Hits and Misses (September 22-28)

This has been a week that I'm ready to put behind me.

HITS

• The week started out on a high note with a visit to First Baptist Church in Marion, Arkansas. I enjoyed the worship and an inspiring message from the Word. I definitely plan to visit again.
• Even though I wish it had been under different circumstances, I am thankful to have gotten positive results from tests run at the emergency room on Wednesday night.

MISSES

• You guessed it! At the top of my list of misses is a trip to the ER. My primary physician was out of town this week, so I had to visit a Nurse Practitioner on Wednesday afternoon since I was feeling bad. What started as a rather normal visit quickly morphed into a discussion of my cardiac health. As a precaution, the NP ordered an EKG. The test came back fine, but she suggested that it was entirely possible that the EKG might not reveal the entire truth. In other words, SHE FREAKED ME OUT! That evening while trying to go to bed, I began to experience pain in my neck and arms. My parents and I arrived at the ER at midnight. Another EKG was performed as well as blood work. The doctor confirmed that there was nothing in the tests to suggest there was a problem; based upon my description of the pain and its locations, he was leaning toward an injury to a neck muscle that was pulling on the chest muscles and arms. He sent me home with a mid-level pain pill and instructions to visit my primary doctor early next week. (Of course, I was told to come back if I had any other problems.) 
• While I'm thankful to know that the problem is not with my heart and that I've not been in much pain at all, I am still frustrated that I don't really know what the problem is. That's par for the course when you are uninsured. 
• Completing health insurance applications is entirely too complicated! Am I the only one who doesn't have thorough documentation of my entire health history? It seems to me that it would be much easier (and more accurate) to have files from my primary physician forwarded to the insurance company. I don't suppose that creates enough red tape though.

Injustice

Few things get my dander up more than witnessing injustice. I'm not even talking about the horrible "big" things that we see on national news. I hate to see someone treated unfairly because they are low man on the totem pole or because they have no one to fight for them. I've been the victim before and know how awful it feels. I guess that's why I'm willing to make some noise when I see it happening.

One of my students is facing some unfairness right now. Let's call it what it is...injustice. In order to insure his privacy, I won't disclose any of the details of the situation. I will say that things that were assured to him by the school have not been provided. These are not luxuries either; they are essential services necessary for his success. The student asked if I had any insight into the situation or could offer ideas that might get his phone calls returned by the negligent office. I was in a furor! The student was following the protocol he had been given, but was seeing no results. He didn't know how to fight any further.

Despite some students' opinions to the contrary, I am always an advocate for students who are legitimately attempting to succeed. I told my student that I didn't have the answer, but that I could certainly raise the issue to appropriate parties until we got something done. I've been dealing with this situation for a week now. It's not necessarily how I planned to spend my week, but it has been the right thing to do. I'm just hoping that the right will prevail in this situation soon so this tender student can have the materials he needs before the semester reaches its mid-point.

Hits and Misses (September 15-21)

It's been a wild and busy week! Whew....I'm glad that one is over.  Here are some of the highlights.

HITS

• One of the worst parts of my decision to leave my church position earlier this summer was not worshipping with my family on a weekly basis. On Sunday, Mom and Dad joined me at First Assembly, West Memphis. It was nice to sit with them and worship our Creator together. 
• This week has seen a couple of new seasons arrive in my world. The new season of Dancing with the Stars is always some fun television. This season's cast promises to be quite good.  On a more serious note, the Memphis Symphony Orchestra launched its 61st season on Saturday evening at the Cannon Center. It was a long program (I'll share more about that over on Collaborations later this week), but definitely a nice start to a strong season. I'm looking forward to the next concert in a few weeks.
• I've had a great week at the piano. It has been thrilling to get started on some beautiful repertoire (which is always a blessing.....sometimes you feel as though you are just wading through sludge) and it was especially nice to leave the week behind knowing that I have done some superior playing. It's always nice to hear from others that you have played well, but there's no substitute for knowing within yourself that you left everything at the piano and gave an outstanding performance (even if it was just in a coaching session)!
• Feedback is so important. It's how we know what needs to be improved or what we're doing right. As a teacher, some of my best feedback comes from my students. This week, I received positive, unsolicited feedback from students in all three of my courses. Some reaffirmed what I already knew while other statements gave me courage to press on in some new adventures. 
• Since it's been a crazy week, I took the time to look ahead to Fall Break and make some travel plans. I'll be taking my normal trip to southern California in a few weeks. I'm looking forward to smelling the ocean air and seeing the beauty of God's creation, but I'm most excited to visit with some dear friends while meeting some new people. I'm counting down the days already!

