The Haydn will always kick my ass

It's been way over a month since I last wrote. Shame on me. I have been doing a lot of studying and been putting way too many hours over at the theatre. I think my boss takes a schedule, blows it up, sticks it on a corkboard in her humble abode and throws darts at it and wherever the darts land, those days are mandatory. She had good aim in October considering there were 11 shows and out of those 11, 7 were mandatory.

But work aside, let's get to the music portion.
Music Theory is moving along nicely, I even secured an A on my midterm. With only a few weeks left in the semester, I'm moving along and my professor has confronted me with the notion of becoming a music major. I'm going to take up the offer to hash it out with her somehow.

Sight-Singing...I'm actually passing. I got a 92 on the midterm, and I was expecting a 65. My professor there is very nice and we're on the same train so we often run into each other as we drag our tired bodies to head home (with me only on the train for maybe 6 minutes while she sits there for 40).

Jazz Band is going just ok. Last week my mother came home from Ireland and I had to miss my trumpet lessons and practice because at the time I was escorting my brother on the bus and train home. However, plans changed at the last minute and I ended up with the night off. There's no school today but they're having a rehearsal, but I don't have to go because I'm not part of the gig next week...yet I have to attend it. I'm not going into that here. So I get to go to a gig. The major gig is on Dec. 9th, which will be my debut as an Adelphi music student...or undeclared music student...or poser music student...whichever you prefer.

Lessons are going nicely. I'm tackling the Haydn, and it's kicking my ass. I think I got through it once and I was very proud of myself. I've found a new love in the second movement. Around measure 20 there's a nice long chromatic crescendo to a high A flat that within context of an orchestra sounds so beautiful.

The jaw is acting up now and then, my health hasn't been too stable, but I'm pushing forward. I feel crappy now but I've been playing through it because it makes me physically feel better but afterwards I feel like a mess. A painful mess. I'm very tired but I guess I just continue forward.

guitar/flugel talk

I've finally crawled out of my work filled hole! It's been a grand time in jazz. I am having a blast playing with a few other people. Our director is a great guy who knows his shit. The two hours go by really fast, and I'm starting to feel strong again. I get a little sore everyday.

But my main topic. My flugelhorn frankie. I want to invest in a new mouthpiece. I'm using the mouthpiece that came with Frankie. I have a hard time adjusting to it, it's old and I was looking at Jet Tone or Bach for a new mouthpiece. Now Bach goes by the same measurements as trumpet mouthpieces. I grew up on 1Cs, 5Cs, 7Cs...that's the way i know how the order a size.

I was thinking about moving away from Bach mouthpieces because I heard it takes a toll on the lips, because the rim cuts or something like that. I really can't remember what my old trumpet teacher used to say. I was looking at Jet Tone because I like the way it looks, and it's a good price...especially since I want to experiment around with a few. What a better way to do it with an affordable and reliable brand? But then comes the issue of sizes.

There are diffferent numbers and letters. So then I looked back at the Bach mouthpieces...I'm very familar with them. Who knows what I'll do. When the time comes, I'll tell you what I did.

Right now the story is I'm buying a new guitar. I'm getting (or hoping to get) an Ibanez Acoustic Electric guitar. It's a nice looking guitar. The one that I want to get is purplish. It's not a true purple, but a nice woody purple...if that makes sense at all. I love the way it felt while playing. It has a tuner on board (always a plus for me...cause I really suck at tuning by ear). It's a nice weight, and not too big or bulky so it fits in my small frame. Let's hope the city has it...and it makes it home with me...and not with my girlfriend...who just bought a Martin mini. The girl is insane...making it 6 guitars in her house.

Week 3

The semester is rolling along smoothly. I've been back to school for about 3 weeks and the music theory class isn't so bad. It's designed as a course for both majors and non majors to take. It's giving me a good backing for a return to music.

I started lessons with my teacher at school. She's really awesome. I've had 3 lessons so far and it's going awesome. I'm tackling the entire Haydn again. She really made me buckle myself down and improve my playing. She is very gentle as well because she knows about the accident, so she encourages me and tells me to back down when she realizes that i'm in pain.

I'm really stubborn when it comes to pain. I want to keep pushing because I want to do really good. I want to show her that she was right in taking me on as a student. She approached me last semester to take lessons, so I really want to make it worth our while.

I was sitting in the practice room yesterday with my teacher, finishing packing my stuff up when two people from the department come in. One points at me and said:

That's your horn player...

Cue Marybeth's screaming eyes and erractic heart rate. I had to catch my breath, I was so scared.

He wanted me to paly for Jazz band...

So I did it. I sat in class and we played a few tunes that I knew and all ready they said it was a huge improvement from last year's trumpeter.

I'm really excited about this chance to re emerge myself in music but I'm scared. i'm scared of turning back into the egotisical person that I was in high school. I'm scared of the power that music has over me and the way it can turn me into something that I haven't been in over a year.

I'm dedicated to my girlfriend, I'm settled down. I'm pretty settled for a chick who jumps at every loud sound. I feel scared, excited, vunerable, and determined.

I feel like Becky Hammon being traded to San Antonio and being told she has to lead the entire team....

I'm back from my little hiatus. The month of August was extremely busy at the Theatre. I even got over time. Awesome.

School started up. I'm taking Music Theory and Ear training one as well as trumpet lessons. The theory class is going smoothly and I'm actually regaining my love for theory studies. Ear training is kinda fun and I'm hoping I get through it all.

I started my trumpet lessons last night. I had a little discomfort with my jaw but overall I have my range almost back.

A post finally

Hey everyone. It's been a while because I've been at work non stop for the past...2 weeks or so. A few things:

~This week is going to be busy.
~I have off for a few days
~I got called for Jury Duty...however I need to postpone my date because I start classes the day they called me.
~MY girlfriend is so cute
~I'm going to take my girlfriend to a Met game for her birthday (well that's pending because i'm waiting on her mom for a go ahead)
~I got my haircut
~The Liberty are a game away from the playoffs...we need Washington to lose and we need to win the last 4 games.
~I went shopping and got a load of stuff all under 60 bucks
~I'm researching Jazz books and recordnings to add to the Christmas list.
~

Ponderings of a jazz trumpet chick

Howdy everyone. Ok, so I lied about posting a lot when Kate was gone. I really didn't go online that much. Nothing much has been going on in the music world for me. Well not just nothing.

I've been pondering. I was talking to Kate (my girlfriend) and I've come to the conclusion that I have a slight fear this semester. I'm taking two music classes with actual music majors.

I fear seeing what I was.

I fear denying my gift of music, denying the potential to go far with it.

I fear a repeat of what happened.

But I must swallow this fear. But I still have that fear.

Another thing I've been pondering.

Does Jesus have a bloodline?

How can you make a pain reliever that is also a pain blocker? Don't you do more damage? The whole point of pain is to tell your body something's wrong...

Buddy Guy

There's no show tonight at the workplace. That's fine with me because there are 27 shows in August. Yeah...27, with 4 doubles and 5 mandatory shows. My jaw is hurting very badly tonight. I have intense amounts of pain every so often. I only got to play trumpet for 15 minutes (I actually timed myself today). Musical Boot Camp is moving along in the playing department and the physical department. I really need to focus on (re)learning my bass clef and minor scales again...well the circle of fifths. I can't remember a class I took two months ago, how can I expect myself to remember something I knew cold back in sept.?

i'm waiting on my girlfriend to call me from Disney. She let me take her Rock Guitar For Dummies for the week. I like the fact that it is full of some useful infomation, however I'm not too pleased with the author's lack of music history knowledge. In fact he states that rock guitar has no history what so ever...umm how about Chuck Berry? Helllooooo? The beatles?? Hellooooo? Nirvana? HEELLLLLO???

Then he said that (rock) guitar is not the instrument to play if one wants acceptance in the musical world. I'm telling you now, the majority of music students I know are guitar students. Rock guitar, classical guitar, folk guitar, whatever guitar...it is an accepted instrument. However yes classical is probably the music to play if one wants to be accepted (well...in my case...at a certain college that will remain unnamed...who shunned me as soon as they laid eyes on my small, weary, trumpet playing body.) So what if I wasn't psychotic as one girl who beat herself up over every missed note? So what if I had no clue about Bach or Haydn? I learned...but I prefer jazz and rock over classical. Do I consider myself as a musician? Then, yes I did....now? Let me get back to you on that in a few years.

