This is going to be (hopefully) uncharacteristically quick.
Stress can be good, and it can be bad. I like to think that I deal with stress fairly well - it gets me working, and even though I kind of withdraw into myself and don't notice stuff around, and sometimes get irritated more easily, I am generally a fairly decent human being. Some exceptions occur. But just then, a few of my friends just suddenly lashed out at me (not particularly hard, but kind of cold-shoulder-ish) and I had no idea what was going on. One seemed to have a valid viewpoint - it was about some not particularly attractive photos up on facebook, but he didn't elaborate and didn't seem to want to talk to me so I didn't push it. The other one came from something really, really abstract - it was like. What on earth are you talking about.
So maybe I did something wrong? I can be pretty blind sometimes or studid or just plain naiive, and maybe it was that and I did something inappropriate? Or maybe it was because they were really stressed and had no tolerance and really close breaking point. The second of these I'm pretty sure that was what it was - she's got some really enormous exams coming up and I don't blame her. The first, I don't know... maybe?
Anyways just throwing that out there. Let me know if I randomly lash out at you and you don't deserve it (I know I've done this a couple times to the guys in quartet - I'm really sorry!!!! It's just I get really uptight when it comes to organising things, lol.) and I will back down. Or if I don't you can hit me in the head and when I come to then I will realise I've been an arsehole and then back down :P
Good luck for exams everyone!!!!!!! It's all gonna be over soon!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Hm.
Well I've gotten over my little tiff, and have realised that all of my problems and whatnot are completely trivial compared to a lot of other people - I'm so lucky and fortunate to have an awesome family and friends, I'm not in financial hardship or anything, and uni and all my other stuff is going pretty well. Just this week, some pretty terrible things have happened to people I know - first, one of my friends' girlfriends just up and left (I don't know the circumstances - she might have had a very good reason) but his mum is really sick in hospital and now he doesn't have that support anymore. Then, yesterday I found out my godmother's husband has died. They had three kids, and even though we knew it was coming for a while, it's still pretty devastating. I haven't been able to speak to them yet, so I hope they're ok (as ok as you can be with that kind of thing anyway). And just then, I found out one of my uni friends' mums has just died this week. If it was of sickness, you would never have guessed - it's not something you talk about, but my friend is always a really happy person. So yes. I'm really sorry for my petulance and selfishness from the last post and if I've been whining to you about stupid things. There's a lot out there that's worse.
Hm.
I was wanting this to be a happy post (because really, I am quite happy with most of my exams over etc), but that kind of thing is quite humbling. Oh well.
Good luck to everyone for exams and stuff, and I'm praying for all of the people who I know who have had such terrible things happen to them.
EDIT: this was a pretty crap post, sorry xD;;
Hm.
I was wanting this to be a happy post (because really, I am quite happy with most of my exams over etc), but that kind of thing is quite humbling. Oh well.
Good luck to everyone for exams and stuff, and I'm praying for all of the people who I know who have had such terrible things happen to them.
EDIT: this was a pretty crap post, sorry xD;;
Friday, October 10, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Frustration
I am frustrated. I am really, really angry at myself for getting involved in things without thinking, and not being able to say no. I am angry at pop music for being, generally, so utterly and ear-destroyingly CRAP. I am angry at the news for having nothing but this recession thing. I am also angry at myself that I can't just see things from other people's perspectives and for frickin hell stop being so self centred for once.
Let me elaborate.
1. Ok. I need money. The AU$ is going down down down and I am going overseas in January and the tickets are not booked yet, let alone anything else. So there's one thing. So I say yes to gigs that will get me some monies, like a wedding. Then I remember, NOW, that I have the commitment to QYO to go to rehearsals, especially as a section leader - and of course the wedding is on at the same time as the rehearsal before the big QYO concert. I can't not go to the rehearsal, so I now have to find someone else to play for the wedding, and even though I am the one organising it all I will not get anything out of it. Please please note - I am not saying this because I think that someone else should organise it, but that I'm so stupid to have used my time which I have already so little of for something that I could have just said no to, or gotten someone from the start. That's just one thing out of the myriad that I have to do.
[[EDIT: I just read this over and I realised this came across that I don't like to do these things - that is completely not true!!! Pretty much everything I get involved in I end up enjoying a TRILLION LOTS, with the exception of TCO <_>;; but yeah. It's just how to fit it all in. Danke!]]
2. I was at work today, and we have the radio on. Usually this doesn't annoy me, because I can just block it out or whatever. But there is this 'that's not my name' song, and it was playing and I had just come from Brendan's masters recital and was thinking about how I have to practise for my audition on Sunday and write my essay for Monday which I have barely started, so I was feeling pretty fractious already. And then that song comes on, and I am ready to scream. Literally. When I was walking home from work, all I could think of was how the kid down the road was so lucky that she could just scream her head off and no one would think that she's mental. I can't remember what book it was in (maybe Streetcar?) but there was this one image of when the character goes down to the train tracks and waits for the train to go over and just screams and screams while nobody can hear just because there is no other way she's going to get any kind of release. I really really wanted to do that just then, but I knew I had to go home and do my essay and practise and besides the nearest train station is an hour's walk away from home and there's obviously going to be people around and whatever.
