Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Giving it the "Old College Try" again...Really Old

So I'm almost done with my first week back to school at Crafton Hills College. What a kick! I have one more class lecture/lab Friday. I'm really enjoying it so far. Some things have changed since I last went to college back before and during the '70's. Actually it has been since the '60's when I last went to a Junior College. Where has the time gone? What do "they" say, "Life is what happens to you when you are busy making other plans." Well, I didn't really make other plans. I've always planned to go back to college and "follow my bliss" ie. study the things and take the courses I never got a chance to take and wanted to. If you look back in my posts last year you find my planning and applying to CHC. And that is just what I'm doing. I actually was going to work on my creative writing but first, I had to have some Music and Art...what I most enjoyed teaching on the elementary level all those 38 years of my career.

You see, I never had "History of Art"...back then they called it "Western Civilization" a "required course". Now I have this most interesting and entertaining professor with slides in a "darkened theater style classroom along with 40 other students who could be my grandchildren age-wise. Not to worry. I think the subject is facinating, especially since our Greek Isles Cruise in May. I'm already reading and hearing about "object de arte" that I have actually seen, touched and walked on. I'm really into making "flash cards" of all the "Canon" and Provenance on each site and object. I plan to renew our membership to the Huntington. We had let it lapse. I used to take kids there every year. I'm looking forward to seeing the new Chinese Exhibit which we have received notice about.

I'm also enjoying my Music Theory class with a very experienced professor. He is cool ie. plays the bass or double bass and leads a jazz group on Thursday nights. I wonder if he does vocal jazz like Bruce Rogers at Mt. Sac. I should ask. He is requiring a lab on Fridays after class. This should be fun. He has offered the use of more than 20 practice room pianos. I can use ours at home but it might be fun to use the schools too. The last time I did that was at North Park College when I was practicing for my call back audition to the choir. I was singing bass at the time and had to learn a very diffficult hymn's bass part, "Break Forth O Beautious Heavenly Light" I'll never forget it. That year the choir toured the Pacific west coast of the U.S. The next year it was the east coast. I'm looking forward to finally learning key signatures and how to change pitches with sharps and flats for memeory. I recognize the rudiments for barbarshop singing which is all acappella but not how to notate it.

The Mixed Chorus class on Tuesday nights is starting out interestingly. I volunteered to audition first. He always needs tenors. Who doesn't. There were about twenty there and there will be a Christmas performance required. Our director/professor has a church choir in Redlands and knows Howard Duffer from Inland. I sang with them one year when I had to stop Mountainside Master Chorale. Bruce Rogers was the best. He spoils you for other conductors because of his expertise and his friendliness and compassion. He made it fun to sing. I've already met two of the young men that were there. Brian Harkness was one and I've already forgotten the other's name. He wanted to know if I knew his dad when I sang with the IMC. I didn't.

I have an hour between classes to have my lunch and just enjoy the campus. I've been doing just that. I love the carolon (sp) bells that play at noon. There are lots of trees, grass and views of the valley below the Yucaipa Hills (Crafton Hills) I must look alittle strange...not just because of my age, there are very few there my age or even approaching it. I also pull my backpack. It is too heavy with all the books and it has wheels. I also have my little lunch pal, mini fridge. I'll probably stop carrying all my books and grab lunch at the Student Dining Hall...even though it didn't smell all that good...alittle greasy. I have time to leave the campus to a local coffee house "Grounds for Enjoyment"...about 10 mins. away but then I'd lose my parking spot. This is one of the things that hasn't chanced since I went to Cal-State L.A. Parking! Even though I bought the sticker, I have to endlessly cruise for a recently vacated spot...they go quiokly. So far I've had to park in the remote lots and walk. I don't mind the walks. Of course there is also the beautiful, young "scenery"...so many of the co-eds have such a "sense of fashion"...if you know what I mean. Ah youth! I have interacted or conversed with no one yet. None seems to need "fatherly" or "Grandfatherly" advice...other than..."get more clothes on please"...and I wouldn't want to say that. Wait 'til it turns cooler. Bob!

1 Comments:

At 8:25 AM, Blogger BOB! Your Life Preserver said...

Got to thinking...Jr.College for me was '57-'59, Sr. College to '61. Masters to '71 then spotty graduate work and a supplementary credential in the '80's Real Estate in the late '90's and early '00's Now back to Jr. College to take up what I missed and enjoy it more. Bob!

 

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