IS Class

I want to blog about our IS class since this is my last blog. I have thoroughly enjoyed being in class with everyone. The people in our class are fantastic, and it will be sad when I don't get to see you all next semester. Katie Tressel has now become one of my good friends, and I met her through IS. I also loved talking to Josh, who always makes people smile, and Emily and Kelly, who are kind and cheerful. And, of course, who didn't love hearing about Heidi's mail and her thing for the guy at the bank? She is one of the most interesting, hilarious, sunny people I have met this so far this year. I mean, the guy advice that people wrote her from home was seriously hilarious and always made me laugh.

It has been great having our discussions every day in class and I am so glad I have had the opportunity to know these people. I am looking forward to our last day Thursday when I am done with finals, things aren't stressful, and I get to see everyone one last time before break. It will be fun (except for the writing prompt that is planned. But that's all right, I don't mind those much). The Michael Crichton aspect of the class was really great as well, and Timeline is one of my favorite books. I know I will read it again. The science of the class was interesting and broadened my education, especially since I won't have many science classes as a music major.

So, for the last blog I'll write, thanks for an awesome semester! It was fun to see everyone every day and hear about all their experiences.

My Mom

Gilmore Girls is my favorite TV show. It is about a mother and a daughter who are only 16 years apart, so they are really close. They are almost more like best friends than mother-daughter. Besides the fact that they are hilarious together, I like this show partly because I am also really close to my mom.

My mom is probably the person I miss the most from home. She is the person I tell everything to and is always there for me when I am stressed out. I have called her countless of times this semester all in a frenzy about the things I have to get done. She has been extremely kind and understanding and has listened to me for as long as I needed to talk.

In high school I wasn't super social and stayed home a lot. Because of this, I often spent weekends at home. This was when my mom and I would rent movies for a Friday night. It was always really fun, and reminded me of Gilmore Girls again because they also have movie nights. Even though most people went out with friends or partied on the weekends, I had fun just being with my mom watching a movie. It sounds lame and sort of cheesy, but it's the truth.

My mom has been the one person I can tell anything to and will listen to what I have to say. She has come to all my band, choir, jazz band, and show choir concerts, as well as all my piano contests, festivals, recitals, and college auditions. Not to mention the millions of college visits I did last year. I guess I just wanted to write a bit about her because she means a lot to me, and she more than deserves a place in this blog.

My Roommate is Sick

My roommate Amanda is really sick tonight. She has severe stomach pains that started out as heart burn. Apparently stuff like this have been going on since the beginning of her freshman year in high school, but tonight it is especially awful. It is stressed induced, so that would make sense with the night before finals. I feel terrible for her and don't wish I could do something to help out. Our friend Kelsey went to get her medicine and I am staying with her in case she needs anything. I wish I could do more, but there's nothing much to do.

I feel terrible that she has a final tomorrow and is this sick. It makes me feel incredibly lucky that I am not ill from stress the night before all the craziness starts. It's given me some perspective on my situation. I have been complaining about my finals and my juries and all my stress for weeks now, especially these past two. However, I have it a lot better than Amanda does, since I can still function and am not in severe pain. It reminds me that there are a lot of people out there who have bigger complications than a theory final tomorrow and other busyness the rest of the week. Just something I was thinking about.

Sarah

Christmas Traditions

With Christmas coming up, I figured I would talk about what my family does over the holiday season. We have already put up our Christmas tree this year. We put it up over Thanksgiving break (but after Thanksgiving Day of course). We have a fake Christmas tree, so we all gather together and fluff the "branches"to make it look realistic. We listen to Christmas music, like Dean Martin and Manheim Steamroller. After the tree is up we put up the ornaments and other decorations around the house. This isn't a tradition that is really unique, but it is nice and fun all the same.

During the Christmas season one of my favorite things that we do every year is making Christmas cookies. My mom, brother, sister and I all have fun cutting the cookies out of the dough with Christmas cookie cutters. It is also fun when they come out of the oven and we can frost and decorate them however we want. They also taste really great! We have made Christmas cookies for as long as I can remember, and it has always been fun.

Although these traditions aren't anything that looks really great or unique to others, they are special to me because they are with my family and we have done them for years. It just wouldn't seem right if we didn't do these things together every year. I am excited to go home this Christmas because being away from my family has made me appreciate them more, especially my siblings. I am so looking forward to Christmas break and seeing them all again!

Debate

I haven't blogged about our debate yet! I meant to do this ages ago, but caught up with a bunch of stuff. I thought the debate, though stressful, was a good learning experience. I had never debated like that before, all organized with the rebuttals and Q/A sessions. It was nice to be able to go through that, even though I didn't necessarily like it at the time. It was a very high stress situation, which was not really my cup of tea, but afterwards I think it was good for me to try.

As I am not a confrontational person and did not have a really strong opinion on the matter, I was happy to just share information at the beginning of the debate. I am not very good at thinking on my feet, which is why I did not want to be in the Q/A section of the debate. Even the rebuttals would have been a bit nervous-making for me. So I was happy with my position, though I did sort of feel like maybe I should have said something later. However, I feel like I really brought forth valuable information and contributed to the group in that way, talking also for at least 4 minutes.

The thing that was the most difficult was Heidi being gone. Originally, it was supposed to be me, Heidi and Katie for the first 15 minutes of the debate presentation. Everyone else had their slot to talk too. This was to try to make sure everyone got the chance to say something since it was such a big part of everyone's grade. However, with Heidi not there, it meant Katie and I both had to talk at least 7.5 minutes each. This was very difficult because neither of us had planned on talking that long. We thought we together would cover 10 minutes, and Heidi the other 5. So, in our debate, Katie and I did cover ten minutes together as planned...only Heidi wasn't there. This then got screwed up because other people had to jump in out of place, messing up our order. So although it was planned fairly well, it did not do as great in practice because of this inconvenience.

However, I know this is not Heidi's fault or anything, and in no way blame her for this or am angry. I just wanted to point out why we were so low on time and why things weren't as smooth as they could have been.

