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So I asked for some blogging topics, and Kerri suggested I share a little about the accordion. If you’ve been hanging around for awhile, you may have noticed that I actually play this marvelous instrument. You’re probably wondering why.
SO! I started playing the violin when I was six years old. I did the Royal Conservatory exams up to grade 10. While I was in high school, I probably loved playing the violin more than I loved anything else in the world. That being said, I put a lot of pressure on myself and found it quite stressful at times. I was that kid who hung out at the conservatory multiple nights a week, eating Subway for dinner and doing homework between theory class and orchestra. It was all very serious.
My little brother was the one to discover the accordion. His 9-year-old self decided that he was into folk music, so he asked my mom to find him a teacher. My sister and I ended up hanging around at a lot of his jam sessions and concerts. Accordion events? Are seriously FUN, none of this haughty business you might find in the world of strings. When I was 17-going-on-18 I decided I wanted to try it toojust because it looked so darned fun.
I’ve been playing for just over 2 years now and it’s seriously a blast. It’s pretty much impossible to play the accordion with a long face, I dare you to try. I’m getting somewhat good at it, but I think my brother is miles ahead of me. I mostly play classical stuff because I like it, but I’m not above breaking out into a polka once in awhile. I also like to play French Canadian folk music with my brother. I try my hand at Klezmer, East European, French, Latin American…pretty much anything! I actually do compete with it and I’m not kidding when I say the competitions are the funnest part. Most people in my age group are virtuosos, but they are so friendly and funny!
My gorgeous accordion weighs about 32 lbs. My left bicep actually bulges a bit from pushing the bellows in and out, whereas my right bicep is comparatively modest. When I’m sick and not breathing well, my accordion is actually too much to handle! It’s such a beast. Somehow I rarely have this problem with my violin. LOL
Now, I would like to open up a formal Q & A session to you the readers. Ask me anything… about my asthma or about asthma in general, about my hopes and dreams, daily life., or whatever. I will try to answer as completely and honestly as possible! I’m in need of a writing exercise. Even if you’ve never commented before, consider leaving me a question!
I’m honoured to have received the honest scrap award from Kerri!
Now I must write ten honest things about myself. Here goes!
1. I’m a feminist, but not in the men-are-filthy-pigs-that-should-sleep-in-the-doghouse kind of way. It makes me so happy to see women asserting themselves and reaching their full potential.
2. I look way old for my age. I hesitate to go out alone with my dad because people assume we are married. Also, people think I am my brother’s mommy.
3. I recently moved into an appartment after spending a year and a half at my aunt and uncle’s house and I can already say that it was one of the best moves (pardon the pun, haha) I’ve ever made. Suddenly I feel so in control and HAPPY with my life.
4. I would rather swim in a glacier-fed lake than discuss my asthma with people. Maybe that’s why I started this blog: because I find it interesting and worthy of discussion, but I’m uncomfortable with the people I know.
5. I play the accordion and I don’t care who knows it. It’s versatile, it’s everywhere and let’s face it: you can’t play the accordion with a long face 
6. My mom and I act like we are about 1o when we are together. She has a way of bringing out the mischievious part in me.
7. I hate doing my hair. Waste of time. I can’t wait until it grows out and is easier to manage. I’d appreciate it if we were all bald and hair was one less thing to worry about.
8. Though I demand to be treated as an adult, I really like it when people call me “kiddo”. I dunno why, it’s just endearing.
9. I get attached to people quite easily and I’m terrible at goodbyes.
10. I’m breathless more often than I’ll ever let anyone know, including you, though I suppose the cat’s out of the bag now. Also, this pretty much is a re-iteration of #4.
As for tagging, I would have tagged all the same people that Kerri tagged, but if you feel like doing this, by all means do!
OMG OMG Rufus Wainwright, Renee Flemming AND Kate McGarrigle were all just on “Spectacle with Elvis Costello” jamming along it was sweet. Yay, made my week. Very cool to see one of my fav opera stars with my fav folk singer of all time. Sorry for the nerd interruption. Oh but hang on where was Anna McGarrigle?
Sitting with: Mom and sister KJ
Listening to: Oliver Schroer (thank you Peter)
Sipping on: Himalayan Chai
Life Is Good
Everyone on facebook these days has their status set to something like “three exams down, two to go!”. Last semester, one of my friends had her status set to “I don’t care how many exams you have left and neither does the rest of the world so stop announcing it!” Maybe you don’t care either about my exam progress, but I must say this:
BIOCHEM IS DONE!!! It’s a huuuuge load off my shoulders, although it hasn’t truly sunk in yet. As I got to the arena where I was writing, everybody was in a frenzy. People were sitting on the floor, their notes strewn in front of them, people were rushing up to each other asking questions and also commenting on how “screwed” they were. It was a very stressful environment and I regretted getting there so early. Generally, I like to be early for things but this was not good. Thankfully I managed to find one of my more sane friends and we talked about other things. Side note: I failed to notice until this morning that I was writing in the arena today. I don’t usually do so well in arenas, something to do with zamboni fumes. Anyway I needed my puffer once or twice but I survived.
The exam itself was really good, but long! It consisted of 60 mcq’s and four big essay questions. I finished with 6 minutes to spare! I do feel really good about how it went and now I sort of have the feeling that if I did that, I can do anything.
I went out tonight to a show which included poetry, hip-hop, beatbox and some jazz. It was really interesting! I didn’t like all of it, but parts of it were great. The encore was particularly awesome as I’m pretty sure it was all improvised. Now that’s a skill I wish I had. I was just talking about that with a friend yesterday actually. My 13 year-old brother is a master in jazz piano and I will be forever jealous of him. Tangent! Sorry. The point is it was really great to get out tonight and do something out of my ordinary.
Ok, I am ready to go and rock this exam, and maybe even have fun doing it! I can’t believe it’s almost the end of the year! This morning I went over some of my notes, did a few practice problems, then I got out my violin! I fiddled up a storm for awhile, and let me tell you there is no better stressbuster. Thursday is always my favourite day of the week for some reason, so happy Thursday!
While yesterday’s post was important to me, I also want to get a happier one to the top of the page. I just got back from dance practice, and even though I’m coughing up weird stuff and my legs are jelloid, I feel so so SO good. Endorphins. Yes, I feel very good and I had a nice day despite the SNOW and RAIN 
My very favourite fiddler, Oliver Schroer, is a real Canadian gem. I just got myself one of his older CDs today. He very sadly died of leukemia last year. I promise you, this is some of the most stirring music ever created, just listen for a bit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ72p9lxq5s
I just had my very last Monday of 2nd year. Woah, we are cooking along, maybe even a little too quickly for my taste? Ah, time.
Barack Obama is coming to Canada today. He will not be making any public appearances but will instead have closed-door meetings with the Prime Minister, the leader of the opposition Michael Ignatieff, and the Governor General. Still, I’ve been hearing of people taking buses to Ottawa from all around Ontario just for this. Mr. Obama certainly has been creating waves (understatement of the year). This is a good thing.
Yesterday was kind of a crappy lung day. I didn’t accomplish a whole lot, except for 3 loads of laundry and some biochem studying. The concert last night was absolutely amazing, my violin idol did not disappoint. I will not bore you with my detailed review, but suffice it to say that I loved it.
