I DID IT!!!

Current mood: happy and excited
Currently listening to: The Postal Service - "Nothing Better" (imagine that!)

I did it!!! I got the hair cut this morning!! It looks so good!!! I love it!!!

It was one heck of a strange feeling seeing my hair lying on a tabletop in front of me. Odd stuff, I tell you, but I didn't cry at all. O'Neil, the feller who cut it for me, was so awesome. He was so very excited, too, because he thought it was great that he could turn my long-haired head into a short-haired one (he likes short hair a lot). Oooh! All the assistants and other hairstylists at the studio kept walking by to see the progress, and I had an audience by the time O'Neil was done. Hehe... everyone liked it, and I love it!! I feel so much lighter, honestly.

I think it actually looks better than the long hair, maybe, but I am so happy to have helped someone. It feels really good to fill out a Locks of Love form... and I even get a certificate in the mail for it!!! How cool is that?!

I can do flippy stuff with the hair if I choose, but it's so much work that I doubt I'll choose to a whole lot. The cut should be easy to style within 5-10 minutes, which is a yay, because as you know I'm always running. W00t!!!

Well, as all of you probably know by now, I hate taking pictures, but I compromised and took a quick picture with the crappy camera so you could see *the haircut*...


This is it!!!

Asia on the windowsill. I thought this turned out to be a fairly decent picture.

I think I had the closest thing to a panic attack last night. Phew. I'm better now... I'll do it... somehow... *is still scared*.


THEY CANCELLED LOLLAPALOOZAAAA!!!! *Cries* I was going to go to that...

AHH! I'm leaving in a week!! ... (W00t)!!! And yes, the hair is getting cut Friday. If you wish to come by and see it/say goodbye/get together and do something, give me a call to make sure I'm home/for tentative advance planning as this week will be cra-zy, and it'd be lovely to see you.

Learning inadvertently and other such rants...

Current mood: apprehensive (in all meanings of the word)
Currently listening to: Fool's Garden - "Lemon Tree"

The prior post was about the fact that I'm an idiot, that I'm human, and that I "screwed up". I let down my guard, acted like the idiot I can at times be, and made a mistake. The mistake wasn't as tragic as I likely make it out to sound in the sense that no one was harmed, and repairing my mistake will not be catastrophic. I am fortunate because I have the opportunity to get away with it; my mother actually does not have to know what happened. This saves my head... literally. Perhaps, she wouldn't physically tear off my head as I fear she would, but rest assured that I would likely be grounded until age 27.

The truth is that I am still immature and have more growing up left to do than I ever could have imagined. This is kicking in today, and, even though I wish I had never been such an imbecile, I am glad that this incident helped me realize how irresponsible I really am. I had instituted a form of idea in my head that I was a fairly responsible and mature person; why I allowed this thinking, I don't know, but the truth is that I really am not very much either one of those things.

Surely, things could be very much worse, and I could be a horrible person on so many levels. I am not. Nonetheless, now I realize that althought it is acceptable to be a disastering tornado, I should really guard against... well, myself. Although I am often told that I worry too much and am too alert about some things, I do need to worry that much because I am me. Although that sounds terrible, it is not so bad. It just means that I have to pay close attention, which is something that I obviously don't always do. I am ingrateful for so many good things that happen to me, and I suddenly realize that, too. I suddenly realize how easily I am able to get off the hook when I make mistakes and how little responsibility I really have to deal with.

I'm almost seventeen-- so young, and yet approaching adulthood. Rather, supposedly approaching adulthood. So, maybe it's time to appreciate utter deflation, and I think I do.

Eh. "Every little thing is gonna be all right," me thinks... in time-- all in due time. There goes another chapter in the book, and there goes its end, although it was a really helpful chapter in the long run.

The Here and Now

Current mood: decently rested
Currently listening to: Joni Mitchell - "Send in the Clowns"


I'm back in my rooooooooom!!! I am so happy!!! I have my hiding place again!!! Besides, it's a wonderfully deep blue, and I'm happy with the colour (which was what I originally wanted anyway before my mom had to come stick her nose in my business). My mom has been getting on my nerves in many ways-- mainly the fact that all I asked for was a new bookcase and love my room the way it is otherwise but she wants to do everything else to my poor room. Egh.

I'm feeling pretty good, but my voice is super funkifying. It's all blah. One can tell I haven't done any singing in a month... bleh!

Lastly, but absolutely not leastly, Shah peed on my English Bible-- the one I use most often in English. I don't know whether to throw it away. It's a good thing it wasn't my dearest Italian Bible that was given to me when I left, though, or else I'd have grey fur for sale!

