today i slowed down and took time to appreciate life

I woke up at 10:30. Practicing doesn't always need to be about how much time you put in or how thoroughly you nitpick the details. In fact, being too tied to that can leave you vulnerable to anxiety. Thus, I didn't set aside any time to practice before class. I slept. I let my body recover.

Shower and packing flew by more quickly than planned due to extra energy. I found myself with extra time, which I decided to use by replacing the regular bus ride to school with a walk and a photography session. The sun shone so brightly that it brought tears to my eyes, even protected behind sunglasses. It turned out that the coat and scarf made me too warm, and I undid the buttons.

I love how photography makes you more aware of your surroundings, not even just visually. I heard a swallow singing from a tree. I wouldn't have known that's what it was if I hadn't transcribed all those birds for Wes. I'm not sure I even would have heard it. Today I heard all its pitches and rhythms clearly, relieved that I didn't have to figure out how to notate them. I told Wes about that later.

Taking a picture of an apartment building on Lincoln, I bothered a man.
He asked, "Why are you taking pictures?"
I said, "Just for fun, because I like it." He was coming off so suspiciously that I added, "Do you have a problem with that?"
He said, "Well, I own this building, and so I want to know why you're taking pictures of it."
I walked away and left him alone.

I only made it to French five minutes late.

At my harp lesson today, Ann told me, as she had told Colleen, that we should both feel very good about our upcoming grad-school auditions. We need exactly that kind of encouragement right now, I believe. She even approved of my Peabody recording. I feel more on top of things now, having been given that vote of confidence from someone whose opinion I care about so much. Bring it on, world!

I set here now, at and study carrel, buried away on the second level of the music library,watching the world grow dark outside the window to my left.
It's 6:00. I plan to be at school till late tonight to get homework done (this isn't really homework), practice, participate in a practice audition that Colleen is setting up, and hopefully then record.

I think I will need to eat the dinner I brought soon, because hunger is beginning to set in.
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.
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Hours later, I'm up too late writing. I didn't record, but I did go to an inspiring cello recital. I didn't go to Tae-Kwon Do practice, but I think I'll run at the rec center with Colleen tomorrow afternoon. I didn't go to bed at a reasonable time, but I did do my creative writing homework, write all over everyone' s blogs, and edit a few pictures from today.

It was a good day.