Random thoughts

January plans recap/February plans

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Wow, I can’t believe January is over already!  I feel like it just flew by…and that we had WAY too much snow and ice (and are getting more today, supposedly…)

I wanted to take a moment to consider how my yearly/monthly goals are going and see if I want to tweak anything.

How am I doing so far?  Let’s recap:

January plans recap: Specific monthly goals:

1. Read one book about teaching.  I planned to read two books this month—both of Ed Kreitman’s.  They are on the shorter side—Teaching from the Balance Point, and Teaching with an Open Heart. I haven’t finished Teaching with an Open Heart yet, but I’ll just push that back a few days.  So, half-check.

2.  Try new restaurants. This was no problem!  I tried a ton…probably too many. Check, check, check!

3.  Cook three new recipes per month—Check!

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

Whole Wheat Bread (fail!)

Pork with Polenta

4.  Read one “classic” novel per month.  War and Peace, CHECK!  This took much longer than I anticipated—I spent almost three weeks reading War and Peace…but I can now say I have read it, and if I find anybody else who has read it, we can discuss it.

5.  Read one “non-fiction” novel per month. Almost done—reading Free for All: Fixing School Lunch in America by Janet Poppendieck.  So…almost check.

What else have I accomplished from my 2011 goals thus far? (by category)

Career:

Was on Fox2 News Morning Show with Chamber Project St. Louis!  Didn’t plan this, but definitely a good thing. 

Chamber Music Concerts—January 9 with Chamber Project—success! (check)

Parents as Partners Online (continues into February) through the Suzuki Association of America—I have some catching up to do on this, but I’ve watched quite a few videos.  I wanted to catch up more today but the sound on my computer wasn’t working…I probably need to restart, but I got REALLY lazy.  Yes, that IS super lazy!

Relationships:

Be nicer to Chris—I know this isn’t a very specific goal, but I know what I mean.  I am working on it.

Do something with a friend each week—saw Black Swan, went to Sweet Art, went to Circus Flora, trip to Phoenix, toured Taliesin West, went to Good Pie, went to Sandrina’s—CHECK!

Fun: Nothing from this list yet.

Uncategorized but no less important: 

I gave away MORE than 11 items of clothing that I do not wear.  So that counts from the bedroom. Check!

Health/fitness:

Phoenix R n R half marathon Rocked it! CHECK!

Bikram Yoga Phoenix  (ugh, now I am wanting MORE bikram yoga, which means I will probably go again here sometime soon…maybe leading up to my next half-marathon)

Spinning Class (ongoing to April)—have gone every week I’m in town.  Enjoying it!  Check!

Yoga for Runners Workshop—didn’t go due to bad weather.  Oh well. 

Continue to eat healthfully—7 f/v daily—I tried!  Much easier at home than when traveling.  I’d say I reached this goal 1/2 to 2/3 of the days. Half-check!

Weight loss—not exactly…staying pretty much the same.

That pretty much sums up the goals so far.  I’m enjoying focusing more on my reading and branching out a bit with that.  I’m also doing well with my running and other fitness goals.  I’ve also made efforts to be social and get out of the house even while it is very cold. 

Things I am NOT doing well at (yet): Quit biting my fingernails and fingers!  Did better for a few days then got stressed and started up again…oops.  It’s hard! (not a valid excuse).  And weight loss…

What about the Happiness Project?  Well, I’m keeping up on the ideas.  I would say I am following it as I am working towards improving my own happiness!  I just haven’t mentioned it as much in the blog as I thought I might…so I guess this is a half check?

Specific February Plans/Goals:

Books:  one classic, one related to teaching violin or children, one non-fiction—Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Wonder of Boys by Michael Gurian, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (plus finish reading list from January!)

New Restaurants: ?

Social: ?

Recipes (at least three):  I have some ideas of things I want to try–

Continue attending spinning class

Start using Groupon from Urban Breath Yoga—it’s for five classes, let’s try to get at least three in this month (it’s a busy month.)

Frosty Five race on February 12 (5 mile race)

Creative “date night” with Chris? 

Get rid of 11 things from ONE room—kitchen?

Will attend Mark O’Connor workshop, continue Parents as Partners Online (figure out sound situation on my computer!)

NEW Goal for February:  No new clothes this month.  Exception:  may purchase new running shoes.  NOTHING ELSE for the whole month. 

I am pleased with my year so far, and feel like I’m doing well with my plans.  I do want to focus more on my diet and try to lose a bit more weight though—that will be a priority this month.

