Guys guys guys, my technical exam is DONE!! It went so much better than expected, so I can relax a bit now. I have one more exam on Friday and then a month of delicious freedom.

I've gotten fairly slack with lj-posting, I will probably remedy that once I'm properly on break.
Since my last freak-out post over violin I:
- finally got off my arse and did some serious practice
- skyped pebblegosling  multiple times
- decided that I am taking the year off practical violin next year, and I won't go back on that now. I need a break from the stress it causes, and need time to settle into a proper routine
- put together my Esmeralda costume for the Disney-themed party I'm going to on Friday (I'll post a pic if I remember!)
- have bought myself clothes for the first time in ages
- finally paid off all those insurance claims
- spent a lot of time on tumblr and reading fanfic (including RPS for a movie I haven't seen - sign of good writing, right there)
- had a couple of good shifts at my teaching job
- taken my violin in to get a couple of niggling things fixed, of course, as soon as I physically *can't* play it, I wanted to

Last night was so much fun. I went to see Bell Shakespeare's production of 'Much Ado About Nothing' with snuggle_monster  and thalia03  and it was ridiculously funny. I honestly haven't laughed that hard in a long long time. My stomach hurt for ages afterwards. Beatrice was so good, so acerbic but still came across as not entirely bitter, Benedick was freaking hilarious because instead of putting on the overly formal accent a lot of actors do in Shakespeare he still had this almost-Bogan Aussie accent... took me a little while to warm up to it but once I did it was hilarious. The use of music was great, random assortments of instruments and awesome vocal harmonies - so good. So much of what made me laugh was physical humour, so it's not all stuff I can remember or describe now. Although one thing that cracked us up so much was the way Don John and his cronies were characterised - as mafia-type guys. The way the guy who played Don John was SO much like Rowan Atkinson's way of playing Mr Bean, we were in hysterics at points because of that.

I'd forgotten how much I love some of the more sappy dialogue in this play. 'I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest' <3

The ending was the single most appropriate way I could ever have thought of to finish that play. Basically, everyone is coupled off, embracing, and it's a really sappy affectionate moment. Cute. Lights dim except for on Beatrice and Benedick, as he reaches down and grabs her arse. Audience as a collective group: awwww.... HAHAHA XD

Today, thalia03 and I started studying for our English exam on Friday, watching Endgame and writing notes on poetry, interspersed with parts of movies and watching bits of Spring Awakening on youtube. The cast list for our uni's production went up the other day, and we were highly amused/surprised that the guy I kind of sort of have a mini crush on in English is in it. How do I spot the musos/musical theatre people in a LIT class?! Even for my instincts that's ridiculous.
We now have a plan to talk about Spring Awakening obnoxiously before the exam and try to draw him into conversation. Comfort zone, I am leaving you. Yep.

I think that's enough now!
Rdm

 This song. Her voice. I'm incoherent, I don't care.
*flails*

I'm really emotional listening to this, I just, it's overwhelming.

This week has been pretty up and down as well, I will recount it properly this weekend, but for now just have the music that is quite literally playing into my heart.

Also this. I never knew Sara Ramirez had such a stunning voice. My goodness.

I both love and hate that music gets to me so much. It's why I do what I do, but it hurts so damn much sometimes.
Rdm

 This weekend was awesome. I went on a 'camp' with N's church group, and it was so lovely just to be able to stop and relax for a day.
I did feel a bit anti-social, because I got there and had no energy so I chilled with my phone's slow internet and my Glee playlist on my ipod, but then I got dragged into a hilarious game called 'last word' that had us all in hysterics. And ate copious amounts of amazing food, and general silliness.
I got home, and have just been messing around here.

I did have a couple of moments on the weekend that I want to share though. It was a bit strange to be back in a Bible study kind of thing after a year of struggling with my faith and not going to church - but I couldn't have asked for better people to go back to it with. If/when I move over that side of town, I will definitely be going to church there. They feel like home.
In a related note, 'Steer' by Missy Higgins was played while a reflection time was happening, and I freaked out. You see, the very first time I went to this group (they call it 'Deeper') this song came on my ipod on the way home and I was struck with the utter relevance it had to how I felt with them, that I had once again found a spiritual home so to speak. For it to randomly be the song played today? Mind-blowing.


Just one more thing to say. I find the most wonderful things on tumblr. This is a song I love, covered by a different artist that I adore - and that sings in a pretty different genre. Somehow it works. Love her <3


That's all from me tonight!
Happy, relaxed Lauren is happy.
Rdm

 Listening to the Glee version of For Good, and sobbing. It's amazing, and this song is one of my favourites. Also a lot of memories I associate with it. <3

So, I haven't posted in a few days, I think, but it feels like a long time.
This week has pretty much consisted of me working on assignments, procrastinating said assignments, the orchestra concert (which went really really well - we pulled off Firebird!!) getting good at driving Dad's car, and just being ridiculously busy.

