Here’s a bunch of random stuff I’ve been doing and thinking. Enjoy!

1. Time is such an odd thing. On the one hand, I feel like June went by super fast. On the other hand, my birthday (near the beginning of June) seems really far away. So the summer is both flying by and yet going quite slowly. I can’t believe THIS is the month we leave for our big road trip, and yet, I’ve been waiting for it for so long, of course it is nearly here and we are ready and excited.

2. I had this thought recently that, yes, this is my life now. I spent so much of my childhood and adult life getting ready for the future, planning, preparing, working hard to get somewhere to do something else, and it takes some time to let things sink in and settle in to: this is it, this is how my life is, and (more importantly) to say, hey this is pretty good. That last part has been a difficult one to get to, but I think on more days than not, I can say, this is good, this is a life I am happy with. Of course, it’s summer, and things are more relaxed and I’m not stressed out…so who knows.

3. I got to play with Weird Al Yankovic the other weekend. It was super fun, though we didn’t get to meet him or anything. One of my former (adult) students said to me, If I’d know I could have played with Weird Al someday I would have practiced harder when I was a kid!

4. The heat of summer is finally here, and it’s been muggy. Over the weekend we still did some outdoor activities, including going to the Opera (can you believe I’d never actually SEEN the Marriage of Figaro even though I’d played it)(and you ask, how is that outdoors, it’s because there was a pre-opera dinner outside in a tent, and post-opera snacks and drinks to do, and I naturally got bug bites), and going on a hike to Buford Mountain, which we’d done before in November, and it was still a nice view, but much harder and more buggy.

Not a bad view for Missouri though. It’s a great hike, but perhaps better in the fall or winter…unfortunately summer is when we have more time, and we like to stay in hiking shape as well.

5. Still no Miles, in case you were wondering. My black cat has been missing since 4/20…

6. I had to make a couple of phone calls to various businesses today, which I hate doing. In both cases I was on hold for 5-10 minutes, and I’m like, with today’s technology, why is this a thing I must do? Can’t they have this online or at least, call me back when they are free instead of me having to listen to loud music or worse, a constant announcement telling me how my call is soon to be answered? I know there are bigger problems in the world, but still, we have enough people to cover this one too.

7. I’ve been doing tons of reading over the summer. There are two great things the public library offers. One is free kindle books, and  the other is the ability to kind of order your books ahead of time. Using the website, you can put a hold on any book in the library and then they’ll email you when they have it ready. You go in to your local branch, show your library card, and boom! you have your books. I believe you can even just call when you arrive and they’ll bring them to out to the car, but I think that is more for people with mobility issues (it’s not a drive through type thing, they would have to literally walk out to you, so I would feel bad doing that, but if you had trouble getting around, or had several kids in the car, I can see that being a terrific option!).

8. I haven’t been getting to everything I thought I would this summer. I am okay with that. My house still needs a lot of work, but I am growing to accept that the house is a work in progress, and I remind myself of two things: progress is being made, and yet progress is difficult when Louie is working full-time and pursuing a doctorate and that’s okay. We don’t need to impress anybody (we certainly aren’t) but it just needs to be a comfortable and safe place to live. I am still working on decluttering, but I can’t Konmari stuff that isn’t mine, and I am one of those people that is okay with small, steady changes. Overtime things have gotten more organized and less cluttered, and we will continue in that direction. I did have “finish organizing my music collection” on my list, but I just haven’t felt like it. I’ve made small steps, but I have too much music for the shelves allotted and haven’t quite figured out what to do with that…I might just have to take some music and put it in a closet for the time being and just make some labels for the rest and call it a day for it.

9. Louie and I are running a 5k downtown this Thursday! I’ve been doing a training program for it, and while I have been running really slow (seriously slow, turtle speed) I’ve been doing it. My plan is to run the whole race and not walk, and ideally finish in less than 45 minutes. Truly jogging, but it’s hard for me, so there. I know I used to run more and I was faster, and truly growing old, getting busier, and gaining some weight made things harder. I’ve been enjoying running though, and I do want to be active enough that I can just do things like a six mile hike (like yesterday) and it’s not a big deal. Running has always been hard for me, but I’m looking forward to the race (though of course, not the 7:30 am start and 6:30 am packet pickup). What are you doing on the 4th? After the race we are mostly just going to do some things to prep for our annual BBQ which is on Saturday (generally our neighborhood park has fireworks that day, but this year they are postponing it to a date we can’t do, so we are doing the BBQ nonetheless).

10. My band had a listening party at the Tick Tock Tavern for our CD which is coming out this summer. It was a lot of fun, even though you couldn’t hear the music so well over people chatting. We are putting the finishing touches on the CD and working on the cover and whatnot, and then we have two CD release concerts planned in September. The band is one of those activities that I really enjoy, but don’t actually have the time for! I’ve learned a lot about music working with Meghan and Michael though, and they are two of the nicest and kindest musicians I’ve ever known.

(Us from sometime in the past, probably in the fall or winter based on our dress.)

That’s ten things Tuesday for you!

