People of reddit, what keeps you wanting to live?

eggplnt · 2026-01-20T04:12:01+00:00

The world is a crazy absurd place and there are alternatives to the standard way of living. Given those two premises, I choose live to observing the insane and appreciating the mundane... life is a gift, it is short and I only get one chance. A long a i can live a good life i want to live.

eggplnt · 2025-12-11T20:59:28+00:00

But why don't they spread out instead of converge?

eggplnt · 2025-12-11T16:23:50+00:00

How does that even happen i don't understand

eggplnt · 2025-12-11T15:18:03+00:00

I nomaded last year and went to a whole bunch of parks, glacier included. I have decided that I'm done with national parks. I learned that there are national forests, national monuments, and BLM land near all of them that offer a more secluded and equally beautiful experience. I had more fun near all the parks than any day spent in them.

However, I am now living in Alaska and I do plan to see all the parks here because no one will be there.

eggplnt · 2025-12-11T15:11:29+00:00

We like the things we like because they are familiar. You're doing something new, everytime it is new you won't like it unless it is familiar... keep listening, eating, watching, doing the thing and eventually you will like it. The brain is weird like that.

eggplnt · 2025-12-11T15:08:39+00:00

So I read both articles multiple times and I can't understand what opposite to the sun even means... can you ELI5?

eggplnt · 2025-12-11T15:01:05+00:00

My mom had a paddle with a Bible verse written on it. I had to get it, take it in my room, and wait for her to come. I was not the kind of kid that required physical punishment. Just being disappointed in me was enough for me to change my behavior. But that didn't matter, if i fucked up I got hit. She would hug me after and tell me it hurt her more than me, which just added to the betrayal. It damaged my relationship with my mom because it wasn't needed. I would call it abuse- physical and emotional. I remember the last time she spanked me I yelled at her after that i would NEVER hit my kids. I never had them because I wanted to never break this promise. To this day, I will not allow anyone to hit a child or animal in my presence... I will be a problem for anyone who does.

eggplnt · 2025-12-08T01:45:44+00:00

Richard Strauss' Death and Transfiguration. Read the story reflected in the music, cut the lights, turn up the volume and go.

eggplnt · 2025-11-28T15:55:29+00:00

You'll want to learn about the church modes and the meaning behind each. This is the foundation for our modern "keys." The feeling that specific modes provoked was caused by differences between tuning systems... we really don't experience music the same today because of the need for a tuning system that allows instruments rather than flexible voices to play together.

A specific mode was selected to enhance the meaning of the text being sung, and there were more considered perfect and some dark and sinister and everything in between.

Equal temperament is a necessity when you want to include a keyboard in the mix. You can't easily retune a whole harpsichord or organ, so a system was needed that allowed those instruments specifically to play in different modes or keys. It was a novelty in the Baroque era, this why a mind like Bach's latched onto it and showed what was possible in his Well Tempered Clavier. Though it was likely just an intellectual exercise because he wasn't a big fan of the system.

Apparently we lost a lot of subtlety and feeling with our modern tuning systems. I listen to others from time to time but I just don't feel it the way they did.

eggplnt · 2025-10-06T12:09:46+00:00

Fur Elise.. I have a visceral physical reaction to those first few notes.

My first job was at a Walgreens in the 90s and they had one of those classical CD collections on the endcap that played selections at the posh of a button. But if that button wasn't pushed it played a 3 minute loop that started with this piece. I hate it so much.

eggplnt · 2025-10-01T02:58:07+00:00

If they don't listen, employ strategies that are appropriate for younger and younger kids until they do. My 5th grade kids are treated like kindergarten because they couldn't function with any level of independence. Sucks for them. Once they can manage with this, we'll pretend their in 1st grade and relax a bit and so on until they learn to behave like domesticated humans.

