NatalieMarie

I know whatcha mean. 😛 But hey, it is still mostly the same community, just in a different place. I didn’t move partly ’cause the forum’s supposed to be a little more serious/focused, and since I’m not actually a writer it prolly wouldn’t work that well. XD They’re more focused on focusing on writing.

Oh yikes, doesn’t that mean you’re the…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Yeah, I have YWW for that. I liked KP because it was lots of fun and the articles were really good. 😀

LOL! No! Far from it! XD I sit right next to the concertmaster in the smaller group and sometimes I sit there if she’s not there. But in the bigger one I’m in seconds so if I sit in the first chair of the seconds I’m just leading…[Read more]

Well that it certainly was and they certainly were. 😛

OHH okay. XD Well still. That’s not at all bad. XD Ha! Sounds like your orchestra is ever-fluctuating indeed. Must make things interesting…

Noice! Looks quite fun. I’m gaining a new appreciation for orchestral music in general and the people who make it work together. I mean… dis takes…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

😛 XD

Lol, yeah. It’s good though. We’re usually using string arrangements now and the brass and wind have to transpose if there isn’t something for them already (I don’t know if you would have figured this out by now, but some instruments aren’t tuned the same as violin, like with clarinet and trumpet their A is really Bb so if…[Read more]

XD

Well that works. XD Choosing favorites is really a terribly hard thing.

Oh, that makes a lot of sense! *cringe* I do have some scale/positions books, but not really technique books, and I admit I hardly ever practice just raw technique by itself. :/ I don’t even really know…how one would go about that? Or is it MEANT to be really boring……[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Have you had any concerts yet (forgive me if you’ve already mentioned that XD)? Do you have a dress code for them? Our concerts for the big orchestra are usually all-black unless it’s more casual, like playing at a local showground or at a retirement home, then we have these coloured shirts (green for strings, yellow for winds,…[Read more]

It’s OK. XD No, not yet—first one’s November 8th. Just four more rehearsals. *endeavors not to shudder* Yes, the dress code is all black. Most of the time, I think. So I’ve been trying to find a good, classy black shirt and skirt, ’cause I don’t normally keep those on hand. XD At least not the shirt. Those concerts definitely sound colorful. ;D…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

I know! I had to get so much black for these performances ‘cuz some are not as formal yet still need to be black and some are quiet formal so I actually went and made a dress (with a lot of help from a couple of sewing teachers but it was good). And now most of my nice stuff is black which I don’t particularly like wearing. *rolls…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Hey, you really wanna know my name? 😀

Here’s my introductory post. Page 5 (if the link doesn’t send you right there), Grace W. aka rebelutionary is a good friend of mine and here she accidentally dropped my real name.

– (@) October 14, 2018

Ahh! XD

All right, my post in on page 9 of the Start Here space, called Just Another Girl. Page 5 of that post. XD

We’re playing at the college; I think it’s just a free concert for anyone who wants to come/family members of orchestra peeps, etc. Lessee…we’re playing the third mvt. of St. Paul’s Suite; a few movements of Corelli’s “Christmas Concerto”; the first two and the last mvts. of the Capriol Suite by Peter Warlock; the first mvt. of Bach’s 3rd…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Sounds like quite the repertoire. I hope you do well and enjoy yourself!

Our performance this afternoon went quite well, though I don’t think I personally played my best. We played a song called Fiesta for Strings, Lady Madonna (the Beatles), It Don’t Mean a Thing, a Mozart piece called Overture and an ABBA medley.

