Fear, setting in.
Have you ever walked into an exam hall, knowing that you know absolutely zip about what your about to be tested on? I haven’t… Yet. Tomorrow I will stride into an exam hall with the appearance of confidence, sit in my seat, sharpen my pencil, look at the first page and crack. I’ve been studying musicianship for about 4-5 months and I still don’t know half of what I’m talking about. I don’t remember my key signatures for minor keys, I can barely count/inverse intervals and I have not memorised 2 (more like 2 1/2) of my three melodies. Nor can I write rhythms or melodies without a piano.
I could remedy this situation by going upstairs and staring at the sheets of music I’m meant to memorise, but I keep telling myself that I’m a lost cause, and I might as well not bother now, and keep blogging. Isn’t that very negative of me? Lost case or not, I will go and stare at the sheets, hoping my brain will absorb their patterns somehow. Later.
For the next three weeks, I have a maths test every week. At least for these tests, I’ll have some knowledge of what it is I’m meant to be writing. Formulas and equasions are easy. Memorising 20-40 bars of music and being made to write them down is not.
Let this be a lesson to you all. Memorising music isn’t like memorising a maths formula!
I find it particularly stupid that my school conducts all the exams and makes all assignments due in week 6, so the reports can be out in week 7. Why? Why not put the reports out in week 9. You know, that last week? Then we don’t have to cram all this stuff from several subjects in six weeks (or knowing me, cram it all in 5 days). Seeing as our excellent (Hmmm…) principal is retiring at the end of the term, give us a few weeks extension!
I’m having massive stomach pains at the moment. It’s strange, on the bus, Tyler and I were talking about being shot in the stomach (God knows why) and having the hydrochloric acid, or whatever is in your stomach, leak out and eat all your organs. Like the curator of the Louvre in The Da Vinci Code. Actually, I can’t remember if he died from having all his stomach acid leak out. Never mind, I’ll just watch the movie. I do believe it’s coming out soon. Anyway, I feel like the acid is eating holes in the walls of my stomach.
Sometimes I sort of think that I’m not the best friend around. I don’t know exactly how to handle it when my friends are feeling like crap. I don’t know what else I should say except for “It’ll be ok, sweetie, I’m here, we’re all here for you.” Am I meant to say things like “It’ll all work out in the end” even when it looks like there’s no chance in hell of it being alright again? Am I meant to tell them that I will fix it all for them? I don’t want to treat them the way I want to be treated (i.e. left alone) but I don’t know any other way.
Eh, I think I have to do the promised memorising. This has been a nice distraction.
# Amanda, 2 years, 6 months ago.
I would imagine that getting shot in the stomach would be the reason for death, not simply the stomach acid leaking out. After all, searing pain would be a result more of a gunshot wound…would you really notice the extra pain from the stomach acid?
In any case, don’t worry about the results of Musicianship, I have no doubt that you did just fine.
And personally, when any of my friends are feeling down, I just ignore it and act as if nothing’s happened. Callous perhaps, but it works, just by acting normal you may be able to keep their mind off whatever’s bothering them.
# Boris, 2 years, 6 months ago.
This is probably bad advice, but I’ve always wanted someone to go up to me when I’m feeling down and say “Get over it, nobody here gives a damn that you look depressed. We love you, you know it, get over it, get up, and stop moping.” Georgia calls it “mopitis”…
# Aneesah, 2 years, 6 months ago.
Hmm, I remembered something about the hydrochloric acids in The Da Vinci Code, too. I’m not sure if he actually died that way or if it was just a thought or plan… :S Ergh, I gotta read that book again. ^^;
I have pretty much no inclination towards music, or learning it, so yeah, it does sound very hard to me. o_O But maybe memorising music comes easier to people with super gifted ears or something.
I’m never the person people go to when they’re feeling down in the first place, so most of the time I pretend nothing’s wrong, yeah. I’ll probably just ask the others what’s wrong if I’m curious, but I know people just have moods and will get over things pretty quickly.
# Alex, 2 years, 5 months ago.
I don’t know about anyone else, but you do make me feel better when I’m upset. I’m hopeless at that kinda stuff.
I don’t want half yearly maths test. IT’S FREAKING ME OUT!!!!!
# Jordie, 2 years, 5 months ago.
Shot in the stomach? What a weird thing to talk about on the bus. Apparently a shot to the stomach is the most painful way to die, due to the stomach being a particularly vulnerable part of the body… not that I know from personal experience, of course.
ANYWAY. I always get nervous about maths tests, because I feel like I can never study enough. I was majorly unprepared for the algebra exam, yet I was quite pleased with my mark. If it makes you feel a little better, I’ve always admired you for your work ethic. A good work ethic is not something I possess. I rarely feel that sense of achievement — I feel I can never do enough, and of course my dad is impossible to please.
# Jennifer, 2 years, 5 months ago.
Don’t worry, I remember in grade 8 music [mandatory], I was just “…” in all tests, but managed to pass with a 60% rofl. But then again, I’m not really a “music person” (I know .. nothing :| well except messoforte ..and um adagio cause I have a song called adagio for strings xD). Well good luck :) And if you do do bad, remember that tests, and exams don’t determine your strength, abilities and talents ;)
Now about the you-being-bad-friend dilema, again don’t ..worry about that. Not everyone is a great advice giver, not alot of people are gifted with such skills, but the fact that you’re there when ..theyre down is I think - enough :)