...annoyed

i feel like a lump on a log...

so yea... i am completely exhausted. this week has felt sooooo long compared to past weeks... and i feel so tired :( had butterfly #2 yesterday (the opera's 2nd performance) and as i previously thought, i am majorly dragging buttocks today... if there has ever been a day in which i felt like doing nothing... IT'S TODAY!!!! and on top of all that... these kids might as well be climbing the walls, and hanging from the light fixtures... they are going BANANAS today...

on top of all that... i feel so emotionally drained. drama.

i am looking forward to the weekend... but it's bittersweet. with performances taking place friday, saturday AND sunday (matinee), my professional exam on saturday morning, a bachelorette party on saturday night... i know i'm going to arrive at monday morning wishing it was friday more than ever.

despite all this... i'm trying to stay positive... hopefully i do get some time to myself... some restful time.

this is why i've been a bit lost lately...

something to ponder...

why is it that, nowadays, kids only do "enough" to get by, and that's it? as a teacher, i see this everyday. they do just enough to get a C, or even a D... but never strive to do their best. were we like this when we were kids? i remember always putting together beautiful, well-thought-out projects, and doing well in school...

what is going on?!

the future of our country falls in the hands of today's parents...

as a music teacher, i deal with many different kids, at many different age levels - not to mention academic and emotional levels as well - and i constantly see things that scare me. for example, this morning when i was in class with my 2nd grade, a particular student was acting up a bit. he proceeds to tell his classroom teacher, and everyone else, that his mom did not give him his medication today. it's not really about the fact that he said this... but it's the whole subtext behind it... almost like if he's saying, "get ready... cause my mom didn't give me my meds today, so i'm gonna be out of control!".

growing up in the 80s and 90s, i don't recall so many children being on medication for behavior... as i told their classroom teacher, i can understand them needing medication to help them "focus" or "concentrate"... but to behave? i'm sorry, but when i was a kid, behavior problems were solved very easily: with a good kick in the pants!!!

nowadays, parenting revolves around talking to your kids about everything instead of using some good old fashioned "discipline"... my mother surely disciplined me, and i think i turned out rather well... so why is everyone, all of a sudden, trying to re-invent the "wheel"?

i know, i know, we do some of our best parenting before we have children, and blah blah blah... but still... what is so different now from 10-20 years ago?

let us pray for the future of our country, and of our world...

HBO Series: Six Feet Under

For a while, I was super hooked on this dramatic series on HBO... but had to stop watching it after we lost the channel. Now that we got our own cable with Comcast at home, with OnDemand. I was checking out the menus to see what this feather had to offer, and stumbled upon episodes from the show!!! I was so thrilled, and have begun watching it again... I am hooked, once more, on this program. I even got my hubby hooked!!!!

At the moment, I am on Season 4... Lisa, Nate's wife, was missing, and they finally, and unfortunately, found her body washed up on the shore. After matching of dental records, they were able to confirm her identity. Now, Nate is struggling with the reality that his wife is gone, and that his daughter will grow up without a Mother. At the same time, his own mother decided to re-marry on a "whim", and is now beginning to wonder if she made the right choice... David is having panic-attacks after him and Keith decided to have an "open" relationship, Rico has been cheating on Vanessa, until she finally found out and kicked him out of the house, and Claire is confused about her sexuality... this to name a FEW of the situations currently occuring ;)

With all that said... i *heart* this show...

A great way to earn MILES! :)

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The land of the FREE if you're BRAVE...

so i was listening to Power96 this morning (as i do every morning on my commute to work), and they were discussing the Miss USA pageant that took place this past weekend... they were talking about the runner up, Miss California, and the reason she was the runner up instead of winning the crown... a popular South Floridian Blogger which everyone knows as Perez Hilton apparently asked her what her view on same-sex marriage was... Miss California went on to say that she basically felt that we were free to choose to be in relationships and marriages of same sex, or opposite sex, but that it wasn't something she particularly believed in, or was raised to believe in. she believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. Perez Hilton really came down on his blog about her, claiming that she was dumb, and should've answered differently... regardless of if you agree or don't agree with her comment on her own opinion... it is exactly that... her OPINION!!! what is wrong with her feeling the way she does and voicing that, especially since we live in a "FREE COUNTRY"? i commend her being brave enough to voice her opinion on such a controversial subject...

rain, rain... go AWAY!!

