Special Tea!

So Saga (or Sodexho) took over Stan's coffee shop on campus this year. It was sad. I mean, it's a nice place, but Saga is evil. At least Stan's still around as manager, but I liked it better when he was independent. The worst thing was they took away "Special Tea," one of the most amazing things I have ever tasted. I think it's cinnamon tea with honey and some kind of flavoring. It's amazing! But now we simply had to settle for Chai Lattes, which are good, but not special.

So the other day I was trying to think of something that would keep me awake and sooth my sore throat and decided that, while unhealthy, a Chai Latte was required. I ordered it and as I was walking out I saw *gasp!* a sign that said "Try Stan's Special Tea." IT'S BACK! The Chai Latte turned to ash in my mouth. I felt like a traitor and robbed of a special tea experience. I couldn't even finish the drink. It was tragic. Today I redeemed myself and bought a Special Tea.

It's been a busy week. Some Jenkins East girls had a Singles Awareness Day party on Valentine's Day over in Warren. That was really fun. I hadn't been around them in a while. I'm not really that bitter about Valentine's Day as I don't really care about being single. In fact, I think it would be kind of awkward it I had a boyfriend. I just don't know how to approach a relationship like that. I think Valentine's Day is kind of pointless anyways. Hallmark holiday. But oh well, it was an excuse to catch up with some old friends. They put henna on my arm and I tried to make it stay, so I didn't put on my sweatshirt when we walked across campus to Duvall. Well, it was snowing and it came off anyways and no wonder I was sick the day after. But it was fun nonetheless.

I was up really late last night. I got to the music building around 11:00, left at midnight and I still had some homework to finish. So I was really tired today and after German got out at 10:20 I slept until 12:30. It's been an odd day.

The 4.0 Principle

It seems a fundamental fact of college life that if I am doing well in one course, I inevitably have fallen behind in another.

A Typical Night

The ground is wet to the point of being marshland. I navigate my way around small lakes as I walk across the loop. It's just another late-night practice session at the music building (Alcatraz, the giant tetris block, the asylum for the mentally insane, whatever you want to call it). How can I express how much I hate these walks?

When it's foggy I don't mind so much. It's like London. When it's snowy out it's like Narnia. (Lampposts people). And in the spring and early fall it's warm enough to be enjoyable. But even with these things, there's something about forcing yourself out into the cruel world so you can struggle over a few measures of Bach or ii-V-I progressions. It's just not pleasant.

Some nights, as I said, it is fairly enjoyable. You get a little peace from dorm life and from the 2-students per square meter population ratio here. Some nights I can even make out a few stars. Those are the nights when I'm confident and at peace with the world and my professors and have no major homework pending. Then I can stroll through campus at my liesure, eagerly anticipating the joys of piano. On the way back I can play "dodge the sprinkler system," which seems to be the college's intensive secret-agent preparation course.

Then there are nights like tonight. Oh February you are the most dismal of months. What I wouldn't give for some clear blue sky and a little sun! It's all grey and soggy and dead. I don't always mind grey. I'll take soggy too. But the dead part. That I don't like. And like I said, there's something about feeling "done" with homework only to walk all the way across campus and sequester yourself in your cell, er, practice room. My professors can't say I'm not dedicated.

I Am Very Happy with my iTunes Purchases

So last night I found myself literally addicted to music. I could not stop listening to it. I could NOT. I'd been responsible, done my homework, read the news, organized my stuff etc. I was enjoying the free time I have when I'm not taking lessons and browsing iTunes utilizing the gift card I had. I was up until 2:00am for no good reason. I kept thinking, I should go to bed...

Anyhow, I've decided to start doing some music posts so I can rant on music. Maybe I'll talk about my favorite composer or why I like a certain band or what I don't like. Doesn't matter. You will read it and be enlightened. :-) Actually, you'll probably read half of it and be bored. But I'll write it anyways, as I do this entire blog.

SO let this be the first of those posts. The following is a list of my iTunes purchases and why I purchased that particular song. Maybe a tidbit about the band or something. Let's beging.

1. Let's Fall in Love - Diana Krall
This was a guilt purchase for me in two ways. My esteem of Diana Krall's music has gone down recently. I like the smooth feel of it, but her piano solos are lacking I think and her voice really isn't that great. And she doesn't even scat. So as a jazz student I really should be spending my money on better things. But this is a nice rendition of a nice song and I have another guilt reason. Diana Krall's music has been part of my library for years because I've ripped it from friends or something. So I felt I should pay for what I've been using.

