Seventeen

365 days ago I wrote a post entitled "Seventeen" because I was going to be home in seventeen days. Well, I decided to do it again.

In seventeen days, I will once again be home for Thanksgiving break. With the exception of Ear Training (I have a test the Monday after break), I want to be work-free. I've been a bit of a slacker lately, and I have more work now than I did at this time last year I think. Well, it's a different kind of work. I like the work I have now much more than I did last year. A lot more. Even the stuff I really don't like to do isn't that bad. It's just boring.

I have the privilege of registering for class a week before everyone else because I'm a Peer Advisor. I have a great schedule, too. No classes on Monday and no classes before 11. My Thursday's intense: class 11-1 and then 2-8 with no break. My last class of the day is with Jay Fialkov, so it's all good. Most importantly, I have Paul Stiller for Ear Training 4. I based my schedule around his class. I'm potentially taking a harmony course on the Beatles. I have to test out of Harmony 4 to do so. Or I can try for a waiver. I'll have to investigate.

I need to get on a better schedule. These next 17 days can kick my ass into gear. The best thing is, at the end of the 17 days, I get to go home and see all my friends that I haven't seen in a while. Including the one and only Bob Thompson.

March Madness

For most college students, March is a very hectic month. Between midterms, spring break, and possible apartment hunting, it can get pretty crazy. I have a very busy month. At first I wasn't super excited about having a week off. I was, but I wasn't super stoked. My feelings have since changed. I cannot wait for break. I'm thinking about my March schedule, and it is not pretty. I didn't utilize my snow day to its full potential, but I did get a free pedal board! Thanks again, Alvaro!

I've got a very busy week and a half ahead of me. I have two sizable homework assignments in Harmony and Arranging due Thursday, part one of my Legal Aspects midterm also on Thursday, and a paper due Friday. I have my Guitar Lab midterm to prepare for, I don't know if I have a midterm in Essentials of Songwriting (I should probably find out), the dictation portion of my Ear Training midterm on Monday and the singing portion of it on Wednesday, my Harmony midterm is on Thursday, as well as my Arranging midterm and probably the second half of Legal Aspects, and then I'm done. I think that's it. I really hope that's all of it.

I should get to work now. I've got stuff to do. There's always stuff to do.

Ten Minute Post

I'm giving myself ten minutes to blog.

Spring break is three weeks away, which means midterms are even closer! I think I will always be in awe of how time flies. It's amazing to me. I can't wait. I love the Berk. I really do, but a break would be good. My short one rocked, I know that this one will be better. I've got so much to do between now and then. I'm going to get it all done and spend my 10 days or so doing what I want. It will be nice.

I'm still in a fantastic mood. Even with my current workload.

It's only been six minutes, but I'm gonna go. That workload needs to be unloaded.

I, once again, am feeling like this:

So Much To Do

I figured I'd update before I get down to brass tacks and start my homework. I know it's Friday, but I have way too much to do to put it all off until Sunday. Small doses. I also have to clean my room, it's rather disheveled. Plus I want to get ahead because I'm going home next weekend and don't want to have to worry about getting stuff done here. Sometimes I'm an overachiever, what can I say? You gotta get ahead.

I'm really enjoying second semester. I love my classes and everything's just kind of falling into place. Or it's starting to, I should say. It's gonna be good, I can feel it.

I have a ton to do, I should get started on it. I'll post more later.

Back to the Grind

It's funny how I'm about to write about getting back to work, and that's exactly what I'm not doing by writing this. Anyway.

Back to the grind.

Yesterday's feelings of uneasiness have gone away. Not only am I ready to work, but I'm excited to work. I have a lot to do. A lot. I think once I get back into the swing of things it won't be so overwhelming, but I'm ready for it. I'm ready for all of it.

I don't just mean school stuff, either. I'm talking about songwriting and practicing and performing. As odd as it sounds, I get a little intimidated by my own ambitions from time to time. The ambitious, determined, happy, and confident Amy is seen much more often than the one that's not. That's the one you'll see probably 330 out of 365 days a year, maybe more. The other one is a little bit more...I don't want to say apprehensive...The other one, the rare side of me, generally says, 'What are you doing?!?! I'm tired! Stop!' I can't stop now. I've worked too hard to pack it up and quit before I really even get going. I'm still planning a few things, but I'll be ready sooner rather than later. Ready for what? Many, many, many things.

