+Surviving the Fall Semester of classes!
+It is officially Christmas Break, which makes me extremely happy to have a break!
+Signing up for a fourth class for spring semester. After those classes I will only have an internship left to do! I cannot believe I am almost done at Valencia, I feel like I just got here!!!
+Having teachers that believe in my success.
+Turning 21!
+Getting out of school early on my birthday and being able to go to dinner with my closest friends.
+Seeing my brothers on my birthday. I've missed them.
+Not having bad luck on my Birthday!
+Dancing!
+Bike Riding- I went on a four hours bike ride on my birthday with my bestie Veronica! My seat broke, so we duck taped it, and then we happen to come across a bike shop. Needless to say I bought a new seat. Haha.
+Not having a hangover after my 21st Birthday!
+Going to Cowboys and not having X's on my hands.. those things are awful to get off!
+The work Christmas Party: Dressing up, riding in with my work friends, dancing, free food and drank, more dancing, taking lots of pics, after partayy, and having the worlds best roommate everrrr. haha
+Baking Pumpkin Cupcakes with a pumpkin pie filling and a brown sugar cinnamon frosting
+Baking a Cinnamon Roll Cheesecake
+Christmas Music!
+Being a barback at work, It's nice to get away from the hostess stand and learn another area at work.
+ Benson, my roommate got a kitty and he is the cutest thing in the whole wide world!
+Music and the way it can help cheer you up.
+Five Guys burgers- greesy, cheesy, and oh so freakin' delicious!
+Playlist Live YouTube convention is coming back to Orlando this spring! Stoked! I am going to go this year!
+Being Happy!
Also known as my weekly reminder to look at life with the glass half full:
Finally making a dentist appointment and getting my tooth ache solved and my teeth in better condition. I also have a great dentist with caring people working there, that is a major plus.
Having some of the best nights sleep because of the medicine for my teeth.
LDI!! Gah... Lighting boards, lighting truss, lighting accessories, lighting instruments of all kinds..movers, LED floors, walls, and new source four LED lights that dim! Crazy stuff! Not to mention fun stuff like fake snow made of foam, and a waterfall that spells stuff and makes designs. Getting free sunglasses, and winning a WYSIWYG t-shirt. Getting a demo on the Jands Vista lighting board. Confetti Cannons..yes please. This event was amazing, and I cannot wait to attend another one in two years.
My bestie veronica's birthday, dressing up as a Zombie princess and going to cowboys to celebrate.
Seeing my mom, I missed her. =]
Fall Weather, it never gets old!
Relying fully and completely on God to get me through my days and onto tomorrow.
The new radio station branched off from Z88.3... now 95.9.. a new hip-hop and R&B christian music channel. In loveeee!
The play is finished, which is one less stress. Now it's onto worrying about the Opera Theatre Workshop, which shall be fun because I will be designing the lights for the Rent musical numbers.
This new site one of my friends Tiffany introduced to me:
http://pinterest.com/
It's similar to weheartit.com except the photos you choose to "pin" can be links to DIY projects, how to beauty, recipes, as well as good photography, painting, typography, and style photos. I am addddicted!
Do you have a Pinterest? Follow me: http://pinterest.com/katrinamarie33/
Also.. to join you must be invited, so let me know if you'd like to join up on the pinning!
Trying new recipes.
Winning a two night stay at the Jacksonville Hyatt!
My 21st Birthday is less than a month away!
Signing up for next semester's classes. This is going to be an epic semester! =]]]
The new Kelly Clarkson CD.. including the song What Doesn't Kill You(Stronger)
Thanks for reading my blog,
Love you all,
KatrinaMarie
Things I Love Thursday..
The day I encourage myself to sit back and reflect on my life and everything positive in it. This one is going to be for the last two weeks because last week was a bit too crazy for me to write.
+I love my friends. I love that my friends are there for me when I need them the most. I love that my friends listen to me. I love that my friends understand me and who I choose to be. I love laughing with friends, dining with friends, and just being around people I love.
+I love lighting design. I love focusing lights for a show and I definitely believe that is where my passion most lies with lighting.
