End of Semester...

Sigh... the work just keeps building up, and it seems like you can't ever get ahead of it. The crunch is always on. Sometimes I don't get how people in the real world can handle it. Really, I don't have to much to complain about, seeing as how I certainly don't have the pressures of, say, being an actual teacher on my plate. However, I do dedicate my time to working musically, since this is my career choice. I spend my 3-4 hours practicing during the day, I set up and do quintet rehearsals, orchestra rehearsals, sectionals, brass choir and so on. Then you get the papers, theory assignments and studying. Nothing new for a student, right?

I just seem to be finding it a bit much lately. Maybe it's because I got to go home for 4 days, and then left again so soon. It was like stepping out of my school life for a moment, and then being thrown back into it without really realizing what was happening. I just want to head back home and reconnect.

The downside to that is the organizing of my school life so I can run away for a month and not think about it. Aside from finishing up the school work, I've been trying to navigate the piss poor excuse for an administrative system here, and figure out what I need to do to graduate in 4 months. These Victorians are all great and friendly to talk to, but they are far too laid back. There is absolutely no organization to anything, and what is organized is so hopelessly outdated that you have to read it and hope you can figure out a way to apply it to your situation.

Also, I'm trying to figure out what to do for the auditions I have coming up. I've decided to record myself when I get back to Lethbridge, since I just don't have the time right now to sit in a room for a day or so. Unfortunately that means I need to track down some sort of recording gear to pull that one off. Also means I need to get the right application packages taken care of before I leave my laptop in Victoria.

Then there's the money. I'm going back to work for Canadian Tire for 2 weeks when I get back to Lethbridge. That's right... I said I'd never go back, and I'm going back. I'm a bad person. However, with the flight costs, I need the money, and it'll pay for Christmas too. Just means that a little bit of my soul will die each cordless drill that I sell for the holidays.

There's more too... but now that I look back on the stuff I just typed out, I realize that it doesn't really matter. We all do what we have to do, right? As a wise brass player once said to me, "Doesn't matter how hard it is. If it has to sound that way, you need to make it work, no matter what." There were a few more "colorful" words in there, but the point is that no matter the difficulties presented by the instrument/life, if it needs to get done, you do it. In the grand scheme, my plate isn't as full as some other peoples, and there are some who you give it all up just to take what I'm doing as a break from their stress!