#what a fun lesson that’ll be for current events class

[pollenallergie]

it’s so hard not to buy prince harry’s audiobook… like i just want a good laugh but also i don’t want to financially encourage him to continue writing. in fact, i think if he so much as opens a blank google doc again in his life, he should be shot with a tranquilizer dart and hauled off to an emergency therapy session.

[187days]

Day Sixty-Seven

No one swore during Court Madness today, woohoo! 

Actually, both debates were really awesome, and my students were complimenting one another’s arguments afterwards. Everyone was impressed with what everyone else had come up with. Advancing to the final: New York Times Company v. United States and McDonald v. Chicago. I posted the brackets on social media, and two people asked if they could judge the finals: my older brother, who is a military lawyer, and Coach L, who is a former prosecutor. So that’s going to be fun. 

In World, we continued to discuss conflict resolution and DDR- specifically asd it relates to central Africa- and I had students do some research on the conditions in the countries we’d been talking about (poverty rate, literacy rate, life expectancy, that sort of thing...). We talked about how violence can be cyclical- those conditions cause it, and they result from it- and therefore challenging to overcome. We talked about brain drain. We looked at some data about humanitarian aid, where it comes from, etc... Ultimately, I closed by pointing out that opinions vary about this stuff- like, not everyone agrees about how much money a country like the US should provide in foreign aid- but it’s important to be aware of what’s happening so that you can have an opinion, whatever it is.

Which is why it’s good to be in this class!

I’m feeling good about that lesson, and about how next unit, which is all about other current, ongoing events, is going to go. that’ll be the final unit in World, and it’s kind of hard to believe we’re almost ready to begin it. This week seems interminable, but, in general, wow, time has flown!

[lonely-bored-writer]

Casper High Ch. 2

Danny Fenton hadn't expected to make a friend that day. He wasn't having the best of days- he had spent the early hours of the morning taking down any straying ghosts, trying to make sure that less ghosts would interrupt him during school. The less he missed school, the better his grades would be, and the more people would get off of his back.

That's how it's been since Sam and Tucker moved away. He didn't have his friends helping keep his secret just that. He remembered when it had happened; Sam was the first one to go. It was after a particular brutal battle between Technus, Skulker, and him. The Manson's couldn't take it anymore. They were tired of the damages and danger, so they packed up their belongings and their daughter and moved. Sam was the first domino to fall, and just like that more families had moved away. Tucker had moved after the house next to their's collapsed after Danny had been thrown into it. Luckily the house wasn't occupied by it scared the Foley's enough past the tipping point.

Casper High School was still the bustling school it was to start, but now so many familiar faces had been replaced by strangers, those whose families either didn't care about the danger or were interested in the town's so called ghosts. However Amity Park wasn't as lively as it once was. The town had an unspoken curfew, and not many were out after ten at night, the town's park the first to be deserted at night.

The constant ghosts attacks had not only taken a toll on Danny, but on the town as well. Danny's body oftentimes mirrored his town nowadays.

Danny was happy to just make a friend who didn't think he was a freak, or know of his parent's reputation. The day was nice, even if all he and Sam did was stay in the motel room and just hang out after school. Danny and Sam had spent hours just talking about anything and everything, Danny even helping Sam catch up on the few lessons he showed up in the middle of. Dean popped in two hours later with Nasty Burger, which had led to a long discussion between all of them about the merits of such a name correlating to food.

It was safe to say that Danny had the best day of his life since his friends left. He wasn't used to sitting and talking for hours in person with people who he barely knew about topics so diverse. It was nice to unwind for a few hours and just let himself be. He didn't have to worry about what the others were thinking or having to broach topics that needed to be covered. It was nice and Danny could get used to it- that's why going home was like a slam of reality to him.

"Hold up. This, this is where you live?" Sam's stuttered out response came out once the impala pulled to a stop in front of the monstrosity that was Fenton Works. Danny gave a sheepish smile before rubbing the back of his neck.

"Uh yea. Weird, I know." Danny slipped out of the car, only for Dean to speak before he could walk up his steps.

"It's fucking cool." Dean grinned, looking up at the odd UFO sitting on the roof. "You've got to give us a tour one of these days."

"Really?" Danny looked up shock, blinking rapidly, surprised that the older man actually seemed to like his house. Dean nodded enthusiastically in response to the question. Glancing back, Danny noted the glowing neon sign was on signaling his parents were home. "Yea, maybe we can do that sometime soon if you want."

"That'll be fun." Sam smiled from the other side of the car, leaning closer to the driver-side window. "Maybe you could show us some of the stuff you've built." It wasn't much if Danny was being honest, just some small functioning robots and edits to his parents weapons to protect himself, but Sam's interest created a warm feeling in him.

"Sure. Anyways, I hope you guys have a good night, drive safe." Danny traded goodbyes with the duo, waiting until Dean drove off in the Impala before jogging up to his door. The moment the front door opened, Danny knew where his parents were based on the dim lighting and the noises coming from the basement. With a sigh, the teen made his way into the kitchen and glanced around. Surprised to see it clean, Danny concluded that his parents probably forgot to eat anything. Pulling out four slices of leftover pizza, ignoring the soft growls and glow emitting from the bottom drawer, and shoved the food into the microwave.

When he entered the lab, he found both his parents bent over a table. A trembling ectopus sat in a small cage, his mother extracting samples from him. Danny bit his lip and the uncomfortable feeling that swelled through him at the thought of the experiments, his chipper mood dampening a bit.

"Mom, dad." Danny called over the sound of his dad soldering away, pulling his parents away from their work. "I brought you some pizza."

"Oh Danny, when did you get home?" Maddie asked, pulling her hood down to expose short auburn hair. "That's sweet of you, thank you baby." Maddie smiled politely, hugging her son softly as she took the plate and placed it nearby. Her husband was the exact opposite of his mother's gentle approach.

"Danny boy!" Jack greeted loudly, pulling his son into his infamous 'Jack Fenton Bear Hugs' once the food was safely out of the way. "You should see what we're working on! Your mother and I were about to figure out a way to cause ghost energy to-"

"I just got in." Danny cut his dad off as nice as he could- he didn't really want to hear this. "I would love to sit and chat, but I really should look over an essay due tomorrow." Danny explained, dislodging himself from his dad.

"Education is important." Maddie smiled, waving him off before turning to her husband and joining him in the conversation about their new device. Danny almost turned away when he caught eyes with the ectopus and guilt filled him. Quietly, he reached a hand out and pressed the release button before turning and speed walking out of the lab. Luckily Danny always seemed to be invisible, even before his powers came to be. Even in his own house Danny was often overlooked; Danny just learned to use this to his advantage. Releasing ghosts was just one way he could use his inherent constant invisibility to his own benefit.