+I love peace. I love that I feel peaceful and relaxed when I am home. I love things being calm and..well peaceful.
+The Script concert was everything I hoped for last weekend. I had a ton of fun that evening and the lighting for the concert was just as wonderful.
+Being able to watch church online when I'm not feeling good, and there being a service at 1pm so I can sleep in!
+Accomplishing tasks and getting things finished.
+Things happening for a reason.
+Learning from trials put in front of me.
+Smiling.
+Sunny weather because it reminds me that florida is basically a state with full time summer.
+Cold pouring rain, and puddle jumping.
+School. Yes, I did type school! I love Valencia and everything it has caught me thus far. I love that I am able to pursue my passion here, from people who are passionate about what they are doing.
+Speaking of school... The Drowsy Chaperone starts at Valencia tomorrow evening, and tonight was the invited dress. I was so excited to finally sit back and watch the finishing touches come together on the show I helped with. It was beautiful, and I loved it.
+ Laffy Taffy jokes, they never get old. (For me...)
+Cold weather is back again!
+Fine tuning my resume, and designing a business card for myself.
+Family, I love mine.
+Getting offered an opportunity to design lights for a show later this year. Excited much, yes!
Chad Sugg.. said well..
Chad Sugg, Luke Conard, Alex Goot
Thanks for reading my blog,
Love you all,
KatrinaMarie
+This beautiful fall weather. I love October.
+My new red blazer
+My new black boat shoes, Sperry's are so freakin' comfortable!
+Wii fit
+Blue glitter nail polish
+Braids. French braids, and fishtail braids. I love styling my hair with them.
+Being the Assistant Lighting Designer for Valencia's fall musical, once again. I love learning about lighting.
+Glee, it is so wonderful to have this show back in season.
+The new shows: New Girl, Hart of Dixie, Secret Circle, Up All Night, Revenge
+Knowing where you are is where you need to be.
+The anticipation for this upcoming weekend, going to see the Script and HCR in concert.
+Friends.
+God and his enormous amount of love.
+Being content where God is taking my life.
Thanks for reading my blog.
Love you all,
KatrinaMarie
I hope to
stand firm enough to not go backward, and
yet not go forward fast enough to wreck...
-Ab Lincoln
Recent things I love:
iLuminate:
Silhouetts:
Being the Assistand Lighting Designer for Valencia's Fall Music! I have had fun every day in school, constantly working with lights. I am where I need to be.
the Voice Orlando- the college age group for Faith Assembly! being able to be completely immersed in an atmosphere of worship is more fulfilling than anything else I know.
Exercise with friends
Sleep, oh boy I have appreciated a good nights rest lately
New friendships.
Old friendships.
Uhm, It's almost October! Which means BEAUTIFUL weather. It's already clearing up, I am so excited for fall and winter seasons! Come on Cold!
Opportunities.
Growing.
All the amazing new shows coming this fall! Not to mention the return of GLEE!!
Sushi, so excited for sushi tonight!
Earrings, I have a fascination with adorable stud earrings.
the Alex Goot concert last weekend.
the Boyce Avenue concert next weekend.
the Script concert in a few weeks, with Hot Chelle Rae opening for them!
This song: Magic - BOB
Have I mentioned life is amazing right now?
Seriously, I am so thankful for everything in my life right now. I love you guys!
Have a wonderful weekend!
Lots of Love,
KatrinaMarie
It's been over a year that I have been living on my own. When I first moved my biggest independence worries were learning to pay bills, buy groceries, cook for myself, and navigate around town without getting lost. Though through this process of being independent I have learned that it is so much more than that for me. It's about putting all my hearts dependance on God. It's about not loosing my focus when life meets me with a train wreck. It's about making time to devote time and energy to pursuing God's will, God's love, and God's path for my life. I need God to hold onto my heart, not the world to, the enemy to, or myself to hold onto it. I need to be whole-hearted. For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. 2 Chronicals 16:9
|Cure for Heart Disease|
When the ground is shaking I can stand firm with You
and though trials will prevail, so will Your love.
