Put your feet up.

Sitting on my couch watching Netflix after a long day.  It sure is nice.  

Woke up and did some cleaning, ran some errands, got my modem and apple airport set up, played a little trombone, and went to work at Buca.   Doesn't really sound like that much but 13 hours later... haha   

I'm amazed at how fast the days go by.  Tomorrow will be insane.  Work at 11:30 am then a women's basketball game at 7pm.   I need to make a to do list for tomorrow.  I can't believe I'm leaving again on Thursday.  At least we'll be back on Saturday night.  I know it will be New Years Eve, but I'll probably spend the night in my apartment.  Maybe not.  But a football and a flight make for a really really long day, and sometimes there is nothing like just chilling out.  

Four days left in this year.  The goal? To simply enjoy.  

The end of the year always brings a time for reflection...well if you ask me, I've reflected enough!  Like I've mentioned before, I wouldn't call 2011 the greatest year in the life of Lisa Tatum.  Don't get me wrong definitely some good stuff in 2011, but I'm not sad to see this year end!  I am so excited for the future.  There's this whole sense of excitement and adventure in not knowing what will happen after May.  I'll end up where I should, I just gotta do it right in order to get there. = )  

Christmas time is here...

Has it really been almost a month since my last post?  I must admit it sure has been one heck of a whirlwind.  It still amazes me how much I change in such a short amount of time.

In less than five months I will be done with graduate school round 1.  I will have a Master of Music in trombone performance.  Even with being so sick and exhausted this past semester I still managed to give school one awesome right hook and land a 4.0.  I'm sitting on a 3.9 right now.  Pretty amazing.  I'm pretty proud of myself.  I really have put some major effort into growing and learning over the past year and a half.  The crazy thing is, the closer I get to finishing this degree the more I'm looking forward to the next steps I have to take to get what I want out of life.  In just a few short weeks I've gone from totally planning a trip overseas to Italy to realizing that is just too expensive (unless I can score a buddy pass for a flight) and coming to terms with the fact that I need to keep on my path right now.  I've also been pretty set on finding a job in the Salt Lake City area for the past few months.  I really do want to stay in the Salt Lake City area, but the closer I get to not having insurance or a full-time job, the more I can't stand the thought of it.  I've decided to broaden my horizons a little bit.  I've decided to look for jobs in the SLC, Chicago, and Washington D.C. areas.  SLC would definitely be my first choice, but I'm not gonna put all of my eggs into one basket.  No dumb girl here, this blonde is a smart one.  I've already started the application process for a school 35 miles north of Chi-town.  I'm not gonna lie, I would absolutely love that.  The idea of teaching high school for 3 years kind of makes me sick to my stomach a little bit, but it is something I've got to do.  Maybe I'll get in there and absolutely love it.  I will definitely make the best out of it no matter what.

Winter Break 2011 has been a whirlwind all in itself.  I finished all of my school work (including a 16 page paper) and it all turned in Tuesday a week ago, went out for an end of the semester  celebration, and then woke up at 6am the next day to hop on a flight to Chicago.  Chicago was glorious.  I absolutely love that place.  I haven't been to Chi-town since 2009 (well I was there for about 6 hours the summer of 2010, but I don't really count that), and I remember after going to Midwest that year how obsessed I was with the city and how I set my mind on living there someday.  I had recently forgotten why I ever thought that was a good idea, but after being there again I remembered my love for the place (thus the plan to look for teaching jobs in the area).  The food was amazing, the company was wonderful, the sights were to die for, and the music was, well inspiring.  I heard the Chicago Symphony perform Mahler 6.  The symphony is 80 minutes long, and let me tell you every minute of it was beyond exhilarating.  After my time in Chicago was up I took the train out to Peoria to see my Aunt Janice.  It was so very good to see her and my cousin while I was there.  I hadn't had the opportunity to see them since my last trip to Midwest in 2009.  Well while I was there my dad had some pretty serious health problems.  He had two blood clots in his leg.  He went to the hospital where they admitted him, which was a very good thing because the next day they had found that multiple clots had traveled to his lungs.  He is going to be okay, but he has some serious life changes to make.  Thanks to all who have been praying for my dad.  There really is nothing like the power of prayer.  God has been looking out for my pops.  I got home late Tuesday night and have been hanging out with him at the hospital quite a bit the past few days.  The good news is he is going home today!  He's getting to go home before Christmas, which is pretty amazing.  Up until 2 days ago they thought he would be here for about another week.  I'm happy he is getting better.  He is gonna have to be on blood thinners for about a year which is a little scary, but it is what he needs.

Being home in Alabama has been nice.  I'm thankful to be with my family this time of year.  I am so thankful for my loved ones.  I have been blessed with so many amazing people in my life.  My heart is overflowing.  I've definitely been living on faith and grace this pass year.  My cousin Jen's husband is a pastor in a baptist church.  I made it to my aunt's in time to go to the Sunday morning service.  Zach mentioned the story where Jesus took 5 loaves and 2 fish and fed thousands of people.  He said that in order for him to feed all those people with that little bit of food was that first he had to break it.  Jesus had to break it before he could use it.  Man did I feel broken this year...but God's grace kept me going.  His grace is like the energizer bunny: it keeps going and going and going and going and going and....well you get the picture. = )

Merry Christmas everyone.

Love.

Wheels go round and round, you're on my mind.

Here goes a midnight post, brought to you by Buca and Poplar.

I should be asleep right now.  It's not even that late, but late it is.  What in the world has been going on with my life.  I wish I could remember.  It amazes me how fast time goes by when you are enjoying yourself and the world you live in.  I remember thinking how life just stood still in the spring and the first half of the summer this year when I was so...well...heart broken.  I knew that if I kept pressing on at some point it would be good again... but the days just seemed so long.  Now I can't even remember what I've done in a weeks time because everything flies by!   This morning I woke up at 8am, and I honestly can't remember what I did between the hours of 8am and 12pm.

I needed to play trombone today. Did I?  Nope.  Tomorrow?  I've got to make that happen.  Got to.

Part of the reason I didn't play trombone today was because my car broke down last night and is in the shop.  It really is just an excuse.  I mean its not like the music building is super far from my apartment.  It is literally 5 blocks.  An easy 20 minute walk.  I should have gotten off my butt this morning and gone, but whatever...

At least I did something productive today and got a start on my paper for my 19th century seminar.

This semester is coming to an end.  3 concerts, 3 observations, 1 15 page paper, and 1 final are all that stand in the way of me being 3/4 the way done with my masters degree.  That's scary.  Really.  Who in the world would let me get a MM?  I'm so close to being done with school for a hot minute.  I'm really hoping a job opens up for me in the Valley next fall.

