Thursday, June 30, 2011

The Amazing Day

This blog is going to have to be really quick, and it will be my last one for a few days :(.  So this morning, for starters, my grandpa and I went to Starbucks (I got a Iced Green Tea).  Then, when I came home, I did some more packing till eleven.  By eleven, my grandparents brought me to my dance camp.  The camp was from eleven-thirty to four.  It was amazing!  Three people from Ireland were there: My teacher's friend, and the two best dancers in Ireland (One girl and one boy)!  They all taught us the basics of dance, and at the beginning we did the palates.  That was excruciating.  Lol.  After, they slit us into two groups depending on our level in dance.  The Advanced Beginners (me being one of them), went into a room and the girl taught us a slip jig.  The slip jig was very beautiful, but I couldn't get one of the turns, and we didn't spend too much time on the left foot so I am not that good at it.  Then, for the last forty minutes, we did hard shoe, and my teacher's friend taught us.  The hornpipe was easier to catch on to than the slip jig.  Overall, it was an amazing day at dance, and then two more weeks till Nationals!  EEEEEP!  Later on in the day, just a few minutes ago, my grandparents and I just got back from Starbucks.  There, we met my uncle and I paid for all of them.  :), only, I teasingly yelled at my uncle because his was the most expensive.  Tonight I got a decaf Refresh tea.  There at Starbucks, I saw one of my school teachers!  It was nice, and now, me and my grandma are watching Masterpiece Mystery.  Still need to feed my cats (which I almost passed out last night because I just can't take it; my mom's job usually) and pack.  ;( Till Sunday afternoon, bye! 

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

My Lonely Day

My parents left me at home alone at 6:30 in the morning.  Hmph.  :) just because it is their 20th anniversary today, and they decide to just leave me to go to Connecticut!  Lol, anyway, I understand ;).  This morning though, at sometime, I don't know, I was half asleep and when I heard two people say they loved me, now being half asleep, I dreamt that my dad was making a heart with his hands and my mom was making a heart with tortilla chips :).  Dreams are so strange... Later, my grandparents brought me for a hike and walk, and near the end of the walk, I looked like I had just walked through a tsunami because I had Whipped My Hair Back And Forth to get rid of flies :).  I had to use my grandma's comb in the car before we went to lunch, hehe.  Lunch was interesting, we had to wait for a very long time, and my water actually tasted bad and my lemonade did too.  ;) Anyway, after lunch I got ready for the rest of my day and packed (My grandparents are bringing me up to Connecticut 'cause my parents and I are going to visit my other grandmother) for my trip in a few days.  A few hours ago, I had a "Pep Rally" type of thing at my dance school, it was for Nationals.  We threw water-balloons at each other and talked about what was going to happen in the next few weeks.  We are going to do palates tomorrow morning, and we will be practicing and honing our skills in dance.  Everyone will be doing multiple Ceilis, and one free style dance, which also includes that everyone will be doing a few Solo dances (I am doing a Slip Jig, Light jig, and a Reel).  I am SO excited!  After dance, my grandparents and I went to Starbucks, which I payed for with a gift card I have :), and I got a Iced Passion Tea again!  But this time I was smart and got unsweetend :).  As of right now, I am watching So You Think You Can Dance and thinking over all the pictures my dad sent me... They were of their meals and sights.  They looked delicious!  So, night people...loneliness isn't fun all the time, but I suppose I am never completely alone :). 

