Legend

Goodreads Synopsis:
What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen-year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem.

From very different worlds, June and Day have no reason to cross paths - until the day June's brother, Metias, is murdered and Day becomes the prime suspect. Caught in the ultimate game of cat and mouse, Day is in a race for his family's survival, while June seeks to avenge Metias' death. But in a shocking turn of events, the two uncover the truth of what has really brought them together, and the sinister lengths their country will go to keep its secrets.

Legend by Marie Lu

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I really, really like this book! I had a really hard time putting it down. When I read the first few pages, I thought it would be like every other dystopic novel. And some parts of it were. But there were other things about this novel that made it special and captivating. I LOVED that the book was written from both of the main character's perspectives. You really get to know your characters better if you are inside their heads. I really got to understand Day and June from their thoughts of themselves and each other. It definitely helped me develop an attachment to them. I also liked the geography that Marie Lu used. It made it more real to know the location of the action.

I loved the relationship that June had with her brother, Matias. It seemed so unusual for the life that they were leading. Everyone around them seemed so cold and non-family oriented. But these two were very close and Matias really took care of her. It is no wonder she became a rebel with the love of a brother and a dog in her life. That would make anybody turn rogue I think. I hurt with June and with Day and their family tragedies. They all lose so much throughout the progress of the book. It seems like too much for people their age.

That leads me into the one thing I wasn't a huge fan of, and it is such a little thing but it was the age of the main characters. 15! It was hard to get into the romance aspect when I'm thinking about two 15 year old children making out in a dirty alley with mortal wounds covering their bodies. I had a really hard time wrapping my mind around their ages throughout most of the book. Making them 2-3 years older would have made the whole thing much more realistic. From a military point of view, from a romantic point of view...it just would have made more sense.

I'm not sure if this is the beginning of a series or if this is the last we will hear from June and Day, but I enjoyed this work a lot and would recommend it wholeheartedly! Nice job Marie Lu!


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Taps, Sewing Party, and Sexy Saturday

Last night I partook in good ole' American fun by drinking cheap tap beer and watching drunk people sing karaoke. Not all in one bar of course. If you're going to have an effective Friday night, you must experience the sights, smells, and beers of many different bars. I had a great time without getting out of control. I don't recover from the effects of alcohol like I used to so I try to take it easy. This time of year is not ideal for needing an entire weekend to recover from one crazy night. So I was a fairly good girl and woke up this morning feeling just fine. Adrian was a little worse off...skinny kids just can't hold their liquor.

Upon getting out of bed this morning, I realized that I was going to be late for the Dido and Aeneas sewing party! I'm always hesitant to commit to helping with sets and costumes because I really don't have a creative bone in my body when it comes to things like that. I'm in awe of people who can draw and sew and create beauty with their hands. Not so much my thang! But I said I would help anyway. We have a lot of things to do and we're running out of time. So I got to draw straight lines and cut for a few hours. Something even I can't mess up...did I mention that I have a hard time drawing straight lines...and cutting in straight lines...so. . .
Nothing tragic happened and I even felt a little useful. Sewing party success!

SEXY SATURDAY!!!
The object of my admiration this week is Penn Badgley!

Whether he is playing the good guy on Gossip Girl or the good guy in Easy A or the great guy in John Tucker Must Die, I love to ogle his hotness! You don't date Blake Lively by being ugly! He is now rumored to be dating Zoe Kravitz which makes me incredibly jealous. Making him even more hot is the fact that he passed his high school equivalency test at age 14 and started going to college. Also, he likes to sing and plays the guitar. I haven't stumbled upon a piece of information about him that doesn't make him all the more desirable. Blake Lively cheating on him with Ryan Gosling even adds to his appeal. He can be my good guy next door any time he wants. ;)

Hearing, Samcat, and Thespian Thursday

My hearing is over! Dr. Gesteland says that she can't imagine that I'll fail. Dr. Hendrickson was out of town so he'll have to review the video and get back to me next week. It didn't go as well as I wanted it to, but it was alright. I'm finally starting to feel confident about this recital. I still have A LOT of work to do, but I'm not ripping my hair out over it anymore. Everything is falling into place! My mother picked up my gowns...which are absolutely gorgeous. I can't wait to put them on and strut my stuff. I'm going gown shopping with Kuschel in the morning. I'm hoping we find her something really gorgeous. I'm determined! She will be the sexiest diva in town on April 22nd. No competition! :)

Samcat had her surgery today. I was pretty nervous but she seems okay. She was crazy hyper when I got her home, but she has mellowed out now. She has been eating like a horse! The bad news about that is she needs to lose almost 2 lbs. She has become a tubby little girl. She always be my perfect angel, but the vet says she needs to stay under 10 lbs. So as soon as she is feeling better, it's diet time for Samcat! She isn't going to like it. Lily and Lola are going to hate it a lot. If Samcat diets, Lily and Lola diet. It is about to get interesting around the Ries-Edwards household.

THESPIAN THURSDAY!!!
So! This is the first Thursday that I've blogged since I started the themed days. Thursdays we shall talk about BROADWAY!! It brings out the geek in me a bit, but I think it will be fun. Today we will pay homage to my 1 follower's favorite: Les Miserables.

This musical is so dynamic and so moving. I went and saw it in Minneapolis with Phil and Adrian last semester and it was an amazing experience. You can find the full synopsis on the fan site www.lesmis.com. Check it out!!! My favorite song is One Day More. It gives me chills and makes me cry and turns me into the epitome of a weeping female. You can listen to that at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0eRWvDu5WY. Check that out too!!! If ever given a chance to see this musical...always go. It is the best advice I can give myself and the four other people who read this blog. GO! With those words of wisdom, I go to bed. Nighty night!!

NATS, Recital Hearing, and Witty Wednesday

Been a while! I spent last weekend in Aberdeen. Not my idea of a good time but I was there for a competition. I didn't do as well as I wanted to in the classical division but I got 3rd place in the musical theater division.

I'm so uncomfortable with that kind of music that I am just floored by the results. I wish I could have sung better in the finals round, but it turned out all right! USD did really well in the competition. Three 1st place, eight 2nd place, and one third place. Not too shabby!I got to talk to Dr. Bultema a little bit and it made me realize how much I miss her. I've come so far as a musician with Dr. Gesteland and don't regret the transfer at all. But I do miss the faculty at Northern. They are just amazing people. Dr. Bultema and I discussed having coffee sometime this summer and I really hope that happens. It would be nice to catch up.

