Hits and Misses (April 3-9)

Here's a look back at the week that was.....

HITS

• This week had more meetings than normal for some reason. Fortunately, they were my favorite kind of meetings -- productive ones! There are some exciting things coming that are going to be very fun to be a part of.....here we go!
• As the week came to a close, I was able to return to my normal reading routine. I had to put the 6th installment of the Harry Potter series down for a while. Things were just too crazy recently and I never felt like I had time to invest in the book. So I'm reading something a little more "academic" at the moment: When Books Went to War by Molly Manning. It's a fascinating look at the movement to supply WWII soldiers with books while they were serving our nation's military. It's definitely a departure from my normal selections, but I'm enjoying learning more about this interesting period of history.
• It's always rewarding to encounter inquisitive students. Questions have ranged from approaches to playing contemporary praise choruses to my feelings about the compositions of Ned Rorem. These unexpected questions are part of the reason I enjoy teaching so much! The encounters with students also keep me young (or feeling young, at least).

MISSES

• It has been another long, busy week. I've done a lot of playing in the past 5 days and my body can definitely tell it. I keep telling myself that the insanity will only last for a few more weeks before I can enjoy the more relaxed pace of summer vacation.
• Part of the playing this week has involved doing several rehearsals with ensembles that are preparing for upcoming performances. I don't play for these groups most of the time, so I found myself doing some last minute sight reading that demanded some big sounds. I'm not sure that other pianists feel the same way, but I find that these situations are more strenuous than normal performances because I've not had time to fully prepare my body and mind. In an effort to get around as best as I can, I sometimes use less-than-ideal movements.....and that can lead to problems when it happens too often. On Thursday afternoon, I was in my third of these sessions this week when I began to experience pain in my right hand. You can imagine that this stressed me out! Part of the problem was my own fault -- there had been absolutely no time to warm up that day. (I went directly from class to administering exams that ended just before the additional rehearsal.) The other issue was the demands placed on my hands for the past few weeks. There really hasn't been much downtime to allow my hands to rest. As the rehearsal continued, I was massaging the sore area while evaluating the playing that needed to occur for the rest of the day. I survived the day no worse for wear. I finally attributed the pain to a severe muscle cramp, but I still wanted to take it easy for a few days. I was able to cancel much of the playing scheduled for the rest of the week and intentionally planned my weekend away from the piano. I'll be keeping an eye on things in the coming days and will schedule a visit with a doctor if the problems persist.

Here We Go Again

"History has a way of repeating itself." Have you ever heard that phrase? It's part of the reason we encourage students to study history. We hope to make a better future by avoiding yesterday's mistakes.

But what about our personal story? I'm realizing another truth these days...."His story has a way of repeating itself." I'm amazed that things that have caused me pain, hurt, and frustration in the past have a way of rearing their ugly heads just as my heart and spirit are finally beginning to heal. And that just causes more questions to swirl through my head. Is there something about me that attracts this pain? Have I failed to learn an important lesson somehow? Is there something wrong with me?

Before you get the wrong idea, I'm not in desperation. I'm going to be okay. I'm just too soft hearted and can be deeply hurt by insensitive people. (If you are wondering if you've hurt my feelings recently, I assure you the answer is "No." Trust me on that one. I'm confident that the guilty party is not reading my blog posts.) I'm just finding myself experiencing a little deja vu and the old injuries are starting to be painful again.

When I had finally had enough of the pain and betrayal the first time, I promised myself I would never permit anyone to make me feel like this again. The temptation in my current situation is to tuck tail, run, and leave the aggressor behind. At the moment, I think that's too easy of a solution though....and that's the outcome the jerk is hoping for! As much as I hate to accept it, I think this is one of those times where I simply have to stand my ground and let the chips fall where they may. In the end, truth will prevail and the manipulation will be seen for what it is. Besides, there are too many good things in my life now to let the actions of one thoughtless, hurtful person rain on my parade.

So I'm hitching up my pants, straightening my back, and digging in for the long haul. History may be repeating itself, but the difference this time is me. I'm choosing to respond in a different way and trusting that the outcome will ultimately be a good one for me.

 

Hits and Misses (March 27 - April 2)

Here's a look back at the week that was.....

HITS

• Easter Sunday was beautiful! The music portion of the service went really well and Pastor Jason's sermon was encouraging and powerful. The rest of the day was spent resting and reflecting.
• Since Monday was a school holiday -- another perk of working for a Christian school -- I was able to get to H&R Block to complete my tax returns. I was worried that this would be another year of huge checks going to the IRS. I was pleased to see that when I took into account my refund (!) and the filing fees to HRB, I was down less than $50. With my history, I'll definitely take that outcome without complaint!
• The week included some beautiful music making. I accompanied 10 students for the Music Achievement Award competition on Tuesday night. The fun continued on Thursday in the first Recital Hour of the semester and ended on Friday morning with a successful recital hearing.
• Big Weekend has come and gone. I heard several potential students and really enjoyed accompanying a few of the singers.
• After a long and tough Friday, some of the faculty gathered for dinner. The food, the laughter, and the fun was exactly what the doctor ordered! It was just more proof that I work with an amazing group of people that I genuinely enjoy spending time with. Thanks for the hospitality, Scott.

