Happy New Year

I don't really believe in New Years Resolutions.  In my opinion, every day is a new opportunity to make life changes.  That being said, it doesn't mean I don't take the opportunity to think about new goals for a new year.

Goals for 2012:

• Make more random acts of kindness.  
• Think positive.  Start and end the day with one positive affirmation.  
• Run a race with a friend.
• Get a job teaching high school band somewhere in this great country. 
• Floss at least 365 times.  

Well that's it for now.  I'm sure I'll come up with more goals this year.  2012 is my year.  There are good things coming.  I just know it.  

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.