Tuesday Afternoon with Tijmen

Today Oliver and I both went over to Tijmen's house for the afternoon. On the way over (I live about a 2-minute walk away from him), I came across this amusing graffiti on the ground with a deranged chicken holding a fish. When I got to his house, Tijmen's sister Emma answered the door because he and his mom were out picking up Oliver. I came in and played Super Smash Brothers Melee until they arrived. We tried out his new copy of Guitar Hero: World Tour which he got for Christmas, while Emma was playing Strawberry Fields Forever and other Beatles songs on the piano in the other room. World Tour was the first Guitar Hero game to include drums and vocals as well as guitar/bass. We switched off instruments, but for the most part I played guitar, Oliver did vocals, and Tijmen played drums. When we got tired of this, we switched to Mario Kart Wii, where Tijmen, Oliver, Emma, and I all did 4-player races. While we were playing, Tijmen's mom made some Gouda cheese-covered bread, and toward the end we also got some really good brownies that Emma made earlier in the day. Mid-afternoon we went up to the field by the David Avenue school where we played croquet for a while. We came back and played Tanks on Wii Play and I left around five.

The Winter Concert

Matthew Shonman tuning his trombone

This past Thursday night was our winter concert, featuring the chorus and orchestra as well as the band. Since the middle school auditorium, the usual venue, is under construction, we had to hold the concert at the high school multi, which was much smaller. Band went first, and we played quite a few songs: A Festival Prelude, O Holy Night, Procession of Nobles, A Chanukah Celebration, and A Christmas Festival. After our section came the chorus, singing numerous Christmas and Hannukah classics, and then the intermission.

Jane Rudy singing in Chorus

At intermission, Matthew and I helped Michael Yanoska carry the large timpani around the building in the dark to the band room since it was too big to use the inside route. After putting away our instruments, we went to the snack bar in the back where some middle-schoolers (including Michelle Watkins and Emma Teering) led by Tijmen's mom were selling snacks.

Following the intermission was the orchestra's performance. They first did a suite by Edvard Grieg featuring the band's percussion section and some other classical pieces, and then performed a really neat tango piece involving improvisation.

Michael Yanoska Drum Captain

Kristen Sanchez Senior Flutist

The Percussion Section Brent Smith, Matthew Johnson, Taylor Jones, Michael Yanoska, Leif Swenson, Andy Bieman, Cory Jones (front)

Thanks to Oliver Bunten for the photos.

Cross Country @ Pacific Grove

Today was the first of our small cross country meets at home in PG at Rip Van Winkle open space. We went against King City and for the girls Santa Catalina school as well. It was another small meet so all the boys ran together and all the girls ran together, rather than by grade or Varsity and JV. To my surprise, I saw Tijmen's sister Emma there, apparently friends with Coach Watkins' daughter Michelle. The course was 2.4 miles through the shaded dog park area. Despite being a hot day, it was quite cool on the shaded course which was a very enjoyable change. Alex Schramm got first place for boys and Emily Marian got first for girls. Quite a good day for the Breakers.

I didn't bring my camera so I thought I'd put this picture up, of a sign on our Railroad Run put up by a lumber company on the side of their building:

Croquet at Tijmen's

After church today I went over to Tijmen's, along with Oliver, for another fun afternoon. We began by playing some assorted games including Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Mario Kart Double Dash, as well as Kirby Air Ride which I brought. Here's a cheat we found for how to make Kirby breakdance in Air Ride:

1) Go to City Trial.
2) Play 2 player with someone. If you can't have a Level 1 CPU.
3) Find a Time Bomb.
4) Set it in the underground area.
5) Get off of your machine.
6) Stand on the edge of a slanted wall that leads to the Underground, and jump. He should appear to be sliding on his side.
7) Be careful, slide so you get hit by the bomb.
8) When the explosion clears, Kirby should appear to be breakdancing.

After we finished playing the Wii, we went over to the field by the David Avenue school and played croquet. We did two games: one huge one that took about 45 minutes and took up the entire field, and a smaller 15-minute one. Oliver one the first game by a long shot, and in the second game it was very close between Tijmen and I but he ended up winning.