Current mood: a hybrid of apathy and weariness
Currently listening to: Samuele Bersani - "Giudizi Universali"


"Potrei ma non voglio fidarmi di te, io non ti conosco e infondo non c'è
In quello che dici qualcosa che pensi, sei solo la copia di mille riassunti
Leggera leggera si bagna la fiamma, rimane la cera e non ci sei più"

"I could, but I don't want to trust you- I don't know you, and after all there isn't a thing you think in what you say. You're only a copy of a thousand summaries
Lightly, the flame is wet- the wax is left over, and you're no longer there"


Aren't we all copies of a thousand summaries anyway?

All State commentary, account, Nelsonisms, and the fact that I type entirely too much.

Current mood: pleased
Currently listening to: All State (Men's and Women's choirs)recording



All State CD arrived today! Because I never did produce an account of the experience nor the Nelsonisms I promised the choir cronies I'd post a while ago, here we go.(Hinkle might be the only one who can make it through this entire post-- bear with me if you dare! No penalty if you can't.)

Sector A: All State Commentary

(N.B.: Being a dedicated alto, I am unequivocally inadvertently slightly biased and tend to prefer altos and basses...sorry for any who might care or take these things to heart?)

Women's Choir:





It has a nice sense of style and pretty good diction. 'Tisn't very exciting, however. Not as exciting as it had felt on stage and at rehearsals, that is. Great accents. Overall a good job; it's disappointing not to be able to hear very well the faux male opera man section that the Altos had the honor to sing *sigh*... excessive Soprano there with too high a note in contrast... thanks a lot for stealing our scene, Sops! (Just kidding... kinda.) Good final consonants mostly.





All right, all right-- it is an extremely challenging piece; therefore, harshness is uncalled for. Nearly every part in "The World is Full of Poetry" seems to be written for Soprano I, and this problem is reflected in the bit of struggle and tension that is heard in the Alto parts throughout the splendid composition. Even soprano II's and I's have trouble spots here and there. GOOD dynamics... too bad that the diction is almost bad and we sound like Giogia peaches. "Braht-ness"?? *sighs* Super props to Jon Marc, our pianist... if there is someone that put feeling into this one, it is he we speak of. Overall all right, I suppose. I think we could have done a better job with this wonderfully light piece had we had more time to perfect it and more people who cared about diction (this isn't to say that the diction should have been stern at all). Essentially, we didn't sing the piece simply enough; it is, indeed, a passage that is to be sung very simply and harmoniously and heart-felteadly, and something similar is what the composer had told us in his notes, anyway.





First measure: WOW. Very enchanting... one gets lost in time. The diction is pretty good for a choir of mostly American senior girls; it is actually really good, mostly. Alto-- YAY! The powerful mezzo forte intended for the Alto solo really turned out to be what it was supposed to turn out to be. Altos rock. Overall, very nice. The performance overall brought out the splendor of this prayer, which was pretty well reflected in the voices.





Okay, I really liked this one... Really really. A lot. It was my favourite piece, so minimal bashing follows. Very, very nice dynamics, good pitch-- props to sops, those were some woah loud and high 'doh's. Altos unfortunately don't have a very good unison in this one. DICTION!!! Ahhh, man... it still kicked butt, but this would have been not just da bomb, but an atomic bomb had we not gotten so lost in the playfulness of the piece and minded diction more. Some parts sound like a single vowel and some consonants are unheard. Some sound childish--think east-and-west singing going on here and there. Overall, W00t!!!





Horizontal singing--bad, bad, bad, but not very terribly. This was supposed to be a very stricly, vertically dark piece. Good consonants, and great dynamics and slides. The ending-- wow. Sopranos did a wonderful job with a very dark and strong tone on the first round of the finale. I found it a pretty hard ending, as, if you don't know, it is a series of rounds separated by single rests at a 104 (per quarter) tempo-- which can get pretty darn confusing as it is definitely almost impossible to get back in once one's out. Overall, very nice. The audience agreed.





My mom told me this was our worst one, and, as I often say, she doesn't understand anything. Beautiful... it was by far the deepest, and one can hear how heart-felt the song is without any trouble. The problem (which causes the song not to be our best)? DICTION!!! Just because it's Georgia All-State choir, it should NOT sound like it. Gah. "Lahst"... "Blahnd"... "Ah"... so forth. Whatever happened to inward singing, in some sections? Nonetheless, even though the bad diction does subtract from the majesty of the piece, it is still very moving... very much so. *Sheds a tear*





Go Altos!!!! Pretty good diction, but it could be better. Nice mature sound throughout... All discordant clashes sound wonderful. Good dynamics-- they make the piece very exciting. Great ending. Optimal final slide. Nonetheless, I thought it would be better.

