Hits & Misses (April 2-8, 2017)

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

HITS

• What a fulfilling week of music making! Weeks like this remind me of why I have spent my life pursuing this career. On Tuesday, I performed with WBU's Symphonic Band. Earlier that afternoon and again on Wednesday morning, I had the good fortune to hear the choirs from Estacado Middle School here in Plainview under the direction of Chris Kirby. Those kids are making some really beautiful sounds! Thursday took me to Lubbock to hear four young pianists at the Talkington School for Young Women Leaders. These young ladies are preparing to compete in the state level of the UIL solo piano competition this summer and are quite gifted. I look forward to getting to make a return trip to Talkington in the near future to hear how they have continued to improve their pieces. To round out the week, on Saturday afternoon, I rehearsed with the ladies choir from Coronado Middle School in Plainview and played for the closing ceremonies of the local Relay for Life event. So much music in so many different venues with vastly different audiences. Have I mentioned how much I love being a pianist?
• I also got to hear an incredible concert. On Saturday evening, WBU's choirs joined forces with students from Lubbock Christian University. I can say with certainty that this was one of the best performances I have ever attended in my life. The quality of sound and overall musicianship of all involved was astounding and comparable to the very best professional ensembles around. I was mesmerized throughout the entire concert. So proud of what our students accomplished.
• In the midst of all the work, there was time for fun. Thursday night's doughnut night was especially needed this week -- by students and faculty alike. It was nice to just relax together for a little while and enjoy a slower pace. I spent Friday evening with some of my colleagues and their children. What was planned to be a night of cards turned into a much needed evening of conversation, laughter and relaxation. It's such a blessing to work in a place where my colleagues are like family to me....and that we all enjoy spending time together outside of the office when we can. I don't take that for granted at all because I've also witnessed what it's like when the opposite is true. 

 

MISSES

• The week was full of rehearsals! Voice students are preparing for preliminary juries this week. (Actually they are really late midterms, but that's a whole different story.) As a result, my calendar was filled with students who needed a little extra coaching as they prepared for the exam. Some were behind schedule because there had been cancelled lessons throughout the semester for various reasons beyond their control. Understandable! Some just needed a reminder that they are prepared. Super! Others have not applied themselves to personal practice on a regular basis and suddenly find themselves in crisis mode. Frustrating! I tried to be supportive throughout the week while also giving honest assessments of where each one was and what needed to happen in the days ahead. The next few days will tell the tale.
• Nothing is worse than realizing you forgot to put an appointment in your calendar. I had scheduled something tentatively for late in the week, but failed to mark it on my calendar. I assumed it would be finalized quickly. As the crazy week continued, I forgot about the commitment and scheduled other things during that open slot. I had to do some quick shuffling of the schedule when the original appointment was finalized and I realized that I was double booked. Every thing worked out, but I had a few scary moments there as I tried to juggle things around.
• Birds hate me! The longer I am in Plainview, the more I realize that we have been overrun with birds. I never remember what these "creatures" are actually called, but they are noisy and messy! To make matters worse, the tree outside my apartment is home to these annoying winged beasts, so they wake me with their call every morning......as they leave their "gifts" on the hood of my car. I washed the car on Friday afternoon and intentionally parked a little closer to the street than usual to try to keep my car out of the line of fire. These birdies decided to show me who was boss though. I went out later that evening to find one of them standing on the hood of my car.....you guessed it.....taking care of business! Really? I can't win!

That Was an Adventure

Tuesdays are typically pretty ordinary days. Mornings are spent teaching classes before spending the afternoon dashing between voice lessons and rehearsals. Yesterday was anything but normal.....and quite an adventure.

The morning began as usual with a small group of piano students preparing for the final portion of their piano proficiency. Now that we have passed the section that is arguably the most challenging, the students were relaxed and ready to work on the task at hand. The remainder of the morning's classes had been cancelled late last week, but the reasoning for the cancellation had changed significantly.

