College campuses are like mecca for anyone with an opinion or a belief to extol. I guess they think that college kids are easily manipulated. Which is at least somewhat true. I mean, most college kids are trying to figure out where they are, questioning their beliefs, putting them to the test. It is part of the whole college thing. It always seems like the crazy people are the ones that are the most vigorous. Today we had what turned out to be just one family, parents and a daughter, out prophesying on the lawn near the largest building of classes.
I'm probably not the only one who is immediately turned off by people carrying signs like these people were. I don't know what it is about psychology, maybe it's the color scheme or something, someone should look into it. But whenever anyone has a crazy message to spout they always seem to have the same kinds of signs.
These were about repentance and how we are sinners in the hands of an angry God. After my philosophy class they were still there, and had been for a couple hours probably. So I stayed and watched.
The guy started spouting off about this that and the other, and attracted a group of kids watching, which was actually quite large. The overwhelming vibe from the kids was opposition to this guy. Some heckled and made jokes, and others argued with him and just tried to get their point through him by being respectful.
I wasn't focusing a whole lot for 2 reasons. 1 was that I'd already got the jist of it, and at least the general aim, and I was seriously thinking about it internally, and have been thinking about stuff of that nature for a while. The second was it was a lot of meaningless babble half the time where there was no real meaning.
He basically at one point lamented us all, especially the males at first, for going to college. Because we should be learning or already have learned a trade like carpentry. And we should be married and supporting a family. The girls on the other hand are 18, 19, 20 an apparently should be having babies already. He was concerned that they're going to end up Old Maids. "OR if some of you have already lost your maidenhood you'll just become old hags!"
And it was just an irritation and something to get a bit angry about at first, saying completely ridiculous things. But then he actually brought his daughter out, and said he was looking for a husband for her (apparently on a campus of heathens.) She's 19. And she looks pretty normal. And she started to talk and ask questions, and I don't know how she managed to do it. I would NEVER have gotten in front of that crowd and talked and especially supported that guy, who was already being completely sexist.
She seemed to sort of understand why we thought her dad was off, and she said he's a great dad and not just some sexist and so on. AND she was fairly intelligent. But I immediately felt sorry for her. She said first that family should come first for women. Okay, fine, you can think that. At one point she literally said "we're basically baby machines."
She's been raised in a home where people and the body and the mind are regarded as basically evil. The father said people are basically evil. This girl was somewhat normal and I pity her. I felt really sad for her, because you could tell she was a sweet girl, but she's been raised in a crazy environment.
The dad said he would not have married a woman he knew was barren. I don't remember everything he said, and a lot of it wasn't really intelligible anyway. He said that all we do is party and have sex and who knows what else. And then he went on to say, when he brought his daughter out, that he was looking for a husband for her. Apparently a college campus full of pagans and sinners is where he starts.
The guy started lamenting selfishness, which is apparently the cause of all our woes. He said that theft and drug use and etc. were selfish, which they're not. He said something to the effect of (I'm only rewording this to make it more clear) "There isn't one of you who hasn't criticized the selfish nature of other people, but you don't change your own ways." And I thought about speaking up and saying "I haven't." But what's the point? I could've argued the Virtue of Selfishness but he was a zealot and he wouldn't have understood what I meant by selfishness anyway.
He's just another one of those people that thinks we are supposed to suffer. We can't seek happiness in our lives, that's immoral. Oh they grant humanity a little bit of selfishness, "we have to live, right?" but beyond that they say that to pursue one's happiness is wrong.
I felt most badly for the girl. She seemed very nice, but her psychology is so wrong.
Which reminds me, he said some of us are getting degrees in "psychology, sociology, and philosophy" and there's no job market for that. Well, ignoring the fact that there IS a demand for at least psychology and sociology, God forbid we pursue a life of the mind. We should all be out having babies and supporting them! unwed 18 year olds! The hags!
Anyway, that girl has grown up in a home where she's taught she has no end in herself. She's merely a means to the ends of others. She's supposed to have and raise babies and that's it. She's been taught she's not supposed to pursue her own happiness, that she has no worth of her own.