I am so glad I have Thursday off, even if I wasn't as productive as I could have been. No practice, but I am finally on top of these assignments. One more to do! ... Then I need to start actually studying.

Tonight, I went to see the student theatre version of 'The Witches' at uni - IT WAS SO AWESOME. Creepy as all hell. As it should be. Love.
It was so funny, while I was there I ran into B, a friend from gamelan last year - who was sitting with a friend of snuggle_monster's that I met at the sleepover a few weeks ago. It took me a while to recognise her, just because I didn't expect them to be sitting together. So random. It was good though, I went on my own so at least I had someone to chat to during interval.

I really want to reread the book now.

... I thought i had more to say. Oh well, tis bedtime! Night!
Rdm

 And then it comes crashing down. Almost literally.

I had a couple of good days where I finally was feeling okay about everything, and on top of my work, and then I managed to get in another car accident that was my fault. Misjudged stopping distance in the rain... Oh and it was on a major freeway, so police got called and I have a ticket for 'following too close'. Even though they actually weren't around to see if I was, it's just assumed. Gah. I don't need this. I feel so guilty too, as it was the fricking new car that my parents got me. *headdesk*

I could brush one incident like that off, but now my confidence on the road has been shaken. I just... I haven't been so afraid of driving since I was a petrified 16-year-old learner.
I'm amazed my Dad still lent me his car today... I wouldn't lend my car to me.

So easy to say getting up for my 8am lecture on 5 hours sleep was a struggle. Thankfully the day (kind of) improved from there.
My Indo teacher is all kinds of amazing. We had an assignment due today, which I emailed at like 1am, and in our 9am class she had it back, with suggestions, and told me to take a couple more days and add some stuff in. Just, wow.
Conducting was okay, although I kept zoning out. Oops.
Then I met up with thalia03 and we just talked about anything and everything, I ranted about cars and money and stress, and we laughed about all the random connections we have.
Then it was English. Ooh boy that tute was intense. We're studying Hamlet, and somehow the discussion hit too close to home, talking about depression. I was on edge, and getting a bit upset when I was talking at one point, and then got even more so when the tutor made a flippant comment that I took a lot of offense at. I was proud of myself, because I went up to him after class and politely pointed out that he should be more careful of how he says things like that because you just don't know what will trigger people. I know he didn't mean it the way he said it, and he understood and was really good about me pointing it out.
Oh, and another girl who barely knows me waited for me outside just to check that I was alright. thalia03 and I just about melted into a puddle. So sweet.

Speaking of, I am so happy to be getting to know you better, thalia03. Thank you so much for staying with me today, I really needed it.

I'm feeling pretty okay now, I don't have to take public transport to rehearsal tomorrow which is a relief, as it would have taken me 2 hours to do so - I can sleep in a bit now. Which I also desperately need. Now I am off to do a little study and just chill for a while.

Rdm

PS. I also had my orchestral assessment today, which went better than I expected but I'm still not sure if I'll have done well enough to pass first go.

 

I found this for someone else again last night, and ended up getting the giggles again. I swear I've had this, or a rather similar conversation before.
XD

Just a quick post to say that the past couple of days have been much better for me - I finally got a decent chunk of that Indo assignment done, after spending the weekend trying to work on it/procrastinating. I'm now just waiting for my teacher to respond to the email.

Yesterday was Mother's Day and so my brother and I were up early, making breakfast - and then we decided to surprise Mum by cleaning while she and Dad were at church. Mostly his idea, and he did most of the work tbh. Mum was impressed =P

Today, I slept in because my 9am class was cancelled, and screw going into uni for an 8am class and then having a 5-hour break. I'll just listen to it tomorrow.
So I had 1 hour of Indo class, then 2 hours of work, then back to uni for 3 hours of orchestra. Phew. I didn't get home until 11pm. Insanity.

One anecdote I just have to share, it's too awesome not too.
It was my friend J's bday today, and at the start of orchestra when we tuned, the concertmaster starts playing other notes, not just A. Soon everyone catches on and the entire orchestra is playing 'Happy Birthday' - complete with harmonies and everything. Made my night. 
I fricking love musos.

That's all. I need to go write a to-do list, can't put it off any longer.

PS. Darren Criss used the word 'bitchin' in a tweet today. pebblegosling  and snuggle_monster , your arguments are invalid.
Rdm

 It's 1am, I have to be up for work in about 5 hours or so, and I am on an utter high right now.

