What happened to you today?

[point of grace]

 I was entering the bathroom at home and i see my cat peeing in the shower rack! and she looked at me, so i left the room, said "Sorry!!" and closed the door.... omg... i was kindda laughing on the floor!!!! i hate cats but i love this one!!!
also i went to the conservatory and had an ice cream with some friends =)



ps: i miss the p.s. chat!!!!!!!!!!!

[nataliethepianist]

Nothing.

[pianowolfi]

Nothing.

maybe a good point to start working on op.111 then?   

[point of grace]

maybe a good point to start working on op.111 then?   

yeah, from nothing to beethoven

[pianowolfi]

yeah, from nothing to beethoven

I was referring to nathalie's post number  why not give it a try?

[nataliethepianist]

Does this mean I should give Op. 112 a try now? Oh wait...

[point of grace]

ok! yah! go for it!

[m1469]

Whilst I was making my dinner, I was spraying PAM into an already cooking pan, and quickly found out that PAM is highly flammable and can very easily become a full fledged, flame throwing torch  .

*Not cool*

[nataliethepianist]

That's funny! I can see that working very nicely in the next fight my sister and I conjure up, though I feel she'd be the one with the torch...

[m1469]

Well   - it actually scared the daylights outta me!  It definitely gave me a jump start!  This is the second time I have (nearly -in this case-) started a fire in the kitchen.  Yes, I know, that seems like a horrible cook type of thing to do!  But, one time I actually *did* start a real fire in a soup pot (and completely ruined it) because I had oil heating and pretty much completely forgot about it while I was cutting veggies.  Yikes!  I was a quick thinker, though  .

[m1469]

*woah* ... I taught my first day of classes at the school I'm newly teaching at this year.  It rather blew my mind in so many ways.  I think I also was just a overwhelmed!  Going from what are my normal thought patterns in a day and what is my normal stimulus in terms of contact with other people, to today ... woah!  I still think this is going to be a good change of pace for me, and help with some former areas of stress, and it helps to allow me to study ... but ... woah. I've also spent so much energy in preparation for today, and now it's happened, so maybe on top of reality hitting, it's also like having some kind of performance let down.  I haven't been sleeping very well because of it, and now I feel like I will be lucky to wake up for the 10am appointment tomorrow  .  

All the classes were OK, choir was probably the most fun and was definitely a highlight.  People were really into it and were really willing to take risks.  Ok, and I didn't think I would let myself say it, but I guess I'm going to say it anyway.   In my general music class, one little 5 yr. old boy randomly raised his hand in our beginning circle and just said to me so sincerely "You're beautiful" ... haha ... I have to admit, it really made me feel beautiful!  It kind of totally made my day!

*beddy bye time*

[pianowolfi]

m1469 that sounds like really good and happy news

[m1469]

m1469 that sounds like really good and happy news

Thanks, I *think* overall it is.  It was *SO* intense yesterday and just 5 hours of straight teaching and it's like I had to just be in some zone and even though I was present and functioning during those classes, it was like a whole different kind of thinking (much of which I've mostly done before, but had to call upon it from not my everyday resource center (I think that's probably good, ultimately, though to have the change up for one day in my week)).  So, it's really taking this time since then to be letting it sink in and to really discern what my job is there - what can I really bring to this?  What can I really help the kids get out of it? etc..  phwew.  Yesterday was a huge learning experience and some aspects of the situation are really not that great (facilities) and I had to just make do - which is fine.  

But, now the dust is settling a bit and I start to remember faces and reactions from some of them and certain potentials that I already see in some of them, and personalities and I start to formulate ideas on where to take it, and even though yesterday I was in shock (seriously), I am starting to feel inspired about it.  So, that's good!  Walking into the building though, just stepping foot and then teaching those classes was an instantaneous and slightly mind boggling perspective shift on my whole life  , and that's part of what I try to come to grips with!

Anyhoo ...

[pianowolfi]

I feel like I can relate very much to all and everything that you say! I'll keep my fingers crossed!! It's so good to read from you about how it goes with your new experience!

[m1469]

I feel like I can relate very much to all and everything that you say! I'll keep my fingers crossed!! It's so good to read from you about how it goes with your new experience!