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

The Different Meals of the Day

                                                                  Spiced Chickpea Soup
                                                                     Date-Nut Bread
                                                                     Lunch <3
Okay, I got to make two new recipes today!  First of all, the first thing I ate today, was the third picture (Lunch <3).  It was the rest of the blackberries from the other day mixed with the Spiced Vanilla Granola; that was REALLY good!  Next, the first thing I made, was the second picture which was the Date-Nut Bread (recipe at bottom); earlier today my grandmother brought me to Whole Foods to get some things we didn't have to make the bread and soup.  While we were there, I got the pecans, chickpeas, some other things I don't remember, and Vegan chocolate chips :) (just for other recipes).  I only got the chocolate chips because this morning, I was watching Totally Delicious TV: Totally Vegetarian.  On the show, the woman made some Jamaican Tofu Jerk (http://delicioustv.com/2007/06/jamaican-jerk-tempeh/) with Rice with Toasted Vermicelli (http://delicioustv.com/2007/06/vermicelli-rice/) and Chickpea Salad with spicy lemon dressing (http://delicioustv.com/2007/06/chick-pea-salad-with-basil-and-pine-nuts/), and for dessert Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Cake http://delicioustv.com/2007/06/vegan-banana-chocolate-chip-cake/) (the cake had the (Vegan) chocolate chips, but you don't need those).  Anyway, the bread was amazing!  And the soup, I only had a sip, but my dad had it and said it needed to be thickened, so if you make it, add extra chickpeas to thicken it (my dad added rice before we saw we had extra chickpeas).  Also, my lunch was excellent too!  ;), here's the recipes:
Spiced Chickpea Soup- serves 4 to 6
  • 1 1/2 (Plus more to thicken) cups dried chickpeas
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 7 cups water
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil 
  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup chopped (fresh) flat-leaf parsley 
"Put the chickpeas in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan (or the pot you will cook the soup in) and add water to cover by about 3 inches.  Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 2 to 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat, cover, and let soak for 1 to 2 hours.  Drain and rinse.
"In a large pot, combine the chickpeas, bay leaf, and 7 cups water.  Cover and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the chickpeas are almost tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
"In a medium heat, warm the olive oil.  Add the onion, and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, cumin, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the onion mixture to the chickpeas and simmer until the beans are tender, about 30 minutes.  Stir in the 1/4 teaspoon salt.
"Discard the bay leaf.  Transfer half of the soup to a blender or food processor and process until smooth.  pour the puree back into the soup pot.  Add additional water, if necessary, to thin the soup.  Add the lemon juice and more salt, if desired.  Stir in the parsley and ladle into serving bowls."
Date-Nut Bread-makes 2 loaves (20 slices)
  • 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup whole-wheat flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (I didn't have this, so I used probably 3 quarters of a hot chocolate packet; I drank the rest)
  • 2 cups chopped pitted dates
  • 1 1/2 chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted (to toast: heat a saucepan, then put the nuts in the pan and stir occasionally and shake pan too till a fragrance emanates from the nuts)
  • 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (doesn't matter about the old-fashioned) 
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
  • 1/4 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar (I didn't have light, so I just put less brown sugar in; 3/4 cup)
  • 3 large eggs, beaten
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 1/2 cup dark molasses (put less in if you don't want the taste to be too prominent)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
"Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder.  Stir in the dates, nuts, and 1/2 cup of the oats.
"In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, oil, brown sugar, eggs, milk, molasses, and vanilla.  Stir the dry ingredients into the milk mixture with a wooden spoon just until combined.
"Lightly grease (or use parchment paper) two 8-by-4-inch pans, then dust lightly with flour.  Divide the batter evenly between the loaf pans.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup oats over the loaves.  Bake for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick or paring knife comes out the clean when inserted in the center.  Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes.  Turn the loaves out onto a wire rack and let cool completely."
 (Goes well with cream-cheese.  BTW, my mom couldn't stop talking about how she had been craving Date-Nut Bread before she had me, and how she grew up eating Date-Nut Bread until the brand was discontinued.  No one in her family ever thought to get the recipe)  Also, when I was cutting the onion, instead of me crying, I felt depressed.  Strange right?  Anyway, one last thing.  A few hours ago I was practicing the piano, and while I was playing I Celebrate the Day by Relient k, I became frustrated and stopped halfway through the second to last page, and while I sat there, I started yelling at myself to keep playing and I kept trying to find reasons why I should keep going, until I found one: Berklee probably looks for students who don't give up, and they probably teach the students to keep going and not to give up on something you've already started.  (Such as a song), and I kept playing.  I finished triumphantly.  GOOD DAY! ;P BYE

Monday, June 27, 2011

A New Taste and A New Book

Okay, so today, I got to chapter two in this book!  What an achievement!  Hehe... -_-.  I really do like this book, and I have to read it anyway for school, but I really haven't been in the mood to read.  Humph.  :) Anyway, today has been really busy or lazy in other words.  I have been on the computer a good part of the day, just for email, writing, and checking other things, and now, this.  I have been wondering all day what I was to write, and here I am.  I played on the Wii and practiced piano for an, plus I just had a lesson forty-five minutes ago.  It was really nice, but I kept getting frustrated with the beat in Missing (Evanescence).  But I got through it :).  And before that, I made Guacamole again, but with a different recipe from a different book. To my parents it was bland compared to another Guac we usually make, but I like more avocado than the mayonnaise we put in the other one (the recipe is at the bottom for the one I made today, hope you like it!).  Besides that, I have also been on YouTube all day and listening to Within Temptation's new album (getting all excited for the concert in September!  Wahoo!).  And even before that, I had been watching M-TV and was watching the music videos, gosh some of them were strange, but I heard a song that I liked very much, and that brought me to YouTube.  I heard the song Pumped Up Kicks by Foster the People.  I LOVED IT!  I have been going from Within Temptation back to Foster the People's album Torches.  It is really nice, you should hear it (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOIfNyBmZ0g&feature=related).  BTW that link isn't Pumped Up Kicks, it is a different song.  :D.  Anyway, probably the most relaxing thing I did all day was make a cup of Tazo Refresh Tea (I have had three cups today, yummm) and sat down and read/looked at a Cabela's magazine for archer's.  They have very nice stuff, and while I was looked at Crossbows, one was almost $2,000.00!  And a release (sorry if you don't know these things, go look it up to see how absurd this is) was almost $200.00!  Goodness, how good can these things get?  Later in the magazine, sadly, their was only one page for women's clothing :(.  GRRRRRRRRRRR. hehe.  So, I like Cabela's :), here's the recipe:
   