Tomorrow is the hearing for my senior recital. In this process, I present my program and poster for the recital and the voice faculty pick pieces that they want to hear. I have to prove that I'm sufficiently prepared for my quickly approaching doom...I mean recital. I have to say...I'm not feeling very confident.

It seems like at least one piece in each of my sets is incomplete. I have a lot of work to do tomorrow morning and afternoon to get ready. I'm crossing every part of my anatomy and begging the universe to let this go well. If you don't pass your hearing, you have to reschedule another hearing and/or move your recital. This isn't really an option for me because there is absolutely no time. Also, my family has already made hotel reservations and are planning to be here that weekend. I've dropped the ball and now I need to work well under pressure and pull some beautiful music out of you-know-where. I mean...nbd! I'm sure it will be fine...or I'll throw myself off of a high up structure. It will be great...or else...

Samcat is going back to the vet tomorrow to get her tooth pulled. I'm so sad for my hurting kitty. She has been really needy this week. You can tell she is in pain. She's grumpy and just wants to be held. It isn't like her and I just want her to feel better. Hopefully after that nasty tooth is out she'll be a brand new Samcat. I'm going to be a wreck for so many reasons tomorrow!

WITTY WEDNESDAY!!!
"If everything is under control, you are going too slow."
- Mario Andretti

Bleed for Me

Goodreads Synopsis:
A teenage girl--Sienna, a troubled friend of his daughter--comes to Joe O'Loughlin's door one night. She is terrorized, incoherent-and covered in blood.
The police find Sienna's father, a celebrated former cop, murdered in the home he shared with Sienna. Tests confirm that it's his blood on Sienna. She says she remembers nothing.
Joe O'Loughlin is a psychologist with troubles of his own. His marriage is coming to an end and his daughter will barely speak to him. He tries to help Sienna, hoping that if he succeeds it will win back his daughter's affection. But Sienna is unreachable, unable to mourn her father's death or to explain it.
Investigators take aim at Sienna. O'Loughlin senses something different is happening, something subterranean and terrifying to Sienna. It may be something in her mind. Or it may be something real. Someone real. Someone capable of the most grim and gruesome murder, and willing to kill again if anyone gets too close.

Bleed for Me by Michael Robotham

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was my first experience with Michael Robotham and I will definitely be coming back for more! I really enjoyed the detail that he put into everything. He really put us inside the head of the main character. I felt all of the things that he felt for the people around him. The imagery was flawless and I was really invested in the story. He revealed the plot twists slowly and dramatically. I was riveted by how I was still surprised by things up to the very end. In most murder-mysteries, I figure it all out right away and then spend my time proving myself right. It wasn't that way at all in this case. The ways that people were connected was meticulously thought out by the author in a way that wouldn't give it all away. It made you really emotional from many different perspectives. Can't get much better than that!



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Samcat, Girl's Night, and Witty Wednesday

Pardon this entire blog because the crazy cat lady in me is about to come out with a vengeance! Samcat is sick! She started drooling profusely at around 12:30 this morning. At around 1:51 I had panicked enough to call the emergency veterinarian in Sioux Falls. After I described her symptoms, they told me that they thought she either had a bad tooth or was nauseous. They said they didn't think it was an emergency and told me to take her in later. In the meantime, she was drooling all over me. It was gross but she looked so sad that I couldn't possibly turn her away. She laid on my chest for the majority of the night and she was just miserable. Her breathing was labored and she had to constantly swallow as her mouth continued to fill with saliva. At 7:25, I couldn't take it anymore. I called my mom at work and she told me to call our vet in Aberdeen. The vet in Aberdeen said that is sounded like a bad tooth and told me to take her in. I drove Adrian to work and was waiting at Cedar Country Veterinary Clinic when it opened at 8:00. They took her and I very reluctantly left. I was worried about her all day. I had been crying, I was rather cranky, I was really unfocused. I just wanted my kitty to be okay.

I finally got tired of waiting and called them at 1:30 this afternoon. They told me she was done and I could pick her up whenever. I went back to the clinic at 4:00 to find out what had gone wrong with my cat. Her blood work came back okay. They said that she' about a pound overweight. Then they told me that she has an abscessed molar. She has been put on antibiotics to try to kick the infection but she has to go back in next Thursday to have her teeth cleaned. They are going to look at the molar again at that time and determine if it needs to be pulled. In the meantime, she is still very sad. She has been moping around the house since I brought her back. The drooling has continued and so has her need to be on my chest. I'm feeling really badly for my Samcat and I hope she feels better soon!

Tonight was girls night. Jordyn, Hannah, Ashley, and I hung out for a while. Ashley had to study so she left after a bit. Jordyn, Hannah, and I watched John Tucker Must Die and giggled about silly girl things. I find these nights so refreshing. It is so nice to just be able to giggle and talk about boys. It takes me back to yesteryear in the best way possible. I think things like this keep me young. Adrian got off of work and got to hang out with the girls for a while. He didn't seem to mind. I'm sure he was trying to figure out the age-old mystery of the female mind. He can't have had much luck...we're an unsolvable mystery. :)

WITTY WEDNESDAY!!!
Because I'm still very stressed out about Samcat, I'll end the evening with the following:
"Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
~Anatole France

Singing and Movie Monday

This was a good day! I had my most productive practice session since January. It felt so good to be in control of my own voice again. No sore throat, no stuffy nose, no itchy eyes...it was beautiful! It still isn't great, but I'm hoping that every day will be better. I might stand a chance at NATS after all.

We started singing through the chorus music for Dido today. There is much more chorus work than I thought. I'm not singing in the chorus but Dr. Holdhusen asked me to sit in and learn with the choir anyway. I don't really mind too much. As my recital gets closer I'll want more time to focus, but for now it isn't hurting me any. We've also been doing acting exercises during opera workshop. Those have been lots of fun. Dr. Gesteland still teaches me something new every time I work with her. I will miss taking lessons with her. I can only hope that I find another teacher that can guide me as well as she has.

MOVIE MONDAY!!!
So today isn't about a movie really. I want to talk about a new television series called Game of Thrones.

Adrian bought the first season of the series and we've been slowing making our way through them. They are extremely violent, pornographic, and rather vile. But for some reason I can't stop watching. The things that happen on this show are just disgusting! All they do is kill each other. It is like watching a train wreck...over and over again. I find myself repulsed 85% of the time. But still I sit with my eyes wide and my stomach churning. Every now and again I tell Adrian that I don't want to watch anymore, but I don't do anything to remove myself from the situation. My obsessed revulsion of this show is reminiscent of the feelings I had for a little show called Barney. No matter how much that dopey dinosaur creeped me out, I kept watching. So that's how it is. Barney and Game of Thrones are pretty much the same thing. Viewers Beware!

