Fall 2006

Ninth Grade. September

Ninth grade began on September 5th. I didn't see my friends much over the summer, so I was glad to catch up with them, but I wasn't very excited about starting classes again. (Who was?) But I had no choice, so I decided that I might as well try to enjoy it.

All year long I'll be taking Algebra II, beginning French, biology, language arts (English), social studies, and ninth grade band, as well as jazz band before school. It's a tough job... but somebody's got to do it.

Tennis Team, October

This year I was the number 4 singles player on the varsity tennis team. I won my first two games, then didn’t play well and defaulted because of illness. It was not my best sports season of any kind, but I still liked playing on the team.

Maybe next year I’ll play on the high school team, but if I do, I’m going to have to practice next summer and improve quite a bit.

Halloween, October

I love Halloween. The last couple years Mom and Dad have discouraged me from going trick-or-treating, saying that I’m getting too old. But this year I bought some clothes from Value Village and, with a lighter and some paint, created a pretty cool hobo costume [left].

I went to my friend Anita’s house for a party, and a group of 10 of us went door to door along Kirkland’s rich waterfront neighborhood. Big houses; big candy. All of my friends were cold, dressed like they were going to a summer event (duh), but I made sure when I picked my costume that it was really warm. We collected candy and then went back to Anita's and watched The Sixth Sense, a good movie for Halloween.

Music Notes, November

On Saturday, November 18th, my jazz band participated in the Northshore Jazz Festival [above, I'm at the top, second from left] at the Northshore Performing Arts Center at Bothell High School. The festival ran all day, but we played for 20 minutes. Mom, Dad, Suzy, Brennan, and Grandpa Paul all came to listen. All of the bands in the afternoon were high school bands, except for us, which meant that the audience had higher expectations of us. But we were told afterward that we'd played just as well as many of the high school bands, and Mr. Brannman said we received many compliments that night, and by e-mail the next day, from audience members and other band directors.

On November 22nd, my school had its annual Grandparents' Brunch. Unfortunately, my grandparents couldn't come, but I was there anyway because the jazz band played at the beginning. The audience was appreciative, and I got a Ghirardelli chocolate bar from Mr. B by winning a bet that I could hit two high E's while playing Orange Colored Sky.

Thanksgiving, November

This year I had two Thanksgivings—a benefit of having two families.

I spent Thanksgiving morning at Dad's, and we had a delicious dinner with all the usual offerings, including homemade apple pie from Grandma Joyce.

It filled me up, but I had to leave room for my second dinner at Mom's, where we were joined by Jan's niece Jolien, Grandma Joanie, and our neighbors Trudy, Joe, and little Joseph. I had another meal with all the usual offerings, plus my favorite cranberry salad, pumpkin bread, and for dessert, chocolate ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery. Then I was really full!

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