We Were Merely Freshman

Since I haven't updated in almost three months, I figured it was time for an update.

Well, summer school officially began about a month ago and it's back to work for me! A few exciting things have happened in the last couple of weeks or so. A tornado tore through my hometown leaving tons of damage and taking one life a few weeks ago. It happened while I was in Canada with Mom and Mallory. It was sad to come home to a lot of devastation but I am grateful that the rest of my family and friends were okay. It could have been a lot worse.

However, vacation was a lot of fun! We went to Banff and Calgary, Canada this year. We enjoyed the mountains and Lake Louise in Banff as well as some shopping up and down the streets downtown. We also went on a rafting trip with about 15 retired people. That was interesting. We rode the gondolas up to Mount Sulphur and the view from up top was stunning. It never did snow while we were there but it was rather chilly. We mainly shopped at various shopping centers in Calgary and rode up to the top of the Calgary Tower our last day. The tower had glass floors and it was quite scary. We did have one mishap in Calgary. Our first day there, we were still trying to get used to the train and how the system worked there and well Mom forgot to get change for our passes back to the station that was close to our hotel. We technically boarded the train illegally and prayed no one would check our passes. After boarding the wrong train, hopping on another, and making our second stop, Calgary police came onto the train asking for our passes and transfers. Well, we played like "dumb Americans" and pretended that we thought our passes were good for the whole day and they were actually very nice about it. They gave us free transfers for the next train and we went on our way. Mom was pretty nervous though...she hadn't planned for us to go to Canadian jail that day, hehe.

Those have been the two most exciting things that have happened.

I have had quite a few friends move away in the last couple of weeks or so. There have been a few actually drop out of school and a few graduate and move onto another chapter in their life. It's crazy how fast time flies. These friends have been some of my closest friends since freshman year. When I first came to school here, I kind of had the mindset that it would be neverending even though I knew in the back of my mind it would all come to an end someday. It's just fascinating to witness how much we really do mature over the course of four years as well as witnessing the different paths we all choose to travel upon.

I'm not sure where I'll be this time a year from now. I could still be here at the Beanery blogging about moving to another city (hopefully Austin, TX for grad school) or feeling the anxiety of moving to another town to begin my teaching career. I am not sure I am ready to grow up yet. I am anxious and excited for what the future holds for me but a part of me is having those same feelings of uncertainty and intimidation that I had when I walked onto that practice marching field for the first time as a scared and unsure freshman four years ago.

One of my favorite songs of all time is "The Freshman" by The Verve Pipe. The song tells a story of a young adult who is reflecting back on his life of his youthful years. He remembers the mistakes he had made but also remembers how he overcame the hurt and confusion. He grew in wisdom because of the trials he had faced and learned a lot about himself and who he truly was.

I can relate to this song a lot and I think others can too. I think there will always be a little bit of that "freshman" in all of us...that feeling of uncertainty and confusion but also a time for learning and growing into the person we hope to one day be...that person who is fearless, confident, and wise. I hope to be successful in my studies as a graduate student if I am accepted to UT and if not, I hope to be a successful teacher. I want to stand out from other teachers and make a positive difference in someone's life. I hope along the way I can make new friendships but keep old friendships as well. I hope I don't fail too badly but if I do, I hope I can learn from my mistakes and grow. I know God has a plan for me and I plan on taking it and running with it.

That's all I have for now. :)

Until next time,
Erin Taylor

Gotta Start Somewhere

I originally started this blog mainly from inspiration from a friend's blog but also to put down in writing what goes on in this silly head of mine on a daily basis. I used to write all the time but had kinda lost interest and inspiration in the past year. This might not last long but it could also turn into something more...so we'll see :)

I wasn't really sure what a good topic would be to begin with so I decided to steal one of my friend's ideas that she recently posted on her blog. Call me lame if you want...but I decided to do the whole "fun facts and pictures" post so hope you enjoy :)

A picture of yourself with 10 facts

1. I love my kitty cat named Bella

2. I'm the only person in my family with green eyes

3. One of my pet peeves are slow drivers

4. I try to look at the glass "half full"

5. I have an addiction to having lots of posters

6. I work as a barista at a coffee shop on campus

7. I love to laugh and love people with a sense of humor

8. I own lots of TOMS and Vans

9. My favorite food is fettucine alfredo

10. I have big dreams and goals and hope to accomplish all of them at some point

A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest

Rachael Brown! She was the one that actually inspired me to start this blog :) We have been friends since we were about four years old and we met at Miss Robin's Preschool at USAO!