With energy at a low and my heart heavy with weight
there's passion, persistence and courage in an envelope to date.
Behold the truth and create a pattern you can submit
for the prescription for disorder is in a healthy heart that envelopes a God
so mighty in love and mighty in peace
So pick up every piece and gather your faith
cause God has the glue to cure this disease.
Smile and rejoice cause He has the cure
the cure to find what you've been searching for.
+Thunderstorms
+New music
+Running
+Chocolate chip cookies
+Sunny/Windy days
+The book, He's Just Not That Into you. Seriously one of the more inspirational books for girls to read!
+Finding out that one of my favorite youtube musicians is going to be performing in Orlando at this small concert hall, and there are pretty good chances that I will be meeting him! =] This is Alex Goot, by the way.
+Happy people and positive attitudes.
+Having people I know to sit by at church again.
+Having my gas tank last me two and a half weeks.
+Having friends I can depend on in case something traumatic happens.
+Glitter nail polish
+Not having to spend money on tolls anymore now that I have moved closer to work.
+Living at an apartment complex with a pool.
+Getting my summer tan.
+Working
+Going to church and hearing EXACTLY what you needed to hear.
+All of the good shows on TV currently
+Being comfortable being single.
+Catching up with bills
+Having little to no stress currently.
+Steak
+Grilled pineapple... sprinkled with brown sugar. So freakin' delicious!
+Sleep
+Having people and friends who are caring surround me.
+My family
+Here's a pic that made me smile this week: [by the way, I get my photo inspiration from weheartit.com]
+Cameron Mitchell music:
If God is going to be opening doors for you, you have to be able to get up and walk. Sometimes you are going to have to knock on those doors for them to open, I mean.. the least we can do it learn to be polite as he opens these doors.
Thanks for reading my blog, love you all, KatrinaMarie
Hey guys, I have returned with the wonderful Things I Love Thursday.. at the very last moments of Thursday.
i love: +Rainy weather, and being able to snuggle up in my bed and be lazy while I listen to the rain. +No school stress +Being able to wear normal clothes to class again, this including dress's. +Orange Juice, It just makes me feel good after I drink it. And to think, I loathed this stuff as a kid. +The management at my work, they're good people +Being able to sit out at a pool and soak up that vitamin D +Running +and running with a friend +The movie Bad Teacher.. Hiilariious! +Trying out new cooking techniques and looking up recipes. I cooked me some seared/broiled bbq chicken.. yuum. +Reconnecting memories with old friends +Discovering that cake pops is a really easy recipe, oh yes! I am going to try out those for fourth of July! +Signing up for LDI. Which is basically a techie conference with Lighting, Audio, and Projection stuff. And I get in free to the Exhibit Hall, and it is in Orlando. Woot! +Being able to rock high waist shorts and heals +Working with fun people +Eggs, there are so many ways to prepare them! +Family. =]
"always have enough cups to fill, this way when your old ones overflow you can continue to get filled."
Keep the beat up, lets drop the beat down
It’s my party dance if I want to- Tonight Tonigh by Hot Chelle Rae
Thanks for reading my blog, love you all, KatrinaMarie
Hello Blog,
I have missed you!
It has been quite some time since I have made the time to even visit back to my blog, let alone write.
Lots and lots of lovely things have been happening within the last few months...
Though before I get on with this, I suppose I should re explain this blog.
Things I Love Thursday, or TILT is all about writing about what I love. Mostly things I loved about my week and day. Though they are not limited to these time constraints, for example now.. I am going to go on about some things from the last few weeks.
To begin with, I made it through the Summer A semester I dreaded so much to go through. With A's, by the way. It was lots and lots of hours every week, but full of lots and lots of learning that I was thankful to be apart of. Including the show MidSummer Night's Dream at Valencia. I was on costume crew for the show and made a donkey head for the character Nick Bottom. It looked pretty awesome If I do say so myself. And the process of learning it was a whole new level of fun itself.