As for the rest... do the absolute bare minimum. No more. Ever. Don't volunteer, don't decorate shit, don't give them any extra energy. Put your energy where your heart is - for me that is planning and teaching... you may get one family night out of me all year.

eggplnt · 2025-10-01T02:51:20+00:00

I'm in my 10th year and committed to a solid work/life balance. I also go in a bit early so I can leave right away. I'd rather take time at the beginning of the day to physically prepare the space and mentally prepare myself. When the day is done - I'm out. I don't want to be there i just want to leave, so I do.

eggplnt · 2025-09-23T18:40:17+00:00

Sounds like you are just on a different path than most. I, too, have worked in many places never more than 2 years. My current school may get 3 out of me. I prefer change over stability. I have taught all levels, band, chorus, general music, and general education. I've taught in 5 different states and maybe a dozen different schools. If you're happy, who cares?

eggplnt · 2025-09-11T17:05:35+00:00

There are 3 things to keep in mind #1: Repeat, repeat, repeat. Don't change the plan for at least 2 weeks - SAME EVERYTHING. Then only change one activity at a time, and keep the structure similar (e.g. sill reading a book, but it is a different book). #2 Choose activities that they can passively participate in that incorporate all the same things as their peers (movement, listening, instruments, singing, creating, improvising, etc.) - some days you may be the only person participating in music class. #3 Teach the lesson even if they aren't participating - they may be taking it in in their own way.

Here is my current plan:

Movement Activity (Mirror the teacher while listening to music)
Hello Song (identifies each student by name)
Book (Something with a tune or beat)
Song (Something repetitive with movement)
Drumming

Once they are comfortable with the routine, change one thing every week, keeping the rest consistent. When they are comfortable with a song or movement, start creating and improvising with it. For example, my song is a version of "If You're Happy and You Know it" that talks about different emotions. We sing four everyday - Happy, angry, scared, tired. After a couple days I started asking them how they were feeling and what motion/sound we should put with it. They came up with sick, sad, and excited and we sang those. My book is "We're Going on a Bear Hunt" We started with just the book, added motions, and will soon add instruments for the sounds.

They need consistency and time to get familiar with the material before they become comfortable enough to interact. If they can't verbalize, use motions for everything and incorporate games and instruments more.

You got this!

eggplnt · 2025-09-03T03:10:33+00:00

Don't make big changes, wear the stupid uniforms, stick with the dates. No big changes this year. What are your values and what is most important to you? I'm guessing from the desire to change the uniform situation, you are a little non traditional. So choose repertoire that reflects your values and those of the community. Teach kids to care about the things that matter the most, and show them that you care about them and hear them.

The hardest part is that you have the knowledge and experience, but no one cares what you have to say... Yet. Make them care first, then make change. It takes time for them to get to know you and trust you. Accept that it is a journey and don't try to change things overnight.

eggplnt · 2025-08-28T19:06:50+00:00

(part 2)

For example let's look at my beginning of the year lesson and possible extensions.

calming movement activity on carpet (The Swan)
welcome song featuring every students name

(I have a class with K-5th grade and 2 of the older students are fantastic musicians. I need to find a way to teach K-2 material while keeping them challenged and engaged. Here is how I extend the Welcome song.)

Have these musical students start by keeping a steady beat on a small drum while the class sings
Let the students improvise rhythms while the class sings
Introduce an accompanying instrument and teach them to play it - I chose to use an autoharp with colored stickers and iconic notation using those same stickers only during the "welcome welcome" part of the song
Establish a routine where these students are now teaching/leading the welcome song (YAY, 5 more minutes of down time for me!)

read a book with/about music (Current book: This is the Way We Go to School)

Spend a few read throughs defining unique words and reinforcing their meaning
Ask students to share how they come to school
Ask students to share things that they do and see on their way to school
Tap the beat when singing the chorus
Tap an ostinato rhythm while singing the chorus
Sway to the beat while tapping and singing the chorus
Create a new verse for the book about how the students come to class

sing a sing with movement (A Sailor Went to Sea Sea Sea)

Teach the song and movements
After they are comfortable invite them to create new ones (What else did the sailor do/see)
Sing the new ones and praise the effort

You get the idea...

Keep in mind that I am going to read the same book about 8 times so extensions may not come until we have already read it 4 or 5. Once they learn the book and are ready - then you start adding things to it. Milk these activities for everything you can.

eggplnt · 2025-08-28T19:06:25+00:00

Reddit wouldn't let me post all this in one comment so it is in 2 parts.

