Self improvement

I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.

--Henry David Thoreau 

One of my conscious endeavors has been practicing the piano.  I only do it about 3 times a week but 3 times a week is more than 0 or 1 or 2.  (I know, I am a whiz at math.)

After learning Pachelbel's Canon, I was feeling a little confident, I guess.  The Forrest Gump Suite has been my new effort.  It is hard. About a week ago, when I went to practice, I couldn't find the music.  It crossed my mind that maybe someone in my family hid it so they wouldn't have to hear me play it.  I found it though so if they did hide it, they need to find a better hiding spot.

A few nights ago, while I was making dinner, Emma decided to try playing it.  I paused, my hands in the air above the food I was chopping to hear her play the beginning perfectly.  Surely not!  Surely Emma can't play that song that I find so difficult!

Then she stumbled through a few measures.

Then she gave up.

"That is a hard song!" she proclaimed.

"I know," I said, "I'm glad you think so too."

(So much for mothers wanting their children to succeed.)

I told her if she really wanted to play something hard she should look at the Sibelius book I ordered when pressured by a 4 for 3 promotion from Amazon.  Can anyone resist those?  You just have to find four items.

I would definitely have to up my three day a week practice time (and possibly grow a couple more hands) if I were ever to conquer this music.

is this even possible?!?

I'll stick with The Forrest Gump Suite.  I can play the first page.  I can play either hand of the second page. (But not at the same time.  Yet.)

I will keep going.

My other big conquest is my email.

Adam noticed awhile ago that I had 1500 unread emails.  He was horrified, aghast, appalled.  Maybe there should be a reality TV show about email hoarders.  I could be their first victim.  I save emails to read later in case I need to read them later.  Also, I very often miss details in the emails I do read because I am a skimmer.  I have realized that part of my problem is that I save all the emails.  I skim them and then save them and don't retain the information because I know I can always go back and revisit.  I have been working on going through my email.  I am dealing with things immediately, putting items on my calendar, putting addresses in my contacts.  Answering, deciding, responding.  I realize that probably everyone else in the world has already been doing this.

But it's kind of changing my life.

There was that law of life. So cruel and so just, that one must grow or else pay more for remaining the same. 

 --Norman Mailer