A New School Year; A New Major

I have a confession to make: I haven't posted on here in quite a long time. Ah, such is life.

I started school at LDS Business College in Salt Lake City last week. I absolutely love it! There is no other school like LDSBC on earth! Sorry to break it to you, but even BYU doesn't compare. (I'm sure I just ruffled a few feathers with that one!) I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed this first week. Every Tuesday, we have a devotional. The president of the college spoke to us this week. President Richard's talk was outstanding. He had so much power in what he taught us. If I had been sitting on a chair (I was on the floor due to not finding a seat), I would have been on the edge of it. I literally had all my attention and focus on what he was saying by the end of his message.

It has been quite a "culture shock" to go from studying music terms to medical terms. Both subjects start with the letter M, but that is where the similarity stops. If I had been told eight months ago that I would be studying to be a Medical Assistant, I probably would have laughed in your face. I'm discovering how much I like the medical field; it's something I feel I can grow with and into. In my Medical Laboratory Procedures class, we are starting to learn lab tests that are done primarily in a medical office. It's kind of weird to think that I will know how to take blood by the end of this semester.

In class next week, I get to practice taking a clean catch mid-stream urine sample! How exciting is that? I'm sure every one of you are wanting to be in my place next week when it is my turn to 1) give a sample, and 2) test another student's sample! I'm looking really forward to next week and all the knowledge I will gain this school year. Why am I looking forward to testing some one's urine? Primarily because I get to wear fancy new navy blue scrubs to class! (Pictures will follow.) That's the honest truth! I am also excited because I will have done it. There won't be a first time for that lab test again.

So, here's to learning all about OSHA and CLIA this year and how to be a lawful and ethical practitioner!

Commence Countdown

I tallied the days left on the calendar until my move to Provo today. There are less days than I thought! The total is less than fifty!! That is not a lot of time to accomplish everything I need to. However, it is not time to panic... yet. That will come when I have two weeks left.

The rental agreement for my apartment arrived today. Signing the agreement will make this real. So far my move has been in the planning and talking stages. I started announcing it soon after I returned from my trip to Utah three weeks ago, but it felt so far into the future. It felt almost as if I was imagining that I would move to Provo. Yet, now it is almost here! There is so much to do before I move: replacing my windshield, packing my life (most of it rather), arranging my finances, finishing my current classes, planning YSA activities.

This is where I must say my two cents about lists. I have a love-hate relationship with lists. I abhor them because I have spent at least the last decade of my life being told to make a list. That is my rebellious nature coming out. However, I have come to recognize the helpfulness of lists over that same decade of my life. I have a list of tasks I need to accomplish in the next 40 days; I have a list for items I need and want to take with me. I think I may even have a list of lists! Boy, do I have a lot to do over the next six weeks!

A Peek at Provo!

I'm spending my spring break in Utah. For most of my break, I'm staying with my brother and his family, but last weekend I saw my Triad friends in Provo. Let me tell you, I love Provo! I am so excited to move there soon. I feel as though I can grow so much by being in Provo.

I'll be living and sharing a room with my friend, Hungry. I'm really looking forward to the chance to spend time with her again. I've missed her the last six months! It was great to preview the apartment I'll be living in and the ward I'll be attending. I thought you'd like to preview the apartment, too.

I had the chance to tour Utah Valley University (UVU) while I was there. UVU is in Orem and is about fifteen minutes away from where I'd be living. I can't say I absolutely love UVU, but it's a good school. It has a good music program and a good nursing program. It will certainly be a big and hard change to move out of the house and away from home, but I know it is what I need to do. The Lord has a plan for me. I can't see all of what it is, but I am given glimpses every now and then.

Here I Come A-Planning

As you may have guessed, I am a planner. I am constantly looking ahead at where I am going next. I'll tell everyone what my plan is, and then, lo and behold, the plan changes. With all my changing of plans, I have driven my parents nuts. They even have started teasing me about having a "plan of the day, hour, week..."

There is a new plan in the works with a lot of new and exciting things happening! I won't spoil it by saying what it is because it will change if I do. Just know it's involves a few BIG changes!!!

Paka

Singing While Using Sight

I'm jumping back into being a music major this term, and it is HARD work! Seriously, I don't remember Ear Training being so hard! We had a sight singing quiz yesterday in class, and I was amazed at the miracle I was blessed with.

For those of you who are wondering, sight singing is just that- singing by sight. The instructor is being nice to us and letting us practice the several selections prior to our test; therefore, this wasn't true sight singing. When you sight read a piece of music, you play or sing it on the first try without having looked at it before hand.

My miracle is this: I made it through to the end of my test! That may not seem like a lot, but it is. I hadn't studied too hard for this quiz because I was studying for other quizzes from the same class- intervals identification, melodic dictation, rhythmic dictation, harmonic dictation. There is a lot to study!


