Cello Is Taking Over My Life

I know that I've said the title before (many times) but it's more true now than it ever was before.

I left Nick's at 10:00 and left for New Jersey at 11:00. I had my first World Scout Jamboree meeting. This summer, I will be attending the World Scout Jamboree in Rinkaby, Sweden. Call me a nerd, loser, whatever you want, I am actually looking forward to spending 10 days in a foreign country with people from all over the world that are all some type of scout. I don't know anyone in the troop that I'm going with. I'm pretty sure my region (Northeast) ranges from upstate New York to southern New Jersey. We all me in northern New Jersey for the first time today. The ride was only an hour and a half so it wasn't too bad. We all went around the room and said our names and talked with each other. I didn't really become great friends with anyone yet but I wasn't expecting to. The meeting lasted for about 2 and a half hours. I think it was a successful meeting. The leaders seem really nice and the kids don't seem too bad either. I'm so excited to go on a trip like this without knowing anyone. I think that I'll be able to prove to my parents that I'm more self-sufficient than they think. (Plus my dad said I'm allowed to bring my good camera so I'm going to take amazing pictures during the whole trip!)

I took this picture on our way home from the meeting. I had some pretty good pictures from the ride there and some more from the ride home. I uploaded them to my Flickr page. Please take a look at them and let me know what you think. Remember, my dad was driving while I was taking these pictures and he wouldn't let me open the window or stand with my head out of the sunroof so this was the best I could do.

When I got home, I ate dinner and had a cello lesson (here comes the title). I'm working on picking my NYSSMA piece, I have to get the trio piece with Alex and Casey (we decided on a trio rather than a quartet), I have the Beauty and the Beast score to practice (first rehearsal tomorrow), my All-County music (first rehearsal Tuesday, concert Saturday), my MYO (Metropolitan Youth Orchestra) music to practice (seating auditions in two weeks), and my school orchestra pieces. This is my favorite All-County piece: Cavalleria Rusticana - Intermezzo. I love playing the cello and everything but trying to balance this with everything else isn't going to be easy. Grace thinks that I should audition for All-State next year. I don't think I'm good enough and I know that no matter how good I may seem, there's always someone better than me out there. She hasn't seen all of the MYO cellists.....they're amazing. Maybe I'll be better by the time auditions come around...I would love to be in All-State! Maybe I'll even make it to All-Eastern....who am I kidding. Baby steps...

This is the NYC skyline at sunset (it's better viewed in large)...I got lucky with this one but I wish my dad would've let me look out the sunroof...maybe next time.