WELL. I'M HAPPY I ENTERTAIN YOU.

No...really, I am! Is it strange that twice in the last week I've been at a big dinner (one was Thanksgiving dinner, one was a dinner at a friend's house earlier tonight) where at some point, everyone demanded I sing? When I was younger I got really nervous about it but I guess I don't really have a problem with singing for people anymore; I really will sing on request. Why should I not? I love to sing. My only stipulation is not to sing on request when I feel it would be obnoxious. For example, a new friend requested a song while we were in the Hark (basically HLS's student center - cafeteria, study areas, mailboxes etc) and I declined b/c no one likes that person who would have said yes and starting singing and interrupting everyone in the room. I'm already bad enough about drifting off into Audrey-land and singing in public sometimes without thinking. (I keep getting caught singing in the elevator when the doors open and someone is unexpectedly standing there. I wonder what my neighbors think of me when I'm like 'O MIO BABBINO CARO, MI PI-ohgod! um. Ahem. ......Good Morning.') My thing with singing at the dinners was that I felt kind of as though it was unfair of me to demand everyone's attention. We're all just hanging out drinking wine and then suddenly I'm supposed to stand at the front of the room and everybody's supposed to pay attention to Audrey. I no longer feel nervous about my voice. I sing in the tunnels here all of the time. (Underground tunnels that go from building to bulding in the law school) I do feel nervous about demanding everyone's attention, like there's probably that one person who would was really enjoying the conversation they were having before I ruined it and started singing art songs. But, my friend's mom was here from Korea and made us all such a lovely dinner, so I said I would sing for her as thanks.

Afterwards, someone asked me if I could do either, sing for a living successfully or be a lawyer, which would I choose? And I answered honestly that I would sing. Because it's true. I don't think I've loved anything I've ever done as much as I love the music I've helped to create or perform. We then spent about half an hour with them trying to convince me that I should pursue it. They all looked like they so earnestly believed I could do it, which is sweet. But it honestly always kind of hurts to hear it...because I really wish I could. And I would if I thought I could make it. Maybe the reason I'm hesistant to sing is not beause I feel guilty when everyone is paying attention; maybe it's just that I fear this very conversation will follow, and I'll have to play the part of dream-crusher to my own dreams and say it's not realistic when I really wish it were.

Wow...has it really been that long?

Well in my last post I was raving about Harvard and not-dating...and while one may expect me to have a dramatically different mind-set 5 months and a ton of new experiences later, I suppose the old adage 'the more things change, the more they stay the same' is rather applicable. Although maybe that saying is too simplistic; things definitely do seem to be changing and not staying the same. It's barely been two weeks since orientation and I'm still getting a feel for the place but there are already things I've been disappointed by, and already things that are surprisingly better than I expected. I'm also realizing how much I've changed since college, since being in a brand new place against a new backdrop of people can kind of make you realize those sorts of things. Well, I'm being uber-irresponsible writing this while I should be writing a Memo for Legal Writing, so I will stop there for now - unfortunately not really conveying anything substantial - and leave with the promise of more once I get a chance to catch my breath (which will hopefully be before next summer).

Scrap That

After my weekend away at Harvard, I decided not to write about the other stuff that was bothering me before I left. Being away gave me a breath of fresh air. Tons of new people who I don't already know an uncomfortably large amount of information about, and tons of new people who don't already know an uncomfortably large amount of information about me. A time where I can start off making fresh decisions, where there's no one around me to tempt me into giving second chances, where I can assume the best about people, and everyone has the potential to be a new wonderful addition to my life. (and I can potentially add great things to theirs). So while I did have to talk about the Lacrosse mess with more people then I would've wanted to (because they put your undergraduate institution under your name on your ID cards....ugh), I still had a wonderful wonderful wonderful weekend. I loved being whisked around to meet new important people. I loved the faculty, administration and current students all pulling out all the stops to make me feel welcome and important. I love looking for a new place to live (although gooooodnesss graaaacious I'm going to miss living with Stanley). I love exploring a new city. I love making new friends and sitting up til 2 and 3 in the morning talking with new girlfriends about important stuff like careers and professors and silly stuff like dating and chuckling about the nerdy Harvard guys! And even though a TON of people there were married, (lol, to the point where, on the tour they took us on, someone came to me and said 'are you here alone?'), it all just made me smile because everyone there was so friendly and interesting that it made me feel more special than any guy has for, oh the past 5, 6 years. But I wasn't sad to leave because 1) I have great friends here too that I love and 2) I know it won't be too long before I get to go back :-D

Harvard, you sure know how to show a girl a good time.
You put my last 3 dates to shame.

