I think I may have finally become legitimately insane. In response to dark and cold Frustration against brightly shining Revelation, I have elected to drop out of the Conservatory, ceasing all formal musical education forever, instead joining the College of Arts and Sciences to study History and probably Philosophy in addition. I just need to work out a few more details of the next year to year and a half of my life, for if I do not work it out now, it will take longer than a year to a year and a half.
Here is the issue: the Conservatory tells me I am a bizarre anomaly of a Freshperson with a Sophomore's credit in all but the area of Music History--my would-be major. Also, the Conservatory tells me that I must sing for one hour per day, thrice per week, in a choral group for all my three years of Conservatory training, one that meets from 4:00 to 4:50 in the afternoon, a thoroughly despicable time of day for doing something thoroughly unpleasant. I know I already discussed this, but I am discussing it some more, as it is just that infuriating. Also, having attended Conservatory classes today, I am greatly offended at the aforesaid institution, from which my adviser has been nothing but unkind to me and whose professors are graduate students. Heed this: that the Conservatory's undergraduate program, unless you are a mighty Performer, is vastly overrated, so with a smile, I say good-bye to the Conservatory and its clean and attractive building (except for the basement, which smells dirty, like Miami University).
So just as the Conservatory says I am a Freshperson with sophomoric tendencies, the Academy tells me that I am some kind of Super-Junior, and at the end of this quarter (December), I will be a Senior. Do you know what this means? Having looked at every single requirement for History majoring in detail, I have determined that I can easily graduate after the fall quarter of 2009, maybe a quarter more for a double major with Philosophy, which combination I am still working out, having also investigated every single requirement for a Philosophy degree. Regardless, I will graduate in less than three years total, that is, in no more than a year and a half from now, if all goes according to plan.
Let us summarize our prime points, then:
1. I am abandoning my musical education forever, despite having spent more than a year trying very hard to reach this point. This is defensible because I will continue to study music on my own as I always have (being unable to help it), having never taken a formal music course before, anyway. I am writing my own theory manual, by the way, and it will be the best theory manual ever.
2. I am becoming a History major (almost certainly with a double major in Philosophy), exactly what I was when I entered the Academy, then Miami University (which would not give me nearly as much AP credit as the University of Cincinnati because Miami University is a den of theives). This exhibits circularity, a staple in G.K. Chesterton's view of madness, with which I heartily agree.
3. I just accused the Miami University administration of thievery and meant it.
4. I would also like to accuse the Miami University student body of a self-absorbed and imagined sense of entitlement, a classic symptom of adolescent Bourgeoitis. They demonstrated this by demonstrating last week, embarrassing me for ever having associated myself with that school.
5. I see no red squiggle under Bourgeoitis, so my only hope is that they are not displaying right now. Also, Adolescent is a severe insult in my vocabulary.
6. I figured out how to earn a History degree by Spring of 2009, but I wouldn't survive.
7. Ergo, I must be insane. QED
I would now like to note that I am not full of just negative feelings, pessimism, blind fury, and unbearable frustration. In fact, I am not even full of all those things. There are many positives, such as my living arrangements and my nice roommate; they are simply not as exciting as my having become insane. In conclusion, I am planning a magical fishing trip.
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2 comments:
I must admit that I was somewhat shocked when I started to read that, but as I read on it began to make more sense. At first I was afraid that you had given up on music altogether, not just on music at the Academy. That would indeed have made you a madman.
Blogger doesn't have any sort of spellcheck built in, so it won't condemn you with the red squigglies no matter how horribly you butcher a word or how made-up your word is.
I'm glad to hear that there are aspects of UC that aren't as asinine as CCM.
Dan Chan found a wizard's tower on campus today. It sounded exciting. I'm sure he'll tell you about it.
I engage in several hours of music every day, between playing and listening. Abandoning music is the surest way to drive me mad, indeed. I recall raising this issue in reference to the nearly music-less GenCon.
Blogger may not have squigglies, but Firefox does. In fact, there is a squiggly under "squigglies." Firefox with Adblock Plus and Filterset G makes cyber-life better. Tell the world.
On the whole, I do rather like UC. It thoroughly beats Miami. As for CCM, I should have taken a hint from all the words I have devoted to making fun of music people.
I am hoping DanChan will be my luncheon friend. I asked him if he would be. I hope he says yes. Perhaps we can form an adventuring party to investigate the Wizard's Tower.
Last, when I said "advisers," I really just meant "adviser," the one who happens to be mine. For the sake of fairness, I am changing it, especially since CCM's excellent Dean of Admissions, Dr. Hillner, was very nice to me. Thus I compliment his excellence, which runs contrary to my "adviser."
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