Results of solo contest

I did not do as well as I had hoped...

Though I did score an excellent, but barely (above 28 is an excellent, I got a 29)

To my credit, I had Smartmusic issues.  Couldn't practice with the accompianment all weekend due to the fact that my subscription was expired.  Then when I got there, they didn't have a microphone with the Smartmusic.  My accompianment "follows" me, using the microphone to listen to when I play certain notes and going on only after I play them.  I don't know where all those "follow spots" are at, and the only way that it would go on with out the microphone would be if I pressed this foot pedal.  I was freaking out- I had enough to think about with the music.  Luckily we were able to find a microphone, but then the accompianment got too quiet and I couldn't hear it, so I got docked off in "balance and blend"  Then halfway through my solo, some girls walked in.  Thankfully, they weren't talking, and luckily my piano has drilled in my head for the past 10 years that if something happens during a performance, you KEEP GOING! No matter what, even if you make a mistake. (Having to practice with two little brothers really helps you work on ignoring distractions...) So I kept going, and my band directior was madly signalling them (she was standing next to me, holding the microphone next to my bell) to leave, and they tiptoed out.  All I heard was a door opening on my left.  I didn't even glance that way.

Anyway, I'm sick of talking about contest. Look what I found!!!!! Anyone want to get me one? This is what it sounds like...(sorry...)
As I told my band director last night, "But it's my size!!!" (If you don't know me, I'm four feet, nine inches tall- a legal midget by one inch)

k, gotta go to class...

My crazy crazy week...AUDITIONS!!!

MY SCHEDULE (or why I won't be posting until Friday or Saturday)
Monday- solo and small ensemble contest: I'm playing "Nocturne" from a Midsummer Night's Dream by Mendelssohn on the French horn- wish me luck!  Get my sociology paper back

Tuesday: practice for large group contest after school... Flight of the Pegasus horn line at the end needs some serious work  Piano lessons.  Get my astronomy test back *crosses fingers*

Wednesday: youth group- my one day to myself this week

Thursday: Lee's birthday (remind me to post pictures).  Large group contest for band- have to skip Astronomy :( and be at school by 7:30 am.  AUDITIONS!!!!! AHH!!!!  Ahh!
-Okay Haili, are you done freaking out now?
-NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Okay, let me know when you are....

Friday- have to skip sociology because I have A honor roll lunch at Pizza Ranch... but I can only have cheese or fish pizza (do they have fish pizza???) or vegetarian...it's a Friday during lent and I'm Catholic.  CAST LIST!!!!!!! (I hope... otherwise I'll be insane all weekend... oh, wait, I already am!)

Quote from this morning:
Haili: Time to get up!  Time to get up and face the day, Lee!
Lee: (sleepily) What are you, some crazy person?
Haili: (without hesitation) Yep.  I thought we already established this.  I wrote a novel in a month, remember?

Little Miss Mommy

So last night I got the opportunity to play "Little Miss Mommy"  Little Miss Mommy is similar to Mr. Mom, but Little Miss Mommy is an older sister who gets to play mom.  Last night, that was me.
After I got to my high school, my mom emailed me saying that she and my dad were going to be busy and could I make dinner (which I appreciated, being that she usually waits to ask me until I get home and have to throw all my plans out the window to frantically try to pull something together)  Anyway, I decided to make one of Betty Crocker's Impossibly Easy pies.  They're kind of my signature dinner and they take about an hour to make.  I made  the mini cheeseburger pies last night and I'll probably be making the tuna and cheese pie tonight (no meat- it's Ash Wednesday!) Or the shrimp one.

Anyway, I had to get some ingredients we were missing, so as I drove home from school with my siblings, we stopped at County Market on the way home.  I thought that since we were there, I could just get the stuff for Lee's birthday cake while we were there.  I always make the birthday cakes in my house, even my own.  I just love it and it's something I've always found fun and interesting (if not exhausting).  Lee is having a 'food' themed party,  with a big pizza cookie cake, mini hamburger cupcakes, popcorn cupcakes and sugar cookie french fries.  So anyway, I figured I could get the stuff for it while I was at County Market and not have to make a separate trip (or make my mom do it).  For some odd reason, though, all three of my younger siblings came down with a spontaneous case of ADHD (not really...don't want to offend anyone that knows someone how has ADHD for real, but that's what it felt like) and couldn't stay focused.  It didn't help we were in the cake aisle.  When they weren't scattered like the four winds, they stayed behind me in a straight line... like a train.  I've never felt more awkward in my life.

