New Things

I love this picture.

It's my favorite color and my favorite instrument all wrapped into one.
I also love art. Art of all kinds...though art that involves cellos is always a winner with me.
I really like retro modern anything (including the amazing folk stuff), pop art (mainly Roy Lichtenstein), anything Boticelli ever painted, Monet....this list could take me all day. Music and art are both things that I have a very wide-reaching love affair with.

Today was a pretty good day! I had a job interview, and I think (knock on wood!) that it went very well. I had to sight-sing, conduct, play cello (I hit them with a double-whammy of the prelude to the 1st Bach cello suite AND Julie-O), write an essay, and answer a lot of questions. It was by far, the most interesting interview I've ever had.

I really hope I get the job! It seems like a very nice school district.

Also, I stopped at one of those Amish-run grocery stores where they sell factory 2nds and damaged boxes or other foods that companies don't want to sell anymore. It's amazing how much money you can save on a box of cereal that only has a dent in it. I think it's important to support smaller businesses like that anyway.

I like their portion sizes better, too. For example, instead of buying a six-pack of those 12oz. Coke bottles, I can buy them individually. 3 FOR $1.00!!!! Now you tell ME where you can find a better deal than that? Sunset Outlet in Lebanon, PA...you're awesome. Everyone should go shop there. Their deli is amazing.

Have a good day!

Why I Love The Chiropractor

I love my chiropractor.

How did I end up needing one? I had spent a few years in a folding chair, in front of a computer, with a monitor that was above my eye level.
Yes...I had been looking up with my neck in a terrible position with no postural support for my back. Awesome! Do me a favor: go out and spend good money on a cushioned and supportive chair for your job. Make sure it keeps you eye level with your computer monitor. If you're looking up or down at your screen, your neck will not be happy about it later!

You know what else I was doing? Sleeping with three pillows under my head. Something like this:

It's funny. I had never thought about how I sleep...ever. I can't believe I kept my neck in that position for so many hours.

I started getting terrible headaches with vision disturbances. The kind of headaches that make it feel like your head is in a vice. All the pressure was coming from the back of my head where it meets my neck. I began to get very worried. The only thing that seemed to help was to lie down, which took the pressure off my neck. I thought maybe my head had ballooned up, because it felt so heavy, like my neck couldn't support it.

I'm not sure why I even decided to go to the chiropractor in the first place, but I'm glad I did. My C2 vertebra (the second vertebra in my neck) is out of place from my neck being in an awkward position for so long. (3-ish years?)

I now go every 3-4 weeks for an adjustment and electrode stimulation therapy. I do stretching and strengthening exercises at home. I sleep on a neck aligning pillow and it's great.

Also, if I do get any pain, I use BioFreeze to quickly combat it. It's like IcyHot, but alot more powerful. I haven't had a headache in quite awhile.

I don't have health insurance to cover chiropractic, but if you tell the office about your situation, you can usually become a cash paying customer. It costs about $40 a visit. I think it's worth every penny. As my chiropractor always says, too many people are used to popping pills when something ails them. It's time to look at alternative treatments for pain and other ailments.


If this post helped you, please comment.
Thanks for reading!

A Cello Tribute To Randy Marcantoni

 I've been out of the loop.

I had no idea that Randy had passed away.
He used to take lessons with me.
He was my favorite student.

Randy was primarily a bass guitar player, but he had a lot of interest in the cello.
I'm pretty sure he wanted to learn it so he could play it on slower, more ballad-type songs with his band.
He definitely plucked it like a jazz bass. We were always working on that, ha ha ha.

I remember how excited he was to be sitting on the same stage as Yo-Yo Ma at the Zoellner Arts Center.
I think he got to meet him, too.
I sat all the way in the back, but we met-up during intermission.
He looked so nice in that tuxedo.

At one lesson, he came in with the bass line to "Yesterday" by The Beatles all written out.
He had learned it and written in down by ear.
I recorded it.
You can hear his voice at the end.

So here, for your listening pleasure, is that very performance, with Randy on the bass part and me playing the melody. Thank you, iPhone, for having the ability to record amazing things like these.
Yesterday by The Beatles

The last text I received from him reads, "More improvement, one less drug to take. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is Love. 1 Corinth 13:13."

Rest in peace, my friend. 
You are missed.

The Kids In The Hall

...is the best show in the entire world. Ever since the entire series became viewable on Netflix, I have watched it non-stop. I must have re-watched it about 10 times so far. It's THAT funny. Here is my favorite skit:

I really think it's the hilarious music that always gets me with this skit...that and the fact that Dave Foley looks way too pretty as a woman. (and Scott's amazing tux)

They don't make great shows like this anymore. I really did enjoy "Little Britain," but it doesn't even compare with KITH.

On another note, I'm thinking about replacing my cello's endpin with a carbon fiber one. I'm not sure how much it will change the sound, but I'll take advice if you have it. It's been a long week, what with it being rental season at the music store. People coming in and out all day long, looking for rentals, throwing their issues on me, etc. I was so tired from it that I slept most of the day today.

That's all I got. Peace out.

Too many posts in one day!

I think I may be starting to like this whole "blog" thing. In fact, I just blogged a big blog right into my blogs. Yeah...it's THAT good.

Interesting things that happened to me today:
1. I got a rejection letter from a school I don't even remember applying to.
2. I got a $216 prescription for $15.95.
3. I had Subway for lunch and dinner.
4. I listened to Brandenburg No. 6 almost 8 times.
5. I had to order a 1/16th size violin for a student at the store. It's so tiny!


I'm sure I will have a lot more things to say tomorrow. Reno 911! is calling my name...not to mention I got all the seasons of "Daria" on DVD as a very nice (though very late) gift from B.J. Goodnight!

Dragonforce

...has such amazing hair. As a group, seriously...how has a shampoo company not gone to them as spokesmen? This song gets me so pumped.

My Life

It is totally ridiculous how hard it is to get a music teaching job these days.

I think I put in...100 applications??? (and for the sake of all that is holy, I look GOOD on paper, too!) I had 12 interviews and still haven't gotten a job. I mean, why can't the interviewers ask more in-depth and important questions?

Such as: "Do you plan on having a nervous breakdown in the next 5-10 years? Do you take prescription crazy pills? Will you force kids to play Bach and Beethoven consistently, even though they clearly prefer popular music?"

Seriously...I am an awesome strings teacher. I'm funny and cool and I know my stuff. I think outside the box. I'm not afraid to take risks. Someone read this and hire me in your school district. I need something new and exciting in this life!