Day 7 - A photo that makes me happy.

Yes it's blurry, but it's a lot of people who made my life really pleasant in college. I could have picked a Vienna photo or a Wong photo or an ex-boyfriend-when-things-were-awesome photo or an Italy photo...yeah all those things made me super happy. When I randomly happen on this picture, I always smile. So many pianists! For once, also, we also don't look miserably tired or stressed.

This photo takes place after Tina (girl in the blue gown)'s Master's recital. Stephanie, girl in curly hair and black dress, her recital was the same day but right before Tina's! A lot of people in this picture had graduated and moved on to grown up life, but for a second, we were back at our old tricks, playing, and supporting each other.

Day 6 - One thing that tickles my fancy

Okay, I'm a little behind, so I guess I can afford another Day of Share. Besides, anything that tickles my fancy is more like my general ranting and raving anyway.

Currently, I'm listening to Matt Duke whose song "I've got Atrophy on the Brain" I really enjoy. However, I'm listening to a quick preview of his album "Kingdom Underground" on iTunes. As cute and as catchy as all his music is, there's a lot of the same tempi that keep popping up. I'm going to save my iTunes gift card for until after Wednesday night when I see him perform at Rockwood Music Hall, and hope it's just because I'm catching the similar snippets in a row. I recall seeing him at World Cafe Live nearly a year and a half ago (?) with Amber Rubarth and he was pretty spectacular so my expectations are high. Plus, he's super cute which never hurts.

I'm doing some super cleaning this break. Oh wait, did I mention I'm on break?! No school! Yes! I've decided some massive getting my life is in order. Meaning, paying bills, organizing papers, and last month I lost my wallet and now I'm going to fix all that, and get my car registered here...etc. etc. Tomorrow's missions are a) laundry b) get car inspected for insurance and c) go to a NJ DMV for a replacement license! oh and d) go to the post office. I can actually put that as b part 2 since I'm thinking on order. Yay for slowly getting life together.

Day 5 - My favorite quote

...honestly, I don't have one.

Maybe "Freedom, Truth, Beauty, Love"

I know it's simple but it's all I want in life. I'm making this a quickie so I can move on to some other shares. x.x

My year in song...

2009...music to describe my year, not necessarily what I was listening to but things that describe the events as well.

January
"Today 4 U" -Rent
"Blue Caravan" -Vienna Teng

February
"Daughter" -Vienna Teng
"Keep Breathing" -Ingrid Michaelson

March
"Panning for Gold" Ben Sollee

April
"Help is on the Way" -The Animators
"Novacaine"

May
"Movin' Right Along" - The Muppet Movie
"The Rainbow Connection" - The Muppet Movie
"How to See the Sun Rise" -Ben Sollee

June
"Without a Trace" - Deadbeat Darling

July
"The Way I Am" -Ingrid Michaelson
"Let it Be" -The Beatles

August
"I Know You Want Me" -Pitbull

September
"Love" -Alex Berger
"E60th and 1st" -Alex Berger
"1BR/1BA" -Vienna Teng
"Right Angles", The Paper Raincoat

October
"See Me, See You" -Bess Rogers
"Momma's Boy"-Elizabeth and the Catapult
"Defying Gravity" -Wicked

November
"Antebellum" -Vienna Teng
"Don't Be Afraid" - The Paper Raincoat
"In the Creases" -Alex Wong
"Answer" -Amber Rubarth

December
"Somebody to Love" -Queen
"Smile" - Lily Allen

New experiences

With t minus 3 hours to the end of the school day, I have reached a new level.


I have.

A sugar headache.

On the bright side, at least I'm not a diabetic yet.

Kids = Christmas saver

This year for Christmas I've been having an especially hard time. I've had multiple meltdowns regarding loneliness this year. It's my first year without the boyfriend I've spent the past five holidays around, and first of maybe multiple years without my family. But today I feel not so terrible! I've got a shit-ton of presents from students...one of the cute pros of being a teacher. Now I have an entire load of bath products to use for the next year. I never have to buy cute scented soaps, and have two pretty loofahs and like 15 lotions.

On a similar note, the office is filled with goodies today! I started off my morning with chocolate chip ginger cookies. Amazing and dreamy.

Another holiday saver is some of my first grade students. There's specifically one girl I'm thinking of who was originally a really soft spoken girl, and sort of shy. However, she's really opened up and has quite a powerful in tune singing voice for a first grader. Since she's discovered how great she is, she's been really happy, and literally writes me these cute first grade love letters every day. My wall of Children's Paper Gifts has been overtaken with papers with phrases such as (with accurate spelling) - "You so plit to pepul" (You're so polite to people) and "You are the beast musik teter! And you are pridy so pridy." (You are the best music teacher, and you are pretty, so pretty!) Cute ne?

