Time flies...

...when you're having fun? Well, there has been a good share of that in the past 7 months since I have neglected this blog. And I'm pretty sure I have learned something new on each and every day. Since that may include some 210 days, give or take, I think I'll just summerize instead;
I have learned EVERY LITTLE DETAIL ABOUT BUILDING A HOUSE.
Now, not actually, physically building a house. It all began with the purchase of a lot back in May. Since then, I have learned a lot about lot loans, construction loans, mortgage loans, house plans, wood floors, carpet, tile, paint, brick, cabinets, counter tops, faucets, vanity's, fans, porches, driveways, garages, windows, shingles, outlets, switches, doors, tubs, lights, lights, and more lights. I know there's more, but I am worn out just thinking about it all over again. Don't get me wrong. It's been kinda fun. Just very overwhelming with so many choices to make. If you are currently building, or thinking about building, chat with me anytime. There's no substituting the experience.
Gotta run now. I think I hear a sconce calling my name.

Wow...

...things can get busy. The most recent thing I have learned? I get WAY too busy this time of year to sufficiently keep up with a blog. But Blog times are comin'. And I am looking forward to it ;-)

I am a...

...cerevisaphile. You can look that one up. Having said that, My tastebuds learned alot on Wednesday night that perhaps shocked them. Smokey? Maybe while eating some barbeque. Sour? That was definitely a twist. I can't imagine being able to tolerate very much of any of these out of the ordinary flavors. Lambic? Horsehair blanket. Yet it was very interesting to learn about the how's and why's and to get just a small sampling of some truly old traditions. I can't say I will ever venture there again, but it will at least be nice to say, "Yeah, I've had that".

Coffee...

..Yum. Ever had Vietnamese coffee? Well, I learned what that is. A little metal brew cup is placed on top of the glass coffee cup. But first, some sweetened condensed milk is poured in the bottom of the glass. It is very thick. When the coffee is brewed into the glass it does not even mix with the milk. After the brewing, you stir the two together. It is very strong, and very sweet. The glass is also rather small. You can drink it hot or pour it over a tall glass of ice for a cold, refreshing version.
Maybe now, I'll have to go back to Queen of Sheba and try their Ethiopian coffee.
I'm becoming so worldly... ^ _ ^

So much...

...learning. How it's nice to have a weekend in the middle of the week. How different a front-wheel drive works sooooo much better than a rear-wheel drive. How beer got it's start, and all the different kinds of beer and how they are different from each other.
Now I must say, that I wouldn't recommend using that middle of the week weekend, to do those beer studies, and then go out and drive that rear-wheel drive car. Just sayin'.

With all the snow...

...that has fallen in the past day or so, I have learned one thing for sure; I am now at the point where I much prefer to view it from the inside looking out. Although I will admit, driving down 2nd, 3rd, or 4th can be quite pretty with the snow hanging on all the trees. As long as it's from a warm car.

Tonight's is...

...short but oh so sweet. I learned that it IS possible, even with school in session, to have a weekend with absolutely nothing work-related going on. And believe me, that's a rare occurrence. It was so nice to chill, and relax both mind and body. For trust me, I know what's coming. And it ain't pretty...

New traditions...

...are sometimes way cool. Our group of friends who already enjoy a yearly January cabin trip , have started doing a once a month ethinic resataurant experience. Our first experience took us to some Ethiopian food. We were introduced to the usual meats and veggies, but with very good and unusual spices. It had great flavors. What made it most unusual was having it all served on a very large plate. The idea was to tear off pieces of the injera (spongey bread) and pick up your choice of whatever on the plate. That did seem a bit awkward, but if that was the tradition, we were willing to give it a try. We even got to talk with "the Queen" who owns the place. Good friends. New experience. Totally great evening. And yes, I learned to eat and enjoy Ethiopian food. Now I can't wait for next month's pick. I already think I know what that will be :-)

Can you believe...

...I'm taking a class? Well, maybe you will when I tell you it's a beer class. It's through IUS and it is run by the owner of the New Albanian Brewery (aka Richo's). The first night was very interesting and there was much learning. We stood in the brewing area and learned about the process. We also did several tastings for comparison reasons. But the most important thing I learned tonight? I'm REALLY going to like this class :-)

This semester...

...is really starting to "busy up". I realize that I now have 6 recitals to accompany and various other performance duties for which to prepare. At this point in time, I learned that I am not at all organized for what's coming ahead. The daily duties occupy so much time that the long range things that require attention are being ignored. I am going to promise myself to try and learn to get things all laid out neatly. Starting...................................NOW!

Much has happened...

...in the past few days. On Friday I learned that I still have many good classmate friends from H.S. Even though I may not have seen some for a very long time, they are still wonderful, do anything for you, people. I feel very grateful for that. We had a great get-together on Friday night. Treasured friends one and all.
On Saturday, I learned that sometimes you can escape snow by going North. Who knew? A great trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Cincy was the backdrop for my daughter Mackenzie's 12th birthday. It was very nice going from 9 degrees outside to 84 balmy degrees inside at the waterpark. We had a great time. I also learned on this trip how to avoid being run over by a semi when he changes lanes doing 80mph without looking to see that I was there. It was a very terrifying experience that was very close to disaster. Don't get me started on semi's.
One of the last things I learned today was that it IS possible for the Louisville Cards to get a big lead in a ballgame, and hold onto it. Shocker.
I think I'm all learned out for now. We'll see what tomorrow brings.
Nite all!

