Tablets

              Technology is constantly evolving and school computers have to keep up with the technology change.  Tablets are a new thing with schools and some people like them and others don’t.  I personally don’t like our school’s tablets because it is a lot easier using a computer and a mouse to get stuff done, but I do like them because I can use a stylist and write on a virtual homework assignment instead of using so much paper.  It all depends on the type of person you are. 
                A table can be a hassle because if you want to use a keyboard with it, it takes time to set up and sometimes it doesn’t even work.  What about the whole battery situation?  Most computers are constantly plugged in so students don’t have to worry about running low on battery and having to plug in their computer.  With tablets I find myself constantly checking the bottom screen to see how much battery percentage I have left.  It would be bad if my tablet shutdown on me because of a low battery and then my work wouldn’t be saved.       
                What about the whole touch screen situation?  Some people naturally have larger fingers than others and it is hard to click on a certain thing if your finger covers at lot more things than just that individual icon.  There is the option of the stylist, which is very handy.  I love my stylist because it allows to actually write on a program as if I was using a pencil and if I needed to erase what I just wrote, all I would have to do is use the tip of the other end of the stylist like a normal pencil and erase.  There is also the nasty part of having sticky fingers when eating and using a computer or tablet and getting the screen all smudgy or if using a computer the mouse and keyboard would get yucky.  To avoid that situation with both things of technology, I would say just stay away from eating while using them.  Eating can always wait for later and could be a distraction if multitasking. 
                Tablets are portable.  It is so much easier having tablets in a class room than having the class go to a computer lab.  Tablets don’t have to have connection cords and can be transported anywhere.  Computers on the other hand have a lot more accessories that could be troublesome when trying to relocate.
                There are normally plug-ins if a person decided to have a mouse with their table or a keyboard, it just depends on how much a person is willing to spend on a wireless keyboard or extra add-ons.
                As I have been writing this post I have realized that tablets are in reality very efficient and possibly even better than a computer.  I guess it all depends on what each person prefers.  I read this page about the pros and cons and I could say that it evens up between computers and tablets.  Eventually computers will just be a thing of the past and tablets will take over. 

Cell Phone Cubby

                We have all had those teachers who are strict about cell phones.  In my school it is a school wide policy that cell phones not be used in class, but many teachers are pretty lenient and don’t really care as long as the students are getting their work done.  I have had some teachers who absolutely don’t allow cell phones in class and who go crazy if they see a phone.  It is out of common respect that students don’t use a phone during class though, so I can see why teachers are upset about students using their phones. 
                I have had one teacher go as far as investing in a cubby sorting system with drawers in his desk that would hold each student’s phone during class.  When you walk in the phone would be put in his desk and then at the end of the class period he would call each student’s number and the student would go and retrieve their phone.  Phones then would not be a distraction and people didn’t have to worry about putting their phone in a dish at the front of the room and having someone steal it at the end of the class period.  The only bad thing about the cubby system was that it took time away from learning.  It would take a whole class period to explain the system and then each day after that it would take ten to fifteen minutes to hand back phones.  I find that to be a waste of time, but I guess it has come down to that because so many students are being disrespectful of the teacher and using their phone in class.  By using your phone in class it is indicating to the teacher that they are wasting your time and that a phone matters more than an education.  Now I get that some people need their phone in case of an emergency, but if someone really needs to get a hold of you they can contact the school and have a call setup to the student. 
                I also have a teacher who has a goal of collecting 100 phones each year.  If a phone goes off in class or he finds a student using their phone, he will collect it till the end of the day.  Strike one is that you can’t pick it up till the end of the day when he is available.  Strike two is that your parents have to come in and pick up the phone when he is available.  Strike three is that the student is dropped out of class.  It should never come down to strike three, but if it does that student has shown the teacher that it is a waste of time being in his class because he or she has better things to do on their phone, so that student would then be dropped out of class so the teacher doesn’t have to waste his time teaching that student.  I love this teacher’s policy because I agree that it is rude to use a phone in class and if a student thinks that their phone is more important than they obviously shouldn’t even be in his class.
                What about those teachers who answer the phones that ring during class? I haven’t yet witnessed an incident like that, but I have heard of people who have had that happen to them.  Just remember students, the teachers are making an effort to teach you and you should make an effort to listen and learn.  Put your phone on silent and leave it there until the end of class.  In the olden days people didn’t have cell phones and they still survived one hour without having to use one.  It makes our generation look pathetic for being attached to a phone, don’t live up to the stereotype that young adults/teenagers need their phones to live.  We are so much better than that.  Also, don’t be disrespectful to teachers by using your phone during class.  It isn’t necessary. 

READER and SCHOOL

                 I am changing by blog topic to school and wanted to make sure it was okay with my readers.  If you have any comments or concerns about this please leave a comment and I will consider revision.  Sorry for the inconvenience.   School is a fun subject to talk about and is a lot easier to blog about because I am currently a student and have a lot of experience with school compared to not having as much experience as a chef when writing about food.  I hope you enjoy this new topic and I can’t wait to begin the discussions.

