smiles, friends, and recordings

I haven't blogged in a while. It's been a busy week. My teacher is back from Korea, and I had my first violin lesson in like five weeks on Wednesday. And of course, I've had the usual orchestra rehearsals and such, with the added stress that tomorrow is the recording session for a music appreciation sort of video we're playing for. Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Smetana, Foss... yeah. I also had a theory exam, and I have a New Testament exam this coming Monday. blech.

Today I realized... smiles can make such a difference. If you're smiling, people notice it. If you smile at people, they usually smile back. And the more you smile, the happier you end up being. Try it, and you'll see that it's true!

I think I am making some friends, which is a great and happy thing, and is probably at least part of why I'm smiling more, and/or partly a result of me smiling more... I suppose it's a cycle, and a nice one at that. The happier I am, the more confident and able to make friends I feel. In the past week I am suddenly getting opportunities to get to know some really great people better. Late-night Snapples in Gillies with Jaana, nachos (oh! so unhealthy, but so delicious!) with Sarah, an afternoon trip to Starbucks with Kathryn... chances to talk about God, growing up, life, families, careers, motherhood, music, academics, theology, friends, and much more. So there are some great people here, and I am happy for the chance to make some friends and get to know several people better in the past week.