Home Documents Vista Verde Plaza Vista Elementary Links Randomness
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April 27th, 2006 ~ Thursday |
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6:30 p.m. ::: groan ::: I hate being sick. It's one thing when you're 10 and your mom brings you lunch to your bed. When I lived with my parents, I loved Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. But the only time I could eat it was when I was sick. Come to think of it, the only time I could eat a lot of things (mainly junk) was when I was sick. Mmmm...french fries. For the moment, I'm drinking tons of orange juice, ginger ale, water, and I'm eating...pizza and salad. Too sick to cook. Too sick to get up and move. Everything too far. Farther than arms length away. Blah. I've been watching tons of tv and reading a lot. I actually stay away from video games when I'm sick because it raises my temperature =) I get a little to into them, I guess. So I have to put the super nintendo down. Heh. Anyways, tell me what you think of the sub. These days, email is the only way to contact me. It's the only thing I'm checking. I love having wireless internet and a laptop...and cable. Technology makes being sick far more tolerable.
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April 25th, 2006 ~ tuesday |
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6:20 p.m. Unbelievable! Not only have I been awake for over 36 hours at this point, but I am, once again.....SICK! I am incredibly bitter about this! This is the SIXTH time in SIX months! I wash my hands frequently, I gargle, I take vitamins, and yet...sick. Again. I can't breathe through my nose. My throat is soar. I'm at a mild 100 right now (mild for me, at least). And you won't believe this. I'm not sleepy. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely exhausted and tired. But I'm not sleepy. I need somebody to make soothing ocean sounds. Hee hee =D Oh, I'm about to hide the "what I'm doing over vacation" link on the front page. So if you want to get here on a regular basis...go to the "randomness" link on top, and go to the fake blogging link at the bottom of the page. It's the only thing in the "randomness" link that I update on a semi-regular basis. Okay. I don't care that it's 6:27 now. I'm going to try to go to bed. Good night! I hope. Please? Sleep?...
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April 23rd, 2006 ~ Sunday |
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5:05 p.m. good-bye vacation I hope you enjoyed your vacation. As I realize I only have 13 more hours until mine officially comes to an end, I wonder why I'm spending the last precious hours making May's documents and watching What A Girl Wants. And paying bills (ick) and updating my ipod (yay!) and balancing my checkbook (boo) and...that's about it. Actually, I started reading The Da Vinci Code two days ago. I didn't realize that the movie is coming out really soon (May 19th). I have a policy of reading the book before seeing the movie...unless I have absolutely no intention of reading the book (Like the 2nd and 3rd books of LOTR). It just doesn't work if you see the movie and then read the book. I'm about 140 pages in thus far, and it's a good read. It's very interesting, actually. There's a lot of historical background, but it's not in a boring textbook kind of way, so it actually keeps my attention. Anyway, prepare to get a whole whole whole bunch of stuff back tomorrow. I'm talking waves and waves. The 1200 papers I graded over break...they're coming back to ya. Enjoy. See you tomorrow!
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April 19th, 2006 ~ Wednesday |
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11:10 p.m. random bits of goodness I am so full I could explode. I had a great lunch at Jerry's Famous Deli this afternoon (a cheeseburger and curly fries), and am still full. That's a good lunch, let me tell ya. Yesterday, while driving by South Coast Plaza, I saw something that makes people who drive and talk on their cell phones look like paradigms of safety. I saw a man on a bicycle biking down the street, without a helmet, while he held held a cell phone to his ear!! What's going on?! Otherwise, I'm almost done re-reading Harry Potter (Half-Blood Prince). Oh, I had a thought. You know how Dumbledore says that the ministry can only detect magic within a household and not pin it down to a single person? And that's why all magic gets Harry in trouble? Well what about when The Order came to kidnap Harry, or the Dumbledore visit, or the Weasley visit? That was all magic done in a non-magic household.... Also, I'm starting to learn the 5th Suite from the Bach Unaccompanied Cello Suites. I always avoided this suite because it's all tweaky. You tune your A string down to a G. But the music is written as though you haven't retuned your string, so that that on the page, a Bb is written, but an Ab actually comes out of your instrument. It's extremely cool but it messes with my head because I have perfect pitch, and I KNOW that a different note is coming out of my cello. I just started looking at this suite a couple days ago, but it's slow progress. It's super awesome, though. It's so violent and funky for Bach. I hope you're enjoying your last few days of vacation! I know I am!