I just got home from Washington's concert, and it was incredible. Absolutely incredible. Not only is she one extremely talented lady, she infused so many of the songs tonight with so much emotion, it was insane. I would put a lot of money on the fact that something has happened in her love life, I mean, the way she sang a couple of songs in particular tonight was so different to last time - you could just feel the raw heartache in her voice.

I went with snuggle_monster, thalia03 and her sister, and it was good to let go a bit. I've had a bit of a rough week (to put it lightly) which I might explain in an entry tomorrow, and so I am glad this was on tonight.

A couple of songs in particular got to me.
'Someone Else in Mind' was intense. Intense. I haven't heard or seen her sing with that much intensity ever. I was in awe. I also teared up a bit at that.
'The Hardest Part' was insanely high-energy and followed on well, but was a completely different tone. It worked.

Just another couple of points and then I will crash. Firstly, her stories are hilarious. She was drunk, as always, and was so funny. Innuendo, swearing, you name it. *chuckles* She cracks me up.
I noticed, and commented to snuggle_monster at one point that a lot of her songs had been slowed down. To which she replied 'yeah, they're all at drunkato tempo'. Me: *doubles over laughing*

Now, I'm as straight as people come. But tonight, good lord she was sexy. Whoa. Girlcrush is still going strong, evidently.
Perhaps my Kinsey scale number isn't as close to 0 as I thought


I can't always tell what is going to get to me the most, and this time the song came out of nowhere. It was actually my least favourite on the album, but tonight I just lost it a bit. I'll post the lyrics here for now, but it was something about the way she sang it, combined with recent events that just got to me.

All the things you've said
And things you've done
I remember, in memoriam
You said that you did
But you did not
Oh, you ache for something
God knows what

I sing every song I've ever sung
From what we were to what we'll become
And full of hope and electricity
Now I let you make a man of me

What can I do?
What can I do?
What can I do?
Now I am on fire
I believe you
I believe you
I believe you
I believe you, liar
Rdm

I'M ON MID-SEMESTER BREAK WHEEEEEE

I had my Indo speech this morning, and Bu Y seemed pretty impressed so I'm really happy. Best part though, is that it's done. My lesson was decent, I have my new car, and I started my break by watching Glee with my brain-twin. 

All in all, happy Lauren is happy.

Since then I've been on tumblr, and have found much Glee goodness, but I honestly can't be bothered embedding it all here right now. I am going to spend my evening reading, and continuing to watch adorable Darren Criss interviews. In which he alternately reminds me of Finding Nemo 'unfathomonomable', using words like 'ancillary' and then 'awesomeness' in the same sentence, and reminding me of my friends. Not even pebblegosling this time, amazingly.
I liked this episode a fair bit, I mean MERCEDES GOT A STORYLINE. That wasn't about food. Her friendship with Rachel makes me happy. Not much Klaine, but what there was was absolutely adorable and sweet. 

A video for you, just because.

 

They're all so adorable. I feel like someone needs to tell Darren to take a break though, his voice is pretty scratchy :\
That's my goodnight.
Rdm

 My title is literal.

So, I had work today and my Dad was going to go and find out what we can do about my car, and I visited him at work to switch cars yada yada. This is how our conversation went:

Dad: so I went and got your car checked out, there's over 2 grand worth of damage.
Me: :O *blinks* Really? How did I manage that...
Dad: Yeah, it's not worth spending that much to fix it. So, I uh, bought you another car. I saw it yesterday and...
Me: Wait, WHAT?!
Dad: A Vectra station-wagon, auto.
Me: *brain still trying to process this*
THANK YOU SO MUCH

Once my Dad decides something, he doesn't screw around. Essentially, he bought me a better car than the one I had.
I honestly don't know what to say, my parents are amazing.
<3

It's weird how the human body/mind reacts to certain things.

Today I ran into the back of another car, and boy did it scare the crap out of me. I'm perfectly okay, so don't you all fret. I was stopped in traffic, and we started moving, and then I zoned out for a second and bang. I feel like such an idiot right now. Luckily the guy whose car I ran into was really nice, and we just exchanged details and he was thinking straight whereas I really wasn't.
I'm still a little shaken up, even though this happened in the middle of the day, which is what the first line is referring to. Mostly now I'm just stressed because I rely on my car a LOT. Like, uni on Friday - I think I can use my brother's car, but the last thing I want to do right now is borrow someone else's car. OR for work on Saturday, what do I do about that? And when the hell am I going to find the time to take my car to get quotes for repairs and UGH.

Not to mention that it was completely my fault, so I will have to pay for the damage. *headdesk*

I was actually having a really good morning too. Indo was fun, my lesson was actually really good - goes to show that a little good practice > lots of dodgy practice. I also headed into the city to study with sine_animo for a while, which helped cheer me up a bit even if we didn't really talk much.
Thank goodness I have no plans and no obligations tomorrow though.

Rdm