Day 9 & 10

Wednesday: Overall today was pretty intense. I was overwhelmed and really feel the mid-term ness of this day. I was able to work for a while on my outline and feel like it is as far as I can take it.
Tech class was great, we worked hands-on with a sound board. I learned a lot.

Lunch at the SERC!... Quesadilla Grande. (not worth it).

Struggled with Weidenaar's class today.

Eric and I stayed up until 3 talking. I think I will regret that later.

Thursday: I really like my research class. We have great life discussions and it makes it a lot of fun!
Today in Tech we played around with sound recording software. I want to buy Logic Pro for my Mac and some hand held recorders.
Weidenaar's class was good. I was able to teach the college level with music and I love it! What a great opportunity!

I struggled with this evening. I didn't have the mental capacity to really work hard. I think the lack of sleep was not helpful.

Day 7 & 8

 Monday: It was a good day. Research was good today. I think I am ready to start making some headway with my paper.....
Tech was awesome. We are with DR. Allan and are delving into sound mixing boards and how to work them. It is overwhelming, but I am doing my best.
Choir Methods: Dr. Weidenaar is alright in this course... I like the idea of the class and really enjoy learning from the other members of class. I think there is much to learn!
Library was successful tonight. I got some research done. Worked on homework for all my other classes and made some headway with my outline!

Tuesday: I did well on my Program Notes!!!!! I like this class and am glad it is here for me to understand some key points!
Tech was good, still over my heard, but I am excited to go home and play around with mixing!

CM was also good. We got to teach each other some warm-ups and delve into music that is good for the group and did a lot of self-evaluation and support of peers.

Library was soooooooo good. I finished my ROUGH ROUGH Draft of my Outline and have tomorrow to really get it together! I am so blessed and feel the Lords hand as I work on these assignments!

Well here's to another day!

Day 5 & 6

Saturday: in school... all day...soooooo.
Research- we had some great overviews on the program notes & outlines and I feel like I have some great direction. Also, he gave us a ton of online database resources, so that is super helpful.
Tech-nothing to report...
World Music- we covered some info on Brazil-Samba-Bassa Nova-Tropicalia-MPB and it was awesome. Then we did presentations. I felt like mine was okay, but lacked vision and therefore got 42/50 and am happy to take that grade :)
We went to an awesome restaurante--El Carporal II. It was decently authentic. Then we came back and jammed at the house and unwound a bit. I than proceeded to put some foot work down on my program notes and get frustrated at my world music project.

Sunday: Woke up at 7ish!!!! Hallelujah! I spent some time this morning working through my thoughts and hitting road blocks and then came to some clarity on my direction and am feeling better!
Church-We went to church with Brenda and sang in her ward choir. It was great. I love out-of-Utah wards and the amazing spirit you will find there!
We got home and ate some great BBQ pork (Hawaiian Style) with chips and salsa with Avocado and a green salad.
I was able to lay the foot work for my Project. Finish my rough draft. Finish all the readings for tomorrow and prep for choral sem. All I really have left is my Final World Music Project.

Day 3 & 4

Thursday: I had my first day with Dr. Snedeker and I think it will be a fun class. I turned in my Research Proposal and we discussed our drafts of the Objective and Subjective writings. I feel like I was pretty spot-on in my understanding of the assignment.
Dr. Widenaar is growing on me. He has great energy and intent, but is pretty scattered. I have learned some cool shorthand on Word, Excel and Youtube links. I am filling my shopping cart with mental ideas for technology and its future role in my classroom.
World Music is amazing. We discussed Calypso music and music from the Caribbean, played some games that other groups had created and delved into prep for our own game that we would be doing on Friday.
Spent the evening trying to not go crazy in the Library and work on my listening guide for World Music on a song called Ta' Umai. It is awesome.....

Friday: We met Dr. Smith this morning and I need to find a time to meet with him one-on-one. We took a tour of the Music Library and than did a class report where we found a book and gathered info about it... was ok.
 Booked it to Tech and had a good time there as well. I am excited to familiarize myself with Sight Reading Factory.....
World music was awesome again. We did our game today and then jumped into Latin American music. I love all these styles and think I could be an Ethnomusicologist in another life..... Then he gave us time to work on our stuff and I have my project figured out roughly.
Worked at Brenda's tonight and finished 2nd listening guide and presentation prep. I will be talking about the Hybridization of music in out day (mixing more than one style to make it sell.) I like this project and think it will put itself together.

This is quite fun! 

Day 1&2

Theory Exam... I did okay. I was expected to remember everything I learned (and many things I didn't) in college. I felt confident on the listening portion, and then I got to the melodic and harmonic dictation and was not so hot. I did well on many other aspects, but clearly have a lot of holes in that part of my education.

Tech Class: soooooo, I am not sure how I feel about this class both days have been interesting, but I feel like I can learn things, I simply need to have a good attitude.

World Music: AGH! This is an awesome class but we only 5 days to do it all... and it is a 4 hour class. I am learning how to focus that long and push myself like mad. I love it. I enjoy the teacher and the content is extremely fascinating. I look forward to the next 3 days... yikes!

History Exam.........................it's over?!? I clearly have always struggled with this content area and still do. I surprised myself on the listening portion, but did not know most other things........the end.

Food and Fun: I have been doing well to stick to the food I brought and make meals. Didn't buy a single thing today! I have really enjoyed spending time with Eric. We had some great life discussions and lots of laughs and stupidity, a la two music nerds.

Over all, I love this experience, but am missing home and my sweet wife and babies :)

Happy 4th/Here We Go!!!

Well, just drove up to Ellensburg, WA with Eric Noyes and am all settled in and ready for my new adventure at CWU. I am freaking out a little, but also grateful for all the loving support. Here we go!

Summer and Master Prep...

I am getting ready for my first semester as a Masters Student in Ellensberg, Washington. Central Washington University. I will working on my Masters in Music Education and am looking forward to this experience.

I start in 2 weeks and will be taking 15 credits in a 3 week span. I am a little overwhelemed, but also feel like this is the perfect program for me. I am not an online school-goer and therefore with thrive in the face-to-face instruction. I also do not want to be doing classes and teaching at the same time, therefore a 3 week program that allows me time to work in the summer like mad and then focus on teaching throughout the year is amazing.

I have truly been blessed as I finish my 2 year of teaching to feel motivated to start my 3rd and am very excited for the changes I will be making.

Also,

I am happy to announce that we are expecting a little boy in September!!!!!!!!!! I don't blog often therefore realize that this should have been in a different order or separate post, but regardless, I am so excited!

Shani has been a trooper and Zoë is starting to get excited or somewhat grasp the concept. I love my little family and am excited to balance out the genders and have another eventual priesthood holder in our home! We like the name Heath Jason Harper and are looking forward to him joining our family! Due Sept. 26th.

Well, wish me luck on the craziness that is 2016 and I hope to be more consistent as the year progresses!