All posts by hannahviolin

I am a violinist. I also enjoy running, working out, reading, and hanging with my friends and cat.
Random thoughts, Teaching

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

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Whee!  I had to work all day, and now I’m too tired to “celebrate” but Happy St. Patrick’s to those of you who are celebrating.

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I took a variety of “self-portraits” while I was waiting for students today.  Many who did not show.  Which I am getting tired of:  not the no-shows (well, those too), but the parents who think they don’t have to pay.  I sat there for 30 minutes.  I have a waiting list.  I have other things to be doing.  If I am waiting for your child, you are paying me for it unless you canceled within the appropriate window of time.  And I am going to start making parents sign a form agreeing to that.  Once that time has passed, that time is gone for all of us.

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I also wore festive socks.  And my lovely purple shoes.

I was sitting on the front steps between students today, next to a student, and a man walked by the house with his two dogs.  One of whom pooped RIGHT in front of us, and the man just kept going.  So that’s the second thing annoying me today (1st is parents who don’t want to pay me for my time, 2nd is people who don’t clean up after their dogs).

Here’s something delightful today (so you don’t think it’s all me complaining…I mean, it totally IS, but still.)  Do you read Pioneer Woman’s blog?  Usually it’s a great blog with excellent recipes.  Today it’s “Cappuccino and the Kitty.” If you like cats (and who doesn’t????) you should check it out.

Remember my excitement about the women’s fit tech shirt for the St Patrick’s Day race? Leslie and I had been annoyed that the Phoenix RnR race didn’t have women’s shirts, even though the race was more than 50 percent women.  We had thought that perhaps for once, the race should provide ONLY women’s shirts, if that were easier.  Why should we have to wear boxy, men’s shirts?  Well, I mentioned this to Mike, and he said, well, I’d rather see a woman in a man’s shirt than a man in a woman’s shirt.  To which I replied…well, it’s not all about you.  What is my point?  Well, this blog IS all about me…so I am going to continue to write this post.

I am feeling bad because I left a message for a parent that was a little harsh re: missing lessons and expecting to not pay,(in fact, specifically canceling because they don’t want to pay) and how this is NOT okay, and they should simply drop if that’s the case.  I shouldn’t feel bad.  I should feel good for being assertive, right?

One thing I’m glad about:  I have my kindle with me at all times when teaching outside the home, and I’ve just started a fantastic book:  “A Discovery of Witches” by Deborah Harkness.  I got it after hearing an interview on Talk of the Nation, and so far I am loving it!   (I’m also loving how quickly I got through this month’s “required reading” though frankly with all the students missing, some due to sickness, some due to “forgetting their violins”, or “didn’t feel like coming to their lesson” I’ve had so much reading time).

Okay.  That’s enough complaining and randomness for one night, I think?   Enjoy your holiday!  (Chris says it’s not really a holiday since he had to work…I said, it’s not all about you!  That is my new  mantra.)

Edit:  Here’s a fantastic article about makeup lessons.

Books, Running

Beautiful day!

I am blown away by today’s weather.  Today I got up to head to the same school that on Monday I canceled due to snow…and today it is the most perfect day ever.  Seriously.  Sunny, 60 degrees…beautiful.  (I know that’s cold for some of my friends, but trust me, it’s perfect.)

I ran outside for 6 miles too.  I love when I get to wear my Phoenix RnR t-shirt to work out Smile.  I don’t know why, I just feel fancy wearing it.  It’s a little challenging as it is navy blue, and sometimes I get bothered wearing a navy blue shirt with black shorts or capris (my usual color) so today I paired it with blue capris.  Then I put on my black water belt…so I’m not really sure what I accomplished.  A six mile run, I guess.  No one is concerned about my fashion—I’m sure they are just wondering why somebody would run so slowly.

I started reading Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua.  There was quite a bit of press about this book when it came out, so naturally I have to read it.  Here’s a link to the NY Times article about it, and here’s a link to the Wall Street Journal article.  I’m reading the book from the standpoint of a child, a violin teacher, and a hypothetical parent, and it’s interesting thinking about her story from those angles.  And my upbringing was a little bit “Chinese” as well, so I can definitely relate!  Have you read the book?  Thoughts??

