I Dislike Doors

Entrance.

Portals.

Exits.

Revolving Doors.

French doors.

Dutch Doors.*

You can call them whatever you want, but that won't change how I feel about them.  I dislike them because they are the source of many awkward moments.

I'm a polite person ... I like to hold the door open for people.  But how long is too long?  I mean, sometimes it just makes the person mad because they have to hurry up.

Or what about this scenario ... It's 7:45 and you are just leaving your dorm for your 8 am.  You've got coffee in one hand, and a bagel in the other.  You step out into the hall.  Someone comes up behind you, so you hold the door for them as you enter the stairwell.  They thank you.  Even though you are still half asleep, you have the sense to be polite and tell them that they're welcome.  Normal, right?

Here's where my predicament comes in ...

Let's say they follow you through the next two doors out of the building and they continue to thank you every single time.

Do I really have to tell them that they're welcome every single time ... Or can my first "you're welcome" be like a blanket statement ... covering the rest of the time they're following me?

Even worse, what do you do if you're the one following someone out the building?  Do you see my moral dilemma?  I would love to be polite and thank you for holding the door open for me ... but every thirty seconds?  I might need another cup of coffee for that!  But if I don't say thank you, then I just feel like I'm being ungrateful.

Let it be known, that from this day forward that I am always grateful for when you open doors for me ... even if I don't say thank you every time!

But most of all ... for some reason the doors in the music building all open in different directions.  I'm pretty sure ... and they don't have normal hinges!  I'd say I have a 60% success rate at door opening :(

You're luck I still have homework to do tonight because I didn't even get started talking about the danger of glass doors, two people trying to squeeze through one door way or stepping through doors onto ice.

Maybe I'll just boycott doors ... there's just too much at stake.

Be careful out there...
~Amanda

*According to google.com, this is one of those doors that is split into a top half and a bottom half

Everyone Poops

I made the most amazing discover the other day.

Everyone poops.*

Surprise!

Shocking, I know.  Okay, so maybe you're thinking that I've lost my mind ... and maybe that's true, but that's a blog for another time!

Here's the method behind the madness:  there are these things in our lives that we don't like to talk about.  Like poop, with the exception of my little nephews out of earshot of their mother!

These things we try to hide from other people, because clearly they have their lives together.  And I so clearly don't.  I mean, have you even seen those people's Pinterest boards and Facebook statuses?  Here they're excelling at everything they're doing and going on exciting adventures ... and I'm just the girl that usually chooses an extra half hour of sleep over a shower in the morning**!

I think the core of the problem is that we're all living under a false facade.  We can smile and pretend like everything is absolutely fine ... but that doesn't change the fact that you might be dying inside.

This reminds me of Casting Crown's song "Stained Glass Masquerade" (youtube here)

The lyrics go like this:

Is there anyone that fails
Is there anyone that falls
Am I the only one in church today feelin' so small

Cause when I take a look around
Everybody seems so strong
I know they'll soon discover
That I don't belong

So I tuck it all away, like everything's okay
If I make them all believe it, maybe I'll believe it too
So with a painted grin, I play the part again
So everyone will see me the way that I see them

Are we happy plastic people
Under shiny plastic steeples
With walls around our weakness
And smiles to hide our pain
But if the invitation's open
To every heart that has been broken
Maybe then we close the curtain
On our stained glass masquerade

Is there anyone who's been there
Are there any hands to raise
Am I the only one who's traded
In the altar for a stage

The performance is convincing
And we know every line by heart
Only when no one is watching
Can we really fall apart

But would it set me free
If I dared to let you see
The truth behind the person
That you imagine me to be

Would your arms be open
Or would you walk away
Would the love of Jesus
Be enough to make you stay

Sorry about the long list ... I couldn't narrow the song down to just a verse or two!

I guess the point of this blog post is that at the end of the day, we all poop (figuratively and literally ... stick with me here!).

We all make mistakes and have regrets.
We all have insecurities and doubts.
We are all broken.

By denying our "human-ness" we are not only hurting ourselves, but others around us!

