If you are going back to school this semester, the bookstore is an expensive deathtrap. Math, Business, Science majors are usually the ones who get zapped by high prices.
Here are some tips to keep costs down
1) Buy used!- Make friends with upperclassmen who can sell you their old books, check on the used sale prices beforehand to make sure you are getting a good deal. Buy on Amazon or other used book sites. These books fly first.
2) If you have to buy a workbook, sometimes the school will make copies available in the library. make copies of your assigned work for the next 4-6 weeks!
3) the library may have a copy on file for students who really cant afford it, ask professors and library techs. Do be warned, you can have a wait or a 1-3 hour limit to check it out and those can carry steep fines for late materials! plan accordingly.
4) Borrow- make good friends with upperclassmen. Return it, and send thank you cards and presents when you return it in GOOD condition.
5) If you are an upperclassman, make sure you lend to a student who you know well and can give you your book back. If its a very valuable book, ask for collateral, something important that they will need back eventually.
6) Sorry but some fields use the same editions or similar editions for years, but before you buy a used edition ask your professor if it will work.
7) you buy a $60 text book and your professor uses it only once in the class. (I had a prof use it for literally one paragraph of the $130 book for the entire semester!) If your professor does this, write a nice email and politely voice your dissatisfaction after you get your grade! Ask upperclassmen in the department about the professor's usage of the book, if they say it is not used much, use a library copy and book it ASAP. CC or BCC your department chair and dean in correspondence and follow up. some professors are negligent and don't care, but it is not the norm.
8) If you have the same professor for multiple classes, such as education classes. ( i had a professor who taught orchestra, music education, and instrument methods classes. I used the book regularly. and i still have them as valuable references for my profession.
9) I had a professor who wanted us to make a binder of readings for $40, i used it NONSTOP and it was a great investment. If you can, read them on your computer or e reader. this professor prohibited phones and e-readers because the material wasn't suited to be read on ipad or other e readers. also, the losers in the back play video games.
10) If your professor required you to read something and didn't give you a handout, you are responsible to get it. speak to the prof, or a library tech about your options on getting the material.
11) Sell back- sell it on Amazon or Ebay. selling to the bookstore wont get you a fair resale price.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Thursday, August 22, 2013
The Most Derogatory Word In Jamaican Patois.
Unnu. (Jamaican Patois. OO-NUH- A colloquial term for "you all". Similar to Southern "Y'all" and Cajun French "Vous Autres"). It doesn't seem like much of a term. To non-Jamaicans, it sounds like a made up word. But who would believe that four letters could be the most demeaning term in the Jamaican lexicon?
In fits of rage my family screams at me when my brother, myself, or the both of us fail to live to their (mostly unrealistic) expectations. this can stem from laziness, not getting a job that they want me to get, and not dating women (my brother is straight and has not met a girl yet). This word is so offensive, because it disregards my efforts in college, my efforts to find good jobs, my efforts to try new things (which, most of the time the disapprove of)
The reason it is really so offensive to me, is because it represents dehumanization. It takes away my personal achievements and associates me with the negative things i am being accused of.
It's stronger than most people would think.
In fits of rage my family screams at me when my brother, myself, or the both of us fail to live to their (mostly unrealistic) expectations. this can stem from laziness, not getting a job that they want me to get, and not dating women (my brother is straight and has not met a girl yet). This word is so offensive, because it disregards my efforts in college, my efforts to find good jobs, my efforts to try new things (which, most of the time the disapprove of)
The reason it is really so offensive to me, is because it represents dehumanization. It takes away my personal achievements and associates me with the negative things i am being accused of.
It's stronger than most people would think.
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Juries, Public School Music Programs, and Being Hired In a Shrinking Field.
Juries. The single most terrifying time of the semester for most music students. My professors would take us in by instrument grouping. Percussion, brass, the one string student, a million guitar and bassists, pianists, woodwinds, and singers. To those of us performing, it was like being let into the lions den or to slaughter in the colosseum. Many of the faculty were accomplished pianists or guitarists and our talent pool never failed, so they mostly were the obvious choice. One semester a trumpet player won, a few semesters in a row a vocalist would win. One year it was close when Willie (the doubling Euphonium and Trombone player) came in second, but he couldn't beat the pianist from Oberlin Conservatory- which is in the top 5 conservatories in the world.