Other than that complication, I thought the debate went fairly well, better than I thought. Although I was nervous, it was good for me to share the information and to participate in something I otherwise would have never participated in. It was a nice activity even though it was not one I normally would have liked.

Sarah

Christmas With Wartburg

Considering a lot of my time has been spent in Christmas With Wartburg rehearsals lately, I figured I better blog about them. So far I have mostly enjoyed these rehearsals. I have not enjoyed the amount of time they have taken out of my schedule, but actually being at rehearsal is nice because I get to hear the choirs. I am very impressed by them, as I am still used to hearing high school choirs. I haven't been able to make one of their concerts yet, so getting to hear them through this is really convenient and enjoyable. I also have a good amount of friends in the choirs, so it is nice to be able to support them by telling them how much I like their songs.

I also like being around the choirs because I used to be in choir in high school. I wasn't that great but did it mostly for fun, however, now I don't have the time to be in a vocal ensemble at Wartburg, especially with being involved in Wind Ensemble. I do miss singing a bit though, as it was a part of my life since fifth grade. It is just great to be around singers again during these rehearsals, especially when they are singing Christmas songs.

Besides being around the choirs, rehearsals haven't been as bad as I thought because I am used to long rehearsals like this. They remind me of being in the pit in my high school musical "Bye Bye Birdie." Being in the pit was pretty fun, but it did take up a lot of time. This is similar to Christmas With Wartburg, only I like it much more than the pit. At least with Christmas With Wartburg you are still "on stage" and not under the stage and hidden the whole time. Also, we get solo pieces, where in musical pit you usually play background/transitional music the whole time.

All in all the rehearsals aren't as bad as I thought. Everyone was saying how long and frustrating they would be with the choirs, but I don't believe it to be that bad, especially after working in my high school musical. I just hope the performances will show how hard we have been working, for it really does take a lot of work and coordination to put this together. Everything seems to be running fairly smoothly though, so I think it will go well. Hope to see you there!

Sarah

A College of Which Church?

The article we read in class the other day, "A College of Which Church?" by Mike Townsley and Professor Bouzard was really interesting and controversial. I've heard a few of my friends talk about this article before I read it and they all thought that Mike Townsley was really rude and completely wrong. So, when I read it, I was ready for him to be completely off-base and ridiculous. However, I did not find him to be as horrible as they made him sound. Yes, I think he made a lot of claims that were not very well supported, but some of what he said would have bothered me too. For instance, it would have been a little frustrating to me to go to Chapel and hear someone say they decided to believe in a "savior" that's better than Jesus. I strongly believe that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, and to denounce this in a church service would quite upset me.

I know I am very conservative on the  matter, but I in no means dislike other religions or other people of other religions because of this. And neither does Townsley. He said that it would be fine to interact and learn about other religions outside of the church service setting. I believe this to be completely true. However, Professor Bouzard's counter to this accusation was really good. Quoting the ELCA constitution and therefore proving that Townsley was only partially informed was a great pull to his argument. He also said that truth can be found in every person, no matter what religion they are. Although I believe that every religion has a nice aspect to it that can be learned about, I think Christians should be very careful in how much they filter into their own beliefs, for they could easily be swayed into thinking that the other religion is Heaven-leading too. For this reason, I believe that we shouldn't have those people speaking in a Christian service. Sorry if this sounds completely prejudiced. I really am not trying to be, but when it comes to my beliefs I get fairly defensive. Again, I have no problem talking and learning from them outside the church, and do not by any means think they shouldn't go to Chapel in general. I just don't think that they should speak at a service, making it look like the church advocates their religion.

The things about Townsley that made his argument flawed were mostly twisting information to fit his own argument. Not only did he only quote part of the ELCA contract, but he also said a "verse and prayer from another religion" was quoted during Holy Communion, omitting the fact that it was during a memorial service of a 9-11 attack. In this circumstance, I personally wouldn't have a problem with this quotation as long as it was during something like this. This twisting of information reminds me of State of Fear and how each side of the debate took information to meet their own needs. Also, as Professor Bouzard pointed out, Townsley did not speak to any of the pastors or religion faculty--a serious blow to his credibility and argument. In addition, making the claim that Wartburg is not a Lutheran-based college at all was extreme. I believe Wartburg has great ministry opportunities to give here, and to say that it is not meeting those expectations is quite ridiculous.

Townsley had many problems with his argument, and I believe that he could have done a better job of supporting his claims and with more thorough research. However, the point that he made about someone speaking at a Chapel service about how Jesus was not the only way to Heaven was something that I found to be fairly valid. In the other cases I believe the Professor Bouzard was correct in what he was saying. Also, Professor Bouzard just had a better argument in general that was much more credible than Townsley's.

Sarah

Stressed and Sick

I am getting very worried about getting all of my work done. I was looking forward to Thanksgiving break because I thought I could get caught up before Christmas with Wartburg really got going. But, I didn't know I'd get sick.

Yep. I'm sick. And therefore have gotten hardly any work done. I am very nervous for our final project for this class as well. I have read Timeline before, but haven't paid much attention to the science. I re-read the part where they explain the science of quantum mechanics, and think I understand it fairly well. However, I am not sure I can evaluate its accuracy by myself because I'm not real scientifically minded. And there's apparently not an article on Timeline in our book. I really thought there was, but there isn't and now I have no idea where I'm going to get sources.

I am also worried about my other classes. I have projects in them too, and haven't started them. And I haven't practiced my piano in two days. I am just very  nervous to come back to school because I know I won't have time to work on these things because of Christmas with Wartburg. However, now I'm sick and can't concentrate very well on my work. It's very frustrating to want to just spend time with your family during the holiday but be sick and bogged down with work instead.

Sorry for the depressing blog. I am just very frustrated and have no idea what I'm going to do. I think part of the reason I'm sick is because I lost so much sleep this past week trying to get all of my work done. I really don't want to be up late all next week if it made me sick once, but know that that's probably what will happen considering I'm already behind. Hopefully I'll be feeling better soon and will be able to get my work done.