A picture of the cast from your favorite show

Okay...so it's a tie between these two...just couldn't decide! I love shows that make me laugh and both of these leave me cracking up at the end of a long day.

A picture of your night

I don't know if I actually have a picture of myself practicing but I've been doing a lot of this lately...especially the past couple of days with juries tomorrow morning!

A picture of your favorite memory

This is a picture of me at the entrance of Camp Pettijohn in 2007. This camp holds a special place in my heart. I made some special friends at this camp along with learning more about God and what all that was about. I probably won't have the chance to ever go back and visit but if I did, I would take it in a heartbeat. Attending this camp every summer was a life-changing experience every time. I could always use one more "lesson" from good ole' Camp Pettijohn.

A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day

This is Isabella Katherine Hanson...aka Bella...and she is a mess. This is my cat and probably one of my best friends. She has the good life...of napping, eating, more napping, tearing up stuff when she feels like it, and of course helps me with my conducting when I need some tips ;)

A picture of your most treasured item

This is my most favorite blanket! Our family friend, Steve, let me borrow it when I was really sick for a week in the 6th or 7th grade. He passed away of pancreatic cancer in 2003 and when sorting through his belongings, I was asked what I wanted to keep...and the first thing I thought of was this Christmas blanket.

A picture that makes you laugh

These are two of my best friends on my Senior band trip to Colorado...Stephanie and Oscar...the picture is pretty self-explanatory. Haha, I love the reactions from everyone in the pic! :)

A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most

This is a picture of my best friend Lauren Cook...now Niederhauser! We've been friends since the 7th grade when we met in Mrs. Wilson's science class. I don't know what this girl hasn't gotten me through and I really would do anything for her. This pic was taken right after we graduated from high school and we decided to pull an all-nighter and go get snowcones for breakfast. We're 22-years-old now and every time we have the opportunity to see each other, it's like we're those silly 12-year-old kids from the 7th grade again and I absolutely love it :)

A picture of the person you do the most ****** up things with

Oscar Hernandez is definitely my partner-in-crime. This is our most recent picture together at OMEA of this year! Although we don't get to see each other much, when we do...we are always getting into some kind of trouble! Haha ;)

A picture of something you hate

So once again, I could not decide between a couple of these pictures. The first picture is a cancer awareness ribbon. I hate cancer and I have lost quite a few loved ones to cancer. The second picture is pretty self-explanatory. I am not a fan of war nor will I ever fully understand it. It angers me to turn on the news and see yet another picture of one of our troops who has just lost his life...and for what? Our "wonderful" country? The last picture is a picture of the movie "Mean Girls." Now, I actually really like the movie but the plot of the movie is what annoys me. The story revolves around the hypocrisy most high school girls live each day. I cannot stand hypocrites or liars.

A picture of something you love

I absolutely love going to concerts! Stephanie and I saw Dave Matthews in Tulsa back in 2009 and it was such an amazing concert. I've been to a variety of concerts ranging from Hanson to Lady Gaga last summer!

A picture of your favorite band or artist

I have numerous favorites when it comes to music. It's so hard to just choose ONE favorite band or artist! If I had to choose, it would probably be the Foo Fighters. Their music speaks to me in a number of ways and I don't think there is one song that I don't like of their's...a very talented group indeed :) 

A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without

Oh Mallory Hanson. I cannot picture my life without her. I remember the day she was born and we share so many memories together of our childhood and now our college days! Even though she is my little sister, there have been many times that I have looked up to her. She is a very strong and unique individual. This is one of my favorite pictures of us. It was taken in Dublin, Ireland two years ago on the top of a double decker bus!

