a summary of my activities in february 2001 write me!
2/1 Can it really be February? No! (Well, actually, as I write this, it's still January 31st, but hey, nothing wrong with going ahead and making the website up to date, eh? I'm not going to really update right now, since I did earlier today... Go back to January. haha later!
2/4 Hello everybody! I write tonight from Plano on my father's laptop, whereat I am waiting for Sara and Pat to come by the house on their way back to Denton... they're dropping some stuff that I've had in Denton off with my parents so that Mom and Dad can take it back to Chuck, blah blah blah... I've had yet another busy weekend as usual. Yesterday I went to Lewisville and did a little shopping (at Lerner of course) and got two new shirts, two new skirts, and a new pair of pants. Hurrah! Go new clothes! My parents are leaving town Wednesday for a week and a half... which I guess I shouldn't really post on the internet... but oh well. Of course it just so happens that they're going to be out of town on one of my rare (or at least newly rare) Saturday nights in Plano. I'm thinking I'll be in town this Saturday since I have to sing both services Sunday... and unless I feel like getting up and leaving Denton at about 7:15 am to come in to sing... hmmm.... I don't know. We shall see. Today I got to play "guest speaker" or something to the Senior High youth which was kinda bizarre, but alright. I was the girl that's all like "I'm here to tell you what college is like" which is funny because I don't really feel like I know all that much... but whatever... I guess I know more than I used to. In other news... (this is another thing I don't know if I should really put up here, but oh well, I guess we'll find out who REALLY reads the site) I found out that Clint is being a total sweetie (haha) and sending Sara and me flowers in the near future. I'm assuming they will arrive on or around Valentine's Day, but Clint always likes to keep some shred of secrecy, so we shall see. As a result, I am determined to get Clint something/do something for him in return... so that was my Saturday project. But no, I'm not going to go into detail about it here on the page, because I don't know how often Clint reads it, and I'm not going to tell what I'm up to... (unlike poor Clint who caves under pressure) haha... Poor Clint. I made him ruin his own surprise.... aw aw aww. Anyway... I guess I'll take advantage of this time to work on my piano scales on a real piano... So I'm going to go now... more at a later date.
2/8 Lo and behold, it's a later date. Today I write at what would normally be my twice weekly hour and a half of pain that the catalog calls MUED 3100, Music For Children. Dude, this class is all about singing goofy songs all day. The only good thing about it so far is that we are having to learn some guitar basics, which is very cool... Guitar, one of those things I always wanted to have at least some knowledge of and ability with, but I've just never done it. So, last night when I was in Plano, I found my little bitty guitar that Mommy bought me a couple or three years ago at that truckstop on the Kentucky/Tennessee border for 30 bucks and I brought it home. Home to Denton, that is. So we tuned it up and attempted to play some chords... but then I realized "hey! this is a really cheap guitar!" because it fell out of tune like about the second I touched it. so... oh well. Ah but anyway... I write during Music For Children time because it's cancelled today in honor of TMEA in San Antonio this week. Sara and I considered going, but we didn't really get our stuff together, as far as joining MENC and TMEA and TMEC and whatever in time to get our absences excused... so, we'll go next year, I imagine, but in the meantime, I have a few classes cancelled. Conducting was supposed to be cancelled, but then McCoy asked for a show of hands and only 1 or 2 people were going to be gone, so he's got someone subbing for him and watching us conduct. Also, I still have choir today, in the form of sectionals. That's pretty much today. So, I'm going to get gone for now... later
2/12 Hey hey hey! I had a really good day today, for no real specific reason except I was just happy! haha Let's recap, shall we? I had theory this morning which was uneventful, and therefore great. Then I went to Algebra, in which my teacher competantly lectured us and answered questions, and you know, isn't that what it's all about? haha Then I had my Piano test, the first of the semester, in which I did better than I expected on my harmonic minor scales and as well as expected (very well) on the harmonization, part reading, improvisation and sightreading. And that means I don't have to go to piano for the rest of the week! So after that I had German Diction, in which I was only called on once and I kicked butt at answering (IPA'ing a sentence). Then was Jazz Singers, in which I was able to audition for the Operator solo. This was particularly great because it was the first time anyone sang the solo with the group and the rhythm section in front of everyone, and we only sang through it once... therefore, Rosana divided the solo into thirds and had the New Girl, Kellie, sing the first part, my fiercest