Doggy Bag Please

                A doggy bag in this case is not what you would put your dog's poop in when you're out on a walk.  No, it is also not a bag that you stuff you dog in.  Bags are not meant to have dogs in them!  This doggy bag is referred to a take-out bag or box for leftovers when you are out to eat.  If you have never had a take-out box, then maybe you are eating all of the food on your plate (which isn't always the best idea).  Doggy bags are a wonderful thing.  A lot of times the leftover food on your plate would be thrown away in the garbage and wasted, but with a doggy bag you can take home the leftovers and have it to eat for the next day or days after that.  STOP WASTING FOOD PEOPLE! USE A DOGGY BAG! 
                If you have never heard of the term “doggy bag” then maybe you are too young or people around you use a different local language.  A tip for using a doggy bag is to not put it in the microwave and have it be the source that holds your food when heating, unless it says microwave safe.  For your information, in case you have forgotten, a doggy bag is just a general term and most likely your food would be put into a styrofoam box, cardboard box or plastic box.  So if you want to heat your food in the microwave, the best thing to do is transfer the food to a microwave safe container and warm it up that way.
                What would you put in your “doggy bag”?  Some leftovers are just meant to stay in the fridge and never be eaten because they aren’t pleasing to the eye when warmed up or they just have an unpleasant taste.  Hint: A lot of food that is being warmed up can turn out soggy.  It all depends on how picky of an eater you are.  If you are a person who would eat anything, sure, go ahead and load up that doggy bag with leftovers.  But, if you are like me and most other people, try not to put things that would get deformed when heated back up.  Nachos for example can become really soggy when reheated, that can be good or bad, just depends on if you like hard chips or wet ones.
                If you are saving leftovers, consider these safety tips.  Doggy bags are a wonderful thing, meant for leftovers not dogs.

Shopping When Hungry

               It is always dangerous to go shopping when you are hungry.  It's like everything in the store will be put in your shopping cart because you think you need it when in reality you don't.  Have you ever noticed that when you are shopping when hungry, the things that you buy tend to be unhealthier than the things that you would usually buy at a store when you aren't hungry?  Well I have.  I also noticed that my food bill can be as most as three times more expensive than before. 
              This study was really fascinating and proved that a person shouldn’t go shopping after not eating for a while.  One of the possible reasons for this is that in evolutionary times after a long fast it was essential for people to find a high calorie food item for more energy.  I would agree with this reasoning and say that a person wouldn't want to eat or buy something light if they are hungry and need more energy. 
                    Just a tip, don’t go shopping when you’re hungry.  It is best to go shopping right after eating because you will be full and not feel like you need unnecessary food.

Cereal

             How do you like your cereal?  People have many different preferences on how they like their cereal.  I personally like my cereal with white milk, in a large bowl, and having it sit for a minute so the cereal isn’t soggy, but it also isn’t too crunchy.  It also depends on what kind of cereal I am eating.  Frosted Shredded Mini Wheats is an awesome and a tasty cereal.  I normally like to coat the frosting side in milk and then eat it, just so it’s softer and not so hard.  On the other hand, with fruit loops I like to dip them all in milk and immediately eat them because they aren’t tasty when soggy.   
                I have many friends who don’t even like to eat cereal with milk.  I feel like the flavor really comes out when milk is added though.  Do you drink your milk in the bowl when you’re done eating the cereal?  I don’t, but many people love that extra sugary milk.  I just don’t like having the leftover cereal pieces sneak in my mouth when I drink the milk and then choke because of an unexpected cereal chunk. 
                 What about chocolate milk?  Some people only eat cereal if it has chocolate milk with it.  How bizarre is that?  I don’t like cereal with chocolate milk because I think that would be way too sugary and I would only be able to taste the chocolate milk instead of the flavor of the cereal.
                Have you ever heard of the cereal straws or flavored straws?  The cereal straws would be used in milk and then you can eat the straw as you’re drinking.  The flavored straws have chocolate or other flavors in them and they are edible.  It would be for when you’re on the go or you just are too lazy to pick up a spoon and eat the cereal.  When I was little I had a couple different kinds.  If you haven’t tried them before I would suggest that you stop reading this blog and go to the store now to buy some.
                Soggy cereal is also like by some people.  If I wanted oatmeal I would eat oatmeal.  Cereal is crunchy for a reason and should stay at least partly crunchy and not like a soupy oatmeal mixture.  I guess some people just like nasty cereal. 
                Cereal is an amazing thing and brings me back to my childhood.  Have you noticed how much cereal you eat now compared to how much you ate when you were a kid?  I guess some people might eat more now, but most people don’t.  If you don’t have a box of cereal at your house for those lazy, cereal eating days, you should go and buy a box.  Cereal is even good for baking, so it’s always good to have some on hand.  When you are done eating the cereal though, make sure you reseal the bag or close it well.  No one wants to have stale cereal.  Enjoy your next bowl.

