Touristing - verb; to act like a tourist, go sight seeing.
New word, new word! (Maybe... haven't double checked).
Anna and I have been busy, so this post is a little late.
Tuesday was spent out at Fisherman's Wharf. We caught a 10am boat cruise around the bay/under the Golden Gate Bridge. Then headed to In&Out for lunch (it was Anna's first time there)! Post lunch was the Ripley's Believe it or Not and then the Aquarium of the Bay. As evening fell we watched the sea lions and sun set and had clam chowder in a bread bowl on Pier 39. We then bussed over to Ghiradelli Square, but it was mostly closed for the day -- still managed a free sample though!
A long but fulfilling day!
Love&Harmony,
Erin
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Monday, January 13, 2014
Friends to Visit
My friend Anna is here! She is a good friend from my time at PLU and we were able to arrange for her to come stay with me for about a week.
My room has never been cleaner -- haha. There's something that feels grown up about playing serious hostess to a good friend. We've planned out some tourist stops, are leaving others up to wanderlust. Planned out a couple meals. I'm excited to have a friend around and to go play tourist in this city I've been living in for about 5 months (give or take).
Here's to wanderlust!
Love&Harmony,
Erin
My room has never been cleaner -- haha. There's something that feels grown up about playing serious hostess to a good friend. We've planned out some tourist stops, are leaving others up to wanderlust. Planned out a couple meals. I'm excited to have a friend around and to go play tourist in this city I've been living in for about 5 months (give or take).
Here's to wanderlust!
Love&Harmony,
Erin
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Downton Downers
**Spoilers Warning** In case (if) anyone (is) reading this hasn't seen episode 2 and cares!
Ah, Downton. This week you are back to breaking our hearts. Well, actually, who am I kidding. You just can't stop. I recommend some therapy - of course, then what would the fans have to talk about?!
While the generally lighter atmosphere of the (3-day?) house party was welcome, I suffered sympathy heart palpitations when Mrs. Pattermore had her heart attack. And then Anna being attacked and raped?! Multiplied by the fact that she is afraid to tell Mr. Bates for his own good, it's absolutely heart wrenching. (Also, having the scene occur while Dame Kiri te Kawana was singing was a bit strange for me personally...) He knows something is wrong and he's going to find out. The question that remains is what will he do about it? Also -- will this result in a pregnancy? The show's history has taught me to expect just about anything.
I still don't like Edna, though she was slightly less vile until the very end. No good will come of whatever happens there, I think. Is Tom really going to try and leave? Never the less, when she's not scheming to get into bed with him, she does seem to be a welcome relief to him - someone who understands.
It was happy to see Mary actually smile and laugh! And then immediately saddening when the moment is juxtaposed with Isabelle's pain and loneliness. Maybe the Dr. hasn't quite given up hope there, yet though. Perhaps she isn't so alone as she feels?
BARROW you are SUCH a pompous ass. That is all.
As a singer, the singer bits of this episode were absolutely hilarious. All of that crisis over someone who sings for a living! Was it really so scandalous for her to be upstairs, Carson? :) And I am a fan of Dame Kiri. Of course, she's retired and there were some audible moments as to why, especially if you compare to her career years. But it was still exciting to have opera on such a hit show. Of course, that meant "O mio babbino caro" would be heard (since that's the aria everybody knows)! Still, it was exciting.
Then there's Edith and the editor. (I still don't know what he's called by heart and don't feel like looking it up... oops.) Finally getting a decent opinion out of Lord Grantham! I still am uncertain of what I think will happen. The Germany thing will somehow blow up in their faces; maybe not drastically, but it can't be a smart move. However, I've got hopes for this relationship to work out, even if it's against the odds in Edith's case. If it doesn't, I still say she should go to America and meet a man while staying with her mother's mother!
Well, that about sums it up. Looking forward to next week for both Downton AND SHERLOCK!!! So much Masterpiece Theater and I love it! Haha.
Love&Harmony,
Erin
Ah, Downton. This week you are back to breaking our hearts. Well, actually, who am I kidding. You just can't stop. I recommend some therapy - of course, then what would the fans have to talk about?!
While the generally lighter atmosphere of the (3-day?) house party was welcome, I suffered sympathy heart palpitations when Mrs. Pattermore had her heart attack. And then Anna being attacked and raped?! Multiplied by the fact that she is afraid to tell Mr. Bates for his own good, it's absolutely heart wrenching. (Also, having the scene occur while Dame Kiri te Kawana was singing was a bit strange for me personally...) He knows something is wrong and he's going to find out. The question that remains is what will he do about it? Also -- will this result in a pregnancy? The show's history has taught me to expect just about anything.
I still don't like Edna, though she was slightly less vile until the very end. No good will come of whatever happens there, I think. Is Tom really going to try and leave? Never the less, when she's not scheming to get into bed with him, she does seem to be a welcome relief to him - someone who understands.
It was happy to see Mary actually smile and laugh! And then immediately saddening when the moment is juxtaposed with Isabelle's pain and loneliness. Maybe the Dr. hasn't quite given up hope there, yet though. Perhaps she isn't so alone as she feels?
