Recital night is almost here!

Two more days until my recital. I'm both nervous and excited for it. I'll be happy when it's over, and when it's happening, but boy will it be a big weight off my shoulders when it's done. At this point all I can do is know that we've prepared like crazy for it, and trust that the performance will be great.

My fam gets into town tonight and tomorrow. My dad's bringing turkey and such - home cooked meals FTW!

I'm going home to MI for Christmas from the 20th to the 27th. $550 plane ticket. =(

I'm emailing my resume later today for a position at the Composer's Forum here in town. That would be soooo freaking awesome if I got it. But the application deadline is the end of December, so it looks like even if I do get it, I'll have some interim down time. I'll be grinding the pokers I think, it won't be too difficult to cover my expenses, even though I don't like the idea of having to do that "professionally". But money is money, I don't really care how I make it, as long as I can make music the major thing in my life.

Took Crystal to "In the Heights" last friday, as her Christmas present. It was really amazing! I enjoyed the show, our seats were really good, and I'm most impressed that Lin-manuel (sp??), who was the lead in the original cast, ALSO wrote the script AND the score, and won a 2008 award for best original script/score. Damn!

Last thing, my girlfriend is so supportive, and I'm very thankful that she's here for me when I lose it. Thanks babe. :)

Oh boy

My recital is fast approaching, and I'm getting excited and nervous at the same time. I know it's gonna be great, because we've prepared so much for it and I have great players. That's all I can do is prepare the best I can.

I wrote the "Thank You" section of my recital program today. I'll be honest, I got a little choked up. =) The first two people I mention are my parents, each specifically, and the memories of the various roles they've played as I've grown and matured sort of got to me.

I was doing a project in Final Cut Pro today. I don't really know wtf I'm doing in that program, so I was getting super frustrated, to the point of breaking down. Thank God I had Crystal there.

I get to meet her parents and bro next week when we go there for Thanksgiving. I'm looking forward to that. =)

We'll only have 2 more rehearsals before my recital......eeek this is coming up so fast!! It still hasn't quite set in yet that I'm going to be a college grad in less than 30 days, but it sure started to when I got the letter in the mail that gave me the schedule of events (pick up cap and gown on Friday December whatever, Final day of classes wednesday the someteenth). I'm looking forward to it. Which reminds me, I need to get my resume in shape.

Till next time, friends!

More strings, fugue, recital, working out.

I've been amassing string quartet music and scores, and most recently, picked up 4 of Beethoven's string quartets, along with the scores. It's pretty interesting to see how differently each composer approached the ensemble and to (visually) see how they build each movement. Also I got Bach's 24 Prelude and Fugue's from The Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1. With scores. It's for a project for school but also as a personal interest. I think I want to attempt fugue writing at some point.

I'm getting closer to my recital and had my first full on successful rehearsal with my string quartet last sunday. I ended up hiring a new cello player, and I feel extremely fortunate with who I found. The girl is a graduate of St. Olaf's, which is apparently a very good music college, and she normally doesn't do gigs for what I could pay, but I talked her into coming to a rehearsal, confident that if she met the group and heard the music, she'd want to be a part of it. Fortunately, things worked out for the better, and the group got through all 3 pieces, fairly well too for their first full rehearsal. So I'm pretty confident about my recital now.

Crystal and I worked out together tonight. It was awesome. =) I really wish we had more time together...I love every minute we get to share, even if it's just being cute between classes or if I get an hour or something with her at her place before work. Ah well....we'll have our own place soon enough.

I'm planning on playing more poker this month and next month, because I want to buy a new computer and either Finale or Sibelius. I'm thinking around $2k should be plenty. After that, I want to save up to buy a vehicle.

Until next time!

Sippin' coffee, blogging, etc etc

It's the last day of midterm "break," even though I have to work and do some stuff for school.