Apples

            "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away.”  This is an old saying believed to be true because apples were said to be good for the body.  Who doesn't love apples?  Meant to be human and animal food.  Did you know that there are more than 2500 different varieties of apples grown in the United States?  While people may only find about a dozen or less different types of apples in their local grocery store, there are many varieties harvested around the nation.  Apples are also significant in other countries.  Apples alone account for 50 percent of international deciduous fruit tree production.  The major apple producers around the world are China, the United States, Turkey, Poland, and Italy.  This goes to show that it’s not only America that likes apples (this was a reference back to the common saying that America is known for its apple pies).       
          Apples are said to be healthy because they contain no fat, sodium, or cholesterol!  It’s almost like eating water.  Well, not really, but they are still very healthy.  There are so many things that a person can make with apples.  There is apple pie, apple cobbler, apple juice, applesauce, apple bars, apple cheesecake, apple muffins, apple pork chops, and so much more.  Not only are apples good for baking, but there are also useful in health and beauty.  Apples can improve lung health because they contain phytochemicals that lessen the suffering from allergies and asthma.  Apples can also help get rid of migraines because the smell of green apples helps ease the pain and shorten the time.  Did you know that apples also help tomatoes ripen faster when they are together?  Instead of having a tomato take forever to ripen on your counter, just place some apples around it and the time it takes is a lot less than before.
                Apples are an amazing kind of fruit and often taken for granted.  With all of the possible things that a person can do with apples, it is always a good idea to keep some on hand.  Think about this post the next time you eat an apple.
                Here is some more apple facts and fun.  Some of the information was also found on this site and by previous knowledge. 

 

Sam's Club Samples

                There are different stores in many cities that sell in bulk and offer free samples on certain days of the week.  A local store in my city is called Sam’s Club and while it may require you to purchase a membership of about 35 dollars a year, it is worth the cost to be able to save money by buying in bulk and also having the opportunity to try different foods.  Having the chance to sample the products that they sell, it actually helps the store because if people like the sample they are more likely to buy the product.  On Sunday is normally when Sam’s offers samples to customers.  If you go there it can almost be like eating a whole meal.  There are normally several samples of eat different course for supper.  They even have stands for people to try fruit juice or different types of water drinks. 
                The samples are normally so tasty that you want to go back for more, but please don’t.  One sample per person otherwise it makes you look greedy.  That’s why it helps to have a large family shopping day.  If each person in your family takes a sample and they don’t want to try it, they can just hand it off to another person and it would make it seem like a person is taking advantage of the free samples. 
                Trying new food is very important in having a happy life.  Do you ever just go into your pantry and can’t find anything to eat?  Well, most of the time there is something to eat in your pantry, but it’s the fact that it is the same boring food that you eat all the time.  Trying new foods and having a large variety of food is always beneficial because you never get bored eating new food.  The sampling at Sam’s allows people to try something new while not having to purchase a whole product and determine that you don’t like it after eating it for the first time at home.  Sampling is sampling for a reason, it is not wasting food, but rather trying it to determine if it should be added to the collect of food in your pantry or other food storage place (freezer or fridge).

Healthy Breakfast

                Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.  It gives your body energy to start a new day and is linked to many health benefits like weight control and improved performance.  While many people have different ideas about what to eat for breakfast, it is always a good idea to eat a healthy and balanced breakfast.  If you eat a healthy meal to start your day off, it is likely that you will choose healthier meals throughout the rest of the day.  A healthy breakfast would not include eating a doughnut or other fatty foods.  An example of a healthy breakfast would include a variety of fruits, cereal, eggs, or even toast.  With so many different breakfast choices, there is an endless variety of meals to get through the week. 
                Being a busy person, it is hard to get a balanced breakfast in the morning.  My breakfast would include a can of pop.  That is all that I have time for in the morning when I am on the go.  It should not be an excuse that you don’t have time to eat breakfast, but many people including me use it so often.  What about the excuse of not eating breakfast because you’re not hungry?  I also use that one a lot.  Even if you aren’t hungry, it is important to at least some fruit or something that would be able to tie you over until lunch or a mid-morning snack.   It would only take an extra five minutes at the most in the morning to eat breakfast. 
                Breakfast literally means breaking the fast.  While it may seem that as people get older they sleep less, sleeping for people still normally occurs for eight or more hours each day.  The younger and older people of each generation normally always get more sleep which would mean more time between eating food.  Breakfast would then provide a great wake-up for those people because they haven’t eaten in a while and need a way to boost their morning.  Breakfast doesn’t always have to be breakfast food.  Have you ever heard of someone not liking breakfast food? Well if you haven’t yet, you will hear it now.  I personally don’t like most breakfast foods.  The smells of eggs and bacon in the morning makes me feel nauseous and a lot times I would rather just eat fruit or even leftovers from the night before.   Even just eating something healthy and nutritious is more beneficial than eating nothing. 
                Breakfast has been and will always be the most important meal of the day (unless scientists can prove otherwise in the future.)  It doesn’t take too much time to make, shouldn’t cost a lot, and unless you’re an extremely slow eater, it shouldn’t take too much time out of your busy day.  Make it your goal to eat a balanced breakfast each day and see the results of feeling more awake and ready to start the day.

