Finding What Has Value

One of the realities of being an adult is that money is important.

I know, shocker. If you need to sit down or take a breather while taking in that information, I understand. The remainder of this blog post will be still be here when you're done processing.

Saying money is important isn't artistic, it makes me feel like I'm giving into "the man," and bowing down to evil corporate America. In case you missed the memo, I got a new job recently at a hotel. I don't know the rules with talking about work in social media and stuff so I won't say which hotel. But let's just say... I work for a pretty big hotel franchise which I'm pretty sure EVERYONE has heard of and I kind of feel like I'm in a forever episode of The Suite Life of Zack and Cody. Which, makes me feel like I'm selling my soul to "the man."

Then I remember "Oh wait, I really like my job. I think I'm good at it. And I get awesome perks."

Then I'm okay with it.

And being in an ongoing episode of The Suite Life isn't too bad either.

Let's be honest - if we say having money (at least some) isn't important, then we're kidding ourselves. I'm not saying you have to be rich and have money rolling around everywhere. But you know, paying off debt and being able to pay bills and get food and have a roof over your head etc. all requires money.

Unless you live in the wildnerness or something. Then that's awesome. More power to you. I wish I could be that wild and carefree. But... I like the Internet, coffee, books, and indoor pluming. So, wildnerness living isn't in the cards for me.

Because of this, landing a good job and getting a decent size paycheck becomes a major priority for people. It makes sense. A large portion of our lives is dedicated to working, finding work, getting a degree for a specific job, getting ready for work. Our schedules revolve around the ones our bosses make for us. (Unless you're one of those lucky people who get to make their own.) As sad as it may sound, for a big portion of us, our lives revolve around our jobs.

It's so easy for everything to be about what we get paid to do.

A couple of weeks ago, I saw this quote on Twitter:

Don't be seduced into thinking that which does not make a profit is without value. - Arthur Miller

Don't be seduced into thinking that that which does not make a profit is without value. ARTHUR MILLER #amwriting pic.twitter.com/NoVEXIqC1l

— Jon Winokur (@AdviceToWriters) May 9, 2015

Isn't it so easy to lose sight of this?

This past month, I've had to do a lot of adjusting of my schedule and figuring out my priorities for how I'm going to spend my time on. I'm so used to working a part-time schedule where I work right away in the morning, adjusting to a full-time schedule where I tend to work more in the afternoon/evening, it's been difficult to figure out how to balance everything.

The other day, I was talking with one of my co-workers and I mentioned how I really value my free-time. He looked at me like I was a crazy person and joked, "Free time? What's that?" 

I was almost embaressed to admit I cared about having free time. But, it's true. As much as my job is a priority for me, so is my free time. Because that's when I get to see my family and friends. That's when I get to write, work on my blog, make videos, be in community theatre, and practice ukulele. With this new job, I have great perks for staying at hotels when I travel. If I don't have free time - I can't use those awesome perks.

Sometimes I'm embaressed to talk to people about my blog or my YouTube channel or my writing because I don't make money off of them. I'm not a big blogger or YouTuber, and most likely never will be. And I'm okay with that. But, I feel like there's this expectation when you talk to people about it that it needs to be really popular and/or you need to make money off of it in order for it to be worth your time.

But that's not true. 

As important as earning an income is, it's not the only important thing. 

It's good to have hobbies and to do things you don't necessairly get paid to do. They're important because it feeds your soul. Sometimes, I feel like there are certain things where if I were to get paid to do it, the thing would be ruined for me. Because then it would become all about how I can promote myself and earn more and do more. 

For some people, making their hobby their career is the perfect option. Which is awesome! There are some people who can making their hobby into a living and love every single moment. 

I don't think I'm one of those people.

Although, yes, someday I'd love to have a published novel. But, I also know it's incredibly rare to make a living off of just writing. Most authors have another job in addition to their writing. I'm okay with this. 

My other hobbies though? No, I don't get paid to do them. But that's okay. I kind of prefer it that way.

Also, spending time with people doesn't earn a profit either. Does that mean it's not importnat? Absolutely not! We need to invest in our relationships with people around us too. 

So, yes. My co-workers might think I'm crazy for valuing my free time and not jumping at every single opportunity to work overtime. I will at times though of course! Because I enjoy what I do and support the hotel where I work. It's all about finding a balance though. I'm absolutely dedicated to my job and will do my best at it and work hard. 

But I'm dedicated to those things which don't give me a paycheck too, and that's okay.

Then over on YouTube in case you missed it:

Let's Go to Neverland

My Reaction to the Mockingjay Part 2 Teaser Trailer

Pop Culture Chicken Soup

June TBR Pile

Book Worms Talk - I Love You Beth Cooper

Theatre-Going 101

Last night, I spent a wonderful evening with two of my friends to go see the musical Once. It came on Broadway the same season as Newsies and won best musical at the Tony awards that year. When I went to New York to see Newsies, I would have loved to see Once as well. However, my bank account wouldn't let me see more than one show at a time. It was quite sad.

Don't you just love my bad Instagram photography?

The show was completely lovely, and wonderful, and bitter-sweet, and perfect. I'll be having dreams of musicians in Dublin for the next several weeks I'm sure.

