The Life and Times of a Redheaded Jedi Ninja Musician

Things I would eventually like to do with Zackary Allen Graber

2011-07-10T22:41:00.000-07:00

Not in any specific order:

Water Balloon fight, Tie dye shirts, Go to the dinosaur museum in Chicago, take him to Wyoming, Go to either Ontario or Toronto to show Penny they're the same place, spend a whole night watching Gilmore Girls, learn to cook, dance, road trip, drive a Mini, ride a horse, buy a ring-tailed lemur, go camping, look at the stars, explore a cave, buy and name a star, teach him guitar, travel to see if Nessie is real, explore Paris

To be continued...

Things I love doing with Zackary Allen Graber

2011-07-10T22:33:00.000-07:00

Not in any specific order:

Lengthy walks at Shanklin Park, Family Get-Togethers, Swimming, Holding Hands, Napping, Making Cake, Making Cookies, Singing, Texting, Going to movies at Linway, Sitting in our castle, Quick trips to the Brew, Cuddling in the van, sitting on the couch with Pug Rug, talking gangsta, sharing an iPod, watching out the window, Night swimming, Going to the zoo, splitting Mancino meals, Tickle fights, Staring contests, Hugging, getting teased by Penny, Kissing, Kissing in front of Kaitlyn, eating twislers, eating twislers like Lady and the Tramp, Smiling, go to Taco Bell, Kaitlyn's softball games, wondering around Walmart, wearing glow bracelets, watching fireflies, say silly things on accident that makes him laugh, laughing, hit and runs with turkey vultures, illegally going to Michigan, people watching, first fridays....

To be continued....

Oh, It is love.

2011-04-22T07:25:00.000-07:00

Oh, it is love from the first time I set my eyes upon yours thinking "Oh, is it love?"

Oh dear
Its been hardly a moment
And you are already missed
There is still a bit of your skin
That I've yet to have kissed
Oh say, please do not go
When you know, oh you know that I must
Oh say, I love you so
You know (oh) you, oh know you can trust
We'll be holding hands once again
All our broken plans I will mend
I will hold you tight so you know
It is love from the first
Time I pressed my hand to yours
Thinking, "Oh, is it love?"

Oh, dear,
Its been hardly three days yet
And I'm longing to feel your embrace
There are several days
Until I can see your sweet face
Oh say, wouldn't you like to be older and married with me?
Oh say, wouldn't it be nice to know right now that we'll be
Someday holding hands in the end
All our broken plans will have been
I will kiss you soft so you know
It is love from the first
Time I pressed my lips against yours
Thinking, "Oh, is it love?"

Oh, your heart may long for love that is more near
So, when I'm gone these words will be here
To ease every fear
And dry up every tear
And make it very clear
I kiss you and I know
It is love from the first
Time I press my lips against yours
Thinking, "Oh, is it love?"

Oh it is love from the first
Time I set my lips against yours
Thinking, "Oh, is it love?"

I kiss you and I know
It is love from the first
Time I set my lips against yours
Thinking, "Oh, is it love?"

Neglection and a side of Writer's Block.

2011-04-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

I have neglected my blog. Obviously. I think the last time I posted was before Christmas. But I just don't know what to write. I need a topic.

A Word from the Wise

2010-12-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

You are so young; you stand before beginnings. I would like to beg of you, dear friend, as well as I can, to have patience with everything that remains unsolved in your heart. Try to love the questions themselves, like locked rooms and books written in a foreign language. Do not look for the answers. They cannot be given to you because you could not live them. It is a question of experiencing everything. At present you need to live the question. Perhaps you will gradually, without even noticing it, find yourself experiencing the answer, some distant day. Perhaps you are indeed carrying within yourself the potential to visualize, to design, and to create for yourself an utterly satisfying, joyful, and pure lifestyle. Discipline yourself to attain it, but accept that which comes to you with deep trust, and as long as it comes from your own will, from your own inner need, accept it, and do not hate anything.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

Bittersweet

2010-12-07T19:47:00.000-08:00

Since my other blog about this was for a separate site, I would like to expand now. In here.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!"
-- Author Unknown

Throughout your life, you will meet people that amaze you and that you look up to, and sometimes they're there to stay for a long time or hardly at all. All I can say is that I wish I had more time to spend with you. I love coming to school because I know there is a possibility that I could miss another learning experience or funny moment, and I know that you have opened my eyes and furthered my passion for music, and I wouldn't have wanted this semester to be any other way.

I am so happy that you are the one person who just always listened to what I had to say and you didn't judge me because of it. You are the perfect type of friend and I really hope we can keep in touch! I want to know where you end up. Maybe I'll transfer? Haha. You're going to go far. I have faith in you.

Keep in touch with me! Best wishes! Let's get together sometime. Maybe the IU Music Camp is in my future... :)

Things I learned from Miss Pratt

2010-11-29T20:16:00.001-08:00

As most semesters are drawing to a close, I would like to reflect on a student teacher that has been at the High School with me since my first day. She has been like a breath of fresh air, very helpful, and I know my friends and I will miss her. She was always so interested in what we were playing and had so many suggestions and positive words of encouragement. So now, I present my list of things I have learned from Miss Pratt:

- It's fun to see over people love orchestra, too!

- Cello: one over, one under.

- When teachers express their love for a certain piece, it helps kids love them too. *cough* St. Paul's Suite.... *cough*

- When you grow up and buy adult pants, always buy pants with pockets in them.

- The hardest note to get in tune is a first finger F on the E string.

- Cool people wear Hello Kitty band aids.

-----------------------

I'll add to this as I think of more. I hope she's successful teaching and I'll see her again sometime. I'd like to know where she ends up - I'll be following in her footsteps one day :)

All Passes - Art Endures

2010-11-29T20:15:00.001-08:00

NOTE: I actually wrote this yesterday, November 28th.

Earlier this month I took a trip to Chicago to see the Chicago Symphony for my fifteenth birthday. Before the performance my mother and I were strolling down Michigan Avenue towards the "haunted" Congress Plaza Hotel. As we were walking, I noticed advertisements for a large sheet music shop and violin makers on a building called the "Fine Arts Building."

Sadly, it was closed for the night but my mom promised she would take me back as soon as she could.

Today, I finally got to go back.

I am mystified by this building. Walking in, I felt like I had time traveled back a hundred years. I half expected to see Stradivari himself, working, after being lost in his element after all this time. As I ventured further, I met the elevator operator, who pulled his lever back and sent us flying to the 9th floor, as I watched through the open wall in front of me. It reminded me of 1408. Ha.

I highly recommend checking out Performer's Music, a sheet music shop in suite 904. This was the most amazing sheet music shop I have ever set foot in. Or walking up the stairs to the Stradivari Society. Step back in time for awhile.

Cliche.

2010-11-25T13:59:00.000-08:00

I notice as I read facebook profiles that they almost always say "Music is my life." Which is great, we all do. It's turning into a cliche phrase. What does it really mean when you say that music is your life? Do you ever stop to think about what goes into making that (usually terrible) mainstream pop song you listen to? What did it evolve from? And by you not having that one song, could you not have survived? I think you just mean that you find joy out of listening to music - whether it's classical or rap crap.

There is a difference between me and these cliche people I talk about. I make music. I don't just listen to it. And I don't just love it, I am passionate about it. If you took my violin away from me, I would be a completely different person.

Family unhurt in Goshen blaze

2010-11-02T04:19:00.000-07:00

Family unhurt in Goshen blaze

This was Brianna's family, keep them in your prayers!

Discouragement.

2010-10-09T18:36:00.000-07:00

Since I feel too kind to reply to your email personally, I will reply on here. Since I know you would never read my blog.

I will start by answering your questions.

1 - I am in 9th Grade.
2 - Right now with Madison, I am working on the Bach Concerto in A minor. I recently finished the Vivaldi Concerto mvmts 1/3.
3 - I am not using the book position etudes.
4 - I have no problem with 2 octave arpeggios, and I am learning 3 octave scales.
5 - Every day, I have from the time I get home (around 3:30) until I feel like going to bed to practice. On the weekends, I have basically all day Saturday to practice. Sunday I am in South Bend and I do homework.
6 - I would not have to give up any activities to practice 2-3 hours a day. I get bored, and I play for that long. I'm not on the computer that much. Maybe if I had something to actually practice, I could make good use of my time.
7 - Last year for ISSMA, I played the Gavotte from Book 3 and I got a 9.5 rating. I have improved so much since then.

You have not heard me play privately in a lesson for almost two years. You have no idea what I sound like at this present moment in time. I have improved so much over the summer.

Of the pieces on Interlochen's list, only one is required. Not all. I wanted to do the Bruch concerto. Not that you want to know or anything, but I can already play half of it. If I did that, I could also compete with the SBYSO in the Concerto competition. Not that you'd come to watch anyway.

Although you strongly believe in the order of the suzuki books, I strongly believe that I can do whatever I put my mind to. And honestly, that is what matters to me.

