Random thoughts

Snow day?

How do you stay entertained when you are snowed in?

(Today’s postaday suggestion).

Today we were supposed to be getting 6 or so inches of snow, starting around noon.  Then 2:00.  Then 3:00.  Then I drove home after orchestra rehearsal at 4:30…and it finally started snowing.  Then it stopped. 

I am trying to remember the last time I was really snowed in.  I think it may have been Easter weekend in Cleveland in 2007 (or 2008? I don’t know).  I recall it snowed from Thursday through Sunday.  Maybe that’s incorrect, I don’t know.  Memory is a funny thing.

Most of my snow memories are from panicking over how to get to various concerts that SHOULD have been canceled, but weren’t, or were, but not until after you already tried to get there on the ice or in the blizzard.  Sometimes I hate being a musician—the powers-that-be are very hesitant to cancel concerts since they would lose a ton of money…but if you get in a fender bender on the way there the deductible alone would more than negate the payment for the gig, so it’s always a big moral dilemma.  Do you try to go or just stay home?  Some people mock those of us who like to stay home when the weather is bad, but seriously, why?  Why go out in the snow if you don’t have to?  What is so important that you can’t just stay home for an evening or for a day?  (I know some things, i.e. medical emergencies are important.  I’m not talking about that.  I am talking about the idiots at the mall.)

That brings us to the question in bold at the top.  How do you stay entertained when you are snowed in?  The same way I always entertain myself…my home is a place of relaxation, comfort, and entertainment.  I’m never bored at home.  I have the boy, the cat, tons of books, movies, a television…plus there’s a kitchen for cooking or baking…the computer for blogging or the internet…the possibilities are endless. 

Unrelated note:  Today in class a student asked me what “xeroxing” meant.  And she was serious.  I feel old.

Related note:  I am starting to question the snow forecast.  Then again, maybe the worst is yet to come…perhaps I’ll wake up tomorrow to a foot of snow!  Thank goodness the fridge is full of groceries that include milk and bread.

Random thoughts

Happy Birthday to Chris!

Happy Monday morning, readers! 

They are predicting 6 or more inches of snow later today.  Let’s hope I can get through my teaching day with no problems.  I wish I could take the day off to celebrate Chris’s birthday with him, but alas…

I am just pushing through the week until Friday when I take off for Phoenix.  Things are busy busy!

The weekend was great. 

Friday  night:

Chris and I had a fantastic dinner at 1111 Mississippi to celebrate his birthday.  We split the stuffed artichokes.  I had a watercress salad and the seafood alfredo and he had the bacon-wrapped pork.  We finished with the cheesecake.  It was all fantastic, plus I got to take pasta home for later.  Many of my friends insisted we would love 1111 and they were absolutely correct.  It was a great dinner! 

Saturday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtube_gdata_player&v=uB1wIfMCphc

Saturday started very early with an appearance on the Fox2 Morning Show as a guest with Chamber Project St. Louis.  If you missed my entry about that, go here.

In the afternoon I ran 8 miles…on the treadmill.  It was just so cold outside.  I had wanted to do another 10 mile run (did that last week) as it is the last weekend before my race, but I was just too exhausted.  Oh well.

Saturday night I played background music for a private dinner at the Wine Room in the Ritz-Carlton in Clayton as part of the Serenade Strings.

Sunday:

Sunday morning I had my first spinning class at the Center of Clayton.  It was great!  I can’t wait till my next one, unfortunately two weeks from now, but still.  The teacher was really energized and the other class members were very friendly.  I was dripping sweat and worked really hard.

In the afternoon I played again with Chamber Project St. Louis.  They had a short concert at the Siteman Cancer Center.  It was a nice crowd and a pleasant way to spend the afternoon.

By Sunday night I really just wanted to rest, but I couldn’t pass up free tickets to Circus Flora and SLSO’s partnership show, “The Floating Palace.”  The orchestra played music of Bizet, Copland, Ibert, and more, and the circus juggled, tumbled, hula hooped, climbed ropes, and as a finale, the “Flying Wallendas” did a spectacular tight-rope routine.  Wow!  I hope they continue to work together in the future.  There is nothing like live music for a show like that!

Upcoming week’s highlights:

Chris’s Birthday

Trip to Phoenix, visit Leslie and Sarah, run Rock n Roll Half Marathon

Keep reading War and Peace. (should make EXCELLENT headway during travels).

Let’s see how today’s weather goes!  Lots of teaching to do before dinner tonight.

Teaching

Looking for improvement

“If you look at a thing, the very fact of your looking changes it…if you think about yourself, that very fact changes you.”
— Robert Penn Warren

Today’s quote on the Happiness Project website.

I would definitely agree in many ways.  And I know there are many ways to apply this thought to self-analysis and self-improvement…but today is not a self-improvement day.