Hey, why not your thumbs anymore?

Yes, I think the biggest thing that hit me -and this was WAY soon upon the day starting there - maybe the very moment we drove up to it and actually parked and especially once I went inside- is that it is in fact not the missing link in my life  .  I have secretly been wondering if I might possibly find a certain level of satisfaction in working at this job for life, but quickly (extremely quickly) realized that ... let's put it this way ... it's indeed just a step.  So, there was this gigantic discussion about so many things taking place within me between my soul and the back of my mind, while in the front of my mind and in my body I was teaching these classes.  It's almost like the obviousness of it NOT being that missing link just knocked me silly (well, the back of my mind and deep in my soul anyway  ).  So, what happened is that through the course of those five hours I lived an entire lifetime of living in the same town, doing that job, for the rest of my life, and I walked out of there feeling run over by a truck and trying to refigure everything in the world!

Today I went to a Bat Mitzvah of one of my private student's, then I auditioned for a new Opera program in the area.  Upon arriving at the audition, one of the directors told me in private that they'd like me to audition in January for a competition that's not actually going to be held in this area (and that very few people in this area will be auditioned), and that they want to put my photo on the front and center of their new webpage.  They're also going to be doing a full opera next year.  Oh, and they made a definite point, like very definite, to introduce me to the major financial donor as "also being a fabulous pianist" ... they made a point -especially for me- to acknowledge that part of me.  That was kinda cool .

I can't say that I understand those things above about my musical life.  And, at first I drove home from the audition thinking I had to figure it all out, but I don't.  I can't.  So, I give myself permission not to.  I did sit down, though, and write a huge To-Do list and instead of stringing it all through the week, I'm going to try to get almost everything done before midnight!  So that I can start my new schedule of practice days, etc., even tomorrow.  I find myself thinking as though I'm sitting at the piano ... just calmly, with the keys just under my hands and fingers.  It's just good there.  I like that place.  It's like it just permeates my consciousness and even everything that I need to do.

*sleepy*

[pianowolfi]

Hi m1469 why not thumbs crossed anymore? Because I think that's more a German expression, and I confused it (like I do so many times) We say "Ich drück dir die Daumen" which means literally "I press my thumbs for you". and we actually perform that gesture of pressing the thumb with the other fingers. What I of course do for you.

And of course I read your news with great interest, keep us posted!

[pianowolfi]

What happened to me today: I had to accompany choir rehearsals for the whole Saturday afternoon and the whole Sunday morning and afternoon. Now I'm done, and knackered! I am most happy about getting intensely in touch with Alessandro Scarlatti's Messa di Santa Cecilia, especially the Agnus Dei! That's one really precious sacred piece of music! Such a beauty!

[littletune]

Hi m1469 why not thumbs crossed anymore? Because I think that's more a German expression, and I confused it (like I do so many times) We say "Ich drück dir die Daumen" which means literally "I press my thumbs for you". and we actually perform that gesture of pressing the thumb with the other fingers. What I of course do for you.

And of course I read your news with great interest, keep us posted!

That's funny I never thought about this but you know what we say in my language when we are wishing luck to someone? We say " držim pesti" which means "I'm holding fists" which sounds really funny in English like you would wanna beat up someone or something  but yes that's what we say  So you see m1469 we have fingers crossed and holding thumbs and fists for you, so it's gotta be all ok!!!   
(Oh does that boy have a crush on you?    sorry, I'm just thinking a lot about crushes lately      )

[pianowolfi]

That's funny I never thought about this but you know what we say in my language when we are wishing luck to someone? We say " držim pesti" which means "I'm holding fists" which sounds really funny in English like you would wanna beat up someone or something   but yes that's what we say   So you see m1469 we have fingers crossed and holding thumbs and fists for you, so it's gotta be all ok!!!    
(Oh does that boy have a crush on you?     sorry, I'm just thinking a lot about crushes lately       )

So: držim pesti m1469!

Hee hee I think 5 years might be a bit too early to have a crush on a teacher He just said what he thought, being honest

[littletune]

So: držim pesti m1469!