A picture of something you want to do before you die

I've always had a fascination with hot air balloons. I think it would be a really neat experience to ride in one someday...especially at sunset :)

A picture of someone who inspires you

This is a picture of Randy Pausch. He was a computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University for several years. A few years ago he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away shortly after being diagnosed. He was mostly known for his book that he had written called "The Last Lecture." Although I never met him, I felt like I had known him for years after reading his book. I think his story touched me because he was a teacher who not only inspired his friends and family, but also his students. His faith and courage has inspired me to attempt to live my life to the fullest and to live my life with a purpose.

A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently

For various reasons, I cannot post a picture of this particular person but they have definitely made a huge impact on my life recently. I honestly cannot picture my life without this person. This person has helped me in numerous ways through the good and the bad as well as becoming one of my most genuine friends. I hope that one day we can be together forever. I am in love :)

A picture of your biggest insecurity

I won't go into many details with this...mainly because I'm insecure lol...but I have a weird disorder called Trichotillomania. It's a form of OCD and it's dumb. I've tried kicking the habit all of my life but haven't found anything that really works. My case is not as serious as some but it is still my biggest insecurity.

A picture and a letter

My friend, Rachael Brown, is studying abroad right now in Wales! She has been touring Europe and has been so thoughtful to send me a few postcards. It's nice to open the mailbox and receive postcards from Paris and London rather than another bill from PSO :)

A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel

I'm not sure what part of Greece this is but I would love to travel to Greece someday. The country has so much history and beauty and hopefully I'll have the opportunity to visit!

A picture of something you wish you could forget

Once again, I won't go into details but I have lost two good friends in particular in the last five years or so. I wish I were still good friends with them and that both parties including myself hadn't made the mistakes they had made to end a wonderful friendship. Although I wish I could forget the scenarios that ended our friendships, I won't ever forget the wonderful friendships we had to start out with.

A picture of something you wish you were better at

I wish I could stay consistent with my workouts! I get to a point where enough is enough and I do a great job of dieting and exercising. Well, then I get busy with practicing, homework, or really anything else and I lose focus and motivation to stay in great shape. Anyone know the secret to staying motivated? ;)

A picture of your favorite book

I love reading when I have some free time. My speech/drama teacher let me borrow this book my Junior year of high school and I believe I read it in one night. I bought the book shortly after reading it. The story was very intriguing and inspiring and I highly encourage anyone to read this book if they haven't already...plus other books that Mitch Albom has written. (They are all wonderful!)

A picture of something you wish you could change

I wish I could change the fact that many of the children that live in this world are born into poverty. It's one thing for a man to be homeless because he will not get a job or has a drug addiction. It's another thing to be an innocent child and have to endure the hardships of living on the streets on an empty stomach.

A picture of your day

This is obviously not me lol but this is my job! I work as a Barista at the coffee shop on campus. I've worked here for two years and now that it's finals week...I'm working all the time!

A picture of something that means a lot to you

This is a picture of my fraternity, Kappa Kappa Psi and our sister sorority, Tau Beta Sigma. This picture was taken a few weeks ago at our District Convention in Norman, OK at the OU campus. I love every one of these people and I love what our organization stands for...service in music :)

A picture of you and a family member

I love my dad. I look up to him for many different reasons. He is a good man, a talented musician, and most importantly...a good dad. This picture was taken during Parent's Day at one of our football games last semester.

A picture of something you're afraid of

This is probably one of the most common answers people respond with to this particular statement. However, it is my response too. I am afraid of failing and I try to do everything I can to try to come out on top. I do like this picture though...it makes me smile :)

A picture that can always make you smile

Buffalo Wild Wings Extravaganza! We go to Buffalo Wild Wings almost every Thursday since they have their special deal on the boneless wings. I believe we had almost 30 people attend on this particular trip. So much fun!

A picture of someone you miss

Dr. James Breckenridge was the most talented pianist I have ever known. He was the primary reason I decided to come to SWOSU and he helped me to grow as a musician and as a person. I never thought that feelings and emotion could be expressed through the sounds my fingers played on a keyboard. He passed away of lung cancer in the Spring of 2009. He introduced me to an entirely new perspective in music and I am eternally grateful for having the privilege to work under Dr. B for my first two years of college.