My concert going schedule has been stunted because I'm tired a lot but I did have that great Joe's Pub concert -- for Vienna Teng and Alex Wong. A few nights ago I saw Alex Berger (who I have a massive musician crush on) at Rockwood late on a school night. The full band part of his show provided a lot of definition and depth, a great preview to what his new album is going to sound like. "E60th and 1st" is on my list of songs I'm very much looking forward to! Awesomeness all around. Hopefully with winter break coming up, I'll have more to see and more to do.

Oh and knitting! How could I forget knitting! I'm in possession of the greatest hat ever. No lie. Have you ever heard of Knitty? I'm a little obsessed with them and their gorgeous patterns, and it's provided a pretty awesome challenge. Just yesterday I finished my first lace patterned piece -- a hat/neckwarmer! Mine's in a beautiful alpaca/tencel mix from Berrocco and made to match this badass awesome coat that I own. This past year has been pretty special in leveling up in yarn. I recall this time last year I was just started to make really ghetto mittens and hand warmers and basic hats. This year, handwarmers are a breeze, I just did a pretty leaf lace pattern, I know how to cable, I've made three sweaters...sort of.

By the way, if anyone wants to get me Skacel Divine in Turquoise for the holidays, I could FINALLY finish this sweater and I'll be SUPER happy.

Day 4 - My favorite book

I have a special place in my heart for The Time Traveller's Wife by Audry Niffenegger. Like any true anime nerd girl fan thing, I have a soft spot for eternal perfect love, and this is that. It's really touching, adorable, and the one book where I couldn't read the end for a while because I knew I was going to cry. Actually, I think it's the only book where I've ever cried. It's also made me hungry, awakened my biological clock, shut down my biological clock...craziness. I have really physical reactions to this book and it's wonderful.

Things I enjoy

A short detour before I go back to my thirty days of sharing.

I've made it pretty clear that I'm in love with my iPhone right? Well. I've officially decided the BEST reason I love my iPhone. I can just access knitting patterns online that I'm working on and tote them around with me on the subway. WIN. May sound completely lame, but it's true. I've been working on this leaf pattern scarf-hat (I'll post pictures and it will sound less confusing, promise!) and I never remember the stitches I need to use because it's not really an easy one. But, yesterday I got to bring it up on my Safari browser, and just...knit on the train. Whoaaa.

I've also received my first Christmas gift from the school students. Way to make me feel loved!!

Lastly, it's Monday at school. I've decided that Friday is donut day, but Monday is Work Without Any Heat day. Officially. Brrrrr.

Day 3 Favorite Television Series

Three way tie.

1. Firefly. I just...LOVE Firefly. How could you NOT love Firefly? Seriously, guys, if you've never watched it, YOU NEED TO. It's so amazing. Space cowboys rock. I have mad hots for the doctor in the series.

2. Nodame Cantabile. This may be hands down my favorite anime show of all time. Also, the live action version rocks out too. It's about a pianist at a music school in Japan who wants to become a conductor, and meets a space cadet girl who happens to be a fantastic, but unrefined pianist who plays with so much emotion and soul. Of course, there are some other fun characters on the way too. My summary is much too serious than the show actually is, but some shows are just too amazing!

3. I just started watching this, and swear that once season 1 comes out on DVD I'm going to buy it. I'm talking about Glee. Yes. Stop laughing. Glee. The hype about it is so worth it. Any show that has me staying up till 3 AM having a solo hair tossing jam session dancey thing in my room completely ranks high on my list.

Day 2 - My favorite movie

I don't really have one but I've noticed I watch Howl's Moving Castle a lot. It's my go to filler movie. Also, the waltz is super lush and pretty. End.

Day 1 Meme!

My favorite song?

Hands down, Vienna Teng's "Antebellum". It just makes me feel happy, sad, tingly, and I cry and I sing, it's all just one big ball of horrifying emotion. Horrifying only because there are SO SO MANY of them, and it's so overwhelming. I heard it for the first time on a CD from Rockwood that my friend Dan brought me. Interestingly enough, I didn't totally love it. In fact, I was adamant that I wouldn't love it. Everyone loves Vienna's "Gravity" and I felt like "Antebellum" was going to be the new album's "Gravity" and I was adamant to be different.

Yeah let me tell you about how that worked out. I don't even know when I started loving it but I did and eventually, when I heard the album version, so lush and full with its string arrangements, I just couldn't help myself.

At the same time, my boyfriend at the time, he was interested in singing the countermelody while I wailed away in the car/shower/kitchen/everywhere, so that was also a great initiative.

Just yesterday I had it on loop to attempt to cure my little soul.

For your listening pleasure!

Memes!

I'm going to do this!

