The Calm Before the Storm

Things have been so relaxed lately it's eerie.

Now that I've been contracted and sent in my documents I'm waiting for my Visa processing. I don't know my exact leave date yet which is a little bothersome but I can't do anything about my transcripts taking their time to get to Japan.

Also my TEFL course is just about over. I did the Final Project a little too last minute but it didn't really affect my grade that much - a B+ rather than A- isn't bad.

Work has also been eerie. I've told everyone I'm leaving but continuing my day-to-day activities, just seems like a little less to do than normal.

I told my church I would be leaving and the majority of friends and family. So now it's just a short wait.

I think my journey is slowly becoming more real though. I'm realizing I won't be here for birthdays, trips and hangouts. It's the little things I've been thinking about most - I've never been on my own for more than a couple of weeks - it's weird, especially since I'll be so completely on my own now. Still, right now it's kind of surreal.

Since I'm going to miss Dodger Season my dad's taking me to a Spring Training game! I'm excited for that ... I just hope Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp and James Loney are there. It'd be a bummer to drive down there and not get to see them. If I leave April 2nd I'll get to go to Opening Night on the 1st with Kristin and Ben. I hope that one works out.

I need to add too that I'm totally getting Dragon Age II.

I blogged here about Dragon Age: Origins and after playing the demo I'm ready for II. 

That's all for now really. I just thought this sort of calm in my life has been a little odd, and a little refreshing, after so much Chaos.

Trapped in a Glass Case of Emotion

I kind of feel like Will Ferrell in Anchorman lately. In a glass case of emotion.

I'm excited and scared. I'm happy but sad. I'm ready but I'm not.

Accepting the contract is one thing, and leaving is another. This is what I want and I've been thinking it's something God means to have happen in my life. I need to go out and grow up. I need more experience and want to throw myself into the unfamiliar ... but it's uncharted water. It's feels scarier than it is because it is new.

And there is a lot about home I will miss.

I will miss my family (most of whom live relatively close by) and my friends. I'm really going to miss my best friend Kristin. I have no idea what I'll do without her. I'm going to miss Dodger games and birthdays and going to a pub or brewery with my cousins. Now that I've made this decision it's all hitting me.

Why am I doing this? Is it really meant to be or just a confused desire? Am I really even good enough to teach these kids?

When I pray about it, I have a peace about my decision. That makes me think I should be okay ... but then things come up and I think "oh, I'm going to miss that," or "oh yeah, I won't be there", or "crap, what if they don't think I'm a good teacher".

I guess there's more to taking a giant leap out of your comfort zone than I was ready for. I mean, I knew it would be tough and different but I've never gone this far out of the zone before.

As I draw closer to my leave date I'm sure I'll continue fluctuating - I'm sure it will be that way up until I'm in Japan. It'll probably be that way until I get used to being there.

This is different for me. That's for sure.

'Nuff Said,
Crysania

And I'll find strength in pain, And I will change my ways, I'll know my name as it's called again

I am in love with this song. I may be falling for this band too - their lyrics are fantastic.



I wish I would've been super cool and hip and heard of them sooner, but as soon as I heard Little Lion Man I looked them up. Then I listened to more of their stuff this week ... and I love it.

I am a sucker for British and Irish folk-y music. There's something about it I really love. My dad says it's because I am Irish and that's probably true but no one else on my Irish side of the family seems to like it as much as I do. Seriously, I have The Celtic Woman CD from the PBS concerts - I have the Christmas version too. I just dig it.

This is the link to the official video by the way. I like both versions, I just put the live one up because I happened to be on the page.

Speaking of folk-y kind of music, I also love this version of Til Kingdom Come/ Ring of Fire by Coldplay. I'm sad the embedding was disabled.

Young Pilgrims by The Shins is another folk-y track I enjoy so I'll post it. (I know they are not British or Irish but I love the song).



Other acoustic/folk-ish stuff I like besides the obvious (i.e. Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash): Good Old War (particularly the song Coney Island), Schuyler Fisk (Hello and Fall Apart Today are great), Corrine Bailey Rae and Bandits of the  Acoustic Revolution (acoustic side of Streetlight Manifesto) to name a few. I'm no acoustic/folk expert but I enjoy it once in a while in general. Suggestions are always appreciated!

I've had a lot to say this week but traffic has been awful so I've been in a really bitter mood and thought it best not to rant again. Playing volleyball last night and being told I only have to work half day today have put me in a much better mood today.

Volleyball kicked my ass last night. My legs and lower back are sore. I was definitely rusty from not playing in a while. I'm excited to be playing again. Kristin and I put together a co-ed team too. It should be a good time.

Also I've begun broadcasting volleyball for CSUF again. I'd forgotten how much I enjoy it. The first game I had to do play-by-play though (I normally do color) and that was not so great. I had issues with the equipment and then some sound difficulties once we got it fixed - I was a bit flustered because of it all, honestly. It got better though.

Oh, right! And for the first time since I was about 8, I have short hair. It takes a little getting used to (almost been two weeks and I'm just getting used to it being me in the mirror without all my hair) but I really do like it. My sister picked the perfect cut for me to have short hair I think. At first we were going to do a bob but we decided to do layers, so I have more of a pixie cut. I know no one but me cares about my hair but it's a really big deal for me. I never thought I'd have short hair, but I definitely needed a new cut.

