Reeds and Zelda

So... I am not sure how this post will really turn out, since I'm exhausted and haven't really put much thought into what I might put here... With that said, I am going to attempt to throw down some of my dealings this week and outline the way to make reeds for a bassoon... Maybe not at the same time, but multiple posts. This week, I kept falling in love with teaching middle school. These kids are great. Yeah, I know, it's not the same at all schools, but generally, the kids in that age group are really fun to work with. Three day weekends are terrific, but I was still totally messed up today from starting on Tuesday. I kept thinking that today was Thurday, when it's been Friday the whole time! Aye yai yae... I don't know that i've shared any of my student teaching experiences yet, but I've had a few good ones already, even with it only being the first fifteen days. :-) Since starting over at CMS, I've filled out forms, attended meetings, dodged others meetings, created grade sheets, made assignments, eaten junk food, had a contest, listened to "pass-offs," taught six classes a day, taught in place of a sub (with her in the room), played tuba, trombone, saxophone, trumpet, flute, and percussion, made copies, and visited with evaluators from the university. I think that just about qualifies me to teach full-time, right? It gets better! I get in at 7:30 and visit with kids until the bell rings at 8:00, work with a class, maybe march a little bit with them, monitor the lines (to make sure the lines are straight), yell into the megaphone, give the copies to the kids, conduct new pep band music, AND class change. Next hour... It's pretty well the same. I answer questions, work out of the Essential Elements book, and teach the band about gettin performance ready.of course, second hour is the one where the band just could not play for their lives while we were observed. I was impressed, though, that the next day, they sounded better than usual. This particular group gets a little rowdy, but they are not too bad. I tried a chorale with them yesterday. They didn't do too poorly, but I wasn't thrilled. We've got a little ways to go with them. They're going to be ok. Haha! Today, I felt quite alone. This week, I had plans to go to L.A. To see a football game, but was unable to go, mainly because I had jo other drivers who were willing to go with me. I had a few people who wanted to go and couldn't, etc. My friend, Erik, was going to come with me, but I was not going to have an unlicensed driver on roads in Southern California, just out of fear that something might possibly go wrong. It was a big disappointment! The lonely feeling is not an unusual one to me. I haven't had much energy to go do things after school, but many of the people I'm used to spending time with are no longer in or around Cedar City. That normally would be fine, but then the weekend happens... My parents are great, but what shall I do with people my age? Hmm... And with whom? Interesting thoughts. Needing to call people should be enough, but I've gotten to a point of hating the telephone... I'll have to work on that a little bit.