This class was fun.  Got to learn a lot about how the mind works and watched some cool videos in class... like the one about elevator psychology.  Apparently, if you get into an elevator with a bunch of people all facing one direction, you're likely to face that same direction because everyone else is.  For some reason, I didn't do so hot in the class, but I got to participate in a bunch of volunteer psychology experiments. 

Highlight of the class:  when the professor paid a student $5 to come down and dance on a table with her. 

The UW Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra!  This was the coolest experience I've ever had in a musical ensemble.  Well, for one... we had the supremely famous, Joe Santiago.

Ah-ha.  This class.  This class was private lessons with Joe Santiago.

It was pretty cool learning how to play the timbales, congas, bongos, bongo bell, piano, bass, panderetas, and more.  And Joe, what a character.  He was a great guy and I definately learned a lot. 

I sure did spend a lot of time in that basement room of the music building though.  Sometimes I'd be in there so long I'd have to bring a Subway footlong in there with me so I wouldn't have to leave for food.  That's the life of a musician though.  Practice, practice, practice... eat, and the practice some more. 

Okay, if I'm remembering this correctly, this was the quarter that Ralitsa began teaching our course.  I remember talking with Peter after my oral exam and having him tell me he wouldn't be with us anymore.  I was slightly devistated, but he assured me that Ralitsa was great... and she was great.  But, I do remember feeling like the work load was pretty heavy when she first started teaching us.  I guess I had been used to Peter being so laid back.  I guess I sort of fought it for a while too, but then realized the value of having homework everyday and managed to fit it into my schedule.   

I remember the first day Ralitsa came into class.  She was so young and small that I thought maybe she was a new student.  Then she asked us if this was the right class and got right up front and started teaching.  It surprised me, but also encouraged me.  Maybe I would teach one day. 

Another thing I noticed pretty immediately too was that Ralitsa had glides in her speech... namely the 'w' sound.  This triggered something in my head telling me that she was not a Swedish Swede.  Her accent was smoother in that respect (Since Swedes replace their 'w's with 'v's) and I thought it was pretty sweet.  This encouraged me too, because obviously I'm not a Swedish Swede. 

Yeah.  This class was pretty cool and I sure learned a lot about music!  I think we started from Gregorian Chants and got all the way up through the Beatles and some interesting experimental music and things.  It was great.  Trained my ears to hear forms and underlying motives in music and exposed me to a lot of different music.  Great course!

I don't know what I was thinking when I decided to take concert band.  I think I took it because if I didn't, it would be the first quarter with me not taking a music class.  It ended up being okay, and I got to play the Ascension from the Divine Comedy again.  You know, using a wine glass as a musical instrument is always fun! 

The darkness, the death, the fury.

To be honest, I took class because my parents want me to become a pharmacist and I wanted to show them that I would at least try out chemistry before telling them I don’t want to be a pharmacist.  I could have taken the course for a while and dropped it, but I continued on because I am not used to quitting at class work.  It was a dark and terrible time for me… especially since the lectures met at 8:30 am in the winter and the homework was always long and arduous, but I pushed through and came out with a 3.5 in the course.

Swedish 101.  Ah, I remember this class!  The good times in Thomson hall with about 20 other students... all of us without a clue what we were getting ourselves into.  And, Peter Leonard.  What a great guy. 

Peter: "Hej, jag heter Peter.  Vad heter du?"
Class: [general silence...]
Peter: (again) "Hej, jag heter Peter.  Vad heter du?"
Class: [less confused general silence...]

and that's where it all began.

Marching band my freshman year.  How can I describe this...

It was so different than what I had been used to in high school.  Both high schools I went to were corps-style marching bands.  Not a traditional high-stepping band.  I was totally turned off by the fact the Husky Band is traditional style, but I joined anyhow...mostly because I knew I would be working with Dave Reeves, the God of drumming. 

These were good times though.  Difficult, stressful... long hours, long rehearsals, etc., but nonetheless, good times. 

Some of my closest friendships bloomed out of Husky Band, so I'm really glad I joined.

You'd think, if you know me now, that this would have been the class that triggered my interest in majoring in linguistics... but it wasn't, really.  I took this course because it sounded interesting and it surely was, but no -- this wasn't the trigger.