Lyrical Lavender Life

I said "I'll do it" And I did I said "I'll finish" So I'm trying I said "I'll never" So I won't I said "I'd go" And so I went I said "I'll stay" And here I am I said "I love you" And I still do. I'm keeping my word I'm doing my best When it all goes bad I'll clean up the mess I'm keeping my word No matter the test. Some 'word's are worth keeping While others are not Sometimes it is better to get off the pot* I'm keeping my word.. this time next time...maybe not.

I am posting a poll to get your opinions on navigating the game of life... specifically the academic track. Please only take it once since you can select more than one answer. I'll get back to you on this issue of "Navigating Life" ..... Thanks for your input.

In light of my post about the Knoxville shooting, I have been a little down but today I see a ray of hope in the world thanks to the stance taken by one Miss Keira Knightly . This beautiful woman who has portrayed so many amazing characters, turns out to be a pretty amazing character herself (in real life). She bravely stood up to the 'movie gods' who wanted to increase her bust-line to help increase their bottom-line. (Watch the video- http://video.yahoo.com/watch/3191713/9030438 ). She is perfect just as she is, plus she is an incredible actress and in my opinion has a captivating presence on film... would two cup sizes really change any of that? Newsflash: NO! Keira Knightly is perfect just the way she is. (If they think she is 'imperfect', I wonder how much plastic surgery or digital editing they would think I need...?) This is a great wake up call to women and young girls everywhere. Society is so focused on superficiality, that a woman's looks are of the utm...

I apologize for posting so late, I don't live under a rock as it probably seems, I have just been busy with the opera production... I noticed a video on Yahoo's News page a few minutes ago about a shooting that took place in a church in Knoxville, TN just yesterday (Sunday) morning. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080728/ap_on_re_us/church_shooting I watched the videos associated with the story and learned that police had found a letter in the shooter's home, written by the shooter, that explained his frustration with not being able to find a job and his apparently passionate opinion regarding the 'liberal movement'. He confessed that he had intended to continue shooting people until the police arrived and he expected to be taken out by them to stop him. He entered the church with a guitar case that concealed his gun and when he pulled out the rifle, he killed one man who tried to stop him from shooting others. Eight others were injured and in serious condition, with t...

The Road Trip of Your Life OK... so usually I don't put much stock in these little quizzes that you find online.... they're just for fun, right? You see romantic love as what's most important in life. A deep connection with someone else is the primary thing you crave. You live a life of leisure. You take your time in every aspect of life and enjoy it to the fullest. You are all about risk and randomness in your life. You travel off the beaten path... in fact, you're often the one carving the way! You are able to find a fairly healthy balance between work and play. You work when you need to, but you never let yourself burn out. In another life, you could have been a great artist. You trust your creative instincts enough to let them lead you. This one hit the nail on the head! I'm still thinking about my road trip / vacation and already wishing for another! Anyone interested? ************************************************** What Advanced Degree Should You Get? You...

Vacation : Sun, waves, music and laughs! We had an amazing vacation and I wouldn't trade those times for anything. I'll give you the basics of how it all played out. We had a plan, but it was fairly fluid and ended up working out much better than originally planned. Pictures coming soon, I promise. Thursday - We drove 8 hours to DC, went to Wolf Trap and saw the Indigo Girls and Brandi Carlile in concert. The Indigo Girls were amazing, as always; but honestly I had not heard Brandi before and was pleasantly surprised at how much I loved her sound. She was a great addition to Amy and Emily's incredibly tight harmony. I definitely have a new favorite song- Brandi Carlile's "The Story" is spectacularly raw and intense. I LOVE it! (Apparently it became well known because it was played on "Grey's Anatomy"... with music like that in the background, it must be a great show! Almost enough to make me want to get cable~ lol. Really though, give it a li...

This new love came in the dawn This new love is completely turned on This time when we laughed our souls felt the shake This time when we kissed it took away all heartache This new love is greater than the old This new love has really taken hold We drove down the highway just to get away Second chances feel good I wish we could've stayed Alone on the road just your hand in mine Your smile, your song your fears left behind This is how it can be from now until end We stumbled into this let our new life begin I want to be with you no miles to separate I want to be there when they realize your fate We each walk our path yes, this I understand But life is so much better holding your hand. This new love is my most precious gift God has blessed me with an attitude shift Before when we loved I loved you so much But this time I feel more than an ache for your touch I cannot imagine the thought of you going away For an month, a week, an hour or a day So much of my soul is devoured by yours I...