I want to grow up and be a violinist. I want to perform, and I want to teach. I would like to go to Yale College as an undergraduate and double major in performance and Education. I wouldn't mind giving private lessons. But I want to be the type of teacher that is willing to work on what my student wants - If I see that my student is eager to learn, I will teach them all I can. I won't hold them back.

And I won't ever discourage them.

End of an Era - Oliver Boyd and the Remembralls.

2010-10-09T06:51:00.000-07:00

V1.
Don’t you ever wonder what
Will happen when it ends?
How can we let go of the
Ones who we call friends?
And I know, it’s only a story, but
For so many it’s more than that.
It’s a world, all on its own where we
Want to put on that Sorting Hat.

Chorus.
I will miss the train ride in.
And the pranks pulled by the twins.
And though it’s nowhere I have been
I’ll keep on smiling from the times I had with them.

V2.
Could there ever be again
Another one like this?
One that’s brought us together and
Started its own music movement?

Bridge.
Soon we will see it closed.
The final chapter exposed.
It’s an end of an era
And I’m seeing clearer
That nothing will ever be the same.

List of Accomplishments.

2010-10-07T14:19:00.001-07:00

6th Grade
______________________________________________
Goshen Middle School 6th Grade Orchestra
ISSMA Solo and Ensemble - Gold Ensemble Rating
Varsity Volleyball Team
Junior Varsity Basketball Team

7th Grade
______________________________________________
Goshen Middle School 7th Grade Orchestra
ISSMA Solo and Ensemble - Gold Ensemble Rating
ISSMA Solo and Ensemble - Silver Solo Rating
Private Violin Lessons
ASTA All-Region Orchestra Festival Participant
- Honored for Achievement by Goshen Community School Board
Elkhart County Junior Youth Honors Orchestra
Goshen Middle School Yearbook Committee
Goshen Middle School Ski Club
National Junior Honor Society
Varsity Volleyball Team

8th Grade
_____________________________________________
Goshen Middle School 8th Grade Orchestra
ISSMA Solo and Ensemble - Gold Ensemble (1) Rating
ISSMA Solo and Ensemble - Gold Ensemble (2) Rating
ISSMA Solo and Ensemble - Gold Solo Rating
Private Violin Lessons
ASTA All-Region Orchestra Festival Participant
Goshen College Vivace Ensemble
Maple City Chamber Orchestra
Goshen Middle School Yearbook Committee
Goshen Middle School Teen Court
Goshen Middle School Student Council
Goshen Middle School Ski Club
Goshen Middle School Builder’s Club (Secretary)
National Junior Honor Society
Who’s Who Academic Excellence Award

9th Grade
_____________________________________________
Goshen High School Philharmonic Orchestra
ISSMA Solo and Ensemble -
Private Violin Lessons
Maple City Chamber Orchestra
Elkhart County Youth Honors Orchestra
South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra
Goshen Summer Youth Orchestra
Beginning Orchestra Volunteer
Goshen High School Student Government (Secretary)
Goshen High School French Club

Louis II

2010-09-01T21:06:00.000-07:00

Last Monday, I adopted Louis II, successor of Louis I.

More like married him. ;)

He and I are going to have many new and exciting adventures.

Especially now that MCCO has started. It feels so much different now.

Before, I had to TRY to get the sound to come out how I wanted, but now it just pours out. Every violinist needs to find an instrument that sounds good with them and their style. It doesn't matter so much how well your teacher thinks it sounds if it sounds natural when you play it.

I love Louis II.

Audition... Among other things.

2010-09-01T20:50:00.000-07:00

Today: Besides missing school (if I miss 4 more days I'll fail all my classes) I auditioned for South Bend Youth Symphony Orchestra. Although it's not exactly the prestigious orchestra of Interlochen School of the Arts, it's the closest thing you'll get around here. The audition went well, or so it felt. I won't know until tomorrow how well I did or what placement I received. There are two main options, Symphonic or Philharmonic, then Violin 1 or Violin 2 inside both of those. If I didn't make Symphonic (since I didn't try out using 3 octave scales) then the most I can hope for is Violin 1 for Philharmonic. Which I wouldn't mind - my goal would be principal violin that way.

I arrived feeling slightly nervous, only to enter the practice room with a dude playing some sort of band instrument, a cellist, and a younger violinist who was scratching out Gavotte from Suzuki book 2 or 3. I opened my case to tune wishing that I could be warming-up in a room that wasn't full of college-aged musicians or people just hanging out. I warmed up with a few scales and practiced a few parts of my piece. I noticed while I was practicing quite a few people stopped to watch, including the Gavotte Girl. The cellist kept plowing on through Bach's Cello Suite No 1 which sounded pretty good, and I'm sure if he wasn't nervous he would have gone a little slower. I felt comfortable in the room and practiced a few other pieces to adjust. Then they called my name.

I was lead up to room 100, up the stairs and to the left. In the room it was rather stuffy and crowded with tables stacked up everywhere. In the back of the room there was a stand, and one table set out with two judges smiling and waiting for me. They picked the scales I was dreading - although prepared for. But what I noticed most is that it wasn't as hard for me as before. It's getting easier to play for people. That's my goal. Results tomorrow.

Music is good.

Light and Dark Rosin: The Difference?

2010-08-10T18:08:00.000-07:00

You'll always see the two different kinds of rosin. Dark, and light. But what's the difference?

Basically, rosin is the most important part of your set up, and also the least expensive. It makes the hairs on your bow sticky so they can grasp the strings when you slide it across. You could compare it to fishermen all hooking some fish at the same time.

Light: Some argue that light rosin is the best choice for treble instruments. It's harder and doesn't melt as easy.

Dark: Most people say this is softer, more likely to melt, and has a better grip. Sometimes you get a light rosin with a dark color added.

But there are other things that go into picking the best rosin for your instrument. Where you live and your climate could change what you should use. Your type of strings and brand of rosin may or may not mix well together. Some rosins can increase the build-up you get making you have to clean it more - although you should wipe it after you play every time.

One brand of rosin compared to another can completely change the tone of your instrument.

Also, another factor... whether your bow is made of synthetic hair, or horse hair. Horse hair is always the best for playing.

Update.

2010-08-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

I'm kind of sad to say that beginning orchestra is over for this year. It's one of those things that no matter how hectic the day before was, you keep on going back. You get to share what you know with the little kids and sometimes add your few cents about what you think is important, tricks, and tips, that will help them be successful. I know there are some things I wish my helpers would have told me that would have helped. I get to be silly and make mistakes too - and I think that helped some of the kids to keep coming back. And now, they know someone older than them they'll run into sometimes. :)

I think I learned a lot about myself and was able to correct some things about my own playing in the process. Going back and re-learning the bow hold made me more confident in my own.

I can't imagine not doing this for all the summers through High School. :)

-----------------

I really want to learn to play the viola d'amore. I have no idea where to buy one or where I could get lessons (although Rachel Barton Pine said she'd give anyone who wants one a lesson....)

I've also got a baroque violin coming soon. I'm going to try and get a special fingerboard put onto it along with a matching tailpiece. Then I'll have to look for a baroque bow.

I'm starting to understand why Rachel quit school and homeschooled instead. There is just so much to do and learn plus school it's hard to balance it all!

-----------------

School starts Friday. I'm excited. Not really nervous, because as long as I have a map I'll be fine. I'll just highlight my different classes and color code them so that I know how to get there easily. Orchestra is first period. 3 days a week I'll wake myself up in the perfect way. :)

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I'll add more to this later.

Repose en paix, mon chat

2010-07-19T11:04:00.000-07:00

Today I would like to look back on a cat, a little friend, I've had since I was 3 or 4. Even through the end he's been the greatest little friend for me. I'm guessing he died last night before we got home from Toronto - otherwise I'm sure our friend Gary would have told me, since he was keeping us updated in texts. He died alone. When we got to the house, I knew he was gone, and I didn't want to go down to the basement and get him. Before we left, I knew he was sick and probably wouldn't make it to see us again, so I told him, "Little buddy, if you need to go while we're gone you can. I understand. But that doesn't mean I don't love you and want you to." Three days later I got the text that his legs were failing him and he was having trouble getting around... and I knew it was getting closer to being the end. I used this song for Pup when he died in mama's arms two years ago, and I'm going to use it again.

You're in a better place, I've heard a thousand times
And at least a thousand times I've rejoiced for you
But the reason why I'm broken, the reason why I cry
Is how long must I wait to be with you

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
I've never been more homesick than now

Help me Lord cause I don't understand your ways
The reason why I wonder if I'll ever know
But, even if you showed me, the hurt would be the same
Cause I'm still here so far away from home

I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through
somehow I've never been more homesick than now

In Christ, there are no goodbyes
And in Christ, there is no end
So I'll hold onto Jesus with all that I have
To see you again
To see you again

And I close my eyes and I see your face
If home's where my heart is then I'm out of place
Lord, won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow
Won't you give me strength to make it through somehow

I've never been more homesick than now.
-Homesick, Mercy Me.

