. And you should want to come to our wedding for the cake.
THIS Saturday I will officially embark on a 2 month journey of living by myself! I am moving to our little place in Penn Valley, me and my 5 boxes of belongings (just kidding, it's a little more than that). It will be a grand adventure! I can't have my mom make lunches for me anymore (which was a wonderful thing for the past 4 months... or is it 5?) and I might have to learn how to cook now. (ha!) Despite the fact that I will now have to get up at 6am, I think I will enjoy it, but I'm very glad it's only for 2 months... then Mr. Man will join me and I won't be lonely. (wait, I'm getting married in TWO months!! WEEE!)
Friday, October 23, 2009
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Three unrelated ponderings
I drove to work this morning past the cows and the fields of Sutter (or is it Yuba?) County, and there was a thin layer of fog on the ground. Well, thin as far as dimension and not density... The top of my car was still above the layer, and as I looked out I could see a horse or two tall enough to still be seen. It made all of those times someone described fog as "a blanket" come alive. Isn't it interesting to think about how that works? This morning it made me think of the mystery of my Lord and how His creation never ceases to prove His existence.
We had Achilles family night yesterday which is a weekly occurrence, this time we ended up watching Peter Pan, the newer version that I hadn't seen before. I thought it was rather sensual for a kids movie, I mean the look in that kid's eyes was definitely not what I would consider average for a less-than-13-year-old. That aside, what I realized at the end of the movie is that the end of the story is depressingly realistic, and therefore I don't like it. Don't jump to conclusions and think that I wish that Wendy, John, and Michael would have stayed in Neverland and ditched their parents forever. I'm all for growing up. And for parents. However, I'm not for never seeing your true love again. Peter and Wendy should have ended up together (Tinkerbell is just a fairy, by the way, she can't be his life-mate). I s'pose you could argue that Peter was just a kid and kids don't need true love and life mates, but the way that that movie portrayed them did not leave Peter enough of a kid for me to believe that. I also realize that I am inconsistent because I am a fan of reality. I'm not a dreamer, I don't love fantasy, I'd rather have a story that portrays reality in a fantastic way. However, this story IS fantasy. It has mermaids and flying kids and dogs for nurses. Therefore, they should have stayed together.
Planning wedding music when you're a musician is tough, by the way. Especially playlists for the reception. And all the daddy-daughter songs out there are awful. At least so far. I actually will love my husband more than my dad on my wedding day (I know he takes no offense to that), and so I don't want a song that says "my heart belongs to daddy" or "can you feel the love tonight." Sigh.
And what else is a blog for than to post such random thoughts?
We had Achilles family night yesterday which is a weekly occurrence, this time we ended up watching Peter Pan, the newer version that I hadn't seen before. I thought it was rather sensual for a kids movie, I mean the look in that kid's eyes was definitely not what I would consider average for a less-than-13-year-old. That aside, what I realized at the end of the movie is that the end of the story is depressingly realistic, and therefore I don't like it. Don't jump to conclusions and think that I wish that Wendy, John, and Michael would have stayed in Neverland and ditched their parents forever. I'm all for growing up. And for parents. However, I'm not for never seeing your true love again. Peter and Wendy should have ended up together (Tinkerbell is just a fairy, by the way, she can't be his life-mate). I s'pose you could argue that Peter was just a kid and kids don't need true love and life mates, but the way that that movie portrayed them did not leave Peter enough of a kid for me to believe that. I also realize that I am inconsistent because I am a fan of reality. I'm not a dreamer, I don't love fantasy, I'd rather have a story that portrays reality in a fantastic way. However, this story IS fantasy. It has mermaids and flying kids and dogs for nurses. Therefore, they should have stayed together.
Planning wedding music when you're a musician is tough, by the way. Especially playlists for the reception. And all the daddy-daughter songs out there are awful. At least so far. I actually will love my husband more than my dad on my wedding day (I know he takes no offense to that), and so I don't want a song that says "my heart belongs to daddy" or "can you feel the love tonight." Sigh.
