This one time... At band camp... The Yank's Karma

[flowerchild17]

Hey there -

Most of you know me at least a little bit - but I'll do a little intro:


My name is Sarah, I'm 16 years old. Basically since I can remember, my life has revolved around music. Above all else, I'm a saxophone player, but I also play other instruments as well. Music to me is a way of life, as it's all I've ever really known. In terms of listening, I'll listen to anything once, but over my life I've grown very fond of world music and jazz mostly. But my theory has always been that to play good music, you have to listen to it all and decide for yourself what's good and what's not - music is too subjective of a thing to classify as just "good" or "bad."

Over the past year I've changed a lot. I've taken it upon myself to finally put some stability into my life, which is something I've never had before. I've grown up and really taken charge of my life in my views. I'm trying right now more than anything to keep this foundation I've laid down for my life, that's my goal for right now.

Besides that, in reality, I'm a person of fairly limited interest. I do a lot of art - from drawing to ceramics to printmaking to working with digital photography. I read almost everything I can get my paws on, and enjoy writing music, along with poetry and some journalism work. I enjoy just being a human being on this earth really, I love being out in the world among people different from me. I'm somewhat active politically in my own way, and wish in a way I could do more at this point, but that will come someday in the future...

Ask away!

[Peace-Phoenix]

What are the five most important things you want to do before you die?

[flowerchild17]

That's a hard question to answer! Things change with life, so my life goals will change mroe than likely as I get older. But as of right now:

1. Take my music as far as I can take it - Personally I mean, not in terms of fame or money. I want to die thinking I did everything I could to achieve what I want to in music, becuase music has been so kind to me.
2. Have a family and be able to give that family the stable life I lacked growing up. Some instability in life is good, it keeps you on your toes, but not as much as I've had.
3. Do those incredibly crazy things taht you only do once in your life, ie jumping out of planes and bungee jumping. How amazing must that be?! How cool is it to be able to say you jumped out of plane, and ACTUALLY doing it?
4. Explore the world. I want to learn everything I can about this earth before I go, so I want to travel around it and learn about the people. I feel so stuck in this American culture, be it the "melting pot" it is, everything is "Americanized" in some way and I want to see these cultures for what they are with my own two eyeballs.
5. Finally, die happy. Death is not something that really scares me anymore, I've accepted it and it makes me want to live the life I have even more. More than anything I want to die a peaceful death, knowing that I did everything I could in this life to make it worth while...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Some people look forward to death, some run from it and most just accept it. Me, I'd live forever if I could. Would you?

[flowerchild17]

Probably not forever, no, but close to it perhaps. Death to me is a part of life, and it's a part of life I have to experience in order for this journey of mine in the world to come full circle. I'd live longer than 100 years if I could, and perhaps I will, but I wouldn't want to live forever...

[lithium]

Would you kill a man, just to watch him die?

[flowerchild17]

I've watched people die in my life already, I don't need to kill someone to see that. And I don't even like to kill spiders, let alone a human being...

[Sebbi]

Who've you seen die?
What instability have you experienced?
Do you think that's affected the way you think?

[flowerchild17]

Tough questions...

I've lost a lot of people in my life, from a very very early age. My grandfather died when I was very young, I have very few memories of him but I know he was an amazing person, and it hurts me a lot that I didn't get to know him better. My uncle Mark died when I was 7 - He was one of the first people to influnce my musically and gave me the head start in it I needed, which is something I think about every day. My mother died from cancer when I was 8, a few weeks before my 9th birthday. In essence, I spent my young life watching her die before my eyes; she was diagnosed when I was very young, I believe when I was less than a year old. Through the next 6 years I saw many people die that I personally was not close to - My dad's friends, some of my mothers old friends, some friend's of friend's, and the like. These did not effect me the way that loosing close family members had, but it still affected me. When I was 14, my father and I found my other grandmother half dead on her kitchen floor on Christmas eve. I spent that Christmas/birthday with my fighting family in the hospital watching her die, and she finally passed on January 7th - with ironically is the day that most eastern european cultures, including my family (I come from a Ukrainian family) celebtrate Christmas. Since that time, which was about 2 and a half years ago, a friend of my dad's who I was actaully very close to had a heart attack and died in his own back yard, and that hit me very hard. A bus accident this past year involving a marching organization I know killed some of their staff, when I'd seen them 3 hours before. That hit me, becuase it made me question the one stable thing in my life. That could ahve been the bus I was on with my band, and the directors I'm so incredibly close to. Lastly, this past January a student from the school I attend was killed. I did not know him, but I was affected but it, as our whole community was. This community is very small, and things this tragic affect each and every single person within its barriers.
Now I haven't actaully seen all of these people die with my own two eyes, but all of it has affected me in some way.
The instability I've experienced in my life has almost seemed universal, everything in my life has been unstable at some point. My family is the main culprit of it, however. My dad is a very flaky person and changes every day. I never know who he is going to be from one day to another. One day he's the happiest man on earth, the next he could be the most depressed person you'll ever meet, and the next day he'll be so angry you can't even breathe around him. Since I'm the only other person who lives in this house, I get the brunt of it. In my life too, I've just been unlucky to be around some of the most unstable people in the world. It's hard to explain almost, it just seems to be a long strain of bad luck and coincidence. Now though, like I said, I do have some things in my life that are stable, and it's wonderful. I dont' know what I'd do without it, becuase if the constant instability I had when I was younger continued I'm not sure how I would have handled it.
It certainly has affected the way I think. I had a lot of trust problems, where I would trust the wrong people way to much, and the right people not enough. Once again, I've outgrown a lot of that and learned, but it still affects me to a certain extent. On a positive side though, I'm a very alert and observant person, and if anything, this has always kept me on my toes. I rarely let my guard down, which is a good and bad thing, but I'm trying now to recognize the good and bad qualities all this in my life has left behind...

