gosh it has been busy, sorry i havent posted in a while, but after my last post i was kinda down (if you couldnt tell)...so after that post i decided to try not to think about the fall too much, ive succeded slightly...everyone is constently telling me dont plan too much, enjoy your life, and all that stuff, but let me let you in on a little secret, planning is my distraction...you see if i am constently thinking about pharmacy school and my educational career i dont have to spend time realizing that i am about to leave what has now become my home...i think, i just think of my life in terms of school so that i dont have to think in terms of, well, my life...do not get me wrong, i am living and taking every moment to enjoy each opportunity that i get, but its nights like tonight, when i have the best time enjoying my life and all that it encompasses, that it hits me...less than ten weeks left, then its time to start over, establishing myself and my actions (not recreating, just restablishing regardless to where i am)...and well, i lose it...when everything is fast paced, hurried, and exciting, i honestly dont have any down time, but if i have just a moment of silence allowing my brain to drift i get "enjoy this while it lasts, it wont be much longer" and i just dont want to think about that, i want to keep myself from realizing that in about two months i will be off...so maybe that can explain my actions and words...i guess i think that if i keep concentrating on the plan and the ultimate future by working hard now then i dont have to think about the immediate future sitting at my doorstep...
(and for the people who keep telling me to enjoy each moment, dont worry, i am more than youll know)
ps...this was not meant as a 'down' post, i am extremely happy, this is just a small look into my thoughts and justifications...

the theme of my life...

okay, so i feel like there is a common theme occurring in my life...like in every aspect, in everything that i try to do this theme comes back to bite me in the.., well you know...so what is it, ill try to explain in without a diagram, it might be hard...imagine this, there is this scale (not to weigh, but to measure) and it goes from 0 - 10, everyone sets there own expectations for themselves and the world has expectations for everyone, so let's say that the world expectation for everyone in a 6, and in my case, my expectations for myself is a 10, i truly feel deep in my being that i am able obtain a 10, but here is the catch...while i am always striving for success in everything i can never get past a 9, it doesn't matter how hard i work, or how bad i want it i can not break my 9 point ceiling...this happens all the time, here are just a few examples: my music (personally, solo i mean), my grades (okay but not great), and now in general, the plans for my life, translation, pharmacy school (i found our this weekend that i am on the waiting list for ole miss)...so here it is, in everything i feel like the world is shouting to me in a slightly mocking way, "ha,ha...you thought you had it, you did the very best you could but ya know what, your best is just a little short of great...enjoy being average, delia charest"....and you know what, it just sucks....

i am taking the first step, admitting i have an addiction...

yes that is right, i am going to admit to you all that i am addicted...some of you are asking "what could delia possibly be addicted to", the other of you are saying "its about time she admit it" so here goes...

"I DELIA CHAREST AM ADDICTED TO NUTELLA"

there i feel better already...i discovered my new love while being in France, everyone was like, "try it, try it" and i am now blaming my addiction on everyone of you, especially Katie Mo and Maggie (but secretly i am thanking God for allowing you to open my eyes)...luckily, the only place near me that my love is sold is Winn Dixie, and honestly the Winn Dixie near my house is scary, and i won't go without anyone else, and there is no way that Charles will contribute to my addiction, he already believes that i am beyond help, so i am probably going to be exploring this "cold turkey" thing, i am not looking forward to it...but oh well, i am not going to think about that now... im going to eat dinner now, hmmm....what to eat, what to eat....

the real world stinks, take me back to Paris

so back in America, what have i been doing...workings, yuck!!! i haven't even unpacked yet, part of this is due to work, but i think the other part deals with the hope that i can just pick up and go back...hmmmm, why do i think that i feel this way, easy, i am in a transition period right now, note about delia, she doesn't like change, especially when she has no idea what the transition holds, yes that is correct, still no word...my friend that i work with at uab has applied also and he called this past week, they told him that the decision will be made this coming week, and students will be notified the next week, two more weeks, aghhhhhhhh....i just want to know so i can decidewhat i am going to do, i hope i get for many reasons, but right now i hope i g et in so that i do not have to make the decision of where to move, do i move home or do i stay here, work and find a roommate, i know what i should do, but i want with all of myself to do the other, i just want to know, but i will pass on knowing if i can catch a flight back to Paris, thats a fair trade right? well i probably should get ready for church...

ps. i am really ready for my body to get used to central time again, not being able to sleep past 730 is really beginning to get annoying, i mean i am out blogging even copeland, thats just wrong

i wanna go back....

more...

so there were many things that i looked forward to on this trip to France, but the most powerful aspect of the entire trip was something that i had not even considered to be a factor in the trip, what was is...GOD...now dont get me wrong, i knew that it was a blessing that i was even getting the opportunity to go on such a wonderful trip, and i was constantly asking for a safe trip...but i saw God in ways that i had never even thought of discoveing Him on this trip...of course through the music i am always thinking of Him and how my voice can be used as His instrument and i often feel His presence when i am singing, but throughout this trip, He revealed Himself in amazing ways, obviously through our music, but it was every concert...the first Notre Dame: there were times when i had to stop singing and fight back the tears b/c of utter awe i was feeling in singing in such a obvious presence of God...

the second the night concert at the little paris church: seeing God's glow in the eyes of our audience, they would not stop clapping until we came back, they said that their parton saint teresa is the saint for desperate people, eveyone told us that usually they would pray to saint teresa for her help with us, but not our choir, they said we were not desperate, and we did not need the saint, it was amazing to see their faith in us after just hearing us for a short period of time...

third saturday night of the compeitition: the concert of my life, selig, lux, and i thank you jesus, all the best we had ever sung, we held the audience in complete awe, and want for more, after lux we could hear the audience breath a sigh when the song was over, and the uproar after we finished i thank you jesus...the response for that audience was amazing, people who could not speak any english came up to us to tell us how we moved them, one precious little french man told us that the spirit was with us, all around us...i truly belive that, yes we sang well, but it was truly God's voice and spirit that these people heard...

other than the music i was also able to expeirence God's amazing creations...looking at the beautiful history that has been around for so long, and so many things have happened in these places, the most obvious were the cathedrals...to think that people had been worshipping in these places for longer than i can fathom is just amazing...and now i can add my name to that long list of people that worshipped in Notre Dame or Chartes...

the scenery was also constantly showing me God...i've always said that when i see the sun peaking through the clouds or around a building, and i can see the individual rays, that i am seeing God...it felt like everytime i turned around i saw this, at Notre Dame, the Eiffel tower it just seemed to be everywhere...

hands down the most amzing nonmusical experience of this trip was when charles and i went back to notre dame to spend some time with God...we lit a candle and said a prayer that He would always bless us and our relationship together, it truly was amazing i really felt His arms around the two of us that day...

there were so many other things that i was able to see glimpses of God and His work through, i could not upload many pictures so here is a link to my yahoo pictures...hopefully you can see some of the glimpses that i so gratefully experienced...

we were so lucky...

