A Taste Of My Favorite Music.

Somethings are able to reach inside and touch your soul. That to me is what piano music is. It encourages the kind of haunting emotion that makes you want to close your eyes and drift away. It is something that stirs your very soul, and makes it despair , and yet you can be so swept away by emotion that lifts you higher than anything else. All within a matter of bars on a sheet of music.


Yup, I'm talking about piano music again. Yup, you are all probably getting tired of me ramble about the same things over and over. But if you want get a glimpse into why I do this, listen to some of my favorite piano pieces.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX-oATJzdOI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pp7WidhIZw
My goal is to learn this song. Watch the whole thing. It's amazing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9Bs99RIdMI

You may only watch this if you've watched the previous video all the way through, or if you know Jon Schmidt. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzCpmkj03DY
Love this piece :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0X-GamNY5U&feature=related

Day 25-26

Day 25 - Something you would do if no one stopped you or if you knew you wouldn’t fail.

Do nothing but travel. Failing being running out of money :)

Day 26 - Your definition of love.

Something that is selfless and pure. That wants the best for others, not for themselves. That is willing to give up anything and everything.

Day 23-24

Day 23 - Most awkward first impression you feel you’ve given ever.

hahaha, oh man, I`m sure I`ve given several. I tend to trip over my words and sounds like a bumbling babbeling bimbo. ;)


Day 24 - Something you did as a child that other people remember you for.

They found me in a closet reading during a party. When I was super little. Yup, even as a child I was a nerd. :)

Day 22!

Day 22 - Someone you would give your life up for without question.

My mom. She's given so much of herself for her kids. She's the type of person who won't say no. Who is willing to open her house for strangers, who is willing to volunteer her time so that other people can be happy. Who loves her family unconditionally. Who listens to our problems and is willing to do anything to fix them.

She's my hero.

Day 20-21!

Day 20 - Your go-to karaoke song.
Probably something by Queen, a random hymn, Bert and Ernie, nursery rhymes, Disney songs, random songs on the radio, whatever comes to mind first.
Have I mentioned my life is a musical?

Day 21 - Your favorite medium of art

Photography. I know. You never would've guessed.
A close second would have to be painting. Not by me...but I love looking at people's painting. I have no artistic skillz with a brush, a piece of coloured wax, or a piece of wood equipped with graphite and synthetic rubber.

Day 19!

Day 19 - A passage from a book that has touched you.

Psalm 121

1. I lift up my eyes to the hills
where does my help come from?

2. My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3. He will not let your foot slip
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4. Indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5. The LORD watches over you
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6. The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7. The LORD will keep you from all harm
he will watch over your life;

8. The LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.

Day 18

Day 18 - A picture that makes you feel.

Not gonna lie, when I first went through this list and decided to do it, this one stood out and I was looking forward to actually getting to post about it. I love photography. When I first bought my camera, it was because I enjoyed taking pictures of my family, and I was about to go on a trip to Europe and I wanted the type of camera that would capture my memories the best. Never did I think I would fall in love with it so much.

The most strange to me, is when people compliment my photography. Every time it happens I'm thinking " Umm...have you seen other people's photography?" and I sort of smile, and say " thank you" and then change the subject..... ;)

Speaking of subject, back to the subject at hand! Can I post more than one?

This one make me feel love towards God and His glorious creation. Ignore the building/lamposts, I was driving, and taking pictures. ( ONLY at red lights, I promise!!)

I love clouds. They're so easy to photograph because they don't move ( that quickly) and they're so vibrant!

Day 17

Day 17 - What you want to be remembered for.

For being the person people could go to when they had problems. For being that shoulder to cry one, that person to lean on. For just being there.

Day 16!

Day 16 - Something you want to do within the next five years.
Yay for lists! :)
1. Finish High school with grades I am proud of. Not necessarily perfect ones, but ones I am happy with.
2. Begin teaching piano lessons.
3. Do mission work.
4. Work on my music and maybe take university courses.
5. Move out. Hopefully sooner than 5 years from now :)
6. Buy a fancy lens and work more on my photography.
7. Be less afraid to be different, and be more confidant with who I am.


I figure 7 is a good place to stop. :)

Day 15

Day 15 - A moment, phrase, or song that has changed your life the most.