Once again, Heavenly Father has blessed me with a crisp mind to remember the solfège for minor melodies and staying somewhat on pitch through my quiz. I am so grateful to have a keen mind that remembers what it has learned. I pray that I'll gain more confidence as I practice and study more this term.

Second Monday Moanings

Today is the start of the second week in this school term. I'm finding it hard to return to a good scheduled routine after such a long break between terms. Three weeks is the amount of time it takes to form habits, and my break was basically three weeks. So, I'm struggling to undo the terrible sleeping schedule I created during my break to be at my best to start new and better habits that will aid my success this term and next.

Through a lot of thinking and praying, I've decided that the best academic path for me is to finish my AA at my current school before looking ahead to a University. It will help me in the long run when I transfer because I'll have a degree to transfer, not just a random bunch of courses and credits. I've started creating my road map for the courses I need to take within the next five quarters at this school, and I find myself in the same predicament I had when I first started school here. Music classes take a lot of work for the few credits earned. Take three performance classes, one theory class, and an ear training class, and you'll find you are already at the full time student mark. That leaves little room for any non-music classes you might need to take. However, my plan to overcome that predicament is this: I'm going to cram as many classes as I can survive into the summer term! The only music classes offered during the summer are private lessons, so I'll have room to focus on other subjects.

I've discovered that things come in pairs in my life. I start one of the hardest school terms thus far and find a friend who, unknown to him, is having a profound effect on my life. The last month I've spent getting to know him has been amazing and full of laughter. He has shown me reasons for improving my life that I never knew were there. Every day I can make him laugh is a day worth living. I don't know where this friendship will lead, but I won't worry about that just now. I realize that I have to be careful in how much I allow him to distract me from my studies. I could very easily let this developing romance have top priority in my mind's thinking. So far I've stayed balanced, but there is still much of life ahead of me. All I know is that he is the hardest person to say goodbye to, even when I'll see him the next day. :D

To sum up, I leave you with one of my favorite scriptures.
"Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel." (Alma 26:16)

Time for band. If you hear a piccolo, that's me! :)

Week of Concerts

Last week was my week of concerts! I had two Women's Choral Ensemble performances and a band concert. Most of the performances were good. There was one mishap during a Women's Choral Ensemble performance, but it can't be perfect all the time!

I'm really excited to continue performing next term in both Women's Ensemble and in Concert Band. I've had such a taste for both that I never want to give them up! Surprisingly enough, I love playing the piccolo! I almost would jump at the chance to play piccolo on any piece. Next term is going to have some tough pieces on flute and piccolo in Concert Band. Bring it on!

Advising Needs Some Advising

Okay... Registration for next term has started, and I guess I should have gone in to get my pin earlier than I did. But did I really have to stand around waiting for and HOUR and a HALF?!?!?! I watched so many people come in after me and get called before me! The advisers who would call people in would flip through the forms we had to fill out and choose one. Seriously, can't they just call the people in order of arrival? I know they are busy with registration and all, but is that too much to ask?

Thanks to standing for ever, I'm now headed to my concert tired and a little grouchy. Sheesh!

Things to Look Forward To

As the time to jump into music classes again approaches, I am again reminded of all the work I will gladly need to put into these classes. I have a lot of review work to do these next two months before I jump back into Music Theory and Ear Training! Fun, fun, fun!

I was driving home from the Adult Session of Stake Conference and I heard the song So You Want to Write a Fugue? playing on the classical radio station. This is a crazy song! It reminds me of what I have to look forward to in my theory classes- all the analyzing, making sure there aren't parallel fifths or other rules broken in my harmonizing.

Enjoy!

P.S. Just ignore the subtitles! Also, click on the first video. I couldn't figure out how to get rid of the second one. I'm still learning.

Wailings of a Sore Throat

As you know, I am singing with my school's Women Ensemble this year. My throat is not used to being used so much. After each rehearsal, I come out with a tired voice. No matter if I cut out on the high notes or if I belt out all my notes, my voice is almost gone. It's a good work out for it, though, and I'm learning a lot.

For instance, cold pudding is great on a tired throat! That is about the only sure thing that will give comfort to my throat after singing. However, it isn't so friendly to the waistline! So, I need to find something better to soothe my throat after rehearsals. Water works, but it doesn't really do much long-term. Hot chocolate is good, but my tongue always ends up burned because I lack the patience to let it cool.

Well, my brain is too scattered to write another cohesive paragraph!

Extra! Extra!

Some very exciting news is hot off the press!

