italianmusicman

OMG REALLY?!?!? (after tampa bay beat them)

I finally took today and didn't stress about anything. I actually went in to all classes today ready to evaluate the progress of my groups without being super judgemental. Mainly just to see if I was making ANY progress at all.

Run Down:

High School - Actually is starting to sound like a decent group. I still have a few attitudes in there, but other than that, I'm actually enjoying some of the sounds coming from them. I just need to work on intonation a LOT.

8th Grade - Doing VERY well. They have been one of my more advanced groups in just playing as a group. 2 of them even came up to me one day and told me that they noticed that they sounded a lot better in just the 2 months i've been there than in the past 3 years of the other lady.... not to take anything away from her.... ok... so ... she really didn't do too great of a job. lol.

7th Grade - I think I was expecting a little too much from them at first, and was just frustrated everytime I went in there. As of recently, when I actually just listen to them and think about it. They've only been playing for a year and a couple months... they are progressing just fine. They are hitting the right notes, and the rhythms are ok. My percussionist need to be drilled on keeping good time, but that will come with practice.

6th Grade - Absolutely kicking butt. In 2 months, about 90% of them are FLUENTLY reading up to 5 notes. Getting decent sounds on their instrument. Nailing quarter note and half note rhythms. AND after the last test we had, there was only 1 or 2 who were just clueless. Out of 40 kids, that's not bad at all! PLUS they are all still excited to be there and they are just a really great group of students. LOVE IT!

6th Grade Choir -... They sound good to me... but what do I know? lol.

So far so good.

OOOO And in trying to buy time with my Fine Arts class, I had them do a STOMP music video for the Livingston Parish Fair... which ended up winning first place. :) lol.

Mannino = Beast.

Love my job. I can't wait to see where the future of this program is gonna go. My 7th graders are starting to sound like a really decent 7th grade group. I usually leave the 7th grade  hour feeling doubtful about the future, but I left SUPER excited today. I even ran out and found the first person I could who would listen to them because they just had me all excited.... of course it ended up being a janitor, but he was excited. lol!

Things are starting to run smoother.

Fine Arts is just a chill class right now. This month we're going to be learning basic rhythms and making a "STOMP" Music video for the Livingston Parish Fair. I got our class working on it with the talented arts kids. It'll be cool cuz it's a joint effort. It gets more people involved than just my class and it could really be something neat!

High School Band. I decided that I'd give the people who know absolutely nothing a note speller packet which will help them learn the names of the notes and where they are on the staff. So far the feedback has been good. I also decided that I would let that count as their playing test grades from the last 3 weeks. I did have an uproar of 1 person when I made that decision, but I don't really care. He likes to be disruptive because he thinks he knows more than I do ... or something? I don't really know. But he likes to ask questions like "Can we play radio music?", "Why do they get the "easy" assignment?" (keep in mind, he knows how to play already) "Why are we playing the same things over and over?"
I would like for him to shut up!

8th graders! I switched one guy from a broken trombone, to a tuba... and I LOVE that decision. I now have 2 tubas in my 8th grade and when they hold it down... they hold it down! We did a balance builder exercise and they actually sounded like a decently put together band! (1 point for Mannino)

6th graders. Still kickin butt. only 1 person without a horn still. We'll see how long she lasts.

7th graders. Still annoying. However, I have succeeded in removing at least 1 of them. :) I have another working on the same note speller worksheet. Which leaves the 3rd and final LAME-O all by herself so that nobody will distract her or have her doing other things than what she should be.

OMG! I feel like I'm running myself ragged.

This whole "be your own feeder program" idea better pay off in a couple years because lord knows I'm putting the time in for it to.

I stayed after school almost every night this week helping kids who actually want to be there learn more about their horn and trying to get them doing better habits than the lady before had them doing. (By the way, she was absolute garbage)

I'm glad they showed up. But I do it for free.

The range of musicians in every group is absolutely astounding. I really have people who know nothing with people who "know everything" (again.. remember the lady before was poo)... so really nobody knows anything, but some would like to think that they do.

I'm testing everybody on their Bb scale tomorrow. And just because I don't want to hear the Jr High kids complain, I made their scale only 5 notes. Do - Sol. That is it.

High School has to do a whole octave... can they do it? NO! .. Do I care? NO! It will show them what they need to work on. (THE BASICS!)

I have one trombone player who insists on playing things wrong just so the other trombone player (who is completely inexperienced) will copy what he's doing and play things wrong... JUST FOR THE SAKE OF AMUSEMENT!

My percussion sections are absolutely bad because evidently she never made them do anything on melodics and only produced "drummers"

My 6th graders are still my sanity. They have only been playing for like 2 weeks and already out play some of the kids in high school. Those are the kids I actually care about how they do and sound. They'll be good. Next year will be an interesting competition between the 7th graders and 8th graders. FO SHO!

