Geography - My map

I chose to do my Geography project on Music! I decided to choose unexpected places where you would find music! I have quite a varied taste in music as sometimes I enjoy listening to modern songs but other time I love to listen to older music eg: Motown!

I love music and I really enjoyed doing this project as I got to combine geography /IT with the subject I love, music !!!

I have decided to post all my geography posts together so that it will be easier to read and that when I am looking over my blog I will remember how and what the project was about!

I hope you enjoy my project J !

Off we went to Nationals!

On Thursday of last week , Team Éalú went to the national finals in Griffith Collage. When we first entered the conference room , we were stunned by the level of the presentations. We quickly set up our stalls and got ready for the judges that were coming around. I couldn't believe that they re was such a high standard, it was definitely different from the Regional finals. Our first interview was in another conference room with six judges. We were very nervous for this but we were all prepared. When we walked into the room we were all smiling! :) I was so happy as the judges were so nice, though we ran a bit overtime in our PowerPoint presentation. Then we had to wait awhile until our next interview. We then ventured into the restaurant which was full of college people, many were doing work but some were campaigning for collage elections! Then the judges came to our stall and we then spoke about our portfolio of all our work. I felt that went well! In the meantime our car was at scrutinising , when we got the car back we were happy to see that we scored 36/40! But we soon had the race , and that went very bad! Our car was so much slower then in the last round! I was really annoyed about that! :) Then we had lunch ! The food was gorgeous in the cafe and it kept up my energy for the rest of the day! After lunch the scrutineering judge and another judge came around to our table to talk about the manufacturing and the design of the car! A good while later came the results!!! We didn't place but we got a medal for participating in the competition! It was a good day out but I found that it was quite long and I thought the regionals were more fun as the people weren't as serious!

Bog bodies!

Last week we went on a English trip to Dublin. We first went to the natural museum. We saw many of the artefact's that were found in the iron/bronze age. We then went to see the bog bodies! Everyone was so excited to see them and it was one of the highlights of the trip. When I saw the bog bodies I was surprised that I didn't find it upsetting or sick. I found it really interesting! One bodies was amazing as his hand was so perfectly preserved, a picture of it is below. I was amazed by the bodies as i was so interested in the mystery of why they were killed and how. We then went to the William Yeats Museum. I love poetry and I was very fascinated by his life and work. One thing that really shocked me from his life was his interaction with spirits. I found that really strange as the tour guide explained that he spoke to them for answers to his life. William’s life was certainly very interesting as the guide told us all about his loves like Maude Gonne that he urged after. We then went to the National Art Gallery. We then saw all of Jack Yeats paintings. The room was set up so that you’re able to see the changes in his life and work. His early drawing were very realistic but when we moved on he got very creative and contemporary. I enjoyed looking at his paintings many were full of color and a story. I really enjoyed the trip out! The sun was blazing and that just made the day all the better! :)

The link for the picture is here

Jabba Jabba Jembe

Last week all of class Emnet gathered in the music room for a percussion workshop. We all helped bring in the instruments. At the beginning i had no clue what was in the large bag covers, but when the covers where taken off we all saw that they were musical instruments. David (the instructor) then told us that they were jembes and not bongos. We then all got to work learning how to use the jembes. I loved just hitting the jembe aimlessly but I also loved making rhythms with them! The noise from the music room must have been awful as one person described the noise coming from the room as ‘a racket and a half’! Then we worked on making rhythms, he gave us simple tips to remember the beats for example ‘Pat the Bak-er’. When we had learnt all these we all performed an orchestrated rhythm together. Some people were on the jembes while others where banging chairs and other drums. All together the rhythm sounded amazing! We then watched video clips of the place where jembe was originated. The people who live in the town live and breathe rhythm and they also have a very ancient way of life. I was amazed at how their culture was so well maintained as they still had very old traditions and ways compared to my life. today. After that we all tried a little freestyle. Now that didn’t go too well. When I stopped and listened to the noise around me all I could hear was random beats! J I had a great day and I would absolutely love to do it again or learn the jembe myself. But I found that the day was a bit long and I was very tired by the end of it!

Work Experience

For my second week of work experience I decided to go to the district courts in the Nass Courthouse. On my first day I was so nervous and I was panicking having a wardrobe disaster :about what I was wearing, whether it was too formal, or too casual. But after I met my supervisor and when I was settled in in the office I was soon discovered there was no need for my panic as I was dressed just fine! J

When I first thought of doing work experience in the courts I presumed I would always be in court. But to my surprise I spent 3 out of the 5 days doing administrative work. I spent my time working alongside the clerks and I was so surprised at the amount of paperwork and calls they had to answer. I soon found that I liked working in an office environment , but that I didn’t really enjoy office work.

My first day in court was amazing! I loved it! I was really nervous as I got to sit next to the registrar helping with writing fines. I really enjoyed listening and observing the cases even though I was sometimes lost in what was happening.

I found that I got a really good sense of exactly the type of work people do I the courts, and I got a really good insight to the other people who also worked in the court. I had a great week as everyone there was so welcoming and kind and I enjoyed my week in the Naas Courthouse.

And its time to announce the winners....

Last week four groups from the school hoped on a bus and went to the Osprey Hotel, for the Kildare finals of the Student Enterprise Awards. We were all so excited as this year, we were told we had the largest amount of companies from St.Wolstans that had gotten through to the Kildare finals! When we walking in the entrance of the conference rooms are hands were full of all the materials and boards that we could get our hands on. Soon we were quickly setting up our stall , but we were quickly disappointed when we saw a balloon company arrive with an amazing stall ! After awhile our stall was ready. And this time, it didn't fall down! Then we were invited to lunch in another room! I was staving so when I saw the chief dishing chicken and chips I was smiling :) ! Soon I was ready for action (and judging :S) . When the judges came we were all confident and as each judge came our interviews with them got better and better! After the judges , it was time to wait! And after a time the judges came out to announce the winners! Just Desserts scooped up the prize for best judges prize. Then they announced that the company I was on 'Knot A Problem' won 2nd place! We were over the moon and we couldn’t believe that we got so far just with our simple concept ! On the bus home we were all so proud to be apart of TY in St.Wolstans ! :)

Doe , Ray, Me , Fa , So, La , Tee Doe.......

Doe a deer a female deer , is what we are singing in choir ... only joking!!!!!
In Choir we are have entered the Wesley Choir competition which will be held on the 5th of March. We practise every Thursday at lunch. We are singing a song called the Wild Rose. I had never heard of this song before but it is a very beautiful and musical song.
I sing as part of the Alto group and we work well together, even thought I still have to learn all my lines! I have never been to Wesley before but I hope it will be a great experience! I cant wait until the song is perfect! The teachers told us today that we have only a few practises left until the day of the competition .. that was such a shock!!!
I hope everything goes well and I hope I don't lose my note on the day as I definitely will be nervous! :)