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April 15th, 2006 ~ Saturday |
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11:39 p.m. and now vacation can begin! I'M DONE!!!!!!!!! Thank GOODNESS. Y'all don't even know....but I'm DONE GRADING, I'm done with my stupid program homework (until we get back to school, at least), I did my taxes, I took George in to get looked at....did I mention I'm done grading??? I've chosen 2 pieces for Concert Orchestra at Vista, and a possible 3rd for Plaza. Now I can relax and actually have a vacation! Wow. I've been working so darn hard this past week...I don't know what I'm going to do with myself. I'll actually get to do nothing if I want. XD I'm still in denial, I think. I'm still in work-mode. To prove a point, here's what I had to grade: 1st period
Practice Record - March Dude, that's a lot of stuff. But I'm done! Yay! w00t! I am...going to read Harry Potter. I'm going to watch Harry Potter. I'm going to practice! (which probably sounds like work to you guys, but I like it. I like playing =D I like learning new stuff and getting better at it) I'm going to...go to Barnes and Noble, and Mitsuwa, and...um...to the moon! Okay, not the last one. But you get the idea.
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April 13th, 2006 ~ Thursday (very late at night) |
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12:18 a.m. I'm Getting Violent I am in this program where I have to fill out massive amounts of paper work and answer stupid questions about stupid scenarios. And this is supposed to make me a better teacher. Except...it's the biggest waste of time there ever was. The paper work involved....I can't even tell you! Oh! I know. You know that bin that I carry around where all your homework goes into? I had to get one of those bins to put all the paperwork for this program I'm in. I am so sad that a tree had to die so I could fill out these papers. BIGGEST WASTE OF TIME EVER! Now....I like wasting time, truth be told. I've been known to sit around watching tv or playing DiceZ or tetris or something. I'm not 100% productive 100% of the time. But see, I like being in control of my own time wasted. I like wasting my time. I do NOT like when OTHER people waste my time. Then I get annoyed. I'm sitting here collecting "evidence" (2 pieces of evidence per instruction) for...60 things. It's the biggest waste of time ever! And this is only one folder. You know how many folders I have in my bin? Well, there are 12 events, and then 5 standards. And then there are these seminars where you learn stupid things like how to use a spreadsheet. Now, yes, it's actually very important to know how to use a spreadsheet. But...I LEARNED HOW IN THE SECOND GRADE! Not kidding. 2nd grade. Now...okay, within the 5 standards there are...7 sub folders that have various things to do or collect. This is just...massive. Massive waste everywhere. I wish this program was a person so I could kick it. That is how I'm feeling now. Busy work. It's all just busy work. Like I said earlier, I don't believe in busy work. I think it is L-A-M-E. I'm a little frustrated right now. I did my taxes on Sunday. I did some of the program stuff on Monday. I graded papers straight through Tuesday and Wednesday. Today I did some more grading (I have about 1400 things that need grading right now...<sob>), and am working on this program again. I wanted to physically attack it. And I am not a violent person. I'm a very peaceful and calm person. Until I have to deal with this. Then I get violent. Lame. Lame! =P
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April 10th, 2006 ~ Monday |
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11:22 p.m. A Perfectly Good Piece ruined The Beethoven piece for piano, "The Pathetique", is a really pretty piece. It's really quite lovely and interesting, but I can't listen to it because I get all angry. You see, I analyzed it in Music Theory class (in college) as an assignment, and my professor absolutely ruined it for me because I had a difference in opinion than he did. And it's not that I mind a difference in opinion. I actually think that makes things rather interesting as long as the other person will listen to you and is open to hear your opinion. Sadly, that was not the case here. And I know, I know, he was my teacher and in that respect I should've listened to him. But I did listen to him. He just didn't listen to me. He was a very odd teacher who was strangely defensive and would yell and bully kids if they asked questions or seemed to remotely challenge him. That was unfortunate, since I'm a person who is full of genuine questions because I'm a naturally curious person. In the Pathetique, there's a part in the beginning where it goes from minor to major. And we had this BIG discussion about whether it was a Tonicization or a Modulation. I know. Big deal, right? (Modulation is when it goes to a different key permanently, and a Tonicization is when it goes temporarily) So I thought it was a tonicization because two measures later it changed back to minor. And then back to major, and then back to minor...so I didn't think was very stable. My teacher thought it was a modulation. Basically, it was open to debate, but he shut me down by playing literally two chords, and saying, "See! Doesn't it sound like it's permanent!" And I got mad and said that he was only playing two chords, and anything sounds permanent if you're playing just two chords. And then he'd ask me a question and wouldn't let me actually answer it. And he'd say things like, "I just want to hear your opinion!" I finally got mad and said, "No you don't, you want to hear me say your opinion!" It was a very big moment for me. I