WARNNING...this could be considered mushy and girly, read at your on risk...okay so charles and i realized that we were two of the luckiest people on our trip, so many of our friends left their significant others back home in alabama, having to spend countless time and money to communicate, but not charles and i, we got to spend ten amazing days in france, together...we grew closer throughout the entire trip, we got to sing the concerts of our lives together, we got to experience the top of the eiffel tower together, we got to see history together, we learned to navigate the Paris metro system together, we even got to spend 10 hours on a plane together, (that last one was good and bad)...it made me realize even more what a lucky girl i am, and how much i want to continue to experience new things with this, my wonderful boyfriend...here are a few of my favorite pictures of us thoughout the trip...

this is us waiting to board the plane in atlanta...we were so excited and ready to go...

this is us in front of the arc de' triomphe, this was an amazing part of Paris, it was sooo big...

this is us on the boat ride, you can see the eiffel tower behind us, it was so pretty at night when it lit up, absoulutely breath taking

this is us actually on the top of the eiffel tower, that Paris in the backgroud, getting to the top of the tower was scary but once we were up there the view, and my company made it so special...not many people get to expeirence the top of the eiffel tower with the love of their life!!!

this is us right before we left for our banquet on the last night, it was really sad to say goodbye to everyone, but charles was wonderful, he always can help me when i get into my sad moods...

okay, so this is on the bus ride from atlanta to birmingham...we were so sick of traveling, our bodies were exausted b/c at this point with time zone changes we had been up nearly 20 hours at this point, we were sooo tired...
there are so many more pictures...ill post some more later, now i must have a break...

i cant believe that its over

so i am back in america...and to tell you the truth, i was happy, this possibly could be attributed to the 15 hour trip from paris to birmingham, but it was sad to see the trip and my choir expeirence end...so you ask how did we do? well we did very well, we did not win the top award but we came very very close...we tied for the top prize in category one (the tie was with the choir that won the competition) and we won an award for the best interpretation of a french piece...for a more detailed account of read dr copeland's play by play on the Choir blog.....right now i am uploading my pictures to wolf camera so that i can pick them up this afternoon...everything there was so breath taking, yes somethings we not very clean, but it is like that anywhere, especially birmingham...i got so many wonderful pictures, it is going to take me a while to decide the ones that were the most amazing to post on my blog, maybe ill start tonight...as i post them i will tell about their significance and what happened then, i guess that is how i will tell the story of my ten days in france...so check back soon

here we go...

exciting!!! here are some links to our recordings...these are just a few of the many, many things we will be singing....

salmo

mate saule

richte mich gott

he's got the whole world

i thank you jesus

its amazing...

it is amazing what people will do for you...i have recently discovered, this past week, that people will be there for you when you need it...i have been flooded with outpourings of care, good wishes, and love...its wonderful to see God working through people, it just blows my mind...i am forever grateful...

prepared or overpacking?

so i am packing for france (ahh jus tthe sound of it is music), and i have come to a large question...how much should i bring...i mean, i want to bring so much, but i dont know if is should...usually i over pack becuase i never know what i am going to want to wear, or if the weather will suddenly change, i just like being prepared is this too much...help me, let me know

well, thats it....

im done, (thank you Jesus for allowing me to get through it)...yeah i am glad that this semester is over, but no real time to blog now, off to church choir, then tonight to decatur with charles (the poor thing has a doctor appointment t/m)...hmm, and then what...oh yeah EUROPE....thank you all for everything, ill blog soon...(and itll be good!)

i never thought i had become dependent...

on the blog...the choir blog...it has been down for several days now and i am at a loss, i can check to see if anything is happening, i cant remeber rehearsal times this week, and i cant keep up with my friends' blogs (b/c i use the links on the choir blog)...so Copeland, hear my plea..."PLEASE FIX THE BLOG ASAP" if it isnt fixed i have no way to procrastinate studying........

probably not the smartest way to make an extra buck...

okay so with the upcoming trip to france i am looking for extra ways to make some cash so that i can enjoy myself while in europe, but b/c exam week is upon me, and pharmacy school is still contingent on my spring grades i dont want to over work and under study for a little money, but i did decide that i would work these two dead days, one regular morning shift (t/m) wednesday and one 12 hour (today) tuesday...well, i have worked many 12 hour shifts and they really havent been bad, this one was very different, i usually go in about 630 am and stay until 7pm, not bad at all, i can get through it easily, but this time instead of saying 3.5 hours over, i decided to pick up some overtime by going in 3.5 hours early, yes that is 3 AM this morning and working for 12 hours, it was rough...i would rather work night shift (11pm-7am) than ever do this again, my body is so confused, i dont know where yesterday ended and today began, and now i am about to go to bed so that i can do it again (at 630 am, not 3)...goodnight

SlimFast, a pink passport holder, pretty music, and a final gasp for air...

well, first let me say i am sorry for my absence of blogs this past week, its been busy to say the least, so let me take this time to update you...
LAST WEEK:
Organic test, ill have to admit it was not my finest moment, i did study, alot, but it did little good, the test was just so much material, but ill still have a B in the class, which is okay considering...
LAST WEEKEND:
Spring choir concert, my last concert at UAB at the Alys, and i think i did pretty good (emotionally speaking) no complete waterfall of tears, just a few here and there (this helped by avoiding Dr. Copeland)...i sure dont know how im going to keep from bawling our last night in France, its going to be hard to say good bye to this part of my life...anyway, enough dwelling...so my mommy and my nana came to visit and see my concert, it was great, we spent time with charles's parent's and sister, it was great, i love when our families interact and have fun...anyway back to the concert...it was amazing (well if you dont count our slight speed problem), we sounded great, and there was this mind blowing overtone at the end of Alleluia, i have it on tape and it is just glorious...

THIS WEEK:
busy, busy, busy...i played for charles's mock jury, it was rough, i was supposed to play for josh's too, but i just couldnt do it, i backed out, and maggie did it, but this was probably a good thing, i just hate going back on my word, it makes me feel like i cant be trusted, and i can, when i say ill do something, i DO it (with the exception of this incident)... i sang with caroline in convocation, we did our duet, and it went okay, we had done better, but it want too bad for my last time singing in Hulsey, another ending moment, anyway...then i had an organic lab final, which wasnt too bad, i studied the right things and i think i did alright, but i wont find our until grades are released, and today, physics test, i did alright, well to tell you the truth, i felt really good about it until i started talking about answers with the 'smart' people in my class, turns out i had a problem right, but it didnt make sense to me, so i changed it, and you guessed it, i had it right the first time, this sould tell me something
Hmmm, WHAT ELSE...

Maggie and i started the Slim fast diet, so that we could drop a few extra pound before we leave to France, i mainly just want to fit into a certain pair of pants, and we know that it is just a quick fix, it hasnt been too bad so far, i get to eat dinner in about 30 minutes and am toatlly excited (thats sad i know)...charles got me this really cute pink passport holder, and i am soo excited about it (this again is sad, i know)...
ONLY ONE DAY OF CLASSES LEFT:
today was my last day in many of my classes, monday ill only go to physics and orgainc, and ill be done...but today in contemporary music techniques (which is not that easy of a class) we looked at some alentoric music, similar to what it sounds like (alien) it is music based on chance and choice, here is an example of some...

i personally think it would make prettier art work than music, but im a traditional kind-a-girl...after today, all i have is to turn in my final project in theory, and then finals, YEAH!!!!
THIS WEEKEND:
like i said earlier, final project in music theory, but first tonight, the opera, going to see Elixir of Love...Saturday, a mornign of rest followed by a reprise of figaro scenes in at Wallace St CC, Sunday a choir concert, 430 i believe at South Highland Pres. Church...
NEXT WEEK:
working some, practicing/rehearsing some (for france), and a whole lot of studing...ill keep you posted...

