Cakes, Birthday Parties and Crazy Dreams (again)

So Friday was pretty much awesome! It was Sarah's birthday yesterday, and she wanted to bake a cake so we took over the almost only working oven in Centennial basement and had at it. It was an adventure!! We didn't have anything to grease the pan with, nor did we have flour, so we had to make do with vegetable oil. Then we had to stir the mix with cereal spoons (which took a while, but we did a good job!). Then we didn't have anything to poke the cake with to see if it was done, so we used a piece of pencil lead (which actually worked) and we managed to do dishes without a towel. Then we tried to frost it too quickly, so the top of the cake came off several times. And we went psycho with some sprinkles. And Sarah realized her decorative frosting that she thought was white was really blue. Heehee. =D
So yesterday was her actual birthday. And it was exciting! She had a party in her dorm. There were about ten of us total. We just hung around and watched A Series of Unfortunate Events, had some cake (because Sarah has three full birthday cakes!), and went to the Olive Garden for dinner (YAY FOR NO MENSA FOOD!!! =D) It was a happy day.
So then after I got back Melissa and I chilled in the common room and watched Music and Lyrics. Then Larisa came up with Travis, they were downstairs studying for o chem and decided to come upstairs as his suitemates were a bit of a distraction. Well...our movie ended up being the new distraction =D then we put in 10 Things I Hate About You and watched about the second half before it was bedtime.
Then the dreams!
I was at band. Apparently (in dreamland only), if you're in wind ensemble you have to pass a playing test at the end of fall term in order to keep you chair/stay in WE. If you don't do well enough, you're back in symphonic. So it was test time, and two students were doing the judging (as opposed to Doc) and they let you know if you got to stay/what chair you were by placing multi colored sticks in front of you dorm door. I was pretty nervous because I heard that one of the flutes was kicked out, and I was certain that it was me but it ended up being Melissa H. Then Doc asked me to conduct a song for him even though I haven't taken a conducting class yet. I was pretty much freaked out, and I kept hoping he would forget but he didn't and the entire time I was conducting he was correcting me because I was (obviously) wrong. Then it switched to something about climbing Japanese trees with a couple of acquaintances from high school. Then it switched to me coming home for a break but arriving in the middle of the night when everyone was asleep so I just crept up to my room where I found Snoopy sleeping and Tink waiting for me (Snoopy never sleeps outside of his cage). I picked up Tink and went to pet Snoopy, but he was mad at me so he just walked away.
Strange.
Well, I'm off to finish some homework.
...more homework.
I've already typed a paper, read a two chapters for IS and spent three hours practicing in the FAC.
I still need to study for theory and do some learning logs and my assessment paragraph for methods.
Yeah.
'lohas...

Russian Runaway

So last night I dreamed that I was really born in Russia, but I ran away to America at the age of three. My parents were really upset. My mom had the brilliant idea that I went to America, so she did, too, and we found each other because we were both singing at the same time and we invented a new chord, which was the start of American Idol.
I think this calls for a:
where the crap did that come from!?!?
There was more, but I don't remember it well enough to explain it. I know it involved some fellow music majors taking a trip to a different country and trying to buy music/take piano class for an upcoming school musical.
But still.
Russia??
...

Happiness!