2. Let's Face the Music and Dance - Diana Krall
So, same reasons as above apply. I actually find the approach here kind of unique even if it is a little, I dunno, kitchy. This was always my favorite of Diana Krall's work, this and 'S Wonderful I guess.

3. Old Castle, By the River, In the Middle of a Forest - Hiromi
This is actually a "jazz" tune believe it or not. It's probably the closest to New Age I'll ever let myself get without hating myself. Years and years back I heard and absolutely gorgeous and rather unjazzlike tune on Eastern's jazz station. I wanted a copy, but all I could remember was the word "castle" and that it was by some Japanese artist. I've been looking for it ever since. Thing is, I don't think this is it. What I remember of the tune is that it was soft and beautiful. This, by contrast, is an upbeat melody with driving rhythm. But I find it to be very cool. The improvisation may not be varied, but I like the feel. I've already listened to it 10 times. Hiromi it seems, is a young (26) up and coming jazz artist. Some don't like her style (the improvisation is the main complaint) but many are in awe of her technical brilliance. I sampled a few of her songs and this was the only one I really felt I wanted to purchase. Like I said, a little too New Age.

4. Dance Me to the End of Love - Madeleine Peyroux
This singer has a really unique timbre to her voice. There's no way to mistake her with anyone else. Of all her songs I've heard this is my favorite. Generally with these songs I'm purchasing I really like one or two songs they've done, but the rest of their work doesn't strike me enough to buy a whole CD. It's not that I dislike the entire "Careless Love" CD. It's just not my style. I like rhythm and it's generally slow. This though has a great groove. I may put it on the blog in the near future. Or why not now? Notice the piano embellishments and that guitar strumming.

5. Stray Cat Strut - Stray Cats
This is the song I learned to swing dance to! With CYT of course. It has ever since had a special place in my heart. I would never buy a Stray Cats CD. This is absolutely the only song of theirs I've ever really liked. It's that laid-back groove and guitar strumming. I apparently have a soft spot for guitar strumming. Might have something to do with growing up with a dad, mom, and brother who played guitar.

6. Hollywood Nocturne - Brian Setzer Orchestra
I wish I could put this one up for you to listen to but it's not on that blog music site... Brian Setzer Orchestra, like the Stray Cats, is kind of a swing/rock mix. This falls into a more jazzy category. Generally there's an emphasis on the electric guitar. It's hard to describe. You'd have to listen to it.

7. Kiss Me - Sixpence None the Richer
Guilty pleasure alert! Every once in a while a pop song comes along that utilizes its simple chord changes so well I can't help but like it. This song's lyrics flow really well and it has that descending bassline that I just can't resist. I'm a sucker for descending basslines.

8. Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo - Louis Armstrong
If you haven't heard Satchmo sing this song, you're missing out on one of the most unique musical experiences I've ever had. This is from, I kid you not, "Disney Songs the Satchmo Way." *trails off into histerical laughter*

9. The Bare Necessities - Louis Armstrong
Don't get me wrong, I love Louis Armstrong, but that last song is just too weird. Weird in an amazing-I-can't-believe-I'm-hearing-this way. Now THIS makes sense to me. It's really the most fun arangement of this I've heard. Why didn't he do an I Wanna Be Like You rendition I'll never know.

10. Bei Mir Bist du Schon - The Piccadilly Orchestra
I've never heard of this group and it's not likely I'll search them out, but they do have the best modern version of this song on iTunes. First heard this tune at a college swing dance. I wish I had their version but I couldn't find it, this, along with the Benny Goodman version I bought, were the next best things.

11. Bei Mire Bist du Schone - Benny Goodman

12. Good Enough for Granddad - Squirrel Nut Zippers
My brother introduced me to this group when I was in jr. high. They're like 20's tin pan alley gone wild. I love the name.

13. I've Found a New Baby - Squirrel Nut Zippers

14. Danny Diamond - Squirrel Nut Zippers

So, my first musical reviews. Expect more.

I Have Returned!

Very sorry for my long absence. I'm not exactly motivated to fight with my home computer's slow connection during Christmas break and then I went to Europe. I'm setting up a separate blog for that experience.