Public school music programs are not all the same. I went to a state school so we were nearer to the bottom of the barrel when it came to cost of attendance v. funding. My program was tiny, about 30 students until my final year when it jumped to 60. I always would meet people who were coming back to school for licenses or to get a second bachelors. All in all, the main factor for their decision was cost. The flagship campus had the best instruments and the best opportunities, but cost $8-10K MORE than my school in fees alone!
In the final two years of school I dubbed the program the "Conservatory Refugee Assistance Program"; no need to tell you what i really felt about my school. But in honesty I was working with Faculty who taught in some of the best and most expensive schools in Massachusetts. These prestigious schools included MIT, Harvard, New England Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music. One Professor even had five Degrees! Many of the other branches in the U Mass System had better funded music programs with severe runaway budgets, but we had the talent.
Many of our incoming or transfer students were accepted into top schools and ended up in my school because of cost. Some ran out of funding and had to give it up all together.
Paying for college is getting harder and harder and many public schools are accepting some high level applicants. This can raise the bar considerably and competition is a brutal, but effective teacher. Many of us saw films like "Black Swan" and "The Hunger Games" and could draw a paradigm between the fantasy and our realities. Music scholarships, competitions, and auditions are the real Hunger Games; some musicians do live a hand to mouth existence.
In my final semester, Oberlin Guy won the jury and a check for $2,700 in scholarship money, Willie got honorable mention and tickets to see the BSO, and I came in runner up for both, but was given a set of tickets to a really memorable performance of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. My competition was steep. I had grown so much and worked through a few panic attacks that semester, not to mention the burning calluses from hours of practice. I later learned from Der Professor (my favorite professor, who used to call us "dear students" but it rather sounded like "der schtudents", hence i refer to him as "der professor") that i was in the top 10 for one of the eight- $2,000 scholarships and a top seat. Juries are set up to not only assess your abilities and growth, but they all light a fire under your ass that brings the reality of music school into perspective into play.
As for Oberlin Guy, he is 15 years my senior and has been playing professionally for 10 years. I would have to practice more than my meager 3 hours a day to beat him. However, Boston is home to Berklee, New England Conservatory, Longy, Boston Conservatory, and the relatively new kid, Boston University (which recently saw one of its graduate students win a position with the Boston Symphony Orchestra). Competition in the arts is high, not to mention if you live in Boston and you are competing against students from the aforementioned schools, students from schools around the country, and around the world.
In my internship in Boston Public Schools, I happened to be there during some of the interview and screenings. It boiled down to three points,
1) Schooling- where you went and how high you've achieved).
2) Professional Gigs- What orchestras, bands, and teaching positions you've had- we had teachers who worked with the Boston Symphony, Boston Philharmonic, would take a week off and do a miniature tour during the school year, and ran the elite programs at New England Conservatory.
3) Marketability- would you be able to entice students and talent from around the city, the country, or even the world? We had a parent send in a brochure and DVD of their kid playing because they wanted to him to study with one of the guitar teachers. They also wanted to uproot their lives in a quiet suburb to move to inner-city Boston. No joke, these teachers can make or break a program. And no, the kid didn't get in.
Having a degree from a school with a good title, reputation, or alum list is a big thing in the music industry and music education is no different. So while in school use your juries and experiences to your advantage because it could be a hefty notch in your belt for your future career.
Public school music programs are not all the same. I went to a state school so we were nearer to the bottom of the barrel when it came to cost of attendance v. funding. My program was tiny, about 30 students until my final year when it jumped to 60. I always would meet people who were coming back to school for licenses or to get a second bachelors. All in all, the main factor for their decision was cost. The flagship campus had the best instruments and the best opportunities, but cost $8-10K MORE than my school in fees alone!
In the final two years of school I dubbed the program the "Conservatory Refugee Assistance Program"; no need to tell you what i really felt about my school. But in honesty I was working with Faculty who taught in some of the best and most expensive schools in Massachusetts. These prestigious schools included MIT, Harvard, New England Conservatory, and Berklee College of Music. One Professor even had five Degrees! Many of the other branches in the U Mass System had better funded music programs with severe runaway budgets, but we had the talent.
Many of our incoming or transfer students were accepted into top schools and ended up in my school because of cost. Some ran out of funding and had to give it up all together.
Paying for college is getting harder and harder and many public schools are accepting some high level applicants. This can raise the bar considerably and competition is a brutal, but effective teacher. Many of us saw films like "Black Swan" and "The Hunger Games" and could draw a paradigm between the fantasy and our realities. Music scholarships, competitions, and auditions are the real Hunger Games; some musicians do live a hand to mouth existence.
