Hackin' On

We're now in the last month of classes for the term. And I admit, I'm more stressed now than I've been...perhaps ever. Sorry if this thing has turned into a venue for bitching about stress. But, I gotta do it somehow. Luckily our workload has lessened in the last week so that we'll be able to give more focus to our three major written projects, and - as I've come to learn - an ethnographic dvd cataloging audio and video recordings that we haven't even done yet. How time will present itself to get this done, I have not a clue. But, oh well.

Went to a halloween/punkin-carving party last night with all the Tradies (Irish Trad Performance peeps). Of course, I found myself a cow costume to don. The night was loads of fun, and we even managed to carve some punkins as well.

The next week is going to be insane here! The band, Mozaik, which is comprised of some of the most famous and best of Irish musicians, is coming to UL to do a weeks worth of work with the performance and ethno students. Loads of workshops and performances by the band, then they're also coming into our class so we can pick their brain's for a while! Two of the musicians, Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine (Planxty, the Bothy Band, Sweeny's Men, Moving Hearts) are for lack of a better term, Gods, in Irish traditional music. Mozaik takes folk music from all over the world and puts them together to create their own brand of folk. Largely influenced by Irish, Bulgarian, Romanian, Greek, and whatever else they can use, they make some very interesting and technical music. I'm looking forward to learning from them. Also next week, noted ethnomusicologist Tim Cooley, will be here and in our class to give as a lecture on his new work focusing on music and affinity groups. In this specific case, music associated with Surf (as in surfing) culture. It should be really cool, as we've read a couple of his books so far this term and we'll have an opportunity to pick his brain a bit. Plus, we also have audio, photography, and video workshops mixed in every week till the end of term. Lots of cool stuff happening!!

I'm off to the library to wrap my head around some stuff! I can't wait for winter break so I can finally put some time into playing music!!

Cheers!