Disco Duck

Partyin in up like it's 1970! Had a BLAST at Nikki and Scotty's birthday party. 

I LOVE the fact that I can be my silly self around my crazy, awesome, super fun boyfriend and all my other crazy, awesome super fun  friends!

Life is SOOOOO good.  even though I have a literal TON to do between now and the middle of February!  :P

Had the concerto competition today.  I feel like it went really well.  Don't know the results yet, but when I do you'll know it,  because I'll either be bouncing off the walls or looking like my (non-existant) puppy has been stolen with no chance of a ransom letter. 

Anyway that's all for now.  Gotta finish some nasty Psychology homework.  stupid information processing...

First day of classes

Monday was supposed to be the beginning of the new semester but because of all the fabulous snow it was postponed to today! Thank goodness!  It was really nice to have a couple extra days. 
Last night I went snowboarding again and it was really super fun except it resulted in sore muscles and about four or five hours of sleep for the first day of classes! I survived though.  I only had classes 9-3:30 with a two hour lunch/practicing break. 
My first class was German 101.  I've always wanted to learn German because one day I want to study there or around there.  Well, I was sitting in the front of class super, ridiculously excited and grinning from ear to ear because I'm finally doing something I REALLY want to do and Dr. Lehman comes in and just starts speaking German for over half the class.  Funny thing is it's actually pretty easy to understand but it's going to be pretty hard to learn probably!  I can do it though! So excited! 
Also, there's a Germany trip planned this summer...hmm maybe?  Not sure yet.  :)

My next class was Introduction to Conducting.  This class...it's going to be fun...but I really don't think I'm meant to conduct.  It scares me...but I'll give it a chance.  And the upside is that I have to get a baton, which makes me feel professional.  :D 

Choir was next and it is HUGE this semester.  SO many people and some really good pieces!  Going to be a good semester and we're going to make beautiful music (that was motivational choir president jabber, ps). 

Piano Principles was next...probably my favorite class.  I love my fellow pianists so much and Dr. Adams is AWESOME!  Got an exciting semester ahead for the Piano studio. 

So overall, a very good but tiring day.  I came home and took an accidental two hour nap which was only supposed to be thirty minutes.  Even with the two hour nap I still had time to do some "get ahead" homework and still have free time! Going to bed early tonight! I only have class til 12:05 on Thursdays! Exciting!!!  :-)

My Snowboarding Experience

So Wednesday night, Timothy texts me and says, "Hey! Wanna go snowboarding tomorrow night?"  I'm like...okay..my first thought is, "WHAT on earth do I wear?"  Yes, a ridiculous thought, but that's what I thought.  Anyway, I agreed to go and I was nervous and couldn't sleep ALL night.  That next morning, Rachel and I went to Asheville, me with a red bull in hand...had to start the morning out right.  Our trip consisted of singing "Don't You Wanna Stay" at the top of our lungs, eating at Franks Roman Pizza because stupid Carrabba's was closed, going to Dick's Sporting Goods looking for ski gear, Target looking for...cat clothes...and Rachel getting her mug shot.  We also looked for ski goggles EVERYWHERE...none to be found.  Well there were some at Three Eagles for like $150 and that's ridiculous. 
Anyway...waited on Timothy for like 30 minutes because he's ALWAYS late...I mean ALWAYS.  We finally got on the road to Cataloochee and I was feeling like puking til we got to Dillsboro...by then I was almost talked into being excited.  Rented our boots and drove up the mountain in the BUZZ BUS! 
Now's where the adventure starts. 
So I started out on the bunny bunny slope.  There were 4 and 5 year olds skiing better than me.  Timothy walked me down the slope a couple times til I figured out my edges and busted it a few several times.  He had to go get a screwdriver to adjust his board so Nicole and I decided to go down the next highest slope which is like a beginners slope but it's still really tall.  I busted it a few more times, and wanted to cry a couple times, but by the third time going down it I really felt like I was gettin the hang of it.  Finally, Timothy, Me, and Nicole decided to go down the next biggest slope because they said I was doing "Awesome."  So, we did and it was actually easier except we all busted it getting off the ski lift...yeah we got mad skills.  I did pretty good the first time.  Second time I only fell once.  But my third and last run on that slope I decided to be a daredevil and go faster...BAD idea.  Chris flew by me and yelled "Good job, Abigail!"  and I didn't know who it was cause he had a face guard and goggles on.  I was distracted trying to figure out who it was which caused me to fall the first time.  I was still a little confused "WHO on earth knows my name on this slope? I KNOW it wasn't Timothy."  Anyway, I busted it REALLY hard cause I was FLYINNNNG down the mountain.  Knocked the breath out of me and hurt like...anyway. 
Kinda sad that was my last run cause I wanted to make it gooooood.  I'm still sore but it was SO worth it. 
I had the most AMAZING time ever and I can't wait to do it again! Hopefully sometime next week! 

Fresh

As I'm sitting here in the kitchen listening to my dad teach my mom how to do sudoku I'm reflecting on the past year and planning for the new one.  2010 had it's ups and it's downs and I'm sure 2011 will too, but I'm hoping for a wonderful year.  I try not to make new years resolutions because I usually end up breaking them, but I would like to set some goals for this year. Some of them are practical/useful and then some are just for fun. 

1.  Become more independent, organized, and responsible.  I will achieve this by opening my own piano studio.  I will become my own employer, be responsible for children's learning, responsible for my finances, and overall a more organized person. 

2.  I want to go outside my comfort zone:

• This may come as a shock, but I get nervous around people I don't know, so at least once a week (if not more often) I want to talk to a complete stranger.
• I get stuck in what I like to call a "school rut."  I become a robot during the week.  Wake up, eat poptart, go to school, eat lunch in the same spot almost everyday, come home, do homework/practice, go to bed.  I'm going to try and change up my routine everyday by doing something different whether it be trying a new breakfast food or coffee, or sitting in a new spot for lunch or opting to take a walk around campus. 

3.  Be more dedicated to my music. 

4.  Be more decisive. 

5.  Even though I want to be more organized, I'd like to become less of a planner.  Life gets boring when you plan everything. 

6.  I want to become a better ultimate frisbee player. 

7.  I want to love with confidence and passion and put my whole heart into everything I love. 

8.  I want to go running regularly. 

9.  I want to have less irons in the fire and give more time to those I love.

10.  Most importantly, I want to keep God first. 

5 Love Languages

I just read a book by Dr. Gary Chapman called the 5 Love Languages.  It was written for married couples but honestly, these 5 love languages can be applied to any relationship in life.  It is quite eye opening and causes you to reflect on how you express and respond to love and how you like love to be shown.   I definitely recommend that you give it a read.

I also recently finished a book by Dr. Chapman called Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Got Married.  It's a great book for anyone who is single, casually dating, seriously dating, or engaged.  There is lots of advice on things to look for, things to expect, problems you might encounter, etc.  It's quite informative...but not nearly as helpful as The 5 Love Languages, which I highly recommend to anyone!

Here's a link to Dr. Chapman's website:  http://www.5lovelanguages.com/  where you will find a list of books he's written, a "quiz" to find out which love languages apply to you, and lots of other helpful information. 

Check it out! 

Love!