"Joseph Smith...has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived"

I got...

...a 40/64. They recommend getting a 30. So I did well. Huzzah.

It's over.

The audition and all that crap is finally over. I feel like a huge burden has been lifted, and I'm weary.

It went okay. I killed the Debussy. I kept going though, floundering my way to end. It's a shame because that's such a lovely piece too. The Salzedo went well. And they loved it. All three of them (the two harp majors and the harp lady herself) commented on how they had never heard this piece and that they intended on learning it. They even thanked me for choosing it. Hopefully that gets me some brownie points. The Bach went well too. I made two minor mistakes, but again I kept going and I tried to be very expressive. So it was an okay audition. Not as well as I'd hoped for, but it could have been worse.

The aural skills test was interesting. I know I did well on the rhythms portion, okay on the harmonic intervals portion, and probably not as well on the chords portion. I will find out my score later today. The good news is if I do really well on it, it could give my audition an added boost. And I can retake it as many times as I want to within the next two weeks to try to get a better score.

So yeah. I'm relieved. I may or may not get in. I really can't say. But I'm just glad it's over.

And to all of you who wished me luck, prayed for me, listened to me practice, and encouraged me---Thank you. It really did mean a lot to me that people cared. My roommates were especially wonderful--the pavement on the way out to my car greeted me with chalk encouragements that had been strategically placed late last night. Even though I was still nervous, it made me very happy to know that so many people genuinely cared about me and my success. So thanks again. I love you all.

And I will let you know later what I got on the aural skills test.

Favor

So I'm auditioning for the music school tomorrow. And I'm a little bit nervous.

I'm going to take some Vitamin B in the morning. And I'm sure there will be some promises to God if he will just help me do well.

But if there were a few other people praying for me, it would be nice. So if you can, at 11:30, think of me and pray that I will do well.

Thanks you guys.

Distracting myself

I'm sitting in the harp room waiting for this girl to leave and let me use the harp. She is AMAZING. No joke. I want to throw up. Part of me wants to know if she's a harp major or if she's auditioning this Saturday too. But then again, I really don't want to know. If she's auditioning I think I'm going to be sick. I know I shouldn't compare myself to her, but GOSH. How could I even hope to get in with people like her auditioning?

I want to hide so badly. But I need to practice even more badly.

I thought I could blog to distract myself. What I wanted to talk about was last night. Both Courtney and I woke up in the middle of the night to something that sounded like something had crashed off of our nightstand thing. Both of us looked around trying to figure it out, but neither of us could so we just went back to sleep. Then, around 6 am my phone alarm went off. Courtney frantically asked what was going on and I hurriedly shut it off, telling her it was nothing. The creepy thing: I never set my phone alarm. I haven't set my phone alarm since Christmas break. And to add to the creepiness, when Courtney got up this morning someone had hung her bathrobe out in the front room. What the heck?!?! I'm thoroughly creeped out.

And this girl is making me sick with her amazing music. I need to leave. I'll just practice extra tomorrow. Groan. Ah!!

Bananas, Vitamin B, and God

Okay, so most of you know that I'm preparing for an audition to the Music School right now. I'm auditioning on the harp with the hopes of being a sound recording major. Yes, you have to get into the Music School first.

My audition is next Saturday. I didn't start preparing for the audition until Christmas break--as in, the end of December. I basically had a month to prepare two pieces and a technique piece. And I wanted them memorized for the audition. Yikes.

I finished memorizing them today. My fingers were painfully blistered for a few days, and now the blisters are turning into callouses. It still hurts to play, but it's definitely getting better. And I'm doing much better with preparation than I had anticipated.

Nevertheless, I am nervous. Hopefully bananas and Vitamin B will help. Hopefully God will help too.

Refrigerator

Roommate B and I cleaned out the fridge today. We took everything out, threw away expired/scary food, washed the racks and drawers, and put tidily put everything back in. We even made labels for the drawers and one shelf. It was beautiful.

Then Cuorderoy and her sister (aka Roommate D) came home from the grocery store. Apparently, they decided to buy a month's worth of food each so that they don't have to go shopping for a long time. I see the logic in this--I hate going grocery shopping--but with six people living here, it wasn't the smartest idea. Where do you put all that food?

I, being the obsessively organized one, heard them trying to figure out how to arrange food in the fridge and rushed to the rescue. I just don't get it. There was plenty of room. They just needed to stack a few things and refit a few others. No problem. Then Cuorderoy mentioned something about not having enough shelf space and I suggested she go through her shelves and consolidate---that huge, almost-empty tub of pretzels could go, and that random box of who-knows-what that has been sitting there the whole semester could be sorted through. Use your heads people!

