Sunday, January 31, 2010

Burger with Caramelized Onions on a Whole Wheat English Muffin


Caramelized onions are so simple to make. All you need is a little patience and some brown sugar and you've got perfection. Sweet, with a hint of onion flavor, soft, yet crunchy.

And as far as the English muffins, they were a last minute decision and definitely a brilliant idea. Being made of whole wheat, there was a substance and flavor to them that cannot be beaten. Toasted, they gave the hamburgers that "little something extra" and we were eternally grateful for it.

Monday, January 25, 2010

So much to do.

This semester is already proving to be, well, difficult. That isn't to say that the experiences and knowledge I gain from such challenges won't be beneficial to me, which they will, but I'm already feeling overwhelmed. Let me give a run down of what is in store in the near future.

I was chosen to fulfill my 4th music therapy practicum requirement at Bear River House, which is a center for Adults with Mental Illnesses. This means schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, schizoaffective disorder, depression, etc. Knowing that I want to work with geriatrics for my profession, this is quite the stretch for me. I feel like I am out of my element as I will be facilitating sessions in an intense psychiatric setting. And, I'm dealing with humility also as I have been, once again, placed with a partner who has difficulty speaking English. She is a talented musician and has great ideas, but I must be very patient with her as we try to coordinate on session plans and interventions in a language which is not her native tongue. I have asked myself, "Why me?" several times since the assignment and the only reasonable conclusion I can come up with is that my supervisors see potential for patience and acceptance(or something) in me. But, this gives me an opportunity to grow and also be more assertive and assured in my skills as a music therapist; preparing me for internship in the future.

On March 25th at 7:00 p.m. in the USU Performance Hall, I will be performing my Senior Vocal Recital! It has been a long time coming. I have a beautiful dress that I bought on sale at the same dress shop where I found my wedding dress. I'm almost finished with the program printout, and still have to solidify a few songs out of the 18 I will be performing in various languages throughout the night. Funny thing is that I had an accompanist on scholarship which translates into a "free" accompanist for me, yet she decided she did not want to be a piano major anymore. So, an application for another accompanist has been put in to the piano department and we are waiting and hoping and praying.

I'm in active search for a job in Logan. My boss at the place I worked before Michael and I got married said he would hire me back, which I was excited about. But, long story short...I don't think it's going to work out. I really want to acquire some piano and voice students, because not only is teaching fun, the hours and pay are so much better than other part-time jobs!

I'm researching and beginning the application process for music therapy internships next January. I have hopes for a particular facility in Logan, but also exploring other options. And did I mention that most internships for music therapy are unpaid? It's a cruel world.

I'm also working on the most difficult and grueling class a music therapy student must take in the midst of coursework. No, it's not Theory, Music History, Form, or even Elementary School Music (haha). I'm talking about Human Anatomy. Dreaded, feared, and at times, loathed. And, I'm taking it online from BYU because at least their course is easier and more suited to our needs that the super difficult one taught here at USU. I'm going to need prayers to survive.

Which brings me to my next goal, Michael and I are determined to attend the temple once a month. We were very consistent while living in Layton and going on Ward Temple Night, but during the move have missed out on a month of attendance. Granted, the Logan temple just reopened after a month-long closing for maintenance, but we aren't going to let that be an excuse for January pass by temple-less. It is such a blessing for us and our family.

And lastly, in the midst of 18 credits worth of classes, trying to find a job, and take care of a husband, I need to take care of myself. And that means going to the gym and exercising on a regular basis. It is a means to relieve stress, and makes me look and feel better. I have a goal to start out simply, working with breaks in my schedule, and I will keep it up.

Wish me luck!!!

Monday, January 18, 2010

Aggie Basketball

For the first day of the new semester, Utah State brought it home with a basketball game against Hawaii. It was good to be back in the Spectrum with all the Aggie fans, cheering on our boys to a sweet victory. Michael and I LOVE Aggie Basketball and were so happy to be back in the midst of friends and a large student section. It felt like coming home.

The halftime show featured the Utah State Dance Company dancing to a mix of Michael Jackson classics. It was pretty cool and very Michael-esque!

And here we have the final score. Yeah, we creamed them by a whole 44 points. Not much of a game for the poor Hawaii boys. Better luck next time!


And here's a video of me "dancing" and "cheering" along to the USU Basketball Band. Not my fault. Michael made me do it. :)

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Never Again...

We went to the married student ward today. Let's just say we were less than impressed. Good thing we have the option of also going to a family ward if we choose. Ah, the blessings of living in Utah and having possibilities. Almost as soon as we sat down in Sacrament Meeting, it just felt weird. We stuck it out through all the meetings, realizing more and more that this ward might not be for us. C'est la vie.

We can't wait to try out the family ward next week and reunite ourselves with many crying children during the Sacrament. Our last ward was full of many children to play with and keep us entertained during the sometimes "boring" meetings. Sadly, we'll still be stuck at a 1:00 p.m. time, but we're not worried.

Oh, and the holidays were great. More info on that in another post. School starts tomorrow and so the journey begins once again!