14 DAYs....FRANCE

(i dont really know if this is france, but its not here, and thats the point)

but for now, im going to cook dinner, this post is long enough....thank you if you read the entire thing...peace

stupid, stupid, bank....

so i evidently overdrafted my bank, but here is the catch....i dont know how...my register matches the online banking perfectly, everything is correct, all my withdrawls, deposits, everything...so how in the crap did i overdraft??? okay that is the first crappy thing, second...i thought that i had signed up for overdraft protection, but evidently i did not sign up for that (even though that is what is was told i signed up for, i "signed up" for overdraft limit, which just means that the bank will cover a $500 overdraft but i have to pay it back and i get charged for it), here is the catch...b/c i evidently overdrafted 3 times (about $5 each time) i got charged 3 times for my overdraft...total about $90 for 3 little transactions, that should have gone through according to my correct register...and the bank, what will they do, of course....nothing....gotta love america

task: find the positive

thats what im working on...for starters ive got these...

and with challenge comes...failure

so i just took my organic test, and it is very disheartening, i mean i studied for about 16-18 hour this weekend and still managed to royally bomb the fire out of my test...you may think, now delia your overreacting...but no! i know for a fact that i missed a 15 point question, and in addition to that i had no idea on about 4 mulitiple choice questions, completely blind guessing (which i am not good at)...but i guess there is nothing that i can do about it, well except start studying for my physics test (thats next friday)...maybe moving home for a year won't be too horrible...

the biggest challenge yet

so i heard from ole miss...not a yes or no, but a "well, we havent decided yet"...evidently there are so many appllicants (myself included) with similar admission scores that they could not decide...their solution: to stress me out for another month, aka, wait until spring grades are posted and then decided on the basis of them...so i hope you enjoy this blog b/c i probably wont be making very many until after exams, see it will take an act of God for me to get all A's this semester, but it is what i need...i have to make high A's on everything else in all of my classes (highs A's i mean 99-100)...so i will be studying...and right now the stupid kid that lives above me is running around his house making more noise than my cats (this is his weekly saturday and sunday ritual), so i am going to go across the street to study organic...test is monday, lets see if i can do it!!!!

patience

ya know, i'd like to think that i have a moderate amount of patience, enough to get me through the usual events, but i do believe that this pharmacy thing is taking just a little too long...i submitted my application last semester (before christmas) and was told that decisions would be made by april first, and clearly they weren't...i mean i just want to know, is that too much to ask? the waiting is just getting to be too much...but alas i know that there is nothing that i can do about this so i will just pray for more patience and continue waiting...as soon as i hear anything, i will post...(keep your fingers crossed)

the last minute rush

so i know that everyone, like myself, is just ready for this semster to be over...and most people are probably like myself rushing around trying to get caught up before exams...so i am spending a lot of extra time this week, next week, well basically until the end of my exams, studying...id like to think that i am a good student when it come to studying but i know that i fall into the traps and habits that we all do so here is a list i found rather helpful, it allows me to catch the traps before i fall, b/c falling is really embarassing ...

Ten Traps of Studying

1."I Don't Know Where To Begin"
Take Control. Make a list of all the things you have to do. Break your workload down into manageable chunks. Prioritize! Schedule your time realistically. Don't skip classes near an exam -- you may miss a review session. Use that hour in between classes to review notes. Interrupt study time with planned study breaks. Begin studying early, with an hour or two per day, and slowly build as the exam approaches.
2. "I've Got So Much To Study . . . And So Little Time"
Preview. Survey your syllabus, reading material, and notes. Identify the most important topics emphasized, and areas still not understood. Previewing saves time, especially with non-fiction reading, by helping you organize and focus in on the main topics. Adapt this method to your own style and study material, but remember, previewing is not an effective substitute for reading.
3. "This Stuff Is So Dry, I Can't Even Stay Awake Reading It"
Attack! Get actively involved with the text as you read. Ask yourself, "What is important to remember about this section?" Take notes or underline key concepts. Discuss the material with others in your class. Study together. Stay on the offensive, e specially with material that you don't find interesting, rather than reading passively and missing important points.
4. "I Read It. I Understand It. But I Just Can't Get It To Sink In"
Elaborate. We remember best the things that are most meaningful to us. As you are reading, try to elaborate upon new information with your own examples. Try to integrate what you're studying with what you already know. You will be able to remember new material better if you can link it to something that's already meaningful to you.
Some techniques include:
Chunking: An effective way to simplify and make information more meaningful. For example, suppose you wanted to remember the colors in the visible spectrum (Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo, Violet); you would have to memorize seven "chunks" of information in order. But if you take the first letter of each color, you can spell the name "Roy G. Biv", and reduce the information the three "chunks".
Mnemonics: Any memory-assisting technique that helps us to associate new information with something familiar. For example, to remember a formula or equation, we may use letters of the alphabet to represent certain numbers. Then we can change an abstract formula into a more meaningful word or phrase, so we'll be able to remember it better. Sound-alike associations can be very effective, too, especially while trying to learn a new language. The key is to create your own links, then you won't forget them.
5. "I Guess I Understand It"
Test yourself. Make up questions about key sections in notes or reading. Keep in mind what the professor has stressed in the course. Examine the relationships between concepts and sections. Often, simply by changing section headings you can generate many effective questions. For example, a section entitled "Bystander Apathy" might be changed into questions such as: "What is bystander apathy?", "What are the causes of bystander apathy?", and "What are some examples of bystander apathy?"
6. "There's Too Much To Remember"
Organize. Information is recalled better if it is represented in an organized framework that will make retrieval more systematic. There are many techniques that can help you organize new information, including:
Write chapter outlines or summaries; emphasize relationships between sections.
Group information into categories or hierarchies, where possible.
Information Mapping. Draw up a matrix to organize and interrelate material. For example, if you were trying to understand the causes of World War I, you could make a chart listing all the major countries involved across the top, and then list the important issues and events down the side. Next, in the boxes in between, you could describe the impact each issue had on each country to help you understand these complex historical developments.
7. "I Knew It A Minute Ago"
Review. After reading a section, try to recall the information contained in it. Try answering the questions you made up for that section. If you cannot recall enough, re-read portions you had trouble remembering. The more time you spend studying, the more you tend to recall. Even after the point where information can be perfectly recalled, further study makes the material less likely to be forgotten entirely. In other words, you can't overstudy. However, how you organize and integrate new information is still more important than how much time you spend studying.
8. "But I Like To Study In Bed"
Context. Recall is better when study context (physical location, as well as mental, emotional, and physical state) are similar to the test context. The greater the similarity between the study setting and the test setting, the greater the likelihood that material studied will be recalled during the test.
9. "Cramming Before A Test Helps Keep It Fresh In My Mind"
Spacing: Start studying now. Keep studying as you go along. Begin with an hour or two a day about one week before the exam, and then increase study time as the exam approaches. Recall increases as study time gets spread out over time.
10. "I'm Gonna Stay Up All Night 'til I Get This"
Avoid Mental Exhaustion. Take short breaks often when studying. Before a test, have a rested mind. When you take a study break, and just before you go to sleep at night, don't think about academics. Relax and unwind, mentally and physically. Otherwise, your break won't refresh you and you'll find yourself lying awake at night. It's more important than ever to take care of yourself before an exam! Eat well, sleep, and get enough exercise.

if these sound like you at all, check out the rest of this website it has other helpful hints and strategies:

Good Study Habits
Preparing for Exams
Ten Traps of Studying

i have really needed this week of nothing...i've been at home since monday, and getting back to birmingham today was, well, less than desirable...all week long i have sleep when i wanted, ate when i wanted, and spent wonderful time with my family and friends, and now as i sit alone in my apartment (the first time ive been alone in about a week) im rather sad, i dont want to see my glorious week go away, it awaits to be ended with at night of work at the hospital (in about 30 min)...why is it when i am enjoying myself time flies, but next week in class it will drag?...anyway, enough procrastinating, time to get dressed for work and enter back into the daily grind that we all love...spring break has been wonderful

happy easter!

today is going to continue to be a great day...all day yesterday all i heard was how nasty and raining it was going to be today, especially this morning, and i was thinking "great, i have to walk to church (b/c there is no parking) on a nasty easter sunday" but God did not allow that, he made this morning beautiful, and it is not until right now that the clouds are starting to show themselves...after alot of church this morning charles and i went out for easter lunch (yum, chinese), then the easter bunny came (yeah!!!) i love acting like a child...and now it is time to lay on my couch, watch a movie, and take a nap...glorious...thank you God...

hard work pays off

it feels so good to know that my hard work has paid off...classes are rough this year, their hard and being busy makes them even harder, but last week i started to fix that...i studied, studied, sutdied, and then studied some more, and it worked...my physics grade was in serious need of a boost, and i knew i had to do it now, and it worked!!! i was sitting on a solid C in the class, which some people might be okay with in such a challenging class, but my GPA cant drop any more if I get accepted to pharmacy shchool or ill lose my spot (still keeping my fingers crossed that i even get accepted)...anyway back to my story, so i studied over 16 hours this weekend ( i would have studied more but i worked for 8.5 hours on saturday), and now i have a B...hopefull on the next tet i can pull it up even more...this is a great start to my spring break!

well some one had to do it...

what can i say, i am a girlfriend in every sense of the word....check it out

thank you all

thank you to everyone that i just spent the past week with, the show came together as it always does and was great, i enjoyed working with everyone, but to tell you the truth, i am enjoying my quiet night of studying more!

well, thats is...my last opera at UAB, hopefully not my last one ever...and you know i am happy right now, probably b/c i can actually sit and breathe...i have already gotten alot accomplished, but i have so much left it feels like i haven't even made a dent...i have a physics test next week and honors recital, concert choir and chamber choir music, deciding if i want to do a senior rectial (and if yes, planning it), as always just trying to understand what is going on in my classes, oh yeah and i get to go back to work this weekend, money!!! maybe my next post will be more exciting, my body is still recovering now, i should be back to normal, towards the end of this week...i hope!!!

one down, one to go

oh my gosh i am so exausted, yet i want to do something...last night was opening night, and it went well, the only mistakes we made were little ones and we covered them really well...but now as i sit here at my home my brain is telling me sit, relax, and rest, but my body is saying get your lazy but up, you need to be doing something...my brain isn't in good enough quality to study, i don't have cable, my poor bank account can't handle a shopping spree, and charles is at home cleaning his house, so what do i do...i know i should listen to my brain and just rest, but that is so hard when you are use to running around like a chicken with his head cut off for 18 hours a day...but i guess i'll try, i know i should...

DELIA AS A BOY

yes, playing a young boy...why, you may ask...well for opera...coming soon "The Marriage of Figaro" it's gonna be good....here's the plot...many of my friends and family have asked, why didn't they just get a boy to play your role, well here is the history of the "pants role" (scott)...so when and where?

March 11 & 13, 2005

UAB Opera presents Mozart’s

“The Marriage of Figaro”

7:30 p.m. March 11 and 2:30 p.m. March 13.

John Ray directing.

Alys Stephens Center,

Sirote Theatre, 1200 10th Avenue South.

Ticket prices are $15, $20 and $25. Call (205) 975-2787 for information (or call me)

so wanna see some pictures??? (now realize that these are not our final costumes)

Countess (in purple) Maggie Hendricks

Susannah (in brown) Caroline Lopez-Spears

Figaro (only real boy) Chris Carter

and me!

so...do i look the part, respond with your feedback...

you just gotta push through it...

.
so its that time of the year...you know the time where eveything is happening in the shortest possible amount of time, and all you can see is the above brick wall...i have no motivation, i see everything that i have to do (Figaro, physics, organic, recitals, federation competition, audition, the list goes on) and just do not know where to begin, and thus fail to do as much as i should....well that is changing as of yesterday, i got my second physics test back and have decided that i can not continue on the track that i have begun...if i want to be successful i have to change my course,work harder, study harder, and just get all my ducks in a row .

(cute huh)...so thats it, i have made up my mind...i better start studying, have a wonderful day...

scared, well maybe a little...

"NO INTERVIEW...WHAT?"

that is what is still going through my head...i went for my pharmacy school "applicant day" this past friday (a fun day of waking up at 445 and driving, then sitting, then driving some more)...so we got there and stood around in the lobby for a while, which was okay b/c i got to see some people i used to work with at the Bureau, then they hearded us up into the conference room to listen to people talk...i really enjoyed listening to these professors talk and was trying to imagine what it would be like to take a class from them, then we took this horrible critical thinking test (not fun), went to lunch, had a tour, got measured for our white coats (despite the fact that over half of us won't get in), and talked with Dr Wilson about or transcripts....that is it...NO INTERVIEW, you see i wanted an interview, i wanted to meet and talk with falcutly that i did not know and for them to get to know me...you see my grades are just average compared to all of the other applicants, yes i do have work experience but not much service or leadership in the past two years (nothing compared to the sorority girl i was sitting next too), my PCAT score is, eh, comparitively okay, and thats it, those are the only things that are considered...i wanted an interview, i wanted to explain why i am getting 3 pre-reqs this summer (with a session that ends 8 days before pharmacy school begins), i wanted to tell them how i grew up around pharmacy and how i am interested in it, want to help people understand more about what they are taking, and how i believe that God is calling me into the field, but NO, i get to do none of that...i am simply a number 1-9, hopefully closer to 9 than 1....here is how it works:

• GPA (possible total 4 pts)
• PCAT (possible 2 pts)
• leadership, service, work (2pts)
• critical thinking test (1pt)

that is it...those four little things determine the rest of my life...and with an applicant class of 350+ with about only 60 regular applicants getting in...yeah i am starting to worry, but as hard as it is i am trying not to worry, to remember that it is not in my hands, not even the professors hands really, it is ultimatly up to the big guy, so if you have the time and don't mind, throw out a little prayer for me, that my will and Gods will are the same, and if not, that i will be able to accept it, thanks yall....

love soon

I know you've been sworn

I read your complaint

you're needing someone older

and though I've been warned to live day by day

there's something taking over

did you expect to kiss me one time

while looking at me with the same eyes ever again?