It's not that this is even a big deal, I just get frustrated when people just look at something and think it's not possible without trying. And not being organized frustrates me too. How can you go through life in a mess not knowing where anything is? How can you just "huck" (to use a Utah word) things in the fridge and hope it all fits?

I really am obsessive. Another marriage requirement (apart from not being a redneck): Must be slightly organized at worst, and must be smarter than the refrigerator.

Back in Utah

It was good to be unpacked and reorganized and to add decorations to my wall. It was also good to be in my own apartment, where I am independent, have my own car, and don't have to tell anyone where I'm going or what I'm doing.

But I was lonely. I thought I would be the last person to come back. I was wrong. In fact, Roommate C was the only one that was in Provo when I got back. She decided to watch a movie, which I was in favor of. But when her boyfriend came over and they were snuggled on the couch, I was even more lonely.

Luckily the Jerman came over. I hadn't seen him in a long time, so it was good to see and talk to him again. Plus we watched Nacho Libre and ate bean dip. It turned out to be a lot of fun, and I felt better. Plus, the Jerman lives in Smurf's ward again, and I was invited to attend.

So Sunday I went to their ward. It allowed me to sleep in, which was great. And I probably knew as many people in that ward as I do in my own ward. Ha. I really liked it, and I'm sure I will go back sometime.

Monday meant the first day of classes. I hadn't bought any books. I didn't even know if I was going to keep my schedule the way it was or change it completely. But somehow, I didn't care. I did NOT want classes to start because it meant that winter break was really over. I went to my classes, and I was surprised to find that I enjoyed all of them. It was wonderful.

Roommate B showed me where the harp is in the library so I got to practice. So maybe I'll actually be prepared for my audition. Huzzah! Since then, I've been living in the library, and my fingers are blistered and hurting.

We went to Popsicle's apartment to pick up my stuff she drove out here for me. It was a beautiful apartment. Nice couches and kitchen, her own room, and a walk in closet that was bigger than mine and Cuorderoy's combined. She does pay about $50 more than me a month, and it's way further from campus, but still...I'm jealous.

Roommate B and I went to Dairy Queen afterwards though, so the day ended nicely. And Tuesday proved to be wonderful as well. I pretty much like all of my classes thus far, so life is good.

If only Roommates D and E would do their dishes.

If only.

Chunk 4: The last week

I read two more books the last week. The Carol Lynn Pearson books I mentioned earlier. There will be a separate blog about them.

Because my sister was in town this week, I spent a lot more time at home playing games. Which was really fun actually. I spent New Year's Eve exclusively with my family, with the exception of the Native playing a game with us in the evening. One night during the week, one of my brother's old roommates came over and we played 6-handed Rook. We also played Wise or Otherwise, and ended up in tears from laughing so hard. Great fun.

I continued to hang out with people--Popsicle, the Native. I went over to Masta P's house (Masta P is a childhood playmate and good friend of mine...he's hilarious and hot and I love him and his family to death) one night. I went out to lunch with my friend Tegelet on my last day.

My last night was the best though. The Native picked up a hitch-hiker (me) and caught it on video. Then, after we reviewed/planned his life, we went with our friend M to an Afghani place in Davis. The food was AMAZING and we got to sit on pillows on the floor. It was wonderful. Afterwards, the Native and I walked around Borders Books, and then stayed up until 1am coloring those felt pictures and talking. It was so worth it.

The next morning, with heavy heart I flew back to Utah.

Chunk 3: The first week

Christmas was lovely. Nothing incredibly exciting, but it was lovely nonetheless. I watched my first episodes of The Office, which, I admit, is incredibly stupid but incredibly entertaining. I enjoyed the presents given to me by my dear friends and Mother gave me enough perfumes/sprays to last me the rest of my life. Happy Heart, Pink Sugar, OP, Warm Vanilla Sugar, and Lovespell. I smell good.

And there were, of course, the new and old games that we played as a family. No Pedersen Christmas would be complete without games.

The week was fun. CheeseWheel had a Christmas party, and all awkwardness between us is gone now. I hung out with the Native and a few other Vacaville natives who were back for the holidays. I read two books, which I wrote about a few blogs previous. The Native introduced me to his home-made avocado ice cream (which would have been delicious if I liked avocados) and we even attempted to make our own strawberry-banana ice cream (which didn't turn out badly, but it wasn't great either). We did some other things as well, but I don't think I'll share those...

Movies I saw: The Pursuit of Happyness, A Night at the Museum, and Happy Feet. The first was wonderful, the second was very entertaining and kept the audience laughing the entire time, and the third was...disappointing. I don't recommend it, unless you're a tree-hugger. I'm just saying.

