August 7, 2013

Video of the Day

(photo courtesy of: blingcheese.com)

I've been re-watching old videos of Cory Monteith and discovering some really great ones that I'd never seen before, like this one. I really love how he filmed just about everything he did, which is something I have always aspired to do and try here and there, but never have the guts to just film whatever, whenever. I always tend to chicken out filming in front of a major landmark or if there are other people around, whether it's family or strangers, because I'm not extremely outgoing. Or I just run out of things to say, because it's so not natural for me to just speak on the spot...But, watching Cory just being himself wherever he went reminds me that I should too. No one cares that much, and I tend to let my self consciousness get in the way of so many great opportunities. 

So, this weekend, in honor of Cory, Viviyan and I are going to film our adventure in LA. I'm really excited to try it out and just see how it goes. Live in the moment and capture all of the beauty around us. 

We'll see how that goes...

That's all for now,
Shelby :)
xoxo


Back To School...Well, Not Quite Yet


The past couple of days, I've been helping out one of my dearest friends in her classroom, prepping for the new school year that starts in just a a week and a half! I can't believe she's getting ready to start her second year. It really is crazy how time flies, and how quickly she adjusted to it, as well as it's hard to believe that her summer is already slowing down and she'll be getting a new batch of kiddos. We've been organizing posters, cabinets, drawers, rearranging some of the tables, redoing the walls, and cleaning. And it has been nothing but fun, as hard as that might be to believe!

I've been feeling sort of blah lately; summertime blues, I guess you could call it. I've had way too much time to sit at home and dwell on things that are out of my control and it has only worried me to death in the process, which is not cool. So, when Viviyan asked if I would help her out in her classroom Sunday (or Monday night?), I jumped at the chance, because, 1) I'd get to hang out with one of my closest friends and favorite people on the planet, and 2) I really do like being in the school environment, though usually after hours or if I'm not the one who's actually at the desk as a student. I've always loved helping teachers, whether it was as a student in elementary school filing, helping clean the class and grading papers or helping out friends over the past couple years. It's fun to be able to get to know the kids and learn the ropes, without actually having that responsibility of being the one in charge. I think being able to be in the workforce without actually getting paid or being on staff anywhere has helped me gain experience, so when I do get a job, I'll have an idea of what it's like to work around other people and to be part of a "team."

I seriously commend teachers for all the hard work that they put in, not only for the lesson plans and teaching, but for the details they put into their classroom. You have no idea how much goes into it, and I love that the teachers I know have such a passion and heart for their students and making it the best experience that they possibly can for the kids. I know my calling isn't to be a teacher or to be in a classroom all day, but for right now, I am enjoying being around it.

So, the past couple of days has been so much more than just doing work, though, we've been able to get a lot accomplished and her class is looking fantastic, it has been about connecting with people again. I feel like the summer has made me pull away from my normal routines and getting together with people, so this was a nice chance to interact with something to do, instead of sitting at home
bored. Viviyan and I were actually able to have a couple really nice heart to hearts. I've been so bottled up with feelings lately, and I was reminded that it's okay to pour your heart out and let people know what you're going through, instead of just driving yourself crazy. And I had a bit of a reminder that "it's okay not to be okay." We're all going to have those moments where no matter how good things are going around us, we have to do a bit of a heart check and see how we're doing spiritually and mentally. It was a load off, that's for sure. I truly believe God put it all together for that talk today, and is giving me that nudge to get back in the game. I've been using this summer break and starting the new university in the fall as an excuse to get comfortable and just blow big opportunities off because I'm too scared or too lazy. But, no...NO MORE of that! I'm going to jump in, whether my knees are shaking or not, whether my voice is trembling when I speak, or whether I think nothing good can come from taking a risk. I'm so thankful to have the friends that I do and to not feel like a burden when things just don't make sense to me and I don't have to feel like I'm all alone.

