Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Emerald Jade's LiveJournal:

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Wednesday, June 11th, 2008
9:28 am	Tumbuka camp Tumbuka camp is awsome. Talk about having 50-60 people all as crazy as you are in the world of mbira, and marimba. I think I just got turned on to marimba as well. At least I have a good foundation in mbira, as a lot of songs on marimba comes from mbira. New Mexico is hot and dry - it rained for two seconds, on and off, then the heat commenced. Nights are cool, and camping went well. I just discovered what I really need though (a thermorest!)- the ground is hard with just a sleeping bag and foam thing. Good insulation for the ground, but not very comfortable. I could see why they say that people just don't sleep at Tumbuka - well, the music concert starts at 8:30pm, and the bands play - then the mbira group from Zimbabwe, Mawungira Enhirira plays - and when they play, you can't not dance. So we are all dancing (and hopefully pics will come soon) to the music, and it's flying. The marimba band groups there were also awsome, Trillian, Ande, and from all over, Portland, OR and CA and a group from Colorado, and a smoking group that were all teenagers playing marimba.... it definately inspires me to pick up the marimba. So much to remember more then 9 mbira parts, if I don't, then I'm happy with what I learned. Note to self to bring a disposable camera and paper and just write down the songs and how it goes before it goes away. There were people up in the wee hours of the morning to play mbira, drums, sing, hosho.... the concert would start in the dance hall, at 11pm or so commence playing in the kitchen - and that would go past 5am. I don't know how long really; I had to hit the hay at 5am the last night, but it was cute seeing one of the mawungira guys (Peacheson) play along, wake me up since I was falling asleep, and then he was falling asleep, and another guy from the band (Tiger) wake him up, and he was back in the music in two seconds. Additionally, he didn't know the song, but he was following along with the mbira, the chord progression, that Chris Berry and someone else was playing. Gosh, I wish I was able to join in like that..... even past 4am, about to fall asleep.... (Comment on this)
Sunday, April 13th, 2008
1:52 pm	My favorite time.... Recording equipment is brutal. That's what I've learned from trying to play with it. I play a song, play a part with it, and suddenly, it's not together because of lag time, or what I played with it. And there is no compensating from anyone else; just you. It is brutal. And yet, it's been a great teacher. Wow, I didn't realise how much I rely on peeking on my mbira partner's fingers to tell me where I am, and if I'm on it or not. As I said... hell of a lot easier with someone else, *peek*, but no peeking with the recorder. Well, all said and done, I found my footing even more with Chipenbere, when i thought I had it down. Now I have it down even more. And last night - up until 2am, recording Buketiende. I thought, "well, we definately know this one, we've been playing it so much". Recorder: "Mwah Ha ha!" Me: "here's the basic kushara, a nice 100-110 beats/min, good nice tempo" and I did that for 5 minutes. Recorder: "Uh-huh, here's you and your singing, are ya gonna loop it?" Me: "yep. eep, here's the other kushara" My fingers are flying and struggling to keep up. Recorder: "ok, here it is" Me: "eep. wow, but it did get me practicing it at super speed" (Comment on this)
Monday, March 31st, 2008
2:42 pm	History is being made... So far, I've been very interested in the Zimbabwe poll results, as so far, 52% for Tsvangirai, 40% Mugabe, and 7% independent. That's hopeful so far, I hope that the Zanu PF party isn't going to rig the results and the counting....I hope to see Tsvangirai as president, from reading "Where We Have Hope" he seems to be a good leader for Zimbabwe. That's who I'd vote for if I was in the country. China's been looking forward to the Olympics for a long time, and it's interesting seeing the developments being made on that front. Of course there's unrest in Tibet, it always has been that way - with the strict Chinese government having a hold on them, and they aren't the only ones fighting. The Urgurs, the Mongolians, and the other minority groups there that are oppressed.... and the Taiwan issue at hand - makes for a very interesting sort of problem for the country. Could you blame the Tibetans for making a riot? Off in London, so I hear from my aunt there the news and terrorism is scaring people more.... weird sort of stories, and how people are wanting to learn how to fly a plane without landing it.... Bin Laden, appearently in Afgan or Pakistan.... Why is the States going for Iraq? Back here at home, our election is going to be interesting. I like my