So I think I'm still getting used to the routine of posting on a blog... This Newman blog was the first one that I have ever used lol. But yeah, I am staying alive. The summer has officially kicked into gear for me. I am working full time with awesome 3 year olds, but my job is always made complicated because of my director. I'm also taking U.S. History at my local college, which is good to get out of the way but also a pain lol. I have actually become a slacker student at home cuz I just don't have time to study for tests and such. Still I'm actually doing pretty good considering. My hometown puts on a Broadway revue show too, and I have been cast as the Bird Lady and get to sing "Feed The Birds," so I'm pumped! I even get real pigeons!! Other than that I'm trying to hang out with friends, have a lil of a social life, and talk to my twin Mer on SKYPE cuz she's in Italy till July 13. Me and Greg are uber great as well and I've been making a few treks up to Cleveland to see him. Give me a call if I'm ever in the area so we all can hang out! Love u all!
Peace,
Julia
Monday, June 30, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Prayer Requests
Hi guys,
I'm posting to request some prayers for my general health and peace of mind. I'm trying very hard not to be bitter - my Suzuki teacher workshop is incredible but it points out all the things that I didn't learn. I'm also realizing that I just never mastered any set of skills pertaining to the violin...it doesn't feel completely natural to me, and some of the pain in my shoulders has come back.
I have a lesson with my old violin teacher tomorrow and I'm hopeful that she'll be able to give me some more direction so I can break more of the old habits and become a more confident and secure artist. I'm really scared...I feel as if I've been frustrated for years, like I was stumbling in the dark. Now it's as if someone turned on a light and I can see just how many obstacles are still in the way, that I could have stepped over easily years ago had I known how to fix them but have grown to ridiculous proportions. Now I'm more overwhelmed by the number of things I have to learn than anything else and am desperately hoping my old teacher will be able to help me.
So, yeah. I hope all of you are doing well and please, if you have time, I could use some prayers.
Thank you!
Claire
I'm posting to request some prayers for my general health and peace of mind. I'm trying very hard not to be bitter - my Suzuki teacher workshop is incredible but it points out all the things that I didn't learn. I'm also realizing that I just never mastered any set of skills pertaining to the violin...it doesn't feel completely natural to me, and some of the pain in my shoulders has come back.
I have a lesson with my old violin teacher tomorrow and I'm hopeful that she'll be able to give me some more direction so I can break more of the old habits and become a more confident and secure artist. I'm really scared...I feel as if I've been frustrated for years, like I was stumbling in the dark. Now it's as if someone turned on a light and I can see just how many obstacles are still in the way, that I could have stepped over easily years ago had I known how to fix them but have grown to ridiculous proportions. Now I'm more overwhelmed by the number of things I have to learn than anything else and am desperately hoping my old teacher will be able to help me.
So, yeah. I hope all of you are doing well and please, if you have time, I could use some prayers.
Thank you!
Claire
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Update
Hi everyone!
I'm writing this from my grandma's computer in Lincoln, Nebraska. My mom and I are here for a few days visiting my grandparents and various aunts, uncles, and cousins that live in the area. I won't bore you with all the family details - suffice it to say that my mother has 9 siblings and that four of them and their families live here in Lincoln.
My summer plans have changed somewhat. I was very dismayed last week to learn that the festival I was going to attend in Italy was canceled due to lack of participants and rising costs in Europe. So, I'll be home for four weeks instead of going to Italy. Needless to say, I'm rather angry and upset about that. I suppose God has a reason for wanting me to be at home rather than in Italy this summer.
Magic Mountain Music Farm was incredible. It completely changed the way I view music and myself as a musician and I might be doing some backtracking in my studies once I talk to Dr. Ross. The people there were all really great, and the teacher was pretty brilliant. I loved it and definitely plan to go back in the coming years. There are loads of pictures on my Facebook and also some rather silly videos.
Other than that, nothing terribly exciting is going on. I'm practicing quite a bit, watching tv shows online (I've recently become addicted to Bones) and enjoying the quiet. Ben is coming to visit next month around the fourth of July and I'm very excited about that - this distance thing is proving to be quite difficult.