It scares me a little bit.  The thought of all the work I'm putting myself through.  What if things don't work out the way I planned them?  But if I never try, I'll never know.

On a different note, lets talk more about my car.  My poor dead bug.  At least it didn't get squashed.  I was on i215 and it just died.  I was at least able to coast onto the side of the road so I wasn't blocking traffic or in danger of being hit.  I got towed...$75 later.  We got it to the VW place just fine.  The VW place called me today and let me know that it will be at least Monday before they can look at it.  I really hope I have a car by Wednesday...

Well that's all for now.  Only a few more days left if November.  Time to put the pedal to the metal.

Love

I really can have it all

Some days I get over whelmed.  Some days I feel stressed to the max; like I'm getting nothing done and going nowhere; and the only thing that keeps me from just quitting is that I simply refuse to allow myself to give up on myself or what I love.

And then, there are days where I feel like I can conquer the world.  Where I can start to see the stars aligning.  Things are falling into place, and I will get to where I'm going.  My friend said it perfectly last night.  She told me that I'm subconsciously worried about failure (which is true).  Then she went on to remind me of something we've all heard a thousand times.  Her message was this, "Put the worries away and stay present and take it day to day.  Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday. Stop and enjoy, my dear friend."

How very true.  I think going to bed with that thought in mind made waking up today a world of a difference.  I think I should type that up and put it on my wall somewhere.  I can't promise you tomorrow, but I can do what I can today.  That's all there is to it.  I have dreams.

And those dreams are mine to grasp.  I will get there, but for now I'm going to enjoy today.  It's all about the process.  I know I've blogged about similar things, but I need a reminder for myself from time to time.  I'm doing what I love, I have amazing people in my life, and I have so much to give.  Life is amazing.

Thanks for that reminder last night, Melissa.

I needed it. And with that, BACK to the practice room. =)

Love

Lessons be learned.

Well I learned one very big adult lesson today.

Pay your parking tickets.  I got a parking boot today from the city of Salt Lake.  $456 later...

There goes my ski pass fund.

That's tragic.  But I'll work it out.  That ski pass will be mine.  Count on it.  It's just gonna take a little longer and a little extra work.   Again, I'll work it out.

Things could be worse.  I have two legs, and a place to live.  I'm alive.

Life, it's grand.  = )

I'm starting to feel way better.  I'm forcing myself to stay home.  It's not like I have money to go out and do anything after that ticket! Haha!

Seriously though,  I have got to do something to strengthen my immunity.  My nutrition is great.  I'm queen bee when it comes to that stuff.  My body needs rest, and I've been ignoring it.  I can't believe this semester is almost over.  Time to work smarter, not harder.

Love.

Are we there yet?

Don't take this as me being negative.  I'm a happy girl.  Life is grand.  :)   But I've been sick more this semester than when I taught elementary school.  My immune system is not keeping up with my life and happiness.  It keeps telling me to calm down and not get too excited.

I realize this past week, in my excitement for life, I over did it.  My body is still recovering from being so sick in August and then having surgery in October.  I just wish it wasn't taking so long. My mind is ready to grab life by the horns, but my body just isn't. Frustrating.

It's all good though.  :)   I just need to take better care of myself.

=)

Hi.

My name is Lisa, and I am one happy lady.  

It amazes me at the simple things that make me smile... 

Like simply talking to someone.  

I woke up this morning to snow on the ground.  It snowed during the football game tonight.  It was pretty crazy, actually.  The field was white during pre game.  Crazy!  I was glad I wore my hunter boots today.  That was a good life choice.  

I can't wait to go skiing.  The snow makes me so excited. I've really got to go get my Alta pass soon!  

Well, that's all for now. 

Love. 

Clean. Simple. Honest.

Sometimes I never know what to say here.  So many good things swirling around in my brain right now.  

I made some super yummy things this week.  Egg white omelets, frittatas, butternut squash soup, and black bean eggplant veggie burgers.  The good/bad thing about living alone and cooking for myself is that when I cook something I have a LOT of left overs.  And that's great, cause I'm good at budgeting with groceries...But it is also not great cause that means I'm eating the same thing over and over and over again. Like my delicious soup, I wound up getting 5 servings off.  So eating the same soup meal after meal gets a little old. And my veggie burgers?  (Which by the way cost a whopping $4 to make) Well I wound up having enough for 8 burgers.  That's 8 meals of veggie burger patty, unless I freeze some.  Soup freezes just fine, but I'm not so sure about eggplant black bean veggie burgers.   I love the fact that you can open my fridge and pantry and all you find are clean, natural foods.  Even my peanut butter is straight up ground peanuts. 

Basketball season started this weekend. Well the NCAA basketball season that is...  I am so excited for basketball season this year.  It really is a good time working the Utah women's basketball games.  

I have so so so much to do over the next month.  My goal is to get a jump on that this and next week. The ski resorts open very soon and I'd much rather be done with my school stuff before I start hitting the slopes hard this season.  My goal is 100 days this season.  I can totally rock that. :)   Might be the only season I have the opportunity to do that, especially if I get a teaching job next May.  

Speaking of jobs....Scary.  Let's not talk about that now...

I really enjoyed church at K2 today.  The message was awesome.  So the message wasn't on Romans 5:7-8, but Dave Nelson shared those verses as apart of the message and they really hit home.  I just found them really awesome.   The Message translation has them as:  We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice, but God put his love on the line for us by offering his Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.  

I figured out what I'm doing for my Christmas gifts this year.  Super excited about that.  

I got brown boots today.  Super excited about that too. 

Well I should probably go to bed.  I don't know what to think about this entire post, but whatevesies.  

Love.  

On a positive note...

It's snowing!!!!!!!

And in my sheer brilliance I added a covered parking spot at my apt building to my rent today.  = )

Cynical

Somedays I just want to quit.  Today is one of them.

Clearly I won't, but sometimes I just feel like the stress isn't worth it.  I torture myself, and days like today I don't even know why.

I'm trying real hard not to get my feelings hurt. I just need to breathe....

Adieu

I've met so many people in my 25 years.  Literally, thousands of people.  It amazes me the people that come in and out of your life.  Acquaintances, friends, lovers, enemies, teachers, coworkers, and the list goes on.  Think of how many people you pass on a daily basis.  They all have their own stories to tell.  They all have something to teach you, if you only open yourself to receiving that lesson.

