Just when the catepiller thought the world was over, it became a butterfly

Hello all!

I know, long time no update. Things just got super busy this week. It seemed like I really wasn't pressed for time until this week when everything was due. And those who know me well know that I'm the Queen of Procrastination. It's a work in progress, lol. Things have been going pretty well clarinet wise, which I am thankful for! My etude this week has been a little hard because there are very large interval leaps that are quick. While I feel that I have the right setup and sound, I'm not sure that I have everything in control, because sometimes the intervals are not very smooth and connected especially from the throat tone notes to altissimo. With hard work and dedicated practice, I'm sure it'll get there soon.

This weekend is going to be pretty busy. The marching band I am interning with has a football game this Friday and then a competition at Ledford on Saturday. I think they'll do well and hopefully place! They've been working hard, it's just a matter of focus! Isn't that true with so many other aspects in life?

Tonight I am going to see my pumpkin play in the orchestra for the musical Ooooooooooklahoma! Even though he hasn't been feeling so great the past few days, he's been a trooper! But I do hope he gets to feeling 100% better soon!

So I wasn't going to watch Glee last night because I missed the first episode of the new season, but I saw they were going to sing Paramore's "The Only Exception" which is one of my absolute favorite songs. So I tuned in at the end and watched it. It was so good! It's such a powerful song.

Well, in just a bit here, it'll be time for me to go practice some more, have a CMENC meeting, Teaching Fellows seminar, dinner with the fam, then Oooooooooklahoma! But it's great...tomorrow morning I get to sleep in because there's no marching band tech class! Waaa-hoooooo! Good day, sunshine! Until the next blog!

Sneezy

You are always been a fine fig!

So just when things don't go your way, and things seem hopeless, the Lord smiles down on you and things get better! I had a great lesson today! After some serious thoughts and practice in the practice rooms (and fervent prayer) this past week, things are clicking together! And in my lesson we discovered the key things I was missing to take my sound from good to sparkling.

What's difficult about playing an instrument, especially one that you blow air into, is that what you hear is not really what others hear. The sound is vibrating through your bones which sounds different than what it sounds like to someone sitting across from you. I had to remember what that "sound" sounded like. I pretty much got it back on my own in the practice room this past week and my teacher could tell. Two things said in my lesson made it really work though......open the space in my mouth and jaw forward. Two basic, fundamental things, but it was all I needed to get me back to where I was. Now to make this consistent, and I'll be set!

My two big pieces this semester that I will probably play on my recital next semester are Bassi "Rigoletto" and Debussy's Premiere Rhapsody. The Debussy has been giving me the most trouble. Dr. Taylor said he's never worked with someone here on that piece where it hasn't been a semester long project. It's just note stuff for the most part. I don't know, I find it difficult sometimes to learn things just because it seems like my fingers can't find the notes. I guess I need to change how I practice parts like that.

Ah, it feels good to feel satisfied after a lesson. It makes my day so much better! This weekend, I'm looking forward to spending some time with my family, as we are having our annual fall family get together on Saturday. Good times. Yesterday, my lovely wee sister took pictures of me and my pumpkin with her awesome new professional-ish camera. It was a lot of fun, and the pictures came out great! My pumpkin was really sweet to do that with me!

So the Charlie Brown Christmas cd just came up on my iTunes playing "The Christmas Song." I decided not to skip it, and now I'm really in the Christmas spirit! Hahahaha, yeah, it's a little early for that right now. Well, that's all for today little hauney baunnies. Enjoy the day!

Sneezy

sei sempre stato un bel fico

G'day all my little hauney baunnies! Not much exciting to post, I just thought I would update! My lovely room mate, Teenia and I are just chilling in my room watching someone with dreads sing on the Ellen show. Now we're laughing at what I just typed. More laughter. The dude with dreads underwear said "Ellen" on them! Ahhhhhhh! Alas, we realize nutrition class will be soon and we are contemplating on what to have for dinner.

This is just a rambling, but that's how life is. Teenia is helping write this blog, as I really don't have much to say. Teenia and I have come up with an idea to Elmo-ify many songs that we hear and enjoy. Starting with Bad Romance. "Elmo wants your love and Elmo wants your revenge..." Crazy, I know. We all have that friend that brings out our personal crazy! :)

In other words, I had a very lovely weekend with my pumpkin and his family. We went to a wedding on Saturday which was lovely and Sunday we went to church and just enjoyed time at home! I love that we can talk about anything! He is the absolute best!

Well, tis din din time, then off to learn why what I ate was terrible for me! Farewell loves!

Sneezy

And I guess that's why they call it the blues

I'm feeling sort of down this morning. While I won't go into detail about exactly what it is, I will say, why can't things just click? Like, I know what I'm supposed to do, I understand it in my head, why can't it come out of my instrument the way it should? My teacher says I'm making progress, but I'm just not feeling successful like I was at the end of last semester. I guess it's just a matter of working all the harder and it'll get there. It's just easy to feel defeated when everything just doesn't get better.

Anyways, it's too lovely of a day to sit and worrying and complain about things. I hope everyone enjoys their day!

Maybe I need to start "struttin' that butt" (yeah, I don't say bad words, hahaha)

Nothing special, just updating

Isn't today gorgeous outside? I'm really loving this weather! Now if only the music building could feel this good. I think I'll make it a point to complain how cold it is in there every time I update, hahaha. Marching band tech was a lot of fun this morning. I like the feel of that class, because it's more like a discussion then just someone lecturing at us. And Mrs. Wagoner tells a lot of funny stories! Today she was telling us about an African piece they did where the band actually sang. She said, "we couldn't understand the words they were saying on the CD recording, so we made up our own Swahili words!" Hahaha! It's always motivational to hear stories like that, reminding you that teaching is fun and sometimes you end up teaching other things and learning things yourself. I'm really excited about teaching even though I feel like I have so much more to learn. I guess I'll figure it out along the way!



