Hits and Misses (May 1-7)

Greetings from Arkansas! Here's a look back at the week that was...

HITS

• The semester is over and ended with lots of successes. My first batch of students faced the piano proficiency exam with a tremendous success rate. It wasn't a 100% pass rate, but I'll definitely take what I got.
• I wasn't able to participate in the Faculty vs. Student softball game on Wednesday afternoon, but I was involved in the festivities that followed. Since I was the big winner in the Egg-a-Thon with over $80 in my bucket, I got to join an elite group of 4 who cracked eggs on our heads. (On Saturday morning, the contributor of the $50 bill in my bucket confessed. I must admit I was rather surprised by the guilty party's identity.) After the party in the park, I was invited to join some of the band students for a barbecue back on campus. Just another great night of laughing together with great people.
• After a long day of driving, I was greeted by some great musical memories as I stepped into an OKC gas station late Saturday night. It immediately put a smile on my face and I sang along to "Thank God, I'm a Country Boy." Jeff, Tara, Power.....and the rest of that AWESOME Songfest group, those two weeks of intense rehearsals in 1994 still rank as one of my favorite and proudest musical moments.

MISSES

• Somehow I pulled a muscle in my back early in the week. This made playing juries and giving performance exams a little more challenging that usual. I was beginning to move like a normal person by Wednesday afternoon, but didn't think trying to play softball would have been a smart decision.
• On Monday evening, I woke late that night and experienced my first nocturnal panic attack. I couldn't breathe and was completely terrified. It took me several hours to calm down in order to get a few hours of sleep. Needless to say, Tuesday was a long and challenging day all around and I still don't know what triggered the attack.
• By the middle of the week, I learned that the offer to work at Interlochen this summer was rescinded. Long story short, two positions were offered to three pianists in an effort to fill them quickly. It's disappointing, but it also frees up my summer.
• An hour into my drive to Arkansas, I was involved in a four car accident as I was entering the ramp onto I-40. I received minor injuries and my car was drivable. Now that I've made it safely home, it appears that the damage to my car may have been more substantial than I first realized. I'm truly thankful for God's protection as I foolishly continued to make the planned drive. Hopefully by the time this post is live, both my car and my body will be in the "shop" to get a thorough check-up.