Anyhow, since I got back I have managed to get the cold that everyone on the trip had. My roommate had one as well when I got back here so really I didn't have a chance. I enjoyed my week at home and really wasn't ready to go back to college and face the world again, but I'm coping. This semester is going to be tough though. Tough though. Interesting word combination. I have my first upper-division course, Reporting for Mass Media, and though the prof is nice it's going to be a challenge. I'm looking forward to German again, and taking Ear Training and Music Theory IV (and jazz piano) from Brent, who's returned from sabbatical. I have an Intro to Business class that is very interesting but also a pain. It's the kind of thing I'd rather audit but I can't because it's required for my business track.

I had a rather disappointing experience with classical lessons. I was so close to getting a new teacher, and at the last minute it didn't work out because of scheduling. Apparently Bev is really booked this semester and she didn't have room for me (she blames the fact that I didn't sign up for a time early enough, but I was REGISTERED. I figured you had to leave enough spaces for all your registered students.) But I didn't care because I almost got to take from someone else, but she only had room during my morning classes and there's absolutly no way to switch them around. I didn't want to approach her about maybe staying an extra half hour and in the end Bev offered to do so, but now this will be really awkward. Not only will we be really pressed for time, she'll blame me for this extra time she has to spend. Oh boy.

On the positive side I am now in Pirate Band! It's our concert band. Unlike wind symphony or orchestra you don't have to audition, so soon I will be back on french horn.

My dearest Katrina is off on the France study program and so I must endure the semester without her. It's already a little lonely. I thought I might get back in touch with my Jenkins East girls when I found out Smac was in my business class, but she ended up dropping it because she got into another class she was waitlisted for... And so I must rely on my fellow music majors to keep me from becoming a complete hermit. I'm just not naturally social and the fact that I'm taking 18 credits (back in laureate society! yes!) and in the music building a lot doesn't help matters. But it's impossible to get too isolated here.

Well, this post must be short I fear. I'm starving having not had dinner and I need to make German flashcards and maybe get some sleep. Tomorrow's a busy day. I need to buy my brother his birthday present (a jazz fake book). He got a mandolin for Christmas from his wife and so we have a lot of pictures of him playing it during Christmas day.

Did I ever tell you about holidays in my family? I don't think so. When I was growing up we generally spent the holidays with my mom's side. My dad's side isn't really into it all that much. Anyhow, what with my aunt being a violinist in the symphony, my dad having played in a bluegrass band, and my mom having sung in WSU's choir there was always a lot of music. Folk music to be exact. Janey never played, but she always called on my dad to get out his guitar. Soon both my parents would be playing and we would be singing various songs like Grandma's Feather Bed or, gosh my memory escapes me. My dad always does a rendition of Watermelon Wine and I'm determined to record it next year. Eventually my brother learned guitar so he would play too. As we grew up and my siblings went to college and Janey passed away this kind of died. But recently my cousin Bob has been reviving it at his place. It forces my dad to play guitar again and this year my mom accompanied on another guitar, my sister played piano, and my brother played the mandolin he'd gotten that morning. My brother's pretty much a genius.

Where was I going with this? Oh, I was looking through family pictures and I found one of my brother messing around with a mandolin, only he's like eight. So I'm picking up a copy of this year's Christmas pictures at my cousin's house tomorrow. That way we'll have a then and now of my brother playing mandolin. And then hopefully I'm going to the Symphony. And then home. Busy night.

Okay, now I really must leave you but I'll try and dig up a song that turns up at our holiday gatherings every year.

I'm proud to live in old West Idaho
Them other places can't compare with us.
But now I must relate what's happenin' in our state;
It's really causin' quite a fuss.

CHORUS
Oh, the interstate is comin' through my outhouse
They tell me I'm on their right-of-way
I'll sell today and I'll get rich but the path will end at the highway ditch
I'm makin' my last visit there today

Granny says to cancel Sears and Robuck;
Tell Uncle Sam to hurry up our dough.
With all this progress comin' we'll change to inside plumbin'
And shorten up our early mornin' stroll.

Uncle Ben has got a case of miseries;
A hikin' to that outhouse makes him tired.
But he'll be a gittin' better; he'll be an inside setter
When they install that cesspool in our yard.

CHORUS
Oh, the interstate is a comin' through my outhouse.
They tell me I'm on their right-of-way.
I'll sell today and I'll get rich but my path will end at the highway ditch.
I'm makin' my last visit there today.

Them engineers made 47 surveys;
They said to put it there and that was that.
They'll bring in a big steamroller and flatten my two-holer
But I'll keep right on votin' Democrat.

