Life after Christmas
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Don't think that just because I am posting about everyday means that I don't have anything better to do with my time. I am purposely posting everyday, so that when I go back to school, I can look back on how nice it was not to have to put in 18 hour days. Today I went to work, and then I took a nap for two hours, and then I drove out to Grand Valley (on the way I stopped in at Lynette's and gave her a Latin exam) and then I practiced my concerto, and then I recorded carillon for a while and then I practiced some more, and then I came home and wrestled with Evie ( I won like four times). We both got bored watching PBS; they had two specials about how the world is likely to be engulfed by huge tsunamis and then about how the surviving humanity will likely be killed off by a pandemic flu virus. Tomorrow I think I will discover the cure for bird flu. That wouldn't be such a waste of my time.
I should post something about what happened on Christmas. I had to work that morning at Rest Haven. As a result, I was really tired for the rest of the day. I kept falling asleep in church, and I have never fallen asleep in church since I was five years old. We had Aunt Marion, the Zylstras, and the Howkins over for dinner, and around 1:00 I went to bed and stayed there until 5:30, when we left for church again. That night, Lynette, Evie and I went over to the VT's. Melissa, Rachel and Lynette and myself opened the letters that we all wrote to each other three years ago. They were all really funny. We stayed up really late laughing really hard as usual. Melissa and Lynette thought everything was really funny, like the time when Abby burst in, told us all to shut up, and then disappeared. Ha ha. The next morning we watched a movie until 12:00, which was really bad because I had a lesson at 1:00. Lynette drove us home in just enough time; I was only 10 minutes late after driving to Allendale all the way from Belding. N.B. the fastest way out to Belding is to take Vergennes.
I have got serious practicing to do all week. This weekend should be interesting. We're going to Canada for Michelle and Bryden's wedding.
Christmas Eve
As it was Saturday, I worked from 6:30 am to about 2. When I got home I went shopping with James and then I took a nap. That night we had our family party. I bought my Mom a diamond ring. Yes, it is real. I made sure, just in case the sales clerk was wrong. Thanks Steve*. I got everyone else simply fabulous gifts too. Later on that night Mom and I went over to the Beckering Tower and I played in Mrs. V's Carillon concert. We came home and I went to bed.
Uh, Merry Christmas.
Today was Friday
I spent last night at Lynette's for the second time this week. This has never happened in the history of our friendship. Neither of us slept much, because Lynette had country songs stuck in her head. That morning, I went along with Pete and John to help them buy their costumes at Goodwill for the play they are in. (Fiddler on the Roof; Pete is Lazer (sp?) Wolf, and John is a beggar. ) We found great outfits for them. The funny part was when we were paying for a pair of incredibly crappy shoes for John. They were really bad. They looked like they had been left out in the rain for a few months and then worn by a bum for a while and then maybe chewed on by some animal before they had been given to the Goodwill. The cashier could not find the price tag, so Pete helped her out: "A buck!". She glared at him and rang them up for $3.00. "What?" says Pete, "There are better looking shoes over there for like a dollar fifty!" Pete was concerned about trying to save as much money as possible so he could get something else that was not in the original budget. I was laughing really hard. Nobody else thought it was that funny. The clerk held her ground, but in spite of her, we had exactly $6.00 left over to spend at Krispy Kremes. We ate all but three of the dozen donuts that we bought on the way back home, and when we got there, Lynette finished them off. David might have helped her. Wow.
Then I went to school and practiced. The doors were all locked, but other music majors had found their way into the building anyways, and they let me in. Around 3:00 I went back home, deposited some checks, and then wrapped some presents. Dad is getting everyone books. Soon everyone left to go to our party with Aunt Marion. We love Aunt Marion.
John's shoes.
Another great find.
John and I in Krispy Kremes. Yes, I know my hand looks really wierd.
Where the heck is my cell phone?
Today I realized that my cell phone was nowhere to be found. I called a store that I had been in on Tuesday and they said that it was there. Well, I go all the way over to the mall for the 4th time in a week, and it was somebody else's cell phone that they had. Who knows all the important calls that I am missing?
Tonight I really needed my cell phone. Lynette and I, after getting our haircut together at the mall, were trying to get to her Sikma family Christmas thing. It was at her Aunt's house in Allendale. She hadn't been to her Aunt's house in Allendale since she was about seven, and she didn't ask for directions before she left, but she thought she could get there alright. She knew that you take a left on 84th, and keep going until you find yourself in the driveway. We tried that approach, for about forty five mintutes. After pulling into three or four driveways on 84th, we pulled into three or four driveways on 88th, just in case her Aunt had moved to the next block since Lynette was seven years old. "We should stop and call somebody" I suggested, after half and hour of reversing and trying houses that we had already tried but had forgotten about. "No, I want to look just a little longer before I have to call!" she said. It seemed that calling people for directions was only done by the faint of heart. We finally pulled into a drive way that we had already tried and Lynette had said "No way, that has train tracks running across the driveway. That's definitely not it", and then we had gone on our girly way, but this time, exhausting all other options, we pulled all the way in, and found it to be the Aunt's house, and so there ends the story. The food was good. The Sikma grandparents know me well, and Grandma Sikma introuced me as "Loretta Sikma" "How did you get to be a Sikma?"asked Aunt Deb. "Oh I married Ben." "I knew he wouldn't invite me to the wedding." said Aunt Deb.
