Daydreaming all night long...

GOBAMA '08!!!!!!!!!!

Please: Go vote today!!! I will encourage you to vote for Barack Obama, but even if you disagree with me: VOTE!!!!!

btw.... Tina Fey is TOTALLY hotter than Sarah Palin.

Fall Reading List: 2008

Discipline Survival Kit for the Secondary Teacher: Julia G. Thompson (362) Completed 9/1
The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids: Alexandra Robbins (In Progress)
The Inner Game of Tennis: Timothy Gallwey (In Progress)
KISS Guide to Yoga: Shakta Kaur Khalsa (In Progress)

Summer Reading List: 2008

Love in the Time of Cholera: Gabriel Garcia Marquez (348) Completed: 6/30
A Confederacy of Dunces: John Kennedy Toole (338) Completed: 7/2
The Memory Keeper's Daughter: Kim Edwards (401) Completed 7/7
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: Robert M. Pirsig (418) Completed 7/27
Drowning Ruth: Christina Schwarz (338) Completed 7/31
Parallels and Paradoxes: Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said (187) Completed 8/11
The Alchemist: Paulo Coelho (167) Completed 8/8
Nurtured By Love: Shinichi Suzuki (107) Completed 8/20

I think there is something so beautiful about adding cream to coffee. Once the cream is poured, there is a moment where the coffee looks still and black. As if by chemical reaction the cream then explodes to the top, like a mushroom could of cremebrulee color. I love that. I get a little kid rush watching the black turn to swirls turn to the color of wheat.

I am currently drinking my favorite coffee in the world - it is Taso's Special Blend from the Mani Marketplace, a little corner market in NYC on the upper part of Central Park. I have never had better coffee in my life.

This has been a wonderful summer. I spent July and August with friends and with Jim, and I am not sure I could have asked for better experiences. I went to the University of Texas @ Austin for a conducting symposium, visited Houston, taught many lessons to (almost-always) fantastic students, went to Connecticut twice (4th of July and my cousin's baby's baptism), saw meteors fly through the sky, went tubing on the Farmington river, hung out with my parents, performed with the Syracuse University Summer Festival Orchestra, hiked with friends in Ithaca, ate Burgers at Zebbs, drove golf balls poorly, played on playgrounds, saw The Bourne Ultimatum, the Simpsons Movie, and the Alps IMAX (in actual MOVIE THEATERS), performed bridesmaidly duties in Corinne and Kevin's wedding, attended Brian's wedding and Kate's wedding, turned 26, attented the Salt City Jazz Collective's 100th performance at Suds, received a new Nikon D80 camera from Jim (one of the most incredible presents I will ever receive, I think), evaluated friendships and confirmed how lucky I am to have the true friends I have, travelled to California including activity in San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Carmel-by-the-Sea, 17 Mile Drive, Monterey, and Napa Valley, drank incredible wine/champagne all summer (Del Dotto, Penfolds, Moet to name a few), and enjoyed life.

School starts in one week.
<3

Hi Everyone! I am only $100 short of my goal! Help me out - even $5 dollars helps!!! MAC Cosmetics doubles every dollar you can donate!

Thank you Matt Rossi, Don Conger, Erin Young, Jim Tapia, Sarah Meucci, and Arianna Schlegel, Dave and Janet Rathbun, and Mom and Dad for your very generous donations - you guys rock!!!!

This Sunday I am participating in the 2007 AIDS Walk/Run on team MAC Cosmetics. Every dollar donated goes to Children, Men, and Women living with AIDS. Please, please, please consider donating any amount of money towards the fundraiser! MAC Cosmetics will be matching every donation dollar for dollar!!!

Visit: www.firstgiving.com/erinalthen07 if you are interested in donating! Please let me know if you have any questions!

Thank you for considering!!!! <3

Hi Everyone!

