The P Family

The amount we've been through is amazing.

Unlike most of the people I write about now, I've known them since before I can remember.  My dad was good friends with Mrs. P in high school, and our families have always been close.  There's always a special connection between people who have known each other for so long.  That, and the ages lining up so close with the ages of our family (AP and I, MP and J, DP and A).

Unfortunately the power of going to different schools has hit us hard.  It's amazing how something that we will look back at as being so inconsequential can determine friendships like that.  People always say that people with the same values and personalities will always find their way into friendship, but at the high school level, it's hard to be interschool.  Specifically, topics of conversation are lacking.  How much common ground is there between people who do absolutely nothing together?  Not much.  How easy is it to have a conversation with someone if you don't actually see that someone.  Not easy.  And friendships do end up suffering.

Two nights ago, my dad and I went over to their house to wish them a Merry Christmas.  They had the whole (big) family over, but still welcomed us in anyway.  As soon as I got in, I began playing a game called Quelf with AP, DP, and one of their friends.  It was like we had never been separate.  We had a great time playing the game, and even went for another round when we were done.  After that, we went to sing Christmas Carols with the rest of the family, and that was also a great time.

At the end of the night, I got AP and MP's numbers.  We need some way of keeping the friendship together.  I don't want it to die.  Both personality wise and in values and history, we have so much in common.

-NM

To My Readers:

December 25th, 2013

To my Readers,

Merry Christmas!  I know is has been a chaotic time for all, as it is every year.  Between getting presents, and sending cards, and various concerts, it can be a stressful time of year.  But today is the day that (hopefully) everything paid off!

Personally, I got more presents than I expected.  These included presents that I had already gotten in previous years, presents that I had asked for and gotten, presents that I didn't ask for and really liked, and one specifically that made me feel a little guilty.  But, as we are constantly reminded, Christmas is not about the presents.  As much as certain movies like to make us feel that believing in Santa is embracing the Christmas spirit, we sometimes need to be reminded that this couldn't be more true.  In fact, it is quite the opposite.  The more we can remove our focus from the gifts, the more we can embrace the true spirit of Christmas.  To be reminded, Jesus only got three presents that He didn't even ask for.  And He never would have gotten to use them properly, as He had to flee the country shortly after.

My favorite part of Christmas every year is that the family gets together every year.  That is it.  Seeing and being closer to family.  

On a different note, I would like to take this time to thank you, my faithful readers.  I realize that I have not been posting nearly as much in recent months, and I haven't been completely happy with what I've been writing.  I feared that people would stop reading my blog altogether.  However, this has not proved to be the case, even though views are down.

The reason I haven't been posting much is a simple analyzation of the blog's purpose.  As stated in the Introduction, the blog is dedicated to the "people, places, and events that have had an impact on my life."  I was finding that most of my posts were just summaries of events that people who know me would have known already.  Primarily, I am shifting the focus of the blog to the "people", and the events and places in which they impact me.  This has meant less posts, but that is not the primary concern.

I shall keep writing! Stay in touch!

-NM

Office Party 12/21/13

I tell you, this is quickly becoming a day I look forward to on a yearly basis.

It's the annual party of all the people my dad works with, and their families.  The past two years have been great, and so much fun (see 12/22/12)!  I had really high hopes for this year, and I must say that it made my expectations.

At around 5, we all left to go pick up A from dance, and then head over to the H-M's house.  When we arrived, things were starting kind of slow, and then picked up pretty quickly once everyone started arriving.  We went downstairs and played some pool and ping pong.  I was moderately successful at pool, though not nearly as successful as CM (who insisted she couldn't play well, even though she played the best and lived in the house).  The ping pong was dominated by J, though that wasn't a huge surprise.  Eventually, it was time for dinner, and we all sat down.  Dinner was great.  The food was magnificent, and so was the water.  I mean, stuff you would normally get in a restaurant (the adults even got menus).

After dinner we played a little more pool/ping pong, but eventually the adults decided we needed to put on a show.  We did a good job.  V played her flute.  NC, SW, and I played piano.  HC, CM, and A sang.  A and I presented what we had written so far of our "Twas the Night Before Christmas" (and ended on a half cadence).  We even got J and JC to join me in a rendition of We Three Kings.  And afterwards, we all sang a few songs together.  The highlights being SW singing with us on "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", and our less-than-wonderful attempt at the Hallelujah Chorus (next year we're going to bring music).

I never looked at my watch/phone the entire time.  I couldn't have told you what time it was.  When we left, it was 11:00.  I think a lot of people were just as shocked to find out how late it was.  Time really flies when you're having fun.  And sometimes the fun comes from people you hardly even see.  Yet it is fun nonetheless.  I look forward to this same gathering next year.

-NM

CMU

I applied Early Decision to CMU.

I think the best way to describe why I wanted to go is summed up in the essay I had to write describing why I wanted to go there.  Here it is:

            When my junior year started, I realized that the time had come for me to give serious introspection and consideration towards applying to college.  I realized I needed to consider what kind of a student I was, and what type of college I should be looking for.  I remember one day, early on in my junior year, a booklet of information from Carnegie Mellon had come in the mail.  Although I had discarded several such booklets from other schools, I knew that I wanted to keep and read over this one.  The more research I did, the more I began to realize how perfect a fit Carnegie Mellon University was with my talents, my character, and my goals.  Because of this fit, I have decided to apply Early Decision to the Carnegie Institute of Technology, so that I may become part of all this University has to offer.

            First, I know that Carnegie Mellon is a university in which I could use and build upon my talents to my full potential.  I have always been a student who has excelled in Mathematics and Science.  I recognize that I need to go to a school where I can build on these skills that I have developed, and there is no better school to do this than Carnegie Mellon.  Even during my undergraduate schooling, I would be able to participate in research with my peers.  This is not simply learning in the traditional sense, but it is also creating knowledge for others to learn.  Not only this, I would be receiving a world-class education that is incomparable to most other institutions.  Here, I could use the talents I possess to do good, while enhancing these talents to the greatest extent possible.

            Also, Carnegie Mellon fits well with everything non-academic that I could hope for in a college.  First of which, I have lived in Sewickley for most of my life, and have come very close to all that the city of Pittsburgh has to offer, but I don’t want to live in what one might call a “city school”.  I hope that I can go to a college that enables me to continue to take advantage of this, and I would love for Carnegie Mellon to be that college.  While it offers the advantage of the city’s opportunities, it is a school where one is not necessarily crossing six lane highways between every class.  In addition, the campus community is one where I see myself fitting in., which I could clearly tell after visiting on October 4^th.  As a friend and member of the Carnegie Mellon Class of 2017 puts best, “One thing I’ve really come to like about CMU is just being surrounded by incredibly motivated people.”  I have always been a self-motivated person, and would love to join this community.

            As to my pursuits at the university, the motivation is clear.  I have always been strong in the math and sciences, and engineering is the perfect fit for me.  I would love to become an engineer some day, and Carnegie Mellon, as one of the country’s top engineering programs, can help me achieve that goal.  As to the type of engineering, that actually came from a conversation I had with a Carnegie Mellon Professor, Dr. James W. Schneider.  We talked about what Chemical Engineering really is, and I began to realize not only my strong ties to Chemical Engineering, but also how much I would love to take a class taught by this professor, and I am confident that there are others like him.  This conversation on October 4^th was the final factor for me.  I realized that I could not see myself anywhere but here, so close to the city I love, taking classes with people I fit in with, and taught by teachers that I felt a connection to, while using my experiences to achieve my goal of becoming an engineer.  For all these reasons, I have decided to apply Early Decision to Carnegie Mellon University.

Last Night, the letter arrived.  I got accepted!  I now know where I am going to college, and am thrilled!  I told everyone, my family, JR, all my friends (sorry if I left anyone out).  It's the beginning of a new era.  And I like it!

-NM

Ensemble Successes

Today was a successful day for many reasons.

First of all, it meant the first time in a while that the ensemble performed somewhere other than with the QV chorus.  For reasons, not completely clear, we didn't do a whole lot of that last year.  The year before, we did, and it was always a great time.  Finally, our group is good enough that we are able to do this again.  I'm glad we did.

