tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55673813659895029142024-03-12T17:00:57.989-07:00Music Makes Me Giddy...Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567381365989502914.post-72370110119829523662011-03-17T09:17:00.000-07:002011-03-17T09:17:30.227-07:00Play Time: The Full Body WorkoutWho's got a potbelly? (Oh sorry--was that not the "politically correct" term? *gagging*)<br />
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I figured out the solution to all our "old people" woes. GO PLAY WITH SOME KIDS! For the last 2 years I've been trying to kick that constant baby belly by running. Granted, it feels great and I've gotten the results, but after playing "Tag" and "Mother May I" and "Hide and Go Seek" with my kids for 1/2 hr, wow! FULL BODY WORK OUT. Who needs running--boring, grueling, tiresome, tedious running? Hit the park and adopt a toddler for an hour.<br />
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...but don't take him home. That could be bad. I mean, for you.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNuTJCntIm3m7u7YY29t-46W0L-8pXtlxpJwMm0JTd-5s66EapcV_EsQz00hfpOLW0NFDCNFaaipY1GkfOTGIHnmZlxHpyXoyhig8rGjF59dVNJXZJdphNseDSwkyk3oPF7yx71Y9LdoF/s1600/Playroom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNNuTJCntIm3m7u7YY29t-46W0L-8pXtlxpJwMm0JTd-5s66EapcV_EsQz00hfpOLW0NFDCNFaaipY1GkfOTGIHnmZlxHpyXoyhig8rGjF59dVNJXZJdphNseDSwkyk3oPF7yx71Y9LdoF/s400/Playroom.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JMTdkFwR5IDPvWVe-ODHvR9ZaEu2RW_Ct0UdHyrWwMJ3zQrhoXT3SMtpEt-zIeOQOcSW3qfGvV_PvZG_0-ojGCi7XaIg37MTTPnLBn_rWJm3KBpOPW3ExoVCevbEMXGXeooN_gXPOUBx/s1600/Playroom2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4JMTdkFwR5IDPvWVe-ODHvR9ZaEu2RW_Ct0UdHyrWwMJ3zQrhoXT3SMtpEt-zIeOQOcSW3qfGvV_PvZG_0-ojGCi7XaIg37MTTPnLBn_rWJm3KBpOPW3ExoVCevbEMXGXeooN_gXPOUBx/s400/Playroom2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
This is my usual form of exercise. And yes, that's the playroom after 1 hr of cleaning.Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567381365989502914.post-58647681691303157452011-02-26T08:49:00.000-08:002011-02-26T08:49:16.699-08:00Truth VS FictionThe last entry is mostly true, but I have a few...additions to make. <br />
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Truth: It took a total of 10 minutes to write this last entry. For me that's bizarrely concise.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCrWmQZ6UJk5RN-wzOA9J8LAax18IGkYPbpTLzGFbciQU-90iaC4i5k2JbjbqtsgnlzyNMjipH1EGGL_7hpaGr0EIPOZjt53Z-Jn3dJ-1vNUxjqxRBwEYDTGiJX-u3u7T9S3jOb2C2CLE/s1600/rabbit-snow-after-575x383.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCrWmQZ6UJk5RN-wzOA9J8LAax18IGkYPbpTLzGFbciQU-90iaC4i5k2JbjbqtsgnlzyNMjipH1EGGL_7hpaGr0EIPOZjt53Z-Jn3dJ-1vNUxjqxRBwEYDTGiJX-u3u7T9S3jOb2C2CLE/s200/rabbit-snow-after-575x383.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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Truth: I grew up in Utah, and YES, I did see rabbits in the snow. It's a rare occurrence, but it happened the first time while sledding with my brothers in the "hollow" behind our neighborhood. <br />
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Truth: I SING everything. Just ask my kids about my "dishes" renditions. Actually I compose while doing chores. Alot. But only if I'm happy.<br />
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Truth: I answer to Chicken--and the alias was even "cool" in high school.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwD4cA0P8At0yhujEzjPtLpzpux7yZCjG1GNG7jSER97ahX3wq0toZJ7ant08R7kx69VemFNQcq2ADACQxjcMLRM3RiUNi5HiUrcHcaCtGV7LLi7uSSgClYTIiFmvDh-P4CzwGv9pRoiZ/s1600/RubberChicken.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="99" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicwD4cA0P8At0yhujEzjPtLpzpux7yZCjG1GNG7jSER97ahX3wq0toZJ7ant08R7kx69VemFNQcq2ADACQxjcMLRM3RiUNi5HiUrcHcaCtGV7LLi7uSSgClYTIiFmvDh-P4CzwGv9pRoiZ/s320/RubberChicken.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Truth: I do have a scar that runs from the corner of my mouth down to the opposite side of my chin. It's faded now, but most my youth it was very obvious.<br />