OMG!

I was totally not prepared for all that.

1st hour: - Fine Arts Survey... I have NOOOOOO idea what I'm doing with that class, but it's also my homeroom. So I had to pass out all those papers and things for first day of school

To Do: - Figure out what the hell i'm gonna have them be doing.

2nd hour: - Planning Period

3rd hour: - High School Band - Found out that there are all different experience levels in that group. Including kids that just decided that they didn't want to do the enrichment course and instead randomly decided to do band even though they have NEVER done ANYTHING with music EVER before. (I had a word with my principal about that.)

We talked a bit. He seems really open to suggestions about that. He wants to see the band grow and thrive, but I don't see how that will happen if I have to keep starting over for everybody who decides that they want to switch from enrichment classes and know nothing about music at all.

To Do: - Invest in Flask that looks like something that pertains to music and swig before and after class!

4th hour: - 8th Grade Band - ... same thing as High School Band.

5th hour: - Beginner band..... my sanity

6th hour: - Beginner band.... my sanity. I'm really going to enjoy those guys. I'm starting them off the way I want to. It's great.

7th hour: 7th Grade Band - .... same thing as High School Band, but by far... bigger. :(

Evidently the lady who was there really didn't know much of what she was doing and I have a mess. I'm really glad that my administration is supportive and open for ideas... cuz I got a good many!

We'll see what happens.

This weekend - Organize my head. Plan!!!! .... Open House on Sunday.... WOOT?

I guess I might actually start using this as an actual journal now.

Today was my first day actually doing as a teacher. It was really kinda overwhelming. All I did was sit in a meeting with a bunch of paperwork in front of me. It was all for my homeroom class on the first day, all the information forms and things. I never remember there being so much to high school when I was there. I always just turned in whatever they told me to turn in. Now I'm trying to figure out insurance stuff, health care stuff, what i want to do with my fine arts class, how i'm going to start teaching the band kids I know nothing about... and then on top of that, i found out that open house is this coming Sunday... that's right... students first day is friday, and then 2 days later is open house.

I knew open house would come eventually. I was just hoping I'd look older or something by the time it came. lol.... i knew that'd be a stretch.

I walked in my room and straightened everything up. I didn't really decorate or anything. I just left the cheesy posters from the choir teacher up. I moved a few things around in the office to make it a little bit more functional and then I left.

I then made a trip to Wal-Mart and that Classworks place in Hammond. Wal-mart had some good stuff. Classworks is that "cutsie" stuff that elementary teachers get. I didn't feel like doin all that. I got a sign that looks like a speed limit sign, but it says "Exuse Limit 0"

I figured that was a cute as I was gonna get. lol.

Then I thought about trying to make the inside of the bandroom look like the band owned it... like... put up something that says Doyle Band. Maybe that's a project for later. I dunno.

I'm really excited about getting started... I just wonder where the last 23 years went. Ya know?

Doing nothing. :)


That's pretty much how the rest of this week is going to be.
Friday I'll have another band parent meeting with the beginning 6th graders so that they can test out horns and see what they like and might have fun playing.
Then the weekend I get to chill out.

Next week is the Psi retreat ... which ended up being a bust because only 2 actives are actually showing up. So nothing can really get accomplished. I won't even be there the whole time, but I'm an alumni and it doesn't matter if I'm there or not. THEN me mom n wes are leavin for Houston to go see DCI. Woot!

That'll be fun.

That will then be followed by 2 weeks of other peoples band camps (cuz my school doesn't have band camp) ... (heh!)
 And then School starts Aug 7th.... and I'll actually have stuff to do every day! I'm looking forward to not just sitting here.

So I was talkin today with Mrs Paula and she had done some observation hours @ Doyle with the Choir. Evidently they have a pretty decent choir... but the band was a joke.

.... heh.. i don't think I could have walked in to a better situation! Maybe in a year or 2 I'll have them put a bronzed statue of me at the entrance to the school. lol jk .. my head is not going to get big yet. I haven't done anything except accept the position.

I have never used "except" and "accept" back to back before.

... anyway... I'm excited.!

I forgot to explain the (6) ... and there was something else about Riverside Academy:

I had an interview for Picayune Jr High in MS which went well and the guy even called me back and told me that he was impressed with my interview but that he went with someone from TX. Whatev.. that's fine.

Riverside wanted the marching band... the band consists of 20 kids. 7- percussionists, 2- brass, 11- woodwinds... and 1 of the brass is the drum major. ... That's just embarrassing. I would not put them out on the field, but that is what the school wanted.