Day 01 → Your favourite song
Day 02 → Your favourite movie
Day 03 → Your favourite television program
Day 04 → Your favourite book
Day 05 → Your favourite quote
Day 06 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 07 → A photo that makes you happy
Day 08 → A photo that makes you angry/sad
Day 09 → A photo you took
Day 10 → A photo of you taken over ten years ago
Day 11 → A photo of you taken recently
Day 12 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 13 → A fictional book
Day 14 → A non-fictional book
Day 15 → A fanfic
Day 16 → A song that makes you cry (or nearly)
Day 17 → An art piece (painting, drawing, sculpture, etc.)
Day 18 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 19 → A talent of yours
Day 20 → A hobbie of yours
Day 21 → A recipe
Day 22 → A website
Day 23 → A YouTube video
Day 24 → Whatever tickles your fancy
Day 25 → Your day, in great detail
Day 26 → Your week, in great detail
Day 27 → This month, in great detail
Day 28 → This year, in great detail
Day 29 → Hopes, dreams and plans for the next 365 days
Day 30 → Whatever tickles your fancy.

Friends

Friends.

I need to make some that can hang out a lot and that don't suck and make promises they can't keep.

Outlet

I'm in a really horrible mood. I have no idea why, the day was fine, and just now, I've begun feeling extremely dark. I sort of twittered in anonymous-ness, and luckily, I can blog in that way too. But I can't tell the best friend I hang out with all the time, I can't Facebook it for pity...I hate feeling like this!

I think it's because I'm spending time dwelling on the past right now. It's a tendency that I go to every time I feel insecure or alone, and it's really easy to do that when I'm not constantly around people. But it's silly, because one can't be always surrounded by company, and it's not like I don't treasure my alone time.

I don't really know what else to rant about, but I think I'll just be coming to terms with wanting to cry a lot today. Please let something get better today.

Why I Blog

I blog when I'm bored a lot and blog when I have a general sense of placid contentment. I enjoy lists and favorites. I do a lot of blogging at work, when I'd rather be doing something else, and at home when I have virtually no social life.

Side note: "The Same Old Things" came on, followed by "In the Creases". Emotional scaryland! Bad iPhone!

I guess that's what makes this blogging difficult, more so than usual. In the past I liked to rant drama, but I've found really heavy emotions are really not conducive to blogging. I don't blog when I'm really sad, but on the same token, I don't do a lot of blogging when I'm super happy. Recently I've been experiencing some of both, but when I'm not, I'm discovering this social life thing -- places to go, people to see, which really results in omgz, Apartment to Clean!

And now, on the iPhone? Alex Berger's "Love". Go see him on 12/21 at the awesomeness that is Rockwood Music Hall!

Vienna and Wong's Joe's Pub show post coming soon. :)

Overflowing

Despite another Home Arrival Time of 2:30 AM, I saw a whole bunch of lovely folks at Amber Rubarth and Adam Levy's EP Release Show at the Living Room last night! (Alex Berger, Alex Wong, Vienna Teng, Ward Williams...just to name a few of the awesomesauce!) It's always exciting to see them, because they're the awesome casual friends that I never get to see or really get close to but it's exciting to be around them anyway. Make sense? Yes/no? Meh.

I am also currently eating the tartest cranberry pie I've made to date. I smashed up an orange pretty bad because I didn't know where my juicer was, and threw in a handful of dried raspberries and it's even making me wince a tiny bit after many bites. Perfect. God, I love cranberry pie. A side note -- during the holiday season, my mother used to buy those cans of cranberry sauce for me? Yeah, she knew I liked them so much I would eat them like jello. Gross yet AWESOME.

Also, I've been having these bursts of really intense positive emotions. Because I've constantly been working on self control, I'm having a hard time not letting these feelings explode out of me in a giant wave of happiness and joy. It's such a pretty secret but what I'd love to do instead is tell everyone how wonderful I feel and how giddy my heart beats. :) (Stray Italian Greyhound me, please.) Essentially, I've told the blogosphere and hence the world, right? Does that count?

Vienna Teng and Alex Wong live album recording at Joe's Pub tomorrow!

Horrifying Chinese

Yesterday, I was walking in Union Square, one of my two favorite places to be in NYC. It might actually beat out Columbus Circle, when there's the market open, which was yesterday. I ran into a man who sold some beautiful photography, and looked through about an entire wall's worth of panda photos. After deciding I would buy three, I asked him what kind of deal he could give me, since it was $20 each.

I find out I already got a discount! Normally they sell for $25, but since he saw I was Chinese, I got a Chinese-person-five-bucks-off? Naturally, the conversation segue's into using Chinese, and like any normal conversation with a Chinese adult, the question is asked, where am I from? Obv. I was born here, so meh.

Now here's the part that's horrifying. The man says: "Oh, I could tell by your accent that you were born here."

WHA.

This is a first for me. Most adults think I'm from China, specifically Beijing, although my family is from Taiwan. I must be regressing. I need more time to muse and mutter over this!