I went home, made dinner, practiced piano manically, ate dinner, went to piano, and then came home and made astronomy notecards for 2 hours.  At 9 o clock (almost exactly) I burned out.  I was getting pretty tired by 8:30 and I've been having some ear problems again, so I wasn't feeling so good, but I thought... Almost done, Haili, almost done... just a few more topics and you'll be done... Yeah. No.  At 9 o clock, I threw in the towel, went downstairs and announced to my mom, "My brain is fried.  I'm not going to get anything done right now and even if I do, I won't remember it or I'll do it wrong.  I'm going to go read a book (well, re read for the third time... to be exact) for a few minutes and I'm going to sleep."

Which I did.  I woke up at 5:25 this morning on my own without my alarm, my ear felt better, I was well rested, and I had a strange dream (it involved this sweet little baby girl who was in foster care that for some reason my sister and I were given to take care of.  I named her Mercy Christine, which is my favorite name in the world.  There was also something about my mom making all Lee's birthday treats and me getting mad because she did them wrong...all while I was holding Mercy... it was weird).  I got up, got dressed, ate breakfast, and started right back into my notecards.  I'm almost done, but I'm running out of notecards...

That's the second time I've woken up at 5:25 on my own- I did it yesterday as well.  I figured out that if I go to bed at 9 or 9:30, I can get up early without an issue.

Oh, and the book I was rereading for the third time (in case you're intereseted- and you should be-it's amazing) was called Beyond the Reflection's Edge.  It's part of the Echoes from the Edge series by Bryan Davis.  He's an amazing author (I emailed him and he emailed me back- several times!!!!!).  Echoes from the Edge is about this kid named Nathan Shepherd and his mom's a world famous violinist and his dad's a spy and they get murdered.  There's this weird mirror Nathan's dad gave him that can take everyone to different dimensions (Earth Red, Earth Blue, or Earth Yellow- they're all slightly off timewise) but can only be unlocked with music and a flash of light.  Great music, great action, the murderers are going after Nathan, at one point he meets his Earth Yellow mother who is 10 (Earth Yellow is like 30 years behind Earth Red, where Nathan is)... it sounds kinda weird, but it's good... SO GO READ IT!!!

okay... I'm done.  Must do homework now... *sigh*
I'm out
Haili

Just my luck...

At my high school, we don't usually have school on Fridays.  However, at my college, we do.  This week is a rare week where we had yesterday off (president's day...yay!) and we get this Friday off.  THREE DAY WEEK!!!! Yay!  (I'm excited, can't you tell?)  Unfortunately, this week is also one of those rare weeks where we have Friday school at my high school.  It was like this on veteran's day as well.  College got off, but not high school... that was 11-11-11, the day my jump drive died and took with it a fully formatted MLA style works cited page for my big research paper AND 2,000 words of my NaNo novel...

My brothers became boy scouts last Friday...so, good for them.  They got their Arrow of Light (Arrows of Light?)
Went shopping at Khol's over the weekend, went to downtown [mycity] and hung out by the river.  it was fun.  We went to this great shop called Truffles and Tortes and it's like a diabetic's nightmare (as Elli puts it- she's diabetic, she would know)  Chocolates... chocolates... oh...*swooning* I'm really hungry right now so this isn't helping.  and they're hiring... I should apply ;)

Anyway, I've got to get to class.  If you're bored (adding on to my list of ways to waste time online) check out some of my work on TeenInk- I'd really appreciate it
Made- about genetic engineering
9-1-1 I Need Your Help- a funny little story about stage fright
Conversation on a Bridge - serious story about suicide and high school
The Difference- a story about making a difference and high school drama
Changing Definitions - an essay about how definitions change, mostly the word 'gay'

My user page - if you want more... Piano Girl, The Wish Girl, and Tradgedy are also good

How to Waste Time Online...