3. I can't be bothered talking about frickin recession. There's too much talk about that anyway. I don't want it to be the next depression but I don't want to hear about it every waking second.
4. I know I'm a really selfish person. That's the thing I hate myself most for, and even by saying this I'm just wallowing in self pity and anger and whatever. Rationally, I know that this is probably just because I'm stone tired and still have 4 weeks of insanity to survive. But that doesn't make it any better. I think I just need to get a grip and realise that I am not the only person in the world who has problems. It's just so annoying that I am the one making all the problems for me. FRICKIN ME.
Ok that was a really long vent and I'm sorry for anyone who read that because that will be all bleah and depressing and whatever. But hopefully not too many people read this anyways so really it's just a bit of shouting into the wind.
Let me elaborate.
1. Ok. I need money. The AU$ is going down down down and I am going overseas in January and the tickets are not booked yet, let alone anything else. So there's one thing. So I say yes to gigs that will get me some monies, like a wedding. Then I remember, NOW, that I have the commitment to QYO to go to rehearsals, especially as a section leader - and of course the wedding is on at the same time as the rehearsal before the big QYO concert. I can't not go to the rehearsal, so I now have to find someone else to play for the wedding, and even though I am the one organising it all I will not get anything out of it. Please please note - I am not saying this because I think that someone else should organise it, but that I'm so stupid to have used my time which I have already so little of for something that I could have just said no to, or gotten someone from the start. That's just one thing out of the myriad that I have to do.
[[EDIT: I just read this over and I realised this came across that I don't like to do these things - that is completely not true!!! Pretty much everything I get involved in I end up enjoying a TRILLION LOTS, with the exception of TCO <_>;; but yeah. It's just how to fit it all in. Danke!]]
2. I was at work today, and we have the radio on. Usually this doesn't annoy me, because I can just block it out or whatever. But there is this 'that's not my name' song, and it was playing and I had just come from Brendan's masters recital and was thinking about how I have to practise for my audition on Sunday and write my essay for Monday which I have barely started, so I was feeling pretty fractious already. And then that song comes on, and I am ready to scream. Literally. When I was walking home from work, all I could think of was how the kid down the road was so lucky that she could just scream her head off and no one would think that she's mental. I can't remember what book it was in (maybe Streetcar?) but there was this one image of when the character goes down to the train tracks and waits for the train to go over and just screams and screams while nobody can hear just because there is no other way she's going to get any kind of release. I really really wanted to do that just then, but I knew I had to go home and do my essay and practise and besides the nearest train station is an hour's walk away from home and there's obviously going to be people around and whatever.
3. I can't be bothered talking about frickin recession. There's too much talk about that anyway. I don't want it to be the next depression but I don't want to hear about it every waking second.
4. I know I'm a really selfish person. That's the thing I hate myself most for, and even by saying this I'm just wallowing in self pity and anger and whatever. Rationally, I know that this is probably just because I'm stone tired and still have 4 weeks of insanity to survive. But that doesn't make it any better. I think I just need to get a grip and realise that I am not the only person in the world who has problems. It's just so annoying that I am the one making all the problems for me. FRICKIN ME.
Ok that was a really long vent and I'm sorry for anyone who read that because that will be all bleah and depressing and whatever. But hopefully not too many people read this anyways so really it's just a bit of shouting into the wind.
Friday, September 26, 2008
expectations
Hm! Well after reading Elainey's blog I feel much better, but I figured I'd post about this anyways. So I went in for the Harmer scholarship which is this thingy where you send them a recording you've made and if you're good enough they give you monies. And it is for people who play either the viola or the pipe organ, and have been living in queensland for more than 10 years... which is a bit rofltastic. So I made what I thought were some pretty good recordings (at the time! I listened to them few weeks ago and i was like ergh) and was pretty much expecting to get something. And then the notice came in the mail today that I didn't, and that was actually kind of shocking. By shocking i mean the mildest sense of the word, it wasn't like I fainted or went hysterical or anything but I was just kind of expecting something. Also I don't particularly need the money badly - I mean, it would be very very useful, especially considering my viola is starting to rattle again (poooo youuuuuu ms vla!!!!!!) but there are people who need it a lot more than me. But I'm still pretty disappointed. I think the main thing was that I was expecting to get something, rather than just maybe hoping or something - that'll teach me!
Oh well, I'll get over it xD
Hm. It's quite hard being a violist and also being bad at saying no to things, because most often there are not many if any other violists who you know will say yes. I am trying my hand at this refusing thing... I really would like some semblance of a break next week, so maybe I'll just lurk and not reply to Em's email. Sorry Em! I will probably end up doing it anyways because Phoebe probably won't be able to do it. *sigh*
In other news... Uni is nearly over!!!! ish!!!!!!! We only have 3 more weeks of class then swotvac then exams then FIN.!! Amazing. The time's gone really quickly... and I don't particularly want it to! Uni is a fun lifestyle! There are far too many exclamation marks in this... oops xD Uni work is also not so hard (for me. for people doing almost any other course i think it will be heaps harder lol) but it's still something to aim for - get that 7, make the next lesson a good one with Patricia... Speaking of whom!!!!! My gosh but is that lady just incredible. I have never ever ever in my entire life met someone so completely ingenius in her teaching - so inspiring, an amazing musician, high expectations and is not afraid at ALL to go into the nitty gritty - she'll tell you when she's disappointed and DAMN does that suck. Which makes you work so much harder!! And you can completely tell she's not just teaching for the money - she could easily just be a concert violist and do gigs, but no, we are lucky enough that she loves to teach people as well. Woo for Patricia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She deserves every one of those exclamation marks and probably a whole post filled with just them and and and and yeah.
