Ah, bonjour mes amis! Today was pretty eventful. Last night was pretty eventful, too, so sit back and listen!
Last night was my Orchestra Festival/Competition. If you've ever read anything that I've written about orchestra class, then you'll know about my teacher. He told us a million times before this competition that he didn't expect us to do very well, but we stuck with it and practised hard. Still he didn't think very highly of us, and he let us know it on a daily basis with discouraging comments like, "This is the best it's gonna get." Well, we went, we saw, and we conquered! I am proud to say that I am the second chair cellist of the HHS Varsity Orchestra, the very orchestra that got straight 1's in every category (a perfect score). RAWK 'N ROLL!
Needless to say, the teacher was a bit taken aback. And the bus rides to and fro (...do... teehee) were interesting. There were only five people on my bus there (the others were in a different bus with the teacher), and we talked nerd. Basically it was an hour of how much we cried during Lord of the Rings. And on the way back there were about six people on my bus, two ignored my little talking group, and we talked about Johnny Depp and Colin Farrel. Goodness gracious, *licks finger and makes a sizzling noise* hot stuff. Not my favourites in the entire world, but it was fun. And then we talked about what we wanted to do when we get to college, and my answer's always the same, "Film major... I want to act." People are impressed, which is kinda weird.
But today was fun, but a little disappointing. The yin and the yang. There was a whole lotta yang, and the yin was kinda weird. Anyway, today was my french competition, Le Concourse. Mum got lost on the way there, but I got there on time. They gave me orange juice and a biscuit (I don't like orange juice very much, I have acid reflux disease so it's hard to keep citrus juice down... but the biscuit was yummers!) and sent me on my way. I sat outside my room waiting for my turn with my loving Mum, and then they called me in.
This is where we get to the yang. Just the way the judges first looked at me was a little disconcerting. It really bothers me, not just in this case, but in every case, how differently I'm treated. I know that there are tall people in the world, and it's not a handicap, but I'm 6'0". You don't run into girls of my stature everyday, it's just the truth. I'm also a lot paler than the other girls that were there (the kinds that stuff themselves in tanning beds because they want to be cool, whether that means cancer or not), but I can't tan, it's not in my genetics. And on top of that, I have this auburn hair that makes me look like I belong in a pub with a riding cap on, guzzling some Guiness. Don't get me wrong, I'm disturbingly proud of my heritage, and I'd kick anyone's face in if they picked on my overt Irishness. Unfortunately, judges aren't people, they're judges. So the look that they gave me really upset me. It's that same look that I always get from people, that look like, "Oh, she thinks she's better than everyone else," before I even open my mouth! I don't dress like regular highschool girls that just throw on whatever shows them off, I pick out stuff because I like it. And I look more mature than other girls my age because I do my makeup differently and I don't have a young look to my face. I look like an adult. I'm just not young and girly and sweet, I just stand out. People tell me that I'm pretty, but a different kind of pretty than they're used to (yeah, what a compliment, eh?). So right off the bat they hated me, because of tastes and looks that I can't help, but I don't even act like the other girls there. The ones that just bound in on tiptoes and act like idiots so they seem "cute". So when I sat down, the teachers looked at me and my heart sank because my fate was sealed.
But, quelle surprise, the picture I got was one I'd already practised on, so I scribbled down everything I could remember (which wasn't much because I was so nervous) and blurted it all out as fast as I could so I'd never have to look those rude judges in the eyes again. They looked almost angrily at me, and they told me that I did well and asked if I were going on to French 5. I answered yes, and that I was also taking Advanced Placement French that year, too. I came in around fifth or sixth (Mum suspects fourth) place out of twenty or so in my category. Not bad. But the three people that won were from Private Schools. That, in itself, is quite unfair. I go to a government paid Public School like everyone else, but kids that have parents that pay for private school have a bigger advantage. There's no way that anyone from a public school beat me, that's not being cocky, it's being truthful. I make nearly straight perfect scores on everything in French, and the way that my teachers treat me isn't the way they treat other kids. But when you put me up against kids that attend private schools, kids that have been learning foreign language since they started reading English, it's not going to be the same thing anymore. As a matter of fact, only a few people from Public Schools won anything. One kid from a public school that came in second in another category has a parent that's a French teacher! Right, well, you know how that goes now. But I did well, and the biggest part was that I won a raffle! HOORAY! I won Shrek on French VHS! SHREK IN FRENCH! I LOVE SHREK! I can't wait for number two of the installment! I loved Puss in Boots as a kid, and Antonio Banderas is doing his voice!
I love that guy's name... Antonio... Antonio Banderas... My name is so boring.
Oh! And I forgot to mention the fact that my name was called first when they handed out the awards, and everyone clapped really loudly, but there were all this groans because they knew that I hadn't won a trophy. It was really cool because that means that I have a French reputation! *mimicks snooty Monty Python French laugh* Hohoho *ends laugh here in hysterical giggles*! And right before the awards, this one French man played for the few early people (me, Mum, and two other girls in back) his favourite dvd in French. It was the most bizarre thing I've ever seen. It was a live stage performance of a singer named Marl�ne Farmer. The millions and millions of people in the crowded stadium were swooning like she was a god! But her stage performance was spectacular, you'd never believe it until you see it. There was this giant sphinx in a more modern image, and she came from it's head and slowly sank down in this beautiful sheer gown and landed in the cupped hand of the statue, which, in turn, lowered her to the stage. Oh. My. Gah. It was sooo cool! And her music was like Evanescence meets Debbie Harry in a way... well, sorta. It was weird and I liked it and now I really want a cd by her. I understood most of her lyrics, but the sound was awesome, and she wasn't as skanky as American pop stars. It was really cool. Really cool.
I mean, really cool.
Anyway. Yep, that was my day. What a day, huh? Not the most exciting thing in the world, but I've walked away in victory from two competitions now. Two more to go, and I'm home-free for the rest of the month. Phew. I must run! Toodles!
Oh, and I don't know who you are, but whoever made the diary banner... quietflames... of Alan Rickman, you rule! I love Alan Rickman! AHH!
Anyway, what? Toodles!
Oh! And today's title came from Will & Grace. The Christmas episode with the Nutcracker and the singing like the Count from Seasame Street. "And the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... one, just one, ahhahhahhahh..." Toodles!
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Irish History - 2006-05-02
Goodbye Bio! - 2006-05-01
DANCE, WATER! DANCE! - 2006-04-26
Gaaaaaah. - 2006-04-24