Almost normal again

It's been very hard to get back to practicing the last few weeks, due to work deadline demands, but today I managed not only to practice, but to actually get to the fitness club and work out. But, I still have one huge project, already late, and another smaller one after that, almost late.

I took yesterday off, sort of, to speak at a professional conference and to attend a concert that I am reviewing for the local paper. It did take time to prepare my presentation, and it will take time to write the review, time away from work. But one of the conference attendees came up to me afterward to talk--he is working on a similar project to the one I talked about. Of course the topic of music came up, and he mentioned that he is also a flutist and writes program notes for concerts conducted by his son's orchestra. He promised to research the obscure composers on my concert program (which I had with me at the conference) and send me information. What a nice connection!

Later last night, after the concert, I stopped in at a local restaurant where my son's jazz band was playing, and reflected on one of the differences between classical music and jazz. At the classical concert, you can't clap between movements, only at the end of pieces. You cannot make any noise, except at designated times. At the jazz bar, people just talk right through the performances, in ever-louder voices, to make themselves heard over the music and the other voices. It is not my favorite environment. My son's jazz band is exquisite, very professional though the players are 18-20 years old, but I must go home early to protect my ears.