A Great Night

2010-07-12T12:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday my mom and I drove to Millennium Park in Chicago to see Rachel Barton Pine get the Great Performer of IL award for 2010. Afterward she played a concert consisting of her three groups - her Trio, Illinois Symphony Orchestra, and Earthen Grave. During her first performance, it started pouring rain and storming. Now... Millennium Park is nice, but it's outside. So to go along with the amazing baroque performance we had a little extra bass beat in the background. She went on through her Symphony performance which was great, and then Earthen Grave played, and I didn't know an electric violin could sound so cool. Haha. Most people had given up on staying dry by this time and were splashing in the puddles but mom and I refused to give up on the umbrella. There was a crazy dude dancing in the aisle and yelling things during the concert.

Then I went to stand in line to meet her, and I was pretty much in the front of the line. I took my bridge off my violin at home and had her sign it. When I told her who I was, she remembered me from an email I wrote her telling her how ironic we were in comparison. How cool is that?! I still need to tell her that she likes Maude Powell - my orchestra teacher's name is Mr. Powell. She took a picture with me and I accidentally deleted it on the way home, and I cried about it. I'm not ashamed to say so. I'm trying to recover it using www.cardrecovery.com but I'm not sure if it'll work - but I really hope so.

2010 Great Performer of Illinois Award

2010-07-10T09:38:00.000-07:00

2010 Great Performer of Illinois Award Presentation & Concert | Explore Chicago

I will be attending this tomorrow night. I am going to see Rachel Barton Pine, a violinist. We have many similarities; red hair, the violin, middle names, last names, and string choice. I hope to get to meet her - she usually sticks around for autographs (says on her website) and so it would be interesting to meet her. Maybe we're related?

Beastly by Alex Flinn

2010-07-10T08:32:00.001-07:00

Beastly by Alex Flinn

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"A beautiful thing is precious, no matter the price."

This has the same plot as Beauty and the Beast, but it's set in NYC with two teenagers. A popular, rich, gorgeous guy and a not-so-noticeable girl attending a private school on scholarship. The boy is transformed into a beast by a "witch" and given two years to find true love or be stuck that way forever.

Other books by this author: Breathing Underwater, Breaking Point, A Kiss in Time, Nothing to Lose, Fade to Black, and Diva.

View all my reviews >>

French Poetry

2010-07-05T23:15:00.001-07:00

J'ay Desiré Cent Fois
Pierre de Ronsard

J'ay desiré cent fois me transformer, et d'estre
Un espirit invisible, afin de me cacher
Au fond de vostre coeur, pour l'humeur rechercher
Qui vous fait contre moy si cruelle apparoistre.

Si j'estois dedans vous, au moins je serois maistre
De l'humeur qui vous fait contre l'Amour pecher,
Et si n'auriez ny pouls, ny nerfs dessous la chair,
Que je ne recherchasse à fin de vous cognoistre.

Je s¸aurois maugré vous et voz complexions,
Toutes voz volontez, et voz conditions,
Et chasserois si bien la froideur de voz veins,

Que les flames d'amour vous y allumeriez:
Puis quand je les voirrois de son feu toutes pleines,
Je me referois homme, et lors vous m'aimeriez

Translation:
I Want to Be Inside You
Pierre de Ronsard

A hundred times I wish I could transform myself
And become an invisible spirit that hides inside your heart
And seeks to comprehend your scorn
Which seems to me so cruel.

I would become master of your emotion.
I would discover the pulse of your nerves
As they flow through your flesh and change
Your disdain. And then I would know you.

In spite of yourself, against your will
I would be a part of your desires and your terms.
And I would chase the coolness from your veins.

So perfectly, love could set fire to you,
Then, when I saw them burst into full flame,
I would step out and be a man again.

Show and Tell.

2010-07-01T21:51:00.000-07:00

What I miss most about elementary school, specifically first grade and kindergarten, is show and tell. Every Friday, we would have the chance to bring in something that was important to us - a piece of us - to share with everyone else. I haven't gotten to do anything like that since then. I think that no matter how old you are - sometimes it's important to take piece of yourself and share it with everyone else. Do teachers even do that anymore? I think it helps to make kids more understanding of each other. It shows them that "hey, this might be important to you, but this is important to me."

I'll add more to this later.

Long Live Harry Potter.

2010-07-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

For the past 10 years of my life, there has been Harry Potter.

Within the next two years, it will be over. I won't have something to look forward to in that regard. The movies will be finished. The books have been finished for a few years. What more can they do? I still believe that JKR should write one more book about Harry Potter. One more. She should rewind through the last few pages of Deathly Hallows and talk more about what happens to these characters. After all - I've known them for ten years. They're almost like family to me. I think I'm going to finish up my other books and reread the series.

Every time I watch this trailer, I get goosebumps.

I'm in love....

2010-06-30T10:04:00.000-07:00

Guess who's coming to practice?
(read the above first!)

With a violin.

I can relate to this blog that Laurie Niles posted. My violin repairman (www.stringdokter.com) showed me this relatively new, whose creation was overseen by a skilled German maker. It was handmade, but "antiqued" to look old. It's a select model, and there aren't very many of them in existence. It's one of a kind :)

When I first saw it, I wasn't so sure I would like it. I relate to what Laurie posted - I only wanted to date this fiddle, and now it wants a marriage. A two thousand dollar marriage, not including a new bow. But I will find a way to be with this violin, whatever it may take.

Quotes

2010-06-27T15:48:00.000-07:00

I had a lot of quotes saved in my computer, I thought I might move them here since they take up space.

"Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you.' Mature love says 'I need you because I love you.'" --Erich Fromm

"We loved with a love that was more than love." --Edgar Allan Poe

"In the end, everything is a gag." --Charlie Chaplin

"When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love." --J.K. Rowling

"I'm all in favor of keeping dangerous weapons out of the hands of fools. Let's start with typewriters."-- Frank Lloyd Wright

"My advice to you is get married: if you find a good wife you'll be happy; if not, you'll become a philosopher." --Socrates

"You got to be careful if you don't know where you're going, because you might not get there." --Yogi Berra

"When you are in Love you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams." -- Dr. Seuss

"Love is a promise, love is a souvenir, once given never forgotten, never let it disappear." --John Lennon

"We all live with the objective of being happy. Our lives are all different yet the same." --Anne Frank

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -- Maya Angelou

Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same.
-- Helen Keller

"The most beautiful things in the world are not seen nor touched. They are felt with the heart." -- Helen Keller

" Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down." -- Oprah Winfrey

"You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you, but at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach, because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you." -- Frederick Buechner

"Only one person in a thousand is a bore, and he is interesting because he is one person in a thousand." --Harold Nicolson

"Hold every person close to your heart, you could wake up and realize they’re gone forever." --Unknown

"Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it...It really is worth fighting for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk everything, you risk even more." -- Erica Jong

“Love is like a violin. The music may stop now and then, but the strings remain forever.” --Unknown

“Irritability is immaturity of character. If you are subject to being cross and unpleasant with other for no apparent reason, you need to come face-to-face with the fact that you are thinking too much of yourself. After all, your feelings are not the most important things in this world.”

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.” -- James Dean

“Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what? Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” -- Mark Victor Hansen

“Few can foresee whither their road will lead them, till they come to its end.” -- JRR Tolkien

"Sometimes when you look back on a situation, you realize it wasn't all you thought it was. A beautiful girl walked into your life. You fell in love. Or did you? Maybe it was only a childish infatuation, or maybe just a brief moment of vanity." -Henry Bromel

Decorus Duo

2010-06-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

My best friend Brianna and I have joined together to create "The Decorus Duo," a two-person ensemble aimed at playing for weddings, parties, and other small events. We are still working on our webpage so for info before it's done, you'll have to contact us.

You can visit our website at:
www.wix.com/decorusduo/thedecorusduo

Essential Characteristics for Music Teachers

2010-06-27T09:08:00.000-07:00

Nancy Shankman: Essential Characteristics for Music Teachers

You have to be passionate about what you’re doing. You have to love children. You have to love music. You have to love bringing music to children. You have to be organized. You have to be well prepared. And you have to be able to take the good days with the bad days. Not every day is great, but sometimes when you have a really great day, it makes up for all the other days that weren’t so great.

And you know, it’s interesting, music teachers always have a chance to perform and they always have a chance to get the applause. Other teachers of other disciplines are sometimes resentful of that because all they have to worry about is whether their kids are going to test well on the math test. And they don’t get the kind of kudos that a music teacher does. So [for] the music teacher, it’s implicit in their operations in a school to include, to be as inclusive as they can of other teachers in working with their programs so that everyone gets the applause.