Today I thought of my students.

I often ask them to check their bow hold, to look at their bow, to check their wrist, to look in the mirror.  I will ask them how their “low 2’s” were, or if they played the correct dynamics, or if they got the correct bowings.  I try to get them to look at their playing, to observe it, and to critique it.

Often a student will check their bow hold, and as they glance down, I notice them curving their pinky and bending their thumb.  They will say to me, “it was good!” when in reality they simply fixed it immediately.  

And really NOTHING fixes a straight bow like watching it.   If you look at your bow, it will automatically improve, and not slide over the fingerboard as much.

(I know there is some technical jargon in today’s blog post.  Remember this:  to play the violin well there are some important techniques of how to hold the bow and the violin that must be followed, and much of a beginning teacher’s job is to instill proper techniques to greatly increase a student’s chance of success.  What some say is “talent” I say is “hard work and great teaching.”)

Performing

St. Louis Television Debut

This morning started VERY early.  My alarm went off at the ungodly hour of 5:00 AM.  Then I had to get dressed and do full makeup and full hair drying…to drive 30 minutes to..

BE ON TV!!

So I’m not really complaining.  Besides I had time afterwards to take a nap.

We played in a little hallway outside of the main studio, and played for the “bumps”—when they go from show to commercial or vice-versa.  Dana (the clarinetist from Chamber Project) gave an interview and talked about the performance tomorrow at the Siteman Center as well as some general Chamber Project information.  In the video we are playing the Beethoven Serenade, last movement.

http://www.fox2now.com/videobeta/f1f0f584-d777-49cc-a21f-5b715c5fe213/News/Chamber-Project-St-Louis-Performs

 

I also took a few pictures while we were there.

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Note the time—

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Jen, Adrianne, and Dana

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Laura, and Me

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Being sneaky and peering into the studio

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Food, Performing

Quick update: HBBC and TV!

This is the last day of the “Holiday Bootie Buster Challenge.”  Now, yes, I find the name totally embarrassing, but it was a great challenge to keep track of all my workouts and to eat more fruits and vegetables.  My total is 239.8.  I think that’s pretty good!  Thanks to Amanda for putting on a great challenge!  AND I didn’t really gain weight over the holidays…maybe some temporary weight but as of two days ago, totally back to pre-Thanksgiving weight. 

Reminder:  Tomorrow morning I will be on television with Chamber Project St. Louis.  We are on the Fox2 morning show at 7 am (Central time).  I’ll be the one playing the violin.  I am also performing with them on a Sunday afternoon concert at the Siteman Cancer Center. 

Today’s lunch:  Sweet Art on 39th Street.  I met my friend Melissa and we both had lentil soup and sandwiches with artichokes and sundried tomatoes.  The wait was long, but worth it!  The cupcakes were very good, though I hear 2011 is the year for pie.  Nobody told the Sweet Art people that. 

Books

Reading List

I have a ridiculously wonderful reading list right now. Thanks to my Kindle, I’ve got TONS of free classics on there.  I have started to read “War and Peace” first…am I crazy?  Since my resolution was to read one classic a month, I thought I’d start big, plus Gretchen Rubin (of “The Happiness Project”) recommended it.  It’s pretty overwhelming.  However, the kindle tells me exactly how far I am.  I’m 18 % done already!  (I am a fast reader).  I think some of the war stuff is going over my head though, and I wish I had a bit more historical reference.  (Any suggestions to help?)

What else is on the list?  Well, the Ed Kreitman books I’ve mentioned before about teaching violin.  Next is the book for the book club  Mrs. Q on “fed up with school lunch” is starting—“Free For All :Fixing School Lunch in America”.  I’ve also added two books from a recent Gretchen Rubin post to the list:   “The Truth About Grief…” by Ruth Davis Konigsberg and “The Year of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion.  After that (unless it’s February already) I’ll probably read some light fiction—I love mysteries and got a few free kindle books.  I also got “The Hunger Games” for $5. 

If it’s February I’ll be onto my next classic and my next career related book (to be determined). 

I really love to read–if you hadn’t picked up on that.  I will read anything and everything, and I read quickly.  I have always loved to read, and I imagine will always love it.  The Kindle is great because it fits in my purse and I can have several books (many, many) with me at all times.  I don’t have to worry about finishing a book and not having something else to start on.

Random thoughts:  I recall we were supposed to underline book titles.  I presume it’s okay not to do that now, as I hardly ever see that online.  Perhaps it’s still required for formal papers.  I hear that you aren’t supposed to double space after periods anymore.  Did you know I learned to type on an actual typewriter? 

Do you love to have a reading list or a stack of books waiting to be read or does it stress you out?  I’d love to hear from my readers.

thoughts about violin, teaching, running, life.