Melissa's Soapbox
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Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in the "BelCanto142" journal:[<< Previous 20 entries]
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08:21 pm
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surreal visit to TCNJ (alum weekend)
So Stephen and I headed back to campus this afternoon for the TCNJ music alum concert in honor of Dr. Michael ("Doc") Mendoza, the chorale director - we got to Princeton Market Fair a little earlier so we could have a yummy lunch at PF Changs first - couldn't miss that while we were in the area- and then drove over to campus. Can't believe all the building going on next to the student center! We walked through the sc and I showed Stephen our DZ banner hanging up on the wall, and the old bench - he had been to TCNJ with me maybe twice before but showing him around never gets old - seems like there's always something going on there and it's usually new construction ;)
Then we got to the concert - I sat next to Gemma (don't remember her last name) who had been in chorale too and we caught up for a little while. I recognized a few faces in the group. As I read the program and the choir started to sing - they sounded beautiful - I was wondering why there was a young conductor from the class of 2007 doing most of the work and then the emotional part happened, seeing Doc (who had always had a spring in his step) walk slowly out to the podium and raise his slightly shaking hands - a very weird experience seeing a beloved professor forced to retire after 2 strokes - last one being in 2007 as I found out later from Gemma. I remembered crying in Doc's office once after an audition which turned out to have been better than I thought, and him being encouraging and saying that I should keep singing always because I had a gift. And he said the same thing today, that these people (the alum who had returned to perform) had a gift and they should continually be using it. I was so glad I went.
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09:05 am
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last day of my 20s...
So, I knew the day would come...I've been excited about 30 (and still am) but last night one of my best friends from college sent me a message to enjoy the last day of my 20s and I started bawling!! mostly from college-based nostalgia.
Anyway- 30 here i come.
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06:53 pm
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voting for Obama or not, this is classic...
I do respect the man. Check it out if you haven't seen:
http://television.aol.com/tvtop5/baracks-bad-boogie-ellen-degeneres/2293206
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02:41 pm
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meeting more relatives
My aunt Lina is back in the states and staying till September this time!! This is starting to become an annual occurrence! LOL. God bless the euro.
So I tell Stephen that we are going to my parents' for a barbecue this weekend and he is all excited- he loves aunt Lina, wants to learn Italian, etc. (I get the dubious job of teaching him.) Then my mom says that my dad's other cousins, Pino Maldari (my grandmother's side), his wife and another cousin is coming who is a priest! I know I told Stephen, but he says he has no recollection of those visitors...hopefully the topic of church won't come up at all, so that we don't have to explain that we aren't catholic, but became non-denominational evangelicals, lol.
Poor Stephen... family is always interesting...
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10:56 am
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Memorial Day
Hi everyone,
After many attempts to come down to Florida (last thanksgiving, then Feb, but never could make it due to the chicken store), Stephen and I finally managed to get down here. We arrived last Thursday afternoon and are leaving early tomorrow morning - staying at the inlaws' house while they are back in England. Good deal. It's been great just to chill hard at the country club, at the pool, on the golf course, etc. We have also gotten to recoup from the last several rough months and had a long, deep talk last night which I feel has started to recharge our marriage. We needed it.
We also started to talk more about kids - after the dust settles for a while, we want to start seriously trying to get pregnant, because as tomorrow is Stephen's 38th birthday and this year is my 30th, neither one of us is getting any younger! And it could take a while. To chime in on the # of kids question, we have decided that the ideal for us would definitely be 2- 1:1 ratio child to parent, plus there would be a sibling dynamic as opposed to having just 1. But as always, we will take what we are blessed with - or not.
Point being, we are starting to work together, get perspective on our situation and feel confident that life after the chicken place will be ok.
On a different note, this coming Saturday I will have my bridesmaid dress fitting for my friend Jessica's wedding in August so now I have an excuse to shed the 20-25 (!!) lbs that I have gained since being married. I saw some of the pictures that my inlaws have around here, and can't believe how chunky I am starting to look in pics. So after this week of nothing but eating, I need to get on it. Bleh.
