People, People, People!

What a crazy week it's been! 

I am still pretty starstruck from meeting Josh Groban and his violinist, and I probably always will be. However, life must go on. If I wanna actually PLAY with him one day, I can't just sit on my butt and retweet his tweets all the time. I gotta WORK. 

The homework and practicing is definitely loading up now and the amount of sleep is decreasing. Tuesdays are my longest days. I am busy back-to-back from 9 am to 5:30pm! 
Last Tuesday, I was planning on waking up early to get some things done before my long day, but I overslept and missed my morning practice. I felt so unfulfilled. :( Luckily, devotional is at 2:00 pm and I felt better after that, since my day felt so long already. However, as I rode my scooter to my violin lesson, I totally wiped out, in a skirt, and in front of an attractive human being who kindly helped me. I skinned my hand a little and was late to my lesson. WHY?! That day I really faced the reality of balance and managing time in college. You really cannot do everything. I had meetings to attend and homework to do and still needed to eat, and of course practice (I am NEVER done)!

Thank goodness for weekends, though! Even though I have an essay due Monday. . . 

I actually felt like Superwoman this weekend. 
On Friday night, I ran the Glow Run 5K. Don't ask me when I last ran, but I ran the entire time and it felt amazing! I felt so alive and free and crazy when people threw paint at me as I ran by. I finished this race, and continued my night at a crazy 80's dance party. 

That feeling after a run covered in glow paint >>>

I was so sore the next morning. Sure, I guess I can go randomly run a 5K without dying, but I totally forgot to stretch. My left leg is PAINFULLY sore. And, I had another performance at BYUI's Got Talent that night! A performance involving some dance moves, something I have never done before. I was actually a little nervous for this one because it involved some coordination. But, I did it!

Here's a video of part of my performance. Just an iPhone recording. I think I can access a better recording sometime later. 

In the middle of my performance, my track stopped playing! AHH WHAT THE HECK! There was some sort of technical difficulty, but I kept playing. No choice! It's unexpected times like these that we MUST keep going! Plus, it's not like I messed up (or maybe I did, shhh. No one shall know). As long as I don't react to the mistake or problem, all is well! In-the-moment trials like this are to be faced later! (when there is NO audience!)

 Luckily I had some great inspiration beforehand. 

So, yeah. I've met another famous violinist this week. Her name is Jenny Oaks Baker. If y'all haven't heard of her you NEED to look up her music. She is beautiful and talented and has spectacular arrangements of our favorite songs and hymns. She performed here at BYUI and I got a picture with her afterwards!

Not too satisfied with my awkward smile here but JENNY IS GORGEOUS!!!

I experienced two incredible performances on Saturday.
There was one very moving part of Jenny's concert. Jenny herself actually got choked up about it. A girl named Claire had lost some of her fingers on her left hand in a car accident when she was young, and was so sad she could not play her violin. Jenny was able to meet her and told her that she could still play, and that she would. Now, her violin was readjusted, and she plays the violin BACKWARDS. As in, she sets the violin on her RIGHT shoulder instead of left! It was one of the most incredible things I have ever seen. Together, she and Jenny played a duet of "I Know My Redeemer Lives." I was in tears. That one got a standing ovation for sure. 

During BYUI's Got Talent, a girl who talked kind of funny played the piano and sang. This girl was deaf, and she sang BEAUTIFULLY. Perfectly in tune! She may not articulate well, but the fact that she played piano and sang with such passion without being able to hear just took my breath away. 
I wish I had pictures!!! Sorry about that!

I am SO grateful to meet so many amazing people, especially those who kick their trials in the face and come out stronger than ever! These people have taught me that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! It just takes WORK. 

Speaking of, I have homework to do now. *Deuces*

Adventure Groban: Mission POSSIBLE

BEST. NIGHT. EVER. 

Here are the series if events of October 2nd, 2013. BEST day of the year so far:

Macie and I left Rexburg for Boise via salt lake express bus. We almost missed it! What an adventure haha! The ride was long but a beautiful scenic drive. Macie socialized with some Chinese people where we learned how to say Guthrie in Chinese, and later we met a kind LDS woman named Pam who was also attending the Josh Groban concert. 

We met my aunt Debbie and uncle Jim at Boise airport and they dropped me off at Taco Bell arena. In case y'all didn't know already, I won a Meet and greet with josh. I was SO excited. I had to be there an hour early. I got my tickets and VIP pass for the meet and greet at the will call office. They did NOT let me bring in my violin, which I was gonna have Groban autograph. I was so disappointed! I guess a bow can stab someone. They kept it safe in the security office for me though. Don't worry, though. It gets better.

