The Time Has Come

Ah, the days of hibernation have finally arrived. The weather is wonderfully chilly, the midterms are over, and both term papers are in the easy stages of research.

I am really looking forward to next week. Wednesday night is the annual Halloween dance at Semeneya. I will be going as Raggedy Ann this year. Then Thursday night I am skipping out on choir and orchestra and going to Mom's birthday dinner. Perhaps I will go to the Halloween dance at the Fed as well. Blues dancing on Friday night, Halloween goings-on on Saturday, and a quick return for the band concert on Sunday. Maybe I can actually get Jonathan to come dancing with me this time. Oh, and then there's Tuesday! Everything in the world is happening on Tuesday. Some high schoolers are coming to visit, and I am helping out with that. Then there's the CTME meeting from 4-5 where Mr. Gabrillo might be speaking. It depending on baby sitter status. Then dinner with Mom and Gramma I hope before the concert, then ice cream with the high schoolers after the concert (if any show up).

Pepper is still the most adorable thing ever. I am watching her explore a bag right now. Moments ago she climbed to the top of a chair and eyed the pull-chord for the light like she was judging the distance. Fortunately, she abandoned that endeavor.

Last Fall I had to write a term-paper about The Illuminati. It was relatively easy. This semester, I am working on TWO term papers at the same time (I have found out that is it not fun having two huge research projects going on together). The one for Philosophy of Music is on the topic of "understanding" music. What does it mean to understand a piece, and why are some people more qualified to correctly understand music than others? The term paper for Music History is going to be about Giovanni Gabrieli's "O Magnum Mysterium" from the Sacrae Symphoniae written in 1597 (as opposed to the Symphoniae Sacrae written in 1619) and it's place in sacred musical practices in Venice at the turn of the 17th century. Doesn't that sound like some boring, dry essay a professor would make you read? I did have fun listening to a recording of the piece today. It was on a record. I used a player in one of the classrooms in the music building. I had to practice dropping the needle in the right spot, and once I had the hang of the machinery, I messed around with playing it backwards and at the wrong speed. Dr. Heller may or may not have been listening to me messing around with it, since the room is right across the hall from his office. I don't know. Anyway, I am going to be an expert researcher after this.

- Christina

listening to: Come Together by The Beatles

"You know, we just shouldn't have tests. I should base this class off of whether you guys feel like you have learned enough....but I guess I can't do that." - Dr. Kramer (Music Theory Professor)