BARROW you are SUCH a pompous ass. That is all.
As a singer, the singer bits of this episode were absolutely hilarious. All of that crisis over someone who sings for a living! Was it really so scandalous for her to be upstairs, Carson? :) And I am a fan of Dame Kiri. Of course, she's retired and there were some audible moments as to why, especially if you compare to her career years. But it was still exciting to have opera on such a hit show. Of course, that meant "O mio babbino caro" would be heard (since that's the aria everybody knows)! Still, it was exciting.
Then there's Edith and the editor. (I still don't know what he's called by heart and don't feel like looking it up... oops.) Finally getting a decent opinion out of Lord Grantham! I still am uncertain of what I think will happen. The Germany thing will somehow blow up in their faces; maybe not drastically, but it can't be a smart move. However, I've got hopes for this relationship to work out, even if it's against the odds in Edith's case. If it doesn't, I still say she should go to America and meet a man while staying with her mother's mother!
Well, that about sums it up. Looking forward to next week for both Downton AND SHERLOCK!!! So much Masterpiece Theater and I love it! Haha.
Love&Harmony,
Erin
Saturday, January 11, 2014
Reflections on Success
What makes us succeed -- in general, and particularly in singing/music? I had a really great experience today at an audition. I can't figure what the outcome will be as they have many more singers to hear across the country, but it was a personal best for me. This high C just kind of popped out of my mouth. Assuming it wasn't a complete fluke (certainly didn't feel that way), I've been trying to figure what exactly happened. I didn't think about it much in the moment, except for maybe something like "breath" and "vowel" and "let all the notes feel where the C feels." But those weren't even so distinct, and they had to happen all at once for it to come out that way. So... what led to that?
Practice
I definitely took a break over the holidays, but after about 5 days it was time to kick my butt into gear (especially because all of these arias weren't quite memorized...). So, I practiced - words, meaning, notes, rhythms, breath -- I mean, inhale!, singing vowel without "placing" anything. Everything that I had been working on this semester. Sometimes it clicked, sometimes not so much. This begs the question, if I had been practicing more in school, would it be more consistent? I can't say (who could?). I didn't practice as much as humanly possible, but I worked on making practice count.
Diligence
One of my coaches in fall semester challenged our class to make the most of each practice session. Rather than working for hours on end, which is not that healthy for singing to begin with, focus on the true trouble spots and work til they are right. Meaning, don't let a vowel that wasn't so great slip past you. For me personally (and I think most of my teacher's studio), it starts with making sure each breath is right. Eventually, you have to put everything together and run the song -- keep going despite something not being quite right. Hopefully enough diligence in practice results in auto-pilot technique, especially when audition nerves start kicking in!
Asking for Help
The thing is, we can't be successful on our own. Maybe this works in some fields, but in almost all of music and performance we rely on other people to help make it truly great. Three of my four arias had not been performed publicly performed and one of them I started on 1.5 to 2 months ago, never mind just memorizing it over break. I needed to run them with accompaniment; heaven bless Amy, an accompanist (and friend!) from home, whom I called on relatively short notice and was willing to run through the audition rep with me. This also extends to my wonderful teacher, who gave me one last lesson before the break to make sure I got back on the breathing right horse, which I fell off of the week before juries... There's also all of my coaches and their gold nuggets of advice for musicality and preparation; same with directors. Of course, the support of friends and peers makes a difference too. Basically, as far as I'm concerned, the success of one person cannot be attributed to just one person. Behind them are the experiences with, advice from, and encouragement of all those who believe in them to help along the way.
Anyway... just a few overarching thoughts about things that lead to success. What's also important is upkeep (which could fall under diligence). One success has to be followed by many more to make a successful career. Quality upkeep comes from these same ideas, for if one success can be achieved, imagine the others are out there waiting. :)
Love&Harmony,
ERin
Practice
I definitely took a break over the holidays, but after about 5 days it was time to kick my butt into gear (especially because all of these arias weren't quite memorized...). So, I practiced - words, meaning, notes, rhythms, breath -- I mean, inhale!, singing vowel without "placing" anything. Everything that I had been working on this semester. Sometimes it clicked, sometimes not so much. This begs the question, if I had been practicing more in school, would it be more consistent? I can't say (who could?). I didn't practice as much as humanly possible, but I worked on making practice count.
Diligence
One of my coaches in fall semester challenged our class to make the most of each practice session. Rather than working for hours on end, which is not that healthy for singing to begin with, focus on the true trouble spots and work til they are right. Meaning, don't let a vowel that wasn't so great slip past you. For me personally (and I think most of my teacher's studio), it starts with making sure each breath is right. Eventually, you have to put everything together and run the song -- keep going despite something not being quite right. Hopefully enough diligence in practice results in auto-pilot technique, especially when audition nerves start kicking in!