St. Patrick's Day and Sassy Sunday

The End! I have had my final Chamber Singer's concert. It wasn't my personal best but its over. My feelings, so far, are of relief. I'll be sad soon, but all I can think about is how glad I am that I'm starting to close doors of my college life. I can focus on NATS and my recital and the opera and not worry about memorizing other music, or going on tour, or pushing my voice in ways that it doesn't want to go. It is one more step on the road to graduation. Our final choir concert coincided with St. Patrick's Day.

It was a funny coincidence. I'm not a big fan of the color green but I partook anyway. Following our concert and reception, I headed over to Laura's and celebrated. I was pinched twice before I threatened to start punching people. The pinching mercifully stopped after that. (It's good people don't know that I hit like a girl.) I celebrated a bit too much and woke up this morning with a sad tummy ache. Nothing major and I feel great now. It was a good night and I got to hang out with some people I don't normally spend time with. It was nice to be in a new crowd of people and just laugh and enjoy the company. No drama, no stress, just fun. I could definitely get used to it.

Kenny got in the University of Michigan. He doesn't think he's going to go. He is still waiting to hear back from Northwestern. I'm getting anxious about it because I'll finally find out what's going to happen after this summer. Once that is all settled, I'll be a lot more relaxed about things. I'm rather useless without a plan. So the sooner he knows where he is/isn't going to school, the better. The more I think about this summer, the more bored I get. I have full-time employment and my parent's house to look forward to. I don't know many people that are still in Aberdeen and my car is non-functional so I can't escape whenever I want to. Adrian and I have been tentatively planning a trip to Yellowstone but that wouldn't be until really late in the summer. I'm going to miss him like crazy! I'll be smashing my face into a wall within a few days. He'd better be prepared for daily phone calls until I get used to things. (I know you're reading this...get ready for my phone calls...)

SASSY SUNDAY!!!
The topic today will be lane closed signs. I cashier, part-time, at Walmart and one of my biggest pet peeves is when people ignore my lane closed sign and hold up my breaks with their selfishness. I was helping a customer today and my supervisor told me to take a break. She turned my light off and put a lane closed sign at the end of my conveyor belt. You'd think that the lack of light and the closed sign would deter other customers from getting in line. You'd be wrong. People are so inconsiderate. It doesn't occur to them that I've been there all day, I'm tired, I'm hungry, and it's time for me to leave. All they care about is not waiting in line because they are tired, hungry, and ready to leave. It is so aggravating. I used to just deal with it. Today I did not take that approach. I was very forceful about telling people that I was closed. I politely told them that they would have to go to another lane. Most people apologize and do as I ask. Every now and then, I get some jerk who could care less that I have other places to be and other things to be doing. They smile and essentially tell me to get over it and get in my line anyway. Depending on my mood, I might leave anyway. This is bad and I only do it if I'm really angsty and they are particularly rude. Most of the time I just sigh and speed through their order. I typically drop the niceties...they started it...say as little as possible. I don't think it's fair that I have to smile and deal with them being proud of inconveniencing me. I could rant all day about it. But I won't. I shall leave you with one final thought: Do not slap the hand that could over-pack your bags until they break while you're walking from your car to your house. That would be a mistake.

Under the Never Sky

Goodreads Synopsis:
Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky.

Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really liked this book despite all of its flaws. I found Aria and Perry interesting enough to ignore some of the strange quirks. It was really nice to see the weak, inexperienced girl develop strength and determination of her own. She took some time in the beginning to feel sorry for herself and then she was over it. She was focused on her goal and prepared herself for the new environment she was in. The only thing I really couldn't get past was the senses. I didn't like that Perry was constantly talking about the way that she smells. I just thought the mention of tempers and scents and smelling was overdone. Perhaps I'm just not a fan of having my emotions sniffed out. I also wished that some things about the realms had been explained better. I was a little lost on the concept of the smart eye. It made more sense when it was given to Perry. But that was more than halfway through the book. It would have been nice to have a grasp on the realms and domes earlier on in the book.

I really loved that she wrote from different perspectives. It was nice to be able to get inside both of the main character's heads. It really gave the reader a connection. I think the romance aspect of the book was too subtle and took too long to happen. Aria went from disgusted to attracted within a few pages. When she was attracted it was hard to pick up on until she was asking him to sleep with her. It was a little out of nowhere.

I liked that the "savages" were fairly normal people. It seemed very much like a Native American tribe of old. That being said, Perry being blonde always caught me off guard. It was a nice twist on what we think of as hunting, tribal people.

Overall, I liked this book. I thought it was pretty well thought out and I can't wait for the next installment. It will be nice to see how Rossi grows along with her characters.



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Randomness, Jazz Fest and Witty Wednesday

I'm so frazzled! I can't really explain in a short span of time why. There's so much going on right now and my head is just spinning! Every time I look at my calendar it makes me want to bash my head into a wall...or really any hard surface will do. I have another sore throat which is extremely inconvenient. I have my memory checks for my voice lessons tomorrow and I have a lot of memorizing to do. I'm feeling very unprepared for the next two months of my existence. There's a Chamber Singers concert this Saturday, next Friday is NATS, there's another Chamber Singers concert the Monday after that, the Thursday after that is my recital hearing, a week and a half later is my dress rehearsal and five days after that is my recital. The day after my recital is the studio showcase and the the opera is two weeks later. One week after that, I graduate. It all fits into such a small amount of text...but it's destroying my brain! I picked up more work study money which is great, except now I have to work more. Walmart seems to think that I need to start spending more time there as well. I've really been dropping the ball on my time-off requests. I'm so scatter-brained these days. I need to pull myself together! So I'm going to try to focus on being more grounded and thinking ahead. Hopefully that will make me feel less panicked all the time.

The University of South Dakota is hosting its Jazz Festival tomorrow. This is one of the days that we look forward to and dread all at the same time. There will be hundreds of high school students running around campus with band instruments, show choir costumes, and some mean jazz chops. We, as college students, have to shepherd them into some semblance of sanity. I find this quite impossible...but I try anyway. I'll be serving as a guide for the show choirs. I always think this will be a good idea for me because show choir was one of my favorite things about high school. I'm proved wrong every single year. Teenagers are loud, obnoxious, inconsiderate, and down right rude. I try to block it all out by repeating "I love Jazz Fest" over and over again. Sometimes it works, sometimes I'm forced to run screaming from the room. I haven't killed anyone yet...but I think this could really be my year...