The evil half hour long presentation for psych of the exceptional child that my partner and I couldn't start working on until Saturday because we were busy is officially done!!! YAY!!! =] That was kind of a huge stress point there. One because I'm not fond of presentation giving, two because we hardly had any time at all. But it's over! YAHOO!!!!!!!!!!
And work is done for the day! Well, Mensa work. I still have maintenance tomorrow, Thurs and Friday, plus more Mensa on Friday. But it's done for today! =] Plus I was spared the disgustingness of dishline...it's broken, so we have to put the food in these plastic bins and dump those into the garbage. Meaning the food that is normally just pushed down the line and leaves our presence doesn't. Every single last bit of food that's taken off a tray is in the dishroom until the garbage is taken out at the end of the meal. GROSS!!!! But thankfully they needed me on salad bar. Yay! =]
And it's cold and fall-like outside, so in celebration I got me a steamer!
The jury is still out on May term. As of this second, I'm leaning towards staying here as much as I want to go...I still have to figure out finances, but I know that gas is going to cost me around $350 next year for going home on breaks ONLY (since it's so far), that doesn't include summer running and at school running.
[and this is me just typing everything out, I don't care who reads it/who doesn't]
Then there's the fact that I need more of a teacher's type wardrobe, I have no button down shirts and I had to get rid of all my slacks because they didn't fit anymore (25 hours of field experience next term, anyone?). Add to that the fact that I can't really get a summer job, and 19 days worth of touring in England is expensive (especially with converting the money). Plus the class has nothing to do with a major that I started a year late, and add to that the fact that I've been getting a push from my parents to start paying for some of my own things (my $15/month portion of the cell phone bill, something with insurance) nothing they're asking is astronomical, but over the months is does add up. And for me, adding up is deadly because whatever I earn this school year is all I'll have until next September. And I really feel like I need to start paying for some things on my own...I am 20 now. Oh yeah, and I student teach for an entire semester senior year, and I honestly don't think I'll be able to keep a job on campus while doing that.
I hate money.
Oh, and I really really really really love being in wind ensemble. A lot. And I don't know if I want to give that up my senior year, trip or no trip.
Argh.
Anyhoo. I am tired. So instead of being overly productive like I was considering, I'm going to sleep. Because sleeping makes people happy. Then there's band and class. But I need sleep first.
Goodnight! =]

Crazy dreams part 34,756,483,939,474.

So last night's dream was...interesting...
I was at home, it was summertime and I was unbelievably bored as I didn't have a job and no one was around. I was entertaining myself by going to this secondhand shop that I don't remember the name of, but it had a goose in its logo. I also wanted to try out for the municipal band (even though I don't know if NL has one) on the clarinet, and I was excited because it was a song I played in high school called "October" (as in Eric Whitacre...but it wasn't the same song, and in all actuality, I've never played it before). Then my mom took my brother and I to the secondhand store (even though it was more of a dollar store than anything) so I could look for a Harry Potter costume for no apparent reason and she could get some stuff (like shampoo and soap) and my brother was just kind of there. So it comes time to check out and my mom had gotten a bunch of unbelievably expensive top brand type soaps and stuff, and it made me mad because we weren't supposed to be spending a lot of money and she just completely defeated the purpose of going to the dollar store place and it was completely selfish, so she got mad at me. Then it kind of switched. I remember telling Sandy and Megan about the band tryouts and how they should do it with me, but they didn't want to, then we went to an Italian place for dinner. Then it switched to Chelsea and Larisa being there and there was a sale at the dollar store place on these multi-colored beanie hats that were Harry Potter inspired (except not...) so we went and waited in line to get some. I was the last person in line, and they only had a small and a large left, but Larisa took the last small and I was stuck with one that was huge on me and I was mad. Then it switched again and there was this old lady at the checkout counter and a couple of guys standing by me with their hats and she was explaining how they had magical powers and we could fly and save people, so we started flying and we were going to other worlds for a long time until we kind of got stuck, but she explained that we had to buy new ones every so often to keep the magic from fading, so we did. Then we went to dinner at the Italian place, and there was a little girl there who was kind of functioning as a daughter except she wasn't, she just appeared in four year old form. The spaghetti sucked. Then we went home, but the old lady decided to build us a place to live because we were the current generation of the magic beanie people and she used to be one, too, and she was just so excited. I think there was something involving my brother's friends after that, but I don't remember what...
I kind of wonder where that came from.

Birthday Thank-yous!

So yesterday was pretty much AWESOME!!!
I didn't really *do* anything of particular special-ness, but it was a very happy day.
Chelsea's package was a stuffed gopher, which made me laugh =]
My parents sent me a stuffed tiger (the one Aidan gave Greenlee when she was in the hospital on my soap) and I named him Alfonso and I get to name a star!! (Alfonso is a "official product of the international star registry"...hey Sarah, maybe we could find my star at band bonding next year...lol!) There's also a cat hair on him, so I'm trying to be as careful as possible to not make it fall off as I miss my Tinkerbell.
And there's a cake from my parents, too.
I've got a Harry Potter quilt-inspired pillow from Melissa, which rocks my face off!
A HUGE thank-you to Kristina and Megan for my never ending supply of baked goods! They've been shared a bit so I don't eat ALL of it on my own...I don't think I'm even capable of that...but it's awesome! I LOVE the squirrel shaped cookie!!! =]
And to Sandy: that card made me laugh! I love it!!!! Melissa thought it was brilliant, too! =]
Thank you for the birthday wishes/blog mention/hugs Rachel V and Sarah! And for allowing me to escape the wrath of the Mensa and their "enchiladas" by smuggling me pizza from your floor's pizza party! =]
Annnnnd now I need to practice some flute/piano/bassoon and then get some sleep because I've got to be at my maintenance job at 630 and the Mensa at 7! Woo!
BTW my allergies have officially attacked my eyes...and they're really bloodshot. And itchy. But it looks cool, even though it does freak me out a little. Heh. And my dead fingers are healing! Double yay!!

