Simply Belle

I took a week vacation from work to spend some time with my children. Unfortunately, Lexi’s spring break didn’t coincide with Steffi’s but Lexi still managed to find time to bond with the family. She drove home from Flagstaff at 10 PM Friday night after work and didn’t get home ’til past midnight. As usual, I couldn’t hold still on my bed until she was safe home while my husband slept like a log. Sometimes, I wish I could switch roles with my husband.

Steffi’s friend, Leia, also from Stanford U, flew from Baltimore to Arizona to spend a couple of days with us. She was kind enough to offer to ride with Steffi on the way back to Stanford U. Since this is a year when Steffi starts internship in college, we thought this is the best time for her to have a car. She has been without a car for almost three years and sometimes she would whine at us over the phone that it was too cold to bike to her class. We knew right then that we had to get her a car.

We tried our best to make Leia’s short visit in our place fun and exciting. Initially, she wanted to do some golfing in front of our house but my husband was able to talk her into visiting the Tonto Bridge which is only 20 minutes from our house. By the time we got home after doing few errands here and there, it was 2:30 PM – time for me to get started with my cooking as I invited a couple of Filipina friends over for dinner. Between 2:30 PM and 6 PM, I was able to fix six dishes including making eggrolls from scratch. My kids love eggrolls so much so I don’t mind going through the hassle once in a while. Leia and my husband love Kare-Kare so I cooked that too. I fixed Sinigang na bangus, and daing na bangus for my friends. All went well and everyone was happy.
Here are some pictures taken at Tonto Bridge:

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Sharing with you Stephanie’s live on-air interview with Kit McGuire on Kit’s Korner – KRIM-FM 96.3 in Payson: Interview

She sang a new song titled “When You Sing” toward the middle of the interview which made me cry. I was in the studio when she sang the song and I had to face the wall the whole time while she was singing, with tears flowing down on my face.

I took this picture of Kit and Stephanie during the live interview. I quietly hung out at the far corner taking pictures. This was my first time to be in the studio while an interview was going on. I tell you, it was an awesome experience! Now I am reaping the benefits of hanging around and rubbing elbows with the celebrity…hehe. (Kit, by the way, was an actor during his heyday.) He is single and looking for that special someone. I have known him for some time and I tell you he is such a fun loving person, and an awesome radio announcer. Ohh, I just found out that he blogs here.

Stephanie Mae preparing to sing live on the air.

Stephanie and Suzanne Michaels (station manager of KRIM-FM 96.3)

She was the one who screened Stephanie’s CD when I brought it over to her station. She told me only a few CDs out of the many submissions make the grade, and I honestly thought Stephanie’s would not make it but I was wrong. Suzanne, as you can see in the picture is a happy, outgoing person and has the best smile which depicts, humbleness, decency, love, and friendliness. Visit her site at KRIM-FM 96.3 and if you can, try to leave a message.

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Here are some pictures of the finished product Stephanie made for her ME203 project. It’s called “Lap-a-Desk” and it’s the kind that folds up into a mini-desk. It’s ideal for using when you’re lying in bed and want to keep the laptop in an elevated position. It’s also designed to use as a lap-desk so it blocks the heat that comes from the laptop. The desk revolves 360 so you can use the other side as a flat desk surface.  The blue stuff silicone was supposed to help grip the laptop, but it doesn’t work very well so she inserted those wooden pieces you see that hold up the laptop. She made everything except the hinges.

Her proudest accomplishment of the moment! It took her 6 weeks plus about 4 weeks of lab where they learned how to use the equipment. She also had to make a magnifying glass from scratch. She made the wooden desk by using the sanding machine to make the curves. She said, it was hard to get all the curves symmetrical and even. But, the hard work paid off.

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Finding her harmony
Junior singer-songwriter releases debut album

March 5, 2008 by Roxna Irani

Pop — Six — Squish — Uh-uh — Cicero — Lipschitz!”

Dorm lounge, Thursday night.

A game of beer pong under way; the persistent sound of a hollow plastic ping pong ball trying in vain to land inside the cup. Two long-lost friends catching up on life, their chatter adding to the indistinct haze of music playing in the background. Another student in a corner working on an essay; the backspace key speaking the loudest.

And then a moment of silence. Unwanted silence. But silence that put that random medley of sounds into a different light. In a unique way, these students were creating a different genre of music. It was their own Chicago Cell Block Tango: Pop — Six — Squish — Uh-uh — Cicero — Lipschitz!

And Monday evening at the Toyon Eating Clubs was the Pop — Six — Squish of Stanford’s own face of music, rising singer-songwriter Stephanie Hilliard ‘09. Hilliard, a biomechanical engineering major from Payson, Ariz., officially released her first CD this week. Called “Poker Face,” it includes songs she composed and sang.

Continue: Stanford Daily

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Update: The CD party was a huge success. The room was packed with people. She sold all the CDs. Now, she needs mom to send her a box of CDs ASAP. She performed really well and got lots of applause. People asked for encore. She sang “At The Edge,” “Trust,” and a couple of new songs, “Under The Moon,” and the other one I haven’t heard. She had someone play the cello for her. She also sang with the a capella group she is in.

Picture of the CD Release Party:

What: Stephanie’s CD Release Party for “Poker Face”
Where: Stanford Eating Clubs – Toyon Hall – El Capitan (Stanford University Campus in Stanford, CA) – follow the signs
When: March 3, 2008 – 8:30-10pm
Who: Stephanie Mae, plus featuring guest performances by Winston Lofton, Isaac Johnson, Girmay Zahilay, Naomi Andebrhan, Miguel Sugay, AND an a cappella group I’m in called EVERYDAY PEOPLE.

If you’re in the Bay Area, please come out and show your support! It’s gonna be a fun show!! Relax with coffee, tea, and biscotti.

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Stephanie Mae – a machinist during the day, and a singer at any other time. She is constructing a laptop board as one of her projects.

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