Hee hee I think 5 years might be a bit too early to have a crush on a teacher He just said what he thought, being honest

   Jaz tudi!! (Me too). 

Oh you think 5 years is too early? Well I'm not sure exaclty about 5 ... maybe... but I know it can happen at 8 or 9 already!  (at least it did to me          )

[pianowolfi]

  Jaz tudi!! (Me too).  

Oh you think 5 years is too early? Well I'm not sure exaclty about 5 ... maybe... but I know it can happen at 8 or 9 already!   (at least it did to me           )

(No perhaps it's not too early, I remember I had a crush on a girl from my Kindergarten class at 4 (she was really cute!) but not on a teacher)

Jaz tudi, jaz tudi
That sounds a bit like "I study I study" Ha! Back to the piano!  

[m1469]

What happened to me today: I had to accompany choir rehearsals for the whole Saturday afternoon and the whole Sunday morning and afternoon. Now I'm done, and knackered! I am most happy about getting intensely in touch with Alessandro Scarlatti's Messa di Santa Cecilia, especially the Agnus Dei! That's one really precious sacred piece of music! Such a beauty!

This:   then this:  

No, I don't imagine that little guy had a crush on me!    And, the way he said it was not like that - I got the sense it was like what Wolfi said, which made it feel believable (not that having a crush would make it unbelievable), but he's apparently not in my class anymore anyway, so  :-.  He was a little bit of a tricky one, but not the trickiest.

I did get crushes on classmates when I was in kindergarten - not on teachers at that point.  I still remember one of my crush's names ... it was Michael Centeno.  

In any event, regarding all of that stuff up above, I decided that I have this kind of peripheral life and then the deep inner one.  My deep inner one is where piano poet lives , and I realize it's making it's way out into the peripheral life (and I think I may be learning how to really share again), and then it's like teaching and singing are more on the peripheral realm.  And, I decided that both the inner life and the peripheral one can be rich - and, perhaps they are making their way into being better connected.  

Hitting a wall of sleepy and still so much to do!  My list from yesterday had 33 things on it, and I think I have about 5 left, but it generated a new list for today (maybe about half as big, though!).

[m1469]

Well, as it turns out, despite myself I am digging more and more deeply into this new job.  It just kind of sits there, winding its way into my thoughts.  I've spent some time today emailing with another teacher about my challenging little kindergartner, and I find myself really wanting to find the right situation for him and I am even willing to try him in choir!    And, it's just cool that these other teachers really care, too!

Anyway, I don't know how long I'll be teaching there, but I can tell I'm going to learn quite a bit by doing so, and that doesn't hurt .

This is a dangerous thread for me!  Do you know what happened just the other day?  It was really just the craziest thing, in my world.  I woke up in the morning and my very first thought was the answer to this very deep question about piano and specifically something from the past, which I've had for nearly a decade!  I couldn't believe it, but there it was as plain as day.  I've been working on the answer for years, and through experiences since then I have been growing towards the answer, but it wasn't actually clear until just the other morning (I've needed to gain perspective which has taken quite awhile).  weird!  That doesn't mean my life is solved, but I feel like what had been this gaping hole in my life is becoming something I can actually stand on and build from  .

[pianowolfi]

This is a dangerous thread for me!  Do you know what happened just the other day?  It was really just the craziest thing, in my world.  I woke up in the morning and my very first thought was the answer to this very deep question about piano and specifically something from the past, which I've had for nearly a decade!  I couldn't believe it, but there it was as plain as day.  I've been working on the answer for years, and through experiences since then I have been growing towards the answer, but it wasn't actually clear until just the other morning (I've needed to gain perspective which has taken quite awhile).  weird!  That doesn't mean my life is solved, but I feel like what had been this gaping hole in my life is becoming something I can actually stand on and build from  .

Of course this makes me very curious (edit: ...and interested )...and somehow I honestly tried to fight my curiosity (edit:but not my interest)...but with not so much success, perhaps (because otherwise I wouldn't post this)

[m1469]

Of course this makes me very curious (edit: ...and interested )...and somehow I honestly tried to fight my curiosity (edit:but not my interest)...but with not so much success, perhaps (because otherwise I wouldn't post this)

Well, I've been sitting here trying to write it but to put it into words is impossible to convey its meaning.  I think I'll have to save it for music .        

