Well, I am home now, and the semester is over! Whew... what a relief. I will find out my final grades tomorrow, but I am pretty sure that I did well in all my classes. Unfortunately, there is one class that I am really having to fight the teacher for a good grade in... here is what happened...
So I registered for a music theory class this last semester. When I got to class, the teacher and music department secretary had made a mistake, and way over filled the class. In order to accommodate everyone, an early morning class was opened up, and anyone who was able to take a class in the morning was begged to. I was one of the few students in the class who could because most of the other students were in an early morning Basic Piano Skills class at the same time as the early morning theory class. I didn't want to take the early class because I already had a couple of days where my schedule kept me in classes for 10 consecutive hours, and I didn't really want to make it 11. But I agreed to help the department handle the overload.
A few weeks through the semester, the professor (who by the way, is fresh out of college himself, and has never taught a class before, and is not married) sent an email detailing the grade outline for the class. In the email, he informed us of the department policy that if you miss more than seven days of class, then your grade will drop by a letter from where it other wise would have been.
Well, as the semester progressed, my professor stopped taking roll, and at the same time - though not because he stopped taking roll - I began to sleep through my class occasionally. After it happened a few times, I went to the professor and asked him exactly how many absences he showed I had and if there was anything that I could do to make them up. He told me that he didn't really know how many absences I had, and never would entertain, or suggest any way to make up absences; in fact, I felt like he totally blew off my request for a way to make up work.
Over the semester, I slept through a few more classes, and approached a couple more times. He still couldn't tell me how many absences I had, and told me not to worry about it. Near the end of the semester, I got sick, and missed a few more days. I approached him again just to make sure that I didn't need to worry about anything, or do any make up work, which I was more than willing to do if he wanted me to. This time his tune was a little different. "Well, part of being a musician is being dependable, so I don't know. You have probably missed more than seven days." I asked if he wanted me to do anything to make some of the days off. He completely blew off that request.
So now I am in an email battle with him, trying to get him to let my grade be an A, which is what I have earned in the class. It is completely unfair to the entire class if he applies that policy to anyone, because the best he can do is guess at how many absences someone has. And to make matters worse, I feel like he lied to me when he said not to worry about it. All semester I took steps to make sure that I could still get an A, and all semester my professor led me on, believing that I was fine. After all, I scored high on every assignment, and scored almost 100% across the board on the five different sections of the final.
I will let you know how it turns out, but so far it doesn't look like I am going to win with him. But, I plan to appeal my grade if he gives me a lower grade.
On a happier note, one of my best friends has decided she would like to be baptized, and she has asked me to do the honors. I agreed of course. I had expected her to join the church for a while now, and was just waiting the news. It came about a week and a half ago in a text. Best news I had heard in a while.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jul 19, 2010
I Can't Wait to get out of here
I can't wait to get out of here. I have had enough of Rexburg for a while... actually that is not really true. I have fallen in love with Rexburg... the weather, the open space, the climate, (bear in mind I have never experienced a Rexburg winter) the school...etc. I guess i really am just ready for a break; a change of scenery. North Carolina sounds like just the ticket. ;) I can't wait to get into the mission field.
Tomorrow, I have my second jury. I am excited, and a little nervous. My range has grown white a bit this semester. Last semester I was having a hard time hitting a G. Now I am hitting a Bb regularly, and have got all the way up to a high D! (Just don't ask me to do it for you...)
On another note, I will never take a science or math class on a block schedule. Worst idea I ever had.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Tomorrow, I have my second jury. I am excited, and a little nervous. My range has grown white a bit this semester. Last semester I was having a hard time hitting a G. Now I am hitting a Bb regularly, and have got all the way up to a high D! (Just don't ask me to do it for you...)
On another note, I will never take a science or math class on a block schedule. Worst idea I ever had.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Sitting Alone
This semester has been a much more challenging one for me than last semesters. Remember when I talked about my roommate who was giving me grief... well, I should have held my tongue. He was shallow, self absorbed, and talked way to much. But at least he was honest, and considerate of others, and he was responsible. My other roommate is dishonest, a big jerk, big big jerk, and he doesn't take care of anything that is his, or that he uses. He litters the entire apartment with his things. And I have never met another person who can so constantly insult or offend every person he comes into contact with. This roommate is so detestable that no one of my roommates like to be with him.
This last Sunday after sacrament, my roommates and I made our way to Sunday school. Jens, who is my new least favorite roommate, sat down next to one of our FHE sisters. The rest of us refused to sit next to him... non of us are willing to subject ourselves to him any more. This left about half a row unoccupied. The rest of us sat in the row right behind him. I was immediately behind him. About five minutes into the lesson, our FHE sister had had enough of his indecency and got up in the middle of the lesson to move away from him.
I found myself feeling slightly guilty that I had not sat by him, not because I like the guy, but because I felt acutely un-christlike by refusing to be with him. Should I have sat with him? What do you think i should have done...?
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
This last Sunday after sacrament, my roommates and I made our way to Sunday school. Jens, who is my new least favorite roommate, sat down next to one of our FHE sisters. The rest of us refused to sit next to him... non of us are willing to subject ourselves to him any more. This left about half a row unoccupied. The rest of us sat in the row right behind him. I was immediately behind him. About five minutes into the lesson, our FHE sister had had enough of his indecency and got up in the middle of the lesson to move away from him.
I found myself feeling slightly guilty that I had not sat by him, not because I like the guy, but because I felt acutely un-christlike by refusing to be with him. Should I have sat with him? What do you think i should have done...?
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jul 7, 2010
Fourth of July Weekend
This fourth of July has been one of the strangest fourth of Julys I have ever had. Typically my family gets together for an enormous family reunion. We all play games, and have water fights, and BBQ burgers and chicken and hot dogs, and corn on the cob... and jello and pasta and rolls (I love the rolls!) We then like to play volley ball in the church gym, and we play for hours. Then we all go to my grandfathers brothers house, and BBQ again. Then we have fire works.
This is not exactly what happened this last weekend...
It was not possible for me to come back to Salt Lake again for the holiday. The Seeley's, my cousins, were not going down for the reunion either. They invited me to come with them to the Seeley family reunion on Saturday. I consented gratefully, not only because I would have had a dreadfully uneventful weekend, but also because I love being with them. We went to a beautiful riverside property, and ate all the usual good food, and somethings that surprised me, though I enjoyed it all.
We then lay on the grass in the shade and play cards until we left. We went home, and rested, jumped on the tramp, and otherwise enjoyed ourselves. AJ came over, and we ate a good dinner of BBQ hamburgers with honey on them, hot dogs, grapes, chips...