So that's it. I don't really have an argument. I don't really know what I think, and this is just beginning to get my thoughts in order. I know that it was an irritation, I'm not sure why. I'm turned off by his rejection of the mind, by his rejection of reason. I don't think that his method will win any converts, and if it does, at what cost will it do so? I know I'm generally put off by it but I don't know why. I know that it's insulting to be told you're going to hell.
I think I have a lot of questions and things just to think about right now, about law, morality, religion, and philosophy. And I think this played on that in a negative way, that is; This came into my thoughts and I reacted negatively. That's what college is for. Maybe I'm coming into it at the right time, when I'm really ready to search for knowledge and find out more. Who knows? I've certainly changed my beliefs repeatedly in the last 4 years and I'm sure that will continue to develop. I didn't used to be a libertarian. And now I'm as irritated by the people who want to control our life styles as I am by the people who want to control our economy.
I think this guy is repressive, I think he's wrong, I think this is a problem that I have with a lot of people like him. But I'm still not certain what it is that is deep in me that reacts so negatively. Why do I not just walk by and dismiss it? OR if not that why don't I get actually angry like I do at other things. I just have this general negative reaction that I can't quite describe. But I'm still trying to figure out exactly why.
I was brought up to believe
The universe has a plan
We are only human
It’s not ours to understand
The universe has a plan
All is for the best
Some will be rewarded
And the devil will take the rest
All is for the best
Believe in what we’re told
Blind men in the market
Buying what we’re sold
Believe in what we’re told
Until our final breath
While our loving Watchmaker
Loves us all to death
In a world of cut and thrust
I was always taught to trust
In a world where all must fail
Heaven’s justice will prevail
The joy and pain that we receive
Each comes with its own cost
The price of what we’re winning
Is the same as what we’ve lost
All is for the best
Believe in what we’re told
Blind men in the market
Buying what we’re sold
Believe in what we’re told
Until our final breath
While our loving Watchmaker
Loves us all to death
Until our final breath
The joy and pain that we receive
Must be what we deserve
I was brought up to believe
BU2B
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Drift Away
Sunday was better than Saturday, by a long shot.
ECC was alright. It was different than what I am normally used to, I'm not sold on all of it, but it was fine. I've never understood the hands up in the air during the praise songs. I've never felt that level of connection with the music. I met no one then, just sat and did my thing and then left.
Following that I went straight to Qdoba's to meet the IU Objectivists. This was probably the first time that I've really hit it off with anyone right away. I met several people, 4 of us were there at first. We had the introductory small talk, majors, year, plans, etc. Then we started discussing Objectivism and it took off. The guy that took over most of the discussion was Ryan, and for a while it was almost a lecture, as he was pretty much the only one talking. It ended up being that he and I were the ones discussing things. Brandon and Donna, the two other people there at the time, just listened for the most part.
I immediately found out two things. Ryan is very smart and knows quite a lot about Objectivism, and that I can hold my own in any discussion about it. He is a 24 year old grad student and he knows a great deal about it and I was able to keep up and contribute. Besides the discussion on philosophy we hit it off immediately over a common love for the show "Penn and Teller's Bullshit" but more importantly a common love of Rush. We spent a good hour talking about the music, the lyrics, the people and the philosophy of Rush's music. Brandon and Donna left and we stayed talking about Rush in particular and more philosophy until Steve and Rainelle, Ryan's fiance, showed up.
So I met several people at that and people that I immediately connected with.
I went to the Connexion service for college students in the evening at ECC. Michael Swihart showed up to drive me and I saw and spoke to Nancy for a while there. I was introduced to a lot of people, but didn't really meet any of them. The service was again, alright. I enjoyed the singer's voice, very rock, reminded me of the guy from Creed.
Afterward Michael and some others and I went back to the house he shares with some other students. The guys next door put a grill together and it turned into a small street party.
College GOP on Monday night. Met Richard Murdock, IN Treasurer, heard Todd Young speak, congressional candidate for Bloomington. I'll be changing my registration to vote down here because this race is going to be closer than IN-3 but Young is favored as of now. The count had 159 people there, which was huge. But, I didn't talk to anyone. They usually go to a wings place after every meeting on Mondays, but I wasn't feeling it. There's a "right wing night" tomorrow which is a big party I will probably go to at the wings place, Buffa Louie's.
