celesteh – Page 72 – Les said, the better II

Statement of purpose — Wesleyan

When I was in high school, I had to decide between pursuing a career in computer programming or in professional tuba playing. On the advice of my tuba teacher, I chose computer science. In college, finished all the requirements for my major by my junior year, so I took music classes and got interested in composition. I graduated with two majors.

I started a professional career in computer programming, the plan I chose for economic reasons. It wasn’t long before I realized that studying computer science is interesting, but day-to-day programming is not. I had a hard time fitting in the culture of Silicon Valley. When I got laid off in 2001, I considered making a career change to music, but as a composer, rather than as a tuba player.

Last spring I attended the Composing a Career Conference sponsored by the Women’s Philharmonic. Almost everyone else there had a masters degree and the presenters all assumed they were speaking to a masters-level audience. Realizing I needed more education, I started looking into graduate programs. Yours caught my interest because of your faculty, especially Alvin Lucier whose music I greatly admire and who has been one of my influences.

In the spring of 2001, I collaborated on an installation in the Exploratorium (a hands-on science museum in San Francisco) based on Lucier’s piece I am Sitting in a Room. I’ve used similar decay loops, based on Lucier’s piece, for other pieces of music and will sometimes annoy my neighbors by setting up my computer to run such a delay loop until it finds the resonant frequency of the building and starts to shake the walls.

Lucier’s approaches to music are fascinating and appeal to my engineering background as well as my musical background. I know I could greatly professionally benefit by studying with him. I think my engineering and musical background is a good match.

I’ve heard many excellent things about your school. One of your alums, Judy Dunaway, encouraged me to apply. I hope you will consider me for your program.

Weak ending. Any feedback to this draft is highly encouraged. Too kiss-upy? Lucier is like a god or something, for real. When I did that thing at the Exploritorium, we also put contact micorphones on a bunch of the exhibits and amplified them. A guy on another project came by and ironically said, “Ah, so I see you’re a little influenced by Lucier.” The alum I mention was his personal assistant or something. I just sent her email today, since she told me to talk to her before applying.

I have blisters on my fingers that make it hard to type, but there’s ony 9 days keft till admission deadlines, so it won’t stop me from studying . . .

The 15 GRE Words of the Day

connoisseur (noun) an informed and astute judge in matters of taste; expert He sniffer the cork of the wine bottle with the self-assurance of a connoisseur
contentious (adjective) argumentative; quarrelsome; casuing controversy or disagreement Some of the elemtns of the book The Bell Curve are highly contentious
contrite (adjective) regretful; penitent; seeking forgiveness She gave the parole board and the victim’s family a contrite apology.
convention (noun) a generally agreed-upon practice or attitude Ancient Greek actors had a convention of wearing masks during plays.
convoluted (adjective) complex or complicated. Rube Goldberg was a cartoonist who drew convoluted machines (involving things like candles buring through ropes, mice chasing cheese, bowling balls, etc) for performing simple tasks
credulous (adjective) tending to believe too readily; gullible She was so credulous that she believed everything she read.
culpable (adjective) deserving blame The courts will find Ken Lay culpable
cynicism (noun) an attitude or quality of of beleif that all people are motivated by selfishness She noted, with cynicism, that celebrities don’t fund charities anonymously
dearth (noun) smallness of quantity or number; scarcity; a lack We suffered from the region’s dearth of peanut butter, and ate our sandwiches only with jelly
decorum (noun) polite or appropriate conduct or behavior After reading Miss Manners, I attempted to act with decorum
demur (verb) to question or oppose I suggested we go back to my place for some drinks, but the lady politely demurred.
derision (noun) scorn, ridicule, contemptuous treatment Originally, her idea to run a car on vegitable oil was met with derision, but now we run our car on soybean oil
desiccate (verb) to dry out or dehydrate; to make dry or dull Her edits fixed my grammer but also completely dessicated my document
diatribe (noun) a harsh denunciation Dr. Laura launched into yet another diatribe against one of her callers – the third or fourth such diatribe that hour
didactic (adjective) intended to teach or instruct Gerda Malaperis is a didactic text by Claude Piron. The story isn’t very good, but you do learn a lot of Esperanto.

