Weekend Irk: Know-it-alls.

Like my new bloggity blog? The Wifey made it.

I'm going to start probably following some of the things she does on her blog until I come up with some creative stuff on my own. But for now, I'm gonna go with her Weekend Irk.




So, I go to a liberal arts college. Pretty neat right? If you don't know what that means, it's that I'm disciplined in more than my major and minor. You pay a lot for it. And you concentrate a lot less on your major. Buttt. I suppose it has its advantages. Sometimes you'd like to take a different class just to break up the day. Unfortunately for me, I have but one more core class to take, save PE credits. I decided for my art credit this semester to take Music Appreciation.

B-W has a world renowned Music Conservatory, along with the best and biggest collection of original Bach scores in the world. It's super hard to get into, and super hard to stay into. I almost auditioned to be in it, since my dream is to be a musician. (I constantly sing to myself. My roommate told me one day: "It's not American Idol. Simon's not here. Not that you wouldn't go to Hollywood, but...there's no one here to impress..."). I'm confident that if I had auditioned my senior year, I would have gotten into the conservatory no shakes. But, my parents felt I had a more practical future...hrmph. So, I went for biology. (My effort in this subject is laughable). But, it's a tight place. It's like some kind of vortex in Berea. You walk into that building, and it feels like you aren't even on campus. Sometimes this is a pleasant feeling...sometimes it's not.

So, I take Music Appreciation. And I feel it's up there on my list of worst decisions of 2010. I feel bad for the kids in my class who haven't had any musical background, because the way this guy is teaching, they'd have to be failing. He rambles faster than you can think, and expects you to already have a knowledge of the ins and outs of music. If you don't have a musical background, just know that it's a lot. Just one aspect of music has a 100 terms to describe it. It took me a course of 10 years to learn most of these. And this particular professor expects his non-musical students to have a complete grasp of these terms by the end of the semester.

Oh, and even if we know all these terms, we're not expected to appreciate music. Isn't that the point of class? From what I gather, only the elite talented in the Conservatory are able to appreciate music for all it's worth. (-sarcasm-) In my own personal opinion, -everyone- appreciates music. Have you ever known a person who doesn't like -any- music? Sure, we all have our specific preferences. For example, I have friends who are techno geeks, alternative rockers, country buffs, classical, to marching band arrangements. (Me? I'll listen to anything. 80's rock and pop though is probably my favorite. Lots of new and different sounds). Some of us preform to music, some of us listen to concentrate, some work out to it, some analyze and critique it, and some of us just want to listen to music for sheer enjoyment.

I have a special attachment to music, since the day I picked up my first music book in kindergarten. I remember F.A.C.E., and "Every good boy does fine." I remember the first time I tooted through my clarinet, and opening my keyboard on Christmas day. I remember my first solo in the band, the first time I hit a high high C singing, my first surperior rating singing, my first Guitar Hero five starring on expert, the first time I caught my five with a rifle right on a beat, the first time I danced in front of thousands of people...With each guy I dated, I'm remember the first song I danced with them to. I can remember song names, artists, and years produced like it's no one's business. I sing to myself when I'm happy, and I sing to myself when I'm sad. When no one is around, I blast music and dance until someone's caught me reddfaced. I know chords, I know progressions. I know tempo, beat, meter, key, tone, and more. Music has helped me through the best of times, and it's helped me through the worst of times.


So, dear sir. Do not tell me I do not appreciate music. Because I'm pretty sure that even though I don't -know- music as well as you do, I appreciate it more. Because I understand what appreciating it is.