Sarah

I am a little worried about the debate tomorrow. I have never done a debate before, and am not a very confrontational person. In high school it was a big deal for me to talk in class, let alone challenge someone else's ideas. I have never done a formal debate like this either, with rebuttals and question/answer sections. It will definitely be a different experience tomorrow.

I also have never written an annotated bibliography. I think it's good though that we're doing this because it seems like a nice, quick, easy way to get information. It seems like it will be nice to just have the source and then talk about what they said underneath it. It will also be different from an essay because you won't transition into different ideas and worry so much about the flow. I am also excited that this bibliography won't have an introduction or conclusion. I always find those the hardest to write when I write essays. It seems like it would be much easier just to write down the meat of the paper. I definitely understand the value of the introduction and conclusion. I just never have much to say in each of these paragraphs. Anyway, it will be a good experience to complete one of these, especially in a basic freshman course like this, because it will give me something to look back on a reference to throughout my four years here.

I think that both the debate and the bibliography will teach me a lot about different ways to present an argument and information. I have never done either one, so I am a bit nervous for how they will come out. But I think all in all it will teach me something, which is the most important thing.

Sarah

State of Fear

First off, before I start talking about State of Fear, I would like to mention that I am writing this post and it is not a Sunday night. I'm pretty proud of myself because I actually remembered to blog! I often times forget about them until Sunday, which isn't like me since I'm normally very on top of things. Anyway, besides that, I am also very excited to be finished reading State of Fear.

It was a good book, and I actually did enjoy most of it. I think it was just difficult for me to get through the assigned readings. I did get the book finished on time though, and I thought it was pretty good. I thought Crichton made a fairly good argument and it was entertaining as well. I didn't like it as much of other books of his that I've read though mainly because it focused more on the political and large corporation part than some of his other stuff. It also didn't seem to have as much action as Timeline or Jurassic Park. So, although it wasn't as exciting it was still a good read. It was nice reading something for a class that wasn't necessarily great literature. It's been a long time since I got to read a book like that for class.

As for the global warming part of the book, I cannot say what I really believe. I have been sort of skeptical about global warming from the start, but I think that's mostly because my parents are highly doubtful of it. I haven't done the research to form an opinion for myself yet, and I don't want to say it doesn't exist simply on the basis that my parents don't believe in it. It was therefore very interesting reading State of Fear and then reading the article "Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid" in our book. They were both so different but both seemed like they could be right. I think doing research on this topic will help me formulate an opinion. It's kind of nice that I get to do the research because I've been wanting to for a while anyway to figure out what I think but I just don't have the time. This assignment will force me to do the digging anyway, so that's a plus.

I suppose this is a part of the college experience. The whole figuring out your own opinion and becoming your own person type of thing. I'm excited that I get to do some of that for this class, even if it's only on one topic for now. Hopefully by the time I graduate I will have learned a lot about this world and will be able to defend what I believe more effectively.

Reading

I've noticed that I've written quite a few blogs about music. I guess this is understandable because I'm music major, but I've decided to write one about other things I really enjoy. Considering you wanted us to write these blogs to get to know us better, I'm going to see that you see me not just as a music person.

I love to read. I love reading particularly fantasy or science-fiction novels. Or at least something with some action in it. I hate the really girly middle school books or the super mushy romantic ones. I find them to be quite boring, and would rather read something with some more creativity and edge-of-the-seat scenes. I guess I've already written about Harry Potter, and that's a fantasy novel. But I would say that Michael Crichton is actually one of my favorite authors. I haven't read too many of his works yet, but have liked what I have read (Jurassic Park, The Lost World, Timeline, Prey, and now almost State of Fear). My favorite would definitely have to be Timeline (though I believe Jurassic Park to be just about as skillful). Prey and The Lost World were okay, but I wasn't as big of a fan of them.

Other than those genres, I also like to read Christian books. I haven't read too many of these yet, but do like C. S. Lewis quite a bit. I thought his book Mere Christianity was quite skillful, and is probably the best argument for the existence of God and the truth of Christianity I have ever read. I also thoroughly enjoyed The Screwtape Letters. It is about an elder demon giving a younger demon directions on how to tempt Christians. It was very enlightening and creative. I love these books because they help deepen who I am and what I believe.

I love that reading can enlighten your opinions of yourself, others, and the world around you. It has always been something I could do for hours on end and not get bored. It is nice to know that no matter what changes during college, my books always stay the same.

Owl City

Owl City is my favorite band. It is project by a guy named Adam Young, and rather than having a real band, Adam mixes all his songs on his computer. However, when he performs live he brings live musicians rather than just his computer full of mixes. Owl City has always been an inspiration to me ever since I found out about the band a little over a year ago.

Although the project has been around since 2007, I didn't discover it until 2009, a little before it got big with his single "Fireflies." Its the only song by him that I've heard on the radio, however, others of his songs I find to be equally amazing. I have since seen him live and have bought all his Owl City CD's. Me saying that I actually have a favorite band is a thing in itself, considering I love so much music. But Owl City definitely is my favorite because he is just so uplifting and cheerful.

I'm not sure if you noticed, but this Adam Young is the same Adam Young I often quote in these blogs. He is just one of the most inspiring people I have ever had the honor of reading and listening to his work. He is such and optimist, and his music definitely portrays that. Although I often time don't understand his lyrics because they are so abstract, it is impossible not to smile while listening to his music. It is so unique. It isn't necessarily pop, electric, or techno, but rather a sort of mix of them all with lots of happiness thrown in. This music makes me better appreciate the power of music and how it can completely change your mood around. Owl City can always cheer me up, and Adam Young always provides the challenge for me to be more optimistic. In the midst of all the stress from college life, Adam is an inspiration and reminds me with his music and blogs to look at the brighter side of all situations.

Harry Potter

I am totally and insanely excited for November 19th. I'm not sure if you are a fan, but that happens to be the date the next Harry Potter movie comes out. Hopefully I will be able to get tickets for a midnight showing as well, because I can hardly wait and there's still 19 more days to go!