[Peace-Phoenix]

If there was one skill that you don't have, but you could learn, what would it be?

[Quoth the Raven]

What other instruments do you play besides the saxophone? Not very "deep" I know but I'm curious ;)
Me, I'm a flautist (electric flute, "normal" flute & Native American Fute) and a guitarist.

[flowerchild17]

I would love to learn how to SPELL! You all know how horrible I am at it - I think I'm pretty good with words/language but it help if I could write it all out without seeming like an idiot...

And besides sax (I'm a one-woman sax quartet, by the way, but I love playing tenor more than anything else), I also play clarinet. I'm basically a reed doubler, but I also play a lot of bass and percussion. I do marching percussion in the winter, and during marching band I do sax. I'm just a saxophone player - plain and simple. Someoneasked me this once - If I had to throw all my instruments into a fire except for one, which would I keep, and without even thinking about it I told him my tenor... That's my baby:)

[Peace-Phoenix]

We all live in past, the present and the future to varying degrees. But which do you think is the most important to you? Do you live for the moment? Do you dream for the future? Do you dwell on the past?

[flowerchild17]

I think I'm a combination of all of that, actaully, except for "dwelling" on the past. I love the present, I love waking up every morning thinking I can do something with my life that will make it better. I thrive on the idea of the future, where I'll be on my own and be able to start my new life with a clean slate, and really start my life unlike now where I'm still bound by my father's household and school. I've had a lot of hard times in my past, and done a lot of stupid things, but I dont' believe in regret. What's happened happened, and theres nothing I can do about it, except to learn and make the present/future better, so I dont relive the bad things in my past that I can at all prevent.

In terms of which is most important, I think the present is most important. The future comes later and there's not a whole hell of a lot you can do about it right now, except a few tiny things, because things change and life as a whole is unpredictable. And the past, well, you can learn from it, but dwelling on it and regretting things within it makes you miserable in the present, which in reality is stupid and just basically sucks. It is important to learn from your past, but simply thats in the past! Move on with your life and make the rest of it better...

[Peace-Phoenix]

If you could be any great non-musical figure in history, or alive today, who would it be and why?

[flowerchild17]

Hmmm....

Piccaso. Piccaso himself was not that great of a man, he was very crude and incredibly sexist/racist, but his art work to me is inspiring for some reason I really can't explain. I would love to truly understand what went on in his head, and if painting and painting more as he got older was really how he cheated death and lived into his 90's...

[Peace-Phoenix]

What would you call your future children and why?

[flowerchild17]

I think that's a hard thing for me to say right now. I'm younger, and even though I believe I'll have kids younger in my life, it's impossible to name my children now, especially since I think the father would have SOME input on it :p

But I like the name Coltrane, as a first name. NOT just because of John Coltrane as I'm sure many of you would think, I just really like that name, I always have even before I knew John Coltrane was John Coltrane. I like some traditional names, but not the most traditional ones that you hear every day. Everywhere I've gone there's always been at least 4 or 5 Sarah's, so I really want to avoid names that are that common. I think Emily is a nice name, but it's just far far to common.

I really don't know really, this is a hard thing for me to think about...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Imagine God looking down on creation on the seventh day. Imagine how he might feel. What makes you feel like that?

[flowerchild17]

I feel like that after a really good marching show, when we're getting off the field. I know that I've done my best, and I know that there are 61 people doing the same thing right at my side. I love the audiance's reaction, and it makes me so happy to think that this thing we've spent so much time creating made them so happy, and made them go wild during our show.
I also feel like that when I'm around little children. Not being a mother myself it's hard for me to describe, but to be around those little kids who are still so innocent and dont know of the bad things in the world makes me feel incredible. To feel that two people were able to make this little bundle of joy, and that it's the most natural and magical thing in the world seems so surreal. Childhood innocence is truly an amazing thing, and I'm cherishing it through other people now that I'm older and can appriciate it...

[Peace-Phoenix]

I you couldn't be a musician in later life, what would you be?