In between our heart to hearts (and you know getting stuff done), we would also "gleek out" for a little, while listening to the soundtrack to Glee on Pandora radio, quoting our favorite episodes or rambling on about Cory Monteith.
I also got a chance to see some of my old teachers or teachers that were around when I went to school there, which is always a blast from the past...And a reminder of how old I'm getting. Have I mentioned that I want it to stop?? haha. Viv's aunt made us yummy food, I got to know/talk with her awesome cousin more (and she informed us all about One Direction and helped us identify who was singing which part, and I thoroughly enjoyed that. I like hearing others talk about their favorite celebs) and today, we also got to take a short trip to the paper supply across the street, which was entertaining. Who knew there were so many different colors and types of papers? Stationary is kind of a fascinating thing to me, so I'm all for it.



Days like this remind me of why I'm here. I have a purpose, and that's to lend a hand, whether it's to a friend or hopefully at some point to a complete stranger to broaden my horizon and to go out further in the world...Or maybe reach someone I'll never even get a chance to meet. Sometimes I have to remind myself to get pumped up for things, because I let things in life drag me down and wear me out too much, when it's not worth it. THIS LIFE IS WORTH LIVING AND GETTING EXCITED ABOUT. I have so many things to look around and feel blessed with, so why should I keep putting myself in a funk??
Take a second and write down five things you're really excited about and 5 things you have, that you sometimes take for granted, but feel so blessed to have. I'm going to do it too. It might not be a bad trend to start on a daily basis just to get into the mindset of pausing to focus on what God's doing and not just what you want Him to do. *SIGH*, I feel better already :)

That's all for now,
Shelby
xoxo

August 2, 2013

These Are The Days I Want To Remember


Yesterday, I was sitting at my desk watching Glee, eating leftover Chinese food, and texting one of my best friends as we talked and cried over the last season of the show and Cory Monteith's death. I know that probably doesn't sound like much or makes me sound extremely pathetic, but I'm starting to hold these memories closer to my heart, and started thinking, "These are the moments right here." These things that all seem so insignificant right now are really everything. The simple text from a friend, dinner with family, laughing until you can't breathe, trips that aren't planned...All of it.

This is where all of my shaping and growth is really taking place. This is the age where I'm going to make the most mistakes, and then I'm going to bounce back and figure out exactly what I want. These are the days when I'm not responsible for anyone else and the hardest decision I have to make is what kind of cereal do I want for breakfast? Or what show do I want to start next on Netflix next? I know this is probably one of my last summers of being so carefree, so I intend to make the most of it. This is the age to try out new hairstyles, meet new people, listen to your music a little louder, try a new look out...See what works and what doesn't. I think I'm in that stage right now, and I'm really excited about it.

I'm a planner, so sometimes it's hard for me to just enjoy right now, without thinking about thirty years into the future about where I'll be or what I should be doing to get there. Growing up may be hard in some aspects; learning when to let go and when to move on, or whether to hold on for as long as you can. But, eventually you find your way and it'll be really sweet.

That's all for now,
Shelby :)

My Life As Of Lately

I still haven't been keeping as up to date on here as I guess I'd like to, but my focus has been on other things as of lately, so I just haven't gotten around to stopping in. But, I thought I'd change that right about now and catch y'all up to speed on my life.

So, I guess I not many things have changed, but things are good and I'm on my way to some really great things. Until then, my summer is going fabulously! I can't remember the last summer where I had nothing to do; no projects or reading or summer classes to get out of the way. It's kind of weird, I have to admit, but I'm really liking it. I know once school starts I'm not going to have much of a life, so I'm trying to soak up all the free time, whether it's actually being productive and actually getting stuff done around the house, reading or wasting time by looking up pointless videos on YouTube. I'm just enjoying whatever comes along.

Beach trip//
My parents and I went to the beach for the day to celebrate their anniversary. I tagged along yet again, but we had an absolute blast! HA! I had not exactly been in the most pleasant of moods (to put it nicely), but after meeting my cousin for dinner, I started feeling much better. We don't get to see him a lot, so it was great to laugh and hear what he'd been up to. After dinner, we went to the beach and walked along the pier. It was FREEZING outside, but the cold air was such a nice break from the heat at home, so I took a deep breath and admired the ocean and beauty that God has created! Simplicity is what I long for, contrary to most peoples' beliefs, I'm sure. I also got a chance to watch more Glee in the car ride to and from. It was a beautiful day of escaping for a bit, and I never complain about that. 





