Music Theory/Another Play

Wow, have things been frustrating. My mom and I are working on a new play. This play is for special needs. Our protagonist ( good guy) is deaf. Yep, you read right; deaf. So in this play there will be signing going on, along with singing. Yep, my deaf protagonist will be singing in sign language. While the best friend will be signing terribly off key. It's still in the very early stages. You know writing, deleting, re-writing, deleting some more, screaming at the computer, then taking a break to work out coming back and the whole cycle continues again. Like the cycle of prosperity in the Book of Mormon.

We are currently writing one song. I have no problems with lyrics and melody, but translating what I have in my head on to paper is another thing. So yeah frustration is apparent right now. Craft, art, or whatever you would like to call it, takes time. The thing is that when you are your own critic, (a bad one at that), you need to be careful not to hate yourself and give up. Whatever creative thing you do is a new learning experience. You maybe painting, singing, drawing, or sculpting for years but it's still a new learning experience.

The question is now is why am I writing a play that will have sign in it, nobody but the deaf will understand what he is saying? The answer is: Well this is not the first time I have co-written a play for special needs. This one is the first time I have written about a deaf protagonist.. The deaf and hearing alike will be able to understand all of the play....we hope. I'm just hoping that the play will make sense.

Now my music program decided to take a vacation on me, it will not let me save my progressive work. I just need to find my disk and restart it. I worked so hard to figure out the rhythm of one of the songs. I refused to loose it so I ended up writing it down the old fashion way. On paper. Poetic Justice? Possibly. Beethoven, Bach, and all of the other classical composers are possibly applauding me or laughing at me right now. I'm thinking laughing at me.    

Cheers Everyone!

A blast from the past.

1001 ways to be more ROMANTIC! My mom have had this book for years, and years. I think she got it hoping that my dad would stop "putting out her fire". Yep, she got the book. Last night I was flipping through this book and low and behold it has a section for singles. It was so ridiculously funny that I had to share on the blog.

Do you remember when you were in grade school and you wrote little notes to that cute boy or girl that went something like this?

Do you like me? Circle yes or no.
What is your favorite color?
What are you going to do at recesses?

Well I have found something like that in this book that got me laughing. Check this out.

~Need a clever ice-breaker? Try creating you own, personalized personality quiz to hand-out to potential date. Here's a sample.

• Men........

a)........make life worth living.
b)........have their faults, but they are easier to train than dogs. (what? sense when, I have brothers. Dogs are easier to train)
c)........are only good for lawn care and vehicle maintenance.
d)........should be shot on sight, no question asked

• The best film in history is....

a)........Citizen Kane
b)........Gone With the Wind
c).........It's A Wonderful Life
d)........The Wizard of OZ
e).........I was a Teenage Werewolf
f)..........Other

• The Perfect man resembles.........

a)........Albert Einstein, but is a better dancer.
b)........Arnold Schwarzenegger, with better diction.
c).........Cary Grant, but not dead
d).........Donald Trump, but with fewer tabloid headlines.
e).........Danny DeVito, except shorter and fatter.

Directions:


Your answers to the questions will reveal an elaborate psychological profile of yourself. We already know you're unbalanced enough to voluntarily hang out with me, so we're just trying to help your before it's too late. There are no right answers, which should horrify the perfectionists and thrill the delinquents among you. Drinking during the quiz is strictly encouraged. So just circle what fits you.

Yeah I know this is just wrong, we are not in grade school any longer. On top of that, this quiz just encourages singles to put themselves down with the phrase:

"We already know you're unbalanced enough to voluntarily hang out with me, so we're just trying to help your before it's too late."

Singles, please don't say anything like that. It's just not exactly a good phrase to tell your date, or anyone else at all. In fact, don't even put anyone through this quiz. It is laughable that this is a grown up version of the notes that went around in grade school.

Cheers Everyone!

My eyes are Opend?

Like I have said in my past post that my eyes have been opened, it's true they have. I am writing this post because of a question that people have asked me.