1. We are in the middle of two days of spring-like weather. It’s absolutely gorgeous here right now, and I wish I had the time to just be outside all the time and enjoy it. I am going for a run shortly.

2. I have a favor to ask. I want you to try using google maps and then another maps app or system online (i.e. apple maps, waze, something else). Get directions from Amigo Joe’s on Southwest Avenue in St Louis to Chava’s Mexican Restaurant on Geyer Avenue in St Louis. On my Google maps, for over two years, it will not direct me to use a certain part of interstate 44, ever! So I want to see if it works for you, and if it doesn’t, and you would like to be helpful, please submit this as a problem. Do make sure that the other app tells you to use Interstate 44, also. Please report back in the comments if you are able to see if this works for you!

3. I went to visit my friends Eliana and Alex’s baby yesterday. I even held the baby for a bit, and luckily nobody said “you’ll be such a good parent”. I used to avoid being excited about babies because it annoyed me so much when people said that sort of thing. Can’t I just hold a little baby because they are squashy and cuddly and they let you hold them they way you WANT to hold your cat? I’m looking forward to meeting my nephew in a few days, and will probably hold him as well.

4. There was an article in the NY Times about how women still have to do more work around the house (duh) and how women with a male partner have extra work to do and yet how people still judge women when a house is dirty. I think we all need to collectively agree not to do that. When I first moved in with Louie his house was a mess. I know he was dealing with a lot of stuff when I met him, but he is a very disorganized person. Yet he will spend a lot time cleaning the kitchen…on occasion. I digress. At one point, I remember being worried his mother would judge me for not having cleaned up the house, and then it hit me: it wasn’t my fault. IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT. So I hired a cleaning service and now our house isn’t super clean (except parts of it right after the cleaning service comes), but I can direct my energy to other stuff. I try to keep the areas my students come to relatively clean (there’s a lot of clutter in the house, and some of it is mine, and more of it isn’t, and it’s just not my fault and I can only do so much) and that’s all I can do. And I’m mostly okay with it. I don’t want a minimalist house—I really want a house filled with books and music and knickknacks from stupid places we’ve been. But all somehow organized, or at least, all on shelves, and that’s the challenge.

5. Sort of a part two to the above…but…clutter. Louie and I both struggle with what is junk and what isn’t. We both have things we struggle to get rid of (me: personal items such as cards and concert tickets, him: old electronics and tools) but we both think we want those things later. I have no issues getting rid of books and clothes, but I often DO look back years later and wish I’d kept something. I tell myself it’s cool because the space it would have taken wasn’t worth it (I HAVE bought a piece of music again though, so that’s dumb, and now I try to hoard it all, even stupid things like mandolin books when I have a “want to play the mandolin” idea again…). I think I understand the idea of the kon-mari method and the idea of decluttering, and I’m lucky enough that after having moved four times in four years, I’ve been in one place for nearly 5 years now! So my things piles up, but I think we are getting better and better at knowing what we like to keep and what we can get rid of. I suppose people might look at my house and judge me, but that’s okay. Judge away!

6. I’m excited that I have a published review coming out in a magazine in August! This is my second one for the magazine, and while it’s just for fun, it’s always lovely to see one’s name in print. There’s another potential article I’m a part of in another magazine as well. Sometimes I ponder if I missed my calling by not getting a PhD, but I think it’s okay to do these things outside of academia. (I’m technically in academic I suppose, but as a part-time or adjunct, with no path to a full time position in front of me.)

7. I sometimes dream of Miles coming back but I don’t see that path either. Unless he gets picked up and brought to a shelter and they contact us. Who knows though, maybe he will just show up some day.

8. Did I mention the fireworks already?  Every year a nearby park puts on a fantastic fireworks display, the Saturday after July 4, and we have a barbecue (fun fact, that was a spelling bee word for me back in the day) and have all our friends over and then people watch the fireworks, and it’s been an annual tradition for Louie since he bought this house. And this year we found out the fireworks are the weekend AFTER the Saturday after July 4th, and we will be out of town. So we are thinking maybe we’ll just have the barbecue anyway, and there just won’t be any fireworks…to keep the tradition going? But I’m a little disappointed. I’m not actually a huge fan of fireworks but the whole event is a lot of fun and there’s such great people-watching!

9. I had a great post on facebook (not that what I posted was great, but I loved the engagement) over plastic bags. I’d read this article recently which made me think, but I also am concerned it just made me feel agreeable about things I already though (confirmation bias) which is that we hand pick things to control that we can. I do use plastic bags for house hold uses and enjoy it. I also remember a time when I should have stockpiled aerosol contact lens saline solution, because it was going away and I thought, nah, there will be something better and THERE ISN’T. I had a can of saline that lasted for about 8 more years and then it ran out and now I have something less good that needs to be thrown out after 6 months, which means I’ll go through 16 of them in the same time, just to rinse my contacts occasionally (I can’t use some products due to the preservatives which give me eye problems). I also know I have a stubbornness though and want to think (as we all do) that we are doing the best we can. Some of my friends are definitely more environmentally conscious though, or at least they made me think they are!

