sir_quirky_k (![[info]](http://www.iziblog.net/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} sir_quirky_k) wrote,@ 2007-09-03 23:50:00 |
Return to Southampton: 27 days to go
Last week was spent at the uni, writing two rather rubbish essays to facilitate transfer to Econ/Pol. So long as I've passed, I'm fine, and people seem to be able to pass essays written in continuous overnight shifts on alcohol and caffeine, so there really shouldn't be a problem.
Now, there's a few things to consider regarding activities other than the degree.
Firstly, locked in are the following:
* Clarinet and piano lessons, with my current teachers; there is someone else I can immediately turn to for the former if necessary (which it may be).
* Voice lessons, with a to-be-confirmed new teacher; if it is not Darren (who said at the end of last year he was not certain he could continue his teaching commitments but would be interested in teaching me if possible) then a substantial and potentially complex search for Gemma's replacement will begin, probably with the help ofmiss_bluesky (Oh.) who is more able to spot a bad teacher than I am.
* The gym. I'm targeting an increase in muscle mass of 5kg by April 2008, but would also like to improve cardiovascular fitness (for reasons not unrelated to already-mentioned activities) and coordination.
* The creative writing society. I came across some of my best friends - interestingly, including no fewer than three female geeks - at this society, and it is a great place to unwind. Assuming it's held in a suitable location, which for much of last year it wasn't. And lawks, do I ever need a suitable place...
* Surge. And there is still a non-zero chance of commentating on Division II games...
Other possibilities:
* SU Singers, one of the three choirs and one of the two choral societies at Southampton. (The other is a large unauditioned philharmonic choir, with some of its members - read, mostly the music students - forming a chamber choir, and these come under one societal banner.) Unauditioned, yet only 25 members, and that's ideal. They sing seemingly anything and everything, both classical and contemporary, and that's great too. I'm still rather nervous about choral singing, but this is certainly the best opportunity I can think of for trying. If it goes well; they're open to musical suggestions, and I suspect I may be interpreting that one as a composition opportunity if I can find a capable choral arranger and the group themselves like the idea...
* Debating Society. I think I'm going to have to stay with that for another year, if only for what it helps me with: diction, current affairs, handling arguments. However, I have no intention of competing in inter-varsity contests, and that puts me in the smallest minority in the group. Smaller even than the group of teetotallers, which number at least four including myself... Furthermore, things can and do get heated enough to be upsetting.
* Possibly pilates again, and/or yoga. See also; coordination, the gym.
* The musical theatre group. In retrospect, a non-trivial amount of my frustration at the audition last year was because I went straight there from watching Barbara's game. (Warning: this could be the worst commentary in Bother's Bar history.) One year on, my voice is probably more equipped for musical theatre in any event; the unauditioned Winter Revue may be the limit of my aspirations in honesty, though. Relatedly, there's a group that specialises in light opera, and has an unauditioned chorus; that's also an option. Second week of October is Performing Arts Week, and that'll be the time to try things out.
* Attempts to reignite the concept of a chamber-pop group for which I would write and sing, joined by an arranger, a female vocalist, a pianist and players of a few orchestral instruments (violin, cello and clarinet on their own may suffice). Now that would be fun.
Still trying to decide what's viable, and also upon more goals for the year.
*
Last week was spent at the uni, writing two rather rubbish essays to facilitate transfer to Econ/Pol. So long as I've passed, I'm fine, and people seem to be able to pass essays written in continuous overnight shifts on alcohol and caffeine, so there really shouldn't be a problem.
Now, there's a few things to consider regarding activities other than the degree.
Firstly, locked in are the following:
* Clarinet and piano lessons, with my current teachers; there is someone else I can immediately turn to for the former if necessary (which it may be).
* Voice lessons, with a to-be-confirmed new teacher; if it is not Darren (who said at the end of last year he was not certain he could continue his teaching commitments but would be interested in teaching me if possible) then a substantial and potentially complex search for Gemma's replacement will begin, probably with the help of
miss_bluesky (Oh.) who is more able to spot a bad teacher than I am.* The gym. I'm targeting an increase in muscle mass of 5kg by April 2008, but would also like to improve cardiovascular fitness (for reasons not unrelated to already-mentioned activities) and coordination.
* The creative writing society. I came across some of my best friends - interestingly, including no fewer than three female geeks - at this society, and it is a great place to unwind. Assuming it's held in a suitable location, which for much of last year it wasn't. And lawks, do I ever need a suitable place...
* Surge. And there is still a non-zero chance of commentating on Division II games...
Other possibilities:
* SU Singers, one of the three choirs and one of the two choral societies at Southampton. (The other is a large unauditioned philharmonic choir, with some of its members - read, mostly the music students - forming a chamber choir, and these come under one societal banner.) Unauditioned, yet only 25 members, and that's ideal. They sing seemingly anything and everything, both classical and contemporary, and that's great too. I'm still rather nervous about choral singing, but this is certainly the best opportunity I can think of for trying. If it goes well; they're open to musical suggestions, and I suspect I may be interpreting that one as a composition opportunity if I can find a capable choral arranger and the group themselves like the idea...
* Debating Society. I think I'm going to have to stay with that for another year, if only for what it helps me with: diction, current affairs, handling arguments. However, I have no intention of competing in inter-varsity contests, and that puts me in the smallest minority in the group. Smaller even than the group of teetotallers, which number at least four including myself... Furthermore, things can and do get heated enough to be upsetting.
* Possibly pilates again, and/or yoga. See also; coordination, the gym.
* The musical theatre group. In retrospect, a non-trivial amount of my frustration at the audition last year was because I went straight there from watching Barbara's game. (Warning: this could be the worst commentary in Bother's Bar history.) One year on, my voice is probably more equipped for musical theatre in any event; the unauditioned Winter Revue may be the limit of my aspirations in honesty, though. Relatedly, there's a group that specialises in light opera, and has an unauditioned chorus; that's also an option. Second week of October is Performing Arts Week, and that'll be the time to try things out.
* Attempts to reignite the concept of a chamber-pop group for which I would write and sing, joined by an arranger, a female vocalist, a pianist and players of a few orchestral instruments (violin, cello and clarinet on their own may suffice). Now that would be fun.
Still trying to decide what's viable, and also upon more goals for the year.
*