I Think I'm In Love

Hee. :)

Today, I decided that I like myself!

I like you, too-layered haircut. You'll grow back and plus, I've always been proud of you for generally being my best attribute.
I like you, skin on my legs. You always loose to a loofah but I like you.
I like you, eyelids without a crease. Yup, you're funny and make eyeshadow sorta trashy sometimes, but no one else has eyes like you!
I like you, brown eyes. I spent too many years thinking brown was brown, but I've recently noticed that you're a lot more than a crayola color.
I like you, funny sneeze. You're charming and help me charm others.
I even sort of like you, tummy. Honestly, I can't think of WHY there's a legitimate reason to like you. Maybe you're a signal that I'm a happy girl. Hm, maybe I've just come to terms with you.

Whee!

Yum yum, it's Friday!

One of the things about my life is that if I don't experience it, I don't know what I'm missing. This is how I feel about breakfast today. I slept in until about 7:20, got dressed super fast, and drove to school. Somehow, I got here early enough to walk and go get a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich.

Man, I'm happy with that. And so is my stomach! Even though I want to rub my eyes a whole lot like I'm sort of sleepy, I'm full and happy. Eeps.

And also it's FRIDAY. This week, I PROMISE myself, I will go to Union Square this weekend and pick up a bag that will serve as knitting/purse bag. My only appeal is to the weather, and that it won't rain all weekend again. I mean, look outside at the beautiful sky! Please keep it that way.

On a totally unrelated note -- my somewhat new North Face Denali fleece is so awesome. It's made my November so nice and toasty, and a little more red colored. :)

Rant time

Rant --

So I thought my day was going to get better once I got daylight but no. Suck. I had to cover a morning meeting AND an 11-11:40 crazy kindergarten. Happy Birthday.

Actually, that's not the rant.

I swear my name is not that hard to spell, honest to god. But SOMEHOW I still have people who've known me for years spelling it C-a-n-d-a-n-c-e. Damn folks, if you want to wish me a happy birthday on my Facebook wall, do me the favor of using your eyes and, god forbid, LOOKING at my name because it's THERE.

Thank you short temper, you're bound to make today delightful.

And that's all the stupid stuff we do.

Age 23, the evaluation.

Well, I obviously haven't been sleeping much or sleeping too much but erratically, hence why I'm up at 5:17 in the morning, updating my blog on how I feel.

Today is my birthday, and I'm twenty four. Now, I'm not a person who hates getting old, and all that. I like whatever chance I get to get closer to being a hypothetical grownup. But I woke up feeling awful sad. Today is the first birthday I've experienced with excessive change. As much as that should be exciting and inspiring, I woke up feeling insecure and frightened.

During this year, I moved away from home for the first time, I broke off ties with my family, lost a job, gained a job, traveled internationally on my own, learned a new language, moved to a new place, and am trying to survive singledom (which I don't really want to talk about -- there is too much love and depth to even blog it the hell out). At the moment, I feel horribly alone, but I know it's because I'm cranky and it's hard to muster inner strength at now, 5:36 in the morning. I found my own piano teacher, I found a meaning to playing piano and I've been challenged so much by my teacher and my repetoire that I've improved dramatically. I have learned how to accept compliments, and work with grace. I went to my first fancy dress cocktail party! (That was exciting.) Really important too -- I got to pick what I wanted to do. I've come a long way from last November.

Too bad I still feel like shit at the moment. I guess that means back to sleep for an hour.

Addendum

Other things I'd like for the birthday:

Lion Brand Thick and Quick chunky yarn in white.
Addi US 6, 8, and 10 circulars. 8's in 16, 6 in 16 or 24, and 10 in 14 or 24.

God, I love my life recently. :)

That's all. :3

Things I Want For My Birthday

Exactly what the title says.

- Lara Miller Tiered Kaelyn Dress
- EcoSkin Trilobyte Dress in red
- Elizabeth and the Catapult's LP "Taller Children"
- 1 ball Skacel Divine in Turquoise (although if you got 2 or 3 more balls in ther colors, I wouldn't refuse)
- 1 ball Lana Grossa 'Pashmina' yarn in red (#11)
- Red Panda Print
- Pandas Building Bridges
- EcoChic Kali Dress in black
- Night Blooming Cereus painting...or anything else by this woman, esp. her koi fishies.
- An african violet!
- Serenity DVD
- Econica silk and bamboo flower dress
- A nice set of drawing pencils.
- Marc Jacobs mouse shoes, for the 5th year running.

Anyway, if you don't know what to get, please go to Purl Knits on Sullivan St. and buy a nice ball of yarn. <3 I actually need about two balls in a nice dark blue, so if you se it!

On loop

Recently during my prep, I open up my iTunes and chill and do work. This is pretty normal, but within the past two weeks I realized I've been listening to Chopin pretty much perpetually.

