NM in Trondheim!

Trondheim was the best; we thought we were pretty amazing. I think it was the best we ever played these pieces.

The judges seemed to disagree a little bit though; I personally believe that they had something against either us or the pieces because there was no way whatsoever we did a bad job.

Ålesund Ungdomsmusikkorps ended up on 12th. place in the 1. division. Which means we still have a chance to quialify for the 1st. division for next year.

After this weekend, everybody picturing band as a bunch of geeks taken right out of some American high school movie (where cheerleaders are the cool ones and everybody else losers, leaving no room for individuality and uniqueness); shut up! OK? I am so glad I got to experience this! The concert prior to the awarding was so beautiful I never heard anything like it; I had goose bumbs! First, the Royal Norwegian Air Force Band played, introduced by no other that famous Norwegian commedian Tommy Steine. Then the talented Swedish multi-musician Gunhild Carling entertained us, playing several instruments most incredibly; trombone, singing, oboe, bagpipe, harmonica. She also managed to play three trumpets at once -how she did this is beyond me! - and she even did some tap-dancing! Incredible. And it was music.

All in all nobody went home to Ålesund empty-handed, despite the lack of medals and goblets. We went home proud, knowing we had done a great job and had a wonderful time.We went home determined to return. (And we went home with a hang-over)
The last word is yet not said, the last note from ÅUM is yet not played in the great hall of St. Olav in Trondheim. Be ware! That's something for you, judgies!

We didn't win these...

But this is better. (what's a simple goblet compared to champagne and candy?)

















The judges I want to do like this with;
Jump on them. Or let them meet this wild bear(oops I mean bears, of course, Eirik).

Nidarosdomen. This is where the Norwegian princess got married<3

We bought shades:)

“Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.”

"Music and rythm find their way into the secret places of the soul.

- Platon

NM

Tomorrow, at 6.30 am, I will be on my way to Trondheim. This is for a national band competition.

We have been practicing like hell these last weeks and hopefully we'll play as good as we know we can and kick some asses. We will also have lots of fun! This is my first NM and I am extremely excited; anxious, but excited!

Yesterday we even did yoga to be mentally prepared and learn some breathing techniques. This is serious.

These are some of the players ready fo fight tomorrow for Ålesund Ungdomsmusikkorps:

School skiing

Today my whole school (or most of it, anyways) went skiing :D

And for once, I decided not to go snowboarding or downhill skiing.

Instead I joined the really sporty ones for traditional Norwegian cross country skiing. - Hey, before you think anything about cross country skiing; we did not run around on the flat. We walked up to a mountain top and then down again! If that doesn't sound more fun and meaningful to you than walking around on the flat with skis on, then so be it. Because it is.

It is hazardous, but when you reach the top it is all worth it. What a feeling; a feeling of pride, achievment, the feeling of setting yourself a goal, and then reaching it! The view is just an extra prize whereas the main achievement is your self-esteem.

Going down on cross country skiis was interesting. The pros had "telemark" skis. Me and Andreas were instead falling many more times than I could even count!

Kiss the pig!

I have been in way over my head these last weeks, with school, parties, work and practice for a big national band competition coming up this weekend.

Last Friday my friend Katrine celebrated her 20th birthday!! Nice!

20 is half way to 40.. Ouch!

No really, I would like to be 20, at least in two years :)

Saturday was the russedåp. For those un-Norwegians reading this, it is really hard to explain the Norwegian senior tradition. Since this is our last year of school, it is our last chance to be crazy and young! After this we are adults and on our own, studying and working.. So the seniors are called RUSS! We drive around in red vans, plash water on people, party and do crazy stuff!

The russedåp is the baptism of the russ. This ritual includes taking a tequila shot and kissing a pig! Your friends pick out a nick name and this is your name for the period of the celebration, which is in May.

So what else to say.. It was awesome, except someone was stealing stuff. NOT cool. And some things going on there are probably inappropriate for my blog...

A summary: russ = partying, alchohol, crazy!

R.I.P. Lisa

I don't really know what to say, but I think that Lisa deserves some last respects from me on my blog.

Lisa was always so full of life and I can't believe it was taken away, just like that. I can still hear her say: "hell no!" and that's what I want to say now! It is not that I won't see her again that makes me grieve; I haven't seen her since I left Iowa. It is more just knowing that now she isn't over there anymore, and Iowa is not the same. She was so young! What makes it seem so unfair is the knowledge of all the things she still had left to see.

I will cherish the memories I have from this tough little girl. I remember us warming up in volleyball together, and I remember when we went to that basketball game; how much fun we had on the ride to the game. And her giving me a hard time about my family forgetting to give my cat birth control! If there is a heaven up there she sure is making some life giving those angels a hard time!

It feels wrong for me; saying rest in peace - because I don't see Lisa resting. I see her living.

I will remember her, always. I will not let her life be for nothing; I will remember how she lived, and not how she died. Her energy and her determination will inspire me as I know it has inspired others.

This is a quote that was on her facebook profile and I think it describes her personality very well: (TI - "Dead and Gone") :

I turn my head to the east… I don’t see nobody by my side
I turn my head to the west… still nobody in sight
So I turn my head to the north, swallow that pill that they call pride
The old me is dead and gone, the new me will be alright

I miss you, Lisa <3

Pursuing dreams, inspiration and snowboarding

So what has been going on lately? I don't know whether or not you're dying to find out but I'm about to let you know anyways.

Thursday I went on a dance show where Karoline was among the dancers. It was in a black box so it was pretty cool! Wish I could dance like that. It was pherhaps getting a little bit too hot though; when they were dancing, or more like masturbating, to "Circus".

Friday I was working out. Then my whole class actually went to school at 7 pm! No, not for special classes or homework help.. Though some might need that too. No, we went back to school on a Friday evening for pizza and a slide show from my teacher's journey in 2001. After reading Paulo Coehlo's "The Alchemist", - which is the one book you must read at least once in your lifetime - this book inspired her to do something that very few teachers do. This book is about pursuing your dreams; and it made her think: her dream was to travel! So, just like that, she decided to save up some money, and take off work for 6 months to travel around the world! She went to Australia, Thailand, Peru, Malaysia, South America and more. The famous places, the wonders of the world that she had read about and heard about and dreamed about; she went there!The slide show was very inspiring. There is, actually no reason why not to do such a thing. It's just that we all get caught up living our lives like we usually do, and we forget that it is possible to do something different - like take off work(after saving up money) and travel!

Saturday was all about chemistry rapports, and then watching a movie. "Pinapple Express".

And sunday: snowboarding! Aaah, finally back in the mountains, back to powder snow paradise! Although in the end I had a pretty bad fall; and I am just enormously greatful to God or to whoever's out there that nobody got that on tape! It would have been a youtube-hit for sure :( Pherhaps even a winner on AFV.

The jump was a lot bigger than I expected, and all of a sudden everything was upside down, me flying through the air with a panicked expression in my face, then landed right on my butt! Ouch, that hurt :S But it sure looked ridiculous!

Skiing in Winter Wonderland