Johnny Mathis

The title of this post refers to who's performign tonight at my workplace. I can't wait (yes I'm being sarcastic). I like my job. I do. I get to see a ton of concerts every year and I get to feel powerful because I am the only one who can guide a drunk person safely back to their seat. But that's the thing. It's like that song of Alanis Morissette "I'm young and underpaid." I'm glad that I work in a place where I can listen to music and sit back sometimes, but other times I'm just sick of the bullshit that happens.

Sometimes I think I want to quit, which is funny because my girlfriend is the one that wants out. She hates putting up with the bullshit. Sometimes I think I want to re apply to the local music store and take a steady gig there. I honestly don't know. I like these hours but I hate the hardship of the place. Plus it fucks up my body as it recovers. I can't sleep normally because I'm up at the weirdest times and sleeping on the others. it's July and I haven't been to the beach yet. Ok that pisses me off but I'm so tired and so sore afterwards. Hmm...

Well the girlfriend is heading to Disney this week. I'm probably going to be posting a LOT about music because I just took some of her books on guitar playing and writing my own stuff. I can also sit back and get back on track with my trumpet playing again. I had to take a short hiatus this week because the girlfriend was sick. I have been at her house almost everyday this past week.

And I got my report card in the mail today. 3.9 GPA and I got A's in my 3 music classes (Developement of Western Music, Jazz History-50s, 60, 70s, and Jazz Theory).

I headed over to the girlfriend's yesterday to try and record/write music. Never happened. We ended up entertaining her sister for hours and then I had to play with Buddy her 10 month old puppy (That's half the size of me). Bud loves it when I come over because I'm the only one that actually plays with him (sans my girlfriend who calls him "her brother") He was extra whiney yesterday, being a pain in the butt...yet in the end he won me over with his innocent act. We like to play catch and play with the tennis balls. You bounce them and he hops and grabs them with his mouth. Then he likes his doggie massage.

Later in the evening, I had to chance to play on her keyboard. I had so much fun fooling around with the sounds and the beats. I ended up playing a shitload of jazz music on the keyboard. Kate looked at me and literally screamed out "YOU KNOW HOW TO PLAY THE KEYBOARD AND YOU NEVER TOLD ME?"

I honestly...do not know how to play it completely. I can't do that bass thing with the left hand. I can however play the lead with the right (while holding down the root with the left hand). I had a nice groove going on with some beats. It was pretty awesome. I almost walked out of her house with her keyboard. I would look funny on the bus with a guitar anda keyboard in hand...but hey I've seen weirder stuff.

I figured out my music textbook problem. I'm taking theory one and I actually own the books needed (thanks to that nightmare I lived last sept.) the only problem I was having was the fact that I had to hand in several pages. I honestly did want to shovel out 66 bucks for a brand new textbook when I have it (and its missing like 5 pages). I was going to wait and photocopy or ask my professor for copies when my mom told me she'll interlibrary loan the requests and I'll the pages lawfully and in time for the semester. That's like 120 bucks I save. I'm so excited bout that.

Ok, well not really excited...I love summer. I love any kind of vacation. Hence why I want to be a teacher....paid vacations...hahaha

June 27th, 2007

Hi again. I haven't updated in about a week. I tried my boot camp and I've been doing pretty well. Today I even picked up my trumpet and blasted away on it. Well here's what been happening.

Work is work. I was at work most of last week but I have decided that I'm going to buy a grip master from Manny's in the city (or Sam Ash on the island which ever I get to first). I want to be able to get my fingers back up to speed (Shush you people about to make a lesbian crack...) I'll be able to practicing my fingering even at work...(again...please refrain from hurting yourselves from reading that line).

It's a hot day today. My weather.com display is reading that it is now 88 degrees F outside right. I have my fans blowing away at a low speed (to conserve energy) and have yet to put in my AC (again to conserve energy). I recently haven't been able to use my house phone because I have been talking too much to Kate on it. No matter what I do I always get in trouble with the water bill, electricity bill, or phone bill. So I'm suffering through this summer. Well it's not that bad.

Anyway it's hot and I feel loose. I decideded to jam on my guitar and damn I sounded awesome. I saw the Blues travelers last night at work (btw they kinda sucked but the guitar player did have some good moments) and I was just jamming away. I'm not so much into soloing on the guitar because I'm just a novice but I think I did my girlfriend justice. I then looked at my baby, Diana on her stand and decided what the hell...let's play some exercises. Well I couldn't wrap my brain around the metronome. I hate those days where you just can't seem to stay on target. I decided to screw the fingering exercise and play some jazz tunes. Well while playing I realize I was NOT MISSING A NOTE! Everything sound on pitch and I said to myself..."well if I'm hitting notes in the range I used to hit, I should tackle the Haydn again."

The Haydn and I have a love/hate relationship. I don't know why I obsess over getting this piece perfect. So I started playing and I was hitting my high C's again. When I stoppped playing, I was on the verge of a high D. I can't tell you awesome it felt to hit a high C again. But the con to this pro...my cheek and jaw are swollen. So I'm drinking some water and icing my face.

Off of music topics...there was a naked woman in the bathroom at my workplace the other night. My girlfriend and I stumbled in to see this woman cleaning herself...it was quite hilarious and sickening. It was of course a highlight of the night....and they were fake boobs if anyone was asking themselves. she was highly UNATTRACTIVE but Kate and I just had those church girl giggles...more like howling on the floor in VIP.

Music Boot Camp

It is June 17th. Tomorrow I will begin my music boot camp. I know I'm pushing myself a little too soon but I've had enough of losing my strength and such.

What is music boot camp? I came up with this idea last year. I took a month or so off of performing after I graduated high school. It was a nice month off but I knew I had to get back into performing shape for college.

What does music boot camp consist of?

It involves a musical workout, a physical workout, and a mental workout.

Musical workouts usually include scale studies, lip flexibilities, etudes...the basic Clarke and Arban workouts.

Physical (which is usually my weak point) is suppose to consist of working out...some running/walking, lifting weights, and just basic toning up.

The mental workout is actually studying music. I need to pull out my textbooks and start studying music before the fall hits. I want to walk into my music theory class knowing at least more than the basic to get me by.

My jaw is hurting a lot right now, so I'm going to go rest it a bit.

Running through Sam Ash...

Yesterday my girlfriend and I headed into the city for a day trip and then a Liberty game in the evening. Whenever we head into the city, we always make some time to head on over to what we call "Sam Ash Alley" on 48th. We spent about 3 hours in the alley playing, laughing, and oogling several instruments that will never be ours.

We hit Manny's Music first. I honestly like Manny's better than Sam Ash. When I walk into a music store, I don't want to be put off because I'm a girl. I don't want to feel like I'm stupid and I don't appreciate the glances and the looks I get. I feel like Sam Ash is sexist, but it is true...they have the best selection of guitars (besides Manny's). I played a Fender yesterday and it's just a different feel. The polish and body is so different from my Washburn. I personally am looking for an acoustic, so walked through the glass doors to look at the acoustics. I found my ovation that I want, but then I found the Ibanez Talman that I was looking at online. I decided, hey what the hell since I'm here let me try out a few of these guitars and then I'll make a decision. The Ovation is the one that I dreamed of having ever since I fell in love with Melissa Etheridge's music. It has a nice shallow body (I am small...I'm thin and 5'4) that fits me perfectly. This was the first time that I played it and my fingers hurt. I don't know if it's because I was uncomfortable (I was feeling a little lousy and it was clammy outside), maybe I played too much on the others (I did happen to sample several guitars yesterday), or maybe I was in pain from playing the trumpet (more on that in a few).

