Ramblings

Hi everyone! I'm just gonna do some basic updating as I don't have anything specific to post about.

(1. NEW FEATURE!!!! Check out the announcements box up top. I'll be putting updates up there pretty regularly.

(2. FREEBIES!!! I've made some headers I'd like to give to people who want them; unfortunately they're not uploading to blogger even though they are JPEGs. Odd. Anyway, if you want one e-mail me at trebleclefblog@gmail.com
THESE ARE THE DESIGNS AVAILABLE:

Happy Easter: Flowered Cross (2 or 3 column)

Happy Easter: Cute Egg-Hunt Rabbit (2 or 3 column)

Good Friday/Holy Saturday Cross: Waiting For The Risen Lord (3 column ONLY)

And on the same subject of headers....I'm celebrating the start of my final term by giving everybody who wants them a FREE HEADER!!!! E-mail or comment!

Tonight I'm off to our chorus concert, which should be fun, I think. =D

Good band rehearsals today, we have this one piece (a medley) where I switch between cornet and trumpet. Trumpet, cornet, trumpet, cornet. I'm really excited because I haven't played cornet in concert band since I got my trumpet and I've actually really missed it. :'( Anyway, I think that's all.

BYE AND DON'T DROWN IN THE DOWN POUR WE'RE STILL HAVING! :)

Row, Row, Row Your Boat

Row, row, row your boat gently down the raging, turbulent, churning river formed by a downpour of steady rain.

Anyone want to take a guess at what our weather's doing right now???? YEAH! IT'S RAINING!!!!!! yuck. The wind was blowing really hard and the heat wouldn't turn on in our school, so we were freezing. Our math teacher even put on her snow jacket! And I quote from Yahoo! Weather:

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

 RAIN WHICH WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES MAY CAUSE RAPID RISES ON RIVERS
AND STREAMS THROUGH WEDNESDAY ACROSS THE REGION. SNOW MELT WILL
ALSO ADD SIGNIFICANT RUNOFF TO RIVERS AND STREAMS IN NORTHWEST
MAINE AND NORTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

THE STORM SURGE WILL APPROACH A FOOT...KEEPING THE
TIDE BELOW ITS 12 FOOT STAGE. HOWEVER...INCREASING WAVE ACTION AND
ONSHORE WINDS WILL CAUSE SOME BEACH EROSION AND SPLASH-OVER NEAR
THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE.

Yeah. Like I said......YUCK!!!!!!!

Photo Essay: You Know You're In A Musician's House When...

OK, so I've wanted to do this for a really long time, and I finally had a free weekend to put this fun, cool, informative and utterly hilarious photo essay together. 

*Note* All these pictures are from my house and they are exactly where they would be on a normal Saturday morning...

Let us begin:

You know you're in a musician's house when:

The only disinfectant in sight...is for mouthpieces

You know you're in a musician's house when:

The slide and cork grease is found right next to the chapstick...

You know you're in a musician's house when:

The rooms seem to become infested with various cases...

You know you're in a musician's house when:

There are ten assorted mouthpieces lined up on the piano...

(in this case, 2 cornet, 5 trumpet, 1 clarinet, and 2 trombone)

You know you're in a musician's house when:

There's a conductor's baton lying around in the kitchen...

You know you're in a musician's house when:

The pillowcase has music note designs...

You know you're in a musician's house when:

You can find sheet music EVERYWHERE...

You know you're in a musician's house when:

A poster showing the evolution of the trumpet is found hanging on a wall...

You know you're in a musician's house when:

There's a music stand in the bedroom...

You know you're in a musician's house when:

There are instrument cleaning brushes in the bathroom, AND

You know you're in a musician's house when:

There are solo ideas scribbled on the same sheet of paper as your math homework.

All these things seem to apply to me, so

I GUESS YOU COULD CALL ME A MUSICIAN.

Daybook 3/27

Date...March 27

Starting time...7:53 AM

Mood...cool, calm and collected

Outside my window...chilly with stunning blue sky and bright sunlight

I'm thinking...about summer

I'm reading...Harry Potter 7

I'm listening to...my playlist and my dad wash the dishes

I'm wearing...jeans and old soccer jersey

Yesterday, I...had an excruciatingly long day

I'm excited for...job shadow day!

I'm sad because...*some* people in my band just don't care

I'm hungry for...nothing, i just had a bagel

The song stuck inside my head is...Stand By Me :P

I want...Mrs Barry not to have to cancel any of our band events due to inadequate behavior in the 8th grade band :P

I love...bird songs

I loathe...being cold

This week, my goal is...to practice playing for the sunrise service EVERY DAY.

