Homework and the Oboe

My brain this week...

     Well, school is kicking my booty. The classes are challenging, which I like, but there is so much homework, I'm pooped! I am wondering if the homework is taking me longer because of my age or because I am being so thorough? I don't know and I'm too tired to let my brain wander around trying to figure it out. The important thing is that I am doing the homework and "getting" the materials. I love my classes for the most part, but I am feeling a little overwhelmed, hoping I did not bite off more than I can chew this semester. But if I want to finish this program in a year and a half, I have to have these four classes now, since next semester's classes build on top of these classes. It is what it is. Although I have already spent over 25 hours doing homework this week, I still have at least another 10 hours of homework to finish before the holiday weekend is over. Yup. I have to create an animation based on an old invention, all by hand, and then I have to work on the Flash animation that is due the following Tuesday. Wheee, right?

     My youngest daughter got her rental oboe this week. She tried it out at school last year, before the end of the year, and really loved it. So she is joining the band this year as the only oboe player. I have to say it is a lot more expensive to rent an oboe than a flute, like twice as much. But I think music is very important and have made sure that all the kids had an opportunity to learn an instrument at some point in their lives. I never played any wind instruments so I have no idea how to put it together, clean it or play it. All I can do is be encouraging, remind her to practice and pay the rental fee each month. I hope she stays with it. I like the oboe. Ever since I first watched the lovely movie, "Enchanted April," years and years ago, and heard the oboe solo from Erik Satie's Gymnopedie No. 1, I have enjoyed the haunting sound. And she is thrilled, already practicing the three notes she learned on Thursday, as well as trying to see what other sounds she can make with it. She is so passionate about it, full of excitement and dedication, I hope it lasts forever. And if you haven't seen "Enchanted April," I highly recommend it, a wonderfully charming movie with beautiful cinematography, music and a lovely story. The acting is excellent too, with Josie Lawrence, Miranda Richardson, Joan Plowright, Alfred Molina and others, a terrific cast. It is one of my top five favorite movies of all time.
     So I guess today's post is about learning new things, education and passion. What do you want to learn to do? No matter what it is, go for it, make the time, jump in with both feet and let yourself go. And if you can't do it now, start visualizing it. Imagine yourself taking the class or classes. Imagine yourself loving it and waking up each day with energy and motivation to learn. Really, let your imagination run wild with the visualization everyday and before you know it, you'll be doing it for real. It works for me...