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Where Did the Month Go?

Juggling Work, Family, and Volleyball

Work has been nonstop, and I’ve been coaching volleyball on the side. Most importantly, I’ve been prioritizing time with my 15-year-old daughter—helping with her studies, shuttling her to school and volleyball practice, and taking evening drives where she belts out Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams. These moments are precious. She’ll be driving herself soon and won’t always want to hang out with her mom, so I’m soaking it all up.

Do I miss playing piano? Absolutely. Would I change my priorities? Not a chance.

Gearing Up for a Performance

Next week, I’m scheduled to play at a local assisted living facility—less than a week away! I need to carve out serious practice time to prepare. Here’s what I plan to have ready:

  • The Entertainer  
  • Maple Leaf Rag  
  • Solace  
  • Pineapple Rag  
  • Bare Necessities Rag  
  • America the Beautiful Rag  
  • You Are My Sunshine Rag  
  • Amazing Grace (gospel with a bluesy solo)  
  • Liebestraume  
  • Rondo alla Turca  
  • Misty  
  • What a Wonderful World  
  • Music Box Dancer
  • The Lovers' Waltz (Unger/Malone)

My "setlist" is just shy of an hour. I could add some hymns, but I’m rusty on those. I’d hoped to have more polished by now, but life got in the way. Time to buckle down.

A Weekend of Inspiration

Tomorrow I’m heading to the Blind Willie McTell Music Festival to see Chuck Leavell perform live. I’m thrilled, but it means missing most of Saturday’s practice time. I’ll squeeze in a couple of hours in the morning and maybe some in the evening if I’m energized. I’m counting on the “inspiration effect”—where watching a talented pianist sparks something in my brain and vastly improves my playing. Let's hope it works!

A Small Bragging Moment

I don’t have a performance video to share (sadly), but I do have a photo from my company’s digital billboard. 

I was August’s Employee of the Month—pretty exciting!

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