OH! Who got a 98? That's right! Leora got a ninty-eight!
Of course, I also got a 98 sophomore year, but last year I got a 97, so I still win. I did awesome on scales and much awesomer that I expected at sight-reading, and the Carmen went well and had no major mistakes. The chords near the beginning were not clean, but I came down on the octaves well, so there. It wasn't the most impressive performance, or anything near what I'm hoping it'll eventually be, but it was good enough for today and so I am happy.
Now I will tell you about my day. It has been a long one.
Eight-ish: wake up from dreams about Mr. Coty (my seventh grade math teacher) and Peter Liu and Kabuki theater at Interlochen. Fall back asleep.
Eight-thirty-ish: finally get yanked out of bed and sent to take a shower. I shower and dress in my lovely wine-purple shirt and the black pants with fake pockets. I wear the bracelet Caitlin made for me and the necklace Eyal made. Eema braided my hair, I ate two waffles, a hard-boiled egg, and an osenhaman.
Nine-twenty-ish: Eema dropped me off at Okemos Travel where I practiced. I actually managed to maintain my concentration pretty well this time. I also photocopied my music, in case I flipped out and forgot how to play at the last minute.
Ten o'clock: Eema and Aba pick me up. Eema goes to Beaners and gets coffee and cacao, Aba takes me to Arby's for a milkshake. I number over three hundred measures on the way. We stopped next to Caitlin's car at a red light, and waved to her.
Twelve-ish: arrival at Solo-Ensemble. Who was our student teacher sophomore year? Mr. McMillan? Well, he was in charge of my warm-up room. I met Melody there, and we went to opposite ends of the room and played our Sarasates. Paul arrived and left.
One-twenty-ish: Melody leaves to play the Ziggy. I practice and Mrs. Smith gives me some last-minute lecturing.
One-forty-ish: I play my solo. See above for the performance information. A ton of people came in to listen; I appreciated that. The judge had some good comments, I think.
Two-ten-ish: Caitlin time! She played the Meditations from Thais. Her mother made me work the camera, for some reason, even though she knew how/was sitting next to me. Caitlin sounded really nice. I was saying in my head "if the judge doesn't tell her she has lovely vibrato I'm going to get really mad." I had to leave in the middle of the scales though, to see Paul.
Two-thirty-ish: Paul time. He seemed nervous before he went in, but he played well. I like the Saint-Saens. It's not my favorite piece, but it's nice. I was very impressed. His scales went badly but his sight-reading seemed to go well. He got a 97.
Quarter-to-three-ish: quartet. We warm up *very* briefly in the practice room, then Miss Kesler comes in and gets us. They cut us off just before the awesome major section, which I was bitter about, but whatever. Melody felt really guilty about coming in wrong, and I played kinda out of tune, but overall it went pretty well. We got a one. The judge seemed to know what she was talking about too.
Three-ish: we wait around for Miss Kesler to give us our score sheet so we can get our medals. And wait and wait. Melody gives me a beautiful pink-and-purple necklace that matches my shirt. Paul goes off to watch Mark play in about half an hour, and Peter and Melody and I sit and Peter teaches us some Japanese words while Melody and I fold tiny paper cranes with this really pretty paper she brought. Eventually I go in and get the sheet from Miss Kesler, then Melody and I get our blue medals and drop two off with Peter for him and Paul.
Three-thirty-ish: Melody gets a ride home with me. Much of the car ride is spent in my calling people still at Solo-Ensemble to try and find someone to get my knitting, which I'd forgotten in my warm up room. I even call Mr. Fox to get the cell numbers of Mr. and Mrs. Sherrill. I finally get ahold of Evan, who loses reception before he can tell me if he finds my knitting or not. Peter Liu calls to brag about his 100. Melody and I fold some more paper cranes.
Four-thirty-ish: Melody and I arrive at my house. I show her my silver box and my senior pictures, then change into my light pink sweater that otherwise looks exactly like the shirt I was just wearing. It still matches the necklace. I put my orchestra dress in a bag and Melody drives Mixie to Pizza Hut.
Five-ish: the boys are already there. We order a Full House pizza and ten breadsticks, and eat and eat. It was incredibly fun. I adore my quartet. I never get tired of hanging out with them; they are all so funny. Also the food was wonderful because I was totally starving.
Six-ish: Melody and I go back to her house and change into orchestra dresses. Since we still have an hour of time to kill, we decide to go to Meijer. We found giant, bright red straw hats with purple ribbons and flowers and put them on and wandered around the store. We looked at guinea pigs and miniature hamsters flipping out and toys and dolls and stuffed animals, and we rode the penny horses. I took the carousel horse and Melody took the dinosaur.
Seven-ish: waiting around in the orchestra room for the Collage to start. Talked some to Caitlin and Chris and Katie, and Paul brought me my knitting that Evan had given him (hooray!). Tried to tune while Abishek and Peter Liu sang b-flat. I tried to strangle them both, and Paul knocked Peter Liu off his chair (hooray again!).
