It never rains, but pours...

Hello everyone,

It seems about time for an update on life, and enough has happened lately that a blog post is the most reasonable way to do that! 

1) I'M ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!

The man formerly known as my boyfriend is now my fiance!! He came up on Valentine's Day and proposed, and now we are working on all the fun details like setting a date and planning a wedding. But, the important part is settled: we're getting married!

2) I'm moving!

Anyone who thinks they're putting two and two together and imagining that this one has something to do with the first, congratulations! you're right. While I was down in Pennsylvania last week I received a job offer, and everything came together really fast. I'll be moving soon to start working full time doing paperwork/computer work--my kind of job! I am quite excited at the idea of standard hours and full time work, something that was rather elusive in my past summer jobs. The other way this is not like a summer job is that...well, it's not a summer job. The idea of a job lasting longer than three or four months is very nice. 

3) I have a new phone number

Going along with the whole moving to a new area code and all that, I now have one of those schmantzy smart phones that almost certainly is smarter than I am...this means new phone number. I will be attempting to pass along the contact information in order to make the transition smoothly, but as a public service announcement, please know that my former phone number is no longer mine and I cannot guarantee what might happen if you call/text it. 

4) I am still a student

This is in no way new news, but I realized not too long ago that some people might not realize the fact. Since September, I have been taking online classes to become a court reporter. The schedule is flexible, and I should be done in a year or two (depending largely on how busy the rest of life is, which at this point is quite crazy). 

I think that's it for now, folks...it's a crazy amazing life, and I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Soli Deo Gloria. 

Winter fun

I saw this test online to see how fast you read, and thought it rather fun...so here it is, in case anyone else wants to try it!

Click here for Speed Reading Test  

Source: Staples eReader Department

Der Erlkönig

Anyone else familiar with this piece? Worth a listen, if you like outstanding piano music...

The post all about Love

I don't know who wrote this, because I saw it on facebook and the person who posted it said they got it from another friend...etc.... But I thought it was full of truth and a challenge to courage, and so am sharing it here for your benefit. 

Love

Do we ever stop to think what we are doing when we decide to love? Love (take it in any sense you like, you can have your pick of the Greek) is an act of supreme hazard - some might call it a kind of violence. There are, of course, differences in degree - the husband loves his wife with stronger ardor than one friend loves another - but the activity of the heart in both instances is of a piece. In some way, some glorious, terrible way beyond our puny mortal comprehension, one heart is bound to another. These very bonds which bring so much joy introduce the possibility of pain, as the very capacity to feel brings with it the potential for both pleasure and agony. The bonds themselves are tainted by the filth of our hearts, as sin corrodes the psyche, clouding both judgment and emotion. Yet the very fact that we are able to love at all is a miracle, a grace we should have no reason to expect from the Creator we rebelled against.

AND YET HE LOVED US FIRST.

Love itself is a kind of rebellion, an inclination of the soul which openly defies the power of darkness and its clamoring hatred. The prince of darkness may still corrupt our love into a horror, a mere carnal desire or superficial attachment. Yet when we love truly, with simple, honest devotion, we spite the enemy, moving - even if only by a fraction - toward the nature which we were intended to have, toward a vision of the Kingdom to come, toward the image of He who made it possible.

Love should not be an insipid, mewling little thing which we dress in the palest, least offensive colors and stoop to pet when it suits us. This is not love, but an abomination masquerading as virtue in a world where virtue has no meaning.

Love is not harmless. Love is dangerous. Yet it is worthwhile, only insofar as it flows from the One who burns white-hot at the center of reality, Love Himself, the One who sacrificed His Son, who hung on the cross in agony, having done no wrong, that we might be truly loved.

Brothers and sisters, let's not proclaim our love - for each other and for the world - with platitudinous whispers and mutterings. Let's declare our intent to love with one voice, roaring to the heavens. Love is our battle cry, and our commander, and our prize. Let us take love as seriously as He did.

[any leads as to the author would be appreciated and credit duly posted here]

Piano Guys!!

For anyone who knows me, you probably already know that the Piano Guys are my favorite music band, hands down, no question. So I am sharing this on my blog as a vote for them to win a youtube award, just because.



And since you get hardly any of their amazing music in this video that has to be shared in order to vote for them, here is the real video with the amazing music which is the actual reason why I vote for them. Elizabeth and I saw this performed live in Buffalo when we went to the concert last week!! It is a combination of Faure's "Pavane" and David Guetta's "Titanium".

