School. Life. The love of things.

This post begins a new era of my developmental stages in life. I have landed (from a parachute seemingly) in the small and subtle town of Harrisonburg, drinking grounds for James Madison University (and it’s true). But the ivories will be experiencing a totally refurbished sound, from the respective fingers of Maestro Don. Well, more appropriately surnamed, Sire Veto (for this is my accomplished name, delivered from the mouths of my roommates).

However, “Veto” is not official. In the words of (almighty gold-belt) Jordan, my nickname won’t come until I do something stupid. Which, most assuredly will be crashing down the commons on my bike, or something tragic, simply tragic! But alas! That time has not yet come. The flame flickers strong, and Veto will rise from the ashes of slothfulness!

So far, classes have gone exceedingly well. The one class I’m concerning about is Music History (Mus 373 in case you want to sign up). It’s not that I haven’t studied. It’s simply the format. So much information. Terms, terms, terms. Not that it’s unimportant. It is! Music through the centuries.

Brief lesson of what I’ve learned: the first notated music we have comes from the medieval church, in which the main style of music was Chant. Chant was used to assist in learning and memorization of liturgical texts originally, but slowly this music started to become secularized. And then the world blew up and sprang little devils of music into itself.

Lo! The tidings of joy music can spring into the soul. Already I’ve noticed a slight increase in my self-musical-awareness (Paul, better look out! Those modes sure deliver a knockout!). But onto lighter subject matter (ahem, featherweight), I have an announcement to make: I’m happy. I’m living in a great big house with lots and lots of room and board, which of course I pay out of my own pocketses. What’s it gots in its pocketses? NOTHING, because my landlord took it all. But no worry, the longtime (3 yr) tradition of MTO Total Customer Focus continues in a marginal victory over certain bankruptcy. And as a student, that’s no joke. Credit companies haven’t smiled upon me yet, for their minimal Annual Gross Income remains unattainable for me. No worries, though. We’ll see what happens.

So now I’m stranded in a house with seven other guys, enduring hours of lecture from two bald professors, waving away at the silhouettes of slender ladies as the ratio increases to 70 %! O that it would end!

Or begin, but that has already occurred. We all need a second chance however, and you now have yours.