  Great Guacamole

  Enjoy! (From The Big Book of Vegetarian)

Sunday, June 26, 2011

The Tasty, The Mini, and The Sweet

                                                                           The Tasty
The Mini
                                                                             The Sweet

     These were some of best highlights of the day!  The first, was my lunch: A banana, two strawberries, a piece of the Vegan brownie from last night, and the granola I made (BTW the brownie was excellent!  Very creamy today).  The second highlight, was the first Summer Squash from my dad's garden.  It was very small, maybe two, three inches, and very thin.  Lastly, was a Tazo Shaken Iced Passion Tea.  That was delicious, but I got it sweetened; I would suggest to not getting it sweetened; my mom got the unsweetened; much better.  Anyway, that was my day :) or at least the best parts of it.  So now, I am going to watch Pirate Radio.  Night people.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Pizza, a Special Brownie, and Berries, Berries, Berries!

   Okay, so at four o'clock or so, my tummy was having the rumblies (:-D), so I woke both my parents from their "naps" to go to an "early" dinner.  My mom has been making a HUGE deal over the time we went out, and keeps making fun of it ;(.  Anyway, we went to a place a few towns over to a restaurant called Pizza Fusion.  We have never been here, and we have wanted to go here from a long time since we heard so many good reviews from people we know, and so, tonight we went.  My mom got a Traditional pizza, my dad a Founder's pizza, and I got a Very Vegan pizza (without the garlic, but with basil yummm).  We all finished our personal pizzas, except I was full after like the second mini slice, so my dad had the last one and I stuffed in the third.  Afterwards, the waitress looked at me with a creepy smile and asked if I wanted the Vegan brownie, if I was a vegan... :) I got it to take home; it is sooooooooooooooo good!  It is definitely better than the ones I made a few weeks ago, but my dad disagrees.  I thought the ones I made were too bitter, but he thought this one was lacked creaminess, and my mom thought it was too dry.  But anyway, forget them ;)!  When we left the restaurant, we went to Whole Foods across the street for a few things we needed.  We got tea, a baguette, bananas, granola bars, cheese, some yogurt and coffee, miscellaneous things, and LOTS of BERRIES!  Four boxes of blueberries, raspberries, and two boxes of blackberries!  Ugh, I usually eat a whole box of blackberries as I clean them off, but I was strong enough to resist tonight.  Whew.  Since my parents forgot to put everything away, I did all of it.  I enjoy food shopping and putting food away.  It is fun :).  So, I cleaned off all the berries as you can see from up there, and ate some of the blueberries, a strawberry (BTW a strawberry comes on the Vegan Brownie @ Pizza Fusion!),and a few blackberries.  They were good.  Overall, tonight was really nice, and later, we are going to watch Red Riding Hood!  YAY!  Bye. 

Friday, June 24, 2011

Two New Recipes of Today :))


I made two new recipes today!!  They were delicious!  The first one is Spiced Vanilla Granola from The Big Book of Vegetarian, and the second is Guacamole from The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook.  This is the first time I have done a recipe from The Everything Vegetarian Cookbook and my family and I really enjoyed the Guac.  Anyway, I had to supervise some things on the Granola, but it was still really good.  But anyway, here:
   
  Have fun!

Last nights Amazing Dinner!

   
      First of all, both books came from the cookbook, Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home.  Then, in the front, the main meal, is something called Chakchouka, and the dessert, in the back, in a Lemon Date Bar.  Both of these were amazing!  The sweet countered the spices, and vice versa.  Also, I couldn't cook the whole thing by myself, because I can't cook over an open flame alone :).  I also needed some help cutting some things.  Ugh.  Anyway, it was so good, my dad had seconds ;).  Here are the recipes:
      Chakchouka

 Lemon Date Bars

   Enjoy! 

