A Way to Improve Your Skills

I read this interesting article yesterday.  http://www.spinningdaily.com/blogs/amy/archive/2012/02/15/finding-a-use-for-junior-high-algebra.aspx  The part that really caught my attention as a blog topic was when Ms. Moore commented that she was becoming a better spinner by volunteering at a school.

When I was in high school, my orchestra director asked me why a string bassist can pick up any bass and do pretty well with it, but you give a violinist a different violin and the violinist doesn't seem to know what to do with it.  (We are pretty much talking about the average high school orchestra member.)  My answer was very simple.  A violinist tends to use only one instrument.  He rents it or owns it and that is the violin he always uses.  For a bassist, he tends to use whatever bass is handy.  Basses are cumbersome and can be difficult to transport.  For starters, he probably uses a different bass at home (if he practices) and at school.  In my case, when I was in the Flagstaff Youth Orchestra, I also used a bass from whatever school we were rehearsing at.

Each of the basses I used had its own intricacies for me to master.  By working with each of these basses and getting to know each one, I got to experience many more subtle differences than the violinist that only used a single violin.  One of the basses I used was made by the same maker and immediately after another bass I used and even they were different from each other.

If you want to become a better knitter or crocheter, use needles or hooks made by a variety of companies and a variety of materials.  If you want to become a better musician, use a variety of instruments (string players, use a variety of bows as well).  If you want to become a better seamstress or machine embroiderer, use a variety of sewing machines or embroidery machines.  (Even the same make and model can have differences between machines.)

If you want to master something, really use a variety of tools.  Learn the mood of each one.  Yes, you will probably have a favorite that you are most comfortable with (which may be different for different circumstances), but experiencing (and hopefully mastering) those subtleties will give you the skill to adapt to something unusual that is thrown at you.

Another skill-builder is teaching your skill.  It gives you a chance to experience, figure out, and try to solve mistakes you would have never made yourself.  (Two can make twice as many mistakes as one.)

An Age Ouch

There seems to be a moment for each of us that makes us feel old.  For many teachers, it is when they teach their students' children or grandchildren.  My husband comments that it was when the music he listened to in high school was heard on the "classics" radio station.

Personally, I have been having more and more little moments that make me feel old.  I remember that when our cats became seniors, it hurt.  I had quite a painful moment this last week, though.  We were making signs for vintage Girl Scout uniforms.  The uniform that was brand-new when I became an adult Girl Scout was on that list.  Worse yet, the uniform that was the one AFTER mine was also on that list!  Ouch!

Never Ask a Cat for a Gift

This weekend was my birthday.  The absolute best part was talking to all the family members that called.  I even got a line of "Happy Birthday" from my father before the phone died.

After the cats got dinner, Worm came up on our bed.  I asked him if he had got me a birthday gift.  My goal was simply to interact with him.  He looked at me and I said, "What?  You didn't get me a birthday gift?"  He promptly proceeded to burp.  I guess I should count my blessings considering that many of the "gifts" cats can give need to be cleaned up.