I'm lying down now . . .

. . . because I've been sitting ALL DAY, and my butt hurts. I guess that's what I get for being in a major for which my principal activity requires sitting.

Nevertheless . . .

It's been a pretty good day. The first exciting thing that happened was that I had a lesson. I truly enjoy my lessons now, which is a huge contrast from before. I used to dread my lessons, hoping that there would be a note on the door saying, "JB (my old teacher) is out today due to illness" (and, incidentally, that happened quite often). Here, though, with my new teacher, I never dread lessons. What is more, I always leave them feeling more inspired and hopeful about my abilities--again a contrast from when I'd leave former lessons feeling depressed, worthless, and guilty. EO (my new teacher) never uses guilt as a means to motivate. It's not that effective, anyway.

Most of the rest of the day was spent in various rehearsals. I had an endearing moment in orchestra when the soloist looked at me, winked, and then proceeded to confirm an appointment for tomorrow via sign language. It was delightful.

Another endearing moment took place after another rehearsal. One of the girls in the ensemble and I were chatting in the hallway, and she asked me if I'd found lots of friends in the time I'd been here. I gave some roundabout answer, and she proceeded to tell me that she'd been abandoned by her fellow graduate students who'd finished and graduated the previous year. It was then I realized that she was basically asking if she could be my friend, which I thought was pretty ridiculously adorable. I can definitely sympathize with a need to socialize, and I'm quite flattered that she feels both comfortable enough with me to request such a thing as well as that apparently she thinks I'm someone she'd like to hang out with. Pretty funny, but I dig it.

As for our concert tonight, let it be said that I almost missed it. There was a basketball game, which rendered parking almost impossible. I parked so far away by the time I found a spot (5 minutes to curtain) that I had to all but sprint, cello in tow, alllllllllll the way to the hall. Thankfully, there were still people in the hallway when I got there, so I knew the concert hadn't started. I suppose that's why you always plan for the worst-case scenario . . . because you never know when it might actually be the truth. It took me three times as long to walk BACK to my car after the concert, true to the fact that "Jogging gets you there in 1/4 the time." (I'm figuring in some extra time for the cello, by the way).

And so, I continue to take it one day at a time, hoping every day that I don't die along the way.