Zůstat plovoucí.

Zůstat plovoucí.
Stay afloat.

It's that time of year again. The semester is coming to a close, projects are mounting, caffeine is pumping through my veins, and a good night sleep is becoming a luxury. There are days I feel like my brain has the consistency of strained squash and it may be in danger of leaking out my ear. I feel skittish and totally unmotivated at the same time.

Several of my student teaching peers have expressed similar feelings. Molly and I were talking about these weird sensations- simultaneous anxiousness and sloth. We have always survived the end of the semester push. It just feels particularly steep this year. I wonder what it affecting so many of us in such an unusual way. Thoughts?

Anyway, I have been trying my best to focus my energy and be a busy, busy bee. This is what I have been up to:

It is t-minus ten days until my student teaching portfolio is due. I have completed 6 out of the 10 artifacts and accompanying essays. Two are currently in some stage of progress, while the other two are on tap for early this week. I have been typing, editing, scanning, video taping, and re-editing like a mad woman.

Check out these examples of student work I am using in my portfolio. It is from the third grade theme and variations unit. The students picked a simple shape as their theme and made three variations on that shape. Like music composition, the students had total freedom of how they chose to vary the shape. The only guideline was the theme needed to recognizable within the variation. The students were so creative- I had a hard time picking which examples to use!

Love the fish!

Circles were a popular theme. I thought this one was particularly well done.

That jack-o-lantern is the best!

Score study, rehearsal plans, more score study, lesson plans, and more score study. I can sing Holst in my sleep. It's not a bad thing.

Attended the American Orff Schulwerk Association conference. It was a phenomenal learning experience. I meet a lot of interesting people, attended some very creative sessions, and picked up some great books. I heart books.

The high school marching band gave a great performance at the holiday parade downtown last week. The late evening rehearsals really paid off. The band sounded fantastic!

Student teaching observation by my university supervisor this week. Need I say more?

The holiday craft fair and breakfast is this coming weekend. The students plan, organize, and run the whole production. It is going to be a very busy, albeit fun, week!

What projects have you been investing your energy in?
Here's to keeping afloat!
Merry Writing!

Goodness!

Oh my, oh my! I cannot believe that it has been nearly three months since my last post. Honestly, I cannot believe that the first quarter of school is over and that Thanksgiving is just around the corner. The past few months have been a whirlwind of activities, projects, lesson plans, private students, performances, and conventions. I have been wearing many, many hats- I love dressing up!

Here I go!

The biggest bonnet I have donned has been that of an elementary teacher. So far student teaching has been a truly positive experience. The first quarter was spent teaching general music at the elementary level. It was a load of work to prepare for seven or eight K-5 classes a day, as well as after school activities, but I found the work to be satisfying. There were days that felt longer than others and less than glamorous moments, however far fewer than I initially expected. I had the opportunity to help young minds develop as creative artists- the process of guiding students through their first composition projects was amazingly fun. So far I learned that K-5 general music is both very demanding and rewarding work, and I can see myself happily teaching at this developmental level.

This week I transitioned to the high school. So far so good. Many new names and faces to learn. I now wear the hat of a conductor and tuba and horn teacher.

My most favorite hat!
Check out Julie Lynn Ivens on Flickr.

Last month Molly and Kelly designed and organized the most amazing event- the Massacreade. It was full of art, music, mischief, and mayhem. The Famous Graves had the pleasure of performing two sold out shows with the Echelon String Quartet, Evan Flynn, and Mr. Zak Larson. Best of all, I got to wear the most amazing feathered hat and fangs.

It was wonderful to catch-up with my blogosphere friends this past week. More adventures to be posted soon. Before January. I promise!

I will be taking a cue from Carmen on Monday (No School!)

What hats have you been wearing as of late?

Extraordinary Inspiration

Sometimes great strokes of inspiration comes from the most fleeting and unexpected moments. It is the little encounter that causes a sparkling of wonderment, reverence, and insight to swirl through our heads. The moment becomes nested in your mind and heart.

I experienced this sensation while working at the summer band camps a few weeks ago.


A fellow instructor and I were walking back from the dining hall to the arts center after a particularly brick-like lunch. We were strolling along on a rather unremarkable stretch of sidewalk we have traveled countless times in the previous weeks. While I was looking up at the graying clouds wondering if it would indeed rain, he was looking along the ground. He scooped up a pine cone and put it to his ear. "Listen," he said. He put the pine cone up to my ear and plucked the spears like an African Kalimba. Different high pitched and woody tones vibrated from each spear. "This is a good pine cone," he said as he gently placed the conifer into his shoulder bag.

My heart stirred.

As I walked back to the dormitories that evening, again looking toward the skies, my mind finally managed to translate the flutterings of my heart:

Look at ordinary things in an extraordinary way.

Truly inspirational.

What moments have inspired you?
Merry writings.

Surfacing

I cannot believe that 6 weeks have passed in such a whirlwind. I feel like I have barely clung on to the surface of the earth! Where has the summer gone? I feel as though it has just flown by, and I have little to show for it- not even a tan!

Our quaint view.

The move was less than smooth. The new apartment had been abused by the previous tenant and needed much attention before it felt like home. Spreading Spackle, sanding, priming, painting, and installing shelving consumed more time than I anticipated. However, our wee space now looks and feels clean, cozy, and well cared for. I will share some before and after pictures in the near future.