Wow that was fast. XD

Thank you! 😀

Good, I’m glad! I mean, not that you didn’t personally play your best, but yeah. ;P Is there any way for you to tell if you won’t be playing so well one day, and apprehend it, esp. if you have important violining to do? Some days I have are really really good (those are the rare ones XD), some are just good,…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Lol, I thought the same thing. XD

That’s a good question… I know what you mean, some days I just feel like my fingers aren’t cooperating or the bow isn’t working well (I think it may need a re-hair anyway 😛 ), other days I feel like the best violinist in the house! (oh, wait… I’m the only violinist XD)

I know my fingers…[Read more]

XD Yeah. Hey, I’m just having my bow re-haired. I didn’t really know about that before, but it came up as an option instead of buying an expensive new bow (I wanna wait till I have enough money to buy a pretty nice bow, not just mediocre, before buying another bow at all). Haven’t gotten it back yet, but I’m hoping it’ll be a big improvement. I’m…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Yeah, I know what you mean, I didn’t know about it either. My friend who was learning violin lives on a farm and he has a horse and he was telling me he wants to re-hair his own bow with his own horses’ hair, and I was like, “I don’t think that’ll work quite like that.” XD

If you can help it. It’s not too bad, if you have straps,…[Read more]

Ha! XD If only…

Well, that’s true; I guess I don’t normally have it in the car unless I’ll be using it.

I know whatcha mean. XD

@emma-flournoy

It would have been really cool if he could have. XD

Yeah. I don’t just think, “I’ll take my violin shopping today.” XD

Yeah. Do you have any idea what Mozart Symphony no. 40 is?? If you don’t, YouTube it and I bet you you have heard it before. 😉 I didn’t know, but we’re playing it in orchestra so I listened to it and I…[Read more]

Yeah. 😛

XD

Ohh wait I think I actually do… Goes like ‘duh-da-duh duh-da-duh duh-da-duh-Daaa —- DA-da-da da-da-da da-da-duh-duh…’ etc. If you know the tune you’ll be able to read that properly. XD That’s Molto Allegro, which I think must be the famous movement. I used to listen to that all the time because I used to listen to Mozart all…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Yes, that’s it exactly! XDXD Yes, it is rather fun, but we haven’t been playing it up to speed yet. 😉 XD

Oh yay! XD Yeah, it’s so fast. Fun. 😀

@emma-flournoy Yeah, I think we’re playing it a little over half speed.

*nodnod* Cool.

@emma-flournoy

Another one we got that’s really cool is the second movement of Beethoven Symphony no. 7.

Ooh. I don’t know that one off the top of my head, but most Beethoven symphonies are pretty epic.

Our last rehearsal besides the dress rehearsal on the day of the concert was last night. The director said he’s feeling confident about the concert, but I’m still not quite clear on how it’s all going to be good on Thursday. I think maybe they just…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Look it up. 😀 And if you can, find it on the YouTube channel smalin. He makes animated score things and they’re so pretty!

Ooooh! Getting close then? You’d do great. Trust me, I know about not perfect. My first concert with the CSO (the big orchestra), we had this piece for How to Train Your Dragon (which sounds epic when played…[Read more]

I shall, eventually. 😀

Ooh. XD

Well, that’s an encouraging thought. *nod* I’ll try not to stress. XD

@emma-flournoy

Yeah, ooh. XD

*hugs* You can do it!

Question, is your sister doing NaNoWriMo?

XD It’s OK.

Yeah, definitely. Scary. 😛 I’ve only been in one recital before, and it was plenty nerve-wracking.

OOH, I’ll definitely watch that one. LOVE Canon in D. <3 <3 <3

@emma-flournoy

I’ve done a couple of exams and one time I couldn’t tell if I was purposefully doing vibrato or my hand was just shaking. XD Anyway, so far I’ve decided not to do any more exams because they’re not necessarily necessary and I don’t need that added bit of pressure/anxiety. XD

Yeah, it’s pretty nice. But you gotta feel sorry for the…[Read more]

Ha! XD Well, makes sense.

I know! The same thing over and over and over again….

Yeah. XD

Ha! You poor thing. :’D That’s funny though. That would totally happen to me in the same situation.

We have about two and a half weeks till our Christmas concert now, and we only started practicing our music for it about a week ago. *shudder* I really don’t know why they do this. 😐 That’s less than half the amount of time we had to…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

It wasn’t too bad. Though my hands were shaking after for a bit. XD

Aw. You shouldn’t have to be really tense to hold the violin (though sometimes you just are and don’t realise it XD). What songs are you playing for the Christmas one?

