Practicing

Wow... A lot has happened since I last posted. And I mean a lot. But this is (mainly) a blog about music and not a blog where I tell my life story (although I do tell some stories because lets face it, music is an immensely important part of my life). So let's get to the post.

I just finished practicing my flute for an hour. In the old days, this wouldn't have been notable at all-- I frequently practiced for an hour or more, almost every day. But now, I'm a senior in high school, a drum major and band teacher's assistant, my piano lessons are more intense and require more practice than ever, I have homework, and I was writing college essays nonstop back in September. In short, I have a lot going on. So tonight was the first time in a very long time that I had actually practiced for an hour straight. In light of this monumental event, I decided to write a post to share the tips and tricks I've figured out about practicing.

I've finally just accepted the fact that I hate practicing at school. Even though my school has nice practice rooms with sound-dampening pads on the walls and a piano in three out of four of them, I don't like practicing there unless I really need to work something out or warm up before a lesson. It's not that I'm insecure, although it can be a bit unnerving to have other people walking by or in the other practice rooms where I know they can hear me. I just don't like being isolated from whatever is happening out in the band room, because that's usually where all my friends are and I don't want to be left out. That's just a minor reason, though-- the main reason why I don't like practicing at school is because as a TA and a music librarian, I have so many responsibilities in the band room, especially where organization is concerned, that I feel like I'm shirking those responsibilities if I practice at school.
So I practice at home. This can be dangerous, though, because I'm more likely to procrastinate and subsequently decide not to practice, favoring the comfort of my couch instead. However, my practice sessions at home are sometimes more productive, when my family doesn't interrupt me. Usually, I need it pretty quiet in order to focus on what I need to do.
I've also found that sometimes, it's helpful to practice when there are other things going on in my house. For example, if my dad is listening to music downstairs, it provides (ironically) a soundtrack for my practicing, that is, the muffled tunes I hear from downstairs energize and inspire me, either to accomplish my own epic musical feats, play along, or to cover up what I'm hearing if I don't like it.

So ultimately, my perfect practice environment changes from day to day, and really what it comes down to is the head game I have to play with myself every time I'm trying to motivate myself to practice. I've been pretty good about practicing for at least 20-30 minutes every day, but I definitely need to do more. It's an ongoing process, I suppose.

Finally!

Hello, everyone! I'm pretty proud of myself, because after almost a year, I've finally finished the posting challenge! Even though it was supposed to be done in 15 days... Oh well... :)

Anyway, I just thought I'd let you know some of my ideas for what I'll post next. These are just ideas now; I'll have to see if any of them are worth writing about, but anyway:

1. The time we played pep band for an NBA game
2. The time we moved a Christmas tree (more interesting than it sounds, I promise)
3. The Music Librarians' Code (based on the Warrior Code from the Warriors series by Erin Hunter)

That third one reminds me of some news I have. As I may or may not have mentioned, I am a music librarian for the band at my high school. I am the only music librarian for the band at my high school. I've been a bit worried about this, because I'm going to graduate in a little over a year, and before last week, I didn't have an apprentice to take over after I'm gone. But, at long last, I have found one! So that's where my inspiration for writing the Music Librarians' Code comes from.  I know that doesn't mean much to you all, but I'm really excited about it anyway.

Anyway, it's about dinnertime, so I'll be signing off now. See ya later!

Day 15: Your Philosophy

Much has happened in my life lately. I've learned a few things in the past months, and been left with many things to figure out. However, I am happier now than I've been in a very long time, because after all these years, I believe I've finally established a solid philosophy to live by. So, naturally, I decided to share it with you.

There are five parts to this great realization of mine. As I explain them, I'll probably sound like a really long motivational quote, but these things are worth repeating, at least for me.

The first part is this: Forgive. Forgive others for the things they've done to you, because you never know if this will be your last chance. And in the end, you'll both be better off because of forgiveness. But also, and perhaps more importantly, forgive yourself, even when that's easier said than done.

Secondly, always look on the bright side. This can be very difficult, because I know from personal experience that some situations can look very bleak, especially when you are overly negative like I am. But I promise you, every bad situation has something good about it. Even if the only good thing is that it won't last forever. Every bad day will pass, because the sun will rise again and give you another chance.

The third thing kind of goes with the second: Find the good in others, and especially yourself. They say that you cannot truly love someone else until you love yourself, and despite much debate, I have found this to be true. As I like to say, "Duets are great, but you have to have a strong melody line first." Just don't love yourself too much; selfishness is the destroyer of relationships. As for other people, don't be quick to judge. Perhaps I'm naive to think this, but I believe that there's something good about everyone, even if that one thing is a part of themselves that they've forgotten. I do not think that anyone, even the most despicable people in the world, is inherently evil. Wickedness is a learned behavior, taught by cruelty and injustice, anger and unfairness. I believe that everyone deserves to be shown kindness and deserves to be treated fairly.

The fourth piece of my philosophy is this: Be passionate about something. It doesn't really matter what, so long as it isn't illegal or dangerous or anything (obviously). In my case, it turns out that I have quite a bit of passion, dedication, and love to pour out for the things (or people) I care about. I am committed to music, to my faith, and to those I love, and this ultimately gives me something to live for.

Finally, I will leave you with this. Never, ever, give up. Life is hard, and you will fall down and get broken either physically or emotionally or both sometimes, but do not let anything keep you from getting up again. There will be people (including yourself) who will try to discourage you. Don't listen to them. There will be dark, terrible days and nights, when it seems as though your life is shattering around you and you just want to wake up from this nightmare that has become your reality. Believe that things will get better. Ask for help when it's a really big issue, and help yourself to look on the bright side when it isn't. Keep things in perspective. And remember this: Even of you have loved and lost, the important part is that you have loved, and have been loved. If you feel absolutely awful, as if you're drowning in your own sorrows, at least you feel something. Even if emotions are painful, at least you have them. Even if you feel like dying, that proves that you're alive. And if you're alive, that means that things have the potential to get better. But no matter how hard life gets, keep on fighting. Life can be unfair sometimes, and the world can be a cruel, messed up place, but that doesn't mean that you and I should give up on trying, in our own small ways, to make it better.