[pianowolfi]

Well, I've been sitting here trying to write it but to put it into words is impossible to convey its meaning.  I think I'll have to save it for music .        

I can relate very much and I like your answer!

[littletune]

Well what happened today is that I had my piano lesson (second one)... and I had everything planned because I had so many things to do, because we were taking care of one doggy during the weekend and today her owners came back and I had to take her to them and then I really needed to take a shower and wash my hair (cause I didn't do that during the weekend  yes I am disgusting  ) and so I take that doggy to her owners and I come back home and I'm thinking that I will probably have just enough time to shower and to take my doggy out and to maybe even practice a little and I come home and I open the door...... and there's a guy on the floor in our bathroom  that was a little shocking!! I mean it was a guy who is repairing our bathroom, but he wasn't supposed to come today!!!Well at least my dad said so  but I guess it was a misunderstanding  and I'm like... so how am I supposed to take a shower and my mum is like well you can't and I'm like well how am I supposed to wash my dog after I take her out, and my mum is like well you can't... and I'm like well how am I supposed to get ready to go to my piano lesson....... well yes...  I was only 5 or 10 minutes late for my piano lesson then (and I did everything I was supposed to do except practice piano  )

Well and then after my piano lesson I went to where my music school was before they moved... because I wanted to see if the doggy is still there. And I got sad even when I was walking towards there... and then it was already dark when I came there and I was afraid to go inside so I was just looking through the fence but I couldn't see anything it was just too dark... and then I saw that the water and food bowl were still there and it even smelled like the doggy but I was calling him and I couldn't see him anywhere        so I don't know... I really miss him!!!

[goldentone]

Well, I've been sitting here trying to write it but to put it into words is impossible to convey its meaning.  I think I'll have to save it for music .        

Then you could give us the question, perhaps?

[m1469]

Then you could give us the question, perhaps?

Well, I wish I could.  I mean, I can write some of it but it is meaningless in words, it truly is!  It has been this deep life question that involves every part of my being!  A reviewing in detail of my entire life, a kind of scouring and digging, and so, so many footsteps towards growth - and, particularly in these past 10 years, which it's taken me that long to come to terms with!  There are simple words attached to the questions like "who am I?" "what is my value as a musician?" "what in the world happened?  " etc., and to the answers, particularly in my head/being when I woke up the other morning "You (me) just weren't ready yet" (which is a very personal meaning) but also stuff like "circumstances just weren't right" (and related matters) etc., but that can't possibly actually sum up everything that's been going on inside of me!  It's also included my entire past!  I don't want to give the wrong impression because it's not like I know exactly what my value is as a musician and all of that.  It is a personal process.

Of course there will be times of doubt, I think, probably for everybody (?), but I think this was different than a usual sort that a person may have throughout a career.  And, I have a job to do in terms of finding what it means to be ready deeply.  Ready for what?  These are the things where it gets impossible to put into words because there are endless parts to all of it.  But, I feel I really must now put these things into my music and into my "work" in my lessons and at home.  Will music ever fully communicate these things?  I'm not sure.  There are some artists for who I certainly have felt a sense of ... sympathy to their life as a result of listening to their music.

I don't know if any of that makes sense!  But, the keys are calling .

[m1469]

haha ... well, I have one little kindergartner (well, I *thought* he was a kindergartner, but he's actually 7) who was pretty tricky last General Music class.  I talked with his immediate teacher, and then with his Mother about these things, and they were all super receptive and considerate about it all (which was surprising because you never know how parents will react to their children's behavior situations).  Apparently he in fact loved the class and was telling his parents about what he learned and couldn't wait to come back this week, and then they got my email .  

Anyway, the mom said that both she and Dad talked with him about how to behave in the class and then that evening, including while he was in the bathtub (haha) he was demonstrating to them how nicely he will sit in class (for our circle).  haha ... that is funny.  Mom is willing to come to every single class if that's what it takes, which I think is pretty cool.    We'll see how these things go, I guess .

