From my POV....

College Culture Shock

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:46:44 GMT

I really like my Philosophy of Education class. That's about the only thing that's preventing me from running to the office and switching my major.
Some small part of me still believes that I can change this system. The U.S. education system doesn't need reform; it needs a do-over. The whole fucking thing needs to be torn to shreds and rebuilt. When public school first started it was created to help students enter the workforce, which would've been a factory. So the whole setup: bells -punctuality, listening to the teacher, not questioning the teacher- would be so ingrained in a student's mind that he would've done very well as a factory worker. But the percentage of students joining a factory line screwing little nuts and bolts together is very very small, so why are our schools still set up in that way?

So what happens then? We all go and play school. We sit there and fill in multiple choice bubbles as if those scores will ever judge how well we think or how deep our understanding of a concept is. How do I as a teacher foster creativity and critical thinking if all the answers are given?

You know, I really can't see myself as a teacher. I really can't.

College culture shock of the day: What are D's? I guess A's puts you in the 90 - 100 range. B's: 80 - 89. C's: 70 - 79. If anything below a 70 is considered failing (F). Then what is a D?
For you High Tech-ers on my f-list, enjoy those NPs while they last because they make a lot more sense and they don't make you feel stupid either.

I actually haven't gotten F's or D's yet. I was just really curious.

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 20:18:45 GMT

I'm watching last week's episode of Psych for the first time. God, the camera work is top notch and it's a tad bit darker than what the episodes usually are. But it's really really good.

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 20:39:12 GMT

One day you will ask me if your child has "it." On that day I will be tempted to ask you what "it" is. Is it talent? Skill? A feeling? A blessing from God?

I don't believe in talent or God. I believe in practicing and working hard. I believe in skill. I believe in feeling and letting that feeling fill you up and flow through your music. If that's what "it" is, then yes, your child has "it."

If you think the elusive "it" is some stroke of genius, an act of God, then I'm sorry, ma'am, your child doesn't have "it."

But I don't have the balls to tell you this. So I'll say instead, I don't know.

Oxford Town - Bob Dylan cover

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:27:01 GMT

Oxford Town (Cover) - Cindy Yin

I think I like this a lot.

Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:50:56 GMT

There cannot be a happy ending to the fight between the raging gods and humans. However, even in the middle of hatred and killings, there are things worth living for. A wonderful meeting, or a beautiful thing can exist. We depict hatred, but it is to depict that there are more important things. We depict a curse, to depict the joy of liberation. What we should depict is, how the boy understands the girl, and the process in which the girl opens her heart to the boy. At the end, the girl will say to the boy, "I love you, Ashitaka. But I cannot forgive humans." Smiling, the boy should say, "That is fine. Live with me."

~Hayao Miyazaki~

LOL

Thu, 23 Jul 2009 16:58:22 GMT

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 16:48:10 GMT

Dear Diary,

I've determined that most New Jersey postcards are ugly. I'll make my own then!

Forever and always,
Cindy

P.S. The Statue of Liberty is in New Jersey

YAY

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:56:04 GMT

Good news: Therapy. No surgery.

I tore something though. So as long I keep my promise to stretch, exercise, wear a shoulder brace daily, I'll have to go just once a week.

That was about it today.
For the most part.

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:29:55 GMT

To Do List...Liszt? <--Music pun. Thought you should know

1. Go to orientation on July 2nd
2. ~~Call Herr Direktor and reschedule meeting/lunch.~~ What do I even wear to that?
3. ~~Test keyboard, amps, wires~~. (Over 1000 dollars worth in equipment -ouch. I hope I haven't over drafted my account.)
4. Schedule some sort of band outing.
5. ~~Practice, practice, practice~~.
6. Get a new planner.
7. Practice some more.
8. Write some more music.
9. Learn the guitar.
10. Write out the sax parts for Miss Saigon.
11. Learn to lift over 50 pounds of equipment. (Not gonna happen. My shoulder and knee might re-dislocate itself.)
12. Why is this list so long? <--Not something I can really do.

I'm not gonna do all this in a week. But I'll try.

