25

Today is December 27th.

Twenty-five years ago today, my parents were married at my mother's home church in the small town of Mercedes, Texas.  My mother was 24 and my father had just turned 30.  They were somewhat young and in love.

They may not be as young anymore, they may need to use glasses to read or have to ask "Can you say that again, please?" occasionally, but they're just as much as in love as they were 25 years ago, maybe more.

This past February, my dad took my mom, my sisters and I to my grandpa's house, just a few steps away from the church they were married in.  It was Valentine's Day, exactly 25 years from the day he proposed.  Like the first time, they were surrounded by their closest family members.  This time, he didn't have a ring but promised to have one by the time their anniversary came around.  Instead, he had a large bouquet of pink roses.

Since then, the big 25 has been a work in progress.  The date was set, the location was booked, flowers arrangements were ordered, linens were chosen, dresses were bought and altered.  Finally, all there was left to do was to wait for the day to arrive.  It's finally here.

It's uncommonly early to see Keren up before 9:00 AM, but special days call for special, early alarm clock rings.  It's only about 2 hours before things start hoppin' round these here parts.  Soon, my aunt will arrive with hot rollers, curling irons, flat irons, bobby pins (can you believe they sell those by the pound now??) and the hairspray will by flying.  I'll get started on my mom and sisters' makeup, full sets of lashes, the works.  My dad has it easy.  All he has to do is get himself dressed.  Sometimes I think women should get paid for having to do their hair and makeup.  It's ridiculously time-consuming.

I have to remember to bring the dinner music- all which I downloaded off Youtube- the music for the surprise my sisters and I have planned for them, tissues, the music for the entrance, the music for their big dance...it's just a never-ending list.  Being the first-born daughter is basically the maid of honor in this case.

All that, of course, will be worth it when I see my parents' faces as their enjoying their night.  Whatever crap is happening they don't need to know.  All they need is to remember their love for each other and how rare an occasion this is nowadays.  It's truly a blessing.

Proposal: The Sequel, February 14, 2010

Keren

Moments Like These

It's officially three days until Christmas.

It seems like every year, the days get shorter and the list of things to do gets longer.  The annual Christmas hustle and bustle is in full swing across America; presents being bought, hastily wrapped and put under a lit-up tree.

Everyone says "we need to take time to remember the little things that make Christmas special" but either no one listens or no one gives themselves time to remember those things.  That's one thing I definitely say with all truth I do.  It's not the moments I look under the Christmas tree to feast my eyes on prettily wrapped presents or uncooked dinner in the fridge.  It's the unplanned moments that bring a tear to my eye during an emotional moment in a movie, a lyric from my favorite Christmas carol or even my first memory of the holiday.  That's what Christmas is to me and that's why I start celebrating it before December starts.

While the to-do list may get longer every year, I'm glad this time of year has remained special for me.  It doesn't matter that I might only get one present this year or that it may not be the perfect Christmas, it's the fact that I have a Christmas, that I have a family and close friends to share it with.

Christmas represents a number of things for me- happiness, hope, love, family, laughter and many other emotions I can't put into words.  That's why it's my favorite time of year.  Plus, it's the one time you can get away with a cheesy blog about a cold day and lots of food without being ridiculed for it.

I thought I'd post a few videos of my favorite Christmas moments and explain why they're so special to me.

My first Christmas memory isn't of opening my first doll or anything like that.  It's watching a segment from Sesame Street.  That show was one of my favorites as I rarely watched cartoons or other traditional kids shows.  Apparently, it was only Sesame Street, Mary Poppins or The Sound of Music.  Anyway, I remember watching it and wanting to cry.  I remember not knowing why I felt like that and embarrassed to not know why.  Watching it now, I realize the show managed to capture Christmas at its most innocent- wishing a good friend a merry Christmas and giving them a little something but knowing your wish for them is greater than any materialistic thing you can physically give them.