My Desiderata

My Dictionary.com Word of The Day (yes. I get a word of the day in my email. Read: Nerd) was recently Desiderata. Actually, it was Desideratum (to quote dictionary.com - Something desired or considered necessary. Desideratum is from Latin desideratum, "a thing desired," from desiderare, "to desire.") but I’ve always liked the plural better. It makes me think of my desires and desired things. Plural. So I don’t have to choose just one.

Okay, so maybe I don’t want to choose one, but, lately, I've been thinking I should at least narrow it down a little bit. It's fun to pursue my desires, but I need to prioritize them - for real. I'm starting my second job this Sunday, and I have to teach FOUR HOUR LONG lsat classes (sometimes four and a half) twice a week - so very soon it will be time to stop the bullsh*t-late-night-stayin-up-for-no-reason. Not to mention, it's go-time on Financial Aid for HLS and I need to start making trips up to Cambridge to look for a place to live. I've gotta figure out what I'm doing for health insurance for the next three years, I've gotta defer my undergraduate loans, I need to save to pay my Student Contribution this fall and secure loans for the rest of it. These are things that I really haven't been paying enough attention to because I've been taking for granted how much time I have left to do them....But I can't live all my last moments here in Durham in preparation for leaving. And I want to travel - my best friend and I want to take a cruise; I want to visit friends in London this summer; I've been meaning to make road trips to ATL to chill with some of my girls from college. I want to meet new people and go new places (like I'll be doing in the fall) and have fun but at the same time I want to enjoy every moment of the familiar because soon I'll be dealing with so much of the unknown. I know I sound like a college senior....but it's true when they say a year really isn't that long and that it sneaks up on you. There's more I wanted to do in this time off. But, I must remember two lessons from the end of undergrad: First, this year is over - but, praise God, my LIFE isn't. People started doing crazy, stupid stuff at the end of senior year like "I’ve got to. It's my last chance to (insert foolishness here)." Seize the day, yes, but there's no need for me to act like life is ending. God willing, I'll be able to take that latin dance class, or take voice lessons, later if I still want to. Second, it's extremely difficult, if not impossible, to find the time to do Everything on a list of Everything I Wanted To Do Before I Leave when I'm given such a limited period of time. The trick I learned from last year is not to feel like I've failed because I can't check everything off of that list of 'what I planned to fill my time with this year', but rather just to make sure that what I actually end up filling my time with are things that I sincerely enjoy....
That, or filling out the FAFSA - cuz I really need to get that shit done.

February 14th 2006

So I'm riding on the highway around noon Feb 14th, today, Valentine's Day - for which I have no actual romantic plans, but it's cool cuz I'm thinking about all the errands I have to run before the clock strikes 5 and I'm not really thinking about Singles Awareness Day to any real degree, but nevertheless, definitely not enjoying all of the incessant reminders on the radio, in the grocery store, etc. And I'm behind one of those tow trucks towing another truck - you know, the ones that you always ride behind and look at kind of warily and think 'is this safe?' as the truck being towed sways dangerously each time the tow truck hits a pothole or some other road obstruction, but you figure, these trucks are allowed on the road all the time, so it must be alright. Well, this particular tow truck was driving too slowly for this already-rushing-sister so I put on the left turn signal, and changed lanes and the instant - the INSTANT I did - before I was even completely out of the lane - I watched a big blue tarp fly off the back of the truck being towed, and dance defiantly off to my right (after quickly shaking itself free of the obviously insubstantial strings and rope that were tying it down), followed immediately by a huge tire speeding, with reckless abandon, toward the exact position where my windshield had just been. And I thought to myself at once, Today is going to be a Wonderful Day.

Because it's always a wonderful day when you avoid having a tire fly through your windshield at 60 mph, and dodge a big blue tarp that's anxious to eradicate any hope of a clear view of the highway that you're driving down with no seatbelt on - silly girl.

