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I'm Done.

Last night I sat down to make final videos of the Chopin Nocturne and Maple Leaf Rag ... but I was tired! My hands were tired, my mind was tired, my whole body was tired. I generally play better in the morning anyway, so I decided to wait and make my final videos this morning.

I made a few good efforts, but I couldn't manage to play either piece without making noticeable errors. Here was the best I could do with the Chopin.

As for Maple Leaf ... well, there was no "best" with Maple Leaf this morning. It felt sloppier than ever, and my younger self would have gotten angry about the whole thing. My older self? Well, I'm doing this for fun, and I can play it well enough.

So I'm done. Graduated. I am now relegating these pieces to "play once a day and no more," or even "play three times a week and no more." Starting with tonight's practice, I am shifting focus to Bare Necessities and the Mozart Rondo Alla Turca. And, of course, diminished/half-diminished sevenths, blues, and the usual scales and Hanon.

I'm disappointed that I couldn't do a perfect final video of either, but I'm also glad to be putting these to bed. I've worked hard on both and I've learned a lot (more on that later ... maybe), but it's time to move on. I'm excited that I'll finally be giving Bare Necessities the time and focus it deserves, and I'm even more excited about embarking on Rondo Alla Turca, which I have always loved!

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