At this point that I know of, May. We’re not doing a Christmas thing this year (not a formal…[Read more]

XD

Yeah, I think a lot of my tensity I don’t notice soon as I should ’cause I’m too focused on other aspects. It’s sad. ;P Lessee. There’s “Around the World at Christmas Time”, “A Christmas Festival”, “Star of Wonder”, “March of the Toys”, “Joy to the World”, “The Huron Carol”, and “I Heard the Bells”. I think that’s it, at least for the main…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Yeah. There’s a lot to think about when playing an instrument. 😉

I don’t know any of those specifically (except for Joy to the World and I Heard the Bells), though if they’re medleys, I’d most likely know the songs in them. 😉

Yeah, I’m sure you’d know most of them. 😉

How goes NaNo?

@emma-flournoy

Carols are generally known universally. XD

It goes well! I reached 30,000 words last night and I’m consistently a day ahead of the recommended goals. I haven’t been stressed or feeling like I wasn’t going to make it and I’m confident I have plenty of story to reach the word count, and then some. 😀 It’s been an enjoyable…[Read more]

Yay! That’s awesome.

Welp, I’m not even sure, technically. If reading counts as a hobby, count that. :’D I’m not really naturally artsy so I don’t do much in that field, and though I can sew things fairly nicely I don’t particularly like sewing except for once a year or so. XD Which would make violin, piano and reading my main ‘hobbies’. And…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

I reckon they all count, and I don’t see why MBTI wouldn’t. 😉 Yeah, it’s nice to have the outlet of writing for all my thinking and wondering. 😀

Yikes. That’s okay. 🙂 Sorry to hear that, that’s not always fun, is it? Of course I’ll pray. _hugs_

Uh… Not specifically at this point, but thank you. 🙂

I consider music and…[Read more]

I bet. 😀

Not very fun at all, Precious. *gollum, gollum* XD
Thanks, that means a lot. 🙂

I know though, sometimes when I’ve been asked that question I’m like…uh… nothing? *wracks brains* Yeah… So it’s all right. XD

Cool!! So much neat stuff. Woodworking, that’s neat. Do you like specifically carving, building things, both? When you can…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

😀

That’s okay, precious. *gollum* XD

Yeah, same here. XD

With woodworking I’ve made a bowl (which was mostly round when I started, so it was a good starting project and I really enjoyed that). I’ve made two boxes (one a test, one my new jewellery box). And I’ve made a baton that I’m going to give to my conductor. 😀 I did start…[Read more]

XD

Ooh, cool stuff! I bet it’ll be fun giving your conductor the baton. 😀

Yup, definitely. And yeah, at least I’m no PA. ;P I mean, it sounds like a position I’d enjoy, but busy.

Wul cool still. I love fiddle music either way.
And wow. People like that are amazing.

@emma-flournoy

Yeah, it’s pretty fun. I check the emails and print music and bind scores for her and she and I send out the emails and organise repertoire and things like that.

Yeah, it’s really fun.

Yes, they are! We have a friend who doesn’t know how to read music very well, but he plays the piano amazingly.

Kewel.

Wow. 😀

@emma-flournoy

lol

Which movement of St. Pauls’ Suite did you say you’ve played? My orchestra has been playing the first movement (the Jig, I think it’s called), and that’s pretty challenging, but lots of fun (though my stand partner doesn’t like it XD).