MISSES

• Just when I thought I had seen it all in school, I had a student and her boyfriend try to intimidate me this week. It was actually a rather scary situation (though my direct supervisor suggests otherwise!) and not something I hope to repeat anytime soon. I stayed calm and didn't let my fear show too much. It just reaffirms my resolve to get out of this horrible teaching situation as soon as possible.
• Another work related rant is in order. I understand a policy that states there is to be no food or drink in a classroom. It makes sense. I assumed (wrongly) that the intent of the law -- no consumption in the classroom -- was the focus rather than the letter of the law. My error was made clear when the faculty received an email stating that food -- whether stored or not -- was to be in the classroom. Why is this such an issue for me? Well.....I pack a lunch daily and do not have an office on campus. It makes sense to me to carry the bag into the classroom with me, store it under a table, and grab it on the way out. This policy is just another reminder that the administration is more concerned about rules than developing policies that meet the needs of all of their staff. Grrrrr!
• This has been the week for poor service as well. I went to Cracker Barrel with my parents on Sunday for breakfast after early service. It took forever to get a waitress to take our order. When she did, we waited another 25 minutes for salty eggs and bacon and watched as she bumped my dad's shoulder, spilling his coffee. Her comment? I'll bring you another cup when I get a chance. Later in the week, I stopped to check the rates at a hotel chain and was given an incredibly rude reply. Even though the hotel was clean and the rate was quite good, there is no chance on God's green earth that I would ever suggest someone stay there.
• While judging a talent show for a local school district this week, I was appalled to see third grade boys bumping and grinding while grabbing their crotches. What made the situation even more insane was that the children were permitted to return to the stage later for another performance! My fellow judges and I were expecting the worst; I was even more shocked to hear one of the latest praise and worship songs sung by the kids. Yet the Church as a whole wonders why it seems we are losing our effectiveness with the world? When filth and worship come from the same mouth, there's not much difference that's obvious to those who need to hear.
• I'm not complaining about my busy schedule.  I'm really not. I have missed having relaxing evenings to read and blog regularly though. Now that I'm seeing what a wild schedule feels like again, I'm attempting to fit both activities into my routine again.  It's just going to take a little readjustment.

There you have it!  Time to let the week that was go and look forward to the week ahead. Let the adventure begin!

Busy, Busy, Busy

As I come to the end of a very busy week, I think the following quote from Dominic Monaghan (probably best known for his role as Charlie on Lost) is very fitting.

I've got a hectic schedule, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

That sums it up perfectly at the moment.  I'll see you next week.....when I hope to have a little more time to devote to writing.  

Natural Inquisitiveness

I am an inquisitive person by nature. I enjoy learning new things. There's no specific rhyme or reason to what will grab my attention. Sometimes my interest lies in familiar fields like music, theology, and education. Other times see my interests moving into philosophy and basic mechanics. I know that I'll never become a master of everything, but my curiosity drives me forward; my mind is ravenous for new information.

My curiosity keeps me active and keeps my mind sharp. It leads me to new areas of exploration that I never imagined. I find answers in books mostly, but my searches have also lead me to film, observation, and conversation with wiser (often more mature) people.

What's gotten me thinking about inquisitiveness today? I'm disturbed by a general lack of curiosity in many of today's students. Rarely do I see students pursuing information for personal knowledge; they are focused on obtaining only the essential information to pass the test. The material for the test had better be handed to them on a silver platter as well. The interest, desire, and ability to think abstractly is on the verge of being lost by many of today's students. 

It's a dire situation, in my opinion. What's the solution? That's the problem....the solution is not simple. Until students value education and the development of learning skills, no amount of creative teaching or finely crafted lesson plans will make a significant difference. I will be the first to agree that inventive, creative teaching can be the seed that begins to germinate into a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. Once the seed of inquisitiveness is sown, however, it is necessary that the learner feed it regularly until it develops into a thriving curious plant.

