Re: Out of the Office

Apologies for my recent absence in blogland! Work has become insanely busy. This coming week between the Symphony and the College I will be putting on 16 concerts. If you do your math correctly, that's 2-3 concerts a day. Phew!

10 of the concerts will be repeat programs: Monday through Friday we will do 2 Youth Concerts with the Symphony. By the end of the week, we will have brought over 100 local schools and 13,000 students to the symphony for some classical music exposure!

The remaining evening concerts will be different each night at the college.

Also, I agreed to be on a grant panel, which - of course - meets for deliberation during my busiest week of the year...so in my spare time I'm reading 80 grant applications. So far I'm about 9 hours in and not even half way finished. This is what I get for procrastinating.

Needless to say, the blog hiatus will most likely continue for at least another week. Have a great week bloggers and readers...see you on the other side!

30DPC: The Final Day!

Day 30: A picture of someone you miss.

On our way to a football game, Sophomore year of college, 2004

College graduation, 2007

Jen and Jack's wedding, August 2009

Jen was my college roomie for 2 years (or 3 if you count Freshman year when we lived a couple rooms apart and spent more time with each other than with our own roommates). We shared many great nights at football games, watching episodes of the Bachelor in its early seasons, and we also shared pretty much everything in our wardrobe for about 4 years.  I was even lucky enough to catch her kissing her boyfriend in the quad before anyone knew they were "together" (and now they're married...awww). After college, we both ended up in Chicago for grad school at different schools, but stayed in touch and made the trek to the other side of the city every now and then to hang out.  Since then, I've gotten to witness her proposal/engagement and be a bridesmaid in her wedding, and hear about all of the exciting, scary, and disgusting details of pregnancy that no one ever tells you.
I just recently got to meet her adorable newborn son Ethan in January! It's hard to believe we've been friends for this many years, and I'm so glad we've stayed so close despite the fact that we now live in different states!

Mom, baby Ethan, and Dad

P.S. I should also give a shout out to Jack - he was pretty much part of the package deal since he and Jen started dating Freshman year. There were moments in college where I wanted to hurt him for his various weird tendencies, but overall he's a great guy, a great husband and a great dad. I couldn't be happier that he and Jen share such a great life together. ;)

30DPC: Day 29

Day 29: A picture that can always make you smile.

My college A cappella group, the Misfitz, at our pub crawl Senior year. So many great memories singing, traveling, and celebrating with these ladies! We will all be reunited this Spring at the Misfitz 10 year reunion! Expect great photos and stories.

30DPC: Day 28

Day 28: A picture of something you're afraid of.

Recording with the Miami Misfitz

Recording in India

College Senior Recital

Singing solo...even though I seem to keep going back for more, I have terrible stage fright!

Domestic Dispute

My morning:

Wake up about 5:00 am with Milton (a dog we're dogsitting) puking on our bed. Gross.

Later that morning...Luke gets in shower.
Me: Don't use up all of the hot water, I'm going to work out and I had about 2 minutes of hot water left yesterday.
Luke: Ok

Even later that morning...
Me: I told you to leave me some hot water! It's not even close to hot!
Luke: Ohhh, I forgot. I started a load of laundry and put it on hot water.
Me: Well great. I guess I'll just go hop in the washer with the comforter then.
Luke: Don't get sick! It'll spin you around!

30DPC: Day 27

Day 27: A picture of yourself and a family member.

Mom, Dad, and little brother Nathan at Dad's 50th B-day celebration at Wrigley Field. (Go Reds! Cincinnati won, by the way.)

30DPC: Day 26

Day 26: A picture of something that means a lot to you.

Rajasthani elephants in Jaipur

My home away from home for 6 months, Chennai

Temple in Mylapore

One of my buddies at the orphanage

India will always have a special place in my heart.

30DPC: Day 25

Day 25: A picture of your day.

First meal of the day: Michigan's favorite Donut Shop (We never eat donuts, but everyone here raves about this place! Had to try it!)

Indulged in our donuts while getting our oil changed at Uncle Ed's.

Sheely runs errands with us.

Strawberry cheesecake donuts, errands, cookie baking, and catching up on Netflix...pretty good Sunday!

30DPC: Day 24

Day 24: A picture of something you wish you could change.

I could stand to grow a few inches taller. Obviously.

30DPC: Day 23

Day 23: A picture of your favorite book.

Not sure what my favorite book is these days, but I remember loving these classics when I read them years ago, and would love to read them again.

30DPC: Day 22

Day 22: A picture of something you wish you were better at.

Disgusting picture of us in our PJs over fall break

My college roomie Jen and her then boyfriend (now husband) Jack, took me home with them to Medina, Ohio over fall break. We bought and carved pumpkins, and for whatever reason, I have zero artistic pumpkin carving skills. Mine turned out looking like it was carved by a kindergartner who was blindfolded and had one arm tied behind his back, and Jen's entire family still makes fun of me to this day about it.

