Happy Leap Day! I participated in an experiment this morning, read for a while, and then took a nap and dreamed that I was back at the studio where I danced ballet for a few years when I was little. In other words, today was kind of a wash. Back to being productive tomorrow, especially since I have a lot of academic reading I need to catch up on.
Weather update: Sunrise is a few minutes after 7am, and sunset is at about 5:45. The temperature has been consistently in the upper 50s (Fahrenheit) for the last week. I smell SPRING!!!
Cheers, y'all.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
The Search for a Thesis Topic
I had a meeting with Ailsa, my probable thesis supervisor, last Thursday afternoon. My tentative idea at the time was identity-impacting events in young musicians' lives. If only I were doing this project over the winter instead of over the summer, I would have the PERFECT setup via All-District and All-State Band and Orchestra auditions in NC. So we spent the majority of the meeting trying to brainstorm stuff happening over the summer that might lend itself to this idea, and which might not end up being a logistical nightmare. I left the meeting with more new questions than answers, which is pretty much par for the course.
Last night was my first Research Process class, and within the first 25 minutes of it I decided that I need to bin that idea and do something else. Because, the thing is, I'm not all that interested in identity-impacting events. I let time get away from me and essentially ended up picking something from the available advisors' research interests at random, because I needed to have that first meeting last week per the thesis timetable. And with that idea, I'm trying to mold my interests to fit their ideas, rather than pursuing my own.
SO. I've decided that what I want to do instead is something with talent development. I got really, really interested in talent development during my Planning class last term. Did my assessment on it and everything, and wasn't sick of it by the end. In particular, I'm interested in the question, "What is appropriate development in the context of music performance?" There's lots of talk about appropriate development in young athletes, but a lot of that literature doesn't really translate to young music performers. My idea at the moment is to interview as many musicians as I can, both from my own acquaintance and through various contacts, about their early music experiences, and then do a qualitative analysis to see what themes about early musical development get thrown up.
This is SO MUCH more relevant to my interests than the other idea, and would also be much less of a logistical headache because I wouldn't be working with high school students and therefore wouldn't need to obtain consent from God-knows-how-many participants' parents. Now I just have to hope that Ailsa won't be super-annoyed about this complete 180 I'm taking, and will still be willing/able to be my supervisor, since I don't know whether talent development falls under her interests/expertise or not. I imagine I can't be the first person who's completely switched ideas during the thesis process, surely. And surely it's much better to be having this realization now, rather than in April, or heaven forbid, in June.
***
Coming attractions: What I've been up to during the last week and a half, aside from trying to find a thesis topic!
Cheers, y'all.
Last night was my first Research Process class, and within the first 25 minutes of it I decided that I need to bin that idea and do something else. Because, the thing is, I'm not all that interested in identity-impacting events. I let time get away from me and essentially ended up picking something from the available advisors' research interests at random, because I needed to have that first meeting last week per the thesis timetable. And with that idea, I'm trying to mold my interests to fit their ideas, rather than pursuing my own.
SO. I've decided that what I want to do instead is something with talent development. I got really, really interested in talent development during my Planning class last term. Did my assessment on it and everything, and wasn't sick of it by the end. In particular, I'm interested in the question, "What is appropriate development in the context of music performance?" There's lots of talk about appropriate development in young athletes, but a lot of that literature doesn't really translate to young music performers. My idea at the moment is to interview as many musicians as I can, both from my own acquaintance and through various contacts, about their early music experiences, and then do a qualitative analysis to see what themes about early musical development get thrown up.
This is SO MUCH more relevant to my interests than the other idea, and would also be much less of a logistical headache because I wouldn't be working with high school students and therefore wouldn't need to obtain consent from God-knows-how-many participants' parents. Now I just have to hope that Ailsa won't be super-annoyed about this complete 180 I'm taking, and will still be willing/able to be my supervisor, since I don't know whether talent development falls under her interests/expertise or not. I imagine I can't be the first person who's completely switched ideas during the thesis process, surely. And surely it's much better to be having this realization now, rather than in April, or heaven forbid, in June.
***
Coming attractions: What I've been up to during the last week and a half, aside from trying to find a thesis topic!
Cheers, y'all.
Friday, February 17, 2012
Loo roll.
50% attendance at my tutorial yesterday afternoon. I instructed everyone to encourage their absent peers to show up to the next one, as they will be expected to write a lab report on either that one or the one after. The looks of horror were priceless.
I'm feeling infinitely better than I did on Tuesday. I tidied up the kitchen this morning and bought more loo roll (toilet paper). I have actually been hoarding my loo roll recently, because it's been disappearing at an alarming rate and I'm the only one who's been stocking that bathroom. But I put a full one in there this morning. We'll see how much is left when I get back from the Netherlands on Monday. Also, I am now exclusively using the term "loo roll" instead of "toilet paper." Fewer syllables, and it just rolls off the tongue so much more easily! LOO ROLL!!! Say it with me!