I confess that I haven't been to Mass because I was in upstate New York in the middle of nowhere. I did go to a Methodist service last Sunday with my friend Kristen Klehr (who lives in Binghamton) when we hung out before my flight back to DC. We'll be going to Mass tomorrow with the family, though, and then I hope to get back into a regular routine since I'll (unfortunately) be at home for the rest of the summer (grrrr.)
I hope you all are well!!! :-)
Love,
Claire
I'm writing this from my grandma's computer in Lincoln, Nebraska. My mom and I are here for a few days visiting my grandparents and various aunts, uncles, and cousins that live in the area. I won't bore you with all the family details - suffice it to say that my mother has 9 siblings and that four of them and their families live here in Lincoln.
My summer plans have changed somewhat. I was very dismayed last week to learn that the festival I was going to attend in Italy was canceled due to lack of participants and rising costs in Europe. So, I'll be home for four weeks instead of going to Italy. Needless to say, I'm rather angry and upset about that. I suppose God has a reason for wanting me to be at home rather than in Italy this summer.
Magic Mountain Music Farm was incredible. It completely changed the way I view music and myself as a musician and I might be doing some backtracking in my studies once I talk to Dr. Ross. The people there were all really great, and the teacher was pretty brilliant. I loved it and definitely plan to go back in the coming years. There are loads of pictures on my Facebook and also some rather silly videos.
Other than that, nothing terribly exciting is going on. I'm practicing quite a bit, watching tv shows online (I've recently become addicted to Bones) and enjoying the quiet. Ben is coming to visit next month around the fourth of July and I'm very excited about that - this distance thing is proving to be quite difficult.
I confess that I haven't been to Mass because I was in upstate New York in the middle of nowhere. I did go to a Methodist service last Sunday with my friend Kristen Klehr (who lives in Binghamton) when we hung out before my flight back to DC. We'll be going to Mass tomorrow with the family, though, and then I hope to get back into a regular routine since I'll (unfortunately) be at home for the rest of the summer (grrrr.)
I hope you all are well!!! :-)
Love,
Claire
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Steve, I'm glad you came to pick up the tables at the Newman house yesterday so we could talk about this blog so it would remind me to check it and post something!
Summer is going well and fast for me. Three weeks ago, I went to North Carolina to visit a friend of mine from college. We spent one day hanging out in Asheville, which reminded me of Oberlin, only a bit bigger, then spent a day touring the Biltmore Mansion and grounds. I did the total tourist thing and got the audio tour, but it was worth it for all of the background information. The house is huge, and usually when I see places like that, I can't imagine ever living there, but in this case I could. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but despite the size, it still seemed homey. Then, a couple of weeks ago, a friend from graduate school who lives in Phoenix , came to visit me. We had fun just hanging out in the Cleveland area for a few days. So now I'm looking forward to my road trip with Drew at the end of June/beginning of July. We'll go to baseball games in DC and Philadelphia, spend a couple of days in Gettysburg, and visit my aunt and uncle who live in Chestertown, MD.
Take care everyone!
Kirsten
Summer is going well and fast for me. Three weeks ago, I went to North Carolina to visit a friend of mine from college. We spent one day hanging out in Asheville, which reminded me of Oberlin, only a bit bigger, then spent a day touring the Biltmore Mansion and grounds. I did the total tourist thing and got the audio tour, but it was worth it for all of the background information. The house is huge, and usually when I see places like that, I can't imagine ever living there, but in this case I could. I can't put my finger on it exactly, but despite the size, it still seemed homey. Then, a couple of weeks ago, a friend from graduate school who lives in Phoenix , came to visit me. We had fun just hanging out in the Cleveland area for a few days. So now I'm looking forward to my road trip with Drew at the end of June/beginning of July. We'll go to baseball games in DC and Philadelphia, spend a couple of days in Gettysburg, and visit my aunt and uncle who live in Chestertown, MD.
Take care everyone!
Kirsten
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)