Category Archives: Music

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 19, 2016

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For Today… September 19, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. We had a wonderful rainy weekend, some sun yesterday, more rain today, and I think we’re clearing up again.

I am thinking… about my Excel/Access class and how I’m going to structure my week to get in the work I need to get done.

I am thankful… that my first Practical Accounting class went well today. It seems like it will be a fun class.

One of my favorite things… Daniel not being wired and going to sleep without a fight. That isn’t going to happen tonight. 🙁 On the other hand, he had a good day of school today.

I am wearing… jammies. My outfit today was my charcoal shirt from Old Navy, jeans from Kohl’s, running shoes from (now defunct) Sport Authority, and my blue hoodie from Costco.

I am creating… this entry. 🙂

I am watching… COPS. It’s an addiction.

I am hoping… the Giants make it into the wild card game.

I am learning… about accounting basics and balance sheets.

In my kitchen… Dad made a fabulous tri-tip yesterday for Sunday dinner.

In the school room… Daniel continues to have a fabulous time in his class.

Post Script…

Shared Quote… I saw this on Facebook and it seemed appropriate. (Artwork done by Lori Hetteen.)

This seems to apply to my life.

A moment from my day… One of my favorite songs to use when working with Confirmation kids.

Closing Notes: I am honestly disgusted that Ashley Madison (the dating site for lechers has a commercial on DISH Network’s non-local channels. Its existence is horrible in the first place but encouraging people to step out on their significant others is evil.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

{five favorites}: Miscellanea (LXXIV)

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#5Faves

One

Willamette Valley Fruit Company. Their “Berry Bananza” blend is my go-to for smoothies. I add some cranberry juice, Greek yogurt, the frozen fruit, and a handful or two of spinach and blend it all. It’s a lovely meal and a lovely way to use up overripened bananas and wilted spinach.

Two

Being the only one awake in the house right now. It’s peaceful and really what I need right now as I try to wind down before bed.

Three

“A Whisper and a Clamor” by Anberlin. I heard it on the the radio 6 years ago and fell in love with it. It usually has a place on mixed CD’s that I take on car trips.

Four

“Painting Pictures of Egypt” by Sara Groves. I heard this on my drive to San Jose in early October 2015 and it spoke to my heart and how I was feeling at that moment. It has been only recently that I’ve stopped feeling like I’m in such a liminal space.

Five

“It Is Well” by Bethel Music. It fits where I am emotionally and spiritually at the moment. One of the songs I used to sing to Daniel during his hospital stays was It Is Well With My Soul which seems to be the hymn that inspired this song.

Bonus

“Build Your Kingdom Here” by Rend Collective. The song just totally makes me smile and it’s a fun song to rock out to in the car… though other drivers probably think I’m having a seizure.

Go love up Bonnie, DeBalino, and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 12, 2016

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For Today… September 12, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… sunny and in the 70’s. It was cold enough in the house this morning that I had a hoodie on over my jammies while getting Daniel ready for school and on the bus!

I am thinking… about the classes I’m going to try and take this fall.

I am thankful… for a wonderful alto part in the anthem we sang for the offertory yesterday. It is so rare to find one this good in regular choral music.

One of my favorite things… my iced grande vanilla latté from $tarbux.

I am wearing… a green striped shirt and jeans. I’m barefoot as usual.

I am creating… various things with yarn.

I am listening to… one of the classical channels on Dish Network. (I think it’s Ensemble?)

I am hoping… to get all the application and registration stuff done in time for Fall Quarter.

I am learning… what my stomach will and will not allow me to eat. IBS stinks!

In my kitchen… my mom made beef burgundy yesterday and we ate it over some squash that my aunt brought. Dessert was plum clafouti and ice cream.

In the school room… Daniel continues to enjoy school.

Post Script… I am totally *NOT* surprised that vaccine critic Dr. Robert Sears is being charged with gross negligence and about to lose his license to practice medicine. Seriously, why would you trust a doctor that does not do his due diligence and do something as simple as REQUEST THE FREAKING RECORDS for a kid he is about to exempt from vaccines, endangering the life of this kid (for whom there is no proof that he actually had the problematic reaction in question) and the rest of us?

Seriously, I cannot understand the complete stupidity of some people.

Shared Quote… This isn’t a quote but an observation. My parish has two congregations sharing a building and we’ve been worshiping together for most of the summer, which means that worship is in both English and Spanish. Yesterday, our first hymn was “Amazing Grace” which is “Sublime Gracia” in Spanish. I find the idea of grace being “sublime” to be an interesting thought. 🙂

A moment from my day… One of my favorite classical pieces — the Bach: Concerto for Two Pianos in C major BWV 1061 (Vivace). I will never have advanced enough piano skills to play even one of the parts but I love the piece. It showcases the intricacy of Bach’s music and why he is the composer whose music I go to mentally when I need a happy place.

Closing Notes: I came across this on Facebook and I recommend checking it out as the pictures of the athletes in their native dress are stunning.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: My Somewhat Boring Life Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Write 31 Days. I’ve decided to participate in Write 31 Days again this year. I tried to make all 31 days last year but had to quit at Day 17 due to Daniel and I being forced to move up to San Jose.

My topic this year will probably be special needs parenting.

— 2 —

For girls who aren’t afraid to make some noise! A friend of mine told me about Kazoo Magazine and I wanted to share the link with y’all in case you have daughters. It’s a magazine for girls that isn’t based around the beauty paradigm and it has interesting things to do like building rafts and cracking codes. I think it’s something that would have been awesome to have when I was growing up!