[flowerchild17]

That's a REALLY tough question, as a lot of the time I feel like I'd really be dead than not be able to be creating music. I remember talkinga bout this to some of my friends, and it would take a LOT to make me stop playing music. Even if I lost my all of my limbs I think I'd ask someone to tape drumsticks to the stubbs where my arms used to be or something silly like that. I'd be writing notes down on paper with a pen in my mouth. I remember once I asked you what you would do if you weren't able to write, and you said that you'd be writing iwth your own blood on the walls before you stopped writing, and that's pretty much how I feel. You would have to put me in such a vegitative state to stop me from playing. Even if I do different things in life (such as writing and art) and have different jobs/careers that dont involve music, music is still THE MOST important thing in my life, and I don't think there is anything on this earth that could change that...
I have considered other jobs, often in journalism. I can see myself being a writer for a newspaper or magizines or something like that. Or maybe art, working as a teacher or something. This would still allow me to be creative and express myself, without having to confide in a 9 to 5 job completely, and I'd still be able to devote almost everything else in my life to music...

[Peace-Phoenix]

You're a very creative person, and many creative people are left handed, are you?

And I'll turn your question back on you - what was/is school like for you?

[flowerchild17]

I use both my hands equally, but I normally write with my right hand. I can do it with my left hand, but it looks better with my right. I do most everything else with my left hand though, I eat, throw balls/frisbees, and catch things with my left hand. I'm really weird and screwed up like that actaully...

School for me has been up and down. When I was little, I gave all I could into academics, but now not so much. High school has been very up and down - My first year was my worst academic wise, but the best socially. The past two years my grades have gotten better, and most of my friends are in band, with a few outside of school. My high school career has taken place mostly in my school's band room, or art room. I've also really enjoyed my English classes though, they get better and better as I get farther into high school. As of right now high school is really good, I have a great list of classes and some new friends, and best of all, more time in the band room...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Do you watch much TV? What are your favourite shows?

[flowerchild17]

I really don't like TV. I'll watch a few shows every now and again, like the Simpsons or silly shows like that, and I'll catch a few interesting documentaries if I see them when flipping through the channels. I don't know if you get this show int he UK, but I love watching this show called "How It's Made" just becuase it's so bad and oddly done. It's mesmorizing how starnge it is, whenever I see that on I make a point of watching it. :p

[Peace-Phoenix]

Never seen it nope.


When did you stop believing in Santa?

When did you stop believing in God?

[flowerchild17]

I stopped believing in Santa when I was 5 or 6. I saw my mother writing "From Santa" on a gift when I woke up in the middle of hte night. In all reality I wasn't that upset, I still got the presents:p

I stopped believing in god after my mother died. Before that my faith waivered, but the couple years after my mother died completely killed any faith I had in him...

[lithium]

Describe your happiest memory.

[flowerchild17]

That's another really hard question! You guys are grilling me here :p

The happiest memory of my childhood, when my mother was still alive, is Christmas from what I was about 4 or 5. My mother and I made cookies and wrapped presents and bought some really nice things for my brother and my father. It's kind of a blur when I was really young, but it's a really strong memory, and it has a very pronounced presence in my head. It's one of the few memories about my mother that doens't involve her being ill or in the hospital.

When my mother died, it was like starting a whole new life for me. I basically divide me life into two parts, when my mother was alive and after she died. I have 3 "happiest" memories after the time she died, which are different in the fact that one involves family, on involves friends, and one involves love. It's hard to consider which one made is the happiest, because they all made me happy in such different ways...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Next question then is obvious - what are those three memories?

[flowerchild17]

I figured you'd ask that :)

The one that involves family is when I was at Christmas dinner the year after my mother died. We all sat around my grandparent's living room and talked about her - which is not something we were able to do the year before (She died less than 3 weeks before Christmas) and it made me truly inspired. It was a time when everyone was there in my family and we were able to really shareand open up to each other.

The one with my friends actaully happened my first year at band camp. It was the first or second night we were up there, and it was about midnight. Three my my closest friends and I were laying in the middle of the field that we'd marched on, and we were staring at the stars just talking. Really not talking about anything that important, just how the day had went, old boyfriends and girlfriends, and the lot. But it made me so happy, that moment is when I first felt like that this group of people was family to me. And I'd never seen the stars so clear, being in the city I never get to see them very well at all...

The one with my boyfriend is the cheesy story of when he first told me he loved me. I remember we were laying on his bed talking, and then I start drifting off to sleep (had had a very long day) with my head resting on his stomach, and just as I was able to fall asleep he gently picked up my head, and said "I love you Sarah." The room was darker, as it was later at night, and it was snowing outside. We spent the rest of the night together, then went outside and had a snowball fight before he took me home. Him and I have become so close, and I'll never forget that. This is the first time I ever felt like I've been truly "in love" and it feels like something mroe than a silly teenage relationship, and I do truly hope it lasts. In any case, he's stood by me when others haven't and gotten me some of the hardest times in my life, and been totally non-judmental, and just helped me make tough choices that I couldn't make myself. That is something I'll always love him for, no matter what...