In my final semester, Oberlin Guy won the jury and a check for $2,700 in scholarship money, Willie got honorable mention and tickets to see the BSO, and I came in runner up for both, but was given a set of tickets to a really memorable performance of Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. My competition was steep. I had grown so much and worked through a few panic attacks that semester, not to mention the burning calluses from hours of practice. I later learned from Der Professor (my favorite professor, who used to call us "dear students" but it rather sounded like "der schtudents", hence i refer to him as "der professor") that i was in the top 10 for one of the eight- $2,000 scholarships and a top seat. Juries are set up to not only assess your abilities and growth, but they all light a fire under your ass that brings the reality of music school into perspective into play.
As for Oberlin Guy, he is 15 years my senior and has been playing professionally for 10 years. I would have to practice more than my meager 3 hours a day to beat him. However, Boston is home to Berklee, New England Conservatory, Longy, Boston Conservatory, and the relatively new kid, Boston University (which recently saw one of its graduate students win a position with the Boston Symphony Orchestra). Competition in the arts is high, not to mention if you live in Boston and you are competing against students from the aforementioned schools, students from schools around the country, and around the world.
In my internship in Boston Public Schools, I happened to be there during some of the interview and screenings. It boiled down to three points,
1) Schooling- where you went and how high you've achieved).
2) Professional Gigs- What orchestras, bands, and teaching positions you've had- we had teachers who worked with the Boston Symphony, Boston Philharmonic, would take a week off and do a miniature tour during the school year, and ran the elite programs at New England Conservatory.
3) Marketability- would you be able to entice students and talent from around the city, the country, or even the world? We had a parent send in a brochure and DVD of their kid playing because they wanted to him to study with one of the guitar teachers. They also wanted to uproot their lives in a quiet suburb to move to inner-city Boston. No joke, these teachers can make or break a program. And no, the kid didn't get in.
Having a degree from a school with a good title, reputation, or alum list is a big thing in the music industry and music education is no different. So while in school use your juries and experiences to your advantage because it could be a hefty notch in your belt for your future career.
Friday, August 9, 2013
The Church Band-The Good Old Days?
Seated around the small music office of the arts high school where i completed my student teaching, a chorus teacher, a piano teacher, a Berklee educated Jazz teacher, and me -the intern, the discussion was abuzz about student's weekend performance obligations.
"Many of our students perform here as well as at their local churches on the weekends", pronounced a the young choral teacher. "I know a few from my own church, many have received their first musical acclaim in the churches. There was a murmur of agreement amongst the men at the table. One by one each mentioned their church bands and programs and their respective denominations. AME, Baptist, Pentecostal, Church of Christ and myself being the only Seventh Day Adventist. Many took interest and commented on how famous the Adventist music programs are.
I explained that my church had three choirs, a professional band (some of the members were paid- I was unfortunately not amongst them), two part-time organists, a full praise and worship crew, a sign language praise team, and a drum corp for the young people. All were in awe of the sheer size of the music program. The chorus teacher explained that he was in charge of the 75 piece choir at his church, but had never heard of churches with three large choirs- each of which averaged at about 50-75 members!
While it is still a painful and sensitive subject, of why I left, I sometimes look back with relish at those days. In fact, at the time I left the church the band had three keyboardists, 2 percussionists, 2 bass players, one full-time and one part-time organist, a saxophonist, and myself covering flute, clarinet, various saxophones, and trumpet.
I had tried out for the drum corps which at the time consisted of a crappy Bass drum, a tri-tom, and an old fashioned snare drum and a couple cymbals that my uncle had bought. But as always the drama monster showed its ugly head and I was pushed out. I was even given private practice time on the instruments, but that proved problematic because the other members of the corps would return from lunch and kick me out.
As a church musician I was on the rotation schedule. Sabbath school was a class that started together in the sanctuary at 10am and ran through to 11am. Divine Hour was from 11:30 to about 2:30. followed by lunch and a rest period, then AYS (Adventist Youth Services) would come in the evening. I originally began at Divine Hour which had many features I could cater to. Some pieces I would use the clarinet, baby christenings were accompanied the flute playing the Adventist hymn "Lead Them My God, To Thee", in a similar fashion the offertory would be serenaded by what ever instrument the praise team wished for. The crowning end of the service always ended with "We Have This Hope" which I would fanfare with the trumpet. AYS was free territory to play the saxophone which i projected over the blast of the band.
Pathfinder Sabbaths were a special treat for all! The pathfinders would march in to the loud cadences of the drum corps with military precision. It was very special and unique to the faith. However, as I stood there, I felt like I died a little inside.