Hope all are enjoying a safe and fun weekend :)
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03:48 pm
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new babies (for Jenn ;)
Our marketing manager at work just found out she is going to be an aunt for the first time, to a new baby girl! Her name?
Lily Marie!
So sweet - just had to share. :)
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06:09 pm
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the cluck stops here
(I know, cheesy subject line but I couldn't resist!! LOL)
well the location move promised to take 3-5 mos, and the bills weren't getting paid, so Everything Chicken is officially closing for business this weekend, as there is no more money to pour down the drain - as we speak stephen is cleaning out the store. Thanks to everyone for putting up with my rants. I am normally not this depressed of a person, at least I don't think so. :) It's going to take a miracle for us to come out the other side, but we don't give up hope of one actually happening- after all, unexpected things happen every day. Thank God we still all have our health and jobs to go to.
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04:25 pm
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a little bit of relief...
Well, Stephen just called to tell me that he got his old job back at Magellan, with a significant salary increase- he starts again on Monday. So we'll have a second income coming back in at last...
as for the business, no one will buy it currently with only 6 mos in operation, so he put new staff schedules in place and it will be running itself for the time being while he is at work. Nights and weekends (when he is not at work) stephen will work on marketing and the location move that is being negotiated now, which is its last saving grace. If that doesn't work, we close.
Amy, I agree that this is truly a test of our ability to rely on God and each other!
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02:31 pm
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little ones got spayed today
Just heard back from the vet and they are doing fine. We will be bringing them home at 4:45. I miss my sweeties!! :)
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07:17 pm
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dying for Thai food
I think I'm just going to have to find one or two people who love it as much as I do, so that I can have THAI food whenever I feel like it. I have been craving it for weeks...agh!! ;)
Lauren, Margie, Hope, Marina: Happy Hanukkah! :)
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07:37 pm
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weird week
Hi everyone- as always it's great to hear what's going on in all your lives! I have to second or third what people have been saying about the neverending juggling act that is home vs. work. Just to give a quick update, Stephen has been working at the business 6 if not 7 days a week, and on major-cleaning days or prep days for Boonton Main St eatery-events, like yesterday's "Chow on Main", he gets home and crawls into bed at the wee hours of the morning. So it hasn't been fun - on the contrary, with work keeping me swamped day and night, weekends too to make these crazy deadlines before Thanksgiving and Christmas, nothing is happening at home! No cleaning, no cooking, no nothing. Just barely feeding the cats.. and I know accountants and other professions work crazy hours at certain times of the year as well, but from what I hear they get paid for it.
Which brings me to the topic of work - in an ideal world, I would quit this deadline-driven gig I've already been at for a few years (in fact, get out of education altogether!!) and do something part time that would make up the income so that I could focus on my calligraphy business the rest of the time. I have been networking in person with some great people, also young entrepreneurs, and have even found studio space in Boonton for $350 / mo rent that I know won't be available for long. It's frustrating because 1) with Stephen starting up his own business there's no way I can make a move like this now, so I'm looking at treading water at least for another year and 2) this year I reached my monthly cap of # of weddings/events I can possibly handle while still working a FT day job, so nothing can grow unless I do something about it.
So, I have really dropped the ball on keeping things going at home. To the point that, when the oil company started calling me at work, I forgot to give Stephen the message and we are without heat and hot water at home today- he will need to call them at some point tomorrow to get a delivery scheduled!! Not to mention being overly emotional, crying at the drop of a hat (probably due to loneliness) and making Stephen so upset with me. Wednesday is my birthday, but who would know it!! ;)
This week it's nonstop work until Thursday when I leave for the ACTFL conference in San Antonio. I'll be there until Sunday - looking forward to time with the inlaws in FL after Thanksgiving and hopefully I'll be able to put the anxiety on the shelf enough to relax.
Thanks for reading this far! Any advice, especially from the moms who have kids in addition to the rest of the craziness, is appreciated :)
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11:17 am
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must be baby season :)
Hi everyone - just wanted to say that I can't believe all these new babies! In addition to Noah, Sam and Keela, my supervisor is a new auntie and one of my authors just sent pics of her 1-week-old son. So many blessings!!