:D:D
Also, she said something interesting today in my lesson: we have 24 hours in a day - 8 hours sleep, 8 hours work and guess what! 8 hours play. Which COMPLETELY does not seem like there could be 8 hours in which you could just do anything - I know I was kind of like o_O;; when she said that, but it's true! But, for most of it (if not all) I just fritter it away, staring blankly at a computer screen or something, thinking I don't have enough time to do what I would really like to. So with that, I am going to drown my sorrows in doing a bit of crafty stuff and seeing what I can come up with xD
ciao!
Oh well, I'll get over it xD
Hm. It's quite hard being a violist and also being bad at saying no to things, because most often there are not many if any other violists who you know will say yes. I am trying my hand at this refusing thing... I really would like some semblance of a break next week, so maybe I'll just lurk and not reply to Em's email. Sorry Em! I will probably end up doing it anyways because Phoebe probably won't be able to do it. *sigh*
In other news... Uni is nearly over!!!! ish!!!!!!! We only have 3 more weeks of class then swotvac then exams then FIN.!! Amazing. The time's gone really quickly... and I don't particularly want it to! Uni is a fun lifestyle! There are far too many exclamation marks in this... oops xD Uni work is also not so hard (for me. for people doing almost any other course i think it will be heaps harder lol) but it's still something to aim for - get that 7, make the next lesson a good one with Patricia... Speaking of whom!!!!! My gosh but is that lady just incredible. I have never ever ever in my entire life met someone so completely ingenius in her teaching - so inspiring, an amazing musician, high expectations and is not afraid at ALL to go into the nitty gritty - she'll tell you when she's disappointed and DAMN does that suck. Which makes you work so much harder!! And you can completely tell she's not just teaching for the money - she could easily just be a concert violist and do gigs, but no, we are lucky enough that she loves to teach people as well. Woo for Patricia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! She deserves every one of those exclamation marks and probably a whole post filled with just them and and and and yeah.
:D:D
Also, she said something interesting today in my lesson: we have 24 hours in a day - 8 hours sleep, 8 hours work and guess what! 8 hours play. Which COMPLETELY does not seem like there could be 8 hours in which you could just do anything - I know I was kind of like o_O;; when she said that, but it's true! But, for most of it (if not all) I just fritter it away, staring blankly at a computer screen or something, thinking I don't have enough time to do what I would really like to. So with that, I am going to drown my sorrows in doing a bit of crafty stuff and seeing what I can come up with xD
ciao!
Monday, September 22, 2008
hmmmm
Some interesting things have been happening lately. First! Sleath string prize was on tonight, which I was going to go in but then pulled out at the last minute (well 2 days before) because i had a lesson with Patricia and we decided that I wasn't ready. I still can't get over how incredible she is. So many ideas and she knows exactly how to make them work, and aaaaahhhhh just impossible to describe. Just. Completely inspiring :) I wish I could live up to that!
Anyways Sleaze (er. Sleath.) was really good - I'm super glad I went along because there wasn't much audience at ALL, which was sad, but it was actually really really interesting and good night. I am bad at adjectives at the moment, by the way. Josie ended up winning, with Flora coming second and Rob got honourable mention. I thought Josie's performance was just incredible, but to me there were a lot of really, really musical and technically pretty damn good performances. The names probably won't mean anything to you, so let's just leave it at that. Very very glad I pulled out though, it would have been a poo heap!!!
So from the lesson I had on the weekend, I've been thinking about some things. Like, I never thought myself to be a lazy person - sometimes I procrastinate and all, but I felt generally that I can work really hard when I need to. However! It seems that maybe I am in fact quite lazy, when it comes to long term things. In particular, viola. Which is bad!!! bad bad bad!!! because I need to have stamina for viola otherwise I will lose interest which I really really don't want to do. I say this because Patricia was saying how even though I pick up things in lessons really quickly, I will only apply those concepts to the particular part that she said to do them to - and sometimes I forget or try a few times then give up, and then don't do them. And then when I come back to my lesson next time, and she says, where is -bla- that I asked you to do last week, it suddenly occurs to me that what she says -is- right, even if I might not have thought it before. So maybe it is not laziness, but stupidity or blindness.
Hmm!
I have to go do my theory assignment (joy of joys) so I shall run along now like a good little girl. I want to stop procrastinating, dammit!! again i say, hmmm!!
