For Such a Time as This

Today was super, so I have a lot to ponder here tonight. This could be good news for you, or it could be bad news for you in which case...why are you even reading this?!

First off I must pause because the vertigo has just struck me in a strange fit, so I need to take care of that. It's really quite a hindrance to have this problem, but fortunately it tends to come at times when I'm not doing anything terribly important.

Now that I've settled that issue I'd like to discuss scheduling and stress management. I just put in all the dates that I had left to schedule for the semester, and I realized that I have ONE free weekend that's not involved in spring break left until graduation. ONE. So in order for me to avoid losing my mind completely, I'm going to be trying to breathe as much as possible and spend as little time at events that I don't REALLY want to be at.

While on this topic, I'd like to formally apologize to the individual who tried to convince me over the summer that I didn't have time for them when I was at school due to the insanity of my schedule. While I can't fully believe that the best of intentions were behind this statement, I realized tonight that this statement holds truth. Even if I wanted to make time I couldn't.

And why, you ask, is this such an issue? I've finally found a bit of courage within myself to go after what I really want. One of the things I find that I increasingly desire every time I'm in the correct company is the exact thing I have absolutely no time to sustain. However, while this will cause me to sigh heavily every night before I fall asleep, I know it's for good. I know God is weaving a plan in my life that I can't yet see and that there are obvious hindrances here, but sometimes my patience wears a little thin. It's at those times that God puts someone in my face to remind me that my immediate desires can't even hold a candle to my eternal reward.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll do a "My Favorite Things" blog again with more force than the last to spice things back up here. I know not everyone ACTUALLY wants to read the details of my life.

Witticism of the Day: There is nothing more satisfying than meeting new people who exude your favorite qualities.

Hello Again

Why, hello. It's been a while. I apologize for my absence as of late, but it's been a madhouse around here on a regular basis. I haven't really had much to say either, but I'll try to muster something random up tonight just for you.

I've recently been suffering from some onset vertigo which is really less fun than it sounds. Fear not, I have been medicated for it and am currently trying to figure out when I should make time to see a specialist to figure out what the real issue behind this year-long phenomenon is.

My social calendar is filling up fast which I suppose I should be flattered by. I suppose it means I have a lot of friends, or that I have a few friends who want to do a lot of things. I'm quite excited about most of it, but I must say that which I am still most excited for is BILLY ELLIOT. Three weeks now, boys and girls. The suspense is driving me crazy!

The past two nights I've been in the theater. I find every time I go in there I have this overwhelming sense of belonging. I can't, however, determine which side of the stage I feel I belong on more. I must admit that there's a sense of accomplishment that comes with ushering (despite the conventions you would assume to go along with the job). Something about assisting other theater enthusiasts to have a memorable evening makes me feel important. On the other hand, being on the stage is exhilarating in ways that I can't even begin to comprehend or explain.

It's freezing here. No, literally. Completely inexcusable in my opinion, but of course God works in mysterious ways, working all things together for good. Obviously He's hiding the good here, but we'll find it soon; I'm sure of it.

That's all I've got. Disappointing, I know. Perhaps I'll have something inspirational to say when I come home tomorrow night after my retreat tomorrow. We can only hope!

Witticism of the Day: If you have to be dead, you may as well be drop dead! (I just heard this on the Nanny. I'll try to have my own witticisms again soon.)

No One Mourns the Wicked

I've been inspired to share a piece of wisdom with all of you this evening. I'd like to share with you a list of all the popular shows I've seen/researched recently and the reasons why/why not to take children with you.