The Trouble With GPS

Sun, 28 Jun 2009 02:05:56 GMT

The Trouble with GPS
A teen driver battles her GPS system and wins.
http://www.associatedcontent.comarticle/1864339/the_trouble_with_gps.html

Fourth of July Podcast

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 02:48:20 GMT

Top Ten Patriotic Songs
Music Used: Yankee Doodle Boy - James Cagney Over There - Eric Rogers Chorale and Orchestra You're a Grand Old Flag - Patriotic Songs of America Stars and Stripes Forever - US Marine Band Fanfare for the Common Man - Aaron Copland & The London Symphony Orchestra Home On The Range - Mormon Tabernacle Choir America, The Beautiful - Ray Charles This Land is Your Land - Lee Greenwood Lift Every Voice and Sing - Women of the Calabash Only in America -Brooks and Dunn
http://www.associatedcontent.comaudio/9411/top_ten_patriotic_songs.html

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:12:30 GMT

Does anyone think it's unfair that CNN will show that footage of the Iranian woman getting shot multiple times but won't air the beheadings of US hostages in Iraq?

I'm hungry.

Come Together - Cover

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:09:49 GMT

Come Together: Live - Electric Cab Studios

Jayson on vocals; Nelson on backup; Andy on guitar; Mike on bass; Aaron on drums; me on keys.

Recorded and tinkered with over at Electric Cab Studios.

To Do List

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 00:27:49 GMT

I'm not a very motivated person. But if I tell you guys, I'll feel obligated to do it, which isn't as good as being motivated but better than not doing anything at all. You get me?

Audio Tech final project: Write those two songs. I'm working with Lauren and we listen to a more than enough dose of musical theater stuff and opera, where literally everything you say is a song. Since the assignment is a pop song, "Oh I Went To The Kitchen Because I Was Hungry" doesn't quite work.
Finish the Statistics project. It's really not my fault the school has now blocked Google Documents.
My grandparents anniversary is Saturday. The least I could do is buy a card.
Practice for Cabaret. I should probably write an acceptance speech, too. Or I could wing it. Winging it looks good right now.
Study for finals.
Transcribe Coffeehouse song!
Find out what else I agreed to because I don't remember.

So I threw in with this post something that I talked about before: iSparkle.
It's um.... bizarre, written in two days, weird, kind of bad, something I want thrown away and never mentioned again, bizarre, like really really bizarre. It was a project for class and me and Lauren partnered up and started working on Twilight the musical. It's .... um....bizarre. Although the teacher said the orchestration was brilliant. I thought it was cheesy and really cliche and terrible. But he doesn't dish out compliments a lot. So let me know what you think....

iSparkle - Cindy and Lauren ft. Ralph

PROM PICTURES

Wed, 27 May 2009 23:45:26 GMT

Sun, 24 May 2009 20:35:09 GMT

Thanks to the local library, my iTunes music list has grown!

Bolero Maurice Ravel. New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein conducts.
La Valse Maurice Ravel
Daphnis et Chloe, Suite No. 2 Maurice Ravel
Alborada del Gracioso Maurice Ravel
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, op. 36 Arnold Schoenberg. Hilary Hahn w/ Swedish Symphony Radio Orchestra
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in d minor, op. 47 Jean Sibelius. Hilary Hahn w/ Swedish Symphony Radio Orchestra
West Side Story: Original Broadway Cast Recording
Nickel Creek
Monty Python's Spamalot: Original Broadway Cast Recording
Vaughan Williams: A Sea Symphony

depressing college talk

Tue, 19 May 2009 02:49:05 GMT

After being let out of dance today, I sat around with Ralph and Lauren and together we engaged in depressing college talk. Getting into college was the easy part, it's paying for it that perplexes all of us. First of all, our parents make far too much money to qualify for any sort of financial aid, federal loans, work-study programs, or anything at all.

We figured it out though: The only way our parents can pay for college is if our families don't eat, sleep, or drink. And quite frankly, that's just dumb.

The worst part is we're all pretty much clueless about how loans work. We have no idea how we go about applying for loans or how paying them back works. Why isn't there The Complete Idiot's Guide to Paying for College?

Our spirits were only improved by blueberry pie and Snapple iced tea supplied by a nearby bake sale.