neighbor, he's all for McCain, and I cringe when I hear that. I'm all for Obama, as we shouldn't have gone for the war in the first place. My goodness, the cost, the invasion, and why? Link it to Iraq for the oil it has, the profit you could make, and "say" that it's for the Iraqies.... but they need to take their own control in their own hands. It really wouldn't be right to go invade Zimbabwe because Mugabe's a dictatorship and also killing millions of poeple, making inflation go higher and higher, and causing millions of people to go jobless. They've had enough of Europeans - and us invading - so I really hope that the elections over there also are able to help themselves out and build a road to change, so that I could feel safe going there. Go ahead and link weapons of mass destruction to the war.... Go Obama! I think he has a better idea at foreign policy, moreso then Bush does, for sure... (Comment on this)
Sunday, March 23rd, 2008
12:09 pm	Clinicals have started.... Off to the Lieberman Geriatric Center for 8 weeks, to shadow physical therapists. My first day went well; my clinical instructor was really good and helpful - not only in treating the seniors with care, and with respect - treating seniors as people, even when they were confused. I really liked the experience; it makes me excited for what is to come, and for a year later, when i graduate. I'm thinking.... I wanna be a travelling physical therapy assistant, so that I could work as a physical therapy assistant during the day and travel, play mbira with people around the country at night. I really think that's doable, when the time comes to graduate... but I know, as a travelling PTA, there's a lot more to learn and to know, because every facility is different, and things you want to have, you might not have at facilities. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, March 11th, 2008
5:29 pm	Pheonix, AZ Wow, it's hot. 86 today, 86 tomorrow. yiiiiip. And it's the middle of winter. ok, maybe not winter, spring.... and Nate's saying it gets much much much hotter... well, it is the middle of a desert over here. Yay for seeing catus in the middle of the highway, palm trees, and wild grapefruit, orange/tangerine, and lemon trees around here. I have to say, that part is special, because.... wow, there's just a big difference between home grown oranges, or home grown grapefruit and store ones.... so lave, it's the same thing with tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, apples in the midwest. They have to ship mangoes and tomatoes, obviously the tomatoes can't take it here - I guess it's too dry for the mangos. I got sunburn already - when we went out to Sedona - I would love to go to the Grand Canyon, but they are saying it's a bit too far out for them to go - so it's gonna have to wait for another time I get down here -Sedona's beautiful for the red rocks and cliffs that there are - along with the catus. It feels a bit chilly at night, but hot during the day, and appearently it snows in the peaks of Flagstaff. mmmmm..... (Comment on this)
Friday, March 7th, 2008
10:52 am	Arizona.... Oh, Dear Arizona, I am excited to come. I need this break now in my life; tired of living in gran's condo, tired of the cold. It'll be a good excursion to my life right now. The other day, weirdness seeing Chris again. Reminded me of how much I miss him, now that he's distant in my life. And maybe he wants it that way. Nah, not to worry - I have Arizona around the corner, nice warm get away place to go, and to see Nate and his family which I havent' seen in years. And mbira, a friend is going and still in progress for the DVD to be made of an hour of mbira music, about to be on the myspace chicago mbira group page. I think that's exciting. And so is the idea of starting to not only play for schools, but play for gigs and restraunts in the area :) (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, February 17th, 2008
1:25 pm	On mbira, psychology, and families.... Dear dandemutande, I love the posts recently added on there. Many good questions raised, one by Samba, on respect, culture, and terminology. The other, on Erica's claim that Tom Turino is wrong with radio and mbira's popularity - the njari she says was quite popular in the 50s and the 60s. And the rebuttal, by Mai Palmburg, saying it was the radio, not spirituality, that led to its popularity during that time. It raises a few questions: 1. In order to "respect", how do we sufficiently respect the Shona culture, but at the same time, satisfy our own need to describe their culture in a book to explain it to those who don't know? 2. Where and why did the mbira njari fade away? It makes me think of a couple of other things, too. 1. Erica and Mom are similar characteristics - an obsessive hobby that becomes their mainstay, and the knowledge that comes with it. Both Mom and Erica have learned things in their respective field that they feel that they could possibly "go over" the professors in the field. And they both have a business doing it. Ummm... maybe Mom hasn't bluntly stated, "this professor is wrong" though. Good for Erica for challenging both Tom and Paul in their books, as it's shocking and interesting when it does happen. 