This is a call to be genuine ... transparent.  You never know when someone might be struggling or feeling the same way that you do.  And that can make all the difference.  It is important to remember that Jesus Christ is the only one that can bring healing, but he created us with a deep desire for positive relationships.

Keep those bowel movements comin',

Amanda

*Unfortunately, I can not take full credit for this epiphany.  A Japanese author wrote a children's book, and Morgan Freeman allegedly (Youtube commentors are suspicious) narrated it.  Enjoy!

**I would just like to say that I do shower regularly... just not first thing in the morning :)

Shameless Self-Promoting

Unfortunately, my job that I was counting on for over winter break fell through, so I had to be creative to come up with a way to make money.  I remembered that my mom used to make Barbie clothes when she was a preteen and teenager.  So, if she can do it ... I can do it too ... right?

That was the dreamer in me talking!  Sewing doll clothes is so much easier said than done.  I mean, you have to cut everything out exactly.  Then, you have to sew itty-bitty seams as straight as you can.  It seems like every time you actually get sewing, something goes wrong.  The thread will get caught, but then it will get caught in another place.  And then you'll go two teeny-tiny stitches in before your bobbin runs out.

Anyways, so I had some frustrating moments ... and my mom was probably the pickiest quality control ever.  But I love her, and I'm eternally grateful.  I need someone to keep me on my toes!  Towards the end, I decided that I really did like sewing ... and I like it even more now that I'm starting to sell some stuff.

In a couple weeks,  I sewed  dresses, pajamas, jeans, shorts, jeans, scarves, lace headbands, gym shorts and skirts.  Mom has continued to sew new clothes, and our Etsy shop is growing!  Right now we have a lot of adorable Valentine's Day outfits! Here's some of my

Here's some of my favorite things that I made :)

My first outfits!  The coral is sold out already, 

but I think the green and pink one is my favorite. :)

Lucky for me, this model 

accepts payment in free doll clothes!

This was the last thing that I made 

before I had to go back to school ... 

I think it's my favorite!

So that's a little bit about how I spent my winter break!  I would love it if you could check out some of the stuff that I'm selling and spread the word.  

Here's my Etsy shop:

www.etsy.com/shop/itssewmedollclothesitssewmedollclothes

If you are local, you can check out my Craigslist's ad here . The clothes are cheaper if you buy them through Craigslist because we won't have to pay for shipping or other fees (shipping is included in the Etsy prices).

Alright, so I'm done repping myself ... I have to stop before everyone starts to hate me!

Much love,

Amanda

A Day in the Life of a Music Therapy Major

I found this sign on the soda machine beside the practice rooms. :)  

I thought it'd be fun to go through an average day ... that way you can kind of get a feel for what it's like to be a music therapy major!  

I took all of the pictures with my phone camera ... so I'm really sorry about the awful quality.  I'm going to take you through a typical Tuesday.  

On Monday, Wednesday and Friday I have class at 8, but Tuesday and Thursday class only starts at 8:30.  However, my alarm goes off at 7:00 both days because I've been trying to get into a regular sleep schedule.  I wake up, start my coffee maker, shower, eat ... bored yet?  

And now the journey to the Music Building.  I have guitar class today, so I'm dragging her along.  Yes, my guitar is female.  Thankfully, it's not too far and it only takes around eight minutes.  My first class is called Assesment, Measurement and Evaluation for Music Therapy ... or AME if you're lazy like me.  This class deals with the nitty-gritty paperwork and record keeping aspects of Music Therapy.  After this class, I have a forty minute break.  I usually use this time to practice piano.

This is MY practice room.  Actually, I just like to think that it's mine.  It's gotten to the point where I get annoyed if I want to practice but someone's in "my room".  I like this room because it's bigger than some of the others ... think walk-in closet vs. broom closet.  Even more importantly, this is one of the few pianos that I actually like.  The pedal isn't squeaky, all of the notes are relatively in tune, no keys stick.  It's the little things in life that make me happy. :)  

After my quick practice session, yes forty minutes is quick, I shimmy over to guitar class for an hour.  Then, straight to voice class.  Voice is over at 11:45, so I eat at the cafeteria with friends.  I have just under two hours before Child Development at two.  I've used this time to pick up books and print off stuff at the library, but sometimes it's just nice to take a break from running around.  