That's not even my favorite, though. I have not been able to choose an actual favorite, so here are a few of the ones I listen to most. [If anyone is not familiar with the Piano Guys, I highly recommend listening to these, or going to their youtube channel and watching anything.] All three of these were also played at the concert last week, and I can truly say that they are even more amazing to see in person! (How is that possible...)

 this is a mashup of the Bourne Identity soundtrack and the Vivaldi Double Cello Concerto

an African version of the Coldplay song "Paradise"--Peponi

and last in order of production but certainly not in awesomeness, the brand-new "Kung Fu Piano", which is a mixture of the soundtrack from Kung Fu Panda with Chopin-style piano and filmed on the Great Wall of China.

Hope you enjoy!! I am posting this as a vote for the youtube competition, but I suppose passing around some of the best music I know makes for a not-too-shabby blog post, too, and I am sorely lacking in those ;)

Only @ Chautauqua...

As some of you know, I have been working at Chautauqua Institution this summer. While here, I have encountered a number of interesting situations. Here are a few of the more amusing ones, for your enjoyment:

"I put an extra shot [of espresso] in [my coffee]. We just had a scintillating game of shuffleboard." -Julie D.
*bonus points if you can both define scintillating and describe how to play shuffleboard!*

"Well, the instructions are wrong, because you dial 9, and nothing happens, and you stand there swearing at the phone." - exasperated gentleman calling from room

"Here's a chuckle for you--I was so excited to get here, I left all my clothes in the car...well that's okay I'll just wear this again tomorrow." - excited guest

"Can I have the in-house count?" - co-worker
"How badly do you want it?" - me, teasing
"How badly do you not want to be thrown up on?" - co-worker
-_- .... wow, that escalated fast!

"Do you even know what that means? Clearly you didn't grow up in New York City. What are you, 17? 18? Am I embarrassing you yet? You need to get an education." *waves cane in my face* - compliments of room 70...

"I'm about to have a baby!" - exasperated [male] co-worker

"I'm sorry, I may be a bit thick, but where is the place where you type in the web address?" - elderly gentleman using computer in the lobby

"Don't get fresh with me, young lady! I'm telling a story!" - room 32

And for a final chuckle, a picture that amuses me every time I come in for a 7am shift:

hope you gained a laugh or two from my summer job! cheers! :)

Redneck Computer Terms

Well, I decided it is time for another laugh...and this is one of my favorites :) enjoy!!

LOG ON: Makin’ a woodstove hot.
LOG OFF: Don’t add no more wood.
MONITOR: Keepin’ an eye on the wood stove.
DOWNLOAD: Gittin’ the farwood off the truck.
MEGA HERTZ: When you’re not keerfull gittin’ the farwood.
FLOPPY DISC: Whutcha git from trying to tote too much farwood.
RAM: That thar thing whut splits the farwood.
HARD DRIVE: Gittin’ home in the winter time.
WINDOWS: Whut to shut when it’s cold outside.
SCREEN: Whut to shut when it’s black fly season.
BYTE: Whut them dang flys do.
CHIP: Munchies fer the TV.
MICRO CHIP: Whut’s in the bottom of the munchie bag.
INFRARED: Where the left-overs go when Fred's around.
MODEM: Whutcha do to the hay fields.
DOT MATRIX: Old Dan Matrix’s wife.
LAP TOP: Whar the kitty sleeps.
KEYBOARD: Whar you hang the truck keys.
SOFTWARE: Them plastic forks and knifes.
MOUSE: Whut eats the grain in the barn.
MOUSE PAD: That’s hippie talk fer the mouse hole.
MAINFRAME: Holds up the barn roof.
PORT: Fancy Flatlander wine.
ENTER: Northerner talk fer, “C’mon in, y’all.”
CLICK: Whut you hear when you cock your gun.
DOUBLE CLICK: When the dang gun don’t far when you pull the trigger.
REBOOT: Whut you have to do at bedtime when you forgot the kitty’s still outside.
Random Access Memory: You can't remember whatcha' paid for that new rifle when your wife asks.

[I've had this on my computer for a long time--no idea where I got it. It is in several places online in various different revisions, but I do not know the original source. If anyone knows where credit should be given, let me know!]