Rest of the week was just a regular week. Sleep, Class, Hundred, Homework. Rinse, Wash, Repeat.
Tomorrow I'm going to go see jazz guitarist Mike Stern do a master's jazz class. He's very good, one of Kaufman's favorite artists. Victor let me know about the class, so I'm going to go check it out. Saturday I'm going to . . . Do nothing. Again. Maybe there'll be a group somewhere to watch IU @ West. Kentucky.
So. I've started to meet people. Right now my best friends are Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. Because I listen to them constantly. I love music. And sometimes there are songs or bands like Rush that just connect on a deeper level all the time. Made me think of the song "Drift Away" which I thought was by Alabama, but as it turns out was buy some guy and has been covered a TON of times, and the most popular version is not the original artist, and Alabama did not do a cover. Anyway. That song captures how well music connects. And Rush does that for me. The lyrics, the instrumentality, the vocals, everything. They are one of the best bands at matching the feel of their lyrics to the emotion they want to produce with their music. Rush is incredible, and I frequently get lost in their music.
Day after day, I'm more confused
Yet I look for the light through the pourin' rain
You know that's a game that I hate to lose
And I'm feelin' the strain
Ain't it a shame
Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock n roll
And drift away
Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock n roll
And drift away
ECC was alright. It was different than what I am normally used to, I'm not sold on all of it, but it was fine. I've never understood the hands up in the air during the praise songs. I've never felt that level of connection with the music. I met no one then, just sat and did my thing and then left.
Following that I went straight to Qdoba's to meet the IU Objectivists. This was probably the first time that I've really hit it off with anyone right away. I met several people, 4 of us were there at first. We had the introductory small talk, majors, year, plans, etc. Then we started discussing Objectivism and it took off. The guy that took over most of the discussion was Ryan, and for a while it was almost a lecture, as he was pretty much the only one talking. It ended up being that he and I were the ones discussing things. Brandon and Donna, the two other people there at the time, just listened for the most part.
I immediately found out two things. Ryan is very smart and knows quite a lot about Objectivism, and that I can hold my own in any discussion about it. He is a 24 year old grad student and he knows a great deal about it and I was able to keep up and contribute. Besides the discussion on philosophy we hit it off immediately over a common love for the show "Penn and Teller's Bullshit" but more importantly a common love of Rush. We spent a good hour talking about the music, the lyrics, the people and the philosophy of Rush's music. Brandon and Donna left and we stayed talking about Rush in particular and more philosophy until Steve and Rainelle, Ryan's fiance, showed up.
So I met several people at that and people that I immediately connected with.
I went to the Connexion service for college students in the evening at ECC. Michael Swihart showed up to drive me and I saw and spoke to Nancy for a while there. I was introduced to a lot of people, but didn't really meet any of them. The service was again, alright. I enjoyed the singer's voice, very rock, reminded me of the guy from Creed.
Afterward Michael and some others and I went back to the house he shares with some other students. The guys next door put a grill together and it turned into a small street party.
College GOP on Monday night. Met Richard Murdock, IN Treasurer, heard Todd Young speak, congressional candidate for Bloomington. I'll be changing my registration to vote down here because this race is going to be closer than IN-3 but Young is favored as of now. The count had 159 people there, which was huge. But, I didn't talk to anyone. They usually go to a wings place after every meeting on Mondays, but I wasn't feeling it. There's a "right wing night" tomorrow which is a big party I will probably go to at the wings place, Buffa Louie's.
Rest of the week was just a regular week. Sleep, Class, Hundred, Homework. Rinse, Wash, Repeat.
Tomorrow I'm going to go see jazz guitarist Mike Stern do a master's jazz class. He's very good, one of Kaufman's favorite artists. Victor let me know about the class, so I'm going to go check it out. Saturday I'm going to . . . Do nothing. Again. Maybe there'll be a group somewhere to watch IU @ West. Kentucky.