Foie Gras

                I had never even heard of foie gras until my AP LA teacher told me about it and said that it might be interesting to blog about.  Foie gras is made from the liver of a duck or goose that has been fattened.  In many places and especially in France, foie gras is made from the liver of goose or duck that has been fattened by force-feeding through a feeding tube.  It is considered inhumane and in many countries that process has been banned or laws have been set to regulate how it is done.  Foie gras dates as far back as 2500 BC, when ancient Egyptians force-fed their birds to fatten them up for eating. 
                I looked up an interesting radio episode online and if you have time to listen to it, please do.  It talks all about foie gras and what a person in Spain did to naturally make foie gras.  Eduardo Sousa said to make foie gras naturally, you have to make the bird feel as if it is free and you can’t feed personally feed them.  A goose will instinctively eat a lot when it senses that winter is coming and that will fatten it up.  Eduardo Sousa uses that instinct to his advantage and the geese eat a lot by themselves and all he has to do it butcher them when they are ready.  A reporter noticed how massive the birds were and he tried the foie gras and said it was the best thing ever and saying that it was the best foie gras he has ever tried would just cheapen how it actually tasted.  With that comment it was obvious that the foie gras was incredibly good.  The chef also didn’t add any salt or pepper to add flavor because the goose liver didn’t need it.  The geese had been grazing in several different fields of food and one of them was mustard seed that provided excellent flavor naturally.  It was like Eduardo Sousa was the chef in the field who was cultivating the geese to taste like what they ate and all the chef in the kitchen had to do was cook it. 
                I still would never like to try goose or duck liver because it doesn’t sound appealing to me, but I like that there is now a natural and bird-safe way to make it.  While it may seem that we don’t and shouldn’t care what happens to the animals that we eat when they are being prepared to be eaten, it always makes a difference to know that the animal was treated well and enjoyed their life before being turned into the delicious food that they were meant to be.

Private Lesson Teachers

            Private lesson teachers are costly, but effective.   To become better in music, it is almost necessary to invest in it.  Private lesson teachers are like coaches that keep track of how much you do and what you need to do to improve in music.  While it may seem like a waste of time (which sometimes it can be), it is needed to for even the best musicians that want to become better. 
            Private lesson teachers hold you accountable and can tell if you have practiced or not, they are like a weight scale when someone is on a diet.  If you step on the scale and the number goes up, the results would show that you haven’t truly put much effort into it.  It you step on the scale and the number goes down, it would show improvement and that practice or in this case exercise has been used to help a person get better.
            Private lesson teachers can be like your best friends and always chatty about the latest gossip during a lesson or they can be strict and always focused on music during the lesson.  I prefer in-between, but that type of person is hard to find.  Private lesson teachers can seem to be the most critical on you, but they are paid to tell you what you need to do to improve.  The truth can hurt sometimes, but often it is needed.  For a person to be a private lesson teacher, they would have to be musically qualified and better than the person they are teaching (otherwise both people are clueless).  Private lesson teachers can also encourage and support a person when they are going to do a competition or a performance. 
           During practice they may ask you to play scales, solos, or individual warm-ups.  A lesson is only as good as the person who is paying for it makes it to be.  If no time is put in between lessons, then the lesson would only focus on a particular thing until it gets better, and it would take more time for the lesson to progress onto other things.  Private lesson teachers are amazing and help each individual person become a better player.  It is definitely worth the investment and time.

Just Dance

                Just Dance is a fun game to play by yourself or with friends.  With many different types of Just Dance, there are plenty of songs to choose from that each person will like.  Just Dance is similar to Zumba, but is focused more on having fun and dancing to popular songs, rather than dancing just for exercise.  There is an option of Just Sweat that can be considered an exercise program that calculates how much a person sweats and the amount of calories burned.  On the screen there is normally an animated person showing the dance moves and a bar on the bottom that shows the type of move before the person does it. 
                Just Dance can be competitive and just like any other game, there are points to be earned and things to be unlocked.  Depending on how well a person does during a song, points would be added up and contribute to the overall level that a person is on.  The better a person does, the more points they get.  If a person doesn’t do the dance move correctly or at all, the person would get an x for that move.  If they do the move the next grading would be based on how well it was performed. There is ok, good, and then PERFECT.
                Just Dance can have up to four players competing with each other.  It can depend on the gaming system and the song that is being played for how many players can actually do it.  With the Wii, a person would hold the controller and dance with it for the gaming system to register how well they performed.  I have Just Dance on the Wii and can honestly say that it is easy to cheat on it.  With the Wii remote only in a person’s hand, the device wouldn’t be able to register if a person is moving the whole body the dance move or not.  I also have Just Dance for the Xbox 360 Kinect and it is hard to cheat on it.  The device has an actual camera that register the dance move and can see if the move is being completely done correctly.  Both ways are fun, the only thing that really matters is winning while dancing and singing.  There are also lyrics displayed in the lower left hand corner and if a person chooses to, they can sing and dance along to the song which is always fun. 
                Just Dance is just another great music device that allows people to compete with each other while listening to music and dancing.  With so many different songs, there are endless hours of fun and laughing with friends.  I would highly recommend that anyone and everyone try it.  For more background information on Just Dance, click on the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_Dance_(video_game)

Headphones

               Headphones can be necessary for listening to music while in a place occupied by other people.  There are several different types of headphones meant for different types of listening and different people.  When purchasing a set of headphones, a person would want to consider how comfortable they would be and how the style would fit the individual person.  Headphones can vary greatly in price depending on the brand and the style or form that the headphones make.  Beats by Dre can cost more than a hundred dollars just for one pair, while some headphones can cost as much as one dollar. 
                The headphones that aren’t connected from a bar going across the top of a person’s head are convenient when wanting to listen to something with a friend.  The person on the left would put in the right headphone and listen while the person on the right would put in the left headphone and listen.  Headphones that are connected with a bar going across the top of a person’s head are convenient when a person just wants to listen to something alone and not have too much outside noise sneak in.  There are also the headphones that have voice speakers in them for talking into when on the phone.  With so many different types of headphones, each type would fit a different person depending on how they decide to use them. 
                If you get headphones that go inside the ear, they can be hard plastic that just stay in the opening of the ear or there can be the squishy rubber that can be more comfortable and inserted deeper in the ear.  Some people have sensitive ears and don’t like having things go inside them, so it all depends on what works best for you.  Some headphone can even curl around the ear and create less stress on the inner ear. 
                While headphones may be convenient when wanting to listen to music and not disturb other people, they can also be harmful because it would be up close sound going directly into the ear that could cause damage.  Along with causing damage, the headphones can get disgusting if they are not cleaned or if a person does not clean their ears.  Earwax can cling to the headphones and be spread from person to person if the headphones are shared and not cleaned regularly after each use. 
                Headphones are essential and needed by every music lover on the go.  They provide music to each person individually while not upsetting other people around them by playing certain music (unless of course the person is playing it so loud that the people around them can hear it also). 

