Ack!!

Well, not so much... I couldn't really think of a title.

So today was our first anniverary! Last night we went to Violino's for a nice dinner (they always have fantastic food). It was a great evening. Very relaxed and fun. I love that I can go out with Stef to a really nice restaurant and just have a good time and not feel any kind of stress. It's great to have someone that you're so comfortable with that you can just have a fun time with and not have to worry about anything. In fact, our waitress (whom we've had the other two times we went there) said to us at the end of the meal "It seems like you've enjoyed each other even more than the food!" It was a great night. Then we came back home and watched "Coyote Ugly" which I thought was great (yeah for girls dancing on a bar in NYC!).

At about midnight we exchanged presents. She got me the queer eye book and a game boy with 2 games! I've already read, oh, half of the queer eye book (and have gotten some damn good tips from it) and have played the hell out of the game boy. It's oh so much fun. I got her some inexpensive jewelry from Tara Jewelry in Annapolis (she had commented on it some months back when we were in town for a long weekend), and a necklace from Zales. It has 3 blue sapphires and 2 diamonds and it's all white gold. It's very tasteful, too. Not too blingy, if you know what I mean. Stef seems to like it a lot (I sure hope so!)

Today I played Game Boy while Stef had rehearsals and stuff all day for the alpha psi welcome back deal tonight. A decent show, I must say.

Anywho, I'd better get to bed because I've got class tomorrow!

Theory at 10
Philosophy at 1
Orchestra tomorrow evening
And I'm sure I'm forgetting something.

Goings on...

So I've been in Winchester for several days now. And what an eventful few days it has been!

The freshmen moved in on Tuesday. The main thing I noticed wasn't the activity on campus, but instead the totally full-up parking lot at Wal Mart (Stef and I made a Pier 1/Target trip for the upstairs loft). I've met a few freshmen violinists, Yumi and Elissa (hoping I spelled their names right). They're really nice. Yumi is from Japan, right outside Tokyo, and she is REALLY good. And really nice, too. So far I've got a good opinion of the incoming freshmen violinists.

I'm really excited about lessons and the like this year. Marc and Olivia have decided to have a "performance class" on Wednesdays at 4. Attendence is mandatory for all majors. It's basically whenever anyone has something prepared, we all come and watch them perform it. I think it's a fantastic idea.

Then there's orchestra. The first concert should be hardcore awesome. We're doing Bizet, Schnittke (with Marc and Olivia), and Stravinsky. Oh man! We're also doing Beethoven 5 later on, and Sandor is doing variations on Paganini. Should be hardcore to the max! Jan also talked to me about doing Kammermusik players in the spring (and possibly doing a tour with them over Spring Break). That's exciting. I'm hoping last year's trend continues and that Jan continues to notice my hard work and gives me opportunities accordingly. I'm sure he will though. He's very fair. Actually, he's really the first fair conductor/music director I've worked with in an orchestral setting. He doesn't really play favorites, but just places you by ability and seniority (but even he admits he has to put the upperclassmen up front). He's a cool guy.

I'm also going to be playing musicals again (groan). Actually, I take that back. I'm really happy to be able to get all the pit experience I'm getting here. I don't think I'd be able to play so many shows, much less play for a professional pit orchestra at any other school. And Dr. Albert and Dr. Keating are pretty cool, too.

Well, that's all for now! I'll update soon, or, if you're at SU... see you in class (or in the practice rooms)!

Winchester!

Well, if the title didn't clue you in, I'm back in the armpit of the east coast. No, I don't mean Jersey (which is actually surprisingly not trashy if you go to the right places). Good ol' Winchester, VA! Hate the town, but love the school. I've been spending a good bit of time in the practice rooms lately (4 hours the day I got back, followed by 2 yesterday) working on audition music and (more importantly) stuff for my lessons. I've seen a couple new faces in the practice rooms but haven't gone in to introduce myself. Perhaps tonight (when the practice rooms will undoubtedly be full up) I'll go bother the new freshmen violinists.

Orchestra auditions are tomorrow (mine's at high noon), and I'm not nervous. I figure, just go in, play, get it the hell over with, and go back to working on Kreutzer and Mozart. I've also decided to NOT play the Bruch for the concerto competition. I think that, since it's a five movement piece of music, and I have plenty of stuff to learn (i.e. concertos that will actually help me in the long run), it would be better to either get the Khachaturian up to speed or just pick out a good showpiece or new concerto to play for it (maybe Wieniawski or something).

Anywho, I've gotta run. Things to do and not a lot of time to do them!

Oh yeah, and I shaved my initials into my stomach.

Home!

So I'm finally home for a few weeks. Actually, I've been home almost a week, but really haven't been on the computer much. So here's a recap of the week.

Monday:
Went to work with Stef (to expedite the process of finishing up... well that and helping her lift refrigerators. By help I mean doing it myself because I'm so damn buff.), then came home and started packing my junk up/cleaning the house so when we get back it's not too much of a pig sty. Went to lunch at Heavenly Ham with Digger, Patrick, Brian, Trey, and Stef. Ended up leaving for home around 3pm. Nice drive. Got home at 5ish. Ordered 2 dozen No. 1 crabs for dinner. Went to bed around 11.

Tuesday:
Took Stef to BWI (she's on the West Coast until the 15th). On the way stopped at Donut Shack (an appropriate "leaving MD" meal). Then came back home and slept for a while. Got up and showered, practiced, etc. Went to B+B with Warren and played a hell of a lot of pool.

Wednesday:
Got up late. Showered, practiced etc. Bummed around. Went to Hard Bean that night and saw Jared. Was cool.

Thursday:
Got up at 7:30. Went to see Brian (the cousin on the Ravens) at practice. Came home and decided to run on the treadmill. Stayed home that night.

Friday:
Got up late (again). Ran on treadmill (again... starting to enjoy running more and more). Hung around the proverbial house. Went to Jeff's Diplomacy party that night. Stayed until, oh, 3am. Surprisingly enough, did not turn into a drunken mess.

Saturday:
Woke up excessively late (12:30). Ran (again). Water guy came to give estimate on water filter system deal. Went to Hard Bean that night. Jeff, Olivia, Cait, Karin, Andy were all there.

Sunday:
In progress.

Wow... my days just keep getting more and more exciting! Actually, tomorrow'll be fun because Justin and I are going to 6 Flags.

SSMT IS OVER!!!!!!

So tonight was the FINAL PERFORMANCE of SSMT! Oh yes! It's been an interesting 6 weeks of professional experience, and I'm so glad that it's at an end finally. Yes, it'll be good for the resume, and yes I've made some good connections here, but I'm so ready to actually have a break this summer! Stef and I are headed home to good ol' MD, hopefully before noon.

So, things to do whilst in MD.
-Checkup @ doctor's
-Dentist appt.
-Eye doctor appt.
-Get a haircut.
-Buy a bow.
-Get laptop fixed.
-Go to 6 Flags w/ Justin.
-Hang out with old friends.
-Go downtown a bunch.
-Look around for presents for birthdays/etc.

oh, and RELAX!!!!