Adulting, And Not
Mar. 9th, 2025 08:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
taz_39I was up at 7 and finishing my transcription, submitting it, and planning dinners by the time Jameson got up. When he went to the gym I cleaned the bathrooms and briefly practiced bass...my first lesson is tonight and it's an hour long, so I don't want to overdo it. Then lunch and to the grocery for dinner ingredients.
I did a lot of cleaning last week on my day off, and it felt strange to not have a laundry list of To-Do's.
I felt restless without something demanding my attention. That, and I was nervous for the lesson later in the evening.
For dinner Jameson wanted to treat himself to Taco Bell, so I said ya know what, I'll treat myself to Chinese!
(I don't like Taco Bell, and Jameson can't eat Chinese because the MSG makes him sick.)
I enjoyed steamed seafood with veggies and char siu ribs. There seemed like enough food for like eight people so I'll be eating that for the next 3-4 lunches.
Then it was time for my lesson. I drove to Will's house and was greeted by his 5-year-old Italian greyhound whose name is Baci because that means "lots of kisses" in Italian, and Baci loves to give lots of kisses! We started with Will examining my bass trombone. I think it's a good horn, but wanted a REAL bass trombonist's opinion. He absolutely loved it, especially the slide (which to be fair any trombonist bass or not would agree that it's a good one.) He'd never played a Minick-modified horn, so now I think he understands why they're so sought after. That guy knew what he was doing. (Read about Larry Minick HERE if you like. It's his obit, but it does explain why his work was/is so prized.)
That done, we started with some basic warm-ups and exercises so Will could see where I'm at. I was nervous and internally cringing at how poor I sound compared to Will...but also, that's why I'm taking lessons, you know? To learn and to improve, on an instrument that I don't normally play. There's no need to be embarrassed about that.
I learned a great deal from Will in that short hour. About how tenor players need to have a faster airstream, but to play bass you have to slow it down and spread it out...like fogging up a window with your breath, as opposed to blowing out a candle. I learned that I've been playing some of the pedal note positions in the wrong spot, not knowing any better. It was actually fascinating and exciting, finding out all of the stuff that I didn't know. We will have another lesson in a week, which is excellent because it'll hold me accountable. I can tell right away that taking lessons was the right thing to do, and am excited for the progress that I could make with Will's guidance!
We went overtime but he still only charged me for an hour, so next time I'll bring him some Dragon's Milk beer.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, I managed to sleep a bit later but was still up before 8.
Missions accomplished:
- Load of laundry.
- Mixed up some garlic butter for garlic bread later.
- Practiced the new materials on bass. I can tell a difference already just from the one lesson!
- Clothing donation drop at a thrift store.
- Food donation drop at a food bank.
- Back home for leftover Chinese lunch.
- Ran the dishwasher.
- Ingredients list for tomorrow's dinner.
- Dug through my storage bins for stickers to put on my bass trombone case.
- Worked on Foodie Finds.
- Finally washed and vacuumed my car. Ever since the mouse invasion there have been remnants of nest materials, dried droppings, and that faint yet distinctive Small Animal Smell floating around in there, plus I've been eating meals while driving for over a month. Now it's nice and clean.
- Small impromptu funeral for my beautiful firefly petunia. RIP. This little plant brought me so much joy, and I hope to own another in the future when I'm not tearing around the country every few months.
At it's brightest:
And now, the poor thing is completely dead. The green things are weeds.
I am sorry, dear flower, but we'll meet again.
For dinner I had planned to make us this upscale chicken parm sandwich...but Jameson had recently shared with me a TikTok of someone making dino nugget chicken parm, with each little dinosaur draped in it's own little blanket of provolone...and it was just so cute and fun. And he's been struggling mentally this week, so I thought, let's be kids tonight. Let's pretend we have no worries other than imagining our vegetables are trees while biting the heads off our dinosaurs and watching junk TV.
Chickie parm NUGGOSAURS with "trees" and a garlic "land."
Some dinos had provolone blankets, some had mozzarella pillows, and some had both. All had marinara and a sprinkle of parm and herbs. The garlic butter is homemade, on store-bought ciabatta.
Fun and delicious. What's not to love?
Right before bed I received a new transcription job, this one is 3 hours instead of 2.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up around 7 on Saturday for coffee and transcription, breakfast, and when Jameson left for the gym I made "Big Mac sauce" for our burgers and formed the burger patties.