• Spamalot (which I just got home from): INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN due to raunchery and innuendo.
• Beauty and the Beast: APPROPRIATE however be warned that squirmish kids could freak out at the sight of the beast. Depending on which production you see there will be other frightening sequences.
• Wicked: INAPPROPRIATE due to innuendo and lots of frightening scenes. On top of all of this they could begin quoting Galindaisms which will result in a depleting vocabulary. I wouldn't recommend taking a child under the age of 12 to this show.
• Billy Elliot: INAPPROPRIATE due to much crass language, adult themes, and the overall depressing mood established by the set.
• Spring Awakening: COMPLETELY INAPPROPRIATE due to the theme of the musical revolving around adult themes. Please, do not take anyone under the age of 15 to this. Even then you should be using your judgement.
• Phantom of the Opera: INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 13 due to frightening scenes and innuendo and allegorical adult themes. The symbolism and meaning will blow over their heads, but the musical can be quite suspenseful at times.
• Rent: INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 15 due to many, many, many adult themes. Do not let your children see this.
• Chicago: INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 13 due to scantily clad women throughout and adult themes.
• Avenue Q: INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 15 due to language and adult themes throughout. It may look like it's target at children since it involves puppets, but it is most certainly not. Just read the titles of songs on the soundtrack if you need an example.
• Mamma Mia: INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 13 due to adult themes throughout. Just because your kids know Dancing Queen doesn't mean they understand the innuendo behind the lyrics.

This is a short list because I'm tired and have early class tomorrow and would like to get off to sleep. I will add to this list as I see fit to do so. Please understand that I find all of these to be quality performances and I enjoy them greatly. I just find that we are corrupting our future generation by exposing them to subject matter that they should not be exposed to entirely too early in their fragile, impressionable lives. Exercise caution before escorting your children to a musical.

Also, please enjoy the new look of Witticisms While We Waltz. I was inspired to make it more like my personality. I'm going to attempt to manage another blog that I have yet to title that walks you through the recipes and struggles I go through as I diet over the next few months. You'll be the first to know about it.

Witticism of the Day: Turn "can do" into "can did" (I may have stolen this from a cough drop wrapper...it's hard to tell).

Les Générations Futures

I don't have much to say today. Mostly, I just want to express my discontent with the children of the generation everyone is currently giving birth to and then failing to raise. Today I heard several eight year olds speak on topics that are inappropriate for HIGH SCHOOL students. It's just ridiculous what people are letting kids take in these days. They're children. When I was a child, I watched Barney, read books from the children section of the library, played with sidewalk chalk, and didn't know the meaning of profanity or that sex had another meaning that didn't relate to gender. One boy told me today that his girlfriend is always trying to grab his rear. HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN? Then the class proceeded to discuss youtube videos and attempted to convince me to view them. May I just say CHILDREN SHOULD NOT BE VIEWING YOUTUBE. Ever.


I'm done venting.

Currently Viewing:


Currently Playing:  He's French. Check him out.

Witticism of the Day: Letting a bunch of smoke into the house makes you feel sick. Don't do it.

Wait For Me

So I've been working this week which is amazing because it means I get paid. This is doubly exciting because I'll probably be able to sustain my out-of-pocket entertainment expenses for the remainder of the semester. However, part of the money I have right now is Christmas money, which I was planning on saving up and spending on dinners and movies and such throughout the course of the semester. This makes me feel like I have justification to make a purchase I've been longing to make for quite some time now.

Let me begin my explanation of this justified future purchase by relating a story that I have from today. When the third graders changed classes today they found their desks and then proceeded to ask me my least favorite yet most anticipated question from young people: Are you married? Of course, I responded in the contrary to which one child responded "Would you like to be?" which would have tickled me if the entire class wasn't on my nerves. (Side note: I really hope someone hires me so I don't have to teach for a living. It's so not my thing.) Anyway, they proceeded to explain to me that I must be married because I was wearing a ring. I didn't feel like engaging 20 eight year olds in a complex monologue about the reason I wear a ring on the finger I hope to eventually wear two completely different rings on that symbolize two different things.

