Holiday Blog!

Hello, all! Yeah, so it has been awhile since I last blogged...time to fix that! I recently finished off my first semester of grad school, and managed a 3.85 GPA! I am so happy about that...talk about a good Christmas present! I worked hard this past semester, and it definitely paid off. All that being said, I am so happy to be home. I missed it so much, and am happy to be seeing familiar faces. I came home on the 20th of December, which proved to be a bit of a challenge because of the snow storm that hit the East Coast at the same time. Although my train was delayed by about 2 hours, I made it home, and was even able to see my little brother play some ice hockey. After dropping my sister back off at FLCC (she still had some finals), I finally made it home, and was able to sleep in my own bed again...hallelujah!

This year, Christmas was awesome. Like every other year, my siblings woke me up at 7 am to go downstairs and open presents. I felt like Scrooge because I just wanted to sleep...ha. After I finally got up, we all went and opened presents, and it was a good time. This year, my sister's boyfriend, Andrei, joined us. At first, I was not happy about it not just being our family, but it turned out to be a good time...he is a good guy. After our family opened gifts, we headed to my uncle's house for the Schmieder Christmas gathering, which was a good time. It was great to see everyone in one place at one time. For Thanksgiving, I didn't come home and my uncle Andy was in Iraq, so not everyone was there. For Christmas, we were all there. It was a special time, and I am not sure how many more Christmases we will all be there for. The rest of the day was relaxing, which was really nice. NYC is crazy busy, so it was nice to have a change of pace. My siblings and I, along with Andrei, watched 'Disturbia,' which is a great movie. To end the day, we played Catchphrase and Diablo, two games that always prove to be a good time.

The day after Christmas was, in a word, crazy! I got up at 6 am to go shopping with Traci and Jaimee. While I didn't actually buy anything, it was so much fun to hang out with them. We started off the day at Dave's Christmas Shop in Lancaster. I had never been there before. Traci and Jaimee always go there the day after Christmas, so it was part of their tradition. We got there at 10 minutes before they opened, and there was already a line of people. I was shocked. I am not the type of person who goes shopping on Black Friday or the day after Christmas usually, so it was all new to me. People in the store were nuts. I have never seen people push their carts around the store so fast in my entire life. It was amusing and scary...not knowing who was going to try to push by you next. After Dave's, we went to Target, Best Buy, and FYE. Let's talk about FYE for a moment, shall we? It is probably my favorite store to buy CDs and movies from. Well, I was devastated that the one in Batavia and the superstore in Williamsville are both CLOSING! I was like "What?!?!" Luckily, the one in the Walden Galleria isn't closing...if that was the case, I would probably have an emotional breakdown. BUT, when we were there, the first volume of season 1 of Glee was already out!!! This is interesting because it isn't supposed to be on shelves until tomorrow!!!! Although I didn't buy it, I knew I had to go back and get it. We had lunch, and then I spent the rest of the day at Reed's house, just chillin', which included watching Mike Fisher, Carrie Underwood's future husband, beat the Sabres...ugh. I am so jealous...he is a lucky man.

So, yesterday was AWESOME! Every year, Reed, Mal, Pete, and I go shopping after Christmas, and go to Red Robin for dinner. We began the day at Chipotle, a Mexican restaurant that Mal and Pete wanted Reed and I to try. My overall opinion? It was ok, but I think I like Moe's better. We then went to the FYE in the mall. I went crazy. Because FYE has this deal where all CDs are 9.99 or less, I bought not 1, 2, 3, or 4, but 7...lol. My purchases were Adam Lambert's album (if you know me really well, you would not have expected this), Kris Allen's album (love his songs!), Lady Gaga's first album (I love her beyond words), Glee: Volumes 1 and 2 (I am obsessed with the show), Pink's newest album, Funhouse (love her!), and Lady Antebellum's first album (I cannot wait until their next album comes out!!) We went to a couple other stores, but all my purchases were done at FYE :-) We went to Red Robin for dinner, and it was uh-mazing! Because I am now a vegetarian, I had a Boca patty instead of a beef patty, and it was sooo good. Before returning home, we went to the FYE Superstore in Williamsville...and I bought Glee, Season 1: Volume 1!!! Let's just say that I have already finished the first of four disks...love that show!

Today, I am just chillin' at home...watchin' and listenin' to Glee, as well as enjoying the gorgeous snow. I love snow...it really accentuates the beauty of God's creation. I am looking forward to getting together with more and more people that I haven't seen yet. I hope you had a great Christmas!!! I can't believe 2010 is just around the corner...yikes.