So, I know many people already know many many ways to waste time online, but I've found a myriad of ways that are so much more than the obvious (ie Youtube) sooo... here goes.

Haili's Complete List of Ways to Waste Time on the Internet

(I am guilty of all of these)

1. http://www.tvtropes.org/.  Don't have the slightest idea why it's so entertaining, but it is.  I just look up a movie or book I've recently read and drink in the unconstrained knowledge, because, as they say, There is No Such Thing as Notability
2. http://www.deviantart.com/ I find it very fun, and you can find all sorts of tutorials that you just have to try.  I ended up downloading Gimp (a free photoshop- download here- it's really fun) and then used stock photos to make photo manipulations, or "manips."  That kept me entertained for an entire weekend.
3. http://www.azaleasdolls.com/ This is for girls- but it's basically paper dolls on the computer.  I feel like such a nerd, but I made all of my screenplay characters (Prince Micah, Princess Jensina, Princess Contenza, and Prince Nolan-Micah, Jennie, Connie, and Nolan) on the Tudor doll thing and it's surprisingly addicting.  I love how they turned out and they look amazing- I'll post a screenshot soon.  There are all sorts of games on this site, from Victorian to fairy to Tinkerbell to tudors (with guys!) and Rapunzel.  They're all really detailed and you can make it look AMAZING.
4. http://www.coolmath-games.com/ The only game site my high school allows.  When I had no classes and was feeling very sick, I beat Ninja Painter and Factory Balls 1 and 2.  I also like the Meeblings games, though I haven't won that yet.
5. Red Ball- I've beat Red Ball 2 and 3, but not 1.  I don't like Red Ball 1.  It's super entertaining.
6. http://www.yahooanswers.com/ You knew this one was coming... don't have a clue why it's so entertaining.  You'll find me (Keidreiy in greek letters) in the baby names section, usually playing name games.
7. NaNoWriMo forums- they're still open! I just asked a question about the fued in my screenplay and got a lot of help.
8. Google Translate- have no idea again why this is fun, but you can spend a lot of time "researching" for novels... hehe
9. Youtube Tutorials- ever wondered how to decorate a cool cake or make fabric roses?  Almost anything you could ever want to learn how to do, you can find a tutorial for it on youtube
10. Youtube skaters- I don't know why, but I find it really fun to look up figure skaters on youtube...
11. Youtube karaoke- find your favorite songs' accopianment and sing along like no one's listening!
12. Youtube your name- or google it.  I like it because my real name (Haili's my nickname and online name) is really unique and it's interesting to see how many other people have it and where they're from.  I'm the only person in the world (or at least on the internet) with my first and last name spelled my way.  There's a figure skater on youtube with my first name but she pronouces it really weird and still spells it my way...
13. Lolcatz- enough said.  "Can I has cheezburgah?"
14. Look up funny quotes from your favorite books "I vill destroh the snickah bahrs!"- Gazzy Ride
15. http://www.teenink.com/ look up people's work.  Here's a link to my page (I'm MercyChristine... for now.  I always change my name)
16. http://www.bighugelabs.com/ all sorts of fun things to do to your photos
17. Start a blog!

And if that's not enough, here are 101 ways to waste time online http://voices.yahoo.com/101-ways-waste-time-online-170580.html

Creationism v. Big Bang

Something very interesting I just learned about in my astronomy class.