As I was getting ready to go last night, I was thinking since I go out to the theatre so often, and I've been in theatre productions for so long, maybe I should give some tips for theatre-going for those who might be new at it.

What to Wear

I'm not going to lie, I'm a little bit of a theatre snob and a firm believer in looking nice when you go to see a show. You don't have to dress in a formal gown and a tux or anything like that. But, whenever I go I try to do a little more than just jeans and a t-shirt. Especially if you're going to classy theatre in the city. It's a bit more of a formal occasion than simply going out to the movies. Depending on the show and location, you can dress a bit more casually. If I'm going to a community theatre show or something along those lines, I might dress down a bit more. But, I still try my best to look put together out of respect for the performers. They're doing their best for us, so we should do the same for them. Here is what my friends and I wore last night:

See? Nothing outrageously fancy. But still put together and done well. I would also suggest bringing a light sweater or jacket just in case. Even in the middle of summer theatres can get cold from time to time.

What to Bring

When going to the theatre, I try to pack light. The rows and seats can get narrow and you may not have room for a gigantic purse. Here is what I brought last night:

My purse was on the smaller end but still had plenty of room to keep my stuff. It was a vintage Nine West (well... I think it was vintage. It used to be my grandma's) and had a small mirror inside which was handy in case I had to touch up my makeup. Inside was:

- My pink glitter pen/stylus. You never know when you need a pen!

- My cell phone (turned off during the show! More on that later.).

- Lip balm because my lips are always chapped.

- Lip stick for touch-ups.

- Binoculars because I usually end up in the back. While usually visibility is still great, sometimes it's nice to see the actors faces up close.

- Wallet with my ID, credit cards, cash, etc. What if you want to buy souvenirs?

And don't forget your tickets! Mine were not pictured because one of my friends had purchased them and were holding them for us.

Tickets

Let's be honest here - going to the theatre can get expensive. If you're on a tight budget like me, you need to learn how to work the system a bit. Even sitting in the back at a show, tickets can still cost you up to $40+. 

First, I learn to prioritise which shows I want to see. Unless I purchased season tickets for Broadway in Chicago, there is no way I would be able to see every single musical which came my way. When I see the ads for what's going to be in town, I make a mental list of the ones I know I HAVE to see and be sure I have money set aside for when they come.

It also helps to know people in the business and how to go around extra Ticketmaster fees. A lot of shows will have tickets you can purchase at the box office directly and you can avoid those. If my friend hadn't picked ours up in person, our tickets would have cost $51 instead of $40. Also, look out for deals. I follow Broadway in Chicago on social media and they'll have contests, a monthly deal of $25 on the 25th for certain shows, and some shows will have a raffle before the performance starts for great seats. You also can google for discount tickets and see what you can find on other sites. 

Just remember, you do sometimes get what you pay for. A few months ago I went to see Beauty and the Beast, and I got back row tickets for $18. Usually, even if you sit in the back, you can still see everything so I didn't mind. Then, when I arrived, I realised why they were so cheap. We were in the middle of a noisy Jr. High group and one of our seats was on a step which made it very uncomfortable!

Also, if you're hard-core about theatre or you see in a certain season you want to see almost every show, buying season tickets would be a smart choice.

Then of course, don't forget to support your local community and school theatres! Tickets tend to be less expensive, they tend to do shows which are tried and true crowd-pleasers, and you'll be supporting people in your own hometown. I'll be honest, when I lived in Missouri, the local Jr. High musical was almost always one of the best shows in town! Those kids were so talented!

Etiquette

Okay... here is where more of the snob in me comes out.

- PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE. Last night there were one or two moments when the show was so quiet and lovely and perfect - then I heard someone's ring tone and it ruined the moment. Even if your phone is on silent, don't take it out because just like at the movie theatre, it's very distracting to everyone around you. Sometimes even the actors can see you on your phone! Can you imagine being on stage singing your heart out and out of the corner of your eye you see an audience member texting? Also, if you can, turn it completely off. Sometimes cell phones can mess with the sound system (especially if it's a lower-budget theatre) and that throws everyone off, 

By all means, tag, Tweet, share, take selfies, etc. In fact, you might even get a like or share from the theatre, or if you're really lucky - one of the actors! Just not during the performance itself.

- DO NOT SING ALONG WITH THE SONGS. Yes, I know this might be your favourite show of all time ever. I get it. It's hard to not sing along. But you, along with everyone else, paid to see the professionals perform. If this is hard for you, go ahead and get the soundtrack before you arrive and jam out to your hearts content before and after the show. Or if you want to sing a couple lyrics during intermission that's fine too. Just not during the performance. This goes for lip-syncing too. You might think you're not distracting anyone because you're not making sound, but you are.

- DON'T TALK DURING THE SHOW. Again, it's like going to the movies. Does anyone want to be at a movie with someone who talks the whole time? Nope. Granted, sometimes the nature of the show might allow for some audience interaction. When I went to go see Motown the Musical, one of my favorite parts was how the audience reacted with their "mmmmmHHHHHMmmmmms" and "AMENS!" So, be sure to read the audience and the show to know how to react appropriately. 