[m1469]

WOOO!!!  I already took my Civil Rights Test this morning and I have apparently (unofficially) passed!  I will get official results sometime within the next 4 weeks, but I thought I was going to have to wait for those to know at all.  This is SO. GREAT.    I have to admit that I have an inexplicable sense of happiness and of moving forward in my life and desire to celebrate something!! haha WOO!

ALSO - I secretly want to do a one-scene opera/musical theatre portion with my choir ...   ... as part of our semester.  

[m1469]

ALSO - I secretly want to do a one-scene opera/musical theatre portion with my choir ...   ... as part of our semester.  

I talked with my choir about this last class, and they're into it!  I'm pretty excited because I think I'm really going to do it!  And, we'll do a program at the end of the semester, too!  I treat my choir like a team and my violin class like a choir  ... I was team captain in two different sports   ... so they're going to do one scene and then some pieces.  

Here is how I rank my favorite-to-teach classes so far:

1.  Choir
2.  Violin
3.  Piano
4.  General Music (this last time was more fun, though, but it's also the last class of the day, so...)

And some of the kids I have for 3 classes because they like music so much!  I can't put my finger on what it is that I like about teaching these classes.  I do like the balance between having some classes to teach and then also my private studio.  I like the balance, I like the balance.  hmmm ...

[carlsen10]

Migraine. Afterwards, nothing.

[Bob]

I woke up this morning and found myself upside-down in some kind of metal container tube.  The numbers 2-0-3-1 were printed on the side.  It was all very strange.

[oxy60]

I talked with my choir about this last class, and they're into it!  I'm pretty excited because I think I'm really going to do it!  And, we'll do a program at the end of the semester, too!  I treat my choir like a team and my violin class like a choir  ... I was team captain in two different sports  ... so they're going to do one scene and then some pieces. 

Here is how I rank my favorite-to-teach classes so far:

1.  Choir
2.  Violin
3.  Piano
4.  General Music (this last time was more fun, though, but it's also the last class of the day, so...)

And some of the kids I have for 3 classes because they like music so much!  I can't put my finger on what it is that I like about teaching these classes.  I do like the balance between having some classes to teach and then also my private studio.  I like the balance, I like the balance.  hmmm ...

Where is this idyllic place where you teach? The stories you're telling seem to be from another place and time. Like the remark from that 5 year old.

No 5 year old in my 'hood would ever say anything like that except to his unwed sister's baby!

[m1469]

Where is this idyllic place where you teach? The stories you're telling seem to be from another place and time. Like the remark from that 5 year old.

No 5 year old in my 'hood would ever say anything like that except to his unwed sister's baby!

haha ... well, *believe* me it was just as much a surprise to me!  I've worked with literally hundreds of 5 yr. olds in various settings and have never had one (or any other kid, for that matter) randomly just say that (or anything like it) to me!  

But, this is a school offering "campus" classes to homeschoolers, once a week - well, Fridays for K-8, Mondays for 9-12 (but I'm teaching only K-8).  I am a slightly unique teacher there in that, all of the other 40-something teachers meet with these families and children once a week in their homes/place of meeting to monitor curriculum and progress, etc., as well as a few of them offering campus courses.  I am strictly an "on-campus" teacher.  The Arts are actually extremely popular there.  It's a pretty amazing program, actually.    

I have to admit that I'm not sure what, exactly, has happened lately in my private studio as well as in my classes.  It's like some great sound resonated throughout my studio and classes and out of having a grand total of about 90-95 students (between my studio and the school), I have about 3 that test my patience with their behavior.  

*looks around nervously*

And, at the school, my classes are filled with attentive, bright and wide-eyed students (well, some more than others, but nearly no strictly behavior problems), generally wanting to learn, and some of those feeling extremely passionate about music!  Many of them are very respectful, helpful and thankful to me, too!  And, the ONE little guy who is just a little firecracker, his Mom is now coming into the classes to temper his behavior a bit ... haha ... and last class, he was there a bit early and hugged me and told me how much he loved the class and was *so* excited to be there and wanted to sit right by me.  haha.  I guess he's just a little active and excited (and super smart)!