Another successful part of today is that we sang well.  We did all the ensemble stuff that we had been working on, and did it well.  We even did In the Bleak Midwinter a capella, which we had been meaning to do for some time, and it wasn't really a challenge for us, and only had one not-so-great moment at all.  That would have been my cheap solo on We Three Kings, but I've made horrific mistakes before.  It was nothing new.

And the most important success is what we did today.  We sang at a nursing home.  OS's dad is in there for reasons I don't completely understand, and the ensemble went to sing for him and the other people there.  It was a very moving experience.  Not only to see so many people in such a state, but to actually help them and make a difference for them.  We did a section near the end where we invited them to sing along with several traditional pieces.  Many sang.  Many got into it, and one was even clapping along.  Many I feel weren't completely capable of joining.  But it was still a very moving experience.  To make such a difference in people's lives, even for such a short time.

And that was my day.  It's a day to remember.

-NM

Light Up Night 2013

After last year's success, I wasn't about to let another light up night go by without doing anything about it.

Unfortunately, BF wasn't in the equation this year.  The good news is that KR was.  I'd like to say there was a dramatic build up this year to the invitation.  There wasn't.  I basically just joined her group of friends.

With the group of friends, we had a good time.  We did occasionally lose people, and then gain others, and then lose others, and gain others, but that was half the fun.  S was beautiful.  The rain/sleet turned into snow just in time, and the atmosphere was quite nice.  It was how Light-up Night should be.  There weren't too many people there, and you could still keep a conversation going without any obnoxious bands playing in the background.  I even saw the ice sculptor for the first time in years (he may have been there before, but he was noticed this time).  It was a great time.

Eventually, it got late though.  And KR couldn't go home, because both of her parents were out.  So she came over to our house for a while.  And this is where the real fun came.

We started off just talking.  Then V started playing her flute, and we went over to the piano to play the piano-flute duets we were working on.  Then KR, A, V, and I started to play/sing Christmas Carols around the piano.  Then Mr. R arrived.  My parents invited him in, and we kept going.  I played the Chopin Polonaise that I had been working on.  Then we sang songs from Les Misérables (KR's specialty), and Phantom of the Opera (A's specialty).  Eventually, we had to wrap it up, due to the fact that it was getting late, but we had had a great time already.

It's times like these that are special, yet it's times like these that often go unnoticed.  You remember the big performance someone put on, yet you often forget the time that someone said something to you that touched you.  I guess that's what made this Light Up Night so special.  It was personal.

-NM

Choir to Courthouse 2013

Another last time.  This one maybe didn't have the same sentimental value, but it was still a last time.

But it was a great time.

It started with the bus ride up.  I sat with a group.  I talked to people.  I was excited.

When we got to the Courthouse, we sounded great.  Especially the ensemble.  I really felt like we made that blend with each other that we hadn't quite made yet.  Maybe because we had never been so cramped and in a disorganized formation, and with the acoustics of the hall, but whatever it was, it worked.  Hopefully we can keep it up.

After the concert, we went and had lunch.  I sat with MF, KM, and HS.  We talked, we had a good time.

And on the bus ride home, I sat with a group.  I talked to people.  I was excited.

I would like to thank the people who dedicated their time to interacting with me socially today.  Mostly KM, JD, AG, SG, OS, AH, MF, and HS, but really my thanks go to everyone.  I feel like I'm losing my friends sometimes.  That I don't see everyone enough.  Today was reassuring at the very least.

Again, thank you for a great day!

-NM

Thanksgiving 2013

This was a very nice year.

It was back in OH this year.  Baba felt like she was able to host it this year.  And she did, no problem.

J, A, and I actually went up the night before and stayed the night with E and A.  We had a good time, playing pool chess, and watching the family's favorite movie, Davy Crockett.

The actual day started slowly, with everyone waking up at different times.  Between the long drawn out breakfasts, and being offered coffee 3 or 4 times (I don't drink coffee), it lasted longer than it should have.  Eventually, my dad and mom arrived with V, and the sleds.  This was the first time we had had snow at Thanksgiving in a long time, and we weren't about to miss a chance to sled ride at S Country Club.  Even though J and A had some issues with the concept of staying together, we still had a great time.  Then we came home, had lunch, and got ready for the hike.

The hike was one of the best ever.  We were crawling under branches, walking in lakes, and getting genuinely cold.  The hide and seek was very interesting.  A and E had decided that they were going to go full camouflage to avoid being seen, down to black face paint.  J, realizing there was snow out, decided to dress in all white, and use white face paint.  Uncle R and I were seekers.  What we realized, and no one else did, was that there was snow on the ground, and snow creates footprints.  J was the first one found.  Then A.  E took a little longer, but was eventually found by a logo on her camouflage hat.  Somehow we never found A's footprints.  He was the winner.

Dinner was great.  The fellowship was as it should be.  I have a great family.  Even though, of course, we were missing someone, we were able to come through and have one of the best Thanksgivings ever.  We were all sad to leave.  But eventually we had to.

This is one thing that's not going to go away next year.  Even when I'm away to college, I'm still going to spend my Thanksgivings with the same people.  It's great to think about that.  There's only a few things that are still like that.

-NM

MH

It's amazing why people become friends sometimes.

Of course, they have to have something in common.  But that thing could be anything.  Sometimes it's just the fact that they like the same celebrity, or pursue the same interests, or play the same sport.  But sometimes it's simpler.

Sometimes, it's just the fact that you're put in the same class together.

This is the case with me and MH.  It's been more than just once, it always seems like we're in two or three classes together every year, but still.  That's all it takes.

She's definitely a nice girl.  It's amazing how little I know about her, yet we manage to find topics of conversation.  Even if it's just about school.  Even if it's about Shakespeare.  We still talk, we laugh at each other's jokes.  We have a good time.  We don't walk away from each other in a state of disdain.

She's one of those people who I could never picture being unhappy.  You must of met somebody like that in your life.  Who, even when they're angry, they're still laughing and smiling.  She's one of those people.  This world needs more of those people.  They're very easy to like, and I can't see why anyone wouldn't want to be friends with them.

First day of AP Chemistry this year, we sat next to each other.  When it was time for lab partners, each other was the obvious choice.  We work well together.  She's a big part of that.

I won't say that I'm calling her a best friend, or that we're even in the same group of friends.  But that's the beauty of the whole thing.  How many people are there that aren't super-friends, but you can still have a pleasant conversation with?

-NM

Response to Quotes 11/11/13

"My little flighty friends will come and go.  You will be my friend for a long time."

I've been feeling a little lonely lately.  Maybe it's just the feeling that you always get after you've just finished a show (or in this case, two shows), but it's been too long for that.  That's not the problem.

Maybe it all started last Tuesday.

I was at middle school rehearsal.  There were about 20 minutes to eat lunch before we started.  And I had no one to talk to.  No one.  I just paced around and ate my sandwich.  I've never felt that way at a middle school rehearsal before.  Until KR arrived at around 3, that is.  Then, everything changed.

I realize that I'm becoming distant with many people.  I seem to have lost almost all contact with the people who have graduated from QV who I have known.  I recently was talking to MS and SS and felt like we hadn't talked in months.  Which we hadn't.  I end up getting so focused on schoolwork that during school I've hardly talked to any of my friends.  My letter correspondences have seem to come to a halt.

KR texted me at around 9:30 last night.  Normally, I would have told her good night unless she had something important to say, but I felt like I wanted to talk.  To have a conversation.  We talked about all kinds of things, from college, to her trip to NYC, to French.  Then, out of the blue, came the touching line.

"I miss you"

We both knew the meaning of this.  I miss her too.  We talked emotionally for a little bit, when she said the quote at the top of the page.  At 11:00, we called it a night.

The truth is, I miss everyone.

-NM

Cats vs. NAfME

This past week has been the big week.  I've done very little homework during this time, and my life has been devoted to one of two shows, both of which went really well.

Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start.  Cats.  Last Thursday was the start of our tech.  The costumes were all amazing, the set was good, and everyone's makeup was fabulous except mine.  The first tech day went really smoothly, although we were still missing a lot of stuff.  We had no lighting yet, and the percussionist wasn't there.  A lot of people left the rehearsal thinking our show was a lot worse than it really was.  But things looked a lot better Friday.  Things were starting to come together, and we knew that we had a really good show.  It was over these two days that I started to realize how perfect of a cast we had for this show, and how good of a choice this was to do.  I was really excited.