Preparation is a very important thing. Anybody that goes in there and wings it is not going to be very successful because students pick it up right away. So, a teacher has to be well prepared and a teacher has to know the music that they’re teaching. [It’s] very important. A teacher has to be sensitive to the needs and learning styles of the students in her class. And not everybody learns the same way. The actual classroom management piece is probably the most difficult thing for students to learn. Because while you can teach certain techniques, other things are just experience. The more you do it, the better you get at it.

And we try to send them to schools where the teachers they work with are masters of what they do, so that they have good role models. Then I also look for: Do they love it? Do the kids love them? Because if they’re going to do this for the rest of their lives, they better love it. I would hope that they come out of that student teaching experience, as most of them do, and say “oh I love it there. I love it there.” And if I hear that, then I know they’re going to be successful.

To be very honest I think you can teach it up to a point. But it’s something…you can learn classroom management, you can learn how to choose repertoire, you can learn how to write a lesson plan. But to teach someone to be passionate about something… you either got it or you don’t. And if a person doesn’t, and they really are having a hard time and they really don’t seem to be enjoying what they’re doing, I encourage them to look at another area, look somewhere else. Because they’re not going to be happy or successful. So why start out with something that you’re not going to want to do for the rest of your life?

I really think it’s a calling, because your day doesn’t end at three o’clock. And I’m not saying that other teachers’ days end at 3 o’clock. They have to take papers home, they have to grade them and so forth. But you have rehearsals after school, you work with individual students, and the older they get, you prepare them for auditions. It’s just not a nine to three job. And then if you’re a musician and you do your own music outside of school, it’s a full time profession. For the music teacher, students need individualized ensemble rehearsals after school, and need to go to performances and need to be exposed to the world of Arts outside of school.

In addition, music teachers themselves need to do music outside of school. It’s like a doctor who continually takes courses to be up to date on the latest techniques. A person who doesn’t practice his or her own music, loses something and loses something in their teaching. The more you are a musician, the better teacher you are.

- http://www.artistshousemusic.org/videos/essential+characteristics+for+a+music+teacher

Varnish.

2010-06-21T11:18:00.000-07:00

Recently, I put a sticker in the shape of a heart on my shoulder and ended up sunburned like that.

I was thinking.

What if you could do that with violin varnish?

You could put an itty-bitty heart on the back, in perhaps the corner, and stain everywhere but the heart, getting as close as possible, leave it on while it dries, and clear coat polish over it.

Just a thought.

Antonio Stradivari

2010-06-20T20:24:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in awhile. I guess that's the downside of having to be in three different places at once when there is only one of you. Every day since school got out I go to PE from 8-12, sometimes longer. On Tues/Thurs, as soon as that gets out I go to orchestra, where I should have been two hours prior. That is usually over at 12:30 and then I hang out for a bit, go home, eat, shower, and then I go help Mr. Powell with the 5th grade beginning orchestra from 3:30 to 6. After that, I finally get to relax and I'm usually so exhausted I fall asleep not long after that.

OK. Back to the real reason for this post.

Lately, I have been fascinated by violins from mainly the late 16th century and early 17th century. That was the time of Antonio Stradivari (1644-1737), who is considered to be the best violin-maker ever, beating Andrea Amati (1500's) and the Guarneri family (17/1800's) for quality. All three were Italian families from around the area of Cremona.

Make sure you don't get his last name mixed up with what he put on his makers tag, which was often printed or handwritten. Tags that are authentic read "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonesis Faciebet Anno (date)." That is latin. It's the maker, where it was made, and the date. His instruments are also often referred to as "strads."

During his lifetime, he made over 1,100 instruments. Only an estimated 630 of them survive, 512 of which are violins. But Stradivari didn't just make violins, he made everything. Violins, "viols" (or violas), the violoncello (or cello), and guitars. I'm not positive as to whether he made the double bass or if it was around at that time. Only one guitar is left in existence. Many of his instruments were ruined in floods, fires, accidents, at sea, and during WWII. Surviving instruments today sell for 2 million dollars or more.

Yo-Yo Ma, a celebrated cellist, plays the "Davidov" Stradivarius cello which is on loan to him. You can visit a Strad violin at the National Music Museum in South Dakota, where it is currently on exhibit.

It's a new day.

2010-05-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

Every summer, it's harder than the last.
I get closer to being completely done with school.
There are four more years.
Four very short years.

I've just left a phase of my life.
I'm a high schooler now.
No more "Mama fus"
or Mr. Wilson and his guitar.

We're all a little different now.
We're moving on.
No more familiar halls.
Cheers, to four very short years.

Let's make it last.

Multi-Genre Project - Dear Reader

2010-05-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

Dear Reader,
Throughout your lifetime, there is always going to be an open door for you. A chance for you to learn or try something new. It may or may not be worth it in the end. You have to choose the ones you want to close and the ones you want to open. You’re going to make big decisions and small decisions. Some of them might seem small but grow into something that changes your life. That’s what happened to me.

One of the best decisions I made when I was younger was choosing orchestra over band. Then that broke into a smaller decision: violin, viola, cello, or bass. I chose violin, and I love it. I’ve spent just as much time with my violin as I have with my friends. It’s a part of me. I consider it human; in a way, it reflects the emotions that humans can feel. Some of the best compositions were made for the violin when someone was feeling sad, heartbroken, or happy.

I chose this as my focus because it’s important to me. I can’t imagine who I would be if I hadn’t picked it in fourth grade and started something that 30 years from now, I won’t forget. I’m going to continue playing. I’ll never give it up.
I hope you enjoy my project.

Alexis Barton

Maple City Chamber Orchestra

2010-05-09T09:54:00.000-07:00

Orchestra Springfest

2010-05-09T09:49:00.000-07:00

Whining.

2010-05-02T19:05:00.000-07:00

Let's pretend that you are the parent of a small child. As your child gets older, you have to choose how you are going to raise them. Are you going to give in to whining, or are you not? No matter how much you love your child, you can't always give them what they want.

Now let's say that you chose to give in to your child every time he or she whined. They'll use this over and over on you, to get what they want. They'll grow up and use it on other adults and friends. So pretend you're at the store, and they really want a toy. Then the next day, they want this game. Then the next day, it's something else. Each time they whined for it. Sooner or later they're gonna realize that every time they whine - they get what they want.

But let me tell you. When teenagers and adults whine... SO NOT COOL! I think that when teenagers whine about something - and let me define it... being irritated to the point where it's all you hear about - I can't stand it. ESPECIALLY after they get what they want, and they're acting all yippie skippy about it. I think they need to get knocked back a few steps and know what their place is.

28 days

2010-05-01T21:00:00.000-07:00

There are 28 days until I am officially out of school.

I am almost a freshman.

It's sad to think there are a lot of lasts... Friday was the last concert at the middle school. Soon there will be the last of this class, and that class, or that hallway or this teacher. Some of those teachers I might never see again. Now I'm moving on to new people (or the same old people that went to some of the same elementary schools as I did) but everyone is supposed to act more mature, and not let little things bother them. There will be more hallways and more ground to cover. New areas to get lost in. There will be French... Which I miss so much. Pretty soon I'll learn to drive, I'll have my sweet 16... I'll continue with orchestra, I'll graduate a International Baccalaureate.

These past three years have flown past so quickly. I can't imagine how high school will feel.

Miss Independent

2010-04-28T18:06:00.001-07:00

Miss independent
Miss self sufficient
Miss keep your distance mmmmm
Miss unafraid
Miss out my way
Miss don't let a man interfere, no
Miss on her own
Miss almost grown
Miss never let a man help her off her throne
So, by keeping her heart protected
She’d never ever feel rejected
Little miss apprehensive
said ooo, she fell in love

What is this feeling taking over
Thinking no one could open the door
Surprise it’s time to feel what’s real
What happened to Miss independent
No longer need to be defensive
Goodbye old you when love is true!

Miss guarded heart
Miss play it smart
Miss if you want to use that line you better not start, no
But she miscalculated
She didn’t want to end up jaded
And this Miss decided not to miss out on true love
So, by changing her misconceptions
She went in a new direction
And found inside she felt a connection
She fell in love

What is this feeling taking over
Thinking no one could open the door
Surprise it’s time to feel what’s real
What happened to Miss independant
No longer need to be defensive
Goodbye old you when love, when love is true

When Miss independent walked away
No time for love that came her way
She looked in the mirror and thought today
What happened to Miss no longer afraid
It took some time for her to see

How beautiful love could truly be
No more talk of why can’t that be me
I’m so glad I finally see…

What is this feeling taking over
Thinking no one could open the door
Surprise it’s time to feel what’s real
What happened to Miss independant
No longer need to be defensive
Goodbye old you when love
when love is true...

Miss independent

- Kelly Clarkson

Super Heroes

2010-04-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

These are our new nicknames....

