A Reason to Love Decorah

Another reason why I decided to stay in Decorah for college became clear to me last night. The fourth Sunday of every month hosts T-Bock's (a bar and grill downtown) Open Stage Night. It is an open mic performance in which anyone can perform - music, comedy, anything. So the band with which I have been playing was scheduled to play last night. We arrived to find that the emcee and organizer of the performance was a no-show. This also meant that there was no sound equipment for the musicians who had arrived to perform. After multiple failed attempts to contact the fella in charge, we gave up on him. 

 

People still wanted to perform and share what they had been preparing, so everyone came together and tried to figure something out. We pieced together a list of what sound equipment individuals had and/or were able to get a hold of. After a few different set-ups and changes, we had a full sound system with four microphones and several instrument inputs. It was just as good, if not better, than the typical system that is provided.

 

It was not so much the fact that people had equipment that we all could use, but rather the collaborative effort that went into maintaining a community event that would have otherwise not taken place. All the musicians and performers decided that, rather than give up and forfeit the event, we would use everyone's talents and contributions to have a fantastic performance.

 

The music that followed was great, and everyone had a little more invested in the performance, which made it even more enjoyable. I ended up running the sound system, and playing the last act of the night. Our set was so much fun to play; I absolutely love playing with my band mates. It was the four of us (vocals, guitar, mandolin, bass, and banjo) and another friend playing washboard and tambourine. 

 

It was a fantastic night, not just because it was graced with good music and company, but also because it showed me something very impressive and heartwarming about the community in which I live. It is truly a wonderful place to be.

 

I hope you are all well. Come visit Decorah sometime and you will see what I mean.

 

Peace,

Collin

Congratulations America

First off, I want to congratulate the US on choosing Barack Obama as 44th President. What a day.

 

I won't get too much into politics since that is not the purpose of this blog but more so because I could go on forever, and that probably would not be a great idea.

 

Let's examine life with a sharper focus. This is the news at Luther:

 

This past weekend held the annual Brandt Open Mic Bar (BOMB). It is sponsored by Brandt Hall Resident Assistants and Luther College Wellness. It was a fantastic open mic show with free "mocktails" all night. It is mind blowing to go to this sort of event because of all the musicians and performers that come out of the woodwork. I was incredibly impressed with the lineup this year, and had a great time. There were a few acts during which I could not stop smiling because of the quality. Some of my friends performed, and it was fun because it was not a setting in which I know them. These are people I live with or know from class or campus activities, and it is sometimes a surprise that they have such talent on stage.

 

Speaking of performances, I will be having a nice little experience of my own next weekend. A bar and grill downtown hosts a monthly "Open Stage Night" and the bluegrass band that I've been playing with is scheduled to make an appearance. We had a jam session on Friday night, which is always a blast and I think we are going to have some fun tunes to perform.

 

We are nearing the end of J-term already, which is pretty unbelievable. This is my last full week at the high school for my observation period. I think it will be good to start something new again, I am always a fan of semester changes. I am also looking forward to seeing some of my friends again who have been gone for the month on off-campus excursions, abroad and otherwise.

 

So that is mostly what I have for you today. It's been a tiring day, I'm still struggling with the high school schedule, so you will have to forgive me for that. I hope I am finding you all in good health and spirits, and enjoy the week.

 

Peace,

Collin

The Other Side of the Desk

Hello everyone. I'm back to give you a little insight on my J-term experience.

 

It all began this past summer. I was riding my bike to work one day and thought to myself, for some odd reason, "Maybe I should be a teacher." It was quite a long bike ride, so I had a lot of time to think it through. I decided that elementary and middle school were not right for me because I wanted to be able to discuss more advanced topics in the field of biology. I was also hesitant to take the college/university professor route because of all the school I would have to go through. So I temporarily concluded that I was destined to be a high school biology teacher.

 

Now, this kind of made sense. I have several teachers in my family, and admire each one of them for what they do. I like the idea of having summers free to use how I please, and I also think that it would be very rewarding to have a positive influence on young minds. As I think back to some of my best teachers, I can recognize what influence they had on me. If I could offer that inspiration or support to someone else, I think I would have some sense of purpose or satisfaction in life.