As well, suddenly my studio is gaining a generally different type of student.  There are some pieces that get used a lot in my studio, I have to admit, and I've noticed that those pieces have changed and have become more advanced.  That's kind of cool .  As well, this year I've re-vamped what I offer privately and have turned it into something a bit more like a school, and it seems popular.  For example, I have several students who are taking what I call "split-lessons" from me, in that we divide a regular session between two areas of study.  I've always included various aspects within one lesson, but this is a more formal division and I find it extremely refreshing.  I've got three private students taking split-lessons between piano and violin/viola, for example.  And one who is split with voice and piano.    

Anyway ... I'm going to go ahead and just go with this until a next step shows itself!

[littletune]

Well today we went to the vet and they took out the stitches from my doggy's belly. And she's really happy now and playing and eating a lot, she's like a puppy again She even started chewing her leash like little puppies again Like she would run and then turn back and grab the leash.
And also my cat got vaccinated. Well she wasn't too happy, but it wasn't too bad.
And they have a pet rat at the vet. She is sooo cute!!! They just got her cause someone found her in his basement but he has a huge dog so he brought her there and they adopted her and she has a really cool cage with all sorts of things in it. And when I was there she came closer and was smelling me, and my doggy wanted to see and smell her too. 

[go12_3]

What happened to me today?  Um, not much.  Finished a colored pencil portrait this morning.  Watched a DVD and typing this post now.   

[littletune]

Oh today was just great!  I am sooo tired and my head hurts and I feel kinda sick and I'm so tired it doeasn't even feel like tiredness anymore!!! It just feels like I'm alredy alseep or something! Well it started yesterday at night with the aquarium filter the one for the turtles that's really big, and the water started pouring out of it  it was water all around it! And I had my piano things really close to it but they weren't wet yet but when I wanted to get them away quickly my piano notebook fell right into the water!    well it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be but...
Oh no actually it started even before it started yesterday morning! Yes my dad broke his arm!! The day before but he didn't even know but then during the night it started hurting him so much that he went to the emergency room. Yes weird! I woke up and I heard them talking about it and I knew there was something wrong cause you just know I guess ...   Yes so now he can't drive... and he was supposed to be driving me around on Mondays because I have a lot of things, and I have my piano lesson at 2pm and then I go home (today I camr home at 4pm) and then I take my dog for a walk and eat something and then I have to go again beause we have music theory at 7.30 pm till 9 pm! And I thought my dad would be driving me so it would be a little easier but now he can't.
And when I was going home from my piano lesson I saw a dead bird I think it was a little one, because first I saw two pigeons and one was bigger and the other one was smaller and it was a little different colour like the little birds usually are and I thought Oh I hope it can fly ok alredy and that the parents are taking care of it and then  not that far away I saw a dead bird on it's back with one wing out to the side  Just horrible!!

And before the music theory I wanted to go see the doggy but then I didn't have time.
And at music theory it was kinda a disaster.... well I mean we were writing two dictations not even melodic dictations, only rhythm and I had sooo many mistakes like never ever before!! Like if you saw it you would think it was a joke! And the teacher said: well we all know that she (me) can do this well but she's a little confused today. Well at least with the intervals I only got one wrong (out of ten). Well I started very well!!  I never even had any problems with ditations like that I don't know what happened today.    I guess I'm just like the little kids, cause last year the teacher said that the little kids that are like 8 and 9, that they sometimes do everything right without any mistakes but then some days they do everything wrong so I guess I'm like that too. 
So yes just a great day! 

[m1469]

Well, I had a strange experience today over the course of my 5 hours of teaching at the school.  Lately, for the past few weeks, I've been SO stressed and it's been very difficult to escape!  I've had SO much to be doing but despite that, I'd reach a point where I couldn't do *anything* because I was feeling so stressed, and I'd have to spend about an hour or even more just calming myself down and centering myself and sorting things out mentally and reprioritizing how I think ... so, during that time I wouldn't be doing anything that I was "supposed" to be doing so that I could calm myself down about all of the things I'm supposed to be doing (and the effect they seem to have on my life).  Argh.  