Then packed lunch and clothes for Epic, ate lunch, and procrastinated on practicing because I didn't feel like it but did ultimately get 1/2 hour in. Some is better than none. More transcription, then had Jameson show me how to start the grill so I'll know how to operate it without help in the future. Working with open flame scares the eff out of me, but like anything else it just takes safety precautions and getting used to. Sadly our burgers crumbled on the grill, but I was able to salvage them by bringing them inside and cooking them in a pan. The flavors were great but mine was essentially a sloppy joe!
Calm night of watching Severance, gaming, watching anime, working on Foodie Finds.
There are people in the vacation rental next door making a huge racket at time of this writing, but I'm gonna hope they quiet down by midnight.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, up super early for Epic.
I was startled by the oven clock reading 4:30am...and then remembered that it was daylight savings. No wonder I felt extra tired.
It was a hot day so we did not have to wear our costume jackets, thank goodness.
There were about 5,000 people in the park, we were told (throughout all five worlds, not just ours) so we had decent crowds. It felt close to what it might feel like when the park is open, with people waving and asking us questions and actually gathering around to watch us perform (usually they just keep walking.) All in all a very good performance day, aside from being very sweaty!
I tried to do transcription between sets but they've changed our schedule. We now leave earlier, but our breaks are a bit shorter and too short to get actual work done. I don't mind, but I will have to plan for more transcription on non-Epic days from now on.
Getting out earlier meant I had time to actually pick up dinner for Jameson and I! Whole Paycheck for sushi and a few small things. Back home Jameson was feeling nervous; he got called to do jury duty on Monday, and he's afraid it'll interfere with his physical therapy. He will find out more tomorrow morning, hopefully.
I wanted to practice but Jameson seemed to need company, so instead we ate dinner together and watched two episodes of Traitors. I am annoyed that I didn't get any transcription OR practice done today...but have to remember that making plans doesn't guarantee they'll happen, and that life sometimes directs one to do other things like be there for one's partner, and that's ok.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday & Tuesday: Days off. Lots of transcription, more chores, a visit to the bank and listing items that I don't use for sale online.
Wednesday: Epic rehearsal/performances.
I did a lot of cleaning last week on my day off, and it felt strange to not have a laundry list of To-Do's.
I felt restless without something demanding my attention. That, and I was nervous for the lesson later in the evening.
For dinner Jameson wanted to treat himself to Taco Bell, so I said ya know what, I'll treat myself to Chinese!
(I don't like Taco Bell, and Jameson can't eat Chinese because the MSG makes him sick.)
I enjoyed steamed seafood with veggies and char siu ribs. There seemed like enough food for like eight people so I'll be eating that for the next 3-4 lunches.
Then it was time for my lesson. I drove to Will's house and was greeted by his 5-year-old Italian greyhound whose name is Baci because that means "lots of kisses" in Italian, and Baci loves to give lots of kisses! We started with Will examining my bass trombone. I think it's a good horn, but wanted a REAL bass trombonist's opinion. He absolutely loved it, especially the slide (which to be fair any trombonist bass or not would agree that it's a good one.) He'd never played a Minick-modified horn, so now I think he understands why they're so sought after. That guy knew what he was doing. (Read about Larry Minick HERE if you like. It's his obit, but it does explain why his work was/is so prized.)
That done, we started with some basic warm-ups and exercises so Will could see where I'm at. I was nervous and internally cringing at how poor I sound compared to Will...but also, that's why I'm taking lessons, you know? To learn and to improve, on an instrument that I don't normally play. There's no need to be embarrassed about that.
I learned a great deal from Will in that short hour. About how tenor players need to have a faster airstream, but to play bass you have to slow it down and spread it out...like fogging up a window with your breath, as opposed to blowing out a candle. I learned that I've been playing some of the pedal note positions in the wrong spot, not knowing any better. It was actually fascinating and exciting, finding out all of the stuff that I didn't know. We will have another lesson in a week, which is excellent because it'll hold me accountable. I can tell right away that taking lessons was the right thing to do, and am excited for the progress that I could make with Will's guidance!
We went overtime but he still only charged me for an hour, so next time I'll bring him some Dragon's Milk beer.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Friday, I managed to sleep a bit later but was still up before 8.
Missions accomplished:
- Load of laundry.
- Mixed up some garlic butter for garlic bread later.
- Practiced the new materials on bass. I can tell a difference already just from the one lesson!
- Clothing donation drop at a thrift store.
- Food donation drop at a food bank.
- Back home for leftover Chinese lunch.
- Ran the dishwasher.
- Ingredients list for tomorrow's dinner.
- Dug through my storage bins for stickers to put on my bass trombone case.
- Worked on Foodie Finds.
- Finally washed and vacuumed my car. Ever since the mouse invasion there have been remnants of nest materials, dried droppings, and that faint yet distinctive Small Animal Smell floating around in there, plus I've been eating meals while driving for over a month. Now it's nice and clean.
