"Every Day, every hour, this very minute perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle’s walls; but in the end, their greatest weapon is you."

I love when Dumbledore says this in Harry Potter 6. So true. It speaks for itself.

I Miss My Music

My poor neglected cello. It was such a part of my life from the moment I began playing - it was love at first pluck. Now, I struggle with priorities and put cleaning, work, cooking, etc. above practicing my cello. The practical things in life have a put a road block between me and my cello. It was my tool of expression - love, hate, sadness, joy, determination, remorse ... I flooded my emotions into my cello everyday as I played.

My dad loved to tell the story of when I first began to play. I chose the cello for my mother (that's another story). My dad thought he knew what he was getting into - the usual - play for little while and then I'd get bored and want to move onto something else ... so he made me sign a contract he wrote saying I would practice at least 30 min. 5 days a week. I was quite the opposite. Like I said, It was love at first pluck. I was practicing 3 hours a day at the minimum ... some Saturdays I would play all day - 8 or 10 hours straight. I loved it and I was determined to become a great cellist. My poor dad ... I was so bad and still trying to train my ear ... he was wishing I would have signed a contract saying I wouldn't practice more than 3 hours a day ... he was so patient though.

It was my passion from the start.

He hasn't been played for months and then months before that. I'm slowly losing my ability and form ... it's so depressing. Last time I played ... it was wonderous, however, the next morning when I went to get out bed - it didn't quite work. To say the least - it had pretty much thrown out my back and I could barely move and resulted in me bursting into tears for quite some time. And there's my fear when I dream of picking up my cello to play again. But oh how much I miss it. I miss orchestra - Bloch, Mendellson, Brahms, movie and play scores, and so much more.

The classical station has become my suffice. It is the only thing I will listen to now on my way to work and home and pretty much anywhere if I'm the only one in the car. It's my dosage of classical and cello but still not the same. I haven't lost my passion, but life has gotten in the way.

And so ... at the moment ... he stands and looks at me with longing to be played more. Looks more as a decoration rather than my expressionistic instrument. And most recently ... our photography practice with our new camera.

Here is Carmello:

2009 Highlights Recap

In no apparent order:

1st time we spent the whole year (Jan - Dec) as a married couple

I was promoted to Accounting Supervisor at work at the beg of the year

Our 1 year anniversary (a week in San Diego)

Bought a car in August - Hyundai Sonata '07

Became primary teachers

Matt had a great football season

Amazing game against Oklahoma in the Dallas, Texas super-stadium

Another year at the Vegas Bowl

Our first camping trips together

Learned to make bread ... now it's the only bread we eat

Portable dishwasher

Vegas Christmas

Santa brought us a new computer

Matt worked at EEI with me in the summer

One of my best friend's wedding

Trip to St. George and Zion's

Golfing - our new hobby

Bought our scooter - that currently has a flat tire

School, school, and more school

Many trips to Ikea

I still haven't finished all the posts from last year. May 2010 bring many more fun adventures and stories.