LHclass?

Tonight we did a flash mob gig for a Red Cross event at Trulucks. The guest of honor - MACK BROWN. Maybe not a big deal to some, but pretty much a BFD to me.

So I'm standing there in a Truluck's uniform waiting for our cue, and he comes up to me and asks me to bring him some wine. And in my brain I'm like, "YES." So I go up to the counter and I say, "Hey, I'm with the Singers, but Coach Brown just asked me for some red wine, so..." So they give me some, and I take it over to him. He says, "Thank you!" and I say, "No problem!" and I'm on my way back to where I was standing, counting the experience as a win.

BUT THEN, as soon as I'm there, he's walking over to me again, and I'm like, "No way am I that lucky." So he grabs my arm and takes me over to where they're taking pictures, so that we can take one - probs because I was his favorite waitress, and probs because we're pretty much best friends by now. So, I get TWO pictures with him and then he grabs some of the other waitstaff who are standing around (and by "waitstaff," I mean "Singers") and starts taking pictures with them.

So I'm standing there watching all this, holding Gumby in my hand thinking that I HAVE to get this picture with Gumby, and pondering whether or not it's okay for me to go ask him. Then I decide I'm just going to do it because WHEN am I ever going to have this chance again in my LIFE? Shameless, fine, but whatever. So I go over and I'm like, "Hey Coach, can I ask you a favor? Can I take another picture with you and Gumby? [I show him the Gumby in my hand.] It's a photo project I'm doing..." and he interrupts me and goes, 'Yeah! Come on!" and pulls me back over to the backdrop.

SO, I got pretty much the most EPIC Gumby picture thus far, and I can't wait until the photographer emails them out. I still can't decide if it was okay for me to go ask him for another picture aka THROW myself at him, but whatever.

It kind of reminds me of the time that Eric Panter threw a cough drop at Morris Beachy in front of 50 years of Longhorn Singers. But this is classier, right?

Cham's Birthday Dinner.

Part I. 

Celeste: "Forty-four dollars." 
Tucker: "Forty-four?! Guys, that's like, a billion dollars!"
[pause]
Me: "...no, guys. It's like, forty-four dollars."

Part II.

Tucker: "Next time you pick a restaurant, pick one that can split checks."
Me: "Yeah, Cham. Next time you pick a restaurant... pick a better restaurant."
Cham: "Wait, come on..." (trying to argue...)
Tucker: "Okay, look. Did you like the food?" (trying to make a point that the food wasn't even good...)
Cham: "Yeah, mine was great!" (Tucker's point fails.)
Tucker: "Well, at least YOU liked it."
laughlaughlaughlaugh.

 Tomorrow: the next round of Gumby!

put on your sunday clothes.

Last weekend the Singers boys had a gig singing at a church in Round Rock. Celeste and I decided to go and hear them sing and support them for having to get out of bed so early on a weekend. The night before, I asked THREE of them what times they were singing the next day. All three said, "9 and 11." SO, Celeste and I decided to go at 9 so that we could get back early and get on with the day.

Sunday morning, 8:27am, I'm sitting in my car outside of Jester waiting to pick her up. I get a text from AYO that says, "Hey, did you ever find out what time the services are?" So I reply, "Yeah, 9 and 11..." He sends back, "...830...." right about the same time as Celeste is getting in the car.

At this point, I was semi-annoyed that I asked THREE boys and all of them were wrong. I was also annoyed at myself, because I should have known that this would happen, so I should have just looked it up myself. We decide that we might as well go ahead and drive down there, since we're already in the car and ready to go.

We got there at 8:55, which was perfect, since we were planning on being there in time for a 9:00 service. However, as we have already established, the service started at 8:30, not 9. So, like true Singers, we ended up walking into church 30 minutes late. We went in the doors in the back and tried to be quiet, but both of us were laughing at how utterly ridiculous the situation was. To make matters worse, we could see all the LHS boys laughing at us from the choir loft. Several of them were texting us, which was obnoxious because they were sitting directly behind the preacher. Basically, the entire situation was a complete mess. SO FUNNY.

We decided to stay for the 11:00 service so that we could actually hear them sing, and we ended up passing the time by playing camp games in the parking lot enjoying the sunshine. It was actually really fun, and all of us laughed a lot. A pretty good way to spend a Sunday morning, I think. :)

Next time though, I will look up the times myself.

truth or dare.