competition, Kayla, sing the second part, and then me on the last bit. So, Kellie sang and it was ok but I could tell she wasn't completely prepared... plus her voice just isn't all that strong. Then Kayla, and she's good and all, but once again, just too timid... this solo needs some soul, baby! And man oh man did they get some soul! haha... I did pretty well if I do say so myself. And even if I don't say so myself, Rosana said so (to me, in private, after rehearsal) ooooooh la la. OK, so then after belting Operator, I had voice, in which I learned where to put my tongue when I sing. You would think that I would have learned that before now, but apparently I had not. haha.... and to those of you who just have to know... the tip of your tongue should always always always be at the gumline behind your bottom teeth, whenever you're on a vowel, regardless of what vowel that is. So, that was new. Then we had choir which was pretty much the same as it has been for the past few weeks.... "We looked over this song once for 2 minutes on the first day of the semester! Why don't you know all the notes by memory by now?!?! [shaking head] You guys are better than this.... tsk tsk tsk...." so, you know, whatever. Then I got to come home (finally) at which point I got to pick up the "package" waiting for me at the front desk... which was.... [drumroll please] FLOWERS FROM CLINT! woo-hoo! I got three beautiful red roses in an equally beautiful red frosted glass vase. [contented sigh] So, in honor of the fact that hey, this February's not turning out to be so bad as most Februarys.... we turned the wall calendars to February. (We had had them on March, because I despise February, so we skip it) Hmmm... so then after that, I did some Algebra homework and turned that in and then I had a tenor sectional... then I called Clint to thank him... then I watched 7th Heaven... and then I filled out the application for the pilgrimage to Taizé... "the what?" you say? Well, the pilgrimage to Taizé is the newest of my future plans... to paraphrase, it's this outstanding trip opportunity I have through the church to spend 12 days in France, 7 of which will be in the small community of Taizé, where I will be living, shall we say, the Simple Life... (heh heh heh... let's sleep in a tent on a hill, kids) and basically doing a lot of praying, a lot of thinking, a lot of silence, a lot of contemplation.... all that stuff.... me and a WHOLE LOT of kids from crazy everywhere all over the world. If anyone's interested in looking and finding out more about exactly what this is I've gotten myself into, that's at www.taize.fr... But really, that's about all I did today... and I'd like to go to bed now... So... more later! Oh, but don't forget the Grand Chorus concert on Wednesday, those of you that can come! Oh wait... that's.... oh.... no one..... hahaha Alright, that's all from me! bye!
2/13 Got nothing better to do right now (except possibly practice voice or piano or do some algebra or work on conducting or practice dictation... so you know, I'm bored) ha... so I thought I'd just say hi. Long day today... Tuesdays are long. Aural Skilz today, as well as Music For Children and Conducting. I conducted today and apparently I have had a substantial increase in confidence... or so I am told. heh... I felt pretty good about it though. Then I had choir today... we practiced with the wind symphony on our premiere (Wayne, how should I spell that?) piece for the band director convention next week. We record it Sunday. They tell us that the recording will actually get airplay on about 500 classical radio stations, nationwide, including 101.1, WRR. How fun is that? haha I just hope I'm not too close to the mic. whoa. haha I have Grand Chorus practice in about a half hour or so... I think we're running through it a couple of times with the orchestra tonight, and then we're done. [shrug] Then I really do need to get back here and do some Algebra. That's really about it. I'm going to grab a quick bite now... so, more another day....
2/14 Hey hey hey.... writing quickly after my Grand Chorus concert, deftly scheduled for Valentine's night. All went well until after the concert. Apparently I'm incredibly moody or something, although I didn't think I was, because Sara thinks I'm mad at her... and here I thought I was doing well on Valentine's Day, all things considered. I guess not. haha Oh well... maybe it's a her thing... As far as actual things that went on today.... not a lot really, just class. I had a Germam Diction quiz today that I felt pretty decent about, and other than that, I didn't have any tests or anything of that nature. I have my second Algebra test next Monday... which reminds me, I should probably start posting my grades on the site. Not to mention update the lyrics. Tomorrow we start a portion of the Vivaldi "Gloria" as our second piece for conducting class. The Domine Fili Unigenite, incidentally.... my favorite... =) Hmmm.... I think that really pretty much covers today's activities... there was some social stuff that went on today in Jazz Singers, but I'll not expound upon that just now... perhaps later on if it continues... have I intrigued you yet? alright then... haha That's it for now.... bye!