Then came show day.  It went great.  We sang well, and didn't really have any major screw ups for either performance.  ES came to the matinee (and gave it a pretty good review), and my entire family was at the evening.  It seemed as though everyone liked it, and we all had fun doing it.  It had a different meaning for me, as everyone else had at least one more performance to do, but it was all great.  The only complaint was the I wish more people would have been in the audience, but it seems that we always wish that.

The next morning, I left for the All-National Choir.  It was a fabulous experience.  It was so nice to meet people from all over the country in one setting.  Literally, there were people from every state there, except maybe HI.  We all got along very well, and were not afraid to talk to each other, even to the point where we were still introducing ourselves on the day of the concert.

We stayed in a five-star hotel.  There were literally gardens, and rivers flowing (complete with fish and ducks), and trees growing, and sunlight shining, and street lamps coming on inside.  It was amazing just to be in this hotel.  The food was good, and we had a concert every night, when we weren't rehearsing. It would have been nice to have a little more time to explore, but I feel that what we had was alright.  We were already being treated in amazing fashion.

And the choir sounded amazing.  I won't say that we could have put on a good show the first day, because we had a lot of technique stuff to work out, but we did on the last day.  There was a piece where we could rightfully say that no one had sung it that good in 200 years.  It was so amazing to know that our concert was probably going to set a new standard for several of the pieces we did.

Don't ask me which one I liked better.  I can't say yet.  Maybe I never will.  They were both fun and exciting in their own ways, and I would do both of them again if I could.

-NM

Feline, Fearless, Faithful and True

NM: The High School Cat

As KM put it, I am slowly turning into a cat.  It's probably mostly due to these intense rehearsals, but it may or may not have been inevitable.

So many times, I have started acting like a cat when I had absolutely no reason to do so.

• In school Monday, I started rubbing my head to my neck.
• More than once, I have hissed at someone
• I once considered licking the back of my paw to clean myself
• While listening to someone talk at dance yesterday, I found myself on all fours.

The list could go on a little more.

I successfully creeped out several people in chorus class today when I demonstrated some cat movement (including how cats say hello).  I had a great time.  They didn't.

Honestly, I'm pretty sure that my transformation is not a bad one, just a little socially awkward.  Being four-legged does have it's advantages, even if it lacks versatility in movement.  Also, how awful is it to be one of the most graceful creatures on earth?  The only disadvantage may be the lack of vocabulary, but with Jellicle Cats that's not a problem.

To put it plainly: I'm having such a great time doing this show!  It's become everything I hoped it would be!  Depending on how the shows turn out, it's up there for most fun show I've ever been in.  Please see me if you want to come see it! I would love to actually have people show up this year!

-NM

How to Kill Your Voice Without Really Trying

It's quite simple actually.  Just a few things that you have to keep in mind.

• Take part in a musical, such as Cats, where you are constantly in inhuman positions, and it is nearly impossible to support your sound properly.
• Play a part in that musical, such as Macavity, that requires such laughs and shrieks that require only your throat.
• Spend at least three hours a day in rehearsal for said musical
• Not bring enough water to said rehearsal
• Spend a lot of your free time rehearsing choir music for an event such as NAfME National Choir, that you absolutely have to rehearse for
• Sing in your school choir, school vocal ensemble, and church choir
• Have milk be your favorite drink in the whole wide world
• Partake in social activity, such as talking to people

In case you haven't noticed, a lot of those things apply to your very own NM.  In fact, all of them!

You do not want to hear me speak right now.  And I don't want to speak to you.  I would like to leave it at that.  Unfortunately, I don't know any sign language, and that makes it very hard to communicate.

On a completely unrelated note, Cats is going very well!  Things are starting to come together, and I'm starting to find my character.  I think I'm doing a good job.  Apparently I'm really scary.

If only I could still talk when it was all said and done.  I'm don't know how Nationals is going to go.

-NM

Senior Quote

For our yearbook, all senior have to select a quote.  I can't say I knew what I wanted mine to be right away, but I knew what I wanted in my quote.  Here goes:

1. I wanted the author to mean something to me.  I didn't want to find something that some random guy said that I liked.  I needed to have an idea of the context.
2. I didn't want it to be a generic life lesson.  It needed to be specific to me.
3. I wanted it to be saying something.  It needed to be something that I wanted to tell the world through the yearbook.  Not just something I found cool and interesting.
4. It needed to be inclusive.  It couldn't be an internal thing, it needed to make people want to feel this was directed at them.

And, there's a whole lot of things that it didn't have to be.

• Funny (In fact, I liked that this one wasn't)
• Grown up
• Intelligent
• Depressing
• True for everybody

I'll admit I didn't spend a whole lot of time searching.  However, I didn't need to.  Once I knew what I was looking for in a quote, I knew exactly where I wanted to look.  It only took a little searching.

When I saw it, I knew it was the one right away.

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."  -A. A. Milne, author of Winnie the Pooh

-NM

Homecoming 2013

So, let's start with the game.

It was a great game.  We won big, even though the team we played also only had one loss.  The student section was not as good as the game against Keystone Oaks that I went to earlier in the season, but it still was pretty good.  Much better than the one game I went to my freshman year.  Although J insists that I was not part of it, I say that I was a part of it, just not part of the crazy people who decided that they needed to cheer even when there was no reason whatsoever.

Also, I got to see RH, which was nice, who I haven't seen since last school year, if only briefly.  Although I spent most of the game with KR and her friends, I did watch the very end with KM, as MC and co. started getting even more crazy than the fans cheering "Drive Home Safely!"  All in all, I have no regrets going to the game.  Not one.

And now, to explain why I didn't go to the dance:

The homecoming dance has a pretty bad reputation at QVHS.  The past three years, I've felt no inclination to go, and I couldn't have gone last year even if I wanted to.  I can't say too much, as I've never been there, but nothing persuaded me to go.

The only reason I would have had to go this year would have been because it was my senior year, and my last chance to get the experience.  But honestly, I don't feel like I'm missing out.  The more I asked around, the less and less of my friends were going, and I think that was what finally convinced me in the end.

And that's not a bad thing.  One always shares similar beliefs and attitudes with your friends.  Their judgement should reflect yours.

Hopefully, I'll go to prom.  But we'll worry about that when the time comes.

-NM

HR

Looking back, it's amazing how many memories we've had together.  And yet I still feel distant most of the time.

As you may have noticed, I have not written about a lot of people from dance.  Lately, I have been trying to figure out what the reason for this is.  It's not because I don't spend time with them, I see them more than some of my friends from high school.  I guess it's simply because I haven't made that quantum leap into friendship with anyone yet.  Hopefully that time comes soon, but I'm not optimistic.

Today, I felt some hope that it might occur.

After dance today, both HR and I were waiting until our younger sisters were done.  I started reading, but after a while, I was getting bored.  Miss L and HR were having a conversation, and I just joined in.  We just talked for a while.  About school, how she was so much further along in the college process than I was at her age, about what's going to happen when we're handling our own money, all that stuff. When it was time to go, I said goodbye.  She said bye back.

She's really a nice girl.  Sure, she has a little bit of a reputation for crazy at dance, but who at dance doesn't have that?  She's always someone who I felt like there was more beneath the surface.  She always gave the impression of being energetic, but I could tell that there was a lot of stress in her life.  Not being particularly close friends with her, I could not tell you what was going on.  Or, I could be completely wrong, and she could have nothing going on at all.

Most of the time, she's in her trio with CK and NG.  She's found the connection at dance that I haven't. And she's a really good dancer.  She could go places with her dance, but she should manage to be content with a minor.  

She's just someone I'm going to miss when I go away.  Even if she won't necessarily miss me.

-NM

The Last Callback

This is it.  The last time I'm ever going to have to do a callback at high school.  Maybe the last time ever.

The last time that I'm going to have waited for the date to be announced, the email to be sent.  To find out what I'm going to have to work for!  To wait so I can learn what to sing, who I'm up against.

The last time I'm going to be let down.

I hope Mr. V's not reading this.

The past three years, callbacks have been uneventful.  My freshmen and sophomore years, I never really expected anything.  I was an underclassmen, and nothing was really to be expected.  I told myself that my time was coming, that pretty soon things would change.

