flow

A quick post this morning while I wait to go downstairs.  A couple of mornings now, I have trotted down the stairs to find myself right in the middle of Mike and Karen's morning Bible study together.  I'm always at a loss at what to do.  I certainly don't want to interrupt by heading to the pantry and starting a pot of coffee, especially if they're praying.  It's an awkward moment.  I'm sure I'll get used to it and figure out their routine, just as they will mine in due time of course... unless of course neither one of us has a set routine, which could turn out to be the case.  Going with the flow is a great skill, until your flow runs into another person's flow... and then there's too much flow going in equal and opposite directions.  It's a lot of flow.  Flow.

But seriously, in all actuality, these past few days have seen some of the funniest moments for me of the past few months.  Sunday was moving day, and so of course one or two of the freshman girls from student ministry at Central came to help me move... that is, came home from church with me and then I took them back later that night to youth group.  They are, in a word, some of the most hilarious creatures on the planet.  "Can we come house-shopping with you someday, Katie Beth?"  "When you get married, can we come to your wedding?"  "Seriously, how long did it take you to learn all of our names last year?" (Uh... the entire year)... "Katie Beth!  That is not ok for a mama!"  Not to mention all the antics they like to try while in traffic.  I have never seen so many astonished drivers sitting at stoplights next to me.  But I love them and they were a huge help.  They basically set up my entire room for me while I stood around talking to my family and bidding them farewell after the move.  And then they forbid me to bring my ficus tree (strung with white lights) upstairs to my room, claiming that it was a bad addiction and that I needed to quit the ficus.  You can't make this stuff up.

Yesterday I made my debut as a conductor at Lutheran High... I promise you, it was nothing huge.  But definitely funny.  There's one piece (a cappella) that Jen wants to sing the solo for during Chapel next week and since I won't have to play, she's asked me to conduct it instead.  She figures if the director of the St. Louis Chamber Chorus can step down from the podium and sing with his own choir, then so can she.  I'm just excited to actually use my Basic Conducting skills :)  But of course, being a pianist, the very first downbeat I give them, the entire choir bursts out laughing.  I can't help it... I prep with a sniff.  I always do... that's how I was taught to cue as a pianist.  Get over it and let's go.  It took two or three tries before they finally stopped laughing and then I gave a bad prep and did it once without sniffing, at which point they were completely confused and decided they absolutely couldn't come in without it anymore.  Lol.  High schoolers...

Today:  attempting to get back into my normal practice routine.  Spent the majority of yesterday's practice time catching up on accompanying stuff.  Then teaching three kids this afternoon, then Wednesday night youth group.  Long days, but I love them.  And I'm loving the weather here lately.  St. Louis in the fall is incomparable.

And somehow the Cards lost last night and still made the playoffs... here we go again.

oct 2

A quick post while I wait to meet my mom.  So many things have happened in the past week... so many good things, that is.  But this pianist is one exhausted girl.

For one thing, I moved... again... for the 5th time in two years.  We are officially out of the boy-lair and in with a couple of empty nesters whose seven kids are grown and gone (at the very least in college).  It is wonderful but my body is still adjusting.  Any time I make a major life transition, my body violently resists and turns its pure hatred on me in whatever form it so chooses.  This time it's sleeplessness... last night I got about five hours.  The average for the past week has been about six per night, give or take.  I really need about seven to seven-and-a-half to function in a loveable manner.  Less than ideal, but you do what you have to do.

Monday morning I got off facebook.  I didn't deactivate.  Between you and me, I will probably still check it now and then to keep up with people, but no commenting or status updates.  It's already really good because I'm forcing myself to be more intentional in real life with people I care about.  The only downside is that you can't be intentional with everyone, so I know there are (and will be) people who fall through the cracks.  I think Facebook can be really dangerous in that regard... giving us a false sense of security in our relationships.  I'll be interested to see what else my hiatus reveals.

Saturday we got the piano and the dining room table and chairs moved out of the boy-lair.  Holy cow, what a job.  But it was the smoothest I'd ever seen that instrument moved.  Eight guys and a truck showed up from my church and we were done within an hour and a half.  It is now properly installed in the Central Youth House where it will stay until it either dies or finds a new owner.  I am so relieved.

Today, I also got MY NEW MACBOOK in the mail today from my friend James.  I am super pumped.  He gave me a great deal on it and even sealed in a beautifully printed receipt for my business tax records.  I'm not typing from it just yet... it's still in its packaging and I am hesitant to open it when I have to teach in just another hour or so.  I would much rather wait until I have ample time to introduce myself to it properly, figure out its quirks, and start transferring stuff over.  Let's face it:  in the midst of a move and a new computer, it may be another three weeks before I am fully functional again.

More later.  Mom just rolled in...