getting used to a normal schoollife

I have to get used to schooltimes.

So I tried to make it easy for myself and do the shopping for next week today.

I'm not sure of I've done myself a favour.
All day the rain has been pouring down and now I have all my three coats soaking wet.
It's not cold enough to put on the heating, but one way or another I have to try and get them all three dry before the start to smell.

I bought myself a new alarmclock.

I'm so afriad I will arrive late at the school.
When I was a pupil I always had a good excuse, but now I'm a teacher I won't have.

Yea... you're right.
I'm a bit stressed.

Imagine me, making my lunch in a box and putting it in a bag with pensils and a book.

Oh... I can't imagine myself teaching pupils...
Maybe I should take them out for a long walk and make them aware of all the rythmic sounds of city life.

What do you think?

CheaperthanHotels and Barcelona

I just can't believe it...I just can't believe it!

I´ve signed a contract to work at a school after checking the regular places where I perform during the year.
And just now I´m phoned to ask if I´m interested in working at some Barcelona Hoteles.

Otherwise I wouldn´t have hesitated.
Barcelona is a magnificent mediterrean city. Even though in the summer temperatures can rise up to an average of 30 degrees celcius, in the winter a nice 10 degrees celcius enhances a dynamic city life.

I´ve played in Barcelona before. The people are so very nice and open. They´re welcoming tourists and people who entertain them, like musicians, with open arms.
Often people have walked the streets with me, showing the many special features of the town: the art, the culture.
The architectural features of Barcelona are fenomenal.
Artists like Antonio Gaudí, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró and Antoni Tàpies have left their footprints everywhere.

It's such an inspiring city for a diversity of people, because whether you're a theatre artist, a musician, or a sculptor, or a tourist sightseeing, Barcelona has something on offer for everyone.

Barcelona hads a room for every taste.
This is one at the Arc La Rambla Hotel.

I always use the site of CheaperthanHotels.com to find a place to stay at one of the Barcelona Hotels . They have wonderful last minute offers and "todays specials" with lots of extra's.
But some people prefer to book a long time ahead, which is easy as the prizes stay the same for a complete year. So no surprises when you arrive 8 months after booking.

Last year I had a great time with some german friends. The site of CheaperthanHotels is translated in German and Spanish, so my friends can book their Barcelona Hotels in their own language.
They took their women with them who spend each day at one of the seven beaches (totalling 4.5 km (2.8 mi) of coastline). They were so brown when they went home that people thought they had been for weeks to Africa.

The year before the men tried out one of the Ramblas Hotels.
We had a marvellous time in the restaurants and cafe's of this famous street which connects Plaça Catalunya in the center with the Christopher Columbus monument at Port Vell.
We had a great time watching the street theatre and market stalls, spending time at the cafés, and having long evening dinners at the restaurants.

Before you book a hotel in Barelona it's wise to have a look at what's available at the theatres. Many festivals are held during the year, and it's a pity to miss one.
The Sardanas are very interesting and joyous. These are traditional Catalan dances e held each sunday in front of the cathedral.

Gran Hotel La Florida

Barcelona is a city full of life, music and wonderful panoramas.

Enjoy!

friday's feast

Appetizer
What is your favorite beverage?

Some expect me to say beer.
But when performing I drink water.

I'm not afraid of beer though, and not of whisky.

Soup
Name 3 things that are on your computer desk at home or work.

I've the computer on a table.
There's an agenda, a fruitbowl (will be filled tomorrow) and bills.

Salad
On a scale of 1-10 (with 10 being highest), how honest do you think you are?

Hmmm... I think.
Sometimes I tell collegues they're doing fine during rehearsals, only to prevent them from stressing and freaking out.

Main Course
If you could change the name of one city in the world, what would you rename it and why?

I've never felt the need. Never thought about this.

Dessert
What stresses you out? What calms you down?

I'm stressed when I'm ill and can't work.

Music calms me down, reading, walking.

Next monday: teaching

Next monday I'll start working at a school as a teacher of culture and music.

I'm happy it's more than being a music teacher.
Nothing wrong with the profession, but I want to do more than teaching children the basics of playing recorder or piano.

Now I can also tell and show them how important music is in the lives of other people, and how interconnected it is with religion and/or daily life in some countries, and standing on it's own in other countries.

Speaking with the teachers someone said that here in the western world music is more related to fashion and vise versa.
It was clear not all teachers reflected on the subject that way.

I'm looking forward to it.

It also means I'll be more at home and less performing elsewhere on the world.

We'll see what that brings.

Will I be able to find enough rest to really enjoy it? Or will I be pulled to new experiences and will I miss playing music with others?

Well, teaching will leave me the evenings and weekends, so not all is lost.

I'm back again

I'm back!!!

That was my last tour with performances for quite a while.

I'm very tired. It's clear I wasn't completely recovered yet.

But I don't regret going anyway.

I've met some wonderful musicians. Some young people are very talented, and it's great to have a chance to see how they deal with performances.

Most wonderful was an evening with a few singers who completely got lost in singing the FADO.
They really got in a kind of trance and didn't care if we knew what to play or not.
They trusted we would accompany them one way or another.

Sometimes my toes were all curled upwards, hoping it would go right, but it did.


Now I have to do that stupid laundry.
Anyone volunteering?