Amy Grant concert//
Any Grant came to one of our local theaters for a concert and she was incredible. I've seen her in concert before, but this was in a much different setting. She sang more of her gospel songs and some of her other pop hits, and also brought Brandon Heath for several songs. I was so inspired that night with the fact that no matter what happens in this life, God still remains the same. He is peace, love and truth, and things in this world are so uncertain; there will be hard times, yes, but they won't last forever. And when you're having a happy season, celebrate and revel in it, because that is also temporary and life is fleeting. Each and every day, bigger reminders are coming full swing of how intense life can be...and you have to have hope to carry you through, you can't do it alone. Some days, it takes a lot to feel like you have to fight back, but it's worth it. I've been so worried about so many things coming up...getting my license, finalizing last minute things with school, and just where I'm going to end up. Because, I feel like I've always known what I wanted to do, but now I feel as though I'm starting to question everything, and I'm starting from scratch again. Maybe that's okay, you know? But, I feel like I got the confirmation I was looking for. God has His hand on me, and everything is going to work out.
Amy's a great entertainer, and she's also incredibly funny; telling stories about her kids and other little things here and there, it was very laid back. You felt like you were in her living room and she was just visiting with everyone, which makes it feel so much more personal. I am in love with music and performing. If I get to do that the rest of my life, I'd be an incredibly happy person.

After the concert, we went out to dinner with some family friends; chatting about the concert and hearing some old stories about their adventures with my parents back before my time, which is always fun. 




L.A, L.A, Baby//

My parents and I have been going to Dodger games, and I always love being able to explore the wonderful city of L.A before the game. My aunt went with us again this time, and I can't express enough what an amazing day it was! I was in a particularly good mood and something in me just wanted to make the day great, no matter what happened, no matter what anyone said...I wasn't going to let anyone rain on my parade. And you know what? I didn't. Most of what happens to us in life is all a matter of how we look at it and how we respond to it, and it's a lesson I keep having to learn time and time again. But, I think I'm finally starting to catch on.

Anyway, we had lunch at one of our favorite restaurants in the area, and still had some time to kill. Because I am OBSESSED with Glee, I suggested finding the school where they film some of the outdoor dancing scenes (in the lunch area quad) and the football field. My dad was game for it, so we pulled up to the school, only to realize it was the one we had been to before. But, this time, we got out and walked around a bit. Since the school is closed on Saturdays, we could only peek through the fence in certain parts, but I was still just so excited to be there...McKinley High. I was totally "Gleeking" out. I am so thankful that my parents are usually up for an adventure like this, and listen to me go on and on about my favorite fictional couples or the life lessons I learned from the characters on my favorite TV shows, because it is a pretty big passion of mine. They sure are pretty much the coolest. 

After that, we drove around for a bit in a different section of town than we normally do, and there were so many gorgeous buildings we had never seen before. It's amazing how big the city is, so you can live in the area or a couple hours away and still have so much to see/do every time you visit. It keeps things fresh, though. 

The game was at 6:10, and we got there in plenty of time, but we just went to our seats right away this time. It was a really great game and the Dodgers WON!!! WOO! It felt like it went a bit slower, but it was all good; it gave me a chance to spend more time with family, to laugh and joke around, which carried over into the car ride, even as we stopped for Krispy Kreme donuts and Jack in the Box (healthy, right?). As great as the day was, nothing beats laughing until your gut is sore and tears are streaming down your face with the people closest to you. Those are the moments I live for, and I am trying as hard as I can to remember how rare they can be, but to hold onto them and my loved ones every single time.
Another beautiful day for the books. 









