Monday, August 12, 2013

Ballet Photo Shoot

I have wanted to take pictures of my pointe shoes and my viola, and today I was finally able to. Since I started dance in January, I have never been able to have a recital. So I haven't been able to dress up all pretty in a fun dress. I had this dress from a wedding and thought it looked ballet enough.
















Thursday, August 8, 2013

12 Days 6 Hours

Less than 2 weeks guys! Oh my goodness that is coming so FAST!

My social adventure for the week included spending a couple hours with my cousin. So we wonder aimlessly around the mall.
We went to Bath and Body Works. They are starting to release their fall smells. This means they have PUMPKIN! I seriously think it is one of my favorite smells ever! So I stocked up :)
They have 5 different pumpkins scents, and I like 4 of them. I actually have 6 of them, but one is on my purse.

One place that would never have caught my attention before moving to Idaho was the Texan store. They seriously have all things Texas there. So I told my cousin I wanted something, anything, but didn't want to pay an arm and a leg for it. So we walked around and then again, and on the third time passing it we found this:
I thought it was super cute, and needed to go on my dorm door. As of right now I have a suite kind of thing, so I share with 3 other girls but have my own room. I like the fact that I have my OWN room. So yes I am going to have that reputation of the Texan. 




Wednesday, August 7, 2013

I Need Thee Every Hour Marshall McDonald Piano/Viola




This is only about 3/4th of the song. My crazy Ipod decided it was done recording after that, but it is still really pretty. Sorry for the couple mistakes this was our third time playing it through... and needless to say I got a little distracted.  The viola is much louder because it was sitting on my stand... I didn't think that part through very well.

Sunday, August 4, 2013

16 Days 8 Hours

So yes the official countdown has begun.

Not sure if that is a good or bad thing... I go in this circle. I get so excited and then SO nervous and scared.
Okay sorry guys but this has been a processing summer. I have had to process my childhood. Pick through my stuff. What do I want to keep? What do I want in my house some day? (Strange thought) So these are my thoughts. This is what fills my head when you catch me staring off into space.

Graduating from high school early didn't ever mean that much to me until after it was done. I guess it was the fact that I was still with all my friends. I still had a normal high school routine even though I was a grade level above most people I associated myself with. After graduation that changed. You are always told in the long run high school doesn't really matter. The friends you have there you won't remember and most things in general. It is funny how true that is. Here I am 3 months after graduation, and you know what? Only 3 friends from high school are still people I talk to. This was my whole world 3 months ago, and now only 3 people.... It feels like an eternity ago, and I haven't even stepped foot in Idaho.

Then comes the joys of being a college student. I have to schedule so much stuff for the 2 and 1/2 days before school starts that I am in Idaho for. I have to take a music theory placement test. I have to take a piano placement test. I also have to audition for the Idaho State Civic Symphony. Not to mention new student orientation. I have to move into a dorm, sign paper work for my internship, get books... shall I continue??? It is craziness.

Graduating early means I am... well a year younger than everyone else. So housing becomes fun. First I was roomed with 2 sophomores and a freshman. Then things changed and I had 3 sophomores. That makes me at least 2 years younger then them, so I emailed housing, needless to say they are working on things...

On the music side of things, audition music is coming. I have two of the four excerpts down. One of the two giving me problems is almost down too, but 32nd notes have never ever, don't know if they will ever, be my friend. For any one who is wondering 32nd notes are REALLY REALLY fast. There are 32 of them in a measure. They are twice as fast as 16th notes and four times as fast as 8th notes. Anyways I have gotten stuck at this tempo. My fingers don't want to move any faster. For a musician this is rather  frustrating.


 I do feel however that I have improved dramatically over the summer. I had essentially take a semester off of viola. I didn't ever stop playing, but my passion kinda disappeared. I regressed. Like anything once you don't care and don't try you aren't going to go up, but you will go backwards. So this summer has been fun... I have had to not only catch up, but "become" a music major all over again. Sometimes it is nice though to fall in love again. Fall in love with the instrument you play. I know that sounds like a strange concept, and it kinda really is, but that comes with being a musician. My friend who is teaching me is awesome though. He made all-state last year. In Texas that is really hard to do. So he has been working with me to make me awesome too. I learned vibrato almost 2 years ago, but haven't ever had anyone tell me necessarily how to use it. I would vibrate long notes that's it. My friend has helped me refine it. I can loosen it. I can slowly go into it. Both of these help my music sound more musical, more caring. I feel like a musician, and a music major now!