=]

The end of No Finer Calling (third movement, nothing we auditioned on) is probably the most amazing piece of music I have ever played ever, marching band music set aside. I'm going to be very sad when we're done playing that piece.
(I HATE THE ITALIC BUTTON)Now it works.
http://juliegiroux.www2.50megs.com/whats_new.html
Click on the button that says III: Honor Above All. It will start playing as the page loads. The *amazing* part is after the really quiet part where the timpani and clarinet have a pp fermata, then the band gradually comes in with a slow, sad-ish melody. It builds and gets to be amazing. But it is a ways in.
Only a few more hours left of me being 19. Which is weird. Because I'll be 20 at midnight. WHICH IS STRANGE. But exciting just the same =]
Yay for tomorrow!
And yay for the one year anniversary of this here blog!
AND GUESS WHAT??
Not only is my birthday National Talk Like a Pirate Day and Hermione's birthday, but it's the birthday of :-) too!!!
For serious!
http://tech.yahoo.com/blogs/devlin/16070

Ouch.

So I have successfully annihilated my fingers.
Yesterday I had some stained clothes that had been sitting for a while as I was waiting to have enough laundry for a full load before I washed them. Well, I had forgotten about them for a little too long. So I had the brilliant idea of giving them a bleach bath in scalding hot water in the laundry room sink to try and get as much of the stain out of them as humanly possible (as they were white and it was not good). Well, I scrubbed them to DEATH. Seriously. About halfway through I started noticing that my knuckles hurt. And it kept getting worse. And after a little while, they started stinging. So I looked at them. And due to the hotness of the water, the amount of water the skin on my fingers had absorbed and the force I was scrubbing with, I surpassed blister stage and am now missing decent sized circles of skin on each knuckle. It looks like the first time I went ice skating and the skin wore off my shins because I wore ankle socks, just smaller and on my knuckles instead. They've been bleached a lot, too, so at least I know they're clean, I guess...but man does it HURT!
In other news, I HAVE A SECRET PRESENT STASH! Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Megan's ginormous package arrived today (which I'm scared to open as it's not that heavy and I wouldn't put it past her to do the huge box with increasingly smaller boxes inside, each covered with duct tape until I reach the smallest box which holds a bracelet or something. So that one shall be an adventure!). And I got a package from home and one from Chelsea and a card from Sandy and my grandma and Melissa's gift has joined my pile and it is exciting!!! =] Birthdays should happen more often.
Still no decision on England, but I have obtained a 5hr/week job in maintenance, so I'll go from having 5-6 hours of work each week from dear old Mensa to having 10-11 hours per week from both, and starting at the second seven weeks I will gain another Mensa shift so my total work hours will go up to 14-15 per week, plus Mensa weekends. My checkbook shall be happy for once! YAY!! =] So this weekend or sometime I have to sit with a calculator and figure out finances. Then I'll have some kind of I'm leaning in this direction type answer. Because all I've got going for England is the fact that it's awesome. What I've got going against it is needing another loan, needing a buttload of spending money, and missing the marching band/instrument repair class. And that's all I'm saying on the topic because the more I think the more I contradict/confuse myself.
Annyhoo.
That's about all I've got. Now I need to do some homework, including more learning logs, looking at presentation material and starting some ear training. Fun stuff...

Considerings...

