Summer seems to be baby season.  My friend Jen just had a baby, and he is ADORABLE.

Okay, well I don’t have any other baby examples at this time.  But the other thing I was going to mention is that people keep asking ME about babies.  Such as, when are we planning to have them, and (my favorite) how many. 

In the past month, at least three GOOD friends (not strangers, which is actually more common) have brought up that topic.  I suppose with my impending nuptials, people can no longer ask "when are you getting married?" so they have moved onto the next logical step.  Babies!  WHEEEEEE!

Let me answer the questions right here and right now.  Firstly, I have always wanted to have children someday.  I thought two or three would be really nice, since I enjoyed being one of three siblings.  (Looks around awkwardly…).  Yes…I am actually one of four siblings.  This is where the trouble comes in.  My youngest sister was born when I was 13.  She is a delightful human being, and I am extremely proud of all she has accomplished so far in her life and know she will go far and hopefully be able to support us all in our old age.  But I saw firsthand the incredible sacrifice and responsibility of raising a child, much more so than if I had been younger and perhaps less impressionable.  So now my answer is that maybe I will have one child.  Someday.  You know, when I grow up.  And can afford to hire more help.

I don’t know how people do it.  I heard on the Today Show yesterday that raising a child costs approximately a quarter of a million dollars.  I am not sure if that includes college, probably not.  Plus the time, the lost sleep, never again being able to truly let go and do something for yourself.  Then, people tell me I look 25…I’d completely lose my youth.  I’ve worked SO hard to get in shape.  I’d probably lose all that.  Yes, those are incredibly selfish reasons (sorry, Mom) and the fact remains that I might actually be a good parent and bring an exemplary child into the world, one who would be a true asset to society, perhaps even cure cancer.  But more likely they would be somewhat neurotic, lazy, and decide to become a musician.  And plenty of people bring children into the world that SHOULDN’T, and for them I believe having children is selfish because they are simply burdening society.  Selfish if you do, selfish if you don’t.

So that’s the answer.  Perhaps someday we will have a child.  And I know it isn’t so easy as that, that often when people decide to have a child they can’t.  Yet they still get asked those questions—when are you having children? 

It boils down to this.  Just as it was annoying to be constantly asked, "when are you and Chris getting married", I anticipate it will be equally annoying to be constantly asked when we are having children.   Obviously it takes us a long time to do anything, so we’ll probably get around to it in our 80’s.  Ultimately…it’s none of your business.

And don’t get me wrong.  I love children.  I teach them to play the violin every day.  Then I send them on their way!  *evil laughter* 

Important:  I started a facebook page for my blog, come "like" it if you haven’t already.  You’ll get all my blog posts right in your newsfeed (and if we are facebook friends, in a few days or weeks you won’t get them from me anymore).

I made a facebook page for Hannahviolin (finally?).  Here’s the link, not sure if this works. Come "like" me so I feel like I have friends.

I am testing out a couple things here.  Most of what I do online is total trial and error, just so you know. 

(From last summer.  I think my arms are more muscly now!  Spellcheck doesn’t think muscly is a word, but we all know better.)

More updates on my friends Alicia and Andrew.  They are taking donations.

Last December I participated in a project called reverb10 on my blog.  Each day I was given a writing prompt and wrote a blog post on that prompt.  When December ended, so did reverb, except they continued giving us monthly prompts.  I am a WEE bit behind on these prompts.  I just got one today for August, and realized I still have March’s in my inbox.  So today I am going to write on March’s prompt.

If March 2011 was your last month to live, how would you live it?

That was the prompt.  At the time I was stressed and busy, and I just couldn’t write about that.  Besides which the whole "last month to live" is such a clichéd topic.  Your choices are, do you travel, do you visit your family?  What else is there?

And that’s what I did in JULY.  I saw my parents.  I visited a friend in Chicago.  I spent ridiculous amounts of time with my friends–I had some of those crazy nights where SO much happens and you are out really late and the next day you have to talk through the whole night with your friend who was there ("Did this really happen??") .  I worked out a ton and ran over 75 miles.  I read tons of books and saw a bunch of movies.  I practiced the violin and listened to a lot of great music.  I ate some amazing meals and drank some fantastic wine. 

What would I have wanted to do as well, if it were my last month to live?  I didn’t get to spend as much time with Chris as I would have liked.  I would have wanted to also see my siblings and my grandmother.  And maybe I would have liked to go somewhere tropical for a few days, to either sit on the deck of a cruise ship enjoying the breeze and the open water, or sit on the beach, pina colada in hand.  I could have played some Beethoven String Quartets, or maybe a Mahler Symphony or two, or maybe Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony. 

If it were my last month to live, there are things I wouldn’t have worried about doing that I had to do. Working, for instance, though I barely worked all month, or perhaps wedding planning (though again, that’s a generally fun thing except when I freak out and yell at Chris for a really long time…oooh, he’s coming home today, will I be starting that again…but I digress), or cleaning too much (not that I really do) or trying to lose weight, or returning phone calls for fall semester work.  That would have given me even more time!

I guess what I’m saying is:  July was pretty awesome.  It ended on a terribly sad note, and the news still isn’t good in regards to my friend Alicia and her fiancé Andrew.   But otherwise it was a fantastic month.  Hug your pets and loved ones and feel lucky if you are healthy and alive.  And I know we have to be adults and responsible, but goodness, if you aren’t basically living your life in a positive way, you need to make changes.  I’m really looking forward to the next few months as I start my new work schedule and my new position with Chamber Project St Louis (still to be announced).  It’s going to be a fantastic rest of the year.

I met my friend Melissa for dinner tonight.  We wanted to go to Milagro Modern Mexican, but SADLY Monday night is not a great going out night.  Evidently lots of places are closed, like Milagro (luckily we checked online) and then Yemanja Brasil (drive by).  Ultimately we went to Chava’s Mexican Restaurant in Soulard, which is near where Melissa lives.  It was totally fine, not great, but satisfied my Mexican food craving.  I had enchiladas, a margarita, and way too many chips and salsa.  And I took no pictures.  Evidently I’m on a picture taking break.  I need to step that back up or you people are going to get upset. (Plus, I rocked a side pony for dinner…and there is no proof.  That’s okay, it’ll keep happening.)

(the first time)

Today was a great day for getting errands done.  Except it was super hot outside (as usual) so I got really thirsty by the time I got to the grocery store.   As a result I ended up buying immense amounts of liquids:  milk, chocolate milk (which I drank on the way to the car…yum!), various sports drinks, sparkling wine, beer, you name it.  (I know, cool story, bro.)

That’s me in my old Akron Symphony summer uniform…judging you.  Maybe after the wedding I’ll get my hair cut short like that again, it’s totally cute.  Thoughts?

Yes, this is cuter.  (source)