I'm a ditz
Because I dropped my violin at the shop last week for some major cleaning and fingerboard leveling, I couldn't--of course--practice these first few days of the new year. I'll be picking it up sometime tomorrow, hopefully.
I did not get around to using the pressure cooker last night, but I found a split pea and ham soup recipe that claims to only take 4 min. to cook, so I will try that tonight. I just used my new aeropress for the first time today and made a nonfat latte; tastes like any other latte I ever made as a barista. I think I may have used too much espresso grind--it's really strong. Now, I just need to get some flavored syrups (sugar free), and it will be like I had never quit working at Starbucks. I'm glad I got this, because I have a sorry addiction to Sbux and after working there off and on for three years and discovering just how over priced their drinks are (in ratio to how easy it is to make the drinks) I will definitely feel less guilty frequenting their stores less often.
While we were in the Middletown area last weekend, we went to the Cincinnati outlet mall where I was on the hunt for some Nike Free running shoes. During all my runs last year, I had this weird problem where only one foot would get numb (I don't know why just the one) after the third mile or so. The first few times it happened, I succumbed to my wimpy nature and would just walk the rest of it out. As I got "tougher" (lol), I'd just ignore the numbness and sometimes it would go away on its own--sometimes not. Since I'm slow, however, it took me awhile to realize that I probably needed better running shoes, and also, a bigger size. I was completely prepared to spend around $85-$100 on some Nike pairs, but while browsing the Adidas store, I found some shoes that looked and felt exactly like the Nike Frees but were only $59.99! Woohoo! I snatched those up in purple (they also had a blue pair) and I may try those tonight or tomorrow at the gym.
This week is only a four-day work week since we're taking a three day weekend to go to Cleveland, as I mentioned before. My first day back to teaching yesterday went by strangely fast, even though it's one of my longer teaching days in the whole week (5 1/2 hours straight of teaching nonstop), so I'm hoping the next three days feel the same way:) I know 4-6 hours of teaching doesn't seem bad to most people, but it's unlike any other job; I've had 9-5 jobs before and some of them were way easier to deal with for 8 hours straight than with a couple hours of talking and playing nonstop. Also, if there are some personalities that you might not mesh well with, those particular students--even if they're few--will make half an hour feel like hours.
Ha. My husband always makes fun of me for complaining sometimes about the teaching schedule--"I work 8 hours a day...you only work 4 or 5...stop whining!" But when I did this Trans Siberian gig once, I was talking to some other freelance musicians, and when they found out I taught around 40 students a week, they acted like that was an incredible number of students to handle. I know there are teachers out there that probably have even twice that many (I'm not sure how they do it--maybe they teach all seven days of the week--no thank you), so I thought it was weird that they thought that was amazing. I told my husband this and his response? "That's only because musicians don't like to work." I love how cynical he is towards other musicians even though he IS one himself.
He's right though--I know my job is cushy and I'm thankful for it. I do wish it paid more sometimes, but it's enough for now.
Hope you all have a great Tuesday:)
I did not get around to using the pressure cooker last night, but I found a split pea and ham soup recipe that claims to only take 4 min. to cook, so I will try that tonight. I just used my new aeropress for the first time today and made a nonfat latte; tastes like any other latte I ever made as a barista. I think I may have used too much espresso grind--it's really strong. Now, I just need to get some flavored syrups (sugar free), and it will be like I had never quit working at Starbucks. I'm glad I got this, because I have a sorry addiction to Sbux and after working there off and on for three years and discovering just how over priced their drinks are (in ratio to how easy it is to make the drinks) I will definitely feel less guilty frequenting their stores less often.
While we were in the Middletown area last weekend, we went to the Cincinnati outlet mall where I was on the hunt for some Nike Free running shoes. During all my runs last year, I had this weird problem where only one foot would get numb (I don't know why just the one) after the third mile or so. The first few times it happened, I succumbed to my wimpy nature and would just walk the rest of it out. As I got "tougher" (lol), I'd just ignore the numbness and sometimes it would go away on its own--sometimes not. Since I'm slow, however, it took me awhile to realize that I probably needed better running shoes, and also, a bigger size. I was completely prepared to spend around $85-$100 on some Nike pairs, but while browsing the Adidas store, I found some shoes that looked and felt exactly like the Nike Frees but were only $59.99! Woohoo! I snatched those up in purple (they also had a blue pair) and I may try those tonight or tomorrow at the gym.
This week is only a four-day work week since we're taking a three day weekend to go to Cleveland, as I mentioned before. My first day back to teaching yesterday went by strangely fast, even though it's one of my longer teaching days in the whole week (5 1/2 hours straight of teaching nonstop), so I'm hoping the next three days feel the same way:) I know 4-6 hours of teaching doesn't seem bad to most people, but it's unlike any other job; I've had 9-5 jobs before and some of them were way easier to deal with for 8 hours straight than with a couple hours of talking and playing nonstop. Also, if there are some personalities that you might not mesh well with, those particular students--even if they're few--will make half an hour feel like hours.
Ha. My husband always makes fun of me for complaining sometimes about the teaching schedule--"I work 8 hours a day...you only work 4 or 5...stop whining!" But when I did this Trans Siberian gig once, I was talking to some other freelance musicians, and when they found out I taught around 40 students a week, they acted like that was an incredible number of students to handle. I know there are teachers out there that probably have even twice that many (I'm not sure how they do it--maybe they teach all seven days of the week--no thank you), so I thought it was weird that they thought that was amazing. I told my husband this and his response? "That's only because musicians don't like to work." I love how cynical he is towards other musicians even though he IS one himself.
He's right though--I know my job is cushy and I'm thankful for it. I do wish it paid more sometimes, but it's enough for now.
Hope you all have a great Tuesday:)
Comments
Too many people do think it's so easy for musicians--I get asked all the time by parents "what else" do I do with my time since obviously I seem to hardly work. When I tell them I practice, I plan, I do "normal human stuff"...I get the impression they think it's a bum lifestyle. As if practicing is the same as watching a movie or getting a pedicure.
Even my in-laws were naively telling me, "hey, if you can just get a good orchestra job, you'll have all that free time and you'll be set!" um, no. When I explained that I'd probably be even busier than now, because of rehearsals, concerts, practice-maintenance, teaching on top of it all--I just got blank stares. Sigh.
I still love what I do, though:)