Sounds like an essay title, doesn't it? I bet you can tell what I've been spending a lot of my time doing. Much as I bitch and moan about having to grind out a new essay every single week, to be posted online for all in the class to read and critique (so it better not suck), I have been getting a lot out of the class. Even my everyday thoughts are going in new directions. We've spent a month analyzing the semiotics of popular culture (in other words, the underlying meanings beneath things), so I find myself thinking about these things during my everyday life.
Consider snow shoveling. On the surface, it's usually thought of as just a (somewhat annoying, time-consuming) chore that it would be nice not to have to do or have to pay someone else to do. (Here's where my thoughts on consumption come in.) I hate paying someone else to do it. I remember when I first moved here, someone with a shovel rang our doorbell and offered to shovel the driveway. I said, "Sure," thinking he was a staff member of the town house association and it was included in our fee. When he finished and asked for money, I was kind of annoyed at myself for assuming. If I had known I would have to pay, I would have just said no thanks.
Every winter since, enterprising people, mostly young men, have tromped up our steps (packing down the snow with their boots, making it harder for me to shovel it later) to ring the doorbell and ask if we wanted shoveling. I got tired of either saying no or pretending I wasn't home.
Clearly, it was time to make a sign so they wouldn't bother us. It would be great if the sign would also discourage aggressive sales people and religious proselytizers (who annoy me even more). I fantasized about saying something like, "No selling. No snow shoveling. No evangelizing. Don't even ask. It's a standing 'no' and will always be a 'no.'" But that just seemed a tad too unwelcoming sounding to post on our front door, so I settled for a polite, "Please No Soliciting."
Unfortunately, the doorbell just keeps on ringing. Now I just find it annoying that either 1) people don't bother to look and read it, or 2) they don't know the meaning of the word "soliciting." I have been known to (politely) come down to answer the door, call their attention to the sign and explain that we don't want to be bothered, even though I may be seething with annoyance inside.
Before I got so busy, I used to have tons of time in the middle of the day to preemptively get the shoveling done before the entrepreneurs started their rounds. I actually like doing it; 1) it's functional fitness in action and 2) I can get a workout and avoid paying money at the same time--what's not to love?
Our next-door neighbor, Tom, is sometimes home in the middle of the day. (He's maybe in his mid-thirties with a high-powered wife and two little kids.) I think he feels rather strongly that shoveling is men's work, and he thinks it's odd that I'm the one doing it (and not Paul). On those few occasions that we're shoveling at the same time, he'll say something like,"What are you, Wonder Woman or something? I never see him doing it." I always explain that I consider it to be part of my fitness regimen and I'm happy to do it because I'm the one who has the time, but he'll say something like that every time without fail, as if we never had the conversation.
I think my conscientiousness brings out his competitive instincts. If I do it by mid-afternoon, his is done by 5 pm. If I don't have time for a day or two, oddly enough, he'll be content to let it wait at least 24 hours. It snowed on Thursday last week and I didn't have time to deal with it until Saturday afternoon. Tom had done his by Friday morning. We decided to let him revel in his victory. Paul and I find this dynamic endlessly amusing. As Paul said, "Well, now I can't ever do it because then we would be playing appropriate gender roles." We both agree that wouldn't be any fun.
About Me
- Karinderella
- I'm a pianist, happily married. Socially progressive, chocolate lover, interested in the nature of reality, alternates between being a slacker and being a grind.
2.17.2008
What a Card
We celebrated Valentine's Day in our customary way. I made heart-shaped cookies with strawberry-rhubarb jam in the middle, as I have for all of our Valentine's Days since we've been together. No mere homework was going to prevent me from finding the time! (A couple of snow days last Monday and Tuesday, a gift from the universe, sure helped make it easier.)
Paul made a Wednesday trip to the West Side Market for fresh flowers and salmon. On Thursday evening, Valentine's Day, I came home to find him cooking Andrew Weill's recipe for easy poached salmon, the first thing he ever cooked for me almost six years ago. We dined on my heirloom china by candlelight, listening to the same Sinatra CD that was our soundtrack on our first Valentine's Day five years ago, when he proposed. We then watched a movie on DVD (cleverly combining my required movie viewing for this week's essay with the pleasure of watching a romantic comedy with my sweetie) and then went to bed early. Predictable? Perhaps, but we wouldn't have it any other way.
We don't do gifts on demand (Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's Day, etc.). Why not just opt out of that tangled web of obligation, pressure, and analysis of what-is-this-person-trying-to-say-by-
choosing-to-give-me-this-particular-object? I always tell Paul that he's got a lifetime A+ from me :-) No need to continually pass more tests and jump through hoops just so that I might deign to "renew his license" in the In Karin's Good Graces Club.
He did surprise me that evening with a really sweet card that had a great story. The story just makes it. Let me set the scene for you. It's Wednesday night, February 13, in the holiday/seasonal aisle at the Rite-Aid Drug Store. The red and pink bags and heart-shaped boxes of candy appear as though a natural disaster has just passed through, followed by looters and scavengers bent on survival.
The shelf of Valentine's Day cards is in a similar state. Now we know the card selection at the drugstore is never the greatest to begin with, but the pickings are mighty slim by Valentine's Eve. If you limit yourself to cards meant to be given to a female significant other, your options are truly pathetic.
In one corner, you have the "humorous" cards. This can communicate such tender sentiments as "You're a saint for putting up with my habit of [leaving dirty socks on the floor/laying around on the couch, belching Dorito breath, bellowing like a walrus at the game/insert other clueless, boorish, "male Neanderthal stereotype" behavior here] and once a year I'll tell you how much I love you because Hallmark expects me to." Be still my heart.*
Alternatively, there are the ones with pages of purple poetry in Italic Script. At least the guy is trying, but it's not like he would ever say such things if they weren't pre-printed. It's more about what he thinks she wants to hear.
