Musical Indoctrination

This morning was an errand day. I've done a Target run, bought enough groceries that I shouldn't have to go shopping next week, and I got my flu shot. Only, it wasn't a shot. They wouldn't give me the shot because of a drug allergy (that I've always had and that didn't stop anyone from giving me the shot before), so they gave me the mist. Supposedly, it contains even more strains for more protection, and it turned out that my insurance covered it the same as the shot, so I don't know why the pharmacist made a big production out of it. I was all geared up for the needle, so it was almost a letdown to just have to sniff. I'd planned this for a couple of days when I don't have to do much or be around people, before a week of constant activity. Now we'll see if this keeps me from getting sick this year.

I don't have any fun stories about the kids today because they were pretty good last night. My problem child was more sulky than hyper. He did NOT want to be there. I don't know if I'm glad that his parents are holding the line on this one thing or if I wish they'd give in and let him not come if he doesn't want to. I actually didn't make it all the way through my lesson plan last night. Normally, I seem to plan too little and have to wing it, but I thought I hadn't planned enough and then had to hurry through a couple of things. They actually seemed interested in what I was teaching. I started the musical indoctrination last night. We were talking about fast and slow music, and to them, fast music is like rock music, with a beat. So I brought out the Chopin. I played one of the "andante" etudes, then switched to the Revolutionary. They actually stayed focused on the classical music longer than I expected. They did lie down and mime sleeping during the slower piece, and we let them because they were quiet for more than 30 seconds. Next time, I'll introduce them to Beethoven with the "thunderstorm music."

Then I had a nice discussion at dinner with the choir director and some of the choir members about sociology and entertainment, veering off into talk about Battlestar Galactica and Firefly. In choir practice, I had to sing with a quintet with a microphone in front of the rest of the choir, which was unnerving, but it's probably good practice for Sunday morning. It's a really jazzy gospel-style song, so I get to use my jazz voice for it -- until the end when the soprano part goes up high. I get to wail! Fun!