I Rule My World!

“I now have your midterm grades”, Dr. Doukhan announced in class yesterday. My stomach gave a frightened lurch. I felt suddenly cold despite the incessant whirring of the heater. I rolled my eyes at Dana and smiled nervously.

“And just a reminder, when I give you essays in the exam, be sure to answer them specifically! Don’t beat around the bush,” Dr. Doukhan continues. “Also, I don’t care about the length of your essays. It’s the content I’m looking for.” She reminded us of the missed assignments, projects, and listening exams. A pep talk ensued. “A Challenge to the Graduate Students” seemed to be the topic of the day. “When you write your papers, I expect a graduate student to write it, not some highschool kid with misspelled composers’ names!”

Yeah, it served us right. Give us a scolding while in the brink of uncertainty. At the back of my head was a sudden flash of pictures—nightmares of Stravinsky and Schoenberg graphs, late-night jogging, multi-colored line markings in my textbook, and a cooped-up fall break. A chill ran down my spine literally. I have never been this nervous for a midterm grade before. Neither have I studied for a test this way ever. Cramming is just simply my way of life. Amazingly, I have developed a study habit for this class, and even bothered to join a study group!

She hands the white Gradekeeper sheets to each of us.

I looked at my paper and gasped. I have never imagined that such a grade could exist for there written boldly was an A-plus.

Office Skills

Basic math: 7/10 (Well, at least!)

Business math: 4/10 (Good luck…Ikaw kaya mag compute ng walang calculator?!)

Filing skill: 10/10 (Aha!!! Nakabawi!)

Grammar: 6/10 (Kaluoy! Mas mataas pa ang math! Eto napapala ng mayabang sa grammar! *winks*)

Spelling: 10/10 (Perfect naman sa s-p-e-l-l-i-n-g! Weh!)

Typing

Speed: 47 (Syempre typing with four fingers lang yan! Eh di lalo na kung lahat ng fingers ko eh ginamit ko, diba?)

Errors: 3 (Ok, fine!)

Result: 45 (Hmmp!)

Comment: Fair (Dapat lang!)

Customer Service Mindset

Score: 93 (Kaya nga poor ang business math eh, masyadong mabait sa customer..hehe)

Questions answered with best choice: 36

Questions answered with second best choice: 21

Comment: Fair (Wala na bang iba?)

In other words, I got myself another job as student assistant at the Music Materials Center. Thanks to Polina who quit after taking a new job as babysitter. (Too bad, she was one of my favorite student assistants.) Let’s see if I can last working with the notorious Mrs. Mack. J

Gumiginaw na! Nung isang araw lang may hail. Ice pellets from the sky! Biruin mo yun?! May white na frosting ang mga damo nang sumunod na araw. Ako naman, excited. Snow na ba ito? Aba, eh hindi pa pala!

Pero makulay parin ang paligid ng mga punong hindi mabuo ang desisyon kung ano ba talaga ang gusto nila sa buhay—Dilaw ba? Kahel ba? O pula? Tila ba biglang nagsawa sa berde at hindi malaman-laman kung ano ba talaga ang gusto. Daig pa ang baklang gusto mag pa sex-transplant. Sa mga susunod na araw, siguradong maghuhubad nalang ang mga punong ito.

Sa katunayan, hubad na ang mga punong nasa harapan ng tinitirahan ko. Nilantad na ang kanilang mga puri! Nilabas na ang kanilang mga seksing sanga habang kinikiliti naman ng hangin ang kanilang mga kilikili para tuluyang malagas ang kung ano pa mang natitirang saplot. At ayun, nanakit naman ang mga braso ko sa pag-rake ng isang damakmak na pinagbihisan.

