About Me

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Illinois, United States
I am a band director at five private schools in Kankakee. Music is a big part of my life, but knitting and crafting are right up there too. I own a ridiculous stash of yarn, which I am slowly using... and replacing with better yarn... I tend to knit and crochet a lot, in class, out of class, while watching tv, while driving, pretty much constantly. I have been involved with crochet romantically for 15 years, and involved with knitting for 11 years. They sometimes get jealous of each other. I think its funny. Along with knitting and crocheting, I quilt, spin (drop spindle) and design patterns!!

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

I'm back- Sort of

I want to say that life has gotten easier and calmer since I got back from the Germany trip. But it is the exact opposite. Not that I am complaining or anything, because I absolutely despise sitting around doing nothing.

The issue is, I'm sitting around not able to do the things I need to do because I am waiting for my apartment to get done so I can move in. Until then, a bunch of stuff I need to do is put on hold.

But I'm keeping busy. Don't you worry! :)
Now here is what has been on my plate since I got home from Germany.

I get home and jet lag took over, making me wake up at 4-5 am every morning. I got stuff done. :)

Two days after I got home, I met with the five principals of the schools I will be teaching band with. One high school and four grade schools. We discussed how next year is going to look. I will have a lot of freedom in creating and molding the band programs, considering one of the schools does not even have a band program. I am going to have to be creative to keep the students interested and excited. So my mind is racing of different things I can do.

I decided that I would host a "band camp" a few weeks before school starts. I would have the beginning band students come in for two days, an hour a day, and do a type of instrument petting zoo. Let the youngins hear and see how someone plays the instrument, and then in the end get to play it and hold it themselves. This will get them prepared to choose their instrument the first week of school.

Then after the beginning band camp, the 5th and 6th graders will come in for an hour, Monday through Friday, and we will learn about the expectations of the next school year, the cost of being in band, do fun ice breakers, get to know each other, and then work on some fundamentals in music, possibly even play some music. It really depends on the skills of the students. I need this band camp to see where we are at skill wise so I know what music to choose for this year.

Theeeeen after that band camp, I will have the 7th and 8th graders come in and do about the same thing. For these two older groups I would like to reach out to them and see what they expect from me, and then make rules and whatnot based on what we agree on. I think it would be a really great experience. I am also planning on having the high school band students come in and help out, lets just hope they agree on it!

Ok so thats that, my minds going nuts about what music to use, but I cannot look through the music because I am 2.5 hours away and my apartment is not done being painted. So I cannot move in until that is done, which will be this Saturday.

So. Fun list of things that have happened to me these past couple months.
-Went to Florida with the high school band group I was student teaching with: Marched through Disney world with the marching band.
-Graduated college with a music education degree
-Sent out over 30 job applications all over Illinois, and one in Alaska. Why not.
-Went to two interviews for jobs
-Got turned down for the first job
-Got a call back with the second interviews job offer the day before I left for Germany, and accepted it.
-Went to Germany for three weeks to study the German school system, and travel. I miss it dearly
-Got back, met with principals
-Had an awesome graduation party!
-Found an apartment, and put the security deposit down- I HAVE AN EXTRA ROOM MEANING.......CRAFT ROOOOOOOOOM

So now I am sitting around answering emails from parents of my future students about the band camp, knitting, crafting, and packing up my old apartment. Which... I think I am done and all I have to do is move it all into my car tomorrow and Friday.

I did get to see my little cousin in all this insanity, which I always look forward to. Though I feel horrible because my mind was so preoccupied with the job that I felt I was not as much fun as I usually am. I hope she understands!

Now for some crafty stuff.
I have been working on this scarf for quite some time now. It is the Pedestrian Crossing Cowl by Melissa Sibley, only changed around a bit to make it a scarf instead. I am making it from some stash busting yarn, no idea what it is though. For mother. Cause I keep promising her a scarf but I never get it done. So this is it darnit! I am going to make her this scarf and then cross it off of my que!
I love how the colors look, and I really think it is her type. So I am excited to get it done.

When I knit, Kitty likes to lay down next to me. It does not matter if I drape yards and yards of yarn over her head, she looks around wondering what is going on before she plops on her side and passes out. I have never encountered a cat that does not go ape sh** when it comes to yarn until I adopted Kitty. haha
But does she not have the absolute cutest mug you have ever seen? :)

Next up is an almost finished object. I had bought a whoooole bunch of baby yarn years and years ago, and its about time I stash bust. All that I have left to do is crochet up a cute little flower to add to the front of it.
I decided on the cute little ruffle around the edges, nothing too girly, but also sweet. The flower will match the edging a little.

Full out view of cuteness. I will probably pop out the flower tomorrow in between packing a bit more.

Up next is my spinning. I have a bunch of roving laying around and I really do enjoy spinning, even if I am not amazing and my arms hurt after five minutes with the drop spindle. So it is a slow process. But I am getting better every time I work on it.
I don't mind the color, its not amazing, but I think it will look really nice spun up. Right now it is about sock weight, though it always poofs up whenever I take it off of the drop spindle... Any spinners out there with advice? How do I keep it from doing the thick and thin? Is it because I am uneven?

I need a darn spinning wheel already...ugh

Lastly for today I finished my Baktus. I am debating on doing some sort of edging, whether lacy of not. It just feels very plain right now.
My goal for teaching this year is to use scarves to spice up my wardrobe, whether they are shawls, scarves, or cowls. Once it gets cold I am stocking up!

Well.. that is all for now.

Except

.....

YOU SHOULD GO TO MY STORE AND BUY SOMETHING TO HELP ME PAY FOR RENT.

Just saying,

http://www.etsy.com/shop/luganchica102

2 comments:

Katha said...

congratulations on everything! the job, the new appartment, the degree, the finished objects.... did i miss something?

luganknitter said...

nope! I think you covered everything! :) Thanks!