...For the Whole Family
Sunday afternoon, Jared and I got to go for a walk By Ourselves. This is like a twice-a-year deal. We were at his parents' house and Anne was napping in bed. So off we went. And we got to talk about all kinds of things, grown-up things, and we hadn't seen each other in a week, so there was plenty to discuss. And then Sunday evening we drove back to Seattle, and Anne fell asleep halfway there, so we got to talk more. One thing we talked about was that Jared would like to get more sleep.
Jared wakes easily and frequently and can't sleep in in the mornings. Anne is also easily awakened like her father (she still asks for milk in the night at 22 months.) Anne and I sleep in quite well in the mornings, but our late nights aren't working for Jared. Also, there's the cat issue. Black Bean comes to wake Jared up in the night asking for food. The food issue is complicated. BB can only eat canned food, because of his missing teeth. Nutmeg and Feathers are supposed to be on a diet of low-fat dry food, and Nutmeg in particular needs to lose a lot of weight. The complicating factors are: 1) Nutmeg ONLY wants to eat the higher-calorie canned food, and if it's out she will boot BB from the bowl and eat it herself, and 2) BB barfs if he isn't able to eat quite frequently.
On our trip to Texas, Anne and I managed to switch over the central time for the week, which meant that our first night back in Oregon, Anne fell asleep in the Ergo on a walk at 7:30 pm, and I was exhausted and asleep in bed by 8:30. Not our usual night-owl selves.
On a side note, I sleep just fine when we've gone camping, going to bed with the sun and getting up with the sun. So I think my night-owlishness must be more that I'm very susceptible to light at night rather than in the morning (when I can often sleep in bright conditions). So one thing I need to do is cut out screen time at night. All my emails need to happen in the morning...
So we came up with a new sleep plan that we're trying.
8:00 - Anne's clean up time
8:15 - Anne's bath, clean the cat boxes, brush teeth, feed the girl's their dry food, fill water bottles, put on pajamas, shut down computer...
8:45 - Shut Feathers and Nutmeg into the piano room for the night with a litter box, blanket, water, catnip toy, and the window cracked open. Leave BB in the rest of the apartment (minus our bedroom) with a BIG BOWL of FOOD. Humans depart for the bedroom and do our Bible reading.
9:00 - Lights out
Reports on our successes so far:
Sunday night, Anne went to sleep about 8:15 in the car. Parents got to bed around 10:30 after we got home and unpacked. Anne woke an untold number of times in the night with congestion.
Monday night my 8:30 student cancelled, so we got to bed about 9:30, which wasn't too shabby, but not in line with our plan. Black Bean must not have had enough food left out, because he woke up Jared four or five times.
Tuesday night went better, although Anne was awake a lot in the night and seemed to have a fever for a while.
Anyway, I'm pretty excited. Although I'm not into going to bed early myself... I am excited that Jared and I talked about something and came up with a plan. I am excited to make a change in our lives, because I seem to need those every now and again so I don't get stuck in a rut. And I am excited that we might be able to find a way for Jared to feel energetic and not tired.
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Sunday, February 22, 2015
Presidents Week
...and I don't think I probably mentioned one president all week. Oops.
Jared and I had the week off from teaching on account of the aforementioned week, so Anne and I headed to Texas for two reasons specifically: 1) It was my mom's birthday, and 2) It was the last chance I had to fly with Anne as a lap infant, meaning free ticket. Upon our return to the PNW (Pacific Northwest), I posted this on my facebook:
It's the end of an era - Anne has taken her last plane trip as a lap infant. I'm sad, because 1) where has my baby gone? and 2) now I will have to buy her a full-price ticket for travel. But we got a taste of the future on our Austin to Phoenix leg when a gentleman with an empty seat next to him asked to trade with us, and Anne had her own seat for the trip. It was amazing!!!! I could get used to this.
On the Phonix to Portland leg we flew over the Grand Canyon and we had a window seat. Wow!
Anyway the details of flight are neither here nor there.