Kate, AJ and I then headed for Idaho Falls. Kate played in pre-fireworks on the lawn of the Shilo hotel, where the best seats for the fireworks display were. The show was excellent, and then we headed home... sort of... We walked very fast from the Shilo to the parking lot, got in the car and pulled out onto the main road. We drove for about fifty yards, and then were at a dead stop for about forty minutes. We played 20 Questions, and then two truths and a lie until we got back to Kates house, where my car was.
It was quite a fun day...
PS. I just found out that the duet I auditioned to sing in the final concert of the semester made it into the concert.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jun 21, 2010
Salt Lake Trip
Well, Alex is off on a mission in two days. I wont see him again for the next two years. He gave his farewell Sunday. And I drove down for the occasion, and for Fathers Day, and to get my car registered. I drove down with Kate and Morgan, and with my dads boss's niece, Mary. We left Friday to come down at about 5 pm. We got, into Salt Lake, drove Mary to her family's place in Riverton. Then we headed home. We ate dinner, played the piano a little, and went to bed.
Saturday, we went to the Salt Lake temple in the morning. We planned on meeting Alex at the temple, but thanks to a little mix up, and to a building where I don't get texts, I was in the temple with my family by 7:30 in the morning for the 8 o'clock session. Alex was planning on meeting up at 8 outside the temple. So, unfortunately, Alex and I will not get to go to the temple together until we are both back from our missions. My parents and I went a head and did a session in the temple. The live endowment was very cool.
After we got back home from the temple, we took my car into get it inspected for registration. But it failed the emissions test twice. After the first time, we spent quite a few hours trying to replace the things that we were told we needed to replace. We took it back, and it scored worse. At this point in the day, there was not way to get it registered before I had to be back in Idaho. So I had to drive the truck up. Pray that I wont get a ticket or have it towed before I can get a temporary parking permit.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Saturday, we went to the Salt Lake temple in the morning. We planned on meeting Alex at the temple, but thanks to a little mix up, and to a building where I don't get texts, I was in the temple with my family by 7:30 in the morning for the 8 o'clock session. Alex was planning on meeting up at 8 outside the temple. So, unfortunately, Alex and I will not get to go to the temple together until we are both back from our missions. My parents and I went a head and did a session in the temple. The live endowment was very cool.
After we got back home from the temple, we took my car into get it inspected for registration. But it failed the emissions test twice. After the first time, we spent quite a few hours trying to replace the things that we were told we needed to replace. We took it back, and it scored worse. At this point in the day, there was not way to get it registered before I had to be back in Idaho. So I had to drive the truck up. Pray that I wont get a ticket or have it towed before I can get a temporary parking permit.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jun 17, 2010
Science Class
I have enjoyed all of the classes so far, until now. As of yesterdays class, I officially dislike my science class. My teacher is a nice guy, but I strongly disagree with his ideas of how science should should be applied in our lives. I don't think that I could be a scientist. I don't like being limited to things that we can explain with a scientific model. With science, the important thing is to get consistent results, not necessarily to find the truth, which is what is important to me. For example, apparently in the field science the strongest scientific statement is a Theory. A THEORY! How can a theory be the strongest scientific statement? It makes no claim to truth. That is why it is a theory, because it is an idea that someone put together to explain nature. But there are parts of the theory that are not provable because of a lack of information, or lack of an ability to test. That is why it is only a theory.
The other thing that has really bothered me about his class was when we talked about vaccination. He was totally confident that if the FDA said that it was ok, then it had to be ok. We listened to Amanda Peet talk about the subject on ABC. She called parents who don't vaccinate their children parasites. Bro. Grifiths, my professor agreed with her. Of course his reasons for agreeing with her were based on the premise that unless children receive vaccinations they will get sick. While vaccinations have done a lot to help stem the tide of several serious illnesses, there is no evidence that says that if we don't get vaccinated we will get sick.
Additionally, he pegged alternative medicine as being voodoo science, and healers as witchdoctors which cannot be trusted. Obviously not everything that someone says will help you will, and one must use good judgment. But alternative/natural medicine definitely holds some stock in my book.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
The other thing that has really bothered me about his class was when we talked about vaccination. He was totally confident that if the FDA said that it was ok, then it had to be ok. We listened to Amanda Peet talk about the subject on ABC. She called parents who don't vaccinate their children parasites. Bro. Grifiths, my professor agreed with her. Of course his reasons for agreeing with her were based on the premise that unless children receive vaccinations they will get sick. While vaccinations have done a lot to help stem the tide of several serious illnesses, there is no evidence that says that if we don't get vaccinated we will get sick.
Additionally, he pegged alternative medicine as being voodoo science, and healers as witchdoctors which cannot be trusted. Obviously not everything that someone says will help you will, and one must use good judgment. But alternative/natural medicine definitely holds some stock in my book.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jun 11, 2010
Half Done and Lots to Look Forward To
Well folks, the semester is already half over. I can hardly believe it myself, but it is true. There are only about 6 or 7 weeks left in the whole semester. The last few weeks went by so fast. The next few are probably going to by just as fast. Then, before anyone knows it, I am going to be gone on a mission.
I am standing on the threshold of the next big change in my life. After my mission, everything will be different. I will be focused on my studies down in Salt Lake again. I will be searching for my eternal companion and beginning my own family and my career. Wow. That is kinda weird to think about. In five years, it is quite possible that my parents are grandparents, and my grandparents are great-grandparents! Crazy. In five years, my brother will probably be a senior, and my sisters could both be married!
On another note, my new roommate has turned out to be good. We get along well, and he doesn't have any behaviors that bother me. I am so glad that my first roommate moved out because I was getting pretty low on patience and tolerance. What a tender mercy.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jun 1, 2010
I Go on a Wedding Trip and Unintentionally Go Inactive
Ok, so I am pretty sure that my bishop thinks that I have gone inactive on him. I have not been to his ward for the last four weeks. But before you become worried let me explain. About five and a half weeks ago, I got a call from my mom, my dad, my sisters, and my little brother, in addition to several texts from them informing me that my mission call had come. Those of you who read my blog already know that I could not drive down immediately, and my family could not come up, so I made them hold it with out opening it for about ten days. Anyway:
Four weeks ago I drove down to open the call. The following Sunday was stake conference. The weekend after that I was back in Salt Lake to take out my endowments with my family. This last Sunday, I was on my way back from Denver CO. So I am sure that I am going to have to explain to the Bishop why i haven't been in church for so long.
For the record, I am very much active.
Well, the trip to Denver was nice, sort of... well, I it was really more a bitter sweet things; for example...
Sweet:
I saw my roommate and his new bride come out of the temple. They looked very happy.
Bitter:
My roommates and I missed the sealing because the groom (my former roommate) told us that the temple was in a different city that it really was. Because of the error in communication, we drove 27 miles away from the temple.
