Day 98: Materials

If you didn't fully understand the excitement from yesterday, I love this school. Before I get to the actual post, I have to say that I had a great voice lesson. I was so scared of it but my teacher helped calm me. Also, she is going to help me so much with my voice, or as I now view it, my human instrument. All I need for that class is some music and my voice; those are the course materials. Piano requires music and my hands. My other courses have stacks of books. When you open them though there are not equations or laws but music. Whether it's music theory or music history or actual music, it's music. I'm studying music and while it does cost a lot of money for the materials, the things I'll learn, the people I'll meet, and the journeys I'll travel on are priceless. Money makes the materials manifest, materials make the education possible, but it's the music inside the materials that makes this place the magical miracle of my life.

Day 97: That's Entertainment

I love this school! My schedule only consists of music based classes. I can practice for hours on great Steinway pianos in quiet rooms without disruption. I can learn about things I'm interested in. I get grades for what I love. I get academic credit for piano lessons. I'll finally begin to feel comfortable with my voice and expand my range through voice lessons. Yesterday, I had the most interactive experience in class learning about the different types of opera regionally, their histories, and their characteristics. We worked together to teach each other and then watched some really cool opera. I would have never been able to say I would enjoy opera before being introduced to it here. Another example of all of this was in today's American Musical Theater class when we were discussing songs in dramatic context. We watched the opening scene of Amahl and the Night Visitors, an opera that I already knew about because my grandpa introduced me to it. Then, I smiled from ear to eat when we watched good morning from singin in the rain. Finally, we watched the opening sequence of Oklahoma. It was awesome and fun, but I was still learning. Now that's not class, that's entertainment.

Day 96: Sleep

I haven't had a post like this in a while, but I'm too tired to really post anything. This morning I posted a status on Facebook that said "That moment when you are too tired to eat breakfast." The 8 AM theory class is incredibly early and I'm going to try to start going to bed earlier. It will take a few days with a progression towards earlier bed times. Last night, I went to bed at one and tonight is 12:15. Tomorrow night, I will aim for 11:30. So with that I will say goodnight.

Day 95: Hats

Some people collect coins, some collect shirts, some collect stamps, I collect hats. Not just hats but hats with musical theater logos. I have three that are worn out and 7 others one for each day of the week. My philosophy is a hat a day keeps bad hair days away. Wearing a hat makes fixing your hair so simple. I love show hats and people don't recognize me without them. People that are just meeting me can't wait to see what the next show hat is. Here's the hats starting with today's through Monday and then all of them.

Day 94: Day 1

While this wasn't my first day at Shenandoah today was the first day of classes for me at SU. It was the second best first day of school I've ever had, next to the first day of preschool which was ultimately the best. It's such a surreal experience coming to a school where your classes are centered around music. Some people have math classes or chemistry courses but I dive into music everyday and every class. My homework isn't algebra or english, it's theory. I get a grade for piano lessons and voice lessons. The latter of the two I am still petrified of. Two things about today: 1. My theory class got randomly changed to 8 AM and 2. Textbooks are EXPENSIVE. I can't wait for tomorrow because I have American musical theater history I. I'm ecstatic. Hopefully, I can stay unexcited enough to sleep because I have an 8 AM class, but hey, at least it's a music class and not something I would sleep through or skip. Who would want to miss a theory class? Nobody of course, so it's time to prepare for theory with sleep. Goodnight.

Day 92 and 93: Lazy Days

Welcome week 2014 at SU is now complete. I'm here, I've register for classes, I've moved in, and tomorrow all the hard work begins. This welcome week has been rough for me: long move in day with disappointments, missing some great student life activities, wondering if I'll make friends, music theory test failure, scheduling problems and wondering if people would know me and what I do and not get lost in the shadows by other people. I was told in a welcome meeting that being a transfer student is hard and that is very true. Because of the rough week I laid in the bed resting and being lazy this weekend slightly depressed and wondering what had I gotten myself into coming to this school BUT hope was restored tonight. Alpha Psi Omega, the theater Greek society on campus which is more about community support than the normal Greek party stuff, had a welcome back show tonight. I had doubts about going because I knew I might have to face a person who I can't get along with but I could not be more thrilled that I went. It was a spoof on annie that she went to SU and all the things she would encounter. All of this was to musical theater songs with parody lyrics. For example, annie talked about a college boyfriend and they sang a parody of day by day from Godspell as gay by gay to explain that straight girls will have a hard time finding relationships here. It was hilarious. The night started with underclass men doing impressions of the upper class men. It's definitely a society I want to join. Now I know that I will have an abundance of friends and lots of fun times. Academically speaking, Dr. Albert is going to make everything possible. He is my advisor, mentor, teacher, and friend. He helped with my schedule and has given me so much advice. As Annie, parodied and for real said, "I think I'm gonna like it here." I change that to I know I'm gonna like it here. Yes there will be drama, but in those times I'll have so many people to lean on for support. I can't wait for school to begin tomorrow. The adventures are about to begin. And to end this post I will leave with my cross stitch project that I finished tonight which will remind in good times and in bad times why I love music, want to study it, and do it as a career... In music there is harmony, in harmony there is peace. Amen.

Day 91: Technological Tacos

Technology helps and hurts. One of the many things about SU that is phenomenal is that you are supplied with an iPad and a MacBook laptop. I have used my new technology all day and am slowly getting used to it, but my iPhone after my nap revealed to me the dangers of technology. My Facebook account was hacked. I fixed it though and started my new technology discovery. I got a Blu Ray DVD player. It is awesome and when combined with my awesome tv it makes all of my movies and tv look and sound phenomenal. Then I ended my day with Taco Bell and it is packed with college students even after 11:00. That was my day. That is all.