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I sincerely hope that wasn't sarcasm - I, for one, am getting within a few years of the blessed event too and getting very excited and impatient. It is great to hear from someone who made it to the otherside! Good for you!!

Don

I don't have many literal "LOL" moments on the internet but this was one of them! I get this kind of feedback too, just a little *less* "veiled"... I feel your pain but am glad you see the humor in it too!

Don

My dad once said that "You won't believe how great retirement is." I didn't believe him at the time but now agree and understand. It's the first day of school and the world is new again.

Here's to your own happy dance in the near future,

Julie

!!!
Or maybe ignore her as a teaching moment. Play more. Provide an example that if you want something enough it's important to ignore background noise - such as that caused by kids whining they're "sick of it."

Definitely not sarcasm. I spent many years as a successful project manager in the electrical industry and worked far too many hours and weekends both at home, interstate and overseas. When I finally slowed down and found my passion it was taken away from me. Since starting piano I have found a new passion and now only work an hour or so a day. So no it's not sarcasm just a complete understanding of how you must be feeling.

Mea culpa.

And sympathy for your lost passion. And for being a project manager. I deftly sidestepped that position multiple times and always appreciated anyone willing to sacrifice insane personal time with too much travel.

And now there's piano. More than a passion - a nearly organic limb gone missing for many years and only recently realized. Yes, sometimes life gets better.

.

Probably was some confusion due to using "Yea" -- which is likely to be transliterated as "Yeah, sure, whatever, fine, if you say so, etc." -- vs. "Yay!".


Thanks to all for the nice sentiments re: my daughter, and I'm glad to have made some of you laugh. It is funny (interesting) how much "LOL" is misused!

She has some struggles that I won't detail which mean that it's not all in the age, although that is partly a factor. It would be genuinely distressing to her to deal with something that bothers her that much (one can hear it in the tone of voice vs. simply whining), so I'm not taking the "ignore" or possibly even play more advice. I can see how it would be appropriate though in many/most cases. Actually, that's what I've suggested in past to Cheryl re: her nutty neighbor!


Speaking of Cheryl, JazzyMac -- you've been "taken to the woodshed" by one of the nicest people I've ever known (in an internet sort of way)... That's about as stern as I can recall Casinitaly ever getting, but leavening with a little hug (of sorts) and a pat on the bum to be on your way.

You seem to have taken it well, I'll just pile on and say you're not as bad as you think you are. Or maybe you are... but that's irrelevant. What matters is how you go forward. ABF is a fantastic resource on many different levels for that journey, both technically and emotionally.


My AOTW was to get several hours of practice in on Against All Odds, which is coming together slowly but surely. I even started singing along a bit as well. Might be ready for November recital... maybe.

My kids are both dancers, so they disappear for an entire weekend of dress rehearsals once a year. I play Mabel all I want, as I get to be like a bachelor for a couple days. It was pretty productive this year.

I forgot to congratulate you on your retirement! I'm in that same business and have to work those sorts of hours from time to time... it can be very draining.

Tararex, congrats on the retirement!!! Enjoy having your life to manage as you wish!

TallGuy, it's got to be a bit rough when you know your daughter is being sincere and not just cranky or out of sorts when she asks you not to play. I hope you can find a compromise that works for both of you.

Congrats Terarex, you've earned the time to pursue your passion.

My AOTW is surviving that dismal disappointment of a 90 day trial period with a different teacher. And sooo, I'm again teacher-less but still searching for one, have a solid recommendation from my tuner for a good one over the summer. She has a wait list too. ...we'll see.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, I have made some significant progress in my reading ability, instinctual piano topography (hard to learn this when you're always looking at your hands vs. the music) as well as the pieces I'm currently working on. Haven't been here much lately because it was becoming a big time-suck. No offence intended, but because I just found it interesting to a fault. Lot's of new faces here too.

Anyways, I'm still plugging away with bench time and theory. The journey's long and all the roads aren't paved

JazzyMac, congrats on your first recital. Others have already gone over the many reasons you should cut yourself some slack. I just wanted to add that it WILL get better next year, and each year thereafter. If you go back far enough in this thread you will find me reporting a total train-wreck in my first recital, followed by a little bit better experience each year.

