Grad School Update, Week 4, Day 3

Last night was pretty awesome. The PSU Chamber Choir sang in front of 1800+ people, with the guest of honor being none other than Anderson Cooper himself. I tweeted him a thank you after the show, and he tweeted me back, saying that he thought we were "terrific". We performed Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah, arranged by our conductor, Ethan Sperry. It's a fantastic arrangement, and the choir sang it with feeling and heart. I was impressed by the sense of family this choir already has, just 4 weeks into the school year. We go away on a retreat this weekend, and I know it'll just increase. ___________________________________________________________________________________ My schedule is difficult, since I work, have a family, and also go to grad school. I'm a bit envious of some of the other students who can devote more time to score study and homework. It's not that I can't get it all done, it's just that I have two little ladies who (naturally) take up a bit of my time. Sometimes, in all honesty, I resent having to take the time away from studies to play with the kids, go to dance class, take one to a birthday party...and then I remember what's really important in life. Yes, my studies are important. But if it means staying up and being sleep deprived so that I can finish that assignment after they go to bed, then it's worth it. My kids need me. I'm the only dad they have, and they look up to me as an example of what a responsible, loving man is supposed to be like. So, while I'm fully devoted to making high marks in school and growing as much as I can...I'm also fully committed to making sure the young ladies in my life become responsible, loving women. ___________________________________________________________________________________ I used to work for a pastor who said, "Sometimes, to focus on the family is a sin. The church should come first." What he meant by that was, "If you're putting your family before your job, then you suck. 80 hour workweeks are the norm in ministry. You should learn to deal with it." Naturally, I didn't work for him more than a year. The strain that put on my family was immense. He would call me at 8am on a Saturday saying, "Where are you? I'm at the office, so you should be, too." Forget soccer practice, dance, Tae Kwon Do. Be in the office. There has to be a healthy balance. I'm finding that, as I get older, I'm learning more about how to do that. I've had to learn how to micromanage my time, even going so far as to schedule my day by the minute. Crazy. No musician should be this scheduled. We aren't built this way naturally. Yet, if I don't do it, then I will get overwhelmed. So...bring the crazy scheduling on! ___________________________________________________________________________________ On a final note (if you've read this far, kudos). A dear friend of mine is having a body scan today to see if his cancer has returned. Jay McKenney, my friend, colleague, and fellow musician, had a type of cancer earlier this year that has a high likelihood of returning. He had a tumor removed from his abdomen that was almost the size of a baby, and the doctors have said that it will probably return. Sometime. Could be today. Could be in 20 years. If you're the praying type (and if you know me, you know I am), I'd love it if you could be praying with me at 2:30 today when he gets his scan. Let's pray for God's will to be done. I think Jay would agree that's the safest place to be, no matter what. Let's also pray for peace of mind for Jay and his family. I'll be praying for healing, also, if that's God's will. That the cancer would disappear forever from his body. ___________________________________________________________________________________ I suppose this turned into more than just a grad school update. Well, that's what you get with me. Blessings, my friends. Keep in touch. Eric