kapachino

Blog

  • Sing, Sing, Sing

    Some of you have mentioned that you’d like to hear me sing, so to make that happen I wrangled my brother into recording this video with me. I find his expression hilarious throughout the entire thing. First of all, he is The Silent Man. Secondly, check out his overgrown mustache/weekend beard combo. And finally, you can tell by his eyes that he is super distracted. That might be because I made him do this during the fourth quarter of the Texans game, which was on mute right in front of us.

    Anyway, this song is called “White Horse” and it’s by my favorite band, Over the Rhine. I don’t do it nearly as well as they do, but I sure enjoy singing it. The guitar is kind of soft, but we’re not exactly operating with top quality recording equipment here. If you like what you hear, please tell me so! If you don’t like it, please don’t tell me–I am a delicate flower.

    Merry Christmas week!

    White Horse Cover from Kathleen Forbes on Vimeo.

  • A Girl’s Gotta Try

    I know I haven’t updated most of this week, and lame as this is I am writing now to tell you about how my blog/Twitter friend Ashley is giving away a laptop on her review blog.

    I would really, really like to win this computer. Not for myself, because once I went Mac I don’t think I can go back. But for my husband, because his laptop causes him to curse at least once a night, if he can even bring himself to use it. I had to use his computer myself when my hard drive crashed awhile ago, and I don’t know how he puts up with it. Sadly, a new computer is not in the budget for either of us anytime soon, hence my effort to win this giveaway. And maybe if I won, he’d start to like this blogging thing a little more. :)

    Enter the giveaway here!

  • Ten (Or Fifteen) On Tuesday

    rr10tuesday

    Today’s Ten on Tuesday is really Fifteen on Tuesday. That’s cool, I’m flexible. I can adapt.

    1. If you could change anything about your physical appearance, what would it be?
    I don’t like to dwell on this kind of thing too much, but I have to say that I would love to have killer legs. Especially calves, like those of a ballet dancer. I don’t think it’s in the cards for me ever to have legs like that.

    2. Is there a habit in others that you find annoying?
    Smoking is the biggest one. Mainly I’m just passionate about helping people quit because of how terrible it is. But I also can’t stand to be around smoke.

    3. What is your favorite recipe using ground beef?
    Enchilada casserole. Yum!

    4. What was your favorite book as a kid?
    Matilda by Roald Dahl. I read it so many times I can’t count. I think it’s the reason I love to read so much. Matilda was only 4 years old and she was reading more than I do now! I wanted to be like her.

    5. Did you work as a teenager and if so, where?
    My parents wouldn’t let me work for most of high school because I was in too many extracurricular activities and they wanted me to do well in school, too. But eventually I convinced them to let me get a job. (Foreshadowing: this was a terrible idea.) When I was a junior the huge Katy Mills Mall opened up nearby, and I got hired at the restaurant Johnny Rockets. I did not thrive in this environment, and let me tell you why: a) ridiculous uniforms, b) mandatory dancing to certain jukebox songs, c) rude coworkers, and d) improper training. After 4 months I couldn’t take it anymore, not even to go in and give notice or pick up my paycheck. I pulled an Office Space and just stopped going. They called me for awhile, but eventually gave up and mailed me my money. The only positive thing I have to say about this job was that it introduced me to the song “Chicago: My Kind of Town” by Frank Sinatra.

    6. Did you work while in college and if so, where?
    Every summer I worked at a Christian camp. During the year I cleaned a couple buildings on campus. I also got paid a pittance to lead the junior high youth group of a local church.

    7. When you go to sleep do you like total darkness or semi? When you go to sleep do you need quiet or is some noise ok?
    I like it very dark and quiet, but since I got married I’ve learned to adjust to a bit of light and noise down the hallway, since I can’t force my husband to go to sleep at the insanely early hour that I do.

    8. When doing laundry, fabric softener or not?
    Not in the washer, but I like to use the sheets in the dryer. I notice that they decrease static electricity immensely.

    9. Open toed or closed toed shoes?
    Sandals are my favorite, but I also like some comfy boots. It just depends on the weather.

    10. Would you rather be blind or deaf?
    Well, I think I’d have to give up a lot more if I went blind. Going deaf I’d miss my husband’s sexy voice and music, but mostly I’d miss being able to hear myself sing. (Does that sound narcissistic? Ah, well.) Still, I’d rather make those sacrifices.

    11. Dangle or stud earrings?
    I am a stud-wearer. I have maybe two pairs of decent dangly earrings, and whenever I put them on I think I look funny.