Before we left, we asked Lynette's Uncle Tim if he knew of any good movies we could watch. He suggested "The Wedding Crashers". We got The English Patient instead, and some other random one. We will be sure to turn it off if there is bad scenes, ha ha.
Other experiences today included getting reamed by my carillon teacher. Apparently I had a lesson on Tuesday that I forgot about, and I didn't send her any tapes of my playing like I should have, and she wants me to play in the Christmas Eve concert she does every year. I also fell asleep four times while watching the deleted scenes of Kung Fu Hustle. I cleaned my room, and the bathroom and I did some laundry. I worked this morning too, for about two hours. I visited Steve* at his store with Lynette, and he gave me some important details about a certain thing that is not public information yet. I had an interesting day, if not very productive.
Yes, it was quite a night
Ben and James at the Annual Lanning-Sikma Christmas Party
Daddy's Baked Alaska
Evie and the boys.
We played the hat game.
As you can see, we really had a great time. Uh huh.
What do you all care anyways?
You know, I just realized: who really cares what I do everyday? and furthermore, what if there are things that I just don't want people to know? I will therefore write a post on how cool some of my friends are.
Daddy is a very cool person. He takes very good care of me.
My mom is loud, but she is still very cool. Her main concern is that I dress "modestly" and marry someone she approves of. So much for my plans to become a dancer in Vegas and marry Wolverine.
Evie is cool too. We like to get together and have Lectures with Loretta sessions.
Marion is also cool. I go visit her and she gives my all kinds of advice.
Justin is really cool too. He reminds of my real purpose in life. I think he should remind me again sometime.
James can be very cool. Like the time he bought be a computer game for Chirstmas.
Lynette is very cool. She is undescribably awesome. We will be friends forever.
Brianna is a very cool person as well. When we are together, we can't stop talking. She gave me a Meijer gift card for Christmas.
Melissa and Rachel are very cool people. We go way back. They are both very artistic. I try to keep Melissa from getting into these strange circumstances. I try to keep Rachel from getting too artistic.
Terry is a very cool friend too. He makes me think about the things I do. He made me give up the habit of winking at strange men.
Aaron has been very cool. He brought me lunch every Monday and Wednesday this semester.
Andrea is my favorite cool coworker. We can talk about theology and not yell at each other. We always agree on whatever we are talking about. Almost.
Brian is a cool guy. He always aks me "Why do you hate me?!"
Maggie is a very cool girl. She had me over that fatal night, and then we went out for Chocolate Shakes. She also scrapes the ice off her car with her CDs.
Janna and MJ are very cool people as well. And when they have Charlie with them, they are even better.
I would say that Steve Birn is cool too, except that he would probably say that he would believe me though thousands others wouldn't.
Monica and Elaine are really cool. They are very smart and beautiful. We look really good when we're on horses.
Jeff a very cool guy, in an accountant kind of way. He had us over once for a Lord of the Rings party, and he makes his own smoothies.
If I have not mentioned you, please remember that I said "some" of my friends.
The Next Day
Today was a good day. I went to work, and I had a bagel. I talked to a lot of people. I met a nice new girl named-you shall never know (I'm not taking any chances). Around 11:00 I went home, and then hustled Evie into the car to go shopping with Aunt Marion. Aunt Marion made lunch for us, which featured a Costco entree. After our shopping was done, we went out to Big Boy's.
Aunt Marion: "It's a good thing your Mom wasn't around when Trudy and I were going out with boys. She would have married us off!" You're probably right, Aunt Moe.
I drove Evie to work and then I decided to skip practicing for the night. I am going out to Dennys with Brianna tonight around 10, and then we're going to go to Meijer. I will probably eat even more food. For some reason, I can't keep my mind off of food right now.
Well, I went out with Brianna, and we had a great time. We did go to Denny's and from there we headed over to Meijer. Brianna took very good care of me, driving impeccably, and I got home around 1 am.
Doing Nothing with Yourself can get Boring
So, last night after church I went to Lynette's. I was originally intending to go to Gv and practice since I had a lesson scheduled for today, and then get to her place really late and spend the night. But I realized that her piano is not that bad, and her house is warmer, and plus she is there, so I didn't go to Gv at all and practiced at her house for about an hour and a half. Since none of her family were home, it worked out alright. When I got there, she was at the piano herself, mournfully playing a Brahms intermezzo, looking very sad. I immediately knew it had something to do with some guy.
"That was beautiful", I said.
"Oh thanks", she replied. "Oh Loretta, Dink* is so..................."
"Stupid?", I said. "Why, what did he do to you?"
