So I took Chemistry this year and one interesting thing I learned about was potential energy. As in everything has the potential to do something totally crazy like explode or burst into flames if only the reaction is set going. Well I've been told often that I have such potential in all sorts of things. That's not necessarily a good thing. That means that I have it, but I'm not using it. Now it's not that I think I am already there, but I struggle so much with gathering the will power and focus to make this reaction happen. To tell myself to practice hard every day to get better. There's also the fact that when you have so many options, how do you know what one to pick?
Because it's not like I adore practicing viola, in fact I might have liked dance more for the one year that I did it. But I had to consider other factors like scholarships, location, and accessibility. Almost every little girl does ballet when she's little, I don't know how many go on, but probably more than those who go into music, specifically viola. It would be crushing to study one thing all your life, be really good at it on a scale of kids in your state, but then realize that it's only the extraordinary that can go on in it. Pick something where you have a chance, not something so competitive that only 1 out of every 10 can be chosen for it. I don't mean to crush dreams, but sometimes reaching for the stars and hoping really hard for it isn't enough. Practise and commit from the beginning, find your C02 that starts the reaction, and follow it with all of your heart.
Alas, I didn't make it into Youth Symphony. I got the email a few days ago, and it was very misleading with the subject line saying Acceptance Letter, but upon opening it said welcome to Philharmonia. It was hugely disappointing. Even after he said that it was a good audition and seemed genuinely impressed, I guess I missed something. Goodbye EYSO. On the bright side I'll have more time for homework and less stress about learning music. I'm sure I'll have plenty to do without it and won't miss it come school. Thank you Lord!
This is why we need to do things for the Lord, not for men. If it's for others, it's going to disappoint. Others don't see the passion of the heart or the hours of practice behind auditions. You get one chance at it, and if it goes badly, they reject you, and you move on. Or in my case, even if it goes well you aren't given the chance for other reasons. Lesson is, don't waste you're potential because you can't decide what to do, even if no one else appreciates it.
Lots of other things happened this week as well. I cat-sat for all three of my music teachers, that was quite the experience. Except I think I may have forgotten to mention I started piano and she has a dog. She doesn't count though since I've only had two lessons. Anyways, I have really enjoyed that so far, scales and all.
Oh and as a sequel to my running post, my blisters are healed mostly, my last day of training was Wednesday, and I'm feeling pretty terrible about it. I've trained only for a few weeks and I feel totally unprepared. The 5k race is tomorrow on Saturday at 8:00. Last year my time was something like 24:17 and I won third place in my age category out of at least 25 people. So much pressure. I'll tell you how it went next Friday. Also to come, I'll be away at Blue Lake (not Green Lake, that was last week) for some music stuff so that might give me some tips to write about.
The long awaited verse of the week...
Colossians 3:23-24
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for man, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Friday, June 6, 2014
Judging By Covers
I'm leaving for Wisconsin today to visit my niece for her second birthday. I'm also going to a dulcimer festival the morning we get back and speeding home hours later for a viola recital I just found out about, having not rehearsed and sight reading a second piece on cello for a quartet. Should be fun... So since I don't have any adventures quite yet, this is one of my wise advice posts. Contrary to what teachers and librarians say about not picking books based on the front, I always judge books by their covers. Here's some quick tips on how to pick a book:
1. Cool cover
2. Creative title
3. Author's picture
4. M.C.'s name
5. Setting
6. Interesting description
7. Font
I tend not to like covers with people on them. Especially if they're cartoons or supposed to be weird. Also the colors have to fit the sort of book it is. Honestly, it seems modern books aren't even illustrated by artists anymore! Why in the world would someone want clashing colors? Moving on, I like short titles, and I'm annoyed if I can't figure out why it is called that. Mostly short and catchy does the trick. Third, flip to the back cover and take a look at the author. This sounds mean and might be the least useful since there are obviously good writers whose looks don't match the personality of their book. But it does work a lot of the time. I read an awful book once that I would never have picked up had a looked at the author. Again, this isn't because they don't look good, but I can tell that I wouldn't connect with their interests and type of humor. Okay, next I look at the main character's name, if it's easy to find. This is a relatively new trick of mine, I picked up a book a few days ago and I think I was reading the summary or something when I saw the girl's name was Alyssa. I immediately put it back. For some reason, that name, though it's close to mine, really bothers me and would distract me from the plot. I'm pretty sure I've never read a book where I hated the main character, perhaps it would be an interesting experience though.
I don't often check the setting one. Probably because you can usually tell based on the genre. I just mean don't read a book if it's based in space and you hate sci-fi. You probably won't like it. Maybe it's more a tip for finding books you do like rather than the other tips which are about putting back ones you wouldn't like. For example I like fantasy and castles and dragons and magic. If I pick up a book with pixies in it and another about baseball, I'm going to pick the pixies. Okay um about the interesting description, I'm not 100% supportive of that either, because sometimes they can spoil the book if it's a bad overview when it's really an otherwise good read, and sometimes it gives away too much. Just if I do read it, I want it to be intriguing, not complicated. Alright, last one I can think of right now is font. This is why old books have to be re-covered and redesigned. I, like many others, don't especially like the plain looking block letters or on the other extreme, the pointy bloody letters of vampire books. I truly believe that Harry Potter was the leader of cool new title designs.