The moment he stepped out the door, he could hear the chaos ensue- his father's yelling and his mother's quick orders bounced of metal walls, echoing up the stairs and up into the normal house. A soft smile took over his features, his parents were really were something else. Humming softly as he made his way to his room, passing by the empty room that once occupied his sister, who was currently off to college. He sent a quick text message to his best friends to be online in two minutes.

"Hey guys." Danny greeted when the two faces appeared on his screen.

"Danny!" Sam called, her black headboard behind her.

"Dude!"

Danny laughed at the different greetings he got, before taking in the appearances before him. Tucker hadn't changed all that much from when he was in Amity Park, aside from his hair now being grown out and his attraction to hoodies. Sam had actually cut her hair, shaving one side in protest of the move. The buzz cut had actually grown on her, the teen keeping it, determined to not grow it back out. Sam's style was still gothic, not changing one bit as the years passed since she has made the decision to delve into this genre.

"How was your day?" Sam's voice crackled through the headset, "Mine was boring, I spent all day with my mom going over everything for the gala." Danny smiled at the reminder of that, he knew Sam was going to pull a fast one on her parents and wear a dark red and black lace dress to the event over the shy blue one her parents picked out.

"I spent my day with the robotics team. Perry almost has all the programming done for the medic bot, while Becca and I are almost done with the framing. Now all we need is to figure out the best tracks to use and it'll be fully functional." Tucker beamed from his screen, a grin on his face before his expression soured a tad. "Chris was being a douche and almost broke an arm off because we refuse to let him work on it."

"Smart choice." Sam and Danny both responded at the same time, pulling a laugh from all teens present.

"My day was actually pretty good." Danny smiled at his friends who seemed glad to hear that. Danny hadn't been the same since they left. While Danny was probably the kindest of the three of them, after the accident, Danny was reluctant to make new relationships with others. That and Danny was the nerd of the school, on the lowest rung, and he was invisible. The only time anyone paid attention to him was to either bully him or to call him out for not doing something. "A new kid, Sam, he invited me over and I had a great time talking with him and his older brother."

"A great time." Tucker mused, wiggling his eyebrows. Sam laughed while Danny shook his head and sighed.

"Not like that you perv." Danny chuckled. "I helped him catch up on lessons and we talked. He let me out of the locker Dash stuck me in after he got lost on his way to class seeing as he witnessed it. We had the same class so I led him to the right class."

"That's great Danny, it's great to see you making new friends." Sam smiled. "I'm surprised Amity Park has a new Sam in town."

"Yea, he's only in town for a few days. Today was his first day." Danny nodded, letting his smile slip a little.

"Hey if you become a loner again, I'm sure Poindexter won't mind eating lunch with you." The trio laughed at Tucker's joke, lightening the mood once again.

"Okay, enough about me." Danny shook his head, gesturing a hand to Tucker's side of the screen. "Tell us more about this feud between your Robotic club and Chris, and why you guys don't just kick him." A groan left the techno-geek before he launched into a long and passionate speech about Chris and just how much he's out to ruin competition for everyone else.

As always, Danny was content when he finished the video call. For once the looming sadness didn't come, armed with the knowledge that he had another friend he'll be meeting up with tomorrow. A sigh did leave him though when his eyes landed upon the stack of papers and textbooks sitting on his bed. 12:03 am the blinking red numbers of his alarm clock read, giving him about four and a half hours before he had to go on patrol before school.

Once he finished his numerous math worksheets, Danny knew that finishing his homework wasn't going to happen. Sure, he really wanted to not have to hear a lecture tomorrow from basically all his teachers but he needed to go to bed. If he didn't, he wouldn't be able to go on patrol and if he isn't able to go on patrol he'll have to skip classes. And that is just another lecture waiting to happen. It's quite the vicious cycle and it's not like he can be in two places at once...

Wow, sometimes he was just downright stupid.

Danny focused on his ghost core, grinning when three copies came out full and corporeal. Danny silently ordered the clones to get to work. One taking on each subject- English, Math, and History. With a loud yawn, the teen fell face first into his pillows before he was out like a light, comforted with the knowledge of where his clones were and that once he woke up, all of their memories would flood back into his mind.

He was able to sleep three hours and fifteen minutes before his ghost sense woke him up, at least he stocked his room with monster, red bull, five hour energy, and espresso shots. He'll make it through, just like any other day.

[sarahunfiltered-blog1]

April Reflections/May Intentions

Happy May!!

April was quite the roller coaster. A lot of ups, and downs and twists and turns. 

A couple of highlights were me reconnecting with an old friend and rekindling our friendship, I was ghosted out of NOWHERE by someone I thought was my friend, I made it through my more keto friendly month alive (blog post to follow on how it went), my life’s purpose or at least part of it was revealed to me in the most beautiful and crazy way (blog on this to follow) and the last day of April I was tested to see if I’d follow my intuition and that still small voice within that I’ve been questioning and I didn’t and welllllllllllllllllllllllll... someone hit my car (blog post to follow on this as well). I 100% learned my lesson on that one. My car is fine, I’m fine, just a fender bender that the ladies insurance will cover at all costs to fix it and they’re providing me with a rental until it’s fixed. 

Moving on...

This morning I finished up my May Intention list and sat down and pulled a few oracle cards. I asked for one to be on how I need to go about May and what I need to focus on and the other on what message I need right now for today to do my best. I’ll go into further detail on those below. :)

Now to go through my April Intentions and reflect.

Purchase Morgan Tyler’s e-book and practice it for the month - DONE. Funny story on this. She is actually coming to Texas this coming weekend and I get to meet her and take a yoga class with her and go to luncheon after. YAY. So. Effin’ Excited. I had no idea she’d be coming to Texas when I bought her book, but I FREAKED out when I saw her make the post on it and I immediately bought my VIP ticket to go. 

Start keto with Michael - done. The first week and a half were absolutely horrid and I legit felt like I was dying, but it got better. (like I said above I’ll be writing on this in a future blog post)

Try out bone broth - done. LOVE it. 

Pay $500 towards debt - DONNNEE!!! I was so happy I was able to make this happen!! I basically saved almost double what I usually do. 

Go for evening walks after work and hike often - evening walks didn’t happen, but hiking did along with lots of walks on my breaks at work. I actually have a weird tan line on my feet from my shoes from all the walking I’ve done at work.

