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Oh Trapper.... Playing from the ladies tees on a par 3 course doesn't count. Doesn't matter how difficult they were.


I have to say it's been a good year for me.
I actually started learning piano with a good teacher.
(yes it was rough just trying to get started)
I now am the proud owner of a VPC named Ingrid.

Are there such things as ladies' tees on a par 3 course?

yes

2013

Musically: I've gotten a little better at playing by ear. I can 'find' most notes/sounds pretty quickly now even though it has taken me nearly 9 years to do it. I have 'found' some pretty neat melodies and rhythms that I worked into new original tunes. I'm happy with that as this is what I really love to do.

My weakness is still control. I find it very difficult to play delicately even though I am trying very hard to. The melodies and sounds I hear in my mind are incredible but it is still difficult trying to squeeze them out. I am just starting to scratch the surface as to what they sound like but in time I think you may get to hear them. It's just going to take a bit longer than I thought but, oh well.


Health: This year has been very difficult as the symptoms of having chronic Lyme disease have gotten worse. In the process of looking for any possible way that exists to improve my immune system, I am very fortunate to have discovered the two most powerful foods you could possibly ingest to improve your overall health.

1.) Kefir (a fermented drink with the strongest amount of digestible probiotics you can get).

2.) Raw milk. (Pasteurized/homogenized milk is 'dead' milk. All the good bacteria and digestive enzymes have been killed off.

If you Google 'Kefir' or 'the benefits of drinking raw milk', you will be amazed at what you find. You simply cannot get a better, stronger and more digestible form of probiotics and digestive enzymes. I can't emphasis enough how important it is to keep the good bacteria in your gut healthy as it IS your immune system.

Anyway, I hope to continue to improve with my nonsense 'noodling' or whatever you want to call it technique as well as try even harder to use more control and sensitivity in my playing. At this point, I really need to focus on that more as it is kind of holding me back but remember that I have large rockem-sockem hands and it is not easy for me to play soft and gently.

Work-wise 2013 has been the best year since 2010. Lots of new students and groups, all in the town where we live, no commuting to the big city

Participated in 4 ABF recitals and the Greig recital.

Started my first truly long piece (Sonatina N2 Op 36 Clementi)

Went to the Brussels Piano Party!

Have reduced tension while playing dramatically.

Have (mostly, not 100%) gotten over the problem of not playing as well as I'd like in the lesson. It happens a bit, but not as much as in previous years.

Started ball-room dance lessons with my sweetie.

Kurt, This is wonderful to hear! I know how great it feels, having come back from injury myself a few years ago.

Meanwhile, all the 2013 accomplishments make me feel like a piano slacker!

Hope your husband doesn't find out!

What - no new succulent Italian dishes concocted or delectable wine tasted?

Both...the devil helped me do it...you have to be a player to understand why I'd sell my soul so eagerly...and cheaply

I love this thread! 2013 turned out to be a very good year for me in lots of ways.

Healthwise: In the fall of 2012, I had an MS relapse resulting in partial paralysis on my right side. I missed the November 2012 quarterly recital because of it. By February I had regained full use of my hand and played a Bach piece in the February recital. The fatigue issues lingered through the summer, but in the fall I began working out for an hour at a fitness center daily. Now, I am stronger and more fit than I was before the relapse, and have no lingering symptoms. As a plus- I believe the fitness has greatly improved my piano playing.

Piano journey: I played in each quarterly recital, two pieces in the Grieg recital, and a piece in the Chopin Mazurka recital on PC. In addition I have posted to the Piano Bar 8 times.

I started hosting "Piano Parties" for my teacher's adult students and have become very comfortable playing in front of others. I attended the European Piano Party and had a ball! And, finally, I played in my first formal live recital in front of about 50 people that was live streamed to friends and family. It was a blast.

Skill-wise I believe I have made a big improvement in relaxation, and greatly reduced the time it takes me to learn a new piece. I am adding one major piece a month at this point.

On the personal journey side, after three years of living abroad, Switzerland has become my home. I have mastered German well enough to make German speaking friends, and I have made friends through the Piano Parties. i love it here!

2013 was terrific! It started out, like each of the 25 years before it, pianoless, and ended playing piano again!

A lot changed this year and as exciting as those changes are I'm even more excited to see what I have to say about the end of 2014!

28 years married and a few before that....my hubby is still my sweeetie

LOTS of recipes and wines....probably too many to list.
Tonight will be salmon and rucola risotto with a nice crisp White from Sicily

Unanticipated year here. End support on an ancient piece of software caused my most stressful work year of the last 11. I survive 70 hour weeks, but the resulting hit on piano studies has been most annoying.

At home front we're ending major renovations on our five-year project list and now get to clean out a metric cr@p-ton of accumulated saw/grinder/sander dust from every nook and cranny instead of "just wipe what guests can see".

Finally this week I was able to set a retirement date. Can't wait! Will be able study piano "for reals" starting next May instead of 15 minutes "whenever" grabbed from diurnal 2013 random space-time.

My best wishes for a bright 2014 to all.

Happy New Year!

Is there an equivalent term for "sandbagger" in piano?

Wow, how interesting; lots of stories. And lots of achievements, too!
I really enjoyed!

Before I decided on piano last year, I was also thinking if taking guitar lessons but I didn't think I could manage both. So for 2014, I'm going to learn how to the play the guitar. A friend of mine is giving me his old guitar and since my teacher is officially on maternity leave, I asked if her husband can teach me guitar on the interim (her husband is a jazz guitarist and also gives lessons). I might be biting too much here but at least the guitar is free

ElleC, if your accomplishments on the piano so far are any indication, I'm sure you could learn to play an entire Jazz combo's worth of instruments all at once, and not even really break a sweat .

Just kidding, of course, but I'm sure you'll do great. Do not hesitate to post on SoundCloud when you manage to play something worth hearing on the guitar (which I'm sure will be soon)!

Do you believe I'm learning guitar? Yes, it's true. My kids are having guitar lessons, and they are teaching me... at home - which is always weird, but fun!-. With just 2 "lessons" I'm able to do the C, the E, and F.
ElleC, try it!

2013 was my first full year back at taking lessons. I've really enjoyed lessons with this new teacher. Lessons are actually fun. I think she enjoys teaching me.

2013 was also the year I joined Piano World. Needless to say this has was a good decision. I've enjoyed the online recitals. I'm recording myself because I wanted to participate. And I know I wouldn't be otherwise.

All in all a good year.

Rucola? This time of year we have Lactuca virosa or wild lettuce in the yard. Saute it and relax without the wine.

I had a busy year. I "retired" - actually went from full-time to half-time at work. But I don't seem to have more time for piano!

Four ABF quarterly Recitals:
1- Schumann Arabeske
2- Norton - PS, I Made This
3- Chopin Nocturne 37/1
4- Debussy Sunken Cathedral

Two pieces in the Mendelssohn Recital:
1- 38/6
2- 53/5

Three pieces in the Grieg Recital:
1- 57/2
2- 57/6
3- 62/2

One piece in the Chopin Mazurka Recital:
1- 6/1

Live recitals - I played the Arabeske twice:
1- teacher's recital in the Spring
2- Summerkeys in June

At our piano/Xmas party I played the Debussy Cathedral and the Chopin Mazurka. I also accompanied Laurie in two clarinet pieces - a Baermann piece and Elgar's Salut d'Amour.

So when I write it all down it does seem like a lot more than I remembered.

Next year? There's Joplin and Tchaikovsky that I already signed up for. Another Debussy prelude is in the works, and also another Schubert impromptu. And I'm going back to Summerkeys again!

Sam