 

So this is where I am at. I am currently exploring the idea of becoming a teacher further by taking the required first course in the Education department at Luther. It is an off-campus observation period in which I am thrown into a classroom and given whatever responsibility the teacher allows. I am currently at Decorah High School, the same exact high school from which I graduated a couple of years ago.

 

This is very convenient in some ways. For instance, I do not have to get up ridiculously early and drive an hour like some other students have to. Also, I am familiar with the school and how it is run. However, with this convenience comes much difficulty. It was stated that we must maintain a professional attitude while in the classroom. We are there as future teachers, and must separate ourselves from the students accordingly. For me, though, it can be difficult to maintain that boundary when I know many of the students in the school. They know me as Collin, not Mr. Thompson. They know things about my personal life and who I am outside of this professional setting. It is hard to balance the relationships I have had for years, for some, and this new obligation to be professional.

 

Along with that come other difficulties. I am having trouble getting really inspired by what I am experiencing. I am realizing the bland repetition that is required when teaching six sections of the same course. I am concerned that I would get burnt out by the end of the day and not be able to offer my full self to the students. There are several factors that contribute to this attitude, and I won't bore you with them, but this experience is serving its purpose. I came into it wanting to know whether or not teaching was something I could see myself doing years down the road. And although I am still not sold one way or the other, I am getting valuable information about what it means to be a teacher; what the struggles are, what a typical day consists of, and what the rewards are. I guess I will just have to see how I feel at the end of the month.

 

I hope this blog post finds you well and happy. I wish you warmth on these bitterly cold days. Remember, though, there is something to be said for each season.

 

Peace,

Collin

I'm back!

Wow, it has been a while since I last posted. I apologize for that, but it has been such a crazy time lately. First we had our winter break, and now I am trying to get in the swing of things for my new course during J-term.

 

Winter break was very nice. It meant the end of the fall semester, which in turn meant the temporary release from school-related responsibility. I did a bit of traveling; my family and I headed to Chicago to visit my mother's side of the family. These reunions are always exciting and action packed. I have a big and goofy family that is always sure to entertain. After that, we visited my father's side of the family in Moline, Illinois. Once again, this is always a treat. My grandmother is a firecracker. She always has something new up her sleeve and is still kicking hard at 94 years old.

 

Before I knew it, though, the break was over and I found myself starting a new course. The way January Term works is each student takes one course, which typically meets every day. These courses are usually the same workload as a full-semester course, but are a bit more compressed. This is also a time when a lot of students do off-campus studies. For example, I have friends who are living with the Maasai in Tanzania, attending several plays in England, and fighting off the cold in rustic huts in the Boundary Waters. I am doing a sort of off-campus study, but not exactly the same. I am currently observing at Decorah High School in the biology classroom. This is the first step of many in order to get an education major/minor, and eventually in becoming a teacher. This is something I have thought about for a while now, so I figured I would try it. It is too early to tell now if it is something I will still want to pursue after this month, but that is exactly what I am using it for. It is an exploration of the profession to determine if it is something I could see myself doing down the road. I'll get back to you about that later.

 

So there you have it; a recap of what has been going on in the life of Collin. Obviously it is not all inclusive, I've left out stories of snowboard trips, dogsitting, and seeing old friends. Maybe I can touch on that later. Have a fantastic week, and I will talk to you soon.

 

Peace,

Collin

Here We Go!

Oh my goodness, what a weekend. It was full of excitement and stress, quite a stimulating pair. I guess I will get the bad half out of the way first.

 

Finals have begun. I have tackled two of them already, and have one more today, and one more on Thursday. Studying has always been a challenge for me, but I have tried to work through it. A lot of time this weekend was devoted to working chemistry problems and discussing ethical theories. It was rather exhausting. However, with each test, the stress level has been released a little. After today, my stress will be gone. Thursday's final is my contact improvisation dance final, which means no studying. It is a two hour jam session, for which I already feel prepared. So as of 5:30 today, I will be feeling pretty darn good.