- Small impromptu funeral for my beautiful firefly petunia. RIP. This little plant brought me so much joy, and I hope to own another in the future when I'm not tearing around the country every few months.
At it's brightest:
And now, the poor thing is completely dead. The green things are weeds.
I am sorry, dear flower, but we'll meet again.
For dinner I had planned to make us this upscale chicken parm sandwich...but Jameson had recently shared with me a TikTok of someone making dino nugget chicken parm, with each little dinosaur draped in it's own little blanket of provolone...and it was just so cute and fun. And he's been struggling mentally this week, so I thought, let's be kids tonight. Let's pretend we have no worries other than imagining our vegetables are trees while biting the heads off our dinosaurs and watching junk TV.
Chickie parm NUGGOSAURS with "trees" and a garlic "land."
Some dinos had provolone blankets, some had mozzarella pillows, and some had both. All had marinara and a sprinkle of parm and herbs. The garlic butter is homemade, on store-bought ciabatta.
Fun and delicious. What's not to love?
Right before bed I received a new transcription job, this one is 3 hours instead of 2.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Up around 7 on Saturday for coffee and transcription, breakfast, and when Jameson left for the gym I made "Big Mac sauce" for our burgers and formed the burger patties.
Then packed lunch and clothes for Epic, ate lunch, and procrastinated on practicing because I didn't feel like it but did ultimately get 1/2 hour in. Some is better than none. More transcription, then had Jameson show me how to start the grill so I'll know how to operate it without help in the future. Working with open flame scares the eff out of me, but like anything else it just takes safety precautions and getting used to. Sadly our burgers crumbled on the grill, but I was able to salvage them by bringing them inside and cooking them in a pan. The flavors were great but mine was essentially a sloppy joe!
Calm night of watching Severance, gaming, watching anime, working on Foodie Finds.
There are people in the vacation rental next door making a huge racket at time of this writing, but I'm gonna hope they quiet down by midnight.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, up super early for Epic.
I was startled by the oven clock reading 4:30am...and then remembered that it was daylight savings. No wonder I felt extra tired.
It was a hot day so we did not have to wear our costume jackets, thank goodness.
There were about 5,000 people in the park, we were told (throughout all five worlds, not just ours) so we had decent crowds. It felt close to what it might feel like when the park is open, with people waving and asking us questions and actually gathering around to watch us perform (usually they just keep walking.) All in all a very good performance day, aside from being very sweaty!
I tried to do transcription between sets but they've changed our schedule. We now leave earlier, but our breaks are a bit shorter and too short to get actual work done. I don't mind, but I will have to plan for more transcription on non-Epic days from now on.
Getting out earlier meant I had time to actually pick up dinner for Jameson and I! Whole Paycheck for sushi and a few small things. Back home Jameson was feeling nervous; he got called to do jury duty on Monday, and he's afraid it'll interfere with his physical therapy. He will find out more tomorrow morning, hopefully.
I wanted to practice but Jameson seemed to need company, so instead we ate dinner together and watched two episodes of Traitors. I am annoyed that I didn't get any transcription OR practice done today...but have to remember that making plans doesn't guarantee they'll happen, and that life sometimes directs one to do other things like be there for one's partner, and that's ok.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday & Tuesday: Days off. Lots of transcription, more chores, a visit to the bank and listing items that I don't use for sale online.
Wednesday: Epic rehearsal/performances.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-10 03:00 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2025-03-10 09:52 am (UTC)& the dino nuggets meal looks delicious! Exactly what I would make when I have zero interest in cooking, whether kids are around or not.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-10 10:17 am (UTC)Yeah the nugs were great. Sometimes it's better to have fun than be nutritious or grown-up.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-10 05:26 pm (UTC)Every time you mention it I picture it in my head and think “that is a good one, I should pick up something too” and then “wait, I’m 1000 miles away, I’ve got to make due with my not so good one here…”
The lessons sound very interesting!
no subject
Date: 2025-03-10 05:31 pm (UTC)*make do, not due. Sorry 🤓
Lessons suck haha. I don’t know many people who enjoy getting lessons tbh! But they are SO needed. Some things really do need more than a textbook or YouTube! I will make more progress with a teacher for sure (though how much progress is still up to me, womp womp)
no subject
Date: 2025-03-10 05:39 pm (UTC)Do not be sorry for correcting me. I’d rather get it right and won’t know if folks don’t tell me.
Long, long ago when I did musical stuff, I had mixed interactions with instructors.
And, often still do with sword performance ones.
But, good ones can certainly teach you a lot.
And very good ones are rare but much appreciated.