Harry Potter has been a part of my life since I was in elementary school. I still remember my excitement when I first learned they were going to make a movie. I remember telling my mom that I was going to see it no matter what, even if it was rated PG-13 (which they were considering because of the witchcraft). When I was a kid my mom used to read the books to me and my siblings and we all thoroughly enjoyed them, even though my mom and I were the only two to finish the whole series.

quote one of my favorite movies, You've Got Mail, "When you read a book as a child, it becomes a part of your identity in a way that no other reading in your whole life does." I believe this is true, at least for me and Harry Potter. I have learned a lot from the series. I have learned the about the value of friendship, the power of love, and the value of loyalty, courage, and integrity. It has really become a part of who I am. It really got me into reading. Although I have always loved reading, it was one of the first series I actually really liked. Also, it got me into more kinds of books in the fantasy genre, a genre I still enjoy today.


People sometimes refer to Harry Potter as a series which "defines a generation." I believe this has a lot of truth in it, and am completely ecstatic about the new movie coming out soon.

Home

I am finally home! I have been looking forward to fall break for the past two weeks, and it's really nice that it's here. However, it is very strange too. When I woke up this morning it was really weird waking up in a bed that wasn't a few feet from the ceiling. Also, the weirdest part is not seeing my roommate. We have become very close friends, and since we share a room we seen and talk to each other often. Talking to her is even more distracting than facebook! So being here without her is weird for sure. I miss not having my friends all around me. This is what surprises me the most. I have always been a homebody and never really did stuff with friends during high school. I had friends and many people who I enjoyed being around, but I just preferred to read a book or watch a movie by myself. Throughout high school, many nights were spent just talking to my parents or watching a movie with them. I was worried when I went to college that I would be frustrated by the constant company of others, and no space that was just mine. However, I now realize that it hasn't bothered me a bit. I suppose I am just very lucky to have been assigned a roommate like Amanda. She is someone I have become friends with and don't mind sharing my room with in the least. I am already looking forward to going back to see her and everyone else!

The only thing I don't want to go back to is the practice rooms at school. I dislike practicing in such a drab, confined, boring space that's a walk across campus from my room. It is so much nicer being able to practice at home with my family around to hear it and enjoy. Also, I like being able to practice and here them talking in the other room. It helps keep me relaxed, because when I'm by myself in those practice rooms it's very easy to become stressed about the next thing on my list. Hearing people here at home while practicing gives just enough distraction so I don't stress as much, but still allows me to concentrate on my playing.

So, things have turned out in quite the opposite way that I imagined. I thought I would have trouble being around people all the time, but really, it's what I miss most right now when I'm at home by myself while my family is at work or school. However, the only time I was alone at college (in the practice room) is what I don't miss at all. Rather, I enjoy having others around while I'm playing. It's funny how things turned out, but I think that for the most part I'm happy about how they ended up. I'm very thankful that I am fine with sharing a room all the time and can connect with other people without getting to irritated and itching for some time alone. College has showed me that I am able to be around people more often than I thought. I'm happy I got to learn something about myself there that isn't related to Mozart, four-part voice writing, or perfect intervals.

Wartburg Wind Ensemble

One of the groups I am involved in on campus is the WCCB. I believe it is one of the best groups I have ever been a part of, and I so thankful that I have the opportunity to be involved with them. I'm sure I am quite biased, but I think music people are one of the best groups of people in the world. Or, more specifically, band people are (choir people are nice, but I believe they can be a bit overdramatic at times. I realize this is a huge stereotype not true for them all, but as a whole I feel more comfortable around band people). I love how they are fun to be around and usually a little nerdy as well. At home I became really close to my band, especially my section, and I can tell that this will definitely happen here with the Wind Ensemble as well.

When I first found out I made Wind Ensemble I was very excited, but also a little nervous. I had never expected to be put in the touring band because I've never really taken trumpet seriously. It has always been something just for fun (piano has always been the serious instrument), and I never practiced in high school. However, now, in Wind Ensemble, I am expected to be much more than I ever thought I would or could be. That being said, my first rehearsal was obviously intimidating. However, the people there are just great. I am so thankful that my section has been friendly and kind ever since I started band. One of the guys I met the night I tried out, and he was immediately friendly. It was really great to know a familiar face when I went to rehearsal and he has been very friendly ever since. Another guy really made an effort to talk to me during band bonding weekend, which I greatly appreciated. The player I sit beside also helps me feel apart of the group because he often asks me how my day went. Everyone is just so kind and friendly, and although it was very intimidating at first, the more I am in rehearsal the more I feel like I belong there.

Outside my section people are also friendly too. If I ever have a concern I know the council members will listen and not judge me if I ask something most upperclassmen already know. Also, there are a number of other people who always says hi to me around campus, even remembering my name.

At first I felt like maybe it was bad that I was put in that group because I just felt intimidated, but I realize now that it was such a great blessing. The people there are some of the nicest people I have met so far at Wartburg, and they have definitely made my transition to college much easier. I just wanted to take a minute to blog about them because they have been one of the best parts of my college experience so far.

Sarah

Social Change Wheel

According to the Social Change Wheel, I am demonstrate Socially Responsible Daily Behavior and Direct Service. I try my hardest to be a good citizen by little things, such as not using plastic bags when I go shopping or making an effort to recycle. I have also worked with Direct Service, such as making meals for the homeless through the church. This wheel made me feel like sort of a lazy person to be honest. I don't do hardy any of the things on here. I think a part of it may be that I don't have any kind of cause that I care strongly enough about to fight for. The thing that I would care most about would probably be God. So I make my best effort to be involved at my church and serve others on a day to day basis to show this faith, but don't take part in a bigger project. The church I went to back how didn't do so much service projects as they did Bible studies and youth programs. Therefore, I served within the church (played on worship team, worked in the nursery), but did not do much outside of it. If I did, it was usually with my friend's church which did more service things.

