Tucker's Journal

My chosen career

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:12:08 -0400

I came to a realization tonight as I was driving home in the car. I am really really lucky to be studying what I want to study in college. Many people I know have chosen (or their parents have chosen) a major for practical reasons. They have to make money. They have to support a family. They have to have a solid life. I chose music theatre as my major because I love it. I love the way it makes me feel. It is an integral part of my life and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. Call it stubborn, call it bold; it is what I have chosen and I am so happy my parents support me in my decision.

A kid in our class sent all of us MT majors a message today saying he is leaving the program to explore other career options. I wish him luck in whatever he decides to do and I can understand why he chose to change majors. The thing is I can’t imagine myself making that decision myself. I am dedicating my life to music theatre and I am so excited about my future - whatever it brings.

Pandora Lament

Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:55:00 -0400

So, yesterday I helped a camper install the iPhone 2.0 software on his iPhone. All was going according to plan. I was going to give him some of my music in the process (since all of his would get deleted). All the other settings were preserved and everything was fine. Photos, text messages, contacts were all saved from the backup.

One snafu. We installed the iPhone Pandora app and I logged in with my account so I could show him the awesomeness of Pandora. After that, however, we couldn’t figure out how to log my account out of his phone! I jumped through a lot of hoops to try to figure out how to log out of his Pandora app. I even sent a message to the Pandora tech support asking for their help.

Today, I was rushing to get it logged out, so I restored his iPhone with my computer again. Only this time, there was no backup of the phone’s settings so he lost all his contacts, text messages, and photos he took. I felt SO bad at this point. I was just trying to log out of Pandora. I ended up deleting his texts, photos, and contacts. Luckily, he had backed up on his computer last Sunday so almost everything will be restored when he syncs again.

After this, I was fed up. I just offered to transfer my Pandora account to him, delete all my music stations and change the login info to his email address; so, I did. The real kicker is that right after this, I get a reply from Pandora telling me that all I have to do is go to the “Settings” panel on the iPhone and select “Pandora” to change the login account. WHAAAAAA??? After I went to all this trouble? Oh well, what’s done is done.

After THIS, I realized that I had bookmarked songs and artists on my account that I transferred to him. Plus, I now had his name on my profile page and vice versa (which cannot be changed). Bleh. I was really growing weary at this point and I was mad at myself. I asked him to switch accounts one more time and log into his account on his iPhone.

So, I have lost all my stations and I have to recreate every one. Doesn’t sound like a big task, but trust me. It’s pretty annoying. I emailed Pandora support one more time to ask if they can restore my account to the way it was before.

I’m so mad at myself for rushing into this situation and hurrying to find a solution! If I had simply waited and kept a cool head, this would have never happened.

Wow, what a rant.

EDIT (20:38): WHY DO I CARE SO MUCH ABOUT MATERIAL THINGS?!?!?!???

Sitting in the light booth

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 14:44:18 -0400

I’m currently in the light booth for the experimental theatre at Choate Rosemary Hall, running the lights (who’d have guessed?) for the musical revue the kids are doing. This is the final rehearsal before the first performance tonight. It’s funny, it brings me back to when I was one of them - having to change into tap shoes in between songs, setting up blocks for singers to use, listening to all the cliché song choices (Cats, Les Mis, Wicked, etc).

Last night, we had the premiere of the two plays. The playwriting teacher wrote one for the theatre students and the playwriting student wrote a short play starring mostly faculty including: yours truly! We open the musical revue tonight then have one more night of the plays and another night of the revue. The camp is coming to a close! I am really impressed with the young playwright’s ability. He is only 13 but has a very strong sense of character and plot. The play has flaws, but all plays do.

I’ll be at Choate until Saturday or Sunday, then it’s back to Atlanta and off to Michigan with the family.

-Tucker

Honesty

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 01:00:14 -0400

I really wish I could be completely honest in this journal. There’s always a certain amount of self-editing simply because I’m worried the wrong person might stumble across this site. I should just start caring less.

Choate Rosemary Hall

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 22:19:08 -0400

I’ve arrived! I’m working as an intern here at the 5-week long Summer Arts Conservatory. This includes essentially being a paid slave for the program but having lots of fun in the process. It’s normally hard for me to get motivated to write things like this, but I’m feeling in the mood this evening.

