Rain

      I can't say I complain about these kinds of days where most people would be complaining.  I think the rain is peaceful and symbolizes this.  These days make me want to sit inside and actually complete my homework (which is what I should be doing right now).  There isn't any temptation to go outside and throw a frisbee with a "I can do work afterwards" attitude.  I cannot wait for the big thunderstorms of June and July that shake my whole house like a giant subwoofer in a nice sound system.  The rain motivates me to back up my computer for six hours so that I can take it into the Geeks at
Geek Squad for surgery.  I may be a
computer kid, but I don't know one bit of information regarding computer hardware.  I sit here with a biology project in front of me, one that's not due until Monday, wanting to get a head start.  "Why am I going to do

I don't even play this instrument anymore!  Oh well, it's better than homework.

this?  It's not due for a while?  You'll have time later!".  Good one, Mr. Brain, but I know there isn't going to be any time later.  Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.  On these "I have nothing after school" days, I feel relaxed and lazy.  I think,"Shouldn't I be doing something productive with myself?  I could be getting a job, or finding places to volunteer.  After all, I do have to go to college in four years".  Consider that time period, Four Years.  Even when rationalizing my decisions in the form of a blog post, I still don't want to prepare for college!  That's all for Junior Year baby!  I'll save it all for when I'm drowning in AP United States History notes and AP Calculus.  Also, let's throw in Marching Band, Ultimate Frisbee, ACT test preparation class, eating, and sleeping.  Those last two might have to wait for a while, but they aren't that important anyways.  The negative thing about rain?  I have no motivation to exercise.  I could easily go into the basement and lift weights, but instead I'd rather sit here and type about how I don't want to lift weights.  Everyone, enjoy your rainy, overcast day, and hope that tomorrow is sunny.

Diagonal Stripes

   Helping out around the house is quite boring and undesirable, especially as a teenager like myself.  Something, however, I enjoy is putting hard work into something and seeing desirable results.  Diagonal stripes on your lawn show hard work while straight lines don't.  Of course, you cannot make fun of the person who mows straight lines because at least he or she is actually out doing work.  

 

Dinner and a Movie?

Joe, acting like on of the Three Stooges

     In this day and age, advertisers know how to make money.  A new website, one that has my mom 100% hooked, called Groupon, is becoming quite the "saving money" trend.  It's a lot like coupons, but companies give away their deals in bulk.  My mom gets Groupons for food, activities, and almost everything.  It provides us with opportunities that we don't even think of!  We got a horseback riding Groupon, we got a segway tour Groupon, and we got a movie Groupon.  There are Groupons for almost everything.  

Movie Posters and Bar

     Our plan was to see an animated pirate movie, but sadly the Groupon wouldn't with opening movies so we had to see "The Three Stooges".  It was actually a funny movie, which wasn't surprising considering I would be stretching quite far to say that people beating each other up isn't funny.  Hollywood Palms is quite old and has movie posters from every time period; half of the posters I didn't even recognize.  Another perk is that they serve food.  Dinner and a Movie.  Doesn't that sound just pleasant?  I believe that it would be hard to find anyone who thinks this isn't nice, and I'm sorry for the person who doesn't.  Now, you do have to put up with waitresses interrupting you, a blurry movie screen, and corny decorations to get this experience, and it costs a lot of money.

     

     Although movies are fun, I still think they are the most lame type of date.  Just, don't do it.  It's not a real date.  That, my friends, was some excellent advice from your fellow friend, Sam.  

Youth Symphony

     Today, I had the opportunity to audition for the prestigious Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras.  I've been preparing for quite a while for this audition and I think my performance was a very realistic representation of my abilities.
     First of all, the building the auditions were in was quite old.  The bathrooms didn't contain toilets, and the elevators were exposed and manually operated.  I, unlike my mother, liked the elevators despite the fact that they caused me to become dizzy.  The audition room had three judges, and it almost seemed that they had no idea what they were doing!

They didn't seem to recognize all of my orchestral excerpts, which is surprising considering how common I thought they were.  I couldn't tell whether or not they liked my performance.  For Joe's audition, they gave him some tips to sound better.  For example, they told him he needed to work on his time if makes the orchestra.  I don't know if they are just educating him for next year, or if they want him to improve so he can contribute better to the orchestra.  Either way, they weren't very responsive to my audition, and I can't infer anything about the result.  All I can do is wait and hope, even though I don't know what to hope for.