Although these service things are good, they don't fit into the many of things this wheel suggests. They do not make some grand change in the way our community runs. I do wish I did more community service within a church, but don't really have a desire to start a group committed to a cause or a political thing. I think it's because I don't have much knowledge about politics and haven't taken the time to learn about things before. However,  I do want to be more informed. I think my goal will be to be more informed about what's going on and develop the ability to make my own decisions. I would say that I am conservative because that's the way I was raised, but would like the opportunity to form my own opinions. Other than that, I don't really have a desire to be involved, at least not right now. Maybe some sort of cause will catch my eye and I'll go for it, but for now I'm content just being a good individual citizen. And I don't think that you can really force someone to advocate for something if they don't feel strongly about it.

The thing I feel strongly about right now is my faith, so I think I'll stick with being involved in a church, developing a better relationship with God, and living life the best I can on a daily basis to show this faith. And, quite honestly, I don't see what's wrong with that, at least for right now. I believe that if a cause will come up that I should join, I'll do it then.

Sarah

Balance

I am not a balanced person. I am having a hard time trying to find time for all the different areas of my life. I remember at the beginning of the year you talked about juggling all the different parts of life. Well, I'm pretty sure that my activities and aspects of my own life are going to fall fairly soon. It isn't so much that the classwork is difficult, but mostly my piano music that is the hardest of all.

I think the biggest problem is that I am unprepared for the level of performance on the piano. I have always been pretty good, but I have never practiced for two or more hours every day during the school year. It has always been more like 45-60 minutes, and not every day. This year has been difficult because, although I now practice 2-3 hours, I don't have any let up on the homework load of my other classes. Although I am used to hard classes and hard homework, I am not used to hard piano. I know how to deal with the difficulty of AP Literature or Calculus, but am unable to deal with the complexity of a Scriabin Prelude. Most of the time I feel like I am behind in all of my work. And, as you can see, it is 9 minutes until midnight on Sunday, and I am just now writing this blog.

It isn't that I don't want to write the blogs. I actually do like them because it gives me a chance to reflect on things, and, as I mentioned in a previous blog, I really do like reflecting on different areas of my life. My biggest issue is that I forget about them. I think I will make a habit of putting sticky notes on my desk to remind me to blog.

Anyway, I think what I need to do to become more balanced is to just continue scheduling everything out. This will keep me from getting to stressed because I will see a slot of time for where each activity will go. I am hoping this will keep my life better balanced, and that I will still get to see friends sometimes too, for it is not humanly possible to work all the time (or, even if it is possible, it cannot be healthy). Therefore, it is my goal to keep trying, and not to give up. Although getting frustrated and wanting to stop is my initial response to stress, I will keep plowing ahead even if I feel behind in my coursework and piano pieces. I think that if I learn anything this year, it will be to at least keep going strong even when you know things may not alway be your quality work or may not go as you like.

Sarah

Animal Dreams

I have realized that I haven't blogged about Animal Dreams yet. For the most part, I think I liked the book. I liked how, although it wasn't a hard read, it did bring up interesting, thoughtful questions throughout the novel. I appreciated that it was a deeper novel than just the normal formula fiction book and it raised questions hard questions about who you are and where you come from. I especially liked how it talked about balancing one's life as well as the different cultures like Loyd's family. I know that I am more of a close-minded person, but I still could appreciate his culture, which was pretty cool.

Although I am not as environmentalist as Codi, I did like that she had a purpose and something to drive toward in the novel. The fight to save the town's orchard was an interesting thing to read about, and it made the book seem more meaningful. I loved how she was so passionate about the earth. It reminded me about how passionate I am about my music. It also was pretty inspiring, as it challenged me to care more about my planet. This was especially evident when they talked about using the earth and keeping God's garden. I really liked how they compared the earth to God's garden or God's backyard. It made things more personal for me because I take my faith seriously. Therefore, it was a challenge to take the earth seriously as well. I never thought about how maybe we aren't supposed to use up the earth, but are rather to just appreciate it. It is definitely something to think about.

I know I do appreciate nature, especially since it's God's creation, but I always thought He made it for us in a way. This goes to show my selfish side, which is something I need to work on. Animal Dreams was a nice read because it made me think more about how I treat the earth and how open-minded I should be when it comes to others' opinions. I will try to become more open-minded and more appreciative of the world around me.

Lack of Reflection

Today, as always, I mapped out what I needed to get done today and the amount of time I thought it would take me to finish all the tasks. When I added up all the things, I realized that I wouldn't be finished until 10:00 tonight. Sad. That was my immediate reaction to that realization. No time to talk to friends? No time to even eat dinner? Or waste just a little bit of time on the computer? Really?

It is ever-difficult to adjust to the amount of work and the small amount of time I have to fit everything in. I am not sure how to get it all done. Also, I have realized that I am the sort of person who likes to reflect on everything. After I learn something, (if it is something I'm interested that in that is) I like to think about how it can be applied to my life. How it can connect to me as a person, how it could connect to my faith, how it can help me in my future career, or how it could can apply to past experiences I have had. Without this time to reflect on everything, it is becoming difficult for me to enjoy a lot of my classes. For instance, my pedagogy class talks about different aspects of being a piano teacher. Although the class is great, and the ideas we come up with are fantastic, it is hard for me to appreciate it. After we talk through things in class and do an assignment over it we immediately move on to something else. When we do these assignments I'd often times like to take the time to reflect during this time, but it is so difficult because I just have too much going on. I find myself becoming more of a performance learner and completing the assignment just to have it done. This realization is somewhat frightening since this class is basically what I'm majoring in and what I would like to go into as a career.

I think what I may have to do is take good notes and go over them all again in a reflective state over winter break or the summer when I have the time. It is just too difficult to think like that right now, when I have hours of practice time to schedule, other assignments to complete, people to talk to and sleep to think about. I wish that there was more time to think about things more critically in my other classes as well. I am disappointed that, although I take my faith very seriously, I don't have the time to connect what we are talking about in religion to build up my faith. And I am also disappointed that I can't find time to play the piano for the love of it. I am always so stressed about getting the allotted goals for my lesson finished that I can't take the time to think about how amazing the music really is. I wish I could work on a development for my love of piano, but I am just not sure when that will be.