This weekend I bought some lovely little succulents to share the window sill with the kitties. So far the little plants have not fallen victim to kitty carnage- perhaps they do not care for the texture? The window is the reason the Muffin and I picked this teeny-tiny apartment (a studio with a 12 x 15 living space). Our sunlight filled window faces south and peers into the side alley shared with an old 3-story home. We have the good fortune of viewing the nearly 3-story tall maple tree that consumes the small back yard. I am curious what color the leaves will turn in the fall. Perhaps my favorite part is when the wind carries in the bright tinkling of our neighbors wind chimes into our home.

Succulents. Yes, those are ceramic donkey planters.
They are from my G-ma. I adore the weirdness of them.

Speaking of sound, the weeks of band camps moved at rocket pace. They were over in the blink of an eye. Middle school week was wonderful- the kids were truly phenomenal. I had a fantastic pair of oboists to coach for the week. They were both sponges- eager to learn, energetic, and open to trying new techniques. Despite the age difference of the two (he was 14 and she was 11), they encouraged and supported each other every day. I wish I could have kept the pair for another week...or always.

The Famous Graves played for the Tuesday recitals both weeks. The students were great to play for, and I had a wonderful time performing. Middle school week served as a great warm up for Gallery Night. As Molly mentioned, I thought we gave a top-notch performance. I am already excited about our next rehearsal and the upcoming recording process.

Postings will be more regular. It feels great to write again and visit all of my blog friends again. Cheers!
Merry makings and writings!

Boxes, boxes...more boxes

Unlike Miss Serena, who is engaging in some divine de-cluttering, I am in the process of making my apartment a swirling-vortex of boxed chaos. Only twelve days until The Muffin and I can begin moving into our new studio, and I am in total amazement of how much Stuff-with-a-capital-S we have managed to accumulate in the nooks and crannies of current abode. Yesterday I began to wade through our storage closet and have already created a healthy pile of items to donate. I am making a point to only keep the things that are needed or loved. No doubt the donation pile will continue to grow!

This is only the begining of the donation pile! Minus the bike- I need my wheels!

While cleaning the closet I stumbled upon an empty wooden wine giftbox that seemed too useful to discard. It has good bones, but the faux-Tuscan decor is not my bag. With the help of a little tacky glue and fun paper, I now have a cute little box for storing my writing and drawing sticks! And- it was a super simple project to boot!

Before

***Tah-dah! *** After!

Merry writings!

Calm After the Storm

In preparation for our move into the studio apartment, the Muffin and I have been attempting to sell some of the furniture we will no longer need on craigslist. I have quickly learned how weird, annoying, or flat out rude people will be via email. Or that people think it is okay to not show up to pick up an item without any attempt to contact me. Obviously my time is not valuable. I digress...

Last evening someone came to view our sofa. She was very polite and, my favorite, very punctual. She was at my door at 6:30 on the dot. However, her 4 year-old son was like a tornado through my apartment. He made himself right at home- the first thing he did was open my refrigerator to "see if we eat different." The cats were another source of amusement, but they are attention gluttons and enjoyed being chased around and having their chins scratched. And then there were the "giant violins" that he had to touch. Actually, I thought it was rather amusing and was trying hard not to giggle because his mother was obviously horrified about everything. She kept simultaneously scolding him and apologizing to me for his behavior, even though I said not to worry. I asked him, "How would you pet a baby chick?" "Very, very careful," he replied. "Although the bass is big, it needs to be handled very carefully. Do you promise to touch it like you would the softest baby chick?" "Oh, yes, yes, yes!" And he did.

Our little visitor tuckered Simandl out.

Shortly after the little tornado left, Muffin returned home from a rehearsal and we sat down for a casual dinner. I like to call these "peasant dinners" because they are simple meal of bread, cheese, fruit, and wine. My favorite part is that it a satisfying meal with really no cooking involved- just a little slicing. We spent the rest of the evening at the table enjoying our meal and the company of each other.

Peasant dinner.

Merry Writing!

Establishing Balance

Last week I managed to do very little...and it was delightful. Most of the week was cloudy, rain spattered, and unseasonably cool- a perfect week to rest and recuperate from a particularly draining school year. Without a trace of guilt, I spent many hours perusing my favorite design blogs, curled up on my sofa reading books, shamelessly cat napping, and hitting up the new thrift store with Molly.

I imagine this is what I would look like if I were cute, furry & living in Costa Rica.

Sunday was a gorgeous day- perfect for spending the day tinkering in my parents' gardens. It was a rather productive day, with much digging in the dirt, moving rocks, potting, and transplanting. The fragrance of the freshly overturned soil and new blooms was intoxicating, and it was ridiculously fun getting really dirty! Also, I now sport the most fantastic garden glove tan.

Sunday ushered in the end of my sloth-session. It is time to get the proverbial gears moving and make good use of the weeks ahead. I have organized my students and have set the summer oboe lesson schedule. I have also established some personal practice goals, both oboe and bass-wise. My temple deserves much more attention than I have given it these past months. Regular yoga practice (I am as flexible as a light pole right now) will be paired with weekly running goals. I plan to log 16 miles this week, and I already have 4 down! Also, I have a little list of projects to do, books to read, and small trips to make.


I have always felt like this time of the year is a much better time of the year to take stock of oneself and set some personal resolutions than the middle of winter. Nature is unfolding with new growth all around us- why not join in? Ultimately, my goal for the summer is to nurture my physical, intellectual, and creative self. I am lucky to have the summer to rejuvenate, and plan to make the most of it. However, I also want to avoid over scheduling myself or stressing out over meeting my mini-goals. What is the point of that? It is summer! If it is a gorgeous day that deserves to be spent at the lake, I certainly will sacrifice a little reading or practicing to splash in the water.

Do you set goals for the summer?
Merry Writing!