Performing

On television!

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I’m going to be on television this Saturday morning (January 8).  I was invited to participate with Chamber Project St. Louis and we are on the morning show on Fox 2 now.  It’s hopeful that if you are interested you can use this link for live streaming.  We will be on starting at 7 am (central time) off and on for 1 hour.  I will probably just be on the first 30 minutes.  I’m excited to participate in the program with Chamber Project and I’m honored I was invited.  It’s a promotional bit for the group as they have three upcoming concerts.  I am playing with them on January 9th at the Siteman Cancer Center—it’s a reprise of the Beethoven Serenade we performed together in the fall.  Should be a great weekend!

(I have been on television before, most recently with ProMusica Chamber Orchestra on the “Johnny Show” on Fox 28 Columbus on 1/8/09.  But that was then, this is now!)

Food

Talk or text? and Peanut Butter Banana Bread!

Part 1:

Here’s a prompt I’ve chosen to use for this blog entry:  Do you prefer to talk or text?

I love communication in all forms—in person, over the phone, email, IM, text, writing letters, blogging, etc.  What sort of communication I use is contingent on necessity.  For instance, is it late at night and I need to correspond with somebody regarding playing at their wedding?  I will email.  An emergency cancellation of a student’s lesson one hour beforehand (maybe I’ve gotten a flat tire, maybe I’m throwing up) would require the phone…or a text, but only if I know the parent or student uses texts.  I rarely send the first text.  I let somebody else break the texting ice.  Even in this modern age, some people do not have texting plans, and I really hate to presume.  However, for short snippets of conversation texting is GREAT.  Texting is also good if you know somebody is busy and won’t be able to answer the phone (perhaps they are in rehearsal or teaching or at some other kind of work) but they would pick up their phone to check it every 20 to 30 minutes.

I guess in a nutshell then, I prefer to text.  But I’m happy to talk as well!

 

Part 2:  Peanut Butter Banana Bread

I am currently making a new recipe that I’ve had hanging around for awhile.  I got the recipe from Cooking Light, and have been waiting to use it.  I need to try three new recipes this month (per my goals) so this will be number one.  I am going to presume it is delicious (the batter is very good) and I will let you know if that is NOT the case.  Otherwise, I may not follow up.  *am planning to skip the glaze as it doesn’t seem necessary*

edited to say:  I had two pieces, it’s very good but subtle.  Chris loved it.

Ingredients

  • Bread:
  • 1 1/2  cups  mashed ripe banana
  • 1/3  cup  plain fat-free yogurt
  • 1/3  cup  creamy peanut butter
  • 3  tablespoons  butter, melted
  • 2  large eggs
  • 1/2  cup  granulated sugar
  • 1/2  cup  packed brown sugar
  • 6.75  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/4  cup  ground flaxseed
  • 3/4  teaspoon  baking soda
  • 1/2  teaspoon  salt
  • 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
  • 1/8  teaspoon  ground allspice
  • 2  tablespoons  chopped dry-roasted peanuts
  • Cooking spray
  • Glaze:
  • 1/3  cup  powdered sugar
  • 1  tablespoon  1% low-fat milk
  • 1  tablespoon  creamy peanut butter

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

4. To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.

Teaching

Not so bad after all

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Today was my first day back teaching this year.  I had been dreading it because I really like my vacations.

Well, it wasn’t so bad after all.

I managed to impart a little bit of wisdom, a little bit of guidance, and had a lot of patience.  Of those three, patience is the most important for teaching children to play the violin.  In fact, patience is the most important for teaching anybody anything!

My students were generally in good spirits and happy to be back to school and violin.  Most hadn’t practiced, but that’s okay.  I even had a few Christmas presents waiting for me, since the last couple teaching days at school had been canceled due to ice, so it made the day seem a bit more festive.  All in all, a great start to the “working week.”

I was also able to spend about 30 minutes planning for the semester of orchestra.  I think I’ve selected a few pieces that will be fun but challenging.  A couple I know will be very challenging, but the fall pieces weren’t challenging enough for a couple of students, so I want to push them.  We’ve got a variety of levels (and work ethics) in the group, as would be expected, so it’s a constant challenge on my part to keep everybody engaged and involved without boring half the group while the other half has no idea what’s going on.  Typical classroom teaching, I imagine?  Honestly I would need magic to actually accomplish this but I keep trying.

Okay, time for a bit of randomness.

#1. New blog/writing project:  The Daily Post at WordPress.com.  I’m not going to promise to post everyday, but I plan to use this to give me inspiration when I need or want it.  I enjoyed the challenge of reverb10 and this looks similar.

#2.  I wore my new purple shoes working out tonight!  I’ve been shy about wearing them to the gym so far…(tomorrow I think) but I wore them doing Jillian’s 30 Day Shred tonight and loved them.

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#3.  New Year’s Eve Pictures:

1.  My interpretation of “blue steel” from “Zoolander”, 2.  with my friend Jennedy, 3.  with Chris and my friend Dave

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That’s it for now!  I might be back later tonight or tomorrow am to share “what makes me smile.”  Though, you can see in these pictures—my friends, a shiny dress, and having my picture taken!

HBBC (last week!): January 1: 10 mile run: 10 points, 7 f/v: 1 point, total: 11 points, January 2: 20 minutes stretch/20 minutes weights: 2 points, January 3:  30 minute workout video: 2 points, 7 f/v: 1 point, total: 3 points.  January 4: 4 mile run: 4 points, workout with Mike: 4 points, 7 f/v: 1 point, total: 8 points.

Random thoughts

4 to 10 more weeks of winter

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Tonight is the last Sunday night before “school starts back.”  It’s the last day of Christmas vacation.