MISSES

• This four-day work week has been exhausting. MAAs, piano proficiency exams, recital hour, Big Weekend auditions, voice master class, and 3 recital hearings on top of the normal stuff led to a very tired Kennith.
• I missed spending time in the kitchen this week. I've had far too much fast food for my liking.

The Most Hated Season

The most hated season of the year is here. It's not Spring's budding flowers that is creating my pain. It's not even the sneeze-inducing pollen that is causing me such distress. It's tax season!

Few tasks create more frustration in me than gathering tiny pieces of paper in order to detail the money I have spent during a 12-month span of time. Money has been held out of my paycheck which I will never see again. Now I'm forced to prove that I don't need to send more of my money to the Federal government. Apparently, since I am a single man who has struggled to piece together a living, I should send every remaining cent to a faraway office. Does this process really need to be this complex? Do other nations require such detailed accounting by their citizens? At this point, I'm finding myself more and more in favor of a flat tax across the board!

I've spent enough time complaining about tax season now. I have to get back to work and get these returns completed. After all, I only have a few more weeks to make sense of all of this insanity!

Hits and Misses (March 20-26)

Here's a look back at the week that was.....

HITS

• A four day work week because of the Easter holiday is never a bad thing. It felt great to sleep until 9am on Friday morning and just lazily lounge around my apartment for the rest of the morning.
• I've made a point to return home each day this week for my lunch break. It was nice to casually sit quietly at home after making a sandwich and just let my mind rest. I sometimes forget how special it is to physically leave campus for a few minutes in the middle of the day. It's not always possible to slip away, but I definitely enjoy it when I can.
• There's been a lot more laughter in my world this week. I think it has been a combination of everyone dealing with stress as well as realizing that exciting days are ahead. It doesn't hurt that the overall mood in the department is very positive and students and faculty really enjoy being together.

MISSES

• I hate having my time wasted. Whether it is due to someone standing me up for an appointment or a perpetually unprepared student arriving for lessons 15 minutes late, wasting my time is the easiest way to irritate me. I'm still learning how to best use these small, unexpected scraps of time, but the planner in me fights against the change to my daily agenda.
• West Texas wind storms are no joke! I had my first experience with the gusting winds on Wednesday. I learned that doors become quite heavy when there is a 45 mph wind blowing against them. I have developed the acquired taste for blowing dust. I accepted the fact that no amount of hairspray will keep things in place in these gales. I quickly realized that these winds will be respected.
• I don't enjoy waiting. I am waiting for responses to several inquiries I've made in the past week. I know that answers will eventually come. I also know that I'm impatient. I want an answer now so I can move to plan B if necessary. I want to schedule my life now! Alas, I'll just have to keep waiting....and hoping.....and waiting. I guess waiting is all part of the learning process.

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Easter Memories

One of the many perks of working in a Christian university is enjoying a holiday weekend in celebration of Easter. I have lots of things I want to accomplish during this long weekend, but none is more important than pausing to reflect on Christ's sacrifice and victory -- and the life I now live because of it.

On this Good Friday morning, I find myself reflecting on a simple truth expressed by the apostle John as well as Christian songwriters Ronnie Hinson and Mike Payne.

"Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down His life for His friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you." (John 15:13-14, NASB)

He knew me, yet He loved me;
He whose glory makes the Heavens shine.
So unworthy of such mercy,
Yet when He was on the cross, I was on His mind. 

(When He Was on the Cross, 1984)

Have a blessed Easter, y'all!

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What Once Was Lost....

I've had a proclivity for losing things lately. This should not be surprising. I'm notorious for putting things in safe places only to forget where I put them. I've lost passports, birth certificates, library books.....you get the idea. Somehow I've managed to hold on to all of my devices without too much trouble. I thought that had all changed this week.

Since I just returned home from a road trip, I haven't cleaned out my car yet. What can I say? It's a bachelor-mobile! On Monday, I was running lots of errands between lessons and rehearsals. At one point that afternoon, I turned to use my cell phone only to realize that it wasn't there! I panicked momentarily before I convinced myself I had just left it in the car. When my phone wasn't in its usual place in the car, I assumed I had left it at home when I was there for lunch.

After work, I drove home to find an empty couch! Now I was frantic. I cannot survive without my phone! It keeps me connected to the world. I crawl in the floor and check under the couch. I walk to my parking spot, hoping it had fallen on the ground. I look under the seats of the car. I drive back to the bank I visited earlier in the day to check the lot there.

As I begin to accept that my phone is gone, I visit the local Sprint store to switch over my plan and get a new phone. Now that I know what Sprint will need in order to keep my current number, I return to the phone and hit the hands-free button on the steering wheel by accident. The system comes to life and informs me that my device is connected! My phone is not lost, but I have no idea where it is....and the battery is extremely low. This is not happening!

I call the Geriatric Ward and tell them what is happening. Once I get to the school parking lot, I'll have them call my phone and hopefully I'll be able to find it as it vibrates. After a few moments, Mom calls and I hear my beautiful ring tone! The phone had fallen into a massive abyss between the bucket seat and the arm rest. What is even more funny is that I found another lost device --- that I have searched for in 3 states since December! I'm not sure if this is a sign of a perpetually messy car or the early onset of recurring senior moments. Either way, "what was once lost has now been found."

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