This is what happens when you play Truth or Dare with Singers.

you can't un-snow a snow day.

Today we got a snow day! I'm pretty positive everyone in Austin was up at 4am playing in the snow and waiting for the University email to make it official. Something about snow turns everyone here into 7-year-olds again. Snow during the week is the best, because it's like, "It's snowing AND I don't have to go to school?! AWESOME." That was the atmosphere on the streets this morning. It was wonderful.

Anyway, there were enough of us Singers awake in the middle of the night/early morning to send this string of wonderful emails in response to the plans we made to have an LHsnow Day party:

This event sounds like a chill time

I'll sleet you guys there!

- Luis

I might have to work, so I don't snow if I can make it. Should be a real ice time, though!

Maranda

Sounds like it's gonna be a cool party.  I bet it's going to kick some ice. -Megan

Icy what you're talking about Maranda... Snowadays it seems like it's all work and snow play!

-Luis

Yeah, but after work, we're gonna get blizzard!!!

Our fearless leader Haily has yet to say anything. Odds are she wants it to snow, man. Where should we parka?  - Dale

Well guys, I was unsure what to make of our snow day plans, because this is ATX, after all, and the weather here can be a bit flakey. However, it's all white now, because it is OFFICIALLY A SNOW DAY! Therefore, after much thawed and consideration, I finally have a response to the avalanche of emails I found in my inbox this morning:

Snow big deal or anything, but I am officially declaring today LHsnow day. Naturally, I will participate in any and all activities, however, in the future I would appreciate it if you would submit a list of festivities to the Snowcial Calendar committee at least a week in advance. (Icy why you were unable to do that this time, and I will forgive you.) Anyway, I'll be there. :)

I'll see you hoodlums at noon. And remember, SNOW-U STILL SUCKS. :)
loves ya!
Hales

PS: I apologize if this email is a bit snowverkill.

After this, I went back to bed, and took delight in the fact that I would not have to get up at 6:15 to go teach 5th grade today. I slept in, then enjoyed a nice breakfast on the couch watching America's Next Top Model. It was wonderful. Mike came over for a bit and then I adventured out with Denny and Willis.

The rest of the day was dedicated to the LHsnow Day fun at Cham's. (Of course, it started about two hours later than we had planned. ...what else is new?) Movies, food, arts and crafts, and laughter. I am positive that days like today are simple treasures.

Even when the snow melts by 10am, you can't un-snow a snow day! 

Happy 3-day weekend, everybody!

best. day. ever.

emails.

As president of Longhorn Singers, I have to send out a lot of emails. I also get a lot of questions. Here is an example.

I send this:

On Sun, Nov 21, 2010 at 10:55 PM, Haley Vincent wrote:
Hey guys!

Happy two days until Thanksgiving Break!!!! :) Here are some reminders for you!

1. Don't forget, we have combined rehearsal tomorrow night. I don't know what time, so if someone could send that out, that would be perfect... #fail.
2. WE ARE SINGING AT THE HEX RALLY TOMORROW! Hooray! Wear you OU Weekend stuff!
3. I just put up show pictures on facebook-- go tag yourselves if you want!

Have a great Monday!
Hales

I get this in reply:

On Nov 21, 2010, at 10:55 PM, [name] wrote:

What are we wearing?

Seriously? This is when I become a teacher and say, "Ask a friend." or "Who can raise their hand and help him out?"

thoughts on christmas music and two years.

Today in Singers we got the rest of our Christmas music. Let me just start this post by saying how much I stinkin' LOVE Christmas music. It is the epitome of "warm-fuzzy" for me, and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I honestly just love it, and I am very excited that it is again this time of year.

(On a side note, my first Christmas-music-listening-experience of this season was absolutely stolen from me and stomped on when I heard an awful rendition of Jingle Bells in a crusty Goodwill the day after Halloween. I was less than ecstatic, and I did not appreciate the setting, the awful music or the fact that I was being forced to listen to it the day after Halloween. Not okay.

As a general rule, I disagree with Christmas music before Thanksgiving. I think that after Thanksgiving, it is fair game, but I do not approve of being attacked by it as soon as people give out their last piece of Halloween candy and turn off their porch lights. I was genuinely disappointed that a not-so-great surprise version of Jingle Bells was the first sound of Christmas to grace my ears.

