I think certain people in the School of Music and College of Ed have a game. Their game is to avoid and ignore student's phone calls for as long as possible, as well as not returning any messages. Then, once they have you good and freaked out because you're supposed to graduate SUNDAY and NO ONE HAS CHECKED YOUR TECHNOLOGY PORTFOLIO, they cackle and sit back on their thrones of shattered dreams.
So I'm so glad I put this thing together. Because really, I can tell how significant it is by how quickly they're responding to my inquiries.
On the upside, I'll be done with ASU FOREVER after this Sunday.
If someone signs my Technology Portfolio.
Showing posts with label flipshit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label flipshit. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Thursday, April 23, 2009
ARRRGGGGHHH, Appalachian!
I have had my transcripts for my transfer work turned in for ages. However, ASU is mildly inept (and when I say "mildly" I mean, "spinning in circles and watching shiny things while flinging poop at the wall.)
So I now am one Western Civilizations II course away from graduating because the transcript I sent ASU has been eaten by the Records Office Termites. And for the record, ASU sent acknowledgment back to DCCC, saying they had received it.
If they don't let me graduate because the Registrar's office is the place where dreams die, I might cut off someone's ear. Or write angry letters. One of the two.
So I now am one Western Civilizations II course away from graduating because the transcript I sent ASU has been eaten by the Records Office Termites. And for the record, ASU sent acknowledgment back to DCCC, saying they had received it.
If they don't let me graduate because the Registrar's office is the place where dreams die, I might cut off someone's ear. Or write angry letters. One of the two.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
I QUIT! Wait...this could be OK...
So my cooperating teacher wasn't here again today, which was going to be just fine. I've done lessons by myself before, so today was kinda going to be pretty standard. First, with the Symphonic Band. We worked in full rehearsal for a little while, then split them up into sectionals.
(At this point, I should probably comment that we had a two-hour delay this morning due to a boiler malfunction, so they were already a little crazy. And in retrospect, I probably shouldn't have split them into sectionals. Whatever.)
They kind of lost their minds.
Every sectional I went around to, they weren't doing anything. With the exceptions of the trumpets and the percussion (has anyone noticed that crazy irony?) everyone was carrying on, not doing what they were supposed to.
As I'm going around, I go into the office, where the saxophones, trombones, and bass clarinets were.
They had the TV on.
I was so mad I couldn't even speak. The kids just sort of stared at me for a second, like they couldn't believe they'd just been caught and wanted to know what happened now. I was working very, very hard to keep from collassaly erupting.
"Go back into the band room."
That's all I said to them. I went around to all the other sections, calling them back into the band room. Then I plugged my metronome into the speakers.
"Allegro to the end."
They played it, and, predictably, screwed it up.
When they got through, they sat there, dead silent.
"No one played that perfectly. No one in here. Everyone messed up some note or rhythm, everyone got off on the tempo. So why were you not working on that in your sectionals?"
(Miraculously, no smart-ass called my bluff on the rhetorical question. Hooray.)
We started over again, and the fact that I was basically restraining myself from completely losing it went away as I worked with them on a few individual notes and rhythms. I ended it with something along the lines of, "I really like all of you and you've done hard work, but I can't not be mad when I walk into a sectional and everyone's talking. I can't not be mad when someone has the TV on." I told them that they had come along way, but they had to continue it to get any better and all that jazz.
Directly after that (with no break, because when we have a delay it's one right after the other,) Wind Ensemble starts coming in. I tell them straight-up that second period was very exhausting, and asked them to work hard because my nerves were completly frayed. I told them if I snapped at them and it seemed off, it was just because my temper was short after this morning. So we warmed up and they went immediately into sections.
They were fantastic. They (almost all) worked hard the whole time they were in sectionals. They seemed to get thing accomplished. And when we pulled them back together to play through the slow part in The Hounds of Spring, it was gorgeous. I've never heard them play it that well, and it was wonderful. Then the few things we fixed in the development part were quick fixes, and they adjusted fast and well.
So I discovered that it's possible to go from my-eyeballs-are-going-to-explode contained fury to complete contentment in less than an hour. Yay, band.
(At this point, I should probably comment that we had a two-hour delay this morning due to a boiler malfunction, so they were already a little crazy. And in retrospect, I probably shouldn't have split them into sectionals. Whatever.)
They kind of lost their minds.
Every sectional I went around to, they weren't doing anything. With the exceptions of the trumpets and the percussion (has anyone noticed that crazy irony?) everyone was carrying on, not doing what they were supposed to.
As I'm going around, I go into the office, where the saxophones, trombones, and bass clarinets were.
They had the TV on.
I was so mad I couldn't even speak. The kids just sort of stared at me for a second, like they couldn't believe they'd just been caught and wanted to know what happened now. I was working very, very hard to keep from collassaly erupting.