(that is my new thing, along with zing!, both picked up from dinosaur comics which are the awesome of the world!! Just thought I'd let you know)
P.S. this post would be less crappy if I had more time to write it so sorry!!! if you can't understand it xDDD;;
Anyways Sleaze (er. Sleath.) was really good - I'm super glad I went along because there wasn't much audience at ALL, which was sad, but it was actually really really interesting and good night. I am bad at adjectives at the moment, by the way. Josie ended up winning, with Flora coming second and Rob got honourable mention. I thought Josie's performance was just incredible, but to me there were a lot of really, really musical and technically pretty damn good performances. The names probably won't mean anything to you, so let's just leave it at that. Very very glad I pulled out though, it would have been a poo heap!!!
So from the lesson I had on the weekend, I've been thinking about some things. Like, I never thought myself to be a lazy person - sometimes I procrastinate and all, but I felt generally that I can work really hard when I need to. However! It seems that maybe I am in fact quite lazy, when it comes to long term things. In particular, viola. Which is bad!!! bad bad bad!!! because I need to have stamina for viola otherwise I will lose interest which I really really don't want to do. I say this because Patricia was saying how even though I pick up things in lessons really quickly, I will only apply those concepts to the particular part that she said to do them to - and sometimes I forget or try a few times then give up, and then don't do them. And then when I come back to my lesson next time, and she says, where is -bla- that I asked you to do last week, it suddenly occurs to me that what she says -is- right, even if I might not have thought it before. So maybe it is not laziness, but stupidity or blindness.
Hmm!
I have to go do my theory assignment (joy of joys) so I shall run along now like a good little girl. I want to stop procrastinating, dammit!! again i say, hmmm!!
(that is my new thing, along with zing!, both picked up from dinosaur comics which are the awesome of the world!! Just thought I'd let you know)
P.S. this post would be less crappy if I had more time to write it so sorry!!! if you can't understand it xDDD;;
Friday, September 19, 2008
Some interesting things
Why is it that you can hear trains going by three suburbs over in the night, but you can't hear someone talking to you from the next seat in orchestra?
Why is it that the male uni students (maybe some female but it doesn't sound like it) have exactly the same 'call' at nearly the same pitches at their parties or something? If you live near campus you'll know what I'm talking about - an AAARRRROOOOOOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOO kind of thing.
Loud noises scare us but the complete absence of noise is more scary (at least to me).
That's about it!
Things are incredibly busy at the moment yet I still find time to procrastinate and be bored. What is wrong with me!?
arrrgh sleath comp on monday and am completely not ready. oh well. i will just have to try my best!
Why is it that the male uni students (maybe some female but it doesn't sound like it) have exactly the same 'call' at nearly the same pitches at their parties or something? If you live near campus you'll know what I'm talking about - an AAARRRROOOOOOOOOOOooooooooOOOOOOOO kind of thing.
Loud noises scare us but the complete absence of noise is more scary (at least to me).
That's about it!
Things are incredibly busy at the moment yet I still find time to procrastinate and be bored. What is wrong with me!?
arrrgh sleath comp on monday and am completely not ready. oh well. i will just have to try my best!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
What I am doing
Here's something for you:
"Foweles in the frith, The fisses in the flod.
Much sorw I walke with, For beste of bon and blod.
And I mon waxe wod."
Isn't that awesome? It's the words that Britten set to music in one of the 8 songs in his 'sacred and profane' collection kind of thing. You can probably figure out the first two lines (Birds in the air, the fish in the water. Much sorrow I walk with, for best of bone and blood) - don't ask me what they mean, but that's what they translate to, and the last line means 'I must go mad'. I would show you a youtube link but there is none which makes me sad because it's an awesome piece and it freaks me out a LOT. If you come to one of So-La Voce's concerts we'll be singing it soon!! Which will be fun.
I should be practising right now. I am ridiculously busy, which is why I haven't updated this in a trillion years. At the moment, I'm quite taken with the whole hyperbole thing, it's outrageously fun.
Apparently the music school has not heard of 'midterm' exams, because they like to just give us assignments and exams, whenever they like. Which means all the time. Which is a load of bum, because it means I have the first part of an assignment due tomorrow, a kanji exam (not set by the music school, just ftr) next monday, a theory assignment due goodness knows when but soon, and a competition to play in in two weeks for which I still haven't gotten an accompanist better ring him now!!!
5 minutes later: accompanist ACQUIRED! Hooray.
Damn but that comp is close! 22nd and today is the 11th eeeeeeep.
I have 20 minutes... should I practise or should I just do nothing? 20 minutes of practice... hm... I think I'll go do that.
P.S. I have been making things (not very much); mostly hair ties and what have you, but I haven't been able to take photos of them yet because zea izu no taimu. aiya~~!
"Foweles in the frith, The fisses in the flod.
Much sorw I walke with, For beste of bon and blod.
And I mon waxe wod."
Isn't that awesome? It's the words that Britten set to music in one of the 8 songs in his 'sacred and profane' collection kind of thing. You can probably figure out the first two lines (Birds in the air, the fish in the water. Much sorrow I walk with, for best of bone and blood) - don't ask me what they mean, but that's what they translate to, and the last line means 'I must go mad'. I would show you a youtube link but there is none which makes me sad because it's an awesome piece and it freaks me out a LOT. If you come to one of So-La Voce's concerts we'll be singing it soon!! Which will be fun.
