An Arch Nemesis?

So I took the quiz Dr. Copeland mentioned on his blog and here are my results:

the Idiot Savant
(43% dark, 52% spontaneous, 50% vulgar)
your humor style:VULGAR SPONTANEOUS LIGHTYou like things silly, immediate, and, above all, outrageous. Ixne on the subtle word play, more testicles on fire, please. People like you are the most likely to RECEIVE internet forwards--and also the most likely to save them in a special folder entitled 'HOLY SHIT'. Because it's so easily appreciated, and often a little physical, your sense of humor never ceases to amuse your friends. But most realize that there's a sly intelligence and a knowing wink to your tastes. Your sense of humor could be called 'anti-pretentious'--but ironically, that definitely indicates you're smarter than most. PEOPLE LIKE YOU: Johnny Knoxville - Jimmy Kimmel
My Polar Opposite: The wit
hahaha, we meet again, Dr. Copeland!
charles
(p.s. he's ahead of me by the way, he's already got the cool built in evil name, DOCTOR copeland)

The music of France

Yes, I know...two blogs in one day, I must be mental. I think it is this literary kick I am on. I finished the sixth Harry Potter Monday, (fantastic by the way), and now I'm all into reading and writing. How much can you say about singing in France, quite possibly the most enjoyable experience I've ever had, with the likelihood of anything in the near future coming close very slim. I felt as though the choir had finally spent enough time with the music. It felt like there was a point we reached where it was automatic, in a good way. The emotion, expression, technique and performance of the music could be at its highest level at any instant. The music we made while we were there is something I will remember and cherish always. I know people say performing is for your audience, but I would beg to differ. When we reached that level of performance, I didn't care about the audience. All I could see was Dr. Copeland, and all I could hear was the music. I think athletes call it "being in the zone." Everything else disappears. I hope this is a feeling we can re-create through my next two years here.
As for the negatives, I felt somewhat like the choir, myself first of all, was too excited and focused on simply getting into the finals. Granted, without MAKING the finals, there is not much to be excited. But, with all the energy and intensity bent on making the finals, it is hard to reach beyond that point again. Secondly, I remembered the other day how our time slot for the day of the finals was pushed up drastically, forcing us to inhale our food and be ready ten minutes after we arrived at the cafeteria. I think all of us were still not quite focused where we should have been, because all of us were planning on another couple of hours to find that place. Severe lack of communication on the competitions part in not relaying this message to us earlier. I feel as though this was a detriment to our performance in the finals of category I.
Back to the lighter side of things, France is a place I believe everyone should visit before they die, and a place I plan on visiting again, when I bring my own choir to an international competition. Ahh, something to look forward to...anyways, tonight, it's "Wedding Crashers" and I'm pumped. Thanks for stopping bye, be good.
charles

Life...As it were...

To all my nearest and dearest, those who know me and those who don't, friends, compatriots and loyal subjects, I bid you hello, and a sincere apology for my long absence from the blogging community. Time has been filled with time with others, time by myself, time in class, and time at work. My wonderful Delia is leaving in but a short while. What a devastating blow to the comfortable life that I lead. She is going to Jackson to help take care of her family. I know she doesn't want to go, and I don't want her to go, but maybe there will be some good that comes of this. I know that it is my responsibility to take care of her and help her through all of this as she goes through it. However, this touches on slightly different subject. Is it the man's responsibility to be strong for the woman and act as though he is not affected and that all will be okay, or is it better for the man to share his emotions and show the woman she is not alone in her malady? Just one of those questions I guess. Delia has been a prototypical girl in our relationship, in all good senses of the word, and I feel like I have counteracted her femininity with my masculinity. It has been fabulous, and quite interesting. Moving on....school starts in a few weeks, and I can honestly say I am excited. Not because my girlfriend will be leaving me, but because I will be that much closer to being a choir director. There are few things in my life that I have been as excited about before. Well, hopefully the elapsed time between this and my next post will be drastically reduced. Until then, bask in these golden days, and enjoy these golden times.
charles

France...a ma cherie

Well, I know it has been a while, but I think I have allowed France to percolate in my brain long enough. This was by far the most amazing, memorable and enjoyable experience of my life, easily. Every moment I can replay instantly in my head, it's like a movie. I love a quote I found from Ernest Hemingway, "If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go the rest of your life, it stays with you...For Paris is a moveable feast." And what a feast it was. The sights, sounds, smells and the ambience of being in a different world was electric. Delia and I are already making plans to live there someday in the future. This trip to Paris changed my life. It strengthened my already steadfast belief that I am finally doing what God intends for me to do with my life, music. I could not fathom the beauty and majesty of Notre Dame as we sang from the sanctuary steps, thinking that we were singing the same language and scripture that had been echoed throughout those halls for centuries before us. The immensity and grandeur of the Eiffel Tower. It was awe inspiring. I never knew it was so gigantic. I can remember every second of every day as if I am still there. I may have left Paris, but I don't believe Paris will ever leave me. This was one of those life experiences that make you who you are, and I can't express enough gratitude to Dr. Copeland for making it happen.
Charles
P.s. there will be more on the music making of the trip later

France

Wow, so hello blogging community, or should I say "Bonsoir!" Yes, we are all back from France, and I think most if not all are ready to go back, now that real life has set in. This trip was a trip of enlightenment for me. I was incredibly lucky to spend ten days in such a beautiful place with my Delia, so many others didn't have the same luck. We got to share everything together. (By the way, there's a lot in my head right now, so this blog is just sort of an outline, beggin your pardon). Secondly, this trip was validation and a realization for the UAB concert choir. I remember my first day in Chamber choir here, yes, dr. copeland, i was there, and the three years up until now have been incredible, the growth and maturation of the choir is uncanny. Third, I can not wait to be a choral director. it is such a beautiful dream come true to know exactly what I am going to be doing with my life, looking forward to it, and taking the necessary steps to accomplish that dream. i hope everyone i know or in college gets that same feeling eventually. Wow, I was so proud of the UAB concert choir, it was unbelievable, and i want to thank everyone involved for creating such an opportunity, especially Dr. Copeland, you are an incredible person, and I thank you for the support, brilliance and "je ne se cua" Thank you.
charles

That Saturday

Deep, but not real wide...anyways...
It being Easter weekend and all, or it having just passed, made me think about something. We celebrate Good Friday and Easter, but what about that Saturday? It is interesting to me what this day might have been like. We know that Friday afternoon was dark and miserable, but what might that Saturday have been like? Purgatory? A state of limbo on the way to Christ's resurrection. And if you look into it further still, how depressing and lonely it must have felt, for if Christ was fully man AND fully God, the thought that man had killed God is extremely frightening. A whole 24 hours where God was not in the world? Scary. Yes, God still WAS, but Christ WAS also FULLY GOD. Ohh well, it just makes me think about what that Saturday really was like. Until later
charles

well, some one had to do it...

so i (delia) have been studying physics all day at charles (b/c i would get distracted at home) and finally my head is about to bust open b/c i have crammed so much crap into it...so i decided to take a break (my first one since 4, its now 930) and blog, b/c thats what i do to help me release stress and tension...so i went to my blog page and then clicked on "get your own blog" b/c thats how i get to my dashboard (on my computer, right now im on charles's) and as the page was loading (b/c its dial up and takes more time than im used to) i thought, "i wonder if this will take me to a sign on page or directly to charles's dashboard" i really did not mean to just go here, honestly...but since i was here and it has been forever and a day since charles posted i decided to grace his blog with my thoughts (i saved this originnaly as a draft so he could choose to post it or not, im not completely evil)...but as charles's blog is generally thoughts deeper than i can usually fathom i am at a loss of what else to say, i already feel as if i have decreased the IQ of his blog significantly...so i will go now, back to my physics, leaving you with this quote "It is possible to store the mind with a million facts and still be entirely uneducated" Alec Bourne

"There are no antebellum homes in Latvia!"

What a great privilege having Dr. Jerry Jordan come to work with our choir this week. I feel as though a cycle in my life has been completed, from the days of first wanting to be in a choir in high school till now. My junior year in high school, and up until then intermittently, I was exposed to wonderful choral music via a cd entitled "Light and Live" by the Ole Miss Concert Singers. This music REALLY made me want to be in a choir like that in college, and only after some time did I find out about Dr. Jordan's being the conductor. When I found out about Dr. Copeland's time at Ole Miss and exposure to that level of excellence, I was ecstatic when I came to be in UAB's choir. And now, now that we have made a name for ourselves as the UAB Concert Choir, to have Dr. Jordan come work with us was a dream come true. It is funny to think that three or four years ago I was thinking wow, that would be awesome to be in that group, but it's even better now, knowing that we are our OWN choir, but still with those same influences. ANNNYways, as I sit in class, I felt like a sponge soaking up every word Dr. Jordan had to say to us. It was exciting sitting in the presence of genius like that, and it made me realize that that is NOT as an unusual experience as it may sound, we are so INCREDIBLY lucky to have Dr. Copeland working with us three days a week working to make us an incredible choir. I know the things we learned this week will help us all in the coming months to become better choral singers, and I know Dr. Copeland will use what we learned to its furthest extent. I also think maybe we'll understand Dr. Copeland a little better, I know a lot of us commented, "Now I know why Dr. Copeland is the way he is" ;) Anyways, thanks so much to Dr. Jordan, and I know we're ready to get back to work with Dr. Copeland....see ya next week
charles

Lux Aurumque

Today was the first day the choir began work on a brilliant piece of music by Eric Whitacre entitled, "Lux Aurumque." First of all, let me extend a deep, heartfelt thank you to Dr. Copeland for choosing this piece for our competition. I have loved this song the first time I heard it on a CD, when I heard one choir do it at Collegiate Choral Festival, and when I heard Mortimer Jordan perform it superbly at Christmas at the Alys. As we sang this song, I started to form a mental image, as happens with me during most of our songs that we work on. However, none have ever been this vivid that I recall. The piercing high notes, heavy, thick, full chords and the beautiful Latin language all intertwined to present to me a perfect scene: Heaven at Night. I know we all think of Heaven probably as a beautiful sunlit place with shimmering floors and towering ivory ceilings, but what about when it's nighttime? Many people think night is even more beautiful than day here on Earth, so wouldn't you imagine that night in Heaven would be that much better? Can't you see and feel the warm darkness enveloping you in safety and sleep when you listen to that song? This song describes this scene so well to me, that it makes me think, if I could spend one night in heaven, it would be worth a thousand lifetimes. Even myself, who is sometimes afraid of the quiet darkness, when I listen to this song, it makes me feel as though everyone is either sitting reflectively or lying in their beds, and God and his angels are walking around, checking with everyone, just peeking in. It's everyone's alone time of reflection in heaven at this time of night, and the angels are singing their lullabies. Believe it or not, I got this image of this song, and felt and sensed all of these things, before I even read the translation of the words, something to the effect of, "Light, pure and heavy as pure gold, and the angels sing to the newborn baby," that's all I can remember of it. But maybe it could give you something to think about when we work on this piece next time. Until next time, just think, it's nighttime in heaven sometime.
charles

(Not) In a Hurry to Grow Up

"You can't take life too seriously, otherwise, you might never get out alive." These are the words of the brilliant, at times disgusting, Van Wilder. The more this year has progressed, I have discovered that being a grown up is a lot of hard work, and I am not sure that I am ready for that. I'm sure most of you out there are thinking, "yeah, you're certainly not showing any signs of growing up," and that's fair. But it's just that, as I am exposed to more adult situations, and involved in more serious decisions, I see why becoming an adult is such a long, continual process. I guess what I'm trying get across is that I don't see why people are in such a hurry to be grown up and be out of school and out on there own and then having to be the ones that are making the decisions for another human being. I feel like we are all where we should be, and when the day comes for us to be the decision makers in the world, we will be ready. I guess, in a way, I'm a little nervous about being an adult. After being a child for the better part of, eh hem, 20 years, it is going to be a big change. Well, I've rambled on about how much I suffer from peter pan syndrome, my real point is, we shouldn't be in a hurry to grow up, it will come soon enough, all we can do is try our best to ready when it does happen. until then, I'll keep thinking good thoughts and trying to fly....
charles

Taking Risks....on sour milk?

I will open this blog by saying that writing it is taking a risk itself. I'm hoping that the muses will look down upon me and shine down their inspiration....still waiting...
okay, anyways.
The other day I was struck with a great idea for a blog similar to what I am writing now, but I can't EXACTLY remember what it was. I was at Delia's, and about to enjoy a delicious bowl of cereal when I noticed the expiration date was the day before. Now ordinarily, this does not deter my enjoyment of the milk, but Delia's amazement, and I believe disgust at the fact that I drink EXPIRED milk made me think twice. I drank the milk with the cereal and enjoyed it thoroughly, but it sent me into a series of thoughts on the expiration date of milk. Where does this date come from? I know it is stamped onto the battle at the factory, but why is it THAT day? Why not the day before? I don't think there are certain cows that give longer lasting milk than others. Do the cows tell those milking them what day it will be when this milk goes bad? And, if so, how can we trust these cows? What if they are mad cows? I don't think this would bother me quite so much, except for the finality of the expiration date. It does not say on the bottle, "Around Jan 15," or "Appx. Jan 15", it says JAN 15 arrogantly and unwaveringly, as if to say, HAHAHA, it's a race against time, you can bake bread and eat cereal all day, but you'll STILL have to throw me out. So I guess my drinking milk after the expiration day, is, in my own way, a way to fightback against those cows and the milk cartons. I refuse to give in to their tyranny, and only hope one day that I don't tip up the jug for a long chug, and end up eating cottage cheese. Until next time,
Milk...it does a body good (for two weeks).

