Yeah yeah yeah... I don't want to hear it.

Yes yes, I know I haven't updated in forever. I, frankly, have not been in the mood lately. Especially since [insert violins...] I had to work 3 opening shifts at Star*ucks this past week which left me unable (unwilling?) to do anything during my non-Star*ucks time but recline in a horizontal position -- preferably within reasonable distance of a) the television, b) something to drink and c) something to eat. But so you don't go do something foolish like leap off a cliff in despair of feeling out of contact with me, here are the top 10 most blog-worthy things that have happened to me since my last update, some of which, hopefully, will be expounded upon by me in a future blog entry:


10. The attack of Ysabel's terrible case of consumption is back. Sometimes I want to just rip my throat out and soak it in a nice soothing milk bath. Is that weird? Also, I would like to return my lungs and exchange them for a less-dysfunctional pair. That would be cool.

9. I have a new Star*ucks favorite drink which is simply just a double (or sometimes triple...) tall 2-pump Raspberry mocha. It's the only thing that gets me out of bed at f-ing 4:30 on those fateful opening mornings.

8. I think I may be playing in the UT Wind Ensemble again. Hooray! Because I will once again feel a purpose for getting up in the morning aside from serving my over-priced tantalizing coffee-products to the faithful downtown addicts. However, this presents a few complications as I will now have to re-work the schedules of my two jobs (Star*ucks and clarinet teaching...) around. Not a big deal, I think.

7. Speaking of which, I am going to attempt an audition at the end of the month in Dollywood. You heard me: Dollywood. As in Hollywood + Dolly Parton. You look it up and place judgements on me accordingly. I don't care. It involves somebody paying me to play music. This also involves me having to work up my sax chops in roughly two weeks. Haha! Thanks to Ben for lending me his fabulous alto saxophone. Now I just need somebody to lend me their saxophone skillz as well.

6. I finished reading The Color of Water by James McBride. Again, thanks to Ben for lending me the book. An autobiographical novel based on the half-African American author and his white Jewish mother. I recommend it.

5. I have not been to Target at all this year. What a tragedy. I must remedy this as soon as I a) have the need to buy more Kleenex (wait, that would be now, actually...) and b) start getting paid by Star*ucks again (in two more weeks...agh)

4. I blew dry my hair for the Hilton company holiday party this past Friday (oooh, I have so much more to say about this later...). I liked being able to wear my hair down without it fro-ing so much that I didn't wash it for three days afterwards. Gross. So it is back in its usual hairball formation again now, but at least it's clean and non-greasy.

3. Went to see King Kong with Scott a few days ago. Wasn't really expecting much out of it since I had never seen any other King Kongs before. Ended up really enjoying it. Yeah, I shed a tear or two for a computer-generated giant flea-infested monkey. Ape. Whatever. If you have 3 1/2 hours to spare and want to be entertained, go see it.

2. Had a faaabulous sushi dinner with Heather, Richard and Josh last night. It was the best food I've eaten since I was home for the holidays, I'm pretty sure. Tomo on Kingston Pike. I ordered some beef Soba/Udon (hot noodle soup) and a philly roll. Oh, and some miso soup. Then we all split a delectable delight called the Fantasy Roll (yes, it was as good as it sounds) and Richard bought us all some sake. He rocks. Sushi rocks. I want to go eat there again right now.

1. Ok, and speaking of the Hilton holiday par-tay: let's just say I was canoodled (damn you, Stacy!) into competing in the evening's much-anticipated "Talent Show" in front of a vast majority of the Hilton hotel clan (including the head honcho and all his little minions, mind you...). AAAAAAUUUUGHH. Worst. Nightmare. Ever. ...But not really. It was all in good fun. I won third place. I placed behind Bruce in Housekeeping who rapped and Melvin from the Front Desk who sang an American-Idol-worthy tear-jerking rendition of Amazing Grace. It's good to know that 7 years into working towards a Master's degree in music performance and thousands of dollars in investment later I am now capable of winning f-ing $25 in prize money for tooting my damnable devil stick. Oh, and I also made out with a $10 Kroger gift card. *sigh* Oh, life. What a sick, sick bastard you can be sometimes. I do believe the best part of that entire experience came the following morning when I showed up to work at Star*ucks and a lady from the hotel restaurant asked me: "Was that you who played the flute last night? You were so good!"

Again: AAAAAUUUUGHH.