I was astounded at the fact that I could barely play the guitar that I want. I've played it several times before. I LOVED the Ibanez Talman. It's a nice price at $199. It's blue and it has an interesting body. I liked playing on it and I enjoyed the acoustic sound on it. I want to go back and try it out some more before finalizing my decision between the two.

Then I found another guitar that I'm going to buy within the year. The Martin Backpack Guitar. It's freakin small and thin. And I want it. It weighs less than 2.5 pounds and it doesn't look like a guitar (as my girlfriend called it "A stick with strings"). It's mine...and I found it online on music123.com for $166.

Kate got to play the Ibanez Steve Vai JEM. She's been obsessing over this guitar for years now. I went to the Brass store and I got to play a $3,000 Bach Strad. I was amazed at the feel. The strad fit nicely in my hands, and I was very very stiff while playing, and I got weird looks from the man who let me play it...but nonetheless I really enjoyed playing a Bach Strad.

I also went to look at some Keyboards. I'm going to purchase some form of a keyboard by sept. because I am going into Theory I. In my past experiences of Theory at Post (aka my nightmare) I know the keyboard is central to the learning process. I found a 66 key, Yamaha I believe it was for 50 somewhat dollars. Yeah it's not a baby grand, but I'm not a keyboardist by default. I want to work out chords and the such without the organ downstairs. Besides the organ is very very old and is not in top shape.

Then Kate was talking about her keyboard and for the price she got it at...I'm considering it. I'm considering making this purchase within the next two months.

I started to practice again today. I'm hurting like a bitch, so I'm going to grab something COLD to drink and try to ice down the swelling bulge in my cheek.

ACDC

It's a bad morning when you know that I'm watching MTV's Exposed and it's a "lesbian" episode. It's sad...

I'm still on the recovery with my trumpet playing, I actually attempted to play it the other day and I was rewarded with a crap sound and searing pain in my jaw. Nice.
However...I have been playing my guitar more lately. I've been shopping around for an acoustic. I personally do not own an acoustic. The ones that I use are my mom's. I originally wanted an Ovation but lately I've been liking the Ibanez acoustic/electric.

http://www.music123.com/Ibanez-TCY10-Acoustic-Electric-Guitar-Transparent-Blue-Sunburst-i66867.music

there's the one I would like to get. I've been playing on my girlfriend's acoustic and she is a devout Ibanez player. This girl has an Ibanez jazz guitar, a really nice red Ibanez that has had some work done to it (her sister unfortunately threw it down the stairs one time...)

she also has this one in blue (although I say its a deep purple...and then I get yelled at...)
http://www.music123.com/Ibanez-AX220QM----Solid-Body-Electric-Guitar-(Closeout)-i45922.music

She also has a bass...of course it's Ibanez!

I guess I'm going to wrap up this update with this video from Joan Jett.



this song reminds me of me and my ex girlfriend. My ex was the girl in the song...yeah she played both sides of the fence and I was the "other woman."

I went over to my girlfriend's to try and come up with some music. That really didn't happen because we got...sidetracked. And her dog wanted to play with me...man that puppy can play!

I had time on the train home to write some lyrics. Here's what I have in mind for the songs.

The first one that I have lyrics written down is about the descent into madness. Life after a trauma and the weakening stablitily of the mind. This is going to be a hard, heavy rock song...

The second one I think I have music and lyrics written out. I originially wanted it to be a rock ballad (ala poisin's "every rose has its thorn") but as I started to play the other night it just turned into some soft rock like I normally listen to. This one is a love/hate song to my 2 lovely ladies who visit me in my mind. I'm crazy I tell you!

The third one I came up with lyrics about getting the chance to say I love you before a traumatic thing occurs. The importance of always saying I love you...even when you're fighting because...it can be the last time you say it or hear it.

I love music because no matter what...there's a way to express life.

Co-writing with the girlfriend

My girlfriend Kate said we should write songs together to try to deal with what's going on. I said ok.

My first one I just wrote lyrics for is about going insane. I seriously think I'm insane right now. After waking up from a dream where I got slammed by a bathroom stall door (yeah...) my face was pounding.

My second song will be a rock ballad about my love/hate relationship with my invisible friends...the ones that follow me aroud since the accident.


and you still think I'm sane?

More update on my guitar and comeback-o-rama

Morning! It's been quite an eventful few days...the majority in the music realm. First off I got my guitar back! I was so happy when I called on Wednesday. I was expecting to receive it on Saturday but the lady informed me that the repair guy fixed it the night of. Not only that...it was a good price. 40 plus tax. As I was walking home I saw what he had to do to it. I have broken wires, stripped screwed...and her had to replaced the entire volume control. All for 40 bucks!

My baby sounds so nice. I went to my girlfriend's spring concert last night. Funny that they put the concert the night before the Senior's last day. It is a tradition in my old school to go to the beach and watch the sunrise before your last day of high school. I unfortunately didn't get to go on my last day, and neither did my girlfriend. But most of the musicians did. Well the concert was pretty good. I didn't care for some parts but otherwise...it was good. I sat with my girlfriend's family and my friends. Back to where I was going with the sunrise. I'm the type of musician that puts everything into my performance and walk away completely drained. And it's funny because half of the band is missing the following day of a concert. So kudos to those who actually got up to see that.

In other non-musical news...I'm heading back to my job tonight after the accident. Super Ninja Usher returns! I'm a little concern about my return but hopefully I won't do so bad.

During my time at the concert I ran into a teacher I knew (orchestra...) and we were talking about my recovery. Man, I can't tell you how scared I am. I just keep thinking that in time...everything will be ok.

Guitar drama

About two weeks ago my guitar died. Her name is Sue and she is a Washburn guitar. It was very sad. I was jamming away and all of a sudden the sound cut out, I fiddled with the controls on the body of the guitar and I felt something loose underneath the body. I decided, well...let's see I can examine the damage.

I took out my trusty screwdriver set that my lovely girlfriend Kate bought me for Easter and went to work on the guitar. I got the screws off but the piece wouldn't come off. I was completely stumped. I didn't know what to do.

Dejected, I turned to my mother on advice of which shop should I take my beloved Sue to. I have many choices since I live near a huge street with several music stores along the way. My mom advised me to take to the little music shop where I used to take trumpet lessons since they deal with Washburns.

I got on my bike and headed on over. I got there and they told me that they didn't do electrical work but they then sent me down the block to a guitar store. I only went into the store once...which is why I didn't go there first. I got back on my bike and at 1:30...it was closed. I was at a complete lost. I then got home and was going to ask my dad if we could stop the place before going to work, but my mom didn't get home in time for me to stop by...and then later on that evening I was involved in the accident.

So I waited over a week because I was recovering, and I finally took Sue over today. Nice little place. I have to call on Wednesday to see how the progress is going and to get an estimate because the lady I dealt with didn't do the actual repairs. Sue may be back in my hands on Saturday and I hope the expenses won't be too steep.

Zaja Valve Oil

When I was a music education major at CW Post, I was involved in a small ensemble called the Brass Ensemble. Here I sat around with 7 other trumpet players. There were three of us female trumpet players. One was a perfectionist who scared the crap out of me, that's how good she was. The other was a very lively young woman who had a great sense of humor and a really nice smile. She plays the trumpet really well and she is very relax when it comes to practicing or performing.

It was the very lively one that turned me onto this product of Scented Valve Oil. She would inhale the aroma of French Vanilla among the variety of scrent she owned. I thought it was the funniest thing since Spitballs. Playing the trumpet, there are some products out there with a wacky concept or name. After I fell sick it took me months to embark on the journey to find these "scented valve oils." I did a search and found the site.

www.zajamusic.com

It's a little business that sells certain brass products. There's a product that keeps your case clean, there's an air device to help develop your breathing, and there is a product for your lips. There is also apparal being sold.

I was amused at the site and I told my mom about it. Sure enough, for my birthday I received two bottles of Zaja Valve Oil. I was beyond amused and immediately opened my package and started to inhale the aromas of Strawberry and French Vanilla. Now I wasn't so crazy about the French Vanillla but I loved the Strawberry. I decided to take the oils for a test run.

