Auditions for SIM will be this Wednesday, February 12th from 4:30-9 in Axinn 229. Bring a prepared verse and chorus of a song, as well as a deep thought (very important!). We're looking for all voice parts, young and old people, tall and short. The sign-up sheet will be located in McCullough, near Stewart Hall. Really, though, we're looking for you. See you there!
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SIM slept in on our last full day in Hawaii, trying to squeeze all of the juice out of our fleeting vacation before returning to classes, 8-12" of snow, and the general melancholy of a New England winter. We decided to spend our last day at the beach, chilling out, maxing, and relaxing all cool.
We went back to Sherwood beach for the third time this week and let the time pass by. We read, played football, enjoyed the water. Y'know, beach stuff. On the way back from the beach, some of SIM went to the "blowhole" (see above). It's a mini-beach on the ride back from Sherwood beach, but also has a series of rock formations that you can climb. Probably extremely dangerous, but that never stopped us! We were able to climb up to the top and got some amazing views of the beach and of part of the island. Roger and Mike got some of that sick nose butter as they dove into the water, and Aidan was mesmerized by the tranquility of it all. And, of course, there was a photo shoot. Keep an eye out for those new profile pictures ;). For dinner, Dylan's parents treated us by taking us out to the Chart House, a nice restaurant near the strip. We ordered pupu style, where we all shared a variety of dishes, including ahi poke, chicken wings, fried rice, fried zucchini, pork chops, and more! Josh tried raw fish for the first time, and we were all so proud of him. He texted his parents because he was so proud of himself! We returned home for the last time, spending our final evening all together enjoying each other's company and appreciating our time here in Hawaii. Maybe we'll be back for spring break; who knows? Hello, family and friends. If you've stuck with us so far, you either have a weird sense of humor or really appreciate us. Probably some combination of the two, and either way you should probably get that checked out.
We started the day off with elections! Josh rode out of musical directorship/presidency in a flaming chariot, similar to Elijah the prophet (look it up). Harrison and Peter DB will now jointly take up the mantle, with Peter also continuing with his fiduciary responsibilities to the group (he's like a real dad!). Ian has risen to title of social chair, which is weird, since he's not a chair and is an actual boy. We then got into the cars to start our driving tour of the island, heading up to the North to see some sick waves, bruh. We stopped for lunch in Haleiwa, with the group splitting up between a Thai food truck and a Mexican place. Check out our reviews on Yelp. We're big Yelpers. As per the picture above, we got out at a beach where only surfing is allowed. The waves were huge but our spirits were mellow as we appreciated all that nature has to offer. Shehecheyanu (look it up). We then went back out East to enjoy a beach that allowed for swimming. We snuck in a game of football on the beach, with some nice plays on both sides. Highlights: Aidan with the safety swat to protect against the touchdown, and Josh's leveling of Aidan to protect the run game. We go hard. After a very quick turnaround at the house, the group left for our final gig of tour at Arcadia Retirement Residence. We had an awesome time performing for the residents, and schmoozed with them for a bit afterwards, as well. We got back, had a quick rehearsal, and then enjoyed the night. Some went out late to enjoy the Waikiki nightlife. While not fantastic, it's not difficult to beat the bar scene at Middlebury. We're looking forward to our last full day on the island! xoxo gossip girl Ah, Hawaii. Where the waves are as big as the love in our hearts. Where the sun beats as bright as Aidan's smile. Where the views are as magnificent and profound as the realization that we're just sand in the hourglass of the universe: meaningless on our own, yet powerful in numbers.
We started the day with a show at 15 Craigside, a lovely resident community in Honolulu. We really enjoyed performing for the residents, who seemed to enjoy us performing for them. Funny how concerts work. After the concert, we went to Ala Moana Center for lunch. It's a ridiculously huge outside mall with tons of dining options. Josh had his first ramen. He enjoyed it. He's can be a picky eater. We then got on our hiking gear for a laborious climb at the Manoa Falls Trail (not Moana falls, despite Mike's insistence. Although we hear that Moana was a great movie. We appreciate all things with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.) There was beautiful vegetation and greenery along the trail, with lots of great opportunities for pictures. Finally, we reached the falls, where some of the brave members of SIM went in for a chilly dip. Other, not-so-brave members, were able to get their fair-share of Instagram photos. We retired to home, where we had a lazy afternoon. Our dinner was Ma Pa Tofu, which was meticulously prepared by Nathaniel, Harrison, and Durfee. We finished our evening with a rehearsal of the song we're preparing for Jambo; find out what it is Sunday night! ;) It's starting to dawn on us that we only have a few days left here before heading back to Middlebury. We're trying to carpe diem, but unfortunately carp isn't a native fish to Hawaii. We'll keep on the lookout. The day began with an early hike up Diamond Head, a volcanic crater on the West side of the island. We climbed through a bunker, up some steep stairs, and a few tunnels until we finally reached the summit. The view was breathtaking, and we seized the moment by singing Loch Lomond together.
