I just had some amazing apple sauce and some sliced cantaloupe for lunch. Yummy.
I really love cooking, but lately I've been in a rut - repeat performances of the same (tasty) dishes. It's hard to find time to make something fresh each day, so cooking on the weekends seems to be my only option. But free weekends have been scarce this year. Lots of people have suggested that I make things that can be eaten throughout week, and that's a great idea, but it gets boring after a while. I also don't like eating out of boxes because of all the sodium and preservatives that come along with the meals.
I need to find a way to combat this. I'm tired of spending tons of money eating out and not really being able to eat good, healthy food. I'm thinking about starting a diet in which I only eat baby food (probably going to cost a lot of money). Maybe it'll become a trend, and I'll get rich and famous and go on Ellen. Hashtagbabyfooddiet.
18 March 2015
04 March 2015
A Message from Mother
Wanda Gordon "BiggaMomma" Burns has a short message for you all:
"Everyone is beautiful in their own way!"
And now for some updates:
Today is Day+7 - one week since the transplant. Mother is doing as well as can be expected. She has suffered from a long list of symptoms so far, but it seems to me that the big one is extreme weakness. The best news is that she's eating and drinking regularly, and she's starting to get a little exercise by walking up and down the hallway. So, she has some good days and some bad, so we're just taking it one day at a time. The next week will be the hardest part of her journey. Thanks so much for the continued prayers, positive thoughts, good vibes/juju, etc!
I spent the night on Monday night, and I must say that Mother is one tough cookie! Between giving me the look time and time again from making her drink her water and the occasional laughs, I could tell that she is fighting like mad! (Actually, she really loves how this blog is titled "Just Let Your Soul Glow" and every time I tell her I'm posting something she says "Rrrrrrrandy Watson!" in her best Eddie Murphy impression and then giggles.)
Getting rest is easier said than done in a hospital when you have so many people coming in to check up on you - poking, prodding, sticking, and all that. But they're really doing their best to get sleep when they can.
Daddy and Angie are holding up well - they've both been two very big rocks for her.
Corey and Brandon are coming to visit this weekend, so she'll get to see her other babies soon!
"Everyone is beautiful in their own way!"
And now for some updates:
Today is Day+7 - one week since the transplant. Mother is doing as well as can be expected. She has suffered from a long list of symptoms so far, but it seems to me that the big one is extreme weakness. The best news is that she's eating and drinking regularly, and she's starting to get a little exercise by walking up and down the hallway. So, she has some good days and some bad, so we're just taking it one day at a time. The next week will be the hardest part of her journey. Thanks so much for the continued prayers, positive thoughts, good vibes/juju, etc!
I spent the night on Monday night, and I must say that Mother is one tough cookie! Between giving me the look time and time again from making her drink her water and the occasional laughs, I could tell that she is fighting like mad! (Actually, she really loves how this blog is titled "Just Let Your Soul Glow" and every time I tell her I'm posting something she says "Rrrrrrrandy Watson!" in her best Eddie Murphy impression and then giggles.)
Getting rest is easier said than done in a hospital when you have so many people coming in to check up on you - poking, prodding, sticking, and all that. But they're really doing their best to get sleep when they can.
Daddy and Angie are holding up well - they've both been two very big rocks for her.
Corey and Brandon are coming to visit this weekend, so she'll get to see her other babies soon!
02 March 2015
A Message from Dad
Today is Day +5. Wanda is feeling somewhat better; she started eating again! It seems like the fever has gone down. She's still experiencing some nausea and she has gained a little water weight, but they have her on medications for both of those and they are under control for now.
Wanda doesn't feel like talking a lot and is very tired, but she is in good spirits. She wants y'all to know that she is thinking of y'all and is so thankful for the prayers, cards, well-wishes, calls and texts.
She should have a pretty good turn around in 8-10 days. We miss you all, and you're in our prayers. A special thank you for the chocolates from the children's class!
Please keep praying for us as well as Wanda's sister Angie who lives here in the Atlanta area and is helping take good care of us. She truly is an Angel!
God has been so good to us, and we appreciate his love and his grace!