The (6) interview was @ Springfield HS. I walked in. The principal never shut up and ended up mentioning that he already had someone in mind for the position. That is the one I don't count, because I didn't have a shot at all.

OOO! And while I'm thinkin about it, The Jefferson Parish interview was aboslutely absurd!

I know this is a long post... I owe it to ya'll since I haven't posted posted in a while. BUT you don't have to feel obligated to read.

Last week I was asked to set up an interview for thursday@ Thomas Jefferson HS which was one of the schools that I applied for in Jefferson Parish. SO, I figured that was the one school I was going to interview for.

I was told to arrive at 10:40, so I got there early to make sure I didn't seem rushed for the interview to find out that I needed to write an essay on some BS topic having to do with band. (Strike 1)

THEN, I was sent to a waiting room where there was another guy. I sat there and wrote my paper not bothering him. When I was done, I glimpsed at his paper and noticed that it was the same band topic that I had. So we got to talking about band and stuff.

He was then called back and I was left in the room by myself. Eventually 3 other people were lead in to the room and I saw each of their papers and they were all for band positions.

I was next to go interview so I left the room(this was an hour after they told me to get there - Strike 2). When I walked in to the interview room, I was expecting a 1 on 1 situation the the principal of TJHS and me... instead, I got 10 Reps from 5 different schools in the parish who were all looking for a band director.

Of course I beasted my way through most of the interview. BUT then I was rushed out. They finished with their questions and then they said, "Thank you very much." So I just got up and left. I didn't get to ask anything to anybody. I have NO idea what was expected of me. I don't know anything about the schools who were represented or anything. (STRIKE 3,4,5,6,7,)

That is all.

So this summer I've been looking for an actual job... AH!

Anyway. I had 5(6) interviews and go 4 offers. There were actually 6, but 1 doesn't count.. I'll explain:

1.) Holy Ghost/ STA in Hammond  - VERY positive environment. VERY supportive about starting a program. Parents are absolutely amazing and would do anything for me. Perfect place to start a program and have it grow. ... Pay = 28,000 <- That's the bad part. But full health benefits

2.) Riverside Academy in Reserve Parish - wanted a 4th grade recorder class, 5th grade beginner band, 6th grade band, 7&8 grade band, and a high school that did band camp/ football/ all of the high school football stuff. .. Pay = 32,000 <- All of that sounds bad actually. lol.

... Both 1 & 2 are private schools so minimal funding/no retirement. <- BAD BAD BAD

3.) Doyle Elementary/High School in Livingston Parish - Starts band in 6th grade/ 7&8 grade band / High school band... HOWEVER... They don't have a football team, which means that they don't have a marching band! I like this. It already has people in the program, but that's all it is... a band with people in it... nothing amazing, and I could definitely improve it. The administration only expects that the band perform a concert in fall and a concert in spring and a veterans day program...  <-VERY manageable ... Pay = 42,000 + Benefits and Retirement < -- Good

4.) Livaudais Middle in Jefferson Parish -... Just a middle school... starting from scratch... no equipment or anything.... might be interesting. ... About the same pay as Doyle and it is public school so all the same stuff. Problem being it's a boogie band. I can't boogie.

/\ those were the offers./\

... And I'm pretty sure which one I'm going to pick.

... BUT THIS TIME I DON'T HAVE TO PLAY IT!!!! WOOOOOOO!!!! GRADUATING!!!!! ALRIGHT!!!!!!!

LAZY! WOOOO

...Time to get back in the swing of things. I need to get caught up from this semester and log all my hours in to pass-port from the student teachin stuff. AHHHH!!!

Ok.

So in March '08, I finally called it off with Tori again. Then I started seeing other people and all that. The change was nice. One girl that I ended up going on a date with was this girl named Meghan. It went very well and we agreed to see each other again the next day or whatever.

Well she ended up going on a vacation to the Caribbean and then I never really heard from her ever again.

Then one night when I was hangin with friends I was told that she was avoiding me because I was "Clingy." ... yeah.. that was a shocker to me too. lol. When I heard that, Me and Davidwhite both looked at each other with this face like... "WHAT?!?!?" 

Anywho.. I guess I saw that as a challenge. lol. So I waited a little while (all summer break) only texting her occasionaly. Then in the Fall, I had texted her something to the extent of, "Hey, I know you miss me. I'm amazing. When are you going to let me take you out?" (being cocky) ... and that worked... surprisingly. lol.

So we had gone on a couple dates and whatnot and everything was cool. Well we had just started dating when the semester started really bogging down on me. I had 7 ensembles, was the president of Psi, taking EDUC 490, and had a job in the library which kept me til about 11 every night. So I had to call it off because I needed to keep school first and felt that by doing that that I wouldn't be able to be a decent boyfriend and have any time for her.