2. What about culture and psychology? if one sees as all of us grow up, our childhood has a huge influence on our personality - and culture, too. So this "need to define" of course comes from our western culture. In Shona culture, it's fine not to define it precisely. an Mbira could be the instrument I play, the nunga-nunga, the kalimba, the njari, or any other kind of thumb-piano. And yet I think we see the difference between a culture that had only one kind of instrument, compaired to another, who sees all these different kinds of instruments, and needs to be able to distinguish one from the other. Oh, thank you Samba.... but what is "respect"? Respect has different meanings in different cultures.... which is why we need to learn about them in order to know how to respect different cultures. Which comes to the paradox, how do you respectfully portray a culture that doesn't want to be defined? How do you explain a culture, when it doesn't want to be "put in a box" too much? (Comment on this)
Friday, January 11th, 2008
1:43 pm	Mbira... and life Mbira.... I need to work on Forward's grant - that's somehow got on the back burner. Also have got to think and plan for the next steps to get him over here, it's a long shot, but worth a try - I'll learn a lot either way. Oh, and I need to practice singing for the class presentation that is coming up. Yay for Irish dancing, nay for no car - and CTA problems. Looks like I'll be taking the bike to and from the Old Town School. Glad next semester is starting; looking forward for PTA clinials to start - and learn, and have an eye-opening experience in the world of physical therapy. Congrats to my Mom, who finally got herself a computer! (Now I get to go home to write DVDs....*snicker snicker*) (Comment on this)
Tuesday, January 8th, 2008
11:59 am	voting poll... 90% Barack Obama 89% Chris Dodd 87% John Edwards 87% Hillary Clinton 80% Joe Biden 77% Dennis Kucinich 76% Mike Gravel 76% Bill Richardson 42% Rudy Giuliani 31% John McCain 27% Tom Tancredo 23% Mitt Romney 23% Mike Huckabee 14% Ron Paul 12% Fred Thompson 2008 Presidential Candidate Matching Quiz (Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 11th, 2007
11:47 pm	School... School's good, gotta find another place to live, me thinks.... it's a crazy schedule - not in terms of homework at all, but the hours that I'm at school. out at 7:30am, back by 10:30pm, and that's most of the time. meh, I've practiced at sleep deprivation, which isn't bad when you get used to it. But overall, I like school. I could see myself going back for more and more school in the years to come :) (Doc. Degree, here I come!) I know, I have to tell myself, gotta get through these two years first. It would be good if I was working in some outpatient clinic, but I like what I have so far, too. Maybe that's the best time to look - when you're happy, too. I think about how I won't have so much time to "study" and have time to reflect with another job. Article searching - meh, I work the library, I could always ask the librarians that I work with :) That's what they are there for. (And I think I need to talk to one of them tomorrow) Papers are easier this time around (is it because I've been through a B.A. degree and term papers that were 10-20pgs long?) Yeah, the emotional side of papers still freezes me for the time being, but I'm better at handling it. Mbira's on hold at the moment. I'm sad that I'm not going to this Sept. 23-25th workshop in Carbondale, but I'm making it up to myself by saying I'm being more and more independent financially, and for my life, and that part is good. :) Yes, better then mbira. Wow, not that many things could be better then relaxing to mbira :) But then, when I work, I'm going to go to mbira workshops to learn as much mbira music and dance as I can for sure :) Current Mood: mellow (Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 28th, 2007
4:43 pm	So it's been a while.... And I know I haven't updated. I have like 5 min to do this, but here goes: Yay for starting school again, after being unemployed for a while, I'm back to being busy, working at the Math and Technology department and the library at Oakton. It's been good so far, my schedule is busy, and I'm also trying to keep up with my mbira. (what free time?) Hopefully going to be playing mbira for the world music class at Oakton as well, and expose more people to the wonderful instrument, and introduce them to the world of mbira. Can't go to this time's workshop in near chicago - more like southern Illinois - and I'm upset - but I'm going to make it up to myself when I graduate, I'm working and I could go to whatever workshops and learn more songs and do more things with it. So yay! okay, time to go to the library, and work. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, June 11th, 2007