And, today, I went in to teach and I was pretty prepared and the classes are going in such a way that before I started, a kind of calm just came over me and throughout the course of the day I just relaxed and was able to release SO MUCH of the anxiety!  I don't want to invite it back but I'm not necessarily naively expecting it to be gone forever, either.  But, my day teaching these classes was somehow quite pleasant and I just got so much more calm on a deeper level about the things going on in my life.  Here's my current order of favorite classes:


1.  General Music - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE these little kids and our class.  It's absolutely so good, I can't believe it.  There's 7 of them and they love each other and they are completely into the things we're learning, and they are starting to know instrument family names, individual instruments within the families, rhythmic notation ... and more and it's just the funnest class in the world (and I end with it, so that's great!).

2.  Piano classes.  This is going really well.

3.  violin.

4.  choir (feeling a little bit meh with this one right now).


Anyway, many things to do but today was somehow very nice.

[Bob]

Really?     Stressed? After teaching?  Come, come...  You only worked just five hours in a day teaching.  Why some people have to work a whole  eight hours everyday.     So you didn't even work a full day.  And... It's just music.  How hard can that be?  You're just in there having fun the whole time.  I mean... It's not *real* teaching, right?  Not like you're accomplishing anything in there.  But it gives the *real* teachers a break, to get away from the kids.  You get to babysit them for 30-45 minutes.  And music keeps some kids in school and makes them happy.  That's what it's all about, right?  Just making them happy.  And music even raises test scores, or so we can believe. 

Haha...  Sorry.  I'm just amused.  And I'm not ranting at you.  (I'm ranting near you.)  It takes time to unwind after school too?  *Bob is cracking up.*  Have you just gone to sleep after work yet to recover that way? 

Glad it got better.  It just sounded so familiar.  Oi... *le sigh*

[m1469]

Now, now, Bob, don't go and get yourself into a heap.  Actually, my point was that I got LESS stressed throughout my teaching day, which is a little crazy!  But, since you brought it up  , this is not a normal music teaching in a school situation.  I offered classes and people signed up for them, and that's the only way I have a job there.  If nobody signs up for my classes (as in, each family/child) next semester, I won't have a job.  And, the only classes offered for K-8th graders on campus is one day a week - everybody is home schooled - so my classes are not designed to give other teachers a break (not even the parents, necessarily, as parents have to drive them in specially for these classes and some of the parents go ahead and even sit in on each class).  

I've been feeling stressed because of having 4 kind of major "career" pulls in my life *besides* household and normal personal things, yet over the course of this last year (husband losing job and us constantly scrambling, this summer thinking we'd lose our house and/OR that I'd need to stop studying piano and/OR that I'd need to sell my piano, etc.), I just feel emotionally tired about what my life is ever going to be - I haven't any idea sometimes.  Blah blah.  I'm not ranting at you, I'm ranting near you.  

Anyway, I think some kind of further adjustment is going to need to be made in my private studio to allow for me to have more time and energy for my practicing, as I'm going to go ahead and plan to enter a singing competition in January (and there's big other things I don't even know what to do about right now) - and I could potentially win a bit of money doing that.  So, I *think* what I felt today was a sense of being OK with the school being my "day job" ... I mean, I'll still teach privately, too, but maybe there's a shift occurring in how I think about it all.  

4-hour rehearsal tomorrow ... goodie  

[Bob]

Ah.  Signing up is good.  Weeds out the rifraf.  Fewer behavior problems.  And home schooled... Fewer problems with behavior and more parental involvement.  Although more demands parents too I would imagine. 

Life is what it is.  Right now.

At least if you're working in different jobs, you're spread out if something happens in one.  That's a plus.

[littletune]

I can't believe that for more than 2 hours I was reading about people who are 100 and over years old!! Do you know that the oldest person who ever lived was 122 years old (well like almost 122 and a half) and the oldest living person now is 115! And there's also this lady who is 103 and still playing piano! (there are videos on youtube).
Ahhh I have to go practice now!!!!!!!!