Pilit akong tinatanong ng mga puti (at ng mga nag puputi-putian) kung totoo nga bang walang snow sa Pilipinas. Gusto kong tumambling. Ano ba…

Habang naghuhubad ang mga puno, lalo namang nagbabalot ang mga tao sa patuloy na paglamig ng panahon. Ang nakakaloko eh pagkatapos mong balutin ang sarili mo, huhubarin mo na ito ulit makalipas ang ilang minuto. Natural! Gusto mo bang mamawis sa mainit na simoy ng heater? Suot, hubad, suot, hubad. Mas masahol pa sa mga punong sumasayaw na hubad sa labas ng bintana.

Ang chismis ay mag ssnow na daw ngayong gabi. Hmmm…. Kaya ba namimilipit na ako sa ginaw habang pilit na inaalisan ng puri ang mga punong walang muwang???

I look forward to choir practice. Of course, there’s nothing like the AUP Ambassadors, but truth to tell, I’m beginning to enjoy the Chorale rehearsals for reasons like good repertoire choices (of course the Amba has a good repertoire–teka, i don’t have to defend them. ok?), and Mr. Zork’s comic rehearsal techniques–especially when people become annoyingly slow in grasping ideas.

I happen to sit with several different altos at each rehearsal. I’ve sat with quite a handful of good ones, and some were…well, better left ignored. However, there’s this one alto who coincidentally end up sitting beside me every rehearsal time in the past month. And I am just amazed by her ability to sing a minor second above or below the original note! There are several passages Mr. Zork would repeatedly emphasize, and she would belt out the most perfect minor second apart from what the rest was singing. Isn’t that wondrously amazing? To add to her qualities is that she’s a voice major! How–ironic (!?)

The day I don’t hear her sing in minor seconds would mean only two things: it’s either she’s had a musical miracle or I have to get my ears checked.

“You can’t check these books out. According to the computer, you have a fine of  $120.”  I looked at Zoviel in disbelief. 120 dollars? How on earth did I get that? Then I remember. The headphones I checked out the other week have been lying in my room for several days already. I have completely forgotten to return them—and to think they should only be on loan for two hours! No wonder!

A few mind-numbing days later…

“I think Mrs. Mack will waive your fine.” The student librarian assures me. “She’ll be back on Monday so you can wait till next week to settle the fine with her. But there should be no problem.”

“Yeah, I hope you’re right. I mean, a hundred and twenty dollars is just too much. Although, it is completely my fault,” I sheepishly grinned at her. I made a mental vow to never check out headphones again.

“I’m so sorry, but the ride backed out!” Jinah blurted as she came in rushing inside Dr. Doukhan’s office. I looked at her, alarmed. “But I made no other reservations because you were so sure this ride would be available today!” It was three hours before 1 pm and I had a class in 15 minutes.

I was scheduled to take my the Graduate Record Examination at 1pm that day, and two weeks since I made the appointment, Jinah had willingly offered to contact some people to bring us to Mishawaka, Indiana. I gladly accepted because I don’t really have someone to bring me there.

“Ask Max. He has a car.” I cringed at her suggestion. “No way, Jinah. I already borrowed his credit card to pay for this exam, I wouldn’t abuse his kindness to lend me his car and his time to drive me there.” She ran her fingers through her hair thoughtfully. “Yeah, you’re right…I’ll get back to you in an hour.” And with that she was gone in a flash.

Forty-five minutes to 1 pm. Still, there was no sign of a possible ride. I looked at the directions I printed from Google map. It will take 42 minutes to get there. I called Ate Arnie, my one and only last resort since I know her fears on driving that far.

She conceded to lend the car. But she said can’t drive us. God seems to be answering my prayer in installments. With no other choice left, Jinah declared, “Fine, I’ll drive you. But my driver’s license is from Guam and my speed limit is 45.” Mrs. Kurtz, the music department’s secretary, who had been listening to our conversation suddenly butted in. “It’s quite a risk to drive with that license, yet you have no choice. But at least drive a little faster that 45!”