The next video represents the first twenty Christmases of my life. Having grown up in one church for most of my life and being part of a very active family in that church, Christmas and church activities became synonymous. My dad was pianist and choir director and my mom, my sisters and I participated regularly by singing or my littlest sister playing an instrument. Our family always did something for the Christmas service at church; some years we did everything (wish I was kidding). Moments like these gave me my love for Christmas music and music in general. During moments like these, in and out of church, made my family and I closer every year. This is my dad and little sister two years ago.



I heard this song a few years ago in the car with my family. When it was finished, no one said a word, we just wiped away tears. I dare you to watch it and not cry.



Lastly, I had to post my favorite Christmas song of all time, sung by my favorite singer of all time. The melody is so simple, as are the lyrics and it's sung so often that it can easily be overlooked but that's where its preciousness lies. Every time I hear the song or watch this video, I can't help but get a knot in my throat. I'll never tire of this song/video. It's just amazing.




Merry Christmas,

Keren

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Hello, my name is Keren and I'm a beauty product addict.

Yeah, yeah..."tell me something I don't know," right? 

As I tweeted, I dyed my hair again.  I never thought I'd be one of those girls who dyed their hair ever two months because they got tired of the color.  I thought maybe I'd start dying my hair because of greys (which I already have)...once they were too hard to hide.  But since this past March(ish), I've been doing my hair every couple weeks to keep up with my nearly-black roots.  While my hair isn't nearly as thick as it once was, it still grows like weeds, or at least it seems like it.  Three inches in about five months...is that fast?  I don't know.  So, once I got tired of keeping up with the blonde and the blonder highlights, I decided to go brown, a nice medium brown.  But a few weeks after the initial brown dyeing, it faded to what celebs call "ombre" hair, meaning it's darker at the roots and lighter towards the ends.  The only difference is that celebs pay for that crap.  I just ended up with that.  So, we thought if the brown didn't really take, maybe I need to go darker than before so I end up with the first, original color.  Makes sense, right?  Well, I had a couple boxes of "dark brown" color at home that my mom ended up not using so I tried it.  Of course it took all too well to my roots- they're basically black now- but the shaft/ends are a nice dark brown.  I'm hoping the roots fade a little so it doesn't look as harsh but yeah..."natural" Keren is back.

In other news, I officially feel old, like it's time to really get my act together.  Tomorrow one of my best friends is graduating from college.  That, itself isn't so abnormal.  The thing is that he's about half a year younger than I am.  He wasted no time with school.  I don't know how he did it, but he got through all the necessary classes in three and a half years plus was a T.A. for one of his professors.  Next month, he'll start a job at a local private school as a math teacher.  I'm so proud to have a close friend as a productive member of society but at the same time, I feel like I'm behind.  

I'm not far from graduating but I don't have a job opportunity lined up like he does.  Sometimes I really feel stupid telling people I want to be a beautician/cosmetologist/makeup artist when they ask what I want to do.  They always try to keep a smile like their impressed but I can always tell they're thinking I'm wasting time and money getting a degree at a four-year university.  It's like I'm not practicing what I preach when I say it's wise to have some kind of degree to have something to fall back onto.  That's something my parents instilled in me since I was a wee one but they've already gone through school and when it comes down to it, they won't be the ones held accountable for my life decisions.  It's all me.

I suppose it's just the word "graduation" that scares me a little...okay, a lot.  It represents both an end and a beginning, a wake up call to tell me that I'm no longer a child.

Keren

Choked

In response to Kim's last post, I thought I'd share some stories that involve choking...some that really shouldn't be funny but are.