'Til next time...

Time to Blog...Awesome!!

So, I found myself actually having some down time, so I decided to blog! It is a good way to get my mind off of schoolwork for awhile...

Last week, from Wednesday to Sunday, Jacquie and Jaimee came down to NYC and stayed with me! It was so good to see them! To start off Thanksgiving, we went to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which was awesome. We are able to see Andrea Bocelli, Katharine McPhee, Jimmy Fallon, Cyndi Lauper, as well as some other celebs. The balloons were huge, and the floats were impressive, as well. After the parade, we went to the skyline by the Hudson River and relaxed, being able to see the Statue of Liberty in the distance. For our Thanksgiving dinner, we went to a nice diner that Jaimee and I found the last time she was down here...the Good Stuff Diner. I had an amazing veggie burger. For those of you who don't know, as of the 1st of January, I have decided to become a vegetarian. It is not because I hate meat...I just feel that it is a better decision for my body, and something that will challenge me to be healthier. Throughout the rest of their time here, Jaimee, Jacquie, and I spent time at Rockefeller Center, Central Park, F.A.O. Schwartz, Union Square, and even took a ride on the Staten Island ferry. A highlight of their visit was when we walked from Staten Island to Central Park...it took two hours, and we did it because we wanted to save money by not taking the subway. Speaking of saving money, we eat a lot of meals at Subway, taking advantage of the $5 footlong! Overall, it was a great time and I look forward to seeing them again soon.

This past Tuesday night, I was able to see 'Oleanna,' a Broadway play, starring Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman. While I had heard mixed reviews, I was a bit nervous to see it, but I had to for both my Acting and Script Analysis classes. I have to say that it is a very powerful play, and both Julia Stiles and Bill Pullman did a phenomenal job. Interestingly enough, while I was outside of the theatre, waiting for the play to begin, Eric Siegel (a guy I went to Long Lake Camp with about eight years ago) was walking by and recognized me!! It was the weirdest thing! It was nice to chat with him and meet some of his friends, while finding out that he goes to school close to me, so I hope to meet up with him again soon.

Most recently, my friend Sarina and I attempted going to Rockefeller Center for the lighting of the tree, but because we both had class until 4:45, we got there and it was packed. Due to the rain and the crowd, we ended up leaving and having dinner in Times Square, which was fun. I also went to the American Eagle store in Times Square and found out they were hiring, so I applied! I am hoping to get an interview...we shall see!

Well, 17 days until I am home for Winter Break!! I am beyond excited...to see friends and family, get out of the city for a month, and relax. That being said, I know that I need to focus on getting all my work done just a bit longer. I am doing well this semester, and I am very thankful for that. I am continually blessed with having great friends here.

'Til next time!

AMAs, NYC, and More

So, I don't know why, but I woke up at 8 a.m. and couldn't fall back asleep, so I figured I would blog! The AMAs were on last night, NYC life (and NYU) is going well, and I continue to see how blessed I am in many different areas of my life.