A lot of people think that the Big Bang Theory describes how the universe was formed, which is why Christians give it such a bad rap, thinking that it disputes or contradicts the creation story.  In reality, the Big Bang describes what happened after the universe was created.  Basically, the universe was super hot and super dense and full of energy when it formed (or God created it) but it was expanding and cooling (the more dense something is, the hotter it gets).  Matter was trying to form, but every time a proton tried to form, a photon (light particle) would blast it into oblivion.  After about 3 seconds, the universe cooled enough for protons, neutrons, and electrons to form, joining the photons.  After 5 minutes, the protons and neutrons were able to stick together and form nuclei.  It took (according to scientists) about 400,000 (some big number- don't remember) years before the universe was cool enough for electrons to be able to stick on and form atoms (it doesn't take much energy to blast an electron off of an nucleus) and anyway, that's how they say matter was formed.

big sciency speech...sorry.  I didn't even get into antimatter and matter...that's strange.  Anyway, who's to say that God didn't cause that to happen?  A lot of science stuff that people think contradict what the Bible says can have some sense of truth to it if you look deep enough.  If God created the universe, who's to say that he didn't use something like this to form the Earth and stars?  the Bible never says how God created the universe, only that he did.  And with evolution, (I did a paper on this last year) There was this thing called the "Cambrian Explosion" where all of a sudden, a whole bunch of new species appeared out of nowhere, with no evolutionary ancestors or relationships to anything that already existed (I'm looking at you, turtles!)  Now science puts these time periods into big fancy numbers..."The universe formed 13.7 plus or minus .02 million years ago..." blah blah blah.  The Bible says that God formed the earth and all the creatures on it in 6 days.

• Day 1 - God created light and separated the light from the darkness, calling light "day" and darkness "night."
• Day 2 - God created an expanse to separate the waters and called it "sky."
• Day 3 - God created the dry ground and gathered the waters, calling the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters "seas." On day three, God also created vegetation (plants and trees).
• Day 4 - God created the sun, moon, and the stars to give light to the earth and to govern and separate the day and the night. These would also serve as signs to mark seasons, days, and years.

• Day 5 - God created every living creature of the seas and every winged bird, blessing them to multiply and fill the waters and the sky with life.
• Day 6 - God created the animals to fill the earth. On day six, God also created man and woman (Adam and Eve) in his own image to commune with him. He blessed them and gave them every creature and the whole earth to rule over, care for, and cultivate.
• Day 7 - God had finished his work of creation and so he rested on the seventh day, blessing it and making it holy.

So if God created light (photons) first, that matches up with what scientists say about the Big Bang.  Next comes the sky, or "atmosphere" you could say in sciency terms.  Next comes water, which is H2O molecules... formed by atoms (first come protons, neutrons, and electrons, then nuclei, then atoms, then molecules) and I don't know what dirt is made of, but probably more molecules.  If I'm remembering my evolution right (it's been a year- feel free to correct me) plants and other growing things were the first life forms... seaweed, algae... all of that.  Okay, Day 4 has me a little stumped, but maybe this is when God put the Earth into the solar system.  Theoretically, the sun should form around the same time as the earth... you need sun for plants.  The moon makes sense, and the stars would form the same time as the sun... I'll have to learn a little more about this before I can be sure about that.  Next come the animals, and this is the period scientists call the Cambrian Explosion (in my opinion)  And then human life.

Now the Bible says that God created this in 6 "days"  But I seriously doubt that God's days are 24 hours long.  Time is a funny thing like that and seems relative.  If you're having fun, the time flies.  If you're bored and you don't like whatever it is you're doing, it seems to drag.  We've all experienced it- the faster you want it to go, the slower it seems and visa versa.  God's days could be millions of years long to us, which could explain all the science numbers...

When I first got my Astronomy book and saw the chapter titled "Big Bang" I got a bit wary, knowing that I am a strong Christian (and Catholic- I won't hide it).  But I kept an open mind.  You can't shelter yourself from the world forever, you have to learn how to live in the world without becoming part of it.  If you want to argue your opponent, you have to be informed.  I've always approached things like this, evolution, astronomy, and the big bang, in the same way.  Purely informational.  They're just what science accepts as "facts"  I will memorize them for a test and remember them, learn them, and study them, but not necessarily believe them.  I can look at them and decide how much of it I want to believe and how much I think is garbage.  And I love it when I can say, hey... it's the same no matter how you tell it... as I've just spent the last 20 minutes doing...

anyway, I thought it was very interesting and had the insane urge to blog even though I've already done so today... and I've just remembered I'm meeting a friend... so I'm going to have to go now, but I hope you've enjoyed this... and sorry for the crazy science.  I just got really excited.