So I will update on my kitties... Kip-kip and Shreena (among their other nicknames) are doing well. They are 4.5 months old now and definitely have come out of hiding for the most part. They still get somewhat skittish around fast movement, but wait in the kitchen for their food as I prepare it, sniff around my shoes and will only play in the rooms where Stephen or I are. the other night I had the throw blanket over me in the living room and Serena stepped all over me to get to it, played with my feet under it and then sat next to me on the couch. They poke their little faces up next to the bed and walk all over us, if we stay still. They are my baby ones and I love them so much!! Next month it will be time to get spayed- not sure about declawing yet but we will cross that bridge in a couple of weeks.
Stephen's new business is going well so far and the place is looking great, but there are issues to be dealt with as far as prepping the internet connection and dealing with certain personnel. But he seems happy, optimistic and has things under control. I was thinking the other day that I am so blessed to have a man like him on my team - he is a go getter, a hard worker and an honest person who can discuss goals together with me and always keeps his word, but supports my ambitions too. I really feel that we can accomplish anything if we are together :) It's been a little lonely at home since these are the first couple of weeks and he has been at the business long hours, but it's only down the street and I feel like I am getting so much done myself!
Well that's about it- have a great weekend and enjoy-
Love, Melissa
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01:50 pm
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entrepreneurs
Hey everyone - just wanted to thank you for any and all good wishes that were expressed to me either here or at the DZ event at TCNJ. Some of you know that Stephen was looking at buying a catering hall in central Jersey, which fell through at the last minute they were going to seal the deal... so, after a few more months of looking for other places, he has decided to buy a little chicken restaurant that was up for sale (home made soups, salads, other chicken dishes) on Main St. Boonton. He had always owned and run his own businesses, music and otherwise in England and has been looking to do the same thing here - this place is already making profit so basically the staff is aware that management is changing hands and the owners who love him (!) have been talking it up. Another question we get a lot is "will he be working there?"- Nope, he won't be making fried chicken and cole slaw in spackle buckets, and unlike the previous owners he won't be at the counter. He will be maintaining the figures, website, technology and running it like a business enterprise which he plans to franchise out later- some of his new plans include updated menu, online ordering, delivery, mobile units - trucks for corporate delivery, etc. lunch parties and catering. My brother will be coming home from his stints in Miami and Vegas to work with him. ;)
Today was my hubby's last day in the 9-5 world of Magellan Health Services- woo hoo!! I'm excited but so jealous of him...no big changes for me yet, but in a couple of months who knows.
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11:16 am
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ques from LJ
What Do You Have To Say...
What was the first band you became a fan of?
My answer: Skipped the whole New Kids craze, and went right to the Nelsons (yup those twins with the long blonde hair - who by the way are now 40 and several haircuts later, are still HOT). Followed by lots of other heavy metal bands of the decade.
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09:12 pm
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I'm a new kitty mommy!!!!!
Stephen and I met up with my friend Carolyn who is a volunteer at the Wayne animal shelter tonight at one of the volunteers' homes - we had gotten the whole house ready to adopt kittens so when we saw these two little 12 week old gray tabbies we had to take them both home tonight!! They are so cute- a little scared, but we are working on socializing them.
We named them Kip and Serena :) - Kip because when Stephen held her she fell asleep in his arms and in English-English, a "kip" is a nap! Serena got her name because she was very calm as she ate baby food off my fingers.
We are so excited!
Here's a picture:
http://stephenpbrown.com/kitties.html
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07:09 pm
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for all the pregnant women and new moms...
Is It a Bird? Is It a Plane? No, It's a Baby
Posted: 2007-08-09 19:04:45
Filed Under: Weird News
WELLINGTON (Aug. 8) - A New Zealand couple is looking to call their newborn son Superman -- but only because their chosen name of 4Real has been rejected by the government registry.