Sweet:
We made it in time for the pictures.
Bitter:
I never did like taking pictures.
Sweet:
I reread about half of the Tao te Ching. Excellent book!
Bitter:
I had to listen to my roommates music the whole way there and back. Most of which I disliked. Even sadder, when something good came on, my totally tasteless roommate would change it.
Sweet:
I had lots of time to think.
Bitter:
I take it back - the music was way to loud to think most of the trip.
Sweet:
I got out of the Apartment with no homework for two days.
Bitter:
We brought back all the wedding gifts for our friends that just got married, and to make room we folded down two of the three seats in the back. I had to sit in the crammed space that was left for the whole 10 hour trip back.
Sweet:
I did not have to watch any Hannah Montanah, or anything on the Disney channel for three days now.
Bitter:
I had to endure all the snide, disrespectful comments of my roommate (the same one with not taste in music...among other things.)
Sweet:
It was a relaxing trip because I had no homework, and no where to be for most of the time. I also did not have to do any driving. I never mind driving, but it is definitely a stress at times.
Bitter:
My roommates decided to "cruse" the mall in the time between the events at the temple and the reception. I hate going to the mall unless you have a specific thing you are looking for.
Sweet:
We decided to eat lunch in the mall. While we were eating, some guy came up to us and started talking to us, wanting to know if we were mormons. We were still pretty dressed up from the wedding, so we stood out. I watched as both of my roommates, neither of whom has been home from the mission for more than a year, snap right back into missionary mode. It was almost funny.
Bitter:
I missed dinner at the Seeley's again.
Sweet:
I watched Signs and Sixth Sense for the first time. Didn't like signs much. Sixth sense was good.
Bitter:
Me, and my favorite roommate, Shawn (please note that he spells his name the smart way) practically had to be parents to our other roommate. He would not get up in time in the morning. We had to iron his shirts for him, because he would not... we had to make him take a shower, and had to make him start packing... etc. It was bad.
Sweet:
I am out of sweet things.
Bitter:
Sunday we ate breakfast at like 8 in the morning, and then did not eat again until we got to Rocksprings CO, which was at 4 in the after noon. Good thing I did not have to exert a lot of energy, sitting in the car, smashed by the luggage and gifts, listening to terrible music.
But, it was all worth it to be there to support Jared and Shannon.
Now that Jared is married, and not living with us, he soled his housing contract to a guy named Ross. He is moving in today. He is very tall, and seems nice.
I will let you know how that goes.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
May 20, 2010
Venting Moment
My self-obsessed, likes-to-hear-himself-talk, really shallow, has-a-funny-laugh roommate might drive me to an early death. He likes to watch the Disney channel, especially the Hannah Montana Show. When I don't feel like barfing from the all the mellow-drama, the stupidity of the show aught to be enough to turn a persons brain into oatmeal, which, despite its nutritional value would not make a good brain. I think that if there really were purgatory, forced watching of the Hannah Montana Show is about as bad as it could get.
In addition to always wanting to watch the stream of oatmealizing nothingness of the Disney channel, he is obsessed with dating, and getting a girl, and telling me and anyone else who happens to be within hearing distance about every little thing that happened between him and a girl. He also likes to discuss how not into dating he is. "Just going to lay back this semester..." Ya... right... That is why you have a date almost every night. Unfortunately for him (and for me) every couple of dates he comes home from he is in a bad mood. Whenever my room mates comes home, I like to say something like "How's it goin?" Sometimes I really wish I didn't say that, especially when my roommate comes home in one of his bad moods, because ten times out of eleven, that means that his date didn't go ideally. He then proceeds to tell me all about the date. If I am lucky I happen to have head phones in, or to be busy doing homework (legitimate reasons for not really listening.) Obviously that is not always the case, and so sometimes I have to listen to what he says. Like tonight for example. He was txting some girl, who he has gone out with a couple times, (if the pattern continues, it is about time for her to tell him she is not interested, which means another bad mood, followed by my question(which if anyone is interested is really just meant to be a greeting) followed by some sob story I don't really want to hear)... anyway... he is txting this girl, and he tells her he is really interested in her. She doesn't take it the way that he wanted, in part because the first time he tried to tell her he did it in dating code. And when dating code, which is already a jumbled mess of emotion and nonsensical ideas like "if I txt too soon she will think I am desprate", is mixed with texting code, it can become even more jumbled and confused. He then had to tell her outright, or as outright as a txt can be, that he really liked her. Her reply was less than what he was looking for. He then turned to me and said
"I just can't get these girls to like me, Sam. Maybe it is because I am not used to having to appeal to Mormon girls..." Long, quiet pause. "Apparently, you have to make-out with the girls around here to get them to like you."
"Why do you think that" I asked, slightly taken aback.
"That is what they told me!"
"Who told you?"
"This girl. She said that I have to show that I am interested in them."
Well no wonder you aren't having any luck, I thought to myself. A girl tells you to show more interest in your dates, and you takes that to mean have a make-out session. While what she actually was trying to tell him is that he needs to actually act like he cares about the other person. It is true too. He has brought a girl back to the apartment while I was here, and he did all the talking both times.
Well, thanks for listening. If you can make sense of anything I wrote, congratulations! If not, at least you can come away knowing that I think in very long, fragmented sentences, which are riddled with detours.
Don't forget you daily dose of Music!
In addition to always wanting to watch the stream of oatmealizing nothingness of the Disney channel, he is obsessed with dating, and getting a girl, and telling me and anyone else who happens to be within hearing distance about every little thing that happened between him and a girl. He also likes to discuss how not into dating he is. "Just going to lay back this semester..." Ya... right... That is why you have a date almost every night. Unfortunately for him (and for me) every couple of dates he comes home from he is in a bad mood. Whenever my room mates comes home, I like to say something like "How's it goin?" Sometimes I really wish I didn't say that, especially when my roommate comes home in one of his bad moods, because ten times out of eleven, that means that his date didn't go ideally. He then proceeds to tell me all about the date. If I am lucky I happen to have head phones in, or to be busy doing homework (legitimate reasons for not really listening.) Obviously that is not always the case, and so sometimes I have to listen to what he says. Like tonight for example. He was txting some girl, who he has gone out with a couple times, (if the pattern continues, it is about time for her to tell him she is not interested, which means another bad mood, followed by my question(which if anyone is interested is really just meant to be a greeting) followed by some sob story I don't really want to hear)... anyway... he is txting this girl, and he tells her he is really interested in her. She doesn't take it the way that he wanted, in part because the first time he tried to tell her he did it in dating code. And when dating code, which is already a jumbled mess of emotion and nonsensical ideas like "if I txt too soon she will think I am desprate", is mixed with texting code, it can become even more jumbled and confused. He then had to tell her outright, or as outright as a txt can be, that he really liked her. Her reply was less than what he was looking for. He then turned to me and said
"I just can't get these girls to like me, Sam. Maybe it is because I am not used to having to appeal to Mormon girls..." Long, quiet pause. "Apparently, you have to make-out with the girls around here to get them to like you."
