In Memory . . .

. . . of Leonard Bernstein, on his 100th birthday. He had a passion greater than many musicians, a desire to make music a connecting point for humans anywhere, and a heart for teaching. 

All images not my own.

Violinists are weird

We do photoshoots with our instruments, cuz they're pretty. 

This first one's dark, I know, but it adds to the mystery of the picture.

Thoughts on Makeup

Sorry if you don't think this topic is interesting. . . but bear with me please! 🙂

I've worn powder on my face since I was about fourteen --- I have oily skin, so the powder helps control the oil. I think the powder is barely tinted, but it's not clown white. When I turned sixteen Mom and I talked briefly about makeup but it never got anywhere, and I wasn't overly interested. Mom wears makeup but it's all natural stuff and all powders, so her look is really natural. She has face powder and blush. She tried eye shadow two or so years ago and it bothered her eyes. She's not worn any concealer, contour, lipsticks,  mascara or eyebrow stuff for a very long time (college days --- and even then I don't know if she did anything with concealer, contour, or eyebrows). Anyway, I think her choices have influenced me about what makeup is for and how to use it. 

For the girly girl who likes her sparkle like me, it's easy to go overboard with other things in life, so now that I am branching out on this limb (ha!), I'm being very careful about how I do things. I think everything makeup should be done tastefully, simply, and naturally. No hot pink or black lips for me! No bruised eyes (okay be honest, some smoky eyes look bruised)! But keep in mind that a girl can wear natural makeup and not be beautiful and modest --- because those come from the inside. And I don't need to wear it. I don't want to become "addicted" in a sense to it. I want to be able to comfortably walk out of the house without it and be myself. Makeup should not define me. 

Yesterday I got my first real makeup item --- an Almay rose gold eye shadow quad. It's really pretty, light and delicate. I haven't experimented with it yet, but it goes really well with my skin. There's a slightly darker matte, a metallic, a satin, and a glitter. I am excited to try it. I hope I can wear it tastefully and subtly. 

Wow, I actually posted twice this week! (hint: it's called spring break 😉)

Some Favorite Quotes

Hello, friends! 

Melani, who blogs at reflectionsoftheheart.wordpress.com recently did a post with her favorite sayings and inspirational quotes, and I thought'd I'd share some of mine too. 

"Sometimes I wonder if more girls were willing to be ladies, more guys would feel challenged to be gentlemen." -anonymous 

"Your demeanor and clothing speak before you do. What do they say?" -anonymous 

"Character, like photographs, develop in darkness." -Yousuf Karsh

 "Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph." -Matt Hardy 

"Don't shine so others see you, shine so that through you people see God." -C.S. Lewis

"I should be sorry if I only entertained them with my music. I wish to make them better!" -Handel

"Time is a wonderful teacher, unfortunately it kills all its pupils." -Hector Berlioz

"If a composer could say with words what he meant, he would not bother trying to say it with his music." -Gustav Mahler

"Music is the art which is most nigh to tears and memory."-unknown 

And finally, a quote from the great Leonard Bernstein... 

"Art never stopped a war or got anybody a job. Art cannot change events. But it can affect people so that they are enriched, ennobled, encouraged. They then can act in a way that may affect the course of events.... by the way they
behave, think, vote, and are."

What are your favorite quotes? I'd love to hear them!

Music.... ramblings

I love music because it gives me joy; it gives me a glimpse into eternity. Music can help me in any situation, to help me express myself, to feel happy or serious. Music teaches me patience.
Music is satisfying. Performing music solo is a thrill I cannot describe. Music is something not everyone can enjoy and give, and if you can, give it to others.
My heart is always full of music, of the love of music, of the struggle with music. If you don't hear me singing or humming, you can be sure I'm listening to music. I would have the radio going always except when practicing, if I could. My family is not the same way, so I do try to respect that. I have a whole folder on the computer labeled: Music. Yep, and it's a pretty long collection.
I'm always trying to learn, to improve, and yet still enjoy. I don't want to be "broken". My own teacher was, and I know many other music students (not his) often are. If you don't like music or enjoy playing, don't. You won't put effort into it as someone who loves it would, and we can tell.


Goodness...... I hope you didn't mind reading my ramblings. Also, I need more blog post ideas. 
Got any? 

Once More, My Soul

Once more, my soul, the rising day 

Salutes thy waking eyes;

Once more, my voice, thy tribute pay, 

To Him that rules the skies!

Night unto night His name repeats, 

The day renews the sound

Wide as the heav'n on which He sits,

To turn the seasons round.

Tis He supports my mortal frame,

My tongue shall speak his praise;

My sins would rouse His wrath to flame,

And yet his wrath delays.

One a poor worm Thy pow'r might tread,

And I could ne'er withstand;

Thy justice might have crush'd me dead,

But mercy held Thine hand.

A thousand wretched souls are fled,

Since the last setting sun, 

And yet Thou length'nest out my thread,

And yet my moments run.

Dear God, let all my hours beThine

Whilst I enjoy the light,

Then shall my sun in smiles decline

And bring a pleasant night.

~Isaac Watts

Outward beauty in this age

(Pine tree blossoms)

From McGuffey's fourth eclectic reader:
"I would desire the fairer of the sexes to consider how impossible it is for them to add anything that can be ornamental to what is already the masterpiece of nature [God]. The head has the most beautiful appearance as well as the highest station, in the human figure. Nature [God] has laid out all her [His] art in beautifying the face. She [He] has touched it with vermilion, planted it with a double row of ivory, made it the seat of smiles and blushes, lighted it up and enlivened it with the brightness of the eyes, hung it on each side with curious organs of sense, given it airs and graces that cannot be described, and surrounded it with such a flowing shade of hair, as sets all its beauties in the most agreeable light. In short, she [He] seems to have designed the head as the cupola to the most glorious of her [His] works, and when we load it with such a pile of supernumerary ornaments we destroy the symmetry of the human figure, and foolishly contrive to call of the eye from the great and real beauties, to childish gewgaws, ribbons, and bonelace." (I like to think, instead of ribbons and bonelace, jewelry, hairstyles, and makeup.)

This quote has had me pondering the vanities of this world. We are often so obsessed with the modern version of beauty, which in reality is reduced to nothing but fripperies and the lusts of the flesh. Let us cease to be caught up in it, and let's instead show real beauty. Let's reflect our great Creator with our looks as well as our hearts. This is definitely not easy to do in this age, but it is possible to be simple and yet tasteful in one's styles of adornment.

Till next time,