 

Now I'll get into the fun side of this weekend. On Friday night, a much anticipated event occurred. A bluegrass band called Pert Near Sandstone played at the Steyer Opera House in Decorah. They came last year and I had a blast. It is nitty gritty style bluegrass that is perfect for dancing. It was fantastic dancing and spending time with a few good people listening to wonderful music. I am hoping they will decide to come back again next year.

 

Another nice break from studying was on Saturday night. We've had a bit of snow lately, but I hadn't had the chance to take out my snowshoes. So on Saturday night, after several hours of studying, I went for a trek into the cold and the darkness. It is amazing how much of a release this type of activity can be. I just walked for a couple of hours, exploring the wilderness areas surrounding campus. I followed the river, met up with a group of deer, and stayed surprisingly warm. I felt refreshed afterwards, which was much needed.

 

So overall it was a pretty good weekend. After Thursday we will be on break and I am going to spend some quality time with my family. It should be good to get away for a while and come back to a new schedule and a new year. 

 

I hope all is well with each and every one of you. If I don't speak to you beforehand, happy holidays. I hope this season and the coming year are the best so far.

 

Peace,

Collin

So here we are; the home stretch. The last week before finals has arrived and tension is in the air. There is a lot to be done, including studying, final projects, and making up for any slack throughout the semester. I am doing my fair share of preparing, but it is little by little.

 

Last night was a fun night. A Fair Trade Fest was held in Marty's. For those of you unfamiliar with the campus, Marty's is a social hangout in the Union building where food is served and oftentimes music is performed. So last night I made my first appearance on campus as part of a bluegrass band with an ever-transforming name. More commonly known as Country Joe and the Ginger Kids, last night we were the Almost Barefoot Band. Country Joe was not able to make it, and one other fella was absent, so the group was abnormally small, which threw us off a little, but it was fun nonetheless. It had been a while since I last played in a band, so to get with a group of musicians again is a good feeling. However, in the past I always played the guitar, and this time I am styling a banjo. Laugh if you want, but a banjo is necessary for bluegrass and I love it.

 

These types of events remind me how incredible some of the students at Luther are. Some of the music that was played last night by my peers absolutely blew me away. There was some amazing traditional Celtic music and some jazz that got me moving. It is really amazing how all sorts of individuals come out of the woodwork to perform for us. It is something I really like about schools that have great music programs.

 

That's about all for now. I had better get studying. I hope all is well for you. Stay warm in this cold season.

 

Peace,

Collin

Back at it.

So here we are, back from yet another break from the regular Luther schedule and community where we head back to our lives before college. What a strange experience it is.

 

Being from Decorah, I run into my family every once in a while. It is surprisingly rare, however, which is a good thing, not because I don't love my family, but because it contributes to the college experience and the independence that comes with it. So it is a bit strange heading home for a period of time when I am so used to my life here at Luther. It is very nice to get away from the usual and sleep in a different (larger) bed. It is also very nice to eat some food that does not come from the cafeteria, usually it feels a bit more natural and there tends to be more variety for a vegetarian such as myself.

 

It is odd, however, how easily it seems to switch back and forth between two different lives, in a way. I had this familiarity with living at my parent's home all throughout my childhood, and now I have relocated myself to a new location (even though it is within walking distance of my childhood home). There is no hesitation to get back into the rhythm that exists at home: sleeping late, eating whenever I feel, and taking in the lack of responsibility. But then it feels entirely natural to come back to Luther and have things directly opposite. 

 

Enough about the strange double life we all seem to be living. Thanksgiving break was nice and peaceful. I passed the time with my family, immediate and otherwise. It was nice to have time to take a deep breath and just relax. However, we are now entering the busiest, most stressful time of the semester. Finals are just around the corner, and any slack from the students or professors must be crammed into these last few weeks. I will do my best to keep my head above water, though and everything should be fine.

 

I hope this new snow is not frustrating or upsetting to anyone, and I hope all of you are enjoying each day. Take care.

 

Peace,

Collin