Speaking of the Netherlands, my flight leaves at 6:00 tomorrow morning! Planning to catch the N22 in front of my flat at 3:30. It's not an express bus, but it's slightly cheaper and should still have me at the airport for 4:15. I'm trying to decide whether to go to bed at all tonight. Tentative plan is to go to bed at midnight and have a 3-hour nap, then snatch more naps on the plane and the trains...
Cheers, y'all.
I'm feeling infinitely better than I did on Tuesday. I tidied up the kitchen this morning and bought more loo roll (toilet paper). I have actually been hoarding my loo roll recently, because it's been disappearing at an alarming rate and I'm the only one who's been stocking that bathroom. But I put a full one in there this morning. We'll see how much is left when I get back from the Netherlands on Monday. Also, I am now exclusively using the term "loo roll" instead of "toilet paper." Fewer syllables, and it just rolls off the tongue so much more easily! LOO ROLL!!! Say it with me!
Speaking of the Netherlands, my flight leaves at 6:00 tomorrow morning! Planning to catch the N22 in front of my flat at 3:30. It's not an express bus, but it's slightly cheaper and should still have me at the airport for 4:15. I'm trying to decide whether to go to bed at all tonight. Tentative plan is to go to bed at midnight and have a 3-hour nap, then snatch more naps on the plane and the trains...
Cheers, y'all.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Staying On Top Of Things.
Just when I thought I was over this cold, I woke up this morning with a sore throat. Like, the kind with giant globs of nastiness built up at the back of the nasal cavity. Yeegh. And I really need to not be sick right now, because I really need to do some dissertation reading this week. Because if it isn't done by Saturday, it ain't getting done, what with this trip to the Netherlands and then Tracey arriving next Wednesday. Although I suppose if I really get up a creek, I can just take the reading with me to Winterswijk and do it on Sunday. :/ It's week 5 of spring term, and I feel like I'm starting to lose my grip on Staying On Top Of Things.
In other news, I've started being a test subject for other peoples' experiments for some pocket change. I've participated in two experiments and made 13 quid so far. Not bad for an hour of work, all told.
In other other news, there is now a latch on the inside of my door that I am 99% sure was not there when I left this morning. I appreciate the effort to make my room more secure or whatever, but this whole "letting ourselves in and metaphorically moving the furniture around" thing that the leasing agency keeps doing is wearing thin. Not to mention, not a very nice thing to do to a person with a cold-addled brain. Furthermore, I did not make my bed this morning. How embarrassing.
Early night tonight, because I am absolutely knackered and I need to do some dissertation- and tutorial-planning tomorrow.
Cheers, y'all.
In other news, I've started being a test subject for other peoples' experiments for some pocket change. I've participated in two experiments and made 13 quid so far. Not bad for an hour of work, all told.
In other other news, there is now a latch on the inside of my door that I am 99% sure was not there when I left this morning. I appreciate the effort to make my room more secure or whatever, but this whole "letting ourselves in and metaphorically moving the furniture around" thing that the leasing agency keeps doing is wearing thin. Not to mention, not a very nice thing to do to a person with a cold-addled brain. Furthermore, I did not make my bed this morning. How embarrassing.
Early night tonight, because I am absolutely knackered and I need to do some dissertation- and tutorial-planning tomorrow.
Cheers, y'all.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Belated Burns Night and The Heretics
I have had an thoroughly interesting couple of nights.
On Thursday night, two of my older classmates, Dave and Al, hosted a belated Burns Night supper at Dave's place. Only Jeffrey, Tae, and I went, but it was still a good time. We had cock-a-leekie soup, haggis (piped in and then addressed by Al) neeps and tatties, Scottish music and dancing, and general craic.
^ Al giving Tae a bagpipe tutorial.
^ Al and Dave, hanging out.
^ Jeffrey and Tae, hanging out.
Last night, I took the train to Glasgow to see Tony's band play. This was an adventure on a few different counts. When I got to Glasgow, Buchanan Street was sealed off because of a bomb scare. It took me the better part of 45 minutes to circumvent it and get to the venue on Sauchiehall Street, and I was on the verge of giving up at one point. But I got there eventually, and in time to see the second half of the set.
I had planned to go straight back to Edinburgh after the gig, but Tony and his girlfriend Hannah invited me to hang out with them and their friends, as it was also Hannah's birthday. First we went to a pub, and hung out so long that I lost track of time and missed the last train. (Okay, mostly it was because I was too busy chatting up Tony and Hannah's friend Alan who is OMG SO CUTE you guys.) When the pub closed, we went to a nightclub. I was not dressed for the nightclub, nor did I have any money, but I said "To hell with it" and had a fine time. When the club closed, Hannah, Alan, and I all went to Tony's, watched American Dad, and crashed at about 4:00 in the morning. I slept in a sleeping bag in the spare bedroom, because there were no clean linens. I crept out at around 9:30, walked to Hyndland Station, and made my way back to Edinburgh. In the same clothes as yesterday and with smudged eye makeup. I'm sure I was a sight for sore eyes. All in all, a successful evening, especially given how unplanned it was (for me, anyway).
I napped most of the afternoon away and am now trying to be at least somewhat productive. I really must study tomorrow.
Cheers, y'all.
On Thursday night, two of my older classmates, Dave and Al, hosted a belated Burns Night supper at Dave's place. Only Jeffrey, Tae, and I went, but it was still a good time. We had cock-a-leekie soup, haggis (piped in and then addressed by Al) neeps and tatties, Scottish music and dancing, and general craic.
Last night, I took the train to Glasgow to see Tony's band play. This was an adventure on a few different counts. When I got to Glasgow, Buchanan Street was sealed off because of a bomb scare. It took me the better part of 45 minutes to circumvent it and get to the venue on Sauchiehall Street, and I was on the verge of giving up at one point. But I got there eventually, and in time to see the second half of the set.
I had planned to go straight back to Edinburgh after the gig, but Tony and his girlfriend Hannah invited me to hang out with them and their friends, as it was also Hannah's birthday. First we went to a pub, and hung out so long that I lost track of time and missed the last train. (Okay, mostly it was because I was too busy chatting up Tony and Hannah's friend Alan who is OMG SO CUTE you guys.) When the pub closed, we went to a nightclub. I was not dressed for the nightclub, nor did I have any money, but I said "To hell with it" and had a fine time. When the club closed, Hannah, Alan, and I all went to Tony's, watched American Dad, and crashed at about 4:00 in the morning. I slept in a sleeping bag in the spare bedroom, because there were no clean linens. I crept out at around 9:30, walked to Hyndland Station, and made my way back to Edinburgh. In the same clothes as yesterday and with smudged eye makeup. I'm sure I was a sight for sore eyes. All in all, a successful evening, especially given how unplanned it was (for me, anyway).
I napped most of the afternoon away and am now trying to be at least somewhat productive. I really must study tomorrow.
Cheers, y'all.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
First cold of 2012.
Woke up with the beginnings of a sore throat on Tuesday, and now I have a full-blown cold. Incredibly achey, with a bit of congestion on the side. I've spent the last couple of days holed up in my room, trying to take it easy. I finished The Maid by Kimberly Cutter earlier today, and I'm going to try to finish Dane Love's Scottish Ghosts today as well. It's cloudy today, so there's not much to tempt me outside.
Coming attractions: The search for a thesis topic!
Cheers, y'all.
Coming attractions: The search for a thesis topic!
Cheers, y'all.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
The Fall Haul.
Research Methods I: A
Planning and Instruction: B+
Stress and Coping: B
Professional Skills: B
At the moment my average is a 65, or solid B. It would be very nifty to bump it up to an A this spring...challenge accepted!
Cheers, y'all.
Planning and Instruction: B+
Stress and Coping: B
Professional Skills: B
At the moment my average is a 65, or solid B. It would be very nifty to bump it up to an A this spring...challenge accepted!
Cheers, y'all.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Sports, sports, and more sports.
I spent most of this weekend at the pub, watching grown men pummel each other on live television. Saturday was the England vs. Scotland rugby game, and yesterday of course was the Superbowl. I almost understand rugby now. It's kind of similar to American football, but there is no padding, the game doesn't stop when someone gets tackled, and you can only throw the ball to someone behind you. Scotland lost, despite being ahead at halftime and having possession of the ball for about 60% of the game. I only watched the first half of the Superbowl, because the pub closed at 1am. They didn't show any of the commercials, but instead cycled through the same three UK commercials all night. The Giants won! YAY!!!
In my leasing agency's latest fit of asshattery, they've given the keys to some of our neighbors who apparently have a broken shower, so there have been random people traipsing in to use the shower (and also the toilet. I swear, I'm going to have to start hoarding my toilet paper). We are all quite perturbed by this, since no one told us about this and our permission wasn't asked, and I know Vicki left our leasing agent an angry message last night around dinnertime. I have actually decided to stay on here beyond my 6-month lease, since the mouse problem seems to have cleared up (touch wood), but I'm still keeping half an eye on other places.
The sun rose before 8:00 this morning. Huzzah!
Cheers, y'all.
EDIT: Almost forgot - happy 60 years on the throne, QEII!