Last year I was disappointed, but not shocked.  Although people kept telling me I should try for Evelyn, I never felt strongly connected with the part.  Though I thought I would at least get a callback.  I was wrong.  No callback for Evelyn came.  I told myself, well, this just wasn't your show.  Next year's your senior year.  Next year things will change.

Next year came yesterday.  Nothing changed.

We are doing Pirates of Penzance.  There are three male leads, two of which I could see myself playing.  I didn't get called back for any of them.  I did get a callback, just not for either of the parts I was hoping for.

It's not just that this means I'm going to go throughout high school without any sort of lead role.  That's not the issue here.  It's also that I've gone through high school without even being considered for a lead.  It's not that I'm not lead material, it's that I'm not even potential lead material.  I was hoping that that wasn't the case.

I'm sure that Mr. V knows what he is doing.  I'm sure that I could pull off the Police Sergeant pretty well.  It's going to be a great time, we're doing a show that's sure to be a blast!  It's just that I'm maybe a little disappointed.

-NM

KK

So, here's to a long-time friend:

For more friends than I possibly could have ever predicted, she fits into one group: we met during orchestra.  5th grade too.  The same gig where the EE and OE orchestras got their best quartets together.  Yeah.  Who knew that experience was going to change my life?  She probably doesn't remember, but we played the same part for that double quartet.

Our encounters in middle school were those of orchestra, school, drama, and a little chorus.  Throughout that time, we developed a friendship.  I won't say it was the most tight-knit thing ever, but it was a friendship.  We shared experiences, and we had good times together.  We didn't need anything else.

High school was when things started to separate.  I get the sense that we're more different than I ever could have imagined (I don't mean that in a bad way).  Maybe there is the half of each of us that is the same as each other, and the half of each of us that is different, and the different halves are shining through a little more strongly now.  Whatever it is, my first three years of high school I began to feel more and more distant from her.  We gradually started going into different groups of friends, and that was that.

When it came time to choose study partners for AP Chemistry this year, KK was an obvious choice for me.  There's the logistical reasons, we would have similar schedules with both musical and ensemble (though sadly that didn't come to pass).  But it was mostly to guarantee that we would be doing something together.  I don't want this friendship to die.  It would be a tragedy.  Now we have this, musical, and orchestra to keep us together.  Hopefully that's enough.

Not that that's a really strong fear.  We were lamenting last night about how we weren't looking at any of the same colleges.  She said it herself:

"I'm not worried about us though [M].  I know you'll be around here and there in my life.  We're the kind of people who want to keep the people we have."

I feel the exact same way.  I guess that's the half we have in common coming through again.

-NM

Relieve from Stress 9/29/13

Well, ever since my post about stress, things have gotten much better. True, Wednesday was very rough, but after that things only started to improve.  And I mean it things actually got better.

• Tests in both Linear Algebra and AP Chemistry went well, but most importantly, they're over, and I don't have to worry about them any more.
• I've caught up in all of my classes workwise, and am now officially on the same track as everyone else.
• My grades are no longer dropping, as the term ends Friday.
• I found my "important piece of my life" that was missing (maybe I did sound a little dramatic in the last post, sorry!)
• Made major progress on college essay writing today.
• Callbacks ended fairly smoothly, without the dramatics of last year.

In addition, so much more has happened.

For starters, I got an amazing text from BF Thursday night, saying that she would be visiting Saturday!  After a little confusion, we did meet, along with KR, ES, and AE.  We had a great time!  We got ice cream, hung out a little, and then went over to KR's house to watch a movie.  Although it only lasted a short time, it was great to see her again, as who knows when a chance like this will arise again?

Cats is coming along well.  Although we might not be moving at lightning speed through the dances, things are getting done, and by the end it's all going to look amazing!  I just know!

Today was one of my favorite Church Holidays, Sunday of the Veneration of the Cross.  This was the first time I experienced it from the choir.  When we sang, "O Lord, Save Thy People", it was amazing! We actually sounded really good!  And J sang, which was even better!

Overall, life is making a comeback.  Not to mention that QV is 5-0! The Pirates are going to the playoffs!  And the Steelers are terrible.  Bit of a contrast from most years.

-NM

Middle School Musical Cast

Normally, in the world of musical theater casting, expect the unexpected is not the philosophy to go by.  Normally, the cast lists are very predictable, and can usually be guessed with around 60% accuracy before auditions, and at least 90% accuracy after.  That holds true for all levels, the higher you go, the more predictable.

This year's cast of Bugsy Malone Jr. is the exception.

For those who don't know...

Bugsy Malone: JM
Blousey Brown: OA

With most of the roles last year being occupied by 8th graders, I guess there were a lot of openings.  And when you have openings, you end up with new faces in new places.

To those who didn't get leads:  I'm sorry.  I know you all put your best efforts into these auditions, and maybe on a different day you would have been the lead.  Your time is coming, it just isn't here yet.

To those who did get leads:  Don't be cocky.  And don't take yourself lightly.  I know you're going to hear this a thousand times, but there is a whole cast of people who would love to be playing your part right now.

It's going to be a fun show.  Just let it be a fun show.  If you come into rehearsal excited and enthusiastic, you will have the time of your lives.  If you don't, it's going to be miserable.  I don't want you to be miserable.  Please come into rehearsals excited and enthusiastic.

-NM

Response to Stress 9/24/13

KR was trying to start a conversation with me last night.  I was completely mean, and refused her for a while.  I then came to my senses and realized how mean I had actually been.  I apologized, and gave the standard excuse:

"I'm just too stressed now, that's all."

When she asked why, I began to realize myself how much I actually had going on at that moment that was creating problems.  Just to name as much as I can think of:

• I missed school yesterday for a college visit, and am going to miss the first half of school tomorrow.
• I have two upcoming tests in my two hardest classes, AP Chemistry and Linear Algebra
• I am behind in schoolwork in several classes
• My grades have been dropping
• I have only a draft on my Common App essay, leaving me with four more essays I need to write
• Deciding what college I want to go to gets harder as I get more information
• I need to decide whether or not I want to apply early decision to CMU
• I've lost a very important piece of my life (this is not all dramatic, I'm missing a physical object)
• Dance goes on, Cats is under way, and ensemble is about to start
• Callbacks for the middle school musical are tomorrow

I'm not sure how people take it.

Just one thing I want to close out with.  To keep the drive to my most recent college visit from seeming so long, we listened to musical, four total.  I have four songs, one from each running through my head. I wish to ask my readers (via comments):

1. Can you name all four musicals? (The first three should be easy, the last one a little more exotic.  And please don't use google.  That's cheating)
2. Can you do a little psych evaluation?  Why are these specific tunes in my head?  Any logic, or is it just random songs?

"Just for this moment
As long as you're mine
I've lost all resistance
And crossed the borderline
And if it turns out
It's all over too fast
I'll make every last moment last"

"It's an honor and a joy to be in show business
I feel that spotlight hit me and I'm gone
At the last curtain call I'm the envy of all
So I know the show must go on!"

"Well my heart is about to burst!
My head is about to pop!
And, now that I'm dancing
who cares if I ever stop?"

"They're called Bui-Doi, the dust of life,
conceived in hell and born in strife.
They are the living reminders of all the good we failed to do.
That's why we know deep in our hearts that they are all our children too"

-NM

School Spirit

Around this time last year, I wrote a post describing the approximate amount of school spirit there was at QVHS, which can be found here: Last Year's Post.  At that time, my summation was entirely correct.

But now, there's been a change.

For starters, the football team is 4-0.  For those of you who don't follow sports, that means 4 wins and 0 losses.  Anybody who's ever been to QVHS knows how atypical this is.

I had to see for myself.  For the first time since freshman year, I went to a QVHS football game.  It was incredible.

For one, there was actually a student section!  A lot of people actually showed up!  And not just that, they were into the game!  They cheered, they were doing the wave, they were singing with the cheerleaders!  Yes, the cheerleaders were actually relevant!  People actually followed the chants they were singing!  And the band played to keep everyone involved!  And even better, the student section was full!  You would not believe how energetic it was!  And it was completely worth it to use exclamation points for every sentence in this paragraph!

But seriously, I'm glad I went, even if this sentence doesn't get exclamation points.  The contrast between this game and the game I went to three years ago is unmistakable.  I'm sure Mr. S was extremely proud of his school today.