When my aunt turned to me and said " You're either going to be a drill sargent or a teacher"

I had never considered teaching before. And it's sort of stuck in my head since.



And to explain why she said that...I had 8 children behind me in a perfect line by age, walking around the campsite in order to get everyone from the beach to the campsite. :)

Here am I. Send me.

A few days ago I watched a movie called The Pianist. If you haven't seen it, stop reading this, come over and watch it. It's amazing. Not the kind of sappy/overdone/make you cry types of movies, but the one that makes your heart yearn to fix the world. It's set in WWII, and it's about a pianist who manages to survive the terrible Holocaust.
I'd seen it before, but this time it really made me think.
You see, I've got a great-great aunt that hid Jews during the war. She was one of those selfless people who was willing to give up her life for a complete stranger.
She is the type of role model I want to become.

I think that's why I feel so called into mission work. There's such a huge part of me that wants to say " Here I am. Send me!" and see where He takes me. To help people in need, to truly feel their pain and bring about some sort of relief that can only be fond through true faith in the only Comforter. Sometimes I feel so useless in the church I'm in. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE that church, and I truly believe in what I hear every Sunday, and I'm so thankful that I've been brought up in a Christian church! But I'm a 17 year old girl, looked down upon not only for my age, but for my gender as well. And to be honest, there's so little I can do in a church of believers. Yes, there are people in the church who do need help, but being the stubborn Dutch people they are are, people will rarely admit it, and certainly not to some teenager.
I think the most frustrating thing for me, is the lack of want to spread our faith. We want to horde it for ourselves, and not share it with those who might not be as well off as we are. Even the mention of doing mission work is so frowned upon among people I know. And that breaks my heart. Honestly and truly.
I understand ( and fully agree with!) that women can`t be preachers. But wanting to go overseas, or even in the streets of Calgary in order to tell other people about the good news is such a beautiful opportunity! Doesn`t God command us to go into all nations, spreading the good news to all the people?
So for right now, I'm praying hard, and reading God's word trying to figure out what it is He wants me to do. Going to University, getting something in Music or English and teaching is a dream that makes me very excited. But there's always, always, that little voice inside my head that says " What about mission work?" It's always been there, and I'm starting to think I need to listen to it more.

Day 13/14!

Day 13 - A memory that never fails to make you laugh.
Haha, there are so many. Yay for inside jokes and amazing memories! :)
I HAS FANTA!
LOOK! He's peeing! "WHERE!?!" ( Please don't ask)
Great scott!!! A free pig!!!!

Oh man, so many other ones I could mention. Such as adventures in airports, flipping a coin for directions, staying out until the wee hours singing on picnic tables in front of old folks homes, talking about using intestines as jump ropes ( which is larger?? ), making phone calls to Europe in a mall, ORANGE! and viggo's mustache!
I've got awesome friends. What can I say?


Day 14 - Best mashup you’ve ever heard.
Hmmmm I really don't even know. These are ones I've listened to a lot. Yes, more Glee. I'm nowhere near a Gleek, or whatever it is they're called, but I enjoy the music.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuadCJRpFsE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n1615vnUIQ&feature=related

Day 12!

Day 12 - Favorite cover of your favorite song. Oh boy. I've got quite a few favorite songs. But I found this one today ( actually like 5 minutes ago) and I thought it was pretty fantastic! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNHTCglQ_Wk&feature=popular

Day 11!

Does it still count if it's at 1am? :) What about if I told you I've got a SUPER amazing,blog post coming up? You'd tell me to just focus on actually blogging and not procrastinating... -sigh- :P

Day 11 - Favorite picture ever taken of yourself.

OH goodness. This one I guess?? It's hard to find ones of just me because I'm usually the one behind the camera :)

Day 10

Day 10 - A dream you had this past week described in detail.

I honestly can't remember!!! I think I've been working my brain so hard this past week that by the time sleep gets to it, it's all worked out!! There's absolutely nothing coming to mind! Mind you...there ain't much mind left to produce comprehensive thought at the moment.

Good night world.

Day 9!

Day 9 - Five things you want to see change.

1. How I deal with issues. I tend to just panic and procrastinate so that I don't have to face problems. Not something I'm proud of and it's something I'd love to see change.