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

A Mother/Daughter Day In NYC

So, today was the day, that at two o'clock, my mom, my friend's mom, my friend ,and I, were going to see The Phantom of the Opera.  First, my mom and I picked my friend and her mom up at nine-thirty and went to the train station.  When we got there, the stairs that went underground were flooded, and there was no way around but to run down and across the railroad tracks.  THAT WAS SO STRESSFUL!!! Hehe.  Anyway, once crossed, we waited for the train.  When the train came, we boarded and went to NYC.  Now, my family doesn't really like the city too much, but whatever, we had to go to this show!  :) By the time we were at the city, it was only eleven-thirty or so, so we went to lunch at The Hard Rock Cafe (this was mine and my mom's first time here).  It was really cool here, with a wall covered with the bodies of guitars, and walls filled with pictures of the Beatles or TV's, it was really an awesome atmosphere, but when we were seated, it got really loud and we couldn't hear each other across the table :(.  Also, my mom and I had a hard time deciding what to eat, since I am a Vegetarian and she sort of is (she is scared to eat meat since we watched "Food Inc.").  Anyway, I ended up eating Confetti Rice and a Grilled Shrimp Kabob.  Both were sides, but they were very good, I also had a few bites of my friend's coleslaw since she doesn't like that stuff :).  Then, my mom had  a Greek Salad; I also ate her olives since she doesn't like those too :).  After, we walked around a little bit and stopped a pharmacy and bought some gum or peppermints.  Yumm...By then it was almost one-thirty so we made our way over to the theater, once we got there, we had ten minutes till the show started.  OH MY GOODNESS MY MOM BOUGHT SUCH HIGH SEATS!  I am scared of heights a little bit...*smiles meekly*.  The show was amazing, only, Christine had dark brown hair when she is supposed to have blond hair, and they didn't have one of the main characters!  The Persian!  ....  They also changed the ending.  Ugh.  Oh well.  After the show, we went to get dinner at O'Lunneys.  That was amazing food too.  I had Shrimp Cocktail and two raisin muffins :D.  LOTS of shrimp today.  Hehe.  (I also ate some of my mom's vegetables) yummm... And that was it!  Sighs, great day :).

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Very Good Food :))



First of all, the first is Irish Soda Bread that I made from scratch tonight, and I got it from "The Big Book of Vegetarian."  Then the second, is a Mint Cucumber Salad that I also made and got from "The Big Book of Vegetarian," and obviously, the third is both together :)).  And last, but not least, is the last of the four cupcakes my dad brought home for me from Boston when he went to the Bruins Victory Parade.  THEY TASTED AMAZING!  There were three chocolate cake mini ones and this one big one was vanilla cake.  YUM.  All of these foods tasted amazing tonight, so here at the bottom, are the recipes:
  Enjoy!

Monday, June 20, 2011

"Sow an action, reap a habit"

Oh my goodness!  Everyday, I have the worst, most annoying impulses (also known as habits)!  For instance, I don't like it when people say "Oh my God," so I always have to mouth or say out loud, "Oh my gosh."  Or, I have to mouth things I think or hear.  Ugh.  And just the other day, I was talking to my friend; this is our conversation:
"I'm sorry," he said.
"Lol it okay," I said.
Then I corrected myself saying, "Its*"
"Wow echo.  Grammar" he mocked.
"Yes grammar :) it is a good/annoying impulse lol" Finished.
So, pet-peeves are awful, but can be very good.  Also, tonight, I had a piano lesson.  Something I do a lot, is use the pedal (lifting it) by ear (when the song calls for it obviously).  For example, I played "I Celebrate the Day" by Relient k all by ear; it turned out very good :); no mugginess.  But, lifting it multiple times in a measure isn't always the best, especially when the baseline disappears when you lift it.  Right now, I am learning "Missing" by Evanescence, and in the first half of the first verse, it's okay to lift the pedal multiple times because you keep having to change the baseline anyway.  But, the for the rest of the verse, the baseline doesn't change nearly as much as I like, so I have to change it once at the beginning of every measure.  Oh, it frustrates me so!  GRRRRRRRRRRR..... What other habits do I have...hmmmm?  Oh yeah, I like doing weird stretches with my hands when I play the piano.  My teacher says that is just makes it harder and it hurts, but it doesn't hurt for me, and when I play her way, it frustrates me 'cause I can't get it!  "Old Habits Die Hard" by Ten Second Epic.
I really hate habits, especially when you don't notice them and others do, which then makes me self-conscious when people who have noticed them tell you about it.  Yes, this has happened to me.  My friend, the one who had the conversation with me, told me I "grab" my nose when I am nervous or uncomfortable... Well guess what, it's true... And he makes sure to stare at me with wide eyes and stares at me with a great smile on his face which then makes me laugh and uncomfortable, so I fidget while I try not to hold my nose, but I always cave-in and grab it.  Did I mention I blush to the tip of my nose sometimes when this happens?  -_- Bleh.

Sunday, June 19, 2011

"Oh some may call it a curse, A life like mine But others? A blessing It's certainly a lonely life But a fulfilling one at best"

Just two days ago, one of my friends told me a girl at our school who's mother has had cancer, which left and came back to a different part of the body, is now in hospice.  I don't know how long she has to live, my mom said I suppose usually two weeks to live.  This girl is only 12 or 13, and her mom, is young for this, but is at a age a lot of women get breast cancer.  Anyway, when my friend told me about her mom, I showed some sympathy, but then my friend started saying, "Wouldn't you want people to help you in a time like this?" and I said, "Of course!  And I will help her, but that doesn't mean I'm not changing the way I act around her.  For one thing, I have never been mean to her!  And also, I think she might need some space too.  I hope her mom lives, we are all praying for her, but right now, we're not so sure.  I hope her family gets through this...