Random thoughts

The Ides of March

I’ve decided (after yesterday’s post) that there are still good people in the world, people who care about others and all that good stuff, regardless of religious affiliation.  I’m just being overly sensitive.  It also helps to turn off the news—I love listening to NPR while I’m driving and I love watching CNN at the gym, and not doing those things really helps with my mental state.  I’m going for CD’s in the car and something else at the gym (I like to listen to my ipod while watching tv, a bit of overload, but it distracts me from the treadmill pain.)

I had an awesome day: 

First, a workout with Mike during which I wore my new St. Pat’s Day shirt.  He was totally jealous since he didn’t get one even though he claims he ran the race in 30 minutes or so.  Whatever, if I don’t see it, I don’t believe it Winking smile We also discussed poo, weather, the 80’s 5k in May that I am hoping to get a group of friends together to run and dress up, if you can bring anyone’s child to the gym’s day care (free to members), and some woman who likes to do crunches on the stretching table…I also ran a bit before and after the workout.  Go me!

Secondly, I met my friend Melissa at California Pizza Kitchen for lunch.  I had the fish tacos.  We had a great time.

Then I went grocery shopping at a different store than usual (on my way home from lunch) which made grocery shopping a new and exciting experience!  There were different brands and a different layout (okay, yes, I lead a fairly mundane life.)

Next was the work portion of my day, during which I had to teach.  Today’s students were delightful.  (Actually it was just one student.)  Everybody was considerate of everybody else.  I love my Tuesday student!

I came home and ate some delicious enchiladas—beef, mushrooms, a bit of cheese, tortillas, and enchilada sauce.  Yum!  With a side spinach salad—gotta have those green vegetables.  Hmm.  That makes today a very “mexican” day.  (fish tacos, enchiladas). 

Now I am heading out for a quick catch-up with friends at a local pub.  Two more workdays left!

My friend Sarah posted this on my facebook wall today: http://theoatmeal.com/comics/cat_vs_internet.  If you haven’t seen that cartoon, and if you are a cat owner or a cat lover, you should definitely look at it.  If you don’t like cats (or worse, fear cats) you will NOT want to click that link as it will just reaffirm your dislike or fear.

 

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Teaching

Surprise Snow-day

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Yesterday I got up early as usual to get ready and head out to St. Peters (about 45 minutes west).  I happened to glance out the window…and it was snowing!  I checked the traffic and it said the traffic was a mess, the roads were a mess, etc, so I made a snap decision to cancel my morning.  I didn’t want to mess around for a very small amount of money and two classes.  Sorry guys!

I taught the rest of the day as the snow changed over to rain and became very slushy.  I had a new adult student today, and another new adult next week (the adults are easier to squeeze in as they can come a little later than kids).  Do other teachers find they are getting more adults wanting to play?  I have quite a few 20-somethings.  I’m glad—I think anybody can learn violin at any age if they are willing to practice a bit, and it’s a great skill to have.

I got really upset today at something a student said (I didn’t show it).  One of my students had mentioned the Japanese tsunami/earthquake situation, and I was concerned they might be worried about it, so I asked “how do you feel about it?”   They thought a bit, and then said “well, more people will be in hell now.”  I was completely shocked.  I asked what they meant, and evidently they had been studying Japan and learned that the primary religion was Buddhist, and therefore those people were going to hell, as they weren’t Christian. What’s more, the student didn’t seem that concerned either way.  I just didn’t know what to say, so I quickly changed the subject.

I went to the bathroom after the student and cried a bit.  Where is the compassion for people?  Where is the love for humanity?  Where is the concern for others?  How is a child being taught this? 