2. Health of people around me. It would be really nice to fix the pain that the people I love are going through.

3. My grades. I would love to be the kind of student who pulls off 80s and 90s and has a bright future filled with all sorts of possibilities. That would be so much better than the current 60s-70s that are my reality, my present, and controlling my future. It's so frustrating.

4. The temperature of my room. It's freezing!!!

5. How much I am willing to let go. I wish that I trusted God more. I tend to want to fix problems myself first, rather than take to Him in prayer. It only ends in failure, and I get reminded over and over again that I'm so incapable, and that He's all powerful! Another trust issue I have is how much I trust people. So often, I trust the wrong people, or don't trust the right people enough to let them in and let them help. Like I said, I want to fix my problems before I'll admit something is wrong.

Since those were slightly depressing, I'm going to put in 5 things I wouldn't change.
1. The friends I have. They're so amazing. Seriously, I don't tell them often enough how much I love them. I would go to the end of the world and back for them if they so desired it. They've given me the most amazing memories, which are things I can pull out on the rainy days and admire.

2. My family. God knew exactly what he was doing when he put me in this one. We're crazy, we're different, but we're walking life together.

3. The other random people God has put in my life. All my 'fake' uncles and aunts who are there to silently support me. As if my friends and immediate family weren't supportive enough, God put so many other people who are there no matter what! Especially my second family. I love that we're two different families, and yet run as one thirteen member unit.

4. The things I've been through. It hasn't been easy, but God's pulled me through everything, and there's no good without the bad. And most days, the good things overwhelm the bad. That's not something everyone can boast of, and it's something I need to focus on more.

5. I would like my life in general not to change too much. It's so super special amazing awesome sauceum most days, and those days make up for the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days.
Most adjectives in one sentence FTW!

Day 8

Day 8 - Someone you think would make a good president.

My father. You think after working for high-up people he would pick up on some excellent tips. He's the smartest person I know about those tpes of things.

Of course a second choice would be Heidi-Jo and Lizzie. They've got wicked world domination skillz. They'd do a fairly decent job at making this place pretty awesome sauceum. Although now that you've read this, they might have to kill you. Or me.

Day 7

Day 7 - A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life.


This is so difficult. There are so many people who have changed my life. So I'm going to make this general, out to all my friends.

To whom it may concern,
Thank you for everything you have done for me. Thank you for putting up with me, and most importantly, for not giving up on me. Thank you for pushing me to reach for my full potential instead of settling with the mediocre. You have changed my life so much just by being there.

Thank you for including me. I spent a lot of my life where people made plans around me. It never bothered me, and I didn't really notice it until I had friends who made plans with me.

Thank you for listening to my issues. I know I complain a lot, and yet you put up with me.

Thank you for making me laugh. And in turn for not making too much fun of me for my bad sense of humor.

Thank you for getting along with my crazy family. I know we're nuts, but we are a package deal!
It means a lot that so many of my friends feel so at home in my house.

Thank you for teaching me how to laugh at myself.

All my love,
Courtney,Courtney Mae, Chiclet. Whatever it is you call me :)

"If it is abuse - why one is always sure to here of it from one good-natured friend or other!"
- Richard Brinsley Sheridan

"I count myself in nothing else so happy
As in a soul rememb'ring my good friends."
- William Shakespeare

"Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friend's forehead."
- Chinese Proverb

Well of course! ;)

Day 6

Day 6 - All your nicknames and who calls you them

See my blog post about this :) It's got them all listed with stories included!

Day Number 5

Day 5 - A picture taken near the most recent holiday. Mothers Day!!!! Does that count? I think it should. After all, it celebrates some of the most amazing people on the face of this earth!!!

Day 3 and 4

I know, I know. Second day in and I already failed. But I do have an excuse ( naturally) I was gone all day yesterday and when I was home, I was doing a Harry Potter marathon. And now I'm off to visit my grandma.

Day 3 - A song that you want to play at your wedding.
I honestly have no idea. Some sort of amazing piano music during the ceremony will happen. But as far as a particular song, nothing comes to mind. It'll depend on the guy I marry I guess!