Goodbyes aren't easy.  In any aspect of life.  Like I said, I've met a lot of people. I've also said a lot of goodbyes.  Two souls that touched my life left this earth the past few weeks.  Alvin Bridges and Aunt Ruby.  Alvin worked hard and did everything he could for his loved ones.  He lived a long life.  Aunt Ruby was a beautiful human being. She was kind, loving, and peaceful.  She never complained.  Even when she had breast cancer, and then lymphoma.  She just kept on loving.  I'll never forget the lessons I learned spending time with her and the other great aunts and uncles in small town Gantt, Alabama as a little girl.  Making preserves, helping sew quilt squares and watching the old show Dallas until all hours.

Although it is the only completely final goodbye, death is not the only farewell that we deal with.  We've all seen relationships end.  In this past year I've had multiple relationships end... someone moved across country, someone chose to stop being a friend completely and removed themselves from the equation, someone decided I wasn't worth the time, and there are other relationships that I had a hand in ending myself.  People come and go, but what is it that you as an individual take from the situation?  Did you learn what you could from the other soul that just so happened to be apart of this crazy thing we call life?  Did you show them kindness and goodness?

Today was a day to say farewell for a little while.  We'll see each other again, this is certain.  I read this quote the other day and couldn't agree more, "No lapse of time or distance


of place can lessen the friendship of those who are 


truly persuaded of each other's worth." 


It's true.  The relationships in your life that are real hold this truth.  Some of my best friends on this earth live thousands of miles from me, but when we get to hang it is like nothing ever changed between us.  The future is unknown, and that is the  scary and exciting part about it.  I don't know what will happen over the next few months, but I sure do have something to look forward to in the future.

Live. Be genuine and honest.  Don't be afraid to love.  Learn what you can and enjoy the moment.  This life only happens once.  Simply live.  
   

Cause it goes along with my blog.

My dad shared this video with me.   Enjoy!


Life is Like Coffee.

Blogging during class?

Why yes I am.

I have been an awful student the past week.

I can see it as it is happening.  Its almost like looking from the outside and seeing myself flounder and I just can't do anything about it.  

Well I can do something about it, and I am.... I just think it might have been too late for this week.

I have barely practiced trombone this week.  I've played every day.  But playing every day and practicing every day are not the same.

I'm getting back on the practice band wagon, but I fear it is too little too late for my lesson this week.  I really need to stop allowing myself to make excuses to not practice everyday.

I could make excuses, or I could just take a step forward.

Besides my lack of practicing and being a pretty poor student, life is going great!

My tailbone is feeling so much better.  I think in another week or so I'll be good to go. (crossing my fingers anyway).  I miss sleeping on my back...    Maybe that's why I've been so tired lately.  I usually sleep on my back and I haven't been able to for almost a month.

I've been hanging out with this some super cool folks lately.  :)

Today I woke up and couldn't stop smiling.   Definitely have a perma-grin going right now.  :)  

It is definitely a good feeling.

Not gonna lie.  

?

Why do we allow ourselves to continue to love people who completely destroy us?  This is a question I will ask God when I'm dead and gone. . .  Just hearing one song takes me all the way back there, and  I don't even know why I allow myself to do that.

Feeling bet-tah

I'm feeling so much better.   I wish my drain was being pulled today and not tomorrow.  Its super annoying.  I don't really feel like I can really go anywhere cause of the studied thing.   At least it is getting pulled tomorrow! Hoping I'll feel all normal again (well mostly normal anyway) after this drain comes out tomorrow.  Its annoying.

So being stuck on the couch resting, clearly Im watching a lot of tv.  The walmart commercial that has the degree deodorant ad with the tall woman and short man is about the most annoying commercial ever.  They show it like a thousand times an hour.  Dumb!!!

So this morning I was feeling way better.  I took under the task of peeling a cubing a butternut squash. Well...and hour later!  Those things aren't that easy to peel.  It might help if I had a veggie peeler.  Mom and I decided to make this crockpot chili for dinner tonight that was in the September Oxygen magazine.  The chili calls for 1 cubed butter but squash (4 cups), 1 onion, two 28 oz cans fire roasted tomatoes, 1 can of black beans,  4 cloves garlic, 1 pound cubed top round beef, and lots of seasonings (cumin, oregano, bay leaf, cayenne, etc).    I'm hoping it will be super good.  It has to cook in the crock pot for 8 hours.  Here's hoping it is yummy!!!  

I can't wait to get in the practice room and get some work done on my trombone.

I can NOT believe it is already October 10. This year is FLYING.   What in the world am I going to do in a few months when I'm not in school anymore.  Dang.

2 days later

Well its over.   The surgery wasn't too bad.  I'm really impressed with the University hospital.  We barely sat in the waiting room at all.  Clearly I was totally knocked out during the surgery, but when I woke up I couldn't stop shaking.  They had to give me a separate shot to get me to stop shaking.  That was weird.  We left the hospital about 6 hours after we got there.  Super crazy.   I'm pretty just stuck chillin for a few days.  Yesterday I laid on the couch all day, then some folks came over and we watched Star Wars.  Today I walked around a little bit. Might have over done it, but it's all good. Back to the couch again... We watched Bridesmaids today.  I saw that when it was in the theaters but I wanted to watch it again.  I'm pretty bored and pretty out of it...  

Snip Snip

Surgery today.  Not allowed to eat after midnight last night.  I feel like I'm doing alright with that.  I may or may not have over indulged after 5pm last night.  I picked my mom up from the airport and we went to Red Rocks to eat.  I had a warm goat cheese salad and southwestern tomato soup.  Here is the description not the salad: Goat cheese baked in our wood-fired oven, served with sliced tomatoes, pears and organic spring mix with rosemary pesto oil    


Yum! Right?

I had planned to go to Village Inn at like 11:15 to eat again before I couldn't eat today, but I'm old (haha) and was exhausted by 10pm.  Made a turkey sandwich and chips and salsa instead at home.

I'm hoping the recovery time for this thing doesn't take too long.  We'll see.   EEK!    

Life is just a journey, drop your worries. You are gonna turn out fine.

Where do I even begin?

Life has been a whirlwind since school started.

I finally got a bed! Amazing.  My stress level dropped about 50 notches after a few nights of finally getting off of the floor.  There was a week there I honestly thought I was going to pull my hair out.  It's crazy how much a good night's sleep can really change how you feel.

Life is good.  I don't know what to say other than that! I have some amazing friends.  I have an incredible job.  School is fantastic.  I have a church that I love and is wonderful.  The opportunities are endless.

