Simple Gifts

(This post is going up a week late! Sorry!)

So let's just say that this weekend did not go as planned.

A couple months ago, Kareshi and I planned on him coming up to my university this weekend to celebrate his birthday. This past week, he ended up getting very sick and the trip had to be canceled. It was hard not be upset, but this was clearly something out of his control- it's not his fault he was ill, and I'm pretty sure he would have done anything to feel better. I texted one of my roommates because I was feeling down about the situation and I didn't want to stress Kareshi out by telling him about it. When I got back to my dorm that afternoon...

... one of my roommates had sticky-noted my desk with little encouragements!

This one was posted until the calendar that's counting down to when we get to go home for Christmas. I can't wait- we really are so close!

We share an obsession with bunnies. XD

My day was totally made. It was such a great surprise! On Saturday, we made the cookies she talks about in one of the sticky notes. I'm so grateful to have such a wonderful roommate.

Even though this weekend was nothing like how I thought it would be, it still was pretty awesome.

Also: I got my purple belt!

Halloween!

My Halloween Post: 15 days late, or 350 days early?

This year, I was at the university during Halloween. The dining hall was completely decorated for the holiday- they even had a staff member dressed up as Jason (he was a really good actor- seemed so real!). The dorms are opened up to families to come trick-or-treating, so my roommates and I hung around and handed out candy. I wore my favorite outfit- my set of jedi robes. XD

Afterwords, I went over to my sister's place. We carved pumpkins and watched our favorite Halloween VHS tapes.

 My sister carved Perry the Platypus and I carved Pikachu.

It was a fun night! I can't wait for next year!

University

I haven't posted anything lately. Not because I haven't wanted to or because I can't think of anything to post, but because I have gone off to college! I am really enjoying being at the university, but it is exhausting. I am going to try to start posting more! I am sorry for my blogging-absence!

Welcome to Asgard

A couple weeks ago, I had a snail die in my fish tank, leaving a complete mess. I decided it was time for a new set up, so I got two Siamese veiltail fighting fish- Loki and Odin.

Loki is blue and pretty, but terribly grumpy. I had a dream the other night that he got around the tank divider and attacked Odin.

Odin is red and purple. He doesn't really pay attention to, let alone care, about Loki.

I am excited to have these buddies come to college with me this fall. XD

Percussion Haul

I got my shipment of mallets in today that I bought for college!

First up: Books

Snare Drum:

Cirone: Portraits in Rhythm

Goldenberg: Modern School for Snare Drum

Mallets:

Goldenberg: Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba, and Vibraphone

Stevens: Method of Movement for Marimba

Tympani:

Beck: Concepts for Timpani

Drumset:

Houghton: Essential Styles Vol. 1

The snare books have not come in the mail yet. I was able to get "Essential Styles", "Modern School for Xylo...", and both snare books from Barnes and Noble. Because I am a member, I got 10% and free express hipping. Good deal.

Mallets:

It took a ton of time to shop for the best deals out there. Basically, a genius friend of mine came over one day, and we spent the entire afternoon scoping out deals.

One we stumbled upon was this "College Primer Pack" put out by Innovative Percussion, available on Steve Weiss. We figured this is worth $60 more than what it's price at. Plus, it is all stuff I would use.

It includes:

2 Pairs of Innovative RS251 Medium Rattan Vibe Mallets

2 Pairs of Innovative IP240 Medium Birch Marimba Mallets

Innovative IP902 James Ross Xylophone/Bell Mallets

Innovative IP906 James Ross Brilliant Xylophone/Bell Mallets

Innovative BT-4 Bamboo Series General Timpani Mallets

Innovative CL1L Chris Lamb Signature Concert Snare Drum Sticks

Innovative MB3 Mallet Bag

I think this is a pretty good set. The vibraphone, marimba, xylophone/bell, and tympani mallets were all on the list of suggestions from my professor.

I really like the mallet bag. Instead of having four large interior pockets like most mallet bags, this one has several small pockets. This way, your mallets don't slide all around when you carry it and they stay organized. The draw back to this- it wouldn't be a good bag to hang on a keyboard. Because the mallets can't slide around, it would be hard to do quick mallet changes.

I ordered a Vic Firth Tom Gauger TG01 Bass Drum Mallet. I really didn't know what bass drum mallets to get, but my professor suggested Tom Gauger models, so I went with a general use mallet.

For tympani mallets, we need a set of hard, medium, and soft mallets. The BT-4 bamboo mallets that came with the Primer pack are considered general, so I decided just to get a set of hard and soft for now. I picked out some Black Swamp Carbon Fiber Cartwheel mallets, which [according to the Black Swamp website] is good for producing "seamless rolls" and preforming "delicate passages". For hard mallets, I chose Innovative Concert Series- Hard Felt.

Miscellaneous:

 

I found this cheap set of triangle beaters, which I will need down the road as I get my own triangles.

I also ordered a set of brushes and a pair of Ed Soph drumsticks for drum set playing.

I'm super excited about college this fall and I can't wait to take all this with me!