(pc: The amazing Hayley!)

Adios, teenage life. I'm really not sure anything will really change, except that I won't add "teen" to the end of my age. I don't necessarily feel older, but perhaps a bit more adultish. 

19 was a hectic year. I started off 19 with sickness (what we now think was Covid, but I survived so does it really matter?) and a college roommate who was becoming less and less my roommate. We got sent home mid March, and I ended my first year of college online. 

It was one of my goals to quit my job at McDonald's, and I am very happy to report that I did. I learned a lot from working there, but I am thankful that that season of my life is over. 

Once summer came, I was full time at the bakery, which proved to be a blast and a half. I loved every (well, nearly every) minute of being there, and I got to decorate so many cupcakes, cookies, donuts, and I learned all sorts of new production things. I grew closer with my friends there, and we enjoyed many many good conversations. 

Over the summer I was also teaching my music students, and it was good to see them stretch and grow in their musical capabilities. 

I also broke my first bone over the summer, and also spent lots of time with my sister at her apartment. 

The fall semester was complicated, stressful, wildly fun, and entertaining. I roomed with a new group of girls and that was an excellent idea. I took the most breaks, and somehow did the best possible academically, which was nice :)

 

Christmas break was extra long, so I of course spent time working. 

So that sums up 19. It was hectic, not only in the world, but also for a college/working girl. 

(pc: HAYLEY!)

In my post last year, I said I would like to. . .

. . . get through my freshman year with grades that are well-earned ... which I did! :) Freshman year's cumulative GPA was 3.893.

. . . work at the Beethoven Festival... which I unfortunately did not do, due to the pandemic and that sort of gathering and event being highly not advised. 

. . . quit at McDonald's... which I did! 

. . . keep teaching over the summer... Also did! 

. . . make more time for friends at school... yup, did that too!

. . . remember more often that God is in control... eeee, more or less. Worry and stress are still very present.

. . . keep a cheerful attitude. I realized a few weeks into school that most people (me included) only focus on the bad things... mostly! My roommates help me with this endeavor! 

. . . take my Mom riding... nope :( There was never an opportunity, although I did look into it a couple of times.

. . . enjoy my last year as a teen! :) ... I guess you could say that I did. :) 

(pc: The amazing Hayley!)

So now, what are some goals I have for 20? I'm not sure I have specific things this year, other than to 

... keep working and teaching

... continue my friendships here at school, specifically with my roommates

... spend more time with my Mom this summer! (well, always :))

... be committed. I don't want to have half-accomplished things sitting around. I want to be fully invested in my work and have a good sense of priorities. 

... and one other thing I hope will happen but will leave a secret for now. ;) 

~Olivia

aka

Stick

What, she actually posted?

Hello, friends! I hope you've been staying healthy and safe. 

It's been a while since I've posted, I realize. In fact, this is my first real post this year. And it's almost April!!!! 

Everyone at school was watching the news, always talking about it, some hoping we would have school canceled, some hoping not. Then it was a Thursday and I had just gotten back from a walk (the weather at school had been absolutely gorgeous the last few days). I sat down at my desk after opening my window, opened up my email, and had one from the "officials." In the space of about two minutes my life flipped upside down. People in my dorm were screaming and running down the halls and banging on friends' doors. It was chaos. The email was sending us home until Easter break, and we'd be doing online classes. I was pretty sad, honestly, because we had all just gotten back from spring break and I was loving being at school. I didn't want to go home!!! The rest of Thursday I spent with friends talking and saying goodbyes. Some people skipped their Friday classes and left right away. I didn't. ;) I went to Friday classes and left first thing Saturday. I was going to surprise my sister. :) 



Saturday I drove up to the bakery where my sister and I both work, and "stole" my sister's spare apartment key. I happened to know she was at work at her other job, so I got a ride over her place so my car wouldn't be noticeable anywhere. I let myself in, said hi to her kitty (who loves it when I come over, btw), and prepared to surprise her. I set up my phone to video record her reaction, and I'm glad I did, although I missed the part where she was cry laughing. ;) 

Then I went home home. For the first few days it was nice. Now, not so much. We got another email saying that everything would be online until the end of the semester. Oi. It's been quite the adjustment into home life, into life where I am under my parents' roof again, into life without my friends, into online school. I don't much care for it. BUT, it is less stressful. 



Pretty much everything music went out the window. Quartet is over. Orchestra is over. The big gigs that we were looking forward to are canceled. Lessons continue via Zoom. One class meets via Zoom as well, and another uses it sporadically. 

I've kept my class schedule, and just do that class's homework during that time frame. It's worked decently so far. It's really weird. 