Another Day at Tijmen's

Today I went over to Tijmen's house for the last time in a while, since he is going on road trips and camps for most of the summer. I walked over to his house around 9:30 and we played MarioKart Wii for about an hour until Oliver arrived. For the morning, we did video games, mainly SSB Brawl, and drew with chalk. He got this really cool chalk (and "chalk-paint") that appears 3D when you put on glasses. Much to the annoyance of Oliver, I drew a giant wall-eyed weirdo.

Around noon, we finally got in touch with Yann and he came over soon afterward. We tried to have a water balloon fight, but there were hardly any water balloons. Tijmen got the idea to walk over to Rite Aid and get some balloons, so we walked over and also got ice cream at the stand in the back of the store. After we got back, we had a really awesome water balloon war for most of 2 hours in his front yard. Many times, Tijmen would get on the roof and bombard an unsuspecting Oliver below. As well as using regular water balloons (styled to look like grenades) we would fill up normal balloons so they could hold what seemed like a gallon of water. When we ran out of balloons, we switched over to sprinklers, watering cans, and just about anything else that could hold water. I left and walked home around 5:30 and was home by six.

8th Grade in Review

Favorite Music Led Zeppelin Rush Queen The Beatles	Teachers Period 0) Mrs. Murphy; P.E. Period 1) Mrs. Rookstool; English Period 2) Mrs. Terry; Spanish I Period 3) Mr. Gamble; US History Period 4) Mr. Godfrey; Physical Science Period 5) Ms. DeMarco; Algebra I Period 6) Ms. Priest; Advanced Band
Popular Music Rap and Hip-Hop Genres

Friends

Michael Woodruff	Matthew Johnson

Tijmen Teering	Yann Brown	Austin Myers

Riley White	Oliver Bunten

The Spring Concert

Last night was the last band concert of the year, and it went very well. This is the concert where all the groups at the school do 2-4 songs, usually ones we have practiced almost all year. However, this year we decided to change the songs we did at the last minute. As well as For Our Heroes, a song from the festival, we played two new songs: The Great Locomotive Chase and In a Gentle Rain. The latter mainly just featured soloists with a "rain" background by snapping, and Locomotive was a depiction of a civil war train chase, as it said in the description. In jazz, we played Bruiser's Blues and Woodchopper's Ball, also decided on at the last minute.

For the finale of the concert, a group of us who have been coming in at lunch about 2 times a week performed The Empire Strikes Back Medley, a collection of Star Wars songs from Episode V. Unfortunately, Riley, who plays the 1^st clarinet part with me, was absent so I had to cover it on my own.

Music In The Parks

Today was the latest music competition, Music In The Parks at Milpitas High School. At 7 in the morning, we met at the middle school and split up onto three buses. Oliver brought his DS and played Pokémon Pearl on the ride.

We were running a bit late so when we arrived, we went straight on stage and played For Our Heroes and The Last Ride of the Pony Express. This time, we didn't mess up on the half tempo part, so hopefully we got a better score. Since our first chair trumpet Tyler was absent, Tijmen had to cover the first part.

After packing up our instruments, we watched the school orchestra play Capriccio Italian and Furiant in the gym, where we would later play in jazz band. After waiting around a bit longer and warming up in the back room, we played Count Basie's Jumpin' at the Woodside for Jazz Band, as well as our usual What Is Hip?.

Later on, most of the people went to Great America, to return at 9:30 PM, but I didn't want to because I don't really care for theme parks. I got a ride home with Michael, and we watched a South Park spoof on World of Warcraft on his iPod Touch and listened to music. Yann also had to leave early because he had a part in the school play, which is airing tonight.

The awards ceremony is at 6 this evening, so I'll post the results when I can.

RE: A Fish Taco Shirt!

At Tijmen's request, I made a "beef taquito" picture for the back of the shirt. If the front had the Bow Down to the Almighty caption, then it would say And This One Too on the back. I drew the beef taquito on the back of a spanish paper a while ago, but had not managed to make it on Photoshop until now.

We're probably going to order it on Cafepress.com because it is much less expensive than getting it silkscreened.

