1,000 Days of Piano - Day 76: Lightbulb

I love nothing more than a good idea. I find few things more terrifying than sharing a good idea (save the stuff of nightmares and phobias). Lying in bed this morning, drifting between sleep and wakefulness, an idea came to me. I could, if I dared, hold a fundraiser for those affected by Hurricane Dorian. I could do a Practice-a-Thon, and ask sponsors to pledge any amount, for example, a nickel, for every minute I practice piano for the next two weeks. A sponsor could also contribute a flat fee. If I had many sponsors, I could raise a lot of money.

I was so inspired by this idea that, ironically, I spent the day not practicing but setting up my fundraiser. I’m not ready yet, but I’ve chosen a new piece to learn. I have a new challenge and, with luck, I can help Direct Relief provide medical supplies to those areas affected by Hurricane Dorian.

1,000 Days of Piano - Day 75: Upheaval

Today I am really proud of myself. I put together a playlist on Spotify with the entire Suzuki repertoire, and I endured mild seasickness on a whale watch boat tour. I only had to put my head over the side of the boat twice. The playlist was easy once I discovered that the Piano Favourites for Young People series of three volumes consists of all the Suzuki piano pieces with the levels all mixed up. It doesn’t seem like it’s as much of an accomplishment as it did when I was searching all of Spotify for just the right interpretation of the pieces. Still, no one had put together all seven books in one playlist in order.

I even left my playlist public, which is something I rarely do. I’m a private person with 20th century sensibilities. I don’t feel the need to live my life on the public Internet...until I started writing this blog. Now, my carefully cultivated, reclusive online existence has been disintegrated in a mash up with daily writing deadlines reminiscent of National Novel Writing Month. Now, it’s quantity over quality, which runs contrary to my mindset.

My values, my social image, and my art are all in as much upheaval as my body was on that boat being tossed and turned with each swell. I kept my eyes on the horizon, and I (mostly) kept my lunch. Writing this blog, I can keep my focus on practicing, recording, and honest, insightful sharing with courage and compassion.

Note: The roll up piano is a toy and not intended for real practice. I am on vacation, after all. Still, I want to keep up with the pieces I’ve learned, and I figure the roll up instrument is better than air piano. It’s an experiment.