Day 4 - Lyrics to a song that describes your life.
Homeschool Family by Tim Hawkins. Minus the jean skirts and overalls.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VM6uqj0_jQc

From The Mouths Of Babes

--Erin: You know that song " When I get older" it really should be " If I get older" because...you don't know if you'll get old. You might die, you know. :D

--Said to my friend: He was a very respectful boy." (emphasis on the "k" sound in respectful)

--It's ok Courtney, Mom just doesn't understand you!


--Dad : I've gotta show you the shortest man in the Bible!! He's a Shuhite!





-long akward pause while neither Ashley nor Erin get it-





Erin: Shu....Shoe....OOOHH!!!!!! SHOE-HEIGHT!!!!!!!!!!





Dad: Ya, and then there's the guy with no parents. Josua son of Nun.





Erin: Ya, he had no family. Where did he come from!?








--Erin: My nickname is 'awesome.' Actually. It really is. ALL the boys say so.

--Erin to the guy beside us at the stoplight " Ummm excuse me, you're not sexy so don't look at my sister like that" [ he was laughing at me for singing in the car :) ]

--Erin: Courtney, if you need like a ruler, or a pencil...like..don't even worry.....like...I've totally got one.

--Erin: Mom..I just need more candy...I've had waaaay to much healthy stuff lately

Mom: Aren't you eating ice cream?

Erin: Ya...but I took the sugar out first.....actually...I did.....

--Erin ( while praying) : Thank you for the wedding we could go to yesterday, and let them care about each other, and let them have babies whenever they want.

--Erin( again...while praying): Please be with mom and dad and their buisness together.

There are so many more things that she's said, but I'm awful at writing them down so that I can let you all enjoy the insightful comments of a eight-year-old stand up comedian.

I am going to start being more consistant in writing them down, and post more of these. :)

Day 1 and Day 2

Don't understand? see the previous post before reading. :) http://courtneymaebkool.blogspot.com/2010/06/so-heres-what-im-going-to-be-doing-for.html

Day 1 - A picture that reminds you of a good memory/day/time of your life.

These were all taken from this year's Europe trip. I'm not gonna lie, I really had a hard time picking one picture that reminds me of something happy. I take pictures to capture happy moments, so most of mine have happy moments in them. But this is one that has 6 joyful moments all in one.

Day 2 - A picture that was taken as close to exactly 1 year ago as possible.

This was taken exactly a year ago.

30 Days.

So here's what I'm going to be doing for the month of June since I'll be far too busy with diplomas and finals to do looong blog posts. Please feel free to yell at me if I miss a day, I want to try to get through this whole thing before June 30. Day 1 and Day 2 will follow this, as we're already on June 2!

Day 1 - A picture that reminds you of a good memory/day/time of your life.
Day 2 - A picture that was taken as close to exactly 1 year ago as possible.
Day 3 - A song that you want to play at your wedding.
Day 4 - Lyrics to a song that describes your life.
Day 5 - A picture taken near the most recent holiday.
Day 6 - All your nicknames and who calls you them.
Day 7 - A thank you letter to someone who has changed your life.
Day 8 - Someone you think would make a good president
.Day 9 - Five things you want to see change.
Day 10 - A dream you had this past week described in detail.
Day 11 - Favorite picture ever taken of yourself.
Day 12 - Favorite cover of your favorite song.
Day 13 - A memory that never fails to make you laugh.
Day 14 - Best mashup you’ve ever heard.
Day 15 - A moment, phrase, or song that has changed your life the most.
Day 16 - Something you want to do within the next five years.
Day 17 - What you want to be remembered for.
Day 18 - A picture that makes you feel.
Day 19 - A passage from a book that has touched you.
Day 20 - Your go-to karaoke song.
Day 21 - Your favorite medium of art.
Day 22 - Someone you would give your life up for without question.
Day 23 - Most awkward first impression you feel you’ve given ever.
Day 24 - Something you did as a child that other people remember you for.
Day 25 - Something you would do if no one stopped you or if you knew you wouldn’t fail.
Day 26 - Your definition of love.
Day 27 - Your definition of the meaning of life.
Day 28 - A moment you remember being completely happy in and a description of why you believe you were.what is your definition of hapiness?
Day 29- What you live for?
Day 30 - Ways you believe you have grown over the past thirty days?