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Fiction: The accident occurred when I was 5, and I have never been skiing--despite growing up in Utah.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziw0Y90krXzlifSr9EGP62HAmSftRtmuEjFCy83rXyArWs65GSoiCHnV3P3NiPTderWDvsRmoqkslYdcoD6xR0f6MSevHcXA41DM4zAxnJjvyixyx7b3bPX7rjeOfnEP7d2WBFsUEHG65/s1600/skiing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgziw0Y90krXzlifSr9EGP62HAmSftRtmuEjFCy83rXyArWs65GSoiCHnV3P3NiPTderWDvsRmoqkslYdcoD6xR0f6MSevHcXA41DM4zAxnJjvyixyx7b3bPX7rjeOfnEP7d2WBFsUEHG65/s320/skiing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Truth: I have made up so many stories over the years to explain that scar, but only my husband and self actually know how it happened.<br />
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Universal Truth: CHEESE IS THE BEST FOOD ON THE PLANET!! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jQEgh4sXe4I0D7rH20il2iBk-ysS9Zo6sr4reLx3HUh4XbJ8zYPYmvN3XJZIMlUsTDeB8Lpd9_1kxA8Fvo0nZRHYYFW39mMCfhGLvy1eK9naJ7aOZEb0Mfg53AnKpTsU2TnBKAbeCDoa/s1600/cheese_variety_-_800x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jQEgh4sXe4I0D7rH20il2iBk-ysS9Zo6sr4reLx3HUh4XbJ8zYPYmvN3XJZIMlUsTDeB8Lpd9_1kxA8Fvo0nZRHYYFW39mMCfhGLvy1eK9naJ7aOZEb0Mfg53AnKpTsU2TnBKAbeCDoa/s320/cheese_variety_-_800x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567381365989502914.post-77526541454431410882011-02-19T10:12:00.000-08:002011-02-19T10:12:57.922-08:00The Collier Report<div style="color: white;">(This is a writers challenge for "crusaders".) </div><div style="color: white;"><br />
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</style> <![endif]--> <div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">NEWS FLASH: </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 1: From the confessions of a scar-faced woman we extrapolated the latest: the name Chicken refers to not only a character trait, but an actual alias—bloviated in past middle grade experiences for quirkiness. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 2: Chicken? Really?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 1: An alias obtained from a first initial and last name. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2RGE6o8Zfg8bW8w26ET7_AL6BtArxxtImtXDcIxEZWiYg7sEL8UcxgMrBEKQHlD0O-otuI01lboJxmP5agQsyn7skmXOIXL09XNbvwbllL9hLQsn6tzMPKv4mZipBA_y05tbQYLuhPsBs/s1600/WildRabbit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 2: Interesting.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZXDUwh7avAW1ERx9_OtMAjMcokTZlJIgTrwFewX2wYQKbmTvLjcNs5STDHmmGrG7K49VAve1zZKwy5ME-1c1l7ArFeto6dBuHelNYlns8ELmr1FQDdX69g5NdXhOUpbeh8_j0UBoFPz8/s1600/WildRabbitX.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAZXDUwh7avAW1ERx9_OtMAjMcokTZlJIgTrwFewX2wYQKbmTvLjcNs5STDHmmGrG7K49VAve1zZKwy5ME-1c1l7ArFeto6dBuHelNYlns8ELmr1FQDdX69g5NdXhOUpbeh8_j0UBoFPz8/s200/WildRabbitX.jpg" width="200" /></a><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 1: When asked how she came to be scar-faced she confessed to a skiing accident induced by a stray rabbit across the trail at the ripe old age of eight. Her blades narrowly missed the little creature and initiated a life-long hate of carrot-nibblers. Bribed to speak further by a promised block of muenster cheese, she confessed to serenading her family in perpetual life-induced music. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 2: You mean she sings everything?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 1: Just about. Come to find out she wrote a musical (aimed at Broadway) about a vampire.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 2: Everyone writes about vampires these days.