6:19 pm	here we go... I know I haven't posted in a while, but I stole this from dpsycho's LJ page. And I found it quite interesting, yeah, he is a gamer, alright, and I think mine describes me well as well. </ta So, there goes the idea of computer science and making databases for small or large companies. hey, it was good making a database for NAPCA. What Be Your Nerd Type? Your Result: Science/Math Nerd   (Absolute Insane Laughter as you pour toxic chemicals into a foaming tub of death!) Well, maybe you aren't this extreme, but you're in league with the crazy scientists/mathmeticians of today. Very few people have the talent of math and science is something takes a lot of brains as well. Thank whosever God you worship, or don't worship, so thank no deity whatsoever in your case, for you people! Most of us would have died off without your help. Musician   Social Nerd   Artistic Nerd   Gamer/Computer Nerd   Drama Nerd   Anime Nerd   Literature Nerd   What Be Your Nerd Type? Quizzes for MySpace (Comment on this)
Saturday, February 24th, 2007
2:10 pm	Tis the new year... And it's been a while since I've posted. Eh, things are okay, or not, but it will be. Wednesdays off for volunteering at Rehab Institute of Chicago has been a blessing to get out of the office. Funding is being cut at the office, so I have to start looking for that other job. And I am in that process of doing so. In many ways, a blessing. The class is good; a good book about pstient/professional interaction and what to expect, along with realistic situations that we don't even think about when we are starting off. Just finished with this week's reading. Bus rides are good for that. Looking forward tokb9ysc concert in Bloomington. Going with lilbakht. Should be fun, as I'm looking forward to it. And tonight, hopefully some mbira with Steve, and out with the theater folk again, which is going to be nice. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Saturday, December 16th, 2006
4:23 pm	Here we go, everybody! hey, I found this interesting... On the twelfth day of Christmas, emeraldjade sent to me... Twelve juhuachas drumming Eleven xanthvamps piping Ten bridgemans a-leaping Nine jodo1978s dancing Eight stratusmonkeys a-milking Seven tskirvins a-swimming Six mozartogs a-rafting Five pi-i-i-inkdove80s Four panpipes Three mp3s Two video games ...and a chinese in a psychology. Get your own Twelve Days: (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, November 23rd, 2006
11:58 am	Hey all Since I haven't updated in a while, I figure tis a good day to do so. Been still getting at and working on grad school apps for physical therapy, and it's crunch time to get them in - I've already sent four in, they've replied and said what they still need for the application that I have to get in. So, that's moving along. On the mbira front, we're still having the weekly practices.... or weekly stress-relieving, socialness and transcending nights. I am so glad that we have a group going on; and soon we're going to be planning a trip to Champaign so that we could join with the mbira group over there for a weekend. Maybe sometime, I'll get myself to Zimbabwe - it's another one of those dreams... and I know of people arranging trips, it's a question of affordability at this point, along with plans to go to school. mmmm.... Thanksgiving. I'm going to go home and see folks, and big bro's coming to town with his wife. So hopefully it will be good. (Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 26th, 2006
10:18 pm	Musekiwa both: awsome. The world music festival was great, really enjoyed the tabla of India.... but I guess what i really want to write about is Musekiwa. That Wednesday night - just getting emotional, I think all of us were in some ways. So difficult and anxious about his visit, if we have people, etc etc for the house concert. Well, cooking for 20 people was both stressful and fun, as wow, there was so much collard greens that went into making it, and it was fun and hard work to make sadza, the boiling of water just right and adding the corn meal in. Wow, it was good stuff anyways. Going shopping for food had been an adventure. Steve and I were shopping for the food, drove back to Paul's place, realised that we forgot the food again in the alley. So we had to spend another hour and a half getting the food back. During that time, I parked at his place, another car blocked us, and made it hard to get out. So I let Steve drive and get it out. As he braked the car, it hissed and I could see the brake fluid dripping