Paul, realizing this wasn't looking promising, expanded his field of card candidates to the ones in the "To My Husband" category. (This explained why the back story was necessary.) He was just looking for one that was sincere and direct. I guess the card industry thinks that only a woman would want to give a card that simply says "I Love You" without a joke to diffuse the awkwardness. The inside of the card says, "Saying it a million times still wouldn't be enough. Happy Valentine's Day to My Wonderful Husband Karin! We laughed a lot when he told the story. It's really sweet and I'm a lucky woman. :-)
*What is it with American wives' seeming obsession with their men leaving dirty socks on the floor? Even Michelle Obama mentions it as one of Barack's annoying habits. Articles like this really bug me too. Are most married people in America really relating to their spouses at this level?
Paul made a Wednesday trip to the West Side Market for fresh flowers and salmon. On Thursday evening, Valentine's Day, I came home to find him cooking Andrew Weill's recipe for easy poached salmon, the first thing he ever cooked for me almost six years ago. We dined on my heirloom china by candlelight, listening to the same Sinatra CD that was our soundtrack on our first Valentine's Day five years ago, when he proposed. We then watched a movie on DVD (cleverly combining my required movie viewing for this week's essay with the pleasure of watching a romantic comedy with my sweetie) and then went to bed early. Predictable? Perhaps, but we wouldn't have it any other way.
We don't do gifts on demand (Christmas, birthdays, Valentine's Day, etc.). Why not just opt out of that tangled web of obligation, pressure, and analysis of what-is-this-person-trying-to-say-by-
choosing-to-give-me-this-particular-object? I always tell Paul that he's got a lifetime A+ from me :-) No need to continually pass more tests and jump through hoops just so that I might deign to "renew his license" in the In Karin's Good Graces Club.
He did surprise me that evening with a really sweet card that had a great story. The story just makes it. Let me set the scene for you. It's Wednesday night, February 13, in the holiday/seasonal aisle at the Rite-Aid Drug Store. The red and pink bags and heart-shaped boxes of candy appear as though a natural disaster has just passed through, followed by looters and scavengers bent on survival.
The shelf of Valentine's Day cards is in a similar state. Now we know the card selection at the drugstore is never the greatest to begin with, but the pickings are mighty slim by Valentine's Eve. If you limit yourself to cards meant to be given to a female significant other, your options are truly pathetic.
In one corner, you have the "humorous" cards. This can communicate such tender sentiments as "You're a saint for putting up with my habit of [leaving dirty socks on the floor/laying around on the couch, belching Dorito breath, bellowing like a walrus at the game/insert other clueless, boorish, "male Neanderthal stereotype" behavior here] and once a year I'll tell you how much I love you because Hallmark expects me to." Be still my heart.*
Alternatively, there are the ones with pages of purple poetry in Italic Script. At least the guy is trying, but it's not like he would ever say such things if they weren't pre-printed. It's more about what he thinks she wants to hear.
Paul, realizing this wasn't looking promising, expanded his field of card candidates to the ones in the "To My Husband" category. (This explained why the back story was necessary.) He was just looking for one that was sincere and direct. I guess the card industry thinks that only a woman would want to give a card that simply says "I Love You" without a joke to diffuse the awkwardness. The inside of the card says, "Saying it a million times still wouldn't be enough. Happy Valentine's Day to My Wonderful
*What is it with American wives' seeming obsession with their men leaving dirty socks on the floor? Even Michelle Obama mentions it as one of Barack's annoying habits. Articles like this really bug me too. Are most married people in America really relating to their spouses at this level?
2.11.2008
Too Much of a Perfectionist?
I've just had a hellishly busy week. Since last Monday morning, I have put in the following homework and study time:
28.5 hours spent on schoolwork alone, not counting 3 hours commuting time and 4 hours class time for attending my accounting class. Holy crap. Put it all together, and that's more time than I spent on my paid work.
I like getting A's. (Not surprisingly, I'm getting A's so far in both classes.) I did have time to have somewhat of a life for 3 of the last 7 nights, although it was a challenge which involved staying up until at least 1 :30 am much of the time. At the rate I'm going, it will probably take me at least 3 1/2 more years, including summers, to finish the degree. Is this kind of a life worth it for such a long time?
Yesterday at church, my friend Joy said I was too much of a perfectionist. She had learned for herself, after hard experience, that it was better to just pass the classes so you could have a life. No prospective employer, she says, will care what your grades were. B's are good enough. But I haven't reached the point of being willing to settle just yet. I'm not trying to juggle this with motherhood, as she did. (I can't imagine motherhood being any easier than my life right now.) This is hard but not impossible. Paul is really supportive, even though it means we have less time together in the short term.
- 4 hours studying for accounting exam
- 8 hours over 3 days on accounting homework (having to do it in Excel, as opposed to pencil and paper, takes considerably longer)
- 3.5 hours watching 2 out of the 3 movies I need to use as sources for this week's English essay
- 2 hours reading and studying the reference essays for last week's essay
- 2 hours mulling over last week's essay assignment, figuring out what to say, and looking up more citation sources online
- 5 hours writing last week's essay
- 1.5 hours reading everyone else's essays and essay responses on the online message board
- 2.5 hours composing my own (required) essay responses
28.5 hours spent on schoolwork alone, not counting 3 hours commuting time and 4 hours class time for attending my accounting class. Holy crap. Put it all together, and that's more time than I spent on my paid work.