Guillermo got married to Natasha that Saturday. I went to the reception, which was lovely. I saw a lot of old friends there too, which was fun. Guillermo--you are Natasha are on my wall. Just so you know.

One more week.

Chunk 2: The first weekend

I don't even remember what happened on Thursday. I made cookies with my mom and went to the Popsicle's and CheeseWheel's house at some point. The Native was there too.

It was slightly awkward, I remember now. I've been good friends with Popsicle for a long time. The Native has been good friends with CheeseWheel for a long time. But the Native and I have only been good friends for about a year, and CheeseWheel was never around because he's been in Scotland on his mission. So, in relation to CheeseWheel, now that he's back, I was the little sister's friend, as well as his own friend's friend. Complicated. I know. It was just sort of weird. I didn't really know what to do.

Friday was good though. (I'm now introducing MegaMuffin--a friend of mine since the sixth grade. She goes to UCSD, and is one of the few non-LDS peoples that are mentioned on my blog. She's pretty much amazing.) Popsicle, MegaMuffin, and I took BART into the city and met our old singing group at Ghirardelli Square. We got to play bells and sing with them, and we were reunited with our old buddies who had also come. Though most were bundled up in jackets and scarves, I was quite warm and was grateful for the above-freezing temperatures. It was lovely. Although...I'm quite glad that I'm not in the group anymore. My new bell group is way better.

Ahem.

Saturday was uneventful. I went to the Native's house that night and we watched his sister's boot camp video (which was hardcore, yo) and then watched Elf and chatted with his fam.

Sunday. Christmas Eve. Church was nice. I forgot how loud family wards are. Kids crying and everything. It was nice to see everyone though. After church I delivered my presents to my friends. This was one of only two days the entire break that I saw and talked to Roommate A (who has requested a name change that I have approved. She will henceforth be called Cuorderoy).

It was on this day that I received a text message from an Unknown. Apparently he had text-ed the wrong number, but asked who I was anyway. Something about being single, his son was in Illinois, he was all alone for Christmas, and could we hook up? Um no, that's not how I roll. He continued to text me throughout the week, just asking what I was up to and how my Christmas was. And then I never heard from him again. Whatever.

Santa was coming.

Chunk 1: Going home

The beginning of the updates. I will try to do this in chunks so it's not one huge boring blog that takes forever.

Here it goes.

I was SOOOOOO excited to go home. I packed with gusto and tidied up my room before leaving. Then, that beautiful Wednesday night, Granny drove me to the airport.

It was my first time flying alone. And yet, the procedure was quite simple, and I was pleased to get through security so quickly. Until I realized that I was extremely early and would have to entertain myself for the two hours preceding my flight. So I got a Caesar salad and sat down to eat. Shortly after conversing with the Native on the phone, I suddenly see...

"Mustacheboy?"
"Stephalumpagus? I just got off the phone with Guillermo!"
"Ha! I just got off the phone with the Native!"

After discussing why we were both sooooooooo early for our flight (yep, we were on the same flight), we chatted about classes and parents and games and movies and people and, I hate to admit it--marriage. Mother of Mustacheboy has long hoped that we would wed and...okay I'm feeling awkward so I won't go on with this story. We talked about our parents and how they try to marry us off. There.

Anywho, the flight was quick and not too boring. And when I got to Sac, the Native was outside to pick me up. We sang Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, and NSync Christmas songs all the way home. I even got to hear some Odes to the Native, sung by, you'll never guess, the Native. I was finally home.

blahrgh

That's how I feel. The routine curse of Eve strikes again. Slightly nauseous. I have a lot to blog about though. Here's the list for when I feel better/get around to writing a few blogs:

1. Two more books read--"Goodbye, I Love You" and "No More Goodbyes." The Native has ranted about these books in a few of his blogs, so I borrowed them from him. This post will most likely be on my other blog.

2. Winter break. California and its loveliness, holiday fun, hanging out with friends...All that stuff.

3. First day of classes. Books, teachers, and fulfilled/unfulfilled expectations.

4. I'm adding a new character to my blog. Her name is Popsicle. She is from Vacaville too and is one of my best friends even though she's a year younger than me. She's now at BYU, and her brother, who we will call CheeseWheel, is here too. The post: My apartment vs. Popsicle's.

5. This one is optional. I may or may not get around to it. It's just how life is going--updates on my "major" and on family and friends and just life in general I guess. We'll see.

Ok well this was much longer than I expected and I'm still nauseous. Time for bed.