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 1: Yes, these days, but the musical began in 2003 as the result of a dream. For more about that see her <a href="http://crystal-collier.blogspot.com/2010/11/immortal-is-born.html">recent blog entry</a>. <span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 2: Interesting. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 1: That must be your favorite word.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 2: Forgive me not having the most fuliguline vocabulary. Not all of us grew up with a dictionary glued to our fingers. I just have one more question.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 1: What’s that?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhaoLxVkuTSEg5GOICS6ujWOFSZuNFAThcLGe_N2VH12N0tw297DtZCMb98QVrFiWGYwrecy6e4i6_Y60e5Fjri9hRQiXmr4zxIGWSaCtt6AWmSO8sGjz_3cWW2SFOHiA57dMmQKuXA_5/s1600/meunster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKhaoLxVkuTSEg5GOICS6ujWOFSZuNFAThcLGe_N2VH12N0tw297DtZCMb98QVrFiWGYwrecy6e4i6_Y60e5Fjri9hRQiXmr4zxIGWSaCtt6AWmSO8sGjz_3cWW2SFOHiA57dMmQKuXA_5/s200/meunster.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 2: What’s the deal with the cheese?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 1: I asked about that. She said <a href="http://crystalcollier.blogspot.com/2010/07/rockin-red-randal-eat-more-cheese.html">cheese equals happiness</a>. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 2: Interesting.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><span class="apple-style-span"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.5pt;">Anchor 1: ... Well there you have it folks. Thanks for tuning it and join us next time to learn which of these reported facts are real, and which are pure fiction.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="color: white;"><br />
</div></m:defjc></m:rmargin></m:lmargin></m:dispdef></m:smallfrac>Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567381365989502914.post-48054198566449486522011-02-15T13:58:00.000-08:002011-02-15T13:58:58.172-08:00Personal Phobias: Where's my brown bag? Breathe!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDyll57OHgKhB1v7Zqfmq7md3T9fwsZUXrzNP9LRhpt3VUEAMyjr0Ua3IY4jejyTJZ-_7ESnSvKGBI6qDzKg1O3oI844zn0PrHkaaizNR9bKhZWI8lRy0076lLDH6JF0Fs7fm2X2G8I_6/s1600/Muffet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHDyll57OHgKhB1v7Zqfmq7md3T9fwsZUXrzNP9LRhpt3VUEAMyjr0Ua3IY4jejyTJZ-_7ESnSvKGBI6qDzKg1O3oI844zn0PrHkaaizNR9bKhZWI8lRy0076lLDH6JF0Fs7fm2X2G8I_6/s200/Muffet.jpg" width="136" /></a>Some people are afraid of spiders. My phobia is less crawly, and a little more verbal.<br />
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I used to perform a minimum of once a month, sometimes every week, and during the Christmas season three to five times a week. I love to sing! I love sharing what's in my heart with others. That's also why I love writing.<br />
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So no, I'm not talking stage fright here...although playing piano in public... *shudder* <br />
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You want to scare me away? Offer a compliment.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajBlVac2_gMXrrtfI6xf-zCZj8Fn-2GrvBAabOnYdhn09ZYfe5dufyBLFB1H1MiuFlJCDJv7kMvTDuPnskls3mxN6UddR95XwU-VPTzn8swBmwekaCWLPKrq4hanw2sPNYUXY3xh7qvQC/s1600/congrats.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgajBlVac2_gMXrrtfI6xf-zCZj8Fn-2GrvBAabOnYdhn09ZYfe5dufyBLFB1H1MiuFlJCDJv7kMvTDuPnskls3mxN6UddR95XwU-VPTzn8swBmwekaCWLPKrq4hanw2sPNYUXY3xh7qvQC/s200/congrats.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Dorky right? Accepting praise is the most intimidating and awkward thing I have encountered. During those periods when I'd perform, I was always looking for the back door, some way to escape before people came up to shake my hand and offer words of congratulations or esteem.<br />