The first time I saw someone choke was in the 8th grade.  My friend and I were selling pizza on behalf of our class as a fundraiser for our trip to Washington, D. C.  We were in the cafeteria, handing out pizza to 4th graders and making sure everyone had what they were supposed to have.  All of a sudden, we hear "he's choking!" from parent volunteer in the room.  A little boy had been laughing and eating, eating and laughing and then I guess a piece of pizza had gone down the wrong way.  He was still sitting in his seat, coughing but choking.  The parent volunteer went up to him and smacked him on his back- exactly what you're NOT supposed to do.  He stopped coughing; the piece of pizza had lodged further in his throat, completely blocking his airway.  Then he started to really panic.  Poor boy couldn't breathe at all and no one knew what to do (this was before I knew anything about CPR or the Heimlich).  Then, out of nowhere, my mom ran from the kitchen into the cafeteria (she was a lunch lady/kitchen manager at our school for a while) and started doing the Heimlich maneuver on the little boy.  Nothing.  She tried harder but still nothing.  I guess her adrenaline was really pumping because the next thing she tried was something none of us expected...something that totally had me hanging my mouth wide open: she turned this too-tall-to-be-only-in-the-fourth-grade boy upside down, held him by his legs and shook him up and down.  She turned him right side up again and he coughed it up.  Paramedics were called and the boy was fine after but no one moved right away...we were just in shock that my mom was Superwoman with superhuman strength.  Looking back, I giggle, "Damn, mom!"  The woman does NOT panic but somehow always knows what to do.

The second time I was around a choking person, I actually missed it.  We'd just come back from the pool a couple blocks away from my house with my friends Joyce and Gilbert.  I was in the shower, rinsing off the chlorine while Ana and the other two were snacking in the kitchen.  According to what they told me once I was out of the shower, Gilbert was about to eat a banana and was dared by the girls to see how far he could "take it."  Of course, everything was in good fun until the top tip of the banana broke off at the back of his throat.  Needless to say, he choked but never coughed.  Yep, completely lodged from the beginning. At first the girls thought he was joking as a "that's what you get" joke since they'd dared him but soon enough they realized he wasn't joking.  Both Ana and Joyce knew what to do but Ana sprung into action since Joyce is a little girl and Gilbert's a big boy.  Ana has long limbs, perfect for the Heimlich, so she started trying.  After three tries, Gilbert coughed it up and was fine...all before Miss Keren could get out of the shower.  Boys who like boys need not demonstrate on soft food.

Keren

100%

This weekend was amazing.  I'll say that much right now.

An old friend, Michael Callas, came down from New York to give a master class to the music majors at school as he is a Brownsville native and gone on to do some great things with his life, one being a part of New York City Dicapo Opera Theatre.  He performed, accompanied by his pianist, Douglas Han, for the first time at the new UTB Performing Arts Center.  


He came about three years ago, gave a concert and then again last year gave the first master class.  A lot of my friends became friends with him but they didn't know my family and I have had a relationship with Michael since before my sisters and I were born.  He actually went to my parents' wedding in '85.  See, his grandmother and my grandmother were best friends.  They went everywhere together, so naturally, the grandkids knew each other.


Having him in town for a couple of days was so much fun.  Michael's one of the biggest sweethearts I've ever met and talented beyond anyone's expectations...not to mention funny.  I haven't laughed so hard in a long time.


We all hung out at Chilli's, Whataburger and his hotel.  Lots of stuff went down, all super fun.  He's seriously THE gay man I'd like to convert to the dark side.  Haha!  Not to mention he's a baritone...and everyone knows how I LOVE baritones.  ;)


Here's a video a local news channel did on him last time he was here.  Michael, if you're reading this, I apologize for the channel's use of that black and white picture.


Keren


EDIT:  Here are some clips from the concert he just put up on Facebook.  Thought I'd share.  :)


http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/73164/O+Carlo+ascolta...Per+me+giunto...Io+morro+from+Don+Carlo


http://yourlisten.com/channel/content/73163/Eri+tu+from+Un+Ballo+in+Maschera+by+Verdi+performed+by+Michael+Callas,+baritone+and+Doug+Han,+piano

Sentimental

I don't know what it is about the holidays but they totally turn me into the biggest, most annoying sap ever. I'm not exaggerating when I say that it doesn't officially feel like the winter/Christmas time until I have a little cry for almost no reason.