Before Zaja, I was a devout Al Cass user. Al Cass for everything. I'd have three bottles of it wherever I played. I decided to use the Strawberry on my trumpet since I use it more often than my Flugel (which then got the french vanilla treatment.)

My first reaction: My god, my valves have never felt this smooth.

I continued to be amazed at how fast my valves moved on both the trumpet AND flugel. The nest thing that amazed me...how long the oil lasted. After a week of constant playing, I didn't have to oil them. I think it was a few weeks later that I actually had to pull out the bottle and reoil. It amazed the shit out of me. Then I started to think damn, something must not be right...maybe the stuff needed for the scent will corrode or destroy my valves or casing. Nope...nada...no damage at ALL.

So not only does my trumpet smell like strawberries, it performs well with this new oil. I was very impressed with the results. My bottles are still full, and I still have 3 bottles of Al Cass laying around...i'll use my Al Cass in case I need to perform and not stink up a place.

What was I thinking...during the time of the car accident

I told my professor today that I was involved in a car accident as she was giving me her card to contact her for trumpet lessons. Her reaction was "oh shiiiiiit"

So the car hit us, and I smashed my head (I remember this now because I remember the pain). It was a cold metal vibration sound in my head and everything was black. I remember waking up and thinking to myself:

"Hey, we just came from that direction..." and then "Wow...so that's how our airbags look."

I was promptly strapped to a backboard with a neck brace ill fitted around my head. For 2 hours I wore this poorly made and assembled neck brace. As they wheeled me into the ER, my left hand started to go numb. Then I though to myself:

"Self, thank God it's not my right hand or else I would never be able to play the trumpet again..."

After throwing my left hand against the rails of the gurney and no success my mouth and lips started to go numb. My heart quicken and I thought to myself:

"Self...I spoke too soon. I'm dying and I will never be able to play trumpet again since I can't feel my lips."

I was coming from a bad place in my musical life. I rebelled against my love for the subject and rejected my musical friends. I denied that I ever knew how to play. I was so depressed and scared to perform. I switch environments and I started to learn to love my subject thanks to that very professor I mention a few lines up. Now I must rebuild my jaw and its muscles.

So my professor in the end told me to rest fully and to not return to playing until it completely healed.

Flugelhorns

I like this blogger and I decided to keep it.

Onto a topic that I think a minority of musicians really know about-the Flugelhorn.

What is exactly a flugelhorn?


That is my flugelhorn, Frankie. The flugelhorn was created in Austria and it a member of the brass family. It has three valves and is usually in the key of B flat. It very similar to the trumpet by the way it is played, which made it a lot easier to switch to on my part. There are different versions of the flugelhorn...I prefer the "flugelhorn" look with the vertical slides. Getzen makes a flugelhorn that looks like a trumpet with a long loop. If i want to play a flugelhorn I would prefer to play one that looks different than a trumpet..since it is different.

The flugelhorn has a very rich and mellow sound. It's darker than the bright trumpet sound and is similar to a french horn. The tubing is wider and the bell is bigger. The tuning slide is where the mouthpiece connects and some flugels have a third valve trigger. The trigger allows the 3rd valve to be played in tune. Unfortunately my Frankie does not have a third valve trigger. My flugel is an Amati student flugelhorn. Why do I have one? Funny story. I was supposed to play in the pit for Into the Woods at my old grammar school but they had enough trumpets. I was told to get a flugelhorn and the director would transpose the french horn music into the key of b flat...so you can have me play and still have the french horn sound.

That didn't happen. But I did get the flugelhorn. My mom searched all over the island for one and she found a store that rented it for 90 dollars...FOR 12 MONTHS! Amazing. When it was time to renew my rental they sold it my mom for 500. It's pricetag was about 1000 dollars, but it was used (by me) and now it is my baby.

I don't even know what the mouthpiece size is but I'm going to go with the equiv. of a 7C or 5C trumpet piece. She sits on a flugelhorn stand (for a while she was sitting on my studio trumpet stand...because it was studier then my portable trumpet stand...the bell is bigger...duh.) I use Zaja French Vanilla valve oil on it. I think my next blog will be about that very product. It smells like French vanilla and I got turned onto it by a trumpet mate at my previous college. She doesn't know that she influenced me to get it but I saw how much fun she was having with it.

That's about it for now...

PoJ

Ok...now what does a musician doe when her jaw is swollen?

People drive like idiots these days. I was going to work and my dad drove me. I have no car but I do have my license but my mom and dad need their cars so off i go to work with dad. We had a green light and the next thing I knew as we were crossing...this 20 year old something guy slammed in us.

I went into my door, and passed out. I woke up to find me staring at the direction we just CAME from. Well, a few hours later the hospital released me with a closed head injury. Yeah. Even better.

The next morning my girlfriend came over and we found more bumps and bruising, especially around my jaw. Well here's my question, how does a musician practice for a gig in the next three weeks when she has a swollen jaw!

What does a musician do when she fears playing music?

I love music and I say it often. When I’m work, I sit and watch some amazing musicians walk onto the stage and play. I get envious and decide that when I get home I’ll attach my silent mute to my trumpet and play for a few before bed. I get home and that doesn’t happen because I’m completely wiped out. I come home my music classes, again completely wiped out and I miss out on playing.

My girlfriend got me back into jamming. She plays the guitar and bass, and invited me over to jam. The next thing that happened was even more amazing. I got a small gig of playing at her graduation party. In light of all this, I enrolled myself into private lessons on campus next year with my Western Music professor. I’m really excited. Then they asked me to audition for the orchestra. SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!

I think that’s where I noticed my fear of going back to playing on stage. I performed so much during my Senior year of high school. I was playing 6 hours a day and I was practicing my ass off to get a scholarship into CW Post’s music department. The week of my audition, I was at work and I passed out. I was taken to the hospital and I found out I suffer from vesa vego, an everyday phenomenon that everyone experiences. It’s when the blood doesn’t get to your head quick enough, causing dizziness and sometimes blacking out. Such things involve standing up to quickly. This explained why I would stumble out of Jazz Band practice and lay down on the floor or fall into one of my friends in the hallway. When I play, the air stream and blood movement gets screwed up. I push to force air out and that slows the blood movement to my head…causing redness and yes…dots to appear before my eyes.

Also musicians suffer from extreme mood changes. While playing, it’s a natural high and it makes you feel good inside. The following day I would sink into an extreme swing of depression to the point that I was physically sick. With the vesa vego and this change in moods, I suffered throughout my playing in Senior year…but it didn’t stop me from getting into CW Post. At Post though, I traveled 4 hours and had 13 hour days. All of a sudden the depression sunk lower and I got sick. So sick that I couldn’t pick up my trumpet without getting sick.

During this period of time, I developed this fear of performing and playing. I miss playing so much, but a part of me is scared of passing out or getting sick again. I’m also afraid of the severe mood changes. But thankfully this summer I vowed to get myself back on the horse. I can’t stay scared forever, especially from something that gives me so much joy. Kate’s graduation party is my stepping stone, and from there who knows what I’ll get myself into but I’m willing and ready to see where my music takes me again.

The addicting nature of BRAVO

I have classes five days a week, I work almost every weekend at Northfork Theatre, I volunteer with a bowling league and Girl Scouts, I have very little time to watch television. Besides the time factor, none of my favorites are on anymore. No more Xena: Warrior Princess, no more Buffy the Vampire Slayer, ER lost my interest (I lost it when they killed off the firefighter lesbian Sandy Lopez), and I try to watch All My Children but now Bianca is leaving yet again (and made Maggie into the cheating ex girlfriend). South of Nowhere and the L Word both have very short seasons. What’s left to watch?

I’m going to admit, I’m a huge Bravo watcher. When I get home from work or somewhere else, there’s bound to be some reality show on Bravo. It really started with my brother Chris as he watched Project Runway. It was Heidi Klum that cemented the affair between me and Project Runway. Then there was Top Chef which always made me hungry and willing to try new foods. I even watched Top Design. I have no clue about interior design but danm, I was impressed with what these people could come up with. It’s 10 AM on a Thrusday and Shear Genius is on, and I’m watching it. It’s about a group of hair stylist fighting for the title of “Shear Genius” and today they are trying to take black hair and turning it into a “level 8 blond.” Yeah, I’m sitting here and asking myself “There are levels of hair color?” but it’s so damn addicting to watch.