But alas, soon it's time to make the 15 minute uphill hike up to class.  After this class, it's another 15 minute hike back down the hill back to the music building for Women's Ensemble.  Actually, our record is 12 minutes ... but that's probably because the temperature was in the negatives!  Either way, we're always a couple minutes late because we only have 10 minutes between classes.  It's cool, though because our choir professor is pretty relaxed. 

As soon as choir is over, I have fifteen minutes to change in the bathroom and punch into work.  Thankfully, it's only a seven minute walk!  I work until 9, but this is the only weeknight I work.  After I get back after work I eat supper, and do my homework for the next day.  Other evenings include practicing guitar and singing, homework, chilling with friends, going to bible study on Wednesdays, or music performances (I'm required to go to fifteen a semester).

So that's my Tuesday!  Everyday is different, but I would say that Tuesdays are my busiest day.  Although, now that I stop to think about it ... they're all pretty busy!  I'm usually away from room between 8/8:30am to 6 or 7 pm ...  I usually try to fit my piano, guitar and voice practice in while I'm in the music building.  I aim for two hours of piano a day, and an hour of both guitar and voice.  Realistically, I usually practice an hour and a half on piano and an hour total of guitar and voice.  This is more than some people, and less than some people.  I always feel like I never practice enough, though.  But I'm not sure I could ever practice enough!  It all comes down to setting priorities.

 My other classes include Musicianship Skills (sight-reading), Music Theory, Music Therapy Skills, Interpreting Literature, and individual piano lessons. When I write it down, my schedule seems kind of overwhelming ... but if you take it a day at a time, it's not bad.  I write down all of my assignments in my planner, so that helps to keep everything straight.  But now, it's Friday and I have a weekend to catch up and relax!  :)

Have a great weekend!

Amanda

PS: I just found out the other day that I have official credentials!  That's right, you can call me Amanda MTS (Music Therapy Student)

Free Money :)

Okay, so maybe my title is a little misleading :)  To receive money, you need to spend.  Let me explain, it's not too confusing ... I promise!  Ebates.com is a site that offers you a certain amount cash back.  They don't have every shopping site, but they do have a lot!

You can choose to receive your "Big Fat Check" in the mail or through your PayPal account.  I also have gotten some in the form of Amazon gift cards (usually with an extra dollar or two thrown on there), but I think that might be a special offer.  If you're feeling generous, you can choose to donate your money to a charity or friend ... or your favorite money-strapped college student. ;)

To get the cash back, you have to sign into Ebates, and then click on a link to the store.  I'm always super paranoid so I go into the store, put everything in my cart and then go through Ebates and check out.

They also like to double the cash back on certain stores for a limited time.  Hey look - flowers!  *hint hint* Just in time for Valentine's Day ;)

I would say that the percentages typically range from 2%-5% cash back.  The stores also change percentages frequently.  The percentages may not seem like much, but let me show you my totals from the past year.

I originally opened this account when I bought my laptop, which I splurged on (after using a coupon on, of course!) ... so that was a majority of my first check.  The second check was cash back from my phone and something from Amazon.  And then the most recent one, was comprised of cash back mostly from textbook purchases (except for $2.50).  This semester, I bought more books from the bookstore or from friends this semester, so I only have $7 so far. 

As an added bonus, they also have coupons and promo codes that you can see before 

On top of that money, you also get rewarded for referring people.  Both you and the person that you referred get $5 once they make their first $25 purchase..

This is how I see it: if you are going to make a big purchases online, these small percentages add up.  In the past year, I've received about $68 of the money that I would have already spent buying things for school.  That's enough gas money for a trip home :)

If you would like to sign up, here's my referral link:

 http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=Vyywfocy5ZxdPdziXB4vWg%3D%3D

Happy shopping!

Amanda

*They really like sending you emails to update you about all the cash back changes, but if you're like me and that really annoys you, you can change your account settings so that doesn't happen!