Tiffany answers my reader’s mail:

I’ve gotten a lot of emails from people asking me about scurvy, so here’s what I’ve found:

When capillaries lose the “glue” that holds them together, symptoms of scurvy appear.

An affected person becomes weak and has joint pain. Internal hemorrhages cause black-and-blue marks to appear on the skin. At the first visible signs of scurvy, raised red spots appear on the skin around the hair follicles of the legs, buttocks, arms and back. When the tiny capillaries of the hair follicles hemorrhage, the hair-producing cells do not receive the nourishment needed for the hairs to grow normally. Consequently, the skin becomes flecked with small lesions that begin to appear on the body after about five months on a diet deficient in vitamin C. These lesions were the “spots” that James Lind observed on the skin of his sick men. Gums hemorrhage and their tissue becomes weak and spongy. Dentin, which lies below the enamel and is part of the root of teeth, breaks down. Teeth loosen and eating becomes difficult and painful.

http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/vitac.html

Christi has reported in her blog that I no longer answer the telephone. This is not entirely true. I don’t answer the phone in the mornings.
When I had the flu several months ago, I was reading Miss Manners books and I got to a chapter on the telephone. I thought she was going to talk about telephone manners, but instead she talked about telephone’s lack of manners. It’s a machine and you are free to ignore machines. And anyway, it often rings when you’re in th midst of something important, like dinner, or a bath or staring out the window and you don’t need to answer at those times. I felt freed. No longer did I need to be a lsave to the phone!
And what sort of messages come through the phone anyway? The governor never calls me to say, “we’ve decided to succeed from the union to form an eco-socialist-republic.” (Although Christi once got a call from President Bill Clitnon, back when she was a democrat, telling her to go vote. It was a recording on the answering machine. Too bad you can’t transfer your voive mail when you move.) No, it’s always your uncle saying your grandma had a heart attack or your grandma died or your mother has a brain tumor or somebody is dead. These messages are infrequent, but they’re bad. Worse than I can deal with before lunch.
Otherwise it’s you boss or somebody’s boss wanting to know where you or whoever is and could you do some more work. Or your credit card company is trying to sell you more stuff to get you deeper in debt so they can own your soul. Telemarketters, surveys, impersonal strangers calling up to part me with my money. This is a disease of capitalism. I reserve my afternoons to deal with diseases of capitalism.
My friends hardly ever call, probably becuase I hardly ever answer. But telephone conversations are awkward with long silences and it’s hard to read the other person’s reactions. Am I talking too much? Did that last joke hurt her feelings? How can I tell, it’s the telephone.
Telephones exist to carry terrible news and they’re excellent at that. The first telephone message was when good old what-his-name who invented the phone spilled acid on himself and needed his assistant to rush to his aid. This set a precedent. And it can wait till lunch time.

Ok, I have to write a statement of purpose for my applications. I have a book that adviss me of things to think about (it also advises me to start my application process 1.5 years ago. arg)

How you came to be interested in a field and why you think you are well suited to it.
apsects of you life that make you uniquely qualified to pursue study in a field
experiences or qualities that distinguish you from other applicants.

etc etc. it’s all dull and weird and hard. yikes.

Statement of purpose

When I was in highschool, I had to make a descision between pursuing a career in computer programming or in professional tuba playing. After getting advice from my tuba teacher, I decided it would be smarter to study computer science. In college, finished all the requirements for my major by my junior year, so I started taking music classs and got interested in composition. I graduated with two majors.
I started a professional career in computer programming, the plan I chose for eceonomic reasons. It wasn’t long before I realized that studying computer science is interesting, but day-to-day programming is not. I had a hard time fitting in the the culture of sillicon valley. When I got laid off in 2001, I didn’t look for a job right away, but instead evaluated making a career change to music, but as a composer, rather than as a tuba player.
Last spring I went to the Composing a Career Confrence sponsored by the Women’s Philharmonic. Almost everyone else there had a masters degree and the presenters all assumed they were speaking to a masters-educated audience. Realizing I needed more education, I started looking into master’s programs. Your caught my interest because of you faculty, especially [professor] whose music is very intesesting and whose books I’ve read cover to cover.
Your program is also interesting because of it’s electronic music program. This is where my current skills lie, but I’m also interested in aquiring new skills in composing for pitched instruments. Since your program covers both types of composing, I hope to be able to hone my existing skills and translate them, while aquiring new skills, to more pitched composing.

