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I posted a comment on azninvasin's blog called “Roommates!”

I am a very passive person too. I had some small issues here and there with my roommate, but the truth is that by now they have REALLY added up. I think having this one year of dealing with another person and having them maybe have to "deal with" you was a good learning experience. I learned that not everyone can be reasonable all the time and I learned just how different people can be in so many different aspects. However, most importantly I learned to never go pot-luck on a roommate again haha!

Oh, and this comment as well:

I made this comment on April 17, 2009 on CEC’s blog post titled: "Who Cares if Johnny Can't Read?"

I agree with what Andrew said. There seems to be a common theme in this course that people are just looking for convenience through technology. Our lives are becoming very fast paced. And as we have found out from previous readings it is changing our society and the way we do things.

 

It was surprising to me that Americans are in fact reading more now than they did fifty years ago. But I am sure people always wanted convenience so I am sure back then they were just watching TV. Online reading is easy and very beneficial in my opinion. So, I would have to disagree with MacFarquhar and say that any kind of reading is constructive.

Woops! I forgot to add this comment to my blog.

I made this comment on April 13, 2009 on CEC’s blog post titled: Is Bibliophobia a Social Disease?

 

Beyond belief's comment reminded me of something that was implemented at Elementary school that I had totally forgotten about. We had a designated time called DEAR (drop everything and read) in which we could bring a book or magazine from home of our choosing or get a book off the shelf in the classroom. I did hear some people talking about how they just pretended to read, but there were also many students who got so involved in their book that they would sneak peaks in during class trying to finish up a chapter or something that they were dying to know about. I personally think this was a great idea and I enjoyed DEAR time very much.



 

Another thing that came to my mind when I was reading this portion of Mark Bauerlein's book was from something that we had read earlier this semester about how kids are becoming too competitive academically by their own free will just to get ahead of everyone else. However, Baurlein mentions the fact that "...students know that reading skills determine their high-stakes test scores. But the retreat from books proceeds..." (47). I find this so odd that these two readings were saying completely opposite things about this generation. 

Case structure for my next paper:

Claim: Not all reading benefits students' intelligence levels. 

Reason: There is so much more value in reading classic novels with great plots and messages than reading poorly written material online.   

Evidence: You are more likely to find grammatical errors and nonsense online. (Source: Motoko 2, 4, and 6) 

Evidence: You gain more knowledge of vocabulary words used in the correct context in novels and become a stronger writer. (Source: personal experience) 

Evidence: People who read more tend to do better academically. (Source: Bauerlein 51)

Sleep- Eric Whitacre

Eric Whitacre is by far my favorite composer. This song is beautiful and I thought I would share it on my blog with everyone. The emotion that music evokes is an amazing thing. 

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I posted a comment on Britney Speare’s blog called “How to be an appropriate formal date”

Haha I loved this post! Breaking down those rules like that makes it seem so simple and actually as far as I am concerned it kind of is. Just don't embarrass us and be polite could have summed this up. 


 

I am still dating my high school sweet heart of a little bit over two years that goes to the University of North Texas and from reading this story I feel really glad that I am not out on the dating scene in college. I am noticing that everything in high school seemed so much simpler. Which is weird because as we get older we're supposed to get more mature right?

Am I playing music or playing at music?

Something that has been on my mind recently is why am I here? I am at college trying to balance all of my schoolwork with 3 hours of practicing my instrument every day. I am starting to feel like playing my instrument is becoming more like a chore that I do not look forward to. Which is terrible right?! I used to just pick up my trumpet and play it when I wanted to because I wanted to. Which was actually quite often because I loved it and I loved getting better just doing my own thing. But now I have countess etude books to prepare every week at a lesson (sometimes not spaced out very well), material to prepare for master class every week, Orchestral repertoire to prepare to perform on my weekends, and not to mention the music that is expected to be perfect at rehearsals and concerts for Wind Ensemble, Symphony Orchestra, and Chamber Music. It is all too much!!

 

Now don’t get me wrong I do love performing and the feeling of making great quality music. However, all the time in between is rough sometimes and I never realized all that is demanded of a college trumpet player here at SMU. I would never want to give up my place here and I am very thankful for the fact that I successfully auditioned here. But lately I have had to remind myself a countless number of times that I love music and there are about 50 other kids that auditioned for the two spots here in the studio. 

I am blessed... but stressed!!