I feel like I need to play catch up with all my blogs since i didn't write anything for 2 months. But i do have exciting news that I've yet to share with the world...
I AM GOING TO CHINA IN MAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Utah State University Chamber Singers have been one of FIVE choirs IN THE ENTIRE WORLD invited to an international choral festival in BEIJING in May.
I sometimes wonder how I am in this AMAZING choir.
This semester we are singing Benjamin Brittens "War Requiem" with the American Festival Chorus. We have our Christmas concert in December and we are singing at some thing for alumni the first week of December.
Then next semester we are having an 80's concert, recording a CD, going on tour to Price and Vernal. (don't make fun. We had a BLAST last year) and of course GOING TO CHINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Basically, i'm not trying to brag about me. But when somebody asks what is so great about Utah State, this is what is so great.
Its not just Chambers that is amazing. Our whole music program is phenomenal. As is our education program. our engineering program. our dietetics program. our basketball team.
But today I am spotlighting the Chamber Singers. Because we have fun and I can't believe how blessed I am to be associated with such a prestigious and just great fun group of people.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
the sound of silence.
So this week has been interesting. I was put on vocal rest by my voice teacher because apparently i had laryngitis and didn't even know it. So all week I've been carrying around a notebook that has been labeled as "Mandy's voice". It's been quite entertaining. I get home from classes on Monday and show it to my roommate. She looks at how many pages i've written in (keeping in mind most of it is only my side of the conversation.) and she says "even when you can't talk you talk a lot." I tend to talk a lot...and she said it in a very kind and joking manner.
But what has really been entertaining about this week is learning who can read my face and to be quite honest my mind. I've some friends get better as the week went on, but Jordan is by far the champion. He can read my face and make-shift hand gestures very well. We actually had a conversation where I didn't write anything.
Sunday night was when i realized it was going to be a long week. We were having Canadian Thanksgiving at my friends house and I couldn't talk. At first I had one friend confused because i wasn't talking to her, but I was still acknowledging her existence and attempting to communicate. I finally was able to get the notebook out and explain. But throughout the night Jordan was usually translating what ever i was attempting to say.
And now i am 2 days short of being able to speak again and I'm not entirely sure i'll make until Saturday, because i don't like living in silence. I like to be able to speak. It is so hard to comfort a friend when you can't say the words. (which is why i've cheated a few times and given up the notebook)
Although, i've decided i'm learning Sign Language, my life would have been so much easier this week with sign language.
So i know its random, but I need to learn how to write a blog again. And i'll get back in the swing eventually. But this is my place for my thoughts anyway.
Silence is an adventure.
But what has really been entertaining about this week is learning who can read my face and to be quite honest my mind. I've some friends get better as the week went on, but Jordan is by far the champion. He can read my face and make-shift hand gestures very well. We actually had a conversation where I didn't write anything.
Sunday night was when i realized it was going to be a long week. We were having Canadian Thanksgiving at my friends house and I couldn't talk. At first I had one friend confused because i wasn't talking to her, but I was still acknowledging her existence and attempting to communicate. I finally was able to get the notebook out and explain. But throughout the night Jordan was usually translating what ever i was attempting to say.
And now i am 2 days short of being able to speak again and I'm not entirely sure i'll make until Saturday, because i don't like living in silence. I like to be able to speak. It is so hard to comfort a friend when you can't say the words. (which is why i've cheated a few times and given up the notebook)
Although, i've decided i'm learning Sign Language, my life would have been so much easier this week with sign language.
So i know its random, but I need to learn how to write a blog again. And i'll get back in the swing eventually. But this is my place for my thoughts anyway.
Silence is an adventure.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
in summary...
Basically lets sum up everything in the last month shall we? It's not as detailed and full of insight like i usually like, but in order for future insights to make sense, we need a general background.
School started, I managed to pass my juries and start my second year as a music major. I thought that maybe I'd get the hang of it this year. SO far, not so good. I am failing Music theory III, aural skills III and vocal pedagogy. Although, i am finally learning how to practice for voice and piano and there is actually improvement being made.
Because of lack of sleep and verge of mental collapses i had to quit my job at McDonalds. Which is good and bad. It's good for a couple reasons. One, when asked why i quit before i could answer my friend chimed in and said "because it was slowly killing her" there was some truth in that statement. He said that you could always tell the next morning if I had worked the night before. So now that i have caught up on sleep i have to find new employment. See, not working in college is not an option for me. I have to do these little things...like pay rent, pay utilities, buy groceries, put gas in my car. Little things really. So now I am in search of new employment. And every on campus-lead i had fell through. So it's looking like I"ll end up at a call center. Which i can't actually apply for till next week.
