Resolutions and Such

Happy New Year to all that I haven't said to already.

As we enter into the final year of earths existence (according to the Myans), we are probably asked at least once what our new years resolutions are. Now, if this is really our last year on earth, then just laugh at them and walk away. If my theory (along with most sane people) is correct and the Myans simply ran out of room, then I guess just make something up, like to lose weight or eat better or something like that.

I have never been big into resolutions. My awesome memory helps me with that. But the biggest reason is that when I need to change or do something new, I don't need to wait to New Years. I'll do it now. However, this year, I kinda do have one. Though it breaks the rules somewhat because I've had it a while.

Many of you know I play guitar. If you didn't, then surprise! I play guitar. I started playing in grade 8, so this year makes it about 8 years. And for those 8 years, I have wanted some sort of future involving music. Of course, it used to be a rock star and band and such, but reality soon punched me in the throat and reminded me of how terribly hard that would be. So I was comfortable with being able to play the guitar and impress a few friends along the way.

Then I graduated and headed east to a small bible college by the name of Briercrest. And would you look at that, they have a thriving music program. Now, I knew that a career in music was not in my cards. I was never going to be the guy who gets handed sheet music and then plays it perfectly or could name every scale and mode ever created. But the dream of having some sort of band became a bit of reality again. I was surrounded by amazing musicians. Literally. I could talk to 2 people and 1 and half of them could play an instrument or sing. I started to jam more. I started writing some basic stuff. And the dream grew.

Which takes us to today. I still do not have a band. No CD's, no record deal, no booked shows. Nothing. I do have, however, some friends who are willing to jam and practice for a show at the end of the year, open to all college students, and who are actually into similar music as me. I also have been talking to people who have access to recording equipment and by the end of the year, I may have a few songs (with lyrics) in my hands.

However, I know the reality of becoming a rockstar. It's slim to none. And I have set my goal as having a CD that I played on as a band. That's what I want out of my music career. Play some shows during summers off as a teacher. Would I like to be famous, though? You bet. But not for the reasons you may think.

If I made it big with a band, that would be amazing. Tours, interviews, fans, the whole thing, would be spectacular because I would be giving people enjoyment through music. But that's not why I would want to be famous. That would be a perk. I want to change the music scene. How? By giving the music world a role model that is actually worth looking up to. Watch MTV for a few hours and you'll see how disgusting the music world is. Girls in...well, pretty much nothing, guys singing about sleeping with all the women he can, glorifying partying and drinking and a general rejection of decency.

So if I got into the music scene and made it big, and I mean influential big, I would try to give people something good to add to their music collection. And I'm not talking about simple Christian morals or "don't be bad :)" type of stuff, I'm talking intelligent arguments that make you think. Now, I realize that I couldn't do this with every song, but my other ones could be just fun songs or ones that sing about the same stuff in a different light. What I learned from a break up. How a family death changed me. That kinda stuff. So many songs today have rejected the art of intelligent writing and put words to music. Nickleback. Lady Gaga. Katy Perry. I can't listen to any of them without needing a bath of Clorox after.

I'd also want to be a role model. I'd wear clothes. I wouldn't sacrifice my morals for popularity or publicity. I'd hope to encourage others to follow suit. Music videos would be fun (or meaningful, depending on the song) instead of a cheap x-rated film. Shows would be more than music, but a show, with audience interaction, jokes, banter, maybe even rehearsed skits and whatnot. A concert should be more than a CD really really really loud. I want to bring music to people that they will like and want more of but realize it's different then everything else out there...which will make them want it even more.

So I have some pretty lofty dreams, but I hope that you can see my goals with my music. It's unlikely to happen, but if it does, that's my resolution. And if you ever see my CD, pick up one. I'll sign it for ya. Or don't. But you better believe that I'll have one, and I'll have signed it myself, too.

