Wednesday, May 26, 2004

spring choral concert report

Tonight was the LAHS spring choral concert. The event was held in the school auditorium, an extremely convenient location. Like the holiday concert in December, the entire choral department was involved.

The choirs sang a variety of songs before performing Mass of the Children together as Choral Union. I should mention that I had also joined the Varsity Men's Glee after having enjoyed Chorale so much. The concert was definitely a great experience.

The nice thing is that Dad was able to make it this time. He actually rescheduled his business trip in order to come. I really appreciate him doing this for me. Dad even took some pictures to send to Mr. Shaull. Although my maternal grandmother had just passed away a few days ago, I did my best to not let that affect my performance. On the whole, the event was a huge success.

Currently listening to singing: Mass of the Children by John Rutter

Historical note: Pictures from the concert are available here.

Sunday, May 23, 2004

why I didn't go to prom

So yesterday was the LAHS prom. I'm probably one of the few people who stayed home.

I'll start by saying that things were a little different this year. The school officials banned limousines and other private transportation, much to the chagrin of the senior class. Though they compensated for this by reducing the price from $75 to $50 per person, many students were still shaking their heads.

But that's not why I didn't go. I could care less how we got there. The main reason was the price - $50 is still a lot for a three-hour dance. The back-to-school dance was lots of fun and cost only a fraction. It's not like prom could be that much better. I also didn't have a date and couldn't be bothered to find one. The fact that my grandmother had just passed away a few days ago didn't help the mood.

For those who did attend prom, I hope you had a great time. :-)

Historical note: Prom pictures have been removed from the LAHS website but are available at the Internet Archive.

Thursday, May 20, 2004

R.I.P. Grandma :-(

Uncle Harrison just called with some bad news: my maternal grandmother Pi-Tan Yang has passed away from complications of pneumonia. She was 84 years old. I can't say this was totally unexpected because she had been very ill for the past few weeks due to heart disease.

Pi-Tan was one of those special people who have touched our lives. I'll never forget her gentle spirit and non-confrontational attitude. Visiting my grandparents on weekends always made for wonderful family time. However, my favorite memory was when we took them to a Mexican restaurant in Saratoga called Chicken Salsa for lunch. That is something I'll always cherish.

Though my grandmother's passing wasn't a complete surprise, the news still hit me pretty hard. There are difficult days ahead, especially for Mom. Your support and prayers are truly appreciated.

Rest in peace, Grandma. You'll be greatly missed. :-(

In other news...

On a more positive note, my cousin Cathy just turned 12 years old. I'd like to wish her a happy birthday and hope this won't be too hard on her.

Currently playing: Shrak