[Peace-Phoenix]

And from love to its opposite. Have you ever hated someone?

[flowerchild17]

I don't think I've ever truly *hated* someone - I don't have it in me. I believe that humanity as a whole is good and I believe firmly in humanity - Despite what's going on on this earth now. A lot of people have gone as far to call me a humanist. And hatred seems so final, love can change, but I think hatred has alot more trouble changing. I believe love and hate are equally strong, but no matter how much I dislike someone I can't hate them...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Why do you think humanity is good? Surely good and evil are concepts that we have invented. And on the grand scale of things, aren't the concepts of good, evil and even humanity itself, largely irrelevant?

[flowerchild17]

The little things that human beings do for each other to help them make me thing humanity as a whole is good. Even the little things like holding doors open for each other, helping you pick up a pile of papers when you drop them, and being a shoulder to cry on when you have a hard day. If humanity wasnt good at its core, these things would not exist. People would be concerned only about themselves and stomp on everyone along the way - And granted there are a lot of people who DO do that, but I still believe that the good people far outweigh the bad. It's just that the people who choose to be "bad" in that sense do far more extreme things than the people who just try to keep planet earth bearable to live on.
Yes, I do believe that the concepts of good and evil have been created by humanity. But since we created them, and we're living with them now, they are NOT irrelevant in any way. If they were irrelevant matters we would be able to get rid of them. And humanity obviously on this earth for a purpose, we've survived this long, and we've created these concepts and have to find a way to manage the way they've developed over the ages now...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Good answer, I was hoping you'd say something like that.

Can you swim? Do you like swimming? If so, where is your favourite place to swim?


The little things that human beings do for each other to help them make me thing humanity as a whole is good. Even the little things like holding doors open for each other, helping you pick up a pile of papers when you drop them, and being a shoulder to cry on when you have a hard day. If humanity wasnt good at its core, these things would not exist. People would be concerned only about themselves and stomp on everyone along the way - And granted there are a lot of people who DO do that, but I still believe that the good people far outweigh the bad. It's just that the people who choose to be "bad" in that sense do far more extreme things than the people who just try to keep planet earth bearable to live on.
Yes, I do believe that the concepts of good and evil have been created by humanity. But since we created them, and we're living with them now, they are NOT irrelevant in any way. If they were irrelevant matters we would be able to get rid of them. And humanity obviously on this earth for a purpose, we've survived this long, and we've created these concepts and have to find a way to manage the way they've developed over the ages now...

[flowerchild17]

Why were you hoping I'd say something like that? :)

I really don't like swimming, but I can. I've come close to drowning a few times, becuase I didn't know how to swim until a few years ago. I'm not good at swimming, I can not drown, but I just don't like it and feel no need to learn more than I already know...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Because it's along the lines of an answer I would have given to that question. I don't believe in universal morals, they are all human inventions, but taking that into account, I still have values, invented or not.

When did you come close to drowning?

Why were you hoping I'd say something like that? :)

I really don't like swimming, but I can. I've come close to drowning a few times, becuase I didn't know how to swim until a few years ago. I'm not good at swimming, I can not drown, but I just don't like it and feel no need to learn more than I already know...

[flowerchild17]

Mainly when I was younger and had NO idea how to swim. I fell through frozen ice once when I was 6, and I fell into my friend's swimming pool when I was 6, and it was a deep pool. They were both very scary, and I've just always hated being in water...

[Peace-Phoenix]

How did you get out of the frozen ice situation?

[flowerchild17]

I really dont' remember much about it, I was so young. I know we were surrounded by a lot of people (my friend and I were sledding). But there was a hole in the ice and I was pulled out by my friend's mother. I dont' remember the next day and a half about, I remember waking up in the hospital...

[lithium]

Apart from music, what is your favourite thing to do in public?

[flowerchild17]

Get naked:D Haha, just kidding...

Anyway, I really enjoy just being out int he world, people watching in a sense. I love walking up and down the streets of the city with my friends and talking to new and different people, going into the interesting shops, listening to the street bands play. It really makes you appriciate being alive in the world :)

[lithium]

How many children would you like to have?
Do you think it's a good thing to bring children into the world?

[flowerchild17]

I would like to have 3 or 4 children, I want a big home with lots of people there:) Although I dont' want to have TOO many children that I can't afford to take care of them or have the time for them, as I also want to work...

And yes, of course, it's a wonderful thing to bring children into the world!:) We obviously have to to keep the human race alive, but when the right people have children (not taking into account alcoholics/addicts/abusivers ect who cant care for their own children) it's a magical thing...

[Peace-Phoenix]

What's your favourite animal? Do animals have any special meaning for you?

[flowerchild17]

I really don't have a favorite animal really, it's hard to considering I'm allergic to anything with fur or feathers. I love being around animals though when I can. Animals to me are just a sign of innocence in a way - Almost like little children. It's like playing a little puppy, who's not weighed down by the bad things in the world, just wants to play! I wish everything could be like that...

[dapablo]

May I be bold enough to say you sound an intelligent and well articulated young lady.

