Chills...

Sooo, I have a cold. A bad one. The kind that makes your whole head ache, behind your eyes, all the way past your cheekbones. The kind that when you talk, the own vibration of your voice makes your head pound harder.

Yeeeeup. It sucks. I've had to skip work the past two days because of how disgusting I feel, and I would hate to pass it to anyone else. Plus, this morning, I lost most of my voice. Which is kind of entertaining for me, I enjoy it when I can't talk right, when it changes my voice. Its entertaining, because I have no control over it, just like if you suck in helium, and it makes your voice really high, or if you have a bubble in your throat. Weird, I know. But its an easy way to entertain myself when I have nothing else to do while stuck at home.

On the other hand, its a bummer because when this happens, it usually means I won't regain my singing voice and normal range that I work hard to keep and extend for at least a month. It sucks because after I had pneumonia, it kind of ruined my singing voice, and even all of my work hasn't allowed me to completely regain it without coughing. So I'm worried that my cold will ruin all I've gained.

Also, its Sturgis Falls weekend. I missed My Waterloo Days while I was on a horrible trip in Tennessee. I was really excited about it because I wanted Anthony and I to go together. I thought it'd be a great memory maker. But I missed it, so I don't want to miss Sturgis this weekend, even if I'm sick. It started Friday, and ends on Sunday.

Granted, Sturgis is a lot smaller than My Waterloo Days. There isn't a ferris wheel, which is my favorite ride, but oh well. I figure we can still eat some funnel cake and ride the carousel.

I'm scheduled to work 12-5 tomorrow. I'm going to try to get it off, otherwise I'll call in sick. Is it awful that I feel that I'm sick enough that I don't want to work for 5 hours, plus pass the germs on or blow my nose constantly, and get completely worn out as I'm not allowed to sit at all during my shift? But I feel well enough/determined enough to go to Sturgis with Anthony on Sunday for just an hour, so I can get that funnel cake and ride that carousel and snap a few pictures?

I don't know. But I do know I hate being sick. With a passion. Uhg!

Summer days, drifting away...

I love summer. With a passion. Its the season I look forward to all year long.

Summer means an explosion of green, warm breezes, lazy Sundays, Cup of Joe with live music on Friday and Saturday nights, open late. Spending time with meaningful friends, making meaningful memories, making new friends, or reestablishing an old connection. I love it. :)

Summer feels packed full of opportunity and possibilities. Like anything can happen!

I can't believe its already almost July, and I haven't even done half the things I've wanted to.

I played at Open Mic at Jamesons last night, it went okay the first two songs (I sang "Wish You Were" by Kate Voegele, and then "Halfway Without You" by myself) but when I went to sing my last song, "Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen, I completely forgot which fret I was supposed to be on, and how it started out. Disastrous. I tried a few times before finally giving up with a smile.

I was pretty down about it, but lucky for me, I was surrounded by awesome people: My boyfriend, Anthony, who hugged me while I cried a few mortified tears. Karla, who came up, hugged me and told me that it happens to everyone. And then my super awesome friend, Kate, who told me to just practice and come back, sign up to be first and be like "I figured it out, bitches!" and blow them away. I felt a lot better, and I've already started choosing my songs for next week. :)

I'm trying to branch out, so if anyone has any songs they like, let me know. I really want to learn a variety.

What I'm currently into:

Regina Spektor

Kate Voegele

Bethany Joy Lenz Galeotti (Everly)

Coldplay

Michael Buble

I love classics, oldies, and anything acoustic. I'm an indie fan, but I'll play just about anything. :)

Things I want to do this summer:

1. Go on a road trip with my boyfriend, or a friend.

2. Go swimming at the Water Park.

3. Go to a fair, ride the Ferris Wheel and eat funnel cake.

4. Go barefoot.

5. Have a picnic.

6. Try camping (kinda scary for me, since I fear bugs, and am not particularly a fan of using the outdoors as a bathroom)

7. Write a blog, start documenting my life a little. :) IN PROCESS.

8. Take lots of pictures and make a scrapbook.

9. Paint my room, and display my art.

10. Take pictures of friends and landscape, animals and just whatever to start building my photography portfolio.

Yes, in case I haven't mentioned earlier, I've been accepted into the photography program at Hawkeye Community College here in town. Its apparently the second best photography school in the Nation. Who knew! In Iowa! Wow. Lucky me! =)

This weekend is Sturgis Falls, so I'm excited about going. Hopefully will get that #3 on the list knocked out. Thinking I'll probably go with Anthony or Kate. Psyched!

Also, the 4th of July is coming up. I'm way excited since its my all-time favorite holiday. That's right, not Christmas, not Thanksgiving, not my birthday. I LOVE the 4th of July.

So yeah, there is a quick update. I've been working a lot, so I'm really sorry for not posting lately. =/ I will try to keep on top of things from now on, even if its just a short post once a week.

Hope you all are having a wonderful, fun filled summer!

~Dia