We are going to Norway in June. Where is that field?

When I was learning Bach's First Contrapunctus from the Art of Fugue, I listened to various recordings - and after I had it in my hands, I started playing the piece while listening to recordings. It was illuminating - and helpful. I learned how different artists phrased and accented the piece - and tempo variations that I didn't fully appreciate while listening to them perform the work. It was VERY helpful. My teacher who chaired the piano department at the American Conservatory liked for us to listen to performances and recordings of works we're working on. The best it can do is give on some ideas. As for "imitating" a master, that would require having their technique. On the other hand, one of my favorite pieces is Albeniz's "Evocation". I play it more luxuriously than any recording I've ever heard. Decades ago, I played it for a pro classical pianist - and she told me she loved what I did with it. Nice thing about not having to perform for a competition - is one can occasionally break the rules a bit. More recently, I learned "Standchen" by Schubert/Liszt. I fell in love with the way that Khatia Buniatshvili plays it. Still, I again have played along while listening to her through headphones - and gotten some ideas. No one will confuse my performance with hers - but I have stolen some of her ideas. work.

I only send money to candidates, but I use Actblue because I get many solicitations from unknown groups and people I have never heard of.

So is Washington D C, but more slowly. This is not including politics. https://www.science.org/content/article/washington-dc-sinking-slowly

@AndyD You are making sense. Not sure that is applicable, considering the US ruler.

I hadn't shopped Wal-Mart for years but recently I signed up for Walmart+ for a month for $1. It was really handy to have stuff delivered right after Mr wtg came home. It's hard for me to get out to run errands; I can't really leave him alone. I dropped Amazon Prime a few years ago. And I had signed up for a Sam's Club membership late last year when they had a cheapo annual membership deal. We went a couple of times and definitely won't renew when the year is up; I don't feel that their products are as good a quality as Costco. One thing I do like is they seem to sell the fresh foods in smaller quantities that we can actually finish eating before they go south. Costco abundance is getting to be a waste for us as we eat less. Costco gas is the cheapest around here. And then we get an additional discount because we are executive members and have a Costco Visa card. I filled up yesterday morning for $4.70. By late afternoon the price was up to $4.90 and this morning it's at $4.96. I'm glad I don't drive much.

So my piano jury is this afternoon! I’m a little nervous but also really excited. And excited to be past it! But obviously there’s a little bit of anxiety there too because I woke up from the funniest anxiety dream this morning. I had a dream that I went to the testing room, and instead of being in the piano classroom with a Steinway grand as expected, it was rundown house (the kind you’d expect to see as “the old lady’s house” in an anime film with stuff everywhere, hoarder style). There was no grand piano, only a very rickety digital keyboard. I sat down at the piano, and the rule was you had to cover your legs with a big pile of winter blankets. When I did that, I realized there was no pedal, instead, under the keyboard was a small child. Every time you wanted to pedal, you had to tap the child’s head with your foot. Then I realized I didn’t have my sheet music (that’s how you can tell it was a dream, because I always play from my iPad!) so after I ruffled through all these scores for the wrong pieces, my husband said he would go and get it. So he left, and then the lead instructor stood up and said “I’m going to the post office, who has mail?” and that was when I realized there were like ten other teachers in the room. Everyone stood up and started running around collecting all these envelops to be mailed. The lead teacher told me to practice while she was gone, and I started to practice (I was trying to figure out how to pedal without stepping on the child’s head). The keyboard was mushy and horrible, but I thought maybe I could get the hang of it but then I realized that one of the walls of the house was missing and open to the street, and a cement mixer came and started pouring cement in the road, and then there was a big rusted metal frame structure, almost like a water tower but without the basin at the top, which was attached to the cement mixer, so the frame started to topple over as the cement mixer continued to move away from it while pouring cement. I was trying to practice my piece, and watching the metal structure slowly get pulled over, and I realized both my husband and the teacher were not going to be able to get back to the house because the road was now covered in wet cement. So I was stuck there Then I realized I was practicing the wrong piece…. And then I woke up. I think it’s going to be a good day.

I do get Tangle but haven’t been reading it recently. I did read this - thanks for posting it.

I received a message from the Universe. It said, "You need to be silent now. The time for words has passed, and the time for action had arrived." Who am I to disagree? ; So, from today, I will occasionally send private messages. Be well, everyone!

@Big_Al I can't remember what I did exactly, but I read about it and got advice from people on PW. In the end it was super easy, and I didn't do anything special to protect the parts outside of the logo. It may be because this is a Yamaha, and the finish is probably as indestructible as you can get for a piano. ??

Well, what I read and listen to (stuff about real estate and about the economy in general) seems to all be pointing to a consensus that we're about to hit something like the 2008 situation but structurally different and even worse. I hope I can buy real estate soon because frankly it's so low here now I don't care if it goes lower. I was paying my rent today and Mr. Monopoly the owner was at the office. He was very friendly because he remembered meeting me when he got parked his car on the road and got out of it a few months ago, and I was likewise. It's all fun and games until the land you live on gets sold to private equity.

It's scheduled to pass through my area on July 11th. I'll certainly make an attempt to see it if the trackside crowds aren't too enormous. Big Al

Q: What do you call a lazy kangaroo? A: A pouch potato.

Oh, and I decided to be a team player, sign the papers, and move on with life. I also reconciled with my cousin and SIL this morning. It's not a perfect world. My father certainly never said any such thing. It's time for me to move forward.

Always been a big fan of his.

Love it!