However, when preparing for Holiday concerts, it is necessary to start learning Christmas music in November or even October, which I think is fine. I will gladly make an exception to my above rule for this reason. First, it gives me an outlet to express my pre-Christmas excitement and it just simply brings me joy. It says, "Be excited, Christmas is coming," as opposed to the "YAY IT'S CHRISTMAS RIGHT NOW!" message that is forced upon me when stores put out Christmas decorations in September and attack me with premature Christmas carols. Secondly, there is just something wonderfully different about singing Christmas music than singing any other type of music. Words couldn't explain it if I tried, so I will leave it at that.)

Back to the point of why I began this post - today we got our Christmas music. We are singing an arrangement of Jingle Bells (not the crusty Goodwill version...) that we sang for the Holiday Concert back in 2008. I was so excited to get this, because this is actually a really fun song, and I started to laugh because there is a great LHS story attached.

Rewind to late November 2008, picture 40 Singers sitting in a rehearsal with Tim, our director at the time, trying to help us understand these weird rhythms. There is a section where the lyrics read,

Just get a bobtailed by,
Two-fourty for her speed,
Hitch her to an open sleigh and
Crack! She'll take the lead.

After "crack!" there is a clap added in that for some reason was giving us grief that day. So, Tim, who clearly did not have a college mind, began to chant, "Crack! [clap] She'll take the... Crack! [clap] she'll take the... Crack! [clap] She'll take the..." over and over in hopes of helping us get the rhythm. Of course, we all joined in, because let's be real, it was funny and we love a good opportunity to make anything more ridiculous than it has to be. Clearly, this became our running joke - trust LHS to take Christmas music and turn it into drugs. (Incidentally, we did get the rhythm right after that.) For the rest of the semester (and many semesters thereafter,) we made countless "take the crack" references and shared many laughs over this. Out of all of these came the original "take the crack" face, shown by Elaine in the above picture.

When I got this song handed out to me today, my brain said, "Hey, I've seen this before." I began to look and read through it, "No, not high school. Women's Chorus? No..." Then I found the CRACK page. "SHUT UP!" I shouted inside my head.

"YOU GUYS! This is the 'Take the Crack' song!" No one responded to this at all, and I was once again reminded of how old I am and how weird time is. Elaine, the only other Singer left from "back in the day," finally realized what I had said, and began to look through her copy. "It is!" she said an aw-I-love-remembering-things voice. As we began to work on the first few pages, she turned to me and said, "This was two years ago. It's it weird how much everything can change in just two years?"

And I thought, "Yes, yes it is."

And that is today's food for thought.

The best of "Take the Crack"

jam sesh with flo rida.

Yes, THE Flo Rida.
Can you believe it?! 

Flo Rida and Longhorn Singer live on Kidd Kraddick in the morning:


And this is a little something extra we cooked up for him: (No big deal.)


First time to sing backup for a famous rap artist- check. Done and done. 
This might be the coolest thing that I've ever done. Top 5 list FOR SURE.

sweet caroline.

Today might have been the craziest day of my life. It made the top 5 list, for sure.

But we made it, and somehow we pulled it off. And now all of the little Singers are safe and sound at their host homes. Tomorrow is a new day and we're going to ROCK IT.

Check us out singing with Flo Rida on the Kidd Kraddick in the Morning show- 8am. (Or check their website later in the day for video/audio.) :)

HOOK 'EM!

today in quotes.

An email sent over the lhssocial listserv at 9am:

Sorry guys, I'm really slow on things like this. And by that I mean waking up. But......... it's skip school day! Because apparently there's a shooter! So don't go to class until he's a little more dead or in custody and a little less at large around the PCL.

Lovesmeans,
Dean

One of my fifth graders talking to another one:

"Fag."

Another Email:

"We can't have rehearsal today... so we'll meet at 9am Thursday before we leave for Dallas..."

A conversation: 

"It's hard, because I feel like I"m working my butt off and nothing even matters."
"I get you. Can I ask you... how many times have you wanted to quit?"

In the parking lot:

"It's just sad because I'm not as passionate anymore." 

More than once:

"As much as it sucks to hear, a year from now, none of this is going to matter."

And the only one of these quotes that matters at all:

"...For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
 It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

- 2 Corinthians 4:7-16

 Breathe. Therefore, we do not lose heart.

happiness is singing together when day is through-

 

My friends are so stinkin' cool. I've been here 3 years and I still cannot believe how lucky I am to be surrounded by this on a daily basis. So many talented and wonderful people, it seriously blows my mind.

and happiness is those who sing with you.

thoughts #3.