I should be practising right now. I am ridiculously busy, which is why I haven't updated this in a trillion years. At the moment, I'm quite taken with the whole hyperbole thing, it's outrageously fun.
Apparently the music school has not heard of 'midterm' exams, because they like to just give us assignments and exams, whenever they like. Which means all the time. Which is a load of bum, because it means I have the first part of an assignment due tomorrow, a kanji exam (not set by the music school, just ftr) next monday, a theory assignment due goodness knows when but soon, and a competition to play in in two weeks for which I still haven't gotten an accompanist better ring him now!!!
5 minutes later: accompanist ACQUIRED! Hooray.
Damn but that comp is close! 22nd and today is the 11th eeeeeeep.
I have 20 minutes... should I practise or should I just do nothing? 20 minutes of practice... hm... I think I'll go do that.
P.S. I have been making things (not very much); mostly hair ties and what have you, but I haven't been able to take photos of them yet because zea izu no taimu. aiya~~!
Monday, September 1, 2008
My Needles...
... Have become magnetically charged. Odd.
(yes the quality is horrible and you can barely make out the needles, my camera died so I had to use my phone)
I've been making those birdies like mad. Which is not so good, because I have an essay to start, and the draft is due next week i think. Maybe this week. Lots of fun! XD
During the making of one of them, and because of my lovely callussed fingers from playing viola, this happened:
Went right through my finger, and I didn't realise till it was this far through. Sad.
Ok that's it for today, had two exams and my vla lesson so I'm a bit buggered. Oh - I tried out my violin again for a little long-time-no-see whirl, and it's amazing how PUNY it is. And so easy to play! Gawsh, but violinists have it easy! Still, I was glad to go back to my viola - even if it is buzzing again. If I take it to be repaired again, that will make it the 4th time in the year. Ridiculous, if you ask me.
Side note: Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble is made of awesome.
Side note of the side note: (does that make it on topic again?) it's spring today! I am filled with an odd sense of constant nostalgia - is this because I actually haven't been in Australia for all of a summer for the last few years? It smells like Japan in early summer when I wake up. End of strangeness. so tired must sleep grammar deteriorating.
(yes the quality is horrible and you can barely make out the needles, my camera died so I had to use my phone)
I've been making those birdies like mad. Which is not so good, because I have an essay to start, and the draft is due next week i think. Maybe this week. Lots of fun! XD
During the making of one of them, and because of my lovely callussed fingers from playing viola, this happened:
Went right through my finger, and I didn't realise till it was this far through. Sad.
Ok that's it for today, had two exams and my vla lesson so I'm a bit buggered. Oh - I tried out my violin again for a little long-time-no-see whirl, and it's amazing how PUNY it is. And so easy to play! Gawsh, but violinists have it easy! Still, I was glad to go back to my viola - even if it is buzzing again. If I take it to be repaired again, that will make it the 4th time in the year. Ridiculous, if you ask me.
Side note: Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Ensemble is made of awesome.
Side note of the side note: (does that make it on topic again?) it's spring today! I am filled with an odd sense of constant nostalgia - is this because I actually haven't been in Australia for all of a summer for the last few years? It smells like Japan in early summer when I wake up. End of strangeness. so tired must sleep grammar deteriorating.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Busy and sick and busy some more
Ah! Ah! I've been bad and neglected this, already! Oh, woe, and woeful heavy day, when wretches have their will. Thank-you, Byrd, for commandeering my mind and sticking in bits of your madrigals at inopportune times. Everything is much better from last week (was it really only last week? Golly gosh and heavens above!), but not much less busy, and I got a bit of a scare a few days ago thinking I'd gotten the horrible horrible bug that's going around, but it turned out to be just a normal kind of faffy cold. I'm barely finding time to practise enough, let alone do crafty things :( I did, however, allow myself a bit of respite from whatever it is I'm filling up my life with - I'm not too sure myself - by making these little mabobs:
aren't they cute? I rather think so. I made the pink and blue ones first as a bit of a thank-you present for my viola teacher (well. for his two daughters, not him - I don't think they would quite suit him...) but then I found myself a little bit obsessed with the cuteness and promptly made 3 more. They're made of felt, about 4 or 5 cm across, and have a little fabric wing and have a clippy clip (technical term.) fixed to the back. I wore one to uni today and it got quite a few oohs and aahs, so I might pop a few up on the shop.
I am sorely tempted to blow two tutoring sessions worth of monies on some Threadless shirts - they have a sale there now and it's just a bit too tempting. Sadly (or happily?) I don't have a credit card so I'm going to have to beg Mum or Dad very nicely and pay them back... Hooray for parents!
Well it's late (12:18 to be exact) and I must be off, for I am to go a-questing with my Brother Dearest on the morrow in search of a new viola bow. His, not mine. Which means I'm driving, which means possible scary situations.
Ciao!