Here comes the end of the world as we know it
And I feel fine

Welcome to Math Class

Since its the end of the semester, I was told by someone in my math group thought it would be a great idea to recount the adventures of my first college math class. Since it was called Intro to Finite Math, I was not expecting to be challenged greatly over the course of the next few months, but my expectations were turned upside down. So here's a typical day at Math Class. 

I sit down in my desk in the third row from the back. No one is in it, which I guess is typical because there's only 3 people in that row, but it's 1 1/2 minutes until class starts. Oh, here comes Mikayla. Yay, I won't be alone. Except she looks like she might fall asleep walking up to her seat. What about the other person in my row, you ask? I have no idea what her name is, and half the time she sits a row down with her math group. In fact, my row is where the people who don't have a place to sit go. 

Oh, class is about to begin. Tony has his hands folded and is looking around the room, waiting for people to be quite. He's very patient, which probably comes from the 60 years he's been teaching, or his numerous grandkids (which we all know by name now). Most people get the idea and stop talking with their neighbor. But of course, there are the 5 people, and always the 5 loudest people, who are completely oblivious to Tony's signal. Ok, it's kinda subtle, but STILL. Anyways, some students decide to kindly let these people know that class is about to start by shushing as loud as they possibly can. Thanks. That was really helpful. However, it works. Then (or someone he asked before) prays to begin the class. 

Here we go. 

Ok, everyone is quiet and listening intently. Oh hey, Tony has something written on the chalkboard today to keep our attention. It's some mathematical formulas and examples. And he explains them. Fairly well. There's some stuff I don't quite get, but I blame that on the inconsistencies between the Alberta and Saskatchewan ciriculum. Most of it makes sense and refreshes my grade ten memories of math. Ya, it's fairly basic stuff, but remember, I haven't done math in 3 years. I need refreshment. 

Tony is doing one of the examples and asks the class what the answer is. Believe it or not, no one answers. This is part because it's still kinda early in the morning (and some people have been up since seven), but another part is because Tony's pretty much deaf. You have to yell the answer from the back row, and if he doesn't hear you, you have to say it again. It gets kinda embarrassng when you yell the answer 5 times and it ends up being wrong. So i stopped speaking up in class. Wait, does this mean Dayton actually used to speak up in class? Max three times. It didn't take long for me to go back to old habits. But then Tony makes a joke that he doesn't know what he did to scare the class already, and we all laugh a little. Then someone answers. THANK YOU. 

However, it wasn't soon enough. Along with old guy ears and an old guy back, Tony has an old guy mind. He loves telling stories of his family. That last joke reminded Tony of a story of his kids, or grandkids, or great grandkids, or whatever. I can't keep track of all of them. But the story is good. Then he bugs one of the front row kids (usually Mark. He's a go-with-the-flow kinda guy) and we all laugh. Tony makes sure to let him know that he was just bugging though. He even once picked on me in class (and I thought I was in the safe zone) about something. After class as I walked out, he let me know he was just bugging on me and wasn't picking on me. I laughed and said it was fine. Obviously he has never met Brian Gobbett. 

Well, at least we got in a good 25 minutes before Tony got off on his stories. And though I enjoy them, his explanations of math usually deteriorate rapidly after the first one. He usually tells around 3-4 stories a class. Maybe that's why he has us work in small groups at the end of class. Anyways, I now don't quite understand what's being talked about and it's not because I fell asleep. I don't think I ever dozed off in this class. Other classes...well, that's another story. For a much later time. But Tony keeps going and people start to lose interest. I start doodling. I look up for a second to see that half the other people in my vision have little swirlies on their pages. Awesome. That means my Math Man is better than all of them. Mikayla looks over at my drawing of a superhero and I have to give the explanation of how he was created. She then realizes its a superhero and not a man with a mustache and M shaped hair. Freshmen...sheesh.  

