After a day of teaching or programming, I need to shift gears and use a different part of my brain. It is helpful to inspire creativity, process how the workday went, and enjoy other parts of life.
I am blogging along with my students to demonstrate how to use the block editor. Hey ReturnReady Code Differently full-stack developers!
I have played the mandolin and violin since grade school, long before hipsters made bluegrass instruments cool again. I learned to play in an orchestra reading music. By high school, I was ear playing chords and accompaniment pieces with a youth group worship band.
Mark Wood
Recently I found Mark Wood’s music. He was in Tran-Siberian Orchestra and has designed his own lines of electric violins. His TedTalk shares how he went from classically trained professional musician to a rock musician.
Not only did I want to reinvent the music, but I wanted to reinvent the instrument.
Mark Wood
On my wishlist is a 7 string deep purple and blue Viper violin with frets. It may be awhile before I can splurge for that. I am not a professional musician and am not performing with others around having young children and pandemic living. But I dream about the days when I can be with friends in person, and have my dream violin.
For now, I’ll keep learning the 3 additional low strings on my budget-friendly violin and hopefully make a purchase one day.
I did attend an elementary school orchestra recital, knowing ZERO children performing, because Mark was conducting a workshop with the school that day. Fangirl much? It was great to see him play live and watch how he inspires these children.
I’m also hoping to get a Bahian Guitar by Eliafas Santana. It is an extended range electric mandolin. I’d love to find one with the same 7 strings as my violin.
Music for the Mind
Listening to and playing along with recordings from artists has been a great way to allow my mind some time and space to be creative. Often unrelated ideas will occur while I play, or a solution to a code challenge will pop up. Giving myself some space to have fun and a focus to tune out the news has been so helpful.
Artists that Inspire Me:
Care in a Pandemic
As the weather turns colder here, I turn to indoor hobbies more. I work on reading more physical books (audio is my preference in the warmer months) and playing my instruments 20 minutes a day. I find doing this on my lunch break helps reset my thinking.
What are you doing to keep your mind engaged in things that have very little to do with the news or your work during this time?
