Monday, 27 March 2006

Spring Break endeth and the gauntlet begins
The Major General Music faces possibly the most difficult month in his career at Hope College thus far. Here's a lineup for the month of April.
Presentation in Encounter With Cultures
Multimedia Presentation in Exceptional Child
Keyboard Skills performance
Department Recital (voice and possibly piano)
Teaching simulation in Middle School Methods
Combined Choirs Concert
Two middle school teacher observations
Journal articles paper in Middle School Methods
Student Congress elections
Easter singing at home
Nearly 30 concerts and recitals to oversee at Hope College
Now, a look back at Spring Break!
Chapel Choir tour was wonderful. The Major General Music had a wonderful time with 40 of his colleagues, 1 fluttery conductor, 1 Dutch-speaking bus driver with a heart of gold, and 1 groupie claiming to be a "special friend" of the fluttery conductor. Here's a breakdown. For sake of clarity, the Major General Music is going to break his traditional posting protocol and use real names instead of amusing pseudonyms.

Thursday: Chapel Choir departs Holland, MI for Indianapolis, IN on a Hope College-owned tour bus. Armed with packaged meals from dining services, plenty of snacks, reading materials, our new green tour t-shirts, the Bunny, and each other, we rode for probably four or five hours and amused one another most of the way while wondering about secret pals. I sat with Paul and did lots of interacting with Erin. She put a hair thingy in my hair and then took a picture. By the way, Erin's deck of cards is awesome. Check out the ace of spades! Later at the hotel, we received our hotel roommate assignments, got keys, and had the night to ourselves. Some of our crew went swimming. Brian, Branden, Matt, and I chose to stay in our room and play Euchre instead. I took a silly picture of each of them. Branden does a good scary face (while stealing cookies) and Brian and Matt both possess hair with a personality all its own. Brian has the flaming red hair and Matt has the dark tornado of curls.

Me plus Ace of spades

Branden stealing the cookies

Brian whose hair has a mind of its own

Matt, who suffered a minor scalp explosion (thanks to Jeannette)

Friday: We depart Indianapolis for another three hours or so on the bus to Cincinnati, OH. Upon arrival, we take some time to explore the Cincinnati Art Museum (for free!). Branden and I wandered through the museum together, amused one another occasionally with quality banter and sarcastic comments about, "Is it VACE or VAAASE?" We also found a photo scavenger hunt item-a Dutch family not from Holland! Afterwards, we went to the Krohn Conservatory, which was a bit of a disappointment after exploring the Frederik Meijer Gardens in GR. However, this place had some of the fattest goldfish I've ever seen. The photo doesn't do justice but you get the idea. Later, we hung around outside after I bought my secret pal some more pink stuff and a flying pig postcard for Becky. We spotted some random bride and her wedding party attempting and failing to get pictures inside. Eric, meanwhile, grilled Dr. Buettner about his girlfriend, Jessica. Later we went to church no. 1 to rehearse and church no. 2 to eat dinner and meet host families. Then back to church no. 1 for performance and departure for the night with host families. I was assigned with Brian to John & Barb Lavash, two of the kindest grandparent-types you could ever ask for. Chocolate chip ice cream, fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, and fresh-popped popcorn over good conversation is hard to beat.

Grandest bathroom entrance I'VE ever seen... it's all neo-Classical and stuff...

The Dutch settled outside of Holland?!

Look at the fat goldfish! (EDIT: They're actually koi.)

Yes Lisa, lepidopteran fashion is ALL the rage!

"I think that motorcyclist hit the mime, Steven..."

The three on the right smile all nicely for the picture. And then there's Peter...

I've caught Eric in mid photo-shoot!

Saturday: John & Barb make a delicious bacon and pancake breakfast for Brian and me. Mmm, was it good! Then we said our goodbyes at the church and headed back for Ann Arbor, MI. Along the way we had a lunch stop. I selected Wendy's with Matt, Jeannette, and others and we traded stories nonstop. Jeannette was transfixed as I told the sewing needle story about Daisy May. She liked the happy ending. After arriving in Ann Arbor, we rehearsed in the church, which Dr. Buettner discovered has a four-second echo lapse. Talk about some major acoustics! After rehearsing, we meandered over to the Bell Tower Hotel, where they still use real keys instead of cards. I call Juliana, she excitedly informs me about dyeing her hair auburn, and that she'll be at the concert. Dinner's on the church again-spaghetti! Over dinner, Lisa W. attempts to come up with as many nicknames for me as possible with Maggie, Erin, and Paul. They like "T-Time" and "T-Bird" the best, although I've caught Peter calling me "T-K-Money" or "T-R-ACEY" before. My dinner friends like those, too. We perform (Gaudete was in A-flat but it sounded okay I guess), the audience loves us, etc. Juliana talked to me later and we took a picture. My robe looks almost pink but that's the nature of a cameraphone. Thanks for taking the picture, Brian! I spent my evening chilling in the room and watching more South Park than I'd ever care to see again.

