A Momentous Occasion

"It would be funny if you were having twins," Avicile Mohaili joked.

"With the way I've been feeling lately, I wouldn't doubt it," Rebecca replied as she lay on the table.

They both watched the gray screen and tried to see what they could pick out.

"Well, here we have an arm... and a little head... and- oh!" The nurse running the ultrasound suddenly stopped talking and was looking closely at the screen.

"What is it?" Rebecca asked nervously. "Did you find the gender of my baby?"

"Well, I can definitely say that you are having two boys. Does that sound good?"

"WHAT?? TWO??? You were right! I'm having twins!! Are you serious????

"I am serious!" the doctor replied, cheerfully. "Congratulations!"

*****

After the shock of discovering Rebecca was carrying not one, but two boys in her tiny frame, it was her best friend's turn to hop up onto the exam table. They had gotten pregnant within two weeks of each other and were eagerly awaiting the news if they would be welcoming boys or girls into the family.

"Is this your first pregnancy too?" the doctor asked Avicile as she lifted her shirt.

"No, this is my third," she replied. "Rebecca will have six sets of arms to help her with her two boys."

Rebecca giggled, giddy with excitement, as she was reminded that she was in fact carrying twins.

"Wouldn't it be awesome if you were also having twins, and we had four babies to welcome home?" Rebecca asked, jokingly.

"Well, twins do run heavily in my family, and my husband's family too. My husband is a twin himself, and so am I!"

Finally everything was ready and the exam began. The doctor was quiet as the gray and blurry images came into view. "I'm only two weeks behind her, but it would be so cool if they shared a birthday or something." I keep thinking it will be another boy. I have one of each so someone's going to be doubled."

"I still think twins would be hilarious," Rebecca said, looking closely at the large blob on the screen. "Wow, your baby is huge!"

"Yeah, I was noticing that. This baby looks way bigger than Sterling. Maybe it's another tall boy like my husb--"

"Oh my gosh, you are having twins!" the doctor shouted. Rebecca and Avicile looked at the doctor, dumbfounded. They were in total disbelief but there, clearly on the screen, were two beating hearts.

"No way! You're joking!" Avicile exclaimed. "We're really both having twins?? We're welcoming FOUR babies into our house at the same time??? It's not just a big baby??????"

"Nope!" said the doctor, also in shock. "There are definitely two hearts beating. Plus, your prediction was right. You're definitely having a boy. In fact, you two are going to be welcoming four boys into your family!"

They couldn't speak. They both teared up and hugged tightly, the whole time whispering "Four boys... Four boys.... Four boys!"

*****

That night, they planned their surprise for their husbands and the kids. Both happened to be at work that day, knowing full well that when they came home they would know if they were expecting girls or boys into the Diamond Latham house. They had no idea that both were having twins and that they were all boys- fraternal boys at that, in both cases.

"Well, at least they'll all look different," Rebecca said as they walked to Winterwood's house to pick up Sterling and Emerald. They had decided also to invite everyone in the neighborhood that they knew to find out the news. They had no idea it would be so monumental. They had decided to tell their husbands first and then have a dinner party where they would announce it to their friends.

Finally the two men returned home and sat down on the couch, facing their lovely wives. Lesko held Sterling in his lap while Emerald toddled around her mother. Sterling was old enough to understand but Emerald was still a bit too young to fully grasp the concept of a baby brother.

"So... what did the doctor say?" Lesko asked, his voice shaky with excitement and anticipation.

"Rebecca can go first," Avicile replied, "She got pregnant first."

"Well, the appointment was fine," Rebecca started, looking around nonchalantly, "my due date got moved a little earlier......" she paused for a long time between each phrase. "The exam room was cold and the gel was colder........ but we know with as much certainty, especially since everything was in clear view, that I am....... having........... boys."

Eric's eyes got wide. "Wait a minute. Why did you say boys? Boys? BOYS? With an S???? Are you having twins??????"

"Yes yes yes!!!" Rebecca replied, tearing up again, standing to hug Eric tightly. Lesko was also equally as surprised and excited and went over to hug them too. Even Sterling knew what was going on and hugged Rebecca around her legs.

Once they had settled down and had absorbed that news, it was Avicile's turn to share her good news. "All right, now it's my turn. I feel like I'm going to upstage her but I'm totally not," she laughed. "Lesko, you thought boy? Eric, you thought boy too? And Sterling I know thought I was going to have a boy too. Well, how does TWO BOY sound?"

"NO WAY!!!! Lesko jumped into the air and hugged his wife tightly. "You're also having twins???"

"Yes! We're both having twins and it's ALL BOY!"

Sterling was very excited and ran around shouting "O boy o boy! I will hab two brudders!"

Lesko and Eric, tears in both of they eyes, basked in the excitement. "Wow, in fifteen years, they're going to eat everything we own!" Lesko said, laughing and crying at the same time.

Once the big excitement calmed down again, Avicile turned to Sterling. "What do you think I should name your brothers?"

Sterling thought for a moment before shouting his answer with glee. "Sterling and Emerald!"

Everyone laughed and awaited the evening when they could tell everyone the good news.

Four boys will join the Diamond Latham house!

Diamond/Latham Holiday Letter 2011

Hello everyone! As this year comes to a close, we are all celebrating the highs and lows of 2011. We have lived in our house for a year and a half now and are still loving the neighborhood just as much as we did when we moved in. Over the past year several highly musical families have moved in around us and it's been quite exciting to see this young neighborhood take root and grow old and mossy. We've made so many great friends and have enjoyed hosting countless parties, both big and small.

Lesko
I started the year off rough but recovered in time to complete my junior recital, which was a great time indeed. I've been working a lot and have passed several more classes that have helped me move along in my career as an audio recording specialist. I still work at Norton Johnson and greatly enjoy the people I work with and the fun that we have. As my junior year ended Eric and I did a summer tour all over Kiillaana with ILEN playing in several places and making wonderful memories along the way. We even got to spend a few days in Jadali! I'm also really happy to say that as of this fall KU finally got on the bandwagon and offers an Audio Production degree, thanks to the new audio center built on campus right behind the music building. All of the classes I've taken over the past few years totally count towards that degree so I'm proud to say that I'll be the first person here to graduate with a degree in AudPro! Dr. Holland has been so fun to work with and I'm definitely coming back this fall to get my master's. I'll likely freelance for a while until something more permanent becomes available but I'm looking closely at the Kphil and the Black Shirt Gang. As always, I'm still in ILEN and we're still going strong!

My health took a dive again as the fall started, involving a few trips to the hospital, but as of recent I feel much better and hopefully this snag is behind us. My family has been amazing in helping me stay in good spirits and I want to thank them all for helping me cross every thorny path with confidence. I really hope this year brings much less drama in the health department.

Avicile
Wow! What a year this has been! On January 17th, we welcomed our daughter Emerald into our crazy family. She's proving to be a handful but fairly quiet and she's already showing a social butterfly personality. I've been busy with school, going part-time so that I can get a class or two out of the way each semester so that one day I can graduate with a general music degree. I'm hoping to get back into band, despite the imminence of our growing family, especially since at the moment I won't be having any children this next semester, haha. I'm taking a slightly fuller load to check some music classes off the list and as always I'm still a big member of Club Spicy. It's grown over this past year as new music parent folk join the fold and I've had a wonderful time watching their children and them watching mine so that I can attend some classes. Everything is working out beautifully and I'm so thankful for my family and friends who are always there to lend me a hand and to be there to talk to.

Sterling
Our Early Sterling is almost two years old already! He's up and running and is a quiet but social little guy! He loves to walk into band and orchestra when it ends and say hello to Daddy and make the rounds in his arms to say hello to everyone. His other favorite activity is eating! He's very tall and skinny, just like his daddy, and looks much older than his age because of this. He's got quite a big vocabulary too- he's certainly living up to his Early title! We're very excited to see how he grows this next year. :-)

Emerald
Our Emerald is almost a year old already! If we thought Sterling looked like his daddy, Emerald looks even more so! She's full of energy and is almost walking now. She loves to be with Sterling in whatever he's doing and we can't wait until she is old enough to play with him. We can tell that they will be best friends. She is a very adaptable girl who loves anything that is LOUD! We can't wait to see her grow even more this next year!

Eric
Hello everyone, Eric here. This year has been totally awesome. I still work as a music coordinator at KP under the eye of my good friend and love it. My job now is to schedule the events in the park and get those that want to perform slated up. I've also had several opportunities to play in the park too which I've enjoyed immensely. This past summer ILEN went on tour all over Kiillaana and I had a total blast. The coolest thing that happened was my older brother Neil started dating Augustus' little sister Danielle when we were going along and they got married! Oh, ILEN love! As our senior year has started Rebecca and I have decided that the time is right to start trying to add children to our family. No news yet but you better believe you'll hear it when it happens. :P I'm just chugging along working towards my big senior recital as well as taking the last couple of my music business classes. Once that's all done I can relax and find my groove as a professional musician. I've put in an audition as a permanent member of the Black Shirt Gang and if I get that then I'll be playing my high chops all over the scene. I've been loving life and can't wait to see what happens this next year.

