Donkey God

One of the long standing challenges in interior design has been how to effectively decorate a loft. What began as a cheaper choice than regular housing has now become part of an extravagant lifestyle. The cradle of interior design is now industrial pavilions or unused warehouses. Interior designers attempting to decorate a loft face the same concerns as new homeowners planning to decorate, concerned about how to decorate an unknown space. These doubts can undoubtedly put a kink in even the best designers creativity.
These spaces are large, and the most notable feature is the industrial air. Interior designers strive to retain the industrial feel, using cold materials in design. Amplifying space is possible by using polished cement floors. You can use different shades of stain on a concrete floor to make the “spaces” apparent. Generally, you should use a limited range of intense colors. Stick to a limited chromatic palette. To contrast with the coldness of the concrete and further enhance the aseptic feeling that surrounds lofts, it is recommended that you use bright colors such as reds, oranges, or greens in the kitchen and bathroom.
We recommend larger pieces of furniture, the fewer the better. Because everything is seen at once, too much furniture produces a cluttered look. A loft should instill the feelings of a minimalist lifestyle, one lived at a fast pace with a lot of work.

Living away from home in a college apartment is an awesome experience. Complete freedom, a few hours of school, and little parent involvement combine for some crazy times. Unfortunately, there is the side of apartment living that is not so fun: paying rent and bills.

As a young person, your first year in an apartment will most likely be the first time you’ve ever had the responsibility of keeping track of and paying for bills. To make thins more difficult, you have to work with your roommates to get it all paid for. Here are a few tips to make sure it all goes smoothly.

First, you need to have a meeting to get everyone on the same page regarding rent. Make sure everyone knows how much they are paying each month. Put one person in charge of getting the big check to the landlord. You can switch this off monthly to make it less responsibility, but this will make things a little more complicated. Have a hard set date when everyone’s checks are due so that there is enough time to assemble the big check. Keeping on top of this can really help the monthly process.

Bills are another complicated issue. Again, you can put one person in charge of all the bills and have every give them their share of the money each month. If someone is responsible and willing to do this, go for it. Also, split up the bills as simply as possible. Obviously dividing it equally is the easiest way to go. Sometimes, however, people will claim that they don’t watch cable TV or don’t want to pay for certain features that other people wanted. If their claim is true, then let them pay less. Otherwise, stick to a simple payment plan.

Communication is key to keeping money matters simple. As long as everyone knows the procedures and people stay on top of it, you shouldn’t have any problems getting the rent and bills in. As soon as there is a problem (money is late, someone had to cover for someone) make sure to address it and possibly rearrange the procedure if someone is dropping the ball.

Ian Byrd runs websites dedicated to helping UCI and UCLA students find housing.

About the time of the American Revolution, European society was also changing. In the arts, the simple lines and elegance of the ancient Greeks and Romans were being used by artists, architects and composers. Like the architecture of this time, music of the Classical period presented clean lines and was uncluttered and balanced in form.

This was in contrast to the Baroque period that preceded it with exaggeration and complex detail that glorified those who paid for it - kings, queens and wealthy business people. During this period of Enlightenment the political rallying cry was Jean Jacques Rousseau’s “Back to nature.”

Western History, Greek democracy, and the Roman Republic were seen as models for the new age of Enlightenment. Eighteenth century artists and musicians were inspired by the ideals of beauty, order and simplicity from this ancient time, and tried to return to those ideals.

This philosophical movement originated in France by those who wanted to build systems of government free of tyranny. It was an important time that restored government to a process allowing for creativity and diversity. It was under this influence that the American Revolution was born. Eventually victory over the British created a new country, the United States of America, founded on the idea that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights. The Declaration of Independence was signed on July 4, 1776, America’s Independence Day. Powerfully written by Thomas Jefferson, it expressed the ideals of the Classical period and inspired the French Revolution (1789-1799).

The composers of the classical period were Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791), and early works by Beethoven (1770-1827). Some historians include music by all composers from the mid-1700s to the early 1800s as part of the Classical period.

During this time changes in the political structure of society allowed for the emergence of a wealthy middle class who could afford to buy concert tickets. This meant that composers no longer had to rely on rich patrons for financial support. They began to market their music to a larger audience who enjoyed simpler melodies they could remember. Composers gained popularity by writing music that would be easily identified with their name. It was during the classical period that the Sonatina, or “little” Sonata, was perfected.

With a Main Theme, followed by a Variation of this theme and finishing with a restatement (or Recapitulation) of the theme, it was simpler and more memorable than the longer Sonata Form. A favorite of piano students today is Muzio Clementi’s Sonatina, Op.36, No. 3.

Playing sonatinas is a great way for piano students to appreciate simplicity and the spirit of creativity that inspired the emergence of free nations.

Here is a quote from a Greek philosopher, Aristotle (384-322 B.C.)

“Music has the power of producing a certain effect on the moral character of the soul, and if it has the power to do this, it is clear the young must be directed to music and must be educated in it.”

So, take it from this wise guy - Encourage your students or children in piano to play piano sonatinas, and develop simplicity and creativity in their playing - and their character!

If you or a piano student you know would like to learn more about the Classical period, email cindy@tallypiano for a bibliography of music history literature written for piano students.

For great home piano activities parents can use to help children ages 5 to 11 develop their musical talent, visit Piano Adventure Bears Music Education Resources You’ll find a treasure box filled with piano resources to create an exciting musical adventure for your child - right in your own home! Visit their website and subscribe to their f’ree internet newsletter so you can download f’ree piano sheet music and mp3s of original piano compositions.

These exciting stories, games, piano lessons, and inspirational gifts feature the Piano Adventure Bears, Mrs. Treble Beary and her new piano student, Albeart Littlebud. Young students follow along with Albeart to learn what piano lessons are all about in a fun way that kids readily understand appreciate. Click here to visit PianoAdventureBears.com For a wealth of information about piano lessons, visit tallypiano.com