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Showing posts from July, 2020

Finally Done!

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So ... I thought I had already posted about creating video lessons. But then I actually read my own blog (for a change) and discovered I hadn't. I'd posted about how much I hated teaching online. But that was about it.     From the beginning, then!    Not all of my students switched to online lessons when COVID-19 shut the world down. Some of them decided a hiatus was a better idea. The only problem was, I still owed one family a few more lessons. At first, I hoped that this whole thing would blow over before the school year ended, and we'd have a couple more lessons in-person.    But then I came up with another idea, a back-up plan that intrigued me. I had made video lessons in the past for a certain student -- why couldn't I do it again for this family? Except I could make them even better. Maybe I could even use it to start creating a marketable video series.     Three months later, I am cheering because I'm finally done their video l...

If they can find a way to make music, what's stopping you?

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Hope. Ingenuity.  Resourcefulness.  These are the words that come to mind when I watch this video.  "People realize that we shouldn't throw away trash carelessly. Well, we shouldn't throw away people either."    Who would have thought that something beautiful could come out of a landfill? Well, when you think about it, the real answer is, our Creator and Redeemer did. Because that's exactly what He does -- takes what is worthless in the eyes of others and transforms it into something beautiful.     If these people can do this, what can you do with what you have? Especially if you're a Christian, things like this ought to challenge all of us. We have the best Hope of all to share through our music!    

Water in the Basement!

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   You don't really think about what it means to have two self-employed people in the same household -- until you have to move your workspace. Or use it for something else besides working.     Wednesday morning started out just like any other summer Wednesday morning for most music teachers: with nothing in particular on the schedule.    That, very quickly, turned out to be a good thing. Right after breakfast, I ran down to our extra bedroom in the basement, looking for something.    I didn't find what I was looking for. Instead, I found a large puddle. Flicking on light switches revealed several more large puddles. Puddles outside are normal when you live in the country, but ... inside?!    The good news? The copious amounts of water were neither in Dad's office wrecking his files, nor in the studio wrecking my pianos!     The bad news? Currently, the water's the only thing not in our work areas.     Y...

Novel Piano Decor

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A few months ago, shortly after COVID-19 hit, I had a crazy urge: to pull out my Playmobil.     Now, don't get me wrong. I didn't actually want to play with it. I just wanted to set it up. I mean, my Playmobil was one of my favourite toys, along with my 18-inch dolls, and I still get a ridiculous delight out of going to a toy store and just walking through a Playmobil aisle. I also get a ridiculous delight of seeing other people's Playmobil.     I guess it's just the child in me ....     Anyways, I did have the perfect place to set it up. 😆    Unfortunately, my tablet distorted my piano top as I was taking the picture, making it look like my piano had an asteroid crash into it and create a bend. Don't worry, my piano top is actually flat. :)    I do wonder (as do my parents) how much of a distraction this will prove to be once I have students in here again. Especially as I watch my siblings. They're all in their teens, so...