Hilarities and Arpeggios

Every Wednesday night I sing in the city Youth Choir. We practise for two hours and we sing with the symphony, CBC radio, at churches, synagogs, memorial services and in holiday shows. My choir is like my family. I've known many of them for years and we love each other like crazy. The behaviour at rehersal isn't really as strange as it seems. I mean what do you expect when you take a bunch of teenagers, put them in a room where they feel completely comfortable and tell them to express themselves? Obviously hilarity ensues.

Since I just came home from rehersal and choir is fresh in my mind I thought I'd tell you guys a few of our legendary stories. Okay here goes, but I must warn you that the following is not for the faint of heart... DUH DUH DUH DUH! Just kidding, I hope...

First story; It was our Christmas concert and we had just finished a wonderful round of 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' and were supposed to be filing down the aisle and to our seats in a calm and orderly fashion as our director said a few final words of thanks. I had on the most amazing brown leather boots with five inch heels and I was feeling particularly beautiful that night. I stepped down from the top step of the church stage/stairs and felt a slight tug. Thinking nothing I continued my descent when suddenly I lost all control of my body. My legs seemed to have a mind of their own as they ran down the middle aisle of the church trying desperatly not the buckle and let me fall. I tripped and sprawled down the aisle arms flailling, legs running and screaming just a little bit. I have to say it was not my most graceful moment. The worst part is that every time we have a concert our director tells everybody not to wear heels that are too high or they might trip and then stares at me for a good ten seconds. Good times.

This brings me to my second story. One of our directors and conductors took a year off from the choir and went back to school to pursue conducting at a higher level. Now let me describe this guy. He's a big tall guy with a deep voice who used to say things like "That note makes me want to eat babies." Of course he's totally awesome and we missed him like crazy the year he was gone. What we didn't expect was how he returned. He's still a big tall, deep voiced, totally awesome guy but now he's very zen. He says things like "I don't want to cut you off, that sounds too violent" and "Don't try, do or do not." I made the mistake of thinking out loud when I remarked that he was a hippie now. If you know him at all you know that a hippie is the EXACT opposite of who he is. And yet every time he says something like "We'll just relax and let the note come to us" I can;t help picturing him in a flowery top and headband singing the Beatles in a meadow.

Now there are millions more where these stories come from but for the purpose of time (and because I have civics homework) I'll just list a few funny things that have been said or done in choir.
-Our director told us to envision sqeezing a dime between our butt cheeks in order to hit high notes.
-One of my friends advised the choir to think of  'strawberries and anime characters frolicking in snow' to get in the right mood for a song.
-One of my friends and I consistantly break out in a square dance.
-I've been told that choir could only be improved by tacos.
-An adjudicator (judge) told us the true meaning of  'fa la la la la'. (If you don't what it is google it. You will never sing 'Deck The Halls' the same way.)

There's tons more that I can't think of at the moment but I think I've named enough that you get the gist of what goes on in Wednesday night rehersals. We are insane and to outsiders we may appear to need psychological treatment but we love and care for each other and most of all we love music. And that, my friends, is what brings us together.
<3

Is it Christmas already?

So for those of you who don't know; I go to an art school part time with one of my best friends XCenedra (check out her blog here).  Anyways I take a vocal music class at this art school and we are learning Christmas music right now because we have an upcoming concert with the symphony. So I've basically been spending my mornings singing Christmas songs and I think it's really gotten to me. I mean it's one thing to be singing them in class when I'm supposed to but lately I've been finding myself humming 'We Wish You a Merry Christmas' while walking down the halls, doing my homework or going to the bathroom, to name a few.

It's funny because I'm definetly not one of those people who start celebrating a holiday months in advance. In fact, I hate it when store send out Halloween costume brochures in early September. I mean come on! It's not even October yet! Who in their right mind would buy a Halloween costume three months in advance? No one. Despite all of this I still find myself singing Christmas carols in early September. (Don't judge me!)