Someday when I grow old and feeble;
Some moonlit night I'll wake up feelin' strange.
I'll get up from my nap and stroll down my old path
And wake up in a great big interchange.

CHORUS
Oh, the interstate is a comin' through my outhouse.
They tell me I'm on their right-a-way.
I'll sell today and I'll get rich but my path will end at the highway ditch.
I'm makin' my last visit there today.

It's really not the same without the music, but you get the idea.

OH, and by way of my current musical offering we have part of Mozart's requiem. Dies Irae. Doesn't really go with this post does it? I guess you can ponder the diversity of music.

FREEDOM!

IT'S OVER!!!! Woohoo! *dances*

It's That Time of Year...

When world just won't stop
Every prof you hear, seems to say
"Here's a 10-page final
I hope you make it through..."

Ah yes, finals week. I'm actually half done. It's been crazy but Writing for Mass Media, German, Computer Sci, and Ear Training are all over with. I just need to get through two piano juries and my gargantuan music theory final tomorrow and I'm home free. Ah piano juries. Last year I played "How High the Moon." Since I just was listening to some Ella Fitzgerald I thought I'd let you listen to it. Somewhere there's music...

This one was my favorite

When did you last set aside time to pray? Sure, small groups and Bible studies abound on the X campus, but many still find that making time for their faith is difficult.

“The minute I sit down to spend some time [with God] the distractions keep coming,” said Courtney X, a theology major in her senior year. She mentioned classes and lack of sleep as the main obstacles in setting aside time for her faith. Courtney said making time for prayer is something she’s been more successful at this semester than in any other semester in her college career, but noted that she’s still busy. She’s simply made it a priority. “If I find myself really getting distracted, I’ll do something else for a while so I can focus later,” she said, adding that sometimes physical activity helps keep her alert.

Keith X, professor of theology, advised looking to Jesus as the model of how to properly spend time with God. “He did it by himself and pulled his disciples away for it as well. We are made to have a break from constant activity.”

Chaplain Terry X agrees. “Sabbath is really important,” he said, defining “sabbath” not as Sunday, but as an extended block of time used to break the rhythm of life for rest and worship. Terry believes that our fast-paced culture does nothing to encourage sabbath and commented that he hasn’t found many students at X who practice taking a regular time of rest.

However, both Terry and Keith were quick to note that “quiet time” is by no means the only way to connect with God. “For centuries it was the practice of Christians to gather regularly morning and evening to pray together.” That’s been lost, Terry said, partly because our society is so focused on the individual.

“The totality of one’s life is devotion to God,” said Keith, explaining how people can miss the point when it comes to “devotions.” “I don’t think prayer and scripture are the only avenues of worship. The effort you put into your coursework is worshipping God.” Keith stressed that being a good steward is part of worship.

But what should a student do when in need of a Sabbath? How can someone make time for a break when busy being a good steward in academics?

“It’s a time-management issue,” said Keith, who recommends keeping a log of how you spend your time. “I think people would find it very interesting,” he said, noting that many of us waste time on pointless activities.

For those who have trouble finding a place to get away to, some imagination may be needed. Courtney cites the dorm basement and laundry room as good places to go when it’s too cold to venture into the Back 40. X has no full-time prayer chapel, largely due to space limitations. However, there are now prayer meetings at noon in the Chapel on Wednesdays. People can come with prayer requests, or pray for requests that have been submitted via the college’s website.

Another unique option is a visit to the Open Door theme house located at X. The residents of the Open Door have created an off campus prayer chapel. Mary Trotter, one of the Open Door’s residents, said she felt a place for prayer was needed through her experience with dorm life as an underclassman.

“Personal and soul health is as important as your grades,” Trotter said.

Website article

Here's article number 2. This was more of the rough draft.

It’s not an evaluation any college professor would welcome: “Houston, we have a problem. Space cadet of a teacher isn't quite attached to earth.” So claims one user of the website www.ratemyprofessors.com.

Advertised as a resource for choosing professors, the website has also developed a reputation as a haven for angry college students.

“Some of [the reviews] are just brutal,” said Forrest X, professor of philosophy. Forrest has been at X College for 28 years and has been reviewed 30 times on the website. While most of his reviews are positive, he’s right in saying that other professors haven’t been so lucky. “Not only is the book a better teacher, it also has a better personality,” quips one reviewer.