WITTY WEDNESDAY!!!
“A woman is like a tea bag; you never know how strong it is until it's in hot water.” -Eleanor Roosevelt

ANOTHER LAZY DAY and Movie Monday

I am YET AGAIN sitting around my house today. All of my classes got cancelled so I'm taking another day to let my voice rest and heal from tour. I am going to get far too used to having this much sit around time. I can't complain too much though because it gives me a ton of time to read and think. These are things that have been seriously lacking in my life. I'm feeling really grounded. Its nice. I have absolutely no plan for the day. I'm currently watching re-runs of House. Gotta love that cooky Dr.!! :)

I finished reading Torn last night. I have mixed feelings about it but that's all in the review that I posted earlier today. I started reading Under the Never Sky.

Its a dystopic novel that seems to be getting really mixed reviews. Everyone either really liked it or really didn't. We'll see how it goes. I'm on page ten and a bit confused but I'm sure all will reveal itself in due time! I'm definitely going to have to step away from young adult after this though. They fry my brain if I read too many in a row. I'm going to read The Help next. I really want to see the movie but I haven't read the book yet. So I need to get on that. I'm told that the book is spectacular and the movie is pretty disappointing. Isn't that how it always goes though. Film makers just can't capture the things that make a book truly great.

Speaking of movies!!! It's Movie Monday!
I'm going to start of the Monday trend with an amazing little film called Armageddon!

This is one of my favorites. It is funny, dramatic, witty, horrible, suspenseful, tear-jerking, and star-studded. It has everything a good film needs. It brought us "Leaving on a Jet Plane", "Don't Want to Miss a Thing", and Ben Affleck as the rough-neck that we want to marry. Liv Tyler was a sassy daughter, Bruce Willis was an over-protective father, Owen Wilson was an annoying, chatty youth, and everyone wanted to save the world. It had romance, explosives, musical numbers, heart, and spaceships. Movies have been striving to create the miracle that is Armageddon. But they'll never come close. It is a movie that really deserves to have this Monday dedicated to it.

Torn

When Wendy Everly first discovers the truth about herself—that she’s a changeling switched at birth—she knows her life will never be the same. Now she’s about to learn that there’s more to the story…
She shares a closer connection to her Vittra rivals than she ever imagined—and they’ll stop at nothing to lure her to their side. With the threat of war looming, her only hope of saving the Trylle is to marry a powerful royal. But that means walking away from Finn, her handsome bodyguard who’s strictly off limits…and Loki, a Vittra prince with whom she shares a growing attraction.
Torn between her heart and her people, between love and duty, Wendy must decide her fate. If she makes the wrong choice, she could lose everything, and everybody, she’s ever wanted…in both worlds.

Torn by Amanda Hocking

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


My main issue with Amanda Hocking is that she has no sense of rise and fall. She doesn't know how to bring the story to a high point and then leave you heaving with suspense in the conclusion. She made an improvement from the first book by giving you reason to believe that the series will continue. She left Wendy's relationship with her father, the Vittra King, open for us to find out later. We still don't have much of a handle on who Wendy is and what she wants. We know she thinks that she's pretty, she is very powerful, and she wants to marry for love. We don't know who she loves because she adds male candidates up in her mind at random. She is constantly admiring the good looks of the men around her and then deciding that they aren't for her. She won't even settle on liking Loki for sure. And now she's noncommittal about her feelings for Finn. We know she doesn't love Tove and now she's doing everything for the kingdom's sake with no consideration to herself. She starts putting her own thoughts aside, which were few to begin with, to work hard on harnessing the power that we hear about over and over again. Wendy did develop as a strong female character who is kind and cares about people. But that's about it. She has no complexity. She is forgettable and not worthy of being the main character. Even supporting female, Willa, had a stronger personality. She is very clear about what she wants and when she wants it. You know what her definite interests are and you know how she thinks her life should be. That kind of characterization should be applied to our heroine. It would make her significantly more interesting.

I also don't like that Hocking followed along the love triangle route. I understand that it's really "in" right now, but that is exactly why she should have done something different. The idea that a lot of men would be attracted to royalty isn't a stretch, but Finn doesn't want her because she's royalty and Loki couldn't care less. Tove is forced to be with her because of their bloodline and he isn't interested in slightest. I like the way that Hocking makes it so you aren't sure what side Loki is on. She might have given away too much vulnerability in Loki, but you still have to wonder what his motivation is. It is hard to believe that he's fallen in love with her already (because let's face it, none of the readers are really in love with her and we know a lot more about her) but he seems to really hate the Vittra King. So I have high hopes for Loki. Finn is too honor-bound to love Wendy the way she loves him. Everytime he slips and reveals his feelings to her, he gets horribly angry and then makes her feel bad about herself. He has abusive relationship written all over him. His rounds of jealousy are kind of sweet but also very childish. So I'm team Loki on this one. He can go on my list with Jacob and Gale. I don't have good luck on picking the team that actually wins...so she'll probably end up with Finn. Sigh.

This novel had improvements from the first novel but also so glaring problems. She is very repetitive and makes most of her characters one-dimensional. Elora is the most complex character in the whole book and that isn't saying a whole lot. I've developed attachments to a lot of characters but unfortunately not the main ones. It is a sad day in literature when I'm continuing to read more to find out what happens to Tove and Loki. But that's good enough for me. I'll be looking for the third installment and hoping the Hocking continues to takes steps forward in her writing style. Great story teller, just needs polish.



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Tempest

Goodreads Synopsis:
The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.
That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.
Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.
But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.
Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

My Review:
Tempest by Julie Cross

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really liked this book! I liked the unique way that it approached time travel. It was a love story but I think it was a bit more complex than that. It wasn't just a typical story about boy meeting girl and needing to protect from the time traveling bad guys. The most powerful parts of the story were when he was talking about his sister. Courtney was his twin and meant so much to him. Being able to describe that pain would be very difficult. Having lost a sibling, I found the imagery quite fitting. I really believed Jackson's love for Courtney. I felt his need to tell her all the things he never got to say before her untimely death. His need to be with her when she passed. It was a very sensitive subject that was approached beautifully. That aside, there were a few things that I didn't like. I didn't like how Jackson's father was portrayed. He seemed all business one moment and then was an emotional basket-case the next. I really loved the jump to when his father was happy and in love. I thought that it made Jackson's dad more human...as human as you can get for a CIA super-spy hired to protect an infant time traveler. I thought there was a lot of time wasted on Jackson's insistence on joining the "family business". I'm assuming that plot will develop more in the following books but it was made into a big deal just to be irrelevant by the end of the book. I thought Thomas's character was very mysterious. I can't wait to read more about him as the series progresses.

