20 minutes left on the Amtrak...
I'm on my way back from Boston on the Amtrak with about 20 minutes left- just enough for a blog entry!
I had an audition this morning at the Boston Conservatory for the Seagle Music Colony summer music program- looks like a good program in a good location, and I'm trying hard to both get in and get a scholarship to attend. My audition was at 10 am, so I came down last night and stayed with Dori and her roommate Josh in Boston (but really, Sommerville I think?) and had a WONDERFUL homemade dinner with them and Lori and Nick courtesy of Dori (homemade alfredo sauce and homemade coffee chocolate chip gelato- AMAZING). I think the best part was changing my plans about meeting up with Dori completely AS I was pulling into North Station, taking a different T line to a bus stop and then taking the right bus out towards Davis and then getting off at the right stop (I'm basically a pro now). I'm getting more comfortable with city traveling, which shouldn't be that big a deal (I mean, come on, 12 year olds do it), but for me and my fear of getting lost by myself, it's kind of a personal achievement and I'm seeing good personal growth (it was one of my New Year's resolutions to get better about traveling by myself).
The audition went pretty well (as did making my way to the Conservatory by myself by way of bus and two T line changes, what what?), but it was at 10 am, which is a bad time to try out two songs that have a total of 5 high Bb's in them... but I hit them all (some better than others). The judge had very kind words though, noting that I chose two "very big pieces for 10 am." I think I left a good impression, but unfortunately, I had to go FIRST out of all the people auditioning today (and if the Olympics teach us anything, those who go first may set the bar, but don't win the gold). I should hopefully hear back by the end of February- fingers crossed!
After my audition, I met up with Josh, Dori's roommate, and he proceeded to take the entire day and show me around Boston. I saw John Hancock and Paul Revere's tombs, as well as Crispus Attucks, the Old South Church Meeting Hall, most of the Harvard campus, some of the Boston Common, Cambridge Common, part of Chinatown, and other random parts of the city. We met up with Evan Bell for lunch and proceeded to have a debate for over an hour about where I should move after grad school- Seattle or Boston. The best part was when a random girl in her 20's who had been sitting next to us said, "Well, I don't mean to be rude, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation," (which is true, we were loud), "and I just wanted to say that I'm originally from Seattle, and came here to Boston for college..." She proceeded to tell us about the pros and cons of both (especially Seattle's connection with nature) and said that everyone should try living out there (she also heavily suggested Portland, Oregon, where I have also been semi-considering, especially following a convo with Andrew Let. who lives out there now). We laughed and thanked her and she left, followed by Evan's "GOD DAMMIT! That was so unfair- no witnesses without prior notification!"
After lunch with Evan, Josh and I hit up The Garment District, which was an experience to say the least. The Garment District is a used clothing store that has a lot of really awesome vintage clothing on the second floor (where I got an awesome cheap leather jacket from the 70's, but it's wicked thin, so it won't be making an appearance until April at least). The first floor however is a giant pile of clothes which is a free for all- you are given a bag, and then it's $1.50 a pound for whatever you put in the bag. Now, when I say pile, I don't mean bins, I mean a giant pile of clothing on the floor, people wading through it and throwing things off to the side- it was a blast, if a little sketchy. In the end, there was a wool paisley bathrobe that for a total of $4 I just couldn't say no to (but will be washing a good 5 times before I wear it)- I'm sure that pics will be forthcoming.
Josh and I grabbed a beer together at North Station, where we met some random people from Maine, down for the Bruins game. Here's where things get fun- it gets brought up that two of the people in the group went to St. Michael's College in Vermont, which is where my sister went. I tell them my sister's name, and one says, "I had a few classes with her! Long dirty blonde/brown hair, outdoorsy." So tada. In the middle of every place you are in, there is probably someone who has been in a room with someone else you know... anywhere in the world.
So, all in all, I feel like I had a blast of a weekend- and it's only Saturday night! That said, I've been up since before 6 am, so I'm hitting the sack early.