Originally, I was scheduled to visit with the students at Estacado Middle School to help them prepare for an upcoming UIL choral competition. Over the weekend, I received the sad news that a member of the church's congregation had passed away and I was asked to play for the service on Tuesday morning. After rescheduling the middle school rehearsal, I was able to participate in this beautiful "home-going" service for Pat Allen. I have never been terribly comfortable playing for funerals. (Is anyone, really?) However, I thought this might be a different circumstance since I had not been acquainted with the family very long and had not built a strong connection. I was definitely wrong; I found myself sitting at the piano wiping away tears (Who moved the box of Kleenex at a time like this?!?!) as I listened to the stories of love, life, and faith shared by those who knew Mrs. Allen best. The family had asked that I play a prelude with hymns of my choice. That's a fairly standard request and something I can do without preparation quite easily. The other portion of their request caught me by surprise -- they asked that I perform Marilyn Ham's arrangement of "Great is Thy Faithfulness" in the middle of the service after a brief slideshow of family photographs. I'm happy to play the hymn at the drop of a hat. It's been in my repertoire since I was a teen and I can pull it up very easily. In my mind, the arrangement seemed so out of place though. I mean, it is lovely, but as it reaches the climax, it becomes so big and majestic. Was it appropriate for a funeral? Shouldn't the music be somber and reflective? I remained perplexed about the upcoming performance as the memorial service began, but my mind was quickly set at ease. It was obvious that this was to be a time of celebration of a life well-lived and of the faithfulness of Pat's Heavenly Father who had carried her through challenging times. So I played to express the confidence and hope the family had in the unchanging faithfulness of God.

After the funeral, I briefly returned to campus for a final rehearsal before the Symphonic Band's performance that evening. Rehearsal was uneventful. Now it was time to head to Estacado for the first portion of rehearsals. The afternoon's choir consisted entirely of pre-teen boys. This should be boisterous and interesting to say the least!

 How did I get involved with playing with the Middle School choir? Earlier this semester, I was contacted by two WBU alumni who needed an accompanist for competition. Since I wasn't busy at the moment, I agreed and thought it would be a great way to begin building personal relationships with these musicians I didn't know very well. When I entered Chris Kirby's classroom, my expectations were actually quite low. How much can a person really do with a bunch of 12-year-old boys? As the boys filed into the room, I knew I was definitely on an adventure. They were loud. There was activity everywhere and Chris initially struck me as such a meek man. How would he manage to gain control? Then he opened his mouth to begin his class....and wow, did these kids respond! Sure, there were the typical disruptions that you would expect from this age group when a visitor was in the room. But I was greeted with warm sounds and attention to musical details that brought the simple arrangements to life and was a highlight of the afternoon.

 As though the day had not been interesting enough, I had one final engagement. I performed with the WBU Symphonic Band. This was not my first experience in this setting. I had played in instrumental ensembles at Pepperdine and Union as well as playing with the WBU Band on tour earlier this semester. What made this performance different was the fact that I was not just an ensemble member -- for the first time in my career, I would appear on stage as a featured soloist. The piece was John Barnes Chance's Introduction and Capriccio for piano and 24 winds. I was experiencing so many emotions backstage as the concert began. Would my energy level hold up after the weekend's illness? Had I prepared well enough? Was the performance going to be well received? Would they like me? I found myself wishing my family members were in the audience -- that's becoming a recurring theme these days --  and suddenly found a calm mind as I recalled performances that they had experienced with me over the years -- the good, the bad, and the awful ones! The evening's performance went quite well. I was very pleased with how I played personally and received good comments from the audience. After the concert, students invited me to join them for dessert. How tired was I after this long, adventurous day? You be the judge.....I'll just give you this bit of information....I turned down an opportunity to satisfy my sweet tooth so I could go home and crawl in bed!