Today the consistent gorgeous weather of Hawaii changed on us during the afternoon into a downpour. After another stunning run by the beach, many of us spent some more time at Waikiki beach. Sadly though, that is where the sun ended and the rain began.
To take full advantage of the poor weather, we rehearsed our set list in preparation for our performances later this week. Meanwhile Aidan fell into a deep rain hibernation of sorts. After waking the sleeping guitar shredding mountain man (Aidan of course), we made our way downtown for some udon and poke bowls. With full stomachs and happy hearts everyone drove back to the house for some relaxation and card games. We eventually made our way back out of our dwelling to see the the seals and the great photo-opps of the local aquarium, while some brave souls ventured back to the stormy beach for some swimming and sandy football with the best use of $21 money can buy. Upon reuniting back at the house, we began to rehearse our latest song "Wait for the Moment" before sitting down to some straight fire vegetarian curry cooked by the finest chefs SIM could produce. Exhausted from another fun filled day, everyone raced to bed, looking forward to a morning hike up diamond head (a dormant volcano, no biggie) before our first show of the tour! Thanks to the wonders of jet lag, we again woke bright and early. After a quick breakfast and an early morning run, we trekked the 7 minute walk to Waikiki strip. It's stunning.
Dylan bought a $20 water football, because what better way to spend $20? We played water football (or got down and dirty, depending on your perspective). Aidan got attacked by an octopus and had ink squirted in his mouth, but he's better now. After the beach, we went back to the house, ordered some high-quality Domino's pizzas, and got ready for the Super Bowl. There is a clear majority of SIM members who are Patriots fans, despite the fact that the Patriots are cheaters and have no sense of morality! The minority of SIM, Christian and Josh, were pretty happy at halftime. Needless to say, they were less happy at the end of the game. There was yelling. Love hurts. After the game, Harrison and Dylan (and Mike? and Christian?) helped to make our dinner: beef tacos, with all of the accoutrements. They were very good. We then prepared to pick up Roger, our other missing member, from the airport. We are now complete. We were sort of like the Power Rangers without the Pink Ranger. The most important one. Also, who is psyched for the Power Rangers movie later this year?!?! Definitely going to be Oscar-worthy performances from Bryan Cranston and Elizabeth Banks. Sending love <33 SIM awoke (or did we ever sleep?) in the early morn, tending to the farm chores before we left for JFK. After being treated to some fresh New York bagels, SIM got into the van, ready to take on the world.
Riddle: How many people does it take to figure out how to unlock a parking brake? Answer: 13 Middlebury students and 1 MD. Apparently, large vans have a separate "release" for parking brakes. Fortunately, Peter DB used his special skill of "reading" the vehicle manual. The value of a Middlebury education, in practice. We're so very proud of him. We arrived in the airport, and spotted a wild Mike Nunziante! Mike was abroad during J-Term teaching young Himalayan children how to use abacuses, so we were pretty psyched to see him. He hasn't changed a bit. He still looks like a little chocolate chip muffin that has been only slightly bitten. We knew the flight was going to be awesome as soon as we saw that "The Angry Birds Movie" was available on-demand. Otherwise, not much happened. Nathaniel was afraid of the peanuts that they were serving, so he moved seats. Peter DB almost got the number of a 60-something year old flight attendant. Aidan almost was arrested by a flight marshal. All in all, nothing too exciting. After an approximate 12-hour flight, we landed at 4:30 PM Hawaiian time to beautiful Oahu: 76 degrees.and sunny. Just the way we like it. We met up with Dylan's relatives, who welcomed us with the traditional Hawaiian spirit. We already feel like part of the "ohana". Ohana means family, or so I've been told.* We arrived safely at our residence for the week, Dylan's great-grandfather's house. After a dinner at Zippy's a few blocks down (think Korean fried chicken, teriyaki beef, and other miscellaneous food items), we settled in for a nice, relaxing night. Perhaps bubble baths are in store? *courtesy of Lilo and Stitch. Welcome to Day 1 of our Hawaii blog! Follow us to keep up with our daily misadventures as we pretend to be mature adults who are capable of planning and executing a trip to a place halfway around the world!
With two vans, thireteen boys, and an infinite amount of love for music in our hearts, we left beautiful, breezy 21 degree Middlebury to head down to Josh's house on Long Island. Most of us made it, although there were a few casualties. See below. Josh's parents treated the group to a lovely home-cooked Shabbat dinner, exposing the group to some lively Jewish culture. We all know how to say Kiddush now! After a short performance for Josh's parents, we retired to our quarters, exhausted and excited for our (early!) day tomorrow. If you want more frequent updates, follow us on Instagram at Stuckinthemiddlevt. Sending all of our love to you, the fans. You're for whom we do this. |