So tonight was pretty awesome. Doctor Who night!! =]=]=] Makes Rachels happy.
And...
Then there was this thing...
Well, there's a trip to England happening over May term.
A literary tour of England.
For 18 nights.
London, Stratford Upon Avon, Oxford, Cambridge, and lots of other places. Tower of London and Stonehenge included.
I noticed this class when I was first looking at Wartburg. And I really wanted to go on it.
And then there was NY, and shortly after that I was told by my parents "No more trips!!" because, according to them, I'm well traveled enough already. And I've got a buttload of loans. And trips just end up increasing the loans. So I was all "ookay...no more trips..." and I just kind of forgot the England thing.
Well. The trip is happening this year (it's only every other year) and Sarah's going on it and, according to her, if they don't get one more person they can't do it.
I mean...the trip looks amazing...seriously...
She was just going on and on about the trip.
And I was getting increasingly flustered. Because I really do want to go.
REALLY want to go.
It's only $4500ish. And it's more than twice as long as my $2500 trip senior year. Plus I've already got luggage and a passport and enough travel size things to sink a ship. And a job, so I can supply my own spending money. Plus more meals are covered in the cost of the trip this time, and I'll be wise enough to stock up before leaving.
I seriously REALLY want to go on this trip. You have no idea.
The only obstacle: the parents. I mean, I understand where they're coming from...last year's trip was completely out of the blue, and I'm seriously going to be up to my eyeballs in loans. But still. I'll be 20 on Wednesday. I know they're going to help me pay for school, but I'll still be left with a majority of it, and I could get my own loan (as the other ones are in my name, anyway) and make an agreement to pay the travel loans all by myself.
When is the next time I'd be able to go on a trip like this? Seriously. It's kind of once in a lifetime. The only reason it's not already canceled is because there's a bunch of seniors going, and they'll never get another chance to go.
Then there's the fact that Sarah is seriously playing the "I'm not going to shut up about it...cooome with meee....it will be amaaaaazing..." part.
AND I WOULD LOVE TO GO.
I sense a call home tomorrow.
Not really a permission thing as I'm practically legal.
And you know the argument I have on my side?
I have never, ever gone back and bothered my parents about doing things they asked me not to do.
Ever.
I've accepted any fates handed to me (which are rare, I might add...they're really really easygoing, there's only been a couple of frustrations, seriously) and I've never gone back and asked for a change in fate.
You know what else is pushing me to go?
There's an LOTR musical.
That is playing in London.
Pretty much until the show closes, which could (and probably will) take years.
I've seen clips on Youtube that have given me chills...while on a tiny computer screen.
Live?? *jawhitsfloor*
Sarah said that the prof is leaving some free nights during our 8 night stay in London so we'll have time to go see shows.
...
I think I would die.
(the stupid italic won't cooperate very well)There it goes.
I...
want to...
it's not really as spur of the moment as it seems, as I've been eyeballing this for two years now.
Ugh.
It would be amazing.
But the money...
But it would be AMAZING.
And for England for 18 nights...that's cheap. Seriously now.
I don't know why I'm acting undecided, because I practically am decided.
But...
Maybe it's because I'm tired, and while I KNOW my parent's won't/can't completely keep me from going, I'm almost entirely positive that they're going to give me a bit of an over the phone talk. Because to them, it's spontaneous trip taking.
My other argument?
Wind Ensemble is going on a tour of Germany my senior year. Which is tempting, but 1) isn't English speaking and 2) band trips are high intensity, being dressed up in skirts all the time being proper staying in random people's homes kind of a little awkward, and I don't think I want an entire month of that.
I could be all "well, Germany my senior year would cost the same...and I like this better..."
And then there's the fact that I won't get another chance to take the instrument repair/marching band class over May term 'cause it's even years only and in 2010 Doc will be with the wind ensemble, not on campus.
Unless it's given by someone else.
But how many chances will I get to go on this trip? Teacher salaries aren't big.
I'm somewhere around 95% sure that I'm going...but I have to call home/see about loan increasing and/or getting another one...stuff like that...
And I have to be up for work in the morning, so I should sleep.
England...maybe here I come?...

A tour of our room! Intended for Chelsea. But you can watch, too!!

Mystery Package...

