Well, it’s been a busy week (as ever) in the world of the musical, trainee teacher-y, Vimto enthusiast world this week..
I endured my 4th of 8 mandatory teaching observations last Thursday, meaning I’m now at the halfway point (well, for those anyway) of my year as a trainee teacher. If I’m honest…OK, brutally honest, I can’t wait for it to end. That’s not so much a reflection on the experiences I’ve had so far because both positive and negative they’ve already taught me a hell of a lot, but I’m so eager and yearning now to make the step up into a full-time role. Juggling the workload and expectations of university and those of the college at which I’m placed has been a real challenge, not assisted at all by the somewhat widely different expectations and operations of both institutions. There have been times when both of these places have asked for things that the other either does not practice, or has not even been aware of.. Not only that, but my finances this year have been more than a burden, as my subject doesn’t qualify for any sort of bursary, and Student Finance hardly provided anything that might be of significant use to me (particularly after I paid my car insurance with it too..), so I’m aching to actually be able to afford to do things again and have a more defined role in life instead of playing what feels like a constant balancing act.
On a more positive note, on Sunday night I dropped by Manchester with my bandmate Marcus to catch up with an up-coming band from Guildford called ‘Midgar’, only to find ourselves sat in a venue which (unbeknown to us) had doubled booked our chosen music for the night with a charity Funk fundraising event..(which is exactly as weird as it sounds). After somewhat embarrassingly making our excuses, donating to the charity to avoid looking like a pair of neglectful scroungers, and picking up on a rumour that they’d been relocated to another venue just up the road, we headed up there to discover they (along with another band) had been told they wouldn’t be playing at venue #2 now either.
I’ve also been playing a horrendous amount of guitar this week in an effort to really make a push at improving my skills and experimenting by writing more material, both of which have been brushed aside a little by the intensive teacher training regime. Once again though I’ve found myself getting so far, before I start searching for an effect or idea that my current equipment is unable to provide. Maybe I should browse Amazon for some effects pedals or something…oh yeh that’s right, finances =/ It’s not so much that my budget would be stretched by buying more equipment (as if I don’t have enough already), more obliterated and scattered across the sky in tiny pieces of what would then be my overdraft after I deduct my token gesture rent to my parents, petrol money and the brief dribble of cash that’s left.. which I have solemnly promised myself will not be touched under any circumstances. Note to self: no more equipment. Nonetheless, the extra practice time has been great. I’ve written a lot of ideas, played around with a lot of settings I’ve neglected of late, and also found a really great effects pedal… so the countdown to Easter begins…ha! Aside from that too meeting my bandmates and playing again has been more of a de-stress and more fun that I could possibly describe. It’s been great to re-connect with what is essentially the biggest part of me again.
So what’s the plan for the week? Well tonight is Tuesday, so I’ve three days of placement ahead until what appears like another busy weekend. Should I be able to stretch my finances a little bit I’m off to
That'll do I think, I've already spent too much time writing this and avoiding the pile of work next to me, and I can smell food downstairs which is making me hungry. I'm off to go raid the kitchen.
'Soldiering on..'
Sandlefish
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