A Fish Taco Shirt!

Yann got the idea to make a fish taco shirt, so I made a high-resolution version of the taco picture with some revisions. We're going to order some at Central Coast Silkscreen on Lighthouse Avenue, and give one to Tijmen, Oliver, and others who like tacos.

It will probably have some catch phrase like Bow Down to the Almighty or It Pwns All or something like that, but we haven't decided that yet.

Here's the new fish taco image:

Fun at Tijmen's

Today I went over to Tijmen's house for the first time. Oliver and Yann were there too. We started by playing Super Smash Bros. Brawl for a while, and then moved on to some claymation.

Tijmen has an iMac with iStopMotion, so it was way easier that the way I have been doing it. We made a video where honey comes out of a jar and becomes a little person, and then another little person comes and attacks it with kung-fu fighting moves. The honey was inspired by Oliver's messy honey sandwiches he gets at school, where the honey gets everywhere! Unfortunately, I had to go before we could finish, so I'll post the claymation when Tijmen finishes it.

Here's some more photos:

Good Old Days

Today was Pacific Grove's long-awaited Good Old Days celebration. I played clarinet in our school jazz band in front of the local 17th Street Grille (home of really good pesto wraps) in a small white tent. We played songs including Blue Midnight, What is Hip?, In The Mood, and Wipe Out. Afterward, jazz combo, a group of about 10 musicians with Tijmen on alto sax and Yann on trombone, played Europa and I Wish.

It was very enjoyable, but also really exhausting because we're having a heat wave right now. The temperature got up to nearly 90 degrees in the middle of the day (unusual for a town where the weather is usually 65° and foggy or overcast).

I'll try to find some pictures and post them when I can.

Honor Jazz Band Concert

Last night was the honor jazz band concert at the Golden State Theatre. A bunch of people I know were in it, including Tijmen and Yann. Yann had a solo on the song Sidewinder. Great job, Tijmen, Yann, and everyone else in it!




Saxophones
Matt Pardue - alto, Carmel Middle School
HaYoung Youn - alto, Pacific Grove Middle School
Ben Bransford - tenor, Carmel Middle School
Isaiah Bindel - tenor, Pacific Grove Middle School
Tijmen Teering - baritone, Pacific Grove Middle School

Trombones
Yann Brown, Pacific Grove Middle School
Teddy Calderon, Carmel Middle School
Julian Thompson, Pacific Grove Middle School
Marshall Murphy (bass), Pacific Grove Middle School

Trumpets
Michael Cho, Pacific Grove Middle School
Kevin Zischke, San Benancio Middle School
Estaban Sanchez, Santa Catalina Middle School
Joe Kochevar, Carmel Middle School
Brayden Tollefson, Palma Middle School

Rhythm
Chance Breaux - piano, King Middle School
Amos Kim - bass, Pacific Grove Middle School
Nathan Hardoin - bass, San Benancio Middle School
Tom Kochevar - guitar, Carmel Middle School
Taylor Jones - drums, Pacific Grove Middle School
Patrick Murphy - drums, Carmel Middle School
Olivia Sedoryk - vocals, Walter Colton Middle School

Tijmen's New Website

Visit my friend Tijmen's new website at http://ashpaw.wetpaint.com/

It features some claymation projects he and Yann have done like this one:



See More

Wii

Hopefully, soon I will get a Nintendo Wii. I am going to sell my GameCube and most of my games (excluding Super Smash Bros. Melee, Kirby Air Ride, and Super Mario Sunshine). Then I will be able to link up with Oliver, Michael, Riley, Matthew, Tijmen, Yann, and just about everyone else I know who has a Wii.

I plan on getting Super Smash Bros. Brawl first, as well as Wii Sports, of course.

Lobster Lemon

Tijmen and I came up with this idea during P.E. basketball today.
I based it off of this sketch that I did later in the day.

Fixing Fish Tacos

Today I fixed the old fish taco image. It was producing a glitch when viewed in certain programs, like the web browser. Below are the old and new FTs.
In other news, Oliver found out he's a rooster, not a dog, on the Chinese zodiac.