I'm on youtube!

I am applying for the "O Say Can You Sing!"  contest.  There is a version of me singing the national anthem on youtube!  Go give me five stars please!  Here is the link:

"www.youtube.com/users/gauragirl"

Thanks!

<3 Amanda

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!

Happy Birthday Dad!   We all love you very much!

<3>

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I feel like a bee these days. I really do. Going from flower to flower, from class to class.
One of my friends said today "I don't see you anymore" to which I replied "That's cause every hour of my day is planned out, and I don't live on the 13th floor anymore..."
And this is true to an extent. If we haven't planned to eat together, or planned to hang out then I'll just take up the little free time I do have with homework, practicing, or Jamie time. This week was really busy, full of little ups and downs.
Up= we started planning my senior recital is voice lessons this week! SO EXCITED YOU ALL BETTER COME! :-D
Down = I was taking my online course quiz when my Safari program shut down unexpectedly.... (but I emailed her and got to take it over again :) )

I'm having a program on Sunday called "Pancakes and Porkies" where I am making my residents Pancakes and Porkies.... but here is teh weird thing: no one down here has ever heard of them being called Porkies! They all asked me what it was! AH! SO WEIRD! idk what they call them instead... breakfast sausages? Guess it's just another Wisconsin thing..... great... :-/

O by the way, I'm loosing my accent, I can hear it.... :(

But yea, I cannot wait till Saturday! I am going to a friends house up by Belmont... and I just can't wait to get out of the UC and Roosevelt.

Here I come the rest of the week!

Buuuuuuuuuuuuzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Valentines Video and Picture

Valentines and schtuff

This weekend actually turned out really really well.  

Friday night I went with Biv and Jamie out to TGI Fridays.  I got the Sizzling Chicken and Shrimp (my favorite!).  It was good to get out of the UC.   We then went to the Cheesecake Factory and got a Vanilla Bean Cheesecake that is now sitting in my fridge tempting me.....grrr... it is VERY good though.  Delicious!   We went to a few stores, then came home and watched Charlie Wilson's War.   I liked it, not my fav but still good. 

Saturday was Valentines Day and Jamie and I's 6 month anniversary.   He spoiled me.  He took me to Ghirardelli's for chocolate shakes, then we went shopping, and then he finished with a horse drawn carriage ride down Michigan Ave and Lakeshore drive.  It was beautiful.  I'm so happy with him.  I set up a little scavenger hunt around my room.  It lead him to a video on facebook I made of us, a lil book I made of say, a pic of us and then a quote from Tupac's Unconditional Love, and then I ended by giving him a back massage cause he was sore from working out.    It was the best Valentines day I could have asked for and i'm very happy.

Life is good, busy, but good.  I am an RA, taking 18 credits (just added an online class!) and am trying to balance my friends into all that.   I'm handling it all ok.  I can feel myself mature.  I love it here.

NEW HAIR DO!

I got a new hair do!

I GOT BANGS!

:D

Windy City

I truely do live in the Windy City.  

Right now I am whirling about, being twirled one way then swirled another.

And the thing is:  I love it.

I love learning about American Folk Music in the 60's, then swirling into Italian, then twirling to my friends in the Music Conservatory office, then taking a left to sing in choir, a hop to voice lessons, a skip to theory, another twirl to an RA meeting and open door hours, a spin to meet new residents on my floor, a right to spending time with Jamie and Biv, a skip to homework, a twist to make a poster for a program.... 

I am constantly in motion these days. 

I love it.

Please don't make me stop. 

:-D

Sorry!

Sorry I have not been reachable lately.  I've been very busy.  I  planned a program for February 22nd called "Pancakes and Porkies"  cause no one here has heard them called "porkies" before!  Weird!  But yea I am making my floor pancakes and porkies on a sunday morning.  I've been doing  a lot of homework on the side, papers and such.  Practicing here and there, been having very good voice lessons.  It was 56 on Saturday so I went for a walk with biv and jamie, sooooo nice!

I got sick.  I had a cold really bad, and I got a stomach cramp a few times, I had to leave choir on thursday cause I was getting sick to my stomach and nauseas... but I feel better now.  Still congested, but better.  Jamie fed me lots of Emergen-C  so I'm guessing that helped a lot.

Yesterday I spent 9 hours in one room evalutating prospect RA's.  It was so long.  Afterwards I was taking down balloons, and no body wanted them, so I was like "Sweet!  I'll take them to my residents!"  Everyone was like "ok amanda"  but they ended up really loving them.  I gave them all away, and I met a lot of new people in the process.  I really like my job, my floor, and I'm very lucky to have the position I have.

So that is why I've been so busy. 

Quote of the day: "FLAT THAT PITCH!"  in theory class.... said like "slap that bitch!" hahaha

IMEA and Superbowl Extravaganza

This past Thursday and Friday I was in Peoria Il. for the IMEA (Illinois Music Education Association) Conference. Basically the IMEA takes over the entire downtown area of Peoria and there are different workshops and conferences you can go to. On Thursday night we had to help set up for the CCPA Conservatory Chorus and Orchestra who were performing in one of the auditoriums. They did really well, even though only 30 people showed up. We then headed to our hotel, a Holiday Inn right by Par-A-Dice (a casino). All the 21 up people headed to the casino where they bumped into our teachers and deans there! At the hotel we just hung out and bonded with each other. It was kinda crazy, but a lot of fun. I didn't end up going to bed till 4 a.m. when I kicked people out of our room.
On Friday, we took the bus over to the conference. Susan and I decided that we were going to hit as many reading sessions as possible. A reading session is when they give you a packet of music and then usually the composer (but not always) goes through all the music with you. I figured since I paid $25 to get in the conference I might as well get $25 worth of music out of it (at least). At the end of the day I came home with a HUGE stack of music. Well over $100 worth. I was very happy, it is all different kinds of music... all choral, but some jazz, some classical, some kids songs, song a capella, some SSA, SATB, SSATB, TTB.... the list goes on. Saturday was a catch up day for homework and stuff. Jamie, Mike (fellow RA), and I went shopping for my Superbowl Extravaganza program. We got REALLY good deals and I was very happy with what we got.
On Sunday I had my first program. It was a joint program with Jennie and Mike, but I basically headed it. It went over really well! We decorated the MultiMedia Room a little bit and held it in there. We provided snacks and soda. The MultiMedia Room is a room with aoubt 20 big comfy chairs and then a big projector screen tv. When we counted up the total it was 58 people that came! A big success! The game was great too! One of the better superbowl games in my opinion.
So that was my weekend, very busy but it went over really well. Thanks to everyone who helped me! I really appreciate it! :)