We played the 3rd mvt. at our concert, but we’d been practicing the first for a bit before they decided not to do it this semester. I agree, it’s alotta fun. And really challenging. XD The worst part is the part with like 6 sharps (if you’re a second violinist. If you’re not you might not have that part.). Thankfully it’s not very long, but so…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

I am a second violinist. 😉 You mean the bit with all the semi quavers going up and up? In our score they’re all accidentals, but it would be six sharps if put as a key signature 😛 My teacher’s helped me with that and says play each group of three with the third, second and first finger so it’s always 3, 2, 1. It means a lot of…[Read more]

Okay, yes! That’s the part. I’m pretty sure they’re accidentals on our score too. OK, that sounds like a good solution. We had someone help us with that part too, and I don’t think they gave us quite the same fingering (it doesn’t involve much shifting at all; it’s mostly just all half a note down from where your fingers usually are in 1st…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

Cool, I’m glad you’re getting input from more experienced people. Otherwise you can feel a bit lost as to what to do.

Today Elizabeth and I went and played an informal concert thing at a local library, with a cellist/jack-of-all-strings from the orchestra and several of his students. It was mostly Christmas carols, and pretty informal, but it was fun.

@emma-flournoy That sounds really fun. 😀

Orchestra is over for me now. 🙁 Tonight is the party the conductor is having at her house, but I’m not going to go, except to maybe drop in and give my stand partner a thank you present (she brings me home every week).

Aw, too bad. 🙁 But yay for nice stand partners!

Oh well then. XD

Aww, fun.

That’s sweet too. <3 And yay, getting to do it twice! XD

Are you excited for 2019? Weary? Ambivalent? Hopeful?

@emma-flournoy

XD

Yeah.

Actually, three times! 😀 One of them lives in a different timezone than the other two so hers was an hour after. XD

I think my 2019 is off to a good start in many ways, especially my writing. Last night I finished one of my stories, tonight I started the second draft of another, and I’ve written every day so far (haha,…[Read more]

Ha! Fun. XD

Good, I’m glad! That’s great. Meh, I’m probably more on the ambivalent side…. def. wouldn’t say excited. XD I’ve never been terribly excited for new years to come; prolly ’cause I’m sad the time’s going so quick. Which is probably not the best view to take. -_- There are a several things I have in mind for this year, but I’m not…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

I know what you mean about time passing quick. Sometimes that can be scary.

Oh, I love Casting Crowns! That video was so cool. 😀

Yikes, now THAT is scary. I’ve been a legal adult for almost two years (12 days left XD).

*nod*

😀

Yikessss that’s even scarier. You won’t even be a teenager anymore. XD

@emma-flournoy

I knuuuu! XD

How do you feel about becoming an adult? 😉

Mostly, I always thought I’d feel older than this by the time I got here. XD But I don’t. I’m the same Emma I was when I thought those things. Just with a ton more experience behind me. 😛

@emma-flournoy

I know what you mean. The only age I remember actually feeling different at was 15.

Heh. Where do de years go.

Thank youu! And ACTUALLY, I thought that’s what might have happened in that case. I knew you were one day ahead and I thought I’d calculated that, but I guess not. XD I’m not sure how mine got 9 days off though! XD

Oooh that sounds absolutely lovely too. 😀 And breakfast for dinner is great.

@emma-flournoy

Ah, my bad maths skills is what happened. XDXD

Yees, it’ll be fun. 😀 And we’re going to make pinwheels (bacon, onion, grated carrot and zucchini and cheese rolled in puff pastry, sliced up and baked) and Nutella brownies (so yummy) to eat, and possibly this three-ingredient chocolate cheese cake I found which is really nice, for…[Read more]

@perfectfifths

Ohh Ah see. xD

OH YUM. O.o Those all sound delish. Especially Nutella brownies. Tea party food is awesome!
(What are the three ingredients? Cream cheese, eggs, and melted chocolate bar or chips?)

Oh and also, we’re able to do orchestra this semester. 😀 We’re just doing the one main group this time though. First practice was last night.

@emma-flournoy

Yees XD The Nutella brownies are very easy: three eggs, beaten until frothy; one cup of Nutella, 1/3 cup of sugar, 1/3 cup of flour and 1/2 teaspoon of salt; bake in a loaf pan for about 40 (or however long it’ll take in your oven) and leave to cool completely before slicing. And yes, the cheese cake has eggs, cream cheese, and…[Read more]

@perfectfifths

Ahhh, so yum! Simple but amazing recipes are the best. 😀

Ooh, fun! But I see the dilemma. D’you think junior orchestra or the fiddle group would be more beneficial/growing?

