Water fell from the sky over the course of 17 miles of running today. I ran 2 miles worth of High Intensity Intervals to train myself, and 15 miles to train the group I help prepare for the LA Marathon. Locked into the rigid pace of 5 minutes running and 1 minute walking, my mind wanders. It wandered onto the question of what ever happened to intellectual freedom for teachers? Does such a thing even exist? Sure, under the beautiful sky we have our State Standards, benchmark dates, and testing percentiles. (Oh yes, lots and lots of testing) As marathons have the timing clock, schools have their standardized test scores and average yearly progress, (known to teachers as "AYP"). By the way, sunny California developed its own themometer to measure "AYP", and it's called "API", (Academic Proficiency Index).
"AYP" and "API" for schools reminds me of credit scores for people. If you score "800" and higher, you are in very cool financial shape. Academically [...]
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According to Tim Sweeney, a very good consultant in the music industry, the high emphasis on digital downloads for today's music increases the difficulty artists face to be fully understood and appreciated. Album notes and artwork have become nearly extinct. It's harder than ever to deliver a concept CD/Album, when listeners download media on a blank disc from home.
Given this digital environment, I need to be much more than just a singer-songwritwer. Therefore I have decided to make this website about me, Gary Paul Holmes, and not just my songs. My music CD is important, but, it's single part of all I do. I am a teacher-trainer, and artist-author. It's alot to be, but from the total of my experiences, it is who I am.
My goal in 2012, is to build relationships in a meaningful way with thousands of people. I do not know exactly how I will do this. I do know that my music, my teaching, personal training, and [...]
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I am a trainer in training for the 2012 LA Marathon. This will be my 17th marathon. I only do one marathon per year. This morning I did 20 minutes of High Intensity Intervals on a stationary bike, and then resistance training for deltoids, biceps, and triceps. I prefer to exercise within my IntenCity model. IntenCity is built upon short workouts, with big results. Perhaps the city scape in the background of this website is a reflection of the "City" aspect of my personal training.
I am grading some tests presently. I am a teacher, so I need to multitask my school responsibilities with music, creative work , and training.