Thursday, June 16, 2011

"So many dreams were broken and so much was sacrificed...So many years have past, who are the noble and the wise? Will all our sins be justified?...His soul was tortured by love and by pain...Was it worth the ones we loved and had to leave behind?"

Last night, the Stanley Cup, the Boston Bruins won.  The game was played in Vancouver, Canada, and by the time the game was over, the Canucks' fans broke out into frustration.  They couldn't be held back, their anger and rage flowed out like a water breaking through a dam.  The police couldn't do anything, all that was left to do was wait for the frenzy to disperse and go home.  This happened till midnight or so, and finally the city was left with smoke drifting into the air, glass littered sidewalks, streets blocked off because of damage, gas-bomb-type of tools were thrown at the police, and many people were in the hospital because of severe injuries.  No one had a safe way to get home.  This, this event, showed loyalty, obsession, and anger.  Why were they SO angry?  Well, maybe I shouldn't be talking, but still.  Why would they risk their lives just to show how frustrated they were with their team?  Maybe I will never get an answer.  But all I know is, is that last night was a night of celebration for some, and it should have been a night of silent mourning.  I hope I don't sound like a jerk, but I am sad people take sports like this to that extreme.

Wednesday, June 15, 2011

"I used to roll the dice Feel the fear in the enemy's eyes...One minute I held the key...I heard Jerusalem bells a ringing Roman Calvary choirs are singing...But that was when I ruled the world."

THEY WON! OH MY GOSH THEY WON! FIRST TIME IN THE PAST 39 YEARS!  THEY HAVE WON 6 CUPS!  I am sorry Canada.  Good game.  BTW they played my favorite song: VIVA LA VIDA.  Never heard it?  Look it up now.  Your life depends on it.  Lol.  Oh my goodness, Canada is booing Tim Thomas :'(! Anyway, good game, look forward to next season.  Good game, good season, good teams, each with the same will to win.  Each with the same love, passion, and life.  WAHOOOOOOOOOOO Can't wait for the Victory Parade!

"I know they have confidence. They should have confidence. They are the" 'NHL' "champions...'No matter what you say during the week - and God knows we say a lot this week - we're going to be focused on going out and winning this game. We're confident, but I don't think we share our thoughts with everybody."

Tonight.  June 15, 2011 8:30 PM-11:00+ PM is the Final Stanley Cup in Roger's Arena Vancouver, Canada.  The teams: Boston Bruins and the Vancouver Canucks.  I am sitting on the edge of my seat, and have been ALL day.  The score as of right now is 1-0.  Yay!  Boston Bruins are winning (No offense to any Canadian fans).  I have been, and still am, stressed our all day long.  I almost wanted to puke when I was talking to my friend about tonight's game.  I mean, this game is in Vancouver!  The Bruins and Cancucks keep having close games here, and every time they play in Boston, the Bruins win, and now they are back in Vancouver for the final game.     The Canucks and Bruins are tied.  Tonight, whoever wins, gets the Cup.  Now, recap, hockey has only just become a huge part of my life.  Well, maybe not huge, but I have become a HUGE fan and I am trying to understand all the rules, places, and such.  I have been doing well to catch on, I can tell when a power play is.  Anyway, my dad just said, and I quote, "I'm gonna puke."  Already my father has jumped up and rejoiced with a resounding shout through the house, and here I sit quietly keeping my thoughts to myself  (He thinks I'm not stressed out).  Oh my goodness, it's a commercial.  Eck.  Stupid, boring, distracting, things that waste two minutes of my life.  Hehe.  Sigh.  The game is back, my fingers are shaking, and my dad is going to hyperventilate soon.  Hopefully they win, because then, we will be going to Boston tomorrow night for the parade...SCORE!.... Goodnight...I hope.

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

"One of the hardest things in life is having words in your heart that you can't utter."

For the past few days, as you know from my New England-longing post, I have been craving New England, but I have also been enjoying Irish dance these past few days too, and together these longings have both placed pain and happiness in my chest, I can almost physically feel it!  The pain comes from New England, and the happiness that I get from Irish dance is so overwhelming it hurts, but either way, I can feel something that I can barely contain, and only tears and actions will satisfy. 
     Every time I do Irish dance, or hear Irish music, I get an adrenaline rush and I become very talkative when I walk out of the building or studio.  I can come from the crappiest day I have ever had, or I can come from being very sad, to becoming ecstatic after dancing and hearing the music in the room.  But since my Saturday dance recital, and from getting the feedback and results from the digital feis, I have been very happy.  The happiness I feel when I walk out of the studio has lasted with me for four days now; I just want to keep dancing.  And just today, one of my friends said her mom wanted her to do ballet next year, but shockingly, she kind of wants to do Irish dance.  So now of course this made me VERY happy (once again), and I have sent her different camps she can do with me in the Summer, and now I wait for her answer.  But anyway, this happiness is overwhelming and wonderful.  I don't want it to go away.   
     Aside from that, the pain has come from the craving New England.  My want for Boston especially has grown, since for the past two days at school our Summer reading project, all the choices on it are about books taking place in New England, and when my teacher was talking to us about them, I almost cried!  And at that time, the pain in my chest was the only feeling there, the little light of happiness was as dim as a dying light bulb.  But I held them in.  So sadly, all these feelings I can barely contain, and I don't have to hold them in, but the feelings just so large, that I might run someone down from the excitement and anxiety!  Arghhh.  Some things in our hearts are just like the water behind a dam just waiting to break the hold down. 

