Today, while practicing, I had an "aha!" moment regarding my concertmaster job. I've been in that seat for five years now, and I finally feel like I've grown into it ( Read more... )

Today started when Thomas (the cat) woke me up, as per usual, by meowing and shaking my bedroom door until I came out to feed him. Then, while my mom slept another hour or so (wearing earplugs) I cleaned the litterbox, did laundry, washed pumpkin pie/bread-making dishes from last night, vacuumed, and fed myself. Once Mom was up and doing her ( Read more... )

Since I bought my house, many of my friends have inflated my ego by complimenting my taste in interior design. I have always kind of looked at them like, "Um, thanks, but really I didn't put that much thought into it." But you know what? I think I really do have a philosophy about homemaking.

1. Only have things you can/honestly will take care ( Read more... )

When I was little, the only violinist whose photo I clipped from a magazine and taped to my bedroom wall was Corey Cerovsek.  He's Canadian, 7 years older than me, and finished his doctoral work in both music and math when he was 16 ( Read more... )

When I'm traveling a lot (like right now, in Tulsa for three nights, then Fort Smith for a day, home for two days, and in Fort Smith for four days...) it's difficult to maintain the "real exercise five days a week" schedule that I've set for myself.  What helps, especially if I'm not at a hotel with a gym, is carrying workout DVDs with me ( Read more... )

So lately I've been driving a lot.  2000 miles this month, in fact.  It's all for work, which is nice, but it still gets tedious unless I think of ways to entertain myself.

(Or unless I'm in the middle of nasty, awful thunderstorms... which is the case about half the time, anyway!)

Sometimes, however, I just get to sit back and the entertainment ( Read more... )

The good news is that on or around Sep. 30, I will have $4850 in paychecks for rehearsals and performances this month, not counting teaching income that will arrive at the beginning of October ( Read more... )

"Annemarie once met a happily married couple who made jewelry and traveled the nation in a dented microbus, selling their wares on street corners.  They had no permanent address whatsoever, no traditions, no family.  They told Annemarie they never celebrated holidays.

And then on the other hand there are the Navarretes next door with their little ( Read more... )

This week is my trial week as concertmaster of the Lawton Phil.  If it goes well, or at least better than the next two concertmaster trials (different people -- it's competitive) I will know by next year whether I get the seat.

I'm agitated enough (over Lawton!!!) that I could barely sleep last night.

My only reassurance is that last time I sat ( Read more... )

Last night, David and I went to see Oscar d'Leon (a world-famous salsero of the caliber of Hector LaVoe and Celia Cruz) at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Tulsa.  It was a big deal, as dates go, because it was to be the first time we'd go out while I was wearing makeup.  (Hey, I'm willing to do almost anything once!  Quarterly, even, if the experiment is ( Read more... )