Overall, I have enjoyed the college experience. But it is just difficult to enjoy all my classes when I do not have the time to reflect. It makes me feel much better when I can think things through logically and slowly, making sure I understand everything and making connections. But I suppose that will have to wait until a break when I have more time.

Sarah Ann

Performance and Mastery Learners

The article we read by Barry Schwartz which discussed the performance and mastery learners was very interesting. Like I'm sure many college students, I found that I am mainly a performance learner. I also learned that I could be a mastery learner, but in a setting outside of school. This confirms the idea he had that school puts pressure on students so they don't want to learn anymore.

One of the things I did find that was slightly frustrating though, was how Schwartz never mentioned anything about the time commitment being a mastery learner takes. He mentioned many other factors, but this basic factor he seemed to skim over. To be a mastery learner takes time. It takes a lot of time to really dig into an assignment or class, to think everything through critically, and to develop an interest in a subject. Yes, this is all great to do, but how do students do this in every class? If they took the time to be that kind of learner in every subject, I would like to meet their friends (because I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have any, considering they would spend all their time studying). It is unrealistic that a person could be that kind of learner in all classes. If they were, they wouldn't sleep or have a social life. And that's if they can even complete all of their assignments. I know that if I wanted to be a mastery learner in not just my piano, but also in my trumpet, theory, and religion class, then I would never complete all of my assignments. It's just not possible, because there isn't enough time.

Schwartz may argue that being a mastery learner is worth the time, and if I didn't get the assignments done then that was okay as long as I learned something. Well, I don't think professors take that sort of excuse when you refuse to hand in work, or hand in something that is unfinished. What would happen if, tomorrow, I decided in my Animal Dreams essay that I would only connect it to one pillar of Wartburg? And that I did this because I wanted to really dig into this one pillar, and although I didn't get enough time to connect Animal Dreams to all the pillars, I really learned a lot about this one pillar. Would you accept it? Would you decide it was okay that I only did one fourth of the assignment? Maybe you would and I've assumed wrongly. But the chances are, that it wouldn't be the right thing you were looking for.

I suppose that with this mindset, I am still considering the factor of an overall grade on this essay, or on whatever uncompleted assignments in general. But honestly, when you apply for a job, do bosses really want to hire you if you have a C average in college? It just doesn't seem practical in our competitive world to try to be perfectly mastery in all subjects.

This is why I believe that one should choose to be mastery in some subjects and be a performance learner in others. Perhaps you really dig into courses within your major, and then maybe one other that you find particularly interesting that connects with who you are of with what you are majoring in. Maybe that would work. The thing is, while reading this article, all I could think of was how I am barely getting everything done and staying sane the way I am right now, while I am a performance learner in many areas. I can't think of putting more work into my religion class. No matter how much I would like to (and I would, considering I'm a perfectionist) I just don't see how it is possible with the amount of other things I have to do. So that class ends up being one that is more performance than mastery.

I think for this argument to have to work the college would have to change things to give students more time to think critically in all areas and to apply themselves to everything. Perhaps they would take less classes, take summer classes, or not graduate in four years. These options don't sound desirable at all; however, I don't see how students (at least for me) could be mastery learners in all things without this sort of adjustment.

So, that seems to be my opinion on the article. Schwartz did make some very valid points though, and I agree that being a mastery learner definitely sounds a lot more rewarding and fulfilling than a performance learner. But I just fail to see how to change my habits to accomplish this without giving up important things, like seeing friends and sleeping.

Today is a Journey

Earlier this week I read an amazing blog by a guy named Adam Young. Then, when we talked about liberal learning, I found that it could be connected to what it meant to learn in such a way. Liberal learning was expressed as learning just for the sake of discovery and interest, as well as paying attention to the learning itself and not just the destination. I really liked what the writer (Giamatti I think) said about the "real world." It is a common phrase that I often use in the way he was speaking out against. This is the real world. Right now. And we shouldn't keep waiting for things to start to start appreciate everything.

Yes, we may not have our degrees yet, or be able to get a job, but we are on the path and we are in the middle of the journey. As Young says, "Sometimes life is not about the destination, but about the journey designed to take you there." I think often times we get so caught up in where we are going that we forget to pay attention to what's going on around us. "That's when I realize I'm tired of waiting. I'm so sick of wishing I was there already. I'd rather look around and not have to squint to see the beauty that literally lies everywhere." This statement Young makes hits me because he mentions that beauty is everywhere. I often get so caught up in what I'm doing and all the stress that I hardly ever notice such beauty. I think that when we are in the midst of all our studies and homework and tests and papers we should remember to look around and take it all in. I mean, we only get four years of a college experience, and the path we take towards our goal is, in the sense of liberal learning, just as important as the eventual goal. A piece of paper stating you have a degree doesn't make you the person you are. The choices, experiences, and challenges you encounter up until graduation day are what make you who you are when you accept that degree. After all, we have no idea when we could leave this earth, and should be making each moment count as something other than just waiting for the next great thing.

This is what I am going to try to bear in mind as I work my way through the week. I am going to try to make something of the coming days. Rather than just doing enough to get by, I am going to try to focus on the things that are most important to me, whether they are academic, social, or spiritual. I need to stop concentrating on getting my work all finished and fantastic, and think more about the kind of person I want to be and how I will bring about such a change. As I noticed with high school, you only have four years to build that self up, and who you graduate as is most likely who those people will remember you as. Most likely, they won't really see you after graduation day. I've learned those four years goes by crazy fast. And it is my goal to be remembered as someone who cares about other people, not just someone who gets good grades. As Giamatti and Adam Young both state, this journey is just as important as the place I'll be four years from now.

