Yes, that is my resume for too many years. And no, I will not apologize for neglecting my blog for several months. You are here and you are the first!!! Thank you for arriving.
The American dollar is down, down, down. I give my best wishes to Europeans, Chinese, South Americans and Islanders who are benefiting from the low dollar. Welcome to our primitive civilization on the west side of the bush or east side.
I will indulge myself. After a difficult year with my Sebastopol high school learners, I am taking a little break. Of course, I am reevaluating my approach to teaching. I have decided that the stand off approach to ninth graders is not an effective teaching strategy. I love all of my students but some I love more than others, and Dear Abby...
My summer is immersed in learning opportunities. At the JC I am taking Introduction to Jazz improvisation with 2 teenagers who live within one block of me. I should have done this forty years ago. I am finally learning all of the notes on the guitar, learing Mixolydian, Dorian, phygian modes and more, spending two to three hours a night practicing the guitar and I still feel like the slowest student in the class.
Jazz Camp provided the vocal and band experience I needed. I focused mostly on singing. Madeline Eastman was a dream- always supportive and constructive. Randy Vincent- quiet- sweet and always helpful- was mostly over my head. Julie Kelly let me sing the way I wanted and was insightful and positive. Jaz- assertive, acid, accepting- led our combo. I am grateful for your frankness- and excuse the expression: "East Coast Manner" although he is from Oakland- direct!
Now- Modes of Abstraction with Don Feasel (started Monday- and for me Tuesday) . He is a great man- intelligent, gentle and always kind. I am dumbfounded. He goes through all the painters in the class and finds something very positive about each one. He is a lover of abstraction. And today I brought a few pieces in from my uncle's work. He was almost reverential. I paint little watercolor deviations in abstraction. Don always has a kind word.
Next week I take another week out to go to music camp. My friend, Greg from Portland will join me and we will take challenging Jazz classes in the Redwoods of Sonoma County.
I will join my JC classmates back the next week, having indulged my musical sensibilities.
