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​Musings

These posts are my musings and cover many topics.  Some posts will be observations that I have made over my lifetime...some will be what I call, truisms.  Truisms that I have developed from having to deal with the tough situations life sometimes deals us.  I developed these little philosophies to help me avoid a situation in the future or  to allow me to have a better outcome the next time around.  All observations, truisms , and whatever other post this blog contains are  based on my own personal experiences and  opinions.  Hopefully, some post will be of some help to someone in a situation or  give someone another perspective...another way of looking/thinking about a situation that is helpful.  I love writing these posts and I appreciate you  reading them :-)

Please be aware there is a NEW  feature added to  some of the Musings.....AUDIO....There will be an audio bar on those Musings that offer this option.....You may not feel like reading at that moment....now you may listen:-)

Quote:

"All our words are but crumbs that fall down from the feast of the mind."- Gibran

MAKING CHANGES...MOVING FORWARD ...

12/31/2014

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It's that time of year, for me, when I  think about where I am and where I want  to go...writing things down has always helped me clarify situations...so, I am.... musing about it:-)......perhaps, you, my reader, are also undergoing some change and can relate to my thoughts...

Over the  past several months,
 many things have been changing with  my music and the direction it  is going...although gradual, I clearly know that "things" have changed with both my composing and cello playing efforts...

It is so interesting, to me,  as I look back over the past year and see the results from  all the small little steps I took that  are creating change for my future music direction...

One of the major changes that I am making  is to concentrate  on my site as my main music and creative outlet venue...I have found from experience of the past few years in various  internet music and social  sites, that I want the audience that my site provides....my site gives me the feeling that  I am on a 24/7 worldwide gig :-)....regular people from all walks of life and cultures listening to my music and reading /listening to my musings..... I have always concentrated my efforts and energies  where I would get the desired result....no matter what I was doing....and for my music...this site is getting all my attention now...

Since composing and my cello playing efforts were increasing and demanding more and more of my day....I needed more available  time....so, I did an analysis of what I was doing that was taking my time and seeing if it was being used to get the result I wanted....I did this over a few months and found that I was doing time draining activities that were not doing me or my goals any good...

Since most of my music activities and communications are online....I took a close look at what I was doing and realized that changes needed to be made quickly to stop the time drain or I would not meet my goals with my cello and composing......

The first thing I did was change my Sound Cloud involvement....it was very time consuming ....this freed up much time ...I still, however,  spend some time maintaining my presence there , but, very little ...also, I was in a few  FB "groups"...they were music groups consisting of musicians but not directly related to my goals and definitely a time drain...I dropped out of them....and I have cut back considerably on my regular FB communications and plan to do a bit more ...

I am able to spend more time now on twitter which I use to promote and share my music and creative efforts that are on my site....this is really satisfying and rewarding to me as I have a wonderful audience and it is unlimited .... it inspires me to work hard to be my best....

There have been changes in my composing path also....it was subtle...but I have come to realize  I seem to write "unusual" music for a cello and it seems to be inspired many times by animals !...I know it is right for me to do this as it happens so easily and the ideas just come so clearly....although, not your "normal" classical/cello composer....I intend to allow myself all the room I need to compose what I want and about whatever subject inspires me....I am hoping to call attention to these animals for their good with my music....and some of this new found extra time will be spent doing this as much as I can....along with composing  more usual cello songs...

A change is happening with my cello efforts , also....a change was called for as I am now playing more complex and challenging music...I need more time alone to work ...and I have changed my lesson structure to get the best result from my efforts....this is most important to me....doing my best with the cello and playing the music I  love...this change has paid off big time and I have just finalized one of my dream pieces...I am almost to  the top of my cello mountain...a few more pieces ...a few more years to go...a large portion of the time that I have freed up is being used for more cello work so I meet these goals .

A lot of my previous musings are about success oriented techniques that I have learned and used thru the years ....this musing is about the result of using these techniques that we hear from people like my favorite fellow...Brian Tracy ....using  these techniques  like time management and planning have become second nature to me  after so many years...it is how I automatically think now....it is hard to accomplish goals we have set and I feel strongly that we need to take  control of the process to get the results we want..this is why I have come to make some of my recent changes....they were needed so I could continue moving in a forward direction towards my goals.....

I should mention ...it is also possible...and maybe even probable that making changes makes other people in our world uncomfortable and unhappy with us.....this has never stopped me from making changes necessary for getting the best result....we have to expect this and not  give in to status quo as it will negatively affect  our desired result...