Which leads me to the ring I currently wear there. When I was 12 our youth group went through the True Love Waits curriculum. At the time, I was completely obtuse as to what exactly everything we were discussing meant. However, as time passed I became more and more committed to fulfilling the promise I made as part of the program. I was wearing about three rings at the time already on specific fingers, so I chose to have my ring fitted for an index finger. I knew what the ring symbolized and my parents did (as they bought it for me as a reward for committing to the promise to abstain), but the ring was very nonspecific. It was just a simple band that I liked as I browsed the store. As the years progressed, I ceased wearing the ring on a regular basis due to the finger I had it fitted for and my lack of desire to wear it there. However, as I watched more and more of my friends go down the same road, I found it was time for me to be more vivid with my belief on this subject.

This led me to go have the ring resized so I could wear it on the finger that would help most symbolize the promise. Then I realized how subtle the implication is if you're unfamiliar with my personality, and I started seeing other people wearing this:

Since I finally have enough for this (thank you random $25 coupon sent for no apparent reason), I'll be making the purchase soon. It will not replace the one I currently wear since this is the symbol I chose and I stand by it even if I find it too subtle these days. It will mearly supplement it on a neighboring finger so as to make a statement to those around me.

I will not cave on this. The end.

Witticism of the Day: Threatening to do something multiple times will only get you a temporary fix. If you intend on doing something, just do it. Don't be the boy who cried wolf.

To the Upper East Side

My head hurts pretty bad tonight, so this will be fairly short. I've been sharing these thoughts with my friends a lot recently, so I figured I'd share it with you. Here's my list of recommended books and series.

Please keep in mind that for some reason I can't find many books in any section of the library aside from the Young Adult Fiction section that I find to my liking recently. My tastes currently revolve around books about debutantes or New York boarding school children with a few exceptions.

In order of favoritism:

1. The Luxe Series by Anna Godbersen: (Teen Fiction) This series follows several young ladies around 1900 that are among the Old New York society elite. The books are (in order)

• The Luxe
• Rumors
• Envy
• Splendor

2. The Bride Quartet Series by Nora Roberts: (Romance) This series follows a group of four women who live and work together as wedding organizers. Each book follows a different one of the friends as they find love while creating dream events for brides. The books are

• Vision in White
• Bed of Roses
• Savor the Moment
• Happy Ever After

3. The Gossip Girl Series by Cecily von Ziegesar (surprise, surprise): (Teen Fiction) In case you've been living under a rock, this series follows a group of Manhattan's teen elite through several years of high school, and the final novel recaps what happens to the characters as they begin college. DISCLAIMER: I loved this, but you may not. The books are

• Gossip Girl
• You Know You Love Me
• All I Want is Everything
• Because I'm Worth It
• I Like It Like That
• You're the One That I Want
• Nobody Does It Better
• Nothing Can Keep Us Together
• Only in Your Dreams
• Would I Lie to You?
• Don't You Forget About Me
• Gossip Girl: It Had To Be You (Prequel)
• I Will Always Love You
• Gossip Girl: The Carlyles
• You Just Can't Get Enough (Carlyles)
• Take a Chance on Me (Carlyles)
• Love the One You're With (Carlyles)

(The last four of these novels are a spinoff series under the name Gossip Girl: The Carlyles. I read the four of these after Don't You Forget About Me before reading the prequel or the final book in the series because this was the order in which they were written and our library keeps both series in the same place on the shelf. It's entirely your choice if you want to work your way through these 17 novels what order you do so in.)

4. The It Girl Series by Cecily von Ziegesar: (Teen Fiction) This Gossip Girl spinoff series follows popular Gossip Girl character Jenny Humphrey as she ventures off to boarding school and attempts to become (stay with me here) the it girl. The books are

• The It Girl
• Notorious
• Reckless
• Unforgettable
• Lucky
• Tempted
• Infamous
• Adored
• Devious
• Classic

5. The Blue Bloods Series by Melissa de la Cruz: (Teen Fiction) This series follows one girl's transformation into a vampire (I know, I know...not another vampire series...) set in the same framework of Manhattan's teen elite (get it now?). The series has been the least conventional vampire story I have found as it involves Lucifer himself (ssssssssss) and an intricate story of his falling and the fallen angels that followed him. The books are (so far)