Starting the day before Thanksgiving, I cried writing my friends' letters telling them how thankful I was for them.  I knew it was officially holiday time when that happened.  Granted, I probably would've still cried if I'd written them some other time, but still...irrelevant.  Now, ever cheesy Christmas-spirit-family-counts moment makes me tear up like a pregnant woman being forced away from her pickle juice and ice cream.

Then today, for the first time, I cried listening to Josh's "I'll Be Home For Christmas."  I don't know why it hadn't gotten to me until now.  I mean, how many times have I listened to it?  At least 20 times a year since 2007...80?  At least.

Finally, tonight as I was surfing the 'net and looking at some forgotten Grobanite pages on LiveJournal, I came across a link to an additional bonus track off Illuminations.  I'd seen Ellen talk about it on Twitter with (jg)Sarah but for some reason I hadn't the need to find it ASAP.  I thought I was losing my Grobanity...and I was, until now.

Ladies, I give you another song that made me cry.  It's a cover of a song I'd loved since senior year of high school.  It made me cry when I first heard it and again just a minute ago when I heard Josh's version of it.  Especially since it's totally the thought I think when I'm around a certain someone.  :)

"Feels Like Home"  -  Josh Groban   <-- Click me!

Enjoy!

Keren

Thankful

As I mentioned on Twitter, this year for Thanksgiving I'm doing something I've never done before: I'm writing letters to my 3 closest friends about what I'm thankful for this year.  I'm not the first person to openly say who or what I'm thankful for but I think if anyone is going to know, it might as well be your closest friends.

When we were little, we'd have Thanksgiving dinner with my whole family.  We don't have a big family but we would always get together, all of us- be it steps, halves, good friends, whatever.  Family isn't only a blood line.  Anyway, just before we dug into our meals, we'd go around the table and say what we were thankful for.  Being younger and not really understanding why it was we did that, I was always dreading the moment it was my turn.  I wanted to say something quick and to the point but without going on and on and on like the adults did.  They were so boring and uncool to me back then.  Plus, since I've always been quiet and not very touchy-feely when it came to this stuff, it was just uncomfortable.

As my sisters and I got older, for some reason, this tradition was forgotten.  The last time I remember having a Thanksgiving dinner after saying what we were all thankful for was when I was about ten, which is unfortunate; I was finally old enough to know why we did that but I didn't have a chance anymore.  Sure, I could've just said it anyway but I didn't. (Now watch...now that I'm blogging about it, we'll probably do it this year.  Haha!)

So, I thought I'd write a few little mini letters here for those of you who wouldn't exactly benefit from snail mail so close to Thanksgiving.

Malorie, you were officially my first good online friend, good enough to trust my life with for two weeks that first summer I visited.  You have no idea how refreshing it was to have someone who thought almost exactly like me and had almost everything in common with.  I never thought I'd ever meet someone like that but I guess I was proven wrong.  God totally has a sense of humor.  I thank Him for you and your parents.  I can honestly say I'm a better person for knowing you.

KAren, I'll never know what made you want to host five other crazy fangirls.  And even more, I'll never know what made your husband agree to it.  It's been amazing knowing you and being able to get sane motherly advice from someone other than my own mother.  I'm so grateful for knowing you and getting to meet your family these past two summers.  Like Malorie and the other girls, I don't know what I would've done without knowing you all.

Kim, you're amazing.  I'm so blessed to have met and gotten to know you.  Like KAren, your sage, motherly advice never ceases to amaze me- and I'm so, so, soooo thankful for it.  You have no idea.  Because of you, I've gotten the guts to do some things I only considered doing.  Thank you!