I never thought...

...I would say this. I have gotten where cold weather doesn't bother me as much as it used to. It's not that I like the cold. Far from it. But I used to have a dread of the cold, and I don't anymore. I HAVE LEARNED TO TOLERATE WINTER. I know there's nothing I can do about it, short of taking early retirement and heading WAAAYYY south (which could happen one day ;-). In a way, it's does seem to last forever. But in other ways, it, like the whole year, seems to fly by faster all the time. It does make me appreciate the warm months even more. And I can't imagine Christmas without the cold to go along with it. I have learned to love snuggling by the fire, marveling at how beautifully picturesque snow can be on a tree lined street, warming up with a cup of coffee or enjoying a few sips of Frangelica. I do wish at least once during the Winter months, we would get a decent enough snow to make some "snow cream". That would make my Winter better. Now if only I could make it shorter...

What happened to Thursday?...

...was just one of the things I learned yesterday. I HAVE LEARNED REALLY QUICKLY THAT SOME DAYS GET SO BUSY I CAN'T FIND TIME TO MAKE A POST. That's ok though. I live by the words, "Never complain how busy you are if you are a musician. Be thankful. VERY thankful". There were many things on Thursday, but the one that stands out most was the fact that I know oh so little about cooking. While a friend was explaining her hand-written recipe of "how to make pot stickers", all I could think was how this must be what my beginning piano students feel like when I start explaining things to them. It's yet another "deer in headlights" moment (2 of them so far this week...). Something that seems so easy to one person, and yet so foreign to another. I guess, as with everything, it all boils [cooking term there] down to how much you've done something to get you into that "comfort zone". I'm not sure at this point I could even recognize a cabbage, much less know how to salt some cabbage, draw out the moisture, and squeeze it out. Cooking always seems like so much work. What little cooking I have attempted has always taken so much time and effort, that by the time it was ready to eat I wasn't even hungry anymore. Hey wait. I may be onto something really big here. Cooking for yourself = major diet plan. Even so, and even though only on paper, through directions at this point, I LEARNED HOW YOU MAKE POT STICKERS. And I am making a promise to myself that I will try this. Someday. Hopefully soon. Now I must go because I'm curious to find out why they call them "pot stickers" 8>)

I have this Love/Hate...

...relationship with sports cars. I think ever since I started to drive, I have driven some type of sports car (ok. maybe I shouldn't count the Pinto). They are fun to drive. Even though I may do a great deal of driving, I never dread having to get in the car and hit the road again. In fact it's quite the opposite. I look forward to driving. But sports cars always seem to demand alot of attention. Deep down I think they are big babies, always doing something to remind you who's really boss. My current ride comes with so many pros and cons. Looks great; High cost repairs. Amazing handling; Horrible gas mileage(in fact, it would've qualified for the "cash for clunkers" program, except it's not a clunker. At least I don't think it is). So all of this brings me to it's latest tantrum. While attempting to clean some of the salt crud off of it (yes, if it's a child, it's only right that I "baby" it), I discovered that the moisture I tried to wipe off the tail light was not ON the tail light, but rather IN the tail light. I'm not sure how or why this happens, but never-the-less, there it is. Obvious, embarassing, and unreachable. I need to eventually find out what to do about this, but for the time being, is there anything I can do to remedy the situation? I firmly placed the thinking cap in the cranial region and "voila". With an extension cord and "situation ending gadget" in hand, I temporarily fixed the condition. I LEARNED TO EVAPORATE THE CONDENSATION INSIDE MY TAIL LIGHT USING A HAIR DRYER. It took a while, but it did the job. Now I'm no dummy. I know it's only temporary. At least it's nothing mechanical that affects the driving. And who knows. Maybe if I let enough condensation build up to where it gets totally filled with water, I could find a way to put some fish in there and have my own mobile fish tail light tank. Cool.

My computer skills...

...are just ok. What I do on a daily basis, I feel pretty good about. But push me outside my safe zone, and I resemble a deer in headlights. So that's why I felt pretty stupid this morning when I needed to use a "does not equal" sign. Sure, I've seen the "equal" sign forever. I know it hangs out below the "plus" sign. But where is the "does not equal" sign? Why have I never needed this sign before now? Well, thanks to one of my college piano students (who's less than half my age, and no doubt twice as smart) I was quickly using the sign I was previously lost in finding. I LEARNED WHERE TO FIND THE "DOES NOT EQUAL" SIGN! Thankfully my life usually hangs in a good balance, but if it ever gets a little out of kilter again, I will know where to go.
*For those of you who also have limited computer skills; go to Word, insert, symbol. You'll find lots of other cool stuff there too ₩ ҈ ₩

Do you think...

...it's possible? That you really do learn something new everyday, even though you may not be aware of that fact?
I thought I would start taking a moment in the evening to reflect on my day. To first of all be thankful for being given another day, and for making it through that day. What a gift! Part of my reflecting would be to give thanks for something new I perhaps learned during the course of the day. It might turn out to be serious, funny, or just matter of fact. I have no idea what it might be or how it might go. But...........here goes.
I definitely learned something new today. Something obvious. I didn't learn alot of details. Just the basics. And the new thing I learned is....
HOW TO BUILD A BLOG.
(I still laugh at the word blog).
Now if I can only figure out how to get people on here to read it. Hmmmmm......