Can I just talk about how much I love Salt Lake City?  Utah has become the love of my life.  I really need to spend more time up on the mountain.  I think it is so funny how anti-cold/snow I was before I learned how to ski.  That boy who took me to Snowbird the first time didn't know the monster he was creating! = )
I was on that mountain about 5 times a week last April and May, but for some reason I could't bring myself to go up there during the summer.  I was pretty down this summer.  No need to lie about it, but things are so looking up now.  But so besides all that, I've been up the fabulous LCC a few times lately.  My dear friend Melissa and I went to Oktoberfest at Snowbird a few weekends ago.  There is just something special about being up there.  I went  again with our mutual friend Natalie on Sunday.  Let's just say that trip was very successful. ; )  Bup Bup!  My friend Natalie cracks me up.  She and her friend Joey were definitely key in helping me make a new friend... Well so being up at LCC again made me want to go up even more. Yesterday I got in my little bug and drove up to Alta.  It took me a while to get up there in my little four cylinder VW but I eventually made it.

I had been dying to hike Cercret Lake again, and so hike I did.


Cecret Lake is the first trail I hiked in Utah last year.  My friend Robin took me and our friend Owen up there.  Last year when we got to the lake we just sat there for a long time.  I don't know how to describe what it feels like other than just to say it is truly amazing.  God created some beautiful places on this earth.

When I made it to the lake, I sat there for a while just to enjoy the beauty.

It would have been nice to have had someone to hike with yesterday, but I've never been one to not do something just because I have to do it alone.  Why wouldn't anyone want to experience beauty like this?

Being up there makes me feel so much better about life.  Not that I was feeling badly about life this past week, but being up there just feels rejuvenating and I love it.

I had to stop here and take another picture because Robin, Owen, and I stopped here for pictures a little over a year ago.

I can't believe that in a few weeks all of this will be covered with snow again! I am so looking forward to that! Crazy, huh?  Until then I am enjoying every moment of being in the sun shine that I possibly can!

I went to yoga at Centered City tonight with Melissa and Natalie.  It just felt so good.  When I got done I was so relaxed.  I really want to start doing more yoga.  After I recover from the surgery I'm having in 8 days it will definitely be added to the work out regime again.

Oh, and by the way, I'm having surgery a week from Thursday.  I'm not too sure how I feel about it.  Hopefully it won't be a terrible experience.  I will be out for the count for a hot minute.  Momma is flying up to help take care of me.  We'll see how all that goes...  I need to do some more hiking before next week!

Who wants to go???? = )

The Legacy of You

So I’m taking a 19^th Century Music Research Seminar this semester.   So clearly France had some crazy cracked out times in the 19^th century.  The opera house in France went through some pretty big changes.  The people loved art.  They wanted it all.  It was not uncommon to see ballet along with the opera.  Well there were these three famous Parisian ballet dancers that worked along with the main opera house (my dancer friends will have to forgive me for I have forgotten their names already. 

Well the first of the three ladies was the very first dancer to dance on pointe for the entire show.  She was a virtuoso. No one before her had been able to do it.  Throughout her career her father maintained her finances (that’s just what people did then).  When her father died she found that he had squandered all of her money and she was penniless.  She was never able to retire.  She danced until she no longer could, and then taught all the way until she died around 80 years old.  In her lifetime she revolutionized dance.  Because of her, dance was changed forever. 

The second famous dancer was not as talented as the first.  She was loved because she was beautiful, sexy… She danced until she was 30.  At the age of 30 she had made enough money that she moved to America and was able to support herself on the money she made in her dance career. 

The third dancer was just as good as the first.  A virtuoso.  A very successful performer, she was loved by many. She had a good career and retired after having the illegitimate child of a European prince and moved out of France.  She was then supported by that prince for the rest of her life.  She had a great career as a dancer and never had to worry about money. 

Here is the question I pose to you:

Which of these three dancers had the most successful life? 

The one that worked her entire life to get by, but because of her teaching changed the future of dance?  Would dance have been changed so if she had been able to retire at the age of 30 and never taught lessons to so many dancers? 

The second one who was loved by Paris and was able to support her self for the rest of her life? 

The third, who was the picture of virtuosity and was taken care of the rest of her life after retirement?  She had it all: a great career, children, and a generous fund to support her.  

If you know me, you know who I thought had the most successful life. 

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? 

I want to be a revolutionary.  I want to change peoples’ lives.  I hope that one-day people will remember me as someone who made a difference…as someone who sparked excitement and motivated change.  I want to be remembered as an encourager.  

Oh the places we will go...

So school has started.  Wow.  I am one busy girl. 

 

I am so excited to be around for another year.  I am excited for everything that I will get to learn this year.  Let me tell you, I learned so much in the past year….  Let’s just say it wasn’t the easiest year of my life.  You know that saying, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?” Well I think whoever came up with that saying is a liar.  Whoever started that quote was trying real hard to make the best out of a situation.  That I understand.  However, I think a more appropriate statement might be, what doesn’t kill you leads to the opportunity for perseverance.  Suffering happens.  You can choose to sink in a hole, and allow that suffering to keep you from living with passion and enthusiasm.  Or, you can choose to persevere.  Suffering leads to perseverance.  Perseverance leads to building character. 

 

I’m playing a LOT of trombone this fall.  I am pumped about that.  Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Quartet, Quintet, etc.  YES!  

 

Marching band is going exceptionally well this year.  It really is a joy and a pleasure to get to do what I do here.  Life is a process.  Trust the process.  Keep trucking along.  Keep pushing. Keep making improvements.  I love it when things start to come together.  I love it when I can talk to my coworkers about new ways to explain an old concept.   I’m getting excited just sitting here typing about it. 

 

I’m going to be doing a lot of research this semester.  I’m okay with that. I can handle it.  This is going to be fun.  I’ve got enough coffee to keep me going.  = ) 

 

Me and trombone?  I’m not exactly sure what I want out of it, but you better believe I will put my heart and soul into becoming the best musician I can over the next year.  

Who am I?

The other day I thought I saw someone that used to be in my life.  I’m still not sure if it was that person or not.  I mean, this city is only so big.  Sometimes I wish I could read minds.  (Key word = sometimes).  I’m sure you never worry about running into me.   Why should I care about running into you so many months later.  Why do I still think about you on a daily basis?  I’m sure I never even cross your mind anymore.   