Did I meet last week's goal?...totally :)

Ending time...8:00

A very long day *sigh*

5:45 AM: Wake up, get ready for school

6:53 AM: Leave for school

7:03 AM: Have rather interesting and important conversation with my band director

7:15 AM: Training jazz- rocking out on the piano

8:00 AM: French class- Quiz on the verb 'avoir'

8:40 AM: Social Studies class- Tiring research and note-taking on World War One

9:35 AM: Science class- Note-taking, and free time to talk to Elránia

10:30 AM: Gym class- Lots and lots of really hard running

11:10 AM: Lunch- uneventful, for once

11:30 AM: SSR...

11:45 AM: Math class- annoying exponential work :P

12:40 PM: Language Arts- lots of tedious vocabulary work (including but not limited to: stupid paragraphs and alphabetizing 60 words)

1:35 PM: Study Hall- More talking with Elránia

2:15 PM: Working with French teacher on her blog

3:15 PM: Head over to high school to work at HS state jazz festival

6:38: Get home, write this post

6:59: Publish post and crash.

It has been a loooooooooooooooong day.

Rainbow Veins

Thanks Eldarwen for this great tag!

Rules: Put your music player on shuffle. Then answer the following questions by using the title to each song that plays while on shuffle. Then tag 6 people.

Are you male or female? Jupiter the Bringer of Jollity

What do people feel when they are around you? Cornet Chop Suey 

Describe your current relationship: The Bird and the Worm

Where would you like to be right now? Venus the Bringer of Peace

How do you feel about love? Night on Bald Mountain

Whats your life like? Thunder

What would you wish for if you only had one wish? China Roses

Say something wise? Rainbow Connection

If someone says "Is this okay. . ." You say? Mars the Bringer of War

How would you describe yourself? This is the Future

How do you feel today? May It Be {interesting...I'm actually feeling quite rebellious}

What is your life's purpose? Thank You For The Music {OH YEAH!}

What is your motto? Into the West

What do your friends think of you? Hello Seattle {does this mean they want to get rid of me? lol}

What do you think of your parents? Sky Diver {ok?}

What do you think of very often? Corner Pocket {WHAT?!}

What is 2+2? Panda Bear

What do you think of your best friend? The Uruk-Hai {So apparently I hate them. Great.}

What is your life story? Sail Away {no way! I stick with things all the way through!}

What do you want to be when you grow up? Lothlorien

What will you dance to at your wedding? Captains and Cruise Ships {hope he likes Owl City!}

What will they play at your funeral? Hey Jude {ummm....}

What is your hobby/interest? All Blues {oh yeah! jazz all the way!}

What is your biggest fear? The Saltwater Room

What is your biggest secret? After Venus

What do you think of your friends? The Steward of Gondor

What will you re-post this as? Rainbow Veins

I TAG:

Elránia

Ripplestar

Dreamstar

Gwyn

Glow Fish

Shadowflower

Rapping For A Cause

Today was a half day at school, which means we got out at 11:45 instead of 2:15. YAY! Anyway, on half days, instead of having really shortened classes we do these cool projects and stuff. Today we began a service project for Goodwill. We learned about all the services that they do and so on and so forth. And then what we got to do is begin an advertisement for them. It could be for TV, radio, magazine or newspaper and focusing on one of their services or whatnot. It was SO MUCH FUN. I wrote this rap song about going green at Goodwill and it turned out pretty well. As Bella said: "If I heard you doing that on TV, it would totally make my day." Because the truth is, the people at Goodwill are going to choose some of the best projects and actually use them! And it's only our 8th grade class at our school that's doing this! Pretty cool huh? The lyrics are below. Soon me and my friends will go down to our local Goodwill and film it.

*Beatbox*

I say a boom boom boom
Go a green green green
Goodwill is green
goin' green green green

*Beatbox*

Recycling and cloth bags
To help our planet,
Goodwill loves the Earth
And works to save it!

*Beatbox*

Chemical cleaners,
Not cool at Goodwill
And eco-friendly lights
Drop the energy bill.

•Beatbox*

Central distribution
Buyin' in bulk
They clean up landfills,
You can't find a fault!

*Beatbox*

So now you got my message,
Goodwill is very green
So when you wonderin'
Where to shop:

JUST USE YOUR BEAN!

*Beatbox*

Go Green!

Just Look!

Just look at what I've done!

#1 I got a background finally up and running

#2 Look at the changes made in the sidebars?

I'M LOVING IT!!!!!!!!!

New Song

Well, I got through another Monday. Honestly, some of these weeks the only reason I get up on Monday morning is that I know that there are only a few more left until the end of school. Sad, I know. Only........uh.......idk but some low number left. Anyway that's not really what this post is about anyway.