To this day the sound of drums (particularly the sound of the quad or multi-tom drum) brings a tear to my eye and a knot to my stomach. Its not only because of the failed attempts to join the drum corp (I tried dozens of times) but the truth about being a gay and closeted Adventist youth. Being singled out for attacks by the other youth. I was also plain, I didn't have fancy clothes and dress sharply like the others. I was chubby as a teen, and I was different and boy did I stick out.
Gender stereotyping was common place in the church and still is. I failed to join the drum corps so the only other competition groups open to me at camporee events were basketball, volleyball (my church didn't have a team) and pinewood derby (I wasn't as interested, but we won first place). The only other group I wanted to join is fancy drill. Which under the conference guidelines was open to boys and girls. However my church refused to let me do it. I thought I was being ostracized for being bad at the drums (yet I was so well loved in the church service), but it was far more serious!
One sabbath, a visiting pastor came to the church. I have always been skeptical of those who promoted that the holy spirit could point one to a sinner. He placed a question box in the back of the sanctuary during sabbath school which he would use to host a question and answer service during AYS that evening. Someone had slipped in the following question, "I think I am a Homosexual, is there any way God can fix me?" The youth in the audience were in a frenzy, looking for me to push to the front. I had felt an urge to sit in a completely different area that night and no one seemed to be able to find me, even though I was right in front of them. I sank in my seat as a firestorm ensued- I had been set up!
Since then, my relationship with the youth deteriorated. No matter of the things the other youth did (wearing makeup, sex, drinking, smoking, parties and makeup- all banned or curtailed by the church), I would continue to be the black sheep of the crowd.
In my first year of college, I just disappeared from the church, unable to deal with their ridicule. yet I was still called and asked to come back to play for the church. I never accepted the invitation. But I responded to their request to return the church's instruments.
Years later, I sat in a theater near Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the audience were LGBTQA people who all had one common story; they were all Seventh Day Adventists. As the light flickered on, and my leg had fallen numb from the cramped quarters, I noticed a tear in the corner of my eye. I finally were among people who understood me because they all had felt that way before. I had met the Seventh Gay Adventists. I knew immediately that the people in that very room in some way, shape, or form could relate to the pain and loneliness of losing their faith. Being an Adventist is nothing like being any other faith. A kinship of culture that has different local flavors but is in essence the same.
When one of the teachers at the table asked me, "why did you leave the church?", all I could respond with was-"because they didn't pay."
"Many of our students perform here as well as at their local churches on the weekends", pronounced a the young choral teacher. "I know a few from my own church, many have received their first musical acclaim in the churches. There was a murmur of agreement amongst the men at the table. One by one each mentioned their church bands and programs and their respective denominations. AME, Baptist, Pentecostal, Church of Christ and myself being the only Seventh Day Adventist. Many took interest and commented on how famous the Adventist music programs are.
I explained that my church had three choirs, a professional band (some of the members were paid- I was unfortunately not amongst them), two part-time organists, a full praise and worship crew, a sign language praise team, and a drum corp for the young people. All were in awe of the sheer size of the music program. The chorus teacher explained that he was in charge of the 75 piece choir at his church, but had never heard of churches with three large choirs- each of which averaged at about 50-75 members!
While it is still a painful and sensitive subject, of why I left, I sometimes look back with relish at those days. In fact, at the time I left the church the band had three keyboardists, 2 percussionists, 2 bass players, one full-time and one part-time organist, a saxophonist, and myself covering flute, clarinet, various saxophones, and trumpet.
I had tried out for the drum corps which at the time consisted of a crappy Bass drum, a tri-tom, and an old fashioned snare drum and a couple cymbals that my uncle had bought. But as always the drama monster showed its ugly head and I was pushed out. I was even given private practice time on the instruments, but that proved problematic because the other members of the corps would return from lunch and kick me out.
As a church musician I was on the rotation schedule. Sabbath school was a class that started together in the sanctuary at 10am and ran through to 11am. Divine Hour was from 11:30 to about 2:30. followed by lunch and a rest period, then AYS (Adventist Youth Services) would come in the evening. I originally began at Divine Hour which had many features I could cater to. Some pieces I would use the clarinet, baby christenings were accompanied the flute playing the Adventist hymn "Lead Them My God, To Thee", in a similar fashion the offertory would be serenaded by what ever instrument the praise team wished for. The crowning end of the service always ended with "We Have This Hope" which I would fanfare with the trumpet. AYS was free territory to play the saxophone which i projected over the blast of the band.
Pathfinder Sabbaths were a special treat for all! The pathfinders would march in to the loud cadences of the drum corps with military precision. It was very special and unique to the faith. However, as I stood there, I felt like I died a little inside.
To this day the sound of drums (particularly the sound of the quad or multi-tom drum) brings a tear to my eye and a knot to my stomach. Its not only because of the failed attempts to join the drum corp (I tried dozens of times) but the truth about being a gay and closeted Adventist youth. Being singled out for attacks by the other youth. I was also plain, I didn't have fancy clothes and dress sharply like the others. I was chubby as a teen, and I was different and boy did I stick out.
Gender stereotyping was common place in the church and still is. I failed to join the drum corps so the only other competition groups open to me at camporee events were basketball, volleyball (my church didn't have a team) and pinewood derby (I wasn't as interested, but we won first place). The only other group I wanted to join is fancy drill. Which under the conference guidelines was open to boys and girls. However my church refused to let me do it. I thought I was being ostracized for being bad at the drums (yet I was so well loved in the church service), but it was far more serious!
One sabbath, a visiting pastor came to the church. I have always been skeptical of those who promoted that the holy spirit could point one to a sinner. He placed a question box in the back of the sanctuary during sabbath school which he would use to host a question and answer service during AYS that evening. Someone had slipped in the following question, "I think I am a Homosexual, is there any way God can fix me?" The youth in the audience were in a frenzy, looking for me to push to the front. I had felt an urge to sit in a completely different area that night and no one seemed to be able to find me, even though I was right in front of them. I sank in my seat as a firestorm ensued- I had been set up!
Since then, my relationship with the youth deteriorated. No matter of the things the other youth did (wearing makeup, sex, drinking, smoking, parties and makeup- all banned or curtailed by the church), I would continue to be the black sheep of the crowd.
In my first year of college, I just disappeared from the church, unable to deal with their ridicule. yet I was still called and asked to come back to play for the church. I never accepted the invitation. But I responded to their request to return the church's instruments.
Years later, I sat in a theater near Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In the audience were LGBTQA people who all had one common story; they were all Seventh Day Adventists. As the light flickered on, and my leg had fallen numb from the cramped quarters, I noticed a tear in the corner of my eye. I finally were among people who understood me because they all had felt that way before. I had met the Seventh Gay Adventists. I knew immediately that the people in that very room in some way, shape, or form could relate to the pain and loneliness of losing their faith. Being an Adventist is nothing like being any other faith. A kinship of culture that has different local flavors but is in essence the same.
When one of the teachers at the table asked me, "why did you leave the church?", all I could respond with was-"because they didn't pay."
Friday, June 7, 2013
Don't Laugh at PTSD!
I've never been in the armed services but one thing that many vets and I have in common is that we suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD is something that non sufferers aren't always aware of. In my experience, PTSD manifests itself in different ways, for me it is jitters, heavy breathing, cold sweats, nausea followed by a sensation that i can only explain as my stomach wanting to turn itself inside out. For some of my friends it is different, it can include anything from heavy breathing to angry outbursts. Triggers most commonly come from people coming up behind me, being startled, hearing loud noises or angry shouting, and even from hearing the vacuum cleaner whizzing away downstairs!
The reason I have gotten on my soapbox today is because of an event last night when a friend spooked me and triggered my PTSD, it was a mild attack, and even though my friend was being sweet, i had to explain to him that it triggers my PTSD and it is not cool to do that, he was sweet. But another friend made snarky comments saying that I was being a "drama queen". PTSD isn't about attention, it is something that must really be taken with a degree of seriousness! While I am not as physically aggressive, all i could think of was if it was someone else, like one of my friends from school!
The Vets center at UMB is currently located in an office on the third floor. The room has two entrances, but because seating is near the second entrance we have a divider curtain an sign telling people not to enter or remove the divider under any circumstance except for emergency. Going to a public school, we get several veterans returning on the GI bill and even the 9/11 bill. so in many classrooms it is common for the vets to sit in a line against the back wall of a classroom.
From time to time in the student centers or the classroom, we will have an incident. A few years ago, because of a silly student coming up behind her friend, who is a Marine Sergeant and a student, we had a small incident that involved yelling and some broken furniture, but thankfully no one was hurt! Many of our vets are often first responders to incidents on campus, when a student attempted suicide from the 3rd floor balcony in Fall of 2012, one of our own vets sprang into action! When PTSD triggers set off one of our students, the other vets will clear the area and may attempt to calm the student down or let the student burn out, such instances are rare and the absolute extreme. Still, with the rising numbers of our men and women coming home, PTSD awareness is a necessity and a civic responsibility we cant overlook!
I've included a list of symptoms taken from the National Institute for Mental Health (2013) below.
The reason I have gotten on my soapbox today is because of an event last night when a friend spooked me and triggered my PTSD, it was a mild attack, and even though my friend was being sweet, i had to explain to him that it triggers my PTSD and it is not cool to do that, he was sweet. But another friend made snarky comments saying that I was being a "drama queen". PTSD isn't about attention, it is something that must really be taken with a degree of seriousness! While I am not as physically aggressive, all i could think of was if it was someone else, like one of my friends from school!
The Vets center at UMB is currently located in an office on the third floor. The room has two entrances, but because seating is near the second entrance we have a divider curtain an sign telling people not to enter or remove the divider under any circumstance except for emergency. Going to a public school, we get several veterans returning on the GI bill and even the 9/11 bill. so in many classrooms it is common for the vets to sit in a line against the back wall of a classroom.
From time to time in the student centers or the classroom, we will have an incident. A few years ago, because of a silly student coming up behind her friend, who is a Marine Sergeant and a student, we had a small incident that involved yelling and some broken furniture, but thankfully no one was hurt! Many of our vets are often first responders to incidents on campus, when a student attempted suicide from the 3rd floor balcony in Fall of 2012, one of our own vets sprang into action! When PTSD triggers set off one of our students, the other vets will clear the area and may attempt to calm the student down or let the student burn out, such instances are rare and the absolute extreme. Still, with the rising numbers of our men and women coming home, PTSD awareness is a necessity and a civic responsibility we cant overlook!
I've included a list of symptoms taken from the National Institute for Mental Health (2013) below.
PTSD can cause many symptoms. These symptoms can be grouped into three categories:
1. Re-experiencing symptoms:- Flashbacks—reliving the trauma over and over, including physical symptoms like a racing heart or sweating
- Bad dreams
- Frightening thoughts.
Re-experiencing symptoms may cause problems in a person’s everyday routine. They can start from the person’s own thoughts and feelings. Words, objects, or situations that are reminders of the event can also trigger re-experiencing.
2. Avoidance symptoms:- Staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience
- Feeling emotionally numb
- Feeling strong guilt, depression, or worry
- Losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past
- Having trouble remembering the dangerous event.
Things that remind a person of the traumatic event can trigger avoidance symptoms. These symptoms may cause a person to change his or her personal routine. For example, after a bad car accident, a person who usually drives may avoid driving or riding in a car.
3. Hyperarousal symptoms:- Being easily startled
- Feeling tense or “on edge”
- Having difficulty sleeping, and/or having angry outbursts.
Hyperarousal symptoms are usually constant, instead of being triggered by things that remind one of the traumatic event. They can make the person feel stressed and angry. These symptoms may make it hard to do daily tasks, such as sleeping, eating, or concentrating.
It’s natural to have some of these symptoms after a dangerous event. Sometimes people have very serious symptoms that go away after a few weeks. This is called acute stress disorder, or ASD. When the symptoms last more than a few weeks and become an ongoing problem, they might be PTSD. Some people with PTSD don’t show any symptoms for weeks or months.
Please visit NIMH.NIH. GOV for more resources and information
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Men's East Coast Spring Knitting Retreat 2013
A truly wonderful thing is Men's Knitting, so how do you make it better? Create a male space where we can knit openly and proudly and learn from others! HELL YEAH!
Men's Knitting Retreats are an inclusive space for men who enjoy knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving, and other fiber arts crafts. These retreats not only support the education, study, and practice of these cottage arts, they help to end stigma against male knitters. These retreats support and promote local businesses and fiber companies as well. Every year the retreat is made possible by the generous donations of the local businesses and companies as well as the men who attend! This year, because of the generous support of the participants of last year's attendees, three scholarships were available for the following categories, New knitters, not-so-new knitters, and experts.
This year I traveled to easton with Alasdair Post-Quinn. He is an up and coming designer in the knitting community and men's knitting circles. I will say, what Bach was to the fugue, Alasdair is to Double knitting. His newest design, 52 pickup, is an intriguing double knit scarf made of 52 double knitted panels, for which there are more combinations for the panels than there are atoms in our known universe... makes card counting look easy! That means if the scarves are made at random, like intended, all scarves are completely unique. Alasdair also showed off samples of quilted double knitting, micro double knitting, and even double knitted lace. All using his patented techniques.
