aaaand... sway.... (Now with Sporadic Capitalization!)

So, yeah. I guess this is just a general update. First -- I did not in fact march the pregame show Saturday the 30th, as Tracy was feeling -- well, not much better, but better enough to march, which was good and a relief. ( And more stuff about band )

So, about classes. I called Student Services last week and arranged to be able to take 28 units, but URSA still doesn't know that, or it didn't actually go through like the woman said it did or something, because I still haven't been able to register for things, and so I'm kind of displeased about that and I need to call them again.... But everything is going well so far, except for taking waaay too much time, and I'm already several chapters behind in the reading for music history (which most upperclassmen I've spoken to say is kind of unnecessary anyway, but whatev, I'll still try, especially since Prof Upton is amazing and I want to be her best friend). And a strange, confusing fiasco about orchestra placement, too, stemming mostly from the fact that we have a new orchestra TA this year who doesn't have very good English, and who is making awkward mistakes: ( insert lengthy account of orchestra fiasco here )

Um. I'm also taking Intro to Conducting, which seems like it'll be fun... I'm already a little nervous about the part where the class becomes our practise ensemble, though. But lots of exciting people are in the class with me, which is pretty cool; they include:
- Dena
- Tom, who shaved his head and so I totally didn't recognize him until Dr. Lee was taking roll; it upsets me a little, I mean, he has such lovely hair
- several people from Theory
- several other upperclassmen I know from ensembles
- several of this year's batch of transfer students, including a hot bassist
and, perhaps most entertaining of all,
- the two drum majors, Dan (band dan) and Sean
So, that should be cool.

Also, I had my first lesson with John Steinmetz on Wednesday, and I love him. I like his philosophy of teaching, which is very oriented toward personal growth and reflecting on your playing and what you want, and then setting goals and working toward them. It's a complete turnaround from Charlie, which is great. I think it'll be really good for me, too, since I'm beginning to realise that I don't really think about my playing very much, and what I can improve about it; I'm very teacher-dependent, and I don't do as well without some kind of external motivator, so this may help me connect with internal motivation. (Alternatively, it could also be an opportunity for me to just underachieve at bassoon and just spend the entire year slacking & sucking, which I will make every effort not to do.) But yeah, Steinmetz wins. (I just need to actually practise now...)

And now I'm really tired but I still have hella homework and it makes me want to cry. I desperately need to catch up to the history reading, and there's an online assignment for it that i need to do by noon tomorrow (which basically means tonight as Mondays have class from 8-12:20). I'm actually doing double duty right now (from what Dr. Lee said about listening to the St. Matthew Passion, we should really be concentrating on the music, without distractions, but here I am typing away), and have already decided to completely blow off the work assigned by one of the theory TAs as no one even understands what he wants us to do or why. And honestly, I probably don't have that kind of wiggle room in keyboard assignments, considering that I lose at piano and especially at improvised piano, but that's just too bad.

So. I should go. G'night.

Since now it's Monday:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AYA & MALIA!!!!!
I hope you both have fantastically awesome birthdays and I love you both very much! *hugs & kisses*