30DPC: Day 21

Day 21: A picture of something you wish you could forget.

I went to Hilton Head one summer with the Belew's and made the mistake of not putting on sunscreen the first day we were there (back when I was a stupid college girl). I spent the rest of the trip looking like a lobster, wearing loose clothing, and requiring Sarah's younger cousins Katie and Allie to rub aloe and lotion on me daily. Over the next few weeks the pain went away, but my skin peeled off in disgustingly large pieces, including my scalp. I will never, ever, do that again...no mater how badly I want a tan.

30DPC: Day 20

Day 20: A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.

Mount Fuji

Tokyo (about an hour from Yokohama, where my family lives)

I want to go back to JAPAN!!! It's been almost 7 years since the last time I went and I am seriously craving some authentic Japanese food. The next time I go, I'm taking Luke!

30DPC: Day 19

Day 19: A picture of you when you were little.

Dad and me in Guam. I'm half Japanese, but I got his pasty White complexion and stubby hands. It's okay though, because I also got his intelligence and writing skills (which don't really exist in blogland). :)

Ojichan (my grandfather) and I chowing down in Japan. That's right, I was born with chopstick skills.  It comes with the genes.

30DPC: Day 18

Day 18: A picture of your biggest insecurity.

I can't believe I'm even posting this photo (and yes, back in college when I was a "rebel" I had a nose ring). Thanks to my Asian genes I've been cursed with a round facial bone structure. I can never tell if I'm getting chubby because my face is ALWAYS round, and therefore ALWAYS looks chubby. Not cool!

Is this my "biggest" insecurity? Probably not...everyone has character flaws to be insecure about, but not easily captured in a photo. 

P.S. Please note that this photo was taken after a LONG day of traveling from Oxford to Chicago with my college choir. I normally try not to look so disgusting.

30DPC: Day 17

Day 17: A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.

 

The arts community in this city is amazing. It's been a couple short months since I've been introduced to several of the Arts organizations here, and they have welcomed me with open arms. Now I'm working for two music organizations/institutions, volunteering for two other Arts orgs, and singing with a local choir (and helping run rehearsals already!) As with most Michigan natives I've met, the people are incredibly friendly, which makes every day that much more enjoyable! Support the Arts!

30DPC: Day 16

Day 16: A picture of someone who inspires you.

 

Marisa is my grad school library buddy from University of Chicago. She is possibly the only reason I did not lose my sanity while sitting in the library for 12 hours a day. This girl is the most organized person I have ever met. Although she doesn't always realize it, her life is more "together" than anyone else I know. This is no exaggeration. Everything about her is extremely well thought out and well executed: her color coded closet, her hygiene (who actually brushes, rinses, and flosses multiple times a day, every day? I'm lucky if I floss once a day, let alone more than once a day - shh, don't tell my dentist), her diet, her finances,  her exercise habits, her hobbies, her blog, her efforts at going completely Green and eco-friendly....I could go on and on. Every time she gets a new idea or goal, it inspires me to make my life better and well organized too. For example, she made a 2010 New Year's resolution to read a different book every week for the entire year. 52 weeks, 52 books. And she did it! Not only did she read a new book every single week, she wrote a review/summary for most of them. Can we say over achiever? She may be the first person I know to successfully complete a New Year's Resolution.

So Marisa, even though you are also in your mid-twenties and have no idea where your life is going...you're doing an awesome job getting there!

30DPC: Day 15

Day 15: A picture of something you want to do before you die.

I want to see the Egyptian Pyramids! Africa is definitely near the top of my list of places to go next. I'd also like to go on an African safari...but one thing at a time.

30DPC: Day 14

Day 14: A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.

 

 

Luke and I both went to Miami University for undergrad, but didn't meet until after we had both graduated (3 years apart). We went on one date, he followed me to the other side of the world, and 3+ years later... we're happier than ever! I'll be honest - it was not love at first sight. It was more like "This is the worst timing ever; once I move to India, this guy is never going to talk to me again." But oh how wrong I was. 

During these last 3 years we've gone through:

-the end of Luke's med school
-my graduate school
-several moves to different states
-Luke's orthopedic surgery residency
-different jobs
-a puppy
-a few international vacations
-several roadtrips to Ohio to see our families
-our first house (and endless remodeling projects)
-Luke learning to like sushi and Indian food
-me learning how to play poker and golf
-countless inside jokes
-and a growing of our love and appreciation for each other every single day

If we can get through all of this and not kill each other (and trust me, there have been days *coughstoppeeingonthetoiletseatandusingallthehotwaterintheshowercough*) then I think our future is looking pretty bright. Luke is my best friend and love of my life. I can't wait to see what the next several years bring!