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.

Grand Ideas

2011 Goals/resolutions

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I’m not usually a “writing down my goals” sort of person, but I have been inspired by reading other people’s blogs.  Plus, it’s fun to make lists!  So I’ve put together a bunch of ideas I have for stuff to do this year…I’ll reassess occasionally and see what I’ve accomplished, what I’ve decided isn’t so important after all, and make some changes along the way.  Flexibility is key…

Theme for 2011:  Be happier and try new things

2011 Goals/resolutions

Happiness Project—I have joined up for the year and will see what Gretchen Rubin throws my way.  I think many of the things I’m going to list here will be things that make me happier—so that should work out well.  We’ll see how the project goes through the year though—I reserve the right to modify as needed! (I’ve realized I don’t need Gretchen so much as my list was really made through her influence!)

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As far as goals/resolutions go I’ve made a very specific list by category.  I’ve read that resolutions and goals should be specific so I’ve tried to do that here…I will update in purple things I accomplish, in blue for scheduled activities.  If I have to modify or add something I’ll use green. I’ve had a really fun time over the past few weeks coming up with this list, so don’t mock me –I am a list maker and a planner.

Career:

1.  Take another summer pedagogy course, either Mimi Zweig or another Suzuki Institute Course. Went to Ottawa, Kansas to take Book Five with Susan Kempter.

Not summer, but related: Went to Mark O’Connor Workshop in February, attended SIUE Teacher workshop with Susan Kempter

2.  Participate in the SAA’s “Parents As Partner’s Online” in January/February, plus my article “Making Tone a Priority” got reused

2.  Take another SLSO audition…if the opportunity presents itself.

3.  Play on two chamber music concerts.

4.  Another private student recital in June. June 5

5.  Pare down my schedule for fall—too much driving around, not enough quality teaching time (this is less specific, but I don’t need to be specific yet!)

6.  Read one book per month about teaching or child education/psychology.

  • January: Teaching from the Balance Point AND Teaching with an Open Heart by Ed Kreitman
  • February:  The Wonder of Boys by Michael Gurian
  • March:  Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua
  • April: The Social Animal by David Brooks (will finish soon, was siderailed due to theft of kindle)
  • (May/June, got derailed)
  • July:

7. Appeared on Fox2 Morning Show in January with Chamber Project St. Louis (not planned, but still awesome!)

Relationships:

1.  Be nicer to Chris.  Try not to get upset over small things!

2.  Do at least four creative, fun, “date nights” with Chris, something other than dinner/movie (i.e. Kitchen Conservatory class, dance class, ballgame).

3.  Do something with a friend each week.  Could be lunch, pedicure, coffee, movie, whatever.  I’ve been doing great with this—I  am not going to list stuff anymore (at this time) as it’s been lots of stuff, but the main goal of being friendly and social and getting out of the house has definitely been happening.

Fun:

1.  Entertain at home at least four times during the year-one down!  Planned 4th of July party.

2.  Have another cookie swap party.

3.  Cruise or other fun vacation in summer!  Somewhere I haven’t been before. (Probably not, since now we are saving up for a wedding and honeymoon!)

Food:

1.  Try new restaurants—at least one per month.  Use groupons or the like as available.

2.  Cook three new recipes per month.  Preferably a healthy recipe but anything would fit the bill.  I have a Cooking Light Cookbook and magazines that should serve as good inspiration, in addition to tons of bookmarked recipes online…

3.  Continue to try for 7 servings of fruits and vegetables per day.

Uncategorized but no less important

1.  Quit biting my fingernails and fingers!

2.  Get rid of 11 things from each room (inspired by reverb10).  Enlist Chris to help out. Make that 11 things EACH month from a room. Okay, I’ve gotten somewhat bored with this one…why 11?  But I have been trying to “declutter” sometimes.

  • 11 articles of clothing from the bedroom (actually more!)
  • 11 (well, more than) pieces of “jewelry” from my jewelry box

3.  Read one “classic” novel per month (have downloaded many to the kindle so should be no problem)

  • January: War and Peace (thought I’d start big!)
  • February: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland—didn’t realize how short this was!
  • March: Sense and Sensibility—enjoyable!  No Pride and Prejudice though…
  • April: Great Expectations- I found this really challenging.
  • May: Moby Dick
  • June: Don Quixote?
  • July: Crime and Punishment
  • August:
  • October:  Dracula
  • November:
  • December:

4.  Read one additional nonfiction book per month:

  • January: Free for All: Fixing School Lunch in America (for Mrs. Q’s book club)
  • February:  The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (so good!)
  • March: The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration
  • April: Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer

5.  Monthly Financial Goals: (optional)

  • February:  No New Clothes (except maybe a new pair of running shoes)
  • March: Taxes
  • April:  Chris’s Taxes

Health/fitness

1.  Continue eating healthily—lose 15 more pounds by June.  Maintain that weight within a 5 lb range for the rest of the year.

2.  Continue running—do 3 to 4 half marathons, maybe a couple of 10ks or 5 mile races and continue to improve on the 5k.

**Minimum of 12 races as I’ve signed up for the “Run for the Bling of It” challenge!

bling

Race Plans/ideas thus far:

Have you made any goals/plans/resolutions for the new year?  Or do you prefer to take things as they come?

Books

My kindle #reverb10

Prompt: Gift. This month, gifts and gift-giving can seem inescapable. What’s the most memorable gift, tangible or emotional, you received this year?

reverb10.com

I’m back on track!  This is today’s prompt Winking smile

Most memorable gift that I received this year? 

Well, I just got it, but I think it will be life changing—my Kindle.  I didn’t know I wanted one until my mom suggested it. Suddenly it seemed like a fantastic idea!

It is lighter than a book and I can read lying down in bed without my hands going numb.  That in itself is enough to sell me on it.

If only all the books I currently own were on it.  I have three bookshelves full plus stacks on the floor.  Then again, some of the space on the bookshelves is sheet music.

For a few years I had said, oh, nothing could escape turning a page.  I am easily swayed.  No more bringing five books on a long trip.  Now I just need my kindle. 

thoughts about violin, teaching, running, life.