First, and most recent, let's discuss a bit about the AMAs. In one word, they were "interesting." I was really excited, mainly because my favorite artist EVER, the beautiful Miss Carrie Underwood, was performing and up for an award ("Favorite Country Female.") To begin the show, there was an eight-minute Janet Jackson performance, which did not reach my expectations. First of all, she was lip-synching. Personally, as a singer, I lose respect for people when they lip-synch. Ok, I understand that if you are going to have crazy dance moves, it is easier to lip-synch so your voice doesn't sound all wobbly. BUT, you are a performer and people have bought your album, and want to hear your voice. I must say that the ONLY exception I find to this rule is Britney Spears. Even though she lip-synchs about 95% of the time, I LOVE her music and performances. Here is the difference: Britney is an entertainer, not a vocalist. Continuing on, Daughtry also gave a strong performance. Their second album is still growing on me...I LOVED their first album, and I still listen to it regularly. The Black Eyed Peas did pretty well, too. My friend Jordan made a good observation...saying that what they did was "hard to perform live." He was right. They have had a good career, and it is sad to see them disband, but I am sure that they will all continue to find success. Kelly Clarkson was, in a word, phenomenal. First of all, I think my favorite song of her's EVER is "Already Gone." I was SO happy when I saw that that was the song she was singing. She continues to showcase amazing vocals. The last concert I saw before I moved to NYC was a Kelly Clarkson concert...it was incredible. Carrie did amazing. While I was hoping she was going to sing "Temporary Home" or "Change," she did "Cowboy Casanova" and rocked it. I love that each performance from her shows her growth as an artist and performer. Her vocals were stunning...at points, I thought the background singers were a bit too loud, but they sounded good. Whitney Houston proved that she is "back," Mary J. Blige gave a strong and stunning performance, Lady Gaga's performance was a Lady Gaga performance, and Keith Urban showed why he won "Favorite Country Male." In addition, Green Day did well, Jennifer Lopez not only fell, but lip-synch, and Jay-Z and Alicia Keys proved that they were in an "Empire State of Mind." Shakira did pretty well, while Eminem seems to be stronger, now that he is out of rehab. For me, the BIGGEST disappoint of the night was that Adam Lambert not only performed, but closed the show, and that Kris Allen didn't perform, but presented. First of all, Kris Allen is so talented, and completely deserved the title of 'American Idol.' Adam Lambert, on the other hand, delivered an embarrassing performance, filled with sexual moves and off-pitch vocals. All during this past season of 'American Idol,' I remember being a fan of ONE Adam Lambert performance: Mad World. I was a fan of Kris Allen every week. While Adam may have been nervous, his performance to me seemed like he was trying too hard. It was an appalling performance, and I really do think that his record sales are going to suffer. During 'Idol,' he won the hearts of a lot of people, and now they all seem to be shocked, mainly because he didn't show any vocal talent, only a lot of screeching. So, all that being said, I am sure these AMAs won't be forgotten easily. Lastly, I was happy that Michael Jackson received the awards for Favorite Male Artist in the Pop/Rock and Soul/R&B categories, as well as two others. Whitney Houston completely deserved the "International Artist of the Year' award, while I don't think that Taylor Swift should have won "Favorite Country Female" over Carrie or Reba, or the "Artist of the Year" award over Jackson. Additionally, Taylor took the "Favorite Pop/Rock Female" over Beyonce and Lady Gaga? This is a problem. Taylor isn't pop or rock, she is country. This all being said, I need to remember that the votes were from the fans, and Taylor does have a strong fan base. I am rooting for Carrie to win the People's Choice Awards for "Favorite Female Artist" and "Favorite Country Artist."

In other news, I am continuing to love NYC and NYU. A couple weeks ago, I was really sick, which caused me to be rather depressed and just wanting to go home. I was convinced that I was going to take next semester off, stay home, and get a job. Now that I look back on that thought process, I realize that it was just because I was quarantined to my room, and hating life. I continue to understand how blessed I am to be here, and to have met so many awesome people. The semester is beginning to wind down. After Thanksgiving break is over, it will be a crazy...auditions will be the main focus. Two of my friends from the summer, Jaimee and Jacquie, are coming to chill with me for Thanksgiving Break, and we are planning on having a great time...including going to the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade!! I am so excited.

While I love NYC, I am counting down the days until I go home. I didn't believe it when I first heard it, but the city really does get to you after awhile. I am looking forward to the nature aspect of life again...going outside and seeing my backyard, instead of nothing but buildings. Like I said, the city is nice, but I never realized how much of a "country boy" I am until I moved here. I am also eager to see my friends from home again. I miss soooo many people.

Well, that is all for now. I am sure I will blog again sometime soon. I think I might be getting addicted! Oh well, better than an addiction to drugs...lol. 'Til next time!

One of the hardest days...ever.

So, I woke up this morning...and I was having a good day. I had plenty of time to get ready for class, and then catch the bus. When I was on the bus, I got this text message from my sister that read "Have you talked to mom lately?" Immediately, I could tell that something was wrong. I responded, "No. Why?" She replied, "Madeline is really sick james :-( " For those of you who don't know, Madeline is my dog. I got her as a birthday present when I was six or seven. Immediately, I told my sister to tell me everything. She told me that last night (Sunday), she was bleeding and throwing up, and that she just wanted to stay in a pile of leaves in our front yard.

When I got off the bus, I called my mom and began asking her questions. She said she hadn't called me because she didn't want to upset me, which I can understand. But, I needed to know. My mom told me that when she got home, Madeline didn't want to come into the house. She further explained that she had found my dog by my dad's smokehouse, and that she seemed like she just wanted to be alone. Eventually, Madeline went inside and slept on the couch, which is where she normally sleeps. My mom stayed with her for a little bit, and then headed to bed. She told me that she was worried that she was going to wake up the next morning, and that Madeline was not going to wake up. I continued to ask my mom if they were going to take her to the vet. She told me that they were going to take her at 3, and that the only solution may be to put her down. Immediately, I began to tear up, and my voice was trembling as I continued to talk to my mom. She had to go, so I told her that I would call her after class.