Saturday, June 11, 2011

"To see us dance is to hear our hearts speak."

Today was my Irish Dance recital.  My third one :))).  Today marked my three years of being an Irish Dancer and I am so happy to do it.  Though shockingly, I am not Irish at all, but there may be one drop :).  But every time I dance, I feel like an Irish person hehe.  Also today, I got a trophy and three certificates for a digital feis I did.  It was my first competition and from my videos, I went from beginner to advanced beginner!  The certificates and trophy all said 1st place :D.  Anyway, today was an awesome day.  I was in three dances with my two classes (hard shoe and soft shoe).  We did a hornpipe, a fairy reel, and something else.  I don't remember what the other one was.  But other than that, my soft shoe class was really on end today, they kept making fun of me because I forgot the sequence of the fairy reel!!! Grrr.  Though thankfully when we did it, I wasn't the only one who made a mistake!  Haha.  Then after that, we did the dance I don't remember, but it was really fun and we got it 100%!  And later, we did our hornpipe with our hard shoe class.  That was cool too, but some of the people in our class were a little late because they were still changing from a dance they had just been in.  In the last one we did, the hornpipe, we all wore a traditional dress (that was "REEL-E" heavy!) because some of the people in our hard shoe class were wearing solo dresses, and this way we all matched, and on the back of mine, and all the traditional dresses, it said, "To see us dance is to hear our hearts speak."  In the end, "An tuatha nua, rince nua" and goodnight ;).

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

"Music and rhythm find their way into the secret places of the soul"

What brings you peace?  What gives you happiness?  What do you dream about?  What do you live for?  Out of all the things that bring me happiness, music is the one thing that brings me joy, and I would be hidden deep within myself it did not exist.  I am a relatively quiet person, or I am when I am at school or with no one to talk to, but give me my iPod and I start screaming inside!  I get excited, it fills me with joy no matter what the lyrics are.  Except for rap, that isn't my favorite thing...  Anyway, music speaks what the heart cannot express, and instruments fill in the air the words cannot reach to.  For me, that instrument is the piano, and after for playing for seven years I have found a feeling inside me I cannot tell you of.  I have no words to describe it but as a dream and a fantasy that is as beautiful and as sad as the darkest ocean surrounded by rock with sunlight shining down on it.  I have maybe eight or ten piano books that I got for my birthday and Christmas and I have only started using one in the past two weeks (Evanescence's Farther Away: Missing) Most of the music I listen to would probably make others cry or angry, maybe they'd think I was disturbed or depressed, but the music I listen to I find beautiful.  I find cemeteries beautiful!  I am not depressed, I am very happy; I find cemeteries and dark things beautiful because I love history and I perceive this world differently than others.  Especially in music.  Just a list of some artists I listen to: Evanescence, Within Temptation, Anberlin, Anarbor, The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus, Skillet, Rise Against, Ten Second Epic, Michael Buble, The Spill Canvas, Halestorm, A Day to Remember, The Fray, The Maine, Lacuna Coil, Relient k, Three Days Grace, All Time Low, 30 Seconds to Mars, and We Are the Fallen.  Yeah, a lot of the music has some sad lyrics and sounds, but I love it!  I can't get enough of it!  And when I play, listen to, or sing with it, I become relaxed.  One day when my parents and I were watching a special about how Harry Potter was made, half of the show was about the Scores and about how they were written.  While I watched it something like a light bulb or a fire lit inside me.  I ached to do what they did, transforming a story and giving it shape.  Feed the ears what the lines the actors speak can't fill.  Now the summer before, my family went to Boston and went to George's Island.  While we were there, Berklee College of Music was preforming there.  And although I didn't stay for the whole show like my mom did, but I what I did hear filled my ears for the rest of the day.  And from that performance, from the Harry Potter special, I now want to go to Berklee.  Though it is still a few years away for me to finally chose, my cousin and her fiance got me a sweatshirt and a little lion key-chain that wore a Berklee shirt.  I  try to practice the piano an hour every day, and I try my best at it every time.  Music has filled in the gaps in my life, and has given me a dream to work towards.  Everyone should have one. :-)

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

"It was a thousand to one and a million to two Time to go down in flames and I'm taking you Closer to the edge...Can you imagine a time when the truth ran free...Paid for with pride and fate...One day maybe we'll meet again."

