Every since getting back from Spring Break I’ve been running myself ragged. I worked straight through the weekend with teaching, rehearsals, practicing, and performances, and this morning was the first time I was able to relax a little. In fact, more than a little since I woke up aching all over from yesterday’s 13 hour day (and 6 plus hours of playing, yikes!) so I’ve just done some paperwork (I count emailing, bill paying, check depositing, phone call returning all as paperwork as I don’t know how else to really explain it?), went for a little run (BEAUTIFUL weather!) and now I’m considering what I want for lunch before it’s time for “only” six hours of teaching.

It’s been a mess this month and a bit next month too with performances. It’s hard teaching so many students while trying to maintain a performing career too, because that means evening rehearsals on occasion, and lately that “on occasion” has been more often than I like, but I am playing so many fun concerts too, so it’s just a crazy time. I’ve been teaching 6 days a week, and some weeks ahead might be 7, just to keep up. On the bright side, I’ve gotten my taxes filed and paid, and my bank account is very happy even though my mind and body are less so. I have 5 performances in April, and 3 right at the beginning of May, so next month doesn’t really let up, though I have less evening responsibilities, luckily.

Here’s something that delighted and frightened me the other day: the mother of one of my students told me that my student wanted to be “just like me”. To be a teacher and play violin with different groups and play concerts. I was completely flattered and honored, and terrified that it’s a challenging life! But mostly I was touched that I seem like somebody that a middle school student wants to be like. I had a student earlier in the month tell me that I was a very nice but really picky teacher. I try to make violin FUN first off, because it is, but I also try to make sure they are doing their best and playing things properly with good technique. Practicing and learning violin is hard, honestly, but music is fun. It’s a challenge to insist that students are doing things properly without taking away the joy they have! Sometimes I fail and land more on the side of “fun” with some of them, and with others I’ll land more on the side of “tedious”, but I do try to strike the appropriate balance with each student. (Emphasis on try! But that’s all we can do, right!)

I don’t feel like uploading pictures from my phone today, so here’s an older one before Spring Break. Imagine that’s the world’s biggest suitcase 😉

And here’s a pile of animals. Who can even tell what’s going on??