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(What does congratulations mean anyway?<i> </i><i>Good job on not messing up? </i>Seriously, how do you interpret that as a performer?) <br />
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I suppose most the problem stems from a flexible face that says exactly what I'm thinking. A regular <i>mental </i>dialog post-performance may go as follows: "Keep that eyebrow down. Smile. Nod. Smile. Nod. Say thank you. Don't giggle! What did she just say? Is it over yet? Hurry, run away!" <br />
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Awkward. But awkward is fun, right? No. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNA_ICPgPAFrLu5QrMNSal91YWqYdtD-reosQ9dbygrGAwboxVz4D2dx9CwCAlp3iFUkbMzdPkGIuckN_RepipBt-TpcINmlFfImBMa3lmUN8SRekVP7uJti7e80humv4vkKqsPCiPNbAA/s1600/runaway.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNA_ICPgPAFrLu5QrMNSal91YWqYdtD-reosQ9dbygrGAwboxVz4D2dx9CwCAlp3iFUkbMzdPkGIuckN_RepipBt-TpcINmlFfImBMa3lmUN8SRekVP7uJti7e80humv4vkKqsPCiPNbAA/s320/runaway.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Forgive me if you ever stop to shake my hand and my face goes instantly blank. I'm not being rude, just bracing for impact.<br />
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What are your strange phobias?Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567381365989502914.post-43336950145155377412011-02-09T08:11:00.001-08:002011-02-09T08:11:30.238-08:00Remember Your PromiseFor Christmas/New Years I made a goal or promise not to yell at my kids. At all. (--Which is exceedingly tricky since we home school and I'm with them 24/7.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UsAH4I1nbuMKUjSpLDjO2FSWQYHC90JLvNDCR_Ulq4H1gStpj43vHymA1VYV-Vub_B0NZNMGkz6xi7Ik6NdZ4tR8xTrj3tTRupVlS6IN40hseeRxrKNdadT-2h16t5p93hE3pQz0QZZj/s1600/certificate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8UsAH4I1nbuMKUjSpLDjO2FSWQYHC90JLvNDCR_Ulq4H1gStpj43vHymA1VYV-Vub_B0NZNMGkz6xi7Ik6NdZ4tR8xTrj3tTRupVlS6IN40hseeRxrKNdadT-2h16t5p93hE3pQz0QZZj/s200/certificate.jpg" width="140" /></a>Now I realized when I set this "goal" it would take a significant amount of effort, especially after a sleepless night (thanks to kids nightmares) or when faced with child-induced and world-shattering disasters. (We have our abundance.) That's what we are as people, right? A work in progress? I know I am. Most days it's tough to see how far short I've come on who I want to be or what I hoped to accomplish. My husband says I do an okay job, and I try to believe him. Perhaps my problem comes in setting lofty goals, and--as my 9th grade history teacher would attest, I am absolutely obsessed with perfection.<br />
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Having kids has changed that some. I still stress about the details, but the realization hit while living in NYC (with no family local, having just birthed my 3rd child and undergone major surgery,) there are limits on what a person<i> can</i> do. <br />
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Yelling at my kids is not one of those...limits I mean. When I found my 4 yr old on top of the ironing board in my closet (no doubt searching for candy) my first thought was: "Get down from there before you fall!" But I didn't yell. Until I saw the mess below him.<br />
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My husband spent 7 hours on Saturday cleaning our room--thanks primarily to kid mess, and I put in two hours on top of that. You understand my agony then?<br />
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As fate would have it, I bent to clean up all that "stuff", and there in the pile was a key chain: <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfoP8m1WMyZ1CP7rb-4BiMIUx1iBOtnEJlLX4_yN-y0mL1y7nBWi4yE79kmYyl4UyWMWhbvwPM8Z94xhr-07RmcdQFgdKYarQLLqVFncZCIcRo8hKW1AETBLETa3MOSOM8bV-ieJtrDP_/s1600/Promise.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfoP8m1WMyZ1CP7rb-4BiMIUx1iBOtnEJlLX4_yN-y0mL1y7nBWi4yE79kmYyl4UyWMWhbvwPM8Z94xhr-07RmcdQFgdKYarQLLqVFncZCIcRo8hKW1AETBLETa3MOSOM8bV-ieJtrDP_/s320/Promise.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
