Why Music Lessons Are Important
Published April 27th, 2012 | 
I always makes me angry when I hear about schools cutting funding for the arts. Especially music programs. It is short-sighted and detrimental to a child’s long-term educational progress. Do they not realize the far-reaching benefits of introducing children to music? Music lessons not only teach kids New to Music how to play and appreciate music, but it also helps kids develop other skills that will help them learn other subjects.
Did you know that early music education helps children develop reasoning and language skills? Studies have shown that music education is linked to increased spatial intelligence and creative reasoning. Children raised with music are more empathetic, learn good values and do better on tests than children without music education. According to the U.S. Department of Education survey on more than 25,000 secondary school students (NELS:88, National Education Longitudinal Survey), researchers found that students who report consistent high levels of involvement in instrumental music over the middle and high school years show "significantly higher levels of mathematics proficiency by grade 12."
Fat, Out-of-Shape, Lazy Writer
Published April 22nd, 2012 | I am fat. Seriously. I go to the gym at least 4 days a week. I take walks. Still cannot lose weight. When I’m not exercising, though, I basically sit on my ass in front of a computer. I might not feel so bad about that if I was doing some serious writing, but I’m not. Mostly I just stare into space and think about how fat my ass is and about all the writing I’m not doing. I don’t know. Maybe I should start taking myoripped or something. Maybe I should go to the gym 7 days a week. Maybe I shouldn’t have eaten that chocolate cake last night. Whatever . . . I know for a fact I should be writing more. A poem, short story. Another bad novel. Even a screenplay or an essay. Whatever. Not being able to write is a new problem for me. Makes me depressed.
Maybe I Should Move to Calgary
Published March 28th, 2012 | Watching the news coverage of the Supreme Court hearing over Obamacare, I couldn’t help thinking that conservatives are doing everything in their power to ruin this country. Makes me think I out to get a passport, hop on a bus and move to Calgary. The Repugnicans are ruining everything. As far as they’re concerned, America is only for certain Americans, and the rest of us can go screw ourselves. So, I say … maybe they can have it, and the rest of us can move to Canada, where the people are friendly and you have universal healthcare.
Seriously, at the rate we’re going, the United States of America will consist of a few thousand rich people, homeschooling their kids behind the walls of a gated community country club and the rest of us will be out on the street. So, Calgary, it is! Why not? It’s a nice, clean city. Plenty of fresh, green air. I’m told they have a great zoo. I’m also told there are jobs there. The Repugs are always telling the 99-percent to get out if we don’t like getting screwed over time an again. So let’s all move to Canada.
