Music Monday, ICLW and Liebster Award Edition

*Currently CD20, Average Ovulation CD21, OPKs CD17-19: Still Negative. Consternation has set in.*

Wow! A big, boisterous thank you to Gypsy Mama for bringing us today’s post! I can’t think of a better way to get to start off ICLW, can you?

The Liebster Award is given to new or up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. The award is then passed along to other bloggers in the same category to help spread the word and support one another. If you receive the award, there are a few rules to follow.

• Each blogger nominated must post eleven things about themselves.
• Then answer the eleven questions the tagger has asked.
• Blogger must then create eleven questions of their own to ask the bloggers they decide to nominate.
• They must choose eleven bloggers with less than 200 followers to nominate and link them on their blog post.
• Bloggers must be notified of their award.
• No tag backs!

11 Things about (Musical) Me:

1.       I started piano lessons in third grade, over two decades ago. I firmly believe that every singer should be able to read music and, at a minimum, be able to sit down at a keyboard to plunk out their vocal line. Although I am a classically trained musician, my favorite pieces to play on piano are new age, interpretive, and jazz.

2.       Although I am the highest trained musician in my family, I can’t seem to learn guitar. I’ve been at it for years and can only play one song: “When You Say Nothing at All” by Alison Krauss. Which also happens to be R’s and my song.

3.       I went to university as a Music Business major, which ended up being a Vocal Performance course load with MBA classes thrown in. It was there, facing the fact that for the first time I wasn’t the best musician in the class, that I learned humility.

4.       I learned how to read lead sheets during college and used that skill to play rhythm keyboard in several worship bands. My time on those worship teams taught me to be confident in the gift God has given me.

5.       There was a time when I wasn’t able to sing, so I learned ASL in order to sign lyrics. My favorite song to sign to is “Your Love is Extravagant” by Casting Crowns. I’m working on picking up this skill again.

6.       I am technically a recorded artist, having been brought in to record the big musical hit “Time Goes By” on a mathematics CD for elementary school students. BIG hit. HUGE. J

7.       Growing up near Disney World, I had the opportunity to perform in Disney’s Christmas Concert, “Candlelight Processional”, over 28 times. It remains my favorite Christmas Album.

8.       However, my favorite Christmas song to perform is Deck the Halls in 7/8. Learning and performing this piece was too much fun!

9.       When it comes to musical theater, I go old school. Les Miserables is my favorite show, hands down! I went to see the live show when I was 13 and forgot my glasses. The music was wonderful but the stage was a blur. I dream of playing Fantine one day.

10.   Immediately after graduating high school, a choir my mom and I were in was invited to perform as the Premier American Choir at the Sacred Music Festival in Berne, Switzerland. Mom and I spent a week in Switzerland with the group and then an additional two weeks traveling Europe together. That trip was one of the most amazing experiences of my life.

11.   Just for Fun: I am only three degrees away from Kevin Bacon. Booyah!

11 Questions from Gypsy Mama: 

1. What was your favorite food as a child? I loved Kraft mac-n-cheese. When our parents would go out of town, my sister and I would stock up on mac-n-cheese and cheddar wurst. Dinner of champions!
2. Where do you want to retire? I don’t know if I could pick just one place. I’m originally from Hawaii and would love to move back someday. I love the beach, so a coastal home in NC or FL would suit me just fine. I grew up in a small town in Florida that I still love. And my BFF, W, taught me to love the NC mountains and has plans for us to retire there together to hike and grow tomatoes. Maybe I’ll go like W’s parents and own a few small houses in places I love, cycling through them with the seasons.
3. Favorite cookie? Again, a hard one! The best cookie I ever bought was an orange dark chocolate chip cookie from a tiny bakery in Winter Garden. They have since closed down. My fave from childhood are the no-bake chocolate peanut butter oatmeal drop cookies, also known as Carolina Delights. I love to make chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, too. If there’s oatmeal, you can pretend they’re healthy! Oh! And peanut butter cookies with peanut butter chips. Nom!
4. Introvert or Extravert? I grew up as a hardcore introvert, which is difficult when you like to perform. As I’ve matured, I have learned how to be an extravert. Or, at least, to be more social. This is also a skill I picked up from R, who can talk to anyone about anything for hours. He is so good at striking up conversations!
5. What chore do you absolutely hate doing? I hate, hate, HATE doing the dishes. I am happy to cook every night but please don’t make me clean up after! This is an area where R and I complement each other well: I cook, he cleans up. Everyone’s happy!
6. What is your favorite time of day? These are hard! (That’s what she said.) I would like to be a morning person, simply because I love the feeling of accomplishing so much before noon. However, I am more likely to stay up late. But my favorite time of day is when I get home from work and can change into my yoga pants. Bliss!
7. Would you rather take pictures or be in pictures? Hrm. I end up taking more pictures than posing for them myself, simply because Little K loves to ham it up for the camera. But, honestly, I would rather live in the moment than capture it on film.
8. Is toilet paper hung over or under? Over, over, OVER! I mean, really, is there another way to do this?
9. Who has the sexiest accents? I remember taking a trip to Texas in the 1990’s to visit some friends for a week. While we were there, I swooned over the cute boys with their Texan drawl. To the point where I would nudge my sister and say, “Take a look at that accent!” Ah, youth.
10. Favorite Disney Princess My fave old school Disney Princess is Belle. I loved that she was brunette, loved to read, and discarded the town catch, Gaston. I am also a big fan of both Rapunzel from Tangled and Merida from Brave. Strong examples of women who know what they want and go for it. And, in Merida’s case, the one princess who ends the story without a man; her happily ever after comes from reconciling with her mother and being her true self. Get it, girl!
11. Favorite scent? Plumeria trees in bloom. Pikake lei’s. Orange blossoms in winter. Rain on the asphalt. Ginger and soy sauce. These are the smells of my childhood. I can never get enough.

11 Questions for You:

1.       What is your favorite stage production, musical, opera, or play?

2.       Would you classify yourself as on stage or backstage?

3.       What is your best memory from your first car?

4.       If money was no object, what is the one trip you would take?

5.       What did you hate about university/college?

6.       When it comes to fashion or design, are you timeless or trendy?

7.       What was your first job?

8.       Did you go to prom?

9.       Do you have any tattoos?

10.   Who do you need to forgive?

11.   Have you personally experienced God’s love and forgiveness?

I’m a little late to the party, so I’m not sure we can get to eleven bloggers who, a) haven’t received this already, or b) have less than 200 followers. Let’s see if we can make it!

Bebe Suisse

Breathe Gently

Compromised Fertility
JustMe

Kathryn Finding Fertility

My Infertility Story

Pursuing Parenthood

She Laughs at the Days
Team Harries

Weathering Storms