Sunday, December 16, 2012

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Here's a little Sunday funny brought to you by the latest New Yorker:

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Thursday, October 18, 2012

New Eats


Two things about food:

1. I tried a new soup recipe and I think if you have any room in your soup repertoire you should try it! It's from Taste of Home - Rustic Italian Tortellini Soup. It's hearty, flavorful, and healthy! Yes!

2. Grill pans are awesome! I recently got my own and its the best. Everything seems to taste better warmed up with grill lines branded on it. Look at that plain old late-night turkey and cheese sandwich...no way! Gourmet!

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Cucurbita!

Whoohoo!  It's pumpkin season!  It's yummy and it's good and it's only here once a year so go CRAZY and buy EVERYTHING that tastes like pumpkin!  Last week Mom was here and we went to Trader Joe's and did just that.  I'm enjoying the benefits of our trip for breakfast this morning.  We bought some delicious Pumpkin Butter that I am having on toasted cinnamon raisin bread.  SO. GOOD.

I also picked up some pumpkin spice granola and a mix for pumpkin bread or muffins.  I passed on the pumpkin waffle and pancake mix.  What was I thinking???  Had a Pumpkin Spice Latte.  I have a  Pinterest pin waiting for my return to make pumpkin cream cheese.

Seems like we go a little crazy around this time of year.  But I know I'm not the only one, so I don't feel bad about it.

So what else did I miss?  How about this pumpkin pie lip balm?  Then you don't have to actually eat all the pumpkin stuff to get the flavor! Save on calories?

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Dinner!

Tried a new recipe tonight! Stuffed peppers. Yummy! It's a keeper.

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Nothing new under the sun?

All my friends are saying I need to write a blog or a book about dating in NYC.  I would think that's already been done, but then the stories I have just keep going and going and there are more and more of them.  You wouldn't believe these guys. You can't make this stuff up.  So maybe I will have to do some 'dating' posts.  I already have a pretty long list of topics on my phone.  At least for the moment it's mostly humorous.  Must try to keep a sense of humor when dating or ones entire mentality will quickly slip down the drain.  Part of me wants to give up on the whole thing, but the other part of me would miss the stories...

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Stuck in an airport with delays. Not so fun. Hope to get moving soon!

Monday, August 6, 2012

It's August!   Stacy is getting married this week. The summer is flying by. Wow - where does the time go?  I wish July lasted longer.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Sitting in my window with a cup of coffee watching the sudden rainstorm. The wind is blowing. The thunder crashing. All umbrellas seem to be a joke against the sheets of rain coming down. I think I'll stay here a while.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Zoo Opera

Over the weekend I had a chance to play bass clarinet for an exciting new opera company, On Site Opera.  Their concept is that opera can be performed in non-traditional places and doesn't always have to be in a "stuffy" opera house.  I was able to be a part of their very first production, The Tale of the Silly Baby Mouse.  It is a very short (about 13 minutes) opera by Shostakovich about a little baby mouse who won't go to sleep.  It was performed by a small group of singers with animal puppets and 7 instruments for the orchestra.  We played 4 performances over the weekend at the Bronx Zoo in a little outdoor space.  Each performance was filled with children, in full attention (which I now know is a rare thing!).  In a day where the arts are having such a hard time, it's nice to see a company thinking outside the box and reaching audiences in new and creative ways.  Here is a picture from the show. Clink on it to go read the great review we got in the New York Times today!


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Check it off the list!

I finished my first year back in school!!!!
It was kind of crazy crazy and there were moments I didn't think I was going to make it, but I did!  

Whooohooooo!!!!


Thursday, May 3, 2012

Living in the hub

Sometimes it can be great to live in a place that people happen to stop by or pass through.  With a couple of big airports around, it's not strange for someone to be around for a quick stop.  It doesn't always work out that I get to meet up with people, like when Stacy was stuck overnight at Newark. Newark was just a bit too far and my schedule was just a bit too tight for us to get together. That stunk because she was so close, but we just couldn't make it happen. Today was nice because Dad and Mom happened to have a layover for several hours at JFK.  And I happened to be on the train back from Long Island this afternoon which passed right by JFK.  So I was able to meet up with them and have coffee for an hour or so before they had to go on their way. It was great!

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

"You know those days when you get the mean reds?....The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of....Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name!" - Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's




Friday, March 30, 2012

I'm excited about my new mug.  I got it for the office.  I haven't been feeling that great in the office lately, so I thought this mug would be a nice picker-upper with it's bright, happy, spring-like orange color and polka dots.  Plus it comes with it's own little coaster!  All wrapped up in a nice bow, which I'll wait to undo when I get there.  It should help put a smile across my face at work.  I'm actually looking forward to going to work so I can use it!

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Time in Port Jeff

I had a concert at Stony Brook with the orchestra on Saturday.  I had some free time between the afternoon rehearsal and the evening concert and a friend went out to Long Island with me, so we went into the neighboring town for dinner.  Port Jefferson is a small port village.  There is a little lighthouse and a ferry to Connecticut and lots of sailboats, since it is on the north shore of Long Island.  All the houses and shops are cute and look historic.  Very cute.  It's also the last stop on the Long Island Railroad line that I ride.  So if I ever fall asleep on the train and miss my stop, that is where I will end up. I liked the old clock in the town square.  It seems like it would fit in a movie. Here it is:

Friday, March 16, 2012

Breakfast

Sometimes I like to make omelettes for breakfast...or for dinner.  They usually don't turn out looking all that great.  Often one piece of it gets stuck and when I try to do the fold it crumbles.  Or when I try to slid it onto the plate it folds or falls apart.  All kinds of things can go wrong.  My "omelette" is normally something between an omelette and a scramble. But this morning... this morning was different.  I made a personal record best-looking omelette.  So I thought I would share.  Filled with spinach, mushrooms, and feta cheese, the ingredients were spread out perfectly and tasted delicious.  Slightly crisp on the outside, nice and smooth on the inside.  The mushrooms and spinach were cooked to just the right texture.  And that baby folded right over and slid out of the skillet and onto my plate with no hangups.  Doesn't get much better than this. Woohoo!


