“Jason! Check out the Collectable Wind Up Music Box Damjan gave me.”
I waited as Jason finished typing an MSN message. He turned to look at my toy. “Hey, that’s cool!” he exclaimed. I handed it over.
He wound it slowly and Love Story began tinkling out. He leaned in closer, fascinated by the way the tiny protrusions on the barrel flicked up metal strips of varying length to make sound. He slowed his winding down then sped it up, faster and faster.
“I reckon it’s skipping a note,” he observed. We both know Love Story backwards and forwards, it being one of the first pieces we ever learned on the piano.
He placed it on the wooden table and suddenly, the tinkles were amplified. “Wow! That’s loud.” He put it on a chair and the music was softer. He put it on a folder. Softer yet again.
“I think that it’s amplified on hollow surfaces, like guitar strings are,” I suggested.
“Yeah…” He wound it on a tissue box to produce an unexpectedly loud sound. He got up and started playing it on the door of his wardrobe.
“I wonder what’d happen if…” he murmured. He placed a finger at the base of the metal strips.
“Do you think if we shorten the strips, it’ll go up a tone?” I asked.
He began turning the handle and the notes came out short — Love Story in staccato. Tock! Tock! Tock! Tock!
“Tee hee,” he giggled and began winding faster.
“Erm, Jason… I need to go to sleep now.”
He didn’t respond.
“Look, you can keep the music box for tonight. I’ll get it later.”
“Uh huh.” He was still turning the handle.
I went back to my bedroom and got into bed. I could hear the strains of Love Story rushing then slowing, legato then staccato, loud then soft, and all combinations of those. Half an hour later, he was still going.
Jason is not a monkey.
Joan, do you still have a copy of your piano music for Love Story? If so, could I borrow it?
I have a music box in the shape of a grand piano which plays that song, and I’ve always wanted to play it but haven’t been able to get a copy of the music.
(Did you like the Mancini CD?)
Hey, did you say you are a environmental engineer. I would love to know what you guys do, and the education you have to have. Is it a fun job? I am going into college pretty soon, and would love to know what you have to do in order to get the job. I am thinking about becoming a research biologist or something where I could do research and help manage wildlife populations. Mainly, I am a crazy about wildlife and the environment. So I guess that makes me a environmentalist. I have a mission you could say. Any suggestions? Thanks!
P.S. I also realize that at the rate we’re going, the problems that will soon face us will be overwhelming. I would like to help slow down this proccess and peserve our earth for as long as possible!
Hi Vera, yes I still have the manuscript for it so I’ll lend it to you when in the near future. It’s been Richard Claydermanised in that glorious arpeggio excess 🙂
Conservation Terms, I did a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering in Australia. It’s a really good course because it covers technical science and engineering, as well as policy, law, economics and management. However, courses vary a lot between universities. For example, in USA, I think the courses are much more technical. You’ll have to look up the course outlines to see if that’s what you’re interested in.
As a job, I really enjoy being an environmental engineer. I feel like we have a balanced approach to sustainable development (not unrealistically idealistic but still passionate).
The variety in consultancy is good. You can be in the office or outside. You meet many different people and the projects are always changing.
The pay is good but there is some pressure to work over time when there are big jobs due. It’s not as crazy as some of the law or management consulting firms, though.
I must point out that environmental engineers don’t generally try to preserve the earth. The focus is on development in an environmentally sensitive way, not preservation. That is, we want to improve standards of living for people rather than conserve areas of ecosystems. It’s up to you if this is a philosphy you’d like to consider.
I hope that helps!
That does help a lot. I am definitelt interested. Thanks:)