Weird, Wrecked, and Wretched Weekend....

Ok, so I'm having some fun with alliteration. Anyways, it was a HORRIBLE weekend. Like I mentioned in my previous post, I was supposed to go to Arlington, TX with the Blair Band....never happened...but not for lack of trying...ughh...

Saturday Morning...I got to the airport with plenty of time, parked my car in the economy lot and hopped the shuttle to the terminal. Waited around 3 hours to find out that all flights into Dallas/Fort Worth on American Airlines were cancelled out of Nashville. That sucks. Ok, so plan B. We don't have a plan B....sucks even more, but I figured, 'Cool...free weekend!'....Soooo not to be. Around 10:45 that evening, as I was getting ready for bed...mind you, I was still trying to recover from whatever virus was kicking my butt this past week...I got a phone call informing me that we were booked on the 6:35am flight the next morning. yeah, I know..crazy huh? Well, it was true..
This leads us to:

Sunday...I manage to get up around 3 AM...yes, you read that right. 3:00-in the %*&#@-ing morning so I can get to the airport with enough time, only to park, hop yet another shuttle, go through security, to find out around 6:15am that we can't possibly leave until at least 7:55 am because the crew got in too late the night before and weren't even legal to fly until then. So the executive decision came down to cancel yet again.....at least I got to sleep...but I was pissed. Why couldn't we just have re-scheduled on Saturday? Why did they feel the need to drag me out of bed at 3:00 in the morning?

Anyways, I feel like I'm still trying to get back on my feet from Sunday...

Anyhoo....on another note, I'm helping to get ready for the String Crossings Honor Orchestra which will be going on This Saturday, March 3rd at Belmont University. It's supposed to be a great recruiting tool for the school as well as the String Crossings Music Camp which promotes "Music Without Boundaries"...a cool title, I might add. Either way...it's bound to be a good concert...I just hope I have enough energy to survive! I'm running around trying to get lots of things ready for it!

Gotta go and sleep...tomorrow's another teaching day!

~KMB

Crazy Week.....

So this was the week of Bowling Green, when I drive up to Bowling Green, KY to play in the Bowling Green Western Symphony Orchestra. The Tuesday night dress rehearsal went fine...just long. Wednesday...well, not so much. I woke up feeling a little groggy and thought everything was alright...until after lunch. I felt really tired all of a sudden and I had trouble moving without feeling dizzy. I went and tried to teach that afternoon and almost passed out...I ended up cancelling and going home to sleep. Whatever I've got, it's really knocked me off my feet. I managed to go and play the Thursday concert up in Bowling Green...but it's been a pretty rough week. and NO, I'M NOT PREGNANT. So far I have been asked this at least five times...It's not possible this month, TRUST ME.

I still need to go and finish laundry as I'm off to Arlington, TX with the Blair Band tomorrow for a gig. Man...I just pray that I get through this weekend!!

Hopefully I'll be feeling a lot better tomorrow...ughh....otherwise this weekend is going to be hell. Anyways, at least I can take my laptop on the road with me this time! If there's time...I'll let y'all know how it's going.....

~KMB

The sounds of music......

So this past Saturday I had auditions for Belmont School of Music....meaning I was there as one of the faculty...not a student auditioning. I didn't think I'd really be affected at all by the switch in positions...I used to be the one auditioning for a spot...but it was a little weirder than I had expected it to be. I was actually there as faculty! Me!.... There were a number of exceptionally talented applicants... and of course, I can't really say anything about anything about them, but I guess I'm just trying to explain why it was such a big deal to me. At first, I tried to be distant, but there was one in particular that I really really really think should get accepted. And I had a personal connection too, as she was a sibling of someone I went to school (undergrad) with. And then there was another that was really talented, but it's not looking like she's a good candidate for other reasons. It's like you really want to go to bat for the really good ones, but unfortunately, the school can't or won't accept everyone and there's only so much scholarship money to go around.

And it's weird how good you feel when the system really comes through for you and you see the really deserving ones get the good scholarships to go to Belmont...and then you feel bad for the ones that don't get them, even if they were really deserving. It just doesn't seem right on some levels...but I suppose you have to pick your battles. And unfortunately, you don't always win. So I've learned a lot this weekend.....