"Why do you think that" I asked, slightly taken aback.
"That is what they told me!"
"Who told you?"
"This girl. She said that I have to show that I am interested in them."
Well no wonder you aren't having any luck, I thought to myself. A girl tells you to show more interest in your dates, and you takes that to mean have a make-out session. While what she actually was trying to tell him is that he needs to actually act like he cares about the other person. It is true too. He has brought a girl back to the apartment while I was here, and he did all the talking both times.
Well, thanks for listening. If you can make sense of anything I wrote, congratulations! If not, at least you can come away knowing that I think in very long, fragmented sentences, which are riddled with detours.
Don't forget you daily dose of Music!
May 19, 2010
I Can Do Anything Syndrom
I recently came to the realization that I feel like I can do pretty much anything. I have heard that expression most from return missionaries. They stand over the pulpit and talk about how before their mission they thought they could do anything. Then they would share some humbling experience that they had on their mission. Most of the time the experience, while worth it, was not pleasant. At the moment, I am finding myself trying do devise a way to avoid this "humbling experience." The only thing I can think of is to be less confident. But I really like being confident in myself and my decisions. So maybe that is not the answer... besides, who doesn't like to feel like they are on top of the world, and can do anything. Perhaps confidence really is not the key here. After all, confidence is not the opposite of humility; pride is.
So... where is the line between confidence and pride? And how do I know if I am crossing it? Or am I simply doomed to have a "humbling experience" because it happens to everyone on the mission; or perhaps over confidence/pride is just apart of what happens as we grow from adolescence to adulthood, and the mission field is just the easiest place for us to be humbled.
What do you think?
Don't forget your daily dose of music!
May 10, 2010
Mission Call
On last Friday, I drove down to Salt Lake to open my Mission call which had come. The call actually arrived at my home in salt lake about ten days earlier then we expected. Because I had agreed to participate in two different performances the weekend of the 8th, and because I am a poor college student, it didn't make sense to come down to Salt Lake two weeks in a row. So I made my family keep the envelope unopened for ten days. Needless to say, Mom practically went crazy with anticipation. I told that that I thought he better hide it in case mom got any ideas. Apparently he agreed with me, because the next day, Mom asked me if I had asked him to hide it.
I invited my grandparents to be there when I opened it. They readily agreed. I drove down Friday after classes with Kate to accompany me. Good thing to, because I was tired. We made the trip in three and a half hours. It could have been three were it nor for all the construction. I got there around eight. Everyone was there waiting, except mom, who had not expected us for a little longer, and had run to the store for something. So, we had to wait for her to get back to open the call.
We all sat in the front room waiting for her return. I am sure that she was only like five or seven minutes behind me, but it felt like a lot more than that. She finally got there and came inside. I gave her a hug, and then we all sat down. I opened the knife that Grandfather handed me to open the envelope. Then I pulled the contents out. On top was a letter addressed to Elder Samuel David Crowley. Beneath it was a packet with a picture of a person being baptized on it. I took the letter and began to read. I deliberately did not read a head or skim the letter to find the place where I would be called. Some how that felt like cheating; don't ask me why. I read one word at a time: Dear Elder Crowley.... blah blah blah... called to serve in the North Carolina Raleigh Mission.
I then read on Blah Blah Blah.... it is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 24 months. When I got to this line, I actually said "It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 24 years. Everyone started laughing. It was an accident, but it was funny.
The best part about the whole thing was that, my grandfathers grandfather served in the southern states mission, and my great grandfather served in the southern states mission, and my grandfather served in the southern states mission. Unfortunately, non of my grandfathers children served in any of the southern states. But I get to be the first to pick the tradition back up.
I can't wait!
(After having seen the list of shots I am supposed to have, I don't ever want to know how many Alex has to get to go to the Philippians!)
Don't forget your daily dose of music!
Apr 26, 2010
Week 2 of Spring Semester (Which is really Spring and Summer )
Well, here I am at the beginning of another week of school. Last Friday at the end of Men's Chorus I was asked to remain behind for a few minutes by the student Co-Chairs of the choir. They asked me to be the Music Chair for my section - tenor 2. This basically means that I am one of the four students in the choir who is responsible for helping the directors make the choir sound good. So I now float around the tenor 2 section listening to the men sing, pointing out when they need to fix or improve something in the way they are singing. This is a great opportunity for me, and I am really excited to help make the choir as good as it can be.
For the first block of the semester, (until June 7th) I have a Book of Mormon class, and five music classes. I am loving the semester as far as the classes go. But, at this point, I have much more spare time this semester every day then I did last semester I was here. I have to admit, I much rather be busy with things all the time, then have lots of spare time. It makes me feel like I am not doing very much in a day. It is not like I don't have lots to do in a day, or that I have hours on end of time to spend on frivolous things, I just don't have as much to do. Hopefully this will changes as the semester goes on. My schedule is still not completed. I will not know when my private voice lessons will be yet, and I am very hopeful that I can do some accompanying again this semester (which is for the money, which I desperately need, and to fill in some time; not to mention, I really like doing it.)
No calling as of yet in my new ward. They have not called people to be over Family-Home-Evening groups yet either, so that has not started... not that I am excited for that. Last semester, FHE was the biggest waste of my time all semester. The worst part was that it was a recurring event. Oh well... it wont always be like this. One day I will be in charge of FHE with my wife... and we will do things a little differently than what we do here.
I have resumed my regular visits to the Seeley's house on Sunday evenings, where they graciously have me over for dinner every week, and then let me stay and talk, or play games or do what ever until late. It sure is nice to get out of the apartment and into the real world once a week.
I am realizing more and more recently that I am not good at making new friends. This does not bother me normally. I am usually quite content to just be with myself and those closest around me, family and the few close friends I already have. Unfortunately in my current situation, none of my immediate family - outside of my cousins (whom I only see once a week, with the exception of seeing Kate at school)- and none of my close friends are here. Most of them are a long way from here. It gets lonely some times. And what I miss is the true social interaction that I am so used to at home; having a good conversation mostly. At college it is all about going out and having "fun". This mentality really urks me, and I am not generally inclined to participate in these "fun" things. (It probably goes unstated that "fun" things often go hand in hand with stupid things.)