UGH... this rain!!! ok, i know we need this rain for our trees, grass, animals, etc... but c'mon?! does it need to come all at once?! i normally wouldn't mind, except this torrential downpour took place during the middle of my busy day, once i left the shelter of my classroom, and was driving all over Miami...

i made it to my voice lesson over on biscayne just fine, had a GREAT lesson, and left nice and dry... but the fun began on my way home, as i searched for some dinner for the hubby and i, and hoped to get home with enough time to rest a bit before rehearsal... was it so much to ask that i get some dinner, go home, and relax a bit?! gallons of rain later, i arrive at my home, with a McDonald's bag in tow, soaked, and running in the house. I even left my keys in the ignition!!!!! i only had time to eat dinner, change quickly, and run back out the door. what made it that much more interesting was the road conditions on the way home with dinner, and on the way to rehearsal... ALL the main roads to the 112 expressway were FLOODED!!! and mind you... i drive a very small, low-to-the-ground, mitsubishi eclipse... thank GOD i didn't get stranded in the middle of the street... UGH!!! at least i made it to rehearsal on time, and it was a pretty laid back run...

hopefully this terrible weather will improve or stop completely...

Can we say, CRAZY?!

So this week is officially titled CRAZY in my book... on top of having 2, 1-hour, private voice lessons with my teacher, and working 8:15 - 3:20 everyday, it is officially Tech Week for FGO's production of Puccini's "Madame Butterfly"... which means I have rehearsal everyday this week beginning at 7:30pm, with an earlier call time starting on Wednesday to get into Wigs/Makeup and Costumes... On top of all that I made an appointment to service my car tomorrow after work... the hubs is already complaining... hopefully I'll at least get to cook ONE meal at home this week... wish me luck!!!

The American Ideal V

I had the opportunity to sing in this Concert in collaboration with the Coral Gables Opera. Genesis Marichal and I (both from the same Vocal Studio) sang "Duetto Buffo di Due Gatti" (a comic duet for two cats) written by Rossini. It was a fun experience :) We had an audience of Children... so it was definitely a great way to expose them to classical Music. They really enjoyed the Cat Duet ;)

Here is a link to some photos of the event, as well as an audio file...

Enjoy!!!

http://coralgablesopera.com/ideal2009/showtime.htm

New Layout!!!

So, I was browsing my dashboard, looking at what everyone has been up to, when I noticed that JennyLo recently changed her layout... I checked it out, and found out about Template-Mama... LOVE HER!!! Now, I finally have a cute 3 COLUMN layout... now, to just fill it up...

<3 happy birthday to me <3

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back to reality...

So last week was Spring Break, which will explain my absence on here... Monday, I visited the Social Security office to apply for a new card with my new name (took me about an hour and a half - not too bad), and Tuesday, I spent the entire day preparing for our Disney Trip... washing clothes, packing, cleaning up the house, etc. Our trip was fantastic!!! We had such a GREAT time! I can't wait to go again next month, for my Birthday :) It's nice to have a little vacation once in a while.

Today, I fell like I'm dragging-butt a bit... I'm half way through a week that has been very hectic so far... I haven't even had time to cook a decent meal! Hopefully the weekend is at least a little relaxing...

Is it 3pm yet?!

I apologize for being soooo MIA lately... but it's been a crazy week. I can't even believe that I haven't posted since last friday. I usually post during work, but on Monday and Thursday I showed the kids a DVD of the Opera "The Magic Flute" and on Wednesday we were at the Fair. Tuesdays and Fridays I'm usually pretty busy at the other school I teach at...

Now, a little bit about my crazy weekend week (and what lies ahead of me):

Saturday wasn't too crazy... I had rehearsal, cleaned up the house a bit, and just hung around...

Sunday, was Cristy's Bridal shower. She had a nice Princess theme. It was nice to just sit around, and not have to worry about going anywhere, or doing anything, for a few hours. We had a really nice time.

Monday, after work, we went to my Mom's house to do a little laundry (before a little became a lot), and had dinner there. It was nice, and relaxing. My hubby was happy to not do dishes :) We had steak, rice, beans and tostones. yum.

Tuesday, I had a voice lesson in the afternoon... so we decided to hang out when I returned, and try out Cici's Pizza. It was ok... nothing to go nuts about. Again, hubby was happy to not do dishes ;)

Wednesday was my Abuelito's (Grandfather's) Birthday, which was nice. I ordered food from Jerry & Joe's and hung out at Mom's for a few before Madame Butterfly rehearsal. The next one won't be until the 13th, so we had to make it count ;) Show opens on the 25th :)

Thursday, I finally went to touch up my roots. I hadn't had a chance to do my highlights since BEFORE the wedding... and you know, the "DIVA" always has to look her best ;) hahaha

Tonight, Friday, I'm gonna have some of my Opera friends over for some food, drinks, and laughs. I am thinking of making Honey & Soy glazed Salmon. Will let you know how it turns out ;)

Tomorrow, Saturday, Keratin & Collagen treatment in the morning, baby shower in the afternoon, and then heading to the beach in the evening to hang out with friends.

Sunday, taxes.

Monday... SPRING BREAK BEGINS!!!!!!!! enough said...

I can't wait till 3pm....