In the lovely Hill Country of Central Texas we saw piles of relatives - good to catch up and remember together. We also spent a couple of lovely and refreshing hours in the San Antonio suburbs with two wonderful ladies, who are my friends, along with most of their children.
The thing I wanted most to write about for your edification was last Sunday, February 15th. On that day, I attended my 'ancestral' church in the morning, and attended the memorial service of the Reverend Keith Wright in the same location in the afternoon.
I want you to go read the obituary from the Austin-American Statesman right now:
Now that you're back, I'll mention three other things:
1) He and I were birthday buddies, both born on August 20th, although he arrived forty-nine years before me.
2) When my family returned to Austin after living in Illinois and New Jersey for a few years, my parents visited a few churches other than the 'ancestral' church where my mom grew up, my grandparents were members, and where my parents met. One Sunday, we visited Faith Presbyterian Church and met the pastor, Keith, for the first time. Later that day, my brother was born. He had some immediate health complications and surgeries; Keith showed up at the hospital and sat with my parents for four of those difficult hours.
3) Jared always liked hearing Keith pray when we were down visiting, because his prayers for people were so genuine and were clearly born out of tremendous experience in loving other people in all walks of life.
Jared and I had the week off from teaching on account of the aforementioned week, so Anne and I headed to Texas for two reasons specifically: 1) It was my mom's birthday, and 2) It was the last chance I had to fly with Anne as a lap infant, meaning free ticket. Upon our return to the PNW (Pacific Northwest), I posted this on my facebook:
It's the end of an era - Anne has taken her last plane trip as a lap infant. I'm sad, because 1) where has my baby gone? and 2) now I will have to buy her a full-price ticket for travel. But we got a taste of the future on our Austin to Phoenix leg when a gentleman with an empty seat next to him asked to trade with us, and Anne had her own seat for the trip. It was amazing!!!! I could get used to this.
On the Phonix to Portland leg we flew over the Grand Canyon and we had a window seat. Wow!
Anyway the details of flight are neither here nor there.
In the lovely Hill Country of Central Texas we saw piles of relatives - good to catch up and remember together. We also spent a couple of lovely and refreshing hours in the San Antonio suburbs with two wonderful ladies, who are my friends, along with most of their children.
The thing I wanted most to write about for your edification was last Sunday, February 15th. On that day, I attended my 'ancestral' church in the morning, and attended the memorial service of the Reverend Keith Wright in the same location in the afternoon.
I want you to go read the obituary from the Austin-American Statesman right now:
Now that you're back, I'll mention three other things:
1) He and I were birthday buddies, both born on August 20th, although he arrived forty-nine years before me.
2) When my family returned to Austin after living in Illinois and New Jersey for a few years, my parents visited a few churches other than the 'ancestral' church where my mom grew up, my grandparents were members, and where my parents met. One Sunday, we visited Faith Presbyterian Church and met the pastor, Keith, for the first time. Later that day, my brother was born. He had some immediate health complications and surgeries; Keith showed up at the hospital and sat with my parents for four of those difficult hours.
3) Jared always liked hearing Keith pray when we were down visiting, because his prayers for people were so genuine and were clearly born out of tremendous experience in loving other people in all walks of life.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Reality Show: Rode #2
I haven't recorded Rode Caprice #1, so you didn't miss anything. I just jumped right into #2, because I always liked it. I diverged from the Bach a bit, but I'm working on prepping Bach G Minor, 3rd movement, so you'll get that next recording you've been dying (!) for. If you're my mom, you'll notice that so far I've only recorded things I learned about twenty years ago. There's a reason for that. They're easier to pull back when you're super out of shape than newer stuff.
But before you hear the Rode, you get a super cute clip of Anne. She's been watching my new pre-Twinkle group in Gig Harbor, which consists of two little girls, ages four and five. She requested a foot chart this week, and spontaneously started practicing Coin on Hand for Square of the Arm (page 171 in Ed Sprunger's book Building Violin Skills.)
