Well, opening night for the musical is tonight, and I am kind of majorly terrified. Okay, not majorly, but still sort of nervous. See, even though I've been in 21 shows (counting this one), the only times I've ever had solos were in Cabarets, where EVERYONE has a solo unless they are deliberately singing in a group. Also, I'm notoriously bad at keeping my own pitch when there is a full orchestra playing under me (I think this is partially due to a severe lack of experience of having a solo with a full orchestra. Funny how that works. You don't get solos unless you have experience holding your own pitch; you don't get experience holding your own pitch unless you get solos). So there's that. However, I HAVE gotten better, which is good. Rather than being notoriously bad, I'm now just cautiously okay.
In other news, I have some ideas of what to do for a senior project. The top three are writing a novel, doing some sort of theater internship, and knitting/ designing some sort of fashion line thing. I know I could do the novel; the theater internship might be harder to secure. The knitting... I'm not so sure.
However, I've been sort of captured by the whole knitting thing (even if knitting is not a warm-weather activity). The only problem with this is that, should I choose to pursue it, I'd be knitting somewhere in the vicinity of five to ten hours a day, including weekends (the senior project rules require that you work at least 25 hours a week). There's no issue of me being able to find the time - if I do senior projects, my teachers generally let me out of class (except for my chorus teacher, but that's only until the spring concert is over), and I don't doubt I will be able to buy cotton yarn somewhere and work with it. The trouble is that whole knitting-ten-hours-a-day thing. I mean, in order to pass the senior project committee (we ARE getting graded on it), I have to do something substantial. And something substantial involves knitting a LOT. Also, what would I do about models? What would I do about actually SHOWING it?
I already have an idea of what I would make - three or four major things (a dress and two shirts; two dresses and two shirts.... something like that), and an array of accessory type things - bags, belts, stuff like that.
The trouble is, I tried knitting a dress in three weeks. It didn't work. It came close, but it didn't work. Partially because I was epically procrastinating on it.
That's another potential for disaster - with an entire afternoon off (and more, when chorus is over), how much TV time will I be logging, and how much will I use TV time to procrastinate on the epic amounts of knitting I'll have to be doing?
I mean, I have to train for Philmont as well, which means I'm going to have to take at least an hour out each day to do some sort of physical exercise. I should have started training months ago, which means I need to start exercising in earnest, like, now. That is a mandatory thing.
If I have to knit ten hours a day, and I'm going for an hour run and getting back at one, that means I will finally put my needles down at 11:00 every night, and that is if I don't procrastinate epically.
Who needs epic knitting three weeks before school lets out, anyway?
Any thoughts?
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
musicals and stuff
Greetings!
Well, the stuff that I was most worried about with regards to the musical have finally been solved. I have a costume! And we rehearsed the song we need to rehearse! So things are good in that regard. Okay, I don't ENTIRELY like my costume, but at least it exists, and it sort of fits my character's personality! Huzzah!
On the other hand, there's a little over a week until the show goes up, and our set isn't fully built and a lot of people still desperately need to work on their lines. I'm pretty much good, because I only have two lines, but some of the main people really need to work on it.
Also, I'm going to have to miss musical rehearsal in its entirety for the first time ever on Saturday. In the four years I've been doing my school's musical, this is the first time I'm going to have to get out of rehearsal all day.
Of course, I haven't been a senior for the last three years, so I wasn't applying to college the other three years, so that doesn't really count.
On Saturday, I'm going to go for a scholarship interview for a college that's among my top three. I applied early action there and regular for the other schools, so I have heard back from only this one and a few others as of yet.
The whole thing is just sort of panic-inducing because I'm missing rehearsal so close to the show, and it's for something that will affect my future a LOT. I want to get both right, but it's kind of hard to pull off without a Time Turner.
Also, I have awesome news on the knitting front. I've finally started binding off on the Dark Mark Flag, and I actually LIKE how it turned out. Okay, the top could be better, but MOST of it looks cool.