I walked into Statistics and checked out the quote of the day. It was about money. Like I said before, the universe conspires.

morp follow up

Sat, 16 May 2009 04:33:07 GMT

Got out of school early and stalked Julia as she got her hair done. She flipped through her magazine full of prom stuff - pictures, mostly- and there was a page of prom dilemmas. I don't count "Help! Someone's wearing the same dress as me" a dilemma. Julia and I looked at each other and she said, "Why is 'Help! I'm going to prom with my ex-boyfriend?' not on here?" She also suggested we blow off getting ready by making voodoo dolls out of socks. At first there were some awkward comments made, relieved only by the fact that we started yelling "Voodoo!" at all the wrong times.

So it wasn't that awkward on the way there because the GPS did the talking. We laughed at Nelson running three red lights to keep up with us.

Then we got there, made polite small talk. And then started avoiding each other. It wasn't on purpose avoiding, it just happened that way. I really didn't notice until later on and mentioned it to someone. And he also mentioned it to someone else. But it was mutual avoiding, so no awkwardness there. A couple people made some boyfriend comments to me and I set them straight.

The ride home was going to be excruciatingly tense. But Paul needed a ride and saved us from having to talk to one another. I sent him the biggest thank you for saving me text ever from the front seat. :)

Now it's senior prom time.

Remind me again why I go to these things.

Writer's Block: All About My Mother

Sun, 10 May 2009 19:44:40 GMT

Who is your favorite mother (the character, not the actress) from television or the movies?

View 501 Answers

Mrs. Weasley!!!!!

shift key - not working

Wed, 06 May 2009 23:16:11 GMT

Yay for caps lock. So the school library has The Book Thief, which I've heard (from just about everyone) is amazing. I read the synopsis on the back and saw the words "Nazi Germany" and "1939" and put it down. After Cabaret, I've had Nazis and World War 2 to last me for awhile. Yes, there is some kind of Germany quota and mine is overflowing. I need some time to get away with from the show.

Instead I picked out a book by the Dalai Lama. A nice sensible book that restores my hope in humanity. Oh and I also know the purpose of life! To be happy. :)

Unless of course, raping children makes you happy.

Speaking of which, I read Living Dead Girl last night and felt sick. It's short but it took me a really long time because I needed to put it down and forget for awhile.

Reviews are up on the Cappies website.

Wed, 06 May 2009 00:06:18 GMT

I drove by myself to walmart today with my sister in the passenger seat. My mother thinks I'll drive safer with someone else in the car. We both made it back home alive and the car is still as intact as it was pre-walmart.

So Cabaret has ended and it feels like it never happened. Maybe I was fast asleep. Taking apart the set was the strangest feeling. Everything was so foreign. I couldn't remember sitting there for hours on end, painting and sanding and complaining about the sawdust everywhere.

I took advantage of my newly-18 status and mailed out my voter registration form today. The form ask you to select party affiliation. I thought we're supposed to vote and decide based on the candidate, not on party. I asked Amanda about it and she told me that our government is gay.

That was the last thing on my mind before I fell asleep in the lit today. We were supposed to ready Camus's The Stranger, but I had already finished. I started reading The Things We Carried. And after reading the same line about Lt. Cross, I felt my eyes slowly closing. Ari jabbed me awake and I jumped in my chair and read some more. I did eventually get to sleep. When the bell rang, I jolted awake, returned the book, andI left the class, groggy and unbalanced.

Sun, 03 May 2009 23:31:26 GMT

Last show today for the hundreds of opening nights in my future.

Hwoooh

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 02:17:39 GMT

Ran the show today. It's rather difficult to conduct when half the band can't see me. Or Mike. Or any one person. So that's a problem that's going to be resolved soon, I hope.

And Nick fidgets an awful lot in between songs. It's honestly
linelineline BANGharpsound -
linelineline HAHAHAHA -
linelineline "hwoooh"
*crash*
*amp crackles* -

Andy: Nick...shut up.
Cindy: *dies laughing*

I've got a half-started/half-finished video on my computer....but I really can't find the time to finish it. :(

To end on a happy note...I'm going to plant the flowers I got for my birthday tomorrow on the school lawn. :)

a quick one

Sun, 12 Apr 2009 22:49:54 GMT

got the book
half made a video - uploading next week

Where's the good in goodbye?

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:01:01 GMT

Sleeping in on Saturday and Sunday can disturb your body clock, leaving you fatigued at the start of the week.