1. I need to write. But I can't, because life is so busy right now I don't even have time to think. I haven't written in my journal since Christmas break, and now I have so many things to write about I don't even know where to start.

2. I really wish I were a LEGIT dancer. I want to be flexible and be able to do all those really cool things that I watch other people do all the time. I'm okay, but I'm not like those super legit people that have been taking dance their whole life and can do anything you tell them. Granted, I feel like I've gotten to do some pretty cool things over the past few semesters that I definitely haven't been "qualified" to do, and I think I've made it work and rocked it 98% of the time. However, there's only so much I can cheat out of my small pool of ability. But then I think about how I took dance until I was 13, and I never was flexible or in the "advanced" class. So I wonder if I ever COULD be flexible- like, if I was going to be able to do the splits I would have done it already, ya know? Or if I was meant to be able to do 11 fouettés I would have known by now.
Currently, I'm okay because I can dance with Singers and do some cool things and pretend I'm legit. Lately I've been wondering what I'm going to do when I graduate and that outlet is gone.

3. Tap. I really like tap. And that is something I feel like I am good at. It is also something I feel like I actually have a chance of getting better at if I wanted. Maybe I'll pursue this in the future? Also, I am very excited that we are doing "Forget About the Boy" again. I love it because I can belt and vent stress and tap it out. FUN.

4. I talked with Tim tonight about our new director. He still doesn't know who it will be, and we probably wont know for a while. I'm worried about it, which I know I shouldn't be, and honestly don't have time to be. (Something to pray about.) He says it is my job to "keep the family together" regardless of what happens.

5. I snapped today. (Great way of "keeping the family together," I know...) I don't think that's happened before. It was the end of choreo weekend rehearsal and we were doing announcements. I said mine, then Mandi talked about costumes, then Kendall said something about making a banner, then Allie was explaining how we were going to do risers. Everyone listened to each of us talk, but when Allie began talking, people completely disregarded what she was saying. They began singing "Theeeeeeeeee" and talking over her. I yelled, "NO." then walked to the center of the room and yelled (over people that were still singing) "WHEN AN OFFICER IS TALKING YOU NEED TO RESPECT THEM." They were quiet after that.

I feel bad about it, but then again I don't. (Is it bad that I don't feel bad?) It was not okay for them to disrespect her and act like she didn't exist. And she was legitimately saying something important. It made me angry, and at the time I didn't know any other way to get everyone to pay attention to her. (It also didn't help that I was tired from the weekend and stressed about school stuff.) In the future I will try to do better. In short, I think it's one of those, "not sorry for what I said, but how I said it" things.

6. Speaking of the show, this semesters specialties include "Fireflies," "Say My Name" (yes, Destiny's Child) and "Party in the USA." March 26 and 27, be there.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything,
by prayer and petition, present your requests to God.
Then the peace of Christ, which transcends all understanding,
will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."
-Philippians 4:6-7

songs we are singing this semester that I have always wanted to perform:
- one
- seize the day
- possibly a rent specialty
- hide and seek (yes, from fall 07)

I can dig it.
also, learned one of the coolest dances we have ever done tonight. I guess you'll have to come to the show and see it.

precious postsecret:

After about two hours, I have successfully taught myself how to edit the LHS website, and after months of begging Cham to take that stupid picture of me off, I finally just did it myself. I mean, it was a funny prank, but it should not have been left up for four months. So, I hacked his (our) website and he abandoned me on the ski slopes. We're even. (done and done.)

first snow.

After much thought, I have decided that my "new years resolution" for 2010 will be to do, try, experience (etc.) new things. At least one significant thing each month, but hopefully more.

The first first of 2010- real snow! My first legit college road-trip, my first time to see mountains, and my first time to ever see, touch or play in actually real SNOW. Not gonna lie, it was stinkin' cold. But totally worth it.

