May 26, 2004

Folk Festival

For those of you who don't already know, I am a Tamburitzan. A Tamburitzan (or tammie for short) is an ethnic dancer from the Eastern European area. Specifically Croatia. Well, Pittsburgh annually holds a Folk Festival to celebrate the different ethnicities that make up PA. It is being held at Station Square at the Chevrolet Amphitheater. I'll be down there all weekend either sitting in the display booth for the Croatians or performing on stage for the Croatians (Friday night and Sunday afternoon). The festival lasts all this weekend and ends Sunday with a concert by the Poverty Neck Hillbillies. Tickets are $8 and children 12 and under get in free...

So if you are looking for something to do, come on down and have a good time. There will be food, drinks, and fun for all ages!!! Hope to see you there!

Tiffany

Posted by Tiffany Brattina at 9:48 PM | Comments (0)

May 23, 2004

Countdown Maddness

Ok. So I posted on the NMJ site that I wanted to put up a countdown to my trip for Croatia. As you can see I was successful although I did not use the site that Dr. Jerz provided. I used a site called Dynamic Drive. I hope that some of you out there decide to start some sort of countdown on your blog...They are fun and let people know what's going on in your world!

I will change the countdown once Croatia comes along. I don't know what I will countdown to next, but Lord knows I should have fun doing it!

Tiff

Posted by Tiffany Brattina at 1:03 PM | Comments (3)

May 21, 2004

Here she comes ladies and gents!

Well I did it! I was named the 2004 Miss Heritage for the Ambridge Chamber of Commerce. I have performed and they gave me $1000 to boot! Just thought I'd share that tib bit of information.

Hope everyone's summer is going well... There's only one month and two days until I leave for Croatia!!!!!!!

Bye for now~ Tiff

Posted by Tiffany Brattina at 6:58 PM | Comments (6)

May 18, 2004

"Dreams last for so long..."

Since I got home for the summer break, I have had an onslaut of the weirdest dreams. The worst part about it is after I wake up I never remember what they were about. I don't know what is causing them, but they are causing me to lose sleep. For example, this morning I woke at 3:45 after one such dream. The only thing that I can ever remember about the dreams are that they have some truth behind them and are based off of events that will be taking place in the future. I do remember last night's dream clearly.

In the dream I was getting ready for a competition that I am competing in - a Heritage Pageant. (I'm not really competing because I already know that I won. I was the only applicant.) I was getting dressed into costume and low and behold some weirdo came into my dressing room saying that there had been a change of plans and that they had gotten a professional to perform in my time slot instead of myself and that I was no longer needed. In the dream I got extreamly upset because I had practiced my toush off learning a new set of dances so that I could entertain the crowd. He said he didn't care and that I was to go home.

That's when I woke up.

What do you guys think about that? I am really freaked out that that is what is going to happen. I know that it probably won't, but who knows.

Well, time for class....

Tiff

Posted by Tiffany Brattina at 8:25 AM | Comments (3)

May 12, 2004

Camping with Jen

So...Jen and I went camping. Usually that wouldn't be a problem, but because it is Jen and myself it had to be interesting. Right from the beginning we had problems. The Cogos didn't have any gas!!!! How crazy is that?! Well for right now I'm off to nap, but continue reading to see our top ten lists...

Top 10 events that smote us:

10. Pool Closed - enough chemicals to melt off skin
9. Jen's pinky toe got destroyed by a log while trying to start a fire
8. Hiking Trail - nice, but it crossed major roads, pipelines, and went through maintance buildings
7. Scary mold - before being packed last year no one wiped out the inside.
6. Making up Camp Fire Songs - "WE have lots in common"
5. Bugs - "They don't give up!!! I'm being eaten alive!!! (It's a good thing I'm baked.)" Jen
4. Tent pole breaking - this caused an emergency run to 3 stores to buy duct tape.
3. Missing tent pole - we improvised by using another tent pole and not putting up the front of our tent.
2. Wind - it is terror on card games.
1. Garbage - we had to pick up garbage after lots of people being retarded.

Top 10 events of excellency and success

10. Normalville - Yes folks that's right the town is called Normalville.
9. Yummy Smores
8. Eating illegally in the Alpine Room at Seven Springs
7. Baby Cows - They were sooooo CUTE!!!!
6. Stewart's Root Beer
5. IT DID NOT RAIN!!!!!
4. Corn - cooked to perfection over a fire!
3. Rain Cover - put on in the middle of the night without light
2. Tent stayed up!!!!!!!!!
1. AN AMAZING DINNER!!!!!!!! - Steak, potatoes, and corn....all made over a fire that WE built with wet wood...


Hope you enjoyed that!

Posted by Tiffany Brattina at 2:50 PM | Comments (5)

May 8, 2004

Sadness strikes the Croatian Community

A major influence in the Croatian Community died on Wednesday. Ron Redulic, director of the Rankin Junior Tamburitzans passed away. I am in shock. Ron was only 60 years old. Although I didn't know him personally, I did know him professionally. He was one of the best directors I have ever studied under (even though it was for only a brief time). He gave me one of the best compliments I have ever received from a director. Before the November show (as most of you might remember I was a lil stressed that week) we had a dress rehersal and at that rehersal he told me that I have an amazing stage presence. "You stand up tall, you smile, and just seem comfortable even when you are nervous, your voice is strong even when you make a mistake. I haven't seen that out of a student in the junior tammies in a long time. I can't believe the Tammies (refering to Duquesne University Tamburitzans) passed you up!" I was shocked at this compliment and thanked him. I will greatly miss studing under him and the tamburitzan community has lost a great hero. Ron taught and directed many groups in the area, including Penn Sambles (an adult group), Trafford Junior Tamburitzans, and was assistant director to the University Tamburitzans for many years. He is predeceased by his wife, Kathy. He is survived by his two sisters and two neices.

Rest In Peace Ronnie...We will remember you always....

Tiffany

Posted by Tiffany Brattina at 3:37 PM | Comments (4)

May 4, 2004

The Changing Seasons

The Changing Seasons

Darkness – That’s all I saw before I met you.

I sat in the calm where birds and beasts are silent
I waited for the day when my eyes met yours
In that single moment of eye contact the dark winter broke
As we spoke the sun began to rise and the last of winter died

Weeks passed by and Spring turned to Summer - Then it happened

Time stopped when your lips touched mine
The shock of your softness melted me
I gave into the desire that had been haunting me
The first kiss of a lover’s dream

But that’s behind us now – Fall is rapidly approaching

It’s so close and things are falling apart
Like the drifting leaves of an oak tree
Memories fall and are crushed
I can feel the end is near

The bleakness of winter – Hibernation of the soul

Will this be as long as the last?
Who will be there to pull me back to Spring?
The frozen tears fall from my face as snowflakes fall
The hope is quickly dying in my soul

The snow piles - Darkness

Posted by Tiffany Brattina at 9:12 PM | Comments (4)