New Year's Resolutions

"So now I am older,
Than my mother and father,
When they had their daughter,
Now what does that say about me.

Oh how could I dream of,
Such a selfless and true love,
Could I wash my hands of
Just lookin' out for me?

Oh man what I used to be
Oh man oh my oh me."

I can't hear that Fleet Foxes song without tearing up a bit. It gets me every time. And I'm finding it a perfect jumping off point for thinking about what 2012 will bring. Undoubtedly, 2012 won't bring about any big changes, but I'll be 23...that sort of middle place, halfway between "childhood" and "adulthood." Of course, I'm not really a child, but when I think about what my parents were probably doing at my age, I feel a little stagnant. But regardless of what they were doing, I'm sure some part of them felt like kids too.

Anyway, I know it's a bit late for New Year's stuff, but I've been spending the first moments of the year being a glutton, and it's time to stop! Not completely though.

#1: I'll only order a fancy Starbucks drink if I've practiced at least an hour that day already. This is my old reliable resolution. I can usually make it last for most of the year.

#2: Work out at least once a month (yes, that's a big improvement for me).

#3: Start volunteering again.

#4: Keep trying new things to cook.

#5: Keep exercising the old mind muscle (by blogging?).

#6: Stop watching TV on my laptop before going to bed. (READ INSTEAD)

#7: Read more.

#8: Be "selfless and true."

As the great Dwight Schrute once said, "There is nothing on my horizon except everything. Everything is on my horizon." I hope he's right.

Musical Aphorisms

I stayed up late last night working on an annotated bibliography for a research project I'm working on. The topic is Schumann's Three Romances, op 94. As I was flipping through the dusty library books I came across a collection of Robert Schumann's aphorisms for young musicians. It's interesting that these were written more than 150 years ago and still ring true. Schumann was a smart guy, if not a little crazy. Though, I think his craziness just added to his insight. There is also some element of truth in them for non-musicians.

"If you have finished your daily musical work and feel tired, do not force yourself to labor further. It is better to rest than to practice without joy or freshness."

"Seek out among your comrades those who know more than you do."

"Rest from your musical studies by industriously reading the poets. Often take exercise out in the open."

"All which is fashionable again becomes unfashionable; and should you cultivate fashion until you become old, you will be come a dandy no one respects."

"Behind the mountains there also dwell people. Be modest. You have never invented or discovered anything that others have not invented or discovered before you. And even if you have, consider it a gift from above which is your duty to share with others."

"Never miss an opportunity of hearing a good opera."

"The laws of morality are also those of art."

"Nothing worth while can be accomplished in art without enthusiasm."

"Art was not created as a way to riches. Strive to become a true artist; all else will take care of itself."

"There is no end to learning."