Adios
Haili

Irish stuff!

Finished my music project this weekend- you can take a look here.  Enjoy.  I made all the videos (except the one at the end) and only had to record the 16 second Irish jig.  The rest I had from last spring... it was weird.
Anyway, in case you're too lazy to look at my project, I'll post the videos I uploaded on here. 

Irish Jig

It's like 16 seconds... it's short

Evening Reels

From my recital last spring

Be Thou My Vision

recorded this for a project last spring...never used it...

 and last but certainly not least

Loch Lomond

Did this in honor band in 10th grade...it was amazing!!! this video's long, but watch the whole thing, because it's totally worth it to hear the french horns (my instrument of choice) play at the end... I did all the videoing on this but did not do the music.  I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!

Other things I'm working on/excitited about

• French horn solo, the Nocturne from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by Mendelssohn
• Piano solo, Grieg's Puck (it's so fun!!! I've got it memorized...)
• The musical!!! I got the music and script to read and practice... need to get my voice up to the high f, and auditions are coming up at the end of the month.  Plus my friend just told me the other day that she wants to play Helen... so at least we're not going to be competeing for the same part.  That's nice since she's really competitive.  I'm not going to be mean about it, but it's just the way she is.
• Passed my astronomy test with an A
• am working on several screenplays, "Twice Upon a Time" and "Night at the Library" a short film my siblings and friends and I are doing or the library movie competition this summer.  It's kind of a mix between Inkheart and Night at the Museum. Who knows what happens after the library closes at night?  Libby Akona is about to find out...
• Am going to see 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee this Friday
• am going to Feed My Starving Children on Friday and get to spend the day with my friend...
• My idea for an awareness campaign in my small group communications class (our big project is running a campus awareness campaign this semester) will probably get picked.  It's how to use campus technology... and how not to save your stuff in a place where they'll be deleted...
• I lost 7 pounds...

I need to go now... I've got class in 15 minutes... adios!

-Haili



I am waiting...

for 294 videos to upload to my computer from the family video camera... the thing is, I only need about 10 of them... *sigh* this could be a long night.  I need them for my music project.

I got a 75% on my Astronomy test...plus extra credit brings me to a good solid 80.  In this class, anything over 75 is an A, and only about 60% of the class passes the first test... and now I know why.  Trick questions EVERYWHERE!
     x. List all the ways energy is created
    Energy can't be created, or destroyed!!!! Tricky, tricky!

I aced my music exam today but made a stupid mistake on my screenplay quiz...you'd think I'd know the difference between Interior and Professional... they're like opposites!  But my excuse is that it was early, I was tired, and it was online matching...I couldn't draw lines... oh well.  Still did well.

I checked out the script and music for our musical today... and spent most of the night playing the songs.  Dang, some of them go high!!  They have both Beauty and the Beast soaring up to that high f...I can barely hit it...strrrreeeetttch, vocal chords!! STRETCH!  Anyway, now I have "Can I Possibly Be Your Friend" stuck in my head... it's this super funny exchange between Beauty and the Beast.  The Beast keeps asking her to marry him and she says no, but there's more to love than the marriage kind, to which he's clueless and she tells him she'll be his friend, no matter what.  It's cute and very funny.  One of my favorite lines:

BEAUTY: (sings)

A true friend's a person with a giving heart

A true friend will tell you when you're not so smart

A friend won't desert you when the going's rough

A true friend will tell you when she's had enough!

BEAST: (spoken)

Like now?

BEAUTY: (spoken, teasing)

Like now!

BEAST: (spoken)

Sorry

I don't know, I think it's cute.  

Anyway, moving on... my videos have FINALLY uploaded--- seems that the issue was one of the videos had an error which is why it took almost an hour for video 90 to load.  I finally skipped it and had no further issues as it zipped through the rest of them... Anywho, I've got to get my project done.  Gus and I did a recorder duet today so I'll probably post it on youtube soon- I'll be putting stuff up for a project... gotta go

-Haili