I really enjoyed the writing and the story. It was very well thought out and the story moved along at a nice pace. The characters were well developed for the most part and the concepts were explained very well to continue the series. The reader was left with a need to see if Jackson can find a way to be with Holly. It left me needing to know what happens next. Good work Julie Cross!



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Bowling, Lazy Days, and Sassy Sunday

Day 2 of nothingness is fantastic. I am starting to feel human again. Last night, Melissa, Phil, Adrian, and I went bowling.

It is such a silly little thing but I love it! I'm an awful bowler but I find it so interesting. It is a challenge that I'm always willing to take! Three pitchers of beer helped me think that I was pretty good too. :) No worries though, Adrian and Phil helped me drink them so I wasn't a complete mess. I almost fell down once but I'm going to blame that on my ball being really heavy...and the wind... Melissa left this morning and I miss her already! She took The Gargoyle with her and I hope she likes it. I've been slacking on my progress with Tempest so I'm going to take some time today to finish it.
My car is officially dead! At least I think it is. It could just be a dead battery but that seems unrealistic. The battery in it is only a year old. I think Becky has just given up on her life. So until I figure out what's wrong with it, I'm on foot. I don't really mind walking. This town is so small that it is only about a 25 minute walk from one side to the other. It will probably make me more organized. The weather has been so nice lately that it can't be a rough deal. In the meantime, I told my mom not to renew the registration. I'll be mourning the loss of my Becky, but she's gone to a better place.

It is Sassy Sunday!! Today I'm getting on my soapbox about party movies. Every so often, a movie maker thinks that he/she can make an epic party movie that will break the mold. Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Sixteen Candles, Can't Hardly Wait, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Girl Next Door, American Pie, Not Another Teen Movie, Mean Girls, She's All That, and Project X are all examples of movies with epic parties where teens get wasted and young men try to get laid. Everyone wants to throw the party of the year. Who doesn't want to be responsible for the celebration that people will never forget? My problem with these movies is how unbelievably unrealistic they are. They depict high school and college in a way that is entirely untrue. The idea that you can throw the party of the year, have a band, have booze, have your parents away, and not get caught or arrested is just...ridiculous! I wish it could happen, I really do. It just doesn't. Especially when these parties take place in a nice neighborhood in the middle of a large city. In horror movies, all the teenagers get dismembered at the big party. In comedies, the boys get made into men or completely humiliated. In the drama, girls get raped and beaten. I don't know about most people, but I've never been at a party where any of those things have happened. Well...maybe some boys got made into men...but...whatever. My point is: STOP making teenaged party movies! They are so tired. They are unoriginal, corny, and lately...they aren't even funny. I can't believe that they make that much money anymore. Give it a rest. Make movies with original thought instead...that would be really refreshing.

Official Switched Review

Goodreads Synopsis:
When Wendy Everly was six-years-old, her mother was convinced she was a monster and tried to kill her. It isn't until eleven years later that Wendy finds out her mother might've been telling the truth. With the help of Finn Holmes, Wendy finds herself in a world she never knew existed - and it's one she's not sure if she wants to be a part of.

My Review:
Switched by Amanda Hocking

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


This book had some nice highs and some very disappointing lows. Some of the writing was very creative and charming. Most of it reminded you of too many other stories. The author's main flaw is that she didn't take the time to make you fall in love with Wendy. The character was extremely underdeveloped. You came to fall in love with Finn and Tove and Rhys so much more. The author does a lovely job of making you want to know more about every character except Wendy. And because of this, you have no care for what happens to Wendy. Creating a book with a main character that nobody cares about is a tragic mistake. It seems to have worked out this time for Amanda Hocking. She has become very wealthy off of this series. I can't really believe it though. Even young-adults who are targeted by this book should realize that it is raw and underdeveloped. They have enough well written literature in their genre to recognize when something needs editing. I can only hope that as the books progress, Hocking will take a moment to introduce Wendy to us as more than just a pretty girl/troll. I think it could make all the difference in the quality of the story.

My other issue with the book was the ending. I thought the book moved by really quickly. The climax came out of nowhere and was over before you realized that it had started. Immediately following the whip-lash climax, the book ends. It is just that simple. There is no indication that there is more to the story. You would never guess that there were more books in this series. You are unfulfilled and disappointed by the ending. We are all taught that when writing, the conclusion is just as important as the introduction. This book wasn't written with that skill. I can only hope for Hocking to develop as a writer as the series continues. She has good ideas, she needs guidance.



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End of Tour, Melissa, and Sexy Saturday

Tour is over!!! I'm experiencing so many emotions because of it. I'm happy that my marathon of singing is over. I'm glad that I don't have to worry about getting a home-stay that might kill me. Its good to rest my voice and get some sleep. But on the other hand, this is it. No more tour. I have less than two months of school left. It is a strange thing. I'm ready to graduate. I have been ready for a while now. But I'll miss people. I'll miss the choir and Dr. Holdhusen. I'll miss the sense of family that we get. I'm a whirlpool of emotion!

Melissa is here! She is starting her spring break and is heading back to Aberdeen for the time off. I don't see her very often so it's good to have her here. Phil is here too! It is a full house of happiness. I think we might play board games soon! :) I'm catching up on some of my tv shows and just leading a sedentary existence. It is super nice. The day is moving by nice and slow too so I can enjoy it to the fullest. I got new books in the mail today! Also very exciting. I got the second Trylle novel called Torn.

I'm really excited to read it. I'm interested to see where the book picks up from where Switched left off. It left a lot to be desired in an ending so hopefully it will show progression in the author's talent. The story is so interesting, it just needs to be told right. But before I get to that, I need to finish Tempest. It is very good! I'm in the middle of it and I'm really enjoying it. I'll need to switch back into the land of the adult novel soon. I get brain-fried if I read too much young-adult. I'll probably read The Help or The Fire...but I haven't decided yet. If that is my biggest problem, I think I'm doing okay. :)





SEXY SATURDAY!!! Topic: Adam Levine

He is sexy for so many obvious reasons. He is ridiculously talented as the lead singer of Maroon 5. He is a judge on The Voice and is always looking pretty fly in that arena. He is a bad boy with his tattoos and leather pants. He looks like he knows exactly what to do with a woman in his bedroom...or in other places. He is a perfect candidate for a dirty girl fantasy. He has a rocking voice, a rocking body, and a rocking sense of style. I can't ask for much more than that. Most definitely sexy!

