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January 2022 Blog Post

Home/Uncategorized/January 2022 Blog Post
2022-01-06T15:19:46+00:00 Print Page

January 2022 Blog Post

Embrace Lifelong Learning

By Jamilyn Penn

I am the only child, a daughter, of a single mother. I was a precocious little girl who at five years old was prone to excessive talking and even more excessive “fluttering about,” as my mom called it. In short, I was handful. My very quiet and even more reserved mother was constantly on the look out for activities that would hold my interest, silence my mouth, and settle me down for a bit. Nothing seemed to work better than music. Listening to music actually made me pause long enough to soak in the beauty that it evoked. My silence and stillness never lasted long, however. Whenever I heard a song on the radio or a jingle on a commercial, I lit up and sang along. It did not matter if the music had lyrics or not, because I usually made up my own unique lyrics, anyway. It also did not matter if we were at home, in the car, or out and about in some public space, I sang loudly and boldly. And, I danced, or “fluttered about,” too. My poor mom.

My birthday falls in the month of December, just a few weeks shy of Christmas.  On my sixth birthday, mom gave me a red Show ‘N Tell, a toy combination record player and filmstrip viewer. That year, mom also let me open one of my Christmas presents early. That gift was a media file, which included a record and a film strip that I could watch while listening to the audio. The media file I received was Peter and the Wolf, a symphonic fairy tale for children. Mom explained to my six-year old sensibilities what ‘symphony’ meant. She also explained that if I sat quietly, listened intently, and paid careful attention while the symphony played, I would hear an interesting story and a new song created with different types of amazing instruments.  I was excited, and I followed mom’s advice.  Ultimately, I was profoundly impacted by what I heard.

Peter and the Wolf was created by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. In the composition, a narrator tells a children’s story while the orchestral illustrates it by using a musical theme played by different instruments. For example, the Bird’s them is played by a flute; the Duck’s theme is played by an oboe; the Cat’s theme is played by a clarinet; the Grandfather’s theme is played by the bassoon; the Wolf’s theme is played by French horns; the Hunter’s theme is played by the timpani drums; and, lastly, Peter’s them is played by the strings in the orchestra. The narrator tells the tale (hear David Bowie weave the tale here) and the orchestra brings it all to life, or at least that is what it did for me when I was six.

I loved the entire symphony. What I adored most of all was the Bird’s theme, which is depicted by a flute. I could not get the sound out of my head. Whether I happened to be at home, in the car, or out and about in some public space, I attempted to chirp and whistle (to no avail) just like that bird, or the flute, in Peter and the Wolf. My antics went on for months, almost non-stop. At some point, mom promised that when I got a bit older she would get a flute and enroll me in flute lessons. The deal was sealed.

When I got to middle school and could play in a band, mom did as she promised and rented a flute for me to play. I was overjoyed. Although I was older, I still recalled the lovely bird-like sounds that the flute produced in the Peter and the Wolf symphony. I looked forward to learning how to play music just like that. It never occurred to me how much hard work it would take to play even basic notes on the newly acquired instrument, let alone the immense patience and never-ending practice that it would take to produce great sound. My excitement quickly waned, and I wanted to give up. Fortunately, mom set ground rules that whatever I stated I needed to finish. She insisted that I not give up. So, I continued playing the flute throughout middle school and well into high school. However, by the time that I got to my senior year of high school, I pushed the flute to the back recesses of my bedroom closet and pushed away any thoughts of ever playing it again.

Many years later, after I had a family of my own and had moved across the country to Washington State, mom mailed many of my childhood artifacts to me. She sent board games, Barbie dolls, books, journals, and my flute. I was thrilled to see all of it, but especially the flute. I thought, “Wow, I wonder if I can still play this thing?” I tried and got embarrassed, especially when my adolescent children and my husband came to see what the heck that “funny” noise happened to be. It surely did not sound anything like the Bird theme in Peter and the Wolf. My family encouraged me to keep practicing, because they believed that I would only get better. But, I was too busy with “other things” to be bothered, too embarrassed by my lack of skill, and too far removed from the lessons that I had learned about how to play the flute years before. I put the flute away, again, for several years.

In 2019, I was working in an extremely stressful job. During a one-to-one conversation with my boss, she asked, “Do you have any hobbies?” At that phase in my life, I did not do anything that brought me real joy; nothing to soothe my soul. I worked hard at my job, attended graduate school, took care of my family’s needs, and slept when I could find the time to do so. Day-after-day, I repeated the same routine actions. Somewhere in the conversation with my boss, I whispered, “Well, I used to play the flute, but…” My boss said, “Great, then play the flute, again. Take lessons during your lunch if you like, Jamilyn. You should always lean into doing our learning something that brings you joy, satisfaction, and inner peace. You deserve that.” I followed my boss’s advice. I made the decision to pick up my flute one more time, and it has been one of the best decisions that I have ever made.