Glee//
After Cory Monteith passed away, I suggested to one of my best friends, Viviyan, that we should do a Glee marathon, just sort of in honor of him. I had actually been wanting to do one recently anyway since Netflix added it, but this seemed like the perfect time. I had watched the first three seasons back when the show premiered, but just stopped watching during the 4th, so I wanted to get caught up. She had only seen a couple episodes here and there, but she was hooked after we started watching again on Netflix. And so we now we have been watching and talking about it nonstop, and it has been glorious. I'm pretty sure we've gotten even closer over the past couple weeks, and I didn't think that was possible. I want my life to be an episode of Glee.... It has also been inspiring me to get back into doing music/theater. I really miss it, and Glee has reminded me just why. Performing and being onstage is where I belong. Thank you, Rachel Berry and Lea Michele for helping me see the light again.


In other news, I've been driving a lot more to get practice (DUH), because my test deadline is coming up soon, and I'm really starting to like being behind the wheel. I feel like I'm in control and am actually moving forward with things, which is a big relief and a big weight off of my shoulders; really liberating. I think back to when I started out just a few short months ago; how terrified I was to leave the parking lot of the high school I was learning in or was freaked out the first time I pulled out onto the street and thought a car might come close to me or I'd do something terribly, terribly wrong. Little by little, I have gained the confidence that I needed...and a lot of it comes from just taking that first leap of faith to actually do it, and the next is just a lot of practice. Sure, there are still things I can improve on, but you don't learn until you put yourself in the game...And that's what I intend to. Instead of freaking myself out, I'm just going to get excited that this is just the beginning of all that is to come...and I can't wait. But, I'm also just enjoying right now, and the fact that now I'll be able to drive myself to lunch with friends or to church. Baby steps are good. So, maybe it has taken me a little longer to grow up...oh well. I'm marching to the beat of my own drum. The only one I need to compare myself to is me. 

The past couple days, my mind and heart have just been a little scattered and heavy. There have been so many reminders recently that life is short and the time we have with loved ones is very limited. Or I wonder whether the dreams I hold deepest in my heart will ever come true, and it kills me to think that they might never happen. I freak myself out about my driving test...And all of the what if's start to become a chain reaction. But, you know what? You just have to let them go. What's meant to be will always find a way, right? God has a plan and now it's time to BELIEVE that. 

So...things are good. I'm learning. I'm growing up. I'm moving on. I'm finding who I'm meant to be, and I think I'm starting to enjoy the process. :)

That's all for now,
Shelby <3 nbsp="" p="">

July 19, 2013

5 Reasons That Yesterday Rocked My Socks Off (and also one of the longest blogs I'll probably ever write...PHEW)

"These are the moments, I thank God that I'm alive,
These are the moments, I'll remember all my life!"




This week, my dad's had some time off and it has been a wonderful time being able to have him around during the week, because that rarely happens. He works so much and hardly ever gets to take a vacation, but he was able to this week. We've been doing little things around the house and taking care of things that need to be done, and yesterday, we went to LA for the day, which honestly could not have been a better day...Unless, I would have casually bumped into someone like Sophia Bush...But, you know what I mean.

1. We took a tour of Warner Brothers Studios, and it doesn't matter how many times I've done it, I'm still so fascinated by the fast pace life of everyone putting their creative juices together to make something really magical in TV land...Or movie land! Every time you go is a little bit different than the last, whether it's stories and experiences your guide can offer or visiting different locations that weren't available last time due to filming.

At the beginning of the tour, they always ask for favorite shows of everyone on the tram. My mom and I told them Gilmore Girls and Pretty Little Liars, so our tour guide was great about spotting out places that had been used on those shows, and of course, many other famous locations as we went. Although, I felt like because we had been on the tour so many times, I could have given the tour or quickly told my parents other things we'd seen in the past, judging by the area we were in. We drove around the "New York" backlot complete with alley's, apartments, and even the subway station, or at least a facade that looks like it leads to one. It's pretty realistic from the idea of New York I have in my head (I've never been to the real thing...So the one in my mind will have to do for now!)
Hollis College (used on Pretty Little Liars)
We made a few turns, driving past the commissary that the Warner Brothers cast and crew can eat at for lunch, and was also used in an episode of Gilmore Girls when April and Luke go on a field trip with her school. After a few minutes of driving, we ended up in "the jungle" section of the lot. Before pulling into the long driveway, we saw several set walls on a truck for Hart of Dixie, as well as George's boat. We had been to parts of the jungle before, but because of Pretty Little Liars and Hart of Dixie are using new sets in that area, I was really excited to explore different parts of it. There's a cabin in the back that has been used on several occasions for Pretty Little Liars and is also the Rammer Jammer on Hart of Dixie. It's such a pretty area. I think if I worked on the lot, I'd sneak over there just for the shade. 