Eight-ish: Collage begins. We play well, I suppose. I was out of tune on the finale of the Brahms. Caitlin saved us four searts. I was very bitter that the bagpiper didn't come, also that we had to listen to that girl read Maya Angelou again. I disliked her reading the first time and I disliked it again. Also, what was up with that video presentation for Hymn to the Fallen? Seriously. Just let us enjoy the music; please don't try to make some big patriotic production of it. Also... Bush. *cough cough cough* Right. No. Beauty and the Beast, though, is going to be so much fun, I can tell. I <3 Andrew and Dolan and Rachel.
Ten-ish: Collage ends. I spend some time talking to Chris and Salama, then Eema finds me. I pack up and say hi to Micali, then we go home. I give Safta a program and go to sleep soon after.
Sunday, twelve-thirty-ish: I meet Tanner at Schuler's with my "post-modernist" writing. I also show her Mike's Reality's Modality and a snippet of the chat where Paul attempted to explain post-modernism to me, the part where we decide that A Profound Imperious Whump would make an awesome name for a band. I also talk to Rosalind and her parents for a while. I was a little bitter about that, because I wanted to wander around Schulers, but whatever. Then Melody picked me up and we went to dance.
Three-ish: wheeeee, swing-dancing is so much fun. We learned this strange pivot-y step that Melody and I could both do at the barre but completely fail to do with each other. We also learned the "basket-case" step. Freudian slip, Michael? My stomach hurt at the end, both from twisting and from laughing. We also watched the Mormon dancers on video. "So, does this make you want to go back to college and try out?" "Yes... BACK to college."
Five-ish: class being over, I asked Melody if she wanted to go to Finding Neverland with me, so we called Aba and found out that it was at six. We got directions to Celebrations and off we went.
Five-thirty-ish: we totally did not get lost this time! We were really hungry though, so we went into the Meijers there and bought a loaf of french bread and some Lorraine cheese. We made sandwiches and at them during the movie. We polished off the entire loaf of bread.
Six-ish: since it was the second showing, tickets were only 2.50, which was nice. Also, JOHNNY DEPP HAD A SCOTTISH ACCENT. Sexiest thing evar. The movie was wonderful and touching. We were both crying by the end. I *loved* it and am incredibly glad I went.
Eight-ish: Melody drops me off at home and Paul came over. We angsted for quite some time over not being able to think of anything to do, then worked a little on Soshte.
Twelve-ish: Paul goes home. I go to sleep, and dream about being a Viking with batwings.
Goodbye.
Now I will tell you about my day. It has been a long one.
Eight-ish: wake up from dreams about Mr. Coty (my seventh grade math teacher) and Peter Liu and Kabuki theater at Interlochen. Fall back asleep.
Eight-thirty-ish: finally get yanked out of bed and sent to take a shower. I shower and dress in my lovely wine-purple shirt and the black pants with fake pockets. I wear the bracelet Caitlin made for me and the necklace Eyal made. Eema braided my hair, I ate two waffles, a hard-boiled egg, and an osenhaman.
Nine-twenty-ish: Eema dropped me off at Okemos Travel where I practiced. I actually managed to maintain my concentration pretty well this time. I also photocopied my music, in case I flipped out and forgot how to play at the last minute.
Ten o'clock: Eema and Aba pick me up. Eema goes to Beaners and gets coffee and cacao, Aba takes me to Arby's for a milkshake. I number over three hundred measures on the way. We stopped next to Caitlin's car at a red light, and waved to her.
Twelve-ish: arrival at Solo-Ensemble. Who was our student teacher sophomore year? Mr. McMillan? Well, he was in charge of my warm-up room. I met Melody there, and we went to opposite ends of the room and played our Sarasates. Paul arrived and left.
One-twenty-ish: Melody leaves to play the Ziggy. I practice and Mrs. Smith gives me some last-minute lecturing.
One-forty-ish: I play my solo. See above for the performance information. A ton of people came in to listen; I appreciated that. The judge had some good comments, I think.
Two-ten-ish: Caitlin time! She played the Meditations from Thais. Her mother made me work the camera, for some reason, even though she knew how/was sitting next to me. Caitlin sounded really nice. I was saying in my head "if the judge doesn't tell her she has lovely vibrato I'm going to get really mad." I had to leave in the middle of the scales though, to see Paul.
Two-thirty-ish: Paul time. He seemed nervous before he went in, but he played well. I like the Saint-Saens. It's not my favorite piece, but it's nice. I was very impressed. His scales went badly but his sight-reading seemed to go well. He got a 97.