A couple days ago in sectional, we were talking about the songs we, as the 8th grade band, would be doing for the final concert. Not just the final concert of the year, but our *FINAL* concert with our current school. Every group has chosen to do a movie theme which is pretty cool. We've got this Disney medley with 'Under the Sea', 'Beauty and the Beast', 'Friend Like Me', and 'A Whole New World'. Also yesterday we got our second piece. Music from LoTR The Fellowship of the Ring! It's going to be soooo fun on trombone. Anyway, we were talking about our last song, which hopefully will be a student conducted one. Somebody suggested the Abba song, 'Thank You For The Music'. There's no band arrangement so we can't play it :'( but I looked it up and added it to my playlist. It's amazing. My favorite line follows:

'Without a song, without a dance, who are we? So I say thank you for the music, for giving it to me'

Have a great day!

(If you want to listen to this song, it's number 95)

Photo Tag

If I were a gemstone I would be a(n): Sapphire

If I were a scent I would be: the air after a thunderstorm

If I were a pair of shoes I would be: Flip-flops

If I were weather I would be: Sunny with a chance of a thunderstorm

If I were a facial expression I would be: Containing laughter (last in second row)

If I were a car I would be: A mountain bike

If I were a time of day I would be: 5:30-6:30 AM

If I were a month I would be: October

If I were a place I would be: The band room

 

If I were a liquid I would be: A drop of rain

If I were taste I would be: soft peppermint

If I were a sea animal I would be: A turtle

 

If I were a food I would be: Pineapple

If I were a color I would be: grass green

If I were a musical instrument I would be: A beautiful trumpet

If I were a flower I would be: a tiger lily

 

If I were a piece of music I would be: Gustav Holst's 'The Planets'

If I were a planet I would be: Saturn

If I were an object I would be: A conductor's baton

If I were a fruit I would be: A kiwi

If I were a sound I would be: A trumpet playing Taps

If I were a day of the week I would be: Friday

I tag- All my followers!

State Jazz

It was fun, 

And it was not fun.

Let me tell you about state jazz yesterday:

I was up at 5:25

And at the school at 6:37.

I was the first one there.

We packed up the drum set

All the food and other equipment

And then we got on the fancy coach bus.

After a fun ride of 2 hours and 15 minutes,

We arrived and were sent to our tiny homeroom,

And the band we were sharing with,

Was not kind enough to consolidate all their stuff.

After roaming around for a few minutes, checking out some other bands,

A bullet wearing a maroon shirt hit me.

It was Olive Tree.

We hung out for a bit, and then it was back to homeroom.

Back in minuscule land,

I fought my way through the other band's stuff,

Until I finally was able to get to my trumpet case and backpack.

I grabbed my music and mouthpiece, and as I stood up,

I heard a familiar voice call my name,

But it sure wasn't a voice I had expected to hear!

I turned towards the door,

And there stood my grandmother, on crutches,

because of her recent knee surgery.

I was so surprised! 

My grandfather and cousin were out in the hallway too.

I began walking them back down the hallway to find my parents,

Who apparently didn't know anything about this either,

And hoping I would run into Mrs Barry 'cause I was probably going to be late,

For the music review.

Well lo and behold, Mrs Barry knew all about it.

Not wanting to disappoint us if she couldn't come, 

My grandmother didn't want any of the family to know the probable plan.

But she had no idea of what the details for the day were.

So she looked up the school's phone number, and left a message for Mrs Barry.

Who called her back as soon as she didn't have a class.

She thought it would be a good surprise.

So needless to say,

She was OK about my being slightly late.

Personally, I think Mrs Barry and my grandmother would get along quite well.

ANYWAY...

After music review we went to our warm-up room,

Which was insanely hot.

And then to our performance room,

Which was relatively cold.

We got through the performance feeling pretty good,

Even though we were missing a clarinetist,

A 1st alto sax,

And I had a mini crisis during my first solo.

And then we got the scores.

Lower than districts,

Even though we played so much better.

And the soloists scores?

Well one judge clearly hated our solos.

You get rated on a scale of 1-3.

1- Excellent

2- Good

3- Fair/Poor

He gave everybody a 3 except one person.

No one deserved that in our band,

And it hurt, let me tell you.

Needless to say,

We were a subdued, disappointed group on the bus ride home.

*Sigh...*

I have never seen my band director that depressed.

And Ripplestar,

Who is normally driving everybody insane,

Barely spoke at all.

It was my last middle school state jazz,

And I wasn't planning on ending it like that.

A Beautiful Day

After a stressful and long day of classes which was mostly spent by doodling on my math papers (WHY does that always seem to happen?) and staring out the window to the sunny day outside (And I was stuck inside listening to my teachers drone on....and on......and on......) 2:15 finally came. I decided to go and do some extra French practice with Bella but that really didn't happen. I found instead found myself re-doing my teacher's whiteboard and getting engaged in some very interesting conversations. My French teacher is so funny. She and my band director are right at the top of the 'best teachers ever' list in my mind. :) Anyway, I got home around 3:30 and now I am sitting on my porch swing typing this post. It's warm out, the sun is shining, and I'm listening to the birds sing, the song of windchimes and the joyful sounds of Owl City pouring out of my laptop. Tomorrow is the state jazz festival and the first day of spring, but for right now, I'm perfectly happy with Friday afternoon.

