This is the Title of an Uncreative Violinist.:)

I didn't really have access to a computer (or rather, a good one) over Thanksgiving break, so that's why I wasn't able to post anything or check email and crap like that. Thanksgiving was held at my brother-in-law's house, and both Ryan's family and my sister-in law, Sarah's family were there.  I concurred with Ryan that TG was much better when it used to be held at his parent's house--conversation was more interesting, setting was more intimate and warm;  my brother and sister-in law's house is nice, but we were all seated at a makeshift long table to accomodate all 15 people and couldn't really participate in any solid conversations.  Also, people pretty much ate and left.  Usually, in our families (Ryan's and mine), people linger for hours after the food for the conversation. Overall, though, it was a good Thanksgiving and I'm pretty sure I gained 2-3 lbs. over the course of 4 days.  Ryan and I went to the gym on Saturday, and I was sur...

Since this week will inevitably be devoted to mostly eating, I knew I had to get at least one day of running in there somewhere, and I'm more likely to go when I go with a friend.  So I called up a former Starbucks coworker--who originally got me running in the first place--to see if she'd want to go any time tomorrow or the next day.  The plan is to run 5 miles tomorrow, and I'm hoping I can continue that throughout the rest of the week. I have the rest of the week off,  so after running tomorrow, I hope to get a bunch of items on my list done and over with (oil change, finishing laundry, cleaning...etc.) before I have to run to a student's concert later in the evening.  Hope to keep the productivity going on Wednesday, and that will probably also include making a few side dishes to bring to the in-laws for Thanksgiving.  We're leaving Wednesday evening and will return sometime over the weekend. It was unseasonably warm today and it'd be awesome if it were t...

Here is what I'm thankful for:  a one day work week starting today!  Long teaching day, but I do it week after week after week during the rest of the year, so I WILL make it through today! I was supposed to originally teach two days this week, but one of my students has their first concert tomorrow, and I'm always missing students' performances because of my teaching schedule. So after looking at my calendar and realizing that the Tuesdays students were getting 5 lessons this month (months that have 5 weeks in it count as a "free" lesson), I thought "dammit! when do I ever get a break? I'm going to only teach one day this week".  I think last time I had a "vacation" was back in June, and that doesn't even count if one goes to their in-laws family reunion in Kentucky.  Hmm. So last time I went on a real vacation was probably a year and a half ago when we went to Cape Cod. I'll definitely have more time to write later tomorrow an...

I am starving and eagerly awaiting for the salmon I'm baking right now to be ready.  I'm also exhausted.  As far as work goes, I guess I didn't really work that hard today, but it felt like I did because around 5am this morning, Zoe, the yorkie, woke me up due to a diarrhea problem.  I had to spend a good hour cleaning up her accident and then giving her a bath.  That was fun.  So I go back to bed, but couldn't sleep very well after that, b/c I kept worrying I'd oversleep and miss the performance class I taught today.  I DID oversleep, but fortunately made it just in time.  Class only lasted an hour, but it was actually wonderful and my students blew everyone away. I was extremely  proud of them.  There was a little "masterclass" segment towards the end where two of my more advanced students played the 1st and 2nd movements of the Bach Double.  It was the first time they both played it together, though, so it was interesting for everyone...

Thanksgiving break can't come soon enough.  Since Wednesdays are my "light" teaching days, that will probably be my first day off starting next week.  Few students than I expected are going out of town for TG, so I decided not to cancel.  Around the holidays, teachers use the 5th week as a makeup, and I almost did that, but when I glanced at the month of December and realized everyone would be short a lesson b/c of Christmas, I said, 'nah, not gonna cancel'.  Not worth it.  I get bugged too much about makeups around that time, so I'm trying to avoid that this year. So it was finally decided where we're going to spend TG this year.  After a long and difficult deliberation (difficult= intense arguing and yelling) I realized it was only fair that we go to the in-laws this year since the last time Ryan and I went somewhere together, it was my parents' place, even though that was two years ago (last year, we split up and spent it with our respective famil...

Ryan and I voted today.  Fortunately, it was not crowded by the time we got there.  Since we don't have cable right now, we're feeling a little antsy about not being able to watch election coverage as soon as we get home from work tonight.  So Ryan's planning on going to the gym straight from work so he can watch from there.  I begrudgingly agreed to meet him there, even though I know I won't feel like it after teaching. Not much else going on. I guess we'll find out how everything turns out tonight.  Not that it will silence any whining on either political spectrum. I hate politics.