With about 20 minutes left in class, he breaks us off into small groups. These are 4-5 people we are paired with all semester to work on projects and other assignments, as well to help each other out. What's so good about math groups? Well, Kevin is an accounting tutorial leader. He's pretty much a math machine. But, alas, he hates teaching it outside of tutorial. Thanks, KO. Then the buck is passed to me because I still have retained much of what I learned in high school (thanks, Mrs. Owen Brown).  So I start working on the stuff Tony said to do. Then we get talking. Really, the math group time at the end of class is a great excuse to not do work, but to make us look good, I do a little bit, just in case Tony makes it up the stairs to check on us. Which he usually doesn't (old man back, remember? Oh, also old man knees, and legs, and feet..). Then Mikayla says I should write a blog about Math class. Hmm...

Then Tony says class is done. It's a 50/50 chance that I'm content with the stuff I learned today or hate life because I don't understand a darn thing. Tony always offers a friendly smile, though, which usually helps the mood. However, this class has made me realize that a good teacher makes all the difference. My high school math teacher was the greatest. You can't argue against that. I won't let you. Tony was a good professor, but many people struggled with basic concepts that I had learned in high school, then had to explain to them, which wasn't made easy because Tony had left me partially confused as well. His most repeated phrase was "I'm not teaching math, I'm teaching you how to teach little children." So I guess he did his job. We had to teach each other a LOT. 

So thanks, Tony. You made math entertaining. 

Post this OR ELSE

You've seen them. Or maybe even done it yourself. The "repost this if you agree" facebook things. And though most are extremely annoying and sappy (I really need to get rid of the junior high girls on my facebook friends...unless you read these. Then stop posting sappy things) some are extremely funny. I think I've even reposted a few really good ones. But the ones that really bug me the most are the faith ones.

This you may find odd. I am a Christian and am not afraid to let people know. I've given my life to Christ to serve him and his plans. Many of the people I go to school with here are in the same boat (though it helps I'm in a Bible college). However, that opens my facebook up to status's and photos of "If you love God, then you'll repost this. If you love the devil or sin or starving puppies, you'll scroll on by". When I see these posts, I as a Christian feel somewhat guilted in to posting these things on my wall. But I don't, because I find issues in this theology.

I'm not against posting faith related items on social networking sites. In fact, I have great respect for people who do this from the heart. But when have you really thought long and hard about reposting something? It's like a junk email forward. "These pics are funny!" "This is so sad!" "What is this??" Brief emotions that cross your mind for a minute then they're gone. Rarely are people really affected by the side adds on websites, at least I'm not, because they are they're to draw attention. LOOK AT ME! I HAVE A SICK PUPPY HOLDING A STARVING CHILD IN AFRICA! AND THEY ARE HIV POSITIVE! Of course, your heart (if you have one) goes out to these depraved people and animals because they are suffering and need help. But you scroll by. You monster!

But you're not a monster, are you? You're a rational human who lives in a richer nation (like Canada) who can afford nice things. But you don't click and support every little thing that you see that is hurt and sad and sick. Why not? Part of it is probably selfishness and laziness. Admit it. I am. I don't have the time or money to help out. So we don't. But it's also the internet. Where people can create new lives and business's and whole cities that don't exist. It's a virtual world. They're just pictures. They could be fake, for all we know. So we avoid them.

The same goes for faith reposts. They are attention grabbers. Do you truly believe everything in it, or do you just feel guilty that you're not reposting it? If I don't repost this, am I saying "I LOVE THE DEVIL AND SIN AND SICK PUPPIES"? No. That's contradicted by how I live my life. Why must I prove my faith by a facebook post? Because who actually reads more than 2 lines on facebook? In fact, if those posts didn't have the last line they always do, they would be fine. My faith is not defined by a picture. It is defined every day of my life, by how I talk, act and think. I choose to not be pressured by spam faith posts that you've seen 2465 times before.

So if you truly believe what these say and think that it serves as a good witness to your friends, then repost these. But other than that, they serve to annoy more people than help. It plays on the whole "If you're not a Christian, you're going to burn" mentality. The mindset which non Christians have come to  label all Christians as. And we don't really want to feed any of that.

Ok, rant over. Also, I think I'll take a break from Facebook themed blogs for a while. But some things ANNOY ME SO MUCH!