Rebecca
Hello, hello! I've been quite busy this year working on my performance degree and have been hired as a member of the KP orchestra. Basically, instead of swiping park tickets I now get to play trumpet in the live shows that the park puts on, which is much more enjoyable, I think! ;) The music sometimes gets old but it's lots of fun and the musicians there are great. There are lots from KU there too. The three of us seniors (me, Eric, Lesko) are still busy with marching band as always and will be sad when we have to leave. It's been a lot of fun but I think all of us are glad to be done with it all. Now that graduation is so close Eric and I are getting ready to add our own children to the mix. :) We're planning to have a family built through birth and adoption and can't wait until we're old enough to do that. We're already planning it now and have gotten things in order for when that time comes. Other than that, I've been great this past year and have enjoyed going to school with my cousins and family.

Well, with all of that, we hope everyone is having a wonderful Year's End!

Love,
Lesko, Avicile, Sterling, Emerald, Eric, and Rebecca

Template Poetry: Through Their Eyes

I love seeing how creative I can be with the "I Am" poems that are popular school writing assignments. One of my favorite things to do to make them more fun is write them through the eyes of another. Here are some examples that I've written, from the humorous to the deep and serious. Enjoy!

I am a computer virus.
I wonder how long it’ll take you to find me.
I hear your cursing as you wonder what went wrong.
I see you try everything you can to find me.
I want to anger you.
I am a computer virus.

I pretend to be your friend.
I feel your anger and frustration.
I touch the depths of your fuse, igniting it.
I worry about you sometimes.
I cry with laughter as you try to get rid of me.
I am a computer virus.

I understand more about your computer than you do.
I say I’m harmless, but I’m really not.
I dream of the money you’ll spend getting rid of me.
I try to destroy you.
I hope that I’ll be able to reside for a while.
I am a computer virus.

*****

I am the Terabikai-Osanokai
I wonder who needs my aid today
I hear the words of Osai; comforting and informative
I see the thoughts of others
I want to help.
I am the Terabikai-Osanokai

I pretend not to use the Realm to traverse
I feel the auras of all; past and present
I touch the lives of everyone around me
I worry that I may become consumed by the dormant evil within me
I cry out against evil.
I am the Terabikai-Osanokai

I understand the needs of all who seek my counsel
I say the right thing, always
I dream in vision
I try to imagine life through the eyes of others
I am the Terabikai-Osanokai
(Dr. Sorela)

*****

I am the lighter half.
I wonder why I was chosen.
I hear the morning birds and the evening rains.
I see the world through auras of green and gold.
I want to live in the heart of Dahhod.
I am the brother of darkness.

I pretend to know what to do.
I feel the energy that comes from within me.
I touch lives with my love for life.
I worry that I might miss an opportunity to create a memory.
I cry tears of joy as I count my dear friends.
I am the Extroverted twin.

I understand the roles of others.
I say funny things to get others to laugh.
I dream of being more selfless every day.
I try to uplift and inspire.
I am the lightness of the Darklight.
(Lesko Diamond)

I am the darker half.
I wonder how others view me.
I hear the voice of Osai guiding me.
I see what others cannot.
I want to make the world a better place.
I am the brother of lightness.

I pretend to understand weariness.
I feel the power of Darkness which resides in me.
I touch the road silently as I glide past.
I worry about those who are lost.
I cry at that thought.
I am the Introverted twin.

I understand the ways of the Moon.
I say many things out of love each day.
I dream of people who need my help.
I try to balance the two sides to my being.
I am the darkness of the Darklight.
(Oja Diamond)

*****

I am apprehensive and afraid.
I wonder if today will be the day…
I hear the sickening, ungodly sounds thrust from within.
I see the unnatural placement of my limbs…
I want to tell others that it doesn’t hurt me.
I am apprehensive and afraid.

I pretend that I feel as sprightly as I look.
I feel awful, like my foundation is tilted.
I touch the lives of many through my struggles.
I worry that the one thing I run from will show up when I least expect it.
I cry as I think of that simple light that I must run from.
I am apprehensive and afraid.

I understand that I won’t simply ‘get better.’
I say that this doesn’t define me.
I dream of life without the burden I carry.
I try to be as open as I can possibly be.
I am the face of illness.
(Lesko Diamond)

The Evolution of Drawings

I thought it might be fun to take some of the people that I have multiple drawings of and see how they change over time as 1.) My drawing techniques grow and change and 2.) The vision I have in my head changes. Enjoy!

Lesko Diamond
4 Pictures across 4 Years

A drawing fresh from my first semester of college, this is a picture of Lesko Diamond taken by Oja as they visit Lake Ohro in Kalitonia (Yes, I remember the story. Think about it- chronologically, Lesko is still in high school when this was "taken"). This was the picture that confirmed Lesko to "Pretty Boy" status, evidenced by his fitted, stripy sweater, scarf, and somewhat skinny jeans, paired with Vans. I had a really hard time drawing blonde hair and was still a noob at the facial shape game but I think it turned out pretty good, especially since I suck at full body drawings now. :P It was drawn on December 6, 2007, 4 years and one day ago!

This picture of Lesko in his basketball days was drawn on March 22, 2008, when Lesko was still in high school. Although he could no longer play basketball by then (due to his spinal fusion) I had fun drawing a snapshot of history during that very brief moment when Lesko was more into sports than music. His hair looks a bit better but still off from what I really want it to look like, although that could be due to the fact that it's probably supposed to be green in this picture. I was trying to show off his newfound tallness and body type. That outfit is supposed to be royal blue and bright yellow. Go Lions!

A fairly recent picture of Lesko done on January 31, 2010. I was trying to showcase his energetic personality. He's wearing his ILEN shirt (he's the letter L) and a fitted jacket over it, along with his skinny-ish jeans and Vans. I really like this picture because his Catin eyes are in proportion to his face (not too big like they usually end up!) and his facial shape is much more accurate (though a bit too round). His hair is also convincingly blond!

A very recent picture done on October 27, 2011, of Lesko with his head wrapped up in preparation for a 72 hour ambulatory EEG. His VNS magnet is also hanging onto the left strap of his backpack. It's titled "Rocky Times" because, well, life was kind of sucking for him at that particular month. Despite it all, he is still of high spirits and smiling, filling people with his endless energy. That's what I love most about him.

Moira Lochgren
3 Pictures across 9 Months

Drawn on February 16, 2011, this picture of Moira was the very first, as the idea of a Newcomer from Jadali entertained my mind. Little did I know that I'd take an attempt at my first novel with her as a main character. I drew her based off what I thought someone of Lochgren blood would look like- blonde wavy hair, oval face, two-colored eyes. From this picture, I realized that she looked like someone I know who became sort of the basis for future drawings of Moira.

A nice drawing of Moira done on September 26, 2011. It's not my best, as it kind of changes my original view, but I think it's pretty. She looks a little too much like Arwen though. :P

This latest drawing of Moira was done on her birthday, November 17, 2011 (hence I wrote "Dor Diene Ahraddwr!" as the subtitle :P). I love this picture and I think it's the most accurate by far. It shows her with very lovely hair that even I am envious of, and dressed in much warmer clothing instead of her favorite but too cold peasant tops. She even has on a scarf! So cute! Everything is perfect.

Nathan Surcaston
3 Pictures Across 1.5 Years

This is my first drawing of Nathan, done on June 20, 2010, trying to stay true to the person he's based off of. I got much right but his hair is a bit too dark, as I still can't do blond hair very well. This picture says a lot about his personality and I love his sweater vest!

Another attempt a year later (June 15, 2011), this one is also very good. Everything in the previous drawing carried over and it looks almost the same. The scars that cover his face are ever so faintly present and not really noticeable, which is how he wants it to be. He's probably the only person that can make so many large scars on his face disappear.

This latest picture, drawn after I had a very... Terabian dream, was done on November 27, 2011. Everything has continued to remain the same, from his rectangle glasses down to his sweater vest. His large eyes continue to get bigger, which is a trait of his (very wide-open, irresistibly blue, and almost sparkling with the Mark of Terabi). I picture him as very professional, softspoken, and one of the kindest souls known to man. I don't know if he marches in this outfit though... :P

Terabi
3 Pictures in 2 Years

One of the first drawings I made of Terabi, done on December 1, 2009, showing off an ageless and yet youthful appearance that I loved and definitely accepted. His hair is long and done up in ornamental ties. His boots look a bit weird though. They're supposed to be cool bound leather but they're much too big. Oh well, he's the God of Aura! He can do whatever he wants! In his hand he holds a Blade of Lovelight. I'm not sure if it's his or the blade of a new initiate, but it looks quite awesome.

Probably my favorite portrait of Terabi, this one was drawn on February 13, 2011, during a time when he was heavily on my mind. His Teracor is shown glowing blue and his youthful face radiates with kindness.