Kaity: Batman
Me: Robin
Brianna C: Yoda
Brianna L: Catwoman
Cecile: The Incredible Hulk
Pamela: Superwoman
Jenn: Spiderman

I swear this time I mean it

2010-04-21T18:48:00.001-07:00

Oh Florida, please be still tonight
Don't disturb this love of mine
Look how she's so serene
You've gotta help me out

And count the stars to form in lines
And find the words we'll sing in time
I want to keep her dreaming
It's my one wish, I won't forget this

I'm outdated, overrated
Morning seems so far way

So I'll sing a melody
And hope to God she's listening
Sleeping softly while I sing
And I'll be your memories
Your lullaby for all the times
Hoping that my voice could get it right

If luck is on my side tonight
My clumsy tongue will make it right
And wrists that touch
It isn't much, but it's enough
To form imaginary lines
Forget your scars, we'll forget mine
The hours change so fast
Oh God, please make this last

'Cause I'm outdated, overrated
Morning seems so far way

So I'll sing a melody
And hope to God she's listening
Sleeping softly while I sing
And I'll be your memories
Your lullaby for all the times
Hoping that my voice could get it right
Could get it right

You could crush me
Please don't crush me
'Cause baby I'm a dreamer for sure
And I won't let you down
I swear this time I mean it

And I'll sing a melody
And hope to God she's listening
Sleeping softly while I sing
And I'll be your memories
Your lullaby for all the times
Hoping that my voice could get it right

- Mayday Parade

The Adventures of....

2010-04-17T19:33:00.000-07:00

.....A break dancing cheese boy

Narrator: This is me.
Setting: Wit da brothas in da hood

Once upon a time, there was a break dancing kid that went to Eby Pine's skating rink.

"Break it down now.... Woah, Woooah. Sing it to me baby in my head right now..."

When he got tired of break dancing, he and his "boyfriend" went to eat ice cream. When he was throwing his trash away, he rolled through a mess of cheese that two goofy girls accidentally dropped on the floor. Then to express his anger, he exclaimed "AWW, my wheel!"

"This plain vanilla ice cream tastes heavenly while I'm with you...."

Then to finish the night off, he and his boyfriend went to skate together to Ricky Martin.

TO BE CONTINUED.

Heartfelt Conversation

2010-04-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Mr. Powell and I worked on some of my maple city music.

He asked me some pretty basic questions about myself, such as why I play the violin, how long have I been taking lessons, what clubs am I involved in, etc. But towards the end he asked me about my solo I was supposed to be doing for CSA today.

I am a very shy person. Don't get me wrong, I can be silly with my friends but that's just like the saying that there are strength in numbers. I am a perfectionist, and sometimes when things don't go as planned, I get upset. But I hate to give up. I am the type of person where if I think you are doing something wrong, I'm going to tell you. If you're acting like the world's worst nightmare, I'm going to tell you. It's nothing personal, but I just live my life knowing that every second I'm mad, it's a second of happiness I won't get back. Life is too short to be unhappy.

With this in mind, take into consideration last year's solo. I didn't feel prepared, and I didn't do too well either. Now, this time this solo rolls around and I don't have half of it memorized. The first page is like perfection, but the second page isn't quite ready. I'm supposed to be playing it from memory today, but I told my lessons teacher that if I got up on that stage and I played, I'd get to the second page and it would be downhill from there. I was not ready to play today. So I'm not.

So I explained a lot of this to Mr. Powell, and he understood how I felt. He elaborated that when he was my age, he was a lot like me. He was shy, involved in a lot of clubs, and a perfectionist. It was nice to know that someone understood. He knew what I meant when I said that I didn't want to do bad at the recital because I didn't want Mrs. Powell to be disappointed in me. I am glad to know that isn't the case.

I really am considering doing the solo at Mrs. Powell's recital in May, where I'll also be doing a duet with Jenni. More info on this later.

Goshen students earn ISSMA honors

2010-04-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

Goshen students earn ISSMA honors - The Elkhart Truth - Elkhart, IN

Indiana State School Music Association District Solo and Ensemble Contest results: Goshen Middle School and Goshen Community Schools fifth-grade orchestra students

Goshen's middle school orchestra entered 50 students in the contest, which was Jan. 30 at Memorial High School. Of those 44 received gold ratings.

Group III earning a gold rating:

* Violin Solo: Emma Roth, Natalie Evans, Alexis Barton, Lauren Graves

* Cello Solo: Kirsten Shriver

* Bass Solo: Zach Ganger

Group IV earning a gold rating:

* Violin Solo: Lily Nussbaum, Jenn Howar, Savanna Ponce, Amy Harris

* Viola Solo: Gabriel Chenier, Josh Bustos

* Bass Solo: Noah Shreiner, Matthew Williams, Benjamin Reimer, Ryan Meade

* String Trio: Alexis Barton-Violin, Josh Bustos-Viola, Ryan Doyle-Cello

* Violin Trio: Jennifer Howar, Alexis Dirmyer, Esther Lederach

* Misc. Trio No. 1: Nikkole Berkey, Noah Shreiner, Alex Metcalfe-Bass

* Misc. Trio No. 2: Daniel Thiery-Viola, Joel Moyer-Cello, Zach Ganger-Bass

* Violin Quartet: Savanna Ponce, Maria Mares, Melissa Ramos, Stephanie Quiroz

* Misc. Quartet: Lily Nussbaum, Bethany Pollock, Amy Harris-Violin, Natalie Evans-Harp

* String Quintet No. 1: Lauren Graves, Emma Roth-Violin, Sergio Bermudez, Gabriel Chenier-Viola, Kirsten Shriver-Cello

* String Quintet No. 2: Fatima Hernandez, Gisela Romero, Teresa Martinez, Nathalie Gonzalez-Violin, Veronica Macias Vasquez-Viola

* String Sextet No. 1: Teage Minier, Emily Stoltzfus, Clara Wieczorek, Amira Kupty, Alex Prater-Violin, Maddie Mathews-Cello

* String Sextet No. 2: CJ Hanna, Alejandro Reyes, Hector Aguero, Miguel Gamez-Violin, Corey Borem-Viola, Kainnen Black-Cello

* String Sextet No. 3: Karagen Garcia, Caroline Yonts, Esther Burgos, Leslie Jarret, Cecilia Avila, Hannah Puryear-Violin

* String Sextet No. 4: Teaosha Cunningham, Briana Gunn, Anthony Kuznetsov-Violin, Jacob Isnogle-Cello, Ryan Meade-Bass

* String Sextet No. 5: Claudia Davila, Adriana Davila, Viridiana Macias, Lupe Flores-Violin, Natalia Chavez, Elijah Lederach-Cello

* Large Ensemble No. 1: Alexis Barton, Jennifer Howar, Elizabeth Holbrook, Erin Clouse, Brianna Carmona-Violin, Courtney Jones-Viola, Pamela Studebaker-Cello

* Large Ensemble No. 2: Natalie Evans, Bethany Pollock, Lily Nussbaum, Anthony Kuznetsov-Violin, Daniel Thiery-Viola, Maggie Walters, Joel Moyer-Cello Zach Ganger, Ben Reimer-Bass

* Large Ensemble No. 3: Lily Nussbaum, Natalie Evans, Amy Harris, Bethany Pollock-Violin, Payton Walter, Jackie Reyes-Viola, Maggie Walters-Cello

* Large Ensemble No. 4: Omar Figueroa, Sonia Velazquez, Perla Lozano, Jasmine Diaz-Violin, Sabrina Garcia, TJ Longacre-Viola, Jacob Kaufman-Cello, Matthew Williams, Ben Reimer-Bass

Group V earning a gold rating:

* Violin Solo: Jenny Bustos, Emma Whitlow, Tiffany Culp, Dominique Brubaker

* Viola Solo: Dave Marshall, Chelsea Studebaker

* Cello Solo: Alexis Johnston, Rosemary Nussbaum

* Like String Instrument Choir: Mario Aguero, Evelina Badzuh, Jenny Bustos, Tiffany Culp, Ian Keim, Ethan Lapp, Molly Metcalfe, Ali Miller, Sophie Troyer, Jasmine Vazquez, Erik Villegas, Emma Whitlow, Hannah Snyder, Grace Roth, Sadie Yoder-Violin

* Large Ensemble No. 1: Chelsea Studebaker, Cassie Brown, Keila Flores, Dave Marshall, Rachel Horning-Viola, Chris Ubaldo, Alexis Johnston, Kelsey Reyes-Cello, Audrey Miller-Bass

* Large Ensemble No. 2: Kirsten Graves, Sergei Culp, Tiffany Culp, Lily Nussbaum-Violin, Noel Zak-Viola, Rosemary Nussbaum, Byeong Min Lim-Cello

Group III earning a silver rating:

* Violin Solo: Elizabeth Holbrook

* Viola Solo: Daniel Thiery

Group III earning a bronze rating:

* Cello Solo: Pamela Studebaker

Group IV earning a silver rating:

* Violin Solo: Lupe Flores, Teaosha Cunningham

* Cello Solo: Maddie Mathews

Lose Yourself

2010-04-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Look, if you had one shot, or one opportunity
To seize everything you ever wanted-One moment
Would you capture it or just let it slip?

