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I guess a lot of stuff has happened recently...

March 21, 2007 at 1:25 PM

Usually, I start off by saying "Not much has happened recently..." or "Nothing going on right now..." or some such thing, and out of habit, I almost began this post in a similar fashion. However, once I started thinking about it, quite a bit has happened since I last posted.

For starters, I turned sixteen on the thirteenth. My boyfriend came over for my traditional birthday dinner of my all time favorite food; vegetarian stuffed grape leaves, Greek salad, baklava, and pita bread. I've had the same birthday meal since I ate it at our Lebonese friends' house when I was eight or nine, despite the fact I am neither vegetarian nor from the Middle East.

Also, I finally cut off my very long hair (more than a foot of it) since it was becoming quite raggedy. It's now shoulder length and looks quite nice, although I'm still learning how to take care of it. Shorter hair is so much more of a hassle, believe it or not.

I couldn't have a post without complaining about my highschool at least a little. I'm really not doing well at all, and both my parents and I attribute this to the evil graders at Seton. Despite the fact I mantain A's on all my college-level material and scored in the 97th percentile on the PSAT, I get nothing but B's and C's for all my efforts. Some things are just stupidity on my part: for instance, I failed to turn the page and notice that there were questions #11 and #12 on the reverse side of the page (ten seemed like a nice even number). But some things are just plain stupid. I failed a history exam because (they took off 1/3 of the problem's value off for each of these) 1. Apparently the Marquis Lafayette was not a French general 2. The admiral Cornwallis was waiting for was not *captured* by the French, he was *defeated* by the French, and 3. Despite what our handout on the "weaknesses of the Constitution" says, it is false to say that God was not the underlying basis of the Constitution, due to the Deist mentality of the times. So now I have to retake an exam and send them proof that my answers are completely verafiable by the book we use. Yay.

I haven't heard back from either of my summer camps yet. I'm *really* hoping beyond hope to get into Encore, but I'm not sure if I can. I know competition's fierce there. But I'd so like to focus on my solo playing, rather than cram orchestral repetoire (we had to learn nine pieces, including Copland's Rodeo, Tchaikovsky's March Slava, Sibleius' Finlandia, and the Overture to Lohengrin in four days last year)=...I didn't get any solo work done all summer!).

So othewise, I've just been studying my brains out, practicing my fingers off, and getting ready for my concert on Sunday. I'm playing as a soloist for the second annual Festival of the Arts at the university. Should be a blast.

From Sydney M.
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 4:58 PM

I think you'll get into Encore! I've heard nothing but great things about that place :-) Have fun at your performance!

From Sarah Montoro
Posted on March 21, 2007 at 5:27 PM

Yes....it IS the bad graders of course!! Hope you get in Encore! ( I'm sure you will)

sarah

p.s. Greek salad is sooo delicious! I LOVE it!! and Baklava....o--my mouth is already watering.. my uncle (who is lebanese btw) makes such GOOD GOOD baklava!!

p.p.s. happy belated birthday!

From Karin Lin
Posted on March 22, 2007 at 6:09 PM

Hey, you didn't happen to save your hair to donate to Locks of Love, did you? Hilary Hahn did that and I thought it was so cool. :)

From Sydney M.
Posted on March 22, 2007 at 7:36 PM

Karin, I've done that twice! Did you know that?

From Natasha Marsalli
Posted on March 23, 2007 at 3:50 PM

No, I didn't. I wanted to, but my barber works at home and doesn't do that. Too bad, really. Although the hair was getting pretty gross. I don't know if anyone would've WANTED it...

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