Now I have to start working on the hats that I'm making for the Crew. They aren't matching in color, but the Dark Mark is a recurring theme. The main reason for that is because I don't have enough gray and green yarn to make six or nine hats with; I probably don't have enough gray and green to make ONE hat. But I DO have a lot of other colors and a Dark Mark intarsia pattern, and we DO get points for team spirit at Klondike. Why not add some creativity?
Anyhow, I have homework to attend to before a four-hour rehearsal today. Farewell.
Well, the stuff that I was most worried about with regards to the musical have finally been solved. I have a costume! And we rehearsed the song we need to rehearse! So things are good in that regard. Okay, I don't ENTIRELY like my costume, but at least it exists, and it sort of fits my character's personality! Huzzah!
On the other hand, there's a little over a week until the show goes up, and our set isn't fully built and a lot of people still desperately need to work on their lines. I'm pretty much good, because I only have two lines, but some of the main people really need to work on it.
Also, I'm going to have to miss musical rehearsal in its entirety for the first time ever on Saturday. In the four years I've been doing my school's musical, this is the first time I'm going to have to get out of rehearsal all day.
Of course, I haven't been a senior for the last three years, so I wasn't applying to college the other three years, so that doesn't really count.
On Saturday, I'm going to go for a scholarship interview for a college that's among my top three. I applied early action there and regular for the other schools, so I have heard back from only this one and a few others as of yet.
The whole thing is just sort of panic-inducing because I'm missing rehearsal so close to the show, and it's for something that will affect my future a LOT. I want to get both right, but it's kind of hard to pull off without a Time Turner.
Also, I have awesome news on the knitting front. I've finally started binding off on the Dark Mark Flag, and I actually LIKE how it turned out. Okay, the top could be better, but MOST of it looks cool.
Now I have to start working on the hats that I'm making for the Crew. They aren't matching in color, but the Dark Mark is a recurring theme. The main reason for that is because I don't have enough gray and green yarn to make six or nine hats with; I probably don't have enough gray and green to make ONE hat. But I DO have a lot of other colors and a Dark Mark intarsia pattern, and we DO get points for team spirit at Klondike. Why not add some creativity?
Anyhow, I have homework to attend to before a four-hour rehearsal today. Farewell.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Knitting For Awesomeness
GUESS WHAT!?!?!? I get to knit something! It's a totally awesome something! And the totally awesome something is going to be TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You may think how utterly Not Exciting this is. And, I admit, me knitting something is totally Old News by the standards of pretty much everyone I know. But I get to knit something AWESOME this time!!! And it's going to be AWESOME! (can you tell that I'm excited about doing it?)
Before I say what it is, I need to digress for a second. (It'll make more sense when I actually get to the bit about what it is I'm making).
So, as you probably know, I'm in a Venture Crew. (Venture Crew is essentially co-ed Boy Scouts.) We can do all the stuff that normal Boy Scouts do, except we do it more awesomely because we're co-ed (and we wear different uniforms because we're not actually Boy Scouts).
Anyway, my Crew is sending the first all-girl team (I think - I don't know whether we will be all-girl) to the Klondike Derby (where you drag sleds around, even when there's no snow, and do Boy-Scout-y things). At each of the towns, where you perform each of the tasks (knot tying, first aid, stuff like that), you get little nuggets, which are basically your points. You don't get any nuggets for the things you don't do right, and whichever team gets the most points wins the thing (yes, it's a competition). You also get points for team spirit, which entails a Flag, a Team Name, and a Team Cheer, among other things, I think.
And that brings me to Why I Get To Knit Something Awesome. That Awesome Something is our Team Flag, for which you get points for originality and execution and stuff as part of the Team Spirit Points. Since I can't go to the Derby (which makes me very sad indeed), my contribution to the endeavor of Winning Klondike is making the flag. I have to design and execute the intarsia for it (intarsia = motifs = single-image things that you knit. Fair Isle can be found on all those weird knit sweaters from the 80's). And the intarsia that I'm designing and knitting onto the flag is that of the Dark Mark from Harry Potter. It's based off of the Dark Mark design from the book rather than the movie, because the Movie Dark Mark is more complicated and harder to design for a Newbie Intarsia Designer like me.
