Website Launch!

Hello dearest friends and followers,

Today is quite the momentous day.

Today nicholeporrata.com launched!

As some of you may be aware of I am a singer/songwriter/Starbucks barista extraordinaire. The first two you might gather from my website the third I just felt like throwing in there as I do also very much enjoy making drinks for people. Most people. Most people that don't use Starbucks coffee as an identity of self. But anyways, I digress.

I finally have something to show for my summer of recording and photo-shooting and web designing. I'm still kinda bummed that my songs aren't up there yet but my web designer friend is off on retreat for a couple of months and communicating long distance has been very frustrating. Thus, things have gone a lot slower than I had desired. Patience is a virtue, or so I've heard and I've been forced to live within that virtue for the past three months.

As frustrating as this whole process has been I've been assured that this is whole slow-mo, turtl'es pace-ness is normal in this biz and not to worry about it and to be fair, I can't hold a grudge against a process that my own pursuit of excellence has impeded at times. I simply want to present to you all something that I can be proud of and something that you all will enjoy and want to share with your friends. I think that is respectable.

I met with my gal Jordan a couple weeks ago. She is currently working on my myspace music page and design for the album and I'm super stoked about it! The album artwork on the website is more like a formality till she's done putting the concept together. I'm very excited. She's extremely talented.

Hopefully, the album will be on itunes, the songs will be on my website, my myspace page will be finished and the design of the album complete in November. Here's hoping and here's to sooner than later.

Recommendation #7

#7 Bake the Day Away

Though I know it's been a while since we have shared the same bit of cyberspace, my absence marked by various important and momentous events such as the recording of my first e.p., a mental breakdown and my new job at Starbucks, all of which ought to be elaborated upon at a later time my friends. But today! No. Today I am going to be talking about duckies, rubber duckies, rubber ducky cupcakes to be exact!

Tuesday was my day off and I had marvelous plans to drive to Dallas and sample various organic veggies and peruse thrift stores, but of course, Mother Nature had other plans and I was rendered immobile by thunder storms. Though saddened as I was to have not made the trip I had quickly set myself down to recover my day when a thought struck me. Cupcakes! I would spend the my day indoors baking up yummy treats for no particular reason except that I could and I would, and it would be lovely. Is there a better way to spend a rainy day? I think not.

So armed with my umbrella and adorned with comfy sweatpants and slippers I drove to my local Barnes and Nobles to buy a cupcake cookbook. I was thinking my two lone cookbooks, Puerto Rican Cocina and Autumn with the Thornberry's were looking a bit lonely on their shelf and I was lacking inspiration. I drove around the parking lot three or four times trying to find a parking spot because, of course, everyone was at Barnes and Nobles. But finally, I relented and parked so far away that by the time I walked through the doors I was a soggy mess; my rain saturated sweat pants bottoms trailing a yard behind behind me and my eyes glancing from side to side searching for the "Cupcake" sign. Surely a delight that grand had to have it's own section. After trodging through the calenders and Bargain Books I finally found what I was looking for in the isle labeled " Cookbooks," and quickly plopped myself down. Thinking about it now, I can't imagine how ridiculous I looked. There I sat, surrounded by baked good compilations, wet, mascara streaking my normally rosy cheeks, my soaked panted legs streched out in front of me creating a growing puddle. I didn't care. I had hit the Jackpot!

"What's New Cupcake?"

See above.

Not only did the cupcakes in this book looked yummy but they were cute to boot! I had to have it! It didn't take me long to decide that Ruber Duckies was by far the most fitting of the cakes to make since I deemed the current weather suitable only for ducks. I rushed to the checkout, purchased my first ever Cupcake Cookbook and once I had purchased all the ingredients required, I set to making these adorable little duckies.

Step 1) Buy Cupcakes! Okay, to be honest, I could have made the cupcakes but hey! I was strapped for time, as it was already 5 p.m. and I didn't want to be baking till 3 in the morning. Here's a nifty little bit of advice. If you find yourself a little short of the tiempo, no need to panic, simply make your way to your local grocery and pick up some plain cupcakes from their bakery. Just ask the lady or gent behind the displays, they're usually stocked with bulk cupcakes.