My voice teacher put me on vocal rest. Apparently i had laryngitis and didn't even know it. So we are trying to give my chords time to heal. OK GETTING YOUR VOCAL CHORDS CHECKED IS THE WEIRDEST THING EVER!!!!!! they have to send a scope down your nose. it's so weird. But thats the hazards of being a vocal major, your gonna have to get your chords checked eventually.
This year I also had the INCREDIBLE blessing of getting into Later-Day voices. the auditioned choir up at the institute. It has been the single greatest blessing this semester. Despite how much my life is falling apart around me, I am always better after LDV. I ave the strength to keep going just a little bit longer. I never understood how you could come to love people so quickly. But i truly love everyone in Latter Day voices. Yes there are the few that i am working on liking, sometimes you just meet people that bug you for now explainable reason. But i truly LOVE everyone, I would do anything for any of them. I think thats one thing about it that makes life okay again, just the overwhelming amount of love among this group of very special people. I am learning things about the gosple, people and myself that i never thought i could learn. I am so grateful to be blessed to be able to say for the rest of my life that I am a Latter-Day voice. Because once a latter-day voice, always a latter day voice.
And onto the last bit of drama, than I think you will be caught up on everything important. So there is this boy. I like him a lot. THis tends to happen among young adults. And i've liked guys before. But this kid is one of my best friends, and we've been best friends for closing in on a year. Around April, i realized i really liked him . (we;d been hanging out since February. I'm kind of slow sometimes) Well I couldn't decide if he liked me or not. He moved out of town for the summer, but we still saw each other several times over the four months. And we texted a LOT. He moves back to Logan and we see each other a lot see we actually have the same major and are in 6 classes together, including LDV. We ended up hanging out at least once every weekend. So a few weeks into September I finally decide that I have to know if this is ever going to go anywhere. And it scared me to death. You would be amazed at how long i can stay in limbo and just sit there pining and wondering. but I knew i would regret it this time if I didn't ask.
So we are hanging out one Friday night, and I had decided that I was going to ask him that night. We are making cinnamon rolls at my place, watching youtube videos chatting, laughing. Its getting late and he has to drive to Salt Lake the next morning, i offer him a ride home . WE get to his parking lot and I decided now or never. so Before he gets out I say "hey, i got a question for you real fast." he goes "Yeah." in my head i'm like, well...no turning back now. so i ask "Do you ever see potential between us as anything more than friends?" He pauses, i'm freaking out inside. i go "you don't have to answer right now if you don't want. Everybody else has asked, i figured i might as well" he laughs a little and says "Honestly, I've thought about it and I haven't decided." I say "thats fine, i was just wondering. Drive safe tomorrow." We laugh at something else, he gets out of the car adn shuts the door. I immediately feel like throwing up. That was the single hardest thing i have ever done in my life. I'm not very good at being vulnerable. I proceeded to feel like throwing up for the next day and a half.
and here we are, a month later. Still haven't gotten a real answer. But we are still good friends, nothing is or was awkward. I just every now and then sit and wonder why. Was it me or him he wasn't sure about? was it both? I've just tried to stop thinking about it, which is hard because i still really like him, and I just want to know whether to hold onto these feelings or let them go. Cause I am fine with a platonic brother/sister relationship. I just need to know.
SO that is the summary of Mandy's life the last little while. Now we are up to date and I can start having much more detailed blogs again, hopefully I'll have time to keep up. Because there are many adventures I've yet to record... so until then.
School started, I managed to pass my juries and start my second year as a music major. I thought that maybe I'd get the hang of it this year. SO far, not so good. I am failing Music theory III, aural skills III and vocal pedagogy. Although, i am finally learning how to practice for voice and piano and there is actually improvement being made.
Because of lack of sleep and verge of mental collapses i had to quit my job at McDonalds. Which is good and bad. It's good for a couple reasons. One, when asked why i quit before i could answer my friend chimed in and said "because it was slowly killing her" there was some truth in that statement. He said that you could always tell the next morning if I had worked the night before. So now that i have caught up on sleep i have to find new employment. See, not working in college is not an option for me. I have to do these little things...like pay rent, pay utilities, buy groceries, put gas in my car. Little things really. So now I am in search of new employment. And every on campus-lead i had fell through. So it's looking like I"ll end up at a call center. Which i can't actually apply for till next week.
My voice teacher put me on vocal rest. Apparently i had laryngitis and didn't even know it. So we are trying to give my chords time to heal. OK GETTING YOUR VOCAL CHORDS CHECKED IS THE WEIRDEST THING EVER!!!!!! they have to send a scope down your nose. it's so weird. But thats the hazards of being a vocal major, your gonna have to get your chords checked eventually.