It was more than a 52-0 win for the football team.  It was a win for the entire school.  And we needed that.  If you get a chance, go to a football game this year.  It's worth it.

I believe there is a pep rally next week.  It's sure to be one of the best pep rallies ever.  Mark my words. It will be.  Because people care now.

-NM

In Requiem: Jedo

http://www.heraldstaronline.com/page/content.detail/id/590378/George-Medich.html?nav=5011

Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our Daily Bread.
And Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen

The Beginning of The End

And so, it starts.  Senior year.

We are now in the third week of school.  The school year shows promise.  Orchestra and Chorus are the same as ever.  AP Music Theory looks to be a fun class.  21st Century Lit is the next closest thing to being in an Honors Class, with the actual class makeup, though it shouldn't have the stress of an honors workload.  AP Chemistry is going to be a blast, without blasting too many things up.  Economics looks useful, and should learn a lot.  And my JHCTY Online Linear Algebra is going to be the hardest of all. Though I'm working well through it, even without a teacher directly teaching it to me.

It's going to be a good senior year!  The only disappointment is that there can't be any lunch in the chorus room, and I'm actually going to have to eat in the cafeteria.

In addition, everything non-school is also starting.

Yesterday was the first main Cats rehearsal.  It was so much fun!  We did all of "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats", and the dance is terrific!  I can tell that this is going to be up there in one of my favorite shows all time.  I just know it!

And today was the beginning of two things.  The first was the one we've been waiting for for forever.  Musical tryouts.  We were back to the feel of the normal audition, just you with the directors in the room.  And I liked it.  I sang "Do You Hear the People Sing?".  I think I did a pretty good job.  We'll wait and see.

And today was also the first day of dance!!  Although I only had tap today, it was so great to be back!  Just to walk in while the rest of my class is in hip hop, and have a short conversation with Miss B, it just felt like the way it should.

Things still left to start:

• Sunday School (next Sunday)
• Ensemble (tryouts next Wednesday)
• Middle School Show (auditions Wednesday and Thursday)

The scary thing is, it truly is the beginning of The End.  Nothing that has began in these past few weeks will be happening again, at least not in the same places.  It's scary and sad at the same time.

-NM

V's 10th Birthday

Yesterday was a grand day.  We all had a great time, and there was a definite sense of family, happiness, and enjoyment in the air.

The night before, my dad and I had made the Happy Birthday signs for her after she went to bed.  The traditional song was a variation on "Memory" from Cats.  I made some, my dad made some, and A had already made some to be put up in the morning.

That morning, she slept later than usual, but we were still able to sing Happy Birthday to her before we left for school.  She seemed to appreciate the signs well, and we promised to sing Memory for her later.

It turned out, during the school day her class threw her a surprise party.  She came home with a balloon and a giant card, and extremely happy.  She couldn't wait to tell everyone about how when she arrived, her locker was covered in wrapping paper, and everyone had signed the card, and the rest of the story.

Nana and Granddaddy were planning on coming for dinner, but it turned out that my dad's cousins, B, C, and L would also be able to make it.  They came for dinner, and we all had a nice dinner.  After dinner, I went to play some background music on the piano, anticipating the performance of the revised "Memory".  My dad and A sang, while I played piano.  It was nice.  Then came presents, the act of picking up J from golf (who shot his best round ever!), and cake.

After cake, I played a little more piano, while V showed off her flute.  Eventually the evening came to a close, but it was such a nice time.  Nobody was unhappy, and everybody was involved.  V was very appreciative of everyone coming, and for her nice gifts.

This is how it should be.  That's what I felt.

-NM

Math

Ah, good old math class!

In 5th grade, four of us were selected to take a test.  Passing the test, we then began to take Pre-Algebra for the rest of the year.  I didn't realize the full implications of this at the time.  Some of them are starting to shape themselves now.

For now, AG, JB, BU and I were two grades ahead of the rest of our class.  No longer would we be taking math with our peers.  Now, we would be venturing to take with those of the grades above us.  Ever since 5th grade.

6th grade Algebra 1 was an experience.  There were ten of us in the class: us four plus six 7th graders.  Although intimidating at first, it was eventually a nice experience.  It was actually the first time I ever met RH, and the fact that we were both in musical was something we could bond over.  7th grade Geometry was the first year in a full classroom.  This was also different, but not completely surprising.  I had taken classes a grade above me the past two years, and I had been in classrooms before.  Although BU was separate from us, we managed to get by.

8th grade was the crazy year, primarily because no one at the middle school was teaching Algebra 2.  We went to the high school first period, and then were bused back to the middle school after first period, only coming in a little bit late for 2nd.  Mrs. S made that year.  She was very accommodating, and taught a very good class.  Not only that, RH, CH, TL and I had our little foursome in the one section of the room.  I would definitely do that year again.

9th grade AG left us.  He went on to bigger and better things via an online math course.  He left FST to become three years ahead.  He's had nothing but success, and I think he has no regrets for his decision, and it was the right decision to make.  I, on the other hand, never would have done that.  Two years ahead is enough.

10th grade I was back in class with RH, and now in class with RG.  And, we had Mr. S for a teacher.  This was a great year, even if most of the material in the class was review from either Algebra 2 or FST.  All in all, it was part of the best year I had for classes.  By far.  It was a great way to end every day.  And then, 11th grade was the same thing, but with new material instead of review.   Different people, but the same feel.  Though the highlight of the year was when Mr. S took us all out to breakfast on the day of the AP Exam at the end of the year.  We all had a great time, and we all got a 5 on the Exam.

This year is going to be different.  I'm taking an online course called Linear Algebra, which is much harder then it sounds.  I can only communicate with my professor by e-mail, phone, or online chat.  AG took the course last year, and said it was much harder than AP Calculus.  I've never taken an online class before.  This should be interesting.

-NM

Year in Review 2012-2013

When I first started the blog, Year in Review was one of my first ideas for a post.  It was almost the experiment to see if this was going to work.  Now, as that post has been overwhelmingly more successful than any other post in views, I feel that a sequel is necessary.

This has been a great year.  You don't know how hard it was to order, let alone select, the days involved in this.  It is a year highlighted by false rumors, accusations, and letdowns, as well as a year of excitement, reward, and joy.  It is a year that had promise, and met expectations in all direction.  It contained unforeseen rewards, as well as unforeseen consequences.  It is a year that will always be remembered.

And now...the 5 best days of this past year (with links included to their respective posts for your convenience):