2/18 Hello all... writing near the end, although not quite near enough to the end of a long long day. Today was a great great fun double commuting day. This was a first for me. I went to church in Plano this morning, came back to Denton this afternoon for the recording session of Canvas with the Wind Symphony and then went back to Plano with for kids choir and chimes, and then came back to Denton, this time giving Alan Anderson a ride home. And as if that weren't a busy enough day... When I got home I had not yet eaten, so I did that... and then I had a theory project to do. so, Sara and I went to the Mac lab to use Finale, and that's where I am right now. I finished my project already and she's wrapping up hers, so I'm using the internet while I wait. When we get home, I've got Algebra to do/study for. Test tomorrow. I'm not ultra-worried, but I do want to make sure I've done all the assignments and everything. I'm also waiting to hear back from my new pianist, Gabriel, who had best come to my lesson tomorrow, or else we're both in trouble. ha. Hopefully he will have called me back when I get home tonight and I can give him a quick call to get everything straightened out. [sigh] Like I said, long day. Which means tomorrow is a nap day.... ohhhh yeah. [sigh] Wow, that feels good just thinking about sleeping. mmmmmmmm.... OK well, I think/hope/pray that Sara is almost done, so I'm going to wrap this one up right here...
2/20 It's late, so I'm not going to take the time to actually update, except to say that there's a new Rambler. see it here That's all for right now! bye!
2/23 Well... a number of things have gone on in the last few days... many of which are related to that Rambler I put up on the 20th. That Rambler has since been amended and apologized for. To those of you that read the original Rambler, I would encourage you to go back and read the amended version and the note that goes along with it. And to those of you that never read the original... well thank goodness. I'm not really going to go into all of that here... it's pretty well covered over there in the Rambler section of the site, so I'll let that do it. But I will say this. MAN!! I had no idea that my site was so well traveled! You know, I write things here, and I just sort of assume that nobody ever reads them, because really... I mean, why? Why would you want to read this site? haha It's just me... So... Over the last 18 months or so that this site has been around... it's slowly evolved into a much more intimate thing... it's almost a second diary anymore. And uhh.... that's not all good. So, in the future... I'm going to try to stick to the facts a little more... a little less of the emotional baggage and all that stuff. So... there you have that. Therefore, I move on to the real news portion of our program. I am a student. haha.... news to anyone? Well, I am! I have classes and I go to them and all that stuff. It's really kind of a neat thing. So, here's what I'm learning. I'm in Music Theory III, in which we have been discussing diatonic seventh chords and diatonic sequences. It sounds more difficult than it is, really. But overall, I'm doing pretty well and have a pretty good handle on the stuff we're doing. I am also taking College Algebra, which is a nice class, just because I think it's good for me to get out of the music building three times a week. And it's kinda cool having homework that comes out of like, a textbook, and you use like, a calculator and formulas and stuff. And you take notes in class and turn in stuff and sit quietly the rest of the time. And there's not a piano ANYWHERE nearby! How weird is that? haha But overall, I'm doing well. Piano is also going pretty well. Scales are by far my weakest point. Sightreading is probably my strong suit. Progressions are good... Harmonization is pretty good too. I'm feeling pretty good about it... I just need to work on my scales more. Another class I take is German Diction. This is actually a pretty fun class if for no other reason than I have friends in it, and we also get out about 10 minutes early on a pretty regular basis. And, German Diction in general comes pretty naturally to me. I'm not necesarily as good at the IPA'ing of it, but when it comes time to actually read out loud something in German, I can pretty much just do it. So... I enjoy it. (I'm going in schedule order in this update, incidentally...) So, next is Jazz Singers II. I am a tenor in this class which is fun because it's the one voicing that I'm not already fairly comfortable reading. I've been a soprano. I've been an alto. And in many ways, as a second alto in a few treble choirs, I've been a bass. But tenor... never been a tenor. And I've definitely never been a tenor in jazz. This is some hard stuff, kids! It's kinda nuts, actually. If anyone out there is familiar with New York Voices... we're doing Darmon's arrangement of Caravan, and man that thing is nuts!! So, Jazz Singers is a challenge for me this semester, but it's all good. I'm getting to know my fellow Singers pretty well, particularly my "fellow" "guys". haha. I go to the male sectional. It's kinda cool. I enjoy it... they've taken me in. So... that's Jazz Singers. Then after that I have voice, which is going pretty well. I feel, vocally, like I've been