Rapid City, Michelle, and Witty Wednesday

Today was another day of singing in high schools for students. We sang in Lead-Deadwood this morning and then St. Thomas Moore and Rapid City Central after lunch. I didn't sing our first performance because my voice has become unbelievably tired. My throat doesn't hurt and I don't feel sick at all, my voice has just given up. It is tired of being abused and has gone on strike at a most inconvenient time. It is now officially our "free night"! This is a night full of options and possibilities. You can get some rest, do some homework, get really drunk, or just hang out. I haven't decided which of these activities I shall be partaking in yet. Some people are having a hopping party a few doors down. It is amazing to me how everyone is so tired and so worn out until it becomes time to party. I just don't know if I could drink and then sing tomorrow. I don't need to give my voice anymore reasons to abandon me. It hit me yesterday that my recital is in a month and I need to be very careful with my instrument from here on out. I really want my recital to go well and that just won't happen if my voice doesn't start to regain health soon.

One definite benefit to having our free day in Rapid was that I got to see Michelle. We had dinner and I looked at all of her wedding photos and we got to catch up for a while. It was really nice. I love seeing her this happy. She loves her husband and likes to teach. She, like every other teacher in South Dakota, wishes that she were getting paid more, but she likes her job anyway. It is so easy to talk to her. She probably knows me better than most people. We're really different but we can still have conversations. We can disagree on topics without it get tense or awkward. It is really refreshing to be around someone who isn't over-sensitive and who doesn't dissect everything I say. It is also nice to see someone who isn't in the choir for a few hours. That is another definite bonus. I want to come and visit her this summer. I just miss her a lot. And it is really nice to have adult friends. I need more of those.

So Wednesdays will be "Witty Wednesdays". This might be a misleading title to the day because the topic won't always be something that is witty. Sometimes it will be a quote that I really like or a joke that I heard. But I have to maintain alliteration so this is what it has to be called. So I will finish off with a quote today on this wondrous hump-day.
"Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian."
- Dennis Wholey (1937-)

Tour Update, The Gargoyle, and Tacky Tuesday

So I'm about midway through my choir tour now and things have been going really well. We just finished up doing some high school visits. There are a lot of good things about high school visits and a couple of bad. High school kids are typically really impressed with the things we can do. In smaller towns, they've never heard a choir as good as we are. They get really enthusiastic and that's what we like to see. You always come across the angstastic teenagers though. The snotty girls who text, and fix their hair while you sing. The boys who think they're too cool to sing in choirs. The jerk who falls asleep in the back. It is rude and disrespectful. It doesn't happen a lot, but every now and again, you come see a teenager that you just want to shake! That aside, we have a concert tonight in Rapid City and I'm hoping it will be a good one. Michelle might come and that would be fantastic. I haven't seen her in a year and I missed her wedding. I would love to spend some time catching up with her. She was my roommate for 2 1/2 years and she is a friend that I don't want to lose touch with. I wish it weren't in the middle of tour so I could actually spend substantial amounts of time with her, but I'll take what I can get.

I finished reading The Gargoyle and I was very impressed with it. The writing was really fantastic and I was glued to it. There wasn't a whole lot to hook you. That's how you know Andrew Davidson is really talented. The entire book was about the every day life of a recovering burn victim. The main character narrates the entire book and there is a lot of opportunity for it to get boring. It never does though. It blows my mind! Anyway! While in the burn ward at a hospital, the narrator meets a woman that he believes to be mentally ill.

She says that she has known him in past lives and has been looking for him. She's a sculptor who specializes in making grotesques (gargoyles) and is convinced that her invisible three masters guide her on her path to put hearts in the stone. Over the course of the main character's recovery, she tells him the story of her childhood and how they came to meet. She tells him why they've ended up in the positions that they have. He becomes very close to this woman because she is devoted to him despite his terrifying appearance. She stands by him and helps him get better. She helps him face some harsh truths about himself. There is no real climax to the book. There are moments of intensity but that isn't what's fascinating about the story. It's all in the imagery. Davidson paints such beautiful pictures with his words. At one point in the book, the narrator is going through his own version of Dante's Inferno. Davidson's writing makes everything so vivid and enthralling. Near the end, the narrator is given a choice to remain in the inferno in his pre-burned form or go back to the woman he loves and come to terms with his appearance. He chooses to return and finds that he has to makes decisions that will change his and his love's lives forever. I would highly recommend this book. It took me a little while to get in the right mind frame for the story, but once I did, it was perfectly told.

I dub Tuesdays "Tacky Tuesdays"! So on this day, I'll talk about something that I think is super tacky. Today, I'll go with leggings as pants. It is a really obvious thing. Some girls can pull it off, most can't. I especially love it when said skinnies are paired with Ugg boots or other winter wear. It is soooo hawt! NAWT! I don't really know what girls are trying to accomplish with the look. It makes them look like they forgot to finish getting dressed and in most cases, leggings are a little see-through and they end up embarrassing themselves more than they know. Is it really that much harder to put on a pair of sweats or jeans? Or even put on a long t-shirt or dress over top of the leggings? Really?! These little fashionistas think that they are setting/following a trend, but I have yet to see leggings as pants on a runway anywhere! If I were a skinny-minnie, I'd want to show off my body too. But I like to think I'd do it with a little more class. (No skinny girls or Ugg boots were harmed in the making/posting of this blog)

Air Force Academy and Sassy Sunday

Day three of tour is in progress and is going pretty well. We sang at the United State Air Force Academy this morning. It wasn't a big crowd but it was such a beautiful church that it didn't even matter.

Now we're on our way to Casa Bonita in Denver. I've heard that is like a Mexican Chucky Cheese. This could get really interesting with this group of people. We're really a bunch of kids. It should be fun. Later tonight we have a concert in Denver. It will be our first concert off music and I think we'll be okay. I'm a little anxious but I really think this will be a great concert. Tomorrow we head to Gillette which is fun because my two uncles live there. I hope they can make it to the concert.