The Importance of Being Silent

Over these past few days, I have now more than ever learned the importance of being silent. Being in the field of study that I am, music, there is not much time allowed for silence. Whether it be classes such as concert choir, chamber choir or opera, or private rehearsal for voice or just listening to music in the car, I find myself rarely, if ever, listening to absolute silence. However, with so many things going on during our Madrigal Feaste, I realize that silence is part of what makes music, and life enjoyable, and bearable.
Being silent, in my opinion, can be a necessity, or an easy way to heighten an emotional experience. With the twenty-one people on stage during madrigal feast, there was rarely a question asked when at least 10 people didn't answer. People don't understand the fact that you don't HAVE to say anything if a question is irrelevant to you. The thing that really, for lack of a better word, irritated me, was the fact that when a question was asked with a specific answer in mind, people would blurt things out that were completely unrelated. Completely. If you are not silent at least part of the time, then you are speaking ALL the time, and nobody is that intelligent or interesting I'm sorry to say. Oh well, so much for silence as a necessity.
Also, I have found that silence can be a tool used for increasing an experience or making you more aware of the sounds in your life. As I was standing on the balcony with my girlfriend Delia, it was so quiet and still looking out over Birmingham, it was an extreme moment of clarity and reflection. It allowed me to enjoy the sights, smells, and sensations all around me. Silence can be beautiful, if you only listen.
One composer perhaps got it right when he wrote his, "3'44", I don't remember the composer, but the concept behind this piece is incredible. A man sits at his piano for three minutes and forty four seconds, absolutely silent, so as to make the audience aware of their breating, heartbeat, and all the other sounds that are a part of the "silence." Incredible. This man truly understood the importance and beauty of being silent.

"It is better to be silent and to have someone think you a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."
-Abraham Lincoln
p.s. happy six months delia!!

On a Lighter Note....

At long last, the tyrannical rule is over!! The peasants of all the land rejoice as the evil dictator has been toppled!! The 75 day long occupation of my TV has been ended. Let it be known from the highest peaks to the lowest valleys that the brutal, relentless, brilliant Mr. Jennings has been deposed! The Land of Jeopardy shall have a new champion!

Mediocrity

Does this word frighten anyone else as it does myself? In closing of my last post, I said "Be Special," and I know that everyone has aspirations of being acceptional. But does anyone's drive for success come not only from a desire to accomplish but from a fear of being average? To me, mediocrity is unacceptable, and inevitably precedes anonymity. I aspire to greatness, and though this may seem hard to believe, it is none the less, true. A mediocre life is one that has nothing to show for itself, one that has been satisfied with a bare minimum, and with "scraping by." This willingness to settle is hard for me to comprehend. I have seen the wonderful people in my life, and the greatness that not only have the achieved, but I have caught a glimpse of what they will achieve in the future. To me, being average is easy. It requires no great talent, no dedication, no hard work or sacrifice. In a way, mediocrity is non-existence. Well, I think I've been inspired enough for one night. It's time for bed. Remember....Exist, aspire to greatness.
chalres

"Find the Miraculous in the Common Place"

I am very curious as to whether anyone who might read this blog could tell me who wrote these words over a hundred years ago.
My junior year of high school, I wrote a research paper on Ralph Waldo Emerson and found these inspiring words in one of his essays. All this to introduce my first personal blog.

I am a content person. For the past year or so, things have been steadily getting better and better, and I feel this is due in large part to my new found faith in God, and subsequent affirmations of his existence. It worries me when people say that "Miracles don't exist or happen," or, "I don't believe in miracles." While it may be true that waters have not been parted, or someone has not been physically raised from the dead in thousands of years, it is my strong belief that miracles happen every day, and are much more commonplace than people want to or can believe. Take today for example, I had a test that I had not prepared for and would not have done well on, and, even though it was my fault that I was not better prepared, the test was postponed until Friday. A miracle. Finding out that a class is canceled, a spiritual moment in choir (personally speaking), and getting two cokes for the price of one (that happened yesterday), these are all miracles that I think people grossly overlook. It is these "small" miracles that make a life worth living. Whether you hold any of the same convictions I hold or not, I do hope that you realize that there are forces in the world stronger and bigger than you, and for some reason, some times, these forces work for you and create miracles all the time that people are so desperately looking for, but are blind to the fact that they are staring them in the face. Well, so much for the first meditation, hopefully I might have peaked your interest for a while and gotten you to think seriously for a bit. I know it doesn't seem like I do very much, but hopefully this blog will open a side of me to every one out there. Thanks so much, and remember....If everyone is special, that means no one is. Be Special.
Charles