I like getting A's. (Not surprisingly, I'm getting A's so far in both classes.) I did have time to have somewhat of a life for 3 of the last 7 nights, although it was a challenge which involved staying up until at least 1 :30 am much of the time. At the rate I'm going, it will probably take me at least 3 1/2 more years, including summers, to finish the degree. Is this kind of a life worth it for such a long time?
Yesterday at church, my friend Joy said I was too much of a perfectionist. She had learned for herself, after hard experience, that it was better to just pass the classes so you could have a life. No prospective employer, she says, will care what your grades were. B's are good enough. But I haven't reached the point of being willing to settle just yet. I'm not trying to juggle this with motherhood, as she did. (I can't imagine motherhood being any easier than my life right now.) This is hard but not impossible. Paul is really supportive, even though it means we have less time together in the short term.
2.04.2008
4-Eyes 4-Ever
I think my contact lens-wearing days are over. I opened and put in a new pair 3 weeks ago (January 11). Usually they're really comfortable for the first half of the month, but that day my eyes must have been especially dry or something. Add to that the fact that, when wearing my contacts, reading glasses are no longer optional.
Advantages to Contacts
It's time to embrace my status as a proudly out, visually-challenged person. :-) I'm blind! I'm middle aged! I'm a nerd! Why present a false facade of normality anymore? Besides, I think these glasses are cute.
Advantages to Contacts
- Vanity
- Unencumbered peripheral vision
- No fingerprints, sweat, grime, fogging up
- Dry eyes are uncomfortable
- Dryness results in sometimes blurry vision, even distance vision
- Pain in the butt factor: Cleaning, storage, making sure I always have supplies on me, etc.
- I have to wear reading glasses. In other words, I can't see! Since, oh, I don't know, 90% of what I do involves close focus, why should I stick something in my eye if I'm going to be wearing glasses anyway?
It's time to embrace my status as a proudly out, visually-challenged person. :-) I'm blind! I'm middle aged! I'm a nerd! Why present a false facade of normality anymore? Besides, I think these glasses are cute.
2.02.2008
Looong Day at the Piano
It looks like I'm now on the regular rotation at Stages. They want me every weekend! But two nights there back to back last weekend had the result of an achy back and glazed eyes staring at the computer writing my essay until 1 am both nights. Once in a while, okay, but this is no way to live! So this time, when offered both nights for the next month, I said I'd be delighted to do one night each weekend. So much more sane! I finished this week's essay last night so I don't have to work on it tonight at all.
Good thing, too. Here is my day today:
9:00-11:30 am--my usual two ballet classes at CSD , only an hour earlier than usual
1:45-5:00--back to CSD to play for the audition for the summer program at the School of American Ballet. If last year is any indication, 70 students will show up from all over the region, and it will be fast-paced and required me to be at my most quick-thinking.
I am then scheduled at Stages from 5:00-8:00. Yes, this means I will be late (which I hate). And I won't have time to eat anything save something portable I can inhale behind the wheel of my stick shift while hurtling down Carnegie Avenue (likewise).
Just think, I decided to go back to school because the jobs were thinning out and now look! Well, it does beat not having enough to do.
Good thing, too. Here is my day today:
9:00-11:30 am--my usual two ballet classes at CSD , only an hour earlier than usual
1:45-5:00--back to CSD to play for the audition for the summer program at the School of American Ballet. If last year is any indication, 70 students will show up from all over the region, and it will be fast-paced and required me to be at my most quick-thinking.
I am then scheduled at Stages from 5:00-8:00. Yes, this means I will be late (which I hate). And I won't have time to eat anything save something portable I can inhale behind the wheel of my stick shift while hurtling down Carnegie Avenue (likewise).
Just think, I decided to go back to school because the jobs were thinning out and now look! Well, it does beat not having enough to do.
2.01.2008
Prune Juice for my Writer's Block
It's only the third week of school, and it's already hard. I'm taking Honors English Composition and having to write an essay every week, each one longer and better than the last. Do you know how long it's been since the last time I wrote an essay? About 25 years. 22 years since I've written any sort of term paper whatsoever. For over half my life, my skills, though still decent, have atrophied and slowed down like the heart muscle of a couch potato. Right now, it feels like I'm trying to run a mile when I should be starting with a walk around the block.
I'm just whining, really. I'm doing just fine, getting an A so far. It's just taking me forever to do the writing. A three credit-hour class is supposed to take about six hours of study and homework time per week, and this one is taking me at least twelve. We're writing on the semiotics of popular culture, which I really enjoy. I do have something to say--it just takes me a while to figure out what it is. Then I have to make it articulate, find and correctly cite references to back up my views, and tie the whole thing together coherently.
Three weeks (and three essays) in, I have increased my speed to about 100 words per hour. It's still a mighty effort, and I still feel mentally constipated, but even in casual conversation, my vocabulary seems sharper and I feel a little bit more articulate. Things are starting to "move along." :-)
I'm just whining, really. I'm doing just fine, getting an A so far. It's just taking me forever to do the writing. A three credit-hour class is supposed to take about six hours of study and homework time per week, and this one is taking me at least twelve. We're writing on the semiotics of popular culture, which I really enjoy. I do have something to say--it just takes me a while to figure out what it is. Then I have to make it articulate, find and correctly cite references to back up my views, and tie the whole thing together coherently.
Three weeks (and three essays) in, I have increased my speed to about 100 words per hour. It's still a mighty effort, and I still feel mentally constipated, but even in casual conversation, my vocabulary seems sharper and I feel a little bit more articulate. Things are starting to "move along." :-)
1.25.2008
Funny Post About a Piano-Shaped Object
We pianists have the mixed blessing of not having to lug our instrument all over kingdom come to do a job. I say "mixed" because sometimes you have to deal with some exceptionally crappy instruments and just make the best of it. Slightly out of tune (or even moderately out of tune), I can deal with. Some things I've had to work around:
- Sticking keys that don't release once you've played them. If you're lucky, the key might bounce back if you hit it sharply.