P.S. Anyone heard of a German band/artist/singer (not sure) called Subway to Sally? I should google them, but I found a song called Kleid Ause Rosen (Akustisch) on my itunes that I must have downloaded and forgotten about. It's a pretty interesting song, and now I'm going all light-headed so I really should probably go to sleep!
aren't they cute? I rather think so. I made the pink and blue ones first as a bit of a thank-you present for my viola teacher (well. for his two daughters, not him - I don't think they would quite suit him...) but then I found myself a little bit obsessed with the cuteness and promptly made 3 more. They're made of felt, about 4 or 5 cm across, and have a little fabric wing and have a clippy clip (technical term.) fixed to the back. I wore one to uni today and it got quite a few oohs and aahs, so I might pop a few up on the shop.
I am sorely tempted to blow two tutoring sessions worth of monies on some Threadless shirts - they have a sale there now and it's just a bit too tempting. Sadly (or happily?) I don't have a credit card so I'm going to have to beg Mum or Dad very nicely and pay them back... Hooray for parents!
Well it's late (12:18 to be exact) and I must be off, for I am to go a-questing with my Brother Dearest on the morrow in search of a new viola bow. His, not mine. Which means I'm driving, which means possible scary situations.
Ciao!
P.S. Anyone heard of a German band/artist/singer (not sure) called Subway to Sally? I should google them, but I found a song called Kleid Ause Rosen (Akustisch) on my itunes that I must have downloaded and forgotten about. It's a pretty interesting song, and now I'm going all light-headed so I really should probably go to sleep!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Canberra, Choir, Competitions and Crazy Ctiredness
I now know what utter exhaustion feels like. It includes at least 3 free breakdowns, 1 of which will be at the point you really could do without one. Feeling like you are on the brink of mental blue screen of death is a free extra also. DO NOT TRY IT AT HOME or anywhere else. It's not so nice.
The choir I'm in, So-La Voce, went down to Canberra for the weekend for the Australian National Eisteddfod, and so after getting up at 4:30 to catch our plane, and some frantic last-minute music studying, we won all three categories we entered, which included the open choral championships. Which is lots of yay! So we went out to celebrate at what. 10:30PM, which was just after we had finished singing. So then we stayed up watching the olympics and didn't go to sleep till 2 xD Canberra is nice and all, and it has a kick-ass science centre (freefall anyone!?), but it is creepily unpopulated. We went out for a walk on Saturday afternoon in the city, and there was absolutely no-one. Quite scary for us.
So pretty much I've not done anything crafty much in the last week, and I've also been late with sending out people's orders, for which I apologise profusely. Almost caught up!
The choir I'm in, So-La Voce, went down to Canberra for the weekend for the Australian National Eisteddfod, and so after getting up at 4:30 to catch our plane, and some frantic last-minute music studying, we won all three categories we entered, which included the open choral championships. Which is lots of yay! So we went out to celebrate at what. 10:30PM, which was just after we had finished singing. So then we stayed up watching the olympics and didn't go to sleep till 2 xD Canberra is nice and all, and it has a kick-ass science centre (freefall anyone!?), but it is creepily unpopulated. We went out for a walk on Saturday afternoon in the city, and there was absolutely no-one. Quite scary for us.
So pretty much I've not done anything crafty much in the last week, and I've also been late with sending out people's orders, for which I apologise profusely. Almost caught up!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Quickie
Just dropping in to post what I've been doing in my spare five minutes, when I haven't been practising, studying (hahaha as if), driving and NOT crashing - hooray!, or going to particularly awesome concerts which make me hoarse like this:
The Idea of North. If you like anything to do with a capella or jazz or awesome, look them up. They tour Australia quite regularly and are going to South Korea soon to collab with The Real Group who are super. They were fantastic. Like, amazingly fantastic. So fantastic, in fact, that they sang CHILI CON CARNE which is a song of epic awesomeness (The Real Group composed and first performed this). Me = Instant Fan: Just Add Water!
(actually you don't really need water)
Anyway. I've been embroidering some bits of calico so that I can make some buttonnnnns of the covered variety which I have been obsessing over lately and also being quite sad because I wore one and it fell out somewhere in the Old Museum Building. Oh well! I'll be pairing these ones with matching gingham because gingham is awesome and stuff.
I am particularly taken with the mushrooms and the doggy.
Hooray for cute!
I'll post them when I've gotten around to making them into ze buttons.
Ciao!
The Idea of North. If you like anything to do with a capella or jazz or awesome, look them up. They tour Australia quite regularly and are going to South Korea soon to collab with The Real Group who are super. They were fantastic. Like, amazingly fantastic. So fantastic, in fact, that they sang CHILI CON CARNE which is a song of epic awesomeness (The Real Group composed and first performed this). Me = Instant Fan: Just Add Water!
(actually you don't really need water)
Anyway. I've been embroidering some bits of calico so that I can make some buttonnnnns of the covered variety which I have been obsessing over lately and also being quite sad because I wore one and it fell out somewhere in the Old Museum Building. Oh well! I'll be pairing these ones with matching gingham because gingham is awesome and stuff.
I am particularly taken with the mushrooms and the doggy.
Hooray for cute!