I'm accepting the fact that I can lead the proverbial horses given to my care to the waters of education and information. I can't force them to drink. As an educator, that continues to be one of my greatest challenges. My belief that the waters of knowledge are the best thing for the young mind is what causes me to lead them daily back with the hope that at some point they will pause at the source and drink in deeply. Once you've tasted the power of learning, it's unquenchable.

Hits and Misses (September 9-14)

HITS

• I love starting the week out with great music! I decided to make time to work on some solo repertoire and pulled out the Beethoven sonata in F minor (Op. 2, No. 1). I really do love this piece and enjoyed getting to start brushing the cobwebs off of it again.
• A benefit of working in a college music department is having access to the Naxos Music Library. I've listened to some great recordings of the Beethoven sonata this week as well as works by Brahms, Copland, and Hindemith. It's been a useful tool to get to know some music I wasn't so familiar with and I'm looking forward to listening some more this week.
• I am blessed with some wonderful friends! It is such a wonderful thing to sit with friends when I'm not feeling well and have their laughter lift my spirit and mood. It's true that laughter is the best medicine. I've been feeling much better this week......and have just a few more days of antibiotics to complete this round.
• Our family reunion was a success.  We were thrilled to have 21 family members join us for lunch, laughter, and love. It's sad that we don't see each other more often, but I was pleased that Mom saw that we can do things like this without too much expense or stress and that everyone here enjoyed themselves. She's already beginning to think about when to do it again and what she wants to serve. (Heaven, help us!)

MISSES

• I hate to have poor lighting indoors. It makes so many things difficult. The light in my bedroom blew on Friday morning and the only replacement bulb we had in the house was a 60 watt. Things are so dark right now that I can barely accomplish anything at all. I'm doing all of my reading in the floor of the piano room until I get a higher watt bulb.
• Combine poor lighting with a disorganized closet and you get my other major problem of the week:  I can't distinguish between blue and black slacks! It has gotten so bad that I'm putting on a pair of pants, walking outside to determine their color, and then selecting a shirt that matches. No wonder I wear khaki pants most of the time. I'm looking for a solution, but haven't settled on anything that will be easy to maintain.
• Confusion in the workplace can turn the tide of any day. Last week, I received an email that I was in danger of missing a deadline. When I replied that I had submitted the paperwork the week before, I was told that the sender recognized the mistake as soon as the email was sent. Rather than correcting the error, it was decided to just let it slide. Grrr!  More emails followed that sent me on wild goose chases and showed that there is still confusion about my office hours. I try to avoid confusion at all cost and communicate clearly. Sometimes people just don't understand despite our best efforts.
• There's no feeling quite like watching a 3-inch binder full of music slip out of your hands and land on the ground. Music spilled everywhere and the top ring of the binder no longer lines up correctly. Thankfully the pages stayed in order, so I only had to put them back in the binder. With holes that don't always correspond, that task was easier said than done.....now I just need to grab another binder from the office supply store so things won't hang on the top ring. 
• After the reunion was finished and everything was returned to normal, the battle with the mosquitos began. In the span of roughly 4 hours, I have killed over 10 of the critters in the living room and have the whelps on my arms and feet to prove it. 

There you have it! Another week in the books. Now it's on to another week of excitement without the plans for a family reunion. We'll just have to see what the upcoming week holds in store.

Time to Make the Donuts!

It has been an incredibly busy week. I've taught 11 hours of various classes, sat in nearly 10 hours of voice lessons and 2 hours of opera workshop. I've logged a lot of miles driving and put in some personal practice time as well. The good news is that I'm loving every minute of it. This is truly what I was created to do!

Normally at this time in the week, I am looking forward to a weekend to rest my body and mind. Today I'm just getting ready to change hats for the weekend. My mother has invited her family to our house tomorrow for a family reunion. This is important to Mom, so this afternoon I'll leave behind my roles as educator and musician and take on the job of party planner.

Every time I start to feel like I'm meeting myself going and coming, I'm reminded of this classic commercial.   I hope it brings a smile to your face as you begin your weekend of rest (hopefully).