This year I also had the INCREDIBLE blessing of getting into Later-Day voices. the auditioned choir up at the institute. It has been the single greatest blessing this semester. Despite how much my life is falling apart around me, I am always better after LDV. I ave the strength to keep going just a little bit longer. I never understood how you could come to love people so quickly. But i truly love everyone in Latter Day voices. Yes there are the few that i am working on liking, sometimes you just meet people that bug you for now explainable reason. But i truly LOVE everyone, I would do anything for any of them. I think thats one thing about it that makes life okay again, just the overwhelming amount of love among this group of very special people. I am learning things about the gosple, people and myself that i never thought i could learn. I am so grateful to be blessed to be able to say for the rest of my life that I am a Latter-Day voice. Because once a latter-day voice, always a latter day voice.
And onto the last bit of drama, than I think you will be caught up on everything important. So there is this boy. I like him a lot. THis tends to happen among young adults. And i've liked guys before. But this kid is one of my best friends, and we've been best friends for closing in on a year. Around April, i realized i really liked him . (we;d been hanging out since February. I'm kind of slow sometimes) Well I couldn't decide if he liked me or not. He moved out of town for the summer, but we still saw each other several times over the four months. And we texted a LOT. He moves back to Logan and we see each other a lot see we actually have the same major and are in 6 classes together, including LDV. We ended up hanging out at least once every weekend. So a few weeks into September I finally decide that I have to know if this is ever going to go anywhere. And it scared me to death. You would be amazed at how long i can stay in limbo and just sit there pining and wondering. but I knew i would regret it this time if I didn't ask.
So we are hanging out one Friday night, and I had decided that I was going to ask him that night. We are making cinnamon rolls at my place, watching youtube videos chatting, laughing. Its getting late and he has to drive to Salt Lake the next morning, i offer him a ride home . WE get to his parking lot and I decided now or never. so Before he gets out I say "hey, i got a question for you real fast." he goes "Yeah." in my head i'm like, well...no turning back now. so i ask "Do you ever see potential between us as anything more than friends?" He pauses, i'm freaking out inside. i go "you don't have to answer right now if you don't want. Everybody else has asked, i figured i might as well" he laughs a little and says "Honestly, I've thought about it and I haven't decided." I say "thats fine, i was just wondering. Drive safe tomorrow." We laugh at something else, he gets out of the car adn shuts the door. I immediately feel like throwing up. That was the single hardest thing i have ever done in my life. I'm not very good at being vulnerable. I proceeded to feel like throwing up for the next day and a half.
and here we are, a month later. Still haven't gotten a real answer. But we are still good friends, nothing is or was awkward. I just every now and then sit and wonder why. Was it me or him he wasn't sure about? was it both? I've just tried to stop thinking about it, which is hard because i still really like him, and I just want to know whether to hold onto these feelings or let them go. Cause I am fine with a platonic brother/sister relationship. I just need to know.
SO that is the summary of Mandy's life the last little while. Now we are up to date and I can start having much more detailed blogs again, hopefully I'll have time to keep up. Because there are many adventures I've yet to record... so until then.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
this crazy thing i call life.
So you may have noticed that it has been over a month since i have written anything. Almost 2 in fact. That is literally how crazy my life has been. How about we start with the begining and start a short series of catch up blogs, to much has happened in life to consider putting it all into one post. School has started again, and those last weeks of August and first weeks of school were indeed an adventure. The last week before school started my dear friend Amy GOT MARRIED!!!!!! I can't even tell you how happy I am for her. J.J. is a wonderful man and will take excellent care of her. So when going down the wedding Mike was also invited, so we carpooled, he was taking his girlfriend home to meet family, and I was helping him move a piano. While down there we went on a double date, Jordan was still living in Salt Lake, so we doubled. On this date we started at the "whisper dome" in Draper. COOLEST THING EVAR!!!! you stand on one side of the dome and whisper, the person on the other side can hear you. So then we decided we were going to break off into couples and take pictures, come back together and make captions for each others pictures. Sadly, my camera stopped working abut 2 pictures in. So me and Jordan decide that we are going to walk to the closest gas station and get a disposable camera...well the closest one ( a decent walk away) had no cameras. So we just used his phone. Then we went to Iceberg and got milshakes. (i would like to submit that mine and Jordans was much better than Mike and Sadies.) personal opinion. Then back at mikes place we played in the back yard and then we had to get going, (we still had to drive back to Logan and Mike was getting way tired.) So we get back to Logan. The next day, i meet up with old roommates and we go up to Bear Lake. My roommate megan's family has a time share there. It was SOOOO much fun. I also got majorly burned. i was a lobster. But totally worth the memories. Saturday was move in day for tons of people. Including Jordan, whom i also owed dinner. So i finally get to take all his stuff back to him (i was holding 13 boxes of his things this summer. yes...i counted) my car was unloaded in one trip. there were tons of people just ready to jump in and help as soon as i got there. And mostly it was just great fun. And i think thats good for now because my computer is acting up lately and it is getting really hot, likly threathening to shut down for no reason again. and I really don't want to re-type. SO till the next catch up...ta ta for now.
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