I'll post them when I've gotten around to making them into ze buttons.
Ciao!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Well that failed
I should have known that as soon as I said, I have to stop crafting to concentrate on things I should be doing, I would immediately not do that. I like to think I have managed to stuff both into my time.
Either way, I have discovered the wonder that is covered button kits. Also another pair of earrings.
Using some of the material I got (this is from Japan).
Different sizes. I need to get some more bigger ones...
Pretty Japanese fabric that I hadn't been able to find a use for, but mostly was just too scared to cut up.
Cute little tiny gingham ones
More puny ones. They're cute but they don't show the material so well :/
Mmmm, purple! I particularly like the amethyst discs up the top.
That's me for today.
Oh oh oh. I've been asked to go into one of the quartets at uni because their violist pulled out and we're playing Dvorak's American quartet!!! It makes my ears happy (not the way we're playing it at the moment but hey, we're sightreading). Love for Dvorak who liked viola!!!! :D
Either way, I have discovered the wonder that is covered button kits. Also another pair of earrings.
Using some of the material I got (this is from Japan).
Different sizes. I need to get some more bigger ones...
Pretty Japanese fabric that I hadn't been able to find a use for, but mostly was just too scared to cut up.
Cute little tiny gingham ones
More puny ones. They're cute but they don't show the material so well :/
Mmmm, purple! I particularly like the amethyst discs up the top.
That's me for today.
Oh oh oh. I've been asked to go into one of the quartets at uni because their violist pulled out and we're playing Dvorak's American quartet!!! It makes my ears happy (not the way we're playing it at the moment but hey, we're sightreading). Love for Dvorak who liked viola!!!! :D
Monday, August 4, 2008
I am clever.
Oh so very clever.
I have procrastinated myself into a corner. Which means, even though I have just received all this lovely stuff
I will not be able to use it any time soon. And I have about a million ideas floating around my head at the moment so it is sad for me.
I have to concentrate on my studies and viola practice for a while. I have learned the error of my ways - them mostly being overcommitting to ensembles not within the one institution. Which means I have to fight with my conductors to let me out of a rehearsal to go to the other's concert, instead of them fighting instead, and cutting out the middle-girl.
Sigh.
Sorry, to anyone who was actually looking at this to see any crafty things I'm doing. I promise I'll keep this alive
I have procrastinated myself into a corner. Which means, even though I have just received all this lovely stuff
I will not be able to use it any time soon. And I have about a million ideas floating around my head at the moment so it is sad for me.
I have to concentrate on my studies and viola practice for a while. I have learned the error of my ways - them mostly being overcommitting to ensembles not within the one institution. Which means I have to fight with my conductors to let me out of a rehearsal to go to the other's concert, instead of them fighting instead, and cutting out the middle-girl.
Sigh.
Sorry, to anyone who was actually looking at this to see any crafty things I'm doing. I promise I'll keep this alive
Friday, August 1, 2008
Relief, and retail therapy.
I apologise profusely for the crappiness of the last post. All (well. most) has been right-ed.
Here are a few of my favourite things:
My Lovely Lost Sheep (it sadly was stripped naked and robbed of its companion, the Black Beady Slightly Spastic Looking Cat. May you rest in peace)
What I ate instead of Mrs Fields Cookies. They were suitably delicious. My friends snub me, but I love Dried Peaches for who they are (delicious).
Tissues and Panadol: My Constant Companions, for I am afflicted with hayfever.
My Beloved (it is a VIOLA. Come now, don't let's be racist!)
And of course...
RETAIL THERAPY.
This is what I got today. I am bad. But, Lincraft had a 50% sale for all their material, so i just had to! You know. Covered buttons are fun :D
I'm going to make this into a skirt. The cherries are absolutely too cute.
See? They're transparent! >w< href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28964667@N08/2721661225/" title="previous splurge by littleawkwardpeople, on Flickr">
Some gorgeous Japanese material I got a few months ago. It is quite divine (which is why it's still untouched - I'm also a bit scared of it)
What I made a few weeks ago. It was the first thing I made all by myself, so I was proud of myself. It hasn't broken yet! I stole the pear from http://mollychicken.blogs.com/my_weblog/2007/09/happy-pear.html. I wish it could be as cute as hers, but it has added spastic-charm factor.
It has a long handle :D
Useless buttons are fun. This was supposed to be a 10 minute project and it turned into about 40 minutes because my sewing machine kept bunging itself in. *sigh*
I took this photo intending it to look like a little bed, but now I realise it's looking slightly freakily like a coffin or something.
Oh well!
Thanks to My Lovely Wife and co. for helping cheer me up whilst I was in the Depths of Despair. It was fun :D
Here are a few of my favourite things:
My Lovely Lost Sheep (it sadly was stripped naked and robbed of its companion, the Black Beady Slightly Spastic Looking Cat. May you rest in peace)
What I ate instead of Mrs Fields Cookies. They were suitably delicious. My friends snub me, but I love Dried Peaches for who they are (delicious).
Tissues and Panadol: My Constant Companions, for I am afflicted with hayfever.
My Beloved (it is a VIOLA. Come now, don't let's be racist!)