I have found out that soy is in peanut butter. Bummer there goes my brownies with peanut butter frosting! Yeah it taste almost like a peanut butter cups. I have also found that soy, milk, and whey is in bread, and in a lot of other mass produce foods. Crazy!

It has been an adjustment this past month. The good thing is that I feel so physically good, it's a change. It has been interesting to say the least.

A friend of mine and I have different food allergies. Hers is gluten. So it was a crazy conversation between her and I. What we both end up with is:

How can you eat? You do find a way, somehow you do find a way. Reading labels like crazy, control what goes in the foods you eat. Unfortunately the food bill goes up. Fortunately you loose the inches!

Cheers everyone.

The "New" Oven

I have found out to day that I can use the old Nesco 18 Qt roster oven to bake stuff. I can't believe that it took me so long to find this one out. The temperature will go up passed 350 degrees. So I decided to try and bake frozen/thawed rolls. I can't really do this without the help of frozen rolls from the store. I have tried making bread from scratch......that was an interesting adventure.

Anyway it so worked! I was so surprised that it did. I had to put a 9/13in pan on the bottom first then a cookie rack on top of the 9/13in pan. On top of that was the thawed out rolls. Bake for 20 mins and there you go! I am sure that you can use almost any roster oven to bake stuff.

My next stop with this method of baking? Brownies, once I have the box mix stuff, or flour whatever comes first. I can make brownies from scratch. One of the few things that I can make from scratch. :)

~

Now on a update on my Rosy Complexion. Within a week the rash on my face spread to my neck fast. So all week I was hunting down labels and reading them. Freakzoides my eyes were opened! That is when I have found out that almost everything has dairy, soy, and whey in it.

Just this last Sunday I went to see this older couple and the wife asked me if I was out in the sun, she told me that I look sun kissed.I had to laugh a little. So I told her that it was a rash, and that I had to take off my make-up because it was aggravating my rash.

I had a rash that was a long streak going down my cheek. It looked like someone whipped my face. So with the aggravation the make-up was causing, hence the taking on and off the make-up. Had it on for church, took it right off after choir practice.

The good news is that the rash is gone! I have also miss placed some inches that I am not missing, so I am not looking for it, I am not missing the inches. So please don't ask me to look for the lost inches.

Cheers Everyone!

Rooted in my ward?

Time has flown-on-by for me. The past two months I have been looking for a new place to move into. With a lot of houses setting empty (unfortunately), you'd think that this task would be easy. It is not.

However something strange has happen. Let me explain, but please bear with me, as I try to make this easy on both of us, it's a bit complicated.

Two years ago on the last of May, my ward boundaries changed. The result of course my new ward was filled with lots of new faces, I hardly knew anyone. My poor bishop need to organize the new ward from scratch. People were outraged that the new boundaries had formed. I was excited to get to know more people in the stake; sure I would miss the friends within the old boundaries, but thought this was such an exciting time!

Now after the new boundaries was presented to us, on the following Sunday was time to meet my new ward members. We gathered in the cultural hall to introduce ourselves, it was loud. People were saying that they were freaked out about their new calling, others (including myself) was saying:

"Yay! I don't have a calling!"

Little did I know! Any how, I had this fleeting epiphany; it was fast and I thought I was crazy that time. This epiphany was that I would be moving. I don't know when and I still don't. Like I have said I am still looking for a place to live.

So came the realization of a decision, and while looking back, I think that this decision was a stupid one. It was that I would not try to form any real friendship's with any one, it would make saying "good-by" so much easier. At the same time I wasn't rude to anyone. I was still polite and talked to my fellow ward members; at the same time trying not to *root* myself in the ward. Do you know how hard that was? I thought that it would be easy, and that I was doing a pretty darn good job of it! Until last Sunday.

I didn't know how much I became apart of this ward. The choir director found out that I can sing a tune last spring. The *hidden* talent was found out while we worked together on the ward road show. For five months she persuaded, beg, and pleaded for me to join the choir. I made some pretty insane excuses,( if desired to look at some these lame excuses see Sunday the day of Confrontations and Hints, come what may! Please note: you have been warned, they are stupid!).