We run back to Lamson Hall to get Jinah’s license and then run to Beechwood Apartment where Ate Arnie was staying. Thankfully, she met us on the way, with Einra and Lora in tow. “I was thinking, I might as well drive you.” Jinah breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank God. He must know I won’t make it there if I drive. You know I just got two hours of sleep last night?” I looked at her in disbelief. “Änd you would say that now???” “Well, there was no use worrying you. But since she’s driving then I got good excuse to say that.”

Ate Arnie looks at the map and then at her watch. Thirty minutes to one. “Ï think I have to let Scottie know we’re going to Mishawaka. Is it okay if we drop by the Horn Museum?” Well, do I really have the right to say no?

Ate Arnie exits the museum with Scottie tagging behind. She decided to let him drive instead, which meant, he’ll be skipping work to drive me there. I squirmed with embarrassment. How can this measly exam drive people into such predicaments? How can God answer my prayer and make me feel embarrassed at the same time?

We arrive at the Sylvan Learning Center at 1:20pm. The proctor reprimanded me sternly for my tardiness, and yet to my relief handed me a chart to fill-out. At least, she’s still letting me take the test…

Truly, God answers in mysterious ways.

Study Session 4:

“I am so proud of you guys.” Mr. Zork beamed as he walked into the room full of grad students. “In all the years I taught here in Andrews, I’ve never witnessed this kind of interaction among students.” We smiled at him silently, glad to hear a compliment on one of the 5-minute breaks Dana allowed us.

It was the fourth of the five study group sessions we were having in preparation for the 20^th century music midterm exam, and we were still overwhelmed with the vast amount of information we have to store in our brains—which we hope would be ready to be used come doom’s day, I mean Tuesday.

The regular sessions we’ve been holding has quite become a head turner for the undergrad and faculty alike. I wonder, would our grades reflect the same head turning effect?

—————-

Study Session 5:

“Okay, let’s run three times around the building.” Dana, the self-appointed leader of the group study, suggested. Nobody questioned her leadership skills, though, for it was evident that she has it.

It was quarter to ten in the evening and most of us were already showing obvious signs of drowsiness. Even the black ‘vegetarian’ coffee, apples, granola and fruit bars we brought to keep us awake weren’t helping.

While some found the suggestion ridiculous, I opted to run and give my mind a breath of fresh air. It did me good and I was able to keep myself productive for the next grueling hour…

——————

D-Day:

“Tell me, will I be able to answer the questions?” Anwar asks me for the umpteenth time two hours before the exam.

I looked at him and gave him a wide grin. “Why do you keep asking me that? You even told me you memorized the handouts!”

“Yeah, but you must have some idea what kind of questions she’ll be throwing at us.” How can he even think that I have some kind of leverage with this test? Didn’t he see I was as anxious as he was?

“Dude, I may be Dr. Doukhan’s assistant, but I don’t have access to her test papers, especially for the classes I’m taking with her. But I’ll tell you what, we’ll get through this with flying colors.” He smiles at me. Then nods. Somehow, we all needed each other’s assurance.

——————-

Papers rustled. A chair creaked discreetly at the last row. Anwar’s mechanical pencil clicked every minute or so. Max erases something on his paper furiously. Juan Carlos lets out a small groan. Suny’s eyebrows furrowed in deep thought. I looked at the clock. Thirty minutes have gone and I’m not even finished answering the first essay question, and I have five more essay question to answer.

——————-

7 days and still counting:

A? A-? B+!! ?? B?!? B-… C! Waaaahhh!!!

“Who wants extra money?” asks Hugo before the graduate students started the study session. I raised my hand in eagerness. Duh, who doesn’t?

“I need someone who can play a musical number in the Presbyterian church I work for on Sunday mornings. Who can come?” This time there was a fewer show of hands. Mine was still raised stubbornly. Finally, Hugo was able to trim it down to two. It was decided that I would accompany him in the violin and Suny in the oboe.

So it was on the crisp early Sunday morning that I found myself in Southbend, playing for the Presbyterian congregation. And three musical numbers, a slice of chocolate cake, cranberry juice and 10 compliments later, Suny and I were 150 dollars richer.