I have a busy 2015 planned for myself with wonderful music projects in mind...they are both exciting and challenging to me...some of my recent changes will help me  make these ideas a reality....

I am wishing you, my  musing reader, a New Year full of potential and promise....and that you make out of it everything you  want....

QUOTES:
"If you are not willing to risk the unusual, you will have settle for the ordinary"-Brian Tracy

"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten"-Brian Tracy

"We cannot become what we want by remaining what we are"-Max De Pree

"The bad news is time flies. The good news is you're the pilot"-Michael Altshuler

"There is only one real happiness in life and that is the happiness of creating"-Frederick Delius

"If you want something in your life you have never had...You will have to do something you've never done"- J.D. Houston
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A BEAUTIFUL OPUS.... BUT...NOT A MUSIC ONE....

12/4/2014

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This musing is about a South African Penguin chick named ....OPUS....

Several days ago, I saw a posting by SANCCOB..The Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds ..an organization that rescues penguins and seabirds....they were asking for people to "foster" an orphaned penguin chick and they call it their Christmas Chick program...They put a photo of one of these chicks and the very sad story about them.....I  knew I had to do that....


It seems that, once a year,  around  October,  the adult penguins go into moult and they can not get food to feed any chicks that have not reached maturity by the time of this moult and are abandoned...these chicks eventually die from hunger or injuries from trying to get food from other adults.....SANCOBB comes and rounds up these chicks....takes them to a shelter location and attempts to save every one they can with medication, warmth, fish, and warm loving hands and hearts.....then, when the penguin chick is healthy and mature enough to make it on his own...he is released to make a natural life...the process can take from 6 weeks to 3 months depending on a number of factors ..the biggest being health....

When I applied for the fostering process , the very first thing I was asked to do was name him :-)...I researched penguin names and there it was....OPUS...opus is used in music titles as a way to categorize music but, OPUS is also a famous penguin in a cartoon I used to read.....Bloom County...There is a photo of this OPUS at the end of the musing....I KNEW with the music connection and the famous cartoon connection..OPUS would be his name :-)..

A few days after applying on their site,  I received a digital package of info about my OPUS....there was a letter which I am including,  the information part of , at the end of this musing , a certificate, a sticker photo of an adult penguin...and a photo of little OPUS....OPUS is A520 to the rescuers and his number is banded on his flipper....so this is really him..not a stand in...I really liked that they do that.....

This letter is so well written ..it is informative and emotional at the same time...Opus was not injured , but, in a weakened condition when they found him on October 10,.....I am glad as the picture in my mind is good one  since there will be no further info forthcoming about OPUS..in thinking about the time frames...in a few weeks or so, Opus will be released to go forth and live his life in his natural world....

When I read the part of them being huddled on the beach ,scared and hungry and then the warm loving hands and fish smoothies....I heard music in my head and I had to write it down....I wrote a little cello song about OPUS  called....OPUS.....NUMBER ONE...it is done but I just finished it last nite (12/1) and have to record it on my cello...so a week or less and I will post it on my site and  update this musing:-)

The evironmental issues are not good as you can see from the letter.....although, not mentioned , this organization deals with oil spill birds of all kinds...this is another future threat to Opus...the letter lists the things we can do...we really need to support the environmentalists who are working on their behalf by donating ..if we can ..and following the other suggestions they give..also, by being politically aware of the laws affecting the environment and wildlife that are being changed or need to be changed in our respective countries....

I plan on continuing my involvement with SANCCOB with support thruout the year and next November there will be another "Christmas" chick to capture my heart:-)...I couldn't give myself a better Christmas present :-)

UPDATE :  The music I composed for Opus is published ...click
HERE.. and another window will open to it :-)
 
Please refer to text musing for the photos and the site address of SANCCOB..

This is SANCCOB's site address should you wish to know more about them ....click and another window will open with their site..

http://www.sanccob.co.za/


Picture
This is the major portion of the letter that was digitally sent....it was beautifully written....
Picture
This is the OPUS in the Bloom County cartoon that I referenced :-) note the dandelions...he used to like to sit in a field of dandelions....well, who wouldn't :-)
Picture
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    Who Am I ? 

    I am an adult female who is a cellist, composer, and a student of life experiences (by necessity).  I feel we are all students in life until the day we die.  I am, a realist and I try to stay grounded in what I feel is  the truth in any situation. I feel we have a responsibility to God, ourselves, and the people who love us to be the very best person we can be.

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