Nevertheless, I'm supremely excited.
I've already started working on it, and it's turning out a lot better than I expected. It's also going a lot faster than I expected. I don't know why this might be, but it is. Maybe I've found more time to knit during the school day. Maybe I've gotten faster at knitting. Maybe doing intarsia makes the process going faster. Maybe I'm just supremely psyched to see how the intarsia worked out and am therefore knitting really fast to see how the proportions worked out and stuff so I can have time to go back and do some frogging if I need to (frogging = undoing).
Well, I have to go knit now. Farewell.
You may think how utterly Not Exciting this is. And, I admit, me knitting something is totally Old News by the standards of pretty much everyone I know. But I get to knit something AWESOME this time!!! And it's going to be AWESOME! (can you tell that I'm excited about doing it?)
Before I say what it is, I need to digress for a second. (It'll make more sense when I actually get to the bit about what it is I'm making).
So, as you probably know, I'm in a Venture Crew. (Venture Crew is essentially co-ed Boy Scouts.) We can do all the stuff that normal Boy Scouts do, except we do it more awesomely because we're co-ed (and we wear different uniforms because we're not actually Boy Scouts).
Anyway, my Crew is sending the first all-girl team (I think - I don't know whether we will be all-girl) to the Klondike Derby (where you drag sleds around, even when there's no snow, and do Boy-Scout-y things). At each of the towns, where you perform each of the tasks (knot tying, first aid, stuff like that), you get little nuggets, which are basically your points. You don't get any nuggets for the things you don't do right, and whichever team gets the most points wins the thing (yes, it's a competition). You also get points for team spirit, which entails a Flag, a Team Name, and a Team Cheer, among other things, I think.
And that brings me to Why I Get To Knit Something Awesome. That Awesome Something is our Team Flag, for which you get points for originality and execution and stuff as part of the Team Spirit Points. Since I can't go to the Derby (which makes me very sad indeed), my contribution to the endeavor of Winning Klondike is making the flag. I have to design and execute the intarsia for it (intarsia = motifs = single-image things that you knit. Fair Isle can be found on all those weird knit sweaters from the 80's). And the intarsia that I'm designing and knitting onto the flag is that of the Dark Mark from Harry Potter. It's based off of the Dark Mark design from the book rather than the movie, because the Movie Dark Mark is more complicated and harder to design for a Newbie Intarsia Designer like me.
Nevertheless, I'm supremely excited.
I've already started working on it, and it's turning out a lot better than I expected. It's also going a lot faster than I expected. I don't know why this might be, but it is. Maybe I've found more time to knit during the school day. Maybe I've gotten faster at knitting. Maybe doing intarsia makes the process going faster. Maybe I'm just supremely psyched to see how the intarsia worked out and am therefore knitting really fast to see how the proportions worked out and stuff so I can have time to go back and do some frogging if I need to (frogging = undoing).
Well, I have to go knit now. Farewell.
Friday, January 6, 2012
excitingness and rehearsal
Well, I have some news, and I have some news.
The first bit of news is that I may or may not be able to write the climax of my novel today. The maybe factor comes in at the times in which I have a choice to make as to whether to keep procrastinating or actually write the darn thing.
The other bit of news is that I have rehearsal all next week, and I don't like it.
Well, I like rehearsal. But I don't like the CONCEPT of rehearsal. Also, I don't have a costume yet, which cannot be said for the rest of the main female ensemble.
I like going to rehearsal and I generally like the musical (except for going to the full-cast rehearsals when nobody pays attention to the directors because everybody is talking to their friends). But, in theory, I don't like the idea of having to spend three hours (or four or five) not doing homework. Generally, though, the musical is enjoyable.