Twas a grilling indeed well done. :)

How are you and your friends handleing the days at school ?

[flowerchild17]

Well thank you :) That's always nice to hear.

School this year so far is wonderful. I have a fantastic set of classes and have been doing fairly well at staying on top of school work and maintaning my marks. I've also been around a lot of new people, mostly younger than me, but some new teachers that have really impacted me. I have a lot more faith in this school year than I have had in recent years...

[dapablo]

Do you own any links to videos of your bands performances, this is not something you would see in the UK.

Have you won any trophies, and at what age do you imagine leaving the troupe ?

[flowerchild17]

there are videos of our preformances online, but they are locked to the public until our final competition on October 21st. Around that time they should be visable again, and will send you a link then to see them :)

And the band I march with has always had a very high reputation, we've always been within the top 2 or 3 bands in the state, and for four years running from 2001-2004 we never lost a compeitition. This past season (2005) we lost one compeitition and took 2nd at our final one which spans the entire state. This year, we've been travelling a lot mroe out of the state and oging to places we've never competed before, it's not been about maintaining 1st but expanding the band to more variety in the country. We've always done fairly well at the shows, better than anyone expected us to. And since the band is a school run thing, you only get your 4 years of high school to be in it. I'm currently in my 3rd year. The years before that I was alwaysa round the band becuase of my older friends in it though, so it feels like I've been around forever. But after this season ends, which is shockingly soon, I only have one more year left...

[dapablo]

It must give you a lot of pride to be involved in something so succesful. Visiting the new towns must be interesting, broaden ones horizons, though the journey time I imagine is horrendus. :)

Whats your favourite tune to march ? What will you do with the Sax after next year ?

[flowerchild17]

Yeah, it's a lot of time on buses, since we don't have the money to fly anywhere. The most time we've ever spent on one trip is 22 hours each way this past february with our percussion group going down to a national compeitition in Florida. But I've just not learned about music during band, I really feel like I've learned a lot more about life, and I've always been surrounded by wonderful people. Band quickly becomes like your family. It's my life, and I really am happy I became involved in something so great:)

We really don't march traditional tunes, we have different themes every year and our music is often commissioned for us - Or written/arranged by our directors. It makes our shows unique and allows them to kinda keep up with the times... be new and exciting :) Our show this year is a jazz show though, and the ending piece is a take off of Duke Ellington's "Take the A-Train" For the parades we do every year though we do "76 Trombones" From the Music Man movie. God I hate that song...

My plan after I finish my marching career, which will be in my early 20's since I hope to march drumcorp after I finish high school, I plan on going to college in hopes of being a teacher, and perhaps doing some stuido/music production work. I want to continue my work in jazz, jazz to me is the ultimate form of self-expression. So I'll probably wind up as a music education major with a specialty in woodwinds:)

[Peace-Phoenix]

Is innocence, to you, a more desireable state of being than experience?

[flowerchild17]

I think you already know the answer to that there dear :p

And the answer is a resounding "no." To me experience is one of the most important things in life - and it's one thing I've always treasured about my own life - It's completely full of different experiences, in such a wide spectrum. I've been all over the place, met tons of interesting people, done interesting things, and just enjoyed a lot of life - Even through the tough points in my life, I've always found joy in SOMETHING. And I think that that in itself has really helped shape me, and I wouldn't have it any other way. :) As Billy Joel once said, "I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints" :p And it is true, the sinners ARE much more fun ;)

[Peace-Phoenix]

If you knew the saints were right, if you knew that everything in the Bible was true, would you worship God?

[flowerchild17]

No I wouldn't. Like I said, I believe in the power of humanity as a whole - Not in one supreme being or over-seer to our world. People control themselves, and I don't believe in putting faith into a higher spirit. I just don't think I could, even if I knew it was all true. I would feel a lot better putting that faith into myself to control my own life, not in someone else to decide my destiny...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Do you believe in any kind of afterlife? Do you want there to be an afterlife?

[flowerchild17]

Part of me wants to believe in an afterlife (that tiny part of me that wants to live forever, as I talked about earlier) but I just can't bring myself to do. I would love to believe in the concept of recycled souls, reincarnation in other words, but when I really sit down and think about it I'm happy with the fact that when my life is over, it will be over, and that's why I'm doing everything I can to make it good now. As the old saying goes, you only get one time around. :)

[Peace-Phoenix]

If you only get one shot at life, then what is the one thing you'd like to do before you die, that you haven't yet done?

[flowerchild17]

I'd like to have a happy family. I want to have that stable family I never had growing up - Having a house bustling with kids and someone at my side to raise them. There are a lot of things I want in terms of music and the like, but nothing more do I want a family...

[Peace-Phoenix]

What are you reading at the moment?

[flowerchild17]

I haven't actaully had time to do much reading lately - Most of the reading I've been doing is score studies and sight reading sheet music! Even though, in my english class I'm reading Arthur Miller's The Crucible, which I like and read years ago, and I just finished reading a guide to making my own necklace chains for my jewelry class:D

[dapablo]

What is your style of dress ?

