Alumni Band adventure was awesome

This past weekend was Alumni Band Weekend at the University of Texas!!! I had a blast!  We spent the whole day Saturday practicing, but the performance turned out well!!  I was also surprised at how much of the music I remembered!!!   I also can't believe, I foorgot how much physical activity is required when marching up and down a field!!  Man, no wonder why I stayed thin in college !!!    Here are some pictures!!!

This is me with Big Bertha!! Big Bertha is the largest drum in the world!!!   Big Bertha belongs to the University of Texas Longhorn Band, and makes appearances during each half time show!!! 

This is me with Hook 'Em the Mascot and with some friends that where in LHB with me.  We are all piccolo players!

This is me with Bevo!!! Yes we have a live animal that comes to the football games!!  Bevo got his name from one of our many rivals.  Texas A&M apparently a long time ago, some Aggies decided to brand him with 13-0   so the University of Texas changed it to Bevo and the rest is history..

The Longhorn Alumni band is given seats at the top of the stadium, so how do we get up there??? We marched up the ramps!!!  Ten very long ramps!!!   To top it off we played music as we marched up there!!

The Longhorn Band Takes the Field they were awesome as always!!!!!!!!!     
















My parents took some pictures from their seats of when the Alumni band came out on the field!!  As soon as I can upload them I will!!!! 

Is it time for a job adventure aka career change???

Just an FYI: this is a totally random blog .. it's just basically a compilation of my thoughts for the past couple of months ha ha so sorry if it's kind of well random ha ha


First of all I would like to say I am so excited about my upcoming band adventure!! It's this weekend, and I am happy to say that I have been practicing my piccolo and I am impressed with my self and my memory skills!!!             


Now for the other adventure, the job adventure.     I currently work as a Speech Pathologist, and I have my days with my job.   Lately, I have had more and more days where I just feel bored in a sense.   Now when I say bored I don't mean bored because I am not busy, I mean bored of the same old routine.    Testing, providing therapy, paperwork, not being appreciated and well the list goes on.   For a while now actually I have been trying to figure out what to do???   Don't get my wrong, the field of Speech Pathology is in no way shape or form boring or easy, I am just ready for a change.     I have considered making a complete career change but I have no idea what to do because I have so many interest.  I know I have a love for science, and obviously I enjoy working and helping people, but I am just so burnt out!!!!   I have thought about going back to school to become a Occupational Therapist, Physical Therapist, Dietitian, Physicians Assistant, Audiologist, going to get a PH.D, going to Law School, computer science and the list goes on and on and on.    Luckily I have most of the prerequisites to apply to this types of programs except for maybe a class but, I just can't focus in on one thing.  I guess my lack of focus is what has kept me from trying to apply for any other type of program.      I know we all go through our ups and downs with our jobs and our professions, but this is something that I have been considering for years, and year after year I just fall back into the same routine!!!  So,  it's time to get serious and make a change, if only I could figure out what change to make ha ha.      If anyone out there in blog world has any ideas then please let me know ha ha.   
Here is my plan of action:
I have already researched a lot of these careers and a lot of them a very closely related to my profession so I wouldn't be making a completely random switch
1) This spring enroll in the second half of anatomy and physiology (I have so many science classes you would think one of my graduate school courses would count but you know how that goes)
2)Just start filling out applications and applying ( I have already kind of started)
3) Get some of the observation hours I need to apply to some of these programs.  I have observed OT's and PT's on many occasions since I work so closely with them but b/c I have never documented any of it I would need to get some hours of observation in.
4)Look for jobs in my field that are in a different area:  One of the awesome things about speech therapy is that there are so many different areas to focus on.  Because of where I work the primary focus is on language and articulation, but maybe I can find a hospital or clinic that focuses on voice disorders, swallowing disorders, brain injury recovery etc.
5) WIN THE LOTTO and GO on VACATION!!!!!!!!!  

My upcoming band Adventure!!!!!

Well,  I finally decided to take the plunge!!!!  When I was in college, I had the great honor of making it into one of the best known college bands here in Texas.  The Longhorn Band!!! As a matter of fact, they where just recently selected as on of the Top Ten College Bands in the Nation and they were number 1.       Every year the University Of Texas Longhorn Alumni Band performs at one of the Texas football games.   Year after year, I think about doing it but chicken out.  This year,  I ran into a friend (a fellow former bandmate) and she mentioned it.. She said you should do it it's so fun!!! So I said well, I always think about doing it but I always forget,  I then said so remind me.  Well, she reminded me, she posted on my facebook that it was time to register.   So after thinking about  it, I decided why not, I mean what do I have to lose.  How many people get to say that they where once a part of the Longhorn Band AKA the Showband of the Southwest!!!    There are a lot of us out there, but not everyone realizes the level of difficulty  there is to get into the band.     So, here I go, I decided it was time to have an adventure, and I did it I signed up to come out in the Alumni Band performance.    So what does this mean??????   Well  I have to get out my piccolo, start practicing the music, and start exercising and walking for the next two weeks to get myself into shape so I can march up and down that field without passing out!!!     I think I will also feel so accomplished if I am able to complete this task and then say, hey and this time I did it without my thryoid!!!!    
Here is a picture of  them!!!   I can't wait to post one from my performance ha ha