So apparently someone sent me a package.
I've got the pink slip riiight here.
Unfortunately, I got it after the mailroom closed. So I don't have the actual package.
No big deal, I was expecting one from my mom of a few small things I forgot to bring.
So I call her today, and she starts asking me if my address changed or not. Meaning she wasn't 100% sure of what it was. Meaning she hasn't sent me anything yet.
Possibility 2: Chelsea asked for my mailbox number a week ago for my bday present. Could be her, as it probably takes about that long to mail stuff from CO. That one died when she IMed me to quadruple check what my box number was this afternoon.
Possibility 3: Sandy asked for my address on facebook this week. I figured it *could* be her, 'cause I thought she asked on Tues or Wed, which fits for something from Chicago.
WRONG!
She asked yesterday. Unless she paid a buttload extra to overnight it, there's NO way it's from her, either.
I don't know who else has my address here.
Megan or Kristina? Ummmm....I don't specifically remember giving it to them, but maaaybe...
My grandma is sending me money in a card this year, and her timing with my actual birthday is normally a lot better than 11 days in advance.
My aunts were trying to send me a care package last year but never did. Considering one is recovering from back surgery and the other is recovering from a broken wrist, I kind of doubt it.
And that's everyone I could think of who would have my address.
Oh, and Rachel T maybe...but again, I don't remember giving it to her...I probably did...
I'M GOING INSANE!!!
(And BTW, I haven't ordered anything to be sent here at all.)
For the first time ever, I am really really really excited for Monday.
[EDIT] I got the package today! It turns out that it was from Chelsea, and it's the first part of a two part birthday present I can't open 'til next Wednesday...when I'm 20! =]

Band Bonding!!

Was awesome this year. I think part of it was that I actually knew exactly what was going on as opposed to being completely and entirely confused about everything like I was last year.
Food was good.
The usual getting-to-know-you games were a little more enjoyable since I actually knew more people.
But this year there was a rather unwanted addition to it all...
MOSQUITOES!!!!!!
AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!
They were INSANE!
There are four bites by my left eye, right next to the hairline. One on each cheek, kind of by my nose and eye. A few along my jawline. At least 10 on each arm, a few of them quarter sized and almost bruise like. Several all over my hands. More than 10 on the left side of my neck by my hairline. One behind my ear. And one in my nose. As in the stupid thing flew IN my nose and bit me. That one is kind of annoying because I can't really scratch it at all...
Sarah and I tried to sleep outside just because we've never done that before, and it was a lot of fun and such...the stars were GORGEOUS, even better than last year's, and we could even hear owls hooting, but sadly we only lasted 45 minutes. Stupid freaking mosquitoes. I think that's the reason behind the assault on my face/neck as the rest of me was in a sleeping bag. We tried putting a blanket over our faces to help keep them away, but they wouldn't leave us alone. Plus, two people with their heads under one blanket...it gets really really really warm with the body heat and breathing. I was pretty much suffocating.
Nothing too exciting happened with it today...
We played that game where you stand in a circle and grab random people's hands and then unknot yourselves and that was hilarious to anyone watching me because my group joined with another group, so we had 16 people, and it was this HUGE knot. Well, I got pretty tangled up when we were trying to straighten it out. In fact, at one point, one hand had to go as high as possible to let people under it, the other as low as possible to let people go over it, along with the fact that everyone standing around me was practically ON me...it was intense, I felt like a pretzel. Eventually, both of my hands had to go close to floor level, and because of how i was positioned I literally fell over. That's when everyone started laughing at me. It HURT! I tried to get up, but because of my hands being where they were and everyone else standing the way they were I couldn't get up all the way, I couldn't even get any of my weight on my feet, so I had to half lean half sit and support myself entirely with my back which was very very painful...I started shaking a couple of minutes into that. Like, completely involuntary shaking from my spine because it couldn't handle all of my weight like that very well. But if I stayed sitting my arms wanted to come out of my sockets because of where my hand holding people were. I was one happy camper when that circle was straightened out!!!
I'm just sitting around right now. Tomorrow is an intense homework day. Today I don't have much time and I hardly slept last night (it was cold...I had some thought processes I couldn't turn off...my dreams were about waking up, so that didn't help much...etc). I was laying down for 5.5 hours, I think I was sound asleep for maybe 3 or 4. Not straight, either, very very sporadic. Ah well. I'm at the loopy part of tired now! Yahoo!!
Um...that's all I've got.
Yay for band bonding!!

If you ever wonder why I'm never here...