I have been given a scholarship to take flute lessons next term! I was shocked to learn that I got it. I didn't really think I would, but I suppose it helps that I'm currently taking classes from two of the teachers on the decision board! :)

Also, I'm switching my major back to music. Crazy, I know! Music is one of the hardest majors because of all the "unfair" credit classes (i.e. ear training for two credits when the work is at least four credits). I'll be majoring in flute performance. I'll finish my first year music classes this year and transfer to USU eventually. My education goal is to double major in Flute and English when I get to USU. We'll see if that's what really happens. Hey- I'm a young single adult and a girl; I have the right to change my mind!

Have a great day!

Weekend Retreat

Saturday was the retreat for Women's Ensemble. That means we went to a location different than school, sang, laughed, sang some more. This is my first experience singing with a formal choir.

We spent the day at a local church rehearsing this term's music. We are singing seven pieces, and we worked on all of them. We started singing around 9:10am in a cold sanctuary room. The acoustics were phenomenal! We sang and sang. In fact, we sang so much that my voice was gone when we broke for lunch.


We broke for lunch around noon and enjoyed a variety of foods brought to share. There was more food than all 22 of us could eat! We certainly did not go hungry that day! After lunch, we had the chance to look through a few books of duet music. We have the opportunity to sing in some small groups at one of our performances this year. I am singing in one group and playing the flute in accompaniment for another group.


We finished off the day with a small performance for our friends and family around 4:00pm. I was impressed with how much of the songs I have memorized after singing them so much on Saturday! Of the seven songs, I have five learned enough that I can sing them from memory. The German song and the Latin song are the only two I still need the music for- mostly for the words and not the notes.

By the end of the day, my voice was very warm. In fact, I was hitting the high notes with a new ease after singing for about six hours. My throat was quite sore when we finished, and my voice was tired. It isn't used to being used so much in such a way!


I am really excited to be in Women's Ensemble the next two terms! I know I will be a better singer because of this experience. I am already a better speaker- I learned how to cheat at rolling my Rs! (I will no longer have an American accent when I say hello in Russian!)

Are You a Mormon?

Today as I sat in my English class writing down the extra credit, a guy asked me that. It caught me off guard because I am never expecting to hear that question. I answered with a resounding "Yes." Then, he sat down at his seat again.

You might be asking what prompted this question, and I intend to answer just that! The shirt I grabbed to wear today was my WMOH shirt. It is pretty much a walking ad of the play, but it's a shirt that fits.

It helped me remember that I am always under observation as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am so excited for General Conference tomorrow and Sunday!! It is going to be such the great spiritual boost that I need to get through school! At least, it will spark that boost to give me something to work towards in the next six months!

First Penguin Report

I survived the first week of school!! Barely! :)

I'm really excited for this term. It'll be a tough term, but I'm sure I can handle it. I auditioned for Women's Ensemble and made it in! I sing Second Soprano. This is the first "real" choir I've sung in since Middle School. It's going to be a stretch, but I'm really going to enjoy it. I have three friends in the ensemble with me, and that helps A LOT!! Two of the girls came over this morning to work parts, and I found out that I need more practice in playing parts on the piano!

Also, I auditioned for a chair in band on Wednesday and for the piccolo part! You are reading the words of the second chair flute player and piccolo player!! I am so excited to be in band again! I've missed it terribly. If I had been able to, I would have joined last year. Alas, the timing didn't work out. C'est la vie!

I'm taking a fiction writing class that is really going to stretch me. I don't consider myself a writer, even though I can write. Some of the students in the class write just for fun as a hobby or a possible future career. I'm only taking it because my friend suggested it will give me practice in editing different writings. Speaking of fiction class, I need to look over my story for submission tomorrow!

Have a great week!

Last First Day

Today was my last first day of School at Clark College. It was a great day! I was on time to all my classes- I actually found my classes! I think I'm going to enjoy this term a lot! I'm retaking two classes to try for a better grade, so I'm really excited to take College Algebra again. The English class will be fun. The teacher is very personable, and she has a teaching certificate in my intended field. (I'm hoping to talk with her about it sometime this term.) I'm in Concert Band again! I'm very excited to play with a group again. I put it off too long!! Tomorrow, I'll be starting my Fiction Writing class and auditioning for Women's Ensemble.

What first day of school is complete without a picture of the kid with the loaded backpack? None! Here is my Last-First Day pic. I even wore my new outfit to school today!

As I was walking around campus today, I felt especially cute and happy. I don't know... There's something about being on a campus as a student that puts my life into perspective. It's like I'm showing to the world that I can achieve my goals and dreams! And really, that's what this term is all about for me! I'm fixing some of my past mistakes in school and giving myself plenty of new experiences that will open many doors later in life.

I was sitting next to a 16 year old, Running Start student in a class today, and I felt my age. I'm not saying I felt old, just experienced. I've done something with my life! I'm not the little girl right out of high school that hasn't seen anything outside of this city.

I love, love, love school!! Look out! I'm eager to learn!

Happy First Day of Fall!