Catching Up with life

Well I guess it's been a while since anybody has heard from me but I figure I'll get everybody caught up with my life.

Where to start, well I took a break from school for personal reasons and am now in the working world. I started working through Staff Manangement at Brown Printing and am now on Brown Printing's payroll as of October 23rd, 2011. I have liked working there ever since I got hired. I work 12 hour shifts Sunday Monday Tuesday and every other Saturday. On my days off I also work at my part time job at Cash Wise Foods. You would think I'd be tired after working so many days in a row, but I'll admit it's getting to be tough on me and am thinking about cutting back so I can keep my health intact. But I'm happy to report that I've lost over 20 pounds since I started working at Brown so I'm really feeling better and getting my self back on track health wise.

I also now live on my own. I moved out of my parents house and have been on my own since November. So at the age of 22 I am independent have been doing a lot of different things such as traveling and also having to balance bills.

Now one thing I'm looking forward to is going to North Carolina for the first time ever. I'm really looking forward to that. I leave July 22nd and I get back in MN on the 28th. I look into July and I look at just how much I'll be on the road for one I'll be heading to WI for a family get together North Carolina at the end of the month and then a week after I get home I get to go to the cities for a Duane Family Reunion.

So from taking a break from school to work a full time job as well as a part time job to moving out on my own and traveling a lot I've been pretty busy but I like my new lifestyle.

How lucky I am

I've been doing a lot of thinking lately and to this day I'm lucky to have the people I have in my life. I'm consider myself lucky that I still have a grandparent in my life. For those who don't know from my other posts my dad's mom died back in 2009 and she was the only grandparent on that side of the family I new. My grandpa Heydon died 11 years before I was born and my mom was only a sophomore in high school when it happened and my dad wasn't much older than me when it happened.

On the Swenson side which is my mom's side, my grandpa died when I was only 15 and the same age as my mom when grandpa Morris died. I can remember the day very well. Me and my sister were just finishing getting ready for school and we were about ready to leave when our phone rang. It happened to be my mom's brother Doug. My dad first spoke to him and all of a sudden his voice was quiet, I had a feeling that something was up and my mom was on the phone and she said that she would get packed up to come home. After she hung up she broke down. It took a little while for me to accept it but I knew that the day was coming. My parents just sent us off to school and we carried on with our day. It was hard for me to tell my teachers but they would have found out somehow from someone and I would rather have it be me. During the 2 days I was in school I got all my work done so I wouldn't have to worry while I was gone. I was gone for 6 days. At that time I consider myself lucky that my teachers were willing to help me through the greiving process.

Now to the present, I only have one more grandparent left and it's my Mom's mother. I'm lucky that I've been able to spend a lot of time with her now that I live closer to her. I've been able to do a lot of traveling with her and my most recent travel was back in 2009 down to Colorado to see my extended family that I haven't seen since my grandpa's funeral. I had so much fun down there I was there a total of 8 days but I was gone from my home for 10. To tell you the truth because I was still torn about my Grandma Heydon passing away and I was also still dealing with crap from Mower county about my truck, dealing with stress from work and also trying to have a life I was at my brink of stress; if I couldn't get away from Minnesota for a mere 2 days, I can honestly say that I would be 6 feet under but I was able to get away and I came back a different person. That summer led me to a better person but after that summer I started to have some different days where I wouldn't be happy and days that I was as cheerful as a puppy. After my last year in Austin we got to go to Wisconsin for the 4th of July and I had to find out some bad news about my life and when I went in for my physical I told them about what was going on and I was told that I may have depression.

So all in all I'm just lucky and happy to have the people that I have in my life whether it be my Grandma, my aunts and uncles or even my own cousins.

Thanks for all the time that I've been able to spend with all of you. You don't know how much it means to me.

Oh blog how I've missed the

Well, I guess that since my first term here at Winona State University is almost over I guess I could get everyone caught up on my life.

I've been pretty busy with school, 18 credits keeps me really busy. I've also declared a Dance Minor on top of my Music Education Major. To help with my minor I've been doing a lot with dancing. I'm part of the Winona International dancers and it has been a lot of physical work for me and I think I've lost a couple of pounds do to it. I've also been working out a lot at the new wellness center here on the WSU campus and what ever weight I'm losing in fat I'm gaining back in muscle.

Here are a couple of pictures from my dance group.






























On top of being in the Winona International Dancers I'm also involved with the Newmen center choir and we sing on Sunday's at the 7pm mass for the college students.

My family has also kept me pretty busy. I've been doing a lot of traveling lately and my most recent travel was to Shakopee to meet the newest additon in the family. Owen Michael Balow, Son of Dave and Jenny Balow, was born October 29th, 2010 at 2:24 am. That really got me excited for the week as I went up to meet him that following weekend. It was good to be able to see my family since my aunt, uncle and one of my cousins were back so it was nice to see them. It was a long drive to get up there but it was worth every minute to get up there. I've also made some different trips over to WI to see my grandma. I love it here and the fact that I'm closer to my family.

