So to Finishing That Music Degree...

I've been so focused lately on preparing for the arrival of our baby girl, that I almost forgot that I have to actually finish my doctoral degree really soon.

I'm still in college after 11 years.  I'm still in college after 11 years.  I'M STILL IN COLLEGE AFTER 11 YEARS!!

  (Sorry...  a little freak out moment there.)

I could have been a freaking brain surgeon by now, but after 11 years in college, I can't fix your brain, but I can sum up the past 2000 years in music history fairly quickly.

I'm a composer and music educator and I decided early on in my music studies, that I wanted to go all the way through and get all my degrees without pause.   Currently have a bachelors and masters degree in composition, while I'm about one year away from finishing my doctoral degree at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

After 200+ credit hours, 11 years, 400 papers, 2000+ years of music history, 526 concerts, the 243rd time of listening to Beethoven's 5th Symphony, and learning that all composers were crazy, you can pretty much see why I'm ready to get out of school and move on with my life.

Here's a pic of me doing what I do best.

Sorry... my stomach says that I might be better at eating than composing music, but I have to have something to show for these degrees.  I am guilty of that extra "sympathy weight" that most first time dads get.  Check out my story about that from an earlier blog.

So here's a pic of me doing my thing in the music world.  Well my back anyway...

Its really happening... and I love that feeling of not knowing what's gonna happen next.  I'm pretty sure that reading books, iPhone apps, and watching videos can't exactly prepare you enough for fatherhood.  The whirlwind didn't really hit me until yesterday, until I explained to someone on Facebook why I'm starting to freak out a little..

2011-2012 Checklist

1.  Start my new "first real job" at the end of Aug.  (Teaching 2 classes and private students)

2.  Take one more class to finish up my coursework

3.  Finish composing two 10min pieces of music for my final recital

4.  Find people that actually want to play my music for that recital

5.  Rehearse all that music

6.  Perform all that music

7.  Study for my two minor field exams

8.  Take those exams

9.  Study for oral exams

10.  Take oral exams

11.  Study for written exams

12.  Take written exams

13.  Start my dissertation

14.  Complete my dissertation

15.  Graduate

Oh... and have a baby too.  Sleep?  Haven't figured out where that fits in just yet.  

Just for your enjoyment, here's a pic of me tonight in our Bradley class trying to figure out the whole baby sling thing.

(The coolest thing about this picture is I kind of look like Captain America!!  Where's my shield!??)    

Thanks for checking out my blog and please comment below and give me any advice on how I can get through this next year!!!

Tim

Fatherhood: Step by Step

Hello everyone and welcome to Daddy Dynamics.  My name is Tim.  I'm a 29 year old, soon to be (August 2011) father, and I wanted to chronicle all the various parameters of fatherhood from a perspective of a first time dad.  I've read a few books, looked over a few websites, and downloaded a few apps that are supposed to help us (first time parents) figure out how to compile our own instruction manual for our first child.  I've searched around the web for something geared more to the dad's side of things, and have wondered why we seem to get left out of all the wonders and fun!?

There are plenty of websites, magazines, apps and articles on motherhood, mommy accessories, and the latest nursery decor, but what about the things dads really need to know?  Like how long it takes to put together the crib and other baby furniture (including the level of frustration and back pain involved), how confusing is it to strap your baby in the stroller or car seat to go to the grocery store, the essential tools every dad needs (because from birth until they move out, all dads will have to put together or fix something at some point, right?), and the latest in diaper technology.

The point of this blog is, right now, I don't know the answer to these things, but I will certainly come across all of these different scenarios at some point.  I invite you all to follow along with me as I navigate this exciting journey of being a dad!

10 more weeks to go until our little one is here!  Now to painting that dresser...

Tim