AOTW. Yesterday I played in my fourth recital and had my most positive experience yet. My piece was a transcription of Keith Jarret's solo recording of "Its All in the Game." We had fewer players this year, only about fifteen, so the crowd was a little smaller than usual. I showed up an hour early so I could get in a run through on the venue's piano...actually got a chance to play it through twice before anyone else arrived. Although not quite as good as at home, the play throughs were representative of what I could do. Unlike prior years, I was sort of looking forward to my turn to play...still nervous, but in a much more positive way...I didn't really fear an unknown result. I'd already experienced "disaster" and knew it wasn't so bad as our minds imagine. When my turn came the stiff near-shakiness was not present at all this year. I started off fine, was able to ignore a rude cell phone talker entering the room, had a bobble, ignored that, kept going in stride, and finished strong. Not as good as the play-throughs, not as good as at home, but a decent performance I could feel good about.

It will get better every year, JazzyMac.... and so will your recording efforts. Be patient with yourself and you will see the results.

Wow, JimF, ignoring a cell phone talker is an AOTW all by itself! Congratulations on your recital - this is great news.

Ragdoll - I just read somewhere that one thing to do to help stay vital in to old age was to walk on bumpy roads Helps the balance, I think. I think you look younger already.

Hm. I don't report AOTW's here except once in a blue moon. But I did swallow some hubris and mix in more "accessible music" (as The Musician's Way keeps saying) at a gig, and much of it went well. But I need lessons from JimF about that cell phone user ...

Cathy

This week was very very busy. But before I left on a trip - and three weeks away from my piano - I put my iPad camera on video and played Rach no5 all the way through. I haven't done that in the past few months of 10 min a day practise I've gleaned before morning coffee. It was a great feeling to realize I could actually get all the way through now. I found the 'story' of the piece. Really 'heard' it. Wish I hadn't watched the video though...still a ways to go, though I don't want to play it like Lang Lang - to my mind he storms through it at an incredible pace. Sometimes a break from playing is good so i shall savour sweet thoughts about my return to the keys and hope then that I can do a video I'll want to watch!

Lot's of great AOTWs here! Tararex, you will love retirement. I've been retired for four years now and I still pinch myself to make sure it's not a dream. JazzyMac, think of your recital as "building character" or, What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Seriously, as CAS said, the recital was a valuble learning experience.

Two AOTW for me: (1) I was practicing my scales (quarter note, eighth, triplet, and sixteenth pattern at various metronome settings) last night and my husband piped up that I was much improved. And I was--my summer teacher is making me work on them. Up to now I've neglected scales and arpeggios badly.

(2) a piece that I worked on with my spring teacher and then took up again with my summer teacher (Scarlatti "Aria Sonata" L. 423, K. 32) is sooo much better now. My summer teacher told me how to practice it, bless her, and it worked.

Truth be told, Cathy, my wife had to tell me about it. Apparently a woman walked into the recital right after I started my piece chatting away with a phone to her ear. When every head in the place (except mine, apparently) turned her way glaring she simply turned her back to the room and kept chatting a while longer...then eventually stopped. She was the mother of one of the kids that was playing. Go figure.

Around 1910 Ravel wrote a suite of five piano duets called "Ma mère l'oye" (translates to Mother Goose) which was subtitled "cinq pièces enfantines".

I think Ravel's piano works are generally a bit overlooked. His unique harmonies have a wonderful ethereal quality, similar to Debussy.

Note to Andy Platt: With Debussy and Ravel on my plate this summer, it must be my "French" period!

Well, I do sometimes take my hearing aid out

Cathy

Heh! so true... to say nothing of the rutted and muddy ones, and those pesky dead-ends.

Well ahem, I may not LOOK any younger but piano related progress surely makes me feel younger.

Here's a small one:

My little evaluation piece got praised in lessons for having a singing quality. Evaluation success is not at all certain, but singing tone is my life goal, so it's good to be moving in that direction!