- No damper pedal. Can you say "legato fingering?"
- A key that, when depressed, sticks together with several of its neighbors who all come along for the ride. This happened to me during a performance in high school (it was in a mall and no one was listening, but still!) Fortunately it was all in the high register, so I just didn't use that octave for the rest of the performance.
- And of course, the most common: one particular nasty out-of-tune note, the aural equivalent of moldy leftovers crawling with orange and green maggots and fungus. If I don't have a tuning wrench with me, as is usually the case, I just either 1) don't play anything that includes that note or 2) transpose everything to a key that doesn't include that note. This requires lightning-quick mental acrobatics and music theory geekiness, which keeps me on my toes, and isn't always successful.
One of my Windsong friends pointed me to this funny blog post by the pianist for the Bread and Roses Feminist Singers. She referred to this Piano From Hell as "the piano incarnation of Florence Foster Jenkins." Enjoy--it's hilarious!
( Go to Bread and Roses MySpace page and click on the blog entry called "In the Loosest Sense of the Word." Sorry about this indirect link. It wouldn't load when I tried to post it the normal way.)
1.24.2008
High Notes
I played for Windsong's winter concert this past Saturday, and we got a fabulous review on coolcleveland.com! Check it out--it's near the bottom of this page. One of our singers thanked the reviewer, and passed me along this excerpt from a follow-up email, which made my day:
Well, Karin is a treasure for anyone! She really understands collaborative piano, which all too few pianists really do!
It made my day. Besides, I just had to brag a little. ;-)
I also landed a temporary gig at Stages Restaurant at the Cleveland Playhouse, which just happens to be a 5-minute walk from our house. I play from 5-8 pm for the next 2 Friday and Saturday nights. My first night was last Friday. I had to put together a 3-hour playlist of mostly non-classical music, which took some hours, but now it's done and written down. I would have been lost without it, I can tell you! I actually have more than 3 hours' worth of music, probably 2/3 standards and show tunes. The piano there is beautiful and in tune, two things I never take for granted. I had a really good time, got lots of compliments from the diners, and forgot to take breaks! (I've got to remember to pace myself, though--my back and brain were pretty fatigued at the end of the evening and the whole next day!)
Who knows--maybe it will become a semi-regular gig. That would be great!
Well, Karin is a treasure for anyone! She really understands collaborative piano, which all too few pianists really do!
It made my day. Besides, I just had to brag a little. ;-)
I also landed a temporary gig at Stages Restaurant at the Cleveland Playhouse, which just happens to be a 5-minute walk from our house. I play from 5-8 pm for the next 2 Friday and Saturday nights. My first night was last Friday. I had to put together a 3-hour playlist of mostly non-classical music, which took some hours, but now it's done and written down. I would have been lost without it, I can tell you! I actually have more than 3 hours' worth of music, probably 2/3 standards and show tunes. The piano there is beautiful and in tune, two things I never take for granted. I had a really good time, got lots of compliments from the diners, and forgot to take breaks! (I've got to remember to pace myself, though--my back and brain were pretty fatigued at the end of the evening and the whole next day!)
Who knows--maybe it will become a semi-regular gig. That would be great!
1.05.2008
Holidays in Portland
It's always "Happy Holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" around here, as Paul and I have 2 birthdays, Christmas, and New Years all in a 12-day period. We had an evening, 5 jam-packed days, and a morning in Portland with my family. It was mostly a really lovely visit, and for once nobody got sick (at least so far).
Memorable moments:
- Going to the NikeTown store to try on shoes with Eric and Rusty, who had given me a "design your own" gift card. What a fun idea! Wanna see what my future trainers will look like? They have a very girly color scheme! :=)
- Mom's delicious soups! She had 3 kinds: squash (with a nice kick to it), ham and bean, and chicken noodle. She and Ron hosted a soup supper and invited Dad, Becky and Hannah. With Eric and Rusty, Paul and me, it was a full table, but we all fit.
- Playing the bowling game on Hannah's brand new Wii with Hannah, Dad and Paul. I never play video games, so expected to suck, but I was pretty good and actually won!
- Making candy cane cookies and watching "It's a Wonderful Life" with Dad, Hannah, Becky and Paul
- Snowshoeing on Mt. Hood in a winter wonderland of snow that was almost warm enough to melt.
12.25.2007
Milestones
Merry Christmas, everyone!
After 4 days of constant choir rehearsals and 3 services, we spent today at home just hanging out and getting ready for our trip to Portland tomorrow.
It's been a year of big milestones for my friends and family. In November, Eric had his 40th birthday, which we were sad to miss out on. We'll get to see him and Rusty in just a couple of days, though, as they're coming up to Portland as well.
Darcy had a baby on Dec. 18, a healthy boy named Benjamin Neal Lewellen. It sounds like she, David and little Ben are doing fabulously at home now.
On Dec. 20 Paul turned 50. He didn't want a big party, so I baked him his favorite oatmeal raisin cookies, which he loves more than any cake, and took him out for a nice dinner. I wrote out a list for him called 50 Things I Love About You. I could think of 35 separate things pretty quickly, but those last 15 took a bit more effort.