I was chary of returning to JK’s lair after the peril that had last met us there. “Should we report back to HQ and let them know about Mr. Anderson?” I asked.
Shelia kept speeding forward without looking at me. “That was pure chicanery. He’s a prisoner of Dr. Cool.”
This was news to me. “Then why did gaurds hustle him to safety during the cacophony?”
She shook her head. “They were preventing him from escaping. Dr. Cool thought Mr. Anderson could give you a cogent argument to stay put until things cooled off. Mr. Anderson agreed, but then he was capricious and started giving you hints. Why did he say he was out in the dessert?”
I thought back. “He said something about avarice.”
“That’s one of the seven deadly sins. That’s a clue.”
“So Mr. Anderson is bolstering our side, so he must be an ally?”
“I’m not sure he’s an ally or was just getting tired of treating Dr. Cool with complaisance. I’m sure he’s being censured as we speak, though.”
“So whose side is he on?”
“His own of course. Isn’t that the adventurer’s canon?”
Shelia pulled the hovercraft behind a dune, but instead of barren dessert, a bucolic panorama lay in front of us.
“Agriculture!” I exclaimed.
Shelia shook her head. “This is no normal agriculture. Look at the way the plants burgeon.”
I watched a corn stalk grow several centimeters in front of me. “Good Heavens! How is this possible?”
Shelia pointed at the ground. “There’s a catalyst in the soil. The plants grow quickly, but their fruit is caustic.”
“Yes.” said a voice behind us, “and very toxic. Put your hands in the air and turn around slowly.”
We did as told. And found outselves facing a woman in a white catsuit.
“So, we meet again, Mr Anderson.” she smiled, “But this time you’ll face castigation for your trespassing. You will receive the canonical mistreatment of spies!”

It’s serious. deadlines are soon. but I still don’t have an appointment, but i do have . . .

The 15 GRE Words of the Day

bolster (verb) To provide support or reinforcement. We plan to bolster their efforts by addin ten people to their team.
bucolic (adjective) rustic and pastoral; charecteristic of rural areas and their inhabitants. Her Heidi books were bucolic descriptions of life.
burgeon (verb) to grow rapidly; to flourish. Econmic reforms made the middle class burgeon.
cacophony (noun) harsh, jarring, discordant sound; dissonance Some critics dismissed John Cage’s work as nothing more than cacaphony, designed to shock the middle classes.
canon (noun) an established set of principles or code of laws, often religious in nature. Tom told me of a type of canon law that is in effect until it is ignored.
canonical (adjective) following or in agreement with orthodox requirements. We asked her to answer questions and she gave canonical answers.
capricious (adjective) inclinded to change one’s mind impulsively; erratic; unpredictable Her good looks made her popular, but her capriciousness left a string of broken hearts in her wake.
castigation (noun) severe criticism or punishment. His actions were met with severe castigation by the authorities.
catalyst (noun) a substance that accelerates the rate of a chemical reaction without itself changing; a person or thing that causes change. CFCs are bad for the ozone layer because ultraviolet light causes them to break apart, freeing the chlorine molecule (which on it’s own would not have ascended to that height), which thens acts as a catalyst and breaks up ozone into O[2] and O[1].
caustic (adjective) burning or stinging; causing corrosion. Helen foolishly mixed cleaning compounds and made a caustic potion which ate a hole in her mop bucket
censure (verb) to criticize severly; to officially rebuke. The professor’s racist comments were censured by the administration.
chary (adjective) wary; cautious She was chary of the risks involved.
chicanery (noun) trickery or subterfuge Their proposal sounded too good to be true and she suspected chicanery
cogent (adjective) appealing forcibly to the mind or reason; convincing. She provided a cogent analysis of the problem.
complaisance (noun) the willingness to comply with the wishes of others. They strive with their own hearts and keep them down, In complaisance to all the fools in town. –Young.

