It's a Good Day

It's a good day.  Let me tell you why.

I had FOUR (yes, four) ladies contact me today about women's choir.  The group, which was at 13 a week ago, is now at 23.  And I'm hoping to get a few more as the week goes on.  I have spent more time on their music the past few days and am starting to know what I want from them, which makes me much more confident that the next rehearsal will be productive and engaging.  What I failed to do before school I am doing now.  Prepping pays off.  I have communicated with both of the section leaders.  Both were thrilled- and the alto section leader told me it made her day.  I believe both of them will be excellent for multiple reasons.  Both are musical and intelligent.  Both are not afraid to spend time working and putting effort forth.  The alto section leader is a music education senior, this will be great experience for her.  Not to mention, she has a good ear for musical "correctness".  I will make her goal to help with the alto unified sound- which will also force her to be aware of her own sound.  And that will be good for her.  The soprano section leader is a vocal performance major who is a member of ACDA, as she believes in the power of education.  She is kind and encouraging.  In her section, there a lot of really nice voices, but young voices.  She will be excellent in giving them good vocal health things to think about, plus I'll make that one of her goals.

It's also a good day because my thesis proposal has been sent on to my second committee member.  And my graduate advisor told me she was getting codes for me to register for thesis writing credits.

It's a good day because I was able to start my Tuesday "schedule".  I went to a coffee shop at 8 and did some administrative stuff, looked at diction, looked at orchestral conducting, and then read some sources for my thesis.  I also started the harmonic analysis on the first of the Drei Geistliche Choere, the basis of my thesis proposal (more on that later).

It's a good day because I got to spend time with John at the coffee shop this morning.  And then after school was finished, I went back to a coffee shop to do some more work (I really want to make sure I work until 5 PM on Tuesday and Thursdays) and John met me there.  I won't get that next week, so I cherish the time we get to spend with each other this week- even if we're doing separate things.

It's a good day because I went for a 4.5 mile run.  It wasn't fast, but it felt good.  I haven't had a good, long run like that in months.

It's a good day because I met up with a friend for lunch.  We caught up and were able to talk about our graduate school woes, jazz, and all the music things we want to attend this year.

It's a good day because I learned a little bit more about another graduate school and will be learning more.  Through a discussion with John today, I was able to solidify what I wanted in a school... just a little more.

Sometimes it's not a good day.  Or a good week.  And those are tough.  Sometimes I wonder if I will be able to get to where I want to be.  I want to be DCA at a 4 year institution, preferably without graduate students.  And I want to be a loving and thoughtful wife, daughter, sister, friend, future-mother.  There are days I don't feel like I will be good at any of it.  Sometimes I'm too hard on myself (let's face it- I may be the biggest perfectionist I know).  Sometimes I deserve it.  But it's good to remember the bigger picture.  While I may feel good or bad in the moment, ultimately I strive to contribute to a cause, to contribute positivity and goodness in the world through music and love.

I hope everyone can experience the love I do.  And I hope they are also able to give the love back.