Speaking of Christmas carols do you guys ever count beats out to make songs in your head? Let me explain. Say you're walking down the halls in a pair of shoes that make particularly satisfying 'click' noises when you step. Do you ever find yourself counting out the clicks into songs. (Click Click Clickclick Click Click Clickclick Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Click Clickclick) <- That was 'Here Comes The Bride' if you were wondering...

Okay so maybe I'm just insane. Probably. But that what makes me so awesome! (At least I hope so ;)) And on that note I think I'll leave you with this mildly amusing picture of a cat doing the tango.

Of Doughnuts and Old People

So today I went for a walk with my friend Becca (shout out!) and we decided to stop at the Tim Hortons near my house. Earlier that morning we had had doughnuts for breakfast and we were debating the real purpose of a doughnut. I am a firm believer that doughnuts are a breakfast food to be consumed during your laziest of Saturday morings with coffee whilst wearing your pyjamas. I have eaten doughnuts for breakfast my entire life and I have never questioned that this is what doughnuts are intended for. However, when my Dad came back from his hockey game with a dozen doughnuts Becca couldn't believe we were going to eat them for breakfast. Apparently some people eat doughnuts for desert after lunch or dinner! HA! Is that not the most insane thing you've ever heard in your life?

So anyway Becca and I were at Tims. (I had ordered a doughnut and iced capp and she a cookie and smoothie.) All of a sudden I saw Becca's face light up and she whispered "So Cute!" Now most teenage girls would've expected her to be talking about a boy but when I turned around I saw that she was in fact talking about an elderly man with a combover. No, she wasn't talking about him THAT WAY. Becca and I both find old people to be absolutely adorable. I'm not sure exactly what it is but when I see a senior citizen with white hair and wrinkled skin I die of a cute overload.

I think it's a combination of the way they speak ("Hello deary."), how they dress (white sneakers, dress pants and big holiday sweaters) and how they act (wise, friendly, talkative) that makes them so cute. I just find old people to be adorable! I hope when I get older that I will turn into a Cute Old Person instead of a Scary Old Person. Although most members of the senior citizen bracket are adorable there are a few who are downright terrifying. But other than that small minority older folks seem to have so much of a greater knowledge of the world. They are always friendly, complimentary and kind. They are rarely suspicious or dubious and tend to be much more trusting than today's generation. It is as if old people are beyond being embarassed of getting strange looks and simply do and say what they want.

After forty, th older people get the more fearless they seem to become. A woman who is thirty would most likely not approach a complete stranger and strike of a conversation abouth that person's sweater but that same woman at the age of sixty might. I believe the older people get the more they realize that what others think of them is actually quite irrelevant. If they want to dance, they'll dance, if the want to pinch your cheeks they'll pinch your cheeks. All of this adds to the overall approchability and sweetness of older people.

Although I love my life and am in no rush to be old I look forward to the day when I can coo at strangers babies and call everybody 'deary'. The day when I can sit on a park bench and just enjoy the world. The day when I can walk through a park with my husband of forty years and be admired by younger couples. I understand the fear of old age comes from the fear of death but we'll all be old one day so we might as well rock it! :)

Because these amuse me to no end... :)

I find this picture both hilarious and disturbing...

True dat! ;)

"What!? You posted my photo on your blog and ridiculed me? My father will hear about this!"

I am instantly reminded why I love Ellen. Can Hat = PURE GENIUS

I die every time I read this. Says a lot about my sense of humor...

Hahahaha! Snape's face in the last frame is just priceless!

Hello World!

I've been asked before what I would say if I had the world at my attention. I never really took this question seriously. I mean, what are the chances of having every single, cellular person paying you complete and utter attention all at once? Not very good. Of course the entire world isn't reading this blog. In fact I'd be willing to bet only a very few people ever find this blog and care enough to read it. But if you haven't gotten bored of me yet here's hoping you won't for a little while at least. I promise if you stick with me you won't mind me all that much and you may even start to like me a little. Fancy that. ;)

So for my first official post on the World Wide Web I would like to say; Hello World!