In case anyone was wondering, I think any great composer suffered from headaches. When ever I listen to classical music, not just orchestral, but like classical classical, like 1700's my brain starts to mix things together and compose its own music. Well it just sits there in my brain or sometimes I may hum it, but it has no where to go. Whenever this happens I get horrible headaches. That is why I am always listening to music, but no not classical. And no, I don't want to be a composer!

On the social aspect of things. Um that is actually kinda funny! I have a life?!?!? Right now that mainly consists of viola lessons with my friend, teaching my 2 cousins violin/viola, and institute. Those are basically the only reasons I leave my house, and for viola I don't even do that. I think it drives people crazy. I observe from afar. I am shy until you get to know me. I don't talk to a ton of people, but that doesn't mean I don't watch them. I know that sounds creepy, but I do. I have also found it is how I learn. Sometimes watching and imitating helps me so much, especially on viola and with ballet. Mainly though I have been taking my psychology class (if only all college class could be this easy) and practicing viola/piano.

This Sunday is my last performance before I leave. I was tracked down and cornered by the person in charge of musical numbers and asked to play.What are you suppose to say??? So I am playing in church again. Thank gosh I had two solos already prepared. I asked one of my newer friends who plays piano beautifully to accompany me. I am so excited. I will post a recording of one of our practices on here eventually. :)

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

21 Days



21 days until I leave. 21 days until my life changes forever! This is so exciting and scary at all the same time. Today I was listening to this song and I was like, "hey it is me!" When you get to a new point in your life the meaning of things change, some things speak to you like they never have before. The first and third verse sounded so much like me, and then of course I love the chorus too! ;)

Here are the lyrics:
I've had all these plans piled up sky high
A thousand dreams on hold
And I don't know why,
I got a front row seat
To the longest wait
And I just can't see
Past the things I pray
Today


But when I fix my eyes on all that You are
Then every doubt I feel
Deep in my heart
Grows strangely dim
All my worries fade
And fall to the ground
Cause when I seek Your face
And don't look around
Any place I'm in
Grows strangely dim

Sometimes where I stand
On this narrow road
Is in a raging storm
Or a valley low
But oh

When I fix my eyes on all that You are
Then every doubt I feel
Deep in my heart
Grows strangely dim
All my worries fade
And fall to the ground
Cause when I seek Your face
And don't look around
Any place I'm in
Grows strangely dim

I don't know, I don't know
What tomorrow may hold
But I know, but I know
That You're holding it all
So no matter what may come

I'm gonna fix my eyes on all that You are
'Til every doubt I feel
Deep in my heart
Grows strangely dim
Let all my worries fade
And fall to the ground
I'm gonna seek Your face
And not look around
Til the place I'm in
Grows strangely, strangely, strangely dim.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

I'm a Caterpillar

Like I have said before, growing up is interesting. You aren't a child any more but you aren't an adult either. You technically never have to go back to school if you don't really want to. Now what??? At the beginning of the summer it finally hit me. I am leaving, I am moving, and all of this alone. I don't like to be alone. I never have, and don't think I ever will. I think it is what happens when you are the oldest of 7. When have I ever been alone???? So this summer there has been lots of adjusting. Where do I fit now? I have a "place" in Idaho (I have my music world, institute, and a singles ward), but not here at home anymore. This is a hard fact of reality. So as the summer goes on I am getting more and more excited for Idaho. Less than a month now, and my life will change for ever. I can never go back to being a child again.
I like this quote:
"How can you and I really expect to glide naively through life as if to say, Lord, give me experience-- but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences that made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share in Thy joy!"
-Neal A. Maxwell

All of us have to grow up at some point right? All of us have to move out and live on our own. Even our Savior had too. This is just part of being here on Earth.

So this is me, looking toward the future. I just wish I knew what it holds in store for me.