So. I've started to meet people. Right now my best friends are Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart. Because I listen to them constantly. I love music. And sometimes there are songs or bands like Rush that just connect on a deeper level all the time. Made me think of the song "Drift Away" which I thought was by Alabama, but as it turns out was buy some guy and has been covered a TON of times, and the most popular version is not the original artist, and Alabama did not do a cover. Anyway. That song captures how well music connects. And Rush does that for me. The lyrics, the instrumentality, the vocals, everything. They are one of the best bands at matching the feel of their lyrics to the emotion they want to produce with their music. Rush is incredible, and I frequently get lost in their music.
Day after day, I'm more confused
Yet I look for the light through the pourin' rain
You know that's a game that I hate to lose
And I'm feelin' the strain
Ain't it a shame
Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock n roll
And drift away
Oh, give me the beat boys and free my soul
I wanna get lost in your rock n roll
And drift away
Sunday, September 12, 2010
The Longest Day
This was from 9/11/10. The next day ended up being A LOT better, and I will post about that sometime shortly. But I figured I may as well post this now, having worked on it. And while 9/12 was a really good day, the day I wrote this still sucked so I may as well post it. Many of my concerns did not turn out the way I feared today. So this post is in a way no longer applicable, but I suppose it doesn't hurt to remember the crappy days too.
Well, today was certainly not that great. I got up, showered and brushed my teeth, and only left my room after that for food or to use the bathroom. . . Did a lot of staring, TV, Computer, DS, walls even. Probably a low point since I've been here.
Yesterday was good, at least by comparison to most days. The majority of the day was as mediocre-bad as the rest. But I decided to buy tickets to see Rob Riggle perform in the IU auditorium that night. I considered going by myself but ended up, (due to some prodding) textin Rahul and seeing if he was interested. So I bought the tickets, since I was at the office, knowing he'd pay me back. The opening comic did a 40 minute set and was surprisingly funny. The opener was a producer for The Daily Show, and Riggle was on the Daily Show and has been in movies and things. They actually took sometime to research IU, just a bit at least. The opener made jokes about the residence halls, knew that the crazy dorms are McNutt and Briscoe. Riggle made jokes about what a Hoosier is, leading to one of my favorite lines of the night, totally unplanned.
"So do you know what a Hoosier is? - Riggle
Some guy in the crowd "A Hoosier is a person that's better than a boiler"
He had a good dynamic with the crowd, and kept things going. He caught a girl on her phone in the front and got off the stage and was gonna make her read a text, when she claimed she was just checking it he asked for her phone and then held it up and 'read' "Rob Riggle looks so freaking hot right now. . . .Alright, carry on." During a Q and A he and the opener spoke to a guys friend over the phone for his birthday.
Needless to say he was quite funny. 2 things impressed me. A girl raised her hand during q&a to thank them for coming because otherwise her dad wanted her to go see Joel Osteen in Indy. That was an opportunity to make fun of Osteen or Christianity, and the girl was obviously fishing for a shot at Olsteen, but Riggle actually stuck up for him a bit, and said he was a good guy and that he'd read his book.
After the show we walked back towards Jordan Ave and saw them out on the ramp of the auditorium, just sitting out there, smoking. So we kinda slowed down and saw a group of 3 approach them and after a minute decided, what the heck? So we went up there, hung back, and after a girl had her picture taken I asked if it was alright if we took pictures too. Rob replied "It is always alright to take a picture." So I got to take a pic with Rob and the other guy, (who's name I need to google) and so did Rahul. I almost left him hanging but turned around and gave Rob the high five/hand shake. He was very cool about it, and it is nice to see someone who is fairly famous, and not a dick about it. He was more than happy to speak to the students.
So those 3 hours or so were really awesome. And meeting him completely made the night, Rahul and I were both pretty incredulous walking away. But of course, after that I had to return to my room, and deal with more drama.
