Fortune Cookie: Merry Times

Fortune Cookie: Grace

I think I accidentally got Ben's fortune cookie...

On The Road

Here we go! We're heading to Durham, North Carolina, to see a family friend.

We'll be there for a week, which definitely makes winter break weird, since we'll be gone for the middle week of break. I get three weeks of break - being gone for the week in the middle is really weird. We won't be here for Crunkmas, for example.

I'm excited to be going somewhere in-between Chicago and Boca, since it also means it's in-between, weather-wise. Also, I get to sleep a lot on the car ride, which is good. I get to catch up!

In other news, Tuan finally taught me to play video games yesterday. Thanks to Charlie and Amit, too. Now I'm Bush on the Lincoln, MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

It's weird seeing people that you literally haven't seen for a year, because we're different but so, so, so much the same. Crazy how little we change, even though our lives have changed. I liked it. We all still fit. Being able to pick right up after a year. That, boys and girls, is called friendship.

EE Abstract

One of the documents I found was the abstract for my extended essay!

Again, just felt like sharing:

Abstract

This paper deals with the birth and growth of the musical style known as Reggaeton. Seen by some as “Spanish Hip Hop”, Reggaeton has grown drastically from its birth in the 1970s and ‘80s. Like most musical genres before it, Reggaeton is controversial in many respects, from its dances to its lyrics. The question being investigated looks at comparisons between Hip Hop and Reggaeton, and the influence that Hip Hop makes on Reggaeton: “To what extent is Reggaeton a musical genre born from Hip Hop?”

The investigation looks at the birth of Reggaeton, and its subsequent rise, making comparisons between the growth of Reggaeton and the earlier growth of Hip Hop. Various aspects of the genres are compared; lyrics, dance, and controversy are all analyzed regarding the influence of Hip Hop on Reggaeton.

The conclusion of the essay is that Reggaeton is a musical genre that is not necessarily born from Hip Hop, but following in the model set by Hip Hop in the manner in which the genre moves from being the music in the ghettoes to the mainstream. Reggaeton is a separate genre from Hip Hop, though overlap and crossovers may and do occur, and to equate one with the other would be wrong. The influence of Hip Hop, though, is undeniable, and it is clear that Reggaeton is following a precedent set forth by Hip Hop. As a genre, then, Reggaeton is not born from Hip Hop but is following in its footsteps.

Piano Farewell Recital Bio

At the end of the 2007-2008 school year I played in my last piano recital with Mrs Roth.  Dustin, Michelle, and I were all graduating, and it just felt very, very weird.  The three of us had all grown up together, both in the context of piano and school - Atlantic with Michelle, Del Prado with Dustin.  We'd played a lot of pieces together, and performed often together, and we all got along really well.  It was weird to realise that we were playing together for the last time in a regular recital.

Michelle and I played a duet, then we all performed our separate pieces.  I didn't think it was a big enough deal to really invite anyone, though I'm glad Michelle ended up inviting some of our friends.  It was nice to have them there.  Eddy, Mel, &c.

For our last recital, we said a few words about how our lives were different because of piano, said thanks to Mrs Roth, &c.  We also wrote short bios to put into the programs.

If you're wondering why I'm writing about this, here's your answer: I came across a bunch of random documents, and this is one of them.  A short paragraph piano bio that I laughed upon seeing and reminds me of some amazing times.

Jonathan’s Bio

For Mrs. Roth’s students, each year revolves around the events that the students choose to participate in: Junior Festival, Student Day, and Guild. Jonathan Lai has been participating in all three for longer than he can remember. In fact, he can’t recall a time when he wasn’t playing piano. Originally learning from a few random piano teachers, Jonathan finally found Music Heaven at Mrs. Roth’s piano studio, where he has been happily taking lessons ever since. He’s played countless (his math skills aren’t the greatest) duets with Michelle, and believes that the experiences playing with other people – in duets, concertos, quartets, and even trios with a cello and flute! – lent an extra dimension to the piano-playing experience that made it all the more special. Jonathan will be heading off to the University of Chicago in the fall, the first time in a long time that he will no longer be on the roster at the piano studio. “The lessons and memories live on,” he quips, “so don’t worry – you can take the Asian out of the piano studio, but you can’t take the piano studio out of the Asian.”

I miss having weekly lessons, meeting with Michelle and Dustin, having our recitals, constantly rushing to be prepared for Junior Festival, rushing to learn theory for Student Day, rushing to get 10 pieces done for Guild.

Just sharing.

Sundays

The problem with Sundays is that they're right after Saturdays but right before Mondays. There's no transition time between Saturday and Monday. All of a sudden, time goes from relaxing/partying time to homework time.

If you stay up late Saturday night, it's easy to sleep half of Sunday away. That'd be fine, Sunday seems like a lazy, lounging day, except not when you have midterms and whatnot.

I wonder if I'd work well on a four-day week. I guess it depends on how busy and stressful those classes would be. Maybe I should try.

Today, next Sunday, and Saturday the 21st are going to be spent at Tzu Chi Chicago headquarters. I love Tzu Chi, so I want to do it, but it takes up so much time. Time spent at Tzu Chi is time well spent, but I'm torn by the fact that I also have so much else to do.

Sometimes, I wish it were possible to sleep an hour a day for weeks on end without suffering. I could get so much more done!

If only I were superhuman.

Fall (The Season Not the Verb)

I know I posted a photo or two last year of fall, but I just wanted to share this.

I have better photos, taken on an actual camera, that I'll try to put up later today when I get home. Fall! Leaves are changing colors, and falling, and everything's beautifully changing.

I love being here for seasons.

New Phone!

After a lot of problems with my last phone, I finally got a new one.  It's a Samsung Intensity - keyboard for texting, but no touchscreen.  

The most exciting part is that it's finally here after a whole bunch of shipping drama.

But it's here now, and working!  A working phone that lets me call, text, everything.  Finally. I'm glad to put that nightmare phone behind me.

I Went To The Library!

Me: "I went to the library today! After lunch I went to the Reg and was there until I went back to Pierce for dinner, aren't you impressed?!"
Hurricane: "Not really.."
Me: "What? But it sounds so studious!"
Hurricane: "Yeah, if anyone else had said it.  You probably didn't even go to study."

He was right, if it makes a difference.

Fortune Cookie: Learning