It's Almost Spring Break

This week is rather busy, but there are several things I'm happy about:
1. Banana-chocolate cake tonight at Ross
2. Warm(er) weather on the way in Georgia
3. The end of winter training for crew
4. Only 6 pages, 2 homework assignments, and an application until a week of minimal work
5. Having good friends
I'm looking forward to having a break before the second half of the semester begins, and going to Georgia is always great. Putting so much energy into rowing is really rewarding and a nice change of pace.
This article is kind of old, but I just saw it on the NYTimes website and it addresses some interesting issues.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/30/us/30mixed.html?pagewanted=1&ref=raceremixed
And here's an article about veggie burgers (yay)
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/23/dining/23meatless.html/?pagewanted=1&src=ISMR_AP_LO_MST_FB
And now it's time to get some work done.

Music

I've spent a lot of time studying over the past week. For me, listening to music while I read, do a problem set, or memorize terms helps me focus, but more importantly, it keeps me happy. Music has the unique ability to grab onto your mood and turn it completely around.

Making music is also a vital part of my life. When playing the flute, I can leave behind my individual mental and physical condition for the music in front of me. One of the conductors I worked with in high school always said "music sounds how feelings feel." Sometimes you can't find the right words to describe a situation, but music has the power to evoke powerful emotional responses. And as elegantly stated by Victor Hugo, "Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent."

So here are some songs that are especially meaningful to me:
-An American Elegy: Piece for wind ensemble written by Frank Ticheli to honor those who lost their lives at Columbine High School. Both playing and just listening to this piece make my heart hurt. Such great composing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIIKdBYfmlo
-Kathleen: Song by Josh Ritter. One of my favorites...can't help but smile listening to it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bm3lWq4s5-U
-I'll Fly Away: As sung by Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch in "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" The lyrics of this song are powerful, and I love this arrangement. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdRdqp4N3Jw
-I and Love and You: One of my favorites by the Avett Brothers. Just so wonderful. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqZZlL0l5Uk

That's just a sampling of music I love. Find what inspires you and you may find writing that paper isn't so bad after all. Happy Friday!

Snow Day!

One of the sad things about college is that there are rarely snow days. At least in Vermont. Many professors live very close to campus, and there are fewer of the transportation issues that gave us unexpected days off when I was younger. Yesterday, though, came pretty close. About two feet of snow fell, covering the recently-exposed grass and creating chaos across campus. It was great weather for sledding and ignoring schoolwork (which I'm beginning to regret), and it made me a little more excited for spring break and traveling to Georgia.

Today, it's back to work. The semester's definitely in full swing...I had my first exam today, and life in general is rather busy. But life is also good. This year for Lent, I've decided to give up Facebook (rather than dessert) so we'll see how that goes. I'm going to try and make an effort to have more meaningful interactions with the people in my life, as well as waste less time online. It'll be a tough 40 days, but I'm up for the challenge.

Here are a couple interesting reads:
-Trying to make silk in the lab: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/08/science/08silk.html?_r=1&ref=science
-Who are the 7 billion people on Earth?: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/03/age-of-man/face-interactive
-And The Cave by Mumford and Sons (even though my brother doesn't like them...): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KkUeRPjc-Y

Enjoy the week!