When we're honestly trying to do what we should little helps and reminders pop up. There is someone out there watching over us, trying to help us become our best self; someone who always keeps his promises.Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567381365989502914.post-76904553607974979632011-02-03T10:03:00.000-08:002011-02-03T10:03:02.434-08:00A Reading. A Reading! Oh boy, another reading?I am frantically preparing for--dum-dum-dum--you guessed it, a reading. What exactly does that mean? Well, for me it means 3 hrs of running over music and script to make sure everything is perfect and ready to go, printing scripts for people to perform/follow along, AND 3 to 5 hrs of concentrated cleaning.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi443yF1z-CIQ95naJP5Fkh0OdT2clJMbC-H5RyX1xeIWtqfDsM78mkU5ZBSN3VRV7SzJkHzzGZGDBZUTXJFrCpmqtZFkiJRxOwE8UPFPnpJw_qVRC00WqKGtJd-N2VQJkQ9us_x6FtaeU/s1600/Cleaning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi443yF1z-CIQ95naJP5Fkh0OdT2clJMbC-H5RyX1xeIWtqfDsM78mkU5ZBSN3VRV7SzJkHzzGZGDBZUTXJFrCpmqtZFkiJRxOwE8UPFPnpJw_qVRC00WqKGtJd-N2VQJkQ9us_x6FtaeU/s320/Cleaning.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABZeAtcv2n8s04thZPpZbwWHB4Cc6nFzyiIwO4FiH24YhDmiKfy6VrX02-VnKCaYh05pvmWDhkdZHIy9bwQ4gyBSma16OIomuF65a1WLxfspKz4ymoCNyL2JXy-O88a2UZ6KGcAv-06fr/s1600/dirty+boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjABZeAtcv2n8s04thZPpZbwWHB4Cc6nFzyiIwO4FiH24YhDmiKfy6VrX02-VnKCaYh05pvmWDhkdZHIy9bwQ4gyBSma16OIomuF65a1WLxfspKz4ymoCNyL2JXy-O88a2UZ6KGcAv-06fr/s200/dirty+boy.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
Shoot me now! We need an inflatable living room that we can tuck away just for these kinds of occasions. I swear 30 to 50% of my life passes in cleaning. Some days I stop to wonder, where did all this mess come from, and then I hear <i>them</i> screaming in the background. Monkeys. Hoodlums. Kids.<br />
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Of course there are other moments, the quite ones spent cuddled up together reading a book, or tickle fights, or sitting and watching them play at the park. Then I wonder, how did I get so lucky? <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RJ4ROuwlEH64rJlciTnwwf6C0TNKuIgs77XhHZAXsGMkXlx_LDDXR8BS5idGQOnrAb0OnVa25OyUnmyiBQj6SZ6EQ3bp3PTbUs0a-Q044gH32JIbZYQo4CfAmmGLiEQ1hGmWzsYQGDTq/s1600/reading2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4RJ4ROuwlEH64rJlciTnwwf6C0TNKuIgs77XhHZAXsGMkXlx_LDDXR8BS5idGQOnrAb0OnVa25OyUnmyiBQj6SZ6EQ3bp3PTbUs0a-Q044gH32JIbZYQo4CfAmmGLiEQ1hGmWzsYQGDTq/s320/reading2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
I suppose the lesson is, there's no joy without the pain. That's something I have to remember in the coming months as things get intense with the musical. Pain=joy...eventually. Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567381365989502914.post-16435206757441690402011-01-26T15:14:00.000-08:002011-01-26T15:22:28.032-08:00Revenge and Home Schooling<div style="color: #38761d;"><i>We welcome you to a dose of <u>Collier Home School</u> for an episode of Daily Drama. </i></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hTeYIlff807zTkJHLUobI9j_K3Uj3slEFoQKxI5bouZRJzUwRg-O8nL0nmdvdAxWsSGWGCFeU7L93yMLDlbsVGmkZbk46ysg7WElHsiWzm2b9krNMGzcNoGb-K9NhRKVzV6ebnLBx9im/s1600/Quin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1hTeYIlff807zTkJHLUobI9j_K3Uj3slEFoQKxI5bouZRJzUwRg-O8nL0nmdvdAxWsSGWGCFeU7L93yMLDlbsVGmkZbk46ysg7WElHsiWzm2b9krNMGzcNoGb-K9NhRKVzV6ebnLBx9im/s200/Quin.jpg" width="171" /></a></div><br />
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Quin--"Mom, she broke my nano-bug."<br />