This is gonna be a good year. I can feel it.

Now, back to the grind.

Discombobulated, Yet Organized

I have been ridiculously confused for the entire month. Ever since the election, I've had to ask myself what day it is because the election was on a Tuesday. Nothing happens on Tuesdays. Movies come out on DVDs on Tuesdays, and that's all that ever happens. So that threw me off. Then the following Tuesday was Veteran's Day, giving us a day off from school. Everyday feels like the day it's not. Today's Sunday, but it feels like a Monday. Tomorrow's Monday and it's probaby going to feel like a Thursday. The weather isn't helping, either. It was 65 yesterday. Sixty-five! In November! At least it was the right temperature today. As much as I would love it to stay warm so I could run outside, I would be unbelievably confused.

I can't wait for Thanksgiving. It's not like I need to get away, I just need to see some people. A lot of people actually. It sucks that I only have Wednesday through Sunday to do so. I have to see Bob, my life basically depends on it. And I'm only kidding a little bit. I miss Alex so much more than either of us ever thought possible. I saw him probably 350 out of 365 days a year for fifteen years. To go from that to never seeing someone is a lot harder than you would think. I can't wait to see my sister. Thank God I'll see Drew Friday. And Saturday. And Sunday. There are so many people I could list right now, but it would take days.

Aside from my confusion and heartaches, I'm really on top of my work. I still have 10 days before I go home, so I'll be 100% work free at the rate I'm going. I'm determined to be. It will happen. I have too much to do and not enough time to worry about Berklee.

Seventeen

Seventeen is a magic number. In seventeen days I will be home for Thanksgiving, which means I have seventeen days to get as much done here as humanly possible. I plan on getting as much practice time in, as well as doing as much as I can in my College Writing and Ear Training classes (I have a syllabus in each class), and working out as much as possible. All while maintaining somewhat of a social life. I want to have a work-free Thanksgiving break. Or at least as work-free as possible. I also need to lose some weight I have recently gained. I don't care about my actual weight (muscle weighs more than fat anyway), I care about how I feel. Right now I don't feel as good as I could physically. Exercise is good for more than just fat-burning/muscle-gaining, too. It's a stress-reliever, and it helps you sleep better (and I'm sure I'm not the only one that could use a better night's sleep). If I may quote Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon in "Legally Blonde"), "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands." So true, Elle. So true.

That being said, I better get to work. There's a lot to do between now and November 26th.

Seas Would Rise When I Gave The Word

I love long weekends. And you know what makes them even better? When you have a guitar lesson on Friday and then again on Monday. Due to HonCon, I had to reschedule to an unknown day later in the week, and said day happened to be Friday. I love it when that happens.

I worked this weekend. For the first time in 36 days, I worked. Friday, Saturday, and today (Sunday). I don't mind work, I just bitch about it when I'm not there. Once I get there I'm fine, it's getting there that's hard. I love the people, hate that I come home smelling like a pizza.

So tonight I could've gone to a bonfire at the beach with my friends, but I chose to be a recluse and stay home and play guitar. Nothing against bonfires or my friends. I love them both, I've just been extremely compelled to play guitar these days. My 12-year-old neighbor was here today while I was playing guitar, and he asked, 'Is this what you do all day?' And I said, 'Basically, yeah.' And lately that has definitely been true. I can't help it. I can't explain how it makes me feel, but it's something else. I love every second of it. Every single second. If I could play in my sleep, I would.

I've been obsessed with two things lately: Cream and Coldplay's new song 'Viva la Vida'. I've listened to 'Viva la Vida' more times than I can count, and Cream is unbelievable. Eric Clapton has always been my favorite guitarist but something happened a few days ago and Cream has become the center of my attention. Eric Clapton speaks to me like no other guitarist. There's a reason for the 'Clapton is God' graffiti. Hendrix is a god, too, but there's something in Clapton's playing that gets me. I'm not gonna try to explain it because I can't.

Alright, it's guitar time, and I just received a text from someone telling me where the fire is. Ha.