Diana X, chair of the Faculty Promotion and Tenure committee, believes that it’s unnecessary professors to visit the site at all. Diana thinks the site has value as an outlet for frustrated students, but she doesn’t feel a need to concern herself with it.

RateMyProfessors.com hosts anonymous reviews of professors at various colleges. It is currently open to more than 6,000 colleges and universities and lists more than 770,000 professors.

Ratings are based on a five-point scale, evaluating clarity, helpfulness, easiness, and overall quality – the average of the clarity and helpfulness scores. If a professor scores well, a yellow smiley face is displayed beside his or her name. If scores are mediocre, the face is green and unsmiling. If scores are poor, the professor receives a blue frowning face. There’s even a little chili-pepper icon displayed if a professor is considered “hot.”

Despite its attempts at providing an objective rating system, ratemyprofessor.com has a few pitfalls.

“It’s completely unscientific,” said Forrest, noting that part of the problem is that there’s no way to tell who wrote a review. Someone could easily review the same professor multiple times or never have taken the class or even not go to the school. Even the website’s owners admit that the ratings aren’t “statistically accurate” but are quick to add, “we often receive emails stating that the ratings are uncannily accurate, especially for schools with over 1,000 ratings.”

Kristin X, a freshman, said that even if not used as a resource, the site has entertainment value. Kristin hasn’t noticed many vicious reviews. “People are generally pretty nice,” she said.

Student Trevor X says he’s used the website “pretty extensively” to research professors. “Taken with a grain of salt, you can get a good feel for what to expect.” Trevor said he would recommend the site as a student resource, but cautioned that he is careful to take reviews on a case-by-case basis and that he wouldn’t swear by it. “It’s a way for students to have a voice. Like any tool, it can be misused.”

Squirrel Article

So I've decided to post the articles I wrote for my Writing for Mass Media class this semester. Just because I need a break. My college will be replaced with an X of course, because I'm paranoid. I didn't have enough space for this one and it could onl

They may be cute, but X’s squirrels also have a dark side.

“I have found them to be somewhat messy little beasts,” arborist William X said. “When you see clumps of pine needles laying on the grounds, the squirrels are usually the culprits. They also like to raid the trashcans for food and fun. William has even had sinister encounters with the little “varmints” as he calls them. “I have had squirrels try to attack me.”

Squirrels can even cause costly damage. “In Ballard on the third floor a squirrel managed to eat through the window frame. This squirrel cost about $500 in damage,” said Dick X, supervisor of Maintenance and Repairs.

Squirrel-related incidents are nothing new at X. An event with sinister connotations is recorded in the Newspaper’s 1999 October issue. “Did you know about the squirrel who chewed through The phone line? We think it was the first step in their evil plot for a hostile takeover.”

This squirrel paranoia continues today, with even a Facebook group devoted to the subject. Rebecca X created the group “Evil Satan Possessed Squirrel Who Thinks He Owns the World” in response to a territorial squirrel that lived on her balcony last year.

“This squirrel would hiss at us when we went out on the balcony,” said Rebecca. “He would also go to this tree right off the balcony and hide there until we were close enough; then he would scare us.”The room’s residents were so unnerved they became uncomfortable doing homework because the squirrel was watching them. “Really we have no idea what was wrong with this creature.:

A couple things

I messed up while putting in that Caedmon's Call song, so that's why the title's weird. I've also changed my settings so that anyone can comment. I didn't realize I had "only members of this blog" selected. So now you can post Karen!

I've Got to Get Out of Here

So it's the week before finals. Traditionally this would be called "dead week" but my college has no such thing. I don't mind that so much. I think I can make it, but then, I'm not a physics major. But I am going crazy.

I've been chafing to go home for a while now, and it gets worse every day. It really started to get bad when I took Katie to Rite Aid the other day so she could get her perscription. I decided I hate Rite Aid, and it was an all-too oppressive reminder of the quagmire of commercialism that is the city. Don't get me wrong, cities are great and I love college. But when you've been raised in the country, or even if you haven't I think, your soul (I'll be romantic here) wants out so to speak. You want the wild, and space to breathe, and natural God-created beauty not confined by works of man. That's close to impossible to find these days, and I often wonder what the stretches of farmland I'm so used to looked like as recently as 150 years ago. It was vastly different.