In Christian Love,
Terry and Wanda
Edited at 2:48pm EST (adding the picture)
Here's a visual of what we will be expecting Wanda to go through over the next few days. We're entering the "Basement Period" - the timeframe in which Wanda will be at her roughest. This will be a little scary for us, but at least we know to expect it. You'll notice the blue dots/hashes on the lines represent each day that passes. We're currently on +5. We'll keep everyone posted about her progress. Click the image to enlarge.
Much love,
Kelly
Wanda doesn't feel like talking a lot and is very tired, but she is in good spirits. She wants y'all to know that she is thinking of y'all and is so thankful for the prayers, cards, well-wishes, calls and texts.
She should have a pretty good turn around in 8-10 days. We miss you all, and you're in our prayers. A special thank you for the chocolates from the children's class!
Please keep praying for us as well as Wanda's sister Angie who lives here in the Atlanta area and is helping take good care of us. She truly is an Angel!
God has been so good to us, and we appreciate his love and his grace!
In Christian Love,
Terry and Wanda
Edited at 2:48pm EST (adding the picture)
Here's a visual of what we will be expecting Wanda to go through over the next few days. We're entering the "Basement Period" - the timeframe in which Wanda will be at her roughest. This will be a little scary for us, but at least we know to expect it. You'll notice the blue dots/hashes on the lines represent each day that passes. We're currently on +5. We'll keep everyone posted about her progress. Click the image to enlarge.
Much love,
Kelly
22 February 2015
Mom's Cancer
This story is, of course, a hard one to tell because it's so personal and also unfinished. Last September, my mother was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) - a cancer of the bone marrow. Basically, her bone marrow is no longer able to produce blood cells properly. So, her immune system is greatly affected. Patients with this type of cancer typically need blood transfusions and/or chemotherapy treatments to survive. The best form of treatment is a bone marrow transplant. MDS used to be classified as pre-leukemia, but that's somewhat misleading (in Doctor Speak) even though if MDS is left untreated it can and likely will develop into acute meyloid leukemia.
Mother's treatment and prognosis has been fairly good so far. Starting in October 2014, she took five days of chemotherapy at the beginning of each month in Oxford followed by routine check-ups with her oncologist at the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University in Atlanta. We were incredibly lucky to learn early on that there were three "perfect" matches in the National Marrow Donation Program, so my mother will have a bone marrow transplant this Tuesday (February 24) that hopefully will effectively cure the cancer. My mother could live many more years if all goes well.
Of course, any type of transplant comes with risks and uncertainties. This is the unfinished part of the story, and it likely won't be finished for about 2 years. The worst of this treatment process comes at the beginning, though, and chances of survival increase as time moves along. Mother, Daddy, Corey, Brandon, and I are all staying positive, and we are joined by extended family (most notably Mother's sister Angie) with lots of positive reinforcement and incredible generosity. I already know many who will make a trip or two from Mississippi to Atlanta to visit, offer support, help ease the burden, and relieve our "cancer vigilantes." I have to say I love each and every one of you!
After she has the transplant, Mother will be in the hospital under constant supervision for at least 30 days. With the doctor's approval, she can move in with Angie (who happens to live in the Atlanta area) for another 4-6 months. She'll need to stay within driving distance of the hospital in case there are any issues with the transplant being rejected or other complications. In other words, Georgia is getting one of Mississippi's most beautiful magnolias for the better part of 2015. Also, my uncle must be a saint for allowing two Gordon women under his roof for so long - especially one that has paired that upbringing with a Burns husband for 35 years!
Mother's medical team is very optimistic about her recovery, and they are nothing short of a miracle! We are glad that she is receiving such wonderful care from her doctors, nurses, and so many family members!
Any and all prayers, good thoughts, good vibes, positive energies, etc. can be sent our way! We appreciate every ounce of love and understanding!
Mother's treatment and prognosis has been fairly good so far. Starting in October 2014, she took five days of chemotherapy at the beginning of each month in Oxford followed by routine check-ups with her oncologist at the Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University in Atlanta. We were incredibly lucky to learn early on that there were three "perfect" matches in the National Marrow Donation Program, so my mother will have a bone marrow transplant this Tuesday (February 24) that hopefully will effectively cure the cancer. My mother could live many more years if all goes well.
