Winter time!

It was -27 here today with the wind chill. Quite the difference from the 17 degrees it was not too long ago (like 2 weeks). Thankfully most of it was spent inside but alas I had a mighty chilly walk home from the music building this evening.

Speaking of winter, yuck to spiritual winter. This sucks.

Tomorrow I get to sleep in which should be great considering I was up at 6:30am this morning. Along with one hour of class I'm hoping to get the following accomplished:

• Send out some more resumes. I have huge mixed feelings about this whole moving away/on thing. Arg.
• Finish my MAS readings from last week (10 pages) and start the readings for Wednesday (40 pages)
• Start my marketing readings (100 pages)
  
• Get a new recital date. My original date for March 7 has to change as Rudin, my BELOVED accompanist (I Love him to bits! He is FANTASTIC!), has been scheduled to do masters' auditions in NYC (at Mannis & Manhatten) on the 6th and 8th. This is going to be such a headache to resolve as the new date has to fit with mine, Rudin's, McKay's, & another TBA person's schedules. I hope to God this does not take weeks to sort out.
• I must go to the gym. It has been over a week and I feel like a lump of lard. Not good.
• Take my textbooks to the used bookstore... I either try and sell them now or have a bonfire as they're both going to go out of date by next year. STATS 023/024 or PSYCH 164 anyone?
  
• Figure out how I'm going to get out of Wind Ensemble for 5 on Wednesday so I can scoot off to a dress rehearsal in Hamilton. Normally I'm done at 5:20 so this isn't a huge amount of time I just hate asking for exceptions.
• Pick up a bursary check from the SLB. I was supposed to do this last Thursday but I had a non-stop day from 10:00-6:15. Unfortunately I couldn't get it together to go up before 10 on Thursday nor could I pry myself from that fancy new couch in the music lobby during an impromptu break in an also-jammed-pack Friday.
• Listen to Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony & learn the part. I'm doing it this weekend in Stratford for a Robbie Burns' Day concert and don't think I have any idea how much I need to practice...
• Practice Mozart like there's no tomorrow... I'm doing the UWO Concerto competition on Sunday and would really like to do a decent job of it seeing as I enjoy it & have been working on it for quite some time.
• Cook enough food for the next five days. HA. Good luck with that. Anybody want to make a dinner or lunch date this week?

Ugh. Just writing all this stuff out makes me not want this week to start. Weekend anyone?


A P.S.

This is a poem forwarded for posting by my friend Mark (aka Prince David to my family). It is appropriate given the "ugh" feelings for the week. Hope you all enjoy it as much as I did!

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrmann, Desiderata, Copyright 1952.