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Me--"She what?"<br />
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Quin--"Kaily broke my nano-bug!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_OsvU7cgN5jI2CA9vXscJ-APElYEIBawr9EWvxwDHD13qZG6aiFk6bvsscEU4evQ6u84KTMVQOTOnDBwdbVq0RtJZ7yzK8b4AXxs9tjOpsWsFsJB0hEwyo1D3HzOsaEd1reIM39acGaX/s1600/Seriousrand.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha_OsvU7cgN5jI2CA9vXscJ-APElYEIBawr9EWvxwDHD13qZG6aiFk6bvsscEU4evQ6u84KTMVQOTOnDBwdbVq0RtJZ7yzK8b4AXxs9tjOpsWsFsJB0hEwyo1D3HzOsaEd1reIM39acGaX/s200/Seriousrand.JPG" width="183" /></a><br />
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Random--"Yeah, she bit it."<br />
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Me (disbelievingly,)--"She what? Kaily!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHZW2b6YL3N3uCgHbpqYGT1UXTDK4Z6n7wa22d-stKm4OEka1HblQXW1nTTUVSPqtbDyBbbzxR0jel63DvG_FU-ZT3mNYIYzHS4sWdSs9adzyuJs7laM2GwnaQBg1TtKuU60WCsLGeMBe/s1600/Sweet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHZW2b6YL3N3uCgHbpqYGT1UXTDK4Z6n7wa22d-stKm4OEka1HblQXW1nTTUVSPqtbDyBbbzxR0jel63DvG_FU-ZT3mNYIYzHS4sWdSs9adzyuJs7laM2GwnaQBg1TtKuU60WCsLGeMBe/s200/Sweet.JPG" width="175" /></a><br />
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Kaily (sweetly)--"Yes mom?"<br />
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Me--"Did you bite Quin's nano-bot?"<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlbsIOViYR5ZQwU_sEXIfHJudQ-Rz4LcQUif5-GSd4YucbjXxgeIYhExxNZoRcS_uTMhuttCNJkgwHl7SsHc7lYsrNF6AEq07VblJ0IcWuMWJY4NiPsm939VjIzdXSnNKMdP-i959jM3n/s1600/Smug.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJlbsIOViYR5ZQwU_sEXIfHJudQ-Rz4LcQUif5-GSd4YucbjXxgeIYhExxNZoRcS_uTMhuttCNJkgwHl7SsHc7lYsrNF6AEq07VblJ0IcWuMWJY4NiPsm939VjIzdXSnNKMdP-i959jM3n/s200/Smug.JPG" width="145" /></a></div><br />
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Kaily (gleefully)-- "He was mean to me so I broke it."<br />
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(Unable to believe my ears...) "You bit it?"<br />
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Kaily--"Yup."<br />
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And as my jaw hangs she grins away.<br />
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Then time for the lesson...<br />
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Me-- "Okay Kaily, I guess you no longer have a nano-bug. Quin gets yours, and you get his."<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYc7lgOC4yJMBz_rUBe5S_C6Oi3klnLsQOUX00KNZsNArvRVSM_sURYS1PVIK4doDAYynx7S2nRtWBODCi2r-EyewANO2LMwn1VWyNm1hTDeNlDB9hLXrtaJrHV9N2nNNS5OuUm0La3YGI/s1600/what.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYc7lgOC4yJMBz_rUBe5S_C6Oi3klnLsQOUX00KNZsNArvRVSM_sURYS1PVIK4doDAYynx7S2nRtWBODCi2r-EyewANO2LMwn1VWyNm1hTDeNlDB9hLXrtaJrHV9N2nNNS5OuUm0La3YGI/s320/what.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I'm reminded that so often we <i>act </i>in passion, then spend hours, days, even years regretting our choices. <a href="http://immortalthemusical.com/index.php/phineas">Phineas</a> (the vampire hunter in <a href="http://immortalthemusical.com/">Immortal the Musical</a>) started out that way: impulsive. After twenty years of diligent hunting he learned to react more carefully, and in the end that's what saved him a world of hurt.<br />
<br />