was so the kid who sat in the back and wouldn't say anything but would get As on everything. And I was very quiet in music theory, generally speaking, because my teacher was such a bully. I do remember at hte very beginning of the first year of theory (it's a 2 year class), that he asked me if I was from Japan. That confused me greatly. What gave me away, my accent? =P Lame. Anyways, it got personal. The next day he brought it up again, and tried to start arguing again. And for me...I don't like arguing. I don't like confrontation. I'd rather take a nap. So I tried really hard not to get sucked back in because I knew he would never truly listen to me. And then he started making quips like, "If you sit in the back of the orchestra like Naoko does..." Dude. I was 2nd chair as a sophomore. Recognize. After a day of that, I decided not to go back to theory for a little while. He and I both needed a cooling off period, so I didn't go the next day. Instead, I emailed other music theorists, professors, and professional pianists from Julliard, Eastman, and other very prestigious music institutions. Every single person either said it could be either or they agreed with me. I felt validated and was armed for our next class. I'm a back pocket kind of gal. I hold my secret weapon in my back pocket. I don't want to use it, and I will try not to, but if you force me to I will whip it out and knock you down. But only if you make me! And fortunately, by the time I returned to music theory, my professor had let it go. So why this long story? Why this long venting? Because The Pathetique piano sonata is on KMozart right now, and it's making me all bitter. And I really hope I never do that to anybody. I really hope that none of you guys ever hate a piece of music because of me. I hope for the opposite, really. It would make me really sad if you hated a GOOD piece of music because of me (Pachelbel is awful, so that doesn't count). I think I'll go listen to some Rilo Kiley instead. They make me happy.
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April 9th, 2006 ~ Sunday |
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10:41 p.m. One Down I finished my taxes! Okay, I know that this isn't really akin to finishing your science homework (since if I don't finish I get fined or go to jail), but man does it FEEL like homework. But I found this thing online that asks you questions and fills out the form for you! Yay! Last year, when I did everything myself....let me tell ya, I hadn't felt that dumb in years. There are words involved....I don't know what they mean. So, being logical, I look them up. Except...the words that are used to explain the word I didn't understand...I didn't know what those were either. Taxes, eesch. It has it's own vernacular. In the mean time, I had my gig with Mrs. Kroesen and Mrs. Gray. We played for a really long time but it was good. I thought of Symphonic Orchestra when we whipped out the Brandenburg 3 (first AND second movement). Thank GOODNESS, there was no Pachelbel. Not much else going on. I'm sleeping A LOT. Almost a disturbing amount, really. I never truly realize how sleep deprived I am until vacation, when I suddenly start sleeping 10-14 hours every night. Oh I finally got the Harry Potter DVD that has the extras. In my excitement, I originally bought the DVD from Target that contained JUST the movie, and not the extras. Gasp. I didn't realize this until I popped the DVD in and went, "Hey, where's the extra stuff?" I've actually avoided watching the movie again, just because it depressed me so much when I watched it in the theaters. I don't know how I'm going to get through the 6th movie. (By the way, did I tell you guys that the 5th Harry Potter movie is coming out July 13th? 2 days after my birthday? w00t!) I'll watch it this week. ANYWAYS, yeah. I've been watching the interviews. Cedric Diggory is so much more pleasant in the interviews than he was in the movie. And thank goodness Daniel got a haircut. And Rupert, oh Rupert. Watching Rupert in the interviews makes me miss my cello that was named after him. =D
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April 6th, 2006 ~ Thursday |
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1:17 p.m. Recap After spending the day at Disneyland yesterday, I came home, fell asleep around 9:30 p.m., and woke up around 11am this morning. I was absolutely exhausted. Clearly. IT WAS SO COLD! I spent the entire time at Disneyland completely and totally freezing. I was wearing a long sleeve t-shirt, a short sleeve t-shirt, and a jacket...and was still frozen. Whenever there was wind (which was often), I would suddenly be standing very close to whomever was next to me, trying to steal their body heat and use them as a shield. I'm nice like that. I went on the new Space Mountain for the first time! The launching made me laugh, as you go through this big tunnel, and everything is moving (vertigo style), and there's a background announcing the launch sequence. And so I was expecting to be shot into space, right? Nope! Instead, we turned the corner, and stopped. This cracked me up. But the ride was SO fast and curvy. When I got up afterward, I couldn't walk straight. And the last few seconds of the ride has all these flashes and bright spots that burns out your corneas. Seriously. Mine are gone. And Pirates was closed. LAME! Closed until June. Hmm, I wonder when the movie is coming out.... =P I bought a stuffed giraffe. But if you unvelcro him....he turns into a pillow! XD He's so awesome! I love him! He's the size of a small fat dog, and he has no neck, which I found deliciously ironic. He's so happy looking!! And his name is Moose. =D It takes so little to make me happy, heh.