I like these quotes too! It really does take courage to grow up and step out on your own. Right now I could be anything and anyone I wanted to be. So I follow my dreams. I follow what makes me happy, music and dance. 

So as of now I am simply a caterpillar one day to be a butterfly.



My Little Monster

Didi is my little monster. He is so CUTE! I may have to admit that I am a little racist, I love Asian babies! Sorry I can't help it. 
So I have been trying to spend as much time as possible with him. Being blind he teaches me so many things.  He amazes me. Yes I am a ballerina so I have a pretty good sense of balance, but if I close my eyes I get SO dizzy. I lose track of where I am in "space."
He is a great example of faith. He is starting to stand/ trying to walk. He can't see me. All he can do is hear me. If he gets close enough he can feel/touch/smell me. He has faith that I am there and that if he starts to fall I will be there to catch him.
So this is Didi. He is reading here. He looks for the braille on his books. He is so happy. 


This is him at church. He plays with a toy car with a rattle so he can hear it. He was so cute. All the other kids just look at him funny. Why do you make so much noise? Why do you shake everything? 

He is getting so big. He isn't a baby anymore! :(

This is a necklace my mom got me for graduation. Besides English, these are our two other ways of saying I love you. Wo Ai Ni means I love you in Chinese. So I tell Alex Wo ai ni didi!




Friday, July 26, 2013

Beethoven's 5th



For ISU I have to learn 4 excerpts of Beethoven's 5th Symphony- Second Movement. This isn't little kid music any more, this is real honest to goodness college level music. I have had some (not much) experience with this level of music because of full orchestra last year. My viola teacher and I were looking at it and both kinda freaking out a little bit. I had the first two excerpts under control but the last two seemed just about impossible even for him. Needless to say I was freaking out. What happens if I simply can't play this?!?! So I finally listened to it... something I should have done three weeks ago! We had the tempo (how fast you play) twice as fast as it should be. The joys of having a friend as a teacher. So we felt like violists. I am so excited now. I can play my music with no problems, none at all. Me playing music at full tempo within 3 weeks of getting it is a miracle. That is something that just doesn't happen. My 32nd notes will get there, but they are so much more doable now! :)

Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Little Things

This summer has been crazy, lots of ups and downs! I think this is mainly because I am moving, and trying to find where I fit in this very large world. While there are a lot of downs there are small ups too.


1) Finding Gluten Free cookies on clearance! I never get pre-made cookies. They simply cost too much, but I found some that where marked down to $2! We thought this was awesome! They were also my favorite brand. http://www.drlucys.com/

2) Teaching violin and viola. Yes while this is a "job," no matter what mood I go in, I always leave in a happy one. Maybe this is why I am going into music ed???? I started a violin/viola duet with my cousin. It makes me so happy that I could teach her. I was the one who taught her to hold it, how to use the bow, and now we are playing together!

3) Pretty quiet piano music. I love piano solos. I don't know why. I can't listen to orchestral music, or anything with lyrics when I need to be calmed down, but piano music works. Piano music just speaks to me in a different way than any other instrument.

4) Going to ballet. Maybe because ballet is exercise this is why it makes me feel "happy". When ever I go I always enjoy myself. I am on pointe so yes my toes hurt, but there is something with dancing on your toes that lets you feel free!














Saturday, July 13, 2013

Getting Ready



Finally things are becoming real, this is a good and bad thing. I was so excited to go to Idaho all last school year, but upon graduation things became real. This is really happening now. I am moving across the country, and might I add, by myself. I think this is the fact that scares me. I hate being alone.


So things have begun. I have had to buy some warmer clothes, my Texas summer clothes won't exactly work out there. I have had to start practicing viola and piano like I mean it. I no longer can just coast along. I have started going through and packing things. It is crazy! Beethoven's 5th Symphony Movement #2 must become my friend before August 21. We spend a lot of time together. One day I will get it I am sure!

For now I just have to keep reminding myself there has to be some reason for me to go to Idaho. I simply don't know why yet. So I continue to step forward into the unknown. I like the quote, "When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of two things will happen. There will be something solid for us to stand on or we will be taught to fly."