And, on the more serious side, it reminded me that my Lord is always looking out for me and thinking of me. Which is always wonderful, but especially good to know today. It was like it was His way of dialing me up and saying 'just thinking of you' and wishing me a Happy Valentine’s Day, like a loving Father does. When asked by a friend of mine a week or so ago what I’d want if I could have anything for Valentine’s Day, I responded “To be thought of” and I think I got my wish.

so now I'm in a good enough mood to say it -
Happy Valentine's Day, Everyone:-)

I lied, i read 3 blogs

I read my ex's every now and then. But I read it so infrequently that I forgot about it when I was mentioning blogs I read. Speaking of him, guys, and relationships (including friendships) in general, I thought about the fact that I've had a lot of, as Alberto put it, 'valleys' in that department over the last 5 years. College is hills and valleys, and I, admittedly had my share of valleys. It's easy to feel a little jaded after all of that. As I sat thinking about this in French class today I realized the solution to the problem of becoming jaded; think only in French. Being as I just started french as a new language back in july (before that I'd been in Spanish since junior high) I don't yet know any conditional or past tenses. Currently, I can only really convey what I'm doing right now, what I'm going to do, or what I wish to do in the future. I have no words for the past and no words for could've, should've or would've. Sounds good to me.

A new theory

I've got this new theory that I'm still trying to flesh out completely, but the gist is that, just like one goes through stages on the way to acceptance of a loss (denial, anger, etc), there are stages one goes through after being rejected.

The most immediate one, for me at least, is Relief. At least you know and don't have to waste time or energy on someone who's not interested - and you can go on to find someone else, or at least not worry about it anymore. However, this feeling is short lived (for the moment) and is quickly overcome by feelings of Embarrassment. It can last a long time for some, but the more fortunate of us are able to rid ourselves of it with just a night's rest (and the most fortunate of us have teddy bears that provide immeasurable comfort and support).

Another stage, one that can easily overlap with the Embarrassment Stage, is Sadness. Mixed in with those feelings of wanting to hide under your pillow (so you don't have to remember that awkward look on someone's face, or think about how uncomfortable that conversation just was, etc.) can also be a sadness that mourns the loss of whatever you imagined could have happened had your interest been returned. This stage can be mitigated by finding out early on if someone's not interested before you get too far along emotionally. It's pretty logical, actually. It's human nature for feelings to increase over time, so if you wait a year there's going to be a much more difficult Sadness stage because you have a lot more hopes to mourn the loss of. I've become of a fan of getting it out of the way earlier on - mostly because I don't like spending that kind of energy on anyone who's not spending it on me, but also because the Sadness stage can be the hardest one to get through so whatever option shortens that stage for me is most desirable. A warning, however; embarrassment is no picnic. And shorten the length of life on 'sadness' and expect to feel the embarrassment more keenly since there's nothing else to distract you in that stage from what you've just done (but again, if you have a bear named marshmallow - you'll be fine.)

The next stage is all about holding on to that embarrassment and dragging it around with you and into social situations. You guessed it - Awkwardness. Good news (and bad news, in a way) about this one, though - it is what you make of it. You can dwell in it as long as you let yourself, or choose to feel empowered by the fact that you took a shot and (hopefully) handled the situation and subsequent rejection with grace and let the embarrassment go. It seems like a lot crappy stages and feelings to go through but, in the final stage, you get to genuinely fill yourself with the air of relief that you only got a quick breath of before all the shit went down. It's there, trust me, it comes. And if you keep a perspective, you can actually surprise yourself and find yourself back at relief as soon as you'd hoped ('cause everyone hopes for a speedy recovery.)

And so I set out to see if there's a better way to handle these kinds of things then (as I would've done as little as a year ago) to just spend months and months hoping they notice that you tried to look especially pretty for them and said witty things in their presence. (i mean, who has the patience for that?) And I submit to you all that there is a better way. Recognize that your affections are valuable, and find out if the person you want to share it with wants to share theirs with you. Giving away affection to someone who may not be interested is draining - so find out if the person wants to value your valuables and, if not, find someone else who does. Come on LMK, I'm talking to you!

And on an unrelated note - I love Lola and the fact that all of the affections I give to her she returns. Knowing her has been so rewarding - especially tonight.