My body is having such a strange reaction listening to the Chopin Sonata No. 3, 4th mvmt. I just touched on the tip of the iceberg yesterday as to how I feel about it, but it's so strong. Words I can pull up are surging, intense, forceful, pushing, urgent, glorious, triumphant, sparkling...I could go on. I actually have to really force myself to BREATHE while listening, but I get this tightening in my chest, and it's such an intense, passionate squeeze, I don't feel like I have other choices than to listen on repeat. Not that that's a bad thing.

The bad part is I haven't learned it yet and I fully expect more of me hollering "FML!" at my piano every time I try. Fun!

Weekend, Piano, Skool

Weekend Update first.

Halloween was okay! My friend from high school, Krysta, and I dressed up for our first time in years because the great thing about NY is that you CAN get in some elaborate costume get-up and parade around the city and not be strange! I was a dryad, and she was a fairy princess. It was misting rain when we got out of the subway, but then, we got caught in some downpour. Being that we are in ridiculously long skirts, it was impossible to climb light posts to see the parade. Instead we settled for some Red Mango. A regular yogurt is flipping huge! Anyway, the way out was even worse, rainwise. It was such a relief to get warm back in Queens with apple cider and rum. When I straightened my back, I just got this stream of cold water dripping down my costume...ugh! We started calling me "Shrubbery" or "Foliage" by the end of the night.

Piano update next.

I think I found my groove again, which is pretty great. We switched out Ravel's "Alborada Del Gracioso" for Debussy "L'isle Joyeuse". As much as "Alborada" was a easy learn and exciting, the execution was just too much for me and the time I'm allotted, especially with the Chopin 3rd Sonata breathing down my neck like fiery death. Speaking of which, I think I finally hit a breakthrough with the first movement of Chopin, so w00t! After today, I should have about a page and a half more notes to learn. The learning is the hardest part. Second movement is second movement, just takes discipline, and every day staccato, rhythms, ol' fashioned Russian practice. Third is just pretty.

The fourth movement is my favorite to listen to, and if I can accomplish it, I'm sure it will be my favorite to play. It's just a wild rush of intensity, that when I listen to it, I feel breathless afterwards. (Hee, I actually experienced that on the way to school today) However, playing it is a different story. It causes explosive cussin', most commonly "FML! FML!" somewhere around the 3rd page. Add in a few horrified whimpers at the black to white ratio on the page, and that's me around 7pm in the evening.

Personal life update:

Yeah just no. Not gonna talk about this. Wish my personal interactions could stay drama free, but alas.

School update:

...kindergarteners are a savage race. Not that I haven't said that before but I really had to make that clear because I might be forced to tears at some point.

Wow, this entire post went from positive and like yay to really negative. Stop now before I dig myself deeper plz.

Music of the moment

Another one:

- "Pilot", Amber Rubarth
- "This is Halloween", Nightmare Before Christmas
- "E60th and 1st", Alex Berger
- "Momma's Boy", Elizabeth and the Catapult
- "You and Me", Bess Rogers
- "Same Old Thing", Paper Raincoat
- "See me See you", Bess Rogers
- "Hit the Wall", Elizabeth and the Catapult
- "Rough Cut", Paper Raincoat

Yup.

I love Pumpkins

I love carving pumpkins. Before this year, it was never something that I did with my family or with friends so I decided that I had to really take the initiative this year to have a fun Halloween time. The first pumpkin was really tough for me, but I decided that a) I'm artsy enough to love it, and b) I love stabbing things. Mmmm, stabby stabby.

At the end of tomorrow I will have (had) three loaves of chocolate chip pumpkin bread, and an assload of roasted pumpkin seeds. W00t.

Some pictures:

Pand-a-Lantern! It was sorta like the World Wildlife Foundation Panda, but as you can see, it was interesting lookin'.Not all three are mine. Last night, my two good friends Mia and Jean-Paul got together for an impromptu pumpkin carving partay. Mia is pretty much an expert carver, and hers is the girl in the tree on the left. Jean-Paul had never carved a pumpkin before, but a goofy face is a great start. Last but not least, Wicked! For a second pumpkin, I'm pretty impressed with myself.Us and our handiwork...

Close up of mine. Yay!

Happy Tuesday...?

So my Friday list was pretty much generally completed.

Sadly, it's drained me of so much energy that today and yesterday were pretty much blobs, where I oozed around, pretended to do things, and slept a lot. Despite the sleeping a lot part, I still manage to be pretty much knocked out and zombie like, only capable of re-writing the school's mission statement twelve times to be put into frames.

I had a party by myself carving a my first Jack O' Lantern and making roasted pumpkin seeds and pumpkin-chocolate-chip bread, so I certainly have enough snacky goods for a while, so that was the only eventful thing, I think

Happy Friday!

So in my love for lists, here is a list of things that I look forward to doing this weekend, or should do. Mostly the former.