The latest full drawing of Terabi, this one was done on September 18, 2011. He holds his Staff of Lovelight and wears a Jadali-style outfit with a cloak. I love how his eyes look in this picture and one again he has that ageless youth look about him. His gifts are all centered around the emotion of love and this is so evident in these pictures.

ILEN Tour- Chapter the Last

Oh my goodness! We are DONE with our tour! We're all tired and are getting back into the swing of things but we had a very successful final run indeed!

We arrived in Tevernid on the 9th and had probably our biggest concert yet in Tevernid at New Music Park. We actually played with a couple other bands that got famous using the internet to spread their music. It was really cool to tour TSOM and meet up with some old friends from high school like Harrison Kye and Mustafa Kribana and their families. I'd never met Harrison's kids before!

As a funny aside, Harrison was my doppleganger in high school. He's Gus's brother and Harper's cousin and we were about the same height, had the same amount of craziness, and had similar build. People got us confused more than once! We were in band together and everything.

We got a lovely tour of the city and the next day enjoyed a relaxing day at Harrison's house. We also got to visit the Great Law Hall of Tevernid which was amazing! What a city this place is! On Monday we all went to the history museum and got to see actual objects from Dragon-Dodger's time. It was amazing to go in depth and learn Jeneiyl Alihi's amazing story and how she became the first queen of Kiillaana. We also learned about the 13 people that were chosen to start the country of Jadali. Great stuff! It was fun to see the Kyes hang out with some of their good buddies and relatives and to get to know them too.

On Tuesday the 12th we were off to Tekria to play at the other major music school, Ricktoria-Landon. This place is THE place to go for modern music stuff! Gary Charles recently got accepted here and even met us there. He's getting all moved into his new house with his wife and son. It was a great concert and we played some new songs we've written on this crazy tour journey. This is a really cool place and home to one of the best drum corps around.

We didn't stay too long and were soon off for Anguadoria. We hit up Kaywood for a few days and met up with some old friends. A&H know a lot of people up in this area so we had fun with them too. On Friday the 15th I had the opportunity of a lifetime and got to meet Restaru Migali. He's a professional clarinet player from Catarika and his brother is one of the clarinet makers here in Kaywood. There was so much awesomeness happening that I can hardly explain.

Awesome: Meeting Restaru Migali and hearing him play.
More Awesome: Having Oja there performing as well.
More Awesome Still: Having the Eldin of Leena at that concert as well and getting to meet him.
Awesomeness Beyond Comprehension: Dr. Sorela and his family were there and he performed also.
Awesomeness on a New Plane of Existence: Jeffrey Peak, Daniel Battistone, Jeffrey & Yana Mohola, Magellan & Sokphair Liene, and several Kye descendants were also in attendance.
Awesomeness Overload: Having dinner and going for a walk in the most amazing scenery in the world with all of these people talking like we're family.
Awesomeness Overload Part 2: Getting out our trumpets and playing for them.

Needless to say, it was an amazing day for all 4 of us and everyone else involved. There was so much Osai in the city of Kaywood that I'm sure the moon was gravitated to us. :D

Whew! So... the next day (Sat. 16) we headed up to Kile Point which is a tiny city on the coast of Anguadoria famous for surfing. Declan Loch is from here and he was indeed there with his wife. We spent much of the morning surfing the waves and learning the ropes, having a great time overall. That night we had a concert inside the very famous Kile Resa Taresu and were met with many enthusiastic fans. I can't believe people on the other coast love us so much! So much Catin win!

Over the next few days we visited church in Kaywood and then headed for Alles and Annermatl on Monday. Holy CRAP Alles has the most bizarre weather ever thanks to a Terabian curse. It was really cool learning some of the history of these famous places and of course explore the jungle beyond.

On the 19th we headed for New Asia and spent the day at Attlefort Playground, which was a total blast. There's so much cool stuff you can do with the rides when the backdrop is the coast! We opted not to play there which was a good call because we heard a really great band instead and enjoyed their music very much. We left for our hotel tanned, tired, sunsoaked, and happy.

On the 20th we were up in Shoer del Fin and played a concert that was very well-received. It was super hot outside but we had great fun and got in touch with some more fans. :)


We then spent about a week in Jadali and man oh man was that fun! All 4 of us are hugely interested in Jadali history and were able to make our way to Freloch where we visited Dahsir Castle, University of Leena, and the Great Law Hall. Our guide was a very good friend of the Kyes named Eldorus Lochmont and he hosted us and showed us all the really cool history. We visited lots of museums and things and it was a great second half to our tour of Tevernid's history museums. We got to see the lovely coast, watch the sun rise over the castle, observe the ministry in action, and visit some of the most amazing gardens I've ever seen. Lots of the history struck a close chord with me and I was happy to learn all about it. Dr. Sorela totally grew up here! That's so cool!

We then began our journey back home, going through Kalitonia and Karafina. On Monday the 25th we found ourselves in the very cold city of Snowloch where two of our KU classmates are from. Eric's roomie from when he went to Catarika in 2008 lives here and they were so happy to finally see each other. Eric's brother Neil went to school here so he was right at home among the snowy streets and high elevation. The Kyes also have lots of family around here and enjoyed catching up with them. We had a concert at Sunslope Park and even though it was very cold it was very fun.

Three days later we found ourselves in the flat cornfields of Karafina and had a concert at Harley High School in Kadinne. By then we were very tired and eager to be home but we had a great turnout and lots of people say we inspired them. :)

Two days later, on July 30th, we finally arrived home! In celebration we had our final concert at our house and had many happy reunions with our families. We closed with lots of new songs we wrote while on this tour and had a big party. That was one long tour but it was so much fun! I'm so glad we finally got the chance to actually do it! Every sacrifice was totally worth it and we've become even closer as friends. I can't thank enough our traveling crew as well as all the amazing people that supported us on this musical journey all over Kiillaana. It truly was amazing and I certainly won't forget it!

Now it's time for all of us to get ready for our senior year of college! Vroooooom!

Augustus Kye, Lesko Diamond, Harper Kye, and Eric Latham, over and out!

ILEN Tour- Mid June to Mid July

Hello all! Lesko Here! Sorry it's been so long but a ton of stuff has happened this past month. We're all loving this running around and we're about to bust into Kye relative territory so it will seem less focused on me and Eric and more on the Kye cousins. I'm writing so much because I've been dedicated as the official spokesman and they like how I write these. :)

OK so anyway, here's what's been going on this past month.

As most of you know Oja and Cameron's baby girl Marina was born late in the night on June 14 which is Jeffrey's birthday. The next morning the four of us went with Jeffrey and Michaela up to Tarra (a direct route by train- easy!) and spent some time with them. I stayed while the rest of ILEN went back down to Jennifer where our next concert was staged in my uncle Guy's backyard. I stayed with Oja and my family until Thursday (the 16th) and then went down in time for our Jennifer concert which was loads of fun and had lots of people. We even got picked up by the news and ended up on a couple websites! We're gonna be even more viral by the time we hit the east coast!

After that concert we had 3 days until our Griso concert so we split up- Eric went with Rebecca up north, the Kyes went to visit relatives and friends, and I stayed with Oja and my family getting to know Marina and helping out with everything. My wife and kids were there and we had fun like always. :) By Saturday we had all gathered again and put on a concert in the land of my grandparents, several Kyes, and even some old family friends of Eric. It was a party! Dragon Trail Park is really beautiful and historic and tons of people were there to enjoy it.

The next day we all went down to Dahhod as it's a pretty important place and arguably one of the most beautiful places in all of Kiillaana. It's taking the amazing beauty of the maple forest and adding a Jadali city to it. Having a small tie here makes it more meaningful to me (even though he's not here right now) but the Kyes have a couple of friends here so we had a great time with them and just enjoying the laid-back atmosphere of this adorable town.

On Saturday (25th) we headed back to Pyncyltonia and went to Lyon's Park which is where we used to put on all of our outdoor concerts. It brought back lots of memories, especially since my sister got engaged here a few years ago. Lots of old friends were there and made plans to be there and it was a fun time for all.

After that we had almost 2 weeks off so we went back home to rest up and take care of things at home in preparation for our big, huge trip out east. Ahhh, relaxation!

