The Vivacious Vagabond

A Defining Moment

Written for my intro to lit class:

"Discuss a defining moment in your life."

I believe that the highest, most defining moment in my life thus far was my birth. Before birth, I was first a rather insignificant ovum traveling through the Fallopian tubes as best I knew how with no potential twins alongside me. Before I knew it, I was dividing and multiplying to a zygote, then a blastocyst, caught in a rapidly-moving (yet mundane) set of changes to become a full-grown fetus.

Months passed. In my room, I pondered my life: what was I? A leech on a leash. I thought back to my ovarian days when I had grand hopes for the world, and grew sad at how stagnant I'd become as I was unable to break through the glass ceiling to get ahead in life. I idly turned somersaults, amusing myself until--the ceiling broke for me! Hours later (it seemed like days), I was past the glass ceiling into a completely and utterly terrifying world of noise, light, and probing rubber gloves.

"Is this what we strive for in life?" I tried to ask rhetorically, but to my surprise I felt cold, crisp fluid pouring down my throat into the middle of my chest and I let forth what can only be described as a shrill, wretched scream in my state of shock and confusion. Once the initial shock wore off and I was accustomed to this apparently natural occurrence happening in my torso, I had time to think properly. Here I was now in a new world, growing accustomed to their culture, breathing their atmosphere successfully, dining on what certainly was the best succulence these people had to offer.

I was no longer a leech--I was somebody.

© Zola Kathryn 4/10/2009-infinity

Was It Whispered Right Into the Bones Of Your Ears?

This weekend has been mostly full of fun, laughter, friends (and a little bit of lively competition), although this morning I was 425 miles away from Hattiesburg, MS with my brothers-from-other-mothers in thought, heart, and spirit.

This weekend was the state NATS (National Association for Teachers of Singing) voice competition, which myself and about eight other vocal students were asked to compete in by our voice teachers (both members of NATS). A good few of our folks made it to semifinals, and three made it to the finals! Jenny placed first in her category, even! Whoohoo!

The drive to and from Hattiesburg was uneventful, despite the severe weather that moved across Mississippi on Thursday (when we were driving down, since preliminaries started early Friday morning). We (Jenny, Hannah and I [plus Justin on the way back]) had a ton of laughs about all sorts of things (including oven shenanigans, distressed screams, Minnesota accents, an alligator named Methusala, AND MORE!)

Unfortunately, we hit a snake in the road that was absolutely unavoidable. :( So sad--it was crawling for its life, too.

Also, I bought a mandolin at a music store in Hattiesburg for $199. It was just sitting there Thursday afternoon, like "please take me home!" We had to go, so I left without it Thursday. But last night I had a dream that I was a famous banjo player, and when I woke up I immediately thought of that mandolin, so we went back to the store after the finals this afternoon and I bought it. $212 & some change in all; the case was included. It's an Austin--not a terrific brand or anything (at least not that I know of), but whatever, I'm learning.

Anyone have any good mandolin websites? Lol.

So that's what's up in my life, Vox.