Weather is warmer than what was predicted. I do believe I'll survive this winter after all. (I had my doubts before coming here; I swore after AlmaMater that I'd never live further north of CoolCity ... and ... where I am now is, of course, further north.)
I have one private student (teensy bit of supplementary income) and I adore her. While I'm shocked occasionally in lessons when I find out what she isn't learning in her school music program, she's very good-natured and excited about what she's learning with me. I delight in working with her to develop her musical skills!
I'm blessed by my being here at GradSchool. Lately, I've been thinking I'd probably appreciate this opportunity more if I had already been out in the field, but I'm still grateful that I'm working with Mentor now.
And .... I'm off! I've got a hot date with Palestrina (yes, the composer, not a pseudonym for the blog)!
~*~*~*~*~
UPDATED (10:13pm)
Another blessing arrived this evening in the form of a yummy cinnamon bun with creamy frosting! The girls across the hallway (one is a music major, and the other is a former music music major) just made them ... and they knocked on my door to offering one to me before trekking down the hallway to deliver one to my partners in crime. Very sweet of them! And now ... back to my date with Mendelssohn ... harmonic analysis of the score!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Inspired by others' success
At one of my early long-term paying gigs, I worked with a colleague who is extremely musically gifted. After learning of a CD release of his music (which I bought), I signed up for his mailing list. At the moment, I'm on Amazon.com listening to excerpts from his most recent CD. Wow. (I just ordered it.) He's about 3 years older than I am, and he has accomplished so much in his life already.
Another colleague of mine just ended a run in an Off-Broadway production.
Another friend/colleague was nominated for a Grammy a few years ago.
Who knows what God has in store for my future? I made a demo CD in high school, and I did perform in an Off-Broadway theatre several years ago, in association with a theatre workshop I attended. I don't expect that I'll be nominated for a Grammy, but I imagine, based on what I've already done, that I have yet to realize the potential of God's plan for my life.
What can I do to realize that? First, I need to get ready, go to rehearsal, prepare like crazy, and really earn this degree for which I am working!
Another colleague of mine just ended a run in an Off-Broadway production.
Another friend/colleague was nominated for a Grammy a few years ago.
Who knows what God has in store for my future? I made a demo CD in high school, and I did perform in an Off-Broadway theatre several years ago, in association with a theatre workshop I attended. I don't expect that I'll be nominated for a Grammy, but I imagine, based on what I've already done, that I have yet to realize the potential of God's plan for my life.
What can I do to realize that? First, I need to get ready, go to rehearsal, prepare like crazy, and really earn this degree for which I am working!
Monday, January 28, 2008
Music students are a special breed indeed
For tonight's class, many of the students were still awaiting the arrival of their back-ordered textbooks. When our professor wanted to go over a musical example to illustrate a point, most kids had to share books. One group consisted of FIVE students who were sharing ONE book. I remembered I had another book, in addition to my textbook that I was already sharing with a classmate, which contained that particular example. I ran across the hallway to my office to retrieve the text.
The professor thanked me and the class clapped. (Last week, I'd "saved the day" by breaking into the office supply closet to get the professor a dry-erase marker which actually worked, as the existing markers in the classroom didn't.)
One student spoke up, "Estrella, you are both a lady and a scholar. Your good looks are surpassed only by your intellect."
I was surprised and amused by the comment, and I remained flattered even after a [male] student exclaimed, "Hey, he said that to me last week!"
~*~*~*~
Regarding other quirks of our breed, I won't even begin to describe the fun we had as undergrads at AlmaMater running into the padded walls of the practice rooms and playing freeze tag in the building at midnight on Saturday nights ... or the elaborate schemes we had (but never actually followed through) of spending the night in the music building and having a wild party after the campus police locked the building at 1am.
The professor thanked me and the class clapped. (Last week, I'd "saved the day" by breaking into the office supply closet to get the professor a dry-erase marker which actually worked, as the existing markers in the classroom didn't.)
One student spoke up, "Estrella, you are both a lady and a scholar. Your good looks are surpassed only by your intellect."
