March MUSIC Madness

For the month of March, I'm challenging my students to listen to 15 minutes of piano music every day. I've copied my original email below. Feel free to join in and check out my Spotify playlist! You won't be disappointed! :)

Dear Parents of Students,

One of my classmates inspired me to join her in a musical version of "March Madness." This is how it works: I'm challenging all my students to listen to fifteen minutes of piano music every day throughout the month of March. I'm committing to listen right along with you all! Listen on your commute or while you're getting ready for school.

I've compiled a Spotify playlist for your easy access. It totals to just under seven hours of phenomenal piano music - many standard classics and some of my personal favorites. (In case you're wondering about the math, 15 minutes for 30 days actually equals nearly 8 hours so I've cut you some slack. :)

You will need a Spotify account to access the playlist. Account registration is free; just know you may have the occasional commercial interruption. You can access the playlist through the web or by downloading the desktop or app version. I'm sure many of you already have it!

I've attached a calendar for easy record-keeping. Please print it out and have your student keep it in his/her binder. I would love to offer a musical reward/incentive, so I'll keep you posted. :)

Thank you for partnering with me on this! Click the hyperlink to access the playlist: March MUSIC Madness. It is listened under the account user "jessicawelshpiano."

Let me know if you have any questions! Happy listening!

Jessie Welsh

How to Ruin Your Half Marathon in Five Easy Steps (Plus, Non-Examples!)

How to Ruin Your Race in Five Easy Steps:

1. Get Sick, Stay Sick
Now, I thought I did a fairly good job at this last time by waking up with food poisoning early race morning. Turns out staying sick for weeks prior is an even better method for weakening your body. You know you're on the right path when ten days of antibiotics do nothing for you.

2. Take Your Antibiotics on an Empty Stomach
Truly, I thought the banana in my belly was going to ward off all nausea, but it turns out the antibiotic was stronger. Flushing antibiotics down the toilet is another great way to accomplish No. 1.

3. Don't Run at All
Truthfully, I've logged a whopping six miles this week. You know, you know, had to exercise the dog. I'll do better at this next time. Cold turkey would have been a better way to go.

4. "Gluten" Yourself (Did you know gluten can be a verb?)
Typically I'm very good at reading labels and checking what it is I'm actually ingesting. Good thing my sweet tooth and lack of attention to detail won out - twice in the last week! Welcome headaches and upset stomach. (In case you're wondering, sour straws and caramel both contain gluten. You can find them at your local grocery stores.)

5. Discover You're Slightly Anemic
Definitely a good idea to have blood work done when your immune system is down and you're feeling under the weather. The results will likely return with some good reasons to ruin your race.

As a bonus...

A few non-examples.

Following these tips will definitely NOT ruin your race. They are not advisable for those wishing to do so.

1. Chug the greens
Warning: packed with iron, these green smoothies may just be enough to get your energy levels up.

2. Take your vitamins

If you're body is vitamin-deficient and your immune system is low, these would definitely be a step in the wrong direction. 

 3. LAUGH!
You know what they say about laughter being the best medicine. It's true! Be sure to stay away from your funny husband and goofy Weimaraner. They're enough to put me in stitches!

(Did I mention this was at our breakfast table, prior to 6AM?)

4. Go to Work with a Good Attitude

Doing what you love regardless of the fact that you're under the weather may be one of the most dangerous ways to keep from ruining your race. Staying in bed and throwing a self pity-party is definitely the first choice for athletes wanting to ruin their races. It's especially dangerous when you work with great kids...and extra cute ones like this sweetheart!

(Again, the Weimaraner causes so much laughter!)

5. Enjoy Good Times with Friends

Right up there with No. 4, this is a game-changer. Isolation and discouragement are much faster routes to ruining your race. Enjoying life and fellowship with friends is definitely bound to bring down stress levels. It is not a recommended activity if you wish to ruin your race. 

With that said, friends, happy race week and happy Friday!

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween...

...From the Peter Pan Cast!

Oh, wait! That's my family at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party earlier this month. 

We look so incredibly like the cast that I almost didn't recognize us.

Last Friday, I hosted the Annual Halloween Musicale. Ty and I also threw a party the following night.  We aren't really party people, if you know what I mean. The last party we threw was a small gathering (mostly family) for my college graduation - in December. We really want to use our home to be hospitable, so we decided to throw a Halloween bash!

