ALL DONE!

WELL! I did it! I finished the semester TODAY!!!
I am also proud to announce that I worked hard, and got a 4.0 GPA!
HECK YES BABY!

I need to celebrate....
But now I'm thinking... what else do I do with myself for the next 2 weeks?
..... I guess I'll have to stock bloggers while I'm here, and figure it out. :D

Merry Christmas!

Today's the DAY

TO-day is THE- day!

First time performing in front of the music faculty.

And they know when you make mistakes. And they give you a letter grade based on one performance.

They don't clap, or smile. They say "thank you" when you are finished.

So incredibly nervous! :)

I'm sure things will go just right. I'll keep you posted, dear journal.

The Perfect Shoe

I love shopping.

But for some reason- it seems like everytime that you find stuff that you actually want is when you don't have money.

Then when you DO have money- you can't find anything.

Well... fate decided to bring money and my new shoes together. I couldn't be happier with my new shoes.

They will serve every purpose- being able to play the piano, and to walk correctly in heels, AND being able to pedal and look very classy and professional.

(see there is more then just ONE reason why I deserve to get these shoes. which men think clothes and shoes are all the same. but no, i have 3...4.......5 great reasons that Jake couldn't turn me down)

I couldn't be happier. :)

(and mine isn't just plain black--- oh no. it is a "ascot patent" leather- which means it goes with EVERYTHING!!)

The Plunge

It's the plunge before finals. 2 weeks.

it's going to be a very busy december.

especially cuz i go to school up until the 19th of december (where is Winter Break, again??)

Jake is even done 4 days before me, I guess they give seniors a break.

but I thought I'd say what i'm grateful for, because Liz asked everyone to. Not by my willingness of choice. (haha)

soft blankets. good friends. hot choco from dougandemmys. running shoes. hot showers. watermelon. meeting up with old friends. decorating. shopping with my mommy. jake. family. dallin with his awesome jokes. alarm clocks. yes alarm clocks in plural. haha. old fashioned pillows. being surprised. flowers. christmas trees, and ornaments. snowboarding, wakeboarding. boating. hiking. pictures. and many more....

i challenge you to write a blog post about what you are most thankful. even though it's only a few days after thanksgiving. i loved liz's comment about how we should do this everyday, just without the binge eating of thanksgiving holiday. haha. (but wouldn't that be nice)

God Does Hear and Answer Our Prayers

Ugh! Sometimes I just feel like I could just walk out and quit. Learning is such a process, and it stretches your mind to unbelievable heights! When it consumes your thought process every single day, you find yourself secretly desiring to have a break.... When is my break? .... If I stop for a break, I won't go back.

I've decided that I could never settle for mediocre. I want the best! And gosh dangit, I'm gonna be the best the I can be. We're here to develop our talents and skills to be the best that they can be, and not throw them in to a pit deep of 10 foot sand. So, then why is it that sometimes we want to?

I know I would like to. Sometimes. I won't lie. You have to hit a wall sometime in your life, where you feel you aren't progressing. But it's how you push on after you hit that wall. I have to keep telling myself this over and over again in my head... literally all the time. It's hard when you have all this political stuff going on around you, and you're just like "shut up!" I just need to focus on what I need to be doing! Go away!

So last night, I went to another one of my performance classes. Goodie. I've been the how many of these in the past month? I just wanted to get it done and be over with. So, I got up there. Played. Sat down. It went okay for me. I wasn't satisfied, remember, I told you I hit this wall.... the wall that seems like it's never ending and I'm gonna call it Steve. My "new" best friend companion.

My teacher said we all really improved this past week, but of course she is says that. We do improve! (I just couldn't see where I improved) There were some outstanding performances! We are 3 weeks away from playing for the faculty and it's all being poured down our throats with everytime we touch a piano! The tense panicing feeling is there. DEF DEF DEFINITELY. I know I can feel it. I think I can feel it because whether everyone else says I played great or not- I know where I messed up. And the faculty will know. There becomes a higher expectation, and gives you plain anxiety. It's anxiety, and my grade. It's my MAJOR for crying out loud. SO, consumed with doubtful thoughts... and prayers to help me get passed this new best friend called steve.... and nightmares resulting in being attached to a steinway piano falling apart when i play. (haha, that is actually a funny dream now I think about it. But it didn't seem that way at the time)

Then I get an email that night, It says:

Alyssa,

Your playing was wonderful tonight. You're really improving every week. You really have a great talent and I'm so glad you're magnifying it. Don't ever let anyone tell you not to do this..........you must do it because you have a great gift.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Lenora

God does hear and answer our prayers. I have yet to see a time that he doesn't let me down. I'm so grateful for my mentors, and my peers... for encouraging me to be my best that I hope to be for myself and for my Heavenly Father.

p.s. Apparently there are grand steinways and libraries in Heaven. There isn't any music in hell. It all rises up to heaven. So, I guess I have nothing to worry about. :)

Jump Start

I have definitely taken a jump start on the holidays! LOL... Here I am procrastinating (which is really my best friend today) and blogging, updating my blog, downloading cute fonts. I am hating myself, but loving it at the same time!

Upcoming Events that will take place in the next few days:

* CABIN
*JAKE'S 25TH BIRTHDAY
*CHEESECAKE FACTORY
*TURKEY DAY
*SNOWSHOEING
*SNOW FIGHTS
*BUILDING SNOMEN
*SNOWBOARDING! (my favorite!)

Okay... Now really.... I gotta get back to work! :)

Halloween Festivities

Josh, Liz and I kickin it in the 15th row of the Black Out Game:

Utes V.S. Wyoming

Can YOU find Michael Jackson?


Utes won! Heck ya baby!

My Second Mom

My piano professor is like my second mom.

She calls us her "piano children." I am SO grateful to have her influence in my life. She is SO amazing. I learn so much from her every time I'm in her presence.

This past week, I had my first performance class recital. I played a Haydn Sonata #23 in A Major, and a Chopin Nocturne #20 in C sharp Minor.... it went VERY FAST and very well! (Totally not expecting that!) I was the first to go (by volunteer haha) I figured if I got done, then I could relax and just watch the others, instead of being distracted as the others were playing. As I watched the other performances, I learned a lot. I learned about how you and the piano become one as you are playing, and everything in yourself is exerted out with the piano. It's something I really never understood before. But definitely a big mark to put down in the history of my piano career.

Everytime I go to have a lesson, my hands get all clammy, and I get extremely nervous. I think to myself... THERE IS NO WAY !!! I don't know how I am going to do this. (And I know Lenora can read RIGHT through me....) Haha, but each time she encourages me to reach to the ultimate limits. Each time, I reach one step closer. Even though it's by hard work, many tears and frustrating thoughts, and perserverence to the end...Even though I can't see the change myself because I'm so CLOSE to it.... there is a big difference.

Yesterday, She said "If anyone else was here, they wouldn't understand what I was saying and would call me looney!" ..... the best part about it.... it's true. (We do think she's looney sometimes. but for the better, we all are!)

It's hard for people to understand why I am going to school for a piano performance music degree, why I practice so much every single day, and I work so hard in school. It's hard for me to think that I'm really not going to graduate until I'm 24... and still want to do more. It seems forever away, but with everything I'm learning i wouldn't trade it for the world. The thrill of completing a piece to the point that it is at a performance level, and the high that you get by performing it well.... that is an indescribily liberating feeling.

I have met so many amazing new friends. I have learned and will keep learning. I have really found who I am, and it feels SO good.

Thanks Lenora, for pushing me two feet first into this program. Thanks for being my second mom!!

going private

email me at alyssamoon@gmail.com or leave your comment with your email address!!