In my leasing agency's latest fit of asshattery, they've given the keys to some of our neighbors who apparently have a broken shower, so there have been random people traipsing in to use the shower (and also the toilet. I swear, I'm going to have to start hoarding my toilet paper). We are all quite perturbed by this, since no one told us about this and our permission wasn't asked, and I know Vicki left our leasing agent an angry message last night around dinnertime. I have actually decided to stay on here beyond my 6-month lease, since the mouse problem seems to have cleared up (touch wood), but I'm still keeping half an eye on other places.
The sun rose before 8:00 this morning. Huzzah!
Cheers, y'all.
EDIT: Almost forgot - happy 60 years on the throne, QEII!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Up Helly Aa
I just realized that Up Helly Aa was yesterday, and I missed it! Ack!
Up Helly Aa is a big festival that happens up in Shetland on February 2, to mark the end of the Yule season and the coming of spring. All the men dress up as Vikings and parade through the town, finally throwing torches onto a replica Viking longship. Shetland was a possession of Norway until the 1400s and many of the inhabitants are of Viking descent, hence all the Viking-related activities. I'd love to go up there and see it sometime, but I've heard that the festival in Lerwick (the capital of Shetland) is such a big deal that it's invite-only.
I had my first real week of teaching this week, and it went reasonably well. We still fell short of the alotted class time by about 10 minutes, but I'm sure we'll find a way to fill the whole 50 minutes next time.
Cheers, y'all.
Up Helly Aa is a big festival that happens up in Shetland on February 2, to mark the end of the Yule season and the coming of spring. All the men dress up as Vikings and parade through the town, finally throwing torches onto a replica Viking longship. Shetland was a possession of Norway until the 1400s and many of the inhabitants are of Viking descent, hence all the Viking-related activities. I'd love to go up there and see it sometime, but I've heard that the festival in Lerwick (the capital of Shetland) is such a big deal that it's invite-only.
I had my first real week of teaching this week, and it went reasonably well. We still fell short of the alotted class time by about 10 minutes, but I'm sure we'll find a way to fill the whole 50 minutes next time.
Cheers, y'all.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Weekend plans and thoughts on the weather.
It's the first day of February, and every weekend this month is already full:
February 4-5: Sue's birthday and Kelley's superbowl party (go Giants!)
February 10-12: Glasgow, for Tony's gig and Anna's birthday
February 18-19: Netherlands, for Shaina's gig (haven't officially booked this yet, but will today or tomorrow)
February 24-26: Tracey will be here, and I'm taking her on a WIS trip.
I figure it's time to start filling March up as well. I'm going to reach out to family in Nottingham and see if there's a good weekend for me to visit, and I'd also like to finally make my Mull/Iona/Staffa trip happen, possibly around March 22-26 or so. And March 31 is my birthday, and it's on a Saturday this year! Plus, my parents, uncle, and grandmother are all coming in the second half of April, and after I show them around Edinburgh for a few days, we're all going to Wales. I don't know whether my social calendar has ever been this full, and I love it!
We've had a rare string of sunny days lately, but the tradeoff is that it's been very cold. Paradoxically, the temperature tends to drop when the sun is out this time of year. But the daylight hours have been getting steadily longer! Sunset this morning was at 8:08am, and sunset tonight is at 4:45pm. Sunset will be after 5:00 again in two weeks or so. My mood is noticeably improved, and I figure once we get into March, I'll be able to stop taking my vitamin D.
Cheers, y'all.
February 4-5: Sue's birthday and Kelley's superbowl party (go Giants!)
February 10-12: Glasgow, for Tony's gig and Anna's birthday
February 18-19: Netherlands, for Shaina's gig (haven't officially booked this yet, but will today or tomorrow)
February 24-26: Tracey will be here, and I'm taking her on a WIS trip.
I figure it's time to start filling March up as well. I'm going to reach out to family in Nottingham and see if there's a good weekend for me to visit, and I'd also like to finally make my Mull/Iona/Staffa trip happen, possibly around March 22-26 or so. And March 31 is my birthday, and it's on a Saturday this year! Plus, my parents, uncle, and grandmother are all coming in the second half of April, and after I show them around Edinburgh for a few days, we're all going to Wales. I don't know whether my social calendar has ever been this full, and I love it!
We've had a rare string of sunny days lately, but the tradeoff is that it's been very cold. Paradoxically, the temperature tends to drop when the sun is out this time of year. But the daylight hours have been getting steadily longer! Sunset this morning was at 8:08am, and sunset tonight is at 4:45pm. Sunset will be after 5:00 again in two weeks or so. My mood is noticeably improved, and I figure once we get into March, I'll be able to stop taking my vitamin D.
Cheers, y'all.
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