AR's Blahg

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Novel No. 8 and Public Fangirling

Since I failed for the eighth time at writing a book through to completion, I'm going to make a promise, right here, right now. I am going to post three chapters a day on this page. It doesn't matter that I didn't make the NaNoWriMo thing, I'm not a writer and never will be. Since my Chemistry teacher said I should keep writing (thanks, Ms. S!) I think this might help me. Not that I have a single subscriber to my page... ah, well.

Here are chapters 1-3 of Through Our Eyes:

Initiation

ONE

There’s a monster in my body. I don’t know where it came from, or how it got there. Hell, I don’t know what it is. It’s a writhing mass of hatred brewing, taking over me, and I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how to stop it.

What does it matter, though, if I do stop it? It’s not as though anyone would notice if I was a monster. I’m not a little girl anymore. At this age, I must know more than my parents think. I cannot speak, they talk to me in hushed tones befitting an infant. Ah, well, I suppose it does make sense. But I am so alone. Are all people alone like this?

TWO

The monster will not leave. I must make something, someone to love. Not the ghostly figures my sisters pretend to see by their bedsides, no. Someone much more concrete. How could anybody live alone? Am I the only one?

I must make a friend. A real sister, someone I can talk to, someone who won’t speak in the condescending voice of a pained mother. I need a friend like this. Young Michael acts sweetly to my parents, but when they turn their backs he pulls my hair and takes my carrots. Why must he take my carrots?

I don’t need Michael. Or his carrots.

THREE

I have started making my friend. she is a girl. Her name will be Sarah, or Jane. I don’t want a boy friend. I don’t like boys very much. Michael is still mean to me.

Sarah or Jane will be nice, and happy, and will not like Michael because if she likes Michael I will have to hate her. If she lives with me in here, it would be not very good, hating her... she will not very much like Michael, I hope. I am allergic to blueberries.

Sarah or Jane will be nice and my friend and will not like blueberries or Michael.

Let me know if it's any good.

Also, here's me fangirling over Sherlock (I mean Moriarty):

Love you, nonexistent readers!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Summer

Well, I suppose I haven't posted in a while. I've had such a great time this year- my life is wonderful. Since we left off, I've been to so, so many places I never knew I could be, become so many things I never could've dreamed of as a young music lover.

My FSU experience was simply unprecidented by anything else. Ever. Though I couldn't find a happy detail if I tried, it was the best thing that's ever happened to me (as of then.) Each day another miracle, another friend, another beautiful creature to admire or let nibble a seed out of my palm...

I spent two weeks with my family up north, in GA. (Hey, it's north to me!) Week one was lounging and climbing mountains. Week two... well, let's just say my cousin is the best person in the world to go to if you're hurt. Healing powers, I tell you! Healing powers! (Love you, Banana!)

Then, *shudder*, Band camp! 1 pm-2pm, be miserable in a field with lots of bugs! 2 pm-5pm, get yelled at for not making your dot! 5pm-6pm, try not to breathe on Olivia when you have dinner! 6pm-9pm, get yelled at and watch the sunset. Or, you could become one with the Band, with the strongest sense of team you've ever felt, with your true self, the one who matters in this world, and be in bliss, oh, bliss for the 8 hours each day. Bliss or misery? You decide. But, sorry, you're going to smell bad either way.

Anyway, I guess what I'm trying to say is that after my recent blunder into a potentially never-ending, fiery pit of despair, I am making a FINE recovery. And so I shall.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The Sole Witness

There was a sickening CRACK! as I found myself on the ground, shaking. I hurried outside with my mother- being careful to shut the door so as my elderly canine friend wouldn't be hurt- and managed to catch the last bit of a horrific scene:

After a clean break off of a tree, a telescopic branch pummeled to the icy gravel walkway, and I saw something scrabbling to retreat in time to catch the wood of the original stalk. His claw stuck to the rough outer layer of bark, and he was pulled down with the branch. I begged with all of my entire SOUL for him to be okay, but it was not to be. As much as I dreaded the sight, I managed to drag my feet over in time to see his eyes wide open in fear, his last tear in this world trickling down his face.

And thus he died.

He is still out there, in this frozen downpour of cruelty. There is nothing to do.