Linda, BABE!  Knowing you is like looking into my future...only you're waaaaay more creative than I'll ever be.  You're amazing.  I'm grateful for knowing you and for our boy conversations.  You're the big sister I never had but always wanted. <3

Sparkles, you always make me happy.  Even on the days I didn't know I was feeling down, you always found a way to make me feel better.  Your constant sunshine is something that is totally you and also something I'm thankful for.  The Lord blessed me when he let your sparkles into my life.

Ellen, what would I have to look forward to if we didn't have our plan to be in a nursing home together, constantly having fun throwing tennis balls at each other?  I'm so happy I met you, even if it's never been in person.  You're seriously one of the most clever people I've met and I'm honestly happy to be exposed to such genius...as well as the great person you are.  Thanks for not giving up on this loser.  :P

Angelica, I don't know if I'd be sane without our back and forth messaging on Facebook.  Just so you know, you're one of the few people who actually gets all the nitty-gritty details.  I'm so thankful for your encouragement on the days I thought I'd pull out my hair before entering my mid twenties.

With that, my ladies, I shall depart with some words we all know and love.

Some days we forget

To look around us

Some days we can't see

The joy that surrounds us

So caught up inside ourselves

We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for

What we know can be.

And on this day we hope for

What we still can't see.

It's up to us to be the change

And even though we all can still do more

There's so much to be thankful for.

Keren

An Apology

I totally meant to blog this weekend.  I just couldn't.  Literally couldn't.

Sick. As. A. Dog.

Friday, I woke up with a sore throat, as I had the day before, but I thought nothing of it.  Until I got to school and I suddenly couldn't talk.  I knew one thing for sure: I had caught a cold- not the usual cold, the kind that leaves you speechless.

The friday before, I had spent about 12 hours with a friend who had basically no voice and wasn't able to stop his nose from running.  Hot, right?  Yeah, well, a week had gone by and it had finally hit me.  Probably worse than it had hit him.

I was glad of one thing, though: the concert was over.  And then something else hit me: I had a presentation to do that day and I had no voice.  Next week it was (it's a once-a-week class)!  So I quickly sent my friend a text: "Hey, thanks for putting my presentation off for a week!"  He responded with "Ha, why?"  "Caught your cold, lost my voice.  :)  "  Not that I was excited to be sick; I just don't like being one of the first people to present...anything.

So I went home, silently broke the news to my family that I was mute and literally did nothing since.  Apparently I "looked like death" yesterday.  That's always a great compliment, you know?

I'm so boring.  I apologize.

I need stories to tell.

Keren

Let Me Be The Music

Day 1 after concert.

Our director immediately came out of her office and greeted us saying, "My babies!"  She's a little woman, but strong, intimidating but motherly nonetheless.  Of course, we're only her babies when we've made her proud.

She went on to tell us about the compliments she received after the concert yesterday- from the chairwoman of the music department of the university, different vocal teachers at school, high school choir directors and even her husband- a retired band director.  She was gushing.  And then it came- the critiques.

We all knew it wasn't perfect but very good for being able to 95% of our rep this early in the year.  The real work will start Wednesday, polishing and perfecting what we do know and learning the other 5% before the big performance in February.

She had us take out a piece we'd never covered before, what will be our closer for the aforementioned February performance at the Texas Music Educators Association convention.

The title alone gave me chills.  I just didn't expect to get so emotional while listening to the piano part and reading the text.  I can say already that it's the perfect closer for us.  We've worked hard, very hard.  And while it's nice to get the recognition of being one of the best university choirs in the state (and possibly the country), we don't do it for the title.  We do what we do for the love of music making.



Seasons come and seasons go
And somehow they we meant to show that life and love are never really gone.
So when my journey is through
I'm certain there is just a new hello
And so when I travel on,
Let me be the music
Let me be the music of love I have known
Let me be the melodies in the wind and the trees that sing to the lost and alone
Let me be the sweetest refrain in the sound of the rain or a rippling stream
Let me be the lullabies that close the eyes of children when they dream
For music has now walls or bars
It bridges time and space
It only asks the senses to surrender
It sweeps is to the stars and makes us one in it embrace
It has no fences
It has no gender
So let me be the music
The beautiful music of love
Let me be the voices of spring that rejoice in the things that blossom and grow
Oh let me be the music to come again as music
The beautiful music of love
The beautiful music of love when I go
Oh let me be the music when I go
When I go




Keren

StING 'EM!