Of course, any type of transplant comes with risks and uncertainties. This is the unfinished part of the story, and it likely won't be finished for about 2 years. The worst of this treatment process comes at the beginning, though, and chances of survival increase as time moves along. Mother, Daddy, Corey, Brandon, and I are all staying positive, and we are joined by extended family (most notably Mother's sister Angie) with lots of positive reinforcement and incredible generosity. I already know many who will make a trip or two from Mississippi to Atlanta to visit, offer support, help ease the burden, and relieve our "cancer vigilantes." I have to say I love each and every one of you!
After she has the transplant, Mother will be in the hospital under constant supervision for at least 30 days. With the doctor's approval, she can move in with Angie (who happens to live in the Atlanta area) for another 4-6 months. She'll need to stay within driving distance of the hospital in case there are any issues with the transplant being rejected or other complications. In other words, Georgia is getting one of Mississippi's most beautiful magnolias for the better part of 2015. Also, my uncle must be a saint for allowing two Gordon women under his roof for so long - especially one that has paired that upbringing with a Burns husband for 35 years!
Mother's medical team is very optimistic about her recovery, and they are nothing short of a miracle! We are glad that she is receiving such wonderful care from her doctors, nurses, and so many family members!
Any and all prayers, good thoughts, good vibes, positive energies, etc. can be sent our way! We appreciate every ounce of love and understanding!
08 September 2013
A Warm Slice
Tonight, I finally got around to making a real meal in my new home. For those of you playing the home game, I'm a new Assistant Professor of Music (Voice) at Ohio University in Athens, OH. Fancy Schmancy, right? Hello.
So I've been here since mid-July and I've yet to really throw down in the kitchen. But tonight I put my foot in it, girl. I made chicken and rice, roasted potatoes, asparagus, and apple pie a la mode. And yes, child - it was good.
So I decided to share the recipe for my cast iron skillet apple pie with y'all. I do think it's worth the purchase of a cast iron skillet if you don't currently own one. And shame on you if you don't! Every cook worth his or her salt should own this staple of kitchen cookware. But I digress, so...
Gaily forward to the pie:
Ingredients
6-8 apples (I use a mix of gala and Granny Smith apples), peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 15-16 oz package of refrigerated pie crust
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon white sugar
What to do
1. Peel the apples.
3. Place the sliced apples in a bowl, and add 3/4 cups sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
7. Turn the stovetop heat down to low. Unroll one of the refrigerated pie crusts (there are 2 in the box) and place over brown sugar/butter mixture and thumb the edges along the sides of the skillet. Be careful - don't scorch those pretty fingers.
8. Place apples in the "pie shell,"omitting the juice.
9. Cover with remaining pie crust, tucking around the edges. Cut 5-6 long slits in the crust.
10. Egg wash the top of the crust with a lightly beaten egg white, and dust with 1 tablespoon of white sugar.
11. Bake in the center of oven on a middle rack at 350º for 1 hour.
12. Remove the pie from the oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve hot, most likely with some yummy kind of ice cream.
So I've been here since mid-July and I've yet to really throw down in the kitchen. But tonight I put my foot in it, girl. I made chicken and rice, roasted potatoes, asparagus, and apple pie a la mode. And yes, child - it was good.
So I decided to share the recipe for my cast iron skillet apple pie with y'all. I do think it's worth the purchase of a cast iron skillet if you don't currently own one. And shame on you if you don't! Every cook worth his or her salt should own this staple of kitchen cookware. But I digress, so...
Gaily forward to the pie:
Ingredients
6-8 apples (I use a mix of gala and Granny Smith apples), peeled and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 15-16 oz package of refrigerated pie crust
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon white sugar
1. Peel the apples.
2. Slice the apples into thin pieces (slightly larger than your thumbnail).
4. Toss the apples, sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside for a few minutes. Preheat your oven to 350º. Take your smoke break (you nasty), watch an episode of your favorite TV show, or whatever you need. I like to let my apples sit for around 20-30 minutes; the sugar draws out the juice from the apples, which will collect in the bottom of the bowl.
5. Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter [the real deal hooker, not that fake crap] over medium-high heat in a cast iron skillet on the stovetop.