"Go back into the band room."
That's all I said to them. I went around to all the other sections, calling them back into the band room. Then I plugged my metronome into the speakers.
"Allegro to the end."
They played it, and, predictably, screwed it up.
When they got through, they sat there, dead silent.
"No one played that perfectly. No one in here. Everyone messed up some note or rhythm, everyone got off on the tempo. So why were you not working on that in your sectionals?"
(Miraculously, no smart-ass called my bluff on the rhetorical question. Hooray.)
We started over again, and the fact that I was basically restraining myself from completely losing it went away as I worked with them on a few individual notes and rhythms. I ended it with something along the lines of, "I really like all of you and you've done hard work, but I can't not be mad when I walk into a sectional and everyone's talking. I can't not be mad when someone has the TV on." I told them that they had come along way, but they had to continue it to get any better and all that jazz.
Directly after that (with no break, because when we have a delay it's one right after the other,) Wind Ensemble starts coming in. I tell them straight-up that second period was very exhausting, and asked them to work hard because my nerves were completly frayed. I told them if I snapped at them and it seemed off, it was just because my temper was short after this morning. So we warmed up and they went immediately into sections.
They were fantastic. They (almost all) worked hard the whole time they were in sectionals. They seemed to get thing accomplished. And when we pulled them back together to play through the slow part in The Hounds of Spring, it was gorgeous. I've never heard them play it that well, and it was wonderful. Then the few things we fixed in the development part were quick fixes, and they adjusted fast and well.
So I discovered that it's possible to go from my-eyeballs-are-going-to-explode contained fury to complete contentment in less than an hour. Yay, band.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Not exactly the plan, but OK...
Here's the pre-recital scene:
Somehow, because God likes to pick on Amanda when she's freaking out, the water main on River Street burst Sunday morning. There's no water in the music building at three. OK. No problem. I just hope no one who comes to my recital has to pee.
Three thirty.
We're all in our places with bright shining faces. Cheesecake has been brought in. Tracy and I are dressed, warmed up, and ready to go. I'm sounding really good. Parentals are all present and accounted for. The first wave of friends have begun to arrive. I'm standing in the hallway near the recital hall, chatting with Blake, Derek, and various company. All there is to do is wait for four PM to arrive.
BLAAAAAARRRRRREEEE.
The door I'm leaning against begins to close on me. Strobe lights are flashing.
Me: What the FUCK?
Yes. Twenty minutes before my recital, the freakin' FIRE ALARM GOES OFF.
We spend a solid three minutes not going outside, all kind of glancing at each other with stupid looks on our faces. Finally we all meander outside, standing just outside the doors, all forgetting our Elementary School Fire Drill Safety. (Fifty feet from the building, everyone!)
After awhile, we hear the sounds of the Fire Brigade coming to rescue us from the flaming (and when I say flaming I mean, "completely not on fire at ALL") music building. So they wander around in there for a few minutes, basically scratching their butts and mumbling into walkie-talkies. Finally one of them steps outside and says, "Does anyone know where room 119 A is?"
So here's the problem with having a boyfriend who is in the employ of the music building and is not an asshole. He says "Of course I do! Here, let me continue to freak out Amanda and go inside to find it for you!"
I would like to take this opportunity to summarize: It is now ten minutes before my recital is supposed to happen. It's freezing cold outside and my lips are slowly but surely drying out. The music building might be on fire, which would put our awesome cheesecake buffet in serious danger. To top that off, my boyfriend is going into the music building TOWARDS THE FIRE.
All in all, not one of Amanda's more calm, cool and collected moments.
Well, in the end, the water had cut back on, which for some reason made the music building shit itself and set off the fire alarm. So we went back inside and the recital went as planned.
But more importantly, the cheesecake was safe.
Somehow, because God likes to pick on Amanda when she's freaking out, the water main on River Street burst Sunday morning. There's no water in the music building at three. OK. No problem. I just hope no one who comes to my recital has to pee.
Three thirty.
We're all in our places with bright shining faces. Cheesecake has been brought in. Tracy and I are dressed, warmed up, and ready to go. I'm sounding really good. Parentals are all present and accounted for. The first wave of friends have begun to arrive. I'm standing in the hallway near the recital hall, chatting with Blake, Derek, and various company. All there is to do is wait for four PM to arrive.
BLAAAAAARRRRRREEEE.
The door I'm leaning against begins to close on me. Strobe lights are flashing.
Me: What the FUCK?
Yes. Twenty minutes before my recital, the freakin' FIRE ALARM GOES OFF.
We spend a solid three minutes not going outside, all kind of glancing at each other with stupid looks on our faces. Finally we all meander outside, standing just outside the doors, all forgetting our Elementary School Fire Drill Safety. (Fifty feet from the building, everyone!)