On the 3rd of July I headed back to Tarra with my wife and kids and spend some of that week with him again. My older sisters were even there too so we had the whole family there! My parents have lots of grandkids now ;)

Two days ago (the 6th) I said goodbye to my family and headed for Kaisi to meet up with the rest of ILEN. Even in July it's really cold here! The whole state is basically one big mountain high, high up there. It's really pretty though and yesterday we had a concert at Ice Park High School. We had a very warm welcome and lots of fans came out to hear us live and meet us. Afterwards they hosted a party for us and we got to meet some of our biggest fans. :)

Phew! Now I'm all caught up! Tomorrow we hit Tevernid which I am superly excited for! I can't wait! Hopefully I'll update sooner next time! ;)

Love,
Lesko and the gang

ILEN Tour- Beginning of June

Well we stopped counting days long ago and I'm too busy to see what day it really is so we'll just go with the first half of June! I'm sure nobody minds... :)

I last left off on a Monday (June 6) after we had done our Port Rose concert and we were planning to spend until Wednesday in IDA checking things out. On Monday we went up to Starry and watched some of the surfing and enjoyed the beach for the first part of the day before a lovely tour of all the cities of the island in the afternoon done by Cobra and Winterwood. On Tuesday we headed over to Isle del Inu by ferry to visit my sister Jumanji, her husband Ricky, and their daughter Alicia. That was great fun too and they even took us all on a tour of Kesly Coastal. It was a lot of fun going there with such a big group (Rivers, Lightfoot, and Vice families all went too!) and we all had a great day. The next morning we hopped on a ferry and took all day to head back to Kennywood/Sunway/Kaytue, stopping in Dadon so that the other two band member families could have a date as promised. We arrived in Kennywood late and had Thursday to chill. Friday we had our big concert at Kennywood Playground and did great! We had an awesome turnout and we got to see a lot of old friends who have arrived and meet some new members of the KU music program.

Phew!

THEN we headed to Tarra on Saturday the 11th where we arrived at Oja's house. Cameron is due literally any day now but was feeling well enough to have us host the concert in their backyard to a great crowd. We stayed Sunday also and enjoyed going to church with Oja's friends and of course my grandparents who I always love to see. I know it sounds like the trip revolves around me but it doesn't. I'm just the one who has the most spread-out of relatives! Wait till we hit the east coast- that's all Kye/Latham territory!

Monday was Danielle's birthday so we stopped at Jackson's, the most popular and well-known steakhouse in all of Vetonia for a lunch celebration. It's also fellow classmate Nathan Surcaston's birthday so we called him up. Turns out his parents live in the same neighborhood as Augustus and Addy! Nice! After that we headed from Brandon Mountain to Weston where we put on a great concert. Jeffrey Peak was even there! The next day (the 14th) was Jeffrey's birthday so the band took him to lunch. He's one of Oja's best friends and of course his pair and Oja would've been down but Cameron's baby is due any day now so he didn't feel up to it. We had a great time and it's always nice knowing someone just like my brother and talking to him in his own territory of Kalta. Happy 17th!

UPDATE: OH MY WORD CAMERON HAD HER BABY LATE LAST NIGHT!!!! SHE SHARES HER BIRTHDAY WITH JEFFREY PEAK!!!!!

ILEN Tour- Days 4-10

Well another week has flown by and we have had another 3 concerts under our fingers. We got up fairly early on Monday morning and got all of our gear together and headed for Kaytue! We dropped off all of our stuff at Harper's house and then all of us plus families spent the whole day at Kaytue Playground. We had a blast and always enjoy the different rides, atmosphere, and layout. We even did poses on Phantom Countess and got a new ILEN pic. It looks great!

That night we came back with our gear and played a show inside the park. It helps that we have ties to the artistic director! Eric works in that department at Kennywood Playground and the new director used to work here for years and years so we were pretty much set. We had a great crowd and lots of fans to jam with us. They even sold shirts featuring our logo!

We spent the night at Harper's house and then on Tuesday morning we gathered up all our stuff again and hopped on the Northwest Line, which I haven't been on in a long time. Four hours later we were at our destination of Dadon and we chilled in the hotel for a while before going to the interactive science museum that evening. In typical ILEN fashion we had a great time being ourselves and got some great pictures and video. Eric & Rebecca and Harper & Sarah were kind enough to take our children as well as Gus's kids so that we could go out on a date just by ourselves. Avicile and I went to a Catin grill of course and Augustus and Addy went to their favorite place. It was a great evening and we can't wait to repeat the favor on the way back through.

Wednesday we had a delicious breakfast and then went around the town, browsing the unique shops of the Tellish Quarters, which made Rebecca very happy. Later we went to the Raellian Quarters where we played mini golf in true ILEN fashion. That night we had a concert in the park and the weather cooperated beautifully for us. It was smaller than the ones we've had previous but as always we had crazy fans there who were beside themselves at actually meeting us live.

Thursday we made the short journey to the coast and then hopped aboard the ferry, taking us to Isle del Akai. Eagle and Winterwood were there to greet us on the other side and Falcon was soon spotted as well. We were treated to a royal tour of Port Rose and even got to visit the PRHS band and talk to the students about band and music and all that fun stuff. Winterwood's dad is the director and he's a really nice guy and a huge supporter of the arts.

Friday we got up early and headed north to Mingao's Organic Terrace Park where we enjoyed genuine Sunflower Soda, cranberry crunchies, amazing vegetarian pizza, and lots of other yummy local snack foods. Of course, what's a park without rides, and we rode them all! We left in time to get back to PRHS where we put on a great concert with a full house in the audience. One of the best parts was when I dedicated a song to Blackbear Kye Moonset, a local with a truly amazing story that I can relate to. He died 2 years ago from his terminal illness but that didn't stop him from diving on the school team and winning the state title. The crowd was very touched by that and many thanked us afterwards. It made us all feel special to have a connection to this amazing city.

We stayed in Port Rose over the weekend, staying at Cobra's house. His dad owns a hotel that their house is attached to and we got a great rate and amazing hospitality. Haven was there with their son Sidry as well and Sterling had so much fun playing with him and the Kye twins! I love that all of our children are around the same age and that for the most part they travel well. Emerald is getting old enough to enjoy what's going on and Sterling loves to love on her.

It's now Monday and we have a week off until our next concert at Kennywood Playground. We're staying in Port Rose for another two days and then on Wednesday we're heading back home to rest and work a little bit until we leave the state again on Saturday. We tried to time our Baydi concerts around when Oja's wife is giving birth so we hope we're around when his first child is born! May the fun continue!

Love,
Lesko Diamond

ILEN Tour- Days 1-3

Hello all, it's Lesko here! This trip has been two years in the making and now it's finally on its way! I'll be doing updates on the crazy adventures we're having in the stops along the way.

The whole crazy tour started Friday the 27th at our house. Lots of people were there including tons from school who haven't yet set off for their various summer escapades. Luckily the rain held off but we played indoors anyway. We had quite the crowd and afterwards a bunch of self-proclaimed groupies met up and recruited some people to go along with them to as many concerts as they could. We had a great time.

Then on Saturday we rode to Sunway and managed to catch the Bullet Limited Stop so it took us like half an hour to get there. We spent the day at Augustus and Addy's house with their kids and Sterling had a great time playing with them. That evening we went to the local park where a huge crowd, mostly of internet followers, turned up to listen and show their support. It was really fun and lots of people stayed afterwards to meet us and talk with us a bit.

Eric and I rode home in the evening and are enjoying this Sunday being with our families and relaxing in preparation for our big day of fun tomorrow. It's going to be early but it will be fun for sure! Everyone that is on our staff team is loving following us all over the place and it makes loading the trains quick and painless.

Well that's all for now. Once we leave Pyncyltonia there may be more interesting things to write about since we'll be sightseeing. See ya later!

ILEN: The Very Beginning

I was going through my files on my computer trying to find out some information on Neil Latham when I came across this amazing little document that I had no idea that I had ever written! It is dated from February 23, 2006, which makes this one of the earliest piece of documented ILEN history that I have. Upon further research, I unearthed a couple documents from as early as 2004 that mention ILEN in passing including one from December 22, 2005 containing 2 verses of song lyrics. I don't remember the exact date I came up with ILEN but I know it's sometime around the summer of 2004 because I know exactly where I was when Augustus Kye popped into my mind. I don't even know if the band name or Augustus came first anymore...

Anyway, enjoy this little gem- the first draft of their looks, names, trademark fashion, personality, and where they live. This was clearly before that famous RCT3 peep editor that changed my perspective of them forever and what their looks are almost totally based off of today. All of them look very different!


The Members of ILEN

Jason Augustus Kye is the drummer. He lives on Obbinorsisch Road. He is a very good trumpet player, getting first in JKSB and JKSO, and has musical talent. He loves hanging out with his friends and writing songs. He has blonde hair and blue eyes and wears shorts all the time. He is very funny and loves making people laugh.

Harper Rhys Kye is the keyboardist and writes most of the music. He also lives on Obbinorsisch Road, about 5 houses down from Augustus, who happens to be his cousin. He loves to tell puns all day. He also can make a rhyme in about 20 seconds! He is quick and can make a pun out of anything! He has brown hair and blue eyes and wears custom-made jackets a lot.

Eric Eugene Latham is the guitarist. He lives on Kajil Road near the Kelsons. He loves playing his trumpet with the band and is a very good guitarist. He is taking both band and guitar this year! He provides lots of the inspirations for songs, he’ll think of just about anything. He is tons of fun and loves riddles. He has brown hair and brown eyes and wears suit jackets.

Lesko Tcillah Diamond is the bass guitarist. He lives on the very far west part of Lionel Park Road. He is also good at coming up with ideas for songs. He periodically has green hair to support the band but has light brown hair when normal. He has blue eyes and loves wearing shorts and long socks.


