Update for Everyone III - The Whinge Binge

[Mike Thick]

Today, there was a successful concert for the orchestra I play in. Attendance was pretty low, and the second violins were pretty sketchy (it's always the second violins), but we actually did better than I'd anticipated.

[Mike Thick]

A girl I went to high school with died from an overdose on Friday. I didn't know her or much about her besides her profane rants about Christians, fellow students, and teachers on Facebook and she left the school during Junior year. Still quite sad to see somebody dead so young.

Rest in peace

[Mike Thick]

Today, there was a successful concert for the orchestra I play in. Attendance was pretty low, and the second violins were pretty sketchy (it's always the second violins), but we actually did better than I'd anticipated.

And, a mere one day after the concert, the group was dissolved because the bureaucrats defunded us. We'll have to wait until fall to see if we'll get funding again, but it was implied that it's unlikely. I, honestly speaking, don't know what to think anymore. Perhaps they'll change their tune once they realize that the music students' GPAs are keeping our school afloat.

[Mike Thick]

Today, there was a successful concert for the orchestra I play in. Attendance was pretty low, and the second violins were pretty sketchy (it's always the second violins), but we actually did better than I'd anticipated.

And, a mere one day after the concert, the group was dissolved because the bureaucrats defunded us. We'll have to wait until fall to see if we'll get funding again, but it was implied that it's unlikely. I, honestly speaking, don't know what to think anymore. Perhaps they'll change their tune once they realize that the music students' GPAs are keeping our school afloat.

Haha, good luck, wish you the best, but why would they cave? What are you going to do, not do well in protest? They'll direct funding towards lesser individuals to bring them up rather than reward the already successful...such is the American (educational) way

The way I see it, if we (our music program) were funded more we'd be able to enroll more people in our program, which would help them to improve in turn. Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do except head to the school board meeting when it's time to figure out our next budget.

[Mike Thick]

I'm trying out for "Jeopardy" online in about a half hour. Wish me luck.

[Mike Thick]

I am quite sick. Have not eaten so far today. I am hoping for a swift recovery.

Get well soon!

Today I discovered that I am the Ben Carson of university debating.

In a good, first debate way, or in a bad, sixth debate way?

[Mike Thick]

I am quite sick. Have not eaten so far today. I am hoping for a swift recovery.

Get well soon!

Today I discovered that I am the Ben Carson of university debating.

In a good, first debate way, or in a bad, sixth debate way?

I guess in the first debate way, in the sense that I'm a pretty dull speaker, and thought that I was basically just stumbling my way through semi-coherently talking a lot of nonsense and yet somehow I still won and people said it was a good speech.

Nice, dude! There's always room for improvement, but you must be doing something right. Keep it up!

[Mike Thick]

So the rally went amazing, I asked him a question about religious persecution in the Middle East. Then at the end I had Cruz sign a present for my history teacher which is the Immigration and Naturalization Act of 1952 and a NY Times Photographer saw it and snapped a few photos and the Washington Post photographer who was interviewing the guy next to us heard about my present and interviewed us all in all it was awesome. Ted for President

Nice!

[Mike Thick]

Left my gym bag on the bus today. Was in the middle of a very frustrating phone call when they rolled up to my stop and I just walked right off without noticing I wasn't carrying it, and by the time I did realize, the bus was pretty much out of sight. As expected with all the seedy characters on the bus, when I called, they managed to get in touch with the driver and he said there was no bag on the bus.

Was at least $200 worth of stuff in there

Ouch! Hope there wasn't anything too essential in there!

[Mike Thick]

I had a pretty major audition for the director today. Unfortunately, I let me nerves get to me and I dissapointed on both a circle of fifths activity and something where we counted and clapped rhythms, but I did a bang-up job on the sight-reading portion and a segment where we had to sing solfege. Luckily, it won't have too much bearing on my musical activities.

[Mike Thick]

My fiancee and I have set our wedding date for May 16th of this year. We're going to have a wedding done traditionally in my culture, but we're going to mix it up for her and her family as well.

Also today I learned if I don't vote for Bernie, I'm going to be rounded up by Trump and be thrown into the ovens....yes some hardcore Sandernistas are saying this...

Congrats!