After awhile, we hear the sounds of the Fire Brigade coming to rescue us from the flaming (and when I say flaming I mean, "completely not on fire at ALL") music building. So they wander around in there for a few minutes, basically scratching their butts and mumbling into walkie-talkies. Finally one of them steps outside and says, "Does anyone know where room 119 A is?"
So here's the problem with having a boyfriend who is in the employ of the music building and is not an asshole. He says "Of course I do! Here, let me continue to freak out Amanda and go inside to find it for you!"
I would like to take this opportunity to summarize: It is now ten minutes before my recital is supposed to happen. It's freezing cold outside and my lips are slowly but surely drying out. The music building might be on fire, which would put our awesome cheesecake buffet in serious danger. To top that off, my boyfriend is going into the music building TOWARDS THE FIRE.
All in all, not one of Amanda's more calm, cool and collected moments.
Well, in the end, the water had cut back on, which for some reason made the music building shit itself and set off the fire alarm. So we went back inside and the recital went as planned.
But more importantly, the cheesecake was safe.
Friday, September 26, 2008
The Difference Between Macs and PCs
There is a very basic difference between Macs and PCs. It doesn't have anything to do with graphics, creativity, gaming, or any of that. It's a much more critical, "personality" difference.
PCs know they are stupid. PCs know that they will crash, they will lock up, and stuff will get destroyed. So they build in things like "auto-save" and "restore," to help fix their mistakes.
Macs are like those irritating hippies that always think they're right but never, ever are. So there are no fun things like "auto-save" and "restore" to the almighty Mac. But they still lock up, crash, and eat your work.
For those of you wondering, yes, I did just lose over an hour of work on a BLOODY MAC WITH NO RESTORE FUNCTION!!!
*swears incoherently*
PCs know they are stupid. PCs know that they will crash, they will lock up, and stuff will get destroyed. So they build in things like "auto-save" and "restore," to help fix their mistakes.
Macs are like those irritating hippies that always think they're right but never, ever are. So there are no fun things like "auto-save" and "restore" to the almighty Mac. But they still lock up, crash, and eat your work.
For those of you wondering, yes, I did just lose over an hour of work on a BLOODY MAC WITH NO RESTORE FUNCTION!!!
*swears incoherently*
Friday, April 25, 2008
COUNTDOWN
T minus 2 hours and 16 minutes!!!
Holy crap, I'm excited. I'm like, can't-sit-still, peeing-my-pants-a-little excited.
(For those of you totally lost right now, I'm performing a concerto with the wind ensemble this evening. In--checks watch--2 hours and 15 minutes.)
(Well, actually more like 2 hours and 30 minutes, since I'm the second piece.)
For those of you who are halfway across the country or just don't like me enough to drive an hour, if you click here: www.music.appstate.edu there is a yellow button that says Rosen Hall Broadcast. If you click on that, you can get a live feed of the concert!
OK, I'm going to go start to get ready a little...send lots of prayers around 8:15!!!
Holy crap, I'm excited. I'm like, can't-sit-still, peeing-my-pants-a-little excited.
(For those of you totally lost right now, I'm performing a concerto with the wind ensemble this evening. In--checks watch--2 hours and 15 minutes.)
(Well, actually more like 2 hours and 30 minutes, since I'm the second piece.)
For those of you who are halfway across the country or just don't like me enough to drive an hour, if you click here: www.music.appstate.edu there is a yellow button that says Rosen Hall Broadcast. If you click on that, you can get a live feed of the concert!
OK, I'm going to go start to get ready a little...send lots of prayers around 8:15!!!
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Orchestra Concert and AHHH
Today was my last orchestra concert ever. HOORAY!!! I'm never going to play in an orchestra again if I can help it. Sorry, my idea of a good time is not "count rests and then play really loudly for two measures." But such is the way of life for an orchestral trumpeter. Sigh...
In other news, I am no longer diseased (as much.) But, regrettably, I am now so far behind I don't know if I'll ever catch up. This isn't just from being sick, this is the culimination of a semester's worth of "I-really-don't-give-a-shit-about-jumping-through-these-hoops." So now, to reward my utter lack of work ethic, I have to do tomorrow:
2 Conducting Observation Papers
1 Psychology in the Media paper
2 Random Psychology papers
Studying for Psychology Test
2 Conducting Score Analysis Papers
3 Psychology research participant write ups
A theory composition using no musical notation
A bullshit Foundations of American Education Reader's Response (no, I didn't leave those in middle school)
AND...I really need to practice, since we are six short days away from THE CONCERT.