    12. Bottled water or tap?
    I am particular about what kind of bottled water I’ll drink. Some of them have weird aftertastes. Usually tap water suits me just fine.

    13. What do you put on pancakes?
    Butter and syrup.

    14. On a long trip would you rather drive or fly?
    Fly. I’m not a huge fan of driving, and I usually want to maximize the amount of time I have at my destination.

    15. Do you prefer classic old movies or new?
    Probably new. I like all the visual stuff they can do with movies now. I am easily impressed. Although I must say that since I’ve begun watching all the old Best Pictures, I have discovered some real gems from early on.

    Whew, those 15 questions took it out of me. I need a nap now.

  • #41. Attend A Messiah Sing-a-long

    hallelujahOr, How I Met My New Best Friend.

    I wanted to go to a sing-a-long of Handel’s Messiah because I sang it for four years in college when I was in choir, and I miss it. I wasn’t even going to blog about this event, but that was before I sat next to Gladys.

    My mom and I were looking for the soprano section, as there were no signs and it wasn’t our church. I noticed that many of the people had on maroon collared shirts, so I figured they must be the church choir. We walked up to one of the rows and were pleasantly surprised that we had found the right place. Gladys graciously scootched herself over to make room for us.

    She was an older black woman, slightly hunched over but with a gorgeous smile. I thanked her for letting us sit there and she replied, “Honey, I don’t own any of these pews so you can sit wherever you want to!” As the performance got started I could tell that her voice was probably past its prime, and she was having a bit of trouble reading the music. It made me wonder how long she’d been singing in that church choir.

    During one of the solos, Gladys patted my hand and pointed to my wedding ring. “When?” she whispered, eyes twinkling. I cupped my hand around her ear and said, “A little over a year ago!” For a moment I felt like I was newly engaged all over again. Back when I couldn’t stop looking at my ring, when I knocked it against things and constantly snagged it because I wasn’t used to the weight. Now it’s just an extension of my hand. “Oh, you’re married already? Wow!” Gladys replied.

    A while later, after we had just sat down from singing one of the choruses, Gladys looked at me and said, “You have such a pretty voice. It’s sweet.” I tried to clarify that my voice is soft, but she wasn’t having it. “It’s sweet. And you are so pretty.”

    During the Hallelujah chorus, I noticed that she lost her place in the music and couldn’t find it. She was using a different score than the rest of us and couldn’t go by our page numbers. She searched and fumbled and finally just put her music down and sang. Something about that made me sad, that she tried so hard to find her place but couldn’t. It didn’t seem to bother her, though. Even when she began singing the wrong part, it didn’t matter. She was singing Hallelujah one way or another.

    At the end of the night, after the long Amen, Gladys and I exchanged at least three hugs. I kind of didn’t want to leave, because I will never see this delightful woman again. I don’t know much about her, but tonight she made God proud. I’m sure of it.

  • Obsession: The Rory Gilmore Book Club

    roryreadsIt’s official, I’m obsessed with the Rory Gilmore Book Club on Goodreads.

    I know this because this morning I spent a good hour researching the books on the list in order to make my nominations for what the group will read next year, despite giving myself a hearty pep talk last night and this morning to make today the day I would get everything done on my to-do list.

    First of all, if you aren’t on Goodreads yet, consider this my enthusiastic plug. I keep track of everything I read on it, but that’s just one of its many benefits. You can see what your friends have read, join book clubs (ahem), find out about events, take the never-ending book quiz, learn about authors, and lots more. So unless you’re like my brother-in-law, who went and created his OWN book database in order to customize it to his particular specifications, or unless you hate reading (and if you do, for shame!), JOIN GOODREADS ALREADY!

    Anyway, if you have no idea who Rory Gilmore is, or the significance of the picture at the beginning of this post, allow me to educate you. Rory is half of the Gilmore Girls, who are the leading characters in the TV show of the same name, otherwise known as the Best Show Of All Time. Yes, I went there. I don’t care that it was on the WB/CW and that it seems completely girly, it is quite simply the best. I personally know several males who thoroughly enjoy it.

    The deal is that Rory is a reader, and this book club was started in order to read all of the books that Rory has read. Amazing, right? I lament the fact that I am only discovering it now, two years later. I have already read many of the classics on the list, but most of the modern books I had never heard of.

    So I joined the club and intend to be an active member, although I am a little bit worried about finishing all the books. I still have my own book club to keep up with, as well as trying to read all the books I own, 5 Pulitzer Prize winners, and 5 books David recommends. But what better way to reach my goal of 50 books in 2010?