I'll never look at a "nano-bug" (hexbug) without thinking of some little kid crunching it between her teeth, and hopefully it will serve as a reminder to respond wisely when passions flare.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1ryl00261KWLKOBmWXIY42gHBqQhC0r9bpodo__YEqlo2FepKHCjfWl9srHHKFuIC2sjWfjbYNSrcrYtmhkJoTVfBhtl-GTFcS-AFrEzOd5XLzOOhSZCSi71Mz6w0BgmBr3XJXvIRBg8/s1600/hexbug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1ryl00261KWLKOBmWXIY42gHBqQhC0r9bpodo__YEqlo2FepKHCjfWl9srHHKFuIC2sjWfjbYNSrcrYtmhkJoTVfBhtl-GTFcS-AFrEzOd5XLzOOhSZCSi71Mz6w0BgmBr3XJXvIRBg8/s1600/hexbug.jpg" /></a></div>Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567381365989502914.post-88103541020257449222011-01-19T07:27:00.000-08:002011-01-19T07:27:17.217-08:00In a Daze<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPJAx95aUaNZdHXWM8kFuJ8Xrkadp3kRSXQwLh-Xdo6M4XoZZWnBPBoV_ILcII55UMvhMea_GnKCtE31SDTwe_jZ2WqOGaeRycTq-Auc65FQdoyqUPisNhcCVTKI5VaJ6k8B8_q_mHCRf/s1600/rollercoaster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBPJAx95aUaNZdHXWM8kFuJ8Xrkadp3kRSXQwLh-Xdo6M4XoZZWnBPBoV_ILcII55UMvhMea_GnKCtE31SDTwe_jZ2WqOGaeRycTq-Auc65FQdoyqUPisNhcCVTKI5VaJ6k8B8_q_mHCRf/s320/rollercoaster.jpg" width="219" /></a>This first week since going "public" has been such a rush; like a blind date. And a roller coaster. Or a blind date on a roller coaster. <br />
<br />
"Hi." I extend a hand, battling the g-force. "I'm Crystal."<br />
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Teeth rattling, he reaches to shake. "I'm Exposure. Nice to meet you."<br />
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For the rest of the whirlwind ride we keep our heads forward, fighting the urge to raise our arms and scream, or puke--which ever comes first.<br />
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Of course stepping off the ride we're reminded of the solidity of mother earth, and stand back to evaluate. Are we ready for another go? Do we have the guts/stomach to face the whip-lashing neck-twisting fury?<br />
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Yup. That pretty much sums it up, except this ride doesn't stop. It doesn't slow down either. Here we go, week two, clinging to our centers and wondering when the buzz between our ears will end.Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5567381365989502914.post-40424118402763896752010-11-23T19:16:00.000-08:002010-11-23T19:16:29.548-08:00Immortal is Born<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUdXOpJogq6tRJS9vHxpHbCIeZZ9XdWGQlt3OXPKY6qTWkV0Yh4NOJzXOD9a7Hy0tUl9flfwektD9jSWtQrK9b4fVwPhMhLu1xQZwtsAC5VtXx5y2pn_-PmXRpaVdwbmnV595xej8ppo2/s1600/Blue+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtUdXOpJogq6tRJS9vHxpHbCIeZZ9XdWGQlt3OXPKY6qTWkV0Yh4NOJzXOD9a7Hy0tUl9flfwektD9jSWtQrK9b4fVwPhMhLu1xQZwtsAC5VtXx5y2pn_-PmXRpaVdwbmnV595xej8ppo2/s200/Blue+light.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>2003: The overture echoed through an elaborate theater as I sat, eagerly awaiting a show. Lights dimmed and velvet curtains parted to reveal a lone figure silhouetted against blue light. His voice echoed over us, the very essence of solitude, of longing.<br />
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And then I woke.<br />
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I scrambled to my piano (keyboard), fumbling in the early dawn with pen and paper to capture that singular moment. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjKmptKm7HuwgH0g5B3d71vnPz64Na-JnlkYSI7W1L6LsDDpy3gLrGFdfb-xXgBNZst7ngB7Tzt8w1tEluPtm_zdrUK1rvjgX9lbVtTOWeNHCmaBJ_PN9QGh8QZzMXXCWa7h3MbS2n0nd/s1600/Music+%2526++pen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizjKmptKm7HuwgH0g5B3d71vnPz64Na-JnlkYSI7W1L6LsDDpy3gLrGFdfb-xXgBNZst7ngB7Tzt8w1tEluPtm_zdrUK1rvjgX9lbVtTOWeNHCmaBJ_PN9QGh8QZzMXXCWa7h3MbS2n0nd/s320/Music+%2526++pen.jpg" width="320" /></a>It worked. In fact, the next week my life was a whirlwind of midnight wakings and crazy writing sessions. The story literally fell into our laps, like the pieces of a puzzle. What started as a dream bloomed into a three hour (now 2.5 hr) musical opus.<br />
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Throughout the years Immortal has grown and changed, but it started with a dream...literally. Will it end as a dream come true?Crystal Collierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09732418924851138035noreply@blogger.com0