Sarah Ann

Opposite Way

Right now I am listening to "Opposite Way" by Leeland. It's a really good song, because it encourages you to do your own thing despite what others are doing or what they think you should do. I think this is applicable to my life right now. I have a tendency to do things because it's what I think I'm supposed to do, or because I know it'll make other people happy. Honestly, it's probably the main reason I'm at Wartburg right now--I'm just supposed to go to college. It's just the way it is, the way I was raised.

In this circumstance this mindset hasn't been a bad thing. I am glad that I am here, happy to be a part of the Wartburg campus, classes, and community. But in other situations it's just plain frustrating to think like that. I think I need to start analyzing what I want to do and why I want to do things without any outside interference. Other people's opinions are good, but I think they have a tendency to put pressure on me to do what they want. It is my new goal this week to start living for what I believe is right, and listen to God and not everyone else. The song "Opposite Way" was just a really nice reminder of Who I should be listening to. The song says it's okay to do the opposite of what everyone else is doing. It also says that we are not the only ones who run that different way. And as the songs states, "He ran the opposite way, through the cross He conquered the grave, so you could run the opposite way."

My Musical Journey

Before I left for college I made a CD of my favorite songs from as far back as I can remember. Music has always been a big part of my life, and so I wanted to have a CD of songs that represented times in my life from when I was under ten years old until I graduated. Today I got out those CD's (there ended up being three...there were way too many songs for me to put on one), and I just thought about how much they communicate to me. About who I am, who I have become, and how much I've grown.

My taste of music has totally changed. When I was younger I listened to what my parents listened to: oldies, country, and Jimmy Buffet. Not the greatest selection of music (at least, that's what I think now). The only thing that sounded similar has been the few jazz songs I put on there from that era. I still really love jazz music. However, I remember singing those songs, like Jimmy Buffet's "Volcano" or Shania Twain's "Man! I Feel Like a Woman" and having so much fun. I remember being so cheerful back then. Music wasn't serious. It was just fun. I didn't think about what instruments were used or really what the songs meant. I just liked to listen.

Later, in sixth grade, I really started getting involved with music. I started getting into Christian rock, which is the kind of stuff I still listen to now (with some variations though I suppose). Middle school years were huge growing years for me. Finally, I began relating the songs to my life and thinking about what the lyrics actually meant. I never liked listening just for the sound anymore. If the message was stupid, then often times I thought the song was too. They were great years for me, because music became more than something to just listen to. I formulated songs to listen to for all moods: cheerful, upset, studious, ambitious, angry, silly...there were so many songs to listen to and they always made me feel better.

Finally, high school came, and so did a further appreciation of music. Unlike the previous years, where I listened to songs for their message, I started to listen to music that had a unique sound to it. Yes, I would still make sure the lyrics weren't completely disgusting or just plain dumb, but I had more of a focus on a unique sound. Maybe it was the inclusion of mallets, different rhythms, interesting time signatures, or maybe some Skillet, which combined rock with strings. It was here where my appreciation for the artistry behind the songs came. I discovered Owl City, now my favorite band, and other electronica/techno bands that sounded somewhat similar. Also, I started listening to music without any lyrics at all. Movie soundtracks, symphonies, or something relaxing and melodic, like a band called Port Blue, that is perfect for drifting away.

It was so much fun to make these CD's that represent how much I've grown as a musician and how much I have developed my taste in music. There are songs that I listen to and have distinct memories about when I listened to them. Such as "The More," by downhere, which my friend and I always sang along to. Or "In the Mood" by Glenn Miller, the song I heard at about eight years old and automatically knew I wanted to play it on the trumpet someday, because I loved that swing feel of it.

I think it's quite amazing that these songs can represent so much about who a person is and who they are becoming. Listening to particular songs can bring back so many wonderful, or painful, memories that you thought had long gone. They represent so much of who I am--they give a voice to my feelings and, when it comes to the Christian songs, my faith. I love listening to them because it reminds me that I have grown. I just can't wait to see what Wartburg has in store for me for not just my musical tastes, but also as a person. I know that in both areas there will be songs to express the way I am always changing and developing.

My Friend Maddie

Yesterday, as I was reading through Facebook, I saw that my friend Maddie had posted a video. Another friend of mine had requested Maddie sing the song "Sarah Brown Eyes," so Maddie made a youtube video, "I love Harry Potter! And singing :D." In it, she not only sings the song, but also spends the first few minutes freaking out about Harry Potter, since she is a huge fan.

It totally made my day to see that video. Not only because Maddie reminds me of home, but also because she is just so exciting to watch. She is quite possibly the most animated, energetic, and opinionated person I know. Watching her talk about something she has strong feelings about, rather positive or negative, is quite entertaining. Maddie makes facial expressions, talks with her hands, and talks in different voices. She is so expressive about almost anything she talks about. It is no surprise she is a musical theater major, for she can sing and act like no one I've ever seen. In this case, it was Harry Potter that she was so enthusiastic about. One minute she is excited for the movie, the next she is angered that they changed important details, and then she is singing "Sarah Brown Eyes."

Maddie is somewhat of an inspiration to me. She just has so much passion for whatever she likes, even if it is something that wouldn't normally be a big deal. I wonder what it would be like if everyone was that excited about things. I often am not so enthusiastic about practicing, and although I love music, sometimes I view it more as work than as something to enjoy and be passionate about. Maddie, however, almost always is so excited about playing, learning, singing, and listening to music. This definitely shows up in her performances as well, for she is one of the most talented people I know. Feeling that passionate must work for her and really improve her art of singing and theater. Seeing her being so cartoon-like and zealous reminds me to have the same excitement in my own life. If she can freak out about Harry Potter with such passion, I think I should be able to be just as, or more passionate about my piano.

New Goal: Living for Others

Lately I've noticed how much of my time is spent thinking about my stuff. My piano, my trumpet, my homework, my problems, my stress...when I stopped to actually think about how much time I spend thinking about all my things it was quite surprising. I realized that I hardly ever think about how my friends are doing, or whether the people I meet are adjusting to college all right, or about whether my roommate's making new friends. I think that all this adjusting has started to make me a bit self-centered.