Eat less pasta, rice, sugar and dairy - I didn’t have pasta all month, I had rice a few times, but only on the weekends if we’d go to Chipotle. I didn’t eat anything with processed sugar and when I’d eat something sweet it was keto friendly and made with monkfruit and dairy is a part of keto and I do pretty ok with cheese from what I can tell. The thing that gets me the most is wheat and SUGAR. I’ve really been slowly cutting back on sugar this whole year and that is what got me at the beginning of the month the most.

Try out phat bombs - done. We’ve tried out so many different kinds and my fave are definitely the chocolate chip cookie dough and cheesecake. 

Be quick to surrender - done. I’ve started to realized I’m not near as resistant as I know I can and the more I’ve surrender the more the Universe has revealed to me.

If it’s not a eff YES, it’s an eff no - this is something I’ve really had to work at since in the past I’ve been a over the top “yes” person and the person who paid for it ended up being me and I’m just not ok with living that way anymore. Saying no isn’t a bad or mean thing and it’s still something I’m learning on the daily and it’s getting easier the more I practice it. 

Plan and book camping trip w/ Michael <3 - the plans are still in the works because the days we did try and book weren’t working out smoothly, so I backed off on it and will revisit it a little later. I don’t ever want to force something to happen and I saw it starting to happen with this, so I surrendered and asked for it to come back to me when it was time.

Purchase teeth whitening kit - doonnnneee and I loooooove the results!!

Less screens, more books - this did and didn’t happen. That is why you’ll see for May I’m not on social media BECAUSE I have books I’m reading and want to make the time for them.

Treat myself to a pedi - done!! and it was gloriousssss and I found my new favorite spa and it just so happens to be not even a mile away from where I live. 

April overall was good to me and I’m grateful for the many ups and downs and I’m even more proud of myself to surrendering when I need to and also standing up for myself when I know I need to. Finding balance with communication, surrendering, boundaries, speaking my truth and saying “no” when I know in my gut I need to isn’t always the easiest, but just like with anything I have to work that muscle to make it stronger and stronger cause let’s be real.. I don’t want to be this doormat of a person who never speaks up and doesn’t set boundaries and let’s people walk all over her and in turn try and control EVERYTHING around me because I’m so overwhelmed and miserable. It just isn’t quite my cup of tea anymore.

I have a few things I’m really focusing in on this month. 1.) learning and practicing reiki, 2.) reading more books and 3.) HAVE FUN. Every single weekend starting this coming weekend is full of fun and exciting events that I’ve really been looking forward to!! I’m taking a social media break all of May, so I can better focus my attention on the things I’m learning and just to honestly detox just a bit from it. The first few days really sucked, but I’m getting into the habit of taking a book I’m reading with me to work and having one on my phone and I’ll read on my breaks or in the evenings or during my morning quiet time. I’m currently reading “How to Be Well” by Frank Lipman, “The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck” by Mark Manson, “Musings of an Earth Angel” by Suzanne Adams and I purchased a Reiki course I’m reading and practicing through as well. 

So I said a prayer and asked for a message about what I need to focus on for the month of May and I pulled “Soul Family” and for me the message was telling me that I need to be open to unexpected people that will be coming into my life this month and embrace them with love. I’ll be in Austin this weekend, Waco another and Florida as well all throughout this month and I’ll come in contact with so many people, so who knows. I may be making a new soul family friend come the end of May and I’m open and ready for it because I love new people and I love friends.

Then I went to ask for a message for today and I heard very clearly “pick up your Rumi deck” and something with me using oracle cards I feel a surge of electricity when using these and the ones that is basically shocking my hand is the one I need to be using and after pulling the “Soul Family” card I didn’t feel that energy anymore in the deck I picked up, so I listened an grabbed my Rumi deck and pulled the most perfect card for me. Part of it said “You are the lion and the deer. You are bold, fierce and vibrant, and you are silent, sweet and gentle.” This spoke to me because there are times where I feel too nice, too sweet, too harsh, too blunt, too vulnerable and then I feel the need to play it small and be quiet, but here’s the thing. I am bold and fierce, but I’m also sweet and gentle and I’m learning when I need to be one or the other and honor how diverse I am and to find a balance and acceptance with all of it. I can’t and don’t want to be one thing all the time. I do, however, want to be a light for everyone around me and sometimes that’ll require a more bold Sarah who speaks up and sometimes a more gentle Sarah who is a listening ear and holds space.

That’s all I have for now and be sure to be on the lookout for my life purpose discovery, keto friendly month, skin care routine and the realization I had from my fender bender the other day blogs that are coming real soon. :D 

Until next time...

Sarah xo

[cyberstadic-blog]

10 Great Ideas to Get Gorgeous Wedding Flowers

From the bands to the shoes, from the meals to the flowers, weddings come at no small cost. It only is practical that current wedding brides and grooms-to-be opting for to penny-pinch whenever we can. Wedding plants often end up being the first casualty of the budget-minded couple's matrimonial programs, but there are numerous methods of the trade that may enable you to luxurious your wedding ceremony with floral bliss rather than break your budget. Use these excellent tips to reduce spending and get the largest value for your money!

1. Choose Plants in Season

This is a crucial money-saver. Additionally, it is important to bear in mind that blossoms look and smell best when they may be fresh and in season. This is also true for roses. But if you have your center set on a specific flower that keeps sentimental value for you, it might be smart to plan your wedding ceremony around the period it'll be in seasonal bloom. Although flowers in season will provide you with a beautifully scented bouquet, be careful with the flowers you decide to use in any centerpieces at the reception. The fragrances which come from bouquets as gardenia, jasmine or freesia can be overwhelming and might not be the best choice for dining tables. Overpowering blooms may also mix up any allergy symptoms that your guests may have.

2. Do-it-yourself

When contemplating the intimidating task of preparing and designing the marriage floral arrangements by yourself, take the time to fully consider all of the obligations that will come with such a task. Questions that you may want to consider are:

Am I motivated enough?

Will I have sufficient time to set up bouquets/centerpieces before the ceremony?

How much cash am I going to save vs. how much work is included?

A lot of women find that, in the eye of saving cash, they finish up learning an expensive lesson. It's important to keep in mind the many difficulties associated with coordinating what may be the most crucial event you will ever have. You might be in a position to find a member of family or person in the marriage ceremony who be prepared to help you assemble your floral plans and bouquets. Think about the fun you'll have spent your last time as a bachelorette with your very best friends!

When you are industrious enough to visit it alone, there are extensive quick programs in floral design that exist through neighborhood schools and arts-and-crafts stores such as Michaels.