Major Step #2) Ice Cupcakes

Major Step# 3) Squish on the donut head

Major Step #4) Ice again

Major Step #5) Freeze

Major Step #6) Melt frosting, die yellow.

Major Step#7) Dip frozen duck into yellow, melted frosting

Major Step #8) kjnffawdjlqndfq

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Okay, you get the picture. I'm sure neither you or I want to sit here and read all these steps. If you really want to know how to make them just buy the book! You won't regret it.

I gotta say, though my duckies weren't going to be winning any Cupcake War competitions they were adorable and although they kind of looked liked a kindergartner made them but I'd say it was an admirable attempt by a novice confectionist. These weren't your garden variety cupcakes; these were molded, and mushed and iced within an inch of their lives and they came out nicely.

I crashed on my couch, starving(!) because when I had been drowning in a sea of creative juices and sugar I had forgotten to eat dinner, oops!

But, I felt accomplished. My freezer a wave of yellow waddlings and my kitchen amassed in bits of dried frosting and vanilla cake crumbs I couldn't have been happier.

Listening to the master of the album. AH! so close folks! :D

Sitting at @Art Six Coffee enjoying a fall inspired latte and listening to the rain hit the window. What a lovely afternoon.

Awesome friends! I know you all know people- Who can give me the names of some people in the music biz who could write up some press for me?? :) in North Texas and elsewhere??

Check.Check.Testing

Him

This morning I've been meditating on the glory and wonder of the Lord. It has been wonderful; simply saying the name of Jesus brings me so much life.

Spending time with Him is so sweet. Honestly, it is the only time in the day where I feel like I'm completely known and understood; at peace. Though our time has been a tad dry recently, part of it has been my lack of focus but also, as I have realized recently, the return to some faulty thinking.

This happens often enough for me to have to kick myself in the proverbial shin. I start to look at my time with Him as a feel good therapy session, belittling His presence and power to a vending machine type of relationship. If I put in two quarters of quiet time then I'll get 2 ounces of peace. all of that quality time becomes me-focused, making me happy so I can feel something. Our time becomes dull and lifeless; shorter and shorter, to where I'm only spending 10 to 15 mins with him before I run off to work.

This morning I began to meditate on nature and how consistently satisfying it is to my soul. A sunrise never leaves me disappointed or a bird's song leave me lacking. Instead I always want more. Why is this? What is it about nature that leaves me yearning for more of it, yet at peace and satisfied at the same time? It is in fact revealed in it's inception. At the beginning. The world was created that the majesty, wonder, beauty, etc,... of the Lord would be recognized and thus He would be given glory; reverent recognition.

Nature, unlike man, has stayed true to its original intention to bring God that glory. The trees were not given free will in as much as the eagles were. As part of their innate make-up they declare the glory of the Lord. *Psalm 19* This was how it was intended. Because creation still operates under this we experience the benefits and are refreshed.

I was created under the same pre-tense, to glorify my maker as His image bear. Unfortunately, humans have strayed off the beaten path and have become self-worshipers; consumed with our own happiness and comfort. As yet sinners, saved by grace, this self-veneration seeps into our relationship with the Lord as well. Our precious moments with Him become therapy sessions, a Jesus fix, upon it's receipt of peace we leave, nary to return till we need him again. If we are already of the disciplined sort and dutifully spend time with Him every day because that is what we ought to do we become brazenly depressed and dissatisfied all the more as we spend our "supposed to" time with him. Still not getting what we desire or what we think we need.

Yet, my dear brothers and sisters, it was never designed to work that way. We receive all the blessings we do because they are the side effects of His goodness and grace. Not because we spend 10 or so min. with Him each morning.

Ought we not to thank Him? To have our worship last throughout the day, in gratitude. Joy stemming out of gratitude, gratitude out of worship, worship of of realization of His presence and realization stems out of recognition. To simply state the names of God, the wonders of His hands, how we are breathing in air, clothed and covered by the blood of Jesus. This is all glorifying the God of the ages.

This morning as I mentioned back to Him His blessings, speaking out scripture and praising His existence and love I began to feel all that I had desired to feel. Somehow, when I took the focus off me and my needs, my needs were met. That truly what my soul needs is to glorify my maker. Then all peace, joy, life comes soon thereafter; all as I am aligning my heart with it's ordained purpose.