But, it's one thing to be busy, and another to be focused. I've always struggled to concentrate on one thing. In part because I've always spent a lot of time working on stuff I "should" be doing. Like TPS reports, customer service, and class assignments. Now that I'm my own boss, it's time to prod my schedule to see if I'm focused or just busy.
The most common question I've received so far is some version of: "What's your average day like?" Well, I'll do ya one better! How about an average week?
((WARNING: lots of tasks and times to follow... if easily bored by lists, proceed to the bottom))
Monday
- Wake up (around 8:30am)
- Read, breakfast, and exercise... all at once!! (done by 10am)
- Piano: scales and sight reading (10 to 11am)
- Sax: long tones, scales, pattern work (11am to 1pm)
- Lunch, shower, break (done by 2pm)
- Sax or Piano or Transcribe: depending on gigs (done by 3:15pm)
- Improv class at Clackamas Community College (4 to 5pm)
- Drive to piano lessons at my Grandpa's (Jeopardy starts, and lesson ends at 7pm)
- Back home, make dinner with the beautiful and talented Kelly
- One more quick piano/sax workout in between 9 and 10pm
- 11pm bedtime because....
Tuesday
- Wake up (7am)
- Read, write a little for blog (yes, more posts to come!)
- Practice with Stephanie: killer tenor player in Brownish Black (done by 11am)
- Yoga (11 to noon)
- Lunch (done by 1pm)
- Sax: long tones, scales, pattern work (done by 2:30pm)
- Transcribe: my current tune (stop by 3:30pm)
- Break! (until 4pm)
- Back to the sax (done by 6pm)
- Dinner, email, walk the little monster, hang with Kelly
- Piano/transcribe right before bed (zzzz by Midnight)
Wednesday
- Wake up (8am)
- Volunteer with Friends of Seasonal & Service Workers (9am to 1pm)
- Back home to relax and lunch (done by 2pm)
- Sax: scales, then work on tunes (2 to 5pm)
- Spend time with my love, Kelly.
- Piano/sax depending on gigs/rehearsals (done by 7:30pm)
- LoveBomb Go-Go rehearsal (8 to 11pm)
- Sleep!
Thursday
- Get up, eat, shower (by 8:30am)
- Hit the music theory books with Eric Vanderwall (9 to 10:30am)
- Sax: scales, long tones, patterns, charts (11 to 1:30pm)
- Lunchtime
- Transcribe (2pm to 2:30pm)
- Sax: learning tunes and composing (3 to 5pm)
- Hang with my sweetheart Kelly
- Business stuff... email, expenses, schedules, etc. (around 8pm)
- Piano: scales and such (done by 11pm)
- Bed
Friday
- Wake up and listen to music (by 8am)
- Yoga or run/gym (9:30 to 11am)
- Sax: pattern work, long tones, scales (11:30 to 1:30pm)
- Lunch break (done by 2:30pm)
- Transcribe (2:30 to 3pm)
- Piano: scales and workbooks (done by 4pm)
- Sax: work on Sus tunes (4 to 5pm)
- Rehearsal with Sus (6 to 8pm)
- Family time with Kelly and our fur-child, April.
- LoveBomb Go-Go gigs: now that Portland's done hibernating, we've become very busy
- Sleep (who knows when)
Saturday
- Yoga (9:30am to 10:30am)
- Sax: long tones and scales (11 to noon)
- Rehearsal with Sus (1 to 2:30pm)
- Weekend time with Kelly!
- Piano/transcribe: depending on gigs (between 5 and 7pm)
- LoveBomb gigs or practice sax
- Then, maybe sleep.
Sunday
- Wake up and such (9 or 9:30am)
- Neighborhood food drive with Friends of Seasonal & Service Workers (10am to 4pm)
- Dinner with the family (Kelly and April)
- Sax: studying tunes (after dinner until 8ish)
- Either work on sax fundamentals or go to Ron Steen's jazz jam (9pm to midnight)
- 10 to 20 minutes of piano before bed
There it is. Now you know more about my daily routine than my mom does (or did, hi mom!). Also, I'll share this now because I know you're wondering... this is the little monster, AKA fur-child or just April:
 |
| April in her standard shoulder position between practice sessions. |
Spending as much time as possible doing what you love must be the (not-so-secret) secret to a good life. Because I'm the happiest and healthiest I've ever been. I've managed to stay busy and somewhat focused. But, the beauty of my schedule is that I can change it however I want/need. If you have ever attempted to focus intensely on learning something - keep your ideas and suggestions coming!
My next few posts will highlight the discussions and informational interviews I've done so far with local musicians/mentors.
Thanks for checking-in!
No comments:
Post a Comment