Rants of a Composition Major

Well, this is similar to a previous post, I've been having problems with recital preparation again. A few of the ridiculous things I've heard in the last week:

• "One musician to another", I'm going to start asking for credentials before I listen to anything beyond this sentence...
• "I just assumed I didn't need to show up to rehearsal" ... I mean, really? Are you THAT good?
• "Do we need to rehearse?" Well yes, I would like us to not look ridiculous in eight days time. 
• "Should I stay for the rest of the recital?" , No, no, please leave, that would be great. *sarcasm*

Yes, it's a colorful week in my world, hopefully musicians won't keep me from finishing my degree.

PS - I love you all, you just frustrate me sometimes.

Americorps Essay

Part of my application to Americorps requires an essay, or "personal statement". Most of the time I hate that  sort of a thing, but after mulling it over and talking it through with several "academic" types of people, I think I'm ready to write the statement. 


"We would like to understand more about you and your reasons for applying to AmeriCorps. Take a few minutes and consider those experiences that have made you the person you are today. Please share with us one of these experiences and how it sparked your interest in community service."

Right before my nineteenth birthday I chose to take what is referred to as a gap year and put off pursuing a university degree for this period of time. I was working as a nanny at the time and the mother of the family was pleased enough at the prospect of having me work for her for another year, that she was willing to give me time off throughout the year so I would have the ability to travel. The first trip I took was the biggest, I went to Italy and France for two months to couch surf at my sisters and at my brothers. While I was traveling through Southern Italy, my eyes were opened in a whole new way to the poverty of the world. I had grown up in a comfortable middle-class family and I had not  seen face to face the needs that are out in bigger world. I had always been involved in community service, with my parents, from a very young age, but for the first time I was confronted with true absolute poverty, people begging to have one more piece of bread. I felt my heart break inside of me. I would continue to labor under the misconception that this was simply a European problem until I came home and began traveling in my own country. For the first time I saw all around me people who were in a far worse place than myself, and I was astonished. When I did pursue a university degree I found myself wishing there was a way to be purposeful and organized in service work, and I ended up pursuing, and founding, a university-based Rotaract International chapter. That organization is the true pride of my undergraduate career, not my grades, honors, performances. What the organization now does is reach into the international community, where my eyes were first opened, raising funds, and serving as much as possible in the local community. 

Organization?

Question marked because I generally think of myself as decently organized. I have the planner, the software, and a brain that categorizes and compartmentalizes fairly well. But in the last couple of weeks my normal routines just aren't cutting it for my life.  I'm trying to turn this idea of "new paths" and "untrodden viewpoints" into my new needs for organization. Senior year is turning out to be a more spread out busy, with lots of long term projects. After googling everything from "organization tools for adults" to "checklist ideas" to "task management" I finally ran across a blog called "simple mom". Alright laugh, go ahead. But her ideas are pretty awesome, even for a twenty-something single girl. I think I may try some of her ideas in the weeks ahead, but I'm still open to suggestions. Let me know if you have a system you use that works particularly well for you.