Nails, Weather, and Weddings

First of all, I'm currently wearing a nail polish color called Wham, Bam, Glam.  I thoroughly enjoy this fact.

Secondly, I'm loving this Fall weather -- even though I'm a little scared that we're either heading for another hot spell or instant Winter.  But right now?  Perfect.  So I'm choosing to live for right now.

And finally, the real point of this post.  A few of my old students have recently become engaged, and it's so crazy to me that we're all going through this experience at the same time.  It's just so interesting to me the way that life works out -- I never, ever could have imagined getting married before this point in my life.  I've experienced enough to fill a lifetime:  had two successful careers, lived on two coasts, traveled & worked abroad, and on and on.  But that's not the interesting part.  The interesting part is that in their lives, this is the right time for my students as well, and whatever experiences they've had up to this point have left them feeling prepared and ready to take this next step.

I don't think I'm being quite as eloquent as I could be here, but what I mean to say is this:  Life has a way of putting you where you need to be when you need to be there, if you're living right.  All of my love and congrats go out to my sweet students for this exciting time, and I'm so glad that we're all right where we need to be.

xoxo

www.lovelyindeed.com

Lovely Indeed

Here's the new blog!  It's really what's inspiring me right now, so head on over and take a look if you're into it.  But I'll still be over here now and again as well, whenever something is too crazy not to share!

xoxo

Up in the Air

I’m on a flight. Again. And I have a few things to say.

1. I can’t sleep on planes. And it’s not because I can’t get comfortable. It’s because anytime there’s even the slightest bump or bit of turbulence, I am absolutely positive that we’re in dire peril. This is a recent occurrence. I used to love to fly.

2. A pushy lady boarded late, saw that there was an insufficient amount of overhead storage space left, and immediately became incensed. She turned to a flight attendant and said, “I need SPACE.” …Honey, we all need space.

3. Club soda with lime is my new in-flight drink of choice.

4. I just spilled half a glass of club soda with lime down my front.

xoxo

Rings on Her Fingers and Bells on Her Toes.

Soooo....  I'm engaged.  And it's kind of awesome.  I've been hesitant to blog about it, because it seems kind of personal, and I'm a little bashful.  And while it seems like I divulge a lot of personal information on my blog, if you read some backposts, you'll realize that it's not exactly information.  It's more like...  opinion.  Or musings.  Or rantings.  But never really personal stuff.  So there you go.

However!  That having been said, my engagement has been a completely inspirational thing in my life!  I've been all over the internet and I've come across some really beautiful style, design, event, and do-it-yourself blogs that have totally blown my mind.  So I made the decision to chronicle our engagement in another blog, vis-a-vis all of the DIY projects that I'm planning to include in our wedding.  My hope is that even after the wedding, the blog will continue and I can keep posting projects and creative, inspirational-type stuff!

So long story short:  keep coming here to get into my head (all 14 of you that are subscribers...), and keep an eye out for a new blog if you're interested in the rest of it!  Be assured that I'll let you know when it's up and running.

xoxo

Closings, Planes, and Good Sounds.

So here I am, in Denver, on my second layover of the day, almost home to California.  I will have been in four states by 1 p.m. today; that may not be a personal record, but it's pretty darn close.  Cowgirls closed last night, and, I have to say, it was kind of the perfect little package of a show.  Open long enough to explore some things with some amazing actors, and closed soon enough that no one got bored or went crazy.  Mostly.  It's an experience for which I'm extremely thankful.

Anyhoo, that's why I am on this crazy Montgomery-to-Memphis-to-Denver-to-Sacramento journey; because the show closed, and I'm headed home to have some family time.  And it was on the Memphis to Denver leg that something magical happened.  I had just gotten out my MacBook and turned it on, when, at the same serendipitous moment, the flight attendant asked for my drink order.  I got a Diet Coke and he offered me the whole can.  Then, at the exact same second, my computer chimed its lovely "start-up" chord, and the flight attendant flipped open the pop-top on the Diet Coke.  And I realized that those two sounds make me feel really good.

They just sounded like good things.  You know?  Those sounds that evoke an almost physical reaction because you know they mean something wonderful is coming?  A Diet Coke can opening is one of my favorites.  (And, yes, it sounds different if it's regular Coke.  Not as snappy or fizzy.)  Some of my others:  a tinny-sounding overture on any Original Cast Recording of a musical written and recorded before 1970.  My mom and dad's "hello" when they pick up the phone.  A longboard hitting the pavement when you drop it just before a ride.  Hearing my students sing a chord that would suddenly lock into tune.  My bestie's voice saying she forgot to tell me something huge.  A '57 Chevy starting up.

So, I wanna know -- what are your sounds?  Betcha we have some of the same.

xoxo

Hindsight

Ever have something happen that didn't even register at the moment, and then later got under your skin?

The other day I told someone I was a dance swing in a certain show, and the reply was, "Oh, well that explains it.  You're a dancer." 

Excuse me?

xoxo

Little Voice

I don't have a big voice.  I learned that in junior high, when I started singing in choir like it was my job.  In high school and college, it got stronger, but no bigger.  Then when I became a teacher it gained an authoritative quality, but it still stayed the same size.  Got to NYC, more training, more depth, but still small.  I'm okay with all this.

During Cowgirls rehearsal, this became the note that I received the most.  Can't hear you, push volume, louder louder louder...  And so I did, and it got better.  But I got to thinking one day, that my literally small voice also is a little figurative. 

I've never been the girl shouting opinions.  When I'm around folks who like to talk, I prefer to listen, rather than try to get a word in edgewise.  I don't like to yell to be heard.  And I fully subscribe to the notion that just because you're screaming, doesn't mean anyone is listening.  So I save my ideas and my voice for the times when there's constructive communication happening. 

Do I have opinions?  You betcha.  Are they strong?  Stronger than you'd think, if you're judging my book by its cover.  But I think that opinions can be valid, whether they're shouted from a rooftop or softly voiced from across the table.

xoxo