Back in 1692-1693, the witch trials began in Salem, MA.  150 people were accused of witchcraft, they started because some girls didn't like some people in their town, and nobody would listen to them, so finally they hurt themselves and cried out saying that the people they didn't like did this to them.  Now in one of my classes, we are doing a mock witch trial after a book we just read; everyone got a part in the trial.  You have the judge, the jury, the prosecutors, the defenders, the victims, and the witch/conjurer them self.  I am one of the afflicted girls/victims of this trial.  I have been beaten and given and forced to do things by a man named George Burroughs.  This is a real story.  In the trial, I am the victim Mercy Lewis.  George Burroughs carried me up a mountain and offered me the whole world if I wrote in his book.  And at the trial, he was proven guilty because of the cuts I and the other victims had put on ourselves but claimed he did them.  George was later hanged in the gallows on Gallows Hill, Salem.  But while he was there, he recited the Lord's Prayer which was thought to be impossible for a witch or wizard to do, though it still changed nothing but did give everyone a shock.  For some reason, I am very excited to act out this trial, and I feel I could get into this very well, and I hope I do well too :).  Right when my dad got home I asked him if we could go see a mock witch trial in Salem, and he said sure. :D I am very excited and I truly hope we do.  I have never been to Salem, so this would be my first time.  My summer just keeps getting better. :)) In the end, no one really did practice witchcraft during this time, so all the accusations and trials were just about superstition and dislike for people in their town, but the Puritans back then were very strict and kept to the Bible.  Taking things in the Bible very literally, and lived by what they perceived from it.  The Puritans came to New England for religious freedom, but when other religious groups came, the Puritans didn't like the other groups very well, and so shunned them in a way.  Made them outcasts.  There really was no freedom, truth was forced, many people had pride, but no one really had a say less they were a Puritan.  Overall, things have changed quite a lot, thank goodness! 

Monday, June 6, 2011

"Let the journey start, I finally freed myself from the jealousy and revenge I have felt I got out in time and I'm moving fine I'll live to tell the tale I will be my guide, no one by my side This fearless road, just me myself and I"

The title of this blog has significant meaning  to me and I suppose anyone, if I, or anyone, really think about it.  Our life is the journey, and the freedom comes from finding, or learning about yourself and being able to slide out from under bad peer pressure.  In one of my classes we have been learning about peer pressure, especially bad peer pressure.  But back to the title, you've got out in time, just before the consequence of the action, and your living with no guilt, only happiness.  You will be your guide, trust what you feel but only if you know it's right.  Now as you walk down the road of life, you know what right and wrong is, and with no one at your side to tell you otherwise, that road will bring a clear-conscious and good into your life. 
           Learning from mistakes is good, and it is awesome when you don't hold a grudge too!  One of my friends is holding a grudge against me because I had to give away her red velvet cupcake with cream cheese frosting.  I had too because otherwise it would have gone bad!  ... She just doesn't understand that I threw away the plate with tinfoil thinking she'd be at school so I could give it to her, but no, she wasn't.  Her fault. Lol.  Anyway, I told her not to hold a grudge because it isn't healthy for you to do that, or is it good anyway.  This happened like a week ago, yeah it did, and she still isn't over it.  Not that I don't hold grudges ever, but I really don't have a reason to too often.  
          Another thing is, getting away from peer pressure.  Disgusting thing isn't it?  Bad things happen when you are the one doing it, or are the one under it.  Very bad things.  Today in class my friends and I had to do a skit we came up with.  It was really lame, but provided the meaning our teacher was looking for underneath our lack of enthusiasm. Ha ha.  We got an A. Anyway, the skit was about five students who were at a party, three were the kids causing the bad peer pressure, and one of them was uncomfortable with it, so she went to two of her friends who were just talking and told them about the prank.  They all agreed to that it was mean to bully a new kid, so they went over to the two kids planning the prank and told reasons, and told them why they shouldn't do this.  In the end, the kids didn't do it.  'Ya know why?  They ASSERT ed themselves. 
Assert your posture: Look the person in the eye, shoulders back, head held high.
Say "no" firmly.
Say "goodbye" and leave.
Excuse: give a reasonable excuse as to why you can't join in the pressure. (Ex: I need to go to home)
Reasons: give reasons why they shouldn't do the peer pressure.
Tell an adult.
In the end, these are ways to escape bad peer pressure. Yeah, this doesn't have anything to do with a grudge, but the grudge story was just for a healthy conscious.  Yawn, bed time again. Doing this and watching a Bruins hockey game was good for a relaxing evening.  Night. 