Jason and Ali's house from PLL!

As we left the jungle, we turned onto a street lined with cute little houses that looked like something out of a movie, which is fitting, because we WERE on a movie lot. But, the funny thing is that they aren't houses at all, but they're working offices for production, casting and writing, which is where a lot of the meat of the show and magic really takes place. I love the fact that Warner Brothers uses EVERYTHING on the lot, whether it's a random tree or a pretty building. All of the sets are so versatile for whatever they need. 

Christopher's house (Gilmore Girls), Hanna's house (Pretty Little Liars) and also the writing office of Friends all 10 seasons. 
I believe this was the PLL writing office??
We pulled around and ended up in the "midwest", which is a small town setting that can be used as anywhere, USA. Also known as my favorite part of the lot, because two of my favorite shows have used it as a big portion of their backdrop, which would be Stars Hollow, CT and Rosewood, PA. We parked the tram for a few minutes and were able to wander around the streets for a bit. So, of course, I snapped several selfies wherever the opportunity presented itself-past store fronts, Rosewood High, Rosewood City Hall, the Growing Pains house, and of course, a staple in town, the church. I've been in the town square so many times, it's really starting to feel like a real functioning town...Ah, if only. We walked down another side street and into the house of Sookie St. James (Gilmore Girls), where we observed how the inside of a TV house worked and how different it is, judging by the ceiling, fake wood flooring and other features that just wouldn't work while filming. We walked around to the back porch, and suddenly we were on the steps of Lorelai and Rory's house. On the last tour we took there a couple years ago, they told us how the Gilmore and Sookie's house were connected, but it was cool actually being able to walk right through it. We had several minutes looking around the yard, and I just had to be the last one finishing taking pictures, because I'd never gotten a picture in front of Babette's house...oops! That was a little awkward as everyone stared, waiting to walk back out. YOLO! So, after we walked back out to the front and completing a circle around "town", we got back on the cart and continued our
tour.


                                              






The back of the PLL church!
We drove past the strip of sound stages and important looking people on mission, and went inside the automobile museum. It has a range of famous cars from Get Smart, Scooby Doo, and Chuck to Harry Potter and the Batmobiles. We glanced around, but didn't take many pictures this time around and opted out of the free photo, since we aren't Potterheads. Then, we went into the prop house, which is filled with thousands of artifacts and memorabilia from shows and movies over the years. The coolest thing about it is that you don't have to work on the lot or even be in the industry to rent props from the warehouse...So, if you want to throw a party and have some cool items to impress your guests, all you have to bring is the money! ;) My favorite part of that portion of the tour is always the famous Friends couch and Central Perk set. I love that they've preserved everything and it has stayed the same since the show went off the air in 2004, except for the guitar that Phoebe played in the coffee shop, because Lisa Kudrow took that home with her when they wrapped the series.






Pretty Little Liars was filming around the area at a soundstage nearby us, but we never saw anyone, unfortunately, which was a bummer! I kept my eyes peeled, though. I did see a prop full of trucks outside setting some things up and taking things out; probably things they were using for those certain scenes being filmed in stage 7.
We hopped back on the cart, and stopped at one of the sound stages, which happened to be for the set of Two Broke Girls. I've never seen the show, but I always love getting to see how different shows' setup works and to hear stories of how they do things, because each one is different.
At the end of the tour, they let us wander through another museum filled with costumes and props from some of their most popular shows and movies, including my favorites: Gilmore Girls, The Vampire Diaries and One Tree Hill, so I was pretty much freaking out and wishing they would let us take pictures, but security was way too tight to even think about sneaking it. There were also costumes from Gatsby, Crazy/Stupid Love, Batman, Smallville, The Big Bang Theory, and more.
After we wrapped up the tour, we drove past some of the sets/stages we had passed earlier and back across the street to the gift store/check in area.