Today was November 14, 2010- the day I'd been waiting for since the beginning of the semester, day of the UTB Master Chorale's debut concert of the year and our debut in the new performing arts center.

I knew it was going to be a big deal but I didn't know I'd be so nervous and uneasy before the concert.  Our warm-ups today weren't going well and people wouldn't get focused.  Girls didn't come with their makeup or hair done and I had to run around helping those unfortunate souls.  To top it off, the boy couldn't sing but five notes.  Poor boy mouthed more than half the concert.

Also, it was the first time a lot of people saw my hair post-blonde.  Granted, it was up so some people didn't even notice but even still.  I was excited to see any reaction.  I'm weird like that.

Anyway, the concert started a bit rough but I doubt the audience noticed since they didn't have the sheet music in front of them.  I think our director messed up the conducting a little, so it threw people off.  But once we got going, we got better.  We only performed eight out of the eleven songs we have in our rep. so it was a little short on time but it didn't lack quality, that's for sure.  Once we were done, people in the audience were gushing with compliments, including some of my high school directors- which always makes me feel like I've made them proud.  :)

So here are some pics of my hair and makeup.  Not that I'm conceited or anything.  :P  I was just really proud both since I was sorta in a hurry.

Videos/audios/of the performances are to come!

Pic(s) for now:

(This isn't even the whole choir. Part of the left side is cut out.  I wasn't able to fit the whole choir into one pic.)

Keren

Grobanity Resurfaces

Just a quickie since I came home to a surprise just now.  After a long day of English grammar and a test in my Conflict Management class, it was suddenly all worth it.  Yes, the Grobanity is resurfacing within.

A while back, I participated in a chat on the JG boards (not FOJG) and got a prize for answering possibly THE easiest question: "Who produced Josh's new album?"  Me: "Rick Rubn" ...  "Rick Rubi" ..."darn it! RICK RUBIN!"

I don't know how I typed all that and still beat the other girls in the chat room, but I did.

It's not the official album cover but I kind of like that.  Might end up being a collector's item!  :P

It also came with a little something extra.  I thought it was a nice little touch from Sarah (jgsarah).

Keren

In My Khaki Pants

Today was what we call "High School Day" at UTB.  Kids from high schools in Brownsville and surrounding cities come to the university to tour and basically have an orientation.  But on top of that, we showcase our performing arts groups: band (UTB Wind Ensemble), the jazz band, the mariachi group (Mariachi Escorpion), the drum line, the strings symphony, the guitar ensemble and of course, the choir- also known as the UTB Master Chorale.  So, obviously, we/I had to be at school extra early...well, earlier than our regular Monday/Wednesday rehearsal.

My day basically started at 12:00 AM.  Joyce was over and we'd just finished watching this week's Glee for the 100,000,000th time (talk about a jaw-dropper!)  I was getting ready for bed, knowing I was going to have to be awake at 7 AM to be ready to leave the house at 9.  Have I ever mentioned how I HATE getting up early??  I'm just not a morning person.  Anyway, at 4 AM, I wake up and- still half asleep- turn on my light and get ready for a shower.  As I'm about to leave my room, I realize it's waaaaaaaaaay too early to be showering.  3 more hours.  YES!

Finally, when I really DO have to wake up, I'm sleepier than I was at 4. This is why I hate mornings.  I do my thing to get ready.  Hair? Meh, it's been better.  Makeup?  Duh..awesome! :P  Clothes?  EEW!