His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy
There's vomit on his sweater already, mom's spaghetti
He's nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready to drop bombs,
but he keeps on forgettin what he wrote down,
the whole crowd goes so loud
He opens his mouth, but the words won't come out
He's choking now, everybody's joking now
The clock's run out, time's up over, bloah!
Snap back to reality, Oh there goes gravity
Oh, there goes Rabbit, he choked
He's so mad, but he won't give up that
Easy, no
He won't have it , he knows his whole back's to these ropes
It don't matter, he's dope
He knows that, but he's broke
He's so stagnant that he knows
When he goes back to his mobile home, that's when it's
Back to the lab again yo
This this whole rhapsody
He better go capture this moment and hope it don't pass him

[Hook:]
You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime yo

The soul's escaping, through this hole that it's gaping
This world is mine for the taking
Make me king, as we move toward a, new world order
A normal life is boring, but superstardom's close to post mortem
It only grows harder, only grows hotter
He blows us all over these hoes is all on him
Coast to coast shows, he's know as the globetrotter
Lonely roads, God only knows
He's grown farther from home, he's no father
He goes home and barely knows his own daughter
But hold your nose cause here goes the cold water
His hoes don't want him no mo, he's cold product
They moved on to the next schmoe who flows
He nose dove and sold nada
So the soap opera is told and unfolds
I suppose it's old partner', but the beat goes on
Da da dum da dum da da

[Hook]

No more games, I'ma change what you call rage
Tear this ************* roof off like 2 dogs caged
I was playing in the beginning, the mood all changed
I been chewed up and spit out and booed off stage
But I kept rhyming and stepwritin the next cypher
Best believe somebody's paying the pied piper
All the pain inside amplified by the fact
That I can't get by with my 9 to 5
And I can't provide the right type of life for my family
Cause man, these ******* food stamps don't buy diapers
And it's no movie, there's no Mekhi Phifer, this is my life
And these times are so hard and it's getting even harder
Trying to feed and water my seed, plus
Teeter totter caught up between being a father and a prima donna
Baby mama drama's screaming on and
Too much for me to wanna
Stay in one spot, another day of monotony
Has gotten me to the point, I'm like a snail
I've got to formulate a plot or I end up in jail or shot
Success is my only ************* option, failure's not
Mom, I love you, but this trailer's got to go
I cannot grow old in Salem's lot
So here I go is my shot.
Feet fail me not cause maybe the only opportunity that I got

[Hook]

You can do anything you set your mind to, man

- EMINEM

She "bangs"

2010-04-09T17:38:00.001-07:00

I decided recently that I wanted to chop the former bangs that I have been growing back out since 5th grade off. Again. This was a hard decision for me - I wasn't sure how I'd like bangs again, or what kind I should get.

While reading in the car on the way to the mall, my small ponytail flipped up in front of my face, creating an illusion that I actually had bangs that were side swept. I took a picture and all my friends thought they were real - most of them loved it.

With this in mind, and my scheduled hair appointment less than two days away, I began searching through photos online trying to find an idea of what I want. I have learned through very many bad haircuts that if you have a picture of what you want, it helps sooo much. So if you're trying something new, ever, keep that in mind.

So.... As of today, I have bangs. I love them.

Movie List: Update

2010-04-08T08:41:00.000-07:00

I have added to my movie list and have several to cross off.

Fried Green Tomatoes - 12/18/09
Forrest Gump - 12/21/09
The Devil Wears Prada - 4/5/10
Steel Magnolias - 12/20/09
Dirty Dancing - 12/19/09
Flight of the Navigator - 12/23/09
Harry and the Hendersons - 2/4/10
Willow - 4/2/10
Bad Boys 1 -
Bad Boys 2 -
Karate Kid 1 - 1/16/10
Karate Kid 2 - 2/10/10
Labyrinth - 4/2/10
Sound of Music - 3/24/10
Teen Wolf -
Tremors -
Bed Knobs & Broom Sticks -
White Noise - 4/7/10
My Girl -
Coming to America -
Ghost -
Girls just wanna have fun -
Ferris Bueller's Day Off -

Commentary: Denied

2010-03-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

In my English class, we are writing commentaries.

We spent several days brainstorming ideas on topics that we, individually, could write about. We needed to pick something we were passionate about so that we would have a strong voice when we were writing, and it wouldn't be as if we were writing something to be published in a text book. When we were picking out topics, the situation in Darfur, Sudan immediately came to mind. Last year I learned about the genocide that goes on there and the brutal ways of their government (www.savedarfur.com). This is something I have a strong opinion about, and since it's an opinion paper, I thought I'd have no problem getting my topic approved.

I was denied. My teacher said it was too "broad" and I needed to be more specific. So I was. I said I wanted to write my paper about how the US government should step in to stop the genocide. She asked me what they were being killed for, and I told her as much as I remembered without having to do research. She then told me that I couldn't write a paper about Darfur because it's something I already know a lot about and she wants us to expand our knowledge.

My question is.... How can you write a good opinion paper in the few days she is giving us, without knowing anything about what you're writing? Shouldn't you have enough background knowledge to have formed an opinion BEFORE you write the paper, so that you don't appear uneducated to your "readers?"

I then went on to try my luck at a different topic. The fact that Tom Sawyer is still banned in some schools. Why? I do not agree with banning books for any reason, especially a kiddie story about a reckless boy that has a theme park in designed Disney after it. If Disney can make a movie out of it and rate it G, why can't a middle school (better yet, a high school) put it on the shelf?

I was denied. I felt like she was arguing with my opinion with hers. The point of telling her our topics was so she knew what we were writing about, not so she could fight back before we even wrote our paper. In these two topics, I was trying to bring some individuality back into the classroom, which we are strongly lacking now-a-days. Everything is based on a group now. If you're with this group you get this grade, etc. That is not grading you based on your individual talents and intelligence.

So here I am, trying to do a topic I doubt anyone has done before. Instead of over half my class, doing cliche topics like abortion, adoption, and teen pregnancy. You read stories about those in the news every day. Yes, they're important. But I bet if you took a poll, society would say they're tired of reading about them. Why not do something out of the norm?

Make your own rosin

2010-03-29T16:54:00.000-07:00

The resin is extracted from the living tree, a process that does the tree no harm. Resin is not the tree´s "life-sap" - it serves only to seal off wounds. The wood also suffers no technical damage, as the "resined" area behind the area where the bark has been peeled off is restricted to a few millimetres. When the trunks are cut in order to tap the resin, these "rosined" pieces fall into the cut edges of the bark.

1) The first step in obtaining the resin is to remove the rough outer bark of trees which are to be tapped for the first time at a height of approximately 50 cm, at the beginning of the warmer season.

2) Use a special stirrup-shaped tool for scraping off the bark and making the drip channel

3) In the second step of the process, V-shaped grooves about 1 cm wide are cut into the thin inner layer of bark remaining after the first stage, using a plane. As a result of "wounding" the tree in this way, the resin begins to flow into the container hung under the cuts. The tree must be cut into again every 4-5 days.

4) Use a special tool for making the grooves cut in the surface of the trunk (plane, right side of tool) and for cleaning out the drip channel (left side)

Finishing:

When you have composed your ideal formula, mix it up and put it in a large vat, over the fire. After the resins are completely melted, pour the hot, liquid rosin into moulds placed on marmore. After 30 minutes, your rosins are ready for finishing - but here is a problem you didn't expect. The top surface has now got a hollow that will prevent the bow hair from collecting rosin properly during the first two months of use. To correct this, reverse the rosin after it is cool and completely hardened. Then you will have the ideal, flat surface. Now, polish this surface and put your stamp on it, confirming that it has been made personally by your self. Now afix the rosin to a soft cloth to protect your fingers.

ISSMA Contest

2010-03-21T07:53:00.000-07:00

Soloists (Pamela Studebaker and ME!)

Texting in Class

2010-03-12T13:24:00.001-08:00

The other day I was walking through the hallway and I heard a girl tell her friend that she wishes we were allowed to text in class. This got me thinking.

Half, if not more, of Goshen is failing. We had the worst ISTEP scores in our area last spring. This is because too many people just don't care. They don't care about their education or if they do well. So why should we get to take our phones in class?

The learning that some people DO pick up on would be lost, too. You'd constantly have phones beeping, and people would become so obsessed with texting their boyfriends and girlfriends that they'd pay no attention at all. It would be a distraction for anyone who WANTED to learn, like me.

It would also take away from what human interaction my generation has left. Now, you can basically talk to whoever you want to on facebook, email, or texting. You don't need to talk to your "friends" face to face. It's easier to speak your mind and say whatever you want about them so you don't have to speak it to their face.

I do not support this idea.

Aren't these the turtles from The Last Song...?

2010-03-11T04:10:00.000-08:00

Endangered listing eyed for US loggerhead turtles

BOSTON – The federal government on Wednesday recommended an endangered-species listing for the loggerhead turtles in U.S. waters, a decision that could lead to tighter restrictions on fishing and other maritime trades.

