So for a few years I've been painfully aware that I've begun to lose the training that I once had simply from lack of practice. I sang All-State in high school and was highest score audition in the community chorale, so coming to Utah and giving up singing noticeably lowered my artsy-fartsy fulfillment quotient. That said, it's not like I'm remotely the biz-snatch of choir singers, but I certainly have had my fair share of experience working with different directors.
Today I got roped into joining a stake choir for their easter performance. I love to sing and yes, I have absolutely resolved to get back into the practice of being actively involved in choirs, but I didn't sign up for Choir Singing 101. Do optional specialty choirs really need directors who treat them like freshmen in high school choir?! I understand personality differences and when a person has their own arrangements, you add in a whole emotional level that's really quite difficult, but I don't think it's necessary to talk down to people. It's not horribly bad...or even enough to get me to quit, but I wish I'd known the director going in. A little mental preparation for "ooohhh, maybe you don't understand my beat pattern, let me explain it again" would have been nice. Se la vie...in the future I'll be ready for it... ...and one and two and...
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Up and Coming
Just started a new slough of classes. Joy...
Intro to GIS--mostly looks like it's gonna be painfully easy considering my experience level, but it looks good on the transcript.
History of Archaeology--taught by our youngest professor, Jaime Bartlett, who's finishing up her dissertation at Oxford. My fifth theory class, but I think the historical take on it will be interesting. This will hopefully motivate me to get aggressive about working with Clark on the theory text.
Southwest Seminar--totally taking this for fun, though it's certainly useful! Jim's teaching it and there're only three of us in there, so it'll be nice cozy discussion and personal insight heavy. It'll be my most time consuming class, though.
Other than that, I'm really aiming for end of the month/beginning of February to defend my thesis proposal, so I've gotta get cracking. Ultimately, this means there's no more play time in the ward. I'm going to try to preserve my weekends, but even that's looking sketchy. Next Monday's a holiday, thank goodness, so I'll try to get a jump on things.
Rather uninteresting, isn't it? Alas. But on a slightly more unique note, I start physical therapy for my lower back next Tuesday and just picked up a goodly sized run of muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories. Also, I gave blood today for the first time in quite awhile. It normally takes me like 45 minutes for a pint, but I bled out in 10 minutes! Fabu! This is obviously a sign that I'm becoming more and more watered-down as I age...
Intro to GIS--mostly looks like it's gonna be painfully easy considering my experience level, but it looks good on the transcript.
History of Archaeology--taught by our youngest professor, Jaime Bartlett, who's finishing up her dissertation at Oxford. My fifth theory class, but I think the historical take on it will be interesting. This will hopefully motivate me to get aggressive about working with Clark on the theory text.
Southwest Seminar--totally taking this for fun, though it's certainly useful! Jim's teaching it and there're only three of us in there, so it'll be nice cozy discussion and personal insight heavy. It'll be my most time consuming class, though.
Other than that, I'm really aiming for end of the month/beginning of February to defend my thesis proposal, so I've gotta get cracking. Ultimately, this means there's no more play time in the ward. I'm going to try to preserve my weekends, but even that's looking sketchy. Next Monday's a holiday, thank goodness, so I'll try to get a jump on things.
Rather uninteresting, isn't it? Alas. But on a slightly more unique note, I start physical therapy for my lower back next Tuesday and just picked up a goodly sized run of muscle relaxants and anti-inflammatories. Also, I gave blood today for the first time in quite awhile. It normally takes me like 45 minutes for a pint, but I bled out in 10 minutes! Fabu! This is obviously a sign that I'm becoming more and more watered-down as I age...