And what else is a blog for than to post such random thoughts?
Monday, October 19, 2009
A Happy Soul (and side notes)
I got to see three of my "besties" this weekend... Jenny, my maid of honor, and Lizzy and Janelle, lifetime friends. Since I moved up to the most excellent Northern California, I am close to my families and to Mr. Man, but not to all my gal friends. Sad. (side note: I LOVE Northern CA [and greatly dislike Southern CA] hence the "most excellent" reference.)
But... Saturday I got to hang out with Jenny and another good friend Roselynne because they were in the Sacramento area for a wedding. We ate at Cheesecake Factory (side note: I LOVE Cheesecake Factory especially that sweet wheat bread they serve in the bread basket.) and found wedding shoes for me... which was a surprisingly easy.... like a lot of things for this wedding. It was SO refreshing to be with good friends!
AND THEN... Sunday was Manelsie's bridal shower in Hollister. (side note: Janelle = Nellie = Nelsie = My Nelsie = Manelsie) I am a bridesmaid and so is Lizzy aka Porky... so we were all 3 able to finally reunite... first time since New Years, I believe. I have known these girls since jr. high and seeing their smiling faces and getting to hug them was like medicine... the good kind. It was pretty short, and kinda crazy because I had to share Janelle with a house full of other people that love her too... (side note: there were these little croissant/bready/cookie things at the shower that were absolutely mind-boggling amazing. I am on a mission for the recipe so that I can gain 10 million lbs as soon as possible.)
So to sum it all up... I needed some girl time with these wonderful ladies more than I realized, and I am so very happy to have had it. I can't wait 'till it happens again.
But... Saturday I got to hang out with Jenny and another good friend Roselynne because they were in the Sacramento area for a wedding. We ate at Cheesecake Factory (side note: I LOVE Cheesecake Factory especially that sweet wheat bread they serve in the bread basket.) and found wedding shoes for me... which was a surprisingly easy.... like a lot of things for this wedding. It was SO refreshing to be with good friends!
AND THEN... Sunday was Manelsie's bridal shower in Hollister. (side note: Janelle = Nellie = Nelsie = My Nelsie = Manelsie) I am a bridesmaid and so is Lizzy aka Porky... so we were all 3 able to finally reunite... first time since New Years, I believe. I have known these girls since jr. high and seeing their smiling faces and getting to hug them was like medicine... the good kind. It was pretty short, and kinda crazy because I had to share Janelle with a house full of other people that love her too... (side note: there were these little croissant/bready/cookie things at the shower that were absolutely mind-boggling amazing. I am on a mission for the recipe so that I can gain 10 million lbs as soon as possible.)
So to sum it all up... I needed some girl time with these wonderful ladies more than I realized, and I am so very happy to have had it. I can't wait 'till it happens again.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Storm's a-brewin'
Just wanted to let the world know via blog that I am so excited for the cold weather. I think there are two major players in this excitement, one being that I do not have air conditioning in my car and I am tired of drowning every time I drive somewhere. The second is that the colder it gets the closer it gets to my wedding!
But seriously, cold weather is awesome. Blankets and sweatshirts and fires and hot chocolate... sigh.
We bought a REALLY cute kitchen table today. It's a two person table that is absolutely perfect for our new place. Bought it off craigslist.... which is officially pretty much awesome, but can also cause cancer. Or identity theft, if you're not careful.
And we need a microwave, a printer, and a queen size mattress in case you have any of those lying around.
God is good. All the time.
But seriously, cold weather is awesome. Blankets and sweatshirts and fires and hot chocolate... sigh.
We bought a REALLY cute kitchen table today. It's a two person table that is absolutely perfect for our new place. Bought it off craigslist.... which is officially pretty much awesome, but can also cause cancer. Or identity theft, if you're not careful.
And we need a microwave, a printer, and a queen size mattress in case you have any of those lying around.
God is good. All the time.
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