Category Archives: Random thoughts

Random thoughts

And for today’s world rather than last summer

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Tonight I had to walk two big dogs all at once. I wanted to get the walk out of the way before dark so there wouldn’t be any fireworks scaring anybody. (Grr.)

It occurred to me that there are two stages of life: planning and doing. Right now I’m in a planning, and that’s why I feel unproductive, because I’m not doing. Doing will happen lately, and there is no doing without the planning. (Well, there is, but the planning makes the doing better.) There’s your motivational speech!

I had a day off, and Louie is off on a short vacation with his family. I couldn’t go due to some work commitments, but today I had free, like I said. I made the most of it by cleaning out my dresser of clothing I don’t wear, returning lots of emails (it looks like we are playing another house concert!), writing a variety of blog posts (the others perhaps far more interesting than this one), reading, and doing tons of vacation research.

We are going to the Smokies and to Asheville for just under two weeks in August, and I have the accommodations (mostly camping, one airbnb) booked but wanted to start really planning the rest. It’s mostly going to be hiking, except while in Asheville we are visiting the Biltmore House and sightseeing in the town. So I added some hike ideas for each area (I have a google doc I have all the info on) and then did some reading. Some of it will be decided in the moment, but I wanted lots of ideas to start from.  Each vacation we take I try to learn from, and I want to make sure to plan to the end this time, and not stop before I’m finished.

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I’m also researching a few vacation ideas for next summer, ha! And I got sucked into rereading some previous blog posts…sometimes I get on a kick of reading old posts, especially about vacations. I’m struck by how neurotic I can be, and how obsessed with food and exercise I was for awhile. Granted, I was thinner then, but I am still trying to figure out a way to stay in shape and eat decently without making it my life’s work. I did sign up for a 10K in October, and have been trying to run regularly to get better at it. It’s nice to not be obsessed though. Balance, right?

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I was a little nervous about walking both these guys at once but they didn’t give me any problems!

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From a church I played at yesterday: I think I might have to join just for the photography session.

Random thoughts

Lazy Days

Does anybody else lose all motivation in the summer? Have I blogged about this too many times already? I feel like during the school year, until the very first day of “vacation” I am a planning and organizing beast, full of grand ideas, goals, and action plans to get there. And then here it is, almost July, and I’ve accomplished so very very little. Maybe this is the ebb and flow of life.

Things I wanted to accomplish: Learn more how to play the viola. Read several very specific books on music and music history (I’ve read a dozen mystery novels, does that count?). Reorganize my teaching studio (to be fair, I’ve done some of this). Some boring stuff involving spreadsheets, oh, and learning how to use them. Oh, and finally finished blog recaps of LAST summer’s trip (to be fair, still waiting on some pictures from Louie, haha!). There’s some random stuff I’m leaving off but you get the idea.

I suppose I should cut myself some slack, as always. I look back and see that I’ve done a fair amount of working out, lots of interesting activities, read tons of fun books, relaxed a lot, visited with friends and family…also I’ve practiced a fair amount and made progress on a decent amount of rep for the summer and fall. I’ve made some new connections and friends, and I suppose, I’m resting and recharging. But I still feel unmotivated and lazy.

Resting and recharging is probably important though, right? We need the ebb and flow of life to sustain us? I have been getting a few more “around the house “ things done, and finally took care of some car things I’d been putting off. (For a long time!)

I am looking forward to a relaxing holiday weekend. I have a few gigs and only one day off from teaching, but overall it will still be relaxing. I find mid-week “Fourth of July” holidays to be odd—do you turn it into a long weekend or just take the day off? In previous cities I’ve lived I played on various orchestra concerts on the day but here I don’t have any groups I play with.  (Suddenly I find myself very sad and missing playing more orchestra music! Well, not very sad. Slightly sad. Where does the time go?)

ANYWAY. I’m now thinking of things to do, people to contact, and I remind myself, a little laziness probably isn’t too bad, particularly for somebody as high-strung as I can be! How’s your summer going?

Random thoughts

Officially Summer

It’s officially summer (well, as of a few days ago, whatevers) and yet, the weather is gorgeous! We’ve had some of the most beautiful days of weather ever over the past few days.

I’m not even exaggerated. last year when my sister Leslie and niece visited, it was almost too hot to do anything outside. This year…amazing. We did a bunch of stuff: Grant’s Farm, the Magic House, various ice cream shops, lots of Asian food. It was a whirlwind visit, and unfortunately I had to work a bit, but it was great fun!

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I’d gotten Candy Land awhile ago with the idea of using it for teaching somehow. We opened it to play, but Athena (not 3 years) didn’t quite understand the whole board game concept. Good yogi though.

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Selfie on the Grant’s Farm Tram. I didn’t take too many pictures, but there were bison and ostriches and deer and more!

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The goats really liked Louie.

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Nothing better than getting a toddler to hug a giant poo emoji. I didn’t realize how many stuffed animals I had until I collected them all to play with.

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They have these outside pianos places. This was on the Loop. I think the moral is, don’t leave a piano outside. It kind of ruins it.

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I had to play a few weddings one afternoon so Louie put Athena to work washing the truck. She kept saying “bad, dirty truck!” and soaping over parts he had already rinsed. Gotta teach them young how to wash a car, right?

Anyway, it was nice to see Leslie and Athena (and brother-in-law Peter for one night too). Now it’s back to the “grind” of teaching and playing.

