Well, friends, today is September 25. I would be submitting today if the School of Music stuck by their original deadline. My diss is now due in five days. I will finish Chapter 4 this morning and start polishing Chapter 3 aiming for a Sunday finish date, so I can reformat the entire document. I am now asking myself why I left Chapter 3 for last. In reality, Chapter 2 (the one with the least revision) was polished first. Chapter 1 was completely rewritten and that took a few days. In regards to Chapters 3 and 4, I'm adding material and cutting very little of it. So that puppy is due in its bound form on September 30 to the College of Arts and Humanities.
I just found out last night that the deadline for papers for a conference on my Ph.D. topic is one day after my dissertation submission deadline, October 1. You submit abstracts first and then they select from a pool of applicants. My Ph.D. topic, as mentioned in earlier posts, is an expansion from my undergraduate research: discovering the medieval and renaissance techniques that Arvo Pärt uses in his tintinnabular composition style. This conference takes place on March 26-27 at Boston University combining the Schools of Theology and Music for Arvo Pärt and Contemporary Spirituality. It is also the composer's 75th birthday, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if he was present.
My opinion is even though that deadline is very close, I would be the world's biggest moron if I did not send an abstract. This is my composer whose music I will probably study for the rest of my days and opportunity is definitely knocking at my window, if not banging on my door. If I don't get accepted, then I will at least have the peace of mind that I did submit to a conference within my specialty.
On the plus side, my paper, which I presented at the North West North Wales Music Postgraduate Exchange at Manchester University, is on the Boston conference's topic. I am not sure if it is prudent in academia to redeliver a paper, but my audience would be different this time around consisting mostly of post-docs, so I'm sure it would not hurt. The Boston conference requires a 25 minute paper so I would need to expand my presentation by 10 minutes. I have an abstract ready from the last conference, that I need to expand as well by 200 words. It's definitely doable and I was bouncing around last night like a kid on Christmas morning when I discovered the conference thanks to an old counterpoint prof of my mine from undergrad. November 1 is when I would find out whether my abstract was accepted.
The way I look at it..
If I get accepted: I have another conference to add to my resume. I get to go to Boston for the first time, or "Beantown." I'm already starting my Ph.D. research as soon as this beast is done-no worries regardless.
If I don't get accepted: I still get to attend the conference as a curious scholar. And I get to see Wicked in New Orleans with Annie. And I'll have that peace of mind just the same and may to get to meet Arvo Pärt!
Eitber way, I win.
About Moi
- Bo
- United Kingdom
- Budding scholar, voice student, horn student, piano princess, swim buff, choir nerd, practice fiend, exchange student, former cathedral chorister, Dean's chorister, young diva
Friday, September 25, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Attitude of Gratitude
I do not think I have ever dedicated an entire post as an attitude of gratitude. I should do it more often.
Firstly, I am thankful that I have what I need: air in my lungs, food in the cupboard, clothes on my body, and a roof over my head. Ya know, back when I was first told that my housing contract ended before my course, I was very worried. My point is that having sleeping on the floor with pillows and blankets is better than nothing at all. In fact, it's somewhat like camping for 6 weeks...and camping is fun right? RIGHT! I have what I need for the remainder of my stay here and I have what I need to finish polishing my dissertation.
Secondly, I am thankful for my family. They have cheered me on from the beginning and this hasn't been an easy year for them either. I am almost done with my masters degree and I owe that degree to them. It is not just mine. I did not earn it alone. I had people behind me pushing me back up when I fell.
Thirdly, and this one may sound completely random, I am thankful for what rain brings. Sure it helps plants grow and makes the grass greener and the streets shinier, but rain has a very therapeutic quality. One of my favourite things is to relax with candles, a book, or a game while it is pouring rain outside, especially in the winter. Everybody knows I have a special affinity for the harvest season (including Thanksgiving and Christmas) because it is a time for family. The music is pretty good too! What does that have to do with rain though? Rain reminds me of these times--time for cold-weather clothing and bundling up in blankets and quilts, time for the whole family to gather around a table to celebrate thanks for the past year, time for log fires and for the falling rain to freeze and turn into snow.
Fourthly, I am thankful for candles and log fires. At home, Mom is a candle nut and has loads of tealights, pillars, tapers, and big chunky tri-wick candles. I think, I too, am becoming a candle nut. Scented candles are nice, but I love equally the non-scented ones. The smell of a burning wick and log fires again remind me of the harvest season. At my house in Mississippi, we have a large brick fireplace of which the family makes great use of during colder months. To me, a log fire represents security. A fire's job is to provide warmth for a house hold or possibly cook food. It essentially provides. This is what a family does for each other. At the house in Georgia, we have multiple log fire places, a true sign of country living. :)
Fifthly, I am thankful for one of my housemates. I have said in the past that I wasn't thankful for him and that I was suspicious of him because of his past deeds. He doesn't have the most likeable personality and likes to tease, but he did something for me a few days ago that somewhat opened my eyes. I was on the search for my suitcase which contained non-holey socks. My feet were freezing. Now, both CC and I were homeless at this point. I walked past his temporary room, greeted him, and he asked what I was searching for. I told him that I had a pair in my suitcase, but he thrusted a pair of men's black and rainbow striped socks at me, telling me to take them. At first I refused because he was giving his socks away and I had a decent pair in my suitcase anyway. Knowing CC, he did not let me leave his room without those socks in hand. I thank him for that and also for helping me with meals this entire summer. Who cares what he has done in the past? Some of Jesus's disciples in their former professions were some of the most dishonest people you could meet. What matters is what he is doing now. The past is the past. Let it remain in the past and I apologise for making close friends aware of his past deeds.