Just last Friday I finally heard from Dietrich, whom I haven't seen for 5 years. He just got married on the 15th, and he and his wife Lisa are in Portland right now. We've known each other for over 30 years, so it will be great to see them when we're out there. He emailed me a couple of pics from their wedding:
12.21.2007
Back From Under a Rock
I have fallen off the face of the earth for the past 4 months--sorry about that! I just got out of the habit of blogging. I kept a (pen and paper) travel journal during the entire Europe trip. (And took a lot of pictures. )I know how quickly memories fade and change and wanted to capture everything as it happened. I am a slow writer, and it sometimes took me 2 hours a day just to keep up. The thought of migrating even part of it over here just seemed overwhelming with school starting 2 days after we got back.
Oh yeah, school. At first a bit of a shock after a 20-year break from studying anything, I soon got in the groove as my semi-dormant nerd tendencies took over and I became the class smartypants in all 3 of my classes. Most of you with whom I've kept in touch know that I decided to postpone College Algebra until the summer, when I have time to take it with a live human being instead of online. I got hopelessly behind the first week (due to computer technical difficulties) and dropped it.
Everything else, though, I found very engaging, even the potentially boring Introduction to Business. I took my books with me to my job at Case so I could do homework during my 2-hour break there. Don't believe anybody who tells you community colleges give easy A's. I actually worked my butt off, sometimes working on the computer until 1 am (though I have to say less than perfect time management skills have something to do with that).
All of my classes were in subjects I knew next to nothing about, so I couldn't coast much on previous knowledge. I now know all the material in two 500-page textbooks and I've learned how to use Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. I set a high goal for myself, to ace everything, and got mid- to high-nineties on most of my exams. My last final was Dec. 19th. Tonight, via the MyTri-CSpace site, I learned officially that I got straight A's in everything. It's all the sweeter because I had to work hard for it.
Oh yeah, school. At first a bit of a shock after a 20-year break from studying anything, I soon got in the groove as my semi-dormant nerd tendencies took over and I became the class smartypants in all 3 of my classes. Most of you with whom I've kept in touch know that I decided to postpone College Algebra until the summer, when I have time to take it with a live human being instead of online. I got hopelessly behind the first week (due to computer technical difficulties) and dropped it.
Everything else, though, I found very engaging, even the potentially boring Introduction to Business. I took my books with me to my job at Case so I could do homework during my 2-hour break there. Don't believe anybody who tells you community colleges give easy A's. I actually worked my butt off, sometimes working on the computer until 1 am (though I have to say less than perfect time management skills have something to do with that).
All of my classes were in subjects I knew next to nothing about, so I couldn't coast much on previous knowledge. I now know all the material in two 500-page textbooks and I've learned how to use Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint. I set a high goal for myself, to ace everything, and got mid- to high-nineties on most of my exams. My last final was Dec. 19th. Tonight, via the MyTri-CSpace site, I learned officially that I got straight A's in everything. It's all the sweeter because I had to work hard for it.
8.03.2007
Soon To Be an Ex-Europe-Virgin
This trip that we've been anticipating for a year is finally almost upon us. In less than 48 hours, we'll be on a plane with only 1 carry-on bag and 1 small daypack each holding everything we'll need for the entire 3 weeks! We haven't even practiced packing yet. That will be tonight and tomorrow's project. I have been carefully considering how I can pare down the volume of what I consider to be essential stuff. We will be doing lots of laundry in sinks so we can pack minimal articles of clothing. The hair dryer, most of my liquid toiletries, and fat, heavy novel from the library aren't going to make the cut.
I'll bring a journal instead, so I can live more fully in the moment and give those memories maximum traction. We will be making room for the guidebook and phrasebook, of course. We will make a shopping trip tonight to get Paul some microfiber boxers (fast drying on the clothesline in the hotel), and maybe a jacket for me for hiking in the Swiss Alps, as everything I have is either too big or not warm enough.
One thing I will make room for, since I am currently clueless about it and need to know how to use it for my algebra class: my new graphing calculator and the book that will help me learn how to use it. I'll either learn something or it will help me sleep on the plane--either way, I win.
I'll bring a journal instead, so I can live more fully in the moment and give those memories maximum traction. We will be making room for the guidebook and phrasebook, of course. We will make a shopping trip tonight to get Paul some microfiber boxers (fast drying on the clothesline in the hotel), and maybe a jacket for me for hiking in the Swiss Alps, as everything I have is either too big or not warm enough.
One thing I will make room for, since I am currently clueless about it and need to know how to use it for my algebra class: my new graphing calculator and the book that will help me learn how to use it. I'll either learn something or it will help me sleep on the plane--either way, I win.
7.24.2007
Yesss!
I went in to take the mathematics assessment test today after a total of 10 days of study/review. It had everything on it from pre-algebra word problems (which I almost aced) through Trigonometry, which left me feeling quite humbled by my absolute cluelessness. But guess what? I placed at the college algebra level (a level above the minimal requirement for my accounting degree), so now I don't have to spend a semester and several hundred dollars of tuition just to catch up to where I should have been. Yay me!
I picked 3 classes from the first semester sequence* and registered and paid online. (Just in time, too--2 of them were already almost filled.) I'll be taking 10 credit hours starting August 27.
*College Algebra (I'll be taking the web-based course), Intro to Business, Business Math Applications
I picked 3 classes from the first semester sequence* and registered and paid online. (Just in time, too--2 of them were already almost filled.) I'll be taking 10 credit hours starting August 27.
*College Algebra (I'll be taking the web-based course), Intro to Business, Business Math Applications
Meltdown
Last Wednesday evening, while Paul was teaching his Aikido class, I opened the algebra book and began reading the definition of a function. It was hot in the room (82 degrees) and a little humid, but I hadn't minded it all day and was enjoying being cheap and saving on air conditioning costs. Now this was pretty abstract stuff and I had to read the paragraph over again. It made even less sense the second time. Oh no, I thought; it seemed I had slammed my intellect against the brick wall of its limitations. (And I had been doing so well until now, too!)
I started breaking a sweat as the words ran together on the page. It was suddenly unbearably hot in there. Then and there I gave up on economizing, slamming the windows shut and moving the AC from "off" to "cool." I couldn't believe how hot I was; I felt a little dizzy, almost feverish, and totally unable to string together a coherent thought. I was actually mopping my face with a hand towel. My entire body was soon soaked, as if I had just finished an intense workout. It lasted about 30 minutes.
I think I had just experienced my first hot flash! I guess no matter what your age, the study of mathematics and hormonal insanity are inextricably linked.
I started breaking a sweat as the words ran together on the page. It was suddenly unbearably hot in there. Then and there I gave up on economizing, slamming the windows shut and moving the AC from "off" to "cool." I couldn't believe how hot I was; I felt a little dizzy, almost feverish, and totally unable to string together a coherent thought. I was actually mopping my face with a hand towel. My entire body was soon soaked, as if I had just finished an intense workout. It lasted about 30 minutes.
I think I had just experienced my first hot flash! I guess no matter what your age, the study of mathematics and hormonal insanity are inextricably linked.
7.18.2007
You Forget a Lot of Math in 26 Years
I've spent the last week
What a difference a few hours of concentrated attention make, especially with a good guidebook that explains it in everyday English with a bit of humor thrown in. I now remember how to do things like graph a linear equation, factor a polynomial, and solve a quadratic inequality. When I have the explanation in front of me, I tend to do very well on the practice problems. My mistakes tend to be arithmetic oversights, like forgetting that one of the numbers was negative, and I am understanding it well enough to realize where I made the mistake.
I think I am well into the Algebra 2 part of the book (only 5 chapters to go) and after I finish the book, I just need to practice. I need to take the test soon (like next week) so I can register for my classes and get all of the pre-enrollment tasks done before we leave for Europe. Classes start the week of August 27 so I'll be hitting the ground running.
Today I went down to the Admissions Office and officially applied. Also, I sent a transcript request form to CIM so they can send Tri-C my transcript from my Bachelor of Music degree. At least the credit from my English class should transfer, although I don't think anything else will.
- futzing around the Tri-C website gathering information--how to apply, assessment test information, class schedules, etc
- sleeping on this some more and finally deciding that, yes, I really do want to do this, not just think about doing it
- realizing that, though I was pretty good at math at age 16, I haven't taken a math class since, and, boy, have I forgotten everything I don't use in my everyday life.
- buying The Complete Idiot's Guide to Algebra and reviewing the first 14 chapters, filling up pages of legal-size paper working out problems and mostly understanding it at least as well as I did before.
What a difference a few hours of concentrated attention make, especially with a good guidebook that explains it in everyday English with a bit of humor thrown in. I now remember how to do things like graph a linear equation, factor a polynomial, and solve a quadratic inequality. When I have the explanation in front of me, I tend to do very well on the practice problems. My mistakes tend to be arithmetic oversights, like forgetting that one of the numbers was negative, and I am understanding it well enough to realize where I made the mistake.
I think I am well into the Algebra 2 part of the book (only 5 chapters to go) and after I finish the book, I just need to practice. I need to take the test soon (like next week) so I can register for my classes and get all of the pre-enrollment tasks done before we leave for Europe. Classes start the week of August 27 so I'll be hitting the ground running.
Today I went down to the Admissions Office and officially applied. Also, I sent a transcript request form to CIM so they can send Tri-C my transcript from my Bachelor of Music degree. At least the credit from my English class should transfer, although I don't think anything else will.
7.08.2007
Doors Closing and Windows Opening
Last week I got my contract paperwork for one of my regular jobs. My stomach flipped unpleasantly when I saw that I was only offered classes 3 days a week instead of 6. I can't say it was a total surprise, since I know there have been financial issues.
This isn't the first time this has happened. In 2000, the Cleveland Ballet folded, everyone lost their jobs, and we found out about it by coming to work one day only to find the doors padlocked and the electricity cut off. That was definitely the worst.
Then in the fall of 2003, I lost a third of my hours at one of my jobs because classes were condensed due to low enrollment (bad economy, fallout from No Child Left Behind, etc.). Now I'm down another 8 hours. At this rate, the next time this happens, there will be no more hours left to cut.
I lost some sleep the first couple of nights, thinking first of all, how am I going to make up that lost income? All of the surviving dance companies in town are so financially lean they can't afford an accompanist. Freelancing (shows, weddings, parties, etc) are a nice supplement but aren't a steady source of income. Yes, I know, I have Paul, but I really need to be doing something more than 22 hours a week. I'm not old enough for this Lady of Leisure lifestyle and won't be for at least another 25+ years. Besides, his job won't be there forever either--once his boss retires, he'll need to find something else, which will probably involve a substantial pay cut. It would be pretty ugly if I have a long-term pay cut at the same time.
I'm starting to think that the career of dance accompanist will become obsolete pretty soon as budget cuts force schools and companies to save money by using CDs for music. And pretty much what's out there as steady jobs for musicians involves teaching. "Why not do that?" I'm sure you're asking. Well, because I hate it. I mean, really hate it. I'd rather go back to school and train to learn how to do something else, that's how much I hate it.
I started thinking about this on Thursday when I was browsing the want ads on cleveland.com. All of the available music-related jobs involved teaching in the schools. I also checked out entry-level general office jobs which could be part-time and make a dent in the lost income, but they really don't have a future. I really don't want to get stuck in that path--I know I could do better than that if I'm willing to take a little risk.
So I thought about other things I like to do that, with some education or training, could become a marketable skill, preferably one that would never become obsolete. I do enjoy anal-retentive detail work, computers, numbers and money, and have an aptitude for all of those things. Just for fun, I went to the Tri-C (our community college) website to see what programs they offer. I looked at the accounting program and actually started getting inspired.