@emma-flournoy

Yeah, especially when your mum looks at you while watching TV after dinner at like 8pm and says “Can we make Nutella brownies?” XD

Well, that’s a good question. XD I’ve been in the junior orchestra almost as long as I’ve been playing violin. And it has helped me in playing in a group setting and about reading music and such. And…[Read more]

@perfectfifths

Heheh. XD

Well that all makes sense. I’m glad you get to do the fiddle group! It almost sounds too fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants for me. XD I’m not great at improvising with anything, unless I’ve had time to plan it beforehand. XD Do they use sheet music though? That might be a little less scary.

Ha, it’s funny that yours is Mond…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

It’s not too bad, I think it’s just that I’m joining after a while, and some of the regulars have already established their “routine” so to speak and know what they’re doing more. 😉 But yes, we have fiddle music books. I own two of them, but I also borrowed the conductor’s and been practising during the holidays, so hopefully I’ll…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy So sorry (again), I didn’t see this (again)! XD

I have my first gig with the Fiddlers on Saturday, and I’m sooooooo excited! We had a rehearsal on Monday, even though orchestra hasn’t started yet officially (that’ll be next Monday, so yay!). 😀

Yeah. Too bad for them. 😛

It was! My grandparents came over that afternoon and we…[Read more]

@perfectfifths
You’re fine. XD XD

Sweeeet! So that was yesterday for you, right? Was it funnn?

Quite. XD

Awesome! 😀

Hey, that’s neat! Would you feel odd, teaching someone much older than you? I don’t know if I would or not… I think it’d depend on the personality. 😛 It’s great that she’s already got the passion and musical-ness, ’cause I…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy XD

Yep. It was! But I was sooo tired for the rest of the evening. XD

😀

Not with her, I wouldn’t. She was literally jumping up and down with excitement when I gave her a taste of it, and when I told her yesterday I’d like to teach her, she was so excited. 😀 She asks good questions and has been very insightful just from that one…[Read more]

That’s fine, and totally no pressure, I just wanted to make sure you’d seen it. I’ve found that the notification system isn’t entirely reliable sometimes. ;P

Yaaay for flexibility.

Oh, well that’s an encouraging thought. ;D

Huh. I wonder why I thought that.

So your life’s been crazy, eh? Mine too. Seems a generally recurring theme the older I…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy,

I wonder, could the reason that our lives keep getting busier as we get older be at all related to the fact that older people have more responsibility? Mind-blown
It’s strange, I watch my little sisters act as though the day is so long and I’m over here thinking that there isn’t enough time in the day to actually get anything…[Read more]

I know, really. O.o Such shocking revelations.

Precisely that. And in that I fervently hope and pray they relish it while they can, ’cause it sure as sartin’ ain’t gonna last forever.

That makes a lot of sense. I read my Bible early in the morning before the day really starts, but I think a here-and-there throughout the day would be good to add…[Read more]

@emma-flournoy

My mom printed of a ton of bible verses a few years ago and she puts them all over the house. So thats one way that I am able to read scripture all day

Oh yeah, that’s awesome. We do have a lot of that too; sometimes I’m so used to them I don’t really stop and read them anymore, so that could well be a problem. What’s your favorite passage or section? It’s nigh on impossible to choose, I know, and that’s an impossible question, so just, what’s one of your favorites. ;P

Thats the downside of having them up all the time, but my mom changes them every now and then so that keeps me looking at them some times.

One that I often turn to is Psalm 71:1-6

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
turn your ear to me and save me.
Be my rock…[Read more]

That’s a great one. One I find helpful is Ecclesiastes 3:1-15.

To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

2 A time to be born,
And a time to die;
A time to plant,
And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
And a time to…[Read more]