Survey's make me happy

...but I only read two people's blog's and Stanley never does survey's really so guess who I stole this from...

So I'm super late on this cuz the new year was weeks ago, but, hey, I've been busy

1. What did you do in 2005 that you'd never done before? Lived alone all summer - practically in complete isolation because I didn't really have friends nearby. I'd go days without seeing anybody, sometimes weeks without seeing anybody except the people at work. At least I know I can handle it next year
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? ...so much happened in 2005 I can't even remember where my mind was at on New Years last year. I think I just wanted to be sure I got into law school...
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? I have a baby niece - although she was born nov. 1 2004 (pretty close)
4. Did anyone close to you die? My great-grandmother
5. What countries did you visit? Single-land. Just after the New Year, I was single for the first time in almost 3 years...fabulous.
6. What would you like to have in 2006 that you lacked in 2005? Money. I had great friends, academics went well, and, with that break-up, I recovered a lot of self-respect - so I'd have to say money not for frivilous stuff - I mean, can I pay my rent and car note?
7. What date (day) from 2005 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? A lot of dates will be etched in my mind from 2005. Among them: Graduation - May 15th. The day I got into Georgetown because it was the first letter I got so I was like "Yaaaaay! Someone wants me!" The day I got accepted into Harvard, cuz I was like "WHooooaaaaa!" The day I got the part of Aldonza because it is my first lead (and I wanted it BAD). I'd been listening to the music and planning my audition since the summer, lol. And there are a lot of people that I met in 2005 - the memory of those first encounters won't soon be forgotten.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Leaving a relationship, graduating, and getting into Harvard law, dealing with it and being over it. (multiple 'its')
9. What was your biggest failure? I guess if I picked a failure it'd be waiting too long to do some things I should've done sooner. But I'm mostly just glad they got done.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nope, Praise God
11. What was the best thing you bought? a bed
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My family, my friends
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? the american government, my "friends"
14. Where did most of your money go? food
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Law school, graduating, Lola
16. What songs will always remind you of 2005? Sunday Morning - Maroon 5, Clarity - John Mayer, Debussy - Clair de Lune
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? happier
ii. thinner or fatter? a little thinner
iii. richer or poorer? same
18. What do you wish you'd done more of? more writing
19. What do you wish you'd done less of? doubting myself
20. What are you glad you did more of in 2005? meeting new people, trying new things
21. How will you be spending Christmas? I spent it with my family. And for the first time in years, my brother and my two cousins (like brothers), and I were all in the same room together. All so much older (and so much taller - Bobby's shockingly tall!), all doing so much with our lives, but still so much love for each other.
22. Did you fall in love in 2005? I fell out of it. but I think I had really fallen out of it long before that - sometimes it just takes a little while to realize that kind of thing.
23. What was your favorite TV program? Sex and the City
24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I don't hate anyone. Not even my father.
25. What was the best book you read? Your Blues Ain't Like Mine
26. What was your greatest musical discovery? I guess John Mayer - "Heavier Things" was on heavy rotation.
27. What did you want and get? Aldonza, great new friends, Law School!
28. What did you want and not get? Stuff I probably didn't need anyway
29. What was your favorite film of this year? Amelie. I know it came out awhile ago, but I didn't see it til this year.
30. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I went to work at Lakewood Elementary and got birthday cards from all the sweet and beautiful little kids I worked with. I got dressed up and went out to dinner with friends at the Wa Duke (Owen Wilson sat at the table next to me). And then I went by House and had cake with HnH. I was 22. Much better b-day than 21.
31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?well...I could've had more money. Every thing else I'm pretty satisfied with.
32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2005? In 2005 I solidified my love of earrings!
33. What kept you sane? my Lord, Stan, Man of La Mancha (but it also drove me crazy a little bit. good outweighs the bad, though.) my friends, my new friends, mama, my little niece. Knowing I have a future. And everyone who keeps me laughing.
34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Mos Def's so fine...but so's Adrien Brody (I don't care what anybody says.)
35. What political issue stirred you the most? The Patriot Act, this War, Barbara Bush going down to New Orleans and saying, Well these people never had much anyway. The former secretary of education saying if you wanted to reduce crime he knows for a fact you could reduce it if you "abort all the black babies" then adding "of course that would be morally reprehensible - BUT it would lower the crime rate." And then the people who argued that it was taken out of context.
36. Who did you miss? my friends after graduation
37. Who was the best new person you met? I'm blessed to have met a good many wonderful new people
38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2005: Independence. Serious independence.
39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year: "And airports see it all the time. Where someone's last goodbye blends in with someone sigh cause someone's coming home, in hand a single rose. And that's the way this wheel keeps working now, that's the way this wheel keeps working now. And he won't be the last, no he won't be the last to love me. You can't build a house of leaves, And live like it's an evergreen. It's just a season thing. It's just this thing the seasons do. And that's the way this wheel keeps working now, that's the way this wheel keeps working now. And you won't be the first, no you won't be the first to love me....I believe that my life's gonna see the love I give returned to me."
40. What will you be doing to ring in 2006? I spent it with family