Music and Stress

            To some people, music can be a stress reliever and a great way to relax, but to others it just causes more stress.  To the music players it can be enjoyable to play an instrument for fun, but when competition comes or the music is significant, it can be hectic and  a contributor to more stress.  Being stressed out because of music is not fun because it takes away the freedom and enjoyment that music provides people.  Playing music can make people get lost in the moment and forget about all of the struggles in the world, music provides entertainment and entertainment should help relax people. 

            People normally stress out about music because there is an important event or because there is something more that needs to be done.  A thing to consider would be the people producing music and everyone involved in the process of making music happen.  Music for those people can be extremely stressful because there is an expectation that has to be met, but when the expectation is met and everything is done, the stress is relieved and music once again relaxes people. 

            Watching a person get lost in the moment by playing music is amazing.  Most people sway back and forth and many play like music lives inside of them.  From experience I can say that playing music is a way of life and when a piece of music is mastered it is an accomplishment that is a great stress reliever. 
            Listening and dancing to music can also be a stress reliever because lyrics speak to each person and can bring a person back to simpler times by distracting them from current thoughts.  There is the music that instantly brings a smile to a persons’ face because of a memory that is tied to the music, and smiling is naturally a common stress reliever by releasing endorphins and hormones that make a person feel better. 
            Music is just an amazing thing and can both beneficial and harmful.  Please leave any comments below and share how music relieves or causes stress for you.

Clinicians

                Clinicians can be helpful and annoying at the same time.  Clinicians usually come into a musical group or even a sport to provide insight on what they think needs to be improved and ways that they can be better.  In band, clinicians are critical for how good a band is.  If a director is the only one that hears the band, then he or she might not know how to make it better.  Clinicians are usually paid because their service was needed and their help was prominent in making the group better than it was before. 
                During a clinic, the clinician initially hears or sees what the band or group has to offer.  Then after that, the real stuff happens. The clinician gets picky and it can be the most repetitive and exhausting practice ever.  At the end though, the results are worth all the work. 
                Clinicians are like the grandparents in the family.  The students are the children who are doing the activity.   The parents would then be the band directors that need help and consulting from the grandparents.  The clinicians are wise and for the most part know what they are talking about.  Clinicians normally aren’t appreciated by the students and are taken advantage of.  I have realized how important they are and how much better a group is if they have clinicians come in and provide tips on making the group better.  A big thank you goes out to all the clinicians out there that make teams and groups better.

Jazz Band

                Jazz band can be fun, but is very difficult compared to full band practice.  First off, there are way less people in jazz band compared to a normal size band (normal size is 30+).  Some people may consider that a positive thing because a smaller group could make for a more effective rehearsal, but I consider it to be stressful because there is more time to focus on individual people rather than a section at a time.  For a normal jazz band, there is one person covering each part.  Example would be that there would be one trombone one, one trombone two, and one trombone three part.  Each person in the band would then have to play out and make sure that their sound is blended in the group.  With that being said, that is one reason why there aren’t as many people in jazz band.  There also aren’t as many people in jazz band because not all instruments are considered to be jazz instruments.  The different instruments also depend on the type of jazz that is being played. Below is a link of the types of jazz instruments expected to be in a jazz band. 
http://www.easystreetband.org/typical-jazz-instruments.htm
                Of course there can always be added instruments and added parts in jazz, but sometimes adding more parts just covers up the harmony of the original parts in a song.  I am currently in jazz band and have been for several years now.  Just recently my jazz band added three flutes to the ensemble.  I don’t agree with this decision, but my band director wants to give everyone an opportunity at jazz.  Surprisingly enough there were flute parts, but none of the parts include the melody because flutes aren’t normally thought to be a jazz instrument.  Rarely in a jazz performance have I seen a flute player, and when I did it was only for a little solo part and that was all that they played. Being a brass player, I already didn’t like screechy woodwinds, but having flutes in my jazz band just adds to my distaste of woodwinds.
                The style of jazz is also very different compared to full band music.  There are many different styles of jazz that can change the way a note is played.  For me, that is the hardest part about jazz band.  A quarter note in full band is not a quarter note in jazz band.  The notes can be held longer or shorter for more emphasis and there are many different ways to play a song.  For more information regarding jazz and its history, please click on the link below.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jazz
                In jazz music the main styles are rock, swing, and the blues.  All are played a different way and create a diverse atmosphere.  With jazz there is also improvisation.  The blues scale is normally used in improvisation and different rhythms go along with each song.  Improvisation is playing notes that aren’t prepared or written down.  Many people struggle with improvisation because playing random notes and rhythms at the top of the heads’ is difficult and requires creativity and freedom.  Many people worry about playing the wrong rhythm in improvising, but really there is no wrong rhythm because whoever is improvising is making it up as they go along.  There can be really wrong notes though, that is why people need to stick to the blues scale.  The blues scale is just a scale of notes that can match a song, and not be in the wrong key.  Even playing the blues scale note by note can be considered improvisation, if a person wasn’t experienced and didn’t want to mess up on notes and rhythms.  Improvisation can be the scariest thing, but not everyone is meant to be perfect at improvising.  Jazz is a wonderful type of music and isn’t as popular as it used to be, but still has a lasting effect in music today.