Happiness hit her like a train on a track

School has started! The summer... well it ended...and end fast it did.  I can already feel myself getting back into the swing of things, and it feels so good.  I really am so lucky.  I love what I do.  Man, I can't tell you how much I look forward to doing my job.  I'll be stressed out, anxious about life, etc and when I start doing my thing it all just goes away.  I'm so thankful for the opportunities I have here at Utah. 

So I played trombone this summer, but not nearly enough... My face hurts! Going from one hour a day to four to five just plain hurts!  I'll get there though.  I need a good kick in the butt for not practicing enough this summer. 

What a year this is shaping up to be.  Lots of life lessons this year. So many tears shed.  So many friends made.  So many laughs.  So many second chances at life. 

I tried to cry the past few days.  Like 5 times.  I couldn't.  I didn't have any tears left.  My eyes said no, even though my heart wanted to unlock the flood gates.  I wonder if you can only cry so many tears in one year before your body just says no. Stop. You've got to get a move on with it.  My body knows better than my mind.

This week I was reminded that I need to remember who I am.  I am Lisa Tatum.  I'm a child of God.  I'm a warrior. I am passionate. There is more than one reason why I have a crown tattooed on my hip. It is a reminder of who I am and where I come from.  Until recently I had been ignoring that reminder.  I am strong and independent.  I work hard.  My word means something.  I am reckless.  I am emotional. I care. 

I mean something. 

I am not worthless. 

I need to remember that more often.   

The dog days are over. 

At least this round anyway.

What? No, I'm not being pessimistic. I'm human.  I have good days and bad days.  My life isn't going to be perfect from here on out.  I'll just keep using the lessons learned this year and keep on trucking along. God's grace gets me through the good and the bad.  That's why it's GRACE, remember?  = )

Love.

Amazing grace, what a sweet, sweet sound...

Grace.  It is so beautiful.  The fact that God can love me in all of my faults...and trust me, I have so many. 
I absolutely love going to K2 the Church. This morning the message was about the unlikely hero.  Dave Nelson spoke about Moses.  God chose to work through Moses and make him a hero even though he couldn't be that on his own.  Now that is grace.

Isn't it amazing the way God chooses to work?  He takes something absolutely worthless and uses it for His glory.  I'm a screwball.  I mess up constantly.  I make wrong choices all the time.  I think I can do things on my own.  The truth is, I can't. I'm a sinner, but Jesus died for me anyway.  He broke his body and shed his blood to remind me that he loves and forgives me.  I'm not perfect, but God loves me anyway... enough to do all of that for me.  He can use me in spite of all my faults. 

Romans 8:28-
 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Bad things happen.  Sadness happens.  Things get taken away from us. Suffering exists.  You've got to learn from it.  Suffering leads to perseverance.  Perseverance leads to character.  I refuse to let my sufferings send me into a hole.  Sure, I might cry a little...a lot, actually...but I know that God is there to get me through it.  I've got His amazing grace.  

Some of you might think all that's a little crazy, a little who-ha even, but that's okay.  It works for me, so I'm going with it, and I won't apologize for it.  = )


Psalm 19:1-4 -

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge.  They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun.

Random...Because my life if just that all the time.

So I've done two of these before. Basically you just sit and put down random thoughts, fact, feelings, opinions, etc, about yourself.  

Here's 2008: 

 10. Sometimes I wish life were a musical. 

 9. I love the feeling of being sore after a good work out. It means I’m actually pushing myself.
8. I cry when I watch the Lion King
7. I love to perform. I’d do it the rest of my life if given the opportunity.
6. I feel guilty when I eat food that is bad for me (ex. Fried food), but I sometimes eat it anyway.
5. I feel sexy when I run.
4. Right now I have a five year plan (that is falling into place quite well), but I have no clue what I want to do after that.
3. As much as I hate to admit it, sometimes I do miss living in Wetumpka where everyone knows you and life is pretty quiet.
2. I have this habit, that when I go to someone’s house, I always look in their pantry and/or fridge. I just like to see what they keep in their home.
1. One of my biggest fears is being alone.

Here's 2009:

1. Sometimes I wish I lived in a musical, and could sing anytime, anywhere and not get crazy looks.

2. I cry when I watch the Lion King. 

3. I love the feeling of being sore after a really good workout. It means I'm actually pushing myself.

4. Performing is one of my favorite things in the world. I'd do it the rest of my life given the opportunity.

5. I feel guilty when I eat food that is bad for me, but sometimes I eat it anyway.

6. I feel sexy when I run.

7. I have this habit, that when I go to someone’s house, I always look in their pantry and/or fridge. I just like to see what they keep in their home.

8. One of my biggest fears is ending up alone.

9. My favorite movie of all time is The Little Mermaid.

10. Speaking of The Little Mermaid, that is the movie that began my love of musicals.

11. If the whole "music thing" isn't working for me 10 years from now, I'm going to open a restaurant.

12. I LOVE to cook.

13. If my parents had not gotten divorced, and I had staid in FL for the 6th grade, I would be playing percussion now, instead of trombone.

14. I love Disney. One of my life goals is to go to every Disney park in the world. I've already finished the US and Japan! :)

15. When I believe in something, I give it 110%.

16. I love love love sushi.

17. I secretly wish I were a vampire. Anne Rice's version, not Stephanie Meyers.

18. I've seen a movie every weekend since coming home from Japan.

19. I want to have children someday, but not anytime soon.

20. Sometimes I have problems speaking up for myself.

21. Being a Brass Angel definetly changed the way I think when performing.

22. It really offends me when people underestimate me. I'm who I am for a reason, when I say I can make something happen, I mean it.

23. I hate the cold. I thrive in sunny weather.

24. I've been blessed in that I've always been able to do whatever I wanted.

25. I love the state of Alabama, but I don't think I can stay here forever.

 Here's 2011:

A lot of things are still the same. Some of them have changed. I've learned some other lessons since these.

1. I miss the stage

2. I really do love teaching. I love seeing someone get something for the first time and continuing to improve upon it.

3. The Salt Lake City Farmers Market at Pioneer Park is one of my favorite things in the valley.

4. I'm actually looking forward to winter for the first time in my life. Thank you skiing.

5. I change my mind on a daily basis.

6. Loving someone doesn't make them love you.

7. I have no idea what I'll be doing this time next year. You would think that would scare me. It doesn't. Okay, well maybe a little, but I'm not freaking out or anything.

8. I've said it before, and I'll say it again...It doesn't matter what you are doing, as long as you are doing it with people you care about.
   