- ARRIVE EARLY. I like getting to the theatre a little early for a few reasons. If you're late, the ushers may not let you in right away. When I went to see Les Miserables, we were running late, and we had to watch the entire prologue on a screen because they wouldn't let us to our seats yet. Then, when we finally sat down we disturbed everyone else around us, and it took a little while to get adjusted and we weren't able to enjoy the beginning of the show as much as we would have liked. Or, at least that's how I felt. I can't speak for everyone else.

You also might miss something awesome if you get there late. A perfect example was when I went to see Once last night. The bar on stage was open for patrons to buy drinks and the performers were playing music as everyone was getting their drinks and sitting down. Then, they transitioned from there to the show, and it was one of the best beginnings of a show I've ever seen. If I had arrived late, or even "just on time" I would have missed it. 

Also, if you get there early you have time to go to the bathroom and stop by the merchandise table. It's annoying when people get up in the middle of a performance to do those things. ;-)

- PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE DURING CURTAIN CALL. I know, I know, you want to beat the crowds and traffic. I get it! But curtain call is very important for theatre. This is your time to thank the actors for their performance, but also their opportunity to thank you for coming. Can you imagine being a performer and putting your whole heart out on the stage and when you go to take your bow you see people leaving? How heart breaking! Even beyond that, more and more shows are adding extras at the end where they do an encore song, or a mash-up of all of the numbers. You don't want to miss that do you?

So, those are my tips for going to the theatre. Anything I missed? Anything you'd like to add?

And in case you missed it, here are the videos I put up on YouTube this week:

- May Reading Wrap-Up

- My 1st Fandoms

- I Love You Beth Cooper Discussion Part 2

- My June TBR List

- Showtunes, Books, and All of the Things

Created to Create Together

This past weekend, after church, two of my friends and I went over to the main campus (the service we attend is at a movie theatre, then our church has a traditional church building we call either the "main" or "north" campus) to meet with the music director to rehearse for the next week's service. My two friends had sung for worship services in the past, and last month I had played my ukulele. Our music director was excited to get all of us together to play one day.

What happened that afternoon was magical. Granted, it could have been several factors. The fact we are all good friends and have known each other for years probably played into it. We know each other well, act ridiculously silly around one another, and have no qualms about spending an extra few hours away from home to hang out. It was also daylight savings time, so we were all still sleepy and yet on our second, third, or maybe even fourth cups of coffee. It also could have been that we've all been playing and singing music for years. While I may have only been playing ukulele for a little over six months, I've been playing music since I was nine. I'm sure the other women in our little foursome have similar stories.

We laughed, had fun, played, sang, and bounced around ideas. The singers blended together so well we couldn't tell who was who. We threw another instrument into the mix. Someone suggested different riffs to play in instrument solos. Different harmonies were added in.

Our music director was so excited she said, "this is what being in an actual band is like. Working together, making your own arrangements, being creative."

It was exciting. Most worship teams are only able to get the songs, maybe have one or two rehearsals before Sunday morning, then lead the congregation. (In fact, the first time I played for my church I was only able to rehearse the morning of.) Nothing is wrong with this. The purpose of the worship team is to lead the congregation in singing and worship. That's what matters.

But, being able to truly collaborate and having the opportunity to create something great, it's a gift.

Earlier that morning, one of the points our pastor brought up having the Spirit of the Lord in us and how part of that is having the God who created everything in us. A Spirit of creativity. It's a topic I tend to think about a lot, so it was nice to hear one of my pastors having the same thoughts.

There's a lot of wonder and thought about what it means to be "created in God's image." In Genesis, when it says God created man, it says, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness" (Gen. 1:26). It's confusing because it's not about what we look like. It's God... he doesn't necessarily look like anything. So what does it mean we're made in his image?

I have two ideas of what it could mean. The first is what one of my professors in college would say. The "us" in the verse, is the Holy Trinity. (Father, Son, Holy Spirit.) Not just a single aspect of God. All three parts of him. Also, God is love. We're made to be in relationship with others and to love and to have those part of us. We're created to be in community.

I also think we're created to create. The entire Bible begins with God being creative. Making things. Thinking stuff up that hadn't been there before. God invented creativity. I think he put that spirit in us as well.

So, imagine what it's like when you put the two things together.

So many times we think of the creative process being a solitary one. Especially for writers. Locked up in a cold room somewhere (maybe in Paris) with fingerless gloves typing away at the keyboard until their masterpiece of a novel is completed. Which, maybe for some writers that works. I believe one of the Bronte sisters (forgive me for not remembering which one right now) was in fact incredibly solitary but was able to create a beautiful piece of literature.

But for most of us, I don't think it always works that way.

As we were rehearsing on Sunday, we were working on this one song "Because He Lives (Amen)." It's a newer song and two of us had only played it once the previous month. It was a great song. There was something about it which brings everyone in. My friend then noticed who had written it.

It had been a collaborative piece. When she looked at all of the names, they were the names of the greats. The people who had changed the game of worship music back in the 70s and started the whole contemporary worship movement. There were names of musicians who are still changing the game now. They all had come together to write this song.

Amazing things happen when creative people get together to make something.

It's why I get so excited for my writing dates with friends so we can help each other with our novels and bounce ideas off of each other. It's why so many bloggers and YouTubers love to do collab projects with other people. It's why I think I'm in love with listening to covers of popular songs or mash-ups of pieces of music. Or when I worked in the church office we would take over each others offices and sit for a while and just brainstorm ideas for the pastor's sermon or a Bible study or class we were getting ready for.