Today, on the other hand, was awful. Oh nothing bad happened, really, but, NOTHING happened. I left my room for . . .maybe a total of an hour, MAYBE. This is the worst part, still. Compounding the problem is that I don't have any desire to be social. I'm not social at all. If people talk to me I just give them awkward replies to whatever they may ask, or just mumble and get away with saying nothing. And I don't particularly like being in situations where I don't know what to do. At all. It took me over a week and a half to go to the Mexican place in the food court, because I didn't know how one went about ordering. Yeah. That bad.
So tomorrow I'm going to a new church, by myself. And I know that they'll make an effort to welcome a new person, especially a college kid. But the people coming up to me and asking questions and talking is only going to make me feel awkward. And I'll probably mutter and give awkward responses again and come off as a dick. And then I have an Objectivist meeting at Qdoba's. For which I don't know anyone. So even though I theoretically should connect with these people, it's entirely possible I'll get to the restaurant and not be able to find them quickly and just feel awkward and leave. In situations where I know I won't know exactly what I'm doing, it's entirely possible that I'll skip them, I usually do. If not for the fact that I'm so desperate to meet people, I'd probably skip the meeting. Until I'm actually there, there will be a slight possibility that I will just skip it.
All non-believers stand aside in fear
A new day's marching through the door
How could you ever think you'd make it here?
Did it bleed? Was it sore?
Through the struggles you've endured
You've come so far from innocence
Provided all the consequence
Only what does it matter now?
The Running Free - Coheed and Cambria
Well, today was certainly not that great. I got up, showered and brushed my teeth, and only left my room after that for food or to use the bathroom. . . Did a lot of staring, TV, Computer, DS, walls even. Probably a low point since I've been here.
Yesterday was good, at least by comparison to most days. The majority of the day was as mediocre-bad as the rest. But I decided to buy tickets to see Rob Riggle perform in the IU auditorium that night. I considered going by myself but ended up, (due to some prodding) textin Rahul and seeing if he was interested. So I bought the tickets, since I was at the office, knowing he'd pay me back. The opening comic did a 40 minute set and was surprisingly funny. The opener was a producer for The Daily Show, and Riggle was on the Daily Show and has been in movies and things. They actually took sometime to research IU, just a bit at least. The opener made jokes about the residence halls, knew that the crazy dorms are McNutt and Briscoe. Riggle made jokes about what a Hoosier is, leading to one of my favorite lines of the night, totally unplanned.
"So do you know what a Hoosier is? - Riggle
Some guy in the crowd "A Hoosier is a person that's better than a boiler"
He had a good dynamic with the crowd, and kept things going. He caught a girl on her phone in the front and got off the stage and was gonna make her read a text, when she claimed she was just checking it he asked for her phone and then held it up and 'read' "Rob Riggle looks so freaking hot right now. . . .Alright, carry on." During a Q and A he and the opener spoke to a guys friend over the phone for his birthday.
Needless to say he was quite funny. 2 things impressed me. A girl raised her hand during q&a to thank them for coming because otherwise her dad wanted her to go see Joel Osteen in Indy. That was an opportunity to make fun of Osteen or Christianity, and the girl was obviously fishing for a shot at Olsteen, but Riggle actually stuck up for him a bit, and said he was a good guy and that he'd read his book.
After the show we walked back towards Jordan Ave and saw them out on the ramp of the auditorium, just sitting out there, smoking. So we kinda slowed down and saw a group of 3 approach them and after a minute decided, what the heck? So we went up there, hung back, and after a girl had her picture taken I asked if it was alright if we took pictures too. Rob replied "It is always alright to take a picture." So I got to take a pic with Rob and the other guy, (who's name I need to google) and so did Rahul. I almost left him hanging but turned around and gave Rob the high five/hand shake. He was very cool about it, and it is nice to see someone who is fairly famous, and not a dick about it. He was more than happy to speak to the students.
So those 3 hours or so were really awesome. And meeting him completely made the night, Rahul and I were both pretty incredulous walking away. But of course, after that I had to return to my room, and deal with more drama.
Today, on the other hand, was awful. Oh nothing bad happened, really, but, NOTHING happened. I left my room for . . .maybe a total of an hour, MAYBE. This is the worst part, still. Compounding the problem is that I don't have any desire to be social. I'm not social at all. If people talk to me I just give them awkward replies to whatever they may ask, or just mumble and get away with saying nothing. And I don't particularly like being in situations where I don't know what to do. At all. It took me over a week and a half to go to the Mexican place in the food court, because I didn't know how one went about ordering. Yeah. That bad.