All during class, I could hardly focus, knowing that Madeline, part of the family since I can remember, was dying. Time seemed to go by so slowly, and I just wanted class to end so I could call my mom back. Eventually, I got through class, which went really well...surprisingly.

As I was in the elevator, leaving the building I had just had class in, I called my mom back. As soon as she answered, I told her that I was calling to get an update. She told me that she, along with my dad and middle sister, had taken Madeline to the vet. They had decided to put her down. Immediately, I was silent, knowing that I was going to go home during Christmas break, and find that my dog and friend was not there. My mom said that she was so sorry and that she loved me. I told her that I loved her back, and hung up the phone.

To be honest, I don't think the reality has really set in yet. I am sure that it will hit me most when I go home for break, walk through the door, and expect to be greeted by Madeline. I loved her, and still love her, so much. She was a companion that always made you smile. She would greet you with a cheerful bark, peppy bounce, raised ears, and youthful jog. You always knew she was coming...you could hear her toenails hit the wood floor, as well as her rhythmic pattern making way up the stairs. I am going to miss her so much...I can't even express in words. I am happy to know that she is no longer suffering...she was such a strong dog. She would run with my mom all the time, and I believe that is what made her so strong.

To Madeline: Thank you for so many years of joy. You always made me smile. I love you SO MUCH. You will always have a place in my heart. You will never be forgotten. Thank you for bringing out the best in me. I miss you so so much.

My first blog!

So, I decided to take up blogging...it is fun, easy, and allows people to know what is going on with me! I used to have a LiveJournal account, but I didn't really like it. Just a bit of an update when it comes to my life...

I am now living in New York City, the greatest city in the world! I am attending New York University (NYU) to get my Master's degree in vocal performance (musical theatre emphasis). I am loving it so far, although I miss home a lot. I have met, and am still meeting, some amazing people! In my program, there are about 16 of us, and we all come from different places around the country, with one girl from Korea! We have all become good friends and are continuing to allow our friendships to grow! Overall, I am enjoying my classes. The only class that frustrates me is my Script Analysis class. In this class, we have to read a play (fun, right?!) and then write a paper, in which we analyze and summarize the play. The teacher doesn't really explain himself all that well, which is what is so frustrating. I am finding that things at NYU are much different than at Houghton, which is where I went for my Bachelor's degree. The most obvious difference being that Houghton was in the middle of nowhere, while NYU is right in the middle of one of the world's biggest cities. While there are things I miss about Houghton (mainly the people!), I am lovin' NYC and all it has to offer!

On November 1, I auditioned for 'America's Got Talent.' It was a great experience, and I think it went really well! If I am chosen to go to the next stage, I will hear from them in late January/early February. *fingers crossed!*

More recently, my favorite singer just released another album! For those of you who know me, you already know that I am referring to the beautiful Miss Carrie Underwood! I can't get enough of her two previous albums, 'Some Hearts' and 'Carnival Ride,' and I am absolutely IN LOVE with her third album, 'Play On.' I find myself continually listening to this album! When I first heard the album, my favorite song was 'Temporary Home,' which is an amazing ballad that Carrie wrote herself, along with two other writers. Now, that song is in competition with the song 'Change,' a song that reminds us to never stop being the change we want to see in the world. On November 3, the day Carrie released her third album, I was fortunate enough to see her perform live at Lincoln Center during Good Morning America! It was an amazing experience. She performed her famous trilogy: 'Cowboy Casanova,' 'Last Name,' and 'Before He Cheats.' I was also fortunate enough to watch her perform at the Grand Ole Opry, which was live through MySpace. She looked beautiful, and it was the first time I heard her sing 'Temporary Home' live. I know that this album, 'Play On,' is going to do REALLY well. One last thing about Miss Underwood...as you can see, I could talk about her forever...she did a phenomenal job co-hosting the CMA Awards, along with Brad Paisley. I loved her performance of 'Cowboy Casanova.' It proved that not only is she growing as an artist, but she is becoming more and more comfortable with each performance. While I may be biased, I was SHOCKED when she lost 'Female Vocalist of the Year' to Taylor Swift, who may be entertaining, but definitely does not have a strong voice.

I continue to count my blessings. God has been so good to me. I am in a great city, attending a prestigious university.