But the fields are still nature, even if they are harnessed by man. And the space and majesty of those rolling hills still exist and are green in the spring, golden in summer, and white with snow in winter. But all around me is grey, and people (EVERYWHERE PEOPLE) and the snow has by now been trampled by the hundreds of passers-by into a brown tarnish. And so I lay in my room staring at my homework while wanting to drive out of this small city and see the stars clearly again. I can't focus. I think of the long walks I used to take with my dog at my heels and nobody in sight and no sounds from the nearby highway. They were lonely walks, it is true. There was seldom anyone to share them with. But I figured being alone isn't always a bad thing and it's wasn't something I would always have, and I was right. Now there are people (friends, strangers, acquaintences) everywhere I turn.

Beyond that, I simply need to get out of my dorm room, to the library or the cafeteria, so I can focus and study. I feel like I'm at the top of a staircase, and I could just walk down it, systematically applying all I've learned to a final burst of studying and effort. However I seem to be waiting for someone to kick me. I don't know why I'm so poetic all of a sudden. It just happens to me sometimes.

College culture is also getting old. There's always controversy and ideas and arguments and discussions, which is great. But it wears on you after a while. I can't keep up with these attacks on the way I think and who I am and these questions that people are always asking. And everyone seems determined to find something wrong with everything and everybody. We're not diverse enough, we're not tolerant enough, we're not happy enough (the college newspaper this week is a good example of this, but maybe that's just the college newspaper being dumb as usual. For example, the editorial was complaining about how students here score low on some critical thinking test. Excuse me? What? Don't even get me started on the homosexuality article...)

*Interruption* my roommate just walked in informing me that, even though she was required to go to the jazz band II/concert band II performance she only stayed for a couple of songs because she can't miss "Gilmore Girls." GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!

I need to go home to my family. Sometimes I think my greatest advantage in life is having a family I know loves me no matter what else gets turned upside down. "Oh ye of little faith," God reminds me. Without God, I have nothing. Without Christ, I am nothing. Without Him I will never be able to face the world. I can't run home every time I feel lost or in over my head as it were. If everyone did that, no one would ever accomplish anything. Rest is good and necessary. Family is good and necessary. But I must face these struggles, all the demands, and all the abrasiveness even a Christian college brings, but not alone. Whatever I face here will only be who knows how much worse when I am propelled into the so called "real" world (as though this one is fake!) with a diploma and good wishes. And Christ. I'm fairly confident those reading this blog will understand. To those that don't, who roll there eyes and chuckle at what they perceive my naivety, I wouldn't know what to say. I wish they did understand.

So I am off I think. First to the cafeteria for some German vocabulary and coffee (I wish it was German coffee), then to the music building to tackle what I can of "Blue Monk" and "A Child is Born." I always seem to end up at the music building. If only I would go there sooner I wouldn't have to spend my evenings alone in a practice room. But sometimes being alone in a practice room is kind of nice.

Lead of Love - Caedmon's Call
Looking back at the road so far
The journey's left its share of scars
Mostly from leaving the narrow and straight

Looking back it is clear to me
That a man is more than the sum of his deeds
And how You've made good of this mess I've made
Is a profound mystery

Looking back You know You had to bring me through
All that I was so afraid of
Though I questioned the sky, now I see why
Had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back I see the lead of love

Looking back I can finally see (I'd rather have wisdom)
How failures bring humility (than be)
Brings me to my knees (a comfortable fool)
Helps me see my need for Thee

Dear Manninos

I would write a blog entry about the Manninos. But they're one of the few people who actually read my blog (apparently they haven't read the comments under the title) and it's very rude to talk about someone in the third person when they're listening to you. It's just weird to talk about yourself in the third person. I had a substitute teacher who did that once... That was one of the stranger class days. Ah, highschool. Anyhow, back to the Manninos. Since I can't write a blog about them I'll write them a letter.

Dear Manninos (Mr. and Mrs. Mannino specifically),

Thank you so much for welcoming me into your home (invited or not) and feeding me. It's so nice to get off campus and have something other than cafeteria food. The cafeteria really isn't as bad as it's made out to be but it does kind of get old after a while. So whether you're having sandwiches or spaghettie or garlic sprinkled on a plate I'm happy.

And I really enjoy being around your family with all the noisiness and the commotion. :-) It's nice to be around a family after you've been at college a while. Or even when you haven't. I sincerely enjoy the warmth and all the activity at your house. So thank you Manninos. I enjoy your company and thank you for your hospitality.