Remember the other day when I mentioned I needed to RELAX and enjoy my summer more? Well, that's what the next 4 days are going to be.... sort of. Ok, so I let go of the idealist notion that I actually know HOW to relax... lol... but I DO know how to have fun and let my hair down on a road trip! So, that's the plan. Indigo Girls concert Thursday night, visiting with some friends Friday and Saturday, seeing an opera on Saturday night and enjoying my time alone with my someone special the rest of the time! I'm SO excited! So, I won't be back on until Monday, but I promise to report everything once I return. Have a great week and weekend!

I recently saw the movie "The Bucket List" with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. WOW! What an amazing movie. This one definitely tugs at your heart strings and makes you want to run out and experience the adventures that life and our majestic planet has to offer. If this movie doesn't move you- see a cardiologist quick! The soundtrack includes the song "Say" by John Mayer . If you haven't heard this song before, you must be living under a rock. Well, come on out and it will be okay. Listen to the words of this song... and follow your heart. Having experienced a great loss in my life, with the death of my father, I understand what it means to have regrets. There are many things that I regret (with regards to my relationship with my father) including: things that I didn't say, but wanted to; things that I said, that I didn't mean and wished I could take back; times when I should have visited him more when he was sick and all alone; times when I sh...

I'm so glad that my life has resumed a semblance of normalcy. Things, on the whole, are back as they should be... well mostly. Ever the cynic I can always find some way that situations could be improved, but at this moment in time I am quite happy with how things are for me. Loved ones back within arms reach always seem to quiet the soul. So, where was I? Manic Mondays... ah, yes. Well, today, like most Mondays was nothing spectacular. The work hours dragged on, with very little actual work to do. I spent most of my dayr reading some backlog of information that I normally keep pretty abreast to, but I'm not sure that cramming it all in within a few hours is the best way to do it. So, in terms of manic.... I guess my mind was functioning in a somewhat manic fashion just trying to take in all the information that I was reading about. Reading some of this information caused me to go into a slight panic when I realized that the Fall semester would be starting back in a little ov...

For all of you who have some spare time on your hands this summer and are looking for a great book to get lost in, have a look at these. Keep an open mind and soon you'll find you have a lot more in common with the characters than you thought. Within this list is romance, mystery, suspence, murder, death, sex, passion, sacrifice, true love, coming of age, finding faith in God and in people, learning to accept who you are and what life hands you. You are sure to find something fabulous and memorable in every one of these. TOP 10 Favorites: 1. Painted Moon - Karin Kallmaker 2. Annie On My Mind- Nancy Garden 3. Venus Envy - Rita Mae Brown 4. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes 5. To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee 6. The Awakening - Kate Chopin 7. A Room of One's Own - Virginia Woolfe 8. Scarlet Letter - Nathaniel Hawthorne 9. Silas Marner - George Eliot 10. The Picture of Dorian Gray - Oscar Wilde Which of these is your favorite? I'd love to hear about how one of ...

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. Tomorrow is a happy occassion & I'm ready to celebrate! ******* ********* *********** ******* ******** ********** As you can see I have given my blog a facelift while I've been sick. I'm feeling better now, so I'm going to enjoy my weekend and get back to you all on Monday. Be sure to check out all the new things I've added. Now with 3 columns, there's a lot more to see. Have a look around! Have a wonderful weekend!

Don't forget about me just because I haven't posted in a couple of days. I'm down with bronchitis right now, but am using my time wisely- working on a custom blog layout. I should be back up to par hopefully by next Monday. This pic is a clue to what the new layout will look like! Have a great rest of your week! Look out for more video.... coming soon.

This is my first attempt at adding a video to my blog. Right now I am using my camera phone for the video, so it is not great quality but it gets the job done. I'm just trying it out for now, so bare with me. If anyone has any pointers, tips, suggestions, whatever... please feel free to offer them up. I want to learn.