The Rode is not as technically perfect as I might like, due to my lack of practicing it, but at least it is interesting in an interpretive sense.
But before you hear the Rode, you get a super cute clip of Anne. She's been watching my new pre-Twinkle group in Gig Harbor, which consists of two little girls, ages four and five. She requested a foot chart this week, and spontaneously started practicing Coin on Hand for Square of the Arm (page 171 in Ed Sprunger's book Building Violin Skills.)
The Rode is not as technically perfect as I might like, due to my lack of practicing it, but at least it is interesting in an interpretive sense.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Musical Chairs
Last night I went to hear one of my absolute favorites, Christian Tetzlaff, play the Beethoven Concerto with the Seattle Symphony. Originally I was slated to attend with three other individuals. However, one of them had a dress rehearsal for a concert, one of them got shipped off to Houston, Texas and Dallas, Texas for work, and the other got shipped off to El Paso, Texas for work. So I went by my lonesome.
An interesting older man bought the empty seat next to me created by Jared's absence. He used to be a season ticket holder, but now he just comes whenever he wants and buys a ticket at the box office. If he likes the program when he comes on Thursday he can come again on Saturday. When he found out I was a violinist, he had several questions for me about violin technique.
So about Teztlaff's Beethoven, it was stunning. He pushed the boundaries of the violin while plumbing the depths of Beethoven's musical soul. The performance exuded intense integrity and extreme risk taking all at once. His technical mastery was unbelievable, and it was always in the service of the music. The forty-five minutes of the concerto were far too short.
This afternoon we have a big studio recital in Auburn. We have over thirty performers. Thursday evening we have another studio recital in Tacoma - only seventeen performers, but some longer pieces on average. Then, next weekend Anne and I head off to Dripping Springs, Texas to spend the Presidents' Week break with my family. How many different Texas airports can I and my fellow non-concert-goers utilize in one week? Hehe.
Friday morning I was awake around 4:00 and pondering some solutions to teaching problems. Like how can I help K loosen up her left thumb? By changing the angle of contact? How can I influence some of my students to practice more than 15 minutes a day? How can I create something a little bit competitive that would spur them into action without shaming them and fostering a spirit of cooperation? How can I help A transfer the athletic left finger action from the trill exercise to everything so that she will no longer experience thumb pain? Etc.
And one of my questions was how can I help U have enough release in her bow arm so that her upbows match the speed and length of her downbows? Some of what she's already practicing will lead her there, but we need just a few more nutrients. So I invented an exercise for her. But what five-year-old wants another exercise? So I wrote a piece for her, because I wanted the exercise to be as motivating and musical as possible while accomplishing its goals.
At this point I got out of bed, because I was on a roll, and I didn't want to loose all the new ideas I was coming up with. So I wrote out a list on an envelope (and later in the morning wrote out the tune on staff paper.) Then I was hungry so I ate a banana. Then I figured since I was up and didn't have to be watching Anne I would do my Bible study. And after that I read most of two articles I'd been eyeing in our latest National Geographic. And then a little voice from the bedroom said, "Mama, milk?" So back to bed I went. And back to sleep, too.
So the piece I wrote for my student - she plays the open E's: four pairs down-up, and then four pairs up-down. She will have two parameters to notice - did she start at the edge of the bow's "yard" on the first note? - and did she stay in the bow's yard during both notes? And then we'll plug it into the piece. She plays the E's and I play the other notes - a little musical conversation. It will be good rhythm and listening practice for her, too. I recorded it so she can practice with it at home. YouTube is an amazing tool. You can hear it, too:
An interesting older man bought the empty seat next to me created by Jared's absence. He used to be a season ticket holder, but now he just comes whenever he wants and buys a ticket at the box office. If he likes the program when he comes on Thursday he can come again on Saturday. When he found out I was a violinist, he had several questions for me about violin technique.
So about Teztlaff's Beethoven, it was stunning. He pushed the boundaries of the violin while plumbing the depths of Beethoven's musical soul. The performance exuded intense integrity and extreme risk taking all at once. His technical mastery was unbelievable, and it was always in the service of the music. The forty-five minutes of the concerto were far too short.
