I'm in a mood...

I have not wanted to go to work the entire week this week, I just want to take a long vacation and get a break from this place... I am just irritable about little stuff having to do with my job... and as a consquence to having a three-day weekend last weekend, I have a night class tomorrow night, which makes this coming weekend seem a whole lot shorter!! I just want to go to sleep... and I have another 6.5 hours left in this God-forsaken place.

The graduates!!!

Tyler graduated a couple nights ago from Marcos de Niza High school!! What a fun night!



We also had a party for both Shawn and Tyler for their graduations!! Super-fun gathering of people:


Shawn got a flying-V guitar from his wife Nicole and friend Joel



Shawn's best friend since high school


It was a really great time!

midnight showing

Saw Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End last night... it was really awesome! I loved it... granted it was way long, and a lot of plot development... but I enjoyed it thorouhgly... I am exhausted and almost falling asleep at work right now, but it was totally worth it!! So when you go be prepared for a lot of storyline and some cool twists and turns.

Tyler also graduated last night... YAY!!! So proud!!

A chance at life again

I had my first migraine in 7 years yesterday... I use to get them all the time, but then I got braces and thought I was done with them forever... that until yesterday. I have discovered that I have two vertebrae displaced in my cervical (neck) region and I believe that was the culprit involved in welcoming the heinous headache. It came upon me at aound 10am and I couldn't leave work until 8pm, so I was miserable for most of the day. I came home put a hot wet towel on my face and fell asleep at around 8:30pm and woke up out of a comatose state at 6:30am... granted my neck is still dislodged but at least I don't feel like a dutiful little elf is inside my head pick-axing it's way to freedom behind my eye. So am feeling a renewed sense of life this morning.

The recap of the last few weeks is underway... now:

Shawn graduated from college!!!! YAY!!!! We all trekked out to ASU west to see the momentus occasion. Shawn's best friend Aaron even surprised him and flew in a day early from Georgia to see his friend graduate. It was so cool to see Shawn finish college. Now he is looking for a job. His degree is in Art (he loves video editing and would love to be involved with that creative outlet in some way). So after the ceremony and the many photo-ops we all went to Shang Hi restaurant for some delicious quisine. It was fun to hang out and since we all hadn't seen Aaron in 6 months we were excited to get to spend time with him. Both my brothers are actually graduating this year! So this coming week will be full of grad parties and other exciting festivities.

Then is was mother's day... what a great time! Shawn and Nicole came over and had brunch with us the saturday before actual mother's day... Sunday's are always hard for my parents because of all their involvment at our church, that they wanted to celebrate the day before. So Shawn and Nicole made these amazing egg sandwhiches they had discovered on the food network and we opened presents and then my mom, Nicole and I did what we love most - SHOP!! Our destination was Tiedemann's thrift store down the street from my parents house... truly an amazing thrift store with awesome clothes!! I made out like bandit with three shirts, two pairs of pants and a gorgeous vintage dress circa 1950's... all for the bargain price of $24.

Then that evening Tyler went to prom!!! My little bro - or should I say YOUNGER brother (he's 6'4") - went to his senior Prom. He went stag and acted as chauffeur for his friends and their dates, but he said he had a blast... He also got his tux at a thrift store and it fit him like a glove... we are such a bargain family!!

Last but not the least post worthy event was going to see Light in the Piazza with Nancy, Amy, and my mom. It was playing at Gammage and we all decided to make a night of it and go... when we bought the tickets 6 months ago we didn't expect to have a Phoenix Suns play-off game the same night (nor did I personally care), but I was with three HUGE Suns fans, so during the show Amy's phone screen would silently light up with the score. The musical was great... the Suns were not. But the night was memorable.

Sorry that this post was long in coming... but finals week at work and a new quarter starting has taken up most of my time... now that things have settled down I will stay more in contact.

I do have a post planned about Shawn's graduation, Tyler's prom, and seeing Light in Piazza with Nancy, Amy, and my mom... but I just haven't had time to actually sit down and type it all out... but I wanted you to know it is coming sometime in the next day or so... trust me.

JERSEY BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!

