The company through which I take voice lessons, Musika, has announced that their end-of-the-year recital will be held on June 3. This gives me just six weeks to prepare for what will be my second public singing performance (if you don’t include all my cantoring at Mass).
At first, six weeks sort of sounds like enough – after all, American Idol contestants learn a couple new songs every week, right? But in addition to working full-time, singing at church, and being a mommy to two young kids, I’m also going on three trips that will have me out of town for a total of two full weeks over the next month, not to mention celebrating both my daughter’s and my husband’s birthdays, getting ready for my mom’s and my sister’s birthdays, hosting five family members staying at our house, and having our entire family participate in my sister-in-law’s wedding. All fun stuff, to be sure, but a little stressful and time-consuming too.
Plus, in looking at my calendar this week, I realized that due to all of this busy-ness and travel, I’m currently scheduled for exactly ONE lesson between now and the recital. (Eek.)
Did I mention that I haven’t even chosen a song yet? (Double eek!)
And that, in addition to singing a solo piece (whatever that ends up being), I’m also going to be singing an a cappella group piece with the rest of my teacher’s students? TRIPLE EEK!!
So I guess it’s a good thing the universe has been pounding a lesson into my head lately about being diligent, organized, responsible, and proactive, because I think I’m gonna need it over the next six weeks!
Then again, I tend to do my best work when coming up on a deadline...and I have found myself a little lacking in the motivation department in regards to practicing lately. So I think this looming potential public humiliation upcoming recital will really help me buckle down, prioritize my practicing, and perfect a couple of pieces, which will give me a boost of confidence, which will be a huge help in working toward my next goal, which is: to sing at an open mic night.
(Eek...)
I heard a funny thing about prioritizing, that was attributed to Jerry Seinfeld of all people. He said that he prioritizes his day by this maxim, "I do what I value most, first." Try that for a day and see if it changes anything. Speaking for myself I tend to priortize other people's needs before mine thinking that, "I'm saving the best for last." but in reality... I never seem to get to my stuff....
ReplyDeleteI love that quote - that is what I am aspiring to do, you know, SOMEDAY. :/ But I'm getting better at not always putting other's needs before my own, because I've definitely learned like you, that too often, I never get to the "me" stuff otherwise.
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