Week two in a nutshell; I love my classes, and am having a great time. I don't like the college scene sometimes and get a little lonely. Good room mates cannot fill the void of close friends.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
For the first block of the semester, (until June 7th) I have a Book of Mormon class, and five music classes. I am loving the semester as far as the classes go. But, at this point, I have much more spare time this semester every day then I did last semester I was here. I have to admit, I much rather be busy with things all the time, then have lots of spare time. It makes me feel like I am not doing very much in a day. It is not like I don't have lots to do in a day, or that I have hours on end of time to spend on frivolous things, I just don't have as much to do. Hopefully this will changes as the semester goes on. My schedule is still not completed. I will not know when my private voice lessons will be yet, and I am very hopeful that I can do some accompanying again this semester (which is for the money, which I desperately need, and to fill in some time; not to mention, I really like doing it.)
No calling as of yet in my new ward. They have not called people to be over Family-Home-Evening groups yet either, so that has not started... not that I am excited for that. Last semester, FHE was the biggest waste of my time all semester. The worst part was that it was a recurring event. Oh well... it wont always be like this. One day I will be in charge of FHE with my wife... and we will do things a little differently than what we do here.
I have resumed my regular visits to the Seeley's house on Sunday evenings, where they graciously have me over for dinner every week, and then let me stay and talk, or play games or do what ever until late. It sure is nice to get out of the apartment and into the real world once a week.
I am realizing more and more recently that I am not good at making new friends. This does not bother me normally. I am usually quite content to just be with myself and those closest around me, family and the few close friends I already have. Unfortunately in my current situation, none of my immediate family - outside of my cousins (whom I only see once a week, with the exception of seeing Kate at school)- and none of my close friends are here. Most of them are a long way from here. It gets lonely some times. And what I miss is the true social interaction that I am so used to at home; having a good conversation mostly. At college it is all about going out and having "fun". This mentality really urks me, and I am not generally inclined to participate in these "fun" things. (It probably goes unstated that "fun" things often go hand in hand with stupid things.)
Week two in a nutshell; I love my classes, and am having a great time. I don't like the college scene sometimes and get a little lonely. Good room mates cannot fill the void of close friends.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Apr 19, 2010
Four Major Accomplishments
Since last I blogged, I have had quite a few eventful things happen... here are some of them...
1) I finally got registered for all the classes that I need for this next semester. This may seem like an easy sit down and click the mouse a few times, then presto! you are done kind of project. Let me assure anyone who is operating under these delusions that it is not an easy sit down at computer and press a few buttons kind of project. It is, in fact, a long and drawn out process.
The first hurtle in this process that one must first cross is the "Pay your Student Insurance" hurtle. This hurtle looks like a little pop-up on your screen that says something like "Registration for some or all of the classes you have requested has been blocked by error 1163547: Student Insurance Fee Owing". After having read this, I proceed to try and find the page where I pay for my student insurance. Luckily, all things designed to accept money are easy to find, and never hard to understand, this did not take very long. I then proceeded to return to the registration page. After having selected all the classes I need for the semester, I once again press the GO button. Up on my screen again pops the "Pay your Student Insurance Fee blocker message. So, I pulled out my phone and called the school to try and figure out why I still could not register after I had paid the insurance. I now know that it is apparently standard procedure to put anyone who calls with a specific question on hold for an hour, and then transfer them to kingdom come and back before they are told that the person that can help them is unavailable, and will need to call them back. At this point, I am frustrated, but agree to have the person call me back. Several hours later the person calls me back and tells me that their system needs me to declare that I will be continuing to use BYUI's student insurance and that I can then register.
I go the page and declare that I will be covered by BYUI for another semester, and the proceed to register. At this point, it has taken several days to get the Insurance all straightened out, and so there are not a lot of 100 level classes open for me to register for. So I quickly scan for classes still open that are required for my major. I got into a Book of Mormon class, and a science class. Then I tried to register for my music classes, and I couldn't register for any them. So I called the school again to figure out why I could not register for all the classes that I really wanted to be in. Apparently I had to email all the professors and get them to give me permission to be in their class. So I did. I got into all the classes I wanted no problem, except one. The class that I needed to is taught by a Professor who decided to take a semester leave from teaching. (This professor also happens to be my favorite teacher.) So I emailed the professor he directed me to, and asked him if I could get into the second semester of class for the subject I needed. We emailed back and forth for a couple days, and he ended up not deciding that I really needed to take the first semester class before I take the semester class. So now I am one credit down from being able to keep my scholarships, and desperately looking for any class that I can get into. I emailed several teachers in the music department to find out if i could get into a composition class, or into a conducting class, both of which were 300 level classes. No, I couldn't get into either of those classes. So I just started looking for any class that I thought would be good to take, and saw a Music Technology class. I emailed the professor and asked him to let me into the class, even though it was full. He did. Finally, I had all the credits I needed, and all classes that could count toward our major.
Whew...
2)I got my first set of stitches about two weeks ago. I was helping to lift a 450-500 lbs copy/printer for the High School. I put my hand under the machine, and was feeling for a good place to lift from. The other guys started lifting before I was ready, and pinned my hand under the machine. The weight of the machine pressure cut the skin right away from the bone, and kept it from bleeding. The cut was right in the second knuckle on my middle finger of my right hand. Because of were it was, we took it into the emergency room to make sure that I hadn't damaged or cut the tendon. Fortunately, I hadn't. They put four stitches in, and sent me home. We didn't go back to have them out.
3)I went on a choir tour. We went down to SUU, did a master class with the professors there, performed at George Wythe, then went down to Dixie college, and did a master class there, then hiked Zions all day Saturday, then came home. It was great.
4) I am back in Idaho, and almost ready to start another semester tomorrow. I thought I would be excited, but right now I am not. Oh well... as soon as music classes start, I bet that will change.
Don't forget your daily dose of music!
1) I finally got registered for all the classes that I need for this next semester. This may seem like an easy sit down and click the mouse a few times, then presto! you are done kind of project. Let me assure anyone who is operating under these delusions that it is not an easy sit down at computer and press a few buttons kind of project. It is, in fact, a long and drawn out process.
The first hurtle in this process that one must first cross is the "Pay your Student Insurance" hurtle. This hurtle looks like a little pop-up on your screen that says something like "Registration for some or all of the classes you have requested has been blocked by error 1163547: Student Insurance Fee Owing". After having read this, I proceed to try and find the page where I pay for my student insurance. Luckily, all things designed to accept money are easy to find, and never hard to understand, this did not take very long. I then proceeded to return to the registration page. After having selected all the classes I need for the semester, I once again press the GO button. Up on my screen again pops the "Pay your Student Insurance Fee blocker message. So, I pulled out my phone and called the school to try and figure out why I still could not register after I had paid the insurance. I now know that it is apparently standard procedure to put anyone who calls with a specific question on hold for an hour, and then transfer them to kingdom come and back before they are told that the person that can help them is unavailable, and will need to call them back. At this point, I am frustrated, but agree to have the person call me back. Several hours later the person calls me back and tells me that their system needs me to declare that I will be continuing to use BYUI's student insurance and that I can then register.