   
9. After all these years, The Little Mermaid is still my favorite movie of all time. Yup, go ahead and laugh.

10. I love finding new clean recipes for my collection.

11. I'm trying real hard to not become bitter. People keep trying to make me that way though...

12. I still love to run, but it is getting way harder on my body.

13. Being sick for 2 weeks is awful.
    
    
14. People in Salt Lake City are pretty rocking.

15. I can tell myself something doesn't matter. I can tell myself that all night long. It doesn't make it hurt any less.

16. Bed bugs are not a fun thing. At all.

17. I'm not afraid to do what I have to do.

18. I just don't understand why we treat people the way we do. When did it become okay to treat people like garbage? To just throw them away like they meant nothing.

19. Tomorrow will always come.
    
    
20. The sun still shines even when the clouds don't seem like they'll ever go away.

21. Life without internet and cable at home isn't so bad, until you're stuck on your couch for two weeks with a bacterial infection.

22. I deserve so much more than what I've been settling with.

23. Help people when they need it.

24. I am obsessed with Del Taco $.99 bean burritos.

25. I need more sushi in my life. Anybody want to start a sushi night with me?

Oh jeez. Here we go again.

I am such a girl. 

No really.

I freak out over absolutely nothing at all. . . all the time. 

I don't know why I lose my confidence so easily.  Really.  One little thing doesn't go my direction and I've lot my way.  I've been like this for what seems like forever.  Sometimes I'm better at controlling my fears, and sometimes I completely lose it and let it tear me down.  I remember talking to one of my performance teachers once. How I would make one tiny mistake and my entire performance was ruined for myself.  How I felt like I was letting everyone down.  He told me I needed to calm down, that I was making a robot out of myself.  That the "mistakes" I made were probably the best things some of the other players could do. . . .  I'm not really sure that last part made me feel any better then.  It sure doesn't make me feel any better now. 

Why do I allow myself to go into such a freak out mode?  I can't think about anything else when it happens.  I'm sitting here at the music building trying to get some trombone time in and I can't even bring myself to pick the instrument off of the ground. 

Why wouldn't things go my way?  Why do I sometimes allow the negative to overpower the good and positive?  

I'm human.  I doubt myself.  I stress myself out over nothing and everything.  I have this need to be in control of my life, but the truth is that it's something I can't always do.  I can't control how people respond.  I can only control my reactions.  I need to be better at controlling my reactions.  That is something I am majorly failing at as of late. 

Okay. I feel a little better now. 

Love.

Songs I'm digging right now. = )

So instead of posting a million links on facebook I figured this would be better. = )  I realize I've posted some of these before, but you'll get over it. = )

 

 

 

 

 

Jeremiah 29:11-14

New American Standard Bible: 

'For I know the plans that I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.  I will be found be you,' declares the Lord, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile."


The Message:

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out- plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. I'll make sure you won't be disappointed. I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you, bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.


New  King James Version:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.  Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.  And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place which I cause you to be carried away captive. 

[Insert a clever title here]

Good morning!

So I've been sitting here for a hot minute. . . reading my friends blogs, and trying to figure out what to talk about.  The funny thing is that when I was blogging almost every day or every other day it was so easy to just put what I was feeling.   Now that I'm lacking internet at my home and have to use it where I can get it, I find it a little more difficult to pick out key events that have happened over the past few weeks.  I have a real issue with getting too personal on these things.  I love sharing my thoughts and feelings, but I'm always a little wary of actually talking about too many actual events or people that are in my life.

If I've learned anything in my (almost) 25 years it is that life can change in an instant, and not everything is what you think it is.  Not that I think that both of those ideas are always negative things. Far from it. I'm a firm believer of living in the moment.  I will not live in the past.  Yesterday put me on my path for today, but it does not define my tomorrow.   I have a rough plan for the future.

I totally believe in having an idea for the future.  A five and ten year goal even.  In five years I will start a DMA (a musical arts performance version of a PHD for all you none musicians).  In ten years I hope to be teaching at the university level.  Do I think about the future on a daily basis? Of course I do.  Do I over analyze every single event that happens? Come on, we've been over that before.   Will I change my mind on a daily basis? Maybe, maybe not.  I'm making my own path.

The reason I say "rough plan"for my future is because it really is just that.  Do I have the slightest idea where I want to go to school for that DMA? Nope. I haven't even picked a key area of study.  The teaching at the university level idea could change too.  I might change my mind tomorrow and completely drop music.  Do I think that will happen?  I'm 95% sure I will be teaching music in some form for the rest of my life.  But I might decide I want to teach elementary music one day and just do it.  I might decide I really do want to open that restaurant and put all my efforts into that.  Will I be disappointed in myself in that happens? Of course not.  I will always do what is right for me and what I want to do.  Regardless of what anyone thinks.  I believe in myself enough to know that I will make the best decision I can (and no, I'm not one of those people who doesn't ask a million peoples advice first). 

One of the best assignments I've ever been given is writing my philosophy of teaching.  I wrote it for my final education class at the University of Alabama.  I wrote it in November 2009.  Sure, some of the details I wrote about have changed, but my key idea of that paper still reigns true in my life today.  I want to be someone who makes people believe that they can do things they never thought possible.  Someone who encourages.  I completely believe that you can do whatever you want as long as you never give up.   Whether its through teaching music in some way, camping with my girlfriends, volunteering at my church, waiting tables, etc.,  if I can share that idea with the people in my world, then my life will have been a success.

I do my best to make the right decisions and enjoy the skin that I'm in. Sometimes I make the wrong decision.  I fail on a daily basis. I have so much to learn in my life, and so very far to go.  I'm on this great adventure, and I intend to enjoy every moment of it.  I won't worry about tomorrow, and I certainly will not regret my past (that made me who I am today).  God is good, and I am blessed to always have what I need.

Playing under the table and dreaming.

I'll make dinner for you if you get the song reference from the title. 

One day I will learn patience.  Today is not that day.  

I'm feeling extra ornery tonight.  Pretty much just restless.  

But time makes bolder. . .

Just because there are gray skies doesn't mean that the sun isn't still shining on the other side.  What an amazing summer this is turning out to be.  I really do know some absolutely amazing people.  Okay before this gets all sappy blah, blah, blah. = )   

Here are some fun quotes as of late:

"I mean Moses."  

"The graham crackers are gone. FML!"

"You girls are so vulger."

"Ya want a marshmallow?"

"Its a marshmallow torch."

"What are you putting it in?"

Oh bless. That's all I can think of at the moment. There are more. I'm sure of it.  I just can't remember. Its late. I'm still at the music building. Man, I really need to get internet at my apt. I just haven't had the opportunity to do it yet. Plus it is free on campus.  The problem turns into when I just sit up here late at night cause I have pictures to upload and blogs to post. haha!