The internet is an excellent resource to benefit from, as well! Internet sites such as save-on-crafts.com offer free instructional lessons that will let you know not only which plants work best in a bouquet but provide valuable steps made to help you put your preparations together successfully. You could also want to check on for marriages that'll be held on a single day like yours. It’s likely that good you could talk about the trouble of the wedding ceremony blossoms with another few seeking to do the same!

Remember, however, that even if deciding on the "budget wedding bouquet", understand that it is an extremely key facet of the wedding ceremony and really should be a manifestation of the bride's personality. Make an effort to keep a feeling of balance between your bridal dress, the bridesmaid's dresses, the wedding ceremony bouquets, and adornments and the bouquet.

From that true point, the other flowers, like the bridesmaid's flowers, the flowers at the reception can follow the theme and undertake the components of the bride's bouquet. Current colors for 2006 are chocolates with pale red, baby blue or mint green. Colors generally follow the styles of interior development.

Consult a florist. This may cost up to $100 in discussion fees, but their prosperity of knowledge will put in a professional polish to the completed product. Invest the into consideration the fact that florists can generally charge three times the cost a wholesaler would and charge additional labor charges for creating and assembling the blooms, you'll still be saving cash.

Buy your plants from a wholesaler. Wholesalers sell their plants a lot more cheaply when compared to a florist will. If you opt to offer a floral wholesaler, it is important to know that grading is used by the system. Whenever choosing your blossoms, ensure that you select Grade 1 bouquets. You must locate many floral wholesalers online. OnlineWholesaleFlowers.com offers "Wedding in a Package" deals of varying sizes that include all the blooms essential to create the appearance that you would like. Budget-Bride.com has an identical package, which even includes items like the cake knife and ring pillow!

If you're engaged and getting married in the springtime/summertime time, go to the farmer's market and talk to the flower suppliers. Find out if indeed they grow the plants that you will be looking for and do not be timid to ask if indeed they have ever done wedding ceremonies. Always make sure to inquire further what they do with the blossoms that they don't sell. You may be in a position to get huge amounts of these for a steal!

Take a look of FREE UK Delivery www.osianatheflorist.co.uk

Tip: Use masses of 1 flower to display the flower's beauty.

3. Use an educational school

Most high colleges and schools have horticulture classes that focus on looking after and arranging bouquets and vegetation. For a little charge, you could hire these aspiring florists who be delighted to focus on your agreements. The educators of such a course will become your back-up and, as a bonus for you, will have considerable experience and oversee assembling your project.

4. Have a Garden Wedding

Consider getting the wedding ceremony and/or the reception in a lovely garden! Have you any idea someone who has a beautiful yard and would be honored to sponsor a marriage there? You will see no dependence on plans if you already are encircled by lush greenery and blossoming blooms. Prepare yourself, though! With regards to the local climate (or enough time of 12 months you possess your wedding), you may want to utilize either awnings, patios or advanced white open-air tents in the event OUR MOTHER EARTH decides to become wedding guest!

5. Lessen attendants

By choosing fewer attendants, you won't have to provide as many bouquets and boutonnieres. Since small ceremonies are in vogue, it'll be an all-natural development to balance the wedding ceremony with a far more intimate marriage party. Many lovers favor a secluded establishing with soft, glowing candles or lamps to give a devastatingly passionate theme. These more romantic, family-focused gatherings are also beneficial because they help the groom and bride to stay in their budget.

Additionally, it is very elegant to have your bridesmaid carry an individual blossom tied with a bit of satin ribbon. Select a blossom that matches one particular in the bride's bouquet, or that signifies a particular meaning for you.

6. Avoid getting your wedding on or near any occasion

Plants are usually popular around Valentine's Day, Mother's day, proms, graduations and other special vacations. As a result of this, prices rise significantly and certain flowers are often impossible to find. As if this is not enough bad information, florists tend to be extremely occupied during vacations while they frantically make an effort to match their increased business. Will they be remaining with plenty of time to put the required attention into the flowers?

You may take great benefit from this if planning your wedding around the Christmas holidays. It is a safe wager that most locations, either interior or out, will be festively embellished before you appear!

7. Use alternative centerpieces

It isn't essential to adorn every desk with a high-priced floral centerpiece. Candles are beautiful and offer an amazing atmosphere! Try submerging an orchid (or bloom of preference) in a cup container filled up with drinking water and float a candle at the top. Also attractive is putting river rocks at the bottom of the glass box, adding drinking water and floating a blossom on top. Use orchids, roses, peonies, gerberas or camellias.

A dramatic and stunning effect can be made up of an inexpensive, rectangular reflection (similar to the ones made to hold on a bedroom door). Place the reflection reflective-side-up and allow it run the space of the desk, putting tealight candles at even intervals down the guts. Sprinkle colored glitter or rose petals over the surface. The result isn't just attractive, but units the firmness for your reception.

Suggestion: Search the internet and publications for great ideas on option centerpieces.

8. Rent outdoor plant life or small trees and shrubs for an inside garden effect

Decorate with greenery. Many nurseries enable you to rent vegetation for your wedding which is much cheaper than buying them. This will help you to fill up the area with greenery and make plants pretty much unneeded. Use trees and shrubs to fill large spaces, and ivy garland to gracefully drape over the tops of doorways.

9. Let Your Blossoms Do Two times Duty

In case your ceremony and reception are in two separate places (or even two separate rooms), allow floral arrangements that decorate the ceremony do double duty by with them to also decorate the reception! Find out if your florist can transport and set up the flowers at the reception following the ceremony is completed. There is certainly usually sufficient time taken between the two, and you may save an unbelievable timeframe and money by "recycling" your beautiful, fresh blossoms!

10. Your investment corsages

Corsages aren't as trendy with modern wedding ceremonies as they were in the past. 21st-century Mothers are trendy and do not always want a bloom pinned to them. Ask first.

You have waited your complete life to attain this day, and it ought to be as stunning as you always imagined it might be. A ceremony with no soft, sensitive beauty and perfume of bouquets would end up like using a wedding cake without icing. Although paying the original retail price for wedding blooms will set you back a lot of money in materials and fees, utilizing these great costs conserving tips could keep the floral preparations from becoming one of the very most expensive items on your finances checklist.

[5hfanfiction]

One step closer: chapter 1

Summary: The young Camila Cabello,a second-year student of Juilliard’s Dance Division, is looking forward to building her career as a ballerina, all while doing her best to save her relationship. But the odds do not seem to be in her favor.

“With extra sugar, please,” Camila fished through her little purse for some change. Soon she’ll have to say goodbye to her morning coffee for her budget did not seem to cover it, at least not for the whole month. Two times a week tops, even that is a reach if she didn’t want to starve by the end of the month.

