StBA #13
Something to Blog About, Post #13: Be Talented!
Chantelle writes: Everyone has a talent, whether you were born with it, or it's still yet to be discovered. Share the finding and developing of your talent.
These are difficult to answer. I know it's supposed to be sharing about myself and writing about things as a jumping off point for blogging. Still, these weekly 'all about me!' posts kind of seem needy and show-offy in a way. It makes me uncomfortable to write about myself as the best thing in the world. Writing my personal statement for graduate school made my skin crawl. It's not like I'm going around shouting "I'm the best thing since sliced bread!" but sometimes it feels that way.
Maybe that's my talent or phobia: extreme aversion to talking about myself in any way that makes me appear better than I really am.
Or my talent could be: jack-of-all-trades but master-of-none. For example, I played a total of five instruments in band from elementary to high school (six if you count piano lessons on the side). Four of those were in the last 3 years. Granted, some of them were easy to switch between: I started with flute and when I got bored in sophomore year, I switched to alto saxophone. Sax and flute have the same fingerings (except for one note) and use the same clef. So that was simple and gave me the new experience I wanted. After we moved, I changed from flute to alto sax to tenor sax in the span of one school year. At the end of the year, I learned how to play the double bass from a graduating senior so I could take over that instrument the next year. Senior year I played double bass in band and electric bass in the jazz band.
So I can play a bunch of instruments. I picked up the flute a couple years ago to play a supporting part during one of Jake's school concerts and surprisingly remembered more than I thought I would! I haven't sat down at the keyboard to really play anything in a long time though. Most of the time when I'm home, Jake is also there and since he's the real music person in the household, I feel shy about playing around him. (He's upset about this, but it's true: he intimidates me!)
I did NYSSMA solos for instrument and voice throughout elementary and middle school and continued the vocal solos through high school. Apparently I was good enough to be admitted to the local Bi-County and Area All-State festivals. [Jake went to All-State his senior year and I traveled with his parents (whom I barely knew at the time) all the way to Eastman to see him perform. It was pretty damn awesome. I think he would have gone to All-Eastern if it had been held that year, but it was a bi-annual thing.]
Other (minor) talents I can think of: I can turn a cartwheel and round-off. I can make a blade of grass whistle although I can't whistle myself. I can memorize numbers, especially addresses, and remember them correctly several years later.
Chantelle writes: Everyone has a talent, whether you were born with it, or it's still yet to be discovered. Share the finding and developing of your talent.
These are difficult to answer. I know it's supposed to be sharing about myself and writing about things as a jumping off point for blogging. Still, these weekly 'all about me!' posts kind of seem needy and show-offy in a way. It makes me uncomfortable to write about myself as the best thing in the world. Writing my personal statement for graduate school made my skin crawl. It's not like I'm going around shouting "I'm the best thing since sliced bread!" but sometimes it feels that way.
Maybe that's my talent or phobia: extreme aversion to talking about myself in any way that makes me appear better than I really am.
Or my talent could be: jack-of-all-trades but master-of-none. For example, I played a total of five instruments in band from elementary to high school (six if you count piano lessons on the side). Four of those were in the last 3 years. Granted, some of them were easy to switch between: I started with flute and when I got bored in sophomore year, I switched to alto saxophone. Sax and flute have the same fingerings (except for one note) and use the same clef. So that was simple and gave me the new experience I wanted. After we moved, I changed from flute to alto sax to tenor sax in the span of one school year. At the end of the year, I learned how to play the double bass from a graduating senior so I could take over that instrument the next year. Senior year I played double bass in band and electric bass in the jazz band.
So I can play a bunch of instruments. I picked up the flute a couple years ago to play a supporting part during one of Jake's school concerts and surprisingly remembered more than I thought I would! I haven't sat down at the keyboard to really play anything in a long time though. Most of the time when I'm home, Jake is also there and since he's the real music person in the household, I feel shy about playing around him. (He's upset about this, but it's true: he intimidates me!)
I did NYSSMA solos for instrument and voice throughout elementary and middle school and continued the vocal solos through high school. Apparently I was good enough to be admitted to the local Bi-County and Area All-State festivals. [Jake went to All-State his senior year and I traveled with his parents (whom I barely knew at the time) all the way to Eastman to see him perform. It was pretty damn awesome. I think he would have gone to All-Eastern if it had been held that year, but it was a bi-annual thing.]
Other (minor) talents I can think of: I can turn a cartwheel and round-off. I can make a blade of grass whistle although I can't whistle myself. I can memorize numbers, especially addresses, and remember them correctly several years later.