So tomorrow I'm going to a new church, by myself. And I know that they'll make an effort to welcome a new person, especially a college kid. But the people coming up to me and asking questions and talking is only going to make me feel awkward. And I'll probably mutter and give awkward responses again and come off as a dick. And then I have an Objectivist meeting at Qdoba's. For which I don't know anyone. So even though I theoretically should connect with these people, it's entirely possible I'll get to the restaurant and not be able to find them quickly and just feel awkward and leave. In situations where I know I won't know exactly what I'm doing, it's entirely possible that I'll skip them, I usually do. If not for the fact that I'm so desperate to meet people, I'd probably skip the meeting. Until I'm actually there, there will be a slight possibility that I will just skip it.
All non-believers stand aside in fear
A new day's marching through the door
How could you ever think you'd make it here?
Did it bleed? Was it sore?
Through the struggles you've endured
You've come so far from innocence
Provided all the consequence
Only what does it matter now?
The Running Free - Coheed and Cambria
Monday, September 6, 2010
Indiana, Our Indiana
I've been at Indiana University for 2 weeks. My first week of classes just ended.
I love the campus. I love the city and I enjoy the classes, at least this far. I love being at a school where people actually enjoy being there. This is such a reversal of attitudes from Goshen High School. People are proud of their school, people really love it. No matter how the teams do, sports are still a huge deal. The first football game was a huge party, inside the stadium and out. People actually enjoy and appreciate the Marching Hundred. Instead of taking away anything resembling fun, the Athletic Director mic'd the band and installed a crane in front of the student section. He and his staff took time out of their day to come personally address the band and hand out ice cream. Head Football Coach Bill Lynch also came to the band's night in Memorial Stadium and addressed us. No matter how the sports teams do, the students love it here.
The Marching Hundred is incredible. The week of band camp was great. We got out of practices early, took breaks all the time and Colonel told us to stop being so serious, to make more noise and have more fun with it Another complete reversal from High School. Colonel enjoys the football game and the band is a big part of it.
The first two days were the hardest, not knowing ANYONE. Those 2 days were harder than I thought it would be, and meeting people is still the hardest part of it. I'm well liked in my section, and although I would never have expected it I went to 2 parties in my first week of being in Bloomington. But still gaining friends is the tough part of it. I don't really see anyone outside of band at this point.
At the end of the first week section competition took place in Memorial Stadium. Piccolos and Mellophones did an 80's workout Richard Simmons show, clarinets and trumpets spoofed their section rivarly, Sousys and alto saxes did The Twilight Zone for Marching Band, and The Trombones and Tenortones, did The Lion King.
We went on first and had the entire audience rolling the whole show. Trombones were lion pride, tenors and tones were hyenas, our section leader Ryan played Scar, Victor played Pumba, Dylan and Norm from the Trombones played Timon and Mature Simba.
We marched out with the chant from the beginning of the movie, and played Circle of Life. We did The Procedure to mimic the stampede which kills Mufasa. "Scar" chased Simba away and the Hyenas surrounded the lions. During a trio of Hakuna Matata, adult Simba and Young Simba swtiched behind a sheet. Simba came back to challenge scar to the tune of Indiana Fight. Substituted vocals Go! Scar! fight fight fight! short break and Scar yells, "I killed MUFASA!" Simba of course yells "NO!" (as opposed to in practice for competition when he yelled "you ass!") And we play Indiana Fight again, faster, and yell Go! Simba! fight fight fight! Simba wins, scar dies, and we play our adaptation of The Lion King's love song "Can you Get It On Tonight?"
Rafiki, (a trombone in a gorilla mask) held up young Simba at the end of Circle of Life, and Simba & Nala's cub at the end of the show.
That show won section competition hands down. And for the band members at least, section competition is a big deal. Got the large traveling trophy and we all celebrated on the field. Everbody laid hands on the trophy. And at the celebration party Ryan (after having a couple) made me and others kiss it like the championship trophy it is.