I miss my friends, my teachers, my bluffs!!! :) 

The GOOD news is that we are getting refunded for room and board, and we will be given a time to go move out of our rooms. I miss my roommate and my view! Next semester I'll have a different dorm and a different roommate, so "life in Skemp" is pretty much over. I try not to think about it. ;) 




I'm trying to be optimistic! How are you where you are? 

Olivia

(me, John Paul, and Joel)

Happy Thanksgiving, folks! Sorry I've been so absent here lately. 

College eats time, much more than I thought it would. It eats sleep too. And what ended up being sacrificed was my blog. I'll still keep it up, and post occasionally. I hope you enjoy reading what is here. 

I'm on break, as you can imagine. I got back right before the storm hit on Tuesday, and spent yesterday and today with family. Tomorrow and Saturday I work, Sunday I go to church (I get to see all "my" little kids ahhhhhhhhhhhhh I am so excited!), and then Monday, probably late morning, I'll head back to school. 

I brought back Thinking Theologically homework (unit 5 reading), art (painting and designing), and music fundamentals (identifying triads and sevenths and inverting them). So far pretty much everything is done, so now I have a bit of time before mixing up some food. 

Our trio had it's recital on Sunday. It went very well, and the audience has a collective opinion that we radiated energy. It is a relieving feeling to know that every spare waking minute doesn't have to be devoted to trio rehearsal, although I do highly enjoy time with them. Next Saturday we have our chamber orchestra concert, and then Sunday we're taking a trio trip to Rochester to see the symphony and choir perform Handel's Messiah. The 11th is the last day of class and Joel and I have juries and then the Razumovskys will be playing in a recital in the evening. Then, probably near first thing in the morning on the 12th, we will pack up our belongings (well, mostly just instruments and music), and head back to Joel's and my home orchestra for a concert later that evening. We may end up going right back to school that night, or we might spend the night. It all depends on finals, which start the 13th. Sophia will be coming back with us, and I am excited about that. She'll get a taste of my crazy college life, and be there for Friday, Saturday (a final, a Christmas brunch at church, a BHC rehearsal...), and Sunday. Sunday is the Blue Heron Consort (oops, you don't know about that yet. Sigh. John Paul and I got into a local choral music group, and our Medieval and Renaissance concert is the 15th). Monday I have three finals (I think). Tuesday Sophia will head home, and my parents will pick me up and we'll head to IL to see my Grandma! 

I actually won't be home on Christmas break until the 21st or so. I need to come up with a work schedule for break, and all that fun adulting stuff. 

How are my readers doing? 

Olivia

Eeeeeek. I haven't posted in about nine and a half weeks????? You may be wondering if I made it out of camp alive.

The winter is still screaming and whistling outside...

It happened

Yup. I hit a deer. I'm okay. 

    I mentioned on here earlier that I was going to play alongside a Chorale for five concerts, two weekends. This past weekend was the last set of concerts. Saturday I picked up one of the members of the choir, and we started out for our destination. I had seen many deer already, so I was watching for them more than usual. It was getting darker and darker the closer we got to our destination, and we were in the river valley. There was a car in front of me, and one behind me. At one point a deer leapt out in front of the car ahead of me, so we all slowed down for that, but it didn't get hit. Around another bend, and the car in front of me got farther ahead, but not far enough for me to be able to use my bright lights. I spotted deer number nine, trotting out from some brush on my left. It never hesitated. I stomped on the brakes, but the deer was too close. It made a huge sound as I hit it --- a big WHAP! It flew at us over the windshield and bounced into the ditch. I had continued on the brakes, and now I pulled over and put my hazards on. I was pretty shaken up, as you can imagine, and my lovely passenger was asking how I was, if I was okay. I just returned the question. Thankfully the airbags hadn't gone off and the seat-belts hadn't locked us up too badly. So, when I had remembered to breathe, and we had established that we were both okay, I hopped out of the car to assess the damage. Front left headlight = smashed. Left side hood = smashed. Windshield = good, surprisingly not cracked. Tire alignment = good.  Grid = smashed. I went and picked up the pieces out of the road. My car wasn't overheating or smoking, so we continued cautiously to the concert venue. I was relieved to find that my violin had also come out just fine, despite tumbling around the back seat. I called my mom and dad from the venue, to prepare them. They were coming to the concert anyway. Next I tried to focus on the concert that was at hand, steady my hands, and think on things pertaining to the moment. And you know what? That concert was the best out of the five. Weird, the way things happen sometimes. 

   I was sore yesterday (mostly my neck and shoulders), but my passenger said she wasn't. My car is in the shop getting new tires today (that was planned anyway) and it'll get a check-up too. 

