Question

Does anyone have a movie recommendation? I was thinking something along the lines of Sahara or The Brothers Bloom.

Hmmm?

A Hand-picked Friend

Every person God puts in your life is handpicked by Him, but this one, my future roommate, seems so much like me that it's unbelievable! Thank You Lord for putting me with Kelsey! Plus, I got into Parker dorm, which is exactly what I hoped for. Yay!

There have been several discouraging things this week, like my ears plugging up from a cold on the way to opera rehearsal. It's pretty bad when other people have to tell you that you aren't playing in tune with everyone else. Thankfully that passed pretty quickly, but it was a long rehearsal. 

Anyway, all the discouraging things have been counterbalanced with the news of my new roommate. I'm so excited! I can't wait to see what else He has in store.

Update on the Random List

I am now updating some items from my random list of 6.11.10

Number one: The Brothers Bloom is one of my favorite movies of all time. I would recommend it to anyone over 16 who is not squeamish. It's not completely clean, but the story and acting is so fresh and unique that it's worth it. Or maybe I just don't see enough non-mainstream films. Be that as it may, I liked it. I plan on watching it again before I return it, because there are so many details I probably didn't get the first time.

Number two: I picked the iTouch. Enough said.

The Creator in Art: Part II

    You would think that the summer is a blank page when it comes to musical goals. In some ways it is. Practice time is unscheduled, lesson times change at random, camp may or may not be an option,  and unless you have an audition to prepare, you can run wild and free. Shake off the sometimes-shackles of ensemble music and delve into a new genre. For the classical musician, this can be the most exhilarating season. 

    

    Or not. 

    Last week I reached the over-saturation point. Music held no energy, my instruments seemed tired. I didn’t want to practice and I didn’t want to listen to music. After 6 performances of different types over 2 1/2 weeks, I needed a break. But, being what my teachers think is perfectionist, I didn’t want to waste the time. The only musical performance group I’m involved in this summer is opera. However, there is an hour and a half of music in The Magic Flute, and it won’t practice itself! Thankfully, I was forced to take a break while we traveled for our family reunion. What blessed vacation from music it was. I left my viola at home. I left my piano at home. (Not much chance of getting to take that anyway). I took my iPod, but not once did I use it. It stayed sequestered away in my pack. When we returned, I found a renewed vigor for “imposing my will upon unsuspecting air molecules”, as the famous quote says. Enthusiasm regained!

    And as always, God knew how beneficial it is to take breaks. He actually commanded it to be every seventh day. In our world few people really rest one day a week, and it makes me wonder how much more healthy our society might be if we did take the time to rest. Unfortunately the way certain professions are set up, it is impossible to someone to rest one day and not get dreadfully behind in their work. I think this is especially true for teachers, as well as physicians. In order to keep up, the teachers have to grade work and prepare for the next week. Most physicians and surgeons, in order to be able to refer their patients to a hospital, are required to spend an unhealthy amount of time on call at the hospital. 

    I feel for the people in those professions that drain the life out of people instead of invigorate them. Some rearrangement would help so much. The good news is that in music therapy I’ll be able to set up my own schedule, and it’s a highly interactive, non-office job. Can I hear a hallelujah?

    Amen!

Coordinates Requested and Received. Halifirien72 is Ready for Takeoff.

    I’m just making up my own cockpit dialog, so don’t judge me on accuracy. The only flight dialog I’ve heard/seen is from Star Wars, The Hunt for Red October, or Going Solo, which makes me a non-expert. And now I’m way off topic. *screech of brakes as train of thought prepares to reroute*

    

    This week marked the second most momentous step toward college: orientation. I woke up ten minutes before my alarm clock was set to go off, so I must have been excited. That’s something funny I’ve noticed about myself: people will ask me if I’m excited, and I just won’t know. There’s either a disconnect in my neural network, or I just don’t work myself up for things, but I rarely get noticeably excited about anything that a) I’ve never done, or b) involves unknown people. But that is one of the goals of orientation, and this one was successful. Now I know two more kids that will be in my music therapy classes, have seen the backs of about a quarter of my fellow class of ‘14, and decided that I would much rather be given a suite-style room than a quad. Or it might be the other way around, but the point is that I don’t want to share a bathroom with the entire hall. Stay tuned. I also bought a sweatshirt and Dad got me a license plate holder with the school’s logo. Very exciting.

    That was seven hours plus one and a half of driving. It was a very, VERY hot day, and I was exhausted when I got home. I touched ground for about an hour, long enough to eat something and get an ibuprofen for my achin’ noggin, and then I was off again for three hours of orchestra rehearsal. It was okay, because my energy went up a little before we got there, and the ibuprofen worked, thank You Lord.

    It’s been a fun week so far. On Saturday I went to Mattea’s graduation, which was well worth the trip. I’m so glad I could go, and that we didn’t schedule my party to be that day.  It was quite a contrast to my graduation, which I think is totally due to region and people involved. It was kind of funny to see how much culture varies state to state. My ceremony was shorter and a little more conventional , but it didn’t give as much of a glance into the family’s lives that I got to see at the PHAA’s.  I really enjoyed the ceremony and getting to see Mattea and her family. Let’s celebrate! WE MADE IT!!!!!