• Blue Bloods
• Masquerade
• Revelations
• The Van Alen Legacy
• Misguided Angel
• Bloody Valentine

6. The Au Pairs Series by Melissa de la Cruz: (Teen Fiction) This series follows three young girls from different backgrounds who all serve as au pairs for a family on their vacations in the Hamptons and the situations these ladies find themselves in along the way. The books are

• The Au Pairs
• The Au Pairs: Skinny Dipping
• The Au Pairs: Sun-Kissed
• The Au Pairs: Crazy Hot

7. The Private Series by Kate Brian: (Teen Fiction) This is a series I started but never finished only because our library seems to have misplaced the third book in the series, and I'm too cheap to buy it just to find out what happened. The series follows a girl who moves to boarding school (are you sensing a pattern yet?) and her strive to fit in with her classmates in the midst of scandal. The books are

• Private
• Invitation Only
• Untouchable
• Confessions
• Inner Circle
• Legacy
• Ambition
• Revelation
• Paradise Lost
• Suspicion
• Scandal
• Vanquished
• Last Christmas (Prequel)

I know I've read a lot more than this and there is one that I cannot for the life of me remember the title of. This is all I have for you at the moment though. Here's a list of what I'm currently working my way through:

1. Secret Society by Tom Dolby: (Teen Fiction) This book follows a group of Manhattan's teen elite as they are inducted into a becoming affiliated with a secret society that opens doors to their futures...but at what cost? (I should totally write those summaries for the book jackets.)

2. La Petite Four by Regina Scott: (Teen Fiction) Frankly, I haven't started reading this book yet, so I'm not really too clear on what it's about, but it sounded good.

3. The Pretty Little Liars Series by Sara Shepard: (Teen Fiction) This series follows four girls in the aftermath of their friend's disappearance. The television series is based off of the series, although I did hear they altered some things to keep from having the whole thing spoiled if you've read the books. The books are

• Pretty Little Liars
• Flawless
• Perfect
• Unbelievable
• Wicked
• Killer
• Heartless
• Wanted

I hope you found something here that sounds good to you.

Witticism of the Day: There's a fine line between reprimanding a child and abusing it. Don't be afraid to discipline, but don't cross the line.

The Home Stretch

I acknowledge the fact that it's been quite a while since I posted, but I wanted to make sure I didn't find an excuse to skip posting anything today (like "I didn't even turn my computer on today" or "I said everything I wanted to say in the last post").

First of all, I've been quite a downer about the holiday everyone in the surrounding area has apparently been celebrating for the last 36 hours and beyond. It's the new year, 2011. Since I've failed to say it to all but a very small handful of people, Happy New Year! (Now I feel better about not responding to the mass texts I received wishing me the same sentiment.)

I find that every year, people choose a resolution for the year that they perhaps have every intention of fulfilling at the time, but they fail to achieve it by the time the year ends. In fact, most resolutions are something like:

• Spend less money
• Lose weight
• Get better grades
• Read more
• Eat healthier
• Etc.

Goals such as these are incredibly vague which defeats the purpose. If you're going to set one of these as your resolution, make sure it's specific to you. "I need to save $X this year for the future instead of spending it frivolously." "I want to lose X pounds by the end of the year." "I want to read X books this year."

As for me, I tend to set semesterly goals to make sure I keep myself in check. I find that shorter periods of time encourage you to stay on top of things. Here are my current goals:

• Find a job
• Lose ** pounds (like that's any of your business)
• Have at least a 3.0 for the semester
• Graduate
• Find a date to College Prom

That's all I've got for now, but the list will likely increase once the semester begins. That's all gravy as long as the list also decreases as time goes by. I encourage you to set your goals in whatever way inspires you to accomplish them.

Witticism of the Day: Regardless of what anyone has ever told you, it is absolutely the furthest thing from important to be THE best at something. What's incredibly important is to be YOUR best at all times. Don't get so caught up in competition that you step on your friends toes in the process. You never know how that will affect them.