Blog 10

While the creative commons video looked a bit like a high schooler's midterm, I did quite like the sound of everything. This "age of information" is a strange and new one and everyone is still getting used to it. The lines of copyright, privacy, and fair use are constantly blurred and I seem to hear about a new case of these almost every day. For the most part though, the creative commons seems to be a more convenient way to communicate one's intentions of one's creative property. After reading their page on Wikipedia, they seem to listen to their user base, but are not without their flaws and controversies. But, is anything. As I said, the lines are constantly blurred in many facets of information and I don't think there will ever be a perfect way to regulate all of those things.

On the topic of critical thinking, it is certainly important to the musician. I find myself just repeating passages and becoming frustrated when practicing. I become dissatisfied and many times stay that way because I don't think about things often enough. That happens in my lessons all the time. "Did you try singing it?" No. Sometimes all it takes is ending a phrase on a note later than I was and it changes the whole thing. I know that I can figure those things out, but don't do it often enough. As a performer, thinking critically can completely open up a piece. I had a terrible time trying to learn Sor's Fantaisie Éligiaque. I was always whistling the melody and it's one of the few classical era guitar pieces I enjoy hearing, but I couldn't get into it when I was playing. I'm sure if I actually sat back and thought about it and analyzed it I could have done it. But, my recital was fast approaching and I was worried and stressed and decided to scrap it. In any case, critical thinking is of the utmost importance to the musician. It is a skill that does not come easily to all (myself included) but must be learned.

Now, on bib. Did I enjoy it? Sometimes. Was it important? Absofruitly. But, don't take that the wrong way. Not all classes are meant to be enjoyed. I learned from this class. I was made more aware of the massive amount of information available to me and am now better equipped to navigate that landscape. I never would have read about open access or the changing state of copyright or really any of what we read about if I didn't have to. More knowledge is never a bad thing. I'm almost finding myself thinking that I enjoyed the scavenger hunts. Maybe I did, but I can't just say that! No, no, that wouldn't do. They were frustrating, but I suppose it was similar to video games in some senses. I love video games, but they frustrate me to no end sometimes and I'll leave it at that. I'm certainly well equipped from this class. Though *spoiler alert* I'm not terribly happy with how my Annotated Bibliography turned out, I am happy with what I learned from it. I feel better about acquiring valuable sources and a better judge and a better navigator of information because of it.

This became much longer than I was planning, so I'll wrap things up.

...I was trying to come up with a nice closer, but it's almost 2:00 am and I have to work tomorrow. So...