Everyone, go RIGHT NOW and visit this website: http://www.virb.com/velcroowls. Their music is beautiful and inspired, not to mention that one of the members of the band happens to be one of my good friends. :) Do it!!

In other news, bring on the holiday season!! I love this time of year. The local radio station has gone to 24 hour Christmas songs. I just bought a ton of new music with my birthday money! The family is together more. School is ENDING! I get more time with old friends from around Cville. I get more free time in GENERAL. I also love giving presents to people...I always try to buy ones that will really make them smile and be helpful. :) It's the best feeling when someone really likes your gift because they know it was given with love and had some thought put into it!

I'm almost done gathering info for my Palestrina paper. Just a little more and I can start revising my rough draft. I have that and my Garage Band final thing to really worry about for the next two weeks, so I'm honestly not stressing too much. A few finals here and there, coming home during finals week for THE MESSIAH SING-IN!!!!!, decorating the house and really getting into the holiday spirit...it's all looking up from now until the end of the year! Working at the AFC today really helped it sink it--it's the holiday season and I'm going to be home for a month (!!!!) in two weeks!!!! :)

I'm so thankful for all the many blessings in my life. One on my heart tonight that stands out is my friend Carter and his music. Carter's the "good friend" I mentioned earlier with the website up there (another shameless plug: GO LISTEN!). He's been making music with his friend Chris while they're 600 miles apart, and it's just incredible. Carter's music has always spoken to me. He's done some very creative things with his compositions, and I absolutely fell in love with his musical style after the first time I heard one of his songs. It seems like every time he sends me music, I fall in love with it all over again. It speaks to me the way I hope music speaks to everyone at one point or another in their lives...I feel so connected to him and his music. His outlook on life is so unique, and not only does that show through in his music, but it also becomes evident in his artwork and photography. He is going places fast--and I just hope he remembers me when he's all famous one day. ;) Knowing Carter and listening to his music has shown me just how powerful music can be...and it reminds me every time I listen to it why I want to be a music educator. There are musical prodigies out there who, if not given the chance to shine, will fade away into the distance. I'm going to have my kids do all sorts of crazy things in my classroom...and Carter's responsible for showing me why it's important to cultivate diverse musical interests in my kids (and most definitely myself). Thank you, Carter, for being you. :)