Asking for money or favors from Shawn was not an option. He’d done enough already, she couldn’t expect him to fund her morning coffee too. If she can’t afford it, she won’t drink coffee. Period.

“Here you go,” the coffee guy handed her her cup of coffee order, “that’ll be 3,50.”

“There,” a few change almost slipped through Camila’s fingers as she was passing them to him.

“Thank you, have a nice day.”

“You too,” Camila turns away and starts walking down the street. Every once in  awhile she checked her watch, hoping for the time to fly faster. Shawn had plans for the evening. But it was a secret. So Camila could only think of the silliest places and dumbest ideas Shawn would come up with as a date. He was goofy that way and so was Camila, but sometimes he was too much. He sometimes simply couldn’t snap out of the fun-zone and handle a serious situation as it’d be expected to be treated. Seriously. Sure he couldn’t stress enough how this attitude had helped him to cope with life more easily, in Camila’s eyes it still didn’t justify his actions and words when things came out rough from time to time.

She wasn’t enough to enter the building of the company where her sister was an intern at when her phone went off, the sound filling every inch of main hall. She fished the device out her pocket oafishly. An unknown number. She usually didn’t answer those kind of calls, but in the rush to shut her phone up, she swiped the green button.

“Hello?” She whispered.

The line was quiet.

“Hello? Who’s this?”

Some squeaking and crumbling, then she heard somebody sneeze and go, “oh, shit,” then the other side hung up.

She continued her way to the elevators, soon forgot about the call. On the twenty-second floor she arrived where the offices were.

Her sister was sitting somewhere in the middle of the room, her desk full of paper piles and sticky notes. She was clearly not doing what she was supposed to. Regardless, Camila wasn’t there to judge or give her sister a lesson. She was there to kill time until Shawn finally decides to call her or share some kind of info about where they’re supposed to meet. Anything.

“Hey,” Camila cheerfully threw herself around her sister, Sofia.

“Cami! What are you, doing here?” Sofi was perplexed, almost as though Camila should had not been visiting her. Sofi quickly raised from her seat and grabbed Camila by the arm. She guided Camila back to the elevators.

“Is everything okay?”

“You can’t come here anymore.”

“Why?” Camila pouted her lips,gave her sister a puppy face.

“You’re loud, my boss doesn’t like you, and you’re not funny.”

Camila was evidently hurt by her sister’s confession, “I’m funny.”

“You said to Brian his nose hair could probably stretch around his head. That’s not funny.”

“But it’s true!”

“Please. Just leave. We’ll book a dinner some evening this week, okay? Just go.”

So Camila was forced to leave. She decided she’d jump on the metro and take her business to school. Hide in the gallery and watch the older kids practice. Sometimes she’d sneak into the hip-hop classes, eagerly watch all those bodacious moves.

Arriving at the school’s building, Camila’s phone started buzzing again. Only then she’d noticed there was a missed call. It’s the unknown number, again. For a split moment Camila hesitated whether she should answer it or not. She did after all.

“Who is this?”

Nothing.

“Say something or stop calling!” Camila commanded all infuriated.

“Eh… I um… A… Ask him,” the fake deep voice coming from the other side of the call hung up.

Ask him? Who? Ask about what? Camila had a suspicion the caller had the wrong number. Besides, it was a hazy message.

Camila entered the door which strictly said “Staff Only”, which had steep stairs behind them. The stairs led Camila up to the gallery, which was mainly for lighting and other maintenance purposes only. It contained a lot of equipment and things Camila couldn’t name, but gave her cover so nobody would notice her.

While completely muting her phone, she turned on the wifi. Suddenly her phone blew up with social media messages and unread emails. The messages contained nothing serious, however, among her newly delivered emails her eyes caught on something unusual. No subject, no words written only a few photos attached. Even the address which sent the email was nonexistent, it only said anonymous.

While some classy music was playing in the background, curious, Camila downloaded the attachments to see what was caught on the photos. One photo after the other, made her more and more dismayed. No, she felt betrayed, furious.

It was Shawn with a girl who was clearly not Camila. They were kissing in the pictures, and hugging and laughing. Simply said, enjoying the other’s company.

Camila covered her mouth with her hand, her phone in her hand lowered. What did this even mean? Was Shawn cheating on her? It was clearly a kiss on full screen. And was that voice, the unknown caller, referring to this? Was Camila supposed to confront Shawn and his cheating ass with this?

*

Still in shock but back in her apartment, Camila was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. It was 7pm and she still hadn’t heard from Shawn, who wasn’t even willing to answer her calls. Was he with her? Every five minutes Camila was filled with need to jump up, take the metro and go down to Shawn’s. But then what if he was there with her? What if they were having fun and Camila came knocking down his door? Was Camila ready to find out the truth? The pictures were compromising and looked real, so why did she still believe there was a chance it wasn’t true? Did she really love him so much? After all that they’d been through? Did she really think she could save it? Was she the only one of the two who wanted to save their relationship? Did she actually want to save it or was she just scared to be alone?

Her phone started ringing. Shawn. Camila answered it with the speed of light.

“Hey babe,” his sleepy voice spoke first.

“Shawn! Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you!”

“Sorry, babe, I slept through this day, work was awful.”

“Is that all?”

“Yeah, of course. So about that date,” Camila knew he was going to cancel, “I don’t suppose I can make it.”

Camila wanted to confront him, but not through the phone.

“We could grab breakfast tomorrow then?”

“You could come over in the morning, but I have this meeting with my brothers and dad, so. If we make it quick,” Shawn talked about this little morning session like about some event he wanted to get quickly over with. Were Camila’s words not clear enough and Shawn came to a conclusion that Camila wanted to just have sex, grab a bagel and leave? That was the last thing she had in mind.

“What about after you finish with your family?”

“I have some stuff to sort out. But you know what? You should accompany me at the family meeting,” it was an unexpected suggesting coming from him, taking the fact that he doesn’t like to bring his family together with whoever he’s currently dating. He’s told Camila how his father always, somehow, ruined his relationships. And he didn’t want to jeopardize his relationship with Camila, because it was special. His words came under doubt now.

“Okay, sounds fun.”

“Cool. I’ll text you when and where.”

“Sure.”

“Love ya, Camila.”

“Love you too.”

What did those words even mean anymore? And why on Earth did Camila agree on going with Shawn? Let’s suppose it was an opportunity to work on their relationship. Still, will Camila be able to talk to Shawn about those photo she wans sent by some anonym?

Putting all her thoughts concerning the phone call with Shawn away, Camila’s night was still without any plans. She could’d stayed in and watched tv, but there was no food in the fridge and Dinah was out of city, so calling her wasn’t an option either. Camila needed food, she was starving. She still had five dollars.