Ultimate Frisbee

     I owe much thanks to Kelly C. for all of these phenomenal pictures of an amazing game.  You are a great supporter, and you must join next year!

The Dawn of the Audition

     Months and months of hard work lead up to your performance in an audition, and despite the solid foundation you've built from practice, it still seems like auditions never go as planned.  However, those auditions where things do go as planned, well, they give a feeling of euphoria that no one can take away.  I have an audition for the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras today, and I've been working since January on this literature.  After a while of enthusiastic practice, I started to realize what succeeding would mean.  I would have to go all the way to Chicago every weekend to play my instrument in the orchestra.  This put a damper on things quite fast.  Even now I'm hesitant with my desires to make it in, despite the honor and impressiveness of the orchestras.  I told my private teacher my concerns with the audition, and he was surprised, but he still knew that I was going to work and work to make the music sound the best I could.  I know in my hear that I've worked to make this music sound the best I could.  I hope to have a lucky day with a good performance in the audition room.  I've been working for this short chunk of time, and all I can do is see how it goes.

A Night at the Theater

     Neuqua Valley High school put on quite the production of "Jekyll and Hyde".  Despite it's slow, stuck-in-the-mud plotline, it was a truly remarkable performance.  It becomes much less genuine, however, to witness my friends perform this production.  Even though they perform at a very high level, it's quite different to see them portray characters as actors.  My good friend, Caitlyn, was part of the large company, and it was very cool to see her in her place of strength, on the stage.  She looked great and supported the musical very well.  The lead, however, made the show just as leads do.  I was overall very impressed with the performance.  

What it's Like to Handle

Neuqua Valley Marching Band 2011 - 2012 - Labor Day Parade

     Ultimate Frisbee, a new and growing sport, is something I wanted to try ever since my debut to Neuqua Valley through Marching Band way back in August.  All the upper class-men in the band seemed to be involved in this game, and I was very interested in why they all seemed to be so good!  I asked them and they told me that I should do Ultimate.  At the time, I wasn't considering it because I wanted to maybe be involved in TV club and/or a theater production.  My mind quickly changed after I realized how badly I wanted to learn how to throw that darn disc.  My uncle and cousin visited and we went to throw a disc, and I was very eager to improve on my throws.  I signed up for the winter league through my school, and I didn't know what to expect.  All I could do was throw with my dad and learn the rules.  I walked into the indoor sports facility on the first day of the league, and saw discs flying.  I was excited, but a little hesitant about what was going to happen.  I got on for my first point, and ran in circles.  I never got the disc, and I felt like I had no purpose.  However, I did think it was a fun game and I eagerly wanted to learn.

Thursday, April 26, 2011 - Handling against Neuqua Valley's CHSUL Team

     Spring rolls around, and as does the true Ultimate season.  I couldn't wait to play with people my own level, and as I hoped, the game was much more enjoyable than at the winter league.  After practicing for a week, we split into handlers and cutters.  Let me explain the difference, first.  There are three handlers on the field and four cutters.  The cutters go midfield and cut in and out, getting open for a pass from the handlers.  The handlers work together to move the disc laterally, and provide dump passes to restart the 10 second time limit for disc possession.  After learning how to cut at the winter league, I wanted to try handling because they get more playing time and have a bigger role.  I found it to be exactly what I expected, but I do enjoy cutting more than handling.
     As a handler, I feel personally responsible for the cutters.  Whenever a cutter catches a disc, especially a new cutter, the look in their eyes is of complete terror.  They look like a deer in the headlights of a fast moving semi-truck, and it's my job to take the burden of disc possession off their shoulders so they can run and catch it again, repeating the cycle.  As a handler, it is very easy to mess up.  When I have the disc in my hand, there is so much to look for that it's almost disorienting.  Handlers determine how the game goes, and the teamwork aspect is vital.  Handling is the best way to improve at Ultimate, and it's also less competitive than cutting.  People don't want to handle because they don't believe in themselves, but I think that everyone should give it a try!  I think that everyone should give Ultimate a try!