I go the page and declare that I will be covered by BYUI for another semester, and the proceed to register. At this point, it has taken several days to get the Insurance all straightened out, and so there are not a lot of 100 level classes open for me to register for. So I quickly scan for classes still open that are required for my major. I got into a Book of Mormon class, and a science class. Then I tried to register for my music classes, and I couldn't register for any them. So I called the school again to figure out why I could not register for all the classes that I really wanted to be in. Apparently I had to email all the professors and get them to give me permission to be in their class. So I did. I got into all the classes I wanted no problem, except one. The class that I needed to is taught by a Professor who decided to take a semester leave from teaching. (This professor also happens to be my favorite teacher.) So I emailed the professor he directed me to, and asked him if I could get into the second semester of class for the subject I needed. We emailed back and forth for a couple days, and he ended up not deciding that I really needed to take the first semester class before I take the semester class. So now I am one credit down from being able to keep my scholarships, and desperately looking for any class that I can get into. I emailed several teachers in the music department to find out if i could get into a composition class, or into a conducting class, both of which were 300 level classes. No, I couldn't get into either of those classes. So I just started looking for any class that I thought would be good to take, and saw a Music Technology class. I emailed the professor and asked him to let me into the class, even though it was full. He did. Finally, I had all the credits I needed, and all classes that could count toward our major.
Whew...
2)I got my first set of stitches about two weeks ago. I was helping to lift a 450-500 lbs copy/printer for the High School. I put my hand under the machine, and was feeling for a good place to lift from. The other guys started lifting before I was ready, and pinned my hand under the machine. The weight of the machine pressure cut the skin right away from the bone, and kept it from bleeding. The cut was right in the second knuckle on my middle finger of my right hand. Because of were it was, we took it into the emergency room to make sure that I hadn't damaged or cut the tendon. Fortunately, I hadn't. They put four stitches in, and sent me home. We didn't go back to have them out.
3)I went on a choir tour. We went down to SUU, did a master class with the professors there, performed at George Wythe, then went down to Dixie college, and did a master class there, then hiked Zions all day Saturday, then came home. It was great.
4) I am back in Idaho, and almost ready to start another semester tomorrow. I thought I would be excited, but right now I am not. Oh well... as soon as music classes start, I bet that will change.
Don't forget your daily dose of music!
Apr 4, 2010
Apr 2, 2010
Mission prep and College
The last few days have been very exciting. In preparation for my mission papers I have had to visit both doctor and dentist, received multiple shots, have blood work done, and pay a lot of money for the dentist to tell me that my teeth are great - no cavities, and I don't need my wisdom teeth out. (I was particularly grateful that I don't have to have my wisdom teeth out.)Fortunately, because of my student insurance, I didn't have to pay very much for the doctor to tell me that I am in great health.
My semester break is coming to an end. Less than three week before the semester begins again. Last time I was very nervous to leave home, live with a bunch of guys I had never met before, and to start college all at once. My primary sources of comfort were my cell phone, an instant line of communication home, and my cousins who lived close by and whom I visited often. This time around I am not nervous. Of course it helps that I know most of the guys I am rooming with, I've already moved out once, and am now familiar with the college and many of the professors. Nevertheless, you may rest assured that I will still have my cell phone and visit my cousins often.
As always, don't forget your daily dose of music!
My semester break is coming to an end. Less than three week before the semester begins again. Last time I was very nervous to leave home, live with a bunch of guys I had never met before, and to start college all at once. My primary sources of comfort were my cell phone, an instant line of communication home, and my cousins who lived close by and whom I visited often. This time around I am not nervous. Of course it helps that I know most of the guys I am rooming with, I've already moved out once, and am now familiar with the college and many of the professors. Nevertheless, you may rest assured that I will still have my cell phone and visit my cousins often.
As always, don't forget your daily dose of music!
Mar 2, 2010
More Busy and Subbing...
Apparently, for at least the first half of ones life, life only gets more packed with things to do, more stressed, more craziness and more frazzled. At least, that is what everyone who has lived longer than I have says. But I am not sure how life could be any more busy. How could there be more things crammed into my life, which already feels full to the brim, and I still remain a sane and functioning member of society.
Anyway, yesterday was my first time substituting High School german and choir classes. Choir is really fun and rewarding. I definitely think that it is what I want to do as a profession. The german, however, presents a little more of a challenge for me - I don't speak german. The teacher I am subbing for left detailed instructions for the german classes. So far, it has gone ok. Some of the students don't like what we are doing, but they have all been good.
I like teaching
Don't forger your daily dose of Music!
Anyway, yesterday was my first time substituting High School german and choir classes. Choir is really fun and rewarding. I definitely think that it is what I want to do as a profession. The german, however, presents a little more of a challenge for me - I don't speak german. The teacher I am subbing for left detailed instructions for the german classes. So far, it has gone ok. Some of the students don't like what we are doing, but they have all been good.
I like teaching
Don't forger your daily dose of Music!
Feb 19, 2010
It is half way through February, and it hardly feels like any time has passed since I got home for Christmas. But then when I think about Christmas, and last semester of college, it feels like a long time ago. I think time is one of the most unfortunate things we have to deal with. A busy life full of things that I enjoy, compounded by a narrow view of the world and its proceedings make it easy for time to just slip between my fingers - like autumn leaves that fall to the ground, going mostly unheeded until they are all gone. It makes me wonder if I am spending my time on important things.
I only have a month and a half left at home before another semester and then a mission. It is strange to think that these few weeks are the last that I will spend at home with my family. I spend most of my time working. Sometimes I hardly see them... kinda sad... but the world uses money, and since it doesn't grow on trees yet, I guess I do need to be making a concerted effort to make my own way. But at times I am plagued by a guilty conscience telling me that I ought to be doing more with/for them. But I guess that the time for that has passed and now it is time to leave home and establish myself. Makes me grateful that families can be together forever...
Crazy... I have hardly lived at all, and now I am supposed to live on my own and make a contribution to God and society. I feel like this should overwhelm me, but somehow it doesn't. I am totally calm and happy - excited even! Never lasts though... always have huge knots in my stomach when I am standing on the verge of change.
Life is good!