+The Midsummer production as a whole went extremely well, the look of the set, costumes, lighting and such came together very nicely
+Meeting new faces within this experience
+Being able to engage in learning about light board operating.
I learned scenic painting in Stage Craft and did a group enlargement project of a giraffe eating the moon, I think it's quite cute.
+Enjoying living in a nicer apartment
+Enjoying less driving and less use of gas because of my move
+Enjoying summer heat by the pool
+Cooking, despite my lack of skill
+Having a closet
+Still loving my phone five months later
+Making new friends
+Looking forward to my monthly massage this weekend
+Being able to wear normal clothes to class again, not ones covered in paint.
+Finding a new joy in the color red.
+Mood changing nail polish
+Glitter mood changing nail polish
Today...
+Trying some amazing food items prepared by cooks at my work during this morning's meeting
+The people I work with
+Spending time with friends from work
+Frozen yogurt = Love
+Window shopping/Trying on clothes we know we won't be buying
+Singing in the Apple Store
+Testing makeup at sephora
+"Testing" nail polish at Clair's, I got all my nails painted. haha
+Caving in a buying a dress from forever 21 that easily could have become my favorite dress in my closet
+Noticing the scripture reference John 3:16 on the bottom of the Forever 21 bags
A lovely image I found:
When a great song is made greater:
Basically life seems to be going smoothly lately and I am constantly finding more optimistic opportunities. I have many more things to be excited about this upcoming summer and I hope It's one I will remember for years to come. I have missed you guys, I once again.. Thank you for reading my blog.
Love You All,
KatrinaMarie
I know it has been awhile since I have posted, but I have been quite busy. I normally would be skipping this for homework right now, but it has been too great of a week to miss this one.
This week I really love:
Christ is Risen - Matt Maher
+Anthropologie released their new wedding line: BHLDN
+Being in the process of transitioning to Breakfast server at Hemisphere. It's been hard work, but the pay is better and the hours will end up being less.
+The fact that waking up at three am for work is super easy, yet I continue to struggle to wake up at six-thirty am for my government eight-thirty am class.
+The continuous pattern for street lights turning off as I drive by them, yet there was one that turned ON last week. It made me happy.
+ Going out with a close friend and her family to play Lazer Tag, despite the fact that I made a terrible score. haha
+Valentines Day:
+Getting chocolate.
+Bringing in a bucket of chocolate for my employees on Valentines Day and seeing them smile in joy.
+Having the afternoon/evening off from work and school on Valentines Day.
+Going out and having a girls night with my roommate and her friends to TGIF, and getting steak. Then going to see "Just Go With It," might I say... Hilarious! Afterwards heading to iKiwi. The. Best. Frozen. Yogurt. Yummm!
+Having three of my classes canceled this past week, which has given me extra time for..work/homework/social life.
+Going out with coworkers to Urban Flats, and a Piano Bar. The Piano bar was definitely the highlight of my week. I drank a orange juice and cranberry juice mix. haha. And listening to two cute men play the piano and sing popular songs was a BLAST.
+My mom bought me a Valentines gift. I miss her.
+The beautiful weather.
Hey! It's Thursday! Which means I get to talk about the positive things from my week. For those of you reading who haven't been around since I started doing TILT, I'd like to tell about my inspiration. First off, the person I stole the idea from is quite the interesting one, but I have never personally met her. She is actually the wife of one of my most favorite famous youtuber's, Julian Smith. Her name is Sarah Smith, and her blog is called theoneinpink. If you enjoy reading positive inspirational insightful blogs, I would suggest subscribing to her.
Anyways...
This freezing cold weather! As uncomfortable it is being too cold sometimes, there's nothing like a cup of hot tea, or hot chocolate, a warm blanket and the quietness of your room to make you feel comfortable and relaxed. Plus, it beats sweating. Any day.
Starting school!
Alrighty, I did already miss the first day of my government class from over sleeping. Though I made it on time, actually early, today and I quiet enjoyed the class. I know, this doesn't sound right if you know me at all. Anything history related is gross to me, but I like how my teacher taught, I actually felt like I was understanding. That I appreciate from teachers.