My all time favorite Bravo reality show is Work Out. I sit and stare at the television as gym drama unfolds on my television screen. I watched the first season as Jackie Warner, the woman who made her dream gym into a reality, fight it out with annoying clients, stubborn personal trainers, and of course…her feisty, biting girlfriend Mimi. So one reason why I watched Work Out is that it makes me feel better about my own life. I’m not kidding. Jackie’s relationships with her staff, her girlfriend, even her mother was full of drama. The new season (the second season) has not slowed down since the last. Jackie has now broken up with Mimi and is now “casually dating” two women-an old flame, and one of the trainers on her staff, Rebecca.

It gets me by when I feel the need to watch something on television. Bravo is addicting and I’m not afraid to admit it. Sure I’m sitting and waiting to find out who got shot on the season finale of South of Nowhere and wondering what will happen to the women of the L Word next January. Will Ashley and Spencer stay together or has Aiden destroyed the beloved “Spashley” coupling? On the L Word, will Dana continue visiting Alice as a ghost? Will Shane get a new haircut? Will Bette and Tina get back together for the 50th time? Only time will tell. However in the meantime…Heidi Klum and Jackie Warner will take care of my television needs.

Inspiration doesn't mean you copy word from word...

Can plagiarism happen unintentionally? Sure it can just like other things in life. Can it happen on purpose? Of course. I don’t think Viswanathan example was unintentionally. There were just too many similar phrases to argue it was unintentional. However, it is almost close to impossible to come up with an original idea in this day and age. Look at books, movies, television, even music. In jazz music, musicians are encouraged to copy “licks” from jazz greats like Charlie Parker. How many times can we go see a movie about boy meets girl, girl leaves boy, boy goes off to win girl back? Or in my movie taste how many times must I see: girl meets girl, girl leaves girl for boy, girl goes crazy after seeing her love of her life with a boy and decides to seek revenge and ends up dying in the end? It’s hard to keep ourselves from plagiarism because in the end, everything is similar.

But we can keep ourselves in the clear. There’s ways of citing or giving credit to those who inspire us. There are also ways of being caught if you stole someone’s words or work without credit. Any teacher can go online and type in a phrase and find out if it was someone else’s words. If that doesn’t push you to use your own words, then I don’t know what to say.

It’s easy to paraphrase and copy quotes while citing. But is it rewarding? Writing or playing an instrument is about your creative opinion. There are so many writers, musicians, and actors among many other creative occupations that inspire us on a daily bases. If we copy or plagiarize them, then we’ll be stuck in a world of ungrateful followers and sameness. How can we make sure we don’t get sucked into the vortex of plagiarism? Take the idea and write about what you think. Miles Davis did not make it where he was today by strictly playing Dizzy Gillespie or Charlie Parker licks. Sure, they were the stepping stone, but he created his own sound by himself. He heard what he liked, and interpreted it in his own way. I think that’s what we need to do. Just take someone’s words, think about them, feel them, and allow our own creativity flow from that inspiration.

Are tattoos still taboo today? According to the American Heritage Dictionary taboo is a noun that means a ban attached to something by social customs. Tattoos for centuries were taboo in several cultures as a social aspect of our lives. In early cultures tattoos represented some sort of religious denotation. Sometimes it showed rank within a tribe. In New Zealand, tattoos were often given to people as a sign of adulthood. The early method tattooing was taking a bone of an animal and sharpening it to a point. A series of ink would be produced from plants around the area and the person being tattooed would endure an intense painful tattooing session. The tattoo artist would take the needle and pound it with a hammer into the body part, normally the face. To cry or make noise during this session would be a sin and would denounce you as an adult. The Japanese also used a series of needles and some sort of hammering to tattoo warriors. Dragons were used for protection. There are several icons that were used for power and protection in every culture.

Today the mystical process of getting a tattoo is rarely there. People go and do it for fun. Some choose signs and symbols of their heritage and get it tattooed as some kind of ethical meaning. Some get memorial tattoos in honor of fallen family members or friends, especially in the military. Some get tattoos of their significant other’s names and then have to get it removed or reworked because they break up later. Tattoos in America at first were only on the bad boys of America. Prison inmates, military personnel, bikers. It showed strength and attitude. It’s just a fashion statement today. People get pierced and tattooed to decorate their bodies while we still have access to our bodies.

In my family, the women on my mom’s side are tattooed. I have 3 aunts on my mom side. One aunt has about 12, the other has 5, and the last has 2. My mom has about 6 or 7. My grandma started at the age of 73 and she has 5. She is now 75. I have 2 tattoos. I always wanted a tattoo since I could remember because my aunts had them. I was always fascinated by the process and the colors. My first tattoo was a gift for my 18th birthday last year. We go to a little tattoo parlor where the woman has tattooed my aunts, my mom, and grandmother. I was the third generation in the seat. My first tattoo was the one on my left shoulder blade of a dragon. I am completely crazy about dragons. I always drew them as a kid and then I saw the last episode of Xena: Warrior Princess. Gabrielle got this huge dragon tattoo on her back and I was convinced. My first tattoo would be a dragon and it will be on my back. Well, not my whole back…but it will be on my shoulder. And there it is, on my shoulder. My second tattoo is a Celtic spiral. The women in my family have several Celtic tattoos-spirals, triangles, claddagh, knots, crosses, you name it…it’s probably on one of them. My mom and I got the same tattoo on the same part of our left arm. I read it was given to students of the Druid faith upon completion of 7 years of study. It meant they could practice and lead ceremonies. I thought well, it would be awesome since I’m going to college and I somehow graduated Catholic High School. My girlfriend went with me, and I never seen her that pale before.

I’m not going to lie, it hurts to a point. There’s blood, there’s oozing, there’s nastiness. You have to wear a bandage for 2 hours following the tattooing. You take it off (which sometimes hurts more than the tattooing itself), and then you have to put cream on it so it stays moist and pretty. Oh, and it scabs just like a normal cut. In fact you have to wash it often to remove the build up. That can get pretty nasty. It hurts a few nights especially on your arm if you sleep on your side. It feels funny on your skin because its technically an abrasion on the skin. And it gets red. But it means something to me than just a fashion statement. I find that you probably meet 9 out of 10 people who have tattoos. I don’t think it’s a taboo anymore. It’s just another social custom that everyone wants to be a part of.

I’m working on getting a few more this year. I’m getting my Girl Scout pin tattooed to my chest where it would be placed on clothing. I’m also thinking of getting a trumpet tattoo somewhere and another dragon on my other shoulder. This one will be wrapped around a Celtic Cross. I often joke about getting a portrait of Joan of Arc in the middle of my back and my girlfriend just rolls her eyes at me. I would love to have that but I don’t want to get too crazy. However, once you go under the needle, you are really hooked and you can’t wait to go back and get more. It’s my body and I want the signs and pictures on me to mean something. It’s part of who I am…

Birdland

April is Jazz History Month and I’m quite excited by this. I have several jazz idols-Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Count Basie, Bud Powell, Louis Armstrong, among many others. But every jazz fan just needs to say two words-Charlie Parker.

Charlie Parker pretty much changed the jazz music of Louis Armstrong. Parker was often known as Bird because of his high flying solos and love for chicken. Bird invented what is often called “Bebop Jazz” which is the fast paced, ever changing chord progression type of jazz. Bird had this sense of harmony that was beyond any other jazz musician at the time. He would hear “phantom notes” in his head and it would be the underlying harmony of the lead line of the piece.

Bird was as a heroin addict and alcoholic…which plagued many jazz musicians at the time. Besides that aspect of his life…he was an amazing alto sax player. You know what’s funny about jazz music. It was invented in America, but we bashed it so much that jazz musicians had to go overseas to be accepted as musicians. Americans were into popular music and really turned their head from their own blood and sweat.