I understand and know full well that from an audience member's perspective, our uniforms looks great.  But wearing them?  Now that's a whole other cow to fry.  First off, it reminds me of my uniform from my private school days: a light blue Oxford shirt and khaki pants.  Being me: difficult, of course there's gonna be SOME kind of problem.  I've always had problems finding pants that fit right as my waist is not proportionate to my thighs/legs.  The upper thigh area, especially in the back, is ALWAYS baggy...to the point where it looks like I'm wearing a saggy diaper.

(Me in the "official casual uniform: UTB Master Chorale blue Oxford shirt, khakis, brown belt, close toed brown shoes, and hair off the face/shoulders for girls.  Yes, I'm well aware I look like a boy.)

I couldn't find any new, better-fitting, khakis this past week, so I went with the ones I've only worn a few times...the diaper ones.  I washed them to see if they'd shrink and they did but only stayed like that for a while.  FAIL.

The one thing I do like about the uniform is wearing a shirt that proudly states I'm part of a prestigious ensemble.  I feel like it's almost coveted, the shirt alone; never mind a place in the chorale.

So once I got to school, kids were already getting off buses and going into the Arts Center.  They stared at me as if they'd never seen anyone in khakis before.  Oh, children.  I went up to the choir room, we warmed up and almost immediately were called down to the stage for the performance.

By this time, my feet were already killing me with those darn shoes I bought for this event last year.  I remembered then why I don't wear them on a regular basis.  I was tempted to insert a picture of my blisters but I shall spare thee.

I knew my dad was around and wanted to see our performance but I couldn't see with the stage lights.  So I just gave it my best anyway- as did everyone else- and we did pretty well for having not sung on that stage as a group...ever.  I prayed we'd be okay since we'd been having some pretty big tuning issues.

After, about half the choir and I went across the street where they were serving lunch for the HS kids and we helped serve pizza- 2 or 3 slices to a plate.  We joked that the kids that got 3 huge pieces were "super deluxe lunchers."

Once the kids were served, we ate and returned to the choir room for our regular rehearsal.  Only we had guests: directors from all over the area.  "Great, now we can't suck for sure!" one of my friends said.

Keren

Fried Rice With Cherries On Top

Alright, I'm finally back.  If you were/had been wondering about my last blog and why I stopped writing or why it "disappeared," it's just because of some people reading it...people I'd rather not read it.  So THIS one will be open to everyone and anyone who wants to peer into the world of Keren.  Not that's it's extra exciting or anything, but still.  Haha!

So here's my first EXCITING post.  Sort of my day.  After choir, my sister, Joyce and I went to Harlingen- a city about 30 minutes from Brownsville to eat at one of our favorite restaurants- Kahn's Mongolian Grill- and do some light shopping at Forever 21.  Well, Ana ended up dropping some serious bucks (refund check from her scholarship) and I spent a whopping $15!

So at this place, Kahn's, you serve your veggies in a big bowl, your meats in a smaller bowl and then add whatever seasonings you want.  Everything is raw but it's cooked right in front of you.  For some reason, today, I was extra grossed out by the raw meat.  Eew.

Above is my bowl of noodles and veggies on the left and Joyce's on the right.  Can you tell she was raised with only brothers and has LOTS of guy friends??  Haha..love you, Joyceee!

This is the "finished product"...aka, my plate.  It's served with fried or steamed rice and a little thingy of bread.  SOOOOOOO GOOD!!

Then off we went to Forever 21, where I found my first pair of leggings and a really cute sweater top that covered my booty and poonan.  Both were on clearance so I just HAD to snatch them up.

Now, I know I'm probably gonna get someone saying, "You can't wear leggings as pants, you just can't!" but I'm gonna...mwahahahahahahhaaa!  If you feel like wearing something, even if it looks wonky to someone else, do it, I say.  There is NO such thing as the Fashion Police in real life, so chill out, peeps!  (Okay, I know I shouldn't be talking, considering all the people-watching and mental makeovers I do but this really isn't that bad.)

Now here's a Monday I can get used to!

Keren