And that's it. I'd say I use between one and three of these every time I'm looking around, depends how hurried I am. Tell me if you use any of them, and if it helped at all.
I don't often check the setting one. Probably because you can usually tell based on the genre. I just mean don't read a book if it's based in space and you hate sci-fi. You probably won't like it. Maybe it's more a tip for finding books you do like rather than the other tips which are about putting back ones you wouldn't like. For example I like fantasy and castles and dragons and magic. If I pick up a book with pixies in it and another about baseball, I'm going to pick the pixies. Okay um about the interesting description, I'm not 100% supportive of that either, because sometimes they can spoil the book if it's a bad overview when it's really an otherwise good read, and sometimes it gives away too much. Just if I do read it, I want it to be intriguing, not complicated. Alright, last one I can think of right now is font. This is why old books have to be re-covered and redesigned. I, like many others, don't especially like the plain looking block letters or on the other extreme, the pointy bloody letters of vampire books. I truly believe that Harry Potter was the leader of cool new title designs.
And that's it. I'd say I use between one and three of these every time I'm looking around, depends how hurried I am. Tell me if you use any of them, and if it helped at all.
Friday, May 30, 2014
Run Dogs, Run!
I'm back from the SAA conference, it went really well. Almost as soon as I got back I had to do even more practicing for the concert that Friday and then 3 auditions the next day. My re-auditions for the string group I'm already in weren't so good, but that doesn't really matter since I can't be kicked out. It was good preparation for the EYSO audition later on because that one went perfectly. Even the sight reading was pretty decent. I think I might have finally made it into Youth Symphony. The conductor (who was judging my audition) said I had a really good audition. I just hope I'm not excited for nothing. That would be really disappointing and I am not going to waste another year in Philharmonia. Oh I also got to see the stage production of Les Mis, for free! Someone I know had tickets but decided the showing was too late for her so I got to go instead. It was amazing. Nothing like a long week of performances and then getting to enjoy one yourself =P It's such a beautiful play and the singers didn't disappoint.
I did something really stupid on Tuesday night. I went running on the track for two miles and got a huge blister right on the bottom of my right foot below my big toe on the soft part. It really stinks. I can't walk except on the side of my foot and if it doesn't get better soon, I can't run tomorrow. I'm training for this one 5k I do every year at my church, and it's less than two weeks off. On Sunday I ran four miles and just about died, that's the most I've ever run in my life at one time. Sorry this was all about my feet, it's just every time I walk I am reminded of it. So think about how thankful you are that you don't have big bubbles on the bottom of you feet this week, and no matter how tempted you are to try running naturally, do yourself a favor and wear shoes anyway. It's not going to speed you up at all and certainly isn't going to help you in the next few days.
I did something really stupid on Tuesday night. I went running on the track for two miles and got a huge blister right on the bottom of my right foot below my big toe on the soft part. It really stinks. I can't walk except on the side of my foot and if it doesn't get better soon, I can't run tomorrow. I'm training for this one 5k I do every year at my church, and it's less than two weeks off. On Sunday I ran four miles and just about died, that's the most I've ever run in my life at one time. Sorry this was all about my feet, it's just every time I walk I am reminded of it. So think about how thankful you are that you don't have big bubbles on the bottom of you feet this week, and no matter how tempted you are to try running naturally, do yourself a favor and wear shoes anyway. It's not going to speed you up at all and certainly isn't going to help you in the next few days.
Friday, May 16, 2014
Finishing...Almost
Hooray for me! I am no longer a wise moron. I've been done with school for a couple days now and it's been super great. It still feels a little unreal, but it's sinking in. I mean I'm still supposed to get through two and a half math courses this summer, but it can't be as bad as staying up every Monday night cramming in homework. Perhaps it will teach me better time management for next fall.
Anyhow, with school over, for all you jealous people still sitting in your boring classrooms, I am still super stressed. I have about four concerts coming up including a solo and this huge SAA conference where all the Suzuki teachers around America are going to come and scrutinize how bad my group is...Eek! So I'll be gone next weekend in case you had a sudden hope that I'd finally posted, don't look for it. Plus my neighbors are moving out and we'll have no internet so my schedule will become based once again on whether or not I can make it to the library.
Good luck with exams my friends, or whatever else you're doing, it's almost summer.
Anyhow, with school over, for all you jealous people still sitting in your boring classrooms, I am still super stressed. I have about four concerts coming up including a solo and this huge SAA conference where all the Suzuki teachers around America are going to come and scrutinize how bad my group is...Eek! So I'll be gone next weekend in case you had a sudden hope that I'd finally posted, don't look for it. Plus my neighbors are moving out and we'll have no internet so my schedule will become based once again on whether or not I can make it to the library.