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09:32 am
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happy times
My best friend from high school, Jessica, got engaged last week. We hung out last night and she asked me to be in the bridal party... yay!!!! The wedding is planned for 8/08. So excited for her.. fun times ahead.
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11:44 am
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good ques from LJ!
If you could rename yourself in real life, what would you choose, and why?
My answer: something romantic from the Old World, like Isabel, Francesca or Loredana.
But that will have to wait for my daughters.
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08:16 pm
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and this from the girl who said she would probably live and die in NJ
Marina said she hoped I would write more about the trip, so here goes the floodgate of feelings :)
Of course the problem with all this traveling stuff- especially when working there and not on vacation- is that you see how real people live and you live their daily lives with them. When I started this live journal I had just come back from Ohio and was wondering how on earth I could ever be happy anywhere but NJ. No matter what, I know that NJ will always be "home base". But I have really started to believe in divine appointments like the one we had in Romania and I found myself coming back to the good old US of A reevaluating our lives here, whether we are fulfilled in our current positions, the social-economic-political situation, whether or not we are even happy, and even justifying the decisions of other people we know, like Stephen's best friend Tom and his newly pregnant wife who are going to live and work in Guatemala for 3 years and rent their house out, etc. I am just aching to be back in Romania working with those people. I have been to other countries in Europe and never felt this way, even when I was studying there...and Stephen is in agreement, he would go back to Europe in a heartbeat, just not England
I started to worry about the possibility of getting pregnant with the thought of plans to work overseas, but then I thought of people we know who did it, and are doing it - you just do it and things work themselves out.
I think the life-changing part is the perspective these experiences give you on your own situation. We don't want to make any split decisions, especially when I know I am still high, but we have been checking out the options of how to spend a good amount of time, say a couple of months at least, in Romania again.
Surprisingly, as much as I love my friends and family I have found myself a little bummed to be back these last few days! Thoughts?? :)
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12:29 pm
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indescribable
Stephen and I got back from Romania last night at around 1:00 am and I know that very soon I am going to think back on this last week and wonder if it really happened. What an amazing experience... we got there last Saturday and most of our US team was there - this was the biggest missionary team that had gone to Timisoara through the e3 Partners organization, with some from our church in Lincoln Park, some from Baltimore and some from Dallas - and after a little bit of craziness with flights, luggage and certain members of the US team arriving late, we finally got down to business. Sunday we met with our host churches and had services and lunch with them, then met with our small groups at night, as we would be breaking up into 9 small groups. Our group leader and his 11 year old daughter had not arrived yet by Sunday, so Stephen and I got moved to another team with 3 people from Christ Fellowship in Baltimore. We met our Romanian pastor and his family on Sunday night, as well as the translators and nationals we would be working with.
Monday through Thursday consisted of appointments / home visits to people in the villages who had been expecting us, going out to teach in groups and in the park, and hosting church services with the goal of strengthening communities. Some of the memories that stand out are praying with a family for their 20 year old disabled daughter, an elderly lady offering me her baby kitten as a gift, which was still nursing (I would have taken it on the plane if I could have!), teaching the Gospel to some homeless children under a bridge in Timisoara and giving them meals, and just mentoring the kids in our own small group.
In other groups the nationals and translators consisted of some adults as well, but our Romanian team was between the ages of 15 and 20. What a blessing to work with these kids- just an amazing group of people. Besides being fun, they were respectful, grateful and their spirits were seemingly not affected by the new "Westernization" of Romania after communism. They had cell phones and computers, but were not materialistic by culture. If I could have classes made up of kids like that, I would teach high school in a heartbeat.
Another funny thing was that, since Romanian is a romance language, I was understanding and even able to speak a little bit pretty quickly towards the middle of the week. So the pastor -whose daughter was my age- would say "Melissa, translate for me" periodically and challenge me with some phrases - it was really sweet. He even mentioned the idea of me teaching summer session English classes there in the future, once I have learned Romanian more proficiently. Now that's a thought...
I am just blown away by the events of this week and hope to go back in the future, maybe even next year. The Romanian people have a special place in my heart.
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