- Practice
- Go to my piano lesson
- Clean the hell out of my apartment so it's suitable for human life.
- Pick up a dress I'm super excited about from the post office.
- Finish season one of Flight of the Conchords (sitting around in said dress)
- Maybe finish another Christmas present? (Still sitting around in said dress)
- Practice (dress. :D)
- Doing lesson plans :(
- Maybe I'll make it down to Union Square Market this week.
- Oh my god, I almost forgot, sleeping past 7AM.
- Hopefully get rid of this crappy cold.

Mountain of Tissues

So I'm trying to listen to the awesome and sweet Amber Rubarth right now on my computer. It's too bad that every time I have to blow my nose, (trust me, it's a lot) my ears pop like crazy. One week of sickness later, two tissue boxes, I'm really hoping it stops soon. I constantly blow my nose in front of students, have a mountain of tissues on my desk, and the tissues at work are the equivalent of sandpaper...blech!

Is there anyone else who's all up on CMJ week? I'm likely to be catching Deadbeat Darling, and maybe even Diane Birch.

Listening to myself makes me want to kick myself though. I have the first piano lesson in a while this Saturday and my deadlines are flying closer constantly. As much as I like spending time with my new best friend, it's eating up my practice time. Common sense dictates that my goals should be first, but laziness is such a little demon for me. I'm not looking forward to get my morale handed to me, Russian Piano Teacher Style.

Oo, I just blew my nose, and got dizzy. Time to go steal some breakfast from downstairs or something.

First Monday

Last week we had off on Monday. Week before, we had a half day so I had no class. The week before THAT, we had off again!

Small wonder that I woke up at 7:25 this morning, and yelped. Way to go, self. I had to give up a sweet Tuesday parking spot to drive to work this morning so I would be anywhere close to on time. Le sigh.

Where did the fall go?!

So, it's 39 degrees out, with a high of like, 48 today. I swear it's already winter. This is just not cool.

Fall is season I enjoy. I remember walking along Temple University campus, with my face tilted towards the sky. Somehow, there were never any collisions. The wind was crisp on my skin, and the colors were lovely. After rainy days, I liked looking at the prints the wet leaves had made on the ground. Last year in Scotch Plains, every weekend when I drove back to Philadelphia, the scenery would just be stunning, before exit 37 on I-95 in PA sent me back into paroxyms of anxiety.

So dearest New York, who I've longed so much to live in...what the hell is this crappy weather?!

However, I am on a mission to do positive things! A list of things I like about cold weather.

-Hot tea
-Snuggles with my honey
-Always wearing my favorite boots (also a downside sometimes, but I like it.)
-Soup
-My arsenal of knit goods come into use!
-Heavy blankets
-Moar yarn.
-Putting my feet on the heater
-Chai, end of story.
-Living in some of the most comfortable and warm clothes every time I get out of work clothes...

Natural Kindness

I had an adventure yesterday!

I was meeting someone for a gig at Juilliard at 6:30. On my walk, I got to pass through Columbus Circle, which is just lovely, but I was swimming around in people at pretty top speed. As I get to the intersection between 59th St. and Broadway, I reach into my pocket. No phone. I check my purse. No phone. OK, this could be a problem. I'm meeting someone I've never met before and I've lost my phone, and overall, losing a phone could be a HUGE PROBLEM. Anyway, I can't stop and look. I eventually end up meeting the person at Juilliard, and tell him, that I'm sorry, I lost my phone on the way there. (BTW, walking past the Met Opera was like..WAAAA, omgz, so exciting)

He says -- "The lady that found your phone will meet you at the fountain at 7:15."
I could've cried. I guess he had called it and arranged it for me, and even though the front screen is pretty much demolished except for one corner, I'm glad it was returned, sound, and not run over by a car! Tells you how kind people can be. :)

This morning, though, I checked my plants. Right underneath is a heater in my apartment. I had been so excited yesterday because the heater had come on and I didn't have to freeze all night and in the morning. I also bought this new candle and put it on that solid surface that is my heater.

Yup. Melted the candle from the bottom, all over the heater, and dripped onto the floor. About a third of the candle is melted. I am going to have a GREAT TIME cleaning that up. Any tips?

Work weeks are four days long...?

Another Monday off! Today is Tuesday and wow, I am probably never going to get used to working a full work week. Oh well. Currently, at school, it is beyond freezing. I'm in my peacoat and still can't feel my paws.

On my three day weekend, I went to Inoteca Liquori, and met with my good friend Mario, a tenor I worked with over the summer in Italy. He's starting a little networking event called Opera Connects, and even though all 49 people that RSVP'ed didn't show, the four new people I met (all singers, oh my!) are really friendly and wonderful. I like them a lot.

