I’ve had so much fun with my piano, learning and relearning Christmas songs. In this book
My fav is
I’m going to work on these songs just one more week. Then I’ll do a ‘warts and all’ recording before retiring them to wait at least 250 days.
I’m going to miss these.
Though energy, hands, and back have stopped much practice on violin, uke, and even recorder, I hope to get it back. That and other yarn projects will have to wait for the healing.
I have enjoyed the heck out of playing Christmas songs some new, some old favorites from my childhood lessons. I realized in 5 days I will have to bundle them up with notes for next year. I plan to get more serious about scales, arpeggios, improvisations, and dare I dare, composing? It’s a lifelong dream. If not now then when?
Duolingo continues to keep my brain working. I usually do it while I ride at least 5 miles or over 30 minutes on my stationary bike. Now on level 2 rather than 1. Yay, that’s some improvement.
Dare I call it a habit that I started morning bed yoga? This morning my whole spine crackled. I’m hoping it was for good and not evil. I haven’t hurt anymore than usual so, maybe it’s good, eh?
I’m enjoying my music.
And there are times I feel my inner child do this:
Sadly, my NaNoWriMo stalled. Holding the laptop hurts, my eyes couldn’t focus, yeah, the changing barometric pressure affects a lot for me. So I changed goals from 50k, to 25k, and finally to 10k. Today I have 9,642, so I think I’ll meet that goal tomorrow.
So nothing is near finished–except the dragon. But happy progress is happening.
Nothing is finished. The weather has made my favorite things uncomfortable if not downright pain. But progress goes slow. One second spent on projects you feel passionate about is still progress! So here are some things still moving forward.
And prayers for the safety of my adult kids driving over the river and through the woods, or some such. Weather will be rain/snow, etc. I’m worried but can’t wait to see everyone!
My ‘practice’ journals and hobby journals are helping my progress. I’m finding myself wanting to play longer and more often on my instruments. Even the violin. I’m still trying to figure out tightening and loosening and rosining the bow.
Now NaNoWriMo. I’m three days behind. I hope to catch up but I am enjoying the story.
Journaling my many hobbies has helped a lot in a lot of ways. But some things are hard to quantify. Or know of ways to talk about. Outside of pictures my yarn crafts just grow or are frogged back. The diamond painting doesn’t reflect well in journals either.
Then there’s the boring things like stationary bike time/distances which doesn’t change much. Duolingo has its own goals and rewards so I don’t journal. Although… Maybe it’s time to take notes and keep track of new vocabulary?
The piano journal is helping a lot! If I read the notes from my last run of a piece I see the problem spots. If it’s a big problem I start there then play the song. I’m beginning to love my piano time. That’s worthy of a FINALLY!
Oh, and my violin journal is freaking out with successes. No, I’m not ready for Carnegy, but full tunes. Not feeling like hiding the instrument in the closet is PROGRESS!
That’s probably enough for now.
Oh, NaNo is started but I need to get another 800 words before bed. I have no title or know where it’s heading. Best get busy!
My other projects are holding their own. Not much progress. I can announce that yesterday I managed my 5 miles in 30 minutes on my stationary bike. Today, though, I just managed 15 minutes. My body is still not up to par.
Which brings me to plans. And possible roadblocks.
When the beach is finished I’m setting up an office. Diamond Painting will need to be put away for a while. I want to start recording my books, podcasting, and writing, and, well, preparing for NaNoWriMo.
Except for Stream of Consciousness Saturday, I have at least three book reviews to write. I feel I need to get at those and get ahead.
Ugh! What I’ve been putting off saying since I typed the title: today my husband tested positive for COVID. We don’t know how or where he caught it but, um, I’m worried. Our home is too small to do much distancing. My brother and son can keep their distance. But hubby and I share a bedroom. We sit about three feet apart in the living room. So…
Maybe I won’t catch it. I am enjoying my schedule of musical instruments, Duolingo, stationary bike, crafts, etc.
So hoping and praying for the best. And my husband’s health. We are 4 shots into the vaccination. So…
In the music realm, my violin is moving SO SLOW! I figured out I was over resining the bow. This is where a live teacher would have helped a lot. Getting my lessons via YouTube can be risky. But I can now squeakily play Twinkle, Twinkle (ABCD…), and Mary Had A Little Lamb, and started Jingle Bells. Nothing sounds like music. The positioning of violin and bow are still awkward. The instrument seems to hold tuning well, now that I’ve figured it out.
Ah, but, wrap me in plastic and kill me Dexter! This theme song that I picked up from MusicNotes has been tough!!! It looks easy. But not for me. I don’t usually have to listen to the song to get it. Thank goodness MusicNotes has a track to listen to. Even so, I couldn’t get the way it was written. I have finally memorized the beginning.
But midway, there is another section that sends me to a ‘nice cup of tea.’ Okay, let me explain. No. I can’t. Here:
Again. Short spurts. Still very slow. AND I do ‘air playing’ nearly 24/7 I find myself working on it in my sleep.
Thankfully, Succession Theme is recognizable. It’s fun to play the whole piano! Lots of ledger lines or octave lines to reach out for.
Speaking of
Piano time!
Besides finishing The End of Alzheimer’s (see previous post) these are things I’m working on this week.
Musically, I’m beginning to recognize The Dexter Theme. It has been hard as how it’s written is a little hard to interpret. After I get the basics I may rewrite it to the way I hear it on the show.
Succession, title song from the show. I didn’t much like the show, but I loved the music. I’ve finally played all the way to the end. It’s certainly not ready for anyone’s ears. Still it’s fun as I get to play the whole piano, less than an octave from either end. It’s cool!
Since the smoke causes my throat to hurt a bit I haven’t been playing the recorders, just in case it’s more than smoke irritation.
Enya, my ukulele, is getting easier. The B flat minor has been the toughie. But it sounded fine a couple times this week. I’m beginning to pay faster and smoother and having fun.
Violin! Whoa, what a challenge! I’ve barely gotten beyond tuning and putting resin on the bow. But I can finally say I’ve played Twinkle, Twinkle a few times now. My eyes get tired looking up the strings to my fingers. But I think that is good for my lazy eye and tracking issues. So I’ll take my time and learn.
I rarely report on my Duolingo, but it is such habit for me to pick up my phone and do a Duolingo 5 minutes here or there. In fact, it has joined me as I ride the stationary bike. It works when I’m just riding slowly but I have to put my phone down to get cardio.
Our weather is getting chilly. Though we get smoke from other places we’ve had huge rains lately that seem to help clear the air a bit. As of next Monday we will have a low in the upper 30s. I think we will welcome an early Fall.
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 100 books for the 2013 Reading Challenge! 115 of 100 (115%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 225 books for the 2012 Reading Challenge! 225 of 225 (100%)
Congrats! You have completed your goal of reading 200 books for the 2011 Reading Challenge! 204 of 200 (102%)
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