How are your resolutions going?

Random thoughts

Great Ice Storm of Aught-Two

Today is the beginning of what looks to be a pretty nasty storm.  We’re starting with some freezing rain, adding in a little sleet, a “mixed bag” if you will, followed by a foot or so of snow. 

The impending ice storm reminds me of the Great Ice Storm of 2002, which took place when I lived in Charlotte, NC.  I lost power for five days and had to sleep on a variety of friend’s couches.  Of course, I was grateful to have friends to stay with—other (I presume less friendly and less polite?) people were not as lucky as I was.   Trees covered in ice, power lines downed (do you drive over them or not?  I stupidly chose YES a few times…how is it I am still alive?), branches littering and blocking the streets…it was pretty awesome!

I can’t find my own pictures from the storm (this was before digital cameras and I didn’t even own my own computer yet) so I will instead share some I found online:

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(note to reader:  most of those photos are not of Charlotte…and I’m pretty sure that cow one is shopped)

The night of the ice storm I went over to a friend’s house for an “ice storm” party like you would expect from a group of 20-somethings.  We had beer and snacks, crashed on the couches at some point, and during the night kept being awakened by snaps, crackles, and ultimately a BOOM that was likely a nearby breaker blowing.  When we awoke there was no electricity, in fact…1.3 million people were without power. Luckily it wasn’t that cold outside—I was able to leave my cats in my apartment, and the place never got below 50 degrees.  I stayed with a few different people (I kept moving around as new friends regained power as to not inconvenience too many people), and finally my power came back on. I remember that was a great day…

from http://www.charlotteuptown.info/CharlotteHistory.html (perhaps the best part is that this website references wikipedia!)

In December 2002, Charlotte (and much of central North Carolina) was hit by a massive ice storm (which some dubbed, "Hugo on Ice") that knocked out power to over 1.3 million Duke Energy customers. According to a Duke Energy representative: "This ice storm surpasses the damage from Hurricane Hugo in 1989, which had 696,000 outages." During an abnormally cold December, many were without power for more than two weeks. Much of the damage was caused by Bradford pear trees which, still having leaves on December 4, split apart under the weight of the ice.

Suffice it to say that I most certainly hope we don’t lose power (they are certainly threatening it) and if we do, I hope not for long.  People here in St. Louis keep referencing the Ice Storm of 2006 (I refuse to use the word Great in front of it as I did not personally experience this).  I believe Chris lived downtown at the time and I recall he mentioned this, but he didn’t lose power, unlike 500,000 customers.  Living downtown certainly has its advantages!

(I do not live downtown now.)

Running, Weddings

SNOWPOCALYPSE?!?

… WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO NOON CST WEDNESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ST LOUIS HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR FREEZING RAIN… SLEET… AND SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO NOON CST WEDNESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING… LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP ON MONDAY AND CONTINUE IN WAVES MONDAY NIGHT. THE FREEZING RAIN WILL OCCASIONALLY MIX WITH SLEET AND SNOW LATE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY MORNING AND EVENTUALLY CHANGE TO ALL SNOW TUESDAY EVENING. THE SNOW WILL END WEDNESDAY MORNING.

* ACCUMULATIONS… ICE ACCUMULATIONS BETWEEN 1/2 AND 3/4 INCH ARE LIKELY… WITH HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE. SLEET AND SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM AROUND 3 INCHES ACROSS SOUTHWEST ILLINOIS TO 6 TO 12 INCHES IN PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL ILLINOIS AND EASTERN MISSOURI.

* WINDS… NORTHWEST WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WILL GUST TO 40 MPH TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.

* IMPACTS… SIGNIFICANT ICE ACCUMULATION AND GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS MAY LEAD TO WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES. THE COMBINATION OF ICE… SLEET AND SNOW WILL MAKE ROAD CONDITIONS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND THIS COULD LIMIT TRAVEL FOR DAYS.

 

Gotta love the all caps from the National Weather Service.  Basically we are all in BIG TROUBLE.

Today:  Spinning class (mainly hills…not sure if the teacher really plans these classes out or simply likes to ride the bike while standing) and a 7 mile run.  I did the run a little faster than some of my long runs in the past (4.8-5.0 mph rather than 4.7) and felt fine.  The bottom of my feet were killing me around mile 3 so I tried to really focus on how my feet were landing.  I need to pay a visit to the shoe store, even though I wore my newer shoes today. 