I’m almost done with the book I’ve been reading “The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration” by Isabel Wilkerson. The book has been an emotional read (perhaps I was also quite raw from reading it beforehand) that really brings to life the atrocities brought upon African Americans in the past, particularly the Jim Crow laws in the South—some being in place into the 1970’s—the decade of my birth!  Something that seemed so long ago to me suddenly seems so real and so recent, and the author does a terrific job really bringing the stories to life (I highly recommend reading this book.)  What really hits me is that not only are some of the people who were treated in this way still alive, but those who TREATED THEM THIS WAY are still.  And imagine what they may have taught their children. 

I’ve mentioned I was raised in the south, and racism was very present in my hometown.  Racism is still very much alive in our country today everywhere, no matter what anybody wants to think.  If it’s not African Americans who are being judged and discriminated against, it’s people of Arab descent, or SCHOOL TEACHERS.  Why can’t we all just respect one another and live together, and realize we can all coexist peacefully?  Don’t we all want similar things in life?  Food, shelter, love?  Isn’t the world a more interesting place with all different kinds of people?

Being a Suzuki teacher is about teaching love.  Where love is deep, much can be accomplished.  Suzuki was a from Japan.  Maybe that is why that comment hurts so much…to think that somebody could condemn such a wonderful, loving man to hell…it’s just ridiculous to me.  It makes me nauseous.

Random thoughts

A case of the Mondays

I’m actually writing this on Sunday night, but I can assume I’ll be a little annoyed to get back to work Smile

The weekend was a great success, but exhausting.  I even skipped my spinning class to sleep in, but the time change is TOUGH at my age.

What did I do all weekend?

Winter Opera—two performances of Cavalleria Rusticana

Ran a race:  St. Patrick’s Day 5 Mile Race in downtown St Louis (just a few short miles from my house, though we drove, rather than running there, which my trainer was planning to do)

Taught a group class at St. Louis School of Music

Went to Herbie’s and Café Mochi for dinner and  Trattoria Marcella, and Sasha’s on Shaw with friends for drinks.

Went to the SLSO concert—fantastic performance of Shostakovich’s 1st Violin Concerto—one of my favorite concertos.

Ran 9 miles—I’m at 43 for the month—working towards 93, and I just might get there at this rate…

But now it’s back to Monday, and I’m sure regular blog readers are tired of me saying this, but I NEED SOME TIME OFF!  I’m exhausted and overworked.  What’s weird is that this is how I used to work every week in Cleveland—all the time.  Strange that I’m so much healthier now, huh?!?  I don’t know how I kept that schedule, but I do know I don’t want it ever again.

Next weekend though…I am OFF.  Starting Friday—no work at all.  No opera.  No teacher workshops.  No students.  No teaching.  I can’t wait! 

Then I get into spring break season. 

Spring break season, you ask?  Well, since I teach at four different schools, the spring breaks don’t overlap, so there is a series of weeks where here and there things are canceled.  I can’t plan a real vacation or anything, but it’s nice to have a bit more time to think.  Plus the house is a mess—maybe I’ll get some cleaning done, or start on my taxes, or run, or “hit the gym”, or perhaps drink more coffee…(I do love coffee).

So this week is the last full week before spring breaks start, and it’ll be fantastic to have the weekend off.  I’m hoping to go for a run in Forest Park with my friend Jen and maybe have some friends over to the house for drinks and dessert.  One of the donors/good friends of Winter Opera gave me a bottle of “bubbly” after the concert tonight and I need to share it with another lover of the “champagne”. 

Plus March Madness…I haven’t been watching as much basketball as I have in the past, but I still like to see Duke win Winking smile 

All right.  And now we’re off.  Here’s to another week!  *raises glass*

Random thoughts

Japan

I have wanted to say something about the events in Japan on Friday and continuing through the weekend, but haven’t known what…it’s just so utterly awful and tragic, and I feel so terrible for the people of Japan.  Having been lucky enough to never experience something like that in my life, I find I am completely unable to wrap my brain about it.  There just aren’t enough words. 

Remember you can text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation to the Red Cross.  There are countless other charities to give money of course, but I do like the Red Cross personally—they are a trusted organization with international connections.