I did joined the ward choir. As last week practice came to a close, I happen to say to my choir director that I might be moving, however difficult that has proven to be. Her response along with another sister in choir, went something like this.

CD: "Inventing excuses, what is up with inventing such excuses? I don't see a problem if you do leave, all what needs to be done is to come back and do the songs."

SIC: "You're leaving?"

Their was more to the conversation that I will not type up. As I looked at this sister as she said that comment, I felt like how she looked. Like I had slapped her. I didn't physically touched her, but the news brought on a mental slapped for her. I was surprised. I have realized some things.

1. No matter how much I tried to *distance* myself from the fellow ward members, it didn't happen.
2. With the news of possible of moving away from the ward, bought on a mental slap for not only this Sister, but for myself as well. We became friends. Not close, but friends non-the-less.
3. If I leave my new *ward family* I will miss them. Life will go on, someone else will take my calling, but no one can, or will replace *me*.

Things I learn along the road of life. I thought that it would be easy to distance myself, but last Sunday proved otherwise.

Cheers Everyone!

My Epistle: Dear Sweeter

My dearest sweeter, (sweater)

You have been so kind to this past winter, and you still are. I have enjoyed your warmth, and the feel of you against my skin. Oh how I have loved you during those cold, windblown, snowing nights. How I have love to have you near while I was drinking hot chocolate, curled up on the couch with a blanket, reading.

I have to confess something very important, I have Spring fever. So to day I did something that I know you would detest. I wore my short-sleeve shirt, purple; you know the one, you have shared the same closet for over a year.

I know what you are thinking. It's still cold! It snowed only yesterday, and still you choose an article of clothing that is for spring and summer! Please now my dear sweater, don't overreact, please. I am sure that before this day is out, I will put you on over my purple short-sleeve shirt; it is as you are thinking it is still cold out, but as of now, it is just the shirt.

I would appreciated that you would not remind me of February 14, singles awareness day out of spite. I am aware that day is stocking me. Boy do I know, I am the one who is single, after all. Mother always reminds me of just that often enough. Just yesterday in church she found out that their is a group of single young men who will go to the temple every Friday. How do I know this? I was bombarded by Relief Society women after church, they told me along with my mother's reaction. Just know dear sweater I have not forgotten you, it is just this blasted fever that I have.

You must understand, it is the first of February. That means that Spring is just around the corner also. So you must know of my anticipation for rock climbing, fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, running around in my sandals, or bare foot. How delightful would that be!

So again I plead with you, don't be angry. As much as I love the changing of the seasons, but my favorite time of the year is almost hear! My soul feels like it will almost burst with anticipation, and joy. All that I ask of you is that you will be happy for me.

With all of my love dear sweeter,(sweater).
Hollie

Now to all of you who are reading this. I really do have spring fever, and I am a huge fan of the warmer weather. So this was just all in fun, and I am warring a purple short sleeve shirt. :)

Cheers!

Young Single Adults & Dating

Yet again the subject of dating and YSA are back. I think that this will never go away, as much as we want it to.

I have been part of a online discussion on the question;

"Why are their so many YSA's?"

The answer varies from person to person. Coming from a females point of view, a lot of girls are freaked out, we keep hearing from the media *X* number of spouses are disappearing. I have found this article "He says She says" by Kimberly Webb. It is a good read.

Parents and family members are frustrated that their son/daughter are still single. Sadly I fall into that group, I'm just as frustrated. One parent was so frustrated that he has suggested that arrange marriage should make a come back. To be honest I am so freaked out about that. I could just see divorce numbers sky rocked.

One question was, why are so many YSA's ignoring prophetic council. What I have notice is that a lot of us think that we are *smarter* then God. As in: We are in control of our lives, we can do what we please, if we half to pay for it later, that will be later. I know that a lot of us YSA's will half to face God and tell him why we are not proactive in seeking for that eternal spouse, or not get married altogether.