Speaking of things to learn, I got out my euphonium to practice today since we have a playing test on Friday. I think I've been doing pretty good, not great, but not bad either. Well, this morning I played for one of my trumpet friends and this horrid noise came out that I've never heard before. He said I was "double buzzing." Weirdness. I hope I can remedy that before Friday. Perhaps my pumpkin or Adam can help me before then! It may have had to do with the fact that I had just played clarinet for an hour! My clarinet playing is getting back into good shape I believe. I just have to remember not to hold back the voicing especially in the upper register. Maybe one day I'll master the thing ;)



I'm really looking forward to this weekend! My pumpkin and I are going to see a movie and hang out with friends Friday, and then we're going to a wedding the next day! I enjoy weddings, as do most girls I suppose, lol. I just love seeing two people celebrating their love and starting out on their journey together. It's a great experience to share in.



It's just about time for me to head up and meet my pumpkin for lunch! I love spending time with him! He always makes me smile! Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this post, hahaha. Until there's something else to blog about!

And through music my soul began to soar...

Tonight was the third Collage Concert by the School of Music, Theater, and Dance. This year, I got to actually play in the concert with the Clarinet Ensemble. We performed "Nimrod" from Elgar's Enigma Variations which is hands down my favorite piece of music. The whole concert was filled with wonderful music and excellent performers. There's something about hearing good music that just makes it feel like something is taking your soul and sending it flying up into the heavens. Music is truly magical. That's the great thing, you don't have to study music or be a musician to feel the power and healing of music.

Well, just a short post tonight. I'm looking forward to church tomorrow morning with my family and pumpkin! Church always helps me prepare for the busy week ahead. I love praising God through song! Well, I hope everyone had a great weekend! Until the next post!

Enjoying the quiet to myself

I love this time on Thursdays! Right after my lesson, I have a little more than an hour before I eat lunch with my pumpkin. I use this time as me time....no practicing (I just got out of my lesson), no homework, no worries! It's a great way for me just to wind down and relax. I'm sitting outside of the School of Music underneath the organ hall because it is so lovely outside today! That, and it's FREEZING in the music building. I'm not sure why they insist the air conditioning be on full blast on there. Strangeness!





I had a lot of fun last night cooking dinner for my pumpkin and babe sister! It was great to be able to just spend time with them. Well, they were doing homework, but I was enjoying myself! After dinner, we popped in some episodes of "The Office" which my wonderful pumpkin introduced me to! It's so funny! My roomie Teenia and I always get the theme song stuck in our heads! What made watching it even more awesome was the fact that we projected it on the wall! Maybe picture quality wasn't as great, but it was neat to be watching a projector instead of a tv. Next will be Teenia's Wii game - Just Dance!





I know I tend to ramble about random and seemingly unimportant or very cliche things on here, but oh well, it's my blog, hahaha. I'm really enjoying myself thus far in my junior year and I hope it continues. I really feel like I'm growing into my adult person now, which is exciting. Life is quite grand! Well my little blog readers, I shall leave you to your day as I continue to bask in the warmth of these last few days of summer and shuffle through my iTunes.

Heehee, cute kitty!


Arrivederci!

A Perfect Weekend

This weekend, I went with my pumpkin down to Jordan Lake to camp with his family. It was such a great time! I hadn't been camping since I was much younger, but I loved everything about it! We also went out on the lake in their boat which was great fun! My pumpkin tried to teach me how to knee board, but alas, I was unsuccessful. It provided some entertainment for him and his family at least, hahaha! His whole family made me feel so at home and complimented me more than I deserved :). The best part was just being able to relax with my pumpkin and share all the fun together!

I spent today at home with my family. Mom and I went to the mall and had some girl time, and now I'm sitting outside on the deck while Dad grills the hamburgers and chicken for dinner tonight. Not really looking forward for classes again tomorrow, but I guess it's class that makes weekends like this so great and so much fun. Sure, I'd love everyday to be like this weekend was, but it wouldn't be as special.

Well, it's time to eat, then back to school I go! I hope everyone else had a great Labor Day weekend!

And today you know that's good enough for me

As we all start to already get bogged down with school work, practicing, trying to maintain a social life, and keep up with family, I am reminded of a song that reminds me what I should truly be thankful for.

"I'm Alive" by Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews

So damn easy to say that life's so hard
Everybody's got their share of battle scars
As for me I'd like to thank my lucky stars that
I'm alive, and well

I'd be easy to add up all the pain
And all the dreams you sat and watched go up in flames
Dwell on the wreckage as it smolders in the rain
But not me, I'm alive

And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathin' in and out's a blessin' can't you see
Today's the first day of the rest of my life
And I'm alive, and well
I'm alive, and well

Stars are dancin' on the water here tonight
It's good for the soul, when there's not a soul in sight
This boat has caught it's wind and brought me back to life
Now I'm alive, and well

And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathin' in and out's a blessin' can't you see
Today's the first day of the rest of my life
And I'm alive, and well
Now I'm alive, and well

Just as the song says, I'm alive, and well, and today that's good enough for me. It's so easy to just settle and say oh, well life's hard and now my day isn't going to be great. What? That doesn't make sense. As cliche as it might be, think about your life in comparison to most and realize how good you have things. Life can always be much worse.

Hopefully the next time you're feeling down, you'll remember this song. And perhaps just meditating these words can change your attitude...and who knows.....even your day!