Every year, the postal service hosts the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive - it's happening tomorrow! It seems that we all have some non-perishable food that we thought was a good idea that we no longer want to eat... as long as it is not expired, leave it for your mailman/lady tomorrow and it will be donated to those who need it.

Here's the website if you are interested =)

http://www.stampouthunger2006.com/

Hi Everyone!

I am participating in the 2007 AIDS Walk/Run on team MAC Cosmetics!! Please consider sponsoring me (even a dollar!!!) The best part? Every dollar donated is matched by MAC Cosmetics at the corporate level! Your dollar (or ten, or twenty, or one hundred) will equal two! (or twenty, or forty, or two hundred!!!)

Please visit: http://www.firstgiving.com/erinalthen07 to check out my fundraising site!

If you have any questions, let me know =) If you have any suggestions for my fundraising site or ideas on how to raise funds, let me know that too!!! =)

<3 Erin

Ok, so here is a short and sweet entry providing thorough-shoutoutness to a new Radio Station in Syracuse. So, I am almost positive they are owned by Clear Channel, which sucks, but their music is!!!!!! They advertise as "90s and today" In the past week I have heard ON THE RADIO:

Rusted Root "Ecstacy" "Send Me on My Way"
Dave Matthews Band - various
Ani DiFranco - various
Tori Amos - various
Mighty Mighty Bosstones "Impression"
Tonic "If you Could Only See"
Eagle Eye Cherry "Save Tonight"
Goo Goo Dolls
Cranberries
Alanis Morissette
Green Day
U2
No Doubt
Third Eye Blind
and, of course the favorite one-hit wonders of my high school years like "Tubthumping" - Chumbawumba and others :-)

I think this officially makes me old. I am enjoying the music of MY GENERATION! or something like that... but seriously?? any Radio Station (cleardevil or not) that plays Ska, DMB, and Tori Amos kicks ass.

:-D

I am on a bit of a healthy-life kick right now. Actually, I intend this to be the beginning of my healthy life, rather than just something I do for a while. I asked my Mom and Dad to put together a list of any health problems that have happened to any first and second degree family members (parents, grandparents, blood aunts/uncles). I want to be proactive in my life in avoiding things like heart disease, stroke, cancer. I have been really loving working out and I am trying to eat well and try different foods! I have made a goal to try something new every day each week, so I don't get bored with foods. I am keeping a food journal. It is amazing how writing down everything you eat creates this amazing accountability... it really makes you think about what you are putting into your body. Also, I am keeping a workout calendar where I X off every day I workout. It's really inspiring seeing the calendar fill up.

Tonight's dinner:

white tea (plum&berry) with a splash of pomegranate juice
whole wheat pizza with a little spaghetti sauce, mozzarella, spinach, orange pepper, broccoli, a little pepperoni, and purple onion
fruit salad (banana, strawberries, blueberries) topped with a bit of cinnamon.

mmmmmmmmmmm

So, I have put together a workout playlist with some newly downloaded iTunes. This playlist makes me want to kick some ass especially when I am lifting. Let me share with you some of the music!

The Sweet Escape - Gwen Stefani (<3 her) and Akon
This song is pure fun - I adore Gwen, and really like this song - it makes me feel happy and upbeat! I just have to make sure I don't start singing next to the big guy with no neck.
Hip Hop is Dead - Nas feat. Will.I.Am
Holy Crap. This song gets me pumped. The background is SO perfect for lifting and makes me want to fight someone.
Remember the Name - Fort Minor
ESPN played this during the Big East tourney last year, and it is so tied into my feeling amped... I heard it in the DO-ME on Saturday and remembered how it gets me fired up. So glad I downloaded it!
Welcome to the Black Parade - My Chemical Romance
Anna Molly - Incubus
and, when it comes out, obv. This Ain't a Scene, it's a !@#damn Arms Race - Fall Out Boy will be there!
ok, so I have Toxic - Britney, some Stevie Wonder (Superstition/Part time lover), Fergie, Imogen Heap, Moby, JT, Kanye, Beyonce there too... but the stuff up top is the stuff I have been repeating over and over.

