Yes, I realize it's been, ehh, two months since I've posted.
I'm not so much apologizing to all of you devoted readers as I am apologizing to myself for getting behind on something that brings me happiness, but I have good reasons. Promise.
I finished my junior year at Luther. Secured the concertmaster position for one more year. Played a seemingly endless amount of recitals and concerts, including a kick-ass Strangz show, a final LCSO performance with some of my favorite seniors, and a jazz concert at home that kicked off our two-week Brazil tour. Bought a fabulous beach hat just for that occasion. Went to Brazil. Met some incredible people, played some swinging tunes, and ate so much fried cheese. Arrived back in the States last week, I've been recouping and doing laundry ever since.
So what's next, you ask? Spending a weekend in Milwaukee with a fabulous guitar player, spending the next week learning a Dvorak piano quartet and maybe choosing a new bow, then shipping off to Ohio for 5 weeks to meet new people and play awesome music. After that, I get August to buy kitchen supplies and toiletries for my small townhouse, and then I move in for my senior year.
I'm old.
But I'm happy, so I think I'm doing something right. Finally!
I have no Life Lesson for you today - well, maybe a mini one:
A Mini Life Lesson with Karla, brought to you by Orkin:
There are some things that are truly worth your time, like experiencing a favela, meeting fellow musicians that don't speak your language, eating Brazilian food, kissing on a mountaintop, working hard for something and seeing it pay off, staring at the vast ocean...
And there are some things that aren't worth your time, like worrying, being insecure about silly things, letting other people influence how you feel, staying up late staring at a computer...
Life is all about balance. Sometimes you need those unworthy time sucks to point you in the right direction. But at some point you've (I've) got to learn to see them coming and find ways to avoid them so you (I) can get back to staring at the ocean and not let a bad attitude get in the way of really experiencing those worthy things.
It's doable. Just takes some practice.
Here's to Mrs. Field's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Frozen Dessert, HGTV, and Chardonnay. Happy balancing, everyone.
P.S. Felix sold last week. To a young violin collector with a passion for violins. If you live in California and see a gorgeous violin just sitting around, let me know.