Men's Choir:

8. "Listen to a Jubilant Song"--Pretty nice. Good harmonies-- one can hear every part distinctly. Diction is all right but could be better... I can understand what Hinkle meant when he said the whole thing was a competition to see who had the most developed hormones. Overall, nice.

9. "El Yivneh Hagalil"-- one word: w00t!!! This one is mighty wondrously intriguing and well sung. Excellent dynamics and tempo change from double to single. Overall, I love it!

10. "Swing Down Chariot"-- overall nice, but it's a bit rushed, and lots of consonants are therefore accidentally cut off/ just dropped there. Good vowels, though. I must admit I don't really like the song, too. We had to sing a similar arrangement with K Bizzle (Ms. B), and she forced it upon us, and it sucked very badly and everyone pretty much loathed the song after that.

11. "When I Hear Her"-- *cries* I nearly cried/melted at the concert... just wow. Very expressive, stupendous, and emotional, and just wow... sing it to me? *cries some more*

12. "Send in the Clowns"-- beautiful. Great consonants and good vowel diction. This piece is very employing both for the listener and the performer. Tenors, watch brightness. Likely my favourite, along with, of course, "When I Hear Her"... great job, guys.

13. "The Awakening"-- What an exceptional and phenomenal composition. Another wow for that. Props for the director for putting this on the repertoire. Good performance, and special props to Mr. Anderson, the accompanist.

Sector B: All State Accounts

Well, this was a while ago, but overall, I learned a whole lot. Aside from the initial trouble I was given for having learned the wrong (but vocally appropriate for me) part, once that was settled, it was a rather enjoyable experience (save for having to deal with the few that retained impressing everyone more important than making music together, but I guess those are everywhere. There was a competition on who could slide more in "Three Ways..." between Molly (the girl who sat beside me) and I, though, and that was actually pretty fun). Dr. Nelson, the conductor, was amazing. He taught me a lot about different modes of singing and that silence can be so beautiful. He also taught me that talent is nearly nothing compared to imagination.
All State gave me a great opportunity to get to know the people I went with a lot better. I'm on good terms with all of them now-- even Grayson, whom I had previously thought unbelievably obnoxious and disrespectful ofeveryone- it turns out that he does
behave decently or even well when he really tries, and he does try, as unbelievable as that seems. I am very glad that I went with the group I went with and would have had it no other way-- I hope we all make it again next year, guys.
Savannah is fun and beautiful, but I guess you already know that, particularly if you know that it is my favourite US city. Good food... mmm... good ice cream... mmm... good coffee... mmmm...


Sector C: Nelsonisms




Unfortunately, I didn't record any of our rehearsals and am not a computer, so I don't remember every little Nelsonism there is, but here are some highlights that I wrote down out of amusement.

1. "How many of you want to go doo doo? *thoughtful pause* I did NOT just say that." (during "Three Ways...")
2. "It's nuclear fusion... no, wait, fission... no, wait... what's the difference again? Mah, it's nnnnn--uclear ... SQUEEEOOSHION!!! *super exploding hand motion*"(discussing dynamics and blend of the last 6 measures of "Go Where...")
3. "Give them a gift." (what we should do for the listeners)
4. "LET ME DRIVE!!! *whimper*" (for all the times we got ahead of him)
5. "It's a schwab, that's what it is!" (describing the sound for the hybridization of two other sounds)
6. "I want legatissimissimissimissimissimissimissimissimissimissimo (How many misses was that?)" (self explanatory)
7. "Stop time." (giving directions for "Salve Regina", first measure)
8. "Bad flat. Flat bad. Bad, bad, bad, bad flat. Bad flat. Flat bad. BAD FLAT!!" (Flats are bad if they're not intended to be there)
9. "You're being petulant... you're not ticked at her!!" (explaining that "Salve Regina" is a prayer for mercy and should therefore be gentle and full of piety)
10. *makes duck-mouth hands and starts flapping them toward one another in the middle of the piano intermission for "The World...". The pianist stops and looks at him* "What?! We're conversing!! Keep playing!!" (Dr. Nelson's hands and the choir conversing?)
11. *Reenacts housewife vacuuming* "I wish we could do this at the performance while singing... if we only had the space..." (during "Three Ways..")
12. "Be UNREASONABLY emotional!"
13. "Be stupid... be an idiot." (describing how we should sing the "ah"s at the end of "Three Ways...")
14. "Get lost." (referring to what we should do with the depth of "Amazing Grace")
15. "ALTOS ROCK!!!!" (obviously, we do. If the best agree, then hey...)
16. "Talent is not what matters. The key is imagination... you can have as much talent as you want, but if you don't do anything with it and it's nothing but God-given talent, there's nearly nothing."