Here is a quick Picture of me and my new cousin and my aunt.




















Well to look at next term, I'm going to have a lighter load compared to this term. I only will be carrying 16 credits compared to 18 credits this term. My classes will be split almost in half in terms of my Major and Minor.

Well I guess that wraps up this post. I promise to try not to let my blog slip away from me.

Winona Schedule

Well I finally got my Winona Schedule settled. I'm going to be carrying 17 credits this semester. Throughout the next few years I'm going to be really busy. My advisor says that in my Spring Semester of my THIRD year, I'll be in Student Teaching. I can't believe how much longer I have to go and I'll have my dream.

My school schedule is as follows:

Monday:
9-9:50am: Conducting I
10-10:50am: Music History
11-11:50am:Jazz in the Schools
12-12:50: Music Education Seminar
3-4:30pm: Symphonic Wind Ensemble
5-6:50: College Rdg/writing

Tuesday:
9:30am-10:50am: World Music
12:30-1:20: Orch/Instrumentation
2-2:50: Brass Methods

Wednesday:
10-10:50am: Music History
12-12:50am: Saxophone Studio
3-4:30pm: Symphonic Wind Ensemble
5-6:50pm: College Rdg/Writing

Thursday:
9:30am-10:50am: World Music
12:30-1:20pm: Orch/instrumentation
2-2:50pm: Brass Methods
5:30-7pm: World Music

Friday:
9-9:50am: Conducting I
10-10:50am: Music History
3-4:30pm: Symphonic Wind Ensemble

As you can see Mondays are my busiest days and Tuesdays and Fridays are my Light days.

Closure

I recently was able to let some feelings go for some people that I love. A few weeks back I was able to say good bye to my grandma properly. I was able to get back into her house. I hadn't been able to get in since the day of her funeral. I know my Grandma is in a better place but it took a huge toll on my life to have to let her go. May 20, 2009 was a tough day for me. That night we didn't think she was going to make it through the night, so I got called at around 2pm that day that I should proabaly come to Rochester. So I took care of my dog and then headed out knowing that my grandma was proabaly not going to make it. I got there at around 3 3:30pm being that traffic wasn't being friendly. I stayed there until 11pm that night and throughout the night I had broke down twice. For the week leading up to her death I had undergone a lot with nightmares at night about what had happened and overall just my spitual look at things. May 28, 2009, the day had started out normally, I was sitting down in my living room just relaxing when my mom calls me wondering if my dad had called the house. I had a feeling that something was up and knowing my luck my dad walks in about 10 minutes after I hung up with my mom. His words were, "Ryan, this is hard for me to say but, your grandma passed away." I was supposed to work that night but lucky for me, I had really nice managers and I went in and told them that grandma passed away and that I wouldn't be able to come in and I'll let you know of any plans that get made today.

I spent the day over in Rochester with my family and got the plans made. They made me and my aunt the musicians at the funeral. Me and my aunt, Ann, played "Seek Ye First thy kingdom of God" as a prelude that day.

Overall, I'm happy that I was happy that I could let her go properly. Rest in Peace Grandma, I love you and miss you very much. I know that you still look down on me. I'll never forget your sense of humor when ever I came to visit. One thing that will stick is how you teached a lot of people as well as me to be a better person and musician. Thanks for the memories while you were here and I know I'll always remain your little grandson when we meet again. R.I.P. Louise Ann Heydon

How life can be rewarding

I recently found out how life can be very rewarding. I just heard from my parents that I won a $1000 scholarship towards my tuition at Winona State University. That's what I get for being very musical. I also know that people in my life are very good to me and care about who I am unlike a select few that I wish to not associate with anymore.



I feel very fortunate for the people I have in my life. I wish that there was a way for me to thank them for what they have done for me.

I feel very lucky with everyone in my life even though I'm going through a rough time.

First Time Blogger

Hello everyone......this is my first time blogging so i'm new with this. let me tell u all a little bit about myself....I'm currently enrolled at Riverland Community College going for a AFA in Music Education. I'm going on to Winona State University to finish up my BS in Music Education. I am a very well rounded player. I mainly play Saxophone (tenor). I also play piano, organ, Flute, Clarinet, String Bass, as well as alto and baritone sax.

Aside from my music, I also work a lot of hours at Cash Wise Foods. I also do a lot of volunteer work with Big Brothers, Big sisters of Southern Minnesota. I also do volunteer work through my church whether it be ministry or music.

Well I guess that wraps up this post.....Keep ur eyes out for more to come with this.