Skiing was fun, although the first day was rough. Cham, who had promised to teach me how to ski, abandoned me, but only after leading me up to one of the hardest blues on the mountain (apparently). Luckily, Joe was patient enough to help me learn and make sure I didn't die on the way down the mountain. (Tip for you, learning how to ski on a blue with moguls is NOT A POSITIVE IDEA.) Two hours and a billion slow-motion-replay-worthy falls later, I got to the bottom of the run. Needless to say, I didn't die, but I thought I was going to a few times. I mean, falling was kind of fun sometimes, because I was like, "dude, snow, this is awesome," but it got old after a while. After this, we went to meet up with the others, and somehow I ended up on ANOTHER blue, with Dean this time. I think I spent most of this run skiing awkwardly at weird angles (to avoid going straight down the ginormous hill) shouting "I don't like it!" at him. I'm pretty sure I looked like/felt like an idiot. (At least I looked really legit in my black and pink ski gear.)

After lunch, I went with Cat, Will and Parker and did greens. I discovered that skiing was actually fun when I wasn't afraid for my life. I went the rest of the week on greens and actually have a few days where I didn't fall at all. Success. Maybe one day I will be brave enough to do blues again...

We had some fun adventure on the slopes with the LHS girls (picture) and I went exploring around town. Hannah took some really cool pictures of snowflakes and I spent way too much money on hot chocolate. We had a not-so-fun adventure at restaurant where we wanted to celebrate Becca's birthday, but we ended up at a way cooler and more delicious place, so all's well that ends well. I had fun hanging out with new friends that accompanied Cham and Joseph on the trip, and we all spent Thursday night helplessly watching Texas fight. (Hook 'Em.) I also had a lot of time to read and journal, which was wonderful.

I have decided that I really like snow and the mountains. They are beautiful, and it was so cool to see all the different views from the town and from the slopes. It was fun to be snowed on and to experience this entirely new environment. However, I like Texas and I am glad to be back. Trips and new places are always fun, but it is always good to be home. :)

don't stop believing part 2.

As promised, here is video. :)

Luis and I wrote and arranged this mash-up of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" and Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody" to be performed in the Longhorn Singers Fall 2009 Show. It was our summer project, our baby, and probably one of the coolest things we've ever done. After hours of work and arranging and rearranging, here's the final product!

Special thanks to Dean on piano and for making our sheet music LEGIT.

DISCLAIMER: This piece was thought of and born WEEKS before Glee was ever even introduced to the world. We did not steal the idea to perform "Don't Stop Believing" or the idea to make a mash-up from this show. We did it first, so THERE.

This made me laugh.

Also, I was looking for music for Longhorn Singers in the spring, and I found this.

Why does this exist?
And WHY does it exist in SATB?

don't stop believing.

(video soon.)

joy.

"I have loved you with an everlasting love;

with unfailing love I have drawn you to myself."
- Jeremiah 31:3

As ridiculous and hard as this week has been, it has been good. (...TOO.)

Yesterday I got to spend much needed time with Mike, which was wonderful. Hopefully more of this to come once Singers show quits eating my life.

HOWEVER, so excited about the show this weekend. It's been a long week, but we are READY and are going to ROCK IT. Luis and I did a mash-up of "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Use Somebody," and basically it's going to be awesome. (DISCLAIMER- we got the idea for/arranged/wrote this song weeks before Glee even came on TV, so 1. we are not doing Journey because they did and 2. we are not doing a mash-up because they did. kthanks.) Also friends and family are coming to town for the show, which is always nice. :)

My GSB got me Disney princess stuff for tonight's gift, and it's wonderful. They also made me not one but TWO mix CDs, and gave me a song list. Artists include Matt Wertz, Robbie Seay Band, John Mark McMillan, and others. EXCITED?! YES! GSB success.

Sky has been on campus this week recruiting for next summer. It has been incredibly wonderful to spend time with camp people in the midst of LHS chaos this week. I am BEYOND excited for next summer. Like seriously, I can't even tell you. How SWEET is it that in the last 3 days they've gotten OVER 35 interviews for counselors from UT. I'm so pumped to have more Longhorns on staff this summer. My first summer, there were TWO of us. But seriously, I am pumped for summer 2010 in general. Taking with Tamara and Jill this week about Bible study curriculum, summer staff, campers and camp stories, and my love of Sky 1 and Sky 2 has made me freak out. ...it's going to be awesome. I LOVE it. Love Jesus. Love summer. Love camp. CANT WAIT.



Life is good. And God is good. And He has blessed me so much with what is in my life. Seriously, how much is he LOVING me right now by surrounding me with all of these wonderful things that I don't deserve. (That and the whole I get to hang with Him for eternity thing.)

May I never take any of it for granted.