Hits and Misses - the return

It's been a while since I've stopped long enough to post to my blog. Life got busy. I lost inspiration for writing. Blogging became a chore rather than a release. I didn't need a job....I needed an outlet. Now I'm giving it a go once again. I make no promises about the frequency of posts or their quality. I'm simply trying to feel my way back into writing again. One thing that I consistently enjoyed (when I had time to write) were these weekly posts....so here's a look back at the week that was.... HITS

• The week featured several performances. I was happy with my playing during the Music Achievement Awards early in the week, but as things went on, my playing went downhill. (More on that later....)
• Got to spend the entire weekend lounging around my apartment. Enjoyed watching movies and getting some much needed rest. Didn't like the reason I had to stay around, but the end result was perfect.

MISSES

• I've been experiencing some arm pain this week. It's not uncommon when I do too much playing without allowing adequate time for rest. I do it to myself -- I know -- but sometimes there are responsibilities that cannot be avoided. Thankfully a few days of rest completely away from the piano combined with some anti-inflammatory drugs and arm braces have gotten me back to normal at the end of the weekend.
• Since I've been pushing myself so hard for so long, I found myself horribly sick all weekend. That's the reason I didn't -- er, couldn't -- leave the apartment. I think it was a small bug that was exasperated by fatigue. Over the weekend, I spent nearly 35 hours in bed. I think it's clear that what was desperately needed was some sleep. Here's to trying to make sure I don't get in that situation again in the near future.

 And there you have it....my first post after a long absence! Hope you have a good week and that we see each other again soon as we continue Livin' Life.

 

Hits & Misses (Jan 1-7)

I suppose it's better to post late than not to post at all. So here's a look back at the week that was....

HITS

• I enjoyed the last few days of vacation in the Geriatric Ward. It was great to get to have some deep conversations that needed to happen. I'm blessed to have parents that love me unconditionally and want nothing but the best for me.
• Meetings were not too painful and I managed to get ready for the semester before my next HIT happened.
• On Friday, I left Plainview behind (again!) for La-La Land. I was honored to witness John & Michelle exchange marriage vows. After the wedding, I spent the rest of the weekend with Jeff and Paul. So much laughter! I don't suppose I often admit to myself how important these relationships are to me that have weathered many years and have witnessed the best and worst times of my life. Few people know me quite like these two brothers do....and I'm a better person because of their influence. Glad we're already intentionally planning our next gathering.

MISSES

• As I loaded up my car on Monday evening, I had to pretend that I didn't see the tears in my Dad's eyes. As the Geriatrics get older, it gets more difficult to live so far away. I find myself torn because I really love my work, but also feel a perpetual pull back to Arkansas. God knows what the future holds....and I'm just gonna trust Him.
• My body is not built for cold weather! On Thursday night we experienced a wind chill of -2! When I climbed out of bed on Friday, there was snow on the ground. All of those years in Southern California spoiled me!
• Because of the snow, I had to change my departing airport. That cost me a little more than I would have liked, but in the end, it's just money....

Hits & Misses (Dec 25-31)

Dear Reader, I have returned from my holiday break. It was a much needed respite that I enjoyed very much. And I'm ready to begin sharing my thoughts with you once again. Rather than attempting to catch you up on every detail, here's a look back at the week that was......

HITS

• Christmas Day was a joy in the Geriatric Ward. The entire family gathered around the table and shared the day together. Despite the occasional moments of extreme loudness (which have become a huge challenge for me in recent years), I enjoyed being surrounded by family on this most special day.
• I upgraded my phone -- something that had been long overdue. Now that my device could support it, I enjoyed several days with Spotify Premium services. I'm loving the music without the commercial interruptions.
• As the year came to a close, one of the local PBS affiliates aired a marathon of Downton Abbey. I fell in love with the series when it first aired. The marathon was a wonderful way to revisit some of my favorite characters and stories. I didn't watch the entire series again -- I needed some sleep, after all -- but I did watch a large number of episodes over the three day event.

