Weeks from hell (aka: why I continue to hate my adviser)

So, last week was pretty shitty, and this week ain't looking so great either. I will explain.

Last week was the beginning of classes. No big deal, I really think that I'm going to enjoy my classes. But for one class our text books didn't get into the bookstore until Thursday, and since it was compiled by our professor, it's not available online or anything. So, Thursday I had my whole day planned out to allow time to pick up my book, but when I was going out to run a few errands, I discovered a flat tire on my truck. This wouldn't be so bad, but one of the lug nuts wouldn't budge, so I had to go to our Fleet Services to get a breaker bar to loosen it, and to get there I had to go pretty much as far across campus as possible from where I was. Some kid was kind enough to give me a ride up there and back, and when I got back I found that the socket they gave me didn't fit, so I had to hitch another ride from the kid to get back to Fleet Services, but then he had to leave. So I had to walk all the way across campus to get back to my truck again, and even when I got there it took me probably another 45 minutes to get the nut loose, making the time for this tire change a grand total of 2 hours, 17 minutes. I then had to go to class, skip buying my book, and by the time I got it on Monday I was a full chapter behind in the reading.

Then our band went on a retreat for the weekend. We usually have one retreat a year, which is in the fall, but our director decided that we should have two this year. I say that our director decided this because although it is supposed to be a decision made by the council, I only heard it brought up during a council meeting once, and then we didn't decide anything final on the subject. I was going to ditch out on the retreat, but since I am one of the few people on my enormously eco-friendly campus with the nerve to drive a truck, I got stuck hauling equipment. The retreat consisted of eight total hours of rehearsal being wasted on learning the music instead of rehearsing it, because we had only had our music for a total of 2 days, which is not enough time to learn any music, especially the music that a band as strong as ours plays. I did, however, have fun hanging out with friends and BS-ing the night away.

So, now it's this week. I have to perform a jury on Thursday. A jury is 20 minutes worth of music performed in front of our entire music faculty to determine whether or not the student is allowed to move on to advanced instrumental lessons (and ultimately if I can graduate this year). I had dropped off my forms for it with my advising professor last week, but when I talked with him about it today, he claimed that he had never gotten it. So, we work it out, and I'm set to do the jury on Thursday. The only exception that had to be made is that I have to do it at a later time: 9:30AM. Oh shit! I have my interview for our education program at 9:40. Math time: 9:30 + 20 minutes worth of music = 9:50. So, I run to our education office, and switch my interview time to 8:40 on Wednesday. This means that I have to get up early for the interview tomorrow, which requires an earlier bed time, which cuts out some of my practice time. Cutting out practice time can affect my performance on my FUCKING JURY! All this, plus I'm already way behind in my classes.

Sometimes, I just have to wonder if it's all worth it.

Her

So, New Orleans was pretty much great. We stayed right in the French Quarter, about 3 blocks from the infamous Bourbon Street, and it was pretty much a party all the time. We played 3 concerts, and I think I did fairly well for not rehearsing for a month and then pretty much sight-reading some of the music we played. I got to listen to some great music, eat some great food, and just have a good time. I love it there.

But I keep thinking about her. I've been waiting to ask a certain girl out for far too long, and I'm just scared to do it. I keep telling myself (as well as those who I've talked to about this) that I don't want to make things weird between the two of us. But I can't get her off of my mind. The nights that I was drinking in New Orleans I pretty much just ended up talking about her. And most of the times I was sober during my month-long break from school I ended up talking about her, too. I want to stop the talking and start the actual asking.

And last night I had a dream about her. Well, not exactly about her, but I believe that it was about her anyway. I dreamt that I met a girl from far away, and as she was leaving after spending quite a bit of time together, I got up the nerve to ask her out, which didn't do any good because she was going away. But I ended up giving her my number so that we could stay friends. Now, what this dream tells me is that I'm not really afraid of the rejection. Well, I am, but it is far outweighed by my desire to have someone to just be there. It also tells my that I feel that if I wait to long, it may be too late. So, I need to do this. I need to ask her.

I just need to see her first.

Basin Street is the street where the folks all meet....

So, I'm off for New Orleans tomorrow. My college's jazz ensembles are taking a near-week long trip to the land of jazz to play a few concerts. It'll be a grand time, I'm sure. We're staying in the French Quarter and playing 3 concerts in some pretty awesome locations, not to mention that I am now of legal age to drink and it's NEW FREAKIN' ORLEANS! I get to spend time with friends and relax before I head back for Spring Semester. Somehow, though, I'm feeling nervous.

See, within the first two weeks of next semester I have to perform for our music faculty to see if I can go on to advanced percussion lessons, and seeing as how I need two semesters of these lessons, I need to pass it this time or else I won't be able to graduate next year. While I know that an extra semester or two would reduce stress and I wouldn't mind spending extra time in college (since I love my college) I still don't like taking out loans and such. I keep stressing because I am not as prepared as I had hoped to be at this point, and with a week in New Orleans I won't be able to practice my solo music, meaning that's a week to forget all that I have practiced.

Some words of advice were giving to me by my mother today about this subject. She said that I shouldn't look so far into the future. This is what I need to keep thinking of. Everything has gone fine so far, and I'm sure I can get through this alive. All I know is that everything will work out somehow in the end, and this will be as it is meant to be. Nothing can stop me from fulfilling my goals, and I know it.

And so, I leave you, my faithful readers (if there are any out there, I'm not sure) for, most likely, a full week. There may be a point in my trip that I get to leave a post, in which case I will be sure to make it a good one, but more than likely it'll be a while.

And so it begins.

A wise friend told me that I should start keeping a blog. Although I like the idea of writing out all my memories and deepest reflections for the general public to read, I have never been able to keep a blog for very long. For some reason, after a while I lose interest and never leave another post (and I'm sure there are fragments of my ancient blogs still floating around on the internet). But I have realized that it is quiet healthy for me to keep a blog and I find it intriguing to entertain strangers with my thoughts and so I have created yet another (probably my fourth) blog and I intend to attend this one with more care. I hope to post at least once a week if not once a day, but as with many aspects of my life I make no promises. But as this is my first post, I feel short introductions are necessary.

I have created this post in the name of Thomas Artusi. This is not my actual name, but feel free to call me by it. I have my own reasons for choosing a pen name to write this blog. I hope to attract not only the friends to this blog, but people across the world who don't know me as well. After all, I talk to my friends all the time, and they probably hear the majority of what I am writing in this blog in our conversations anyway. I hope to make many new friends here, regardless of what my name is. However, I believe that I should have some sort of identity on this site other than a vague title at the top of the page. So, I am Tom, this is my life, and welcome to it. I plan on treating the majority of my posts as free-writing, so I will be simply writing what is on my mind and I will keep writing as fast as my brain can go. So, if my thoughts seem scattered and my grammar is used poorly, this is why.

I am a student of a college in Minnesota. I am studying music education, and I hope to some day soon be the director of a high school band. I am a percussionist (or for those of you who are not aware of what percussion is, I play drums). Music is my greatest passion. I am a great appreciator of all the music that is available in this world, and i strive to connect to the wonder of musical expression.

I spend my spare time doing a wide variety of things, none of which I am particularly accomplished at, but all of which I enjoy. I am a huge fan of playing pool, which I believe I am fairly decent at. I am quite a nerd, and I play video games such as World of Warcraft and, yes, I play die-rolling based RPGs such as Dungeons and Dragons. I enjoy reading, and just chilling. Nothing matters to me more than my friends and my family, and I try to stay faithful to them as best as I can.

And now I am at a loss of what to say. Thank you for listening, and there will be more to come.