So yummy!!!! Banana-Walnut Oatmeal

Hello,
A while back I had mentioned in one of my post that I had a immense craving for banana bread and that I had come across a recipe that I was hoping would kill my craving of wanting banana bread everyday.  Well I tried that recipe and I have to say it was fantastic!!!! So here it is!!  It is from weight watchers so I give them all the credit. 

Banana-Walnut Steel Cut Oatmeal : Again this was taken from weight watchers:  http://www.weightwatchers.com/


Weight Watchers Recipe

Course: breakfast

PointsPlus® Value: 7

Servings: 4

Preparation Time: 8 min

Cooking Time: 33 min

Level of Difficulty: Easy



Steel cut oats, also known as Irish oats, do take a while to cook but their slightly chewy texture is well-worth the extra time.
Ingredients
4 cup(s) water

1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste

1 cup(s) Hodgson Mill Steel cut oats, or other brand

2 medium banana(s), ripe, mashed

1 Tbsp packed brown sugar

2 tsp unsalted butter

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup(s) low-fat milk

8 tsp chopped walnuts

Instructions

Bring water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in oats and return to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until oats are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes; remove from heat. Gently stir in bananas, sugar, butter and vanilla; stir in milk. Serve oatmeal topped with walnuts. Yields about 1 cup oatmeal and 2 teaspoons walnuts per serving.

Notes:
I actually doubled the recipe because I had put to much water.  I also added cinnamon!!!  

Time to get my rear in gear !!!!

I am happy to report that I finally did get over my cough.    I did attend bootcamp last thursday and I survived.   Now, if  only I can get myself motivated to go this week.     I started off with a goal of wanting to lose weight and wanting to fit better in my clothes.   Well, I have not reached my goal yet so what my problem ;why don't I want to go to the gym?   I don't know, I have all kinds of excuses I am tired, it's to late, I would rather have a glass of wine then work out.    I guess I am just full of excuses.  But enough is enough,   no more excuses I am not sick with a cold so it's time for me to go to bootcamp or zumba or something.     Wah... I just don't want to.   I just want to stay under the covers and watch a good movie.      I think it's the weather.      All I know is I need to get my rear in gear and get out of this funk....  Oh, I know  I am supposed to go to a friends wedding next weekend, and I have no idea what I am going to wear??  I have some nice new dresses in my closet that I am not sure about how they fit.. So that's it that will be motivation, to aim for losing between 2-5 lbs by next weekend so tha maybe one of those dresses will fit and I don't have to go shoping :)   Hi Ho Hi Ho it's off to bootcamp I go!  

"You is kind, You is Smart, You is Important!!!"

Hello everyone, 

I hope everyone is doing well!!!!  I just finished reading the help and seeing the movie and boy .. it's funny how a book or a movie can give you a ego boost. I have been feeling a little low in the self-confidence department lately. So my mantra from this week is "  You is kind, You is smart, You is important."   For those of you who have seen the movie The Help or read the book that is one of the quotes that sticks out the most to me.   So I think if I can recite this to myself all week.then I will be on fire!!!!!  I still have a cough, but I am really hoping that I will be able to go to bootcamp at least one day this week.     I am thinking that tomorrow, I will try and at least walk in the neighborhood.     Tuesday, I have a meeting at church, Wednesday is weight watchers day and I am actually really excited about going.   I told my mother about Dr. Oz and his transformation nation, and I think she is gonig to come with me to the weight watchers meeting just to weigh in so she can start the transformation nation challenge!!!     So,  that leaves me with Thursday, and I am hoping by Thursday  I will be done with the cough and I will be able to go to bootcamp!!!!!     I came across a recipe on the Weight Watchers website called Banana-Walnut Steel  Cut Oatmeal. I am hoping that I will be able to make it and try it, and then I will post the recipe.  I have been having this crazy craving for banana bread, so I am hoping this will help.    The thing is, my aunt made some homemade banana bread, and believe me it was delish,but now I have the problem of... I want more ..So... I am going to make this oatmeal and see if it gives me that craving I want without all the added calories of banana bread!   Oh and for those of you, who have been feeling low in the self-confidence area remember  "You is kind, You is Smart, You is important!!