Pixxelations.net

Any thoughts on the new theme? Keep it, get rid of it, modify it?

On a side note, really feel like calling in again right about now. Not gonna do it though.

I hate calling in sick. I feel so guilty. Even if I’m feeling deathly ill, that is one of the hardest calls to make. What exactly am I supposed to say? Sorry, you guys do all the work today while I lay in bed? I did it today. Hopefully it is worth it and I will feel better soon.

Addicted? That’s what Brian would say about my shopping hobby. I don’t care though. I like it. Heck sometimes I even love it. There are some times when I’m not in the mood, but in general, I like buying stuff. I know that is shallow and materialistic and on and on…. but I like it. What can I say? We went to the mall tonight, and as expected, it was fun! My public admission of my supposed addiction… you all can poke fun as you wish. =)

All day yesterday I listened to my friends iPod. It was really cool. It’s like reading someone’s journal/blog or looking through one of their photo albums, getting to know them in a different way. Enlightening to see what selections they make for their storage space, how they have it organized and what kind of play lists they have. It can be eye opening, like finding out that in your friend’s Top 25 play list is Dancing Queen. hehe Or seeing that he had stored several nerdy WoW podcasts just for me. =) It was a uniquely personal experience that I rather enjoyed. I also got exposed to some music I may not have otherwise. Plus, now I have some ideas of what my next iTunes downloads will be.

Who’s lending me their iPod next?

More music on my mind… Will Smith’s album Lost and Found. This is a CD I stold from the hubby’s car and may not have heard if I wasn’t trying to save gas by forcing myself to drive his car every now and then. I had several different impressions about this album. I like most of the tracks, they have a good beat, I like Will’s voice, plus - he’s just plain hot.

*Pause for a day dream about me and Will, don’t worry - this one is nothing like track 12*

It sounds like he has something to prove through his lyrics. I like how most of his songs tell a story of sorts, but he sounds almost angry and defensive. Like he has to try and convince people that it’s ok for him to make music and its ok for his music to be on the less violent, vulgar, sexual side. Seems like he is trying to tell everyone he is good, he can do this, he has an ego and watch out - don’t get in his way cause you will regret it. But don’t get to worried, because he’s “Mr. Niceguy”. Most of the tracks are very self centered, which isn’t bad, but it’s done in a more straight forward manner than is typical. I think he takes away from the potential positive influences of his lyrics by deliberately trying to justify them. Some of the enjoyment of his songs is lessoned by him telling you he is a good artist. With all that said though, I still like the album. Me and my subwoofer are especially found of track 3, “Switch”. Check it out and tell me your thoughts.

Today has been one of those days. Not really bad, but leaning more to the bad side than the good side. I think it started to go amiss when I slept thru my alarm this morning. I don’t think I’ve done that in years. Let me clarify - it went off, I heard it, I proceeded to push snooze multiple times until finally the thing gave up. Or I did, I’m not sure which. Through out the day I had several instant message conversations both personal and professional that seemed to be missing something. It’s kind of bothering me. Did I choose the wrong words? Did I solve their problems? Maybe I didn’t sound polite enough. Or really maybe I didn’t say enough. If I talked to you in IM today please forgive my short windedness and potentially ill chosen words. I meant well. I’m ready to start over and try for a more satisfying day. Tomorrow now please.

Edit. Save. Upload. Refresh. Repeat.

This is more work than it looks like!

**An addendum added to this post 4/20 @ 528pm
My friend Shawn said this post doesn’t make sense. When I posted this, I had just made a new header bar for my site. After many hours of editing the file, saving it, uploading it to my site and refreshing the page to check it out… It turns out I know even less about graphics, graphics tools and web coding than I thought. And now Shawn says my new graphic isn’t even showing! Umm… does anyone besides me see it? I swear it’s there. LOL

I feel like posting something… but nothing worthwhile is coming to mind. Instead I went and commented on all of you’ns (Pittsburgh reference) blogs. That’s when I realized two things. First, and I already knew this but it was evident yet again tonight, my blog is boring. It needs some work. I need to add that to my to do list and do it. Second, I need more blogs to read. Which of my few readers that doesn’t have a blog is going to start one? Altius I’m calling you out… you said you were going to do it, I’m waiting! LOL

Umm…. I went for a nice long walk tonight; it was a little chilly but some good thinking and relaxing time. I guess I will go play some WoW now.

When I was little I would call roadrunners, runroaders. Yes, I was a tad bit confused. lol My mom and dad would always tease me about it, and it became one of those things that just sticks. To this day if we are together and happen upon a roadrunner they will jokingly call it a runroader and laugh! I still sometimes accidentally use the wrong word. For those of you not in New Mexico, the roadrunner is our state bird and is commonly spotted out and about. And of course you can always visit them at the zoo if you need a more up close and personal interaction. The parking lot at my work is a popular runroader hang out. Just recently I spotted one there that reminded me of these child hood memories. I always seem to notice them because of the joking I shared with my family. He was taking a chance running out into the street where any maniac driver could get him, but luckily he made it. I am particularly glad I saw him on this morning. It’s the littlest things that can make for an unexpected experience and a wave of thoughts. Cheers to the runroader and future encounters.

Last night I went to a performance that a friend was playing in, The Seven Last Words of Christ by Theodore Dubois’. It was a small little Easter performance at a Methodist church and it turned out to be quite good, even if the poor clarinet player couldn’t hit a single note. The choir was powerful and had a Johnny Depp look alike that made the perfect addition. There were several baritone and tenor solos, which was rather confusing because the guy that sounded like the baritone was singing the tenor part and vice versa. I would like to get a recorded version of this piece to hear it again, the first and fifth words were my favorite.

My friend Anthony that was performing with the group was playing the timpani. Being a former percussionist myself, the timpani was of course my favorite part. Their sound adds such power and fullness. I think people are generally intrigued with an instrument like the timpani. There were a couple of times when the timpani came in forte, and unexpected and several little old ladies in the church crowd jumped. It was priceless. I enjoyed watching him play and was, as usual, so impressed with his abilities. It is such a treat to watch someone I know perform. I like to see their talent, how they interact with their instrument and respond to the music. I remember watching Anthony at what I think was his senior performance concert. He played a marimba piece that blew me away. (It could have been the xylophone, can’t remember for sure!) I was super impressed and jealous all at the same time. There is nothing like the feeling of performing a piece that you have put so much preparation in to, and when the time comes you nail it. After the show he was talking about tuning the timpani and how he had to keep adjusting for the choir. How does someone tune timpani in the middle of a performance? This is something I could never do. How do you know what note you are on? Even though I’ve been musically inclined my whole life I can’t tune any instrument without a full out advanced tuner, and even then I will be lucky if I get it right.

When I grow up I want to be a… So truthfully, how many of you know the answer to this? Way down deep you really know your dream job and lifestyle. How many of you are actually doing what you what to be doing? Are you doing something close to what you think you would enjoy? Do you enjoy what you are doing even if it isn’t what you set out to do? If you are actually doing what you want to be doing… how did you get there? Was it hard? If you’re not, what do you want to be doing? Will you ever get there? Is it worth changing what you are currently doing, to do that thing you want?

Sometimes I don’t think I know the answer to any of these questions. As soon as I think I know something, my mind suddenly and uncontrollably changes itself! Ah the life of a Gemini. Give me some insight. I’m in a lost state of mind at the moment.