Sixthly, I am thankful for instant grits. Annie sent me a tube of them during the first term. Between the middle of August and September, I consumed that entire tube. I'm not a big grits eater at home unless I make them myself for I am picky about their consistency and texture. Pipin hot cheesy, buttery, peppery grits in the United Kingdom is a big taste from home.
MWAH!
Firstly, I am thankful that I have what I need: air in my lungs, food in the cupboard, clothes on my body, and a roof over my head. Ya know, back when I was first told that my housing contract ended before my course, I was very worried. My point is that having sleeping on the floor with pillows and blankets is better than nothing at all. In fact, it's somewhat like camping for 6 weeks...and camping is fun right? RIGHT! I have what I need for the remainder of my stay here and I have what I need to finish polishing my dissertation.
Secondly, I am thankful for my family. They have cheered me on from the beginning and this hasn't been an easy year for them either. I am almost done with my masters degree and I owe that degree to them. It is not just mine. I did not earn it alone. I had people behind me pushing me back up when I fell.
Thirdly, and this one may sound completely random, I am thankful for what rain brings. Sure it helps plants grow and makes the grass greener and the streets shinier, but rain has a very therapeutic quality. One of my favourite things is to relax with candles, a book, or a game while it is pouring rain outside, especially in the winter. Everybody knows I have a special affinity for the harvest season (including Thanksgiving and Christmas) because it is a time for family. The music is pretty good too! What does that have to do with rain though? Rain reminds me of these times--time for cold-weather clothing and bundling up in blankets and quilts, time for the whole family to gather around a table to celebrate thanks for the past year, time for log fires and for the falling rain to freeze and turn into snow.
Fourthly, I am thankful for candles and log fires. At home, Mom is a candle nut and has loads of tealights, pillars, tapers, and big chunky tri-wick candles. I think, I too, am becoming a candle nut. Scented candles are nice, but I love equally the non-scented ones. The smell of a burning wick and log fires again remind me of the harvest season. At my house in Mississippi, we have a large brick fireplace of which the family makes great use of during colder months. To me, a log fire represents security. A fire's job is to provide warmth for a house hold or possibly cook food. It essentially provides. This is what a family does for each other. At the house in Georgia, we have multiple log fire places, a true sign of country living. :)
Fifthly, I am thankful for one of my housemates. I have said in the past that I wasn't thankful for him and that I was suspicious of him because of his past deeds. He doesn't have the most likeable personality and likes to tease, but he did something for me a few days ago that somewhat opened my eyes. I was on the search for my suitcase which contained non-holey socks. My feet were freezing. Now, both CC and I were homeless at this point. I walked past his temporary room, greeted him, and he asked what I was searching for. I told him that I had a pair in my suitcase, but he thrusted a pair of men's black and rainbow striped socks at me, telling me to take them. At first I refused because he was giving his socks away and I had a decent pair in my suitcase anyway. Knowing CC, he did not let me leave his room without those socks in hand. I thank him for that and also for helping me with meals this entire summer. Who cares what he has done in the past? Some of Jesus's disciples in their former professions were some of the most dishonest people you could meet. What matters is what he is doing now. The past is the past. Let it remain in the past and I apologise for making close friends aware of his past deeds.
Sixthly, I am thankful for instant grits. Annie sent me a tube of them during the first term. Between the middle of August and September, I consumed that entire tube. I'm not a big grits eater at home unless I make them myself for I am picky about their consistency and texture. Pipin hot cheesy, buttery, peppery grits in the United Kingdom is a big taste from home.
MWAH!
Sunday, September 20, 2009
In the Arms of the Angels
Yesterday, I was informed that one of my closest friends and the mother of my godchildren had a miscarriage. Ever since then, Sarah McLachlan's song "In the Arms of the Angels" has been stuck in my head. I know that Andrew/Rebekah is in God's hands now and it wasn't his/her time. Everything happens for a reason and God knows best.
It's funny how the weather can sometimes teach the most important lessons. For example, here in Wales, the weather is always weird. This morning, it was raining whilst partly cloudy and sunny. Do you know what that says to me? When the rain is pouring down and dark times are upon us, God is always there. The SON still shines though the clouds may hide him, or as in the case of this morning, partially hide him.
To punish myself for not enough of a productive day yesterday and the day before, I'm missing church this morning. I will download the sermon when it's posted online of course, but I'm working this morning, afternoon, and evening. I do want to hear tonight's sermon. It's called "Taking the Plunge." Should be interesting.
When the dissertation is complete here's what I have to look forward to: practising for my recital, my recital, working on Annie's afghan, crabbing, climbing Snowdon in the dark, spending quality time with good friends, reading Hemingway and Albom, starting Ph.D. research, watching movies on the big screen, attempting to make peanut butter cookies, and writing Christmas stories for Butterbean, Peanut, Nemo, and Trini.
It's funny how the weather can sometimes teach the most important lessons. For example, here in Wales, the weather is always weird. This morning, it was raining whilst partly cloudy and sunny. Do you know what that says to me? When the rain is pouring down and dark times are upon us, God is always there. The SON still shines though the clouds may hide him, or as in the case of this morning, partially hide him.
To punish myself for not enough of a productive day yesterday and the day before, I'm missing church this morning. I will download the sermon when it's posted online of course, but I'm working this morning, afternoon, and evening. I do want to hear tonight's sermon. It's called "Taking the Plunge." Should be interesting.
When the dissertation is complete here's what I have to look forward to: practising for my recital, my recital, working on Annie's afghan, crabbing, climbing Snowdon in the dark, spending quality time with good friends, reading Hemingway and Albom, starting Ph.D. research, watching movies on the big screen, attempting to make peanut butter cookies, and writing Christmas stories for Butterbean, Peanut, Nemo, and Trini.
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