Jersey Boys is coming to Gammage... who's going with me?... this Sept - Oct!!!!!!

what makes me sad

I had one of those really great dreams last night where life was perfect and everything was marvelously... perfect... they throw off my entire day because they are so real and so I can't stop thinking about it... I try to remember bits and pieces, but as the day goes on they slowly slip away from you and you are left with pit in your stomache because the day won't be as great as the dream. I love and hate these dreams...

relief

so I know it is only 8pm and I am at work for another 4 hours, but I just finished up lecture and only have demo and hands-on left and those are completely free of me having to use brain power, so I feel like it is smooth sailing for the rest of the night. Then tomorrow I have to work for 4 hours in the morning and I get the rest of the day off... now don't start thinking I have it easy... I did work 8 hours yesterday, 9 hours today, I will work 10 hours on thursday and another 10 hours on friday... so tomorrow is a wonderful day for me.

Tattoo

I have decided that this summer I am going to get a tattoo... I need help though determining where the best tattoo place is... I have already picked out the design and for the last two years I have been wanting to get it, but it was just a matter of getting the nerve... but I want it now... I do. Here is my drawing of what I want... I'll probably have Shawn or Tyler draw a better version to actually get tattood on. I want to get it on the top of my foot

I have been amazed

Last night was Tyler's "night of shorts" performance... Students at Marcos in the advanced Drama class have an opportunity at the end of the year to write and direct a play that will possibly get chosen for a "night of shorts" to be performed in front of an audience... Then once the directors are chosen students from the entire school get to audition for the plays. Tyler was the lead in his friend Noah's play. Now Tyler didn't tell us a single thing about what his show was about except the fact that I may cry... well thanks Tyler. Each play is about 15 minutes long, so I am thinking they are going to have to really milk it for me to cry... apparently my brother is a genius and really milks it good... in fact he didn't have to milk it at all... the show was so well written and Noah directed Tyler in such an amazing way that amazed me. The show is called leaving and is about a young man (Tyler) reflecting on his life and the last 15 minutes of his life before he is killed... It was witty and prolific and poignant. Tyler did such an incredible job... I knew he had it in him, but last night it was genius.

There was also another show called Axiomatic... very clever. Several people are in line to get into a night club with a bouncer letting them know if they are able to get it. As the dialog unfold you realize the club represents heaven and the bouncer - a stoic St. Peter. Tyler's character from the previous play pops up and is able to get in due to his red card... There are several characters that are challenged as to whether or not they are able to get in, some chose not to, some are not allowed to. Through the amazingly intelligent writing they represent different life decision from religion to homosexuality to abortion. I know what you all are thinking... how did this show get to be performed? Because the writing was amazing!!! There was absolutely nothing offensive and the topics were presented but with no bias or specific standpoint... Really thought provoking. I loved it.

All in all it was a great night of theater. The performances are continuing tonight and tomorrow night if you live in AZ and want to attend... in the Marcos de Niza drama room $5 admission.

It is getting so hot outside...

I always seem to be caught off guard when summer rolls around... I mean I have lived in AZ all my life, but the heat always is miserably dissappointing to experience. I am a winter autumn girl... I love jeans and jackets and scarfs and bundling up in my house... but alas I live in Arizona. So I have become use to surviving the heat come summer time, but I still can't believe that we hit 100 degrees at the beginning of may unstead of waiting until actual summer time in June... ugh. So my solution this year to the heat... a hair cut!!

I just got sick of my hair touching my neck... and if you have ever met me you know that I abhor wear the same hair style every day, so a daily ponytail was out of the question... so I went down to Dolce for my bi-annual hair cut and had Kate (my regular hairdresser) cut it off... I was actually really surprised with the result because I did not plan to go this short... but what is done is done and I LOVE IT!!! I love how it kind of spikes in the back if I want it too... and after getting home after work last night and getting to mess around with it I have already discovered some really cute hairstyles I will be sporting!!

I worked at Southwestern University the past three days doing chair massage for all the students during their finals week... my friend Leah and I rocked the massage... I did this last semester for them as well and I had forgotten how fun it is. Chuck Hunter (my brother's wife's brother's wife's sister's husband - whom I go to church with) is the head students director there or something and got me the gig. So for three days students got free five minute massages! What a treat for them... they were so appreciative. Southwestern is a Bible college and so they all were sitting around where we were waiting for their turn and studying for classes like "Biblical Prophets" and "Old Testiment History"... very entertaining with questions being thrown out like "which old testiment prophet was called to marry the prostitute Gomer?" - I KNOW I KNOW!!! Hosea... thank you Francine Rivers! hehe. I also got to listen in a couple guys talking about churches around the valley... you'll be happy to knowt that Open Door was mentioned with positive comments about both John and Randy!!! SCORE!! I promptly told them that was my church and Randy was my dad... proud daughter!

