Category Archives: Grand Ideas

Grand Ideas

Action #reverb10

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Prompt: Action. When it comes to aspirations, its not about ideas. It’s about making ideas happen. What’s your next step?

Making ideas happen.

I love brainstorming.  I love coming up with ideas…on any topic!  But putting those ideas into play, making them happen, that is definitely not my strong suit.

In fact, I have a category here on my blog called “Grand ideas” for when I come up with…well…grand ideas!

I took a look back at the blog posts I categorized under that.  Very few of the ideas came to fruition…and I’m okay with that.  I would rather have a million ideas and make one (or none) of them happen than have two ideas and make both of them happen.  Is that lame? 

Sure, it might mean I take longer to reach my goal than somebody else.  But my life will be more interesting along the way, and I’ll never be bored. 

Besides, I don’t have goals.  I have “grand ideas.”

Food, Grand Ideas

Relaxing Tuesday

This blog post is up, but I am not (hopefully!).  After a crazy weekend of social engagements (parties), work, running, a full Monday of teaching (from 9 am to 7:30 pm)…Tuesday is basically a day off.  I’ll be adding something in the spring, but today is simply ONE student.  And not even that many errands!  Just post office, groceries (maybe), prep for the weekend’s wedding, and a three mile run.  And some practicing of course.

I’m writing this on Monday night, and I’m utterly exhausted.  Sunday night we were invited to a friend’s birthday party, and Monday night was a “Pumpkin party” which I just got home from.  It was great–so many foods made of pumpkin (pumpkin enchiladas, for instance!) and pumpkin carving, plus one guest brought a two week old baby…dressed as a pumpkin (so cute!!).  I didn’t carve a pumpkin, but some people were doing really intricate things with theirs.  I did bring the aforementioned Pumpkin Blondies, which were delicious.  It was a nice gathering, but after Sunday night out, Friday night out, etc, I look forward to a night IN. (I also have some tv to catch up on.)

After so many invitations, Chris and I are discussing how we need to host a gathering/party.  I’m planning a cookie exchange party in early December (date tba), but that would be small and girls only.  We might do something in the late winter/early spring…I feel like as we get into the holiday season our schedules will be too packed to host an event, but maybe after the holidays.  We’ll see, I guess–he and I are great “grand idea” people, but not so great on “follow-up” 😉

Grand Ideas

Fun weekend ahead!

I love Fridays…today is a day off, so I’m just getting bunches of things done.  Grocery shopping, Target, bank, painting toenails, housekeeping, etc.  This weekend I have three parties to attend, some baking to do for the week (want to bring some Halloween treats for my school students), baking for two of the parties, two weddings, rehearsal, and some practicing.  Huh.  Suddenly I’m overwhelmed 😉

Tonight I am going to this:

One of my friends is going to be in the magazine, so a bunch of us are going to support her and have fun.  I am excited to get all dressed up!  It’ll be a fun girls night out 🙂

Cat, Grand Ideas

Windows Live Writer

I’m testing out a new program to help me blog easier.  Yes, dear reader, now I can blog MORE and MORE!

Let’s see how this works—how about some pictures of my cat?

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Aww…look at that cutie!

OMGkitty

This is not my cat.  A friend found this photograph on the web.  I consider it to be the cutest photo in the world.  Occasionally my friend and I will email the photo to one another just to be overcome by conflicting emotions of cute and sad.

On a fun note:  I’ve recently been doing some internet research about running and gear and such, and came across a blog I really enjoy called SkinnyRunner.  I had commented on a recent post–there was a sign that said something about Run Fast Aunt Ham.  Well, I occasionally refer to my cat as “the Ham” or “Fat Ham” (because her tummy resembles a ham… 😉  ).  So I just had to comment!  And now I am internet famous (ha!) in that the blog author answered my question in a later post.  Okay, well I was tickled by it!  Really I’m just jealous because that author has many more readers than I do (and awesome legs, I want legs like hers but long like mine!)  Then again, she puts much more effort into it, so that is fine.

Grand Ideas, Travel

Things I want to do this summer!

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Okay, so it’s pretty much unofficially summer time for me–that is, my school teaching is done, my recitals are near, and I have a lot more free time.  In the past I have made lists of things I want to do–this summer is no different, except I’m going to list some of them here in my blog!

First off, you should know that Chris and I have booked a cruise!  We are going on the Carnival Legend to the Western Caribbean in August, and could not be more excited (at least I can’t be!).  So that’s the big vacay this summer.  My sister wants me to come visit her in Boulder at Colorado Music Festival, and another friend wants me to visit her in Chicago, so we’ll see about those.  I’m also hoping my parents will come to visit (saving me a trip home plus they haven’t been to St. Louis to see me yet) and Chris’s sister is planning to come out for a bit as well.   So I came up with the following ideas of things I want to do IN town this summer, either with visitors or in town friends.

Here are some of my ideas in random order.

MOBOT Dinoquest.  Yes, it looks a little young perhaps, but there are dinosaurs and a geodesic dome involved, plus it’s just down the street from me.  So that might be fun, unless I end up playing too many weddings at mobot and hate it by then (sometimes it’s a looong walk, other times it’s really really hot, other times it’s both.)

Circus Flora.  This is a circus set up in Powell Symphony Hall parking lot.  Apparently they come every year, and it’s great fun.  I want to go!

Opera Theatre of St. Louis is putting on A Little Night Music.  Directed by Isaac Mizrahi!  I already have a ticket, and can’t wait.

Shakespeare Festival–I haven’t seen a Shakespeare play since I was young, but I remember enjoying them at Presbyterian College.  I have never seen Hamlet, and should probably remedy that.

The Zoo, of course.  My friend Browdy keeps wanting me to go with her-it’s her most favorite thing, and I haven’t managed to do so yet.  Maybe this week or next?  Fun fact–the zoo is celebrating its centennial!

SL Science Center.  There are a variety of neat things happening.  Firstly, the Darwin exhibition looks worthwhile.  Then there are a variety of Omnimax movies that look interesting, especially the ocean one.  I love ocean movies on the big screen.  (FYI, we saw the pirates exhibition at the Field Museum last year, so no need.)

Other ideas but without specifics right now:  Art Museum, St. Louis Cardinals game, and Six Flags!  Naturally there will also be a few movies I want to see (specifically a certain Twilight movie and SATC…even though I know it will probably be bad.)  Not to mention running…supposedly I am to be training for a half marathon in October!

This post is really for me to to refer to, but anybody have more ideas for me?  I would rather have too many ideas than sit around complaining of being bored!  My dear readers, please weigh in!

Grand Ideas, Performing, Teaching

Videotaping/post chamber music recital

The group class teaching went pretty well!  I was, of course, terrified, but I did pretty well not showing it.  I had a decent time teaching, and PERHAPS even had fun at times.  My biggest problem was that I actually ran out of activities.  Next time I need about twice as many ideas, and then perhaps I won’t get to all of them.  I suppose that comes with experience.

Our recital went pretty well too.  It ended up being very stressful, but we had an appreciative crowd, and I feel great knowing I have now organized and presented my first concert.  Next time I need to allow more time for planning/rehearsing, since things kept going wrong–trouble getting music, blizzards, etc.

Moral of story:  Need more ideas, need more time.

This weekend is the Suzuki Workshop at CMS–I’ll be observing, and look forward to sharing some things that I learn!