A whole orange! Or maybe just the peel...

Yeah Ludington!

That's the squishiest shark I've ever encountered. Matt's a fan.

Sunday: Off to Flint! We eat breakfast in the hotel bar/restaurant (they had croissants) and turn in keys. To his protests, Jessica gets Dr. Buettner to kiss her. A big wet one right on the lips. The Chapel Choir cheers and they blush. Dr. Buettner yells on the bus, "You're ALL paying the bunny for that one!" The bunny is basically a piggy bank in the shape of a bunny with a little Chapel Choir robe on it. You put money in it if you do something stupid or annoying. We later gave the money to J.B., our driver as his tip. It had over 66 dollars in it. But back to Flint. We explore a creepy mall and then go to Libby's church for another performance. I sang horribly sharp and felt sorry for myself but the audience didn't seem to mind. Libby's aunt and uncle were sitting where I stood in the round and "liked that boy's voice" as Libby informed me. Emily Chapman came and gave us a loud hello and took pictures. When she found out which mall we hung out, she said she wouldn't go there. Turns out it's a gang hang-out. Yup. Good thing we stayed at a hotel in Grand Blanc. After the concert, we went off to Damon's for dinner. To our delight and great surprise, Dr. Buettner informed us the franchise owner attend's Libby's church and loved the concert. Free dinners for everyone (all 44 or so guests). The best moment: when Miriam sprayed water across the table at Allison after Emily said something funny. Back at the hotel, Matt and I sang the Five Iron Frenzy rock opera (yes, the songs about the pants) together, he kept hugging his shark, Brian borrowed Branden's phone and called people, and Branden and I went down to the pool for some of the most epic Keep-Away/Water Polo/Water Wrestling I've ever seen. Two teams: Peter, Lisa P., Sean, Maggie, Tyler, & Branden vs. Eric, Erin, Jeannette, Brandon, Abby, Jeff, & Stephen. There was no real point to the game and we all gave congratulatory handshakes. Branden and I dried off and then returned to the lobby where we encountered an active game of Texas Hold'Em at one table. Branden, Erin, and I taught Maggie to play Euchre with some help from Lisa P., Peter, and Chris. Chris's constant advice to me was, "Play a good card!" Gee, thanks. Maggie, despite her "bloodshot eyes" looked quite pleased with her first Euchre win.

Matt's not passed out under the squishy shark. Brian's looking glazed over, though.

Brandon, Sean, Eric, Peter, Cam, Stephen, and Abby play Texas Hold 'Em.

We taught Maggie how to play Euchre! She and I won vs. Branden and Erin!

Random picture of Chris. Maggie and Lisa called it "handsome."

Monday: Our last day... Admittedly, it was rough. First we wandered around MSU's campus. Erin got totally geeked out at the store where they sell tons of Greek life stuff. Then we ate lunch at the Noodles Company and stopped in the music building, where we found Sam, Chris, & Kay. Then we headed to Lansing Christian High School, where we did an exhibition for one of their choirs and then sang "Siyahamba" with them. Then it was off to Dr. Buettner's church for dinner and then one last concert. The concert was pretty good, but it got tough for the seniors. Poor Jennie Boone started crying as soon as we went down the stairs and I know Sarah was fighting the tears as she conducted us through the Alma Mater. I think I may have even caught Eric shedding a few tears. Following the concert and reception, we headed for Holland, where we were instructed to begin reflecting over the trip as we approached Zeeland and then the one opportunity to sing on the bus: an impromptu Alma Mater as we spotted Dimnent Chapel. After we arrived, we hung robes, gave many good-bye hugs, and went our merry ways for the rest of break. Let's see, I count hugs from Sarah, Jennie, Peter, Brian, Lisa P., Maggie, Erin (who retired the "Your face!" joke, thankfully), and I think even Sam. Yes, it was a good trip. Thank you 2006 Chapel Choir, Dr. Buettner, and J.B. Thanks for the memories!
The rest of spring break was at home, hanging out, filling out a stupid FAFSA form, watching really bad movies (Hot Shots! and Hot Shots!: Part Deux) with Jordan, snuggling the kittycats, and going to church.

Comments(2)

This is a marathon post. You should post more frequently and they wouldn't have to be so long then. :P Glad to hear/read that you had a great time. Hope your concert tonight was awesome- Sorry I couldn't come.
"I have my father's eyes..."
chickenlittle27
I concur...this might have the world record for xanga's longest and most pictury post.
dorothygale27