on being productive

It has been a busy week and a half since I returned from CA and we got started on our CSBQ marathon of rehearsals and recording. We've made tremendous progress in both our group and our individual playing and I think we sound great. We've got a ways to go to reach the goal we all want (for me, it's reaching a level of musicianship such as Center City or Meridian Arts Ensemble), but we are well on our way. Sean's been great for the group in so many ways and it's just...exciting to be a part of it all again. We have pictures, but since I'm making a half-assed effort to be somewhat professionally anonymous on this blog, you'll have to go see them on Facebook or ask me nicely. Music should be going up on MySpace and our own page soon. How great is that??!?!

In the meantime, I still put in my share of hours at work, which really doesn't amount to much mental stress but does take up a good chunk of the business day. This means things I need to get done- buy cat food, do laundry, and get my Nuevo license plates- have been high on the list of priorities but low on the list of availability.

Nevertheless, I managed. I took Friday and today off of work entirely to focus on recording, etc, and since we're only doing one large chunk of recording each day, that leaves me a large part of the time to get things down. Friday and Saturday I cleaned like a fiend. Yesterday I went for the hike I've been pining after for ages and even got to make dinner and watch a movie. Today all those things on my priority list got done- and oh so painlessly, too! I am now the proud owner of New Mexico plates as well as happy, well-fed kittens (who incidentally also got a new toy to make up for all the time I've spent rushing in and out of the house lately), not to mention a load of fresh clothes will come out of the washer any minute now. Sure, it's raining, so I have to hang them to dry in the bathroom, but oh well. At least I'll have underwear for the rest of the week. :)

All of this has been so much easier to accomplish on proper sleep and sufficient water pressure in the shower, which lowers significantly both my stress and my crabbiness levels. The frozen pipes leading to my shower preventing sufficient water flow was seriously cramping my style. I like my showers like I like my men, hot and hard. Tee hee.

So Sean leaves tomorrow and things return to a normal routine. I will miss the constant rehearsals and hangs that come with a BQ Marathon, but we've got plenty to do in the next couple of weeks before our Feb 6th recital that will keep us occupied. I just need to keep my chops where they are now- nice and strong and flexible- and everything will be great.

Here's to that, and here's to finding my favorite tea ever at the grocery store. Mmm, french vanilla.