ok ok, its no secret that I was not really happy with myself last week Friday. Things are looking up now, I have a lot of great friends who are helping me feel better and gain back some of the confidence that was shattered last weekend. Tonight I decided that I will do whatever I can to get better at everything. I'm playing a routine with James this Wednesday at 9 am, and then hopefully also with Colin later this week as well. Also Becker and I are going to play jazz every night and transcribe, and Tuesday nights I'll play jazz with Brad. Whatever it takes...I'll do it.

I'm pretty tired, lots of trombone today, but it felt good. Spent some time with Heather and Bri, we lay around on my futon and talked about the different ways we can bend and how flexible we are. :P It was odd and all of us were bored out of our minds. What great buddies. :P

Bed! Goodnight! :)

-Rachel

well, once again i fucked up and ruined things for myself. I wish that when I start to get good at one thing, that everything else wouldn't go down the drain. I'm not mad at anyone except myself, which probably isn't a good idea either. Second chair in Jazz III...pretty pathetic on my part. Its not like its a bad ensemble...I'm just pissed cuz I can't play jazz well enough to keep the spot I earned last semester. Oh well, over the summer I will get really good at jazz and come back to kick ass. Enough on that subject.

Otherwise my day was great, its a Friday, which makes me really happy. :) Weekends are the best....time spent with friends, boyfriend, trombone, and relaxation. I love weekends. Maybe i will even get to go see Caberet...that'd be great too.

Hopefully I'll see Heather again soon, its really nice to catch up with her. I enjoy having another girl trombonist to talk to...the guys are great, but I like maturity occasionally also. hehe. :P I wish my roomate would bring the tv back....it kind of sucks having to watch movies on my computer. Someday, she will come back with the tv. I hope.

In other news....
math = horribly boring
justin = MEAN hehe
wind symphony will = amazing
jazz = non-existant
weather = beautiful
boyfriend = awesome
kate = banana flinger/fruit felon
new house = totally sweet
heather = finger in pain...maybe it will bend again someday
vodka = not a good idea for Rachel

Thats it, sorry bout the long post.

-Rachel

Auditions were today, gotta admit I'm really proud of how I played. In a way its hard to be a freshman, but the blind audition experience was really a good one for me. I know that next time it will be easier, and less stressful. :) However, as much as I love Haas and trombone, spending time there from 8 am until 10:30 pm straight is not my ideal day. lol.

In other news, got a package from my parents today with some stuff in it that I left behind. The problem was, the key to get into my mailbox was in the box. And I was supposed to present the "ticket" that states I received a package FROM my mailbox in order to GET the box. So that was an interesting ordeal...lets just say the front desk was waaaaay too protective about the package. Oh well, at least I got it. :)

Time to get some sleep, jazz auditions are tomorrow, then I can relax a little bit, and start working on practicing smart unstead of just playing myself into the ground. lol. I love to play, but I have to figure out a way to take good care of my lips while I'm doing it. hehe.

Goodnight, sleep well all. :)

-Rachel

Tomorrow is the big day. I'm going to get some sleep...all I want is to play my very best for an audition. That doesn't mean I have to play flawlessly...however I do want to be proud of how I play. Maybe I'll finally be able to convince myself that I am something less than mediocre at trombone. So that is that.

Talked to Heather on the phone tonight for awhile, it was nice to hear from her...I'd love to talk to her more often. Its not the often that I hear from a fellow girl trombonist!!! :) Sounds like shes glad to be here, but loves NY a lot.

Ummm...played some raquetball tonight, lost as usual. Its still fun though, I'm getting better. Time for bed. Goodnight. :)

-RCC

this weekend has been absolutely crazy. Between our late night endeavors at NBA All Star band, and time spent with Becker, I somehow found the time to practice and still feel confident on my audition material. I hope that I just play as well as I know I can...I guess I should probably leave myself some room for error, since I know that the audition will not go perfectly.

Was able to hang out with Kate and Heather again tonight for awhile...it was good to see them both. I've been pretty out of it the past 3 days, lots of stuff going on, not much sleep happening and now school is about to start up again.

So that means I'm going to bed now, and I'll write another night.

-RCC

Hung out with the guys again tonight...I think I'm making this into a habit. lol. This time however, we watched "Drop Dead Gorgeous" instead of a guy movie. It was funny though....lots of exploding beauty queens and such.

Today it hit me that Mahler 3 auditions are less than a week away. I wasn't nervous until I got the email from Doc O about tryouts. I know I don't stand a chance, it just sucks because I want this so badly. Oh well, even Megumi had to audition 30 times before she got her symphony gig. I'll just have to be patient. I sure want to give it a hell of a run though...

Tomorrow will be great, more specifically tomorrow night. :) Can't wait to be back in EC, should be really awesome. Nice dinner at the Bistro then hanging out and enjoying the evening. Can't wait.