Christmas vacation is so hyped up, so exciting.  Ever since I was a young child, I absolutely loved Christmas vacation, I counted down, I became giddy with excitement.  I’m sure I’m not alone, but Christmas vacation may possible have been the greatest thing in my life.

Therefore, the last night of it is very depressing.  Not crying on the floor unable to move depressing, but nonetheless a bit sad.  No matter how the actual vacation was, the build up was certainly exciting, and now there is almost an entire year until the fun begins again.  (And yes, I will insist upon waiting for Thanksgiving to pass before beginning to celebrate the Christmas season next year…I refuse to start on Labor Day).

Now all we have to look forward to is a few months of dreary weather.  In Cleveland this could go on for up to five more months—in St. Louis probably only three, but still…what is there to look forward to now?  I think that’s why so many people make New Year’s resolutions.  Resolutions give us something to focus on, something to be excited about.  Many people focus on living in the now and enjoying “the moment.”

It might be better if Christmas (or winter break, if you don’t celebrate) took place more towards the end of January.  That’s when we need it!  Frankly, the end of November is interesting enough in the US with Thanksgiving—we don’t need another major holiday in a month, especially a holiday that is followed one week later by yet another holiday! We need to spread these things out.  February has Valentine’s, but that’s not a really fun holiday after grade school (too much pressure), then there’s St. Patrick’s…boring…Easter is a good one, but doesn’t always mean much more than a long weekend.  There’s Memorial Day, and then summer– when most people get at least a bit of vacation (us school people quite a bit more, but it seems that most of my friends take time then for some sort of vacation), so that’s covered, then Labor Day, Halloween…and so on.

But that’s how it is calendar wise, and I should just accept it.  My issue really is that it’s over now.  I don’t WANT to return to work.  I would prefer to keep sleeping in, enjoying my flannel sheets, and being generally lazy watching bad 80’s movies on ABC Family.

Oh, well.  That’s life!  I’d rather return to work than be back in middle school again.  I’ll keep that thought in mind to prop up my spirits.  Tomorrow I have 6 or 7 private students.  At least I’m starting slow!

 

Side note:  I wasn’t happy with my new theme, so I’ve chosen a different one.  I’ll be messing around with it a little bit, but I hope you’ll like it.  I especially like how the front page shows several recent posts instead of one at a time.

Teaching

1.1.11

Ah…slept in this morning…

I played two weddings yesterday afternoon—one at St. Cecilia’s Church and one at the Marriot at Union Station.

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We went to a friend’s New Year’s Eve party last night.  It was fun—lots of our friends were there and there was good food.  I took my camera but didn’t take any photos…maybe someone else will have some (I posed several times).  I decided to dress up so I wore my silver and black dress!  It was fun Smile

Today is my last relaxing day…I have to start preparing for teaching on Monday (and beyond!).  Orchestra doesn’t start until the following week, but I’ll need to give some thought to what repertoire the group should play this semester.  There are still a few pieces from the fall we didn’t get to, so we’ll start with those, but after that, I’m not sure yet.  For my other classes, I’ve changed the grouping so it’s now by grades, which will be better (K-2, 3-4), but I’ll need to be a little more creative to keep everybody moving forward.  I think it’s time for the 3-4 to learn music reading…and the k-2 all need some work on technique fundamentals.  For my private students, it’ll be a week or two of catch-up.

Last night a few friends asked if I had any New Year’s Resolutions.  I told them I had some ideas, but nothing overwhelming (lots of little things, really)…I’m looking at my list right now, and as it is now January, there are a few specific goals for each month.

1. Read one book about teaching.  I am going to actually 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’ve read the first before and started the second, but I want to read both again fully.  I’ll share my thoughts about both as it goes along.

2.  Try new restaurants. We have plans for tomorrow to go to Milagro with friends (also combines with “do something with a friend each week”), and then for Chris’s birthday to 1111 Mississippi, so I know January is covered for this one.

3.  Cook three new recipes per month.

4.  Read one “classic” novel per month.  Haven’t picked it yet…maybe something Jane Austen Winking smile

What else is on the docket for the month?  My trip to Phoenix, of course, with the race.  There’s the Suzuki Association’s Parents as Partners Online, the Chamber Project concert at the Siteman Center, my Spinning class, the Yoga for Runners Workshop, and of course my usual teaching and various gigs (not so many weddings in January).  Should be a great month!

HBBC (last week): January 1: 10 mile run: 10 points, 7 f/v: 1 point, total: 11 points, January 2: 20 minutes stretch/20 minutes weights: 2 points

Random thoughts

Happy New Year Friends! #reverb10

Prompt: Core story. What central story is at the core of you, and how do you share it with the world? (Bonus: Consider your reflections from this month. Look through them to discover a thread you may not have noticed until today.)

reverb10.com

My central story:  I am an optimist.  I enjoy life.  I laugh.  I overanalyze things.  I’m full of contradictions.  I need to be more comfortable with new things.  My appearance is important to me, as is my health.  I write better when I take more time, but I hate revising.

A thread I may not have noticed until today? I don’t think there is anything I’ve really missed…I am not so different than other people? (If you have thoughts, please comment!)

I hope you’ve all enjoyed this month of reverb10…I know I did.  The project pushed me to make my blog, and perhaps myself, into something a bit more than it was, though it made my blog seem a bit disjointed.  I guess my blog is going through some growing pains.

I look forward to a fantastic 2011!  If I’ve gained any new readers, I hope you stick around Smile  If not, well, thanks anyway!

Happy New Year to you all!  2010 was much better than 2009 for me, and I hope 2011 is even better.  I hope the same for you all.

thoughts about violin, teaching, running, life.