Yes, sometimes we need to be creative alone. I can't have someone write my novel or my blog posts for me. An artist can't hand over their paint brush and let someone else do it for them.

But ultimately, I think part of how we were made is so we could be creative together. Even if you don't have the same faith or theology as I do, you have to admit, something magical happens when creative people get together to make something.

The Struggle is Real

I'm sitting there at lunch with friends and we're talking about life. What we're planning to do in the future, what we're up to now, etc. A typical lunch. Then, I mention my blog and my YouTube channel.

"So, what do you make videos about?"

"Uh... well....um... you know... stuff...."

"Oh, okay. What do you blog about?"

"Uh... um... other stuff..."

Does anyone else have this problem? 

I love blogging and vlogging. I love creating content and putting it out there on the Internet and making friends and connecting to new people and seeing what others have created. Even if sometimes it is just silly tag posts or beauty product reviews and fangirling. But, when people "in real life" ask me about it, I never know what to say. It's not that I'm embarrassed about what I do. I want others to see what I see. 

I am incredibly blessed to be surrounded by a lot of talented people. As I've gotten older and I look back at my life thus far, I've noticed this is a trend. All through high school, college, and now my 20s, I am always being surrounded by people are good at what they do. Not just good - they excel. People who are highly intelligent and travel off to other countries to study math. Not just because it's their major. Because they simply feel like it. Or people who not only sing, dance, and act, but also are the MVP on sports teams and get some of the highest grades in our high school graduating class. People who have the voices of angels and write the most beautiful music and let me listen in on them create. People who could have gone to Broadway but chose to make a life for themselves and their family in the midwest. People who can draw and design and publish. People who are dancers and teach others how to do it too. People who can speak words of truth in front of so many others and inspire them.

These people inspire me. I love being around them because they help me to want to excel at what I do. I love seeing their talents and using them to help others and pursue their own dreams. 

But then I get self-conscious about what I do. My little blog and my little YouTube channel that I love. I can't help but wonder if others will look at them and not understand. 

Because I'll never be one of the "big" bloggers. And I'm okay with that. 

I'll never make money off of my blogs or videos. I tried that, and I wasn't good at it, and I didn't like it. So, I don't want to try anymore. 

Sometimes I get free books to review for the blog - and that's pretty cool.

My YouTube channel will most likely never go viral and remain a small one.

I'm okay with these things. But, sometimes I wonder what others think when I show my social media projects to them. Or even when I do community theatre plays and musicals. I love doing it and I think it's fun. But I also know it's community theatre. It's never going to be big professional productions. My friends who do these things professionally always say they want to come see me, but I'm always "It's just community theatre! Don't expect much!" 

I know I shouldn't care so much about the opinions of others. I shouldn't be self-conscious about it. If I love what I'm doing and I'm proud of the job I've done, that should be enough. And honestly, this is all coming from myself. My friend who want to know what I do and come see me in shows and read my blogs and such just want to be supportive. Because they're amazing people like that! But, for some reason I still shy away. 

Does anyone else have this problem when people they know "in real life" want to see your blogs, vlogs, or other things you create?

Linking up with Mingle Monday!

Yes, You Can Cry Over a Celebrity

Too many times when a celebrity dies I hear various complaints from people. How we shouldn't make a big deal about them. How we didn't know them. How there are other big things happening in the world which need our attention. Etc.

Thankfully, I haven't heard any of these complaints about the recent passing of Robin Williams. 

As sad as I was reading the endless posts on Twitter and Facebook about Robin Williams, it also was endearing. Some truly awful things have been happening in the country and world lately. My family watches two or three news shows a night and it's depressing. I hate watching or even having it on in the background because I don't want the constant reminder of how many awful things are in the world.

But we can still come together and mourn, but also celebrate an amazing life. Movies and comedy we've known our entire lives and still laugh and cry over.

Because, even if we didn't know them, it's okay to mourn the death of someone famous. 

I remember in high school my friend and I were recognizing the anniversary of when John Lennon died. I was talking about it in class and a guy who sat behind me started to complain about how it didn't matter. Just because this guy was famous didn't mean we should be talking about it years and years later.

Or even just last year when Cory Monetith from Glee died, I heard people sharing how ridiculous they thought it was that so many people were mourning him.

First... It's John Lennon. Just... Really?

Second, what's so wrong in recognizing their life and death?

Remembering them is important. They were still people. They made mistakes and had the skeletons in their closet out for all of the world to see. Many times theses celebrities have awful pasts and
major issues. But they were still people. We remember our own loved ones, and we can remember those we've never met as well. Because they were people. They were people God created and loved. 

And their work was important. Yes, sometimes they made jokes or awful dance club music or just drove around a car really fast. But it made people smile. For those few moments, the outside world was gone and people were entertained. We laughed and cried during movies and TV shows. 

Because art is important. I want people to know that just because someone wasn't in politics or started a movement, or fought against the injustices of the world, and made art instead (even if it seemed silly at times), it doesn't mean it wasn't important or meaningful.

Art touches us and moves us. It shows us how we feel, what we want the world to be like, and changes us. We need those people in the world. They help to change the world in their own way.