And of course...
RETAIL THERAPY.
This is what I got today. I am bad. But, Lincraft had a 50% sale for all their material, so i just had to! You know. Covered buttons are fun :D
I'm going to make this into a skirt. The cherries are absolutely too cute.
See? They're transparent! >w< href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28964667@N08/2721661225/" title="previous splurge by littleawkwardpeople, on Flickr">
Some gorgeous Japanese material I got a few months ago. It is quite divine (which is why it's still untouched - I'm also a bit scared of it)
What I made a few weeks ago. It was the first thing I made all by myself, so I was proud of myself. It hasn't broken yet! I stole the pear from http://mollychicken.blogs.com/my_weblog/2007/09/happy-pear.html. I wish it could be as cute as hers, but it has added spastic-charm factor.
It has a long handle :D
Useless buttons are fun. This was supposed to be a 10 minute project and it turned into about 40 minutes because my sewing machine kept bunging itself in. *sigh*
I took this photo intending it to look like a little bed, but now I realise it's looking slightly freakily like a coffin or something.
Oh well!
Thanks to My Lovely Wife and co. for helping cheer me up whilst I was in the Depths of Despair. It was fun :D
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
< rant >
It's been a bit of a crap week.
Let's summarise what would ordinarily be a ridiculously long spiel about very little into a simple mathematical equation:
scholarship application
+
scholarship recording
+
concerts nearly every week
+
threats of being kicked out of orchestra because of said concerts
+
having to memorise all your music for sola
+
losing your phone, which is new, and on a plan
=
fail.
I have very few words of the happy nature left.
Sorry for the miserable post :( I have some things to photo and put up here but I'm tired and sulky and very busy.
Dentist tomorrow... it just gets better.
< /rant >
Let's summarise what would ordinarily be a ridiculously long spiel about very little into a simple mathematical equation:
scholarship application
+
scholarship recording
+
concerts nearly every week
+
threats of being kicked out of orchestra because of said concerts
+
having to memorise all your music for sola
+
losing your phone, which is new, and on a plan
=
fail.
I have very few words of the happy nature left.
Sorry for the miserable post :( I have some things to photo and put up here but I'm tired and sulky and very busy.
Dentist tomorrow... it just gets better.
< /rant >
Monday, July 28, 2008
I swear...
... they've imported the weather. From Russia, or something.
It is set to be 0 degrees C on Wednesday. For those of you who work in Farenheit, that's freezing point.
This shouldn't be!
Haven't been making much lately; I've had to get all these applications for scholarships and orchestras and everything to do with that done, as well as practice and study! It will be an interesting few weeks...
This is what being busy has done to my desk. It's pretty bad, even for me.
It is set to be 0 degrees C on Wednesday. For those of you who work in Farenheit, that's freezing point.
This shouldn't be!
Haven't been making much lately; I've had to get all these applications for scholarships and orchestras and everything to do with that done, as well as practice and study! It will be an interesting few weeks...
This is what being busy has done to my desk. It's pretty bad, even for me.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Extreme photo taking
It is a freezing winter day (well. as freezing as Brisbane gets) and so I decided to take some photos. Because that is what you do when it's cold.
Click the pictures if you want to know what I made them out of.
How cute are the Japanese lollies. One of my friends gave them to me for my birthday, and they were too cute to eat. The earrings are those lucky stars that you fold from a long strip of paper... I got lazy one day and wanted to make something easy, so this was the result.
The idea for the earrings is completely unoriginal, but I wanted to use the dolls.
Mmmm, clusters. I had fun experimenting with them. I rather think the bottom middle ones look quite grand.
More clusters. Because they look bad when you lie them horizontally. I am quite attached to the metal dice beads, and will be hoarding them when I can find them.
The poshest lot of them. They insisted on going solo, and begrudgingly let the paper lotus sit at the corner.
I'm pretty sure those little shoe charms are the cutest dang things I have found up till now.
Just look at them!
I'm quite proud of these, especially the dragonfly ones. The seed beads have just enough weight in them to bend the fishing line so it looks like they're suspended in space.
The whole crowd.
This is what I do instead of studying or practising... bad girl! I have finished my recording of the Bruch Romance, very happily! It sounds a bit iffy here and there but overall I think it should be ok. Now onto the Bach...
Click the pictures if you want to know what I made them out of.
This is what I do instead of studying or practising... bad girl! I have finished my recording of the Bruch Romance, very happily! It sounds a bit iffy here and there but overall I think it should be ok. Now onto the Bach...
Hello...
... and pleased to meet you!
This fine (cold, wet, and suitable for drinking nothing but tea and soup) day, I have decided to make a blog. I hope you enjoy your stay :)
I have been making things with beads for quite a while but I have recently gotten out my mum's sewing machine and have been imagining lots of things that I can do with that.
Let's see where this goes!
This fine (cold, wet, and suitable for drinking nothing but tea and soup) day, I have decided to make a blog. I hope you enjoy your stay :)
I have been making things with beads for quite a while but I have recently gotten out my mum's sewing machine and have been imagining lots of things that I can do with that.
Let's see where this goes!
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