Bird was heavily accepted in Europe and often experimented with music. In fact when he was learning jazz he would play each song in all 12 keys. I’ve tried this and its extremely hard but it helps develop a sense of improvisation during tough chords. It also really expands your musical ear and knowledge and makes you feel secure when you’re up on the bandstand getting ready to rip out a solo.

I’ve found this online…a little tune called “Hot House” with Bird on sax and the great Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet. Jazz is a great form of music and if you’re looking for something new and exciting check out the numerous forms of jazz.

THE WNBA DRAFT

So the WNBA draft that I was talking about in the last entry was full of surprises. It was the first WNBA Draft where both the number 1 and number 2 draft pick were TRADED minutes after being drafted. But why does this affect me and New York? Because we ended up being on the other side of the trade for the number 2 draft pick, Jessica Davenport from Ohio State. You must thinking then why am I so upset about this? Well we just traded our 2008 second round Draft pick and BECKY HAMMON for her. We traded away our 8 year veteran, lead scorer, crowd drawer for a rookie. It was horrible. Becky will now play for San Antonio. San Antonio got so lucky this off season because they earned several veteran players from trades like this one. I’m really feeling San Antonio this year which will be quite awesome since they used to be one of the worst teams.

What happens now? I keep going to the games and the Liberty will have to find that chemistry again. The only nice thing is most of them are new or have at least 2 years experience so this team can bond quickly and play nice together. If we lose big time, we’ll end up with the number one draft pick next year. With that number one draft pick we’ll end up with Candace Parker from the University of Tennessee who was a knock out in the NCAA championship this year.

With all this talk I forgot to tell you that Parker had until 10 AM yesterday morning to say she was going into the Draft. She obviously didn’t enter the draft which is good for her. Originally the WNBA wanted only graduating seniors to enter the Draft. The NBA drafts them right out of High School and slams millions of dollars on them. The WNBA believes in a full education. Now the number one draft pick will be earning 42,000 dollars a year. The veterans earn 93,000 dollars a year. It’s grossly unfair that men make obscene amounts of money over the women. And the women play just as hard, maybe even harder than the men. I absolutely despise watching the NBA because I feel like it has become a dunking show and a one on one type of game. The WNBA fully establishes the fundamentals of the game and when they work as a team, wow…watch out. It’s good clean basketball which I enjoy. Sure, Lisa Leslie can stun us with her one handed dunk in the All Star game, but that’s what the All Star game is for. Flashy plays and a fun filled atmosphere. I’m not saying dunking is bad, I just like the fact that we don’t rely on it as much as the NBA. But watch in the upcoming years, and the dunking in the WNBA will increase because these young women entering the Draft have been exposed to both the NBA and WNBA throughout their entire playing career.

L-I-B-E-R-T-Y NEW YORK LIBERTY

So I’m a week early by posting this. The WNBA Draft is next Wednesday. I’m so excited about this. I know many people still don’t know the best kept secret about the summer: The WNBA. The Women’s National Basketball Association has been up and running for the past 10 years now. It hosts some of the greatest basketball talent there is today. Diana Taurasi, Lauren Jackson, Sue Bird, Tina Thompson, Sheryl Swoopes, Becky Hammon…among many other women are all the “All Stars” in the league. As of today there are 13 teams in the league. In the West we have the LA Sparks, Houston Comets, Seattle Storm, Phoenix Mercury, Sacramento Monarchs, San Antonio Silver Stars, and Minnesota Lynx. In the East we have the New York Liberty, Detroit Shock, Connecticut Sun, Chicago Sky, Washington Mystics, and the Indiana Fever.

I am a die hard fan of the New York Liberty. I have been a season ticket holder since 2001. I’ve been going to the games since 1999. 1999 in my opinions as well as several of the WNBA fans will tell you, was the best year ever. It was the year when the ABL which was a coexisting league folded. The 1999 Draft included the young college graduates and the ABL stars. Man, it was loaded with star power. The playoffs were even better. It came down to Houston against New York and Houston was up by 2 points in the last 2.4 seconds of Game 2. At the time, it was a best out of 3 contest, so you can just imagine my little 8 year old body on the floor in despair of watching my team lose the playoffs for the 3rd time. In those 2.4 seconds, our point guard Teresa Weatherspoon put up this half court jumper…which went in, forcing a game 3. And several annoyed neighbors from me and my mom screaming. We eventually lost the third game, but hey…I wish I could’ve been there.

Why is the WNBA the best secret of the summer? Anyone who lives in New York just has to take the train into Penn Station and walk on upstairs to Madison Square Garden. Tickets are as low as 10 bucks in the 300s, 20 bucks in the 200s. What would be 80 dollar seats for the Knicks is where I’m sitting for 20 bucks. Grab some popcorn and soda and you are set for the night. But you have someone who doesn’t like basketball? There is a load of entertainment. The music featured at the Garden is the same hits circulating the radio rounds during the summer. We have been voted the best arena for music. There are a lot of activities on the court, and it’s a good time to release your frustrations out without penalty. You can scream as loud as you want and no will look at you oddly, unless you are my mother. My mom can yell so loud that when we went to the Sun arena for the All Star game, she could be heard on the television. And we were in the last row!

It’s good clean fun. Its fundamental basketball that is quick and smooth. There aren’t any egos on the court, they aren’t making outrageous sums of money like the NBA players, and there aren’t sex scandals or any type of scandals going on. It’s good entertainment. The players are so nice. I’ve ran into several of the players after the game, and they do not leave until the last autograph is signed. They appreciate the fans.

I also like going to the games because I formed a family with my section. I’m the youngest in the section, most of the women are older. There are two girls in my section who are 5 years older than me, and we’ve bonded over the course of the years. I originally used to sit in the 300s but last year we relocated for the same price into the section below us, where we already established relationship ties. Sure I get picked on because I’m the runt of the group but I get relationship advice, I get life advice, I even get college advice from these women!

But this league is the best kept secret. We’re even due for two new teams in 2008. There used to be a winter league called the NWBL (National Women’s Basketball League) where many college and WNBA stars would play in the offseason. They unfortunately folded, but Colorado is looking to put a bid in next year. They are about 4 million dollars away from getting that bid. Atlanta is also in the process of getting a bid. Every year there is new talent, a new rule, or a change. It’s still young, and its not going anywhere for a long time, so stop on by and support your local WNBA team.

The sad but true American Dream

Viewing the Dove commercial and the satire of the Dove commercial, life’s view on beauty is varied. Both videos show some amount of distortion to the human body. The Dove commercial shows the need in America to be “beautiful.” The satire shows an unrealistic account of “ugly”. The guy went through a series of changes to become “ugly.” The girl has to go through a series of changes to become “perfect.”

Both videos show the extremeness of American society view on what is beautiful and what is ugly. I don’t believe it can get to that extreme but as Americans we give into harmful ways of life that can distort our human bodies. Going in either direction, it’s severe distortion. America today is built on an unreal perception of beauty and ugliness. The perfect hair, the perfect lips, the perfect body. No one will ever have that “perfect” body. Why? Because the American lifestyle is loaded with drugs, fast food, alcohol.

Both are sadly the reality of today’s society. In America we are pushing for a “healthier lifestyle.” Everything that happened to that guy in the video happens. The effects of over drinking, the effects of drugs, the effects of chemically altered food, it’s what makes America go round. The money invested in the above will make sure that America never sees to a “healthier lifestyle.” The Dove video shows perfection. Not reality. People undergo dangerous operations for beauty. Either way, it’s harmful to the body. Natural beauty can be perceived as natural ugliness and the other way around. America has become obsessed with unrealistic goals, high expectations. Its not wonder why there is such low esteem in the American society today.

From coast to coast...Girl Scouting is the most

March has been a pretty crappy month for me so far. I’m completely swarmed with my work schedule; I think that this weekend is my only weekend off. School work is starting to kick off and one of the professors I knew when I was at Post died on Thursday.

Despite the hard times so far, I know that March is supposed to be a good month in general for me. It’s Women’s History month. I’m a self proclaimed feminist and have been growing in a family of women. If anyone wants to see a really nice display check out the book display of Women’s History in the library that is all the way to the right when you walk towards the individual staircases to each floor. And no I’m not doing this because my mom did the display. Ok maybe part of me is mentioning because of that hah.