My new GRE book sucks.
I awakened in an utterly austere room. I was lying on a cot and bare lightbulb hung overhead. I tried to sit up, but fireworks exploded behind my eyes. Afetr a minute, the fireworks abated. I swung my legs around to stand up. Standing was arduous but I stayed on my feet.
The door at the end of the room opened and a man who looked quite a bit like me walked in. “Jane Smith, we meet at last.” he said, “You’re lucky some of my agents were aboard Dr. Cool’s hovercraft, or you would be dead from astringent gas.”
“You have my approbation for that.” I replied. “Are you, by chance, Mr. Anderson?”
He smiled. “You demonstrate excellent acumen.”
“Thank you for your accolade. Why is everyone looking for you?”
He smiled again, but this time it was acerbic. “They say everone wants to be wanted. But it’s an axiom not to give away too much to your enemy. Ironically, my henchmen saved you because they thought you were me. If you’re amenable you can remain here alive, but imprisoned. Otherwise, it’s really the end for you.”
“Where’s Shelia?!” I demanded.
“Fine. Safe. She’s practicing being an ascetic, as are you. I must say she had a bit more alacrity than you’re demonstrating.”
“Why do you want us imprisoned?”
“Because I’m guilty of avarice. There’s a great fortune to be made out in the dessert, as JK, Dr. Cool and I all realize.”
Just then, there was a large explosion in the hallway. A section of the wall collapsed, opening up the hallway and my cell to the outside. Mr. Anderson umped out of the way and two gaurds hustled him to safety. “Sieze them!” he cried, as he ran to safety. Shelia appeared in the hole grabbed my arm and we ran together outside, where we saw the hovercraft. “Jump in!” She said.
She got behind the controls and piloted us away. The gaurds shot, but their bullets ricochetted off the armored hull.
“How on earch did you escape and blow up the wall?” I asked, filled with adulation for her.
“Oh, just a litle alchemy. I realized that my soup, when compined with bird droppings that I scraped from the window and some household cleaner would make a powerful explosive. Anyway, we must get to Dr. Cool’s hideout right away!”

I lost my GRE book, so I’m working on a different set of words now…

The 15 GRE Words of the Day

abate (verb) To lessen in degree. After three days, the hurricane started to abate
accolade (noun) An expression of praise. The movie has released with great accolades from the critics.
acerbic (adjective) Having a sour or bitter taste or charecter. Although she praised her competetion, her tone was acerbic
acumen (noun) Quick, keen, or accurate knowledge or insight. Ideally, you want a leader with accumen, not a trained chimp.
adultation (noun) excessive praise; intense adoration. J-Lo enjoys the adulation of millions.
alacrity (noun) Eager and Enthusaistic willingness. Bush has an alactrity for warfare
alchemy (noun) A medieval sceience aimed at the transmutation of metals, especially base metals into gold. Although alchemy is impossible, alchemists accidentally invented chemistry.
amenable (adjective) Agreeable; responsive to suggestion. I asjed her out, and she was anemable, so we went bowling.
approbation (noun) An expression of approval or praise. I received approbation from my boss for the project.
arduous (adjective) strenuous, taxing, requiring significant effort. Taking the northern trail to the top of Mt. Witney is more arduous than the south.
ascetic (noun) One who practices rigid self-denial, especially as an act of religious devotion. The ascetic rose every moring at 4:00, after only four hours of sleep, to say morning prayers
astringent (noun) Having a tightening effect on living tissue; hasrsh; severe The IMF reccomended measures were astringent, at least to the peasents, the foreign investors found them to be pleasent.
austere (noun) Without adornment; bare; severely simple; ascetic. The monk’s dwellings were completely austere. In his room was a hard bed and a crucifix upon the wall and nothing else.
avarice (noun) Greed, especially for wealth. It was Martha Stewards avarice which lead to her downfall and her insider-trading.
axiom (noun) A universally recognized principle; taken as a given; possessing self-evident truth. The divitinity of Jesus ius an axiom of Christianity. axiomatic (adjective)

You’ll be happy to learn, loyal readers (yes, apparently I have readers. Don’t you have anything better to do with your time?), that so far I am keeping to my resolution of flossing my teeth. You haven’t lost your five pounds yet or written your statement of purpose for grad school yet or prepared for the GREs or made an appointment to take them or put together a portfolio or even compiled a list of schools yet even though deadlines are looming on the 15th for most schools and that’s less than two weeks away. No, but last night, my teeth were flossed, despite me feeling like crap.
I feel better today, but pretty tired actually.
ack i’m not going to get into gradschool cuz i’m too far behind and all i want to do is take a nap.
Stop reading my blog. It’s boring and it will just piss you off.