This afternoon we have a big studio recital in Auburn. We have over thirty performers. Thursday evening we have another studio recital in Tacoma - only seventeen performers, but some longer pieces on average. Then, next weekend Anne and I head off to Dripping Springs, Texas to spend the Presidents' Week break with my family. How many different Texas airports can I and my fellow non-concert-goers utilize in one week? Hehe.
Friday morning I was awake around 4:00 and pondering some solutions to teaching problems. Like how can I help K loosen up her left thumb? By changing the angle of contact? How can I influence some of my students to practice more than 15 minutes a day? How can I create something a little bit competitive that would spur them into action without shaming them and fostering a spirit of cooperation? How can I help A transfer the athletic left finger action from the trill exercise to everything so that she will no longer experience thumb pain? Etc.
And one of my questions was how can I help U have enough release in her bow arm so that her upbows match the speed and length of her downbows? Some of what she's already practicing will lead her there, but we need just a few more nutrients. So I invented an exercise for her. But what five-year-old wants another exercise? So I wrote a piece for her, because I wanted the exercise to be as motivating and musical as possible while accomplishing its goals.
At this point I got out of bed, because I was on a roll, and I didn't want to loose all the new ideas I was coming up with. So I wrote out a list on an envelope (and later in the morning wrote out the tune on staff paper.) Then I was hungry so I ate a banana. Then I figured since I was up and didn't have to be watching Anne I would do my Bible study. And after that I read most of two articles I'd been eyeing in our latest National Geographic. And then a little voice from the bedroom said, "Mama, milk?" So back to bed I went. And back to sleep, too.
So the piece I wrote for my student - she plays the open E's: four pairs down-up, and then four pairs up-down. She will have two parameters to notice - did she start at the edge of the bow's "yard" on the first note? - and did she stay in the bow's yard during both notes? And then we'll plug it into the piece. She plays the E's and I play the other notes - a little musical conversation. It will be good rhythm and listening practice for her, too. I recorded it so she can practice with it at home. YouTube is an amazing tool. You can hear it, too:
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Acrostic
Yesterday morning I stayed in bed long after I woke up on the theory that Anne would keep sleeping if I were right next to her. She needed the sleep. And the theory panned out; she slept in! While I was lying there, I ran through a little devotional exercise, which was quite interesting - to think of words about God for each letter of the alphabet. I ran through it several times and came up with different things each time. Here's a version for this moment:
Amazing, Absolute, Almighty
Before all, Beautiful, Bread of Life, Brother
Christ, Creator, Counselor, Compassionate
Divine
Eternal, Everlasting
Faithful and True, Father
Good, Gracious
Healer, Holy
Immanuel - God with us, Invisible, Indivisible
Jesus, Just
King of Kings, Kind
Love, Lord of Lords, Life, Light
Marvelous, Majestic, Merciful, Mother hen
Never sinning, Never failing
Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent
Prince of Peace
Quick to forgive
Rock, Root, Regal
Savior, Spirit, Sovereign
Truth, Tender
Unwavering
Very God
Way, living Water
eXample
Yearns for his people
Zealous for good deeds
Amazing, Absolute, Almighty
Before all, Beautiful, Bread of Life, Brother
Christ, Creator, Counselor, Compassionate
Divine
Eternal, Everlasting
Faithful and True, Father
Good, Gracious
Healer, Holy
Immanuel - God with us, Invisible, Indivisible
Jesus, Just
King of Kings, Kind
Love, Lord of Lords, Life, Light
Marvelous, Majestic, Merciful, Mother hen
Never sinning, Never failing
Omnipotent, Omniscient, Omnipresent
Prince of Peace
Quick to forgive
Rock, Root, Regal
Savior, Spirit, Sovereign
Truth, Tender
Unwavering
Very God
Way, living Water
eXample
Yearns for his people
Zealous for good deeds
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