Music can be Harmful

              While music is a wonderful thing to listen too, it can be harmful at extreme volumes.  It can also be rather annoying if it is the music that you don’t like and other people are playing it really loud and making a scene.
                Have you ever had an ear ache after listening to music for so long or by listening to music that was way too loud?  Hearing loss can occur after a one time exposure to extreme volume or it can be resulted from listening to music a high volumes over a longer period of time.  If you have a smartphone, a common feature is volume safety when listening to music with headphones or earbuds.  When turning up the music to a louder volume that can cause safety concerns, a message pops up with a warning about listening to music at this volume can cause hearing loss and other possible health conditions.  While many people ignore that little message and continue to turn up the volume, I would advise that next time you do that, think of the possible hearing loss that you will be causing in the future.
                Many older people have to wear a hearing aid because of hearing loss.  Although listening to music a loud volumes may not be the only cause, it is still a contributing factor.  Ear protection is encouraged when there is a planned loud event (gun firing or tractor pulls).  As I have been to both, I would highly recommend each person to invest in a good pair of ear plugs because the volume produced by those events is so loud that sometimes ear plugs still let in the loud volume. 
                Not only is loud music harmful, it can also be obnoxious and annoying.  Going to a party with loud music may be fun, but what about talking to your friends?  A person has to scream in their friends’ ear if they even want to be heard.  Music is wonderful at a safe volume and it is important to protect your ears from possible harmful sounds.  Please consider this blog post the next time you listen to music or anything that may end the possibility of having good hearing at an older age.
                Below this is a link that scientifically discusses what causes hearing loss and the type of frequency at which things are normally heard. 
 http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/noise-induced-hearing-loss/

Death of Michael Jackson

            With the death of many famous musicians, Michael Jackson’s death will never be forgotten. As a young kid I had no idea who he was until I heard that he died and then everything about him went public and was always on the news. Musicians make a great contribution to society and many people love and become attached to musicians or other famous people.
            Michael Jackson was an amazing artist and singer, but many people remember him by his skin color.  Michael Jackson was born African American and later in life he had an appearance of a Caucasian person.  There were and are still many rumors about what happened to his skin and whether or not he purposely did it to himself.  Just like any other musician, their personal life is put out so the public can see it and criticize it. 
            Michael Jackson started his career out as being part of the Jackson 5 and he later broke off from the group and become an award-winning solo pop singer.  His career ended when he suddenly died in 2009. On June 25, 2009, Michael Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication after suffering cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angles. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said he found Jackson in his room, not breathing and with a weak pulse. A call was placed to the police and paramedics arrived at the scene and later on Michael Jackson was pronounced dead at the Ronal Reagan UCLA Medical Center. The Los Angeles County Coroner concluded that his death was a homicide and Michael Jackson’s personal physician was convicted on involuntary manslaughter in 2011 and served a two-year prison sentence. Jackson’s death triggered an outpouring of grief around the U.S. and the rest of the world. It caused the selling of his music and songs from the Jackson 5 to increase dramatically. A public memorial service for Michael Jackson was held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The service was broadcasted live around the world and Jackson’s death ranked number one on VH1/VH1 Classic’s list of 100 Most Shocking Moments in Music.
            It is amazing to have one person make such a dent in music history.  Just like a family being separated from a relative, the nation lost a treasured person who will never be forgotten.  For more information and a biography about Michael Jackson, please click on the link below.
http://www.biography.com/#!/people/michael-jackson-38211#synopsis 

Music in Stores

                I am not talking about the music that is being sold in stores, but the music that is being played in stores while customers shop.  Music is also normally being played when a person goes into any building that is providing a service to people.
                Music is selected to be played in a store by the type of audience that shops there and the type of products being sold.  It would be weird if the blues was being played in a store that was selling clothing to young teenagers that would prefer to listen to pop music.  Why is it that stores play music?  I often ask myself that and never truly understand why.  It could be to entertain the workers and keep them awake so they don’t fall asleep on the job, or it could be to entertain the customers and provide a warming environment that would encourage them to buy more stuff.
                I came to more conclusions and did some research online and found out that background music being played in a store can cause several different customer reactions.  Louder music (loud enough to be heard, but not ear-piercing loud) causes customers to go through a supermarket faster and doesn’t reduce the amount of product being sold.  I personally have never noticed that, but I also don’t pay too much attention to the volume of music.  Low-tempo music causes customers to mover slower, which in return causes them to buy more products.  Also the style of music affect the quality of product being bought.  Classical music versus pop music at a wine store leads customers to buy more expensive products and increases the volume of product being sold.
                Music seems to always make time go by faster and by playing music when callers are on hold, it has been proven that is it more likely for the customer to stay on hold longer before hanging up.  I would definitely agree with this because I would much rather listen to music than hear a static sound or no sound on the other line.
                Pasted below is a link that discusses an experiment that was done to prove that the style of music affects what is being bought and how much of a product is being purchased.  A study was done over the type of music in a wine store.  It was French versus German music and if French music was being played, then French wine would be bought and vice versa.
http://www.acrwebsite.org/search/view-conference-proceedings.aspx?Id=7467