Thanks to everyone who helped me be who I am. I hope your love and sacrifice pay off.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Feb 7, 2010
For the last seven years, I have participated in a program called AIM (Achievement in Music). This is a piano based program of ten progressively harder levels, with one level tested each year. The tests contain six areas: performance, technique (correctly playing of scales, arpeggios, chord progressions and inversions...) sight reading, ear training (the ability to identify different scales or modes, intervals, chord progressions, time signatures etc... by listening), theory (knowledge of scales, musical terms and definitions, proper structure of chords etc...) and an oral report on a musical topic.
Yesterday I took the first two tests. I went to Daynes music, and was given the theory and ear training tests. The ear training test goes like this... One of the teachers who is a part of the Utah Music Teachers Association (UMTA) sits at a grand piano at the front of the room, and plays a scale. I then had to identify whether it was a major, minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, dorian mode, or lydian mode, whole tone scale, chromatic scale, or pentatonic scale.
Next, we listened to intervals. The teacher could play any two notes anywhere from a half-step, to a ninth, and I had to identify the interval. Then we were played a chord. I had to determine whether it was a Major, minor or diminished chord, or a seventh chord. I then had to be able to tell what inversion the chord was being played in. After I did that, we listened to a short, single note melody and had to decide which time signature that the piece was written in.
Then, the final area of the test was a dictation. This means that the teacher plays something, and I have to be able to write on a musical staff exactly what she is playing. The test had a grand staff (bass and treble clef) with the right hand written in for me. Then I was given the starting note in the left hand. I then had to write the rest of the left hand in.
I passed - a 90. I was pretty disappointed with that score. I was hoping for more like a 95-100. The killer is that I missed two questions in the same section, both of which were worth four points, which really dropped my score. But oh well... I just took the hardest test on the hardest level, and got the highest score of anyone in this chapter of the program.
I find out what I get on the theory test later, but hopefully it is better than a 90.
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jan 31, 2010
Not in the Eyes of the Beholder
I have recently come to the conclusion that beauty is not in the eye of the beholder, but rather in his or her heart. The story of the 'masters hand' comes to mind. A weathered and damaged violin is to be auctioned off, but no one is interested because of its condition. Then the master comes and reveals the beauty he sees in the violin.
What I see in a flower is merely a reflection of how much I care about the flower. Likewise, the way I treat the flower is only a reflection of how much I care about the flower. The master cared about the violin because he understood what it truly was and how much it could do.
Those things in life that we think of as beautiful are almost always the things that we care about. The things we do not care about we see as being of no importance or of little or no value. Therefore we treat them as though they are without value.
Often, I think many of us find ourselves undervaluing the people around us, and the less that we value them, the less we care about them. We find ourselves walking right past them when they need a hand, or being able to look right at them and not even see them - figuratively and non-figuratively. The worst, but perhaps most common occurrence of this lack of care is in our homes. So often we stop seeing our parents, spouses, siblings and children as people. We start seeing them as problems, as mess-makers, as chore-doers, as control-freaks, as disobedient brats... etc. Soon all we see is the beat-up, old violin. Violins, however, do not have feelings, or a need to be loved; people do, especially our families.
The heart is the lens through which we see. Those things you spend your time, your thought, and your energy on most are the things you value; they are the things you love most. If one of the things you care about comes before members of your family, you may be forgetting the value and love that you want and ought to have for them.
Take time often to see the beauty and value of others; sacrifice for them, help them, and spend time with them.
And, don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jan 24, 2010
Good Things Never Last
I was once told by a good friend that "Good things never last!" I have thought about this idea a lot, and here are some of my thoughts...
First, I want to establish that I do not think that "good things" are material possessions. Rather they are our personality, our desires, our relationships, our habits; the things that make an individual who they are. Most possessions, of themselves, are neither good or bad. The way that we use our material possessions is merely a reflection of who we have become, or are becoming.
As part of becoming, each of us is continually progressing or digressing. Progression depends on us seeking to better ourselves. We do this through study, self-analysis, service, sacrifice and submission to God, or in other words, humility. Digression is a result of pride, disobedience, and self-indulgence. Because no one is perfect, we all find ourselves both progressing and digressing through our lives.
I believe that all people are naturally good to begin with, and that we all want to progress, but that we all fall short at times and digress. Those who progress more than digress through out their lives will lose the good things they have for better ones. If they keep progressing, eventually they will be left with only the best things. Those who digress more than they progress will lose what good things they have for worse ones.
Perhaps "good things never last" because we are always changing as we replace good for better or for worse. But, unlike my friend thought, misery is not the only option in the end.
As always,
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
First, I want to establish that I do not think that "good things" are material possessions. Rather they are our personality, our desires, our relationships, our habits; the things that make an individual who they are. Most possessions, of themselves, are neither good or bad. The way that we use our material possessions is merely a reflection of who we have become, or are becoming.
As part of becoming, each of us is continually progressing or digressing. Progression depends on us seeking to better ourselves. We do this through study, self-analysis, service, sacrifice and submission to God, or in other words, humility. Digression is a result of pride, disobedience, and self-indulgence. Because no one is perfect, we all find ourselves both progressing and digressing through our lives.
I believe that all people are naturally good to begin with, and that we all want to progress, but that we all fall short at times and digress. Those who progress more than digress through out their lives will lose the good things they have for better ones. If they keep progressing, eventually they will be left with only the best things. Those who digress more than they progress will lose what good things they have for worse ones.
Perhaps "good things never last" because we are always changing as we replace good for better or for worse. But, unlike my friend thought, misery is not the only option in the end.
As always,
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jan 23, 2010
Stake Presidents Challenge
At the beginning of the year, our stake president challenged our stake to read the entire Book of Mormon by April conference. As we read, we are supposed to mark all the names of Christ in one color, mark all of his actions and attributes in another color, and mark everything that Christ says. As I have read and marked, I have been surprised at how many times Christ is talked about and testified of. The Book of Mormon really is a testament of Jesus Christ.
As always,
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
As always,
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jan 19, 2010
The Movie Box
During the three months that I was away at college, my sister decided that my family needed to clean up the videos that we were watching - not that we were watching bad things, just some not very good things. When I arrived home, I discovered some sixty movies had been taken off our movie shelves, and placed in a white banker box. Just under the lid of the box was a handwritten list of all the movies which were in the box. Beside each title, there was a brief description of the reason that a particular movie had been put in the box. The primary reason was "language", which was scrawled next to almost every single title in my sister's neat-with-a-touch-of-fancy handwriting, accompanied by the occasional "violence" or "disturbing images" label.
A quick scan of the list reveled that quite a few of the movies I really liked, including The Borne movies, Master and Commander, King Kong, and Red Eye, were now in the box. No one else really wanted to get rid of all these movies either; but how does any self-respecting, trying-to-be-good person say "no" to their daughter or sibling when she come up to you and says "There is too much bad language and violence in our movies, and it is having a bad influence on us. Time to reevaluate and get rid of some of them." Whitney definitely had the higher moral ground, and so, rather grudgingly, we allowed her to remove movies from our collection.
