Thursday, October 06, 2005
Nasty Habits
Rich has a nasty habit of signing me up for things that he thinks I'd do well in. Example: When we were first married, we joined a church. They had a ministry fair. You could go around see all the different ministries that were available and in which you could apply your gifts. I signed up for a couple things, Sunday school, the altar guild and a welcome ministry with Rich. We had a welcome ministry that involved taking a sweet bread to the home of someone who had visited and left their information, with a note thanking them for visiting and then going home. We weren't supposed to go in or take up too much of their time, just thank them. This was something that had been done for us when we visited and we appreciated it.
A couple weeks later, I received a phone call thanking me for volunteering to join the music team. Rich, knowing that I play the violin and sing, signed me up! The woman on the phone knew I played the violin, as "I" had listed it on the form, and so we were discussing how that would fit in. It never did, though, as they had a string quartet already. Rich's defense was that I had a skill that was beautiful and useful and that it was a waste not to share it. Alright. He also knew that unless I had something organized, I wouldn't practice and my violin would sit, neglected, inducing me to feel guilty about it. He has tipped off the heads of music at every church we have attended since then.
I haven't played in a performance since my first year of college, and I haven't played in an orchestra since high school. I really haven't played all that regularly since then at all. Last year I began teaching a beginning student, so I've been playing a little bit more, but not that much.
Well, his latest attempt was an email he forwarded to me about a local orchestra forming. We know the conductor, he is a photographer in our area, a really neat guy with a nice family. Rich sent me the request for orchestra members. At least he didn't set up an audition for me. I have to admit that it is difficult for me to play because I know I used to be better than I am, so I get disgusted when I play. I also know that unless I practice, I won't get any better. Catch-22. I have a month to decide.
A couple weeks later, I received a phone call thanking me for volunteering to join the music team. Rich, knowing that I play the violin and sing, signed me up! The woman on the phone knew I played the violin, as "I" had listed it on the form, and so we were discussing how that would fit in. It never did, though, as they had a string quartet already. Rich's defense was that I had a skill that was beautiful and useful and that it was a waste not to share it. Alright. He also knew that unless I had something organized, I wouldn't practice and my violin would sit, neglected, inducing me to feel guilty about it. He has tipped off the heads of music at every church we have attended since then.
I haven't played in a performance since my first year of college, and I haven't played in an orchestra since high school. I really haven't played all that regularly since then at all. Last year I began teaching a beginning student, so I've been playing a little bit more, but not that much.
Well, his latest attempt was an email he forwarded to me about a local orchestra forming. We know the conductor, he is a photographer in our area, a really neat guy with a nice family. Rich sent me the request for orchestra members. At least he didn't set up an audition for me. I have to admit that it is difficult for me to play because I know I used to be better than I am, so I get disgusted when I play. I also know that unless I practice, I won't get any better. Catch-22. I have a month to decide.