This is my second trip to MSKR, my last being in 2010 when i went as a volunteer and teacher! I was so blessed to win one of three scholarships to attend this year! We had two new knitters and myself as winners which was great, it is always nice to work with eager learners because many of them love the lavish attention and gifts (i brought glow in the dark crochet hooks for the new knitter's swag bags!).
It was great to be back at Easton after two years. While Easton changes, i never forget the wonder of this very special place. I met many old friends and made several new ones! My roommates all snore, which was actually awesome because i am always freaking out that my snoring will wake people up.
Interestingly enough, I was shacked up in room 8 with another winner, Jaye who is a newbie knitter and Barry who was on the scholarship committee, and it was a blast! But one thing about room 8 is that the boys at Easton think it is haunted! although that door is quite tricky.
So this year I did not have as many projects to show off, because my mom is sick, so everything is going to her. I did however have two shawls, a wine bottle cozy in tunisian crochet entrelac, and my kickass kilt hose. but what i am really proud of was an entrelac cube that i knit over the weekend.
you can see links to the pattern here:
I also was really fortunate to get into the shawl blocking class, which incidentally i got into the first time round, but i was able to block my Queen of the Canopies shawl, affectionately known of as Shawlzilla. While the shawl took me nearly a year to complete (60% of that time was the edging alone), i finally got it done and blocked. never would have thought to strap it into a frame like that.
In comparison, Vince made the same shawl without a lace border and it was absolutely gorgeous! You can see both of the shawls on Van Waffle's Blog, the link is below!
Scholarships like mine are made through the generous support of the men who attend the retreats, the next men's knitting retreat is in July in the Allenspark, CO. Give generously to keep these retreats alive!
Check out Alasdair Post- Quinn's Blog
Van Waffle's Blog
Men's Knitting Retreats website
A truly wonderful thing is Men's Knitting, so how do you make it better? Create a male space where we can knit openly and proudly and learn from others! HELL YEAH!
Men's Knitting Retreats are an inclusive space for men who enjoy knitting, crochet, spinning, weaving, and other fiber arts crafts. These retreats not only support the education, study, and practice of these cottage arts, they help to end stigma against male knitters. These retreats support and promote local businesses and fiber companies as well. Every year the retreat is made possible by the generous donations of the local businesses and companies as well as the men who attend! This year, because of the generous support of the participants of last year's attendees, three scholarships were available for the following categories, New knitters, not-so-new knitters, and experts.
This year I traveled to easton with Alasdair Post-Quinn. He is an up and coming designer in the knitting community and men's knitting circles. I will say, what Bach was to the fugue, Alasdair is to Double knitting. His newest design, 52 pickup, is an intriguing double knit scarf made of 52 double knitted panels, for which there are more combinations for the panels than there are atoms in our known universe... makes card counting look easy! That means if the scarves are made at random, like intended, all scarves are completely unique. Alasdair also showed off samples of quilted double knitting, micro double knitting, and even double knitted lace. All using his patented techniques.
This is my second trip to MSKR, my last being in 2010 when i went as a volunteer and teacher! I was so blessed to win one of three scholarships to attend this year! We had two new knitters and myself as winners which was great, it is always nice to work with eager learners because many of them love the lavish attention and gifts (i brought glow in the dark crochet hooks for the new knitter's swag bags!).
It was great to be back at Easton after two years. While Easton changes, i never forget the wonder of this very special place. I met many old friends and made several new ones! My roommates all snore, which was actually awesome because i am always freaking out that my snoring will wake people up.
Interestingly enough, I was shacked up in room 8 with another winner, Jaye who is a newbie knitter and Barry who was on the scholarship committee, and it was a blast! But one thing about room 8 is that the boys at Easton think it is haunted! although that door is quite tricky.
So this year I did not have as many projects to show off, because my mom is sick, so everything is going to her. I did however have two shawls, a wine bottle cozy in tunisian crochet entrelac, and my kickass kilt hose. but what i am really proud of was an entrelac cube that i knit over the weekend.
you can see links to the pattern here:
I also was really fortunate to get into the shawl blocking class, which incidentally i got into the first time round, but i was able to block my Queen of the Canopies shawl, affectionately known of as Shawlzilla. While the shawl took me nearly a year to complete (60% of that time was the edging alone), i finally got it done and blocked. never would have thought to strap it into a frame like that.