— 3 —

The way the cookie crumbles. For those of you studying piano or music in general, you might be interested in what music theory looks like using Oreos. 🙂

— 4 —

The faces of some of the men who fought for independence from Britain. There exists a handful of photos of soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. All of the men were ~100 years old when these pictures were taken. I’m greatly amused by the Rev. Levi Hayes who settled in Granville, Ohio because my grandfather’s family were some of the founders of the town and I lived next door in Newark for about a year and a half!

— 5 —

Prerequisite politics take. I really feel like this is the worst election I’ve voted in thus far. Considering that my first presidential election as a voter was the 2000 election that George Bush and the Supreme Court stole, that says something. It surprises me that I’m honestly offended by Trump stickers on cars. To be fair, I’m sure that there are voters that dislike Hillary stickers on cars.

November can’t come fast enough.

— 6 —

Back to school? I’m looking at taking a couple classes online at the local community college this fall to make me more marketable when I start job-hunting again. One is on Excel and Access and the other one is practical accounting. Both are things I’ve learned on the job but it would probably be good to actually take the classes so I have something to put on my resumé. It’s been 14 years since I was in school so this should be fun.

— 7 —

125 years. My church celebrates its quasquicentennial anniversary on Sunday. It’s the second time I’ve been attending a church when this particular anniversary has rolled around so I’m pretty excited! I’m also hopefully going to be singing with the choir for it as well.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 14, 2016

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For Today… August 14, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. It was dusky when I started writing this but I got caught up in watching the Olympics.

I am thinking… about my week and what it holds.

I am thankful… for Daniel going back to sleeping well. We had 4 nights of him not sleeping well and me ending up in tears at 2 a.m. because he was bouncing off the walls and I needed to go to sleep because I’ve been so sick. The pediatrician put him on antibiotics for the infection that Mom and I both have and we’re thinking that his inability to sleep might have been due to him feeling as crappy as the two of us are.

One of my favorite things… rooting for the underdog. I was so jazzed to see Max Whitlock get two gold medals tonight, Brazil get their first ever Olympics gymnastics medals, and Giulia Steingruber get the first ever Olympic gymnastics medal for Switzerland.

I am wearing… jammies. Church clothes were a dress with a camisole under it and black flats. The rest of the day, it was a charcoal tee from Old Navy and khaki shorts from Kohl’s.

I am creating… this blog entry. 🙂

I am watching… Olympic gymnastics.

I am hoping… Laurie Hernandez gets a gold or at least a medal of her own on beam. She was so fun to watch on floor even though she didn’t make it to the floor final.

I am learning… patience.

In my kitchen… no big Sunday dinner tonight which was fine — I’m nauseated from this stupid respiratory infection and the antibiotics for it.

In the school room… Daniel has another two weeks until school starts.

Post Script… I thought this was a fabulous piece on our need for each other.

Shared Quote…

Amos 5:8

A moment from my day… some Audrey Assad for y’all.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

{five favourites}: I’m With Her

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#5Faves

This might be a little politics-heavy so you might want to skip it if you aren’t a fan of Hillary Clinton. 🙂

One

This version of the song “Fight Song”. It was done by a bunch of musicians and actors and regular people who are Hillary supporters. I saw it when my dad was watching the news and liked it.

Two

Bernie Sanders. Unlike Ted Cruz’s speech at the RNC in which he did *NOT* endorse Trump (and proved how much of a sore loser he really is, which even my Texan Republican friends have commented upon), Bernie Sanders had the grace and class to endorse Hillary. His supporters are still fighting for him but he understands the need to have a united party right now.

Three

Cory Booker. He responded to Trump’s rude tweet with love and with class.

Four

Michelle Obama. Even if you don’t like her husband, you can’t deny that she is graceful, classy, wicked smart, and well-spoken.

Five

Jerry Emmett, the 102 year old woman from Arizona who got to cast 51 votes for Hillary during the Roll Call. It gave me chills to watch this. Women didn’t have the right to vote at the time of her birth and she lived long enough to see a woman be the presidential candidate for a major political party AND she had the honor of casting her state’s votes at the party’s convention!

Oh, and a message for Donald Trump: the family of late Ambassador Christopher Stevens wants you to stop the ‘opportunistic and cynical’ use of his name and death for political attacks. So please, out of respect for his family who has been asking this favor of you and your minions for four years now, SHUT UP!!!

Go love up Bonnie, babystylista, and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: July 24, 2016

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For Today… July 24, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dusk. We’ve had pretty sunsets lately. I think it was in the high 70’s today?

I am thinking… about my to-do list for tomorrow.

I am thankful… for my church. Amazing worship today, amazing people, amazing sermon.

One of my favorite things… seeing the water lapping on the rocks in Padilla Bay.

I am wearing… jammies. Clothes for today were an indigo v-neck and black capris which I swapped out for a denim skirt for church.

I am creating… this entry and various emails.

I am listening to… a fascinating YouTube playlist of Christian music but from all different traditions. Right now, it’s something from Anúna which is breathtaking and speaks to the inner parts of my heart. Next on the list: St. Patrick’s Breastplate which is a favorite hymn of mine.

I am hoping… to finally get my car cleaned out tomorrow.

I am learning… why I seriously need the rest days in between Fitbit challenges! My poor feet were incredibly grumpy yesterday.

In my kitchen… I’m smelling my dad making some kind of soup for himself with chicken broth.

In the school room… my kiddo has one more week of ESY.

Post Script… I wish I’d seen this list of seven perfect replies to (politely) shut down negative people 16 years ago. It would have made various aspects of my life so much easier.

Shared Quote… “Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hosted by The Simple Woman.