Quarter-to-three-ish: quartet. We warm up *very* briefly in the practice room, then Miss Kesler comes in and gets us. They cut us off just before the awesome major section, which I was bitter about, but whatever. Melody felt really guilty about coming in wrong, and I played kinda out of tune, but overall it went pretty well. We got a one. The judge seemed to know what she was talking about too.
Three-ish: we wait around for Miss Kesler to give us our score sheet so we can get our medals. And wait and wait. Melody gives me a beautiful pink-and-purple necklace that matches my shirt. Paul goes off to watch Mark play in about half an hour, and Peter and Melody and I sit and Peter teaches us some Japanese words while Melody and I fold tiny paper cranes with this really pretty paper she brought. Eventually I go in and get the sheet from Miss Kesler, then Melody and I get our blue medals and drop two off with Peter for him and Paul.
Three-thirty-ish: Melody gets a ride home with me. Much of the car ride is spent in my calling people still at Solo-Ensemble to try and find someone to get my knitting, which I'd forgotten in my warm up room. I even call Mr. Fox to get the cell numbers of Mr. and Mrs. Sherrill. I finally get ahold of Evan, who loses reception before he can tell me if he finds my knitting or not. Peter Liu calls to brag about his 100. Melody and I fold some more paper cranes.
Four-thirty-ish: Melody and I arrive at my house. I show her my silver box and my senior pictures, then change into my light pink sweater that otherwise looks exactly like the shirt I was just wearing. It still matches the necklace. I put my orchestra dress in a bag and Melody drives Mixie to Pizza Hut.
Five-ish: the boys are already there. We order a Full House pizza and ten breadsticks, and eat and eat. It was incredibly fun. I adore my quartet. I never get tired of hanging out with them; they are all so funny. Also the food was wonderful because I was totally starving.
Six-ish: Melody and I go back to her house and change into orchestra dresses. Since we still have an hour of time to kill, we decide to go to Meijer. We found giant, bright red straw hats with purple ribbons and flowers and put them on and wandered around the store. We looked at guinea pigs and miniature hamsters flipping out and toys and dolls and stuffed animals, and we rode the penny horses. I took the carousel horse and Melody took the dinosaur.
Seven-ish: waiting around in the orchestra room for the Collage to start. Talked some to Caitlin and Chris and Katie, and Paul brought me my knitting that Evan had given him (hooray!). Tried to tune while Abishek and Peter Liu sang b-flat. I tried to strangle them both, and Paul knocked Peter Liu off his chair (hooray again!).
Eight-ish: Collage begins. We play well, I suppose. I was out of tune on the finale of the Brahms. Caitlin saved us four searts. I was very bitter that the bagpiper didn't come, also that we had to listen to that girl read Maya Angelou again. I disliked her reading the first time and I disliked it again. Also, what was up with that video presentation for Hymn to the Fallen? Seriously. Just let us enjoy the music; please don't try to make some big patriotic production of it. Also... Bush. *cough cough cough* Right. No. Beauty and the Beast, though, is going to be so much fun, I can tell. I <3 Andrew and Dolan and Rachel.
Ten-ish: Collage ends. I spend some time talking to Chris and Salama, then Eema finds me. I pack up and say hi to Micali, then we go home. I give Safta a program and go to sleep soon after.
Sunday, twelve-thirty-ish: I meet Tanner at Schuler's with my "post-modernist" writing. I also show her Mike's Reality's Modality and a snippet of the chat where Paul attempted to explain post-modernism to me, the part where we decide that A Profound Imperious Whump would make an awesome name for a band. I also talk to Rosalind and her parents for a while. I was a little bitter about that, because I wanted to wander around Schulers, but whatever. Then Melody picked me up and we went to dance.
Three-ish: wheeeee, swing-dancing is so much fun. We learned this strange pivot-y step that Melody and I could both do at the barre but completely fail to do with each other. We also learned the "basket-case" step. Freudian slip, Michael? My stomach hurt at the end, both from twisting and from laughing. We also watched the Mormon dancers on video. "So, does this make you want to go back to college and try out?" "Yes... BACK to college."
Five-ish: class being over, I asked Melody if she wanted to go to Finding Neverland with me, so we called Aba and found out that it was at six. We got directions to Celebrations and off we went.
Five-thirty-ish: we totally did not get lost this time! We were really hungry though, so we went into the Meijers there and bought a loaf of french bread and some Lorraine cheese. We made sandwiches and at them during the movie. We polished off the entire loaf of bread.
Six-ish: since it was the second showing, tickets were only 2.50, which was nice. Also, JOHNNY DEPP HAD A SCOTTISH ACCENT. Sexiest thing evar. The movie was wonderful and touching. We were both crying by the end. I *loved* it and am incredibly glad I went.
Eight-ish: Melody drops me off at home and Paul came over. We angsted for quite some time over not being able to think of anything to do, then worked a little on Soshte.
Twelve-ish: Paul goes home. I go to sleep, and dream about being a Viking with batwings.
Goodbye.