I am often in awe of the number of people God has given me to love, especially in and around Houghton. Of course, I know I'm supposed to love everyone. But some people it's easier than others, you know?
One person I'm not always so committed to loving: Percy Aldridge Grainger. We're spending a lot of time together, and my feelings for him are as sporadic as his feelings on everything--sometimes I read a quote from him that swells in my heart or resonates deep in my music ed soul... and other times I find him frivilous and eccentric, tempermental, indecisive. He was an odd duck. Alas, he promises to be the majority of my spring break--though I will of course be cheating on him with Ferdinand David and Fernand Oubradous... maybe some Orifici for good measure? And there is always the possibility of Mozart....

What is it in a musician that drives them to become so overcommitted? Dear Houghton College: Please restrict ensemble participation. What? You can't fill all your ensembles without overtaxing your students? Well, I'm sure that's a great way to increase enrollment. I know you get upset when you bring tour groups through and there are clusters of us napping, paper-writing or making coffee in the hallways, I know you want us to do those things in our dorm rooms, but quite frankly--most of us have forgotten where they are! Please, let us out more often. Music majors deserve breaks, too!