She said she understood, but didn't talk to me for a VERRRRRRRRRY long time. I had to initiate the first convo a month or 2 later. lol. Anyway. We talked and I let her know again that my decision was not because of her. I really did enjoy her company, it was just that we weren't going to be able to do much together and I didn't need the extra responsibiliy of being a GOOD boyfriend on top of school.

THAT she understood and believed and so we ended up dating again and just maybe like a month ago became "official" and all that.

So that's that. Life is good. She treats me great. Tori still calls every now and then when she's drunk to tell me that she misses me and I just kinda laugh... cuz she's stupid. :)

So, I started student teaching this semester. It's pretty cool. I'm with Dominick Messina at Madisonville Jr High. He's great.

Haven't done TOOOO much cuz it's only been the first week and we were just supposed to observe.

Should be fun though. I'm excited. I'm just happy to be out of the normal routine of SLU finally.

I'm also performing out in New Orleans at the Le Petit Theater. They are doing a show called "All Shook Up." ... It's really a chick flick... ish. Pretty much revolves around everybody falling in love wit hthe first and/or 2nd and or 3rd person they meet and Elvis turns gay.
But it's cool music. :)

FORM C'S and Pass-Port.....
FORM C's and Pass-Port.....
FORM C's and Pass-Port.....


Almost over and done with. I think I've learned more about FORM C's and Pass-Port than anything relevant to music education.

This semester is nuts. I love it, but hate it. It's all my fault, but it's cool. I'll live. I'm just counting down the days til this semester is over. Then I'll pretty much be set. However I can't let the fact that there is just a little over a month left slow me down.

You really have NO idea how ready I am for December to be here. 

I think I am finally getting the hang of this president of KKY thing... maybe.

I accidentally didn't take a test in my history class last week. SOOO... I emailed the teacher and gave her an excuse and she's letting me take a make up. WOOT! I really don't want to fail that class and have to take it while student teaching next semester.

I need to fill out a bajillion form C's for ED 490. I've been doing observations, but I started off with filling them out wrong and now I need to go back and do them all over again.

If this post sounds scatter brained... that's what it's like for me 24/7.

Please pray that I don't lose whatever sanity I had before I got here between now and the end of this semester.

Also.. I'm not very political, but I'm seeing more things on how Obama has some shady relationships with like America haters and stuff. I don't really know who I'm going to vote for still, but I don't think I want someone in Office who has ties with people who have a very awkward sense of what America really is and should be and the direction it should be going in.

Is Nader still an option?

A friend of mine just posted this somewhere. Figured ya'll might get a kick out of it.

I knew it only had to be a matter of time before this came up.


http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/adg/836109998.html

So...

I bought a new bass. My other one was a few years old... not like that matters, but it was getting unreliable and breaking and stuff. SO I just bought a new one. It isn't the most perfect one I would have bought, but it's another cheap quick fix that should last a while.

My schedule is so busy and hectic AHH!

I keep trying to pawn off my hours at work because I just want to go home and chill out.

I went and did some observations Friday. 4 down, 103 left. :) 

I love picking Frechou's brain in 490, but I wish it didn't require so much.

Now that I have like 0 time to actually sit down and play, I really want to.

I like chicken salad sandwiches without a whole gunk load of mayonaise

I am finally to the point where I really don't think I care about Tori anymore... I mean.. I do, but we ain't datin and that's fine.

/\ That's a good thing /\

I haven't been to my Tuesday morning history class in a while and we have a test tomorrow....boo

Girls are ridiculous, and that's what I have to say about that.

Psi is crazy too.

Ok ... back to 'work'

Ensembles:
-Wind Symphony (tenor)
-Jazz Band 1 (tenor)
-Jazz Band 2 (bass)
-Marching Band (Tuba)
-Sax Quartet (tenor/soprano)
-Faculty Sax Quartet (tenor)
-Jazz Bones (Bass)
-Possible funk band (bass/sax)

... that's nuts, BUT MORE

Classes
-History 201
-Psychology 102
-Education 490 (which requires like 50 hours of observation ... in the NEW curriculum.... us old guys gotta get more to compensate for the lack of hours that our curriculum didn't have.)
-Percussion lessons

Other obligations:

I'm the president of Kappa Kappa Psi Lambda Xi chapter... woot!

They are already mentioning student teaching stuff, AND applying for graduation.

That 'g' word scares me.

My grandma was thought to have had a leaky aneurysm... not sure what happened with that but today she was having trouble breathing and was told that she had an acute heart failure... to me I think someone that old with an acute heart failure is just as bad as one with an obtuse heart failure.. if that's even a real term. I'm just using my math skills to come up with opposites.

Who knows what this semester holds?

Saints going to the Superbowl? ... I think so