Crystal and I were going to walk down this path next to the highway that I take to school sometimes, because there are alot of trees with leaves that have changed colors for fall, and we were going to take pictures. Unfortunately, autumn decided to go into hyperdrive mode and most of the leaves are now just yellow and light orange. But we're still going to take pictures anyways. =)

I'm seeing more and more things that scare the crap out of me, regarding our current state of government. There will come a day - too soon I fear - that people like myself will no longer be categorized at crazy conspiracy theorists, but will be looked to as leaders of a nationwide truth movement. I really want to believe, I really do, that the government is still "by the people, for the people" and that Obama is a decent person with good intentions. I would love to believe that it really IS a crazy conspiracy theory and that none of it is true. If you don't know what I'm talking about, google "Fall of the Republic," or "Pittsburgh G-20 police."

On a positive note, I may have found a cello player. =) She's a graduate of St Olaf's and from what I hear, that's an excellent music college.

Crystal and I will be going to a doctoral recital tonight, for "collaborative piano," whatever that means. I have to do a concert review for class and I've pretty much put it off until the last minute.

And! Hooray - only 3 more days of Valley Scare left! We had record numbers last saturday and my room got scare of the night again! But damn does that leave me exhausted. I'll do it again next year, but not work the same room, and probably get makeup and not a mask. Those things get hella hot.

AND! I got Crystal's x-mas present. All I'll say is - I will get a million boyfriend points for life. =)

So much stuff!

I am a slacker at updating my blog.

I know this.

I've slacked at updating every blog I've ever attempted.

But I'm working on it!

I accidentally came into work an hour early today. It worked out okay, Sean needed coverage and I studied for a midterm a little bit more. GOD I am not looking forward to that one! Western Art Music History 1, why oh why are you on my list of required classes?????

I lost my iPod (sadface) but ordered a new iPod Touch with PokerStars player points. I'm excited for it, but the crappy thing is, my other iPod still had like 2 years left on its 3 year extended warranty. Also I'm not looking forward to loading all my songs again.

October officially sucks. As if I didn't already have limited time to see Crystal because of Valley Scare, this past weekend was especially tough. I took it off (Thursday through Sunday) because I had a ton of stuff to get done for midterms and I couldn't put my grades in jeopardy. So for all of last weekend, I saw her for a couple hours before VS, and then possibly a couple hours after she got home, if one of us stayed over at the other's place. If not, I just talked to her through texts. It was really hard. =( I miss her like ALL the time.

We're still planning on moving in together ASAP, and hopefully that means before her lease is up next May. Every day, our relationship just seems to get better and better. We're sickeningly cute.

In other news, I chipped a tooth. Or rather, I broke part of my tooth in half. I was eating a piece of raw spaghetti (call me weird if you want, apparently this is not normal) and feeling no pain, I ended up cracking my back tooth completely in half vertically. Like...the front half is just not there anymore. So I need to go to the dentist and get this shit fixed up yo, before I get a cavity/exposed nerve/decay because of the broken enamel.

I had to replace my first violinist in my string quartet. Don't think she was too happy, but I need somoene I can count on. She missed last sunday's rehearsal and didn't let me know or respond to my texts. I've found a really solid player that I can count on, so I'm looking forward to that addition to the group.

And finally, I have a lot of new compositional ideas, but I have to wait until after I graduate and have more time to really put them into practice. I just have so much to focus on this semester that new projects will have to be put into the queue line. Oh, and I have an idea for a website that if I pull it off and it's doable, I think it would be a big hit. No spoilers as to what it is. ; )

Till next time!

Strings, Guitars, and Hair Color

Man have I ever been busy lately.

We had our first practice for Elysium - my minimalism piece for 4 guitars and 3 strings - last saturday. Two people were there. Practice went well, and this saturday we'll have up to 4 new people coming. So that means I get to have some people to pick from (sorry if you don't make "the cut"). Also, we'll be starting rehearsal for my string quartet pieces this sunday. I've found a cellist and violist, and hopefully a couple violin players. I've met one, but she can't be here this sunday, and there's another that goes to my school who's supposed to be a good sight reader - but I still have to meet her.