I went to 2 parties my first week. Which I would've never expected. It was pretty low pressure. Nobody's gonna make anyone else drink and it was fine that I didn't. Although that made it somewhat awkward, since I really couldn't join in. Probably the weirdest part was having our Assoc Instructor there drinking too. He is staff on the hundred, and so I keep thinking of him like Adam from GHS band or something like that, a staff member separate from the band. So it was outrageously weird to see him there and hanging out with the "kids" and drinking, (got a bit tipsy, as evidenced by my coming over and him getting excited, throwing his hands up. "MICHAEL!!!") but he is still a grad STUDENT and is only 25 or so. Just an odd feeling to see staff members partying.
Making Pre-Game block was huge for me. Made me feel like more part of the band and it's a huge thrill to do it. That relieved a source of stress for the whole week, the anticipation, and it helped make me feel more integrated.
The hardest part is still meeting people. I went to parties and went out to eat with people a lot during band camp. Since then, i'm either at class/hundred, eating (by myself) or in my room. My roommate doesn't talk. I mean, LITERALLY. Jacque was here this weekend and never heard him speak once. He got out of his desk chair maybe twice while we were there. Today he slept for very nearly 13 hours, then got on the computer, went to class, and has since been on the computer. I've seen him bring food back, and get up to (presumably) go to the bathroom. No shower, no change of clothes. He did brush his teeth though!
Jacque showing up was great. We went to the mall, and bowled and played video games at the Union. We did a TON of walking. Her being here made me go out, and got me to go different places that I hadn't been yet. It was really really good seeing her, but saying goodbye again was really difficult. And in a way makes now more difficult, because now the contrast is even more visible.
So yeah, . . . everything is going well, except that part of it. Being not very social really doesn't help the situation. I could go to Cru, or something similar, but I'd probably walk around the back and not talk to anyone, and just feel awkward the entire time.
So this post took a few days. Mostly because I'm not really the type of person to write stuff down like this, and most of the time I'd just not want to do it, and it's constantly a possibility that I'll just decide it's stupid and drop it completely.
This had major ups and downs, but so has being here. Bands ton of fun, campus is nice, I love the freedom, I enjoy the city, but the friends part of it is really depressing, at least for now.
We are secrets to each other
Each one's life a novel
No-one else has read.
Even joined in bonds of love,
We're linked to one another
By such slender threads.
We are planets to each other,
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse.
Each of us a world apart,
Alone and yet together,
Like two passing ships.
Just between us,
I think it's time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes fear to show.
Just between us,
I think it's time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room for you and I to grow.
From "Entre Nous" - Rush
I love the campus. I love the city and I enjoy the classes, at least this far. I love being at a school where people actually enjoy being there. This is such a reversal of attitudes from Goshen High School. People are proud of their school, people really love it. No matter how the teams do, sports are still a huge deal. The first football game was a huge party, inside the stadium and out. People actually enjoy and appreciate the Marching Hundred. Instead of taking away anything resembling fun, the Athletic Director mic'd the band and installed a crane in front of the student section. He and his staff took time out of their day to come personally address the band and hand out ice cream. Head Football Coach Bill Lynch also came to the band's night in Memorial Stadium and addressed us. No matter how the sports teams do, the students love it here.
The Marching Hundred is incredible. The week of band camp was great. We got out of practices early, took breaks all the time and Colonel told us to stop being so serious, to make more noise and have more fun with it Another complete reversal from High School. Colonel enjoys the football game and the band is a big part of it.
The first two days were the hardest, not knowing ANYONE. Those 2 days were harder than I thought it would be, and meeting people is still the hardest part of it. I'm well liked in my section, and although I would never have expected it I went to 2 parties in my first week of being in Bloomington. But still gaining friends is the tough part of it. I don't really see anyone outside of band at this point.
At the end of the first week section competition took place in Memorial Stadium. Piccolos and Mellophones did an 80's workout Richard Simmons show, clarinets and trumpets spoofed their section rivarly, Sousys and alto saxes did The Twilight Zone for Marching Band, and The Trombones and Tenortones, did The Lion King.