Pulling her sneakers back on, she grabbed her purse and shut the door behind herself. Through the opened corridor window she could hear raindrops playing against the window sill. The presence of rain, some refreshing, natural water washing the streets of new York City comforted Camila. She loved the rain and didn’t care she got soaking wet.

She’d called an uber, which was after ten minutes still nowhere to be found. Suddenly she heard what it could had been a dozen cycle bells, coming from behind her. It was a marching band on bikes, probably rushing home, escaping from the rain. One half on the road, the other on the pavement. Camila could see herself colliding with one or more bikers. Water was draining down her hair, her face, into her eyes. Camila had a hard time keeping her sight proper for at least a second.

“Watch out!” One of the bikers yelled, so Camila had to jump to the side, off the pavement in the middle of the road.

It wasn’t even a crash, only a slight knock, but Camila still soon found herself on the ground. She wasn’t unconscious, just dizzy for a moment. She saw a figure exit the car that just hit her.

“Fuck, Jauregui. Not again! Shit,” the woman, who must’ve been the driver of the car kept cursing themselves, “shit, this cannot be happening, again. Hey, are you okay?” She lowered down to the lying Camila and helped her stand up.

“Fuck,” the woman cursed once more, then it went all black for Camila.

AN: this is loosely, kind of, sort of based off the song “One Step Closer” by Shane Harper. 

[cool-danielramos]

Citizens Guide to Blaine, Minnesota

Resident retention is generally the forgotten element in home management, as the art of apartment marketing and leasing to new prospects continues to be learned, cut, diced and pureed by the apartment industry to locate maximum techniques of having people in the door. In fact, the greater a residential district reaches apartment marketing and leasing, the more it can disguise their disadvantages on the resident retention side.  Avenue South Residence So much energy is created on the leasing part of the business enterprise which our top line troops are called "Leasing Professionals." Emphasizing Leasing is not a bad strategy; but, neglecting one other half of your company can alienate your citizens, cause high turnover, and seriously impact your base line.

Which can be more important: Resident Preservation or Apartment Marketing?

Whenever we examine the worthiness of Resident Preservation, it's not saying that apartment marketing is not also vitally important. Put simply, to improve retention, we should not lose leasing. Having said that, a growth in retention is significantly more useful than a growth in leasing. This will not be an astonishing concept. Whenever you compare a new resident to a current resident, the prevailing resident is much more profitable, with almost no make-ready expenses and no loss because of vacancy. Moreover, a long-term renter is much more prone to refer buddies and colleagues than the usual new renter would.

Whenever you begin to see the big difference in profitability between both groups, it's stunning how much more we devote to prospects. While prospects and new citizens get the advantage of cheaper rent and intensive marketing, current citizens, those that pay the bills, frequently obtain the short conclusion of the stick. That big difference can lead to alienation of your current citizens, a situation you ought to clearly avoid.

How come resident retention not on the radar?

Even though we all realize the thought of resident retention, surprisingly little is famous about how precisely to perform it. Therefore, most areas elect to possibly dismiss it all together or select techniques that not achieve the expected goals. Let us first consider several of the most frequent mistakes produced in current retention "techniques."

Client Company and Maintenance

Let me be obvious about any of it: Customer service and maintenance are NOT resident retention programs. We constantly hear how important those two objects are, that is absolutely correct. However, instead of going over and beyond, these products are an hope, not a perk. Especially for Class A and Class T homes, citizens do not see strong maintenance and customer care as a luxury item that they should be satisfied with. They as an alternative see these products as a expected element of living at your community. Consider a cafe marketing that their food is offered warm. Is not that expected at a cafe? And if that is the greatest trait the restaurant can offer, could you actually assume the meals to be that good? For a residential district to market an element that ought to be standard, they're really implying that the others of the company is not too remarkable!

The infamous summer party...

Summertime parties can be a fun bonus, but are seldom a good investment. To begin with, summer parties could be very high priced if food exists, generally which range from $1,500 to $3,000 for a 300-unit community. Ironically, you save money when you obtain a low resident turnout at these events. Envision the fee if 100 per cent of one's citizens visited! However, most likely, you will simply have about 25 per cent of one's citizens show up. Of these, it's probably that just about 25 per cent includes a lease coming up to make an impression on the renewal decision. Therefore, you are impacting just 6 per cent of one's "target audience." This implies for a typical neighborhood of 300 items, you are spending around $2,000 to attain 18 citizens - that's $111 per resident! Even if the celebration influences several the others that continue later in the season, investments in these parties do not warrant the reward.

So what are some applications we could apply?

To begin with, know your community. Good Housing regulations restrict how much demographic information we could hold about our citizens, but you ought to at the very least have a concept of the different looks of one's community. Moreover, as an alternative of getting one large one-size-fits-all celebration, you can coordinate several smaller, targeted parties through the entire year. Having more repeated parties allows you to target different demographic groups in your neighborhood at different occuring times instead of "placing all of your eggs in one container" method of large summer events. Space these functions throughout every season will also promise that your functions coincide with all of your citizens'renewal periods, therefore providing you the largest impact possible. Here several a few ideas that can you can investigate that are more affordable:

Older Residents

Bridge or Mah Jongg Evening

Meal Turn - That could be very common! Have a register time for singles or couples. These groups then take converts rotating among their apartments hosting small dinner parties for each other.

Singles Group

Poker Evening at the Clubhouse (for prizes instead of money)

Network Evening

Party Lessons

Sporting events

Young ones Pleasant

Snow Cream Social

Kite Day

Scavenger Quest

Also, understand that you have buying power! Many functions about community offer class costs as you are able to go along to your residents. This will cause them to become sense element of an unique membership with good deals all the time!

The ongoing future of resident retention

Have you heard the term "Resident Portal?" If you have not, hold reading! A Resident Portal is actually an internet site for the citizens, putting a genuine social aspect to your neighborhood - contemplate it a "digital clubhouse." If you have not recognized, the vast majority of citizens have a social presence online. Resident Portals take that idea and blend it with standard apartment homes to create a correct "neighborhood" environment. A fundamental Resident Portal contains a residential district schedule of functions, utility sign-up functions, maintenance demands, and on the web rent payment. However, several resident portals offer much more with regards to a residential district social experience. These extended resident portals vary from about $125/month to $200/month for a 300 system neighborhood, meaning you may get a complete year of company for the exact same value of one summer party. When done properly, resident social relationship can cause strong emotional securities between your citizens, leading to remarkable improvements in your retention rates.

Summing it all up.

