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