It's not just about Robin Williams. It's all of those awesome actors, musicians, writers, directors, etc. who have left their mark and we miss. I think about that part of the Academy Awards and they recognize all who had passed that year in the movie industry. Some of the names I know, but there are many I don't. But every year a lump comes to my throat to think of all of those people.

First - because they were people. Every life is valuable.

Second- because they helped create art. No matter how large or small their role was or what sort of thing they did. They helped create something which touched others. It's important and needs to be recognized.

So yes, you can mourn when your favorite actor or singer or heck even athlete dies. Marathon their movies and tv shows. Here's to you, you wonderful artists and comedians and performers of the past whom we miss. Because it matters.

And my friends, we never know what battle people are fighting. Please, be kind to each other, and if you ever need a shoulder to cry on or lean against, I'm here.

When We Talk About Art

Whenever I sit down to write a book review, I get incredibly nervous. I want to be honest, reflect my opinions, use my own voice (vs. that obvious "I'm selling something to you!" writing voice sometimes we bloggers get into), be truthful to my readers, but also be respectful to the author. It's difficult to keep all of these things in balance and I'm trying to learn how to do it better. 

The difficult thing with books and any type of art form is that it is incredibly subjective.

It's also the totally awesome thing about art. It's subjective.

What will touch one persons heart is different from what will touch another person's heart. Which is why I think we need to be careful. Art is an incredibly personal thing.

When I was teaching a Sunday School class there were these two girl who (along with many other girls their age) absolutely LOVED One Direction. When they heard the group was going to be playing in St. Louis they cried in class. I felt as though I was always having to talk to the other students about how they shouldn't insult and make fun of these girls for this love.

I know boy bands and pop music aren't everyone's thing. There are other genres and groups which may be considered "better." But who is to judge this? If you love a band, or a song, or an album, it touches you for a reason. If someone insults this, it is almost as though they are insulting you as well.

Or I think about books. As my long-time readers know, The Night Circus is one of my all time favorite books. I absolutely adore this novel. When someone tells me they didn't like it, it makes me sad. While I know they can have their own opinion and not everyone has to enjoy the same types of novels, when you share something so special to you it's like giving part of your heart away.

A good friend of mine just read The Night Circus and I know she had a hard time with it at first. The first time she picked it up she couldn't get through it and it took some convincing for her to try again. She texted me this weekend saying she finally finished. It's not her personal favorite, but said it was worth the read and could see why I loved it so much.

It's part of why I love the Favorite Book Project I've been working through. People tell me their favorite book and I read it. Many of these are not genres or books I would normally pick up, but they are reflections of those who love them. The Grapes of Wrath was not my taste of books - but I could see my friend in it who said it was their favorite. I loved How I Paid for College, but even if I hadn't, I could totally see my friend who had recommended it in the pages.

Recently a friend from college asked me to read what she had written for NaNoWriMo and give her feedback on it. I'm so excited and honored she asked me to do so, but I'm also scared and taking my time. She wants me to be 100% brutally honest - and I absolutely want to. I also want to honor what she has written though because it's part of her heart

We need to be careful with people's hearts.

If someone told me there was a certain painting at the Art Institute which was their all time favorite I would insist we go and see this brilliant painting. While I'm not one to know much about paintings and sculptures, I would still want to understand why it was their favorite.

Art is such a personal thing. Movies, music, TV, books, plays, musicals, etc. Who is to say why someone connects with a certain character or movie? It isn't right or wrong for someone to love something.

There is absolutely room for critique and reviews of art. We need it because that is how it grows and changes and becomes better. One could even argue there is "bad" art - although this opinion may change depending on who you are talking to.

However, I do feel we need to be careful about when we do said critiquing and reviewing. Something may not be our personal taste, but it could be someone else's favorite.

27 Secrets of Life

Cause who doesn't want some secrets about totally winning at life? Even if it is from someone who's entire life is still up in the air (Details, details...). This was a post idea from one of my favorites (The Life of Bon) and she's featuring some of the best ones on her blog on Monday. Since it's Friday afternoon - and who wants to think of a unique blog post on a Friday- I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon and join in. Bonnie did 26 secrets, but since I'm 27, I thought I would go with that number.

And yes... that is the same photo I posted of my new haircut a few days ago. I haven't had time to take more so... yeah. That's just how it goes. This secrets to life thing is going great so far isn't it?

1) Always have a book or two to read at a time, and don't let much time pass between books. In the book I'm currently reading (How I Paid for College) One of the characters talked about how this saved his life. While this is going to be a bit of an extreme- he had a great point. Always have a book. Always.

2) Speaking of books- be sure to always carry purses which can carry said books/whatever you read e-books on. Even better if it can hold both. It saves you a lot of trouble.

3) Be willing to go with changes. Whether it's changes in your life, technology, culture, etc. Change will happen and sometimes it's just better to go with it.

4) Keeping this in mind - don't forget the past either. Don't glorify it, but learn from it too. It's one of the lessons we learned from The Lion King.

5) Remember that purse which can hold a book/tablet/e-reader? Yeah, keep a notebook or journal in there too. I don't write in my journal as much as I'd like, but I try to have it with me as often as I can. Sometimes you need to jot down an idea or simply need to write about something you can't put on the internet.