So, Boston or Seattle? The debate rages on!
*clink*
John
I had an audition this morning at the Boston Conservatory for the Seagle Music Colony summer music program- looks like a good program in a good location, and I'm trying hard to both get in and get a scholarship to attend. My audition was at 10 am, so I came down last night and stayed with Dori and her roommate Josh in Boston (but really, Sommerville I think?) and had a WONDERFUL homemade dinner with them and Lori and Nick courtesy of Dori (homemade alfredo sauce and homemade coffee chocolate chip gelato- AMAZING). I think the best part was changing my plans about meeting up with Dori completely AS I was pulling into North Station, taking a different T line to a bus stop and then taking the right bus out towards Davis and then getting off at the right stop (I'm basically a pro now). I'm getting more comfortable with city traveling, which shouldn't be that big a deal (I mean, come on, 12 year olds do it), but for me and my fear of getting lost by myself, it's kind of a personal achievement and I'm seeing good personal growth (it was one of my New Year's resolutions to get better about traveling by myself).
The audition went pretty well (as did making my way to the Conservatory by myself by way of bus and two T line changes, what what?), but it was at 10 am, which is a bad time to try out two songs that have a total of 5 high Bb's in them... but I hit them all (some better than others). The judge had very kind words though, noting that I chose two "very big pieces for 10 am." I think I left a good impression, but unfortunately, I had to go FIRST out of all the people auditioning today (and if the Olympics teach us anything, those who go first may set the bar, but don't win the gold). I should hopefully hear back by the end of February- fingers crossed!
After my audition, I met up with Josh, Dori's roommate, and he proceeded to take the entire day and show me around Boston. I saw John Hancock and Paul Revere's tombs, as well as Crispus Attucks, the Old South Church Meeting Hall, most of the Harvard campus, some of the Boston Common, Cambridge Common, part of Chinatown, and other random parts of the city. We met up with Evan Bell for lunch and proceeded to have a debate for over an hour about where I should move after grad school- Seattle or Boston. The best part was when a random girl in her 20's who had been sitting next to us said, "Well, I don't mean to be rude, but I couldn't help overhearing your conversation," (which is true, we were loud), "and I just wanted to say that I'm originally from Seattle, and came here to Boston for college..." She proceeded to tell us about the pros and cons of both (especially Seattle's connection with nature) and said that everyone should try living out there (she also heavily suggested Portland, Oregon, where I have also been semi-considering, especially following a convo with Andrew Let. who lives out there now). We laughed and thanked her and she left, followed by Evan's "GOD DAMMIT! That was so unfair- no witnesses without prior notification!"
After lunch with Evan, Josh and I hit up The Garment District, which was an experience to say the least. The Garment District is a used clothing store that has a lot of really awesome vintage clothing on the second floor (where I got an awesome cheap leather jacket from the 70's, but it's wicked thin, so it won't be making an appearance until April at least). The first floor however is a giant pile of clothes which is a free for all- you are given a bag, and then it's $1.50 a pound for whatever you put in the bag. Now, when I say pile, I don't mean bins, I mean a giant pile of clothing on the floor, people wading through it and throwing things off to the side- it was a blast, if a little sketchy. In the end, there was a wool paisley bathrobe that for a total of $4 I just couldn't say no to (but will be washing a good 5 times before I wear it)- I'm sure that pics will be forthcoming.
Josh and I grabbed a beer together at North Station, where we met some random people from Maine, down for the Bruins game. Here's where things get fun- it gets brought up that two of the people in the group went to St. Michael's College in Vermont, which is where my sister went. I tell them my sister's name, and one says, "I had a few classes with her! Long dirty blonde/brown hair, outdoorsy." So tada. In the middle of every place you are in, there is probably someone who has been in a room with someone else you know... anywhere in the world.
So, all in all, I feel like I had a blast of a weekend- and it's only Saturday night! That said, I've been up since before 6 am, so I'm hitting the sack early.
So, Boston or Seattle? The debate rages on!
*clink*
John