-RCC

Lesson with Megumi. It was amazing. My lesson was supposed to be an hour long and she worked with me for an extra 20 minutes. :) We spent the whole time working on Mahler 3. She is the most fantastic teacher, if I'm struggling with something she knows exactly what is wrong and the best way to explain to me how to fix it. I am feeling 150X more confident about my playing in general, so that is really great.

Now I'm just spending some time relaxing and waiting for Tom to pick me up and take me to the movie tonight...we're seeing "Ringer" or something like that. Sweet. Then I'll be back to the EC on Thursday probably by 5ish. Can't wait to get "home." :)

That's about it for today.

-RCC

I love trombone. :)

I went to the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Concert today. It was great. I'm just amazed at how well some of these kids can play. Its weird to think that just last year I was there, playing principle trombone...what a great feeling of pride. Anyways, the director asked me to come sit in with my horn tomorrow at their rehearsal and "coach" the high school kids. Wow, I mean, I've only been in college for a semester...I've gotten better, but I'm no prodigy. So I will give it the very best shot that I can, I want to do well and show these guys how far I've come as a musician. Long way to go yet...thats what next semester is for.

I miss Ashley. Its hard since she has moved to Washington. We spend time online talking occasionally, but quite obviously it isn't the same. Ashley, James, Becca and I all went in a chatroom tonight for awhile, that was very cool....we were just being silly and such, but it was definately nice to talk with her again. Over spring break I'm probably going to go to Washington to visit and see her house and everything. Should be awesome, I'm excited to see my big sister again.

Thats all the entry you get for tonight.

-RCC

more work today. I worked at 12 hour shift with an hour break in there....so I guess that's technically 11 hours. But the good news is that I get to eat next semester! (As you can imagine, I'm quite thrilled about that.) However, my feet are in a bit of pain, so thats why I am sitting here typing this instead of downstairs practicing standing up. I will go practice in 40 minutes.

Working hard on lots of different things, Mahler 3 especially. I love the challenge of trying to prepare a whole bunch of things at the same time...jazz solo, Cavatine for concert band auditions, Mahler 3 solos. Aside from all that, I am still trying to keep up my regular practice routine. Warm up, technical study, rochut (in tenor and down the octave), Excerpts (Mozarts Requiem, Hungarian March, and Flying Dutchman all in progress), Jazz, Solos, Ensemble Music. I gotta say I really love the challenge, and the more I schedule my time to the minute, the more I get done in each session. Well, thats definately enough trombone for one entry. :D

Next week I get to go back to EC and see everyone for the first time in a month. You can't even imagine how excited I am, so don't even try. :P Heather, Bri and I have been deciding on furniture, dishes and all that jazz for our new apartment/house for this fall. That will be absolutely amazing. Brick house. (brass-chick house) It's great.

Time to go play some trombone and maybe work out. We'll see how tired I am after the trombone. ():D

-RCC

practiced today for awhile. I'm working out a jazz solo so I don't go into auditions so unprepared this time. I hope I'll be in jazz II again, I really enjoyed it most of the year. :) Sitting next to players like Brad March really force me to be attentive to what comes out of my horn all the time. Its amazing how good some of these guys are as just sophomores. I am in awe.

My lip is healing up nicely. For those who didn't know I slipped when I climbed out of the shower and split it open on the counter. Quite painful, but thanks to ice and Vitamin E its pretty much better. I'll have to take it easy for a few more days though. So my JJ solo book will have to wait a bit longer. Oh well.

Worked tonight, it sucked. Seems like I got all the really crabby customers on the phone. In turn, I came home in kind of a crabby mood, yelled at my sister (she's been home sick the past few days) and kind of snapped at my parents too. I should probably stop doing shit like that, because I have a really good, caring family. I know there are people out there who barely speak to their parents/siblings, and I'm quite fortunate. So enough on that, I'm just going to get better at not being so "high maintenance."

Set up a lesson with Megumi. We meet on the 17th. I'm anxious to see her again, I hope that she's not too disappointed that I haven't become a fabulous trombone player yet. I can't wait until the day that I can play like her. That's going to be one freaking amazing day. :D

Thats about all, I'm really getting impatient and bored around here. I've been hanging with some friends from high school, but I definately miss everyone at UWEC. A LOT. So it will be so nice to get back there in just under 2 weeks. Spend some quality time at Haas, with Heather and Bri and with Becker. That will be really nice. :)

Sorry about the long post...well, don't know why I'm apologizing, cuz I dont' think anyone reads these anyways. hehe. So just kidding, I'm not even sorry.

