day four & five

yes, i already fell behind.  so today i play catch up....

day four


food.

surely this is something no one can live without, but it is also something that absolutely can change my mood.  it's amazing.  maybe it's a woman thing, i don't know.  i do know that food, and even more so if it is amazingly yummy food, can change me from night to day, grumpy to happy, crazy to normal.  you know that i'm hungry if i'm irritable.  my husband can verify this.  when i discover something new and delicious at a restaurant i go back to that restaurant often to eat whatever that thing may be.  if i discover a new recipe that yumm-o i really do relish it.

favorites:

• bronx pizza (hillcrest)...love me their white pizza and the classic cheese.
• benihana (san diego/carlsbad/elsewhere)...specifically the fried rice, but everything is divine.
• lettuce wraps from pei wei/pf chang
• any creme filled cupcake from crumbs
• the barbecue chopped salad and the pazookie at bj's
• pupusas anywhere you can find them (so far the best we've found in san diego is at the el salvador pupuseria south of the 8) 
• stuffed french toast at the cottage
• anything breakfast at the hash house
• chick-fil-a has the most amazing milkshakes!  my all-time favorite is the chocolate.

that's just me getting started.  wanna go with me sometime?  

i am so grateful for food.  

day five

the piano.  

i started playing the piano at age six.  it was a rocky road off and on depending on my age and attitude.  my poor mom started me out.  she probably handled way longer than i could have done, and then i bounced around from teacher to teacher until i quit formal lessons around middle school.  in mid-high school i decided that i wanted to take lessons again and began taking from a student of my mom (wendy reed).  i loved it.  after i was done taking from her i ended up just playing whatever here and there.  i played the piano a lot at church, took classes at palomar college and so on.  at ricks i also took private lessons.  it was there that i really progressed a lot.  i was much more dedicated and really took pride in what i was doing.

i started teaching piano when i was fresh out of high school at age 18.  i had four or five students, who i charged $6/lesson (not to mention that i went to their homes for the lesson..what a deal!).  i loved it and still do.  i've taught piano ever since, up until the last year.  i stopped teaching about a year ago when we moved.  then i got pregnant, had a baby and am in school so i just haven't started back up again.  i do love teaching piano.  it's so fun!

the piano has just been such a blessing in my life because it has really taught me to appreciate music.  and not just a few genres of music, but all of it.  the piano itself it such a beautiful instrument and has such capabilities.  i love watching a professional pianist play.  it just baffles me at the amazing talents there are out there.

i am grateful that my mother started me playing the piano.  i am grateful that i kept with it over the years.  i am grateful for the opportunity i will have to teach my children as well.