I was surprised and amused by the comment, and I remained flattered even after a [male] student exclaimed, "Hey, he said that to me last week!"
~*~*~*~
Regarding other quirks of our breed, I won't even begin to describe the fun we had as undergrads at AlmaMater running into the padded walls of the practice rooms and playing freeze tag in the building at midnight on Saturday nights ... or the elaborate schemes we had (but never actually followed through) of spending the night in the music building and having a wild party after the campus police locked the building at 1am.
I bought myself flowers yesterday.
When I put them in the grocery store cart I was sharing with my 3 male friends, I felt slightly silly. I knew it was an impulsive buy ... but ... I hadn't bought myself flowers yet this year ... and I wanted something lovely.
As I glance over at my plucky violet tulips, I'm grateful that I couldn't resist them. The vibrancy of life and color they bring to my apartment is worth the $8.
As I glance over at my plucky violet tulips, I'm grateful that I couldn't resist them. The vibrancy of life and color they bring to my apartment is worth the $8.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Random Bits of Fun
*One of the students is giving a recital this semester, and he asked if I would be willing to conduct a piece on the program. This made my day.
*Another student made a point to tell me she really appreciated and enjoyed my rehearsal technique
*I spent 5 hours on the phone last night ... and the same [guy] friend and I had spoken for over two hours on Wednesday night. We pulled a record last August of 6 or 7 hours. I normally do not like talking on the phone. Last night, I was really tired when he called and was planning to go to sleep soon ... but somehow, talking with him gave me a second, third, and fourth wind ... and I couldn't even fall asleep right away when we finished talking this morning.
*Shopping with the boys today was fun ... we went to the mall, walked along outside shops on charming little streets, got pizza, and went to the super awesome grocery store in another town. They also decided to start calling me "Mom," because I was driving them all around and teased them whenever they "misbehaved." It's especially amusing because I'm the youngest of all of us.
*Knock on the door! Boys are back from the gym ... and it's board game time!
*Another student made a point to tell me she really appreciated and enjoyed my rehearsal technique
*I spent 5 hours on the phone last night ... and the same [guy] friend and I had spoken for over two hours on Wednesday night. We pulled a record last August of 6 or 7 hours. I normally do not like talking on the phone. Last night, I was really tired when he called and was planning to go to sleep soon ... but somehow, talking with him gave me a second, third, and fourth wind ... and I couldn't even fall asleep right away when we finished talking this morning.
*Shopping with the boys today was fun ... we went to the mall, walked along outside shops on charming little streets, got pizza, and went to the super awesome grocery store in another town. They also decided to start calling me "Mom," because I was driving them all around and teased them whenever they "misbehaved." It's especially amusing because I'm the youngest of all of us.
*Knock on the door! Boys are back from the gym ... and it's board game time!
Friday, January 25, 2008
Tomorrow will be an adventure indeed
I just made plans with the non-crush and other partners in crime ... I've never been to the mall with 3 guys before.
Non-crush has no phone yet, so we made plans via an exchange of emails this evening ... in various languages. (Of course, his vocabulary is much more extensive than mine because he has learned a much larger repertoire of music, and he speaks more languages than I do.) Fun to pseudo-flirt with smart boys. :-)
Non-crush has no phone yet, so we made plans via an exchange of emails this evening ... in various languages. (Of course, his vocabulary is much more extensive than mine because he has learned a much larger repertoire of music, and he speaks more languages than I do.) Fun to pseudo-flirt with smart boys. :-)
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Three things
"There are three important things in a college student's life," my friend stated as we were in the third hour of our phone conversation last night.
"Studies, social interaction, and sleep. How much you do of them determines your grades,"
I interjected with, "And your health."
He agreed and continued, "And your social status. They're all really important, but the problem is- you only have time enough to do two of them!"
"Studies, social interaction, and sleep. How much you do of them determines your grades,"
I interjected with, "And your health."
He agreed and continued, "And your social status. They're all really important, but the problem is- you only have time enough to do two of them!"
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