A Night at the Musical

        "It is time for us all to decide who we are... Do we fight for the right to a night at the Opera now? Have you asked of yourselves what's the price you-"
         "WOULD YOU STOP SINGING?!"
        "Sorry..." I timidly replied to my boyfriend. I didn't realize I was singing loud enough for him to hear but I was just so moved by the show, of course I had to chime in a little bit!
        Yesterday was a beautiful summers evening, despite the sticky sweat slowly but surely covering every place of my body by the minute, the weather was delightful for a musical at the outdoor theater.  We were at the Muny in Forest Park and I had convinced my boyfriend to see Les Misérables with me, one of my favorite musicals. My grandmother took me to see it years ago before I could even follow the plot well and although I didn't understand it all, I always loved the music and have felt a connection with the play ever since. When the movie was released on Christmas Day of 2012, I went to the theater that night with my cousin and so when I heard that the musical was to be performed this summer at the Muny, it was crucial that I go.

        Excuse me, if you have no interest whatsoever in my musical rantings but this is something that holds meaning for me: memories with my grandma, songs that I sing my heart out with when no one is around and just a great story line with amazing music in general.
        The performance was absolutely astounding last night! I definitely wasn't disappointed with anyone's role or the arrangements at all. Even though I have listened to the songs a numerous amount of times or watched the movie probably more than I should have, I was still so moved by the show, at the edge of my seat during Javert's scene on the bridge, cheering and singing with the students during "Red and Black" (where my boyfriend had to tell me to be quiet. Hehe...), and tearing up during Eponine's "On my Own". It's no wonder that Les Misérables is one of the most popular musicals; there's something for everyone in it. It was definitely worth using a little of my graduation money for the forty eight dollar seating. :) Over all, it was a spectacular date night and I'm so glad that I was able to share a small part of me with someone that has never seen it before.
        Les Misérables, you've done it again! You took my breath away and everyone else who was there as well. Now that it's just me, sitting here alone in my awfully messy teen room, I'm ready to turn the soundtrack on right now and just sing with all I've got.

Where do I go from here?

        I'll be completely honest- I am far behind when it comes to applying for college this fall but somehow I managed to do it. Applying in June and getting all the needed documents together maybe two weeks ago made getting into a good school appear almost impossible to me. But to my surprise, I woke up this morning, checked my email and saw that I had been accepted into Webster University.
It was such a wonderful feeling- getting accepted into a great school and thinking of the endless possibilities. Now I am another step closer to my dreams; I can study abroad in beautiful Germany and learn all about it from first-hand experience, I can receive my major in the German language and do something that I truly love. These things are all fantastic but at the same time, I'm confused about what is to happen next. Aside from all my goals, I also have personal connections and aside from the personal connections, I also must think of financing, where I will live or if I can afford to drive to the city every day. Is it always this hard when one is first starting out? As all of these possibilities develop in my head, a line from my favorite Disney princess comes to mind.

        You said it, Pocahontas! That is exactly what I am feeling at the moment. So where will I go from here? I guess I will have to watch both Pocahontas movies and then figure it out. ;) No matter what, I know that I should follow my dreams but I have no idea how exactly to go about all of this. There is so much that I want to do with my life and yet there are some things that I am not ready to or cannot leave behind. I love the mystery behind the discovery of where each path in life will lead you but it can also be frightening. Perhaps I will just drop everything and runaway to Germany as soon as possible. As of now, that seems like the best decision I've made so far.

Almond Milk face mask (for cleansing)

      If there's one thing I haven't been awfully lazy about this summer, it's making fun face masks at home. Remedies for acne, dull or dry skin can easily be made with ingredients that are just sitting in the kitchen. My mom bought two containers of plain almond milk, trying it for its health benefits. Although nobody in the house likes it very much, I did some online research and found that it is great for skin! Just add lemon and egg whites and you've got a killer facial cleansing mask. So here's how you do it:

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons of Almond Milk
• 1 Teaspoon of Lemon Juice
• 1 Egg (separated)

Combine the almond milk, lemon juice, and egg whites in a bowl. (You won't need the egg yolk at all for this mask)

Once it's all blended, apply it evenly onto your face. Leave it on for about thirty minutes before rinsing it off and patting your face dry. 

Here is what mine looked like once it was ready for applying.

So there you have it! A simple yet very effective almond milk face mask. If you decide to try it, let me know what you think. I'd love to hear feedback. :)

Ready, Set, Go!

       Rising from bed nearly every day at noon, staring at social networking sites for hours and letting any good amount of knowledge I possessed before just drain from my mind: this is summer vacation and quite honestly, it is killing me. I have been sustaining from activities I love most simply because I let the luxury of summer kick in and I realize that it is only bringing me down. So, to end all this nonsense, I am bringing myself back to life, starting with this blog. :)

         My name is Amanda and I am a lover of creativity. In this blog, I am planning to post it all- the songs I write, the crafts I make, the desserts I attempt and everything. Not only will I share things I have made but also simple thoughts, experiences, events and maybe even some reviews. Writing is enjoyable and has wondrous capability. It can be for private view or for the entire world to read. In this case, it is for both. Let's see where it will lead us!! 

         I would also like to thank my best friend, CL for inspiring me to start a blog on my own. You can check out her blog here: http://seaveee.blogspot.com/