I just have to re-learn time management, because right now it may not be working out well. (We've only been back in school for a week, so I haven't returned to the utterly confusing part of calculus yet).
Being in rehearsals have made me appreciate free blocks a lot more. Especially having two or three free blocks a day. From what I hear, free blocks help a lot of my school's alumni with time management in college. For me, that remains to be seen (partly due to the fact that I don't know where I am going).
Speaking of college, my #3 has finally endeared itself to my mother (it's also the school that I have a high chance of going to, because my #1 and #2 are really ridiculously competitive). I always thought I'd like it there, because it's tiny and has a good writing program and a good classical theatre program, and those are my top two career choices. My mom thought it was the super-conservative type of college (not like deep south, but sort of close), and that, since I grew up liberal, I would probably really abhor it because of that.
There were two things that finally convinced her (aside from my liking it) that I would be happy there.
First, they had an LGBT advocacy week recently. I'm not sure of the direct reasoning behind it (in memorial of suicides? Fundraising against LGBT bullying? Because it was a free week in the semester?), but I'm glad it exists.
The other reason my mom is finally fine with it is that they have a supermassive Harry Potter Movie Marathon planned for this weekend.
Honestly, those two things alone would have convinced me to apply, if I hadn't already gotten in. Huzzah!
Right. Enough about college. I have to go write the climax of a novel that I've been working on for the last two months. Or go to Starbucks. But probably the former, because it's cold and I'm broke, and I don't need caffeine.
Farewell.
The first bit of news is that I may or may not be able to write the climax of my novel today. The maybe factor comes in at the times in which I have a choice to make as to whether to keep procrastinating or actually write the darn thing.
The other bit of news is that I have rehearsal all next week, and I don't like it.
Well, I like rehearsal. But I don't like the CONCEPT of rehearsal. Also, I don't have a costume yet, which cannot be said for the rest of the main female ensemble.
I like going to rehearsal and I generally like the musical (except for going to the full-cast rehearsals when nobody pays attention to the directors because everybody is talking to their friends). But, in theory, I don't like the idea of having to spend three hours (or four or five) not doing homework. Generally, though, the musical is enjoyable.
I just have to re-learn time management, because right now it may not be working out well. (We've only been back in school for a week, so I haven't returned to the utterly confusing part of calculus yet).
Being in rehearsals have made me appreciate free blocks a lot more. Especially having two or three free blocks a day. From what I hear, free blocks help a lot of my school's alumni with time management in college. For me, that remains to be seen (partly due to the fact that I don't know where I am going).
Speaking of college, my #3 has finally endeared itself to my mother (it's also the school that I have a high chance of going to, because my #1 and #2 are really ridiculously competitive). I always thought I'd like it there, because it's tiny and has a good writing program and a good classical theatre program, and those are my top two career choices. My mom thought it was the super-conservative type of college (not like deep south, but sort of close), and that, since I grew up liberal, I would probably really abhor it because of that.
There were two things that finally convinced her (aside from my liking it) that I would be happy there.
First, they had an LGBT advocacy week recently. I'm not sure of the direct reasoning behind it (in memorial of suicides? Fundraising against LGBT bullying? Because it was a free week in the semester?), but I'm glad it exists.
The other reason my mom is finally fine with it is that they have a supermassive Harry Potter Movie Marathon planned for this weekend.
Honestly, those two things alone would have convinced me to apply, if I hadn't already gotten in. Huzzah!
Right. Enough about college. I have to go write the climax of a novel that I've been working on for the last two months. Or go to Starbucks. But probably the former, because it's cold and I'm broke, and I don't need caffeine.
Farewell.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Bored and musicals!
So right now, I'm bored. Go figure! It happens a lot when I have free time. And when I've finished all the homework I can do right now. Like reading "The Picture of Dorian Gray."