You're probably thinking, that sounds so boring. Some parts probably are. But I'm good with numbers. I've been keeping track of every cent of my own money, income and spending, for almost 14 years straight, because I like to. I like all those graphs and reports in the Money software. If I get an Associates degree in accounting, I could get a job as a bookkeeper while keeping my other music jobs. If I decide I want to later, I could transfer those credits to Cleveland State, get a Bachelors and become a CPA.
I could totally do this. We have savings left even after the Europe trip, including most of my inheritance from Grandma. What better use of it than investing in my future? The whole 2-year program adds up to about $5000 in tuition, so I wouldn't even need loans. And heck, it would be easier to do this now than it would if I were, say 57 years old.
I feel smiled upon by fortune that I've managed to have a 20-year career in my dream job. Most people in the arts never got the lucky breaks I've had, and have had to have "day jobs" to pay the bills. I'm not giving up or anything--my other music jobs are still there. For now. But I'm ready to diversify my marketable skills for the first time in my life, and I find this incredibly energizing.
This isn't the first time this has happened. In 2000, the Cleveland Ballet folded, everyone lost their jobs, and we found out about it by coming to work one day only to find the doors padlocked and the electricity cut off. That was definitely the worst.
Then in the fall of 2003, I lost a third of my hours at one of my jobs because classes were condensed due to low enrollment (bad economy, fallout from No Child Left Behind, etc.). Now I'm down another 8 hours. At this rate, the next time this happens, there will be no more hours left to cut.
I lost some sleep the first couple of nights, thinking first of all, how am I going to make up that lost income? All of the surviving dance companies in town are so financially lean they can't afford an accompanist. Freelancing (shows, weddings, parties, etc) are a nice supplement but aren't a steady source of income. Yes, I know, I have Paul, but I really need to be doing something more than 22 hours a week. I'm not old enough for this Lady of Leisure lifestyle and won't be for at least another 25+ years. Besides, his job won't be there forever either--once his boss retires, he'll need to find something else, which will probably involve a substantial pay cut. It would be pretty ugly if I have a long-term pay cut at the same time.
I'm starting to think that the career of dance accompanist will become obsolete pretty soon as budget cuts force schools and companies to save money by using CDs for music. And pretty much what's out there as steady jobs for musicians involves teaching. "Why not do that?" I'm sure you're asking. Well, because I hate it. I mean, really hate it. I'd rather go back to school and train to learn how to do something else, that's how much I hate it.
I started thinking about this on Thursday when I was browsing the want ads on cleveland.com. All of the available music-related jobs involved teaching in the schools. I also checked out entry-level general office jobs which could be part-time and make a dent in the lost income, but they really don't have a future. I really don't want to get stuck in that path--I know I could do better than that if I'm willing to take a little risk.
So I thought about other things I like to do that, with some education or training, could become a marketable skill, preferably one that would never become obsolete. I do enjoy anal-retentive detail work, computers, numbers and money, and have an aptitude for all of those things. Just for fun, I went to the Tri-C (our community college) website to see what programs they offer. I looked at the accounting program and actually started getting inspired.
You're probably thinking, that sounds so boring. Some parts probably are. But I'm good with numbers. I've been keeping track of every cent of my own money, income and spending, for almost 14 years straight, because I like to. I like all those graphs and reports in the Money software. If I get an Associates degree in accounting, I could get a job as a bookkeeper while keeping my other music jobs. If I decide I want to later, I could transfer those credits to Cleveland State, get a Bachelors and become a CPA.
I could totally do this. We have savings left even after the Europe trip, including most of my inheritance from Grandma. What better use of it than investing in my future? The whole 2-year program adds up to about $5000 in tuition, so I wouldn't even need loans. And heck, it would be easier to do this now than it would if I were, say 57 years old.
I feel smiled upon by fortune that I've managed to have a 20-year career in my dream job. Most people in the arts never got the lucky breaks I've had, and have had to have "day jobs" to pay the bills. I'm not giving up or anything--my other music jobs are still there. For now. But I'm ready to diversify my marketable skills for the first time in my life, and I find this incredibly energizing.
7.02.2007
I Can Finally Post Photos Again!
You've probably noticed that I haven't posted a photo since last year. It's because our stupid IE browser freezes on certain sites, one of which is the photo uploader tool on Blogger. IE has been getting more and more temperamental lately, freezing multiple times a day. I'm afraid our 4-year-old computer is clogged with crap inadvertently downloaded, perhaps through security holes in IE. When Paul's Aikido Journal subscription link became one of the frozen sites, I finally decided to get Firefox (yesterday). Wow, what an improvement!
The computer is still slow. I just finished backing up all our documents and photos in case it dies on us. I'm gonna post some photo highlights from the last few months for your viewing pleasure, now that it's possible again.
From my Christmastime(!) trip to Portland, with Mom
Christmastime, with Paul by our tree
I just realized, I've hardly taken any pictures since Valentine's Day. It's just been one of those years. But I do plan to make up for it this summer, especially on our Europe trip!
The computer is still slow. I just finished backing up all our documents and photos in case it dies on us. I'm gonna post some photo highlights from the last few months for your viewing pleasure, now that it's possible again.
From my Christmastime(!) trip to Portland, with Mom
Christmastime, with Paul by our tree
I just realized, I've hardly taken any pictures since Valentine's Day. It's just been one of those years. But I do plan to make up for it this summer, especially on our Europe trip!