I am going to go do some laundry tonight, then study for the Conducting Symposium at Rhode Island College which I will be attending this weekend. I have been feeling less than confident about my conducting, lately, and this definitely makes me feel nervous. Larry Rachleff (Rice) will be the main clinician, with Rob Franzblau (from RIC) as well. I just booked my hotel for Friday night, will clinic all day Saturday, spend the night in CT with Mom and Dad and then come back to teach a noon lesson on Sunday! Busy weekend! :-)

Off to prep the laundry for Colonial Laundromat! What a rockin' Monday night :-p

Hello all! Happy New Year and all that :-)

Embarassing fact # 1:

I really like Fall Out Boy. I hate when I love their new song about the !@#damn arms race. But I like it a lot!

Embarassing fact #2:

I really want to see the movie "Stomp the Yard" because I love step. I can't imagine ANYONE would want to go with me :-)

Midwest was good - I wish Brandon, Grant, Lauren, Matt, Courtney, Gerard, and others all lived here or I lived there so we could have fun all the time. I don't love having it the week before Xmas, but I love being there, and being inspired, and CHICAGO. It was great to have Angie there, and I truly think that is her city.

As I was boarding the plane, I got that "Crap. I am totally going to be sick by tomorrow." feeling. I was. Total sinus-y death. Ugh. I was sick for Christmas, but had a blast anyway hanging out with my cousins whom I adore completely and napping by my uncles wood-burning stove. My haul included: Mac Book Pro!!!!! clothes, money, bolt people (one conductor and one flute player that my dad had special ordered because they only had boys made! he is so awesome. the bolt people have quite the ball-bearing-boobs and curly bolt-hair!!), learn-french software, an omlette pan, conducting DVDs (claudio <3), clapton DVD, awesomness, a gorgeous barette and a great book from Angie, and a completely thoughtful book and PASTABILITIES sauce and bread from Erin. I am so lucky and happy! I was left wanting nothing this Christmas. :-) After Christmas I caught the stomach-virus-of-doom that has apparently afflicted many people. Dude. That sucked x 13098493858. I was really sick for Tue-Wed and didn't feel well until Sunday and... there went my vacation. Oh well! At least it wasn't during school!

The sunrises on Wednesday and Thursday were absolutely. GORGEOUS. I asked my kids on Thursday if they saw them - cell phones came out everywhere with pictures of the sunrises - even from boys whom you wouldn't consider sensitive enough to care about a beautiful sunrise. It was cute.

I have been eating well and going to the gym often! I am at my skinniest since high school! Woohoo! I was stretching in the studio at Carousel Bally's the other day when a guy came in to do some stretching of his own - he says to me "Excuse me, when does your next class start? I don't want to be in the way?" At first I didn't understand what he meant and then he clarified - he thought I was the Aerobics instructor!!!!! Sweeeeeeeeet. He made my day. week. month. ! It's fun when people notice :-) I've been doing a pretty strict schedule of cardio-cardio-lifting-cardio-cardio-lifting-fun, seven days a week, only skipping when I am at school for over 15 hours :-) I love it! Wanna come to the gym with me?

The weather has been amazing. I feel empowered in my own life. I love teaching and I love westhill; it's not perfect, but it's really wonderful. The other day a co-teacher looked at me, smiled, and said "you know Erin, you've got a really great life." I agree. I agree.

Happy New Year!!!! <3

( Survey under cut - two word responses )

5 years
Abraham Min-Lun Huang
July 10, 1981 - December 5, 2001

http://airrinleah.livejournal.com/2003/12/05/

i am not usually a youtube type person, telling people to check out video, but really, you need to see this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcXLE-wvVBw

it's called Kiwi, and it is pretty damned amazing.

I am totally a cranky-pants today! Yikes. I could fall asleep in under 30 seconds, guaranteed. I think I am just over-tired and sensitive today. Aaaaand... my rehearsal sucked today. I have three rehearsals tonight (Jazz Band, Brass Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, and I hope they are great.

