Category: Blog

Goodbye April, Hello May

Dance competitions, concert adventures, and plenty of blooms.
Dance competitions, concert adventures, and plenty of blooms.
The first few days of May slipped away from me before I could get things moving here. Better late than never? Sure. Yet again, another jam-packed month is in the books. I’m powering through the next six weeks until recital season comes to a close, and there’s no slowing down before then.

April was a pretty great month and May is shaping up to be even better. Take a look at what was accomplished and what’s to come!

In April, I…

  • Cheered on my students at their first competition of the season. I was (and still am) beyond proud of what the girls accomplished to prepare for their first big performance. All of my dances scored very well, each receiving at least 290 points out of 300.
  • Celebrated the 2.5 year mark at work. I can’t believe it’s been that long since I started at this position! I’ve definitely learned a lot in my time here and am excited to see what the future has in store. One thing I’m super pumped about? Lots of writing in my future.
  • Enjoyed some of the best live music. We all know that I love concerts, and April had two of the best to date. I caught a show from Tycho & Alt-J when I was visiting Molly in North Carolina. Just a week later, I got to see Sufjan Stevens perform to a sold-out crowd at the Academy of Music in Philly. Did I mention our seats were in the second row? Yea, it was pretty great.

In May, I will…

  • Wrap up two dance-related things. I’ve got two more competitions coming up this month, one with each studio I teach at. I’ll also close out my third season dancing with the Precious Metal Dance Team. This year’s move to the brand new arena has been fun, but I’ll welcome some much needed time off!
  • Focus on me. With so many things going on, I’ve let taking care of myself take a back seat. I’ve definitely felt the repercussions of that, and am geared up to kick off some lifestyle changes just in time for the summer months.
  • Turn 25! My birthday is just under two weeks away, and I’m excited to spend some time with friends & family. Last year on my birthday I launched my 101 in 1001 project, so stay tuned on updates on that!

Here’s to a new month, sunshine, and as many outdoor brunches as I can handle!

Goodbye March, Hello April

march cal
A pretty desk makes all the difference in the world.

I have to admit, I’m eager to be writing this post only because I have high hopes of spring being just around the corner. There are some flurries lingering in the forecast for tonight (why? can we not?), but cross your fingers for blue sky and sunshine from here on out.

March was a pretty busy month, but nothing compared to what’s lined up in the next few! This past weekend was actually my last totally free weekend until… wait for it… JULY. What? I know. Believe me- I took advantage of that free time and checked a ton of things off of my to-do list, all while saving some time for fun, too.

In March, I…

  • Traveled to Boston, MA for work. Well, really we were in Foxboro but who’s counting? Kim and I worked the AAA Travel Marketplace Show at Gillette Stadium for 22 hours over the course of three days. Mix that with the eight hours it took us to drive there (thanks, blizzard), and my feet were done.
  • Traveled to NYC with the dance studio. We took some of the ensemble girls into the city to take a few classes and see Matilda on Broadway. It was a whirlwind of a weekend, filled with plenty hikes across midtown from studio to studio. I was able to meet up with my friend Elise for lunch, which was wonderful. I hadn’t seen her in nearly four years, since we said goodbye the morning I left London!
  • Wrapped up competition choreography. Piecing together these dances might have been one of the biggest challenges I’ve ever faced. It’s funny to be on the teacher’s side of the equation for a change- I totally understand the absurd amounts of frustration that occur when students are consistently missing class, and can’t remember choreography from week to week. I had hoped to have these dances done long ago, but better late than never? Sure, let’s go with that one.
March was also full of tasty beverages.
March was also full of tasty beverages.

In April, I will…

  • Head to Raleigh, NC for a long weekend visit with Molly. For Easter weekend, I’m packing my bags and heading south for a few days! I cannot wait to be in some sunshine & warmth, and be able to spend some time with Molly. On top of whatever adventures she’s got planned, we’re also going to see Tycho & Alt-J at the Red Hat Ampitheatre on Friday night. If you know anything about me, you know I love a good outdoor concert.
  • Kick off my third season with the Precious Metal Dance Team. Our first game of the season is on Sunday, April 12. Not only is this game our first in the new arena, but it also marks the 5th Annual Youth Dance Clinic. This year. we have over 125 young dancers & cheerleaders that will be joining us on-field for a halftime performance. It’s exciting to see the number grow more and more each year. We’re hoping for a smooth day filled with lots of fun!
  • Attend our first competition of the season. Both studios I teach at will actually be competing at the same event, so I’ll be dressed in a nice neutral outfit. Even after all the battles in class, I’m still very proud of what my students have accomplished, and I can’t wait to see it all come together on stage!

And in case you missed it in March, I recorded a video with Lehigh Valley Dancers. Check it out below.

Cheers to April!

Web Wanderings

Web Wanderings (1) Another whirlwind of a week in the books!

I kicked off the week with a productive day off from work, spent finalizing all my music for recitals and such. It always seems like a never-ending process.

On Wednesday, I spoke to a class at my alma mater for media & communication alumni week. My session was called “Promoting Places,” and I covered a bit of what goes on in my daily routine at work, as well as some tips and tricks for getting a foot in the door after graduation.