[flowerchild17]

Haha, what style? I really don't have a style to the way I dress - I go shopping, I buy what I like, and I wear it. It's a little of everything, but in all honestly I'm a tshirt and jeans kinda gal. I like to be abel to wake up in the morning and be out the door in 10 minutes in a black tshirt and jeans. I have been trying to dress a little nicer lately though, in trying to just take a little better care of myself. It's not working very well though... But that's okay. :D

[lithium]

How often do you poo in the average day and what time of day do you normally do a poo?

[flowerchild17]

Haha I don't have a set time for that, and normally twice a day.:D

[Peace-Phoenix]

Have you discovered any new bands lately?

[flowerchild17]

The Scissor Sisters! :D They're crazy, I really don't know why I like thier CD but I do... it's good to dance too when you're bored and have nothing better to do...

Besides that, I've been rediscovering bands that I haven't listened to in ages, like Indigo Swing and the Chili Peppers... I've known thier music for years, but am dusting off hte old discs and seeing if their music still moves me the way it did before.

[dapablo]

My 10 year old daughter, Fay's, favourite band, we all like them as well.

Who is your favourite female vocalist ?

[flowerchild17]

Hmmm... that's a tough question! I really dont have a specific favorite, as I dont' have a favorite male vocalist, but I really enjoy a lot of the old female jazz singers. I also really enjoy Joni Mitchell though, but with her work I have a love/hate relationships, I either love a cd of hers or hate it, there's really no inbetween...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Grrrr, I hate the Scissor Sisters, they ruined Comfortably Numb. What is your favourite Pink Floyd song and why?

[Mikeyben]

Hear hear Sal. When I first heard it I had to double-take, and then when I started bitching about it, none of my friends had heard the original so I was even more horrified. I have never ever ever heard a song crucified so badly.

Aside from that, Sarah commanded (oo-er!) me to post a question so erm...

What is your favourite piece of classical music and why?

[flowerchild17]

Grandchester Meadows! (Hope I spelled that right) I just love that song... It's amazing. With my dad's stereo it feels like I'm actaully sitting in a meadow surrounded by tiny creatures!

And I know how the Scissor Sisters butchered CN to hell, but I like the rest of their stuff... So I have to give them some credit...

My favorite classical piece... Hmmm. That's tough. There's a ton of classical music I like to listen to, but hate to play (IE anything Mozart). So when I think of my favorite classical, it changes a lot with what I'm playing, what instrument I'm playing it on, and what I'm listening to at the time. I really love The William Byrd Suite that we're playing in my school's Sinfonietta, I'd heard it before and fell in love with it, and really enjoy playing it. We're also playing an English Folk Song Suite that's amazing hard on clarinet, as it's SO incredibly high and fast... But sounds absolutly amazing, I've fallen in love with...

[Peace-Phoenix]

Grantchester Meadows, the place that inspired the song and where Pink Floyd used to practice, are just a fifteen minute walk away from where I live at uni. I've walked out there with mates before. There's a lovely pub there called the Rupert Brooke, named after the famous poet who used to live in the town. Also have been to a great rave in Grantchester Meadows. Wonderful place, I love it....

[flowerchild17]

That's amazing... You'll have to show it to me someday when I finally hop the pond:)

[flowerchild17]

That's amazing... You'll have to show it to me someday when I finally hop the pondhttp://www.hipforums.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif

[Mikeyben]

The English Folk Song Suite by Vaughn Williams is one of my favourite pieces of classical music. :D

What's your favourite slang word and what's it slang for?

[flowerchild17]

Yeah! I love that piece so much... My favorite movement is the first...

I think my favorite slang is "misery stick", talking about any stick woodwind instrument, like flute, clarinet, oboe, ect.
I try to avoid of a lot of the really crass slang words, I've enjoyed being a walking anatomy book...:D

[Mikeyben]

Haha.

How many kids (if any) do you plan to have, or do you not know?

[flowerchild17]

I want 3 or 4 probably:) Big house full of kids!:D I love kids, I love being around them and I just love everything about them, I can't wait until I'm ready to have my own, which is still far away, but I'm really looking forward to being a mother...

[Mikeyben]

What's your favourite savoury food?

[flowerchild17]

Ukrainian Potato dumplings! Simple dough with potatos and cream cheese put together, and then boiled and fried if you want.. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm

I've been raised on a lot of different ethnic food, I love it...

[Mikeyben]

If you could meet anybody in the world today who would it be and why?

If you could meet anybody who's now dead who would it be and why?

[flowerchild17]

Sonic Youth, all of em. Lately in the past 5-6 months I've really kinda re-discovered their music (I was always around it when I was younger) and fallen back in love with it, I saw them in concert this past summer and I was just amazed by it, completely amazed....

As for someone who's passed, the first person that comes to mind actaully is Socrates. I would love to talk to anyone who died for thier beliefs, and I'd want to know why...

