pleonast.com: desi

So, I've just finished my four lessons for the day. Should I be tired after just four? Maybe not, but I am :) I've worked on my sales and use tax and other finances for my business today, too.

I now have 9 students on the weekly roster. Yay!!

Yesterday we had to completely kill our computer, so now I have the happy job of reinstalling EVERYTHING! Well, at least it's not all laden with viruses now...that was awful!

My Chris has gone on a business trip from today through late Saturday. Sad am I. I need to see what things I can do to keep myself busy...

I'm planning on ordering sheet music for Mendelssohn's Concerto in e minor today. I'm supposed to start working on it next week. I'm excited to be playing something a little harder than "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" :)

Have a great rest of the week everyone!

Ashley


engelishgentleman	You've got e-mail!
millychloe	how nice to have so many students! All the work you've put into building a studio is paying off! congrats!
sarahsellsshacks	Hey, girl! It's been a while since we have seen you guys!! It sounds like the music is going well!
belle	Glad things are going well! Sales tax...fun, fun. Mine's due the 20th. :) Have a good week!
apbooklover04	Yeah, I definitely hope I get to see you if you come to Lectures. It was really kinda sad that we never crossed paths last time.
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Family Funnies

01-05-09 09:01pm CST

We went to eat with my parents tonight. My dad was in fine form...

Here are some quotes.

We were eating candy that mom was given by people on her mail route. Mom offered us some and dad said "Those are good, but if you eat four of those they'll make you SICK..." I don't think he wanted us to have any :)

Then, Dad tried to give Chris and me some candy to take home and Mom said, "No, don't take those...I like to eat one piece every now and then."

Dad: "Well, congratulations on being a one piece kind of person, but I'm a 7 or 8 piece person..."

We were looking at a picture of a huge snowman that Dad and his siblings made when they were little. Mom asks Damon "Do you know who's in that picture?" (it is in black and white).

Damon: "George Washington?!" I think that made Dad feel old. :)

Finally, there is this cat that lives in the calf hutches with mom's calves, so his name is Starsky (for Starsky and Hutch). Anyway, this cat looks interesting. He is black and white and really furry. His hair is always sticking up because the calves like to chew on his hair. And his eyes are red (he will be treated for that soon).

Anyway, Dad was talking about him and said "His hair looks like a punk rocker and his eyes look like me if I had the flu and then had eaten ten pieces of candy on top of that!"

Mom: "Well, he needs a shot..."

Dad: "Ooooh...is that the problem..."

Sorry if none of this makes since, but maybe it will make you smile.

I met a new student today at 3. He is a very excited 6 year old. He came up the steps yelling "I actually got what I wanted for Christmas...a fiddle!!" I love that kind of enthusiasm!

I've had lots of interest in my studio for the last couple of days. I got a call today about Kindermusik and an email about violin lessons/Kindermusik. We also posted a sign at the end of our driveway to advertise my business.

I sent some information to a guy at the local paper about my studio and he wrote back saying it would make a good business feature. He's been emailing all day asking me questions. Here's hoping I'll be in the paper soon...I'm sure that'll drum up some interest.

Off I go to spend time with my husband...he leaves on a business trip from Wed-Sat, so I'll have to figure out how to fill my time.

Have a wonderful week!

Ashley


engelishgentleman	Those were some amusing anecdotes - I especially like the George Washington one and the one about shooting the cat... :-)
engelishgentleman	I assumed the humor was that your meant "shot of medication" and you're dad mean "shot with a gun"...is that not the play on words that was occurring?
verny_mack	Ha! George Washington! :)
the_rainy_dog	^_^ It's good to have family moments when you want to share the love you felt. =)
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Gettin' Ready to Teach Again...

01-03-09 11:57am CST

So, on Monday, it's back to the music stuff :) Yay.

Here's my weekly schedule so far...

Monday

11am - 12 Play duets with Mrs. Peggy Kuhn
3pm - interview a new student
7pm - violin lesson

Tuesday

Nothing so far...

Wednesday

10am- violin lesson
12pm - violin lesson
12:30pm - piano lesson
4pm - violin lesson

Thursday

6pm - violin lesson
7pm - violin lesson

Friday

Nothing yet...

And, somewhere in there I have Kindermusik classes scheduled for February if I get people to sign up.

Also, I'm hoping to get to play in a wedding on May 23. I've been discussing music selections with the bride. She wants Coldplay's Viva La Vida played when they go up and down the aisle. So, I've been working with a piano score and coming up with something that a single violin can play. Praying that she likes what I come up with...

Here's hoping that more students sign up soon. I think they will, though.

