Yesterday seemed very full for me.
I took my parents on a “color tour” ride so they could enjoy the beautiful colors of the changing leaves here in Western Michigan.
I played a CD of the Anonymous 4 singing American hymns as we drove around. (This is a great group and a fabulous Cd). My Dad mostly sat next to me with his eyes closed for the entire trip. He is definitely failing. I then dropped off my Mom at a used shop so she could shop, took Dad back to their apartment and then started a mad dash to prepare a clearer version of the opening hymn this Sunday for the choir.
This entailed created an 8 page piece of sheet music which combined features of an anthem version of “For All the Saints” and the Hymnal 1982 version. This final version would eliminate the need for choir members to flip back and forth between their hymnals and a piece of sheet music during the opening procession this Sunday. The arrangement was not new, just the idea of having everything in one place was new.
I continued to work on this in between other tasks like taxiing Mom from the used shop to Walgreens and then home to the apartment. I also met with my boss for our weekly conference.
Today, I’m planning to take my Dad his lunch while Mom and Eileen go out for lunch.
By the time rehearsal came around last night, I was drained and exhausted. It was a pretty good rehearsal. Mulling it over this morning, I do wonder about the effectiveness of my leadership style. I think I shoot myself in the foot a bit by not acting the prima donna “rilly good” musician more. It’s just my style to try to quietly lead with content at a time when our society is mostly about perception.
I’m probably not in a good space to do this kind of self analysis right now. Feeling a bit overwhelmed I guess.
I got up early and emailed the choir members asking them to come fifteen minutes early this Sunday to the pregame rehearsal Sunday. Not sure if people will actually do this, but if they did it would help our performance.
Hopefully today I will be able to relax some. Eileen has the day off. I bought two pumpkins which I would like to make into jackolanterns. I usually do this for Halloween. We are stocked with candy for trick or treaters this evening. I enjoy giving out candy.