When I was in Young Woman's, the lessons were “Because dating is a preparation for marriage, date only those who have high standards, who respect your standards, and in whose company you can maintain the standards of the gospel of Jesus Christ” (For the Strength of Youth, p. 7).
This is all wonderful council, to the youth of the world, not just the church. This brings up a question of:

"Have we YSA's got so used to group dating/hanging out that we got into that habit?"

So problem is that YSA's are not being proactive in getting out their and dating, they are more incline to *hang out*. The problem with that is people don't know who they are with. In my former singles branch, the branch presidency was always freaked out that everyone in the branch was committing fornication, to my knowledge nobody was fornicating, as well as dating. They would constantly tell us to always be in a group, and get married. Yes, that is such a problem, Elder Dallin H. Oaks says this, in Dating versus Hanging Out

"Young women, resist too much hanging out, and encourage dates that are simple, inexpensive, and frequent. Don’t make it easy for young men to hang out in a setting where you women provide the food. Don’t subsidize freeloaders. An occasional group activity is OK, but when you see men who make hanging out their primary interaction with the opposite sex, I think you should lock the pantry and bolt the front door.

If you do this, you should also hang up a sign, “Will open for individual dates,” or something like that. And, young women, please make it easier for these shy males to ask for a simple, inexpensive date. Part of making it easier is to avoid implying that a date is something very serious. If we are to persuade young men to ask for dates more frequently, we must establish a mutual expectation that to go on a date is not to imply a continuing commitment. Finally, young women, if you turn down a date, be kind. Otherwise you may crush a nervous and shy questioner and destroy him as a potential dater, and that could hurt some other sister."

Awesome council if you asked me. My young singles branch presidency, should have said something like that to us. I don't think that it is right for ether men or women to mooch off of each other, or to go on a date just because you have nothing to do that night. As singles we must be sensitive to each other. Don't date just because, date because you are interested. The way I see it if you date just to get out of the house, you might just pass up an opportunity with someone who is interested in you; that person might think that they will never be good enough.

My bout of jealousy

Over the weekend I had the opportunity to watch "Arsenic and Old lace" at a theater. It was very well done, but it was not the same "Arsenic and Old Lace" the I read. This theater did more of the movie version, and not the play, but still very well done.

These actors had 3 weeks of practice as a cast. When it comes to plays and musicals there are 2 types of casts that I love to work with. One is professionals, the other is special needs. The reason is with professionals, and special needs, they do what I tell them. I see the audience perspective, the actors on stage, don't.

The last cast that I directed was not professional or special needs. The result we fraught each other the whole time. My choreographer and I have heard every excuse in the book with this last cast. It was not until I have said:

"Don't question us, we will not make you look stupid, or do anything that would make you feel uncomfortable with."

Then that is when my cast started to trust me, and my choreographer. If the cast members are uncomfortable then the audience will know it, and the odds are that the audience will be uncomfortable also, some will start laughing and others will just feel for the cast member or members.

Why am I writing this? I am just plane jealous of Lee Anderson. The Director of Arsenic and Old Lace. He had a great cast. Yes I did spot some problem areas, but they were very miner, and it just did not matter.

Cheers Everyone!!

Another spin off

Yesterday I went to the library. I cleaned out my bookshelf. I decided to donate books that I haven't cracked opened for years. Did I get rid of my out of print books? Heavens No, parish that thought! However they were books that I did not liked, haven't used, or books I was disappointed with.

While I was at the library I saw another Jane Austen spin off. This time it was Sense & Sensibility & sea monsters. I didn't get it. I mean how can a sea monster have anything to do with S & S. I think that it should be Persuasion & Sea monsters. Persuasion has sea captains as characters, S&S however does not.

I have read enough spin offs, so no, I did not rent this one. Another time, perhaps when I have nothing else to read.

I have found a trailer for Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, enjoy.


I have also found P&P&Zombies.


Cheers everyone!!

You know when you are a musician when...................

