Where Kara Joins the Community Orchestra...

 
(I guess we can thank the randomness of the internet and wikipedia for an anatomy lesson of the cello in German--)

Well.  As I wrote in my list of things I'd like to do someday, I've been wanting to play with an orchestra again--

And so I decided to not let it wait any longer- I know that after January it won't get any easier, what with having a brand new baby and all...

I auditioned a few weeks ago actually... but they were right about to have a concert at that point, and so I joined in and started rehearsals for the next concert (Christmas... woohoo!) just last week--  I'm happy to have the opportunity.

For now I'm happily bringing up the rear of the very talented cello section-- and I have quite a bit of practicing to do to get un-rustified....  But it's still there somewhere...I hope.  (I have put the boys to sleep to a bit of lullaby-ing on the cello some nights.... but I'm not sure how much that counts for practice...)

Anyway.  What I was thinking about is how it's fun to see the different personalities in a community orchestra- I don't know if you know what I mean?
It's this group of a bunch of wildly different people... In our particular group I've noticed a few interesting characters already--

First--the conductor-- tonight I noticed holes in his shoes and 3 buttons missing from his suit jacket- two from the sleeve, as well as one of the front buttons.. all gone, maybe at times sort of vaguely missed by the owner, but nobody cares-- that is dedication, I decided.

The older gentleman playing viola to my right was wearing a t-shirt with a saying that had to do with mountain biking-
something that went like,
"you could ride off a cliff and DIE."
"you could crash and break your legs and be left for wild animals to devour-- and DIE"
"or you could stay home and fall off the couch and DIE"

(he must be maybe 67 or so? but very spry-- and after thinking about it, I seemed to remember just maybe actually seeing him around town riding a bike....either way, I don't think his shirt was just for fun-- I think he means it and that is Awesome.   I will add to my list of things to do-- to still ride my bike when I'm old--)

Then there's the phenomenal musician who obviously knows it... but seems to be a nice person anyway.

Of course a few jokesters in the percussion section-- is that just a pre-requisite?  It just has to be, at least in every group I've ever played with..

I debate whether I should have auditioned on trombone--  they seem like a right jazzy sort of group--

There's also  "Handsome young guy violinist who probably got made fun of at some point in life for not being good at sports, but has plenty of girls in love with him now so it doesn't bother him",

and "Old guy that has been so dedicated to his music that he never got married, and maybe is sort of grumpy about things in general-- but is still so dedicated to the music.."

and plenty of other personalities I haven't yet noticed-- but it's always intriguing to me to see how much personality can come out just in a little community orchestra rehearsal...

It's great to be part of it.

I suppose for now I will fill in the spot of  'mom who gave up her consistent practicing for too long of a time...but is trying to get back into it before it's too late...'

Also, on another note-- If you're sick of my random ramblings and just want cute pictures of Elijah and Henry, I apologize for the lack there-of so far.... but I'm sure by the end of this blog there will be plenty of little boy pictures.  So hang in there. 

My list of things to do in life.

I'm always enthralled by other people's goals and lists of things they're going to do.

Maybe you are not enthralled by that.  But if you are, here is my list...

Of course it's not inclusive of everything. But some things that I want to do in the near-ish future that come to mind are:

*Keep at least two hives of bees in our yard (oh, and have a yard...someday)

*Journal more. (nobody now even knows who I am, or whatnot... let alone posterity...)

*Pick wild asparagus and harvest acorns. among other wild foods. because that is awesome. We used to always go get elderberries when we were kids...

*again...have a yard and also a big garden-grow all the good stuff...

*so.. when we have that yard.... I'd like to also own chickens. I'd really just like to have a little farm, I guess...

*Travel a bit. It wouldn't hurt to go to Europe.

*Have the rest of our children a birthing center (or maybe home?..we'll see) instead of a hospital. In fact, I'd prefer to avoid hospitals in general. (why go there, when there are places like this? I plan to walk there when I go into labor this January because it's only a couple of blocks away. Seriously. People think I'm nuts, or that I'm kidding when I say that, but when you're in labor, walking is good.  At least for me.  Anyway.  I think it's pretty awesome that we happen to live around the corner.) 

*Never  own a boat, but own a canoe perhaps, if we live near a body of water. (does it count as a goal if it's to Not do something? For some reason, I'm just anti-boat-owning...random I know...no offense to people that own boats... I just would never want one. Unless I decided to be a professional sailor or fisherman. Then of course I would) 

*Climb mountains, go hiking and camping with my boys. (and girls of course, if we ever have one)

*Go to the theatre often with my boys.  (we just saw Peter Pan last week! yay!)

*Play with an orchestra or jazz band again. 

*Be an influential person in my community (all moms are in some way of course. but I'd also like to get more involved in community events and organizations at some point)

*Make my sister Marianne's wedding dress-- perhaps from recycled wedding dresses/fabric...(because she's up for it--and it's awesome.)

*Say what I mean, and mean what I say. Exactly.  All the time. (this is just such a talent. Is there anyone who can do it 100% of the time?    Just to pick Exactly the right words to convey exactly the right meaning... I don't know if I'm even doing it now, but someday I want to have this talent...)

*Give away awesome stuff on the free section of Craigslist.  Or just however, really- When we have awesome stuff to give away...(we've found some awesome things on Craigslist though... just want to pass on the favor...)

*go to a place where Spanish is the main language and brush up my skills.... at least, I'd really like to be fluent in some other language besides English.

*Play the accordion on the street with my boys. (I'm picturing Elijah and Henry with cute outfits and armed with their harmonicas.... Really. I want to do it sometime...)

*still shop at thrift stores even if we're ever well off with money...  because I'd rather spend money at an organization that helps others and doesn't fuel more demand for more and more new things to be produced, when we don't really need it..Plus then we could take the extra $ of what we would have had to pay to get whatever clothes, furniture, whatnot-- and donate it to a good cause...

 * keep in touch with people better.. and just be a better friend. To understand and be understood.. that's what the world needs, isn't it?

*Re-start up my Etsy shop.. which has been stagnant for so long, sadly. I just haven't had the time...

*Go on a vacation/road trip or something with Just Gabe for at least a week each year.  We went to New York in April, and I have decided that getting away for a while is a good thing... I'm not sure when or how we'll always work this one out, since it will depend on other people too... but somehow... 

*make a pair of shoes. (I've actually been in the works on this one.. just one of a billion crazy projects. I'll finish them sometime.)

*buy a home that needs a bit of work, and fix it up to be awesome.... (Not TOO much work--it has to stand up on it's own and not be completely awful....Because I'll have to learn a lot to do this one.. I don't really know how to go about it. But it's always been something I think would be cool.)

*Buy said house with cash, or pay off our mortgage within 10 years?? I have no idea if we will be able to do either of those. Something miraculous would have to happen first... But I can still have a goal, even if it's unattainable, right??)

There you have it.  My list for now. 

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."
~Mark Twain

Also, here is our new painting as of the other day.  Not drastically different this time.  The boys were feeling like some yellow though I guess.