I've also started Christmas presents. Yes it's true. I finished the body of a wine cozy yesterday and will probably do some embellishments tonight. A sweater is in the works, as well as a pencil sketch. Meh. The only downside is some stress on my left wrist, which involves wrapping my wrist sometimes. Need to find better hobby that doesn't interfere with career. Sighness.

Bad Decisions Club

One of the great things about NY is that I can go out whenever, and there's probably something I love going on, even if it's just walking around aimlessly with my ipod on and dancing down the sidewalk and gaining strange looks.

Last night, I went over to the Lower East Side, and hung out with my great friend Logan, who I'm going to be a band with. :) Most of the time, we spent our time at Rockwood Music Hall where I saw two fun shows.

The first was sort of strange for me, since I was watching a guy named Dan Torres. I met Dan years ago in college, during band camp for marching band. It's ok, folks, make your jokes now. Anyway, I had the biggest girly awkward freshman crush on him ever, and for a while, followed him around quietly and awkardly. I think the word awkward really sums up the kind of like it was too. We became sort of friends, then he left Temple at the end of spring semester. Thanks to the awkwardness of me, we never really got to keeping in touch, except once when he was back visiting a mutual friend.

Anyway, Dan was playing at Rockwood Music Hall (my favorite place in the city to hang out) and I thought, since I was going to be there for the Cardboard Bikinis (shhhhhh) at midnight, I would go early. (Plus I'm waaaaay less awkward and cooler now than my college freshman self!) It was great to see his success and how happy he is playing, and like I remember, he is really rather attractive. We didn't get to chat much after, but hopefully, I will be seeing more of him in my life. Isn't reconnection great?

Ok, then Cardboard Bikinis ! About those guys...
Yeah, Alex (boyfriend) asked: "Didn't you just see them two nights ago?"
Yes.
But this one was FREE.

Ok, so Rockwood is the size of a walk in closet. Glorified walk in closet. Somehow, Alex Wong and Amber Rubarth performed with the normal drummer (Woo, Adam Christgau), and fit three more string players on stage. It was a sardine can. Meanwhile, there were some loud ass drunkies in the back and there was a lot of telling people to shush during the show. Mo, from Deadbeat Darling, whom I also love dearly was there and it was a great chance to catch up. They didn't finish their set until 2 in the morning, and naturally, the F was once again defunct, so I didn't arrive home in Astoria until 3. Those 3 hours of sleep before getting up for work were so precious...

Easy

The easiest part about updating this blog is that I'm always at work. Obviously, I'm constantly at work, so I'll always be updating in some capacity.

I think New York weather needs to just frickin' pick a temperature.

I'm also brainstorming Christmas Gifts. (Why, Candace, it's only October, why are you planning that?!) Oh, well it's because I'm super poor, and am gifted with yarn skills and an acquired yarn stash. It will save me oodles of money, hopefully. On my list of things to make are stripey hats, mittens, wine cozies...sigh, so much knitting to do.

On a serious note, practicing has been non-existant. It's pretty bad when my awake hours after work have dwindled to about three hours, and sleep time has escalated to 10 hours on some nights and still isn't enough. Go figure.

New discovery of the day: baby goats are so flippin' cute!

Normal Blog Fare

Here is the super fast blog post to tell you that I'm in a particularly nasty mood that needs a lot of knitting. Also, mad congrats to The Paper Raincoat for their album release today.

Super Multitasking Monday

What happens on a Monday where I was not a good girl and didn't finish lesson plans? I end up playing the procrastination game WHILE I write lesson plans. Never good.

Okay, fifteen minutes later, I'm back and I'm updating. This past weekend was awesome because my boyfriend Alex was here! Did I mention that in my last post? Probably. He's pretty awesome and nerdy all at the same time. Friday night we saw Wicked. Uhhhhhh, I have no WORDS for Wicked. Yes, I knew all the music, but the entire set and dialogue pulled so much together for me. There were some really hysterical moments where G(a)linda would do something supremely girly and I would recognize it as something that I did.

Glinda: "My secret is...Fiyero and I are going to be MARRIED!"
Elphaba: "You mean he's already asked you?"
Glinda: "...well...he doesn't know yet."

So on so forth. I fully expected "Defying Gravity" to blow my mind too but seeing Elphaba reveal herself flying for the first time brought so many tears to my eyes. It was a musical full of well timed schmaltz, effects, and power. I was a giddy girl after and it was a great start to a wonderful weekend. Sadly, we forgot cameras, so no pictures of our trip to Wicked.

Saturday was equally as wonderful, although full of accidental things. Oct. 3 is my favorite person in the world, Vienna Teng's birthday! So I internet-Happy-Birthdayed her, and dragged Alex out to the Union Square farmer's market, then Chinatown. We bought some awesome fresh spinach ravioli and had it for dinner later that night, and took pictures of random other beautiful things. I will definitely be back for fresh organic produce on my own in the future. Also, there is free yoga at 9 AM! So guess who will be there!