Wow. So there you go! The only thing that is confusing to me is Lesko's green hair, which I know I got from that peep editor, so either I came up with them once before or wasn't sure where to go with their looks. Either way, this is hilarious! Their personalities are totally different, as well as their clothing styles. Harper is the only one who kept that hair and eye color. I suppose that I should rewrite this to make it accurate! My favorite part is the jackets that Harper and Eric supposedly wear, and who couldn't laugh at Lesko's shorts and long socks!

The Members of ILEN (As of May 2011)

Jason Augustus Kye is the drummer. He lives in Sunway with his wife Addy and his twin boys, Jay and Glenn. His colors are black and red and he writes a couple of ILEN songs each year, most of them being the fast, upbeat, and unusual songs meant for nothing but a laugh. He has black hair and blue eyes and is fairly short, at just 5'6'' or so, but makes up for it with his energetic and fun personality. He loves nothing more than making people laugh.

Harper Rhys Kye is the man on the keyboard. He grew up just 5 houses down from Augustus but now lives in Kaytue with his wife Sarah. His colors are "blue and darker blue" and he is almost never seen without a hat. He is the chief composer of the occasional entirely instrumental pieces that ILEN is quickly becoming famed for. He is witty and able to make a quick pun out of just about anything.

Eric Eugene Latham plays the guitar. He lives in Pathreeah in a "giant duplex mansion house" with his wife, Rebecca. Lesko Diamond, his best friend, lives on the other side. Eric is the shortest of them, at only 5'3'', but easily has the lowest voice of them all and therefore sings all the smooth ballads. His colors are yellow and purple and he has bright blue eyes and nice blond hair that flows down his face. He is the official songwriter for the band, able to pop out catchy melodies at the drop of a hat.

Lesko Tcillah Diamond plays the bass. He lives in the other half of the duplex known as the Diamond-Latham House and the two of them regularly host concerts. He is amazing with words and is the chief lyricist for the band, able to create strings of clever thought and story out of thin air. In addition, he is also the main singer, due to his smooth voice with a fairly big range. He is the tallest, towering over all thee other members at 6'2''. Although he no longer has green hair, his colors are "green and lighter green" and everything he wears makes his green eyes come alive and his light, blond hair perfectly accentuates his glowing aura.

There. That's better. :P

P.S.- here are the lyrics I found dating from December of 2005:

Well once upon a time I was out on my way,
To the magic printer’s workshop to print out an essay!
I saw a pretty lady all dressed in pink,
She saw me and smiled, and laid on a wink.

I thought what a pretty lady she seems nice enough,
She was very well together and she sure knew her stuff.
We started up a-talking, all was fine until…
She got to something funny about her cousin Bill.

I'm pretty sure this was from a song I titled "The Girl With The Annoying Laugh"

ILEN's Going On Tour!!

Yes indeed, this has been in the works for almost two years now and we're finally doing it! Our band has grown immensely popular not just locally but nationally as well and several people have asked if we would do a world tour. We have been toying with this idea for years now, especially with our album "Cities" that showcases many of these amazing places. This summer has been the first where nothing overly major is going on so we're hitting the train tracks!

I want to thank everyone who has made this tour possible. Thanks to the loving, open arms of friend and family in these various cities we have all of our room and board taken care of. They have also provided or helped us book venues. We all thank our families and friends for believing in us and helping make this a reality. We're all so excited for this!

Mark your calendar- here's the master list!

Pathreeah, PA
Friday, May 27, 2011 (7pm)
The Diamond-Latham House

Sunway, PA
Saturday, May 28, 2011 (6pm)
Broderick Park

Kaytue, PON
Monday, May 30, 2011 (7pm)
Kaytue Playground

Dadon, LA
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 (6pm)
Coley Kiao Bandshell, Aira Park

Port Rose, LI
Friday, June 3, 2011 (6:30pm)
Port Rose High School

Kennywood, PA
Friday, June 10, 2011 (4pm)
Kennywood Playground

Tarra, BD
Saturday, June 11, 2011 (7pm)
The Home of Oja and Cameron Diamond

Weston, VT
Monday, June 13, 2011 (6pm)
The Home of Mark and Stefanie Diamond

Jennifer, VT
Thursday, June 16, 2011 (6pm)
The Home of Guy and Rayann Diamond

Griso, BD
Saturday, June 18, 2011 (7pm)
Dragon Trail Park

Pathreeah, PA
Saturday, June 25, 2011 (6pm)
Lyon's Park

Kaisi, EN
Thursday, July 7, 2011 (6:30pm)
Ice Park High School

Tevernid, TK
Saturday, July 9, 2011 (7pm)
New Music Park, Tevernid School of Music

Tekria, NV
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 (7pm)
Landon Concert Hall, Ricktoria-Landon University

Kile Point, AN
Saturday, July 16, 2011 (7pm)
Kile Resa Taresu

Shoer del Fin, NA
Wednesday, July 20, 2011 (6pm)
Aimohan High School

Snowloch, KA
Monday, July 25, 2011 (7pm)
Sunslope Park

Kadinne, KF
Thursday, July 28, 2011 (6pm)
Harley High School

Pathreeah, PA
Saturday, July 30, 2011 (6pm)
The Diamond-Latham House

Admission to all concerts is free (except the ones in Kennywood and Kaytue Playground) but donations are greatly appreciated as they provide for travel, food, and venues among other things, like tuition and equipment. We welcome anyone and everyone so please tell your friends about us. We hope to see you all there!

With warmest regards,

Augustus Kye
Lesko Diamond
Harper Kye
Eric Latham

The Band Chosen from a Hat

I've rewritten my other ILEN post to bring it a little up-to-date with my writing style and to have it read more like a book and less like a big explanation. It also expands on the actual making of the name and not the entire history of ILEN and its members.

The Birth of a Band
It was a very hot day, early in June of 2003. It wasn't even summer yet but already temperatures were high and the last days of school were finally behind them. Augustus and Harper, cousins and the best of friends, had finally gotten their dream of creating a band to become reality thanks to the gift of a drumset and total luck in actually finding friends who owned a guitar and bass. All four of them had just ended the seventh grade and all were trumpet-players in the Ken Bridges Middle School band. With a group of people as unique as them they were determined to mark their place on the popularity map by advertising as a "band of trumpet players" and no doubt wanted to perform a lasting impression at the very popular eighth grade talent show. As the two of them waited for their other two members to arrive they passed the time by taking an old red wagon, delicately putting Harper's electric keyboard and an amp in it, and dragging it to Augustus's house, which lucky for him, was just five houses up the street. Today was the day when they would meet officially for the first time and, even more exciting, decide on a band name.

They had just finished setting up Harper's keyboard in the basement and were going back outside when they saw an old white station wagon with horrible fake wood panels on the sides pull up to the house. Augustus and Harper ran outside to see who it was and saw the tall, thin image of Lesko Diamond, their bass player, getting out of the front seat as a man who looked just like him but with shorter hair get out of the driver's seat and come around to the passenger side where he helped Lesko take the large and awkward instrument case out of the back seat. This man, obviously Lesko's father, looked at Augustus and Harper and with a smile and the thickest Vetonian accent they had ever heard introduced himself and then, hugging his son, wished him a wonderful time at his friend's house.

Smiling, Lesko dragged his heavy case to the house where he was led to the basement that would soon enough become almost as familiar to him as his own bedroom.

"So you finally met my dad!" Lesko said, his face glowing with excitement and happiness.

"Yeah. He seems really nice. You look just like him, man!" replied Harper, trying to sound cool.

"Holy cow Lesko he has a really cool accent!" burst Augustus, "Are you all from Vetonia?"

"Nah, they moved to Tarra right before me and my brother were born. But yeah they're all from Electric Beach and my dad never lost his accent. He likes it too much!" Lesko replied, obviously very proud of his cool parents.

He set his stuff down on the dark green couch and they went back upstairs to wait for Eric, talking all the while about their brand new band and all the fun they hoped to have. After a few minutes sitting on the large stone wall in the front yard they saw three figures on bicycles. One had a guitar-shaped black gig bag on his shoulders and was in conversation with the other two who were on either side of him. They were carrying backpacks filled to the brim with sporting equipment; Augustus could see some baseball bats and a basketball sticking out of the taller one's bag. They recognized the smallest one with the gig bag as Eric and suspected that the other two were his brothers, on their way to the park.

"Hi Eric!" Lesko called out, "Catch a ride with them on the way to the park?"

"Yeah. They were nice enough to leave with me so that I wouldn't get lost," Eric replied, jokingly. "I found the house all right though. It's nice when they're on main streets. Less turning."

"Mom wants you back by 5:00," said the older boy, while the younger boy pedaled around in slow circles, too shy to talk to all these people he didn't yet know but still wanting to listen to their conversation.

"All right, thanks Neil," Eric said, as he waved his brothers off and they sped north toward the park. Turning to Augustus, Lesko, and Harper, he parked his bike in their yard and followed them into the house, electric guitar in tow. "You have amps and stuff for us, right? I couldn't take mine on my bike..."