I went camping this past weekend with Brandy (and her dog Opie), Natalie (and her dog Stella), and Melissa. 

Can we say fun? Holler! Oh man was the camp ground beautiful.  I might be officially in love with camping.  I really do love being here in Utah.  What a beautiful state.  Absolutely breath-taking. 

The above picture is one of our camp grounds at Escalante state part.  I swam in that lake. = ) And yes, the water was so cold. It was amazing.  Just a little taste of Heaven.  We four girls had so much fun.  I will remember that trip forever. 

We hiked Calf Creek Falls on Sunday.  It was hot.  The poor pups had a hard time getting across the hot 105 degree sand.  But MAN was it worth it!  That picture does not even do it justice.

On  Monday (the 4th) we stopped at Dance Hall Rock and did some climbing and took some pictures.  We really did have the time of our lives. "What happens in Escalante, stays in Escalante." hahaha   


I am way stoked for Saturday!  I can't wait to see what is at the Farmer's Market! Can't believe its been 3 weeks since I've been here on a Saturday. I'm excited to see what new produce is growing.  I am so looking forward to when the Utah raspberries, peaches, and apples start coming in.  I can hear the glass jars calling my name!  I'm gonna have fun making preserves this year.  I am totally itchin to use that nice new kitchen of mine!  = )  Can you say dinner party?

Alright. I really should go home now.

Love.

Stevie Nicks is amazing.

 

After a hurricane comes a rainbow.

Well it sure has been a while, hasn't it? Where to start? So much as happened since the last time I posted on here. No, really. SO MUCH. Warning*** This might turn into one of my long rants and be a drawn out posts. Maybe not. Maybe I'll get bored half way through and just quit. But that's not really me, now is it? And clearly if you're taking the time to read this it is probably because you know me pretty well. Or not. = )

Let's just start at the very beginning. After all it is a very good place to start. (And yes, I do hope you have the Sound of Music ringing in your ears.) Sunday, June 5, I woke up like any other day. Well if you've read my earlier posts you know all about my little bug problem. The answer to your question, is yes. The bugs were back. Not even four weeks later, and the bugs were back. Let's just say I didn't wake up on the right side of the bed that morning. I had pretty much had it. Went to church (so glad I had to be there to teach Sunday School cause otherwise I wouldn't have gone and that would have been the opposite of good). As soon as I got back from church I got online and went apartment hunting. Even drove around town to check out a few places from the outside. I made my plan immediately. As soon as I woke up Monday morning I was calling the exterminators to come back, and then going apartment hunting. Made an appointment for the bug killers to come on Wednesday and then went on my search.

Long story short I (by chance) drove by this one building and thought, hmmmm I should go see if they have any open units. Talked to Janet, the manager, and viewed their open one bedroom. 650 Square Feet and ready to move in immediately. As soon as I walked in something just clicked. I don't know how to explain it other than it just felt right. I guess my intuition kicked in. Told Janet I wanted it and then put down a $100 holding deposit.

Can I just say, that I have some FANTASTIC friends here in Salt Lake City. My friend Aubrey found out the bugs were back and offered to let me stay with her family at their house until I got everything worked out. Stayed there from Sunday night until Thursday morning when I was able to move in to the new place. Aubrey also helped me wash ALL of my clothes. She got her parents truck and helped me load up all my clothes and take them to the laundry mat. Washing your entire wardrobe is kind of a daunting task if you have to do it alone. On Thursday she helped me pack up my stuff and then took my mattress and futon cushion to the dump (no way I was gonna keep that stuff after a second infestation!). So much help. My friend George helped me load everything up in the old house and take it the new apartment building. No way I would have gotten the big stuff moved so fast without him. My friend Brandy helped me out a huge amount by letting me borrow her Nissan X-terra for the day. Let me tell you, that car holds a lot! It was way fun to be high up off the ground for once too. = ) I got ALL of my stuff in 3 loads. No WAY that would have happened in the bug. Also a big thanks to my parents for listening to me rant every day and helping me get stuff done.

Haha anyone else find it ironic that I'm having so many bug problems and I drive a VW bug?

The disappointing thing about all of this is that on June 6 (Monday) I was supposed to get in my car and drive to Redlands, CA for the Pokorny Seminar. A week of geeking out with some of the best low brass professionals around. I lost my $650 tuition because I had to cancel last minute. Let me tell you, that hurt. But, in the end I did the right thing. There is no way I could have left for a week with those stupid bugs crawling all over my things. And I guess if you look at it over a span of a few years, $650 isn't THAT much money. The good thing is I told my manager at Buca di Beppo what happened and she really helped me out by letting me go ahead and bump up from host to server! Used that entire week (that I was supposed to be gone) to get my training done.

So now I have a new apartment, with a fantastic kitchen, and plenty of space. Lots of natural light! I'm loving it. The funny thing though, is that I have ZERO furniture. Haha! I've got my futon frame, but no cushion. I've been sleeping on my good and faithful airbed and will be for quite a while. Gotta save up so I can buy some furniture. Big Lots here I come! Also I'm waiting a while to get internet and cable too. It's not like I'm there a lot any way right now. Those things can wait a bit.

I kind of don't mind not having furniture yet though. I'm not gonna lie. I am real freaked out that I brought some of the bugs with me from the other place. You would laugh at me if you opened my freezer cause I've got all these random things in bags just sitting in there. (Freezing your stuff for two weeks is another way to kill the buggies). I'm still finding dead ones in some of my stuff as I go through the boxes, which also doesn't help with the fear. At least if they somehow did follow me there I won't have to worry about them being in any of my stuff, cause I don't have a lot of stuff! Haha! Only time will tell. Until then I'll just keep vacuuming every day or other day. This whole experience has definitely turned me into a clean freak. Not that I wasn't clean before, but I may have gotten a little extreme.

In other news life these days is pretty fantastic. I'm loving serving at Buca. I really am just a huge people person. I love meeting new people and hearing their stories. Even had an Italian table come in the other day and I got to use the little bit of Italian that I know. Va benne! I went and saw X-men First Class the other day. I thought it was so good! Absolutely loved it. Went to a Bees game Thursday night. So so so much fun. I really am starting to meet some amazing people here in the SLC. It is a lot of fun. Every day it feels more and more like home.

