my new do!!!

Thinking about things I could post about, i have decided to dedicate this one to my hair. For those who are unaware, I am extremely vain about my hair. So, when I got a new haircut this summer, needless to say I was excited. My hair was way to long and it was time for a change. So I drove myself down to Carrolton to the Paul Mitchell Academy there (becuase you know they will cut your hair for cheap), parked my car, and proceeded with growing excitement into the small but conventional waiting area. After confirming my appointment, one of the girl's led me to the back, where this huge warehouse area had been converted into about 50 hair stations. I kinda knew how I wanted my hair but I wasn't sure. So we started with a simple chop, since I was going to donate my hair. They took my long ponytail, and though they proceeded to just "chop" it off, it was more like sawing, since my fine hair is so thick. Wow, that was a lot of hair for 12 inches. The shampooing is my favorite part. After, two or three girls played around with my hair until I deemed it "perfect!!" (Just a note to those going for a new short style--this is NOT the way to go...i was there for 3 hours!!) After i was all styled up and paying, I asked the girl at the desk how old I looked. To my joy, she said "22" which of course is exactly my age. To not look like I am 16, or even 18!! It was a happiness I could not explain. (Although last week someone thought I was a freshman....I'm a 5th year for crying out loud!!) So I went home, showed off my new do to the fam, all of which loved it. I just wish I was still a brunette....sigh....

my first post!!

Ok, so here is my first post. I dont really know what to say, so I'll just say a little about myself. My name is Michelle Heuer, i'm from Dallas TX. I'm currently at Ball State University. Oh wait, I said all that in my "about me" section didn't I. Oh yeah, and anybody reading already knows who I am am, obviously. Let's try this again....

So a lot has happened to me in my life. I don't know where to begin. Most of you know the basics...I was a geeky looking little kid with the huge 90s style glasses and strait bangs. Then again, most of you know I hate pics of myself, and if i don't post a lot of myself that is why...but I won't go into that. I started playing piano at age 5 and harp at age 8. I must love music a lot becuase that is what I'm going to college for: music performance, with harp as my primary and cello as my secondary. Yes, i did say cello. I'm taking lessons! It's pretty cool, i wish I could have learned a string instrument earlier. I used to be shy...i think that mainly started when my family moved from The Woodlands to Dallas, and I had to start all over with friends. I don't really remember if I was shy before that. I remember a couple of best friends...Danika, Bridgette, and of course Stephanie (good times). I love my family, and everyone who might read this, becuase you would be ppl that care and support me. Christmas and Thanksgiving are the best...since I get to see a lot of family. I miss going on road trips to Utah for Christmas...now we usually just fly cuase it's cheaper...and its not as fun becuase i have to help drive if that were the case. By the way, Christmas lights are the best :)

Hmm...I guess i'll start with this summer...since i actually have pics of it. I went to Hot Springs Music Festival. And it was a BLAST. I mean it. 2 full weeks of playing, practicing and rehearsals from 9-5, most days double rehearsals, and concerts at night. This is orchestra rehearsals, by the way. We performed 4 full concerts in 2 weeks...which is a lot...actually there were 5 but there are no harps on Haydn's Creation. Needless to say, I was exhuasted after just a week. I met a cool girl, Jacqueline that actually lives in Plano, close to me (home in Dallas). She loves the outdoors, like me. She plays the violin. My roommate, Christina, plays the viola. she is sooo funny!!! And Vienn, she is from Hong Kong, super tiny, but an amazing violinist. She has a way of saying things that makes everyone smile. They are all Asian too...its funny i have so many Asian friends i feel half asian sometimes. It's impossible to dislike any one of the three.

Me and Jacqueline

Vienn and Christina

And Shana, my mentor, she is amazing. She is from Austin, plays in orchestras, an Indian band, a celtic band, a neighborhood band, and a polka band. this band she plays on her accordian...its the coolest thing ever. We played a piece called Slughter on 10th Avenue...for small orchestra (including harp), accordian, and banjo. We even had a real local police officer come in and fire a real blank for the gunshot part. it was loud!! She also played a really cool piece called Beauty and the Beast. It is for antique tractor and pedal harp. And so you are wondering...how does a tractor play? By gunning the motor thats how. And the harp does glissandos in different keys and rhythms. Here are some pics.

