A new year to ponder (and time to reflect)

My new year sees me with a successful business, a nice little place to live, family and friends are healthy, (I'm okay too).  2010 was a good year for me and I hope 2011 is equal or better. 

My mom is into this bucket list idea, so I made one last year when I was on the way home from London. I was excited by the idea because to that date in 2010, I had already crossed 5 items off my bucket list (the trip to London encompassing 3 of them). For the year, I managed 6 of them. 
          1- Be fully self-employed
          2 - Go to London
          3 - Obtain a passport and use it
          4 - Meet Matthew Macfadyen
          5 - Play in a studio orchestra
          6 - Move to Pasadena

I had a great Christmas. Mom came to catch her ship for about 3 days and left on Dec 23. She was excited to see how my house has evolved. I spent Christmas Day with close friends, helped them cook a ton of food for 15 people and had a really lovely time.  From my mom, I got a Sony eReader, from my brother and his family a little video camera. My dad sent a check. He's not a gifty-shopping kind of guy, which is fine. I used that $100 to get a blu-ray player.

On New Year's I didn't do anything. It was quite boring. Didn't even go to the Rose Parade, 6 blocks away. I did watch all the traffic on my street for about 2 hours after the parade ended. Whoop-de-do.

So my goal for 2011 is to get my books published (this is also a bucket list item). I'm going to a couple of workshops on January 29 at PCC on publishing and marketing. I am working to complete the 2nd book, which is about halfway through the edit now, but I'm a little stuck at the moment.

Teaching is good. I sent out a New Year's e-mail on January 1st that contained some strong words about practicing. I am determined to be a teacher who does not allow students to not practice and I've set out to become much more adamant about this. I have about 6 kids who I am considering dropping at the end of January if they don't turn things around, and lo and behold 4 of them quit already. I will miss them, of course, but it really is the best thing for them. It is a waste of time and money to take lessons without no expectation of progress. I am so thankful that most of my students (and especially their parents) understand this and do their best to complete their assignments. If a student makes a good effort and doesn't quite finish, I am always willing to work with that, but if somebody doesn't practice at all, it's just not worth it. I understand people have busy schedules, but in 7 days if you honestly cannot find any time to practice, don't bother taking lessons.

I am going to give the South Pasadena YMCA another try. It's dark and dingy, but it's close and the class itself was ok. Either way, I've got to get some exercise going. I've been going over to NoHo a couple times a month to see my friends there and do the water pilates class, but it isn't enough, of course. Back on the wagon for me!