• #5: February 19th, 2013  For musical theater dance class, we all had to do a choreography project.  We each, either as a single or as a group, had to choreograph a piece and teach it to the class.  For my piece, it was an easy decision: "The Jellicle Ball" from Cats.  After preparing the piece the week before, this was the day that I presented it to the class.  This was a great success.  The class managed to get extremely well into the dance, and loved it.  They all managed to take it in without any real problems, but it wasn't overly simple or cheesy.  As we approached the end of the class, numerous people were asking if we could just do it again.  If they could do it again.  If they could do it again.  Even months after, word seemed to get around, and a few people even asked me to show it to them, and everybody seemed to get a kick out of it.  Cats is a show that I have always wanted to do.  This alone was worth it.  
• #4: December 15th, 2012  The performance date for QVMS's production of The Little Mermaid Jr.  After a rehearsal process that had been going great, all there was left to do was watch the show.  The first show went well, but wasn't as much as I had hoped for.  Although the crowd did go crazy as soon as the mersisters came out on their heelies.  Between the shows I got the confirmation I had been waiting for: that GZ would be doing the choreography the next year.  And then the final show was terrific.  Everything I had dreamed about was coming true that day. The cast party was amazing, which I brought out the cape for.  It was one of those occasions where you could just stand in the middle of the room, look at everything around you, and be happy.  I haven't been to a lot of those.  It was a very nice time.  I would do the choreography this year, but I just can't keep that chance away from GZ.  I'm going to miss it, but at least I'm still going to be there.
• #3: November 30th, 2012  For the first time in six years, I went to Light Up Night.  The plan was I would only go if I knew about it in advance, as my parents were out of town.  Throughout the entire week, no one asked if I was going.  I didn't plan on going.  However, during Little Mermaid rehearsal that day it began.  A few people asked, I told them I couldn't.  For a while, I didn't go.  I read, practiced piano, listened to fireworks, and was fine.  Then, at 7:36, BF calls me and asks me if I'm there.  I tell her I'm not.  She informs me that I am coming now.  After making the arrangements, I was there in ten minutes.  We, and a whole group of others, including ES, KR, PR, CP, and a few people who were coming in and out, had a great time with Duck Duck Goose, ninja, and singing at the SU Methodist Church.  In addition to happiness, there was a feeling I had that day.  It was one of acceptance.  Of being a part of the group.  I had only felt it on certain occasions, but it was stronger here with this group of people from Little Mermaid than I have yet to have felt among my peers in high school.  I am going to remember this day for a long time.
• #2: March 22nd, 2013  This was the day in which it was announced which singers would be progressing from the PMEA Regional Choir, to the PMEA All-State Choir.  A day of anticipation and excitement.  The rehearsals were already starting to go much better than they had the day before, and of course, everyone was nervous.  Whenever someone came up to the stage, hopes got up, even if they had nothing to do with the announcement.  Dr. L even started to get annoyed.  Then, at 11:00, it happened.  This year, there was only one time I was ever more nervous for anything (see #1).  RH, JD, and I were accepted into the All-State Choir.  In addition, I found out from Mr. B that RS and I had secured first chair in our respective sections!  I could hardly believe it!  The rest of rehearsal was worth it on it's own!  Although there were moments where I felt that I wasn't living up to first chair, even on the selections we auditioned with, there were also moments, especially in "Signet dem Herrn", where I was getting congratulations everywhere I went!  It's one thing to have that first chair, but to be living up to it was ten times better.  Though when I got home, the excitement continued.  I had told my family and friends as soon as I found out that I was going to states, but I hadn't told them about first chair.  When I got home, the news got better.  With the concert the next day, I learned that instead of just my mom and V going, that my dad and J would also be there.  We called Baba and Jedo, and they agreed to come.  Then, I found out that KR, KD, and MC would also be coming!  I was so happy that, for the best concert of my life up to that point, at least nine people had accepted my invitation to come!  I guess the feeling that best describes my joy is one of accomplishment.  I had doubted my ability to sing well on numerous occasions.  There was no doubting it now.
• #1: July 6th, 2013  I woke up early.  We all had to be there at 8:00 to prepare for the dress rehearsal of The Diviners for the morning cast.  This went well, although it was a little anticlimactic for the people not actually performing.  Then came their show.  It went really well, and seemed to get a great reaction!  It was easy to get excited, even though I wasn't actually performing.  Then we all had a quick lunch, and went to watch the Group III dress rehearsal of Godspell.  Their show was terrific, though KR did injure herself.  Better then Mary Poppins, though I knew that our Drowsy Chaperone was still better than that.  Then came our dress rehearsal, which had no complaints.  The Group IIIs all watched ours, and we heard nothing from good things from them, which was a nice contrast to last year's Legally Blonde.  Then it was time for our performance of The Diviners, the one we all knew most of the campers would be coming to.  We got ready quickly, and were on.  It was incredible.  I performed extremely well, and we had some of the audience in tears by the end.  I was hearing nothing but good things from my peers, even from some of the alumni who I believe may have been in the show themselves.  I was extremely happy then.  Though the best part was yet to come.  As I was cleaning up after myself, PG told me to meet her at some discreet location (which is hard to describe online) in two minutes.  I had my suspicions as to what this was about, but I wasn't going to dare say anything.  Then she gave me the news.  I was about to bear the biggest secret that PAC had to offer.  She told me the specific line, how to position it with the applause, and we went through the pose together.  I was nervous.  Excited, but nervous.  I felt it was just going to be best to avoid communication with people altogether.  But I didn't want to be an outcast.  Though I didn't want to say anything.  I couldn't practice it, someone might see me.  Not to mention, KR was still on her painkillers, all happy, and couldn't seem to understand why anyone wasn't as happy as her.  We watched the Group I and II performances together, but then, when it came time for Group III, I went to get ready.  I tried to put it out of my mind, only focus on how great all the shows were.  Then it was time for our show.  The crowd loved it.  They were into it from the beginning, appreciated mine and RG's tap duet, laughed at the jokes, applauded the big numbers.  People noticed I was nervous.  I told them it was just because this was the first big part I had had in a long time, though that wasn't true anymore with Ferris Layman.  The last scene began.  Then it came.  I saw N lean over to tell the drummer something.  I said the line.  I heard the music.  Then I shouted, "Ding Foo!"  It's amazing how just two words can make the audience cheer that loudly.  Meanwhile, I realized something.  I had pulled it off.  I hadn't told anyone, though tempted at times.  There's no feeling like it.  It's a feeling of honor, as only one person gets it every year.  It's a feeling of accomplishment, as you kept it successfully.  It's the congratulations you get from everyone after the show.  It's the fact that you are happier then anyone else.  It's the fact that you never imagined this would happen to you, it would happen to someone else.  It's the fact that you aren't being congratulated for your tapping, but the Ding Foo is all you want to talk about.  It's amazing.

So that's it.  2012-2013.  Although the writings themselves may be a little anticlimactic, as I have already written entire posts about each one, it's a nice thing to do.  I believe if you knew what everyone's favorite days were, then we would know a lot more about the people involved.

Another year begins.  Senior year.  A year with so much promise.  Will it live up to it's promise?  Well, 2012-2013 is going to be hard to beat.

-NM

Summer Dance

Every year, WDA hosts a summer dance camp for three weeks.  Normally, it is a three week period over the end of July and early August.  However, this year they decided to do it differently.  They did one week in June, one week in July, and one week in August, in an effort to get more people who otherwise would have been at their summer intensive.  

The first week featured ballet classes with Mr. M, who came from out of town.  He is just a great teacher.  Almost everyone was there, from levels 5 and 6 for him.  The only drawback of this week was that school was still in session for the first few days, and it got kind of tiring.  

The week in July had more of the traditional feel.  There were never more than 8 or 9 people there, which was great.  We took a nice variety of classes, and got a lot of individual attention.  It wasn't late at night, so one could still do stuff afterward.  It was really a great time.  

The final week, which concluded last Friday, was also nice.  Most of the people were back, and we had a nice-sized class.  We had good discussions, good classes, and all-around fun.  In addition, there was the pizza party on the last day to say goodbye to RE.  However, it was slightly plagues by a few injuries.  

It also made me appreciate the intimacy of the studio more.  The final week, we had a few girls come from another studio.  When we gave one the birthday circle, she was confused.  The entire time, everyone was capable of having conversation with anyone.  It was very nice.  

Overall, it was a good time, but I think I liked the old system better.  It seemed that just as soon as my muscles started getting back into the rhythm of dancing again, the week would end and I'd go through it all again the next month.  Nevertheless, I don't regret doing it, and hopefully I can next year.  

-NM

NYC

I hope you know what the initials stand for.  I was there. 

The idea was that before everyone in my family's senior year, we get a trip with our dad to someplace in the world with my dad.  Having never been to NYC, I really wanted to go there.  I made the right choice.  

We arrived Tuesday at around 2pm.  The first day we just walked around the city for a while.  We saw R Center, and M's, and St. P's, and more.  That night, we went to dinner, and then saw Pippin.  Pippin was amazing.  The acrobatics were spectacular.  The theater was also really small, which was perfect for the show, and meant that we were really close to the action.  Great show. 

The next day we saw the Statue of L.  Although it took up most of the day, it was worth it.  We learned so much that we never would have learned before, completely worth the tour that we got of the grounds, even if we never got to go inside. Then we arrived back at the hotel, relaxed for a while, and then had dinner with one of my dad's residents.  Then we saw Matilda, which was only okay.  Just not a great show. 

Our final day began with the ES Building. The view from the top makes it clear how amazing of a city NY really is.  You really can see everything.  Then we went to C Park.  We managed to get lost on our own.  At 3, I went for a guided tour alone, as my dad couldn't take the walking, and no one else signed up.  Amazing tour.  I saw so much, and we only saw about half the park.  After that, we went to see Cinderella.  This was the best show that we saw.  Between the costumes, the singing, the acting, and the dancing, it was a marvelous performance.  Would love to see it again. Beforehand I had heard complaints about the new book, but I actually liked it much better than the old one.  After the show, we had another nice dinner, and then bed.  

All in all, there were many things about the city that surprised me. 