There were actually lots of winners for meet and greet. Some were from the FOJG fan club, like me, and some others won through radio and stuff. Before meeting josh, a professional photographer person interviewed me about my love for Josh's music and excitement for this "in the round" concert. It may be posted on the fan club page or on Josh's YouTube soon! 

The actual meet and greet was brief, but it went smoothly! Since he couldn't autograph my violin case, he signed my violin arm (never washing it again) and I gave him a copy of my cd along with my twitter name. Hehe. 

Our conversation:

"hi I'm Crista! I am your future violinist!

J: Sweet! I'm pumped! 

C: (Hands him cd) Here's my cd. I did my own version of Brave so you should check it out. 

J: Wow! Really! yeah I'll listen to it on the bus! (And he's serious!)

C: Awesome! Will you sign my violin arm?

J: Of course. You're not gonna tattoo it are you?

C: Well isn't that what you're doing? I mean it's a Sharpie. 

(Takes photo)

C: Look for my poster! Thank you!

Thank YOU!"

He's so CHILL. 

Yup. He's awesome. I actually cried afterwards I was so happy. (Fan girl mode) The concert hadn't even started yet! I met up with my roommate Macie and we found our seats. Floor 8 BB. That's SECOND row. We were in spitting distance. Amazing. I had my poster ready: Josh~MAY I BE YOUR VIOLINIST? Bright neon yellow, glitter glue. Can't miss it! 

Before josh, Judith Hill from the Voice sang. She's also AMAZING. She used to be Michael Jackson's back up singer! She also did The Prayer with josh in the concert. 

Many times through the concert, josh would come around to our side and he totally gave me the head nod to my poster, basically answering "hey, yeah! I remember you!"  Basically saying yes to the question on my poster. And, later when both he and Christian Hebel his solo violinist came to our area, josh POINTED at me and to Christian, basically hiring me and firing him right there haha! It was hilariously amazing. Christian walked by me many times and nodded with a "heck yeah!" grin as he played. He's an incredible violinist. 

Not only is josh an amazing singer in all sorts of languages, he has the best sense of humor. If you don't follow him on twitter yet DO IT. Don't have a twitter? Make one and follow him. He is absolutely hilarious. He interacts with his fans so well. 

After the concert I got many comments and "good luck, hope to see you on stage with him!" comments on my poster. Such supportive fans! Most people there were middle aged or older haha, but they were all so nice and hope to see me with josh one day! (Praying!!!) Now, I wanted to go meet this violinist! 

Josh sings The Prayer with Judith Hill. 

The photographer from earlier found me and wanted to do a post concert interview (sure why not?!) so we did that. Oh also this photographer took many pictures of me with my sign throughout the concert. What a nice dude. 

THEN, I saw Christian! Turns out he was actually looking for ME! What the?! He was just walking around eating a fudgesicle bar like whatever. I chatted with him for like 20 minutes. He used to be the concertmaster of the orchestra of the broadway show Wicked! He's from michigan and attended MSU and later got his masters somewhere in NYC (can't remember the conservatory name). He asked about my violin history and stuff and I got some pictures with him and my sign! While we were backstage, we also met Josh's pianist (can't remember his name AHH!) but he had some WILD hair and he was totally bro. He recognized me as well. That neon yellow poster wasn't hard to miss!

Friend or foe? Or coworker?

Christian led Macie and I out the "VIP" exit and we passed by Josh's tour bus, which he was in, and all the fans by the gate around the bus. He gave Macie and I a goodbye hug and I went and fetched my violin. I actually pulled it out and played some of Josh's songs! It was chilly out , but it was so fun. The fans loved it and Christian heard me! Macie actually yelled out to Christian and pointed me out to him. According to Macie, Christian stopped whatever conversation he was having and watche me for a sec and said something like "That is SO cool!" Everyone loved it. It was incredible. I hope josh heard me from the bus...surely he did, i was like RIGHT there. I played as passionately as I could! 

Tonight was definitely a milestone. I think I got some connections. Maybe I WILL be up there with him one day. I just gotta keep working at it! And obviously I can't stop practicing. Ever. 

Thank you Josh, Christian, and crew for a MEMORABLE night! It was LEGEN.... DARY!!!!