A Random Assemblage of Goings-On

 Hello, lovelies! God has granted me with a full plate of late, and I am so very grateful for it! Here is a run-down of what's been happening lately with with this Rock Goddess:

• Netbook

First of all, I'm writing this post from my 'new' netbook! I've been in the market for a notebook or netbook, and my BiL managed to hook me up with a very nice, hardly used HP Mini from a coworker. It's currently running Ubuntu, but once I and Hubster have read up more on various Linux distros (versions or 'distributions') I plan to install Mint.

The reasoning behind this is, mini-laptops have small processors as well. Beefy OS (like Vista or even Windows 7) will run slowly. Linux has quite a few lite-OS options. Ubuntu is one of them, but I've heard very good things about Mint as well -- mainly that it is like Ubuntu, but even more streamlined. And the best part? Linux is open-source. I am ALL about open-source :)

• Editing

I've wanted my own laptop computer for mainly two reasons. One? I like surfing the net or writing in bed. I like to curl up against the wall and type type away. This was a little more cumbersome with our shared laptop, and recently it had become Hubs' work PC. I wanted something for me, that was mine. Two? Not only do I enjoy writing in bed, but as a freelance editor, I like spending work time comfortable as well.

I recently was introduced to Bri Clark, who is an alpha female when it comes to many aspects of her life, and she gave me some excellent advice on editing as a career. After our advice luncheon, she asked if I would edit her newest novel. I have done so, and look forward to her feedback. I also look forward to when she publishes her latest work so I can pimp it to my writer friends! The novel is chock full of great advice for new writers from the perspective of someone who's been there, done that, and come out on top.

Editing is something which comes naturally to me, one of two things about myself I have confidence in. Getting into the business isn't a cakewalk, however, and as I've posted before I need a job. That has been thankfully solved, at least until the end of May. I've been substituting!

• Substituting 

Since mid-March I've been subbing full-time at a local elementary school. The work has been rewarding; I am an aide in the extended resource room (ERR). I work with autistic children, as well as others with mental or physical disabilities. Some days they just do not want to do this school thing, and I am right there with 'em! But I enjoy it, so very much. My fellow staff members are great with the kiddos and have been very welcoming to me, and I appreciate it very much.

Because of this, I have let my VocRehab case worker know I will pick back up with sessions after the school year. I have no idea what will happen next year: whether or not the elementary will need me full-time or what. But I just can't say enough how happy I am to go in to work everyday. Do I feel anxious? Yes, some. Do I dread getting up? Always. :D But I feel secure at the school (which is blessedly close to my house) and not overwhelmed like at my last job.

Also, since the school is only a mile away, I've walked home a few times. I don't do it often, but the Hubs and I share the car and sometimes he has to work late. The path home is peaceful, flat, and enjoyable. Blessings I don't deserve... ^_^

One other thing: There's a bit of peer pressure in the working world. Did you know? Yes, and for me it has been: eating habits! The ladies (of various ages and body types) around me are eating tiny portions! With only 30 minutes to get in the lounge, nuke your food, and scarf it down before picking up kids, I can understand their choice of noms. But it has definitely made me rethink what I grab for lunch that day. Usually it's a Lean Cuisine-type meal, but if it's frozen, it needs to have a short cooking time. It needs to be something I can savor, because scarfing down 200 calories feels like filling up on packing peanuts. Sure I'm less hungry, but I'm not satisfied, nor do I feel like I had a time-out.

• Concert!

 Sever The Verge had its second concert last night. It had been basically a year since we last played so we were stoked to get on stage again. Every dive is different, and the sound is usually meh. I am confident in my singing. I know I do it well. Unfortunately, if I can't hear myself, I worry I'm off by a half-step, so I tried to sing harder. This choked me up, and I sang about 2/3 of our first song, omitting the rest to try and swallow spit.

I kept looking to Hubs for clues as to how I was sounding, and he had a sympathetic twist to his lips. I sound horrible, I realized. There wasn't anything I could do; we both talked with the sound manager and he told me his monitors weren't the best. I was not going to be able to hear myself.

At the end of the show I placed my mic stand next to Hubs and said to a mutual friend, "Thanks for coming to our second and final show." It was a joke, but I was so sick at my stomach I felt like vomiting, and that is something I do. not. do. But I do not want to make StV look bad because of me!

After talking to a few other peeps who stuck around, however, I discovered I hadn't sounded bad at all. The problem was not my voice, but the fact that no one could hear it very well. When they could hear it, it was apparently awesome.

I immediately felt loads better. Sound issues like that are out of our hands -- we as a band did the best we could, and we rocked at it. That's all that matters.

I chatted with my fellow vocalist's neighbor for awhile and felt myself coming down from the show rush. I didn't fall asleep on the drive home, but only because it was short.

There is nothing quite like the sleep of adrenaline-crash. I got to bed around 2 am this morning, fairly positive I'd be too exhausted to move until 12 hours later. However, my alarm for church rang, I sat up to shut it off, and as I laid back down I realized, "Hey... I'm not sleepy. And I feel rested! I... I'm gonna get up! Yes! And get dressed and drive to church! YES!"

And so I did. Whether it was a nudge from God telling me "Really, Brianne, it's time," or a perfect alignment of body chemicals, I slept fantastically. I was still tired after church (and took a nap in the car after lunch with the Hubs and BiL), but I was just so very grateful to be blessed with a new day.

Q: In what aspect of your life are you most confident? In what attribute do you take most pride, knowing it's use of this which makes you truly shine?