7.01.2007
Successful Debut and a Visit
Last Sat (June 23) was my first time playing through the whole show with the cast--and in front of a paying audience. Can you say adrenaline rush? It was fun anyway, though, and my mess-ups were pretty small. The Actors' Summit folks were, I think, pleasantly surprised that I did so well after only knowing the music for 9 days.
I checked my voicemail on the way home after the show and learned that Gene and Judy Lynch, family friends from Portland, were in the area and would like to meet up with Paul and me and take us out to an early dinner the next day. Unfortunately, Paul was teaching aikido, as usual, and I had a Windsong potluck at 4 pm that day, but they were still able to stop by in the afternoon and we caught up for a couple of hours.
Paul was a real sweetheart and cleaned the first floor of the house that morning since I didn't have time. We should have company more often--the kitchen table still had Christmas cards stacked on it.
I checked my voicemail on the way home after the show and learned that Gene and Judy Lynch, family friends from Portland, were in the area and would like to meet up with Paul and me and take us out to an early dinner the next day. Unfortunately, Paul was teaching aikido, as usual, and I had a Windsong potluck at 4 pm that day, but they were still able to stop by in the afternoon and we caught up for a couple of hours.
Paul was a real sweetheart and cleaned the first floor of the house that morning since I didn't have time. We should have company more often--the kitchen table still had Christmas cards stacked on it.
6.18.2007
Total Immersion
Finally coming up for air. Last Wednesday, I went out to Actors' Summit to play for the directors, which entailed learning the two hardest passages from the show in about 20 minutes to give them a rough idea of how fast I could learn. I liked their energy and we have an easy rapport. I did get the job. I got a copy of the original Broadway cast CD, the piano score, and a contract for one rehearsal this Wednesday night and 11 performances, starting Saturday. Some of the CD recording is different from the score, and whenever it's different we're doing it like the CD.
Starting last Wednesday afternoon, I have been eating, sleeping and breathing this score, practicing up to 4 hours a day, taking breaks every hour to go for a bike ride or do a little yoga, listening to the CD constantly, and writing out the parts that are different in my lazy, music-score-free code that nobody else can read. Most of it I can now play well enough to play along with the CD so I can get used to the vocal parts, cues and tempo changes. It's working. Snippets of the show are now the soundtrack of my subconcious, which means it's sinking in. I still have things to clean up, but now I can play the whole thing (well over an hour of music).
Good thing, too. My first--and only--rehearsal is the day after tomorrow, and I really want to make a good impression and do a good job. I've been really physically tired from this, especially the first 3 days, but also energized. It couldn't have come at a better time in my schedule, as last week was my week off from CSD before the summer session started today, and I would have had nothing to do. I am just not used to that kind of intense practicing, though. I can't do more than 4 hours or the fatigue gets to be too much. My brain can only absorb so much information at a time anyhow. I think without the workouts I would have much less focus and stamina, yet another reason to keep it up.
Today, I went back to work at CSD. It was muggy and hit 95 degrees (our hottest day so far this year), but I still managed two round trips there by bike (I had a 3-hour break between classes) for a total of 16 miles riding. My first ride there, a month ago, took me 26 minutes to get there, and today's second trip took me only 21! (It takes about 12-15 minutes to drive, depending on the traffic.) It still feels strenuous (lots of hills) but it is noticably easier. I like seeing that sort of progress in such a short time.
Starting last Wednesday afternoon, I have been eating, sleeping and breathing this score, practicing up to 4 hours a day, taking breaks every hour to go for a bike ride or do a little yoga, listening to the CD constantly, and writing out the parts that are different in my lazy, music-score-free code that nobody else can read. Most of it I can now play well enough to play along with the CD so I can get used to the vocal parts, cues and tempo changes. It's working. Snippets of the show are now the soundtrack of my subconcious, which means it's sinking in. I still have things to clean up, but now I can play the whole thing (well over an hour of music).
Good thing, too. My first--and only--rehearsal is the day after tomorrow, and I really want to make a good impression and do a good job. I've been really physically tired from this, especially the first 3 days, but also energized. It couldn't have come at a better time in my schedule, as last week was my week off from CSD before the summer session started today, and I would have had nothing to do. I am just not used to that kind of intense practicing, though. I can't do more than 4 hours or the fatigue gets to be too much. My brain can only absorb so much information at a time anyhow. I think without the workouts I would have much less focus and stamina, yet another reason to keep it up.
Today, I went back to work at CSD. It was muggy and hit 95 degrees (our hottest day so far this year), but I still managed two round trips there by bike (I had a 3-hour break between classes) for a total of 16 miles riding. My first ride there, a month ago, took me 26 minutes to get there, and today's second trip took me only 21! (It takes about 12-15 minutes to drive, depending on the traffic.) It still feels strenuous (lots of hills) but it is noticably easier. I like seeing that sort of progress in such a short time.
6.12.2007
Got Myself a New Gig!
My profile listing at www.artistschair.com is finally getting some nibbles after languishing for two years. Last Friday I was selected at random to be the "featured artist of the day", and someone from the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre called the same day to ask if I could play for a production of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I had to decline, unfortunately, because half of the run is during our Europe trip (boo!), but at least I was able to give him the name of another pianist and get on the call list for next summer.
Today, I got an offer from Actors' Summit to sub for 10 performances of The Musical of Musicals from June 23-July 15. If I'm lucky I'll get 10 or so days to learn the music and one rehearsal before being thrown onstage with the actors for a funny, fast-paced hour and 45 minutes in front of a paying audience. Wowie!
Today, I got an offer from Actors' Summit to sub for 10 performances of The Musical of Musicals from June 23-July 15. If I'm lucky I'll get 10 or so days to learn the music and one rehearsal before being thrown onstage with the actors for a funny, fast-paced hour and 45 minutes in front of a paying audience. Wowie!
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