But without further adieu, here’s some favorites from around the web this week.

ICYMI, I recorded a video with Lehigh Valley Dancers. I love this project, and was super excited to finally be able to throw something together for a quick video. I’d love it if you’d check it out!

This week on the Lehigh Valley Ale Trail, I published my second city guide for beer lovers. For this round, we take a look at Bethlehem. And, you can have a look at the Allentown list if you missed it before.

Each Friday, Stephanie May Wilson opens up her blog for readers to contribute their ‘Loveliest Things.’ Check out this week’s post, featuring one of my best friends, Kelly! Be sure to follow along on her blog here.

I am typically guilty of falling into the comparison trap, and social media doesn’t do much to aid that. I love this post by Chelsea Fagan about why she’s doing a purge of who she follows. Life’s too short to stress over silly things.

In my perusal of blogs this week, I came across Elle & Company. I’m not sure how I’ve missed out on this in the past, but its packed full of fantastic tips for bloggers and non-bloggers alike. The fact that the site is gorgeous is just an added bonus.

Cheers to a fun weekend, and some spring-like weather on the way (hopefully)!

Music Monday: Spring? Is that you?

It’s been a while since I’ve thrown together a little list of what I’ve been playing recently.

With spring just around the corner (hopefully…) I thought it might be a good time to offer up some suggestions if you’re doing a little spring cleaning on your playlists.

Since I got my record player for Christmas, I’ve been heavy into the vinyl game. I’ve picked up some nice additions to my collection with the help of a fantastic local shop, but it’s nice to piece together a web-based playlist to share about.

So, grab yourself a nice pair of headphones, sit back, and enjoy.

Like what I’ve got lined up here? No? That’s cool too. I’d love to hear what you’ve got on rotation in the comments below. 

Check out the playlist on Spotify here.

Gimme All Your Love- Alabama Shakes
True Affection- Father John Misty
One Time- Marian Hill
I’m On Fire- AWOLNATION
Falling Short- Lapsley
The Business of Emotion- Big Data
bodyache- Purity Ring
Lifted Up (1985) – Passion Pit
Make You Better- The Decemberists
Lips- Marian Hill
The Party Line- Belle & Sebastian
Hummed Low- Odessa
begin again- Purity Ring
Gooey- Glass Animals
Giving Up- HAERTS
Warm Water- Banks

Goodbye February, Hello March

At the start of each month, I take a look back at the past few weeks and highlight three things that I accomplished, as well as three highlights for the month to come. It’s a nice way for me to check in and see how things have progressed over time.  Like the idea? Feel free to make it your own! Leave a comment below, I’d love to follow along with your updates!

LV Beer Week, flowers from my Roomie, Hollywood cuddles, & video shoots at Weyerbacher.
LV Beer Week, flowers from my Roomie, Hollywood cuddles, & video shoots at Weyerbacher.

We all know that February is the shortest month, but it’s amazing how those three little days make such a difference. Another month has flown by, and here I am struggling with the fact that I still haven’t made the strides that I wanted to. Baby steps, baby steps.

Regardless, there are still some highlights to be proud of, and some exciting things to look forward to in the month ahead!

In February, I…

  • Celebrated the one-year anniversary of launching the Lehigh Valley Ale Trail. This has been one of my favorite projects to work on over the last year, and I’m loving the additions that have been made recently. Check out the editorial content that I’ve been developing, and will continue with bi-weekly.
  • Spent a day with my parents. My mom & dad came down to visit for a Saturday, and we spent the day wandering about in Easton. I picked up some additions to my antique coffee tin collection. My dad helped hang some shelves in the apartment for me- I see an Ikea trip in the near future!
  • Reminded myself that I am lucky to live the life I have. Mid-January through the first week of February was sort of a rough time for me personally. I let myself be sad for a few days, but then realized that I am happy being me. Sometimes it takes a hard time to see the truth, but it’s nice to feel comfortable in my own skin.

On my last check in, I also set three goals for myself for the month of February. Here’s how I did on those:

  • Read three new books: Half completed. I made it through two, so that’s better than I was doing previously!
  • Try three new recipes: whomp whomp. I didn’t do much cooking throughout February, and my bank account is definitely feeling it.
  • Research/purchase a domain name: Success! If you didn’t notice, you can now access this site via KaitieBurger.com!

In March, I will…

  • Travel to Boston for work. This is our first year having a booth at the AAA Travel Marketplace, held at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. Here’s hoping for no snow over the time that we’re there!
  • Head to New York City for a weekend with the dance studio. We’re taking a bus up to the city for the kids to take some classes and will also be catching a Saturday evening show of Matilda on Broadway. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a new show, and I’m excited to spend time in the city with the girls.
  • Wrap up the prep for competition season. The finishing touches are being completed over the next two weeks, and then we’ll spend the final classes cleaning and perfecting each step so that we’ll be ready to take the stage in April.

As far as some goals to tackle in March, I’m hoping to…

  • Publish three posts a week on this blog. Time to push those excuses aside and get to work!
  • Start a ‘bullet journal.’ I read about this last week, and am loving the idea.
  • Cross three books off my reading list.

Cheers to a productive month ahead, and a few steps closer to a sunshine-filled spring!