Uprising: Book Review

This book was CAPTIVATING. It was recommended to me first by my social studies teacher and the Bella after she'd read it. The purpose of the book is firstly to show people what it was like for young immigrant girls working in the shirtwaist factories in New York City during the Industrial Revolution. It follows the story of Yetta, a Jewish Russian fleeing pogroms in her country, Bella an Italian who is working to save her family back in Italy, and Jane a wealthy girl with a kind heart who gives up everything for these workers. It starts with the shirtwaist strike, the beginning of the friendships between these girls and finally it ends with the fire. Saturday, March 25, 1911 when sparks ignite a pile of rags on the 8th floor of the Asch building in New York. (Read account of fire here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangle_Shirtwaist_Factory_fire) All three of them are at the building that day, and the book takes you through the terror, the courage, the pain, and the dreadful sorrow that they endured in, for some of them, their final moments.

Concert

Wow. Things are rushing by so fast. The concert last night just flew by! I had just gotten used to the fact that it was coming this week and BOOM! it was over. Overall we did quite well. The trumpets in the jazz band were stuck in a rather painful balancing situation which unfortunately made us think more about not toppling over backwards, than our music. But I think we still sounded pretty good. And 8th grade band went well too, and Elránia and Bella did really well on the clarinet and flute solos at the beginning of Enchanted! Only 27 sectionals, and 17 full band rehearsals to go until the next, and final concert....

Fun Tag From Elránia

Sorry about not posting yesterday. I had TONS of homework, plus getting my instruments into tip-top shape for the concert tonight!





1. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be?
I'd really love to go somewhere like France or Greece. Greece especially because of all the cool mythology.

2. Why did you start blogging?

 Olive Tree and I set up a warriors one, SunClan, back at the end of 6th grade. I thought it was kinda fun, but would be a lot more fun if I did it about my life instead. So I created Treble Clef, which back then was Cornet Crazie In Action.

3. What is your ambition? 

To become a band director so I can teach others my passion. Our world doesn't have enough music; if we had more would it be a better place?

4. How many siblings do you have?

One younger brother

5. What is your favorite subject in school?

Band, LOL, but I love my French class as well!

6. What is your favorite Bible verse?

I don't have one

7. What is one of your hobbies?

Stamping and embossing notecards and envelopes

8. If someone handed a five dollar bill to you, what would you do with it?

Ummm, it's never happened so I have no idea.

9. If your siblings came up to you with their math book and asked you for help, you'd say:

"Yeah, whatever."

10. If you could have one of these following abilities, what would it be?

a. singing

b. sewing

c. skateboarding

d. song writing

e. guitar playing

f. swimming

g. writing

h. riding a bike 

I'd like to become a better songwriter

I tag: Anyone

March Concert

I totally forgot to mention this, but our March concert is this Wednesday and I got to design the program cover! It's above, but as you can see I've done a couple of editing things to it. I blacked out the name of my school and my name at the bottom but everything in red is just to help me explain. Let me tell you how I did this wonderful picture.

When my band director first asked me, my first question was: What's the theme? She answered "I don't know, most of the pieces are pretty imaginative" So I went from there. When I first thought of 'imagine' I thought sky. So that's what I did. Each of the larger clouds focuses on one of the pieces that the particular band is doing. I labeled them above. 

Supposedly Big Day for Pisces

Yes, being born at the end of February, I am part of that fishy little Pisces group who never gets the good luck in horoscopes. My mom's one too. Anyway, someone recommended this astoundingly reliable astrology site, and she checked it out. And whatdayaknow? Apparently we get a year of lots of good luck every twelve years because of the position of Jupiter I guess. But good *years* aside, today is supposed to be the best day of my year. Or a really big day. It went on about creativity and romance and considering what I've got planned for today all that was pretty laughable, so I'm curious to what's going to happen. This is what I have planned:

Finish Post
Eat Breakfast
Go To School
Annoy Band Director
Have Morning Classes
Eat Lunch
Have Afternoon Classes
Play Clarinet
Go Home
Eat Snack
Do Science Project
Do Other Homework
Wash Trumpet & Trombone
Eat Dinner
Lounge Around Reading, Watching Food Network, or Posting About Day
Go To Sleep

So it's pretty much your basic Monday, with the exception of washing the instruments, I'm only doing that 'cause it's concert and state jazz week. With such a normal schedule, what's going to be so extraordinary. If you're a Pisces, then watch out! Today just might be, your lucky day!

Pictures From My New Camera

Finally!I finally had some time to get the software installed to be able to upload pictures! So I'm not going to write any more, just let the pictures do the talking. They're kinda random, but really cool!