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Heartbreak of the Day

I left my heart in a different place, and sadly my mind and body are here.  Today I have been aching inside for a place I feel I can say I grew up in for half my life: New England. Sighs, this morning before church I heard church bells ringing from across the street, it made me want to throw-up I was so sad I wasn't in Massachusetts and going to church with my family there. Then just a few days ago, I had my mom buy daisies to plant...I chose those because those flowers grow wild next to her driveway. I have been craving Boston, Connecticut, Portsmith, and all of New England these past few weeks.  But usually I don't crave Connecticut, but I have these past few days because of a book I was reading in school.  It takes place in Wethersfield, Connecticut; not that I have ever been there, but just two weeks ago my mother, grandmother, and I had to go to Rhode Island for a surprise bridal shower, and we went through Saybrook which is a place in the book too.  Aside from the book, I love New England because of the seasons, the food, the diversity, the atmosphere, and the geography, but I love the people there the most.
                 Not only are these people welcoming, but everyone knows each other!  Talk about a small world!  Just a few months ago, I was in a Vermont food store, and at the register two men were asking the girl behind the counter how her mother was doing.  I envied them so much watching them, I wish my town, even my state, was as close as that, but we are too urban and city-like.  My family there is amazing, and so is my family here and other places, but I am heartbroken I don't live there.  I would ask my family if we could move there, and there would be a great chance they'd say yes because they love it there too, but I have too many good friends here, and I couldn't stand to leave them.  I could go on for a long time talking about the places up there, but I won't 'cause I'm going to bed.  Sleepy, and school is tomorrow, gross, at least I can look forward to a piano lesson and friends.

My First Dairy Products in Almost Two Months!


On June 3rd I went to a friend’s house.  She is one of my best friends and I absolutely adore her family!  Now, before we got on her bus to go back to her house after school, I asked if she had told her mom I was a vegetarian.  She said, “No she did not know.”  So, while on the bus she texted her mom about my new diet.  I told my friend to say, “Echo is a vegetarian, and doesn’t want you to feel bad if you make something with meat in it and she won’t eat it.”  Then right when her mom texted her back, I was so thankful!  Her mom said, “That’s okay, we are getting dinner from ‘this Italian place,’ so she should find something to eat.”  I did *smiles victoriously*. 
            When we got to her house and unpacked my stuff, we were hungry, and when we came downstairs to the kitchen for a snack, we had to leave because we were going to go shopping, so no time for snacks.  My friend told her mom we were hungry, and her mom’s answer was Dairy Queen.  Dairy Queen.  Of all the places she chose Dairy Queen!!!  I almost laughed, I had been doing SO well staying on a vegetarian diet and now I had to eat dairy, but I thought they had soft pretzels there; they didn’t… Crud.  While I and my friend waited in line and I tried to find something small, I decided I was going to get a soft serve chocolate ice cream in a cone.  It was good, but I felt guilty.  But that didn’t break my Vegetarianism; I was just a Flexitarian for this sleepover.  Now when the shopping was done, we got dinner.  I had a salad called Blue Nut Salad.  It had tangerines, sliced almonds, candied walnuts, blue cheese, mixed greens, and topped with vinaigrette.  Yes, it was delicious, and I still have more . 
            After only six hours of sleep, we were hungry once again.  Now was breakfast.  Rewind!  Before I came, my mom told me to pack a granola bar, so I happily picked a Cookies n’ Cream Delight Luna Bar.  But instead, my friend and I made pancakes.  Those had dairy too… And they were good, but the three pancakes I had didn’t settle well with my stomach.  I was achy a little for a bit but I got over it, but the achy feeling told me my mind was angry at me for having TWO HUGE dairy products that I have been doing well to avoid.  Then, after like ten minutes, I and my friend went to her room so we could bring my stuff down, and while we were in there, I took out my Luna Bar and introduced a tasty new bar to my friend.  We liked it.  Yeah, Luna Bars are good for make tighter relationships too.

My Second Week of Vegetarianism


            My first problem of being a Vegetarian: total exhaustion.  Being a Vegetarian mostly means you can not have meat, and not eating meat made me very tired, and one day, I just didn’t want to do anything.  I had no idea why I was tired, because from all the research I had been doing about Vegetarianism, I had never come across people experiencing this problem.  My parents started telling me why I was tired, my iron levels were low, and since fish aren’t considered animals, and fish can be in a Vegetarian diet, my parents got me sushi.  That day is now called: Emergency Sushi.

          Although I wouldn’t call myself a Pesco-tarian, I do eat fish.  A lot of fish and I try to get it any time my parents or grandparents are willing to get me it.  Fish is a huge part of my diet and a Pesco-tarian is the healthiest form of Vegetarianism.  And not only is it a good source of iron, but it also gives a huge energy boost!  It is like a sugar rush, only better!!!!!  I would recommend any Vegetarian to have some fish in their diet, and I hope you like it, and if you aren’t known for liking any type of fish, try to find ways to add little bits and pieces to your dinner so the rest of the flavors in the dinner can hopefully overpower it.  Overall, I learned a very important thing that week: Sushi is a gift.