6. Mix 1 cup of packed brown sugar with melted butter.
7. Turn the stovetop heat down to low. Unroll one of the refrigerated pie crusts (there are 2 in the box) and place over brown sugar/butter mixture and thumb the edges along the sides of the skillet. Be careful - don't scorch those pretty fingers.
8. Place apples in the "pie shell,"omitting the juice.
9. Cover with remaining pie crust, tucking around the edges. Cut 5-6 long slits in the crust.
10. Egg wash the top of the crust with a lightly beaten egg white, and dust with 1 tablespoon of white sugar.
11. Bake in the center of oven on a middle rack at 350º for 1 hour.
12. Remove the pie from the oven, and let stand for 5 minutes. Serve hot, most likely with some yummy kind of ice cream.
Enjoy! And remember... JUST LET YOUR SOUL GLOW!!!
06 May 2013
Westboro Baptist Church Comes to Oxford
Well, I never thought it would happen, but then again it makes about as much sense as an antelope flying an airplane... but the fine people of Westboro Baptist Church will be making an appearance in my hometown of Oxford, MS this week to protest football idolatry. Yes, you read that correctly... Ole Miss is now the Football Capital of the World. I guess that'll show Bama! and Florida, LSU, Georgia, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Michigan, Ohio State, Florida State, Oregon, and arguably USC and Notre Dame. But seriously, with the release of The Blind Side, the 2009 brand new Sandra Bullock drama that just hit theaters worldwide, Ole Miss has elevated football to religious heights. I guess that's what we get for having such a great recruiting year. Hotty Toddy!
Oxford has not had a good week, though. Court proceedings are ongoing at the Federal Courthouse in Oxford for a man who allegedly tried to frame a bipolar Elvis impersonator for the attempted ricin poisoning of President Obama, Senator Roger Wicker, and a Mississippi judge. So of course, there's a media circus in town. And you can find news coverage on a very sad story here - I can't bring myself to write about it.
But there's something about Westboro Baptist that's really entertaining... in a blood boiling way. Wouldn't it be such a fun musical? A big, gay Westboro musical. With drag queen tap numbers? The Fag Hag Rag? Soul-searching ballads, and of course lots of high belting? We could really go to church with this one. I mean, why not? Could you imagine what the creators of The Book of Mormon could do with this? Perhaps this interview can be a scene...
Of course, this is one of those "happy in my head" ideas, though... any thoughts on a title? All I can come up with is Westboro Side Story.
Unfortunately I will not be in Oxford to welcome the Westboro Baptisters to my home. But, thankfully, I have plenty of friends who will be going out to greet their entourage, and I'm sure my friends will take good care of them. Hell, my brother might even hook them up with some corn whisky. Perhaps they can come to North Carolina next and protest basketball idolatry.
Notes on Procrastination
Who out there has procrastination issues? Ok, don't all raise your hands at once, but I feel your pain. Procrastination is truly my kryptonite. I can't even begin to tell you how often I have waited until the last minute to start a big or long-term project because I get so frozen by the overwhelming thought of it being tough or one that would take a while, and I lose all motivation to proceed. Classic "deer in headlights" moment.
At some point in life you have to stop being afraid. You have to be a big boy or put your big girl panties on (or both, if you're into that) and deal with unpleasant things. My father would say, "Son, you need to shit or get off the pot." So starting today, I am trying a new approach. I have decided to commit to the "baby steps"/"slow and steady wins the race" mentality. I've known for a while now that this process works well for me, but I haven't made the jump to practicing music, school work (my dissertation especially), working out, managing money, cleaning my apartment, etc. I know it works because of all the trips I've made from North Carolina to Mississippi over the last four years; the drive seems so much shorter when I think of it as Greensboro-Winston Salem-Wytheville-Bristol-Knoxville-Nashville-Jackson-Oxford. I don't get overwhelmed, stress levels are low, and I tend to be a happier person. Plus the feelings of accomplishment and the "thank God that's finally over" makes for a huge relief.
Oddly, I don't have this problem at work. When I'm assigned a task, I do it. I guess it's because I just don't think about it, and maybe there's something to be said for that, too. Or perhaps the payment factor also motivates me.
