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Think of your favorite songs…what do they all have in common? They can easily be played on the piano and sound like your favorite song. For this reason, the piano is the favorite musical instrument of many people, me included. When trying to play a song on an instrument like a flute or trumpet, you cannot hear what the entire song would sound like. You would need an entire band to fully appreciate what the song is supposed to be. On the other hand, a song on a piano can be clearly recognized and enjoyed with that instrument alone. The piano is one of the easiest instruments to learn how to play. If you can read music, you can learn how to play the piano. The keys are easy to learn with simple phrases taught to most all children when they are starting out with the piano. If the phrases are learned, a student will never forget where the keys are located on the piano. For these reasons, the piano is the best instrument.

I worked five days this week, as I normally do in the summer. I am a cake decorator and I really enjoy my job, but I have to be up and out of the house early and that is the part that I dread. However, I was able to make time during the week to ride my horse a few times, so that makes me happy. The weekend brought a lot of rain where I live, so my outdoor plans of biking and hiking ended up being cancelled. Instead, I stayed inside and went shopping for a birthday present for my little brother. He is turning 14 nest weeks and I bought him a couple of movies for his birthday. Today was the last day of the week and it has gone well so far. I had a lovely dinner with my family and am headed back to school tomorrow.

There are various types of music that are currently popular, country, pop, and rap to name just a few. Although these are currently the most popular genres, I have recently been listening to the Christian band Leeland. Leeland is a band that was originally started in 2004. The members of the band two brothers and three other members. They originally started playing music in Texas after their youth group events at church, and they have since recorded three different albums. They include Sound of Melodies, Opposite Way, and most recently Love is On the Move. In addition to having great harmonies on their CDs, they are a great band to listen to live. The first occasion I had to hear them was when they opened for Casting Crowns. They were, by far, the highlight of the show. If you have an opportunity to purchase one of their CDs or attend one of their concerts, I would recommend them as a must see or must listen to band.

Boondock Saints is by far one of the best movies released. Based in Boston two brothers are mixed up in with the Russian mafia when they get into a fight with some henchmen at their local pub. The following morning the get attacked in their apartment by the same thugs from the night before. The feeling of family is put to the test as one brother is chained and the other brother is taken to be executed. Breaking free of his bonds he makes a daring rescue of his brother by placing his own life at risk. Realizing what they have gotten into they go into hiding. They soon realize that they are doing justice in their own neighborhood. Eventually, taking on mob giving justice, in the form of vengeance. Doing such get the attention of a FBI agent who pursues them. Digging up only enough information to see what they are doing is what needs to be done. This is just a brief description of this fine movie. I would recommend this one to anybody. It is a must see.

Ever since I was a high school student, my favorite football team has been the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Can I give you a reason? Not really. They just captured my attention and have been a great team to follow over the years. Normally, Notre Dame’s teams are one of the best in the nation. But lately they have fallen on hard times and have had some rebuilding years. This year I feel they are on the right track and should have one of their better squads again. Their starting quarterback, Jimmy Clausen, their wide receiver, Golden Tate, and their offensive line will be the backbone of the team in my opinion. Coach Charlie Weis has taken much criticism over the years, but I think he and his team will meld this year and show the nation that “the Fighting Irish are back.” Look for them in one of the BCS bowl games, if not the championship game. Lucky me, I am going to get to see my beloved Fighting Irish play Michigan State on September 19!

Dogs and humans have been best friends for long. Dogs give unconditional love, loyalty and friendship to their owners. Bathing your dog at regular intervals is necessary. However, giving it a bath on an exceedingly frequent basis can dry out its skin and coat and result in skin infections. The best bet would be to bathe your dog once in a month. In case it gets too dirty in-between, rub it with a damp towel or wash just the paws.  Remember, a nutritionally balanced diet, with constant access to fresh water, is as good for your dog as it is for you. Also, beds that aid in comfort for a dog’s digestive system are large orthopedic dog beds. Before deciding on the proper diet for your dog, it is advisable to consult a veterinary doctor.

Last Night Last night was the first time in over three weeks that I actually made dinner. We’ve been in the middle of remodeling our bedroom so cooking has not been on the priority list. Since I hadn’t cooked in so long, I wanted to make something fairly simple. I found a recipe in a magazine for a Beef Taco Skillet that sounded fast and easy so I decided on that. It really was tasty! Just brown some ground meat, add a can of tomato soup , some salsa, and cut up flour tortillas, then cover with shredded cheese. I served it with corn and a green salad. This recipe was great and we had no leftovers. I’ve marked it very good and filed it my personal recipe album. Now on to the next remodeling project!

I typically wake up between 6:30-7:30am. I than take a shower, put on moisturizer, dry my hair, pick out my clothes for work and do my makeup. By 8 am I have to leave my house for work. I drive 45-50 mins to an auto dealership, where I am a receptionist. All day I answer and transfer calls. Until 6:00pm when I get in my truck to fight traffic for over an hour to get home. All day long I think about my boyfriend who I love very much. I can’t wait to walk through our door to his home that he shares with me. I try to relax, but always have to than go to the gym or the store for dinner. Before I know it its 9-10-11pm at night. I take a shower which I hate, because I have to do it all over again the next day. I try and show my love for my boyfriend by a back massage. We always eat dinner very late; at least 12am by the time were cooking. I than watch some TV and go to bed. I wake up the next day and do it all over again.

Edgar Allan Poe has always been my favorite author. He’s infamously creepy, but he’s still my favorite. In fact it’s because Poe nearly always sets a dark, eerie tone to his poems and stories that I favor him. No, I’m not a lonely, depressed recluse and no I’m not a pessimist or negative-thinker by nature. The thing that attracts me to Poe’s writing isn’t the gloom or the tragedy. (Unless I’m in a misery-loves-company mood.) What attracts me is his incredible ability to use exactly the right words to create an undeniable atmosphere of doom long before any misfortune actually strikes! From the very first sentence, Poe displays his mastery of the English language. His word choice is absolutely perfect. Somehow each selection builds upon the others in such a way that suspense and anticipation grow quickly — and uncomfortably. So much so that you’re hooked almost instantly! You have to read the story! You have to find out why the hair on the back of your neck is standing up just because there’s a little knock on the stupid door! Or in Poe’s words … “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. `’Tis some visitor,’ I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door – Only this, and nothing more.” Yikes!

My favorite baseball team is the Minnesota Twins. They are my hometown team, and I have been a fan my entire life. My entire family is baseball fans, so I have grown up watching this team and cheering them on, drinking from the good ol’ keg refrigerator. They had a long stretch of bad baseball, but we all stuck with them through that stretch. Being a Twins fan definitely has its own set of ups and downs, but it is fun and rewarding to cheer for a team that has so much fun and works as hard as they do. The Twins have a couple of players who are the absolute elite in the MLB – some of the best at what they do. They have a team full of players who are very able to play well, and have the skills and personalities to make it fun to cheer for them. All in all, I wouldn’t trade being a Twins fan – they are a great team and they are a lot of fun to watch.