Workshop

“The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.” - Jon Kabat-Zinn

One of my favorite things about living where we live is the relatively low cost of living. Our home is beautiful and at this point, Zheng and I are each able to have amply-sized offices. 

I’m a recovered clutter-bug, but now with digital technology and the ability to store things via cloud or scan (or however), it has helped me stay much more organized, and as a result, much less mental clutter or chatter. 

I re-organized my home office back in late February, and I feel like it’s one of the most important reasons that we’re in the thick of a very busy “season” (concerts, projects, life, taxes, etc) but that I’m still feeling some semblance of sanity.

Here is a photo of an in-process “arrangement,” one which will be performed with the New Mexico Philharmonic, my beloved UNM Chamber Singers, and my husband’s combined middle school student orchestras! You can read more about that concert here.  

Desktop

"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well (or cleaned well) …" (Virginia Woolf, with my slight addition)

I was in the midst of trying to get important (and then deeper, longer-term projects) finished this past weekend (and really, for the past month). 

(my "home office," as a "during" shot during cleaning. Note the feline assistant.)

Everything showed it - my own fatigue level (finshing a major Britten opera surely contributed!), as well as the amount of things that weren’t “completed” (open circuits) … 

Things getting added to the “list” before things were falling away. 

In the midst of all of this, I was working on keeping my desktop clearer (the one on my computer, as well as my literal ones in home and office) and - by accident - my desktop got saved to iCloud but did not save to the actual *visual* desktop. 

After panicking for two seconds, I realized that everything had saved to the cloud … meaning, the computer had more available memory … AND - the desktop was … 

CLEAR.

(... what my desktop looks like now ...) 

And now, it is such a joy to open the computer and see only two folders, which are my next two conducting projects. 

These days also mark a time in my calendar when I have more podium engagements in the immeidate future than playing ones. I suppose one is always striking a balance, and I think mine might (?) be right at the 50/50 mark. 

At any rate, the clarity already has me feeling like I can do more deep “farming” work (as a beloved teacher this past summer calls it) and I feel a good sense of balance with my daily work on the tasks in front of me as well. 

Let’s see how long this lasts …

“It seems as if an age of genius must be succeeded by an age of endeavour; riot and extravagance by cleanliness and hard work.” (Virginia Woolf).