Clarinet Therapy and Some Good Advice

Happy Easter! =)

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A week ago, I told Emilee that I would practice my clarinet at least 1 hour every day throughout Spring Break.

Well.

In the past week (excluding the time I played for MPUMC), I have played clarinet for a grand total of 45 minutes. 45 FREAKING MINUTES. And that was Sunday night from 9:00-9:45pm.

And you know what I discovered?

I sucked.

Completely. Totally. Unconditionally sucked.

I'm not sure whether or not to be angry with myself. I mean, it was spring break. I was burned out from struggling to be productive. And I didn't want to do anything. But still. After working my butt off to improve my clarinet skills and making All State... I've regressed to squeaking every other note because I am not covering the keys correctly? And stumbling over simple repetitive measures of rhythm? What is going on??

Hazo was right. Getting great (excuse the conceited word, but you know what I'm trying to say) is easier than staying great. And, yes, the belief that "I did it once, so greatness must flow from me" is completely wrong.

Leave it to me to not listen to my elders (in fact, PROFESSIONALS in music that are nevertheless my elders!).

So, I have come to the conclusion that I need to slowly ease myself back into playing the clarinet. I couldn't go for more than an hour today because I did not have the endurance. But, I will play bit by bit each day, like physical-clarinet-therapy, until I get the hang of playing again. And, yes, we have a concert in a week... =/ So... it will probably be a little test to see how well I can pull it all together.

I am not intimidated!

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On a completely random topic, my mom gave me some great advice today. We were having a discussion about being lazy (a common personal trait these days...) when driving home from Kroger. Somehow we started talking about my room and how even though it is pretty clean right now the bed is still messy and unmade. I mean, why make it when you'll just sleep in it again the next night? Makes total sense right? Well, my mom didn't agree (typical). But her reason wasn't "don't be lazy." She said making your bed is a psychological attitude. People with a diligent, loving approach to life make their beds even if it will just be messed up later. Making your bed in the morning motivates you to be focused in what you want to accomplish in your day or even in your life... I guess it's kind of true. I make my bed before All State and Science Olympiad competitions.

I can't really tell this bit of advice right. In Chinese there is a term called qing kuai. It means happily diligent.. like when those Disney princesses whistle while they clean the cottage kind of thing. I think for this last month of high school, we all need to be a bit more qing kuai--not treating AP Exams and all this work as a drugery, but maybe finding something happy and worthwhile in the tasks that lie ahead. And we must be qing kuai in what we do outside the classroom: help out our parents at home, spend less time on the computer and more time running around outside, and make our beds.

Let's finish high school right. =)