[dapablo]

Whats your oldest memory ?

[flowerchild17]

Cracking my head open on my grandma's brick fireplace... I was trying to walk down the stairs right by it by myself and took a tumble right into it, head first. I still have the scar from it across my eyebrow...

[lithium]

What medical procedures have you undergone?

[flowerchild17]

Oh good lord, you may want to get up and get a cup of coffee, this may take awhile...

I've always had health problems. Always. I was born with underdeveloped lungs (from being born premature), so I know I went through some stuff with that when I was little. From ages 2-12, I was taking trips to the hospital every year in winter for my asthma, becuase it couldn't handle the change to the cold weather, so the first time it actually got really cold/snowy my thoat would close shut and I'd spend a week or two in the hospital. There I went through tubes being down my throat to help me breathe, treatments that I had to go through every hour, IV's, shots every day, having junk removed from my lungs with some kind of suction device, the works. It was an annual event, almost like Christmas...

I had my ankles in braces for a long time, they were very very weak from the time I was born to being about 4 or 5... They were NOT fun...

I haven't been in the hospital since for my asthma, so going on 5 years now (which is great:)) but I still have problems with it. Anytime I get a cold, I normally wind up going to the doctor for treatments to clear the crap out of my lungs, as that's directly where a cold goes for me. I've had X-rays for broken bones, a minor, very easy surgery on my back to fix one of my vertebrae that was slipping, and recently some stuff for lady problems, but I won't go into detail with that, because it's icky and gross:p

I'm sure there's more, prolly stuff from when I was younger that I don't remember, but that's the main bit...

[dapablo]

More than enough for a couple of lifetimes lady, luck for your future.

Does your family party over the christmas period ?

[flowerchild17]

Haha, Christmas is a funny time. My mom died very close to Xmas, as did my Grandfather, and I found my grandmother half dead on her kitchen floor on Xmas eve... A lot of people in my family (myself included) have a hard time enjoying Xmas fully... And my birthday also, as my birthday's a few days after. My mother's side of the family normally has a dinner and a small gathering, and I've always gone to that, but enjoying Christmas/my birthday is usually very hard for me. I made a devoted effort last year which pretty much failed on both days, but this year I'm gonna try once again to start enjoying Christmas again, it's been years...

[dapablo]

Bloody Hell lady, drawn me to swear, that don't happen very often in company. I nearly lost my lady a couple of years back on Boxing Day, does leave a taint.

Well best I can come up with is "I wish you a happy Christmas, my dear".

Describe Wisconsin to us.

[flowerchild17]

It's scary isn't it? Makes you paranoid around the time that it'll happen again... To me, at least.

And thank you, I'm really gonna make an effort this year :)

Wisconsin is a wonderful place, no matter what the people here say. It's known as the "dairy state" in America, there are lots of farms and cows, and more cows. Cows make milk, and people make cheese. Lots of it. I've come to believe I have it running through my veins. (Along with music, of course!) Besides farms, the wilderness in Wisconsin is beautiful... Hills and valleys, trees that change colors in the fall, pastures, sparkling lakes... It's amazing. I'll post some pictures when I can :)
I live about 20 minutes outside of Milwaukee, which is the biggest city in Wisconsin. My marching instructor once described it as a little city trying to be a big city, which is pretty much true. But I love it! You get all the advantages of a big city, like the music scene, college atmosphere, great places/shops, interesting people, good food, the whole lot, but it's a lot friendlier than an actaul big city. Milwaukee doesn't have some of the things that New York or Chicago have, but for being the smallest of the big cities, it does pretty damn well..

We also have Miller brewing (can smell the brewery from here if the wind's right, but that's not really a good thing...), and beef. Lots of cheese, beer and beef. There's a huge hunting/fishing community spread throughout Wisconsin. So it's a lot of bunch of beefy mid-westerners who like to cook out and hunt, and drink. That isn't always the best combination, mind you...

Also has a rich drumcorp/marching history, too. The Madison Scouts are one of the most popular corps in the world, and they're based out of Madison, which is our capital. (Not to mention home of the biggest party college in the US!) The Racine Scouts are the longest standing drumcorp in the US, and possibly the world for all I know, and a lot of other famous corps come out of Wisconsin that do quite well around the world.

I really love being where I'm at in Wisconsin. I'm by the city which I love, but I'm not far away from the beauty of the country. I'm really lucky in this respect...

[dapablo]

Sounds a very nice place to live, enjoy it.

Were your parents born locally or are they incomers ?

[flowerchild17]

My dad was born in Chicago (an hour south of here) and my mom was born locally. My dad's side of the family came over here from the Ukraine with my Grandparents here, so I'm second generation only...

[dapablo]

I'm first generation myself on my fathers side.

Do you know anything about the Ukraine ?