2. After WB, I wanted to drive by Paramount Studios to see if they had done anything in honor of Cory Monteith's passing, so we did. There was a small area where you could see fans had left cards, posters, and flowers, but the thing that hurt to see the most was the Glee foam finger. I just remember taking the tour a couple years ago and hearing what a great guy he was from the tour guide and me really wishing that they had been filming that day so I could've ran into him. It definitely made it more real. I'm not gonna lie, it has really been weighing heavily on my heart and mind this week, and judging by the social media...I'm not the only one.



3. By that time, we were starving for lunch, so we decided to eat at Mel's Diner, because it has been on my list of "places to try in LA" for quite some time now. It wasn't busy, so we got right in. Obviously, it's a diner, so it has things like sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, etc. I had a turkey melt, which was pretty good, just a little dry...and it came with potato salad, which was delicious; had a bit of a kick with bell peppers and other seasonings. SO GOOD!

4. After we finished eating, we had several hours to kill, so my dad suggested Runyon Canyon. I was all for that, but the downside is that we never seemed to be dressed for the occasion, so we always look a little out of place, but it was still just as fun. We didn't walk as far as we did last time, but we took in the sunshine and soaked up the gorgeous view of the city for a few minutes. I also loved the fact that it wasn't busy either, so there was room to spread out a little more.




5. After spending some time in the heat, I was quickly crashing and dying for some sugar. We didn't have anything else in mind, so we just decided to get to The Grove a little earlier. After spending so much time there after American Idol and signings, I thought I'd get a little bored, but there's always something to do there. First, we walked across the street to get VIP passes for the Sara Evans concert, then got yogurt at Pinkberry, which is seriously the best (well, at least tied with Sweet Cece's)! It was tasty and refreshing; we sat at the tables and relaxed for a few minutes, then walked around to look at a few stores. I spent awhile in Barnes and Noble...I seriously just love books! I ended up buying a writer's devotional, which I'm really excited about trying out and practicing my writing techniques. 
We also took a little ride on the trolley, which we'd never done before; always fun for people watching!

Around 6:30, we checked in at the table in front of the stage; got our wristbands and got FRONT ROW to see Love'N'Theft and Sara Evans...and did I mention it was FREE?! Cause it was. Does it get any better than that? An announcer came out and talked to the crowd a little to get everyone warmed up and music was playing over the loudspeakers. We got settled in, and pretty soon the show started up. Love'N'Theft took the stage with a short acoustic set, which seemed to really get the crowd singing along and having a great time. They sang their radio hits and a couple new songs that I'm really digging! The weather was perfect and it was a really great night for good music and good company. I didn't have a care in the world. 
Finally, Sara came out and I was really excited! She sang just about all of my favorite songs and did a few covers on some of my favorite songs at the moment, including, "When I Was Your Man," "Just Give Me A Reason" and "Everybody Talks." I mean, she seriously can sing anything! I'm really glad she has new music coming out, because she totally deserves to be up for some of those awards! Great entertainer, incredible singer, and seriously good music. She sings with such emotion and heart in her voice too. "A Little Bit Stronger" definitely almost had me in tears. It was so cute to see her daughters off to the side, singing along and copying her every move. Maybe we'll see them in the music biz someday! OH! I also can't forget the fact that Vince Vaughn was not too far away from us at the concert...I'm not a huge fan of his at all, really, but you never know who you're going to see around there. I only saw him for the first song or two, and then I think he took off. 
When the concert ended, we went up to the stage and I was able to get the set list! I was super happy about that and have now added it to the back of my door with autographs and passes. 





We drove home after that, grabbing food at Jack-In-The-Box and listening to Sara Evans in the car! I was having some crazy emotions, because a couple songs made me quietly tear up again as I sang along to every word. It had me thinking a lot about life and some of the events that have taken place this week and how I want to really live. I'm tired of taking the backseat in my own life and just watching life pass me by, waiting for that golden opportunity when I can take action even in little things right now.

I went to sleep last night feeling very blessed, and I will be holding the day very close to my heart.

That's all for now,
Shelby