out of the car. Whoops. It was freaking me out a bit, so we went to a gas station to get fluid. After the workshop, I checked the car - no brake fluid yet again. (How long have I been driving the car and it was like that?) Anyways, call to my parents, and it's at the repair shop now, as I dare not drive it now. But I have Ma's car to drive for tomorrow, which is good. The workshop went well, had more people on Saturday and learned Buketiande, which means, "get up, let's go!". It was great having Tony over, my teacher for a year, and seeing a little bit more of him and corrosponding with him. And seeing Christy and Tony and Musekiwa bond over the playing that went on. While I was playing Taireva, I found that my playing had gone faster and faster.... I had to in order to keep up. the rhythems that was formed, the clapping, the singing that was going on... it all powers the mbira player as well.... I just couldn't stop that melody line because it was the main line of the piece.... I could tell that at first, it was a piece that I felt that I couldn't get fast enough, or hold long enough - but just by having the workshop and everyone clapping, singing, and participating in it... I couldn't stop playing just because my arms were hurting from playing so long. I don't remember how long it was, maybe it was just 10 min, but maybe it just was half an hour - But wow, something happened with that song. I knew I couldn't think of the keys that I was playing, or else I'd slow myself down. Instead, I'd let go, and let myself sing in my heart and mind the song that I was playing - and in that way, I found that I could keep up with the tempo that everyone else had set. My mind and spirit could fly away with that song..... Oh, dear mbira... I so want to go to Zimbabwe and go see a ceremony... maybe it's similar to the small concerts we've had, but I bet it's just a lot more intense... yeah, it's worth the money to go, ... worth it. But I've got to have something to come back to. I'm so excited about the champaign trip tomorrow. The workshop at 3pm will be a blast, as it will be exciting to see all the new people that are also hooked into mbira, as I was at UIUC. Also, it'll be great showing Musekiwa around to the school and class that I got introduced into mbira music for the first time. Wow, it's been an adventure, and it's not over yet.... (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 29th, 2006
9:40 am	On for the next interview On interviewing, I think I have the idea. I might want to see the career counselor, but I think I get the general idea. It's at 1pm today, and I think I'm ready. I'm ready with the interview outfit I recently got with jodo's help. On the grad school front, I went to Rosalind Franklin for their open house, they seem good - a research university. I'm also thinking UIC, and Oakton if things don't go though. But I'm getting all geared up for things. On the mbira front, Musekiwa's visit is coming along, it's slowly progressing as we have the weekend workshop coming, lessons, and his champaign visit for a day. More on that later. Yay! So overall, I have been accomplishing a lot recently, and been making myself a lot more organized then in the past. I think that's what working in the office does to you. (Comment on this)
Monday, July 24th, 2006
12:29 am	mbira Yay for hosho and deze today! I am up way too late and should get to bed now. (Comment on this)
Thursday, July 6th, 2006
8:23 pm	Mbira On to joys of culture and music, the mbira group is growing, we're soon to organise an mbira party. I'm looking forward to this, and probably will be the coming weekend after this weekend - just to be sure to get the e-mail and info on it on the midwest mbira yahoo groups page, or just e-mail it out to the people from those mbira workshops. Yay! I'm happy for Steve, and getting and planning these things to get going, along with Christy - and gathering people for the mbira group. What a difference it is to have people to share and feel in your dreams..... I'll get there in Zimbabwe, I promise, Zimbabwe... and ode to the shona ansestors who will help all of us. That was all planned on the 4th, and hopefully Musekiwa will be coming. Can't wait for my hosho and my deze! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
3:32 pm	Yeow, I haven't posted in a while. Life goes, I've been working, as usual. The office is ok; I'm taking day by day, and working on not getting too upset. Not bad, really. As long as one feels organised, has those lists of things to do and is communicating outside oneself, and reaches out, one is ok. I am breathing; more then breathing, I know the office isn't for me, but at the same time, I could deal and sometimes enjoy getting things done. I just coach myself when I feel inside that shy shell. The mbira group is going well, and I'll write more later... (Comment on this)