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April 4th, 2006 ~ Tuesday |
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11:08 p.m. Happiest Place On Earth Tomorrow, I go to DISNEYLAND with Honor Orchestra. I love Disneyland. I try my best to go there and experience it as I did when I was a child. And for the most part, I do. But I am thoroughly bummed that Pirates of the Caribbean is going to be shut down. LAME! But at least Haunted Mansion is up, and Thunder Mountain, and I'll get to see the new Space Mountain. My uncle used to work at Disneyland. He was an engineer for the government, and when he retired he started working at Disneyland. He had a little vest and everything, it was really quite cute. But it is supposed to rain tomorrow, so I have spent part of today preparing. I bought a windbreaker, at least. I kind of want a Disneyland poncho, though. Once I'm done with it, I can use it on my cello case! And I'm bringing water, because I distinctly remember the water fountain water at Disneyland being absolutely disgusting. And it's late. And I have to be up at 6. So I'm going to bed.
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April 3rd, 2006 ~ Monday |
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9:10 p.m. Avoidance I have a sadly large amount of stuff to do during spring break. And it's not fun stuff like....buy a puppy or make cake. It's all tedious work related things that I really don't wanna do. I don't wanna. You can't make me. Sigh. I made a list, because I like making lists, and now I am depressed at the amount of work I need to do. I wonder if I can do it all in 3 days. 3 days of pure agony....so that I may enjoy the rest of my break. Except the agony can't start until...well Wednesday I'm going to Disneyland, Thursday I have a lesson, and Friday I have a lesson and a gig...so....Saturday? Except 2 of the things are due next week. Oy. That's it. I'm hiding under my bed. I was flipping through the channels, looking for something to watch on tv, when Family Guy came on and an animated Dennis Miller was using a lot of big vocabulary words...including..DEFENESTRATE! I got very excited. I am playing a gig with Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Kroesen. I think that's kind of funny. I've never played with either of them, but I'm looking forward to the experience. It's usually fun to play with new people. And I'm still trying to get over that whole Musical atrocity...so it'll be nice to play better music. Unless it's Pachelbel. ::: shudder :::
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April 2nd, 2006 ~ Sunday |
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10:53 a.m. It's coming it's coming it's coming it's coming...it's here! HAPPY SPRING BREAK EVERYBODY! w00t w00t! As I sit here, watching Reading Rainbow (because I'm old school like that), I thank my lucky stars that the whole "spring forward" time change happens while I'm on vacation. I have a lot of work to do this vacation, actually. I have to grade a LOT of homework, I have to clean my place (since I seem to have an aversion to hanging up my clothes and they are all on the floor...), I have a project I'm supposed to do....and then a lot of sleep to catch up on! Oh, and I have to go to Disneyland on Wednesday. It's a tough job, but somebody's gotta do it! But that also means I have to try and be relatively healthy by Wednesday. So I will sit in bed, drinking immunity defense orange juice...and watching recorded episodes of Grey's Anatomy =D Or the food network. Mmm....
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