In comparison, Vince made the same shawl without a lace border and it was absolutely gorgeous! You can see both of the shawls on Van Waffle's Blog, the link is below!
Scholarships like mine are made through the generous support of the men who attend the retreats, the next men's knitting retreat is in July in the Allenspark, CO. Give generously to keep these retreats alive!
Check out Alasdair Post- Quinn's Blog
Van Waffle's Blog
Men's Knitting Retreats website
Friday, April 12, 2013
Boston Landmark Windsor Button Closes
Tomorrow is the last day of Windsor Button at 7pm this Boston icon will no longer exist.
My favorite yarn shop is closing because of a lease issue with the land lord (he wants to turn it into a restaurant). SO a Boston institution and flagship store that has been there for more than 75 years is closing (long after its other branches had closed). Everything in the store is 50-70% off. vintage goodies, expensive luxury materials, and other treasures are being liquidated.
Windsor Button has been a landmark in historic downtown Boston for 77 years! The store was an example of the old timed yarn shop with people working the button counter, material cut to order, and endless selection (literally). So far there are no plans to re-open. The owners, Susan and Stanley Baker, have looked into other locations in Downtown, but nothing is big enough or in their price range.
(Boston Business Journal, Feb 14, 2013)\
WGBH has even devoted a story to this shop here:
Like Cheers, this place was a place that everyone actually knew my name, i would come in once a week to buy products for my knitting and competition stuff. Susan's advice was always very welcome, she has an excellent sense of color and a wealth of knowledge of the material she stocks. It was a place i could buy $2 red heart and $200 cashmere, bison, merino, silk, and rumored even Quiviut!!!
Also, sadly Minds Eye Yarns in Porter Square is going to close as well. while it is not for a similar reason as WIndsor, it is sad to see the yarn shop go! Also the owner of Mind's Eye is a veteran of my profession, Music Education, so I try to go by her shop once in a while, but an an hour-long train ride is often prohibitive for me.
Acrylic is NO substitution for a gentle merino, a smooth-shiny silk, a feathery light alpaca, or a luscious cashmere. So please SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL YARN SHOP!
Do what i did, and save your pennies, sell bottles, and make friends with the people who work there. because we all depend on each other!
My prayers are with the Baker family and their employees who will now have to restart from bottom!
Sources:
http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/news/2013/02/14/windsor-button-closing-its-doors.html?page=all
http://www.wgbh.org/programs/Greater-Boston-11/episodes/March-13-2013-Windsor-Button-Store-44601
Monday, January 7, 2013
10 Things The New and Veteran Lace Knitter Should Do For Total Lace Success!
1) choose a spongy yarn, it will give the garment a good feel against the skin. (i sometimes use Mountain Colors yarn because it is fairly consistent.
2) watch your tension, the purl rows can be tighter than knit rows so you can pucker stitches, leading to inconsistencies in leaning stitches especially. remember lace “breathes” so it will need to be elastic in order to block beautifully.
3) use sharp tips to twist the yarn as little as possible.
4) thread salvage rows every once in a while so if you need to rip back you wont disturb other rows by repairing dropped stitches, pick up first with a smaller needle and transfer them to a larger one to prevent puckering.
5) choose a lighter color so you can see your stitches in full glory.
6) buy at least 25% more material than you need. discontinued and bargain yarns can be bought in bulk! it saves you from having to find another ball.
7) a tip from Jane Sowerby, Choose a Yarn that is a little bit nicer than what you use and a pattern that is a little beneath you for your first project.
8) Swatch, Swatch, SWATCH!!! you dont know how some more finicky stitches will react. And you can work out complex stitches and motifs without wearing out your material. (this is good for lace pieces in the round, or with borders that you add after you knit the piece).
9) Take a lesson from sock making and study the cast-ons and bind-offs for stretchy socks. they might look a little frilly on the finished work but give it a wonderful edge when blocked (remember, lace is supposed to be stretched out, thats why a gauge isn’t often included in the pattern)
10) if you are adventurous, choose a harder pattern, but make sure it is one that is tried and tested. If a lot of people have done it, you can see more ideas for the material, size, blocking method, and even some changes and additions people make to the pattern. Ask questions of the people who made the piece and enjoy the process. Some lace knitters have patterns that focus on a similar design elements so you can see different variations on the same theme.
I knit a lot of lace for my clients every year, so i know a few things. i also do one major summer project in order to hone my skills and i hope to enter competitions with them soon!
It was suggested that i publish this here, this is a post i wrote in a Ravelry Message board that people really enjoyed reading!
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