Great news?!?!?!? DANNY GALYEN is coming to MIDWEST! :-D I am so freakin' excited. I miss him a lot, and it will be fantastic to catch up!

Some more great news? Click below to see the location of my new MAC BOOK PRO HOTNESSx102848592^5!
http://www.fedex.com/Tracking?action=track&language=english&cntry_code=us&initial=x&tracknumbers=914508324620
I can't WAIT for it to arrive!!!

Last night I finished my CPR/AED/First Aid certification. I am really excited that I did the class - I learned a whole lot, and I think I would feel better in an emergency situation, especially with the CPR/AED stuff. I felt guilty that I had never taken CPR before, and now I feel like a better citizen.

Marching Band is done for the most part - they are going to the Gator Bowl, but I can't go because of school :-( There are a few more rehearsals for B'ville, but it seems like a lot of times I am supposed to be teaching/rehearsing. I am going to have to do a lot of rescheduling. Anyway - the show this year was Awesome. I loved the concept, and I thought the kids kicked ass at the dome. The best part of all, though, was how damned classy they were - as soon as the results were announced (we came in second in the state!) our kids went right over to the winning band and congratulated their staff and students. Awesome.

It is period 8/9 and I feel like craaaaap. I am going to teach an all-county Trombone and Baritone lesson next period, then brass quintet, then faculty meeting until 3. When I get home, I am planning to take a nap and then get back to school around 5:30 to prepare for Jazz Band! Jazz Band is playing Winter Wonderland and Jingle Bell Rock a-la Jazzy Versions. In Brass Ensemble, we are playing Non Nobis Domine as a chorale/canon, Bones - a spiritual, O Magnum Mysterium (which I haven't finished arranging), and then Vehicle, Espana, Mississippi Mud, and Impression (thank you Sitrus!) We should have a lot of fun! My percussion ensemble is doing a Bela Fleck and the Flecktones show this year and it is hard as hell. I am almost done writing all of the auxilliary parts, but not quite. All of the mallet parts are done though. 13 rehearsals until my first full symphonic band concert. I am getting pretty nervous, and I really hope we can pull of all of the pieces. We are playing Sabre and Spurs - Sousa, It is Well - Fry (same folk song as in Philip Bliss), Joy Revisited - Ticheli, Dark Lords and Ancient Kings - Barrett, and Celtic Carol - RobDubSmith. Our biggest weaknesses come up at the ends of phrases. We will get there.

This is one of my favorite places in the whole wide world

Current reads:
Music and Imagination: Aaron Copland (42/116)
The 100 Simple Secrets of Successful People: David Niven (84/199)

( 2006 Completed Book List! )

So, here's another idea. My reading has been way less than it should be, and I love lists so.... here's a list of all the books that are on my "to-read" bookshelf. I get to cross em out and move em up when I am done with them!

( 2006/2007 books-i-want-to-read List! )

My Aunt Debi just sent me this picture, which I LOVE!! This picture was taken in my parents' kitchen at Michelle's college grad party:



these are my cousins whom I love SO damned much: Adam, me, Michelle, Ben, and Autumn =)

Just got back from the doctor: he said the official news is that I sprained my back and neck, and that I have a moderate concussion. The dizzyness and nausea could last anywhere from a week to a month. yipee! I am so happy no one else got hurt (probably because they were more *relaxed* than me - thank goodness), and I keep reminding myself how much worse it could have been.

Gonna try to go to MB rehearsal tonight.

oh! here's my public service announcement:

all of you go get your cellphones right now. (.... waits....no, really, get your phone)
now, pick your emergency contact person and before their name put in ICE (and then their name) which stands for "in case of emergency". apparently emergency response people are now trained to search for ICE in your cell/sk/bb so they can contact someone in case something bad happens! do it!

that's enough good deeding. later folks :-)