The music stores are always trying to give me folders.  Actually, I need to pick some up from my nearby music store, St. Louis Strings.  But, the one that is closest to my school out in St. Peters had given me a stack of folders, and today I handed them out to my students to use.  I asked them to write their names on them, and since I teach in the music/art room, magic markers were plentiful.  After the students started on the task, I realized the marker was going to smear on the glossy folder.  I told the students, “Write your names, then DON’T TOUCH IT until it dries.”  But it was too hard to follow this instruction, too tempting to touch the shiny marker ink. Before I knew it…magic marker smears EVERYWHERE, fingers covered, one girl had marker on her face, the papers I had handed out (to put in the folders) were ruined.  I had to send them all to the bathroom to wash off.  Keep in mind, these were third graders!

What did I learn?  It only takes a few seconds to be completely covered in magic marker.

I’m exhausted.  I’m just going to say it.  Maybe it’s because I subbed this morning for the SIUE program and had to teach from 8:30 to 2:00, then ran over 4 miles.  Maybe it’s just been a long week.

The SIUE kids were a treat, as usual.  I coached the tour group plus 4 private students.  The tour group is making a recording soon which will include Sleigh Ride and Pachelbel Canon, the two pieces the regular teacher asked me to work on.  I should tell you, as I told the students, I have an unhealthy obsession with Sleigh Ride.  I have loved it for a VERY long time, and really enjoy playing it and listening to it.  I feel robbed if I don’t get to play it in a particular year. This particular arrangement was for three violin parts (with piano) and is a bit tricky.  They were doing a pretty good job already (fairly new to the group), and it’s a really nice arrangement.  No wood block though…I did try to make it work with my feet–I was wearing good shoes for that.

Let me backtrack–when I coach the tour group, which is made up of the advanced violin students from the SIUE Suzuki program, I have learned that I need loud shoes to occasionally stomp the beat.  I can lead with my violin, I can lead with my body, and I can stomp while playing the violin.  What I cannot do is conduct.  Not that it matters because they don’t really follow a conductor.  They do follow another violinist, at least someone who is jumping around like crazy and turning red in the face, and also stomping her feet.  I can stomp while playing, which I find very helpful.

Other than today…ah, what a week!  I had 8 new students at Good Shepherd, and they were each enjoyable.  I would classify them all as ranging from beginner to intermediate (few) but we will improve!  Many of them I can tell already are unique, creative, gifted students, and I think it will be a good year.  The same with the Child of God students, though my experience there is in classes, so it will take me longer to get to know the students.  They are well behaved and polite, in addition to being curious and energetic (which takes a little away from the polite but it’s okay–our room is separated from the other classrooms).

Now I’m recuperating before I go to a friend’s birthday gathering.  Tomorrow is two hours of wedding/cocktail hour all by my lonesome, and then we are back to the week.  Wish me luck 🙂

Just when you think you’ve gotten over your cold, you have a ridiculous sneezing attack.  At least I wasn’t driving!

Unrelated:  Today is the first day back for the SLSO.  Looking forward to seeing the Joshua Bell concert (playing Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto).

Easy day today:  Run, errands, paperwork, one student.  Here we go!