It was hosted by Wendy and...

...The Ghost Host (duh!)

He was such a sport at MNSSHP, but he said he didn't want to "wear a dress" at his own party. We recycled the hat from his John costume, and came up with this!

One of my favorite parts about Halloween is the themed food.

I had so much fun creating treats for our parties! Yes, the punch is teeming with sour gummy worms. 

But not every edible spooky has to be sweet!

Exhibit A: Bats!

Exhibit B: Spiders!

Here's some of the gang in the photo booth! Ty and I are sitting on a bale of hay. :)

(Of course we didn't think to take pictures before a handful of wonderful folks left. Rats!)

 I need to send this to Kelly; she'll get a kick out of it.

 Sone is acclimating to American culture just fine.

And for today? I'm going to work as a nerdy music teacher.

Oh, wait.

Do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti, do!

I do that every day. 

At least I'll be handing out candy on this special day!

Stepping from the Spotlight

As I mentioned, I am accompanying at a ballet studio two nights a week. I'll admit I was a bit nervous about this altogether new endeavor, especially since I am ignorant of nearly all ballet terms and certainly all techniques.

During my college years, I wouldn't have thought twice about accepting this job (it was actually offered to me, indirectly, while I was still in school). I would have argued that teaching pays significantly better and that the classes are past my bedtime. Yes, I calculated life as if it were an algebraic equation. X always equaled practice. I turned down most invitations or opportunities unless I was sure this equation would balance by the end the day.

While I still aim to fit in my practice and hit the hay early, I am finding that I take joy in other things, as well. For instance, being here:

It's not about me. It's about providing music for the dancers. As long as I'm steady and accurate, I'm really unnoticed. And you know what? That's okay. I get the privilege of sharing in their art. Stepping out of the spotlight (and literally into the corner!) has been a wonderful thing. I love being in their studio. It has given me the chance to venture into an entirely different world - while still doing what I love. It's definitely a change from high-concentration practice and teaching. The atmosphere is terrific; I love watching the instructor interact with his students, as he evidently loves his job.

Funny story: on Monday, I entered the lobby for the first day of regular classes. One of the gals behind the desk looked at me and quickly said, "You must be the pianist." Perhaps it was the glasses and Converse? People have always told me I look like a dancer, but I guess they were all speaking without any authority in the matter. Clearly I do not look like a ballerina, and clearly I chose the correct profession.

(Phew! Glad I look like a pianist!)

Thankful for a full week and the provision of work - work that I enjoy! 

On the Job

Work is in full swing!

My home students are in their third week of lessons, and I began my ballet class accompanying job last week. Today was my first day at the music conservatory. 

My days are long and full, but I'm loving it. Week days entail roughly ten hours at the piano - either practicing, teaching, or accompanying (or all three). I guess it's a good thing I love what I do, right? 

Always checking my "balance temperature," because I know how easily my obsessive work ethic can spike to dangerously high levels. Some days it doesn't all get checked off the list. And that's because some things are more important. (Like dog park dates with Ty and Brook, feeding my family, and spending time with a sister who lives out of the country most of the year.)

Slowly I'm becoming okay with the fact that there will be always be work left incomplete. So thankful for people in my life who understand that hardship and fight alongside me. 

Enough about humans. ;)

Brooklyn has realized that if she wants to be close to me, she has to be near the piano. She brought her blanket out of her crate and dragged it to the piano last week. The habit has countinued. How cute is that?! Don't worry,though, Brooklyn still gets daily exercise and more than her fair share of affection. :) 

See?

Yes, I'm blogging from bed. And yes, she's sitting completely on top of me. 

I have a scheduled break between students up at the conservatory. During my break today I got my hands on this beauty (literally!) for an hour. 

I teach from two different "studios." One of them happens to be a church sanctuary. 

I guess it's not too shabby. (You'd better believe I was geeking out!)

And my other studio is a room with a lovely window. 

I am still shocked that all of this has fallen into place. I feel blessed far beyond my expectations and needs. I don't deserve any of this. I hope to keep this perspective as the new becomes the everyday. I want to marvel when it's the mundane.