I'm Back

Kinda.

So I graduate tomorrow, but it was kind of in doubt until the last second.

Let's recap.

So I was told to sign up for Music 693 this quarter, it is an independent study course. On the Music History sheet I have, which know one could ever really explain to me, as I was the only Music History major, it says Music 693, Thesis.

Now that is kinda freaky, a thesis? I have one quarter for a thesis? But one of the heads of the music department, when I met with him to discuss graduation and classes, kept saying "I don't think you need to do a thesis." So I had no idea what was going on.

I signed up for Dr. Boone's 693 course. I've had a couple classes with Boone and I really liked him. But he is also my advisor and I've met with him only once (I had other advisors before him). When we did meet, I could tell that he really didn't 'advise' much, at least not in the way I needed. I just needed to know which courses to take and when; I wanted to map our my last quarters. He went to the master schedule on the OSU webpage and just wrote down all the courses. I could've done that myself; it's not that he didn't try, its just that he shouldn't have been my advisor in the first place.

So now I'm trying to meet with Boone to discuss this indepent study/thesis. We schedule a meeting one day, I show up, and he's with another student and it's running over. I waited for 45 minutes and then left, because I had another class. We rescheduled for the next day. Well, that night I played in my only hockey game of the year. Needless to say, I was out the next day (and weekend) so we had to reschedule the meeting.

The next week or so whenever I was free, he wasn't. Again, not his fault, not really my fault, I have two jobs and classes full time. So we try to reschedule again (at this point we talked on the phone and briefly discussed a George Martin/Beatles idea).

We finally reschedule again, for a Friday at 1:30. I go to the Music History offices at 1:10, and hes not there. By 1:50 I'm still there, but I decide to meet with Dr. Ashby, my 20th Century music professor and discuss my paper. At 2:15, Boone still is not there and I leave.

I then email him saying that maybe I didn't make myself clear or something, and I came by at 1:30 and he wasn't there and seeing if we can reschedule again.

I get no response.

The next week I email him again, asking to meet to discuss this independent study course. No response.

Finally, I believe this was around week 8, I sent him an email stating that I need this course to graduate, it is only one credit, I can meet with him real quick and just write him a paper (I could crank out a 10 pager in a night if need be).

Again, no response.

At this point I have finals to study for and giant graduate level class project to finish up, and since I've gotten no repsonses, I've stopped emailing.

On Wednesday I had my final exam (20th Century Music) and I go down to Boone's office afterwards. I knock on his door, realize he's not there and write him a note bascially restating my last email.

Finally, I get a response back saying that graduation shouldn't be a problem and could we meet Thursday. Sweet! I email Boone saying I can meet Thursday morning, as I work at 12:30. Excellent he says, we schedule a meeting for 10:30.

10:30 is a bit early for my tastes, as I was going to be out late Wednesday night and had only gotten 2 hours of sleep Tuesday night. But ya know what? I needed this to graduate and I want to be done. I wake up at 9 on Thursday, shower, am about to leave and I decide to check my email for the hell of it. Boone sent me an email saying he had to take someone to the airport and he wouldn't be there at 10:30, could I meet on Friday.

At this point I'm pissed because I am A) still not done with this shit and B) I am awake. So I email Boone, saying Friday is fine, I'm free all day, but I'm not sure when grades have to be in, and my main concern at this point is Sunday's proceedings.

So finally I meet with Boone on Friday. At this point I have forgotten all the classes I had with him and am just pissed that I still don't know if I'm really going to graduate yet. We talked about my shoulder, how we've both been busy this quarter, how nothing really has gone as planned (I've had two trips to the ER, many trips to the doctors, went to two funerals, almost quit my job and am getting ready for surgey in less than a week) and then we started talking music.

and I was no longer pissed.

We discussed Martin's role in producing the band; everyone mentions him scoring their songs (Eleanor Rigby, I am the Walrus, Yesterday...) but I talk about how his open mind may have been what really let the band take off. Martin let them record their own music, didn't make one of them the leader (Paul McCartney and the Beatles!) and listened to their ideas. Martin worked with the band, no just their music; his open mind enabl;ed the band to grow. We discussed pop and rock music, how it isn't treated the same as other forms. We discussed listening to albums instead of just tracks. The iPod affect; how music is now a soundtrack for our lives. Do we want to hear sad music? Happy music? How music is now a background for us. I told him about the time I called my friend Paul in high school and asked him what he was doing. "Listening to music" was his reply. At that time it floored me. 'Just' listening to music?

We talked about how the Beatles changed the way pop music was looked at. And how everything since was a reaction to the Beatles. Try to copy and expand what they did, or go completely the other way.

So finally, Boone said that it looked like I knew my stuff and that he'd pass me for this one credit course so I could graduate. He also said to send him a little paper through email, it could be ten pages or two, it doesn't matter. That's not a problem, that is doable. Maiberger pointed out that after Sunday, would it even matter if I sent him a paper? Not really, I'd have my diploma, but I'm still gonna do it.

So thats my final Boone/Graduation story. I wasn't sure if I was going to graduate until 2 days before. Whew!