Simple living in the country - back to basics

Elisheba

Hope the emergency flute playing helped clear your head and mend your soul a bit after the dentist, Cheery 😊

Cheery_Daff

I am very grateful to have an NHS dentist at all KC! Lots of people must be in a really difficult situation right now not being able to afford private 😕

It did indeed help Elisheba 😊 I hmnow have a list of all the bits I can't play for all the pieces 😂😂 Slightly depressing, but it will help me focus on those rather than just enjoying playing the bits I can already play... Not going to be able to do everything by this week's rehearsal but a co sidetracked improvement would be nice! 

Working at home today, quite glad as face is rather sore 🙄 Didnt stop me sleeping (not much does 😂) but I'll take painkillers to stop it distracting me from work. Just one meeting today early afternoon. Lots to do though!

We're having a much needed downpour here at the minute, very refreshing.

themadvix

You are a good flautist Cheery - I could never be bothered with the practising the bits I couldn't do (admittedly, when I last played properly I was 18, but I suspect I'd be the same now!).

Hope face soreness eases. We've had rain this morning too - much fresher at last!

Cheery_Daff

Ha - I am very much NOT a good flautist, that's why I need so much practice 😂😂 I was certainly the same as you at 18. I've played with this band for 5 years now and only recently been bumped up from second to first - this will be my first concert playing the first part, which is a lot higher, a lot more difficult, and a lot more exposed. There are 3 of us on first, but one will sometimes be playing piccolo, and one is on call on the day, so there's a chance there may be some bits I'll be doing on my own.

So this is more a matter of desperation and fear than conscientiousness 😂😂

Slow start to today, I could NOT get my act together this morning. However, I had a chat with a colleague and I'm just out if a 2 hour meeting and my moho seems to have returned. Got a list of relatively uncomplicated things to tick off and then I'm going to stop at a reasonable hour and make a nice healthy tea 😊

themadvix

That was me yesterday, so I know exactly how you feel. Glad it has returned and you're feeling more positive/energetic now.

Tbh, I'm impressed with anyone who can play an instrument as an adult - it's the time/motivation for practice that gets me. (You can ask my evening class teacher about my abilities to self improve, albeit that's not a musical thing!)

Cheery_Daff

I came back to it as an adult - did grade 7 at school then stopped playing at university, and started lessons again in my 30s, I think I did grade 8 when I was about 35 ish 😂 I'm a sucker for a medal or a certificate 😂😂 

It's sometimes a struggle to make myself play, but I do love it, and I love to improve - the amount of playing I'm doing at the minute I can feel myself getting a lot better quite quickly, which is motivating. I do need a group to play with though - it'll be harder to get on with it when we stop over the summer. Helps that Mr Cheery is musical - we'll often end up playing at the same time at opposite ends of the house 😂😂 good job we have no neighbours! 😂😂

Sneaked off to the cafe to get an hour of straightforward admin done, very motivating 😊 

Trying to decide whether to pop to a little local ish event tonight - it's about 30 mins drive each way though and the weather is looking quite dodgy still, so....

KajiKita

I was trying to learn the flute (from scratch as an adult) and found the combination of the time required, trying to learn to read musical notation and my utter self consciousness of Mr KK having to listen to my awful noise, made it impossible. I tried for about a year / 18 months and gave up. I’m hoping to go back to it when I retire, if I ever do … 😉

What sort of event is the localish thing?

KK

starnac

I am always in awe of people who are musical. Both my children play piano and DS plays the drums. (we have no neighbours!) and I often look at the piano and wish I could play. I do wonder how hard it would be to learn as an adult. A lot of my work colleagues are musical, in fact I think they all play something so sometimes when they are all chatting or when we are at work and one will just wander to the piano and start playing, I feel a slightly bit jealous of their skills lol! 

It's great that you are seeing/hearing an improvement Cheery. That must really be motivating for you. 

Cheery_Daff

Pah, I typed a long reply this morning and it's vanished! 

Didn't get to the local event, it was a really small village evening of festivities, tug of war, maypole dancing etc. I didn't know anyone going so nobody would have missed me. Just didn't fancy going out in the rain! 

I can well imagine it being hard to learn musical notation as an adult - it's one of those things that I'm so glad I learned as a child, as that bit of it is effortless now. 

I did really struggle to practice within earshot of Mr Cheery when we first met (particularly because his ex girlfriend is a fantastic musician 🙄) but that's very slowly worn off over the years. Helped by him playing all kinds of weird and wonderful noises repetitively quite often while he's trying to figure stuff out himself 😂😂

Work event was great today, went really smoothly I think 😊 really pleased.

Less pleased that I got home to a letter from the DVLA saying the car tax had run out 😱😱 i do now vaguely remember the reminder, that I put in a pile and didn't deal with 😱😱 Paid immediately and all legal again now, but I do need to keep on top of my admin better, clearly!!

Elisheba

Glad your work event went well! Regarding the DVLA and car tax I pay by DD. It doesn't cost any more, and I think you can choose between monthly, 6 monthly or annual payments (although it's been a while since I looked into it so it might have changed). It just means one less thing for me to remember now it's automatic, which is a relief when you also have car insurance, car services, car MOTs, not to mention broadband, mobile phone, and energy all to remember to sort out each year.