Helen's Blogspot
4.20.06 
don't let this face fool you
SOOO KAWAII-NEEEE!! :)))
from pandafix.com
I just realized something TODAY. I remember during spring break that I was dreading this week because I will have had two lessons with Pam, the Mozart dress in the Donnell Center, Brahms piano quartet rehearsal, and lecture recital crap to do. The weird thing is that today is Thursday and I am wondering where did the week go? It's scary how time flies, especially when you aren't even thinking about it. The week just goes and there's nothing you can do about it. I guess dreading about things won't get you anywhere, and things won't seem as bad as make them seem in reality. So "Just Do It" and stop worrying about it (my advice to myself and others who are in the same boat).
My lessons went well I guess. Thanks to Pam's poor sense of time, she gave me 1.5 hours on Monday and just an hour on Tues (I had to rush into the city afterwards). We only worked on Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata and I've come to several conclusions: 1) ALWAYS MAKE PHRASES. 2) Figure out what each hand is supposed to do separately to make the phrase happen (vibrato versus slow bow, etc.). 3) Make an idea important by setting it apart from what preceded it, either through timing or dynamic or color. Must be something contrasting! 4) Do not make false accents with bow and/or shifting (choose smarter fingerings). 5) Practice with more details in mind. Stop running through stuff. Be specific about what the music is about. I'm sure the list will go on and on.
I actually accomplished a lot today, meaning, different types of work. Got to school at 10:30 and worked on HSO excerpts, ate lunch with Leewen and helped her on her DMA paper, practiced some more excerpts, ate early dinner and finished research on one book (BIG accomplishment since I have ADD), then went running for 20 min. Now I'm home figuring what to do next. Not hungry though....
4.16.06 
HAPPY EASTER...
Haha... that reminded me of something funny Randy said today. He was on the phone with his mom and when she said: HAPPY EASTER!!!! He responded with: happy easter.... He said he sounded just like Eeyore!! I can totally picture that and it was really cute. I know he is feeling lonely today -- he went to eat dimsum all by himself (gasp!) -- so I tried to be available on the phone. I'm not really having a good Easter myself since all I've been doing is practicing and studying in the library. I have two lessons with Pam this week and I have nothing to play. So what's new?
4.13.06 
social butterflying
This week is Spring Break and I've been baaaad. First of all, Randy cut his Mexico trip short and came to visit me (yay!) and he got to meet my music friends in NYC. He got to see me perform a couple times in Jeremy's recital and at the House concert of the Mozart. Overall I was kind of stressed out and I felt bad about that (the last time he was here was for my own recital) he had to see that side of me again. But we also spend alot of time together as well. I made sure not to practice and not think about myself at all. But again, it was hard. Being "single" and alone here and then having him around me 24/7 was difficult at times. He stayed til Tuesday and we went into the city together so that I could send him off. After he left, I hung out at Ryoko's for a couple days. I guess I didn't want to feel lonely in my house now that Randy has gone and Carrie is out of town as well. We did a lot of stuff: checked out shoe stores, ate with Sarah and Noriko and Naho, rehearsed, and watched Law and Order. Yup it was a pretty productive two days.
The dress rehearsal in Weill was a bit weird. I had not practiced for several days which probably influenced my opinions but I was still frustrated with the quartet. We really need rehearsals on our own or else it will suck big time. Looking forward to this Saturday... I need to practice like a mofo!
Deadlines coming up: Carnegie Hall, lecture recital, May Emerson festival, CCP. ARGH!!!
4.4.06 
slighty frustrated
1) next year's living situation: I just can't think about it or take action right now because I'm just swamped. But I feel pressure to make a decision soon from a few people. I guess I need to go where the money is, which leads me to number two...
2) annoyed at Mancini: because I need to persuade them to allow Randy to participate (he's second alternate). This way we'll be together and we can have some fun in LA. Otherwise I have NO IDEA what I'm going to do during the summer. Maybe I'll go home and teach. Or stay here and teach. I need to make $$ either way!!
3) Mozart Quintet.
random
Looking for cool things from Japan? I'm just doing some prep for my trip to Japan and I'll be sure to check out the green tea Kit Kat bars. The next thing I need is a language study guide.
