Oh, the Joys of Junior Year.

Yuck. The first week of school is now over with. I like some of my classes (Concert Choir and French) and really don't like some others (US History and Physics.) I haven't decided how I feel about Sociology yet. The teacher is really new and has never taught the class before, so the whole class is kinda a "I hope I'm teaching this right" kind of vibe. At least I'm not in Accelerated Pre-Calc. Thankfully my counselor finally agreed to switch me out of it!

The one class I haven't mentioned yet is AP English. I was really hoping this year would be different...and it is. Different books, but the one we read over the summer didn't interest me and nothing much happens. Different essays, but practically the same: Topics I didn't remember reading about (Although I read the book!) and questions that don't deal with much of anything. Ugh. Same old, same old. BORING. I don't have any interest is analyzing literature. I just want to read good books, and discuss what we liked about them. But sadly, no class is that cool. I would much rather learn about analyzing a dance piece. Now that would be facinating.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnfAx_Yn-HY Gorgeous So You Think You Can Dance routine. Choreography by Travis Wall. Danced by Jeanine Mason and Jason Glover. Enjoy "If It Kills Me." Try analyzing it. I bet it's better than "Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant."

I totally tried to stuff a whole piece of pizza into my mouth at once.

And, I have to say, it didn't work. But I did fold it, and got half of it into my mouth in one bite! After seeing Eric do this on an episode of Boy Meets World, I was intrigued and always wanted to try it, so this past week at SD Honors Choir, I did. I also ate as much pizza as I could have ever wanted, as I had it (aside from breakfast) at EVERY SINGLE MEAL while I was there. (That's 10 meals, folks!) Plus I rolled down a hallway. Yes, you read that right. In the Johnson Fine Arts Center on Northwestern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota, I, along with Becca, Nicole and Kayla rolled down a slanted hallway. It was joyous.

Honors Choir was amazing. The first two days (Sunday and Monday) were a bit awkward as I didn't know many people who were there. But by chance on Tuesday morning when I came downstairs to find a few people, my group of friends was born. I spent most of the week with Kayla, Nicole, Ashley and Becca, which I am proud to say are from 5 different schools! A bunch of other people at the camp just hung out with the people they already knew from school, but we ventured out and found new friendships. GO US!

Aside from the 7 hours of rehearsals daily with a director that said awkward things about "baby explosions!" , "It's Drug Time!" and just other random tangents she would go on, we found time to have fun and just relax. Our favorite hang out spot: the couches in the Student Center. Plus each other's rooms. One great memory was spending an entire free time in Ashley's room taking random pictures and then venturing out in the bathroom stalls, and along with the "Toilet" room door, as well as the "Soiled Linen" door!

And another great thing that happened was a few of the guys on third floor decided Thursday night that it would be fun to run around on the girls fourth floor pounding drums and cymbals and blasting air horns at ONE AM to wake us all up. It worked.

Another thing about the dorms we stayed in. It was NON AIR CONDITIONED and had NO ELEVATOR! So guess what room they would put Grace in?? The top floor (fourth) and the room completely opposite the stair case. So I had the farthest room of anyone to get to. Yay. But honestly, only the first two nights were really hot, and the stairs you kinda just got used to. But I would hate to live there all year round! And my roommate Alicia was awesome. And it turns out I knew her sister Vanessa from the Augie Theater Camp last summer! IT'S A SMALL WORLD AFTER ALL.

This is a super cool Bulgarian women's choral piece that we sang at Honors Choir. It's pretty sweet. Enjoy "Kaval Sviri." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5Mcy5RanCo

The Raven to Edgar Allen to POE.

Well, another two weeks breezed by. One week I did a TON of cleaning at Dance Gallery, Jackie's and my own house! My house is now like completely spotless ( practically the first time since we moved in since 1995) and my room is now rearranged, redecorated, and overall just rejuvenated! It's now like my own little haven with pictures of things I love like all around (dance, a few New York City pictures I took myself and a few of my sister's cool posters she bought at college). The other week I spent at a little thing called POE. Pipe Organ Encounter 2009.