"Nothing. He just makes me so mad!"
"Well, that's men for you." I gave her my favorite advice on men. "Whatever he did, he's just not worth it."
So, I practiced for a while. The phone rang, and I knew it was Dink. Lynette picked it up. After another 45 minutes, I went upstairs to see what she was up to. Still talking. After another 45 minutes, I went upstairs again, and this time I laid on the floor and she gave me a back rub while she was talking. Maybe he doesn't make her that mad.
We watched Mansfield Park together (she had stopped talking to him by that time) and we did have sparkling grape juice, and then we both tried to sleep.
This morning I got up and Lynette made breakfast for everyone. John told David that he wasn't "the sharpest cheese in the fridge" and David told John that he was Scarecrow Bob. I left to go to school. I practiced until 1, met my professor, then had a lesson at 2. I got to meet A's in-laws to be, who do not speak any English. After that I went home. I was hungry by then. I felt really crabby. And crappy. Crabby and Crappy. I took a nap on couch for two hours, until Mom kicked me off so she could take a nap. Tonight I guess I will begin a certain project that has to be finished by Saturday night, and then I might see if Brianna wants to go out to Dennys.
I'm already sick of not doing anything all day. It really bugs me. Tomorrow, maybe I will clean my room. Oh, I was supposed to have a lesson with Mrs. V. Maybe I should call her.
*name has been changed for privacy
You May All Rejoice
Ahh, Christmas Break.
In order to make my Christmas Break even better, I have made this blog.
This is my first post:
The best part of Christmas Break is that I can do whatever the heck I want all day. Every day. Of course, I am still working three jobs, practicing, futiley competing in a concerto competition, and recording a carillon tape, but nevertheless I am On Break. There are no classes to go to, no homework to put off doing, no paper writing until 3 am. That's what break's all about. I had a killer semster. I mean, I honestly thought I was going to die. In fact, there was a point where I thought that I actually did die. I was somewhere on campus, and I don't remember why my eyes were closed, but they were, and, suddenly becoming conscious that all was blackness around me, I thought to myself "It's all over now, Loretta. You've really done it this time. You've gone and died. You played one note too many. You must have made your last dumb decision. It's all over. This is it." And I felt this feeling of wonderful peace and rest, rather than the remorse and bewilderment that I thought I would feel when I had finally died. I opened my eyes, expecting to see at least a flowering Thomas Kinkade-like gate through which I should pass into the Celestial City. But I didn't find such a gate. Instead I had a swift realization that heaven probably did not look like the Sherman VanSolkema Recital Hall, and that I had better finish playing the Mozart Sonata that I was in the middle of. (I was told directly after that performance that my wrist technique needed improving, and for heaven's sake not to look so sad.)
Summary of Activities of the Past Four Months:
2 Majors
16 credits
6 classes (LAT, ENG, MUS, MUS, MUS, MUS)
2 ensembles
Accompanied SWE; played 2 concerts
Played Harpsichord in the the Baroque Ensemble for 10 performances of Hamlet
Weekly Carillon Concerts
7 Carillon Prelude Concerts
Played for Guiding Light Mission every Saturday
Played with Orchestra, Concert Band
2 Jobs, 3 as of three weeks ago
Now you can see why I'm pooped out. The last week of school, I had five papers due, and then I had to perform Schumann. I know I've already dramatized all this to you all in person, but really. Now that I write it all down, man, this explains it all.
Best memories of last semester:
Riding horses at Elaine's and seeing Monica's boyfriend Alex get clotheslined off his horse. Ha ha.
Halloween with Evie. We went all over East Grand Rapids stuffing Mom's old clothes in people's mailboxes. We dressed up some fire hydrants too.
The entire Baroque Ensemble. Those yellow tights the bass player had to wear.
Taking Charlton Meyer to see the VanCliburn Medalist concert. He is a great man.
Watching 'Room with a View' with Lynette. That one part was so funny to us that even today, we still think it is. And then there was the time Lynette, Justina, and I went to the Acton Institute banquet. We were all wearing black, and Lynette let me wear the man-coat she brillianlty remodelled.
Learning how to conduct. Why is that guy the way he is?
Going to the bar that one time with Jeff Uban to hear him play. That was really cool, now that I think of it.
Getting professional counselling from Dan all the time ( Loretta, that was the stupidest thing you've ever done!!! ha ha)
Getting free food from Rozeboom on Wednesdays.
Being online all night with my new screen name. Well, it was fun while it lasted anyways.
Stealing the writing center's pizza with Craig, and freeloading together at the art exhibits.
Hanging out with Monica and learning about how dumb Grand Valley is. Come on, it's not that bad.
Working with Robert Byrens. He is an inspiration.
Meeting Jared, the kid with the oiled shoes.
And yes, all my lessons with Avi. I wouldn't want to have missed even the bad ones. Best quote: "We are pianists, that means we have a calling that is almost divine." and "Do it, and do it like I said, and keep on doing it!"
