Whaaaaa

So it looks like this fucking thing's still here. WTFWHY. I thought I deleted it, buttt apparently I didn't. I clicked on the link hoping for a "BLOGGER DOESNOT RECOGNIZE YO' PAGE SUCKA" but instead.... I got that picture of pieces of goddamn toast up there.

Who does that?

Thing is, I've had a bit to drink and the entire last year feels like a bad trip/black out/waking up from surgery so I thought....hey why not revive this zombie?

First of all I'd like to say good night.

Moonday

Yeah basically couldn't think of a title. Actually, my eyes are doing this weird unfocusing thing and I can't even see the screen. I'm just typing by muscle memory. :)

Update on not having a car to piss in or a window to throw it out of: It's great. Fucking grizzate! Seriously, it was a blessing in disguise when I totaled my partner's car (even though I still feel terrible about it!!).

When you take the bus everywhere and/or walk, you feel more connected to your community. You share unique experiences with total strangers and even on a bus crowded with people from a much different background than yourself, you feel connected to them. Plus, parking is so annoying. And we never have to again!

I should be studying for my Italian test or doing library work right now, so I'm going to stop writing.

If you want to read words that mean more than these, go to OutVoiced Albany

Carlessness

I totaled Brian's car two weeks ago because I'm a dumbass. That's the true reason. We've decided to use the payoff for other necessities (like paying off all that the car racked up in the first place) and just going without a car. WHOLE new chapter of life here. We've already had some major difficulties but we're pressing on. We're fortunate enough to live in Albany, where you really don't need a car. Tiny cute little city with an almost efficient bus system and we live right in Center Square, bordered on the north by Washington and on the south by Madison, otherwise known as the two avenues from which ALL buses come.

So let's see how this goes for the next few years.... :)

Another way of looking at it is practice for NYC (or, less likely, Boston).

Yesterday

I woke up with a migraine and eventually made it to work.

After work, I waited in line for an hour at Social Security for a new card.

Then I brought my college's tuba back.

Then Brian and I cleaned and unpacked the apartment.

Then he took me to dinner.

After dinner we went out for drinks.


And it was the best birthday ever. <3

Wicked

Oh mah gawd! See it. Just friggen see it. You won't be disappointed. Brian and I went the other night and it was incredible. And the sad part is that there really is no way to communicate just how good it was. It's something that you need to see for yourself. So..get on that. K thanks.

Apparently my boss heard some 'eh' reviews by friends of hers. I think they went to the wrong theatre and saw Phantom of the Opera or something instead.

So my grades finally came in yesterday afternoon. 4.0 for the semester, all A's! 3.97 cumulative GPA giving me an easy Summa Cum Laude honors line on my degree. Now to apply for grad school. Uggggggh that sounds painful.

Today I get my New York State driver's license. Wish me luck. Goin' down to tha ghettoooooO!

That's all I feel like writing. I need to go update OutVoiced Albany, too.

Bye bye.

Grades

OMG OMG OMG I'M SUCH A GRADE WHORE!! And this is the semester that decides which level of honors I get. If I get all As or A-'s, I get Summa Cum Laude, highest honors. If I get a B, I could be at Magna Cum Laude, or medium high honors. Another way to say that is pissed. And grades came out today. But I promised Brian I wouldn't check them because if I get that B, I'm going to be in a terrible mood and in need of super hard drugs to stay sane.

And we're seeing Wicked tonight, which is something I'm not ruining. Just not. But holy crap, it's hard not to check my grades.

One good thing is that I didn't have to play a jury this semester. One bad thing is that I accomplished this by smashing my face up. The same day that I posted about playing on the radio (I haven't been able to post anything since, I've been soooo friggen busy!), my mom visited. She picked me up from the library where I work and as we were walking from the 3rd floor to the 2nd, where my office is, I fell down the stairs.

Yeah I'm awesome. So I twisted my ankle, which caused the fall. Then I landed on my left knee and twisted that, spraining both of those parts in the process. Then, the worst part, I landed on the railing, which is flat on top and rounded underneath. In other words, pointy...um, -ish. So I slammed my face, just under my bottom lip, into the square edge of the railing. At first I thought I just split my lip, which would have been bad enough. When I looked in the mirror, I had two holes in my gums under my bottom teeth. And a concert to play later, the John Rutter "Gloria". On tuba, the mouthpiece of which makes contact with the gums under your bottom teeth.

So I played the concert, turning the two holes almost into one in the process. Afterward, I went almost straight to the emergency room, where I received 4 stitches in my gums, good pain meds and orders not to play for a week. This was Friday; my jury was Tuesday. Oh shit.

So anyway, the music department took pity on me and didn't require me to make up my jury or play it that day, excusing me from it completely. An incomplete would cost $60 and not allow for any honors at all, meaning I would have played the jury anyway. And ripped the stitches out. And possibly be prevented from playing permanently.

I have some low range issues actually. The stitches closed up the part where the inside of my lip meets the gums just a bit, so I need to actually change how I play a bit to compensate.

In other news... Actually, no, if I write other news this will be way too long. So I'll write other news another time. There's plenty. But goodbye for now, Happy Monday!!!

Radio

I've now played on it. This morning, my tuba quartet (formed on Wednesday and currently nameless) played on a local favorite show hosted by Don Weeks on WGY in Schenectady, NY. We are all part of ITEA (International Tuba Euphonium Association) at The College of Saint Rose (CSR), which organized this year's (first in quite a while) Tuba Christmas in Albany. We played at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at Empire State Plaza last Sunday and someone from the radio station was there and heard us. CSR ITEA's president, Greg Clark, got a call earlier this week that the station wanted 4 students from CSR to play on the show this morning. The rest of the story can be heard here. Needless to say, that was quite an experience.

On an unrelated note, you may notice that the link in my earlier post on here to my new blog, OutVoiced Albany, is no longer working. I've decided to take the blog down during the next week while I wrap up this semester. I enjoy writing about gay life and gay issues in Albany, but I'm too busy to really even be writing this right now, and 2 blogs is too much to handle at the moment. This morning was my 5th of 7 concerts this week, plus I have 2 papers, 3 finals and a jury to complete within the next week. Anyway, this blog wins because it has seniority.

The 6th of 7 performances is this evening at CSR, with the Masterworks Chorale. We're performing the John Rutter "Gloria" in 3 movements with the 80 person choir, brass octet, organ and percussion. And let me tell you, it is friggen epic! Wonderful piece with what is rumored to be one of the best (if not the best) brass/percussion groups ever at the College of Saint Rose.

My mom is coming tonight to see the concert and spend time with Brian and I afterward. So basically today is the day of great music, great friends and family, time spent having fun and scarves. It's cold.

And now it's time to go. Mom should be here soon. :)