10. How is June flying by so quickly? It will be fall before we know it. I am trying to make the best of my summer! I already know I won’t accomplish it all, but I’m trying to make it a good one. Hikes, books, conversations, shows, operas, travel, relaxing…so much to fit in!

I believe this is a thing, and since one of my summer plans is to “blog more” and I haven’t been really doing that (since my other summer plan of “have more free time” hasn’t panned out…) –here we go! Perhaps if you are lucky this can be a weekly feature.

1. Miles the cat is still missing, obviously. We get numerous calls weekly about various black cats. There are so many stray, feral, indoor/outdoor black cats in the area, and I think we’ve seen only the tip of the iceberg of them. Or there’s two cats that move really fast. He might still be out there (I mean, he HAS to be somewhere, but whether we ever see him again is questionable.) I like to imagine him having a nice life, and still hope he might come home someday.

2. People keep asking if I’m doing anything for vacation. I sometimes feel awkward saying, actually, yes, I’m taking a three week road trip with Louie to see 7 National Parks and I planned it starting last September and had to set an alarm to book some of the campsites and know exactly where we are staying almost every night and can’t wait…so I say, yes, we are taking a trip to see Yellowstone, Banff, and some other places. I’m also taking a trip to Phoenix to see my new nephew, and again to see him in Chautauqua, NY in July. People don’t want to hear all that, but hey, I’m child free, I work way too much, and I am traveling this summer.

3. Fiction vs. Non-fiction. I enjoy reading both, but non-fiction rarely sucks me in in the same way. I really enjoy reading and can truly experience flow in life when I’m reading…but I always enjoy learning things and I particularly enjoy the idea of non-fiction books. I have a large stack of books I’m reading this summer and so far I am part way through my second book. I need to up my rate or I won’t finish the pile!

4. Speaking of hobbies, I realized that my band and my quartet are basically hobbies. Not really, and not officially (for tax purposes, no) but I don’t make enough money from them to consider them worth it if not for the enjoyment. My band just finished mixing the last few songs on our album yesterday, and we are having a CD listening party at the end of the month at a local pub for people to come hear it. We have a CD release concert or two planned for September, and it’s a fun time. I’m pleased with our product and fairly pleased with my improvisations on the recordings. My playing in that regards has come a long way, and I’m sure I will only improve more over time.

5. Louie and I have been watching Barry on HBO. It’s a dark comedy about a hit man who wants more out of life. After spending several months immersed in the Game of Thrones world it’s a real relief to have something light on the TV!

6. Sometimes I feel like I’m still hobbling together a career, but I recently realized that according to my records I’ve been teaching since 1993-94. An organization I belong to was giving out certificates and I thought this seemed appropriate. Since I’m mostly self-employed and I’ve moved quite a few times in my adult life, I often feel like I’m still new. I’m not, and I have a lot of experience to back me up, and this certificate reminds me of that. My students may not be winning too huge awards, but they still achieve quite a lot, and they are doing what they can. When you are self-employed sometimes it’s hard to figure out how to define success in your career…that’s probably a whole series of blog posts I should do!

7. I often think of what this blog is about, besides me. Should I give more advice? Should I focus more on a more defined aspect of my life? I like being random, and I think my dozen followers enjoy it, but lately I’ve realized I probably do have plenty of actual advice to give people. I also try very hard (and I think I succeed) at giving advice, but not being upset when people don’t take it. I’m fairly used to nobody listening to my advice, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have good advice! I won’t hold it against you though, so don’t hesitate to get my opinion. My selfie game is strong, also.

8. My birthday is this Friday. It’s not a milestone birthday, except that I’m turning 41, which some friends have said was hard, because 40 was cool but then 41 was…in your 40’s. I think it’s okay though. I’m mostly doing what I want to do with my life, and while I wish I were in better physical shape (ahhh it’s so hard, I feel like this is only getting harder, damn you getting older and stress!) my hair looks fantastic, I’m playing well, I have a great collection of students, and plenty of work. I could have more friends, but the ones I have are real friends, and I could have more free time to pursue more hobbies or visit family more often…but overall I’m feeling good.

9. I realized it’s been about a year since I started reorganizing my music collection. It’s on my to-do list for this week and next week, but it’s just so…boring. I mostly have it organized, but it’s the finishing touches I find hard to motivate myself to get to. I need to just sit down and do it, and I just don’t want to. I’d rather read or blog, or sit quietly in the dark.

10. It turns out 10 things is a lot, but this has been a fun post to write. I think I’ll try to make this a weekly feature, but you know that is likely something that I won’t do regularly. Never say never though! Okay, another thought on goals: often I feel like I set a lot of great goals for myself, and then don’t accomplish many of them, if I look in the short term. But if I zoom out (so to speak) and look in the long term, I’ve accomplished quite a lot. Yes, I may not get to things as quickly as I’d like, but I get there. And who cares anyway. Maybe I don’t have to accomplish everything every week. Maybe it’s okay to just make a bowl of popcorn and put your feet up and watch a funny tv show, at least every once in awhile. I might not write a post like this every week, but if I do a few a week, that might be a lot of fun!