Right now I am on my way to Nashville, TN to work at ITF. I'll be gone for a week. The funny thing is that I am a traveler. I stay on the road. A lot. But for some reason, being gone from the SLC for a week seems like forever. I'm sure this week will fly by and in a week I'll have some silly post about how fun the trip was and I can't believe how fast it went by, ya da ya da ya da.

I suppose I should call it quits here. I doubt you made it to the end anyway. ; )

Love.

Thank God you blew it. Thank God I dodged the bullet.

There was a time
I thought, that you did everything right
No lies, no wrong
Boy I, must’ve been outta my mind
So when I think of the time that I almost loved you
You showed you ass and I saw the real you

Thank God you blew it
Thank God I dodged the bullet
I’m so over you
So baby good lookin’ out

I wanted you bad
I’m so through with it
Cuz honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had
You turned out to be the best thing I never had
And I’m gon’ always be the best thing you never had
I bet it sucks to be you right now

So sad, you’re hurt
Boo hoo, oh, did you expect me to care?
You don’t deserve my tears
I guess that’s why they ain’t there
When I think that there was a time that I almost loved you
You showed you ass and I saw the real you

Thank God you blew it
Thank God I dodged the bullet
I’m so over you
So baby good lookin’ out

I wanted you bad
I’m so through with it
Cuz honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had
I said, you turned out to be the best thing I never had
And I’ll never be the best thing you never had
Oh baby I bet sucks to be you right now

I know you want me back
It’s time to face the facts
That I’m the one that’s got away
Lord knows that it would take another place, another time, another world, another life
Thank God I found the good in goodbye

I used to want you so bad
I’m so through it that
Cuz honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had
You turned out to be the best thing I never had
And I will always be the, best thing you never had.
Best thing you never had!

I used to want you so bad
I’m so through it that
Cause honestly you turned out to be the best thing I never had
Oh you turned out to be the best thing I never had
Oh I will never be the best thing you never had
Oh baby, I bet it sucks to be you right now

WOWZA!

I'm starting to feel like myself again.  All I needed was a little sunshine! = )

I really am blessed with some FANTASTIC friends. The funny thing is, I've made a ton of girl friends in the past few months.  Which is weird, cause I usually hate hanging out with girls.  So many amazing things to look forward to. Already have camping plans for the Fourth of July weekend and at least one trip to Vegas late July.

Today I went hiking at Big Cottonwood Canyon with my friend Aubrey and her two boys.  We had so much fun!   Aubrey is one amazing beautiful woman.

I have this new obsession with getting on top of rocks. haha

So last night I was walking home from the music building and saw a "now hiring servers" sign in the window of one of the restaurants near my house. Of course, I went in and asked for an application.  The server introduced me to the manager and I basically got hired on the spot. Neat! haha So now I'll have two restaurant jobs. I dig it. Well maybe . . . .

I also applied for a job working the front desk at the main lodge at Snowbird last night.  Today I got an email asking me to call and schedule an appointment. So I called and I have an appointment tomorrow at 2:30!  Cross your fingers for me! I would LOVE to work there, and the job would be a good one to snag. = )  I'll just use my southern belle charm on them. Oh course, they'll have to love me. ; )

I'm actually super excited about the interview! Ahhhhhhh!

Yup, that's basically it.

Sunnyside up.

I do enjoy Kelly Clarkson.  Two of the girls on The Voice performed her "Since You Been Gone" on the last battle round tonight on NBC. I love that show. I also love Kelly Clarkson. She's one of my faves. 

I played a lot of trombone today. It was great. One week til I'm back in California. Let's hope it is sunny this time.  I also got another job today. At Indochine. I swear it was the easiest thing ever. I walked in cause I saw a "now hiring" sign just to ask for an application, but after the manager talked to me she hired me on the spot. haha That was easy!

Life is looking up, I must say.  The sun came out today. I got to play trombone outside. Nothing I love more. = )

Love is the greatest refreshment in life. - Pablo Picasso

Life is about 3am walks with friends who can't sleep.  Meeting new soul sisters.  Listening to music that makes you want to cry even more and then making a new play list that makes you want to dance.  Working hard and playing harder.  Putting your heart and soul into everything you do. And I do mean everything.  Growing even when the rain never seems to stop.  Trying new experiences.  Pouring your heart out even if it means rejection.  Not giving up on hope.  Keeping an open mind.  Sharing what you have to offer.  Praising Jesus. Laughing at yourself even though you heart is breaking.  Perseverance.  Taking that run even though you're scared of failure and completely falling on your butt.  Getting back up even after you fall.  Never hiding who you are.  Keeping your word.  Being honest.  Flying hundreds and thousands of miles to see family.  Being there for friends.  Staying open.  Keeping the faith.  Crying at the end of a yoga session because that's what your body wants to do.  Following your heart.  Most importantly? Love.  

1 Corinthians 13:13 - Now these three things remain: faith, hope, and love.  But the greatest of these is love.

Making Banana Pancakes. . . .

Ok so I'm not like Jack.  I didn't make banana pancakes.  I made Blueberry Banana Oat Muffins.

These yummy creations are so easy to make and super clean and healthy.  They call for 3 cups oats, 1 cup coconut milk, 1 tbls baking powder, 2 eggs, 3 bananas, 2 cups blueberries, a little honey to sweeten, a little vanilla, and some cinnamon.  You just mix everything sans oats first and then once that is all good, you add in the oats.  Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.  The recipe makes 12 muffins (6 servings).  Yummy!!!

I went to this yoga class with my friend Brandy yesterday.  It is crazy how much you have to face your emotions in a yoga class. Every feeling in your body just surfaces.

I also got my nails done again yesterday! :)  Heidi Paxman = AMAZING.  If you live in the 801 you should really let her do your nails.

Check out her super cool website!

I went skiing today.  Yup. Skiing on May 27.  WHO DOES THAT?!?!! Haha  The more I go up to the mountain, the more I think I really just might stay here in SLC after I finish my masters.  It is truly incredible.  And where else can you drive 25 minutes and be on snow this time of year?  = )   My dear old sweet (note the sarcasm yet?) precious friend that took me up for that first ski lesson had no idea the monster he was creating.

Last night Heidi and I watched Madea Goes to Jail.  She had never seen any of the Tyler Perry movies, and I needed a good laugh.  Oh dear is that movie funny!  I love it. = )  If you need a good laugh you should watch it.  It is the only one on Netflix that is streaming.  Hallelujer!

Laughter is the best medicine. What team are you on, Curtis? Havin fun.

"Just do your best.  It's the only way to keep that last bit of sanity. Maybe I don't have to be good, but I can try to be at least a little better than I've been so far."   - The Avett Brothers