Ok first off I am an musician. I can play 4 different instruments, sing, and I am proud of it. It did made me to have the label of "music junkie," but that's ok by me. I have read so many; you know you are a _________ when........ So I have decided to lest my own, about being a musician. The reason on how to find out if you are a music junkie.

You know you are a musician when.................

You throw up during American Idol
You cant bear to watch America got Talent
You hate going on vacation because you half to leave your violin, or other instruments. So you take your substitute (ie Ipod,electric violin, keyboard etc)
You listen to the radio and scream HOW DID YOU GET ON?
You analyze music for fun/or it just comes naturally
You find music in every noise
You sing or hum in the shower
You find reasons to *practice* singing or your instrument instead of going on a date
You wounder if the person you are dating is tone def
When the dog is barking you can name the note
You end up composing your own arrangement of songs because you think (oh sorry) KNOW you can do better.
During the movie "Master and Commander, the far Side of the World" You watch the Violin and Cello duet over and over again.
You name your children after classic composers
You hug your instruments when you leave them
You have a bust of Beethoven, Mozart, Paganini, and etc
You have more then one metronome
You have sheet music to fill 3 filing cabinets
You cry when someone else touches your instrument
You have a heart attack when someone touches your instrument's (that is me!)
You hide photos of instruments, if people saw these you are afraid they will think you a freak
Your knees go weak when you see a Stradivarius
After you find out how a Stradivarius is made. You make your life mission to get that driest wood available, only so you can make a violin that sounds just like a Stradivarius.
You learn how to make a violin
You learn how to tune a piano
You tell yourself *Make a Joyful noise it is a prayer unto God*
You stand their perplex when the best singers on American Idol get voted off
You want to throw up when "artist's" give their own interpretation's on show tunes. BLAH!
You relive the time when you sing and played with the 63rd army band (oh yeah that does happen)

Ok I will stop. But you have most likely figured out that I can list more, but that will just solidify the title of music junkie. I hope you have had fun reading this list. And if you can check more then 10 reason's then you are a music junkie as well.

Label: Freakish toothbrusher

Monday night a friend of mine and I were talking, we were at her in-laws and she called me a "Freakish toothbrusher." It took me a little bit to figure out what she meant. Mostly because I was on a sugar shock, so my mind was............................out there a little bit.

So I stared laughing at that label. I thought that it was hilarious, (I think mostly I was laughing because of the sugar shock, and all I had was one Cream Soda! I promise.). She looked at me with wide eyes that was all mirth, and said:

My friend: "You are! You brush your teeth every time after you eat! You are a freakish toothbrusher!"
Me: "I know, I jest had something to eat and my tongue keeps feeling my teeth! Years ago My dad got smart, he bought me an electric tooth brush, so I would stop brushing my teeth so hard! It works I don't brush as hard!"

To all of you reading this blog. I'm so sorry but all this time you have been reading the thoughts of a "Freakish toothbrusher."

Cheers Everyone!

Weekned

Still looking for a good place to take a vacation. I need one it has been almost 2.5 years!

I'm looking at camping, somewhere in the states. A friend of mine came back from Lake Powell. She said that it was nice and beautiful. It would be the lake is up.

My parents want to go. But they never pass up a chance to go camping. The problem is that my Father has a C-Pack. I told him that he needs to get a battery powered generator, solar power would be even better. So he has been looking.

But I have basically left it up to them. I don't care where we go. I just need to have a vacation.

Music

OK I did a new musiclist for summer. I have a strange list, everything from Beethoven-Rachmaninoff-Beach boys-Muppet-The monkeys-Jerry Lewis-Frank Sinatra-Judy Garland-Gene Kelly- and so on. Check it out.

I know it's strange. Classical I had to put on there, with the some nerdy stuff, and others that are considered as classic.

Have fun!

Friday

It's Friday! In three more hours it will be the weekend for me!!! I am doing my weekend happy dance!