MISSES

• I hate making returns! It's not that I am unappreciative of the gifts. I just despise having to walk in the store, make new selections, and try to get all of the math to work. This year's trip was fairly painless at least.
• As the year drew to an end, I knew that my time at home was also ending. So I found myself fighting the blues. Truthfully, I simply miss my family while in Texas. Things will get better in a few weeks as the semester gets into full swing. I think it would be much easier if I had memories with the Geriatrics in Plainview to draw on, but it doesn't appear as though that will happen any time soon.
• The crazy weather hasn't helped my mood either. I don't know if I need sweaters or shorts for December in Arkansas. It's wreaked havoc on my sinuses in the process.
• I get irritated when I have to listen to uninformed people passing judgment on others. When they pronounce their solutions to situations that they truly have no reason to comment on, they simply display their ignorance for all to see. Truthfully, it's just embarrassing and made worse because they have no concept of just how foolish they appear.

Hits and Misses (December 11-17)

This week's post comes a day later than usual, but can you blame me? I'm on vacation! So here's a look back at the week that was.....

HITS

• Finals are over! It's so nice to have grades submitted and ready to enjoy a little though too short downtime.
• The last week in Plainview featured some great music. Things started with a nice recital by one of the local piano studios. Student juries brought excellent performances by most. The PSO jazz concert on Thursday was great fun.
• As snow moved into west Texas on Saturday afternoon, I wasn't certain that I would be able to make it out. I was thankful that I only fought the storm for an hour or so. Once I was ahead of the snow, I put the pedal down and made my way home. Really thankful for safe travels.

MISSES

• I don't enjoy the dead days that come with the end of the semester. I found myself having completed my work, but too tired mentally and emotionally to dive into new projects.
• I love having time to watch TV, but this week it was a nuisance. I simply wanted to jump in the car and head home. That was the only thing on my mind.

Now that I'm home, I've decided to take a break from blogging for a while. I need to rest and find fresh inspiration for my writing. I plan to return to Livin' Life in the new year. ~Kennith

Hits and Misses (Dec 4-10)

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

HITS

• The piano students from the Talkington School in Lubbock came for their second annual visit this week. With a year under our belts, we were a little more prepared and a lot more organized. I enjoyed getting to explore careers in music with the middle school and high school students just as much as hearing them play. What a wonderful day that will hopefully lead to more recruits in the future.
• It's easy to forget just how much I miss family dinners. After choir rehearsal on Wednesday, I headed to a local restaurant and was soon greeted by a family from my church. They invited me to sit with them. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know them better as we laughed together and shared stories. Family time is certainly not something to take for granted.
• Classes for the semester are over! You cannot fully understand how happy I am to say that -- and I know the students are as well. I can't fully put my finger on the reason, but this has been a challenging term that I'm ready to see in the rear view mirror!
• With the end of classes comes a little more time to sit at home. That means I'm watching more Christmas movies -- yep, I'm one of those people! -- and that's getting the holiday season rolling for me. Let the holidays begin!

MISSES

• My back has decided to give me fits this week. According to my chiropractor, the problem is in the L4-L5 region. That's causing pain in my right hip as well as traveling down my leg. Getting in the car and in bed has been interesting. My back is finally feeling better, but my leg and hip seem to be getting worse. I'll admit that I'm starting to get a little worried about things and plan to have a serious conversation with my doctor in the morning.
• The pain has led to some restless nights. I can't lie on my right side at all. This is a problem because I only sleep on my back when I'm sick. I suppose my brain subconsciously associates back sleeping with poor rest. All I know is that I'm ready to feel normal again...and fast!
• The pain forced me to pull the ice pack out of the freezer for the first time in several months. That is a good thing....but it also reminds me how much I hate icing my back (as well as my shoulders, neck, and arms). The ice pack suggests I need to slow down, but that's just not possible at the moment.