News From Downtown St. Paul, Minnesota
Here I am in the St. Paul Public Library in--well, you guessed it--St. Paul, Minnesota. I'm logged into one of their many web browsing computers just because I don't really have an obligation to meet up with the rest of the gang any time soon. I just finished seeing the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra in the Ordway Center, downtown St. Paul. It was purely fantastic. The ticket was only $10.00 (since I'm a student), and with 1,100 people in that grand hall, I'm sure glad I was able to attend it.
I'm in the library right now only because I saw it out of the corner of my eye as I was exiting the Ordway Center. (The show started at 10:30 AM and ended around noon.) I took some pictures in the park that's across the street from both the library and the Ordway Center, as well as some zoomed-up ones of squirrels--don't ask me why. I'm probably going to contact my mom sooner or later, since she probably expects it to be done around this time. It's pretty exciting being trusted to sight-see the downtown of a city you haven't been to in five years, much less that five years ago I was ten years old! It gives me a sheer sense of responsibility being only fifteen years old and allowed to do things like this. Why, two days ago I was going through the skyways in downtown Minneapolis, a city even bigger than St. Paul. Nonetheless, it's sure joyous.
I'm not sure how the rest of the day will plan out; I'm assuming we'll spend some more time in the Science Museum of Minnesota, (which is where my mom and brothers are right now), and then have dinner with some of my relatives. I've already taken about five-hundred pictures on this trip, and I may be limited to only another two-hundred and fifty. I sure hope that will be enough to satisfy my picture-taking needs on the wedding occasion tomorrow afternoon.
I am really anticipating Marissa's wedding. Yesterday I went to JC Penny and bought a black City Streets suit, including the coat, pants, a red dress shirt and flashy tie. The only reason I had to rush out and do that is because I (foolishly) left my expensive beige suit in the town car when we were dropped off at the airport. It was just the clothes on the hanger--the coat and jacket. The only reason that happened was because we couldn't set it in that back, and that's where the driver went to get the luggage. Instead, it was set in the back seat. Since we all got out of the car and retrieved our luggage from the driver, it slipped everyone's mind--the driver's, my own, and my brother who was sitting next to it--to get the suit. About an hour later when I realized that it was missing, we called the airport service and they said that we'll be able to pick it up when we get a ride back home from the airport.
Now, not only am I reassured on that matter, but I have another suit to wear for formal occasions. I have the four pieces I bought yesterday, and (stored in my suitcase), I have my Dockers, a belt, dress socks, and everything else that goes with the outfit. I'll probably be leaving the hotel around 11 PM or noon tomorrow to make sure I'm there on time. My cousin said that before the wedding I'll have an opportunity to rehearse what I'm playing on the piano, and to take pictures then as well as after the ceremony. As for what I'm contributing to the wedding ceremony, Lynn (Marissa's mother, and my Aunt) said that I was going to play for about fifteen, twenty minutes before it started as everyone is walking in. As little of a job as that seems, they haven't even heard me play yet, so it's nice that they trusted I could handle the job. I'm going to improvise on some songs I wrote in late 2004 (the ones I performed for Showcase), and I think I'll be fine.
I hope everyone in Brentwood is having a fine time, as it is the Friday of a long week of school, I'd bet. I'll be flying in on late Monday evening, and things should be back to how they were. Only thing is that Halloween is right around the corner, and my birthday on the 16th as well. My Aunt Carol calls it my "Golden Birthday," since it's the day of the age I'm turning. I've got to make this a great birthday, but quite frankly I don't know how or what I'm going to plan for it. I'll have to ponder that in the upcoming few weeks.
~Chris
I'm in the library right now only because I saw it out of the corner of my eye as I was exiting the Ordway Center. (The show started at 10:30 AM and ended around noon.) I took some pictures in the park that's across the street from both the library and the Ordway Center, as well as some zoomed-up ones of squirrels--don't ask me why. I'm probably going to contact my mom sooner or later, since she probably expects it to be done around this time. It's pretty exciting being trusted to sight-see the downtown of a city you haven't been to in five years, much less that five years ago I was ten years old! It gives me a sheer sense of responsibility being only fifteen years old and allowed to do things like this. Why, two days ago I was going through the skyways in downtown Minneapolis, a city even bigger than St. Paul. Nonetheless, it's sure joyous.
I'm not sure how the rest of the day will plan out; I'm assuming we'll spend some more time in the Science Museum of Minnesota, (which is where my mom and brothers are right now), and then have dinner with some of my relatives. I've already taken about five-hundred pictures on this trip, and I may be limited to only another two-hundred and fifty. I sure hope that will be enough to satisfy my picture-taking needs on the wedding occasion tomorrow afternoon.
I am really anticipating Marissa's wedding. Yesterday I went to JC Penny and bought a black City Streets suit, including the coat, pants, a red dress shirt and flashy tie. The only reason I had to rush out and do that is because I (foolishly) left my expensive beige suit in the town car when we were dropped off at the airport. It was just the clothes on the hanger--the coat and jacket. The only reason that happened was because we couldn't set it in that back, and that's where the driver went to get the luggage. Instead, it was set in the back seat. Since we all got out of the car and retrieved our luggage from the driver, it slipped everyone's mind--the driver's, my own, and my brother who was sitting next to it--to get the suit. About an hour later when I realized that it was missing, we called the airport service and they said that we'll be able to pick it up when we get a ride back home from the airport.
Now, not only am I reassured on that matter, but I have another suit to wear for formal occasions. I have the four pieces I bought yesterday, and (stored in my suitcase), I have my Dockers, a belt, dress socks, and everything else that goes with the outfit. I'll probably be leaving the hotel around 11 PM or noon tomorrow to make sure I'm there on time. My cousin said that before the wedding I'll have an opportunity to rehearse what I'm playing on the piano, and to take pictures then as well as after the ceremony. As for what I'm contributing to the wedding ceremony, Lynn (Marissa's mother, and my Aunt) said that I was going to play for about fifteen, twenty minutes before it started as everyone is walking in. As little of a job as that seems, they haven't even heard me play yet, so it's nice that they trusted I could handle the job. I'm going to improvise on some songs I wrote in late 2004 (the ones I performed for Showcase), and I think I'll be fine.
I hope everyone in Brentwood is having a fine time, as it is the Friday of a long week of school, I'd bet. I'll be flying in on late Monday evening, and things should be back to how they were. Only thing is that Halloween is right around the corner, and my birthday on the 16th as well. My Aunt Carol calls it my "Golden Birthday," since it's the day of the age I'm turning. I've got to make this a great birthday, but quite frankly I don't know how or what I'm going to plan for it. I'll have to ponder that in the upcoming few weeks.
~Chris