Monday, March 12, 2012

I always liked this quote.

Monday, March 5, 2012

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

lashing out

I have to be honest with my blog and face the fact that I am going through a "less than fabulous" patch of life right now.  It kind of strange, because I just went through a quite fabulous patch.  I was pleased with my recital and all the hard work I put into it.  I was feeling on top of the world.  Unfortunately, that feeling didn't last very long as life started crumbling around me only a few days later.  Anyway - I need not get into that right now.

I only came here to mention one of the annoying things about going through a rough spell.  And that thing is waterproof mascara.  I don't like the stuff.  It feels "different" when it's on, seems to build up on my eyelashes, and doesn't wash off easily. I don't like the feeling, or the extra step, of the special eye-makeup remover.  I want to wash my face the regular way and have all my makeup off.  But there are days when as much as I don't like the stuff, I thank God that I keep a tube in the back of the makeup drawer.  I recommend every gal keeps some of it around. You never know when you are going to need it and the last thing you want to do on that day is to take a trip to the beauty counter.  Oh, the waterproof mascara blues...
 I look forward to the morning when I have the courage to put on the regular mascara.  That day will come.  Until then I guess I'll count my blessings I don't have to look like a raccoon face by lunchtime.

Monday, February 27, 2012

Monday, February 6, 2012

Coming Soon:

Megan Shumate
DMA Clarinet Recital


With:
Jose Menor - piano
Ismar Gomes - cello

Works by:
Brahms
Muczynski
Horovitz
Kovács  
Guastavino

  Stony Brook University
Staller Recital Hall  February 15, 2012 
8pm

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Fun, Family, Florida

The Florida trip already seems like it was so long ago, even though it has only been two weeks.  Stacy came back with me to New York and we spent a few days having fun in the city.  This past week I started classes again.  I am also preparing for my first doctoral recital, so things are moving along.

Spending time with family on a little vacation was fun.  We had a great trip!  It's so hard to get the whole family together, since we are spread out all over the place, so it was really a special and nice thing to be able to relax and have fun together.  We rented a really great house in Florida.  It had enough space that we weren't always on top of each other (except that I slept in a top bed of a bunk bed, so maybe I was on top at that point, but that's okay :)  The house had game tables that we took advantage of, TVs to veg out to, a big pool and patio, a lake with a paddle boat (which Jared and Alma Lee got caught out in a storm!), and maybe my personal favorite: a hot tub.  And I loved the weather!  It is GREAT to be able to wear sandals and summer tops in January.  That was a nice way to break up the frigid winters I'm used to. I think I may have a calling to be a snow bird.

I think we were able to have a nice balance of "doing stuff" and relaxing.  Splitting up at times, and going as a group at other times allowed everyone to vacation in their own way.  From biking with alligators, shopping for shoes, eating everything in sight, to playing "Bananas" and "Settlers"...we did a lot!

One day I joined the "Brothers with Babies" group and went to the zoo.  I took my camera, of course, and had so much fun hanging out with them and taking pictures.  Joel was my buddy.  He always wanted to "push the button" on my camera.  He got a few interesting shots.  I'd share them, but I don't want him to sue me for copyright infringement when he starts his own blog.  

We each took a spin (or two) on the zoo's carousel!
I really enjoyed getting to spend time with my nieces and nephew.  I wish I could see them more often!  I look forward to one day when all the cousins can come visit Aunt Megan in New York!  I think we'll have a lot of fun....and not get into too much trouble.


And here is a view of our lovely lake after sunset.




Sunday, January 22, 2012

I'm cold!

Turn up the heat!


Sunday, January 8, 2012

2012 thus far

So far I have had a nice new year back in New York.  I celebrated the arrival of 2012 in Brooklyn with a small group of friends.  It was very nice.  Since then I have been working, practicing, taking advantage of some after-Christmas sales, and trying to relax as much as I can.  Aside from two very frigid days, the weather has been pretty mild and I've been enjoying my break from school.  I'm also in the midst of a room organization project that I'm enjoying.  I am going through my room in sections and trying to get everything organized.  The project has included several trips to The Container Store, Home Depot, and the discount store in my neighborhood.  As I go along I am coming up with new ideas and also looking at websites for inspiration.  It's been pretty amazing how much more space I can find when I get really organized.  I found one extra shelf on my small bookcase and a whole extra shelf (maybe even two) on my larger bookcase!  The goal is for every "thing" to have its own "place".  Then nothing should go on the floor or in piles to never be seen again, right?  We'll see.  I'm excited about what I've done so far and there is still PLENTY to go.  I'm still trying to decide the best methods for my clarinet stuff, music, and school stuff.  These things tend to get out of control, especially during the semester or when I get really busy.  Unfortunately, Better Homes and Garden's website doesn't have a "de-clutter your clarinet stuff" page so I'm on my own with this one.  Maybe I will come up with something creative and put it on my website and become famous with all the clarinetists.  I'll be the Martha Stewart of clarinet.

Well - Project Organization 2012 will have to go on hold tomorrow because I will be going to Florida for the rest of the week!  I'm super excited to take a vacation with my family and get to relax in a warm place.  I look forward to seeing my nephew who I haven't seen in a year, and meeting my new niece for the first time!  With a family so spread out, it's hard to get everyone together at the same time, so this will be great!  Yippee!