Recently, I purchased a new flute; the older one needed just too much repair. I find time to play my flute every day. It makes me happy and soothes my soul. Some days I play only five minutes, while other days I play for an hour or more (usually on the weekends). I have even taken some lessons here and there, so that I can recall how to read sheet music and remember how to finger notes on the flute correctly. I have to admit that consistent practice has been beneficial, and I actually enjoy it, now. Recently, I ventured off on my own, without an instructor, to play tunes that I really like. I am finding my way along, and it is so much fun.  Especially during the height of the pandemic, playing my flute was my saving grace. During the most difficulty periods, I challenged myself to play music that lifted my spirits like Crazy Little Thing Called Love by Freddy Mercury, My Favorite Things by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees. I also played music that brought me joy like I Just Called to Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder; Girls Just Wanna Have Fun by Robert Hazard (sung by Cindy Lauper); and Livin’ On a Prayer by Jon Bon Jovi, Desmond Child and Richie Sambora. Most of all, I played songs like We Are the Champions by Freddy Mercury; I’ll Be There by Michael Jackson; and Let’s Stay Together by Al Green. These songs always remind me that tough times never last, but tough people do. I have not, yet, attempted to play the Bird theme from Peter and the Wolf. It really is a challenging piece. In time, as my flutist skills continue to improve, I will play that piece, too.

It took me some years to get back on track with playing my flute, but I have come to accept and to embrace that my flute and I are henceforth inseparable. I intend to be a life-long learner of my woodwind instrument. Knowing this gives me joy, satisfaction, and inner peace. In 2022 and beyond, I encourage you to make a concerted effort to lean into doing or learning something that brings you joy, satisfaction, and inner peace. Discover what works for you.  Learn to play an instrument, write poetry, sing karaoke, take up yoga, run a marathon, perform stand-up comedy, knit a blanket. Find that thing outside of your daily routine that makes your heart sing and increases your overall well-being. Have at it, friends. You deserve it. Happy New Year!

Important Dates for Student Success

  • January 10: First day of Winter Quarter 2022
  • January 12: Last day to enroll via ctcLink 
  • January 13: Instructor permission required to enroll after the 3rd day of the quarter
  • January 14: Last day to drop for 100% refund
  • January 17: Campus closed – Martin Luther King Day Holiday
  • January 24: Last day to drop without a “W” on transcript, last day to add  (late fee and approved petition required for enrollment after Jan. 24th)

Student Services, Resource, and Activity Highlight

  • Benefits Hub is hiring 3 Student Ambassadors to assist at the Food Pantry
    • Average 5.5 hrs/week, $220 bi-weekly stipend, $458 education award
    • Start date is Feb. 14th
    • contact: benefitshub@highline.edu if you’d like to be interviewed!
  • Students Needing COVID Relief Funds
    • Winter quarter application open now- click here to apply
    • If you want help applying for funds, reach out to thunderbirdconnections@highline.edu and one of our Advisors will assist you. Anyone who applied for these funds in any previous quarter and wants more support navigating resources can meet with a Cares Advisor- visit our page! visit our page!
  • WISH is open for applications!
    • Section 8 Vouchers available for Highline College students while you finish your certificate or degree and 6 months after you graduate! Students who are currently experiencing homelessness (staying in a shelter, vehicle, unsheltered, staying with friends/family “couch surfing” etc.) are invited to apply
    • Must be registered for a minimum of 6 credits (GED/ESL not eligible)
    • Must have eligible immigration status for Section 8 housing, housing provided by King County Housing Authority jurisdiction
    • click here to submit the housing screening form for WISH  for WISH *use your Highline College gmail account to access the form – Direct Link
  • General Housing Support
    • All students who are having housing challenges are encouraged to connect with our new Student Housing & Retention Program Specialist, Saido Alinur at salinur@highline.edu
    • Students who need help paying rent or moving costs can apply for rental support through Benefits Hub. Click here to schedule your appointment.  (Must be in 6+ credits)
  • NEW Emergency Funds for Highline Students
    • There are new emergency funds available for students who need support to stay in school
    • No minimum credit requirement
    • apply here!
    • *Do not apply for rental or tuition assistance with this form* For rental assistance skip this form and book an appointment with Benefits Hub.
    • For emergency tuition assistance, use this form 
  • Transfer Application Completion Workshops