Now, going into POE, I was DREADING it. I had a hunch that a certain someone that I really don't care for was going to be there, but lucky me, HE WAS NOT THERE! I can't tell you how relieved I was to find this out. Overall during the week I learned how to play the organ. Before coming here, my mom convinced me (well forced me into coming) but she told me lots of the students will have never played the organ, like me. Much to my surprise, when I got there, I was THE ONLY ONE THERE WHO HAD NEVER PLAYED THE ORGAN. Luckily that did not hamper my friendships, and I made a ton of friends at camp! Braden, Phil, Rebecca, Clara, Hannah, Michaela, Sarah, David, Katie and Catie are just some of my closest friends there. We had TONS of laughs. Like a ridiculous amount. I had no idea organists loved to laugh SOOO much. I honestly can't remember the last time I laughed this hard with people. Playing the organ was a unique experience in it self, but when I look back at this experience, I can tell the thing I'll remember when I'm good and old is not how I learned to play the organ, but the amazing people I met and all the laughter we shared.

John Schwandt and Doug Cleveland improvising on organ to Singin' in the Rain at POE. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_rSrxQVqiU

Hannah having a laughing attack during POE! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1nr9_el6PU

Whew!

Alice in Wonderland went fabulous! Thanks to all that came (Ahem, MIRANDA!). I had a blast at the two performances, but now I'm glad it's over. Today I helped move TONS of costumes from the Pella building into their new home at Dance Gallery. It was tiring, but lots of fun for 3 hours! (2:30 to 5:30). Now I'm watching the Spring Recital DVD that came on Wednesday (finally!) and I'm enjoying the show! For once I'm actually watching the performance, instead of just being in it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_7Y5pkVagQ Dance Gallery 2009 Lyrical "Colorblind"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_yl3w_Nyzc Dance Gallery 2009 Tap "Puttin on the Ritz"

A Very Merry Unbirthday to You!

Aah, the joys of being the Mad Hatter. Dance Gallery is putting on the musical, Alice in Wonderland! (Just guess who I am...) It Thursday, July 2nd, at 4:00 and 7:00 at the Orpheum Theater. COME! It should be a great show. (Plus I wear a rockin' hat!) It's only about an hour, so it will be perfect for younger kids!

A very merry unbirthday to you!
To you!
A very merry unbirthday to you!
To you!
It's great to drink to someone and I guess that you will do.
A very merry unbirthday to you!

And always remember, you only have ONE birthday each year, but you have 364 unbirthdays!

HAPPY UNBIRTHDAY!

RENT

I can finally say that I have seen the movie RENT! I have the CD, so I knew almost every word to every song in the movie, but I had never actually seen the movie or broadway show. I have conquered another goal! WHOO HOO! The main goal on my mind is completely cleaning the room my sister and I share (well it's mine during the school year, but my sister's back from college for the summer). This is a GIANT task. We found toys in our closet I played with in 4th grade. That was SEVEN YEARS ago. Wow. That shows how clean my family is!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZHrKffSk50
This is Ashley and Kupono doing their amazing Wade Robson routine from So You Think You Can Dance! I loved this dance, and I was sad that Ashley was eliminated this week! It's very unique (they are being crash test dummies!) but it is genius!

Victory!

Well, I am finished with my Harry Potter project I gave myself. I have watched all 5 movies, and then read Harry Potter and the Half - Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The ENTIRE series. It me like 3 weeks to finish, but I have done it. It's true I've seen the movies before and read the books, but not all of them in order (for the most part).

Whoo! I'm done.

Now the youtube video of the day. Ever since I heard this song on Taking the Stage, I have loved this song. Enjoy "Breathe You In" by Mia Carruthers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nLcJ5HqgEE