Five of the girls I gave massage to were planning their weddings for this summer... it is true what they say about Christian Colleges and girls majoring in an MRS. Degree... but what can I say with the guys I saw. And yes Nicole the guy was there again... hehe... plus the guy I see around church every sunday (who I found out this week has a girlfriend).

Now I am getting ready for an evening with the fam!! Tyler is starring in a One-Act at school this weekend... the show is directed by his friend Noah... I am anxious to see it tonight! Tyler also rocked the house tuesday night I hear with his solo at his choir concert... he sang an Incubus song, but I don't know which one as I was not there (stupid work), but he was accompanied by pre-recorded GarageBand mixed music by Shawn!! I guess it was amazing and I will look forward to watching the tape!

I'm off now... I'll see you all later!

Joel Try

Have to tell you all how awesome Joel was on Sunday giving the message... if you didn't get to hear him, check out the message on the church website... it was really really good. Then Amy sang a song by David Wilcox called Show the Way and I completely broke down crying... what a beautiful song sung by a beautiful voice... lyrics below.

SHOW THE WAY

You say you see no hope, you say you see no reason
We should dream that the world would ever change
You're saying love is foolish to believe
'Cause there'll always be some crazy with an Army or a Knife
To wake you from your day dream, put the fear back in your life...

Look, if someone wrote a play just to glorify
What's stronger than hate, would they not arrange the stage
To look as if the hero came too late he's almost in defeat
It's looking like the Evil side will win, so on the Edge
Of every seat, from the moment that the whole thing begins
It is...

Chorus:
Love who makes the mortar
And it's love who stacked these stones
And it's love who made the stage here
Although it looks like we're alone
In this scene set in shadows
Like the night is here to stay
There is evil cast around us
But it's love that wrote the play...
For in this darkness love can show the way

So now the stage is set. Feel you own heart beating
In your chest. This life's not over yet.
so we get up on our feet and do our best. We play against the
Fear. We play against the reasons not to try
We're playing for the tears burning in the happy angel's eyes
For it's...

Okay... I totally want this!! makes me regress back to elementary school age!!

Chris Thile's song

funny video

Okay so I have watched this like a million times already at work - my friend Tom just keeps playing it over and over again... but it is so flippin hilarious and it makes me laugh everytime... especially Will Ferrell... it's got some language, so beware, but it is just so odd and entertaining.

http://sjl.funnyordie.com/v1/view_video.php?viewkey=3efbc24c7d2583be6925

Nickel Creek Rocks!!!

Still completely on cloud nine from tonights show... I was smiling ear to ear the whole set!!! Chris looked so handsome and played extraordinairily!! Sarah was feeling a bit under the weather, but despite that a fury on the fiddle! and Sean carried them on guitar like no other... even their touring uprigt bass player blew the crowd away with some soft shoe at the end... priceless joys.

Jeannette and I sat in awe of the amazingness that is Nickel Creek!!! Tift Merritt, who opened for them, starting the night off with some haunting folk ballads... she has a great voice! Then Nickel Creek graced the stage and immediantly when into a new song not recorded and then into "The Fox" - a favorite... I even bought one of their souvenir shirts in homage to that song Then they exploded into the rest of their set... I kept getting caught off guard at the fact that this would more than likely be my last time seeing them live and how much I will miss them.

My favorite show of the night was a new song by Chris called "if you leave me" it basically is a request to all those people who break up with you before you are ready for the relationship to be done... it is light and poppy in style... one of the lines is "who will I take to the grammy's, who will I make out with when I win... if you want to leave me... at least hook me up with one of your friends"... I laughed so hard the whole song... and thought how I would love to be his date to the grammy's if he needed one.