Zumba

         Let’s get ready to ZUMBA!  Zumba is a fun dancing program that combines music and dance to create a vigorous workout.  While Zumba may seem a bit intimidating at first because of all the different dance moves, it is really fun once you learn what to do and find a style of dance that fits you.  Zumba is so much fun that you don’t even realize that it is actual exercise.  It is dancing to the beat and energizes each person who does it. 
          Zumba has different styles of dance that make up different programs.  A common dance type is Latin based and it is very upbeat.  I prefer the Pop music style because it includes songs that I know and can sing along to.  The dance moves that a person learns from Zumba can be applied to regular dancing and make a person more active when they are not specifically doing Zumba, but when they are listening to music and dancing.  Ricardo Marmite, a representative of Zumba, said “It is not a dance class, it is a party! No one is judging you by your dance abilities, just have fun and feel the music.”  He is correct in saying that; Zumba is not a dance competition, it is meant to be fun and get people to dance to the music.
          Many people are curious about how people know how to dance to the songs, but through repetition, memorizing the dance moves becomes easy.  There is always a person who is leading the group in a class or demonstrating the dance moves if it was to be done individually in a home through a CD.  Dancing gets easier the more you do it and the more into it a person gets.  Dancing with Zumba is fun because the music is in sync with the dance moves and it creates a fun musical experience. 
         Zumba is made into many forms.  Zumba can be purchased at a store through a gaming device, done in a class, or even watched through a DVD.  I currently have Zumba for the XBOX 360 and enjoy it.  While there are many different programs for Zumba, they all give the benefit of making a person feel more toned and invigorated.
        To find out more about Zumba, click on the link below and it will take you directly to the official Zumba website that has information on classes and every other thing a person would want to know about Zumba.
http://www.zumba.com/en-US

Music with Exercise

                Listening to music while exercising is fun and motivational.  Exercising can be a hassle and boring, but listening to music while exercising helps pass the time and can push a person to have a more challenging work out.  Playing music while exercising can also help reduce outside noise, which allows a person to focus on what they’re doing.
                Each person prefers a different type of music to listen to while exercising.  Many people like listening to music that is energetic and has a fast beat, but some people prefer to listen to the music that they would normally listen to at any time of the day.  By asking several different opinions on the type of music that people like to listen to, I have not yet heard that people like listening to sad or depressing songs.  If someone was to listen to that music while exercising, I don’t think it would be encouraging or help a person work out. 
                I know from experience that time flies when listening to music.  It’s like getting lost in a song and then realizing that four minutes has just gone by.  Music provides a great distraction for people and listening to music can make people less aware of how tired and exerted they are.  Exercising can be annoying if you’re at a gym because there are all the sounds of people panting, feet running on treadmills, and the sound of machines going.  Inserting earbuds and zoning out the rest of the world (or gym in this case) is the best thing ever.  There is no more noise, and you can’t even hear yourself breathing heavily. 
                The fast paced music really makes a person want to work harder and keep going while exercising.  The rhythm in the music stimulates the brain and can assist in self-paced exercises.  The beat can help a person determine when to lift a weight or what pace a treadmill might be set at (when the foot hits the treadmill can be when the beat is in the music).  Music makes people want to move and can change the mood of a person while exercising.  If a person can choose the music that they like listening to, it can draw away the negative thoughts about exercising and can encourage a person to work their hardest. 
                Music is an amazing thing and there are so many benefits to listening to music while exercising.  Please consider listening to music the next time you exercise; it changes the whole experience of working out and brings a work out to the next level.

Sheet Music Application

                There are many applications for free on any electronic device, but the ones that are needed always cost too much money.  An application that all music oriented people need is a sheet music reader.  Being able to upload a file containing your sheet music would be extremely helpful because wherever you go, you would have easy access to it. 

                To all the technology people out there, please make an application that is free and can sight read sheet music.  I would if I could, but unfortunately I am not the technology savvy person that I wish I could be.  If I were to design the app, I would make it to where the phone or electronic device would take a picture of the music and then automatically have the application write in all of the counting and fingerings.  It would then be helpful to have the user choose which instrument to use and then have the application play back exactly what the sheet music is supposed to sound like.  I personally struggle with sight reading, so if I could hear the rhythm first and see the counting, it would make life and band a whole lot easier.  If I needed to, I would be willing to pay a couple dollars for an application like that, but free is always better. 

                There are applications out there that people can compose music and then the device would play back what the person has written in for music.  If I was really struggling with reading a certain line, I guess I could use an application like that and compose the music and then listen to it.  That process would take a lot longer and would just be a hassle. 

                Along with being able to have the music play for you, the music then would always be available to you wherever you and your device go.  While it may not be a good idea to carry around an instrument wherever you go, notes and rhythms can always be looked at.  Sometimes the best practice comes from just looking at the music, rather than playing it.  This occurs because after playing music for a while, a person’s hands and mouth become tired; so the quality of the practice may not be the best.   