so come on and face it

so come on and face it

it's time that we say it

you can cross the line whenever you want to

I'm calling it love soon

close your mind and waste some time if you have to

I'm calling it love soon

it's not about you now

it's what we are

your mother complains that you need a man

you haven't mentioned me yet

and all of your friends don't know who I am

I've been your best kept secret

I understand I wasn't part of the plan

a dollar short, a minute early

but I am your man

so come on and face it

so come on and face it

it's time that we say it

you can cross the line whenever you want to

I'm calling it love soon

close your mind and waste some time if you have to

I'm calling it love soon

it's not about you now

it's what we are

let's bypass the bullshit and move on because

the minute hand moves faster than you think it does

and by no fault of yours and by no fault of mine

the bottom line is laying in the bed that we've been playing in tonight

you can cross the line whenever you want to

I'm calling it love soon

close your mind and waste some time if you have to

I'm calling it love soon

it's not about you now

it's what we are

*john mayer*

"few things can be mastered without times of testing"

this was a quote that our preacher used today in his sermon and it really stuck with me...now i really believe that this quote is true in all aspects of my life

• my school life, probably the most obvious, you can't master a class unless you do well, and typically this is measured by your tests that happens over time, hence, time of testing
• my love life, i have been tested many times, whether this be temptation, trials in a specifc relationship, or even an entire relationship all togethher...i see each of these as a test in my ability to love myself and others
• my family, with all the curves that are thrown families these days, my family has also had it's share of "testing times," some times that i even wondered if we would pull through, we have had many tests
• my spiritual life, all of the above help contribute to my spiritual life, each of the above tests ultimately play a role into my faith, and where i feel that the direction of my life is going and more importantly being led...

but here is what i realize about all of these above tests...they all work together to help shape who i am...if my school wasn't difficult at times i don't think that i would work as hard, if my love life and family life had not had there times of tests and confusion i don't think i would appreciate all of my family and friends as i do, and most importantly if i hadn't had testing times in all of these combined aspects of my life i don't think that i would have the spiritual relationship that i have right now...each of these tests teaches me something...through each i have learned an important lesson about my life and who i am, each of these tests are wonderful gifts from God...so this lenten season i am going to try to not look at each difficulty i encounter as a test, but as a lesson that will teach me something that will ultimately shape the person i will be tomorrow...

some up there loves me...

okay, so this will make more sense if you read my previous post...but it, the stupid additional charge on my account, disappeared!!!poof, it's gone!...so i figure, oh they must have deducted it from my scholarship, so i went online to my bank (a wonderful invention) and the entire scholarship was deposited into my account, i have no idea where this evil fee went, but rest assure i will not go looking for it...thank you God for small miracles

financial aid can just kiss my...

GRITS, THEY CAN KISS MY GRITS....im trying to keep this blog PG....so i really really dont like the financial aid at uab...here's the story:
so i applied for a small scholarship from the hospital that my mother works at back home, and i got it...yeah, this is good...now the bad part...evidently this scholarship (that actually is meant to reimburse me for the tutition that i paid) put me over the estimated amount of money that uab has so graciously decided i need to live on, and therefore they took back part of my private personal loan (that allows me to pay my bills with out working full time), translation...now i owe the school because i got a new scholarship...another way of looking at it, i get a scholarship from a source outside of uab and uab decides that i do not need the entire scholarship so that take almost half of it...this is pretty much what has happened...and my biscuits are very, very burned right now....arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Some pharmacist I'm going to be...

so I've been studying nonstop for, well, for a long time, and tonight i had my organic test...i really thought it wasn't too bad, which worries me, when i get over confident i tend to do badly, so im trying to not get to happy about how i felt about the test...however, there was one question that i know i missed, and as a pre-pharmacy major i should not have missed it...the question was dealing with mass spec, it gave the M+ peaks for claritin and asked what the halogen ingredient was, i evidently missed that day in class and so i had no idea what the answer was, so i guessed...i guessed bromine, i have no idea why but it was my first instinct and your always told on tests to trust your first instinct...well my first instinct was wrong, i called my parents as soon as i got out of the test and they both told me it was chlorine...then i kicked myself, i should have been thinking like a manufacturer...CLaritn...ChLorine...duh, delia...the thing that bothers me is not that i missed a question on my organic test, but instead that i missed a question about a drug that i should know...i should have known that, i should be reading about drugs more...there is a new goal...

i am sorry

now, many of you may not understand this blog, but the people that it is meant for will...let me first say that i am sorry, i was out of line today when i spoke to the choir...i hope that you all can forgive me, and rest assured, i will not be saying much else, anymore......now, even though my actions were wrong, i don't feel that my intentions were in the slightest, ill explain...this choir,this semester, is the choir that i have dreamed of for over the past seven years of my life, i have dreamed of being where i am right now, that is, in an amazing choir with people who love music...this is also my last chance ever to be here, now many of you will go on for many more years singing with copeland or in other amazing choirs, or even teaching amazing choirs, but for me this is it, my life (where choir is concerned) ends here, now...this is probably why i care too much, yes too much...i think that i expect people to care as much as i do, and i know that some people just don't, whether it be because they are too busy (trust me i know how you feel) or because they have just not been affected throughout their life by music as i have(this is not a bad thing, everyone is defferent), regardless, i understand this, and i am sorry...i am sorry for hurting people and most importantly i am sorry if i in anyway, took away the joy of singing for any person, that to me is the worst thing that i could do...so rest assured, it will not happen again, i am deeply, truly sorry...

the first of the semester, always scary...

okay so t/m is it...my first test of the semester, and it's in physics...is it too much to ask for an organic test first, so that i can at least pass my first test and retain some confidence for the remainding semester...anyway, i digress...so of course what am i doing now but not studying...now doing get me wrong, I've studied a lot today, in fact, between my capa (online homework) and working practice problems my brain is fried...so here's the problem...it's not memorizing the stupid equations (we get them)...it's trying to figure out how to interpret all the information about whatever object is flying at whatever speed, velocity, or acceleration (b/c they are all different)...and it all gets more complicated...so this is my break (well, this and desperate housewives), i have to take it to keep my head from exploding, b/c i don't think that that would be pretty...and now as i run out of things to say about my exciting day of studying, i am presented with the ever challenging question...study more and stuff my brain with more knowledge that i wont remember t/m or just give up for the night and sleep...i usually go with the second option, but of course only wake up early in the morning to study just a bit more (this is proven advice from my mom and copeland), so why mess with a good thing (well, its good most of the time, excluding calculus)...off to bed...but if you find yourself with nothing to do at 11:20 monday morning , drop out a line to the big guy on my behalf, i sure would appreciate it...

shouldn't i be in bed?

so i'm still here at my computer...after my last blog i started reading all the other blogs, which i get to through the choir blog, which i read, and it got me started thinking about choir, which made me think about next week with doc (dr. jordan!!!), which made me think about france...then i read sarah's blog and it got me thinking about how this is my last semester in choir, and how i want it to be the best...this coming week we really need to be at the top of our game, quiet, and absorbing every little drop of knowledge that doc can give us, we are sooo lucky for this opportunity to work with him (copeland you know we love and appreciate you, and hope you do well in LA)...even just listening to the music while you are on your computer, checking your blogs, will help some...i think we just need to eat, sleep, and breathe this music, so that we are able to do perfectly...its going to take alot of work...but i know we can do it...

24 hours ago i was working hard to be positive...i had gotten home earlier that afternoon and tried to take a nap, but after laying in my bed for an hour without even beginning to fall asleep, i gave up and worked on my physics homework...so i woke up at 8 am friday and went to work at 11pm that night, it really wasn't that bad, just more weird...being awake and doing things that i do during the day, while i knew almost the whole world was sleeping gave me such a funny feeling...this feeling helped keep me going, well that and the fact that i was the only decentral pharmacy tech for four hospitals covering about 4 city blocks (translation, i walked nonstop, a lot)...i even made it until 4 am without a cup of coffee, but at 4 i broke down and had one cup, which lasted me throughout the rest of my shift (til 7 am)...it was also weird leaving work, when i usually get there...i cant exactly describe it...just strange...anyway, enough rambling...it's the sleep deprivation...ill fix that now...

so here's the plan...

a positive attitude and lots of coffee...

plan for what you may ask, well for my friday night, i'm working...

now you may be thinking "doesn't delia usually work friday nights?" and this question can only be answered after i clarify some hospital terminology...day shift at the hospital 630am-3pm, evening shift 230pm-11pm (this is my usual friday night), night shift 11pm-7am and this is what i will be doing tomorrow night...for most of my friends that read this, staying up all night may be a recurring event, but not for 'early to bed' delia...no, no, no, i have not stayed up all night in at least, at least three years, actually wait...i remember the last time: prom, my junior year!!! that's five years...well if there was any doubt if i was an adult, that sure settles it, i am officially old...but i can do this, how hard can it be, with a smile on my face and a large cup of joe in my hand...eh, it'll be nothing

(but if it is something, i apologize now for my attitude saturday at opera rehearsal)

now off to enjoy my bed, i know it is going to miss me...

one of those days...

you ever have one of those days when you have sooooo much to do but you lack the focus to do anything except for relax...today was one of those days...now don't get me wrong, i was in class from 8am until about 430pm but after that and a much needed trip to walmart, the most i could do was cook dinner and clean my kitchen...i am still behind in physics, organic, and even computer music...but t/m it is time to buckle down and work hard...i have tests coming up and hopefully i will catch up soon and begin to post a little more frequently, until then my goal, breathe and don't stress...good luck...night

ahhh...

okay, well i do believe that i am one lucky girl...i get beautiful flowers like these on a regular basis, not to mention the fact that charles is so good to me...i never have to worry about much of anything (thats not that i don't, its that it is not necessary)...and t/m morning he is even taking me to breakfast (that is before our 8am classes)...sometimes i just don't know if i deserve it all...but i thank God for it and charles everyday...i hope that you all have experienced or soon experience this wonderful thing...

charles henry, i love you!!!

TEQUILA AND SALT

i am usually not very big on forwards, but tonight was not such a good night...and when i checked my mail this one made me smile, so i pass it to all of you...

You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.

1. There are at least two people in this world that you would die for.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. The only reason anyone would ever hate you is because they want to be
just like you.
4. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't
like you.
5. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
6. You mean the world to someone.
7. You are special and unique.
8. Someone that you don't even know exists, loves you.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good comes from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you take another
look.
11. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the
rude remarks.

And always remember.................
When life hands you lemons, ask for
tequila and salt.

my theory...

so i have a new theory...there is a group, it possibly could possibly be a blog community, a secret society, or simply an understood law...but it is basically this: all the people that affect my life's schedule [teachers, employers, future teachers/employers (basically every living being in my life), and occasionaly even my immune system] get together and decide when to plan the events of my life...and their favorite thing to do...can anyone guess???well of course it is to plan every'stinkin'thing in the same period of days...sometimes (when im lucky) even on the same day...i mean there is no possible way that my luck is this good...if there was a contest for having the most important stuff in the shortest amount of days, i would definitly get at least second place (only after becka joy...she must have the energy of a five year old)...now off to bed, to reenergize...

behind already???

so it has not even been two full weeks since this semester has started and, as you can tell by my lack of blogging lately, I AM ALREADY BEHIND!!! i really do not understand how it happened so quickly, but it has happened...on this holiday weekend, my time has been consumed with what else, but studying...first it was physics, i read the first two chapters because, sitting in class and listening to my russian teacher, is just now working, i am not learning, but fortunately i am able to teach myself pretty well...i worked on some online homework and got a good bit done...after physics, it was my favorite, organic chemistry, usually i understand chemistry pretty well, but we are reading mass spectra and its way too sketchy, no definite answer...if you know me you know that i do not function well without definition, organization, and structure, structure, structure...but im still working on it...next advanced theory techniques, which i would be doing wonderfully in if i remembered more of my basic theory (taking 1.5 years off b/t classes, not so much of a good idea)...but now i am a little more caught up, and can take time to tell you all about my exciting schoolwork (you probably dont really care much...its just my therapy)...hopefully i can stay on top of my stuff this week and not fall behind...you will be able to check my progress by the frequency of my blogging...hopefully i will talk to you soon...

luck...

"luck is when preparation meets opportunity"

i just heard this quote today, and absolutely loved it...it really gives me the extra push of motivation that i really need at the beginning of the new year...i want this new year to be an incredible one, and i have tried to make small changes towards this, things such as: eating better, exercising more, studying early rather than later, being more positive, oh yeah, and practicing more...this quote helps me become more motivated about all these things, and lets me know that maybe, just maybe, my hard work will prepare me for something great to come...

the ultimate new year resolution

this past sunday and tonight at church one certain prayer was used, many of you probably have heard it, it is John Wesley's Covanent Prayer...it really hit me sunday when we as a congregation read this prayer, it is full of the things that we should be thinking all year long, but for me it really hit a new years resolution of sorts, ideas that i know i should be thinking and concentrating on, actively pursuing and accepting more often, and hopefully this year i can...here it is for any intrested:

John Wesley's "Covenant Prayer"

I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will. Rank me with whoever You will. Put me to doing. Put me to suffering. Let me be employed for You, or laid aside for You; exalted for You, or brought low for You. Let me be full, let me be empty. Let me have all things, let me have nothing! And now, O Father, You are mine and I am Yours. So be it. And the covenant I am making on earth, let it be ratified in heaven. Amen

mother nature will get my medical bill...

where is the winter weather? it feels like spring outside...and until today it was just rather annoying, but today my annoyance took sharp turn to, well just plain peaved...see i had my own series of unfortunate events, all to be blammed on mother nature...you see, because of the lovely warm weather today i was not able to wear any of my cute christmas gifts, and inturn wore jeans, a green shirt, and my cute brown shoes, with the insane heel...well, not wanting to take a book bag this morning i carried all of my stuff in my arms...while walking down the back stairs i lost my balance and went tumbling down my staircase...as i was falling all i could thing was "please dont let me die, i dont want to die this way" because i hear all those stories of people falling down the stairs, breaking their neck, and dying...well, obviously i did survive my fall (thank you Lord), and later found out that i am not the only person to take this fall...my battle wounds are broken toe nails, a knot on my head, and a nasty, nasty sore/bruise (i dont know exactly what it is yet) on my right shin...so i limped around all day, but it could be worse...im not trying to complain, just inform, for i know that my last blog was a tid bit negative, but rest assure all is well now...i called dell this morning and a nice indian guy name ron helped me, thank you God for technical support...so now i am off to watch the second half of the orange bowl, ice my leg and prop it up on my amazing boyfriend, and prepare for my second day of classes (really my first b/c today i just had choir and opera)...go trojans (usc)!!!

arrgggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i hate computers, i hate all technology, well hate is a strong word, its more like strongly dislike, and i dont feel like this all the time, just when my appliances dont work as they should....tpnight i started trying to sync up my pocket pc for the first time tonight, and it wont work...nothing puts me in a worse mood than paying too much money for something that wont work as it should...and to top it all off i have been more worried about this than anything else, and, inturn missed 80% of the sugar bowl...i finally gave up and watched the 4th quarter, war eagle!!!...but now that everyone has left my house i had the bright idea to call dell, and yell at them...well not really yell, its more like beg and plead, and anything else that it will take to get my pocket pc working and synced up with my computer...the thing that is more frustrating, i have been on hold forever, i have checked my mail, other people's blogs, and written this blog all while on hold, and i think...wait hold on, well im back, i finally got someone, only to find that i had the wrong department, and now i am on hold again and being transferred to the correct department...this could take a while...AAAAAGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH....the pda department is closed, and they wont be open until 8 t/m...which i could handle but they cant give me a direct line, i have to call and get transferred again t/m morning....these people kill me...maybe t/m i will have more luck...is sure hope, so for the sake of everyone that encounters me...im just going to go to bed now...i know that will work...

new hair, new year...

there is no better way to start of the new year than with a new hair cut (especially if you havent had one in over 6 months)...once the month of december hit, my hair was doing one thing and only one thing, being flat and straight...and just too much to handle...so when i went home and saw sean (my wonderful hairdresser) i was so excited...i sat down and said "blonde and short" becuase thats all i ever have to say to him and he makes me look beautiful, i love him for it...i am always begging him to move to birmingham to live with me and make me look good everyday, currently,however, my financial situation does not meet his financial needs to do this...oh, but one day, it will...so now i have much less hair and look foward to this new year with excitment, i feel like a different person, i feel that i really can make changes this coming year...now, i am not talking about major life altering changes, but more just starting off on the right foot, paying attention to what is needed and trying not to worry (aka stress) over too much, i am going to try hard, and hopefully it will all work...this year holds alot of new adventures in my life, graduating, going to Europe (hopefully), my last semester singing in an amazing choir, under an even more amazing conductor, and starting a new path for myself, moving away from family and friends and starting more school...its going to be fun, great fun, but hard work...but hey its me, there is nothing i can not do...

the best present, family & friends

out of all the physical presents that i got over christmas none compare to the time i got to spend with my family and friends over my short holiday break... i got home early friday evening to surprise my dad and most of my other family with my appearance (they thought that i would not be home until early christmas morning)...it was wonderful getting to spend time with family who i very rarely see...christmas morning i went to my momma's house and spent time with her and my three sisters, which is very enjoyable in short doses (all four girls together that is)...with my mom we went to christmas at my nana's where all of the "cousins" were together, this has not happened in many year, we had yummy food and took family pictures (see above, thats all the cousins)...and then early sunday night i got a call from charles saying "i am lost" i was confused because i thought he and his mom had gone shopping in huntsville...i was surprised to learn that he had left that afternoon on a long drive to brandon and at that time was less than an hour away from my house to surprise me and my family for christmas...isn't he wonderful, i don't know many people who would drive 4.5 hours to spend less than a day with someone, only to have to turn and go home the next day, it was a great christmas present, one of the best ever...

i'm home for christmas!!!!

.
so im sitting on my momma's bed thinking that it has been a very very good christmas...i got home yesterday around 6 o'clock at my dad's...he didnt think i was coming home till 3:30 am, it was a good surprise...and today i came home to momma's around 4 o'clock...santa was very good to me this year, i got a pretty new pocket pc for pharmacy school and a wonderful new vacuum cleaner (hey if you have been to my house you know that it is something i need, and badly)...but as i look back on the day i would have to say that the best gift i got was the chance to spend time with my family, especially my sisters...we are so seldomly together, it has been nice to spend time just us (even if we did not sleep much last night)...so now as the christmas day draws to an end i thank God for a wonderful christmas and a wonderful family, the only thing that i wish i had was time with charles (i know im pathetic, but i am a girl)...goodnight all...

attitude is everything...

since i have been out of school i have worked all but one day...that is about 80 hours in seven days...yes i know i am crazy, but someone has to pay the bills...last friday was the first day of my crazy work week and i told myself that i could and would get through this one week of my life...i decided that no matter how tired i was that i would put a smile on my face and a skip in my step and i would make the best of my week...and now, the last in my long line of crazy work days (which average about 12 hours) i am so happy, it has gone by so quickly and it really has not been that bad...i even, at times, have found myself laughing and enjoying myself (mostly because of norman)...so i just want to repeat something that we all have heard, to make the best of a not so great situation, just put yourself in a good mood, you would be surprised how well it actually works....

Happy Holidays from Dixie and Belle

A Cat's Christmas

'Twas the night before Christmasand all through the house

Not a creature was stirring,not even a mouse.

'Cuz the cat had pounced on himand tore him apart-

Ate his mousey intestines

And chewed up his heart.

Kitty thought he heard sleighbells,which made him take pause-

He stopped daintily lickingthe blood from his claws.

"Must be Santa" thought Kitty(that quite clever cat)

'Cuz nobody else climbs downthe chimney like that.

Indeed it was ol' Santa, so jolly and fat

With a load of presents and all for the cat!

"Wow, the best Christmas ever!" Kitty thought with a purr,

Then he coughed up a hairball and shed some more fur.

six wonderful months!!!

so this is charles and me

we just had our six months!!!

(i know i am being sappy)

oh, and those lights behind us, that is birmingham...

isn't it beautiful

LET'S EAT!!!!

so all of your exams are over, what is the first thing in the mind of most college students, "time to go home," but for myself and 21 of my closest friends what do we think..."time to dress up in funny costumes, prance around in tights, and sing for people who have the money that we can only dream about, oh and watch them eat a delicious three course meal, while we snack on bread and a few pieces of cheese" now you are thinking, what is she talking about...well it is the UAB Music Departments Ye Olde Madrigal Feaste...i participated in my first madrigal feaste my first semster at UAB and loved it, then it was an annual event held in the Alys Stephens Center, with a year off in 2003, this year the feaste was reborn and The Club overlooking beautiful Birmingham...we opened wednesday night, after my last exam, and the night went well...the guest were a compilation of our friends, family, and many long time feasters...then thursday night, was President Garrison's private party (Presdient of UAB)...the night went even better than the previous preformance, our crowd was energetic, happy, and very talkative (this could partly be attributed to the massive open bar, wine, and wassail)...they were great, and i believe that they truly added to our high spirits...the music was great, no doubt one of our best performances, and it was just plain fun...after the candles were out and we were in our "normal" clothes again, we got to eat the leftovers...now this may not seem like a big deal to you but, for a bunch of poor, starving college students, free filet and all the left over wine we could grab (and i do mean grab, we were all consolidating half drunken bottles of wine, well those of us that were 21, of course) i must take a moment to talk about the wine, it was the best red wine i have ever had, and im willing to stake my life that it was the most expensive thing that i have ever drank, and will continue to drink, for i have two bottles of our wonderful parting gift here with me at my home, hehe!
so after we finally finished eating, wasing our dishes (the wassail goblets), and packing it all up, i snuck away for a brief second to take some pitcures of the absolutely breathtaking view that we had over Birmingham...and then it was time to leave, i dont know if i will ever get the chance to experience such a wonderful event, in such a wonderful place, with my best friends ever again, but i will always remember the 2004 Madrigal Feaste!