Today I'm feeling under the weather and just surfing the web. I ran across this article from last week where another blogger was talking about how a lesbian couple was not allowed to be together while one of them was dying in a hospital in Miami. I don't think I could do a better job than she did in expressing my feelings about this senseless, hateful situation. Keeping two people who love each other and have shared a life together apart when one is in her last moments of life is more than wrong... it is heartless, cruel, shameful and I hope God adds that to the list of sins of those who kept these two people apart. This is so sad. My heart aches for this family and I am devastated that our seemingly progressive societies in larger urban areas are still inflicting pain on gay and lesbians. When will this stop? We all have to vote! Call or write your congressman/woman! Speak out against those who try to count us GLBTQ as second class citizens. This makes me want to get married e...

Music is important today. One song, very special to me, has been running through my head a lot today. "I've Dreamed of You" by Ann Hampton Callaway. Search it, listen to it.... it is a personal favorite. The one I hope will be played at my wedding someday. (hint, hint)

Coming Out Coming out of the dark Leaving silence behind Fearing what's ahead Going into battle blind Feeling what is fair Knowing what is right Guessing how it will go Fearing how it might Sometimes you have to do it Do it anyway Even if the end result Doesn't show today Someday you will be relieved To know that you are free To say, and do, to think and be What you were meant to be. Coming out of the dark Opening the heavy door Looking yourself in the face today Like you never have before Seeing your reflection in their eyes Knowing that they know you now It may be hard for a little while Hang on until they settle down But in the end it will all be out You will be free to live and be Just remember that it is up to you Only YOU can make you happy. This Love We were told from very young God is Love. It is up to us to defend our rights No one can tell you who to love. I believe my God is Love. So, all love is of Him. Including this great love I have for you, For I know it will ne...

Tonight I saw the new Disney movie, Wall-E. It was a great movie that I would highly recommend. Though it may cause kids to ask a lot of questions after seeing it, it is definitely a movie that everyone must see. It serves as a sort of 'warning' for what could happen to the world if we don't ALL begin taking better care of it. It may be a little politically charged and environmentally dramatic, but in all I think it teaches a good lesson. It shows how scarey a dirty and dying earth could be and it also shows the effects of people becoming physically and socially lazy. a I felt the need to watch the Inconvenient Truth again. Perhaps this animated movie was inspired by that documentary. The Inconvenient Truth is a fantastic movie/documentary, but apparently it is not for everyone. Perhaps some don't like being told how we are killing the world and the creatures in it, or perhaps they just don't like the politics behind it all. Either way, environmentalism is an import...

One day at a time Is really all we get Hold on to every moment Tomorrow isn't yet Images of future Difficult to grasp Explanations flounder Understandings gasp The paths that you imagine Can sometimes lead astray But seeing the big picture Will help show you the way Present is life Past is but a memory Future is hope So make today all it can be

2004.................2006................. 2008 Four years should NOT look like that! (And these were some great years!) ****************************************** Today I spent more time than I should have looking reviews for several different anti-aging products, serums and solutions. I was exhausted last night and was finally getting ready for bed, when I washed my face and noticed that I had more freckles lately and that my skin was much more blotchy. Upon further inspection I noticed the lines around my mouth were more exaggerated, and I not only had bags under my eyes, but now crows feet were forming. I immediately began to tear up. I realized I needed a make-over. I realized that I had been neglecting myself for far too long. Just turning 31 may have been what's got me to think about how I'm looking lately. I know I have about 40lbs to lose (I've lost 7lbs in the last two weeks). I know I need a new hairstyle so I can't keep falling into the lazy habit of weari...

I salute all of you who do your best to react to negativity from the world. To those of you who may be 'shaken' by what you hear or what happens, at least you have not 'stirred' your plans. Keep on the path that you have chosen. Do not let others or circumstances disway you from your dreams. Believe in yourself. Sometimes even the strongest hardest-working smartest wealthiest most amazing most talented most beautiful most popular most important most memorable most successful most gifted most educated most well-mannered most cheerful most friendly most original most confident most efficient most responsible most adaptable most diligent most driven most glamourous most healthy most humorous most mature most spiritual most stable most zealous most sincere most skillful & most spectacular of people are all subject to the disappointments of life and the criticism of others. The key to life is to take criticisms and disappointments as learning lessons. In some cases, they...