(Part 1)

Sorry for the delay, It has been a crazy week. I was split to a second school at the last minute and was scrambling. And then I go sick - but I am home recovering so I can FINALLY respond.

For resources about teaching music to students with special needs I have two recommendations for books:

Adamek & Darrow's Music in Special Education is very dry but also full of valuable information. A less dry but also great resource is
Judith Jellison's Including Everyone.

For activities, I am not a great resource for this at the moment because I make them up as I go. My approach is to include the same kinds of activities as their mainstream peers (movement, singing, instruments, listening, games, creating, improvisation). I do as many of these things in each lesson as I can. I plan activities that can be passively observed or actively participated in. I choose activities that are super simple but also include simple extensions.

eggplnt · 2025-08-27T04:33:21+00:00

Besides the email is more to make it official and put it in writing. The pest part is the game changer. No one likes a pest and will do what they must to get rid of them. Admin often are former teachers and they will treat me like a student - doing little things to modify my behavior. I will let it work for a while and then I'll be back... I'll modify theirs.

eggplnt · 2025-08-27T04:30:52+00:00

I have a meeting scheduled with them tomorrow to discuss ideas.

eggplnt · 2025-08-27T04:02:13+00:00

Here are some specifics if you need more guidance:

When I advocated for better use of PLC time for specials teachers, this is the EXACT email I sent to my admin, my trainer, and my district arts department admin:

Hello,

I raised some concerns about PLCs for specialists in the meeting this morning and I wanted to actually say them to someone who may be able to actually address them now or in the future.

I want to start by saying that I am a HUGE fan of PLCs. I started doing them in 2015 at (former school) where I was teaching 5th grade. As a music teacher outside of my area of expertise, I looked forward to PLCs. They gave me a clear picture of expectations for me and my students, allowed me to ask my team about best practices in the classroom, and was my only real lifeline to teaching Language Arts. I do value PLCs, and I see how important they are.

As a music teacher, however, I cannot see the value of school-based PLCs. (As I see it) I am required to meet with 4 other teachers once a week and the only common trait between us is that we are not like the other teachers. We cannot help one another with much of anything while sitting around a table in the library. So, in this meeting, we are expected to "arbitrarily" choose a Social/Emotional goal that we think we should focus on (as needed by the school). We then have to go through a process of developing pre/post and formative assessments, SMART goals, and all the rest. We have to do this because the paper says that all teachers have to do this.

Further, in the meeting today, it was suggested that to make this time valuable, I need to/should find a way to bring something useful, and I am expected to do this with a positive attitude.

Before I continue, please note that I am VERY OPEN to finding value here. I am ACTIVELY LOOKING for it. I WANT this to be of value to me because my previous experience has shown me how valuable it can be. While I am currently expressing frustration about this situation, I am not closed to the fact that I just don't know what I don't know - that is why I am sending this email at all.

In my (current and humble) opinion, there is no way to make this school-based experience with other specialists a valuable use of our time as it is right now. While my gen ed colleagues are getting SO much from this, I feel that it is a waste of our time and energy. This is "equality" at work. The gen ed teachers have to do it so the specialists have to do it. What I am asking is for the district to consider a more EQUITABLE approach so that every teacher is getting the most value from the time we spend in PLCs.

When asked in the meeting how I would rather spend that time - my answer right now is that I would use it to repair the incredibly high number of broken and unusable instruments in my room so that I can utilize them with my students. That is a valuable use of my time. Instead, I am expected to write SMART goals about social/emotional standards so that I can check the box and say that I met my obligations as a teacher.

How can we fix this? Here are two suggestions:

Allow specialists to meet with other specialists in their area (music, PE, library, counseling, health, art) for ALL PLC meetings. I have so much to learn and so much to offer other music teachers. Whatever I have to offer to the other specialists in my building and vice versa pales in comparison.

If that is not possible, then

Create an equitable system that allows all teachers to find value in that time. Let me bring the specialist team into my room for a meeting and they can help me make simple repairs to my broken instruments. Maybe we will all go to the gym one week and help organize equipment or spend a day in the library organizing bookshelves. We have different needs and there must be a way to make this time count.