For the record, the ending of "Dorian Gray" (which is really good book in general, by the way) is the hugest mind-fudge ever. If any of you have read the book, you would know what I mean. If any of you haven't read the book, I suggest you do so, especially if you like books that involve the slow descent into insanity and darkness and people who you think are someone are actually embodied in other things and stuff. And huge mind-fudges where it turns out what you thought was someone was someone else and stuff (think Mad Eye Moody and the polyjuice potion from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). Wait... that was basically the same thing I said earlier. Never mind. But it was still an epically huge mind-fudge.
But, in all, it was a really good book. Also, the painter dude was completely in love with Dorian (ye who have read the book shall not deny the obvious truth to this statement. You know it's true).
Anyway, in other news, MUSICAL REHEARSAL IS PICKING UP!!! This is good because it means that the show will be going up soon. It's bad because it means that I have rehearsal until 7:00 (3 hours a day) all this week and next, with two-hour rehearsals on Saturdays; in two weeks, it'll progress to 8:00 rehearsal every day (4 hours a day); then it'll be 9:00 (5 hours a day) and then it'll be show night. AAAHHHH!!!!!!
I think it's going to be a good show, but we NEED to work on one of the songs. I haven't gotten my music for it, and I have a solo in it. I'm not important enough to have a script, so I need a photocopy of the music, which I haven't gotten. I don't know about you, but I can't really sing something well if I don't know the words. Or the notes. Or the harmony. What's worse is that there are no rehearsal days assigned for the song, so I can't learn it at a rehearsal with the other people in the group. Grrrr.
But some of the songs are going really well. Yesterday, we spent three hours re-working the choreography for one of the all-girl songs, and it turned out really well. I think that'll probably be one of the best songs in the show if it keeps going the way we're going. It just bugs me that I don't have music for the other song. A lot.
Um... there isn't much else to report, except for the fact that I have to do homework later and go to chorus at some point to pass the class and demand my music.
Also, I may have to miss musical rehearsal for the first time ever in a few weeks. I have a scholarship interview at a school that I want to go to. On the other hand, it's a private school, and is therefore expensive, so financial aid in any form it presents itself is very welcome.
So... that is my story/ rant for today. Huzzah!
Farewell. I must depart to go to class and demand music and such.
For the record, the ending of "Dorian Gray" (which is really good book in general, by the way) is the hugest mind-fudge ever. If any of you have read the book, you would know what I mean. If any of you haven't read the book, I suggest you do so, especially if you like books that involve the slow descent into insanity and darkness and people who you think are someone are actually embodied in other things and stuff. And huge mind-fudges where it turns out what you thought was someone was someone else and stuff (think Mad Eye Moody and the polyjuice potion from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire). Wait... that was basically the same thing I said earlier. Never mind. But it was still an epically huge mind-fudge.
But, in all, it was a really good book. Also, the painter dude was completely in love with Dorian (ye who have read the book shall not deny the obvious truth to this statement. You know it's true).
Anyway, in other news, MUSICAL REHEARSAL IS PICKING UP!!! This is good because it means that the show will be going up soon. It's bad because it means that I have rehearsal until 7:00 (3 hours a day) all this week and next, with two-hour rehearsals on Saturdays; in two weeks, it'll progress to 8:00 rehearsal every day (4 hours a day); then it'll be 9:00 (5 hours a day) and then it'll be show night. AAAHHHH!!!!!!
I think it's going to be a good show, but we NEED to work on one of the songs. I haven't gotten my music for it, and I have a solo in it. I'm not important enough to have a script, so I need a photocopy of the music, which I haven't gotten. I don't know about you, but I can't really sing something well if I don't know the words. Or the notes. Or the harmony. What's worse is that there are no rehearsal days assigned for the song, so I can't learn it at a rehearsal with the other people in the group. Grrrr.