My Advanced Stage Lighting class. Wow. I am stoked for this class! Seriously the board we are using for lights is the TOP board in the WORLD. Used by Disney, the Amway center, American Idol, huge concert artists. And I get to learn how to program it?? This is going to be exciting!
Makeup for the stage.
Oh boy, oh boy! I am going to have fun in this class. Learning how to make people look old, animal faces, gender switch, ect...
Being able to see my friends from school is kinda nice also, I missed them!
Getting enough hours at work. =]
Getting my score for my evaluation, and finding out I made "Distinguished." Which basically means I'm pretty good at my job, and because of it, I get an extra raise! Woot! =]
Not getting sick. =]
This Episode of StayTards:
There's nothing like finding out your favorite well know.. famous ish people Love God. =]
Alrighty, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
Love you all,
KatrinaMarie
Where are you standing in your faith?
Personally I strive to stand closest to the front lines, ready to embrace the challenges and blessings God has for me. There will always be pressure to cause you to sway, and the stronger in Christ you become, the more the attacks also seem to come. With that, it will also become easier to hold strong with your beliefs because God becomes more real and more important to lean on in stressful times.
Malcolm Gladwell wrote a book called outliers. Though I have not personally read this book, yet, I have done some research on his writings. He talks about this 10,000 Hour Rule. To be great, or really master something, he says you must put at least 10,000 hours into the task you're trying to become great at. Think about this, that is 3 hours a day, for a decade! It's obvious, the more time you spend on something, the better you become.
Spending time with God is important in your daily life. If you want to achieve a better understanding of God or want God's love to become more prominent in your life, then spend time with Him. My only question is, how willing are you to put in the effort to learn about God into your daily life? There is so much I want to learn about God, and to put it simply.. I want to know God the way He knows me.
Do you?
Motivation is hard, I completely understand. Start with small daily goals. Goals you know you can achieve. I once made my New Years resolution to read the bible in a year. Yes, it is a great challenge, though I never broke down my daily goals, and never achieved this resolution because I had no direction for goals I knew I could achieve in a timely manner.
I love finding music by well known artists that are about God in some way. Katy Perry's first album was a Christian album, though not many people know this. She never hit big until her hit single "I Kissed A Girl." This new album "Teenage Dream" is similar to her type of songs, although there is one song that stands out among the rest. It's called, "Who Am I Living For." When you listen to the lyrics, it's obvious she is talking about her struggle with keeping her faith in her media influenced lifestyle.
"It’s never easy to be chosen, never easy to be called
Standing on the front line when the bombs start to fall
I can see the heavens but I still hear the flames
Calling out my name."
God has chose each and every one of us to be Christ children, and to make disciples of Him. Christians stand on the "front lines" of the battle for Christ to become known. Katy's lyrics mention how she can see the heavens, yet the flames are calling her name. She wants to be focused on Christ, but the influence of satan is strong. I know for a fact that she is not alone in this struggle. Many Christians face this influence on a daily basis, and the more we bask in Christ's love and fellowship the stronger we will be to ignore the negative influence.
In Peter 4:12-19 It talks about the sufferings Christians endure. Verse 14: If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
Basically when you're feeling attacked, stand strong in Christ, you are being attacked because satan feels threatened by you, and God blesses you for being strong in your faith.
Verse 18: “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”
God does not just want us to be strong in Him, he wants us to ask Him for help to stand strong in Him. We will find strength when we most need it because He is so willing to make sure we can pull through our struggles. In case you did not know, God wants the absolute best for you and your life! He wants you to be healthy, He wants you to succeed, He wants you to feel comfortable in your skin, He wants you to have less worries, He wants you to be happy! Many people have this idea that God is unhappy with them. God is love. Which means He is without hate; He has his passionate, unconditional, and never ending love for ALL of His people.
Listen to this song by Katy Perry. For me I found comfort, comfort that I am not alone in struggles, even if our struggles many not compare the same exact way, we all endure struggles about who we are living for.
May you have a wonderful and blessed weekend. Happy Friday!
be free. 