Tomorrow:  Lots of teaching?  Or a snow day?  (I do NOT want to drive to St. Peters and then have it start icing…I’m totally stressed about that.) 

Last night I had a great time hanging out with my friend Sarah.  We had dinner and drinks, and chitchatted about life, whatever, teaching violin, etc.  It was a nice end to a day that was a bit trying at times (had an awful and awkward gig that I won’t go into on the blog.) 

I also played a wedding at the New Town Chapel.  I had not been there before, and was NOT prepared for the “Truman Show”-like atmosphere that is New Town (St. Charles).  I don’t want to be too negative about it, but I was really not prepared!  Seriously, there is a creepy 1950’s style looking town in the middle of nowhere…for no apparent reason.  Maybe I have a negative attitude towards homogeneity (I am a city dweller and I love diversity) and shouldn’t assume the worst.  The chapel was pretty enough, though oddly the doors in the balcony kept blowing open and we really struggled to keep them shut, as it was cold outside.  Oddly none of the guests sitting nearby seemed to care about the doors.  I have my opinions on why that is as well—not a single person offered to help me or my colleague shut the doors even though we were trying to PLAY for the wedding while this was happning.  I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t have been happy if the doors stayed open…

(and this wasn’t the awkward awful gig I was referring to!)

Some pictures—I felt the retro camera app was VERY appropriate.

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Why yes, I’m in a crabby mood tonight!  Thanks for asking!  We bloggers can’t always be roses and songbirds, you know Winking smile

Food

Pork with Polenta

I made this recipe last night for dinner.  I really enjoyed it as a simple meal, not heavy, and the polenta was a nice complement to the pork.  I did make a mistake and bought the wrong sort of pork chops, but it still worked out well.

I didn’t take any pictures, but you can see a picture on the recipe.  I will make it again.

Something I learned:  polenta is basically grits.  As a southern girl…well, you know I love grits!

 

Books

Beethoven 7

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I had a great time listening to tonight’s Saint Louis Symphony concert.  Well, listening and watching.  Schubert’s 2nd Symphony, Shostakovich 2nd Piano Concerto, and Beethoven’s 7th Symphony.  Fabulous!

Great day overall (gym, lunch with Melissa, shopping, which included getting running tights at Target, and dessert/drinks at Franco with Chris), but I’m tired now and going to bed.  Tomorrow I get to sleep in,  then run, two gigs, and hang out with my friend Sarah.  Fabulous 🙂

I started reading “Free For All:  Fixing School Lunch in America” by Janet Poppendieck last night.  It’s VERY nice to be reading something other than “War and Peace” (sorry, Tolstoy).  It’s got a lot of numbers, but it’s still a relief to be free of Napoleon (and frankly, after Prince Andrew died, I just didn’t care anymore. )  I generally read fiction, but it’s nice to read non-fiction on occasion, plus I do genuinely enjoy learning new things and knowing they are true, unlike fiction where you read new things that might actually be historically accurate but you just aren’t sure (yes, I’m again referring to War and Peace.  Damn you, Tolstoy!)

 

Teaching

18 students

Wow, that’s a lot for one day!  To be fair, I only taught 16.  Two were sick.

I had a great time teaching today though.  I took it one student at a time.  It was fine, only I needed more water. 

I finished “War and Peace.”  I can’t believe I spent almost three weeks reading one book.  I don’t even know what happened.  Well, I DO.  *SPOILER ALERT* It was the war of 1812…I kept thinking about Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture!  Lots of Napoleon, Alexander, and a few Russian families falling in love or dying.  Seriously, Tolstoy.  Could the book have been edited a bit shorter?  (And I usually love long books!)

After such a long day, I wasn’t in the mood for cooking, so Chris and I decided to go to Dressel’s for dinner.  I had a glass of wine and the beef stew with salad, which was very good.  I always enjoy Dressel’s. 

Tomorrow is fun Friday (most Fridays are fun Fridays!).  Gym with Mike, lunch with Melissa, cook dinner (planning on a new recipe from Cooking Light magazine), attend the SLSO concert, and drinks with friends afterwards (hopefully).  I’m not quite sure how my “days off” become so busy, as I seriously need to do some housecleaning.  The weekend should allow for that though…

May I apologize for this slightly boring post…but it beats yesterday’s whiny ones, right?  RIGHT? (foot feeling better, wrist…we’ll see).

thoughts about violin, teaching, running, life.