growing and my voice is in a good place and life is good. I sound well. My range is improving and my tone is more and more adult each week. So, yea! Right now I'm with a new accompanist, Gabriel. But, he's pretty pricey and I'm going to keep looking around because he's not necessarily looking super reliable anyway. After voice is choir, which is going fine. Our tour is just around the corner, and it should be fun. We have a crazy lot of music, but it's all good. I love Dr. McCoy... but I'll get into that more later. So.... the next day I have Aural Skilz III which is... fine. Aural Skilz is one of those classes that it's like, yeah you know it's useful, but man you really don't want to have to do it. And it never helps that the teachers are so danged good at it. The thing about Aural Skilz teachers, is they're always so good at it that they aren't very good at explaining it. It's like, they play a chord and they say "so that's a five four two of six" or something.... and how say "how do you know that?" and they play the chord and say "that's a five four two of six" or sometimes if they see you really don't get it, they arpeggiate the chord and then say "that's a five four two of six". So helpful. haha... After that I have Music For Children, which is kind of interesting... Ms. Hudnall can be kind of bizarre... she'll randomly start singing some obscure children's song and motion us to join in, but as a class, we're fairly self-conscious and we all think it's kinda weird. So, it makes for an interesting dynamic. One thing is I do have to learn how to play a few guitar chords in that class.... and autoharp. Autoharp is easy schmeasy. Guitar... not as easy... but I'm doing what I can. And the last class I'm going to update on is Advanced Conducting. McCoy is an absolutely amazing conducting teacher. He has this whole theory about how the gestures and the shapes you create are really all about engendering breath in singers, and how the shape or the angle of your hand or your arm or your wrist or whatever.... how it all affects the sound and creates different things. Very interesting. He's totally cool though.... he rocks my world. And that is just about all I have to say. So... bye!
2/27 Hello all. Updating for what will probably be the last time for this month, seeing as tomorrow is a Wednesday, and they are busy. Life is getting progressively busier and busier... right now the two things most prominent in my life are A Cappella choir and children's choir. A Cappella because we leave for tour on Sunday and we're close to ready but not completely ready yet. It should be a very good tour though. I like our music a lot and I do hope that some of you will have the opportunity to hear it. The best opportunity will be of course Thursday the 8th in Winspear when we do our home concert. The next best opportunity, for those of you that can't make Thursday (ahem, PISD Spring Break, ahem, FUMC Ski Trip, ahem, you know who you are, ahem, Clint) you will want to come to Lover's Lane United Methodist at 3:00 this Sunday, which is our first stop on the tour. Like I said, it's a really good program, and I really think everyone should come out and see it. My other good news in relation to ACap is that we picked roommates tonight. And last year that was very awkward for me because I had just transferred in, so I sort of just got randomly plugged into someone else's room. But do you know that this year two different people asked me to room with them? awww... So, I had to turn Amber down, but I'm rooming with Sharon who is just too cool. That is, the two nights that we're in rooms of two I'm with Sharon, but the first night we're in fours, so I'm with Sharon and Amber and Rose. I think the tour should be a lot of fun. =) That's all about that though. As to kids choir... we had a director's meeting on Monday and we talked through the musical, and I've just been getting these little brainstorms ever since and I have a bunch of fun ideas, I think. Anyway, Ann and Suzanne asked me to go ahead and divide up the parts in the musical so that after PISD Spring Break we can give the kids their lines to go ahead and memorize. So, I just now finished doing that. I feel pretty good about everything. Now, to convince them that I have good ideas on sets and costuming.... haha... (They should just make me the director) I'm kidding. whoa. ha. They should just pay me more, that's all. [sigh] But anyway, I've got my Worley Edition of the script which I hope to have a chance to review with Ann tomorrow night sometime. I hope she likes it! Other than that, I've just been plugging along in my other classes and messing around on the guitar in my "spare time". I'm seriously actually starting to toughen up my fingertips! ack! haha.... Clint's guitar has steel strings, so it doesn't take much. But I'm getting a little faster at the switching from chord to chord, and that makes me happy. And... I think that about covers everything... So I'm going to bed now.
FUTURE PLANS
3/4 - 3/7 A Cappella Spring Tour... Houston area
3/4 A Cap's first stop is a concert at 3 at Lovers Lane UMC
3/8 A Cappella Home Concert at 7:30
3/19 - 3/23 UNT Spring Break
3/23 Pantera plays Fair Park
4/4 A Cappella recording session II
4/25 Grand Chorus Concert at 8 (Beethoven Symphony No. 9)