He gave us a final speech that was very deep. I hope to work with him again.


Okay... I'm done now. *hears and sees nothing but crickets*

49 nine days from today (without counting today) will be my anniversary of the day I saw Blur. I should email them. *sigh* <3

Current mood: perplexed
Currently listening to: The Living End - "So Lonely"

The question being:
Where the hey am I going to sleep to-night?

Room not finished, paint fumes art eveel, SAT in the morning. Must get up at 6 am, must drift into slumber 10-ish to-night.

Pull the bed out into the living room? Sleep on the couch? Sleep on the floor, again?

Ahh, the quandaries of life.

Current mood: amused
Currently listening to: Modest Mouse - "Float On"



I Am A: Neutral Good Elf Bard Ranger


Alignment:
Neutral Good characters believe in the power of good above all else. They will work to make the world a better place, and will do whatever is necessary to bring that about, whether it goes for or against whatever is considered 'normal'.


Race:
Elves are the eldest of all races, although they are generally a bit smaller than humans. They are generally well-cultured, artistic, easy-going, and because of their long lives, unconcerned with day-to-day activities that other races frequently concern themselves with. Elves are, effectively, immortal, although they can be killed. After a thousand years or so, they simply pass on to the next plane of existance.


Primary Class:
Bards are the entertainers. They sing, dance, and play instruments to make other people happy, and, frequently, make money. They also tend to dabble in magic a bit.


Secondary Class:
Rangers are the defenders of nature and the elements. They are in tune with the Earth, and work to keep it safe and healthy.


Deity:
Oghma is the Neutral Good god of knowledge and invention. He is also known as the Binder of What is Known, and is the Patron of Bards. His followers believe that knowledge reigns supreme, and is the basis for everything else that is done. They wear white shirts and pants, with a black and gold braided vest, and a small, box-like hat. All priests of Oghma are known as Loremasters. Oghma's symbol is a scroll.


Find out What D&D Character Are You?, courtesy ofNeppyMan (e-mail)

What a colourful world...

Current mood: worn out
Currently listening to: Coldplay - "Crests of Waves"


Paint infests my room, myself, and parts of the house accidentally.

We've finally come around to buying the paint to paint my room (the original idea was to do it last year), so I've been painting. My mother has been the other party in the process, and my sister helped for five minutes and then scoowampled out of the deal, the sucker.

Anyway, it's been pretty fun. We've got one more coat to go, and that will be applied tomorrow morning. The primer took a good 6-7 hours to apply yesterday, and the room actually looked good simply after that application (because the blue we're painting is rather deep, we needed a primer that was 50% the actual colour-- in our case, a pretty, lively smurf blue). The first coat of the actual planetarium blue isn't very nice, but hopefully once it dries better and the second coat, which will be easier to handle, will be over it, it will look good.

I'm generally giving my room a gradual makeover, me thinks, and the room's excited.


I tried to talk my mom into utilizing the storage room besides the garage to build a laboratory, but she doesn't like the idea. It was originally supposed to be an art studio, but Alessandra is moving out for good, I think, so it'd be useless to convert it to an actual art studio at this point. I really did want a lab, but my mom believes I'd blow up the house, for some odd reason. Eh. I guess I'll have to wait until I own my own home to build me a laboratory. It will be fun-- I can invite friends over to play!

Anyway, SAT: Decent Score Attempt Mission #2 is Saturday. I haven't studied a single bit, and I just realized that I don't have a graphing calculator anymore as I'm no longer in Calculus thanks to summer vacation (yay for Christmas/barfday gifts, even if they don't help me much right this very now), so I've already got bad feelings about it. *Sigh* I hate this stupid test. It's but a test over how well or badly one can take the darned thing, and I just happen to be a decent but not great SAT taker. I may be in advanced mathematics courses of all sorts and have a fairly good vocabulary, but I'm just not good at taking this test. Although my first score wasn't very great, it was almost decent and good enough to get me into both Tech and Mercer, I do believe. My issue and focus currently is obtaining scholarships. Hopefully, I'll still be okay if I don't do well on the SAT again. I have nearly everything else scholarship donors like to aid me, so maybe they'll like me anyway! Eh... They say it's very rare for SAT scores to jump dramatically from one try to another, but I guess I really haven't much of a choice but to give it a shot.

If you pray and if you love me, you know what to do. ^.^

Anyhow, my next rant includes how much I want to leave the country and graduate. Italy paperwork is still undergoing processes at the Consulate, but hopefully I'll still be able to get some decent amount of time in vacation *super-knock on wood*. Otherwise, I can't believe there's a year of high school left. UGHH.

Well, wow, I came, I typed, I ranted.
Oh, yeah, I really need to get crap done this month.
Adios for now!