*breathes...*
In other news, I am no longer diseased (as much.) But, regrettably, I am now so far behind I don't know if I'll ever catch up. This isn't just from being sick, this is the culimination of a semester's worth of "I-really-don't-give-a-shit-about-jumping-through-these-hoops." So now, to reward my utter lack of work ethic, I have to do tomorrow:
2 Conducting Observation Papers
1 Psychology in the Media paper
2 Random Psychology papers
Studying for Psychology Test
2 Conducting Score Analysis Papers
3 Psychology research participant write ups
A theory composition using no musical notation
A bullshit Foundations of American Education Reader's Response (no, I didn't leave those in middle school)
AND...I really need to practice, since we are six short days away from THE CONCERT.
*breathes...*
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Flipshit #1
As anyone who saw my blog before (all three of you) may have noticed, all my posts have been deleted. The reason for this is simple: it kinda sucked. I mean, there was one good entry, ("Lab Rats," which I may post later,) but otherwise it was not very amusing. So...I deleted everything.
Instead, I wish to write about something very near and dear to my heart: being a music major. It's pretty much a pain in the ass. For example, my schedule this semester:
M,W,F:
8:00--Psychology
9:00-Music Theory V
10:00-Foundations of American Education
11:00-Biology I
12:00-Lunch
1:00-Trumpet lesson/Seminar
2:00-4:00: Bio Lab
4:00-Wind Ensemble Concerto Rehearsal
T, R:
8:00-9:30-Conducting
9:30-10:30-Band Techniques
12:00-1:45-Symphonic Band
3:30-5:45-Orchestra
And that's without the extra rehearsals, hour or two of practicing, concerts to attend and play in, auditions, juries, basketball games, volleyball games, homework, conducting practice, and practicing your secondary instruments. It's not for the weak.
And to top it all off:
Elementary Ed Major: Oh, it really sucks, I have three classes today! I hate being so freakin' busy!
Music Ed Major: #$%!@$&*$%*$@#$%$*$!!!
Expect to see a lot of rants here about:
A) The Reich College of Education
B) Stupid Director(s)
C) Stupid Vocalists
D) Stupid other Ed Majors
E) The Reich College of Education
Now, keep in mind that what you see may not be a good representation of the insanity of all music majors. I have worked my ass off up to now, and consequently, this is my most slack semester ever. (Seriously, I'm done by SIX! Is that even POSSIBLE?)
Today, however, WAS good representation of this insanity. Today was (drumroll please) drum major auditions. And even though we went through *almost* everyone, we won't hear the results until TUESDAY. *Amanda falls down dead.* Thus: Flipshit #1.
So I'm going to go clean up the filthy den that is my apartment, since I have people coming over to hopefully take my mind off agonizingly going over the auditions in my mind. I will leave you with this thought for the day:
When I skip one day of practicing, I can tell,
When I skip two days, my roomates can tell,
When I skip three days, my neighbors can tell,
When I skip four days, my dog can tell.
Happy weekend!
Instead, I wish to write about something very near and dear to my heart: being a music major. It's pretty much a pain in the ass. For example, my schedule this semester:
M,W,F:
8:00--Psychology
9:00-Music Theory V
10:00-Foundations of American Education
11:00-Biology I
12:00-Lunch
1:00-Trumpet lesson/Seminar
2:00-4:00: Bio Lab
4:00-Wind Ensemble Concerto Rehearsal
T, R:
8:00-9:30-Conducting
9:30-10:30-Band Techniques
12:00-1:45-Symphonic Band
3:30-5:45-Orchestra
And that's without the extra rehearsals, hour or two of practicing, concerts to attend and play in, auditions, juries, basketball games, volleyball games, homework, conducting practice, and practicing your secondary instruments. It's not for the weak.
And to top it all off:
Elementary Ed Major: Oh, it really sucks, I have three classes today! I hate being so freakin' busy!
Music Ed Major: #$%!@$&*$%*$@#$%$*$!!!
Expect to see a lot of rants here about:
A) The Reich College of Education
B) Stupid Director(s)
C) Stupid Vocalists
D) Stupid other Ed Majors
E) The Reich College of Education
Now, keep in mind that what you see may not be a good representation of the insanity of all music majors. I have worked my ass off up to now, and consequently, this is my most slack semester ever. (Seriously, I'm done by SIX! Is that even POSSIBLE?)
Today, however, WAS good representation of this insanity. Today was (drumroll please) drum major auditions. And even though we went through *almost* everyone, we won't hear the results until TUESDAY. *Amanda falls down dead.* Thus: Flipshit #1.
So I'm going to go clean up the filthy den that is my apartment, since I have people coming over to hopefully take my mind off agonizingly going over the auditions in my mind. I will leave you with this thought for the day:
When I skip one day of practicing, I can tell,
When I skip two days, my roomates can tell,
When I skip three days, my neighbors can tell,
When I skip four days, my dog can tell.
Happy weekend!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