So I've decided to give myself small goals in life:
1. Talk to my mother and father at least two times a week, each.
2. Skype/Facetime with at least one friend each week.
3. Lose five pounds each month this summer.
4. Read two chapters each night from my Summer Reading List.
5. Practice at least one hour each day.
6. Save 10% of my earnings each week, and put it in my savings account.
7. Wash clothes every other day (OMG how do I wear soooo much stuff???).
Summer Reading List
A Game of Thrones
A Clash of Kings
Love in the Time of Cholera
Howards End
The Lord of the Rings
02 May 2013
10 April 2011
Crazy, Busy
Talk about a whirlwind. I felt like a real professional singer - flying off to Oxford for a Bernstein concert at the Ford Center and then returning quickly the next morning for a long day of rehearsals and a performance of the Mozart Requiem in Roanoke, Virginia. Both concerts went extremely well, but I have to say the best part of all of it was spending time with my family and friends.
Mr. B has been in his home state visiting family and friends as well and I've heard from him that he's had a blast so far. I'm excited for him to get back tonight! Being away is great fun but it really makes you miss your home.
Awwww that sad ASPCA commercial - the one with pics of all the injured pets with Sarah McLachlan's "Arms of the Angel" playing in the background - is on now... maybe I should go. I have a lot of chores to get done and a couple recitals to go to today!
I guess that's all for now. I'm just super busy!
Live, Laugh, and Love,
Kelly
Mr. B has been in his home state visiting family and friends as well and I've heard from him that he's had a blast so far. I'm excited for him to get back tonight! Being away is great fun but it really makes you miss your home.
Awwww that sad ASPCA commercial - the one with pics of all the injured pets with Sarah McLachlan's "Arms of the Angel" playing in the background - is on now... maybe I should go. I have a lot of chores to get done and a couple recitals to go to today!
I guess that's all for now. I'm just super busy!
Live, Laugh, and Love,
Kelly
06 April 2011
Back in the Habit
And no, I'm not talking about Sister Act 2...
So now that I've had my sanity partially restored (I've been holed up in a theater for the last 3 weeks working on Hansel and Gretel), I can get back to more important things such as rambling on and on about my life, or lack thereof (oooo, another Sister Act reference!).
So the opera went well. Aparently I stole the show, but you know I just don't think that's hard to do when you're a 6'3" burly man dressed in drag with 3 inch hills, a wig that looks like Peg Bundy went to the 1987 Miss Texas pageant, and a form fitting dress made of bright green! Add to that that I've been breaking out the technicoloratura counter male soprezzo voice and sure I guess everyone else looks kinda dull... but the point was it was a blast and I had a marvelous time performing the Witch and there were two very fine casts singing what is quite possibly some of the most beautiful music written for the stage!
Now, on to more important things... like my return to Oxvegas this weekend to sing with my alma mater Concert Singers in a performance of Bernstein's Missa Brevis. My friend Clay is picking me up from the airport in Memphis in just a couple short hours and we'll be driving down to Oxford for rehearsal today and tomorrow with a wonderful concert on Friday evening! Then I'm off on another plane ride back to North Carolina and I'm driving straight to Roanoke, Virginia to singing solos in a Mozart Requiem on Saturday. Busy, busy, busy!
School is winding down very quickly. Isn't it always really weird that people beg for it to be over until about the last 2 weeks of school and then all of sudden everyone wants more time? Well, I'm one of those people, generally. I always procrastinate on my work and then it seems like everything is overdue by the end. I'll go ahead and tip my hat now to Miss Bottoms, who spent many a night in the music tech lab at Ole Miss working on last minute papers and projects! Miss you babe!!! So, I have a large research paper due on Sunday afternoon and I haven't even started the writing portion yet. EEEEEK!!!!