So after the show I promptly made my way up to the stage and got one of the 4 set lists taped to the stage and then Jeannette and I headed to the bus to get a chance to take a picture or two with Chris... To our great luck we got our chance... we even chatted him up about the tour and how he and his new band need to make it out to Arizona on their tour... a very witty exchange I might add... between Jeannette and myself, we made him laugh!! (score!!) Then he signed my set-list and took a picture with me (see above)... it was awesome.

I will miss my Nickel Creek... favorite band is breaking up... but they were wonderful while they lasted! Here is to you Nickel Creek for producing some of the best instrumentation!! and To you Chris for helping me fall in love with the Mandolin.

Tomorrow Night!!!

So overly excited about seeing Nickel Creek tomorrow night... It will a great show!!! I just can't believe that they will be breaking up after this tour! If I am lucky I will be getting to talk to Chris Thile this time as well.

Didn't feel too well today - persistant headache and occasional nausea... but I am feeling better now and about to go sleep very deeply.

Next week I have a massage gig at Southwestern University giving chair massages during their finals week... I did it last semester too and reallly enjoyed it... The funniest thing is hearing them study for some of their finale... stuff said like, "Why didn't Job want to go to Ninevah", "memorize Psalm 91", "Name the old testiment prophets in alphabetical order"... oh christian university! Awesome stuff. I am sure anyone at a massage school during finals week would have an ear full of funny things, "now if a stroke is moving longitudinally distal to proximal on the achilles tendon, what is the action at the ankle joint going to be?"... anyone. But the chair massage will be fun... especially since I am hanging out with my friend Leah as well.

My last few posts have been painfully boring... I know. I just don't seem to be in the groove of posting right now... anyone have anything particular they would like me to post about, please let me know... nothing too excited at the moment in the life of Miranda

I visted my friend Jonnie's church this morning... she attends Mountain Park Community Church on Pecos Rd and 24th street... WAY SOUTH. It was actually a really great church... their sound system was awesome, their musicians are great, and their pastor gave a neat message. Then after church Stephanie and I went shopping. I took her to Chandler Fashion Center (she had never been) and then we hit up Nordstrom Rack and Ross. It was just awesome hanging out with Steph. I got two new pairs of casual shoes - 4 shirts and a box of hair dye... the red washed out again, so I bought a different hair dye brand and we'll try it again. I need to look my best for Nickel Creek this thursday because Jeannette and I are totally going to meet the band whatever it takes.

I am now in my apartment ready for an evening with my TV and new book "Children of Hurin" by JRR Tolkien - it was just released and is a story of middle earth before Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit took place. I hadn't even heard about it until Kevin mentioned it to me yesterday.

Real Life

I found out last night that my friend Jason from work has been diagnosed with Cancer... he went into the hospital complaining of stomache pains and upon doing x-rays they discovered he has a mass near his colon and one near his lungs and another near his kidney... the one near his colon is what is causing his pain so they took a sample of it a ran tests and discovered it is cancer. The good news is he does not have cancer in either his blood or his bones, so we are so thankful for that news.

I am so thankful that God protected him from something far worse... I know God already knows the outcome and I am hopeful that everything will work out well. God is a good God and a soveriegn God... this is all apart of His plan... I pray that Jason would be comforted and his family would feel God's peace.

Be praying for my friend Jason.

These are a few of my favorite things...

I kind of have a touch of a cold going on right now, so yesterday I went straight home after church and nested it would seem... I started unpacking a little more, which has been much needed! I also took some pictures of some vignettes around my place.

my bookcase... I put all my favorite books on one shelf

kitchen counter... thanks michelle for the wine... the basket is for my mail

A touch of paris (the bouquets are mine from Jeannette's and Jessica's weddings; the moulin rouge poster is from Amy's collection)

The entertainment... my iPod radio (70's style) and my movie collection


my dad came over and dropped off my bed frame, so now I have a bed and some storage room underneath it...


Now for the list of what I need for my apartment still:

1. couch
2. plastic office chair roller
3. blender
4. shelf for bathroom (either can hang above toilet or stand around the toilet)
5. 3 or 4 more lamps
6. wall mirror (black frame preferrable)
7. broom and dust pan
8. A couple or side tables for the living room
9. Pampered chef stuff... went to a party this weekend and started a wish list - I'm having a party sometime soon
10. baskets (ones that can sit on a book shelf)
11. picture frames

That's it for now... I think of stuff all the time.