Good luck with exams my friends, or whatever else you're doing, it's almost summer.
Friday, May 2, 2014
Concerts
It's another one of those weekends for me where I am in rehearsals, lessons, and concerts more than half the day. I really wanted to tell about the Getty concert I went to on Wednesday the 23rd, but I guess I didn't so I'll fix that now. Keith and Kristyn Getty are modern Christian hymn writers and music artists. They also happen to be Irish. They had the cutest accents! Their most popular song is probably In Christ Alone. The reason I went was actually mostly because there was no youth group because everyone was going to the concert. I hadn't especially been planning to go, but I'm so glad I did.
I hadn't exactly realised what a big deal it was until I saw how packed the church was. There was a little band besides which consisted of a drummer, two fiddlers, some guitars, a pianist, something like a banjo, and a chanter maybe. I dunno what you'd call it but they're like these special Irish pipes and they make the most lovely melodies strange tunes. I heard about them from the Moorchild which is a book every fairy fan should read. Anyways, the concert lasted about two hours, both listening, and joining in on the songs that everyone knew. It was a great experience and just getting to listen to Kristyn's pretty voice made it worth it. It's inspiring to see all the different styles of making music.
Real quick I'm going to update on the kitties too. Freddy is doing fine right now. Apparently whatever he has is rather common and will be reoccurring, but it is manageable in most cases. The interesting news is that we have two strays hanging around outside the house. I like to call one Flat-Face and the other One-Eye. Flat Face is a puffy and unkempt looking black cat with clumps of fur missing. One eye looks reasonably looked after and isn't around as often as Flat Face, but prefers to slink around at night and creep me out by looking through the window with his one green eye. Flat Face is friendly to my Fred and George so there hasn't been trouble that I know of and I believe that One Eye and the others have yet to meet.
Just two weeks left of school, so I'll try to be more regular. Bye!
I hadn't exactly realised what a big deal it was until I saw how packed the church was. There was a little band besides which consisted of a drummer, two fiddlers, some guitars, a pianist, something like a banjo, and a chanter maybe. I dunno what you'd call it but they're like these special Irish pipes and they make the most lovely melodies strange tunes. I heard about them from the Moorchild which is a book every fairy fan should read. Anyways, the concert lasted about two hours, both listening, and joining in on the songs that everyone knew. It was a great experience and just getting to listen to Kristyn's pretty voice made it worth it. It's inspiring to see all the different styles of making music.
Real quick I'm going to update on the kitties too. Freddy is doing fine right now. Apparently whatever he has is rather common and will be reoccurring, but it is manageable in most cases. The interesting news is that we have two strays hanging around outside the house. I like to call one Flat-Face and the other One-Eye. Flat Face is a puffy and unkempt looking black cat with clumps of fur missing. One eye looks reasonably looked after and isn't around as often as Flat Face, but prefers to slink around at night and creep me out by looking through the window with his one green eye. Flat Face is friendly to my Fred and George so there hasn't been trouble that I know of and I believe that One Eye and the others have yet to meet.
Just two weeks left of school, so I'll try to be more regular. Bye!
Friday, April 18, 2014
Happenings, Good Friday, and Easter
It's been a very good Friday. Actually it's been a good week overall, especially as last week I was just feeling so bad. As was Fred Fred. He paid a visit to the Emergency Pet Care again on Sunday. Another urinary infection. Anyhow, he's been on meds for about a week and has just run out when he starts doing odd things again! Poor dear. So we'll see what these next days bring. Look for news on him next Friday.
I just have to mention this, but Easter services are the best. I love Easter! I just got back from playing in the Good Friday service and it reminded me how packed it will be on Sunday morning. I had the choir behind me and the congregation in front and it was so great. So I am definitely looking forward to a (hopefully) warm and sunny Easter, wearing a new dress, and lovely time of worship. Happy Easter Everyone =)
I just have to mention this, but Easter services are the best. I love Easter! I just got back from playing in the Good Friday service and it reminded me how packed it will be on Sunday morning. I had the choir behind me and the congregation in front and it was so great. So I am definitely looking forward to a (hopefully) warm and sunny Easter, wearing a new dress, and lovely time of worship. Happy Easter Everyone =)
Friday, March 21, 2014
The Long, Long Journey
I'm still alive everyone, just super busy. Sorry for the unintentional two week break, I have a lot of ideas, but no time. Actually it might seem more like two months, but I in fact just took all of the posts down to edit so at one point, perhaps over spring break, I will be having a blog marathon and republishing a bunch.This isn't the usual type of post that would go under this particular label, but this time I'm literally referring to a musical, or a play at least. Tonight was the second night of The Long Long Journey of Odysseus and tomorrow is the last so I must get to bed. It has gone extremely well so far and has been loads of fun, but I really must get all this make up off my face. It's been a long, long journey these past few days and I still have a few left to go not to mention I haven't finished a single bit of homework. Eek!
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