Sunday, November 28, 2010

Season's Greetings!

It's the last day of Thanksgiving break. I can honestly say, almost guilt-ily (I doubt that is a word...), that I did, indeed, take a break this week. I watched a boat load of movies and food network, I did yoga a couple of times, I baked a ton, cooked Thanksgiving dinner for friends, slept...and I've looked at some of my school work but not that much. So now it's Sunday afternoon, and I'm attempting to relish in these last few quiet hours. The noise outside is picking up and the last three weeks of the semester will commence soon.

I got something yesterday that I haven't gotten in a long time and I'm super happy about it. A library card! I think that the library is a long lost treasure today. I'm not talking about the school library, which is equally as cool I know, but the public library. The Madison County library isn't really anything in particular to write home about (but I am writing about it on my blog...so I guess that counts for something) but the idea that I can go check out a book at no cost and enjoy it is a lost art in our society these days. We rely on the internet for everything. I am just as guilty as I tend to "google" everything! But I absolutely loved roaming around the library. It made my heart happy. It was quiet and neat and full of knowledge. I checked out three cookbooks (you're shocked, I know).

My health has been a little rocky lately and it has been a bit frustrating. Nothing life threatening, but definitely annoying and bothersome. Medication is not resolving the issue in a way that is suiting to me, so I am going to resort to something I've had in my back pocket. For the next few weeks (I'm not sure exactly how many yet...but at least two) I can only eat veggies, legumes, some dairy (although that is mainly limited to cheese), lean protein, and good fats. I have had for quite some time a condition called "Insulin Resistance". Essentially what this means is that my body does not know how to properly break down sugar correctly and is resistant to the effects of insulin. Those who are insulin resistant and allow it to go untreated can and most eventually develop type 2 diabetes. For someone who loves food (and carbs!) as much as I do, it is very difficult and expensive to do this diet, which is why I typically try to handle it in other ways, but what do I have to lose? At max, 6 weeks out of my life carbless isn't going to do anything but do good things for me. Luckily, due to my culinary knowledge, I am able to branch out and find good and interesting things to occupy my palette, but I know from past experience that it can be a challenge. I'm also choosing to do this through the holidays, but it really can't wait.

I'm looking forward to the next few weeks. They will still be busy and bustling but I can't believe that my fifth semester is almost done! I've started looking at graduate programs and have, as of right now, narrowed it down to the following schools -- Manhattan School of Music, Julliard, Indiana U., USC, Utah State (if they have a master's in my area by then) and Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester. It's a beasty list....but I'm excited at the idea of grad school. Julliard's program is free which would be fantastic, and there are other schools in which I could hopefully find an assistanceship or something like that to help with the expense. Manhattan is my top school offering a three year, double masters degree in music and in the arts of education. This would be that after I graduate from there, I would have a two masters degrees and be able to teach K-12 if I so desired. My desire is to perform for a while as I'm teaching private voice, but then eventually end up as a professor or something of the sorts somewhere. That is plan "not married". Haha. So basically, that's the plan!

Well, I'm just rambling on about nothing that is too exciting. The snow has been around for a good week now and winter is settling in. Christmas time is here!! Allow me to share with you my FAVORITE christmas song....



Happy and Merry!

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