The massive, nomadic sea turtles have been listed since 1978 as threatened, a step below endangered, but federal scientists proposed ratcheting up the designation after reviewing the state of the species.

Researchers said primary threats to the loggerheads include injury and death from fishing gear and damage to their nesting areas.

The joint proposal by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's fisheries division and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is not a final decision. If approved, it puts loggerheads on track for an endangered listing by the summer of 2011. The proposal now enters a public comment period.

Environmental groups who'd been pushing an endangered listing said the proposal was a "turning point" they hope will lead to greater turtle protections.

"I think it's huge day for loggerhead sea turtles," said Elizabeth Griffin, a marine wildlife scientist at Oceana. "I think it really draws attention to the fact these turtles are not doing well and more needs to be done to protect them."

No one really knows how many loggerheads there are, or how many are being killed by fishing gear or other activities. A species doesn't need falling numbers to be endangered, it can get the listing if it's shown to be threatened by one of five factors, such as disease or "manmade factors affecting its continued existence."

Griffin cites a 40 percent drop in the number of nesting females in Florida over the last decade as evidence of trouble. But the Fisheries Survival Fund, an East Coast scallopers group, said in a letter early this month that nesting beach surveys can't provide good evidence of decline because they measure only mature females, who take at least 30 years to reach breeding age.

Shaun Gehan, an attorney for the Fisheries Survival Fund, said an endangered listing is unneeded for a species there's no evidence is in danger of extinction. If new protections are mandated for the turtle, it could affect not only fishermen, but maritime traffic, coastal development and waterfront use, Gehan said.

"We are extremely disappointed that they've taken this approach," he said.

Loggerheads are named for their large heads, which contain potent jaws that can crush the hard shells of prey such as conch. The turtles are about the size of a fist when they hatch and make a frenzied dash to the surf. But they typically grow to more than three feet in length and 250 pounds. The animal can log thousands of miles as it travels across oceans.

Barbara Schroeder, national sea turtle coordinator for NOAA's fisheries division, said the biggest threats to the North Pacific loggerhead include damage to primary nesting sites, which are mainly in Japan, as well as accidental snaring of the turtles in fishing gear.

Andrea Treece of San Francisco-based Center for Biological Diversity said the turtles get hooked by Hawaiian longline fishermen targeting swordfish and tuna and can be injured or drowned.

On the East Coast, the main threat to turtles is gear from the region's various fisheries, Schroeder said.

Gehan said that scallopers have developed dredges to keep the turtles out with a chain mat that covers the opening. Critics say the dredges keep turtles out, but also crush them, though survival fund officials say there's no evidence of that.

A primary benefit of the endangered status would be increased public pressure on protecting the species, Griffin said. But the government would also have to determine "critical habitats," such as where the turtles reproduce or forage. Such places could be subject to additional protections for the turtles, including restrictions on maritime development or fishing.

A balance needs to be found to help a species Griffin called "the ambassadors of our oceans" because they travel great distances and can be seen up close when they venture on land.

"I think that really gives people an appreciation for our turtles and marine life," she said.

- AP

Design your own snowboard

2010-03-10T19:09:00.000-08:00

This winter I decided to take up snowboarding. I already knew how to ski and I taught that as a Jr. Ski Instructor a couple times. I have noticed that people tend to shy away from skiing because they only hear about the accidents... same with snowboarding. It's not quite as bad as you think and if you're worried, there are many safety precautions you can take to make sure you don't get hurt.

If I had to compare snowboarding to skiing... Snowboarding is a lot harder. With skis, you basically have to know how to roller skate. If you can stand up and bend your knees, this is pretty easy for you. But with snowboarding, it's a lot easier to mess around and try out tricks. I'll admit, I got extremely frustrated when Tami had me out there at first. I kept falling and I felt like a newborn baby learning to walk... with my feet tied together. But after I picked it up, I loved it.

So that made me wonder.... I mean, I love my board with all my heart... But it was kind of plain. It's basically just blue with a flower type patter on the end. So I started looking up designing a board.... and then I came across this site, and I jumped right in. Depending on the length of the board will determine your cost. Mine will be about 439$ plus the time in the shop.

My vision for my snowboard goes something like this:

I want this to be in the middle of the board, spread out where my bindings and feet go. Then I want the rest of the board to be covered in Zebra print... and I want it to say "I Smell Snow! - Gilmore Girls" on the tail. Then on the flip side, I'd like it to say "MERDE" in bright green against a white background.

Pictures coming later.

The Constitution

2010-03-09T18:29:00.000-08:00

In history, we are learning about the US Constitution. We were talking about the fact that it says there is to be freedom of religion and speech. Then one of my classmates raised their hand and asked something about President Obama and whether he was Muslim.

My teacher sighed and then looked at the kid and said that Obama has said he is of Christian faith, and that anybody who believes he could be Muslim because his name is Barack is very ignorant.

But isn't that contradicting, in a way?

If we live in America, a place where we are supposed to be able to think, say, and practice what we choose, why should it be ignorant if that is what we choose to believe? If you say you are a christian, why should you call other people who do not believe the same as you ignorant?

I think this is a fine example why teachers shouldn't share their opinion if they are going to tack unnecessary names onto the end of it. It's the same as saying someone who likes the color purple is stupid. Isn't is nicer, especially being an adult that other kids may look up to, that you don't offend anyone? I think it would have been proper for him just to say he didn't believe it was right. Not to say that you were ignorant if that is what you believe.

Movies to Watch

2010-03-08T16:47:00.000-08:00

Tami gave me this list of movies to watch in May of 09. I'm finally getting around to it. Here is what I have so far....

1 - Fried Green Tomatoes (12/18/09)
2 - Forrest Gump (12/21/09)
3 - The Devil Wears Prada
4 - Steel Magnolias (12/20/09)
5 - Dirty Dancing (12/19/09)
6 - Flight of the Navigator (12/23/09)
7 - Harry and the Hendersons (2/4/10)
8 - Willow
9 - Bad Boys 1

10 - Bad Boys 2

11 - Karate Kid 1 (1/16/10)

12 - Karate Kid 2 (2/14/10)

13 - Labyrinth

The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks

2010-03-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

Recently, I finished reading The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. I fell in love with this book. After I got into it, I was taking it everywhere with me and reading it whenever I had a second. I put off homework just to read this book. It is also soon to be a movie. Here is what the cover says:

Seventeen year-old Veronica “Ronnie” Miller’s life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wilmington, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alienated from her parents, especially her father… until her mother decides it would be in everyone’s best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie’s father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church. The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story about love in its myriad forms – first love, the love between parents and children – that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that deeply felt relationships can break our hearts… and heal them.

My (small) review of this book goes like this; 17-year-old Ronnie Miller is shipped to North Carolina after not speaking to her father for three years following their parents divorce. Ronnie arrives, stubborn, leaving you curious as to what the rest of the summer will be like for her. She meets a few people at the fair that is just the wrong crowd. But then she meets soda-spilling Will. Ronnie makes it very clear that Will does not seem like her type and she refuses to get to know him at first. But soon she just lets her guard down just enough to let him in and she finds it's one of the best things she's ever done. Just as the summer is nearing to a close, disaster strikes and leaves Ronnie to make a decision that will change things for her father - and herself... After she learns the truth as to why she's really there.

For the last one-hundred pages of this book, I was sobbing. I don't remember crying harder for any other book I've ever read. I wanted to keep reading at the same time I wanted to throw the book down and just forget it. This will be a book I'm not going to be forgetting anytime soon.

When I look at you - Lyrics

2010-03-06T09:05:00.000-08:00

Everybody needs inspiration
Everybody needs a song
A beautiful melody
When the night's are long
Cause there is no guarantee
That this life is easy

Yeah, when my world is falling apart
When there's no light to break up the dark
That's when I, I, I look at you
When the waves are flooding the shore and I
Can't find my way home anymore
That's when I, I, I look at you

When I look at you
I see forgiveness
I see the truth
You love me for who I am
Like the stars hold the moon
Right there where they belong and I know
I'm not alone

Yeah, when my world is falling apart
When there's no light to break up the dark
That's when I, I, I look at you
When the waves are flooding the shore and I
Can't find my way home anymore
That's when I, I, I look at you

You appear just like a dream to me
Just like kaleidoscope colors that
Cover me
All I need
Every breath, that I breathe
Dontcha know?
You're beautiful

Yeah yeah..

When the waves are flooding the shore
And I cant find my way home anymore
Thats when I,
I I look at you
I look at you

Yeah yeah..
Oh oh..
You appear just like a dream to me

WARNING! Low intelligence

2010-03-03T04:20:00.000-08:00

This is another example of a weird label... I can understand getting mad if a machine rips you off and shaking it a little bit. But to the point of it "falling over and causing serious injury or death?" These are the types of warnings that make me believe that in the world, there are less and less smart people. It's turning into an endangered species!

