to tell me to enjoy my music! 
Because right now I am terribly frustrated both with my whistle and my voice and am ready to jump off my balcony… (figuratively speaking, I would never actually do so)
Is it just me or do these hurdles seem to get higher from time to time? 
It feels like lately it’s one step forward, two steps back… ::pondering::
Frustrated, but still plugging away,
Andrea ~*~
It sounds like you may be overpracticing and pushing yourself too hard. I think we all do it from time to time. Put that whistle down for at least a few days and get your mind on something else for a while. When you come back to it, I guarantee you’ll get over that plateau. It’s happened to us all.
::whew:: Okay, feeling better…ate a chocolate truffle and the world seems much brighter now! Sorry for the vent guys–that just needed to come out, and I knew y’all would understand!
Andrea ~*~
(who’s actually a little embarrassed for her outburst 
)
Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
~Red Auerbach 
Edited to add: Thanks for the encouragement Bartleby!! The whistle is down and I am breathing… 
[ This Message was edited by: aderyn on 2002-12-17 15:32 ]
On 2002-12-17 15:29, aderyn wrote:
::whew:: Okay, feeling better…ate a chocolate truffle and the world seems much brighter now! Sorry for the vent guys–that just needed to come out, and I knew y’all would understand! >Andrea ~*~
(who’s actually a little embarrassed for her outburst >
Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
~Red Auerbach <img src=> http://www.stopstart.freeserve.co.uk/smilie/lah.gif> >Edited to add: Thanks for the encouragement Bartleby!! The whistle is down and I am breathing… >
[ This Message was edited by: aderyn on 2002-12-17 15:32 ]
Ah, phenylethylamine! That’s the chemical in chocolate that makes you feel better.
Yeah, relax, have fun, don’t push it. Sleep on problems, too. You might solve them in your sleep.
M
Yes, the hurdles seem very high sometimes. Or, you can look at it conversely, sometimes, when you least expect it, you’ll have a revelation or a few for no apparent reason.
Andrea–
It’s true there are many problems that can be solved with the liberal application of chocolate! As for the music, just remember – this is fun, not work! Just enjoy the music that is coming out. Don’t practice, just play. It’s a state of mind. Music is very therapeutic if you’ll let it be, and soon you’ll be feeling better about it and ready to start practicing again.
In the meantime, have a smile from a fellow (well, former) Atlantan: 
Steven
Oh, Chas-- I like that!! That suits my usually-optimistic self much better… 
Andrea ~*~
Andrea,
Glad to hear you stopped practicing, pushing, and sat your whistle down. Breath and let go.
Now pick up the whistle, or song, only when you want to just play, or just sing. Let improved intonation and phrasing be something for tommorrow, today just release.
I am an analyzer - rationalizer in much that I do. Which means I put things in terms of words and logic and try to figure things out, “Why can’t I do such and such right”, “well it must be because …” That works great in many endeavors; but …
Music seeks to express that which can’t be put into words. So I can’t analyze my way through music’s world. Some hurdles, some melodies, some victories, some frustrations, some descants, some keys, some transcendence just happen, the reasoning, verbal side of me has nothing to do with it.
So let go of the ‘figuring it out’ and just play. The heavy burden that the head can’t remove, maybe the heart can lift, or turn to feathers.
Just play and …
Don’t worry Andrea! Outbursts happen to me all the time, even in public. You will get used to it. And dead points in learning music are a common thing too. Just take a rest, listen to something else for a while, J.S. Bach, or jazz, or Eminem, whatever. Take it easy, have some chocolate, or maybe even a little whiskey. You’ll be a better musician after this crisis.
Take a wee dram of this if you need inspiration:
This may not improve your playing, but you won’t care!
Lee, somehow I knew you’d know just the thing to say…
Thanks to everyone who has offered bits of wisdom and calm…
Andrea ~*~