THE END

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

The Real Thing

Things. What is a thing? Is the definition "something existent", or might it be a little more refined? People call other 'things' "The real 'thing'". Aren't all 'things' real, or is my life as large of a misconception as yours?
I used to think I knew everything. Heck, my 5th grade advertised contribution to the class Yellow Pages (sorry we ripped you off, guys) read: "Need help in math? Come to me! I can do almost any math problem." Ha! Three years later, and I still don't come even close to close to my little boast. Did that sound poetic?
Okay, so I'm good in my classes, and I do a bang-up job (whatever that means) at music, if I do say so myself (which, obviously, I do). I'm just alright at acting. And MAN, do I suck at art! So maybe I don't know everything. But I do know something, and some Edward something-or-other, if that was even his name, once said, "I cannot do everything, but still I can do something, and because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something I can do."
THE END

Upcoming Performances

Dec 4 Sat 2:00pm ~ FSYO Holiday Concert
**** *** *** **** ~ Lake Eola Band Shell

Dec 7 Thu 6:30pm ~ GMS Winter Band Symphonic
**** *** *** **** ~ [French Horn & Bass]
**** *** *** **** ~ Jazz Band [Trumpet]

Dec 16 Thu 6:30pm ~ GMS Orchestra
**** *** *** **** ~ Winter Concert [Viola]

8th Grade Perspectives

Changes and new directions
I spent the end of summer and early fall preparing for the FSYO season opener. Here's our final rehearsal:

Joining FSYO's Philharmonia orchestra as 2nd chair this fall, was quite an experience for us performing three movements of Holst' The Planets with the Symphonic orchestra at the Bob Carr on October 12th.

MARS ~ Bringer of War

URANUS ~ The Magician

JUPITER ~ Bringer of Jollity

All County Orchestra 2010

AR & Abbey [L] Ashley & AR [R]
Representing GMS in the All County Orchestra as Principle Violist on November 13th was an honor. It was great to have Karen from GMS as our Concert Master as well.
To hear all four songs that we played, check out mom's playlist:
http://www.youtube.com/my_playlists?p=D0C045834C49481F

Or watch them here:
Tocatta- All County Orchestra

Philip Bliss

Dance of Iscariot

Point Lookout

Moving up to Symphonic Band and first chair French Horn gave me the confidence to audition for All County Band. I will be one of two from GMS representing our school in January.

With nothing else to do in the mornings [but sleep!], I chose to join the GMS Jazz band and practice at 8:20am twice a week. I'm doing pretty good for a first year trumpet player.

Looking Back on 7th Grade

There were many performances in seventh grade.
AGFM
TNB
GMS Orchestra
GMS Band
FSYO Prelude Orchestra
All County Orchestra 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

Listen Online!

Heart of a Dream is now up on our myspace account: www.myspace.com/fucotuesdaynightband
More TNB songs forthcoming...

Autumn Rain playing with the FSYO Prelude Orchestra on Oct 11, 2009:

You can skip the first minute or two while they are tuning up...

Friday, August 14, 2009

TNB ~ Tuesday Nite Band

TNB plays DeLand Original Music Festival ~ Nov 13, 2009

TNB plays Black Cat Open Mic

In the fall of 2008, AR joined the Tuesday Nite Band [TNB] @ the Orlando UU which was a big change from classical to modern and pop music. The unique sound of Gladys, Jenn and Angela's vocal harmonies, the original piano arrangements by Jamie Sterrett and the riffs and rhythms by Paul & Jay are a great palette for Autumn Rain's viola and singing.

Since often times, a song will be requested by the liturgical committe, TNB is stretched and challenged to play every thing from Bowie to Donovan to Edie Brickel and the New Bohemians! No matter what they play, the TNB sound flows under it, over it and through it. Upcoming performances are here: http://www.facebook.com/tuesdayniteband

AR's Performances with the TNB

2009/01/04 Singing REM's Begin the Begin

2008/10/

A Gift For Music ~ AGFM

Catching up on posting videos from this past year. A Gift For Music, the program that offers free violin instruction and instruments to all 3rd graders in numerous low-income elementary schools here in Central Florida helped Autumn Rain get started musically. Their summer small group instruction camps really helped keep her interest too. After two years, AR was invited to play in their CORE orchestra for elementary students and has now moved up to their Chamber orchestra. Here's a video of the spring Core and Chamber orchestras concert:

And some photos:

Friday, August 7, 2009

Orlando Kiwanis Luncheon

July 24, 2009 slideshow of the Orlando Kiwanis luncheon where Autumn Rain Symphony Cricks talked about the AGFM program that got her started in music and has helped her become the violist she is today. Her mission was to help raise awareness and raise funds for A Gift for Music, which has lost substantial funding this year. Included was a performance of "The Light of Day", composed by Jamie Sterrett for Autumn Rain Cricks. Mr, Sterrett on piano, Autumn Rain on viola which is not the music you will hear on this video/slide show. See the next video for the real deal.

Slide Show of luncheon ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5l3L_12i3w