So, funny story... or scary story, depending on how you look at it. But as you may have gathered from a previous paragraph, I played the Witch in Hansel and Gretel. So, a couple weeks before we opened, I had to spend a Saturday morning in the costume shop having my final fittings and a makeup workshop for my character. Of course, I had to shave (yes, i've been with a beard for almost 7 years now) and Baby Kelly reemerged just before transforming into Priscilla Prettypuss (I kid you not, that's the witch's name in the score!). So this woman who is a brilliant costume designer asks me to shave there at the costume shop - I had no previous knowledge that I would be doing the makeup workshop that day so I missed my opportunity taking care of this at home. Deb (the designer) tells me she has a disposable razor that I can use, and of course my next question is, "Ok, do you also have shaving cream?" She grimaces and says, "Oh, I don't shave so I forgot that." (Which brings up so many questions, but we'll let that one slide). So then she hands me a Lady Schick disposable and a bottle of Dawn dish detergent and asks if that will do..... UMMMMMMM are you that crazy? Hell to the naw! So I had to go back home and do it with the proper utensils and then I went back and proceeded to have a bald cap put on me with tons of white clown makeup. I guess I'll get a pic for you all to see.
So, the last few weeks of my life have been out of control to say the least. Hopefully I'll be able to get back into blogging this week while I'm on a semi-leave-of-absence from North Carolina! Love it!!!
Live, Laugh, and Love!
Kelly
So now that I've had my sanity partially restored (I've been holed up in a theater for the last 3 weeks working on Hansel and Gretel), I can get back to more important things such as rambling on and on about my life, or lack thereof (oooo, another Sister Act reference!).
So the opera went well. Aparently I stole the show, but you know I just don't think that's hard to do when you're a 6'3" burly man dressed in drag with 3 inch hills, a wig that looks like Peg Bundy went to the 1987 Miss Texas pageant, and a form fitting dress made of bright green! Add to that that I've been breaking out the technicoloratura counter male soprezzo voice and sure I guess everyone else looks kinda dull... but the point was it was a blast and I had a marvelous time performing the Witch and there were two very fine casts singing what is quite possibly some of the most beautiful music written for the stage!
Now, on to more important things... like my return to Oxvegas this weekend to sing with my alma mater Concert Singers in a performance of Bernstein's Missa Brevis. My friend Clay is picking me up from the airport in Memphis in just a couple short hours and we'll be driving down to Oxford for rehearsal today and tomorrow with a wonderful concert on Friday evening! Then I'm off on another plane ride back to North Carolina and I'm driving straight to Roanoke, Virginia to singing solos in a Mozart Requiem on Saturday. Busy, busy, busy!
School is winding down very quickly. Isn't it always really weird that people beg for it to be over until about the last 2 weeks of school and then all of sudden everyone wants more time? Well, I'm one of those people, generally. I always procrastinate on my work and then it seems like everything is overdue by the end. I'll go ahead and tip my hat now to Miss Bottoms, who spent many a night in the music tech lab at Ole Miss working on last minute papers and projects! Miss you babe!!! So, I have a large research paper due on Sunday afternoon and I haven't even started the writing portion yet. EEEEEK!!!!
So, funny story... or scary story, depending on how you look at it. But as you may have gathered from a previous paragraph, I played the Witch in Hansel and Gretel. So, a couple weeks before we opened, I had to spend a Saturday morning in the costume shop having my final fittings and a makeup workshop for my character. Of course, I had to shave (yes, i've been with a beard for almost 7 years now) and Baby Kelly reemerged just before transforming into Priscilla Prettypuss (I kid you not, that's the witch's name in the score!). So this woman who is a brilliant costume designer asks me to shave there at the costume shop - I had no previous knowledge that I would be doing the makeup workshop that day so I missed my opportunity taking care of this at home. Deb (the designer) tells me she has a disposable razor that I can use, and of course my next question is, "Ok, do you also have shaving cream?" She grimaces and says, "Oh, I don't shave so I forgot that." (Which brings up so many questions, but we'll let that one slide). So then she hands me a Lady Schick disposable and a bottle of Dawn dish detergent and asks if that will do..... UMMMMMMM are you that crazy? Hell to the naw! So I had to go back home and do it with the proper utensils and then I went back and proceeded to have a bald cap put on me with tons of white clown makeup. I guess I'll get a pic for you all to see.
So, the last few weeks of my life have been out of control to say the least. Hopefully I'll be able to get back into blogging this week while I'm on a semi-leave-of-absence from North Carolina! Love it!!!
Live, Laugh, and Love!
Kelly
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