Valley Scare started last week. It was a lot of fun, very tiring, but a lot of fun. Sunday got rained out and ended early. I was pretty sore by the end of the weekend though, from all the crouching down and stuff I did in the Splatter Room. I'm very glad to have this extra money coming in, but damn.....I miss having free time on the weekends. I'm so busy like every day that I really have to make the most of my down time and relax, otherwise I'm totally gonna burn myself out.

I've decided to make Sundays an official "Do nothing but relax" day, in order to maintain some balance between work and rest. This busy schedule also means I don't get to see Crystal that much during the day. =( I miss seeing her and spending time with her, quite a bit actually. I really love my time with her and try to make the most of it, even though most of the time I'm really to fall over from being so tired. Hopefully we can move in together soon. <3

She dyed her hair tonight, with my help. It's now a medium brown and looks very pretty, just like I thought it would. :)

Oh one more thing. I bought two books in the McNally bookstore today. One is the book of scores for Western Art 1. After taking today's test, I realized that if I want to pass this class I'm DEFINITELY gonna need the scores. The cost of having to retake the class and not graduate in december if far greater than the stupid $50 I have to pay for the book. I also picked up a used copy of a book on counterpoint. I've been wanting it for a while, but not so excited about spending $75 for a *used* book. But in skimming through the table of contents, there's a section on writing fugues, which is something I'm interested in learning, so I decided to buy it too.

Until next time!

Anniversary, Money, and Valley Scare

First order of business. It was me and Crystal's 6 month anniversary on Friday! These have been the happiest, most hilarious days I've ever had, and I know there are many more to come. We are really in love and I feel so wonderfully blessed to have someone special like her in my life, as my best friend and love.

Money is kind of tight right now. In order to not be completely broke, I withdrew $500 from my online poker account. Seriously if I didn't have that as a nice side income, I'd be just.....drowning in lack of money. In fact, I'm currently writing a song based on that idea. But no matter. I've been in spots worse than this before and I've made it through, if only because of my belief that in pursuing the path I was created for, God will supply my every need, even when on the outside it doesn't look so good.

Valley Scare starts this week! I'm pretty excited (for having the fun of doing it and the fun of having some extra money coming in) but also slightly nervous. This is something I've never done before and to be honest, I'm slightly afraid of screwing up or not being scary or I dunno. Call it stage fright. :) But I know it will be a good time.

That's all for now!

I'm blogging now I guess.

So here I am. Found my way into the world of blogging. I have another blog, just for the goings on of my poker 'career' but I rarely update it. So hopefully an all-encompassing life blog will be updated more frequently with more things to say.

I just started in my first vocal ensemble ever, World Vocal Ensemble, and the songs will be quite challenging but very fun. I'm pretty excited to hear them all together as a group.

My senior recital is coming up (which I have yet to get off my ass and schedule). I have to finish my string quartet. And find players. I want a solid 2 months of rehearsal for that, cuz I want it to sound really really good.

I figured out I can probably get the extra $1k bonus playing poker this month. It will be close but I think it'll be worth it if I can push myself to put in that kind of time. Plus, I really need the money. =)

Also I really hope my boss gets the job she applied for. That means her spot opens up and I might have a decent shot at securing it as a full time day job when I graduate in a few months. That would be like.....a million pounds of stress off my shoulders, having guaranteed money and being able to pay bills. Cuz you know....once I'm not a student, I no longer get to be a student worker.....

Looking forward to Valley Scare too! I basically have the best costume ever. It will be fun, as well as extra money.

It was Crystal's birthday yesterday. She had a shared party on Friday, it was a lot of fun but I was super tired. She ended up getting kind of sick yesterday, so we didn't really do much, but tonight we had italian at Danielle's place. Crystal is just really...great. =)

Anyways.....here I am...in the world of blogging. Back to homework!