La Fiesta Mexicana

     Prelude and Aztec Dance from Herbert Owen Reed's "La Fiesta Mexicana".  I see this song as a reason to love music, and it gives me motivation to continue to improve on my instrument.  Just today, I watched a video that spoke of motivation.  In a study, people were more motivated by mastery than by money.  People would rather get better at something and be recognized for it instead of receive monetary reimbursement for their efforts (although that's still nice).  Why do teachers become teachers knowing they will always be financially stressed?  It's because they feel like they have a purpose, which also motivates people more than monetary reimbursement.
     I love this song because it is filled with emotion and Mexican culture.  I've never been to anything remotely Mexican, but this song gives me an idea of what their musical culture is like.  This song can be performed all around the world to people of many cultures and it would have the same affect on them.  This song brings one man's experience with Mexico into perspective for anyone who listens to it or performs it.  I hope to one day perform this song myself.  I only heard the first part of the prelude, the march "El Toro", and the Aztec Dance at Neuqua Valley's Holiday Crystal Concert two years ago.  I was very impressed, especially because I love the Chimes at the beginning!

(Please link to the rest of Reed's "La Fiesta Mexicana" performed by the "President's Own" Marine Band.  The second movement is entitled "Mass", and the third is entitled "Carnival".  They all have the same thumbnail image)  

Planning for the Future

     As anticipated yesterday, I received my Practice PLAN score with much relief.  The score, compositely 29 out of 32, was exactly what I wanted to see.  From this test, I can infer my ACT score will be around 34.  I am very proud of myself, and all this test score does is give me more motivation to score even higher on the ACT than I am expected to from this PLAN.
     What do I want in a college?  What does a Freshman in high school look for in a college, or should they not even care at all right now?  I think someone should look for a college in the right environment they want!  Some people want to get as far away from here as possible, while other people recognize this as an inconvenience and want to stay close.  I think someone should look for a college that offers their external interests, other than academics.  I want a school with a music program, with a busy campus, and with a nice urban location.  Later, however, I think one should look for a college that suits their academic and financial needs.  As of now, I'm not worried about the money that it will cost.  My parents will have to start worrying when I actually start applying, and I will as well.  Right now, in this moment, I'm going to live my high school life the best that I can.  I will work hard in my advanced classes, and I will continue to master my musicianship and athleticism for Ultimate.  I am preparing for the future, and I am ready.

PLAN (for what again?)

Despite my anxiety about my (practice) test score, I can't help think and wonder about where this specific number result will take me. Mentally, I certainly know, it will put me at ease to see whether I'm on track, or veering off course a little. Even though it was just a practice test, I still have a powerful sense that this test score is very important. The Practice PLAN, which is the second step of standardized tests leading up to the mighty ACT, was administered to me today as well as my whole freshman class. People on Facebook were expressing their dissatisfaction towards the test, and teachers kept reminding us yesterday to do our best. Now, in my head, I'm thinking,"Who on earth would do badly on purpose? I mean, this is telling you (in a sense) where you can go to C.O.L.L.E.G.E!!" I know that people don't care. They think "Oh, I'm just a freshman", but honestly, you'll be a senior in almost no time. Those people who blew off their standardized tests are going to be ashamed writing a "17" in the ACT slot on their college application to University of Illinois wondering,"I hope they accept me, I hope they accept me." Here's my experience of this Practice PLAN in a nutshell. It was a decent level for me, but the time limits were quite constraining. I felt like I was very rushed, and couldn't perform my best. I'm left to assume that this short limit is to create a harder test so that whipping out a 36 isn't an everyday feat. I'm not extremely worried as of now, but I hope my score reflects positive improvement from last year's Explore test. All I can do...is wait for my score to be handed to me tomorrow. COLLEGE-COLLEGE-C.O.L.L.E.G.E. As of now, I'm set on University of Chicago which is going to be a huge accomplishment to get into. Unfortunately, I have almost no control in my acceptance until Senior year, but it's nice to have a goal and motivation. As of now, I can get in from my grades, but I don't know yet about the test scores. I get to see my score tomorrow, and I hope it satisfies my expectations! ~Sam