"Yeah don't worry about it. I have everything we need," said Harper as they entered the large basement den. "My dad let me borrow some stuff until we can get our own."

They spent the next hour or so getting everything hooked up and organized to their liking. The whole time the four of them were talking away, a unique blend of personalities that worked in perfect harmony. A couple times some of Augustus's family would come in and chat with them and help them set everything up and finally everything was ready.

"Ok memorize how this all goes. Can you believe that one day it will take like 5 minutes to get this all set up?" said Augustus as they surveyed their layout one last time.

By now it was lunch time and it was very hot in the house. Augustus's dad was in the yard making hamburgers and hot dogs so they took a quick break and got a bite to eat. Feeling refreshed, they returned to their basement setup and began playing through some things for fun. It went much better than they had expected, thanks to their attention to musical detail and their ability to improvise extremely well together. As they played through some simple scales and melodies they discussed important things like the genre of their music. They weren't big into the screamer idea and decided to write about the most random things for a laugh. They would never use foul language or sing about girlfriends, as this was not only stupid but also cliche. They decided that they would experiment with some songs and see what worked the best in terms of lyricist/songwriter. With their ever-expanding knowledge of composition they would be able to write out their melodies until they were fully memorized, and as all four of them were trumpet-players and this was their big selling point, they also decided that they would experiment with adding trumpet to the mix in unique ways. They were really liking what they were hearing as they jammed together and knew that this band of trumpet-players would go very far indeed.

After they played for a while they took a break as the heat was sucking out all their energy and, more importantly, to come up with a name. After a long round of Write and Dispel in which they shouted out random names and ideas that were written down on a whiteboard and then crossed out, Harper had a great idea.

"Hey, why don't we come up with a catchy, 4-letter word for our band? That way we could each wear a T-shirt with a letter of the band on it as our main stage outfit!" Harper suddenly burst out, after they had come up with no less than fifty names that they didn't like.

"Oo, that's a great idea," they all said in unison. "Oh my gosh we can get 26 rocks from our garden and then put the letters of the alphabet on them!" interjected Augustus.

His sister Danielle, who had been listening in, piped up: "You can borrow my nail polish and paint the letters on them!"

They thought this was a great idea and then Lesko came up with the idea to throw the rocks at a bucket or something in the center of the room and then have all of them draw one and see what it said. This seemed to fit with their quirky nature better than anything they had ever come up with and excitedly hurried off to the backyard where they began digging up small, golf ball sized rocks and cleaned them off with the hose before painting a letter on them with old nail polish donated by Danielle, who happily told them that she was the band's first official groupie.

After the painted rocks were dry they went back into the basement with a metal bucket that Augustus had found next to the garden-in-progress. The bucket was placed in the center of the room and the four band members sat lazily on the couch, taking turns throwing the rocks at the bucket. Most bounced off or didn't even come close but 8 rocks actually did make it in and after the Z had been tossed unsuccessfully at the bucket they went to see what they had to choose from. They emptied the rocks out and came up with A, C, E, I, K, L, N, and P. Happy that they had vowels, they put them back in and each reached in and grabbed a rock. Augustus went first and drew an N. Lesko went next and drew an L. Harper went third drawing an I and Eric drew an E. They put the letters in order and ended up with E, I, L, and N. Now it was time to try and make it into a catchy word.

They all laughed because they noticed right away that it spelled NEIL. That was out of the question, because Neil was Eric's brother and they didn't think he'd be too happy with them if they named their band after him. They tried NILE but it just didn't have the ring they were looking for. LINE was lame and ENIL was just plain weird. They wanted a two syllable name and ENIL was the closest to something they were looking for but they didn't like it and kept trying. They weren't coming up with anything and they were about ready to give up when Harper spelled NILE again and picked up the N. He began to throw it in the air, thinking for a moment, but he wasn't paying attention and it slipped out of his fingers, landing at the end of the word. They quickly pushed it over and suddenly the name ILEN was staring back at them. They looked at it. They whispered the name to themselves. Slowly they raised their heads and looked at each other, their eyes wide. They began to cheer and smiles were on all of their faces. They had found their band name.

They immediately began writing their very first song, which they titled "The Band Chosen from a Hat." They had most of the lyrics down when it was time for everyone to leave and return home. It was a memorable and very productive Saturday and they couldn't wait to get back together and write and play even more things! They had no idea just what they were getting into, back as young 13-year-olds, but 8 years later the band is still as strong as ever and immensely popular not just in their home town but all over Kiillaana.

Oja's Vision

Oja Diamond was standing outside his Great Catin Gifts classroom with two of his usual best friends- Gile Veda and Ronan Gaubert. He had an hour to kill before his next class (Advanced Catin History) so he decided to get into a discussion with some of the other students who were still hanging around. This class was fairly small, with only about 12 people, since it wasn't officially part of the history curriculum at University of Baydi, Tarra; it was more of a "bonus class" which was taught by Professor Breckenridge, a grad student with a love for the ways of Terabi and Osai who was working on his doctorate and looked hardly older than any of them (though they all knew he was really 32). The look on his face when he read Oja's name on their first class meeting was absolutely priceless and one that nobody would soon forget.

This class took place in a small wing of the history building that was most commonly used for tutoring or small group studies but had decent classrooms for small lectures. This particular class was started a year earlier as a club but "Brecky" as he was called, with his charming personality and wonderful persuasion, managed to get the class to count for credit, and with its wild success in the following year it was well on the way to being an officially registered class. It was held upstairs in a small classroom but was often so full that students had to stand. Nobody minded at all and learned a ton more in depth about the two Great Catin Gifts- Terabi Tana and Osai Naori.

Today they had talked in depth for most of the hour about a question asked by Kelsey Montàlo: "What exactly is an Aikada?"

A vary large and informative discussion followed, in which they all learned or were reminded that Aikada is a somewhat untranslatable Catin word that, loosely translated aurally, means "one who can recognize and call forth gifts." They were people, some born and some given this power later in life, who could call forth the defining marks of the two Great Catin Gifts and could identify a whole host of not only other gifts but curses as well. The discussion was filled with much awe and soon they were out of time and forced to splinter off and continue the discussion on their own time.

The people that didn't have class right away stayed and continued to ask questions. It was well known to all of them that Osai's Gift, the powerful gift which Oja possessed himself, was always confirmed by the town Aikada and that every single one of them had done this. It was the Aikada usually who submitted the names of newfound Osanokai or Terabikai to the official presidencies of both. Oja had obviously met one, as it was the Aikada in Tarra that happened to overhear his mother talk about his fast healing and no need for sleep and suspected correctly that Oja had Osai Naori. As he thought, he realized he knew another one- Hector Peak, the father of his pair Jeffrey Peak, was an Aikada also and discovered his own son.

"So wait-" started Kelsey Montàlo, "it's true that all Osanokai and Terabikai are inherently Aikada themselves, right?"

"Yes," said Oja, smiling, "As I am an Osanokai, I am an Aikada by birth. This power is one given by Osai and not Terabi, although Terabikai can obviously pick up the auras of their kind and us and therefore have been given this power as well, of Terabi, with Osai's permission. That's how I understood it when Osai showed me anyway."

"So if you're neither, how old do you have to be to be called to be one?" Kelsey went on, enjoying learning about this with eager eyes.

"Well I've thought about that myself. I mean, I'm not an official Aikada of Tarra yet although I'm sure there's a point when we come of age and I've always been wondering when Osai decides when it's time to choose someone. I mean, someone's got to be called sometime soon from our generation, or someone we know, or-"

Oja suddenly stopped short, his eyes wide with surprise, his mouth open. His hands flew to his mouth as he gaped in total surprise and shock. It was very clear to everyone that his deep, dark brown eyes were glowing brightly with that unmistakable mark of Osai and that he was, right at that moment, receiving some obviously very important information from Osai himself. He just sat there muttering "Osielo idanda... osielo idanda! Furil na!..." under his breath.

"What is it!" exclaimed Gile.

"It's ok," said Oja still in shock, "It has nothing to do with any of you and nobody's in peril..."

Even though he did not verbally speak his next thought, it carried through just the same to Osai, an unmistakably clear vision of someone he knew extremely well who had obviously just been bestowed the Aikada gift blazing in his mind. He couldn't believe his eyes but knew that Osai was smiling down at him as he showed him this small vision and realized that he knew someone close to him who would be receiving that ability. He and Osai began conversing back and forth in Catin:

Can I tell them?

Not yet Oja. Wait until he finds out himself, which he will tonight.

By the Darkness! I never would have thought... Can I tell him?

Yes of course you may tell him. He'll get the call shortly after anyway.

By the Darkness Osai, thank you for making this known to me!

With a smile, Osai concluded the vision and left Oja standing in front of many curious friends.