                Having music on file in a device is always a good idea.  Some people lose music like crazy and having a backup location for your music would be a wise idea.  With technology these days, a person would just have to locate a printer and choose to print the music if it was lost.  No more coming to band unprepared, the music would never be lost. 

                Please leave a comment below if you know of an application that I am talking about.  I have researched a lot and have had no luck at finding my dream application that could benefit me in my music career.

Movements in Music

                Music is created by movement, and movement is commonly acted out by people.  To make music a common thing to do is use an instrument.  Common instruments used in band today can be played by using keys or valves.  There are of course percussion instruments that use mallets and other tools, but a common thing that all instruments require is movement. 
                Whether it is movement of someone’s finger, movement by hands, or possibly movement by breathing, all require concentration and controlled muscular movement by people.  Hand and eye coordination are very important when playing a musical instrument because a person has to be able to look at music and play what is seen at the same time. 
                Each key or valve when pressed down can play a different note and with that different octaves can also be played by pressing down another key or adjusting the position of a person’s lips on the mouthpiece.  There are many different movements involved when playing an instrument and many movements are just second nature to an average band kid.  The tapping of a foot to keep tempo, the inhaling of air to breathe into the instrument, the movement of hands and fingers to play a note, and the movement of a person’s eyes to look at the music and at the director.  It is all part of a complex system that many people take advantage of.  All of these wonderful movements helped create the music that many people listen to today.
                While playing a note happens by several movements combined, switching to a different note adds another movement.  To create crisp notes, a person would need to use air to cut off the note or use their tongue.  By tonging a note it ends it and can lead to another note and help with accenting and different styles of playing.  Moving your lips can also create different styles of playing and helps with vibrato.  Vibrato is when a note changes in pitch and it can help produce a stronger or richer tone.  Vibrato is usually played when there is a longer note and is can be achieved by moving your lips in and out of the mouthpiece slightly for a brass instrument or another way is moving your jaw if you play a woodwind instrument.  Vibrato normally needs to be practiced to fully get the richer sound and can take getting used to.  Each movement creates something new in music.

Failing an Audition

                While most people don’t think about the negative things involving music, there are many downsides that music has.  Music isn’t all bad, but sometimes it can make a person feel terrible.  Those depressing songs that make a person want to cry is an example.  Why was music created to make a person feel sad, music is supposed to be uplifting and music is meant for people to enjoy?  What about the auditions and many failures that a person experiences in their music career?  Those events can be very negative things that music has to offer.  Music is just another mystery in life that can be viewed positively and negatively.
                Failing an audition is terrible and can be heartbreaking.  All the time that a person took to prepare for the audition is wasted and feeling that a person isn’t good enough to make it in is even worse.  While failing an audition might be terrible, there are always good things that come from an audition.  Each audition helps a person have more confidence in playing in front of other people.  Musically, each person is better because of the experience of preparing for an audition and doing an audition.  While not getting accepted for an audition may feel life ending, it really isn’t. 
                While attending an audition, my experience was different compared to other people doing the same thing.  Each person has a different experience.  Some may have a wonderful experience because they were accepted, or felt comfortable in doing the audition because they were well prepared.  Other people may have a horrible experience because they weren’t accepted and they maybe weren’t as prepared so the whole experience was nerve-racking.  Tears are normally always shed during an audition.  A person may cry because they are so proud of themselves and can’t believe that they did a good job, while others may cry because they didn’t make it in and all of the time that they spent on it is now wasted and can never be taken back. 
                Once again, failing an audition may be horrible, but there are benefits.  Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be and there was something better out there.  Auditions are only small milestones in a person’s life and are only as important as a person makes them to be.

Music Auditions

                Music auditions can be very stressful and time consuming.  To get into certain band programs or even having a band try and book a performance at an event, there are going to be auditions involved.  To get accepted is an honor and to not get accepted can be discouraging.  There are many different types of auditions and some can be done through recordings, on stage in front of an audience, or just in a room with a judge.  Many people prefer to do recordings because if they mess up, they can always re-record and perfect the audition.    

                Being a band member, I have done many auditions and have still not gotten used to playing for a score or being judged.  I have observed many people doing auditions and each person handles it differently.  I have seen many people shake and turn red in the face, some people have even fainted because they were so nervous.  There are a few people who don’t get nervous and I would consider those people to be lucky.  A common phrase is “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”  Auditions aren’t life or death situations and shouldn’t be worried about as if they were.  While auditions may determine a person’s future if they are involved in music for a career, they don’t always drastically change a person’s life if they are a high school or middle school band kid.

                Auditions normally consist of an etude, which is a piece of music that can be found challenging and showing how well a person can play.  Auditions become more complicated as a person moves up in music.  Some auditions require people to memorize scales, have solos, and do several etudes.  While that may sound scary, practice makes perfect and helps a person succeed in an audition. 

                There can also be written auditions for some honor bands and other programs.  It would be like a person submitting a resume for a job application.  The written audition would show all of the achievements a person has had in band and many details about the individual person.  Written auditions aren’t always effective because a person can have many achievements that are honorable for a school, but compared to many other people, they are just little accomplishments that don’t determine anything.  I speak from experience, looks can be one thing, but sound quality and ability of a person musically is another.  Auditions are tickets into many band opportunities and should be taken seriously, but at the same time shouldn’t make a person feel terrible inside.