Finally, the absolute most effective strategy in retaining your citizens involves creating them care about their community. No matter how much you adore your vaulted roofs and granite counters, emotional attachments between people have a much greater impact on retention. Fostering a feeling of neighborhood through social connections can significantly increase these attachments, that'll right impact retention costs, and more to the point, your important thing!

Brent Williams started Multifamily Insiders, the largest on the web skilled marketing class for the apartment industry, which offers expert blogs, conversation groups, and other assets regarding resident retention, apartment marketing, multifamily trading, and all other home management topics.

[realtor9563-blog]

How To Win Big In The Homes For Sale Industry

Don't Buy Into These "Trends" About Houses For Sale

Your realtor will remain informed about the business's nonstop improvement. The realtor will also be in apposition of telling you in the event the place which you'd love to purchase is appropriate for education system parking and perhaps even shopping. The fast sale realtor of Bank of America holds the utmost collapse costs, being the greatest time taker to supply the approval from the calendar year 2009.

With all these options, realtors have various choices to use whenever reaching out to prospective customers. They're also a remarkably helpful resource when it comes to the most up-to-date property market statistics, or important information about the communities your home search comprise. The most suitable realtor can assist you in making the transition into your new house pleasant and fun.

Your realtor can research in the matter. He or she can also help you figure out whether the property you've selected is contested or not. Finding the ideal realtor to aid you in finding your house or sell your house in beautiful Wilmington North Carolina is easy.

When you're looking for a realtor, it is important that you've got a glimpse in their standing. A realtor isn't a mind reader, and it's really your choice to ensure your realtor knows precisely what it is you are searching for. If that's true, then the most essential problem is to search for a seasoned realtor who can help make a ideal thing.

Do your homework about the housing market in Cumberland before you purchase a home. If your home is in relatively good shape, then compact fixes may create a substantial gap and help you reach substantial price. Always remember there are lots of homes for sale in your region.

If you're considering purchasing a home looking at foreclosed houses might appear like a superior idea. Also, you can experience a house which has been abandoned because of triggers. Colorado Springs houses for rent is affected by the troop levels in the Fort Carson.

Whenever you are purchasing a house from the owner, you should expect to do a great deal of the paperwork regarding the selling of your residence, but you may also negotiate with the individual who owns the house about the final cost. If you cannot afford a home at this time, look at purchasing a bigger townhouse or possibly renting a home. The residence is in the finish of a private street. If you'd love a home, negotiate on the selling cost. To be able to find the cost you would like for your home, it's essential to negotiate from a place of strength. If you're looking for such houses for sale in Valle de Bravo or looking for houses for rent Valle de Bravo, you will understand the very best property choices in accordance with your selection.

Land For Sale: 10 Things I Wish I'd Known Earlier

Affordability It can be simple enough to manage your house today but think long-term about your monthly expenditures. Frequently the property is inherited, in which the heirs might not have sufficient time or inclination to make the most of value of their property. While modular homes available are growing in popularity, a great deal of people still find them as bigger versions of cellular homes.

A great deal of people don't really need to create a home from scratch but they wish in order to have a say in the home design and design. Purchasing a house is a huge decision in someone's life. The house available in Belize is the best choices for you in addition to your family members.

If you're ready to get a house and would love to interview a legitimate estate agent for the job be confident that agent is knowledgeable about the region in which you're trying to obtain a house. The home has an extremely distinctive profile also has many organic and contemporary capacities. The houses for sale in Belize are created from bamboos which make it different from the remaining homes on Earth.

Each residence is set on a lovely bit of prime property. A home should be such that it's comfortable for you too as your family members. It may often be tough to point a house yourself because you should stay objective. Are you seeking the greatest Serrano houses available.

The first thing you need to do would be to emotionally distance yourself from your property. Furthermore, most individuals would like to have the house's name to reflect its surroundings. There are assorted kinds of homes provided on the marketplace. Today, prefab houses have a stunning collection of customization choices, and therefore are more inclined to be related to world-class contemporary design than big-box mediocrity. If you are in possession of a fantastic residence, describing any conveniences correctly should be all you should entice buyers. To be perfectly honest, you are about as likely to locate a cheap three-bedroom house in Surrey as you are supposed to obtain a whale in the Thames.

7 Little Changes That'll Make A Big Difference With Your Homes For Sale

Create your own collection of things you wish to get shown in your home. Or maybe, you're hunting for that exact luxurious sort of house for your nearest and dearest and for your future also. Whether you would like to buy, sell or lease your home in Naperville and the areas surrounding it, you're at the right place. All you may need for your fantasy house is provided to you from designs to landscape before to its designs.

If you'd like a home away from the industry or busy roads then the cost is going to be about the side. Attempt to comprehend from them about different techniques which you'll be able to select for buying such homes in Calgary. Whether you're purchasing a house for private use, or are interested in getting started in the actual estate business, REO Properties is the ideal spot to begin.

Tally your routine budget before you picking a house. The houses aren't just aesthetic and beautiful but are constructed to satisfy international standards also and take the true stamp of quality. Search through to locate inexpensive rental homes you can afford.

There are lots of items to remember and also to watch out for when leasing a home, it's not exactly a walk-in-the-park. It's harder if you are searching for a home that has been already furnished as you need to work out whether the utility outlays, kitchenware, and furnishings are already included in the rental fee. Since purchasing a new home is a huge jump that surely involves lots of money and danger, it's crucial that the first-time buyer weigh the options completely.

The question whether it's sensible to rent or purchase a home in Kent real estate holds quite a straightforward answer. If you'd like the home, speak to the broker and see whether the owners would look at renting. Damaged furniture If your furniture item was damaged and you cannot dwell in the house without it, begin searching for new furniture and also get it in your house whenever possible. In most cases, it's totally feasible to come across a good house to lease for the exact same cost for a garden apartment with a leasing office and cockroaches from the laundry room.

When purchasing straight from the owner, you'll need to be sure you're not getting ripped off. Home owners find it tough to price their property on account of the personal attachment. A house owner selling through a conventional agent won't have the luxury of under-pricing their flat.

5 Lessons About For Sale By Owner You Can Learn From Superheroes

When it's likely to prove to the home owner which you are able to paying for your mortgage by showing them a pre-approved mortgage, then they'll be prepared to offer you the house at a fair cost. In nearly all states, home owners could have the ability to locate a typical contract for the transaction. Not to mention, if you're lucky enough to be a NYC property owner surely it's to indicate that you're a booming person who's somewhat skilled in negotiating as well!