"Whoa! A real vision from Osai! That's awesome! What did he show you?" asked another wide-eyed girl.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that until after tonight," he said with a smile, as if bursting with pride, "but as I was sitting here just now wondering if anyone I knew would become an Aikada, Osai told me that it just so happens that there is! Obviously he hasn't found out yet and Osai has told me to tell him first before any of you but if you check my facebook page later tonight you will most likely find the answer in your status." he paused, letting these words sink in, before continuing. "So I guess the answer to your question is whenever Osai decides the time is right... or... 21 and up?"

At this, everyone was satisfied and parted ways, excited and curious as to who Osai had shown Oja. They didn't want to eavesdrop on him and once he was alone, in an empty classroom, he got out his phone and called someone he knew wouldn't be expecting but would answer no matter what, for he just had a brief flash that told him this person was walking to the station and not in the middle of a final exam.

"Oh my goodness it's Oja!"

He fumbled in his pocket for his bright green phone and, putting it to his ear with as much extra motion as possible to look overly important and for a laugh, smiled and said "Mah-haaaaaaaaliiiiii!!"

"Thank goodness you answered. I have something important to tell you!" Oja said, breathless with excitement.

"Uh... I didn't have a... problem... that I didn't notice, did I?" asked the man on the other end, humor in his voice.

"No!" said Oja, trying not to laugh. "This time it's for something different! I've just received an extremely important vision about you from Osai that he has given me permission to tell you. Today in class we were talking about Aikada and what exactly they do and..."

Oja began a quick explanation and recount of events before finally reaching the big moment.

"...and there emblazoned in my mind was the clear description of someone who is going to become an Aikada!"

"I'm... I'm not sure what this means. Who did you see anyway?" asked the voice, as if not quite sure what would come out of his moth next.

"By the Darkness Lesko! Don't you see?? The person I saw was you!!"

It was now Oja's brother's turn to stop dead in his tracks, his eyes wide with shock and his mouth open. "Are you serious!!" he shouted, a strong Catin accent suddenly present in his voice. "Me? An Aikada?? What an amazing honor! I- I can't believe it! This is amazing! Oja! This has got to be one of the best days ever! But are you sure? Me? Is it possible for someone with my... condition?"

"Oh Lesko you don't see things do you?" Oja asked laughing.

"Well no. I see your point. But me? An Aikada? Wow! The honor! ...I'll be getting a call tonight won't I?" asked Lesko, beaming. Eric and Rebecca, who had obviously overheard and knew what was going on, were staring at him in awe.

"Yes you will, but I'd suggest telling your wife first," Oja said with another laugh. "she would love to hear this bit of news. I know Eric and Rebecca ought to have heard it just now?"

"Yeah they're looking at me in awes now. Thanks so much for telling me this Oja!"

"No problem Bro, and I'll be seeing you very soon."

Lesko could literally hear the smile in Oja's voice. As he hung up, he looked at two of his best friends and all they could do was embrace in a big group hug and smile all the way to the trains.

Lesko Diamond's First Day of History {A Narrative}

It was a nice Summer day. The sun was shining brightly giving off very warm rays that were perfectly balanced by the slight breeze that was rolling through the campus. Lesko Diamond was sitting on a bench outside the door to the music building holding his 8-month-old son in one hand and his class schedule in the other. Sitting to his left was his beautiful wife, Avicile Mohaili, who was both enjoying a little game with Sterling and looking over Lesko's schedule with him, discussing the rooms of all his classes. To his right were Eric and Rebecca Latham, two of his very best friends. They too were looking over their schedules and were getting quite giddy. Finally, the time had come for them to have the high honor of taking a class from none other than the highly respected and most talked about teacher of the entire music department, Dr. S. R. Sorela.

"That room's the one next to the room with the good speakers..." Eric said, gesturing loosely to the building with his hand.

"Nah, isn't that the room next to Leeden's old office?" Lesko replied.

"No that's 215," replied Rebecca, "217 is the big room where all of us will fit!"

"I'm so excited to take a class from Dr. Sorela I can hardly stand it!" Lesko exclaimed, rubbing his now free hands together and tapping his feet on the ground as if he were wanting to spring up and fly to class. Eric and Rebecca laughed and agreed, adding their own gestures of excitement.

Finally, after another morning class, they all met up in the hallway. Time seemed to slow down to a halt as they waited for Dr. Sorela to come down the stairs from his office tucked away in the back of the top floor. Not many people that they knew walked by but they did come across the newly married Declan Loch and his best friend Jeffrey Mohola, fellow trumpet players, who they found out had gotten special clearance to take Music History with them. As they exchanged hugs and greetings the door to the stairwell opened slowly and in he walked.

As soon as he was even the slightest bit visible the whole floor filled with an aura of peace and great power. An arm clothed in a black sleeve poetically appeared, moving with a ballet-like precision. Next, a leg ending with a fine black boot made its way around the door. Finally, in a complete fluid motion as if he were floating, the tall and immense frame of Dr. Sorela slowly rounded the corner, coming into full view. His dark eyes were full of light and life, even though they appeared to be shadowed and deeper than almost anyone around. They were not stern in any way and instead seemed to smile. His rounded but long oval face was framed by his long, black hair that had a very slight wave to it. It seemed to float as it glided beautifully down his full cheeks, past his pondering etched frown, and over his shoulders like the fur of a perfect image of a lion. He had a slight smile that instantly changed him from the intimidating man most see at first to what he truly was- a man of power so great it was almost unbelievable that he would place himself in the lives of so many ordinary people.

He glided over to another teacher's office to discuss something so Lesko, Eric, Rebecca, Declan, and Jeffrey all made their way quickly to class. The only seats left were in the front and center, which they gladly took, eager to watch Dr. Sorela's every move. There was an eerie silence in the room and an aura of nervousness and excitement was present like the fog of a Spring morning. The door opened and in he walked. He was so tall that he could easily reach up and touch the door frame, and probably the ceiling as well. He was carrying a small briefcase which he gently placed on the table in front of the class, and he took out a pen and some papers. Lesko couldn't stop staring at him, totally beside himself that he was actually taking a class from THE Dr. Sorela! He had seen him in passing and from a distance, but this was the first time he could really see him up close and get to know him. As he watched him move, and especially as he watched his dark black eyes, he could see his own brother looking back at him, sharing that common rare gift, and this brought him great comfort and maybe a slight twinge of 'reverse homesickness' for his brother, who had long since moved back to his birth city of Tarra, 4 hours away by trains.

"Hello.... everyone! I send my warmest welcome to my Music History class... This semester is about... the study of Catin music. My name... is Dr. Sorela... and I am the Oboe professor as well as... a musicologist here at the university."

Lesko was amazed by his strong and yet soft Keòen accent. His voice was light and airy, almost like a whisper but speaking at the same time. He'd never really heard him speak before and was amazed by how softspoken he was. His voice was certainly very unique and surprising in many more ways than this. Besides his beautiful timbre and his slow, crisp articulation and pauses in speech, Dr. Sorela's voice was not as low as he expected for someone so tall. It was soothing and gently reflected his gift Terabi Tana which he so obviously possessed. With that, Lesko suddenly realized once more than he was staring at the only man in the world to possess both great Catin gifts- something that will never happen again. He was staring at an amazing piece of history and importance, and here he was in a classroom about to lecture them about the early days of Catin music!

He recollected his thoughts and once again focused all his attention on this incredible man.

"Now, I want everyone... to state... your name... instrument... and major... I want to get to know all of you better..."

Lesko eagerly looked around at all the people who were beginning to share a bit about themselves. When it finally reached him, he smiled and said confidently, "Lesko Diamond. Trumpet. Music performance and business!" Dr. Sorela smiled at him and gave him a look that seemed to convey that he knew of his connections with Osai Naori and that they would have many great discussions together. Lesko didn't know how he did it exactly but he spoke through aura which made him able to convey huge amounts if information in very few words. He was astounded at the greatness of everything and felt like a teen meeting a movie star. He had definitely found his niche and was in the right place to meet the people he respected most!

"Diamond... Hmm... That's very interesting," Dr. Sorela said with a slightly amusing tone, "Are you... related... to Oja Diamond by chance?"

Lesko's heart skipped a beat and with excitement proudly exclaimed, "Yes! He's my brother!" smiling all the way.

"I knew it!" Dr. Sorela replied with a soft smile, "A very good man Oja Diamond is... a wonderful man indeed..."

He went on after the introductions to carefully explain the workings of the class. It was clear that although he was dark and intimidating he truly cared so much for what he taught and was easily able to convey his love for music to everyone in the room. There wasn't much of a lecture as it was the first day of class but as class was dismissed and everyone began to leave the room, Lesko stopped to shake Dr. Sorela's hand and gave him a nod of understanding that they would be visiting very soon to eagerly discuss Osai's Gift.

Lesko and Avicile Mohaili Diamond Welcome Baby Girl

Finally she is here! It felt like she would never come! She looks almost exactly like her daddy! The two of us are pleased to announce the arrival of...

Emerald Oaklynn Diamond

on January 17, 2011, at 3:58pm weighing in at 8 pounds even. She is beautiful and we are so eager to begin life as a family of four!