With Women’s History month comes one of the most important dates in my life. March 12th. March 12th will be the 95th anniversary of the Girl Scouts of America. I’ve been a scout for 13 years now, and despite the ignorance that people have, yes you can still be a scout long after your Brownie years.

On March 12th, 1912 Juliette Gordon Low started up the Girl Scouts in her hometown of Savannah. She thought of the idea while in England when she was a Girl Guide leader, which is the rest of the world’s version of Girl Scouts. Daisy, Juliette’s nickname, taught the girls how to be independent. She taught them to cook, sew, camp, fix things, and tend to the sick. Every girl had to wear a kerchief around their neck and until they did a good deed for the day, they couldn’t untie it. There were “merit badges” and special awards like the Golden Eaglet. The Golden Eaglet was given to the girl who demonstrated top notch Girl Scout abilities and went through tests such as earning a certain number of badges and service hours. This became what is the Gold Award today.

They made their own uniforms, the first being a dark blue. Do a search on Girl Scouts and there is a slideshow of the uniform fashions, it’s pretty funny. Those were some scary bell bottoms in the ‘70s. New awards came into being such as religious awards, service awards, life saving awards. We have so many different religious awards, service awards, a Bronze Award for Juniors, a Silver Award for Cadettes, and the coveted Gold Award.

There are 5 levels of actual scouting- Daisys, Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, and Seniors. Each are 3 years long with the exception of Daisys. And believe or not, you can be a scout long after your “field years.” I am going in for my leader training, but I can get a paying job over at the Council Building which many of you know, but never really knew it. Over by Roosevelt Field there’s a cube like building and there are Girl Scout flags flying everywhere…yeah that’s the headquarters for all Nassau based associations. And if you are itching for some of those cookies, I can assure you there are so many booth sales going on right now wherever you step.

I honestly love being a Girl Scout. It made me into who I am today. I have a strong background because of the law and promise that carry the guidelines to the scouts. I am a Gold Award winner, the first in my association for 7 years. I am also an owner of the Silver Award, and the Bronze Award was around when I was a Junior. I was the keynote speaker at the luncheon in October. I continue to serve and volunteer whenever I get the call. I think they have me on speed dial. I joke around about taking over the Girl Scouts and becoming its ruler. My mom even told the CEO and President that I am going to a military take over, and they turned to me and asked me to wait a few more years because they like the jobs they are in.

If you know a girl who is in scouts, encourage her to continue. It will benefit her life forever. I’ve met some really important people in my life from Girl Scouts. You can’t buy what the Scouts have to offer, well…ok you can buy the cookies…but you can’t buy the morals, the adventures, and the lifelong lessons. Women’s History month is such an interesting month, so go find out more and see how many women changed the world.

education is key

I guess this can be seen as a continuation from my last post. In class we’ve read an essay by Gloria Naylor called “A Word’s Meaning” and a newspaper article called “In Bid to Ban Racial Slur, Blacks Occupy Both Sides” b Anahad O’Connor. Both readings deal with the widely use of the n word in today’s world. I personally despise the word, I think it’s degrading, and I don’t understand why rappers and other media high figures feel the compelling urge to use it a million times in a short amount of time.

In the newspaper article there were a few websites that I went onto. Abolishthenword.com had this very disturbing flash presentation in the beginning before entering the site. Pictures upon pictures of cruelty towards a specific group of people. I believe that each person who died from cruel attacks were called the n word before dying, which just makes me even more angry that today it is a term of endearment or power.

What is it with our generation to take such cruel words used to attack several groups of people who aren’t the same as us and turn them into a “positive” term? It’s disgusting. What’s even more disgusting is when it is acceptable among people of the same group using the same word to each other as a sign of respect.

I applaud those who are taking steps to educate today’s youth about the origin and vulgar use of the n word. No matter what race you are, there is no reason to use words like that. “Words are stronger than actions.” That is true. I think the spoken word is the strongest weapon ever created. Physical pain can heal is what I always say, but that emotional and mental pain will never go away. Never. The spoken word attacks emotionally and mentally, scarring those attacked for life. A child will forget the knee scrapes and the bruises, but call that child the n word or any other derogatory word…and they will remember it for the rest of their life. Without the proper education, we can lose hope that respect will prevail. If we do not educate the youth today about words such as the n word, they are just going to keep using without paying respect to those who died before them from that word. And that’s what make is disgusting to me.

Today's Slang Can mean You're offending a whole group of people

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17388702/?GT1=9145

We were discussing in class how the English Language is constantly changing, and we are always changing the meanings of different words. I was reading an article that I feel tied into that discussion. Slang is an ever changing informal way of the English Language. There’s politically correct terminology but then there’s just plain degrading words out there. This particular article discusses a lawsuit against a school for reprimanding a girl who used the term “that’s so gay.” Her parents claimed it was a violation of the First Amendment, and sued the school.

I don’t really want to get into the politics of that lawsuit, but I think it’s appalling nowadays how words that are used to identify a group of people are now being turned around and used as slang. Words like “queer” “gay” and the n word. I just think it’s inappropriate to make slang out of these words. It’s offending in a way to hear people calling people fags because now it also means “stupid.” Well it’s an offensive term to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community. Then there are racial terms that being used instead as an insult but as another form of stupid or other words along those lines. These words are offensive! Why are we bringing them back into slang?

I hate when people use the word fag or gay in a way that means stupid around me. I would actually make my friends stop using the terms in such a way because it would upset me. Being an out lesbian, I had to deal with a lot of gay bashing growing up. Now to hear words that were used to cut me down and beat me up meaning “stupid” is just appalling to me.

I wish there was a way to stop it all, but I’m going to look at it realistically. It’s not going to happen. Let America use these, but as an individual I’m going to stop it around me. Too many people have been hurt by those words, that it’s inappropriate to used them. I honestly just don’t want to be reminded of bad times, and I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who agree with me on some level. I mean it’s weird in a way that I’m fighting for the term “gay” to remain the way it is and not mean “stupid.” But look at this way, using the word gay, you are also referring to a homosexual person and I can tell we are all not “stupid.”

Erase Hate

This may look like an ordinary fence to anybody. Sure the ribbons and flowers signify a tragedy there…maybe a car crash.

But it wasn’t a car crash.

And yes, someone died here.

And his name was Matthew Shepherd.

This picture, this fence is a universal picture now for change. A boy died there because he was gay. He was brutally beaten because he was gay. He was tied to the poles because he was gay. He was left to die there because he was gay.

This political issue of Gay Rights is very important to me. He’s not the only one to die this way. There is no enforcement of hate crime laws. If there was, why are we still suffering. We. Yes, we. We deserve rights like any normal citizen of this country. I deserve the right to marry, I deserve the right to live in safety like everyone else. Why do I? I bleed, I sneeze, I talk, I walk, I yell, I breathe just like any person of a different race, religion, sexual orientation, and gender. I swear I don’t bleed a different color. I swear I don’t breathe water. I swear that I hurt like everyone, physically and mentally. Medical examinations prove to show that I am human. Why should I be denied a basic human right?

It’s scary, running your whole life. Away from hatred. Away from this:

A little extreme I know. I understand not everyone accepts the way I live and love. It’s just like how we don’t accept certain forms of punishment, how we don’t accept certain taboos. I find it hilarious that there is this huge movement to stop Gay Marriage. Gays will harm the sacredness of marriage. Well, what about all the divorces that happen every year and the number of times people re-marry? Doesn’t that suck away the sacredness of marriage too? It seems to me that is essentially hurting marriage.

People are dying and getting hurt everyday. And it sucks. It sucks to hear from my friends “Oh so and so just got hit by the homophobes. He’s in the hospital.”

Erase Hate. Just erase hate. Hate over race. Hate over gender. Hate over culture. Hate over sexual orientation. Just erase it. I don’t want my kids to grow up, getting beaten up by their peers because they have two mommies. I don’t want kids to grow up like I did, being held to a fence, or running for their lives.