First of all, there was the fact that every language was spoken everywhere it seemed.  If you found any random person, probably less than 50% of the time English was their first language.  Especially at the Statue of L.  

The next was the easiness to travel without using the roads.  We didn't take a car, and there was no reason to.  We either walked or took the Subway everywhere we went.  

Another thing was the overall safeness of the city.  I honestly felt safer in T Square than I felt in PGH.  It was incredible.  

I could go on forever on what this place was like, but I will spare you.  It was that amazing of a trip. 

In fact, there were only two things I didn't do that I would have liked.  We didn't see E Island (as it was closed), and I didn't get to ask a can driver about what happens to the ducks in the C Park lake when the pond freezes over (as we never took a cab the entire trip).  But I can live without both of these things.  It was wonderful.  

-NM

C, A, and JN

This family is among the greatest family friends we have ever had.  Even if we only see them about once or twice a year.  

CN is an energetic type. She always seems to be coming up with suggestions for stuff to do that should never be followed (not that anyone takes these seriously).  She can get hyper easily, but is always fun to be around. 

AN is more calm, though she does have her own distinct personality. She and our A, sharing the same first name, were one of the main reasons our families met in the first place. She and A are a lot alike, which only increases the bond. 

And then there's JN, the competitive one. Always looking for a game to win, and always disappointed with a loss. Although his sportsmanship could be better, he definitely fits in with the rest, and definitely adds something. 

Our families, minus my dad and J, met in AI, FL this vacation. We had such a good time together. We swam, did mini golf, Segways, intense capture the flag, and so much more together. We had so much fun!

We anticipated some of it. We always have a good time together. It's amazing how people can not see each other for a year, and then jump right into the pool like we've seen each other every day for months. 

May the visits keep coming. The more the better. 

-NM

Cats vs. NAfME

JD and I have been accepted into the NAfME National Mixed Choir. We are the first people from QV to ever be accepted, and the congratulations are pouring in from even the least expected people. It seems improbable. As my dad put it, "I was excited just when you got into Regionals!"  "You're an All-American!" And he's right. I never dreamed the day would come. But come it did.

However, there's a catch. Although not completely finalized, the dates for the WAS production of Cats, which I am already in as Macavity, would overlap. 

I don't know for how long, but it seems like I have always wanted to do Cats more than any other show. The reasons are obvious. It is a show of high-energy, all out fun dancing. People who have done Cats before have all said that it was extremely fun to do. The few experiences I have had with various dance numbers have all been experiences to remember. Everything about the show strikes me as enjoyable. 

I don't like decisions. A lot of the time, you end up having to disappoint a lot of people to please others. I want to do Cats. My family want me to do Nationals. With congrats streaming in from everywhere, there is a lot of pressure to do the choir. I still want to do Cats. 

Friends are there for a reason. Even though I was on vacation, the power of text messaging was still at my command. I asked for help. The best response probably came from RS. Although she didn't make the decision for me, she laid out the advantages and disadvantages of both Cats and NAfME. 

The favorable solution, fortunately, came to pass. A comprise. With all thanks to Miss S, I will be doing both. If the dates interfere, the part of Macavity will be double casted. I will still be doing two shows. It couldn't have turned it better. 

And if you see Cats on October 27th?

Your Macavity's not there!

-NM

PAC 2013

Group 5: The Diviners

Role: Ferris Layman

Doing this show was an all-around great experience.  It was double cast, I was with RG.  This was the biggest role I have had in a long time, which was a nice change.  It was a lot of work, but it was well worth it.  

Not only that, but the play was phenomenal.  It is a great play, but hard to do. And we pulled it off.

We had people crying at the end of both the first and second acts.  At the end of the second act, we got a standing ovation.  By far the best show Group 5 has put on in a long time.

And I felt like I did a good job myself.  The role was very different from my personality, but somehow I managed very well. I had numerous people telling me how good of a job I did, which was very nice to hear.

In summary, as much as I considered not doing it, I am glad I did it.  I felt I had a much larger number of people I could talk too, and there was no one trying to be the center of attention. I would like to especially thank KR, RG, MC, HJ, and RS, but it never would have been worth it without everyone.

Group 4 First Show: The Drowsy Chaperone

Role: George

Although there was a part in Fiddler I was hoping for, I was happier with George than I probably would have been with that. I feel I fit right into the role, knowing what it took from the beginning.  Plus, I got a tap dance.

As for the show, it was perfectly cast. And that led to a great show. No one was worried about the show's success ever, and for good reason. We did what we needed to do, and then some. The crowd loved it.

However, I was nervous on show night, and for good reason.  I was carrying the biggest secret PAC had to offer.  I wasn't  interrogated, but I still tried to avoid people as much as I could.

Looking back, having the Ding Foo was the best part of PAC this year.  From hear the applause when it was said, to the swarming after the show, it made me feel like someone special, in the best of ways. There's nothing like it. I feel like I've entered an elite club with XL and VS.  

And I couldn't be happier. Happy is what happens when your dreams come true.

Group 4 Second Show: Fiddler on the Roof

Role: Fiddler

This is such a well-written show. In a different year, it would have been the stand-alone crowd favorite. It's just that this year had so many good shows.

For me, it took second fiddle to both Drowsy Chaperone and Diviners, pun intended.  It's not that I didn't have fun, it's just that I didn't have as much to do.  I didn't have a huge part, and it was at the end of a long month.

However, the show was great. AH was phenomenal as Tevye, and VS was equally as impressive as Golde.  But what sold the show was the fact that the entire ensemble was talented, and sounded great.

All in all, it was a great year at PAC.  A year that has good shows, good camaraderie, a feeling of acceptance, good roles, and the Ding Foo is hard to beat. 

-NM

RG

A story of a man that I have come to know well.

I first met him in 6th grade during Honk!, but I wouldn't say that we became friends until high school. Crazy for You was when we were both two male tappers. I feel that friends need something to bond over, something in common to bring the people together. And that was it.

And if that started the friendship, there have so many things to keep it going. Between various musicals, PAC, ensemble, etc.  Though in the past few months, it seems we have so much to do together.  We had the duet in the chorus concert, we're double casted together in The Diviners, an in Drowsy Chaperone we have a tap duet. 

I have to say I really like him.  Although our personalities really don't have a lot in common, he still is appealing.  People love him. He loves people. It's a good combination. 

When he signed my yearbook, he wrote the nicest thing, telling me not to change a thing. He told me not to change a thing.  I felt like a bad friend, never doing anything for him. 

Today in Group 5, we had to say something to our role-partners that we wanted to tell them. He complemented me on how well I was able to be in the moment. That touched me. It really did. I thank him.

It's the little moments that stand out. But just those wouldn't do him justice. He's always someone approachable, someone I feel I can talk to. 

-NM

To My Readers:

June  4th, 2013

To my readers,

Well, the fateful day has come, where it becomes necessary to take the laptops issued by the school, and return them for the summer. As unfortunate as this is, it is entirely necessary, as the computers are not ours, they still belong to the school.

However, for the first time a new problem is in effect for me.  This will be the first summer where I have a blog. I do not have as much access to my home computer as I did my school one, which creates a problem.

I did consider the possibility of not posting over the summer at all. However, this simply could not be done. Too much happens over the summer to just let it go ignored.

So, I will continue to post.  Only not as frequently, and certainly not as in-depth.  So, my faithful readers, do not be surprised if my blog is not updated for long periods of time.  This will be normal.

-NM

SS

Too brief of a reunion.

When we said goodbye before she moved, we thought it was the last time.  Turns out, I saw her again before she moved.  And again.  And again.  And about 6 more times.  Pretty soon, the whole goodbye thing died out, and we never got a good one.  That felt bad.

I did a pretty bad job of staying in touch with her after she left.  We only had a few short conversations every few months.  She told me this was more than most people were in touch with her, which just made me feel worse about not talking more.

When she told me that she would be coming back, I was overjoyed.

Unfortunately, we only got to see each other twice.  Once in town for a brief, fifteen minute conversation, and once at the 7th and 8th grade chorus concert.

She's changed a lot.  When she left, she was quiet, very enclosed.  In Millie, she asked a lot of questions, but always seemed hesitant to ask these questions.  She was not the most outgoing person ever.

When I saw her in town, she was extremely outgoing.  She was someone who went out and searched for conversation.  She was energetic, and fun to be around.