Yesterday we recorded two pieces for a CD of saxophone and string music I’m playing on, and then today I did all manner of car related things. I’m getting some car repairs (woo-hoo…wait…) and finally got my car properly titled after my divorce. (Learn from me, don’t put things off forever, especially when it turns out they are pretty easy to deal with.) Tomorrow I have another random chamber music rehearsal, and otherwise it’s just teaching, a few weddings this weekend, and reading. I’m loving this summer so far, honestly.  One month down, approximately two to go, and the living is easy and fun. Life as a musician might not be so bad after all Winking smile

Food, Random thoughts

Day Off

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A random Friday off is always nice, even though this month is pretty easy overall.

I feel I’ve lost my motivation to do anything musical. I haven’t really practiced at all this week! Maybe I need the downtime, but I have a stack of music to be working on, at least in the abstract, so hopefully next week will bring more motivation. Then again, motivation is something that comes from within, so I’ll look there first.

I’ve been working on reorganizing my house, especially my music collection. I keep getting more music, and hate getting rid of things, so getting it more in order will be nice. I think I’m going to get some magazine holders in order to keep stuff more together, and try to organize somewhat alphabetically/by genre/category. Any musicians have any successful ideas to share? I am not organized by nature but can work hard.

I’m working on my fall schedule as well. Well, as much as one can in June. I’ve got some wonderful “borrowed” students over the summer, but definitely have openings in the fall, especially on Wednesdays. Pass it on! I’m sometimes surprised by how quickly I go from absolutely insanely busy to, well, blogging in my pj’s after spending a few hours organizing. That’s right, I may or may not still be in my pajamas. That’s what days off are for, correct?

I suppose I spend too much time here acting silly Winking smile I was thinking earlier that I’m getting to be old and should be mature soon. I’m in my last year of my 30’s now…but I don’t always feel like I’m an adult, in the same way that I always thought my parents were adults at this age. Granted, I don’t have kids, and did I mention I’m in my pajamas? But I suppose there are times I feel adult. Right now, for instance. Spending a day off organizing my house and doing laundry is pretty adult. Also the other day I gave a student advice on how to help a younger student with a posture issue. Sometimes, in fact, I completely surprise myself with my adult-ness. (Or I’m still being silly. I think I need more coffee. Even with the day off, the sun woke me up by 7:30 am and I was planning to sleep longer after having stayed up late watching an episode of House of Cards.)

Other things I’m doing: uploading CD’s to iTunes (this is a project I started years ago but never finished) in order to be able to listen to anything I want whenever. My current impetus is because Louie is putting in a new radio in my car (the old one works only as a radio because the CD player is broken, and has no accessory function) which I can use to listen through my phone and also use as a bluetooth to talk on the phone. If I have all my music on the phone, then I can listen to any of it anytime! I learn music best when I combine the visual and the aural, and I just haven’t been listening enough since my CD player broke Sad smile

Also making an omelet with leftover potatoes from my “birthday dinner” last night (one night late.) I’m doing what I call a spanish omelet where you mix up eggs and add potatoes and whatever else to it and then cook it on low heat in a cast iron pan for around 30 minutes until it sets. It better be good!

(Last night’s dinner at Peacemaker Lobster and Crab. Lobster doesn’t fit great into my mostly veggie/fish diet, but I am okay with it plus a little sausage for special occasions. )

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That biscuit is SOOO GOOD too. I wish I could eat it right now, but I already ate it.

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And some oysters. The night was quite a splurge, but was a lot of fun. Thanks Louie!

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How are you all?

Random thoughts

The Livin’ is Easy

Summer is here! At least, school is out. I am probably one of the people who is most attuned to the school schedules without being a parent, since my livelihood depends on it.

In any case, I remembered I had a blog, and that I’ve been running all over the country (well, from Phoenix to Lebanon, Missouri, to St Louis) doing interesting or at least somewhat interesting stuff, and not sharing it with you.

I keep doing too much, I guess. Or I do a lot and then in my downtime I want to read, or chat with Louie and friends, or hike or bike or watch something on Netflix or Amazon. I want to document and share, but it’s been less of a priority.

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Life is good, overall. Except my friend April is moving…she is moving for a fantastic job and will be doing great things making the world better, but for those of us here, she’s making the world worse Sad smile I’ll miss her!

I’m working on getting ready for a retirement home performance this evening and a house concert on Friday. This house concert should be fun, but since it’s a brand new thing for me, there’s been a learning curve. I’m finally at the point of the year where I have time to think about things, and I started planning it before then, so some stuff got left behind…but it’s all going to be okay, and hopefully fun for everybody.

So I’m off to practice, teach, and then play for the older people. Who lately haven’t been the biggest fan of mine. (too loud! too unfamiliar! too classical!)

Random thoughts

Friendversary

4 years ago April and I ran a little race together, and bonded over various things going on in our lives. She is moving away soon and I will miss her dearly!

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We had a lovely dinner at Treehouse last weekend. Did I mention how sad I am that she is moving??

And next week I’m visiting Phoenix. It will be nice to get out of town and take a week off teaching. I’m playing a gig while I’m there, so it’s not a total vacation, but it will be good enough. I don’t mind admitting I take vacations, because I work pretty hard. There’s this one, there’s a bigger on in August (longer that is) and there will be a few long weekends over the summer. I need to rest and recuperate…sometimes people think freelancers dare not take a vacation lest we miss something. If I miss something, I’m sorry. I need to be able to clear my head, and it’s important to me to travel as well.

Stress levels are sort of low. The semester is over. Recitals are behind me. Summer is basically here. Maybe soon I’ll even get more chances to sleep late!