Just.... please be very careful when inserting your money, pushing a button, and bending over. It may just cause you your life.

Concerning my solo....

2010-03-02T18:56:00.000-08:00

I think that we are constantly trying to compare our teachers to Mr. Yoder. And we just really can't do that anymore because nobody is going to measure up. He was really just something special... And I'm afraid that the only way we'll get a teacher like him is if we get another gay teacher. I doubt they will be hiring another any time soon, and if they do, we'll be able to tell just like we could for him. It took me awhile and a lot of thought to realize this... I knew that I needed to accept Mr. Powell for who he was and not for who I thought he should be. Yes... Orchestra is different. But people are going to walk in and out of our lives though out our 100 years, whether we want them to go or not. It's sad... but after awhile you have to decide when you're going to go on. I let him go a really long time ago.

I don't believe Mr. P dislikes you for any of those reasons... I don't think that it matters whether you take lessons with the school or the college or who you take them with... when, or for how long. He just said that I was going to be the guinea pig and that he may end up adding people so that it's more than just me playing. Honestly, I really hope he does because I'm not sure I can do this alone AND three times. I just think he might know me a little bit better than you right now, and seeing that ISSMA is what, two weeks away, he needed someone who he knew he could depend on and fast.

Don't give up, girly.

Brilliant Signs....

2010-03-02T14:20:00.000-08:00

.... that you should always watch out for; falling ice. Yup, you heard me. Apparently, it has become a huge problem around Goshen, because I have seen several of these. Especially at the college. It is sort of insecure to know, that at any given time when you are walking around you have a rather large risk involved - you could get knocked out by ice. I mean seriously, after looking at this sign, how much do you want to go outside and walk around? If it's bad enough where they have to put up CAUTION signs, there is definite problem there.

Monthly Horoscope - Scorpio

2010-02-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

Several planets in Aries, your solar 6th house clash with Saturn in Libra and Pluto in Capricorn this month. You can thus expect ongoing stress and strain in your daily work, as well as the potential for conflict with coworkers or supervisors. Try your best not to make snap decisions or act in haste, and do your very best to steer clear of power plays. Also be alert for anyone who might try to play the blame game at your expense.

Take a well–needed break at the end of March when the Full Moon on the 29th highlights your 12th house of past karma and self–renewal. Even a few days to enjoy your own company and the people you love will refresh you, body, mind and soul. You might even consider a long weekend at a nearby destination for an uplifting change of scenery.

Fun times, fun people and social events continue in the spotlight, thanks to the March 15 New Moon in your fellow water sign of Pisces, your solar 5th house. Plan an outing midmonth, when the odds favour a lucky connection – possibly a romantic connection, networking contact or a new friend. With Mercury the communicator in Pisces through the 16th, March is a great month for you to make new friends (something you don’t usually do easily). You have the right words and the right moves to charm pretty much anyone.

Good news too with Mars moving direct in Leo, your solar of career and social ambition March 10. Mars has been out of phase since last December and you have probably felt stalled and not moving anywhere career wise. Things are about to change and you will get a nice boost workwise which is exactly what you Scorpios need and want this month.

March is a really good month for you Scorpios, especially the first half. In fact the first 2 weeks of March will be some of the best times for you throughout the whole year. ENJOY!

Your March days to work it: 9, 14, 26 & 28
Your March days to lie low: 2, 16, 23 & 29
Friends: Pisces & Cancers
Frenemies: Aries & Leos
Lust after: Virgos & Taureans

- Universal Psychic Guild

Violin Repair

2010-02-27T10:31:00.000-08:00

Recently, my mother found an add for a violin on craigslist that claimed it was at least 100 years old. The label inside reads, "Antonius Stradivarius Cremonenfis Faciebat Anno 17." We decided to go pick it up and we paid a total of 70$ for it. The guy we bought it from bought it from someone else, and he had no knowledge of violins whatsoever.

This is what we ended up with. The case looked like it was made out of armadillo, it was missing a string, the bridge wasn't on, and the fingerboard was hanging on by the last strands of glue. The bow wasn't even a bow anymore, none of the hair was attached or anything. The rosin in the box has turned into something you'd see in a Jurassic Park movie, minus the mosquito in the middle. It had a serious need for repair.

This could have been a pretty expensive repair. We took it to our friend Ed, owner of "String Doktor," a private violin repairing business he runs. He told us that the chin rest was a 3/4 violin size (which if you know anything about violins, a full size is a 4/4 and what most adults and high schoolers use) which made it a size too small for me. The bridge it came with was also a size too small, so the strings were too close together when you played. We left it there over night and he glued the fingerboard back down for us.

When we went back the next day, we purchased Vision Solo strings for my main violin and transfered my old dominants over to the violin getting repaired, and added some fine tuners. He was able to fix my bridge where it had the correct spacing so we didn't have to replace it, and we added a chin rest... and it was ready to go. We just decided to scrap the bow, because it wasn't very good quality and the re-hair would cost more than it was worth. We spend 145$ total, 70$ of which was spent on strings and a little other maintance on my best violin.

Job well done.

Boasting VS Confidence

2010-02-26T13:28:00.000-08:00

Today I was informed by my orchestra teacher, Mr. Joel Powell, that he would really like me to play the solo for a piece that we're doing for Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) competition. I told him that I would be glad to do it, so I have to learn a whole new part by March 25, a month away.

Now... I'm not complaining. Not at all. But it did make me wonder... Is there a difference between boasting and acting better than everyone else, and having confidence in yourself? Could having confidence in yourself come off as boasting, especially with someone of low confidence? I do not like people who act stuck up, and I always try to make sure that I am not acting that way, even if I am really excited about something. I do believe it could come off badly to somebody that doesn't enjoy what they do, isn't good at it, or has no idea how much effort really can go into something.

I have a lot of confidence in myself when I play... Like Mr. Powell says, if you're going to make a mistake you should make it big. So that is what I try to do. I guess it always just comes down to this; be careful what you say, how you say it, and who you say it to.

My Bucket List

2010-02-26T04:56:00.000-08:00

This is a bucket list I've been working on for two years. A bucket list is a list of things you want to do before you die. In bold are ones I have completed.

1 - Go to Paris

2 - Write a novel

3 - Go on an archeological dig

4 - Go backpacking through Europe

5 - Get my nose pierced

6 - Try Paragliding

7 - Go skydiving

8 - See the natural wonders of the world

9 - Get a small tattoo

10 - Ride in a hot air balloon

11 - Learn to snowboard

12 - Learn to salsa dance

13 - Go camping

14 - Learn to ice-skate

15 - Attend an Opera

16 - Ride the ten biggest roller coasters

17 - Run a marathon

18 - Go horseback riding on a beach

19 - Witness a miracle

20 - Plant a tree

21 - Visit Anne Frank's grave/memorial

22 - Walk the Great Wall of China

23 - Have a child

24 - Inspire someone

25 - Save/Adopt an endangered species

26 - Play my violin somewhere famous

27 - Go ghost hunting

28 - See where they study the Titanic

29 - Climb Machu Picchu

30 - Visit Egypt

31 - Mentor a Child

32 - Stay the night in an old castle

33 - Watch the entire Gilmore Girls Series

34 - Own or work at a bookstore

35 - Learn to ski

36 - Learn to drive a stick shift

37 - Jump off a diving board fearlessly

38 - Graduate from High School

39 - Graduate from College

40 - Go to a blues bar in Chicago

41 - Speak French fluently

42 - Go to a cave

Food for Thought.

2010-02-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

Throughout everyone's life, there has to always be one person, or several that you can't stand to live with but you wonder what it's like without. Sometimes you want to "rid" yourself of them for the benefit of you, first of all, and probably both of you in the long run. But as soon as you think you have completely erased them from your life, they come back, ruining everything you've started for yourself and not only making matters worse, but making it harder to go back every time. They bury themselves so deep inside you, like a tick, making it impossible to dig them out without hurting yourself. But you always heal, scar or no scar. Sometimes they just don't get it. But they end up pulling you in and pushing you under like the ocean. You're swimming around, blind and lost. Sometimes they do get it, and they take advantage of you, trying to control your emotions and put you on a roller coaster.

Or, they write you, telling you they heard a song that reminded them of you, or they walked past a place you used to go, or did something they did when they were with you. Or maybe they just thought of you, or were feeling nostalgic. But maybe that's just it. Maybe it's the little things... a song, a store, a picture that reminds you of someone. I cannot walk past a rack of Bananas, or think of Nuns, rap, padding, TJ Maxx, Gilmore Girls, Swagger Wagon, etc... Without it reminding me of one of my best friends or a person who has made a noticeable difference in my life. So maybe... it really is just the little memories and inside jokes you make that tie you to a person, bounding you together... Until you finally just decide to let go.

You forgive. You forget. Life goes on.

Check this out!

2010-02-23T20:10:00.001-08:00