She's HERE!!!!

Oh my goodness the past 12 or so hours have been absolutely INSANE! As most of you know Avicile's water broke like right after she said she wanted things to hurry along... for the second time!!! Maybe she has that gift to cause things to happen... ;)

Things weren't hugely happening at first so we all went back to bed, or tried to. It's really important that I do not get sleep deprived so I didn't really fully wake up when she told me the news but it was hard to get any rest... I did manage to get enough to feel pretty good though! She tried to go back to sleep until a good hour of the morning but without much success because by the early morning things started to pick up. We left a note to Eric and Rebecca, who were sleeping off their jet lag, and threw some clothes on Sterling and had Oja drive us up to the hospital. We got checked in and things progressed slowly. We finally had some time to chill and alert everyone that out little girl was near!

It's kind of funny, because today is Avicile's cousin Adam's birthday. He is from here and is the youngest of a huge line of kids, a lot of them musicians. I know him quite well since he is a trumpet player and he initially went to UK2 for college but quickly changed his mind and is coming to KU for his music degree, so we'll be seeing lots of each other from now on. He visited us a few times too, so he could get to know Eric and I (helpful that the 2 section leaders live together!) and even joked that our daughter would be born on his birthday so that it would be easy to remember. Haha, easy it is and true it has become!!

Lots of family gathered and a few friends like Eagle, Gary, and Haven to help out and meet our little one. It took a good many hours but FINALLY at a little before 4:00 our little girl entered the world to make us a family of 4! She looks just like me! Right down to her blonde hair and darker eyebrows. Oh my goodness it's literally like looking at a clone of me! She is physically healthy and was certainly kicking and screaming! She's been weighed and all that good stuff so now she is settling down with Mom and is saying hello to her new big family. Sterling is so excited, and does not seem too bothered that he has to share with this little one. Hopefully it stays that way... ;)

Her name will be revealed in the official post coming right up!

Here We Go!!!

Oh my goodness this is Lesko here. My wife's water finally broke as she was getting up again in the wee hours of the morning. We're at the hospital now! I've just now been able to sit down at a compy. Eric and Rebecca are on their way after they slept off their weird jet lag and of course my brother and his wife are here and lots of my family and lots of her family... I'm so breathless! We're going to have a baby girl later today!

Probably this evening some time. Oh boy!

Sterling is enjoying the attention from everybody. He knows something's up. We have no idea how he is going to initially react to the new baby but he's been running up and down the halls shouting "Baby!" I love that boy. He is so cute!

Avicile is just resting now getting comfortable in her bed. In the last 12 hours she has gone from our little girl being stuck tightly up with almost no sign of coming out to well on her way out! In a few minutes we're all going to take a walk to try and get this baby girl further out. Stay tuned!

Birthday Boys

Today is a very special day! Two very special boys turned 21 years old. Boys?? What am I saying?! These two are young men!

They had a huge party last night with all of their family and friends and played lots of video games. Boys will always be boys!

Happy Birthday Lesko and Oja Diamond!!! Party on, green and red!

Fun at the Diamond/Latham Household Today

Oja and Cameron finally finished off their semester of school and arrived by train yesterday for 2 wonderful weeks being here. Also, Rally and Jinasia are finally here from the east coast and Jiji and Ricky have been here for a week so the Diamond family is all together! Plus, Neil was here for a week so the Latham family was also complete. :)

Today is a very, very special day because... Our little Sterling turns 1 year old!! A whole year!!! Sometimes it feels like I've been a daddy forever but sometimes it's hard to believe it's only been a year. He's certainly growing up fast and it won't be long before he's singing in the childrens' programs and going off to school. Just one year ago, we were hanging out at home, getting ready for a small party, when he decided to take us literally when we said we hoped he'd hurry up! The door was opened and out you came, a week early, to be there for the new year party! We will always have a laugh over that. :P

Today, a year later, Sterling is up and walking and he has the beginnings of a good vocabulary. We are hoping to expose him to as much Catin as possible as well so that he will become fluent like both of our families. It helps when lots of our friends speak it, or at least, understand it well. He is an early riser and has been early in just about everything. We have a big party planned, and always will, since his birthday falls on one of the biggest days of celebration.

What a plan we have! Since our house is a lovely house for hosting parties and concerts, we have a big one planned for tonight. We will be performing and there will be games in the backyard and games room. There will be lots of yummy food and lots of other entertainment as well. Plus, we're all going to sing to the birthday boy and give him lots of attention on his special day. :) Oh how exciting it is to have a birthday on New Year's Eve!

There will be tons of people in our house tonight and everyone who is around is welcome. Early partygoers can start to come by at about 4. We'll start the concert at 6 and then at 7:30 we'll begin with the birthday celebration. After that we'll play some games and then count down to the new year. It'll be a blast!

Diamond-Latham Holiday Letter 2010

Happy holidays everyone! I hope you all are enjoying the Year's End Festival as much as we are. :)

2010 was a great year indeed. Lots of good things happened. During the summer, we moved into our brand new house located in a brand new subdivision in the very north part of town. We all love our new house and it did not take long before it truly felt like home. It's still a duplex and both sides were made to our liking. The thing we enjoy most about it is our huge living room perfect for hosting all kinds of parties. :) There is room enough for indoor and outdoor concerts as well and it's been magically perfect for us to perform. We definitely look forward to many wonderful years in this house, that's for sure!

Lesko: I recently finished the fall semester of my junior year. Only three more to go! I am right on track with my double degrees and this spring I have my junior recital to look forward to. Eek! That will happen in early March and I am busy getting things all ready for it. I am still progressing towards my future career as a sound technician which is going great! I have lots to do at work and enjoy every minute. These guys are so great to work with! As for my health things are moving along. I just finished a 3 day study and I have to say I am sooooo glad that's over! I feel much better and am ready to keep chugging along. I'm getting ready to celebrate my 21st birthday and of course getting ready to welcome our 2nd child due in mid-January. :)

Avicile: Hi there! This year has been amazing, as I have plunged into my own adventures of motherhood. Our baby boy Sterling was born on New Year's Eve, just sliding into 2009 before the moon signified the new year. Silly boy! I have been taking a class or two each semester to get a break from being home and have met many wonderful friends in the band world who also have young children. This group was formed by Joseph Ambrose Cook a few years ago when he came here and is called Club Spicy. Lots of my fellow bandmates are now members of this group and we do things like group babysitting and trade-offs so that we can attend some class. I've been enjoying raising our little boy and look forward to all the fun and stories that will form in 2011 with the addition of our little girl in mid-January!

Sterling: Our little boy turns one year old in 6 days! He totally surprised us all by deciding to slide into the last day of 2009, earning him the nickname "Early Sterling." He is proving to continue the trend of being on the early side, with waking up early but reliably at about 6 each morning, having words for us already, and he took his first steps yesterday!! He is very tall for his age and is still proving to look much like his daddy. :) One of the only differences is his full head of black hair like his mommy! He has been relatively healthy with just one bad cold and is so mellow- rarely fussy and pretty quiet, although he has certainly discovered his voice! :P We hope that he will fill his role as the oldest with honor and that he and his little sister will share many fond moments.

The Little One: Only about 3 weeks to go until she is here! Everything looks good and she has been kicking me nonstop! It's getting hard to move around but I am loving wearing Lesko's huge sweatshirts. Roll on, January! Teehee!

Eric: Hello everyone! I've been quite well this year and have been ever working towards graduation as well. One of the highlights of the year was getting hired as a sub-manager for musical events at Kennywood Playground. My boss is Joseph Ambrose Cook! How great is that, to work under a good friend! My job is to take down the names of groups that want to schedule time to play and edit and submit this to Joseph Ambrose. I also, on occasion, get to perform in the park which I love too. I also can't wait until ILEN get s to start performing in the park! As for school, I too am working on my junior recital, like another half of the band. :o Mine is going to be almost right away come February and I am so ready to tackle this. Other than school Rebecca and I have been having a great time as husband and wife and love our new house so much! No kids yet but we are already getting things ready because we are definitely planning to adopt as well as having homegrown kids. ;)

Rebecca: Ah yes, 2010 was a great year! There's nothing I love more than being with my amazing family and playing great music! I too have been hard at work preparing for my own junior recital. Sheesh! Three trumpets at least! Once I have this out of the way I can begin my senior year and then Eric and I will begin cultivating a family of our own. ;) I am still totally loving taking care of Sterling and am eagerly awaiting his little sister. ;) My huge family is doing well too and I have enjoyed spending time with them as well as my birth parents and little brother. As for my health I've been great, with no issues to report! I am still working at KP as a ticket person and enjoy that, although I am totally auditioning as a musician for parades and shows this summer! I look forward to warm weather and, before that, a trip with Eric to Taigana on the 10th for a week to see my sister and her husband. It should be fun!

Well, that wraps things up! I'll be back to report on all events happening soon! We love you all!

Love,
Lesko, Avicile, Sterling, Miss Diamond, Eric, and Rebecca