So! It is Sassy Sunday. This is the day that I pour a little bit of sass into things. Today I'm getting sassy about manners. Maybe this correlates directly to the way that children are being disciplined nowadays but I have noticed that my generation doesn't have very good manners. It is so often that I see teenagers being disrespectful to their parents and teachers that it just makes me sick. I also notice a large lack of "please" and "thank you" behavior. I was always taught to treat my elders and superiors with respect. Apparently, a lot of other people were not taught these same things. I understand that parents and children fight. I argue with my mother on a fairly regular basis. I don't do it in front of strangers though. Those are things that I keep in the privacy of my home. And the way that people talk to teachers drives me up the wall too. People call their teachers by their first names and swear around them and act almost as if they are equals. I can't even fathom this. I have slipped and sworn in front of my teachers before but I typically make a conscious effort not to. I certainly won't call them by their first names. Even if they ask me to. They are very highly educated and have earned their title and deserve my respect in referring to them in that title. I don't even know most of my teachers' first names. Even if I don't like my teacher or superior, I try to be respectful around them and save my complaints for my roommate or journal. I'm not going to give my teacher attitude and tell them that they are wrong. Even if they are, that's not my place. So that's my my sass for this Sunday. I think that people could use a refresher course on how to be polite and respectful. I could probably use one too. It definitely wouldn't hurt anybody to be a little more polite.

Colorado Springs

This bus ride has been very long. I slept for about half of it which was nice but still...it was long. We watched a few movies, stopped a few times, played some games, laughed, I read, and I slept. Typical bus time adventures. We are finally almost to our destination in Colorado Springs. I have kind of a complicated history with this town so it is a little strange to be going back. A lot of my worst memories take place in this city.

As a child growing up, things were a little rough. I never really knew how rough I had it until I realized that other children didn't grow up the same way that I did. My mother joined the military when she was 18, married my father, and had my brother, Wayne. All of that was normal and when she talks about that period of her life she makes it seem like she was pretty happy. She says that my dad was a social drug user but it was the 70's so I suppose that isn't very weird. The happiness ended due to my father's increased drug use, alcoholism, and abusive behavior. My mother divorced him. She never really gets into depth about how I came about but it is very clear that I was a complete accident. After my mom had my brother she was told to not have more children. But nine years later, I showed up. She never seems clear on whether she was happy to have me or not either. Don't get me wrong, I don't think she regrets having me, I just wonder if she was totally dreading her entire pregnancy. I think that my mother wanted my father around so that he could help take care of my brother and I. So he ended up moving back in with us and sleeping on the couch. I was witness to a lot of awful things that children should never see. My dad would come back drunk or high and he would pick a fight with my mom or my brother. I was the "lucky" one. He never laid a hand on me. So I just got to see and hear what it was like to be abused by an alcoholic, drug addict. My memories of my youth are very vivid. I wish they weren't. There are just some things that I wish I could forget. I suppose everyone has those things that they want to forget. For me, it is everything age 4-8. My brother, not having a positive male influence, started getting into trouble of his own. He babysat me a lot and I would go with him to his friends' house where he would drink and smoke and swear. He'd pretty much do everything that my mother would never allow starting at age 15. I had my first cigarette when I was 6 years old. I don't even think my mom knows that. Wayne got involved with a lot of things he shouldn't. Gangs and drugs were kind of inevitable for him on the path he was going down. He could have had so much more. My mom says he was a spectacular athlete and smart. He can't have been too smart because he didn't see trouble and walk away. He ended up getting stabbed to death when he was 16 years old. Any resemblance of a family that I had completely dissolved after that. My mother was strong through everything. As strong as you can be when you've lost your only son. She packed me up and we moved back to her home state. That's how at age 7, I found myself in South Dakota. I thrown into counseling that I didn't understand and was asked a lot of questions that I didn't know the answers to. I quickly learned the answers that they were looking for. Once I learned them, I didn't have to go to counseling anymore. To say that I had accepted the absence of my older brother would be a complete lie. The few memories I have of having an older brother still make me sad. I miss him. I still miss him. Not nearly as much as my mother does. But it is still hard. Listening to other people talk about their siblings and their families makes me feel so robbed. I think that all of those experiences have contributed so much to the strength that I have now. But I'd trade that strength any day for my brother back. That's a lot of deep stuff. But that's why Colorado Springs is a hard place for me to be. Wayne's best friend and his family are planning to come to the concert tonight and I don't know if I'm ready to see them yet. It just brings up so many things that I've been trying to forget.

On a different, less depressing note, I think I'm going to have Sexy Saturday. On Saturdays I shall talk about who I think is sexy and why. Today we will talk about Channing Tatum. I can already hear the objections. He can be pretty hit or miss with the ladies. I like him because I think that he is incredibly sexy and because he can actually act. Being more than just a pretty face makes him even more sexy. Also...the way his delectable little rump looks in sweat pants makes my mouth water. He was recently in a movie called The Vow. It was your stereotypical chick flick. It was based on a true story which gave it more charm. In this movie, he was the boyfriend/husband that every girl wants. Not just pretty to look at. He was funny and charming and intelligent and talented. He did take his shirt off, but I was impressed that he spent the majority of the movie with his shirt on. He impressed me. I loved the way he played the character and he really made the movie for me. It made me put him at the top of my sexy list. It is an ever evolving list so I shouldn't run out of things to write on Saturdays.

We've just arrived at the church! Here we go! Day two of tour is on!!!

Tour and Freaky Friday

USD Chamber Singers Tour 2012 has officially begun! Our bus has wifi so I can talk about every single moment of it. We are currently headed to Sioux City to do our first concert. I'm really nervous for this one because we haven't run the entire concert from start to finish yet. So this concert could be really spectacular or a train wreck. Fingers crossed that it goes well!

Adrian and I are sitting in the very back of the bus and it is nice and quiet. I'm really glad that it turned out this way. We are by Lee and Amy and the Tuvee's and I really wouldn't have it any other way. I see this as the best way to avoid and conflict or drama as the tour progresses. I'm hoping that there won't be any conflict or drama, but I'm glad we are positioned well away from the possibility.

I finished Switched last night. It was really interesting and I'm glad that it is part of a series. The ending was kind of...lame. There wasn't really a cliff hanger. It didn't make it clear that there were more novels to come and it didn't make you want to read more. The story had so much content but not a whole lot of character development. The conflict of the book came out of nowhere and was over really fast. Wendy is a 17 year old girl who has always felt a little different. When she was a child, her mother insisted that Wendy wasn't her daughter and tried to kill her. She was then sent to live in an asylum. She is then raised by her aunt and brother. She has trouble in school and ends up getting expelled a few times.