This was the music...yikes!!

The town of Hot Springs is so cool too. We were located in the historic district, which is a strip full of tiny private shops and restaurants. The Pancake Shop...oh they make REAL fresh squeezed OJ and have the best eggs and sausage, all local raised, and pancakes the size of a dinner plate. And the apple butter...don't even get me started. There are the histroric bathhouses there too, as well as tons of art galleries. You can even get fresh hot sping water from a huge fountain in the middle of the district...drink it while its hot, its soooo good!!

Me and Meistro Richard Rosenberg. We performed in the high school fieldhouse.

We also had a Thai exchange student living with us. Noon, my Thai sister. I love her, and still talk to her on Skype sometimes. She intruduced me to Thai food. Can I just say....YUM!!! It is now my favorite food. I have some recipes and I will try some out next week. She is soooo funny though!! She taught me a lot about her culture and even taught me some basic Thai words. Sawadee ka!! It means hello. It is really hard, because it is a tonal language, and each inflection means something different. But Noon says that my pronunciation is really good for an American and that I could learn it really well. That makes me happy, and want to learn Thai. I miss you Sis!!!

Well me and fam went to San Diego and a mini cruise to Cabo San Lucas. Before we got on the boat we toured the old pirate and merchant ships docked there. I'd never been on an old-fashioned ship before. We looked at the ship that was sailed for the movie "Master and Commander". We also looked at an old submarine. Tell you what I wouldn't want to live in one of those. The trip to Cabo was good. I love cruises, becuase you can eat good food any time of day and just lay out on the deck and sunbathe while reading. Good times. Cabo was beautiful. I'd post some pics but my pc is being stupid, so i'll post them later. We did a regada excursion, and helped to sail a real Amerca's Cup racing sailboat, which requires a team of at least 20 so grind cranks and do other various jobs to make the boat go fast. it is hard work but it is lot so fun.
When we got back to San Diego we spent a day and a morning on the beach and surfed...its really fun...i even got filmed surfing. someone was out with the big commercial cameras filming ppl, but i have no idea what they were there for. So maybe i'll be on tv somewhere! The other day Kim and Aly and I went to SeaWorld. I love animals, esp. dolphins, did you know?? SeaWorld was soooo cool. We saw Shamu and dolphins and sea otters. My favorite exhibit there was the bat rays, hands down. They are so sweet and really kinda cute looking. They had a place where you could pet them and feed them pieces of fish. You put the fish in between your fingers, stick it down about a foot, and the rays will swim over your hand and suck the fish up. They would just sit there too and loved to be pet. We went on a behind the scenes tour which took us back behind some of the gates. We walked though an area that had a couple of large tanks. One was for "timeout", when some of the animals weren't working well together or with thier trainers and they get special one on one time with them. The other two were connected and had a mother dolphin and and her couple week old baby! The personnel didn't even know if it was a boy or girl yet becuase they want time for it to bond to the mother before it has contact with humans. It was sooo cute and small!! We also saw a bunch of wild rescued otters and seals, that they take care of until they are ready to be released back into the ocean. And we got to pet sharks...the tiny kind that have suction mouths, but still sharks. And guess what...anyone can be a trainer as long as they have a college degree, is scuba certified, and is a strong swimmer. So even I could be a trainer if I wanted to. Training sealions would be fun...their acts are more like comedy plays. And they make fun of all the other shows.

Ok, so that was all the fun stuff this summer. I supervised at a community pool in Wylie for money. It was actually a good deal becuase I got paid $11 an hour. The downside was working for the YMCA...something less than pleasant in the Dallas area. I won't even go into that. I don't particularly like lifeguarding, but i'll do it if it pays enough. Flipside, I got a GREAT tan. I also got to coach a little with my mom and coaches Brad and Tom for Rockwall Riptides swimteam and went with them to Lonestar, their Y-sponsored state meet. I love coaching age group. I hope in the future I can do more of it. Oh, and I practiced of course, getting ready for my recital.
I then drove back to school in August. And that was my summer. Wow, that was a long post.