Rather then throw the movies away just yet, my sister was told to put the "bad" movies in one of the empty banker boxes. This box now sits on the top shelf in the down-down stairs (or the lowest level of our split level house), and it is rarely opened.
Yesterday night I was going to get a haircut. In my house, mom cuts your hair, and you watch a movie while she is cutting. I walked down stairs to select a movie, and decided to pull the movie box off the shelf to get something to watch from it. Rather than look through the movies one by one, I took the list out and began to read.
As I read through the list, and thought about whether or not the movie really did have inappropriate language, or disturbing images, I found that they were all guilty as charged and realized that the absence of these movies had had a positive influence in our home. I thought about it, and realized that I didn't want to watch something about murder and deceit or listen to swearing. I put the lid back on the box, and put the box back up high on the shelf.
This experience made me realize how intoxicated and desensitized I had become. It also took the resent I had about the movies being put in the box, and even the desire to watch them.
To all the good people out there who are trying to be in the world, but not of the world, only to find they slip up: Get your own box! Look through your own movies, or your music, or your books, or your games, or your jokes... Put the "there-only-just-not-so-good" things in a box. Then write on a paper why each thing in the box is there, and read that paper each time you open your box. The result is amazing.
And as always,
Don't forget your daily dose of Music!
Jan 17, 2010
Getting into College
Having just survived my first semester of college at BYU-Idaho, I have returned home for the next three month. In my spare time, I have been thinking about my experiences up there, and realizing how much the hand of the Lord was in my life.
Getting into BYUI was something of a miracle itself. For years, I had planned on going right to the University of Utah to work with the music program that they have. I had established a friendship with the director of choral activities at the school, and knew many of the students in the program. But, as the time came to actually apply and enroll for classes at the U, I just never felt good about it, and therefore never did anything about it.
This became a point of agitation between me and my parents. As deadlines drew closer, and I still didn't do anything about it, they began to "encourage" me to start more and more. I didn't tell them that I was uncomfortable with my decision for a long time because I really wanted to go to the U. So I rationalized away my feelings whenever I thought about them, but could never talk them so far away that I could actually apply to the college.
"Encouragements" began to come more frequently, and because I was unwilling to admit the feelings I was having even to myself, I was left with no good reason that I was not doing anything. Finally, after weeks of putting it off, I accepted what I was feeling. I was sitting in the passenger side of our families truck, talking to my mom,who was in the driver's seat. Without hardly even thinking, I said "Mom, I don't think that I am supposed to go to the U before my mission." Suddenly, by saying it loud, I had made it true. Neither of my parents had felt "warm fuzzies" about me going to the U right out of high school. I had heard them say that, but I hadn't listened. I was so sure that I wanted to go to the U that their counsel had walked in one ear and right out the other. Now that my feelings were out in the open, I knew they were right, and was at peace about my decision not to go to the U for now; it could wait awhile.
Now deadlines for colleges were virtually here. We needed to act very fast in order to even be eligible for application for the fall/winter semester. I prayed about where I should go, considered my options, and quickly felt like BYUI was a good place to be. With the help of my parents, and the secretaries at the high school (most of the credit goes to the secretaries for my final acceptance into the college) we got the application in right before the deadline - hours before even...
Next thing that we knew, there was a problem admitting me to the school. From what I understand, until recently, BYU-Idaho policy had dictated that those who have been home schooled for some, or all of the typical high school grades (9-12) would be required to take the GED before admission could be considered. Whatever the policy actually says, this is the situation I was in. I had just taken the ACT for a second time, and was not in the mood to take another test and possibly miss out on the semester I was aiming for. We were told that we could request that our case be considered by the people who are in charge of admissions at the college. We did.
Thanks to an inspired follow-up call from one of the secretaries at the school at just the right time, my file was brought up in their meeting that day, and they decided to change the college's policy in order to let me be accepted without taking the GED or jumping through any more hoops.
We had done it! I was in! It had been a long and stressful process, but I was in!
I will soon share more college stories... but for now,
Don't forget your daily dose of music!
Getting into BYUI was something of a miracle itself. For years, I had planned on going right to the University of Utah to work with the music program that they have. I had established a friendship with the director of choral activities at the school, and knew many of the students in the program. But, as the time came to actually apply and enroll for classes at the U, I just never felt good about it, and therefore never did anything about it.
This became a point of agitation between me and my parents. As deadlines drew closer, and I still didn't do anything about it, they began to "encourage" me to start more and more. I didn't tell them that I was uncomfortable with my decision for a long time because I really wanted to go to the U. So I rationalized away my feelings whenever I thought about them, but could never talk them so far away that I could actually apply to the college.
"Encouragements" began to come more frequently, and because I was unwilling to admit the feelings I was having even to myself, I was left with no good reason that I was not doing anything. Finally, after weeks of putting it off, I accepted what I was feeling. I was sitting in the passenger side of our families truck, talking to my mom,who was in the driver's seat. Without hardly even thinking, I said "Mom, I don't think that I am supposed to go to the U before my mission." Suddenly, by saying it loud, I had made it true. Neither of my parents had felt "warm fuzzies" about me going to the U right out of high school. I had heard them say that, but I hadn't listened. I was so sure that I wanted to go to the U that their counsel had walked in one ear and right out the other. Now that my feelings were out in the open, I knew they were right, and was at peace about my decision not to go to the U for now; it could wait awhile.
Now deadlines for colleges were virtually here. We needed to act very fast in order to even be eligible for application for the fall/winter semester. I prayed about where I should go, considered my options, and quickly felt like BYUI was a good place to be. With the help of my parents, and the secretaries at the high school (most of the credit goes to the secretaries for my final acceptance into the college) we got the application in right before the deadline - hours before even...
Next thing that we knew, there was a problem admitting me to the school. From what I understand, until recently, BYU-Idaho policy had dictated that those who have been home schooled for some, or all of the typical high school grades (9-12) would be required to take the GED before admission could be considered. Whatever the policy actually says, this is the situation I was in. I had just taken the ACT for a second time, and was not in the mood to take another test and possibly miss out on the semester I was aiming for. We were told that we could request that our case be considered by the people who are in charge of admissions at the college. We did.
Thanks to an inspired follow-up call from one of the secretaries at the school at just the right time, my file was brought up in their meeting that day, and they decided to change the college's policy in order to let me be accepted without taking the GED or jumping through any more hoops.
We had done it! I was in! It had been a long and stressful process, but I was in!
I will soon share more college stories... but for now,
Don't forget your daily dose of music!
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