So that pretty much sums up this term.
Schedule of events:
Monday: music theory 9-10. hist of science 12-1. methods (trumpet/french horn) 310-345. band 450-6.
Tuesday (worst day ever...): work 7-915. psych of the exceptional child 930-1115. work again 1130-3. band 450-6. IS 201 630-??
Wednesday: theory 9-10. hist of sci 12-1. flute lessons 2-230. methods (tr/fh) 310-345. flute masterclass 345-445ish. band 450-6.
Thursday (I HATE THURSDAYS): work 7-915. psych 930-1115. methods (bassoon/oboe) 1-240. hist of sci lab 250-430. band 450-6.
Friday: work 7-850. theory 9-10. hist of sci 12-1. methods (tr/fh) 310-345. band 450-6.
And the workload?
...dear goodness. Each methods instrument I have to practice for around a half hour/day. With 2 classes, that's one hour total. Flute lessons are 6 hours/week. I don't even have piano figured out yet. Theory is going to take a buttload of time. IS is never ever friendly with assignments. And for psych of the exceptional child, I have to read a 30+ page chapter for every single class AND do a learning log for each chapter AND prepare a 30-45 minute presentation AND do field experience AND write a 2-3 page paper on that AND prepare for an essay-form final. Did I mention the fact that as a music major I have to attend 12 recitals/term? They're generally over an hour long each. There are 14 weeks in a term. They really don't pick up until later on as people have to prepare for them.
So pretty much I am never, ever going to be around. At all. Not on AIM. Probably not to chat idly on the phone. I don't know how often this will be updated once life kicks in.
And guess what?
Judging by the workloads of some third year music ed majors, it's only going to get worse.
A LOT worse.
Now I need to go read my chapter...and do the learning log...and think about this term one day at a time, because all at once kind of makes me hyperventilate...

Heeeee......

Band audition results today.
Annnd....
Guess what guess what guess what???!!!!!!
WIND ENSEMBLE!!!!!!
=D=D=D
Okay I'm done.
I'm just a tad excited...only a little teensy bit...nothing more...
So some buddies from home wanted to road trip to see some concerts.
And heeere's the dates!!
Oct 21 (Sunday)=Homecoming concert 2pm
Nov 3/4 (Sat/Sun)=Fall concert 730pm/2pm (same music as homecoming)
Nov 27-Dec 2=Christmas With Wartburg (more specific info will come later)
Feb 3 (Sun)=Meistersinger concert 2pm
April 6 (Sun)=Spring Tour Concert 2pm
April 18-25=Midwest tour, idk where we'll be exactly but if it's in IL (which it very well may be) I will most definitely let you know. even if it's not, I'll still put up the info when I have it.
=]

Out and about

So Wartburg's been pretty sweet.
My room is set up! Yay!
I'm registered for classes!!!! YAHOO!!! That was really stressing me out there...
Band auditions tomorrow. I'm excited to get that over with.
So tonight Kristi randomly popped in my room and it was exciting!! We went for a walk with a few other people. Since it's chilly this time of night, I opted for my close-toed shoes...ie the death shoes from NY. I have broken them in already.
...or so I thought.
Yup. That's right. Blister number twelve on my right heel! Ha! Not...really...stupid shoes.
But the walk was really nice. And pretty. There are stars here, and I enjoy looking at them. =]
Annd I have my finalized work schedule where I asked for more hours.
What did they do for me?
The took away a 3.5 hour shift that I now have a class in and gave me a 3 hour shift instead. So I'd have 5 or 6 hours a week instead of the 10 I asked for that they never gave me in the first place.
Mensa, I am tired of you. I'm trying to pick up a maintenance job for 5 hours/week to make up for the deficit since I'm tired of having to ask for more hours (this isn't the first time I've asked so far) and I'm trying to find something different, hopefully next term. Or sooner.
Convo tomorroooooww...I'm sleepy. It's sleepy time for this Rachel. Good night, world!

Move in day!!!

Yay!!!
The suite is pretty much amazing.
Furniture=very nice looking, not crappy at all.
We have a thermostat! YAHOO! AND AIR CONDITIONING!!!
Our window overlooks a roof...which can be used to build snowmen on =]
Unpacking is going. Kind of slowly. But not too shabby. I can run in circles in our room! And I only bumped my elbow on a box of Melissa's that was on top of her dresser.
Life is good!
Now to continue unpacking...