This weekend I'm going to go and see Star Trek, maybe. I have been thinking about waiting until it comes out for rent. I don't want to leave the theater feeling "I have spent this X-amount of money to see this. What a wast." I have thought of that same thing with the latest X.Man, as well as other movies.

I know that a lot of die hard Star Trek fans loved the movie, and gave it great reviews. But I have read and herd others said that it didn't exceed to their expectations.

So should I? Or shouldn't I? You and I will find out soon enough.

Cheers everyone!

The future of dating

I have been thinking. My head has not explode yet. So I thought that it was safe to do so.

It was about the dating game. The pattern goes with dating that approximately every 10-15 years the seen of dating have changed. Not dramatically of course, but still have changed.

There were arranged marriages. Then the dating seen was dances/parties, under the close supervision of your parents. Then it was close supervision under your parents if you wanted to go for a walk, or a picnic.

These last still happen to day. School dances, parents were not aloud, but still chaperons where there and strict rules were observed. Group dating were all ways advised. Then came the bar seen, going dutch with no chaperons. Single dating, again no chaperons. Now we almost went full circle we are back to group parties, but the slang for it now is called "hanging out". Playing games, watching movies with a lot of people, that sort of thing. All of this with no chaperons.

So what is next? Texting is the new rage. People do it all of the time. So will that replace the traditional dating? The going to dinner, seeing a movie, hanging out, looking at each other face to face with that goofy look. What will the next generation of dating become?

Or are we going to go back full circle, to arranged marriages? As horrifying sounds, it maybe one solution. Singles will get married, with some it will be finely get married. I can't help thinking of Tevye asking Golde if she loved him. Of course the bad side will be divorce will be up.

So why are singles staying single longer? Are women becoming to imitating for men? I know various men have told me that I was imitating. Their reason was that I was too smart. So is that it, women are becoming too smart for men, so they are scared of us?

Music

I went to the music store this afternoon. They had the names in classical violin that I wanted, but not the songs. I was so disappointed. I wanted a song by Korsakov, Mozart, and Paganini. They ether didn't have the arrangement or the song.

I just don't want to do it myself. Yep I am that lazy. I'm just afraid that it will end up as a blunder. I mean these names are some of the masters of music. And I don't want them to be rolling, moaning aground in their graves.

Become a fan?

Me personally I have a hard time becoming a fan of people. Now I have met a lot of writers on line. Not only on facebook, but on other social networks. I also know that some of those writers read this blog, but I must be honest. People are people, we all have amazing talents that makes us unique and amazing.

Now I am a fan of:

food: You need it to live.
sleeping: You need that to live.
air: I need to breath.
water: Another life giving source.
sun: I love the sun.
music: But I'm just a music junkie.

I know that on my facebook page I have said that I'm a fan of Maria Hathaway's art. That's her art I'm a fan of. Her art work is amazing. So I don't get it; why become a fan of people?

Do or don't do the hair!

For those who know me, you know how much I hate my naturally curly hair. For those who are getting to know me, now you know I hate my naturally curly hair.

Looking on the bright side of my curly hair, I can just spray it with water and go. It's called fake hair do for curly hair. No matter if it was brushed or not, it looks the same.

3 more days until the road show is over!

Sun is out

A lot of other people was saying that on there blogs. So I had to say something. Here it is:

The day is bright.
The sun is warmer.
My spirit is right.
The windows are open.

That was weird I know. I am happy, 2 more weeks and the RS will be done. I can get on with other projects, finish the ones I have started.

I bribed my nephews to eat chicken nuggets. That's right I bribed them! The bribed? A glazed doughnut. Whatever works.

List???

Why do guys make list of girls who they want to date? All of my brothers made a list of girls to date. As far as I know the guy's that I have dated, they had a list also!

Yay I have made some guys list of girls. So am I going up in the world? Oh no wait, I'm single. So I'm nether going up or down, just sideways.

But seriously what is up with guy's and making this kind of a list? Truth be told I'm very good a making list. My problem is that I never look at the list I have made. But I have never made a list like this, and as far as I know other girls don't ether.