Turtle check-in station

@Determined I only play for myself and my teacher (and I get super anxious playing for him!!!!). I'm not sure if you are familiar with the suzuki method. I really like the philosophy behind it. Instead of doing exams, the teacher and student together decide when the student is ready to graduate from a book. The teacher then records the student playing the piece and the recording gets sent off to the suzuki association. The student can then play at the graduation concert. It means that students are showing off what they already know they can do, rather then being tested as to whether they can do it or not, if that makes sense. I've played at the Sydney Opera House twice in the graduation concert. I super want to graduate this year because apparently the Opera House is then being closed for two years for renovations. However, I really can't see myself being ready by the end of this year. Although this is the graduation piece, there are three further pieces in the book, so methinks this little turtle will be graduating from suzuki book 4 next year.

You made me giggle with your description of your playing in church. The cool thing about playing in church is that everyone is always going to be super polite, no matter how you sound. I know, because I've sat through services where a less-than-brilliant organist was playing.

I'm pretty hopeless at keeping time too. Over the past few months I've been using a metronome a lot to help me with this. I downloaded a free metronome app onto my phone.

Lol @Phoenix_Rising playing in church all started one Sunday night when the organist didnt show up, when I walked inntne door someone suggested I could try (I suspect hebwas being a smartass rather than serious) so I did. Somehow ended up on the roster after that. Hadn't touched an organ in ofer 10 years at the time so it was just a little interesting.

It did however wet my appetite though so I went out and bought one, first a old dunger for $100 then a new one when the dunger blew up. Darling saw the new one as necessary for my stress relief as it was at the time I lost my job and was in a bit of a hole. Had some money from annual leave payout so treated myself. At the time my darling found my playing soothing also.

When I was learning I also was just working through a series of books and just moved on to the next book rathrr than doing exams so nothing offical. It was not anything as well known as Suzuki method though.

That is very cool that you bought an organ after getting roped into playing at church @Determined.

Music is an expensive hobby! My violin is the most expensive thing I own aside from my car and my house, and my lessons are also ridiculously expensive. However, it really does super help me with my big feelings so I figure it is worth it. Over the past couple of years when MH professionals have been causing me nothing but grief, I have got far more out of my violin playing than from any MH workers! Given I don't drink or smoke or go out much, I think I can justify the expense of my lessons, even though it does make me cringe a bit.

Sorry @Determined I missed your post about your darling but just saw it now. That does sound super tricky navigating the next few days with reduced prn. I am fortunate in that I've never relied heavily on medication. Because I'm so super cautious with it (I am terrified of adding a drug dependency to my muddles), I am in the amusing position whereby my GP is encouraging me to take more drugs rather than less. I've just gone back onto an extremely low dose of a mood stabilizer to help with my sleep issues. I was discussing with my GP the pros and cons of using this medication on a regular basis versus using an addictive only-in-emergencies medication sporadically and she was like "you can take both if you want."

@Former-Member No, I will suss it out.

@Phoenix_Rising

Saw this guy in concert as a 10 year old and was most inspired, still remember it decades later. Oh to be musically talented.

https://youtu.be/2_mFg42LlUI