PS, that's a vegetable that's like cauliflower called Romanesco. As Alex says, they're FRACTALS!

Music of the moment

Things I particularly enjoy listening to right now at this moment: (Look forward to a few posts like this)

- "Antebellum", Vienna Teng
- "Love", Alex Berger
- "Wish We'd Gotten Drunk", Amber Rubarth
- "My Heart has only Loved Once", Amber Rubarth
- "Right Angles", Paper Raincoat
- Sonata in b minor, Op. 58, Frederic Chopin
- "Keep the Customer Satisfied", Simon and Garfunkel
- "You and I", Ingrid Michaelson
- "Blue Caravan", Vienna Teng

I will have you know that these things are especially gratifying when wandering out in Queens on a crisp autumn evening in your favorite orange coat and ipod on.

My honey is here!

To add any more confusion, my boyfriend Alex is in town! (Too many Alexs!) He lives far away in Texas finishing school, and hopefully will be moving here next year to join me in causing chaos. Alex flew in last night, we ate a quick dinner, and an unreal amount of flan, and I proceeded to pass out before snuggles. Whoopsies.

Anyway, we have an exciting weekend planned. I'm at work again, as usual, but after I get home, more snuggles, and then we go to see Wicked, the musical! Yay! It's interesting how I feel about it. I went through this huge long phase of loving Wicked really passionately, and like any passionate phase, you lose it and it begins getting schmaltzy. (A Broadway musical, schmaltzy? Never!) I'm excited to see it, and especially glad to be seeing it with my Alex. :)

Tomorrow we had planned to go to the Met Opera, but I have a feeling that's not going to happen. I will tackle it as it comes post piano lesson! <3

Best New York Moments

This is why I moved to NY. I sometimes have these moments of overwhelming joy. Living here is really being part of something huge and I love the challenge of succeeding among so many. Also, I love feeling like an individual Candace who has control over my own life. (Oh my goodness, the babble)

Anyway.

So after work yesterday, I had plans to go to the very amazing Alex Berger's last show in the US until 2010! When I first went to a Rockwood show of his, it was pretty much a blind date, since we knew Alex Wong was producing Alex Berger's album (too many Alex's!) and Wong is so awesome that why not? Well, the 2nd time was even better than the first. Before I got to that part, I overestimated the time it would take to get from work down to 2nd Ave. With my extra hour, I ended up going...shopping.

Shopping is my doom. But. I end up with something that was originally $890 for far far less. God knows when I will actually WEAR it since it's pretty wild, but oh my goodness. But it's nice to walk around and have no obligation to time. Meh.

Alex's show at Rockwood was pretty bangin'. I pretty much loved almost everything, and it was nice going to a great show without an entire posse, something that my friend Vienna noticed. So I heard this song for the second time, and am pretty much wanting this for my wedding. (I'll talk about weddings later, thank you!) "Love"

Watch and love it!

Grownup Things I Do

So one important thing you should know about me is that I'm twenty three. In some universe, that is supposed to mean that I'm an adult. Let me tell you the truth - lies. All lies.

I remember thinking of friends who were twenty two and twenty three that they were so grown up and I couldn't wait until I was that age, when I got to take care of myself. Granted, I was living with my parents, 19, trying to finish school, struggling with my family, so I think anything might have been adult compared to myself. However, last year when I started my first job, I didn't feel like a grownup at all. I almost cried when my boss last year told me: "You're not Candace anymore, there's no choosing if you're an adult now. To the students you teach, you ARE the adult." as a reprimand. Sucks, right?

I'm finding more grownup things I do for myself every day. I mean, paying bills are adult but really...? To me, I'm having a great time paying for my own piano lessons. That's grownup. And oh man, I was so so so thrilled when I realized that I knew how to make fried rice from just watching my parents.

My grownup thing for today? Catching silverfish in the classroom so kindergarteners don't scream. I even caught it with a paper and cup, no stomping on it with boots for me. XD

I am bad at blogging

Historically speaking, I am pretty much the world's worst blogger. I write sporadically and not about anything of interest. I assume, though, this is really more for me than the rest of the universe so woohoo. Also, I mean, I live in New York!

So I've lived here in Astoria for about a month, and nothing interesting has really happened, as far as going out to see things. That's because I work, then come home, and practice piano like a crazy person until I get lazy. I feel like now is a great time to insert a Futurama-style paradox joke but hey. Although, I have to say, this morning I witnessed one of the most stunning sunrises. I should have taken a photo but was busy getting dressed and trying to run out the door. One part of the sky was so clear and ready for the morning, the majority of the sky was spattered with pink clouds, and deep blue shadows. Pretty pretty.

I might write again between teaching classes, but after, it's off to Rockwood Music Hall for Alex Berger at 6 PM. <3