I Passed my Graduate Oral Exam this morning with flying colors!

You may now refer to me as "Master Beckstrom." I'd actually prefer that. Thanks. :)

Huzzah!

Can ya find me?

Played the heck out of the Smetana Piano Trio on Thusday night

Rocked out the cello choral in William Tell Overture on Sunday

Also survived Bruckner's 4th Symphony

Read through Schubert's Cello Quintet in C major

And learned Popper Etude #2 ... just for fun!

I'm finally starting to feel like a real cellist! Woo Hoo!

Two more weeks until Graduation. One more month until Utah.

Write a paper

Take a final

GIVE a final :)

and Graduate Oral Exams!

Sell my excess

Pack up the rest

Sell the last month of my lease

And talk to Nathan on the telephone! :) Almost any time I want.

I'm starting to feel really nostalgic about this place. Last cello lesson with Uch, Last WMU symphony concert, last rehearsal with the Con Brio Trio, last MUGS meeting, last studio class. Soon I'll have to turn in my practice room and office keys. Too soon.

Ya know what? This Michigan chapter in the life of Jamilyn has been a really good one! Life-altering, as a matter of fact. And it's not quite done yet. Plan: enjoy every last "last" to the fullest. And then have a heck of a road trip HOME!

Life After April 11

MY GRADUATE RECITAL IS DONE!!!!!!

WOOOO HOOOOO!!! YEEEAAAAhhhhhhHHHHHH!!

And I feel REALLY GOOD about it.

And it's OVER!!!

Ok, so it wasn't perfect by any means. And I still have TONS to learn about being a good and confident performer. But that's why I'm getting my Doctorate degree, right? But really, I ROCKED the Dvorak concerto, and had a blast doing it. And that's why I feel so dang GOOD right now!!

Thanks to all my awesome Kalamazoo friends who came to support me! You guys rock! It's so much fun to play for people I love and care about. Thanks for clapping loud. :)

Thanks Mom, Dad... and Mike... for the flowers. Even from farrr away. So sweet.

After the recital and reception, I drove REALLY FAST to the beach and watched the sunset with friends. Then came home and picked up three weeks worth of clutter that had accumulated in my apartment while I was busy practicing. Then took a glorious bubble bath, and slept soundly until 9:00 am. Life of luxury.

Things I am excited to do now that I have time:

vacuum

laundry

clean the bathroom

play with Gloria

cook real food

spend time outside

walk to school

practice scales, arpeggios, and double stops

finish homework

go to the gym

get a pedicure

read books that have nothing to do with school

bike Kal Haven

hang out at the lake... any lake

use up the rest of my free movie tickets

hang out with friends who I might not ever see again in a few weeks

It's a little bit surreal to be living life after April 11. I worked myself up to it so much for so long, and now it's over. But it's a wonderfully sunshiny day, and I feel sunshiny inside. Life is fun and fancy free.

I love saying that.

And the World Spins Madly On

Well... Well... Well... Life is a little bit crazy right now! But jeez, hasn't it been for a while?

Here's an update from the life of Jamilyn!

Elder Nathan Morris, my best friend, and guy I dated for about 4.5 years before his mission, returned this week from serving in San Antonio Texas. I flew back to Utah to be there. I was incredibly nervous, and excited, and happy, and EMOTIONAL! And he's HOME! Sometimes it still feels unreal. We snapped right back into our wonderful friendship as if no time had gone by at all- except for that LOTS of time has gone by, and it's impossible to ignore all of the changes we've both made in ourselves. He's such a missionary! We had daily companion study, and a planning session, and spiritual discussions. He'd frequently check his watch, and get antsy if we weren't doing anything. He misses bearing his testimony, and talking to everybody about the gospel, and spending all day serving. But he's still hilariously funny, and loves dancing with me, and looks as good in his civilian clothes as he does in a suit and tie. :)
During the weekend that we got to spend together, it felt like time was going by so fast!! We listened to our favorite music, danced, talked about mission stuff, watched "Up," visited with family and friends, talked about the future, watched conference, participated in an easter hunt, went shopping, talked some more, and then it was time for me to go back to Michigan! TOOOO soon! Even though he's further away from me than he was when he was in Texas, this stretch of our relationship already feels much more connected. We send frequent text messages, we study scriptures together over the phone, and I've even played my cello for him over skype. :)
Speaking of cello... I have my graduate cello recital this Sunday! Woot! Almost finished!! I hope I have an audience. Most of the people who I care about hearing me play are thousands of miles to the west. (And a few are to the east...) I'm repeating my recital for Utah family and friends sometime this summer. I'll keep you posted on details. Cello is owning my life this week. And I actually even love it.
In other awesome cello news... I GOT THE GRADUATE QUARTET ASSISTANTSHIP AT THE U! The unofficial email came yesterday from the head of the string department telling me of their decision. :) :) So, I guess this is the answer to prayer that the next step in my life is to embark upon my doctorate degree in cello performance. At the University of Utah. Starting in fall of 2010. It feels good to have pieces of my future starting to fall into place. Really good.

ALSO shout out of CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS to my dear friend Katie and her new FiAnCe Trevor!! They got engaged on the same day that Nathan came home. I LOVE these two together. Thanks, Trevor, for making Katie so incredibly happy. I'm glad you're joining "the girls." Best weekend EVER!

And that's it for now! Exciting things are on the horizon. If I can just make it past this recital, things will be smooth sailing. Please send good mental vibes my way!

Love and hugs to you all,

Jamilyn

He's HOME!

What a wonderful and EMOTIONAL day it's been!

More to come...