[pianowolfi]

I can't believe that for more than 2 hours I was reading about people who are 100 and over years old!!... And there's also this lady who is 103 and still playing piano!

https://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/100-year-old-sets-record-with-marathon-finish-5



I am either practicing or teaching or I am so tired that I can't write a word, let alone listen to anything

[ahinton]

I can't believe that for more than 2 hours I was reading about people who are 100 and over years old!! Do you know that the oldest person who ever lived was 122 years old (well like almost 122 and a half) and the oldest living person now is 115! And there's also this lady who is 103 and still playing piano! (there are videos on youtube).

Yes, the oldest known person was a French lady by ther name of Jeanne Calment. As to old musicians, there's the American composer Elliott Carter who will reach the age of 103 on 11 December this year and who is still composing; he's not yet the oldest ever composer - the Frenchman Paul le Flem died aged 103 in 1984 and Leo Ornstein died aged at least 108 in 2002 - but neither composed beyond their 90s, so Carter certainly seems already to have earned a deserved reputation as the only known composer who has continued to compose since his centenary (he is credited with some 14 works written since that date).

Best,

Alistair

[oxy60]

A word to the wise; better plan for what you will do for those last 40 years after retirement.

If you are fortunate, one day you will wake up and realize you never thought you would live this long.

[littletune]

https://news.ca.msn.com/top-stories/100-year-old-sets-record-with-marathon-finish-5



I am either practicing or teaching or I am so tired that I can't write a word, let alone listen to anything

That's really cool... and he said in one video that he didn't feel old at all! 

Yes, the oldest known person was a French lady by ther name of Jeanne Calment. As to old musicians, there's the American composer Elliott Carter who will reach the age of 103 on 11 December this year and who is still composing; he's not yet the oldest ever composer - the Frenchman Paul le Flem died aged 103 in 1984 and Leo Ornstein died aged at least 108 in 2002 - but neither composed beyond their 90s, so Carter certainly seems already to have earned a deserved reputation as the only known composer who has continued to compose since his centenary (he is credited with some 14 works written since that date).

Best,

Alistair

Oh hi Alistair!  Nice to see you again!  That's cool! It says in Wikipedia that he published more than 40 works between the ages of 90 and 100 and over 14 since he turned 100!!  Oh his bithday is the same as mine ( I mean just the day not month) and also the last number of his year of birth!! (well I mean actually 3 numbers of his year of birth are same as mine 19 and 8, just the third is different!! That is so cool! 5 numbers in our birthdates are the same!  ).   

[m1469]

Yesterday was pretty cool, at the school.  I hadn't had much sleep the night before and have been pretty tired in general, but yesterday I went into the school truly feeling like I wasn't sure if I could make it through the day.  In my mind I cut the 5 hours of teaching down into just focusing on the first class, knowing I could make it through that, and then thought I'd keep my mind very compartmentalized as I went.  Right now, within a 10 minute slot of time, I have to set up the "pianos" for my piano class each time before I teach my first class, and that also involves breaking down the tables from the class before.  The kids are usually pretty good about helping, but yesterday without me saying even a single word, there were a few of them in there before I was in there, already breaking things down and getting the classroom transitioned.  In fact, more kids came and all on their own, they knew exactly what to do (I've been training them) and set everything up without me hardly even doing a thing or needing to tell them hardly anything at all.  I couldn't believe it!  I appreciate that anytime, but out of all of the days, yesterday was a magic day for it to be the first one quite like that.  

Also, along those lines, I've heard that the school is opening up more classrooms and they are going to dedicate one *just* to my piano classes!  AND, that means I'll be able to leave it set up the entire time!  I'll have my very own piano lab!!  I'm pretty stoked.  We need better instruments, but I'll be patient and work with what we've got for now.  

[oxy60]

Also, along those lines, I've heard that the school is opening up more classrooms and they are going to dedicate one *just* to my piano classes!  AND, that means I'll be able to leave it set up the entire time!  I'll have my very own piano lab!!  I'm pretty stoked.  We need better instruments, but I'll be patient and work with what we've got for now. 

If you're looking for pianos (and I'm guessing spinets would work best) you might solicit donations.I've run into several spinets during estate sales that were offered for free. They only needed to be picked up.