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Ashley


verny_mack	Hmm, I've never thought of Viva La Vida for a wedding! That would be neat! Especially for walking up/down the aisle. Very cool.
didow	That's a busy schedule. We get going again Monday as well. I keep all my lessons on one day. I'd rather cram it all in and have "free time" on the other days.
didow	I understand. I wish I had taught lessons back when we first got married. I didn't know I could. Once I tried it, I loved it. I have 7 private students at this time. I have 2 more that want to start. That means I'd have to start teaching on Wednesday afternoons. That's going to be really tough on me but we could really use the money now that James is at FC. I have 30 students in the orchestras. All of my private students are in the orchestras. I'm combining my 2nd year and 3rd year group this semester. That means I'll just be teaching from 1:30-4:30 on Mondays.
sarah_seaton	seriously? What kind of book(s) do you write?
kalona	busy girl
dailychallenge	Check out the Daily Challenge!
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Happy New Year...

12-31-08 05:41pm CST

in 6 1/2 hours! That is crazy! Where did the year go? It's been a good one, though.

What are your plans tonight? After church I'm coming home to relax and sleep until Chris gets home at 6:00am. I'll probably do some last minute cleaning and play Guitar Hero...I'm addicted.

Tomorrow my and Chris' families are coming over for a barbecue lunch. I'm sure we're going to pull out the Guitar Hero, Wii Fit, and Outdoor Adventures, too.

I've gotten two music emails in the last couple of days. One for voice lessons and the other for a wedding in May. I hope at least one of those work out!

I decided what I'm doing for the practice incentive program for my students. I made a chart today that they can put different colored smiley face stickers on depending on how many days they practiced that week. Then, I'll add up their days at the end of the semester and work out a list of rewards from there. I'm not sure what I want the "biggest" reward to be. I know my old violin teacher gave a Veggie Tales DVD one year for that.

I received the book Little Woman and season 6 of Monk from my Dooma Looma today. Thank you!!!

Any fun things planned for your 2009?

I'm most likely going to lectures and singing in the Alumni Chorus. Other than that, I have no idea what's going to happen this year!!

Well, I'd better go clean some more things!

Ashley


alexthecellist	cool, i'm excited to see you in february! i hadn't thought about singing in the alumni chorus, that would be fun....
momster	We are going to "try" to be down in Florida during lecture-time...maybe we will see you.
beccaswife	If you come down for Lectures you can play Guitar Hero World Tour with us we got that for Christmas!
ritabita821	I'd love to go to lectures too, I haven't been to FC since 2005...
didow	I love Monk. We don't get it here. I'd love to go to lectures. Someday...
melissakae	I love Monk. :-)
paradise_ray	oh good! Maybe you can come see the musical "Little Women" the weened before lectures? :)
miss_lester	i'm glad to hear about your two promising emails!
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Holiday Whirlwind

12-29-08 11:49am CST

How was everyone's Christmas, and what do you plan to do for New Years?

Christmas Eve was spent w/ Chris' parents.

Us w/ our gifts from Chris' parents.

Lilli getting her Christmas bone.

Christmas Day I spent with my parents while Chris worked for 12 hours and then joined all of us to play with our new Wii Fit.

On Friday I got to see my friends Jane and Nomio.

Saturday was lunch at my grandparents and supper with my parents and some family friends.

Here's a painting I did a few days ago for a friend's new baby (Raegan Lydia Hanes).

Now I'm busy planning for next semester's music students. I have 12 that are interested in starting lessons in January. I'll be very happy if 4 or 5 actually do sign up! :)

I hope you all have a wonderful week!!

~Ashley

PS - Creative minds...I need your help! What would you do as a practice incentive program for students? I've seen where the students make a paper chain with as many links as the days they practiced during the semster, and my former teacher uses fake money that she gives out for the days they practice. Then, they can trade it in at the end of the semester for "prizes". Any other ideas??


didow	I'm not big on practice incentives. I've done the fake money thing in the orchestra. The kids loved it but I don't think they practiced anymore because of it. I'm not doing it this year and they're all practicing the same as last year. I don't even do stickers. I guess because I never got incentives growing up and I didn't need them, I just don't think about them. I'm just a grouchy old teacher. :)
didow	Thanks for the music suggestion. I looked it up online. It seems like the music is either easy or hard. Timothy's on the hard side of easy. I want to challenge him but not overwhelm him. Maybe it's time to step it up a notch with him.
verny_mack	I love your shirt/sweater in the first picture! :) I remember Jane. If it is the same one I remember being at FC around '06? Is she from Uzbekistan?
verny_mack	ah, Wal-mart is the best for cheap and cute stuff!! :)
minnie	The painting turned out beautifully!
tess	It is so neat to know that Micah can know my voice...very surreal actually! You are so gifted and creative. I hope you get all those students that are interested!
heidiw	The chicagoland one. This is only the second year that we have done it. We are pretty excited!! I look forward to seeing you at Lectures too!!!
justcallmekate	Happy New Year!
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