2022 comes to an end.

 Tomorrow is the last day of 2022.

Now is a time when some may wonder what they achieved in 2022. 

Did YOU achieve resolutions that you set for yourself a year ago?

Actually, it doesn't matter at all. 

You most likely did some wonderful work on some things that are really important, and you probably didn't give yourself due credit. WELL DONE TO YOU!

Too often we look at the negative aspects of what we have attempted.

I read this the other day, "A baby takes his first step and then falls onto his bottom. We cheer and rejoice that our baby is walking!"

Let's make 2023 the year when we look out for successes; in ourselves and others.

* * *

Okay, lecture over.

Yesterday I looked at the music to Caprice 24 for the first time in a while. Don't get me wrong, I often play through bits of different variations, but yesterday I looked at the music.

Look at the date penciled in at the top - March 31, 2022.

That was the first day I started to look at how to play this music. I worked on the tune and six variations - there are eleven variations in total. I memorized a few, got better at playing some and failed miserably with one. Variation 1 (shown above) is the one that I continued to play most days, even when my practice was disrupted by a major event that took up a lot of my time. Two days ago an ex-student came around. I had previously given him a copy of this music. He had tried to play Variation 1. Without thinking, I played it for him. Yesterday I practised it for just under two hours. I can actually play it pretty well. I'll probably make a recording later today to give you a taste.

How did I get there? Careful analysis and lots of repetition. Also, by working on the basics of violin playing. I see these variations as giving me lots of ideas for playing my improvised repertoire.

* * *

Okay, okay, I hear you. This post is too serious. You want need some silly stuff!

Let's see.

Kevin Sparrow stood on a branch high up in a tree.

He only had a small brain and, right now, most of it was occupied with thinking about food - a nice juicy but slightly dirt tasting worm would fit the bill. He whispered a short prayer to Oscar, God of all Birds. "Chirp, chirp, chirp."

Oscar, God of all Birds.

It was chirped that, if you remembered to leave a small piece of your worm catch in case Oscar was hungry, there would be a place in Avery for you.

It is chirped that Graham the Duck will meet you at the gate.

It must be pointed out that some birds are atheists.

On this day Kevin was in a thinking mood. "Why do all sparrows have the surname 'Sparrow'? Why were all ducks known as 'the Duck'? Are there also birds with 'Bird' as a surname? Imagine if humans had names like John American or Nancy European or Brent Human."

I guess you could say that Kevin Sparrow was a thinking kind of bird, much in the same way that Phillip Edward Nis is a thinking kind of guy.

Phillip Edward Nis - a thinking
kind of guy.

Well, I'll leave you there for today. Watch out for a post with Variation 1.

Ciao tutti.