Tomorrow is the first official day of camp and most of the kids got here today. We have been setting up for the past few days in between my car breaking down and having to be sent to the shop and moving into the dorm. I’m staying in the same dorm I did when I attended the camp which is weird. I haven’t been in here for 3 years.

I’ll be helping with the little kids day camp during the mornings and in the afternoons and evenings with the boarding students. This includes multiple theatre trips around the area PLUS a trip to NYC to see some shows. These include Altar Boyz, In the Heights, and Xanadu. Guess who’s excited! Tucker’s excited.

Haircut + Packing I got a haircut yesterday with Aaron Coury....

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:37:10 -0400

Haircut + Packing

I got a haircut yesterday with Aaron Coury. Much shorter now. Spent the rest of the day procrastinating so I wouldn’t have to pack… haha. I really do need to get all my stuff together, though because I’m supposed to leave for CT tomorrow. I don’t know if that will end up happening, though.

Currently drinking my daily dose of green tea and contemplating packing.

Friday: June 20, 2008 - The car day

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 23:42:26 -0400

Today I went with Whit and Dad to pick up Dad’s 1964 red Mercedes convertible from a Mercedes-Benz specialist auto shop out in Douglasville. Then, we decided to look around at some car dealerships in the area so we stopped by a Porche and a Pontiac dealership. Very nice cars, wish I could afford one!

After that, we headed to Burts Bros auto repair shop to pick up the Neon (the car that I think I’m going to be driving up to Connecticut in a few days). The A/C is fixed on it and it drives like a champ. I just wish those speakers had a little less distortion when I play music!

Went to Anis for dinner with Mom and Ginny. Good food and it was nice to get caught up with them. Ginny just got back from a camp with some friends.

An "inside Tucker's head moment"

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:42:59 -0400

My fingers are still hurting due to starting guitar, but I think the callouses are starting to build. Then it will get better and it will be easier to play!

Stopped in Walhalla May 19, 2008

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:33:00 -0400

Stopped in Walhalla

May 19, 2008

I’ve decided to start learning to play the guitar this...

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:06:00 -0400

I’ve decided to start learning to play the guitar this summer. It’s been 2 days and I’ve learned 2 chords. My fingers are hurting a little.

China update

Wed, 04 Jun 2008 11:37:00 -0400

Wow. That’s a lot of Twitter updates. I’m in China now, in Dunhuang with Dad and Ginny. We’re in the desert and spent a lot of time on the dunes today, riding camels among other things. SO much fun! Check Ginny’s blog for more updates on the trip.

-Tucker

First video

Tue, 20 May 2008 20:16:00 -0400

First video

From his wonderful sister

Sun, 18 May 2008 22:01:00 -0400

Tucker, clean your room right now, or I’m not going to do this. Stop pretending like you are coming to watch what I am writing, stop singing, stop telling me your good ideas, stop showing me videos, stop dancing. Just clean your room. Actually that is a pretty good idea. But really, you need to clean now. You little jerk.

Those women probably have no friends. They must have had way too much time on their hands. And they should know that you cannot wear blue in front of a blue screen. It doesn’t work.

Thanks for letting me stay here at Elon with you, but I want to leave tomorrow which we cannot do unless you have all your stuff packed. Also, you need to put sheets on this bed so I can sleep.

Good luck on your exam!! But people tend to do better on exams if they are not worried about their rooms not being ready to move out. They also do better when they get sufficient sleep.

Fine, maybe I will do it for you. But I still love you

-Ginny-

Ginny's Graduation

Sun, 18 May 2008 00:11:04 -0400

Today was Ginny’s graduation! It was an awesome ceremony that took place at the Alliance Theatre. After that, we came back home and had an awesome catered dinner featuring the best tacos I’ve ever had + margaritas. We sat around and talked for awhile. It was good to see Pi, Pop, Aunt Sue, and Kevin.

Tomorrow, Ginny and I are leaving to go back to Elon so I can take my college writing exam on Monday and then the family leaves for China on Wednesday!

This is a journal

Sun, 18 May 2008 00:01:16 -0400

I’m hoping to start a journal / more personal blog here.