the road to pharmacy school...update

so i get home monday night, and have this weird gut feeling to go downstairs and check my mail, and when i opened my little mail 'flap' i saw it!!! it was small, which kinda threw me because as most of you know, when you are waiting for something important, good things usually come in larger envelopes...example: during all of those months my senior of highschool it was always my fear to get a regular sized envelope from a school, because 90% of the time small meant "thanks but no thanks"...i had the same feeling when i took my national pharmacy tech. test, little envelope means, sorry you failed, but you can pay us again and we will let you have another shot...
so you can imagine when i saw that tiny envelope monday night i was scared out of my mind, now i know that you can not fail the PCAT (pharmacy college admissions test) but i was still scared...i was holding in my hand, my future, the rest of my life...the next few moments seemed to last forever, as i stood in my den with my mom on speaker phone and charles's hand on my shoulder for support i franticly opened the little envelope then stared at it's contents trying to decipher all the numbers i saw on the page...finally, i found my way down to the coposite score, some number that i had no idea what it meant, then...next to that number was my percentile ranking...83%...i thought, wait is that bottom or top, then i realized....yeahhhh i did well!!!!!
i continued to read on that this score meant that i did as well, if not better than 83% of all the people that took this test on that saturday in november...i was so happy
because this semester was so busy i did not have too much time to study, so i told myself that if i could just match the average admission score then i would be happy, well i exceeded it!!! and thus, am one step closer to entering pharmacy school, the next big step, getting my acceptance letter from the University of MS School of Pharmacy, hopefully that will come soon...ill keep you all posted...

the heavens open and the angels rejoice...

i can not explain to you the extreme joy that i felt at 5:30 wednesday night...turning in my final exam and, well frankly, just being through...it is the best feeling that i have had in a good while...but for you, i will recap the wonderful week that was exams:
so classes were out and i was getting sick...i finally broke down and went to the doctor, who was not able to tell me anything i didnt already know, but i did get some steriods that proved to be a great asset when studying for my exams (they kept me awake most of the day)...so all weekend, monday, and tuesday i studied...all day (well in between chamber rehearsals, ill explain soon), and finally the big day was here, WEDNESDAY...calculus exam at 8am and an organic chemistry test at 3pm...and because my calculus test determined so much of this semester, i studied mostly for it, and in turn the test felt very easy, now this does not mean anything for me because in a math test i can feel like i made a 100 but failed (im just no good at math)...studying so much for calculus did not give me much time for oraganic...thus, i dont think i did my best on my chemistry test, but at that point i was just glad it was over...
so now, today (friday), i am relaxing, well until about 2, then off to work...and that is where i will be until, well, until i go home, which will be sometime late christmas eve, so if you dont hear from me, you know why...
i hope you all enjoy our holiday break, whatever kind you get...

delirium

so explain to me one thing...throughout the semester i ran around like a crazy person, trying to juggle classes, rehearsals, church, and work...and now this week, when i actually do not have much to do, i get sick...whats up with that...all i wanted to do is relax, and all i have done is feel like crap, i mean, i guess thats my luck...yet at the same time i guess i would rather feel like death warmed over when i did not have much to do, rather than when i did, like next week, its going to be a buger...
anyway, enough dwelling...today was my jury, and well i was able to get through it, it was by far not my best, but with the help of my good friend jack daniels i was able to get through it...no i was not drunk...i just had a little shot to clear-out/numb my throat before i sang, it really helps, no lie...maybe i should try it next week before madrigal, hehe, i am just kidding, we will have wassail...to drink, oh and i hope that there is cheese, there was two years ago, yummy...i love cheese, anyway, i digress...

the calm before the storm

so classes are now officially over, ahhhh......
this weekend was busy and today, well not fun to say the least...saturday night we had rehearsal for Christmas at the Alys and that concert was yesterday (not the best concert in my college career, but still a concert)..today i had an extremely difficult calculus test, to me it is completely assanine foolishness to give a test on the last day of classes, in fact it is down right mean...well i also had my philosophy final tonight, which i was just glad to get behind me...and now i sit in my house watching the cowboys beat the sea hawks with charles, as my brain deflates into its idle state (which it does not experience it often) unfortunately this relaxed state will not last for long...thursday i will start studying for my calculus and organic finals, oh and my jury (fun,fun)...but now rest, recharge, relax, so that i can give one final burst of greatness (haha) well ill settle for mediocrity...

the big 22..(goodness im getting old)...

another year older, many times wiser

so its your birthday and after telling you "happy birthday" what does every mother do but regale you with the story of your birth...so tonight, keeping with the motherly tradition, my momma calls me and continues to retell what she did the night before i was born, but here is the catch: the events of my birth strangely coincide with the events that are happening right now...it was a wednesday night (december 1) and my mother was in labor watching the claymation movie "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer", and guess what was on tv tonight...yes that familiar movie...i was born on december 2 a thursday and this year december 2, obviously on a thursday...kinda funny, don't you think, well my mom and i thought so...

so now as i sit here in my den/living room/dining room, watching my windows begin to cover with frost, i can't help but to think about what all i have learned this past year of my life...
i remember my birthday last year...a monday night, i believe, and a bunch of us went out to dinner at our then favorite restaurant at the time, Calypso Joes, and i turning 21 and all, ordered my first drink, it really did not seem like the big deal that i had thought it would be for so long...little did i know that this new privilege was probably the least life altering thing that would happen all year...
i learned so much about myself in the 21st year of my life, i had thought that i had everything figured out, i knew exactly what i wanted in my life, when it would happen, and where it would happen, and even how it would happen...
if i had to pick the most important lesson i learned this year it would be that no matter how much planning and talking about the future you do, you will never know what the next day of your life holds...
other lessons:

• i learned to listen to myself and do that, not what i thought others wanted from me (a concept that i still struggle with today)...
• i learned that you cannot get through your life without the help of your friends...(i have some of the best friends around, both here in b-ham and others that i grew up with that i have been separated from, there is no way that i could have made it through my trials of this past year with out my friends...i love you all...)
• i learned that your family is always there, no matter how far away you actually are, and they will listen to you laugh, complain, and cry, and when you cry they help you pick yourself up and put yourself back together again...i love my family
• i learned that no matter how alone you feel (despite all the loving people around you) God is always there, all you have to do is be silent just long enough to hear His voice, and if you are listening you will hear it, and it will calm you, and instruct you...i spent so long trying to figure out my problems on my on, until i finally realized that i can't fix my problems, but once i asked for help, it is amazing how quickly they began to resolve, maybe not becoming easier, but resolving none the less

and now as i sit hear listening to Rod Stewart sing "what a wonderful world" on the Tonight Show, the one thing that i am thinking about (well besides, twinkle twinkle little star) is how lucky i am, even when things get tight, my life is still really good, i have a roof over my head, food in my kitchen (however random it may be), and a whole bunch of people in my life that love me...so here is to another year...i hope i learn more this year than i did this past...