If you're considering selling your house For Sale By Owner in Brooklyn then you will want to ensure you've got an understanding ofhow the home market functions in Brooklynand NYC. Your house is worth what buyers are willing and ready to pay this, and just an educated and comprehensive knowledge of the current real estate market will help determine the worth of your house. Most homes have a discreet smell that's a bit of the life span of their proprietors.

Real estates have various legislation and terminologies. Real estate is a Forex marketplace that needs best-in-service and full-fledged property specialists which can allow you to locate the best bargain. If you would like to put money into real estate in Brantford, it's going to be prudent to employ the help of a superior property management company.

Buyers must take part in credit repair plans to refinance mortgages as fast as possible. The purchaser will also receive a quick deal with immediate effect, and may need to pay out considerably lower on closing expenses and other particulars. He's already figured his expenditures before making the offer, therefore there are only a few fees you ought to need to potentially pay. Buyers offer a down payment to ensure the house and submit monthly payments that are contributed toward the buy price. The buyer of your premises will get the very same terms and payments.

The property looks excellent. Secondly, if it appraises at significantly less than the sales price, you might have to cover the appraisal. Real estate properties are the same.

If you're thinking of purchasing a property together with the notion that you are able to turn it around for a fast buck, do the math first! Selling or purchasing a property is only one of the principal decisions you make and selecting the best property broker is a critical region of the procedure. Whether you are offering your regular life property or purchasing a property, deciding upon the appropriate people offers you unique insights and comprehension, and also needs the strain off the process.

9 Ted Talks That Anyone Working In Townhomes For Rent Should Watch

Once you think about the type of property you need and the area in which you would like it, then you can pick the government land on sale. Farm property is the most important for our nation. It has ever been an ideal buy.

The majority of us have automobiles and lots of folks will pay you to wash their vehicle. If you have a car that is paid for and you have the name to, then it's relatively straightforward to get a title loan. You will see cars, truck, SUVs, boats, bikes, and at times even aircraft which have been captured for various reasons.

A great deal of people buy property with the purpose of building their dream home on it. There are a couple tactics to seek out government land free of charge or cheap. If you are working to locate government property free of charge, the BLM could be a good beginning point. Finding government land for sale is a simple job.

Land surveying may be fantastic small business enterprise, as long as you have enough comprehension of the company and your potential customers. Even though you might shell out a meager amount on the land, you might need to shell out over it to find the fundamental amenities in the region. Such land, in a fantastic location, can be auctioned for a sensible price.

If you're contemplating leasing a house you have to be certain you've got an exceptional landlord. Conversely, you could find houses for rent in areas, besides on your favorite neighborhood. Attempting to discover a home for lease may be exceedingly frustrating, to say the least. You may discover the ideal house for lease, but it's not at the appropriate location.

In the event the tenant raises a matter with the home for rent just like a shower that has ceased working or a blocked drain then you want to respond by phone instantly to allow them to know that you're conscious of the issue and to explain what you're doing about it. When searching lists of houses to lease, there are particular items that renters should keep in mind prior to signing a lease. You might receive a fantastic tenant for your home and also acquire regular rent in early months.

14 Cartoons About Real Estate That'll Brighten Your Day

When searching for houses for rent, it is extremely important to comprehend what sort of house you desire. You will have to make sure you feel relaxed in your home. Just as there are more houses offered for lease to own does not follow that finding a house that fulfills your requirements is an simple task.

You might be buying a home, but you will wish to be close enough to downtown Cleveland for work. Because of this, you're confident that the residence is still in wonderful form. Then there's your regular house for rent.

When you get a townhouse, you are purchasing a distinguishing unit from a really long line of possessions that are similar. From the varied areas of California, renting a townhouse contains comfort, convenience and an chance to live near employment and transportation centers. Townhouses frequently have an extremely low cost HOA that covers tons of the likely repairs that could occur later on. Well the term townhouse actually comes from the uk.

Since the home progresses, the excess costs linked to incidentals might have to be taken into account when pricing the home and staying within budget. The houses are supplied with incredible roof tops that provide the best view of the surrounding adjoining site. Anaheim Hill houses for sale can provide the buyers with the very best scenic view which one can definitely feel great about.

Renting your house is a smart option, providing you greater flexibility and a vast array of amenities at quite inexpensive prices as compared with the risk, upkeep, and heavy expenses related to owning a house. Selling a house is not that simple. The fantastic part about the numerous different Collingwood houses for sale is there are only about no possessions that won't supply a wonderful view with exceptional amenities.

[brassyy]

I love calendar blocking so much. I can’t wait for the semester to start so I can take advantage of it more and be super productive! I need to start doing this on a weekly basis, too. I put in a few repeating goals that I end up missing on occasion, so checking in on them every week would be a solid idea. I do like that they’re repeating though, as I just need to move them around to reschedule. 

I have a bunch of events Wednesday through Sunday, so I estimated how long the rides will be  then I was able to schedule in some solid trumpet practice time on Thursday through Saturday (probably Sunday as well). Hopefully I can continue that next week, then the week afterwards is marching band fun week. I’ll have a little time to practice throughout the week, so I should be in fairly good shape for the concert band audition. 

I definitely need to decide which parts I’m taking down an octave. I feel that’s probably the best route so I can play the phrases confidently instead of trying to search for a high B. I can sort of do it when I’m practicing, but I’m not using the best embouchure when I do so, and I know I’m not going to be relaxed enough to play it well for the audition. What do other people do about audition music if it’s too high/fast/whatever? I wish there were 2nd/3rd trumpet parts available, and I probably could’ve inquired about it, but I’ve been focusing on this current part for a little while, so it would be sort of confusing to look at another part at this point.

I also still need to find another 3 credits somewhere. I have a couple music classes picked out, but you need to be in the program to enroll in them. I’ll email a couple of professors tomorrow to see if I can enroll in something anyways. Most people who need them should be enrolled by now. I would look for something in another department (another Education class would be fun sometime, and it would let me get a certificate), but I felt like I was wasting my time last fall! I don’t want to do that until after I know what I’m doing. I loved last semester, because I was in several music classes, and it felt super useful and engaging. My high school band director spent forever in college, so I’m not super concerned about time/money. If I was, I’d be somewhere else. I’ll probably be teaching for the rest of my life anyways, so there’s no need to rush into it. Hopefully I’ll be a better teacher after I make it through everything than I would be if I rushed through 4 years of college. Either way, it would be nice to figure out what I’m actually doing next semester, mostly for financial planning purposes. I’m enrolling in 10 lessons ASAP, then hopefully I can meet with the trumpet professor to show him what I’ve been working on so he can re-assess my situation. I feel that being in two summer bands this year has helped, so if I get to do concert band and lessons next semester, that’ll be a great experience as well.