I skipped going to the gym today, so I decided to go for a run around town to get at least some physical activity in for the day. Well it being January in Illinois there's a thing called ice which I totally let slip in my mind. So as I'm rounding the second to last corner, just houses away from my home, my feet slip out from underneath me and next thing I know I'm on the asphalt. I could immediately feel stinging in my hand and elbow, but I got up and jogged back home.

In the light and warmth of home, I see that I took a huge chunk of skin out of my finger, scraped up my elbow, scraped up my knee pretty bad, and to top it off, I ripped the most comfortable pair of sweatpants I've ever known.

...I'm sure if anyone saw it was probably the highlight of their day, however.

Today's lesson kids: don't run in January... especially in the dark.

Ouch! Hope it all heals up soon!

[Mike Thick]

Went to an L.A. Phil concert last night. They played a piece by this guy Halffter that kind of reminded me of Vangelis' score of Blade Runner for some reason, which was cool. There was a Brahms piano concerto, which was 48 minutes of Brahms (need I say more?). It finished up nicely, though, with Dvorak's Eighth Symphony. Probably my fave romantic composer, esp. the New World Symphony.

Well, my political career in Hudson (have you all heard of Hudson?) has formally commenced. I have been appointed to the Zoning Board of Appeals. I emailed the new Mayor's aide expressing my interest, and 30 minutes later got a call from the Mayor appointing me. That was quick!

Congrats, Torie! Best of luck!

[Mike Thick]

You might be a band nerd if you find yourself casually pointing out the difference between the Jaws theme and the Dvorak symphony John Williams ripped it from while watching Glee

[Mike Thick]

There was a major fire at where our future mosque will be in town, police are investigating it as a possible hate crime.

Yikes! Hopefully no one was hurt, and everything gets fixed up quickly. Stay safe.

[Mike Thick]

I'm finally recognized as an expert in my field.

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Your analysis, as usual, was great, but Brie probably had the most funny/poignant/sad line in the article.

[Mike Thick]

Severe weather in my neck of the woods today. I'll live, but it's not gonna be fun

[Mike Thick]

Eating cup noodles for 5th night in a row, because money. ahahaa...ha.. my life is so sad right now

. Hope everything clears up soon.

On an unrelated note, the Bessell household is watching Grease: Live. I'm beginning to wonder whether Sandy is Mormon or just from Utah.

[Mike Thick]

Due to technical complications, I didn't take the Jeopardy! test until today. I'd give it a solid B+ or A-: good, but probably not enough to make the next tier. Obviously, my strengths were in American history and geography, but I bombed the only music theory one on there. It was treble clef related and I haven't had to learn much except that everything is moved a space up (bassist)

[Mike Thick]

Guys. I might be really close to confining my smoking habit to "only when drunk". Since break began, I've been too poor to afford smokes, and gradually the drive for nicotine has pretty much died off. Only reason I bought a pack Monday was due to something woman-related, and I've barely touched it relative to my previous usage. If I'd bought that pack in November, it would've been more than gone in three days' time. This might actually happen.

Congratulations! Hopefully it'll be down to "never" soon enough.

[Mike Thick]

In orchestra, we're playing Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony. The Director is a huge fan of Shosty, and he's really attached to the piece, so he got really pissed at the Second Violins when they goofed up. I'm nervous, of course (us basses actually play treble clef at one point on this one) but I think I'll be okay.

[Mike Thick]

The infestation of my neighborhood with signs continues, as there are now Chris Christie signs on the overpass over the Merrimack River, because somebody thought putting Christie signs on a bridge was good idea.

If they put someone else's, Christie-supporting Governor Baker would close it.

[Mike Thick]

Another piece for the repertoire: Grieg's Holberg Suite. The first cello is, naturally, totally shredding on Movement IV (Air), but the second violins (it's always the second violins) are kind of screwing up the vibe by playing out of tune. If they don't get their act together soon, they'll feel the wrath of The Director big time. I generally did a good job, but I know I can do better.

Also, they just made a bass joke on How I Met Your Mother. I want y'all to stop ragging on us, but we kind of deserve it

Should a pistachio allergy be a deal breaker? Very conflicted.

No.

[Mike Thick]

I jammed my dang finger, very badly. It's going to make practicing tonight a little complicated.

[Mike Thick]

Practicing what?

Mrs. Bessell can be a cruel mistress.

bass, you scalawags

[Mike Thick]

Should a pistachio allergy be a deal breaker? Very conflicted.

No.

Eh, could be a biggie.

You don't know unless you try.