The Rhythm of Life and a Giveaway

Now and then there comes a time to step back and look.

The breeze gently touches your cheek as you overlook the beautiful view, or perhaps the air is still, its lack of movement allowing you to take it in and be moved yourself. The world slows, if even for a moment, to remind you to simply look and listen.

It can be easy to forget what’s outside our realm of immediate conscious. That’s okay. We’re human. It all balances out, as long as you take that step back now and then to look and to listen. Who knows? You may end up with an absolutely stunning view no further away than your camera’s SD card.

When I stepped back this time and found the following message in my inbox, it dawned on me who’s really in the driver’s seat. Hint: it’s not me.

Being a new student in our relatively large school a few grades below Justin, I never met him. Although I can’t miss him, I certainly can mourn him while supporting my friends who did know him. God has called Justin home, and Heaven has gained an angel.

Now and then there comes a time to step forward and speak. For me, that time is now.  I want to share an important piece of my life with you, dear Internet friend, that I simply haven’t mentioned until now.

I started singing seriously when I was in first grade. I joined my professional-level singing group when I was in second grade. I performed in my first feature film and production with the LA Opera company in fourth grade. I am a fifteen year old classically trained opera singer. I sing. There are notes and melodies and harmonies and everything. Oh yes. Very upper crust.

My case as a musician and appreciator of music is actually a rather interesting one, if I do say so myself. I have something that can be classified as auditory eidetic memory, which is just a fancy way of saying a photographic memory but with sounds. This has helped me tremendously as a musician, because I can accurately sing for you the starting pitch of every piece I’ve ever heard (unless I’ve heard it in different keys, then it gets confusing.)

It is also a very common trait of OC types to have music constantly playing in their heads, and I am no exception. In addition, as an ambidextrous individual (I can write and perform all my daily activities with both hands), I am much more easily influenced by music in regards to emotional impact due to my abnormally high amount of corpus callosum (the bridge of neuron fibers bridging the right and left brain hemispheres, allowing them to communicate.) I know I sound really dorky, but here‘s an article on the subject that’s actually really interesting.

So with all my special traits put together, it means that I have very accurate music playing constantly in my head. It can be fun sometimes, but it can also be extremely aggravating. Imagine having a particuarly sad song stuck in your head. Now imagine that same sad song on endless loop in your head with excruciating precision, and you are especially susceptible to the sad song making you sad. It does work the other way with happy songs, so as long as I limit myself to mostly upbeat music, this can be a very good thing for me.

Music has been a stable source of joy throughout my entire life. During the dark days surrounding my weight loss, the stability and sense of accomplishment and worth that came with creating such beautiful (if all goes as planned!) art was/is absolutely invaluable to me. I don’t know what I could have done without it.

Plus, people in the Opera singer (and healthy food blogging!) niche are just so wonderfully fantastic, and I am so lucky to call them my friends. (Hi Ginger, Kyra, Cathy, Ellen, Bek, Sammie, and Ellie!) I love you guys. I love you all.

As for my singing, I do it seriously and I do it often. I am in four ensembles, am currently writing a full-scale musical, and regularly log anywhere from 9-30 hours a week of rehearsal. (Keep in mind, I am also on the honors track at an academically rigorous school and easily put 10-10 hours a week on th blog.) I’m a busy girl, to say the least! Needless to say, I love what I do, I love the people I’m around, and I love God for making me so lucky as to be able to say these things to you here right now, my dear Internet friend.

Like with my age, I didn’t want to say this part of my life until the time was right. So when I was given the opportunity to talk share the huge part of my life that is my love for music as part of the Polk’s Love Music Project, I was thrilled. The Love Music Project allows for people of all walks to get together and share their “music love story,” which will in turn be shared with the world. Plus, if you share you story, you are entered to win Polk
 UltraFocus™
 8000
Active
 Noise 
Canceling
 Headphones.
 Whoa. Music love sharing AND free swag? I am so in.

Speaking of free swag, you’re about to win some! Polk is giving away a $50 gift code to one lucky Foodie Fiasco reader.

To enter:

Leave a comment on this post telling how/why you love music. And if you don’t love music yet, you’re coming over to my house so I can blast my iTunes playlist at you (geeky as it may be) until you change you mind.

For one additional entry each (leave a comment for each action you did):

1. Like Foodie Fiasco on Facebook.

2. Like Polk Audio on Facebook.

3. Follow Foodie Fiasco on Twitter and tweet:

“I love music and I’m entering to win a $50 @Polk_Audio gift code @foodiefiasco! #LoveMusic

4. Follow Polk audio on Twitter.

5. Follow Foodie Fiasco on Pinterest.

Thank you so much for participating, my friends, and good luck!

P.S. I know I promised cookies. Stick with me. They’re coming.

This post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC. All opinions are my own.