The Other Side of the Sanctity of Human Life

National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is typically third Sunday in January.  It's a time that's set aside to reflect on the value of human life, mainly unborn life.  At my church, our bulletins have pictures of newborn babies with smiling parents.  I remember one year we had an emotional testimony time.  A church favorite, we fill up baby bottles with change for a local pregnancy shelter.  Maybe we'll even offer up a special prayer.

Ready for some strong statements?

I believe that human life starts at conception, not at birth.
I understand that mistakes happen, and that sometimes you get the short end of the stick.
But, I still don't think that abortion is the answer.
Therefore, I believe that an abortion is taking away life that isn't supposed to be taken.

Don't get me wrong, all of these things are good and I think that they definitely have their place.

But what about the life that is already here on Earth?  

That kid in class that sits alone.  You know him, he might be a little smelly.  Or maybe he picks his nose in the middle of lectures.

Or that girl that stutters so badly, it's hard to keep a conversation going.

Those kids on TV with the dismal expressions and distended stomachs from lack of nutrition.

Ready for this one?  What about ... Miley Cyrus.

It can be so easy to slip into a habit of seeing them some people as less than human ...

Not deserving of our attention.
Of our friendship.
Of God's love.

Whoa, that escalated quickly!  Let me try to explain how I got there :)

Sometimes we tend to characterize people by their mistakes or life choices.
She's a druggie.
He's homosexual.
They're criminals.

But what if we changed that?  I am suggesting a new kind of "tolerance".*
I'm talking about respecting a person despite their life choices or circumstances.

I am not saying that we have to agree or condone with their actions.
But, I am saying that we need to continue to grant them the same respect that we would give our church family, friends and family.

We need to look at them through God's eyes.

He sees his child, stumbling.  Searching.  Lost.  Lonely.
We are no better than them, because we all mess up - some of us have less drastic or noticeable consequences.

This is a call to love.  To respect.  To value.  Because all human life is valuable.

The world doesn't need another person telling them their actions are wrong - they need to see why their actions are wrong.  As Christians, let's show them a better way, by modeling the love of Christ.

I may never reach this point, but I will continue to seek after this unconditional love.  I've spent many hours wrestling with this issue.  I wrote this post to help sort my thoughts out.  If you got anything out of this, then that's an added bonus!  Unfortunately, life isn't the black and white I think I should be.  Every single day I feel like this world gets more and more complicated.
Maybe that means I'm growing up.
Or maybe I just need another cup of coffee :)

Keep that love coming,
Amanda

Matthew 22:35-40 (NIV)
35 One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this question: 36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

*I may or may not have put that word in to get your attention ... did it work?

Brumal Temperatures

Brumal: of or relating to winter; wintry.

So I wanted to do a post chronicling my day as a music major.  But today was a really bad day to do it because two of my classes were canceled because we got snow overnight ... and I randomly worked for two hours. It was just a weird day.

But yeah, it's kind of cold out.  9* actually.  Yeah, you read that right.

Not 39. 

Not 29. 

Not even 19.  

Just 9.  

That's Fahrenheit, my friends ... 9*!

This morning I was running late* and I thought to myself It's not really that cold out, I don't need to find my hat.  Lies!  It was cold.  Then, class turned out to be canceled.  But it's okay because I needed to practice piano before my lesson ... which I hadn't practiced as much as I should have.

See, this is the problem with being an optimist.  You're never prepared for anything.

It can't rain when we're taking prom pictures.  

I can wear white pants ... I'll just be extra careful where I sit.

My professor wouldn't dare give us a pop quiz the second day of class.

I'll just study extra tomorrow morning before class, maybe put my textbook under my pillow.

Sure, memorizing 10 guitar songs a week before the final is completely possible.

-__-

I rest my case.  In my defense, I usually know how much I can get away with.  My secret?  It's all about working smarter, not harder.  And calculating the lowest grade you need on your final to get the letter grade that you want.  :)

But I guess I can be okay with the cold ... because there's a campus-wide 2 hour delay tomorrow because the temperature is supposed to drop even more.

Rant over.

Huddling for warmth,

Amanda

*This is a normal occurrence ... so really, I guess I shouldn't have been surprise

Ps: I know I sound really whiny, but I would just like to say that I think it's justified a little bit because right now in Alaska it's so much warmer!