Senior Year

I haven't updated for a while, which is kind of a bummer because I had a very interesting two weeks. I moved into my first apartment, went grocery shopping for myself for the first time, went to band camp with an instrument the size of a Kodiak Bear, and started my first senior year! yay! I have lots of fun stories to share today!

So, I drove myself down to Muncie a few days before band camp started, which was an interesting experience that I won't get into. I was forced to bring my poor fishies with me to school this year, and I am pretty sure they thought it was 2012 inside their little fish tank. I drained my tank until there were about 3 inches left in the bottom and strapped the tank into the front seat next to me. The water got so clouded that they probably thought that a meteor struck the earth or something, which would make sense if they even knew what a meteor was. Or what 2012 represents. After I finally got to my wonderful, spacious apartment, I struggled...actually Rachael struggled mightily to carry my tank indoors to add more water to and to bring life back to normal for my fishes. Rachael is a lot stronger than me. And it took all day for the water to clear.

And here is a quick note about my new apartment, because I am pretty sure the topic has to be dull to other people who may want to read about my life. of all the super things my new apartment provides that a college dorm does not, I am the most excited about my hallway. I enjoy running from my room to the living room, because it was something I could not do in a dorm. I could not even do my Richard Simmons video in my dorm room.

So, band camp. ...... hm.. Well, I really love marching the tenor sax, like a lot. And I really like the different more dynamic section of people. My section teases me because I used to march what they like to call the "weenie pipe," which is so true because marching the piccolo is NOTHING compared to marching something big. If I thought band camp on the piccolo was hard, which I did think, man I was wrong. The saxophone is really heavy to march, but I caught on really fast and I can march it quite well. I also discovered that I play the sax much more musically on the field than I did on the piccolo. So I have a lot of fun. So, I guess in the end, I do miss the piccolo, but I am having a blast! maybe even the biggest blastiest blast I have had all four years of marching band.

Senior year is quite good so far. I only have 16 credits, which I am very excited about. I have pretty much always had about 18. I finished most of my music classes, so I feel pretty legit and close to being done. Except I am not because I just picked up a minor in Multicultural Education that I am VERY excited about. I am also exploring my options about a second minor as well. Anyway. It's almost one, and I have done nothing all day, so I think I will get going.

Miss Elephant

I can't wait to be a teacher! I love being around kids and I especially like being someone that kids can look up to. Currently, I only get to be around kids a little. I work at the YMCA and two of my specific areas involve working with kids. Although the YMCA is a pretty steady place to work with friendly people, I don't really get to know any of the kids. The older kids come and go as they please, and you know, there is not a whole lot of interaction. But when there is, I really enjoy talking to the kids. There is a 16 year old who is in the middle of her first summer of employment. I get to talk to her about her drivers ed, and share my own driving horror stories in order to cheer her up. She shows up after her shift ends and I know I will miss talking to her. Especially since I don't know if I will be back for even part of the summer. I hope so. I also have a few 12 and 13 year olds that I play Guitar Hero with, and we improve and get more awesomer together. In the beginning of the summer, I was on medium and now I can play some expert! yeah! I also have pillow jumping contests with said goofballs.

I don't work in Child Watch that often, but today I was a sub for a woman from my church. I was talking to a group of kids ranging from ages 3 to maybe 7. One of the kids asked me where I work and I teased him because I was in the middle of working. Then he asked me my name. I told him to read my name tag. He said he didn't know how to read. I didn't believe him because I am terrible at judging what you can do at what age. So he tried to read my name and it came out as "eeele...." something. I asked him if he said elephant. He didn't, but I teased him the rest of my shift and they all called me Miss Elephant. We also pretended to have spider man powers.

I just think that it is really awesome that I am so comfortable with kids, and that I can make them comfortable around me. I can't wait to use this gift that I have when I have a different role and I begin teaching in schools full of kids who need a good role and may not have it at home, or whatever their case may be. If I can't make much of a difference in the lives of my students musically or non-musically, I hope that they can be comfortable talking to me, and that they understand that I care about them.

Anyway, I came back from my lunch break, and I have been hearing children call, "Hi Miss Elephant!" throughout the halls.

And my awesome friend Krissy (Sorry about the spelling if it is wrong) asked me to mention a really great game that everyone should play sometime. It is called Quelf. Check it out.

Lastly, I am driving up to Muncie alone on the 12th. I may need help unloading the boxes in my car that morning if anyone wants to help. Then my mom is coming down on Saturday and we need help moving in all the furniture before band camp starts in the middle of that day. If anyone already in Muncie wants to help, that would be super great!