6) It's okay to keep people as friends on Facebook. Even if you haven't talked to them in a long time. Especially if you're still on good terms. You never know when you'll need that connection again.

7) On the same note- there are also times when you need to let go of people.

8) Basically, have a good balance. Know when to keep a door open and when to close it.

9) You're never too old for Mac 'n Cheese.

10) Frozen meals in bags which you can cook on the skillet are amazing - especially if you are an awful cook like I am.

11) Get to know the workers at the places you frequent like restaurants, Starbucks, your favorite store, etc. Those people can make your day sometimes.

12) You don't need to step up to every argument you disagree with which comes your way. It's exhausting to always feel you have to defend your thoughts and beliefs.

13) This one technically isn't mine, but I think it's awesome anyways. "Preach the gospel always. Use words when necessary." - St. Francis

14) It's amazing what a new haircut can do for your mood.

15) People won't always remember what you say. But they will remember how you make them feel.

16) When a close friend has a birthday send them an actual text message or make a phone call if you can't see them in person. It's so much better than a generic Facebook wall post.

17) Sometimes, you just have to jump, even if you don't know what's at the bottom.

18) Accept who you are an own it.

19) But also don't always make the excuse "But that's just how I am" when you make a mistake. It doesn't give you an excuse to make poor choices and be a jerk.

20) When you mess up, own up to it. People tend to respect those who own their mistakes more than those who try to pretend they're perfect.

21) It's far less stressful to be early all of the time than late all of the time

22) It's not shallow if you want to feel pretty. You want to wear a cute outfit, do your hair, put on makeup, and get your nails done? Go for it!

23) But don't let looks control your life. It's a whole balancing act.

24) When you need to make a list, when you can divide a point into 2 points DO IT.

25) Create stuff. It can be writing, painting, sculpting, cooking, growing something, music, theatre - WHATEVER. Creativity is holy.

26) When you try to see the best in people, you might be more vulnerable, but you'll be more open and build strength along the way.

27) As Ellen says... be kind to one another.

What are some of your life secrets?

Voices in My Head

Sometimes I wonder if I seek too many opinions. The people pleaser in me is always asking people what they think about what I do. If they like my blog, what they think should be next in my story, what I should work on next, etc. I want their feedback and ideas and to be able to bounce ideas off of others.

Feedback is an awesome thing. We can learn from the thoughts of others. We can improve our craft (no matter what it is) and grow as artists. I love being able to see what people enjoy and what they don't and how I can do better in the future.

Then sharing ideas and brainstorming with friends is one of my favorite parts of the creative process. There are so many times when I've been stuck on something and after talking it out with someone else I find a way out of the hole I've gotten myself into. Art (no matter what kind) isn't a solitary thing. It should be done with other people. 

Yet... I wonder if there is a line when we get too many opinions and get lost in what others think.

I follow a writing Instagram page and found this quote:

I may not have liked how Veronica Roth ended the Divergent trilogy, but I have to agree with her on this one. I think I get lost in all of the voices around me. I see what other bloggers are writing and doing and I try to be the same way. Or I worry too much about what others will think of me if I put something out there. While working on my stories I think about "but would this be marketable? Will agents like this?" Even in theatre I debate back and forth if I should join a community theatre because I worry about if others will think it's silly, there isn't any talent, or I'm not moving on with my life. I think about people from my past who might see a show and judge me for some reason or other.

But do those things always matter? Some of them are good questions to ask... but when does it become too much?

During NaNoWriMo this past year, I got major writers block and sought out the help of another friend who was a writer. We sat in his "man cave" for a few hours hashing out my story and thinking of new plot-lines and ways the story could go. I left feeling energized and excited for what was going to happen next. It was exactly what I needed!

Then, weeks, maybe even months, later as I was writing, there were some parts of that brainstorming session I began to second-guess. Would my character really do that? Is this truly the direction I want the story to go in? What was the point again? There were elements I definitely wanted to keep, but I had this feeling if I kept everything my friend and I had come up with, I would loose something. So, I'm going back to some other elements and parts my friend had told me to get rid of. The ones they felt were boring and lame. But when I think about it, I realized I still need to keep the heart of my story. It may not be everyone's favorite, but it's what I wanted. 

It's so easy to lose track of why we do what we do. Whether it's in art, our careers, family, friends, whatever. We get lost in the opinions of other people. We worry about the little details. The politics and business of whatever we're doing becomes overwhelming and we forget why we started in the first place. 

Sometimes, we need to take a step back. We need to listen to the voices, but also know when to shut them out.

A Manifesto- Part 1: I Believe

All year, I have been getting Cake For Breakfast. Each Monday I receive an email with a writing prompt which is supposed to help me figure out what I want in life, how I view the world, etc. It's been pretty awesome and I've really been enjoying writing out all of my thoughts.

This week, the prompt was a bit different and it caused me to think a lot more than I have in the past. We were supposed to write a manifesto.

According to the Merriam-Webster website, a manifesto is "a written statement that describes the policies, goals, and opinions of a person or group."

Ashley, (the creator of Cake for Breakfast) had us write our manifesto in five parts.

1) I Believe

2) I Want to Live in a World...