But some of the songs are going really well. Yesterday, we spent three hours re-working the choreography for one of the all-girl songs, and it turned out really well. I think that'll probably be one of the best songs in the show if it keeps going the way we're going. It just bugs me that I don't have music for the other song. A lot.
Um... there isn't much else to report, except for the fact that I have to do homework later and go to chorus at some point to pass the class and demand my music.
Also, I may have to miss musical rehearsal for the first time ever in a few weeks. I have a scholarship interview at a school that I want to go to. On the other hand, it's a private school, and is therefore expensive, so financial aid in any form it presents itself is very welcome.
So... that is my story/ rant for today. Huzzah!
Farewell. I must depart to go to class and demand music and such.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
First Post of 2012!
Hello, and welcome to 2012! For the record, the apocalypse will NOT come in December, if it comes at all - it will come in June, when I graduate. AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, I'm done screaming. For now. I may come back and scream some more later... maybe.
Anyway, since it's a new year and stuff, I've decided to post my new year's resolutions. Huzzah! Judge them/ me how you will. I really don't care.
Anyway, the list:
1. Finish a novel.
2. Read a lot of books (target: 50-ish).
3. Get good grades.
4. Get into college.
5. Go to college.
Yeah. Not a lot of resolutions to keep, I know. But that's why it's going to be rather easy to keep the resolutions - because there's not many of them.
Anyhow, in other news, I was NOT partying last night at midnight, nor was I watching the ball drop. I was at home. Reading. Yeah. But the book - "City of Bones" - is really good. Yes, I've finally started it. And it's NOTHING like "Twilight," which is very, very nice.
How is it different?
First, there are demons.
Second, the characters have depth.
Third, there are more questions that just "Who/ what are the Shadowhunters?" There are also questions like "Why can Clary tell there are Shadowhunters when she's not a Shadowhunter herself?" and "What is this block in Clary's memory and why is it there?"
Yeah. City of Bones is REALLY good. I love it. I find it rather annoying, however, that I have to force myself not to read it - a rather difficult task, as I really want to go back to reading it, now that I've started talking about it - because I have to read "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and finish a study guide for government instead.
Yes, I have break work.
No, I have not done it yet.
Gotta work on that...
Yeah...
Yep, I'm off to be rather dorky. I will be reading fantasy and doing homework on New Year's Day. I hope this doesn't carry any foreboding for the rest of the year. I do NOT want to be constantly doing homework until December.
Okay, I'm done screaming. For now. I may come back and scream some more later... maybe.
Anyway, since it's a new year and stuff, I've decided to post my new year's resolutions. Huzzah! Judge them/ me how you will. I really don't care.
Anyway, the list:
1. Finish a novel.
2. Read a lot of books (target: 50-ish).
3. Get good grades.
4. Get into college.
5. Go to college.
Yeah. Not a lot of resolutions to keep, I know. But that's why it's going to be rather easy to keep the resolutions - because there's not many of them.
Anyhow, in other news, I was NOT partying last night at midnight, nor was I watching the ball drop. I was at home. Reading. Yeah. But the book - "City of Bones" - is really good. Yes, I've finally started it. And it's NOTHING like "Twilight," which is very, very nice.
How is it different?
First, there are demons.
Second, the characters have depth.
Third, there are more questions that just "Who/ what are the Shadowhunters?" There are also questions like "Why can Clary tell there are Shadowhunters when she's not a Shadowhunter herself?" and "What is this block in Clary's memory and why is it there?"
Yeah. City of Bones is REALLY good. I love it. I find it rather annoying, however, that I have to force myself not to read it - a rather difficult task, as I really want to go back to reading it, now that I've started talking about it - because I have to read "The Picture of Dorian Gray" and finish a study guide for government instead.
Yes, I have break work.
No, I have not done it yet.
Gotta work on that...
Yeah...
Yep, I'm off to be rather dorky. I will be reading fantasy and doing homework on New Year's Day. I hope this doesn't carry any foreboding for the rest of the year. I do NOT want to be constantly doing homework until December.
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