It is difficult to try and think about other people when there is just so much on your mind mentally and emotionally. But the thing is, all first years are probably feeling like this. Or, at least a good majority. So if we're all feeing overwhelmed, and none of us have the energy to help others, that can be slightly problematic. For when you're overwhelmed, that's probably when you need help the most.

I'm starting to realize that I need to rewire my brain so that it thinks about others more often. I think that thinking of others more than yourself may be one of the keys to living a purposeful, meaningful life. And living such a life is what I try to strive for. It's a pretty high goal, honestly, but I think it's worth the shot to try.

It would be quite easy to say that I'll just start working on being selfless after I adjust more, after I'm less stressed, or after I make closer friendships. But what is that doing really? When will I really be less stressed? How much of a closer friendship? If adjusting takes me until semester, then I will have wasted a whole semester without even trying. All just because I'll "work on it later." It would be easy to make these excuses. But I have a feeling it'll never happen if I keep pushing it to the back burner.

I was reading a blog the other day by Adam Young, creator of the band Owl City. He said something that made me think: "I desire a steadfast, stalwart and committed life, and somehow by occasionally imagining that 'life' as a true reality in full color, I am inspired to tackle the job with more vigor than I ever have before." I think that part of my problem isn't just stress and busyness, it's that I don't see the task as completely possible. I think if I start imagining it happening, it is possible that I could actually try to do it. Although this task seems difficult in the mist of all the things in my life, I believe Paul said it best when he said "with God all things are possible."


Sarah

A Winning Smile

Last night, at 7:00, I met Callie. Callie is seven. She was wearing a cheerful, classic seven-year old smile--the kind with teeth missing and others slightly crooked--with a yellow dress to match its brightness. She was immediately happy to see me, and excited to get started on our piano lesson. This was her first piano lesson ever, and I, as her teacher, had prepared the basics so she could start learning. It was an honor to be able to work with such a vibrant spirit. We were only learning finger numbers and simple, elementary exercises, but she took to it with excitement. After every time she would complete the basic exercise, she would look at me and smile her biggest smile. As if to say: "look what I just played! Didn't it sound just fabulous? I am such a great player!" It was clear that she was enjoying her playing, even if it was only hitting every white key down the piano. It wasn't a real song, didn't sound extravagant, and wasn't played perfectly. But her smile said otherwise.

Working with Callie last night inspired me. Seeing how easily overjoyed she was with such simple things surprised me, to the point of examining my own playing and practicing. I often times get discouraged while practicing, as I am a perfectionist, and hardly ever smile so brightly while I am working. Piano, for a long time, has been more like a job for me. Trying to get the right notes, the correct articulations, and eliminating  all tension while playing is usually what I am focusing on. I have realized that I hardly ever think of my accomplishments. After I finish playing a piece, instead of smiling, I immediately grab a pencil, mark my mistake, and try again and again until I get it right.

Because playing the piano brings its frustrations and discouragements, often times I don't look forward to practicing. I think about what I have to get done, what skills I have to master, and forget to think about what an amazing thing playing the piano is. Even though my songs communicate much more than the simple exercises Callie played, I often fail to feel the joy from playing them that should be ever present in my attitude and playing.

My goal this week is to be more like Callie. It is to acknowledge my successes, take pride in my playing, and concentrate on the good things I play more than the bad. At the end of my practice or lesson, I want to be able to say what Callie said to me before she left "I wish I had piano lesson tomorrow too!" She then gave me a hug, and one of her winning smiles. I think it is incredible the way that she had only known me for half an hour but already wanted to give me a hug. Such actions can only be found in children, and they are an inspiration to me to be open to others and feel comfortable around all people, even when I am still just meeting others here at Wartburg.

Seeing her obvious joy, obvious delight, in something so small and so simple has taught me something about approaching not just the piano, but also about approaching all things. If I were to approach every task, even the easy or basic ones, with a smile as big as Callie's, I believe I would enjoy life more and have a better attitude. Teaching Callie reminded me why I am majoring in music in the first place, and why I have decided to go into teaching piano. Although I was the one who taught her her exercises, she has taught me that enjoying myself is just as important as getting the right notes.

Sarah

Busyness and Michael Crichton

The hardest part so far about adjusting to college has been trying to figure out when I'm going to do everything. Majoring in music has already proven to be an intensive major, and I have only had three days of classes. I am worried I won't have enough time to attend class, study for class, practice three hours a day (2 for piano, one for trumpet), attend band rehearsal, teach piano lessons three times a week, learn accompaniment music and attend vocal lessons for it, have trumpet and piano lessons, and still find time to have a life (and sleep!). It makes me wonder if other majors are this intensive too. It seems like for something like English you would only have class, regular studying, and a couple of extra curriculars that you could just enjoy. I am worried I won't be able to maintain a good grade point and still get enough out of my musical classes/ensembles.

Other than the worry about the academic part of college, it hasn't been as hard adjusting as I originally thought it would. It helps that I have five people here that I knew before hand. But I have also met new people as well, through band or our IS class. It is helpful that there are these kind of organizations, like band, that instantly allow you to meet people. I am glad I have the opportunity to be a part of them because it makes the transition that much easier.

I am looking forward to getting into the Michael Crichton parts of this class. I haven't read many of his books, just Timeline, Prey, Jurassic Park, and The Lost World. I have liked all of these though, especially Timeline. I am excited to get into talking about his works. I am definitely more of an English person than a science person though. I am a little worried about making scientific connections, but since you said it wasn't that big of deal if we weren't so knowledgable in that area I'm not too worried about it. I do enjoy analyzing literature though, such as finding themes and studying different elements of fiction. I don't know how much of this class involves that, if any part at all, but I have thoroughly enjoyed Michael Crichton and look forward to working with his novels.

I'm sure I'll get into a swing of things that makes me more comfortable, and hope that things will seem more manageable once I have a routine. I'm looking forward to continuing Jurassic Park Monday!

--Sarah