[flowerchild17]

Oh yeah, I was raised with the language, a lot of the traditions/holidays, and most importantly the FOOD! Mmmmmmmm it's amazing! But I love the fact that I was raised to appricaite it and stand by it, instead of just being completley "Americanized." I've lost a lot of the language now, and since my Grandmother died I haven't celebrated the holidays as much, and I haven't had the food in a long time becuase I'm too lazy to make it, (it takes hours), but I really enjoy being a part of it when I can be...

[dapablo]

C'mon then give me a recipie and I'll try it with me and mine.

Can you cook, are you encouraged to, and do they teach it at school ?

[flowerchild17]

Haha, a recipe for potato dumplings maybe? Would be good for a free weekend when you have nothing better to do... It's good to cook in a group though, get the kids involved, make them cut out the insane number of dough pieces! :D

I can cook, just not well. My father makes me cool all the meals in the house, because I'm the only woman in the house, and he seems to think it's below him. I make simple things, mainly becuase I dont' have time to cook anything fancy. We're given a basic cooking class in 6th or 7th grade, I can't remember, but it's basically teaching us how to use the stove/oven/microwave so we don't burn the damn house down... Cooking classes are offered in high school, but not required...

[dapablo]

Yep that sounds groovy, I'll await your instructions. :)

That sound a bit rubbish from your old man. I enjoy cooking myself, it's a nice feeling to have a plate of food appreicated, but then I do teach mine to say thank you so if I don't get it I might complain. :)

Would you say you live in a male chauvenistic environment ?

[flowerchild17]

Awesome, I'll PM it to you when I have time to type it up, don't want to give it to the whole universe!

I only live in a male chauvenistic environment at home. My dad demands so so much of me, and part of it's understandable considering I'm the only other one in the house, but my god, you can cook your own damn meal and get your own damn drinks every now and again. He had elbow surgery a year ago, and I had no problem doing even more then, but now it's just getting riduculous, considering that I have my own health problems and have to suck up and do all the heavy lifting, ect. I'm basically a housewife here, I do the laundry, cooking, cleaning, and anything else he wants while he sits around. I HATE being bossed around while he sits in front of hte TV 5 hours a night. I know he's tired after work and I'm the only other one here, but my back hurts too, I had a long day, and when I'm on the road, you're on your own. The last few days have been especially bad, which is why I'm stopping my ranting right now or else I won't stop.

Besides that, I have a wonderful environment outside:) Most of my friends are male, as that's how I grew up, but I don't have a problem with it at all. I love spending time with boyfriend and his guy friends, who I consider my own friends, and marching, I'm surrounded by some amazing guys, and there's only one I could even dare call a chauvenistic pig. But I don't have to deal with him often, so it's all good :) To a lot of my friends, and to quote my friend Phil, I'm "one of the guys, just with a few different body parts" Hehe:) I have so many different relationships with my guy friends, I could go on forever here... But I'm tired, so that's as far as I'm gonna get!

[Peace-Phoenix]

You've recently been voted cutest poster, so following on from that...


How would you describe your image, and what, if anything, would you like to change about it?

[flowerchild17]

My physical image is up and down. A lot of the time I'm a tshirt and jeans kind of gal, and most people look at me as either someone who's down to earth and can look past superficial things, or someone who doesn't care about how she's percieved. I think there are more important things than my physical image, obviously, but lately I've been making an effort to dress a little nicer, and not always stumble out of bed 10 minutes before I have to be out the door, and throwing on whatever's top of the "clean clothes pile." So that's been what I'm trying to change, because I do care, and in reality it takes very little effort to put on a nice top and a pair of pants than a black band tshrit and ripped jeans. Physically I think people also think I dont' care becuase I don't have the greatest shape in the world. Simply put: I'm a chubby girl now. I'm still in shape (somewhat) and I love my body, so fuck em :) There are people who like chubby brunettes, I know there are! :p

[Peace-Phoenix]

What questions haven't I asked you yet?

[flowerchild17]

Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

What I'm doing for Christmas, what my favorite chapstick is, who my hero is, how I'm feeling today, what my major goals for the rest of the year are, what my favorite drink is, things like that...

[dapablo]

What is your favourite soft drink, and do you drink water ?

p.s. How long does it take to write a recipe, the maids are waiting, pinnies at the ready. :)

[flowerchild17]

I drink lots of water :) I try to avoid soda and sugary drinks, mainly becuase I shouldn't drink them anyway - And because it's not good to drink things like that before playing a wind instrument. Whatever's left in your mouth can get blown into your horn... Which is bad...

And I'm sorry, I'm gonna be honest with you that I forgot to write it, but I promise I'll go do that right now... :)

[Peace-Phoenix]

If you could learn one other language, what would it be?

[flowerchild17]

Heeeeey, I'm alive!!! After the constant badgering of Sal, that is...:p

I would learn Greek. I love Greek people, Greek food, and I love how the language sounds. I also go a lot of resturants and shops owned by Greek people, and I'd love to be able to understand what they're saying... It's hard to say though, since I have good grasps of other languages... but I think I would put Greek at the top of the list...

[lithium]

If you had to drop an anvil onto a celebrity, which celebrity would it be, where would you drop it from and why?