* tiny but powerful *

Lest my January archives end up even more sad than they're going to be anyway, here's one last post before the month disappears (how did that happen?).

It's crazy that Viennese Ball is only a week and a half away. Six weeks (post-Winter Break) feels a *lot* shorter than eight weeks. Opening is coming along nicely, and I'm looking forward to seeing everyone's hard work pay off. For my part, I get to march in, do the Honored Guests thing, sit down, stand up and switch partners, sit down on the other side of the floor, and then bow after everything is over. It will be amusing. ;)

DL rehearsal tonight was a bit on the slow side for the new-choreography-learning, but that was probably for the best since I was exhausted before I even got to rehearsal. I barely made it through the run-throughs of our Viennese pieces. I haven't been getting enough sleep lately - the quarter is ramping up, which unfortunately coincides with the pre-Viennese craziness. At least I don't have any midterms or papers the actual week of the Ball. Anyway, I'm excited to pick up my dresses this Thursday! It'll be fun to perform in my own Victorian gown for Viennese. :) (Guess what color it is?)

I have to finish preparing a presentation for tomorrow morning, so that's all for now, but here's another list...

January Thankfulness:
- David Jones being so funny about his perfected pizza-reheating procedure
- new glasses
- scheduled weekly meals with my closest friends
- more good discussions about the commenter's response (though it's still been overwhelming to organize all of my thoughts)
- going to Tea Time with Mindi
- trying Thai Cafe for the first time
- 3-day weekend early in the quarter
- washing my face with my washcloth the first time after it's been washed in the laundry...mmmm smells good
- starting a study on covenants with my small group
- Mindi's insightful and challenging teaching
- getting help on my math homework
- attending Megan's beautiful wedding and reception
- seeing SO many Tmony alumni and singing together again (among us, we covered all the years 1997-2005, and (missing only Suzie) we also had complete Cores from 2000-2004!)
- Chi-En got to waltz so did Justin
- spending some extra time with Annie
- learning new worship songs with cool harmony lines
- being taken care of when I'm feeling sick
- giving Mindi her first violin lesson (and we're going to continue!)
- her amazing enthusiasm to learn
- successful surprise birthday party for a special MEEP
- going bowling with Justinar, Jennyar, and Felixar (names courtesy of...Justinar :-P)
- dinner with small group at Korea House
- Gillian calling to say she wants me back at Camp Galileo this summer
- she said she immediately thought of me for the new "Assistant to Camp Director" position they're creating
- last Sunday at The River, set aside for "Honoring God, Honoring Keith" -- we honor our leaders because they are gifts that remind us of truths about the Giver
- home is close enough for short visits
- getting more people on board for the Gang of 13
- none of the Opening girls have gotten hurt! (*knock on wood*)
- seeing the amazing team that BMW has become, and having watched them grow along the way
- my roommate will be coming to Viennese :)

Can *you* name the Seven Dwarves?

Conversation in the car...

Tina: Are you sleepy?
Brian: No, I'm okay.
Chi-En: Eating?
T: Huh?
CE: Oh, I thought you asked if he was hungry.
T: No...I said 'sleepy?' I guess 'hungry' sounds so much like 'sleepy'...
CE: HEY!
T and B: HAHAHA
B: Well...they're both dwarves.
T: What??
B: Oops, nevermind.
CE: Dwarves??
T and CE: HAHAHA
T: Okay, let's name them... Sleepy, Sneezy, Grumpy, Happy...
CE: ...Playful...
T: PLAYFUL?!
CE: Oh.
T and B: HAHAHAHA

So apparently, now there's Hungry and Playful. ;)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, CHI-EN!

(Is that an acceptable update, Kari? ;) Just kidding...I'll write more soon.)

Happy Birthday, Mike!

Winter Quarter 2005
- Music 122A (Eighteenth-Century Counterpoint, 4 units) -- MF 1:15-3:05pm
- Music 143 (Studies in Classic Music, 4 units) -- TTh 10:00-11:50am
- Music 174A (Violin Individual Instruction, 3 units) -- TBD (edit: T 3:00-4:00pm)
- Math 151 (Introduction to Probability Theory, 3 units) -- MWF 11:00-11:50am
- and partnering Social Dance 3 -- TTh 1:00-2:05pm

I have decided to take a quarter off from USingers, partially because of rehearsal conflicts/scheduling difficulties, and partially because I'll be attending Opening rehearsals from now until February 11 (Viennese Ball is so early this year!). I've been enlisted to help out because there's a gaping need for female alternates. Poor BMW... (What's up with the diminishing membership of Opening and Testimony this year, anyway?? =P I guess I'm guilty of the same thing with USingers, but I don't feel that bad since the chorus is so big and altos are the biggest section. Besides--and this is the MAIN difference--I'd told them at the beginning of the year that I wouldn't be committing for all three quarters.) I plan to return to USingers in the Spring.

My Wednesdays this quarter are weirdly unbusy -- I only have one class in the morning at 11:00. I'd rather have my MF afternoon class be on MW instead, but at least this way I get a nice breather in the middle of the week. I'll probably try to schedule my violin lesson on that day...maybe I'll actually practice more. (Right.)

Hope everyone's first week is going well!

P.S. I've finally responded to the commenter from my December 14th post. The comment box itself is here.