3) Here's What I Know for Sure...

4) Your piece of advice you want to share with the world.

5) A one sentence mini-manifesto.

Usually, the writing prompts have just a couple of questions and take about ten minutes to complete. This week... I have a lot to think about and I'll probably be working on it all week. However, I did get started on the "I Believe" part, and I wanted to share it with all of you.

Although, I will admit, as I was writing this I totally felt like Elder Price and was singing the song "I Believe" in my head the entire time. Even thought I'm not a Mormon.

If you have no idea what song I'm talking about, it's from the musical The Book of Mormon and you can see the Tony performance by clicking here.

Anyways.

... Jesus gives unconditional love, grace, mercy, freedom, and new beginnings every day

... family is a gift

... family can extend beyond blood

... stories can tell the truth and expand our imagination

... the arts feed us just as much as food

... in puppy and kitty kisses

... in laughter

... in tears

...in measuring life in love

... loving God means loving others

... in snow days

... in coffee shops

... in being kind to those who serve (ex. your waiter)

... Internet friends can be just as close as "real life" friends

... in taking a day off

... in changing your life when the time comes

... in being honest

... in traveling

... in expanding your horizons and getting out of your comfort zone

... sometimes you just have to let it go

... in romance

... in learning new things

... sometimes it's okay to just stay at home and watch TV/Netflix with family and a good book

... in fairy tales, even if they look different than we first imagine

...  sometimes life is hard, but that doesn't meant it's not beautiful

... in faith and hope and trust

... we are all broken, but loved.

What do you believe?

Find Your Voice Week 1

A month or so ago, I saw on a friend's blog that they were participating in a workshop called "Find Your Voice." It was all about storytelling through words, photos, scrapbooking, etc.

Naturally, I signed up right away.

Today (Monday) was the first lesson out of eight. In my email came the first lesson which was an introduction to the workshop, syllabus, supply list, and this week's worksheet prompts and challenge for the week.

I read it over first thing in the morning, then thought about it all day. When I had some spare time I wrote down my thoughts in my journal.

One of the challenges (we could pick and choose which one we wanted to do) was to write more about one or more of the prompts given in the worksheet. (The other options were to create something based on the prompts like a scrapbook page or collage, or to set a goal artistically for the challenge.) Since my storyelling is mainly through writing, I chose the first one.

There were seven prompts for the week, and most of them were about describing yourself, your favorite stories, what you want to get out of the workshop, etc. Since I wanted to share my challenge on the blog, and I've written a lot about myself and stories, I decided to share with you prompt #5.

A Letter To My Readers

To My Wonderful Readers,

There's a popular thought which goes around the blog world. "I don't blog for the numbers and for other people, I blog for myself."

I'm calling BS.

Am I Good?

As you're reading this, I am probably laying in bed attempting to get some much needed sleep because Sunday night I would have stayed up all night at a lock-in.

As I'm attempting to sleep I'm probably wondering why staying up all night with a bunch of teenagers was a good idea.

So, here's hoping I'm getting rest right now.

Anyways. Moving on.

***

Am I good?

I feel like it's something we all wonder about. Not good as in "am I a good person?" Although I suppose we all wonder this as well at some point, but that's not what I'm talking about.

Am I good at what I do?

10 Things That Make Me Really Happy

First off - I'm getting bad at this. I pre-scheduled all of my May posts so I could make sure I wrote them ahead of time and could stay on schedule. The plan was to write a post the day before it was supposed to be published and have it scheduled for 8am.

It's 7:37 this morning and I'm writing my post now.

So... there's that.

What I Do

"Stories, tales, bardic chronicles," Widget says. "Whatever you care to call them. The things we were discussing earlier that are more complicated than they used to be. I take pieces of the past that I see and I combine them into narratives. It's not that important, and this isn't why I'm here -"

"It is important," the man in the grey suit interrupts. "Someone needs to tell those tales. When the battles are fought and won and lost, when the pirates find their treasures and the dragons eat their foes for breakfast with a nice cup of Lapsang souchong, someone needs to tell their bits of overlapping narrative. There's magic in that. It's in the listener, and for each and every ear it will be different, and it will affect them in ways they can never predict. From the mundane to the profound. You may tell a tale that takes up residence in someone's soul, becomes their blood and self and purpose. That tale will move them and drive them and who knows what they might do because of it, because of your words. That is your role, your gift. Your sister may be able to see the future, but you yourself can shape it, boy. Do not forgot that." He takes another sip of his wine. "There are many kinds of magic, after all."

-The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

Why Bloggers Should Keep A Journal

Friday night I didn't have a whole lot going on. Which... is pretty typical for me. So I perused my phone to see if there was anything remotely interesting I could do.

Silver Linings Playbook was back at my local theatre.

Oh Cape Girardeau, you're so silly. We had the movie here for FOREVER and it's coming out on DVD next week. What are you doing?

Or maybe silly me since I never got off my rear to go see it.

On Creativity

It should come as no surprise to anyone that I love the TV Smash. You know, that show about people on Broadway and they sing and dance a lot? Yeah. That one. I'm absolutely in love with it and so far the second season is even better than the first. Especially now that Jeremy Jordan who was the original Jack Kelly in Newsies on Broadway (which I saw last year!). He's amazing.