~KMB

My Sweet Valentine.......

So not feeling very well aside, it's been a pretty nice Valentine's day! My husband made me a yummy dinner tonight and I surprised him with a carrot cake that I made for dessert. I'm not very good with the whole decorating thing, but I gave it my best shot! It looked pretty good, if I do say so myself! It tasted yummy too...and I know he liked it, because he went back for seconds!

I'm hoping that whatever I've got that's making me feel kinda yucky goes away soon....Alan and I are going to go out next week and celebrate V-day without all the crowds at our favorite fondue restaurant, the Melting Pot! It's been ages since we've been there...and I'm craving some of that chocolate fondue!

Happy Valentine's Day!

~KMB

Just another Manic Monday.....

And thank God it's over!!
I don't know why I hate mondays so much.....maybe just because they're mondays. And it's not as if they're really all that bad...but I'm just glad that it's over and now almost Tuesday!

I had a wonderful weekend though! The Music City Feis was on Satuday (for those who don't know it's an Irish step-dancing competition). Some of my students were competing as was Yun, she's the whistle player and band leader's wife of the celtic/christian band I play with. it was great as I met some of the people that I'll be dancing with in a few weeks when I start back taking lessons! Also, I was able to network with some of the people who planned the feis and are with the Middle Tennessee Irish Arts foundation (or association...whichever one they are!).

On Sunday, after seeing some good friends at Church and having a nice lunch, I went to help my friend Lynne bake some cakes for "Love Helps"...I think it's an organization which helps in need school children as well as buys supplies for the schools that desperately need them in Metro Nashville. It was a lot of fun--although I had to leave a bit early as Alan, my hubby, had committed us to going out with his Composition teacher and his wife. We had a fabulous time and will mostly likely go and do it again soon!

It was a busy and full weekend and no low points at all! I hope this week goes as smoothly as the weekend did....

~KMB

Ah...it's the weekend!

And I've survived this week! There are some exciting things happening, and I'm really looking forward to this weekend.

So far, I've struck out on the book club thing, but I've got a few possible leads, so I don't mind so much! Also, on a previous post, I mentioned wanting to do the tennis thing...but I can't really find a league or lessons that aren't going to be exceedingly expensive and work with my schedule, so I've been thinking about a new direction.....

Ok, to be honest, it's not exactly new. A few years ago, I started doing some Irish step-dancing and for about a year and a half it was awesome! Then I hurt my foot, the teacher got married and moved to Hawaii, had a baby (the teacher had one...not me), and of course...changed her teaching schedule. So I couldn't seem to make everything fit..and then of course, life intervened and I got swept up in gigs, and wedding plans....and well to make a long story short, I am going to start back into Irish step-dancing lessons with a new teacher!!

I haven't figured it all out yet, but I'm going to make it work!

On another note...the wedding tonight (Friday) went really well. I really miss seeing my friend John. After the wedding, I went out to dinner with John and his wife, Leanne (ok...I may be spelling it completely wrong) but we had a great time! It was nice to hang with friends that I haven't had a chance to see in a really long time!

Ok...so now, another random topic. I was flipping through the Yahoo! News and of course the top story is the death of Anna Nicole Smith. Well, I can't say that I'm really surprised, but it was a bit disturbing to see that even in death, she captured so many headlines. Hopefully that will wear off soon. However, on a blog that I've been following for about a year (although never had the courage to leave a comment) there's a disturbingly funny post about this topic. While it may be in poor taste to pass this on....oh well...it was funny!! Check it out:

http://www.gigglechick.com/erin/blog/2007/02/will_your_dna_hold_up_in_court.php

Now I'm off to bed! The Music City Feis is tomorrow (It's an Irish step-dancing competition) so methinks I'll check it out...especially since there'll be a ceili (Kay-lee...it's a big Irish party) tomorrow night that I think will be fun to play at!

~KMB

FOUND: My Optimism!...among other things....

Today was sooooo much better than yesterday!

1) I FOUND MY TRIO BOOKS!!!!!! ok...I know that it's really stupid to be so excited, but I looked for them everywhere...and I do mean everywhere! I was about 5 minutes away from ordering them again...and they were kind of expensive...enough so I maybe would have broken even by playing this wedding on Friday....so Thank God I found them!!

I guess that's really the only great thing that happened....it was still a really long day, but I feel a lot better and more optimistic about everything.

Ok...so onto a new topic...and it's not an easy one, so bear with me. I need to get more involved. With life. I work so much...and most of my time is taken up by either teaching, driving to go teach, or traveling to a gig (on weekends). I've noticed that when I do have a free weekend, which is somewhat rare, I have a tendency to spend Saturdays and Sundays in bed...or still in pajamas. I should mention too, that I usually end up spending these weekends alone as my husband leaves for Atlanta to work every Thursday and I don't see him again until Sunday evening. I sometimes have all these grand plans about things I want to do around the house, but nothing ever seems to get done. At first, I used to brush it off, by just saying "well, it's my day off"...but now I'm not so sure.

I first realized that this has been becoming a problem back in November..when friend of mine had a party on a Saturday night for her birthday. I felt a little down for not having many plans, and I didn't have a lot of money, or the energy to go out and do anything on Friday. Saturday came and I was not quite as excited about this party (even though I had rsvp'd that I'd go). I got feeling really lonely again, and as it got worse, the less I wanted to go out. So I made excuses and didn't end up going as I'd spent a lot of time already in tears...just lying there in bed. I felt pathetic...but I really didn't know how to fix it. So...I don't really want to spend another weekend like that...it was definitely a low point for me.

So I want to change. I think I make excuses because I don't want to bother people...but I really do need to get out more. I have in the past not made any plans on weekends, thinking that friends who have also just gotten married are probably busy with their own lives and already have plans. I let myself get swept up in that and it pulls me under...well NO MORE!!! When Alan is around...I never seem to feel this way...so I know that there's something not quite right. I can't just rely on him for all my company...so I'm not going to!

I'm going to join a book club. I've never been in one, but I hope it's going to be fun! I also want to learn to play tennis. I mean, really learn...as opposed to just remember what they tried to teach me in high school. Plus I figure the regular exercise will be good for me and I'll start feeling a lot better! I think I've got a solid lead on the book club thing, so I'm already starting to implement my plan--and it feels really good :) Now onto the tennis idea.....

I know this is a really long post, but I've been needing to vent this for awhile. I'm hoping that by writing it down and putting it out there I will find that a) I'm really not alone and a lot of people feel like this after they get married and b) it will push me to really get off my butt and DO something to change instead of just talking about it.

So thanks for listening/reading....I'll keep you updated!

~KMB

Monday....ughhhhh

How can a weekend go so great and then Monday be so awful???
I had a bad night Sunday night and so felt really groggy come monday morning and just out of it...everything during the day pretty much went downhill from there.

-I can't seem to find my trio books (2 volumes) for a wedding that I'm playing on Friday evening
-I had some trouble teaching a particularly annoying student today...
-I managed to make a different student cry (somehow bow exercises turned into meltdown)....I think that's pretty much the cherry on top of the crappy day sundae.

I never should have gotten out of bed today...hopefully tomorrow will be better.....

~KMB

Atlanta Irish Music Weekend

My student and I got back last night from a wonderful trip to Atlanta! Leah placed 2nd in the fiddle at the Atlanta Irish Music Competition held in Alpharetta (North Atlanta)!!!!

We met so many new people and had a wonderful time! After the competition, we were able to jam with many of our new friends at the Harp Irish pub in Roswell, GA before going to hear an awesome concert with piper Tommy Martin, and Fiddler Brian Conway accompanied by pianist and flutist Brendan Dolan. After that, it was back to the Harp for a huge session--where there were so may talented people playing and having fun!!

On Sunday, Leah and I attended a workshop with Brian Conway and it was absolutely amazing! For awhile, there have been aspects of Irish music that I always feel that I am lacking in, and it was really nice to hear from an outside source that I have been doing things right all along!! I also learned more about how I can change simple things such as bowings so it goes better with the phrasing and sounds more "traditional."

I'm going to try to get Brian Conway to come to Nashville and give a workshop and concert at Belmont University--his teaching is absolutely fabulous! This weekend has inspired me in so many ways to do more with my music--and I'm excited to get started! I'm hoping to get some pics back from this weekend and then I will post them here as well!

~KMB

Snow Day....take two

It's Official...there is snow on the ground! Ok...so it's only really about an inch or two at most, but all the schools have closed for today in Middle Tennessee. It's kind of pretty outside....people are still trying to go out and about (I don't even want to think about the road conditions just yet, especially with TN drivers...) but it's nice because it reminds me of home.

I miss the snow. While I'm not always a huge fan of biting cold....I really do miss the snow. I miss the skiing (the Clarence Ski Club--Deedle convinced me to sign up!), the hot chocolate, the snowball wars, and during that fun 7ft. snowstorm of 2001....I miss digging a tunnel! (Granted, the ceiling fell on poor Megan...hehe...but what a sight that was!!)

It's these times that I look back and I remember all the fun I had as a child....and I look forward to making those kinds of memories with my children (it might be a few years...but that's alright!)...although I already know that we won't get much snow at all when we move to Atlanta!

Speaking of Atlanta....I'm headed there for the weekend! I have a student competing in the Atlanta Irish Music Competition in Alpharetta, GA (just north of Atlanta) and so we're off this afternoon :) I have to get some laundry done before we leave, so I'd better get going!!

~KMB

Aloha and Mahalo.....

As I was trying to add more pics to my computer, I found the last file (that Alan finally downloaded from the camera the other night) of the honeymoon pics...Yay!! I finally get to see our pictures from the second week in Hawaii--on Big Island in Kona!

We stayed at a wonderful time share (that Alan's parents have) and they always have fun things scheduled going on at the resort...like learning to make fresh floral leis and learning about the native Hawaiian music, language, and dance! Alan and I attended one of these and since we were on our honeymoon, they had us do the special "marriage ceremony" where you place the Lei that each of you made around your spouse's neck. I was surprised that Alan actually wore the lei for at least five minutes! So here are some of the pictures....Enjoy!



This is the view from the patio where we made Leis!



This is part of the Hawaiian Marriage Ceremony....apparently it was very easy to get married in the Polynesian culture!




Ending the ceremony with a kiss!





Hehe...here's one of Alan. I'm not sure he even knows I'm posting these...isn't he gorgeous though?!!!...and I made the Lei he's wearing!




These were the women in charge of teaching us all about native Hawaiian culture!




Anyways, I have a few more that were from the 12-hour volcano tour we took, but it's getting to be past my bedtime! I'll save those for another post :) It's exciting for me to actually be able to fnally see and post these pictures!


Aloha and Mahalo.....
~KMB

Snow Day????

I still can't get over this-- today, most schools are closed in middle TN for a snow day...but the kicker??? THERE'S NO SNOW!! I live in Davidson Co. (this is the county that Nashville is located in).....it is one of maybe five counties in TN that did NOT close for a snow day, because someone (who obviously was able to look out the window and think logically) said, "Let's not close school until there's ACTUALLY snow!"

Ok...so the one thing since moving down to TN that I will never get used to is Tennesseans' stupid reactions to a snow forecast. Maybe I'm just used to lots of snow, but if snow is pretty much even whispered in a forecast, most schools are closing and people start freaking out! I generally like to wait until there is actually something to freak out about...but that's just me.

However, this does put me in something of a quandry. I teach on Thursdays in a nice little place outside of Nashville called Hermitage. (Yes, it's just down the road from President Andrew Jackson's historic home). But I digress. Anyways, the area of Hermitage where I teach sits on the border of Davidson Co. and Wilson Co....and a lot of my students are split down the middle as far as which county they go to school in. So, now the question becomes...because Wilson Co. schools closed but Davidson Co. did not, do I too, cancel for the day or go and teach?? I go and teach! (Especially since there's NO SNOW!) I'm just not looking forward to calling all the parents to convince them that it's ok to venture out and we're still on for today....ah well....such is life.