With that little note I bid everyone a wonderful advent season and hope you enjoy my new musical selection, "Galician Carol" from "Windham Hill Celtic Christmas." I think. Listen for the sproingy sound at the end. It would ruin an otherwise delightful celtic ditty if it didn't make me laugh so hard.

November

The sky is drooling on us. It splutters in indecision, dribbling down rain one moment before spitting snow the next. The result is an unattractive squelchy mess I must slog through in my car. But the fact that it's trying to snow at all is encouraging. I love snow!

Thanksgiving was kind of... meh. It was just my parents and me so we went to the Davenport. The Davenport is great with its plush surroundings and otherworldlyness. It's like stepping into a different century. But it can't compete with home-cooking and a room full of relatives. Next year my Brother and Jenny will come and so will the Blegen clan, three excited and demanding children in tow. But this year it was just Mom and Dad and me, which was nice, but it wasn't Thanksgiving.
Now I am back from break and must grit my teeth as I plow through the next three weeks. It's not really that demanding. It's not. And yet the thought of juries and finals and projects all rushing up at once (not to mention my GPA being altered once again) makes me want to run away.

It was so nice being home all week, having a cat curled up in my lap and a dog at my feet and my parents pottering around the house. I can't wait for this semester to be over. Then my sister will come home and there will be Christmas choir and caroling and getting a tree and all that. And I'll be able to practice without dreading my teacher breathing down my neck the next week.

But for now I must trudge off to the music building and pray that my lesson goes well and that juries won't be too demanding and that I'll pass Ear Training and that my group will finish our project for CS-110 on time and that I'll get my article and my extra credit paper and my three papers for piano and everything else done. Whew. It's all little things. It's not that demanding. But it certainly adds up to a lot of headaches, as though I'm just finishing out the busy work that I need to complete before leaving.

I'd better go to the music building and practice now.

The Coolest Thing Ever to happen to this Blog

Look at the top of the blog. There is a little playlist thingummy. Click the play arrow. I dare you.

Have you clicked it yet? ISN'T IT THE COOLEST!?? That's not really a question. I discovered this really cool radio blog site where you can embed just about any song you search for into your page! Since I've been on a Scarlet Pimpernel kick recently I naturally went for The Riddle. Anyhow, expect me to provide regular musical samplings as I'm really extremely excited about this. I HAVE MUSIC ON MY BLOG! YAY! You can adjust the volume with that non-descript brown bar next to the question mark.

So here are the lyrics to this song, before I waltz off to the lovely lilting melody of this song.

See the moon slink down in the sky, darling

Let your fantasies fly, darling
Life is cold, and the game is old.
Just see how virtue repays you
You turn and someone betrays you
Betray him first, and the game's reversed

For we all are caught in the middle
Of one long treacherous riddle
Can I trust you?
Should you trust me to?
We shamble on through this hell
Taking on more secrets to sell
'Til there comes a day
When we sell our souls away

Through the mist your lover is beckoning
Comes that moment of reckoning
Faces change, even smiles grow strange
And we all have so many faces
The real self often erases
Enticing lies, flicker through our eyes

Feel the terror draw ever nearer
The more you stare in the mirror
But hold your own
Face the wind alone
Reel on love, toughen your scars
Year by year we're falling like stars
'Til there comes a day
When we sell our souls away

Can I run to you? Are you true to me?
I'll do unto you as you do to me!
And we slowly learn someone has to burn
Better you than me

Every Judas once loved a Jesus
But finally treason will sieze us
And only fools follow golden rules

We all are caught in the middle
Of one long, treacherous riddle
Of who trusts who
Maybe I'll trust you
But can you trust me?
Wait and see

A Special Day

Today is the first day I have ever been made money by being a musician.

YouTube is Amazing

So, I'm generally not an advocate of bootleg materials. That's probably not the best way to start off this post. Let's just say that 1. There are a number of original videos on YouTube that are very worth watching. For instance, I found a "Sherlock Holmes mystery" that was written by and filmed by a bunch of kids. If you can get over the number of deaths, it's really quite cute.

That said there are some things on there that probably shouldn't be on there. I'm kind of a stickler about illegal downloading and such. Sure, if I buy a classical CD Beethoven's not going to get a cut, but I want the stores to stock these things and I want people in the music business to be able to make a living for obvious reasons. So I generally either buy it or live with out it with a few exceptions (if it's not available in the US for instance). The only reason I have a bunch of Katrina's music on my iTunes right now is because it's easier than walking across the room to borrow her CDs. I will delete it all at the end of the year. See how legalistic I am about this?

