It's in

After weeks of hard work, and the usual last-minute scrambling, I can safely say all of my Master's material are in...and I am EXHAUSTED. It's a good thing I don't have anything else going on, certainly nothing like a concerto tomorrow. How do I get myself into such predicaments?

1 Week...

...until my Master's Portfolio is due. The only part I have to add are the compositions, which consist of a brass quintet, song for baritone and mixed quartet, and a set of piano miniatures. My teacher has pushed me this week to progress my work, saying I'll be fine getting the marks for graduation, but he knows I can show a better consistency, effort, and push from cliche.

8 days until I perform the Putz concerto. 4 more rehearsals with it, so I really don't have much to worry about in that department.

4 1/3 months until my VISA expires. In that time, I need to apply for the International Graduate Scheme, allowing me to stay and find work.

Just made it to the Great Depression in the Zinn. It's quite fascinating to see how peoples born into a powerful position are able to manipulate a governmental system, then create a rhetoric which either lays the plight of the poor and lower classes on themselves, or deceptively aligns the policies to appear beneficial to everyone (of course, it's easier when the original system has been built by those in power). It's a good thing nothing like that happens in today's world.

Update

Here I am, back in merry ol' England. First on the docket of things to do:

1. Finish compositions (due at the end of the month; so far on time)
2. Practice my butt off to get chops for concerto performance (end of the month; so far so good)
3. Find a flat which will allow me to practice (a bit difficult, as they all think I should live in a detached house, which of course would far exceed my income capabilities)
4. Apply for the International Graduate Scheme, and look for a job.

Besides those tasks, I'm trying to keep up-to-date with the news, and organize my online communities. Catherine and I will occasionally read stories from Garrison Keillor's "Leaving Home", but I find it difficult to capture his nuance - which, believe me, adds so much to the story.

I'm currently engulfed in Howard Zinn's "A People's History of the United States" which is as fascinating as it is dense. I've just passed the Civil War, where I learned about the not-so-honest Abe (a flip-flopper?), as well as the plethora of black delegates elected to state houses. On every page I find a quote worth reading again, so I'm slowly plodding along.

Thank you to everyone who made Catherine and my trip to the US fun and enjoyable. We're both exhausted beyond compare now, but that's what the weekends are for!

A Sad Note to Come Back On...

Here ya go: