Hello Friends:
I'm going to sound like a broken record. I need daily exercise, not only for my physical health, but for my emotional health . And for my sanity.
This week, I am proud to report, I stayed on track! Here are my last two hooping videos:
I'm starting each morning, rain or shine with Qi Gong and weighted hooping. Then later in the day I go for a walk. I am already feeling more balanced. Good thing, because this week was rather stressful at work.
I am chuckling to myself as I type this. Because to go to work, I simply walk down the stairs to the garage/basement of the townhouse to my little cavelike room in the very back. I sit at my piano, move the backdrop curtain of the ancient library behind my back to shield the view of my room, and then I log into Zoom.
Times have certainly changed. Merely 8 months ago, Pre-pandemic, going to work entailed walking through a park and about 1/2 mile to "The Vine" bus stop. Getting off down town Vancouver and boarding the #105 I-5 Express bus to downtown Portland. From there, time permitting, I would stop for a matcha green tea latte at Starbucks. Then I would board another bus to SE Portland where I would several hours in the piano lab at the Community Music Center.
Good Lord, I miss my time there. The spacious piano lab, with my file cabinets full of music and worksheets. My students, who I would gather for circle time before each class. I think circle time was a favorite of most of my students, and myself. We would usually share one thing about our week, before I would tell them the focus for our group class that day.
Not only did I teach group piano, I also taught a few private lessons to intermediate students. Students that had been studying with me for many years, and had progressed beyond group and needed more one-on-one instruction.
Aside from my teaching, I accompanied the Francis Street Singers, an adult community choir/class which met once a week. I had been with them for over 20 years. Choir practice was the highlight of my week, even though I did not arrive home and dive under the covers of my bed in my cave until usually 11:30 p.m. every Tuesday night. It was worth it.
I miss my pre-pandemic life.
But this week gave me hope. I have been rehired at the Community Music Center, but for online teaching for now. There are a lot more rules, policies and regulations than before. And all of my communication is online.
I had quite a bit of trouble adjusting the new formats. But after copious amounts of support via text, email and phone with the office staff, I felt incredibly supported. At first, my self confidence was spiraling downward. I felt old and slow. But they were so kind and patient, and truly helpful. After many hours, I do believe I am onboard.
By admitting I was having trouble, and didn't completely understand, was humbling but also opened up the communication. Not only with the office staff, but with my students and their parents!
I felt like I was the student this week. One of my middle school students set up his computer AND his cell phone for our Zoom lesson so that I could see his face on one screen while I talked him, while simultaneously showing his hands on another screen. I was most impressed!
Another student, a high school student who loves classical music and wants to learn a difficult work by Franz Liszt just for the challenge, was able to share his screen with me as we studied the score together.
I could go on, but it is late. And I have a long day of babysitting my precious granddaughter tomorrow. My 3 year-old granddaughter who videobombed one of my lessons earlier. I was in the midst of demonstrating a passage in "A River Flows in You" by Yiruma, when I heard a little knock on my door. I asked my student to hold on and I opened the door. There was my granddaughter. She had opened the baby gate and come down to the basement all by herself to find her Zma! She walked right in and jumped up on the piano bench. All to the glee and amusement of my adult student, who has four children of her own, including 5 year-old twins who are my students. She visited with my student for a bit before I heard the garage door open and my daughter's frantic footsteps.
She must have been horrified to find the baby gate open and her daughter missing. But it ended well. And everyone had a good chuckle.
Speaking of ending well. I shall end here. I need to get up even earlier, if I want to keep up with my daily hooping!
Happy Saturday!
Talk to you tomorrow!
Love,
Zita
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