Four more sleeps

That's what remain until I get on a train to go for a few days to see my family.

The break will be VERY welcome. Even the long train trip, because that means I can sit in my quiet little compartment and just read. (Fluttershy may be my favorite Pony, but I'm probably most like Twilight Sparkle.)

I'm going to bring that Numbers: the Language of Science book that I'm reading on. Because it's FASCINATING but I don't think I'll finish it in the next few days. (I checked to see if it was translated - Dantzig WAS Latvian - but there's no reference to a translator, so I guess I'm reading his original words. Well, I have to say, he wrote in a very lively and interesting way and makes the subject enjoyable. Although I never know how much of my enjoyment of a book like this comes from the fact that I'm naturally curious about the subject and want to learn about it - I remember I used to think highly of certain professors that other students rolled their eyes over and said " Oh, S/he's SO BORING!" I didn't find them boring, I found them organized and giving good detailed information and all that.

So I do wonder how much of our perception of someone or something (like a book) being boring or interesting is based on what we bring to it. If you're a naturally curious person, maybe you find more stuff interesting than someone who is less curious.)

I THINK I may be getting my piano-playing mojo back. I've been forcing myself, these past few days of practicing, NOT to look at the keyboard - what I'd typically do, early on in lessons, is memorize the stuff I was playing and then watch my fingers, so I kind of developed the 'crutch' of seeing where I was going, and haven't developed as good a "feel" for the keyboard. (It's difficult for me, for example, to find a sixth interval solely by feel).

I think two other factors came into play on the EPIC FAIL on the Bourree: First, I was trying to play it too fast. I just have to accept that I cannot play as fast as some people, maybe not even as fast as the composer intended. Or that maybe, it just takes me longer to master something than a younger person and I thought I had the piece mastered when I had not.

And second: I think I had too much stuff to work on. Too many pieces. Now that it's been suggested I shelve the Bourree for now (but darnit, I'm still working on it, I'm stubborn that way) it feels like the pressure is off, some. I noticed earlier when I had a lot of stuff to work on, I'd be working on one piece and think, "Oh gosh, I only have 20 more minutes of time to practice and I still have to get to this, that, and the other." I may have to suggest to my piano teacher that fewer things at one time, but more in-depth work on each thing, will probably be better for me. One problem I have learned I have is that too much stuff will overwhelm me quickly - even if I really CAN do it all, it's just the thought of "My to-do list for today is 25 items long" that makes me shut down a little.