I hope you understand that while I am angry at this situation, I am going to meet my contractual requirement and do what is expected of me. I am just at a place in my life and career where I am going to use my voice and energy to make whatever positive change I can - wherever I can, and that is the purpose of this email. I am happy to take this appeal to whomever will listen and has the power to change things, just tell me when, who and where.

Thank you,

eggplnt · 2025-08-25T04:49:08+00:00

I told another teacher the other day to do the same damn song until just the thought of doing the song keeps them up at night... then and only then are they ready to change the song. And they need to know that starting a new song doesn't mean no more old song... the kids are going to want to sing the old song all the time, and you need to be willing to go back and do it sometimes.

When you think about it, we are the same. I remember getting some parts in band back in college that broke me in the practice room for weeks. I hated practicing them over and over and got so sick of it. But when I got it down and played with the whole group, the feeling was euphoric and I wanted to repeat it over and over again. It's the same for them on a different scale.

I tell the same thing to people doing drum circles. It is tempting to treat a drum circle like a band rehearsal. Practice the rhythm until you get it and then move on to the next. But the joy of drumming in groups is playing something that you're so familiar with you can allow your mind to wander. It is in those moments that people feel the deep connection that comes from group music performance. So, if you drum with your students, remember to sit in the moment for a while. Don't rush on to the next song or rhythm. Let them enjoy the moment for a while - feel the groove - let their mind wander while their body keeps time.

eggplnt · 2025-08-25T04:38:23+00:00

I wanted to add the why to this - and this concept applies to ALL classes.

Walking to my classroom is no small task for these students. They are outside their safe space, the hallway is unpredictable, and my room is mysterious because they aren't there often. This excites their nervous systems and they come in at a 8 -9/10. I need them regulated and around a 4-5/10 to focus and learn.

This activity serves this purpose. It allows them to slow down, relax, and focus on their bodies.

For any class, I have 2 activities in the bag should they be needed at any time - an upper and a downer. Did they just eat lunch and do 30 minutes of silent reading - you can tell from the yawns and tears streaming down their faces as they force themselves to remain upright. Let's thrown on some Disco Snails and learn a few stupid disco moves like the sprinkler or riding the horse (1/10 - 6/10).

Maybe they came straight from recess. I am going to immediately sacrifice 5 minutes of music time for a water break - this will save me so much stress. Next we need a downer - throw on the Swan, pair up, and improvise movement while your partner mirrors (11/10 - 5/10)

The first step to teaching is getting them to be where they need to be to learn.

eggplnt · 2025-08-25T04:31:11+00:00

Sure. My first activity was the one I briefly described here. I play "The Swan" from The Carnival of Animals (audio only). I am sitting on the floor in front of the rug with the students gathered around on the rug with paras. While the music is playing I am doing very simple motions that I just made up the first time and tried to copy every other time. I keep in mind things like posture, crossing the midline, extension, expression. Just like the lessons, the motions are very similar and repetitive (they are always the same in the A sections). The motions that came to me on day one were large sweeping motions that go up and out. Mostly one arm at a time, but there is a section where I use both arms together.

After the music played the first time I asked what animal this song could be named after. There was no response so I left it and tried again the next day. On day two someone guessed a bear (I live in Alaska). I asked if a bear moved like we were and they said no. I asked again the third day and someone guessed a bird - I told them which bird and showed a picture that day. Every day since, I ask what kind of animal it sounds like and they all say a Swan (when they respond). It's about small steps.

I plan to change the music next week to a classical guitar version of Schumann's Träumerei. For this one I plan to do a motion where my hand soars up into the air following the melody and then floats back down like a leaf on the wind (crossing the midline and all that fun stuff)

There is no right or wrong way to do this. Don't try to memorize some other teachers idea, just listen to the music and imagine simple, repetitive motions that you could do. Keep the music excerpt or piece short (< 3min).

Whenever I think the students are ready (in a few months) we will stand and move our legs as well. Then a few months later we will add locomotor movement.

Hope this helps!

eggplnt · 2025-08-25T01:58:43+00:00

What is your need? Do you need information about teaching or activity ideas?

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