I’m done running. There has to be change. We need to change the world together. You don’t have to agree with my life, but we all must agree on Human Rights. Human Rights. Not just gay rights, not just black rights, not just gender rights…but Human Rights. After all…we all breathe air, and bleed red, and live and die just like everyone else.

Gimme some more of those Green Onions

I’m one of those crazy cats that downloads multiple versions of the same song. I do indeed in my iTunes have several versions of “Watermelon Man” a song that my High School Band and Jazz Band loved to play ( Actually, my jazz group almost got kicked out of an event for that song…it was too “loud.”), two versions of Janis Joplin of “Piece of My Heart” both performed by Janis herself and Melissa Etheridge, about 5 versions of “Chameleon” my personal favorite being by Buddy Rich, 6 versions of Thelonious Monk’s “Round Midnight” which is my personal favorite jazz piece to play, two versions of “Harlem Nocturne” and the song that I am currently listening to: “Green Onions” played by King Curtis on sax.

Now, this song Green Onions holds a very dear space in my heart. It was the first jazz song that I not only learned to play…but feel. It has a very bluesy feel to it. Booker T wrote it, but the version that King Curtis plays is the way we played it when I was a freshman in High School. This song expanded my playing abilities. Here I was at the ripe age of 14, trumpet in hand…completely lost in the up beats of the song. Do you know how hard it was going from playing down beats to playing before the beat? Then the soloing! These cats I played with could play! Maybe I was just awe struck, maybe I was too young, maybe I was just so damn confused…but something inside of me stirred. Sure, the first time I played the piece I totally destroyed the 4th trumpet part. Annoyed looks came my way, I felt embarrassed but soon that feeling, you know that bluesy, jazzy feeling bit me. And it bit me hard. So hard that after 4 years in that Jazz Band, I begged to perform the piece in my final year. I wanted to go out, knowing that I improved on what I was in freshman year.

I will always love “Green Onions” because in a way, it gave me my first break in jazz music. I can honestly remember, standing on stage for my first Jazz Band gig. I was so small, the smallest trumpet player there. I was this scrawny little girl, barely 5’2 standing next to cats who were taller, bigger, and could blow better on any piece of music. My best friend in that band happened to be a 6 foot tall trombone playing girl, so you could just imagine the size difference when we stood next to each other, analyzing music. I can clearly remember her telling me

“MB, just relax…let it take care of you.” I can also remember her saying

“You got any problems with the rhythms you just come to me…let me take care of you.”

With these words of wisdom of my tall, trombone blasting Kate, I let the music take care of me. I let “Green Onions” take care of me. So now you had this scrawny, barely 5’2 trumpet playing girl bobbing and dancing to the music on the platforms that we trumpet cats had to stand on. Once I let Christina on guitar lead me with her up beats, I was a jazz playing, non stopping trumpet playing gal. And I haven’t stop to this very day.

So yes, I’m one of those crazy cats who downloads several versions of a song because I want to learn, and I want to compare. And I’m always looking for that version that brings me back to my early days of playing, to the days of my freshman Jazz Band. Those cats were the meanest playing cats I’ve met in my life. And King Curtis’ “Green Onions” never fails to bring me back, smiling like a scrawny, barely 5’2 trumpet playing cat.

My Pet Peeve

I hate how music is being taught nowadays. Children aren’t being taught the proper way to tune their instruments and it’s annoying. These kids get up there twice a year to perform for their parents and parents have to sit there through a painful experience of screeching out of tune music. The chords clash horribly even if the kids are hitting the right notes. I mean Hot Cross Buns which the first song any young musician learns is 3 notes. But those notes all sound different because they’re not in tune. Being in tune is probably the basic key to playing music. Any one of us has sat at a play or performance, completely excited and the moment the person opened up their mouth…it came out flat or sharp…leaving us cringing in our seats! I just had that experience while attending Les Miserables, which happens to be my favorite musical of all time. The woman who played Fatine completely destroyed the song. She sounded like a frog gasping for air as she tried to hit the high notes that resulted in being completely out of tune.

Music teachers are not teaching properly. The first lesson after learning the first scale should be proper tuning. Once the child has the sounds of a scale in his/her mind, the teacher must hammer those sounds…tones…intervals…whatever you choose to call them…into the child’s head so they become close friends with them. There are tuners under 25 dollars at any given music store that are used to aide any musician in learning the proper tone to tune their instruments. Then there is the metronome. One thing I wish I learned to use as a child musician. The metronome is a tool used by any musician…even dancers to keep the time or beat if you prefer. Again, you can find them anywhere under 20 bucks. There are the fancy old ones where the stick moves back and forth and there are modern ones where you press a button and the pace is set for your practicing pleasure. The next thing that makes all of us cringe after hearing an out of tune instrument is one that is constantly behind or ahead of the rest of the band. These tuners may be seen as the cure all to tuning, and then you get those naggers who say “But now they won’t learn how to tune by ear.” Well after working with my tuner for the past 5 years I can pretty much identify the tones I need to tune my guitar and trumpet. Tuning by ear is needed in a symphonic/jazz ensemble. A person you know who is perfectly in tune (or a tuned piano is the alternative tuning device) plays a note and everyone in the band tunes along with it…playing their home note and fiddling with parts on their instrument until they are satisfied that their instrument sounds like the tuning note. Between my handy dandy tune and years of an ensemble setting, I cured my lack of tuning knowledge in my early years.

Now…how about…teaching kids to play in tune and time at a very young age?? It’s like teaching a child a different language. We as children as smarter than as we age…because our brains are putty made to mold and squish. We pick up things quicker in our youth. So if we taught tuning and playing in time in the first year of playing instead of just…bypassing it until high school we may just be onto something.

Music as a lifestyle!

Music equals life. Music=Life. Music is life. Music is a state of life? What about music is a lifestyle? I’ve seen numerous pins and patches and stickers and tee shirts that in some sense profess that Music Equals Life. I like the idea of Music as a Lifestyle. The art of living music…not music just equaling life. I can hear random people saying if they didn’t have music, then there was no point in life. But what about the person that lives the art of music everyday? Then that person just wouldn’t have a life…or be able to live it in general. I guess what I’m trying to say is what if music wasn’t just seen as being equal to life…but as a lifestyle compared to that of a person who abstains from meat or sex for life?
There’s an art to living the music lifestyle. An art and idea that screams out to many young musicians. Honestly, anyone can make music…whether it be a sound or bang on the desk. That’s making music. A young student in 3rd grade can be forced to take Band as a class and be instructed on one particular instrument. That student can make music. But can all those people live music?
Living through music rather than professing that they equal each other is a difficult journey. It’s a never ending journey almost identical to the journey to perfection. Honestly is there such a thing as total perfection? You have to completely trust your body to the music. Sure, anyone can play music…but how many would lend their body to music completely? To go beyond the black and white dots on a piece of paper and make a story out of it? To push through the barriers of spirit and physical body?
Music as a lifestyle can get scary. Pushing the brink of physical body and spirit? Sounds something zen like. Be one with the body. Be one with life. Be one with music and music will be your life. Living through music, people can express themselves more. There would be more meaning to every little thing and feelings would be analyzed through the chords and improvised solos.
The jazz greats somehow did it. Any great musician today did it. Correction…some are still doing it today. To fully allow music to be a lifestyle rather than a hobby is an idea that excites me. The majority of the people wearing those pins, stickers, patches, shirts could live regardless if they had music. There are other simple pleasures in life. It is mainstream marketing. Music equals life…it strikes a chord in people who are looking for some artistic approach to rebellion.
Music as a lifestyle isn’t mainstream. It takes an insane amount of dedication, relaxing the body and mind, allowing the music to take over the body, tapping into primal sources inside the human body. The human body is underrated. There is so much power within all of us, so much passion and emotion power that could bring great changes. To live musically is tapping into a brand new way of human emotional expression; just imagine the rush standing in front of people listening to your music. It’s scary yet exciting. It channels the body into a new being, allowing the full connection of mind, body and spirit at the same time. Nirvana almost. So…forget music=life. Music should be a lifestyle…