Squizz's Fizzy Diary

Karmacat

Thats something, I suppose. And its now £1,000! Woo hoo! And hometime too have a lovely evening, I hoped I'd catch you

redsquirrel80

Well I'm going to try to stop getting annoyed about the money now as I know nothing will happen till at least Tuesday.

Today is just a case of getting through work.. yawn.. then flute lesson tonight :T

redsquirrel80

Ooh exciting.. have been having an ongoing debate at home (for about a year) about whether we have room for a piano. Mr S likes the idea of a piano but says we don't have room. I say we can fit it in.. or if we can't, can we at least get a keyboard. Mr S says but it's not the same as having a piano.. but we haven't got room for a piano.. anyway, apparently he saw someone at work who asked him ages ago if he wanted to buy his old keyboard (for not very much), and he has asked if he's still got it can we buy it Other bloke thinks he's still got it at home so is going to check. Woohoo! (well woohoo if he does still have it).

Ellidee

OOh how fab Squizz- fingers crossed for you !

redsquirrel80

Thanks Elli - might be a couple of weeks till we find out as other bloke is off on holiday.

Flute lesson was good last night.. I have made progress, phew! Do keep having to be told to relax various bits of me though Anyway lots of interesting things to work on over the next couple of weeks.

Very tired this morning and glad it's Friday - and it's a three day weekend. Still not sure what we're going to do with it, very soggy here today.

Karmacat

You need some plotting too, maybe I'm glad the flute lesson went well, but tsk tsk to not relaxing

Isn't it awkward it being so wet! Well, for me, in one way its good, its loosening the clay-y soil I have to shift, but I want to go out to *play*!!!

redsquirrel80

Hmmm plotting... actually we have a few restaurant vouchers to use, and I have an essay to finish!

Not relaxing - story of my life! Really need to try to be conscious of it and hopefully it'll become habit eventually. Being fitter would help as well, need to think how to get a bit more active.

Glad I don't have to water the garden for once but yeah, playing is more fun!

lionheartedgirl

glad the fluting is coming along well I have the same relaxation issues as you know, and what really really helped me was being able to feel what it should feel like....if that makes sense! I was getting so frustrated, because I literally did not know what relaxed is like.

I had a teacher when I was about 13/14 who used to shout at me to relax when I was playing....hmmm you can imagine the effect that had on me :rotfl:

recently I was working with some other harpists during a practice session, and putting my hand on their wrist/elbow/shoulders while they were playing really brought it home what I was aiming for.

I can visualise what I felt and for me it was like when you break a piece of cadbury's caramel and the toffee/caramel inside stretches as you break it and pull it.

So now I try and think about toffee moments when I am playing Another teacher helped me to mentally put breaks in my pieces where I remind myself to relax and release some of the tension I have built up in a previous passage etc.

but the thing that has ultimately made me realise what I am up against if I don't change things is the bloody osteopath bills and the pain of what he is doing to me each treatment session :mad: :eek: (he is very good and both me and my teacher trust him completely, but it is not a nice way to spend one's time or money!)

Fantastic news on the keyboard! :j :j I would love to start playing piano again but there is not enough time at the mo. This is first on the list when I shift things around on the job front! :cool:

redsquirrel80

Mm I like the toffee imagery.. knowing what it feels like is the main thing I think (as well as remembering to do it!).. nearly fell over last night when I tried to relax my knees :rotfl:

I've had some interesting chats with my teacher about things that are difficult to learn when you're a teenager, which has made me think about some of the issues I used to have - I went to Alexander Technique for a while to help with my flute playing, but I think it was awkward as teenage girl to focus on what my body was doing when what it was generally doing was funny hormonal stuff and being a pain.

It really is making a difference having someone to point things out.. had quite a revelation last night about the styles of music I enjoy, so much that I have spent part of lunchtime reading about baroque flute techniques!

redsquirrel80

Morning.. well for a change 'ugh it's Tuesday' instead of 'ugh it's Monday'! Soggy morning and I have a sore throat and sniffles.

Bank holiday weekend involved lots of sleep (slept in till 11 yesterday :eek:), making assorted preserves, a blitz on the kitchen cupboards, a visit to local city farm, and quite a bit of tootling.

Payday tomorrow - I have £7.22 left in the bank :eek:

Essay is due on Friday and nearly done, just need an evening finishing off I think.

Blah.. suppose I should at least pretend to get on with work.