I'm proud of her.

I wish we could have had more time.  The reality of the fact that I might not see her (and her whole family) for an extremely long time set in this morning when she texted me goodbye, saying that they were pulling out then.

Until then, it's just going to be these texts every few months.  Not enough.  But I guess that's just how it's got to be.

-NM

PCLO's 42nd Street

Before I begin my critique, it is important to understand a few things to fully understand how I felt coming into this show.

The first is that I auditioned for this show back in February.  MG honored me with his recommendation (see Response to a Recommendation 2/5/13).  I went to the auditions, and walked out of there feeling like I had just as much of a chance as anyone else.  In April, I finally learned that I didn't get in, which didn't surprise me, considering just as much chance as anyone else meant about a 20% chance.  GZ and RB both made it into the teen chorus, and MG into the main cast, so I did get to see them.

The other thing to understand is that I went with MS.  Her family is in town this week, and it would have felt wrong if we didn't do anything together (to me at least).  I'm so glad their family could come in for this brief time, and I'm sure they are too.  Who knows when they're going to come again?

Before the show, we went to dinner, and just talked.  About everything from the difference between our two high school musicals, to Veggie Tales.  From the show we were about to see to our favorite shows all time.  It was delightful, delicious (the food was good), and delovely.

So, in short, there was a lot of anticipation coming into the evening, mainly for these reasons.  Not to mention that the CLO shows always tend to be good.

As for the show itself, it was a very good production.  The roles were very well cast, and just about everyone performed their parts really well.  The tap dancing was together, and well choreographed.  The audience was entertained, and enjoyed the show.  GZ, RB, and MG all looked great.  I only had two complaints.  There were times where the blocking was awkward, and the dancing that wasn't tap needed to be a little more together.  But the show as a whole was very good.

After the show, MS and I went backstage to see GZ, RB, and MG.  Although we couldn't talk long, they seemed to appreciate us coming, and we made sure they knew how good the show was.

All in all, an evening well-appreciated, and to be remembered.

-NM

Yearbook Signing

So, it's that classic time of year where everybody is trying to get everybody to sign everybody's yearbook.

This year, it seemed as if somebody screwed up, because the yearbooks were supposed to come out last Friday, but they only came out yesterday.  With the seniors leaving today, this created a mass scramble to get their signatures, but I did get everybody who I wanted.

I finally realized something this year.  

There are two kinds of people in this world:  

1. People who ask, "Can I sign your yearbook?" 
2. People who ask, "Can you sign my yearbook?".

The first kind is the popular crowd.  The people who want to be noticed.  They want to firmly implant themselves in the memories of others.  They fear that they are going to be forgotten, and need to make sure this is not so.

The second kind is completely different.  They are the people who don't necessarily care whether they are noticed or not.  What they do care is that they don't forget all the good times high school has to offer.  They want to remember.

It is very easy to predict which people will fall under which category.

The people who ask "Can I sign your yearbook?" are the outgoing.  The people who feel the need to make an entrance whenever they walk into a room.  The people you can't help but notice.  The people who everyone wants to say they know.

The people who ask "Can you sign my yearbook?" are often the more passive.  The people who sit back and watch.  The people who have to be asked to join the circle.  The ones who maybe stay at home during the parties and dances.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying one side is better than the other.  Certainly, each side has its good points and bad points.  I'm just saying that there is a division.  A predictable, noticeable division.

-NM

Spring Orchestra Concert 2013

Sorry, I couldn't come up with a creative title for this one.

Anyway, this concert was one of the better orchestra concerts that I've been in.  Although we didn't nearly have the great group we had two years ago, we still managed to do some good songs, and I think we pulled them off well.

The Holberg Suite we pulled off remarkably well, especially with SG playing 2nd Violin some of the time.  Mr. N made it clear to the audience that that piece was standard repertoire, and that we pulled it off very well.

The other three strings pieces all went nearly flawlessly.  No major mistakes or notable events (which makes a boring post, I know), and the dynamic contrast was really good, except maybe for Mountain Chase.  We even got a pretty big applause before the end of Emperor Waltz, which was really not expected!

The Les Misérables medley went really well, though we didn't get the reaction from the audience that I'd hoped we'd get.  There were places where both the band and orchestra had screw-ups, but nothing major went wrong, and the piece was pretty impressive as a whole.

The band didn't quite blow us out of the water as they did in the Winter Concert, and that is due to the Orchestra getting better, not the band getting worse.  The songs they did were very good, though seemed a little long at times, but definitely well-rehearsed.

RS's solo was the highlight of the night though.  She is incredible.  Mr. N gave a nice speech about her beforehand, and she surpassed the expectations he set for her.  Phenomenal.

Overall, it was a good concert.  The people who went were glad they went.  The people who didn't go really missed out.

-NM

WDA Spring Dance Show 2013

The moment that we've all been waiting for.

After a solid week of rehearsal, the performance finally arrives Saturday night.  Anticipation is high, and everyone is excited to go on stage.

The first show was noted by quite a few blunders that we know we're going to look back at in years to come with pride.  First, in one of the dances with the little girls, one of the girls started crying because she didn't know the steps, and then another girls came over to her and consoled her.  Very touching.  Then, in The Audition, part of the music got replayed, and RE and Mr. A had to improv for about a minute and a half, which they did well.  Then, in the tap piece, we were about eight counts ahead of the music at one point.  But other than that, the show went really well.  KR and MC came, which was very nice of them, and I'm extremely grateful.

During the Sunday Matinee, we all danced well, but the people running the sound board weren't on their game.  Several times in the first act, the music started before the dancers were ready, and then they would have to stop and restart.  But after that, the show went remarkably well, including the tap number.  CM came, which was really nice of her, and seemed to really enjoy the show.

Before the Sunday Evening, I skipped the warm up and took a nap.  I was really tired at that point, and DM even agreed that it was probably just as beneficial as a warm up would have been.  However, the last show, even though we lost RB to 42nd Street rehearsal, was probably our best.  Nothing major went wrong, and we all danced pretty well.  The gaps were filled well, and I doubt the average audience member would have even noticed someone was missing.

Overall, I'm very glad that I did the show, and happy with the way it turned out.  And it's sad to think that I only have one more.  Being a junior, and watching RE graduate, it's going to be a saddening time next year.  But that's not for another year.  I have plenty of time to live in the moment.

-NM

A Tale of Two Tech Weeks

Part One: Musical

Leading up to the show, the rehearsal get significantly more intense.  These rehearsals are every day, and last several hours at a time.  They're run throughs of the show, which can seem to drag on and on, with all the times that you're not doing anything, and other people are.  At first, there's no tech, and you're still imagining a lot of things.

At least you know when these rehearsals are well in advance.

But then, the tech finally gets added on.  The rehearsals are grueling, and last even longer, because it's necessary to set all the lights and sound and such.  And on top of that, the directors are still giving corrections, which means that there is even more to worry about.

The worst part is the amount of time they take.  You basically have to eat dinner as soon as you get home from school, try to squeeze homework in whenever you can, and rehearse late into the night.

Fortunately, the school is close to where I live, and it only takes a few minutes to get home, normally a little before 11:00.

Part Two: Spring Dance Show

Leading up to the show, the rehearsal get significantly more intense.  These rehearsals are every day, and last several hours at a time.  They're run throughs of the show, which can seem to drag on and on, with all the times that you're not doing anything, and other people are.  At first, there's no tech, and you're still imagining a lot of things.

And a lot of these rehearsals are last minute decisions, announced the day before.

But then, the tech finally gets added on.  The rehearsals are grueling, and last even longer, because it's necessary to set all the lights and sound and such.  And on top of that, the instructors are still giving corrections, which means that there is even more to worry about.

The worst part is the amount of time they take.  You basically have to eat dinner as soon as you get home from school, try to squeeze homework in whenever you can, and rehearse late into the night.  

Unfortunately, the theater is no where near where I live, and there's still a very long drive to get back home, normally a little after 11:00

In summary...

I'm in high school.  My fellow cast members complain all the time about how hard tech week is.  They fear that time of year throughout the entire rehearsal process.

I take dance class.  Almost no one complains about how hard our tech week is.  It's just an extension of the rehearsal process, and they appreciate the fellowship.

I take two tech weeks.  Neither is more grueling than the other.  Both are worth it.

-NM