   The concerts are over, and I already miss my new group of old friends. They're so much fun. Sigh. They're singing with us at the orchestra's Christmas concert though, so only a month before I see them again! 

Goodbye work, hello school!

Yesterday was my last day of working at the bakery. In some ways I was sad to leave, but in other ways I am excited and relieved to be moving on. I learned a lot there, from kitchen skills to people and communication skills. I am welcome there whenever I want to put a few hours in, or come Christmas when the order sheet gets to be very long. So perhaps I will work there a few more days this year.

For now, I have about 11 days of resuming home life before I commute to the nearby (nearby as in an hour away) college for PSEO classes again this fall. It's looking like I'll have 12 credits. If I do well again this year I may, possibly, hopefully, make it on the Dean's List. That's being awfully optimistic, though. I'll be taking speech, economics, academic writing, orchestra, and piano and harpsichord. All the classes are Tuesdays and Thursdays, and orchestra is for sure on Tuesdays. Lessons will vary. Tuesdays will be looooong days, no doubt. I'm going to be working at getting better at note-taking in class --- so Wednesday morning when I go to do homework I remember what actually happened in class. Any tips on note-taking?

I'll technically be a senior in high school, which is a funny feeling. Senior pictures and recitals and all that are on my mind. . .

Spring, at long last!

I went out and took some pictures today. Mostly of Sunny, but some of the GREEN that is happening around here! 

Isn't she pretty?!?! 

We only have on little blue flower plant blooming right now, and today I saw a honey-bee on it, so I quickly snapped some photos. This is my favorite: 

And then the little bush that always looks like mini roses as it comes up:

What's your favorite thing about spring? The smell, the fresh air, the sunshine??

Adventures

Well, friends, it's been a while. A month, to be precise. . .

Dad and I just got back last night from a college visit. It went really well and I do like the college. We left on Saturday, got to the hotel at around 7pm I think, and went and grabbed some Culvers for supper. Then we went to find the church so we knew where it was. We did find it, and it was only a literal five minutes from the hotel, so that was nice.

Sunday morning we found out what "home-style" breakfast was at the hotel, and then got ready for church. The church was good, it could have been better, it could have been worse. They were having an unusual service that day, so in some respects it was hard to see what the church was really like. After the service we had some Mexican food (part of what made the service unusual was the Mexican families --- the mother of one man had made all the Mexican food for lunch). I had never had Mexican food before so I had to learn how to eat it. They had a tea --- hibiscus flowers made into a tea --- it was sweet and almost sticky. It was good though. Anyway, after church we went to the local grocer and got some supplies so we didn't have to eat out for every meal. Then we went back to the hotel and I finished reading my book and Dad rested. Then we attended the evening service at the same church, and ate supper.

Monday morning we headed over to the college and from 9am-2pm I attended classes (Graphic design II and Fantasy Fiction), had a meal at the cafeteria with a violist student who takes lessons with my teacher, and met professors. It was really great and so different from the last time I visited which was a hurried rush and go here and do this thing, so I really didn't get to enjoy it as much as this time. After that we went to a nearby state school so Dad could say hello to his co-workers and friends over there. Then it really started to blizzard, so we made our way back to the hotel. We got cozy and ended up watching The Princess Bride in the evening. 

Tuesday, yesterday, I had one more class to attend at the college, so I did that, and then we went and checked out of the hotel and checked the road conditions. They looked decent, so we grabbed some Caribou and headed home. The roads were patchy. We got home around 5pm. 

It's good to be home. 

Home Sweet Home

I'm HOME! It's amazing. And my furry friends were happy to see me again, not to mention my not-so-furry sister. :) 

Our flights going and coming were mostly uneventful. I had a fever going, and I learned that flying is much more enjoyable when you're not sick. However, I did get a window seat for the longer flight, so that was nice. Coming home, on the first flight, we were on the runway and speeding up, and then the captain hit the brakes and we stopped rather suddenly, which is not what you're expecting. We had to go back to the gate because a door light came on, probably meaning that one of them was open a crack. So they had to write up a ticket and call the mechanic, and then we got in the air, finally. Thankfully it didn't delay us so much that we lost our connection! We didn't have much time in Midway, but that's okay with me --- it's such a busy airport. 

When we finally got our own truck packed up and headed West, we grabbed some Hot Cocoa and snacks at the edge-of-the-Cities Kwik Trip, and drove home. It was so nice to sleep in my own bed again, rather than on an air mattress that was flat every morning. :P

Now that we're home, it's time to unpack and get back in the groove, just in time for classes to start Monday, and I'm at the college Tuesdays and Thursdays. Here we go! 

Have you ever been on an airplane? Do you like flying?