I didn't want to rant and ended up rambling instead, so I'll stop now.

'Nuff Said,
Crysania

Vegas Was Fun But ...

I have to talk about my Dodgers today!

Last night my man Andre Ethier came up with another walk-off hit! I honestly have to say ... I knew it was going to happen. Once the pitcher threw that wild pitch and the runners advanced I knew Andre was going to get the hit! Very cool.

Sexy Andre Ethier - taken by my brother against the D-backs last season

The Dodgers haven't been playing particularly fantastic lately so it was a cool win. I know Andre had a chance the night before but he can't get a walk-off every single time, it's amazing that he gets them as often as he does!

Yes, I love Andre Ethier. He's a sexy, awesome baseball player with a beautiful swing.

Anyways I haven't posted much about Vegas other than the fact that Muse was ridiculously amazing in concert, but I don't think I really will put too much up there. I mean, it was Vegas - good times.

There is this bar that every time Kristin and I go to we make international friends. It's in the New York New York right outside the Coyote Ugly. When we went there at 4:30 am during Kristin's birthday we made some friends with these Australian dudes who sang Happy Birthday to Kristin followed by some Australian cheer and bought us drinks and when we went there again Friday night we made friends with a couple British dudes and some desperate but sweet and funny Canadian ladies. The ladies were really into Gary (one of the Brits) and he was happy Kristin and I got between them to get our drinks. Kristin chatted with Stu while the Canadian chicks talked to me. Then I talked to Gary then we both ended up talking to Stu about Muse. It was pretty awesome. I love that bar.

Ben and Kristin - I love this pic

The other cool thing other than the concert was that I actually won on the slots! I lost my ass Friday but got it all back and about $10 extra Saturday so it was nice. I'm not a big gambler but it is fun ... especially when there is winning involved.

That's all for now, really. I want to go to the Dodger game tomorrow and watch Tim Lincecum pitch (hopefully he can pitch and the Dodgers can still win). I know it's bad to want to see a Giant pitch but Lincecum is just that good. Plus I can cheer for the Dodgers and I always enjoy time at Dodger Stadium. I guess I'll see what happens, I do need to go to a game soon.

'Nuff Said,
Crysania

An Uprising

I FINALLY saw Muse this weekend!! Wow. Wow. WOW! They were incredible! I lost what was left of my voice Saturday night and it has yet to fully return.

Seriously, one of the absolute best live bands I have ever heard! People told me I was going to love it, but I didn't want to build things up too much in my head and be disappointed. I definitely was not. They were fantastic. The awesome towers, the lights and their (especially Matt's) stage command was amazing. I do love Matt Bellamy; his voice and talent are just ridiculous.

I do wish my section would have been better. We were back kinda far I guess but it seemed like every section but ours was on their feet the entire time. I don't see at all how anyone could sit through Muse's live show (with the exception of my best friend Kristin who got beer dumped all over her feet, shoes and pants) ... but whatever, I enjoyed them thoroughly. And it was a long time coming.

I first heard Muse in late 2004/ early 2005. I was watching TV and an add about this British band came on MTV 2 (yes, it was back in the days when I occasionally still tried to watch MTV). I heard a part of Time is Running Out and needed more. A couple months later I was talking to my cousin about how I'd heard this awesome band but didn't know where to physically get their CD. She had just gotten it and we were stoked to actually have found someone else who liked the band. I burned the CD and the rest is history.

I wasn't a rabid fangirl (adore their music but have avoided scary status, thankfully) but I loved and appreciated their music and always recommended them to friends. I turned some family and friends on to them too. I even made a friend in college mainly because she was a huge fan and she recommended I listen to Origin of Symmetry. I did but by then Black Holes and Revelations was coming out so I focused on trying to get that. I went back later and listened to it and some of Showbiz too. The more I heard, the more I liked the band. I was so excited when other people started liking them and began working on seeing them in concert but the timing was always wrong. Either I was broke, out of town, both or the shows were sold out. That part did suck.

Now that I've seen Muse live ... I need to see them again! Really, I do. They rocked but there are so many songs I have not yet watched them play!

I was pleasantly surprised to hear Plug in Baby (I really didn't think they'd play that one at all) and stoked to hear Feeling Good and Stockholm Syndrome but those were the only three they played I wasn't sure about.

I didn't get to hear songs I love like Bliss, Exo-Politics, Butterflies and Hurricanes, Invincible, Unintended, Sing for Absolution or Hyper Music ... to name a few (Honestly Sing for Absolution and Hyper Music are doubtful but the others they did play on their live album HAARP). So I've got to see them again for any chance of hearing those songs.

I was also surprised that they didn't do MK Ultra or I Belong to You (Mon Coeur S'Ouvre a te Vioux) off The Resistance but was stoked to hear Unnatural Selection and Undisclosed Desires. 

Anyways, I picked up a shirt (it's my thing, I always get a shirt with the tour dates on it when I go to a show) and a kick-ass poster (can't remember the last time I bought one of those) so all in all it was a fantastic night. I was definitely in outer space the rest of the trip. They really are my new favorite live band! They are up there with U2, Coldplay and The Hives in terms of fantastic live shows.

Vegas was pretty fun too. I'll post about it later.

'Nuff Said,
Crysania