For the first time...

Here's something I've noticed in the past few weeks: for the first time in my life, I look in the mirror and although I see the flaws, I wouldn't want to look like anyone else but me. Gone are the days of high school where I would try to make it through the school day without looking at a mirror so I wouldn't have to feel bad about myself. I like looking like I do now (granted, I look rather different from how I looked when I was younger...my brother says I did a "serious 'ugly duckling'" but still, it's easy to find reasons not to feel good about yourself). I like the shape of my eyes and how dark they are. I like my smile, my high waist-line, my long legs (and short torso - as much as it all used to bother me) I'm learning to appreciate my height. These are things that had to grow on me. It sometimes upset me (and still gets to me every now and thing, but much less so) to enter a room and have to stand so high above everyone. To go places and never be able to move about unnoticed because of how my height made me stick out. Yeah it's cool sometimes to make an entrance and have everyone looking your way if you're having a great day and feeling/looking like a million bucks. But what about when you only got 3 hours of sleep so you could finish that 20 page paper? What about when you're sad and having one of those moments where all you want to do is just get through your activities without bursting into tears? But I've realized it just means I have to be more sure of myself, more in control of myself, less self-conscious. And those are all good things. And instead of obsessing over flaws that are long gone (except for in my own head - sometimes things change and it takes awhile for your mind to catch up. I looked in the mirror and saw ugly duckling long after people were insisting they saw a swan.) or obsessing over flaws that I can't do anything about but live with, I just appreciate the over-all person. I shouldn't be afraid to be me, to walk into a room - all 5'11'' of me (6 ft with shoes on) - smile with confidence, and speak with self-assuredness. I'm not perfect; I shouldn't have to be. And I shouldn't beat myself up for not being born with this feature or that feature (or that cup-size). To quote "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince" back when he was known as Prince:

"It's the kind of beauty
That's got no reason to ever be shy
'Cause, honey, it's the kind of beauty
The kind that comes from inside..."
("The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" - what you know about that 90s music?)

Stolen from Rob aka Pedro aka....

Open iTunes/iPod or Windows Media Player to answer the following. Go to your library. Answer, no matter how embarrassing it is.

How many songs: 3193 (and a ton of CDs I haven't added yet)

Sort by song title:
First Song: 13th Floor - Growing Old by Outkast
Last Song: Your Song - Moulin Rouge Soundtrack

Sort by time:
Shortest Song: I'm Black - "Hair" the musical (0:27)
Longest Song: If I Were A Bell - Miles Davis (13:34)

Sort by album:
First Song: You Should Be Here - Raphael Saadiq (Album: "Instant Vintage")
Last Song: Centipede - Rebbie Jackson (Album: Yours Faithfully) you probably won't know this song unless you're over 35. I have a lot of music that was before my time....

Top Five Most Played Songs:
1. For Real - Amel Larrieux
2. Clarity - John Mayer
3. The Book of Love - Peter Gabriel
4. Breathe Your Name -- Sixpense None The Richer
5. The Real Thing - Gwen Stefani
(It's All The Same from Man of La Mancha made the top ten:))

First song that comes up on Shuffle: I Believe In You and Me - Whitney Houston (pre-crack)

Search:
"sex", how many songs come up? 10
"death", how many songs come up? 1
"love", how many songs come up? 303
"you", how many songs come up? 499

Conclusion: Most of the dirty songs I listen to have a lot of innuendo and don't actually have 'sex' in the title. Also, I'm a hopeless romantic.