When we catch up with Wendy, she is started at a brand new school and trying to fit in. She meets this guy named Finn who stares at her and follows her. At first she is a little freaked out by it but then she realizes that she likes it. Eventually, he tells her that she is a troll or Trylle. He tells her that he ability to persuade people to do her bidding is all part of being Trylle. After she is attacked by strangers, Finn takes her back to her people and she tells her aunt and brother that she's never coming back. When she gets to the town where the Trylle live, she finds out that she is a princess and is the heir to the throne. She is told that someday she will rule the Trylle. After some crash course princess training, Wendy realizes that Finn likes her as much as she likes him and then he decides to quit so that he won't compromise her position. If she were to take up with Finn's kind, she would be banished from the kingdom. They share a steamy kiss and he takes off. Next comes the conflict. They are attacked by a rival group of Trylle and they try to either kidnap or kill Wendy. Finn shows up and saves the day and the whole conflict is over within one chapter. Finn gets to spend one night with Wendy to say goodbye and then he takes off again. Wendy decides that she and her friend Rhys are going to run away and she goes back to her aunt and brother. And that's the end. No threat of more conflict to come. No indication that anyone is coming after her. Nothing. I was left hanging a bit. I will keep reading because I think the characters have potential so far, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Beings that I would like my blog to have more of a point, I've decided to have themed days. I haven't figured them all out yet, but I think Freaky Fridays would be good for today. So on Fridays I will dedicate my time to something that freaks me out. So! Kids freak me out! They are loud, and smelly, and rude, and can't communicate, and I can't stand them. The way that kids behave now is completely foreign to me. I never would have screamed in the middle of a crowded store like that without having to run for my life later. Disciplining children is such a sensitive topic these days and everybody thinks that they know how to raise kids best. You can't spank them, you can't yell at them, you can't withhold privileges. These are all seen as forms of child abuse now. Which makes me ask: What can you do? How are you supposed to raise your kids if you can't tell them that you're wrong? And because of this new-age form of discipline, kids don't know how to behave. They have no consequences and aren't held accountable for the thing that they do. There are exceptions of course and I'm very glad for parents that have raised respectful children. I don't want to have kids and my mother can't figure out why. It's because the kids I see at work everyday are little monsters. Scary little monsters that really freak me out.

Update!

I just wanted to note that I drank tea, took some ibuprofin and a claritin and my sore throat is officially gone! I'm going to sleep a lot tonight anyway. But...I'm pretty much a rock star. That's all!

Sore throat again...and some random rambling...

So I woke up this morning with a horrible sore throat. I am BEYOND frustrated! I just finished my medicine that the doctor gave me and I was feeling fantastic. I'm hoping it is just a result of me not getting as much sleep as I should be. I'm hoping that medicine and a really good night's sleep will get me back into tip-top shape. We leave on tour tomorrow and a sore throat is the last thing that I need. Adrian said he woke up this morning with a sore throat too. I'm hoping we aren't harvesting disease in our house.

Dr. Gesteland is also sick so she cancelled my lesson this morning. So now I need to make-up two lessons. This doesn't bother me so much because I want to use the make-up lessons closer to my recital date. The closer my recital gets, the more I just want it to be over. I have days where I'm really excited and then I have days where I just want May 6th to come. My recital isn't even the the top of my priority list yet. NATS is just around the corner and I need to get all my music prepared for that. I would really love to win this year and I've put a lot of thought and work into my music. The competition is in Aberdeen. I see this as a little bit of a downfall. I transferred to USD from NSU in Aberdeen and my relationship with the faculty there suffered greatly as a result. I was disappointed by this because my teachers there were not even close to the reason why I left. I loved Dr. Bultema very much. She is a fantastic teacher and that has been reflected in the successes of her students. The biggest reason why I left was the opportunities. I was made a lot of promises when I was being recruited that were never kept. And that wasn't Dr. Bultema's fault. She wasn't even there yet when I was a freshman. I was told that by the time I graduated, there would be a performance program and the opera program would be developed and strong. By the end of my junior year, none of these things had happened. The opera program was in development in the capable hands of Dr. Bultema, but it was far from strong and we were only doing a scenes program in the spring. They had just gotten a Musical Theater degree started and it didn't seem like a performance program was anywhere in the near future. My other problem was that everyone was constantly encouraging me to switch to an education degree that I didn't want. I had to make tough choices. I wanted to stay in the state because I'm a mama's girl and wasn't ready to leave her just yet. But I knew I needed to get away. After having such a great teacher in Dr. Bultema, I was really nervous about meeting and working with Dr. Gesteland. She had new ideas and directions for my voice to go in and I was scared. My first semester at USD they cast me as the Queen in a children's opera called The Princess and the Pea. It would be the first full roll I learned. Even though it wasn't a very long or very familiar opera, it felt good to put that experience under my belt. The following fall I did another children's opera called The Velveteen Rabbit. I then played Hänsel in a scene from Hänsel und Gretel. The following semester I played the 2nd Lady in an abridged version of The Magic Flute and now I'm finishing up playing the 2nd Witch in Dido and Aeneas. It isn't that extensive of a list of roles but it is more than I would have gotten where I was. I've also gotten other amazing performing opportunities at USD. I performed in scenes from The Princess and the Pea at the National Opera Association Convention in San Antonio. While I was there, I heard Hugh Murphy talk about a program called Si parla, si canta. I applied to the summer program and was accepted. I then spent part of the summer in Urbania, Italy, learning Italian and singing and having a ridiculously amazing experience. My Choir has toured to some really cool places and I've made a lot of very useful connections. I have not once regretted my decision to leave my hometown. I've been blessed with another fantastic teacher in Dr. Gesteland. She has helped me really understand my instrument and refine it in to something marketable. I still have a long way to go but she has given me all of the tools to continue my studies confidently. The moral of my extraordinarily long tangent is that I'm nervous to go back to NSU for competitions because there's still weird feelings there. *cough cough* That all made sense right? *face-palm*

So yeah...that's pretty much the rest of my year. Tour, NATS, Recital, Opera, and Graduation. All in the next two months. It will be a whirlwind of fun and stress and possibly some blood and tears, but I'm ready. I've been waiting for these two months for a very long time and I'm ready to dive in, head first, and see what happens. Oh yeah, I'm ready! :)