Source

In A World Of Pure Imagination

I made it guys. I finally made it to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

That is... The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, FL.

I'm a poor church worker friends - I can't afford to go off to Europe to find the real Hogwarts. ;-)

This however, made me feel as though I really had just departed Platform 9 3/4, boarded the Hogwarts Express, and entered the halls of Harry Potter's beloved school. 

Grateful

I need to stop complaining.

I feel like I complain a lot and don't really appreciate what I have.

So today, I'm linking up with my friend, Rachel, from Life in the Moment. Every week until the end of the year she's hosting "Gratitude Project 2012."

Yeah, I know, another link up. I said I wouldn't do as many of these. But it's good to try and be grateful for things in life, to remember them, and give your friends some linkage along the way.

This week I am grateful for...

Friends who will randomly go with you to concerts for bands you have never heard of before.

Creative people who push the limits and explore brand new ways of doing things, and without knowing it, challenge me to be more creative and put more thought into my own work.

Even when it seems like you're at your end, God provides.

Parents who are patient when you're stranded on the side of the highway for 2+ hours with their children.

My mom who puts up with my crap all of the time.

People who are understanding, even if you feel as though you are failing all of the time.

Sweaters and scarves.

Coffee.

What are you grateful for this week?

Also, I need some blog advice. In case you missed it, check out my post from yesterday and share with me your ideas.

And - three days in a row with something posted. Not bad for someone who is lacking inspiration, huh?

I Fell In Love

Emmy's Note: Today's final guest post for June's theme of "Art That Touches My Soul" is from one of my newest blog friends- Alexandra! She is one of my sponsors for next month, and while she is an Alabama girl she is NOT your "typical" southern chick. She's lived almost everyhwere and is getting ready to go to college in Huston. Let me tell you, this girl is one AMAZING singer! I'll leave you all a link for her youtube channel because she has a lot of talent, especially for being so young. She's perfect for this month's topic! Alexandra blogs at This Journey of Journies and you can email her at chandelier27aaa@gmail.com.

Art is a kind of neat word, as it encompasses many meanings. I am so grateful to witness art every day, and experience it in all sorts of ways. Everywhere you look you can see miracles and art. Art can be accessed by several senses. Perhaps you might hear me experiencing my art; I sing opera.

It’s a kind of funny story actually. You might want to grab a fuzzy blanket and a cup of coffee.

I have always been with music. And when I say always, I mean, when my mother was pregnant with me she and my Dad went to orchestra concerts and I would kick in her stomach, yearning to be part of the sounds and rhythms. As I grew up I performed in plays and musicals (the first being at age 6, when I was the color red in The Color Factory, which is definitely deep stuff ;) ). Music was always there, keeping me company. I played piano, violin, and sang in the church choir; I think that’s when I first started to love voices making music. (To this day, a men’s ensemble just makes me melt!)

When I hit high school, our family moved to Alabama. Now, this kind of amuses me. I started voice lessons when I got here, and then was asked to be a lead (sort of) in an opera! Keep in mind…I was 15 when this role came around. I had always loved music, and classical music, but had never been in an opera. Oh yeah, and I had never seen one either. I was in an opera before I saw one.

That was all fine and dandy. Operas and musicals came and went. I thought to myself, “this is something I could do. Yeah!”

My Dad is military, so we have done our fair share of travel. Last year brought us to the place that changed my life: Italy. Long story short,  I had the amazing opportunity to spend two months on my own (as in, away from Momma who has always taken care of me) in Milan and Arezzo.  (Arezzo is a little town in Tuscany, not too far from Florence).

Guys….Arezzo changed my life.

I fell in love.

But not with a greasy Italian man. Nor with an imported American dude. In fact, it wasn’t a guy at all!

I fell in love with opera.

Somewhere between the Mozart and Puccini, my heart got captured. And opera has made a permanent home in my heart. I finally knew passion! This love became unexplainable, and honestly incomprehensible. I couldn't believe how much joy had entered into my life, all because of opera. 

Mozart and... source.

Now, as a recent high school graduate, I am off to college to pursue a vocal performance major.

Art changed my life. I found passion. And I couldn’t be more grateful. 

You can check out Alexandra singing here: http://www.youtube.com/user/wwitherow1/videos

The Perfect Photo- Guest Blogger

Emmy's Note: Today's guest blogger is one of my sponsors this month - Mindy! I have a soft spot for photography myself, so I love that Mindy talks about it today! While I'm not a professional photographer or anything, I hardly ever go anywhere without my camera. (The teenagers on trips are always rolling their eyes because I'm snapping pictures of them all of the time!) Mindy also gave links for her blog, Pinterest, email, Facebook, and Twitter. So go check her site out!

Hello! I'm Mindy, from My Life As Mindy and I am so grateful to be a guest today! I tend to write about a lot of different things, but I really love just writing. When Emily gave me the topic of 'Art That Touches My Soul', I was so excited! I knew this was a topic that I would love exploring. 

{Taken by a former student}

Art is an amazing thing. It can bring people together or draw them a part. It can be beautiful to one person and something of disgrace to another. It has been said that ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’. This is true for many things, but especially for Art. 

There are many forms of art. 

music, photographs, paint, digital, dance and lyrics 

This is all considered art.