Asking for Help
The thing is, we can't be successful on our own. Maybe this works in some fields, but in almost all of music and performance we rely on other people to help make it truly great. Three of my four arias had not been performed publicly performed and one of them I started on 1.5 to 2 months ago, never mind just memorizing it over break. I needed to run them with accompaniment; heaven bless Amy, an accompanist (and friend!) from home, whom I called on relatively short notice and was willing to run through the audition rep with me. This also extends to my wonderful teacher, who gave me one last lesson before the break to make sure I got back on the breathing right horse, which I fell off of the week before juries... There's also all of my coaches and their gold nuggets of advice for musicality and preparation; same with directors. Of course, the support of friends and peers makes a difference too. Basically, as far as I'm concerned, the success of one person cannot be attributed to just one person. Behind them are the experiences with, advice from, and encouragement of all those who believe in them to help along the way.
Anyway... just a few overarching thoughts about things that lead to success. What's also important is upkeep (which could fall under diligence). One success has to be followed by many more to make a successful career. Quality upkeep comes from these same ideas, for if one success can be achieved, imagine the others are out there waiting. :)
Love&Harmony,
ERin
Friday, January 10, 2014
Back in the Bay
Long day. Was productive. Lots of walking. Tired and a little lonely, truth be told.
G'night.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
This is Home
Playing with the dog.
Cold marble countertops.
Crossword puzzle collaborations.
Neighborhood walks.
Singing with the church band on Sundays.
Doggie cuddles and kisses.
Laughing.
Downton Abbey season premieres.
Going to the library.
Going to the movies.
Helping with chores.
Talking.
Hugging with back cracking.
Dog hair on everything.
Going to the park.
Visiting friends and "old" haunts (PLU).
Rain!
Cooking.
Christmas Eve and Christmas morning traditions.
Snuggles on the couch.
Movie weekends.
Watching NOVA.
Reading the comics.
Doing the car shuffle.
Getting the mail.
Tripping over dog toys.
Eating dinner together.
Playing games.
---------------------
It's hard to leave this place. Especially when mom starts getting teary. Little things are different each time I come back from being gone a while, but the important little things are constant -- the things that make home truly feel like home. The warmth and love of my family will always be here, so I'm always happy to come back. And I can go on knowing it will be here when I get back. :)
And now for some not-so-great phone pics that help sum up home/Christmas break 2013/14.
Cold marble countertops.
Crossword puzzle collaborations.
Neighborhood walks.
Singing with the church band on Sundays.
Doggie cuddles and kisses.
Laughing.
Downton Abbey season premieres.
Going to the library.
Going to the movies.
Helping with chores.
Talking.
Hugging with back cracking.
Dog hair on everything.
Going to the park.
Visiting friends and "old" haunts (PLU).
Rain!
Cooking.
Christmas Eve and Christmas morning traditions.
Snuggles on the couch.
Movie weekends.
Watching NOVA.
Reading the comics.
Doing the car shuffle.
Getting the mail.
Tripping over dog toys.
Eating dinner together.
Playing games.
---------------------
It's hard to leave this place. Especially when mom starts getting teary. Little things are different each time I come back from being gone a while, but the important little things are constant -- the things that make home truly feel like home. The warmth and love of my family will always be here, so I'm always happy to come back. And I can go on knowing it will be here when I get back. :)
And now for some not-so-great phone pics that help sum up home/Christmas break 2013/14.
The "Bazinga Family" ornament is a staple on our tree.
O Tannenbaum, o Tannenbaum, it's Christmas time, om nom nom.
It snowed!
Just enough. :)
Apple dumplings for dad's birthday. Not the best lighting -- they're pretty and delicious!
Christmas day with the family at cousin Leanne's house in OR. My sister with one of the cats.
Peanut-butter cookies = the only cookies for our holiday season this year.
New Years Eve appetizer for celebrating at Haley's - Greek Swirls.
Creeping on Steph's and my room at PLU from sophomore year after dropping Emily off.
Getting nostalgic in Lagerquist.
The Mountain. Aka Mt. Rainier as viewed from my high school.
St. John's set up for Christmas. My Sunday night home.
So, as I head back to The Bay tomorrow, a taste of home for the road.
Love&Harmony,
Erin
Wednesday, January 8, 2014
Mistakes
Making mistakes is the worst. Especially when they affect people you care about. And until you know how they'll react when you tell them (which can always be delayed when expressed via technology), it weighs on you like a big ball and chain of guilt and worry that they're going to be mad at you. Then your over-thinking mind turns their possible anger into some sort of unforgivable hatred towards you for ruining everything.
Nothing's ruined and my friends are completely reasonable and rational people. It's a situation that requires rationality. It's going to be fine. But as much as I try to tell myself that, until I hear back my mind is going to worry. Worry worry worry. Ugh.
Does this happen to other people??
Love&Harmony,
Erin
Nothing's ruined and my friends are completely reasonable and rational people. It's a situation that requires rationality. It's going to be fine. But as much as I try to tell myself that, until I hear back my mind is going to worry. Worry worry worry. Ugh.
Does this happen to other people??
Love&Harmony,
Erin
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