This makes the third day in a row I am feeling stressed. But my goal today is to keep my nose to the grindstone so that when the day is done, I can think back on how productive the day has been.
So far this morning I have taken notes on a source for my thesis and have listened to the Barber of Seville Overture, which I am preparing for orchestral conducting. I will be looking at Festival Te Deum, which is my next conducting piece for my lessons. I will also spend some time thinking/conducting/practicing Dieu! (Debussy) and "I Sat Down Under His Shadow" by Bairstow. I think I will be auditioning for the choral conducting competition for ACDA- and I will record these two pieces. Next week. I have a meeting with my graduate advisory (finally- for advancement to candidacy) and will hit my Brahms hard so I can analyze it (I have finished the harmonic analysis... I need to think about form analysis now).
Yesterday was a rough day. I always wonder if other people have those days where they feel like they open their mouth too much and stick their foot in. It's not an awesome feeling. But today is a new day and because I will be intentional about getting things done, I think I will have less cause to talk.
Tomorrow John and I get to see Corey (he was in our wedding) and his girlfriend Michelle. They are flying to CA for a conference and will spend some time with us. This will be much needed. Sometimes there is nothing better than connecting with friends.
One last thing to share: Lately I have been thinking about a Halloween party that is coming up. It's being thrown by some undergraduates. One of these undergraduates happens to be in Chamber with me and just about all my friends here are going- graduate and undergraduates alike. I have been invited and all my friends expect me to go ("What is your costume?" is the question being asked). I would like to go- as I enjoy my friends and I really like the two undergraduates hosting the party. However, some of my Women's Choir girls will be there. I just can't really permit myself to go if my students are going to be there. Some of my graduate student friends think I'm being too strict about it- but none of them teach undergraduates and give them grades. The party came up last night in conducting seminar, so I just had to talk about my reasons for not going again. The argument back to me was, "Well, you're not going to get sloshed at the party." Of course not, but that's not the point. At any rate, it's been on my mind. And I seem to be the only one who thinks it would be unprofessional of me to go.
Back to work!
1 comment:
I think you're spot on about not going to the party. Integrity is a rare commodity these days. It's scary, but the singers that are in our care watch us constantly. It's even more of a fish bowl being a grad student amongst many undergrads. Maybe you could use not going to the party as an excuse to work on DMA stuff (even though it would probably be more fun to do something else)?
I hear ya on the foot in mouth thing. Hate when that happens.
Post a Comment