Goodnight,

-RCC

Once again sat around the house being lazy...I gotta get out of that habit. Returned the shirt my friend bought me for Christmas...it was cute, just waaaaay too big for me. So I'm gonna get some sweet Abercrombie pants now. (and I WILL NOT let Colin destroy them like he did my shirt).

Ummm....didn't practice today, the pep band playing last night definately took a toll on my chops. Never going to play like that again...talk about abuse of the lips. So I will practice again tomorrow, only more "smart". Its weird how I can love trombone so much and hate it at the same time. Sometimes it makes me want to cry, because I just can't play the way I know I should. Recently I've been better with the "getting out of my head" thing, but tonight it kind of hit back full force. Its hard being away from the encouragement at EC...but someday I'll be out on my own, and I won't have people to push me. So time to grow up and get over it.

Went out w/Rob tonight...that was...interesting. It was me, Rob and some Matt guy I only know through myspace. He was pretty cool. So maybe we'll hang out again, I don't know. Perhaps.

Time for beddy...wow, and its only 1:08...I must be getting old if I'm tired at this time of day. hehe.

-RCC

Not a whole lot going on right now...practiced a lot again today. Played some pep band tonight, and then hung out with my buddy Kate. She's coming up to Eau Claire next semester and its going to be great. :) I hope the music thing is what she wants to do, shes a really good oboist.

Spent some time with Becker on the phone...I really like this guy, hes amazing. :) Enough said. ;)

Set up a lesson with Megumi today, we're going to meet on the 17th and I'm so excited. I figured she can help me out with Mahler 3...or at least give me some suggestions so that I will suck less when auditions come up. Ordered my JJ Johnson Solos book online yesterday, can't wait until that comes. I really want to become good at jazz. 15 minutes a day says Colin...I'll have to get going on that. Speaking of jazz I received my "very late Christmas present" in the mail from Minnesota today...Wycliffe Gordon cd...and its a good one. (Thank you Becker).

Not a whole lot else going on...hanging out with Rob tomorrow night. Getting some coffee (maybe free...we'll see.) I guess I still don't feel right about it, since that is technically a date. So we'll see how I handle that one. I'll probably just pay for myself either way. That way its a 'no strings attached' sort of date. hehe.

Well, thats about it...time for some sleep and hopefully some good dreams.

Night

-RCC

practiced today for a long time. Felt really good...I'm getting this Mahler 3 thing down much better. Gotta say I'm excited. Not much else happening....I miss school and more specifically the people at school. Can't wait to get back there....

today was ok. I'm tired again, but whats new??? Maybe I'm pregnant...but I kind of doubt that since you need to do a certain something in order to become pregnant. So I'm just going to assume that I must be really emotionally and physically exhausted.

Worked today, was pretty much lazy all day. I really need to get my ass in gear with this trombone thing. I'm so dedicated at school, and I get home and really suck at practicing. I don't know where my drive went...but its definately not on trombone lately. So that will have to change.

Thought about my new years resolutions.
1. Pilates with Becker every Sunday night. We will both become beautiful.
2. Play a routine at 7:00 am SHARP 4 out of the 5 school days. (Yes, I am allowing myself one day to sleep in)
3. Stop sucking at trombone...think about my goal every day before I play. Principle trombone for Chicago or Philadelphia. I will get there someday.


Ummmm.....thats about it. I feel shitty for sharing what probably did not happen with someone I really care about. I shouldn't have even mentioned it....because now he's hurt over something that I probably didn't even do. So much for trying to be honest....I guess I'm never drinking alcohol again. It causes too much pain. So that is that.


Sick this morning...that kind of started the day off bad. So i'm going to stop being cranky now and get to bed. Vitamin C, Zinc tablets, and a dose of talking to Becker. Thats all I need. Now I can sleep well...

-RCC

this weekend was easily one of the better ones I've ever had. My sister (Ashley) and James were married in a beautiful ceremony on New Years Eve. I only lost my composure 4 or 5 times throughout the ceremony, so that was pretty good. LOL. Its hard to see your big sister getting married off to a guy who is taking her far away.

We drove them to the airport this morning; the goodbye to Ashley and James was sad, but then my dad bought us all Starbucks. So the five of us remaining in WI sat in a row at the airport, and would drink our coffee at exactly the same time, while sitting exactly the same way in the chairs. It was funny, because some people noticed our antics and couldn't help but comment. hehe.

Becker came all the way down from Minnesota in a pretty substantial snowstorm just for the wedding. I'm not going to play it down...he was an amazing date, and a perfect gentleman. I had a really good time with him this weekend...kinda sucks that he's going to NY and I won't see him for a few weeks. I guess thats life though.

Not much to comment on in the trombone world...I havn't played in a few days. I'm heading downstairst to practice right now, so I guess I'll be posting to let you know how it went.

Congratulations again to Ashley & James Jensen!!!

-RCC