However, I would like to thank all the people who have smuggled cameras into broadway productions. I spent a good portion of Saturday perusing videos from various productions of musicals I have mentioned before on this blog. Yep, I'm a dork. But it was amazing! I mean, the original actors are never going to perform these rolls again, I'm never going to have a chance to see it, so why not, eh?

"Do Not Be Afraid."

So, this is a random realization I've been meaning to post for some time. Last year in psychology I was taught that the most common human motivator is fear. Makes sense when you think about it. You can strip down even some of the most complex human emotions to some sort of fear.

The interesting thing is that in Great Themes of the Bible I was taught that Christ's most frequent command is "do not be afraid."

Musicals are fun

I'm obsessed with the Scarlet Pimpernel right now. I don't find the music to be absolutely stunning, but there's a couple of really good songs I enjoy. Credit Katrina with introducing me to it, along with Jekyll & Hyde. So here's some cool pictures I found online. They will have to do since I cannot see it. This first one is of Terrence Mann and Christina Andreas. I love the Chauvelin costume! Terrence Mann is an amazing talent, I love his voice (he was the Beast in the broadway Beauty and the Beast too). There are very few things about him on the web, but I think he's amazing. And he has really nifty boots. And a sash.







This is Douglas Sills in a hilariously funny song. He's also quite an interesting talent. That should be Douglas and Terrence below, but it's a different production. Spiffy shot though















And here's the original trio again. I love the smile on Terrence Mann's face. All in all, if you can pick up the album I'd recommend it. The book's definitely on my list to read.

Your wildest dreams will come true...

A few years ago, when I visited DC with my brother, we got to talking about the US (hmm, wonder why) and its origins etc. We eventually concluded that if any of the founding fathers could see it today, they'd be appalled. I don't mean this as a completely anti-American statement, but I don't mean it positively either.

What brings this on? First and foremost, a desire to get out of the "so this is what happened to me today" format my blog has been taking of late. So, here goes. It's an election year! Yay! I have the wonderful opportunity to exercise my right to vote. Great.

Don't get me wrong. I really do appreciate the freedoms we have in a democracy, er, republic like the USA. Sure, it's an imperfect system, as I'm about to rant about, but it's better than a lot of alternatives. A lot of people would die, and have died, for this kind of freedom. Government for the people. No more absolute monarchs as Strauch would say. Government serves the people, not the other way around. If only that counted for my reading response.

So what I'm trying to say is I take my responsibility as a United States citizen very seriously. A democracy can't function if its citizens don't participate. Sure, I have the freedom not to vote, but that goes against my responsibility.

With that said, what a mess! I've decided to be "open-minded" (or indecisive, or delusional, whatever you call it) and not affiliate myself with any particular party. I figure this is how it's supposed to work. Independently making decisions is a good thing, that's the point isn't it? Yet it's awfully tempting at this point to just tack a label to myself and follow the talking heads. I mean, it's ridiculous how difficult it is to get past all the screaming and finger-pointing and political mumbo-jumbo that makes me so detest necessary politics in the first place. Each side tries to demonize the other's point of view, which is ridiculous and childish and hopefully no one really falls for it. Sure, I don't agree with some things and even feel very strongly about the morality of certain issues, but I also understand that the other side feels just as strongly the opposite way.

Where it gets difficult is when you're trying to vote for the best possible option and trying to guage each side of the argument. Each side has valid points, obviously, but trying to get beyond that into actual logistics of anything is almost impossible. I thought it would take me a lot of time to catch up on all the issues and opinions flying around but I realized after half an hour or so perusing things that it's just the same rhetoric over and over again. And that doesn't really help someone trying to make an informed decision. It becomes simple point of view, which makes some sense because you still get a good majority decision that way and at least if we get messed up we're all in it together, but this point of view thing was what I was trying to avoid in the first place. I'm terribly naive. I don't deny it. It's not all bad.

Anyhow, there's a point when you just want to throw up your hands and give up. Excluding the option of become a poli-sci and economics double major I will never be able to fully understand the ins and outs of many of the policies on the ballot. "But the point is to have your voice heard." Yeah, well, I don't have much of a voice as of now being the ripe old age of 19. Do something about the cost of education. That's really the only issue I have any kind of experience with. Oh dear.