We went on first and had the entire audience rolling the whole show. Trombones were lion pride, tenors and tones were hyenas, our section leader Ryan played Scar, Victor played Pumba, Dylan and Norm from the Trombones played Timon and Mature Simba.
We marched out with the chant from the beginning of the movie, and played Circle of Life. We did The Procedure to mimic the stampede which kills Mufasa. "Scar" chased Simba away and the Hyenas surrounded the lions. During a trio of Hakuna Matata, adult Simba and Young Simba swtiched behind a sheet. Simba came back to challenge scar to the tune of Indiana Fight. Substituted vocals Go! Scar! fight fight fight! short break and Scar yells, "I killed MUFASA!" Simba of course yells "NO!" (as opposed to in practice for competition when he yelled "you ass!") And we play Indiana Fight again, faster, and yell Go! Simba! fight fight fight! Simba wins, scar dies, and we play our adaptation of The Lion King's love song "Can you Get It On Tonight?"
Rafiki, (a trombone in a gorilla mask) held up young Simba at the end of Circle of Life, and Simba & Nala's cub at the end of the show.
That show won section competition hands down. And for the band members at least, section competition is a big deal. Got the large traveling trophy and we all celebrated on the field. Everbody laid hands on the trophy. And at the celebration party Ryan (after having a couple) made me and others kiss it like the championship trophy it is.
I went to 2 parties my first week. Which I would've never expected. It was pretty low pressure. Nobody's gonna make anyone else drink and it was fine that I didn't. Although that made it somewhat awkward, since I really couldn't join in. Probably the weirdest part was having our Assoc Instructor there drinking too. He is staff on the hundred, and so I keep thinking of him like Adam from GHS band or something like that, a staff member separate from the band. So it was outrageously weird to see him there and hanging out with the "kids" and drinking, (got a bit tipsy, as evidenced by my coming over and him getting excited, throwing his hands up. "MICHAEL!!!") but he is still a grad STUDENT and is only 25 or so. Just an odd feeling to see staff members partying.
Making Pre-Game block was huge for me. Made me feel like more part of the band and it's a huge thrill to do it. That relieved a source of stress for the whole week, the anticipation, and it helped make me feel more integrated.
The hardest part is still meeting people. I went to parties and went out to eat with people a lot during band camp. Since then, i'm either at class/hundred, eating (by myself) or in my room. My roommate doesn't talk. I mean, LITERALLY. Jacque was here this weekend and never heard him speak once. He got out of his desk chair maybe twice while we were there. Today he slept for very nearly 13 hours, then got on the computer, went to class, and has since been on the computer. I've seen him bring food back, and get up to (presumably) go to the bathroom. No shower, no change of clothes. He did brush his teeth though!
Jacque showing up was great. We went to the mall, and bowled and played video games at the Union. We did a TON of walking. Her being here made me go out, and got me to go different places that I hadn't been yet. It was really really good seeing her, but saying goodbye again was really difficult. And in a way makes now more difficult, because now the contrast is even more visible.
So yeah, . . . everything is going well, except that part of it. Being not very social really doesn't help the situation. I could go to Cru, or something similar, but I'd probably walk around the back and not talk to anyone, and just feel awkward the entire time.
So this post took a few days. Mostly because I'm not really the type of person to write stuff down like this, and most of the time I'd just not want to do it, and it's constantly a possibility that I'll just decide it's stupid and drop it completely.
This had major ups and downs, but so has being here. Bands ton of fun, campus is nice, I love the freedom, I enjoy the city, but the friends part of it is really depressing, at least for now.
We are secrets to each other
Each one's life a novel
No-one else has read.
Even joined in bonds of love,
We're linked to one another
By such slender threads.
We are planets to each other,
Drifting in our orbits
To a brief eclipse.
Each of us a world apart,
Alone and yet together,
Like two passing ships.
Just between us,
I think it's time for us to recognize
The differences we sometimes fear to show.
Just between us,
I think it's time for us to realize
The spaces in between
Leave room for you and I to grow.
From "Entre Nous" - Rush
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