Day 3: Chapter 2: At Benedict’s I MEAN Putney!

Now that I experienced my first day of the Putney experience, the more I got to know the place and really live through it. Putney always seemed to parallel Benedict’s in so many ways

AM BARN

After finally being able to sleep after 12 I awoke around 5:35 to get ready and work the cow farm.

Waking up wasn’t as hard I thought it would be, lucky another student at my dorm had AM Barn with me and was kind enough to wake me up.  I get ready fast and easy and we headed toward the barn. Then that first wave a fresh cow poop hits along with the refreshing cold air.  From there I knew I wasn’t in Kansas any more, or should I New Jersey?

Truthfully I kind of liked the cow farm. All I needed to really do is get used to the smell, which took about ten minutes.

 First, I hitched the cows into their milking stalls, then help poop out of one of the horse trailer, the stack boxes of hay, stocked the calves with hay, feed the calves milk and then unhitched to cows back outside.

The little calves started to track me around the barn and even licked my shirt a few times.

THEN CLASES STARTED

First up I had Music Intensive, which is class where I make up what I want to learn and work on. I told my instructor my musical background then he told me to make a list of what I want to work on.

Then he led me to the practice room open 24/7, I am allow to use any thing I want, I can chose to use there many guitar hung on the wall including the basses, drums, piano, amps and pedals.

I he also setting me up with direct one-on-one guitar lessons with then guitar teacher of the school.

I mainly jammed away on band songs and tried to write some new ones. I have full access so I can come there and play anytime I want.

Then we had assembly, which is like their version of convo, they do announcements and presentations.  Except there was no hand, no one need to tell you to stop talking they did it on their own, even though did joke around they were able to transition back.

At the end of assembly was their whole school photo, and because I was there, I made a cameo appearance in their school photo!

They also have a block schedule like us at Benedicts.

Then came Conference block, which basically an hour and a half of free time, to get work done, talk with teachers, and just, hang out. That’s when I got a real tour of the place.

I was with a sophomore girl who knew her stuff. She showed me where my classes are, all the places, their field house, the library, the school store, the art band and Currier AKA their music and art center.

Then I had chemistry, and they had a test so I just checked out some Manga of Soul Eater, then later after the test was over we watched a Video of Gene Kelly tap dance on roller skates, which amazing.

Afterwards I had English 10; they are reading watchmen the graphic novel. And this class is really run by the students, they state their arguments, positions and what they got out of it on the various topics and themes in the book as well as uses their own insight and examples through either their notes or their books.

Then classes end for the day then I had my first afternoon activity I chose wilderness skills.

YES I know, a Spring Phase where I don’t have to The Trail and I end up on more trails.

Except this was way more fun, there weren’t any yelling, we can go off on our own, and no pressure.

Today we simulated how to find someone lost in the woods so, we let guy go off head in between the area of three triangulating trails, and get lost, while we go and find them. We didn’t stick to the trails so much until the end. We were spilt into two groups. My group decided to spread far from each being only within sight of the guy in front and back of you. Then we did an Amish sweep. There we all kind of went our separate ways all of us going into super stealth mode trying to find this “lost student.” we found him in the end, be but lost two people in the process not in our group though.

After that I was completely free so I went back to my practice room and jammed a bit. Then I thought it’s a beautiful day why not go out side. So I did found a nice place under a tree and just played.

Later on after dinner, I had my evening arts activity, which was song writing.

First we listened to so music that other student brought in so we can analyze and discuss it. After that our teacher let us go our separate ways and allowed us to write some songs of our own using any one of the acoustic guitars on his rack. I used Diana( the hollow body). I went back into my practice room then I realized we can pair off and make a song if we wanted. But he said try to make a song of summer and or happy/pretty times. Sadly happy song writing isn’t up my alley. I’ve written sad songs, rock songs, angry songs even love songs but not so much happy.

I found one of the girls who I knew from the first night out on one of the picnic tables in field. I decided so see if I can work with her. But we ended up just talking and star gazing again. Boy, do love the stars.

We both had writers block.