Continuing my series of thinking about arts in my life. My Sophomore year of High School, I was actually enrolled in band. We had two bands: Intermediate and Advanced. I was in the Intermediate Band. This was the year I learned that the only other clarinet player in the school was a Senior. I got to know her a little better that year, as the only other clarinet player.
Then again, she was out in front of everybody a lot that year. She was selected as Mother McAuley for the senior's Mercy Day play, she got the lead in Godspell, the Fall Musical. The school did that with an all-girl cast, it was cool. And she was the lead for Cinderella, the spring play. I was so in awe of her. We exchanged pictures towards the end of the year, she wrote a note asking me to take care of Mrs. Jensen the next year. I wish I could have done that.
Sophomores all took Speech class. We all had to do a certain number of speeches to start, but then we were allowed to look into the different categories and select one. One of the categories was extemporaneous speaking, and that appealed to me. There were two different sets of rules, depending on the type of competition. For both organizations, I selected the topic for the speech out of a hat, and then was given a set amount of time to prepare my speech. I also was allowed a defined size of paper for notes, something like one 3x5 note card.
Extemporaneous speaking was challenging, certainly. But it also meant that I wasn't spending hours of my time writing a paper so that I could present it as a speech. Since this was the year I took 2 math classes, those took up a lot of study time. I did go to a couple of competitions that year, and I was thinking of continuing it the next year, had we stayed in Omaha. I definitely think that what I learned from this style of speaking has helped me in my career.
I don't remember much about our Sophomore Assembly play. I'm sure I had a role somewhere, everyone did. I do remember our class songs. See, we wanted to pick the Cheers theme, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name." But the school wouldn't let us, because of the 2nd verse. They did say we could use part of this song *after* our Class Song, but we couldn't choose this as our primary song. So we found another, "We'll Never Say Goodbye."
So, on Glee, in Season 2 "Born This Way" when Kurt tells Blaine "I'll never say goodbye to you." It triggers this association. I can't remember how many times I sang it, practicing for the assembly, at the assembly, after the assembly. Even after we moved, I'd sing it occasionally to remember.
Then again, she was out in front of everybody a lot that year. She was selected as Mother McAuley for the senior's Mercy Day play, she got the lead in Godspell, the Fall Musical. The school did that with an all-girl cast, it was cool. And she was the lead for Cinderella, the spring play. I was so in awe of her. We exchanged pictures towards the end of the year, she wrote a note asking me to take care of Mrs. Jensen the next year. I wish I could have done that.
Sophomores all took Speech class. We all had to do a certain number of speeches to start, but then we were allowed to look into the different categories and select one. One of the categories was extemporaneous speaking, and that appealed to me. There were two different sets of rules, depending on the type of competition. For both organizations, I selected the topic for the speech out of a hat, and then was given a set amount of time to prepare my speech. I also was allowed a defined size of paper for notes, something like one 3x5 note card.
Extemporaneous speaking was challenging, certainly. But it also meant that I wasn't spending hours of my time writing a paper so that I could present it as a speech. Since this was the year I took 2 math classes, those took up a lot of study time. I did go to a couple of competitions that year, and I was thinking of continuing it the next year, had we stayed in Omaha. I definitely think that what I learned from this style of speaking has helped me in my career.
I don't remember much about our Sophomore Assembly play. I'm sure I had a role somewhere, everyone did. I do remember our class songs. See, we wanted to pick the Cheers theme, "Where Everybody Knows Your Name." But the school wouldn't let us, because of the 2nd verse. They did say we could use part of this song *after* our Class Song, but we couldn't choose this as our primary song. So we found another, "We'll Never Say Goodbye."
So, on Glee, in Season 2 "Born This Way" when Kurt tells Blaine "I'll never say goodbye to you." It triggers this association. I can't remember how many times I sang it, practicing for the assembly, at the assembly, after the assembly. Even after we moved, I'd sing it occasionally to remember.
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